'Asbos For Extremists' To Tackle UK Jihadists

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Home Secretary Theresa May is planning to bring in new laws to tackle the threat of British jihadists - including "anti-social behaviour orders" for extremists.

Mrs May will announce a three-point plan to counter British Muslim extremists, warning that the security threat to the UK will continue for decades.

The measures would target the activities of radical preachers, such as Anjem Choudary, whose extreme rhetoric currently does not constitute a crime.

Full details are yet to emerge, but the new power will be designed to restrict extremists' behaviour and language.

As with an Asbo, it could result in a criminal conviction carrying a jail term if breached.

Mrs May has unveiled her crackdown in an article in the Daily Telegraph.

Theresa May's warning echoes recent comments from David Cameron

She discloses that she will make it illegal to join extremist groups that preach violent views, but are not directly involved in terrorism.

Currently, the threshold for banning membership of organisations, such as the Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIL), requires the Home Secretary to prove that the group is directly involved in terrorist acts.

The new power could target Islamist political organisations and other Muslim groups that tacitly support extremism.

In addition, state-funded organisations such as councils and schools will be given a new legal obligation to combat extremists.

Mrs May uses the Telegraph article to echo a warning about extremism made by the Prime Minister in a newspaper report last weekend.

The Home Secretary writes: "We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a deadly extremist ideology.

Cardiff students Khan (L) and Muthana (C) appeared in an IS video

"We will be engaged in this struggle for many years, probably decades. We must give ourselves all the legal powers we need to prevail.

"I am looking again at the case for new banning orders for extremist groups that fall short of the legal threshold for terrorist proscription, as well as for new civil powers to target extremists who seek to radicalise others."

The measures proposed by Mrs May are similar to recommendations for legislation made by the Government's Extremism Task Force last December.

Those recommendations were surprisingly omitted from the Queen's Speech this year.

But there is no suggestion yet that the Home Secretary plans to introduce emergency legislation when MPs return to the Commons on September 1.

David Cameron said during his brief return to Downing Street from his holiday after the murder of journalist James Foley that there would be "no knee-jerk reaction".

Radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary

The problem of radicalisation was highlighted in June when two Cardiff students - Reyaad Khan, 20, Nasser Muthana, also 20, - were identified in a propaganda video for IS posted on YouTube.

The two men along with Muthana's younger brother Aseel, 17, were lured to join extremists fighting in Syria and Iraq.

And a jihadi fighter in Syria told Sky News in July that he was training British teenagers as young as 16 to fight in the war.

Yvette Cooper, Labour's shadow home secretary, said: "More action is needed to respond to the serious problem of people travelling to fight with ISIL.

"The Home Secretary's confirmation that she is continuing to look at the recommendations of the Prime Minister's Taskforce, announced last December, is welcome.

"Though there remains no detail on things like civil powers to tackle extremists or extremist groups for people to consider.

"However I remain concerned that the Government is not addressing the gaps in the Prevent programme - especially the lack of support for community led approaches to preventing radicalisation.

"And the Home Secretary also needs to respond to the concerns raised by the current and previous Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation about the decision to weaken control orders, where they have advised that stronger measures should be put in place."

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Fast And Furious Pirate Jailed For 33 Months

A computer programmer who filmed Fast & Furious 6 from the back of a cinema then uploaded it to the internet has been jailed for almost three years.

The pirate copy of the film was downloaded 779,000 times, costing one of Hollywood's biggest film-makers almost £2.5m.

Philip Danks, 25, from Walsall, West Midlands, was the first person in the world to record and distribute the movie illegally after filming it on its release day on May 17 last year.

A court heard a special "webwatch" team - set up by LA-based Universal Pictures because the film was so valuable - spotted his copy spreading across the internet.

He was caught when fraud investigators noticed that his online tag 'Thecod3r' attached on the video was identical to his profile on dating website Plenty of Fish.

He was arrested at his home on May 23.

Two days later, he bragged on Facebook: "Seven billion people and I was the first. F*** you Universal Pictures."

Danks boasted on Facebook: "Seven billion people and I was the first"

On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to three charges of distributing pirate copies of films and was jailed for 33 months.

The court heard that he made just £1,000 from selling copies of the film for £1.50 - while the cost to Universal was estimated at £2.3m.

Sentencing Recorder Keith Raynor said: "This was bold, arrogant and cocksure offending.

"You approach to the film industry was made clear in the posting you made on Facebook two days after your arrest.

"I accept the personal profit was modest but the real seriousness of this case is the loss caused to the film industry as a whole."

Prosecuting on behalf of the Federation Against Copyright Theft, Ari Alibhai said: "The film was Universal Picture's most significant release of that year with both the biggest production costs and expected revenue.

The pirated film was recorded at a cinema in Walsall, West Midlands

"The estimated loss to the industry caused by the defendant's actions is conservatively estimated at £2.3m but he did not receive money from the online distribution."

The court heard that although he made money from selling versions of his copy via Facebook or by personal delivery his real motive was "street cred."

Mr Alibhai added: "The first person with a pirated version attracts much kudos. He wanted recognition from the community."

Mr Christopher Loach, defending, said: "He has no real qualifications and is not a man of means.

"He has no substantial assets of any sort and his financial gain has been extremely limited but he was obviously aware that it was a popular film that would be of interest."

Following his arrest, Danks was freed on police bail pending further inquires but continued to offer a dozen films he had copied.

Danks kept people posted on the case through Facebook - but while awaiting sentence he conceded: "Not loking (sic) good"

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Mackay: 'No Excuse' For Offensive Texts

Former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay has apologised for sending a string of racist, sexist and homophobic text messages.

Mackay said there was "no excuse" for the texts, sent while he was boss of the Welsh club.

He said: "Out of 10,000 text messages in and out of someone's phone, I sent three, and that being the case, looking at them, they are completely unacceptable, inappropriate, and for that and any offence I've caused, I sincerely apologise.

"That's something that I did, and for that, there is no excuse."

Mackay was accused of sharing the texts with Iain Moody (L)

Mackay and Cardiff's ex-head of recruitment Iain Moody had been accused of sharing the offensive texts, which were included as part of a dossier of allegations sent to the Football Association by the club.

Both men were sacked by Cardiff last season, long before details of the messages emerged.

Cardiff said LMA chief Richard Bevan should stand down over its statement

The emergence of the dossier appeared put an end to Mackay's hopes of landing the Crystal Palace manager's job, while Moody has resigned as the London club's sporting director over the affair.

The former Celtic and Watford player said he would co-operate with an FA inquiry into the allegations and insisted the texts did not represent his true views.

He said: "I've been in a multicultural football environment for 20 years and I love British football.

"I am no racist and I am no sexist, I'm no homophobe and I'm no anti-Semitic."

Earlier, the League Managers Association (LMA) was forced to backtrack after it was widely criticised for dismissing the messages as "friendly banter".

The initial LMA statement said Mackay had been under pressure when the messages were sent and that he was "letting off steam to a friend during some friendly text message banter".

Cardiff chairman Vincent Tan sacked Mackay and Moody last season

In a new statement on Friday, the association said: it said: "The LMA apologises for some of its wording, in its release yesterday, which was inappropriate and has been perceived to trivialise matters of a racist, sexist or homophobic nature.

"That was certainly not our intention. It is beyond argument that any comments that are discriminatory, even used in private, are totally unacceptable.

"The LMA remains absolutely aware of our responsibility to the game and to promote and uphold the highest standards of behaviour."

Despite the apology, Cardiff have demanded LMA boss Richard Bevan stand down, describing his position as "untenable".

Young footballers told Sky News of their shock at Mackay's behaviour.

Temisan Pop said: "I aspire to be a footballer... It hurts that someone in that position is saying these things. It kind of means, what hope do I have?"

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Hospitals Told To End 'Unfair' Parking Charges

Hospitals have been told to give free or cheap parking to the relatives of chronically ill patients.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said new guidelines for English hospitals have been created in order to end the stress of "unfair" charges.

Patients with disabilities, those who have frequent appointments and members of staff working shifts will also benefit from the changes, Mr Hunt said.

The guidelines state hospital trusts should waive fines when an overstay is beyond the control of the driver, for instance if treatment takes longer than planned.

Jeremy Hunt has come under pressure from Tory backbenchers on the issue

Mr Hunt last month admitted he was concerned about parking fees being charged at some hospitals after being pressed by backbenchers to end "rip-off" costs.

The guidance sets out for the first time that hospital trusts are responsible for the actions of any private firms they use to run parking facilities.

It also calls on hospitals to look at introducing pay on exit systems so those visiting only pay for the time they have used.

Mr Hunt said: "Patients and families shouldn't have to deal with the added stress of unfair parking charges.

"These clear ground rules set out our expectations, and will help the public hold the NHS to account for unfair charges or practices."

Shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne said: "The Tory-led Government scrapped Labour's plans to phase out car parking charges for patients and Jeremy Hunt needs to take responsibility for the fact that, since then, one in four hospitals have increased parking fees.

"Any action to ease the burden of car parking charges on patients and their visitors is welcome. When people go to hospital, the last thing they want to worry about is parking fees."

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Two Men Remanded After Tilbury Docks Death

Two lorry drivers have been remanded in custody after appearing in court in connection with the death of a migrant found in a shipping container at Tilbury Docks.

Essex Police said Stephen McLaughlin, 34, and Timothy Murphy, 33, both from County Londonderry, were charged with people smuggling.

The charge sheet said that the pair "together with other persons unknown" jointly conspired between August 1 and 17 "to do an act, namely clandestinely convey 35 Afghan nationals by sea in to an English port, which facilitated the commission of a breach of immigration law".

Thirty-five people were discovered in a container at the Port of Tilbury, south Essex, on August 16.

Meet Singh Kapoor, 40, from Afghanistan, was found dead inside the airtight container on a ship that had arrived from Zeebrugge in Belgium.

Murphy, from Derry, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court in Essex where he spoke only to confirm his name and personal details.

He was remanded in custody and told he must appear at Basildon Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on a date to be set during the week beginning November 17.

McLaughlin, of Limavady, also spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and personal details from the dock.

He was also remanded to next appear by video-link for a hearing at the same place and at a time to be determined in the same week.

A post-mortem examination on Mr Kapoor had failed to establish the cause of his death and inquiries are continuing.

The rest of the group of Afghan Sikhs from Kabul, including 13 children, survived the ordeal.

They are believed to have fled Afghanistan after suffering persecution and are in the process of claiming asylum in the UK.

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Football Ground Standing Pledge By Lib Dems

Fans of football clubs in England's top two divisions would be able to stand at games under plans put forward by the Liberal Democrats.

The party wants to change the law to allow standing areas to be brought back at the grounds of Premiership and Championship teams.

All-seater stadia were introduced more than 20 years ago in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster which left 96 Liverpool fans dead.

All-seater stadia were introduced in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster

The party stresses it does want a return of the terraces of the 1980s, but says safe standing areas could be introduced using "rail seating", which have been successfully used by top tier clubs across Europe, including in Germany, Austria, and Sweden.

These can be locked in an upright position to allow fans to stand and lean against a barrier, but can also be converted back into seating as required.

Many fans say standing provides a better atmosphere, and the Liberal Democrat's point out 70% of clubs support the move.

It also claims safe standing would enable clubs to cut the cost of tickets.

However, there remains strong opposition with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), which has said previously it would need to be convinced over whether it could work.

The Hillsborough Family Support Group is also against a return of standing at matches.

While the Liberal Democrats stand little chance of winning the next election, the return of another coalition government could see the safe standing proposals form part of negotiations in any power-sharing agreement.

Liberal Democrat sports spokesman John Leech said: "The Liberal Democrats believe football clubs should be allowed to introduce safe standing areas where there is a desire to do so.

"Safe standing is allowed in many other sports and we do not believe that the top level of football should be an exception.

"We are not calling for a return of the terraces of the 1980s. Modern safe standing areas using 'rail seating' operate very successfully in top tier football across Europe.

"When clubs and fans are in favour of safe standing and it can be done safely, then the Government shouldn't get in the way.

"That is why Liberal Democrats want to change the law to let clubs introduce safe standing.

"Safe standing offers supporters more choice, a better atmosphere and cheaper tickets."

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James Foley's 'British' Killer: What We Know

As intelligence officials scramble to identify the black-clad killer of James Foley, few details have emerged.

This is what is known so far of the Islamic State (IS) militant who appears in a propaganda video that shows the beheading of Mr Foley.

The militant who appears in the video

:: "JOHN"

According to a former hostage cited by the Guardian's Martin Chulov, the man calls himself John.

He appears to be left-handed and of average height and built. 

:: ACCENT

Experts say the man speaks with a southeastern English accent. Some identified it as east London. Other possibilities include Essex and Kent.

The voice is one of the things experts will be looking at as they examine the video. Phonetic software will be employed to highlight obvious characteristics in his voice.

Mr Foley went missing in November 2012. Pic: Jonathan Pedneault

:: BEATLES

Mr Chulov told Sky News that, according to the former hostage, John is one of three Britons who act as the guards of foreign prisoners in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa.

Some former hostages refer to this group as "The Beatles".

:: NEGOTIATOR

John has been involved in negotiations with relatives of other hostages in the past. He is believed to have conducted negotiations that led to the release of 11 hostages earlier this year. The release was granted in exchange for huge amounts of cash, according to news reports. 

His face has never been shown, either to hostages or to their relatives in Skype conversations during the negotiations.

Mr Foley's killing has been condemned as barbaric

:: LEADER

John appears to be in charge of the group. Mr Chulov described him as the "leader of the pack".

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley said he appears to enjoy a high level of responsibility within the Islamic State. "This is the interface between IS and the outside world, it's through these hostages.

"Therefore this is a senior figure within it."

:: WELL EDUCATED

The Telegraph reported John was a well-educated, intelligent and highly committed member of IS. Mr Chulov said John likely to have been fighting with IS for at least a year.

:: POSSIBLE MOTIVES

Shiraz Maher, a senior researcher at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, said Mr Foley's beheading is the first time IS has used a "directly confrontational approach" to the Western world.

Other experts noted that using an English-speaking militant in the brutal video is meant to scare the West by showing that IS has the ability to recruit from the West and hit Western targets.

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David Cameron: James Foley Killing 'Barbaric'

David Cameron has condemned the "barbaric and brutal" murder of James Foley after holding crisis talks with intelligence officials.

The Prime Minister spoke after he was briefed in Downing Street by senior officials and the Foreign Secretary on investigations into video footage of the beheading of the US journalist by Islamic State (IS) extremists.

He said: "Let me condemn the barbaric and brutal act that has taken place and let's be clear what this act is - it is an act of murder, and murder without any justification.

"We have not identified the individual responsible, but from what we have seen it looks increasingly likely that it is a British citizen.

"This is deeply shocking. But we know that far too many British citizens have travelled to Iraq and travelled to Syria to take part in extremism and violence.

"And what we must do is redouble all all our efforts to stop people from going."

US journalist James Foley was killed by a man with a British accent

Mr Cameron said there would be no "knee jerk" escalation of British military involvement in the region and that the UK would stick to a "very clear foreign policy" of working with the new Iraqi government and helping arm the Kurds in their fight against the jihadists.

He added:  "I have been very clear as Prime Minister over the past four years that this battle that we face against Islamist extremism - not the religion of Islam but a poisonous, extremist, violent narrative - is a generational struggle.

"It is a battle we have to fight in our own country, it is a battle with allies using everything that we have - our aid, our diplomacy, and yes on occasions our military powers - that we have to fight, whether it is dealing with this problem in Somalia, in Mali, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Syria, because as much as we want to focus on keeping ourselves safe here at home ... what happens in these other far-flung places can come back and cause huge harm here too."

The PM cut short a family break in Cornwall following the release footage appearing to show a masked man - speaking with a British accent - killing Mr Foley, who was seized by armed men in Syria in November 2012.

Scotland Yard, which leads counter-terror policing in the UK, has confirmed it is investigating the video and reminded social media users that spreading extremist material is a crime.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander MP said: "The horrific footage of the killing of James Foley has shocked and outraged the world.

Mr Cameron had said he was ready to return from his holiday if needed

"Suggestions that the attack may have been carried out by a UK national are particularly concerning and the Government must now work with international partners to establish the facts and uncover any possible information about the perpetrator."

French President Francois Hollande said the crisis in Iraq represented the "most serious" international situation since 2001.

Meanwhile, UKIP leader Nigel Farage called on the Government to stop Britons who have gone to fight for IS from returning.

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Dog Walker Dies After Row: Man Arrested

A man has been arrested on suspicion of killing a dog walker who suffered a serious head injury during a dispute over their pets

Peter Morley fell during an argument with the owner of two Staffordshire bull terrier-type dogs which are believed to have attacked his small terrier-type dog, Bella, in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex on July 20.

The 74-year-old died 10 days after sustaining the head injury in Turkey Road.

Sussex Police said the 36-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and bailed until November 9.

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GCSE Pass Rate Falls For Second Year Running

The overall GCSE pass rate has fallen for the second year running amid concerns changes to the exam system would hit results.

But the proportion of GCSE exams awarded at least a C grade has risen, official figures show.

Just over two thirds (68.8%) of entries scored A*-C, up 0.7 percentage points on last summer, according to statistics published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

The A*-G pass rate is down 0.3 percentage points to 98.5% from 98.8% in 2013.

The proportion of entries awarded the highest grade has also fallen slightly, with 6.7% gaining an A*, down from 6.8% last year.

There have been improvements in maths results, but English grades are down

It is the third year in a row that this has dropped.

Changes to the exam system brought in by Education Secretary Michael Gove have led to warnings of "volatility" in this year's results.

These include the removal of speaking and listening assessments from English and having less coursework, placing more importance on end-of-year exams.

Pupils have also been stopped from sitting exams early for some course units, which facilitated resits.

There are concerns the so-called "Gove effect" could threaten students chances of getting into a top university or even sixth-form college.

Michael Gove introduced a series of changes to GCSE exams

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), which represents many secondary school leaders, said: "There are individual students who last year, or the year before, with the same work, might have got a higher grade."

Results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland showed a sharp drop in English grades, with 61.7% of entries scoring A*-C, down 1.9% from last summer.

This is believed to be the biggest drop in the qualification's history.

Meanwhile, maths saw an opposite result, with 62.4% of entries gaining an A*-C grade, up a massive 4.8% on 2013.

Pupils in Birmingham get their grades

The statistics also revealed the gender gap has widened at grade C and above this year, with 73.1% of girls' entries scoring A*-C compared with 64.3% of boys'.

Michael Turner, director general of the JCQ, said: "There has been a significant amount of change to the system this year and although UK level figures are relatively stable we expect more schools and colleges to see volatility in their results."

Defending the Government's school reforms, Education Minister Nick Gibb told Sky News said: "Our education system can't remain static.

"It has to improve, it has to compete with the improving standards in other countries around the world."

He added: "In terms of volatility, we have ended this absurdity where students were being repeatedly entered for re-sits and early entry, and schools that were over-reliant on that approach will have seen some volatility in their results.

"By ending this obsession with the exam treadmill we have given more time for teachers to teach and students to learn."

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MH17 Victim Liam Sweeney's Funeral Held

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Grief-stricken relatives have said farewell at the funeral for the first of 10 Britons killed onboard the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.

Hundreds of mourners, including Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew and team captain Fabricio Coloccini, packed St Mary's Catholic Cathedral in the heart of the city for a service in memory of 28-year-old supermarket worker Liam Sweeney.

Mr Sweeney's father Barry (centre) carries his coffin

Football fanatic Mr Sweeney and his friend John Alder, 63, died while on their way to New Zealand to watch Newcastle United play in pre-season friendly matches.

They were among 298 passengers and crew killed when the aircraft was apparently brought down in Ukraine last month. 

Friends read poetry reflecting Mr Sweeney's devotion to football before the funeral procession passed Newcastle's St James Park on its way to a private crematorium service. 

Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini (L) and manager Alan Pardew

The club has announced the creation of an Alder-Sweeney Memorial Garden outside the stadium as a permanent feature.

In the cathedral sermon Canon Robert Spence described the fan as "a gentle giant" from a close family who "deserved his place in Geordie mythology".

He referred to his "passion for all things related to Newcastle United" and said that he would attend not only first-team home and away matches but also under-21 games while "filling the gaps" by watching local matches refereed by his father Barry.

Newcastle United is creating a memorial garden for the fan and his friend

Prayers were said for all victims of the MH17 tragedy.

Dutch-led forensic teams are still working to identify the remains of many of the flight's passengers.

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Bullying Partners Could Face Five Years In Jail

People in a relationship who consistently emotionally and psychologically bully their partner could face jail under Government plans.

The legislation is aimed at protecting victims whose partners threaten them with violence, cut them off from friends or refuse them access to money.

Home Secretary Theresa May is looking at creating a new offence which would give emotional abuse the same status under law as physical abuse.

Currently non-violent coercive and controlling behaviour is covered by legislation that concentrates on stalking and harassment. This does not explicitly apply to intimate relationships.

Polly Neate, Women's Aid chief executive, said: "This is a vital step forward for victims of domestic violence.

"Two women a week are killed by domestic violence, and in our experience of working with survivors, coercive controlling behaviour is at the heart of the most dangerous abuse."

The Home Secretary said: "The Government is clear that abuse is not just physical. Victims who are subjected to a living hell by their partners must have the confidence to come forward.

"Meanwhile, I want perpetrators to be in no doubt that their cruel and controlling behaviour is criminal."

The Government has also introduced the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, known as Clare's Law after 36-year-old Clare Wood who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2009, which enables the police to disclose information about previous violent offending by a partner.

And the introduction earlier this year of Domestic Violence Protection Orders means perpetrators of domestic abuse can be prevented from returning to the home for up to 28 days.

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PM Back In No 10 After Journalist Beheading

David Cameron has arrived back in Downing Street after cutting short his holiday following the beheading of a US journalist.

The Prime Minister's return follows the release footage appearing to show a masked man - speaking with a British accent - killing James Foley, who was seized by armed men in Syria in November 2012.

Mr Cameron, who had been on a family break in Cornwall, did not respond to questions from waiting journalists, heading instead straight into No 10 holding his official red box.

Earlier, he said: "If true, the murder of James Foley is shocking and depraved. I will today chair meetings on the situation in Iraq/Syria."

Mr Cameron said he was ready to return from his Cornish holiday if needed

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the video appeared to be genuine and was "an appalling example of the brutality of this organisation".

Mr Hammond told Sky News: "This is an evil organisation with an evil ideology."

The PM will be briefed by senior intelligence officials and the Foreign Secretary as investigations are carried out following the release of the horrific video footage by Islamic State (IS) extremists.

British intelligence services are trying to piece together evidence to identify the killer.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander MP said: "The horrific footage of the killing of James Foley has shocked and outraged the world.

"Suggestions that the attack may have been carried out by a UK national are particularly concerning and the Government must now work with international partners to establish the facts and uncover any possible information about the perpetrator."

Meanwhile, the French President Francois Hollande said the crisis in Iraq represented the "most serious" international situation since 2001.

Mr Cameron had only been in Cornwall for a day, where he was pictured with his wife Samantha sipping coffee at Surfside cafe on Polzeath beach in Wadebridge.

He insisted he remained in control while on holiday and was "always within a few feet of a BlackBerry".

Earlier this month, the PM had to cut short a holiday to Portugal to respond to the Iraq crisis, and said he would do the same again "instantly" if necessary.

Mr Cameron has said Britain should use all its assets, including its "military prowess", to help tackle the threat posed by Islamic State (IS) extremists in Iraq, but insisted the UK would not get drawn into another war.

Meanwhile, UKIP leader Nigel Farage has called on the Government to stop Britons who have gone to fight for IS from returning.

He said: "It would be totally unforgivable and unacceptable for UK nationals who have made the decision to go and fight for Islamic State militants in the Middle East to be permitted to return to the UK and quietly slide back into our communities to take advantage of all that modern Britain has to offer."

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British IS Militants 'Not Taking Back Seat'

An expert in radicalisation has warned that Britons are at the forefront of the Islamic State conflict in Iraq and Syria and could be called upon to carry out attacks in the UK.

Shiraz Maher, a senior researcher at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, said there was evidence of British involvement in several attacks in Syria.

Some 400 Britons are thought to be involved in the Islamic State (IS) conflict. Others are thought to have come from the US, Australia and France among others.

Mr Maher told Sky News: "It's very clear that the Brits who have gone out there don't intend to take a back seat and they haven't done at any point.

Muhammad Hamidur Rahman, from Portsmouth, was killed in Syria Pic: Facebook

"They are very much at the forefront of this conflict.

"Because of the dramatic, the appalling nature of what has taken place, it has publicised what some of the British fighters out there are doing to a much wider and broader audience."

Mr Maher said a British suicide bomber targeted Aleppo prison in Syria in 2013 and there were reports of British fighters executing prisoners of war in Syria in early 2014.

A Crawley father-of-three Abdul Waheed Majeed, 41, became the first Briton suspected of staging a suicide bomb attack when he attacked the jail in Aleppo in February.

In May, 18-year-old Abdullah Deghayes, from Brighton, was killed while fighting in Syria alongside his two brothers Jafar and Amer.

In June, Cardiff students Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan - both 20 - appeared alongside Abdul Raqib Amin, from Aberdeen, in an IS recruitment video urging Westerners to join the fighting.

Ahmed Muthana said he has now disowned his two sons Nasser and Aseel after they joined IS.

Abdul Raqib Amin, from Aberdeen, was reportedly killed in Syria last month

In a message to others thinking of joining the group, he said: "Don't go they are a fake. The prophet didn't tell anyone to kill people."

Amin, 26, was reportedly killed in a gun battle near Ramadi in July.

And earlier this month, 25-year-old former Primark supervisor Muhammad Hamidur Rahman, from Portsmouth, was reportedly killed while fighting for IS in Syria.

Initially, many people went out to Syria and Iraq to help alleviate human suffering, but attitudes have hardened, Mr Maher said.

"Over time what you have seen is a hardening of attitudes, a desire not to go and help people but to build an Islamic state to engage in this millenarian project and that has motivated scores of people to go out there," Mr Maher said.

"They are seeing their friends doing it, so when they see a certain number of people doing it that in their minds makes what is quite a remarkable thing - to give up your life, to go out there and join these groups - it makes it real, tangible and feasible."

The beheading of US journalist James Foley is the first time IS has used a "directly confrontational approach" to the Western world, he said.

IS fighters could later be used to carry out attacks in their native countries if the group's aim of establishing and Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria is prevented.

Mr Maher added: "A lot of the militants who are out there fighting for IS traditionally and largely say they don't intend to return, they want to say out in Syria and Iraq, live out there lives there and ultimately die there.

"If that intensifies then of course its feasible that they may look to some of the British fighters in their ranks and try to look at sending some of them back to do attacks here."

Ajmal Masroor, an imam in north London, told Sky News a consistent approach towards Islam was needed to curb extremism.

Asked if he though IS fighters were terrorist, he said: "I think Muslims across the globe would say... 'not in our name'.

"These people have hjiacked and given a very bad name to Islam and destroyed the reputation of the Muslim community across the globe.

"What we have to do is not give these nutters, these terrorists, these extremists any [more] credence than then have already got."

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Letter Bomb Attacks: Four Held In Londonderry

Four people have been arrested over several attempted letter bomb attacks, including a number targeting Army recruitment offices.

Detectives made the arrests in Londonderry, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said.

The two men, 35 and 46, and two women, 21 and 44, have been taken to the PSNI's Serious Crime Suite in Antrim.

Devices described as crude but potentially explosive were mailed to seven Army careers offices in southeast England in February.

They were discovered in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury, Aldershot, Reading, Chatham and the Queensmere shopping centre in Slough.

Last October, another series of letter bombs were sent to high profile political and security figures, including one addressed to Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers at Stormont Castle in Belfast.

In March this year, two more devices were intercepted at postal sorting offices in Lisburn and Derry. 

Both were addressed to Maghaberry high security prison in Co Antrim.

None of the devices exploded.

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Cliff Richard Pulls Out Of Portugal Ceremony

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent In Portugal

Sir Cliff Richard has pulled out of a ceremony where he was to be awarded the Keys of the City of Albufeira near his holiday home in Portugal.

The millionaire pop star, who is facing an historical sex assault allegation, was to receive the region's top civic honour on Wednesday.

A dozen others were given medals of merit during a day of celebrations to mark the granting of an ancient charter.

Sir Cliff told officials he would not be there and stayed in his villa in the hills above the Algarve resort where he has had a summer home for more than 50 years.

Mayor Carlos Silva e Sousa told Sky News: "Cliff was to receive the gold Key of the City because he is a distinguished member of Albufeira.

The claim relates to an event held by preacher Billy Graham in 1985

"He is not here today because it is his choice, but we have kept the invitation and hope to give him his award some time."

The city's full council voted in secret and unanimously to make the award two weeks ago.

The mayor said Sir Cliff had planned to attend the ceremony but sent a message recently to say he had to decline the invitation.

Mr Silva e Sousa added that he was aware of the police investigation into an allegation that Sir Cliff had sexually assaulted a young boy at an evangelical rally in Sheffield in 1985.

He said: "I don't know why he is not here. It doesn't change my opinion of him. We are very proud of him. He is a big man."

Police searched Sir Cliff's home in Berkshire last week

Officials said they had agreed with Sir Cliff's decision because his presence would have overshadowed the ceremony.

The medals of merit were awarded to three individuals - one posthumously - and nine organisations who were said to have promoted Albufeira around the world.

Sir Cliff bought his first villa here in 1961 in a resort that has become popular with British holidaymakers.

Twenty years ago he bought a bigger home and planted a vineyard on a plot near a bigger estate where he makes his own wine in partnership with a friend.

He spends several weeks at his Portugal home each summer, usually arriving after visiting the Wimbledon tennis championships and staying until September.

Sir Cliff performs at the O2 Arena in 2009

He has rarely been glimpsed on the 30-acre estate since police raided his UK home in Berkshire last week.

Sir Cliff has also pulled out of a performance at Canterbury Cathedral in September and apologised for the disappointment and inconvenience.

He has described the sex allegation as "completely false" and said he would co-operate with the police investigation.

Detectives said they want to speak to him and are expected to interview him in the next few weeks.

Sir Cliff's close friend Cilla Black said earlier this week she is "absolutely positive" the allegation is untrue.

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Hundreds Of Police Breach Rules On Social Media

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Reporter

Hundreds of police employees have been investigated for breaching social media guidelines at forces across England and Wales.

The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, show a total of 828 cases were reported to police, ranging from social media gaffes to sackable offences involving harassment, and posts of a sexual, racist or homophobic nature.

A total of 14% of the investigations resulted in no further action being taken or the individual having no case to answer, but 9% ended in a resignation, dismissal or retirement.

The police regularly use Twitter, Flickr, Facebook and other social media platforms to connect with the public and to help with crime prevention and detection.

Greater Manchester Police recently posted the 7,000th image on its Flickr account.

Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) guidelines state officers and police staff should avoid using the internet while off-duty or after having drunk alcohol, due to the potential for their judgement to be impaired.

They also warn of the propensity for criminals to trawl the internet and identify personal information about police employees "with a view to embarrassing, discrediting, harassing, corrupting or blackmailing them or their families for their own benefit".

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, of Greater Manchester Police, is the ACPO lead on social media.

A total of 548 of those investigated were police officers

"Social media is a key tool for us in having conversations with communities, using it not only to pass information but to receive information about crime and incidents, help people make informed choices," he said.

"All police employees are covered by the code of ethics that was introduced earlier this year.

"So staff must act with integrity, with fairness, with honesty, openness, and regardless of whether they are tweeting as John Smith or Joanna Smith, if they are recognisable as a PC or a member of police staff, then they have to be taking into account the code of ethics."

According to the Press Association, who submitted the FOI request, the investigations included:

:: A PCSO with Devon and Cornwall Police who received a final written warning for posting photos on Facebook of themselves with weapons.

:: A civilian member of police staff who posted a comment on Facebook regarding the actions of Muslims in central London failing to observe a two-minute silence. It was alleged the language used "could be regarded as offensive/inappropriate or likely to cause offence to other persons", police said.

:: A Gwent PC who acted inappropriately while attending a member of the public's home address and asked her to become a friend on Facebook, later sending a message through the site. They received a written warning.

:: Two special constables in Northampton who resigned after they were pictured on Facebook in a "compromising position".

:: A civilian with South Yorkshire Police who was accused of harassing an ex-partner via Facebook. They resigned prior to misconduct proceedings.

Chief Constable Alex Marshall, chief executive of the College of Policing, said: "People working in policing must always be mindful of the high standards that the public expect from us.

"Our code of ethics, which was launched last month, sets out the standards which everyone in the service should strive to uphold whether at work or away from work, online or offline."

Additional details provided by most forces under FOI laws showed 548 of those investigated were police officers, compared with 175 civilian staff and 31 PCSOs.

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Rail Passenger Fares To Rise By 3.5% In 2015

Rail Fare Rises Put Pressure On Chancellor

Updated: 1:00pm UK, Tuesday 19 August 2014

By Tadhg Enright, Business Reporter

Hundreds of thousands of train commuters are facing ticket price increases of 3.5% from next January - almost three times the rate of average wage growth - increasing pressure on the Chancellor.

Annual fare increases are based on the retail price index for July, a measure of inflation which includes housing costs, which the Office for National Statistics has calculated at 2.5%.

Rail companies are allowed to increase fares at a rate of July Retail Prices Index plus 1%, which means that most rail users travel costs will go up by 3.5%. However, on a limited number of routes, fares can be increased by a further 2%.

Based on the Bank of England's recent forecast that average wages will increase by 1.25% this year, it means that commuters will have to spend more of their disposable income on getting to work.

Martin Abrams, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "By deliberately ramping up rail fares, [the]Government is hitting the living standards of everyone who relies on the train to get to work.

"There are the large numbers of rail commuters living in marginal constituencies. They will be looking to Government to bring a permanent end to this annual fiasco."

The Government is being urged to revise its rules for fare increases.

Passenger Focus said despite expensive commuter fares, occasional travellers can get some of the cheapest fares in Europe - if bookings are made several months in advance.

It said British rail operators are increasingly using an airline-style pricing structure, with last-minute bookings much higher in price.

But the minister responsible, Claire Perry MP, told Sky News that above inflation increases are needed to fund the redevelopment of the country's rail infrastructure.

"There is an unprecedented investment and it is a rail renaissance," Ms Perry said.

"The challenge is making sure fares are fair and commuters can travel in comfort."

Protests have been organised at more than 40 train stations around the country by trade union activists, who say it is another reflection on how privatisation has failed and consumers would be better served by bringing back British Rail.

"People will simply be priced off the railways while the greedy train operating companies are laughing all the way to the bank," RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said.

"We are once again ratcheting up the highest rail fares in Europe to travel on some of the most clapped-out and overcrowded services."

Last year, in his Autumn Statement, Chancellor George Osborne intervened to limit this past year's increase to just the RPI figure.

Campaigners have warned that, with a General Election looming next spring, he will come under pressure to do so again.

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Sir Cliff Richard Hires High-Profile Lawyer

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent, Portugal

Sir Cliff Richard has hired the celebrities' go-to criminal lawyer to defend him against a sex assault allegation.

London solicitor Ian Burton flew into Portugal with a colleague and spent five hours in a meeting at the pop star's wine estate overlooking the Algarve coast.

Sir Cliff, 73, was spotted saying goodbye to them at the door of his villa before an aide drove them back to Faro airport to catch their return flight.

The pop star has rarely been seen since returning to his home near Albufeira on Friday, the day after police raided his Berkshire apartment as part of a sex assault investigation.

A man has accused Sir Cliff of sexually attacking him during an evangelical rally in Sheffield in 1985.

The multi-millionaire singer emerged in the grounds of his Portuguese home on Saturday when six friends arrived by car to play tennis.

Sir Cliff played a singles game on Sunday, but did not play on Monday as he spent time with the lawyers.

A man has accused Sir Cliff Richard of sexually assaulting him in 1985

Mr Burton, the senior partner in the firm he founded Burton Copeland, is considered one of the Britain's most successful and experienced lawyers.

He has represented football manager Harry Redknapp, who was cleared of tax evasion, PR agent Max Clifford, who was jailed for sex offences, and former Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed.

His company has also represented TV cook Nigella Lawson, jockey Kieren Fallon, who was acquitted of race-fixing, and the late singer Amy Winehouse.

The online law guide Legal 500 described Mr Burton as "tough and canny" and wrote in an assessment of his ability: "If there is a chance of nipping an investigation in the bud, he will do it."

Mr Burton, 67, said in an interview four years ago: "Anybody can go out and learn the law. Anyone can read a book. Anyone can interpret the law, understand the law.

"But you can't suddenly bolt on the experience of actually having dealt with the thing, actually implementing it when there is a dawn raid."

Sir Cliff denies the sex assault accusation and has criticised South Yorkshire Police for not warning him about the UK raid, but inviting a BBC news crew to film it.

Detectives have spoken to Sir Cliff's lawyers and they are expected to question him in the next few weeks after examining items removed during the raid.

Police were also interviewing a number of people who have contacted them with information in the past few day.

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Inflation Drops More Than Expected In July

The two measures of UK inflation have dropped more than expected in July, prompted by discounting on the high street.

According to official data, the Retail Prices Index (RPI) stood at 2.5% and the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) was 1.6%.

Economists had expected a CPI rate of around 1.8%, after official figures showed a June rate of 1.9%.

CPI now appears to be headed back towards May's figure of 1.5%, which at the time was the lowest level for four-and-a-half years.

Inflation has been below the Bank of England (BoE) 2% target for seven straight months - the first time this has occurred since 2005.

The RPI, which unlike the other measure includes housing costs, was recorded in June at 2.6%.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the biggest contributor to the slowing annual inflation rate was discounting on the high street for clothing and footwear.

This was because retailers held off on price cuts throughout June.

Food and non-alcoholic drinks also fell year-on-year, and the CPI was also eased by falling spirits and wine prices.

The ONS said the average house price in London is now £499,000

Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told Sky News: "The fact that inflation has been below the Bank of England target for seven consecutive months shows that subdued inflation is now becoming the norm as the economy recovers.

"Eliminating the deficit fairly, and repairing the UK economy remains central to the role of Liberal Democrats in Government.

"These encouraging inflation numbers should give businesses the confidence they need to deliver the investment required to boost productivity. Rising productivity is the only route to sustainable increases in living standards."

The data comes as commuters learned they would face a 3.5% increase in rail fares next year, which uses the RPI figure plus 1% to calculate increases.

The further drop to the CPI eases pressure on the BoE to hike the 0.5% base rate, which has been at its historic low for the last five years.

Meanwhile, the ONS said UK house prices increased by 10.2% in the year to June, reaching a new high average price of £265,000.

House prices in the capital, however, shot up by 19.3% in the year to June.

It calculated the average house price in London at £499,000, and said that "house prices are increasing strongly across most parts of the UK".

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Coach Overturns On Motorway And Lands In Ditch

Dozens of children on a coach trip to the seaside have escaped injury after their vehicle crashed and overturned on a motorway, ending up in a ditch.

Of the 53 passengers on board, six including one child and five adults, were slightly hurt in the accident on the M5 in Gloucestershire.

They were described as "walking wounded" while the driver suffered a back injury.

The child was taken to Bristol Children's Hospital while the adults were transported to Southmead Hospital.

The coach crashed on the M5 near Dursley

The group was on their way to the Somerset resort of Weston-super-Mare when the crash happened on the southbound side of the motorway between junctions 13 and 14, near Dursley.

They had been picked up from a children's centre in West Bromwich, West Midlands, and were due to spend the day at the seaside.

Police said the vehicle which left the carriageway before crashing was from Stourbridge-based Prospect Coaches.

A spokesman for the Gloucestershire force said: "Police were called shortly before 10am after a southbound coach left the M5, overturned and landed in a ditch at J13.

"Fifty-four people, believed to be of various ages, were on board, including the driver.

"Transport is being laid on to convey the passengers from the scene."

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Cameron Admits Policies Have 'Hurt Families'

All government policies will have to pass a "family test" under plans announced by David Cameron.

The Prime Minister used a speech to admit children and parents have often suffered as the result of legislation.

From October, Whitehall impact assessments for policies will have to formally consider their effects on families, alongside factors such as cost effectiveness and the environment.

Mr Cameron also unveiled figures that showed adoptions have increased by a quarter following efforts to improve the system - and a doubling of funding for relationship counselling through Relate, to £19.5m.

"I want every government department to be held to account for the impact of their policies on the family," the PM said.

"The reality is that in the past the family just hasn't been central to the way government thinks.

"So you get a whole load of policy decisions which take no account of the family and sometimes make these things worse.

"Whether it's the benefits system incentivising couples to live apart or penalising those who go out to work or whether it's excessive bureaucracy preventing loving couples from adopting children with no family at all.

"We can't go on having government taking decisions like this which ignore the impact on the family.

"I said previously that we would introduce a family test into government. Now that test is being formalised as part of the impact assessment for all domestic policies.

"Put simply, that means every single domestic policy that government comes up with will be examined for its impact on the family."

Education Minister Nick Boles told Sky News: "It basically will say if you have got a policy, you want to get it through, you have got to be able to demonstrate with evidence that this policy is going to be help families and not in any way do anything to undermine families, and that actually a very powerful tool in government to make sure all policies are furthering that goal."

Mr Cameron's speech comes as the Government prepares to launch an extension of its programme to tackle troubled families, set up by the Prime Minister following the 2011 riots across English cities.

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Cameron: 'We Are Not Going To War In Iraq'

David Cameron has insisted that Britain will not be getting involved in another war in Iraq.

He spoke out after reports Britain had briefly sent some ground troops to Irbil, to prepare the way for a rescue mission to help displaced Yazidi people.

His comments came amid reports on Iraqi state TV that Kurdish troops have retaken the strategic Mosul dam from Islamic militants.

The UK is considering arming peshmerga troops fighting IS extremists

Peshmerga fighters have been battling Islamic State fighters, with the aid of US airstrikes, after the dam was seized by the militants 10 days ago.

The Islamic State group denied they had lost control of the dam and there were reports of fierce fighting on the southern side of the facility.

Mr Cameron made his strongly worded statement this morning amid confusion over the UK's involvement in Iraq after a series of media interviews by senior ministers. 

He said: "I want to be absolutely clear to you and to families watching at home. Britain is not going to get involved in another war in Iraq.

A US airstrike against an IS position near Mosul Dam

"We are not going to be putting boots on the ground. We are not going to be sending in the British Army."

Mr Cameron has previously conceded that Britain's role will go beyond humanitarian aid and involve limited action to prevent violence spreading to British streets.

But he said: "So we are helping the Kurds, we are working with the Iraqi government to make sure it is more representative of the whole country.

"And, of course, we are working with neighbours and allies to put the maximum amount of pressure on IS and make sure it is properly dealt with.

Michael Fallon says Britain's involvement could last 'weeks and months'

"We have said that if the Kurds, the peshmerga, want to have arms from us, that is something we would consider favourably."

Mr Cameron appeared on television after Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the UK's Iraq mission would likely last "weeks and months".

Mr Fallon was addressing British troops in Cyprus as it emerged that UK soldiers have been back on the ground in Iraq for the first time since 2009.

The soldiers, from the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire regiment, were briefly sent to Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, to prepare the way for a Yazidi rescue mission.

Sheikh Khalah Sheikh Alyas: 'IS killed our young people'

It is understood the rescue operation would involve Chinook helicopters and the ground troops remained in the country for only 24 hours.

Sky News Political Correspondent Anushka Asthana said the UK's position on Iraq was "a little confusing" after various newspaper and TV interviews by the PM and Mr Fallon.

Asthana said some had interpreted the PM's commitment to providing more than humanitarian aid in Iraq as meaning there would be military action.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said discussions with the Kurdish regional government were focusing on what weapons to supply Kurdish troops.

Kurdish officials will take part in negotiations on forming a new Iraqi government, according to the outgoing foreign minister Hoshiyar Zebari.

It paves the way for improved ties between Kurds and the central administration.

The retaking of Mosul Dam - the country's largest dam - would be considered a major victory in the fight against militants.

Army spokesman Lt Gen Qassim al-Moussawi said the dam itself was secured by peshmerga troops and Iraqi security forces.

But he said that the southern side of the complex remains contested and that fierce fighting is underway to free that area.

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Britons' Swim Ordeal After Tourist Boat Sinks

Two Britons have received hospital treatment and two people remain missing after a tourist boat sank while travelling between islands in Indonesia.

The tourists were on a boat travelling from Lombok island to the Komodo Islands when the vessel is believed to have been hit by stormy weather.

A total of 23 people have been rescued - including the two Britons - but the fate of two foreign tourists is not known. 

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office confirmed the two Britons had been hospitalised following the accident on Saturday night. 

"We are in contact with the local authorities about the incident and stand ready to offer consular assistance to any other British nationals who may be involved," the spokeswoman said.

Several boats have been involved in the search for survivors

An Indonesian search and rescue official said the boat was carrying 20 foreigners and five locals in total.

The boat sank at 7pm on Saturday, but the alarm was only raised with rescue teams at 8am on Sunday due to "poor communication",  the official said.

Local fishermen saved a number of people near the island of Sumbawa before the rescue team arrived, he said.

Ten people were rescued first on Sunday, including tourists from  Britain, New Zealand, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and France.

French survivor Bertrand Homassel described how the boat started sinking after it was damaged in a storm.

The journey between Lombok and Komodo can take three days by boat

Speaking from a hotel in Bima on Sumbawa, where the survivors were taken after being rescued, he said: "Six people were in the lifeboat. The others climbed on to the roof of the boat, which had not completely sunk.

"We waited until midday on Saturday. We were five kilometres (three miles) from the coast - there were many big waves separating us from the coast.

"People started to panic ... Everyone took the decision to swim to the closest island, five kilometres away, where there was an erupting volcano."

Mr Homassel said the group swam for six hours before arriving at the island of Sangeang, where they survived the night by drinking their own urine and eating leaves.

They were rescued on Sunday after they attracted the attention of a passing boat.

Rescue official Budiawan, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said: "They were all found together, some in a lifeboat and some floating with their life jackets on around 60 miles (100km) off Sape.

"Budiawan, head of the search and rescue agency on Lombok island which lies to the west of Sumbawa, said they were now in the town of Sape.

"The search operation is continuing this morning, and involves the military and police."

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Julian Assange Will Leave Embassy 'Soon'

What Has Julian Assange's WikiLeaks Achieved?

Updated: 1:22pm UK, Monday 18 August 2014

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

Four years ago, WikiLeaks was the future of whistleblowing and perhaps even journalism - a new era in transparency and accountability.

The Afghanistan and Iraq war logs, supplied by Chelsea Manning and published by WikiLeaks, dominated the news.

US Vice President Joe Biden called the website's founder Julian Assange "a terrorist".

Even before Mr Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, WikiLeaks had grown quiet, though, offering fewer agenda-setting scoops and, instead, more esoteric revelations.

'Trade in Services Agreement - Financial Services Annex', anyone?

It still aimed for large-scale leaks, but it disappointed.

Last year, it released 1.7 million diplomatic and intelligence papers. From the 1970s.

WikiLeaks' Twitter feed - thought to be run by Mr Assange - also became unhinged.

It ranted when The Guardian chose Malala Yousafzai as its person of the year to suit the newspaper's "pro-war" agenda.

It also said that the attacks on the US embassy in Benghazi were justified by UK's police presence outside the Ecuadorian embassy. 

In the meantime, another whistleblower has found more notoriety - and had more impact - than Mr Assange ever did.

Edward Snowden may also be holed up under the protection of a foreign government, but he continues to shape the news agenda.

Like Mr Assange, he also worked with mainstream media organisations like The Guardian and the New York Times. 

If WikiLeaks was about "exploiting the scale, reach and immunity afforded by the network of the internet", as Charlie Beckett has written, Mr Snowden went either one step forwards or backwards.

Backwards, because he worked with newspapers, just like an old-fashioned whistleblower.

Forwards, because thanks to his technical prowess, he was able to make off with millions of documents - information on the network scale - and, thanks to a pretty savvy manipulation of modern communications tools, he continues to influence events remotely.

Essentially, he played the same role as Chelsea Manning, but has managed to control the story a lot better.

Mr Snowden didn't need WikiLeaks to help with any of that, which must aggrieve Mr Assange. 

Even if Mr Assange does leave the embassy, it probably won't mean the rejuvenation of WikiLeaks. The story has moved on and it hasn't.

But its influence is still considerable.

Every news organisation now has their own take on WikiLeaks' dead drop boxes for electronic documents.

And the power of gathering vast troves of information, then using sophisticated search and tagging techniques to comb them, has become part of journalism. 

While Mr Assange spent two years watching box sets of The Twilight Zone and The West Wing, others have been getting on with WikiLeaks' stated aim: "To bring important news and information to the public."

And they've been using the techniques pioneered by WikiLeaks to do it.

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Abseilers Give Big Ben's Great Clock Some TLC

Big Ben's Great Clock has been getting a wash from cleaners who have heads for heights.

High above Westminster, a team of experts abseiled down from the 314ft tower to check the four dials of the iconic timepiece.

As well as cleaning the faces, they are also inspecting for any damage.

The work is expected to take about a week.

The clock was installed in the tower in April 1859, and at the time cost £2,500 to make.

At first, it did not work as the cast-iron minute hands were too heavy.

Once they were replaced by lighter copper hands, it successfully began keeping time on May 31, 1859.

The gongs of the Great Bell were heard for the first time on July 11 of that year.

The name Big Ben is often used to describe the tower, the clock and the bell but the name was first given to the Great Bell.

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Legal Highs 'More Lethal Than Heroin' Warning

Glastonbury Backs Legal Highs Blackout Campaign

Updated: 2:50pm UK, Tuesday 06 May 2014

The Glastonbury festival website has been blacked out in support of a campaign against so-called "legal highs".

Visitors to the festival's website saw a light bulb and the message: "Don't Be In the Dark About Legal Highs."

It is part of a campaign called Don't Be In The Dark by members of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF).

Upon clicking the light bulb, information on "legal highs" appeared, allowing users to find out more about them or go to the normal page.

More than 20 other festivals, who have already banned "legal highs" at their events, took part by blacking out their websites and not posting anything on social media accounts.

They were: T in the Park, Bestival, Lovebox, Global Gathering, Secret Garden Party, Sonisphere, We Are FSTVL, 2000trees, ArcTanGent, Kendal Calling, Festibelly, Blissfields, Truck, Brownstock, Y Not Festival, Tramlines, Belladrum Tartan Heart, Hebridean Celtic Festival, Leefest, Nozstock, Wakestock, Shambala, Glasgow Summer Sessions, Parklife and Eden Sessions.

"Legal highs" are designed to produce similar effects to illegal drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

This is because many are advertised as "not for human consumption" and sold as bath salts, research chemicals or plant food.

AIF co-founder and vice chair Ben Turner said "legal highs" are a "serious concern".

He said: "The substances have managed to fly under-the-radar purely by evolving faster than the monitoring bodies can regulate.

"Banning it at our festivals is only part of the battle however, we need to make fans aware of the dangers of legal highs and help them make safer choices when having fun on site."

Maryon Stewart, founder of the Angelus Foundation, which warns of the dangers of the substances, said: "Legal highs are a huge but hidden problem because young people are acting in ignorance and no-one is measuring the harms.

"As the lead organisation raising awareness of these substances, Angelus is delighted the festivals are taking the issue seriously and helping to keep their audiences safe."

The Reading and Leeds festivals, which are not members of the AIF, banned "legal highs" last year.

A report released earlier this year showed that there has been a large rise in the number of deaths linked to them.

The number of cases in which novel psychoactive substances were identified as the cause of death rose from 10 in 2009 to 68 in 2012.

The research by St George's, University of London, also showed the prevalence of the drugs in post-mortem toxicology tests increased from 12 in 2009 to 97 in 2012 - a jump of 800%.

The government has launched a review into the substances which will consider whether legislation is necessary to protect public health.

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Murder Suspect Released From Prison By Mistake

An inquiry is under way after a man awaiting trial for murder was released from jail by mistake, despite protesting to prison officers that he was supposed to be on his way to court.

Martynas Kupstysj, 25, was waiting in line at Lincoln prison when prison staff handed over his belongings and informed him he was a free man.

Despite telling them that he was due in court with other inmates he was escorted outside and told he could leave.

A confused Mr Kupstysj spent the next few hours wandering around Lincoln city centre while prison officers who realised their mistake launched a frantic search for him.

Prison staff eventually spotted the inmate waiting at a bus stop outside the prison and he was taken back into custody.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson confirmed the prisoner had been freed by mistake.

"A prisoner from Lincoln was released in error on 8 August. The police were notified immediately and he was arrested within hours. An investigation by a senior governor has been launched," she said.

"We take public protection extremely seriously and this type of incident is a very rare but regrettable occurrence."

HMP Lincoln governor Peter Wright told the Lincolnshire Echo the mix-up was "a very grave matter".

"An independent investigation has been launched by the prison service," he said.

"This should not happen. I've made dramatic changes already. It was a fundamental breach of what we are here to do."

Lithuanian Mr Kupstysj is charged, along with his brother-in-law Andrus Giedraitis, with the murder of 24-year-old Latvian Ivans Zdanovics, whose body was found following a fire at his Lincolnshire home in January.

Mr Kupstysj's wife Sandra Giedraityte, 28, is charged with perverting the course of justice.

The men will now face a retrial early next year.

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Police Hunt Lorry Driver In CCTV Footage

Belgian police say they are almost certain they have CCTV images of the lorry and driver that dropped a container carrying 35 immigrants at a UK-bound ferry.

Crews discovered the group - thought to be victims of human trafficking - when "banging and screaming" was heard at Tilbury Docks in Essex.

One man was found dead and others were rushed to hospital suffering from severe dehydration and hypothermia.

Interpol and other international forces are now helping Essex Police trace the lorry's route across Europe and find the suspected traffickers.

Peter De Waele, a spokesman for Belgium's federal police, told Sky News that detectives were checking "every image" of CCTV from Zeebrugge port.

"We have a lot of cameras and we are very hopeful for having information about identification of the driver.

Police at Tilbury Docks

"When you know that in this area there are a lot of cameras, you know also that we have plenty of information about the truck and the driver, and the firm who put the container in Zeebrugge."

Mr De Waele said the container was only at the busy port for about an hour and police believe the victims were probably already inside when it arrived.

Essex Police have launched a "homicide" investigation after the death of the male immigrant and detectives said charges could include murder or manslaughter.

Superintendent Trevor Roe said the probe would "span a number of countries".

Seven ambulances rushed the immigrants to three different hospitals when the alarm was raised early on Saturday morning.

Among them, 18 were taken to Basildon Hospital with dehydration and hypothermia, two in a serious but not life-threatening condition.

The hospital has now said the group - which included seven children - are "medically fit enough" to be released.

Basildon Hospital says 18 of the group can be discharged (File Pic)

Information on the ages of the immigrants or the relationship between them has not yet been released.

The group were found at 7.35am on Saturday when the Norsteam, a commercial ship run by P&O Ferries, was being unloaded in Tilbury.

The container was loaded onto a ship in Zeebrugge

Natalie Hardy, a company spokeswoman, said the ship had travelled overnight from Belgium and was carrying 64 containers, 72 trailers and five lorries and drivers.

"When they went to unload containers there was a noise heard, a banging. One unfortunately was dead and others were taken to hospital."

James Brokenshire MP, immigration and security minister, has called the incident a "reminder of the often devastating human consequences of illegal migration" and said gangs are dealing in a "brutal trade in human lives".

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PM Warns Of Terror State On Europe's Doorstep

'Poisonous Extremism' Warning

Updated: 10:57pm UK, Saturday 16 August 2014

By David Cameron, Letter In The Sunday Telegraph

Stability. Security. The peace of mind that comes from being able to get a decent job and provide for your family, in a country that you feel has a good future ahead of it and that treats people fairly.

In a nutshell, that is what people in Britain want - and what the Government I lead is dedicated to building.

Britain - our economy, our security, our future - must come first.

After a deep and damaging recession, and our involvement in long and difficult conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is hardly surprising that so many people say to me when seeing the tragedies unfolding on their television screens: "Yes, let's help with aid, but let's not get any more involved."

I agree that we should avoid sending armies to fight or occupy.

But we need to recognise that the brighter future we long for requires a long-term plan for our security as well as for our economy.

True security will only be achieved if we use all our resources - aid, diplomacy, our military prowess - to help bring about a more stable world.

Today, when every nation is so immediately interconnected, we cannot turn a blind eye and assume that there will not be a cost for us if we do.

The creation of an extremist caliphate in the heart of Iraq and extending into Syria is not a problem miles away from home.

Nor is it a problem that should be defined by a war 10 years ago. It is our concern here and now.

Because if we do not act to stem the onslaught of this exceptionally dangerous terrorist movement, it will only grow stronger until it can target us on the streets of Britain.

We already know that it has the murderous intent. Indeed, the first Isis-inspired terrorist acts on the continent of Europe have already taken place.

Our first priority has of course been to deal with the acute humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

We should be proud of the role that our brave armed services and aid workers have played in the international effort.

British citizens have risked their lives to get 80 tons of vital supplies to the Yazidis trapped on Mount Sinjar.

It is right that we use our aid programme to respond rapidly to a situation like this: Britain has given £13 million to support the aid effort.

We also helped to plan a detailed international rescue operation and we remain ready and flexible to respond to the ongoing challenges in or around Dahuk, where more than 450,000 people have increased the population by 50 per cent.

But a humanitarian response alone is not enough. We also need a broader political, diplomatic and security response.

For that, we must understand the true nature of the threat we face.

We should be clear: this is not the "War on Terror", nor is it a war of religions. It is a struggle for decency, tolerance and moderation in our modern world.

It is a battle against a poisonous ideology that is condemned by all faiths and by all faith leaders, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim.

Of course there is conflict between Shias and Sunnis, but that is the wrong way to see what is really happening.

What we are witnessing is actually a battle between Islam on the one hand and extremists who want to abuse Islam on the other.

These extremists, often funded by fanatics living far away from the battlefields, pervert the Islamic faith as a way of justifying their warped and barbaric ideology - and they do so not just in Iraq and Syria but right across the world, from Boko Haram and al-Shabaab to the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

So this threat cannot simply be removed by airstrikes alone. We need a tough, intelligent and patient long-term approach that can defeat the terrorist threat at source.

First, we need a firm security response, whether that is military action to go after the terrorists, international co-operation on intelligence and counter-terrorism or uncompromising action against terrorists at home.

On Friday we agreed with our European partners that we will provide equipment directly to the Kurdish forces; we are now identifying what we might supply, from body armour to specialist counter-explosive equipment.

We have also secured a United Nations Security Council resolution to disrupt the flows of finance to Isis, sanction those who are seeking to recruit for it and encourage countries to do all they can to prevent foreign fighters joining the extremist cause.

Here in Britain we have recently introduced stronger powers through our Immigration Act to deprive naturalised Britons of their citizenship if they are suspected of being involved in terrorist activities.

We have taken down 28,000 pieces of terrorist-related material from the web, including 46 Isis-related videos.

And I have also discussed the police response to this growing threat of extremism with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

The position is clear. If people are walking around with Isis flags or trying to recruit people to their terrorist cause, they will be arrested and their materials will be seized.

We are a tolerant people, but no tolerance should allow the room for this sort of poisonous extremism in our country.

Alongside a tough security response, there must also be an intelligent political response. We know that terrorist organisations thrive where there is political instability and weak or dysfunctional political institutions.

So we must support the building blocks of democracy - the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, the rights of minorities, free media and association and a proper place in society for the army.

None of these things can be imposed by the West. Every country must make its own way. But we can and must play a valuable role in supporting them to do that.

Isis militants have exploited the absence of a unified and representative government in Baghdad. So we strongly welcome the opportunity of a new start with Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi.

I spoke to him earlier this week and assured him that we will support any attempts to forge a genuinely inclusive government that can unite all Iraqi communities - Sunnis, Shias and Kurds - against the common enemy of Isis, which threatens the way of life of them all.

The international community will rally around this new government. But Iraq's neighbours in the region are equally vital.

So we must work with countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the UAE, Egypt and Turkey against these extremist forces, and perhaps even with Iran, which could choose this moment to engage with the international community against this shared threat.

I want Britain to play a leading role in this diplomatic effort. So we will be appointing a Special Representative to the Kurdistan Regional Government and using the Nato summit in Wales and the United Nations General Assembly in New York to help rally support across the international community.

Finally, while being tough and intelligent, we must also be patient and resolute. We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a poisonous and extremist ideology, which I believe we will be fighting for the rest of my political lifetime.

We face in Isis a new threat that is single-minded, determined and unflinching in pursuit of its objectives.

Already it controls not just thousands of minds, but thousands of square miles of territory, sweeping aside much of the boundary between Iraq and Syria to carve out its so-called caliphate.

It makes no secret of its expansionist aims. Even today it has the ancient city of Aleppo firmly within its sights.

And it boasts of its designs on Jordan and Lebanon, and right up to the Turkish border. If it succeeds, we would be facing a terrorist state on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a Nato member.

This is a clear danger to Europe and to our security.

It is a daunting challenge. But it is not an invincible one, as long as we are now ready and able to summon up the political will to defend our own values and way of life with the same determination, courage and tenacity as we have faced danger before in our history.

That is how much is at stake here: we have no choice but to rise to the challenge.

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Hesitant Cameron Increasing Involved In Iraq

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky News Reporter

"Bombs and missiles are bad ambassadors. They win no hearts and minds; they can build no democracies. There are more tools of statecraft than military power."

David Cameron, as leader of the opposition in 2006, flash forward to today and the Prime Minister's language seems more strident, the warnings more stark.

"If we do not act to stem the onslaught of this exceptionally dangerous terrorist movement, it will only grow stronger until it can target us on the streets of Britain.

"We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a poisonous and extremist ideology."

This as the Bishop of Leeds has accused the government of not having  a "coherent or comprehensive approach to Islamist extremism as it is developing across the globe".

But is this a fair assessment?

The PM meets visits a UK aid Disaster Response Centre at Kemble Airport

It is certainly true, like President Obama, scarred by interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the plan was to withdraw British troops from conflicts and not get involved in more.

After all, defence spending has been cut and the army is on course to be smaller than at any time since the First World War.

All this changed with Benghazi, Libya in 2011 when Britain with France lead airstrikes to stop a massacre and ultimately bring down Colonel Gaddafi.

Two years later and it was Syria; the Prime Minister thought Assad had to go and that meant helping the rebels, a deliberate interventionist strategy, which won round President Obama, only to fall apart in Parliament when it was opposed by Ed Miliband.

Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria - different conflicts with different ends but all interventions the Prime Minister has supported or called for.

An RAF Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft used over Iraq

So why not Iraq this time, given the humanitarian need and the 'poisonous' threat of the Islamic State?

Well, firstly we are involved, not with airstrikes but, increasingly, British military capability is helping to deliver aid or helping with surveillance.

Undoubtedly scarred by the Syria vote last year, and concerns about public opinion, the Prime Minister is more hesitant about joining the Americans in dropping bombs.

But with public opinion so far accepting of intervention, Britain has inch-by-inch, day-by-day been getting more militarily involved.

Given the threat by Islamic State, that is only likely to continue.

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