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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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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Pelka 'Failings' Boss Quits Top Children's Job

A children's services boss criticised for failings by his former council over murdered schoolboy Daniel Pelka has stepped down from his new post.

Tower Hamlets Council said Colin Green had decided to withdraw from the role of chairman of the Local Safeguarding Children Board "with immediate effect".

Mr Green took up the post at the London borough council after retiring from his role as director of children's services at Coventry City Council last month.

His departure followed revelations about failings by his department over the four-year-old's death.

A serious case review found key opportunities were missed to intervene in his case by the city's children's services team, health professionals, school staff, police and other child protection agencies.

Luczak and Krezolek were jailed for a minimum of 30 years

Geoffrey Robinson, Labour MP for the area of Coventry where Daniel and his family lived, had condemned Mr Green's move to the Tower Hamlets position, claiming it was "an affront to public opinion".

"Like myself, I am sure the whole of Coventry will be stunned to learn that Colin Green, former director of children's services at Coventry City Council, has gone off to become chair of the safeguarding children board at Tower Hamlets," he said.

"This is a clear example of senior civil servants operating their own network for the benefit of themselves, at the expense of front-line staff who have faced the real challenges on a daily basis.

"The appointment is an affront to public opinion and confirms that I was right to call for a wholly independent inquiry. These boards are not truly independent."

A spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council said: "The new chair of Tower Hamlets Local Safeguarding Children Board, Colin Green, has decided to withdraw from the post with immediate effect."

The London borough council said Mr Green had been appointed by a multi-agency panel in June with all such decisions "based on the merits of each applicant".

Daniel died of a head injury in March 2012, after a systematic campaign of emotional and physical abuse by his mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather, former soldier Mariusz Krezolek, both originally from Poland.

The pair were jailed for a minimum of 30 years each.

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Barclays £1.3m Cyber Raid: Two Men In Court

Two alleged cyber plotters accused of stealing £1.3m from a high street bank by taking control of its computer system have appeared in court.

Darius Bolder, 34, and Tony Colston-Hayter, 47, are alleged to have set up a sophisticated system to siphon off cash from accounts after gaining access to a Barclays branch computer in Swiss Cottage, north London, in April using a planted keyboard video mouse.

They appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court accused of conspiracy to steal.

Romanian national Bolder, of Ebury Bridge Road in Chelsea, London, and Colston-Harper, who gave his address as Ilminster in Somerset, did not enter pleas to the charges.

The pair were remanded in custody until their next appearance at Southwark Crown Court next month.

Bolder is also accused of conspiring to commit fraud by false representation, alongside two other defendants.

Lewis Murphy, 29, also of Ebury Bridge Road, and Michael Harper, 26, of Kiln Place in Hampstead, northwest London, are charged with credit card fraud linked to up-market retailer Selfridges.

They also entered no plea and were remanded in custody.

It follows the arrest of eight men by police on Friday.

The other four have been bailed to a central London police station on dates in late November pending further inquiries.

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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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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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Prison Smoking Ban 'Could Be Very Risky'

Where Else Is Jail Smoking Banned?

Updated: 2:26pm UK, Friday 20 September 2013

Inmates have been banned from smoking in other jurisdictions around the world - with largely positive results claimed.

:: Australia

As of July 1, 2013, all prisons in Australia's Northern Territory banned smoking by inmates, guards and visitors. It became the first jurisdiction in Australia to introduce the ban.

Inmates at some prisons were offered nicotine patches and therapy in the lead up to the ban. Some facilities offered increased sports and recreational activities to keep prisoners busy.

:: Canada

Canada brought in a blanket ban on smoking across all federal prisons in 2008.

Anti-smoking advocacy group Ash claims laws in several Canadian provinces have since relaxed, allowing smoking outdoors for inmates and staff.

:: New Zealand

In July, 2011, New Zealand became the first country in the world to introduce a nationwide smoking ban in prisons. Inmates were offered "nicotine replacement therapy" - including patches, lozenges and staff support - in the lead up to the ban.

Although several prisoners were caught trying to smoke their nicotine patches, according to local media.

Despite initial concerns over rioting, New Zealand prison staff deemed the anti-smoking policy a success. A report into the scheme one year on found no increase in violent incidents within the prisons and a general increase in health and well-being among prisoners.

Half of all prisoners who smoked prior to the ban said they would not or might not start smoking again after finishing their sentence, according to the report.

There was one reported incident before the ban where several inmates at Hawke's Bay Prison barricaded themselves inside a yard and eventually climbed onto the roof.

:: Sweden

The Swedish Prison and Probation Service introduced a ban on smoking inside cells in January 2008.

However, in 2011 the Supreme Administrative Court ruled the ban on smoking illegal, in reference to fire and safety risks, according to Swedish media. In response, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service introduced guidelines allowing individual assessment of a prisoner's right to smoke inside.

:: United States

More than one third of all American states (19 states) enforce a complete ban on smoking and tobacco in prisons, according to the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation. Others have partial bans indoors or outside in the prison yard.

In the 1990s, several county prisons across the US implemented a smoking ban due to health concerns and even lawsuits from prisoners and guards, surrounding second-hand smoke.

:: Isle of Man

In 2008, the Isle of Man Prison - the sole functioning prison on the island - became Europe's first ever smoke-free prison.

However, it has not been without incident. In April, 2012 a small group of prisoners staged a protest against the ban. Seventeen men reportedly refused to return to their cells, sparking a four-hour stand-off with prison guards.

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India: Briton Trampled To Death By Elephant

A British national has died after being trampled to death by an elephant in India.

Colin Manvell, of Havant, Hampshire, died at the Masinagudi National Park, in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Local police said Mr Manvell and two other men - a guide and an acquaintance - had entered an area of the forest that was out of bounds to tourists so they could take photos.

It was here the elephant attacked, the police said.

Mr Manvell was seriously injured and treated at the local Masinagudi hospital before being transferred to Gudalur Government Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The two men with him at the time of the attack have been taken into custody for questioning.

Local guides sought help from the nearby Sagadevan resort, where Mr Manvell was staying.

The 67-year-old is understood to have been a retired geography teacher at Warblington School in Havant.

The Foreign Office confirmed the death, saying: "We are aware of the tragic death of a British national in southern India and we are providing consular assistance at this difficult time."

His family has been informed.

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Hamzah Khan's Father 'Warned Of Neglect'

The father of a four-year-old boy whose mummified body was found in his mother's bedroom told police the youngster was being neglected the year before his death, a court has been told.

Aftab Khan was giving evidence at the trial of Amanda Hutton, who denies manslaughter over the death of her son Hamzah Khan in December 2009.

The youngster's body was found by police nearly two years later.

During a day of harrowing testimony at Bradford Crown Court, jurors heard how police visited Hutton's house nine times before Hamzah's death.

They were also read a transcript of an interview Mr Khan gave to police after he was arrested for hitting Hutton in 2008.

He told officers his son was undernourished and neglected and threatened to contact social services, warning: "Believe me, I'm going to get in touch ... because it's gone so far now."

He also described how Hutton refused to let him take Hamzah to see a doctor, despite telling her "time and time again" he was not well.

Earlier, the court heard how a text message sent to Hutton from a phone belonging to Hamzah's brother, Qaiser Khan, in December 2008 accused her of "neglect and abuse".

It read: "Watch out Monday you *****. I'm going to go to the police station to report you for child neglect and abuse. Look at Hamzah."

The 22-year-old, who said he could not remember sending the message, also gave evidence at his mother's trial.

He told jurors how he saw Hamzah sleeping in a buggy that "stank" of urine and had to be disinfected.

He described seeing the youngster eat the contents of his own nappy and drink "mouldy, off milk" his mother had given him as a punishment.

A witness previously said Hamzah "didn't get fed much" and "looked really skinny, stick thin" in the days before his death.

Hutton rejects prosecutors' claims that she starved her son to death, insisting he died after he was taken ill.

The trial continues.

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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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'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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Full-Face Veils In Hospital Put Under Review

A review into whether NHS staff in England should be allowed to wear full face veils has been ordered by the Government.

Ministers have written to the General Medical Council to ask the regulator to decide whether there is a problem with face-to-face contact.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says he has a "great deal of sympathy" with patients who do not want to be treated by a doctor or nurse with their whole face covered.

He said he would want to see the person looking after him, but stressed the matter was for professionals rather than politicians to address.

'Professional matter': Jeremy Hunt

Mr Hunt told Sky News: "This is something that is decided locally by NHS trusts and I strongly support the principle that hospitals should have that local autonomy.

"But I do want to make sure we have the right professional guidelines in place so that patients can be confident that they are able to see a doctor or nurse's face whenever they should.

"I think it should be a professional matter not a political one so we have written to the professional regulator the GMC to ask for their guidelines.

"As a patient I would always want to see the face of the nurse or doctor looking after me.

"I would really like the GMC to issue professional guidelines so that hospitals locally can make sure their doctors and nurses are following those guidelines."

Health Minister Dan Poulter, a doctor, has ordered the review of current advice and asked regulators to devise new uniform rules.

"A vital part of good patient care is effective verbal and non-verbal communication," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"Being unable to see a healthcare professional's face can be a barrier to good and empathetic communication with patients and their families.

"That is why I am writing to all healthcare regulators to ask them to look into this matter and to review their professional regulations, to ensure that there is always appropriate face-to-face contact between healthcare professionals and their patients."

A ban on staff wearing the full-face veil when dealing with patients has already been introduced at 17 NHS hospitals, according to the newspaper.

Home Secretary Theresa May insisted it is for women to "make a choice" about what clothes they wear, including veils, but said there will be some circumstances when it will be necessary to ask for them to be removed.

Earlier this week a judge ruled that a Muslim woman will be allowed to stand trial while wearing a full-face veil but must remove it while giving evidence.

The ruling followed calls by Home Office Minister Jeremy Browne for a national debate on whether the state should step in to prevent young women having the veil imposed upon them.

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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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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.

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

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.

The jury of four women and eight men were shown pictures of the inside of Hutton's home.

The lounge was filled with rubbish, including pizza boxes and empty bottles, which was so deep the carpet was not visible.

Mr Greaney pointed out to the jury how Hutton's bedroom was noticeably less cluttered and the blue travel cot where Hamzah's body was found was visible.

He told the jury that a police officer said to Hutton "you know what's been found, don't you Amanda?" as the defendant was being taken to the police station.

The prosecutor said she told the officer: "He died two years ago on the 15th December."

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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Diet Pill DNP: Sarah Houston Father Warns Users

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

The father of a medical student who died a year ago after taking a diet drug has told Sky News he is devastated that lives are still being lost despite a promise of action from the Prime Minister.

Geoff Houston said three young people have been killed by the fat burner dinitrophenol, or DNP, since his daughter Sarah died last September at the age of 23.

Only last week an inquest heard how Chris Mapletoft, 18, a talented rugby player died after taking DNP to enhance his physique.

In April David Cameron vowed to "look carefully" at the problem.

But Sky News found the drug widely available online.

Keen horse rider Sarah Houston died at the age of 23 after taking DNP

Mr Houston said: "I think these are preventable cases and it's so sad another family has to go through the same grief we went through.

"I think it's so shocking that people can try and profit from this stuff - and if they have any sense of moral decency they should stop selling it.

"And I would also say to those people taking it - you are playing a game of roulette here."

DNP was originally developed as an obesity drug. But it was abandoned after it was found to cause the body to progressively overheat.

Chris Mapletoft died after taking the pills blamed for Sarah's death

Symptoms include a high temperature, rapid breathing, an irregular heartbeat and dizziness.

But it is still used by some overweight people, those with eating disorders and bodybuilders.

Sarah Houston suffered from anorexia and had been secretly taking DNP for up to two years. She had bought the yellow capsules online from a supplier in Argentina.

At least 66 people have died worldwide after taking the drug.

It is illegal to sell DNP for human consumption. But it can be distributed for use as a pesticide.

Sky News found DNP diet pills were widely available online

Mr Houston said capsules have no industrial use and should be banned.

"I would like to see a lot more done in the UK," he said.

"If it is banned as a capsule it will be so much more difficult for these young people to take it. It is morally repugnant for these people to sell it to these vulnerable people."

The Department of Health sent all GPs and A&E departments a letter earlier this month alerting them to the problem.

The Food Standards Agency said it is working with the police and local authorities to stamp out the sale of DNP to consumers.

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Leicester: Antoin Akpom Died From Stab Wound

A 20-year-old Leicester man killed in a street attack died from a single stab wound, an inquest has heard.

Antoin Akpom, 20, was assaulted in Kent Street, Leicester, at about 5.30pm last Thursday. He died in hospital later that evening.

An inquest into his death has opened at Leicester Town Hall.

Coroner Catherine Mason told Mr Akpom's family that his body would be returned as soon as possible so they could hold a funeral.

Earlier in the day, Abdul Hakim, 19, of Wood Hill, made a brief appearance in the Leicester Magistrates' Court charged with Mr Akpom's murder.

Four members of the Taufiq family died in the fire

Detectives are examining possible links between Mr Akpom's killing and a fatal arson attack in the city in which a mother and her three children were killed.

Shehnila Taufiq, who was in her 40s, her 19-year-old daughter Zainab and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamal, 15, died in the blaze in Wood Hill in the early hours of Friday.

There is no evidence so far to suggest the two incidents are related and those killed in the fire were not known to Mr Akpom, according to police.

Hakim, wearing a blue sweater and white T-shirt, made a five-minute appearance in court.

There was no application for bail and he was remanded in custody to appear at Leicester Crown Court via videolink on October 2.

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Clegg: Lib Dems Can Keep UK On Right Path

Good Week In Glasgow For Nick Clegg

Updated: 4:10pm UK, Wednesday 18 September 2013

By Adam Boulton, Political Editor

The Liberal Democrat's five days in Glasgow have gone Nick Clegg's way.

From keeping Trident to backing the coalition's austerity economic policy, conference votes have backed the leader.

Underlining that they have real power now to actually do things, ministers have had some headline-grabbing announcements on plastic bags and free primary-school meals.

There has been precious little dissent at a meeting where many pundits predicted a few months ago a panicked party would be moving to dump its leader.

Instead, Mr Clegg's rivals have looked less of a threat this week.

For all his leftist rhetoric about hating the Tories, Vince Cable overplayed his hand signalling disagreement on the economy and ended up voting in support of Mr Clegg.

The pugnacious Climate Secretary Ed Davey won the vote for nuclear power but seems to have become a bit of a figure of fun.

Party president Tim Farron has remained studiously loyal throughout.

And the disgraced Chris Huhne, Mr Clegg's one-time rival for the top job, is no longer even a member of the party.

Yet for all this, Clegg and his allies are more confident about an upturn in the UK economy than they are of an improvement in the Lib Dem's dismal opinion poll ratings.

Aides have deliberately drawn attention to an internal poll which shows that only one voter in four now says they would consider voting for the party.

In most current polls, it is getting barely half that with around 10% support.

The slump in popularity dates from when the Lib Dems went into coalition with the Conservatives.

So Clegg was far from triumphalist in his close of conference leader's speech.

Instead he wanted to cheer his activists up by reminding them what the Lib Dems have achieved in government, while trying to persuade the viewing public that it will be worth voting for them next time.

And all this in spite of the criticism which has come the Lib Dem's way.

"Every insult we have had to endure since we entered government, every snipe, every bad headline, every blow to our support - that was all worth it, because we are turning Britain around," he said.

Clegg told his supporters they should be proud of government policies such as the pupil premium, the cap on the cost of social care, investment in railways, parental leave, the move to a £10,000 income tax threshold and free primary school meals.

He also boasted about their negative contribution blocking the Conservatives, he claimed, on ID cards, detention of child immigrants and cuts in foreign aid.

All this, he said, would be threatened if the next general election does not deliver another coalition government.

"The absolute worst thing to do would be to give the keys to Number 10 to a single party government - Labour or the Conservatives ...," He declared.

"In 2015 the clapped out politics of red, blue, blue red threatens everything we have achieved. But back in government - and next time that will mean back in coalition government - the Liberal Democrats can keep the country on the right path."

Mr Clegg made clear the Lib Dems could form a coalition with either of the big two parties but insisted "we're no one's little brother".

He mocked those who speculated he would be more "comfortable" with either Ed Miliband or David Cameron.

And he explicitly rejected the view of the late Roy Jenkins, a founder of the party, of "aligning with a modernising Labour party". 

"We have out own values, our own liberal beliefs. We're not trying to get back into government to fold into one of the other parties," he said.

"We want to be there to anchor them to the liberal centre ground, right in the centre, bang in the middle."

As has become commonplace in leader's speeches, Clegg talked about his own family background.

With a half-Russian father, a Dutch mother and a Spanish wife, it is certainly cosmopolitan.

He admitted: "My upbringing was privileged: home counties: private school: Cambridge University."

His main purpose seemed to be to say that he is not exceptional anymore, a parent of three children in ordinary state schools.

And rather than parade an adoring wife across the stage, like his political rivals, he deliberately stepped down into the audience to salute her.

Clegg knows that neither the conference nor his big speech will turn around Lib Dem fortunes overnight.

He consoles himself that there are still nearly two years of government to go until the next election.

He believes that the coalition will survive that long, during which the UK economy will continue recovery.

But before then two big votes will take place in Britain next year: the European Parliamentary and local elections in May and the Scottish independence referendum in September.

On present form those elections look like an uphill battle for the Lib Dems.

But Clegg rightly noted that perhaps the most memorable thing about his conference speech in Glasgow was that it took place with exactly one year to go until Scotland's yes/no vote on breaking up the United Kingdom.

So crucial is the referendum that the Lib Dems have postponed their conference next year, which would have taken place the same week, and will now follow the Labour and Tory gatherings.

Clegg - and earlier the Scottish Secretary Michael Moore - argued fiercely for No to independence.

The Lib Dems have always favoured devolution and federalism but they believe it should be possible to be English or Scottish and British.

If Scotland votes Yes to independence, Clegg knows only too well that all bets will be off about the coalition's alleged achievements and for the 2015 General Election.

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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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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 than 3.2% down in late 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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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."

Paramedics at the scene of the shooting

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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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."

Responding to the report, Children's Minister Edward Timpson said social workers had to allowed to move away from a "tick box culture where there is too much red tape".

They must "move to a child centred system where social workers ... are out there with children talking to them".

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

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.

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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Firefighters To Strike Next Week Over Pensions

Firefighters will strike for four hours next week in a row over pensions.

Almost 80% of the Fire Brigades Union's (FBU) members voted in favour of industrial action in a ballot that ended earlier this month.

Union officials had left the strike to the last possible moment to allow for the possibility of a negotiated settlement.

It is now due to happen next Wednesday, in what FBU chief Matt Wrack called a "warning shot to Government".

"Firefighters could not be more serious about protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions," he said.

"Governments in Westminster and Cardiff have simply refused to see sense on these issues.

"It is ludicrous to expect firefighters to fight fires and rescue families in their late 50s: the lives of the general public and firefighters themselves will be endangered.

"None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety."

The walkout will take place for four hours, between noon and 4pm.

Firefighters in Scotland will not join in because union officials are still discussing the Scottish Government's most recent proposals.

But as a settlement in Scotland has not yet been found, the union's strike ballot could still result in industrial action there too.

The FBU claims thousands of firefighters could be sacked without proper access to a proper pension simply because they are getting older.

A recent Government review found more than half of current firefighters aged 50-54 and two thirds of those over 55 can no longer meet the necessary fitness standards.

Ministers have previously suggested they could be moved to other roles but the FBU says there are only a handful of opportunities, meaning mass sackings are inevitable.

Firefighters also already pay some of the highest pension contributions in the UK, with most contributing 13% of their salary every year with further increases due

Firefighters already pay some of the highest pension contributions in the UK public or private sector and have seen increases for two consecutive years, the union said.

The majority of firefighters already pay almost 13% of their salary in contributions with further increases due next year.

This will mean some firefighters now face an increase six years in a row.

The FBU also argue that financial projections from the Government are flawed because they are based on a prediction of a 1% decline in pension sign-up.

Their own information suggests that more than 25% of full-time firefighters recruited last year chose not to join.

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April Jones: Funeral Plans After Inquest Ends

The parents of murdered schoolgirl April Jones can plan their daughter's funeral after an inquest allowed them to officially register her death.

The five-year-old was snatched outside her home in Machynlleth, mid-Wales, last October before being murdered by 47-year-old Mark Bridger.

Despite police launching one of their biggest-ever search operations, April's body has never been found.

Bridger has repeatedly claimed he cannot remember what he did with her body.

Paul and Coral jones arriving for an earlier hearing at Mold Crown Court

But detectives found 17 fragments of her skull in Bridger's fireplace, leading them to conclude "on the balance of probabilities" that April died at his remote home in Ceinws on the day she was abducted.

Attending the 10-minute hearing in Powys County Council's Welshpool offices were April's mother Coral and father Paul, who were flanked by police family liaison officers.

They listened intently as the Detective Superintendent Andy John read a brief outline of the circumstances surrounding April's death.

Powys Coroner Louise Hunt said she hoped the conclusion of April's inquest - which now paves the way for her funeral arrangements to begin - would be a small comfort to the Jones family.

"I want to extend my sympathies for your terrible loss," she said.

"There will be no further formal proceedings and I hope the coming to an end of them will give you time to allow you to deal with your grief."

Bridger was ordered to serve a whole-life term for April's murder.

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Muslim Woman Must Remove Veil In Court

Browne Lobs Conference Grenades

Updated: 3:34pm UK, Monday 16 September 2013

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Jeremy Browne, the Lib Dem Home Office Minister, was accused by one commentator of lobbing headline-grabbing "grenades" at the party conference.

His first hit was on Saturday after he compared immigration of Romanians into the UK with British retirees with villas in Spain or France.

This time he chose an even more controversial subject - whether Muslim girls should be banned from wearing the veil.

This is a contentious issue that pitches those who think freedom of expression should never be restricted against others who claim women subject to peer pressure are unable to make a free choice.

Mr Browne said he believed there should be a national debate about the issue, particularly regarding those under 18.

Society deemed children too young to make decisions over issues such as marriage, he said.

So how could it be sure that girls are making an informed choice about making the veil, he asked, and not being forced into the situation?

Nick Clegg was quick to response in a robust way, declaring it un-British to issue any central edict banning people from expressing their religion.

It is the obvious liberal position.

But it is interesting that the Deputy Prime Minister spoke of two possible exceptions.

He said that women should have to reveal their faces when passing through airport security, and he claimed there was an issue for teachers in the classroom.

Mr Clegg questioned whether covering a child's face might interfere with her education and that is an argument that is gaining traction.

The Prime Minister has already said he would support a ban on veils at a school attended by one of his children.

Others on his back benches want to go further.

Tory MP Dr Sarah Wollaston warns of "serious consequences" if women's faces are hidden from view in courts.

Facial expression is a key part of communication, she has claimed.

Coming after a college was forced to overturn a ban on the veil when it triggered widespread protests, all the politicians know that their views are controversial - not least Mr Browne.

He has called for a debate despite saying that his own instinct was against any legislation.

Did he simply want to make a story? And if so, what grenade might he lob next?

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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 in a statement that they had reviewed the study and that did not demonstrate that paracetamol causes asthma.

"The possibility exists that children with asthma have a higher incidence of respiratory infections and thus a higher use of paracetamol," it said. "Calpol is proud of the 45 years of clinical history which supports its safety and efficacy."

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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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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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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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Daniel Pelka: Calls For Child Protection Law

Almost 50,000 people have signed a petition calling for new legislation to help protect children from abuse in the wake of Daniel Pelka's murder.

The petition has been launched by Manchester mother-of-two Paula Barrow in an attempt to highlight the need for mandatory reporting of child abuse.

Ms Barrow says the lack of a legal requirement for people working with children in the UK to report suspected abuse represents a "critical hole" in current legislation.

Her petition calls on Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling and Education Secretary Michael Gove to consider the need for legislative change.

Four-year-old Daniel was beaten, starved and poisoned by his mother and her partner, who hid the abuse by claiming he had an eating disorder.

Daniel's mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather Mariusz Krezolek

Medical experts said Daniel's emaciation was "unprecedented" in Britain and likened him to a concentration camp victim.

He weighed around 10kg when he died.

Magdelena Luczak and her partner, Mariusz Krezolek, were jailed last month for a minimum of 30 years.

A serious case review is currently investigating how education authorities and social services failed to detect the abuse Daniel suffered.

The review's findings will be considered by Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr Clegg, Mr Grayling and Mr Gove.

Daniel was laid to rest in Poland earlier this month

Introducing her petition on the website change.org, Ms Barrow said it is "incomprehensible" that authorities did not do more to help Daniel.

"We need to ensure that adults in regulated activities come to the aid of vulnerable children, in this case to the aid of a child who could be seen to be literally struggling to survive," Ms Barrow said.

"If those around Daniel had been legally obliged to report his abuse, then perhaps the system would not have let him down him as it so tragically did.

"One way in which we can help better protect children is to make those around them legally responsible.

"Legislation is needed which requires staff working in regulated activities - schools and early years etc - to report concerns."

Mandatory reporting is already in place in countries including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland and the United States.

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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.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More