Caffeine-Packed Energy Mints Blamed For Death

A painter and decorator died from a huge caffeine overdose after eating mints bought from his local sweet shop, not knowing they were packed full of the stimulant.

John Jackson, 40, was found dead by relatives at his West Midlands flat after eating Hero Instant Energy Mints.

Just one of the sweets is said to contain more caffeine than a whole can of high-energy drink like Red Bull.

Coroner Robin Balmain told an inquest in Smethwick he would be writing to the Department of Health demanding answers over Mr Jackson's death.

He said: "This is a potentially very dangerous situation. The level of caffeine is enormous. I think it's as certain as it can be that Mr Jackson didn't know that he was going to expose himself to this sort of danger."

The mints are sold alongside other sweets, but makers Hero Energy Ltd, based in Birkenhead, stressed they had taken a series of measures to warn about the high caffeine content.

Mr Jackson was found dead by his estranged partner and stepdaughter at his flat in Darlaston on May 2.

The makers have warned about the high caffeine content in their mints

A post-mortem examination showed he had 155mg of caffeine per litre of blood in his system, and just 10mg would have been considered an overdose, according to pathologist Dr Dragana Cvijan.

She told the inquest: "The most important compound found in the post-mortem was caffeine. I must say this is the first time in my experience that I've come across a caffeine overdose."

She gave the medical cause of death as caffeine toxicity, but said Mr Jackson, a heavy drinker, also had cirrhosis of the liver, leaving him unable to absorb the stimulant properly.

Stepdaughter Rebecca Court, 23, from Tipton, said Mr Jackson had bought the mints from a local shop.

"On the box they said one tablet equals one can of energy drinks. A kid could go in and buy them and the same thing could happen to him," she said.

Paul Hayes and Steve Hones, the directors of Hero Energy Ltd, issued a statement saying they were "shocked and deeply concerned" at Mr Jackson's death.

Warnings about the mints are clearly marked on packaging, websites, and shelf displays, including the advice not to consumer more than five in 24 hours, they stressed.

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Brain Implant 'Could Stop Parkinson's Growth'

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Correspondent

A hi-tech brain implant could transform the lives of people living with Parkinson's disease.

Scientists in Bristol have developed a system of tubes and catheters that allows them to pump protein therapy deep into patients' brains.

It is hoped the technique will encourage cells damaged by the disease to grow again.

The protein, known as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), is injected once a month through a port just behind the ear and pushed through the tubes and catheters by an external pump.

Doctors at Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, have trialled the system on six patients and are now looking for another 36 to continue the research.

Dr Kieran Breen, director of research and innovation at Parkinson's UK, said: "For years, the potential of GDNF as a treatment for Parkinson's has remained one of the great unanswered research questions.

Protein passed through the implant could encourage the regrowth of cells

"This new study will take us one step closer to finally answering this question once and for all.

"We believe GDNF could have the potential to unlock a new approach for treating Parkinson's that may be able to slow down and ultimately stop the progression of the condition all together.

"Currently there are very few treatments available for people with Parkinson's and none capable of stopping the condition from advancing."

Parkinson's, which affects more than 127,000 people in the UK, develops when a lack of a chemical called dopamine causes nerve cells within the brain to die.

This in turn causes symptoms such as stiffness, slowness of movement and tremors.

Previous research studies have suggested GDNF has the potential to encourage these cells to grow again - in effect stopping the progression of Parkinson's.

Scientists hope the technique will encourage cells regrowth

Tom Phipps, from Bristol, who was diagnosed with the condition eight years ago at the age of 50, was the first patient in the world to be fitted with the port system.

"I have a hope it will make a difference, if not by halting the progress of my condition then at least (allowing me to) lead a much more active life for a little bit longer," he said.

"If it doesn't affect me, it may affect, and positively affect, someone else at a later stage."

Professor Steven Gill, from Frenchay Hospital, told Sky News the equipment could be used to treat a variety of conditions.

"If this technology proves to be safe and reliable ... it has huge applications across neurological diseases, not only for treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's but also brain tumours and other conditions," he said.

The £2m project is funded by Parkinson's UK with support from The Cure Parkinson's Trust.

A foundation set up by actor Michael J Fox, who has the condition, also made a large donation.

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Hammond Hits Back Over £2bn MoD Underspend

By Vincent McAviney, Sky News Political Producer

The Defence Secretary has hit back at criticism of a £2bn underspend by the Government department he oversees, saying the money will be spent on future kit for soldiers.

Philip Hammond reacted angrily to claims he had been "overzealous" in pursuit of an austerity drive that will see thousands of soldiers lose their jobs.

They were made in a Daily Telegraph article which suggested the underspend at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was partly down to cuts in military personnel and equipment.

Mr Hammond said: "These retired 'senior military figures' (quoted by the newspaper) are presumably the same people who presided over an out of control defence budget that led to the previous Government sending troops into battle without the proper equipment needed to protect them.

Mr Hammond is overseeing a major cost-cutting exercise at the MoD

"They clearly have no idea how the defence budget now works.

"Instead of having to delay and cancel programmes as in the past, we now budget prudently and then roll forward any underspend to future years, allowing us to place new equipment orders."

Mr Hammond's comments came as a Sky News investigation revealed Government departments have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on calls to directory inquiries numbers since the last election.

The MoD alone made 158,640 calls to 118 lines between May 1, 2010, and August 31, 2013 - the equivalent of 186 calls per day - at a cost of £271,000.

A spokesman said the number of calls made from fixed phone lines had fallen by more than three-quarters in the last four years.

However, the expenditure is equivalent to the annual salaries of 15 squaddies or nine junior officers, or around 270 sets of Osprey body armour.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) made 97,265 calls between May 2010 and August 2013 at a cost of £72,387.

This was despite the department barring staff from calling 118 numbers in March 2011 and Secretary of State Iain Duncan Smith pledging to cut costs to help fund police and the forces.

The MoD says it has cut the number of directory inquiry calls it makes

Robert Oxley, campaign director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: "It's astonishing that so much taxpayers' money has been wasted needlessly dialling these services, especially in the internet age.

"Sadly, a blase attitude over who is picking up the phone bill is all too common in some corners of the civil service."

It is the second time in as many months the MoD's spending on phone calls has been brought into question, and comes at a time when the military is undergoing a massive cost-reduction programme which includes thousands of redundancies.

In August, the department revealed it had run up a £40,000 bill on calls to the speaking clock.

The MoD has said this was partly down to a "technical error" in one of its systems which meant the number was being dialled automatically.

Thousands of soldiers are losing their jobs as the MoD cuts costs

However, Sky News now understands that between May 1, 2010, and August 31, 2013, 99,887 calls were in fact made by departmental staff to the speaking clock at a cost of £39,845.

The faulty automated system placed an additional 28,663 calls to the number but the £12,355 cost of these calls is being repaid by the company which installed it.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "Calls to directory inquiries from the majority of the 260,000 MoD fixed phone lines are banned but some staff working in isolated locations, who do not have access to a military phone network or the internet, are able to call directory enquiries to obtain contact details."

A spokesman for the DWP added: "118 numbers are banned, except where they are used by jobseekers or their advisers when looking for work.

"The costs of these calls have been cut by more than two-thirds since 2010, as more of the 1.4 million claimants we support move online for their job searches."

Freedom of Information Act requests were submitted to all government departments, although some departments including the Home Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs refused to provide the information.

Several other departments said they had barred 118 calls, instructing staff to use internet search engines to obtain contact details.

Labour shadow minister Jon Ashworth told Sky News: "This is yet another example of the Government's failure to tackle waste.

"David Cameron and his ministers need to act now to stop allowing thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money being squandered on these costly calls."

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Daily Mail Editor Attacks Miliband 'Hysteria'

The editor of the Daily Mail has said the row between Ed Miliband and the newspaper over an article it printed about the Labour leader's late father shows why politicians "must not be allowed anywhere near press regulation".

Paul Dacre's comments - his first since the Mail published a story about Ralph Miliband's Marxist views under the headline "the man who hated Britain" - came after MPs agreed a series of changes to a draft royal charter.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller urged newspapers to sign up to the scheme but an industry steering group said the charter remains "written by politicians, imposed by politicians and controlled by politicians".

Writing in his own newspaper and the Guardian, Mr Dacre said the "collective hysteria" over the Miliband article showed why statutory regulation should not be introduced.

The newspaper's editor says MPs must not 'sit in judgment on the press'

"Some have argued that last week's brouhaha shows the need for statutory press regulation," he said. "I would argue the opposite.

"The febrile heat, hatred, irrationality and prejudice provoked by last week's row reveals why politicians must not be allowed anywhere near press regulation.

"And while the Mail does not agree with the Guardian over the stolen secret security files it published, I suggest that we can agree that the fury and recrimination the story is provoking reveals again why those who rule us - and who should be held to account by newspapers - cannot be allowed to sit in judgment on the press."

The Daily Mail has refused to apologise for the article about Mr Miliband, which Mr Dacre said did not suggest he was "evil".

Ed Miliband said he was 'appalled' at the Mail's 'character assassination'

"Yes, the headline was controversial, but popular newspapers have a long tradition of using provocative headlines to grab readers' attention," he said.

"In isolation that headline may indeed seem over the top, but read in conjunction with the article we believed it was justifiable."

The planned royal charter would establish a new self-regulatory body that would rule on complaints and decide whether to impose penalties.

Changes to the scheme, which were agreed following talks between the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, include provision for a fee for use of a new arbitration service, intended to deter speculative claims, as well as a code of conduct for editors, to be approved by the independent regulator.

The proposals will now go forward to the Privy Council for final approval on October 30.

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Five Injured As Rally Car Crashes Into Crowd

Five people, including three children, have been injured by a rally car which left a track and careered into spectators.

The casualties were taken to hospital but their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The incident happened just before midday at Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

The one-day Regency Stages Rally, featuring 55 miles of Tarmac rallying across 10 stages, was being held at the venue.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said the condition of the rally driver involved in the crash is unknown.

"There is a joint investigation involving the police and the Health and Safety Executive into the incident," he said.

More follows ...

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Human Remains Found In Mansfield Garden

Police have found the remains of two people in a garden near Mansfield.

The discovery was made by officers in the back garden of a property in Blenheim Close, Forest Town, on Thursday, according to Nottinghamshire Police.

A spokesman said it is believed the remains had been there for some time.

Police were led to the address after information came to light about an "incident" alleged to have taken place in the late 1990s.

The remains have yet to be formally identified, and according to police it could take weeks or even months for this to be completed.

Forensics teams could be seen entering the garden, and the scene has been cordoned off while examinations were carried out.

A white police tent and a digger, along with piles of soil, were also visible, and two officers were stood outside the property.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she knew of an elderly couple who used to live at the house in the 1990s.

Police officers on guard outside of the property in Mansfield

The 51-year-old said: "I only saw the man a few times. I never saw the lady or any family.

"I never saw anyone coming or going. My friend and I always used to say 'I wonder what happened to that couple'.

"They just disappeared. We thought they had emigrated."

She said she believed the house then stood empty until the present occupiers moved in around seven years ago.

Post-mortem examinations to establish the cause of death are due to take place today.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Mark Webster, said the two bodies had been removed from the address.

He said: "As a result of information we received in force last week we commenced a search at premises on Blenheim Close in the Forest Town area of Mansfield and yesterday we uncovered the bodies of two people.

"Forensic tests are taking place at this moment to identify who they are formally."

The current residents of the house are not being investigated by police

The officer said the current tenant and the owner of the property had been "extremely helpful" and did not feature in their investigation at this time.

Insp Webster refused to comment any further on the information they had received last week.

Asked whether they had made any arrests, the officer answered: "No, we haven't at the moment."

Appealing for anyone with information to come forward, Mr Webster said: "If anyone in the Mansfield or surrounding areas knows anything that could help the police we'd be very grateful for anything that anyone can give to us.

"It's a historical inquiry because of the length of time the people have been there."

Reassuring the local community, the officer added: "We don't believe that there is any risk of any harm coming to the community.

"People are clearly going to be concerned when an incident of this nature happens and we would like to reassure them and we'd like to thank people particularly the local neighbours on Blenheim Close they've been really helpful to us."

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Spider On Pillow Among 'Trivial' 999 Calls

Firefighters hoping to eliminate unnecessary 999 calls have released some their most "trivial" requests, including a spider crawling on a pillow and a squirrel wedged behind a wardrobe.

London Fire Brigade received around 100 non-emergency calls a week in the past year.

Animals and creepy crawlies featured prominently in the list of weird calls to its control room.

One person phoned in to report a fox in their garden and another to seek advice about a bat in their kitchen.

An elderly woman dialled 999 after throwing a glass of water containing her false teeth at fighting dogs, while another asked firefighters to help retrieve a shoe stuck on a roof.

Senior Officer Dave Brown said: "Our advice is simple - if it's not an emergency, don't ring 999.

"If you're calling because you have a serious phobia, then arrange for a housemate, friend or neighbour to help you.

"If you're calling because there's an unexpected animal in your home, call the RSPCA.

"Firefighters are here (to help) but we can't be on speed dial when something trivial happens.

"We are here to respond to real emergencies, so if you do find a squirrel in your kitchen or you lose your keys down the toilet, don't dial 999."

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Haringey 'Regret' Over New Child Abuse Case

Haringey Council has apologised for failing to prevent a toddler from suffering horrific abuse before he was finally taken into care.

The boy - named as Child T - was found to have 50 bruises on his body at one stage and spoke of being hit with a belt and stick.

Haringey Council has previously been heavily criticised over the deaths of Peter Connelly, also known as Baby P, and Victoria Climbie.

A serious case review now accuses it of "confusion" and "lacking focus" over the latest case.

Child T was the subject of two investigations in 2010 and 2011 after suffering "extensive injuries", according to the review.

His half-sister also told authorities she was sometimes abused.

But on both occasions Child T was returned from hospital back to his family, where the abuse continued.

The first injuries took place in summer 2010 when he was taken to London's North Middlesex Hospital with bruising around the eyes, forehead and nose.

Peter Connelly was also failed by child protection officials in Haringey

Mr C - his mother's partner - told authorities the child often ran around the house and "bangs and hits himself on the wall".

When police and social services later visited the child's home, the man claimed the boy bruised very easily.

Despite a paediatrician expressing "strong concern" he was being beaten, police found no cause for concern at the house and stopped investigating.

Two more sets of injuries were discovered in February 2011 when officers were called to the house over claims of domestic violence.

Child T was found badly bruised and his mother's partner - who also had a heroin problem - was arrested.

The child had more than 50 bruises on his body, and the little boy told a doctor he had been beaten with a belt and stick.

Victoria Climbie died in 2000 at the hands of her aunt and her boyfriend

Mr C denied beating the child, but his mother contradicted that story and said she had suspected her partner of abuse.

The child's half-sister also told police Mr C had "tried to drown her" during bath time and said she had once been hit with a rod.

Social services started taking steps to bring the children into care.

But because Mr C remained in police custody, there was no immediate attempt to remove them from the home.

More new bruising was discovered just days later during another hospital visit and Child T and his three siblings were finally taken into care.

Experts later said the injuries were likely to have been inflicted by the boy's mother or grandmother.

Haringey Council's involvement in the case was "misguided and lacked focus", said the serious case review.

It said the "evidence was highly suggestive of child abuse" and "there was evidence of organisational confusion" within both health and social services.

The abuse could have been prevented, said Haringey children's service

The chairman of Haringey's Safeguarding Children Board, Graham Badman, expressed his "sincere regret" for the children's suffering.

He said: "What is clear is that because of failings in the system this child suffered physical abuse that could have been prevented.

"It would be an oversimplification to describe this case as a series of missed opportunities - they existed but there is more seriously, compelling evidence of individual and systemic failure."

The board has announced changes, including ways to improve communication and information sharing.

However, Mr Badman added: "Arguably it is not more change that is needed, but action to ensure that agreed systems are used and their effectiveness monitored and evaluated."

Katherine Reece, Lib Dem councillor in Labour-controlled Haringey, described the lapses as "appalling".

"Again, a failure by many agencies across the borough to protect a vulnerable child," Ms Reece said.

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Driving Test Age Could Rise To 18

Young drivers could have to wait until they are 18 before they are allowed to take their driving test under proposals being considered by the Government.

The move is aimed at cutting the number of people killed and injured in accidents on Britain's roads.

Figures show more than a fifth of deaths in 2011 involved drivers aged 17 to 24, and around 10% of novice drivers are caught committing an offence within their probationary period.

The Government-commissioned report by the Transport Research Laboratory suggests learner drivers will still be granted provisional licences at the age of 17.

But they will have to complete a 12-month "learner stage" that would require drivers to clock up at least 100 hours of daytime and 20 hours of night-time supervised practice.

For the first year, newly qualified drivers would be hit by a curfew running between 10pm and 5am unless they were carrying a passenger aged over 30, as well as a ban on carrying anyone younger than that age if they were under it themselves.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Young drivers drive around 5% of all the miles driven in Britain, but are involved in about 20% of the crashes where someone is killed or seriously injured.

One of the proposals would see the driving age raised from 17 to 18

"We are committed to improving safety for young drivers and reducing their insurance costs - that is why we are publishing a Green Paper later in the year setting out our proposals.

"This will include a discussion about how people learn to drive."

Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "Our own research shows that putting certain restrictions on young drivers allows them to rapidly build up live-saving experience in the safest possible way.

"Putting a firm number on casualty reduction is hard because of the pick-and-mix approach to graduate licensing.

"But the evidence suggests that a full package of measures could reduce fatalities by anything up to 60%.

"We should all have an interest in preserving young drivers' lives rather than exposing them to undue risk at the stage of their driving careers where they are most vulnerable.

"This is about ensuring their long-term safety and mobility, not curtailing it."

AA president Edmund King said although many of the proposals in the report had "merit", he questioned some of the recommendations.

"Road safety on the national curriculum is something we have long campaigned for and I am pleased to see it being recommended here," he said.

"However, at the extreme end this report could be seen as just recommending taking novice drivers off the road by regulation and restriction rather than helping them develop the right attitudes and skills to provide them with the mobility they need.

"Rather than compensating the proposed significant new restrictions through earlier access to the roads under supervision the authors propose delaying and extending the driving development process to the point where even some 30-year-olds will be restricted in whom they can carry as passengers.

"This academic report has raised a number of options for debate and careful consideration.

"The question is how many of its recommendations will be acceptable to the Government and public at large."

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Council Tax Arrears See Thousands In Court

Hundreds of thousands of people could already have been taken to court for failing to pay council tax following benefit changes, Labour has claimed.

Figures obtained by the party found 112 English councils had issued more than 156,000 court summonses since April, according to reports.

Shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn said: "David Cameron boasts about keeping council tax down, but last April he deliberately imposed a council tax increase on people on the lowest incomes, including hundreds of thousands of low-paid workers.

"That's why hundreds of thousands are now facing court summonses. The Prime Minister needs to wake up to what's going on."

Labour made Freedom of Information requests to all 326 councils in England to ask how many people have been paying council tax for the first time or paying increased council tax since April, when the changes were introduced.

The party then asked how many of the people in this group have received courts summons. Just over a third of the councils, 112, reported that a total of 156,563 people in this group had been summonsed to court.

Labour calculates that 455,710 people would have been found to have received summonses had all 326 councils replied.

Robert Oxley, from the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "Council tax is a big burden on people's budgets these days.

"Everyone is struggling with rising prices, whether it's in their energy bills, their food bills or their council tax.

"The biggest thing that local residents can do at the moment is urge their councillors to adopt a council tax freeze, or a council tax cut, in the future."

But local government minister Brandon Lewis said Labour's survey was misleading and "contradicted" by official statistics.

He said: "This shoddy survey is contradicted by official statistics, which show arrears have fallen in the last year and the council tax collected has increased."

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'Sex ASBOs' Proposed For Paedophile Suspects

Sex offenders suspected of targeting children could be monitored even if they have not been convicted.

Under tough new powers proposed by the Government, police officers would be able to apply to magistrates to have a Sexual Risk Order imposed even if a criminal prosecution is not yet possible.

The revamped order is aimed at limiting the activities of people judged to be a risk, but who have not yet been charged with an offence.

They could have their internet use limited, be stopped from being alone with a child under 16 or prevented from going abroad.

The order would remain in place for at least two years and a breach would be punishable by up to five years in prison.

The new powers have been included in the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill and build on an amendment tabled by Conservative MP Nicola Blackwood.

Policing and Criminal Justice Minister Damian Green said: "The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders.

"Today, we are going even further by giving police and National Crime Agency officers the power to place greater restrictions on any person they judge to be a risk.

"Our proposals support the Childhood Lost campaign to tighten the law on sex offenders and make it easier for police to monitor them.

"This is part of ongoing work by the Home Office led national group to look at how the police and other agencies can better identify and deal with sexual offending, ensuring victims are at the heart of the criminal justice system."

The proposals also include a new Sexual Harm Prevention Order which can be applied to anyone convicted or cautioned for a sexual or violent offence, including those committed overseas.

The order lasts a minimum of five years and has no maximum duration.

Both orders will have a lower risk requirement and their remit will be wider, meaning foreign travel restrictions can be applied.

The new measures replace orders that can currently be imposed on sex offenders who have been convicted, cautioned, warned or reprimanded for an offence or those who pose a risk.

Individuals will be able to appeal and the police or the person concerned are able to apply for the order to be varied, renewed or discharged.

Ms Blackwood hailed the announcement as a victory for anyone who wanted to see child-sex crimes "driven from our communities".

"For too long, victims have been failed by those with a duty to protect them but this change is going to mean police can intervene earlier to protect victims of child sexual exploitation," she said.

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Royal Mail: Sovereign Funds To Get Shares

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

A clutch of the world's most powerful sovereign wealth funds are expected to be allocated millions of pounds-worth of shares in Royal Mail even as thousands of British investors are frozen out of the privatisation.

Sky News can reveal that state-backed entities from Kuwait and Singapore are among those which ordered shares worth hundreds of millions of pounds as part of the postal operator's sell-off.

The Kuwait Investment Office, the City-based branch of the Gulf state's sovereign fund, and the Government Investment Corporation (GIC) of Singapore are expected to have their share applications scaled back because of the huge demand for Royal Mail stock.

Sources close to the privatisation said, however, that the two funds were expected to be allocated some shares because of ministers' desire to see Royal Mail have a geographically-diverse investor base when it moves into private ownership.

That decision may prove to be contentious because some British private investors are likely to be excluded because they placed orders for more than £10,000-worth of Royal Mail shares.

Ministers are expected to argue that those who placed orders for more than £10,000 were professional rather than private investors, although observers pointed out that many of them - understood to number in the handful of thousands - were likely to be core Conservative voters.

"They're taking a big risk given that there is a sufficient retail allocation to give all 700,000 people who applied the basic £750," said one.

Insiders said the Government would give those who applied for the minimum £750 of shares their full entitlement, but would scale back the allocation to those who ordered between £750 and £10,000.

Final decisions about the allocation of stock will be made until later on Thursday, with a Government announcement likely later in the day or on Friday morning before conditional trading in the shares gets under way.

The presence of sovereign wealth funds on the new share register of Royal Mail will reflect the diverse geographical ownership of most publicly-quoted blue-chip UK companies.

Sky News revealed earlier this week that there had been more than £30bn of orders by institutional investors for the available shares.

Roughly 150,000 Royal Mail employees will be handed 10% of the company, equivalent to a stake worth £330m at the sale price of 330p-per-share.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and Royal Mail declined to comment.

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Energy Minister In Row Over Cost Of Taxes

Energy Minister Michael Fallon has sparked a row over the impact of Government energy taxes after appearing on Sky News.

After SSE became the first firm to hike prices ahead of the winter, Mr Fallon insisted only a "small amount" was added to bills because of Government measures.

He told Sky the cost of measures on energy efficiency and warming the homes of the elderly and vulnerable was "only 4 or 5%".

"There's a small amount added to each bill to help protect the most vulnerable, to keep their homes warm this winter and that's extremely important," he said.

"The bulk of this [rise] is from the energy companies."

He added: "For energy efficiency and to help keep homes warm for the most vulnerable, only 4 or 5% of your bill goes on that so a very small piece on top of it."

But he then clashed with Tony Keeling, SSE's director of customer services, who appeared on Sky to defend the energy company's controversial price rise.

Mr Keeling blamed the hike on three causes - the global cost of energy, the rising cost of getting energy to UK homes and Government schemes.

"About 10% of everyone's bill is effectively extra tax on top of the VAT," the SSE executive told Sky's Eamonn Holmes.

Pressed to clarify his original comments, Mr Fallon agreed the total hit to bills from the Government was "just under 10%".

He said the original figure he gave was for energy efficiency and future investment but conceded "another amount" was also charged to pay for keeping the elderly warm.

Mr Keeling backed the Government's schemes but suggested they should be paid for through general taxation, instead of added to energy bills.

Ed Miliband jumped on the price rise as justification for a freeze

This would allow for it to be targeted at the better-off, he argued, saying: "At the moment it is a blanket charge and some people can't afford that."

The levies pay towards cutting the cost of energy waste and encouraging low-carbon investment as well as helping vulnerable households pay for their supply.

SSE claims transferring the costs of these "environmental and social policies" to the taxpayer would slash up to £4bn from UK energy bills, saving families around £110 each.

It accused policymakers over many years of failing "to highlight adequately the cost to consumers of the policies they have pursued".

But Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "Half of an average energy bill is made up of the wholesale cost of energy.

"This far outweighs the proportion of a bill that goes to help vulnerable households with their bills and to cut energy waste, and to encourage investment in the new low-carbon energy generation we need to keep the lights on.

David Cameron and Ed Miliband rowed about energy at PMQs on Wednesday

"SSE's own figures show that wholesale price rises have contributed more than policy costs to this price increase, as a share of the bill."

The row comes after Labour leader Ed Miliband pledged to freeze energy prices for 20 months if he wins power in 2015.

The Tories continue to dismiss the vow as a "gimmick" and insist it is not possible, given international fluctuations in wholesale prices.

Coalition ministers also stress they have already taken action to simplify the system with fewer tariffs and make it easier to switch supplier.

But Mr Miliband used the SSE hike to justify his position and claim only Labour would "get a grip" and reform the "broken energy market".

Accusing energy firms of "ripping off customers", he said: "The Government is letting the energy companies get away with it and letting down the British people ...

"The companies are trying to blame everyone else, the Government is trying to blame everyone else. They're responsible, they're not getting a grip."

The Prime Minister's official spokesman insisted he "really, really" understood the pressure on family budgets.

"Hard-working families are seeing budgets squeezed," he said. "I think, in terms of what we are doing, there is legislation so that people are automatically put on to the lowest tariff.

"Of course you would expect the Government to always be looking at what more can be done to help hard-working families."

Labour has been forced to reframe its economic attacks around the cost of living as Britain's recovery continues to gather pace.

Energy prices have become the centre of the argument in recent weeks following Mr Miliband's surprise freeze pledge at his party conference.

Mr Cameron accused the party leader of wanting to live in a "Marxist universe" when the pair clashed about the move at PMQs this week.

Mr Miliband claimed the Prime Minister was ignoring a cost-of-living "crisis" and had chosen to back energy companies instead of consumers.

In an attempt to regain the initiative, the Government has announced action to stop large rail ticket price hikes and is expected to unveil further plans in the coming weeks.

:: A special edition of Jeff Randall Live on Sky News at 7pm tonight will be largely devoted to energy pricing.

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Energy Bills: SSE To Raise Tariffs By 8.2%

SSE has become the first of the so-called 'big six' energy firms to confirm it is raising prices ahead of winter, sparking a bitter backlash among consumer groups, politicians and regulators.

The company said household gas and electricity tariffs would rise by an average of 8.2% from November 15, affecting 4.4 million electricity and 2.9 million gas customers.

It is understood several of its competitors also plan to announce increases to bills amid a furious debate on potential reforms to the market centring on environmental and other charges imposed on customer bills by successive governments.

Former head of the Office of Fair Trading John Fingleton called for an immediate and "politically independent" investigation into the energy market to restore public trust.

SSE, which trades as Southern Electric, Swalec and Scottish Hydro, blamed its decision to increase bills on rising costs outside its control, which it said it had absorbed for months at its retail division.

SSE says its home energy business has run at a loss during 2013

It said the move would equate to a typical dual fuel customer paying £2 a week more but pledged not to increase bills again until August 2014 having last imposed a 9% rise in October 2012.

There is a north-south divide to the increased charges with customers in the South East facing hikes as high as 9.7% while many in the North and southern Scotland face a 7% rise.

Will Morris, group managing director of SSE's retail business, said: "We're sorry we have to do this.

"We've done as much as we could to keep prices down, but the reality is that buying wholesale energy in global markets, delivering it to customers' homes, and Government-imposed levies collected through bills - endorsed by all the major parties - all cost more than they did last year.

Mr Morris explained: "85% of a typical energy bill is made up of costs outside our direct control and these costs have increased.

"So far this year we have made a loss from supplying energy as a result of the higher costs we have been facing and continue to face.

"We understand and regret that this will add to the pressures on household budgets, but there's a lot we can do to help.

Labour leader Ed Miliband took to Twitter to condemn bill rises

"Rising unit prices do not have to mean rising bills and there remains huge potential for customers to save money by improving further their energy efficiency."

The increases to household bills were announced at a politically-sensitive time, given the debate prompted by Labour leader Ed Miliband's pledge to freeze tariffs for 20 months should his party win the next election.

After the announcement, he took to Twitter to declare that the rise demonstrated "the need to freeze bills" but Downing St described the policy as a "con".

SSE insists its home supply business is currently run at a loss despite rising operating profits on the back of the cold end to last winter.

Ed Davey has insisted that Government is helping cut bills

Its accounts also showed that investment fell by 13% year on year in the 12 months to March.

SSE called for politicians to help cut bills by transferring the environmental and social obligations, making up almost 10% of a bill's total, to central government - claiming it would save consumers £110 annually in 2013 alone.

It accused policymakers over many years of failing "to highlight adequately the cost to consumers of the policies they have pursued".

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said the Government was changing energy bills by cutting the number of tariffs, making bills simpler and clearer, and getting people off poor-value dead tariffs and on to the "best deal for them".

The reaction to the price hikes from consumer groups was one of horror.

Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch, said: "This is a crippling blow for consumers, who are still reeling from last winter's price hike.

"Adding a further £111 to an already sky-high energy bill will leave consumers buckling under the pressure. This will be seen by many as the final nail in the coffin for affordable energy.

"Of course the danger now is that the other big six suppliers will follow suit. This raises the spectre of yet more households forced to cut back on their heating.

"Last winter almost seven in ten households (69%) went without heating at some point to keep their energy costs down, while over a third (35%) said that cutting back on energy usage was affecting their quality of life or health."

She concluded: "This is the grim reality we face as the cost of energy spirals ever higher."

:: A special edition of Jeff Randall Live will be largely devoted to energy pricing - at 7pm on Sky News.

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Royal Mail Share Price To Be Revealed

The Royal Mail share price and details of the allocation policy will be announced after the London stock market closes at 4.30pm.

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, said there had been more than 700,000 applications for shares in one of the biggest privatisations in decades.

Tens of thousands are understood to have applied within the 48 hours prior to Tuesday's deadline, encouraged by speculation that shares could soar in the aftermath of its historic flotation.

Around 150,000 Royal Mail staff will receive about £2,200 of free shares, although they will have to hold onto them for up to five years to avoid triggering a tax liability.

Insiders believe the Government will give investors who applied for the minimum £750 of shares their full entitlement, but would scale back the allocation to those who ordered between £750 and £10,000.

Sky News also revealed earlier this week that there had been more than £30bn of orders by institutional investors for the available shares.

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Passenger Tasered After Stripping Off At Airport

A drunk airline passenger who stripped naked on the tarmac and challenged the flight captain to a fight had to be tasered by police.

The burly, tattooed 52-year-old was caught on video stripping to his black underpants, shouting and remonstrating after stepping off the easyJet flight from Malta to Manchester.

He then removed the underpants and was given a hard slap across the face by his female companion before putting his clothes back on.

The stripper, who has not been identified, but spoke with a Manchester accent, also urinated on the side of the Terminal One building at Manchester Airport.

He was later tasered and arrested by the police.

Trouble reportedly began mid-flight when the man became abusive and started swearing at fellow passengers and the captain left the cockpit to speak to him.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "At 9.50am on Thursday September 26 2013, police were called to Terminal One arrivals of Manchester Airport following reports a man was drunk and being abusive to passengers on a flight from Malta.

"As he left the plane, he took his clothes off and urinated against a wall.

"A 52-year-old man was stunned using an electronic stun gun and arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

"He was issued a fixed penalty notice."

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Mid Staffs Trust Admits Failings Over Death

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has admitted breaching health and safety law over the death of a diabetic in-patient.

The scandal-plagued hospital trust pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of Gillian Astbury, who lapsed into a fatal diabetic coma while being treated at Stafford Hospital in April 2007.

She died after staff failed to give her the insulin she needed.

The Trust admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act by failing to properly manage and organise hospital services, including its systems for record-keeping, patient information and communication between staff members.

The prosecution at Stafford Magistrates' Court was brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

It came three years after an inquest jury ruled that Mrs Astbury's death was contributed to by low staffing levels and a systemic failure to provide adequate nursing facilities.

The inquest also concluded the failure to administer insulin to the 66-year-old amounted to a gross failure to provide basic care.

Mrs Astbury, from Hednesford, Staffordshire, died in the early hours of April 11, 2007, while being treated for fractures to her arm and pelvis.

Stafford Hospital has previously been the subject of several highly critical reports, including a full public inquiry, which identified "routine" neglect of patients between 2005 and 2009.

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Artist Ovenden Jailed Over Child Sex Offences

Artist Graham Ovenden has been jailed after judges ruled his non-custodial sentence for child sex offences was "unduly lenient".

Court of Appeal judges sentenced the internationally-renowned painter to two years and three months in prison.

Ovenden, from Cornwall, abused children who posed for him in the 1970s and 1980s, and was convicted in April of six charges of indecency with a child and one of indecent assault relating to three girls.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, sitting with two other judges in London, quashed the suspended 12-month prison sentence the 70-year-old initially received and said Ovenden had not shown a "shred of remorse" for his victims

The judges also rejected Ovenden's application for permission to appeal the conviction, ruling that the verdicts were "safe".

Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC MP, decided to refer the 70-year-old's case to the Court of Appeal in July.

When he was arrested the artist, whose youngest victim was just six, told police he had a "major reputation" for having "some of the best portraits of children in the last 200 years".

Speaking after the hearing, the Attorney General said: "Graham Ovenden committed terrible sexual offences against vulnerable young girls who were in his charge and ought to have felt safe. He manipulated them and abused his position of trust.

"It is right that sexual crimes, whether committed many years ago or more recently, should be punished appropriately.

"Today the court affirmed this and sent a clear message that people who have behaved in this way in the past will face the consequences through the courts."

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Madeleine McCann Police Probe Possible Suspect

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Scotland Yard is to appeal for information about a new suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Detectives are to issue an e-fit image of a man seen near the holiday apartment from where the then three-year-old vanished in 2007.

Her parents Kate and Gerry McCann have been shown the image and say they are "greatly encouraged" by the progress of the Metropolitan Police, who have effectively taken over the hunt for the missing girl.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, is expected next week to give details of the suspect's movements around the resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal, on the day Madeleine disappeared.

But sources said police will not know how significant the suspect is until he is identified, traced and interviewed.

Kate and Gerry McCann believe their daughter is still alive

He is one of 41 individuals police believe are "people of interest" they need to talk to.

The image of the possible new suspect is expected to form a crucial part of fresh appeals at the beginning of next week.

Police will give some idea of what witnesses have said about his behaviour on Monday.

They will be making an appeal for new witnesses to come forward if they recall seeing him around the apartment six years ago, or recognise him now, from the detailed image.

The Metropolitan Police now has a team of six Portuguese detectives based in Faro who are carrying out inquiries on its behalf.

The Portuguese investigation is officially closed but authorities there are backing the Scotland Yard inquiry and officers from both countries will work together in pursuing new leads.

Madeleine's parents have said they remain "optimistic" of finding their daughter and will not accept she is dead until they are presented with clear evidence.

Her disappearance is to be the subject of a Crimewatch appeal on Monday to try to produce new witnesses in the case.

It will also be aired in Holland and Germany - where many tourists in the Algarve come from.

There appears to be some doubt as to whether it will be shown in Portugal.

Former Met detective Peter Kirkham told Sky News officers were likely to get "hundreds, if not thousands" of phone calls off the back of the world-wide coverage the television appeal would receive.

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Sir Menzies Campbell To Quit At 2015 Election

Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell is to stand down from Parliament at the general election scheduled for May 2015.

Sir Menzies - known to all at Westminster as "Ming" - said he had written to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to inform him of his intention.

The 72-year-old has served as MP for North East Fife since 1987 and was leader of the Lib Dems from 2006-07.

Sir Menzies said: "It's been an enormous privilege to have been an MP for 26 years and to represent such a wonderful constituency as North East Fife. My wife and I have made many friends and have been supported by constituents of all political persuasions and none.

"It is always a regret to begin the process of retiring from the House of Commons but I believe now is the time to start. I have written to Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, and to Harry Wills, chairman of the North East Fife constituency party."

Sir Menzies (centre) in 2006 when he was elected party leader

In his letter to Mr Clegg, Sir Menzies said he had "reached the conclusion that now would be the right time to step down and to allow someone else to have the opportunity to serve the people of North East Fife".

He said he would maintain his links with the constituency through positions including his chancellorship of St Andrews University.

He told Mr Clegg, who replaced him as leader in 2007: "Between now and 2015 I will maintain my efforts to be as effective a representative of my constituents and their interests as I can and to the best of my ability support yourself, our party and its interests."

A barrister and former athlete, who held the UK 100m record and competed in the 1964 Olympic Games, Sir Menzies entered Parliament as a Liberal MP on his fifth attempt in 1987, and became a Liberal Democrat on the party's creation the following year.

He served on his party's frontbench - most prominently as foreign affairs spokesman - for the majority of his parliamentary career, but his stint as leader following Charles Kennedy's resignation was marked by poor poll ratings and he stepped down after just 19 months.

He has most recently served on the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee and the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee.

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HS2 Should Be Put On Hold, MPs' Committee Says

The HS2 rail project has "serious shortcomings" and should be put on hold, according to a powerful Commons committee.

MPs suggested the controversial scheme should not proceed until the Government produces fresh analysis on whether it offers value for money.

The Treasury Select Committee said a "more convincing" economic case was needed for the project, which is now estimated to cost £42.6bn - 17% higher than previous predictions.

The Government has insisted its costings are "robust" and that the link will be vital to addressing the "urgent capacity needs" on train services.

But a recent study suggested the eventual cost could climb to £80bn and it has been branded a "grand folly" and "foolish" by critics.

The first phase of HS2 from London to Birmingham

Treasury Select Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie said: "There appear to be serious shortcomings in the current cost-benefit analysis for HS2. The economic case must be looked at again.

"The Bill should not proceed until this work has been done and the project has been formally reassessed by the Government ...

"A more convincing economic case for the project is needed. We need reassurance that it can deliver the benefits intended and that these benefits are greater than those of other transport schemes - whether in the department's project pipeline or not - which may be foregone."

The concerns were raised as part of the committee's inquiry into the 2013 spending round that set departmental settlements for the 2015/16 financial year.

It also questioned plans for a cap on annually managed expenditure, predicting it could have a "significant impact" on benefits paid to the most needy.

And it raised fresh concerns about the Help to Buy mortgage scheme, the latest phase of which started this week, warning any mistakes could "distort" the housing market.

The risk of ring-fencing NHS, schools and international aid budgets was also flagged, amid fears it could hit resources for other areas and lead to less discipline on spending.

Labour says HS2 has been "totally mismanaged"

Newly-appointed shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh claimed the HS2 project had been "totally mismanaged".

She said: "David Cameron and George Osborne have made clear they will go full steam ahead with this project whatever the cost. Labour will not take this irresponsible approach.

"There will be no blank cheque for this project or for any project, because we need to ensure it is the best way to spend £50bn for the future of our country."

But a Government spokesman said: "HS2 is absolutely vital for this country if we are to meet the urgent capacity needs we face. The project is on course, under control and will be delivered within the agreed budget.

"We are confident that our analysis is robust and conforms with government spending guidance.

"The case for HS2 will be further improved when we publish shortly the updated strategic case - including cost benefit analysis - which will show high value for money for the project."

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Kevin Pietersen Payout Over 'Bat Tamper' Ad

England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has accepted substantial libel damages over an advert which implied he might have tampered with his bat during the Ashes.

The batsman was not at London's High Court for the settlement of his action against the optician services group Specsavers over the "serious and defamatory allegation".

His solicitor, Louise Prince, told Mr Justice Tugendhat that the "Should've gone to Specsavers" advert was published on the company's Twitter account and Facebook page in August, and also appeared in various newspapers and magazines.

Accompanied by a photo of Pietersen, it contained the statement: "'Bat tampering' in the #Ashes? Apparently Hot Spot should've gone to Specsavers."

Ms Prince said the allegation of bat tampering was completely untrue and without any foundation whatsoever.

Pietersen shakes the Queen's hand at Lord's

Hot Spot is an infra-red imaging system used in cricket to determine whether the ball has struck the batsman, bat or pad.

Specsavers Optical Group Ltd accepted that Pietersen did not behave in the manner suggested, apologised and had already removed the advert from circulation.

It had also agreed to pay him substantial damages and his legal costs.

The group's solicitor, Niri Shan, said it did not intend to imply that Pietersen may have tampered with his bat. It acknowledged that the allegation was untrue and apologised for the distress and embarrassment caused.

England retained the Ashes this year but a row erupted after an Australian TV channel accused players, including Pietersen, of using silicone tape on their bats to prevent edges showing up on Hot Spot.

At the time Pietersen reacted to the report by tweeting: "Horrible journalism yet again! My name brought up in Hot Spot crisis suggesting I use silicon to prevent nicks showing! Such hurtful lies."

The England and Wales Cricket Board said it would take legal action against Channel 9, and has since received an apology.

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Prince Harry Speaks Arabic At Dubai Dinner

Prince Harry has tried his hand at speaking Arabic while giving a speech at a fundraising dinner in Dubai for his charity Sentebale.

The prince, dressed in black tie for the event, told guests their money would not disappear into a "box" but would support a "unique initiative" and "change lives".

"Tonight, as you have already been told, you can be part of something very special, and 'why is that' I hear you say? Well, since February this year we at Sentebale have been on a fundraising campaign across the globe and it's basically so that we can build the first purpose-built Mamohato Children's Centre of Excellence within Lesotho, just outside Maseru, the capital," he said in English.

The prince greets singer Joss Stone and presenter Denise Van Outen

"This is essentially an opportunity to support a unique initiative. Your money is not being thrown into a box where you never know where it is going to go which I know happens a lot around the world," he continued.

"The beauty of this is you know where your money is going - it's going into a foundation, into brickwork as such and it will be there forever and it will be a home to thousands of children coming through for a two-week programme, being able to essentially change their lives."

The prince then thanked guests for their support and wished the United Arab Emirates (UAE) well in its bid to host the World Expo 2020.

"Thank you for your attendance. I wish Dubai 2020 success," he said in Arabic.

Earlier, the prince met singer Joss Stone and TV presenter Denise Van Outen at a reception ahead of the Forget Me Not charity dinner.

The Dubai visit follows a two-day trip to Australia where the prince joined in the celebrations to mark the centenary of the Royal Australian Navy.

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BBC Director-General Sets Out His Vision

Viewers will be able to watch more shows on BBC iPlayer before they are broadcast on TV under changes planned by the company's new director-general.

Tony Hall set out his vision for the BBC's future as he gave his first major address since taking over at the corporation in April.

He said he wanted the BBC, which has been hit by the Jimmy Savile scandal and controversy over pay-offs to executives, to offer a bespoke service to viewers and listeners.

Lord Hall said he wanted to see a BBC that was "more simply run, with a renewed commitment to producing world-class programming".

"I want the BBC of the future to have a much closer relationship with audiences," he said.

"We should be treating them like owners not just as licence fee-payers. People should not be saying 'the BBC', but 'my BBC', 'our BBC'."

Lord Hall, who took over following the resignation of George Entwistle, who lasted just 54 days in the job, announced plans for viewers to access content on the "next generation" iPlayer before broadcast and "at times that suit them".

The BBC has already debuted some shows such as the sitcom Bad Education and Peter Kay's Car Share, which will be made available online first, on iPlayer, but plans to make this more routine.

Lord Hall's predecessor George Entwistle

Under Lord Hall's "vision", viewers will also have 30 days instead of seven to catch-up on content on the service for BBC TV and radio programmes which was launched in 2007.

A new service, BBC Store, will allow people in the UK to buy, watch and keep a selection of shows.

Lord Hall also said he wanted to introduce a new digital service, BBC Playlister, for listeners to pick and tag any piece of music they hear on the BBC and listen to it later.

He wants the BBC to link to streaming services such as Spotify so that listeners can keep their favourite music in one place, listening to it across whatever devices they have.

Lord Hall, who used to run the Royal Opera House, is planning an extra 20% investment on arts programming.

He also announced an emphasis on live performances of events such as the Winter Olympics, the World Cup, the FA Cup, Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh Festival and Glastonbury, on TV, computer, mobile and tablet.

The broadcaster wants to double the BBC's global audience by 2022 - when the BBC will be 100 years old - from 250 million users a week to 500 million.

In his speech at New Broadcasting House, Lord Hall said: "As we head towards our centenary in 2022, I want us to be much more confident about the mission Lord Reith gave us 100 years before.

"Still confidently informing, educating and entertaining, but in a much more personalised way. I want a BBC that everyone can be proud of, whose best days lie ahead of it."

Lord Hall's proposals come against the background of ongoing job cuts as a result of the licence fee being frozen.

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Paedophile Neil Wilson Gets Two Year Jail Term

A paedophile who walked free from court after his 13-year-old victim was branded "predatory" has been ordered to serve a two-year jail term.

Neil Wilson escaped with a 12-month suspended sentence despite pleading guilty to engaging in sexual activity with a child, making indecent images of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image.

The Attorney General ordered a review of the case after outcry following comments from prosecuting barrister Robert Colover, who said that Wilson's victim was "predatory" and "sexually experienced".

Judge Nigel Peters QC also came in for criticism after he said he had taken account of the girl looking older than 13 when he sentenced 41-year-old Wilson.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the non-custodial punishment was "unduly lenient" and imposed an immediate two-year jail sentence.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas and two other judges ordered Wilson, who was not present in court, to surrender to police in York, where he lives, by 6pm tonight.

Speaking after the hearing, Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: "Neil Wilson exploited a young and vulnerable girl. He pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child, making indecent photographs of a child and possessing extreme pornography. 

"I asked the Court of Appeal to examine whether the sentence was appropriate, given the seriousness of the offences, and I am pleased that they have found that this sentence was unduly lenient and have imposed an immediate sentence of imprisonment."

Judge Nigel Peters QC (L) and barrister Robert Colover were criticised

Wilson admitted abusing the girl at his home in Romford, Essex, where police also found images of child sex abuse on a computer.

Police were alerted to his actions after his victim told a friend.

Mr Colover, who was representing the CPS at the sentencing hearing at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court, said: "The girl is predatory in all her actions and she is sexually experienced."

Prime Minister David Cameron hit out at the barrister's choice of words and said: "We need a criminal justice system that stands up properly for victims. The victims of crime should always be at the centre of our thinking."

After a CPS review of the case, Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said the language used to describe the teenager was "grossly inappropriate".

Mr Colover agreed to resign from the Crown Prosecution Service's rape panel of advocates, admitting his description of the girl was "inappropriate".

Complaints about Judge Nigel Peters' sentencing remarks are being "considered" by the Judicial Conduct and Investigations Office.

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'School Plotter Threatened To Shoot Classmate'

A former classmate of a teenager accused of planning a repeat of the Columbine massacre has told a court the alleged plotter threatened to shoot him in the head and stab another student in the throat.

The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also brought a knife into college to show fellow students and claimed he "hated" his sixth form and former school, the Old Bailey heard.

The teenager is on trial accused of planning a terror attack on his former school in Loughborough, East Midlands, as well as naming his sixth form college, a local mosque, cinema and council offices as potential targets.

A sixth form student, who cannot be named, told the court the defendant threatened to shoot him in class after he told him not to be "f****** grumpy".

"I turned around and laughed at him and he went mad and said, 'I'll shoot you in the head'," the boy said.

"Someone else was laughing and he said 'I'll stab you in the throat'."

The prosecution witness, 17, said the defendant spoke of his hatred for the sixth form and, in one incident, brought a lock knife with a four to five inch blade into college.

"He had said before 'I hate this college, I don't like it, I don't want to be here'," the boy added.

Columbine High School

The Old Bailey has previously heard that the teenager allegedly wrote in a Che Guevara notebook emblazoned with swastikas his plans for The New Columbine.

The defendant, who has Asperger's syndrome, denies a charge of possessing items for the purpose, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism.

They include partially assembled petrol bombs, air rifles, improvised explosive devices, and a pistol.

The boy also denies one count of possessing a document or record containing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, and a further count of possessing explosives in the form of component parts of IEDs.

The teenager and two other 17-year-old boys have pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing petrol bombs and component parts of pipe bombs for the use of explosive devices.

The defendant, dressed in a black T-shirt and wearing glasses, has been sitting in the dock with an intermediary throughout the court proceedings.

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 before both committing suicide in one of America's worst mass shootings.

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Lib Dem Scottish Secretary Axed In Reshuffle

Senior Lib Dems have been axed from the Government as all three main party leaders reshuffle their teams ahead of Parliament reconvening.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg wielded the axe as David Cameron looked to promote more northern MPs and women to his top team.

Lib Dem Scotland Secretary Michael Moore was replaced by Alistair Carmichael to provide a tougher approach as the independence referendum looms.

And in one of the biggest shocks so far, Home Office minister Jeremy Browne - tipped as a possible future party leader - was also ousted.

Michael Moore (left) has been replaced by Alistair Carmichael

He has been replaced with Norman Baker who moves from Transport, where he could prove a thorn in the side of Home Secretary Theresa May.

Don Foster, Lib Dem MP for Bath, replaces Mr Carmichael as his party's chief whip and Baroness Susan Kramer takes Mr Baker's old job.

Mr Moore said he was "disappointed" to be leaving office but "very pleased at what I have been able to achieve in the last couple of years".

In his letter to Mr Browne, the Lib Dem leader said it was "always very difficult to move colleagues out of Government".

But he added: "I have always been keen that we provide the opportunity for as many in our ranks as possible to contribute their skills to ministerial office."

The MP said he remained supportive of the Government but cautioned against "lapsing into transactional trade-offs and deferred decision making".

Promoted: Tories Esther McVey and Sajid Javid in Downing Street on Monday

Mr Cameron has avoided changes to his Cabinet but handed promotions to women including Esther McVey and Nicky Morgan.

Ms McVey rises up the ranks at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to become employment minister and Ms Morgan goes from assistant whip to Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

Greg Clark has been moved from the Treasury to become a Cabinet Office Minister responsible for cities and constitutional reform.

And Andrew Robathan replaces Mike Penning as Northern Ireland minister, with Mr Penning becoming a Work and Pensions minister instead.

Helen Grant was another winner - moving from the Department of Justice to become sports and equalities minister, replacing Hugh Robertson who has been promoted to the Foreign Office.

Camborne MP George Eustice, a prominent EU rebel and Mr Cameron's former press secretary, has been appointed environment minister.

Out: Tories John Randall and Chloe Smith have resigned

Greg Hands, a close ally of Chancellor George Osborne, is also climbing the ladder - going from assistant whip to deputy chief whip.

His predecessor John Randall as well as Cabinet Office minister Chloe Smith and fisheries minister Richard Benyon are all returning to the backbenches.

Simon Burns has also already stood down as transport minister so that he can launch a bid to become a Commons Deputy Speaker.

There was further bad news for other long-serving Tories, with Mark Hoban, Mark Prisk, Alistair Burt and Richard Benyon all leaving the front bench.

Mr Prisk wrote on Twitter: "Asked to step aside from Housing for a younger generation. Disappointing but it's been a great eleven years on front bench."

Mr Benyon stuck a more upbeat tone, writing: "On back benches! 3 and half really fun years with much achieved. Really appreciate time working with outstanding Ministers and Officials."

Labour leader Ed Miliband is also announcing changes to his shadow cabinet this afternoon, with Liam Byrne among those predicted to go.

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Madeleine McCann Inquiry 'Making Progress'

Gerry McCann says he is pleased with the progress being made in Scotland Yard's review of the search for his missing daughter.

He told Sky News he and his wife Kate were "very pleased with the work of the Metropolitan Police both during the review process and now that they have moved into an investigatory phrase.

"I think that is all that any parent would want when their child is missing.

"They've uncovered new evidence and we hope that the appeals that go out next week will lead to further new evidence that helps fill in pieces of the jigsaw and moves at least a step closer to finding Madeleine and those responsible."

The disappearance of Madeleine will be the subject of a Crimewatch appeal next Monday.

Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said it is hoped it will produce new witnesses, but a conclusion to the case "is not imminent".

A reconstruction of the "latest, most detailed understanding" of the events around the time Madeleine went missing will be shown on BBC Crimewatch.

Gerry McCann

It comes after the Metropolitan Police revealed a vast log of mobile phone traffic could be the key to finding out what happened to the-then three-year-old.

Scotland Yard detectives have interviewed 442 people as part of their review-turned-investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. It has identified 41 people of interest, including 15 UK nationals.

They hope to track down as many people present in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on or around May 3, 2007, as possible.

Dr McCann, speaking outside the General Medical Council (GMC) in London, also said the press needed tougher, independent regulation in order to protect the lives of ordinary people.

He talked about need for speedy arbitration for victims of press intrusion and misreporting, in the light of the Leveson Inquiry, at which he gave evidence.

He said "Ordinary peoples lives are being damaged every day of the week by press intrusion, by lies being printed or exaggeration."

It "personally troubles him and his wife" that "stories are published with no regard to Madeleine's safety, to the investigation itself or whether they will be putting Madeleine or others in danger or alerting those responsible".

He highlighted the need for an independent body that could act quickly saying: "We have absolutely no confidence that the press barons can regulate themselves."

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Power Blackout Risk 'At Its Highest Since 2008'

The electricity and gas network operator for England and Wales is keeping a "close watching brief on supplies as the risk of blackouts was predicted to be at its highest since 2008.

Traditional North Sea gas sources are replaced by "uncertain" imports making it more likely that at any other time in six years that supplies will fall short this winter.

However, the National Grid has said it is confident that the market has the capability to keep the lights on this winter.

Chris Train, director of market operations, said electricity margins - the difference between peak demand and available supply - were "tighter than we have seen historically".

The reserve margins are forecast to drop from 9% last winter to 4.5% this winter.

National Grid made the gloomy forecast in its Winter Outlook 2013/14, and highlighted reducing gas output from UK territorial waters, primarily in the North Sea.

"Source supplies continue to evolve as UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) gas supplies decline and the UK's reliance on imports increases," it said.

"The decline in UKCS supplies and subsequent increase in import capability has materially changed the UK's gas supply landscape and fundamentally changed the dynamics of supply from that of near predictability to considerable uncertainty."

Last winter's repeated and prolonged periods of freezing weather saw a dramatic spike in imports through pipelines to Bacton in Norfolk, from the Netherlands and Belgium.

Daily winter imports from mainland Europe last winter reached 57%, tilting away from traditional UK North Sea and sources.

Traditionally, gas imports flowed from north to south through a North Sea pipeline network based at St Fergus, near Aberdeen, in Scotland.

Last winter coal-fired power generation was increased because of the widening cost differential between coal and gas.

However the availability of coal-fired plants has fallen almost 20% since last winter.

Mr Train said: "While there have been power station closures since last winter, the information suggests that the market can meet demand in cold weather.

"But as the system operator, we're never complacent and it's up to us to be ready to balance the system in real time. We believe we are ready and have the tools we need to play our part."

Wind power helped meet the increased demand last winter, with the amount of power generated from that resource higher than  gas-fired electricity levels for the first time.

However, supply needed to be boosted during periods of low wind speed by greater reliance on gas.

Lengthy periods of cold, still weather will further exacerbate gas usage this coming winter.

The National Grid has estimated wind turbine output at 25%, factoring in breakdowns and insufficient wind speed periods, but add that extended periods of no wind could drop the system reserve safety margin even lower.

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Ex-Mayor Planted 'Bombs' Under Town's Cars

A former mayor who blew up a car near his home with an improvised explosive device (IED) had an "active interest in pyrotechnics", a court has heard.

John Larsen, 46, of Lenten Pool, Denbigh, north Wales, got a "thrill" from setting off dangerous explosions in his own neighbourhood, Caernarfon Crown Court was told.

Wyn Lloyd Jones, prosecuting, told a jury of six men and six women that after his arrest on April 19, this year, police found files on his home computer containing research notes about how to make explosives and that he was actively "experimenting".

The court was told that just days after the files were created, explosions were reported in the Lenten Pool area.

Mr Lloyd Jones said it was "fortunate indeed" that nobody had been injured by the biggest explosion caused by the IED on March 24 this year which sent ball bearings and metal shrapnel flying up to 90ft away from the blast zone, smashing windows of nearby property and damaging cars.

The prosecutor said there was a "strong and compelling" case against the defendant, who was working as a Liberal Democrat town councillor up until his arrest, had been the Mayor of Denbigh in 1999 and was a member of the local Neighbourhood Watch.

Mr Lloyd Jones told the jury: "The evidence points you, the prosecution say, to the inevitable conclusion that he (Larsen) was the person responsible."

He said the prosecution did not have to prove a motive, but added: "It's highly likely, the prosecution say, that the defendant John Larsen was getting a thrill from what he was doing and the attention that these events were generating.

"Items recovered by the police from his home and his computer reveal a most active interest in pyrotechnics and explosives," the prosecutor added.

The court was told that members of the Denbigh community had been reporting "loud bangs and explosions" and plumes of black smoke late at night for a number of weeks and a number of cars had been damaged.

The series of smaller explosions apparently started in February and led up to the "main explosion" on March 24.

Mr Lloyd Jones said the IED used was "something akin to a bomb" and that it was placed under a Land Rover Discovery.

The prosecutor said a neighbour of the defendant's witnessed him going out at around 12.45am and "bending down" by the vehicle "as if to look under it".

The court heard that neighbours reported windows shaking and a bang sounding like "the boom of a cannon".

"It will come as no surprise to you that these events brought fear to the local community," the barrister told the jury.

The court heard that Larsen had also been reporting his "concerns" about explosions to the police.

Larsen, is charged with three counts of arson, one count of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause damage to property, one of count of causing an explosion with intent to endanger life or damage property and one count of possessing explosives.

He denies the charges.

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Key Morecambe Bay Witness Reveals New Life

By Jason Farrell, Sky Correspondent

A key witness in the 2004 Morecambe Bay tragedy has told Sky News how he has rebuilt his life on the witness protection programme.

It comes as police launch a new national protection scheme, the UK Protected Persons Service, for people who are in danger from criminals.

Li Hua had to change his identity after giving evidence against his gangmaster boss who was accused of manslaughter over the drowning of 21 Chinese cockle pickers in the rising tides of Morecambe Bay.

In a secret location, Li Hua told Sky News: "I was very nervous and very frightened about giving evidence, but I thought about how the police rescued us. Then I thought that in the background the police had been reassuring us, they had been protecting us all this time."

Li Hua also wanted justice for the men whose lives had been callously wasted by his boss Lin Liang Ren.

"I thought, someone is leading us to pick cockles, that someone should let us know more about the tide times. Obviously he didn't. He's so irresponsible. He couldn't care less even about people of his own nationality. I totally detest him."

Li Hua says it was sheer luck that he managed to swim to a sandbank and was rescued by helicopter.

Li Hua said it was sheer luck that he managed to swim to a sandbank

"I was frightened to death. All I thought was about my family in China and I had spent so much money to get here, what would happen now?

"I was desperate and feeling hopeless. I thought that's it, I'm going to die tonight ... Then I saw the light from the helicopter."

Gangmaster Lin Liang Ren was convicted of 21 counts of manslaughter, facilitating illegal immigration and perverting the course of justice.

Having paid a Snakehead gang the equivalent of £14,000 to come to England, Li Hua feared repercussions and was put on the witness protection programme with his wife and children.

Nine years after the tragedy he now has a new life and runs his own business.

He said: "Life is a bit complicated because since we were under the protection we settled down. There were certain things we could say to friends and some things we just don't speak of. It became automatic.

Gangmaster Lin Liang Ren was sentenced to 14 years in jail

"But most of the time what occupied my mind was to go on living, because the British Government and the police give us this life. So, I think I was more concentrating on work hard, pay tax, make safe and don't make trouble."

The police are launching the UK Protected Persons Service next week, which will be run by a national team of specialists, as opposed to local forces.

Police say lessons have been learned from the murder of Joan and John Stirland in August 2004, which was in retaliation for a shooting by Mrs Stirland's son.

The couple were not put on the protection scheme and information wasn't properly shared between forces when they moved home.

Detective Chief Constable Andy Cooke, heading up the new national-coordinated programme, told Sky News: "This is the first time this is going to be done through one approach. Previously, unfortunately, there's been a bit of a postcode lottery as to how you were treated and the training of those people looking after you.

"In some parts of the country there was a highly specialised approach to protecting witnesses and in other parts it wasn't so great. This gives us the ability and manpower to provide the protection to people who need it at the most difficult time of their lives."

Witness protection is a tough life and some refuse to do it.

It is estimated a quarter of prosecutions collapse due to reluctant witnesses, but for Li Hua, who thought he would die in the waters of Morecambe Bay, the family he thought of in that moment is now with him in his new life.

Victims' Minister Helen Grant said: "People who put their lives at risk to bring dangerous criminals to justice are the unsung heroes of society, they deserve our thanks and protection.

"That's why the UK Protected Persons Service is so important; it will give brave individuals the expert support they deserve no matter where they are in the country."

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Lake District: Man Falls 650ft To His Death

A man has been killed after falling 656ft (200m) down a mountain in the Lake District.

The 24-year-old was walking with a companion on Helvellyn - the third highest peak in the country.

He fell from Striding Edge into Nethermost Cove, according to Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (MRT).

His hiking partner found him unconscious, and as there was no mobile phone signal, he continued his descent into Grisedale.

A local farmer there gave him a lift to Patterdale so he could raise the alarm.

An RAF Sea King helicopter, the Great North Air Ambulance, search and rescue dogs and mountain rescue teams from Patterdale and Penrith joined forces to search for the hiker.

The operation on Friday lasted for more than four hours and the man was found to have suffered fatal injuries.

Patterdale MRT leader Mike Blakey said: "This is a tragic incident involving the loss of a young life.

"Our thoughts are with the young man's walking companion, friends and family at this difficult time."

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Royal Mail: Labour Call To 'Pull Plug' On Sale

The Government should "pull the plug" on the privatisation of Royal Mail before the company's shares are sold in two days' time, Labour has said.

Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said scrapping the move would prevent a "massive bonanza" for City speculators.

He said to proceed with the sell-off would not only have "huge consequences for consumers and businesses" - but the taxpayer would also be left "short-changed".

The Government plans to sell between 40.1% and 52.2% of the firm, giving the company a value of £2.6bn-£3.3bn.

It believes privatisation will give Royal Mail access to private capital needed to modernise its business.

Speaking on Sky's Murnaghan programme, Mr Umunna pointed to a report this week by Stockbroker Panmure Gordon which said Royal Mail had been undervalued by more than £1bn.

In addition, its property assets have been priced at £787m. Mr Umunna said some people believed that Royal Mail's Mount Pleasant sorting office in Clerkenwell, London, alone could bring in £1bn after privatisation.

"If you look at the property assets and then you look at the value, this does not add up," he said.

"What I am saying to the Government today - it is not too late to pull the plug on this privatisation. Pull the plug on it.

"Tuesday is the deadline by which people can submit applications to get shares, so until you've dished out the shares, until you have allocated them, it is free for the Government to say, 'actually, we've taken a step back, we've decided that we have priced this wrongly, and we've decided not to go ahead with it'.

Royal Mail shares are due to go on sale on Tuesday

"Now I am saying, don't go ahead with it in principle, but at least if they are going to proceed ensure you get good value for the taxpayer.

"Increasingly we are seeing more and more information coming out which would suggest that the taxpayer is being short-changed"

Mr Umunna argued the Government was pressing ahead with the privatisation despite grave concerns amongst its own backbenchers.

He said 70% of the public were also against the move, including the Federation of Sub-Postmasters.

"Increasingly what this is looking like is a massive bonanza for City speculators and a huge short-changing of the taxpayer at the same time," he said.

He said the previous Labour government's plans included maintaining a majority stake in public ownership.

"That is very important," he said. "The Royal Mail has a very important relationship with the Post Office under which the Post Office provides Royal Mail Services. That is due to expire in 2022 and there is no guarantee that it will be continued with a privatised Royal Mail.

"Now if you have a public stake, you've got some say in that, and in what happens in the future, but being privatised, you don't."

He added: "I don't think they should be selling it at all."

Mr Umunna refused to support or condemn potential industrial action by postal workers linked to the controversial sale of the business.

Asked if it was right for postal workers to take industrial action over the sale and other issues, Mr Umunna said: "I have always said I think striking should be a very last resort and should be avoided at all costs.

"But I am not going to condemn our posties either ... These people are not seeking to demonstrate lightly. This is not something people want to do. So I am certainly not going to condemn them but you're not going to get me supporting huge disruption of services which my constituents and many others around the country get."

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Lord Sugar Investigated Over 'Hate Tweet'

Lord Sugar has been investigated by police after he was accused of posting a racist tweet.

The Apprentice star posted a picture of a crying Chinese child dressed in a watermelon costume and joked: "The kid in the middle is upset because he was told off for leaving the production line of the iPhone 5."

Nichola Szeto, from Liverpool, was offended by the reference to the Asian factories where the phones are made and put in a complaint to police.

She was then contacted by Merseyside Police and went to a Liverpool station to make a statement.

The force's specialist hate crime investigation team decided that the tweet should be classed as a "hate incident", although no crime had taken place.

A police spokesman said: "Merseyside Police can confirm officers received a complaint in relation to the tweet sent on the evening of Sunday September 30.

"The communication has been examined by the force's specialist hate crime investigation team and at this time it has been recorded as a hate incident and no criminal offences have taken place.

"Officers from the specialist team will be contacting the person who made the initial complaint to discuss this."

In a blog post, Ms Szeto - of mixed Chinese and English heritage -  said she had complained online and had "no idea it would be taken so seriously".

Lord Sugar, who has 3.2 million followers on the social network, has yet to tweet a response to the police investigation.

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