UK Soldier 'Posed With Dead Taliban Fighter'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

The RAF has launched a probe after photographs surfaced appearing to show a serviceman posing with a dead Taliban fighter.

The pictures were apparently taken in the wake of an attack by 15 insurgents on Camp Bastion, the main British base in Afghanistan, in September 2012.

The insurgents breached the perimeter of the base, triggering a battle involving a British RAF regiment and US marines.

Two of the marines and 14 Taliban fighters were killed in the firefight, and UK troops were also injured.

The two photographs appear to show at least one member of the RAF giving a thumbs-up sign as he kneels next to the body of a dead insurgent.

The photos were taken after an attack on Camp Bastion in 2012

It is unclear if it is the same serviceman in both of the photographs.

Sky News has learned that the individual or individuals belong to 51 Squadron.

An RAF source said he was making "no excuses" for the behaviour but said it was important to consider the context.

"This was a long, extensive firefight against a well-drilled, well-armed enemy who was trying to kill them," the source said.

He spoke of the "heat of conflict", the "relief of victory" and the "unusual adrenaline fuelled situation" in which "foolish" things happened.

Camp Bastion is the main British base in Afghanistan

The investigation will focus on whether the airman broke the rules by "mistreating" the enemy.

They may also be reprimanded for simply having and using photographic equipment.

Another photograph shows a burned-out plane in a hangar - six US Harrier jets were destroyed in the attack.

The images first appeared on the website Live Leak.

An RAF spokesman said: "Inappropriate actions will not be tolerated in the armed forces.

"The RAF is treating this incident extremely seriously and has launched a military police investigation.

"As this incident is subject to an ongoing investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

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Giro d'Italia Race Raises Hopes In N Ireland

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

The winner of the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia in Northern Ireland has said he has achieved "a dream come true" and thanked the crowds along the route for their "fantastic" support.

Svein Tuft described his Orica-GreenEdge team's performance along the 21.7km time trial course around Belfast as the "perfect ride".

While proudly wearing the pink jersey, the maglia rosa, the Canadian said: "It is a dream come true."

Tuft said he was impressed by the crowds, adding: "The entire course was lined four or five deep with people screaming and wearing pink, it was fantastic."

Stage one winner Svein Tuft celebrates

The Giro d'Italia is the second largest cycle race in the world and every second year, they stage the opening outside Italy.

With a global audience of 800 million, nowhere has been more grateful for the opportunity to create a new impression.

Opening stages include Parliament Buildings at Stormont, home of the devolved government, the Giant's Causeway and cathedral city of Armagh.

In towns along the route, election posters were replaced by pink bunting and balloons; one village dyed the sheep pink.

It reflects the colour of the newspaper behind the Italian race, contrasting the distinctive yellow of the Tour de France.

In a bid to win the leader's pink jersey, competitors were racing past loyalist murals on Belfast's Lower Newtownards Road.

On the opposite side of the road, pink bicycles had been attached to the railings of the local Presbyterian Church.

Rev Mervyn Gibson said: "There are people from all background, all denominations, all nationalities here. People from Wexford have been in the church, people from France, people from Australia, Roman Catholics, Protestants, we're not asking anyone where they're from, they're all welcome in east Belfast."

Martin McGuinness has welcomed the teams to Belfast

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Sinn Fein's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, said the race gave people a glimpse of the future.

He said: "We love our colours in Belfast but sometimes our colours divide us. It's wonderful that the colour pink has united us. Sport has united the city. Sport has united the country. We need to build on the positive energy. We need to build confidence in Belfast and what Giro's doing is giving us real confidence in the future."

When bidding to host the Giro, the devolved government estimated that it would cost £4m but generate £12m in tourism.

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness suspended their recent hostilities to welcome the teams to Belfast.

The Democratic Unionist Party Leader and his Sinn Fein partner in government had clashed over the arrest of Gerry Adams.

Tensions over flags, parades and the legacy of the past continue to cast a shadow over political progress made here.

The Giro d'Italia illustrates the potential if politicians can resolve these outstanding issues and bring peace over the finishing line.

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'Killer' Asian Hornet Could Threaten Honey Bees

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

A new "killer" hornet may soon threaten Britain's honey bees, it has been warned.

The Asian hornet has already been spotted in France and could be transported to the UK in food pallets or may even be able to fly across the Channel.

They are smaller than British hornets, with queens growing up to three centimetres long.

Their bodies are dark brown or black with a fine yellow band and their stings are up to a quarter of an inch long.

They hunt in packs and have a taste for honey bees, often targeting adults outside the hive or eating the offspring inside.

The honey bee population has declined rapidly in the last 60 years

Some experts claim they can kill up to 40 bees a day so if introduced into Britain, they could have a severe impact on the native honeybee population, which has been rapidly declining since the 1950s.

Tim Lovett from the British Beekeepers Association explained: "When bees are out foraging you'll find that the hornets will lurk around the front of the hive and try to bring down foragers as they come back to the hive.

"Having got them down on the ground they paralyse them and they will then cart them off to their own nests where they'll use them for feed for their own larvae."

Six people in France have died from anaphylactic shock after being stung by the hornets.

But Gavin Broad from the Natural History Museum says there is no need for people to worry.

An Asian hornet (left) next to a British hornet (right)

He said: "In terms of their sting it's no worse than any other hornet so if you're going to suffer from anaphylactic shock it's just as likely from as Asian hornet as from a native hornet."

The public is being urged not to kill any hornets that they find and posters are now being handed out to help people identify and report any sightings.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: "There have been no confirmed sightings of Asian hornets in the UK - they are smaller than our own native hornets and are no more dangerous.

"We are aware of the potential impacts they could have on honey bees and have plans in place to eradicate them if they are identified.

"In Great Britain we would not expect Asian hornets to establish outside southern parts of England and Wales due to colder weather."

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CCTV Toddler Abduction Alert: Police Quiz Man

Police are talking to a man over a possible attempt to snatch a toddler in a busy shopping centre.

A suspect, wearing a dark coat and flat cap, is seen approaching the 21-month-old boy as he walks just behind his mother at the Derby site.

CCTV footage shows the man taking hold of the boy's hand and leading him away.

Seconds later, the mother turns around and sees the incident, which took place outside Boots in Intu shopping centre at around 10.30am on Thursday.

She confronts the man, and the pair talk briefly before he walks away.

Police released footage of the incident and urged parents to be vigilant.

They say an 80-year-old man has now contacted them, believing he is the man in the footage.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Lamb said: "It appears that the man shown in the CCTV footage may have been acting with good intentions, but we will be speaking to him today to ascertain the full details.

"We received a large number of calls on the back of the appeal and I would like to thank members of the public for their response.

"It was a highly unusual incident and we will be continuing our inquiries into it today."

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Powers To Seize Unpaid Tax Criticised By MPs

Plans to give HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) the power to seize money directly from the bank accounts of those who owe the taxman money have been criticised by an influential group of MPs.

The Treasury Committee said it has "considerable concern" about the idea, which it warns could result in innocent people having cash taken from them.

HMRC estimates 17,000 people a year will be affected, and says money will only be taken after four demands for payment have been ignored.

The cross-party group wants further scrutiny of Chancellor George Osborne's debt collection proposals before they are implemented, describing a "lengthy and full consultation" as "essential".

Compensation and disciplinary action are suggested by the committee as extra safeguards.

Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig, who described the report as "damning", said the criticism could mean the policy is delayed until after next year's election. 

George Osborne announced the plans in this year's Budget

The concerns are contained in a report on this year's Budget.

In the report, the MPs say the change could be akin to the reintroduction of the discredited Crown Preference Rule by stealth.

This gave HMRC priority access to assets when companies went out of business.

"Giving HMRC this power without some form of prior independent oversight - for example by a new ombudsman or tribunal, or through the courts - would be wholly unacceptable," the MPs said.

The Chancellor argues the Department for Work and Pensions has similar powers for chasing child maintenance payments.

But the committee said: "The parallel is not exact: in those cases, DWP is acting as an intermediary between two individuals."

"HMRC would be acting not as an intermediary between two individuals but rather in pursuit of its own objective of bringing in revenue for the Exchequer."

The chance of fraud and errors occurring is also highlighted, with the MPs warning this would be a "serious detriment" to taxpayers.

The report says: "This policy is highly dependent on HMRC's ability accurately to determine which taxpayers owe money and what amounts they owe, an ability not always demonstrated in the past."

A Treasury spokesperson said it was "important people pay the tax they owe on time", and added: "The proposed powers will give HMRC another tool to collect tax debt owed. 

"The current consultation includes a range of safeguards to ensure the power is tightly targeted."

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Rolf Harris Arrives For Indecent Assault Trial

Rolf Harris has arrived in court as prosecutors prepare to outline their case that he committed a string of indecent assaults.

The 84-year-old, who denies all 12 charges against him, walked into Southwark Crown Court alongside his family.

Twelve jurors were sworn in on Thursday to hear allegations the TV personality and artist committed indecent assault on four girls, the youngest of whom was seven or eight and the oldest 19.

The alleged offences date between 1968 and 1986, and some of the evidence will be about events in Australia and New Zealand.

Harris was dressed in a grey suit and multi-coloured tie as he arrived for the trial, which is expected to last six or seven weeks.

The artist was born in Perth, Australia but has lived in the Berkshire village of Bray for more than 50 years.

Harris painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and hosted her Diamond Jubilee concert in front of Buckingham Palace two years ago.

His first hit was Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport in 1960 and his 40-year music career included the UK number one Two Little Boys.

His lengthy career has seen him receive a number of honours including Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 2012. He also has an MBE awarded in 1968, advanced to an OBE in 1977 and then further to a CBE eight years ago.

The jury of six men and six women have been warned not to research anything about Harris.

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Police To Wear Body Cameras To Boost Trust

Some 500 police officers in London will begin wearing cameras on their uniforms from today as a part of a trial aimed at increasing trust and speeding up justice for victims.

Firearms officers will also take part after criticism of the Metropolitan Police following the death of Mark Duggan.

The 29-year-old was shot dead by an armed officer in Tottenham in 2011. His death sparked mass riots which spread across the country.

A jury at his inquest in January this year ruled Mr Duggan was lawfully killed by a police marksman despite being unarmed. The verdict outraged his family and supporters who are fighting the ruling.

Armed officers will first only use the cameras in training, with a view to wearing them regularly if the pilot is successful.

Met commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the move would boost transparency.

Mark Duggan was unarmed when he wsa shot in August 2011

He said: "Body-worn video will not only help us fight crime and support victims but help the Met to be more accountable.

"Our experience of using cameras already shows that people are more likely to plead guilty when they know we have captured the incident. That speeds up justice, puts offenders behind bars more quickly and protects potential victims.

"Video captures events in a way that can't be represented on paper in the same detail and it has been shown the mere presence of this type of video can often defuse potentially violent situations without the need for force to be used.

"I believe it will also show our officers at their best, dealing with difficult and dangerous situations every day but it will also provide clearer evidence when it's been alleged that we got things wrong. That has to be in both our own and the public's interest."

Officers wearing the devices will not have them permanently switched on and will have to follow specific guidelines on when they can be used.

The 10 boroughs in the capital taking part in the trial include Camden, Barnet, Bexley, Bromley, Brent, Croydon, Ealing, Havering, Hillingdon and Lewisham.

Footage will be stored on file for a month unless it it needed as evidence in a case.

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Barclays: 20,000 Job Cuts In New Strategy

Barclays has confirmed around 20,000 job cuts under a new strategy building on its aim to become the 'go-to' bank.

The details - as reported by Sky's City Editor Mark Kleinman on Wednesday evening - were revealed following a review which aimed to reduce risk in its investment operation and cut excessive costs.

The bank's update pleased investors - with its share price rising more than 3% when the FTSE 100 opened for business.

Barclays confirmed 14,000 positions would be axed across the Group during 2014 - around half of them in the UK.

Barclays share price has failed to recover from the financial crisis

A further 7,000 positions will go in the investment bank up to 2016 - but 2,000 of those had been previously announced.

In addition to the job losses, the bank's chief executive Antony Jenkins confirmed the creation of Barclays Non-Core - a unit to house "assets which do not fit the strategic objectives" of the group.

Barclays said it would look to run down or exit Risk-Weighted Assets worth £115bn from the new unit.

Mr Jenkins said: "This is a bold simplification of Barclays. We will be a focused international bank, operating only in areas where we have capability, scale and competitive advantage".

He added that Barclays would become "leaner, stronger, much better balanced and well positioned to deliver lower volatility, higher returns, and growth".

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Nigel Farage: Don't Call UKIP A Racist Party

Nigel Farage has attempted to combat claims the UK Independence Party is racist, at a chaotic meeting interrupted by protesters.

Hecklers shouted "racist" as each of the speakers took to the stage at the gathering in central London, before all those demonstrating were bundled out by security.

None remained when UKIP leader Mr Farage appeared on the platform alongside a number of the party's black and ethnic minority candidates - including former boxer Winston McKenzie.

He hit out at accusations the party had become a home for racists and said sections of the media were stirring up hatred against them.

A heckler shouts at one of UKIP's speakers

"Let this be UKIP's Clause IV moment," he told cheering supporters, in a reference to Tony Blair's famous announcement that he was scrapping Labour's commitment to nationalisation.

"I don't care what you call us. You can call us right wing, left wing. You can call us small-minded.

"I don't care what you call us but from this moment on, please, do not ever call us a racist party. We are not a racist party."

He acknowledged that remarks made by a number of the party's candidates had caused embarrassment, but said the media had wrongly portrayed them as representing the views of the party as a whole.

Protesters are removed from the meeting in Westminster

"There will always be in any system a few people who creep over the line and cause us embarrassment," he said.

"I would rather the 10 people - out of 2,234 (candidates) - who said things that are either stupid or offensive in some case - I'd rather it hadn't happened.

"The result of this has been huge sections of the British media defended their friends in the so-called main parties and the offensive, idiotic statements made by this handful of people have been lifted up and presented to the Great British public as if they represent the view of this party, which they do not.

"They never have and they never will."

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Scots Independence: Rest Of UK Firms Want Union

By Niall Paterson, Sky News Correspondent

An overwhelming majority of businesses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland say that Scotland should remain part of the UK, according to a survey for the British Chambers of Commerce.

The BCC, which itself remains impartial in the debate, surveyed close to 2,500 of its members, and whilst 11% said Scotland should vote yes, some 85% preferred the union to remain.

Two thirds said no new opportunities would arise in the event of a 'Yes' vote, and just over a third, 35%, said a formal currency union, a key ambition of the SNP-led campaign, would be in the best interests of the UK as a whole.

The BCC's director general John Longworth said: "Business opinion across the United Kingdom on the Scottish independence debate is far from unanimous. That's only logical, as businesses have different interests, and different views on our complex history of economic and political union.

"In the event of a 'Yes' vote, cross-border trading and currency arrangements loom large in businesses' thinking. If Scotland votes 'no', constitutional questions remain around the devolution of power and the distribution of public funding between nations."

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond (R) and his deputy Nicola Sturgeon

The poll has been seized upon by those campaigning for a 'No' vote, as with a recent report from credit ratings agency Moody's which said an independent Scotland would find itself downgraded.

Edinburgh South Labour MP and Shadow Business Minister Ian Murray said: "This survey confirms what some of Scotland's largest employers like Standard Life, RBS and Shell have made clear. Breaking up the UK would create huge risks and cost jobs in Scotland.

"The majority of businesses in the rest of the UK do not support a currency union. It would be bad for Scotland and bad for the rest of the UK. That's why it is off the table.

"What people in Scotland need from the nationalists is some honesty about what would replace the pound if we leave the UK. Would we rush to adopt the euro or would we set up a separate Scottish currency? The idea that Scots can go to the polls blind on this fundamental issue isn't credible."

Yet there is hardly unanimity north of the border either - nor an overwhelming sense of fear that cross-border trade would come to a juddering halt.

Many here expect business to continue if not entirely as normal then with significant benefits in the longer term.

Tony Banks, chairman of Business for Scotland, a pro-independence campaign group with close to two thousand members said: "This is a survey that of course doesn't include Scottish businesses who have a rather different perception.

"Scottish independence offers real advantages to everyone, not only in Scotland but across our shared markets in Europe - that independence doesn't equal isolation and businesses here are well aware of the opportunities they can gain.

"Even the Scottish Chambers of Commerce survey issued last week conceded that 53% of its members see the opportunities that independence could bring."

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