Mikaeel's Mum Detained As Body Discovered

Police are questioning the mother of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular after finding the body of a young boy near her former home.

Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham announced the discovery just after 1am at a hastily convened news conference at Police Scotland's Edinburgh HQ.

There were gasps from people who had gathered for the update as he announced that the body had been found shortly before midnight.

Police said they had detained one person - understood to be Mikaeel's 33-year-old mother Rosdeep - in connection with his disappearance.

:: Live updates as the search for Mikaeel Kular is called off

ACC Graham said: "The investigation into the disappearance of Mikaeel Kular has been wide-ranging and fast moving.

"As a result of enquiries the body of a young child was recovered in Fife just before midnight.

Police are examining a wooded area near a house owned by Mikaeel's aunt

"We strongly believe this to be the body of Mikaeel.

"A person has been detained in connection with the recovery of the body and members of Mikaeel's family have been informed of the recovery."

The body is understood to have been found on land surrounding a house in Kirkcaldy, Fife, which is owned by Mikaeel's aunt Pandeep Kular.

Sky News Scotland Correspondent James Matthews said: "There is no suggestion that police want to speak to her about any of this at this stage."

A neighbour told Sky News that Rosdeep Kular visited the house alone, by car, last week.

The family lived there for a time before moving to Edinburgh and neighbours remember Mikaeel and his twin sister playing on the steps.

There was shock when ACC Malcolm Graham announced a body had been found

A memorial service organised on Facebook will take place at 7pm today at St Andrew's church in Muirhouse, Edinburgh.

Mikaeel was reported missing from his home in the Scottish capital on Thursday morning.

Hundreds of police officers from across the UK joined the search and lines of volunteers swept the local area, searching for clues about his disappearance.

Police were told that Mikaeel had not been seen since his mother put him to bed on Wednesday night.

On Friday evening ACC Graham revealed the boy had not attended nursery since before Christmas and said there were "grave concerns" for his safety.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt in Edinburgh said: "We know that according to the police, a person was detained last night.

The body was found around 30 miles from Mikaeel's family home in Edinburgh

"The police haven't named that person detained, but we understand from our sources that it's Mikaeel's mother Rosdeep, known as Rosie.

"Under Scottish law, she can be detained initially for 12 hours during questioning and then on the say so of a senior officer can be held for another 12 hours.

"At the end of that period police must decide whether to release her, charge her or formally arrest her." 

Police analyst Graham Wettone told Sky News: "(His mother) will be questioned as police try to establish what has taken place."

Police Scotland officers have cordoned off the road and been carrying out searches in Woodland around Pandeep Kular's Kirkcaldy house.

The body is being left in situ for forensic and scenes-of-crime officers to carry out investigations.

Neighbours have been living flowers and toys near the family home

There was sadness and anger among families living near Rosdeep Kular's home in Ferry Gait, Edinburgh - some 30 miles away across the Firth of Forth - as they woke up to news of the grim discovery.

MSP Colin Keir, who joined the search for Mikaeel, was woken at 5am to be told the news.

He told Sky News: "It's just devastating and I think the community will take it personally.

"There was an unprecedented outpouring from the community in the hunt for Mikaeel.

"The community will be devastated, angry and looking for answers as to why this has happened."

Jackie Brownlee, 29, a mother-of-two who lives opposite the family home, said that local people will support each other as they try to come to terms with what has happened.

Hundreds of people volunteered to help with the search for Mikaeel

She said: "Everyone was hoping and now that hope's gone - we still can't believe it. But I think the community will come together because we have to."

Her son Darren, 11, added: "He was such a cute lad, always running around the street. I can't believe it's happened in my street - I'm really scared now." 

Police Scotland are also investigating an offensive Twitter comment relating to the case, which originated in the Greater Manchester area and was reported by an Edinburgh resident.

Denise Fergus, the mother of James Bulger, the two-year-old who was murdered in Liverpool in 1993, tweeted her condolences.

She said on Twitter: "My heart is aching for that poor boy Mikaeel Kular brings it all back so sad."

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Lord McAlpine: Ex-Thatcher Aide Dies Aged 71

Former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord McAlpine has died at his home in Italy, aged 71.

His family said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that the family of Lord McAlpine announce his peaceful death last night at his home in Italy."

Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter: "My thoughts are with Lord McAlpine's family - he was a dedicated supporter of Margaret Thatcher and the Conservative party."

Lord McAlpine, who worked for his family's building firm after leaving school, was previously an aide to the late former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and a highly successful fundraiser for the party.

He was also, at various points in his life, a zoo-keeper, ornithologist, explorer and jewellery maker.

When Mrs Thatcher left office in 1990 the peer became disillusioned with the leadership of John Major and launched a number of harsh attacks on the new leader of his party.

In 2010, the former political adviser and businessman stood down from the House of Lords to keep his non-domiciliary tax status, but retained his title.

The peer, who had three daughters, spent his final years running a bed and breakfast near Puglia with his third wife Athena.

Lord McAlpine was wrongly implicated in a child abuse scandal in 2012, when allegations were contained in a BBC Newsnight investigation.

The claims led to the corporation's then-director general George Entwistle quitting his job less than two months into the role. Mr Entwistle said he had to take "ultimate responsibility" for the broadcast.

The BBC was forced into making an apology after abuse victim Steve Messham admitted that the man who abused him in the 1970s and 1980s was not Lord McAlpine.

Mr Messham told the BBC he had been abused by a senior Tory from the Thatcher era at a north Wales children's home when he was a teenager. This led to fierce online speculation as to the identity of the politician, and the peer was incorrectly accused of being a paedophile.

Solicitors for Lord McAlpine said they were ready to sue for defamation, arguing his reputation had been left in "tatters" as a result of the programme.

Lord McAlpine later received damages from a number of internet users, including the wife of the House of Commons speaker John Bercow, after libellous messages were posted on Twitter.

Ms Bercow agreed to pay £15,000 in damages for her "innocent face" tweet.

Comedian Alan Davies paid damages after he reposted a tweet which linked the peer's name to a television report about a "senior political figure who is a paedophile".

The BBC Trust investigated the broadcast and found that members of the team responsible failed to follow the corporation's editorial guidelines.

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Social Smokers 'In Denial' Over Their Habit

Almost a quarter of smokers believe they only have a social habit despite the fact many smoke six to 20 cigarettes a day, new research reveals.

A poll of 2,000 smokers found 24% class themselves as social smokers - but more than one in three of these buy up to a packet a day.

Around 60% of all those questioned said they have tried giving up in the past, with women being slightly more likely than men to have tried quitting.

One in six of those who had attempted to stop smoking succeeded for over a year but then slipped back to their old habits.

Some 13% said part of the reason they took up smoking again was because their friends smoked and they did not like being left alone on nights out.

Of those who did go back to smoking, 47% said they had initially cut down how many cigarettes they smoked.

The poll also found that 54% of smokers admitted to smoking in banned areas, such as indoors in public spaces.

Catherine Cox, primary care manager at The Co-operative Pharmacy, which carried out the poll, said: "The smoking ban in public places has had a major effect on the health of the nation with a significant number of people giving up.

"But many smokers are convincing themselves they are consuming less tobacco than they actually are by classing their habit as a 'social' one.

"People see it as more acceptable to be a social smoker than admitting they regularly light up each day, even though our research shows that this is the case.

"Just smoking a few cigarettes a day has an impact on your health and the wellbeing of those around you."

Public Health England's national director of health and wellbeing, Kevin Fenton, offered this advice: "There are a variety of different ways to help people stop smoking and it is important that everyone finds a way that works for them.

"Pharmacists are easily accessible and well-placed to offer ongoing support, keeping motivation levels high along the way."

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Mikaeel Kular Neighbours Shocked By News

By Kat Storr, Sky Producer, Edinburgh

The hundreds of people who joined the search for missing Mikaeel Kular in Scotland are now coming to terms with the news they had all been dreading.

After the discovery of a body at a house in Fife, people in Drylaw, Edinburgh, have been leaving flowers, teddies and candles near the three-year-old's home.

Shazia Chaudhry, 33, lives on Ferry Gait Crescent and came to look at the tributes with her 20-month-old son Zohaib.

She said the news had hit her hard because the two boys looked so alike.

Mikaeel and his mother Rosdeep, who is being quizzed over his disappearance

She cried as she read the notes to her son, who she told me had earlier looked out of the window and said: "Baby gone."

Student Erin Anderson, 17, wept as she described how she "felt sick" when she found out the news on Twitter.

Shona Smith, 41, came to the crescent with her son Cain, eight, who wanted to leave two of his teddy bears for Mikaeel because he was "only young".

Ms Smith said: "I think it's a hard lesson in life but one that kids needs to understand - these things do happen."

Hundreds of volunteers joined a search near the boy's home

But the Kulars' neighbours, who did not want to be named, said they had sent their three children to stay with relatives because they didn't want them to see everything going on.

Jackie Brownlee, 29, who lives opposite the Kulars' flat, told Sky News: "Everyone was hoping so much and now that hope's gone. We still can't believe it."

And that sentiment was reflected in the notes left with the tributes. One attached to a bunch of flowers just says: "Why??"

Some of the many flowers and toys that have been left for the youngster

Brothers Aron and Tanay Ortanoglu brought their two teddies and wrote a note to Mikaeel saying: "Sleep well with the angels. Hope you like the teddies for you to cuddle in heaven."

Their mother Donna Ortanoglu, 44, said the boys, aged six and nine, had not been out of her sight since news of Mikaeel's disappearance broke.

She said: "I didn't want them to hear stories at school, I wanted them to see the truth."

But it is that truth that this devastated community is going to take a long time to recover from.

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Labour Politician Among Afghan Bomb Victims

One of the two Britons killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul was a Labour candidate in the forthcoming European Elections.

Party leader Ed Miliband confirmed Del Singh, who was standing for the South East region, had died and said he was "appalled and shocked by this barbarous act of terror".

Mr Singh was among 21 people killed in the attack at the city's Taverna du Liban restaurant, which is popular with tourists and Westerners. A suicide bomber blew himself up outside and two gunmen entered and opened fire.

The other Briton killed has been named by Sky sources as Simon Chase, who was originally from Liverpool but living in Limavady in County Londonderry.

A total of thirteen foreigners died in the attack, including two US citizens and two Canadians. It is the deadliest attack on foreign nationals in the country since the start of the war in Afghanistan in 2001.

Mr Miliband said: "My thoughts - and the thoughts of the whole Labour Party - are with the family and friends of Del Singh who was killed in yesterday's tragic suicide bomb in Kabul.

"People everywhere will be appalled and shocked by this barbarous act of terror deliberately targeting members of the international community living and working in Kabul in the service of the Afghan people.

"Del spent over 10 years carrying out vital work on development projects in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Sudan, Sierra Leone and other countries.

"He dedicated his life to working with people across the world who needed his support."

"The death toll includes five women, four of them foreign and one from Afghanistan. Three members of staff at the United Nations also died in the blast, as did Wabel Abdallah, the head of the International Monetary Fund in the country.

An Afghan official said the gunmen were shot dead by security forces when they arrived at the restaurant. Sporadic bouts of gunfire could be heard for around an hour after the explosion.

The Taliban claimed responsibility. Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the attack was launched in retaliation for an Afghan military operation earlier this week against insurgents that the fighters claimed killed civilians.

He said the bombing had delivered a "heavy admonitory blow to the enemy which they shall never forget".

Afghan president Hamid Karzai condemned the attack and said the US was doing enough to fight "terrorism".

Kebab cook Abdul Majid, who suffered leg fractures in the blast, said: "I was sitting with my friends in the kitchen when an explosion happened and smoke filled the kitchen.

"A man came inside shouting and he started shooting. One of my colleagues was shot and fell down. I ran to the roof and threw myself to the neighbouring property."

Several members of kitchen staff survived by fleeing to the roof, where they remained until they were rescued by police.

More follows...

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Prince Harry To Take Up New Military Role

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

Prince Harry is leaving his role as an Apache helicopter co-pilot gunner based at Wattisham and returning to a job in London.

Kensington Palace told Sky News: "Prince Harry has completed his attachment to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and will now take up a Staff Officer role in HQ London District.

"The Prince will take the position of SO3 (Defence Engagement). His responsibilities will include helping to co-ordinate significant projects and commemorative events involving the Army in London.

"Prince Harry will retain the rank of Captain and be based from Horse Guards, in Central London."

Prince Harry spent three and a half years in training and operational service with the Apache Force during his attachment to the Army Air Corps.

Prince Harry qualifying as an Apache Commander

Lieutenant Colonel Tom de la Rue, who commanded Prince Harry in the Army Air Corps, said: "Captain Wales has reached the pinnacle of flying excellence as an Apache pilot, particularly in Afghanistan and, in the process, has proved to be a real inspiration to the many Army Air Corps officers and soldiers who have come to know him so well over the last two years."

A source told Sky News the move would allow Harry to gain wider experience in the military and concentrate on other projects outside the Military.

After the Prince's visit to the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs last year, the now fourth in line to the throne made it clear he had ambitions of bringing the event to London.

The Warrior Games sees injured service personnel compete in an Olympic-style Games and has so far only taken place in the US.

Kensington Palace confirmed the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Foundation are undertaking feasibility work on concepts and funding for the UK to host the inaugural international Warrior Games later this year.

Being back in London could also help the Prince deepen his relationship with girlfriend Cressida Bonas.

The announcement follows Prince Harry's return from a four-month deployment in Afghanistan in January last year.

Captain Harry Wales, as he is known in the military, arrived in Camp Bastion in September 2012 as part of 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps.

Soon after his arrival, the Camp was attacked by Taliban insurgents with Prince Harry understood to be the key target.

Upon his return, media were allowed to broadcast interviews conducted during his deployment to Helmand Province.

When the Apache co-pilot gunner was asked whether he had killed, he said: "Yeah, so lots of people have. The squadron's been out here. Everyone's fired a certain amount.

"We fire when we have to, take a life to save a life, but essentially we're more of a deterrent than anything else."

Prince Harry was first deployed to Afghanistan amid a media blackout in 2007, but was forced to return to the UK after overseas publications broke the media blackout.

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Zara Phillips Gives Birth To Baby Daughter

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has given birth to a baby girl at Gloucester Royal Hospital.

Her baby, the Queen's fourth great grandchild and now the 16th in line to the throne, weighed 7lbs 12oz.

Buckingham Palace confirmed Zara's husband, former England rugby star Mike Tindall, was present at the birth.

"The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Captain Mark Phillips and Mike's parents, Mr Phillip and Mrs Linda Tindall, have been informed and are delighted with the news," added the Queen's Press Secretary.

Zara and her husband at Sandringham at Christmas

The baby's name has not been announced.

The 32-year-old's pregnancy was announced as the media gathered outside St Mary's Hospital in July last year waiting for Duchess of Cambridge to go into labour.

The Olympic silver-medalist had been reluctant early on in her pregnancy to give up competing in show-jumping events.

Zara gave up competitive riding after her three-month scan

Admitting she was used to being on the go, finding it hard to put her feet up, the professional three-day eventer was photographed taking part in competitions after her 12-week scan.

But Zara soon allowed her sporting prowess to take a back seat, turning instead to baking to fill her days.

She and her husband opted not to be told the gender of their baby when offered the opportunity during early hospital scans.

A heavily pregnant Zara more recently accompanied the Queen by car to the traditional Christmas Day service in Sandringham.

The couple, who live at Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park Estate, have reportedly been busy "buying stuff" for the baby, according to Mr Tindall, who adds that he is "a big kid and so will fit in just right".

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Cameron Jokes Hiding Bald Spot A 'Priority'

David Cameron has revealed his priority for 2014 - to keep his bald spot hidden.

He was speaking at the first Westminster Correspondents dinner for 40 years, in front of an audience of political journalists.

In a tongue-in-cheek quip, he said his priority for the year ahead was "keeping the bald spot under control".

He then insisted he had not known in advance that his hairdresser was getting an MBE in the New Year's Honours but he added: "If you can make cuts and stop recession at the same time, you deserve an honour."

The event - similar to the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner in the US - was revived for the first time since 1974.

David Cameron's hairline in 2006 (L) and today

And, like the US version, it gave the PM the chance for a gentle ribbing of his political rivals.

Looking out at the crowd of reporters in the grand surroundings of the House of Commons Members' dining room, the PM said: "The last time I was at a dinner this posh, Boris (Johnson) spent the rest of the night in prison."

He then recounted a day spent canvassing with the London mayor, when a woman answered their knock on the door with the words: "Boris, you're the father of one of my children."

After some flustering by Mr Johnson she added: "It's your daughter, I'm her maths teacher."

He said one of his other priorities was keeping the coalition on the road while Nick Clegg "the product of the mean streets of Westminster and Cambridge", tried to differentiate himself from the public-school Tories.

He also praised backbencher Penny Mordaunt for her decision to appear on ITV's Splash to raise money for charity, adding: "If every Tory MP who's taken their clothes off in recent years had had such noble intentions, we would be in a much better position."

He also said he had a lot in common with his Commons adversary, shadow chancellor Ed Balls.

"We both love The Sound of Music, we both love Delia Smith - for different reasons - and we both like the Antiques Roadshow," he said. "I like it for the heartwarming stories, Ed likes it when they sell the family silver."

Mr Cameron ended with praise for Britain's free press, paying tribute to The Guardian's parliamentary sketchwriter Simon Hoggart, who died earlier this month.

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Police 'Cover Up Wrongdoing', Most Britons Say

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

More than half of Britons believe there is a culture of cover-ups within the police, a Sky News poll has found.

A total of 53% of members of the public questioned in the survey agreed that forces try to hide officers' wrongdoing. Just 18% of people polled disagreed that cover-ups take place.

The findings follow a series of controversies in which police have been accused of making serious mistakes and then attempting to shield officers from blame.

In 2012, it emerged that scores of statements from officers involved in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 had been doctored to remove evidence of police failings.

Since September that year the Metropolitan Police has been embroiled in a damaging row with the former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell, over whether he had called an officer guarding Downing Street a "pleb".

And last week the Met faced criticism in the wake of the shooting of Mark Duggan, whose death in 2011 prompted widespread rioting and looting.

An inquest jury found that armed police had acted lawfully in killing Mr Duggan, but his family have insisted officers shot an unarmed man.

However, the Sky News poll - commissioned as part of a series of reports on the police entitled A Fair Cop? -  found that despite these incidents, a large majority of the public still trust officers.

Asked whether their trust in police had changed over the past five years, 62% of those questioned said it had stayed the same, while 31% said it had gone down.

A total of 72% said they would trust the police to act if they reported a crime and 67% would trust officers to deal with them if they were the victim of a crime.

In relation to the conduct of officers over Hillsborough, 44% of those questioned said they now trust the police less, although 49% said it had made no difference.

Most people said the Mark Duggan case had not hit their trust in police

The so-called 'Plebgate' affair prompted 51% of those questioned to say they had less trust in police, with 43% saying it made no difference.

However, 61% said the Mark Duggan case had not affected their trust in police. A total of 21% said they had less faith in officers, a number that increased to 40% among people who described themselves as non-white. 15% said they now trusted the police more.

Regarding police tactics, 60% of people who took part in the poll said they believed that 'stop and search' - a policy that ethnic minorities claim unfairly targets them - does more good than harm.

However, the same number of people questioned said they did not believe police should be able to use people's ethnic background to decide who to stop, a strategy known as racial profiling.

:: The Sky News poll was conducted by Survation who questioned 1,005 people earlier this week.

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Fastest Growth In Retail Sales Since 2004

Brisk business for smaller retailers ahead of Christmas helped sales volumes grow at their fastest annual pace since 2004 in December.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured 2.6% growth during December to show an annual increase of 5.3% - easily topping the forecasts of economists.

The performance suggests a bigger contribution to GDP growth from consumer spending in the fourth quarter of 2013, after the sector was credited with driving recovery during the previous three months.

However, it will also raise more concerns about consumer debt levels and the extent to which people are digging into savings.

The surge in business for small stores may have been a result of the storms ahead of Christmas - prompting consumers to shop locally.

Debenhams had a poor Xmas despite department stores seeing strong trade

Small stores were found by the ONS to have outperformed their bigger rivals, with the amount spent in them increasing by 8.1% against growth of 2.6% for larger stores, compared with December 2012.

The figures follow news of upbeat trading from the likes of Argos, Halfords, Primark and Next over the festive season, though Marks & Spencer and Debenhams struggled.

The extent of their woes was laid bare by the ONS, which measured department store sales volume growth of 11.7% in December - the highest year-on-year growth since January 2000.

The slew of results from major chains suggested retailers who embraced online and high demand for gadgets and cheap fashion enjoyed robust trading.

The ONS said internet sales increased 11.8% by value compared with the same month last year, with average weekly spending online standing at £675.4m.

The statistical body also reported that the 2.6% growth in sales volumes month-on-month equalled the previous high set in February 2010.

The overall amount spent in shops was up 3.6% compared with the same month last year, with food stores improving by 2.2% and non-food stores by 4.4%.

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Cancer Increase 'Is Due To Ageing Population'

By Hind Hassan, Sky News Reporter

Nearly a third of a million people are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to a UK charity.

Some 330,000 people were diagnosed with some form of the disease in 2011 - an increase of almost 50,000 per year over a decade. Researchers say an ageing population is one of the reasons for the increase.

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An aging population is one reason for the increase

Jessica Kirby from Cancer Research UK said: "People's risk of cancer goes up significantly as we get older; the more older people we have in our population the more people will develop cancer.

"There are other reasons for the rise as well; changes in risk factors for example. We know that more and more people are overweight compared to the past which is one of the key factors for cancers."

But greater awareness, advanced technology and ongoing medical research means cancer is being detected earlier and those that have it are living longer.

Edward Scott believes an early diagnosis of testicular cancer saved his life. The 15-year-old discovered a lump last year and sought urgent advice.

"I went on the NHS website and I found all the symptoms for testicular cancer were symptoms that I had," he said.

"The same day I went to my mum and said 'Mum there is something really wrong, I have to go get this sorted out'.

"I went into the GP and the same day I found out I had cancer."

Cancer Research UK's chief executive Dr Harpal Kumar said: "These figures reinforce the vital need for more research to better prevent, treat and cure cancer.

"Research is the only way we'll be able to reduce the devastating impact of the disease. One day we will beat cancer. The more research we do, the sooner that day will come."

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Food Safety: Worst Councils Named And Shamed

Local councils that are failing to ensure food businesses comply with hygiene regulations have been named and shamed by a consumer watchdog.

The investigation into 395 local authorities by Which?, using data obtained from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), revealed more than a third of high and medium-risk food businesses are not complying with safety rules.

The hygiene risk of a business was based on the type of food, the number of consumers at risk, the method of processing and confidence in the management.

Local authority food checks are in decline according to the study

Local authority rankings were based upon criteria such as the number of premises compliant with hygiene requirements, the number of visits performed by council inspectors and the percentage of premises yet to receive a risk rating.

Bexley in London was exposed as the worst-performing local authority, with five further London councils appearing in the bottom 10, including Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Richmond upon Thames and Southwark.

The study revealed that overall, food testing fell by 6.8% from the previous year, while testing for correct labelling and presentation fell by 16.2%.

The figures showed no hygiene sampling at all was carried out by Bexley, Christchurch, Isles of Scilly, Medway, Tamworth, West Lindsey and West Yorkshire authorities.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, said: "No one wants another horse meat fiasco, so it is very worrying that local authority food checks are in decline.

"We want to see a more strategic approach to food law enforcement that makes the best use of limited resources and responds effectively to the huge challenges facing the food supply chain."

But the Local Government Association defended local authorities it said were "working hard" to improve food hygiene standards in the face of government funding cuts.

The Local Government Association's regulation spokesman Nick Worth said: "Random sampling is just one tool available to councils and a reduction in testing does not mean an increased safety risk to the public.

"Targeting high-risk businesses and acting on complaints is a far more effective use of their limited resources and also allows councils to free up responsible businesses from unnecessary inspections and red tape."

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Miliband: 'We Must Tackle Middle Class Crisis'

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

A crisis of confidence for the middle classes is the "greatest challenge for our generation," according to Ed Miliband.

The Labour leader argues families believe their chances of getting good quality jobs, secure pensions and affordable housing have been "undermined".

And he claims middle class parents are worried their children do not have the same opportunities as the older generations.

In an article for The Daily Telegraph Mr Miliband writes: "Our country cannot succeed and become collectively better off unless Britain has a strong and vibrant middle class.

"Indeed, the greatest challenge for our generation is how to tackle a crisis in living standards that has now become a crisis of confidence for middle class families."

The article will be seen as an attempt to reach out to the middle class households seen as the political centre ground. Labour has already tried to toughen its position on welfare in order to grow the party's appeal outside of its traditional support base.

He adds: "The cost of living crisis is not just about people on tax credits, zero hours contracts and the minimum age. It is about millions of middle class families who never dreamt that life would be such a struggle."

Britain's improving economic performance poses new challenges for Mr Miliband.

Labour's Tristram Hunt, centre, and Emma Reynolds, right, part of drive

As faith in the recovery grows, Labour's initial argument of "too far, too fast" has already been replaced by a renewed focus is on the cost of living.

However, there is concern that if wages begin to rise at a faster pace than prices this argument could also lose its resonance.

A Guardian/ICM poll shows Mr Miliband's party has dropped two points to stand at 35% - just three points ahead of the Conservatives.

Labour hopes to tackle this challenge with a series of speeches by key Shadow Cabinet ministers including Tristram Hunt on education, Rachel Reeves on welfare, Emma Reynolds on housing and Ed Balls on the economy.

Mr Miliband will be giving a speech on Friday setting out his own policy ideas.

Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps said: "Ed Miliband has no plan. He has opposed every difficult decision we have taken to start turning our economy around.

"All he offers is more of the same old Labour policy that got us into a mess in the first place – more spending, more borrowing and more taxes. That would mean a less secure future for hardworking people and their families."

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Bull Elephant Rampage: Briton's Car Trampled

A raging bull elephant has been filmed overturning a car in which a British teacher was travelling through South Africa's Kruger National Park.

Sarah Brooks, from Lincolnshire, was on safari with her partner, slowly following the animal down a road.

The incident was filmed by tourists in the car behind who see the elephant stop walking and turn towards the car.

It then approaches the car from the side and rolls it over and over, leaving it crushed, with the couple inside. 

The tourists in the car behind who did the filming are clearly shocked and distressed and heard to say: "Stop the car ... reverse, reverse, they're going to die."

They urge their own driver to reverse and get out of the angry elephant's way.

The elephant was subsequently killed, the park's general manager said, because its behaviour was totally inexplicable.

The couple were taken to hospital and later discharged.

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William Roache: Actor's Assault Trial Begins

Actor William Roache has arrived at Preston Crown Court at the start of his trial for sexual offences against five girls.

The 81-year-old soap star was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in May 2013 and later charged with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in east Lancashire in 1967.

A month later he was additionally charged with five indecent assaults involving four girls aged between 12 and 16, allegedly committed in the Manchester area between 1965 and 1968.

:: Latest updates from Preston Crown Court

Roache has pleaded not guilty to the seven counts he faces.

Wearing a blue suit, Roache arrived at  the court ahead of the hearing, together with his sons Linus and James and a security guard.

The world's longest-serving soap actor, who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV1 show Coronation Street, has not appeared in the programme while the legal proceedings are ongoing.

The trial is expected to last up to four weeks.

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Lidl To Remove Sweets From Checkouts

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

I understand that Lidl will announce plans to remove all chocolate and sweets from the checkout queues in their supermarkets later on this week.

The move is likely to be welcomed by consumer groups and parents alike, in the face of growing concerns about childhood obesity on the rise in the UK.

According to Sky sources, the discount retailer has been in consultation with customers for several months and the move is in response to preferences expressed by shoppers.

Parents face 'pester power' at the till while waiting with their children to pay for groceries.

Today, the National Obesity Forum said the UK is in danger of surpassing predictions of a 2007 report which estimated that 50% of the nation would be obese by 2050.

Lidl's action will likely increase the pressure on other supermarkets to take more definitive action.

All of the major supermarkets have committed to removing artificial 'trans fats' from their products.

But according to a Which? report published in December 2012, while Sainsburys and Tesco have banned sweets from supermarket checkouts, the policy doesn't apply to their smaller convenience stores.

Asda, Iceland and Morrisons all aim to 'limit' the sale of sugary treats near checkouts, but do not impose a blank ban like the one Lidl is proposing.

Waitrose doesn't have any policy in place on sweets at the checkout.

Last year, Lidl UK increased the number of 'healthy tills' in stores nationwide to 1,200.

The tills replaced 'treat' items such as chocolate with products of a higher nutritional value such as multivitamin juice and fresh fruit, as part of a healthy initiative to promote fresh fruit and vegetables to customers.

More follows...

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N Ireland Child Abuse Inquiry: Hundreds Respond

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

More than 400 people have applied to speak to the state inquiry into historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland, the largest tribunal of its kind anywhere in the UK.

Most applications, some 280, were from people living in Northern Ireland, but 63 came from Great Britain, 61 from Australia, 20 from the Republic of Ireland and the remainder from elsewhere.

The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry was established by the Stormont Executive this time last year and will hold its first public evidence session today at Banbridge Courthouse in County Down.

It has a remit to investigate historical child abuse and/or neglect in institutions over a 73-year period up to 1995 and is currently investigating 13 establishments, including Kincora Boys' Home in Belfast.

Kincora was the scene of a notorious sex scandal and while three members of staff were convicted in the 1980s, questions remain about who knew what and why it continued.

The inquiry's chairman, Sir Anthony Hart, a retired senior high court judge, will make a short statement before an opening address from senior counsel to the inquiry, Christine Smith QC.

More than 300 witnesses are expected to give evidence during the public sessions, the majority in person although some may give their evidence in writing or via a live video-link.

Applications to participate in the statutory inquiry are now closed but potential witnesses can still apply to speak to the Acknowledgment Forum, a less formal evidence-gathering process operating in parallel.

The first "thematic module of evidence" will focus on two former institutions run by the Sisters of Nazareth: St Joseph's Home and Nazareth House Children's Home, both in County Londonderry.

The public hearings are expected to continue until June 2015 and under the terms of reference, the inquiry must complete its investigation by mid-summer and submit its report by January 2016.

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Obesity: Scale Of Problem 'Underestimated'

The true scale of Britain's obesity crisis may have been seriously underestimated, a report has found.

The National Obesity Forum said the UK is in danger of surpassing predictions of a 2007 report which estimated that 50% of the nation would be obese by 2050.

The organisation's latest report calls on health officials to introduce hard-hitting awareness campaigns - similar to those for smoking - to try to curb the problem.

It also called on family doctors to proactively discuss weight management with patients and to check waist circumferences.

The report said: "It is entirely reasonable to conclude that the determinations of the 2007 Foresight Report (i.e. that half the population might be obese by 2050 at an annual cost of nearly £50bn), while shocking at the time, may now underestimate the scale of the problem."

Professor David Haslam, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said: "We're now seven years on from the Foresight Report.

"Not only is the obesity situation in the UK not improving, but the doomsday scenario set out in that report might underestimate the true scale of the problem.

"There needs to be concerted action.

"There is a lot more we can be doing by way of earlier intervention and to encourage members of the public to take sensible steps to help themselves - but this goes hand in hand with government leadership and ensuring responsible food and drink manufacturing and retailing."

Professor Kevin Fenton, director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England (PHE), said: "Obesity is an international problem.

"It is a complex issue that requires action at national, local, family and individual level.

"Everyone has a role to play in improving the health and wellbeing of the public, and children in particular.

"PHE are committed to helping to tackle obesity through a range of approaches that support action on the local environment to make eating less and being more physically active easier."

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Fracking: Cameron Offers Councils Drill Money

David Cameron has announced £1.7m for councils which agree to drill for shale gas sparking angry protests from campaigners who say it amounts to little more than bribery.

David Cameron said the Government was "going all out for shale" as he announced local authorities that allow drilling will receive 100% of the business rates collected from the scheme - double the current 50%.

Whitehall officials estimate that could be worth £1.7m extra a year for each site a council agrees.

The announcement sparked angry scenes at a fracking site in Barton Moss, near Salford, Manchester, where protesters confronted lorries entering the plant, then handcuffed themselves to the vehicles.

The business rates money will be in addition to a promise last year that shale exploration firms will also pay out £100,000 when a test well is fracked and 1% of revenues, a deal which could in total be worth up to £10m.

Anti-fracking protester Theo Simon on top of a lorry at the site

However, campaigners dismissed the business rates payout as bribe money and said it was not enough in the face of the vast profits that stand to be made by the energy firms and the damage that would be caused to local areas.

Mr Cameron's announcement comes as the French energy giant Total has announced it will invest millions with a 40% interest in two shale gas exploration licences in the UK.

Mr Cameron said: "A key part of our long-term economic plan to secure Britain's future is to back businesses with better infrastructure.

"That's why we're going all out for shale. It will mean more jobs and opportunities for people, and economic security for our country."

The protest was against an exploratory drilling site known as Barton Moss

Jackie Anderson, a teacher who lives within a mile of an exploratory drilling site at Barton Moss near Salford, was on Sunday protesting about the effects of fracking on the community.

She told Sky News: "For the local residents it's got no benefit whatsoever. More and more the businesses and the councils are going to benefit because the incentives are going to them and we're getting none of the benefits at all."

A Local Government Association spokesman said: "Given the significant tax breaks being proposed to drive forward the development of shale gas and the impact drilling will have on local communities, these areas should not be short-changed by fracking schemes.

"One per cent of gross revenues distributed locally is not good enough; returns should be more in line with payments across the rest of the world and be set at 10%."

Protesters handcuff themselves to a lorry at Barton Moss

Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is a process that involves drilling thousands of feet down into the earth to create a narrow well. Water and chemicals are then pumped in at high pressure to create fractures in the rock. Gas then flows from the cracks and is captured.

Vanessa Vine, who founded the British Anti-Fracking Action Network, said: "Concerns of local residents range from everything from heavy traffic through villages, damage to the roads, right up to triggering of earthquakes and permanent, potentially permanent contamination of the groundwater, of the aquifer, of drinking water."

The Government estimates the industry could attract £3.7bn a year in investment and support 74,000 jobs.

Last year, a study by the British Geological Survey suggested there could be enough shale gas in the north of England to supply Britain for 40 years.

Areas of the UK affected by fracking

It is thought there may be as much as 1,300 trillion cubic feet at the Bowland site in Lancashire alone.

Energy minister Michael Fallon said he expected between 20 and 40 wells to be drilled over the next couple of years but that it was as yet unclear whether it would provide "a really good reliable source of cheap energy".

"It is only right, when there is local growth and local jobs, that the councils are able to retain more of the business rates in order to help improve or maintain local services.

"I think that is only fair that local people should see some of the direct benefit."

Lawrence Carter, from Greenpeace, said: "This is a naked attempt by the government to bribe hard-pressed councils into accepting fracking in their area.

"Cameron is effectively telling councils to ignore the risks and threat of large-scale industrialisation in exchange for cold hard cash."

Shadow energy minister Tom Greatrex said: "Gas will remain an important part of our energy mix in the future, and if shale gas can replace our rapidly depleting North Sea reserves it could help improve our energy security.

Vanessa Vine, founder of the British Anti-Fracking Action Network

"It is right that any communities that host nationally significant energy infrastructure are able to share in its rewards.

"But the Government must get its priorities right. Only by fully addressing legitimate environmental and safety concerns about fracking with robust regulation and comprehensive monitoring, will people have confidence that the exploration and possible extraction of shale gas is a safe and reliable source that can contribute to the UK's energy mix."

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Dementia: 15-Minute Test To Spot Signs Early

A test that can be completed in 15 minutes has been developed to help doctors spot the early signs of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

The test can be filled in online or on paper and tests language ability, reasoning, problem solving and memory.

It is designed to tackle one of the greatest challenges facing the health service in the coming few years.

Around 800,000 people in the UK already suffer from dementia and the number is due to increase as the population ages.

Currently, the disease can only be diagnosed through in-depth testing of a person's cognitive abilities.

Patients have to carry out a series of complicated tests, usually overseen by a highly qualified expert.

The new test should help doctors or ordinary people identify as early as possible if there are any problems with their faculties so they can get a specialist assessment as soon as possible.

The test, called the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE) was developed by Ohio State University College of Medicine's Department of Neurology.

An early study by Dr Doughlas Scharre of the Ohio State University Medical Center found SAGE could spot mild thinking and memory issues in 80% of those tested.

A new study published in the Journal of Neuropsychiatry screened 1,047 individuals aged over 50 using SAGE.

It found that, in finding signs of mild cognitive impairment in 28% of those screened, the test proved effective at assessing large numbers of people with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

The article in the journal said: "Community cognitive screening using SAGE was found to be feasible and efficient in diverse settings with both small and large groups."

Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, warned the test result should not be taken as a diagnosis.

He said: "Further research is needed to confirm whether the test would be suitable to assess and track changes in people's memory and thinking skills.

"One drawback of this study is that the test was not compared with other existing cognitive tests.

"It's important to note that the test is not designed to diagnose dementia, and people who are worried about their memory should seek advice from a doctor rather than attempting self-diagnosis with a test at home.

"Diagnosing the different diseases that cause dementia can be difficult in the earliest stages.

"Years of research are needed to develop any new diagnostic test, and this means continued investment in research is crucial."

You can try two sample papers of the test here and here.

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Snow-Hit Sheep Farmers Fear Worse Is To Come

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Farmers will have to prepare for the impact of more extreme weather on livestock and crops, according to the National Farmers Union.

The Union's deputy president has told Sky News he believes climate change may be to blame for unseasonal conditions like the damaging spring snowfall in 2013.

Meurig Raymond told Sky News: "The industry is facing the volatility of weather - maybe climate change. So feeding the world is going to be important going forward. We as farmers have to face up to that, but wake up for society as well."

His comments come as farmers say it will take years to recover financially from losses suffered during the coldest spring in 50 years.

Months on from snowfall that struck during lambing season, farmers have told Sky News their industry is still reeling from the heavy losses of livestock.

On the hills above Llanfairfechan in North Wales farmer Gareth Wyn Jones feeds the sheep that survived the heavy snow.

In March and April he spent weeks digging through feet of snow to recover the bodies of sheep and lambs that had perished.

Farmer Gareth Wyn Jones tends to his livestock in North Wales

Now, on a cold, sunny winter morning he surveys the surrounding hillsides that offer a stunning view across the Irish Sea.

He says the snow came at the worst possible time for sheep farmers. Most of the animals that died were new born lambs.

He estimates hundreds died on his farm alone.

"We lost about eighty breeding ewes and we lost a hundred ponies but we were fortunate - we dug eighty or ninety ewes out. A neighbour of ours lost half his hill flock overnight - gone," he said.

"There are some massive losses just in this little valley in North Wales."

Farmers in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Shropshire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and the Isle of Man also lost thousands of sheep and lambs.

The number of deaths forced the Welsh Assembly and Defra to temporarily relax strict EU rules that prevent farmers from burying dead animals. Usually farmers have to pay for carcasses to be removed.

Hundreds of sheep have been lost due to bad weather

Since the snowfall Defra says it has been working with farmers and  the insurance industry to ensure farmers are protected for future weather events.

They have also been working with the Met Office to publish detailed weather forecasts for farmers.

Joanne Briggs, from the National Sheep Association, told Sky News: "The time it will take for affected sheep farms to recover cannot be underestimated - it's not just the financial implications, which will take at least two or three years for business to overcome, but the loss of genetics from their flocks.

"Some bloodlines can never be replaced and that can mean a backward step of a decade or more for elite pedigrees.

"Like the animals that they care for, sheep farmers in general are incredibly resilient, but the spring of 2013 came at the end of an incredibly difficult 12 months and will leave a legacy for many years to come.

"But everyone can do their bit to support them, by making sure that when they buy lamb it is sourced from the UK."

Back on the farm in North Wales Mr Wyn Jones keeps an anxious eye on the long-term forecast.

He says he's not sure if they could cope with another spring snowfall. Most of his ewes are pregnant again and he's counting on the lambs due to be born this spring to help rebuild his livelihood.

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Manchester Tram Death: Man Dies By Debenhams

A man has died after been struck by a tram in a busy city centre.

The man, who has yet to be identified, was hit outside Debenhams in Market Place, Manchester city centre, at around 6.15pm on Saturday.

Fans trying to get home from Old Trafford after Manchester United's match with Swansea were advised to avoid the city centre in the aftermath of the incident.

Onlookers described seeing the man being dragged and trapped underneath the Metrolink carriage as he crossed the junction of Market Street and High Street.

The tram network was temporarily closed while emergency services dealt with the scene.

The rail network was working as normal so people were advised to use trains if possible.

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Flooding: Heavy Rain To Bring More Flood Woes

Further heavy rain next week is expected to bring more misery to parts of the UK that have already seen widespread flooding.

Seventy-nine flood warnings remain in place throughout the country while there are 117 flood alerts.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson chaired another meeting of Cobra, the Government's emergency committee, on Saturday.

He said: "River levels continue to rise and remain high in some areas, particularly parts of the Thames. I have chaired another Cobra meeting today to ensure that the Environment Agency, local authorities and emergency services are well prepared to continue supporting those at risk."

He urged the public "to remain vigilant" and said the Government was "continuing to focus on flood protection and support for those affected".

The EA's flood warnings and alerts

River levels have been rising steadily in counties including Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorset, Somerset and across the Midlands following days of downpours, the Environment Agency said.

Rivers including the Hampshire Avon through Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset, the Stour in Dorset, the Parrett in Somerset and the Severn through the Midlands showed little signs of receding.

Harry Martin went missing on January 2

Communities along the River Thames throughout Surrey, Berkshire and Oxfordshire have also been warned that they face the risk of flooding.

Met Office forecaster Helen Roberts said more heavy rain was due from today.

"There's going to be a band of rain coming from the West in the afternoon. It'll be over south west England from midday and spread slowly eastwards across the rest of the country."

But she said that although there might be some "moderate to heavy bursts", there were not significant amounts of rain expected until Wednesday.

Eight people have died and more than 1,700 homes and businesses have been flooded in England since the beginning of the Christmas period, with around 550 properties flooded since the new year. Some 140 properties have been flooded in Wales.

On Sunday, police said coastguards had discovered a body in the sea in the search for missing photography student Harry Martin, but that it had not been identified at this stage.

The 18-year-old left his home in Newton Ferrers, Devon, on January 2 to go out to take pictures of the stormy sea.

Hundreds help in a clean-up of Aberystwyth promenade

In Aberystwyth more than 200 residents volunteered for a three-and-a-half hour clean-up of the town's promenade, which was severely damaged by storms.

Councillor Ceredig Davies, who represents central Aberystwyth, said: "We used buckets and spades and wheelbarrows to put the sand back from the promenade, where it was washed in the storms.

"There were thousands of tonnes of sand there and the volume shifted by people today was hundreds of tonnes.

"It was great community spirit. It was back-breaking work but everyone felt that they had achieved something. They felt like they were doing their bit in putting our promenade back to how we like it."

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Missing 12-Year-Olds: Police Search For Girls

Police are searching for two 12-year-old girls reported missing after a walk to a local bus stop, Scotland Yard has said.

Friends Wiktoria Popiel, from Wood Green, and Vitalija Sidlauskaite, from Tottenham, north London, were last seen together on Morley Avenue in Wood Green at around 5pm on Saturday.

Wiktoria (pictured above right) was walking Vitalija (above left) to a bus stop on nearby Lordship Lane but did not return home.

The Metropolitan Police said they may have got on a bus towards Tottenham or have gone to the ice rink at Alexandra Palace.

Vitalija Sidlauskaite (l) and Wiktoria Popiel (r)

Speaking to Sky News's Tom Parmenter, the mother of Vitalija said she was "desperate for news".

The tearful mum said the pair were very close friends who spent a lot of time together.

She said her daughter did have a mobile phone with her but that it did not have a SIM card for making calls.

She suspected they may have been heading towards the ice rink at Alexandra Palace but did not know if they made it there.

The mother said she was searching parks and hospitals in a desperate bid to find the pair.

The pair were walking to this bus stop

Wiktoria's first cousin Alicja Ochramowicz told Sky News: "It was just a normal evening, she left the house with he friend and she said 'I'll be back shortly'."

"All she had was her Oyster card, no mobile phone, no spare clothes...it is not even an option that she has run away."

Wiktoria Popiel

The 18-year-old cousin said the pair were: "Best friends - they only hang around with each other - it is just them two all the time."

She said: "We have asked all of her friends but heard nothing."

"We'd just ask we to tell her she is Okay. I'd just say 'please come home'." 

She described her cousin as "outgoing, friendly - they used to go to the same school and then Vitajla changed schools."

Vitalija's mother urged people who were out walking or exercising in parks in the areas around Wood Green to report any sightings or information that may help the police find the girls.

A police spokesman said: "Their disappearance is completely out of character for both girls and they have never gone missing before.

The street where the girls were last seen

"Their families and police are extremely concerned for their welfare and urge anyone who sees them or who has information about their whereabouts to call police on 101."

Wiktoria was wearing glasses, a brown jacket with fur around the hood (the same as the one in the top picture), blue jeans and blue trainers. She speaks English and Polish.

Vitalija was wearing blue jeans and a black jacket. She speaks English and Russian.

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Iraq: Government Rejects Torture Allegations

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The Government says it "absolutely rejects" allegations of "systematic" abuse and torture by British soldiers in Iraq.

Foreign Secretary William Hague spoke to Sky News after it was revealed the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been asked to investigate hundreds of abuse allegations.

It is understood a German human rights organisation and a British law firm have presented a dossier to the ICC containing accusations of more than 1,000 cases of torture against Iraqi civilians, and 200 cases of unlawful killings, including many in custody.

The Berlin-based European Centre for Constitutional Rights and UK-based Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) will launch their case at an event in London on Tuesday.

Phil Shiner, a solicitor from PIL, told Sky News: "This is historic. The UK has never been investigated by the ICC. There is clear evidence this goes right to the top."

But Mr Hague told Sky's Murnaghan programme: "The Government has always been clear, and the armed forces have always been clear, that they absolutely reject allegations of systematic abuse by the British armed forces.

"The British armed forces uphold high standards, and they are the finest armed forces in the world."

He added: "But where there are substantiated allegations of things going wrong, these things have been or are being investigated. That does not require references to the International Criminal Court."

The Government has set up a body to investigate accusations of abuse arising from the Iraq conflict.

The Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) investigates allegations of abuse against Iraqi civilians by British troops between 2003 and 2009.

It is led by a retired detective and is due to complete its investigations by the end of 2016.

Commenting on the reports, the Ministry of Defence said: "These matters are either under thorough investigation or have been dealt with through various means including through the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, independent public inquiries, the UK and European courts and in Parliament.

"As such, further action through the ICC is unnecessary when the issues and allegations are already known to the UK Government, action is in hand and the UK courts have already issued judgments.

"Should we be approached by the ICC, we will take the opportunity to explain the very extensive work under way to deal with historic allegations of abuse.

"We reject the suggestion that the UK's Armed Forces - who operate in line with domestic and international law - have systematically tortured detainees.

"But of course the UK Government regrets the small number of cases where abuses have taken place. Wherever allegations have been substantiated, we have compensated victims and their families."

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