Armed Forces Day: PM And Salmond Attend

Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond are joining crowds marking the sixth annual Armed Forces Day in Scotland.

Thousands have been enjoying piping, parades and a Red Arrow display in Stirling to honour servicemen and women past and present.

Ahead of the event, a pilot from the Red Arrows posted a remarkable 'selfie' picture on his @RAFRed8 Twitter account.

The image appears to show him flying one of the jets, with another plane visible behind him.

A 'selfie' taken by a Red Arrows pilot ahead of the display. Pic: @RAFRed8

The Princess Royal and Labour leader Ed Miliband are also attending as Stirling Castle provides the backdrop to parachute, helicopter and jet displays.

Those wanting to join in can adopt a "Twibbon", which will add an image of the Armed Forces on to their Twitter or Facebook profile.

Meanwhile, Saracens rugby stars made a surprise visit to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, to mark Armed Forces Day.

England footballers Wayne Rooney and Joe Hart show their support

They were shown how the camp and surrounding air routes are defended and in return put on a coaching session.

Flanker Will Fraser said: "That was hard work. Not only is the stretcher hard to run with but the other kit, such as the helmet and body armour, adds to the difficulty.

"I have total respect for the service personnel here who have done this for real with their wounded colleagues on a stretcher."

Preparations take place ahead of the annual event

Meanwhile, the Queen has been honouring First World War veterans on the 100th anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, which is widely thought to have sparked the conflict.

The monarch was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London for a Drumhead Service of Remembrance led by the Bishop of London.

Armed Forces Day was established in 2009 to celebrate the service of Army, Navy and RAF members and their families.

The annual celebration is being staged on the same weekend Stirling marks the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.

The two-day event will feature a re-enactment of the legendary clash which saw Robert the Bruce defeat the English army in 1314.

Some 300 'Warriors' will participate, choreographed by the team behind the battle sequences in hit films Gladiator and Robin Hood.

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Missing Elvis Impersonator: Man Arrested

Police hunting an Elvis impersonator wanted in connection with a firearms alert that closed a Cornish school have arrested a man.

Police detained a 60-year-old man on land in Widegates, Looe, and recovered two firearms, around 9.30pm on Friday.

The man was arrested on suspicion of firearms offences and was being taken into custody at Launceston police station.

He was first taken to a local hospital for a medical assessment as a precaution.

Police are not seeking anyone else in connection with the investigation.

Police tweeted a version of this photo of Derrel Weaver

Armed officers were called after a domestic-related alert at 60-year-old Derrel Weaver's home in Widegates around 9.30pm on Thursday.

The nearby Trenode Church of England Primary School was closed. Devon and Cornwall Police tweeted a photo of Mr Weaver of Higher Widlake Farm.

The caption read: "Have you seen this man, Derrel Weaver, 60, #widegates Looe, if you see him please ring 999 and do not approach."

Police maintained a "high presence" at the scene near Looe

Another tweet added: "Police are doing everything possible to maintain public safety, but we ask local people to be patient during this time."

Mr Weaver's Google+ page says he owns a tree surgery business and is also a "rock n roll singer".

Local resident Ann Chudleigha said Mr Weaver was a well-known member of the community.

The decision to close the school was made by its headteacher in consultation with police.

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House Sitters Bag Top Properties On Cheap

By Gemma Morris, Sky News Reporter

More and more young professionals, who cannot afford to get on the housing ladder, are bagging themselves plush temporary accommodation for very little money under "guardian schemes".

Becoming a guardian is a bit like glorified house sitting - often in grand and eccentric properties that would otherwise be left standing empty.

It saves the property owners from forking out on security costs and also keeps squatters at bay.

At the same time, the guardians get to live in buildings they could otherwise only dream of - while paying monthly fees which can sometimes be as low as 20% of the market rental rate.

One of the properties on offer to guardians from Ad Hoc Property Management

Robyn Winfield-Smith is a theatre director who lives in a 10,000 sq ft building in the heart of London's West End.

Her bedroom is a spacious former dance studio.

She says being a guardian works for her and her housemates because they cannot afford typical rents in the capital.

"This enables us to stay within the careers that we want whilst living very cheaply."

Recent figures from LSL Property Services put the average monthly rent in England and Wales at £745 per month.

In London, it's £1,124.

This home in Hampstead Heath is offered as planning permission is obtained

Guardian schemes are only ever temporary, usually for a few months or years, and tend to be while the building owners await planning permission.

But Robyn enjoys the constant change.

"You can bring along all your furniture and create a brand new home every time you move ... Some of the buildings we've had have been extraordinary."

Properties managed by guardian companies include churches, pubs and other commercial buildings as well as privately owned more "normal" looking flats and houses.

Robyn Winfield-Smith enters her London dance studio home

Arthur Duke, managing director of Live-In Guardians, said the number of young professionals applying to be guardians in the past 18 months has grown.

"One of the attractions is the fact that they pay at least 50% of the going market rental which is all inclusive so there's no bills on top and no council tax either.

"We used to get around 8-10 on line applications a day, whereas now we are getting around 15-20."

Critics though warn it is not a solution to the housing crisis.

Antonia Bance, from Shelter, said: "We'd urge caution, [there are] very few tenancy rights attached to property guardianship schemes. If we're looking to solve our housing crisis the thing that we need to do is build more affordable homes."

Robyn admits there are some downsides too, but she is not put off.

"You're not allowed pets, not allowed smoking, and not allowed to have more than two people for longer than three hours  - that's the kind of general rule on guests. But that's fine because what we're getting in exchange is this amazing environment to live in."

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Early Bedtime Rule For Young Offenders Slammed

Young offenders will be ordered to go to bed at 10.30pm under strict new rules announced by the Government.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling revealed the new "lights out" regulation to be imposed on 15 to 17-year-olds in English institutions.

He said those who refuse to obey the new rules will be punished with the removal of privileges such as access to a television.

But prison reform campaigners labelled the plan a "petty restriction" and said it would add to problems faced in understaffed prisons.

More than 800 under-18s are serving custodial sentences in young offenders' institutions.

Mr Grayling said: "The public expects that serious offenders face prison - that is right.

"But it is also crucial that young people, most of whom have had chaotic and troubled lives finally get the discipline so badly needed to help turn their lives around.

"In some prisons young people are allowed to go to bed when they please. I don't think that is right. Stopping this inconsistency and introducing a strict 'lights out' policy is all part of our approach to addressing youth offending.

Mr Grayling said discipline was 'crucial' for young offenders

"Those who fail to comply will face tough sanctions."

The new rules will be introduced at young offenders institutions Cookham Wood in Kent, Feltham in London, Werrington in Stoke-on-Trent, Wetherby in Yorkshire, and Hindley in Wigan, from August.

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "A new lights-out policy will only exacerbate the problem of overuse of physical restraint in the youth secure estate which indicates a lack of trained, experienced staff with enough time to supervise and support the challenging children and young people in their charge.

"As most parents of teenagers know, commonsense discussion, constructive activity, setting reasonable boundaries and encouraging personal responsibility, all work better than new hard and fast rules backed by petty restrictions and harsh punishments."

And Labour MP Sadiq Khan, the shadow justice secretary, said: "Routine is crucial for those with chaotic lives, but sending young offenders to bed early and turning the lights off at 10.30pm falls far short of the reform needed to tackle the growing chaos caused by Chris Grayling's incompetence.

"Prisons are in crisis, becoming more overcrowded by the day. Jails that are violent where prisoners spend up to 23 hours a day in their cells are unlikely to do much to stop criminals reoffending and keep the public safe."

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'Euro Leaders Are Cowards' Over Juncker Vote

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has labelled Europe's leaders "cowards" for electing arch-federalist Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission.

Prime Minister David Cameron's only ally was Hungary as he attempted to block Mr Juncker, who he claims is not the right man to force through EU reform.

The Tories have promised a referendum on EU membership should they win the next election - and Mr Hunt believes "cowardice" from Europe's leaders can only make a vote to quit more likely.

"As a result of cowardice yesterday from other European leaders who weren't prepared to say in public what they said in private, they're going to have to work a lot harder to persuade the British people that Europe has a reform agenda," he said.

Mr Hunt claimed the British people would be "proud" of the Prime Minister - and that his position would ultimately help the UK renegotiate its relationship with Europe.

Former Luxembourg premier Mr Juncker was backed by Germany's Angela Merkel

"You're getting European leaders queuing up to say how much they want Britain to stay in the EU, how they'll make compromises," he said.

"We want to be a country in control of our own destiny, we want to stop abuses of the welfare system and NHS.

"We're not going to take part in some grubby face-saving deal where we pretend we've got a deal - a feature of the last government. We want substantive reform in Europe."

Sky's Senior Political Correspondent Jason Farrell said Mr Hunt was not alone with his contentions.

"It might not seem like the most diplomatic language but he's not the only one saying it," he said. "Der Spiegel magazine in Germany has said Angela Merkel voted for a Commission president she didn't want - others have said European leaders have gone for the compromise."

The Prime Minister said his fellow EU leaders had made a "serious mistake" but vowed to keep fighting for reform in Europe.

The PM argued Mr Juncker was not the "right person" for the post

"This is going to be a long, tough fight and frankly sometimes you have to be prepared to lose a battle in order to win a war," he added. "It has only stiffened my resolve to fight for reform in the EU, because it is crying out for it."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was an advocate of Mr Juncker, but amid the vote she urged EU colleagues to "compromise" with Britain.

"I think we can find compromises here and make a step towards Great Britain," she said.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "The last 48 hours doesn't show Europe is unreformable, it shows David Cameron is not the man to reform it because he has become toxic.

"Because people doubt his motivations, because people doubt the way he operates, it's made people say 'We're not going to ally with Britain'."

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "I think what's clear is that any cards that Mr Cameron may have had to play have been spent, and have been lost over a futile battle that he was bound to lose from the beginning.

"(Any) renegotiation now doesn't look very likely. He has been humiliated today but worse than that, he actually looks very isolated."

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Armed Cops Hunt Missing Elvis Impersonator

Police are warning people not to approach an Elvis impersonator wanted in connection with a firearms alert that closed a Cornish school.

Armed officers were called to a "domestic situation" close to Trenode Church of England Primary School near Looe at 9.30pm last night.

The school was closed as a precaution and police are urgently trying to trace 60-year-old Derrel Weaver amid fears he may have a gun.

Police tweeted a version of this photo of Derrel Weaver

Devon and Cornwall Police tweeted a photo of Mr Weaver, of Higher Widlake Farm in Widegates.

The caption read: "Have you seen this man, Derrel Weaver, 60, #widegates Looe, if you see him please ring 999 and do not approach."

Authorities have asked air traffic to stay clear of the area so the search is not hampered.

Authorities have asked air traffic to stay clear of the area

Superintendent Jim Pearce said: "We would ask the public to be vigilant at what is obviously a disturbing time for local communities.

"There is currently significant enquiries ongoing to locate Mr Weaver and this includes the chance he may be in possession of a firearm.

"There is currently no suggestion that Mr Weaver is any risk to members of the public, but we need to locate him as soon as possible."

Police are maintaining a "high presence" at the scene near Looe

Firearms officers are on patrol in the area.

Mr Weaver's Google+ page says he owns a tree surgery business and is also a "rock n roll singer".

The decision to close the school was made by its headteacher in consultation with police.

Trenode Church of England Primary School has been closed

A police spokesman said: "This unusual decision has been taken as a precautionary measure for safety reasons and because of the ongoing police activity in that area.

"We do understand that this will cause some significant inconvenience for some parents and local residents and this decision was not taken lightly, but public safety is the most important concern of the school and police."

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Breast Cancer: Early Warning Blood Test Hope

A new blood test may offer women an early warning of breast cancer even if they do not inherit genes associated with the disease.

Researchers have identified a molecular "switch" in blood samples that increases chances of having breast cancer.

The marker is associated with the BRCA1 breast cancer gene, but was also found in those without the mutation who went on to develop the disease.

Around 10% of breast cancers are caused by BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene variants inherited from parents.

A woman with the BRCA1 gene has an 85% risk of developing breast cancer, leading some carriers to take the step of breast removal.

The blood test may support breast cancer screening programmes

This leaves around 90% of cases unexplained and until now there has been no reliable way of predicting the likelihood of non-inherited breast cancer.

The "switch" is part of the process by which certain molecules acting on DNA cause genes to be turned on or off.

Professor Martin Widschwendter, from University College London, said: "We identified an epigenetic signature in women with a mutated BRCA1 gene that was linked to increased cancer risk and lower survival rates.

"Surprisingly, we found the same signature in large cohorts of women without the BRCA1 mutation and it was able to predict breast cancer risk several years before diagnosis.

"The data is encouraging since it shows the potential of a blood-based epigenetic test to identify breast cancer risk in women without known predisposing genetic mutations."

Dr Matthew Lam, senior research officer at the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, described the findings as "definitely promising".

He added: "This could mean that in the future a woman may be able to have a simple blood test to look for this DNA signature, and therefore know if she is at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

"If she does have this signature, she could then work with her doctor to explore the options available to help her take control of her own risk.

"These could include lifestyle changes, tailored breast screening, risk-reducing drugs or surgery."

Their results appear in the online journal Genome Medicine.

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Liam Neeson's Nephew Critical After Fall

Liam Neeson's nephew is said to be in a critical condition after falling 20ft from a telephone box on a night out.

Ronan Sexton, the son of the actor's sister Bernadette Sexton, suffered serious head injuries after the fall at 4am near Brighton Pier, East Sussex, on Sunday.

Ms Sexton is said to be at her 30-year-old son's bedside where he is fighting for his life.

Police are not treating the incident as suspicious.

A Sussex police spokesman said: "Just after 4am on Sunday, June 22, a 30-year-old Worthing man had climbed on to the top of a telephone kiosk outside Brighton Pier when he fell 20ft to the ground, sustaining a serious head injury.

"He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital and was later transferred to Hurstwood Park Hospital in Haywards Heath where he is currently in a critical condition.

"The man had been enjoying a night out with friends, who were present when he fell, and the incident is not being treated as suspicious.

"There is no further police investigation."

Five years ago, Neeson's wife Natasha Richardson died after hitting her head while skiing in Canada.

The Taken star, 62, now lives in New York with their two teenage sons.

In an interview with US show 60 Minutes in February,the Irishman said he was still struggling to come to terms with her loss.

He said: "It was never real. It still kind of isn't. There's periods now in our New York residence when I hear the door opening - she would always drop the keys on the table and say hello.

"So any time I hear that door opening I still think I'm going to hear her. Grief hits you like a wave, you get this profound feeling of instability."

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PM Facing 'Utter Humiliation' Over Juncker

The appointment of arch-federalist Jean-Claude Juncker to the top job in Brussels would represent an "utter humiliation" for the Prime Minister, says Ed Miliband.

The Labour leader accused David Cameron of "burning alliances" in Europe, and said Britain lost out as a result.

His criticism came as the PM  faced almost certain defeat in Brussels, with the EU set to approve the former leader of Luxembourg as president of the European Commission.

Labour had backed Mr Cameron in opposing Mr Juncker's candidacy.

Mr Miliband said: "If Mr Juncker is appointed today it represents, after weeks of spin and bluster from the Prime Minister, a total failure to deliver and an utter humiliation.

Angela Merkel is supporting Mr Juncker's nomination

"The reason is that  instead of building alliances in Europe, David Cameron burns our alliances, and its Britain that loses out."

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "I think what's clear is that any cards that Mr Cameron may have had to play have been spent, and have been lost over a futile battle that he was bound to lose from the beginning.

"The renegotiation now doesn't look very likely.

"He has been been humiliated today but worse than that he actually looks very isolated."

Mr Cameron has been campaigning against the appointment of Mr Juncker, arguing he would block reform of the EU.

Diplomats have expressed concern about Mr Juncker's alcohol consumption

He has forced a vote on the nomination, breaking with tradition that the Commission chief is chosen by consensus of the EU's national heads of government.

Speaking on arrival at a summit of the European Council in Brussels, Mr Cameron argued there were times when "you stick to your principles and you stick to your convictions".

The European elections "showed there is huge disquiet about the way the European Union works", and this was the wrong response said Mr Cameron.

The PM said: "He's not the right person to take this organisation forward.

"I am very clear about the right thing to do. I know the odds are stacked against me, but that doesn't mean you change your mind, it means you stand up for what you believe and vote accordingly."

Mr Cameron has warned fellow leaders of "consequences" if they press ahead with the nomination of Mr Juncker, with British officials making clear he fears his appointment will fuel Euroscepticism in the UK and make it more likely that Britons will vote to quit the EU in the referendum he is planning for 2017.

The PM's stance has left him increasingly isolated at the two-day summit.

Germany has thrown its weight behind Mr Juncker, while other potential allies for Mr Cameron - Sweden and the Netherlands - have dropped their opposition.

Only Hungary remained as a possible partner for Britain in voting against his installation.

Finland's prime minister Alexander Stubb said British voters should "wake up and smell the coffee" about the benefits of EU membership, rather than threaten to quit the 28-nation bloc.

Ahead of formal meetings, Mr Cameron held brief talks with Mrs Merkel where he made clear he would not negotiate over his opposition to Mr Juncker.

A British official said: "Nobody will leave today unsure that when the Prime Minister says something he means it and when he says something is a principle he sticks to it."

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Two Men Who Escaped Secure Hospital Found

Two men with a"history of violence" who escaped from a secure hospital unit in Surrey have been found.

Jason Bratton, 36, and Neil Emery, 46, went missing from the facility at Epsom General Hospital at 10.45am on Wednesday.

Both had been detained under the Mental Health Act and were without their various medications.

In appealing for information about their whereabouts on Friday morning, Surrey Police said they each had a violent past.

Without their medication the men were thought to be at risk of harming themselves.

Emery was found in the Dorking area following a call from a member of the public who had seen appeals on social media.

Bratton was discovered in Aldershot, Hampshire, following "intelligence-led" inquiries by police in Surrey and Hampshire.

Detective Inspector Peter Harvey, of Surrey Police, said: "We would like to thank the public for their help in this search, without which we would not have been able to locate the two men as quickly."

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NHS Delay 'Worsened Distress' After Boy's Death

A family whose three year old son died as a result of NHS errors has hit out at the time it has taken to find out what went wrong.

Sam Morrish died in December 2010 from the effects of sepsis, an illness that could have been treated if he had been assessed properly.

The Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found four separate health service organisations made repeated mistakes in his care.

Cricketfield GP Surgery, NHS Direct, out-of-hours service Devon Doctors Ltd and South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust made what was described as a "catalogue of errors".

The PHSO found there was an inadequate assessment made of Sam's illness, a failure to recognise he was vomiting blood and a three-hour delay before he received antibiotics when he arrived at hospital.

Ombudsman Dame Julie Mellor said had Sam received the appropriate care, he would be alive today.

But his family said as well as losing their son, their distress had been increased by the length of time it had taken for the PHSO to find out what had happened.

In a statement, they said: "The astonishing length of time it has taken for PHSO to finalise this report has inescapably prolonged our distress, as we have repeatedly had to revisit and relive the hardest day of our lives.

"Accordingly, although we are grateful that the PHSO has upheld our complaints, and we want to thank them for the clear recommendations that they have now made, we are left with serious concerns about the competence, capability and accountability of the PHSO itself.

"We pursued our complaints because we wanted to reduce the likelihood of the mistakes that were made in Sam's care, and the subsequent investigations, from being repeated.

"This was not only for the individual organisations that made those errors - but for the NHS as a whole.

Dame Julie Mellor said the NHS "needs to do more"

"We never have been interested in blame. We have only ever been interested in learning and understanding, in the hope of change wherever necessary.

"Clearly we feel the complaints systems failed us, but it is important to note that we also believe it failed NHS staff too."

The family added:  "Now the report has been published we hope that we will be free to concentrate on our futures, and on remembering our beautiful, sparkling, affectionate little boy, who we continue to miss every day."

Dame Julie said: "We've published this case so that the wider NHS learns from Sam's death and action is taken to help prevent lives being lost from repeated mistakes.

"Sadly, this case reinforces that the NHS needs to do much more to prevent avoidable deaths from sepsis."

Dr Graham Lockerbie, speaking on behalf of the local NHS, said it was "determined to ensure that the lessons really have been learnt".

"It's clear that there were shortcomings at every stage of his contact with the health service and that, in the words of the Ombudsman, Sam died when he should have survived."

According to the UK Sepsis Trust, the condition claims 37,000 lives in Britain every year.

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Car Ploughs Into Pedestrian In 'Murder Attempt'

Video of the moment a pedestrian was hit by a car in what police believe was a murder attempt has been released.

It shows the victim bounce into the car's windscreen after being hit, before being carried along on the bonnet for several yards.

When the car stops, the 24-year-old is flung off into the road before struggling to his feet and limping away.

The car, believed to be a Seat Leon, is then driven off and has not been traced.

Bedfordshire Police have released the footage in an attempt to catch the culprit.

It happened in Radnor Road in Luton at 11pm on June 12 and is being treated as attempted murder by detectives.

Police say they are "potentially linking" it to another crime, also being investigated as an attempted murder, which happened in the town two weeks beforehand when another man was shot in the back with a pellet gun.

Detective Chief Inspector Jason Gordon of Bedfordshire's major crime unit, said: "The victims in both these incidents are lucky to be alive.

"They both narrowly escaped very serious injury and it is clear the offenders on both occasions meant to cause serious harm.

"There will be people living in the community who know who is responsible and now they are being treated as attempt murder will I hope make people realise this is serious and come forward."

In the shooting, an 18-year-old man was walking with friends when two masked assailants struck at about 1.30am on May 25.

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Royal Family Costs Taxpayer 56p Per Person

By Tadhg Enright, Sky News Business Reporter

The Royal Family spent £36.1m of taxpayers' money last year - a figure portrayed by royal aides as 56p for every person in the country.

The Sovereign Grant, which is set at 15% of profits made by the Crown Estate, rose from £31m in 2012/13.

Buckingham Palace was at pains to highlight how the all of the extra money was spent on maintaining and repairing palaces and castles.

Sky News cameras were invited into Buckingham Palace to see asbestos removal which has cost £800,000 over the past two years and to Windsor Castle where a 10-year project to replace its lead roof cost £900,000 last year.

Cameras were not invited into Kensington Palace's Apartment 1A which has been renovated as a new home for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, where the cost of has spiralled to £4.1m from an original estimate of £1m.

Royal sources pointed out the 20-room apartment, which had previously been used as an office, was "completely uninhabitable" and needed a "complete refit".

Despite the high cost, they stressed it was "not opulent" and had been completed to a "very comfortable but ordinary level". 

The royal couple had used their own money to meet the cost of carpet, furniture and a high spec kitchen.

When asked if Prince Charles had made a contribution to the fit out, an aide said: "It's not unusual for a parent or grandparent to help a young couple set up in their first home."

The accounts also showed the total cost of official travel fell by £300,000 to £4.2m.

Around £434,000 was spent on the visit of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to India and Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference.

A total of £255,000 was spent to send Prince Charles to represent the Queen at the funeral of Nelson Mandela.

Royal sources said his long, complicated journey at short notice necessitated the chartering of an aircraft but that other options had been considered.

Sir Alan Reid, keeper of the Privy Purse, said public funding of the monarchy had fallen by 8% in real terms in the last two years when maintenance costs are stripped out.

He added: "We take our responsibility to run as efficient an operation as possible.

"In our view we think that we do as good a job as possible in terms of trying maximise the value for money."

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Abu Qatada Acquitted Of Terror Conspiracy

Timeline: Qatada Legal Battle

Updated: 9:34am UK, Thursday 26 June 2014

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

Here is a timeline of the legal battle.

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

1994: Allowed to stay in Britain.

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

1998: Applies for indefinite leave to remain in Britain.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

February - He is released on strict bail conditions.

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

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

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

October - Siac holds appeal hearing.

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

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

2013: March 9 - It emerges Qatada has been arrested for allegedly breaching his bail conditions. He is ordered to stay in custody and sent to Belmarsh.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 7 - Flown from RAF Northolt to Jordan

December 10: Pleads not guilty to terrorism charges at a state security court in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

2014: June 26 - Acquitted of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism but remains under arrest over charges relating to an alleged plot to target tourists in Jordan in 2000. 

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'No Evidence' 90-Year-Old Woman Was Raped

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

Police have found no forensic evidence that a 90-year-old woman was raped in Rochdale.

Greater Manchester Police said on Wednesday they were investigating after the woman claimed to have been dragged from a street and attacked in broad daylight.

She said that a man had approached from behind and put his hand over her mouth on Spotland Road as she was making her way to a butcher's shop.

But after the results of a fast-tracked overnight forensic examination were released, Superintendent Alistair Mallen said: "The lady in question stated she had been raped and she gave the same account when she was video interviewed.

"The results now show that there is no forensic evidence of a rape taking place.

However, we are continuing to investigate the full circumstances of what happened to her."

Specially-trained officers are continuing to work with the 90-year-old.

Greater Manchester Police said that it was important to state that a report was made in good faith, by an elderly, vulnerable lady and, as such, people would always expect them to investigate.

Supt Mallen said: "People may question why we took the decision to go public and, to that, I can say that we had a duty of care to both the complainant and to the wider public.

"When making these decisions we have to weigh up the need to inform the public with the need to reassure them that they are not in any danger." 

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Pair Jailed For Life Over Leicester Fire Deaths

Two men convicted of starting a house in fire in Leciester that killed a mother and three children have been jailed for life.

Tristan Richards, 22, and Kemo Porter, 19, were given minimum terms of 35 years and 25 years respectively after setting the house alight in a bungled revenge attack.

The pair were convicted at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday after a trial that revealed their "misguided and impulsive" arson attack was intended to avenge the fatal stabbing of one of their friends, 20-year-old Antoin Akpom.

Shehnila Taufiq and her three children died in the attack

But they mistakenly set fire to the wrong house and Shehnila Taufiq, who was in her 40s, her 19-year-old daughter Zainab and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamal, 15, all died as the blaze ripped through the house in Wood Hill in September last year.

On Monday, Shaun Carter, 24, was found not guilty of four counts of murder over the blaze, but guilty of four counts of manslaughter.

Nathaniel Mullings, 19, Jackson Powell, 20, Aaron Webb, 20, Akeem Jeffers, 21, and 17-year-old Cairo Parker were all also cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter. 

Carter was sentenced to 15 years, while Mullings was ordered to serve 15 years in a young offenders' institution.

Webb, Powell and Jeffers were all sentenced to 12 years in prison.

After their deaths, Dr Taufiq said he would "deeply miss" his family

Parker was given eight years detention on account of the fact he was under 18 years of age.

When he was convicted there had been tears from the public gallery and cries of "he's only a baby!".

The trial against all eight defendants heard how they had intended to attack the house of another man they believed was involved in the death of Mr Akpom.

But they got the address wrong and mistakenly poured petrol through the letterbox of the Taufiq family before setting it alight.

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

(L-R top) Jeffers, Parker, Powell (L-R bottom) Webb, Mullings and Carter

After their deaths, the children's father, Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, a surgeon working in Ireland, said he would "deeply miss" his "beautiful" wife, daughter and two teenage sons.

Speaking outside court after the sentencing, Dr Taufiq said: "I'm satisfied at the sentence and I accept everything.

"My family is with me 24/7 spiritually and these are the main motives for me. My own belief, religion, my God and my family are with me and these are the main motives for me to continue which I have been doing for the last nine months and will continue until my last breath.

"I'm going back to Dublin tonight where I will continue working at the hospital as well as helping at the community centre."

Dr Taufiq said he would be selling the family home, which had been uninsured at the time of the attack.

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Colchester Murders: £20,000 Reward On Offer

A £20,000 reward is being offered over the murder of two people in Colchester, as police reveal 38 knives have been recovered.

Crimestoppers has put up £10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed Nahid Alamanea, who was stabbed 16 times as she walked along a footpath in the town on June 17.

The reward for information about the murder of James Attfield, who was stabbed 102 times on his arms, hands, back, neck and head in what police described as a "frenzied" attack, has been doubled from £5,000 to £10,000.

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Strike By French Air Traffic Controllers Slammed

Airlines have been forced to cancel hundreds of flights to, from and across France on the second day of a six-day walkout by air traffic controllers.

The stoppage comes at the height of the tourist season and follows a rail strike that affected services abroad and domestically and is still continuing in some parts.

According to the country's civil aviation watchdog, about one in five flights travelling to and from several big cities in the south, or taking off from Paris to the south, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, were cancelled on Tuesday.

Passengers also experienced delays on other services.

Some 20% of flights are expected to be cancelled today with easyJet confirming 150 of its 1,400 scheduled services would not be operating though some could still be affected by delays.

Those who are travelling have been warned not to go to the airport "without having been guaranteed that their flight is maintained".

Ryanair was forced to cancel more than 200 flights on Tuesday, and is set to cancel more than 250 today.

The airline slammed the strike, calling on the EU Commission "to remove the right to strike from Europe's air traffic controllers, who are once more attempting to blackmail ordinary consumers with strikes".

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) airlines group also condemned the action.

IATA head Tony Tyler said: "Unions bent on stopping progress are putting at risk the hard-earned vacations of millions of travellers, and from the public's perspective, the timing of the strike could even be regarded as malicious.

"In addition to vacationers, businesspeople undertaking important trips and those awaiting urgent shipments will all face hassles and uncertain waits as flights are cancelled, delayed or diverted around a major portion of European airspace."

Twenty-eight easyJet flights were cancelled, while British Airways said eight flights had been affected.

The majority of Air France's flights were unaffected by the strike, with only 10% of short and medium-haul journeys scrapped.

Not all air traffic controllers are striking, but those who have walked out are protesting against what they say is a lack of sufficient funding for a sector they say is in dire need of modernisation.

They want airport fees for airlines to increase by 10%, while companies want them to decrease.

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Cameron Says Leveson Dealt With Phone Hacking

David Cameron has told Ed Miliband he should accept the findings of the Leveson inquiry as he was grilled over phone hacking.

Tackling the Prime Minister over his employment of Andy Coulson as his spin doctor, the Labour leader accused him of "wilful negligence" in "bringing a criminal into Downing Street".

Ed Miliband accused the PM of "wilful negligence"

But Mr Cameron hit back and accused him of being "weak" for attacking Rupert Murdoch then posing with the Sun only to apologise to Hillsborough victims a day later.

Mr Cameron admitted in the Commons he had been wrong to take on Coulson, following his conviction at the Old Bailey for phone hacking.

The PM told MPs: "I take full responsibility for employing Andy Coulson. I did so on the basis of assurances that I received.

"But I always said that if those assurances turned out to be wrong I would apologise fully and frankly to this House of Commons and I do so today from this despatch box. This was the wrong decision."

Mr Cameron says employing the former News Of The World editor was a mistake

But Mr Miliband said: "Today we know that, for four years, the Prime Minister's hand-picked and closest adviser was a criminal and brought disgrace to Downing Street.

"We now also know that the Prime Minister also ignored multiple warnings about him."

Mr Miliband went on: "The truth about this is that the charge against the Prime Minister is not one of ignorance, it is wilful negligence.

"At the heart of this scandal are thousands of innocent victims of phone hacking he didn't stand up for.

"The Prime Minister will always be remembered as being the first ever occupant of his office who brought a criminal into the heart of Downing Street."

However, Mr Cameron said he was cleared of any wrongdoing by Leveson.

The PM said: "He can't bear the fact that an eight-month inquiry that he hoped was going to pin the blame on me found that I had behaved correctly throughout. That is the case.

"Every single one of these issues was dealt with exhaustively by the Leveson Inquiry.

"He looked into all of these questions about the warnings I was given and the response I gave and he made no criticism of my conduct.

"I know you were disappointed by the Leveson Inquiry but you called for it, it took place and you should heed what it said."

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Hacking Trial Jury Discharged On Final Charges

Jurors who failed to reach verdicts on four final charges in the phone-hacking trial have been discharged by a judge who criticised the Prime Minister for comments that could have caused the case to collapse.

Andy Coulson, the former Number 10 spin doctor, and the ex-News Of The World (NOTW) royal editor Clive Goodman had been accused of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office by paying police officers for two royal phone directories.

But after sitting through eight months of evidence at the Old Bailey, the jury could not reach even a majority verdict and were discharged.

Ex-newspaper editor Andy Coulson has been convicted of phone hacking

It means stinging criticism of David Cameron can now be reported for the first time.

The judge, Mr Justice Saunders, said he was "very concerned" about comments the Prime Minister made while the jury was still deliberating.

"What has happened is unsatisfactory so far as justice and the rule of law are concerned," he said.

The move to discharge the jury comes after Coulson was found guilty of plotting to hack phones between 2000 and 2006 while working at the NOTW.

The News Of The World was shut down in the wake of the scandal

The scandal, which cost the 46-year-old his job as the Prime Minister's communications director and led to the closure of his former newspaper, involved a list of high-profile targets, including Kate Middleton and Prince William, James Bond star Daniel Craig and murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

His former colleague Rebekah Brooks and her husband Charlie Brooks were cleared of the charges they faced.

Shortly after those verdicts were delivered, Mr Cameron led the way in what the judge called "open season" by offering a public apology for hiring Coulson in 2007.

An emotional Rebekah Brooks was cleared of all charges

Sky's Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White, at the Old Bailey, said: "The comments made by the Prime Minister were very prejudicial, suggesting Coulson had been dishonest.

"There was a move by the legal counsel for Coulson and Goodman to have those remaining counts thrown out ... because they felt the jury would not be able to reach fair conclusions.

"However, in essence, that argument is a moot point for the moment because the jury has not been able to reach verdicts."

David Cameron and Ed Miliband clashed at Prime Minister's Questions

At a heated Prime Minister's Questions, Labour leader Ed Miliband accused Mr Cameron of "willful negligence" by "bringing a criminal into Downing Street".

His opposite number replied with regular references to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards and ethics, saying the report "made no criticism of my conduct".

The judge praised jurors for their "enormous patience and tolerance" and said they had applied themselves "with a dedication which is exceptional".

"Go and continue with the rest of your lives with my thanks, the court's thanks and the public's thanks," he added.

A decision on whether to hold a retrial will be made at the start of next week, with sentencing possible on Friday.

Coulson faces up to two years in prison.

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Phone Hacking A 'Shameful Episode' For Press

Hacking: Brooks Cleared But Coulson Guilty

Updated: 2:06pm UK, Tuesday 24 June 2014

Rebekah Brooks has been cleared of all charges in the phone-hacking trial, while ex-Number 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson has been found guilty of plotting to hack phones.

Jurors at the Old Bailey found former News of the World editor Coulson guilty of conspiring to hack phones with others between 2000 and 2006.

The 46-year-old, who was forced to quit as Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director over the scandal, now faces the possibility of a prison sentence.

Mr Cameron on Tuesday apologised for recruiting Coulson, saying: "It was the wrong decision and I am very clear about that."

He stood by his July 2011 pledge to the House of Commons when he said: "If I have been lied to, that would be the moment for profound apology. In that event, I can tell you I will not fall short."

An emotional Mrs Brooks, former chief executive of News International, who was found not guilty of all the charges she faced, was led out of the courtroom upon learning the verdicts.

Brooks, 46, was cleared of hacking, misconduct in a public office for allegedly signing off payments to a Sun journalist's military contact between 2004 and 2012, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and perverting the course of justice.

Her 52-year-old husband, racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks and News International's former head of security Mark Hanna, 51, were cleared of perverting the course of justice around the time of police searches in July 2011.

Mr and Mrs Brooks left the building holding hands and made no comment to the media pack assembled outside the central London court.

Ex-News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner was also cleared of being part of a conspiracy to hack phones dating back to 2000 and spanning six years.

And jurors cleared Cheryl Carter, 50, Mrs Brooks' friend and former personal assistant, of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by removing seven boxes from the NI archive just days before she was arrested in 2011.

However, not all the verdicts have been returned by the jury of eight women and three men, which has been deliberating since June 11.

They are still considering further charges against Coulson and ex-News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office by paying police officers for two royal directories.

The trial heard victims of phone hacking included royals, celebrities, politicians and ordinary members of the public including Kate Middleton and Prince William, Bond star Daniel Craig and murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

A spokesman for News UK, formerly known as News International, said: "We said long ago, and repeat today, that wrongdoing occurred, and we apologised for it. We have been paying compensation to those affected and have cooperated with investigations.

"We made changes in the way we do business to help ensure wrongdoing like this does not occur again. And we are strong supporters of the Independent Press Standards Organisation that is expected to begin work this autumn, serving as a watchdog on the industry in the public interest.

"Out of respect for the fact that further legal proceedings will occur, we will have no further comment at this time."

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Queen Visits Game Of Thrones Set In Belfast

Safe in the knowledge that there is no dispute over her place as monarch, the Queen has paid a visit to the Game Of Thrones set in Belfast.

Her Majesty was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh for the visit to the Paint Hall Studios in the city's regenerated Titanic Quarter, where much of the popular Sky Atlantic series is filmed.

The Royals met members of the cast including Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark, Kit Harington, who stars at Jon Snow, and Lena Headey, who plays Queen Cersei Lannister.

Local Ballymena-born actor Conleth Hill, who plays the manipulative Lord Varys, was also on hand to show the dramatic influence the hit show has had on telly addicts and the Northern Ireland economy.

Cast members were on hand to greet Her Majesty

The Iron Throne was on display for the Queen, but she did not take the opportunity to test it out for comfort.

Instead she was given her own miniature throne to take back to the palace with her.

The Queen was also shown handmade costumes and props and armoury, while David Benioff and Dan Weiss, executive producers and writers of Game of Thrones, led a tour through the sets for the Red Keep and the Throne Room.

Kit Harington plays Jon Snow in the series

It is not known if the Queen and Duke are fans of the show, which is famous for its violence and nudity.

Northern Ireland is fast developing an international reputation as a leading filming destination, with the powersharing administration at Stormont offering attractive incentives to producers to film in the region.

The adaptation of George RR Martin's story is estimated to be the biggest TV production in Europe and its first four seasons have been credited with bringing a direct economic benefit of £82m to Northern Ireland, creating the equivalent of more than 900 full-time and 5,700 part-time jobs.

Series 4 of Game Of Thrones finished last week.

Earlier, Stormont's first and deputy first minister accompanied the Queen on a tour of a notorious Belfast prison, where both politicians were held during the Troubles.

Once a forbidding facility synonymous with the dark years of the conflict, the transformation of the old Crumlin Road Gaol into a popular visitor attraction is symbolic of Northern Ireland's journey toward peace.

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Former Inmates Show Queen Around 'The Crum'

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

The Queen has been shown around Belfast's Crumlin Road Gaol by tour guides with first-hand experience - Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Ministers.

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness had both previously been detained at the former prison, known locally as the Crum.

They now share power in devolved government and accompanied Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh on a tour of C wing.

Democratic Unionist Party leader Mr Robinson was locked up four times during the 1980s for protesting against the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

Sinn Fein's Mr McGuinness was remanded there for six weeks in 1976 when accused of IRA membership.

Among the cells the Royal couple passed in C wing was the room where condemned prisoners were hanged.

The Queen pictured speaking to Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness

In 1996, the Governor emerged through the air-locked doors and slammed the gates shut for the last time.

Since then, the Victorian penal architecture has been restored.

The 19th century building is now a popular visitor attraction and is symbolic of Northern Ireland's journey toward peace.

Among the people the Queen was introduced to was Belfast lottery millionaire, Peter Lavery, who is turning A wing into a boutique whiskey distillery.

The Crum evokes memories of conflict, daring escape and in the case of 17 prisoners, execution.

Her Majesty visits the set of Game Of Thrones in Belfast

Some 25,000 people were imprisoned there, many interned without trial, during the jail's 160-year history.

Former inmates include Eamon de Valera, one of the leaders of Ireland's fight for independence, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and the prominent Unionist, Reverend Ian Paisley.

During their visit to Belfast, the royal couple also toured the set of the television drama Game of Thrones in the Titanic Quarter.

They met members of the cast and production crew, and viewed costumes and props used in the hugely successful first four series.

Other engagements include a trip to St George's Market, a civic lunch in Belfast City Hall and a garden party at Hillsborough Castle.

On Wednesday, the Queen will honour First World War soldiers from Northern Ireland and the Republic during an act of remembrance in Coleraine, County Londonderry.

It is Her Majesty's 21st visit to Northern Ireland, but never before have so many details been released in advance.

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Hacking: Brooks Cleared But Coulson Guilty

Rebekah Brooks has been cleared of all charges in the phone-hacking trial, while ex-Number 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson has been found guilty of plotting to hack phones.

Jurors at the Old Bailey found former News of the World editor Coulson guilty of conspiring to hack phones with others between 2000 and 2006.

The 46-year-old, who was forced to quit as Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director over the scandal, now faces the possibility of a prison sentence.

Coulson arriving at the Old Bailey, earlier

Mr Cameron on Tuesday apologised for recruiting Coulson, saying: "It was the wrong decision and I am very clear about that."

He stood by his July 2011 pledge to the House of Commons when he said: "If I have been lied to, that would be the moment for profound apology. In that event, I can tell you I will not fall short."

An emotional Mrs Brooks, former chief executive of News International, who was found not guilty of all the charges she faced, was led out of the courtroom upon learning the verdicts.

David Cameron apologises for employing Coulson at Number 10 Downing Street

Brooks, 46, was cleared of hacking, misconduct in a public office for allegedly signing off payments to a Sun journalist's military contact between 2004 and 2012, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and perverting the course of justice.

Her 52-year-old husband, racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks and News International's former head of security Mark Hanna, 51, were cleared of perverting the course of justice around the time of police searches in July 2011.

Mr and Mrs Brooks left the building holding hands and made no comment to the media pack assembled outside the central London court.

The trial has been ongoing at the Old Bailey in London for nine months

Ex-News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner was also cleared of being part of a conspiracy to hack phones dating back to 2000 and spanning six years.

And jurors cleared Cheryl Carter, 50, Mrs Brooks' friend and former personal assistant, of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by removing seven boxes from the NI archive just days before she was arrested in 2011.

However, not all the verdicts have been returned by the jury of eight women and three men, which has been deliberating since June 11.

Cleared: Cheryl Carter and Stuart Kuttner

They are still considering further charges against Coulson and ex-News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office by paying police officers for two royal directories.

The trial heard victims of phone hacking included royals, celebrities, politicians and ordinary members of the public including Kate Middleton and Prince William, Bond star Daniel Craig and murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

A spokesman for News UK, formerly known as News International, said: "We said long ago, and repeat today, that wrongdoing occurred, and we apologised for it. We have been paying compensation to those affected and have cooperated with investigations.

"We made changes in the way we do business to help ensure wrongdoing like this does not occur again. And we are strong supporters of the Independent Press Standards Organisation that is expected to begin work this autumn, serving as a watchdog on the industry in the public interest.

"Out of respect for the fact that further legal proceedings will occur, we will have no further comment at this time."

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Cameron Apology: 'I Was Wrong To Hire Coulson'

Hacking: Brooks Cleared But Coulson Guilty

Updated: 2:06pm UK, Tuesday 24 June 2014

Rebekah Brooks has been cleared of all charges in the phone-hacking trial, while ex-Number 10 spin doctor Andy Coulson has been found guilty of plotting to hack phones.

Jurors at the Old Bailey found former News of the World editor Coulson guilty of conspiring to hack phones with others between 2000 and 2006.

The 46-year-old, who was forced to quit as Prime Minister David Cameron's communications director over the scandal, now faces the possibility of a prison sentence.

Mr Cameron on Tuesday apologised for recruiting Coulson, saying: "It was the wrong decision and I am very clear about that."

He stood by his July 2011 pledge to the House of Commons when he said: "If I have been lied to, that would be the moment for profound apology. In that event, I can tell you I will not fall short."

An emotional Mrs Brooks, former chief executive of News International, who was found not guilty of all the charges she faced, was led out of the courtroom upon learning the verdicts.

Brooks, 46, was cleared of hacking, misconduct in a public office for allegedly signing off payments to a Sun journalist's military contact between 2004 and 2012, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and perverting the course of justice.

Her 52-year-old husband, racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks and News International's former head of security Mark Hanna, 51, were cleared of perverting the course of justice around the time of police searches in July 2011.

Mr and Mrs Brooks left the building holding hands and made no comment to the media pack assembled outside the central London court.

Ex-News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner was also cleared of being part of a conspiracy to hack phones dating back to 2000 and spanning six years.

And jurors cleared Cheryl Carter, 50, Mrs Brooks' friend and former personal assistant, of conspiring to pervert the course of justice by removing seven boxes from the NI archive just days before she was arrested in 2011.

However, not all the verdicts have been returned by the jury of eight women and three men, which has been deliberating since June 11.

They are still considering further charges against Coulson and ex-News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office by paying police officers for two royal directories.

The trial heard victims of phone hacking included royals, celebrities, politicians and ordinary members of the public including Kate Middleton and Prince William, Bond star Daniel Craig and murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

A spokesman for News UK, formerly known as News International, said: "We said long ago, and repeat today, that wrongdoing occurred, and we apologised for it. We have been paying compensation to those affected and have cooperated with investigations.

"We made changes in the way we do business to help ensure wrongdoing like this does not occur again. And we are strong supporters of the Independent Press Standards Organisation that is expected to begin work this autumn, serving as a watchdog on the industry in the public interest.

"Out of respect for the fact that further legal proceedings will occur, we will have no further comment at this time."

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Pregnant Teen 'Killed By Obsessive Ex-Boyfriend'

A court has heard how a man murdered his teenage ex-girlfriend after discovering she was pregnant with his child.

Ben Blakeley, 22, is alleged to have killed 17-year-old Jayden Parkinson whose body was found in a graveyard at All Saints' Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire, last year.

Blakeley, from Reading, Berkshire, denies murdering Miss Parkinson, but he has admitted killing her and disposing of her body.

Miss Parkinson was last seen alive on December 3, 2013, when she was caught on CCTV leaving the One Foot Forward hostel in Oxford where she had been staying.

Half an hour later she was caught by another CCTV camera, this time at Didcot railway station with Blakeley.

Just after midnight the hostel reported Miss Parkinson missing to police after she failed to return.

Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said: "The prosecution case is that Jayden was killed by Ben Blakeley that same evening in open countryside south of Didcot - there is no dispute between prosecution and defence.

"We cannot be precise about location for this simple reason - unlike most killings the body was moved from where the offence occurred.

Miss Parkinson was last seen alive on December 3

"There is only one person alive who knows the truth and we would invite you to be very sceptical about what he says or has said."

Oxford Crown Court heard Blakeley was an obsessive and controlling character and regularly beat his ex-girlfriend.

Mr Latham told the court: "On any view (their relationship) was difficult. We allege he was controlling, to an obsessive and excessive degree.

"He was violent and abusive to her and controlling and hitting her."

Mr Latham told jurors that Miss Parkinson found the ending of the relationship difficult.

"She found it difficult to let go and hours before her death she left the hostel to meet him - it was the last time she was seen alive," said Mr Latham.

Despite admitting he killed Miss Parkinson, the prosecution refused to accept his plea and he is standing trial for her murder alongside a 17-year-old boy who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The youth has pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice, but he denies preventing a lawful burial between December 2 and December 10 last year.

The trial continues.

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Arrests After Newborn's Body Found In Hull

Two people have been arrested after the body of a newborn baby girl was found on a cycle path in Hull.

Police were called to the scene, between Rockford Avenue and Lamorna Avenue, close to the East Park area of the city, at around 9.15pm on Saturday.

They had been contacted by a member of the public who had discovered the baby's body while walking along the path.

Officers closed off the area and carried out a preliminary investigation, which led to a man and a woman being taken into custody.

A spokesman for Humberside Police said: "Officers attended right away and closed off the area for the body to be recovered and for initial inquiries to take place.

"As a result of the initial investigation two people, a man and woman, have been arrested and are helping police with inquiries at this time."

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Iraq Crisis Hits Airlines And Travel Firms

Airline and travel companies have seen their share prices fall in the wake of the latest violence to hit oil exporter Iraq.

EasyJet, IAG and TUI Travel, all operators of fuel-hungry aeroplanes, all saw their share prices fall on Monday.

The cost of a barrel of Brent Crude - used to price international oil - jumped sharply a couple of weeks ago when trouble first flared.

But has now risen even further to stand at above $115, close to Thursday's high and nearing the $115.71 reached on September 9 last year.

"Any spillovers of fighting into the oil-producing southern parts of Iraq will likely take oil, in particular the Brent prices up by another leg," Mizuho Bank analysts said.

Iraqi special forces during a patrol in Ramadi in central Iraq

Iraq is oil cartel Opec's second largest oil producer, pumping out more than 3 million barrels a day.

Global oil prices are close to breaking the nine-month high as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants took four more towns in western Iraq.

ISIS also took a border crossing into Syria on Saturday, amid reports indicating another crossing into Syria.

Sunni tribesmen have taken a border crossing into Jordan to halt it falling to ISIS.

Further pressure to oil prices on Monday came from China, as a report indicated increased output from its manufacturing sector.

HSBC's monthly China manufacturing survey showed activity expanded for the first time this year, indicating that the slowdown in the country's economy is bottoming out, which would lead to increased energy demand.

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HS3 Line From Leeds To Manchester Outlined

By Jason Farrell, Senior Political Correspondent

Britain needs a third high-speed railway line to create "a northern powerhouse", George Osborne said today.

The Chancellor used a speech in Manchester to argue that he wants to go beyond the north-south HS2 to create an east-west HS3.

In doing so he hopes to create "a collection of cities - sufficiently close to each other that combined they can take on the world".

The east-west connection between Leeds and Manchester would be based on existing rail routes but speeded up with new tunnels and infrastructure.

The first phase of HS2

It is an effort to address Britain's financial dependence on London, which currently accounts for nearly a quarter of the country's economic output.

Mr Osborne said: "The cities of the North are individually strong, but collectively not strong enough. The whole is less than the sum of its parts. So the powerhouse of London dominates more and more. And that's not healthy for our economy. It's not good for our country.

"We need a northern powerhouse too. Not one city, but a collection of northern cities - sufficiently close to each other that combined they can take on the world. Able to provide jobs and opportunities and security to the many, many people who live here, and for whom this is all about."

Together, the North's largest cities have a higher population than hubs such as New York and Tokyo, Mr Osborne added.

The high-speed network with HS3

Under current plans the £50bn HS2 project will provide 225mph trains from London to Birmingham in its first stage, before creating a Y-shaped network with lines to Manchester and Leeds by 2032/33.

The £21bn second phase would then connect Leeds and Manchester - but it remains an aspiration rather than a pledge.

The Government claims at least 60,000 jobs would be created in "the most important investment in the north for a century".

The proposal will be seen as an attempt to win support for the Conservatives outside their southern heartlands before the 2015 General Election, but a number of MPs with constituencies along the route are opposed to the project.

Mr Osborne said: "Of course, there are opponents of the project - just as there were opponents of the original railways. I've discovered that almost everything worth doing in politics is controversial."

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Iraq: 'More Than 1,500' British Jihad Recruits

Timeline: How The Iraq Crisis Unfolded

Updated: 10:23am UK, Monday 23 June 2014

A look back at the main events in the Iraq crisis, which has seen Sunni insurgents from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group move to within 50 miles of the capital Baghdad.

December 2011: US troops complete their withdrawal after the 2003 invasion which led to the removal of Saddam Hussein.

August 2013: More than 70 people are killed in attacks at the end of Ramadan. ISIS claim responsibility.

January 2-4, 2014: ISIS declares itself in control of the western city of Fallujah and parts of Ramadi following clashes sparked by the clearing of a Sunni-Arab protest camp.

February: al Qaeda formally disowns ISIS, which was at one time an affiliate, because of its extreme methods.

April: Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki wins the most seats in a general election.

June 10: ISIS seizes all of Nineveh province in the north, including the capital Mosul - Iraq's second city. Mr Maliki asks parliament to declare a state of emergency.

June 11: The militants launch a wave of attacks further south, taking Tikrit and freeing hundreds of prisoners in Baiji. An assault on Samarra, 70 miles (110km) north of Baghdad, is repelled by security forces.

June 12: Iraq's air force strikes fighters' positions near Mosul and Tikrit.

US President Barack Obama says he is looking at "all the options" to help the government, which fails to secure authorisation for a state of emergency.

The army abandons its bases in Kirkuk, leaving Kurdish Peshmerga troops to take control.

June 13: A top Shia cleric issues a call to arms, telling the population to take up arms and defend their country.

Mr Maliki claims government forces have started to clear cities of "terrorists" and implements an emergency plan to protect Baghdad.

President Obama rules out sending back troops to fight ISIS.

The rebels move into the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla in eastern province of Diyala.

June 14: Iran offers to work with the US to tackle the crisis, as Britain pledges an initial £3m in emergency aid to help refugees fleeing the violence.

The Iraqi army's fightback continues, with forces retaking the towns of Ishaqi, al-Mutasim and Duluiyah in Salaheddin province.

Troops also regain much of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's home town.

US aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush is ordered to the Persian Gulf.

June 15: Photos emerge appearing to show an ISIS massacre of 1,700 captured government soldiers. Baghdad says number is exaggerated.

Reports say militants have overrun Tal Afar, the largest town in Nineveh province.

A bombing in central Baghdad leaves 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Former PM Tony Blair tells Sky News that critics who believe the violence is the result of the 2003 invasion are "profoundly mistaken".

June 16: Video footage purporting to show an ISIS fighter questioning and killing unarmed Iraqi soldiers draws condemnation.

ISIS takes control of Tal Afar and the al Adhim area of Diyala province.

US Secretary of State John Kerry says Washington is "open to discussions with Iran".

June 17: Britain announces it is reopening its Iranian embassy, with William Hague saying the "circumstances are right" as the West looks to improve relations to help tackle the crisis in Iraq.

Iraq's Shia leaders accuse Saudi Arabia of promoting "genocide" by backing Sunni militants.

June 18: Iraq's foreign minister asks the US to carry out airstrikes to help reverse the sweeping gains of Islamist militants in the country.

David Cameron warns that if Britain does not intervene in the Middle East crisis then terrorists will "hit the UK at home".

Insurgents are seen parading through the city of Baiji with captured vehicles after reports they have taken over three-quarters of Iraq's biggest oil refinery.

ISIS charts its brutality and tactics in annual reports called al-Naba - The Report, it emerges.

June 19: Iraqi authorities say government forces have retaken the Baiji oil refinery after fierce fighting.

Barck Obama says US troops will not return to combat in Iraq, but he would be prepared to take "targeted action".

The president also announces additional equipment and up to 300 additional military advisers could be provided to help fight the ISIS insurgency.

June 20: Iraq's senior Shia religious authority Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani calls for a new government for the country as it struggles to stop Sunni militants.

Barack Obama piles further pressure on Iraq's PM Nouri al Maliki, saying he needs to take urgent steps to heal the sectarian rift in the country, but stopping short of demanding he quit.

A video of British jihadists urging Western Muslims to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria emerges on social media.

June 21: The family of Naseer Muthana, 20, who appears in the ISIS recruitment video and younger brother Aseel, 17, who followed him to fight in the region say they are "devastated". 

The men's father Ahmed Muthana tells Sky News he believes his son Nasser was radicalised in a mosque in the United Kingdom.

In Iraq, dozens of Iraqi troops are killed as ISIS militants seize the crucial Qaim crossing into Syria.

A Shia preacher loyal to anti-US cleric Moqtada al Sadr warns that the 300 US military advisers en route to Iraq will be attacked.

June 22: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei comes out in opposition of US intervention in neighbouring Iraq.

President Barack Obama warns ISIS could grow in power, destabilise the region and pose a threat to the US.

The mother of one of two Britons filmed in a militants' video calling for Western Muslims to fight in Syria and Iraq, Reyaad Khan, pleads for him to come home in an emotional Sky News interview.

A former head of counter-terrorism at MI6 tells Sky's Murnaghan programme up to 300 Islamist fighters from Iraq and Syria may have returned to the UK and it would be "impossible" to keep track of all of them.

June 23: Barack Obama warns ISIS could pose a threat to the US, hours after the Islamist militants make dramatic gains by capturing four towns in western Iraq.

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Baghdad for talks with Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.

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Hundreds Of Kids Smuggle Drugs Into School

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

Hundreds of children are bringing drugs, including class A substances, into UK schools every year.

Figures obtained by Sky News show more than 1,000 pupils have been caught carrying drugs in schools over the past three years.

Among those pupils, 27 were found with class A drugs.

Some 93 pupils were charged with drugs offences, including six at primary school.

The figures come from 32 of the UK's 44 police forces but do not include some of the country's largest, including the Met and Greater Manchester.

Campaigners are concerned drug use among children is a problem that is being ignored.

Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of charity Kids Company, which works with children from deprived backgrounds, said: "A lot of (children) are born into households where their parents are prolifically abusing substances.

"What we're seeing now is that eight and nine year olds are beginning to smoke weed and skunk and then they go on to harder stuff.

"Unfortunately, in a lot of neighbourhoods, children see the drug trade as a completely legitimate way of making a living.

"It's become so familiar and in a way it's become so normalised because children are completely surrounded by adults who are using."

One 18-year-old who was addicted to cannabis for three years said drug use had been common among children her age.

Jade Clement, from Poole, Dorset, who now campaigns for the charity Fixers, said: "I always had a friend that I was smoking with. We constantly had to lie, tell our parents we were going to the cinema or swimming - anything like that so we could get a tenner.

"I was meant to be in school ... (but) if I had weed left over from the night before then I wasn't going in.

"I couldn't be bothered. It didn't interest me (and) the only reason I went in was so I could plan (to take drugs) with my friends ... that's all school was really about."

The Government says drugs have 'no place whatsoever in the classroom'

Schools in affluent areas say they are equally concerned about the likelihood their pupils will be exposed to drug use.

At The Hall, a prestigious independent school in north London, former addicts are invited to speak to pupils to warn them about the dangers of drug use.

Thirteen-year-old student Callum said: "It's quite daunting that I'll be offered drugs in the next three to five years. It leads me to think, 'What will I say? Will I be pressured?'"

The Government said banned items like alcohol and drugs have "no place whatsoever in the classroom".

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We've introduced a range of powers for teachers to ensure discipline, behaviour and safety are maintained.

"Teachers can now search a pupil without consent when they suspect they may be in possession of a prohibited item.

"Changes to the system mean a school's decision to exclude a pupil cannot be reversed by an appeals panel.

"Our guidance also makes clear that teachers can use force to remove disruptive pupils from the classroom when necessary."

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Government 'Has Lost Control Of The NHS'

A Conservative health minister is under fire after she was recorded chuckling and saying the Government no longer has any proper "day-to-day control" over the NHS.

Jane Ellison was taped telling a private meeting of the Tory Reform Group that providing political direction to the health service "is a bit like being on a high-wire without a (safety) net".

She said reforms driven through by former health secretary Andrew Lansley, which gave doctors operational control for the day-to-day running of services, meant the Government "pretty much gave away control of the NHS".

Her comments were seized upon by Labour, which accused ministers of "washing their hands of responsibility for our NHS".

Jamie Reed, the shadow health minister, told the Observer newspaper that patients in "full-to-bursting A&E departments" would not find the reforms as thrilling as Ms Ellison appeared to.

"Mr Lansley's NHS shake-up was a £3bn fiasco that nobody wanted and nobody voted for," he said.

"All it succeeded in doing was in increasing bureaucracy and driving costs up."

The changes pushed through by Mr Lansley handed GPs control over 80% of the £100bn-a-year NHS budget, with doctors split into groups to commission services, including from private companies.

A spokesman for the Department of Health told Sky News: "Giving operational control for the day-to-day running of services to doctors was the right decision but we've always been clear that ministers are responsible for the NHS.

"We're proud of its performance in challenging circumstances."

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Mums-To-Be 'In The Dark About Silent Killer'

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky Reporter

A new campaign has been launched to highlight the need to protect pregnant women from a virus that can cause miscarriages, physical disabilities, deafness and blindness.

Many people carry CMV (Cytomegalovirus) - dubbed the "silent killer" because many people are unaware they have it - however, it can be extremely dangerous to unborn babies.

It currently affects 1,000 babies every year, a higher number than Down's syndrome, but there is no vaccine or screening programme.

It is normally spread through bodily fluids, so doctors say the best way for pregnant women to protect themselves is to wash their hands thoroughly.

Charity CMV Action, backed by pop star Kimberley Walsh, is trying to raise awareness by getting people to take pictures of their hands with the words "Wash away CMV" written on the palm.

Mandy Parks with her daughter Alicia, who was affected by the CMV virus

Professor Mike Sharland, children's infections specialist at St George's Hospital in London, told Sky News it is important to raise awareness among parents.

"In pregnancy because your immune system is a little weaker, if you catch the virus, very rarely it can go across to the baby and cause problems for the baby as well," he said.

Fifteen-year-old Alicia Parks caught CMV when she was in her mother's womb.

It left her blind, unable to talk or walk and needing 24-hour care.

Her mother, Mandy, is backing the campaign to raise awareness and believes more needs to be done to support parents,

"Sometimes I think the system brings you down because you fight for everything. You fight to prove that they are worse than a two-year-old or three-year-old or four-year-old, you fight for a disabled grant to adapt your house, you fight the system to prove that you can't go to work because now you're 24/7 looking after someone."

Research is ongoing into a possible vaccine for the future or more accurate screening programme, but at the moment experts insist the best protection for mothers is to wash their hands.

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Colchester Stabbing Victim's Mum 'Terrified'

The mother of a vulnerable man who was stabbed more than 100 times in Colchester has told Sky News she has "total faith" in the police investigation.

Jim Attfield's murder in a park in March is being investigated alongside last Tuesday's killing of Saudi student Nahid Almanea elsewhere in the town.

"I know they are not leaving any stone unturned," Mr Attfield's mother Julie Finch told Sky News as police announced they had made a "significant development" in the investigations.

"Every bit of information they get, any bit of evidence, anything they find is thoroughly, thoroughly looked at."

Mr Attfield was found in Castle Park just miles from the other killing

Police have said it is not yet clear if the two killings were carried out by the same people, but acknowledge the attacks, in which the victims were stabbed multiple times, bear "obvious similarities".

In the statement on Saturday, Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Worron of Essex Police said: "A criminal profiler from the National Crime Agency has carried out a thorough assessment of all the evidence in connection with both murders.

"A decision has been taken that they remain separate but parallel investigations at this time.

Police have been searching the site MS Almanea's murder for several days

"However the circumstances of both crimes mean that we must consider the possibility that the same killer or killers are responsible."

Ms Finch said she was "terrified" for her daughters following the murders.

"They don't go out on their own, I won't go out on my own. And it just goes to prove with this latest murder, it doesn't matter what time of day it is, where you are," she said.

Mr Attfield was seen on CCTV at a pub hours before his killing

"Everybody just has to be so much more vigilant, not just for their own safety, they have to be aware of the safety of people around them because obviously for these murderers to be caught will depend of information coming from the public."

Mr Attfield, a father-of-five, suffered from a brain injury after being hit by a car four years earlier.

His body was found with wounds on his arms, hands, back, neck and head in Colchester's Castle Park in the early hours of March 29. 

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