Missing Student: Police Find Body In River

Police looking for missing student Euan Coulthard, who vanished after a night out, have found a body in the River Wear.

Specialist marine diving units were called in following reports of the sighting of a body not far from where the law student was last seen.

The student, from Nottingham, was studying law

Ambulance staff later wheeled a covered stretcher along the riverbank to a waiting vehicle.

The 19-year-old vanished after going out with friends for a meal in Durham on Wednesday last week.

He then went to the Lock Shack nightclub and was seen leaving alone in the early hours of Thursday.

Friends joined police in the search for Mr Coulthard

CCTV images showed a figure they believe to be Mr Coulthard, who is from Nottingham, walking through the city centre and crossing Framwellgate Bridge.

Footage then shows the person walking down steps next to the Bishop Langley pub, towards the river.

Fellow students and friends have joined Durham Constabulary police officers in extensive searches of the city centre.

Someone who looked like the student was seen crossing the bridge

Mr Coulthard was described as 5ft 9ins tall, of average build, with light brown hair.

He was wearing black skinny jeans, a denim jacket and a beige patterned shirt when he was last seen.

A petition to improve riverbank safety has been launched recently because of safety concerns.

In the past 15 months, Sope Peters and Luke Pearce, also students at Durham University, drowned in the river after nights out.

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Prince Andrew Addresses Underage Sex Claims

Prince Andrew has reiterated denials of claims he had sex with an underage girl more than a decade ago.

Speaking about the allegations publicly for the first time, the Duke of York told an invited audience of around 200 guests at a World Economic Forum event in Davos: "My focus is on my work."

Speaking to leading figures from the worlds of politics and business, he said: "Firstly I think I must, (and) want, for the record to refer to the events that have taken place in the last few weeks and I just wish to reiterate and to reaffirm the statements which have already been made on my behalf by Buckingham Palace."

After his opening statement the Duke told the packed reception at the Belvedere hotel in the Swiss resort: "My focus is on my work and this evening's reception allows me to tell you about just a couple of the initiatives that I have founded and am passionate about."

Prince Andrew pictured with his accuser Virginia Roberts

The Prince did not answer questions from reporters as he left the drinks reception flanked by minders at around 8.30pm local time.

It emerged on Wednesday that he has been formally asked to respond to claims made in the US by Virginia Roberts in a letter filed by her lawyers.

Video: Prince Andrew Under Spotlight

Ms Roberts, who is referred to in court as Jane Doe No 3, claims when she was 17 she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew by his friend Jeffrey Epstein - a financier and convicted sex offender.

She claims to have had sex with Prince Andrew on three occasions: once at a London townhouse after they had gone to a night club, once in a New York mansion and once on a private island in the US Virgin Islands.

The letter, dated 14 January, said: "This letter is a formal request ... to interview you, under oath, regarding interactions that you had with Jane Doe No 3 beginning in approximately early 2001. Jane Doe No 3 was then 17 years old.

"The interview could be conducted at a time and place of your choosing, and with your co-operation, I believe the interview could be completed in two hours or less."

The Duke, who is not a party to the proceedings, strenuously denies the claims.

Buckingham Palace has issued a number of official denials, including an earlier statement insisting "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors" was "categorically untrue".

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Burglary Hotspots: Do You Live In One?

The UK's worst burglary hotspot are revealed by new analysis of insurance claims.

Among them are Manchester and West Yorkshire - with concentrations also in Wales and Scotland.

But it is Essex and East London which head the Burglary Claims Tracker list, and Greater London is the burglary capital.

The area with the highest rate of burglary insurance claims last year was the RM8 postcode in the east London suburb of Dagenham, according to the figures compiled by MoneySuperMarket.

London hotspots: Source: MoneySupoerMarket

Those living in and around the capital are most likely to suffer break-ins, the study found, with 14 of the top 20 postcodes in London and Greater London.

Kevin Pratt, home insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: "The research reveals Dagenham is the UK's top burglary hotspot, with a rate of 55 out of every 1,000 insurance quotes having made a claim in the past two years.

"Burglars often target urban areas where there's more hustle and bustle and so less risk of being caught, but not surprisingly they also follow the money, which is why affluent areas such as Teddington and Temple Newsam in West Yorkshire appear."

Concentrations in West Yorkshire: Source: MoneySuperMarket

Manchester's M21 postcode, on the outskirts of the city, dropped from top spot last year to third position.

Woodford and South Woodford (E18) in east London is the postcode with the fifth highest number of claims, while London's sought-after suburbs of Teddington and Bushy Park (TW11) also feature in the top 10.

Among the areas with the lowest proportion of burglary claims are postcodes in rural Scotland's Dumfries (DG1) and Lochee (DD2), Felixstowe in Suffolk (IP11) and North Wales's university town of Bangor (LL57).

Those living in the seaside resort of Bognor Regis (PO22) can also feel secure, with a rate of 1.63 per 1,000 and Northern Ireland's Londonderry (BT48), with just 1.36 per 1,000 insurance quotes showing a claim.

The top 10 postcodes named in the research are:

1. RM8 - Dagenham, Becontree, Becontree Heath, in Greater London

2. IG2 - Gants Hill, Newbury Park, Aldborough Hatch, in Greater London

3. M21 - Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Barlow Moor, in Manchester

4. DN2 - Intake, Wheatley, Wheatley Hills, in South Yorkshire

5. E18 - Woodford and South Woodford, in London

6. RM11 - Hornchurch, Emerson Park, Ardleigh Green, in Greater London

7. TW11 - Teddington, Fulwell, Bushy Park, in Greater London

8. BD2 - Eccleshill, Five Lane Ends, parts of Undercliffe, Fagley, Wrose, Bolton Woods, Poplars Farm, Swain House, Ashbourne, in West Yorkshire

9. EN4 - Hadley Wood, Cockfosters, East Barnet, New Barnet, in Greater London

10. IG3 - Seven Kings, Goodmayes, Hainault, Chignell, in Greater London

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Corrie Star Knox, 81, Admits Drink-Driving

Coronation Street actress Barbara Knox has been banned from driving for a year after pleading guilty to drink-driving.

The 81-year-old actress, who plays Rita Tanner in the soap, was charged following an incident in Knutsford, Cheshire, on 10 March last year.

A sample of blood was taken which gave an alcohol reading of 85 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit is 80.

The actress, represented by solicitor Nick "Mr Loophole" Freeman, had previously denied the offence last April and was due to go on trial next month.

It was said on her behalf at Crewe Magistrates' Court that she "bitterly regrets" the incident.

Knox, of Mere, Cheshire, was said to have been a passenger in a Jaguar driven by her daughter, Maxine Ashcroft, 56.

The car was stopped by police after a member of the public reported that they thought the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

Ashcroft was found to be nearly three times the legal limit when she gave a breathalyser reading at Middlewich police station.

The veteran actress later arrived at the station and was herself arrested on suspicion of drink-driving.

At a previous hearing, Simon Pover, prosecuting, said: "Officers were concerned about how she had arrived at the police station.

"She was given firm advice about how she should return home.

"An offer was made to give her a lift home. It was an offer that was declined."

The prosecutor said she was then seen to get into a Jaguar vehicle at nearby Booths supermarket car park. Knox reversed the car a short distance before she was stopped by police, he added.

She then tested positive for having alcohol in her system.

Last year, as Knox continued to maintain her innocence, District Judge Bridget Knight told the court: "This is actually a very simple case being made very complicated and expensive."

Ashcroft, from Lechlade, Gloucestershire, later pleaded guilty to drink driving and was banned from driving for two years.

Knox was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,750 costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

A spokesman for the soap said it was a "a private and personal matter".

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Pair Jailed Over Christmas Dinner Death Lies

A pub chef and his manager have been jailed for perverting the course of justice after a Christmas dinner left a mother dead.

The meal at the Railway Hotel in Hornchurch, Essex, in December 2012 also left dozens of others ill with food poisoning.

And Mehmet Kaya and manager Ann-Marie McSweeney were sentenced to 12 and 18 months respectively after being convicted of falsifying food safety records.

Mitchells & Butlers, the chain which owned the pub, was fined £1.5 million after being found guilty of placing unsafe food on the market.

Della Callagher, 46, died two days after eating the turkey dinner, which a Havering Council investigation found was either not cooked or reheated properly.

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Prince Andrew Under Pressure In Davos

Prince Andrew has made his first public appearance since he was named in allegations by a woman who claimed she was made to have sex with him while underage.

The Duke of York, 54, is due to host a reception on entrepreneurship at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.

The Prince is expected to publicly deny the allegations when he speaks to the forum at around 5.30pm.

Prince Andrew pictured with his accuser Virginia Roberts

It emerged on Thursday that the Duke has been formally asked to respond to the allegations.

A letter addressed to the Prince at Buckingham Palace has been filed by lawyers acting on behalf of Virginia Roberts.

Video: Prince Andrew Under Spotlight

Ms Roberts, who is referred to in court as Jane Doe No 3, claims when she was 17 she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew by his friend Jeffrey Epstein - a financier and now convicted sex offender.

The Duke, who is not a party to the proceedings, strenuously denies the claims.

The letter, dated 14 January, said: "This letter is a formal request ... to interview you, under oath, regarding interactions that you had with Jane Doe No 3 beginning in approximately early 2001. Jane Doe No 3 was then 17 years old.

"The interview could be conducted at a time and place of your choosing, and with your co-operation, I believe the interview could be completed in two hours or less."

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: "We would not comment on speculation about what the Duke might say."

It is the first time Ms Roberts has spelt out in her own words what she claims happened.

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1. Gallery: Profile Of Prince Andrew

   Born on 19 February 1960 at Buckingham Palace, Prince Andrew is the second son and the third child of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh

The Prince served in the Royal Navy for 22 years as a helicopter pilot - he took part in the Falklands campaign

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Abandoned Dogs Could Not See Or Stand Properly

Nine dogs have been found abandoned in such a poor state they were unable to see or stand properly.

Authorities are asking for help to catch the people responsible in the Winchester area of Hampshire.

It is thought the dogs, which had badly matted hair, may be Portuguese water-dogs or poodle crossbreeds, although it is difficult to tell because of their condition.

Three were found in Winchester, five in the nearby villages of Upham and Owslebury, and one in the town of Alresford.

The dogs were found by a warden

All have been taken to kennels and are receiving veterinary care.

An RSPCA spokesman told the Daily Mirror: "We are keen to find out ... how they were abandoned, and how they came to harm.

"The council's dog warden came across them, and we are now liaising with them with regard to their care."

Winchester City Council says it will be working with the RSPCA and the police to track down the culprits.

Anyone with information is asked to call the council on 01962 840222 or email eh@winchester.gov.uk.

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Plain Cigarette Packaging Law Brought Forward

A tobacco firm has accused the Government of electioneering by planning to bring into force legislation for plain cigarette packaging before voters go to the polls in May.

Health minister Jane Ellison said the regulations would be laid before Parliament in time to be agreed by both Houses before the general election.

She said the current "comprehensive" approach was working well, but insisted it was important not to be complacent.

The ban on smoking in private cars will come into force on 1 October this year, the minister also announced.

During an adjournment debate in the Commons, Ms Ellison said tobacco caused around 80,000 deaths a year and that around 600 children in the UK take up smoking every day.

Video: Aug 2014: Plain Packaging In Oz

She said the Government was committed to reducing the numbers of young people who take up smoking, but had been taking its time to consider all relevant evidence, including the possibility of litigation from the tobacco industry.

Ms Ellison told MPs: "We cannot be complacent. We all know the damage smoking does to health.

"This Government is completely committed to protecting children from the harm that tobacco causes.

"That's why I'm announcing today that we will be bringing forward legislation for standardised packaging before the end of this Parliament."

The idea behind plain packaging, used in Australia for several years, is that it would largely remove branding from packets bar a small, simple product name.

Health warning images would dominate boxes instead.

A spokesperson for London-listed British American Tobacco said: "Let's be clear, this is about election politics.

"The UK Government has short-circuited its own consultation process by rushing this announcement out now.

"This is also a serious error of judgment given the clear evidence from Australia that plain packaging has not achieved any of its public health objectives and has increased illicit trade to its highest level in seven years."

Health groups welcomed Ms Ellison's announcement.

Video: Confusion Over E-Cigarette Safety

Mike Hobday, director of policy at the British Heart Foundation, said: "We are absolutely delighted. The Government has taken another key step towards securing new legislation that will help protect young people from the deadly consequences of smoking."

Dr Hilary Cass, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: "This is a significant piece of legislation - and a real positive step from Government to protect the health of current and future generations of children.

"With two thirds of smokers starting before they are 18, and the effects of packaging on young people well-known, it is a simple yet important reform in the battle against smoking-related illness."

But Christopher Snowdon, director of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs, condemned the announcement.

He said: "This is a gross infringement of the right of companies to use their trademarks and design their own packaging.

"There is no need to wonder what will happen next, we need only look at Australia where the black market has grown and youth smoking has risen.

"To pursue this grandstanding policy in spite of the Australian experience is sheer negligence."

The values of tobacco firms weakened when share trading began on Thursday.

Imperial Tobacco - behind the Lambert & Butler and Golden Virginia brands - was 1% down in early trading while BAT, which makes Rothmans, was just 0.2% lower.

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Rihanna Wins Topshop T-Shirt Image Battle

Rihanna has won a legal battle with Topshop over a T-shirt which used her image.

The high street store had appealed against a High Court ruling that selling the "tank" sleeveless T-shirt bearing her image without her approval amounts to "passing off", a term used to enforce unregistered trademark rights.

But, in an important ruling on celebrity "image rights", the Court of Appeal upheld a ban on the store selling the item.

Rihanna's lawyers said the image was from an unauthorised photograph taken while the star was filming a video in Northern Ireland for one of her singles in 2011 and Topshop should remain banned from exploiting it.

Rihanna has a number of advertising contracts

Geoffrey Hobbs QC, appearing for Topshop, which is part of the Arcadia Group, argued at the hearing that the court was dealing with a "decorated T-shirt" in a tradition of the merchandising of star images over the decades, including those of Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and Prince.

Mr Hobbs submitted Rihanna was in reality using the law wrongly to claim that "only a celebrity may ever market his or her own character".

Rihanna has various lucrative endorsement deals with retailers including Topshop's high-street rival River Island.

Mr Hobbs contended the public had no expectation that clothes bearing an image were authorised by people shown in that image.

He challenged High Court judge Mr Justice Birss's ruling that, although celebrities had no general right to control the reproduction of their image, Topshop's use of RiRi's image did amount to passing off.

The judge had observed the use was damaging to the star's "goodwill" and represented loss of control over her reputation in the "fashion sphere".

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England Captain Targeted In Blackmail Plot

England one-day cricket captain Eoin Morgan has been targeted in a blackmail plot, it has been revealed.

The blackmail attempt relates to a brief relationship he had with an Australian woman five years ago.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said it was contacted by a man demanding a five-figure sum before England's tri-series match against Australia on Friday.

The man was threatening to tell national newspapers about details of Morgan's relationship with the woman.

The ECB said the individual - her current boyfriend - apologised for his actions when confronted.

Paul Downton, ECB managing director, said: "We will not allow anyone to disrupt our team's preparation or performance in the tri-series and as we build up to the World Cup.

"I am pleased that this issue has now been brought to a swift conclusion. At this point we'd like to thank the Metropolitan Police for their advice, which assisted us in dealing with this in the swiftest possible manner."

According to the London Evening Standard, the blackmailer is believed to have found a phone with details - including videos - of his partner's relationship with Morgan.

Mr Downton told the newspaper he sent an email to the ECB which was "a fairly deliberate attempt to extort a sum of money".

According to the ECB, the man, from Hobart, Australia, admitted to them he had acted out of jealousy.

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