Belfast: 26 Police Injured During Clashes

Twenty six police officers have been injured in loyalist rioting as violence linked to a contentious republican parade engulfed Belfast city centre.

Five of the officers required hospital treatment and there were reports that a number of members of the public were also hurt.

Police fired plastic baton rounds and water cannon after coming under attack from loyalists who pelted them with bottles, fireworks and glasses as hundreds of loyalist demonstrators gathered to protest at the rally. 

Officers came under "heavy and sustained attack"

Metal guttering ripped from shop fronts was also used in the violence and several vehicles were set on fire.

Protesters had attempted to block part of the route of the Anti-Internment League parade, which was diverted to avoid the disturbances.

There were some sectarian clashes as the march passed close to loyalist protesters.

Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "Police have come under heavy and sustained attack by crowds intent on creating disorder.

Five offiers required hospital treatment

"As disturbances are continuing I would call upon people of influence in communities and those in political leadership to do all possible to reduce tension.

"As Northern Ireland moves ahead, the effect of tonight's violence has the potential to damage the local economy and the reputation of Belfast as a tourist destination."

The disorder comes after eight officers were injured at a republican anti-internment bonfire near the city centre on Thursday night.

Police said their use of water cannon was a "proportionate" response

Eight people were arrested and at one point, as violence spread to north Belfast, officers were attacked by a man with a sword.

The parade was unable to pass down Royal Avenue as intended. After a significant delay, it did finally proceed along the outskirts of the city centre and onward to west Belfast.

However, trouble continued in its wake.

Steve Pound MP, Labour's Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland, said: "We have seen sad scenes again in Belfast tonight, which have become too familiar over recent months.

Protesters attempted to block part of the route parade

"The vast majority of people across the community will unite to condemn attacks on the police and the public disorder we have seen.

"But unfortunately this is not an isolated occurrence. Northern Ireland can't afford to slip back to causal violence or acceptance of it.

"Both the governments and political leaders in Northern Ireland need to show leadership and address what are becoming far too common scenes."

Last month parts of Belfast were consumed by more rioting, predominantly loyalist, when Orangemen were banned from parading past the nationalist Ardoyne area.

Eight people have been arrested so far

Friday night's republican parade is in protest at the deeply controversial internment policy in place at the height of the Troubles in the 1970s.

It saw mass arrests and detention without trial of hundreds of people suspected of being involved with the IRA.

Parading tensions have also spread to other parts of Northern Ireland with controversy surrounding a planned Sinn Fein-backed commemoration event in the County Tyrone town of Castlederg on Sunday.

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Forced Marriages: Alert Over School Holidays

Teachers, doctors and airport staff have been warned to stay alert to forced marriages over the school holidays.

Summer marks a peak in reports of forced marriage cases, when young people can be taken on "holiday", unaware of the real purpose of the trip, the Home Office said.

Between June and August last year, the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), a joint operation by the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, received more than 400 reports.

The unit is handing out "Marriage: it's your choice" cards to provide help and information to potential victims, pointing them to confidential advice.

Aneeta Prem, the founder of Freedom Charity, said: "The 'Marriage: it's your choice' card is a concise and accessible way to receive information that could save someone's life.

In June and August 2012 the Forced Marriage Unit received 400 reports

"It's vital that young people travelling abroad for a family wedding this summer realise it could be their own wedding they'll be going to - and know who they should contact for help should they find themselves in danger."

The cards remind young people to speak to police or airline staff if they find themselves at an airport with nowhere to turn.

The FMU earlier this year revealed it helped in 1,485 cases of possible forced marriage in 2012, involving 60 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.

The statistics for last year show that of the 744 cases where the age was known, more than 600 involved people under the age of 26.

Crime prevention minister Jeremy Browne said: "The rise in forced marriage reports over the school holidays is shocking.

"Teenagers expecting their GCSE or A-level results should be embarking on a bright future, not condemned to a marriage with someone they have never met and do not want to marry.

"This is a serious abuse of human rights and that is why we are legislating to make it illegal."

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Chris Huhne Lands Top Job At Energy Firm

Disgraced former MP Chris Huhne has landed a lucrative job at a US energy firm just months after being released from prison.

The ex-energy and climate change cabinet secretary has become the European manager of Zilkha Biomass Energy, according to the company's website.

He is reported to be on a salary of £100,000 for the two-day-a-week position, which will raise questions about the links between politics and business.

Huhne and ex-wife Vicky Pryce were released from jail in May after serving 62 days of an eight-month sentence for perverting the course of justice.

They lied about who was driving when the politician was due to receive penalty points in 2003 so that he could avoid a driving ban.

Vicky Pryce is writing a book about prison

The truth emerged only years later after the then senior Lib Dem left his wife of 26 years for another woman and Pryce approached the press to get her revenge.

Huhne finally admitted his guilt on the day his trial was due to start, after failing to have the case thrown out.

Having already resigned from the Cabinet when he was charged, he then quit as a Lib Dem MP and privy councillor.

Pryce pleaded not guilty, claiming she was forced to take the points by her then husband, but her story was ultimately rejected.

Huhne's biography on the Zilkha Biomass website details his work as a Government minister and previous careers in finance and journalism but does not mention his fall from grace.

It says he was appointed in July "with the remit of growing the business in the European Union".

And it hails the politician, once tipped as a future Lib Dem leader, as "one of the pioneers in calling for political action to deal with global warming".

The move has been given the go ahead by the Advisory Commission on Business Appointments, which advises the Prime Minister about former ministers' new jobs.

This is despite him being Energy Secretary until last year and having access to privileged Government information.

According to The Sun, he also met representatives from Zilkha Biomass during his time as Secretary of State.

The committee reportedly concluded that he had not been involved "in the development of policy, award of grants or regulatory work" that might have affected the company.

A spokesman told The Sun that Huhne "was not aware of any contractual relationship between his former department and ZBE and had no access to commercially sensitive information about any competitors".

Huhne had been keeping a low profile since his jail term, which he described as a "humbling and sobering experience".

Both he and Pryce, with whom he has three children, have to wear electronic tags.

Pryce, a former top economist who last month had her honour for government service revoked by the Queen, is working on a book about her experiences called Prisonomics.

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Cancer: 18,000 Patient Files Lost Each Year

Around 18,000 cancer patients have their medical files lost every year in hospitals, while more suffer humiliation at the hands of nurses, according to a charity.

A poll for the charity Macmillan Cancer Support also revealed one in seven (14%) who requested help to go to the toilet said they were forced to wait at least 30 minutes for assistance.

Around 1% said they had been left for at least two hours, while some 12% of patients said they had a toilet accident while waiting for help.

The YouGov survey of 2,217 adults living with cancer also found  that 11% of patients admitted to English hospitals every year have their medical file lost by a doctor or nurse.

The charity estimates around 18,000 of the 170,000 admitted to hospital have their file lost, which could impact on treatment.

More than one in five (21%) of those surveyed said had felt patronised by hospital staff, while 15% of patients said they had felt humiliated by the nurses treating them at some point.

NHS England has been urged not to scrap a cancer patient experience survey

The poll also found that one in 10 patients staying overnight in hospital was examined on an open ward or with the curtain round their bed partly open.

Mike Hobday, director of policy and research at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "The lack of basic care, dignity and respect experienced by cancer patients in hospital is shocking.

"Giving patients a positive experience when they're in hospital is as important as good medical care but sadly there's still a culture in some hospitals where hitting targets is put before the compassionate care of patients."

Mr Hobday called on NHS England not to scrap the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, which is under review.

"The National Cancer Patient Experience Survey has been hugely effective as a warning system for hospitals to improve their care. It is vital that it continues. Not only is it an essential way to drive improvements in cancer care, but it also provides a voice for thousands of cancer patients."

Jane Cummings, NHS England's chief nursing officer, said: "I am committed to taking action to make sure that all patients receive the highest standard of care and that they are always treated with compassion and dignity.

"Our Compassion in Practice strategy sets out exactly how we can deliver the '6Cs' - care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment. These are the core elements of our vision."

She said compassion "comes naturally to the overwhelming majority of staff" but added: "Sadly some people do not have the capacity to be compassionate and caring despite training and support. They have no place in the NHS.

"We only want staff who come to work to make a difference for their patients and are prepared to take personal responsibility for individuals in their care."

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Mafia Boss Could Go Free Over Warrant Concern

A wanted Mafia boss found living in suburbia could walk free today over legal problems with the warrant for his arrest.

Domenico Rancadore, 64, who is wanted by the Italian authorities, was arrested by British police at his home in Uxbridge, west London, on Wednesday under a European Arrest Warrant.

The father-of-two had been living in the UK as a house husband under the alias Marc Skinner since 1993 while his wife, Anne, ran a travel agency to support the family.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court later where District Judge Quentin Purdy will decide whether he can be allowed bail.

During a short appearance at the same court on Thursday, the judge said: "The warrant may be such it has to be discharged.

Ranacadore was arrested at his home in west London on Wednesday

"There are concerns about the validity of the warrant that has come before the court."

Former teacher Rancadore is facing a seven-year term in an Italian jail for being part of a criminal organisation between 1987 and 1995.

He was "a man of honour" in Mafia group Cosa Nostra, controlling Trabia, near Palermo in Sicily, the court heard.

He tried to flee through the back door of his home in Manor Waye when police arrived on Wednesday, but came face to face with a waiting detective constable.

He initially gave police his false name - Skinner is his wife's maiden name - but eventually came clean.

Rancadore, nicknamed "u profissuri" (the teacher) because he was a qualified PE teacher before turning to a life of crime, following in the footsteps of his father Giuseppe, who was also a top Mafia boss and given a life sentence.

He was running a travel agency with his wife and said by Italian police to be "living a golden life" in Britain, with a comfortable home as well as top of the range Jaguar and Mercedes cars.

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Revealed: The UK's Most Wanted Tax Fugitives

By Poppy Trowbridge, Business and Economics Correspondent

A rogues' gallery of the UK's most wanted tax fugitives has been released in an effort to collect hundreds of millions of pounds in unpaid duty.

One year on from releasing the details of the UK's 20 most sought-after tax criminals, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has now added the names and photographs of 10 more fugitives to that original target list.

Those on the list are being pursued for a range of crimes, including VAT fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.

Together, their crimes have cost the taxpayer close to £720m.

Among the new names on the list are Michael "Arthur" Fearon, who is wanted in connection with evasion of excise duty on nearly £8.4m of cigarettes, and is believed to be in the Republic of Ireland.

Chancellor George Osborne says tax evasion 'will not be tolerated'

Anish Anand, who is believed to be in the UK, is wanted in relation to £6m VAT and film tax credit fraud, while Michael George Voudouri is wanted in connection with a £10m VAT fraud. He is believed to be in Northern Cyrpus.

And Sumir Soni (aka John Soni, John Miller, Samir Soni, Bhader Singh), who is believed to be in Kenya, is wanted in connection with evading duty of £3.6m from the illegal sale and distribution of alcohol, and the illegal importation of nine million cigarettes.

Anthony Judge, who was wanted for his role in over £350,000 of tax fraud and had been on the run for 10 years, was detained at Heathrow Airport last month as he attempted to enter the UK on a forged passport.

He is the second of HMRC's most wanted to be captured since the rogues' gallery was first published.

In May, John Nugent was apprehended in the US after the authorities there saw the list.

The gallery has been viewed more than 1.5 million times, with new intelligence received from the public on the current whereabouts of 17 of the 20 named on the original list.

HMRC has also launched an interactive map of the world to illustrate where the tax fugitives are believed to be.

The crimes of those on the list have cost the taxpayer £720m

Chancellor George Osborne said: "Our message is clear, tax fraud and evasion is illegal and will not be tolerated.

"The Government has stepped up HMRC's enforcement activities to enable them to pursue tax cheats relentlessly around the world."

"This new list will help put more tax fraudsters in the spotlight and bring them to justice."

The Chancellor has faced public outrage in recent months over the number of large, multinational corporations operating in Britain that pay little or no corporation tax on earnings which can top billions of pounds each year.

Yet some tax experts say HMRC is missing the real problem in tackling tax avoidance.

Richard Murphy, of Tax Research UK, told Sky News: "The problem is very large companies who aren't paying very large amounts of tax that they might owe because of skilful tax avoidance by accountants and lawyers.

"The second problem is actually ordinary people avoiding and evading income tax by putting cash in their pockets … paying their builders, their plumbers, their cleaners, their tutors and everybody else without tax being paid and that is a massive problem in our economy.

"But the big problem is not this form of crime of which this list is being published about."

Taxpayers Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said part of the difficulty was with the UK's "hugely complex and fundamentally dysfunctional tax system".

He said reforming taxes to make them simpler would reduce the scope for evasion and free up HMRC resources to focus on fraud.

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Border Checks: May Accused Of 'Cover-Up'

The Home Office has been accused of a "cover-up" after parts of a critical report into UK border controls were kept secret.

A total of 15 sections of the report into controls between France and the UK were redacted for national security reasons.

They include part of a passage revealing staff and managers fear resources in Calais are stretched.

A section on the so-called Lille loophole, which effectively exempts some passengers travelling to Britain on the Eurostar from UK immigration checks, is partly-redacted.

Politicians and campaigners claim Theresa May has hidden "her own failings" exposed in the report by chief inspector of borders and immigration John Vine.

Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "The committee has been assured in the past that the loophole would be closed. The withholding of information prevents us from properly holding the Border Force to account."

Under fire: Home Secretary Theresa May

Chris Bryant, shadow immigration minister, added: "Yet again the Government refuses to be straight with the British people about immigration and our borders.

"This cover-up and the failure at our borders provide yet more dents in this Government's much-tarnished credibility.

"What possible reason can there be for redacting elements of a report by a highly-respected independent inspector?"

UKIP leader Nigel Farage described the redactions as "extremely concerning" and said: "We have to ask what on earth are they hiding?"

Alp Mehmet, vice-chairman of campaigners Migration Watch UK, said: "Transparency has to be the best policy, if only to show that the Home Office has nothing to hide."

Uncensored parts of the report reveal thousands of illegal immigrants attempting to sneak into the UK through France have not been fingerprinted by border staff for almost four years.

No fingerprints or photographs have been taken of them at Calais since January 2010 because of problems with the availability of cells to hold them in.

The checks were also later stopped at Coquelles, the site of the entrance to the Channel Tunnel.

Mr Vine said the information could prove crucial when testing the quality of asylum claims if they later manage to get into the UK.

The Border Force, which works at ports and airports, was also shown to be fining drivers and firms guilty of bringing in illegal immigrants at way below the maximum allowed by law.

The maximum penalty is £4,000 per illegal immigrant - £2,000 to the driver and £2,000 to the carrier - but the report said none of the fines imposed were "remotely close" to that level.

The Home Office said the Home Secretary was required to redact any material that could be prejudicial to the interests of national security if published.

Of the public findings, the spokesman added: "This report shows Border Force, through excellent working relationships with the French and Belgian authorities, continues to prevent those with no right to enter the UK from doing so.

"John Vine acknowledges the high level of security checks and the courteous and professional approach of Border Force staff.

"Border Force has already addressed many of the issues raised in this inspection and will look at all the recommendations in detail as part of our continuing drive to improve performance."

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A&E Crisis: £500m Bailout Over Two Years

Struggling A&E departments in England are to be given a £500m Government bailout to help relieve pressure over the winter months.

The funding, announced by Prime Minister David Cameron, will be spread over the next two years to prepare the service for winter and will include £15m for the troubled 111 phone service.

The emergency care system has come under intense pressure, partly due to a rise in the number of people attending A&E.

Over one million more people attend the departments than three years ago.

David Cameron on a hospital visit in Salford on Thursday

Some experts have blamed issues in primary care, saying patients feel they have nowhere to turn once GP surgeries are closed.

Major problems with the new 111 service for non-urgent care are also thought to have impacted on A&E.

Last month, MPs on the Health Select Committee said plans to tackle problems were not robust enough.

The new funding is aimed at A&E departments identified as being under the most pressure and will be targeted at "pinch points" in local services.

Hospitals have already put forward proposals aimed at improving how the service works, including taking into account how other services feed into it.

One way of relieving pressure could be to minimise A&E attendances and hospital admissions from care homes by appointing hospital specialists in charge of joining up services for the elderly.

Consultants may also be called upon to review patients arriving by ambulance at A&E so that a senior level decision is taken on what care is needed at the earliest opportunity.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says the money will help units over winter

Mr Cameron said: "With over a million more people visiting A&E in the last three years, services and staff can find themselves under pressure during the busier winter period.

"While A&E departments are performing well this summer and at a level we would expect for this time of year, I want the NHS to take action now to prepare for the coming winter.

"The additional funding will go to hospitals where the pressure will be greatest, with a focus on practical measures that relieve pinch points in local services."

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "This £500m will help A&E departments to prepare for winter and give patients confidence that they can quickly access safe and reliable emergency care."

A spokesman for the British Medical Association (BMA) said: "It is right that the Government is finally listening to the concerns of doctors and patients but, at a time when they are demanding cuts of £20bn across the NHS, this is nothing more than papering over the cracks.

"It is recognition that their austerity programme has hospitals facing ever increasing demands with diminishing resources."

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Mafia Boss Domenico Rancadore Held In London

Wanted Mafia boss Domenico Rancadore has reportedly been arrested in London by British police after 19 years on the run.

Rancadore was arrested at the home he shared with his English wife following a request from the Italian authorities, according to the Italy's ANSA news agency.

The 64-year-old, who had been sentenced to seven years behind bars in Italy for Mafia-related crimes, had reportedly been running a travel agency in London.

More follows...

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Violent Twitter Abuse: Man, 32, Arrested

Police have arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with violent abuse on Twitter directed at a female MP and a campaigner.

The suspect was held in Bristol following allegations made by Labour MP Stella Creasy and campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez.

He will be questioned at a local police station on suspicion of committing an offence under the Protection from Harassment Act.

Ms Criado-Perez received threats online after campaigning to have Jane Austen as the face on the £10 bank note.

Ms Creasy became a target after expressing her support, and has since been leading a "Take Back Twitter" campaign.

A number of female journalists later came forward to report a series of rape and bomb threats.

The suspect is the third person arrested over the aggressive stream of messages.

The arrest came as Scotland Yard's e-crime unit examined allegations of abuse made by eight people on the site.

The episode has prompted calls for Twitter to beef up its security procedures.

More than 120,000 people have signed a petition urging Twitter to implement tighter processes to protect its users.

The site has moved to clarify its rules on abusive behaviour and drafted in extra staff to handle attacks by trolls.

It has said it plans to make reporting abuse easier by bringing a "report abuse" function already available on the iPhone app version of the micro-blogging site to other phones and platforms.

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Herne Hill Flood As Water Main Bursts

Residents in a part of London woke up to find their properties several feet under water in a scene one man described as "apocalyptic".

The street was covered by water several feet deep. Pic: Crispin Sugden

The flooding hit Half Moon Lane in Herne Hill due to a burst water main and people were being advised to stay in their homes.

Fire crews, using special dingy-style boats, have been working to clear the water estimated at one metre deep and covering about 100 metres (328ft) of road.

The water comes in one house. Pic: Crispin Sugden

One of those affected by the flooding was Simon Eckel, landlord of the Half Moon pub.

He told Sky News the cellar was totally immersed in water up to 3m (9ft) high and there had also been about a metre (3ft) of water on the ground floor at one point.

Pic: Crispin Sugden

He said: "There's mud everywhere. I started hearing a car alarm about 5.15am and thought someone was trying to break in.

"Water was pouring into the cellar and it kept on rising."

Fire crews at the scene. Pic: Oscar Eckel

Mr Eckel estimated the cost of the damage would run into many thousands of pounds.

Another local resident Crispin Sugden tweeted: "Epic burst water main. For a second it was apocalyptic."

London Fire Brigade said: "Fire crews are attending a suspected burst water main on Half Moon Lane in Herne Hill.

A van tries to make its way through the water. Pic: Oscar Eckel

"Over 100m of road is flooded, and the water is a metre deep in some places. The large water main has now been switched off and the water is slowly receding."

The Half Moon pub was among the properties hit. Pic: Oscar Eckel

A spokesperson said: "Our crews are well equipped to deal with floods, and we have lots of specialist skills and equipment used at the scenes of incidents like this one.

"The most important thing for us is making sure that people are safe, so people who live in the affected street are being advised to stay in their homes until the water is cleared.

Pic: Oscar Eckel

"Then we will be helping to clear water out of basements, homes, and local businesses."

"Two fire engines from Brixton and West Norwood fire stations are at the scene with two fire rescue units from Lewisham and Battersea fire stations. Fire crews are using special dinghy-style boats to get around the flooded area."

An aerial image of the flooding. Pic: Met Police

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Cricket's Monty Panesar Drunk And Disorderly

England cricketer Monty Panesar has been fined by police for being drunk and disorderly after an incident at a Brighton nightclub.

Police said the 31-year-old was given a fixed penalty notice after being seen urinating in public near the Shooshh Club in King's Road Arches, Brighton, around 4am on Monday.

The Sun newspaper reported that he urinated from the promenade above the venue on to doormen standing below, after being thrown out of the club.

Panesar, who plays for Sussex, was part of the 14-man England squad that retained the Ashes at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Monday but he did not play.

Sussex County Cricket Club said in a statement that it was carrying out a "full investigation" but would not comment further.

More follows...

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Regular Eye Tests For Drivers Could Save Lives

By Liz Lane, Sky News Reporter

Regular eye tests for drivers could cut the number of casualties on UK roads by almost 3,000.

Road safety charity Brake, together with the DVLA and insurer RSA, has begun a campaign calling on motorists to visit the opticians at least every two years.

Failing to make sure your vision meets legal standards for the road is an offence.

However motorists are usually only tested for this during their driving exam, where they have to be able to read a number plate 20 metres away.

A survey of 1,000 drivers found 26% have not had an eye test in the last two years. And 3% - the equivalent to more than one million UK drivers - have never had one.

It also discovered there were 9% of drivers who need glasses or lenses, but do not always wear them behind the wheel.

Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said: "Being able to see properly is fundamental to being a good driver. Your eyesight can deteriorate rapidly without you noticing, and at the wheel that can be lethal."

Cassie McCord, 16, from Colchester, was killed when a car mounted a pavement and hit her in February 2011.

The 87-year-old man driving it had failed a police eye test just days earlier, but officers had not been able to persuade him to hand over his licence.

Cassie's mother Jackie told Sky News: "They spent two hours coercing him, trying to get him to surrender his licence voluntarily, but he refused. He got in the car three days later and killed Cassie."

Thanks to a subsequent campaign by Mrs McCord, known as "Cassie's Law", police can now get permission from the DVLA to remove a licence from someone with poor eyesight within minutes - a process that used to take days.

She is now turning her focus to getting drivers to take some personal responsibility and get a test.

"Don't be so silly. These are people's lives. it could be your child, your granddaughter, your grandson, your son or daughter that could be killed by someone who cannot see to drive properly," she added.

"It doesn't take five, 10 minutes of your time to go into an optician's and have a proper eyesight test. And that way you will know as an individual that you are capable and safe to be on the road."

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Two Young Men Drown In Scotland Reservoir

Police have recovered the bodies of a man and a teenager who drowned in a reservoir in Scotland.

The 20-year-old and 17-year-old were pulled from Mill Glen Reservoir near Ardrossan in North Ayrshire shortly before midnight by specialist police divers, Police Scotland said.

Police launched a search at around 8pm last night after the pair were seen getting into the water but failed to resurface.

The search was supported by the coastguard and a rescue helicopter.

A police spokeswoman said there are no suspicious circumstances.

The latest fatalities takes this summer's death toll from swimming accidents to 18.

Some 13 of those occurred during the July heatwave, which was Britain's longest spell of hot weather for seven years.

Last week a 16-year-old's body was recovered from the River Tay near Perth, just days after two teenage friends died when one of them went bathing in the River Wear at Washington, Tyne and Wear, and the other jumped in to save her.

Police have issued repeated warnings about the dangers of entering rivers to cool off during the hot weather.

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NHS Review: 'Zero Harm Culture' For Patients

A major review conducted by a world expert in patient safety and aimed at introducing a "zero-harm culture" in the NHS is set to be published later.

Professor Don Berwick, a former adviser to US President Barack Obama, was asked by David Cameron earlier this year to conduct a safety review of English hospitals.

He believes the scandal at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, where hundreds of patients died unnecessarily, should act as a catalyst to drive improvements in the health service.

The review is expected to recommend minimum staffing levels for hospitals and suggest a legal duty for staff to admit their mistakes.

Professor Berwick has said he believes the NHS could offer the safest healthcare in the world.

As part of the review, a team of experts from the UK and US examined why some patients needlessly suffer or die in hospital because of errors.

One basic element of creating a zero-harm culture includes using checklists before surgery and asking patients to give their name before any treatment is given.

Hundreds of patients were routinely neglected at Stafford Hospital

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News the report would make clear imposing targets from the centre can be counter-productive.

He also insisted it was not his role to decide how many nurses and doctors worked at individual hospitals, insisting this should be left to those in the front line.

"We have had a top down NHS where ministers have decided and tried to mandate things at the centre and that hasn't worked," he said.

In March, Professor Berwick said he would recommend how the NHS could take "serious and profound" action to improve safety.

He said: "Assuring patient safety and high quality care is never automatic. It requires the constant attention of leaders and continual support to the workforce.

"I have read, and been deeply affected by, the harrowing personal stories of individuals and families who were so badly injured when this commitment flagged at Mid Staffordshire Hospitals.

"Our group will do whatever it can to recommend how the NHS in England take serious and profound action, learning from this tragedy to make patient care and treatment as safe as it can possibly be, and ever safer.

"Indeed, there is no reason why English healthcare cannot aspire to be and become the safest healthcare in the world."

Mid Staffordshire was at the centre of a public inquiry into Stafford Hospital, where hundreds of patients were routinely neglected.

Led by Robert Francis QC, the inquiry reported earlier this yea and highlighted the "appalling and unnecessary suffering of hundreds of people".

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Ian Tomlinson's Family Agree Deal With Police

Scotland Yard has agreed an out-of-court settlement with the family of Ian Tomlinson who died after the G20 protests in 2009.

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it has reached a deal with Mr Tomlinson's relatives and apologised again but gave no details of the compensation.

Mr Tomlinson, 47, was hit with a baton and shoved by Pc Simon Harwood during the demonstrations in the City of London and later collapsed and died.

His widow Julia said the apology was "as close as we are going to get to justice" and that the family can "finally start looking to the future again".

Pc Simon Harwood

She described the last four years as the family fought to get to the truth as "a really hard uphill battle".

In its statement, Scotland Yard paid tribute to the family for enduring the pain of Mr Tomlinson's death "with dignity".

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Maxine de Brunner said: "I take full responsibility for the actions of Simon Harwood on 1 April 2009.

"His actions fell far below the standard we expect from our officers. I accept the finding of the inquest that Mr Tomlinson was unlawfully killed.

"As the jury found, 'at the time of the strike and push Mr Tomlinson was walking away from the police line. He was complying with police instructions to leave Royal Exchange Buildings. He posed no threat'.

"Today, I apologise unreservedly for Simon Harwood's use of excessive and unlawful force, which caused Mr Tomlinson's death, and for the suffering and distress caused to his family as a result."

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Fracking: 'Fear Of Unknown' In Countryside

Fracking is causing a "fear of the unknown" in the British countryside and people need more information, a Conservative former minister has warned.

Nick Herbert, an ex-justice minister, claimed the controversial technique was considered the next biggest threat after unwanted housing developments.

Mr Herbert did not condemn fracking but made clear his constituents in the West Sussex seat of Arundel and South Downs have deep concerns about it.

The practice involves fracturing rock deposits deep below the ground with high-pressure blasts of water and chemicals.

Ministers believe it could lead to major cuts in energy bills by reducing the UK's reliance on other sources but campaigners are fighting drilling.

Former minister Nick Herbert

Protests were held at a site in Balcombe, West Sussex, last week as test drilling began despite energy company Cuadrilla insisting its current operations will not involve fracking there.

Mr Herbert told the Telegraph: "There is a lot of concern about the impact of new housing in West Sussex. This (fracking) is seen as a second threat to the countryside.

"People are worried about the implications and they don't have enough information to know how damaging it will be. It is the fear of the unknown that is exacerbating local concerns.

"People understand the national arguments about the need for secure and cheap energy, but they don't know how much this is going to damage the local environment.

"What you are talking about here is very beautiful and tranquil countryside that people are keen to preserve. At the moment it is unknown - we just don't know what the potential impact and scale of this is. There does need to be more information."

His comments come amid increasing signs of unease among MPs about the innovative method of extracting gas from shale deposits deep under the ground.

Another Tory MP, Eric Ollerenshaw, has suggested the development of shale gas facilities could create a new "North-South divide".

The Lancaster and Fleetwood MP warned that the North of England would not be prepared to absorb the potential environmental damage while the South reaped the financial rewards.

A young anti-fracking protester in Balcombe last week

He spoke out after Tory peer Lord Howell of Guildford sparked outrage by suggesting fracking should be confined to "desolate" parts of the North.

Lancashire has been identified as one of the areas with the most potential for hydraulic fracking, with a recent report suggesting there could be 1,300 trillion cubit feet of shale gas present.

Mr Ollerenshaw said: "We want [a] level playing field across the country. We do not want ... that the North gets the dirty end and the South sucks up all the energy."

Liberal Democrat party president, Tim Farron, has also said that a "short-sighted" rush to exploit deposits could cause long-lasting damage to the countryside.

"I am afraid the Government has seen flashing pound signs and has not considered the long-term threats fracking poses to the countryside," he said.

"I think this is a very short-sighted policy and we will all be left to live with the consequences."

Energy minister Michael Fallon was this weekend reported to have relished the prospect of fracking under the "chattering class" commentators in The Weald in the affluent South East.

The Mail on Sunday reported he told a private meeting that "the beauty" of drilling in Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey was that "of course it's underneath the commentariat - all these people writing leaders saying 'Why don't they  get on with shale?' We are going to see how thick their rectory walls are, whether they like the flaring at the end of the drive!"

A spokesman for the energy department did not dispute the paper's account of the comments, but said: "Fracking will only be allowed in the Weald if it is safe and poses no risk to the environment."

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Flood Warning As Heavy Rain Sweeps Across UK

A huge rain band spreading from southwest England to southern Scotland has brought a warning of possible flooding from the Met Office.

A "be aware" alert has been issued for the western half of England, Wales and the Borders, with up to 2.3ins (60mm) of rain possible in parts of the south west.

The warning also covers Todmorden, in West Yorkshire, which was hit by up to 18in (46cm) of water a week ago after a cloudburst and torrential rain.

While the heavy rain is bad news for most it could help England's campaign to retain the Ashes, forcing a draw in the third Test.

Rain threatens to settle the outcome of the third Ashes Test

Old Trafford woke to persistent rain which will linger throughout the afternoon, only clearing by early evening, says Sky News weather presenter Sarah Pennock.

For other areas, she said: "A band of slow-moving rain will extend from southwest England to southeast Scotland today, bringing  tricky driving conditions and localised flooding.

"The heaviest rain will effect northern and western parts of England and Wales - here we could see up to two inches of rain in places."

Pennock added: "It's a very different story for Ireland and much of Scotland - there it will be drier and brighter with sunny spells.

Walden, near Todmorden, suffered severe flooding. Pic: Twitter/@jams1999

"Tuesday and Wednesday will be an improving story for most with drier conditions, some sunshine and temperatures peaking around 24C in the South East."

The rain and cooler temperatures follows weeks of hot weather which saw Thursday, August 1, become the hottest day of the year so far in the UK, when 34.1C was recorded at Heathrow.

The previous highest temperature was 33.5C which was recorded at both Northolt and Heathrow on July 22. 

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Twitter Bomb Threat Sent To Prof Mary Beard

Classics expert Mary Beard has revealed she was sent a bomb threat on Twitter hours after a personal apology from the site's UK boss over attacks on women by "trolls".

Ms Beard, a professor of classics at the University of Cambridge, said she had contacted police after a message on Saturday night claiming a bomb had been left outside her home.

She wrote on her Twitter page: "Just got one of these messages. A bomb has been placed outside your home. It will go off at exactly 10.47pm and destroy everything. Told police."

She later wrote: "OK all, it's 11.00pm and we are still here. So unless the trolling bombers' timekeeping is rotten ... all is well. But how stupidly nasty."

Ms Beard was threatened on Saturday night and reported it to police

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, the 58-year-old said: "There's something very strangely and awkwardly insidious about it.

"It is scary and it has got to stop.

"I didn't actually intellectually feel that I was in danger but I thought I was being harassed, and I thought I was being harassed in a particularly unpleasant way."

Earlier this week, Prof Beard silenced an internet troll after naming him on Twitter.

She retweeted the "highly offensive" post from Oliver Rawlings, who swiftly apologised after another user threatened to tell his mother.

Caroline Criado-Perez and MP Stella Creasy have received rape threats

Guardian columnist Hadley Freeman, Independent columnist Grace Dent and Europe editor of Time magazine Catherine Meyer, as well as a number of other women, have previously said they have been the subject of bomb threats on the site.

Two others received threats of rape.

Tony Wang, Twitter UK general manager, posted a series of tweets on Saturday saying abuse was "simply not acceptable".

His messages came after the website clarified its rules on abusive behaviour amid a growing backlash over a series of attacks.

Mr Wang wrote: "I personally apologise to the women who have experienced abuse on Twitter and for what they have gone through.

The website has introduced a new security button to report abuse

"The abuse they've received is simply not acceptable. It's not acceptable in the real world, and it's not acceptable on Twitter.

"There is more we can and will be doing to protect our users against abuse. That is our commitment."

The company has updated its rules to make it clear that abuse will not be tolerated and has put extra staff in place to handle reports of abuse, it said.

The move comes as Scotland Yard said its e-crime unit was investigating allegations by eight people of abuse on the microblogging site.

An online petition calling for Twitter to add a "report abuse" button to tweets has already attracted more than 124,000 signatures.

An "in-tweet" report button has been added so people can report abusive behaviour directly from a tweet, Twitter said.

In separate incidents, Labour MP Stella Creasy and campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, who successfully fought for a woman's face to appear on £10 banknotes, were threatened on Twitter with rape.

Two arrests have already been made in relation to those threats.

The anonymous Twitter accounts from which the bomb threats originated were suspended, although screen grabs were widely circulated online.

Scotland Yard said an investigation into eight allegations had been launched.

The force said: "The Police Central e-Crime Unit (PCeU), who hold the police national cyber crime remit, is now investigating allegations made by eight people that they have been subject to harassment, malicious communication or bomb threats."

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Bolton Pensioner Suffers Stroke After Attack

A pensioner suffered a stroke after he was robbed and "savagely" beaten in his own home, police have said.

The 87-year-old was subjected to the "ferocious assault" when he was woken up by a man who broke into his home on Longfield Road in Bolton, Greater Manchester, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The intruder prised open the living room window and climbed through. He then made his way upstairs into the victim's bedroom and turned the light on.

Startled, the pensioner was confronted by the thief who demanded money and then punched the victim several times in the face.

After stealing the man's bank book, wallet and cheque book from the pensioner's bedside cabinet, the thief then fled.

The victim managed to call the police despite his injuries.

Police are now hunting the offender and are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Inspector Denise Pye said: "This man was awoken, only to find an intruder standing over him making threats.

"Before he knew what was happening, he was savagely attacked and as a result of this ferocious assault, he sustained a stroke and has been diagnosed with a bleed to his brain.

"He is currently in a serious condition in hospital and is being treated for his injuries. Our thoughts are with him and we hope he makes a recovery.

"This was clearly a shocking crime and I'm sure people in this community will rightly be outraged at what has happened.

"That is why we are appealing to anyone living in this area who might have information about what happened to come forward.

"Whatever information you may have could be crucial to finding the offender and ensuring justice is done.

"I urge people in the strongest terms that if they do know something or have any suspicions about who may be involved that they call us."

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, 0161 856 5599 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Homeless: More Young People Sleeping Rough

As statistics show more young people are becoming homeless in the UK, a new play questions why more is not being done to help those forced onto the streets.

Government figures show the number of people sleeping rough in England has increased by a third since 2010.

In London alone, 6,437 people slept rough during 2012-13, a 62% rise in two years.

Campaigners say there is a risk this trend could continue, given youth unemployment, the economic downturn and the pressures on low income families, combined with changes within welfare reform, reduction of public services and the general squeezing of housing supply and affordability of accommodation.

The official figures do not account for the hidden homeless.

Three months after his 18th birthday, Leo was forced to sofa surf for nine months until he received help from Centre Point.

He told Sky News: "I feel lonely and like I don't really have a voice. I'm not really accountable for anything despite going to college. I don't feel like a real person."

Director Nadia Fall's new play opens at the National Theatre in London

Ministers insist they are taking homelessness seriously and have pledged £400m to councils to tackle the issue.

Communities Minister Don Foster said: "We have one of the strongest safety nets across the world. If you look, for example, at rough sleeping in London, out of the 6,000 people in the last 12 months only 14 of those were under 18."

After spending 18 months speaking to young people at an east London hostel, director Nadia Fall has used their words for the basis of a new play called Home, which opens at the National Theatre this week.

"There is seriously a whole generation that will not understand what it means to call your home in the way that we do -  somewhere of your own, either to have, own or to even to rent," she said.

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