Backpacker: Brit Teen Drank Urine To Survive

A British backpacker missing in the scorching Australian outback for three days drank his own urine and contact lens solution to survive, his mother has said.

Sam Woodhead, 18, became lost after he set out for a jog from the remote Queensland cattle station where he had worked for less than two weeks.

But the chance discovery of packets of lenses in his rucksack - put there by his father, Peter - helped to keep him going for 72 hours in blistering temperatures of around 40C (104F).

Sam Woodhead was a keen long distance runner

The former Brighton College student, from Richmond upon Thames, London, was found about three miles away from the ranch by rescuers in a helicopter.

His mother, Claire Derry, has visited him in hospital in Longreach, about 50 miles away from where he was discovered. She said he had lost weight and his kidneys were not working properly due to dehydration.

She added: "He looks fantastic, he's suntanned, his mouth isn't blistered, he looks great, he's thinner and questionably a lot thinner than when I last saw him.

"The only concern is that his kidneys are not quite functioning normally and his blood's not normal. But that, the doctor says, is completely typical of somebody who's been completely dehydrated."

Ms Derry went on: "He  tried to drink his own urine. He said he'd run out of the contact lens fluid and the contact lens capsules said they were 69% water. But they'd all gone so the urine had become very, very concentrated.

"So he said he couldn't stomach it, so he had nothing, he had nothing to keep him going, by the time the helicopter crew got to him."

Mr Woodhead with his mother and sister Rebacca before the ordeal

She told Sky News: "Sam is an amazingly cool guy and he said 'hi mum' and I said 'Sam I didn't think I would be holding you in my arms again frankly'.

"But he didn't cry and didn't show very much emotion at all. He just said I'm really happy to see you."

Mr Woodhead, who is set on joining the Armed Forces and is a keen long distance runner, is expected to leave hospital on Sunday.

Mike Curtin from Queensland State Police said: "He was quite disorientated but, you know, his body seemed to bounce back fairly quickly once he knew that obviously he was located and so forth and he was quite happy of the fact that someone had found him."

Mr Curtin warned of the harsh Australian climate and called on young people to be careful when travelling or working in the remote Australian Outback.

He said: "It's one of those things and I think there's a lesson to be learned here from any of these young fellows who do take, or young boys and girls, who take jobs in areas like this isolated part of the state, to be careful, to be safe, and prepare.

"And never take the harshest Australian environment and our climatic conditions here for granted."

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Russian Hunt For Meteorite As Clean-Up Begins

Divers are scouring the bottom of a Russian lake for the remains of a meteor that plunged to Earth in a fireball and caused a booming shockwave.

Part of the space rock, which was the size of a bus and blazed across western Siberia, is believed to have landed in the frozen Lake Chebarkul.

Curious onlookers gathered nearby were stopped from venturing out on to the lake by police as the search continued.

Some 20,000 rescuers and recovery workers have already been dispatched to the region around Chelyabinsk to help stricken residents.

Experts are also examining major buildings in case they have been structurally damaged by the blast.

Workers in Chelyabinsk examine the damage to a large building

Around 1,100 people were injured and thousands of homes were damaged in the fallout from the strike in the Urals on Friday morning.

Residents who had poured into the streets to watch the light show after spotting the initial flash were wounded by glass shattered by the subsequent sonic boom.

Windows in more than 4,000 buildings across the region were blown out, sending glass flying, after what experts said was the largest recorded meteor strike in more than a century.

The authorities have promised to have them all fixed within a week but this is a long wait when even midday temperatures are -12C (10F).

Crews from glass companies in other regions are being flown in to help as volunteers and residents cover windows with plastic sheeting and gather warm clothes and food.

Some 15 people are still in hospital following the blast. The regional health ministry said one was in a coma.

The meteor burned brightly in the sky as it plunged to Earth

Regional governor Mikhail Yurevich said the cost of the damage from the explosion is an estimated 1bn rubles (£21m).

As the recovery mission begins in earnest, the emergencies ministry said six divers would be inspecting the lake for any pieces of meteorite.

Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov added: "We have a special team working ... that is now assessing the seismic stability of buildings. We will be especially careful about switching the gas back on."

Scientists will be desperate to examine the rock for any clues about the cosmos but Mr Puchkov said no fragments had yet been discovered.

The explosion appears to have been one of the most stunning cosmic events over Russia since 1908 when an asteroid was blamed for a massive blast in Siberia.

Nasa estimated that the amount of energy released when the meteor crashed into the Earth's atmosphere was about 20 times more than the force of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb.                 

The meteor hit in the Urals on Friday morning

"We would expect an event of this magnitude to occur once every 100 years on average," said Paul Chodas of Nasa's Near-Earth Object Programme Office.

The drama happened just hours before an asteroid whizzed safely past the Earth at an unprecedented distance of 17,200 miles.

This is closer than some distant satellites and set alarm bells ringing in some Russian circles about the need for joint global action to protect Earth from space.

Russian parliament's foreign affairs committee chief Alexei Pushkov wrote on Twitter: "Instead of fighting on Earth, people should be creating a joint system of asteroid defence."

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Scotland Car Rally Collision: Woman Dies

A 50-year-old woman has died after a car collided with spectators during a rally in the Scottish Highlands, police say.

An eight-year-old boy, who was hurt in the collision, is being treated at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and his condition was not believed to be life-threatening.

Neither the driver or the co-driver of the vehicle was injured, and no other spectators were hurt, Northern Constabulary said.

The collision took place during the first stage of the Highland Car Club Snowman Rally.

The event in Glenurquhart Forest, near Loch Ness, has now been abandoned.

Officers will carry out a full road collision investigation and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

The race is the opening round of the 2013 Scottish Rally Championship (SRC).

Dave Robson, chairman of the Championship said: "The management committee, competitors and officials of the SRC extend their condolences to the families of those involved in today's incident on Special Stage One of the Snowman Rally.

"We offer our committed support to Highland Car Club and all those affected at this difficult time."

A statement from Highland Car Club said: "The club extends its sympathies to the families of those involved."

Northern Constabulary said: "Following an earlier collision between a rally car and spectators during Stage One of the Highland Car Club Snowman Rally, police can confirm that a 50-year-old woman has sustained fatal injuries and an eight-year-old boy has been taken to Raigmore Hospital for treatment.

"The boy's condition is not believed to be life-threatening. Neither the driver or the co-driver of the vehicle was injured as a result of the incident. No other spectators were injured."

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Pistorius: Girlfriend's TV Show Goes Ahead

Producers are to broadcast a reality TV show featuring the dead girlfriend of athlete Oscar Pistorius later today, saying they have the backing of her family.

Tropika Island of Treasure, showing Reeva Steenkamp on location in Jamaica, will be broadcast despite her shocking death on St Valentine's Day.

Miss Steenkamp, who had been going out with Pistorius since November, was shot four times at his house in a heavily guarded complex in Pretoria on Thursday.

Local media have reported that she was shot through a bathroom door. A 9mm pistol was found at the scene.

Pistorius broke down in court at the mention of premeditated murder

Producers said Miss Steenkamp's family wanted her appearance on the reality show for South Africa's national broadcaster to be aired as a tribute.

An excerpt of the programme has been released showing Miss Steenkamp swimming with dolphins and smiling broadly as she floats down a jungle-flanked river on a raft.

It also featured a poignant pre-recorded interview with the 29-year-old in which she talked about the importance of leaving a positive mark in life.

"The way that you go out and make your exit is so important, you have either made an impact in a positive way or a negative way," she said.

Pistorius (right) after his arrest on Thursday

The decision emerged as Pistorius' uncle said the athlete was "numb with shock, as well as grief" as he remains in custody facing charges of premeditated murder.

In the family's first public comments since the shooting, Arnold Pistorius said they were "in total shock" by what he called an "unimaginable human tragedy".

Arnold Pistorius insisted there was "no substance" to the allegation of premeditated murder "or indeed any murder at all" as he spoke of his nephew's happiness with the model and rising star.

"They had plans together and Oscar was happier in his private life than he had been for a long time," he told the Associated Press.

Tropika Island of Treasure sees celebrities paired with contestants and put through a series of challenges as they compete for a cash prize.

Executive producer Samantha Moon said: "This is how they want to remember her. This is what she would have wanted. She was happy, healthy, beautiful and vibrant and that's the way she should be remembered."

Spokesman for broadcaster SABA, Kaizer Kganyago, said: "The mother agreed that we should go ahead and we are free to go ahead. We are working on how to pay tribute to her."

Miss Steenkamp's cousin, Sharon Steenkamp, said she "was proud of being in the show".

Reeva Steenkamp, 29, with Pistorius last November

"Her last words to us personally was that she wants us to watch it," she said.

Production company Stimulii said it was "devastated" by the model's death and described her as a "wonderful human being" with a "zest for life".

Pistorius, who made history by competing in both the Olympics and Paralympics last year, sobbed through his first court appearance on Friday.

He is being held in a police cell ahead of a new hearing on February 19, when prosecutors are set to oppose any request for bail.

The chief magistrate delayed the bail hearing until next week at the request of the defence who asked for more time.

A statement issued by Pistorius' family and management following the initial hearing said: "The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms."

The athlete's uncle Arnold added on Saturday: "Words cannot adequately describe our feelings. The lives of our entire family have been turned upside down forever by this unimaginable human tragedy and Reeva's family have suffered a terrible loss.

"As a family we are trying to be strong and supportive to Oscar as any close family would be in these dreadful circumstances.

"We deeply regret the allegation of premeditated murder. We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the State's own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all."

Premeditated murder carries a mandatory life sentence in South Africa. If found guilty, Pistorius would not be eligible for parole for 25 years.

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Michael Le Vell Will 'Fight' Child Sex Charges

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has said he is innocent of all child sex charges against him and will "fight them vigorously".

Le Vell, who plays garage owner Kevin Webster in the ITV soap opera, is accused of 19 child sex offences, including child rape, and sexual activity with a child between 2001 and 2010, Greater Manchester Police said.

Le Vell, 48, a father-of-two whose real name is Michael Turner, will appear in court charged with the offences on February 27.

Le Vell said: "I would like to make it quite clear that following the serious allegations that have been brought against me on Thursday 14th February 2013, I am innocent of these charges and intend to fight them vigorously.

"I will now put all my efforts into clearing my name and proving my innocence."

ITV has dropped him from further episodes of the show. 

Michael Le Vell was first questioned over the child sex allegations in 2011

A spokesman said: "Given the serious nature of these charges, Michael Le Vell will not be appearing in Coronation Street pending the outcome of legal proceedings. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time."

The actor was initially arrested in connection with the offences in September 2011.

The investigation was dropped three months later when authorities said there would be no further action taken against him as there was not enough evidence.

However, following a review of the case by lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service the decision has been taken that it is in the "public interest" to charge the actor.

Speaking after the investigation against him was dropped in 2011, Le Vell said he was "delighted" to have been "completely exonerated", thanked police for their "thorough" investigation and Coronation Street staff and the public for their support.

Le Vell vowed to put the allegations behind him and returned to the show after a short break and is now currently involved in some of the soap's main storylines.

Alison Levitt, QC, principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions, reviewed a file of evidence in relation to allegations of sexual offences and looked again at a decision previously made not to prosecute.

Ms Levitt said: "I have very carefully reviewed the evidence in this case and I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Michael Robert Turner with a number of sexual offences.

"I have authorised Greater Manchester Police to charge Mr Turner with 19 offences, including rape of a child."

Le Vell, who split from his wife Janette Beverley last year, is one of television's most famous faces after playing car mechanic Kevin Webster for the past 30 years in the TV show.

Originally from Manchester, he began his acting career in the Oldham Theatre Workshop after taking an interest in amateur dramatics while at school.

He first joined the soap in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor, and fathering two teenage girls as well as a love child from his affair with Molly Dobbs.

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Meteorite Shower Hits Russia Injuring Over 900

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

More than 900 people have been injured after a meteor strike in central Russia, the country's interior ministry said.

Fragments of at least one meteorite - the weight of a double-decker bus - were seen falling from the sky in the Chelyabinsk region at around 9am local time, around 1,500km east of Moscow.

A regional governor said 950 people have been injured. Russia's Ministry of Emergencies said at least 82 children were hurt and 34 adults and 12 children were being treated in hospital. Two people are in intensive care.

The meteor lit up the sky

Many were hurt by flying glass as windows were blown in. Witnesses described feeling a pressure wave and hearing explosions overhead as the object hurtled to earth.

The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes and entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 33,000mph (54,000kph) - 15 times the speed of a rifle bullet - and shattered up to 32 miles (50km) above ground.

Meteors typically cause sizeable sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere because they are travelling much faster than the speed of sound.

The meteorite weighed 10 tonnes

The defence ministry said it had identified a six metre crater near a lake in this region and has sent soldiers to the site of the impact.

The emergencies ministry said that 20,000 rescue workers had been dispatched to help the injured and locate those needing help.

  Resident Anna Pinkus told Sky News she saw a bright light outside her window and then heard three explosions.

More than 500 people have been injured

"It was a very loud sound. After that our windows began to shatter and shiver so it was very terrifying. First we thought it was a plane crash."

Planetary scientist Professor Ian Crawford of Birkbeck University said this was an unusual case as meteorite hits rarely cause any damage.

Viktor was injured by a shock wave

"Several times a year meteorites are observed to fall on the earth's surface but damage to people or property is very unusual – there are only several recorded cases of buildings being hit by meteorites."

Describing the course of the meteorite he said: "I think it's very likely that it would have been a larger lump of rock that broke up in the earth's atmosphere – this is usually what happens.

"The rock comes in from space and hits the earth's atmosphere. That decelerates it and puts a lot of stress on it. Then it's likely to fragment into lots of pieces."

The local office of the National Emergencies Ministry said in a statement: "A meteorite disintegrated above the Urals (mountain range in central Russia), partially burning up in the lower atmosphere.

The crash site of a piece of meteor (Pic: Chelyabinsk MVD)

"Fragments of the meteorite reached Earth, falling in sparsely populated areas in the Chelyabinsk region."

Many drivers in Russia have video recorders fitted in their cars in case of accidents or disputes with traffic police. Footage from these uploaded to YouTube show the fireball crashing to the ground.

There were reports of traffic in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk grinding to a halt and people seeking shelter in buildings as the fireballs lit up the sky.                 

The emergencies ministry confirmed the mobile phone network was temporarily cut. Schools were closed for the day across the region after the impact blew out windows.

The meteor hit Chelyabinsk

The meteor hit less than a day before the asteroid 2012 DA14 is to make the closest recorded pass of an asteroid to the Earth - about 17,150 miles (28,000km). But the European Space Agency in a tweet said its experts had determined there was no connection.

The Chelyabinsk region is Russia's industrial heartland, home to many factories and other huge facilities that include a nuclear power plant and the Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre.

A spokesman for Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy state corporation, said that its operations remained unaffected.

"All Rosatom enterprises located in the Urals region - including the Mayak complex - are working as normal," said a Rosatom spokesman.

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Contact Lens Fluid Saved Missing Backpacker

The British backpacker who went missing in the Australian Outback for more than three days survived by drinking contact lens solution, his mother has said.

Samuel Woodhead, 18, disappeared on Tuesday after he set out for a jog from a cattle station in Queensland.

But the chance discovery of packets of lenses in his rucksack - put there by his father, Peter - kept him going in the scorching heat.

The teenager was said to be a little sunburned following his ordeal, but was hydrated and otherwise well.

His relieved mother Claire, 54, described how her son survived in the 40C heat.

Rescuers gather near a helicopter after Sam was found safe and well

"His father had packed boxes of contact lenses in his rucksack in an outside pocket and he'd forgotten to take them out," she revealed.

"He's lived on the fluid that the contact lenses...you know the little packs of contact lenses? He's literally lived on those packs of contact lenses for three nights."

Relatives said the teenager, a keen long-distance runner, owed his life to rescue workers who launched a massive helicopter search of the desolate region after he was reported missing from Upshot Station, near the town of Longreach, on Tuesday.

Mrs Woodhead, who travelled out to Australia, said: "I've spoken to Sam on the phone and I'm flying out to Longreach."

Sam with his mother and sister before his adventure

She added: "I'm very, very relieved indeed. I've just had the worst three days of my life, and when I got the message from the pilot on the plane (that he had been located), I just cried."

The former Brighton College student, from Richmond upon Thames, in Surrey, is now in hospital.

Samuel's delighted sister, Rebecca, announced on Facebook that her brother had been found.

She wrote: "We have been told that they have found Sam!! We have no information on his condition or where he was found yet, so keep your fingers crossed."

She later said his injuries were no worse than "minor sunstroke, dehydration and chapped lips".

Earlier, Sam's father Peter told Sky News: "It's an incredibly exciting and happy ending to what's been a real nightmare. Our thanks go to all those who have joined the search, a lot of which have been volunteers in very hostile territory."

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Oscar Pistorius Breaks Down In Tears In Court

Olympic star Oscar Pistorius has broken down in tears as he appeared in court charged with murdering his girlfriend.

He stood before magistrate Desmond Nair with his head bowed as the charge was read out.

Prosecutors say they intend to prove Pistorius is guilty of premeditated murder of the top South African model Reeva Steenkamp.

Local news correspondent Barry Bateman described him as "sobbing uncontrollably" as he sat in the dock.

Pistorius' father Henke leaned forward and placed his hand on his son's back during the 40-minute hearing.

Oscar Pistorius is charged with murdering Reeva Steenkamp

Prosecutors had asked to deal with the bail hearing as a section six offence, meaning the accused has to provide exceptional circumstances to be released on bail. The defence opposes this.

The case was postponed until Tuesday, and Pistorius will remain in custody until then.

A statement on behalf of his family and management said he denies the charge in the strongest terms.

The body of 29-year-old Miss Steenkamp was discovered at the athlete's property in the Silver Woods gated community in eastern Pretoria on Thursday morning.

She had been shot four times. A 9mm pistol was found at the scene.

A police officer holds a gun taken from Pistorius' home

Local media have reported that she was shot through a bathroom door.

Pistorius, 26, spent Thursday night in custody and was subject to blood-alcohol, DNA and other tests, as forensics experts continued to work at the crime scene at his home in an upmarket gated estate.

His lawyer Kenny Oldwage said his client was "very well, obviously emotional, but fine".

Police were called to Pistorius' home at around 4am on Thursday by neighbours who heard gunshots. He is the only suspect in the case.

Pistorius made history at the London Olympics last year when he became the first double-amputee track athlete to compete at any games.

He did not win a medal but did make the semifinals of the 400 metres and the final of the 4x400 relay, propelling the world's best-known Paralympian to the level of an international track star.

Meanwhile a celebrity reality show featuring Miss Steenkamp will still be broadcast on South African television despite her death, the producers have said.

The pre-recorded show filmed in an exotic location in Jamaica features the blonde model and several local personalities competing for prize money.

Producers of Tropika Island of Treasure said they had decided not to shelve the show, which will premiere on Saturday, two days after she was shot dead.

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Oscar Pistorius Charged With Murder

Paralympic and Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in South Africa.

Her body was discovered at the athlete's home in the Silver Woods country estate in eastern Pretoria, South African police said.

Pistorius reached the 400m semi-finals at the London 2012 Olympics

Initial reports in the South African media suggested Miss Steenkamp was apparently shot as she woke him, trying to surprise him on Valentine's Day, and was mistaken for an intruder.

But police said the shooting was being treated as a murder investigation and that they were "very surprised" by the reports which they said did not come from them.

Brigadier Denise Beukes confirmed the couple were the only ones present in the house at the time of the shooting, and that there had been previous incidents at the premises including "allegations of a domestic nature".

"There are witnesses and they have been interviewed this morning. We are talking about neighbours and people that heard things earlier in the evening and when the shooting took place," she said.

Pistorius was arrested on Thursday morning following the shooting and taken to hospital for a medical examination.

He emerged from a police station after questioning, flanked by plain-clothed officers, wearing a grey hooded jacket covering most of his face.

Miss Steenkamp was due to speak at a Johannesburg school today

The athlete was due at Pretoria Magistrate's Court this afternoon on a murder charge, but prosecutors said his appearance had been delayed until Friday morning to give forensic officers time to carry out their work.

The 26-year-old is alleged to have shot his 30-year-old model girlfriend in the head and upper body.

Paramedics were called to his home between 4am and 5am local time.

Police arrived shortly afterwards and a 9mm pistol was recovered from the scene.

They said they would be opposing bail when the suspect appears in court.

"The deceased was shot four times and died on the scene. It is believed that she was the girlfriend of the accused," said police spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Katlego Mogale.

Miss Steenkamp's body was removed by a hearse at around 8am.

The shooting took place at Pistorius' home at Silver Woods country estate

Pistorius - the world's most famous paralympian - and Miss Steenkamp are believed to have started dating in November.

His father, Henke Pistorius, said of his son: "He is a bit emotional, but he is fine."

There had been speculation the shooting may have been a Valentine's Day surprise gone wrong.

South African journalist Kalay Maistry told Sky News: "It is alleged that he thought his girlfriend, who'd come in to try to surprise him for Valentine's Day, was an intruder. It's alleged that he shot her at least twice in the arm and head.

"I think what this actually highlights is the level of fear ordinary South Africans have.

"This is a man who has gone to bed, it's an innocent surprise from a girlfriend ... and the moment he thinks someone is trying to break in he grabs his gun.

"This has come as a complete surprise for a man who's considered a national hero," she added.

Miss Steenkamp has been described as a "talented and bright young girl"

Miss Steenkamp, a top South African model and a law graduate from Port Elizabeth, was active on Twitter just 14 hours before.

She tweeted: "What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? #getexcited #ValentinesDay"

In response to someone else's plans, she said: "That sounds amazing! Wow that's what it's all about! It should be a day of love for everyone :) may it be blessed!"

She was due to give a talk at a school in Johannesburg today, and to star in South African reality TV series Tropika Island of Treasure at the weekend, in which celebrities and ordinary people are tasked with daily challenges in remote, exotic locations.

Her publicist Sarit Tomlinson said the family was "shocked" and "devastated" by the news.

She described Miss Steenkamp as "the sweetest human being" and "a talented and bright young girl", adding that the couple had a "healthy, fabulous relationship".

Photos of the model appeared in newspapers at the weekend, when she described Pistorius as an impeccable man who always had her best interests at heart.

Police are investigating the shooting and have launched a murder probe

The Johannesburg-born athlete, known as the "Blade Runner", made history in 2012 when he became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics.

He won gold in the 400m and another in the 4x400m relay at the Paralympic Games.

The athlete had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old, because of a congenital condition, and runs on carbon fibre blades.

Last year Time Magazine named him as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

Silver Woods, situated in the country's capital, is a high security gated complex with a three metre high wall, electric fence, a guarded entrance and regular patrols.

South Africa has some of the world's highest rates of violent crime with an average of nearly 50 people murdered each day.

Some home-owners carry weapons to defend themselves against intruders. According to statistics, nearly 13 in every 100 people in the country own a gun, and it is estimated there are almost six million civilian firearms.

Pistorius, like many fellow South Africans, appeared to have serious concerns about his safety, and reportedly kept a revolver at his bedside and a machine gun by his window, as well as a cricket bat and baseball bat behind his bedroom door.

Pistorius lives in a gated complex in the South African capital Pretoria

South Africa's M-Net cable TV channel said it was pulling an advertising campaign featuring Pistorius off air with immediate effect.

Runner's World magazine editor Mike Finch, speaking from South Africa, told Sky News: "If anybody can overcome this sort of thing it's probably Oscar.

"He's had to deal with a lot in his life. He had a mother that died when he was very young, he obviously has his disability, but yet he's been amazing from a South African perspective as an ambassador.

"There is a certain school of people that don't particularly like him, but I think today everybody has kind of rallied round him."

Both South Africa's Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee said they were in no position to comment, but offered their "deepest sympathy and condolences" to the families of all involved.

UN figures show that in South Africa, just over 17 people are killed by gun crime per 100,000 people.

The highest gun death rate in the world is in Honduras with 68 deaths per 100,000. In the USA, the figure stands at 2.97 deaths, while in the UK it is 0.1.

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Horsemeat: Bute Found In Carcasses In UK

How Horsemeat Scandal Unfolded

Updated: 7:22am UK, Wednesday 13 February 2013

The horsemeat scandal has been unfolding for weeks and products have been flying off the shelves, although not in a good way. Where did it all begin?

January 16

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland says beefburgers with traces of equine DNA, including one product classed as 29% horse, are being supplied to supermarkets by Silvercrest Foods in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in Yorkshire, subsidiaries of the ABP Food Group.

Ten million suspect burgers are taken off the shelves, including by retailers Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, Iceland and Dunnes Stores.

A third company, Liffey meats, based in Co Cavan, Ireland, was also found to be supplying products to supermarkets with traces of horse DNA.

January 17

The ABP Food Group suspends work at its Silvercrest Foods plant in Co Monaghan, Ireland, until further notice.

Sainsbury's, Asda and the Co-op later withdrew some frozen products as a precaution but had not been found to be selling contaminated food.

January 23

Burger King, which is supplied burgers by ABP Food Group, switches to another supplier as a precautionary measure.

January 25

Waitrose removes a range of frozen burgers made by Dalepak but says its burgers have been tested and are 100% beef.

The Food Standards Agency said tests at a Dalepak plant in North Yorkshire had found no traces of meat contaminated with horse or pork DNA.

However, Aldi found traces of pig and horsemeat in samples taken from three lines of Dalepak burgers.

It withdrew Specially Selected Aberdeen Angus Quarter Pounder, Oakhurst Beef Quarter Pounders and Frozen Oakhurst Beefburgers from sale.

February 4

Production at a second meat supplier, Rangeland Foods in Co Monaghan, is suspended after 75% equine DNA is found in raw ingredients, The Department of Agriculture confirm.

February 5

Frozen meat at Freeza Meats company in Newry, Northern Ireland, is found to contain 80% horse meat, The Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland said. It is potentially linked to the Silvercrest factory in the Republic of Ireland.

Asda withdraws products supplied by Freeza Meats.

February 6

Tesco and Aldi take down frozen spaghetti and lasagne meals produced by French food supplier Comigel following concerns about its Findus beef lasagne.

The FSA reveals a second case of "gross contamination" after some Findus UK beef lasagnes were found to contain up to 100% horse meat. The products were made by French food supplier Comigel.

February 8

Aldi withdraws its Today's Special Frozen Beef Lasagne and Today's Special Frozen Spaghetti Bolognese after tests showed the products contained between 30% and 100% horsemeat.

February 12

Peter Boddy slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, and meat processing plant Farmbox Meats at Llandre in Aberystwyth, West Wales, are raided and shut down, pending investigations.

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Oscar Pistorius: Reeva Steenkamp Remembered

In the days leading up to her death, Reeva Steenkamp's excitement about Valentine's Day was clear.

"What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow??? #getexcited," the girlfriend of South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius tweeted.

Miss Steenkamp then received a series of replies, one of which was from a mother who said her children would be making a card for their father. 

Miss Steenkamp had a law degree

She responded: "That sounds amazing! Wow that's what it's all about! It should be a day of love for everyone :) may it be blessed."

Miss Steenkamp said Pistorius - her boyfriend since November - had "impeccable" taste.

"His gifts are always thoughtful," she was quoted as saying on the social pages of last weekend's Sunday Independent.

But February 14 ended up going terribly wrong for the 30-year-old when she was shot dead in Pistorius' home.

Now Twitter and other social media are flooded with tributes to the model and law graduate.

Former Miss South Africa Melinda Bam said: "Heartbroken for #ReevaSteenkamp's family & for #OscarPistorius. This highlights how unsafe most South Africans feel because of crime#RIPReeva."

Sammy Lambrechts said: "A woman with rare beauty ... A classy and sophisticated young socialite with a heart of gold. A true lady."

Miss Steenkamp's tweets about Valentine's Day

On Facebook, her cousin Deon Steenkamp said: "RIP cuz this is tragic we will always remember you for your stuning smile brighting up everyone world."

Miss Steenkamp's publicist Sarit Tomlinson described her as "the sweetest human being" and "a talented and bright young girl".

She told Sky News that the couple had a "healthy, fabulous relationship".

Miss Steenkamp had most recently been a celebrity contestant on South African reality TV show Tropika Island Of Treasure 5. 

The couple had a 'healthy' relationship, her publicist said

The first episode of the show, which was filmed in Jamaica, was due to air this weekend.

On the show's website, a tribute to Miss Steenkamp said: "We are deeply saddened and extend our condolences to Reeva's family and friends."

The Cape Town-born model grew up in Port Elizabeth, where she studied law, but later moved to Johannesburg after signing a deal with cosmetics company Avon.

She went on to model for FHM and feature in various national and international advertising campaigns.

Miss Steenkamp's family is 'shocked'

Miss Steenkamp - who spoke out on Twitter against rape and abuse of women - described herself as someone who has a "passion for cars and cooking and prefers to read a book on her off days and spend quality time with friends and family".

She was from a family of horse trainers, who are all "shocked" and "devastated" by the news, Miss Steenkamp's publicist said.

Her former headmaster Greg Stokell told the South African Press Association that Miss Steenkamp was popular and respected by all.

"She was a vibrant, friendly, diligent, and motivated student who was popular with and respected by staff and peers alike," he said.

"The St Dominic's Priory school community in Port Elizabeth is both shocked and saddened by Reeva Steenkamp's sudden and tragic death."

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Scotland Avalanche: Two People Missing

One man has been rescued and two are missing after an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands, police said.

The man has been airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and mountain rescue teams are continuing their search for the other two people.

The avalanche was reported shortly after 12.30pm in the Chalamain Gap area of the Cairngorms.

Police were being assisted by members of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, search and rescue dogs, RAF Lossiemouth's mountain rescue team and a helicopter.

Earlier this week, a hillwalker died during an expedition with a mountaineering club in the Cairngorms.

Graham Connell, 31, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, was found dead in the Jacob's Ladder area on Monday, after a large-scale search for him and five other people who were reported overdue on Sunday afternoon.

The other members in the party, who were unhurt, were picked up by an RAF rescue helicopter after being located by Braemar Mountain Rescue Team on a hill near Carn Tarsuinn.

And earlier this month, three men survived falling 150m in an avalanche in the Coire an t-Sneachda area of the Cairngorms.

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Sars-Like Virus Spreads To Family Member

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Doctors have confirmed the first case of known human-to-human spread of a deadly new respiratory virus in Britain.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the man had been in close contact with a relative who had picked up the infection while travelling in the Middle East and Pakistan.

The so-called "novel" coronavirus causes severe breathing problems and has killed five of the 11 confirmed cases around the world. 

The HPA announced on Monday the first case in a UK resident, and said the critically ill man was being treated in isolation at the Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester.

A third case involves a man from Qatar who is receiving treatment in the UK.

The new case is receiving intensive care at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. It is understood that he has an existing medical condition that may have made him more susceptible to respiratory infections.

Professor John Watson, head of the respiratory diseases department at the HPA, said: "Confirmed novel coronavirus infection in a person without travel history to the Middle East suggests that person-to-person transmission has occurred, and that it occurred in the UK.

"This case is a family member who was in close personal contact with the earlier case and who may have been at greater risk of acquiring an infection because of their underlying health condition.  

"To date, evidence of person-to-person transmission has been limited. Although this case provides strong evidence for person to person transmission, the risk of infection in most circumstances is still considered to be very low."

Coronaviruses can cause the common cold, but can also result in more severe illness such as Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

Anyone who develops a fever, cough, and breathing difficulties within 10 days of travelling to the Arabian peninsula or surrounding countries should seek medical advice and mention their travel itinerary.

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Horsemeat: British Plants Raided Amid Warning

How Horsemeat Scandal Unfolded

Updated: 7:22am UK, Wednesday 13 February 2013

The horsemeat scandal has been unfolding for weeks and products have been flying off the shelves, although not in a good way. Where did it all begin?

January 16

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland says beefburgers with traces of equine DNA, including one product classed as 29% horse, are being supplied to supermarkets by Silvercrest Foods in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in Yorkshire, subsidiaries of the ABP Food Group.

Ten million suspect burgers are taken off the shelves, including by retailers Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, Iceland and Dunnes Stores.

A third company, Liffey meats, based in Co Cavan, Ireland, was also found to be supplying products to supermarkets with traces of horse DNA.

January 17

The ABP Food Group suspends work at its Silvercrest Foods plant in Co Monaghan, Ireland, until further notice.

Sainsbury's, Asda and the Co-op later withdrew some frozen products as a precaution but had not been found to be selling contaminated food.

January 23

Burger King, which is supplied burgers by ABP Food Group, switches to another supplier as a precautionary measure.

January 25

Waitrose removes a range of frozen burgers made by Dalepak but says its burgers have been tested and are 100% beef.

The Food Standards Agency said tests at a Dalepak plant in North Yorkshire had found no traces of meat contaminated with horse or pork DNA.

However, Aldi found traces of pig and horsemeat in samples taken from three lines of Dalepak burgers.

It withdrew Specially Selected Aberdeen Angus Quarter Pounder, Oakhurst Beef Quarter Pounders and Frozen Oakhurst Beefburgers from sale.

February 4

Production at a second meat supplier, Rangeland Foods in Co Monaghan, is suspended after 75% equine DNA is found in raw ingredients, The Department of Agriculture confirm.

February 5

Frozen meat at Freeza Meats company in Newry, Northern Ireland, is found to contain 80% horse meat, The Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland said. It is potentially linked to the Silvercrest factory in the Republic of Ireland.

Asda withdraws products supplied by Freeza Meats.

February 6

Tesco and Aldi take down frozen spaghetti and lasagne meals produced by French food supplier Comigel following concerns about its Findus beef lasagne.

The FSA reveals a second case of "gross contamination" after some Findus UK beef lasagnes were found to contain up to 100% horse meat. The products were made by French food supplier Comigel.

February 8

Aldi withdraws its Today's Special Frozen Beef Lasagne and Today's Special Frozen Spaghetti Bolognese after tests showed the products contained between 30% and 100% horsemeat.

February 12

Peter Boddy slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, and meat processing plant Farmbox Meats at Llandre in Aberystwyth, West Wales, are raided and shut down, pending investigations.

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LA Manhunt: Dorner Shootout Ends In Cabin Fire

A gun battle between Christopher Dorner and police has ended after fire ripped through the remote cabin where the murder suspect was thought to have been hiding.

TV footage showed flames rising from the property in California's Big Bear Lake area, which also had thick black smoke billowing from it.

A sheriff's spokeswoman said charred human remains had been found in the rubble of the burned cabin.

It is not yet clear how the fire started, whether it was started from inside or by police officers, who were firing bullets and tear gas canisters at the cabin.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the fire set off ammunition which was being stored inside.

In one audio clip purporting to be a police scanner conversation, a male voice can be heard saying: "All right, Steve, we're gonna go, er, we're gonna go forward with the plan, with, er, with the burn. We want it, er, like we talked about.

"Seven burners deployed and we have a fire."

It is unclear whether "the burn" refers to tear gas.

Jodi Miller said the remains were found late on Tuesday, and forensic tests would be carried out to determine if the remains are Dorner's.

A law enforcement official said a gunshot was heard before the fire broke out, and the suspect did not come out of the cabin as it was engulfed in flames.

Police had urged the fugitive to turn himself in as authorities surrounded the cabin where he was reportedly holed up with an arsenal of weapons.

Dorner had earlier exchanged gunfire with federal authorities.

San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon told a news conference that a sheriff's deputy had died of wounds he suffered during the shootout. Another deputy was also injured in the exchange of fire.

Authorities focused their hunt for Dorner in the mountainous area since they said he launched a campaign to exact revenge against the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for sacking him.

LAPD Commander Andrew Smith had urged Dorner to surrender, telling him: "Enough is enough."

It is believed the 33-year-old - who is suspected of three other killings - may have held a couple hostage in a holiday home before police tracked him down.

Commander Smith had urged him: "It's time for you to turn yourself in. It's time to end the bloodshed."

Another police officer told the Associated Press that Dorner robbed the cabin and tied up the holidaymakers, but one was able to get away and make a phone call.

Dorner reportedly fled in a stolen white Dodge pickup truck and a California Fish and Game ranger fired on the vehicle.

He then abandoned the truck and ran into the forest.

The noise of the gun battle was broadcast by KCAL-TV, whose reporter suddenly found himself near the shooting. Someone could be heard yelling at the reporter to get out of the area.

The manhunt has centred on the San Bernardino mountains since Dorner's truck was found in the area last Thursday.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Jodi Miller said a stolen vehicle report from a residence was received at 12.20pm on Tuesday and the owners of the car described the suspect as looking similar to Dorner.

Police had been following up hundreds of new leads prompted by a $1m (£640,000) reward for information.

Dorner, a naval reservist, is suspected of killing a couple on February 3 and then ambushing two policemen early on Thursday, killing one.

An angry Facebook rant with threats against the LAPD led officials to assign officers to protect officers and their families.

Within hours of the release of photos of Dorner, described as armed and "extremely dangerous," the suspect then ambushed police in Riverside County, shooting three and killing one police officer.

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BBC And Savile's Estate Sued By Sex Victims

Jimmy Savile's estate and the BBC are being sued on behalf of 31 alleged sex abuse victims.

Solicitor Alan Collins said a writ has been issued at the High Court and the number of victims his firm Pannone is in contact with "grows on a daily basis".

He said: "The purpose of issuing the writ is to protect our clients' position and to seek management directions from the court to ensure the claims are administered as efficiently as possible.

"At this stage we are unable to expand in detail on the nature of the cases or the allegations that have been made, which range in seriousness from inappropriate behaviour to serious sexual abuse."

A BBC spokesman said: "We're unable to comment on any legal claims of this nature made against the corporation."

Savile's £4m estate has already been frozen by executors NatWest.

Another lawyer representing more than 50 of Savile's victims, Liz Dux, has previously confirmed that all of them will be pursuing civil claims for compensation.

She said that her clients would sue Savile's estate and would also pursue claims against the organisations responsible for where the alleged abuse took place.

The full scale of the late TV presenter's 54-year campaign of abuse was detailed in a joint police and NSPCC report in January.

It revealed that Savile's youngest victim was an eight-year-old boy and that he also abused seriously ill children.

There are now 214 criminal offences recorded against his name, including 34 rapes.

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Poundland Graduate Cait Reilly Wins Appeal

A graduate who was forced to work at Poundland for free has won an appeal, in a blow for the Government's back-to-work schemes.

Cait Reilly, 24, from Birmingham, had argued that being made to work in the discount shop for nothing while she looked for a permanent job was illegal.

Jamieson Wilson, 40, an unemployed lorry driver from Nottingham who was stripped of jobseeker's allowance for refusing an unpaid cleaning role, also won his legal challenge.

Lord Justice Pill, Lady Justice Black and Sir Stanley Burnton, sitting in London, ruled that the regulations behind most of the back-to-work schemes were unlawful and quashed them.

The pair's solicitors claimed the ruling meant anyone docked jobseeker's allowance for not complying with the schemes could demand the money back.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has vowed not to repay anyone who had not been seriously trying to find work and said it was looking at "options" to avoid paying out.

Miss Reilly was forced to leave her voluntary post at a museum to work unpaid at Poundland in Kings Heath, Birmingham, in November 2011 under a scheme known as the "sector-based work academy".

She was told she would lose jobseeker's allowance if she refused and spent two weeks stacking shelves and cleaning floors.

Miss Reilly worked unpaid at a Birmingham Poundland store for two weeks

Mr Wilson, a qualified mechanic, was told that he had to work unpaid, cleaning furniture for 30 hours a week for six months, under a scheme called the community action programme.

He objected to doing unpaid work that would not help him re-enter the jobs market and refused, leading to him losing jobseeker's allowance for six months.

Following the ruling, Miss Reilly said: "I don't think I am above working in shops like Poundland. I now work part time in a supermarket. It is just that I expect to get paid for working.

"I agree we need to get people back to work but the best way of doing that is by helping them, not punishing them."

Following the ruling, Labour accused the coalition of being "incompetent" and unions hailed Miss Reilly a "hero" as they called for the programmes to be scrapped.

But the Government pointed out that the judges had agreed requiring people to join the schemes was legal, meaning they could continue.

Employment minister Mark Hoban said it would appeal the ruling while also drafting new regulations immediately to remove "any uncertainty".

"Ultimately the judgment confirms that it is right that we expect people to take getting into work seriously if they want to claim benefits," he said.

Public Interest Lawyers, which represented both claimants, called the decision a "huge setback" for the DWP.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said: "It beggars belief that David Cameron's Government is now so incompetent it can't even organise work experience."

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Derby House Fire: Children's Parents On Trial

A man accused of killing his six children in a house fire started the blaze as part of a "plan" to frame his ex-girlfriend after becoming locked in a custody battle with her, a court has heard.

Mick Philpott and his wife Mairead allegedly started the fire at their semi-detached home after telling police his former partner, Lisa Willis, had been threatening him and his family.

There were emotional scenes during their manslaughter trial at Nottingham Crown Court today as the 999 call made by the couple as the fire took hold was played to the jury.

Philpott stood and tried to leave the dock saying "I can't listen to it" before being made to sit down by security officers.

The court was told the family shared an unconventional lifestyle. Philpott, 56, his 31-year-old wife and Ms Willis, 28, all lived in the same house.

The scene of the fire last May

A total of 11 children also lived there. Six were those of Mick and Mairead Philpott, while four were his with Ms Willis. Another child was Ms Willis's by another man.

Mick and Mairead Philpott's children - Jade, 10, and her brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, Jayden, five, and Duwayne, 13 - all died after the fire at their home in Victory Road, Allenton, Derby.

They were all asleep when the blaze engulfed the three-bedroomed property in the early hours of May 11 last year.

The couple, along with a third defendant, 46-year-old Paul Mosley, have all denied six separate counts of manslaughter in relation to the deaths.

Floral tributes laid outside the house

Earlier prosecutor Richard Latham QC told the jury the fire was started on the day Ms Willis and Philpott were due in court to discuss the residency of the children.

She had left the house in Victory Road in February last year, taking her children with her, and had become embroiled in a bitter fight with Philpott.

He planned to frame her and eventually win his children back, and had made numerous reports to the police that she had threatened him, his wife and the children.

Mr Latham told the jury of six men and six women: "By May 1st Mick Philpott was reporting to the police that Lisa Willis had made telephone threats to kill him.

The children's funeral

"The police visited him, he was at times highly emotional and made it clear that he wanted Lisa arrested. If she had been this would have assisted him in the court proceedings, wouldn't it?"

About a fortnight before the fire Philpott told friends he had an idea for a way of getting Lisa and the children back, Mr Latham said.

"He told people he had a plan up his sleeve and that she wasn't going to get away with it - watch this space."

Mr Latham told the jury the fire was no accident - it had been started using petrol in the hallway of the house.

Pointing out the Philpotts were not accused of murder, he said: "This was a plan that went horribly wrong and resulted in total tragedy."

The trial is expected to last six weeks.

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Dale Cregan Pleads Guilty To PC Murders

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

The man accused of murdering two police officers in a gun and grenade attack has dramatically changed his plea to guilty.

After initially denying the killings, Dale Cregan unexpectedly admitted the offences after a break in his trial at Preston Crown Court.

The court heard last week how the 29-year-old ambushed PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes after making a 999 call to report a bogus burglary from a house in Hattersley, Greater Manchester, on September 18.

The jury was told that he opened fire on the policewomen as they approached the front door of the house and that as they lay on the floor, he threw a hand grenade at their bodies.

Families of PCs Bone, 32, and Hughes, 23, wept in court as details of the murders were outlined. They heard a recording of the call made by Cregan and watched CCTV footage of the two officers leaving their police station in response.

None of their relatives were in court to hear Cregan admit the murders.

Cregan, of no fixed address, continues to deny murdering a father and son in two separate attacks earlier in the year.

Mark Short, 23, was shot at the Cotton Tree pub in Droylsden, Manchester, on May 25, while his 46-year-old father David was found dead on August 10 following a blast at a house in nearby Clayton.

The trial continues tomorrow.

More follows...

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Scientist: Lamb Meals May Contain Horsemeat

A senior scientist has told Sky News that lamb products may also contain horsemeat and need to be tested.

Dr Mark Woolfe, formerly of the Food Standards Agency, said retailers should immediately test everything from lamb ready meals to doner kebabs for horse DNA to ensure their products are clear.

He warned the same pressures to find cheap sources of beef make it impossible to "verify" the lamb supply chain.

Dr Woolfe was in charge of the "food authenticity" unit at the FSA for 17 years and is widely respected for his research.

He said: "If I was a retailer I would be looking quite carefully at my lamb products as well.

"When I ran the surveillance programme, the only time I would say there was a problem was when I found a problem.

Findus products were revealed to contain up to 100% horsemeat

"That's why I say it would be diligent for people to look at other products."

Dr Woolfe blamed the current horse meat scandal on a sudden change to European Union rules last year that affected economy meat products.

For more than a decade manufactures rubbed the remaining scraps of meat from animal carcasses to make a fine mince called de-sinewed meat (DSM). It was the primary ingredient for cheap pies, sausages and ready meals.

But the EU decided last spring that DSM could no longer be used, forcing suppliers to find an alternative source of cheap meat within a matter of days.

"It left suppliers with big hole in their supply chain for the raw materials for their value products. They had to look elsewhere for product at same price or cheaper to fill that gap.

"If that can't be done in this country then they go abroad.

"If something is produced in the UK they have better control over the supply chain. It's more difficult to verify the supply chain outside the UK."

The warning comes after an expanding international scandal over processed beef products, which were found to contain up to 100% horsemeat.

The Environment Secretary is to hold another round of talks with the food industry to discuss the scandal.

Owen Paterson has told MPs that it appears "criminal activity" is at the heart of the scandal that has spread across Europe.

He will hold talks with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and food industry representatives tonight in what will be the second UK summit in a matter of days.

Supermarkets were forced to remove certain beef burgers and ready-meals such as spaghetti bolognese after details of the adulteration were exposed by Irish food safety officials.

Controversy and concerns about traceability of food deepened in early February when halal food supplied to prisons by a Northern Ireland-based company was found to contain traces of pork DNA.

It emerged that a number of ready meals including Findus beef lasagne, made in France and distributed across UK supermarket chains, contained up to 100% horsemeat.

One of Findus' main shareholders has told Sky he thinks the company have handled the public relations aspect of the crisis poorly.

Initially, suppliers in Poland were accused of replacing beef supplies with horse products, however the supply chain was later said to have used meat sourced in Romania.

The French supplier to Comigel, the ready meal giant which made the Findus and Aldi dishes found to contain up to 100% horsemeat, appeared to point the finger at two Romanian slaughterhouses.

But a preliminary investigation by the Romanian government claimed that the paperwork from the abattoirs was in order and that the livestock entering the facilities were accurately documented.

Romanians reacted angrily to the claims.

Sorin Minea, head of the Romanian food industry federation Romalimenta, told Sky News that the accusations are tinged with racism: "Look at the thief in the square, the gypsy. He is to blame."

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Pope Benedict Resignation: Global Reaction

Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign as head of the Catholic Church has shocked political leaders, religious figures and commentators alike.

Political reaction was led by Prime Minister David Cameron, who said: "I send my best wishes to Pope Benedict following his announcement. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen Britain's relations with the Holy See.

"His visit to Britain in 2010 is remembered with great respect and affection. He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."

Conservative MP Mark Pritchard, who has met Pope Benedict several times, said he would be a "sad loss" to the Catholic Church, while former MP Ann Widdecombe added: "He's given the church stability. He was very much an authority figure and he was very, very trusted by church."

Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, said the announcement had taken many people by surprise.

"What's very noticeable is the sheer disarray around the statement," he said. "Clearly no one in the upper hierarchy in this country knew anything about it.

"Normally these things are very well prepared but this hasn't been. It may be the result of an elderly man reflecting in private and coming to a sudden decision."

Robin Gill, professor of applied theology at the University of Kent, described Pope Benedict as a "very intelligent, very astute man", who had managed to "hold Catholics together".

"I think he knew that if he continued, he would be unable to function properly," he said. "He saw his predecessor become increasingly frail and I think he has made a very wise decision."

Pope Benedict XVI visited the UK in 2010

Meanwhile, Madeleine Teahan, associate editor of the Catholic Herald, who was only 17 when Pope Benedict was elected, said: "Young people were so inspired and so encouraged by him."

Elsewhere, Monsignor Andrew Faley, of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, told Sky News: "He is extremely popular and is a Pope who will be remembered by ordinary people, as well as by political leaders, as a man who appreciated the humanity of everyone he met.

"He is someone who gives you his complete attention when you meet him and it's that sense of humanity and openness that he gave to everyone that he will be remembered for."

Father Christopher Jamison, a Benedictine monk, told Sky News: "My reaction is one of great shock and surprise.

"He's reached out very strongly to non-believers and fully recognises that people today won't necessarily join the Church.

"On his visit to the UK in 2010, people were surprised to discover that he wasn't a terrible ogre of a man but someone of great wisdom."

John Arnold, Auxillary Bishop of the Diocese of Westminster, recalled the Pope's trip to Britain with fondness.

"Those were four extraordinary days," he said. "He came as a friend and he came to give us a very important message about the Church in our country and our society."

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, added: "It was with a heavy heart but complete understanding that we learned of Pope Benedict's declaration of his decision to lay down the burden of ministry as Bishop of Rome, an office which he has held with great dignity, insight and courage."

The Pope, who was born in Germany, visited the country in 2011

Further afield, the German government said it was "moved and touched" by the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who was born in the country.

Spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "The German government has the highest respect for the Holy Father, for what he has done, for his contributions over the course of his life to the Catholic Church.

"He has been at the head of the Catholic Church for nearly eight years. He has left a very personal signature as a thinker and also as a shepherd."

In the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino said the country was grateful for the "many prayers and comforting words Pope Benedict XVI dedicated to Filipinos in times of calamity and challenge".

"All peoples and nations of goodwill are filled with great regret," his spokesman said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the Pope's "courage", while Rabbi Yona Metzger, the country's Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, said he had helped to reduce anti-Semitism around the world.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said the Pope's decision to resign was "eminently respectable".

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Profile: The Pope Known As 'God's Rottweiler'

Pope Benedict Resigns: Reaction

Updated: 3:37pm UK, Monday 11 February 2013

Pope Benedict XVI's decision to resign as head of the Catholic Church has shocked political leaders, religious figures and commentators alike.

Political reaction was led by Prime Minister David Cameron, who said: "I send my best wishes to Pope Benedict following his announcement. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen Britain's relations with the Holy See.

"His visit to Britain in 2010 is remembered with great respect and affection. He will be missed as a spiritual leader to millions."

Conservative MP Mark Pritchard, who has met Pope Benedict several times, said he would be a "sad loss" to the Catholic Church, while former MP Ann Widdecombe added: "He's given the church stability. He was very much an authority figure and he was very, very trusted by church."

Diarmaid MacCulloch, professor of the history of the church at Oxford University, said the announcement had taken many people by surprise.

"What's very noticeable is the sheer disarray around the statement," he said. "Clearly no one in the upper hierarchy in this country knew anything about it.

"Normally these things are very well prepared but this hasn't been. It may be the result of an elderly man reflecting in private and coming to a sudden decision."

Robin Gill, professor of applied theology at the University of Kent, described Pope Benedict as a "very intelligent, very astute man", who had managed to "hold Catholics together".

"I think he knew that if he continued, he would be unable to function properly," he said. "He saw his predecessor become increasingly frail and I think he has made a very wise decision."

Meanwhile, Madeleine Teahan, associate editor of the Catholic Herald, who was only 17 when Pope Benedict was elected, said: "Young people were so inspired and so encouraged by him."

Elsewhere, Monsignor Andrew Faley, of the Catholic Bishops' Conference, told Sky News: "He is extremely popular and is a Pope who will be remembered by ordinary people, as well as by political leaders, as a man who appreciated the humanity of everyone he met.

"He is someone who gives you his complete attention when you meet him and it's that sense of humanity and openness that he gave to everyone that he will be remembered for."

Father Christopher Jamison, a Benedictine monk, told Sky News: "My reaction is one of great shock and surprise.

"He's reached out very strongly to non-believers and fully recognises that people today won't necessarily join the Church.

"On his visit to the UK in 2010, people were surprised to discover that he wasn't a terrible ogre of a man but someone of great wisdom."

John Arnold, Auxillary Bishop of the Diocese of Westminster, recalled the Pope's trip to Britain with fondness.

"Those were four extraordinary days," he said. "He came as a friend and he came to give us a very important message about the Church in our country and our society."

The Most Reverend Justin Welby, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, added: "It was with a heavy heart but complete understanding that we learned of Pope Benedict's declaration of his decision to lay down the burden of ministry as Bishop of Rome, an office which he has held with great dignity, insight and courage."

Further afield, the German government said it was "moved and touched" by the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who was born in the country.

Spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "The German government has the highest respect for the Holy Father, for what he has done, for his contributions over the course of his life to the Catholic Church.

"He has been at the head of the Catholic Church for nearly eight years. He has left a very personal signature as a thinker and also as a shepherd."

In the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino said the country was grateful for the "many prayers and comforting words Pope Benedict XVI dedicated to Filipinos in times of calamity and challenge".

"All peoples and nations of goodwill are filled with great regret," his spokesman said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the Pope's "courage", while Rabbi Yona Metzger, the country's Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, said he had helped to reduce anti-Semitism around the world.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said the Pope's decision to resign was "eminently respectable".

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Pope Benedict Resigns, Vatican Confirms

Pope Benedict XVI is to resign on February 28 due to his "deteriorating" health.

He will be the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to resign in almost 600 years, with his departure expected to leave the post vacant for around three weeks.

The 85-year-old German's resignation letter said: "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.

"I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering.

Pope Benedict XVI at a consistory at the Vatican today

"However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me."

He will step down after almost eight years in the post, having been elected in April 2005.

Speaking at a hastily-arranged news conference, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said: "The Pope caught us a bit by surprise.

"We should have a new pope for Easter."

He told reporters a conclave could be held within 15 or 20 days of the resignation - and insisted Pope Benedict was not stepping down because of any difficulties in the papacy.

The Vatican has been keen to stress that the Pope has not stepped down due to any specific illness.

The Vatican

And while Mr Lombardi said his vigour had "sadly diminished in recent times", he praised the Pontiff's "humility and great honour".

Pope Benedict will now head to his Castel Gandolfo residence outside Rome, before returning to the city to live in a monastery of cloistered nuns on the Vatican hills.

The Pope's brother, Georg Ratzinger, said the Pontiff had been advised by his doctor not to take transatlantic trips for health reasons - and that he had been considering resigning for months.

He said his brother was having increasing difficulty walking and that his resignation was part of a "natural process".

"His age is weighing on him," the 89-year-old said of his 85-year-old brother. "At this age my brother wants more rest."

The last post on Pope Benedict XVI's Twitter page, sent on Sunday, said: "We must trust in the mighty power of God's mercy. We are all sinners, but His grace transforms us and makes us new."

Pope Benedict has championed Christianity's European roots and showed his conservatism by repeatedly stressing family values and fiercely opposing abortion, euthanasia and gay marriage.

The pope on his visit to the UK in 2010

He has looked increasingly weary in recent months and has often used a mobile platform to move around St Peter's basilica during church services.

His next scheduled major public appearance will see him host a general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, said: "Pope Benedict's announcement today has shocked and surprised everyone. Yet, on reflection, I am sure that many will recognise it to be a decision of great courage and characteristic clarity of mind and action.

"The Holy Father recognises the challenges facing the Church and that "strength of mind and body are necessary" for his tasks of governing the Church and proclaiming the Gospel. I salute his courage and his decision."

Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, said: "Like many people throughout the world, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the decision by Pope Benedict XVI to resign.

"I know that his decision will have been considered most carefully and that it has come after much prayer and reflection."

Dr Rebecca Rist, an expert in the history of the papacy from the University of Reading, said: "The cardinals will now have to elect a new pope - perhaps someone from South America or Africa - areas of the world where the Church is growing in numbers.

Benedict greeting Cardinal Marc Ouellet - who is being tipped to take over

"The new pope will have huge global issues to prioritise - poverty, education, human rights, the environment - and not least the importance of faith and belief in an increasingly secularised Europe.

"Benedict is a distinguished theologian and will doubtless use his retirement to dedicate himself to further study."

Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said: "Seven years as pope is not very long.

"Last time, there was a lot of speculation that it was time for the first black pope. What Pope Benedict has done in recent years is to pack the ranks of the Vatican with lots of Europeans."

The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants.

There are several papal contenders but no obvious front-runner to take over, which was also the case when Pope Benedict was elected Pontiff in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II.

Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet has been installed as favourite for the job.

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More Hospital Deaths To Be Investigated

Nine more hospital trusts are to be investigated over their mortality rates, health officials said.

The NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) said the nine trusts have been stood out on the Hospital Standardised Mortality Ratio (HSMR) for two years in a row.

Medical director Sir Bruce Keogh is to investigate:

::North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust

:: United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

:: George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust

:: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

:: Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

:: The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

:: Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

:: Medway NHS Foundation Trust

:: Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Last week Sir Bruce announced he would be investigating five trusts which were identified by the Summary Hospital-level Mortality Indicator (SHMI) as having higher than expected death rates.

Figures suggest there were 3,000 more deaths than expected at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The mortality ratios at the trusts were "persistently high" between July 2010 and June 2012, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre.

The SHMI, which compares the number of patients who die following admission to hospital with the number who would be expected to die, suggests that 3,063 more people died than expected at the trusts over the two-year period.

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Horsemeat Scandal: 'Prepare For More Cases'

More cases of contaminated meat may be revealed within days, the Government has warned as it raised fears that an international criminal conspiracy was behind the horse meat scandal.

The warning came as The Independent newspaper claimed up to one in 30 horses being exported to Europe for consumption could contain traces of a drug known as Bute which is harmful to humans.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said the next set of results on all retailers and manufacturers' processed beef products could reveal further traces of horsemeat.

"There may well be more bad results coming through, that's the point of doing this random analysis," Mr Paterson said.

The results, ordered by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), are due on Friday.

But David Clarke, chief executive of Red Tractor Assurance, a food guarantee scheme that covers British production standards, urged people to put the scandal into perspective.

Paterson: 'Prepare for more bad news'

He told Sky News: "The news in the last three weeks has been of great concern to consumers. But to get it in perspective it is only affected a small part of the food that is in the shops.

"I would hope that all of the fresh meat that people are eating for Sunday lunch today should not be affected by this."

Mr Clarke added that the food industry had learnt lessons from the last few weeks, namely that "this very cheap processed meat produced with raw materials that are traded all across the world, all across Europe, is potentially a problem".

Meanwhile, one of the food companies at the centre of the horsemeat scandal has said it is considering taking legal action against its suppliers.

Frozen foods firm Findus, which has taken its beef lasagnes off shelves after some were found to have up to 100% horse meat in them, said it was looking into legal action as an internal investigation "strongly suggests" that the contamination "was not accidental".

The Ministry of Agriculture in Romania - to where the horsemeat has been traced - has launched an inquiry after two of its abattoirs were implicated in the scandal.

The Environment Secretary also revealed retailers have agreed plans to improve their food testing, adding that they hold the "ultimate responsibility" for making sure their products do not contain horse meat.

Mr Paterson was speaking after attending an emergency meeting with bosses from leading supermarkets, trade bodies and the FSA on Saturday to discuss the scandal which has seen chains including Tesco, Lidl, Aldi and Iceland withdraw some products.

He said supermarkets and trade bodies had already begun plans to carry out more testing and report their results on a quarterly basis.

Aldi has withdrawn products containing horsemeat

They had also agreed that consumers should be compensated for buying withdrawn products with no questions asked, he said.

Mr Paterson added: "It's a question of either gross incompetence, but as I've said publicly and I'll repeat again, I'm more concerned there's actually an international criminal conspiracy here, and we've really got to get to the bottom of it."

But shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh accused the Government of being too slow to act.

She told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan: "I think ministers have been completely behind the curve. Owen Paterson should have ordered tests on those burgers when they were withdrawn three weeks ago.

"We'd now been in a position to tell consumers how far the adulteration has gone, whether they're able to trust processed meat."

Scotland Yard have met representatives from the FSA, although there is currently no official police investigation.

The Trading Standards Institute has said the discovery of such high levels of horse meat suggests "deliberate fraudulent activity".

Food safety experts have said there is no risk to public health.

Tesco and Aldi have also withdrawn a range of ready meals produced by Comigel over fears that they contained contaminated meat.

The GMB union said all hospitals, schools and meals-on-wheels services should verify that horse meat had not been served to vulnerable people.

Responding to fears that school dinners might be contaminated with horsemeat, the Department for Education said schools and councils were responsible for their food contracts.

A spokeswoman for the Local Authority Caterers Association said: "We are as sure as we can be that this is not affecting the school catering area."

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Fox Bites Off Baby's Finger In Cot Attack

A fox dragged a one-month-old baby from his cot and mauled his hand, biting off one finger, it has been reported.

The boy was left seriously injured after the animal crept into his bedroom in Bromley, southeast London.

His mother was alerted by his screaming and rushed into his room to see his hand in the animal's mouth, the Mail On Sunday reported.

After a short struggle, the mother managed to free him, but by then his finger had been ripped off.

Plastic surgeons were able to reattach the boy's finger and he is said to be recovering well at home.

The animal had got into the family home through an open backdoor.

The fox attack happened in Bromley on Wednesday

Neighbour Paula Wellington told Sky News: "I was at work when it happened but heard about it when I got back. The ambulance was still here and then police forensics arrived.

"I've seen foxes around here before but I've never heard anything like this. I saw the mother a couple of days ago and she told me the fox had got into the house and grabbed the baby.

"She was fighting with it, trying to pull it away from the baby. She said it lasted a couple of minutes and she had to wrestle the fox off the baby.

"The fox had the baby she said and she was really shaken by it. It's really scared everyone and the family have now moved out."

Another neighbour, Khadine Peters, said: "I was on the school run but when I got back I heard people screaming that a fox had attacked the baby. I think it's really terrible. You see them around here all the time.

"I look out of my window and often see a big fox sitting on the grass in the front garden. Something should be done about it but nothing has, no one from the council has been around."

Boris Johnson: 'Something must be done'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We were called at 1638 on February 6 by staff at St Thomas's Hospital to reports a baby boy who had been admitted to hospital after being attacked by a fox.

"Police attended to find a four-week-old baby with a hand injury. The baby was admitted to hospital after the attack at its home address in Bromley."

London Mayor Boris Johnson said more needs to be done to deal with the problem of urban foxes.

"Thankfully this sort of attack, though terrible, is rare, but we must do more to tackle the growing problem of urban foxes," he said.

"They may appear cuddly and romantic but foxes are a pest and a menace, particularly in our cities."

A spokesperson from Lewisham Council, the local authority that covers the area, said: "Although rare, fox attacks can be devastating as this tragic case shows and our thoughts go out to the family at this difficult time."

The spokesperson advised residents to make their homes and back gardens "less attractive to foxes" by using repellents and "making sure that waste food is always disposed of in secure, lidded bins and containers".

An RSPCA spokeswoman said the only reason a fox would attack is due to fear.

"It's extremely unusual for foxes to attack young children or anyone," she said.

Lola (L) and Isabella Koupparis were attacked by a fox in June 2010

"It's not typical fox behaviour at all. Foxes will come closer to a house if there are food sources.

"Then they can become quite bold, but they usually do back off and run away when there's people around."

In June 2010, twin baby sisters Lola and Isabella Koupparis were attacked by a fox while sleeping in their cots in east London.

Isabella was found with deep cuts to her arm and Lola's face was covered in blood. Both underwent surgery at the Royal London Hospital.

The issue of foxes attacking humans has divided the public, with many sceptics questioning recent cases amid fears of a backlash against urban foxes.

In April last year, wildlife presenter Chris Packham said he simply did not believe reports of people getting attacked by the animals.

The broadcaster said there was no proof foxes attack dogs and cats and would only do so except in "exceptional circumstances".

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Man Crushed To Death By Door At Music Venue

A man was killed and another suffered serious head injuries after a metal door fell on them at a music venue.

Police were called to G Live in Guildford, Surrey at about 11.45am on Saturday after a report that two men were trapped beneath the large door.

One of them men had serious leg injuries. He was treated by paramedics, but was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other man, who is a member of the popular singing band Fisherman's Friends, was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting with serious head injuries. He has not been named.

The Cornish-based group had been due to perform at the venue just before midday on Saturday, but the gig was called off following the incident.

A spokesman for the 10-member band said: "Tragically, a member of the Fisherman's Friends touring party died yesterday following an accident at the G Live venue in Guildford where the group were due to perform.

"One of the Fisherman's Friends was also seriously injured in the accident and remains in hospital."

In a statement Darcus Beese, president of Island Records, the group's label, said: "Everyone here is shocked by this tragic event, our hopes and prayers go out to the friends and families of those involved."

Saturday night's event at the venue was also cancelled and G Live staff contacted all ticket holders.

Police say their inquiries are in the early stages.

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed of the death.

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Five Dead In Canary Island LifeBoat Accident

Five people have been killed after a lifeboat fell from a cruiseliner in the Canary Islands.

It happened during a safety drill while the vessel was docked at the port of Santa Cruz on La Palma.

A further three people suffered injuries, including a Greek national, officials said.

No details were immediately available about the dead, but the regional rescue service said the injured were three men.

Local media said the lifeboat fell while staff were conducting an evacuation drill on the cruise ship.

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