Jellyfish Invade Cornwall - But Don't Panic!

By Richard Suchet, Sky News Reporter

Tourism bosses are trying to reassure holidaymakers that a huge surge in the number of jellyfish off the coast of Cornwall poses no danger.

Every summer the waters around the South West of England are a thriving area for marine life.

But this year the warm currents have brought with them swarms of jellyfish; in particular the harmless Barrel jellyfish, which can measure up to one metre in diameter.

The Barrel is usually found further up the western coastline; Wales, Northern England, and Scotland.

There are concerns that people could be put off from visiting Cornish beaches.

Tens of thousands of tourists are due to visit Cornish beaches this summer

Malcolm Bell from Visit Cornwall told Sky News: "It's no different really to rock pooling - you keep your eyes open for the crabs and everything else.

"It's part of the habitat, it's part of the fun thing about having a British beach holiday."

According to data collected by the public and submitted to the Marine Conservation Society, there were 1,133 sightings of jellyfish last year - a "sighting" can mean anything from a single creature to an entire bay full of jellyfish.

By mid-July of this year there were already more than 500 sightings and that number will increase significantly as the summer months go on.

Scientists at the University of Exeter who are examining the data say the number of reported jellyfish is dramatically higher than when the study began nine years ago.

The Moon jellyfish is the most common species

There is no trend in the number of sightings reported by the public and therefore no suggestion that climate change might be a factor in this year's bloom.

Most common is the Moon jellyfish, which makes up 29% of the entire population. They are generally small, translucent, and have a very mild sting.

There have been sightings of the infamous Portuguese Man O'War, which carries a nasty sting although they are far more rare.

Conservationist Patrick Maher from Dive Newquay said: "The important thing to remember with jellyfish is that they can continue to sting even after they have been washed up on the beach and are dead.

"Don't poke them, don't pick them up - avoid them and allow the authorities to remove them, seek medical advice if you get stung by one, but we are very lucky in Cornwall to have these types of species in our waters."

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Mother Admits Beating Mikaeel Kular To Death

Mikaeel Kular's mother has pleaded guilty to killing her three-year-old son, who she subjected to repeated assaults.

Rosdeep Adekoya had been accused of murder but admitted a reduced charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Edinburgh.

She confessed to wrapping Mikaeel's body in a duvet cover, putting it in a suitcase and driving to Dunvegan Avenue in Kirkcaldy, where she hid the case under a bush in woodland behind a house.

The death of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular touched the community

Mikaeel's disappearance from his Edinburgh home in January sparked a huge search involving police officers, firefighters, mountain rescue teams and the coastguard, as well as members of the public.

His body was eventually found 25 miles away in woodland in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Adekoya's internet searches included "Get rid of bruises"

Adekoya had called 999 to report her son missing to police, telling officers he got out of bed and climbed on a stool to unlock the front door of his home.

But in court she admitted to beating her son to death, repeatedly punching him and causing his body to hit against a hard object or inflicting blunt injuries on his head and body between January 12 and 15.

She also pleaded guilty to attempting to defeat the ends of justice by pretending to police he had gone missing.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice told the court: "The basis for the plea tendered being accepted is that the Crown accepts that the accused had no intention to kill Mikaeel and that the assault perpetrated upon him, although severe, fell short of the wicked recklessness required for murder."

Explaining the charge of culpable homicide, Sky's James Matthews, at the High Court in Edinburgh, said: "Basically she beat up her son causing his death but she didn't mean to kill him, and that's been accepted by the prosecution authorities."

The toddler's body was found in woodland behind a property in Kirkcaldy

He said after killing Mikaeel, Adekoya had done the school-run taking her four other children to school before continuing on to dump his body behind a property where her sister was staying.

"Her concocted story unravelled under questioning by police, and it was when they spotted inconsistencies in her story that she broke down and told them where Mikaeel's body was," Matthews added.

The car used by Adekoya to dump Mikaeel's body after the school-run

Adekoya's internet history showed searches including "I find it hard to love my son", "I love all of my children except one", "Why am I so aggressive with my son" and "Get rid of bruises".

The court heard Mikaeel died on the night of Tuesday, January 14, from injuries inflicted the previous Sunday.

Hundreds of members of the public joined the search for the youngster

His mother "lost her temper" when he was repeatedly sick following a trip to a Nando's restaurant at the city's Fountain Park.

Mikaeel had more than 40 separate injuries to his body, including bruises to his back, chin and cheek, trauma to the brain, haemorrhage in the spinal cord and injuries to his arms.

Mr Prentice said: "If medical assistance had been called for, death might not have resulted."

Sentence was deferred until August 25 at the High Court in Edinburgh.

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Govt 'Out Of Touch' On Term-Time Holiday Ban

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

New rules banning holidays during school term time are penalising families who have no choice but to take their children out of school, some parents have told Sky News.

Maxine Ingrouille-Kidd, whose son Curtis is severely disabled, said she was threatened with a fine when she asked for permission to take her son on a cruise during term time because it was the only time accessible cabins were available.

"A cruise is a good sensory experience for Curtis ... and it is important for us to have family time together," she said.

"We did try to go at half term and they didn't have an accessible cabin.

"We're really limited by what Curtis needs.

"We didn't think (the school) would refuse us because he has a life-limiting condition and we thought they would appreciate that it was important for Curtis to be with us.

"Despite having up to 40 seizures a day, he's actually quite healthy and has had very few absences."

Curtis, who is quadriplegic, epileptic, blind and has cerebral palsy, was refused permission by his school in Somerset under new rules which came into force last September.

Under the rules, headteachers can only grant permission for term time leave in "exceptional circumstances" - a discretion some parents claim is not being used properly.

Stewart Sutherland, who says he has been unable to take a family holiday for five years because of his job, was prosecuted and fined £996 after he pleaded guilty to taking his three children to Greece on a holiday booked prior to the new rules being introduced.

"The Government is out of touch with society when it introduced these rules," said Mr Sutherland.

"The country does not come to a standstill when the kids are on holiday - there's always someone who is still working."

"Family time is sometimes just as important as schooling," he added.

The Government said the new rules are fair and have reduced the number of pupils regularly missing school by 130,000.

"We have been clear that all headteachers are free to grant pupils leave in exceptional circumstances," a spokesman for the Department for Education said.

"It is up to headteachers to decide whether to grant time off and how much time to grant.

"We are also giving schools the flexibility to set their own term times so they can change dates to ones that work for their pupils and families.

"Parents can urge schools to make use of this new freedom."

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Housing Shortage Sees More Tenants Evicted

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

Increasing numbers of private tenants are being evicted or exploited by landlords cashing in on the increase in house prices and the shortage of rented accommodation, according to latest figures.

Citizens Advice (CAB) saw a 38% rise in the number of people turning to the charity for help with eviction notices served on them, despite being up to date with their rent.

CAB recorded 5,000 cases across the country in 2013/2014 where tenants complained about being forced from their homes, even though they were not in arrears. That figure is up from 3,750 the previous year.

Problems in London and the South East are particularly acute, the charity said, where many house prices are the highest in the country.

Private tenant Ryan Herran told Sky News he was being forced from his Muswell Hill home of five years, because he complained about damp and mould in the property and demanded his landlord fix the problem.

After months of wrangling with the owner, he was eventually served with a section 21 eviction order.

"I was actually in shock for a couple of days because I've always been a good tenant and always paid my rent and never engaged in anti-social behaviour," he said.

"I did ring up the property management company and they told me they don't have to give a reason under the section 21 eviction notice. They said they felt they were doing me a favour by at least giving me two months notice."

Mr Herran believes his eviction is motivated by spite and certainty on the part of the landlord that he would easily be able to find another tenant.

The number of tenants seeking help over eviction has nearly doubled

Roger Harding from the homelessness charity Shelter said: "Sadly landlords can evict for no reason, even if you've been keeping up with the rent. 

"We've found many worrying examples where landlords have evicted people simply because they don't want to have to deal with repair issues and that's something we want to see outlawed."

During January to March 2014 house prices rose by 18% in London and 10% in the South East, compared to the same period the previous year.

CAB's figures reveal those rises were mirrored by an increase in private tenants reporting they had been served with eviction notices, despite being up to date with their rent.

The charity said the number of tenants in London and the South East seeking help over eviction notices between January and March 2014 was 900, compared with 400 over the first quarter of the year before.

Landlord Richard Blanco rents out properties across six London boroughs and is also a member of National Landlords Association. He said private landlords are often unfairly maligned.

"There's a small minority of rogue landlords who might try and increase rents but really the most sensible business model for landlords is to maintain the property well and to have a good relationship with tenants and to try to ensure tenants stay as long as possible," he said.

Mr Blanco said, contrary to widespread belief, more than three quarters of private tenants have not faced an increase in rents over the past 12 months.

The Government is in the process of introducing new legislation which it hopes will strengthen the rights of private tenants and help protect them from exploitation, or unjustified eviction.

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Child-Rape Trial Halted After Judge 'Fell Asleep'

The trial of a man accused of raping a child was halted because a judge fell asleep, it has been claimed.

An investigation has been launched into the allegations that Recorder Philip Cattan nodded off as a young alleged victim gave evidence via video-link.

The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office confirmed it is looking at what happened at the trial of John Quigley at Manchester Crown Court.

After the allegation was made, the judge stopped the trial and it will now be relisted.

A spokesman for the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said: "The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office is aware of the allegation that Recorder Philip Cattan fell asleep during a trial at Manchester Crown Court.

"The matter is being considered in accordance with the Judicial Conduct (Judicial and other office holders) Rules 2013."

In a statement, the Crown Prosecution Service said: "The jury has been discharged in the trial of R v John Quigley at Manchester Crown Court following an issue that arose at court during the cross examination of the first complainant in the case.

"The trial will be relisted as soon as possible. The complainants and other witnesses have been kept informed."

Sky News North of England Correspondent Nick Martin said the incident was pointed out by barristers in court working on the trial, which had cost around £10,000 by the time it was halted.

Quigley, 49, of Avon Road, Burnage, Manchester, denies a number of sex offences including raping a child under 13.

Philip Cattan is a practising barrister in the Manchester area as well as a recorder, which is a part-time judge. He belongs to the St Johns Buildings Chambers in the city.

When Judge Gabriel Hutton was found to have nodded off during a rape trial at Gloucester Crown Court in 2002, causing it to be abandoned, he was disciplined.

Mr Cattan will not be commenting, the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office said.

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UK Economy Emerges From Six-Year Downturn

Official figures show the UK economy has emerged from six years of lost growth to return to its pre-crisis peak.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Britain's economy was now bigger than it was before the financial crisis as gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 0.8% in the second quarter of the year.

The performance matched that of the previous quarter, although today's figure is only a first estimate and subject to revision.

It meant that on an annual basis, growth was 3.1% higher than was measured in the same period last year, leaving total output 0.2% higher than in the first quarter of 2008 - its previous peak.

Consumer spending is still driving growth

The measure of GDP per head - taking account of a growing population and weaker productivity - remains below the peak.

In its April to June calculations, the ONS charted 1% quarter-on-quarter growth in the service sector - which accounts for 75% of total UK GDP - while industrial production rose 0.4%.

However both construction and agriculture made negative contributions of 0.5% and 0.2% respectively. Both were hit by the effects of a very wet winter and spring.

The construction sector was damaged by a weak May

The ONS said only the service industry was now bigger than it was before the crisis, with industrial output and construction still 10% smaller.

Chancellor George Osborne said: "Thanks to the hard work of the British people, today we reach a major milestone in our long-term economic plan."

He tweeted: "We owe it to hardworking taxpayers not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

"Economy bigger than previous peak in 2008 but long way to go - the Great Recession was one of deepest of any major economy & cost UK 6 years."

The pace of the recovery will feed into expectations about the timing of an interest rate rise by the Bank of England though its governor Mark Carney recently suggested it would be tied to improved data on wage growth.

Ed Balls accuses ministers of creating a cost of living crisis

While employment has soared in recent months, salary growth has fallen to 0.3% year-on-year and continues to lag inflation - last measured at 1.9%.

The scenario that has left the Bank fearing the impact of any rate rise on consumers, whose spending remains the biggest driver of economic growth.

Labour's shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, said of the latest GDP figures: "At long last our economy is back to the size it was before the global banking crisis - three years after the US reached the same point.

"But with GDP per head not set to recover for three more years and most people still seeing their living standards squeezed, this is no time for complacent claims that the economy is fixed.

"Wages after inflation are down over £1,600 a year since 2010, housebuilding under this government is at its lowest level since the 1920s and business investment is lagging behind our competitors.

"Labour's economic plan will make Britain better off and fairer for the future."

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Tulisa Found Guilty Of Assaulting Blogger

Tulisa Contostavlos has been found guilty of assaulting a celebrity blogger at V Festival in Essex.

The N-Dubz star hit Savvas Morgan during a row in the VIP area at the site in Chelmsford last August.

She was found guilty by a judge at Stratford Magistrates' Court in east London and ordered to pay a total of £3,020.

Contostavlos shook her head and smiled in disbelief as the guilty verdict was read out.

Savvas Morgan rowed with Contostavlos at V Festival

She appeared to mutter "this is bulls**t" as she walked out of the courtroom.

The 26-year-old has vowed to launch an appeal against her conviction and said she was "outraged at the decision".

"There are a number of high-profile witnesses who were there and know what happened. I urge them to come forward and tell the truth at the appeal," she said outside the court.

"I am determined to clear my name as I have already done once this week. I repeat - I did not assault Vas J Morgan. I am innocent."

Contostavlos apparently held a grudge against her victim

District Judge Angus Hamilton said he was "quite sure" based on the evidence that "Ms Contostavlos did strike Mr Morgan in the face during an argument and that that blow caused minor bruising and swelling".

He said Contostavlos acted in a "confrontational" manner when she turned towards her victim, who she reportedly held a grudge against after he included a link to her sex tape on his blog.

"Her decision to seek to deal with Mr Morgan herself strikes me as aggressive and confrontational," the judge said.

He went on to say that he had a "number of points of concern" about her evidence during the trial.

He found that she "changed her account" of what she did with her hands during the confrontation. At one point she claimed she raised them in a defensive gesture but later said they remained by her sides, he said.

Her assistant, Gareth Varey, was cleared of using threatening behaviour during the incident.

Jeremy Dein QC, barrister for Contostavlos, said in mitigation that his client was provoked by the actions of her victim in relation to the sex tape.

He told the court: "Mr Morgan played a significant part in humiliating and debasing Ms Contostavlos' reputation, clearly for financial gain."

Contostavlos must pay a £2,700 contribution towards the cost of the prosecution, a £200 fine, £100 compensation to Mr Morgan and a £20 victim surcharge.

Earlier this week, a drugs trial against Contostavlos collapsed at Southwark Crown Court after the judge said there were "strong grounds" to believe that undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood - known as the Fake Sheikh - had lied in the witness box.

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Illegal Immigrants Caught Trying To Leave UK

A group of illegal immigrants have been caught trying to leave the UK and smuggle themselves into France by hiding in a lorry on a cross-channel ferry.

The Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Afghani and Sri Lankan nationals were caught by French border police when the P&O Spirit of France docked in Calais on Tuesday.

Two families - including two children - and another 22 men had stowed away in a Polish lorry.

French border police caught the stowaways when the ferry docked in Calais

All 28 immigrants were returned to Dover at 6.40pm that evening on P&O's Pride of Canterbury.

P&O spokesman Chris Laming told the Dover Express: "There have been occasions in the past when individual migrants have sought to go back to their homelands.

"But we have never seen anything on this scale before. It's very unusual.

"There is normally one way traffic from France to Britain in the tide of illegal immigrants.

"It is most unusual to see them going the other way."

A Home Office spokesman said: "Border Force officers in Dover are currently processing 28 people who were found by the Police Aux Frontieres in Calais concealed in a lorry which had crossed the Channel from Dover.

"Under an agreement between the UK and French governments the 28 were returned to Dover in the same way as clandestine migrants found at our controls in Calais are passed to the French authorities.

"If those questioned are found to have no right to remain in the UK we will take action to remove them."

Meanwhile, a suspected stowaway was killed in Norfolk when he emerged from underneath a coach where he had been hiding, only to be struck by the vehicle.

The man, thought to be in his 20s or 30s and of African or Arabic origin, is thought to have climbed beneath the coach as it left Calais in France.

He remained there, unknown to the driver, as the coach travelled almost 200 miles to Bexwell, near Downham Market.

The man was hit as the coach reversed into its home depot, and died at the scene from his injuries.

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Mother Admits Beating Mikaeel Kular To Death

Mikaeel Kular's mother has pleaded guilty to killing her three-year-old son, who she subjected to repeated assaults.

Rosdeep Adekoya had been accused of murder but admitted a reduced charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Edinburgh.

She confessed to wrapping Mikaeel's body in a duvet cover, putting it in a suitcase and driving to Dunvegan Avenue in Kirkcaldy, where she hid the case under a bush in woodland behind a house.

The death of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular touched the community

Mikaeel's disappearance from his Edinburgh home in January sparked a huge search involving police officers, firefighters, mountain rescue teams and the coastguard, as well as members of the public.

His body was eventually found 25 miles away in woodland in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Adekoya's internet searches included "Get rid of bruises"

Adekoya had called 999 to report her son missing to police, telling officers he got out of bed and climbed on a stool to unlock the front door of his home.

But in court she admitted to beating her son to death, repeatedly punching him and causing his body to hit against a hard object or inflicting blunt injuries on his head and body between January 12 and 15.

She also pleaded guilty to attempting to defeat the ends of justice by pretending to police he had gone missing.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice told the court: "The basis for the plea tendered being accepted is that the Crown accepts that the accused had no intention to kill Mikaeel and that the assault perpetrated upon him, although severe, fell short of the wicked recklessness required for murder."

Explaining the charge of culpable homicide, Sky's James Matthews, at the High Court in Edinburgh, said: "Basically she beat up her son causing his death but she didn't mean to kill him, and that's been accepted by the prosecution authorities."

The toddler's body was found in woodland behind a property in Kirkcaldy

He said after killing Mikaeel, Adekoya had done the school-run taking her four other children to school before continuing on to dump his body behind a property where her sister was staying.

"Her concocted story unravelled under questioning by police, and it was when they spotted inconsistencies in her story that she broke down and told them where Mikaeel's body was," Matthews added.

The car used by Adekoya to dump Mikaeel's body after the school-run

Adekoya's internet history showed searches including "I find it hard to love my son", "I love all of my children except one", "Why am I so aggressive with my son" and "Get rid of bruises".

The court heard Mikaeel died on the night of Tuesday, January 14, from injuries inflicted the previous Sunday.

Hundreds of members of the public joined the search for the youngster

His mother "lost her temper" when he was repeatedly sick following a trip to a Nando's restaurant at the city's Fountain Park.

Mikaeel had more than 40 separate injuries to his body, including bruises to his back, chin and cheek, trauma to the brain, haemorrhage in the spinal cord and injuries to his arms.

Mr Prentice said: "If medical assistance had been called for, death might not have resulted."

Sentence was deferred until August 25 at the High Court in Edinburgh.

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Miliband: 'I Am Not Your Bacon Sandwich PM'

Ed Miliband has told people if they wanted a Prime Minister who could look good while eating a bacon sandwich then they should "vote for the other guy".

In a frank speech to party members, the Labour leader effectively conceded he was "weird" - and at times appeared to encourage people to vote for David Cameron.

He highlighted the moment he was pictured awkwardly grappling with a bacon sandwich during the local and European election campaign.

Miliband says he is not one for hugging huskies

He admitted using "long words" that didn't make "soundbites" and urged the electorate not to vote for him if they wanted a PM who hugged huskies - a reference to Mr Cameron.

Launching Labour's summer campaign Mr Miliband, who also confessed he looked like Wallace, from the Wallace and Gromit comedy films, promised to deliver a "different" kind of politics.

It will either be seen as a risky or brave strategy and comes after a slew of negative polls and gaffes during campaigning for the local and European elections.

Miliband: But I do look like Wallace

They included the unflattering bacon sandwich pictures and forgetting the name of the Labour candidate he was campaigning for.

Mr Miliband said: "David Cameron is a very sophisticated and successful exponent of an image-based politics. He made his name as Leader of the Opposition for some fantastic photos, like hanging out with huskies in the Arctic Circle.

"Even my biggest supporters would say I haven't matched him on that. It is not what I care most about. And it's not where my talents lie - as you may have noticed.

Miliband says politics is not about photo opportunities

"I am not from central casting. You can find people who are more square-jawed, more chiselled, look less like Wallace.

"You could probably even find people who look better eating a bacon sandwich. If you want the politician from central casting, it's just not me, it's the other guy. If you want a politician who thinks that a good photo is the most important thing, then don't vote for me."

Mr Cameron responded by saying it was the wrong day to be arguing about photo opportunities when the figures showed the economic depression was over.

With TOWIE's Joey Essex: Milband criticised the politics of celebrity

Earlier this year Mr Miliband signed up Barack Obama's former strategist David Axelrod to advise him how to fight his General Election campaign.

Mr Axelrod has suggested Mr Miliband should aim to emulate Mr Obama's campaign and find a way of connecting with "everyday people" by offering a different way.

Mr Miliband said: "When people say 'you're all the same, you're in it for yourself, you don't care about my life', they are talking about us: the politicians. Millions of people think that for us, it actually is all about us, that we are in it for ourselves, for our own success, not the country's.

Mr Obama's former aide David Axelrod is advising Ed Miliband

"They believe we value posturing more than principle, good photos or soundbites more than a decent policy, image more than ideas. Unless we stand up now and say that we want to offer people something different, more and more will simply turn away."

On Thursday, Mr Miliband's wife, Justine Thornton, hit the campaign trail in Scotland in a move considered by critics to be an attempt to make him look more "normal".

In the wake of the European elections a poll of nearly 2,000 people found that 41% considered Mr Miliband to be "weird".

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Ex-NOTW Reporter Dan Evans Spared Jail

Former News Of The World (NOTW) reporter Dan Evans has been given a 10-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to phone hacking.

Evans - who was the star prosecution witness in the hacking trial of former NOTW editor and Downing Street media advisor Andy Coulson - also admitted conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office and perverting the course of justice.

His sentence was suspended for 12 months.

The 38-year-old told the court he had accessed the voicemails of a number of celebrities, including Daniel Craig and Kate Moss, while working for the Sunday Mirror and the NOTW.

He said Coulson was played a recording of a message from Sienna Miller to the James Bond actor suggesting they were having a relationship while she was dating Jude Law in 2005.

Coulson was found guilty of hacking earlier this month and jailed for 18 months.

Mr Justice Saunders, who also ordered Evans to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in the community, said he had taken into account his guilty pleas.

The judge said he had also taken his agreement to give evidence in the hacking trial and possibly in the future into consideration.

Andy Coulson was sentenced to 18 months in jail

Mr Justice Saunders said: "In the circumstances of this case, and in particular the co-operation that Mr Evans has given and has agreed to give the police and the prosecution in the future as compared with the lack of co-operation from others, I do feel able to suspend the sentence for a period of 12 months.

"I would not have done that had Mr Evans not made a clean breast of his involvement in these offences."

Evans had been charged with conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office between 2008 and 2010.

He admitted paying a prison officer for stories about Soham killer Ian Huntley and a serving police officer for information about a search on the home of EastEnders actor Steve McFadden.

The police officer was paid £750, the court heard.

Investigators taking part in Operation Elveden uncovered details of the misconduct by trawling through News International emails, the court heard.

Evans admitted perverting the course of justice by making a false witness statement in the High Court in a civil action brought by interior designer Kelly Hoppen over two attempts to hack her phone.

In mitigation, Evans's lawyer Jonathan Turner said his client had been under intense pressure when the crimes were committed.

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Glasgow Celebrates The Commonwealth Games

The opening ceremony of the 20th Commonwealth Games has taken place in front of a crowd of 40,000 in Glasgow.

The Queen read aloud the message she placed inside the Queen's baton which has been carried across all the Commonwealth nations over the last 10 months.

The ceremony, at Celtic Park, marked the official start of the 11-day competition.

Scottish comedian Karen Dunbar began the ceremony alongside Glasgow-born actor John Barrowman.

The pair sang Welcome to Scotland and then took the audience on a trip around Scotland, featuring a mock Gretna Green, the Loch Ness monster, the Forth Rail Bridge and the home of golf St Andrews.

During a video message at the stadium, Unicef ambassador Ewan McGregor said: "I'm proud to say welcome to Scotland, welcome to Glasgow, welcome to the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games."

Members of the audience sang God Save The Queen, with the mountains and glens of Scotland projected as a backdrop on the giant screen in Celtic Park.

The ceremony also featured singer Amy Macdonald performing Rhythm Of My Heart with Rod Stewart while Susan Boyle sang Mull Of Kintyre.

The Prince of Wales formally opened the last Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.

Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh will continue their visit with a trip to the athletes' village and swimming centre on Thursday.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will also watch some of the games.

Team India, as the hosts of the 2010 games, were the first of the 71 competing Commonwealth members to enter the arena.

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Coastal Deaths At Highest Level In Four Years

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Correspondent

New safety warnings are being issued after figures revealed that the number of coastal deaths has risen.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) says 167 people in the UK died at the coast last year, the highest number in four years.

A further 368 people had to be rescued.

The charity will today launch a Respect the Water campaign with posters and advertisements highlighting the dangers of venturing into the water.

Ross Macleod, the RNLI's coastal safety manager, explained that people can go into shock within seconds and can drown in just a few minutes.

"There are some hidden dangers that people need to be aware of: things like rip currents, which are strong bodies of water which can take you from shallow water out to deep water quickly.

"The best thing to do to avoid that is to swim at a lifeguarded beach between the red and yellow flags.

"Other things surround drinking before you go in the water. Obviously, it can inhibit your ability and judgement in the water, so it's best to have a drink after you've been for a swim and not before."

Slips, trips and falls while walking or running accounted for 32% of last year's coastal deaths, while 17% involved alcohol.

Around 68% of fatalities were men, with experts warning they are more likely to underestimate the power of the sea.

Elizabeth Toogood's uncle drowned after being caught in currents at his regular swimming spot off Weston-super-Mare.

Speaking to Sky News, she warned that anybody can get into danger in the water: "He knew the area really well, he was young, he was fit, he was competent in the water and I think that's what made it even more shocking.

"Nobody really knows how strong the currents are."

The campaign is being held in Portsmouth, Brighton, Clacton, Kingston-on-Thames, Margate, Blackpool, Newquay, Cardiff Bay and Queensferry.

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Tory MP Faces Disciplinary For Partner Assault

Conservative MP David Ruffley is facing disciplinary proceedings after it emerged he had been given a police caution for assaulting his girlfriend.

The matter has been referred to Michael Gove after Mr Ruffley issued an apology through his lawyers for his "inappropriate action" four months after the police were called to his home, saying he did not "condone domestic violence".

The case was raised with Mr Gove by the Dean of St Edmundsbury Cathedral in the MP's Suffolk constituency.

Officers were called to the former shadow police minister's London flat in March after the incident with his partner and he accepted a police caution.

However, he now faces a fight for his political future amid suggestions he lacks support in his Bury St Edmunds constituency and could be dropped by his local Suffolk Conservative association.

Police and church leaders, support groups and local politicians have all called on him to step down.

In a letter to Mr Ruffley, a copy of which was sent to Mr Gove, the Very Reverend Frances Ward, said: "I had received sufficient comment and concern from a wide circle of people, both within the cathedral and through the town and county, to have arrived at the opinion that your position is untenable.

"I hope you take on board the extent of the concerns that I shared with you, for the sake of the town of Bury St Edmunds and the Conservative Party.

David Ruffley with David Cameron in 2010

"It is my belief that you have lost the confidence of a significant proportion of your former supporters and should consider your position."

In his statement, Mr Ruffley said: "In March this year, an incident occurred between me and my former partner, resulting in inappropriate action on my part, which I deeply regret, in respect of which I accepted a police caution for common assault."

He added he had apologised to his former partner and she had accepted the apology and said: "I wish to stress that I would never condone domestic violence under any circumstances."

The local Conservative association has brought forward a meeting of its executive committee from September 9 to July 31 and Mr Ruffley could face deselection ahead of the General Election.

Simon Pott, former vice-chair of the Bury St Edmunds Conservative Association, told Sky News:  "I haven't found anybody who has given him any support. The overriding feeling is that he is going to go.

"The only reason we feel he has given an apology is because he feels his job is on the line."

"He should resign at once and go off to undertake charity work in whichever place will harness his undoubted talents. His place could be taken by someone who has the ability to achieve high office, which is now denied to him."

The Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore, said: "The future of David Ruffley as a Member of Parliament and prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate for the Bury St Edmunds constituency is a matter for their association but I hope I have made my views entirely clear - such behaviour is inexcusable."

The Conservatives confirmed the matter was now being dealt with by the newly appointed Mr Gove.

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Undercover Police Spied On 17 Grieving Families

Seventeen families were spied on by undercover police officers who operated unchecked and by their own rules, a report has found.

The officers were said to have gone too far in investigating relatives of murder victims involved in family justice campaigns including those of Jean Charles de Menezes and Stephen Lawrence.

And it found police on the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad routinely made illicit recordings of conversations and kept information they should not have had.

One reference in the secret police records even referred to a grieving relative planning to go to a funeral although "there was no intelligence to indicate that the funeral would have been anything other than a dignified event".

The family of Jean Charles de Menezes may sue

Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon, who published the report, said: "Unless the information could have prevented crime or disorder it should not have been retained."

He found: "Operation Herne has identified emerging evidence that in addition to the Stephen Lawrence Campaign, a number of other justice campaigns have been mentioned within SDS records.

"Seventeen such justice campaigns have been identified so far. These range between 1970 and 2005, and are as a result of deaths in police custody, following police contact and the victims of murders."

He said families were in the process of being informed they had been targeted by undercover officers.

A police spy was placed in the Lawrence family camp

However, Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt stopped short of an apology and instead said: "I regret enormously the distress that has been caused."

The family of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead by police in the aftermath of the 7/7 terror attack, are considering legal action.

The mother of student Ricky Reel, whose family was targeted by undercover officers after her son was killed, has called for a public inquiry after learning of the findings of the review.

The 20-year-old died after a racist attack and the police investigations into his death were heavily criticised by his family after they failed to establish what had happened and ruled his death was probably an accident.

Metropolitan Police: no apology but 'regret'

The report was highly critical of the management of the SDS, which operated from 1968 to 2008,  adding it had failed to ensure "proper processes and controls".

It said: "Over the 40 years that the unit existed, senior Metropolitan Police management of the day either knew nothing about the existence and activities of the unit or, when they did, they appeared to have allowed the SDS to exist in secret isolation in a manner that was complacent and possibly negligent."

The SDS was set up to infiltrate protest groups but officers on the squad have come under fire for stealing the identities of 42 dead children to use as cover and for "tricking" women into sexual relations in order to carry out their work. It was disbanded in 2008.

A report on the case of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence earlier this year found the Metropolitan Police had placed a "spy" in the Lawrence family camp during the inquiry into the police handling of the investigation.

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Boa Constrictor Warning: Snake On The Loose

Parents have been warned to be on the lookout for an 8ft (2.4m) boa constrictor which could pose a risk to small children.

The reptile was reported missing from an address in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, on Tuesday evening.

Heavy-bodied boa constrictors, which kill their prey by wrapping themselves around it, pose a potential risk to children and animals as they might coil around them seeking warmth.

They can also deliver a nasty bite if they feel threatened.

However, they are not venomous or normally aggressive towards humans.

The snake kills its prey by coiling around it. Pic: File

Sky's Becky Johnson, reporting from Skelmersdale, said the snake might have slithered down the toilet and be hiding in the drains.

"The neighbours didn't even know they had an 8ft boa constrictor," she said.

"It could come up the drain at one of the neighbour's houses, it could also be in the attic.

"Lancashire County Council have been out searching drains, but so far there is no sign of it." 

Experts said the boa constrictor was likely to be sleeping somewhere warm.

Inspector Mark Porter, of Skelmersdale Police, said: "While we do not believe the snake is aggressive or would attack anybody, there is the potential for risk to small children or pets from the animal seeking warmth.

"I would urge anyone who sees the snake to get in touch so that it can be recovered safely."

The police warning came a day after two boa constrictors were found near a children's play area in an east London park.

Police officers removed the snakes with a litter grabber and brown bags.

:: Anyone with information about the disappearance in Bearncroft, Skelmersdale, should contact police on 101, quoting log number 1586 of July 22.

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Peaches Geldof May Have Lied About Drug Tests

Peaches Geldof may have lied to her husband about her weekly drug tests being clear, an inquest into her death has heard.

Thomas Cohen found his wife slumped on the bed in the spare room of their Kent home in April after she failed to answer the phone.

The inquest heard the 25-year-old TV presenter was a heroin addict who had been taking the substitute drug methadone in the two-and-a-half years before her death. 

She had been having weekly drugs tests which she told her husband were negative but, even though he had not seen her take drugs, he became concerned that she might be, the hearing in Gravesend was told.

In February, he found texts suggesting she was taking drugs again and after speaking to her about it, she retrieved heroin from the loft of their Wrotham property and flushed it down the toilet.

Peaches Geldof with her husband Thomas Cohen

Police called to the address on the day she died found 6.9g of "importation quality" heroin with a street value of up to £550, along with drugs paraphernalia including syringes and burnt spoons.

Analysis of the brown powder concluded it had a purity of 61%.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Fotheringham, who led the investigation, said it "far exceeded" the 26% purity usually found at street level.

He told the inquest that forensic scientist Emma Harris found a high level of morphine in Ms Geldof's blood, suggesting she died "shortly after taking heroin" and that it was "likely" the substance played a role in her death.

In her report, Dr Harris said: "Persons taking heroin on a regular basis develop a tolerance to the drug, and such individuals can use doses that would be toxic, or fatal, to people with no tolerance.

"However, tolerance to heroin and other opiate drugs appears to be lost fairly rapidly when users cease to use the drug, and deaths commonly occur in people who have previously been tolerant and have returned to using heroin."

Det Insp Fotheringham also told the inquest there is an ongoing police investigation into who supplied the drugs to the mother-of-two, but so far there had been no arrests.

The coroner Roger Hatch, who found the model's death was drugs-related, said the purity of the heroin had been a factor.

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Govt Accused Of Russian Arms Double Standards

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The UK Government has been accused of double standards over its continued arms sales to Russia.

It is still exporting £132m of weapons to Russia despite the shooting down of flight MH17 and previously promising to cancel all arms-related contracts to Moscow.

As of May, there were 285 outstanding licences allowing UK companies to export arms either to Russia or another country which might then in time sell weapons to Russia.

The Government responded by saying the licences were only weapons for civilian uses such as clay pigeon shooting.

However, Sir John Stanley, the chairman of Arms Exports Controls Committee, said details showed UK firms were selling missile parts.

William Hague said extant licences would be suspended

When asked on Sky News whether it was certain the arms were not sold for Russian military use, Sir John, a Tory MP, said: "No, I don't think that is an assumption you can make.

"If you look in detail - and we have published the entire list of the exports that are extant to Russia - if you go through the entire list I don't think that components for air to air missiles, components for air to ground missiles, components for missile launchers ... are going to go to any civilian organisation in Russia.

"They must be going to the Russian security services and defence forces."

He has written to the Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, asking whether the government plans to revoke the remaining licences.

In March, his predecessor, William Hague, promised "the UK will now, with immediate effect, suspend all extant licences and application processing for licences for direct export to Russia for military and dual-use items destined for Russian armed forces".

Sir John has written to Philip Hammond

However, to date, only 34 of the 285 contracts have been cancelled and the list of arms and parts UK companies still sell to Russia includes sniper rifles, body armour, assault rifles, communications equipment, small arms ammunition and night sights.

In response to the figures, the Foreign Office issued a statement saying the "majority of export licences that remain in place for Russia are for commercial use but we are keeping all licences under review".

"This Government has not approved any licences for the export of rifles or ammunition to the Russian military," the statement added.

On Tuesday, France accused the UK Government of hypocrisy for putting pressure on them over a £1bn arms contract with Moscow.

There were further questions raised for David Cameron over double standards when Labour released figures which it claimed showed the Conservatives had benefited from £1m of donations from Russian firms and individuals.

Of particular note was an alleged £160,000 payment from Lubov Chernukhin, whose husband was finance minister in Vladimir Putin's first administration, for a tennis match between the Prime Minister and Boris Johnson, with Tory strategist Lynton Crosby as ball boy.

It was an auction prize at a fundraising event.

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Adele's Son Wins Damages For Paparazzi Photos

Singer Adele's son Angelo Adkins is to get a five-figure sum in damages at the High Court over paparazzi photos.

The case was brought against Corbis Images UK Ltd by the singer and her partner, Simon Konecki, over photographs of his "milestone moments".

Adele's lawyer said she was determined her two-year-old son was not and must never be "public property".

"It is a matter of profound sadness that many of his milestone moments, such as his first family outing and his first trip to playgroup, were photographed and published worldwide expressly against his family's wishes," solicitor Jenny Afia told Mr Justice Bean in London.

"Adele and Simon never encourage such photos. Quite the opposite.

"The parents' view is that these images were of routine, everyday family occasions which the paparazzi has no right to intrude upon, profit from and file away in picture libraries for future reference and use."

Corbis will pay damages and legal costs and has agreed it will not use the photos again, Ms Afia added.

The lawyer told the judge that the singer accepted and enjoyed her public profile as a world-famous singer and songwriter.

"She is extremely grateful to the public and press for their support in helping her achieve international acclaim," she said.

As a result of Corbis agreeing the payment, Adele and Mr Konecki have withdrawn a claim against other defendants in connection with photos taken of their little boy.

Ms Afia said: "Adele and Simon are pleased this matter has been resolved. They continue to do all they can to protect Angelo's rights in relation to the paparazzi, including taking legal action where necessary.

"They will be holding the damages on trust on behalf of the claimant for this purpose.

"They will also continue efforts to improve the laws relating to paparazzi and children generally, building on the successful campaign Adele helped fund in California resulting in far stricter harassment laws."

Later, the lawyer said the case showed taking photographs could be as intrusive as publishing them.

"This case also emphasises a dividing line between celebrities who strive to keep their children out of the spotlight and those who make them part of their brand," she said.

"The children of famous parents are not celebrities. The law can, will and should protect them."

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Russian Donor Row: Boris Could Scratch Match

Labour Lists Tory 'Russian Donors'

Updated: 1:58pm UK, Wednesday 23 July 2014

Labour has released a list of donations it claims the Conservative party has received from those with links to Russia, or who may be hit by the sorts of sanctions David Cameron says must be imposed.

Totaling just under £1m (£910,000), the donations allegedly come from people including:

:: George Piskov, who Labour claims is close to the Conservatives and the Russian regime. In 2007, he allegedly joint hosted a party at the House of Lords, inviting guests to savour 'the spirit of Russia';

:: Alexandre Germanovich, who is said to have donated £10,000 to Conservative Campaign Headquarters, also known as CCHQ, in 2007. Labour says he is an executive board member and director to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, a $10bn (£5.87bn) fund established by the Russian government; and

:: New Century Media, which allegedly donated £91,000 to the Tories. Labour said it believes the company, which it said has been working closely with organisations such as Positive Russia that seek to portray Putin and Russia in a positive light, invited Vasily Shestakov and billionaire Andrei Klyamko to the Tories' summer ball in 2013.

Here is the list, as released by the Labour party:

George Piskov

:: George Piskov has donated £17,378 to the Tories, including a £10,000 donation direct to CCHQ in 2012.

:: Piskov is a Russian banker, chairman of the board of directors of Uniastrum Bank and of Protobase Laboratories, a money transfer company.

:: Piskov sold an 80% stake in Uniastrum Bank for £295m to the Bank of Cyprus in 2008. However, the deal has come under scrutiny and was referred to regulators in October 2013. There are questions surrounding the acquisition with board members apparently failing to act upon advice received, and Piskov has categorically denied allegations of kickbacks to grease the deal.

:: George Piskov is close to the Conservatives and the Russian regime. In 2007 he jointly hosted (with the Conservative Peer Lord Northbrook) a party at the House of Lords, inviting guests to savour 'the spirit of Russia', also attended by the ambassador of the Russian Federation, Yuri Viktorovich Fedotov.

Lev Mikheev

:: Hedge fund manager Mikheev has donated £96,000 to the Conservative party, either to CCHQ or Westminster local associations, between 2010 and 2012. 

:: Formerly of Moore Capital, he set up his own hedge fund, Salute Capital, which specialised in trade in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

:: The fund was liquidated following poor results and Mikheev returned to his previous role.

Alexandre Germanovich

:: Germanovich donated £10,000 to CCHQ in 2007.

:: On LinkedIn, he describes his specialities as including "Government relations".

:: Is executive board member and director to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which is a $10bn (£5.87bn) fund established by the Russian government.

:: Member of the board of directors and chairman of the strategy committee to State Transport Leasing Company, which is a wholly government owned company providing leasing services to the transport industry. 

:: As part of his work for Severstal he "managed lobbying assignments" to the Russian government.

:: He started his career as a journalist covering the Kremlin, where he "contributed over 400 stories on Vladimir Putin's administration, participating in all foreign state visits and personal briefings with the Russian president, (and) conducted first ever exclusive interviews with Russian Prime Minister and President Dmitry Medvedev".

Alexander Temerko

:: A former vice president of oil giant Yukos, Temerko fled Russia and received British citizenship after being charged for fraud.

:: He is a director of Offshore Group Newcastle (OGN), which specialises in offshore wind and gas and oil platforms

:: He has personally donated £259,230 to the Conservative party, either to the central office or to local associations.

:: OGN has also donated £185,325 to the Conservative party.

:: Temerko is a member of the exclusive 'leaders group' of donors, who are invited to private events and dinners at No 10, attended by the Prime Minister and other key cabinet members.

:: Temerko reportedly bought a bust of David Cameron for £90,000 at the Conservative summer ball. He reportedly donated this to the Carlton Club, another high profile Conservative donor.

:: OGN has also benefited from millions of pounds in grants from the regional growth fund, as well as the increase in the 'strike price' paid for offshore wind power.

Lubov and Vladimir Chernhukhin

:: Lubov Chernhukhin reportedly paid £160,000 at the most recent Tory summer ball for a game of tennis with David Cameron.

:: She had previously donated £5,500 to the Conservative party.

:: She is also married to Vladimir Chenhukhin, former deputy finance minister of the Russian Federation.

:: Chenhukhin was a director of Aeroflot, JCS Russian Agricultural Bank, Vneshekonombank and Polyous Gold International Limited until April 2014.

:: He famously bought the former Midland Bank building in the City for £72m, with the aim of turning it into a six-star hotel. However, he has since defaulted on payments and administrators have been appointed.

New Century Media

:: New Century Media, which reportedly had a table at the Tory summer ball, list as one of their specialisations: "We have particularly strong credentials in Russia and the CIS, providing strategic advice to governments, major companies and high profile individuals doing business in or with Russia and other central and eastern European countries. New Century has an established office in Moscow which ensures the seamless delivery Russian corporate services offering."

:: New Century Media has donated £91,000 to the Conservative party.

:: Run by former Member of Parliament, David Burnside, New Century is believed to represent a number of high profile clients with links to the Russian Federation.

:: New Century is believed to represent Ukrainian billionaire Dimitry Firtash, who has been indicted on corruption and bribery charges in the US.

:: It is believed that New Century Media, which has been working closely with organisations such as Positive Russia, which seeks to portray Putin and Russia in a positive light, invited Vasily Shestakov and billionaire Andrei Klyamko to the summer ball.

:: Klyamko owns Ukraine's Smart Holding Group, Regal Petroleum and has large stakes in Iron ore companies Metinvest and Yuzhny GOK.

Waterford Finance

:: Described as a "financing boutique", Waterford Finance has donated £63,000 to the Conservative party between 2010 and 2013.

:: Since its incorporation, Waterford has been successful in raising finance, managing asset portfolios and directly investing in counties within the Former Soviet Union (including Kazakhstan), the Middle East, and South America, primarily in the oil and gas upstream sector and in gold exploration and production, during which time it has build partnerships with large number of multinational conglomerates and financial institutions, as well as with the players with detailed local knowledge such as Soyuzneftegaz in Russia and Kazkommertsbank in Kazakhstan.

:: Business in Russia includes a 25% holding in Astrakhan Oil Corporation, a private oil exploration and production company.

:: Waterford has a number of Russian directors.

:: Yuri Shafranik, the former Russian energy minister, is/was previously on the board of Waterford (2011). He has been described as "Vladimir Putin's pathfinder in oil markets".

:: Michael Kroupeev

:: Alexei Kroujikov

:: Another director, Vasili Evdokimov, set up law firm called Laptev & Partners in London to specifically cater for Russian clients.

Xenon Capital

:: Xenon Capital partners are a leading Russia-based investment and advisory firm.

:: Xenon donated £10,000 to the Conservative Party in 2010.

:: It has particular interests in the energy market:

:: Xenon acts as the Investment Advisor for Rusenergo Fund, Russia's largest utility fund, which is invested in significant minority stakes across a broad range of Russian electricity generation, transmission and distribution companies.

:: It lists Lord Clanwilliam or Patrick Gillford as a senior advisor, who was recently listed as attending the summer ball.

:: He has donated £10,000 to the Conservative party and also donated £3,200 to David Cameron's leadership campaign.

:: He was previously on the board of Polyous Gold, which also boasts Vladimir Cherhukhin as a former director.

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Woman Killed By Car 'May Have Been Pushed'

Two pedestrians killed on a busy Norfolk road had seperately asked someone to call the police shortly before their deaths, detectives have revealed.

The man and woman, believed to be Lithuanian nationals in their 20s who were living in the area, died on Sunday afternoon after being hit by a car on the A47 east-bound at Terrington St John.

Police say they are treating the woman's death as suspicious following accounts by some witnesses that she may have been pushed into oncoming traffic.

Both the man and woman were walking barefoot towards King's Lynn on the busy dual carriageway at the time.

Det Chief Inspector Paul Durham, said that officers were trying to piece together the pair's movements but help from other witnesses is needed.

The first reported sighting of them is at 12.30pm on the Elm roundabout at Wisbech. At 1.20pm they stopped at Worzals Farm Shop in Walpole Highway and each asked an assistant to call police, giving no explanation about why. 

They left before police were called, the detective said.

He went on: "Witnesses then see them again walking along the verge of the A47 eastbound dual carriageway, where they are struck and killed by a single vehicle at 2.15pm.

"They would have posed an unusual sight - the woman wearing a bright pink vest-top and the man in designer-style jean shorts - both walking barefoot along one of our busiest trunk roads on one of the hottest days of the year.

"We need to find out how and why this tragedy occurred and I would urge anyone who thinks they may have seen them in the area, at any time on Sunday morning, to come forward with information."

The man is described as slim, white, 6ft 1in and with short dark hair. He was wearing blue knee-length jean shorts and a grey T-shirt.

The woman is described as slim, white, 5ft 7in, and with long auburn hair. She was wearing a bright pink vest top and black knee-length leggings.

Police are trying to trace next of kin and will not reveal the pair's identity until their families have been told.

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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Litvinenko Public Inquiry: Why Announce It Now?

Key Dates Leading Up To Litvinenko Inquiry

Updated: 12:08pm UK, Tuesday 22 July 2014

A public inquiry into the death of poisoned Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko has been announced by the Government.

Here are the key events leading up to the announcement.

::  October 2000 - Alexander Litvinenko and his family flee Russia, despite an order telling him not to leave Moscow.

::  November 2000 - the former spy asks for asylum at Heathrow Airport.

::  May 14, 2001 - the UK grants him political asylum.

::  November 1, 2006 - Mr Litvinenko is taken ill after having tea with former agents Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun at a hotel in London.

::  November 23, 2006 - the ex-KGB officer dies of poisoning by radioactive polonium-210.

::  May 22, 2007 - Director of Public Prosecutions Ken Macdonald decides there is enough evidence to charge prime suspect Mr Lugovoi over Mr Litvinenko's death - he subsequently denied involvement, accusing Mr Litvinenko of being a British spy.

::  July 2007 - Russia refuses to extradite Mr Lugovoi on the grounds that it is against the Russian constitution to extradite someone without firm evidence.

:: October 2011 - A London coroner announces there will be an inquest into Mr Litvinenko's death, with a High Court judge looking at all the evidence, including the various murder theories.

::  May/June 2013 - The inquest is put on hold as the coroner says a public inquiry would be better.

::  July 2013 - The British Government rules out public inquiry.

::  February 2014 - Mr Litvinenko's widow, Marina, wins a seven-year fight to force a public inquiry when the High Court backs her case.

::  July 22, 2014 - Home Secretary Theresa May announces a public inquiry is to be held, saying she "hopes it will be of some comfort to his widow".

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Trojan Horse Report: There Was Islamist Plot

School 'Trojan Horse': A Timeline

Updated: 1:26pm UK, Tuesday 22 July 2014

:: March 7

A letter is sent to Birmingham City Council, apparently from an Islamic extremist, giving details of a "takeover" of Birmingham schools known as Operation Trojan Horse. The plot, it says, has seen four head teachers removed from post and replaced with Islamist appointments.

It highlights 12 other schools that are to be targeted. The letter has now been widely denounced as fake but is thought to have been written by someone who was trying to draw attention to the problem.

:: March 10

Birmingham City Council launches a five-point response plan announcing a six-month investigation into allegations to be led by former head teacher Ian Kershaw. A review group will oversee the work.

:: March 22

Park View Academy, one of the schools at the centre of the allegations is to be placed in special measures, according to senior education sources, who leak the details of an Ofsted inspection.

::April 14

Birmingham City Council announces Peter Clarke, the former Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism boss, will oversee the Trojan Horse inquiry. Community leaders say it sends out the wrong message.

:: May 28

Head teacher Tim Boyes discloses he warned the Department for Education in 2010 about a plot by Islamic hardliners to infiltrate Birmingham schools.

:: June 2

A leaked Ofsted inspection on the Golden Hillock school finds it "failed to protect children from extremism".

::June 3

The former chairman of governors at Golden Hillock, John Ray, says he raised Islamist infiltration fears with John Major's government in 1994.

:: June 4

Comments by Education Secretary Michael Gove are leaked to The Times in which he is critical of the Home Office approach to tackling extremism. In response the Home Office releases a letter from Theresa May to Mr Gove asking why his department did not tackle fears of an Islamist takeover plot when they were raised in 2010.

:: June 5

A leak of the Ofsted report into Golden Hillock school, run by the Park View Educational Trust, shows it is to be placed in special measures.

:: June 6

After three statements insisting they work well together, Mr Gove says he is "not at war with Theresa May".

:: June 7

Mr Gove is made to apologise for his comments and Mrs May's aide Fiona Cunningham is forced to resign for her response to The Times story. She told journalists: "Why is the DfE wanting to blame other people for information they had in 2010? Lord knows what more they have overlooked on the subject of the protection of kids in state schools? It scares me."

:: June 8

Downing Street releases some details of Ofsted reports on the 21 Birmingham schools that have been inspected as part of the Trojan Horse response. Schools are accused by Ofsted of covering up evidence of infiltration and some are placed in special measures.

David Cameron orders Michael Gove to launch spot checks on schools.

:: June 17

An assistant principal at Park View claimed "plain old Islamophobia" was behind the claims. Lee Donaghy told a panel of MPs that people were failing to differentiate between "Muslims", "terrorists" and "extremists" and twisting events at his school.

:: July 9

Chief inspector of schools Sir Michael Wilshaw told MPs on the education select committee that there was no evidence of actual extremism.

However his inspectors had found schools implicated in the so-called "Trojan Horse" plot used deliberate intimidation against those who did not conform to their ideology, leaving pupils at risk.

:: July 15

The chairman and board of trustees of the Park View Education Trust, Tahir Alam, resign. Michael Gove becomes a victim of the Cabinet reshuffle, losing his job as Education Secretary to Nicky Morgan. Mr Gove becomes Commons chief whip in a period of legislative calm ahead of the next General Election.

Mr Alam also urged the new Education Secretary to "urgently consider" removing Ofsted head Sir Michael from his position for what he called his "role in this fiasco".

:: July 22

The report carried out by Mr Clarke finds: There has been co-ordinated, deliberate and sustained action, carried out by a number of associated individuals, to introduce an intolerant and aggressive Islamic ethos into a few schools in Birmingham."

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MH17: Families And Futures 'Ruined' By Crash

Russia Only Needs To Create Doubt Over MH17

Updated: 12:50pm UK, Tuesday 22 July 2014

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

From a cavernous situation room inside the Russian Ministry of Defence, the Lieutenant-General set out Russia's version of events.

The briefing was carried live on Russian state TV and handed out on DVDs by Russia's ambassador to Malaysia.

They claim to have detected a Ukrainian military aircraft within 3-5km of the Malaysian Airliner on Thursday.

"The SU-25 fighter jet can gain an altitude of 10km, according to its specification," Lt Gen Kartopolov explained (which happens to be the exact altitude at which MH17 was flying).

"It's equipped with air-to-air R-60 missile that can hit a target at a distance up to 12km, up to 5km for sure.

"We would like to get an explanation as to why the military jet was flying along a civil aviation corridor at almost the same time and at the same level as a passenger plane."

They also claim to have detected an unusual increase in Ukrainian radar activity leading up to the incident, and that the airliner came down "within the operating zone" of Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile defences.

He showed satellite images of a Ukrainian base close to Donetsk, pointing out that its surface-to-air missile units were missing on the day of the crash.

He then appeared to claim that one of the units had moved into rebel-controlled territory on the morning of the crash.

Finally, Russia categorically denied supplying the rebels with Buk surface-to-air missile systems, or indeed any other weaponry.

Now, firstly, it's worth saying there is a propaganda war in both directions here, which has been going on for several months, and that both sides are pursuing interests beyond the immediate tragedy of MH17.

But the questions Russia presents "that Kiev must answer" raise a few questions themselves.

The SU-25 "fighter jet" Russia claims to have identified close to the airliner is a ground attack aircraft - according to its manufacturer its maximum service height, without weapons, is 7,000m - 3km short of MH17.

As Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer pointed out, it's also too slow: "They should have at least claimed it was an SU-27," he said.

And if the rebels don't have the Buk missile system, or indeed any other Russian-supplied weaponry - how did they target the dozen Ukrainian military aircraft they have previously boasted of shooting down?

This included an Antonov-26 transport aircraft, flying at an altitude of 6,500m last week.

It is possible of course that the rebels have acquired weapons from Ukrainian military bases, although the government in Kiev insists it can account for all of its missile systems.

And what exactly is the case Russia is setting out? Is it suggesting the Ukrainian SU-25 (despite its technical limitations) shot down the passenger jet in mid-air?

And why? The plane would seem to have been travelling in the wrong direction for Ukrainian forces to have perceived it as a hostile aircraft coming from Russia, and the rebels don't have an air force.

So are they seriously suggesting the Ukrainians deliberately moved their missiles on to rebel-held territory and shot the airliner down as part of some sort of nefarious plan to frame the rebels and turn world opinion against them?

But then Russia doesn't need to prove its case - all it needs is to create one, to insist that there are different versions of events, that there is credible claim and counter-claim.

In much the same manner as a criminal defence barrister, Russia doesn't have to demonstrate that its alleged client is innocent - just to establish enough doubt in the minds of the jury - in this case the international community - that they can't be completely sure.

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Litvinenko Death: Public Inquiry To Be Held

The widow of poisoned ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko says she is "relieved and delighted" that there will be a public inquiry into his death.

Marina Litvinenko said the Government's announcement there would be a full investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death sent a message to his killers that "no matter how strong and powerful you are, the truth will win out in the end".

Home Secretary Theresa May outlined the terms of the public inquiry in a written statement.

Investigators will now be able to examine whether his killing was a Russian state-ordered assassination, as has been suggested.

Marina Litvinenko had been fighting for a public inquiry

Mr Litvinenko was poisoned by a cup of tea laced with the deadly radioactive element polonium-210 during a meeting at a London hotel in 2006 with two former Russian agents. He died three weeks later.

Mrs Litvinenko has fought for a public inquiry into his death ever since, but the Government refused on the grounds it wanted to wait for the outcome of an inquest into his death.

Mrs May said in her statement: "I very much hope that this inquiry will be of some comfort to his widow."

The Litvinenko affair has caused significant diplomatic ructions between Britain and Russia. Police have asked for the arrests of two prime suspects, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, but the Kremlin has refused.

The announcement of an inquiry could not have come at a worse time for Britain's increasingly frayed relationship with Russia as tensions between the two countries intensify over Vladimir Putin's handling of the Ukraine air disaster.

Andrei Lugovoi is now a Russian MP

Sky's political correspondent Anushka Asthana said: "Sources admit it is 'bad timing' but insist there is no conspiracy. They point to a High Court ruling back in February, following a judicial review by Mr Litvinenko's widow. It said there was a pressing need for an inquiry. So the Government had to act.

"But it did so slowly. Today was its final opportunity, according to the source, because it is the day that Parliament breaks up - and given the ruling it would be inappropriate to wait until after the summer."

Mr Litvinenko fled Russia in 2000 and was granted asylum in Britain. His widow claims he was working for MI6 at the time of his death after meeting Mr Lugovoi and Mr Kovtun at the Millennium Hotel in Grosvenor Square.

Last year, Sir Robert Owen, who was conducting the inquest and would now chair the inquiry, said he could not hold a "fair and fearless" investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death because the Government refused to release information on Russian and British intelligence involvement.

Alexander Litvinenko in 1998

He had said a public inquiry would be the best way to proceed.

Mr Lugovoi, who is now a Russian MP, withdrew his cooperation with the inquest in 2013, accusing the British Government of a cover-up.

He has always denied murdering Mr Litvinenko, but has admitted meeting him shortly before his death, however, traces of radiation at key locations on his route from Moscow to London were found.

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Nurse Guilty Of Plotting To Kill And Eat Girl

A nurse has been found guilty of planning to kill and eat a 14-year-old girl to satisfy his cannibalism fetish.

It took jurors at Canterbury Crown Court three hours of deliberation to convict Dale Bolinger of trying to meet the teenager after sexually grooming her and promising to behead and eat her.

The married father-of-three used a fetish website to discuss beheading and eating women and girls for sexual gratification, the trial heard.

He bought an axe from a DIY store in Broadstairs, Kent, the day before he planned to meet the schoolgirl, who had agreed to the plan.

Bolinger told the girl in one online chat: "The idea of us making love and then eating you is a VERY great turn on!

"I have been called a very generous lover and I would be very generous to you before I prepped you for the table."

However, the teenager, a Mexican girl called "Eva", said to be living in Germany, failed to show up at Ashford International Station as planned.

The plot was uncovered by an FBI team in New York which investigates webchat rooms discussing the rape, killing and cannibalism of women.

A Facebook profile picture of Bolinger

They discovered an email address was being used in Kent and passed the information on to Kent Police who arrested Bolinger.

The 58-year-old, who used a profile picture of supermodel Naomi Campbell on his profile, listed his interests as "cannibalism, mainly the hunting and preparation of young but sometimes not so young women".

Chat logs between Bolinger and users showed him discussing beheading a 14-year-old, eating children while their mothers watched, and cooking and eating a pregnant woman and her foetus, prosecutor Martin Yale told the trial.

Bolinger told police he thought "Eva" was a man in his 30s "surrounded by pizza boxes" and said he would never decapitate someone in reality.

Paul Jarvis, defending, told jurors: "We say that when you look at all the evidence, it's quite clear that Mr Bolinger is far more Walter Mitty than Hannibal Lecter.

"He is a fantasist and sometimes he goes too far and sometimes he stops, and sometimes - when the person encourages him - the fantasy continues."

However, chat logs showed Bolinger had bragged to others about his plan.

He told police he started having fantasies about cannibalism at about the age of six, adding:  "By the time I got to 14, I turned into the villain of the piece and I wondered what it would be like to eat a girl."

Before the trial, Bolinger admitted other charges, including administering a poison or noxious substance after he put a cloth soaked in dry cleaning fluid over his friend Urlene King's mouth in July 2010.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of making indecent pseudo photographs of children, and seven counts of publishing an obscene article.

Judge Adele Williams asked for a psychiatric and a pre-sentence report to be prepared to "assess the level of risk the defendant poses to the public".

Sentencing was adjourned until September 19.

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'Fake Sheikh' Suspended As Tulisa Trial Collapses

An undercover reporter dubbed the "fake sheikh" has been "suspended pending an immediate internal investigation" following the collapse of the Tulisa Contostavlos drugs trial.

The former N-Dubz singer, 26, was accused of brokering a cocaine deal for Mazher Mahmood but the trial has been thrown out after the judge told the jury there were "strong grounds to believe" that Mr Mahmood had "lied".

Reading a statement outside Southwark Crown Court, Ms Contostavlos said the whole case had been a "horrific and disgusting entrapment" by Mr Mahmood and The Sun on Sunday newspaper.

"Mahmood has now been exposed by my lawyers openly lying to the judge and jury. These lies were told to stop crucial evidence going before the jury, " she said.

Ms Constostavlos claims Mr Mahmood's driver Alan Smith had been pressurised into changing his statement to strengthen Mr Mahmood's evidence.

Mr Smith originally suggested he had heard the star talking disapprovingly about drugs but "changed his mind" after a conversation with the undercover reporter, the court was told.

During a pre-trial hearing, Mr Mahmood was asked: "Did you subsequently ask or find out, discuss with Mr Smith anything that was said in the car?"

He replied: "No."

Asked if at any stage he discussed Ms Contostavlos saying she "disapproved" of drugs, he also said no.

Michael Coombs, or Mike GLC, also walked free from court

But the judge said he gave answers which were "entirely inconsistent" when he gave evidence about the same topic at the trial last week.

It can now be reported that, before the trial began, defence counsel argued that the case should be "stayed" - meaning thrown out - but their application was turned down.

In her statement Ms Contostavlos denied ever having dealt or taken cocaine and said she was targeted by the reporter when things were going badly for her.

Ms Contostavlos has urged the police to launch an investigation and said "this type of entrapment should not be allowed to happen to anyone" and added that her life had been ruined for a year.

A Sun spokesman said: "We are very disappointed with this outcome, but do believe the original investigation was conducted within the bounds of the law and the industry's Code. This was demonstrated by the CPS decision to prosecute.

"The Sun, of course, takes the judge's remarks very seriously. Mr Mahmood has been suspended pending an immediate internal investigation."

Explaining his decision to halt the case to the jury, the Judge Alistair McCreath said: "Occasionally - very rarely - circumstances may arise in which a court has to say that, whatever apparent merits a prosecution may have, the court cannot allow the prosecution case to be taken forward to trial."

He said the situation arose from a "fundamental principle" that the court "cannot allow itself to be party to improper conduct".

The Metropolitan Police said it is aware of the judge's decision and will "continue to liaise with the CPS should further work be required".

Earlier Ms Contostavlos appeared ecstatic, punching the air as she left the dock before crying as she hugged supporters including her PA, Gareth Varey, shortly after the case against her was thrown out.

Mike GLC - whose real name is Michael Coombs - pleaded guilty before the start of the trial to supplying half an ounce (13.9g) of cocaine but he also walked free after judge said the case cannot proceed against him.

The 36-year-old also wept as he hugged defence barrister Jeremy Dein QC.

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Mini-Heatwave After 'Unprecedented' Floods

Firefighters say they have had an "unprecedented" number of 999 calls after thunderstorms and torrential rain wreaked havoc in parts of the South East.

Flash floods left a number of streets under water, while lightning struck several buildings.

The storms are likely to give way to another scorching week, with temperatures of 30C (86F) or higher possible for a three-day spell from Wednesday.

But forecasters warned the mini-heatwave could bring yet more heavy showers, thunder and lightning, especially in the South.

Police blamed some drivers for exacerbating the flooding

In Canvey Island, Essex, one of the areas worst hit by Sunday's storms, urban search and rescue teams were sent to help people trapped by rising water.

Flooding was so "widespread" on parts of the island it took nearly 12 hours to bring the situation under control.

Essex Police closed roads in Southend, Rayleigh, Castle Point, Wickford and Ramsden Heath, while Southend University Hospital's accident and emergency department was shut temporarily.

The stormy weather came after a mini-heatwave

Where roads remained open, flood-hit residents were said to be suffering "further anguish" because some motorists were driving too quickly and causing waves of water to enter homes.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service said it had received about 500 weather-related calls.

Assistant chief fire officer Paul Hill said: "Our approach to get through such an unprecedented level of calls was to deal with all risk to life as a priority.

"There was some frustration that with such widespread flooding our crews were unable to pump out properties because there was just nowhere to pump the water away, but we did everything we could to make sure people were and remained safe."

Across the UK, two flood warnings and 21 flood alerts remain in force, with Spixworth Beck, near Norwich, Norfolk, and the River Roach, Prittle Brook and Eastwood Brook in Southend, Essex, at particularly high levels.

John Curtin, the Environment Agency's director of incident management and resilience, said: "As we've seen over the past two days, flooding can happen very quickly, so we urge people to continue to check local weather forecasts and the Environment Agency website for flood risk information on a regular basis.

"We'll continue to monitor the situation closely and support local authorities, who will respond to any reports of surface water flooding."

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Three Dead As Multi-Vehicle Crash Closes A1

Three people have been killed in a crash involving several vehicles on the A1.

The crash happened on a stretch road at Ranby, near Worksop, Nottinghamshire, at 11.20pm on Sunday.

The A1 was closed at Five Lane Ends and Blyth, near the border with South Yorkshire, in both directions.

The northbound carriageway later reopened, but the southbound stretch was expected to be shut for most of the morning.

Nottinghamshire Police have appealed for any witnesses to call officers on 101.

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Man Held After Fellow Climber Falls To His Death

A man has been arrested after a fellow climber plunged to his death from a coastal cliff.

A 51-year-old man was airlifted to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough after falling at Kettleness Point, near Runswick Bay, north of Whitby, at around 12.40pm on Friday.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

North Yorkshire Police said a man his 20s, from the Whitby area, had been arrested and bailed pending further inquiries.

It is believed he was climbing with the man who fell.

Officers have appealed for two walkers who were seen in the area at the time to come forward.

Temporary detective superintendent Steve Smith said: "This is a tragic incident involving two climbers who appear to have got into difficulty, resulting in the death of one of them.

"A full investigation is under way to establish exactly what happened."

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Money Pours Into Newcastle Fans Fund From Rivals

Malaysia Airlines Defends War Zone Flight Path

Updated: 4:48pm UK, Saturday 19 July 2014

A Malaysia Airlines official has defended the company's decision to fly over eastern Ukraine after flight MH17 was brought down.

Hugh Dunleavy, commercial director for the airline, said there had been no incidents involving civilian aircraft using the flight path and Malaysia Airlines had been using it "for quite some time".

However, at least three Ukrainian military aircraft were hit by missiles fired by pro-Russian separatists operating in the region in the week before MH17 was shot out of the sky, killing 298 people. Of the victims, 189 are Dutch.

Mr Dunleavy told Sky News: "Now there's been an incident like this, everyone is looking back saying 'you should have done something different'.

"But at the time we were flying, along with many other airlines on that flight path, there had been no incidents involving civilian aircraft.

"These are routes that are traditionally accepted on a day-by-day basis by the air traffic control authorities so they also consider them safe to fly.

"This was something totally extraordinary, it could just as easily have been the aircraft ahead of Malaysia Airlines or the aircraft behind that was hit."

Mr Dunleavy added the airline would now be using an alternative flight path around Ukraine and they have stopped calling the route MH17 out of respect for the victims. It will now be called MH19.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation, a UN agency and other aviation authorities recently issued a "notice to airmen" (NOTAM) putting the eastern edge of Ukrainian airspace off limits up to 32,000 feet because of the conflict.

But MH17 was flying at 33,000 feet when it was hit by a missile fired from what experts believe was a Buk launcher.

Ukraine has now closed all airspace in the east. 

Ismail Nasaruddin, president of the Malaysian Flight Attendant Union, said some crew members were too distraught to work following the tragedy.

He said: "We have lost 21 crew members in a very short time period. This is not something we like to see.

"We are affected, the crew members are demoralised by the essence of this tragic incident.

"What we are looking at now is probably an event that Malaysia crew members have never experienced before."

Daniel Holland, a military aviation expert, told Sky News airspace above war zones should be sealed off to commercial aircraft.

He said: "When a war zone occurs, everything from ground level up until realistically the level of space needs to be sealed off to any and all commercial traffic just to avoid something like this happening where a plane accidentally wanders over a battle ground.

"You've got that probability that an accidental misfire could occur and strike a civilian target without any real rhyme or reason, other than it being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

On Tuesday, Polish blogger Michael Dembinski suggested flying over eastern Ukraine was "worrying".

He wrote: "Take a look at eastern Ukraine and you'll see a procession of civilian aircraft flying along an air corridor between Luhansk, Donetsk, Horlivka, Kramatorsk - places where battles are raging and people are being killed.

"Yet blithely oblivious to what's happening on the ground, some of the world's largest civilian airliners are criss-crossing the area at 38,000ft."

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