Smart Glasses For Blind 'In Shops By 2016'

By Gemma Morris, Sky News Reporter

Pairs of high-tech smart glasses, designed to help millions of blind and partially sighted people to see, could be in shops in 2016.

The specs use a specially adapted 3D camera to maximise a person's remaining vision by separating and highlighting objects ahead.

They were created by researchers at the University of Oxford, who linked up with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to develop them further.

RNIB Solutions managing director Neil Heslop said trialists had experienced extraordinary things while testing the glasses.

Iain Cairns tries on the hi-tech specs

He told Sky News: "They've recognised faces, they've avoided obstacles, they've even seen their own guide dogs for the first time."

Participant Iain Cairns was impressed with the glasses, despite saying he felt like Star Trek character Geordi La Forge when wearing them.

He said: "To have something that will help me to keep independent, able to walk to work, to make tea - I think it will make a big difference to my quality of life."

The glasses help Mr Cairns to pour a cup of tea without spilling a drop

Around 360,000 people in Britain are registered blind or partially sighted.

The RNIB believes the new smart glasses could help as many as 150,000 of those and around 15 million people could benefit worldwide.

At the moment, the glasses are rather bulky. They are also fairly expensive and participants have to carry around a connected laptop with them.

But the project recently won £500,000 from the Google Impact Challenge - a competition to develop tech to transform lives - which means the team can now modify the headset further.

Sky's Gemma Morris, as seen through the smart glasses

Project leader Dr Stephen Hicks said: "The Google Impact Grant will allow us to make smaller, lighter and cheaper versions that people can carry around.

"It will be powered by something about the size of a mobile phone that can slip into your pocket."

He said nothing like their prototype has ever been made before.

"This is really pushing the limit of what we can do in wearable displays and it's great to be able to have a chance to use this in a way which is potentially going to help millions of people," he said.

Wider trials are soon to get under way and the team hopes to have a smaller version of glasses in shops as early as 2016 with a target price of around £300.

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Flash Floods As Bertha Heads To Britain

Heavy rain has caused flash flooding in parts of the UK - and forecasters are warning of further storms on Sunday as the remnants of Hurricane Bertha hit.

The Met Office says Bertha's transition from a tropical to an extra-tropical storm is a "particularly hard one to forecast" but it is expected to affect the UK tomorrow.

Residents had to be evacuated after heavy rain flooded several streets in the Lincolnshire town of Louth on Friday.

Lightning hits Eggborough Power Station in Yorkshire. Pic: Phil Lowe

Downpours also led to waterlogged roads in and around York and in Maidstone, Kent.

There were reports of power outages in Cambridgeshire, where the A14 was flooded.

Environment Agency flood warnings and alerts remain in place in numerous parts of the country.

A flash flood following heavy rain in Maidstone, Kent

Friday's rainy weather was unconnected to Hurricane Bertha, which has been travelling across the Atlantic.

Bertha wreaked havoc in the Caribbean islands with gusts of more than 90mph, leaving thousands of homes without power.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Ex-hurricane Bertha has become more of a typical depression now, albeit with very warm, moist air wrapped up within it.

There could be more floods on Sunday

"It is looking likely that the storm will reach southwest England and Wales by around 6am on Sunday and then track northeast across northern England during the afternoon, to eventually lie off the east coast of Scotland on Sunday night.

"Gusts of 50mph to 60mph are expected, especially along the south coast with large waves, spray and the chance of some coastal flooding.

Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said there was still a chance that the storm may pass to the south of the country, giving the UK a brighter day.

But Environment Agency flood risk manager, Craig Woolhouse, said: "Heavy rain on Sunday may lead to localised surface water flooding in some parts of England and Wales.

"On Sunday and Monday a combination of high spring tides and strong westerly winds brings a risk of large waves and spray and possible flooding to the South West coast of England and along the Severn Estuary."

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Laughing Gas Craze 'Fuelled By Web Videos'

A laughing gas "craze" sweeping the UK is being fuelled by internet videos which glamorise use of the chemical, council leaders say.

"Hauls" of canisters are confiscated from UK streets every night, with one London council - Hackney - seizing 1,200 on one Saturday alone.  

Officials in Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Thames Valley have also reported increasing numbers of canisters being found.

Council leaders are so concerned they have launched a campaign to highlight the dangers of the chemical.

Thousands of canisters are seized every weekend (pic Rob Brewer/Flickr)

In particular, the Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for web giants, such as YouTube, to crack down on internet videos which promote use of laughing gas.

The Association, which represents around 400 councils in England and Wales, said it was "deeply disturbing" that people widely view nitrous oxide as a "safe" legal high.

While inhaling nitrous oxide is not illegal, council officers are able to seize canisters under unauthorised street trading regulations.

The LGA has raised concerns that a number of children inhaling the chemical have emerged on the internet, "glamorising" the drug.

It said that the chemical - which is regularly taken at nightspots, festivals and parties - has been linked to a number of deaths.

Abusing nitrous oxide can lead to oxygen deprivation resulting in loss of blood pressure, fainting and even heart attacks, the LGA said.

The Association estimated that it is used by almost half a million young people across the country. 

"It is deeply disturbing that this drug, which can be highly dangerous, is still widely viewed as safe," said Katie Hall, chairwoman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board.

"It is imperative that users understand just how harmful it can be. This gas can kill and much more needs to be done to get this message across.

"We are particularly concerned about internet pages and uploaded clips which are effectively 'promoting' this as a harmless drug.

"The web giants must do more to crack down on this, they cannot simply sit on their hands and ignore what is happening on their own sites.

"We are calling on the big internet corporations to step up to the plate and show responsibility by providing health warnings and links to drug awareness charities."

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Breast Cancer Drug 'Too Expensive' For NHS

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

A life-extending breast cancer drug has been rejected for routine use by the NHS because it is "too expensive".

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has issued a final draft blaming the high price for making it "impossible to recommend".

The drug, Kadcyla, is known to increase life expectancy by an average of around six months, with minimum side effects.

It treats people with HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Kim Mawby, 45, has been trialling the drug for three years after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

She was initially given six months to live but now lives a normal life with her husband and three children.

Kim Mawby says the drug has given her a normal life

"I think it costs about £6,000 a month," she said.

"A lot of people are going to say that's too much money but I don't think you can put a price on someone's life.

"When I wake up I do feel incredibly lucky that I am still here, that I am able to just get up and go to work, see the kids off to school.

"I do sit back and think 'wow, if it wasn't for this drug I wouldn't be watching (my son) going to school on his first day'."

Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of Nice, says the cost of the drug works out at £90,000 per patient, per year.

Jennifer Cozzone, from Roche, says Kadcyla is good value for money

"This drug is so expensive that it's way beyond even that additional flexibility that we can offer," he said.

"I can't negotiate the price with the manufacturer. It's entirely in Roche's hands, the manufacturer's hands, now. They know what they need to do."

However, Roche says the price reflects the value it provides to patients.

Jennifer Cozzone, from Roche, told Sky News that Nice was the first organisation to reject the drug, which she said demonstrated the system in the UK was broken.

A campaign made breast cancer drug Herceptin more widely available

"Every other country, including countries nearby like Norway or Sweden or Switzerland, who have very similar economies to ours, have considered Kadcyla to be good value for money and made it available routinely at very similar prices to what we're talking about here," she said.

Nice says other countries have different arrangements for funding pharmaceuticals.

Kadcyla is available to some patients in the UK through the Cancer Drugs Fund, but Nice says that is not a "long-term mechanism".

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Nice is an independent expert body that is responsible for evaluating what drugs should be available from the NHS, taking into account cost, demand and effectiveness.

"Kadcyla will still be available to patients through the Cancer Drugs Fund if their doctor thinks it is right for them and we remain open to discussions with the manufacturer about the price of Kadcyla to the NHS."

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Lib Dems 'To Stop Drug Users Going To Jail'

By Joanna Simpson, Sky News Reporter

The Liberal Democrats are announcing that if they win the next General Election they will stop people found in possession of drugs for personal use being sent to jail.

The manifesto pledge will state that if no other offence has been committed an alternative sentence should be given instead of a prison term.

The effective decriminalisation they say would be more effective as it should be regarded as a health issue therefore the drugs and alcohol policy would be removed from the Home Office brief and given to the Department of Health.

The party states that each year more than 1,000 people in England in Wales are jailed for possession of drugs for their own personal use.

It says the £5m would be better spent tackling addiction in the community as many of those imprisoned have a medical problem.

Civil penalties such as warnings or fines could be among those imposed instead or criminal cautions, probation or community service.

Currently the maximum penalty for possession of a Class A drug in the UK is seven years in prison. For a Class B drug it's up to five years and Class C up to two years.

For all classes of drugs there can also be an unlimited fine given either as an alternative or in addition to the jail term.

In 2012, the UK Drug Policy Commission published a report called "A Fresh Approach to Drugs".

It was based on a six-year study which recommended that possession of certain drugs for personal use should become a civil rather than a criminal offence.

The independent advisory body, which included scientists and senior police officers, wrote: "The evidence from other countries that have done this is that it would not necessarily lead to any significant increase in use, while providing opportunities to address some of the harms associated with existing drug laws."

The Home Secretary Theresa May rejected it, telling MPs: "People can die as a result of taking drugs, and significant mental health problems can arise."

The report stated that the UK has 2,000 drug-related deaths each year and more than 380,000 problem drug users.

Support services warn that criminalising people means those in need may be reluctant to ask for help.

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Antarctic Researchers Lose Heating At -55.4C

British researchers living on an ice shelf in Antarctica have said they are in "good spirits" after experiencing a 19-hour power outage during record freezing temperatures.

The 13 staff members from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have been dealing with a "serious operational incident" at the Halley Research Station since the end of last month.

Temperatures have been as low as -55.4C (-67.7F) on the Brunt Ice Shelf causing extremely difficult living conditions for the Cambridge-based team.

A statement on the BAS website said "power and some heating are back online" and the station has been able to maintain good satellite communications.

The cause of the power loss is not known.

Electrical and renewable energy engineer Anthony Lister is one of the people in the station who has been keeping the public up-to-date with the situation on Twitter and on his blog.

He wrote: "Whilst all the fun was happening at #halley6 (not that it's over) we had the lowest ever recorded temps down here at -55.4. Which was nice."

Mr Lister says the team is drinking lots of tea and has a big kettle. He reiterated that they are all healthy and making sure the station is in good order.

BAS said: "Contingency plans for alternative accommodation on site are in place and ancillary buildings are being made ready in case of a further power-down.

"Our urgent priority is to ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of the wintering team."

The survey added that all science, apart from meteorological observations has been stopped.

The Halley Research Station is the centre for atmospheric science programmes and the 13 research and support staff are "wintering" there at present.

The BAS website says medical facilities at Halley include a surgery with emergency facilities and there is also a full-time doctor at the station. 

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Woman Arrested After Elderly People 'Poisoned'

A woman has been arrested for "administering a noxious substance" after 16 people fell ill at a care home, police have said.

The 23-year-old was held after a number of people at Goldfield Court in West Bromwich were taken ill with what police described as food poisoning symptoms.

Four of the people were taken to hospital for treatment, with two being kept in overnight.

The woman was arrested on Monday and is now at a secure unit after she was released on bail while investigations continue, a force spokeswoman said.

West Midlands Police spokeswoman Keiley Gartland said: "Further tests and enquires are underway to determine the exact nature and cause of the illness.

"An individual has been arrested and is currently assisting the police with their enquires.

"Anyone with information in relation to the investigation should contact Sandwell Police by dialling 101, anyone with any concerns should contact the extra care unit."

Goldfield Court, which is run by Housing & Care 21, is described as  "extra care housing" for older people. There are 93 flats at the site.

In a statement issued on its website, Housing & Care 21 confirmed a care worker had been suspended.

It said: "Housing and Care 21 can confirm that a care worker has been suspended from Goldfield independent living scheme in West Bromwich.

"We are providing information and assistance to the police and Sandwell Social Services and will support them with any further investigation.

"Our thoughts are with both residents and staff at the Goldfield community and we will ensure they are fully supported during this difficult time."

Police said they were working with Goldfield Court's management and with Sandwell social services department.

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Boris Johnson: 'I Will Stand As MP In 2015'

Six People Who Will Not Welcome Boris MP

Updated: 3:51pm UK, Wednesday 06 August 2014

By Jason Farrell, Political Correspondent

As Boris Johnson finally announces he will try for a return to Parliament, here are six people who will not welcome his decision:

:: George Osborne – The other man in the race to succeed David Cameron will be glancing up from his economic figures with a sigh and the certain knowledge that whatever he achieves in number 11, his jokes don't rival the Mayor's and he doesn't have the same popular touch that so often helps in a leadership race.

The Chancellor recently suggested he had urged Boris to make a Commons comeback, and Boris immediately accused him of making it up, suggesting the Osborne camp was engaging in a "dirty tricks plot". 

Mr Osborne has had four years pushing through austerity measures while watching Boris abseilling and opening Olympic ceremonies. He'll be bracing himself for the blond bombshell's arrival. 

:: Nigel Farage – Just choked on his pint of bitter. Last year Boris claimed he was invited to speak at UKIP's party conference by Nigel Farage's wife. He said: "My message to the charming Mrs Farage is don't vote UKIP, don't even think about it."

Some of Farage's followers will appreciate the Johnson humour and the conservative values behind it, even if it is aimed at their camp. The UKIP leader, knowing how well light banter worked to win his voters, will worry Boris might outwit him.  

:: Michael Gove - The Former Education Secretary is now Chief Whip and has to contemplate trying to control the man he once described as not being "a team player".

It's reported that the strong George Osborne supporter recently stunned guests at a private dinner saying: "The whole Boris routine will wear thin with the electorate very quickly if he became PM. And he can't make tough decisions."

Mr Gove thought education was tough to reform.

:: Nick Clegg – The Deputy Prime Minister will not welcome the prospect of a coalition Government with Boris in it should the cards fall that way come May 2015.

It is understandable. The mayor did call him the Prime Minister's "lapdog-cum-prophylactic protection device".

He also called him a "wobbling jelly of indecision and vacillation" - and an "idle bum".

Mr Clegg, meanwhile, refers to Boris as "Slacker Johnson".

They share little common ground.

:: David Cameron – The poor Prime Minister has been battered by the revolving door of politics as he tries to quietly point at fish on his family holiday.

Warsi out, Boris in. He will have wholeheartedly welcomed neither.

Cameron and Boris are widely considered the "best of enemies" and the mayor's return to Parliament is a double-edged sword.

No doubt the PM recognises the power of Brand Boris in an election campaign could help him win outright.

But how long before the Tories tire of him and the popular Mr Johnson becomes the more appealing option?

Friends close, enemies closer.

:: David Axelrod – Barack Obama's former adviser and strategist in the Labour election campaign machine might want a rethink.

"The Axe" was working on the basis the Tories would be "hard put to say they are in touch with the experience of everyday people" and had been pushed further right by UKIP.

Despite being anything but (Eton, Bullingdon), Boris manages to pull off "man of the people" in a way that more than matches Nigel Farage's "pint down the pub popularity".

Labour will be painfully aware of Boris's star appeal and the party's message will have to be loud if it is to be heard over the politics of personality.

Strange that another white, male Etonian in the Tory party has helped broaden its appeal.

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UK Student Murders: Four Face Death Penalty

Four Malaysian men are facing the death penalty after admitting killing two British medical students in Borneo.

Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger, both 22, were stabbed to death after arguing with a group of men in a bar in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak state.

Chai Khin Chung, the area's deputy police chief, said four male suspects, aged between 19 and 30, have confessed to the killings.

He said the two Newcastle University students had been drinking and began arguing loudly in a bar when the suspects confronted them and told them to be quiet.

"Then one of the British students slapped one of the locals, turned over a table, and walked out," he said.

The four men followed them in a car and one of them stabbed them with a knife.

Mr Dalton was from Ambergate, Derbyshire

The bodies of the students were found lying a few metres apart in a road near the bar.

The pair were on a six-week placement in a hospital in Kuching as part of their studies, said Newcastle University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Tony Stevenson.

"This has come as a huge shock to us all and our thoughts are with their families and friends at this very difficult time," he said.

Aidan Brunger's family released a photo showing him at his Borneo hospital

Malaysia is generally considered to be a safe place for foreigners, but some recent incidents have damaged that image.

In June, police found the body of 34-year-old British tourist Gareth Huntley on the resort island of Tioman.

They are yet to announce the cause of death.

Last month, a Malaysian shopkeeper was sentenced to death for killing French tourist Stephanie Foray in May 2011, also on Tioman.

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Chicken Bug Retailers Could Be Named

A consumer group is urging food standards bosses to name retailers found selling fresh chickens containing a bug blamed for tens of thousands of cases of food poisoning every year.

The bug campylobacter was found in 59% of samples in a survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which also found it on the outside of packaging in 4% of samples.

The agency has declined to name supermarkets and other retailers involved until it has more data from its 12-month survey which runs until February 2015.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: "The FSA's survey reveals unacceptably high levels of campylobacter and they must now publish the names of the retailers so consumers are aware of the best and worst performing shops.

"Campylobacter is responsible for thousands of cases of food poisoning and the deaths of 100 people every year so much more must be done to minimise the risk of contamination at every stage of production."

The FSA says chicken is quite safe as long as it is thoroughly cooked

FSA chief executive Catherine Brown said: "There is still a lot more to be done by all elements of the supply chain to ensure that consumers can be confident in the food they buy.

"As soon as we have enough data to robustly compare campylobacter levels in different retailers we will share that data with consumers."

Over the 12 months 4,000 samples of whole chickens bought from UK retail outlets and smaller independent stores and butchers will be tested. The new results are for the first quarter and represent 853 samples.

Ms Brown said the survey "will give us a clearer picture of the prevalence of campylobacter on raw poultry sold at retail and help us measure the impact of interventions introduced by producers, processors, and retailers to reduce contamination".

The survey is aimed at helping stem the prevalence of the campylobacter bug

She added: "The chicken supply chain is looking at how interventions such as improved biosecurity on farms, rapid surface chilling, and anti-microbial washes can help reduce campylobacter.

"So when they take action and invest in interventions designed to make a difference, these survey figures will enable us to see if they really do make an impact."

She said low levels of contamination on packaging may show that leak-proof wrappers used by most retailers is working.

Campylobacter is killed by thorough cooking, but is the most common form of food poisoning in the UK. It affects an estimated 280,000 people a year, and the majority of these cases come from contaminated poultry.

The FSA said that previous studies carried out into the prevalence of the bug had also shown around two thirds of raw poultry carry it.

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Man Sectioned After UK Plane Bomb Hoax

How Typhoons Scramble When Trouble Flares

Updated: 4:43pm UK, Tuesday 05 August 2014

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The deployment of Typhoon fighter jets on short notice is known as QRA - Quick Response Alert.

It is something the RAF has been doing since the Second World War when Spitfires and Hurricanes would be scrambled to meet the German Luftwaffe over the skies of Britain.

QRA operates out of two stations: RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire which covers the southern sector and RAF Leuchars in Fife which covers the northern United Kingdom.

Typhoon pilots do a QRA shift normally once or twice a month. Each shift lasts 24 hours and is normally uneventful. Ground crew do week-long shifts.

The pilots wait to be scrambled in a small building called the Aircrew Ready Room. Either side, the single-seater Typhoons stand ready in what are called Q-sheds, a nickname that dates back to Cold War days when the teams were much busier than they are now.

If an air traffic controller notices a plane behaving erratically, then they might alert the QRA team. This could be because the plane is not "talking or squawking" - not sending out the right data or not responding to communications.

In other scenarios, as seems to be the case in the Manchester incident, a pilot might send out a distress signal.

It is a monitored at RAF Scampton, also in Lincolnshire, the old home of the Dambusters.

Analysts at the CRC (Control and Responding Centre) monitor all civilian, commercial and military air traffic and receive information from the security services daily - Radar maps, flight plans, aircraft squarks.

They will build a 3D model of planes movements - this is called a Recognised Air Picture to identify any anomalies.

RAF Air Command in High Wycombe decides what to do next.

The QRA pilots could be put on high alert, known as a "call to cockpit".

The pilots will race to the plane and do everything short of turning the engines on so they are ready to take off within minutes.

The aircraft are armed.

Everything possible will be being done to make contact with the suspect plane and resolve the situation, but if unsuccessful, the order comes via a black box called a telebrief. The words haven't changed since WW2: "Scramble, scramble, scramble."

The jets will taxi to the runway.

Air Traffic controllers at whichever station has been given the order - Coningsby or Leuchars - will make sure the skies above are clear and free of traffic.

The RAF is still scrambled to observe Russian military jets flying close to UK airspace. That has happened a number of times in the past 12 months.

The pilots record images of the plane or planes they are tracking, and feed them back to base.

It remains a relatively secret process as it is always in an emergency scenario.

No QRA aircraft has had to fire its weapons over British skies in peacetime but they could if ordered to. That order would probably come from the Prime Minister himself.

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Daily Aspirin Pill 'Helps Prevent Cancer'

Taking a daily dose of aspirin could help ward off some types of cancer, according to a new study.

Researchers say that long-term use of the drug can significantly cut the chance of dying from gastrointestinal illnesses such as bowel and stomach cancer.

It is estimated that 130,357 cancer deaths could be prevented over two decades if everyone in the UK between 50 and 64 took the drug for 10 years.

However, widespread aspirin use could cause just under 18,000 deaths over the same time period, mainly due to internal bleeding and strokes.

Researchers from the Centre for Cancer Prevention at Queen Mary University of London pulled together data from more than 200 studies on the preventative use of aspirin.

The research examined more than 200 studies on the drug

Lead researcher Professor Jack Cuzick said he believed GPs should recommend healthy patients take a daily dose of the drug.

His team found bowel cancer incidence could be cut by 35%, and deaths by 40%, if people took aspirin for 10 years.

Stomach and oesophageal cancer were reduced by 30%, and deaths from these diseases by 35% and 50%.

But the effect on non-gastrointestinal cancers was less dramatic.

Lung and prostate cancer were reduced by 5% and 10%, and deaths from both by 15%. It also reduced breast cancer incidence by 10% and deaths by 5%.

Heart attack risk went down by 18%, but there was only a 5% dip in mortality rates.

Professor Cuzick said: "Until our study, where we analysed all the available evidence, it was unclear whether the pros of taking aspirin outweighed the cons.

"Whilst there are some serious side effects that can't be ignored, taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity, and will probably be much easier to implement."

Long-term aspirin use also increases the risk of dying from a stroke

The risks of daily aspirin use include a sharp increase in serious or fatal bleeding in the gut for people over 70, due to the drug's blood-thinning effect.

It also raised the risk of peptic ulcer by 30% to 60%, and the chances of dying from a stroke by 21%.

There is also no evidence that taking more than a low dose of 75-100 milligrams produces any greater benefit.

Professor Cuzick said anyone considering taking a daily aspirin dose should see their GP as some people are more susceptible to the potential negative effects.

Dr Julie Sharp, head of health information for Cancer Research UK, which co-funded the study, also sounded a note of caution.

She said: "Aspirin is showing promise in preventing certain types of cancer, but it's vital that we balance this with the complications it can cause."

Dr Sharp said the charity was planning a five-year study with 10,000 cancer patients to find out more about how best to use the drug.

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Referendum TV Debate Could Be A Game-Changer

When Hollywood gets its hands on the Scottish referendum, maybe in a few hundred years, it'll be a smash hit.

A swashbuckling adventure in which a boisterous, William Wallacey guy wages war against the swotty nemesis who can inflict death by grey hair and treasury statistics. It'll be box office.

Tonight's TV debate? Not so much.

Alex Salmond versus Alistair Darling. Independence versus the Union. Like The Odd Couple without the gags.

And yet it will be compulsive viewing.

Sure, the audience knows it will trawl through a familiar script - currency, defence, EU, border controls, etc.

Yes, it might well feel like a repeat we've been watching for years - the one where both sides batter each other to a standstill on the key issues. 

The referendum is set to take place next month

But the attraction of STV's debate - and similar events to follow - is that it is the arena most likely to produce a 'game-changer'.

Bear in mind that Scots have lived this referendum campaign for years and many just want the noise to stop. The big arguments on the big issues don't resonate the way they once did, and still should.

What television provides is the opportunity to make a judgement on who to trust. The presentation under pressure in which voters will assess degrees of assurance and conviction. It will be critical in the effort to sway undecided voters. 

There will be no Nick Clegg-style national awakening - Darling and Salmond have been around too long to benefit from any new-discovery status. Both men face different challenges. 

Of the two, it's Darling who has most to lose. He has retained a consistent poll lead for the pro-Union Better Together campaign and, as such, he needs not to lose.

It is the challenge facing a football manager who's team's playing for a nil-nil draw - the position you might choose, yet fear. Too little ambition can lead to defeat and frequently does.

Alex Salmond might consider he has an advantage. If the arguments have become tired by repetition and neutralised by claim and counter-claim, then the point-scoring could lie with the independence message. 

Whatever the context, independent is something that people, generally, want to be. It is something the 'Yes' campaign benefits from in a way that its 'No' opposition does not. 

So listen for the buzzwords of independence from Scotland's First Minister as he reaches through the ribcage to squeeze the Scottish heart.

The word 'victory' might yet hinge on it.

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Scotland's Future Up For Debate In TV Contest

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

The two men leading the fight for Scotland's future will go head to head in a TV debate tonight.

First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will face Alistair Darling MP, leader of the Better Together campaign, with just over six weeks to go until the September 18 referendum on independence.

Broadcast by STV, it is the first such encounter between the pair during the campaign and kicks off its closing stages. 

Alex Salmond had initially refused to face Mr Darling, instead insisting he would only take on David Cameron. The Prime Minister has consistently refused the offer. 

Tonight's two-hour debate will take place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and the men will cross-examine each other, as well as take audience questions.

Alex Salmond (L) will go head-to-head with Alistair Darling

Alistair Darling's Better Together campaign has consistently been ahead in the polls and he is expected to press the First Minister for answers on independence.

Blair McDougall, his campaign director, said: "Voters in Scotland have been listening to the independence debate for over two years now.

"Surely if Alex Salmond had convincing answers on the details of separation, we would have heard them by now.

"Scots tuning in deserve to finally get straight answers from Mr Salmond to the questions they have been asking. What would separation mean for our pound, pensions and public services?

"Unlike the leaders' debates in the 2010 General Election, this debate isn't a job interview between candidates.

"Instead, it is a discussion about what separation would mean for our children and grandchildren's futures."

The big vote on Scotland's future is little more than a month away

For Alex Salmond, the TV debate and similar events that are expected to follow present an opportunity to strive for the game-changing moment that his campaign needs to turn the polls around.

Blair Jenkins, chief executive of the Yes campaign, said: "Independence is the opportunity of a lifetime for the people of Scotland, and the Yes campaign are looking forward immensely to the debate.

"We know that Scotland is one of the richest countries in the world, wealthier than the UK, France and Japan, and only the powers offered by a Yes vote will enable us to make this wealth work better for everyone in Scotland.

"Viewers will get the chance to hear why decisions made on Scotland's future should be taken here in Scotland.

"Our experience is that most undecided voters choose Yes when they hear both sides of the debate, and therefore we believe the mass TV audience will benefit our positive campaign.

"We also believe that the No campaign have a problem with both the negativity of their message and the unpopularity of their messengers."

On the morning of the debate, the three main UK party leaders announced they had signed a pledge to increase the powers of the Scottish Parliament. 

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg all put their name to a declaration made earlier this year by their parties' Scottish leaders to guarantee an increase in Scotland's powers under devolution.

It is a pre-debate move to bolster Alistair Darling before the big event and protect "their man" against accusations that increased devolution is an empty promise that won't be delivered.

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Foreign Office Minister Resigns Over Gaza

Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi has resigned saying she can no longer support the Government's stance on Gaza.

Lady Warsi, who is also Minister for Faith and Communities, announced her departure on Twitter, where she has been increasingly vocal in her condemnation of Israel's actions.

At 9.10am on Tuesday, she posted: "With deep regret I have this morning written to the Prime Minister &  tendered my resignation. I can no longer support Govt policy on #Gaza."

Lady Warsi announced her resignation on Twitter

Lady Warsi has been a prominent member of David Cameron's Government, becoming the first Muslim to sit in the Cabinet. She was Conservative Party chairman and is considered a huge asset to the party having played a significant part in the 2010 campaign.

Her resignation will intensify the already significant pressure on David Cameron to be firmer in his condemnation of Israel as the bloody conflict nears its first month.

On Sunday the United Nations condemned an Israeli strike on a UN-run school in Gaza, where refugees from the violence were sheltering, killing at least 10 people. 

She has popsted a number of tweets condeming Israel's actions

The UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-moon called the attack "a moral outrage and a criminal act".

However, Mr Cameron would not be drawn on Monday to back the UN's position saying only it was "an appalling loss of life".

Lady Warsi's opposition to Israel's actions has been clear from her Twitter posts. Eleven days ago she wrote: "Can people stop trying to justify the killing of children. Whatever our politics there can never be justification, surely only regret #Gaza".

Lady Warsi has condemned the attacks that have killed and injured children

There has also been increasing criticism over the £42m of arms exports licences British defence manufacturers have with Israel since 2010 to supply ammunition, drones and armoured vehicles.

The equipment has been used in the attacks on Gaza and the Government has agreed to review the licences.

However, when quizzed on whether continuing to supply weapons to Israel was morally right, International Development Secretary Justine Greening told Sky News: "Israel has the right to defend itself."

Speaking on LBC radio Boris Johnson said he was "very sad" at the news and he hoped she would return to Government soon.

He said: "I have very great respect for Sayeeda she has done a great job for us and I hope she will be back as soon as possible,"

The number of Palestinians killed in "Operation Protective Edge" - Israel's action against Hamas in Gaza - has reached 1,800, most of whom have been civilians. Around 66 Israelis have died, most of whom have been soldiers.

The UN has already said Israel could be guilty of war crimes.

More follows...

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World War One And The 'Short-War Illusion'

By Professor David Stevenson

In August 1914 German Emperor Wilhelm II famously promised to his departing troops that they would return before the autumn leaves fell.

Yet most of Europe's military chiefs did not, in fact, expect a short war.

The Chief of the German General Staff had predicted a struggle lasting between 18 months and two years. His French and Austrian opposite numbers took a similar view.

A clash between two great alliance blocs, each fielding armies that numbered millions and were supported by the resources of entire nations, would not be settled in weeks. 

Even the direst military predictions, however, failed to foresee a conflict lasting four and a half years that would claim at least 10 million lives.

Lord Kitchener warned the Cabinet of a drawn-out bloodbath in Europe

And civilian politicians seem not to have been informed about the military leaders' pessimism.

When Europe's governments decided for war, they expected heavy casualties, but nothing resembling what actually occurred.

Lord Kitchener, the colonial hero who was brought in as Britain's Secretary of State for War, stunned the Cabinet by warning them to prepare for a three-year bloodbath.

And as for members of the ordinary public, evidence from diaries and letters suggests that many really did expect a struggle that would last only a few months.

Newspaper sellers in the run-up to war on August 1, 1914

Much of this optimism may have been wishful thinking. And research by historians has made clear that 'war enthusiasm' was skin-deep.

To be sure, there was excitement, and cheering crowds gathered round the royal palaces in Berlin and London, but these demonstrations were quite small, composed mostly of well-to-do young men, and most prominent after war had been declared.

Up until then, pacifist and anti-war protests rivalled them - for example in Trafalgar Square as late as Sunday August 2, only two days before Britain came in.

British soldiers in a shallow trench during the Battle of the Somme

On 31 July the London Stock Exchange was closed for the first time in its history, due to a run on the Bank of England's gold reserves and sell-offs of government bonds across Europe, while both in Britain and on the Continent queues formed outside savings banks and there was panic food-buying.

Although The Times consistently advocated British intervention, The Manchester Guardian remained unconvinced, and many civilian diarists expressed anxiety and foreboding.

In all the combatant countries political parties suspended their differences for the duration of the war effort.

But it seems to have been only later, once reports came in of heavy fighting and massive casualties, that a deeper pro-war consensus formed on both sides.

The public had not begun this business, but now they were in it they would see it through.

In Britain, hundreds of thousands flocked to the recruiting offices in late August and September. Although the volunteers had many motives, patriotism was certainly one of them.

And even after the campaigning bogged down into opposing lines of trenches, many still (without the benefit of hindsight) expected it to carry on for only a few more months. The short-war illusion did not end in 1914.

:: Professor David Stevenson is the author of With Our Backs To The Wall: Victory And Defeat in 1918, and 1914-1918: The History Of The First World War. He teaches at London School of Economics & Political Science

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Ceremonies To Mark 100 Years Since WWI

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The centenary of Britain's entry into World War One will be commemorated in a series of events across Europe today.

:: 9.10am - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend a service at L'Abbaye Saint-Laurent in Liege, Belgium

:: 9.55am - William and Kate will lay a wreath at the Cointe Inter-Allied Memorial in Liege

:: 10am - The Prince of Wales will attend a Service of Remembrance at Glasgow Cathedral

Each ceramic poppy at the Tower of London represents a British death

He will be joined by 1,400 invited guests, among them representatives of Commonwealth countries, and senior military figures, charities and cross-faith groups.

Prince Charles will then lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in George Square.

:: 11am - Prince Harry will inspect a parade of troops in Folkestone

The event will mark the route taken by millions of young men who marched through the Kent harbour town on their way to northern France and Belgium.

The simple message that saw Britain enter the Great War

Prince Harry will officially open a Memorial Arch in dedication to the veterans of the Great War.

:: 6.45pm - The British Government and Commonwealth War Graves Commission will host an international event at the small St Symphorien Cemetery, outside the town of Mons

It will be attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, the King and Queen of Belgium and senior representatives from the UK, France, Ireland, Canada and Germany.

Crowds cheer the outbreak of war in London's Trafalgar Square

The cemetery was chosen because it contains an almost equal number of German and Commonwealth graves.

It is also the burial ground for the first and last British soldiers to be killed on the Western Front and the first soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the 1914-18 conflict, Lieutenant Maurice James Dease.

There is a particular focus on the younger generation, reflected in the members of the Royal Family chosen to attend and various contributors to the event itself.

:: 10pm - People are being urged to turn off their lights for an hour to mark the moment the UK entered the First World War

British troops pictured after arriving in France in 1914

:: 11pm - A candlelit vigil will be held at Westminster Abbey in London, mark the time Britain declared war on Germany, 100 years ago.

It will pay tribute to the famous words spoken by the Foreign Secretary of the time, Sir Edward Grey, who remarked as he gazed out of his office and over St James' Park, that "the lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime".

In memory of that, candles will be extinguished one-by-one until a single burning oil lamp remains at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

A single lamp will be left burning at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior

The lights on Tower Bridge and the Blackpool Illuminations will also go dark and households across the country are encouraged to join in.

A lone candle on the steps of Downing Street will be the only light in that Whitehall corridor of power where so many tough decisions were taken 100 years ago.

The First World War began on July 28 when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia following the assassination in Sarajevo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand - the heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire.

Germany became involved in the conflict, invading neutral Belgium and Luxembourg and threatening France, forcing Britain to declare war on August 4.

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World War One Centenary: Britain Remembers

World War One And The 'Short-War Illusion'

Updated: 3:31am UK, Monday 04 August 2014

By Professor David Stevenson

In August 1914 German Emperor Wilhelm II famously promised to his departing troops that they would return before the autumn leaves fell.

Yet most of Europe's military chiefs did not, in fact, expect a short war.

The Chief of the German General Staff had predicted a struggle lasting between 18 months and two years. His French and Austrian opposite numbers took a similar view.

A clash between two great alliance blocs, each fielding armies that numbered millions and were supported by the resources of entire nations, would not be settled in weeks. 

Even the direst military predictions, however, failed to foresee a conflict lasting four and a half years that would claim at least 10 million lives.

And civilian politicians seem not to have been informed about the military leaders' pessimism.

When Europe's governments decided for war, they expected heavy casualties, but nothing resembling what actually occurred.

Lord Kitchener, the colonial hero who was brought in as Britain's Secretary of State for War, stunned the Cabinet by warning them to prepare for a three-year bloodbath.

And as for members of the ordinary public, evidence from diaries and letters suggests that many really did expect a struggle that would last only a few months.

Much of this optimism may have been wishful thinking. And research by historians has made clear that 'war enthusiasm' was skin-deep.

To be sure, there was excitement, and cheering crowds gathered round the royal palaces in Berlin and London, but these demonstrations were quite small, composed mostly of well-to-do young men, and most prominent after war had been declared.

Up until then, pacifist and anti-war protests rivalled them - for example in Trafalgar Square as late as Sunday August 2, only two days before Britain came in.

On 31 July the London Stock Exchange was closed for the first time in its history, due to a run on the Bank of England's gold reserves and sell-offs of government bonds across Europe, while both in Britain and on the Continent queues formed outside savings banks and there was panic food-buying.

Although The Times consistently advocated British intervention, The Manchester Guardian remained unconvinced, and many civilian diarists expressed anxiety and foreboding.

In all the combatant countries political parties suspended their differences for the duration of the war effort.

But it seems to have been only later, once reports came in of heavy fighting and massive casualties, that a deeper pro-war consensus formed on both sides.

The public had not begun this business, but now they were in it they would see it through.

In Britain, hundreds of thousands flocked to the recruiting offices in late August and September. Although the volunteers had many motives, patriotism was certainly one of them.

And even after the campaigning bogged down into opposing lines of trenches, many still (without the benefit of hindsight) expected it to carry on for only a few more months. The short-war illusion did not end in 1914.

:: Professor David Stevenson is the author of With Our Backs To The Wall: Victory And Defeat in 1918, and 1914-1918: The History Of The First World War. He teaches at London School of Economics & Political Science

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Royal Navy 'To Rescue Britons From Libya'

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The Royal Navy is preparing to rescue British nationals from Libya, Sky News understands.

HMS Enterprise is being moved into position off the coast of North Africa ready to be given the order to sail into Tripoli on Sunday morning.

There has been a severe deterioration in the security situation

She will moor offshore and her survey boat, Spitfire, will collect people from the Port of Tripoli.

A detachment of armed personnel, usually Royal Marines, will provide force protection to the ship in the event of attack.

HMS Enterprise. File picture

The routine follows a similar scenario in 2011 during the uprising when HMS Cumberland, a Type 22 frigate, evacuated foreign nationals and refugees from the civil war.

Although the United States used F-16 fighter jets for air cover when their citizens left Libya by road for Tunisia last week, it is not thought any British aircraft will be involved in this mission.

Britain is one of the last countries to wind down its diplomatic mission in Libya following a severe deterioration in the security situation as rebel groups continue fighting each other.

France and America, two of the other principal players in the 2011 war, closed their embassies last week.

The Ministry of Defence said: "As the Foreign Office has made clear, the UK Government will provide assisted departure for a number of UK nationals before suspending consular operations on Monday.

"For operational reasons we will not discuss further details including whether, and in what ways, the MoD could support these efforts."

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British Woman 'Murdered' At Safari Lodge

A British woman thought to have been murdered in South Africa has been described as a "wonderful lady" and "very kind".

Christine Robinson, 59, who had been living in the country for about 10 years, is believed to have been found stabbed to death and robbed at her safari lodge.

Her body was discovered on Wednesday in her bedroom in Limpopo, near Thabazimbi, 150 miles north-west of Johannesburg.

The wages she had just withdrawn to pay staff were missing, according to a family spokesman.

Mrs Robinson, a former primary school teacher who was originally from Liverpool, jointly owned the lodge with her husband, Robbie, who died from cancer two years ago.

Her niece Lehanne Sergison, 43, from Bickley, Kent, said friends and relatives were "heartbroken".

She said the Foreign Office confirmed there was a suspect but he could have "fled" to Zimbabwe.

She said of her aunt: "She was wonderful, she really was a wonderful lady. Very kind, humble woman. It's hard to express how wonderful she is.

"Christine was the most wonderful woman anyone could wish to meet, a warm, cheerful, compassionate, kind-hearted and very popular human being, who enriched the lives of everyone she met.

"She was also bubbly and full of fun. She was adventurous, too, and travelled the world - Europe, the Middle East and China - teaching English to foreign children in international schools."

Ms Sergison added: "We know very little (about the incident). She was murdered on Wednesday. We haven't had much joy out of the police in South Africa, so we don't really know anything more than that."

She also said her aunt treated her employees "as family".

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We were notified of the death of a British national on July 30 in South Africa. We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time."

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National Sperm Bank Launched To Meet Demand

A national sperm bank is to be launched to meet increasing demand and shorten waiting times.

The service will start in October in conjunction with the National Gamete Donation Trust (NGDT) and Birmingham Women's Hospital.

The Department of Health says the service will benefit patients "both NHS and privately, of all ethnicities across the UK, including same-sex couples and single women".

The bank will be co-ordinated from Birmingham Women's Hospital

The two organisations have been awarded £77,000 by the DoH.

Based at Birmingham Women's Hospital, the sperm bank will offer an NHS-based, fully-integrated donor recruitment, screening and banking centre for all of the UK.

It is hoped the bank will reduce the number of patients putting themselves at risk by using unregulated sperm donation services.

For the first time, those from ethnic minority backgrounds will be able to choose from a range of culturally matched donors.

There is currently a national shortage of sperm donors in the UK, especially in NHS clinics, Birmingham Women's NHS Foundation Trust said.

At present, some patients needing donor sperm are faced with few options and find themselves on waiting lists and having to use unregulated providers.

Some have to stop treatment altogether, the Birmingham trust said.

A DoH spokesman said: "The National Sperm Bank will benefit all patients who need these services."

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