Manchester Is 'The Winner Of Immigration'

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent

Britain's cultural make-up can only benefit from immigration, according to academics who say history proves that migration is good for the country.

Language, the arts, fashion, architecture and food are just some of the areas that have been influenced by the scores of nationalities which have arrived in Britain in the last century, according to Dr James Hopkins from Manchester University.

In Manchester, where more than 200 languages are spoken, the cultural fabric of the city is changing constantly.

"We are the winners from immigration, there's no doubt about that," said Dr Hopkins.

"Immigration has built cities like Manchester and migrants have brought skills but much, much more.

"They have brought the foods they love and the types of clothes they wear and they have influenced what we all chose to do in our own lives."

Manchester's Chinatown

There is also evidence that the recent influx of migrants from eastern European nations like Poland and Slovakia is already changing musical tastes.

Matt Ward of Piccadilly Records said: "People are meeting new people all the time and to understand more about where they are from they are turning to the music of that country. This is bringing people together in the more amazing way."

But it is perhaps tastes in food, which have been shaped by traditions and ingredients commonly used overseas, that have changed the most.

The Barbakan Delicatessen

In the Barbakan Delicatessen, founded more than 40 years ago and now one of Britain's oldest delis, they sell 45 different types of bread and attract all types of nationalities.

Owner Stefan Najuch said: "The Poles aren't just eating polish food, the Italians aren't just eating in Italian restaurants - they're all eating across the board.

"This is all because of immigration, it's great and it's great for business."

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Veiled Muslim Slams MPs For 'Public Hysteria

By Hind Hassan, Sky News Reporter

A woman who wears the niqab has accused UK politicians of whipping up public hysteria against the Islamic face veil.

Sahar al Faifi says comments such as those by Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, Liberal Democrat MP Jeremy Browne and Labour MP Jack Straw are irresponsible and make women who cover their face a target of anti-Muslim sentiment.

The 28-year-old said: "We are the victims in the street because of these politicians who made it so normal and so ok to be anti-Muslim."

When asked about the kind of abuse she had received, Ms al Faifi said: "They will call me funny stuff like ninja or even Batman, or say go back to your country. Sometimes it's physical and they'll try to take it off."

Ms al Faifi works as a molecular geneticist in Cardiff and is a community activist. She has worn the niqab for 14 years and doesn't fit the stereotype of a woman oppressed by her full veil.

She said: "Negative prejudices are promoted as facts among the wider British society ... and it's not true. Have you ever interacted or talked to a woman in niqab rather than talking on her behalf?"

While she gets on with her life, she can't understand why others view the niqab as a threat.

"It's an action that Muslim women believe in as an act of modesty to get closer to God. It's a religious symbol, it is not an oppressive symbol, it's not a barrier, it's an act of worship," she said.

"Most of the women here in Britain wear it out of their personal choice and deep beliefs, there's no one who can force them and if so there are certain laws and policies that prevents that."

According to Ms al Faifi, it's a fear of the unknown, rather than the face veil, that creates divisions.

"The niqab is different. I'm not trying to say I look like other people, but we are here in Britain. Multifaith and multiculture is part of civil society, yes I'm different but what's wrong with being different?"

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Oxfordshire: Fire At Immigration Detention Centre

One person has been taken to hospital after a fire at an immigration detention centre in Oxfordshire, the Home Office says.

The cause of the blaze at the privately-run Campsfield House centre in Kidlington is not yet known.

A Home Office spokesman said around half the detainees were being relocated because of damage to the building.

The fire started at 9pm on Friday night and was brought under control by midnight.

Campsfield can hold over 200 detainees

Ten fire engines were sent to extinguish the flames.

The condition of the person in hospital is not known, the spokesman said.

Campsfield is a long-term centre where male detainees are kept pending the outcome of their immigration case and subsequent removal.

It is run by MITIE and has space for 216 beds.

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Slavery Fight To Stop Traffickers Steps Up

Slavery Victims' Nightmare Stories

Updated: 6:45am UK, Friday 18 October 2013

By Liz Lane, Sky News Reporter

The safe house in southern England, where up to half a dozen women live at any time, has seen many human trafficking victims walk through its door in the six years it has been operating.

But Victims' Minister Damian Green's visit this week was the first time a man has been allowed in. It is run by Hestia, via the Salvation Army, and is the only place the women feel truly safe.

Two of those living in the house (not their real names) tell their stories to Sky News:

Rita, 25, from Nigeria

Rita's trafficker spent several years grooming her as she worked selling food on the side of a road in Nigeria with her mother. He befriended the family and persuaded her parents he could get her a job in Europe as a waitress or nanny.

As soon as Rita arrived in Germany, her trafficker's manner changed. He told her she would have to work as a prostitute to pay back her travel costs, then made her have sex with another girl and filmed it. Rita was beaten if she resisted the men who paid to have sex with her.

Her ordeal continued when she and three other girls were brought to the UK on a boat. She was repeatedly raped at the house where she was held, and told she would be killed, as would her family, if she tried to escape.

Rita says she only found the courage to do so in April this year, with the help of another trafficking victim. They took their chance when their captors were out and those supposed to be guarding them began to inject drugs.

The two girls grabbed shoes and a coat and ran into the streets where in their panic they became separated. Rita was eventually helped to a police station, and taken to the safe house, which she now calls home. This week she has been been granted refugee status.

Jenny, 20, from Albania

Jenny, the eldest of three girls, comes from a very poor family in Albania. Her home life turned even more difficult when her mother started a relationship with an extremely violent man.

Over the course of a year, Jenny became friends with a young man who came regularly to buy vegetables from her. At the age of 17, when she felt that her two younger sisters were old enough to cope without her, she agreed to leave for Italy with him. The man, who she regarded as her boyfriend, promised her a new life.

Almost as soon as they crossed the border his attitude changed completely.

She was taken to a house, gang raped, and then kept against her will in a basement with other girls, and forced to work as a prostitute.

Two years later she was sold to a group of Romanian men who arranged to have her trafficked to the UK in the back of a lorry.

After days of travelling, and while the lorry was stationary, Jenny found a piece of metal and managed to rip through the side and escape. She shouted for help, and was taken to the nearest police station.

Since Jenny has lived in the safe house, she has been reunited with her two younger sisters.

In an incredible coincidence, they were living nearby, in the UK. They had escaped Albania after the middle sister, too, was sold into prostitution, this time by the stepfather.

The three are now living safely near each other in England, thousands of miles from what was their home.

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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Toddler Dies In House Fire In South Yorkshire

A toddler has died following a house fire in South Yorkshire, police have said.

A neighbour alerted the emergency services to the blaze in Don Street, Conisbrough, near Doncaster, shortly before 8pm on Thursday.

The two-year-old girl was rescued from a bedroom window by firefighters, but she died later in hospital.

Police say no-one else was injured in the blaze.

The fire broke out in an upstairs bedroom

"A two-year-old girl was taken to hospital where sadly she died from her injuries," a spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said.

"Police believe that no-one else was injured during the incident and inquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances around the fire."

A statement from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said two crews battled the fire.

"A team of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property and located the fire in an upstairs bedroom," it said.

"A young child was rescued from the bedroom but sadly died."

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire.

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Northern Irish Leave For Greener Pastures

Immigration: For And Against

Updated: 8:59am UK, Friday 18 October 2013

As Sky News' immigration week continues, two Britons give their arguments about whether immigration is good or bad for the nation.

AGAINST:

:: Nigel Sykes, 51, sales manager, Yorkshire

Before any debate on immigration can take place, let us rid ourselves of one word: "racism".

Until this word is put in its correct place there will never be reasoned debate.

My views come as I watch my country slide deep down into the abyss of which it will never return.

Coming from an area and background that was "everyone votes Labour round here", you may be surprised to now hear the same people are beginning to turn their back on this old custom.

Here are some reasons which I hear people give every day in pubs, clubs, parks, workplace etc.

Our two main political parties have had to revise immigration policy. Why? Because another party has gained ground by listening to the views of its citizens. After all, these citizens are the ones who put them there - something which seems to evade 650 MPs.

These are the same people who are now subject to the strains of mass uncontrolled immigration introduced by the Labour Party intending to create a one-party state.

Without going too in depth, let's look at some facts.

We have a huge housing shortage even amongst our own populace but continue to allow migrants to pour in and take housing that should be available for our own people.

Our hospitals and schools are at breaking point for one reason only: immigration.

We cannot look after our own pensioners, many who have paid their dues all their life, but we can give benefits to immigrants who have paid nothing.

Many of our truly unhealthy or disabled have had benefits cut, yet we can somehow afford to give immigrants money to give to claimants back in their homeland.

No doubt people will say: "They will do work no Brit will do."

Please, show me the jobs and I guarantee I can have a Brit ready to start.

People are fed up of the complete disregard by immigrants for our own laws, our schools, our British heritage, customs and way of life.

FOR:

:: Angelo Iudice, chairman, Accademia Apulia UK

I am a naturalised British subject who has lived in London for over 30 years.

During this time I have seen what was once a depressing pub-centred society turning into the centre of the world.

In today's multicultural Britain, the most important, world-acclaimed architects, doctors, scientists and artists are leaving their mark, and they are not all English.

I would say to anyone who is anti-immigration that they should be proud of the fact that migrants from every corner of the world want to come here. Britain is the most civilised country in the whole world.

I was aged 18 when I first arrived on these shores searching for meritocracy within an open-minded society - a dimension I cherished from day one.

From day one I paid my taxes and upheld my social responsibilities.

Humanity and civilisation know no borders and modern Britain, in my view, is about tolerance and acceptance.

I believe the focus should not be on migration, but that politicians should be searching for solutions and strategies to fight world poverty in order to safeguard the future of our planet.

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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Prince Charles Warns Of Pensions Crisis

The Prince of Wales has warned the pensions industry to ditch its short-term outlook or risk condemning many to a "miserable future".

Prince Charles told investors they had a responsibility to create a sustainable financial system during the economic storm created by unprecedented levels of debt, a rapidly growing world population and climate change.

In a pre-recorded speech to the National Association of Pension Funds' annual conference, he said: "With an ageing population, and pension fund liabilities that are therefore stretching out for many decades, surely the current focus on 'quarterly capitalism' is becoming increasingly unfit for purpose?"

He added: "Your sector plays a very significant role indeed in how our economic system works, both now and in the future.

"So it really does fall to you, I am afraid, to help shape a system designed for the 21st and not the 19th century.

"Make that innovative and imaginary leap that the world so badly needs, otherwise your grandchildren, and mine for that matter, will be consigned to an exceptionally miserable future."

Although he is known for his views on the environment, it is a rare for the Prince, who turns 65 next month, to comment on financial matters.

Business Secretary Vince Cable has already criticised traders in equities markets for going after a "quick buck" rather than looking for sustainable returns through responsible capitalism.

An Office of Fair Trading report published earlier this month warned that up to £40bn of pension savings could already be in schemes which are delivering poor value or are at risk of doing so.

Less than half the population is currently thought to be putting enough money aside for retirement.

Office for National Statistics figures recently showed that the number of private sector workers saving into a company pension fell to an all-time low, since records began in 1953, of 2.7 million last year.

The peak for private sector pension saving was in 1967, when 8.1 million people were saving into a pension.

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Teachers' Strike Closes Thousands Of Schools

Thousands of schools in England have been closed or are facing serious disruptions after teachers walked out in a row over pay, pensions and working conditions.

The industrial action - organised by the NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers - is being staged in the North East, Cumbria, the South West, South East and London.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said that the "overwhelming majority" of teachers in each of these areas would be on strike.

She said: "No teacher has any wish to inconvenience parents or disrupt pupils' education, but this action is not the failure or due to the unreasonableness of teachers.

"It is the failure and unreasonableness of the Secretary of State (Michael Gove), who day-in, day-out is disrupting the education of children and young people through his attacks on the teaching profession."

The Government condemned the move, saying it was "disappointed" the unions had decided to strike.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "All strikes will do is disrupt parents' lives, hold back children's education and damage the reputation of the profession."

The unions are opposed to Government plans to allow schools to set teachers' salaries, linked to performance in the classroom, and argue that pension changes will leave their members working longer, paying in more and receiving less when they retire.

They also accuse the Government of attacking their working conditions, including introducing reforms that will allow schools to have longer school days and longer terms.

Research published earlier this month by the Varkey GEMS Foundation revealed that the British public think teachers should be paid around 15% more than their current salaries.

Almost three-quarters (74%) were in favour of performance-related pay for teachers, according to the study.

Regional strikes have already taken place in the North West on June 27, and in the East of England, the East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside on October 1.

Plans for a national one-day walkout before Christmas have also been announced by the two unions.

The latest action comes days after a major international report put England 22nd out of 24 western countries on literacy and numeracy.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found England was performing worse than nations including Estonia and Slovakia.

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Energy Bills: British Gas Ups Prices By 9.2%

British Gas has become the second major supplier of household energy to announce a rise in its prices - by an average 9.2%.

The company said its electricity and gas prices will rise by 10.4% and 8.4% respectively from November 23.

More follows...

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Pressure On Cameron As Food Bank Use Soars

David Cameron has come under pressure to launch an inquiry into why people are turning to foodbanks as demand for emergency supplies continues to surge.

More than 350,000 people received a three-day food package from the Trussell Trust between April and September, three times as many as the same period last year.

It has written to the Prime Minister calling on him to look into the "scandalous" problem of food poverty, warning some food bank recipients are so poor they have returned produce that needs cooking because they cannot afford the electricity to heat it up.

Trussell Trust executive chairman Chris Mould said: "We said in April that the increasing numbers of people turning to food banks should be a wake-up call to the nation, but there has been no policy response and the situation is getting worse. The level of food poverty in the UK is not acceptable.

"It's scandalous and it is causing deep distress to thousands of people. The time has come for an official and in-depth inquiry into the causes of food poverty and the consequent rise in the usage of food banks."

Earlier this year, Chancellor George Osborne suggested food bank use had increased "because people have been made aware of the food bank service through local jobcentres".

But the Trust has echoed concerns that some households will have to choose between eating and heating this winter as they struggle to cope with the rising costs of food and energy.

It also highlights the impact of welfare reforms that came into force in April, reporting an increase in referrals as a result of the so-called "bedroom tax".

Mr Mould said: "We're talking about mums not eating for days because they've been sanctioned for seemingly illogical reasons, or people leaving hospital after a major operation to find that their benefits have been stopped or delayed."

Chris Johnes, Oxfam's UK poverty programme director, said: "These figures lay bare the shocking scale of destitution, hardship and hunger in the UK.

"It is completely unacceptable that in the seventh wealthiest nation on the planet, the number of people turning to food banks has tripled."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady described the figures as "shocking".

A Government spokesman said: "The Trussell Trust itself says it is opening three new food banks every week, so it's not surprising more people are using them. They also agree that awareness has helped to explain their recent growth."

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BBC Criticised For £24m Staff Relocation Costs

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

The multimillion-pound sum paid to BBC staff to help them relocate from London to Salford has been branded "difficult to justify" by MPs.

The £24m was spent relocating nearly 900 staff to MediaCityUK at an average of £28,000 per person.

There were 11 cases where the cost exceeded £100,000 per person, with one costing £150,000.

The move of several departments including BBC Sport, BBC Breakfast and Radio 5live was completed in April 2012.

The BBC developed the regional centre in Salford to address the fact that the majority of its decision-making and spending was being done in London.

Public Accounts Committee chairman Margaret Hodge

Many BBC staff who work in Salford were unwilling to speak to Sky News about the relocation allowances, with one describing the move to the North West as a "sensitive issue" within the corporation.

A report by the Public Accounts Committee criticised the large sums paid to staff to make the move and concluded that in future the BBC needs to find a better balance between treating staff fairly and spending licence fee payers' money in a reasonable way.

Committee chairman Margaret Hodge said: "The BBC did a good job in completing the move to Salford on time, within budget and without disruption to the television and radio services we all enjoy.

"However, the scale of some of the allowances paid to staff to relocate to Salford is difficult to justify.

"There were 11 cases where the cost of relocating staff exceeded £100,000 per person, with one costing £150,000.

"It is not acceptable that the BBC also failed to make a proper record of the exceptions it made to its allowance policy.

"The longer term success of the move to Salford depends on the BBC achieving the wider benefits it promised.

"These include reducing the gap between northern and southern audiences in the BBC's market share and stimulating economic and other regional benefits, including creating up to 15,000 jobs.

"The BBC's decision to enter into a 10-year contract for studio space at Salford seems to take little account the fast pace of change in the broadcasting industry.

"The BBC could end up having to pay for studio services it no longer needs."

In response the BBC issued a statement saying: "We are pleased that the Public Accounts Committee has recognised BBC North was delivered on time, under budget and with no break in services.

"We have just celebrated two years of award-winning TV, radio and online content, and the whole region is sharing in the momentum of Media City with spend by the Public Service Broadcast channels in the region up from 15.9% to 20% ."

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Employment: Jobless Benefit Claims Tumble

The number of people claiming jobless benefits saw its biggest monthly fall since June 1997 in September.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured a drop of 41,700 in the number of Jobseeker's Allowance claims in September following a revised total of 41,600 in the previous month - 9,000 more than first reported.

It means the so-called claimant count has fallen for 11 consecutive months to stand at 1.35 million.

While the jobless rate remained at 7.7%, unemployment in the three months to August fell by 18,000 to 2.48 million.

Employment rose by 155,000 to 29.87 million, the biggest total ever recorded, giving a rate of 71.7%.

Youth unemployment fell between June and August

People classed as economically inactive also fell, by 83,000 to 8.95 million while job vacancies rose by 6,000 over the latest quarter to 541,000, the highest for five years.

But today's ONS data also showed that 1.45 million people were working part-time because they could not find full-time jobs, the highest figure since records began in 1992.

Average earnings growth fell back from 1.2% to 0.7% for the year to August compared to the previous month.

Average weekly earnings in private firms increased by 1.1%, but the annual growth rate in the public sector slumped to minus 0.5%, the lowest since 2001.

There were 958,000 unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds in the latest three months,down by 1,000 over the quarter.

More than 1.1 million people have been unemployed for up to six months, down 32,000, but those out of work for between six months and a year rose by 29,000 to 446,000.

The number of people out of work for over a year fell by 15,000 to 900,000.

More follows...

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Murder Inquiry Launched As Man Hit By Lorry

A murder investigation has been launched after a man was hit by a lorry in Barking, east London.

Scene of the incident in east London

Police believe the incident, which took place on River Road at 10.30am on Monday, could be linked to a commercial robbery, which took place in the area shortly beforehand.

A 43-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say they know the identity of the victim

The investigation is being led by officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command.

Next of kin have been informed

Police say they know the identity of the victim and his relatives have been informed.

Anyone who was in the area at the time or who has information about this incident is asked to call the Incident Room on 020 8345 1570 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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'Sex Slaves' Saved In Birmingham Brothel Raids

Five women believed to be sex-trafficking victims have been rescued by police during raids on nine suspected brothels in Birmingham.

Police, who arrested two women and three men on suspicion of managing a brothel, said they were determined to put a stop to "modern day slavery" in the region.

Three of the buildings raided by some of the 40 officers involved in the operation were found to be empty, but evidence at the scene suggested they had also been used as brothels.

Officers from West Midlands Police seized mobile phones, cash, laptops and paraphernalia relating to prostitution.

Police break down the door at one of the houses

A video posted on YouTube by the police force shows officers bashing down a front door and storming one of the properties.

Detective Inspector Darren Haynes said in the video: "We've seized laptops, satnavs, mobile phones, there's clear evidence of large amounts of cash, receipts, the whole picture of this premises would lead me to believe that it is being used as an illegal brothel and perhaps the girls inside are being human trafficked.

"The victims are lost, treated really badly and abused on a daily basis."

The raids were part of Operation Sentinel, a crackdown on sex trafficking and exploitation in the region and were launched following intelligence gathered from local residents.

Officers seized a range of items as evidence

As part of the operation the force is conducting a comprehensive review of the policies and procedures it uses to tackle human trafficking.

Detective Superintendent Tim Bacon said: "It's hard to believe that modern day slavery is happening in the West Midlands, but sadly it's on the increase and we're determined to put a stop to it.

"Tonight's action, first and foremost, is about protecting people who more often than not don't even realise that they are victims.

"But we're also sending out a strong message to the traffickers that they're not going to get away with using our area as a place to commit this appalling abuse."

The raids took place in the areas of Bordesley Green, Hay Mills, Acocks Green, Sheldon, Alum Rock and Moseley.

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Baker Wants Career Colleges For Teenagers

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Teenagers would be taught to become chefs, carers and health workers at a network of "career colleges" under new plans.

Students would be able to leave the traditional classroom two years early to enter the colleges at the age of 14.

They would still be taught core subjects such as English and science and do GCSEs but also focus heavily on a specialist subject.

The radical colleges - modelled on technical schools in New York - are the brainchild of former Tory education secretary Lord Baker.

He says urgent action is needed to tackle a skills gap that has left one million young people unemployed and jobs filled by those from overseas.

Lord Baker wants urgent action

"It is about time that we filled this gap with our own young people," he wrote in The Independent.

"By starting at 14, youngsters have a head start in preparing for the world of work as they do in Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands, where youth unemployment is much lower."

The peer is outlining plans for 40 new colleges to be opened over four years, starting with one in Oldham next year.

He hopes to build on the success of his network of "university technical colleges" (UTCs) which are based on a similar model but with a focus on science and engineering.

There are 17 UTCs with 27 more in the pipeline.

Students under 16 spend 60% of time on traditional subjects and the rest on their specialism.

The first to open was the JCB academy in Staffordshire which has been highly successful in its GCSE results, with all students gaining five A* to C's including in engineering.

David Cameron praised the college in his speech at his party's annual conference in Manchester earlier this month.

"We in this Party are ambitious for all our children and we have got to finish the job we started," he told Tory members.

"We have already got technical colleges run by great companies like JCB. I say: let's have one of those colleges in every single major town."

Lord Baker is being supported by Tory minister for skills Matthew Hancock, although officials have played down the plans.

A spokesman from the Department of Education said: "These are proposals from Lord Baker. It is not Government policy."

Critics have also warned that 14 is too young for children to specialise so heavily in one area.

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Two Men Face Jail For 55 Child Sex Offences

Two men have been convicted of committing a series of sex crimes against children throughout the country over a number of years and will be sentenced in December.

Anthony Marsh and Lee Davis appeared in court last month where they pleaded guilty to a total of 55 offences at a plea and case management hearing.

A further 14 offences were denied and later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

It means the men will be sentenced for the crimes they have committed on December 2.

Anthony Marsh, 53, from Hatfield, Doncaster, who also used the names Tony Taylor and Tony Smith, pleaded guilty to 34 offences including possessing and distributing indecent images of children, and sexual activity with a child.

Lee Davis, 39, from Conisbrough, Doncaster, who also used the name James Parkin, had pleaded guilty to 20 offences including rape, sexual activity with a child, and taking indecent photographs of a child.

Both men were also jointly charged with conspiracy to commit sexual activity with children, and both admitted this offence at the earlier court hearing in September.

The offences to which they pleaded guilty date back to 2005 and involved teenage boys from South Yorkshire, Humberside, the north east, north west and the midlands, aged between 13 and 17.

Detective Inspector Delphine Waring, who led the investigation codenamed Operation Klan on behalf of South Yorkshire Police, said: "Marsh and Davis committed many appalling crimes against young, vulnerable boys over many years.

"They searched various websites trawling for impressionable, young, vulnerable boys and having engaged in conversation then made arrangements to meet them.

"I very much hope this case serves as a warning to anyone who believes they can abuse young children for their own sexual gratification.

"The young boys who were the victims of their crimes will continue to receive the support of specialist agencies in order that they can come to terms with what happened to them and to build successful and happy lives."

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Boy, 10, Held Over Pensioner's Death In Leeds

A 10-year-old boy has been arrested over the death of a 79-year-old man who was found with a head injury, police have confirmed.

Officers were alerted by an ambulance crew called out to help the victim at 6.19pm on Sunday in the Harehills area of Leeds.

The pensioner was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment but was pronounced dead a short time later.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said a 10-year-old boy had been arrested in connection with the incident.

More follows...

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Madeleine McCann Suspect's E-Fit Released

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 9:48am UK, Monday 14 October 2013

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: Feb 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: Feb 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: Feb 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

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Baby Kidney Donor Is Britain's Youngest

A five-week-old baby is a lifesaver after becoming Britain's youngest ever organ donor.

The infant's tiny kidneys were donated to 22-year-old Samira Kauser and transplanted during a seven-hour operation at St James's University Hospital in Leeds.

The organs were just 4cm long but will grow to up to three-quarters the size of a normal adult's.

Together with the liver, heart and lungs, a baby's kidneys are fully functioning after 37 weeks in the womb.

Ms Kauser, from Halifax, who was spending nine hours a night on dialysis after a genetic condition caused her kidneys to fail, told The Sunday Times she plans to get married next year.

"When I found out (the donor) was a child who had died, I felt so sad," she said.

"I thought about the parents and how much they wanted to donate and I knew I had to have the operation, even though I was scared."

The operation took place at Leeds' St James's University Hospital

She added: "Words cannot express the gratitude I feel to the parents of this baby.

"They have lost so much - much more than I can ever comprehend.

"Their only solace is that someone else has been able to carry on with their life. It's a massive gift."

The Sunday Times said the transplant had reignited the debate about whether organs from so-called "beating heart" babies, who are being kept alive on ventilators but are certified as brain dead, should be made available to patients on the donor waiting list.

It said a decision on the issue is expected within the next six months.

Transplant surgeon Niaz Ahmad, who led the team that carried out the transplant, told the newspaper: "There is such an acute shortage of organs that we're now prepared to do this.

"This case, I hope, shows that it can work."

Around 19.7 million people are on the NHS organ donor register.

More than 7,200 people are waiting for a transplant - 6,000 of whom need a new kidney.

Some 2,820 kidney transplants were carried out last year.

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Madeleine McCann Timeline Of Events 'Wrong'

British detectives working on the Madeleine McCann investigation have revealed that key details in the timeline of her disappearance were wrong.

The revised details will be documented in a new Crimewatch appeal on the case to be broadcast on Monday.

Speaking ahead of the BBC programme, senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "The timeline we have now established has given new significance to sightings and movements of people in and around Praia da Luz at the time of Madeleine's disappearance.

"Our work to date has significantly changed the timeline and the accepted version of events that has been in the public domain to date.

"It has allowed us to work with Crimewatch to build the most detailed reconstruction as yet, and highlight very specific appeal points.

"I hope that when the public see our investigative strands drawn together within the overall context of that appeal, it will bring in new information that moves our investigation forward."

The timeline of Madeleine's disappearance has 'significantly changed'

The full reconstruction of the events six years ago when Madeleine went missing starts with a scene of Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry playing tennis.

Madeleine, dressed in pink shorts, T-shirt and hat, then runs across the court, holding a batch of tennis balls.

In another clip, the McCanns are asked how often they think of their daughter, who went missing when she was three years old on May 3, 2007 from a holiday apartment as her parents dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends.

Mr McCann says: "When it's a special occasion, when you should be your happiest and Madeleine's not there, that's when it really hits home. Obviously, Madeleine's birthday goes without saying."

Mrs McCann adds: "It's when you have big family occasions really. That's it isn't it? 'Family occasion' and you haven't got your complete family."

During the programme, DCI Redwood discusses how the police have approached the inquiry.

Gerry and Kate McCann tell Crimewatch their anguish is undiminished

He says: "Primarily what we sought to do from the beginning is try and draw everything back to zero if you like. Try and take everything back to the beginning and re-analyse and reassess everything, accepting nothing.

"The careful and critical analysis of the timeline has been absolutely key.

"Primarily, we're focused on the area between 8.30pm and 10pm. We know at 8.30pm that was the time Mr and Mrs McCann went down to the tapas area for their dinner and we know that around at 10pm that was when Mrs McCann found that Madeleine was missing."

A number of e-fits are also to be shown in the appeal in a bid to "identify the men and eliminate innocent sightings".

Scotland Yard detectives, who have interviewed 442 people as part of their review-turned-investigation, hope to track down as many people present in the Portuguese town at the time.

Since launching its own investigation, 41 people of interest have been identified by the Met Police, including 15 UK nationals.

Madeleine seen on the day before she went missing in May 2007

Detectives have issued 31 international letters of request to mostly European countries in relation to some of the persons of interest as well as accessing phone records.

A large but "manageable" list of phone numbers identified as being in Praia da Luz - though not necessarily used to make phone calls - has been drawn up by detectives with a "significant" number unattributed to any named person.

British detectives launched a fresh investigation in July this year - two years into a review of the case.

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

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

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False Widow Spider Gives Boy 'Red Raw' Wound

A schoolboy who was bitten by Britain's most venomous spider has said the creature left him with a "red raw" wound and a "burning sensation" in his arm.

William Fraser was bitten by the flesh-eating false widow spider as he slept at his home in Sutton, south London.

The spiders are on the march in Britain, migrating from southern England where they are most commonly found to counties further north.

"My arm was swollen," William told Sky News. "It was hot and I felt faint.

"My forearm was red raw and I could feel this burning sensation before a blister appeared."

Louisa Giordano and her husband, who live nearby, suffered a similar night-time encounter.

Spider bite victims Louisa Giordano and William Fraser

She described the experience as "unnerving", adding: "Every time I see a spider, I break into a cold sweat.

"I'm always looking around to make sure there's none nearby."

The bites are the latest to involve the false widow, or Steatoda nobilis, which is thought to have arrived in Britain from the Canary Islands more than 100 years ago.

An amateur footballer from Dawlish, Devon, was left unable to play after a bite meant he required emergency surgery.

Meanwhile, a mum in Hirwaun near Aberdare, south Wales, has described stumbling across a nest of 50 of the spiders outside her garden shed.

The false widow can cause serious allergic reactions but is less venomous than its more famous cousin, the black widow.

There are no reports of anyone having been killed by the species.

James Reynolds, who works at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford, Oxfordshire, said the spider is "not too dangerous", although reactions to bites can vary from person to person.

"They give you a bad bite and you might experience some swelling or some chest pains," he said.

"But I wouldn't be concerned at all. They're not aggressive and although they can be found around garden sheds, they're not often seen in built up areas when you're most likely to come into contact with them."

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