Cruise Ship Passengers Catch Sickness Bug

Dozens of passengers on board a luxury 12-night cruise have fallen ill with a sickness and diarrhoea bug.

Around 130 people contracted a gastroenteritis-type illness on the Fred Olsen-operated Black Watch which sailed from Fife to Scandinavia and the Russian city of St Petersburg.

The cruise started on September 8 with 778 passengers, and 29 people were still ill when it returned to Rosyth on Friday.

Specialist cleaners and health inspectors have been on board to check and clean the ship.

A spokeswoman for Fred Olsen said: "Representatives from the local health authorities and Rosyth Port Health have been on board the ship this morning and have confirmed that they are satisfied with the containment and preventative measures being undertaken by the ship.

"It is frustrating that even with the extra preventative and containment measures that were put in place, a number of guests on board suffered from this illness which is common in hospitals, schools, hotels, cruise ships and other areas where people are in close proximity.

"Symptoms of the illness include a sudden onset of vomiting and or diarrhoea.

"Some people may have a temperature, headache and stomach cramps.

"The sickness usually abates within one or two days and there are no long-term effects.

"The health, safety and well-being of all our guests is paramount and we believe that our systems for preventing the spread of illness on board our ships are amongst the best within the industry."

Fred Olsen said passengers were due to set off on the Black Watch for an Iberian cruise on Friday night and have been informed of the situation.

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Buying A House 'Cheaper Than Renting'

Home buyers are almost £900 better off a year than those who rent - but an upturn in house prices means the gap has narrowed in recent months, a report has found.

Research by Halifax, which based its calculations on its own database as well as official figures, found that people buying a three-bedroom house face typical costs of £672 a month, which is £73 less than the average £745 a month cost of renting.

Five years ago, renting was considered much more financially attractive than buying, but home buying costs have since fallen by more than a third, meaning that buying has become cheaper than renting.

Falls in house prices following the economic downturn combined with low mortgage rates in the low interest rate environment have all contributed to the about-turn.

Meanwhile, rental costs have been pushed higher by strong demand in the sector, as many renters have struggled to get on to the property ladder.

But a return to activity in the housing market has pushed house prices up, which means that the gap between buying and renting costs has narrowed from a difference of £78 a month one year ago.

Halifax recently reported that prices nationally have risen by 5% over the last year. Other reports have recently put prices in London at around 10% higher than they were a year ago.

People living in London and Northern Ireland have the most to gain from buying rather than renting, the research suggested. The gap in percentage terms is biggest in Northern Ireland, at 11%. Buying in Northern Ireland costs £369 a month on average, while renting costs £415.

In cash terms, Londoners have the most to gain from being on the property ladder, with a saving of almost £100 a month.

Wales and Yorkshire and the Humber were the only areas of the UK where renting was found to be more affordable than buying. In Scotland, buying was found to work out £27 a month cheaper than renting.

Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said: "A combination of lower mortgage rates and declining house prices has substantially reduced the cost of buying over the past six years.

"Nevertheless, the number of home buyers in the 12 months to June 2013 was nearly half of that in 2008, which will have been constrained by worries over job security."

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Durham Murder: Two Men Due In Court

Two men are due in court later charged with the murder of a man whose body was discovered by a dog walker.

John Anthony Hall's remains were found in Mark's Lane, in the West Rainton area of Durham at around 7pm on Sunday.

Northumbria Police said a post-mortem examination found the 46-year-old died from multiple injuries.

Two men, aged 45 and 48, will appear before magistrates in Sunderland, police said.

A statement from Mr Hall's family, of Shiney Row, Tyne and Wear, described him as a "gentle man".

Mr Hall was reported missing from his home in Burn Terrace on Monday.

Three other men have also been arrested on suspicion of his murder.

Two men, aged 43 and 32, have been bailed pending further inquiries, while a 34-year-old man remains in custody.

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Plane Diverts To Stansted: Pair Arrested

Two men have been arrested after a plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Stansted Airport.

The Sri Lankan Airlines A330 Airbus, which was carrying 267 passengers and crew, was due to land at Heathrow but was diverted to the Essex airport just after 7.30pm on Friday.

Police officers boarded the plane, which had departed from Colombo, and arrested the pair on suspicion of endangering an aircraft.

However, Essex Police said their investigation was a criminal matter rather than a terrorism inquiry.

Both arrested men, aged 49 and 57, are British nationals, the force said.

The 49-year-old is being treated for a medical condition, not an injury, in hospital.

Essex Police added: "The 49-year-old is currently receiving medical treatment in hospital and the other is in custody at Harlow police station.

"They will be interviewed by detectives. The incident is being treated as a criminal investigation."

All of the passengers on board the aircraft left safely and have since travelled to Heathrow by coach.

A spokesman for Stansted confirmed the airport remained open, with all flights arriving and departing as normal.

In May this year, two men were arrested on board a plane from Pakistan carrying 297 passengers that was intercepted and diverted to Stansted by RAF typhoon jets.

Police later said the incident in May was being treated as criminal rather than terrorism-related.

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Grand Theft Auto V Stabbing: Three Charged

Three teenagers have been charged over the stabbing and robbery of a man who had just bought the blockbuster video game Grand Theft Auto V.

The 23-year-old victim was attacked just 80 minutes after he picked up the notoriously violent game at a midnight launch on Tuesday.

Scotland Yard said he was hit with a brick, stabbed and stripped of his mobile phone, watch and his copy of the game during the attack on Princes Avenue in Colindale, north London.

And a Metropolitan Police spokesman said three teenagers, aged 14, 15, and 17 had now been charged with robbery and grievous bodily harm with intent.

They were due to appear before magistrates in Hendon, north London, on Saturday morning.

Three other teenagers, aged 15, 17 and 18, have been released on bail until October.

It comes as it was revealed Grand Theft Auto V had sold more than $1bn (£624m) worth of copies in just three days since its global launch.

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Prison Smoking Ban 'Could Be Very Risky'

Inmates could soon be banned from smoking inside prisons in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice has said.

A pilot scheme which will monitor how prisoners react to the move is being planned by the Government but sites have not yet been chosen.

A spokesman for the MoJ said: "We are considering banning smoking across the prison estate and as part of this are looking at possible sites as early adopters."

The pilot scheme is expected to launch in the South West in the spring of next year and if successful the ban would be rolled out across all prisons within 12 months, The Times has reported.

But there are fears the ban could cause disruption in prisons, with around 80% of inmates in England and Wales believed to smoke, according to the NHS.

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said it would be "very risky" to implement a blanket ban with no extra support for prisoners.

"You're putting extra pressure on a system that's already under pressure," she said.

Prisons in the pilot scheme have not been identified

Ms Lyon says many prisoners use smoking to help "survive" their sentence. 

She says cuts to staffing and resources are already putting added strain on the prison system, and causing "increasing unrest" amongst inmates.

She does not oppose the proposed ban, but said alternate activities to smoking must be offered.

"If the substitute for smoking were more time with staff, more time outside of your cell, more purposeful activity, more skills training that would be a very different picture," she said.

Steve Gillan, general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, told The Times that introducing the ban would be difficult.

"There is no pretending otherwise," he said.

"It could cause disturbances but they have done it successfully in Canada and in young offender institutions in England and Wales."

He added: "We welcome this move. It is our policy to have smoke-free prisons for our members.

"We will work with the ministry to make sure it works effectively."

Mr Gillan said that without a smoking ban the Prison Service risked legal action from a non-smoker claiming to suffer from the effects of passive smoking.

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Esme Smith: Sister's Plea For Missing Teenager

The sister of a missing 14-year-old schoolgirl who has not been seen for a week has made a plea for her safe return, saying: "We just want her back."

Esme Smith parted from friends after school last Thursday, telling them she was going to Woking and then on to a party.

Instead, she changed out of her school uniform and caught a train from Aldershot just after 4pm, and arrived at London Waterloo around an hour later.

The teenager has not been seen by her family or made contact with them since, prompting concerns among relatives and friends.

Esme's family have urged her to make contact

In an appeal on YouTube issued by Surrey Police, her sister Sian Smith said: "I think she's maybe met somebody out there or planned to meet somebody.

"We just don't know at the moment, and that's the worrying thing. She's not in trouble. We just want her back. We are incredibly worried."

Esme is a pupil at All Hallows Catholic School in Farnham.

CCTV cameras at Waterloo filmed the teenager wearing a white flowery dress and a denim jacket.

Esme Smith walking through Waterloo train station

She was carrying a black school bag and black floral bag with chain straps.

Detective Inspector Martin Stables, of the Surrey Police missing persons unit, said: "We are carrying out extensive inquiries to locate Esme via CCTV, speaking with family and friends and monitoring social media, but as time goes on our concerns about her welfare grows.

"I urge people to watch and listen to the appeal from Esme's sister, Sian, and to contact police if it jogs their memory into remembering any information which might help locate Esme."

Esme is white, 5ft 3in, and of slim to medium build, with shoulder-length brown hair that may be tied in a bun.

She has brown eyes and a tanned complexion and wears size six shoes.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call Surrey Police on 101.

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Woman Charged With Murdering Young Son

A woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of her young son.

Michelle Owens, 27, did not speak during a brief appearance at Lisburn Magistrates' Court.

Her three-year-old son Brendan was found dead in the town, around 10 miles southwest of Belfast, on July 4.

His body was discovered at a house in Trinity Terrace, close to the city centre.

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said a post-mortem examination had been carried out to determine how the youngster died.

His mother, who was dressed in blue trousers and a sweater and flanked by prison officers as she appeared in court, was remanded in custody to reappear via video link next month.

A 51-year-old man arrested in connection with the boy's death has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

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Ex-MSP Bill Walker Jailed For Attacks On Family

Former MSP Bill Walker has been jailed for 12 months for a string of attacks on his three ex-wives and a stepdaughter.

The 71-year-old was convicted of 23 charges of domestic abuse last month but held onto his Dunfermline seat for 16 days before submitting his resignation to the Scottish Parliament.

Walker assaulted his first wife, Maureen Traquair, three times in the 1960s and 1980s, on one occasion punching her in the face two weeks before their wedding day.

He attacked his second wife Anne Gruber 15 times between 1978 and 1984, punching, slapping and kicking her and threatening to scald her with hot coffee.

He also assaulted Mrs Gruber's 16-year-old daughter Anne Louise Paterson by repeatedly striking her on the head with a saucepan during a row over a trifle in 1978, and attacked his third wife Diana Walker four times between 1988 and 1995.

Walker, of Alloa, Clackmannanshire, denied the charges, claiming he had acted in self-defence in relation to three of them and was the victim of a smear campaign.

However, Sheriff Kathrine Mackie told him he was "controlling, domineering, demeaning and belittling" towards his former wives.

Passing sentence, she said: "Your incredulity at being convicted of these offences and your perceived victimisation are further indications of your abdication of responsibility for your behaviour.

"You have shown what can only be described as contempt for your former wives and your stepdaughter in the derogatory manner in which you refer to them.

"I formed the opinion that you have no understanding of the impact of domestic abuse on victims or children.

"I have been unable to detect, either during the trial or in the reports, any evidence of remorse for anything or anyone except yourself."

Walker was also convicted of breaching the peace for brandishing an air rifle at Mrs Gruber's house after she went out for a birthday meal with another man.

He was suspended and expelled from the Scottish National Party after revelations about the abuse surfaced in a Sunday newspaper last year.

Walker's solicitor advocate Gordon Martin said he had hoped to round off a "distinguished life" by serving as an MSP but his reputation was now "in tatters".

"In fairness, it might be the man now before the court is different from the man who was spoken of by the various witnesses in court over the length of the trial," he said.

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Leicester Fire Deaths: Teenager In Court

By Adele Robinson, Midlands Correspondent

A teenager has been remanded in custody over the deaths of a mother and her three teenage children who died in a house fire.

Kemo Anthony Porter, 18, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth at the two-minute hearing at Leicester Magistrates' Court.

Dr Taufiq's wife and children were killed

Porter, who was not required to enter a plea at the hearing, will appear before Leicester Crown Court on Monday via videolink and then again on October 4.

The teenager, of Browning Street, Leicester, is charged with four counts of murder over the deaths of Shehnila Taufiq, 47, her daughter Zainab, 19, and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamil, 15.

Their bodies were discovered in the upstairs bedrooms of their home on Wood Hill in the Spinney Hills area of the city on Friday, September 13.

His court appearance came as an inquest into the deaths was opened and adjourned, with the cause of death given as smoke inhalation.

Temporary Detective Superintendent Kate Meynell, senior investigating officer at Leicestershire Police, told the hearing the four family members had been formally identified by a dental examination.

The inquest also heard Mrs Taufiq was a mature student living in Leicester with her children, who were also studying in the city.

Adjourning the inquest to a date to be set, coroner Catherine Mason said: "The family would like to have their loved ones back so that they can rightly and respectfully lay them to rest.

"However in the circumstances it is not possible, but as in all losses I will work very hard to ensure that there is the lawful release at the earliest opportunity so that funeral arrangements can continue."

No members of the Taufiq family were at the hearing.

Mr Akpom was stabbed to death in Leicester

The children's father, Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, a neurosurgeon who was working in Ireland, has spoken of his grief and said he would "deeply miss" his "beautiful" wife, daughter and two teenage sons.

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

Police are still investigating whether there is a possible link with the fatal house fire and that of the murder of a 20-year-old man seven hours earlier less than a mile away.

Antoin Akpom was found injured on Kent Street on September 12 at 5.30pm after being stabbed. He later died in hospital.

But Assistant Chief Constable Roger Bannister, of Leicestershire Police, said on Thursday that there was no suspicion of a racially motivated element to either the house fire or Mr Akpom's death.

Separately, Abdul Hakim, 19, of Wood Hill, Leicester, appeared in court on Wednesday, charged with 20-year-old Mr Akpom's murder.

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'Bedroom Tax' Puts Thousands Behind On Rent

At least 50,000 council tenants have fallen behind on their rent since the housing benefit welfare reforms came into force, new figures suggest.

Campaigners claim a third of council tenants affected by the changes, dubbed a "bedroom tax" by critics, are in arrears and facing eviction.

Renewing their call for the cut to be scrapped, the TUC's False Economy group claimed the figures would only rise and warned of a "full-blown crisis".

The group made Freedom of Information requests to all British councils and 114 responded to reveal 50,000 households can no longer pay for their accommodation.

This equates to 31% of those affected by the reduction in payouts, which came into force this April as part of a welfare overhaul, the group said.

In Barrow, three quarters had fallen behind and 67% were also in arrears in Clackmannanshire. The level was at least 50% in Tamworth, South Kestevan and Rotherham.

A separate study by the National Housing Federation (NHF) found a quarter of people in housing association properties hit by the policy had been pushed into arrears since April.

Under the changes, council house tenants deemed to have more bedrooms than they need have their benefit slashed to tackle what the Government calls a "spare room subsidy".

Ministers say private sector renters do not get spare rooms for free, and argue the change will save around £500m annually.

But critics suggest it is forcing families into poverty and will increase the benefits bill by pushing people into the private sector.

Iain Duncan Smith is overseeing radical welfare reforms

False Economy warned its early figures would rise as emergency funds given to town halls to ease the burden of the policy dries up.

Campaign manager Clifford Singer said: "Together with the raft of other benefits cuts the Government has forced through both this year and previously, the bedroom tax is driving tenants and families who were just making ends meet into arrears, and pushing those who were already struggling with the cost of living into a full-blown crisis."

He claimed people were being punished for a lack of affordable housing and a "decades-long failure" to invest in social and council housing.

NHF chief executive David Orr said: "This is the most damning evidence yet to show that the bedroom tax is pushing thousands of families into a spiralling cycle of debt.

"Housing associations are working flat-out to help their tenants cope with the changes, but they can't magic one-bedroom houses out of thin air. People are trapped.

"What more proof do politicians need that the bedroom tax is an unfair, ill-planned disaster that is hurting our poorest families? There is no other option but to repeal."

Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne added: "The jury is now in. David Cameron's hated 'bedroom tax' is pushing a generation into foodbanks and loan-sharks.

"This Government seems determined to stand up for a privileged few, but stands idle while hundreds of thousands of our neighbours are pushed into debt from which they may never recover."

The research comes days after UN special rapporteur on housing Raquel Rolnik called for the policy to be rethought, warning it was causing "great stress and anxiety" to the vulnerable.

And earlier this week, Lib Dem activists voted overwhelmingly in favour of committing the party to a review of the policy's impact.

However, the Department for Work and Pensions dismissed the significance of the findings and defended a "necessary reform to return fairness to housing benefit".

"It is just wrong to suggest the early stages of the policy - as people start to adjust to the changes - represent long-term trends in any way whatsoever," a spokesman said.

"We are carefully monitoring the policy nationally ensuring the extra funds to support vulnerable tenants are used well as these changes are introduced."

"Even after the reform we pay over 80% of most claimants' housing benefit - but the taxpayer can no longer afford to pay for people to live in properties larger than they need. It is right that people contribute to these costs, just as private renters do."

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Briton Held In Spain 'For Helping Dale Cregan'

A British man has been arrested on Spain's Costa del Sol on suspicion of assisting jailed police killer Dale Cregan.

Marvin Herbert was held on a European Arrest Warrant at a gym in Puerto Banus, near Marbella, by Spanish police.

He is now awaiting extradition proceedings from Madrid to the UK.

Herbert, 41, who was born in Liverpool, is wanted on suspicion of conspiracy to assist Cregan in the murders of father and son David and Mark Short.

Cregan, 30, killed Mark Short in a Manchester pub on May 25 last year, but failed to kill his father, who was in the toilet.

On August 10, 2012, Cregan, with fellow killer Anthony Wilkinson, shot David Short outside his house in Clayton.

After killing the father and son, Cregan went on the run. He was hunted by the police for 39 days before killing two unarmed officers on September 18 last year.

The one-eyed killer lured them to a house in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, with a hoax call. Within an hour he had gunned them down, then threw a grenade at the dying officers.

Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were lured to their deaths

Greater Manchester Police paid tribute to WPCs Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, on the first anniversary of their deaths on Wednesday.

Two other men have also been charged with helping Cregan.

Samuel Willbye, 28, from Hannet Road, Manchester, and Jack Willbye, 57, from Chapel Street, Herne Bay, are accused of conspiring to assist an offender.

The pair have been remanded in custody to appear at Manchester Crown Court on September 25.

Cregan was jailed for life at Preston Crown Court in June, and was told he would spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Earlier this month, he was moved to maximum-security Ashworth Hospital - where Moors Murderer Ian Brady is serving his sentence - from Strangeways jail in Manchester because of his behaviour.

While in HMP Manchester, he was segregated from other prisoners for fear of reprisals. Reports suggest there is an underworld bounty of £20,000 on his remaining eye.

In protest, Cregan is said to have have started refusing food. He was put in the hospital wing at the jail before his transfer to Ashworth.

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Tony Blair's Daughter Held Up At Gunpoint

Tony Blair's daughter has escaped unhurt after being held up at gunpoint by two men during an attempted robbery.

Kathryn Blair, 25, was targeted as she walked down a central London street with her boyfriend and a group of friends.

Scotland Yard confirmed two people were targeted by two male suspects with a gun in Ivor Place, Marylebone, at 8.30pm on Monday.

A spokesman said: "The victims were a man and a woman; the suspects were two males."

The attack is being linked with a nearby attempted robbery half-an-hour earlier.

The police spokesman added: "On both occasions a firearm was seen but not used - no shots were fired.

"None of the victims was injured and nothing was stolen during the incidents."

The former prime minister's daughter was pictured alongside her parents last week at the wedding of her older brother, Euan.

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Retail Sales Slow After July Heatwave

Consumers reined in their spending in August after July's heatwave had boosted demand for food and sales of outdoor goods.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales volumes tumbled by 0.9% on the month.

Economists had expected an increase, given continuing good weather in August and high numbers of people taking their holidays at home in the UK.

But the fall meant the annual rate of growth slowed to 2.1% - supporting recent caution among retailers about a recovery on the high street.

Food sales - which lifted strongly in July amid the heatwave - fell 2.7% on the month, reversing the previous month's gain.

However, fashion retailers did better as sales across textile, clothing and footwear shops climbed 1.1% and department stores rose 1% month-on-month.

Internet and mail order retailing saw high growth of 30.4% compared to the same period last year, when sales were hit as consumers watched the Olympics and Paralympics.

Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit, said: "Consumers pulled back on their retail spending after a spending spree in July, but retail sales are still trending higher at the fastest rate since mid-2007, meaning the economy looks set to have grown strongly in the third quarter."

Rising house prices, record low mortgage rates and signs of economic recovery had been thought to have given consumer spending a boost.

But economists had also warned that the July performance was unlikely to be sustainable because inflation continues to outpace wage growth.

The retail sector, which accounts for 6% of the UK economy, has largely reported improved earnings but no big names had witnessed a huge change in spending attitudes as budgets remained tough.

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Terror Arrests: Two More Held In Syria Probe

Two more people have been arrested as part of an investigation into suspected terrorism in Syria.

A 27-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman were arrested at a property in Essex on Wednesday on suspicion of "being involved in the commission, preparation and instigation" of terrorism.

Their arrests follow the detention of two men, aged 22 and 29, at the Port of Dover in Kent in the early hours of Monday in connection with the same inquiry.

Some ammunition was also seized.

Scotland Yard said searches are being carried out at properties in east London and Lancashire. Two vehicles had also been searched.

The British-Asian men who were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 on Monday had arrived at Dover from Calais.

The men, understood to be of Pakistani origin, are in custody at a London police station as inquiries by Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) continue.

The pair held yesterday have also been taken to a police station in the capital, and police are searching the Essex property.

No arrests have been made at the east London and Lancashire addresses which are being searched.

Scotland Yard said: "The searches are ongoing and we are unable to provide more details at this stage."

British citizens travelling abroad in connection with extremist activities has been a focus for the Security Service for some time, with Syria proving popular with would-be jihadists.

The former head of MI5 last year warned Britons are increasingly heading to the Middle East for terrorist training in preparation for attacks in the wake of the Arab Spring.

Jonathan Evans, director-general of the Security Service, warned in June that parts of the Arab world were becoming a more permissive environment for al Qaeda and Britons were travelling there to "seek training and opportunities for militant activity".

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Syria Refugees: PM Cameron Urged To Act

Prime Minister David Cameron is being urged to substantially increase Britain's refugee intake from Syria.

The Refugee Council, Refugee Action and the Scottish and Welsh Refugee Councils have urged Mr Cameron to create a "substantial and coordinated resettlement programme".

Mr Cameron has committed £400m to the Syrian crisis and encouraged the international community to increase support.

But in an open letter to the Prime Minister, the campaigners say financial aid alone is no longer adequate.

Mr Cameron has committed £400m to the crisis

"We understand from the UNHCR that the crisis has escalated to such an extent that the countries bordering Syria are struggling to cope with the numbers of refugees, despite the financial support offered by the UK and others," they wrote.

"We now believe that additional practical support, in the form of practical responsibility sharing measures, must be provided to help those displaced by the Syrian conflict and to relieve some of the pressure on Syria's neighbours."

Britain is currently taking on a high rate of Syrians who arrive in the UK by their own means but the groups say more should be done to assist others over.

The refugee groups say Syrians "with a connection to the UK" should be helped to come to the country.

They have also called for "emergency humanitarian evacuations" of refugees judged most in need.

Germany has agreed to take on 5,000 Syrians in a comprehensive refugee programme that includes the right to work for up to two years.

Syrian refugees flee across the border into Iraq

The groups want the British Government to follow suit and set an example for other European nations.

Syria now has the highest number of displaced people anywhere in the world.

More than 2 million Syrians have fled the country, with another 4 million displaced within its borders, according to UN officials.

Of the refugees, more than 97% have fled to neighbouring countries and are being housed in huge camps that are struggling to cope.

The latest figures from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) show 124,373 Syrian refugees are in Egypt; 190,857 in Iraq; 519,676 in Jordan; 746,200 in Lebanon and 492,687 in Turkey.

Women and children make up three-quarters of the refugee population.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres has called the humanitarian crisis "the great tragedy of this century".

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Nigel Evans' Sex Charges: MP In Court

Former deputy Commons speaker Nigel Evans has appeared in court for the first time after being charged with a string of sex offences.

Evans, 55, is accused of two counts of indecent assault, five of sexual assault and one of rape and appeared at Preston Magistrates' Court.

In a hearing that only lasted 10 minutes, the MP walked into the dock and confirmed his full name before the charges were read out.

Wearing a black suit and patterned tie, Evans confirmed he understood the allegations, some of which date back to 2002.

He was later granted bail on condition he does not approach any witnesses in the case directly or indirectly.

Mr Evans outside Preston Magistrates' Court after the hearing

District Judge Jane Goodwin adjourned the case until October 4, when Evans will appear for a preliminary hearing at Preston Crown Court.

When asked if he wanted to comment as he left court, he said: "I'm going back to Westminster to work now, thank you."

Evans, from Pendleton in Lancashire, had already stepped aside from his duties as deputy speaker after the first allegations were made in May this year.

He officially resigned the post last week after being charged.

A former Tory, he will now sit as an independent for Ribble Valley as he fights to clear his name.

In an emotional speech, he told MPs: "I now have the opportunity to robustly defend my innocence and seek acquittal."

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Grand Theft Auto V Robbery: Teens Arrested

Three teenagers have been arrested after a man was stabbed and robbed of his copy of the Grand Theft Auto V video game in north London.

The 23-year-old victim was attacked in the early hours of Tuesday after he left an Asda store in Colindale just an hour and 20 minutes after the notoriously violent game went on sale at midnight.

He was hit with a brick, stabbed and stripped of his mobile phone, watch and his copy of GTA V near the supermarket.

The three males - aged 15, 17 and 18 - are being held on suspicion of robbery at a north London police station.

The man bought the game from an Asda store moments after it went on sale

The victim is now recovering in hospital, where he is said to be in a stable condition.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "The motive for the attack is unclear at this stage.

"The victim had been shopping and was on his way home when he was hit with a brick.

"He was then stabbed and robbed."

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Manchester Utd Revenue Record As Debts Fall

Manchester United made record revenues of £363.2m in the club's last financial year which saw its partial flotation in New York.

In the 12 months to June 30, profits rose 282% to £17.2m as United completed seven global sponsorship partnerships including a world record shirt deal with Chevrolet.

The club's debt pile - racked up under the ownership of the Glazer family and a source of anger among fans - fell 11% over the period to £389.2m.

It believed that its improved financial performance would continue - as it forecast further revenue growth in its current financial year to between £420m and £430m - helped by new television and sponsorship deals.

David Moyes became club manager at the start of the current financial year

But United said the target - the first under new club manager David Moyes following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson - was based on the team finishing third in the English Premier League and reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League and domestic cups.

Ed Woodward, Executive Vice Chairman, said: "We are very proud of our results for fiscal 2013.

"It has been a little over a year since our IPO (Initial Public Offering) and in that time we have delivered on our targets and objectives.

"Our commercial business continues to be a very powerful engine of growth enabling the team to continue to be successful.

"We won our 20th English League title last season and are delighted to have David Moyes lead our football team into a new and exciting chapter."

The IPO saw anger over a lack of voting rights but demand for shares rose

He concluded: "We look forward to a successful 2013/14, both on and off the pitch."

Analysts seized on the new forecasts and the reduction in debts.

Joe Rundle, head of trading at ETX Capital, told Sky News: "The floatation on the stock market was driven by the club's much needed task to pay down its hefty debt pile, which caused much dismay amongst fans.

"The reduction in debt for that reason should quell fears for any fans and investors who felt that listing on the market was not the right direction for the club.

"Clearly, listing on the stock market is paying off and will continue to do so."

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Mummified Boy Found In Cot: Mother On Trial

The mummified corpse of a four-year-old boy was found in a cot in his mother's bedroom almost two years after he starved to death, a jury has been told.

Hamzah Khan's body was still dressed in a babygro when police made the "dreadful discovery" at his house in Bradford, West Yorkshire, a court has heard.

Details of how the child's body was found in September 2011 were outlined at the trial of his mother, Amanda Hutton, at Bradford Crown Court.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Paul Greaney QC told the jury that the body of Hamzah, who died on December 15 2009, was found after police entered Hutton's home because of concerns about a smell.

"What they discovered disturbed even hardened officers," Mr Greaney said.

"Within a cot in the bedroom of Amanda Hutton, a police officer named Richard Dove made a dreadful discovery.

"Within that cot, beneath other items, he found the mummified corpse of a child."

Hutton, 43, denies her son's manslaughter.

The trial is taking place at Bradford Crown Court. Pic: Betty Longbottom

Hamzah's remains fitted into clothing intended for a baby aged six to nine months because the boy's growth had been stunted, Mr Greaney said.

"It had been stunted because he was malnourished over a lengthy period and that state of affairs resulted in his death," he said.

"In short, he starved to death. How had a child starved to death in 21st century England?"

The jury was told that Hutton, who the prosecutor said was an abuser of alcohol and cannabis, ordered pizza within hours of her son's death and continued to claim child benefit for him.

Mr Greaney said that in police interviews Hutton said she had gone to consult a pharmacist at a supermarket after her son had become particularly unwell on December 14, 2009.

"She explained that when she returned Hamzah was near to death. She sought to revive him but to no effect.

"She described placing Hamzah into his cot, making plain that she had treated his body with dignity, and it is right that we should observe that Hamzah's body was found, it was found with a teddy."

Hutton told police that things deteriorated after her son's death and she began to drink a bottle of vodka a day, Mr Greaney added.

"She made no call for assistance - for a doctor or an ambulance," he said.

Hutton had worked as care assistant in the past and there was evidence that she had undergone some first-aid training, the prosecutor said.

The jury also heard that Hamzah's father, Aftab Khan, was separated from Hutton and lived elsewhere and there was evidence he had been violent towards the defendant.

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Lloyds Stake Sale Raises £3.2bn For Taxpayer

The initial sale of taxpayer-owned shares in Lloyds Banking Group has raised £3.21bn for the Treasury - representing a small profit.

UK Financial Investments (UKFI), the body which oversees the public's stakes in Lloyds and RBS following their bailouts, said 6% of Lloyds Banking Group was sold to institutional investors at a placing price of 75p per share.

It means the taxpayer stake in Lloyds - rescued after its disastrous acquisition of Halifax Bank of Scotland at the height of the financial crisis - has been reduced from 38.7% to 32.7%.

The sale price represents a £61m cash profit on the 73.6p average price paid by the Labour Government in 2008 but it will register as a paper profit of £586m on the Treasury's books because its stake in Lloyds is recorded in the public finances as 61p per share.

George Osborne says the money raised will help reduce national debt

The reduced cost took into account the fact that the Treasury had already received £2.5bn for insurance fees from Lloyds under the now-disbanded Asset Protection Scheme.

UKFI confirmed that no further sale of the taxpayer's remaining 32.7% stake would take place for a further 90 days.

The public is expected to be given a chance to buy Lloyds stock in future sales.

Chancellor George Osborne kicked off the initial share sale on Monday night, five years after Lloyds was left needing a £20bn bailout.

He said: "Five years ago the previous government forced British taxpayers to put a huge sum of money into bailing out the banks.

"That was a big ask of the British public. I have been determined ever since I became Chancellor to get that money back for taxpayers.

"I can confirm that we have sold 6% of Lloyds Bank at 75p a share. That is a profit for taxpayers, and rightly so. The money will be used to reduce the national debt by over half a billion pounds.

Lloyds shares are trading below pre-crash levels (price correct at 8.14am)

"This is another step in the long journey in putting right what went so badly wrong in the British economy; it's another step in repairing the banks; it's another step in getting the money back for the taxpayer; and it's another step in reducing our national debt.

"All of those things together are good news.

"If you look at what has happened over the last 12 hours with Lloyds, you have investors from around the world  investing in a British bank. That is a sign the British economy is turning a corner."

Lloyds shares were more more than 2.2% down in early trading on the FTSE 100 on Tuesday - still changing hands at more than 60% below their pre-financial crisis peak.

Nevertheless, the start of the re-privatisation marks a milestone for Lloyds, which hailed its recovery earlier this summer after swinging out of the red with half-year profits of more than £2bn.

Last week the bank re-launched TSB with a spin-off of more than 600 branches, which it was obliged to dispose of under European laws on state aid. This is expected to result in a flotation next year.

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Grand Theft Auto V Launch: 'Sickies' Expected

Grand Theft Auto 'Cut Above Rest'

Updated: 8:42am UK, Tuesday 17 September 2013

By Niall Paterson, Media and Technology Correspondent

First things first, this is just a video game - even if it is a particularly violent one.

So set aside the inevitable hysteria that surrounds the release of any title that invites moral individuals to make immoral decisions, and what is most striking about Grand Theft Auto V is just how cinematic it feels.

From its gloriously detailed cityscapes, to the villains straight out of central casting, to the non-linear freedom to roam that this sandbox game offers, GTA V comes the closest yet to making players feel like they are in a movie.

The game's creators, Rockstar North, have done more than their homework - they have created an entirely believable world, although admittedly filled with some fairly unbelievable characters and events.

Usually when playing a game you are fully aware that what is happening is a fiction.

Yet here, the artifice is almost unnoticeable, the usual barrier between player and completely immersive experience so slight as to barely register.

Yes, you still direct your character with a handheld controller. But you feel with your head, and your heart.

Mark my words, this game will sell by the blood-filled bucketload.

Estimates vary, but 25 million copies are expected to shift in the first 12 months.

Revenues could exceed $1bn the end of the year, and come close to £1bn not long after that.

GTA V is but the latest evidence that video games pose a real challenge to cinema's cultural dominance.

Last year the video games industry was valued at a little over £42bn. By 2014 it is estimated it will be worth almost £52bn.

Pity the residents of Sunset Boulevard. Global box office takings in 2012 amounted to just £22bn.

GTA V had a budget in excess of most Hollywood blockbusters and was five years in development. It shows.

Rockstar North have aped the style and the substance of the hugely profitable gangster genre.

As the midnight queues at games retailers up and down the country have proved, the British-based company clearly has more than a few wise guys in their ranks.

This is no niche industry. Wii-loving grannies; computer-literate toddlers; nostalgic '80s gamers returning to their youthful pursuits; and those who have never put down the joystick - never before have so many enjoyed the simple pleasures video gaming provides.

Except, clearly, the games are no longer simple. Far from it.

An incredible level of sophistication now permeates and characterises these strange new worlds.

Some will argue that the silver screen is dimming. Others, that we are simply demanding more engagement from our entertainment.

So much of GTA V's DNA comes from films that it would be obtuse to suggest that cinema is a dying genre.

But the experience video games provide will only become more immersive.

So perhaps, one day, the credits will no longer roll. End scene, cut, print.

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Prince Harry Leaves Big Freeze For Polar Trek

Prince Harry has emerged from a giant freezer where he spent the night in preparation for a charity polar trek.

He joked it was a cold night's sleep after spending 20 hours in a giant freezer to simulate the gruelling conditions he will face on the 208-mile South Pole trek this winter.

Emerging from the huge testing facility, in which temperatures dropped to as low as -55C (-67F) with wind-chill, the 29-year-old blew into his hands and rubbed them together to warm up as he chatted with his teammates over tea and biscuits.

The cold chamber is based at Mira in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, where cars and military vehicles are put through their paces, and simulates blizzards, high winds, and sudden extreme temperature drops.

When asked what the worst part had been Harry, patron of the Walking With The Wounded charity, said: "Going in."

The Prince is to race with a team of injured British servicemen and women against US and Commonwealth groups.

Alongside his four teammates - all of whom have amputated limbs after sustaining injuries in Afghanistan - Harry practised with the clothing he will wear on the expedition and learned how to avoid frost-nip and frost-bite in the inhospitable climate in Antarctica.

Prince Harry spent 20 hours in the cold chamber

The Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge will begin in late November and last around 15 days. The teams will trek between nine miles and 12 miles each day.

Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgard, star of True Blood, will head the US team, while English actor Dominic West, star of hit series The Wire, will race alongside the Commonwealth team.

Harry, who took part in the Walking With The Wounded trek to the North Pole in 2011 for five days, is patron of the Antarctica expedition.

He missed out on an attempt to conquer Mount Everest with the group last year because of his military commitments, and he withdrew early from the successful North Pole expedition to attend his brother's wedding.

On the latest exercise, Harry shared a tent with Captain Ibrar Ali, 36, who lost his right arm in a roadside bomb blast in 2007, and Major Kate Philp, who chose to have her left leg amputated after her Warrior armoured vehicle struck an IED (improvised explosive device) in Musa Qala in Helmand Province in 2008.

Maj Philp, from Knightwick in Worcestershire, said Harry was a "good extra pair of hands" during the training exercise.

The 35-year-old Royal Artillery officer said having the prince with the team was "great".

"He's experienced at this, having spent some time at the North Pole also," she said.

"He knows what he's doing. He's got his military training, and it's very, very easy, so he's a good extra pair of hands."

Asked if Harry mucks in with the team, she said: "Oh God, absolutely. We wouldn't let it be any other way and he wouldn't want it to be any other way.

"It's great having Harry along, and hopefully he appreciates it too. It's a chance not just for him to experience all the practical stuff that we've just done as well, but for us to get together as a team and start to get to know each other better."

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Daniel Pelka Report: 'No One Suspected Abuse'

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

Chance after chance was missed to intervene in the case of a four-year-old boy who was beaten to death by his mother and stepfather.

A serious case review into the death of Daniel Pelka found repeated failures by agencies set up to safeguard children's welfare.

But it concluded that nobody could have predicted his death at the hands of an abusive mother and stepfather last year.

The report's author, Ron Lock, said: "No one professional, with what they knew of Daniel's circumstances, suspected or could have predicted that he would be killed.

"This was a complex and tragic case.

"Daniel's mother seemed plausible in her concerns about him, and no concerns were expressed by neighbours or the wider community.

"Strong concerns nevertheless emerged about Daniel's circumstances and his care, although at no point were practitioners who had contact with him prepared to think the unthinkable and consider that he might be suffering abuse.

"But if professionals had used more enquiring minds, and been more focused in their intentions to address concerns, it's likely that Daniel would have been better protected from the people who killed him."

Magdelena Luczak and Mariusz Krezolek were both jailed for life

Daniel was brought up in a chaotic family where violence and heavy drinking were the norm. He was known to police, social services, teachers and doctors.

But the report found that not one professional asked him what was going on at home.

Mr Lock said: "He didn't speak good English. His self-esteem was so low, he was a very isolated little boy so people found it hard to engage him.

"His mother often spoke on his behalf, as did his sibling, so rather than ask Daniel others were asked what he was thinking and to ask his mum and sibling was not going to give the correct answers."

Daniel was terrorised at his home in Coventry by his mother Magdelena Luczak and his stepfather Mariusz Krezolek.

He was starved, beaten and force-fed salt. At school he rooted through bins for food and once turned up with two black eyes. He later died from a serious head injury on March 3, 2012.

The review found the couple misled authorities by lying about his injuries and pretending he had an eating disorder, rendering Daniel "invisible" to health professionals.

But it also highlighted how stretched children's services were in the city.

The four-year-old had 40 injuries on his body when he died

It described overworked staff who were "naive", who were not "inquisitive" and assumed others were "intervening".

It noted missed opportunities to help Daniel, including 27 reports of domestic violence to police.

In January 2011 he went to hospital with a broken arm - a spiral fracture suggested twisting -  but professionals were too ready to accept it was accidental.

In September, when Daniel started school, teachers noticed a pattern of injuries which they failed to record or act on.

In February 2012 he saw a community paediatrician - his weight loss was not recognised and child abuse was not even considered.

A few weeks later the four-year-old was dead. He had 40 injuries and a doctor said he looked like a concentration camp victim.

Martin Reeves, chief executive of Coventry City Council, said: "Professionals didn't have the whole picture. Daniel's voice wasn't heard at all.

"Arguably they are basic errors, but we have to put this against a backdrop of social care workers, police, health colleagues working every day making what some would argue are impossible judgement calls on child protection, so I think our key now is how do we learn from those issues."

The review, by the Coventry Safeguarding Children Board, has published 15 recommendations aimed at preventing such a failure happening again.

Luczak and Krezolek, both originally from Poland, were convicted of Daniel's murder in a trial earlier this year and are now both serving minimum 30-year terms in prison.

Ray Jones, Professor of Social Work at Kingston University, told Sky News that up to 170 serious case review reports were prepared every year.

He said: "We're giving more time to the bureaucracy and procedures than giving time to actually spending the hours finding what is happening in a family. We've got the priorities wrong."

The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) also questioned the effectiveness of serious case reviews.

Chief Executive Bridget Robb said that the findings are not properly shared with child protection social workers.

Research the BASW carried out showed that one quarter of its members never get the chance to read serious case review reports.

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Duggan Inquest Told Of Police Officer's Fears

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

The police officer who shot Mark Duggan believed his target was aiming a gun back at him, an inquest has heard.

It has been two years since Mr Duggan was shot dead by police officers on Ferry Lane in Tottenham, north London, in a killing that sparked the London riots.

The 29-year-old was travelling in a minicab when it was stopped by team of Metropolitan Police officers investigating gang activities involving firearms and nightclubs.

Counsel to the inquest, Ashley Underwood QC, told the jury that the police believe Mr Duggan had travelled to Leyton in east London to pick up a gun.

As he was returning to Tottenham that evening three police vehicles performed a "hard stop" of the minicab.

Mr Underwood explained to the inquest jury that: "The idea of a hard stop is to shock people into submission.

"The whole purpose of police officers coming in hard and fast, stopping the car is to shock and awe people into not doing things."

Mr Duggan got out of the minicab and an armed officer known as V53 then shot him twice.

The first shot hit Mr Duggan in the arm, the second fatal wound punctured his aorta.

One bullet ended up lodged in a police radio, the second was recovered from the minicab.

An image of his blood-stained jacket was shown in court, at the same time there were gasps from the public gallery.

Mr Underwood revealed that the officer V53 believed that Mr Duggan had been holding a gun wrapped in a sock in his right hand at the time of the shooting and was aiming it at the officer.

He explained how police officers expected to find the gun beneath Mr Duggan but it was actually found 10-20ft away.

Mr Underwood said the handgun had been modified at some point but added: "It could fire, this gun was entirely capable of lethal force."

The shooting sparked a peaceful protest in Tottenham that escalated into rioting and looting across London and quickly spread to cities around England in August 2011.

Many different theories about the shooting have been put forward over the last two years as Mr Duggan's family have waited for answers. 

His brother has said how they feel they've been "fobbed off" in their pursuit of the facts. 

Many of Mr Duggan's family members and loved ones were in court for the second day of the inquest which is due to last between eight and 10 weeks. 

His Honour Judge Keith Cutler, the judge overseeing the inquest, has told the jury they are "on a quest to find the truth".

The jurors will be taken to Tottenham later this week to help them understand the scene of the shooting. 

The inquest has been adjourned for the day.

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Paedophile Robert Hunter Jailed For Web Abuse

A paedophile who used the internet to blackmail young girls all over the world has been jailed for 12 years.

The "sadistic exploitation" conducted by Robert Hunter, from Middlesbrough, was so extensive that an international operation through Interpol was sparked.

Teesside Crown Court heard the 35-year-old had used sites such as Facebook, Skype and MSN to abuse girls as young as nine from across Europe, Asia, Canada and America.

He often posed as the singer Justin Bieber in an attempt to convince the girls to expose themselves and perform sex acts on webcam.

Hunter was arrested in December 2012 but continued to target children while on bail, which resulted in a girl from Tasmania contacting police who traced him to his home.

Some 800 pornographic videos and images were discovered on his computer.

Prosecutors said: "Over the course of 2010, 2011 and 2012, Hunter, using a number of online aliases, had pretended to a number of very young girls that he was a teenager.

"On each occasion he was able to disguise his true age and identity by the clever use of images of young boys or by pretending that his computer wasn't working properly.

"As a further demonstration of the naivete and innocence of his victims, he was also able to persuade some that he was the music artist Justin Bieber.

"He did this in order to dupe and encourage these young girls to strip on webcams and perform sex acts for him."

Hunter also blackmailed some of the victims into agreeing to his demands by threatening to make the videos he had already made of them public.

Defending Hunter, Tamara Pawson said he was remorseful for his actions and the distress he had caused.

Hunter pleaded guilty to 30 offences, which included 15 charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and 14 of making indecent photos of children.

Sergeant Paul Higgins, from Cleveland Police, said: "Robert Hunter was a calculating and malicious predator who set out to coerce and bully young girls into exposing themselves over the Internet.

"This investigation highlights the dangers that children face when conversing with people over the internet."

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Billy Connolly Diagnosed With Parkinson's

Comic and actor Billy Connolly has undergone surgery for prostate cancer, a spokeswoman for the star has confirmed.

He is also being treated for the "initial symptoms" of Parkinson's disease it has been revealed.

The 70-year-old star, who rose to fame on the Scottish folk music scene, will continue to work in TV and on stage.

His spokeswoman said: "Billy Connolly recently underwent minor surgery in America after being diagnosed with the very early stages of prostate cancer. The operation was a total success, and Billy is fully recovered.

"In addition, Billy has been assessed as having the initial symptoms of Parkinson's disease, for which he is receiving the appropriate treatment.

"Billy has been assured by experts that the findings will in no way inhibit or affect his ability to work, and he will start filming a TV series in the near future, as well as undertaking an extensive theatrical tour of New Zealand in the new year."

Connolly with his wife, Pamela

The Glasgow-born star, affectionately known as the Big Yin, began his working life in the Clyde shipyards but soon moved into entertainment with folk singing and comedy performances.

A string of appearances on Michael Parkinson's chatshow made him a household name and helped launch a career that saw him perform sell-out stand-up shows around the world, present a series of documentaries and become an in-demand character actor.

He is married to New Zealand-born actress and psychologist Pamela Stephenson, whose biography of her husband, simply called Billy, was a huge bestseller.

He is one of around 127,000 Britons with Parkinson's disease, which is caused by a loss of brain cells that produce a chemical messenger called dopamine.

Symptoms differ from case to case but often include a tremor or fine shake while the person is at rest, rigidity of muscles, slowness of movement and unsteady balance.

Other possible symptoms can include memory loss. Earlier this year, Connolly admitted he had started to forget his lines during performances.

He said at the time: "This is ******* terrifying. I feel like I'm going out of my mind."

Actor Bob Hoskins announced his retirement last year after being diagnosed with Parkinson's.

Michael J Fox was diagnosed with the disease more than 20 years ago and continues to act.

There is no cure for Parkinson's and scientists have been unable to work out why people get the condition.

Symptoms can be controlled using a combination of drugs, therapies and occasionally surgery, but often more care and support may be needed as they progress.

The disease was identified by - and named after - Dr James Parkinson who wrote An Essay On The Shaking Palsy in 1817 which established it as a recognised medical condition.

Connolly was made a CBE in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours and awarded the freedom his home city in 2010.

Steve Ford, chief executive at Parkinson's UK said: "Put simply Billy Connolly is a much loved comedy legend and we are sorry to hear that he is being treated for the early symptoms of Parkinson's.

"One person every hour will be diagnosed with Parkinson's in the UK, despite this it remains a little understood condition and we salute Billy's bravery in speaking out about his condition at this difficult time.

"There are 127,000 people in the UK, who like Billy, are living with Parkinson's. Many people, with the right medication, continue to live a full and active live with Parkinson's, but for some, it can be life changing and it is vital that Billy gets the support he needs to live with this complex condition.

"We wish Billy and his family all the best as they come to terms with this upsetting diagnosis."

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Paracetamol 'Could Cause Asthma' In Kids

Children who are given paracetamol could be at risk of developing asthma, according to a study.

Researchers from the University of Da Caruna in northern Spain asked parents of 10,371 children aged six and seven, and 10,372 children aged 13 and 14 if their children had asthma and how severe it was.

The parents were also asked how often they gave their children paracetamol in the last year and how often when they were infants.

Asthma can cause wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath

Those in the younger age group given the medicine at least once a month were reportedly more than five times more times likely to have asthma while those given it just once a year were 70% more at risk.

But although the research suggested an association between paracetamol use and asthma symptoms, parents were advised not to automatically assume the drug causes asthma.

One health expert said parents should not be overly concerned by the research as there is still no conclusive evidence the drug is to blame.

Paracetamol is the main ingredient of several brands of children's liquid medicine sold in the UK, including Calpol, Medised, Disprol and Junior Parapaed.

Parents are advised to give children paracetamol in liquid form until the age of 12 when they can begin taking tablets.

One doctor said children with asthma could simply become ill more frequently and are thus given paracetamol more often by their parents.

Speaking in the Daily Mail, Dr Martin Scurr said: "It could be that children with asthma are more likely to get coughs and colds and then are given Calpol by their mothers.

"At the moment Calpol is the best we have and it's all we have so there is no reason to stop using it."

A spokesperson from the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK drugs watchdog, said it was carefully reviewing the data and would consider whether to take any action.

Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturers of Calpol, said they would release a statement this afternoon.

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Muslim Woman Must Remove Veil In Court

A Muslim woman will be allowed to stand trial wearing a full-face veil - but must remove it while giving evidence, a judge has ruled.

Lawyers for the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had argued it would breach her human rights and be counter to Britain's tolerance of Islamic dress to remove her niqab against her wishes.

But Judge Peter Murphy, sitting at London's Blackfriars Crown Court, said: "In general, the defendant is free to wear the niqab during trial.

Jeremy Browne said he was 'uneasy' about restricting religious freedom

"If the defendant gives evidence she must remove the niqab throughout her evidence.

"The court may use its inherent powers to do what it can to alleviate any discomfort, for example by allowing the use of screens or allowing her to give evidence by live link."

The issue of whether women should be forced to remove their veil in public has been subject to recent political discussion.

Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne has called for a national debate on whether the state should step in to prevent young women having the veil imposed upon them.

Mr Browne's intervention came after a row erupted over the decision by Birmingham Metropolitan College to drop a ban on the wearing of full-face veils amid public protests.

The minister said he was "instinctively uneasy" about restricting religious freedoms, but said there may be a case to act to protect girls who were too young to decide for themselves whether they wished to wear the veil or not.

Party leader Nick Clegg had earlier told Sky News he did not think the full veil was appropriate for airport security or the classroom, but said he strongly felt people in Britain should not be told how to dress.

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Muslim Veil Row After MP Calls For 'Debate'

Downing Street has suggested it supports the possibility of bans on Muslim veils in public institutions after an MP called for a "national debate".

David Cameron's official spokesman said he believes "institutions such as schools" should be free to decide their own rules on uniform.

The spokesman ruled out the prospect of legislation on the controversial issue, but said this did not prevent organisations setting dress codes.

"The Prime Minister doesn't believe Parliament should legislate on what people do and don't wear on their local high street," he said.

"Nonetheless, that is not incompatible with institutions having dress codes. Schools are an example but it is for institutions to take those decisions. There are legal frameworks within which all institutions operate."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also said he did not think the full veil was appropriate for airport security or the classroom, but  told Sky News he did not want people in Britain to be told how to dress.

Mr Browne has been accused of 'double standards'

The comments came after Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne called on the Government to consider whether it should step in to protect young women.

Mr Browne said there may be a case to act to protect girls who were too young to decide for themselves whether they wanted to wear the veil or not.

"I think this is a good topic for national debate. People of liberal instincts will have competing notions of how to protect and promote freedom of choice," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"I am instinctively uneasy about restricting the freedom of individuals to observe the religion of their choice. That would apply to Christian minorities in the Middle East just as much as religious minorities here in Britain.

"But there is genuine debate about whether girls should feel a compulsion to wear a veil when society deems children to be unable to express personal choices about other areas like buying alcohol, smoking or getting married.

"We should be very cautious about imposing religious conformity on a society which has always valued freedom of expression."

On Monday, a judge in London ruled a Muslim woman standing trial could wear a full-face veil but would have to remove it when she gives evidence.

And last week, Birmingham Metropolitan College was forced to drop a ban on the wearing of full-face veils due to public protests.

The college had originally banned niqabs and burkas from its campuses eight years ago on the grounds that students should be easily identifiable at all times.

But when a 17-year-old prospective student complained to her local newspaper that she was being discriminated against, a campaign sprang up against the ban, attracting 8,000 signatures to an online petition in two days.

After the college's decision to withdraw it, Downing Street said Mr Cameron would support a ban in his children's schools, although the decision should rest with the head teacher.

The Prime Minister has been under growing pressure from his own MPs for a rethink on current Department for Education guidelines to protect schools and colleges from being "bullied".

Tory backbencher Dr Sarah Wollaston, writing in The Daily Telegraph, said the veils were "deeply offensive" and were "making women invisible", and called for the niqab to be banned in schools and colleges.

Mr Clegg, speaking at the Lib Dem party conference on Monday, said: "I think one of the great things about our country is that ... we allow people to express their identity, their faith, the communities to which they belong in the way in which they dress.

"There are some exceptions clearly. I don't for instance think it is appropriate to have the full veil through security checks at airports.

"I think there is an issue about teachers having the right to address their pupils and their students face-to-face and make face contact.

"But otherwise I really do think it is important that we protect the British principle that as long as people are law-abiding citizens going about their business in a law-abiding fashion, we shouldn't be telling people what garments of clothing they can wear."

Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, said he was "disgusted" by Mr Browne's comments.

"This is another example of the double standards that are applied to Muslims in our country by some politicians," he said.

"Whatever one's religion, they should be free to practise it according to their own choices."

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Mums-To-Be 'Risking Dangers' To Stay Slim

By Gemma Morris, Sky News Reporter

Experts are calling for better detection of eating disorders among pregnant women over fears the number of mums-to-be resorting to dangerous methods to stay slim could be increasing.

The condition, dubbed by some as 'pregorexia', can affect women who have never before suffered with an eating disorder, as well as those who have battled anorexia or bulimia in the past.

A study for the National Institute of Health Research of 739 women attending their first ultrasound scan found one in 13 had an eating disorder.

One of the psychiatrists behind the research, Dr Nadia Micali, said sufferers do not tend to admit they have a problem for fear of being stigmatised or having their babies taken into care.

She wants to see changes in the way the issue is tackled.

"Many healthcare professionals are not aware of eating disorders and certainly I believe that we should improve our efforts at detecting eating disorders in pregnancy."

Some sufferers resort to extreme methods such as food restriction, over-exercising, using laxatives and self-induced vomiting.

Christina Kelly's babies were induced because of stunted growth in the womb

Mother-of-two Christina Kelly, from Bradford, had anorexia during both of her pregnancies after having suffered from the illness for a number of years.

"The thoughts I would get when confronted with food would be "You are fat', "You are not allowed it", "You are shameful and disgusting".

Her children suffered growth problems in the womb and had to be induced early.

"The guilt I experienced was incredible and the support I received at the specialist unit was essential during my pregnancy."

Consultant obstetrician Dr Pat O'Brien, from University College London Hospital, warned about the effects of eating disorders.

"There is an increased risk of miscarriage in the early part of pregnancy, there's also increased risk of poor growth of the baby, so the baby doesn't get enough nutrition and therefore doesn't grow very well, and for that reason might have to be delivered early."

Some experts say high-profile pregnancies are adding to pressure

There is a belief that factors such as media scrutiny of high-profile pregnancies can also create unrealistic pressure on women, something Dr O'Brien said is unfair.

"The body is made to gain weight during pregnancy partly for the health of the woman but also to deposit some stores there that will feed the baby if the woman's breast-feeding afterwards. A good rule of thumb is that if it's taken you nine months to gain this weight, it often takes nine months to lose it."

The charity B-eat said eating disorders are treatable and recovery is possible.

Chief executive Susan Ringwood said: "Everyone we speak to who has recovered says how grateful they were that someone noticed, spoke to them and felt they were worth helping, even if at the time their reaction gave a different impression."

:: Anyone worried about their eating habits should see their GP or midwife. B-eat also has a range of support services.

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Belfast Hosts Final Push For Lasting Peace

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

A former US peace envoy to Northern Ireland will return to Belfast next week to deal with the unfinished business of the Good Friday Agreement.

Dr Richard Haass, who was a senior diplomat at the State Department, has three thorny issues on his agenda: flags, parades and dealing with the past.

Previous attempts to address lingering tensions between the two communities have failed, resulting in the worst year of rioting on the streets for a decade.

Dr Haass said: "The news of the violence over the last six to nine months comes as a surprise to be honest, an unwelcome surprise."

Some of the most serious clashes came in north Belfast, where members of the Orange Order were prohibited from completing their annual parade in July.

Loyalists, who support the march, have been encamped by the side of the road since and welcome the latest attempt to resolve the outstanding issues.

Tina Patrick, who organises protesters, said: "I believe it has to be a win-win situation. It's about respect for both communities and I believe when we sit down around a table and can deliver for both communities, a deal will be done."

Some of the most serious clashes took place in north Belfast

Frank Dempsey, who speaks for nationalist residents on Carrick Hill, was less optimistic of an agreement unless people on the ground engage in the initiative.

He said: "I don't want to be pessimistic, pouring cold water on this. The guy's coming here to try and do a job but in my opinion, I think he'll be going back the way he came, scratching his head."

Church leaders are urging the "silent majority" - those who have moved on since the agreement 15 years ago - to express their desire for peace online.

The Methodist President in Ireland, Rev Dr Heather Morris, said: "HopeandHistory.com is an initiative to give voice to ordinary Christian people. I do believe there's a ground swell in terms of hope, especially at this time as Dr Haass is coming."

Dr Haass, who succeeded Senator George Mitchell as America's peace envoy, has three months to navigate his way through the centuries of sectarian division here.

No one envies his task of making riots a thing of the past so that Northern Ireland can achieve its hope of a shared future.

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School Uniform Costs 'Must Be Cut' - Minister

Schools are being urged to avoid branded uniforms and allow parents to "shop around" to cut costs for cash-strapped families.

Schools minister David Laws said the cost of clothing was often "unnecessarily high" at a time when family budgets were being squeezed.

An Office of Fair Trading investigation last year suggested that three quarters of schools placed restrictions on where uniforms could be bought.

That typically added £5 to the price tag for each item, leaving parents an estimated £52m a year worse off.

Mr Laws announced the new guidance for schools at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow.

Exclusive single supplier contracts should not be used, unless regular tendering processes are run to ensure firms provide value for money.

They should also not enter into 'cashback' agreements with shops.

Compulsory items of uniform should be available relatively cheaply, and branding should be kept "to a minimum", under the guidelines.

Schools are urged to avoid changing specifications frequently.

Mr Laws told Sky News the revised guidance on uniforms would end the "over-reliance" by schools on single supplier agreements.

"It ought to be possible for parents to shop around, to get good quality school uniforms but from different suppliers," he said.

"Schools should avoid changing their school uniforms too often and requiring parents to buy different items.

"They ought to keep in mind what is specified in a school uniform and keep it as cheap as possible.

"And they ought to enable standard items like trousers and shirts and so forth to be bought from some of the big supermarkets and other shops where actually those items can be bought very cheaply.

"I think schools can actually do this and give parents a better deal but without actually compromising on quality."

Asked why the guidelines were not being pushed further, the minister said he did not think it was necessary for ministers to legislate and "set out hundreds of pages of bureaucracy in order to get schools to do what is the right thing".

He said he expected schools to follow the guidance, but if they failed to, the Government would respond to parental complaints.

According to an Ipsos Mori put out by Mumsnet, female support for the Lib Dems has fallen by 15% since 2010.

Asked if the move was a bid to win the female vote at the next general election, Mr Laws said households were facing "living cost" challenges across the country and that his party would be making a series of announcements this week on "actions that we are going to take to help hard-pressed families".

Sky's Anushka Asthana said: "The Lib Dems are putting this out today in an attempt to appeal to parents and to say they are on the side of struggling families."

"What the Government wants to see is policy where uniforms can be bought anywhere - at supermarkets or at the more expensive suppliers.

"It is part of what they are doing here at Glasgow, which is trying to say that in government, despite only having 57 MPs, they are having an impact and their policies are pushing through.

"But there is a lot of debate whether this policy will make much difference," she added.

Stephen Twigg, shadow education secretary, said: "Labour have been calling for action on school uniform prices to deal with the cost of living crisis. Yet the Lib Dems have done nothing for three years."

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Nick Clegg: Coalition Best For Economic Recovery

A majority government led by the Conservatives or Labour after the 2015 general election would result in "the wrong kind of recovery" for the UK economy, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said.

An outright victory for Ed Miliband's Labour Party would wreck the recovery, while David Cameron's Tories would not have the same commitment to fairness that the Lib Dems have brought to the coalition, he said.

Speaking at his party's annual conference in Glasgow, the Deputy Prime Minister said that another coalition government would be the best outcome for the country because it would enable his party to act as a restraining influence on the  larger parties of the left and right.

The sacrifices of the past few years would be "squandered" by a single-party government of either of the larger parties, he said.

"Our message to the British people in 2015 will be essentially this: We will say `We've done very good things in Government - let us finish the job, but finish the job fairly'," Mr Clegg told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show.

Nick Clegg says a coalition government would be the best outcome in 2015

"There are millions of people in this country who've made huge sacrifices and we've gone through this very difficult time over the last two or three years. That would be squandered if you have a single-party government of either Labour or Conservatives in 2015.

"It is my genuine belief that if we go back to the bad old days, not of coalition or balanced politics, but of either the left or the right dominating government on their own, you will get a recovery which is neither fair nor sustainable.

"I think Labour would wreck the recovery, and under the Conservatives - who don't have the same commitment to fairness which we do - you would get the wrong kind of recovery."

His message was echoed by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, who told Sky News' Murnaghan programme: "As the Labour Party is pulled off leftwards by the unions, and the Tory Party is pulled off rightwards by some of their backbenchers - you really need the Liberal Democrats in the mix - keep this country anchored in the centre ground."

He said Labour was facing "huge challenges on its credibility on the economy" and that the party had "a lot of growing up to do" on the issue "to be in anyway convincing to the British people".

"I don't think you could trust a majority Labour government with the economy, but nor do I think you could trust a majority Conservative government to keep our society fair," Mr Alexander said.

Neither politician would be drawn on which party they would prefer to form a coalition government with.

Mr Clegg said that there had so far been no discussions with the Conservatives about whether the two parties would continue their coalition in the event of a hung Parliament.

He indicated that a further rise in the £10,000 income tax threshold would be one of the conditions for the Lib Dems forming another coalition, and that his party would put at the heart of its next manifesto a further upgrading to take everyone on the minimum wage out of income tax altogether.

Mr Alexander says Labour has "a lot of growing up to do on the economy"

Mr Clegg said whichever party gained the "clearest mandate, the most votes and the most seats" at the election had the democratic right to attempt to form a government.

Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown said the coalition had proved that parties that do not like each other could still govern together well in the national interest.

He told The Observer: "It has held together better, better than we expected. Both sides don't like each other but they nevertheless trust each other."

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Woman's Body Found In House: Man Charged

A 32-year-old man has been charged with murder after a woman's body was found at a house in Walsall.

Bank employee Jasvir Ram Ginday, from Victory Lane, in the town, will appear at Walsall Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Nine other people - four men and five women - arrested at the house in Victory Lane have been released on police bail.

West Midlands Police said the body was found at the property at around 8pm on Friday following a missing persons inquiry.

The body has not yet been formally identified and further forensic tests are due to be carried out on Tuesday.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarbit Johal, leading the investigation, said: "We are undertaking numerous enquiries and are still really keen to speak to anyone who may have information that could help this investigation."

:: Anyone with information is urged to call 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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