Govt 'Out Of Touch' On Term-Time Holiday Ban

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

New rules banning holidays during school term time are penalising families who have no choice but to take their children out of school, some parents have told Sky News.

Maxine Ingrouille-Kidd, whose son Curtis is severely disabled, said she was threatened with a fine when she asked for permission to take her son on a cruise during term time because it was the only time accessible cabins were available.

"A cruise is a good sensory experience for Curtis ... and it is important for us to have family time together," she said.

"We did try to go at half term and they didn't have an accessible cabin.

"We're really limited by what Curtis needs.

"We didn't think (the school) would refuse us because he has a life-limiting condition and we thought they would appreciate that it was important for Curtis to be with us.

"Despite having up to 40 seizures a day, he's actually quite healthy and has had very few absences."

Curtis, who is quadriplegic, epileptic, blind and has cerebral palsy, was refused permission by his school in Somerset under new rules which came into force last September.

Under the rules, headteachers can only grant permission for term time leave in "exceptional circumstances" - a discretion some parents claim is not being used properly.

Stewart Sutherland, who says he has been unable to take a family holiday for five years because of his job, was prosecuted and fined £996 after he pleaded guilty to taking his three children to Greece on a holiday booked prior to the new rules being introduced.

"The Government is out of touch with society when it introduced these rules," said Mr Sutherland.

"The country does not come to a standstill when the kids are on holiday - there's always someone who is still working."

"Family time is sometimes just as important as schooling," he added.

The Government said the new rules are fair and have reduced the number of pupils regularly missing school by 130,000.

"We have been clear that all headteachers are free to grant pupils leave in exceptional circumstances," a spokesman for the Department for Education said.

"It is up to headteachers to decide whether to grant time off and how much time to grant.

"We are also giving schools the flexibility to set their own term times so they can change dates to ones that work for their pupils and families.

"Parents can urge schools to make use of this new freedom."

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Mother Admits Beating Mikaeel Kular To Death

Mikaeel Kular's mother has pleaded guilty to killing her three-year-old son, who she subjected to repeated assaults.

Rosdeep Adekoya had been accused of murder but admitted a reduced charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Edinburgh.

She confessed to wrapping Mikaeel's body in a duvet cover, putting it in a suitcase and driving to Dunvegan Avenue in Kirkcaldy, where she hid the case under a bush in woodland behind a house.

The death of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular touched the community

Mikaeel's disappearance from his Edinburgh home in January sparked a huge search involving police officers, firefighters, mountain rescue teams and the coastguard, as well as members of the public.

His body was eventually found 25 miles away in woodland in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Adekoya's internet searches included "Get rid of bruises"

Adekoya had called 999 to report her son missing to police, telling officers he got out of bed and climbed on a stool to unlock the front door of his home.

But in court she admitted to beating her son to death, repeatedly punching him and causing his body to hit against a hard object or inflicting blunt injuries on his head and body between January 12 and 15.

She also pleaded guilty to attempting to defeat the ends of justice by pretending to police he had gone missing.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice told the court: "The basis for the plea tendered being accepted is that the Crown accepts that the accused had no intention to kill Mikaeel and that the assault perpetrated upon him, although severe, fell short of the wicked recklessness required for murder."

Explaining the charge of culpable homicide, Sky's James Matthews, at the High Court in Edinburgh, said: "Basically she beat up her son causing his death but she didn't mean to kill him, and that's been accepted by the prosecution authorities."

The toddler's body was found in woodland behind a property in Kirkcaldy

He said after killing Mikaeel, Adekoya had done the school-run taking her four other children to school before continuing on to dump his body behind a property where her sister was staying.

"Her concocted story unravelled under questioning by police, and it was when they spotted inconsistencies in her story that she broke down and told them where Mikaeel's body was," Matthews added.

The car used by Adekoya to dump Mikaeel's body after the school-run

Adekoya's internet history showed searches including "I find it hard to love my son", "I love all of my children except one", "Why am I so aggressive with my son" and "Get rid of bruises".

The court heard Mikaeel died on the night of Tuesday, January 14, from injuries inflicted the previous Sunday.

Hundreds of members of the public joined the search for the youngster

His mother "lost her temper" when he was repeatedly sick following a trip to a Nando's restaurant at the city's Fountain Park.

Mikaeel had more than 40 separate injuries to his body, including bruises to his back, chin and cheek, trauma to the brain, haemorrhage in the spinal cord and injuries to his arms.

Mr Prentice said: "If medical assistance had been called for, death might not have resulted."

Sentence was deferred until August 25 at the High Court in Edinburgh.

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Housing Shortage Sees More Tenants Evicted

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

Increasing numbers of private tenants are being evicted or exploited by landlords cashing in on the increase in house prices and the shortage of rented accommodation, according to latest figures.

Citizens Advice (CAB) saw a 38% rise in the number of people turning to the charity for help with eviction notices served on them, despite being up to date with their rent.

CAB recorded 5,000 cases across the country in 2013/2014 where tenants complained about being forced from their homes, even though they were not in arrears. That figure is up from 3,750 the previous year.

Problems in London and the South East are particularly acute, the charity said, where many house prices are the highest in the country.

Private tenant Ryan Herran told Sky News he was being forced from his Muswell Hill home of five years, because he complained about damp and mould in the property and demanded his landlord fix the problem.

After months of wrangling with the owner, he was eventually served with a section 21 eviction order.

"I was actually in shock for a couple of days because I've always been a good tenant and always paid my rent and never engaged in anti-social behaviour," he said.

"I did ring up the property management company and they told me they don't have to give a reason under the section 21 eviction notice. They said they felt they were doing me a favour by at least giving me two months notice."

Mr Herran believes his eviction is motivated by spite and certainty on the part of the landlord that he would easily be able to find another tenant.

The number of tenants seeking help over eviction has nearly doubled

Roger Harding from the homelessness charity Shelter said: "Sadly landlords can evict for no reason, even if you've been keeping up with the rent. 

"We've found many worrying examples where landlords have evicted people simply because they don't want to have to deal with repair issues and that's something we want to see outlawed."

During January to March 2014 house prices rose by 18% in London and 10% in the South East, compared to the same period the previous year.

CAB's figures reveal those rises were mirrored by an increase in private tenants reporting they had been served with eviction notices, despite being up to date with their rent .

The charity said the number of tenants in London and the South East seeking help over eviction notices between January and March 2014 was 900, compared with 400 over the first quarter of the year before.

Landlord Richard Blanco rents out properties across six London boroughs and is also a member of National Landlords Association. He said private landlords are often unfairly maligned.

"There's a small minority of rogue landlords who might try and increase rents but really the most sensible business model for landlords is to maintain the property well and to have a good relationship with tenants and to try to ensure tenants stay as long as possible," he said.

Mr Blanco said, contrary to widespread belief, more than three quarters of private tenants have not faced an increase in rents over the past 12 months.

The Government is in the process of introducing new legislation which it hopes will strengthen the rights of private tenants and help protect them from exploitation, or unjustified eviction.

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MoD Refused Scottish Colours For Red Arrows

A request by Commonwealth Games organisers for the Red Arrows to trail the colours of the Scottish flag during the opening ceremony was overruled by the Government, it has emerged.

The Ministry of Defence was approached by the organising committee who asked if the traditional red, white and blue smoke could be switched for blue and white.

However, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon personally decided it was fitting for the Union flag colours to be used instead.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The Red Arrows are ambassadors for the United Kingdom and are famous for their red, white and blue smoke trails which represent the whole of the UK.

"The flypast was to celebrate the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth and the presence of Her Majesty so it was fitting that red, white and blue were used."

Glasgow 2014 organisers said that while the proposal was discussed with the Red Arrows no formal request for the colours change was ever made.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government made no such approach regarding the Red Arrows, whose flypast was a spectacular highlight of a fantastic opening ceremony. Any claims to the contrary are completely untrue."

"Glasgow 2014, as organisers of the Games, independently contract a private company to organise and stage the opening and closing ceremonies.

"An approach was made by them to the MoD to explore whether it would be possible to have blue and white smoke in recognition of Scotland as the host Commonwealth nation.

"We believe that ultimately the UK Government did not want to proceed with this suggestion."

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Single-Shot Radiotherapy For Breast Cancer

A new type of radiotherapy which could be delivered in a single dose during surgery is offering new hope for tens of thousands of women with breast cancer.

Intrabeam radiotherapy has been given provisional go-ahead for NHS use by the National Institute for Health and Care excellence (Nice).

In new draft guidance, Nice said the treatment option should be considered for people with early stage breast cancer.

Professor Carole Longson, director of health technology evaluation at Nice, said: "Unlike regular radiotherapy, with the Intrabeam Radiotherapy System only one dose is required.

"This single dose is given at the same time as surgery, eliminating the need for numerous hospital visits.

"Regular radiotherapy typically requires numerous doses over a three week period - although some people may receive it for longer - and is performed weeks or months after surgery or chemotherapy.

"Whilst current evidence was not extensive, this type of radiotherapy was more convenient for patients and can improve a person's quality of life.

"It's still a new treatment - so far only six centres in the UK have used the Intrabeam Radiotherapy System to treat early breast cancer.

"Because it is still relatively new it is only right to recommend its use in a carefully controlled way.

The new technique could spare women weeks of traditional radiotherapy

Breakthrough Breast Cancer said the "revolutionary" treatment would not only cause less hassle for patients but it would also save the NHS time and money.

"This is great news for early breast cancer patients due for breast conserving operations," Sally Greenbrook, senior policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said.

"Intrabeam is unique in that it is given during surgery, avoiding the need for weeks of follow up appointments and for many women, this is all the treatment they need.

"As this is a new technology, patients will need to be made aware of the pros and cons before going ahead.

"However, this technique can greatly reduce the disruption, stress and inconvenience of what for some people can be over 15 additional trips to and from hospital as well as saving the NHS money and time.

"Whilst this is just an initial decision from Nice we look forward to their final decision which we very much hope will remain positive."

Every year, around 41,500 women and 300 men in England are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Nice said that around 86% of these patients, or 35,970 people each year, could potentially benefit from the treatment.

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UK Economy Emerges From Six-Year Downturn

Official figures show the UK economy has emerged from six years of lost growth to return to its pre-crisis peak.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Britain's economy was now bigger than it was before the financial crisis as gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 0.8% in the second quarter of the year.

The performance matched that of the previous quarter, although today's figure is only a first estimate and subject to revision.

It meant that on an annual basis, growth was 3.1% higher than was measured in the same period last year leaving total output 0.2% higher than in the first quarter of 2008 - its previous peak.

The ONS charted 1% quarter-on-quarter growth in the service sector - which accounts for 75% of total UK GDP - while industrial production rose 0.4%.

However both construction and agriculture made negative contributions of 0.5% and 0.2% respectively - both hit by the effects of a very wet winter and spring.

The ONS said only the service industry was now bigger than it was before the crisis, with industrial output and construction still 10% smaller.

The Chancellor George Osborne said: "Thanks to the hard work of the British people, today we reach a major milestone in our long-term economic plan."

He tweeted: "We owe it to hardworking taxpayers not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

"Economy bigger than previous peak in 2008 but long way to go - the Great Recession was one of deepest of any major economy & cost UK 6 years."

The pace of the recovery will feed into expectations about the timing of an interest rate rise by the Bank of England though its governor Mark Carney recently suggested it would be tied to improved data on wage growth.

While employment has soared in recent months, salary growth has fallen to 0.3% year-on-year and continues to lag inflation - last measured at 1.9%.

The scenario that has left the Bank fearing the impact of any rate rise on consumers - whose spending remains the biggest driver of economic growth.

Labour's shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, said of today's GDP figures: "At long last our economy is back to the size it was before the global banking crisis - three years after the US reached the same point.

"But with GDP per head not set to recover for three more years and most people still seeing their living standards squeezed this is no time for complacent claims that the economy is fixed.

"Wages after inflation are down over £1,600 a year since 2010, housebuilding under this government is at its lowest level since the 1920s and business investment is lagging behind our competitors.

"Labour's economic plan will make Britain better off and fairer for the future."

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Undercover Police Slammed In Misconduct Report

The Metropolitan Police will face criticism today with a report expected to reveal the force kept information gathered by undercover officers that served no purpose in preventing crime.

It follows a review of Scotland Yard's highly secretive Special Demonstrations Squad (SDS), which has reportedly found that grieving families were spied on, including that of Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead by police in 2005.

The report is expected to say that the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), Special Branch and senior management broke rules about what information could be kept about the subjects of investigations.

Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon was called in to conduct an inquiry into the SDS after allegations were made about misconduct within the unit.

The allegations included claims officers used the identities of dead children without permission, and tricked women into having sexual relationships.

A banner seen outside a block of flats in Kennington in 2008

Metropolitan Police personnel are also said to have gathered information on the family of Mr de Menezes, who was shot dead by officers who mistook him for a suicide bomber in July 2005.

In a statement, Mr Creedon said: "My report is very clear that criticism must be levelled at the Metropolitan Police Service for keeping information, which had been gathered by undercover officers, which served no purpose in preventing crime or disorder.

"This is not a criticism of the deployment of the individual officers, but of the lack of regard the SDS, Special Branch and the Metropolitan Police Service senior management paid to the rules and legislation that clearly set out what they should, and should not have, collected and retained."

A spokeswoman for the Jean Charles de Menezes Family Campaign said: "It is shameful that the Metropolitan police spied on the legitimate campaign activities of a grieving family who were simply trying to get the answers they deserved after their loved one was killed by police officers.

Teenager Stephen Lawrence was murdered in 1993

"It begs the question - what exactly were the police spying for? We can only assume they were gathering information in an attempt to discredit the family's campaign for justice in order to deflect accountability for their own failings."

The SDS has also been accused of infiltrating campaign groups close to the family of murder victim Stephen Lawrence.

It's also claimed that officers gathered information to "smear" his relatives' reputations.

Mr Creedon said there was no evidence that officers targeted black justice campaigns deliberately.

"To date we have found no evidence that any SDS officer targeted or infiltrated any family member of any Justice Campaign, nor the Justice Campaign itself, and we can find no trace of any personal information about family members having been recorded by them," he said.

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Coastal Deaths At Highest Level In Four Years

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Correspondent

New safety warnings are being issued after figures revealed that the number of coastal deaths has risen.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) says 167 people in the UK died at the coast last year, the highest number in four years.

A further 368 people had to be rescued.

The charity will today launch a Respect the Water campaign with posters and advertisements highlighting the dangers of venturing into the water.

Ross Macleod, the RNLI's coastal safety manager, explained that people can go into shock within seconds and can drown in just a few minutes.

"There are some hidden dangers that people need to be aware of: things like rip currents, which are strong bodies of water which can take you from shallow water out to deep water quickly.

"The best thing to do to avoid that is to swim at a lifeguarded beach between the red and yellow flags.

"Other things surround drinking before you go in the water. Obviously, it can inhibit your ability and judgement in the water, so it's best to have a drink after you've been for a swim and not before."

Slips, trips and falls while walking or running accounted for 32% of last year's coastal deaths, while 17% involved alcohol.

Around 68% of fatalities were men, with experts warning they are more likely to underestimate the power of the sea.

Elizabeth Toogood's uncle drowned after being caught in currents at his regular swimming spot off Weston-super-Mare.

Speaking to Sky News, she warned that anybody can get into danger in the water: "He knew the area really well, he was young, he was fit, he was competent in the water and I think that's what made it even more shocking.

"Nobody really knows how strong the currents are."

The campaign is being held in Portsmouth, Brighton, Clacton, Kingston-on-Thames, Margate, Blackpool, Newquay, Cardiff Bay and Queensferry.

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Storm Failings Cost Power Firms Millions More

The UK's energy regulator says two power network operators are to pay an extra £3.3m for failures related to last winter's storms.

Ofgem said it had now secured a total of £8m from SSE and UK Power Networks (UKPN) after its investigation into the companies' handling of the bitter weather event ahead of Christmas.

The south of England was worst affected by the stormiest December since 1969 - and the windiest since 1993.

The combination of strong winds and heavy rain - running at more than double the seasonal average - brought havoc to many towns and villages as river levels rose and power lines were brought down.

The firms had already paid out £4.7m to consumers who were among one million households left without power at some stage though approximately 16,000 suffered lengthy reconnection delays of over 48 hours.

Yalding in Kent was among the worst affected areas

There were 500 premises in the UKPN and SSE Southern regions that were without supply for over five days - with the firms also slammed for poor communication with those affected and for failing to recall enough staff from their Christmas break.

Ofgem said the British Red Cross - which plays a role of helping vulnerable people during severe weather - would be among the organisations to benefit from the latest instalment of cash.

The watchdog said its new compensation regime - due to come into force next April - would guarantee standard payments of at least £70 for customers left without power for more than 24 hours.

Ofgem said the previous cap of £216 per household would rise to £700.

The announcement was made as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) set out details of its investigation into Britain's wider energy market to establish whether the 'big six' providers of gas and electricity need to be broken up.

The CMA must deliver its report by December 2015

It confirmed it had started work but was only releasing details of the scope of its inquiry at this stage.

Roger Witcomb, chair of the Energy Market Investigation Group, said: "Given the importance of energy supply to households, businesses and the economy, we very much encourage submissions on the issues we have identified and whether these cover the areas we need to investigate.

"We are looking to identify the underlying causes, at both wholesale and retail level, which could be leading to the widespread concerns that have surrounded this market in recent years - including rising energy bills, service quality, profitability and uncertainty over future investment.

"This is a market which is very complex so it is important at an early stage to focus the investigation on the most relevant issues."

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Ian Watkins Contests 'Harsh' Child Sex Sentence

Former Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins is challenging his 35-year sentence for 13 child sex offences, including the attempted rape of an 11-month old baby.

The disgraced rock star has claimed he was treated too harshly when he was handed a 29-year jail term and an additional six years  on licence.

Judges at Cardiff Crown Court will decide whether the former singer has sufficient grounds to appeal.

Watkins, 36, originally declared he was innocent of the offences, which also included possession of child-abuse videos, some which he made himself, and encouraging a fan to abuse her own child.

But at the last minute he changed his plea, averting the need for a trial.

He later complained he had not realised his guilty plea would make him "look guilty".

Judge Mr Justice Royce told Watkins at the trial: "Those who have appeared in these courts over many years see a large number of horrific cases. This case, however, breaks new ground.

"I am satisfied that you are a deeply corrupting influence, you are highly manipulative, you are a sexual predator, you are dangerous. The public and, in particular, young females need protection from you."

Watkins was told that he would have to serve two-thirds of the custodial term before he could be considered for release by the Parole Board.

His two accomplices, only identified as Woman A and Woman B, were jailed for 14 years and 16 years respectively.

Woman B will also have her appeal bid heard at Cardiff Crown Court.

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Child 'Sexters' Given Prosecution Warning

Schoolchildren who send so-called "sexts" to people over the internet have been warned by one police force that they could face prosecution.

In a letter to schools in the county, Nottinghamshire Police's sexual exploitation investigation unit said the force had been receiving reports on a daily basis of naked images being sent between teenagers using their phones.

A "sext" is a self-generated explicit image which is sent to other people over the internet.

In one recent case, a teenage girl who sent a topless picture of herself to her boyfriend was investigated after it was deemed she had distributed an indecent image of a child.

The girl's boyfriend, who forwarded the image to his friends after they broke up, is reported to have been given a caution.

In the letter, Detective Inspector Martin Hillier warns that court action for such offences may even mean a child is forced to register as a sex offender.

DI Hillier wrote: "I have grave concerns over the amount of referrals Nottinghamshire Police are receiving on a daily basis in relation to naked images being sent between teenagers via either social networking, texts or mobile phone apps.

"It is crucial that children (under 18 years) understand that every internet site and social networking site is monitored by an administrator.

"When photographs that fall within the category of an indecent image (even if taken with consent) are uploaded, reports are made by the administrators to the police.

"If a person is aged over 10yrs and distributes (shares - even to friends) an indecent image then they can be arrested, charged and dealt with for this offence.

"If they are found guilty they must then register as a sex offender."

The officer stressed that pictures are almost impossible to remove from the internet after they have been uploaded.

"An individual's on-line reputation needs protecting as it stays with them for the rest of their life," DI Hillier added.

"I would like to make every school in Nottinghamshire aware of these offences and the implications of pupils' involvement in such behaviour."

Earlier this year, Nottinghamshire County Council's anti-bullying co-ordinator Lorna Naylor warned young people that such pictures could leave them vulnerable to blackmail.

"They can be deleted on social media or may only last a few seconds on apps like Snapchat, but images can still be saved or copied by others," she said.

"These images may never be completely removed and could be found in the future, for example when applying for jobs or university.

"Young people may think 'sexting' is harmless but it can leave them vulnerable to blackmail where someone may threaten to share the pictures with family and friends unless they send money or more images."

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Queen's Gold Cup-Winning Horse Fails Drug Test

A racehorse owned by the Queen has tested positive for the banned substance morphine, Buckingham Palace has revealed.

Five-year-old filly Estimate, which won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last year, is trained by Sir Michael Stoute.

The positive test is thought to have resulted as a result of consumption of a contaminated feed product, the palace said.

The Queen, who cheered the horse on to victory in 2013, has been informed of the result.

A statement by John Warren, the Queen's Bloodstock and Racing Advisor, said: "On Thursday July 17 the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced that a number of post-race samples, obtained from recent race meetings, had been found to indicate the presence of morphine, which is a prohibited substance on race days.

"Five horses, under the care of various trainers, were affected.

"I can confirm that one of those horses was Estimate, the five-year-old filly trained by Sir Michael Stoute and owned by The Queen.

"Initial indications are that the positive test resulted from the consumption of a contaminated feed product.

"Sir Michael is working closely with the feed company involved to discover how the product may have become contaminated prior to delivery to his stables."

Estimate's victory saw the Queen become the first reigning monarch to win the Gold Cup. The horse also finished second in the same race this year.

At the time, Sir Michael said: "It's a special thrill to win this race for the Queen and it will have given her enormous pleasure - she really loves this game and it's a great recreation for her.

"She told me it was a very big thrill and thanked everybody involved."

Morphine is not prohibited during training, but is banned on race days.

Queen Elizabeth won £155,960 in prize money as the owner of the horse in the race.

Horses owned by the monarch have won four out of the five flat racing classics - the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, the Oaks and the St Leger. She has missed out on only the Derby.

The Queen has also seen 22 winners at Royal Ascot.

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'Girl Summit' Aims To End Child Marriage

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Correspondent

The first ever "Girl Summit" is being held in the UK, aimed at increasing efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) within a generation.

Co-hosted by UNICEF and the UK Government the event is being held in London from today and will bring together government representatives, international organisations, the private sector and girls themselves to call for action.

Organisations involved say millions of girls and women are being prevented from achieving their potential, or live a life free from violence, because of harmful practices such as FGM and CEFM, which are illegal in the UK.

Sky News spoke to one Kurdish woman who at the age of 15 was forced to marry a man she didn't know, and was subsequently beaten and raped.

Speaking through a translator, she described how her own relatives attacked her when she tried to escape.

"Her own family tried to kill her for leaving her husband," the translator said.

"They stabbed her twice, once in the chest and another in the back, and this was done by her brothers.

"When she did escape she was also prevented from seeing her children for 15 years. This has had a tremendous psychological effect."

But Diane Nammi from the Iranian and Kurdish women's rights organisation says this isn't just a distant problem.

Some 14 million girls are married every year before they turn 18

"It happens in London, in Newcastle, anywhere in the UK," she said.

"They are doing it mainly where there is sharia law and sharia courts, and so many young girls can be wife of a man as old as their father or grandfather, they can be the second wife of a man."

It's estimated that 14 million girls are married every year before they reach 18, with one in nine across the developing world married by 15.

Some 60% of child brides are also taken out of school so they have no formal education.

In most countries the legal minimum age for marriage is 18 - but loopholes often allow it to happen as part of local customs.

The group Girls Not Brides told Sky News that change is happening within communities and families in the UK, and across Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Europe, with more and more saying no to this form of abuse.

But Heather Hamilton from the partnership said many still don't realise the harm child marriage causes.

She said: "It's an entire end to the girl's life as her own person.

"We take it for granted that we're going to be able to make choices and have opportunities.

"We're going to be able to choose whether we get married, go to school or university.

"It's almost inconceivable for women who have the privileges we have to understand what this means, but it has a devastating impact on the girls and their lives."

A social media campaign has been launched to boost support for the event, with the Government asking people to share the hashtag #GirlSummit.

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Offenders 'Escape Justice' With Police Cautions

Offenders including thieves, arsonists and drug traffickers are "escaping the justice system" in London by being issued with cautions from the Metropolitan Police.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show 29,560 police cautions were handed out to offenders by the Met over the past year.

They include 1,356 criminals who were cautioned for wounding or grievous bodily harm, and another 301 drug traffickers.

Criminals responsible for 286 sex offences - including two rapes - also avoided court by accepting the cautions.

Some 236 offenders have received the reprimands on more than five different occasions.

The use of criminal cautions has been condemned by critics, who argue that victims are being denied justice in an open court.

Tony Arbour, a Conservative London Assembly member who requested the figures, said: "The public can't have confidence in a system where so many offenders are dealt with outside of court, just so that cases can be disposed of quickly.

"In effect, these people are being let off - some characters on more than five occasions. Cautions and fines should only be used as a warning the first time a criminal is caught.

He added: "If you have been a victim of a serious assault or a burglary, with all the trauma that entails, and discover that the matter has simply been dealt with by a caution, you would be very angry.

"It may well be preventing people from coming forward and reporting crimes if they think it will just be disposed with by a caution.

"This should be a wake-up call to the police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)."

Mr Arbour argued that police are using the cautions as a cost-saving measure.

"If the police can say that they have caught the perpetrator and they have been punished, because a caution is a punishment, then that is helpful for their statistics.

"If the CPS think they are going to lose they may well feel that getting a satisfactory resolution and a cheap resolution is better than going to trial and losing."

But a spokesman for the Met said police follow official guidelines for issuing cautions, and use professional discretion when handing out the reprimands.

"A caution is a serious matter: they are not taken lightly and we are conscious of the consequences that this judicial disposal can have on a person's future," he said.

"It should also be recognised that they are used predominately to deal with first-time offenders and as an alternative to court appearance where guilt is admitted."

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Litvinenko Public Inquiry To Be Announced

The Government is to announce a public inquiry into the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

The ex-KGB officer was poisoned by a cup of tea laced with the deadly radioactive element polonium 210 during a meeting at a London hotel in 2006 with two former Russian agents. He died three weeks later.

His widow, Marina, has fought for a public inquiry into his death ever since but the Government refused on the grounds it wanted to wait for the outcome of an inquest into his death.

Andrei Lugovoi is now a Russian MP

However, the High Court ruled in February the Home Secretary should reconsider, and Sky News understands Theresa May will be making the announcement in a written statement later on Tuesday morning.

The Litvinenko affair has caused significant diplomatic ructions between Britain and Russia. Police have asked for the arrests of two prime suspects, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, but the Kremlin has refused.

Marina Litvinenko has fought for a public inquiry

The announcement of an inquiry could not have come at a worse time for Britain's increasingly frayed relationship with Russia as tensions between the two countries intensify over Vladimir Putin's handling of the Ukraine air disaster.

However, the Government has been under pressure to make the announcement since the ruling in February and given the rapidly deteriorating relations with the Kremlin a low-key ministerial statement on the last day of Parliament was considered the best approach.

Mr Litvinenko fled Russia in 2000 and was granted asylum in Britain. His widow claims he was working for MI6 at the time of his death after meeting Mr Lugovoi and Mr Kovtun at the Millennium Hotel in Grosvenor Square.

Alexander Litvinenko in 1998

Last year Sir Robert Owen, who was conducting the inquest, said he could not hold a "fair and fearless" investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death because the Government refused to release information on Russian and British intelligence involvement.

He said a public inquiry would be the best way to proceed.

Mr Lugovoi, who is now a Russian MP, withdrew his cooperation with the inquest in 2013, accusing the British Government of a cover-up.

He has always denied murdering Mr Litvinenko, but has admitted meeting him shortly before his death, however, traces of radiation at key locations on his route from Moscow to London were found.

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Warning Over 'Terrorist' Label For UK Rebels

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

Muslim leaders in the UK have warned against laws that automatically brand British fighters in Syria as terrorists.

It comes as Home Secretary Theresa May launches a campaign today to discourage young men from going to fight in Syria and Iraq. A short film will focus on the distress it can cause their families.

But some in the Muslim community have told Sky News the Government's legal stance on fighting abroad could "increase the risk" to the UK.

Abdullah al Andalusi, a senior researcher at the Muslim Debate Initiative, said: "It's hypocritical of the UK Government to expect Muslims not to go, if they feel they want to fight in a just war.

"Bertrand Russell, George Orwell - they went to the Spanish civil war, people were going to fight Gaddafi in Libya and that was all fine.

"So I worry that the British Government should dictate to us what is fine and what is not fine about where to go, when the situations could be arguably very similar in all those places."

Young fighters in the Spanish civil war

He added: "Obviously there are some terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq but if we start punishing everybody it only adds a grievance which actually increases the risk (to the UK).

In the late 1930s, British nationals fought against a fascist rebellion in Spain - and under today's laws they would probably be classed as terrorists.

The 2006 Terrorism Act stipulates that weapons training and fighting in rebel groups against the foreign state can be treated as if acts of terror in the UK. The Government is seeking to strengthen this law with its Serious Crime Bill.

Some British fighters in Syria have argued they are only acting where the West failed to act following President Bashar al Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons on his own people.

Hundreds of British jihadists are thought to have joined the fight in Syria

Security Minister James Brokenshire told Sky News: "I understand that people want to assist but the point is that by doing so they may put their own lives at risk because of the situation on the ground, and put themselves at risk of exploitation by extremist and terrorist groups such as the Al Nusra Front and ISIS.

"We know that there are those who have been involved in terrorism in Syria and that's why we've seen prosecutions and why we must remain vigilant, because of the potential threat posed by those individuals who have been exposed and therefore what they may do on their return to the UK."

However, Maulana Shahid Raza, trustee of the British Muslim Council, told Sky News: "Everybody should not be branded a terrorist unless it is proven. So my request to the politicians is we need their support and we need their help in order to resolve this crisis among a section of our young people."

Maulana Mohammed Madni, chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, said: "Just going there, they are endangering their lives but they are not necessarily terrorists."

With so many groups in Syria fighting each other, the Government warns that Brits who think they may be joining a battle against the Assad regime are being sucked into a quite different ideological battle controlled by terrorist groups.

The Muslim community is also united in warning people not to go.

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Tesco Chief Philip Clarke To Step Down

Tesco's chief executive Philip Clarke is to quit after a string of poor results for the supermarket giant.

The group, which is seeing its worst sales performance in four decades, announced Mr Clarke's departure as it issued a fresh warning on profits.

He will stand down on October 1 and will be replaced by Dave Lewis from Unilever, who is a non-executive director of BSkyB, owner of Sky News.

Tesco's sales fell by 3.8% in the three months to May 24 on a like-for-like basis, an acceleration of the 3% slide in the previous quarter.

Mr Lewis will receive a basic salary of £1.25m, plus "standard" benefits. He will also receive £525,000 in lieu of his current year cash bonus from Unilever

Mr Clarke, who earned £1.14m in the role, will get a payoff worth 12 months salary.

The retailer is battling to stop a decline in sales figures

When Mr Clarke took over from Sir Terry Leahy in March 2011, the Tesco share price stood at 400p, but are now trading at 291p - equating to a shareholder loss of £8.8bn.

Tesco chairman Sir Richard Broadbent said: "Having guided Tesco through a substantial re-positioning in challenging markets, Philip Clarke agreed with the Board that this is the appropriate moment to hand over to a new leader with fresh perspectives and a new profile."

He added: "Dave Lewis brings a wealth of international consumer experience and expertise in change management, business strategy, brand management and customer development."

Mr Clarke said: "Having taken the business through the huge challenges of the last few years, I think this is the right moment to hand over responsibility and I am delighted that Dave Lewis has agreed to join us.

"Dave has worked with Tesco directly or indirectly over many years and is well-known within the business. I will do everything in my power to support him in taking the company forward through the next stage of its journey."

Mr Clarke, who had worked his way up from the shop floor to head Tesco, admitted last month the chain's sales figures were the worst he had known in 40 years.

But a trading update said conditions were more "challenging" than predicted.

The group said: "The overall market is weaker and, combined with increasing investments we are making to improve the customer offer and to build long-term loyalty, this means that sales and trading profit in the first half of the year are somewhat below expectations."

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Mini-Heatwave After 'Unprecedented' Floods

Firefighters say they have had an "unprecedented" number of 999 calls after thunderstorms and torrential rain wreaked havoc in parts of the South East.

Flash floods left a number of streets under water, while lightning struck several buildings.

The storms are likely to give way to another scorching week, with temperatures of 30C (86F) or higher possible for a three-day spell from Wednesday.

But forecasters warned the mini-heatwave could bring yet more heavy showers, thunder and lightning, especially in the South.

Police blamed some drivers for exacerbating the flooding

In Canvey Island, Essex, one of the areas worst hit by Sunday's storms, urban search and rescue teams were sent to help people trapped by rising water.

Flooding was so "widespread" on parts of the island it took nearly 12 hours to bring the situation under control.

Essex Police closed roads in Southend, Rayleigh, Castle Point, Wickford and Ramsden Heath, while Southend University Hospital's accident and emergency department was shut temporarily.

The stormy weather came after a mini-heatwave

Where roads remained open, flood-hit residents were said to be suffering "further anguish" because some motorists were driving too quickly and causing waves of water to enter homes.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service said it had received about 500 weather-related calls.

Assistant chief fire officer Paul Hill said: "Our approach to get through such an unprecedented level of calls was to deal with all risk to life as a priority.

"There was some frustration that with such widespread flooding our crews were unable to pump out properties because there was just nowhere to pump the water away, but we did everything we could to make sure people were and remained safe."

Across the UK, two flood warnings and 21 flood alerts remain in force, with Spixworth Beck, near Norwich, Norfolk, and the River Roach, Prittle Brook and Eastwood Brook in Southend, Essex, at particularly high levels.

John Curtin, the Environment Agency's director of incident management and resilience, said: "As we've seen over the past two days, flooding can happen very quickly, so we urge people to continue to check local weather forecasts and the Environment Agency website for flood risk information on a regular basis.

"We'll continue to monitor the situation closely and support local authorities, who will respond to any reports of surface water flooding."

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Last British Victims Of Flight MH17 Named

The final two British victims of doomed flight MH17 have been named as a charity in Newcastle revealed a child in its care has been orphaned by the crash.

John Allen, who worked at international law firm NautaDutilh, has been described as a "much-loved colleague". He died on the flight alongside his Dutch wife, Sandra Martens, and their three sons - Christopher, Julian and Ian.

"He was a person with many talents, and in addition to his professional contribution to our firm he generously shared his musical and athletic abilities with us as well," the firm said.

John Allen was killed along with his wife Sandra Martens and three sons

"All of us who had the privilege of working with John during his 18 years at NautaDutilh came to know him as a kind, down-to-earth and humorous man and many of us have also lost a friend. He will be dearly missed."

His sister Wonder Allen Smith posted a picture of her brother on Facebook with the following statement: "I lost my whole family, my only brilliant brother and his beautiful wife and three magnificent children in the mh17 airplane crash".

The final British person onboard the flight has been named as Andrew Hoare.

Meanwhile, the Percy Hedley Foundation, which cares for disabled people, said it has been unable to contact the family of one of the children in its care. It said it was working with authorities to try and establish what has happened to them.

The foundation has not revealed the nationality of the child or the family.

Nine of the British victims on flight MH17

Another British victim Robert Ayley has been confirmed as being on board the Malaysia Airlines flight. A friend of Mr Ayley has told how the father-of-two almost missed the flight.

Bill Patteson, who was travelling with the 27-year-old around Europe visiting Rottweiler breeders, has told Sky News his friend didn't make it onto the bus to take him from his hotel to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

But Mr Ayley, who was originally from Guildford but moved to New Zealand as a child, managed to get there in time to board the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight, which was shot down over Ukraine with almost 300 people on board.

An ex-journalist, helicopter pilot, students and Newcastle United fans are among the other British victims.

Mr Patteson, who flew back to New Zealand the day before, said: "There were so many things that came together to make Rob be on that flight.

"The stars really had to align for Robert to be on that flight, even right down to the last minute.

"Everyone was hoping he'd missed the flight, but Robert being the great organiser that he was managed to get on his flight."

Mr Patteson described his friend as a "really great, confident young man" who was proud of his British roots.

Mr Ayley's wife Sharlene wrote on Facebook: "Rob was our everything. We adored him and there was no one else like him. He touched so many hearts and lives.

Briton Stephen Anderson was on board MH17

"We are grateful to forever have him in our hearts."

Mr Ayley's family said he was passionate about life and his family, adding that when it came to Rob "there were no half measures".

"He found in his boys two little people he could love, understand and trust," they said.

"When they cried they were sad, when they laughed they were happy and when they hugged it was because they loved him."

The statement added: "Sharlene and Rob are soul mates. She is his 'Princess'. She changed his life and he changed hers.

"She held his heart and he held hers. Rob will live forever in his family."

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Photo To Mark Prince George's First Birthday

An official photograph has been released to mark the first birthday of Prince George on Tuesday.

It was taken during a visit with his parents to the Sensational Butterflies outdoor exhibition at London's Natural History Museum.

With his arms outstretched and eyes fixed on where he is going, the photo depicts a happy and confident child.

He is wearing a pair of dungaree shorts from French label Petit Bateau over a polo shirt-style top, shoes and socks.

George with his mum at a polo match last month

The picture was taken by Press Association photographer John Stillwell who has also snapped other key moments in the Prince's life.

These include his first public appearance the day after he was born and his christening last October.

Mr Stillwell said: "Prince George was very lively and very sure of himself and confident - a very determined young boy.

George gets a kiss from his loving Dad

"When you have children yourself you don't realise they grow up in such a short space of time, it's always other people saying how big they've grown.

"So having seen him soon after he was born and at his christening three months later, he's now gone from a baby at his christening to a toddler, that's the biggest change.

"And who does he look like? I'd have to say his dad, William."

George's christening

The birth of George Alexander Louis, known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, saw the world's media camped for days outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in central London.

Kate gave birth to a son weighing 8lb 6oz at 4.24pm on July 22, but the news was not announced until four hours later when members of the Royal Family spoke of their joy at the newest addition to their ranks.

Kate and William leave hospital with their new son

The proud parents could not contain their happiness when they walked from the Lindo Wing and presented their son to the world the following day.

Commenting on George's birthday, a Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: "The family are going to be marking it privately with close family and friends at Kensington Palace."

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Money Pours Into Newcastle Fans Fund From Rivals

Malaysia Airlines Defends War Zone Flight Path

Updated: 4:48pm UK, Saturday 19 July 2014

A Malaysia Airlines official has defended the company's decision to fly over eastern Ukraine after flight MH17 was brought down.

Hugh Dunleavy, commercial director for the airline, said there had been no incidents involving civilian aircraft using the flight path and Malaysia Airlines had been using it "for quite some time".

However, at least three Ukrainian military aircraft were hit by missiles fired by pro-Russian separatists operating in the region in the week before MH17 was shot out of the sky, killing 298 people. Of the victims, 189 are Dutch.

Mr Dunleavy told Sky News: "Now there's been an incident like this, everyone is looking back saying 'you should have done something different'.

"But at the time we were flying, along with many other airlines on that flight path, there had been no incidents involving civilian aircraft.

"These are routes that are traditionally accepted on a day-by-day basis by the air traffic control authorities so they also consider them safe to fly.

"This was something totally extraordinary, it could just as easily have been the aircraft ahead of Malaysia Airlines or the aircraft behind that was hit."

Mr Dunleavy added the airline would now be using an alternative flight path around Ukraine and they have stopped calling the route MH17 out of respect for the victims. It will now be called MH19.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation, a UN agency and other aviation authorities recently issued a "notice to airmen" (NOTAM) putting the eastern edge of Ukrainian airspace off limits up to 32,000 feet because of the conflict.

But MH17 was flying at 33,000 feet when it was hit by a missile fired from what experts believe was a Buk launcher.

Ukraine has now closed all airspace in the east. 

Ismail Nasaruddin, president of the Malaysian Flight Attendant Union, said some crew members were too distraught to work following the tragedy.

He said: "We have lost 21 crew members in a very short time period. This is not something we like to see.

"We are affected, the crew members are demoralised by the essence of this tragic incident.

"What we are looking at now is probably an event that Malaysia crew members have never experienced before."

Daniel Holland, a military aviation expert, told Sky News airspace above war zones should be sealed off to commercial aircraft.

He said: "When a war zone occurs, everything from ground level up until realistically the level of space needs to be sealed off to any and all commercial traffic just to avoid something like this happening where a plane accidentally wanders over a battle ground.

"You've got that probability that an accidental misfire could occur and strike a civilian target without any real rhyme or reason, other than it being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

On Tuesday, Polish blogger Michael Dembinski suggested flying over eastern Ukraine was "worrying".

He wrote: "Take a look at eastern Ukraine and you'll see a procession of civilian aircraft flying along an air corridor between Luhansk, Donetsk, Horlivka, Kramatorsk - places where battles are raging and people are being killed.

"Yet blithely oblivious to what's happening on the ground, some of the world's largest civilian airliners are criss-crossing the area at 38,000ft."

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