'Asbos For Extremists' To Tackle UK Jihadists

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Home Secretary Theresa May is planning to bring in new laws to tackle the threat of British jihadists - including "anti-social behaviour orders" for extremists.

Mrs May will announce a three-point plan to counter British Muslim extremists, warning that the security threat to the UK will continue for decades.

The measures would target the activities of radical preachers, such as Anjem Choudary, whose extreme rhetoric currently does not constitute a crime.

Full details are yet to emerge, but the new power will be designed to restrict extremists' behaviour and language.

As with an Asbo, it could result in a criminal conviction carrying a jail term if breached.

Mrs May has unveiled her crackdown in an article in the Daily Telegraph.

Theresa May's warning echoes recent comments from David Cameron

She discloses that she will make it illegal to join extremist groups that preach violent views, but are not directly involved in terrorism.

Currently, the threshold for banning membership of organisations, such as the Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIL), requires the Home Secretary to prove that the group is directly involved in terrorist acts.

The new power could target Islamist political organisations and other Muslim groups that tacitly support extremism.

In addition, state-funded organisations such as councils and schools will be given a new legal obligation to combat extremists.

Mrs May uses the Telegraph article to echo a warning about extremism made by the Prime Minister in a newspaper report last weekend.

The Home Secretary writes: "We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a deadly extremist ideology.

Cardiff students Khan (L) and Muthana (C) appeared in an IS video

"We will be engaged in this struggle for many years, probably decades. We must give ourselves all the legal powers we need to prevail.

"I am looking again at the case for new banning orders for extremist groups that fall short of the legal threshold for terrorist proscription, as well as for new civil powers to target extremists who seek to radicalise others."

The measures proposed by Mrs May are similar to recommendations for legislation made by the Government's Extremism Task Force last December.

Those recommendations were surprisingly omitted from the Queen's Speech this year.

But there is no suggestion yet that the Home Secretary plans to introduce emergency legislation when MPs return to the Commons on September 1.

David Cameron said during his brief return to Downing Street from his holiday after the murder of journalist James Foley that there would be "no knee-jerk reaction".

Radical Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary

The problem of radicalisation was highlighted in June when two Cardiff students - Reyaad Khan, 20, Nasser Muthana, also 20, - were identified in a propaganda video for IS posted on YouTube.

The two men along with Muthana's younger brother Aseel, 17, were lured to join extremists fighting in Syria and Iraq.

And a jihadi fighter in Syria told Sky News in July that he was training British teenagers as young as 16 to fight in the war.

Yvette Cooper, Labour's shadow home secretary, said: "More action is needed to respond to the serious problem of people travelling to fight with ISIL.

"The Home Secretary's confirmation that she is continuing to look at the recommendations of the Prime Minister's Taskforce, announced last December, is welcome.

"Though there remains no detail on things like civil powers to tackle extremists or extremist groups for people to consider.

"However I remain concerned that the Government is not addressing the gaps in the Prevent programme - especially the lack of support for community led approaches to preventing radicalisation.

"And the Home Secretary also needs to respond to the concerns raised by the current and previous Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation about the decision to weaken control orders, where they have advised that stronger measures should be put in place."

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Hospitals Told To End 'Unfair' Parking Charges

Hospitals have been told to give free or cheap parking to the relatives of chronically ill patients.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said new guidelines for English hospitals have been created in order to end the stress of "unfair" charges.

Patients with disabilities, those who have frequent appointments and members of staff working shifts will also benefit from the changes, Mr Hunt said.

The guidelines state hospital trusts should waive fines when an overstay is beyond the control of the driver, for instance if treatment takes longer than planned.

Jeremy Hunt has come under pressure from Tory backbenchers on the issue

Mr Hunt last month admitted he was concerned about parking fees being charged at some hospitals after being pressed by backbenchers to end "rip-off" costs.

The guidance sets out for the first time that hospital trusts are responsible for the actions of any private firms they use to run parking facilities.

It also calls on hospitals to look at introducing pay on exit systems so those visiting only pay for the time they have used.

Mr Hunt said: "Patients and families shouldn't have to deal with the added stress of unfair parking charges.

"These clear ground rules set out our expectations, and will help the public hold the NHS to account for unfair charges or practices."

Shadow health minister Andrew Gwynne said: "The Tory-led Government scrapped Labour's plans to phase out car parking charges for patients and Jeremy Hunt needs to take responsibility for the fact that, since then, one in four hospitals have increased parking fees.

"Any action to ease the burden of car parking charges on patients and their visitors is welcome. When people go to hospital, the last thing they want to worry about is parking fees."

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Give Cannabis Drug To MS Patients, NHS Urged

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Reporter

Multiple sclerosis patients in many parts of England are urging health bosses to make a cannabis-based medication available on prescription.

The NHS in Wales recently agreed to fund the drug, Sativex.

But the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which advises the NHS on the cost effectiveness of treatments, is not recommending it in England.

Jacquie Langham, from Norfolk, has been using the drug to ease the pain and spasms which are common symptoms of MS.

Jacquie Langham says the drug has helped with symptoms

She says she is lucky to have a friend who pays for the treatment privately, as she could not afford it herself.

"I can't believe it's not available," she told Sky News.

"MS sufferers have no medication that really does them a whole lot of good and this is the first.

"I'm just so frustrated as are many others - and for the younger people in particular."

Tony Wiggins, who lives in Cardiff, will get the drug on prescription.

After taking part in a trial, the benefits were so great that he even broke the law, buying cannabis from dealers in order to alleviate his symptoms.

The MS Society in Wales now wants NICE to recommend Sativex so it is prescribed to patients in the rest of the UK.

At the moment, a handful of English health authorities do make Sativex available on prescription.

But even they may withdraw the funding if NICE's final report, due in October, suggests that they do. 

In a statement, a NICE spokesperson said: "A detailed analysis of the evidence of costs and benefits of the drug led us to conclude that Sativex should not be recommended by NICE, as the drug does not currently represent cost effectiveness for the NHS."

The only hope for English MS patients like Jacquie is that fresh evidence can be found to make NICE alter its stance before publishing its final recommendations.

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Two Men Remanded After Tilbury Docks Death

Two lorry drivers have been remanded in custody after appearing in court in connection with the death of a migrant found in a shipping container at Tilbury Docks.

Essex Police said Stephen McLaughlin, 34, and Timothy Murphy, 33, both from County Londonderry, were charged with people smuggling.

The charge sheet said that the pair "together with other persons unknown" jointly conspired between August 1 and 17 "to do an act, namely clandestinely convey 35 Afghan nationals by sea in to an English port, which facilitated the commission of a breach of immigration law".

Thirty-five people were discovered in a container at the Port of Tilbury, south Essex, on August 16.

Meet Singh Kapoor, 40, from Afghanistan, was found dead inside the airtight container on a ship that had arrived from Zeebrugge in Belgium.

Murphy, from Derry, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court in Essex where he spoke only to confirm his name and personal details.

He was remanded in custody and told he must appear at Basildon Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on a date to be set during the week beginning November 17.

McLaughlin, of Limavady, also spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and personal details from the dock.

He was also remanded to next appear by video-link for a hearing at the same place and at a time to be determined in the same week.

A post-mortem examination on Mr Kapoor had failed to establish the cause of his death and inquiries are continuing.

The rest of the group of Afghan Sikhs from Kabul, including 13 children, survived the ordeal.

They are believed to have fled Afghanistan after suffering persecution and are in the process of claiming asylum in the UK.

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Burglary Suspects Identified From Bus Ticket

Two burglary suspects have been identified after leaving a bus ticket at the scene of the crime.

The 61-year-old victim confronted the intruders at his home in Greater Manchester and managed to pull off one of their jackets during a scuffle.

In the pocket was a bus stub which police used to track down CCTV of the bus they had been on.

Images of the two suspects have now been released to the public.

The men escaped with valuable jewellery from the home in Churchstone Walk in Baguley on May 17.

PC Rob Crossley said: "The victim, a man in his 60s, was obviously taken aback to find two men rummaging through his bedroom.

"In the melee following the initial shock he has been able to remove a jacket from one offender and this has given us some positive lines of inquiry.

"From the jacket we recovered a ticket and from the ticket we identified a bus used by the offenders.

"Now we are releasing CCTV images of two suspects we would like to trace.

"We have made numerous efforts to identify the pair and we are now keen for any further help from the public."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4882, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Fast And Furious Pirate Jailed For 33 Months

A computer programmer who filmed Fast & Furious 6 from the back of a cinema then uploaded it to the internet has been jailed for almost three years.

The pirate copy of the film was downloaded 779,000 times, costing one of Hollywood's biggest film-makers almost £2.5m.

Philip Danks, 25, from Walsall, West Midlands, was the first person in the world to record and distribute the movie illegally after filming it on its release day on May 17 last year.

A court heard a special "webwatch" team - set up by LA-based Universal Pictures because the film was so valuable - spotted his copy spreading across the internet.

He was caught when fraud investigators noticed that his online tag 'Thecod3r' attached on the video was identical to his profile on dating website Plenty of Fish.

He was arrested at his home on May 23.

Two days later, he bragged on Facebook: "Seven billion people and I was the first. F*** you Universal Pictures."

Danks boasted on Facebook: "Seven billion people and I was the first"

On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to three charges of distributing pirate copies of films and was jailed for 33 months.

The court heard that he made just £1,000 from selling copies of the film for £1.50 - while the cost to Universal was estimated at £2.3m.

Sentencing Recorder Keith Raynor said: "This was bold, arrogant and cocksure offending.

"You approach to the film industry was made clear in the posting you made on Facebook two days after your arrest.

"I accept the personal profit was modest but the real seriousness of this case is the loss caused to the film industry as a whole."

Prosecuting on behalf of the Federation Against Copyright Theft, Ari Alibhai said: "The film was Universal Picture's most significant release of that year with both the biggest production costs and expected revenue.

The pirated film was recorded at a cinema in Walsall, West Midlands

"The estimated loss to the industry caused by the defendant's actions is conservatively estimated at £2.3m but he did not receive money from the online distribution."

The court heard that although he made money from selling versions of his copy via Facebook or by personal delivery his real motive was "street cred."

Mr Alibhai added: "The first person with a pirated version attracts much kudos. He wanted recognition from the community."

Mr Christopher Loach, defending, said: "He has no real qualifications and is not a man of means.

"He has no substantial assets of any sort and his financial gain has been extremely limited but he was obviously aware that it was a popular film that would be of interest."

Following his arrest, Danks was freed on police bail pending further inquires but continued to offer a dozen films he had copied.

Danks kept people posted on the case through Facebook - but while awaiting sentence he conceded: "Not loking (sic) good"

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Boy Arrested After Reading Festival 'Rape'

A 14-year-old boy is one of two people arrested on suspicion of rape at Reading Festival.

A 19-year-old told police she was attacked in a caravan on the festival traders' site on Thursday night.

She had earlier met a man and a boy near an ice cream van opposite one of the campsites.

The 14-year-old, from Surrey, has been detained along with a 31-year-old London man, Thames Valley Police said.

The arrests emerged as an estimated 90,000 music fans began arriving to see performances this weekend by acts such as Arctic Monkeys, Blink-182, Jake Bugg and Paramore.

Chief Inspector Dave Parker said: "There is currently a scene watch in place and I would like to reassure those attending the festival that crime levels remain low and crimes of this nature are very rare.

"Officers are patrolling the site to support on-site security and if anyone has any concerns, please feel free to approach our officers to discuss these."

There have been 21 crimes at the Richfield Avenue site so far, police said. Five of these were alleged drugs offences and 13 were suspected thefts.

Mr Parker added: "I know many people will be celebrating their A-level and GCSE results and officers are working to make sure this is a safe environment in which to have fun."

Police have urged anyone heading to Reading to monitor their festival Twitter page for safety information and messages.

Anyone with any information about the alleged rape is asked to call police on 101.

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First-Time Buyers 'Getting A Shot At Long Last'

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

The number of first-time buyer sales has hit a seven-year high, according to new figures from LSL Property Services.

There were 30,000 first-time buyer sales in July, up by 25% on a year before and the highest number of monthly first-time buyers since August 2007.

At the same time, the data reveal average first-time buyer deposits are 10% lower than this time last year.

Down payments averaged £26,642 in June, a decrease from £29,609 12 months ago.

David Newnes, from LSL Property Services, said: "A whole generation of young buyers were trapped on the sidelines of the property market as the economy recovered from the recession, struggling to save for a deposit whilst inflation remained stubbornly high, savings rates were stuck at a historic low, and real wages fell.

"But the recent increase in high LTV (loan to value) lending options - enabled by Help to Buy - has allowed them a shot at getting on the ladder at long last."

Yet purchase prices are on the rise, and mortgage rates are climbing, meaning buyers could still struggle with debt and repayments.

First-time buyers paid 8% more over the last year, with the average price paid for a new home now £155,844, according to LSL Property Services.

Simultaneously, average mortgage rates climbed for the fourth consecutive month in July to 4.19%.

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Failing Doctors Could Be Forced To Say Sorry

Doctors could be forced to say sorry to patients or their relatives if they have been found to have made a mistake.

The proposed move is part of the General Medical Council (GMC) consultation which will help "improve patient protection and public confidence in doctors".

Whether or not they have apologised may also be taken into account when a fitness to practice panel is deciding on what sanctions the medic faces, the document said.

And those who fail to blow the whistle on a failing colleague could face stricter sanctions under the plans.

"In the vast majority of cases one-off clinical errors do not merit any action by the GMC," said GMC chief executive Niall Dickson.

"But if we are to maintain that trust, in the small number of serious cases where doctors fail to listen to concerns and take action sooner to protect patients, they should be held to account for their actions.

"We want patients, doctors and other professionals to give us their views - this consultation is a chance to make sure the action we take is fair to doctors while never losing our focus on protecting the public."

The consultation was launched today and will close on November 14.

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, honorary treasurer of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "Patient safety is always of paramount importance and GPs work really hard to ensure that all patients receive the best possible care.

"All GP practices have a system to review instances where things could have gone better and GPs are required to reflect on 'significant events' during their annual appraisal and through the revalidation process.

"Anything that further improves the care that we deliver to our patients - and the trust that they have in us should be welcomed.

"But it is essential that any action resulting from these proposals is taken in the best interests of patient safety and care and not used as an excuse to criticise doctors who are doing a very difficult job in increasingly difficult circumstances."

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Managers' Boss Under Fire In Mackay 'Banter' Row

Cardiff City have called for chief executive Richard Bevan to resign after the League Managers Association (LMA) defended Malky Mackay's use of racist texts as "friendly banter".

It comes after the LMA apologised for the wording of the statement issued on behalf of former Cardiff manager Mackay, saying some of it was "inappropriate".

The statement was released on Thursday after Mackay and Cardiff's ex-head of recruitment Iain Moody were said to have shared racist, sexist and homophobic texts when they worked at the club.

Both men were sacked last season long before the texts came to light.

Moody (L) and Mackay

Later on Thursday, Mackay issued a statement of his own in which he admitted sending two racially offensive messages as part of what he also called "friendly banter", and apologised for any offence caused.

The initial LMA statement said Mackay had been under pressure when the messages were sent and that he was "letting off steam to a friend during some friendly text message banter".

That statement has been widely criticised by anti-discrimination campaigners and on Friday the LMA moved to address its concerns.

Paul Mortimer of Kick It Out says the texts row is a wake-up call

In a new statement, it said: "The LMA apologises for some of its wording, in its release yesterday, which was inappropriate and has been perceived to trivialise matters of a racist, sexist or homophobic nature. That was certainly not our intention

"It is beyond argument that any comments that are discriminatory, even used in private, are totally unacceptable.

"The LMA remains absolutely aware of our responsibility to the game and to promote and uphold the highest standards of behaviour."

Despite the apology, Cardiff have demanded LMA boss Richard Bevan stand down, describing his position as "untenable".

LMA chief executive Richard Bevan

"We find it entirely reprehensible that the LMA should itself put out a statement which seeks to dismiss deeply offensive racist comments as 'friendly banter'," the club said.

Former player and manager Leroy Rosenior, a trustee of anti-discrimination body Kick It Out, has threatened to cancel his LMA membership over the original statement.

He told the BBC: "If the LMA are going back into the dark ages to support people then I might have to withdraw my support.

Jason Roberts is among those who have blasted the LMA

"If Malky did use a couple of texts, as he admits to in the statement, then I'm disappointed and I think it needs to be dealt with not as something swept over or as a bit of banter."

The LMA was also rapped by former Blackburn striker Jason Roberts, an outspoken critic of the football authorities' anti-racism measures in the past.

He tweeted: "The LMA said it better than I ever could. They are actually being serious! Somebody drafted that. WOW!"

Paul Mortimer of the Kick It Out campaign told Sky News: "What this shows is everyone in the game right down from chairmen to managers and programme sellers needs to understand the effect that these type of words can have on victims."

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Roy 'Chubby' Brown Fined For Reading At Wheel

Comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown has been fined for reading a newspaper while driving.

The stand-up comic, whose act is considered too blue and too controversial for mainstream TV channels, was charged under his real name of Royston Vasey.

Roy 'Chubby' Brown describes himself as 'outrageous'

Vasey, from East Harlsey near Northallerton, was filmed by a North Yorkshire Police camera with the newspaper resting on his steering wheel as he drove along the A19 near Crathorne in May.

The 69-year-old, who calls himself "The Most Outrageous Comedian In The World" admitted driving without due care and attention.

He did not appear in court.

North Yorkshire Police's Dave Brown said: "This is another case where our mobile safety cameras have proved that they are not just about speed, demonstrating that we have the technology to capture all manner of offences which put road users at risk.

"Motorists must give the road their full attention as a few seconds' lapse in concentration can have catastrophic consequences, literally meaning the difference between life and death."

Vasey was fined £30 and given four points on his licence by Northallerton Magistrates. He was also ordered to pay costs of £40 and a victim surcharge of £20.

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Dog Walker Dies After Row: Man Arrested

A man has been arrested on suspicion of killing a dog walker who suffered a serious head injury during a dispute over their pets

Peter Morley fell during an argument with the owner of two Staffordshire bull terrier-type dogs which are believed to have attacked his small terrier-type dog, Bella, in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex on July 20.

The 74-year-old died 10 days after sustaining the head injury in Turkey Road.

Sussex Police said the 36-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and bailed until November 9.

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James Foley's 'British' Killer: What We Know

As intelligence officials scramble to identify the black-clad killer of James Foley, few details have emerged.

This is what is known so far of the Islamic State (IS) militant who appears in a propaganda video that shows the beheading of Mr Foley.

The militant who appears in the video

:: "JOHN"

According to a former hostage cited by the Guardian's Martin Chulov, the man calls himself John.

He appears to be left-handed and of average height and built. 

:: ACCENT

Experts say the man speaks with a southeastern English accent. Some identified it as east London. Other possibilities include Essex and Kent.

The voice is one of the things experts will be looking at as they examine the video. Phonetic software will be employed to highlight obvious characteristics in his voice.

Mr Foley went missing in November 2012. Pic: Jonathan Pedneault

:: BEATLES

Mr Chulov told Sky News that, according to the former hostage, John is one of three Britons who act as the guards of foreign prisoners in the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa.

Some former hostages refer to this group as "The Beatles".

:: NEGOTIATOR

John has been involved in negotiations with relatives of other hostages in the past. He is believed to have conducted negotiations that led to the release of 11 hostages earlier this year. The release was granted in exchange for huge amounts of cash, according to news reports. 

His face has never been shown, either to hostages or to their relatives in Skype conversations during the negotiations.

Mr Foley's killing has been condemned as barbaric

:: LEADER

John appears to be in charge of the group. Mr Chulov described him as the "leader of the pack".

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley said he appears to enjoy a high level of responsibility within the Islamic State. "This is the interface between IS and the outside world, it's through these hostages.

"Therefore this is a senior figure within it."

:: WELL EDUCATED

The Telegraph reported John was a well-educated, intelligent and highly committed member of IS. Mr Chulov said John likely to have been fighting with IS for at least a year.

:: POSSIBLE MOTIVES

Shiraz Maher, a senior researcher at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, said Mr Foley's beheading is the first time IS has used a "directly confrontational approach" to the Western world.

Other experts noted that using an English-speaking militant in the brutal video is meant to scare the West by showing that IS has the ability to recruit from the West and hit Western targets.

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GCSE Pass Rate Falls For Second Year Running

The overall GCSE pass rate has fallen for the second year running amid concerns changes to the exam system would hit results.

But the proportion of GCSE exams awarded at least a C grade has risen, official figures show.

Just over two thirds (68.8%) of entries scored A*-C, up 0.7 percentage points on last summer, according to statistics published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

The A*-G pass rate is down 0.3 percentage points to 98.5% from 98.8% in 2013.

The proportion of entries awarded the highest grade has also fallen slightly, with 6.7% gaining an A*, down from 6.8% last year.

There have been improvements in maths results, but English grades are down

It is the third year in a row that this has dropped.

Changes to the exam system brought in by Education Secretary Michael Gove have led to warnings of "volatility" in this year's results.

These include the removal of speaking and listening assessments from English and having less coursework, placing more importance on end-of-year exams.

Pupils have also been stopped from sitting exams early for some course units, which facilitated resits.

There are concerns the so-called "Gove effect" could threaten students chances of getting into a top university or even sixth-form college.

Michael Gove introduced a series of changes to GCSE exams

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), which represents many secondary school leaders, said: "There are individual students who last year, or the year before, with the same work, might have got a higher grade."

Results for England, Wales and Northern Ireland showed a sharp drop in English grades, with 61.7% of entries scoring A*-C, down 1.9% from last summer.

This is believed to be the biggest drop in the qualification's history.

Meanwhile, maths saw an opposite result, with 62.4% of entries gaining an A*-C grade, up a massive 4.8% on 2013.

Pupils in Birmingham get their grades

The statistics also revealed the gender gap has widened at grade C and above this year, with 73.1% of girls' entries scoring A*-C compared with 64.3% of boys'.

Michael Turner, director general of the JCQ, said: "There has been a significant amount of change to the system this year and although UK level figures are relatively stable we expect more schools and colleges to see volatility in their results."

Defending the Government's school reforms, Education Minister Nick Gibb told Sky News said: "Our education system can't remain static.

"It has to improve, it has to compete with the improving standards in other countries around the world."

He added: "In terms of volatility, we have ended this absurdity where students were being repeatedly entered for re-sits and early entry, and schools that were over-reliant on that approach will have seen some volatility in their results.

"By ending this obsession with the exam treadmill we have given more time for teachers to teach and students to learn."

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MH17 Victim Liam Sweeney's Funeral Held

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Grief-stricken relatives have said farewell at the funeral for the first of 10 Britons killed onboard the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.

Hundreds of mourners, including Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew and team captain Fabricio Coloccini, packed St Mary's Catholic Cathedral in the heart of the city for a service in memory of 28-year-old supermarket worker Liam Sweeney.

Mr Sweeney's father Barry (centre) carries his coffin

Football fanatic Mr Sweeney and his friend John Alder, 63, died while on their way to New Zealand to watch Newcastle United play in pre-season friendly matches.

They were among 298 passengers and crew killed when the aircraft was apparently brought down in Ukraine last month. 

Friends read poetry reflecting Mr Sweeney's devotion to football before the funeral procession passed Newcastle's St James Park on its way to a private crematorium service. 

Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini (L) and manager Alan Pardew

The club has announced the creation of an Alder-Sweeney Memorial Garden outside the stadium as a permanent feature.

In the cathedral sermon Canon Robert Spence described the fan as "a gentle giant" from a close family who "deserved his place in Geordie mythology".

He referred to his "passion for all things related to Newcastle United" and said that he would attend not only first-team home and away matches but also under-21 games while "filling the gaps" by watching local matches refereed by his father Barry.

Newcastle United is creating a memorial garden for the fan and his friend

Prayers were said for all victims of the MH17 tragedy.

Dutch-led forensic teams are still working to identify the remains of many of the flight's passengers.

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Letter Bomb Attacks: Four Held In Londonderry

Four people have been arrested over several attempted letter bomb attacks, including a number targeting Army recruitment offices.

Detectives made the arrests in Londonderry, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said.

The two men, 35 and 46, and two women, 21 and 44, have been taken to the PSNI's Serious Crime Suite in Antrim.

Devices described as crude but potentially explosive were mailed to seven Army careers offices in southeast England in February.

They were discovered in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury, Aldershot, Reading, Chatham and the Queensmere shopping centre in Slough.

Last October, another series of letter bombs were sent to high profile political and security figures, including one addressed to Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers at Stormont Castle in Belfast.

In March this year, two more devices were intercepted at postal sorting offices in Lisburn and Derry. 

Both were addressed to Maghaberry high security prison in Co Antrim.

None of the devices exploded.

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Cliff Richard Pulls Out Of Portugal Ceremony

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent In Portugal

Sir Cliff Richard has pulled out of a ceremony where he was to be awarded the Keys of the City of Albufeira near his holiday home in Portugal.

The millionaire pop star, who is facing an historical sex assault allegation, was to receive the region's top civic honour on Wednesday.

A dozen others were given medals of merit during a day of celebrations to mark the granting of an ancient charter.

Sir Cliff told officials he would not be there and stayed in his villa in the hills above the Algarve resort where he has had a summer home for more than 50 years.

Mayor Carlos Silva e Sousa told Sky News: "Cliff was to receive the gold Key of the City because he is a distinguished member of Albufeira.

The claim relates to an event held by preacher Billy Graham in 1985

"He is not here today because it is his choice, but we have kept the invitation and hope to give him his award some time."

The city's full council voted in secret and unanimously to make the award two weeks ago.

The mayor said Sir Cliff had planned to attend the ceremony but sent a message recently to say he had to decline the invitation.

Mr Silva e Sousa added that he was aware of the police investigation into an allegation that Sir Cliff had sexually assaulted a young boy at an evangelical rally in Sheffield in 1985.

He said: "I don't know why he is not here. It doesn't change my opinion of him. We are very proud of him. He is a big man."

Police searched Sir Cliff's home in Berkshire last week

Officials said they had agreed with Sir Cliff's decision because his presence would have overshadowed the ceremony.

The medals of merit were awarded to three individuals - one posthumously - and nine organisations who were said to have promoted Albufeira around the world.

Sir Cliff bought his first villa here in 1961 in a resort that has become popular with British holidaymakers.

Twenty years ago he bought a bigger home and planted a vineyard on a plot near a bigger estate where he makes his own wine in partnership with a friend.

He spends several weeks at his Portugal home each summer, usually arriving after visiting the Wimbledon tennis championships and staying until September.

Sir Cliff performs at the O2 Arena in 2009

He has rarely been glimpsed on the 30-acre estate since police raided his UK home in Berkshire last week.

Sir Cliff has also pulled out of a performance at Canterbury Cathedral in September and apologised for the disappointment and inconvenience.

He has described the sex allegation as "completely false" and said he would co-operate with the police investigation.

Detectives said they want to speak to him and are expected to interview him in the next few weeks.

Sir Cliff's close friend Cilla Black said earlier this week she is "absolutely positive" the allegation is untrue.

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Neglectful Parents 'Played Off' Agencies

A couple were able to leave their children malnourished, infested with head lice and living in squalor because they played off the authorities against one another, a report has found.

The report, commissioned by Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board (GSCB), came after the children's parents were found guilty and jailed for neglecting five of their children between 2007 and 2012.

It revealed that teachers, doctors, health professionals and social workers knew about the family over a 16-year period but did not take any formal action until one of the children was admitted to hospital with severe nappy rash.

The senior case review into the family - who cannot be named for legal reasons - found five "missed opportunities" for the authorities to intervene which were not taken because neglect was not treated as seriously as other forms of abuse.

Weeds growing in through the bedroom window

It found 127 recorded contacts between the family and primary health care professionals over a 27-month period.

The children were seen by GPs amid complaints from teachers and health workers that the children were suffering with tooth decay, poor growth and weight gain, delayed development, anaemia, poor hygiene and severe nappy rash.

The review found there was continuing evidence that the parents often turned away health professionals and the mother put her own needs above those of her children.

The children's grandmother admitted her daughter was "manipulative and aggressive" and very controlling, with GPs observing she was very "skilled at playing off one agency against the other".

"One of the most concerning issues in this case is the apparent lack of understanding, at the time, of neglect and its impact by a number of the key professionals working with this family," the report said.

"All of the signs were there, and had been for many years, that these children were suffering or likely to suffer significant harm due to neglect.

The kitchen also shows the dirty conditions the children had to live in

"At the time, there were clear difficulties in ensuring that all of the information on all of the children was available to be considered and drawn together in order to ensure a complete picture.

"A child protection conference would have allowed all the professionals involved to share the history of the family and the current concerns in a setting chaired by an independent person, where the parents could not have decided who was involved and who was not."

David McCallum, chair of the GSCB, said the authorities involved had underestimated the impact of long-term neglect.

"For most of the time when children's social care and other agencies were working with this family, they treated the neglect as a 'child in need' issue and that probably underestimated the extent of the harm those children were suffering," Mr McCallum said.

"One of the real points of learning for all the organisations involved is that neglect can be really, really harmful to children, especially when it's long-term."

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Who Is 'Briton' Who Beheaded James Foley?

Counter-terrorism police in the UK say they are investigating the British-accented Islamic State fighter who beheaded journalist James Foley.

In a video posted by the militant group to social media sites, the man speaks in English as he says US airstrikes are to blame for the killing of the 40-year-old American.

The killer, who is clad in black and covers his face during the video, appears to have a London accent, appears to be left-handed and is of average height.

The Metropolitan Police Service Counter Terrorism Command said it was investigating the contents of the video.

James Foley was made to read out a statement before he was killed

It added: "We would like to remind the public that viewing, downloading or disseminating extremist material within the UK may constitute an offence under Terrorism legislation."

At least 400 people are known to have travelled from the UK to Syria and Iraq to fight for Islamic State (IS) - formerly known as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Concerns have been raised that radicalised young men from Western countries will return to their home nations and could be used to carry out attacks.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sherine Tadros said: "We know that around 400 British nationals have joined IS, probably more than that in the last few months as their recruitment has gone into overdrive.

Abdullah Deghayes was killed while fighting in Syria in May

"They were being used mainly in terms of propaganda, at least for these videos, to try to recruit more British nationals - telling them to join the IS cause.

"Now they are being used in these more serious videos to try to pressure foreign governments - and also people in these countries - to try to pressure their governments not to intervene."

Security agencies, including the FBI and MI5, will be tracking those who have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join the militant organisation.

Radicalisation expert Shiraz Maher told Sky News that Britons were at the "forefront" of the IS conflict and were "not taking a back seat" in the violence.

Crawley father-of-three Abdul Waheed Majeed, 41, became the first Briton suspected of staging a suicide bomb attack when he attacked a jail in Aleppo in February.

Nasser Muthana, centre, has been disowned by his father

In May, 18-year-old Abdullah Deghayes, from Brighton, was killed while fighting in Syria alongside his two brothers Jafar and Amer.

In June, Cardiff students Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan - both 20 - appeared alongside Abdul Raqib Amin, from Aberdeen, in an IS recruitment video urging Westerners to join the fighting.

Amin, 26, was reportedly killed in a gun battle near Ramadi in July, while Ahmed Muthana said he had disowned his two sons, Nasser and Aseel, when they joined IS.

In a message to others thinking of joining the group, he said: "Don't go, they are a fake. The prophet didn't tell anyone to kill people."

And earlier this month, 25-year-old former Primark supervisor Muhammad Hamidur Rahman, from Portsmouth, was reportedly killed while fighting for IS in Syria.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said authorities were closely monitoring those attempting to join IS.

He said: "We have a substantial programme here in the UK which seeks to intercept people who are at risk of being attracted by extremist ideologies.

"We have powers to withdraw passports from people we believe are likely to go and join extremist organisations and commit violence abroad.

"And of course we have powers to arrest them and prosecute them on their return."

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British Toddler Dies After Falling Into Pool

A British toddler has drowned after he fell into a neighbour's swimming pool in Spain.

Two-year-old Theo Lamb was at an apartment next door to his family's property in Mijas Costa, on the Costa del Sol, when the accident occurred.

The boy's father reportedly discovered Theo in the swimming pool, and tried to revive him.

Emergency services were called to the property but the child died at the scene.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has confirmed the death.

"We are aware of the death of a British national on August 18 in Costa del Sol," a spokesman said.

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

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Man Arrested Over Tilbury Container Death

Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a man in connection with the death of an immigrant who was found in a container at Tilbury Docks in Essex.

The 34-year-old, from Limavady in County Londonderry, was arrested just after midday on the A1 at Banbridge on suspicion of manslaughter and facilitating illegal entry.

He is currently in the custody of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) ahead of being returned to England for questioning by Essex Police.

Mr Kapoor was one of 35 Afghan Sikhs in the container

PSNI officers are also searching his home to help the investigation.

Meet Singh Kapoor, 40, from Afghanistan, was found dead inside the airtight container on a P&O Ferry on Saturday.

He is understood to have died in his children's arms. A post-mortem examination was unable to establish how he died.

Mr Kapoor was one of 35 Afghan Sikhs, including 13 children, from Kabul who were found the container.

The alarm was raised after "banging and screaming" could be heard from the container when it arrived at Tilbury on a ship from Zeebrugge in Belgium on Saturday morning.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore, of Essex Police, said: "This is a fast-moving investigation which has already involved a number of police forces and law enforcement agencies from across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Tilbury Docks is east of the capital

"I am very grateful to officers from the PSNI for their assistance this morning.

"We will continue to work closely with all of our policing colleagues as we pursue our investigation to bring those responsible for this crime to justice."

Those who survived the ordeal are now applying for asylum in the UK and under the care of the Home Office.

"We are continuing to provide expert support, along with the National Crime Agency, to the Essex Police investigation into the discovery of 35 people in a container at the port of Tilbury on Saturday," a Home Office spokesman said.

"This tragic incident is a reminder of the devastating human consequences of illegal migration and we will do all we can to help bring those responsible to justice."

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Inflation Drops More Than Expected In July

The two measures of UK inflation have dropped more than expected in July, prompted by discounting on the high street.

According to official data, the Retail Prices Index (RPI) stood at 2.5% and the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) was 1.6%.

Economists had expected a CPI rate of around 1.8%, after official figures showed a June rate of 1.9%.

CPI now appears to be headed back towards May's figure of 1.5%, which at the time was the lowest level for four-and-a-half years.

Inflation has been below the Bank of England (BoE) 2% target for seven straight months - the first time this has occurred since 2005.

The RPI, which unlike the other measure includes housing costs, was recorded in June at 2.6%.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the biggest contributor to the slowing annual inflation rate was discounting on the high street for clothing and footwear.

This was because retailers held off on price cuts throughout June.

Food and non-alcoholic drinks also fell year-on-year, and the CPI was also eased by falling spirits and wine prices.

The ONS said the average house price in London is now £499,000

Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told Sky News: "The fact that inflation has been below the Bank of England target for seven consecutive months shows that subdued inflation is now becoming the norm as the economy recovers.

"Eliminating the deficit fairly, and repairing the UK economy remains central to the role of Liberal Democrats in Government.

"These encouraging inflation numbers should give businesses the confidence they need to deliver the investment required to boost productivity. Rising productivity is the only route to sustainable increases in living standards."

The data comes as commuters learned they would face a 3.5% increase in rail fares next year, which uses the RPI figure plus 1% to calculate increases.

The further drop to the CPI eases pressure on the BoE to hike the 0.5% base rate, which has been at its historic low for the last five years.

Meanwhile, the ONS said UK house prices increased by 10.2% in the year to June, reaching a new high average price of £265,000.

House prices in the capital, however, shot up by 19.3% in the year to June.

It calculated the average house price in London at £499,000, and said that "house prices are increasing strongly across most parts of the UK".

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Man Charged Over Murder Of UK Students

A man has been charged with the murders of two British medical students found stabbed to death on Borneo island.

The bodies of 22-year-old Newcastle University students Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger were found on August 6 lying in the road in Kuching, capital of Sarawak state.

The fourth-year students were in the Malaysian part of the island on attachment to a hospital and were due to finish their placements two days after they were killed.

Fisherman Zulkipli Abdullah, 23, could face the death penalty if convicted of their murders.

The students were on a six-week hospital placement in Kuching

A total of five Malaysian men were arrested in connection with the two students' deaths, which police said took place after a bar argument.

The four other suspects are not facing charges, but will be witnesses for the prosecution, according to Sarawak deputy police chief Chai Kin Chung.

Three of them saw the killings and the fourth helped dispose of evidence, he said.

Violent crime against foreign visitors is unusual in the Muslim-majority country.

However, there have been some recent incidents.

The body of 34-year-old British tourist Gareth Huntley was found in early June, days after he had gone missing on the resort island of Tioman.

Tour guides on the island claimed Mr Huntley's throat had been slit, but no official cause of death has been released.

A court last month sentenced to death a Malaysian shopkeeper for the killing of French tourist Stephanie Foray in 2011, also on Tioman.

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Rail Passenger Fares To Rise By 3.5% In 2015

Rail Fare Rises Put Pressure On Chancellor

Updated: 1:00pm UK, Tuesday 19 August 2014

By Tadhg Enright, Business Reporter

Hundreds of thousands of train commuters are facing ticket price increases of 3.5% from next January - almost three times the rate of average wage growth - increasing pressure on the Chancellor.

Annual fare increases are based on the retail price index for July, a measure of inflation which includes housing costs, which the Office for National Statistics has calculated at 2.5%.

Rail companies are allowed to increase fares at a rate of July Retail Prices Index plus 1%, which means that most rail users travel costs will go up by 3.5%. However, on a limited number of routes, fares can be increased by a further 2%.

Based on the Bank of England's recent forecast that average wages will increase by 1.25% this year, it means that commuters will have to spend more of their disposable income on getting to work.

Martin Abrams, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: "By deliberately ramping up rail fares, [the]Government is hitting the living standards of everyone who relies on the train to get to work.

"There are the large numbers of rail commuters living in marginal constituencies. They will be looking to Government to bring a permanent end to this annual fiasco."

The Government is being urged to revise its rules for fare increases.

Passenger Focus said despite expensive commuter fares, occasional travellers can get some of the cheapest fares in Europe - if bookings are made several months in advance.

It said British rail operators are increasingly using an airline-style pricing structure, with last-minute bookings much higher in price.

But the minister responsible, Claire Perry MP, told Sky News that above inflation increases are needed to fund the redevelopment of the country's rail infrastructure.

"There is an unprecedented investment and it is a rail renaissance," Ms Perry said.

"The challenge is making sure fares are fair and commuters can travel in comfort."

Protests have been organised at more than 40 train stations around the country by trade union activists, who say it is another reflection on how privatisation has failed and consumers would be better served by bringing back British Rail.

"People will simply be priced off the railways while the greedy train operating companies are laughing all the way to the bank," RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said.

"We are once again ratcheting up the highest rail fares in Europe to travel on some of the most clapped-out and overcrowded services."

Last year, in his Autumn Statement, Chancellor George Osborne intervened to limit this past year's increase to just the RPI figure.

Campaigners have warned that, with a General Election looming next spring, he will come under pressure to do so again.

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'Dehydrated Stowaways' Found In Somerset Lorry

Twenty people suffering from dehydration have been found in the back of a lorry stopped at a service station in Somerset.

Avon and Somerset Police said the vehicle was stopped at 1pm by the Southfields roundabout on the A303 near Ilminster.

The people found inside the lorry are receiving treatment but police have yet to establish their nationality. There are no reports of any arrests.

Officers said they were working with immigration authorities to investigate how the people got on board.

Chard and Ilminster reporter Daniel Milligan, reporting from the scene, said: "There appears to be 20 or 30 people in the back of the HGV.

"There's a heavy police presence at the scene and it also looks like people are not being allowed in or out of the Travelodge at the services."

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: "We stopped a lorry at a service station off the A303 at Southfields Roundabout at about 1pm, which contained a group of 20 people who are currently being treated by paramedics for possible dehydration.

"Their health and welfare is paramount as we try to piece together with the immigration authorities exactly what has happened."

The discovery comes after the death of Meet Singh Kapoor, 40, from Afghanistan, who was found dead inside a container at Tilbury Docks in Essex on Saturday.

The rest of the 34-strong group of Afghan Sikhs from Kabul, which included 13 children, survived the ordeal. 

More follows...

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Westminster 'Can't Stop Scotland Keeping Pound'

Westminster cannot stop Scotland using the pound if it were to split from the rest of the UK, says Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.

The Scottish Government insists it will keep the pound in a formal currency union with the remainder of the UK - despite it being ruled out by all UK parties.

The SNP is coming under sustained pressure to reveal what its "Plan B" on currency would be.

The Scottish Government's Fiscal Commission proposed a range of alternatives to using the pound - including a new independent currency, joining the euro and the informal use the pound using a process called "sterlingisation".

But Mr Salmond has told Sky News: "The other Westminster parties can't stop Scotland using the pound, using sterling.

"What they could do is deny us access to the Bank of England, to the financial assets of the country.

"The reason they won't do that of course is that if they took all the assets they would end up with all the liabilities - that's all the ginormous debt that the likes of George Osborne and Alistair Darling built up and they aren't going to do that because that would be the equivalent of giving every Scot a present of a thousand pounds a year."

But Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, launching the latest stage of the Better Together campaign in Glasgow, said people wanted answers from the First Minister on the currency.

He said: "We know that the capital would be Edinburgh, we know that the flag would be the saltire but we don't know what the currency would be.

"Burying his head in the sand at this point is a bit like digging a hole that is deeper for him in the coming days."

With a month to go before vote, a new poll has indicated support for an independent Scotland is growing.

Research by YouGov shows that 38% would vote Yes to independence - the highest level since the pollster started recording.

But the No campaign still has a clear majority, with 51% intending to vote to keep Scotland in the UK.

Those who say they are undecided has fallen to just 11%.

The poll came as the National Australia Bank (NAB) - the owner of Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks - became the latest business to warn of the risks it faces from Scottish independence.

NAB said a Yes vote could bring "significant additional costs" and that it had made contingency plans should Scotland split from the UK.

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Julian Assange Will Leave Embassy 'Soon'

What Has Julian Assange's WikiLeaks Achieved?

Updated: 1:22pm UK, Monday 18 August 2014

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

Four years ago, WikiLeaks was the future of whistleblowing and perhaps even journalism - a new era in transparency and accountability.

The Afghanistan and Iraq war logs, supplied by Chelsea Manning and published by WikiLeaks, dominated the news.

US Vice President Joe Biden called the website's founder Julian Assange "a terrorist".

Even before Mr Assange sought refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, WikiLeaks had grown quiet, though, offering fewer agenda-setting scoops and, instead, more esoteric revelations.

'Trade in Services Agreement - Financial Services Annex', anyone?

It still aimed for large-scale leaks, but it disappointed.

Last year, it released 1.7 million diplomatic and intelligence papers. From the 1970s.

WikiLeaks' Twitter feed - thought to be run by Mr Assange - also became unhinged.

It ranted when The Guardian chose Malala Yousafzai as its person of the year to suit the newspaper's "pro-war" agenda.

It also said that the attacks on the US embassy in Benghazi were justified by UK's police presence outside the Ecuadorian embassy. 

In the meantime, another whistleblower has found more notoriety - and had more impact - than Mr Assange ever did.

Edward Snowden may also be holed up under the protection of a foreign government, but he continues to shape the news agenda.

Like Mr Assange, he also worked with mainstream media organisations like The Guardian and the New York Times. 

If WikiLeaks was about "exploiting the scale, reach and immunity afforded by the network of the internet", as Charlie Beckett has written, Mr Snowden went either one step forwards or backwards.

Backwards, because he worked with newspapers, just like an old-fashioned whistleblower.

Forwards, because thanks to his technical prowess, he was able to make off with millions of documents - information on the network scale - and, thanks to a pretty savvy manipulation of modern communications tools, he continues to influence events remotely.

Essentially, he played the same role as Chelsea Manning, but has managed to control the story a lot better.

Mr Snowden didn't need WikiLeaks to help with any of that, which must aggrieve Mr Assange. 

Even if Mr Assange does leave the embassy, it probably won't mean the rejuvenation of WikiLeaks. The story has moved on and it hasn't.

But its influence is still considerable.

Every news organisation now has their own take on WikiLeaks' dead drop boxes for electronic documents.

And the power of gathering vast troves of information, then using sophisticated search and tagging techniques to comb them, has become part of journalism. 

While Mr Assange spent two years watching box sets of The Twilight Zone and The West Wing, others have been getting on with WikiLeaks' stated aim: "To bring important news and information to the public."

And they've been using the techniques pioneered by WikiLeaks to do it.

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Cameron Admits Policies Have 'Hurt Families'

All government policies will have to pass a "family test" under plans announced by David Cameron.

The Prime Minister used a speech to admit children and parents have often suffered as the result of legislation.

From October, Whitehall impact assessments for policies will have to formally consider their effects on families, alongside factors such as cost effectiveness and the environment.

Mr Cameron also unveiled figures that showed adoptions have increased by a quarter following efforts to improve the system - and a doubling of funding for relationship counselling through Relate, to £19.5m.

"I want every government department to be held to account for the impact of their policies on the family," the PM said.

"The reality is that in the past the family just hasn't been central to the way government thinks.

"So you get a whole load of policy decisions which take no account of the family and sometimes make these things worse.

"Whether it's the benefits system incentivising couples to live apart or penalising those who go out to work or whether it's excessive bureaucracy preventing loving couples from adopting children with no family at all.

"We can't go on having government taking decisions like this which ignore the impact on the family.

"I said previously that we would introduce a family test into government. Now that test is being formalised as part of the impact assessment for all domestic policies.

"Put simply, that means every single domestic policy that government comes up with will be examined for its impact on the family."

Education Minister Nick Boles told Sky News: "It basically will say if you have got a policy, you want to get it through, you have got to be able to demonstrate with evidence that this policy is going to be help families and not in any way do anything to undermine families, and that actually a very powerful tool in government to make sure all policies are furthering that goal."

Mr Cameron's speech comes as the Government prepares to launch an extension of its programme to tackle troubled families, set up by the Prime Minister following the 2011 riots across English cities.

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Cameron: 'We Are Not Going To War In Iraq'

David Cameron has insisted that Britain will not be getting involved in a war in Iraq to fight "monstrous" jihadists.

He spoke out after reports Britain had briefly sent some ground troops to Irbil, to prepare the way for a rescue mission to help displaced Yazidi people.

His comments came amid reports that Kurdish troops have retaken large parts of the strategic Mosul Dam from Islamic militants.

The UK is considering arming peshmerga troops fighting IS extremists

Peshmerga fighters have been battling Islamic State fighters, with the aid of US airstrikes, after the dam was seized by the militants 10 days ago.

The Islamic State group denied they had lost control of the dam and there were reports of fierce fighting on the southern side of the facility.

At least 170 bombs have been dismantled around the dam but many more remain, said army spokesman Lt Gen Qassim al-Moussawi.

 Army spokesmna Arr AAA Al-Moussawi said forces had "hoisted the Iraqi flag over" the dam, which holds great strategic value, supplying water and electricity to much of the country.

A US airstrike against an IS position near Mosul Dam

This morning, Mr Cameron made a strongly worded statement amid confusion over the UK's involvement in Iraq after a series of media interviews by senior ministers. 

He said: "I want to be absolutely clear to you and to families watching at home. Britain is not going to get involved in another war in Iraq.

"We are not going to be putting boots on the ground. We are not going to be sending in the British Army."

Mr Cameron has previously conceded that Britain's role will go beyond humanitarian aid and involve limited action to prevent violence spreading to British streets.

Michael Fallon says Britain's involvement could last 'weeks and months'

But he said: "So we are helping the Kurds, we are working with the Iraqi government to make sure it is more representative of the whole country.

"We do want to have, and we do have, a fully worked through strategy for helping allies to deal with this monstrous organisation, IS."

Mr Cameron appeared on television after Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said the UK's Iraq mission would likely last "weeks and months".

Mr Fallon was addressing British troops in Cyprus as it emerged that UK soldiers have been back on the ground in Iraq for the first time since 2009.

Sheikh Khalah Sheikh Alyas: 'IS killed our young people'

The soldiers, from the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire regiment, were briefly sent to Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, to prepare the way for a Yazidi rescue mission.

It is understood the rescue operation would involve Chinook helicopters and the ground troops remained in the country for only 24 hours.

Sky News Political Correspondent Anushka Asthana said the UK's position on Iraq was "a little confusing" after various newspaper and TV interviews by the PM and Mr Fallon.

Asthana said some had interpreted the PM's commitment to providing more than humanitarian aid in Iraq as meaning there would be military action.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said discussions with the Kurdish regional government were focusing on what weapons to supply Kurdish troops.

Islamic State militants have so far killed dozens of Kurdish peshmerga fighters and captured 170 of them, a Twitter site that supports the group said on Monday.

Kurdish officials will take part in negotiations on forming a new Iraqi government, according to the outgoing foreign minister Hoshiyar Zebari.

It paves the way for improved ties between Kurds and the central administration.

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Sabrina Moss: Three Guilty Of Kilburn Murder

Three men have been found guilty of murdering a nursery teacher as she celebrated her 24th birthday.

Sabrina Moss was gunned down near a fast food restaurant in Kilburn, north London, in an attack by two hooded men armed with a machine gun and a shotgun.

The mother-of-one was shot in the heart and died in hospital from her injuries.

She and friend Sabrina Gachette were both caught in the crossfire of a "deep-seated" bloody drugs turf war as they sheltered from the rain with a group of 15 others under a shop awning by the Woody Grill on August 24, last year.

Jurors at the Old Bailey in central London heard they were not the intended targets and were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Miss Gachette, who was hit in the back by more than 50 gunshot pellets, survived to give evidence during the 10-week trial.

The 25-year-old said: "There was no warning. I thought someone had thrown a brick at me. Then because of the explosion I thought it was a firework.

Police at the scene of the shooting in Kilburn last summer

"Sabrina was in front of me and that was when I heard her say she had been shot in her heart. That is the last thing I remember hearing her say.

"You hear of stabbings, gangland murders - you don't expect people to do things like this when there are innocent people around.

"It's scary to think that you are just out minding your own business and someone can creep up behind you and do something like that."

Jurors on Monday found drug dealers Hassan Hussain, 29, of Willsden; Yasin James, 20, of Wembley and Martell Warren, 23, of Kensall Green, all in London, guilty of Miss Moss's murder and the attempted murder of Miss Gachette.

Their intended targets were members of the South Kilburn Gang - and Miss Moss, who was dressed in a bright red dress and high heels - would have stood out from the crowd like a beacon in the night, jurors were told.

Nevertheless, Hussain discharged the Mac 10 "spray and pray" machine gun six times and James fired both barrels of the shotgun at near point blank range before fleeing the scene in a car driven by Warren.

Jurors heard Warren was a convicted drug dealer and a member of the Kensal Green Boys or Bloods, known as the KGB, while Hussain had a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm and was jailed for five years for stabbing his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend six times.

The trio were also found guilty of the attempted murder of Mahad Ahmed and Edson Da'Silva, possession of a Mac 10 machine gun with intent to endanger life, and possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life.

In addition, along with a fourth defendant - Simon Baptiste, 29, from Cricklewood - they were found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm between August 22 and August 25 last year.

Miss Gachette said afterwards: "Justice has not only been served for us as victims, it has been done for the community - there are violent people off the streets."

All three will be sentenced on September 12.

More follows...

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Police Hunt Lorry Driver In CCTV Footage

Belgian police have said they are almost certain they have CCTV images of the lorry and driver that dropped a container carrying 35 immigrants at a UK-bound ferry.

Crews discovered the group of Afghan Sikhs - thought to be victims of human trafficking - when "banging and screaming" was heard at Tilbury Docks in Essex.

One man was found dead and others were taken to hospital suffering from severe dehydration and hypothermia.

Thirty of them have already been discharged and the other four were expected to be allowed to leave later in the day.

Police at Tilbury Docks after the discovery of the container

Interpol and other international forces are now helping Essex Police trace the lorry's route across Europe and find the suspected traffickers.

Peter De Waele, a spokesman for Belgium's federal police, told Sky News that detectives were checking "every image" of CCTV from Zeebrugge port.

"We have a lot of cameras and we are very hopeful for having information about identification of the driver.

"When you know that in this area there are a lot of cameras, you know also that we have plenty of information about the truck and the driver, and the firm who put the container in Zeebrugge."

Mr De Waele said the container was only at the busy port for about an hour and police believe the victims were probably already inside when it arrived.

Essex Police have launched a "homicide" investigation after the death of the male immigrant and detectives said charges could include murder or manslaughter.

They will speak to the survivors over the coming days.

Superintendent Trevor Roe, of Essex Police, said: "The welfare and health of the people is our priority at this stage.

Basildon Hospital says 18 of the group can be discharged. Pic: File

"Now they are well enough, our officers and colleagues from the Border Force will be speaking to them via interpreters so we can piece together what happened and how they came to be in the container.

"We have had a good deal of help from partners within the local Sikh community in the Tilbury area to ensure that these poor people, who would have been through a horrific ordeal, are supported in terms of their religious and clothing needs."

Information on the ages of the immigrants or the relationship between them has not yet been released.

The container was loaded onto a ship in Zeebrugge

The group were found at 7.35am on Saturday when the Norsteam, a commercial ship run by P&O Ferries, was being unloaded in Tilbury.

Natalie Hardy, a company spokeswoman, said the ship had travelled overnight from Belgium and was carrying 64 containers, 72 trailers and five lorries and drivers.

"When they went to unload containers there was a noise heard, a banging. One unfortunately was dead and others were taken to hospital."

James Brokenshire MP, immigration and security minister, has called the incident a "reminder of the often devastating human consequences of illegal migration" and said gangs are dealing in a "brutal trade in human lives".

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Legal Highs 'More Lethal Than Heroin' Warning

Glastonbury Backs Legal Highs Blackout Campaign

Updated: 2:50pm UK, Tuesday 06 May 2014

The Glastonbury festival website has been blacked out in support of a campaign against so-called "legal highs".

Visitors to the festival's website saw a light bulb and the message: "Don't Be In the Dark About Legal Highs."

It is part of a campaign called Don't Be In The Dark by members of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF).

Upon clicking the light bulb, information on "legal highs" appeared, allowing users to find out more about them or go to the normal page.

More than 20 other festivals, who have already banned "legal highs" at their events, took part by blacking out their websites and not posting anything on social media accounts.

They were: T in the Park, Bestival, Lovebox, Global Gathering, Secret Garden Party, Sonisphere, We Are FSTVL, 2000trees, ArcTanGent, Kendal Calling, Festibelly, Blissfields, Truck, Brownstock, Y Not Festival, Tramlines, Belladrum Tartan Heart, Hebridean Celtic Festival, Leefest, Nozstock, Wakestock, Shambala, Glasgow Summer Sessions, Parklife and Eden Sessions.

"Legal highs" are designed to produce similar effects to illegal drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy, but are not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

This is because many are advertised as "not for human consumption" and sold as bath salts, research chemicals or plant food.

AIF co-founder and vice chair Ben Turner said "legal highs" are a "serious concern".

He said: "The substances have managed to fly under-the-radar purely by evolving faster than the monitoring bodies can regulate.

"Banning it at our festivals is only part of the battle however, we need to make fans aware of the dangers of legal highs and help them make safer choices when having fun on site."

Maryon Stewart, founder of the Angelus Foundation, which warns of the dangers of the substances, said: "Legal highs are a huge but hidden problem because young people are acting in ignorance and no-one is measuring the harms.

"As the lead organisation raising awareness of these substances, Angelus is delighted the festivals are taking the issue seriously and helping to keep their audiences safe."

The Reading and Leeds festivals, which are not members of the AIF, banned "legal highs" last year.

A report released earlier this year showed that there has been a large rise in the number of deaths linked to them.

The number of cases in which novel psychoactive substances were identified as the cause of death rose from 10 in 2009 to 68 in 2012.

The research by St George's, University of London, also showed the prevalence of the drugs in post-mortem toxicology tests increased from 12 in 2009 to 97 in 2012 - a jump of 800%.

The government has launched a review into the substances which will consider whether legislation is necessary to protect public health.

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PM Warns Of Terror State On Europe's Doorstep

'Poisonous Extremism' Warning

Updated: 10:57pm UK, Saturday 16 August 2014

By David Cameron, Letter In The Sunday Telegraph

Stability. Security. The peace of mind that comes from being able to get a decent job and provide for your family, in a country that you feel has a good future ahead of it and that treats people fairly.

In a nutshell, that is what people in Britain want - and what the Government I lead is dedicated to building.

Britain - our economy, our security, our future - must come first.

After a deep and damaging recession, and our involvement in long and difficult conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is hardly surprising that so many people say to me when seeing the tragedies unfolding on their television screens: "Yes, let's help with aid, but let's not get any more involved."

I agree that we should avoid sending armies to fight or occupy.

But we need to recognise that the brighter future we long for requires a long-term plan for our security as well as for our economy.

True security will only be achieved if we use all our resources - aid, diplomacy, our military prowess - to help bring about a more stable world.

Today, when every nation is so immediately interconnected, we cannot turn a blind eye and assume that there will not be a cost for us if we do.

The creation of an extremist caliphate in the heart of Iraq and extending into Syria is not a problem miles away from home.

Nor is it a problem that should be defined by a war 10 years ago. It is our concern here and now.

Because if we do not act to stem the onslaught of this exceptionally dangerous terrorist movement, it will only grow stronger until it can target us on the streets of Britain.

We already know that it has the murderous intent. Indeed, the first Isis-inspired terrorist acts on the continent of Europe have already taken place.

Our first priority has of course been to deal with the acute humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

We should be proud of the role that our brave armed services and aid workers have played in the international effort.

British citizens have risked their lives to get 80 tons of vital supplies to the Yazidis trapped on Mount Sinjar.

It is right that we use our aid programme to respond rapidly to a situation like this: Britain has given £13 million to support the aid effort.

We also helped to plan a detailed international rescue operation and we remain ready and flexible to respond to the ongoing challenges in or around Dahuk, where more than 450,000 people have increased the population by 50 per cent.

But a humanitarian response alone is not enough. We also need a broader political, diplomatic and security response.

For that, we must understand the true nature of the threat we face.

We should be clear: this is not the "War on Terror", nor is it a war of religions. It is a struggle for decency, tolerance and moderation in our modern world.

It is a battle against a poisonous ideology that is condemned by all faiths and by all faith leaders, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim.

Of course there is conflict between Shias and Sunnis, but that is the wrong way to see what is really happening.

What we are witnessing is actually a battle between Islam on the one hand and extremists who want to abuse Islam on the other.

These extremists, often funded by fanatics living far away from the battlefields, pervert the Islamic faith as a way of justifying their warped and barbaric ideology - and they do so not just in Iraq and Syria but right across the world, from Boko Haram and al-Shabaab to the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

So this threat cannot simply be removed by airstrikes alone. We need a tough, intelligent and patient long-term approach that can defeat the terrorist threat at source.

First, we need a firm security response, whether that is military action to go after the terrorists, international co-operation on intelligence and counter-terrorism or uncompromising action against terrorists at home.

On Friday we agreed with our European partners that we will provide equipment directly to the Kurdish forces; we are now identifying what we might supply, from body armour to specialist counter-explosive equipment.

We have also secured a United Nations Security Council resolution to disrupt the flows of finance to Isis, sanction those who are seeking to recruit for it and encourage countries to do all they can to prevent foreign fighters joining the extremist cause.

Here in Britain we have recently introduced stronger powers through our Immigration Act to deprive naturalised Britons of their citizenship if they are suspected of being involved in terrorist activities.

We have taken down 28,000 pieces of terrorist-related material from the web, including 46 Isis-related videos.

And I have also discussed the police response to this growing threat of extremism with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

The position is clear. If people are walking around with Isis flags or trying to recruit people to their terrorist cause, they will be arrested and their materials will be seized.

We are a tolerant people, but no tolerance should allow the room for this sort of poisonous extremism in our country.

Alongside a tough security response, there must also be an intelligent political response. We know that terrorist organisations thrive where there is political instability and weak or dysfunctional political institutions.

So we must support the building blocks of democracy - the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, the rights of minorities, free media and association and a proper place in society for the army.

None of these things can be imposed by the West. Every country must make its own way. But we can and must play a valuable role in supporting them to do that.

Isis militants have exploited the absence of a unified and representative government in Baghdad. So we strongly welcome the opportunity of a new start with Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Haider al-Abadi.

I spoke to him earlier this week and assured him that we will support any attempts to forge a genuinely inclusive government that can unite all Iraqi communities - Sunnis, Shias and Kurds - against the common enemy of Isis, which threatens the way of life of them all.

The international community will rally around this new government. But Iraq's neighbours in the region are equally vital.

So we must work with countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the UAE, Egypt and Turkey against these extremist forces, and perhaps even with Iran, which could choose this moment to engage with the international community against this shared threat.

I want Britain to play a leading role in this diplomatic effort. So we will be appointing a Special Representative to the Kurdistan Regional Government and using the Nato summit in Wales and the United Nations General Assembly in New York to help rally support across the international community.

Finally, while being tough and intelligent, we must also be patient and resolute. We are in the middle of a generational struggle against a poisonous and extremist ideology, which I believe we will be fighting for the rest of my political lifetime.

We face in Isis a new threat that is single-minded, determined and unflinching in pursuit of its objectives.

Already it controls not just thousands of minds, but thousands of square miles of territory, sweeping aside much of the boundary between Iraq and Syria to carve out its so-called caliphate.

It makes no secret of its expansionist aims. Even today it has the ancient city of Aleppo firmly within its sights.

And it boasts of its designs on Jordan and Lebanon, and right up to the Turkish border. If it succeeds, we would be facing a terrorist state on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a Nato member.

This is a clear danger to Europe and to our security.

It is a daunting challenge. But it is not an invincible one, as long as we are now ready and able to summon up the political will to defend our own values and way of life with the same determination, courage and tenacity as we have faced danger before in our history.

That is how much is at stake here: we have no choice but to rise to the challenge.

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Murder Suspect Released From Prison By Mistake

An inquiry is under way after a man awaiting trial for murder was released from jail by mistake, despite protesting to prison officers that he was supposed to be on his way to court.

Martynas Kupstysj, 25, was waiting in line at Lincoln prison when prison staff handed over his belongings and informed him he was a free man.

Despite telling them that he was due in court with other inmates he was escorted outside and told he could leave.

A confused Mr Kupstysj spent the next few hours wandering around Lincoln city centre while prison officers who realised their mistake launched a frantic search for him.

Prison staff eventually spotted the inmate waiting at a bus stop outside the prison and he was taken back into custody.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson confirmed the prisoner had been freed by mistake.

"A prisoner from Lincoln was released in error on 8 August. The police were notified immediately and he was arrested within hours. An investigation by a senior governor has been launched," she said.

"We take public protection extremely seriously and this type of incident is a very rare but regrettable occurrence."

HMP Lincoln governor Peter Wright told the Lincolnshire Echo the mix-up was "a very grave matter".

"An independent investigation has been launched by the prison service," he said.

"This should not happen. I've made dramatic changes already. It was a fundamental breach of what we are here to do."

Lithuanian Mr Kupstysj is charged, along with his brother-in-law Andrus Giedraitis, with the murder of 24-year-old Latvian Ivans Zdanovics, whose body was found following a fire at his Lincolnshire home in January.

Mr Kupstysj's wife Sandra Giedraityte, 28, is charged with perverting the course of justice.

The men will now face a retrial early next year.

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Blast Of Wintry Weather Hits Parts Of Britain

Parts of Britain are getting an unexpected dose of winter weather as gale force winds send temperatures plunging.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for northern England and Scotland, with Ireland also likely to be affected by gusts which "would not be unusual in the autumn and winter".

Winds of up to 50mph were recorded on Sunday and the conditions were expected to bring a risk of flooding for some areas.

Coastal areas have been put on alert for "large waves" and forecasters have warned transport links could be hit by disruption.

Met Office maps show severe weather warnings for Sunday and Monday

Sky News weather producer Rebecca Yussuf said: "It will be unseasonably windy for the rest of Sunday and into Monday, especially in northern parts of the UK and Ireland.

"We're likely to see gale force gusts reaching 50mph, which could bring disruption to transport and outdoor activities.

"The winds will be accompanied by heavy showers that will bring a risk of localised flooding." 

The wet and chilly conditions are expected to continue into the early part of the week, with yellow "be aware" warnings in place for Monday.

Strong winds will cause temperatures to fall to well below average for late summer.

Met office spokesman Calum Maccoll said there could even be frost in parts of Scotland as temperatures approach zero later in the week.

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Police Hunt Lorry Driver In CCTV Footage

Belgian police have said they are almost certain they have CCTV images of the lorry and driver that dropped a container carrying 35 immigrants at a UK-bound ferry.

Crews discovered the group of Afghan Sikhs - thought to be victims of human trafficking - when "banging and screaming" was heard at Tilbury Docks in Essex.

One man was found dead and others were taken to hospital suffering from severe dehydration and hypothermia.

Thirty of them have already been discharged and the other four were expected to be allowed to leave later in the day.

Police at Tilbury Docks after the discovery of the container

Interpol and other international forces are now helping Essex Police trace the lorry's route across Europe and find the suspected traffickers.

Peter De Waele, a spokesman for Belgium's federal police, told Sky News that detectives were checking "every image" of CCTV from Zeebrugge port.

"We have a lot of cameras and we are very hopeful for having information about identification of the driver.

"When you know that in this area there are a lot of cameras, you know also that we have plenty of information about the truck and the driver, and the firm who put the container in Zeebrugge."

Mr De Waele said the container was only at the busy port for about an hour and police believe the victims were probably already inside when it arrived.

Essex Police have launched a "homicide" investigation after the death of the male immigrant and detectives said charges could include murder or manslaughter.

They will speak to the survivors over the coming days.

Superintendent Trevor Roe, of Essex Police, said: "The welfare and health of the people is our priority at this stage.

Basildon Hospital says 18 of the group can be discharged. Pic: File

"Now they are well enough, our officers and colleagues from the Border Force will be speaking to them via interpreters so we can piece together what happened and how they came to be in the container.

"We have had a good deal of help from partners within the local Sikh community in the Tilbury area to ensure that these poor people, who would have been through a horrific ordeal, are supported in terms of their religious and clothing needs."

Information on the ages of the immigrants or the relationship between them has not yet been released.

The container was loaded onto a ship in Zeebrugge

The group were found at 7.35am on Saturday when the Norsteam, a commercial ship run by P&O Ferries, was being unloaded in Tilbury.

Natalie Hardy, a company spokeswoman, said the ship had travelled overnight from Belgium and was carrying 64 containers, 72 trailers and five lorries and drivers.

"When they went to unload containers there was a noise heard, a banging. One unfortunately was dead and others were taken to hospital."

James Brokenshire MP, immigration and security minister, has called the incident a "reminder of the often devastating human consequences of illegal migration" and said gangs are dealing in a "brutal trade in human lives".

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