James Arthur Denies Fallout With Record Label

X Factor winner James Arthur has denied he has been dropped from Simon Cowell's record label for writing a song about terrorism.

Arthur's contract with Syco has reportedly ended after it emerged Follow The Leader includes the line: "I'm gonna blow up your family like I'm a terrorist".

But the 26-year-old wrote on Twitter: "As far as I know, I am still with Syco but I am exclusively signed to Sony. People look too deeply into the media circus. It's about music."

A spokeswoman for Syco declined to comment and Arthur took to Twitter to defend the song, which he insisted was "not promoting terrorism".

"The song 'follow the leader' from the mixtape is not promoting terrorism, it's a story, a reciting of a Stan Esc (Eminem song) letter from a demented fan." he wrote.

It is the latest controversy for the star after a series of online blunders, including criticising his own publicity team for the messages they post on Twitter and compared himself to an "exploited" SeaWorld killer whale.

In November Arthur temporarily left the social network after becoming embroiled in a homophobia row.

The singer, whose most recent single Get Down made it to just number 96 in the chart, said later of that incident that he was "disappointed in myself for being so naive".

Arthur's representatives would not provide Sky News with a comment.

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Brit Killed On Costas: Friend Tells Of Shock

A friend of millionaire businessman Andrew Bush, who was found shot dead at his home on Spain's Costa del Sol, has said he is "trying to comprehend" his death.

Mr Bush, 48, originally from Bristol, was found lying in a pool of blood with two gunshot wounds to his head at around 3am on Saturday.

Police are looking for Mr Bush's ex-girlfriend, named as Mayka Kukucova, who is thought to have left the property in the businessman's Hummer.

Friend Paul Orchard, who had also been Mr Bush's personal trainer, said he was "devastated".

"It will take me a long time to come to terms with this," he said.

"I've been his personal trainer since last September but I knew him for longer than that.

"We struck a good rapport and I only spoke to him on Friday evening, we were going to meet next week.

Estepona is on the Costa del Sol

"When I was first told, I questioned whether it was true and I kept on saying it can't be. Now I feel just a little bit empty, almost like I'm trying to put pieces together.

"I'm trying to comprehend that it's happened.

"My thoughts go to him and his family. He'll be greatly missed."

Firefighters and police discovered Mr Bush's body after forcing their way into the beachside villa in Estepona where he lived.

The company director's girlfriend alerted police with an emergency call after the attack.

The pair are said to have been ambushed by Kukucova.

The house is a village between the resorts of Estepona and Marbella

She is thought to have been lying in wait for them inside the five-bedroom house.

Mr Bush and his current girlfriend, who is reported to be British, had just returned to their home from a trip abroad.

The suspected killer is still on the run after escaping from the scene in the dead man's Hummer vehicle.

A source close to the investigation said: "It is being treated as murder and police are hunting the dead man's ex on suspicion of committing this crime.

"They are probing the possibility she may have let herself into the property while the occupant was away and waited for several days for him to return."

The businessman's body has been taken to Malaga for a post-mortem examination.

Mr Bush owned a number of businesses in Bristol including a jewellery shop, according to reports.

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Max Clifford Trial: Pauline Quirke Evidence

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter, Southwark Crown Court

Birds of a Feather star Pauline Quirke has described publicist Max Clifford as an "honest and decent man" as the trial enters its closing stages.

Clifford, who turned 71 at the weekend, is accused of indecently assaulting a string of women in his car and his office, some after saying he could get them roles in the entertainment world.

However, Ms Quirke told Southwark Crown Court that the PR guru was nothing like the description that jurors have heard and she told how they worked together to raise funds for charity.

The actress who has also starred in Emmerdale and Broadchurch said that her friendship with him "grew from their connection" to the Rhys Daniels Trust which was set up in the 1990s to help a boy of the same name with Batten's Disease.

Ms Quirke said: "We went to each other's houses and we went out for dinner to restaurants. He came when I was on tour for two years with Birds of a Feather.

"The word integrity comes to mind when I think of Max - he's very down to Earth and normal considering the business that we are both involved in.

"He's a decent, decent man, honest and decent."

When asked by his defence barrister Richard Horwell QC if she had ever seen him "acting inappropriately with women" she replied: "We've been to balls with lots of women, people drinking and I've never seen him doing anything like that.

"I've never seen him behave in any way, shape or form like that."

Ms Quirke added that Clifford had helped raise money for the Trust by bringing stars to a celebrity screening of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and as a result they became "good friends".

As she left court, Clifford, who was dressed in a white open shirt and blue suit, winked and smiled at her.

Earlier, Sky Sports anchor Clare Thomlinson, who worked for Clifford in the early 1990s for six months said she had "no reason to doubt his integrity and honesty", adding that she had left his office on "amicable terms".

She said: "Max had an old school charm, he would open the door for you and ask how you would get home from a late function."

Ms Thomlinson, who was at the centre of sexual harassment claims from disgraced former commentators Richard Keys and Andy Gray, told the court the experience had made her want to testify in the case.

She said: "I have been the victim of sexual harassment at work and I would not be giving evidence in front of a court if I had believed Max was capable of that sort of behaviour."

Clifford, of Hersham, Surrey, denies 11 counts of indecent assault against seven women between 1966 and 1984. His defence is expected to finish on Tuesday when the case continues.

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Brickies Earning £100k As 'Brawn Drain' Hits

A shortage of skilled labourers has helped push pay packets for the country's top bricklayers past the £100,000 mark, according to industry experts.

Recruitment firm Deverell Smith and building consultants EC Harris told The Times the recruitment problem was so acute it was threatening to damage efforts to boost housebuilding.

The firms warned that an exodus of labourers in the wake of the financial crisis meant that the construction industry was struggling to recruit enough bricklayers, joiners, stone-fixers and plasterers now the recovery was gathering momentum.

Australia and New Zealand were thought to have been the main beneficiaries of the emigration and EC Harris said that a decline in apprenticeships meant that the void would have to be filled by migrant workers from Eastern Europe.

New developments are springing up as the market recovers

Demand for construction workers had risen 125% since 2008, the newspaper said, when industry output was largely stopped in its tracks by the credit crunch and resulting recession.

Economic recovery and Government schemes such as Help to Buy, which was launched a year ago, have aided the mortgage market and prompted builders to begin work on their huge land banks to help meet needs for new homes.

But the firms believe problems in the supply chain could undo the boom in property building, with costs rising by up to 7% this year alone.

While the most experienced contract bricklayers are now earning up to £100,000 annually, EC Harris said, material prices were also on the up as manufacturers struggled to recover production.

Mark Farmer, its head of residential, added: "The construction industry is grappling with a real capacity constraint issue at the moment.

"The cyclical 'boom and bust' nature of the sector has led to a gradual attrition of long-term skilled workforce, whether bricklayers or plasterers or experienced project managers.

Rising costs threaten to demolish major projects

"The recession of the last 5-6 years has seen many leave the industry through choice or natural ageing of the workforce and the level of new recruits is just not keeping up.

"What is needed is not casual labour but a trained and experienced workforce which takes many years to generate, so we are now facing a structural capacity issue that cannot be immediately remedied."

He cited volatility in day rates for skilled craftsmen as evidence of the supply and demand imbalance for labour.

Mr Farmer said "During the recession, bricklayer day rates fell by up to 50% as work dried up.

"We are now experiencing a massive rebound as demand outstrips availability of the very best tradesmen.

"Day rates in London are up to £150-£200 day and those that are particularly experienced and industrious, laying up to 1,000 bricks a day, can earn the equivalent of £100,000 a year on an output bonus basis."

He called for the construction industry to work harder to attract the best young talent and invest in off-site manufacture and pre-fabrication of housing to reduce the need for on-site labour.

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Teen Jailed For Westfield Mass Brawl Stabbing

A teenager footballer has been jailed for at least 18 years after murdering a man during scenes of "bedlam" at a London shopping centre.

Liam Woodards, who had been out celebrating his 24th birthday, was stabbed after the throwing of a yoghurt pot sparked a mass brawl between two gangs at Westfield Stratford just weeks before the 2012 Olympic Games.

Budding Arsenal coach Nii-Azu Kojo-Smith lunged forward and stabbed him in the chest in front of horrified shoppers, the Old Bailey heard.

As the victim lay dying, the fight moved on to Stratford Tube Station where one of Mr Woodards' friends stabbed one of the opposing group.

Victim Liam Woodards: Birthday celebration

Following a three-month retrial, Kojo-Smith, 19, of Hackney, east London, was found guilty of Mr Woodards' murder by a majority of 11 to 1.

Detaining Kojo-Smith for a minimum of 18 years, judge Richard Marks QC said: "The shopping centre at that time was full of men, women and children going about their business.

"It was a horrific scene of complete bedlam as many members of the public ran for safety into shops which swiftly closed their doors.

"It was readily apparent that those caught up in those appalling events must have been and were absolutely terrified."

The court heard much of the fight was captured on CCTV which was shown during the trial.

Kojo-Smith had a previous conviction for battery and threatening behaviour in 2010 after he was involved in a group attack on a passenger at Finsbury Park Tube station.

Tony Caton (L) and Anselm Legemah were also jailed

In mitigation, the court heard he was a talented young footballer who was involved in coaching at Arsenal.

His lawyer Philippa McAtasney QC said: "He was a talented footballer. He had obtained an FA1 coaching certificate and his future was set - all of that thrown away in a second of his behaviour."

She said he knew what he did was "very wrong" and saying sorry to the victim's family was not enough.

Co-defendant Tony Caton, 22, of Stratford, was convicted of two counts of violent disorder and Anselm Legemah, 19, of east London, was convicted of one count of violent disorder.

Caton was handed three years in jail while Legemah, whose girlfriend was heavily pregnant at the time, was sentenced to two years in a young offenders' institution.

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Food Waste 'Is Morally Repugnant', Say Lords

The scale of food waste, which sees 15 million tonnes of food dumped each year in the UK and at least 90 million tonnes across the EU, has been branded "morally repugnant" by a House of Lords committee.

The Lords EU Committee said supermarkets should abolish "buy one get one free" offers and not cancel orders of food from farmers after the produce has been grown, a practice which leads to edible food being ploughed back into the fields. 

They also suggested that more unused food sold by retailers should be donated to food banks, rather than sent for composting or landfill as is often the case at present.

In a report, the committee said EU efforts to reduce food waste were "fragmented and untargeted" and called for the new European Commission to publish a five-year strategy within six months of taking office later this year.

Committee chairwoman Baroness Scott said: "Food waste in the EU and the UK is clearly a huge issue. Not only is it morally repugnant, but it has serious economic and environmental implications.

The committee says taking action against food waste cannot be delayed

"The fact that 90 million tonnes of food is wasted across the EU each year shows the extent of the problem and explains why we are calling for urgent action.

"Globally, consumers in industrialised nations waste up to 222 million tons of food a year, which is equivalent to nearly the entire level of net food production of Sub-Saharan Africa.

"We cannot allow the complexity of the issues around defining and monitoring food waste to delay action any further.

"We are calling on the new European Commission, which will be appointed in November this year, to publish a five-year strategy for reducing food waste across the EU, and to do so within six months of taking office."

The report found that the carbon footprint of worldwide food waste is equivalent to twice the global greenhouse gas emissions of all road transportation in the US.

Lady Scott added: "We were shocked at the extent of food waste in the EU. Especially given the current economic challenges the EU faces, it is an absolutely shocking waste of resources.

"Some efforts are already being made, which is very positive, but much more can be done, and so we are calling on the EU, the Government, businesses and consumers to make sure it is."

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Women May Get Right To Fight On Front Line

The British Army is "seriously considering" lifting its ban on women serving in combat roles in line with other countries such as the US, the Chief of the General Staff has said.

General Sir Peter Wall told The Sunday Times he wanted to show women that the army was "open to" women and an equal opportunities employer.

The Ministry of Defence, which under European Law must review the policy every eight years, said there would another review "before 2018".

The last statutory review in 2010 raised concerns that putting women and men together in small units for months at a time could undermine "team cohesion", but said women would be able to meet physical and psychological demands.

Women currently are allowed to serve on the frontline with the artillery and as medics, engineers, intelligence officers and fighters pilots but not in close combat roles.

UK Army women are currently not allowed to serve in close combat roles

Last year, the US lifted its own ban on women fighting on the frontline, joining other countries including Germany, Canada, France and Israel.

Sir Peter told the newspaper: "We've got to take a view on that fairly soon.

"We're in a minority of armies now in that respect. It's definitely something that we need to be considering seriously but we need to go about this with great care, especially with all the other changes going on."

He said: "We have always said that we will look at the evidence and base our decision on what impact it will have on operational capability.

"This isn't just about getting more females into the 30% of roles that are combat trades but getting more of them into the Army per se.

"Women need to see they have equal opportunities right throughout the organisation.

"Allowing them to be combat troops would make us look more normal to society but there will always be people who say the close battle is no place for female soldiers."

Women could soon be fighting alongside men

In 2011, the Government announced that women would be allowed to go to sea with their male counterparts on the Royal Navy's Submarine Service for the first time in its 110-year history.

An MoD spokesman said: "The vast majority of roles in the Armed Forces are open to women and hundreds are currently serving their country with distinction in Afghanistan.

"They are fundamental to the operational effectiveness of the UK's Armed Forces, bringing talent and skills across the board.

"A 2010 review into women serving in combat roles concluded there should be no change to the existing policy and another review will take place before 2018."

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Kate To Fulfil Ambition On Tour Down Under

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duchess of Cambridge will realise a lifelong ambition when she arrives in New Zealand on Monday.

According to the New Zealand High Commissioner to London, Sir Lockwood Smith, right at the top of Kate's 'bucket list' is a visit to the Southern Hemisphere realm.

"I met the Duchess of Cambridge at a garden party at Buckingham Palace when she was pregnant with Prince George," he said.

"I said to her that I'd love her to come to New Zealand and she said: 'Well, there's a little matter I have to deal with first of course but I have to say coming to New Zealand is top of my bucket list.' And now she's finally making the trip."

Not only has Kate never visited New Zealand and Australia but it will be a first for son Prince George, who will likely one day be King of the two nations.

The tour will largely mirror that of the Prince and Princess of Wales' visit Down Under in 1983, when a nine-month-old Prince William conducted his first public crawl about.

Prince George, who is now eight months old, will arrive in Wellington, New Zealand after travelling long-haul for more that 24 hours.

To minimise the disruption to their son, William and Kate have decided to operate a hub tour in both countries, allowing them to return most evenings to be with George in Wellington and Sydney.

Kate and William travel to New Zealand and Australia with Prince George

Excitement surrounding the royal party's arrival in Wellington for the start of the three-week tour is muted at best, although one local told Sky News: "We don't like to shout about it, and although the flags aren't out, we are quietly excited."

Two women who found it hard to conceal their excitement, however, are the owners of Wellington jewellery business Tory & Ko, who have been commissioned to design three pairs of earrings and one necklace for Kate for her stay in New Zealand.

"It's a complete honour and we are really blown away," Kirstin O'Brien told Sky News.

"She is the most perfect person to wear our jewellery because she is beautiful, sophisticated and she has that lovely accessibility about her," 

The Cambridge family will first visit the North Island, before heading to the South Island where they will spend a night away from Prince George.

All three, accompanied by their entourage including Prince George's newly appointed nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, will later travel to Sydney, Australia, for the second leg of their three week tour.

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Sheffield Half Marathon Axe Sparks Chaos

A popular half marathon descended into chaos when it was cancelled just moments before it was due to start - only for runners to set off anyway.

Competitors were lining up to begin Sheffield's annual 13-mile race when organisers announced it could not go ahead because there was not enough drinking water for those taking part.

But many of the runners ignored the cancellation and set off anyway, with reports of members of the public buying water to hand out instead.

Water is handed out to participants along the route

Organisers wrote on the official Sheffield Half Marathon's official Twitter page: "It is with huge disappointment & regret that we have been forced to cancel this year's race due to a problem with the delivery of water.

"We would like to express our sincerest apologies to everyone involved in the race who will be affected. We will update you future plans asap."

Sheffield resident Sachin Salvi, who pictured some of the runners taking part, said he was glad they had pressed on despite organisers' decision.

"Determined runners and volunteers doing the Sheffield half marathon inspite of the cancellation! Great effort!," he wrote on his Twitter page.

An section of the race along the city's Cemetery Road. Pic: @drsachinsalvi

"Shows the Sheffield spirit! If not would have been such bad publicity for Sheffield with the Tour de France coming!

"A stall was run with water from the local superstores. But there were lots of people handing out water they had bought themselves."

South Yorkshire Police said a large number of participants had still chosen to run the race and that officers were already present on parts of the route to assist with the road closures to motorists.

Police maintained a presence on the route. Pic: @drsachinsalvi

"Working with the organisers, officers attempted to speak to participants who had chosen to run and divert them on to a shorter route to the finish line," the force said in a statement.

"However, officers have kept their positions and stance with the initial road closures to motorists to protect all the runners and ensure their safety is maintained."

A number of angry messages were left on the Sheffield Half Marathon official Facebook page.

Mel Broadhurst wrote: "Absolutely disgusting!!! My friends and I have trained for months some raised a lot of money for charity.

"Terrible lack of communication, won't be doing the Sheffield half again!!!! And I will get my money back!!!!!"

Adam Broadhead wrote: "That is absolutely shocking organisation. You guys have embarrassed the city."

Adam Stern said: "So disappointing for the runners but I also have to say hats off to the Sheffield communities for their efforts in supplying water unofficially to the runners!

"Proud to be from Sheffield for that, just a shame the organisation and communication of the race was so shambolic!!"

Organiser Margaret Lilley said the company due to supply water for runners on the route did not arrive.

She said organisers had attempted to buy water from local supermarkets, but that medical-and-safety officers refused to give the go-ahead.

"Runners had waited half an hour or more to start," she said.

"When we made the announcement the runners decided that they wanted to race anyway, and all 5,000 of them set off."

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Spanish Police Hunt Ex-Lover After Brit Killed

Police are hunting for a woman who is thought to have shot dead a British businessman at his home on Spain's Costa del Sol.

The wealthy jeweller, named locally as Andrew Bush, was found lying in a pool of blood with two gunshot wounds to his head around 3am on Saturday morning.

Firefighters and police discovered the businessman's body after forcing their way into the beachside villa where he lived.

The businessman's girlfriend alerted police with an emergency call after the attack, which happened in a village between the resorts of Estepona and Marbella.

The pair are said to have been ambushed by a woman, who police suspect may be the man's ex-girlfriend.

She is thought to have been lying in wait for them inside the five-bedroom house.

Mr Bush, originally from Bristol, and his current girlfriend were returning to their home from a trip abroad together at the time.

The unnamed girlfriend, who is said to be British, told investigators she saw the attacker flee and then called the emergency services after becoming locked out.

Early on Sunday, the killer was still on the run after escaping from the scene in her alleged victim's Hummer car.

Police are yet to officially name of the victim, but he was locally identified as 48-year-old company director Mr Bush.

An Audi car believed to have been used by the attacker was taken away along with a Porsche and Ferrari thought to be owned by the victim.

A gun found nearby was also taken away.

It has emerged Mr Bush's killer may have been inside the house for several days after letting herself into the villa with a set of keys she had kept.

Estepona is on the Costa del Sol

Detectives sealed off the villa, owned by a Spanish couple, on Saturday ahead of its examination by police forensic experts on Monday.

A source close to the investigation said: "It is being treated as murder and police are hunting the dead man's ex on suspicion of committing this crime.

"They are probing the possibility she may have let herself into the property while the occupant was away and waited for several days for him to return."

The businessman's body has been taken to Malaga for a post-mortem examination.

A family relative is believed to be en route to southern Spain.

The victim's terracotta-coloured villa lies in a quiet residential street in an area called Cancelada between San Pedro and Estepona.

A National Police spokesman confirmed an investigation was underway but said he was not authorised to give out any more information.

A spokesman for the local emergency services said: "We received a call at 2.10am on Saturday morning from the partner of the dead man because she could not gain access to the property.

"Firefighters managed to get in and found the man lying dead inside with a gunshot wound to his head. Police are now investigating."

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Estepona, Malaga, on 5 April.

"We are in touch with local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family."

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