Blustery Britain: First Autumn Storm Rolls In

Strong winds and heavy rain are expected to batter parts of Britain this weekend.

Gusts close to 70mph will hit areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland, while most of England and Wales will face blustery conditions, forecasters have said.

Heavy showers in the South East last night saw 27mm of rain fall in Northolt, northwest London, and 26mm at Heathrow, while East Anglia and the Midlands were hit by 10 to 15mm of rain.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for gales in Scotland and Northern Ireland on Sunday, and warned of the possibility of travel disruption.

Chief Met Office forecaster Paul Gundersen said: "A spell of gale force westerly winds is expected later Sunday, peaking on Monday across much of Scotland, the north of Northern Ireland and coasts of north west England and north Wales.

"Gusts of 50-60mph are likely, with the potential for 70mph across exposed coasts and hills of Scotland.

"The public should be aware of the potential for some minor disruption to travel and keep up to date with the latest weather forecast information."

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar added: "Tonight, outbreaks of rain will spread into Northern Ireland and Scotland and towards the early hours into northern England, Wales and southwest England.

"As well as that there will be strengthening winds with gusts of up to around 55-60mph across northwestern fringes of Scotland, and slightly over 60mph across the Western Isles.

"Sunday will be a wet and windy day across most of the UK. It'll be a dry morning across central and eastern England with a few bright spells to begin with before cloud and rain will spread into all areas by the early afternoon with some heavy downpours.

"Later it will become bright and drier across the north and west of the UK but there will still be frequent heavy showers and strong to gale force winds gusting up to 60mph. Hail and thunder is also possible."

Temperatures will remain in the mid-teens for most of the country over the weekend - a few degrees below average for the time of year - while conditions will remain unsettled into next week, forecasters have said.

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Plastic Bags: Shoppers To Be Charged 5p

Supermarkets and other big stores in England are to introduce a 5p charge for plastic bags.

The move is due to be announced this weekend by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow.

It will bring England into line with the rest of the UK - with charges already in place in Wales and Northern Ireland, and Scotland set to follow suit in 2014.

Lib Dem sources said the charge, intended to discourage use of the environmentally damaging bags, would come into effect in England in 2015.

However, it is not yet clear whether it will be before the general election, set for May that year, or after.

Mr Clegg was said to have had to fought hard within the Coalition for the scheme - which is Lib Dem party policy - at a time when ministers are under intense pressure over rising cost of living.

But with a 76% fall in plastic bag use in Wales since the levy was introduced there in 2011, the Lib Dem leader was said to believe that it was the right thing to do.

A Lib Dem source said the charge would be the "centrepiece" at the conference this weekend.

"Nick Clegg had to fight pretty hard in government to deliver this when everything is about the cost of living," they said.

"We believe that a small charge outweighs the environmental damage caused by plastic bags."

The charge will only apply to supermarkets and other large stores, with small corner shops excluded.

The proceeds will go to charities involved in clearing up the environmental damage caused by the bags rather than the Government or the retailers.

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Leicester Fire Victims 'Not Involved In Murder'

A mother and her three children killed in a house fire were not involved in the murder of a man hours earlier, police have said.

Sky News understands Leicestershire Police are investigating whether the victims of the blaze were mistakenly targeted in a revenge attack.

Shehnila Taufiq, who was in her 40s, died in the fire at her terraced home in Wood Hill, in the Spinney Hills area of Leicester, in the early hours of Friday.

Her children, named by a local mosque as 19-year-old daughter Zainab and sons Jamal, 17, and Bilal, 15, also died in their bedrooms.

About half a mile away on Thursday afternoon, a man in his 20s, named locally as Antoin Akpom, was found injured by police officers in Kent Street. He was taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary where he later died.

Police were called to the blaze by the fire service at 12.35am on Friday

Three people, a man and two women, all aged 19, have been arrested in connection with the murder.

Mrs Taufiq's neurosurgeon husband, Dr Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, is believed to have returned to Leicester from Ireland, where he works.

He has been working at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and with private hospitals in the city, the Blackrock and Hermitage clinics.

It is understood Mr Sattar's wife was a qualified doctor but was not working.

The family, originally from Pakistan, had a home in Ireland for at least 15 years before the children moved to the UK with their mother about five years ago for Islamic education.

Police on Saturday appealed to residents with information to come forward to help them find the perpetrators of the attacks which they said had left two families "devastated by events of the past 48 hours".

Police have said the house fire and a nearby murder may be linked

Roger Bannister, Assistant Chief Constable of Leicestershire Police, said: "While we are investigating links between the two crimes there is absolutely no evidence to suggest those who died in the fire, or indeed anyone else who lives in that property, was involved in the assault in Kent Street.

"Because of the close proximity - in terms of time and location - of the two incidents, it is right that we look at whether there are links between the two crimes.

"However, at this stage in our investigations we have found nothing to suggest the residents of the house devastated by the fire had anything to do with the Kent Street incident.

"We have three people in custody in relation to the murder of the young man in Kent Street and we continue with the complex forensic investigations at Wood Hill.

"However, we know there are local people who know more about both incidents and the people responsible and we would appeal to their consciences. Two families have been devastated by events of the past 48 hours. Please help us to find those responsible."

Anyone with information about either attack can speak to their local beat team, call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Bodies Found In Farmhouse Shooting

A dairy farmer and one of his workers have been found shot dead in an isolated farmhouse in Northern Ireland.

The men were discovered at the secluded property around a mile from the Co Antrim village of Glenarm early on Friday evening.

They have been named locally as farm owner Arthur Gibson, in his early 60s, and farm labourer Michael Murphy, who was in his late 30s.

At this stage it is understood police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the double shooting.

Mr Murphy had worked for Mr Gibson for many years.

The farm is about a mile from Glenarm

Forensic teams in white overalls were examining the scene, paying particular attention to the hallway of the white, two-storey house in Feystown Road.

A small crowd gathered at the police cordon at the end of the long lane leading up to the farm as news of the deaths filtered through to the village.

Neighbours helped to milk the cows and keep the farm operating as the police carried out their investigation.

Local Stormont Assembly member Oliver McMullan, who knew both the dead men, said locals were stunned by what he described as a "double tragedy".

"The death tonight of two men is a tragedy not only for the families but also for the community," he said.

"The community is in a state of shock as both men were well known within this tight knit community."

Forensic teams were paying particular attention to the hallway

Glenarm came to public attention earlier this year when severe late winter blizzards enveloped farms in the surrounding hills in a thick blanket of snow, killing thousands of animals and cutting off many families for days.

Alliance party MLA Stewart Dickson said: "This is an absolutely shocking incident, which has left the village and the surrounding community in shock.

"My thoughts are with the families and friends of the deceased and would call for anyone with any information to contact the PSNI as soon as possible.

"I hope the police will be able to determine what was behind this tragic incident tonight."

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said: "Police received a report at around 5.15pm this afternoon that two males had been discovered at a property with fatal wounds.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths is under way."

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Santander Bank Hacking Plot: Four In Court

Four men have appeared in court over an attempt to take control of computers at a Santander bank branch to steal millions of pounds.

It is alleged one of the gang posed as an engineer to fit a computer at the branch in Surrey Quays shopping centre, southeast London, with a "keyboard video mouse" (KVM).

The device, which can be purchased online for as little as £10, allegedly allowed them to transmit the contents of the computer's desktop and take control of all computers at the branch.

But the attempt failed and the Spanish bank said "no money was ever at risk".

Lanre Mullins-Abudu, 25, from Putney, southwest London; Dean Outram, 34, from northwest London; Akash Vaghela, 27, from Hounslow, west London; and Asad Ali Qureshi, 35, from southwest London, are charged with conspiracy to steal.

They spoke only to confirm their names and details when they appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

They are accused of committing a "very significant and audacious cyber-enabled offence" that would have cost Santander millions of pounds.

Vaghela was granted conditional bail and the others remanded in custody until the next hearing at Southwark Crown Court on September 27.

Eight other people who were arrested were bailed until mid-November pending further inquiries.

A Santander spokesman said no member of staff was involved.

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Girl, 16, Charged With Murder Of Baby

A 16-year-old girl has been charged with the murder of a newborn baby boy.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged over the death of the baby in Baston, Lincolnshire, between September 3 and 4.

The body of the baby was found by police at a house in the village in the early hours of September 5.

The teenager appeared before Grantham Magistrates' Court and was remanded into local authority care to appear before Lincoln Crown Court.

Richard Tollemache, chair of the bench, told her: "I hope you do understand what is going on. It must be frightening for you. I feel for you."

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William And Kate's Evening Away From George

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have spent their first evening together away from Prince George - but admitted they were armed with mobile phones "to check all is well".

The couple attended a black-tie awards dinner hosted by the Tusk Trust, which recognised efforts made in conservation, for their first joint evening engagement since their son was born in July.

In a speech to guests at the ceremony, Prince William admitted: "This is actually our first evening out without him (Prince George), so please excuse us if you see us nervously casting surreptitious glances at our mobile phones to check all is well back home."

To a ripple of laughter and applause, he added: "As you might have gathered, Catherine and I have recently become proud parents of a baby who has a voice to match any lion's roar!"

William also alluded to a possible trip the entire family may make to Africa in the near future.

The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth just over seven weeks ago

"The possibility of extinction is bad enough for one of our children growing up here in the West, who will never experience the magic of seeing a rhino on a new television documentary; or even for my own dear George, who Catherine and I very much hope to introduce to east Africa, a place we know and love, in the fullness of time."

New mum Kate arrived at the central London dinner wearing a silver sequined dress by Jenny Packham and was seated next to Tusk's chief executive Charlie Mayhew.

"The Duke of Cambridge has had such an impact on Tusk and the world of conservation in general in recent years," said the charity's co-founder.

"Goodness knows the difference he and the Duchess can make now the Prince plans to focus more of his time on what is one of his passions," added Mr Mayhew.

Prince William has now left the RAF and is considering his options

Broadcaster and fellow conservationist Ben Fogle put the Duke's passion into perspective.

"It's simple. Prince William loves Africa. It's where he proposed to Catherine, it's where he spent his gap year and it's where he found himself. He can use his fame to make a real difference there."

The conservation awards dinner fell on the same day the Duke of Cambridge announced he had ended his military career.

Kensington Palace said William would "continue to support the work of the Queen and the Royal Family through a programme of official engagements, both at home and overseas, with the Duchess of Cambridge".

"The Duke is currently considering a number of options for public service, a further announcement on which will follow in due course," the palace added.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George are expected to move into their official residence at Kensington Palace within the next few weeks.

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Rape Trial Collapses After Old Tweets Found

A rape trial has collapsed after messages sent by the alleged victim on Twitter cast doubt on her version of events.

Nine men accused of a string of sexual offences involving the teenage girl walked free from court after the discovery of an old Twitter account.

The defendants had been charged with 28 offences, including several rapes, but the prosecution said at the Old Bailey that there would be no evidence presented against them.

The defendants were Desmond Agyei, 23, Edward Kofi Edunya, 23, Perry Murray, 24, David Sarpong, 23, Adedeji Atitebi, 21, Austin Odisi, 24, Justin Maynard, 23, Olanrewaju Sonde, 24 and Thamsanqa Sibanda, 30.

Prosecutor Samantha Cohen told the court that an old Twitter account used by the complainant, who was 14 at the time of the alleged offences, had emerged "through a side-wind".

"A review of the Twitter material has been conducted at the highest level at the Crown Prosecution Service and the police in conjunction with trial counsel," she said.

"The unanimous conclusion is that there is no realistic prospect of conviction in respect of any defendant on any of the counts. For that reason the Crown is offering no evidence across the board in this case."

The alleged victim, now 15, made a statement to the police in November last year detailing sex attacks, mostly rapes, stretching back to May 2012.

Judge John Bevan, QC, said: "It's unfortunate this happened so late, it's unfortunate some defendants have been in custody.

"But these are very serious matters that have to be gone into and matters have to be reviewed consistently."

There were sighs of relief from the dock and loud applause from the public gallery as the men were told they were discharged.

One of the men found not guilty, Mr Sonde said as he left the courtroom: "It's just a relief that this is finally over."

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Santander Bank Hacking Plot Foiled By Police

Twelve men have been arrested over an attempt to take control of a Santander bank's computer and steal millions of pounds.

The men allegedly fitted a computer within the branch in Surrey Quays shopping centre, southeast London, with a "keyboard video mouse" (KVM).

The device, which can be purchased online for as little as £10, allowed them to transmit the contents of the computer's desktop and take control of the machine remotely.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said it was not clear whether any money was taken, but the bank said "no money was ever at risk".

Police added that detectives and bank officials had thwarted a "very significant and audacious cyber-enabled offence" that would have cost Santander millions of pounds. 

A KVM device similar to the one used in the cyber theft plot

Officers arrested 11 men aged between 23 and 50 in Hounslow, while a 34-year-old was arrested in Victoria.

Searches were carried out at addresses in Westminster, Hounslow, Hillingdon, Brent, Richmond and Slough, where property was seized.

The men are currently in custody at a London police station.

A Santander spokesman said: "Like all high street banks, Santander works very closely with the police and other authorities to help prevent fraud.

"Through this co-operation, Santander was aware of the possibility of the attack connected to the arrests. The attempt to fit the device to the computer in the Surrey Quays Branch was undertaken by a bogus maintenance engineer pretending to be from a third party.

"No member of Santander staff was involved in this attempted fraud.

"We are pleased that we have been able, through the robustness of our systems, to prevent the fraud and help the police gather the evidence they needed to make the arrests."

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London Fashion Week Given A Digital Edge

London Fashion Week has got under way with organisers hoping to make it unmissable by taking to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

British Fashion Council CEO Caroline Rush said the goal was to raise British fashion's profile by making the event reach out  to consumers.

"Social media lets you share messages, get it out to broad audiences," she said.

"It's a great way to get an instant response, to find out what's trending."

Fashion news will be screened on digital screens in London Underground stations and nearly 30 shows will be streamed live through Twitter, Fashion Week's website and the fashion council's YouTube page, allowing fans to view the latest catwalk previews from home or on their phones.

Also on Twitter, fans will be asked to pose questions using #AskLFW to guest tweeters from the industry, who will then respond via a six-second video clip on Vine. Every day a designer, model, make-up artist, stylist or celebrity will also take over the BFC Instagram account.

Meanwhile, Oxford Street has been decorated with "fashion flags" that pay tribute to British designers.

Natalie Massenet, the new chairman at the fashion council and best known for founding the luxury shopping website Net-A-Porter, has even rallied Londoners to dress up for the occasion.

"... the global fashion industry is coming to town for London Fashion Week and we would like you all to be part of it," she wrote in a letter in the Evening Standard newspaper.

"We would like you to join us in putting on the show ... fashion is for the consumer, so dress up, London!"

This is all part of a bid to help make London Fashion Week on a par with New York, Paris and Milan.

For years London has struggled to keep some of the most creative young talent, as they have left in hope of greater commercial success in other fashion capitals.

But recently a crop of emerging designers such as Christopher Kane and Erdem have flourished in the capital.

This week up and coming designers will share the spotlight heavyweights of the industry such as Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, Julien MacDonald and Jonathan Saunders.

The week opened with designer Bora Aksu's show inspired by his homeland Turkey.

Rich hand-woven textiles, crochets, ethnic embroidery and tassels pay tribute to the craft of traditional artisans, while a vibrant palette of lemon yellow, hot pink and shades of soothing blue evoke a sun-drenched land and lazy days by the seaside.

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Omagh Bombing Public Inquiry Ruled Out

Relatives of some victims killed in the Omagh bombing have vowed to fight on after the Government ruled out a public inquiry.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said there were not enough grounds to justify a further review or inquiry into the attack by the Real IRA in 1998, in which 29 people died.

The blast in Co Tyrone was one of the worst atrocities in the Northern Ireland conflict and inflicted the greatest loss of life in a single terrorist incident.

It has been dogged by controversy, with long-standing allegations that intelligence and investigative failures by authorities on both sides of the border allowed the bombers to both carry out the crime and get away with it.

Some relatives of the victims had called for an all-Ireland probe into whether more could have been done to prevent it.

But Ms Villiers said: "I do not believe that there are sufficient grounds to justify a further review or inquiry above or beyond those that have already taken place or are ongoing.

"This was not an easy decision to make and all views were carefully considered.

"I believe that the ongoing investigation by the office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is the best way to address any outstanding issues relating to the police investigation."

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the bombing, told Sky News he was "absolutely disappointed, but not surprised".

"We gave both governments a document over a year ago that shows that both the British and Irish government could have done something to prevent the Omagh bomb," he said.

"Those people didn't need to die and yet here we have the Secretary of State saying we cannot have a public inquiry."

Mr Gallagher claimed the reasons given for the refusal were "trivial" and he said relatives would immediately start pursuing a judicial review.

"We have the result now - it's not the result we wanted, but at least we can move forward. We can go to the courts and that's exactly what we will do," he said in Belfast.

He insisted a full, public judicial inquiry with the power to compel witnesses to attend was required - pointing out that the police ombudsman does not have that ability.

Former Northern Ireland police ombudsman Dame Nuala O'Loan, ex-counter terrorism chief Bob Quick and Amnesty International have also all publicly backed the call for an inquiry.

The bomb was detonated just months after the signing of the historic Good Friday Agreement peace deal.

No one has been criminally convicted, but four republicans were found liable in a landmark civil case taken by relatives and ordered to pay £1.6m in compensation.

A number of survivors and the families of victims supported the bid for a full inquiry, but others told the Secretary of State it would cause them further pain.

Their views were weighed against other factors including the series of previous inquiries and the current investigation by the police ombudsman, officials said.

Stanley McCombe, whose wife Ann was killed, said: "If they want to try and hide the truth about Omagh, they can but we'll flush them out at the end of the day.

"There are no hiding places. It's a democratic country and people have to know the truth."

Mr McCombe said he would never give up the campaign, declaring: "I will not leave it until the day I die."

However, Kevin Skelton, whose wife Philomena was killed, opposed it because his children felt their mother should be able to rest in peace.

"We know the answers. I know there were dirty deeds done round Omagh and the Government, whether there is a public inquiry or not, they are going to bury them, and they have the power to do that," he said.

Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Vernon Coaker said he hoped the police ombudsman probe could give the families some answers.

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Killer Arsonist Shakiel Shazad On The Run

A man who killed eight members of the same family in an arson attack has gone on the run from prison.

Shakiel Shazad, 33, was sentenced in 2003 to 18 years in jail for his part in the blaze in Huddersfield.

Derbyshire Police said Shazad was released on Wednesday from Category D Sudbury Prison, near Uttoxeter, on a work licence.

He is "now unlawfully at large", the force said.

A police spokesman said: "He has connections in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

"Anyone with any information about the whereabouts of this man is asked not to approach him but to immediately contact their local police or Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555111."

Seven members of the Chishti family - Muhammad Ateeq-ur-Rehman, 18, Nefeesa Aziz, 35, Tayyaba Batool, 13, Rabiah Batool, 10, Ateeqa Nawaz, five, Aneesa Nawaz, two, and six-month-old Najeeba Nawaz - died in the fire in May 2002.

Another family member, Zaib-un-Nisa, 54, died in hospital a week later.

Three men - Shazad, Shaied Iqbal and Nasar Hussain - were convicted for their part in the crime.

A fourth man, Shaid Mohammed, was arrested by police after the blaze but went on the run and has never been captured.

Shazad is Asian, 5ft 6in, with short black hair, a black beard and brown eyes.

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Prince William Leaves The Armed Forces

Prince William: Military Career

Updated: 11:43am UK, Thursday 12 September 2013

The Duke of Cambridge - who will one day be head of the armed forces - began his military career more than seven years ago when he followed his younger brother Prince Harry into Sandhurst.

At the age of 23, he commenced 44 weeks of gruelling training at the royal military academy in Camberley, Surrey, where the course is designed to push new recruits to the brink of exhaustion and shape cadets into Army officers.

By signing up, he was continuing a historic family tradition of military service and he became the most senior royal in recent memory to attend the college.

In December 2006, he graduated and was commissioned into the British Army as an officer.

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and William's then girlfriend Kate Middleton gathered to watch him in the passing-out parade which marked the end of his training.

William went on to join Harry's regiment, the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, and was promoted to lieutenant in 2007.

Continuing his career in the forces, he received his RAF wings from his father at RAF Cranwell in April 2008 after completing an intensive 12-week flying course - a feat which saw him become the fourth successive generation of the monarchy to become an RAF pilot.

He faced criticism later that month after he was allowed to practice landing a Chinook helicopter in a field behind the Middleton family home and when he flew himself and his brother by Chinook to a stag do on the Isle of Wight. 

The Ministry of Defence defended the flights as part of William's training.

Shortly after, he made a brief flying visit to RAF detachments at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan to meet frontline troops.

But while Harry has completed two deployments to Afghanistan, William, who has always insisted he wants to be able to fight in war zones despite being a future king, has yet to achieve his ambition.

Harry revealed earlier this year that William was envious of his tours.

"I think there is a bit of jealousy, not just the fact that I get to fly this, but obviously he'd love to be out here. And to be honest with you, I don't see why he couldn't," Harry said.

In June 2008, William began a two-month attachment with the Royal Navy to help familiarise him with all aspects of the armed forces. 

He joined a Royal Navy rescue team on a hurricane disaster exercise in the Caribbean and, while on board frigate HMS Iron Duke, took part in a drugs bust that seized more than one tonne of cocaine from a speedboat in the North Atlantic.

In September 2008 it was announced that William wanted to become a full time RAF search and rescue pilot.

"The time I spent with the RAF earlier this year made me realise how much I love flying," he revealed.

He began training in January 2009, later completing advanced helicopter flying training at the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Shawbury near Shrewsbury in Shropshire and undergoing the search and rescue conversion course at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales.

"Flight Lieutenant Wales" became a full-time operational search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley - albeit with time off for royal appearances - and has been serving with C Flight, 22 Squadron, on Anglesey since September 2010.

A typical tour for a pilot in the RAF Search and Rescue Force (SARF) is 30 to 36 months.

William carried out emergency missions in a Sea King helicopter to rescue stranded climbers and stricken vessels. His first rescue as a fully operational pilot was in October 2010, helping a man who fell seriously ill while working on a gas rig in Morecambe Bay.

The Duke, who qualified as an operational captain in 2012, giving him overall control of his helicopter, has spoken of his "calling" to save lives.

In an interview for BBC Wales documentary Helicopter Rescue, he said: "There's no greater feeling than when you've actually done some good and saved someone's life.

"I don't think there's any greater calling in life... to be able to see a son or daughter's face when you bring their mother or father back from the edge of death - it's quite powerful."

He has also described his close bond with fellow crewmates, describing them as a family.

During February and March last year, the Duke spent more than six weeks flying search and rescue missions in the Falkland Islands, but his deployment caused a diplomatic row with Argentina.

William, who will one day as king be head of the armed forces, holds several honorary military appointments. He was made Royal Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2011 and wore the regiment's red tunic at his wedding.

He is also Commodore-in-Chief of Scotland and Commodore-in-Chief of Submarines and Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Coningsby near Lincoln.

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Madeleine McCann: Kate At Book Libel Hearing

The parents of Madeleine McCann were "devastated" by a book that claimed they had covered up the death of their daughter, a court has heard.

Kate and Gerry McCann have launched £1m libel action against the book's author, former Portuguese police chief Goncalo Amaral, in a Lisbon civil court.

Amaral's book, published in 2007, claimed Madeleine died accidentally and the McCanns had been negligent.

The McCanns have strongly denied the accusations.

Goncalo Amaral's book 'poisoned public opinion', it is claimed

The first witness in the case was Susan Hubbard, a friend of the McCanns and the wife of the family's priest.

Mrs Hubbard said the couple were forced to use all their energy to defend themselves, instead of searching for their daughter.

Kate McCann attended the hearing this morning without her husband. She was accompanied by her mother Susan Healy.

It is understood Mr McCann is staying at the family home in Rothley, Leicestershire, to look after the couple's children.

Their lawyer, Isabel Duarte, is setting out the case on behalf of the McCanns and their twins Sean and Amelie, now eight, at the court.

Mrs McCann could have been called as a witness but is not expected to give evidence.

UK police have launched a new investigation into Madeleine's disappearance

Instead, a number of relatives will also appear in the witness box.

They will speak about the "damage" caused by Mr Amaral's book which, they claim, poisoned public opinion in Portugal against the family.

Earlier, spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Kate and Gerry McCann remain very confident that they will win the case.

"They have a strong case against Mr Amaral. The matter is now in the hands of their lawyer as it goes through court."

Madeleine, who was nearly four at the time, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007, as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.

The McCanns pose with a computer-generated image of their daughter

British detectives launched a fresh investigation into her disappearance in July - two years into a review of the case - and believe she could still be alive.

The Portuguese investigation into Madeleine's disappearance is officially closed.

The libel case will be heard today and tomorrow. It will then be adjourned until next Thursday when the court will sit again for two days. 

A final hearing is due on September 27, with the judgement expected to be deferred.

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'Yid Army' Chant: Spurs Fans Warned Of Charges

The Football Association has warned fans who use the word "Yid" they will face criminal charges - even if they follow Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs fans proudly chant "Yid Army" in response to the perception they have a large Jewish following.

But the FA has this week published new guidelines over the use of the word and warned fans they face prosecution.

The statement says that although it acknowledges Spurs fans may use the term as a "badge of honour", any use "is likely to be considered offensive".

The governing body adds: "By using the term in this manner, fans may be clouding the issue by making it harder to differentiate its use by these fans and by those who use the term in an intentionally offensive manner.

Baddiel wrote a film about the "Y-word" in a campaign against racism

"Further, use of the term in a public setting could amount to a criminal offence, and leave those fans liable to prosecution and potentially a lengthy football banning order."

Spurs reacted by announcing they were launching a wide-scale consultation on how to deal with the matter.

"We are acutely aware of the sensitivity of this issue," Spurs said in a statement.

"Our fans historically adopted the chant as a defence mechanism in order to own the term and thereby deflect anti-Semitic abuse. They do not use the term with any deliberate intent to cause offence."

Tottenham fans, visiting stadiums abroad, have been the subject of a series of racist attacks recently. 

In November, two Roma fans were banned from all sporting events for five years after a Spurs fan was stabbed in the thigh.

And in February three men believed to be from a far-right group were arrested after an attack on Spurs fans in a bar in Lyon.

In addition, two West Ham fans were arrested and accepted a police caution for anti-Semitic gestures during their team's 3-1 defeat at White Hart Lane in November.

One of them was given a lifetime banning order by the east London club.

In April 2011, comedian, writer and Jewish Chelsea fan David Baddiel wrote a one-minute film entitled "Y-word".

The film was part of the Kick It Out anti-racism campaign featuring then Tottenham captain Ledley King, former Spurs striker Gary Lineker, Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs.

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Axe 'Bedroom Tax', Says UN Investigator

By Alistair Bunkall, Sky News Correspondent

The Government has been told to scrap its so-called "bedroom tax" policy by the United Nations' Special Investigator on Housing.

Brazilian Raquel Rolnik spoke to council house tenants on visits to various cities including Belfast, Manchester and Glasgow.

Anecdotal evidence on the fact-finding mission had raised concerns about the happiness of those affected by the controversial welfare reform, she said.

The former left-wing workers' party politician claimed some tenants were contemplating suicide, and also suggested the policy could breach human rights laws.

"My immediate recommendation is that the bedroom tax is abolished," Ms Rolnik told The Guardian.

"I was very shocked to hear how people really feel abused in their human rights by this decision and why - being so vulnerable - they should pay for the cost of the economic downturn, which was brought about by the financial crisis."

UN investigator Raquel Rolnik

Tory chairman Grant Shapps was furious at the intervention, calling it "disgraceful" and claiming Ms Rolnik had clearly "come over with an agenda".

He vowed to write to UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon demanding an apology and an investigation.

"It is completely wrong and an abuse of the process for somebody to come over, to fail to meet with Government ministers, to fail to meet with the department responsible, to produce a press release two weeks after coming, even though the report is not due out until next spring, and even to fail to refer to the policy properly throughout the report," he said.

The policy, which is officially called the Spare Room Subsidy, is designed to reduce the number of social tenants under-occupying their accommodation.

Introduced in April, it sees people in council houses who are considered to have more bedrooms than they need receive less housing benefit.

Ministers insist it is unfair for taxpayers to subsidise the spare rooms and that the change will save around £500m each year.

But it has sparked protests, with critics claiming it is forcing families into poverty and will increase the benefit bill by pushing people into the private sector.

Ms Rolnik is an independent expert who monitors and reports on adequate housing worldwide for the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Her visit to Britain was unprecedented and was thought to follow a Government invitation, although Mr Shapps denied she was invited by ministers.

She suggested there is a shortage of single room properties, which means many council tenants have no choice but to pay the extra cost of living in a larger property.

She also said the UK was going backwards and eroding its reputation for affordable housing because there was not enough available.

The Government has dismissed her assessment, which will be presented to the UN in March next year.

The Department of Work and Pensions expressed surprise that the report was based on anecdotal evidence and "conversations" rather than hard figures.

A spokesman said: "Britain has a strong housing safety net and even after our necessary reforms, we continue to pay over 80% of most claimants' rent if they are affected by the ending of the spare room subsidy.

"These changes will help us get to grips with the Housing Benefit Bill which has grown to £24bn this year, and make better use of our housing stock. We've given councils £190m to support vulnerable residents who may need extra help."

However, the criticism is bound to be pounced on by the Labour Party, which opposes the reform and came up with the name "bedroom tax".

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Turkey Shooting: Son 'Pleaded With Gunman'

The son of a British woman who was shot dead in Turkey has described how he pleaded with the gunman to stop the attack.

Alex Bury, whose mother Catherine Anne Bury was killed on Monday morning, said he tried to reason with alleged gunman Veli Acar before he opened fire on the 56-year-old.

Mr Bury and his grandmother Cecilia Bury were also shot, but survived.

Ms Bury was shot as she cowered in the bathroom

Speaking from his bed in Mugla University Hospital, Mr Bury, 24, told The Times he recognised the gunman as Acar, their gardener who was said to have been in a relationship with his mother.

Acar had apparently threatened the family earlier that weekend, but was later released by the police and returned with a pump-action shotgun to the Bury family's villa in the resort of Dalyan.

Mr Bury, who was shot in the leg, said: "I tried to reason with him. I told him it didn't have to be this way.

Alex Bury is recovering in hospital after the shooting

"He lifted the gun to his shoulder and gestured for me to go through to my mother and grandmother's room. They had heard me talking and had locked themselves in the room."

Acar is alleged to have gunned down Ms Bury as she cowered in the villa bathroom.

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism confirmed the death of Ms Bury, who lived in the North Yorkshire village of Swainby.

Ms Bury's mother, who is in her 80s, has been discharged after treatment.

The alleged gunman was the gardener at the villa

Acar is said to have given himself up after the shooting and is due in court.

The ministry said: "The chief suspect has been arrested and is currently under custody, while a full investigation is under way."

Ms Bury, who trained as a midwife, had been working for an oil company in Dubai in a health role.

Her son worked at a North Yorkshire hotel, the Cleveland Tontine, after taking a year out of university, but is hoping to restart his studies in medicine.

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Vince Cable Raises Help-To-Buy Doubts

Vince Cable has called for the Government's flagship help-to-buy property scheme to be reconsidered in comments likely to anger George Osborne.

The Business Secretary told Sky News there was a risk of a "new housing bubble" because of recent changes in the market.

Mr Osborne's plans were a key plank of his Budget last year but prompted fears of a price surge because they do not address property availability.

Under the first stage, an equity loan scheme allows buyers with only a 5% deposit to buy a new-build property worth up to £600,000.

In January, the scheme will be extended to include a mortgage guarantee for buyers of any home up to the same value with deposits of 5-20%.

It is due to last for three years.

Asked if it should be rethought, Mr Cable said: "We should certainly think about how it should come into effect, indeed whether it should come into effect in the light of changing market conditions.

"We don't want a new housing bubble."

He cited warnings from experts including from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors this week about the "real risk" involved.

George Osborne recently hailed the change in economic fortunes

"I think in many parts of the country it clearly isn't a problem. If you are in Northern Ireland or Wales or indeed the East Midlands you would wonder what all this is about," he said.

"But certainly in London and the South East, in the north east of Scotland, in other areas, there are serious housing inflationary pressures."

Despite the warning, Treasury sources confirmed the Government's commitment to the policy and its launch next year.

Government sources added there were no plans for a rethink but that Mr Cable wants the Bank of England to keep a close eye on the scheme's effects.

His comments came as he was due to warn about "complacency" over Britain's economic recovery, insisting ministers cannot "rest on our laurels".

The Business Secretary will say later that a "few quarters of good economic data" does not mean the country is out of the woods.

The comments, in a speech to business leaders, follow Mr Osborne's declaration on Monday that the economy was finally "turning a corner".

The senior Lib Dem's intervention is likely to revive old tensions with the Chancellor after several clashes in the past.

It will also be seen as a piece of political positioning ahead of the party conference season, with the Lib Dems keen to put some distance between themselves and their Tory coalition partners.

In his address at Warwick University, Mr Cable will admit there are "encouraging" signs on the economy, but declare there is still further to go.

"We can't rest on our laurels. The kind of growth we want won't simply emerge of its own volition. In fact, I see a number of dangers. One is complacency, generated by a few quarters of good economic data," he will say.

"It isn't difficult to see evidence of confidence returning, and there are positive trends in production. Taken together with success stories like the car industry and export growth in emerging markets, we have the beginnings of a recovery story.

"But there are risks, not least the housing market getting out of control. Recovery will not be meaningful until we see strong and sustained business investment - and this is still 13% down on its 2008 peak and, as a share of GDP, is currently the lowest in the G7."

Mr Cable will stress that the improving economic news does not mean that the need for long-term restructuring and rebalancing could be forgotten.

"If we are to turn the British economy around on a sustainable basis there will have to be relatively rapid growth of exports and import substitutes," he will say

In a further sideswipe at Tory critics, he will also emphasise the need for the Government to have an industrial strategy, following a series of "classic market failures".

He will point out that Britain's growth rate for creating advanced skills put the UK just 20th out of the 27 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

But he will also argue that his work on industrial strategy will last beyond the election because it is supported across the business world and political parties.

Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said Mr Cable had delivered an "embarrassing slap-down" to Mr Osborne.

However, he insisted the Lib Dems could not distance themselves from the Chancellor's economic strategy.

"It also reminds everyone that you can't trust a word the Lib Dems say. Vince Cable has supported the Chancellor's policies which choked off the recovery in 2010," he said.

"Three wasted years of flatlining that has left families worse off and done long term damage to our economy is his record and he should take responsibility for it."

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Mark Bridger: Prisoner Admits Knife Attack

A prisoner has admitted slashing child killer Mark Bridger across the face at one of Britain's most secure jails.

Bridger, who was jailed earlier this year for abducting and murdering five-year-old April Jones, needed hospital treatment after he was attacked with a makeshift blade on July 7.

Bridger was sentenced on May 30 and was sent to HMP Wakefield, a category A prison where some of Britain's most dangerous offenders are held.

Juvinai Ferreira, 22, admitted attacking Bridger as he appeared via videolink for a short hearing at Leeds Crown Court.

On screen in court, Ferreira, originally from Gambia, looked bored and propped his head up with his hand for most of the proceedings.

At one point, he could be heard asking his guards: "I thought this was going to be quick?"

After judge Christopher Batty told him the case was going to be adjourned until sentencing on October 2, Ferreira said to him: "Can you just not sentence me? I can't keep coming back. Just give me anything and move on."

Ferreira is serving a life sentence for the murder of Elaine Walpole in Dereham, Norfolk, in April 2008.

Bridger was attacked by a fellow prisoner at HMP Wakefield

At the time police said Ferreira moved to Dereham in 2007 with a relative after escaping civil war in Africa.

He befriended Miss Walpole, an alcoholic who lived alone, after they met at a shop and she bought him cigarettes.

A post-mortem examination showed the 47-year-old mother-of-three had been stabbed three times and bitten.

Prosecutors in the case described Ferreira as "sex-crazed".

Father-of-six Bridger, 47, abducted April as she played near her home in Machynlleth in Powys before murdering the schoolgirl.

A judge at Mold Crown Court sentenced the former slaughterhouse worker to a whole-life tariff in May.

The five-year-old's body has never been found.

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Nigel Evans: I'm In Limbo Over Sex Claims

Former Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans has given an emotional Commons speech after resigning to fight allegations of sex offences, including rape.

Evans, who stepped down after being charged on Tuesday night but is remaining an MP, told colleagues the claims had left him "in a land of limbo".

In a Commons packed following PMQs, Evans said the investigation had been the worst experience of his life after the deaths of his mother and brother.

But he cited Winston Churchill as he vowed to clear his name and thanked politicians across Parliament for their support in recent months.

Evans said: "This is clearly the most painful thing I have endured in my life alongside the loss of my mother in 2009 and the loss of my brother earlier this year.

"Winston Churchill said when you are going through hell, keep going. Sage advice. And so I will see this through to the end with the support of the people that mean so much to me."

The MP for Ribble Valley will sit as an independent while he fights the allegations, some of which date back to 2002.

The former Torry promised to focus on "the bread and butter of politics" and speak out for his constituents from the backbenches.

He described his election as deputy speaker as "one of the happiest days of my life" but said he had been unable to do his job since the first allegations were made in May.

"I have not been able to fully fulfil my duties in the chair, which left me in a land of limbo," he said.

A sombre Commons as the MP speaks of his 'hell'

"None of us were elected to the fine office of Member of Parliament to be put in that invidious position, unable to fully fulfil the reason why we were sent here."

The politician had already stepped aside from his Parliamentary duties because of the investigation but formally resigned on Tuesday night after being charged.

Evans, from Pendleton in Lancashire, is accused of two offences of indecent assault, five counts of sexual assault and one rape charge.

They were allegedly committed between January 1, 2001 and April 1, 2013.

The charges came hours after he answered bail about the earlier allegations and was re-arrested over another two claims.

Evans, 55, told MPs on Wednesday: "I now have the opportunity to robustly defend my innocence and seek acquittal."

His first court appearance will be before magistrates in Preston on September 18.

Commons Speaker John Bercow said he had received the resignation "with sadness".

"I wish to thank Nigel for his three years of service to the House as deputy speaker, in which he has proved to be highly competent, fair and good-humoured," he said.

"He has been a loyal and valued member of the team of deputy speakers who assist me in chairing our proceedings. I am warmly grateful to him."

Evans was one of three deputy speakers elected by secret ballot in 2010. Later that year, he came out as gay saying he was tired of "living a lie".

He was a vice chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001.

When Iain Duncan Smith became party leader in 2001, he was promoted to the shadow cabinet as shadow Welsh secretary - a post he held for two years.

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Le Vell Rape Trial: Jury Considers Verdict

The jury in the trial of Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell is considering its verdict on child rape claims.

The eight female and four male jurors were told they must decide if the alleged victim is telling the truth or set out to "quite literally destroy the life" of the actor.

Le Vell, 48, who has played garage mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV1 soap for 30 years, is accused of sexually assaulting and raping the youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Judge Michael Henshell told the jurors in the week-long trial at Manchester Crown Court their assessment of the alleged victim was "critical in this case".

Le Vell, being tried under his real name of Michael Turner, denies five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Earlier Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, told the jury the "courage" of the alleged sex abuse victim must be marked by guilty verdicts if she was telling the truth.

She said his accuser had no reason to lie and the only explanation for her allegations was that it was the "uncomfortable truth", Miss Laws said.

"You saw her as bubbly, lovely, naive, so lovely," she said.

"She was not twisted. You are the most important people in the courtroom.

"It is you who decide the facts. At the end of the day it is your collective decision that is important."

Alisdair Williamson then gave the closing speech for the defence, telling jurors the girl's claims were "inconsistent, incoherent and unbelievable".

He said it was a "strange case of child rape" without any evidence of blood or semen or injuries to the alleged victim.

"Welcome to the prosecution's hall of mirrors," he told the jury.

"Where up is down and left is right."

"You are going to throw a man's life away? You are going to cast him to the outer darkness of being a child rapist?"

"Where is the consistency, the solidity of evidence on which you are going to be sure?

"Not there, simply not there."

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Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans Faces New Claims

The Deputy Commons Speaker has been re-arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting two further alleged victims.

Nigel Evans, 55, was arrested on Tuesday morning for the third time since May as he answered bail over the earlier allegations.

He is now being held for questioning at Preston police station on suspicion of indecent assault and sexual touching.

Mr Evans was previously arrested by Lancashire Police on suspicion of rape, sexual assault and three indecent assaults.

The Tory MP arrived at the police station in a silver Jaguar driven by his solicitor just before 9am, where he was met by detectives.

He smiled at members of the press gathered outside and said: "Thanks for coming."

A police spokesman said: "A 55-year-old man from Pendleton in Lancashire has today answered his bail following his arrest in May on suspicion of rape and sexual assault and in June on suspicion of three further offences of indecent assault.

"He has subsequently today been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault and sexual touching of two further victims.

"He will be interviewed about these new allegations at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.

"These new offences are alleged to have been committed in London between 2002 and 2009."

The initial claims of rape and sexual assault refer to alleged events in Pendleton between July 2009 and March 2013 and the second to alleged events in Blackpool and London from 2003-2011.

All of these allegations involve men in their 20s.

Mr Evans dismissed the original claims against him as "completely false" and said they had been made by two people he had "regarded as friends".

In June, he said: "I continue to refute all allegations."

The politician has stepped aside from his Speaker duties since his arrest, but has continued to work as MP for Ribble Valley.

He was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010. Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was "tired of living a lie"'.

Lancashire Police said: "We take all allegations of a sexual nature extremely seriously and understand how difficult it can be for victims to have the confidence to come forward.

"As a constabulary, we are committed to investigating sexual offences sensitively but robustly, recognising the impact that these types of crimes have on victims.

"We would encourage anyone who has experienced sexual abuse, or who has information about it, to have the confidence to report it to us knowing that we will take it seriously, deal with it sensitively and investigate it thoroughly."

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Turkey: Mother Dead After British Family Shot

A gunman reportedly shot a British woman dead and injured her son and mother during a family holiday in Turkey.

The woman killed was named locally as Catherine Anne Bury, aged 56, from Swainby, North Yorkshire, 

Also shot and now recovering in hospital were her son Alex, who is in his early  20s and who lived with her, and her mother Celia Bury, in her 80s from Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough.

According to reports, the family were shot while celebrating a birthday party at the villa in the resort of Dalyan on Turkey's south coast.

The Yorkshire Post newspaper said the gardener had argued with the family, who reported him to Turkish police.

He was detained, but headed back to the villa on his release and opened fire. He is said to have given himself up after the shooting and is due in court.

Stephen Garbutt, 72, who lives in the adjoining bungalow to the dead woman in Swainby, said: "I never ever heard a bad word, or a cross word or anything like that from any of them.

"How on earth they got into this situation I cannot imagine. I have never known Anne, for want of a better word, in trouble."

The Foreign Office confirmed in a statement: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Turkey on September 9.

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

The statement added: "We can confirm the hospitalisation of two British nationals in Turkey on September 9."

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Bank Consults On Scrapping Paper Money

The Bank of England has launched a consultation about replacing Britain's paper banknotes with new polymer varieties.

It would be the first time in the 300-year history of official UK banknotes that they would be made of a material other than paper. The Bank also intends to make the new banknotes around 15% smaller than the current versions.

The Bank's Deputy Governor Charlie Bean said: "Polymer banknotes are cleaner, more secure and durable than paper notes. They are also cheaper and more environmentally friendly. However the Bank of England would print notes on polymer only if we were persuaded that the public would continue to have confidence in, and be comfortable with, our notes."

The consultation itself will last until November and the decision on whether to introduce them will be made in December.

Mark Carney oversaw the introduction of polymer notes in his native Canada

Polymer notes have been in use in Australia for 25 years, and were recently been introduced in Canada, under the Governorship of Mark Carney. The Bank of England said it had been researching polymer banknotes for three years, but the final decision to launch the consultation was made by Mr Carney, who is now Bank of England Governor.

The new polymer notes would potentially be introduced for the new £5 note, which will feature Winston Churchill, and the new £10, which will feature Jane Austen, in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Although the polymer notes cost around 50% more to produce than existing paper notes ("a few pence each" according to Chief Cashier Chris Salmon) they also last longer - between two and a half and six times. Current five pound notes have a life of around two years.

The Bank said it hoped the new notes, which are harder to counterfeit, would reduce banknote forgery in the UK, which is at higher levels than many other countries.

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MC Twister: Man Guilty Of Rapper's Murder

A teenager has been found guilty of stabbing to death an aspiring young rapper in a flat in Colchester in March.

More follows...

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England Fans Injured In Ukraine Knife Attack

A group of England football fans have been attacked in Kiev ahead of the World Cup qualifier with Ukraine, local media reports.

Around 30 hooded Ukrainians armed with knives brawled with England supporters in a coffee shop, the Komsomolskaya Pravda reported.

The attackers then fled, and no one has been arrested.

Three of the England fans were taken to hospital – one with a stab wound, one with a head injury, and a third with severe bruising.

Three England fans were taken to hospital

It is understood two of the supporters have been released from hospital.

Amateur video showed one of the injured men lying on the pavement with other people attending to him while police and ambulances arrived.

The Foreign Office said: "We are aware of incidents in Kiev involving British nationals. We are providing consular assistance."

The Three Lions will take on their Ukrainian opponents in Kiev's Olympic Stadium on Tuesday night.

A win for England would move them to within touching distance of a place in next summer's finals in Brazil.

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HS2 Rail Project Comes Under Renewed Attack

HS2: Cases For And Against

Updated: 12:24pm UK, Monday 28 January 2013

Those in favour of high-speed rail say it will create jobs and boost the economy, while critics say the cost - financially and for the environment - is too high.

Here is what two campaigners from opposing sides had to say:

THE CASE FOR

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council (Manchester is included in a later HS2 phase)

High-speed rail is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the rail network in this country. A new, separate, high speed network is the only cost-effective way of extending an existing railway network that is becoming increasingly congested.

It will free up capacity on the existing network for commuter services and inter-city services for smaller towns and give the country a railway fit for the 21st century.

More than that, it will unlock much-needed jobs and investment and help rebalance the UK's economy to ensure that opportunity is open to all.

The Government is to be commended for having the political courage to stick with the plans, in the face of a short-sighted opposition that is as predictable as it is parochial.

The UK's future economic success will depend upon its capacity to compete on a global stage.

For Manchester that means we're up against cities like Munich, Milan and Copenhagen. International-class connectivity already is an essential factor in Britain's future success.

The rest of Europe is already well ahead in the high speed stakes and acting now to catch up is not an optional extra.

HS2 might seem expensive but it is an investment that will ultimately be self-financing. Paris-Lyon opened in 1981 and has paid for itself, and the new high-speed lines in Spain are the only profitable part of the Spanish rail network.

Railways began in Britain. The world's first passenger rail station is right here in my city. But we've fallen behind.

Yes, we need investment in the here and now of transport infrastructure, but just for once, let's also plan and act for our long-term future.

THE CASE AGAINST

Joe Rukin, campaign co-ordinator of Stop HS2, the national campaigning body against HS2

HS2 is completely the wrong priority for Great Britain and any decision to go ahead will not be a rational one, it will be a political one, brought about mainly by strong lobbying by advocates with vested interests.

Building HS2 is like building the Titanic, but without the Steerage section - that will be made up of the rest of the rail network which will be starved of funds if HS2 goes ahead.

But of course commuters will have to help pay the £17.8bn just to get it to run between London and Birmingham.

The supposed benefits are made up by calculating the cash value of time and the jobs figures touted, which are plainly a lie. These would not arrive for decades, at a total cost of £32bn.

And what about the extra costs of environmental protection, inflation, interest, compensation, farm bridges, foot bridges and of course trains?

Having been the treasurer of a national union, I know that union leaders are not always interested in the actual figures.

But the jobs figures on this, based on the amount of money going in, are ridiculously low.

Last week they had the cheek to tout this being environmentally sound. If that is the case, why is HS2 opposed by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Green Party, to start off a very long list of environmental organisations?

HS2 is going through for the same old reasons - because politically it is wanted. It is that simple. You are about to put what money we have left into a fast train for fat cats.

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Michael Le Vell Rape Trial: Live Updates

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9:46am UK, Monday 09 September 2013

Michael Le Vell denies 12 charges of sex abuse

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Suntory Buys Ribena And Lucozade For £1.34bn

Japanese drinks giant Suntory has confirmed it will buy the top-selling Lucozade and Ribena brands from British drugs firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for £1.34bn.

The deal, part of Suntory's bid to expand overseas to counter a shrinking domestic market, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Energy drink Lucozade and the Ribena juice brand would help Suntory's food and beverage unit move closer to hitting a £12.76bn annual sales target in 2020, it said.

The unit, which debuted on Tokyo's stock exchange in July after a £2.49bn share sale, said it would "actively pursue" more cross-border deals.

"In our international business, we are expanding our business in emerging markets and strengthening our business platform in order to improve profitability by further developing our existing brands and growing our production and sales," the company said in a statement.

Last week, Sky News broke the news that Suntory was in advanced talks on a deal that would pre-empt an auction of the iconic British drinks.

Japan's second-largest drinks maker has plenty of cash after an initial public offering in June that raised £2.55bn.

Lucozade and Ribena are well-loved in Britain but lack global reach, especially in the big emerging markets that are becoming the focus of the British drugmaker's consumer health business.

For Suntory, however, they offer a growth opportunity to counter sluggish demand at home.

Suntory bought the Orangina Schweppes drinks brand for more than £1.92bn in 2009, giving it a significant presence in France and Spain. 

By acquiring a new business with a focus on Britain, Suntory said it expected to further grow sales.

The purchase also allows the Japanese group to extend its reach into countries where GSK already operates, such as Nigeria and Malaysia.

Lucozade and Ribena have combined annual sales of just over £500m a year. 

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Osborne: Economy Showing Signs Of Recovery

George Osborne has said the British economy has "turned a corner" with the latest financial growth figures a vindication of the government's long-term strategy.

"We held our nerve when many told us to abandon our plan," the Chancellor told an audience of academics, think tank members and business leaders in central London ahead of the Conservative Party Conference later this month.

Mr Osborne said there were "tentative signs of a balanced, broad based and sustainable recovery," but warned of the need to make "many billions" more in savings after the next election.

"The plan is working, but the recovery is still in its early stages, plenty of risks remain, and more years of hard decisions lie ahead. Our economy is turning a corner, but we must not take anything for granted," he said.

"This is a hard, difficult road we have been following. But it is the only way to deliver a sustained, lasting improvement in the living standards of the British people.

"More tough choices will be required after the next election to find many billions of further savings and anyone who thinks those decisions can be ducked is not fit for government."

Labour dismissed the Chancellor's speech as a "desperate attempt to rewrite history".

"Three wasted years of flatlining under George Osborne have left ordinary families worse off and caused long-term damage to our economy," shadow Treasury minister Chris Leslie said.

"This desperate attempt to rewrite history will not wash when on every test he set himself, this Chancellor's plan A has badly failed - on living standards, growth and the deficit."

Opposition leader Ed Miliband is expected to use his speech to the TUC conference to lambast the Chancellor for being "out of touch with ordinary families" by celebrating while they face the squeeze.

But the Chancellor said that those who argued for a Plan B, like Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, had "lost the argument" as the economy has shown signs of recovery in recent months.

Mr Osborne has been buoyed by revised gross domestic product figures showing the UK economy grew by 0.7% in the second quarter of the year, with predictions it could reach 1% for the third quarter.

The respected OECD think tank has almost doubled its prediction for UK growth this year to 1.5%.

Rising property prices and a summer retail splurge as well as booming car sales have also contributed to the feel-good factor, with surging manufacturing figures for June also helping fuel the improved mood.

Goods exports excluding oil plunged however by 9.3%, and the overall trade deficit more than doubled from £1.3bn to £3.1bn, with real terms wages also in decline.

The economy remains 3% below its pre-crisis level.

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Tommy Robinson: EDL Leader Held At March

English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson has been arrested on a controversial march that was prevented from going through the centre of one of Britain's biggest Muslim communities.

A tweet on the EDL website stated: "Tommy's been arrested for incitement."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "A 30-year-old man was arrested for breaching section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 and inciting others to breach section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.

"He has been taken to a central London police station where he currently remains."

The far-right EDL had lost a High Court battle over where its members are allowed to demonstrate.

The organisation had wanted to hold the rally in an area in Tower Hamlets, east London, which it says is "subject to Sharia law".

EDL leader Tommy Robinson at a previous rally

But judge Mr Justice King ruled that a police decision to impose restrictions over fears of serious public disorder was reasonable and proportionate.

By 6pm on Saturday, 14 people had been arrested, but it is thought the numbers may have risen.

The Met Police allowed the protest to go ahead, but under strict conditions which meant any march would be held at the outskirts of the borough and close to Tower Bridge.

A counter demonstration was held by anti-fascist and anti-racist groups. Their supporters were among those arrested.

Offences ranged from possession of a pointed blade, possession of a firework, breach of public order, criminal damage and violent disorder.

They are all being held at police stations in east and central London.

Among those in custody is a 15-year-old boy who was arrested for going equipped, Scotland Yard said.

He has been taken to an east London police station where he currently remains.

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Michael Le Vell: Man Held Over Facebook Post

A man has been arrested over a Facebook post relating to the alleged victim in the trial of Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell.

The 45-year-old, from Trafford, Manchester, was detained for breaching the anonymity protection granted to victims of sexual offences.

He has been released on bail.

Under the Sexual Offences Amendment Act 1992, all victims of sex abuse are automatically granted anonymity for life.

On Thursday, a 28-year-old man was interviewed under caution in relation to a tweet that was sent about the alleged victim.

A day earlier, a 43-year-old man was arrested for a similar offence.

Greater Manchester Police said it had also been made aware of other similar comments on social media sites, and was investigating.

The Michael Le Vell case has attracted huge media interest

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Bridge said: "This case has attracted huge interest and we have seen enormous amounts of comment and personal opinion across social media.

"I want to be explicitly clear - victims of sexual abuse, whether the offences are alleged or proven, are automatically granted anonymity for life and identifying such victims, either deliberately or inadvertently, is a criminal offence.

"I also want to stress that ignorance of the law is not a defence and we take these matters very seriously.

"We are monitoring social networks and people are reporting matters to us, so it is simply not worth the risk."

Soap star Le Vell, who has played garage mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV1 soap for 30 years, is being tried under his real name Michael Turner at Manchester Crown Court.

He is accused of sexually assaulting and raping a young girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Le Vell, 48, denies five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Le Vell's case will be back in court on Monday morning when closing speeches from barristers will take place, the judge will sum up the trial and the jury is expected to retire to consider its verdicts.

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Dartford Crossing Bomb Hoax: Man Detained

A 27-year-old man arrested in connection with a bomb hoax which led to the Dartford Crossing being closed and severe delays on the M25 has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

The incident led to drivers being caught in nine-mile-long tailbacks after both the QE2 Bridge and Dartford Tunnels were closed for almost seven hours during rush-hour traffic on Friday evening, while traffic was also stopped from using the A20 at Dover.

The suspect, from Bournemouth in Dorset, is alleged to have made bomb threats.

He was arrested on Saturday and has now been taken to a secure unit under the care of the Health Authority, Kent Police said.

Police said they recovered a cylindrical device with wires heavily sealed inside a bag from a coach.

Traffic was stuck in nine-mile tailbacks

It was found after the force was called at 4.03pm to a report of a male pedestrian behaving unusually. He had alighted from a coach which was Dover-bound and run to a rough area nearby, police said.

Security personnel at a nearby distribution depot detained the man and officers arrested him at 4.15pm before he was taken to a police station where he made threats as to a suspicious device on board the coach.

The vehicle, which had just gone through the toll booths, was evacuated along with the immediate surrounding area, which was extremely busy at the time.

Bomb disposal experts attended the scene and a robotic device was deployed to examine the device more closely.

Police said the detained man made further threats that there was an explosive device on another coach and officers then stopped a coach on the A20 at Dover at 6pm.

The Dartford Crossing was closed for several hours

It was evacuated and the road was closed before being reopened at around 10.45pm after no threat was found. The Dartford Crossing was reopened at around 11.45pm.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Price said: "We were dealing with a very challenging situation, with two scenes in extremely busy areas. Our main priority was to ensure the safety of the public, our officers and our partners at the scene.

"We had received threats of a very serious nature that required regional and national co-ordination and declared this as a critical incident.

"Obviously a lot of people were caught up in long delays but this could not be avoided as we had to ensure public safety and as soon as clearance was obtained the road was immediately opened.

"We would like to thank the public for their patience ... and also thank our partners, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, South East Coast Ambulance Service, the Highways Agency, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent County Council and others who all worked to ensure the safety of everyone involved."

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Duke Of York Challenged In Palace Grounds

Prince Andrew has been challenged by police in the gardens of Buckingham Palace after returning from an engagement in London.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a man was ordered to verify his identity by two officers at around 6pm on Wednesday.

The Duke of York had been at an event in Piccadilly to support new business ventures.

Two men were arrested over a break-in at Buckingham Palace on Monday

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "On Wednesday, September 4, at approximately 6pm two uniformed officers approached a man in the gardens of Buckingham Palace to verify his identity.

"The man was satisfactorily identified. No weapons were drawn and no force was used."

The confrontation came after an intruder was able to scale a fence and get inside the palace on Monday night, before being arrested by police.

A security review has been launched following Monday's suspected burglary.

None of the Royal family were at home during the suspected burglary

Police said the man had been found shortly before 10.30pm "in an area currently open to the public during the day" and arrested for burglary, trespass and criminal damage.

A second man was arrested outside the Palace for conspiracy to commit burglary.

The Met Police spokesman said: "Both men have been bailed to return to a central London police station and enquiries continue.

"A review of the specific circumstances of this incident is being carried out. No members of the Royal Family were at Buckingham Palace at the time of the incident."

The spokesman added that security would form part of the review.

The Queen made her traditional appearance at a Highland Games on Saturday, as details of the break-in emerged.

She was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales at the Braemar Gathering in Aberdeenshire, where the Royal party watched pipe bands and dancers perform in front of a large crowd.

The Queen has been spending her summer break at Balmoral Castle since the beginning of August and is not expected to return to the Palace until October.

The break-in is one of the most serious security breaches at the Palace since 1982, when Michael Fagan evaded guards to get inside the Queen's private chambers while she was still in bed.

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TUC: Miliband To Press On With Reforms

Labour leader Ed Miliband is to use his speech to the TUC on Tuesday to say he is "absolutely determined" to continue reforming Labour's relationship with the unions - despite warnings that more unions will pull the plug financially.

Mr Miliband is fighting fresh Tory claims that the unions are "pulling the strings" of his party after a disciplinary process found no rules had been breached in the Scottish constituency of Falkirk where there had been allegations of candidate selection-rigging.

Would-be Falkirk MP Karie Murphy has been reinstated to the party after an internal investigation cleared both her and the Unite union of the claims.

Before the investigation, a bitter public row broke out between Unite boss Len McCluskey and Mr Miliband, who was pushed to propose radical changes to Labour's historic links with the union movement.

Mr McCluskey, who appeared on Sky News' Murnaghan programme, said he was not looking for an apology from Labour. He wants the unions and Labour to focus on jobs.

One union, the GMB, has responded by slashing its affiliation fees by more than £1m and others could follow, leaving Labour with a huge black hole in its finances.

But Mr Miliband is to tell the conference: "We need to build a party truly rooted in the lives of all the working people of Britain once more.

"That is what my reforms are about. It is the right thing to do. We have to change.

"And I am absolutely determined to make this change happen."

Labour has stressed that its Falkirk findings came after "key evidence" was withdrawn - with Falkirk MP Eric Joyce claiming people were "prevailed upon" to do so.

Senior MP Tom Watson - who quit his shadow cabinet post over the row - said Ms Murphy was owed an apology for the way she had been treated.

But a senior Labour source insisted: "There is no prospect of an apology."

Elsewhere, the conference agenda will focus on unemployment with the TUC claiming the number of jobless could be almost double the official total.

It says that, as well as the 2.5 million official jobless figure, a further 2.26 million people want a job but are not classified as unemployed.

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