Royal Baby: World Watches As Due Date Arrives

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The eyes of the world will be on St Mary's Hospital's Lindo Wing today as Kate's presumed due date arrives.

Kensington Palace has refused to comment on speculation July 13 is the Duchess' due date, conceding to reporters only that the baby is due "in July".

But that hasn't stopped the media frenzy outside the hospital.

"We've been looking at that baby bump for the past seven months and so you've got to be here to make sure you get the shot," CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata told Sky News.

He added: "The US' fascination with William and Kate goes back to their wedding day and that fairytale romance. Everyone loves Kate, and now it's the royal birth and we haven't seen one like this in 30 years. They are the closest thing we have to a royal family."

While television crews, photographers and journalists from around the world await that all important first family photo, publications such as Harper's Bazaar prepare to chronicle a moment which will be pored over for generations to come.

Kate on her last solo public engagement before giving birth

Sacha Slater, deputy editor of Harper's Bazaar, said: "We all build our excitement as the event approaches.

"In December we were just wishing her the very best, hoping it all goes well.

"Now it's actually going to happen, we're getting very excited ourselves about what we can do to reflect the excitement of our readers and stimulate the whole baby frenzy the world's going to go into in the next few days."

And that must be a daunting prospect, according to Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty magazine.

"Kate will be find it completely terrifying to come to hospital and see the world waiting for her," she said.

"Diana came out with William in her arms and when she saw the press she was terrified. She got in the car and once around the corner and she just burst into tears."

Security checks around the Lindo Wing are perhaps a sign the royal private birthing suite is soon to be occupied.

Contradicting that, however, are Prince William's plans to join his brother Prince Harry at a charity polo match in Gloucestershire on Sunday.

The Duke of Cambridge is understood to be keen to honour a match that will benefit two of his patronages: homelessness charity Centrepoint and Child Bereavement UK.

In reality the only thing we can be sure of is the future King or Queen will be born when they are good and ready.

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Hayfever Soars As Pollen Becomes More Potent

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

The number of adults developing hayfever has soared since the 1990s, new research has shown for the first time.

Swedish scientists found that between 1994 and 2009 the proportion of adults reacting to timothy grass - one of the main causes of hayfever - almost doubled from 12% to 21%.

Even adults in their 50s are at risk, with a 10% increase in the proportion having positive skin prick tests for common allergy triggers.

The study is published in the journal Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology.

British specialists say the results mirror anecdotal reports from NHS allergy clinics that the number of older sufferers is rising - and they develop more severe symptoms.

Andrew Williams, a consultant allergy nurse at Homerton Hospital in east London, told Sky News: "When I started most of the patients would be my age or younger.

"But now there is a whole age range. Not just late teens and 20s. We are seeing people having hayfever for the first time in their 40s, 50s and even 60s."

Winnie Crabb has become a sufferer only recently

Winnie Crabb first started suffering from a runny nose and itchy eyes when she was 33.

She said: "I thought it was something you grow up with.

Pollen levels have been very high

"I know you get exposed to something and become allergic to it in childhood. But I was very surprised. I'm not happy at all."

Scientists don't know for sure why hayfever is increasing.

Beverley Adams-Groom of the National Pollen Research Unit said cleaner lifestyles may be changing our immune systems.

But climate change could also be playing a part.

Ms Adams-Groom said: "There is some suggestion that pollen is becoming more potent with global warming.

"There is more CO2 in the atmosphere and plants enjoy CO2.

"Climate change is also allowing plants to grow better and produce more pollen."

The unit has recorded the highest pollen levels in several years over the last few weeks.

The cold spring delayed plant growth so much that trees and grasses have released their pollen in a single burst, sending airborne concentrations to extraordinarily high levels.

But Ms Adams-Groom said there is some good news for sufferers.

The latest forecast is for pollen levels to start to decrease this weekend - and the season could be over altogether in southern parts of the UK in a week or so.

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Dartmoor Deaths: Mum And Son Fall From Rocks

Police investigating the deaths of a woman and her young son, who died after falling 100ft from rocks on Dartmoor, have discovered a child's body at her home.

A murder investigation has been launched after the 24-year-old woman, named in reports as Katharine Hooper, and her five-year-old son Joshua died at Haytor in Devon - one of Dartmoor's most famous landmarks which is popular with walkers and climbers.

The body of a two-year-old boy, believed to be her youngest son Samuel, was later found at her home address in Dukes Close, Paignton.

Joshua was found with his mother

Neighbour Tracey Cole, told the Western Morning News: "The whole community is feeling utterly shocked and devastated. This is a close-knit community.

"We always looked after each other, especially because of the kids. With Kat we were always in and out of each other's houses. We would see each other every day.

Samuel's body was found at the family's home

"I really don't understand what happened. Kat was totally and utterly devoted to her children."

Detective Superintendent Paul Burgan said: "We are keeping an open mind about all three deaths, but at this stage we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

Katharine with Samuel

"We are keen to speak to anyone who may have any information or might have been in the Haytor area earlier today, Friday."

An air ambulance, a police helicopter and members of the Dartmoor Rescue Group were called to the scene at 11.50am.

The family's home (Pic: Google Street View)

The Dartmoor National Park Authority asked members of the public to avoid visiting the area due to the tragedy.

Tributes were paid to the mother and child by members of the emergency services.

The Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team tweeted: "The team were called to assist at a tragic incident at Haytor today. Our thoughts are with the family."

Post-mortems are due to take place. Police said the next of kin have been informed.

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Heatwave: Hottest Day Of The Year So Far

This weekend will bring the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures set to top the current record by several degrees.

But the heat has prompted warnings from health authorities urging the public to take care in the potentially "dangerous" heatwave conditions.

Temperatures are predicted to reach 32C (89.6F) in the South East, with the majority of England and Wales still sizzling at between 28C (82.4F) and 31C (87.8F).

And the hot spell shows no sign of ending with temperatures set to remain in the mid-to-high 20s well into next week.

The Saltburn Inclined Tramway at Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire

The hottest temperature of the year so far was 29.9C (85.8F) in Edenfel, County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland on Monday.

Although temperatures in London will soar, Sky News Weather Presenter Jo Wheeler said most other places will be a few degrees cooler with isolated thunderstorms expected over northern England and the East Midlands.

The North of the UK has seen the best temperatures over the last few days, with the highest recording in the region of 29.2C in Branham, Yorkshire, on Friday.

A warning issued by the Met Office has been escalated to a level three alert for Yorkshire and the Humber, while level two alerts are in place across most of England.

"Heatwaves can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic diseases," the alert said.

A spokesman for Public Health England (PHE) said: "Level two alerts are triggered as soon as the Met Office forecasts that there is a 60% chance of temperatures being high enough on at least two consecutive days to have a significant effect on health.

Portstewart Strand on the Causeway coast - 60 miles north of Belfast

"This will normally happen two to three days before a heatwave is expected to occur. As most deaths occur in the first two days, this is an important stage at which to ensure readiness and swift action to reduce harm from a potential heatwave."

Dr Angie Bone, head of the PHE's Heatwave Plan, said: "Everyone can enjoy the sun safely by keeping out of the heat at the hottest time of the day, avoiding sunburn and staying hydrated with plenty of cool drinks.

"The elderly and those with long-term illnesses are particularly vulnerable to the effects of very hot weather, so it's important to look out for them and keep indoor areas as cool as possible."

More than 11 million motorists are planning to hit the road this weekend, according to the RAC.

Popular spots include the Lake District, Devon and Cornwall, the south coast of England, and Yorkshire.

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Belfast Violence: 400 Extra Police Deployed

Around 400 extra police officers have been sent to Northern Ireland after sectarian tensions in Belfast spilled over into violence that left 32 police officers and an MP injured.

More than 600 officers from forces in England, Scotland and Wales were already in the region supporting the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) operation.

Trouble flared in the north of the city on Friday as the Orange Order protested against the decision to ban a contentious July 12 parade from a north Belfast flashpoint.

Loyalist bandsmen played sectarian tunes at police lines while bricks and bottles were thrown.

Officers attempting to enforce the ban were pelted with masonry, bottles and other missiles during clashes with loyalists in Woodvale Road.

Officers were hit by an array of missiles including sticks and fireworks

Water cannon were used to disperse the crowd and around 20 non-lethal rounds, known as Attenuated Energy Projectiles, fired.

Democratic Unionist Party MP Nigel Dodds, who had been near the police lines talking to officers, was taken to hospital after being struck on the head by a brick during the fighting, a party spokesman said. His condition is said to be stable.

The disorder spread to east Belfast during six hours of violence.

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott on Saturday condemned those responsible for the trouble.

"The scenes were both shameful and disgraceful," he said.

"We said that we were resolved to uphold the rule of law and the Parades Commission determination not to allow the return parade past the Ardoyne shop fronts. We did that. We did so impartially. We did so firmly.

"I cannot praise highly enough the courage, the professionalism and the restraint of my PSNI colleagues, and those from England, Wales and Scotland who joined us in making sure the rule of law was upheld."

Water cannon is used on loyalist protesters

He also criticised those within the Orange Order who had called for protests, saying they needed "to reflect on whether they provided the responsible leadership asked for by myself and by the (main political) party leaders".

"Some of their language was emotive and having called thousands of people to protest they had no plan and no control and, rather than being responsible, I think the word for that is reckless."

The Republic of Ireland's deputy premier and minister for foreign affairs Eamon Gilmore added: "The violence and disrespect for the rule of law we witnessed in Belfast last night is an affront to the decent people of that city and of this island.

"The rule of law must be respected, even when people disagree with lawful decisions."

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers also condemned the riots and said there was no justification for the trouble.

MP Nigel Dodds was taken to hospital after his head injury

"This sort of behaviour does nothing to promote 'Britishness' or the pro-union cause," she said.

Police were enforcing a Parades Commission ban. The ruling stops Orange Order lodges from walking on a stretch of road in north Belfast that separates loyalist and nationalist communities.

The Parades Commission - the adjudicating body set up after the Good Friday Agreement peace deal - had banned marchers from a 300-metre stretch of the Crumlin Road past the nationalist Ardoyne area.

Three lodges from the Ligoniel area had been able to walk the contested route out, but were prevented from making the return journey.

Trouble also broke out on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast. Bricks and bottles were thrown in both areas.

One man was arrested for disorderly behaviour and another for provocative behaviour.

Thirty-two officers were hurt during the 'serious disorder'

Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly blamed the violence on the Orange Order and unionist politicians.

"Speech after speech at the various (Orange) demonstrations were clearly designed to stir up sectarian tension and have alongside the Orange Order's failure to abide by Parades Commission determinations led directly to the violence in Belfast tonight.

"No amount of hand wringing or denial in the coming days from the Orange Order and unionist politicians can alter that reality.

"People had a right to expect better, instead what we got was a very deliberate strategy with the inevitable results being seen on the streets this evening."

The Orange Order appealed for calm and asked that all parades be peaceful.

In a statement, it said: "The Parades Commission must go, but violence is not the way to achieve it. All protests must be peaceful.

"In support of the Grand Orange Lodge's appeal for calm, the Ligoniel Lodges (north Belfast) have decided to suspend their protest over the determination for the Crumlin Road."

DUP leader and Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson also called for calm.

"Violence and attacks on the PSNI and the wider community are wrong, can never be justified and must stop," he said.

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Clever Boys Losing Out Due To Wealth Divide

Clever boys from poorer backgrounds learning to read in England and Scotland are lagging around two and a half years behind their richer, bright male classmates.

A new study suggests that high-achieving boys from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to perform poorly on international tests than those in other nations.

The report, commissioned by the Sutton Trust, warns that action must be taken to ensure that schools are supporting bright students so they do not lose out on top university places and good jobs.

The study analysed the 2009 scores of 15-year-olds taking part in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) international PISA reading tests.

It found that bright English boys from the poorest families lagged 30 months behind their high-achieving male classmates from the richest backgrounds.

This gap was bigger in England than in every other developed nation apart from Scotland.

In countries such as Canada, Denmark, Germany and Finland, this gap was 15 months or less, the study found.

It added that among clever girls, the reading gap between those from the richest and poorest homes was two years and four months.

The researchers also looked at the gap in reading skills between children of all abilities.

The findings showed that in general, the poorest teenagers in England lagged two years and four months behind their richest classmates in reading.

This put England 23rd out of 32 countries who took part in the tests, ahead of countries including the USA and France, but behind others including Norway, Chile and Slovenia.

Sutton Trust chairman Sir Peter Lampl said the gap in boys' achievement was a "worrying issue".

"This matters for two important reasons," he said.

"First, it is clearly economically inefficient not to tap into talent wherever it exists.

"By not stretching our most able students from all backgrounds, we are not only failing them, we are reducing our ability to compete globally.

"Second, such under-achievement perpetuates those inequalities which make it so hard for bright children to move up in society."

The study, by Dr John Jerrim of the Institute of Education, comes weeks after Ofsted warned that tens of thousands of clever children were being let down by England's state secondary schools.

A culture of low expectations in many schools meant that bright pupils were not being stretched and were failing to gain top grades at GCSE, according to a report published by the inspectorate.

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Teachers' Unions Announce One-Day Strikes

Teachers will stage a one-day national walkout in the autumn in an ongoing row over pay, pensions and workload.

Every region in England and Wales will be affected by rolling regional strikes in the week beginning September 30 and the week beginning October 14, the NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said.

This will be followed by a one-day, all-out national strike before the end of the autumn term.

The announcement comes just weeks after the two unions staged a regional walkout in the North West.

The government has condemned the action.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: "The secretary of state needs to take seriously the very deep concerns and anger of teachers and school leaders."

She added: "The secretary of state has the opportunity to avoid further national strike action by demonstrating that he is willing to engage seriously on the issues that we have put to him."

Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, said: "Strike action is always a last resort for teachers and they are very well aware of the difficulties that this causes for parents and pupils. Teachers, however, have been left with no option.

"If we do not take a stand now to defend the profession, then the consequences for teacher recruitment and education will be disastrous for all."

Under the Government's reforms, due to come into effect from this autumn, teachers' pay will be linked to performance in the classroom - with schools setting salaries, rather than following a national framework.

Changes have also been made to public sector pensions.

Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to both unions in March to say he was willing to meet them to discuss their dispute, but also insisting that the "direction of travel" on both of their key issues - pay and pensions - is "fixed".

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We are very disappointed that the NUT and NASUWT have announced they will be taking further strike action, which less than a quarter of teachers actually voted for.

"Industrial action will disrupt pupils' education, hugely inconvenience parents and damage the profession's reputation in the eyes of the public at a time when our reforms are driving up standards across the country.

"It is disappointing that the NUT and NASUWT are opposing measures to allow heads to pay good teachers more. We have met frequently with the NUT and NASUWT to discuss their concerns and will continue to do so."

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Litvinenko: No Inquiry Into Spy's Death

The widow of poisoned Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko says she is "shocked and disappointed" that the Government has refused to set up a public inquiry into his death.

Coroner Sir Robert Owen earlier told a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice that his request to the Justice Secretary for an inquiry, in place of an inquest, had been turned down.

Sir Robert previously ruled that vital secret evidence could not legally be considered as part of a normal inquest and asked the Government to hold an inquiry instead.

His call was backed by Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina, who was at the hearing.

She said after the decision that although it was a blow, she was still "optimistic" that the full circumstances around her husband's death would be exposed.

Referring to the Government, which she branded "impolite and rude", she said: "Were they trying to protect the Russian state? Were they trying to protect national security secrets?"

Mrs Litvinenko believes her husband was poisoned on orders from the Kremlin

Mr Litvinenko, 43, was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 while drinking tea at the Millennium Hotel in London's Grosvenor Square in 2006.

The family believe he was working for MI6 at the time and was killed on the orders of the Kremlin.

Ben Emmerson QC, representing Mrs Litvinenko, said there had been an "utter lack of professionalism" in the way the Government handled the request for an inquiry.

"The repeated catalogue of broken promises is a sign of something gone awry," he said.

Alex Goldfarb, a Litvinenko family friend, said: "It's absolutely transparent that the Russian government is behind this murder.

"There's some sort of collusion behind the scenes with Her Majesty's Government and the Kremlin to obstruct justice."

Mr Emmerson said the family wants a judicial review into the decision not to hold an inquiry on the grounds of "irrationality".

Sir Robert had determined that he could not hear evidence linked to the alleged involvement of the Russian government in public after the Foreign Office said it wanted to keep some information secret.

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NHS Computers With Patient Data Sold On Ebay

An NHS trust has been fined £200,000 by the data watchdog after it sold an old computer which contained the personal details of more than 3,000 patients.

The sensitive information was left on the computer sold by a data destruction company employed by NHS Surrey.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) was tipped off after a member of the public bought the second-hand computer online.

Sky News understands that some of the PCs were sold on the internet auction site eBay.

The company had been employed by NHS Surrey since March 2010 to wipe and destroy its old computer equipment.

The company carried out the service for free, with an agreement that they could sell any salvageable materials after the hard drives had been securely destroyed.

The ICO said: "On 29 May 2012 NHS Surrey was contacted by a member of the public who had recently bought a second-hand computer online and found that it contained the details of patients' treated by NHS Surrey.

"The organisation collected the computer and found confidential sensitive personal data and HR records, including patient records relating to approximately 900 adults and 2000 children."

The watchdog added: "After being alerted to the problem, NHS Surrey managed to reclaim a further 39 computers sold by the trading arm of their new data destruction provider.

"Ten of these computers were found to have previously belonged to NHS Surrey; three of which still contained sensitive personal data."

The ICO's investigation found that NHS Surrey had no contract in place with their new provider, which clearly explained the provider's legal requirements under the Data Protection Act, and failed to observe and monitor the data destruction process.

NHS Surrey mislaid the records of the equipment passed for destruction between March 2010 and 10 February 2011, and was only able to confirm that 1,570 computers were processed between 10 February 2011 and 28 May 2012.

The data destruction company was unable to trace where the computers ended up, or confirm how many might still contain personal data.

Stephen Eckersley, ICO Head of Enforcement, said: "The facts of this breach are truly shocking. NHS Surrey chose to leave an approved provider and handed over thousands of patients' details to a company without checking that the information had been securely deleted.

"The result was that patients' information was effectively being sold online. This breach is one of the most serious the ICO has witnessed and the penalty reflects the disturbing circumstances of the case.

"We should not have to tell organisations to think twice before outsourcing vital services to companies who offer to work for free."

NHS Surrey was dissolved in March 2013 with some of their legal responsibilities passing to the NHS Commissioning Board.

The board will be required to pay the penalty by July 22 or serve a notice of appeal by July 19.

The full penalty is eventually paid into the Treasury's Consolidated Fund.

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Lee Rigby's Funeral: Soldier 'A Gentle Soul'

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

Thousands of people lined the streets and filled Bury town centre for the funeral of Drummer Lee Rigby, who was described as a "gentle soul" and "loving father".

Crowds applauded the murdered soldier's family and comrades as they arrived at the military service at Bury Parish Church.

Relatives hugged each other on the church steps before entering the church.

His two-year-old son Jack wore a T-shirt with the words:  "My Daddy. My Hero" printed on the back.

On the front of Jack's T-shirt were the words: "My Daddy's A Fusilier. Lee Rigby."

Mourners lined the street to the funeral to pay their respects

The father-of-one was hacked to death in broad daylight as he returned to Woolwich barracks from the Tower of London in May.

Drummer Rigby's fellow soldiers from 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2RRF) held a two-minute silence in London as the funeral service began in Lancashire. 

The 25-year-old soldier's body had been guarded by comrades overnight following a vigil on Thursday.

Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson were among dignitaries who attended the service in Bury.

As the crowds outside stood in the sweltering midday heat listening via loudspeakers, Drummer Rigby's friend and fellow soldier Sean Sheer gave a eulogy that brought laughter from mourners.

Mr Sheer said he first met Drummer Rigby he found him the "most annoying, campest man I have ever met", citing his singing and love of boyband Westlife as the reason.

Mr Johnson and Mr Cameron arrived together

Mr Sheer said his comrade's young son came "crashing" into his life but Lee "took to fatherhood instantly".

"Everywhere Lee went, Jack went with him," he said.

"Lee's time on this earth was tragically cut short" but he was a "loving father and devoted husband".

"We will love you and miss you," Mr Sheer said.

Drummer Rigby's commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Jim Taylor also delivered a eulogy, describing him as "truly charismatic".

"To be with Lee was to be where it was most fun - the centre of good times and much mischief," he said.

"Lee had a natural swagger and the confidence of someone truly comfortable in their own skin.

The Order of Service for the memorial

"He was always happy. His smile was infectious, as was his enthusiasm for soldiering and his passion for life."

Lieutenant Colonel Taylor said Drummer Rigby joined the Army in 2006 on his third attempt, fulfilling his "lifelong ambition".

 "Today we, his regimental family, salute a fallen comrade," he said.

"A talented soldier and musician. A larger-than-life character. A loyal friend and brother-in-arms. A gentle soul.

"Above all a true Fusilier - daring in all things. We all feel his loss keenly. We will remember him with pride always.

"Today we stand shoulder to shoulder with his family and friends. We will continue to do so in the years to come.

"So, thanks be to God for Lee Rigby - father, husband, son, brother, friend, Fusilier. We will remember him."

The hymns at the service were Who Would True Valour See, Lord Of All Hopefulness and I Vow To Thee My Country, and the choir sang Deep Peace Of The Running Wave.

Drummer Rigby took to fatherhood instantly, his friend said

Veterans lowered Union flags and the cortege then departed for a private family committal in Middleton, where Drummer Rigby lived.

The soldier's family had wanted a private funeral service and asked the public to show their respects by lining the streets.

Drummer Rigby served in Afghanistan as a machine gunner and was attached to the regimental recruiting team when he was killed.

His murder sparked nationwide shock and revulsion and led to an outpouring of support for his family from the public.

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Belfast Bonfires Piled High Ahead Of Parades

Huge bonfire towers will be set ablaze in Belfast at midnight as police brace themselves for possible violence surrounding the annual Orange Order parades.

The fire stacks, made with tyres and wooden pallets, are adorned with Union Flags and some are more than 100ft high.

They will be lit as Protestant loyalists begin July 12 celebrations to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne, which saw the Catholic King James defeated by King William of Orange in 1690.

It comes as unionist anger intensifies over a decision to ban an Orange Order parade past a sectarian flash point that has been the scene of serious rioting in recent years.

Orangemen will be allowed to march past the Ardoyne shops on the Crumlin Road in the morning, but the Parades Commission adjudication body has banned them from taking the same route back in the afternoon.

Residents have complained that the annual march causes them huge inconvenience.

Dissident republicans called off a major protest against the parade in the wake of the Commission's decision.

The Orange Order has branded the ruling "ludicrous" but urged supporters not to react with violence.

Matt Baggott, chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, has revealed he is drafting in an extra 630 police officers from forces across the UK to help keep the peace on the streets over the Twelfth.

He denied claims that the unprecedented move was an indication he was concerned about serious disorder in places such as Ardoyne but said the scale of this year's Twelfth event was unique.

A total of 550 parades are due to take place throughout Northern Ireland on Friday with 43 deemed to be contentious.

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Shard Protest: Activists Climb London Landmark

Six protesters from Greenpeace have evaded security at London's Shard skyscraper and are attempting to climb to the top.

Officers were called at 4.20am when the activists, who are from the UK, Canada, Sweden, Poland, Holland and Belgium, began to ascend the 72-storey building.

A statement from Greenpeace said the action was part of their campaign against oil and gas drilling in the Arctic and that the activists carried out a safety assessment beforehand. 

The climbers scaling the Shard

The women were able to access the Shard from the roof of nearby London Bridge station, after months of planning and training.

The campaigners said they chose the Shard because of its proximity to oil company Shell's three London offices.

"Shell is leading oil companies' drive into the Arctic, investing billions in its Alaskan and Russian drilling programmes," Greenpeace said in a statement.

The lead climbers are understood to be 'free climbing' (scaling the building without assistance) but are fixing safety ropes as they make their way to the summit. 

Greenpeace are streaming live video of the attempt from a camera worn by one of the climbers.

The group of six women began their climb at 4.20am. Pic: Greenpeace

A statement on the Greenpeace UK Twitter account said: "Look up London. We're attempting to scale the Shard, Europe's tallest skyscraper."

The women are understood to be planning to unveil protest artwork "that captures the beauty of the Arctic" if they manage to reach the summit, which could take them all day.

One of the climbers is Victoria Henry, 32, a Canadian living in London. 

They accessed the Shard from London Bridge station. Pic: Greenpeace

"We'll try to hang a huge art installation 310m up that will make Shell think twice before sending their rigs into the Arctic," she said.

"It's going to be really hard work, it's going to be nerve-shredding for all of us and we may not succeed, but we're going to do everything we can to pull it off."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "We were called at 4.20am today to a group of protesters attempting to climb up the Shard. We are in attendance and monitoring the situation along with British Transport Police."

Climbers Sabine, Sandra, Victo, Ali, Wiola & Liesbeth. Pic: Greenpeace

A Shard spokesman said: "The Shard continues to work with the emergency services and we are in constant discussion with the Greenpeace representatives to ensure the safety of the protestors.

"We have asked them to stop climbing and come back into the building as what they are doing is dangerous. We take security, health and safety of all our occupiers and visitors to the building extremely seriously.

"The protestors have gained access in the early hours of the morning through an adjacent building and what they are doing is extremely dangerous."

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Taser Death: Jordan Begley Dies In Manchester

A man who died after police shot him with a Taser has been named locally as Jordan Begley.

The 23-year-old suffered a "medical episode" and died after police fired at him with the stun gun in Manchester.

Police were responding to a disturbance in Beard Road, Gorton, at about 8.15pm where a man was armed with a knife.

Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: "Officers were dispatched immediately and arrived in eight minutes.

"On arrival, a Taser was discharged to detain a 23-year-old man.

"At this time it is unclear what happened but at some point afterwards the man suffered a medical episode.

"Paramedics performed first aid on the man at the scene before he was taken to hospital where he sadly died."

ACC Shewan said help has been provided for Mr Bagley's family.

"Specially trained family liaison officers are supporting his family during this very difficult time," he said.

A forensic tent was put up in the road

A friend of Mr Bagley's said: "I think he has some problem with his heart."

The friend, who did not want to be named, also said that eight armed response officers attended the family home.

"They turfed his mum outside and then went in and battered him," said the friend.

"There were about eight armed response officers went in.

"He didn't have a knife though. I know for a fact he would not have had a knife.

"There was no need to use a Taser on him."

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "There's a lot of bad boys around here but Jordan was one of the good guys."

Another neighbour, Kirstie Porter, said she saw Mr Begley being brought out of the house and put into an ambulance.

A police cordon surrounded 10 houses in the street

"Paramedics were working away on the CPR with the doors open," she said.

"Everybody was out in the street, all the neighbours.

"There was police everywhere, loads of vans turned up, there was police all over with guns all over.

"The ambulance was there for about five or 10 minutes and then it drove off.

"His mum and brother were sobbing in the street."

After Mr Begley's death, a police cordon surrounded 10 terraced houses at the end of Beard Road.

A forensic tent was put up in the road within the cordon which was guarded by uniformed officers, a police van and two patrol cars.

Mr Begley's death has been reported to the coroner and to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

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Herbie Hide Faces Arrest After Court No-Show

Former world champion boxer Herbie Hide is facing arrest after he failed to turn up in court on drug charges, saying he was suffering malaria in Nigeria.

The 41-year-old, who is accused of conspiring to supply cocaine, was supposed to be at Norwich Crown Court on Thursday morning.

With his client apparently thousands of miles away, his barrister Michael Clare had to tell the court: "His wife Helen telephoned my instructing solicitor to say he was suffering from malaria and was in a clinic in Nigeria.

"Last night a doctor who said he was treating Mr Hide in Nigeria called and said he would email a medical report this morning.

"No medical report has been forthcoming yet."

Hide, 41, was given permission to leave the country for seven days at an earlier hearing, the court heard.

However, his failure to appear in court means he is now in breach of his bail terms.

Herbie Hide with his WBO belt in 1995

Recorder Maureen Baker issued a warrant saying that Hide had been warned before that he would need a doctor's report if he had to miss court because of illness.

It means Hide faces being arrested, detained and brought before the court at the earliest opportunity.

Hide's co-defendant, Ben Sharman, 22, of Howe Lane, Poringland, Norfolk, admitted conspiracy to supply a class A drug, offering to supply a class A drug and offering to supply a class B drug.

Sharman, who was remanded in custody, denied supplying cocaine to Hide.

Hide, of Long Lane, Bawburgh, near Norwich, held the World Boxing Organisation version of the heavyweight title twice.

He was arrested earlier this year after being filmed by undercover reporters from The Sun.

The pair are expected to stand trial in October.

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Stuart Hall Sentence Sent To Court Of Appeal

The Attorney General has referred the sentence of disgraced BBC presenter Stuart Hall to the Court of Appeal for review after complaints it was too lenient.

The 83-year-old former It's A Knockout presenter was jailed for 15 months in June after admitting indecent assaults on 13 girls.

The attacks spanned three decades and involved children aged as young as nine.

More than 150 people came forward to demand that the Attorney General's Office consider Hall's sentence for referral.

An AGO spokeswoman said: "Having carefully reviewed this case, the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC MP, has decided to refer the sentence of Stuart Hall to the Court of Appeal for review.

"The case will in due course be heard by three Court of Appeal judges who will decide whether or not the sentence is unduly lenient and whether they should increase the sentence."

The length of the jail term was immediately criticised as "unduly lenient" by shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry, who urged Mr Grieve to look at the matter.

Hall was given an OBE in 2012

"A sentence of 15 months does not appear to reflect the gravity of his crimes, which included a sexual assault on a girl as young as nine," she said after the review was announced.

"Fifteen months is substantially less than the maximum sentence that was available to the judge and it is right that it is being looked at again.

"We need to be confident that the criminal justice system takes child abuse seriously.

"Only that way will victims feel confident that they can come forward."

Harriet Harman, deputy leader of the Labour party, also added to calls for the sentence to be referred.

The Court of Appeal usually lists cases referred for being unduly lenient in about five to seven weeks.

Harrowing details of the sex abuse suffered by Hall's victims were described during his trial at Preston Crown Court.

The prosecution told how a 13-year-old victim was assaulted after they had played tennis, when he is said to have told her: "Sometimes thank you was not enough in words."

He told a 10-year-old girl to cuddle him "like she would one of her teddies" after he had given her steak and champagne, the court heard.

He preyed on a nine-year-old girl while she was in bed.

Another victim, who was 17 at the time, was attacked while dressed as a cheerleader for the filming of It's A Knockout.

Hall initially told police his victims were lying as part of a "vendetta" against people in the public eye.

When arrested last December over three claims of indecent assault, he described the allegations as "nonsense".

He told an officer one of the complainants was "a complete and utter liar".

Hall, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, went on to issue an impassioned on-camera denial of any wrongdoing, describing the allegations against him as "cruel".

More women came forward as a result of publicity and Hall later admitted 14 indecent assaults on 13 girls between 1967 and 1987.

Hall was a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting for half a century. Last year he was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours for his services to television and charity.

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Amazon Rapped Over Benefits Of Measles Claim

Amazon has got into trouble with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after publishing misleading claims about a book promoting a vaccination-free childhood.

The ASA ruled the online retailer's portrayal of Melanie's Marvelous Measles could not be substantiated and broke advertising rules.

The book was described as being written to educate children on the benefits of having the illness, and how it was possible to heal naturally and successfully.

Melanie's Marvelous Measles claims one can heal naturally from the disease

"Often today, we are being bombarded with messages from vested interests to fear all diseases in order for someone to sell some potion or vaccine," it read.

"In fact, history shows that in industrialised countries, these diseases are quite benign and, according to natural health sources, beneficial to the body."

One reader complained the implications that measles was benign, and vaccination unnecessary and unsafe were misleading and unsubstantiated.

The complainant was also concerned the advertisement discouraged essential treatment for a condition for which medical supervision should be sought.

Amazon said the product page of its website was created automatically from a catalogue data feed supplied by a third-party provider, and argued the content fell outside advertising regulations.

It added the product description enabled customers to make an informed purchasing decision, and the views and opinions were those of the author and did not necessarily reflect Amazon's own perspective.

But the ASA did not consider this relieved Amazon of its responsibility to ensure the content - which the retailer was able to remove - complied with regulations.

Amazon claimed their authors' views do not always reflect their opinions

"Measles, as an infectious disease, is a serious medical condition which can lead to severe complications or even death," read the adjudication.

"Vaccination is recommended by the World Health Organisation and the NHS as an effective way of preventing measles.

"Consumers reading the ad and understanding it to present factual information about the disease would be less likely to have their children vaccinated as a result.

"We therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible because it discouraged essential treatment for measles."

Amazon has since changed the ad.

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NHS Reforms Cost £430m In Staff Pay-Offs

The NHS has spent hundreds of millions of pounds making staff redundant as part of the coalition's controversial health reforms.

Official figures reveal more than £435m, an average of £43,095 per person, went on redundancies with some staff receiving up to £580,000 each.

More than 10,000 full-time workers left because of the Health and Social Care Act, which came into force on April 1 this year.

But of those who left between May 2010 and September 2012, more than a fifth or 2,200 were later taken back by the NHS, sparking claims of a "jobs merry-go-round".

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Health chiefs have wasted a breath-taking amount of taxpayers' money on pay-offs when axing staff.

"The size of the pay-outs, particularly those handed to senior managers, appear to have been allowed to spiral out of control.

"Laying off staff at great expense to taxpayers only to hire them back is unacceptable. This is all too typical of the NHS jobs merry-go-round that needlessly costs taxpayers a fortune."

According to the National Audit Office (NAO), 44 "very senior managers" were made redundant between August 2012 and March 2013.

On average, they were handed pay-offs of £277,273. Individual payments ranged from £33,771 to £578,470.

The Department of Health tried to reduce the risk of staff being paid off by one NHS organisation only to be hired by another but had "limited levers" to stop it, the NAO said.

Redundancy payments can only be reclaimed if the employee rejoined the NHS within four weeks of leaving.

The NAO report said that "further changes" will be needed before the right number of staff with the right skills are in place across the system, including further redundancies.

It states that getting staff in place was the "biggest challenge" for the new organisations and all of them had sufficient employees to start operations on April 1.

The report also revealed that the reforms have already cost £1.1bn to implement and could rise to £1.7bn in total.

The NAO said the transition, which saw 170 organisations closed and more than 240 new bodes created, was "successfully implemented".

However, it noted that some parts of the system were "less ready than others" and that officials were clear "much remains to be done".

It also warned that some clinical commissioning groups, which are taking over from primary care trusts and will be run by doctors, lacked credible financial plans.

Dr Mark Porter, chair of council at the British Medical Association, described this as "extremely worrying" and claimed the radical changes had been a "costly distraction".

"All the evidence is pointing to a worsening financial situation for the NHS and the Government needs to urgently rethink its approach," he said.

NAO boss Amyas Morse hailed the "considerable achievement" already made by NHS staff but warned they face major challenges to finish the job while also making savings.

The DoH said the changes would result in a £5.5bn saving to the taxpayer in this parliament and £1.5bn each year from 2015, which would go back into patient care.

A spokesman insisted the NHS would now be able to work better and deliver higher quality care, with "doctors and nurses in the driving seat".

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Deadly West London Flat Fire 'Suspicious'

The Metropolitan Police have said they are treating a fire which led to the deaths of two people and tore through neighbouring flats in Heston, west London, as suspicious.

Some 58 firefighters and officers were called to the blaze, which broke out above a shop near the junction of Church Road and Heston Road, at around 1.40am.

Firefighters said three people jumped out of the burning building

Three people are believed to have jumped from the second floor of the burning building before fire crews arrived.

A woman found in the street was pronounced dead at the scene, while two men, aged 18 and 37, are being treated for multiple injuries at St Mary's Hospital in central London.

Firefighters found the body of another person during a search of the flat.

Local roads have been closed around the flats

The names of those killed in the fire, which was spotted by police officers during a routine patrol, have not yet been released.

Kudzanayi Taziwa, who was in the building at the time, told Sky News: "I heard a loud bang. When I opened the window, I saw some shattered windows on the ground and I thought there had been a car crash. That's when I realised there was a body on the floor."

The cause of the blaze is under investigation by police and fire officers.

London Fire Brigade sent eight fire engines to the scene

It is thought to have started inside one of the flats before spreading to neighbouring properties, damaging half of the roof of the building and parts of the second floor.

Around 50 people who were evacuated from their homes were taken to a nearby village hall.

The local council is attempting to find emergency accommodation for anyone unable to return.

The deadly fire happened overnight

Road closures are also in place while firefighters investigate the blaze.

Officials from Hounslow borough council are at the scene and police officers from the Met's Homicide and Serious Crime Command have been contacted.

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Brit Drugs Suspect Arrested In Athens Sting

A British man wanted in connection with a multimillion-pound drugs seizure has been caught in a sting operation at a pub in Athens.

Kevin Hanley, 50, had just settled down to watch the British and Irish Lions' rugby triumph against Australia when Greek and British officers grabbed him.

Police had been targeting him since November when officers discovered more than £2m in cash and millions of pounds worth of drugs at a property in Fulham, London.

Officers from Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and Greek police arrested Hanley on suspicion of money-laundering, and conspiracy to supply cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine.

Greek police said Hanley had taken "extensive precautions" to avoid arrest, with "frequent changes of address, telephones and cars" - using dual-sim mobile phones and coded text messages.

Brendan Foreman, regional head of investigations at Soca, said: "These arrests were a direct result of our close co-operation with the Greek authorities.

"Operations like this remind the public that Soca and its partners will stop at nothing to take down those suspected of being involved in drug trafficking."

In the seizure, police found 44.1lb (20kg) of cocaine, 33.1lb (15kg) of cannabis and 33.1lb of amphetamine, as well as £2.1m in cash.

Five other suspects - four men and one woman - from London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Gloucestershire - have also been arrested in Britain in connection with the operation.

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Asylum Seekers Rescued On P&O Dover Ferry

A "critical incident" has been declared in Dover after 15 asylum seekers were found in a tanker on a cross-Channel ferry.

They were found on P&O's Spirit of France and two have been taken to hospital amid inquiries into whether they had come in contact with a hazardous substance.

The two people are not in a life-threatening condition, said police.

It is understood that the alert was raised when banging was heard from the sides of the tanker as the ferry docked at the port.

Fire crews were called to the port to rescue the asylum seekers

"Emergency services are at the scene and are dealing with the situation in close co-operation with port staff," said a police spokesman.

Two drivers were taken into custody but the port remained open and ferry services were not affected.

Six fire engines and some specialist equipment were sent to the Eastern Docks to help rescue the asylum seekers after an emergency call at 8.45am.

A P&O spokesman said the company was "helping the police with their investigations".

The 213-metre-long Spirit of France, along with its sister ship Spirit of Britain, is the largest ferry ever built for the Dover Strait and can carry 2,000 passengers.

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Dismembered Body Identified: Son Arrested

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Police have named a woman whose dismembered body was found in a shallow grave in Edinburgh as 66-year-old Phyllis Dunleavy from Dublin.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with her murder.

Sky News understands that the man arrested is James Dunleavy, the son of the dead woman.

He was arrested in Edinburgh on Monday evening and is due to appear in court later today.

The woman's remains were discovered last month by a cyclist on Corstorphine Hill, overlooking Edinburgh.

In an effort to establish who she was, detectives published the image of a facial reconstruction.

They also displayed pictures of rings that were found with the woman's body and published details of her dental work in dentist trade magazines.

Police identified the body as Phyllis Dunleavy several days ago but her name has only just been made public.

Sky sources say that Ms Dunleavy was identified after relatives in Ireland recognised her from the facial reconstruction put together by scientists at Dundee University.

They produced the facial likeness using the dead woman's skull.

Detectives highlighted the fact that she had undergone extensive dental treatment, pointing out that her teeth had veneers and implants.

The investigation team received more than 30 calls from members of the public as far afield as Israel after releasing the reconstruction image.

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G4S: Deported Man Unlawfully Killed On Plane

A father-of-five being deported from Britain was unlawfully killed after G4S guards restrained him, an inquest jury has found.

Jimmy Mubenga, 46, was about to return to his native Angola on a British Airways flight in October 2010 when the three guards restrained him.

Mr Mubenga died later in hospital after the plane was stopped on the runway at Heathrow Airport to seek urgent medical care.

Three G4S guards - Terence Hughes, Stuart Tribelnig and Colin Kaler - accompanied Mr Mubenga on the flight, but said he was restrained when he attacked one of the guards soon after boarding the plane.

After four days of deliberations, the jury at Isleworth Crown Court recorded a majority verdict of nine to one.

Mr Mubenga died of cardio-respiratory collapse, where the heart stops beating and a person stops breathing.

No criminal charges have ever been brought against the security guards or G4S.

The Angolan was being deported after serving a prison sentence for assault.

Returning the unlawful killing verdict, the jury foreman said: "Based on the evidence we have heard, we have found Mr Mubenga was pushed or held down by one or more of the guards.

"We find that this was unreasonable force.

G4S said the death of Mr Mubenga was a "tragic event"

"The guards would have known that they would have caused harm to Mr Mubenga, if not serious harm."

Other passengers on board the flight said they heard Mr Mubenga wailing for help after saying he could not breathe, with one of the guards apparently replying: "Yes, you can."

Mr Mubenga and his wife, Adrienne Makenda Kambana, had been living in Ilford, east London, after arriving in the UK from Angola in 1994.

He was applying to stay in the UK permanently when it was decided he should be deported after serving two years in jail for causing actual bodily harm.

Speaking outside the court, Mrs Kambana said her husband was treated "worse than an animal".

"What the witnesses said, they heard Jimmy asking for help. Nobody helped him," she said.

"Jimmy should be here, but because he didn't get help, that's why he's not here."

Mrs Kambana said her late husband was a "loving person" who had served his time in jail and did not deserve to die.

She also called for more monitoring of how deportations are handled.

A G4S spokeswoman said Mr Mubenga's death was a "very tragic event" and that the welfare of those in its care was its top priority.

"Our employees were also trained, screened and vetted to the standards defined by strict Home Office guidelines," said the spokeswoman.

"We believe that at all times we acted appropriately and in full compliance with the terms of our contract with UKBA (UK Border Agency).

She added: "It should be noted that the Crown Prosecution Service found no basis on which to bring criminal charges against G4S in this case."

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UK Coal Calls In Administrators Over Daw Mill

Britain's largest coal miner has gone into administration, with the loss of 350 mining jobs.

The move comes after an underground fire closed its most profitable mine at Daw Mill colliery in Warwickshire, last March.

Management confirmed the decision and said it was a result of the problems that the fire created for UK Coal, both UK Coal Mine Holdings Ltd (UKCMHL) and UK Coal Operations Ltd (UKCOL) sought administrators.

UK Coal said in a statement: "Following the devastating fire that closed the Daw Mill deep mine in March 2013, it is announced today that a way forward has been found for the remaining mines and 2,000 employees."

Chief executive officer Kevin McCullough said: "Today is very much a day of mixed emotions, but this is the best outcome that it was possible to achieve.

"Entering administration and the subsequent restructuring was the only way we could preserve any of the business and while I'm delighted we've saved 2,000 jobs, we've also had to make some very difficult decisions.

"I'm pleased that we managed to transfer 120 of our Daw Mill colleagues to our other mines following the fire. Our thoughts today also rest with the 350 colleagues who will now, regrettably, be made redundant as a result of Daw Mill closing."

Production of coal from Daw Mill represented around a third of UK Coal's revenue and the forced closure of the mine had threatened the ongoing viability of UK Coal Operations' remaining two deep mines and six surface mines.

David Kelly, Rob Hebenton and Ian Green from PwC have been appointed administrators of the companies by Birmingham High Court following an application by the directors.

The Coal Authority quango will take responsibility for Daw Mill while the Pension Protection Fund will be responsible for the remaining pits and the UK Coal pension scheme.

More follows...

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Barry George Loses Dando Compensation Bid

Barry George has lost his bid for compensation for being wrongfully convicted of the murder of television presenter Jill Dando.

After the ruling, Mr George's sister Michelle Diskin said outside the Royal Courts of Justice that the Court of Appeal judge's decision was a "travesty of justice".

With her brother standing by her side, she told reporters: "He lost his home, his furniture, his clothing and all of his possessions, his place within his community and his church family.

"There never was any viable evidence against Barry. This whole case from April 2000 until today has been a smoke and mirrors exercise designed to placate a worried public, and give the impression that justice had been done.

Mr George was wrongfully convicted in 2001 of Ms Dando's murder

"Well neither the Dando family, nor our family, has seen any justice in the past 13 years."

Ms Diskin added: "We are extremely disappointed with today's decision and will need to go away and regroup to decide what to do next. We cannot let this go unchallenged.

"Serving eight years in prison for someone else's crime is not acceptable. Everything was taken from this man when the police started what we believe to be a malicious prosecution."

The Court of Appeal decision followed the dismissal of his claim by two High Court judges in January.

Mr George went to the High Court seeking a reconsideration of his case which could have opened the way for him to claim an award of up to £500,000 as a victim of "miscarriage of justice" for lost earnings and wrongful imprisonment.

It was argued on his behalf that the decision to refuse compensation was "defective and contrary to natural justice".

But Lord Justice Beatson and Mr Justice Irwin ruled he had "failed the legal test" to receive an award.

Ms Dando was shot dead outside her home in Fulham, west London, in April 1999.

After his conviction in July 2001, Mr George was acquitted of killing the 37-year-old BBC presenter at a retrial in August 2008.

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'Troll' Jailed For 200 Facebook Death Threats

A man from South Shields who threatened through Facebook to kill 200 people in the US has been jailed for 28 months.

Reece Elliot posted the messages on an online memorial page for a girl from Tennessee who had been killed in a car crash.

Using a false profile, Elliot, 24, wrote: "My father has three guns. I'm planning on killing him first and putting him in a dumpster. Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast.

"I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself. So you want to tell the deputy, I'm on my way.''

The court heard the father-of-one had also directed abusive messages at the deceased girl, who was a popular pupil at Warren County High school.

"I'm glad the fat bitch is dead. Let's drink to drink driving. No-one gives a sh*t that she's dead, get over it."

One 15-year-old girl, whose identity cannot be reported due to her age, was told: "You have been chosen tomorrow at school to receive one of my bullets."

With heightened sensitivities following the Newtown shooting in which 20 children were killed, schools in Warren County went into lockdown and 3,000 pupils missed school the next day.

Inquiries made by the FBI and Homeland Security traced the username to Reece's address in Newcastle.

Judge James Goss QC, the Recorder of Newcastle, told Reece the offences were driven by "no more than self-indulgent nastiness".

The judge took into account Elliott's early guilty plea and genuine remorse in passing a sentence of 28 months.

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Schools' National Curriculum Changes Unveiled

By Emma Birchley, Sky Correspondent

A controversial new national curriculum that puts the emphasis on building a strong knowledge base has been unveiled.

The Government says the slimmed-down document will set out only the "essential knowledge that all children should acquire", leaving teachers free to tailor the rest of their lessons.

David Cameron hailed the reforms as a "revolution in education" and Education Secretary Michael Gove told Sky News the curriculum would be "more rigorous and more relevant"

But critics warned the timeframe and lack of resources to prepare for the shake-up would lead to classroom "chaos" and that pupils would be forced to learn endless lists of facts.

The changes, which will affect primary and secondary schools in England, are due to come into force in September 2014 but schools will start introducing elements sooner.

They will apply to children aged five to 14, although secondary academies can opt out.

Michael Gove is overseeing radical reforms

Pupils will start learning about fractions in their first year of education and primary schools will be expected to give lessons on evolution and computer programming.

History and design and technology (D&T) will see the biggest rewrites because of concerns about the draft syllabuses of the subjects.

Ministers want pupils to learn a complete chronological history of Britain, but primary pupils would only be expected to learn about events up to 1066.

D&T will change after complaints it was too focused on "life skills" like cookery, bike maintenance and gardening than science-based subjects more useful to industry.

Climate change will also reportedly feature explicitly in the geography curriculum after a campaign about the lack of a specific reference to it gathered support.

The Prime Minister said: "The curriculum marks a new chapter in British education. From advanced fractions to computer coding to some of the greatest works of literature in the English language, this is a curriculum that is rigorous engaging and tough.

"As a parent this is exactly the kind of thing I want my children to be learning and as Prime Minister I know this revolution in education is critical for British prosperity in the decades to come.

"This is a curriculum to inspire a generation and it will educate the great British engineers scientists writers and thinkers of the future."

Mr Gove said: "I have got every confidence that our own children and our teachers are the equal of anyone in the world but we do need a more rigorous and relevant curriculum to help them to achieve everything of which they are capable."

But Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the Government had "got into an absolute mess" and voiced fears the system would "go into meltdown" because of the number of changes.

"They say they want a slimmed-down curriculum, but then they make key subjects like history, English, maths and science much more prescriptive," she said.

"But that is not the way you should think about curriculum. You should think about the curriculum as a whole.

"You should think about how maths and English and science are going to inform other subjects and how the other subjects are going to inform practical work in maths, English and science."

She added: "Michael Gove is risking total chaos in September, with schools unclear about what they need to be planning for."

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), added: "We need the Government to  publish a fully developed implementation plan of how it is going to support schools to achieve all of this in 12 months.

"Our young people shouldn't be treated as guinea pigs in an educational laboratory."

Mr Gove insisted: "Given that we have got the best generation of teachers in our classrooms now, I have got every confidence that they will be able to implement this without a hitch.

"It is just a pity that there are one or two union figures who do not have the same confidence in the teaching profession as I do."

Rachel de Souza, executive principal of Ormiston Victory Academy in Norwich, where teachers have been helping draft parts of the document, said her school was ready to embrace the new curriculum.

"I think some of the educational concepts were outmoded in the old one," she said.

"One of the real strengths of this new curriculum is its strong focus on knowledge and on what students need to know to give them a real foundation for their future.

"We are doing children a disservice if we don't teach them the fundamental things about our culture, mathematics and science. With that knowledge they can then go on to 'think'."

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Labour Unite Row: Tories Ask For Met Probe

The Tories have moved to pile more pressure on Labour by asking police to investigate the party's selection processes in another two constituencies.

Tory vice-chairman Bob Neill wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe about allegations of potential fraud in Ilford North and Lewisham Deptford, both in Greater London.

Labour has already given evidence to police in Scotland relating to claims that the Unite union tried to fix the result of a candidate selection in Falkirk by packing the constituency with members, whose subscriptions it paid.

Mr Neill described Falkirk as "the tip of the iceberg", noting that a leaked Unite document suggested the union was getting involved in candidate choices for the 2015 general election in 41 seats across the country.

In his letter, he said: "I am concerned that this instance is just the tip of the iceberg, as Unite themselves admit they are targeting at least another 40 Labour Party parliamentary selections for similar treatment.

"Senior Labour Party sources have also confessed that the problems go wider than just Falkirk."

The Tory MP cited reports that in Ilford North Unite were offering their members free Labour Party membership in exchange for attending a meeting with general secretary Len McCluskey.

And he quoted allegations from a Labour London activist that the union was "bankrolling" a number of campaigns, including in Lewisham Deptford.

Ed Miliband was elected leader due to union support

Labour leader Ed Miliband is under intense pressure to take radical steps to curb trade union influence over his party.

He is expected to use a high-stakes speech tomorrow to announce reforms to the way the party is organised - including caps on spending in candidate selections and elections to senior party positions.

Mr Miliband, who won the leadership courtesy of union votes, has already scrapped a Blair-era scheme under which unions were able to pay the subs of new members which they recruited to the party.

The Labour leader said at the weekend that he wanted to "mend ... not end" the link with unions to give more influence to individual members.

But he was plunged into an increasingly bitter public war of words with Mr McCluskey, who warned Mr Miliband to "step back from the brink of a ruinous division" and stop "playing into the hands" of the Tories.

The Unite chief said he would not apologise for efforts to "reclaim Labour" from an "out of touch elite" but renewed his insistence that Unite was not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing.

Former prime minister Tony Blair, who was involved in a series of clashes with unions during his time as Labour leader, declined to comment on the row on Monday.

"I think he (Mr Miliband) is going to make a speech on this and the last thing he needs is advice from me ... I am sure he will deal with it in the right way," he said.

Unite accused the Conservatives of wasting police time and engaging the police in a "disgraceful political witch hunt".

A spokesmsn said: "We strenuously reject any suggestion of criminality or that we have broken Labour Party rules. Using the police to score political points and diverting their attentions away from making our communities safer is obscene.

"The Tories' smear tactics are designed to scare ordinary people away from engaging in politics and ensure it becomes the preserve of an Eton-educated elite."

A Labour source called the Tories' letter "a silly political stunt".

"We have no evidence of possible criminal behaviour anywhere outside Falkirk. If Bob Neill has, he should produce it. If he has not, he should stop wasting police time," the source said.

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Bull Terrier 'Bites Head Off Harmless Pet'

Police have seized a Staffordshire bull terrier which allegedly bit the head off a family pet dog in a vicious attack.

Gemma Antell claimed her pet Pomeranian, Elvis, was decapitated outside the home of her mother-in-law in Warrington on Saturday after the larger dog entered the front garden, dragging its handler behind it.

Ms Antell says her family were left traumatised by the attack

After the attack on Elvis, a member of the public took a picture of the Staffordshire bull terrier and the woman holding its leash, whose arm was covered in blood. 

Gemma posted the picture onto Twitter in an attempt to identify the owner.

"The dog literally ripped his head off," Ms Antell said in a post on Facebook. "It ripped Elvis in half. It is my son's birthday and my kids are in tears and my whole family are traumatised.

"The worst part of this is the dog 'owners' witnessed the attack and just walked off saying it was not their fault.

"Two poor children witnessed the attack as well as my mother-in-law and passers-by. I have added (to Facebook) the two photos of the incident as well as photos of poor Elvis who is obviously a tiny harmless family pet.

"The next time this happens it might not be a family pet it could be a local child!!!"

After the owner was identified, police visited an address at midnight on Sunday where they seized a white Staffordshire bull terrier.

Cheshire police have confirmed they are investigating the incident and have asked for witnesses to call them on 101 or to ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Chief Inspector Darren Hebden, said: "This was a horrendous attack and was clearly very distressing for the owners to witness.

"I am aware of pictures that have been circulated on social media which will undoubtedly cause concern for the community but can I reassure people that we have now seized the offending dog so there is no risk to the general public.

"We will be speaking to the owners in due course and will do all we can to deal with the incident appropriately within the guidelines of the law. Extra patrols will be in the area to talk to concerned residents and address any issues in the area."

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Zara and Mike Tindall Expecting First Child

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall is expecting a baby with her husband Mike Tindall.

Princess Anne's daughter, who married the former England rugby union international in a private ceremony in July 2011, will give birth in the New Year.

The birth will follow the keenly anticipated arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby, which is expected in the coming days.

However, because Zara Tindall does not hold a royal title, her baby will not be called his or her 'royal highness'.

An official statement said: "Mr and Mrs Mike Tindall are very pleased to announce that Zara Tindall is expecting a baby in the New Year.

"The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, Mr Phillip and Mrs Linda Tindall, and members of both families are delighted with the news.

"This baby will be the first child for Mike and Zara and the third grandchild for The Princess Royal."

Mike and Zara Tindall married in Edinburgh in July 2011

Zara, 32, is an accomplished sportswoman and last year won an Olympic silver medal as part of the equestrian eventing team.

She competed at the weekend at the Barbury International Horse Trials, said Sky News' Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison.

The child will be Princess Anne's third grandchild, as her son, Peter Phillips, has two daughters.

Zara Tindall, who is currently 14th in line to the throne, met her husband at the 2003 rugby World Cup in Australia.

The couple married in Edinburgh two years ago in a ceremony attended by all the senior royals.

But, just months later, the rugby player was fined and booted out of the 2011 World Cup squad over a team night out.

He apparently took part in a "dwarf tossing" competition with fellow players and was seen embracing an ex-girlfriend.

Tindall's fine was eventually reduced and his suspension set aside after an appeal found he did not intentionally mislead the team's management.

Zara and Mike Tindall currently live on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

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Boko Haram And Minbar Ansar Deen To Be Banned

Membership of two extremist groups will become a criminal offence under planned changes to UK terror laws.

Home Secretary Theresa May wants to outlaw UK-based Minbar Ansar Deen and Nigeria-based Boko Haram.

An order to ban the radical Islamist organisations from operating in the UK will take effect from midnight on Friday if it is approved by Parliament.

Minbar Ansar Deen, also known as Ansar al-Sharia UK, allegedly promotes terrorism by distributing content through its online forum.

It encourages individuals to travel overseas to engage in extremist activity, specifically fighting, the Home Office said.

The Government said banning Boko Haram, which aspires to establish Islamic law in Nigeria, will prevent the group from operating in the UK and give the police powers to tackle any UK-based support for the group.

Boko Haram - meaning Western education is banned - has been blamed for a number of attacks across northern Nigeria, which have left at least 1,600 dead since 2010.

All schools in Nigeria's Yobe state were closed on Monday after at least 29 students and a teacher were killed in an attack on a boarding school.

Decisions to proscribe the Islamist organisations in the UK are understood to be unrelated to the murder of soldier Drummer Lee Rigby near Woolwich barracks in south-east London in May.

The penalties for proscription offences can be a maximum of 10 years in prison or a £5,000 fine.

Under the Terrorism Act 2000, the Home Secretary can proscribe an organisation if it is believed to be concerned in terrorism.

But a high threshold which takes into account the threat the group poses to the UK has to be met before the minister can go ahead.

If approved by Parliament, it will be a criminal offence to belong to or back Minbar Ansar Deen or Boko Haram, as well arrange meetings or wear clothing in support of them.

Other proscribed groups include al Qaeda, Al Shabaab and Islam4UK, which was led by controversial preacher Anjem Choudary before it was banned.

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Newlywed Brit Killed In Cancun Hit-And-Run

A newlywed has died in a suspected hit-and-run crash while he was on his honeymoon in Mexico.

Ray Cottam, 55, died in Cancun, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said.

Mr Cottam, of Middlestown, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was on holiday with his new wife Karen after their marriage at a hotel near Pontefract last Saturday, according to reports.

He reportedly worked for Fox's Biscuits in Batley, but had previously run a fish and chip shop in nearby Ossett.

Janet Barnes, 56, of Ossett, who worked with him at the chip shop and attended his wedding reception, said she was struggling to come to terms with what had happened.

She told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "He was a diamond - a one in a million. He would do anything for anyone.

"Him and Karen were made for each other. It is a total shock and we still can't believe it."

An FCO spokesman said: "We were made aware of the death of a British national in Cancun, Mexico, on June 30.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

Mrs Cottam is now back home in Middlestown being comforted by family.

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Wimbledon: Andy Murray Aiming To Make History

Andy Murray: Dunblane's Local Hero

Updated: 9:56am UK, Saturday 06 July 2013

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

The first time I interviewed Andy Murray was after he won the US Junior Open in 2004, aged 17.

He'd flown back from New York and the Murray party was strolling through arrivals at Edinburgh Airport.

On approaching the gangly teenager with the grunge look, I stretched out my hand and offered: "Congratulations Andy!"

The youngster replied: "I'm Jamie. Andy'll be through in a minute."

Nine years on, recognition isn't an issue anymore. Everyone knows Andy Murray.

Everyone should also know that his older brother Jamie is, for now, the only Wimbledon winner in the family - he scooped the mixed doubles title in 2007.

For me, like every other Scotland Correspondent these days, watching Andy in Grand Slam finals is usually done amongst the people of Dunblane, where he grew up.

If Andy's exploits on court are headline news, the reactions amongst his 'ain folk' are always part of the story.

In the pub, in the community centre, in the tennis club - it is Dunblane's Andy Murray ritual.

The big match on a big screen watched by a big crowd of former neighbours, schoolmates, tennis partners and passing acquaintances. 

Don't mention to them that some people don't take kindly to their local hero.

Indeed, the notion that there should be any degree of antipathy towards Andy Murray baffles and irritates in equal measure. 

Yes, he might have lacked a ready smile for the cameras in his early years. Sure, he may have fallen short when better was expected.

But does that deserve an anti-Murray feeling that seems to persist?

If there is any doubt that it does, consider the conversation I had with some of his close relatives late last year.

I was told that they had persistently received hate mail through the post because of the family connection. 

However, they also told me that there had come a point when it tailed off - significantly, after Andy's tears in defeat at Wimbledon 2012 and the subsequent Olympic Gold medal win.

Suddenly, Britain as a whole seemed to have become supportive.

Shortly afterwards, Andy Murray went on to win the US Open.

Can that be coincidence? Rather, might it be the case that, at last, he was able to enjoy the collective support of the country and his supreme talent was allowed to flow, unfettered by a voice in his head willing him to lose?

In a sporting environment saturated with brilliance in which victory is defined by tiny margins, the psychological edge of support had to help. In football, they call it the twelfth man.

Of course, what hasn't helped Andy Murray's PR - famously - was his line in banter regarding the England football team a few years ago.

Teased by Tim Henman at a news conference that Scotland hadn't qualified for the World Cup, he jokingly retorted that he would be supporting "Anyone but England."

A gag. In the hands of some headline-writers, however, it was foaming-at-the-mouth anti-Englishness.

I don't know what Andy Murray, resident of Oxshott in Surrey and partner of Sussex-born Kim Sears, thinks of that episode and its fall-out.

I do know that his family thinks he was stitched up in outrageous fashion.

And so to Dunblane for the final. For Sky News, we'll be watching folk watching Andy Murray and maybe, just maybe, cheering Britain's first men's Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936.

One of the venues in which the locals will gather is the Dunblane Centre.

It's a community facility built with money donated following the massacre at Dunblane Primary School in 1996, in which 16 pupils and their teacher were shot dead.

Andy Murray was a pupil of the school at the time.

Inscribed on a glass wall at the community centre are the names of those who were killed on that day in March 1996. They'll never be forgotten in this cathedral city, where people have grown with the pain of the past.

Come the Wimbledon final against against Novak Djokovic on Sunday, it's all about celebrating the present.

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Michael Parkinson: Chat Show Host Has Cancer

Chat show host Sir Michael Parkinson has revealed he is being treated for prostate cancer but has no intention of stopping working.

The television star, 78, is currently undergoing radiotherapy but is expected to make a full recovery.

Sir Michael, who was diagnosed in May after a routine medical last October, said he was confident of fighting the disease.

He said: "It was a great shock, but I have been told to expect to make a full recovery."

He told The Sun On Sunday: "Of course mortality is on the mind. But I'm not afraid.

"My wife Mary has been a tremendous support and while she has been, of course, very upset, she can see how I have approached this.

"Once she realised I wouldn't let it affect me, Mary was fine.

"I don't feel ill. And I will keep working. I have no intention of stopping working."

The presenter, affectionately known as "Parky" to his legion of fans, has been having five sessions of radiotherapy a week.

He is also backing a campaign to help raise awareness of the disease.

Sir Michael said: "All that concerns me now is for men around the country to stop and take notice of any symptoms that might save their lives.

"I'm not a softy. If you show the symptoms of this dreadful disease, get help. Men need to get themselves checked. It will save lives."

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Saatchi To Divorce Nigella After Neck Row

Art collector Charles Saatchi has announced he has filed for divorce from Nigella Lawson - citing her refusal to defend his reputation after he was pictured with his hand around her neck at a restaurant.

In a statement, the 70-year-old told The Mail On Sunday: "I am sorry to announce that Nigella Lawson and I are getting divorced.

"I feel that I have clearly been a disappointment to Nigella during the last year or so, and I am disappointed that she was advised to make no public comment to explain that I abhor violence of any kind against women, and have never abused her physically in any way."

The couple were pictured on June 9 during an argument at Scott's restaurant in Mayfair, central London.

Images showed Mr Saatchi with his hand around the 53-year-old celebrity chef's throat.

Ms Lawson, the daughter of former chancellor Lord Lawson, was reportedly seen weeping following the episode. She did not make a complaint to police.

Mr Saatchi voluntarily attended a central London police station and accepted a caution, saying he did not want the incident "hanging over all of us".

But he claimed his wife has refused to answer calls after apparently leaving the family home with her two children, Cosima, 19, and Bruno, 17, from her previous marriage to journalist John Diamond, who died of throat cancer in 2001.

Mr Saatchi, who made his name in advertising, said: "This is heartbreaking for both of us as our love was very deep, but in the last year we have become estranged and drifted apart.

"The row photographed at Scott's restaurant could equally have been Nigella grasping my neck to hold my attention - as indeed she has done in the past."

Mr Saatchi insisted his actions were not violent, saying that while he had his hands around Ms Lawson's neck, "there was no pressure applied to her".

He said the pictures gave a "wholly different and incorrect implication", adding: "I am sorry that we had a row. I am sorry she was upset. I am even more sorry that this is the end of our marriage."

Ms Lawson became a household name in 1998 with her first cookery book, How To Eat. She married Mr Saatchi in 2003.

Her spokesman said: "There is no comment from Nigella."

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Abu Qatada Denies Terrorism Charges In Jordan

Radical preacher Abu Qatada has pleaded not guilty to terror charges - just hours after his deportation from the UK to Jordan.

After landing at an isolated airstrip near the Jordanian capital Amman, Qatada was driven by police escort to the heavily guarded State Security Court, where the 53-year-old was charged by military prosecutors with conspiracy to carry out terrorist acts.

The cleric denies involvement in a plot to attack American and Israeli tourists and faces a retrial.

Qatada leaves Amman's State Security Court in a police vehicle

No reporters were allowed into the hearing, but a court official said Qatada was remanded in custody for 15 days at the maximum security Muwaqqar prison, which houses dozens of convicted terrorists.

His lawyer, Taysir Diab, said he would be lodging an appeal on Monday for Qatada to be released on bail.

It is understood Jordanian authorities allowed Qatada's family to greet him on his arrival in Amman.

Home Secretary Theresa May told Sky News that she was "very pleased" to have finally succeeded in deporting the cleric.

"He is now where people wanted him to be - which is not in the UK, but back in Jordan," she said.

The military plane carrying Qatada arrives at Amman Airport in Jordan

Accompanied by four police officers, Qatada left for Jordan in the early hours on a military plane from RAF Northolt in west London.

It marks the end of an eight-year legal battle to remove Qatada, described by the Government as a "truly dangerous individual" and a "key player" in al Qaeda-related terrorism.

Sky News correspondent Mark White said: "He has been a thorn in the side of five home secretaries who have tried to get rid of him. As far as the British Government and senior politicians are concerned, there will be quiet celebration that he has finally left the country."

Qatada used his human rights to make a series of costly challenges to moves to deport him to his native country.

Qatada glances out of the military plane flying him to Jordan

The case became a national embarrassment, with critics of European human rights legislation claiming it rendered UK politicians powerless to remove someone who they believed to be a clear threat to national security.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I am absolutely delighted. This is something this Government said it would get done and we have got it done.

"It is an issue, like for the rest of the country, has made my blood boil. That this man, who has no right to be in our country, who is a threat to our country, and that it took so long and was so difficult to deport him.

"But we've done it, he's back in Jordan, that's excellent news."

The Home Office spent a total of £1.7m on legal fees from the many court proceedings.

Mrs May said the Jordanian national's departure marked "the conclusion of efforts to remove him since 2001 and I believe this will be welcomed by the British public".

Qatada was taken from Belmarsh to RAF Northolt under police escort

She added: "I am glad that this government's determination to see him on a plane has been vindicated and that we have at last achieved what previous governments, Parliament and the British public have long called for.

"This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores to face the courts in his own country.

"I am also clear that we need to make sense of our human rights laws and remove the many layers of appeals available to foreign nationals we want to deport. We are taking steps - including through the new Immigration Bill - to put this right."

It was a treaty signed between the UK and Jordan that finally secured Qatada's departure, giving him the assurances he needed to leave his taxpayer-funded home behind.

Qatada had became an object of hate to many

The agreement, announced by Mrs May earlier this year, aimed to allay fears that evidence extracted through torture will be used against the father-of-five at a retrial.

In a shock move, Qatada pledged in May to leave Britain with his family if and when the treaty was fully ratified, a process that to the relief of many concluded earlier this week.

It is understood he will be held in solitary confinement in prison, until the Jordanian authorities can put him on trial.

Jordanian information minister Mohammed Momani said the country "is keen on credibility and transparency" in handling Qatada.

He added the deportation of the Palestinian-born cleric "sends a message to all fugitives that they will face justice in Jordan".

Theresa May believes Qatada's departure will be widely welcomed

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Abu Qatada should have made this decision to face justice in Jordan before, as this has dragged on far too long, but it is extremely welcome news that this saga is now at an end."

Qatada originally fled the Middle East and arrived in the UK in 1993. He was granted asylum the following year.

His increasingly radical sermons caught the attention of the security services in Britain and in numerous other countries.

A Spanish judge described him as the "spiritual head of the mujaheddin in Britain".

A number of people arrested on terrorism offences, including British born "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid, admitted seeking religious advice from him.

His sermons were found in the Hamburg flat used by a number of the 9/11 hijackers.

In 2001, on the eve of tough new British anti-terror laws allowing for the detention without trial of foreign terror suspects, Qatada went on the run, before later being arrested and held in Belmarsh prison.

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