Beheading Suspect Appears In London Court

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 82-year-old Palmira Silva who was beheaded in north London.

Nicholas Salvador, of Enfield, north London, is alleged to have killed the elderly woman with a machete in the garden of her home in Nightingale Road, Edmonton, on Thursday.

Salvador, 25, was led into the glass-fronted dock with his hands cuffed behind his back, escorted by four uniformed police officers at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

He has also been charged with assaulting a police officer.

Salvador had been taken to hospital and remained under police guard before being questioned by officers and charged.

Ms Silva was found collapsed in the back garden before being pronounced dead at the scene.

The house in the busy street where Ms Silva's body was found became the scene of a major police operation after officers were called to the area.

Metropolitan Police officers said after the operation that there were no signs of a link to terrorism.

Tributes have been paid to the elderly woman of Italian descent who ran a nearby cafe.

Dilek Solma, 19, who works next door, said: "I'm so upset. She was a very smiley lady, always had a smile on her face, and loved the community."

Another shop worker Raj Thangavelselvaraj, 50, said: "She was a nice lady, she was a good lady to everyone. It's very sad."

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Scottish Tech Firms Fear Impact Of 'Yes' Vote

How Scottish 'Yes' May Impact Invisible Border

Updated: 10:34am UK, Tuesday 02 September 2014

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

For those that live along the invisible border that divides Scotland and England, daily life could change dramatically with a Yes vote in the September 18 referendum.

These communities, from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Coldstream to Gretna, will certainly feel the effect of any changes first.

While business and families could suddenly find themselves exporting and travelling abroad, currency is the top concern for most people.

Harry Frew, owner of Cheviot Trees - a farm based in Scotland, but so near the border it has an English postcode - says the uncertainty is damaging.

"Currency is our biggest issue," Mr Frew said.

"It would be a major impact on the business, a lot of extra admin and costs. If Scotland was to end up with euros, we would have to become used to invoicing in euros. Personally I think it is something we'd rather avoid."

Whether Scotland keeps the pound, adopts the euro or produces its own tender will determine the ease and cost of doing business on both sides if the Yes campaign bridges the six point gap with Better Together.

Cross-border workers may find themselves subject to two different tax regimes.

Eventually there could be two entirely different systems for borrowing, saving, buying and selling, working and retiring between the two countries.

Stephen Hay, head of tax at Baker Tilly in Edinburgh, said: "Of course people are going to be concerned about the pound in their pocket.

"A pensioner in Scotland will receive a pension, but the tax he pays on that pension could be higher or lower than a pensioner in England under independence.

"If the tax rate is higher in Scotland then clearly the less they'll have and equally if the tax rate is lower in Scotland the more they'll have, so I would imagine that will be a particular issue for a lot of people."

The Scottish Government plans to set the state pension at £160 per week, while the UK will set the new single tier rate next year, it's likely to be slightly lower around £148.

The current Scottish Government's White Paper also suggests that in the event of independence, it would review (and possibly withdraw) the UK Government's decision to raise the retirement age to 67 - keeping it at 65.

Home Secretary Theresa May has threatened checkpoints along the boundary should an independent Scotland pursue an immigration policy more lenient than that of the UK.

That could mean commuters would require passports.

The Scottish Government proposes one major simplification though.

An independent Scotland would replace the 95 ombudsmen that deal with a range of consumer issues within the UK: from roofing, to renewable energy, to financial services, with a single Scottish Consumer and Competition authority.

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UK Airlines Axe Flights Due To Italian Strike

Several UK airlines have warned passengers of major disruption to flights as a result of a strike by Italian air traffic controllers.

Ryanair says it has been forced to cancel 96 flights to and from Italy. They include a number of flights serving UK airports.

EasyJet has had to axe a further 60 flights, including 20 in and out of the UK.

British Airways has also had to re-schedule a number of flights.

The four-hour strike is scheduled to last from 11.30am to 3.30pm UK time.

However it is expected to cause delays throughout the day, with more cancellations likely.

Ryanair has apologised for the disruption

Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely said: "We sincerely apologise to all passengers who have had their travel plans disrupted by these unjustified ATC (Air Traffic Controllers) strikes."

The airline encouraged all passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling.

EasyJet said: "We are doing everything possible to minimise the impact to our customers and we are offering anyone flying to and from Italy during those times the opportunity to transfer their flight free of charge to another day to avoid the strike.

"They should go to easyJet.com to make changes to their flights."

Meanwhile a spokesman for BA said: "We are doing all we can to minimise disruption to customers affected by the threatened strike.

"We have re-timed a number of flights and are using larger aircraft where possible to help more customers, from cancelled flights, fly to where they need to be.

"We are advising customers flying to and from Italy to keep checking the very latest information on our website."

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Police Chief Warns Cuts Raise Risk Of Terror

Police Asking Victims To 'Investigate Own Crimes'

Updated: 2:49pm UK, Thursday 04 September 2014

Hard-pressed police forces are "encouraging" victims of high-volume crimes to carry out their own investigations, a policing watchdog has warned.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said the "emerging trend" was identified in an investigation into 43 forces in England and Wales.

In a report summarising its findings, HMIC said its inspectors had witnessed call-handlers asking victims of offences like vehicle crime and "burglaries of properties other than dwellings" to assess the likelihood of the crime being solved.

It said some forces asked victims whether there was any CCTV footage of the area, any potential fingerprint evidence and whether the victim knew if there were any witnesses to the crime. 

In some cases victims were asked to interview their neighbours and to search for their property on second-hand sales websites.

"HMIC finds this expectation by these forces that the victim should investigate his own crime both surprising and a matter of material concern," the report said.

"The police have been given powers and resources to investigate crime by the public, and there should be no expectation on the part of it."

Teacher Louise Kimpton told Sky News she was surprised by the response when she called police after her car was stolen from outside her home near Rochdale in July.

"The police came round and they explained that unfortunately they only had very few officers on the beat in the area so it was highly unlikely they'd find the car" she said.

"They said they would try their best but obviously if we could look round as well that would help.

"My husband and his friend drove around and eventually they found the car."

She said they contacted police and within days received a letter saying that their case was closed.

Inspector of Constabulary Roger Baker, who led the inspection, said overall police forces have "done a good job in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour".

However he said the emerging trend suggested many officers have essentially "given up" on investigating high-volume crimes.

"It's more a mindset, that we no longer deal with these things," he said.

"Effectively what's happened is a number of crimes are on the verge of being decriminalised.

"So it's not the fault of the individual staff, it's a mindset thing that's crept in to policing to say 'we've almost given up'."

The report, named 'Core Business: an inspection into crime prevention, police attendance and the use of police time,' investigated a number of aspects of modern policing, including response to calls, quality of investigation and the use of technology.

Among its findings, HMIC said some forces were losing track of suspects and wanted persons as their systems for actively pursuing them were not up to scratch.

It also identified a policing "postcode lottery", saying attendance rates at crime scenes varied widely between police forces.

In the year to November 30, 2013, for example, 100% of crimes in Cleveland were attended by a police officer. In Warkwickshire, however, that figure stood at just 39%.

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Three People Arrested Over New Forest Murder

Three people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a mother-of-five in the New Forest.

Pennie Davis, 47, was tending her two horses in a paddock off Hatchet Lane, near Beaulieu, when she was killed.

She suffered multiple stab wounds and her husband Pete found her body on Tuesday afternoon.

Police have said they have arrested one person on suspicion of murder, one for perverting the course of justice, and another for assisting an offender.

A forensic tent covers the spot where Mrs Davis' body was found

All remain in police custody, and Mrs Davis' family has been informed.

Police have continued to increase patrols in the area to offer reassurance to residents.

Officers hunting her killer believe the murder weapon was a bladed item, possibly a knife, and was probably discarded close to the scene.

Mrs Davis, from Blackfield, worked in a supermarket and was recently married.

Her husband, their children and her parents visited the paddock on Friday morning and left flowers with messages from each member of the family.

Mr Davis' message said: "Angel, all my love, always and forever Pete."

One of her daughters left a note saying: "Dearest mum, you were a goddess. I swear I'll make you proud.

"I like to think you're sitting there, watching on a cloud. You had so much more to give. You had so much more to do. But now I'll be your legacy. I'll do it all for you."

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact the Operation Biscotti investigation team in confidence on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Man Shot Dead By Police In Knife Incident

Police have shot dead a man who was threatening a woman with a knife at a house in London, Scotland Yard said.

The incident happened at a property in Islington and it is understood the man and the woman knew each other.

A statement from the Metropolitan Police said the woman was unharmed and is being treated for shock.

The man was treated at the scene in Shepperton Road but died on the way to hospital.

Police had sent a negotiator to the scene at 11.19pm on Thursday following reports the man had broken into a house.

Rosa Whiteread, 28, a primary school teacher who lives in the street, said: "I was asleep and I heard shouting - it woke me up. It must have been around 12.30 at night.

"I looked out of the window and I saw lots of police, there must have been around a dozen of them. I asked them what was going on, but they said they couldn't tell me.

"I'm not sure if the police were armed, but I saw a police dog. It's shocking."

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "I heard lots of shots - three or four. Like a bonfire. I've never heard anything like it before. It was really scary.

"There were a lot of police with guns. It was very scary. The people who lived there moved in around a year ago - I thought the man was her son."

Neil Basu, Specialist Crime and Operations officer with the Metropolitan Police, said: "Initial reports were that a man had broken into the house and officers were faced with a man threatening a woman with a knife.

"Police negotiators and the London Ambulance Service were call called to the scene. The man was shot by police and treated at the scene but pronounced dead en-route to hospital.

"The woman is unharmed but in shock. We believe the man and women were known to each other but we cannot confirm the nature of that relationship. The man is a 40-year-old black man who was born in Islington.

"In the last 24 hours we have seen a number of high-profile incidents. Those kind of incidents are very rare indeed and London continues to be a safe city."

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Witness: Suspect 'Was Fighting' With Police

Woman Found Beheaded In Back Garden Named

Updated: 9:29pm UK, Thursday 04 September 2014

A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an 82-year-old woman was beheaded in broad daylight in a suburban back garden.

Palmira Silva, a widow believed to be of Italian descent, was found at an address in Edmonton, north London just after 1pm after police received reports of a man with a knife in Nightingale Road.

Other potential victims escaped in what appears to be a random attack, Sky sources say.

Police say they do not believe there is a terrorist motive but have not confirmed if Ms Silva, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was beheaded.

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "They haven't confirmed that the woman has been beheaded, refusing at this stage to discuss the injuries she's suffered.

"But we are on very good sources reporting the fact that the woman was found decapitated and police are certainly not telling us that we're wrong in doing that."

Witnesses reported seeing a man running around the area as police arrived and he was seen attacking a car.

The first report police received said a man was attacking an animal, a cat or a dog.

One local resident, who did not want to be named, described seeing a man brandishing a machete and shouting about cats.

The Metropolitan Police said the suspect was cornered in a house by officers after moving through a number of back gardens.

Metropolitan Police Commander Simon Letchford said: "Officers who attended the scene have evacuated a number of those people from those premises to make them safe.

"During that period they distracted the man from carrying out any further attacks."

An attempted attack on two people at another address in Nightingale Road is also being investigated. Police say they believe they were able to get out of the house without being injured.

One witness has told Sky News a man was "fighting" with police.

The suspect was detained by firearms officers and taser stun guns were fired.

One officer was injured during the arrest and is believed to have suffered a broken wrist.

The man was injured in the arrest and is being treated in hospital, where he is under guard.

Police will then determine whether he can be interviewed.

A weapon has been recovered but police have not revealed what it was.

Detective Chief Inspector John Sandlin, who is leading the investigation, described it as a "a highly visible attack in broad daylight".

He said: "I can understand why this may cause people concern, however we are confident that we are not looking for anyone else at this stage."

Residents are still waiting to be allowed back into their homes and the road remains cordoned off as forensic officers continue their work.

Ms Silva's next of kin have been informed.

A neighbour who knew her said she was "such a sweet lady" who went to work every day in a nearby cafe.

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Live Updates: Dave Lee Travis Sex Assault Retrial

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10:54am UK, Friday 05 September 2014

The former Radio One DJ at Southwark Crown Court

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Travis 'Acted Like He Had Right To Grope Women'

Dave Lee Travis was an opportunist who acted as though he had the perfect right to grope women, a court has heard.

The former Radio One DJ is standing trial on a total of three assault charges at London's Southwark Crown Court.

Travis, 69, is being retried on one count of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault upon which a jury were unable to reach verdicts earlier this year.

He also faces a further count of indecent assault alleged to have taken place in 1995.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Miranda Moore QC told the court the three alleged victims felt upset, embarrassed and unsure what to do following the alleged incidents.

The entertainer was cleared of 12 charges in February 2014

"In 2012, Operation Yewtree was set up and its major incident room received complaints referring to sexual assaults allegedly committed by a man that the complainants knew as Dave Lee Travis," she said.

"A number of women came forward after this defendant indicated on television and radio that he, Dave Lee Travis, was innocent of any such behaviour."

Ms Moore said the allegations spanned a period from 1985 to 2008 and were alleged to have taken place when Travis was working as a DJ or entertainer, or in his home as he was being interviewed.

The jury would hear from three women to whom the charges relate, as well as two other women who would describe similar incidents to support the descriptions of Travis's alleged behaviour, the court heard.

Ms Moore told the court: "Generally speaking, you will hear evidence that the ladies concerned were in their early 20s or 20s, with this defendant being older by many years when it happened, probably 20 years-plus.

Travis is one of Britain's best known radio DJs

"The defendant, according to these ladies, simply seemed to act as if he had a perfect right to touch their breasts or put his hands in their clothing to grope them."

The court heard one of the women was approached by Travis outside his dressing room where he warned her about the dangers of smoking.

"You shouldn't be smoking, think about your poor little lungs," he was alleged to have said, while touching her ribcage and moving his hands up to squeeze her breasts.

Ms Moore said the woman felt "mildly hysterical," but eventually ended up "laughing at the absurdity of the situation".

Travis is also accused of groping the breasts of a journalist who interviewed him at home in 2008. After telling her mother about the incident the woman was advised not to say anything because it could jeopardise her career, the court heard.

Ms Moore finished her opening statement by telling the jury: "You have to be sure of guilt; nothing less will do."

Travis, who is charged under his real name David Griffin, has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

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Beheading Suspect Under Guard In Hospital

A man suspected of beheading a grandmother after killing a pet cat is in hospital under police guard.

Officers are waiting to question the 25-year-old, who allegedly wandered through back gardens with a machete, screaming and shouting, before he was arrested.

Palmira Silva, 82, was found collapsed in a garden in Edmonton, north London on Thursday before being pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers are also investigating an attempted attack on two people at another house in the same road before Ms Silva was killed.

Tributes have been paid to the elderly woman of Italian descent who ran a nearby cafe.

A police tent was put up at the scene of the attack

Dilek Solma, 19, who works next door, said: "I'm so upset. She was a very smiley lady, always had a smile on her face, and loved the community."

Another shop worker Raj Thangavelselvaraj, 50, said: "She was a nice lady, she was a good lady to everyone. It's very sad."

Police carried out a dramatic evacuation operation to save neighbours and an armed team tasered the knifeman as he struggled with officers, leaving one with a broken wrist.

Restaurant worker Freda Odame, 30, said: "I heard shouting and banging and I opened my curtains and saw a guy holding a knife in a back garden a few doors along. He was screaming. I could see he seemed aggressive. He looked a bit frantic."

She added: "I was shaking and I just shut the curtains. I was worried he might see me. Then the police knocked on the door and said 'You've got to get out, you've got to get out'."

Ahmed Yusuf, 19, said: "At first there were two police cars, then all of a sudden there were 20. The police said to drop everything. I said 'What's going on?' and they said 'there's a guy jumping over gardens'."

Police forensic teams look for evidence

Another resident described seeing a man brandishing a machete and shouting about cats.

The witness, who did not want to be named, said he also saw a headless cat as he watched the drama from his window.

The man said: "There was a scream so I went to the windows and saw a guy with a machete with blood dripping from it. We saw a cat on the floor without a head. He was standing in the garden and walking up and down shouting about cats."

The knifeman then appeared in the witness's garden and began swiping at plants, he said.

He went on: "He started cutting roses. We were just trying to call the police."

Metropolitan Police commander Simon Letchford said police were trying to establish the attacker's motive, but there are no signs of a link to terrorism.

He said officers smashed house windows to get people out after the man had been "cornered" in a house.

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Bank Holds Its Nerve On Rate Rise Prospect

The Bank of England held off on an interest rate rise at this month's meeting amid split-thinking on the timing of an increase in August.

The Bank confirmed at midday there would be no bank rate rise in September from the 0.5% record low first introduced in March 2009.

It emerged last month that external members of the nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), Martin Weale and Ian McCafferty, voted to raise the base rate from 0.5% to 0.75% - the first split vote since Mark Carney became Bank governor.

The pair saw economic circumstances as sufficient to justify an immediate rise in the rate, which directly impacts home loan and saving interest rates.

They noted that the continuing rapid fall in unemployment, alongside survey evidence of tightening in the labour market, created a prospect that wage growth would pick up.

However, their voting took place before inflation figures showed a drop in the Consumer Prices Index to 1.6% - well below the Bank's 2% target.

Official pay growth figures, also released after August's MPC vote, showed that the average weekly earnings figure contracted by 0.2% in June.

Only when the minutes of September's MPC meeting are released later this month will it be clear if the data had any impact on the split within the committee.

The majority on the MPC fear that raising rates too soon could hamper growth, with sectors such as manufacturing and construction still below pre-recession level.

A rate rise would also put pressure on household finances, with a 0.25% hike likely to translate to an annual increase of £250 on a typical mortgage.

Economists and market analysts do not expect a rate rise before November at the earliest - more likely in February 2015.

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Missing Teen Alice Gross' Bag Found By Police

CCTV footage of a 14-year-old girl who has been missing for a week has been released by police detectives.

Investigators have found a rucksack belonging to Alice Gross, who went missing on August 28.

The teenager left her home in Hanwell at around 1pm and was captured on CCTV an hour later on the Grand Union Canal towpath near Brentford Lock, walking towards the River Thames.

She was filmed again at 3.45pm heading back to her home.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers, from the Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "A week on since Alice was last seen by her family we are becoming increasing worried about her welfare and safety as each day passes.

"Her disappearance is out of character and this investigation continues to be a priority for us.

Alice was spotted on CCTV before she vanished

"Alice has been missing for a considerable period of time and her family are desperate to have her back home where she belongs."

People who may have seen Alice on the towpath between around 1.30pm and 5.30pm, or who saw her with a purple rucksack, are being asked to come forward.

She is white, 5ft 2in tall and of slim build, with shoulder length, light brown hair.

When she was last seen she was wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and denim blue Vans shoes. She may also have had tartan-framed glasses.

In the CCTV footage, she had taken the cardigan off which she was wearing over a dark grey t-shirt.

Alice's sister Nina, 19, has set up the Facebook page Find Alice Gross.

Anyone with information should call police on 020 8358 0100 or the charity Missing People on 116000.

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Ashya's Parents Given Treatment Plan Deadline

The parents of cancer patient Ashya King have until Friday afternoon to submit a treatment plan to the High Court in the UK so a judge can rule on his current status as a "ward of court".

Ashya, who was taken out of Southampton General hospital by his parents Brett, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45, against medical advice, is expected to see a cancer specialist later at Materno-Infantil Hospital in Malaga.

The couple have been told they cannot remove their five-year-old son from the Spanish hospital where he is currently receiving treatment.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said local authorities had been informed by British officials that his parents should not be allowed to take him away.

Ashya's parents cannot take move him from the hospital, officials say

Sky's Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet, in Malaga, said: "This is about the legal status of Ashya and who is responsible for him, and at the moment it is not his parents - it's the courts.

"He is a ward of court, and therefore his well-being and any treatment plan has to be approved by his legal guardian.

"The deadline is 4pm tomorrow for this therapy plan to be set - that is doctors and the family working out what is best for Ashya in terms of his treatment - and its costs, including whether the family can afford it."

The plan will be considered by Southampton General over the weekend ahead of a court hearing on Monday attended by medics from the hospital, Portsmouth City Council, lawyers representing both sides, and his parents, who will take part in the proceedings via a video link from Spain.

The five-year-old with elder brother Naveed

The couple saw their son for the first time on Tuesday when they were released from police custody in Spain, after being arrested on Saturday at a hostel in the town of Benajarafe, east of Malaga.

An international manhunt was launched after they fled the country with Ashya to mainland Europe in search of alternative proton beam therapy treatment in the Czech capital Prague.

They were freed after the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case against them amid a growing public backlash.

Speaking after spending the night at his son's bedside with his wife, Mr King said: "He couldn't breathe he was so happy. He was so pleased to see us. We're trying to be hopeful."

Mr King added: "He's not in such a good state as when we left him - spirit depressed since his parents left him. We'll do what it takes. Not much else to do."

The Proton Therapy Centre in Prague has said doctors in Southampton have agreed to refer Ashya to the clinic after two cycles of chemotherapy in the UK, which is likely to take several weeks.

A fundraising page set up to help pay for the therapy has so far raised more than £21,000, while Charity Kids'n'CancerUK said they have agreed to provide the £100,000 needed for the treatment, plus living costs, after donors pledged £35,000 in 24 hours.

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Woman Found In Field Had Multiple Stab Wounds

A woman whose body was found in a Hampshire field was stabbed multiple times, police have revealed.

Penelope Anne Davis, 47, from Blackfield, was discovered at 4.42pm on Tuesday by her husband. She was tending to her two horses in a field near Lyndhurst Road, Brockenhurst, when she was killed.

Mrs Davis, known as Pennie, had five children and worked in a local supermarket.

The body of Penelope Ann Davis, 47, was found on Tuesday

Detective Superintendent Paul Barton said: "We carried out an autopsy yesterday at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital. I can reveal that the cause of death was multiple stab wounds.

"This is therefore a murder inquiry."

A forensic tent in the field near Brockenhurst

Mr Barton appealed for witnesses in the area near Brockenhurst between 2pm and 5pm to come forward. He added that no arrests had been made and there were no obvious suspects.

"This is a rural location, but it's extremely busy with local people using it as a shortcut," he said.

Searches are taking place at a farm where Mrs Davis kept horses

A white forensic tent remains in the field where Mrs Davis' body was found.

Police patrols have also been stepped up in the area and around 70 officers are involved in the investigation.

Anyone with information has been asked to contact the Hampshire Major Investigation Team on 101, via the force website quoting Operation Biscotti, or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Boxer Kell Brook Stabbed On Tenerife Holiday

British world champion boxer Kell Brook has been stabbed while on holiday with his pregnant wife in Tenerife, Sky sources understand.

It comes less than a month after the 28-year-old clinched his IBF welterweight with an unexpected defeat of American fighter Shawn Porter.

Brook was stabbed in the leg and suffered a cut arm during the attack, which could have implications for a fight with fellow British boxer Amir Khan that was rumoured to be in the pipeline.

It also remains unclear whether his plans for a first title defence in December will have to be postponed.

Mr Brook has been stabbed before, and was seriously injured back in 2007

He is said to be conscious and in a stable condition in hospital, while his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

Reporting for Sky Sports News HQ, Fraser Dainton said: "As I'm sure you can imagine, this must have been extremely distressing and upsetting for everybody involved.

"He was looking forward to a nice, quiet, relaxing time over in Tenerife with his family, but obviously this has put a shadow on things at the moment.

"The details are fairly sketchy, but the good news is that it looks like the injuries, from what we're told, are not too serious."

This is not the first time that the boxer has been stabbed - in 2007, he sustained serious injuries after being knifed in his sides and buttocks following a party at a nightclub in Sheffield.

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British Ebola Patient Discharged From Hospital

British ebola patient William Pooley has been discharged from hospital after receiving an experimental drug.

The 29-year-old volunteer nurse was flown back to the UK for treatment on August 24 after contracting the virus in Sierra Leone.

The Royal Free Hospital in north London said he was being discharged today after successful treatment in one of its specialist units.

Mr Pooley, from Eyke in Suffolk, was airlifted back to Britain in a specially equipped C17 RAF aircraft.

Mr Pooley was treated at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead

At a news conference at the hospital, he said he feared for his life when diagnosed with the virus, and woke up in protective clothing.

"I was worried I was going to die," he said.

He also said his time in isolation in a clear plastic isolation tent was "strange".

"It's like being in a fish tank in a way," he said.

"Because it's all clear plastic around you I wouldn't say it was claustrophobic, but it was strange.

"Everything goes on in that tiny little space, there's not much privacy or anything like that."

He thanked hospital staff for the "world-class care" he received, saying he feels "wonderfully lucky" to have survived.

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Ashya King's Parents To Be Reunited With Son

The parents of Ashya King will be reunited with their son later today following their release from a Spanish jail last night.

The five-year-old boy's father says they are "relieved" to be free and are looking forward to seeing their son again.

"We are completely relieved. Thank you so much for your support," Brett King said.

"We are going as soon as possible to see my son. We have been dying to see his face for so long."

Their release follows a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to drop the case against them.

The Kings' oldest son Danny, who is in the coastal town of Malaga where Ashya is being treated, said he was "shocked" when he learned they were free.

Ashya King's father Brett is driven away after being freed from custody

"We have been waiting so long for this moment," he told Sky News.

"I just want to thank everyone who spoke out in favour of my parents, especially Nick Clegg and David Cameron."

Another brother, Naveed, said on Facebook: "BREAKING NEWS: My parents are now free! SPREAD THE WORD! WOW THIS IS AMAZING! SO OVERJOYED! WOW!"

Danny said Ashya was comfortable at the Materno-Infantil hospital, but he was the only English child there and the only one without a family member constantly by his side.

An international arrest warrant was issued after Mr and Mrs King took Ashya from Southampton General Hospital, where he was being treated for a brain tumour.

They were detained on Saturday near Malaga and taken to Madrid, where they were kept in separate jails, pending an extradition hearing.

Ashya with his mother Naghemeh

Their release came after the CPS announced it was seeking to withdraw the arrest warrant and would be taking no further action against them.

In a statement the CPS said: "We are now in the process of communicating this decision to the Spanish Authorities so that they can be reunited with their son as soon as possible."

The move was welcomed by Prime Minister David Cameron, who said: "It's important this little boy gets treatment and the love of his family."

Earlier Mr Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg joined the mounting calls for Ashya to be reunited with his parents.

An online petition started by Ethan Dallas, 16, a friend of Ashya's brother Naveed, had attracted nearly 200,000 signatures at 5pm on Tuesday.

Mr and Mrs King, from Portsmouth, took Ashya out of the country so he could receive alternative proton beam therapy in the Czech capital Prague.

They were apparently planning to sell their apartment near Malaga to pay for the treatment.

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Nato Summit: Ukraine Crisis To Top The Agenda

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

World leaders will begin arriving in the UK today ahead of the start of a two-day Nato summit in Wales tomorrow.

Some 61 heads of state are expected to gather at The Celtic Manor Resort outside Newport, with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine set to top the agenda of discussions.

Leaders will be joined by officials from the European Union, the UN, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

A further 5,000 delegates are expected to gather to discuss the future of the Nato alliance.

Speaking at Downing Street ahead of the summit, David Cameron has condemned the ongoing violence in Ukraine, describing it as "disgraceful".

He told an audience of international delegates in London on Tuesday night: "What's happening in the Ukraine right now is disgraceful and completely unacceptable.

Mr Cameron has described the violence in Ukraine as "disgraceful"

"Members of Nato want and deserve real reassurance that our Article V commitments are rock solid."

He said he wanted the upcoming conference to demonstrate a "very clear, unified and strong message" about the importance of Nato globally.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has also warned that Nato must show it still has the political will to fight back in the event of a Russian attack on any member states.

Western nations have repeatedly accused Russia of intervening militarily in the conflict in Ukraine. The claims have been denied by Moscow.

Mr Hammond said: "For Nato to maintain its credibility in the future, we have to demonstrate that we maintain the political will to act to defend ourselves and our interests.

"We have to be clear that we have not lost the appetite to intervene when our interests or our obligations require us to do so.

Mr Obama will travel to Wales after a visit to the Baltic states today

"If we lack, or are perceived to lack, the political will to respond - and to do so quickly - the credibility of that commitment to collective defence will be undermined, and the very fabric of this, most successful of alliances, will unravel.

"So we have to be clear with Russia, in particular, that while we support a political resolution to the situation in eastern Ukraine, there is a red line around Nato member states themselves that cannot be crossed."

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance is set to create a high-readiness force in Eastern Europe as a bulwark against potential Russian aggression.

Mr Rasmussen said the unit would be a spearhead that could be deployed at very short notice to help Nato members defend themselves against any threat.

The murder of another US journalist by Islamic State militants will also feature in bilateral discussions between Western allies at the summit.

US President Barack Obama will head to Wales after a visit to the Baltic States.

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Gary Barlow Sorry Over Tax Avoidance Stories

PM Says Barlow 'Should Not Give Back OBE'

Updated: 2:57pm UK, Monday 12 May 2014

The Prime Minister has said Gary Barlow should not have to give back his OBE after the Take That star invested in a tax avoidance scheme.

David Cameron, who last year publicly attacked the comedian Jimmy Carr for his involvement with a tax avoidance scheme, has said he does not think the singer should be forced to give back his OBE because of his work for charity.

The Prime Minister, who appeared with Conservative supporter Barlow during the 2010 General Election campaign, told Sky News: "I have said on the issue of Gary Barlow's OBE - where I think he was given that award for his services to music, his immense charity services with, for instance, Children in Need, the fact that he organised that fantastic concert for the Queen's Jubilee - he deserved his OBE, and I think he should keep it."

When asked why he had condemned Carr for being "morally wrong" but not Barlow, he said: "I have been very clear that I think that all of these aggressive tax avoidance schemes are wrong and people shouldn't take part in them.

"But it is not just what I have said, this Government has acted very vigorously to pass new laws, new regulations and to fight these court cases to make sure we deal with these aggressive avoidance schemes and make sure people pay their taxes properly."

Barlow and two other members of the band have refused to comment after it was disclosed they will have to pay tens of millions of pounds in tax after a court ruled a partnership they invested in was a tax avoidance scheme.

It triggered calls for the singer to hand back his honour, with Labour MP Margaret Hodge, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, telling The Times he "might want to show a bit of contrition by giving back his OBE".

Conservative Charlie Elphicke echoed Ms Hodge's comments, telling the newspaper: "People who have seriously abused the tax system should be stripped of their honours."

Along with Howard Donald, Mark Owen and their manager Jonathan Wild, Barlow invested £66m in two partnerships that were styled as music industry investment schemes.

A total of 51 such partnerships set up by Icebreaker Management were to secure tax relief for members, Judge Colin Bishopp ruled.

HM Revenue and Customs is now expected to demand repayment.

Two years ago when it was alleged Barlow, Donald, Owen and Wild invested at least £26m in an Icebreaker Management scheme, lawyers for the band insisted they believed the investments were legitimate and that all four named paid "significant tax".

In a statement released after the ruling, Icebreaker Management said: "Icebreaker Management is extremely disappointed with this decision since it puts a valuable source of funding for the UK's independent music industry in jeopardy.

"Icebreaker will review the full decision and consider all the LLPs' options including appeal."

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PM: Britain Will Never Give In To Terrorism

Sotloff: Driven Reporter And Mideast Expert

Updated: 1:19pm UK, Wednesday 03 September 2014

Steven Sotloff, the US journalist who was beheaded by Islamic State militants, also held Israeli citizenship, Israel has revealed.

The information had been apparently withheld by Israel in a bid to reduce the risks to the captive.

"Cleared for publication: Steven Sotloff was #Israel citizen RIP," tweeted Paul Hirschson, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.

Friends and colleagues described 31-year-old Mr Sotloff as an honest and courageous journalist who sought to understand the culture of the places he reported from and tell the stories of the people affected by conflict.

His work appeared in Time, Foreign Affairs and World Affairs magazines. He also contributed to some Israeli publications.

"We refused to acknowledge any relationship with him in case it was dangerous for him," said Avi Hoffman, editor of the Jerusalem Report magazine, which had published Mr Sotloff's work.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, quoting a former fellow captive, said Mr Sotloff had kept his Judaism a secret from the Islamist insurgents, pretending he was sick when he fasted for the Yom Kippur holiday.

Colleagues stressed that he understood the dangers of reporting in war zones, but remained committed to the task.

"Steven was very ethical, very driven, an exceptional journalist and an exceptional person," said Matthew Van Dyke, an activist and film-maker who met Mr Sotloff in Libya in 2012.

"He was also a cautious journalist, he did everything the right way," he told Sky News.

Mr Sotloff vanished in Syria in August 2013. His capture was kept secret for months at the request of his family, who said they were now grieving privately.

He then appeared in a video that showed the beheading of fellow US journalist James Foley last month.

A Miami native, Mr Sotloff attended the University of Central Florida, where he took an interest in journalism. He did not graduate from the university.

He covered the Arab Spring uprisings and several Middle East hotspots, including Yemen, Egypt and Libya. He learnt Arabic.

"He lived in the region for a time, he really got to know the people, the culture," said Mr Van Dyke.

"This was a region that was important to him, he wasn't somebody who jumped from conflict to conflict all over the world, he was a regional specialist and he knew what he was doing."

In his Facebook and Twitter profiles Mr Sotloff called himself a "stand-up philosopher from Miami" and often spoke of his love for baseball and the Miami Heat.

World Affairs, in an August 20 statement, described Mr Sotloff as "an honest and thoughtful journalist who strives to understand the story from local perspectives and report his findings straightforwardly."

The executive director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, Joel Simon, said: "Journalists know that covering war is inherently dangerous and that they could get killed in crossfire.

"But being butchered in front of camera simply for being a reporter is pure barbarism."

The group said at least 70 other journalists have been killed covering the conflict in Syria, including some who died over the border in Lebanon and Turkey, and that more than 80 had been kidnapped.

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Rotherham Abuse Was 'Dereliction Of Duty'

Rotherham Victim 'Verbally Abused By Police'

Updated: 8:43pm UK, Wednesday 27 August 2014

A victim of the Rotherham child sex abuse scandal has told Sky News she was verbally abused when she sought help from police.

She said the violence she suffered was ignored by authorities because her attacker was Asian and they were worried about causing racial unrest in the South Yorkshire town.

The woman gave a disturbing account of how she was treated by some police officers - claiming they called her a string of derogatory names.

One even said her attacker had every right to abuse her, she said.

Her grooming began when she turned 14 and was introduced to the man through friends in Rotherham.

She said he treated her well to start with and she fell in love with him, but after a few months he became violent.

"The more time we spent together the more he started to change," she said. "He became controlling, violent ... a relationship that was domestic violence."

She said she felt so scared at times she thought about killing herself.

"I had a fear of heights and he did a lot of things to try to scare me through that," she said.

"He once drove us to the edge of a cliff and said he was going to kill us both. He then dragged me out of the car and said he was going to throw me off."

She added: "He once tried to throw me over a balcony, luckily two people kind of stopped him from doing that.

"I had a child with me at the time, that were only a few months, in a pushchair, and he even kicked the pushchair over."

She said during her two years of abuse, the attacks went from once a week to two or three times a week.

His brothers were grooming other young girls, she said, but unlike many child victims in Rotherham she was sexually exploited by one man.

She was 16 when she went to police, but said her complaint was ignored.

Her abuser was even granted immunity from prosecution, she claimed.

"I explained to him (the police officer) what relationship we had and he said: 'Well, what do you expect? I think he's got every right to.'

"My Dad went absolutely mental and told him to get out of the house. The police officer then apologised, and we put a formal complaint into the police about him.

"But just his manner of how he dealt with it - he didn't seem to care about it, he was so unprofessional."

When asked why her abuse was ignored by social workers, police and council bosses, she said: "I think it was because of the fact he was Asian.

"I don't think they wanted to start communities colliding together, and starting confrontation between communities."

She said Rotherham Council chiefs should face action for ignoring the plight of the 1,400 child victims targeted in the town.

"The people that were involved back then ... I think they need hanging," she said.

"I don't know what legal stuff can be done, but I think they all need to be in a courtroom and tell people exactly what they knew.

"I think it should be some kind of criminal offence that 1,400 girls have been allowed to be abused by professionals."

South Yorkshire Police say they have no knowledge of allegations concerning derogatory remarks made against the victim.

A spokesman said the suggestion a deal was struck with her abuser has been fully investigated and no evidence was found to support the claim.

"This case forms a part of Operation Clover looking into a series of child sexual exploitation investigations in Rotherham," he added.

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'Huge Leap In The Dark': Boris Island Rejected

Boris Johnson's proposal for a new four-runway airport to be built in the Thames Estuary has been rejected by the Airports Commission.

The grounding of an airport in Kent leaves three options for expanding airport capacity - two additional runway plans at Heathrow and one at Gatwick.

These are being considered by the Airports Commission, which was established by the Government to recommend the best option for expansion, and will issue its final report after next year's election.

How a Thames Estuary airport would have looked. Pic: Foster and Partners

Mr Johnson, who is against a third runway at Heathrow, spoke of his disappointment ahead of the decision, which was widely expected.

The London Mayor said: "In one myopic stroke the Airports Commission has set the debate back by half a century and consigned their work to the long list of vertically filed reports on aviation expansion that are gathering dust on a shelf in Whitehall.

"Gatwick is not a long term solution and Howard Davies must explain to the people of London how he can possibly envisage that an expansion of Heathrow, which would create unbelievable levels of noise, blight and pollution, is a better idea than a new airport to the east of London that he himself admits is visionary, and which would create the jobs and growth this country needs to remain competitive.

One of the proposals for a third runway at Heathrow

"It remains the only credible solution, any process that fails to include it renders itself pretty much irrelevant, and I'm absolutely certain that it is the option that will eventually be chosen."

Sir Howard Davies, head of the Airports Commission, told Sky News: "This would be a huge leap in the dark and we simply don't think it's a practical scheme."

He added there were "a lot" of reasons to rule the idea out.

Boris Johnson attends a rally against Heathrow expansion

"We think that it is too expensive; we don't believe that a future government would be prepared to spend the public money, between £30bn and £60bn that would be necessary to get even the smaller version of his airport up and running," he said.

"We think that is too risky, the logistical problems of moving an airport 70 miles and of doing so in an environmentally extremely sensitive area are, we think, awe-inspiring and we're not entirely sure in fact it's the right model for London to think of one huge airport in a very diverse market where we think that competing airports produce a better solution."

The Heathrow and Gatwick options had been shortlisted by the commission last year, with Sir Howard announcing that further studies would be made on the estuary plan with a decision towards the end of 2014.

Sir Howard Davies said he didn't think Boris Island was 'practical'

The issue of airports is a thorny one for Mr Johnson, who is trying to become the Conservative candidate for Uxbridge and South Ruislip at the election.

That constituency borders Heathrow and contains many people who depend on it for their livelihood.

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National Grid Seeks Extra Winter Electricity

National Grid has brought forward plans to tap additional power capacity over the winter after unexpected plant outages.

It is being described as a precautionary move, supported by Government, to safeguard supply rather than any bid to prevent possible blackouts.

National Grid said it had launched a tender for its Supplemental Balancing Reserve (SBR), asking power firms how much more electricity they could provide the network to fill a potential gap from mothballed or closed generators.

The network operator cited a series of unplanned shutdowns at large power stations for its decision to begin SBR a year ahead of its original timetable, having previously warned of a looming supply crunch.

Fires at E.ON's Ironbridge and SSE's Ferrybridge power plants have reduced output while precautionary checks at EDF Energy's Heysham and Hartlepool nuclear plants have also hit production.

Hartlepool's nuclear power station has been shut down for two months

The worries over future supplies were initially sparked by ageing and most-polluting power stations being shut down at a time when new plants are struggling to make up the shortfall.

National Grid's plan to safeguard supplies at peak winter times also includes a scheme that allows it to ask contracted users, mostly factories, to reduce their electricity demand when the system is strained.

It said it had received a positive response to the programme, known as Demand Side Balancing Reserve (DSBR), which could operate between 4pm and 8pm on weekday evenings between November and February.

It planned to issue contracts later this month which would be activated only if required.

National Grid's Director of UK Market Operation, Cordi O'Hara, said of the announcement: "This is a sensible precaution to take while the picture for this winter remains uncertain.

"At this stage we don't know if these reserve services will be needed, but they could provide an additional safeguard".

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Calls Grow For Ashya To Be Reunited With Family

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has joined mounting calls for Ashya King to be reunited with his jailed parents as Portsmouth City Council calls for a halt to extradition proceedings against them.

Brett King and his wife Naghemeh, from Portsmouth, remain in police custody in Madrid while a Spanish court considers whether to grant a British extradition request.

Ashya, who has a brain tumour, is under police guard at the Materno-Infantil hospital in Malaga, about 330 miles south of the capital.

He has not seen his parents since they were arrested on Saturday after taking him out of Southampton General Hospital to seek specialist cancer treatment abroad.

A court in Madrid has called the parents for a hearing tomorrow morning ahead of a judge's decision on their extradition.

Ashya's parents arrived at court on Monday

Britain's Crown Prosecution Service is also reviewing the case.

Nick Clegg told Sky News it was a "heartbreaking" situation.

"I've got a five-year-old son and the idea of leaving him in a hospital with no contact with parents and siblings fills me, as I imagine it fills all parents, with horror," he said.

"I would like to see the family reunited and then hopefully people can calmly make a decision about what should happen next.

"Throwing the full force of the law at two parents who in a state of despair and anguish are acting they say because that's what they think is best for their child, doesn't seem to me to be the appropriate thing to do."

Ashya petition founder Ethan Dallas and family friend Sanjay Ganatra

Portsmouth City Council Leader, Donna Jones, issued a statement calling for an end to the extradition proceedings.

"Like others who have been watching this upsetting case unfolding in the media, I have been moved by the plight of the King family and am most concerned about Ashya. I believe what he needs now is to be with his family," she said.

"That's why I am urging the CPS to urgently review the case involving Ashya King's parents and remove any extradition proceedings, so the family can be reunited with their five-year-old son."

Meanwhile, a petition calling for the family to be reunited has been handed in to Downing Street.

It has also emerged that Ashya's parents are planning legal action against Southampton General Hospital.

Ashya's brother Naveed said the family had all the right medical equipment

However the hospital claims it had discussed options for alternative proton beam therapy with the family at a facility in Prague.

"We were willing to support the family's transfer to Prague for proton beam radiotherapy, although we did not recommend it," a spokesperson for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said.

Over the weekend a spokesman for the hospital said that "our priority has always been Ashya's welfare".

He added: "Throughout Ashya's admission we have had conversations about the treatment options available to him, and we had offered the family access to a second opinion as well as assistance with organising treatment abroad."

British police officers are understood to be in Spain to question Ashya's parents.

Brett King defended the family's decision in a video posted online

Hampshire Police's Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said he was aware the police's approach had led to a "significant amount of debate" but he would rather be criticised for "being proactive" than "potentially having to explain why a child has lost his life".

Simon Hayes, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said: "Hampshire Constabulary's role, as in many other cases, was to safeguard the interests of a very vulnerable sick young child and find Ashya."

Ashya's grandmother Patricia King has accused the authorities of treating the couple "like murderers".

Patricia King earlier said her son was selling his holiday home in Spain to pay for proton beam therapy, which costs an average of £100,000 per person.

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Blackpool Pen Stabbing: Police Hunt Attacker

Police have released pictures of a 66-year-old woman who was stabbed in the arm with a ballpoint pen in the an attempt to track down her attacker.

Cynthia Bell was helping her husband's coach firm last month when the man boarded one of the buses in Seasiders Way in Blackpool and refused to leave.

After tampering with the controls near the driver's seat, he grabbed the pen and stabbed Ms Bell before running off.

Detective Superintendent Mark Dickinson, from Lancashire Police, said: "As you can see from Mrs Bell's photograph, significant force must have been used by the offender who stabbed her.

"She was lucky to have escaped without serious blood loss or any nerve damage. We are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry, including CCTV and forensic opportunities.

"I am particularly keen to identify and speak with two young women who were with the offender and I would ask them, or anyone who recognises them from their descriptions, to contact me as soon as possible."

Police described the suspect as a white male in his late teens or early 20s, 6ft and of stocky build, with short dark hair.

He was with two young women. The first is described as white, wearing a pink top with a floral pattern, with a pram or pushchair. She walked with a limp.

The second woman had blonde hair and was wearing a cream jumper. She had a tattoo on the right side of her lower stomach on display.

Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or online.

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Charles Bronson Jailed For Attack On Governor

Charles Bronson's Art Sale For Mum's Holiday

Updated: 5:19pm UK, Tuesday 03 June 2014

Charles Bronson, one of Britain's most notorious criminals, is selling some of his artworks to pay for a holiday for his mother.

The works belonged to Ronnie Kray, who died in 1995, and are among 150 lots being sold from the infamous East End gangster's estate on behalf of his second wife, Kate.

Bronson asked Mrs Kray if she would agree to sell eight of his artworks so that the sale could pay for his mother to go away after she became upset by his recent attack on prison guards, according to JP Humbert Auctioneers.

The reported attack on 12 guards at HM Prison Woodhill in Milton Keynes reportedly took place last month after Spurs fan Bronson went on the rampage after arch-rivals Arsenal won the FA Cup. 

The prisoner was smeared with butter at the time.

"Charles Bronson recently had a 'rumble' with 12 prison guards. In a letter to Kate Kray, he states remorse at upsetting his mother and accordingly, asked if some of his artwork could be included in the sale so as to generate funds to send his mother on holiday," said auctioneer Jonathan Humbert.

"The intimate and personal nature of these never-before seen Kray items and Bronson paintings show a real human side to these larger than life personalities and, though they are bound to polarise opinions, the lots, much like the individuals, are far from dull."

Bronson, 61, whose real name is Michael Peterson, is currently serving a life term at Woodhill, having earned public notoriety with a history of violence both inside and outside jail.

Ronnie Kray and twin brother Reggie - together with older brother Charlie - ran organised crime rackets in London's East End and were both jailed for life in 1969 for the murders of fellow gangsters George Cornell and Jack "The Hat" McVitie.

The sale, to be held in on June 17 in Towcester, includes personal items from Ronnie Kray's Broadmoor cell, including his reading glasses, a miniature birdcage clock, watches, a crucifix, numerous letters and other "personal mementos".

"This is a very important and eclectic sale of British social history," said Mr Humbert.

"The Krays were hardened criminals, without a doubt but they were also, in the public perception, nice to old ladies and children and were always immaculately turned out.

"Whilst we in no way seek to glorify their crimes, they certainly had style and that is what people remember."

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Sky Poll: Young Not Engaged In Politics

By Faisal Islam, Political Editor

Almost half of young people in Britain are not engaged in politics, feel their voices are not heard and do not believe that politicians are addressing their needs, a Sky News poll has found.

The Survation poll was commissioned as part of the launch of Stand Up Be Counted, a brand new digital platform designed by Sky News to give young people a voice.

The survey appears to show widespread apathy and indifference towards politics among those aged 24 and below.

Click here to visit the Stand Up Be Counted site

Some of those who have shared their views on the Stand Up Be Counted site

Forty-nine percent of 16-24 year olds questioned know neither the name nor party of their local MP, the survey found.

And 47% said none of party leaders David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband or Nigel Farage best exemplify the qualities they want in their political leaders.

(L-R) Ed Miliband, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage

For example, of those questioned, more than a quarter (26%) said they were not engaged with politics and had no interest in becoming more involved.

Seventeen percent said they were not engaged in politics but would like to become more so.

Just 8% said they were fully engaged with the political process.

In total 39% expressed an interest in becoming more engaged in politics while 50% said they had no interest in becoming more engaged.

The poll also showed the frustration and lack of faith many young people have in politics.

Asked if they felt their voices were heard in society, 44% said they were not listened to despite trying to express concerns or beliefs.

Forty-two percent said they did not try to make themselves heard. And just 12% felt that they were being listened to.

Forty-five percent of those questioned said they had "not very much" confidence that politicians would address the issues that matter most.

And only 31% said they trusted government to address their needs and concerns.

The three attributes named by those polled as most desirable in politicians were honesty, being in touch with ordinary people and the ability to make tough decisions.

Asked to reveal the first word that comes to mind when thinking of politics 9% said "lies" or "liars", 8% said "boring" and 7% referred to "corruption".

MPs have faced recent criticism for rowdy displays at the weekly Prime Minister's Questions sessions.

And 53% of those questioned said they would be more likely to listen to politicians if they behaved better at PMQs. Forty-three percent said it showed politicians displaying passion.

The poll also shows that mainstream media is viewed with suspicion by young people.

Eight out of 10 of those surveyed said they did not believe that traditional media (newspapers, radio and TV) portrayed them accurately.

Instead social media such as Facebook and Twitter are more trusted to accurately reflect their views and concerns according to 46%.

:: Survation polled 1,004 16-24 year olds on behalf of Sky News between August 21 and 26, 2014.

:: Stand Up website: www.skynews.com/standupbecounted

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Head Of Sky News On Stand Up Be Counted

Today Sky News is launching an ambitious new campaign, Stand Up Be Counted.

:: Click here to visit the site

The project sees us launch a dynamic digital platform where young people aged between 16 and 25 can talk about the issues that affect them.

Anything from personal reflections on their lives, to their frustrations around the stereotypes the media turns them into, to their optimism about the future.

According to a Sky News poll, almost half of the young people in Britain are not engaged in politics, feel their voices are not heard and don't believe that politicians are addressing their needs.

That makes for depressing reading.

We, the media, are partly to blame, often portraying young people as stereotypes, the victims or the agitators.

Indeed only 18% of young people say that traditional media is the best platform to reflect their views and concerns. I am determined to change this.

Some of the results from the poll

This is why we are launching Stand Up Be Counted.

Not only is it a place where young people can share their thoughts but it also means that we can help amplify their voices and make them a genuine part of our Sky News content.

We would like thousands of young people across the country, from every constituency, to share their thoughts with us, as they already do on their social networks.

Within just a few seconds video, blogs and comments can be uploaded and shared with fellow Stand Ups on our platform and across social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Google+, WhatsApp and Kik.

I am 52, it's been a while since I was considered young, but when I talk to younger people now I am always bowled over about how creative, how deep thinking, and how motivated they are.

They just feel, quite rightly, disengaged from the Westminster bubble which decide the direction in what our country heads.

Some of the young people who have shared their views on the site

Likewise news organisations like Sky need to up their game, and help explain how policy decisions directly affect the lives of young people, and how they can influence those decisions via voting. We just need to avoid doing it in a preachy, patronising way.

There is a danger that young people could be sidelined, becoming so disengaged that they lose their voice - not necessarily amongst their peers - but with the establishment who contribute to shaping their future.

Long gone are the days of young people being seen and not heard, we need to do all we can to ensure their voices are received loud and clear, ensure they stand up and are counted.

:: Stand Up website: www.skynews.com/standupbecounted

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Missing Isaac Nash Swept Away By 'Massive Wave'

The father of a 12-year-old boy who went missing on Friday has described how a "massive wave" thwarted desperate attempts to save his son.

Rescue teams in Anglesey are continuing their search for Isaac Nash for a fourth day.

Adam Nash, 35, said he and the children's grandfather, Paul, ran into the water at Aberffraw after the boys began to panic.

Mr Nash was able to save Xander, 10, but said his father emerged from the choppy waters bloodied, and told him: "I couldn't save Isaac, I couldn't save Isaac."

He told The Huddersfield Daily Examiner: "When I saw that my dad had got to Isaac I realised that they were having trouble.

"Everything got loud and there was spray coming off the sea. I could sense they were panicking.

"I saw Isaac doing front crawl, trying to get back. He was very close to my dad and I thought they were fine, they are near the rocks, but then Xander was going out. I was really worried."

Mr Nash described how he managed to fight to save his younger son from the waves, telling him to "swim with his legs" and "breathe, breathe, breath".

"He (Xander) said he couldn't swim anymore. I was exhausted too. I was having problems myself, let alone supporting him. I thought I just don't want to let go of him."

Mr Nash said he made it back to shore but found his father "washed up on the rocks and just laid flat".

He told The Examiner: "My dad came round and his face was just screwed up and there was blood dripping down him from his arms and legs. And he said: 'I couldn't save him, I couldn't save him.'

"A massive wave hit Paul and Isaac and he couldn't hold on to him. There was a lot of seaweed on the rocks which was very slippery and it would have been difficult to cling on to and get a grip."

Isaac – who has been described as thrill-seeking, sporty and competitive – has still not been found, even though search teams from the RAF and RNLI have been scouring the area since Friday.

Adam Nash said his son was "a good swimmer – a strong, sporty lad".

"I think he had seen a little area where you can swim near some rocks, I think he wanted to go onto them and look for barnacles."

Although Isaac's family, from Highburton, West Yorkshire, helped with the search along the shore on Saturday, they have since returned home.

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Ashya's Parents Kept In Police Custody

The parents of Ashya King have not been granted bail after their extradition hearing in Madrid was adjourned for three days.

Brett King, 51, and his wife Naghmeh, 45, from Portsmouth, will remain in police custody meaning they are still unable to visit their five-year-old son in hospital in Malaga.

Ashya, who has a brain tumour, is also not able to have visits from his six siblings who are also still in Spain because he is under police guard at the Materno-Infantil hospital.

Sky sources said the couple told the court in Madrid they did not want to be extradited back to the UK.

The five-year-old is unable to see members of his family

The couple were arrested on Saturday after taking Ashya out of Southampton General Hospital to seek specialist cancer treatment abroad.

Petitions on change.org calling for the release of the Kings so they can get medical treatment for Ashya have now totalled nearly 20,000 signatures.

It comes after Portsmouth City Council revealed on Monday that the little boy was made a temporary ward of court on Friday.

Julian Wooster, the council's director for children's services, said: "At the request of Southampton hospital the council obtained a temporary Wardship Order on Friday, only to direct that Ashya King be presented for medical treatment.

Ashya King, pictured with father Brett, needs treatment for a brain tumour

"The order will be reviewed by the High Court on Wednesday. We understand this is an extremely difficult time for Ashya and his family."

Ashya's grandmother Patricia King said authorities were treating Brett and his wife "like murderers".

She said: "They've treated them like murderers, putting handcuffs on them and everything. There's no human rights for our family at all, it's disgusting.

The hearing took place in Madrid - 300 miles from Ashya's hospital

"He's there in the hospital, he doesn't know anybody, there's police guarding him, he can't speak, he doesn't understand Spanish.

"My daughter-in-law and my son have begged to see him, but they've been refused."

His brother, Naveed, 20, posted a video blog claiming the family had stocked up on food and syringes that the boy needed ahead of their journey and had bought him a new wheelchair costing up to £1,600.

Patricia King earlier said her son was selling his holiday home in Spain to pay for proton beam therapy, which costs an average of £100,000 per person.

The family travelled to southern Spain through Cherbourg in France

British police officers are understood to have arrived in Spain to question Ashya's parents.

Dr Jiri Kubes, a proton therapist in the Czech Republic where the family was hoping to get treatment for Ashya, said cancer clinics could treat him "within a few days" if a request was received from his doctors.

Janice Atkinson, UKIP South East MEP, said: "This little boy needs his mother at this time. He is five years old, probably doesn't speak Spanish, and will be lying in a hospital bed in distress.

"I call on the Home Secretary to contact the Spanish authorities so that Ashya's parents are released immediately. Then she should ask the assistant chief constable of Hampshire why he 'made no apology for the police being proactive' to find Ashya."

A spokesman for David Cameron said: "I think people up and down the country will understand and be moved by the grave illness from which Ashya is suffering.

"First and foremost, the priority must be that he receives the very best and most appropriate medical care.

"Of course, I am sure that every parent wants to do the best for their child. That is probably the most human of human instincts."

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Ashya's Parents Wanted Proton Beam Treatment

The parents of Ashya King have said they removed him from a Southampton hospital because they were unable to get a specialist treatment on the NHS.

In a YouTube video, Brett King said they were hoping to get to the Czech Republic to seek specialist medical care for their five-year-old son.

They were trying to get access to proton beam radiotherapy, which is currently only available to treat eye conditions on the NHS in the UK.

The treatment is already being used by European countries and in the US for a range of cancers in adults and children.

Ashya's parents were arrested on Saturday near Marbella, Spain

It differs from X-ray methods by focusing proton beams more precisely at cancer cells, with doses aimed directly at the tumour.

It spares the healthy tissue and organs behind it.

Speaking in the video, Mr King said: "Proton beam is so much better for children with brain cancer.

"It zones in on the area, whereby normal radiation passes through his head and comes out the other side and destroys everything in his head.

His family want him to receive proton beam treatment in the Czech Republic

"We pleaded with them (in Southampton) for proton beam treatment. They looked at me straight in the face and said with his cancer - which is called medulloblastoma - it would have no benefit whatsoever.

"I went straight back to my room and looked it up and the American sites and French sites and Switzerland sites where they have proton beam said the opposite, it would be very beneficial for him."

Ros Barnes, whose son Alex went to the US after he was unable to get beam therapy in the UK for his brain tumour, said she would do the same thing as Ashya's family.

She told Sky News: "We were told the same thing, that Alex's tumour wasn't suitable for proton therapy by the NHS here in this country.

Ashya is now in a children's hospital

"The alternative here was radiotherapy, and he was only four years old at the time it would have caused extreme brain damage and probably wouldn't have worked either. So yes, I would have done the same as this family.

"They wanted us to have the operation here and for him to have radiotherapy, but he would have been blind, brain damaged and in a wheelchair, if he survived, and his prognosis was terrible.

"It was so difficult to go against the doctors here because they were all saying the same thing, 'oh you know they're only after your money, it hasn't been tried and tested'."

Professor Justin Stebbing, consultant oncologist at Imperial College in London, told Sky News: "The conventional wisdom is that these heavier particles are more precise, you can get more energy into a very specific area.

"The problem is that we don't yet have the trials to support that, so in America at the moment where there are many more proton beam machines than in the UK and in Europe they are now performing those trials to see if protons actually prolong survival."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Decisions on treatment for individual patients are made by doctors who are best placed to know what their patient needs.

"We are investing £250m in new proton beam therapy facilities, in Manchester and in London, and more people are being funded to go overseas until facilities are available in the UK."

A spokesperson for NHS England added the NHS supported 99 children to travel abroad last year for proton beam therapy.

They said: "We all want what is best for Ashya, and it is for the cancer doctors and oncologists involved to advise on what is the best treatment for each child."

The only current proton beam facility is in Clatterbridge Centre for Cancer NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool.

Ashya's parents were held in custody after the family's car was pulled over by police in Malaga at 9pm UK time on Saturday.

The little boy, who underwent "extensive surgery" during an operation on his brain tumour seven days ago, was taken to a hospital.

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