Santander Bank Hacking Plot: Four Charged

Four men have been charged for allegedly taking control of computers at a bank branch and trying to steal millions of pounds.

Police say one of the gang posed as an engineer to fit a computer at the branch in Surrey Quays shopping centre, southeast London, with a "keyboard video mouse" (KVM).

The device, which can be purchased online for as little as £10, allegedly allowed them to transmit the contents of the computer's desktop and take control of all computers at the branch.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said it was not clear whether any money was taken, but the bank said "no money was ever at risk".

Police said that detectives and bank officials had thwarted a "very significant and audacious cyber-enabled offence" that would have cost Santander millions of pounds.

The four men charged with conspiracy to steal are: Lanre Mullins-Abudu, 25, from Putney, southwest London; Dean Outram, 34, from northwest London; Akash Vaghela, 27, from Hounslow, west London; and Asad Ali Qureshi, 35, from southwest London.

A KVM device similar to the one used in the alleged cyber theft plot

They will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 14.

Eight other people who were arrested have been bailed until mid-November pending further inquiries.

A Santander spokesman said: "Like all high street banks, Santander works very closely with the police and other authorities to help prevent fraud.

"Through this co-operation, Santander was aware of the possibility of the attack connected to the arrests. The attempt to fit the device to the computer in the Surrey Quays Branch was undertaken by a bogus maintenance engineer pretending to be from a third party.

"No member of Santander staff was involved in this attempted fraud.

"We are pleased that we have been able, through the robustness of our systems, to prevent the fraud and help the police gather the evidence they needed to make the arrests."

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Bodies Found In Farmhouse Shooting

A dairy farmer and one of his workers have been found shot dead in an isolated farmhouse in Northern Ireland.

The men were discovered at the secluded property around a mile from the Co Antrim village of Glenarm early on Friday evening.

They have been named locally as farm owner Arthur Gibson, in his early 60s, and farm labourer Michael Murphy, who was in his late 30s.

At this stage it is understood police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the double shooting.

Mr Murphy had worked for Mr Gibson for many years.

Forensic teams in white overalls were examining the scene, paying particular attention to the hallway of the white, two-storey house in Feystown Road.

A small crowd gathered at the police cordon at the end of the long lane leading up to the farm as news of the deaths filtered through to the village.

Neighbours helped to milk the cows and keep the farm operating as the police carried out their investigation.

Local Stormont Assembly member Oliver McMullan, who knew both the dead men, said locals were stunned by what he described as a "double tragedy".

"The death tonight of two men is a tragedy not only for the families but also for the community," he said.

"The community is in a state of shock as both men were well known within this tight knit community."

Glenarm came to public attention earlier this year when severe late winter blizzards enveloped farms in the surrounding hills in a thick blanket of snow, killing thousands of animals and cutting off many families for days.

Alliance party MLA Stewart Dickson said: "This is an absolutely shocking incident, which has left the village and the surrounding community in shock.

"My thoughts are with the families and friends of the deceased and would call for anyone with any information to contact the PSNI as soon as possible.

"I hope the police will be able to determine what was behind this tragic incident tonight."

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said: "Police received a report at around 5.15pm this afternoon that two males had been discovered at a property with fatal wounds.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths is under way."

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Plastic Bags: Shoppers To Be Charged 5p

Supermarkets and other big stores in England are to introduce a 5p charge for plastic bags.

The move is due to be announced this weekend by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow.

It will bring England into line with the rest of the UK - with charges already in place in Wales and Northern Ireland, with Scotland set to follow suit in 2014.

Lib Dem sources said the charge, intended to discourage use of the environmentally damaging bags, would come into effect in England in 2015.

However, it is not yet clear whether it will be before the general election, set for May that year, or after.

Mr Clegg was said to have had to fought hard within the coalition for the scheme - which is Lib Dem party policy - at a time when ministers are under intense pressure over rising cost of living.

But with a 76% fall in plastic bag use in Wales since the levy was introduced there in 2011, the Lib Dem leader was said to believe that it was the right thing to do.

A Lib Dem source said the charge would be "centrepiece" at the conference this weekend.

"Nick Clegg had to fight pretty hard in government to deliver this when everything is about the cost of living," they said.

"We believe that a small charge outweighs the environmental damage caused by plastic bags."

The charge will only apply to supermarkets and other large stores, with small corner shops excluded.

The proceeds will go to charities involved in clearing up the environmental damage caused by the bags rather than the Government or the retaillers.

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Sainsbury's Recalls Watercress Over E.Coli Alert

Sainsbury's is recalling all of its own-brand watercress due to an E.coli outbreak that has made 18 people ill.

Thirteen of those affected are from England, with four in Wales and one in Scotland. Some of the victims are being treated in hospital.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the supermarket giant was also recalling salads containing watercress.

It said the move was a precautionary measure due to a possible association with an outbreak of E.coli VTEC O157.

No other Sainsbury's supermarket products are known to be affected.

The FSA said: "(Sainsbury's) is advising people not to consume any of these products and to return them to the store they were purchased from for a full refund.

"Investigations by the Food Standards Agency, Public Health England and local authorities are continuing, and further information will be provided once it becomes available.

"Sainsbury's has informed the FSA that it is carrying out testing on all of its affected lines, but that no trace of E.coli O157 has been detected to date."

Public Health England said the outbreak was mainly affecting people over the age of 50 and interviews with those affected "revealed a strong link to the consumption of watercress", with most saying they had bought it at Sainsbury's.

Some strains of E.coli are potentially very dangerous

The VTEC O157 strain of E.coli causes symptoms ranging from mild gastroenteritis to severe bloody diarrhoea, with blood poisoning and kidney failure in the most serious cases.

Dr Dilys Morgan, head of the gastrointestinal, emerging and zoonotic diseases department at PHE, said: "VTEC infections can be very serious.

"Although all ages are affected, this outbreak is mainly affecting older people. Since children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable for the complications of VTEC infections, it is important that we took action as soon as possible.

"We have a robust surveillance system in place for VTEC and this helped us identify that watercress was the most probable food item which was causing the illness. We then followed this up with detailed food questionnaires and this confirmed that most cases had eaten it."

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: "Although no contamination has been found in our products we have as a precautionary measure withdrawn six lines containing watercress.

"We are testing all similar products and have found no indication of contamination. We will of course keep customers fully updated.

"Customers who have bought any of these products from Sainsbury's since 1st August should not consume them. We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause."

The six products withdrawn from Sainsbury's shelves are:

:: Sainsbury's Watercress Leaves, 75g

:: Sainsbury's Watercress, Spinach and Rocket salad, 100g

:: Sainsbury's Watercress, Spinach and Rocket, 170g

:: Sainsbury's Watercress twin pack, 2 x 35g

:: So Organic Watercress, 75g

:: So Organic Watercress, Spinach and Rocket, 100g

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Girl, 16, Charged With Murder Of Baby

A 16-year-old girl has been charged with the murder of a baby.

Lincolnshire Police said the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged over the death of the baby in Baston, Lincolnshire, between September 3 and 4.

She was remanded in custody and is due to appear before Grantham Magistrates Court later this morning.

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House Price Growth 'Should Be Capped At 5%'

A 5% cap should be placed on annual house price growth to prevent another property "bubble", surveyors have suggested.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) called on the Bank of England to limit yearly house price inflation to 5% in order to take the "froth" out of any future booms and put a stop to any "dangerous build-up in household debt".

It suggested the Bank could put the brakes on house price growth by imposing a ceiling on the amounts of money banks are allowed to lend.

It could also put caps on the term of a mortgage, the amount people can borrow in relation to their deposit or the sum they can borrow in relation to their income.

The request - an unusual one from an industry group that typically benefits from rising prices - comes months before the Government begins to offer mortgage guarantees to "riskier" homebuyers under its controversial Help To Buy scheme.

Fears have been raised that a recent surge in housing market activity will result in borrowers over-stretching themselves.

Recent figures from the Halifax showed house prices are 5.4% higher than last summer, and the RICS said 40% of surveyors have been seeing house prices rise rather than fall, the highest proportion in almost seven years.

Asking prices in London are up by 10% year-on-year, according to recent figures from property search website Rightmove.

BoE Governor Mark Carney has vowed to prevent any new property bubble

"Sending a clear and simple statement to the public that the Bank of England will not tolerate house price rises above 5% would help restrict excessive price expectations across the country," the RICS said.

"This policy would discourage households from taking on excessive debt out of fear of missing out on a price boom, and discourage lenders from rushing to relax their lending standards as they compete for market share."

The industry group noted that limits on property price inflation have been used by a variety of countries, including Canada between 2008 and 2012, when Bank of England Governor Mark Carney headed the country's central bank.

Speaking to a committee of MPs on Thursday, Mr Carney said the Bank was "acutely aware" of the potential threats and was watching the housing market closely as it recovers.

But he insisted the market pick-up should be seen in context and remains a third to a quarter below pre-crisis levels.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders added that talk of a housing boom was "premature".

In its regular "news and views" release, it said while the housing and mortgage markets were showing some initial signs of recovery this summer, current house sales were still at lower pre-crisis levels.

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Sunday Mirror Phone-Hacking Probe Launched

The publisher of the Sunday Mirror is being investigated over alleged phone-hacking by former employees at the newspaper.

Trinity Mirror said Scotland Yard had informed its national newspaper publishing subsidiary, MGN Limited, that a probe is under way to establish whether it is criminally liable for alleged unlawful conduct by former employees at the weekly tabloid.

A spokesman said: "Trinity Mirror plc notes that its subsidiary, MGN Limited, publisher of the group's national newspapers, has been notified by the Metropolitan Police that they are at a very early stage in investigating whether MGN is criminally liable for the alleged unlawful conduct by previous employees in relation to phone-hacking on the Sunday Mirror.

"The group does not accept wrongdoing within its business and takes these allegations seriously.

"It is too soon to know how these matters will progress and further updates will be made if there are any significant developments."

The development is thought to be the first formal confirmation that a newspaper group is being investigated as a corporate suspect for alleged phone-hacking by its journalists.

It was reported last month that Rupert Murdoch's News International had been placed under investigation, but the Metropolitan Police has yet to officially confirm that claim.

Several former Trinity Mirror employees have been arrested since the phone-hacking scandal began.

Morgan's claims on hacking were described as "utterly unpersuasive"

Former Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver, who worked at the paper between 2001 and 2012, was arrested in a dawn raid as part of the Metropolitan Police's Operation Weeting inquiry into phone-hacking in March.

At that time, lawyers representing victims of phone-hacking said they had been contacted by police to say they were looking into new claims relating to the now defunct News Of The World's feature desk and Trinity Mirror titles.

During his inquiry into press standards, Lord Justice Leveson described former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan's claim that he had no knowledge of alleged phone hacking at the newspaper as "utterly unpersuasive", and said the practice may well have occurred at the title in the late 1990s.

Trinity Mirror's announcement comes after former Sunday Mirror and News Of The World journalist Dan Evans was last week charged with phone-hacking offences.

A Met Police spokesman said he could not confirm Trinity Mirror's statement or whether News International, which has recently been rebranded as News UK, is under investigation as a corporate suspect.

He said: "As with any investigation we carry out, we do not identify suspects or anybody arrested or anybody we may we wish to speak to.

"That goes for corporations the same as it does for individuals."

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Madeleine McCann: Kate To Attend Libel Hearing

Madeleine McCann's mother is attending a Portuguese court for the start of the family's libel action against a former police chief which could see them receive £1m in damages if they succeed.

Kate McCann will be accompanied by her mother Susan Healy for the first hearing of the case against Goncalo Amaral, who published a book making allegations about the three-year-old's disappearance in 2007.

The McCanns have strongly denied the accusations and say the former detective's claims have damaged the hunt for Madeleine and exacerbated the anguish suffered by her relatives.

Their lawyer Isabel Duarte is expected to set out the case - on behalf of Mrs McCann, her husband Gerry and their twins Sean and Amelie, now eight - at Lisbon's civil court.

The McCanns pose with a computer-generated image of their daughter

Mrs McCann, who is travelling to Portugal without her husband, could have been called as a witness, but is not expected to give evidence.

Instead, a number of relatives will appear in the witness box. They will speak about the "damage" caused by Mr Amaral's book which, they claim, poisoned public opinion in Portugal against the family and allegedly deterred people from hunting for Madeleine.

Spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "Kate and Gerry McCann remain very confident that they will win the case.

"They have a strong case against Mr Amaral. The matter is now in the hands of their lawyer as it goes through court."

Goncalo Amaral's book "poisoned public opinion", it is claimed

It is understood Mr McCann is staying at the family home in Rothley, Leicestershire, to look after the couple's children.

Madeleine, who was nearly four at the time, disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3, 2007, as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.

British detectives launched a fresh investigation into her disappearance in July - two years into a review of the case - and believe she could still be alive.

The Portuguese investigation into Madeleine's disappearance is officially closed.

The libel case will be heard today and tomorrow. It will then be adjourned until next Thursday when the court will sit again for two days. A final hearing is expected on September 27. The judgement is expected to be deferred.

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Omagh Bombing Public Inquiry Ruled Out

The Northern Ireland Secretary has rejected the request for a public inquiry into the Omagh bombing, according to Sky sources.

More follows...

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Nigel Evans Sex Charges: Deputy Speaker Quits

Deputy Commons Speaker Nigel Evans has resigned after being charged with a string of offences including sexual assault and rape.

The 55-year-old Tory MP is accused of two counts of indecent assault, five counts of sexual assault and one rape count in relation to seven men.

Evans, who represents the Ribble Valley constituency in Lancashire, will appear before magistrates in Preston on September 18.

The director of public prosecutions Keir Starmer QC said: "Following an investigation by Lancashire police, the Crown Prosecution Service has received a file of evidence in the case of Mr Nigel Evans MP which concerns allegations of a sexual nature.

"After careful consideration, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to prosecute Mr Evans."

In a statement outside Preston police station Evans said he would "robustly defend my innocence" against the allegations which he described as "incredulous".

Evans is still working as an MP

The indecent assaults are alleged to have been committed between January 1, 2002, and January 1, 2004; the sexual assaults between January 1, 2009, and April 1, 2013, and the rape between March 29, 2013, and April 1.

Evans, from Pendleton in Lancashire, answered bail on Tuesday having previously been arrested in May and June.

He was rearrested and interviewed by detectives throughout the day before being charged.

The Swansea-born politician had arrived earlier at the police station, driven by his solicitor.

He smiled and said "thanks for coming" to reporters who had gathered outside.

He dismissed the original allegations against him as "completely false", and said they had been made by two people he had "regarded as friends".

He has stepped aside from his Speaker duties since his arrest, but has continued to work as an MP.

He was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010.

Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was "tired of living a lie".

Mr Evans was a vice chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001. When Iain Duncan Smith became party leader in 2001, he was promoted to the shadow cabinet as shadow Welsh secretary - a post he held for two years.

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Le Vell Rape Trial: Corrie Star Not Guilty

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has said he is "delighted" after being found not guilty of child sex abuse charges, including rape.

Mr Le Vell, 48, who was on trial under his real name Michael Turner, breathed out and said "thank you" as the jury's verdicts were announced.

He had maintained his innocence throughout and was cleared of 12 child sex offences.

The actor held his head up as the male foreman began giving the verdicts to a hushed and packed courtroom after around five hours of deliberations.

His brother and sisters, who sat in the public gallery, were in tears as the verdicts were delivered. One man shouted "get in" when the last verdict was read out.

Surrounded by supporters outside court, Mr Le Vell said the verdict was a "big weight off everyone's shoulders".

He added: "I might go and have a drink now."

Asked when he would return to Coronation Street, Mr Le Vell replied: "I don't know, I might have a holiday first. I'll have to go and have a chat with my boss."

Mr Le Vell relaxes with a friends at a pub near the court after the verdict

A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "We are looking forward to meeting with Michael to discuss his return to the programme."

His accuser, who cannot be named, was not in court for the verdicts, but she had earlier sobbed as she claimed Mr Le Vell - known to millions as the ITV show's Kevin Webster - raped her as she clutched a teddy bear.

The charges included five of rape.

The eight female and four male jurors had been told they had to decide whether the alleged victim was telling the truth or had set out to "quite literally destroy the life" of the accused.

During the eight-day trial the "demons" in Mr Le Vell's private life were laid bare - his alcoholism and womanising while his wife battled breast cancer.

The court heard of his "dark secret" - that he had enjoyed a string of one-night stands behind the back of his wife of 25 years, Janette Beverley.

And he had abandoned the family home to get drunk in the pub each night.

The actor said the trial had been a 'traumatic time'

But while Mr Le Vell might be described as a "weak, stupid and drunk man" and a "bad husband", he was not a child rapist, the jury was told.

It was a "strange case of child rape" without any DNA evidence or injuries to the alleged victim, who claimed she had been raped and abused while a young girl, his legal team said.

One of his supporters and close friend Nigel Pivaro, who played Terry Duckworth in Coronation Street, said: "He has suffered two years of hell and probably more also due to his high profile far more than most.

"It has been a long journey for him. Now the jury has spoken, he can pick up his career and his life."

Mr Le Vell was initially arrested on September 30, 2011, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided not to proceed with the case.

After a review of the evidence following fresh allegations by the girl, he was re-arrested and charged in February 2013.

A CPS spokesman said: "This case was reviewed in great detail, and the evidence subject to careful scrutiny before a decision was taken to prosecute.

"On the basis of the reviews the CPS concluded that there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

"As these were very serious allegations of child sexual abuse it therefore followed that it was in the public interest to place that evidence before a jury at court."

Mr Le Vell first joined Coronation Street in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans, who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from his days as Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor.

He did not appear in any episodes of the soap during the legal proceedings.

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HS2 Rail Link 'Will Boost Economy By £15bn'

The HS2 high-speed rail project will boost the UK economy by £15bn and will be completed within its £42.6bn budget, the Government is to claim.

New research shows the proposed link between London and cities in the Midlands and northern England will drive growth in the regions.

The announcement by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin comes in the week the Commons spending watchdog issued a scathing report on the scheme.

It said the apparent benefits were dwindling as the costs spiralled.

Ministers' case for the massive project was based on "fragile numbers, out-of-date data and assumptions which do not reflect real life" with no evidence that it would aid regional economies rather than sucking even more activity into London, said the Public Accounts Committee report.

But Mr McLoughlin will point to a new analysis by KPMG, commissioned by HS2 Ltd, which shows that the boost to Birmingham's economy will be equivalent to 2.1% to 4.2% of the city region's GDP, there will be a 0.8% to 1.7% benefit to Manchester, 1.6% for Leeds and 0.5% for Greater London.

The proposed HS2 lines

"It addresses that vital question: will HS2 create jobs and growth in the North and Midlands, where they are needed most? The answer is absolutely clear. Yes," he will say.

The Exchequer could benefit from £5bn a year in extra tax receipts as a result of the boost to the economy, KPMG said.

The Transport Secretary's speech forms part of a campaign announced by David Cameron to make the case for HS2 in the face of what he called an "unholy alliance" of sceptics.

Recent critics have included Labour's Alistair Darling who first approved it as chancellor, and the Institute of Directors which dismissed it as "a grand folly".

It is also fiercely opposed by some Tory MPs - many representing communities which will be disrupted by construction work and train noise along the route.

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Baby Foods Found To Lack Nutrients: Study

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Popular baby foods contain far fewer nutrients than meals prepared at home, according to a new study.

Jars of food made by Cow & Gate, Heinz and Ella's Kitchen, among others, have also been found to contain high levels of sugar.

Researchers from Glasgow University concluded that a child would receive half as much energy and protein from a "convenience" food than they would from an equivalent-sized home-made meal.

The research team wrote in the journal Archives Of Disease In Childhood: "The UK infant food market mainly supplies sweet, soft, spoonable foods targeted from age four months.

"Most products are ready-made spoonable foods that are no more energy-dense than formula milk and are, generally, much less nutrient-dense than home-made foods."

The study said weaning foods "would not serve the intended purpose" of giving a baby extra nutrients or a range of tastes and textures.

The researchers also discovered that some foods are being promoted for use at the age of four months, contrary to official guidance.

Professor Charlotte Wright, who wrote the report, told Sky News: "The irony about these weaning foods is that they are just giving more of the same.

Many baby foods are targeted from four months of age

"Mothers think they're going on to something bigger and different and more mature, but actually they're providing very similar nutrient content to milk - and before the age of six months that's all babies need."

The products analysed by the research team were manufactured by Heinz, Boots, Cow & Gate, Hipp Organic, Organix and Ella's Kitchen.

In a statement, Heinz told Sky News: "Generations of parents have trusted Heinz baby foods as safe and nourishing and which are specially prepared to meet babies' nutritional needs with recipes that provide the right tastes and textures."

A spokeswoman for Ella's Kitchen said: "In the United Kingdom, we support breast feeding for the optimal time of six months. However, it may not always be possible or appropriate.

"As the study acknowledges, commercial weaning food is created to complement the nutrition gained from baby's milk. Ella's Kitchen creates its products with this exact goal. Our products are 100% organic, Soil Association approved and made following European regulations."

Anna Rosier, managing director of Organix, told Sky News: "We support that breastfeeding to six months is the ideal form of first nutrition and ensure all of our stage 1 packaging contains the WHO guidelines.

"We are also aware that some parents decide to wean their little ones before then, so to support these parents we make it clear what foods could be suitable.

"All of our foods are complementary to breastfeeding, and we adhere to the regulations for complementary foods for babies. We do not make foods with the purpose to replace breast milk as the primary source of nutrition before six months.  

"We do not fortify our foods with vitamins and minerals, unless required to by EU food regulations, as the fortification of food is not permitted under organic rules."

The DoH recommends a gradual transition to solids starting with cereals, vegetables and fruits, before moving on to proteins.

It recommends babies still continue to receive breast milk or a pint of formula a day while they are being weaned, up to their first birthday.

A spokesperson for the British Specialist Nutrition Association, the body which represents baby food manufacturers, recommended that parents seek advice from a healthcare professional when thinking of starting weaning.

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GPs Told To Improve Care For The Elderly

The Health Secretary has called for an improvement in care for the elderly, who he believes are being failed by GPs.

Jeremy Hunt told Sky News he wants to bring back named GPs for patients so that they receive a more personal service.

It is also hoped that reintroducing the practice will release the pressure on hospitals, who are struggling due to high demand.

Mr Hunt blamed the GP contract agreed by Labour in 2004 for abolishing the idea of having a specific GP for every patient.

"Evidence from the United States and other countries is that when you have a named GP you are less likely to need hospital care and we need to bring that back, particularly for our vulnerable, older people. We want to do that from next year," he said.

He admitted there would be a need for many more GPs to achieve the change, putting the initial figure at 2,000.

"We are looking actually at whether we need even more than that," he added, and also said more NHS cash would have to be spent outside hospitals.

The Tory minister is due to unveil his full plans to alleviate winter pressures on A&E and how vulnerable older patients can be better supported later today.

The announcement comes as figures revealed only five consultants work in A&E departments overnight across England.

Data obtained by the Daily Mail also found 90% of trusts only have one consultant working in emergency care on weekends.

This will add to concerns about services at NHS hospitals, who are battling a major rise in patient numbers due to the ageing population.

Mr Hunt earlier told the Daily Telegraph that elderly patients needed someone to look out for them "all the time".

He attacked the change over recent years that has seen it become easier for people to go to A&E than to their local doctor.

The Health Secretary also called on GPs to work closely with care homes so that they could "remove the cracks" between them and the NHS.

The article recalls a time when Mr Hunt saw an elderly woman with dementia taken into hospital from a care home.

"Confused and unable to speak after a fall, that A&E department was probably the worst place for her," he said.

He went on to point out that staff did not know her medical history, her allergies and whether her lack of speech was normal or caused by the fall.

He added: "Her experience proved what many of us know in our gut - too many old people feel there's no reliable alternative to hospital."

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Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans Is Re-Arrested

The Deputy Commons Speaker has been re-arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting two further alleged victims.

Nigel Evans, 55, was arrested on Tuesday morning for the third time since May as he answered bail over the earlier allegations.

He is now being held for questioning at Preston police station on suspicion of indecent assault and sexual touching.

Mr Evans was previously arrested by Lancashire Police on suspicion of rape, sexual assault and three indecent assaults.

The Tory MP arrived at the police station in a silver Jaguar driven by his solicitor just before 9am, where he was met by detectives.

He smiled at members of the press gathered outside and said: "Thanks for coming."

A police spokesman said: "A 55-year-old man from Pendleton in Lancashire has today answered his bail following his arrest in May on suspicion of rape and sexual assault and in June on suspicion of three further offences of indecent assault.

"He has subsequently today been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault and sexual touching of two further victims.

"He will be interviewed about these new allegations at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day.

"These new offences are alleged to have been committed in London between 2002 and 2009."

The initial claims of rape and sexual assault refer to alleged events in Pendleton between July 2009 and March 2013 and the second to alleged events in Blackpool and London from 2003-2011.

All of these allegations involve men in their 20s.

Mr Evans dismissed the original claims against him as "completely false" and said they had been made by two people he had "regarded as friends".

In June, he said: "I continue to refute all allegations."

The politician has stepped aside from his Speaker duties since his arrest, but has continued to work as MP for Ribble Valley.

He was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010. Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was ''tired of living a lie''.

Lancashire Police said: "We take all allegations of a sexual nature extremely seriously and understand how difficult it can be for victims to have the confidence to come forward.

"As a constabulary, we are committed to investigating sexual offences sensitively but robustly, recognising the impact that these types of crimes have on victims.

"We would encourage anyone who has experienced sexual abuse, or who has information about it, to have the confidence to report it to us knowing that we will take it seriously, deal with it sensitively and investigate it thoroughly."

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Plymouth Toddler Falls 100ft From Flat

A toddler is in hospital with internal injuries after plunging 100ft (30m) from a fifth floor flat.

The 16-month-old girl is said to be in a "stable condition" after falling from the window of a flat in Savage Road, Barne Barton in Plymouth.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said officers were called to the address at around 8.25am on Saturday.

The toddler was taken to the city's Derriford Hospital where she remains.

The force is not treating the incident as suspicious and no one has been arrested.

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Hospital Staff 'Bullied' Over Patient Care

One in four doctors and surgeons and a third of nurses say they have been put under excessive pressure or bullied to behave in ways they believe are counter to patient care, according to a new report.

A survey of 1,000 healthcare workers in England, Wales and Scotland showed that two out of five were worried that their organisation could be at the centre of the next patient care scandal.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said its research also showed that fewer than three out of five health workers would be confident to raise concerns about the quality of patient care to senior management.

Just over half said better staff engagement and consultation would help improve patient care.

Peter Cheese, CIPD chief executive, said the survey highlighted why NHS boards and leaders should ensure they put more emphasis on their people management and employee data.

"NHS leaders should ensure they are putting more emphasis on monitoring, analysing and crucially, acting on, people management information and feedback from staff, which can provide early warning indicators for potential culture, capability and capacity problems linked to poor standards of care.

"Information from patients about their experience is of course crucial but good quality management information can flag problems further upstream before patient care has been fatally undermined."

Kevin Croft, president of the Healthcare People Management Association, which helped with the study, said the results of the study were "disappointing", adding: "The findings reinforce the need for a much greater focus on the staff experience, good people management and staff engagement, at both a system and local level, to improve the patient experience.

"We know there is a clear correlation between a positive staff experience and better health outcomes for patients."

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HS2 Rail Project Comes Under Renewed Attack

HS2: Cases For And Against

Updated: 12:24pm UK, Monday 28 January 2013

Those in favour of high-speed rail say it will create jobs and boost the economy, while critics say the cost - financially and for the environment - is too high.

Here is what two campaigners from opposing sides had to say:

THE CASE FOR

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council (Manchester is included in a later HS2 phase)

High-speed rail is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the rail network in this country. A new, separate, high speed network is the only cost-effective way of extending an existing railway network that is becoming increasingly congested.

It will free up capacity on the existing network for commuter services and inter-city services for smaller towns and give the country a railway fit for the 21st century.

More than that, it will unlock much-needed jobs and investment and help rebalance the UK's economy to ensure that opportunity is open to all.

The Government is to be commended for having the political courage to stick with the plans, in the face of a short-sighted opposition that is as predictable as it is parochial.

The UK's future economic success will depend upon its capacity to compete on a global stage.

For Manchester that means we're up against cities like Munich, Milan and Copenhagen. International-class connectivity already is an essential factor in Britain's future success.

The rest of Europe is already well ahead in the high speed stakes and acting now to catch up is not an optional extra.

HS2 might seem expensive but it is an investment that will ultimately be self-financing. Paris-Lyon opened in 1981 and has paid for itself, and the new high-speed lines in Spain are the only profitable part of the Spanish rail network.

Railways began in Britain. The world's first passenger rail station is right here in my city. But we've fallen behind.

Yes, we need investment in the here and now of transport infrastructure, but just for once, let's also plan and act for our long-term future.

THE CASE AGAINST

Joe Rukin, campaign co-ordinator of Stop HS2, the national campaigning body against HS2

HS2 is completely the wrong priority for Great Britain and any decision to go ahead will not be a rational one, it will be a political one, brought about mainly by strong lobbying by advocates with vested interests.

Building HS2 is like building the Titanic, but without the Steerage section - that will be made up of the rest of the rail network which will be starved of funds if HS2 goes ahead.

But of course commuters will have to help pay the £17.8bn just to get it to run between London and Birmingham.

The supposed benefits are made up by calculating the cash value of time and the jobs figures touted, which are plainly a lie. These would not arrive for decades, at a total cost of £32bn.

And what about the extra costs of environmental protection, inflation, interest, compensation, farm bridges, foot bridges and of course trains?

Having been the treasurer of a national union, I know that union leaders are not always interested in the actual figures.

But the jobs figures on this, based on the amount of money going in, are ridiculously low.

Last week they had the cheek to tout this being environmentally sound. If that is the case, why is HS2 opposed by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the Green Party, to start off a very long list of environmental organisations?

HS2 is going through for the same old reasons - because politically it is wanted. It is that simple. You are about to put what money we have left into a fast train for fat cats.

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Dartford Crossing Bomb Hoax: Man Detained

A 27-year-old man arrested in connection with a bomb hoax which led to the Dartford Crossing being closed and severe delays on the M25 has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

The incident led to drivers being caught in nine-mile-long tailbacks after both the QE2 Bridge and Dartford Tunnels were closed for almost seven hours during rush-hour traffic on Friday evening, while traffic was also stopped from using the A20 at Dover.

The suspect, from Bournemouth in Dorset, is alleged to have made bomb threats.

He was arrested on Saturday and has now been taken to a secure unit under the care of the Health Authority, Kent Police said.

Police said they recovered a cylindrical device with wires heavily sealed inside a bag from a coach.

Traffic was stuck in nine-mile tailbacks

It was found after the force was called at 4.03pm to a report of a male pedestrian behaving unusually. He had alighted from a coach which was Dover-bound and run to a rough area nearby, police said.

Security personnel at a nearby distribution depot detained the man and officers arrested him at 4.15pm before he was taken to a police station where he made threats as to a suspicious device on board the coach.

The vehicle, which had just gone through the toll booths, was evacuated along with the immediate surrounding area, which was extremely busy at the time.

Bomb disposal experts attended the scene and a robotic device was deployed to examine the device more closely.

Police said the detained man made further threats that there was an explosive device on another coach and officers then stopped a coach on the A20 at Dover at 6pm.

The Dartford Crossing was closed for several hours

It was evacuated and the road was closed before being reopened at around 10.45pm after no threat was found. The Dartford Crossing was reopened at around 11.45pm.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Price said: "We were dealing with a very challenging situation, with two scenes in extremely busy areas. Our main priority was to ensure the safety of the public, our officers and our partners at the scene.

"We had received threats of a very serious nature that required regional and national co-ordination and declared this as a critical incident.

"Obviously a lot of people were caught up in long delays but this could not be avoided as we had to ensure public safety and as soon as clearance was obtained the road was immediately opened.

"We would like to thank the public for their patience ... and also thank our partners, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, South East Coast Ambulance Service, the Highways Agency, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, Kent County Council and others who all worked to ensure the safety of everyone involved."

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Duke Of York Challenged In Palace Grounds

Prince Andrew has been challenged by police in the gardens of Buckingham Palace after returning from an engagement in London.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a man was ordered to verify his identity by two officers at around 6pm on Wednesday.

The Duke of York had been at an event in Piccadilly to support new business ventures.

Two men were arrested over a break-in at Buckingham Palace on Monday

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "On Wednesday, September 4, at approximately 6pm two uniformed officers approached a man in the gardens of Buckingham Palace to verify his identity.

"The man was satisfactorily identified. No weapons were drawn and no force was used."

The confrontation came after an intruder was able to scale a fence and get inside the palace on Monday night, before being arrested by police.

A security review has been launched following Monday's suspected burglary.

None of the Royal family were at home during the suspected burglary

Police said the man had been found shortly before 10.30pm "in an area currently open to the public during the day" and arrested for burglary, trespass and criminal damage.

A second man was arrested outside the Palace for conspiracy to commit burglary.

The Met Police spokesman said: "Both men have been bailed to return to a central London police station and enquiries continue.

"A review of the specific circumstances of this incident is being carried out. No members of the Royal Family were at Buckingham Palace at the time of the incident."

The spokesman added that security would form part of the review.

The Queen made her traditional appearance at a Highland Games on Saturday, as details of the break-in emerged.

She was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales at the Braemar Gathering in Aberdeenshire, where the Royal party watched pipe bands and dancers perform in front of a large crowd.

The Queen has been spending her summer break at Balmoral Castle since the beginning of August and is not expected to return to the Palace until October.

The break-in is one of the most serious security breaches at the Palace since 1982, when Michael Fagan evaded guards to get inside the Queen's private chambers while she was still in bed.

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TUC: Miliband To Press On With Reforms

Labour leader Ed Miliband is to use his speech to the TUC on Tuesday to say he is "absolutely determined" to continue reforming Labour's relationship with the unions - despite warnings that more unions will pull the plug financially.

Mr Miliband is fighting fresh Tory claims that the unions are "pulling the strings" of his party after a disciplinary process found no rules had been breached in the Scottish constituency of Falkirk where there had been allegations of candidate selection-rigging.

Would-be Falkirk MP Karie Murphy has been reinstated to the party after an internal investigation cleared both her and the Unite union of the claims.

Before the investigation, a bitter public row broke out between Unite boss Len McCluskey and Mr Miliband, who was pushed to propose radical changes to Labour's historic links with the union movement.

Mr McCluskey will appear on Sky News' Murnaghan programme after 10am.

One union, the GMB, has responded by slashing its affiliation fees by more than £1m and others could follow, leaving Labour with a huge black hole in its finances.

But Mr Miliband is to tell the conference: "We need to build a party truly rooted in the lives of all the working people of Britain once more.

"That is what my reforms are about. It is the right thing to do. We have to change.

"And I am absolutely determined to make this change happen."

Labour has stressed that its Falkirk findings came after "key evidence" was withdrawn - with Falkirk MP Eric Joyce claiming people were "prevailed upon" to do so.

Senior MP Tom Watson - who quit his shadow cabinet post over the row - said Ms Murphy was owed an apology for the way she had been treated.

But a senior Labour source insisted: "There is no prospect of an apology."

Elsewhere, the conference agenda will focus on unemployment with the TUC claiming the number of jobless could be almost double the official total.

It says that, as well as the 2.5 million official jobless figure, a further 2.26 million people want a job but are not classified as unemployed.

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