'Smart Drug' Modafinil Risks Student Health

Students at some of Britain's best universities are potentially putting their health at risk by using a 'smart drug' bought off the internet, Sky News has been told.

Doctors have warned that increasing numbers of teenagers are using the prescription-only medicine modafinil to stay awake and alert for long periods of time.

The drug is designed to combat the sleeping disorder narcolepsy.

However, research shows it is available to anyone from dozens of online retailers.

Anecdotal evidence suggests there is a black market at universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, with students selling it to each other for around £2 a pill.

Some students are now said to be demanding drug tests before exams to stamp out a practice they believe to be equivalent to cheating.

Some students are turning to the internet to get the drug

One Oxford student told Sky News that he believed up to a quarter of his student friends had taken modafinil.

But academics say that the long-term effects are unknown, and medicines' watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency says the drug should not be taken without a prescription.

Barbara Sahakian, professor of clinical neuropsychology at Cambridge University, said there had been an increase in the number of students taking the drug in recent years.

"A lot of young people are purchasing these drugs over the internet.

"[It] is a very unsafe way to get these drugs because you don't really know what you're getting and you don't know if it's safe for you as an individual."

She said some students feel peer pressure to take the drug in order to keep up with their fellow students.

There can be pressure to take modafinil, says Professor Barbara Sahakian

"There's this kind of coercion that goes on.

"I think a lot of students feel it's very unfair that other students are taking these drugs during exams and they feel that they're losing out because the other person has a competitive advantage.

"Some students feel when you go into the exam perhaps there should be a test to see whether you're on the drug or not, because otherwise there's no way of detecting whether you are or not."

Prof Sahakian believes that the increasing use of modafinil raises serious concerns both for students and society.

"What are the effects of putting a drug into and changing the chemicals in your brain as your brain is developing?" she asked.

"What will society be like in the future? Will we all be just popping pills to stay awake, and alert and keep working? Will we accelerate into a 24/7 society? Is that what we really want?"

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News: "I'm very concerned. Let's be clear. This is drug abuse.

"To all those young people we completely understand the pressures of taking exams but you are playing with fire if you take drugs that haven't been prescribed.

"You don't know what the effect will be on your mind and body. It's a very dangerous thing to do and I would strongly encourage students to think again before doing this."

Laurie Pycroft believes around a quarter of his friends have taken the drug

Laurie Pycroft, a masters student at Oxford University, admits taking the drug every few weeks.

He told Sky News: "Some people report that they become very focused or very good at concentrating on a repetitive task.

"I have found the ability to go without sleep, when necessary, quite effective. It's essentially like caffeine, just a bit more effective and with less jitters.

"The people I've met who offer me modafinil for sale, they've all been fellow students, or academic types, rather than your stereotypical wheeler-dealer in a hoodie down a dark alley."

Doctor Anders Sandberg, research fellow at Oxford University's future of humanity institute uses modafinil every one or two weeks.

While he believes he is doing himself no harm, he would rather be able to get the drug from his GP.

Oxford University says it had not seen evidence of a modafinil problem

"Going via an internet drug store means the money ends up in the grey market, and that's problematic. You might be feeding your money into a market that is actually doing a lot of harm in the world.

"It would be much better if it were in the open market, which would mean that we could actually control that it's actually healthy, that side effects get reported, that you could actually study it properly."

He added: "I don't regard the use itself as immoral or problematic. I'm not competing with anyone else. I am taking the risks on my own."

Buying prescription-only drugs is not illegal, however, supplying them is.

Universities UK says there is no firm evidence to suggest taking 'smart drugs' is widespread among students and called for more research to discover how common it is.

In a statement, it said: "We would be very concerned if the impression were given that most students at UK universities are now taking … 'smart drugs'.

"We are not aware of any new research or data to suggest that such drugs are widely used and available among the UK's higher education student population of 2.5 million students."

It said however, that it would have "grave concerns" about students taking drugs not prescribed to them.

An Oxford University spokesman said: "If 'cognitive enhancement' drugs are a particular problem at Oxford we have yet to see any substantive evidence for it."

In a statement, spokesmen for Oxford and Cambridge universities both said they strongly advised students never to take prescription-only medicines without a doctor's recommendation.

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Leicester House Fire Murders: Four In Court

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

Four people, including a 16-year-old boy, have appeared in court charged with murdering a mother and her three teenage children in a house fire.

In the early hours of Friday, September 13, a blaze engulfed the Taufiq family home in the Spinney Hills area of Leicester.

The bodies of the mother Shehnila, 47, her daughter Zainab, 19, and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamil, 15, were all discovered in upstairs bedrooms.

Dr Muhammad Taufiq said he would "deeply miss" his wife and children

The children's father, Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, was not home at the time. The neurosurgeon was working in Ireland.

In a hearing lasting less than three minutes at Leicester Magistrates' Court, the four accused confirmed their names and addresses and indicated they did understand the nature of the charges against them.

Jackson Powell, 19, Nathaniel Mullings, 19, Shaun Carter, 24 and the 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were remanded in custody.

They are due to appear before Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, October 1, with a further preliminary hearing fixed for October 12.

Another man, Kemo Porter, 18, was charged on September 19 with four counts of murder. He will appear at Leicester Crown court at a later date.  

Mr Taufiq al Sattar has said he would "deeply miss" his "beautiful" wife, daughter and two teenage sons.

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

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Tory Aide Alan Lewis Held Over Rape Claim

The Conservative Party vice-chairman has been arrested on suspicion of raping a teenager in the 1960s.

Alan Lewis, 75, who was appointed by David Cameron in 2010, was held by police after a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by him when she was younger.

Mr Lewis, a self-made business tycoon who owns the Crombie luxury menswear chain, was released on police bail after his arrest by Manchester police.

The allegation comes as the Conservatives prepare for their party conference to begin in Manchester on Sunday.

A spokesman for Alan Lewis said: "An allegation has been made against Alan Lewis in respect of an event 46 years ago by a then adult female. He vigorously denies the allegation."

In his role for the Conservative Party, Mr Lewis, is responsible for business relations.

The Manchester-born businessman was made a CBE in 1990 for his services as chairman of the Confederation of British Industry's initiative to prepare British businesses for the single market.

Mr Lewis, who has reportedly amassed a fortune of between £220m and £260m, was appointed treasurer of a special committee dealing with the marginal seats campaign for the 1987 General Election under Margaret Thatcher.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "A 75-year-old man was arrested following a complaint received earlier this year of an historic rape that occurred in the Manchester area in the late 60s.

"The man was later bailed pending further inquiries. Specially trained officers are providing support and welfare to the victim."

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Marriage Tax Breaks For Four Million Couples

David Cameron says four million couples will benefit from the Government's new £1,000 marriage tax allowance.

Ahead of the start of the Conservative Party conference, the Prime Minister said the scheme - starting in April 2015 - will be worth up to £200 a year for married couples, including 15,000 in civil partnerships.

They will receive the benefit at the end of the tax year in 2016.

It will work by letting people transfer £1,000 of their personal tax allowance to their spouse or civil partner - an increase on the £750 allowance promised in the Tory manifesto, which would have seen couples gain £150.

The new allowance, which is not available to couples which include a higher rate taxpayer, is aimed at couples where one partner has not used all of their personal allowance or does not work at all.

Bride-to-be Jo Herbert, told Sky News at a west London wedding show that she did not think the proposals were fair and that she felt they would do little to encourage marriage.

She said: "Personally I don't think that it's very fair that they (married couples) are receiving financial rewards and couples that just that just choose not to get married for any reason cannot benefit as well. 

The PM says 'nothing would be possible' without his wife Samantha

"I don't think that it would actually incentivise anyone to get married because £200 - I mean yes thank you very much I will take that -but it is not going to go too far especially in the grand scheme of things, in how much weddings cost."

The announcement comes after a trade-off that allowed the Liberal Democrats to announce free school meals for all children under eight earlier this month.

The proposal, which Downing Street said shows the Government values commitment by recognising marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system, makes good on promises Mr Cameron made when he was running for leadership of the party in 2005.

In an article in today's edition of The Daily Mail, he said: "I believe in marriage. Alongside the birth of my children, my wedding was the happiest day of my life.

"Since then, Samantha and I have been a team. Nothing I've done since - becoming a Member of Parliament, leader of my party or Prime Minister - would have been possible without her."

He said that the new measures would apply "if you're gay or straight - and in a civil partnership or a marriage. This summer I was proud to make Equal Marriage the law. Love is love, commitment is commitment".

Labour's shadow chief secretary to the treasury, Rachel Reeves, said that the marriage tax break would not even help two-thirds of married couples and said he was out of touch if he "thinks people will get married for £3.85 a week".

She said: "And even for the minority who might benefit, it will be far outweighed by what David Cameron's Government has already taken away in higher VAT and cuts to child benefit and tax credits. In most cases, the extra payment will be paid to men, even though it is women who have disproportionately lost out so far."

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Kenya Attack: Sixth Briton Confirmed Dead

A sixth Briton has been confirmed dead following the Kenya shopping centre attack, as officials say the number of British casualties may rise further.

Some 67 people were killed in the attack on the Westgate shopping mall and dozens of people are still reported missing.

The number of British deaths had earlier been revised from six down to five, but on Saturday the Foreign Office revealed that another UK national had been identified among the fatalities.

The identity of the sixth victim has not been revealed.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have no information at this time that any further British nationals have been killed although we cannot rule out the potential for further British casualties and we continue to stay in close contact with the Kenyan authorities as their investigations continue."

It comes as Sky News filmed new footage from the rear of the Nairobi mall which shows the extent of the damage following the attack.

New images filmed by Sky News show the extent of the damage

Hundreds of tons of masonry, debris and metal fell down several floors after part of the roof collapsed.

Sky News filmed from a private property of resident Sukhbir Singh, who said he heard "really loud blasts" and "several gunshots".

He said at the part of the roof which has now fallen down he saw two or three gunmen opening fire towards children, adding "it was really, really bad".

"They just came in and sprayed bullets without talking," he added.

The Islamist group al Shabaab said it carried out the massacre to punish Kenya for sending its troops into Somalia to fight the al Qaeda-linked organisation.

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Devon Murder Probe After Man Dies In Pub

A murder investigation is under way after the death of an elderly man at a pub.

Officers were called shortly after 10pm on Thursday to the Black Horse Inn in the Devon town of Sidmouth to reports that a man had been assaulted.

A 71-year-old was found at the scene and pronounced dead a short time later, despite the efforts of officers and paramedics.

It is understood that the man was visiting the area and next of kin are currently being sought by police.

A 41-year-old local man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.

"We believe this is an isolated incident," the a Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said.

"We understand news of this incident will be troubling for many in the Sidmouth area and want to reassure local people there will be some extra officers on patrol in the town."

Anyone with information - particularly those at the Black Horse from late afternoon to early evening - is asked to contact the police force.

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Church Consortium Wins RBS Branch Sale Race

Royal Bank of Scotland is to sell 314 branches to a consortium backed by the Church of England in a deal forced on the bank because of its taxpayer bailout.

It will see Williams & Glyn's, a bank brand that has been dormant for nearly 30 years, soon return to the UK high street to become a new competitor in the market.

The consortium includes Corsair Capital, Centrebridge Partners and the Church Commissioners for England - the church's pension fund.

The deal will give the church a role in high street banking after the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby slammed controversial payday lenders for their rates before learning that the church had actually invested in Wonga, the country's best-known payday firm.

The Archbishop of Canterbury wants banking to have a moral compass

The new player, whose executives include former trade minister Lord Davies, has pledged to put lending to small business at its heart, give more funds to the community and cap its bonuses at 100% of annual salary.

RBS confirmed the investors would pay £600m for part of the business with the remainder being raised in a stock market listing at a future date.

RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with these investors to establish a new challenger bank for UK customers.

RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton

"Williams & Glyn's will play an important role in the UK banking landscape and will be an excellent new addition to the market, with a particular strength in small business banking - a sector that is so crucial to the UK's economic recovery.

"Much has been done already in building the standalone business, and today's announcement provides more certainty for our customers and employees ahead of a flotation."

Sky News revealed in July that the Corsair bid was being backed by the Church Commissioners for England in an attempt to establish an ethical dimension in the group's vision for the small business-focused bank.

An earlier deal to sell the network, codenamed Project Rainbow, which comprises all RBS-branded branches in England and NatWest branches in Scotland, fell through last year when Santander UK pulled out citing concerns about IT systems.

Santander had initially agreed to pay £1.65bn for the branches, which include £19bn of assets.

Lord Davies, who is vice chairman of Corsair Capital, said today: "We are delighted to have been selected by RBS.

"The Consortium views this as an opportunity to create a genuine challenger bank, which will be a vibrant, healthy competitive force in UK banking and a new financial services provider to the UK public and small and medium sized businesses.

"There is a great history in the Williams & Glyn's brand and the business has an opportunity to be at the forefront of the UK banking industry whilst making an active contribution to the community from its strong regional network."

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Mummified Boy's Mum Pleaded Guilty To Neglect

By Gerard Tubb, North Of England Correspondent

A mother on trial for the manslaughter of her son, whose mummified body was found in a cot almost two years after he died, pleaded guilty to child neglect in July.

The jury at Bradford Crown Court was told that Amanda Hutton made the admission ahead of her trial over the death of four and a half year old Hamzah Khan in December 2009.

The court has been told that the police, social services, health visitors, a school and Hamzah's GP practice were discussing concerns about him both before and after he died.

Paediatrician Dr Kathryn Ward told the jury Hamzah and his mother were the subject of multi-agency meetings in 2009 and 2010 because of child protection concerns.

Hamzah's body was discovered in the cot in his mother's bedroom in September 2011. He was so small he was wearing clothes designed for a six to nine-month-old baby.

Dr Ward said records showed Hamzah had never visited his GP, who, despite professional concerns about his welfare, struck him and his mother off the practice list in October 2009.

"Apparently, and I quote from the records: 'Because there had been too many failed appointments'," she said.

Hamzah died two months later, having last been seen by a health visitor in July 2005.

Dr Ward said research shows that non engagement with health professionals is a "serious risk" indicator "where child protection concerns emerge".

Dr Ward said GPs striking children off lists causes concern. "It causes children to sink even further below the radar," she explained.

Social workers first became concerned about Hamzah's safety in November 2006 and the school he should have attended was alerted to his absence by health visitors in 2009 and 2010.

So called Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences, or Maracs, were held to discuss child safety because of Hutton's lack of engagement with professionals, her alcoholism and the domestic violence she suffered.

Dr Ward said: "The picture is one of gross neglect and no engagement with professionals."

Hutton denies manslaughter, telling police after her arrest that Hamzah had died from natural causes.

But Dr Ward told the jury: "I have no doubt that malnutrition was a significant factor and indeed the root cause of the child's death."

The jury was told Tariq Khan, Hamzah's 24-year-old brother, has pleaded guilty to preventing the burial of a corpse.

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Teen Jailed For Life Over Sibling Fire Deaths

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4:07pm UK, Friday 27 September 2013

The court heard Dyson Allen posed a serious risk to the public

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Prince George To Be Christened On October 23

Prince George - who is third in line to the throne - will be christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury on October 23.

More follows...

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Stuart Hall Faces New Rape Allegations

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Detectives are preparing to question jailed broadcaster Stuart Hall over dozens of new rape allegations.

A woman has told police that Hall raped her regularly over several years when she was a young teenager.

The alleged victim is thought to be a relative of friends of the disgraced presenter.

Hall, 83, could be re-arrested in prison and, if charged and convicted, he may never be freed.

Hall was jailed this year for 15 months after admitting 14 charges of indecent assault on girls aged between nine and 17 between 1967 and 1985.

At the time, a single rape charge was not pursued and was left on the file.

His sentence was later doubled when the Attorney-General appealed after some of Hall's victims complained he had been dealt with too leniently.

If Hall is charged with further offences, prosecutors would have to decide whether more expensive and time-consuming court action is in the public interest. 

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Pilots Fell Asleep At Controls At Same Time

A pilots' organisation says a case of two pilots falling asleep at the same time shows why EU changes to flight-time rules are "dangerous".

In a report to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), a pilot revealed that he and his co-pilot nodded off on the Airbus passenger jet while the aircraft was on autopilot last month.

The pilot said both had only five hours' sleep the previous two nights.

A CAA spokesman said: "This was a serious incident but an isolated one. I think lessons will be learnt from this. We are circulating this report within the industry.

"We don't know why the pilots had had so little sleep before this flight. They were taking it in turn to have rest periods, with the one always checking the autopilot and it looks as if both fell asleep at the same time."

But UK pilots' organisation Balpa said the incident "comes as no surprise", adding that it had "repeatedly warned the CAA of the risk of both pilots falling asleep, including in a letter to each member of the CAA board last year".

General secretary Jim McAuslan said: "British pilots want to make every flight a safe flight and tiredness is the biggest challenge they face.

"As the regulator responsible for UK flight safety, the CAA has been far too complacent about the levels of tiredness among British pilots and failing to acknowledge the scale of the under-reported problem.

"In fact, the CAA and Government are backing EU cuts to UK flight safety that will increase tiredness among pilots and the risk of dangerous incidents."

Balpa says the planned EU flight rules will have a "grave impact" on aviation safety as the proposals are "flawed in many areas".

The proposed regulations would see pilots being legally allowed to land an aircraft after being awake for 22 hours.

They would also mean pilots can operate longer-haul flights - such as from the UK to the US west coast - with only two crew rather than the current three.

The proposals would also see pilots working up to seven early starts in a row.

A news agency found out about the pilots falling alseep after asking the CAA for incidents of pilot fatigue.

The CAA did not say which airline was involved nor where the aircraft, an Airbus A330, was travelling.

Of the proposed EU changes, the CAA said: "We understand that Balpa are not happy with the proposals but we think overall it is a good package and not much different to what we have now."

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April Jones Funeral: Machynlleth Says Goodbye

The family of April Jones has said a final farewell to the murdered schoolgirl as the mid-Wales town that shared their grief came to a standstill.

A white horse-drawn hearse led mourners, including the five-year-old's parents Paul and Coral and their two children from their Machynlleth home to St Peter's Church.

Crowds lined the streets and filled the church and its graveyard for the long-awaited service.

Those paying their respects were asked to wear pink, April's favourite colour.

April's body has never been found

The coffin arrived at St Peter's to Emeli Sande's Read All About It played on loudspeakers outside the church.

As it was carried inside by family members, Coral wept, holding her hand to her face, comforted by Paul, while other relatives fought back tears.

A message from April's family, written on the order of service, said they "would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their overwhelming kindness, sympathy and support during this sad, sad time".

Among the crowds were members of the mountain rescue, who helped search for April.

Beginning the service, the Reverend Kathleen Rogers said: "We know that there are no words we can say at this moment to express what we are feeling.

"No words can alleviate our sorrow or take away our pain."

Two poems by a local writer - one called April and the other called An Autumn Night - were read during the service and the words of well-known hymns were changed to suit the family.

No relatives spoke at the packed service, which was organised only after the conclusion of an inquest, 10 days after which April's remains were released.

Following the service, the funeral party left the church for a private burial.

It is almost a year to the day since the five-year-old went missing - with her murderer, Mark Bridger, jailed for his entire life in May - but reminders of the youngster are visible throughout the town.

Flowers from April's grandparents

A memorial garden has been built on the estate of Bryn y Gog, close to the home where she lived for her brief life.

Earlier April's father inspected flowers and dolls left at the garden, which has become a focal point for locals.

A bench bearing her name has been placed among the trees and next to a pink playhouse.

Up in the Welsh hills overlooking her hometown, a tree has been intricately wrapped in knitted pink patches and below in the valley pink ribbons still adorn many of the shop fronts and houses.

But the town is different now, according to Councillor Mike Williams, a friend and neighbour of April's family.

He explained: "It's the magnitude of an event in which a five-year-old girl was ripped from her family, ripped from the community, in such a vile and vicious way.

"But the town has stayed together and together we will be. We will be as one and we will be always with the family in support."

April Jones' funeral reflected the wishes of her grieving parents, who had wondered for months whether it would even be possible as their daughter's body was never found apart from fragments of bone.

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Iain Dale Given Police Caution For Scuffle

Blogger and publisher Iain Dale has issued a grovelling public apology after accepting a police caution for fighting with a protester.

Mr Dale admitted the scuffle was "frankly idiotic" and that he had embarrassed himself, and also said sorry for his "absurd bravado" after the altercation.

The 50-year-old, who was initially questioned on Tuesday night, was cautioned after returning to Brighton Police Station and admitting common assault.

He fought with veteran protester Stuart Holmes on the seafront after trying to stop any disruption to TV interviews being given by his client Damian McBride.

Mr Dale spotted the pensioner nearby as Gordon Brown's ex-spin doctor spoke to ITV about his controversial memoir and rushed over to haul him away.

The pair ended up tussling on the ground as Mr Holmes' dog barked around them, causing a stir outside the Labour Party conference venue close by.

Hours later, Mr Dale insisted he did not regret the encounter, joking that he should not have had Weetabix for breakfast and calling Mr Holmes an "idiot".

But on Thursday, he struck a far more sombre tone as he admitted Mr Holmes was a "passionate campaigner" and had been "perfectly entitled" to be there.

Mr Dale admitted the scuffle was "frankly idiotic"

"It was totally out of character for me to react to him in the way that I did," he said.

"I also want to apologise for the blogpost I wrote after the incident. It was full of absurd bravado and in the heat of the moment, I behaved in a frankly idiotic way.

"I have embarrassed not only myself but my family and my work colleagues and I apologise to them."

The statement added: "Since the events of Tuesday, I have gone through what happened over and over again in my mind. Whatever I felt at the time, nothing can justify what I did."

Mr Dale, from Pembury in Kent, even suggested some "will never forgive me for what I did and I understand that".

He said he had apologised to Mr Holmes in person on Tuesday but also apologised to Labour leader Ed Miliband and those attending the conference.

The publisher has vowed to pay for a new placard for the protester and to make a donation to a charity of his choice.

Chief Superintendent Paul Morrison said: "We respect the rights of people to protest peacefully. We will investigate fairly any allegation, regardless of who is involved, and we will seek the most appropriate resolution."

Mr Dale thanked police for their "fair and courteous" treatment.

Mr Holmes, who is originally from Manchester, previously described how "this giant of a guy turned up and grabbed hold of me" as he stood quietly in the background of the interview.

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Kenya: Samantha Lewthwaite Hunted By Interpol

Interpol has issued an arrest notice for British 'white widow' Samantha Lewthwaite at the request of Kenya.

The agency issued a Red Notice, or internationally wanted persons alert, following the massacre at a shopping mall in Nairobi.

Lewthwaite, 29, is wanted by Kenya on charges of being in possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a crime dating back to December 2011.

Circulated to all 190 Interpol member countries, the Red Notice represents one of the agency's most powerful tools in tracking international fugitives.

"By requesting an Interpol Red Notice, Kenya has activated a global 'tripwire' for this fugitive," said Interpol Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

Samantha Lewthwaite's fake passport

"Through the Interpol Red Notice, Kenyan authorities have ensured that all 190 member countries are aware of the danger posed by this woman, not just across the region but also worldwide," he added.

Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall said: "There is nothing to suggest that she was in the shopping complex - she might have been - but there is nothing to suggest she was.

"She is wanted for fundraising and now that Kenya has made the request to Interpol it is normal form that they will issue the red notice."

Marshall added that the arrest notice actually made "very little difference indeed" in the search for Lewthwaite.

Lewthwaite is also known as 'Natalie Webb'

"In all the different countries that are members of Interpol it comes up that this is a person of interest - if you get hold of her please keep hold of her and inform the country that put the request in, in this case Kenya."

There has been intense speculation linking Lewthwaite, 29, to the Nairobi shopping mall attack by Islamist militants from the al Qaida-linked al Shabab group.

The Kenya authorities have said forensic experts are working to establish if any of the attackers was female after receiving reports that a British woman was involved.

Lewthwaite - who uses the alias "Natalie Webb" - had previously only been wanted at national level for the  possession of a fake South African passport.

Mr Noble said her case highlighted the "invisible threat"' posed by terrorists and criminals travelling internationally using illicit passports.

"Every year hundreds of millions of individuals are boarding international transport and crossing borders without having the authenticity of their travel or identity document checked," he said.

"This dramatically compromises our ability to effectively screen and identify at airports and land crossings those individuals who could be suspected criminals and terrorists."

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Stephen Lee Banned From Snooker For 12 Years

Snooker star Stephen Lee has been handed a 12-year ban for match-fixing, it has been has confirmed.

The former world number five was found guilty of seven match-fixing charges by an independent tribunal last week.

The case related to seven matches in 2008 and 2009 - three in the Malta Cup in 2008, two at the UK Championship in the same year, one at the 2009 China Open and one at the 2009 World Championship.

Tribunal chairman Adam Lewis QC also ordered that 38-year-old Lee pay costs of £40,000.

A statement from the World Professional Billards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said: "The suspension is to be calculated from 12 October 2012, when the interim suspension was imposed. Therefore Stephen Lee will not be able to participate in snooker before 12 October 2024."

WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson said: "We take no pride in having to deal with such serious issues. However, this demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that snooker is free from corruption.

"It is an important part of our anti-corruption approach that players found to be involved in fixing matches or any aspect of a match are severely dealt with.

"We work closely with partners globally and the message we are sending is that if you get involved in match-fixing you will be found out and removed from the sport."

Lee has not played in a tournament since last year

The WPBSA had been seeking a lifetime ban but the organisation's disciplinary head Nigel Mawer insisted a 12-year suspension was effectively the same thing.

Mawer said: "In effect it is a life ban because I think it is highly unlikely that Stephen Lee will be able to come back to the sport at this level.

"We don't take great pleasure out of that - this is a case of a fantastic snooker player who has thrown it all away through making the wrong decisions."

Mawer added that he believed snooker was overwhelmingly a clean sport.

He said: "I am independent and outside the organisation and have a law enforcement background, and all the intelligence on irregular betting comes to me.

"Hand on heart I believe it is a very, very clean sport - I have only had to investigate four incidents in 7,000 matches and two of those have led to suspensions, which puts it in context."

In his written findings, tribunal chairman Lewis pointed out that life-time bans were not part of the disciplinary rules at the time of the offences but that he had the discretion to impose one of that length.

The findings state: "These breaches occurred when Mr Lee was in a financially perilous state not entirely of his own making and was finding it difficult to obtain entry to enough tournaments.

"As a weak man in a vulnerable position he succumbed to temptation. I consider it unlikely that he was the prime mover or instigator of the activity. It seems to me likely that advantage was taken of him."

Lee's agent Adam Quigley has confirmed he will lodge an appeal.

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Breast Cancer: Nice Approves New Test

Thousands of women with breast cancer could be spared chemotherapy every year following the approval of a test for use on the NHS.

Almost 50,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK and most of these have the early-stage disease.

Studies have suggested that half of women with the most common form of early-stage breast cancer given the Oncotype DX test could be spared chemotherapy.

The test involves the examination of genes taken from a sample of a tumour removed during surgery to help doctors decide whether chemotherapy would actually benefit patients and reduce the risk of cancer returning.

Doctors will use the test, in combination with other information such as the size and grade of the tumour, to work out if chemotherapy could be beneficial.

A woman undergoes a mammogram to screen for breast cancer

Current evidence suggests some people are over or under-treated because of uncertainties about whether their cancer will actually spread.

Those with early-stage breast cancer face intensive treatment, with possible side effects including nausea, vomiting, insomnia, hair loss and fatigue.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has approved the Oncotype DX test for people with oestrogen receptor positive (ER+), lymph node negative (LN-) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) early breast cancer who are at intermediate risk of the cancer spreading.

Nice director Professor Carole Longson: "Breast cancer patients face significant emotional and psychological strain when considering chemotherapy.

"A test that can help to predict better the risk of the breast cancer spreading, and therefore the potential likely benefit of additional chemotherapy, represents a significant step forward for patients."

Some 15 studies on more than 6,000 patients worldwide have taken place using Oncotype DX.

The results show that around one third of treatment plans are changed as a result of the test.

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Hamzah Khan: 'He Died In My Arms', Mum Says

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

The mother of four-year-old Hamzah Khan, whose mummified body was found in her bedroom almost two years after he died, told police he died in her arms, a court has heard.

Amanda Hutton, 43, is on trial accused of Hamzah's manslaughter after his remains were discovered in her Bradford home in 2011.

In her police interviews read out to the jury, she said Hamzah had been a difficult child who shouted and screamed and would only eat bananas and milk.

Hutton said her son lost a large amount of weight in December 2009 and lay in a travel cot "really silent and still and peaceful".

She claimed Hamzah told her in "the kind of gabble" that he spoke: "Oh, I love you mum, are you alright mum?"

Hutton told officers she went to a Morrisons supermarket chemist for something to build up his strength when her eldest son Tariq rang her, saying: "Mum, you need to come back, Hamzah's eyes are rolling into the back of his head."

She said she picked him up when she returned home, adding that when he died in her arms, she did not know what to do next.

The moment Hamzah's body was discovered was described to the jury by the police officer who found it.

DC Richard Dove, of the child protection unit at West Yorkshire Police, was searching Hutton's bedroom after the alarm was raised about her lifestyle and the filthy house she was living in.

DC Dove said as he stood in the bedroom looking at a travel cot, he could sense there was something wrong.

"There was clothing and shoes and bedding piled up in the cot so I started taking them off," he explained.

In the dock, Hutton buried her head in her hands as DC Dove was asked: "What did you find?"

DC Dove replied: "The body of a small child, Asian in origin."

Hutton denies manslaughter and the trial continues.

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Spitting Pair Are First Ever To Be Prosecuted

People spitting in the street can now be prosecuted for littering after a council won a landmark legal case.

Waltham Forest Council in London has become the first to successfully prosecute people for spitting in public.

Khasheem Kiah Thomas, 18, and Zilvinus Vitkas were fined and ordered to pay £300 each in total, including costs.

The council has been campaigning against spitting and issuing fixed penalty notices and £80 fines as part of its "Don't Mess with Waltham Forest" campaign.

Launched in July, it targets "enviro-crime" including spitting, litter, urination, dog mess, cigarette butts and takeaway litter.

The prosecutions against Thomas and Vitkas were the first to put it to the test but magistrates endorsed the council's approach.

Thomas, from Hackney, east London, was handed a fixed penalty notice in Leyton, east London, on February 20.

Vitkas, from Ilford in Essex, was caught seven days later in Walthamstow, north-east London.

Both men failed to appear at Thames Magistrates' Court on Friday and were found guilty in their absence.

Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, said he was "absolutely thrilled" at the courts' support.

"Spitting in public is a foul habit and simply not acceptable on the streets of Waltham Forest in this day and age," he said.

We made a decision to use the powers we have at our disposal to crack down on this most unsavoury behaviour."

"We've been issuing £80 fines to people since February, but this is the first time a case has reached the courts.

"The magistrates didn't hesitate to concur with us that spitting could be classified as litter."

The Council has the power to act against spitting under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Section 87 states that it is an offence to "throw down, drops or otherwise deposits" litter and then leave it.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Local Government minister Brandon Lewis have both expressed their support for action against spitting.

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Firefighters Go On Strike In Row Over Pensions

Firefighters across England and Wales have walked out on strike in a bitter row with the Government over pensions.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) left their stations and set up picket lines as they started a four-hour protest at midday.

The union is campaigning against changes it says will force firefighters to work longer, pay more into their pensions and receive less in retirement.

The move will also see firefighters having to work on frontline duties until they are 60 which could put the public at risk, the union argues.

The Government maintains that the changes are fair and will still give firemen and women decent pensions when they retire.

Fire brigades have had to draw up their own contingency plans to deal with the strike because military Green Goddess machines, used as cover in previous disputes, have been sold.

Some brigades, including London and Surrey, hired private contractors to stand in but the public has been warned that non-emergency calls may not be answered.

The London brigade, which is using 27 fire engines during the strike period, said it would not be able to respond to calls about flooding, trapped animals and rubbish fires.

Firefighters stopping work at Kensington Community Fire Station

Officials in the Department of Communities and Local Government stressed they had a "strategic back-up" that could be initiated if necessary.

Royal Navy and Royal Air Force firefighters with fully-trained Army crew members have been deployed as a reserve in England in case there is a major incident.

In Wales, they are acting as frontline firefighters with others poised if more support is required.

A war of words raged between the Government and the FBU as the strike went ahead.

Fire minister Brandon Lewis insisted the pensions package was still "one of the most generous" schemes in the public sector.

Firefighters earning £29,000 and retiring at 60 after a full career would receive a £19,000-a-year payout, rising to £26,000 with the state pension, he said.

"An equivalent private sector pension pot would be worth over half a million pounds and require firefighters to contribute twice as much," he added.

"The firefighter pension age of 60 was introduced in 2006 and is in line with the police and armed forces.

"We have been clear with the Fire Brigades Union our pension reforms are not introducing a national fitness standard.

"Firefighter fitness remains a local fire and rescue authority matter. Government is helping local employers and the union to work together on this issue."

General secretary Matt Wrack countered: "This initial strike is a warning shot to government. Firefighters could not be more serious about protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions.

"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."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady added: "There won't be many members of the public who would feel confident about being rescued from a serious fire if the only route out of the inferno was down a ladder on the back of a firefighter who was about to turn 60."

Almost 80% of FBU members voted in favour of industrial action and union bosses have not ruled out further steps if the dispute continues.

Labour leader Ed Miliband urged them and the Government to get "round the table" to resolve the conflict.

He told Sky News: "What I say about any industrial dispute is that it's a sign of failure. Both sides should be getting round the table because we need an effective fire service that is actually going to serve people.

"What Government should be doing is not ramping up the rhetoric but getting round the table with the firefighters to try and prevent this happening and sort it out."

Firefighters in Scotland are not striking because union officials there are still discussing proposals put forward by the Scottish Government.

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Search For Body In Suspected Slavery Case

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Correspondent

Police investigating slavery allegations in South Wales are searching a farm for a buried body.

Gwent Police say the property in the village of Peterstone near Newport is now the centre of their investigation, which includes digging for the body of an "unknown person" who may have been buried at the site.

Earth moving machinery and ground X-ray equipment is being used as specialist search teams, accompanied by a forensic archaeologist, continue their work.

Two men, aged 66 and 42, were arrested at the address yesterday, and a man of eastern European origin was taken to safety.

The man, thought to be Polish, remains at an undisclosed medical reception centre where his physical and mental condition is being assessed.

More than 100 police officers were involved in the raids

He is currently being helped by members of the Red Cross as well as police, who are trying to establish the circumstances under which he was staying at the farm.

Arrests were also made at a flat in Cardiff and a house in Penhow in Monmouthshire. Searches there have now ended.

The four people were arrested on suspicion of slavery and servitude offences, and remain in custody assisting officers with their inquiries following the granting of an extension.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Paul Griffiths said: "As a result of the publicity generated by the police activity I'm grateful to the people who have contacted us with information which is assisting our inquiry.

"Importantly, we've received a number of calls from individuals who may also be potential victims or important witnesses.

"In addition, I'm making a personal appeal to the author of an anonymous letter which was sent to a neighbouring force some months ago to contact us."

The investigation forms part of "Operation Imperial", which began six months ago, after the recovery of a man living in poor conditions in Peterstone, who had been reported missing 13 years earlier.

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Iain Dale Scraps With Protester At Conference

Blogger Iain Dale has scuffled with an anti-nuclear protester during interviews outside Labour's party conference in Brighton.

Mr Dale was trying to stop Stuart Holmes disrupting a publicity drive for Damian McBride's memoirs as they staged a series of interviews on the seafront.

The blogger is also the publisher of the former spin doctor's controversial memoir Power Trip, which has overshadowed the party conference this week.

Iain Dale hauls the protester away from the cameras

He grabbed the pensioner's rucksack and physically hauled him out of the way as Mr McBride recorded an interview with ITV's Daybreak.

The pair grappled on the pavement as the interview continued, with Mr Holmes' dog eagerly joining in the fray and barking.

The terrier - which had a placard saying "No Nuke's" on its back - seemed to misplace his loyalty though, and jumped up to bite his owner on his bottom.

The publisher was annoyed he was distracting from the interview

Mr Holmes attempted to make the best of the situation, holding up his own banner to photographers busy recording the scrap.

After a few moments, the pair separated and dusted themselves down, and he continued trying to edge his way into view of the cameras.

Writing on his blog later, Mr Dale said he had been waiting in his car ready to drive Mr McBride to his next interview when he spotted the protester.

He said he was holding a placard and "filling a lot of the screen and totally distracting from the interview".

The pair tussled and then fell on the ground

"I did what any self-respecting publisher would do, got out of the car, ran across, got him in an armlock and pulled him out of the shot.

"He started resisting and we ended up in an unseemly tumble on the ground ... I was determined this idiot shouldn't disrupt what was an important interview for my author."

He added: "He threw a punch at me but missed, and the only injury was when the man's dog bit him on the bum."

The protester's dog joined in the fray - and bit his bottom

Mr Dale joked that he knew he "shouldn't have had three Weetabix this morning" and "now you can see why my publishing company is called Biteback".

He insisted he did not regret the altercation.

"Everyone has an inalienable right to protest, but no one has a right to make a continual nuisance of themselves and interrupt interviews like that," he said.

Mr Dale joked that he shouldn't have had three Weetabix

Mr Holmes has been protesting outside party conference venues for the last 30 years and thought the media had been gathering to interview Ed Miliband.

He said he had been keen to confront the Labour leader after being "totally blanked" by him at the TUC conference in Bournemouth.

"I was not ruining the interview. I was just in the background. I was not saying anything," he insisted after being quizzed by Sussex Police.

"This giant of a guy turned up and grabbed hold of me. I struggled free and in the process we ended up on the floor. Someone chucked my hat over the top and I had to go down and get it."

He indicated he was unlikely to take legal action, but would discuss it with his solicitors and "think it over".

"Nobody got injured - well, he might have a few bruises," he added.

The clash provoked an outpouring of jokes - and some criticism - on Twitter.

One poster called Matt Provost wrote: "@IainDale A.) You had no right to lay a finger on him. That's assault. B.) He has every right to be a nuisance and to stand where he likes."

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North London Shooting: Police Appeal For Help

Police are appealing for help to find a man wanted in connection with a murder in north London five months ago.

Father-of-one Zafer Eren was shot dead in the street outside his home in High Street, Southgate.

Witnesses described seeing a masked gunman flee the scene in a burgundy Peugeot 308 just after 7pm on Thursday, April 22.

Detectives want to speak to Jamie Marsh-Smith, 22, who has been known to have links to Tottenham, Hackney, Camden and Kilburn.

A reward of up to £30,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for 34-year-old Mr Eren's killing.

CCTV picture of Marsh-Smith

Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, who is leading the investigation, said: "We need the public to help us trace and arrest Jamie Marsh-Smith.

"We know that allegiances shift over time and now months on from Zafer's murder, people may have the confidence to talk to us."

As part of the investigation, a 32-year-old man has been detained on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and assisting an offender.

He was arrested at a residential address in West Hampstead and was taken to a west London police station for questioning.

Anyone with information about Jamie Marsh-Smith's whereabouts can call 020 7321 7228 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Immediate sightings of him should be reported by calling 999.

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Family Lead Tributes To Fallen Traffic Officer

The family of a traffic officer killed in an apparent hit-and-run say they have been left with "a huge void" in their lives.

Father-of-two PC Andrew Duncan, 47, who joined the Met Police in 1990 and became a traffic officer in May 2004, died on Sunday after trying to stop a car in Sutton, south London, on Friday.

His wife Claire said in a statement: "We would like to thank all the medical staff at St George's Hospital, Tooting, for their enormous efforts in attempting to save Andrew's life.

"We have had, and still are having, tremendous support from all Andrew's colleagues, family and friends. Our children, Adam, Emma, and myself are truly grateful.

"Andrew was a fantastic husband, father, son and brother. This is supported by the many tributes which we are still receiving from his family and friends.

"We are left with a huge void in our lives, but we have some fantastic memories that we will always treasure."

Flowers at the location where the traffic officer was knocked down

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and Home Secretary Theresa May both paid tribute to him.

Sir Bernard said: "Andy was a hard-working and courageous policeman. He served the community as both a police officer and as a scouting volunteer.

"The night he was injured, he was doing a job that he loved and we all had every right to expect he would return safely to his home and family - tragically that was not the case."

Mrs May, who will attend a service to mark the 10th National Police Memorial Day on Sunday where officers who die on duty are remembered, said his death highlighted the importance of the day.

"The tragic death of PC Andrew Duncan brings home the importance of National Police Memorial Day, when we come together to remember the debt of gratitude we owe to policemen and women across the country who put themselves in harm's way to protect us.

One man - who was charged under the name Gary Bromige, but appeared in court under the name Gary Cody - is accused of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident and driving without insurance.

Police on Monday night arrested two other men, aged 19 and 23, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and they remain in custody.

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Miliband: Labour Would Freeze Energy Prices

Ed Miliband has vowed he would freeze gas and electricity bills for 20 months if Labour regains power at the next election.

The party leader told its conference in Brighton that he would pass new laws to enforce the freeze while the energy sector was overhauled.

Labour claims the move will save households £120 a year and businesses £1,800 between May 2015 and January 2017.

The dramatic announcement puts Mr Miliband on a collision course with the "Big Six" energy companies, which stand to lose £4.5bn and have not been consulted.

"The companies won't like it because it will cost them money but they have been overcharging people for too long because the market doesn't work. It's time to reset the market," he said.

Ed Miliband and wife Justine arriving at the hall before his conference

He accused the coalition of allowing energy prices to spiral because David Cameron did not have "the strength to stand up to the strong".

An average family's bill has risen by almost £300 since 2010 and companies now say energy is the second biggest cost they face, after wages.

A report last weekend from consumer group Which? also estimated that flaws in the market had left consumers paying £3.9bn a year too much.

Labour has already vowed it will pass new laws to split energy companies into generation and retail arms, create more competition and replace Ofgem with a tougher watchdog.

Aides said firms should be able to absorb the freeze because of their large profits and challenged Mr Cameron to hold bills down if they try to dodge it by hiking prices early.

Consumer group Which? immediately welcomed the plan, claiming it would give "hope to the millions worrying about how they can afford to heat their homes".

Executive director Richard Lloyd said: "We now look forward to seeing the detail of how this will work.

"Wholesale costs are the biggest part of the eye-watering rises to energy bills that people have faced over the last ten years.

"Making the wholesale market competitive by separating energy generation from supply is essential to help keep prices in check."

The Labour leader spoke for 63 minutes without notes

Mr Miliband had spent weeks honing his speech, which lasted 63 minutes, after a summer of recrimination over his leadership and the party's lack of direction.

Speaking without notes, he claimed soaring energy prices were part of a "cost-of-living crisis" which had left ordinary people struggling while the "privileged few" prospered.

He repeatedly declared "Britain can do better than this" as he accused Mr Cameron and George Osborne of leading a "race to the bottom".

And he insisted he had shown his strength by standing against his brother for the top job and refusing to support British military intervention in Syria.

"Leadership is about risks and difficult decisions. It's about those lonely moments when you have to peer deep into your soul," he said.

He predicted a "big fight" between now and the next election, but insisted he would relish going up against Mr Cameron in a test about leadership and character.

Mr Miliband will hope the address will move his party on from the damaging revelations about the Blair-Brown years revealed in Damian McBride's memoir.

Seeking to flesh out Labour's economic policy, he unveiled plans for a £800m tax break for smaller firms - paid for by cancelling a 1% corporation tax cut due in 2015.

He vowed to reverse the hike in business rates due in April 2015 and freeze the levy the following year, a move worth around £450 on average over two years for 1.5million firms.

"We have to support our small businesses, the vibrant, dynamic businesses that will create wealth in Britain," Mr Miliband said.

However, business leaders were critical of the decision to fund it by keeping corporation tax higher, accusing him of "robbing Peter to pay Paul".

IoD director general Simon Walker warned it would harm Britain's competitiveness and put off foreign investors at a time when the country had to show it was open for business.

He said: "The Government has spent three years telling the world that we are open for business, and reductions in corporation tax have been a key part of that strategy.

"It's a dangerous move for Labour to risk our business-friendly environment in this way, at the same time as announcing a new bank levy."

Other measures included:

:: confirmation that the so-called "bedroom tax" would be scrapped, which prompted a standing ovation in the hall;

:: a "route map" to take all the carbon out of Britain's energy by 2030, creating one million jobs;

:: breakfast clubs and after-school care in primary schools, to help working parents.

Mr Miliband claimed Britons were "fed up of a Government that doesn't understand their lives and a Prime Minister who can't walk in their shoes".

He said Mr Cameron would "resume his lap of honour" about the economic recovery at the Tory conference next week, when he should be on a "lap of shame".

Borrowing a slogan from Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign in 1980, he called on voters to ask themselves in 2015 "am I better off now than I was five years ago?".

"You've made the sacrifices but you have not got the rewards. You were the first one into the recession, but you are the last one out," he said.

Delegates also loudly applauded when he attacked Tory peer Lord Howell for suggesting fracking should happen in the "desolate" North East.

Arguing that the Tories are out-of-touch, he said: "The Tories call them inhabitants of desolate areas, we call them our friends, our neighbours, the heroes of our country."

On reform of Labour's union links, Mr Miliband insisted he understood why some people were "uncomfortable" urged union chiefs to work with him.

"I don't want to end that link. I want to mend that link and hear the voices of individual working people in our party louder than before," he said.

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HS2: Balls Signals Labour Could Pull Support

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has signalled Labour could scrap the controversial high-speed rail project if it regains power in 2015.

Mr Balls appeared to suggest a significant weakening in his party's support for HS2 in his keynote conference speech in Brighton.

He attacked the spiralling costs of the scheme, currently estimated to be £50bn, and warned there would be no "blank cheque" if he was chancellor.

The comments will fuel fears in Tory high command that cross-party support for the project could fall apart and will ramp up tensions ahead of its own conference next week.

Mr Balls said: "Under this government, the High Speed 2 project has been totally mismanaged and the costs have shot up to £50bn.

"David Cameron and George Osborne have made clear they will go full steam ahead with this project - no matter how much the costs spiral up and up.

"They seem willing to put their own pride and vanity above best value for money for the taxpayer.

"Labour will not take this irresponsible approach. So let me be clear, in tough times - when there is less money around and a big deficit to get down - there will be no blank cheque from me as a Labour Chancellor for this project or for any project."

The costs of HS2 have already risen to £50bn

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Rachel Reeves later said Labour could scrap the project if it was no longer "good value for money and costs continue to rise".

British Chambers of Commerce chief John Longworth called on Labour to clarify its position, while Katja Hall, the CBI's chief policy director, said: "We've always said that the Government must redouble its efforts to sell the benefits of HS2 while keeping a tight lid on costs.

"But let's not forget why this project matters. HS2 will connect eight of our 10 biggest cities, boost regeneration projects across the country for years to come, and will avert a looming capacity crunch on the West Coast main line."

Lord Adonis, a former transport secretary under Gordon Brown, is an enthusiastic supporter of the scheme but Lord Mandelson and Alistair Darling have both spoken out against it.

Mr Darling, who was both transport secretary and chancellor, withdrew his support last month, warning it was "foolish" and could "easily run out of control".

The Institute of Directors has called it a "grand folly" and the Commons spending watchdog has warned its apparent benefits are dwindling as the costs rise.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin insists HS2 is essential to the UK and recent analysis for the Government suggests it will ultimately generate an extra £15bn a year for Britain.

Much of the cooling in Labour's support has stemmed from the rise in costs to £42.6bn, with a further £7.5bn for the trains.

One recent independent study put the eventual cost as high as £80bn and there were claims the Treasury was working on it being at least £70bn.

HS2 Ltd, the company set up to deliver the project, said on Monday that £3.5bn could be sliced off the overall budget by recruiting contractors at the start instead of ad hoc.

The first phase of the link, from London to Birmingham, will cut through Tory heartlands in beauty spots in the Chilterns and is due to be completed by 2026.

The second phase, taking the line north in a Y-shape to Manchester in the north west of England and to Leeds in the north east, should be finished in 2032/33.

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Cumbria School Bus Crash: Children Injured

A school bus driver has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving after a crash with a lorry left around 20 people injured.

The two vehicles collided on the A685 in the village of Lowgill, near Kendal, at around 8.30am.

A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust said 10 people, including six children with minor injuries, had been taken to hospital.

The crash on a stretch of road in Cumbria left 10 people in hospital

Three adults - one with a head injury, another with a rib injury and a third with neck pain - were taken to the Royal Lancaster Hospital, where the youngsters are also being treated.

Another patient was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital with head, arm and neck injuries that are not life-threatening.

The damaged cab of the lorry was towed away

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said local schools had been informed of the crash.

"Parents are advised to contact their (child's) school if they have any concerns," he added.

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Rolf Harris In Court On Child Sex Charges

Rolf Harris has appeared briefly in court charged with nine counts of indecent assault and four counts of making indecent images of a child.

The 83-year-old entertainer arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court with his wife Alwen at his side.

Wearing a dark suit, striped shirt and patterned tie, he said nothing to reporters as he walked into the building flanked by security guards.

He left court around 30 minutes later, surrounded by a throng of reporters and photographers as he climbed into a waiting car.

Harris, 83, said nothing as he walked into court

Harris is accused of assaulting two alleged victims, who were aged 14 and 15 at the time, between 1980 and 1986.

The charges of making indecent images of a child date back to last year.

During the hearing, Sonia Woodley QC, defending, said Harris had indicated he would plead not guilty.

The Australian-born artist, musician and TV presenter was questioned under caution last November by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the investigation into abuse claims against Jimmy Savile.

He was arrested in March and charged in August.

The allegations against him have no connection to Savile.

Harris, who has lived in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 50 years, has been in the public eye for decades.

He fronted the popular TV programme Animal Hospital and had several musical hits, many of which featured his famous wobble board.

He painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year.

His next court appearance will be at Southwark Crown Court on October 7.

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Diabetes Will Create 'Public Health Disaster'

The UK is heading for a "public health disaster" as the NHS is facing a "huge strain" with not enough being done to prevent Type 2 diabetes, a charity has claimed.

According to Diabetes UK, the number of people with the condition is expected to hit five million by 2025 - up from 3.8 million today, because people do not take it seriously enough or make the right lifestyle changes.

It said less than a third of people realise that Type 2 diabetes can lead to serious health complications such as amputation, heart attack, blindness and stroke.

Type 2 diabetes patients either do not produce enough insulin or the insulin they produce does not work properly. Roughly 85% of diabetes sufferers have Type 2, but it can be treated with exercise and an improved diet.

Type 1 cannot produce any insulin, is not caused by obesity and cannot be cured.

Diabetes UK has launched a national awareness campaign to have the risk of Type 2 diabetes assessed.

Chief executive Barbara Young said: "You only have to spend five minutes talking to someone who has lost their sight or has lost a leg as a result of Type 2 diabetes to realise the devastating impact the condition can have.

"But this survey makes it clear that most people do not understand the potential consequences of developing it, and I worry that until we finally lay to rest the myth that Type 2 diabetes is a mild condition, it will continue to be seen as something that is not worth being concerned about.

"This is a misconception that is wrecking lives and is the reason that as a country we are sleepwalking towards a public health disaster of an almost unimaginable scale."

Losing weight, eating more fruit and vegetables, and exercising can significantly reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "The number of people with diabetes is steadily growing, with often devastating consequences for their health.

"We are helping people make healthier choices to help prevent obesity which can lead to Type 2 diabetes.

"By working with industry we have helped to reduce fat, sugar and salt in foods, and thanks to the Change4Life campaign we are targeting more and more children and families with information on how to eat well, move more and live longer."

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Police Officer's Death: Man Appears In Court

A man has appeared in court charged in connection with the death of a police officer who was hit by a car during a speed enforcement operation in south London.

The defendant, who was charged under the name Gary Bromige - but appeared at South Western Magistrates' Court, in Lavender Hill, south London, under the name Gary Cody - is accused of causing death by dangerous driving.

The 25-year-old is also charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident and driving without insurance.

He was remanded in custody, to appear at Kingston Crown Court on October 7.

Traffic officer PC Andrew Duncan, 47, was taken to hospital following the collision in Reigate Avenue, Sutton, south London, at around 1am on Friday, but died on Sunday morning.

Tributes to the father-of-two were issued by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

He said: "On behalf of the Metropolitan Police family, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his wife and children, parents, family and friends.

"Andy was a hard-working and courageous policeman. He served the community as both a police officer and as a Scouting volunteer.

Flowers are left at the scene where PC Andrew Duncan was hit

"The night he was injured, he was doing a job that he loved and we all had every right to expect he would return safely to his home and family - tragically that was not the case.

"We will continue to professionally and objectively investigate this incident under the oversight of Her Majesty's Coroner.

"I would urge anyone with information to contact us."

PC Duncan was married with a son and a daughter.

He had joined the force on March 19, 1990, and was originally posted to Battersea.

Six years later he transferred to the South-West Territorial Support Group where he served for almost seven years before moving to Hammersmith and Fulham Borough.

He subsequently joined the South-West Traffic Unit on May 17, 2004.

The Met said two men, aged 19 and aged 20, who were arrested on Sunday evening in connection with the investigation, remain in custody at a south London police station.

A woman who was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice has since been bailed.

22.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Food Price Rises 'A Source Of Stress'

Rocketing food prices are a "source of stress" for four in 10 UK consumers, while a third say they are struggling to feed themselves or their family.

Almost eight in 10 shoppers (78%) are worried about the increasing cost of food, with almost half (45%) spending a larger proportion of their available income at the supermarket compared to a year ago, the survey of 2,028 consumers for Which? found.

Food prices have risen over and above general inflation by 12.6% over the past six years, according to the Office of National Statistics, while incomes have stagnated.

The poll found 60% are worried about how they will manage their future spending on groceries if prices continue to rise.

A separate survey by the consumer watchdog found one million more households are feeling financial pressure compared to a year ago, leaving 9.5 million households struggling to cope with the cost of living.

It found 40% are likely to cut back spending on food in the next few months.

Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director, said: "While people seem to have accepted their grocery bill going up, stagnating incomes and rocketing food prices are causing stress and worry and leaving people wondering how they are going to cope.

"Supermarkets need to make it much easier for consumers to spot the best deal by ensuring pricing is simple and making special offers genuinely good value for money.

"Politicians need to put consumers at the heart of their economic policies to tackle the rising cost of living and to support growth and prosperity."

Dan Crossley, executive director of the Food Ethics Council charity, added: "As the global food system becomes more deeply trapped in the strangleholds of resource constraint, climate change and population growth, rising food prices are an almost inevitable fact of life.

"Food businesses and government need to start planning now for that future by taking urgent action to tackle the issue of food affordability, including the introduction of measures such as a living wage.

"They also need to develop robust policies that make healthy food affordable, rather than peddling 'cheap' food that is costing us dear in terms of our health and our environment."

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A&E Departments Failing To Hit NHS Targets

The number of NHS Foundation trusts in England failing to see A&E patients within four hours has doubled in the last year, according to new figures.

A quarterly report by regulator Monitor found 31 trusts missed the waiting times target in April-June compared with 13 over the same period in 2012.

The report said: "We are concerned about waiting times in A&E which normally improve in the spring and early summer, but which this year remained challenging for 31 foundation trusts which failed the four-hour target in the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

"This compares to 13 in the same period last year.

"Long waits in A&E may result in patients experiencing unsatisfactory care and the persistence of problems means that it is essential for trusts to plan appropriately and have the right funding in place if the challenges of next winter are to be dealt with effectively."

The report also said the number of foundation trusts running a financial deficit increased from 36 in the first quarter of 2012/13 to 48 for the equivalent period this year.

The overall deficit was £74m, although the regulator stressed that figure was mostly due to a small number of "particularly financially troubled trusts".

Long waits could result in 'usatisfactory care', the report says

During the first quarter of 2013/14, trusts generated £57m less in cost savings than originally planned.

Jason Dorsett, Monitor's financial risk and reporting director, said: "Our analysis of returns from foundation trusts shows that patients are still waiting too long at A&Es in a number of foundation trusts.

"Increased demand means more than ever that trusts need better and earlier planning to make sure they deal with these problems.

"The increased demand has also prevented trusts from delivering their planned financial savings.

"We expect to see trusts planning now for how the increased demand will impact on their finances, so that they are not storing up trouble for the future."

Responding to the figures, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "A&E is the barometer of the whole of health and care.

"It is telling us that there are severe storms ahead for the NHS this winter unless the Government urgently faces up to problems with front-line staffing and in social care.

"Close to one million people have waited longer than four hours to be seen at A&E in the last 12 months - the worst year in decade.

"The Government has brought the NHS to the brink and cannot continue to ignore the warnings that are mounting by the day.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said A&Es saw 95% of patients within their targets since the end of April - as they were before last winter.

She said: "This is testament to the hard work of staff working throughout the health and care system.

"But we know that more work needs to be done to make sure that patients have access to the urgent and emergency services that they need.

"That's why we are investing £500m over the next two years to help ensure A&E departments are prepared for winter."

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Labour: UK Apprentice For Each Foreign Worker

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband has launched a Labour fightback after a difficult summer - with policy pledges on the economy and immigration.

The party leader announced plans to increase fines for employers who fail to pay the minimum wage and force bosses to train an apprentice if they hire a foreign worker.

The moves come on the opening day of Labour's conference in Brighton, at which the party will attempt to spell out a series of policies which appeal to voters.

Mr Miliband addresses the crowd in Brighton

The conference begins with the party's high command reeling over the damaging revelations of plots, smears and feuds in the memoirs of Gordon Brown's spin doctor Damian McBride.

It also follows a summer in which senior party figures were accused of being invisible and a gradual shrinking of Labour's opinion poll lead over the Conservatives.

Senior Labour figures claim the new policy announcements signal a new approach on the economy and a new approach on immigration.

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Mr Miliband said the Labour Party was "changing under my leadership" and had "learned lessons from the past".

He said: "I want a high wage British economy, not a low wage brutish economy. We've got plans to make that happen, to drive up skills.

"So we are going to say to any firm that wants to bring in a foreign worker that they also have to train up someone who is a local worker, training up the next generation.

"We think that can create up to 125,000 new apprenticeships over the course of five years and that is a massive boost for skills for our young people."

Mr Miliband said the tenfold increase in fines for the minimum wage would "stop the exploitation which undercuts workers that are already here".

Senior party figures spoke out on Sunday morning to back up Mr Miliband's pledges.

Labour's shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna told Sky News the proposal aimed to deal with the reason why large companies employed people from abroad.

He said: "(Large companies) say that there are skills gaps and we do not have enough people with the skills they need.

"What we are saying is that if they are bringing people in (from abroad), they also ensure that we are skilling people (with) the provision of training apprenticeships."

Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, sought to explain how the policy would work, adding: "Already, if people want to bring in what's called the tier-two worker from abroad, they have to meet certain conditions.

Mr McBride (far left) with Gordon Brown

"We don't think it's good for the long term health of our economy for companies to be reliant on bringing in skilled workers always from abroad and not supporting investment in skills and training we need to have at home."

However, Conservatives said that Mr Miliband's apprenticeship proposal would breach EU law.

Party sources denounced the raft of policy announcements made by the Labour leader in the run-up to the conference as a "shambles" which was "unravelling".

Skills minister Matthew Hancock said: "I have been advised by Government lawyers that legislating to require hiring British apprentices would be contrary to EU law."

The Tories said that, to be compliant with European rules on free movement of labour, Mr Miliband's policy would have to require companies to take on an EU-national apprentice, rather than a UK national, for every non-EU worker hired.

On Sunday morning, Mr Miliband told the BBC's Andrew Marr he urged Mr Brown to sack Mr McBride over concerns the spin doctor was briefing against senior Labour colleagues.

Mr McBride's memoirs are being serialised in the Daily Mail.

On voting intentions Labour's lead over the Tories is barely changed, at eight points: Con 28% (0), Lab 36% (-1), UKIP 17% (-2), LD 10% (+2) and Others 9% (+1).

But Mr Miliband's ratings are poor, with 52% saying that he doesn't have the qualities to be an effective prime minister.

However, more people say they and their families would be better off if Labour won the election (30%) than if the Conservatives did (22%).

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Sutton Hit-And-Run: PC Trying To Stop Car Dies

A police officer who was run over while attempting to stop a car in Sutton, south London, on Friday has died.

PC Andrew Duncan, known to colleagues as Andy, was hit after signalling to a driver to pull over in the early hours.

The father-of-two was taken to hospital following the collision in Reigate Avenue at around 1am, but died on Sunday morning.

Tributes have been issued by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

He said: "I was so sad to hear that PC Andrew Duncan died this morning.

"On behalf of the Metropolitan Police family, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his wife and children, parents, family and friends.

"Andy was a hard working and courageous policeman. He served the community as both a police officer and as a Scouting volunteer.

"The night he was injured, he was doing a job that he loved and we all had every right to expect he would return safely to his home and family - tragically that was not the case.

"We will continue to professionally and objectively investigate this incident under the oversight of Her Majesty's Coroner.

"I would urge anyone with information to contact us."

A map showing Reigate Avenue and Rose Hill

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said PC Duncan was married with a son and a daughter. He was 47 years old.

He had joined the force on March 19, 1990, and was originally posted to Battersea.

Six years later he transferred to the South-West Territorial Support Group where he served for almost seven years before moving to Hammersmith and Fulham Borough.

He subsequently joined the South-West Traffic Unit on 17 May 2004.

On Friday, the officer was working on a speed enforcement operation with a colleague, when they noticed a car driving at speed along A217 Reigate Avenue, close to its junction with Rose Hill.

A Met spokesman said PC Duncan attempted to stop the car by signalling for the driver to pull over but the driver collided with the officer and drove off towards Rosehill.

The car was found abandoned nearby, and officers are continuing to appeal to anyone who was a passenger in the car at the time to come forward.

Reigate Avenue is a residential area and officers are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen the incident to get in touch.

A 25-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury whilst dangerous driving on Friday after attending a south London police station remains in custody.

He has now been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Scotland Yard confirmed a woman has also been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

She remains in custody, police said.

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Terrorism Charges After Two Stopped At Dover

Two men have been charged with terrorism and firearms offences after being stopped in Dover, Scotland Yard said today.

Mohommod Hassin Nawaz, 29, of Dirleton Road, Stratford, east London, and Hamza Nawaz, 22, of the same address, are accused of attending a terrorist training camp in Syria.

The pair were stopped by police at the Kent sea port after travelling from Calais in France, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said.

They will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

The brothers, believed to be of Pakistani origin, were stopped by police in the early hours of last Monday.

They were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act.

They have both been charged with conspiring to attend "a place used for terrorist training knowing" and being in possession of a stash of rifle ammunition.

Mohommod Hassin Nawaz is also been charged with being in possession of a laptop computer containing "information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".

Their arrests triggered raids on a property in east London, as well as two vehicles.

A 37-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman who were arrested on suspicion of terror offences in Essex on Wednesday have been released without charge.

Police also searched at a further address in east London and another in Lancashire but no arrests were made.

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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.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More