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Man Killed In Double Shooting In Leeds

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 09 November 2013 | 16.12

A man has been killed and another seriously injured after a double shooting inside a house in Leeds.

The pair were attacked at around 5.30pm on Friday in Wortley, in the west of the city.

They were both taken to hospital but one of the victims, 21, was pronounced dead a short time later.

A 31-year-old man is being treated for serious wounds to his lower body.

Detective Superintendent Simon Beldon, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "At this time our investigations are at a very early stage and forensic examinations are taking place at the scene.

"We believe that the shots were fired inside the property, however inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.

"The nature of this incident suggests it was a targeted and isolated attack and a team of detectives are currently working hard to quickly identify those responsible for this serious crime.

"Neighbourhood policing team officers are also patrolling the local area, speaking to residents and responding to any concerns they may have."

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact police on the non emergency number 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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Mobile Spending 'Could Be Worth £23bn' By 2018

By Poppy Trowbridge, Business and Economics Correspondent

This year has been dubbed 'The Mobile Christmas' and with 48% growth in mobile shopping, retailers are increasingly targeting shoppers through digital devices.

British retailers will spend nearly £400m on advertising during the last three months of 2013 and consumer spending via mobiles and tablets is worth about nearly £8bn a year, according to research firm Verdict.

But over the next five years, the spread of smartphones and tablets will see our spending on these devices triple to £23bn.

Retail Spending via mobiles and tablets is expected to triple over five years

Two thirds of that shopping is done at home, as buyers often wait until they are logged in to a secure network before purchasing items.

Matthew Rubin, retail analyst with Verdict Research, said: "While we are expecting growth in successive years, we are expecting this year to be the highest level of growth. Retailers really need to invest in their mobile websites now."

John Lewis announced its £7m Christmas television advertising campaign on Friday. The ad is set to a cover of Keane's 2004 hit Somewhere Only We Know sung by Lily Allen.

Supermarket chain Morrisons launched its Christmas TV advertising campaign during the prime-time slot of ITV's Coronation Street.

Supermarket Some 20% of home shopping business at Asda is done via mobile or tablet

Asda says 20% of its home shopping business is done via a mobile or tablet, and that figure is growing by 1% each month.

The living room is becoming a key location for retailers to target consumers, as 67.2% of all online shoppers making a purchase from their home do so in their living room.

Wealthy young shoppers currently dominate mobile and tablet expenditure, but with increased access to cheaper, high-specification devices, older shoppers will have a much bigger impact over the next five years, Verdict research shows.

Still, window shopping hasn't entirely given way to digital methods yet.

Around 38% of online shoppers still research goods by viewing them in a store before purchasing them online.


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Andy Murray Fans Arrested After 'Gun Scare'

Police arrested four men suspected of brandishing a gun at tennis star Andy Murray - but later realised they were autograph hunters with a tennis racket.

The mix-up happened in north London on Wednesday at around 5pm when the Wimbledon champion was in a car with his agent.

Two men apparently got out of another car and knocked on the window of Murray's vehicle to ask him to sign the racket before he drove off, but a member of the public thought the racket was a gun and contacted police.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said they received a report of a man with a firearm in a Mercedes car in Swiss Cottage and the vehicle was stopped in Chelsea, west London.

The four men, aged between 21 and 31, were arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm and taken into custody, but were later bailed until late January pending further inquiries.

The spokesman added: "A search of the car was conducted and no trace of a firearm was found."

Murray is currently recovering from back surgery he had in September.

In July, he became the first British man to win Wimbledon for 77 years, although he missed the latter part of the season after undergoing the surgery.


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Thames Water 8% Price Hike Stopped By Ofwat

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 08 November 2013 | 16.12

Britain's biggest water company has been stopped from imposing a price hike of 8% on its customers for 2014-15.

Ofwat, the water regulator, said the Thames Water price rise of £29 was not justified, despite the company saying the extra money was needed to fund the construction a "super sewer" under London.

The watchdog's chief regulation officer Sonia Brown said: "We said we would challenge Thames' application, in the interests of customers.

"We did just that and on the evidence provided we are not convinced that an extra bill increase is justified."

This announcement is Ofwat's final decision on the application.

Thames Water now has the right to trigger an appeal to the Competition Commission. The company told Sky News it was reviewing the decision by Ofwat.

The decision by Ofwat means the maximum that Thames Water can add to customers' bills for 2014-15 is capped at 1.4% above inflation, as set in the 2009 price review.

 Thames Water had submitted the application to Ofwat for an interim adjustment to prices over the current five-year price period.

The firm, which is privately owned by a global consortium led by Australia's Macquarie group, said it has spent £273m on acquiring land needed for the construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel.

It also said bad debt as a result of the economic slowdown had prompted the application.

Mogden Water Treatment Works Ofwat criticised Thames Water over delays to a sewage treatment programme

In September, Ofwat criticised Thames Water over the application, saying it had made "substantial savings" by doing less than expected to tackle sewer flooding.

A major investment programme in sewage treatment has also dragged on too long, it added, despite customers being charged for the improvements.

Last week, Ofwat chairman Jonson Cox wrote to all water companies asking them to consider whether they needed to increase their bills for 2014-15 by the full amounts set in the last price review.

On 2 December, companies will submit their business plans for the next price review, which will cover the period from 2015 to 2020.

Ofwat has called on these plans to reflect their customers' priorities, and believes there is scope for reductions in bills from 2015.

If companies do not propose reductions, they will need to fully explain to their customers why.

Mr Cox told the firms that Ofwat will set 2015-20 prices using an independent, rigorous process, ahead of a final decision is due on these prices by January 2015.


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Alcohol Testing 'Should Take Place At Work'

By James Matthews, Sky News Correspondent

An organisation set up to tackle alcohol misuse has called for workplace testing to seek out problem drinkers.

The Alcohol Health Network wants employees to take a standardised test which identifies whether or not they are misusing alcohol.

The body's director and founder, Don Shenker, wrote in the British Medical Journal that if problems were identified, employers could provide advice to help prevent problem drinking at an early stage.

He stated that introducing such a measure could "prevent alcohol-related harm and sickness costs".

Mr Shenker wrote: "Offering staff confidential use of the 'alcohol use disorders identification test' and brief advice as a self-awareness initiative at work, whether through face to face interactions or leaflets, may well help prevent problems with alcohol at an earlier stage.

"In this way, staff who may be concerned about their drinking or whose level of drinking is not yet apparent to them, can assess the risks their drinking poses to their health and take appropriate action.

"Reducing hazardous drinking also reduces the risk of dependent drinking occurring."

He added: "Employers need also to be convinced of the business case for prevention rather than cure - that is, that it is ultimately more cost effective to prevent and reduce harmful drinking in the general working population, compared with the costs of managing dependent drinking among a minority of staff."

The NHS estimates that in the UK around 9% of men and 4% of women show signs of alcohol dependence.

In 2011, 167,764 prescriptions for drugs to treat alcohol dependency were prescribed.

In 2010, 6,669 deaths were directly related to alcohol.

The Government advises that people should not regularly drink more than the daily unit guidelines of three to four units of alcohol for men (equivalent to a pint and a half of 4% beer) and two to three units of alcohol for women (equivalent to a 175ml glass of wine).


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Maternity Negligence Cover: NHS Spends £482m

A fifth of maternity services funding is spent on insurance against malpractice, according to a review by the National Audit Office (NAO).

The report found the NHS in England spent £482m on clinical negligence cover in the last year - the equivalent of £700 per birth.

The most common reasons for maternity claims are mistakes during labour or caesarean sections and errors resulting in cerebral palsy, the review said.

Public Accounts Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge said the figures were "absolutely scandalous"

"The current system is not working as it should," she said.

"The Department of Health needs to buck up and take responsibility for this.

"It needs to review its monitoring and reporting process to ensure that all relevant bodies can work effectively together to deliver maternity services that are value for money and fit for purpose."

The report also highlights a shortage of midwives and consultants on labour wards.

Newborn baby The equivalent of £700 per birth is spent on insurance, the report said

During 2012 there was a shortfall of around 2,300 midwives, the authors said.

More than half of units were not meeting the levels of consultant presence recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Between April and September 2012, more than a quarter (28%) of maternity units were forced to close their doors to patients for at least half a day because of a lack of space or a shortage of midwives.

Of these units, 11% closed for the equivalent of a fortnight or more, the report found.

Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We are many thousands of midwives short of the number needed to deliver safe, high-quality care.

"Births are at a 40-year high and other figures out this week show that this is set to continue.

"As the report states, births are also becoming increasingly complex putting even more demands on midwives and maternity services."

Hospital Sign The report found a "wide variation" in complication rates between hospitals

She added: "The cost of litigation payments in maternity can be enormous.

"What this shows is that you cannot get safe, high-quality maternity services on the cheap because it will cost much more in the long run."

Minister for Health and Maternity Dr Dan Poulter said: "We have always recognised the need for greater investment in midwives and maternity units.

"The NHS now has over 1,300 more midwives since May 2010 and there are a record 5,000 more in training."

But Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "David Cameron promised thousands more midwives, but he's failing to deliver them.

"Across England, too many maternity units are operating without enough staff - unable to keep up with demand - whilst others are facing closure or downgrading."

The NAO report also highlights a "wide unexplained variation" in complication rates between hospitals.

In some hospitals up to 1.6% of women are readmitted as an emergency after having a baby, compared to 0.5% in others.

Infection rates in newborns range from 0.6% of babies born in some hospitals, while the figure is as high as 4.2% of babies born in others.

The authors also said more needs to be done to address the number of stillbirths in England.

The report points out that in 2011, one in 133 babies was stillborn or died within several days of birth.

The mortality rate has fallen over time, but comparisons with the other UK nations suggest scope for further improvement.

On the number of stillbirths in England, the minister said: "The death of a child is always a tragedy and has a devastating impact on the whole family.

"We are working closely with the charity Sands and the NHS on ways to raise awareness about stillbirth with women and NHS staff."

Dr David Richmond, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "Although the UK is generally a safe place for women to give birth, we have known for some time that pressure on maternity services is growing in some areas particularly inner city conurbations placing stress on clinicians, managers and patients alike.

"More consultants are needed to deal with not only the rapidly increasing birth rate but the rise in complex pregnancies, with older mothers, maternal obesity and multiple pregnancies at the fore."


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Gosport Girls' Road Deaths: Man Charged

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 07 November 2013 | 16.12

A 20-year-old man has been charged with the manslaughter of two teenage girls who died after they were hit by a car.

Samuel Etherington, from Gosport, Hampshire, will appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court later.

Police were called to Ann's Hill Road in Gosport at 4.15am on Sunday following reports that a green Honda Civic collided with two girls.

Jasmine Allsop, 14, died at the scene, while Olivia Lewry, 16, died later after being taken to hospital.

Jasmine's mother, Rosemary, has described how she kissed her daughter goodbye after she was awoken by the emergency services attending the accident which happened outside her home.

Ms Allsop, 37, said she had enjoyed a night in with the two girls before the accident.

She said: "I went out and then a neighbour covered me in a blanket.

"I kissed her - it was four hours before they took her body away because I did not want to let her go.

"I told her she was my angel and I'd loved her since the day she was born. I can remember her big blue eyes staring."

The housewife, who is also the mother of a four-year-old, said the death left her numb.

She said: "I'm empty inside and lost. I keep expecting her to come through the door."

She added: "Jasmine was a gorgeous, lovely, bubbly character. They (Jasmine and Olivia) were best friends."


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Dog Attack: Girl Was Killed By 'Stray' Bulldog

Four-year-old Lexi Branson was mauled to death by her pet bulldog, police have said, and the animal died after being stabbed to death by her mother.

Lexi died on Tuesday after the attack in her lounge in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

The bulldog, called Mulan, was a stray found by council dog wardens in a park several months earlier.

Mulan had been with the family for just two months, after they picked him up from the Willow Rehoming Centre in Barrow-upon-Soar, Leicestershire.

Police handout of bulldog that mauled to death Lexi Branson Mulan had been picked up by the family from a rehoming centre weeks earlier

The history of the dog - believed to be six to eight years old - is currently part of the police investigation. 

Police said the animal - not a banned breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act - was fatally knifed during attempts to save Lexi.

Lexi Branson Lexi was rushed to hospital but doctors could not save her

The girl's family have described her as a "shining star in the sky" who will "never be forgotten".

A statement from Lexi's mother Jodie Hudson, and grandmother Kerry Hudson, said: "There's been a tragedy in the family. Lexi was a bubbly, bright little girl.

"She fought for her life from the moment she was born as she was born three months prematurely, she's been taken from us so tragically.

"She will be sadly missed, she will be our shining star in the sky and she will never be forgotten."

Police were called to Lexi's home in a quiet cul-de-sac in Mountsorrel, a village between Leicester and Loughborough, just after noon on Tuesday.

She was taken from the flat to the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham where doctors were unable to save her.

Detective Superintendent David Sandall told Sky News that the girl was unwell and had stayed home from school on the day of the attack.

Lexi's death is not being treated as a criminal investigation.

Neighbours have described the four-year-old as a friendly girl who played outside her home and was often seen with quite a large dog.

She lived in a flat with her mother and they had been there for about a year, neighbours added.

Arthur Nash, who lives in Rowena Court, said: "Everybody is in shock at the moment with Lexi dying.

"When I saw an ambulance pull up I thought it was an old lady on the court who had had a heart attack, and then the neighbour came up and said she had been killed by the dog. We're in shock."

Dog attack at Rowena Court, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire The attack happened at Rowena Court, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "I always say hello when I pass, and the little girl used to play outside - she used to say hello when she was playing. It is just such a shock, such a sad shock."

Glennis Goddard, who has lived in the road for 27 years, said: "She was very happy, everything was fun - as it is when you're a four-year-old.

"You've only got to look at her and she'd got a big smile on her face."

David Williams, headteacher of Christchurch and St Peter's Church of England Primary School in Mountsorrel, where Lexi had recently started, also paid tribute to the youngster.

He said: "The whole of our school community has been devastated and saddened by the news of Lexi's death.

Animal behaviour consultant Jennifer Dobson said the history and temperament of rescue dogs can sometimes be unknown.

She told Sky News: "Sometimes dogs are rescued and picked up as a stray - there's no history - and a kennel environment is not always the same as it behaves in the home."

Seventeen people have now been killed by dogs in the UK since 2005.

The four people to die in the last 12 months include eight-day-old Harry Harper - attacked by a Jack Russell, and Clifford Clarke, 79, believed to have been attacked by a bull mastiff cross breed.

Despite many attacks being carried out by legal dogs, a spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said there were no plans to change the list of banned breeds.


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Universal Credit Scheme 'Has Lost Over £140m'

Universal credit has been savaged by MPs for "shocking" failures that have already wasted at least £140m.

The scheme has been blighted by "alarmingly weak" management, with secretaries allowed to authorise purchase orders worth more than £20m.

In some cases it is unclear what suppliers have been paid for.

The cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also voiced doubts about whether the project can still be fully delivered by 2017 - branding a pilot "inadequate" and open to fraud.

Universal credit is due to replace a bundle of means-tested benefits in four years' time, with Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith insisting it can ensure people are always better off in jobs and save £38bn by 2023.

Iain Duncan Smith Iain Duncan Smith says universal credit can save £38bn by 2023

However, a former Olympics executive had to be drafted in earlier this year to "reset" the programme amid concerns over delays and IT issues.

The PAC report said the Department for Work and Pensions had "neglected to implement basic procedures for monitoring and authorising expenditure".

The MPs said: "We saw evidence that purchase orders with a total value of £8.7m were approved by a personal assistant to the programme director.

"In another case, two purchase orders, one for £22.6m and one for £1.1m, were approved by a personal assistant to the programme director whose delegated financial authority at the time of approvals was only £10m.

"When the department made individual payments to suppliers these could not be linked to particular pieces of work that had been delivered."

PAC chair Margaret Hodge said the implementation of universal credit so far had been "extraordinarily poor".

She said: "The failure to develop a comprehensive plan has led to extensive delay and the waste of a yet to be determined amount of public money.

"£425m has been spent so far on the programme. It is likely that much of this, including at least £140m worth of IT assets, will now have to be written off.

"The management of the programme has been alarmingly weak.

"From the outset, the department has failed to grasp the nature and enormity of the task; failed to monitor and challenge progress regularly; and, when problems arose, failed to intervene promptly."

The MPs said the project would not hit its current target of enrolling 184,000 claimants by April 2014.

As a result the later stages would have to be speeded up to meet the 2017 completion date - but that would "pose new risks".


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Hospital Faces Police Probe Over Cancer Care

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 06 November 2013 | 16.12

A hospital trust could face a police investigation over allegations staff were "pressured or bullied" into falsifying data relating to cancer patients.

A number of cancer patients suffered "undue delays" at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

CQC inspectors found that there were "inaccuracies" with waiting time data relating to cancer treatment.

Staff told inspectors they were put under pressure to change data relating to patients and their treatment to make it seem like people were being treated in line with national guidelines, a CQC spokesman said.

As a result some patients may not have had the treatment they needed in time, he added.

The watchdog has passed its findings to Essex Police - and Professor Sir Mike Richards, the newly appointed Chief Inspector of Hospitals, has recommended the trust is placed into special measures.

Colchester General Hospital The trust has offered to review the treatment of 30 patients

Essex Police confirmed it had been contacted by the CQC and said it was reviewing the information to establish whether to launch a criminal investigation into the matter.

When CQC inspectors visited the trust in August and September they found discrepancies in the records and types of treatment recorded for some cancer patients.

Of the 61 care records examined, 22 showed that people had been "placed at risk of receiving care that was unsafe or not effective, due to delays in receiving appointments or treatment".

In some cases people did not get their treatment within the required 62 days, and in three cases delays exceeded 100 days.

Even though an internal trust investigation in 2012 identified concerns, hospital bosses failed to investigate the allegations thoroughly or follow up with the patients who were affected, the watchdog said.

The trust has written to 30 patients, or their next of kin - where patients have died, offering to review their treatment.

Chief executive Dr Gordon Coutts said: "We are truly sorry that in some cases cancer patients, their carers and families have not always received the high quality of care that they should have expected from our trust. We sincerely apologise to those who we have let down."

Colchester General Hospital Essex Police is considering whether to launch a criminal investigation

He reassured patients and the wider public that the trust was taking action to address all of the concerns raised by the CQC.

"Our priority remains to focus on the safety and well-being of all our patients and being placed in special measures would provide us with additional advice and support to help us to further improve our services."

Christina McAnea, head of health at union Unison, called for a "full and thorough investigation".

"Our members took a brave step by reporting to the CQC that they were being bullied and harassed by senior managers to falsify records relating to cancer patients," she said.

"They raised their concerns repeatedly and in emails to senior managers, right up to the chief executive, but they were ignored."

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said its representative in the area was branded a "fantasist" for raising concerns.

He told Sky News: "This is a hospital that the RCN has expressed serious concerns about over the last couple of years, and I wish the hospital management had taken our concerns seriously and it might have prevented what has been revealed."

Prof Richards said: "It is shocking to think that people's lives may have been put at risk for the sake of the waiting time figures.

"Every year around six thousand people go to Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust to be treated for cancer. It is essential that people in north Essex can have confidence in their hospital."


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Afghan Suicide Blast Kills British Soldier

A British soldier has been killed in a suicide attack while on patrol in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

The "hugely experienced" soldier from the 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Staffords) died when a car bomb was set off by an attacker, the MoD said.

The soldier was taking part in a patrol in the Kamparak area, 40km northeast of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah in Helmand Province.

The death takes to 446 the number of UK service members who have lost their lives since operations in Afghanistan began in October 2001 and is the eighth this year.

Lieutenant Colonel Hywel Lewis MBE, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "A hugely experienced soldier has tragically died while serving with his comrades in Afghanistan.

"He commanded great respect throughout his regiment. Those who served alongside him were privileged to operate with a highly professional soldier who led by example.

"Our prayers and thoughts are with his family at this extremely difficult time. The next of kin have been informed and have requested the customary period of grace before further details are released."


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Job Losses Feared At BAE Shipyards Amid Review

More than a thousand losses are to be announced by the defence giant BAE systems in a review of its shipyards, Sky sources have learned.

The announcement, which is expected as early as today, is part of a martime defence review, which BAE systems launched 18 months ago.

The firm has previously suggested it could close of one of its three yards at Govan, Scotstoun and Portsmouth.

The threat of closure of a yard is intensely political with the Scottish referendum looming in 2014.

There have been warnings that to close a shipyard in Scotland ahead of the vote on independence would hand Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond "a victory on a plate".

There is widespread speculation that Portsmouth will be selected for closure, ending 800 years of ship-building history.

But this has triggered fears that if BAE decides to close the yard then the UK would lose the ability to build its own warships if Scotland becomes independent.

Shadow Secretary of Defence Vernon Coaker told Sky News: "Obviously the MoD needs to make the decision on the basis of what is best for the UK's defence industry and what's best for UK ship-building.

"What's best for the defence industry, the security of this country, the defence of this country is extremely important and those are the criteria the government will use in order to determine where it will built its warships."

Type 26 Global Combat Ship The MoD has yet to award the contract to built the Type 26 warship

While BAE has benefited from the Government's massive £5.4bn contract to build two aircraft carrier, it has nothing on its books after that at two of the shipyards.

The lack of work means the workforce will need to be reduced to around 60% of the current number. BAE employs 3,200 at Govan and Scotstoun and 1,200 at Portsmouth.

However, the Government has yet to announce which shipyard will win the contract to build the new Type 26 warship, and this could offset some of the job losses.

Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney said: "We have been in dialogue for some time with BAE Systems on the issues surrounding the future of the Clyde shipyards.

"We are awaiting the outcome of BAE's discussions with the Ministry of Defence and are very alert to the situation concerning both yards.

"We are seeking urgent clarity on the future for both Govan and Scotstoun."

A BAE spokeswoman said: "We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Defence to explore all possible options to determine how best to sustain the capability to deliver complex warships in the UK in the future.

"This work is on-going and we are committed to keeping our employees and trade unions informed as it progresses."

The firm refused to comment on speculation over Portsmouth's future.

Hugh Scullion, Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions general secretary said: "We have secured talks with senior BAE systems executives early next week to examine the business case of the forthcoming announcement.

"Now is not the time for idle speculation or indeed party political point scoring.

"This is the future of an industry and we need to know from the company and the government directly what their plans for the future of UK shipbuilding are."


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Prince Charles' Duchy Estate Defends Tax Breaks

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 05 November 2013 | 16.12

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duchy of Cornwall does not possess a "competitive advantage" over other businesses despite being exempt from hefty taxes, a spokesperson for Prince Charles' estate has told Sky News.

The comments come as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) publishes its report on the accounts of the 700-year-old Duchy of Cornwall estate.

Under the Duchy, established in 1337 by King Edward III, the heir to the throne is exempt from paying corporation and capital gains taxes on land and property transactions.

But while the current Duke of Cornwall, Prince Charles, is technically exempt from paying income tax, he has volunteered to do so since 1993.

King Edward III who established Duchy of Cornwall estate in 1337 The Duchy of Cornwall estate was established by King Edward III in 1337

The Duchy spokesperson told Sky News: "We do not believe we have a competitive advantage.

"The Duke of Cornwall's income is taxed at income tax rates. The Duchy is not subject to corporation tax and the Duchy is not a corporation ... any capital gains have to be reinvested in the business and cannot be distributed."

But the PAC's Margaret Hodge MP wonders whether the Duchy's unique tax arrangements allow for a level playing field when the estate stands alongside other businesses.

She said: "If you're letting property to a Holiday Inn in Reading or to Waitrose to run a big depot on an industrial estate, are the terms of that enabling other competitors in that market to compete on an equal and level playing field?

"What started off 700 years ago as a medieval estate, today demonstrates all the features of a modern big corporation, yet it hangs on to old habits such as exemption from corporation tax."

The Duchy's main activity is the management of land and properties which make up its estate, providing an income for the present and future Dukes of Cornwall.

Its portfolio is made up of 131,000 acres of land, properties spread across 24 counties and more than 3,500 individual lettings.

All together over the last financial year it generated £28.8m and the Prince received an income of £19m, up 4% on the previous year.

England v Australia: 5th Investec Ashes Test - Day Five The estate owns property including the Kia Oval in south London

The money is partly used to fund his and his family's public, charitable and official duties and the Prince voluntarily pays income tax on the cash left after costs, around £9.2m last year, according to the PAC.

Margaret Hodge believes the Treasury falls short of proper scrutiny when it comes to the Duchy's finances.

She said: "It [The Treasury] relies on the Duchy to provide it with accurate information without carrying out its own independent checks.

"Details of the Treasury's approvals for the Duchy's proposed land transactions over £500,000, of which there are around 15 a year, are not published.

"Greater transparency is needed."

In answer to the PAC findings, the Treasury said: "HM Treasury's role is to ensure that the Duchy of Cornwall is managed in a sustainable way and that the strategic choices made by the estate's managers are in its long-term interests and those of current and future dukes.

"The Treasury has a constructive working relationship with the Duchy, and challenges decisions where appropriate."


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Laser System Targets Counterfeit Medicine Trade

More than 700,000 lives could be saved each year thanks to a new laser system of identifying fake malaria and tuberculosis drugs.

About 100,000 deaths each year in Africa alone are linked to the billion-dollar trade, which often sees substances like chalk or flour passed off as life-saving treatments.

It is almost impossible to identify such treatments using the naked eye, but researchers say the new laser "watermark" could be used to stop the illegal trade.

Cambridge University has developed the technique which could also be used on banknotes and designer goods.

Dr Damian Gardiner, from the university's electrical engineering division, said: "Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are sold fake pharmaceuticals under the mistaken belief that they will help them, while counterfeit products cost companies hundreds of billions of pounds.

"We think that our printed lasers could be used to protect both products and people."

The fraud detection device, which features in a new report by the Cambridge Innovation and Knowledge Centre, uses existing methods for printing liquid crystal lasers with inkjet printers.

This allows far more detailed patterns or colour combinations to be specified than would be the case using traditional watermarking techniques.

When a second laser is directed on to the liquid crystal pattern, it emits a light signature which can then be analysed by a computer and is far more difficult to fake.

The trace can be printed on surfaces ranging from paper to glass or plastics, and in the case of pharmaceuticals would be used to identify drug packaging.

Dr Gardiner said: "Techniques like fluorescence have been used to protect goods for a while, but lasers give us much finer control over brand protection."


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Water Bills: Minister Urges Curb To Hikes

The Environment Secretary has urged water companies to "look closely" at whether price increases are necessary and urged them to introduce special tariffs for hard-pressed households.

In a letter to suppliers, Owen Paterson MP said they should recognise the financial strain that people were under.

The intervention came with Ofwat expected later this week to reject an application from Thames Water to increase bills by £29 in 2014-2015.

The regulator has questioned the profits being made by firms, and suggested its next Price Review could ease the upward pressure on bills by up to £750m after 2015.

BRITAIN-POLITICS-CONSERVATIVES Owen Paterson has urged water companies to reconsider price hikes

Mr Paterson said: "We know that household budgets are under pressure, and keeping water bills affordable is a crucial way we can help hardworking people.

"That is why we are pressing hard to make sure customers get a fair deal, by encouraging water companies to look closely at any price increases, introduce social tariffs for vulnerable customers and crack down on bad debt."

Water bills have risen by more than 60% in the last decade and the average household bill is now £388.

Since 2009, average increases in water and sewerage bills have been in line with inflation, but this has still outstripped increases in household income.

Water companies have blamed the price increases on the costs of environmental improvements including replacing ageing Victoria water pipes.

It comes after the cost of living has become increasingly important on the political agenda after Labour leader Ed Miliband pledged to freeze energy prices if his party wins the 2015 General Election.

Mr Miliband will accuse the coalition Government of "shrugging their shoulders" about low wages and rising prices this week and will challenge Conservative and Lib Dem MPs to back his policy of freezing energy bills in a Commons vote on Wednesday.

During a speech at Battersea Power Station, he will say: "The cost of living crisis isn't just an issue for the lowest paid, it affects the squeezed middle just as much.

"This is not just an issue facing Britain. It is the issue facing Britain. It is about who our country is run for."

Prime Minister David Cameron last week said he wanted to "roll back" environmental taxes that bump up energy bills, and promised more details in Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement on December 4.


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Jersey: Rescue Plane Crashes In Dinghy Search

Written By Unknown on Senin, 04 November 2013 | 16.13

Two men have been found in a rescue mission that saw a plane crash land in strong winds in the island of Jersey.

All five crew on board the aircraft escaped injury when the Channel Island Air Search (CIAS) aircraft made an emergency landing in a field near Devil's Hole, on the north of the island.

St Helier and St Catherine's lifeboats were sent to find the two men, thought to be fishermen, who were reported missing in a dinghy off the north-east coast at 6pm.

A statement from the Jersey Coastguard said: "The two missing men involved in this evening's incident at Les Ecrehous have been found.

Jersey Map Search is continuing off the north-east coast of Jersey

"A rescue operation is currently underway and we will update as and when we have further information."

The crashed PBN-2B Islander aircraft was replaced by a helicopter from Cherbourg in France.

A lifeboat from the nearby island of Alderney was also sent to find the pair.

Local journalist Hannah Walker told Sky News: "The conditions here are terrible. There are incredibly strong winds that are forecast to get up to 60mph tonight."

She said emergency services received a call from the CIAS crew at 7.15pm to say they were having issues with the plane.

Two People In Dinghy Missing Off Jersey The men were headed towards Les Ecrehous reef

They crash landed into a field shortly afterwards. 

John Dowling, manager of The Priory Inn, said the five search and rescue crewman came into his pub with police after they had crashed.

"No one was injured, everyone was all right and that's the main thing, isn't it?" he said.

Asked how the five were, he replied: "Of course they were shaken up. You would be too if you'd just crash landed a plane, wouldn't you?"


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Gosport 'Car Murder': Two Teenage Girls Named

A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two teenage girls died when they were hit by a car.

Jasmine Allsop, 14, died at the scene in Ann's Hill Road in Gosport, while Olivia Lewry, 16, was taken to hospital but also died, Hampshire Police said.

Detective Superintendent Dick Pearson said: "This is an extremely tragic incident which has resulted in the death of two young girls.

"I currently have a team of detectives and other officers, including expert road collision investigators, working on this case to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of these two teenage girls.

Police at scene of Gosport hit and run murder Forensic staff have been examining the scene.

"I would appeal to anyone who knows anything which could help this investigation to contact my team as soon as possible."

The girls were pedestrians and were involved in a collision with a green Honda Civic car which was being driven along the road at about 4.15am on Sunday.

The older girl was taken to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth with serious injuries but did not survive.

A man was originally taken into custody on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but the offence was later changed to suspected murder, police said.

Mourners at scene of Gosport hit and run murder Mourners brought flowers to pay their respects to the girls.

He remains in custody.

A bouquet of flowers placed near the scene read: 'In loving memory of Olivia and Jaz, thinking of you lots of love.'

One local resident Aaron O'Sullivan told the Portsmouth News: "It's horrible – what a waste of life, especially coming up to Christmas, it's just shocking."

Sky News reporter Siobhan Robbins spoke to some of the girls' friends, saying they described them as 'outgoing and bubbly'.

One local resident Daniel Close said: "It's tragic. It's got to be the worst news you can get."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Major Investigation Team at Fratton Police Station on 101, quoting Operation Barb.


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Terror Suspect 'Escapes Mosque In Burka'

A suspect who escaped surveillance by changing into a burka on a visit to a mosque is being hunted by counter-terrorism officers.

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed was last seen at a West London mosque on Friday afternoon.

He entered the building wearing Western-style clothes, but CCTV images issued by Scotland Yard later show him leaving with his face and body fully covered by the traditional Islamic garment.

The 27-year-old is subject to a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures notice (Tpim).

The Labour Party has said it plans to put down an urgent question in the Commons later.

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed Mr Mohamed is not considered a "direct threat", police said.

A court-imposed anonymity order banning the publication of Mr Mohamed's name has been lifted to allow police to make a public appeal, following an application from Home Secretary Theresa May.

Mr Mohamed is "not considered at this time to represent a direct threat to the public", Scotland Yard said, but anyone who sees him is urged to call 999 immediately.

Security Minister James Brokenshire said: "National security is the Government's top priority and the police are doing everything in their power to apprehend this man as quickly as possible.

"The police and security services do not believe that this man poses a direct threat to the public in the UK.

"The Home Secretary, on police advice, yesterday applied to the High Court for an order protecting anonymity to be lifted in order to assist with their investigation."

Somalia-born Mr Mohamed, who is 5ft 8in tall and of medium build, arrived at the An-Noor Masjid and Community Centre in Church Road, Acton, at 10am on Friday and was last seen there at 3.15pm that day.

He is the second person to breach a Tpim since they were introduced to replace control orders in early 2012.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The Counter Terrorism Command immediately launched inquiries to trace Mr Mohamed and these continue.

"Ports and borders were notified with his photograph and details circulated nationally. Public safety remains our priority."

Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed Another CCTV image shows the burka-clad figure, believed to be Mr Mohamed

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper described the matter as "extremely serious".

She said: "Clearly police and security agencies will be doing everything possible to locate this terror suspect and ensure public safety.

"The Home Secretary also needs to provide information about the decisions made over Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed's Tpim, how he was able to abscond and what the risks to the public are."

Tpims, which include restrictions on overnight residence, travel and finance, are imposed by the Home Secretary who is given access to secret evidence that can not be placed before juries.

They do not allow for the relocation of suspects, as control orders did and unlike control orders, Tpims have a maximum time limit of two years.

Control orders could be extended year on year without limit, while Tpims can be extended after a year for another 12 months before they expire.

As of August 31, there were nine Tpims in force, including eight against British suspects, the latest written update to MPs showed.

Last December, Ibrahim Magag, who is understood to have attended terrorist training camps in Somalia, absconded from a Tpim notice after ripping off his electronic tag. The police search for him is continuing.

Ibrahim Magag Police are still hunting Ibrahim Magag, who absconded in December 2012

The terrorism watchdog warned earlier this year that Tpims could allow those deemed potentially dangerous to be left "free and unconstrained" in the absence of prosecution or new evidence of terrorism-related activity.

David Anderson QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said in his first report on Tpims, that the two-year limit was the "boldest" change from control orders made by the Government, adding that it was "tempting, in the most serious cases, to wish for longer".

Speaking in March, he said: "Some subjects who have been judged by the Home Secretary and by the courts to be potentially dangerous will then, absent prosecution or new evidence of terrorism-related activity, be free and unconstrained."

Mr Anderson said a longer time limit was tempting as allegations against some Tpim subjects were at the "highest end of seriousness, even by the standards of international terrorism".

However, he concluded that the two years of constraint now permitted were "a very strong power by international or indeed historic British standards".

Mr Brokenshire has defended the measures, describing them as providing a "robust mechanism" to manage suspects and reassure the public.


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Wales: High Winds Leave 4,000 Without Power

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 03 November 2013 | 16.12

Some 4,000 people have been left without power due to high winds in south and west Britain.

Storm force winds are understood to have brought down trees and power lines across parts of South Wales.

Gusts of 60 to 70mph hit Wales, while the heaviest rain fell in northern England, Scotland and North Wales.

The 4,000 homes without power were all in South Wales with a Western Power Distribution spokesman saying the weather was to blame.

Police closed the M4 motorway at junction 37 for two hours from 4pm after a caravan overturned in a contraflow system, causing long delays.

The A470 was also closed for two hours from 5pm at Upper Boat, near Pontypridd.

Traffic Wales said that the motorway is still affected by adverse weather conditions, across the Second Severn Crossing and between junctions 30 to 49.

A wall of water leaps from the sea at Porthcawl. Pic: Matthew Garfield A wall of water leaps from the sea at Porthcawl. Pic: Matthew Garfield

High winds were reported on all the bridges around the Bristol Channel, making driving conditions difficult.

In Beddau, also near Pontypridd, a roof was blown off a garage into the wall of a house (see picture above).

South Wales Police Force Incident Manager Emma Tyler said at one point in the afternoon the force were receiving about 20 reports an hour of trees coming down on roads and pavements.

She said: "The wind started picking up about 2pm and was gusting between 4pm and 5pm. I lost count of how many calls we had.

"We've worked closely with the Highways Agency and at the moment there are no roads closed.

"We had a lot of trees down but there were no reports of injuries and no fatalities. It was just disruption."

Crashing waves in Little Haven, near Haverford West. Pic: Alex Brown Crashing waves in Little Haven, near Haverfordwest. Pic: Alex Brown

Flood warnings have been issued for south west England, with Lyme Regis and West Bay Harbour, and the Somerset coast at Clevedon and Porlock Weir were affected.

Ten further flood alerts were issued for areas around Dorset, Somerset, Cornwall, Devon and the Severn Estuary.

The Met Office also issued a yellow weather warning, which means be aware, for most of South Wales, and the West Country, part of North Wales and Lancashire and north east Scotland.

Parts of Scotland and most of southern England were warned to be prepared for high winds and heavy rain over the next two days.

Paul Mott, senior forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said people can expect as much as 10 to 20mm of rain.

He said: "It looks like it will be a bit less windy on Sunday and there will be sunny spells with a few showers as well."

Tim Field of the Energy Networks Association said engineers were on standby over the weekend to deal with power problems caused by wild weather.

Mr Field said he believed homes that were still without power in the east of England yesterday after last week's St Jude storm had been reconnected by the end of the day.


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'Plebgate' Officers Facing New Investigation

Three police officers accused of deceiving MPs over the so-called Plebgate scandal are to face a new investigation by the police watchdog.

The officers - police federation representatives - will also be called back before an influential committee of MPs over evidence they gave to it previously.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission said there were "procedural irregularities" in an earlier probe.

The Investigation Into Comments Made By Former Government Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell ContinuesAndrew Mitchell's bike in the snow Andrew Mitchell tried to take his bike through the Downing Street gates

Inspector Ken MacKaill, Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton and Sergeant Chris Jones are accused of giving misleading accounts of a meeting with former chief whip Andrew Mitchell.

The Conservative MP met the officers last October to try to clear the air after an alleged foul-mouthed confrontation with police in Downing Street the previous month.

The trio were initially told they would face no action for misconduct over misleading press statements they made immediately after the meeting.

But the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has now said it will hold an investigation into their behaviour.

IPCC deputy chairwoman Deborah Glass said the watchdog was holding its inquiry to avoid damaging public confidence.

Andrew Mitchell at Downing Street gates The confrontation was caught on CCTV and shown on Channel 4

She said: "Evidence given to the Home Affairs Select Committee on October 23 revealed a number of procedural irregularities between the production of the draft and final West Mercia reports."

The officers have also been recalled to the Home Affairs Select Committee to apologise for giving "misleading answers" on October 23.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz said: "We were appalled by the evidence given by DS Hinton, Sgt Jones and Inspector MacKaill. It is now clear that DS Hinton and Sgt Jones misled the committee, possibly deliberately.

"We have recalled them to correct the record and if they do not, they will be in prima facie contempt of Parliament."


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Maidstone Prison 'Riot' Brought Under Control

A "riot" at Maidstone Prison has been brought under control, the Prison Service has said.

Officers from special prison service riot units across the country were called in to deal with the Maidstone incident in a system known as Operation Tornado.

A prison officers union said it had been told the riot involved up to 180 prisoners, but the Prison Service said just 40 inmates took part in the "incident".

Disorder at Maidstone prision Riot units were called to the prison

Prison Officers Association vice chair Ralph Valerio told Sky News negotiators had been sent to the scene in Kent to try to contain the disturbance.

He said he had been told that at one point inmates were smashing up the Thanet Wing at the prison.

Mr Valerio said he had been led to believe that between 160 to 180 foreigners were involved - and some staff could have been assaulted.

Disorder at Maidstone prision Up to 180 foreigners are thought to have taken part in the disturbance

He said prison staff had been forced to retreat to safety. Thanet Wing, where the riot occurred, is separated from the other wings.

Jackie Hipwell, the landlady of a pub nearby, said the whole road in front of the prison was filled with fire engines and riot vans.

She said it started around 4pm and there were so many vehicles deployed she was unable to use the road.

The location of Thanet Wing at HMP Maidstone The location of Thanet Wing at Maidstone Prison

A Prison Service spokesperson said later: "An incident involving around 40 prisoners at HMP Maidstone has been successfully resolved with no injuries to staff or prisoners.

"An investigation is under way and the perpetrators will be dealt with appropriately by the prison."

Mr Valerio believes staff shortages and the impact this has had on the prisoners is a possible reason behind the rioting.

Maidstone, with an inmate population of about 600, is a category C training prison that predominantly houses sex offenders from the Kent and Sussex areas.

Its website says it aims to "create a therapeutic environment that supports, embraces and empowers change with a primary focus on risk reduction and protection".

The prison also takes in foreign prisoners with more than 18 months to serve and provides forums with the UK Border Agency.

Kent Police confirmed it was aware of the incident, but a spokeswoman said prison services were dealing with the matter.

Meanwhile, a passive demonstration took place at G4S-run Rye Hill Prison, near Rugby,  involving 60 inmates. However, this was resolved peacefully and was not linked to the Maidstone riot.


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