Badgers Should Be Gassed, Princess Anne Says

The Princess Royal has been criticised by animal rights campaigners after she described the gassing of badgers as a "much nicer way" to control them than shooting them.

Gassing has been banned since 1982 and is considered inhumane by animal rights activists. 

But Princess Anne said she believed most people "will tell you that gas is a much nicer way of doing it, if that's not a silly expression".

"Because of the way it works. And how it works is that you go to sleep, basically."

Speaking about the recent badger cull pilot programmes designed to reduce TB in cattle, Princess Anne said controlling the spread of the disease was just one reason for killing the animals. 

"From a conservation issue alone, you'd have to say there are too many badgers. A bigger growth in the badger population is not good for the balance of conservation anyway," she told the BBC's Countryfile programme.

A third of one cattle herd at Princess Anne's Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire - where one of the pilot culls took place - has been wiped out by bovine TB over the past two years.

Princess Anne farms at her Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire

An independent experts' report has found the "controlled shooting" of badgers could deliver the level of culling needed to bring about a meaningful reduction of TB in cattle.

Humane Society International UK executive director Mark Jones said a reintroduction of gassing would result in a "slow and painful" death for many badgers and possibly other animals.

"Gassing experiments carried out at Porton Down in the early 1980s were abandoned because of the appalling levels of suffering to which the badgers were exposed," he said.

"Lethal concentrations of gases in complex badger setts are difficult to achieve, making sub-lethal exposure and associated suffering highly likely."

His remarks were echoed by Green Party animals spokeswoman Caroline Allen.

The badger cull pilots sparked widespread protests

Ms Allen, a working vet, said: "It is very sad that a high-profile figure such as Princess Anne has chosen to weigh in to the badger debate showing even less awareness and even more ignorance on the issue than we have come to expect from Secretary of State Owen Paterson.

"Defra has clearly stated that gassing with cyanide should never again be considered and there are no alternate gases available without similar unacceptable effects."

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said last year that gassing badgers was being considered but would only be used if proven to be safe, humane and effective.

The Government recently announced the pilot culls would continue this year but will not be extended to other areas.

Princess Anne also spoke of her support for genetically-modified crops in the interview.

"I think the claims are probably slightly greater than most of the deliverables actually are. They do add to our ability to perhaps be more efficient users of the land," she said.

And she admitted she "seldom" discusses the subject with her brother Charles, who once suggested the method risked creating "the biggest disaster environmentally of all time".

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New Robot Mannequin Is Army's Latest Recruit

A new robotic mannequin - made using Formula 1 technology - will be used to test chemical and biological protective suits for Britain's armed forces.

Porton Man can run, walk, march, sit and kneel, allowing scientists to test suits against attacks such as nerve agents like sarin.

It was made by UK firm i-bodi Technology for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in Porton Down, Wiltshire, where military clothing is tested against chemical warfare agents.

Porton Man can run and march

Mannequins have been used by Dstl in the past, but the new £1.1m animatronic version has a raft of improvements and sensors all over its body that allow real-time analysis.

It is also much lighter than its predecessor - 14kg (30lb) instead of 80kg (176lb).

Jaime Cummins, of Dstl's Chemical and Biological Physical Protection group, said it is hoped the mannequin will help produce a new, lighter-weight protective suit for the future.

Jez Gibson-Harris, chief executive of i-bodi Technology, said his firm was tasked with producing a lightweight robotic mannequin based on data collected from 2,500 soldiers, that was easy to handle and had a wide range of movement.

He said: "Of course there were a number of challenges associated with this and one way we looked to tackle these challenges was through the use of Formula One technology.

"Using the same concepts as those used in racing cars, we were able to produce very light but highly durable carbon composite body parts for the mannequin."

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Cheers! More Booze-Free Bars For Britain

By Gemma Morris, Sky News Reporter

A growing number of alcohol-free bars cropping up across the UK could signal a shift in attitudes towards drinking.

Catherine Salway set up a dry bar in London last year after spotting a trend in young people wanting to be healthier and cutting back their drinking.

She said: "If you're 30 now, you've grown up in an environment where everyone is getting lashed all the time ... and really, as young people want to do, they are questioning the status quo which is to say why is socialising constantly linked with being drunk all the time?"

Catherine Salway spotted the trend for dry bars

Ms Salway funded her Redemption bar independently, but a number of other dry bars in the country have been backed by alcohol charities.

These have included venues in Nottingham and Liverpool.

Sophie Fordham, a university student who has blogged for Alcohol Concern, reckons younger people are becoming more open to the idea of alcohol-free bars.

"Say you go out three nights a week, if you replace that with one night at a chilled out, nice place, where you don't have to think about spending money on alcohol, you don't have to think about how you're getting home ... It's just a nice alternative," she said.

Instead of cocktails it's mocktails

Figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest UK alcohol habits are changing among young people.

The number of people, aged 25-44, who said they had had a drink in the previous week dropped from 74% to 63% for men and from 62% to 50% for women, between 2005 and 2012.

Other research appears to show a reduction in teenagers drinking alcohol too.

Former Coronation Street star Kevin Kennedy, better known to soap fans as Curly Watts, is a recovering alcoholic who hasn't had a drink for 17 years.

Kevin Kennedy, who has been sober 17 years, is hoping to join the trend

The actor is hoping to open his own dry bar in Brighton.

"I think in the UK we have got a kind of reputation of being just drunks, especially abroad and I think people are getting fed up of that. I think as a collective we are growing up," he said.

But when customers at a typical London pub were asked if booze-free nights can be as fun as alcohol-fuelled ones, the reaction was not overwhelmingly positive.

One drinker said: "I don't think it would be very fun because that's the whole point of a bar isn't it, that it serves alcohol?"

Another added: "Fun sometimes comes when you lose your inhibitions and alcohol helps you lose your inhibitions."

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Briton Shot Dead In Rio De Janeiro Carjacking

A British man has been shot and killed in an attempted carjacking in Brazil, where he was working as an oil worker.

Peter Campsie, from Montrose, in the Scottish county of Angus, was shot dead after his Lexus was intercepted by two gunmen in Rio de Janeiro.

The 48-year-old was on his way home to the city of Macae, north of Rio, after a business meeting when the attack happened on Wednesday.

Gunmen shot Mr Campsie twice as he attempted to flee from the scene in his vehicle, Aberdeen's Press And Journal newspaper reported.

It is understood the operations manager died at the scene of the attack, which took place in Rio's Niteroi municipality in the late afternoon. The gunmen fled empty-handed.

Mr Campsie had been working for Diamond Offshore Drilling International and had lived in Brazil for 16 years.

He shared his home in Brazil with his wife and 10-year-old daughter. He also had two sons, siblings and family in Scotland. 

A statement to the Press and Journal issued by his family said: "He was a man who loved life and and brought so much joy and laughter to those around him.

"Wherever Pete went, the good times followed. A darkness has fallen on us all as we try and make sense of why Pete had to die in the prime of his life.

"He was a loyal friend and father, brother and son who cared deeply about making sure everyone got the best out of their lives. Our anchor has been pulled away so cruelly."

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We were made aware of the death of a British national in Brazil on April 2.

"We stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

News of the carjacking came as federal troops were sent on to the streets of Rio de Janeiro by Brazil's government to tackle crime.

The city is one of the main hosts for this summer's World Cup Finals and is also set to hold the Olympic Games in 2016.

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Mafia Boss 'The Professor' Back In Court In UK

An alleged Italian mafia boss has been arrested on a fresh international warrant a week after he was told he was free to remain in the UK.

Domenico Rancadore had been told by a judge he could return to his home in Uxbridge, west London, after prosecutors withdrew their appeal against a ruling that blocked his extradition to Italy.

But he was arrested in Uxbridge on Friday night on a European Arrest Warrant by officers from Scotland Yard's extradition unit.

The 65-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Saturday morning.

Adam Harbinson, representing the Italian authorities, told the court he was "one of the heads of one of the most powerful mafia associations in Italy."

He said the latest arrest warrant is identical to the previous one, except that it provided assurances about the prison conditions he would be faced with in Italy.

The house in Uxbridge where Rancadore was arrested

Scotland Yard had earlier said in a statement: "(The warrant) alleges that he has an outstanding sentence of seven years' imprisonment to serve for participation in Mafia association between December 17, 1987 and April 13, 1995 in Palermo, Italy."

The warrant was issued in Italy and certified by the UK's National Crime Agency.

Rancadore wore a beige sweater, blue shirt and black trousers and waved to his wife, Anne, in the public gallery.

He was remanded in custody and told to appear at the same court for a bail hearing next week.

Known as "The Professor", Rancadore was arrested in Britain last August after 20 years on the run.

He had won his legal fight against extradition on March 17 on the basis that returning to Italy's overcrowded prisons would breach his human rights.

At a hearing last week, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed they had lodged an appeal, but said it was not served within the statutory time limit and was therefore being withdrawn.

Rancadore fled to England in 1994 with his wife and two children, and lived under the false name of Marc Skinner.

Italian authorities claim he was a leading figure in the Cosa Nostra, a Sicilian mafia group controlling Trabia near Palermo.

He is one of Italy's most wanted criminals and was sentenced to seven years in prison in his absence.

Italian police claim he was involved in extortion, racketeering and drug trafficking.

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Dawlish: Damaged Railway Reopens After Repair

David Cameron has paid tribute to an "orange army" of workmen after they completed a £35m repair project on the badly damaged rail line at Dawlish.

The Prime Minister was in Dawlish to deliver on his pledge made in February that he would do "everything I could" to get the line back in action.

The reopening of the key link between the South West and the rest of the country comes as a huge relief to communities and businesses.

Storms caused a 100m breach in the sea wall at Dawlish

The closure of the line due to storm damage could have cost the region's economy more than £450m, according to estimates by Plymouth's Chamber of Commerce. 

Half of Dawlish train station has been rebuilt after the storms

In a speech to those gathered to celebrate the re-opening of the line he said: "This is a really important day for Dawlish. It's really important for the South West but it's also really important too for the whole of our country. 

"I know how cut off people here in the South West felt after that terrible storm and it was so important to get this work done."

The coast-hugging line bore the brunt of the severe weather

He then called for three cheers for the "orange army" of workers who repaired the railway.

The rail line became a symbol of politicians' failure to adequately respond to the chaos caused by widespread flooding during a months of storms.

A team of 300 workers spent weeks fixing the line

A 300-strong team has spent weeks repairing the line, which was badly damaged on February 4 when the sea wall was breached during storms.

The line which links Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance was forced to close after part of the wall collapsed.

Shipping containers were put into place in Dawlish to act as a temporary sea wall, but they suffered damage after further storms in February and engineers also discovered a cliff face just south of the village in Teignmouth had sheared away above the track.

As part of the repair work, half of Dawlish station has also been rebuilt, new cabling has been installed and the sea wall breach has been fortified with more than 6,000 tonnes of concrete.

National Rail chief executive Mark Carne said: "Our army of engineers has done an amazing job of putting back together a railway that was ravaged by the elements.

"They have overcome every obstacle thrown at them, winning many battles along the way to restore this critical piece of the network, ahead of schedule, and in time for the Easter holidays."

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Who To Follow In This Year's Grand National

By Nick Powell, Sports Editor, at Aintree

There is a noticeably more relaxed air about Aintree than 12 months ago, when the anxiety was palpable after two fatalities in each of the two previous Grand Nationals.

Adjustments to fences, the start and jockey instructions seemed to pay dividends, and everyone came back safely.

However, no one will be relaxed come 4.15pm on Saturday at the start of the first £1m National, neither here nor on millions of sofas around the world.

What might you back? Here are a few of the big contenders.

Mr Moonshine jumps a fence

:: MR MOONSHINE

If lightning striking twice is your thing, this is for you.

Sky Bet's Dale Tempest tipped Aurora's Encore last year on Saturday Sport on Sky News. Hardly anyone else did, and it won at 66-1.

Mr Moonshine comes from the same Yorkshire stable of Sue and Harvey Smith, has the same jockey in Ryan Mania, and has been schooled over the same special National-type fences at Malton.

Teaforthree came third in 2013

:: TEAFORTHREE

While Aurora's Encore has been retired, last year's third-placed horse is back for more.

Teaforthree is making the long trek from Pembrokeshire on the day, so much does he like his own bed.

Great chance of being involved in the finish. Odds too short to be attractive for me.

Monbeg Dude is co-owned by Mike Tindall

:: MONBEG DUDE

Clear the front pages if this wins - and it could. Royal connections for the Princess Royal to present the trophy to.

Dude used to be a dud jumper, much more sound after regular Monday sessions with Zara Phillips, wife of co-owner and ex-England rugby captain Mike Tindall.

Long Run will be ridden by amateur Sam Waley-Cohen

:: LONG RUN

Could not have a more appropriate name for this four and a half mile slog, nor a jockey with a better record.

Amateur Sam Waley-Cohen, taking time off from running his dental businesses, has finished second, fourth and fifth in his three Nationals - and won Thursday's race over the big fences.

Owned by Sam's dad Robert, chairman of Cheltenham racecourse, where he won the 2011 Gold Cup. Interesting.

Very classy, but is he still as good?

Rocky Creek is fancied by two time National winner Ruby Walsh

:: ROCKY CREEK

Good jumper. Top trainer in Paul Nicholls, who won with Neptune Collonges two years ago.

Second in the Hennessy Gold Cup, and second in January to The Giant Bolster, who so nearly won the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month. Definite chance.

No need to take my word for it - twice National winner Ruby Walsh (missing this year with a broken arm) fancies him too.

:: DOUBLE SEVEN

Trainer Martin Brassil won with Numbersixvalverde in 2006.

If he triumphs again, you'll have to listen very carefully - Brassil is as quietly spoken as trainers come, and owner JP McManus rarely talks above whisper level.

Champion jockey AP McCoy has chosen to ride this Munster National winner, which enhances his chances, but will shorten the price.

Swing Bill might be a long shot

:: SWING BILL 

Great story if he wins. Judy Halewood, leading light of new race sponsors Crabbies, bought him in order to have a runner in "her" race.

But he only just scraped in as one of the last of the 40 runners, and when I sat next to trainer David Pipe at a recent lunch, he did not exude confidence that he can make this fairytale come true.

The Package came third at Cheltenham

:: THE PACKAGE

I think this is a much likelier winner for David Pipe. Quite well backed, especially after a good third place at Cheltenham. Class act.

Pipe says he has jumped well over National-style fences at home.

Unseated his rider here four years ago but he is more experienced now and the fences more forgiving.

Hankies needed if he wins - he still runs in the colours of the late David Johnson, owner of Pipe's 2008 National winner Comply Or Die.

Lion na Bearnai won the 2012 Irish National

:: LION NA BEARNAI

What's in a name ? This one means "fill the gaps". In case you were wondering.

More relevantly, winner of the 2012 Irish National - the right sort of pointer to possible Aintree joy.

Older than most at 12, but no falls over fences. Very decent each-way option.

Battle Group will be ridden by Brendan Powell

:: BATTLE GROUP

Love it or hate it, the National always delivers a story. How about Brendan Powell following his dad 26 years ago in riding the winner?

There is the irritating fact that Battle Group has yet to complete a race this winter (and actually refused to start Newbury in November).

But he has come good in April before.

So which of those 10 will actually win ? If only it were that simple. I could give you good reasons to back at least half the remaining 30.

But here goes, in 1-2-3-4 order: The Package, Rocky Creek, Teaforthree, Mr Moonshine.

Others to consider include Long Run, Monbeg Dude, Double Seven and Pineau de Re; and at longer odds Hawkes Point, Walkon, and Alvarado.

In the latter category I mentioned Mon Mome in 2009. It won at 100-1.

I can stop dining out on that if The Package wins this time.

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Triple-Killer Levi Bellfield Wins £4.5k Payout

The killer of schoolgirl Milly Dowler has been awarded £4,500 compensation for a prison attack that left him with only minor injuries.

The payout to Levi Bellfield has been branded a "complete disgrace" and has raised questions over prisoners "playing the system" at the taxpayers' expense.

He was attacked with a makeshift weapon in Wakefield prison in 2009 where he was serving life sentences for the murders of 22-year-old Amelie Delagrange and 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell in southwest London.

He suffered what he admitted were minor injuries but took the Government to court on the basis that he should have been protected.

Bellfield also killed Marsha McDonnell

Labour MP Ian Austin said: "It is a complete disgrace that a child murderer should be getting what most people would consider a lot of money for what he himself admitted were only minor injuries.

"We have got to get to a position where prisoners are prevented from playing the system and gaining at the taxpayers' expense

"It is impossible to imagine how difficult it must be for the Dowler family."

Mr Austin told Sky News he would be raising the matter with Justice Secretary Chris Grayling in a parliamentary question.

Milly Dowler with her mother, Sally

The Ministry of Justice fought the claim for three years after it was launched by Bellfield but finally had to admit it was liable. Durham County Court made the compensation award on Wednesday.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said it was "hugely disappointed" over the decision.

Bellfield was finally given a life sentence without parole for Milly's murder in 2011, nine years after he snatched the 13-year-old from a street in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

It is thought he might be responsible for as many as 20 unsolved attacks on women.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Wilkins said he was a "cruel and pitiless killer" who had robbed Milly of "her promising life" and "treated her in death with total disrespect".

Speaking after Bellfield was sentenced in 2011, Milly's mother Sally said: "The lengths to protect his human rights have seemed so unfair compared to what we as a family have had to endure.

"I hope that whilst he is in prison, he is treated with the same brutality he dealt out to his victim and that his life is a living hell."

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British Man's Body Found On Spanish Beach

A British man believed to have been kidnapped by men posing as police officers in Spain has been found dead.

Francis Brennan, 25, from Anfield, fled to Spain ahead of a sentencing date last October for an assault he committed in the Thames Valley area in 2012.

Police say his body was found on a beach in the La Zenia area of Alicante on Saturday.

Spanish authorities are investigating Brennan's death and his family and girlfriend have been informed.

Brennan was last seen in Alicante on January 24. He was in his friend's car when it was stopped, and Brennan was detained by several men who claimed to be police officers.

Mr Brennan was found dead in Alicante

Brennan's parents, Carl and Janet, realised he had been kidnapped when Spanish authorities told them he had not been arrested. 

At the time of his kidnapping they said: "This has come as an awful shock to us as Francis is our only son and we can still remember him as a fun-loving child who was football-mad in a football-mad family who loved nothing more than playing out with his friends."

They said they had pleaded with their son not to leave the country, but he did not listen.

"He told us not to worry and that he would be home after Christmas," they said.

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David Cameron Repeats Backing For TV Debates

David Cameron has reiterated he is in favour of having television debates before the next election in 2015.

The Prime Minister told Sky News he continued to support the idea he agreed to before the last General Election in 2010.

"I think they're very useful," he said. "What I've said is that I think last time they rather overtook and swallowed up the rest of the campaign.

"So let's look at maybe - now we've got fixed-term parliaments - starting a bit earlier.

"But our teams will get into talks and we should get on with that in the autumn."

David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown during the Sky News debate

Labour leader Ed Miliband and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg have both said they will take part.

Mr Cameron has previously indicated UKIP leader Nigel Farage - whose party is in third place in the polls ahead of the Lib Dems - should not take part.

Three separate debates were broadcast by Sky News, the BBC and ITV before polling day four years ago.

Mr Clegg enjoyed an unparalleled surge in support after debating Mr Cameron and the then Labour leader Gordon Brown for the first time.

One poll had him as the most popular party leader since Winston Churchill.

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Maria Miller In 30-Second Expenses Apology

Maria Miller has been forced to apologise for her attitude to an investigation into her expenses and pay back £5,800 she wrongly claimed.

The Culture Secretary gave a brief apology for her approach to the inquiry in the House of Commons following a report by the sleaze watchdog, taking just 30 seconds to say sorry.

While short, it does not out-do the 23-second apology proffered by the Conservative MP Nadine Dorries in November for failing to properly register income from her 2012 I'm A Celebrity appearance.

Mrs Miller, MP for Basingstoke, said: "The committee did recommend that I apologise to the House for my attitude to the commissioner's inquiry and I of course unreservedly apologise.

"I fully accept the recommendations of the committee and thank them for bringing this matter to an end."

Mrs Miller will keep her job and the Prime Minister said she was "doing an excellent job as Culture Secretary and will continue to do that".

He added: "If we look at this report, yes, of course these issues do matter but she was cleared of the original allegation made against her."

John Mann made the complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner

Mrs Miller was reported to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards by Labour MP John Mann in December 2012 over concerns she had improperly claimed around £90,000 on a southwest London property between 2005 and 2009.

It was claimed that Mrs Miller, who also rents a home in Basingstoke, was not entitled to the claim because her parents were living in the house in Wimbledon.

However, her disabled parents had lived in the property, which she has since sold for £1.47m - a £1.2m profit, since 1996 and she lived with them as their carer.

The watchdog found that while she was entitled to an allowance for the home, she had claimed too much by not reflecting the fall in interest rates in the claims for mortgage repayments to the amount of £5,800.

The committee said it had taken so long to report because of the complexity of the MP's financial affairs and because they had been unable to get information with ease.

It said: "Much of the delay and difficulty in this case has arisen from incomplete documentation and fragmentary information. Mrs Miller has to carry significant responsibility for that.

"She should have attempted to provide the explanation and documentation requested by the Commissioner to the Commissioner at the outset rather than requiring us to seek the information directly."

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New Names Request For Abused Siblings

The local authority at the centre of the Baby P scandal has asked to be allowed to give two children waiting to be adopted new identities after an internet campaign backed by their jailed parents.

Haringey Council asked a High Court judge for permission to change the forenames and surnames of the youngsters - aged three and two - because of concerns that they could be "tracked down".

In a written analysis of the case after a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London, Mr Justice Holman said the application raised "considerable issues" over "identity and self-esteem" and would need "very careful consideration".

The children are the youngest of seven siblings taken from their parents, who were jailed after being convicted of child ill-treatment and banned from having any contact with their children.

The judge said the eldest five were in foster homes and the youngest two were placed together with an adoptive family.

Mr Justice Holman did not name the children but confirmed the local authority involved was the London Borough of Haringey

Peter Connelly was 17 months old when he died after months of abuse

He said that the council had asked for the forenames to be changed because "the parents of the children promoted a considerable campaign on the internet and in other places with regard to this case so that the names of their children have apparently gained some notoriety".

"The local authority (and maybe also the prospective adopters) are fearful that unless the two youngest children are given completely new identities with completely new names, they will be tracked down and the placement potentially destabilised," he said.

"That, of course, is a very serious and worrying aspect of this case."

Haringey Council was heavily criticised in a damning 2008 report into the death of a child known at the time as Baby P.

Peter Connelly, who was 17 months old, died in 2007 after months of abuse.

He had suffered more than 50 injuries, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

His mother, Tracey Connelly, her boyfriend, Steven Barker, and his brother, Jason Owen, were jailed in May 2009 for causing or allowing the child's death.

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Hillsborough: Tears As Pen Portraits Read Out

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

There have been emotional scenes at the Hillsborough inquests as relatives presented personality profiles of those who died.

Families cried as the first of 96 "pen portraits" were read out to a silent courtroom as stills of the victims were displayed on screens.

Court ushers passed around tissues as family members comforted each other with hugs and the jury took a break between each presentation.

The first of the relatives to be called was Jon Horrocks, who read a statement on behalf of his mother.

Writing about Arthur, the husband she lost in the Hillsborough disaster, she said:  "This has been the hardest thing to write but I hope it goes some way towards saying what a wonderful husband and best fried he was."

Wilf Whelan spoke about his 19-year-old son Ian.  "He was not a hooligan," he said.  "My family feels as though they have had to defend his good name for the past 25 years."

The original verdict of accidental death was quashed in 2012

Shirley Riley cried as she spoke about younger brother Roy Pemberton who died aged 23. She described how she and her sister used to "mother him with all our love".

She said: "Now we are left thinking about him and what he would have achieved - a successful career, a family and many more dreams. 

"We will never know. We are getting older and he will not. Our parents were left devastated and never truly got over their loss. They longed to spoil their boy but it was all taken from them."

The background statements were full of personal detail about the people who died in the tragedy. One relative described how his son would lay red roses on his girlfriend's doorstep. Another talked of the day his wife took home a fledgling bird she had come across. 

One mother described how her daughter played the role of a Christmas tree in a school nativity play.

Thirty-five-year-old Patrick Thompson was described by his widow Kathleen. She made a direct appeal to the jury saying: "Please listen to the evidence and let my children know that their father was not a hooligan but a hardworking family man."

She said her greatest sadness was that her children had only limited memories of their father.

Christine McEvoy had to be supported by a friend as she remembered her daughter Marion Hazel who died aged 21. She said she wished she could have had treated her daughter more.

The 96 victims were killed after being crushed against barriers at the Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield in 1989 on the day of the FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

The inquests, which are set to last up to a year, were ordered in December 2012 after verdicts of accidental death from a previous hearing were quashed by the High Court in London.

Jurors were formally sworn in before coroner Lord Justice Goldring earlier this week.

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Deported Yashika 'Very Frightened' In Mauritius

Teenage student Yashika Bageerathi has said she is "very frightened" after landing in Mauritius following her deportation from the UK.

The 19-year-old spoke to the headteacher at the school she attended in north London after she was interviewed by police at the airport.

She is now believed to be looking for somewhere safe to stay in her home country.

Ms Bageerathi's removal from Britain went ahead after a last-ditch attempt to secure an emergency injunction failed on Wednesday evening.

She was put on an Air Mauritius flight at Heathrow, despite more than 175,000 people signing up to a petition calling for the government to halt the deportation.

Lynne Dawes, headteacher at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, north London, said the school was keeping in contact with the A-level student and that the immediate concern was to find her a safe place to stay.

Ms Dawes said the student was feeling "low" and said: "She's feeling the lowest I have heard her be for quite a while. She was also very subdued."

She confirmed four security guards had accompanied Ms Bageerathi on the flight.

The headteacher also said the school was still working to ensure she would be able to complete her A-levels.

Ms Bageerathi had been trying to claim asylum after arriving in the UK with her mother, sister and brother in 2011, saying that a relative had been physically abusive.

She had been held alone at Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre in Bedfordshire since March 19 and had already had two late reprieves from deportation after airlines apparently refused to fly her home.

A spokesman for the Oasis charity, which runs the academy, said they were supporting the family, as well as the student, who he described as "very frightened".

He added: "Yashika's mum is very upset understandably, she's very emotional and she's very worried. Worry is the overriding feeling."

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire told MPs earlier this week that he would intervene only in "exceptional" cases, and this did not fall into that category.

He said Ms Bageerathi's case had been through the proper legal process and resulted in a Home Office decision that she does not need protection from violence or persecution.

The rest of her family are still in Britain, although her mother is due to be deported at a later date.

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Seven Footballers Arrested Over 'Spot-Fixing'

Seven more players from Football League clubs in the North West have been arrested over alleged spot-fixing.

A total of 13 footballers are now being questioned by police after six others were re-arrested as part of an investigation into allegations of bribery and money laundering.

The 13 suspects, who are aged between 18 and 30, are being interviewed at police stations across the country, the National Crime Agency said.

The original six suspects were arrested in December as part of the inquiry and were bailed to return on April 8,

The investigation was prompted by information passed on by the Sun on Sunday newspaper.

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Air Pollution: 10 Things You Need To Know

By Martin Jefferies, Sky News Online

People with lung and heart problems have been warned to avoid strenuous activity as air quality falls to its lowest possible level across parts of the country. We look at what is behind the increase in air pollution and ask just how serious the problem is.

:: What is causing air quality to drop?

The poor air quality levels sweeping across much of England and Wales are caused by a combination of dust blown in from the Sahara desert and harmful emissions from both the UK and Europe.

Light winds have allowed this cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants to linger in the skies above the country.

:: What is in the air?

As well as dust and sand particles from the Sahara desert, traffic pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter - combined with the ozone created when sunlight reacts with NO2 and VOCs - cause air quality to worsen.

Although these pollutants can cause air pollution close to where they are emitted, they can also travel long distances, with emissions from mainland Europe adding to the current problems in southeast England.

The dust falls to the ground when it rains, leaving a fine residue on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces. 

Vehicles and industry are the biggest contributors to air pollution

:: What are the health implications?

Air pollution can cause runny eyes and noses, as well as coughs and sore throats, but the effects can be more serious among the very young, the elderly and those with existing lung or heart problems.

Dr Keith Prowse, former chairman of the British Lung Foundation and an honorary medical adviser, told Sky News: "People with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) should make sure they have their reliever inhalers with them, and those who use preventer inhalers may have been told to double their dose.

"The best advice is not to go out when pollution levels are high and not to take part in strenuous exercise."

Face masks are a common sight in many parts of the world

:: Will people need to start wearing face masks?

Worsening air pollution in places like China has made face masks a must-have accessory for many people.

However, Dr Carol Cooper, a London GP, said: "A good piece of advice is not to bother. They're not generally very effective and wearing one can actually make breathing more difficult.

"Wearing a face mask in somewhere like southeast Asia is more of a cultural thing than a medical one."

Dust from thousands of miles away in Africa is adding to the problems

:: How does sand from the Sahara end up in the UK?

"There are currently strong dust storms across the Sahara and because the winds in the upper atmosphere are blowing in a southerly direction, this is sending the dust and sand particles over western Europe and into the atmosphere over England and Wales," Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said.

"The reason we've seen the orange deposits is because of recent rainfall. Any rain clears the dust from the upper atmosphere, bringing it down to lower levels, and as the water evaporates it leaves behind the orange dust.

Airports are not expecting the Saharan dust to cause significant problems

:: Is the dust likely to cause any disruption to flights?

Many air passengers will remember the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud generated by the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.

Flights were grounded across the UK and Europe amid fears dust could cause engine damage.

However, a spokesman for Nats, the British air traffic control service, said it was "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights, while a British Airways official added: "We are not expecting our customers to be affected in any way."

London and the South East are among the areas worst affected

:: How is air pollution measured?

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) measures air quality on a scale of one to 10, with each number given a different colour to visualise the extent of pollution on a map of the country.

London and the South East, including East Anglia, Essex and Kent, are currently coloured purple, indicating "very high" levels of air pollution, whereas the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland appear green, suggesting levels are much lower.

Beijing, in China, has battled with smog for many years

:: How does air pollution in London compare to other countries?

London appears way down a World Health Organisation (WHO) list of the most-polluted cities in the world, with similar pollution levels to other major cities such as Budapest and Dusseldorf.

The capital is around 13 times less polluted than the city with the worst air quality - Ahwan in southwestern Iran - and has air seven times cleaner than that of Delhi, although it lags behind places such as Munich, Tokyo and Canberra.

Pollution is measured by the average number of tiny particles in the air per cubic metre.

Smog descends on Christmas shoppers in London's Regent Street in 1962

:: Has air quality not been improving in the UK?

There has been a marked improvement in urban air quality over the last two decades.

In 1993, air pollution was at moderate or higher levels for roughly one day in every six. Using the same methodology, that figure is now around one in every 36.

There has been a huge drop in the amount of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide in the air, but although pollution at the roadside has shown signs of long-term improvement, it has remained relatively stable since 1998.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK over claims it is years late reaching agreed EU standards.

Smog hangs over many of central London's most famous landmarks

It says levels of toxic gas nitrogen dioxide remain "excessive" and are contributing to respiratory problems and premature deaths.

:: How long is this latest bout of air pollution like to last?

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend, helped by outbreaks of rain in the West that will effectively wash away dust and other contaminants from the atmosphere.

However, Ghaffar said: "Rain is only a brief relief from the dust in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction is needed to stop the flow of particles blowing through and from Thursday, that is what we can expect."

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Edinburgh School Wall Death: Friends' Tributes

Touching tributes have been paid by family and friends of a schoolgirl who was killed when a changing room wall collapsed.

Keane Wallis-Bennett died after the wall fell on her at Liberton High School, Edinburgh, shortly before 10am on Tuesday.

Police and health and safety officials have launched an investigation into the 12-year-old's death and all similar walls at schools in the city are being inspected.

Liberton High will not reopen this week and a full council survey will be conducted before students return from the Easter holidays in three weeks.

Keane's friends pause to remember her at the entrance to the school

Keane's grandfather James Bennett said he was with the youngster's father Clark when he received a phone call from the school.

"He said Keane had been in an accident and he left immediately," he told the Daily Record.

"Half an hour later, he phoned to say she had died. He was in bits. He could hardly speak."

Joanna Sikorska, who married Keane's uncle last month, added: "You don't expect something like this to happen. Your kids go to school and you expect it to be a safe place for them."

Parents gather at the entrance to the school after the tragedy

Sky News' Scotland Correspondent Niall Paterson, at the scene, said bunches of flowers, a candle and cuddly toys had been left at the school gates.

"Such are the conditions here that a few of the written tributes are almost illegible," he said.

"Yet this bank of flowers, almost an impromptu shrine, has lost none of its poignancy."

One bouquet was accompanied with a picture of Keane and one of her school friends, while another from the youngster's grandmother came with a note addressed to "my beautiful cupcake".

Bunches of flowers have been left at the entrance to Liberton High

A card attached to another bunch of flowers read: "Words can't explain how much we all miss you. You were so bright and funny and, don't forget, extremely beautiful. I hope we will see each other soon."

Keane's death comes just weeks after Edinburgh City Council was fined £8,000 following an accident at the school in which a girl was seriously injured when she fell nearly five metres down a broken-down lift shaft.

The 15-year-old schoolgirl suffered three fractured vertebrae and a sprained wrist as a result of the accident in December 2011.

Parents were informed of the death by text message

There have been reports that students at Liberton High raised concerns about the safety of the wall, but the council said a survey of all schools in its area between 2012 and 2013 had not identified any problems.

Local MSP Jim Eadie said: "My heart goes out to the family at this difficult and distressing time. It's impossible to know what they must be going through.

"I know the school and the wider community will be deeply affected by what has happened here."

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Smog Shrouds Cities As Desert Sand Blasts UK

Air quality is expected to plummet to its lowest possible level in parts of the UK today, as the country continues to feel the effects of desert sandstorms.

The elderly, people with lung problems and adults with heart conditions have been told to avoid strenuous physical activity, as plumes of dust blown in from the Sahara and deposited by rain send air pollution soaring.

London and the South East, including parts of East Anglia, Kent and Essex, are expected to be worst hit.

However, high pollution levels are expected to spread across much of England and Wales during the course of the day.

The bright red colour shows the dust heading towards the UK

A spokesman for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the effects will be felt anywhere south of a line stretching from Merseyside to The Wash.

It will be the second day in a row the country has been hit by heightened smog levels.

On Tuesday, Defra recorded "high" to "very high" air pollution levels across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber.

The agency spokesman told Sky News: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara."

Speckles of 'Sahara dust' on a car windscreen in London

Many in the country have woken up over the last few days to see a thin level of red sand coating cars and streets.

However, unlike the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud of 2010, which caused airports across Europe to shut down amid fears dust could cause engine damage, air traffic controllers said they were "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "A large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the desert, around 2,000 miles away in northwest Africa.

"The airborne particles were blown north to the UK, where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers."

Forecaster Paul Hutcheon added: "We usually see this happen several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly winds to bring that dust here.

"More dust rain is possible during showers expected later this week."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the world's most serious environmental health risk.

It found pollution, ranging from cooking fires to car fumes, was linked to seven million deaths in 2012 - roughly one in eight.

Rising smog levels are linked to dust blown from the Sahara

The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the WHO said.

England is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels recently.

Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend.

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Gibraltar: Spain Envoy Summoned Over 'Incursion'

Britain has summoned the Spanish ambassador after Spain sent a ship into Gibraltar's waters in a move that has reignited tensions over the territory.

In what is being seen as a clearly inflammatory move Spain sent a state research vessel accompanied by a police boat to the waters off the British territory on Tuesday.

Europe Minister David Lidington said the activities of the ship and the Guardia Civil boat were both "unlawful" and dangerous and vowed to take "whatever action necessary" to safeguard the interests of Gibraltar.

The Spanish Ambassador Federico Trillo was summoned to the Foreign Office on Wednesday to explain the "serious incursion".

A Spanish ship refused to leave Gibraltar's waters in November

It is the fourth time he has been publicly summoned by Britain over Gibraltar since December 2011, when the current Spanish Government took office.

Sky's Diplomatic Editor Tim Marshall said the move by the Spanish suggested they had "fully intended to provoke the British."

He added: "This is not to say who is right and who is wrong in law. The British are extraordinarily confident that in law these are British territorial waters and the Spanish have got no rights there in that they are supported by most of the European Union."

Mr Lidington said: "Not only were the actions of the survey vessel unlawful, but it was accompanied by a Spanish Guardia Civil vessel whose dangerous manoeuvring presented a significant safety concern on the waters.

"I strongly condemn this provocative incursion and urge the Spanish government to ensure that it is not repeated. Her Majesty's Government will continue to take whatever action we consider necessary to uphold British sovereignty and the interests of Gibraltar, its people, its security and economy."

Travellers faced lengthy queues at the Gibraltar border in the summer

It is the latest incident in a long-running row between Spain and the British territory.

In November Mr Trillo was summoned after a Spanish ship refused to leave Gibraltar's waters for 20 hours.

In the summer Spain tightened up its checks on travellers crossing the border to Gibraltar leading to delays of several hours following a diplomatic row over an artificial reef built by Gibraltar provoking anger from Spanish fisherman.

David Cameron asked the European Commission to investigate claiming the checks were "politically motivated" and potentially in breach of EU law on free movement of people.

However, the commission said the checks were not unlawful and ordered the UK and Spain to work together.

In August Spanish mayor Francisco Perez Trigueros provoked anger in Gibraltar after posting a mock-up picture of Spain invading The Rock on Facebook.

Spain lays claim to Gibraltar, which has a population of just 30,000 and was ceded to Britain 300 years ago.

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PM And Miliband Trade 'Dunce' And 'Muppet' Slurs

Ed Miliband labelled David Cameron the "dunce of Downing Street" over the Government's sell-off of the Royal Mail during Prime Minister's Questions.

In turn the Prime Minister responded by calling Mr Miliband and his shadow chancellor Ed Balls "muppets".

During a fierce exchange, the Labour leader accused Mr Cameron of selling off the Royal Mail at "mates rates" to his friends in the City.

It came after the National Audit Office found that the taxpayer was short-changed by over £1bn because the Government undervalued the Royal Mail when put shares on the market.

Mr Miliband said: "The taxpayer... got £1.4 billion less for this valuable asset than it is worth today.

Mr Miliband was labelled a "muppet"

"A third of the shares were sold to just 16 city investors. And get this - there was a gentleman's agreement those city investors wouldn't sell the shares.

"What happened? Within weeks half of those shares had been sold and they made a killing worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

"In other words mates rates to your friends in the city."

Mr Miliband added: "You sold at 330p and this morning the price was 563p. It is basic maths - not so much the wolf of Wall Street, more the dunce of Downing Street."

Within minutes the phrase "dunce of Downing Street" was trending fifth on Twitter worldwide, which is unusual because British politics tends only to trend well in the UK.

Mr Cameron was branded the "dunce of Downing Street"

Mr Cameron responded by accusing Mr Miliband of asking questions because he was being "paid to by the trade unions".

He said: "I will take a lecture from almost anyone in the country about the sale of Royal Mail, but not from the two muppets who advised the last chancellor on selling the gold. There they sit, not a word of apology for £9bn wasted."

Mr Cameron told Mr Miliband: "You sat in a Cabinet that wanted to privatise the Royal Mail - that was the commitment."

He claimed Labour had included a sell-off in the party's 2010 manifesto, however, questions were raised over the accuracy of the suggestion.

The passage that deals with the Royal Mail in the Labour document says: "For the future, continuing modernisation and investment will be needed by the Royal Mail in the public sector."

Speaking about Mr Cameron's claims about the Labour manifesto, a Number 10 source said: "The year before, in 2009, Lord Mandelson unveiled plans to sell  30% of the Royal Mail."

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Patients 'Should Pay £10 NHS Membership Fee'

People should pay a £10-a-month fee to use the NHS and "hotel-style charges" for stays in hospital, according to former Labour health minister Lord Warner.

He said the radical measures were needed to help fund the NHS which is struggling to meet the needs of an ageing population and more people suffering from long-term conditions.

A report, co-written by Lord Warner, estimates a monthly £10 charge for using the NHS alongside other measures could generate £6bn a year.

Lord Warner said: "We can no longer pay homage to an out-of-date and unaffordable NHS that's unfit for today's and tomorrow's care needs.

"The day of reckoning has arrived with an obesity epidemic on our doorstep. The NHS has to change radically and fast over a single Parliament with flat-lined funding.

"It should have no more hand-outs at the expense of other public services.

The proposals include hospital hotel charges

"It faces a hard slog of doing more with less and a tough conversation with the public about how we change services and accept new ways of funding the NHS."

The report, published by think-tank Reform, proposes patients make "co-payments for the hotel costs of some inpatient hospital care".

Those receiving free prescriptions would be exempt from the charges, and NHS funding from general taxation should only rise with inflation, the report added.

Other ways to boost revenue include increasing taxes on alcohol and tobacco, on food and drink containing "excessive" amounts of sugar and on gambling and betting.

The report also suggests "full-cost" charging for the administration of vaccinations for overseas travel.

It also puts forward the idea of "more rigorous inflation-proofing" prescription charges - and possibly reducing the number of people exempt from charges.

"By the end of the next Parliament, providing there was the political will, it is possible to envisage these changes in entitlements yielding over £6bn a year," the report said.

"A revamped system for prescription charges and other co-payments such as hospital hotel charges could raise over £1bn a year.

A stagnant budget is among the factors putting pressure on the NHS

"A £10-a-month fee for a membership scheme with free membership for those exempted from prescription charges might well produce over £2bn a year for use in local preventative initiatives."

It added: "All politicians allowed the NHS to overdose on higher budgets without shifting more care closer to home and concentrating our specialist services on fewer, safer, more highly skilled, 24/7 centres."

A Department of Health spokesman said the Government "doesn't support the introduction of membership fees or anything like them".

He said: "The founding principles of the NHS make it universally free at point of use and we are clear that it will continue to be so.

"But we know that with an ageing population there's more pressure on the NHS, which is why we need changes to services that focus far more on health prevention out of hospitals."

Labour health spokesman Jamie Reed said: "This is not something Labour would ever consider. We believe in an NHS free at the point of use, and a Labour government will repeal David Cameron's NHS changes that put private profit before patient care."

The report comes as a poll suggests almost half of politicians believe the NHS may no longer be free at the point of need if pressing issues facing the health service are not tackled.

A survey of MPs found that half believe that a free health service could be consigned to the history books if the challenges facing the NHS are not addressed.

In the past, health leaders have warned that the NHS will only survive if there are radical changes in the delivery of healthcare such as hospital closures and centralisation of services.

Officials say if the health service in England was to continue delivering care the way it currently is, there will be a funding gap of £30bn between 2013 and 2021, even if the health budget is protected.

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