China: Toddler Pulled From Pram And 'Murdered'

A two-year-old girl who was thrown to the ground by a man during a row over a parking space in Beijing has died, state media say.

A witness told the Beijing Times that the man, identified only by his surname Han, wanted to park by a bus stop in Beijing.

But the toddler's mother, who was on foot, would not move out of his way as she tending to her daughter at the time.

Han got out of his car and allegedly hit the woman before taking the girl out of her pram, holding her up and throwing her "forcefully" to the ground, said the witness, a street-stall owner surnamed Zhou.

"The baby made no noises after being dropped, not even a cry of pain," the newspaper quoted Zhou as saying.

Another man came out of the car and also beat the mother before the pair drove away, it added.

The woman was waiting by a bus stop on Beijings Keji road

Police reportedly found Han, who was released from prison this year after serving a sentence for theft, in a hot spring bathhouse and detained him.

"Han was put in criminal detention on suspicion of intentional homicide on Thursday afternoon," state news agency Xinhua said, citing the Beijing Security Bureau.

Han could face the death penalty if he is convicted of murder.

The incident sparked outrage on Chinese social media as weibo users vilified the attackers and expressed grief over the toddler's fate.

"When you come back in another life, dear baby, be sure to be born in another country," one user wrote.

Another weibo user called the attackers "perverse animals" and a third called for the death penalty as punishment.

"For this kind of murderer with an evil nature, the death penalty should be carried out immediately," the post said.

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Egypt: 'Dozens Killed' As Rallies Turn Violent

Egypt: Timeline Of Unrest

Updated: 3:52pm UK, Saturday 27 July 2013

Key developments in Egypt since the beginning of the Arab Spring.

:: 2011

January 25: Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against the rule of President Hosni Mubarak.

February 11: Mubarak steps down and turns power over to the military, which dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution.

November 28: Egypt holds mutiple-stage parliamentary elections and the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats in the law-making lower house.

:: 2012

May 23: First round of voting in the presidential elections.

June 30: Mr Morsi, elected with 51.7% of the vote, is sworn and becomes Egypt's first civilian and Islamist president.

August 12: The new president scraps a constitutional document that gave sweeping powers to the military and sacks Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who ruled after Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February, 2011.

November 22: Mr Morsi announces sweeping new powers for himself.

November 30: Islamist-dominated constituent assembly adopts a draft constitution despite a boycott by liberals and Christians.

December 8: The president annuls the decree giving himself increased powers.

December 15 and 22: 64% of voters in a two-round referendum back the new constitution. Egypt plunges into political crisis, with demonstrations by Morsi supporters and opponents sometimes turning deadly.

:: 2013

January 24: There is violence between demonstrators and police on the eve of the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Mubarak. Nearly 60 people die in a week.

April 5: Four Christians and a Muslim are killed in sectarian violence.

May 7: President Morsi's cabinet reshuffle falls short of opposition demands.

May 16: Gunmen kidnap three policemen and four soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula. They are freed on May 22.

June 2: Egypt's highest court invalidates the Islamist-dominated senate, which assumed a legislative role when parliament was dissolved, and a panel that drafted the constitution.

June 15: Mr Morsi announces "definitive" severing of ties with Syria.

June 21: Tens of thousands of Islamists gather ahead of planned opposition protests.

June 23: Defence Minister Abdel Fattah al Sisi warns the army will intervene if violence erupts.

June 28: The US says non-essential embassy staff can leave after an American is killed during the protests.

June 29: The Tamarod (Rebellion) campaign which called rallies for June 30 says more than 22 million have signed a petition demanding Mr Morsi's resignation and a snap election.

June 30: Tens of thousands of Egyptians take to the streets nationwide determined to oust the president on the anniversary of his turbulent first year in power. At least 16 people die in protests across the country.

July 1: The opposition gives President Morsi a day to quit or face civil disobedience. Egypt's armed forces warn they will intervene if the people's demands are not met within 48 hours.

July 2: The presidency rejects the army's ultimatum, saying it will pursue its own plans for national reconciliation.

July 3: Mr Morsi is overthrown late in the day as the country's most senior army official announces the suspension of the Islamist-tinged constitution and a "road map" for a return to democratic rule to stop the bloodshed.

July 4: As Mr Morsi is held by the army, Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 6: Fierce street battles between supporters of Morsi and their opponents leave at least 36 people dead.

July 8: Some 35 people are shot dead in clashes between Morsi supporters and the Egyptian army outside the Republican Guard's headquarters in Cairo.

July 9: Mr Mansour appoints economist Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister and opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei as vice president. A military announcement backs up the appointments.

July 26: Millions pour into the streets of Egypt in rival demonstrations after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood. Five are killed in clashes. Prosecutors announce Morsi is under investigation for a host of allegations including murder and conspiracy with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

July 27: Clashes in the early morning hours between security forces and Morsi supporters kill at least 120 protesters in Cairo.

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Hostage Deaths: Moment Police Killed Gunman

Television cameras have captured the moment a Swat team stormed an apartment complex and shot dead a man who had killed six people.

Officers were called around 6.30pm local time on Friday to reports that shots had been fired in the building a few miles from Miami, Florida.

Police said the gunman was inside and moving from floor to floor before eventually barricading himself with hostages inside one of the apartments in Hialeah.

There was a stand-off with officers lasting eight hours which ended with a shoot-out when the specialist team went in.

Footage showed bright red flashes and the crackle of gunfire.

Police entered the apartment as they believed two hostages were being held at gunpoint.

Sergeant Eddie Rodriguez said both hostages survived. He added officers discovered two other people - a man and a woman - shot dead in the hallway in front of one unit.

Three more people, a male and two females, were found shot and killed in another apartment on a different floor.

The scene of the shooting in Florida

Another man who was walking his children into an apartment across the street was also killed.

Mr Rodriguez said it was not immediately clear whether the gunman aimed at him from an upper-level balcony or if he was hit by a stray bullet.

Earlier, a crisis team had been able to briefly establish communication with the gunman.

Mr Rodriguez said negotiators and a special weapons team tried talking with him from the other side of the door of an apartment unit where he was holding two hostages.

But the police spokesman said the talks eventually "just fell apart."

So far, the gunman's motives remain unknown.

"We think this may have been an angry man doing random shooting perhaps," said police spokesman Mr Zogby.

"We're going to try to figure out why this happened here."

Officers are still investigating the motive and identifying the gunman and victims.

The manager of the West 46th Street apartment building and his wife were reportedly among those killed by the gunman.

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Train Crash Driver Held For 'Reckless Homicide'

The driver of a speeding train that hurtled off the rails killing 78 people in Spain has been detained for "reckless homicide", according to the country's Interior Minister.

Speaking at a news conference in the northwestern city of Santiago de Compostela where the accident happened, Jorge Fernandez Diaz said: "He has been detained since 7:40pm on Thursday for the alleged crimes of reckless homicide."

The driver, named by local media as 52-year-old Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, was arrested in the hospital where he was recovering after one of Europe's worst rail disasters.

Police said he refused to answer their questions on Friday from his hospital bed and the case has been passed to the courts.

The wrecked train at the site of the crash near Santiago de Compostela

The driver will be questioned by a judge on Sunday, the interior minister added.

Under Spanish law, a suspect can be detained for a maximum of 72 hours before being heard by a judge.

"There are reasonable grounds to consider that he may have been responsible for what happened, which must be established by a judge and the investigation which has been opened," Mr Fernandez Diaz said.

Although the court hearing will be closed, it will give hints about the status of the investigation. The judge will decide whether to jail the driver as an official suspect, release him on bail, or release him without charges. If a judge finds sufficient evidence for a criminal trial, the suspect will be charged and a trial date set.

Some 78 people were killed in one of the worst crashes in Spain's history

The eight-carriage train, packed with 218 passengers, was said to have been travelling at more than twice the speed limit on a curve when it hurtled off the rails and slammed into a concrete wall, with one carriage leaping up onto a siding.

The grey-haired driver, who reportedly boasted of his love for speed online, has been under police surveillance in hospital since the accident on Wednesday evening but he was discharged today and taken to a police station.

He reportedly suffered head injuries in the accident that required stitches. Pictures showed him being led away from the scene with blood covering the right side of his head.

While Garzon's official explanation for the crash is awaited, blame has increasingly fallen on the driver, with Spain's railway agency saying it was his responsibility to brake before going into the high-risk curve where the train tumbled off the rails and smashed into a wall.

A man lights a candle in memory of the victims of the rail disaster

But it is still not clear whether the brakes failed or were never used.

The president of Adif, the Spanish rail agency, said that the driver should have started slowing the train 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) before the dangerous bend. He said signs clearly marked this point when the driver must begin to slow.

Meanwhile, doctors are continuing to try to identify the last three bodies of the 78 passengers killed in the catastrophe.

A memorial service for the victims will be held on Monday in the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela, the city just outside which the rail disaster occurred and a destination for Catholic pilgrims from around the world.  

Some 130 people were also injured in the crash.  

The Alvia 730 series train was travelling from Madrid to the port city of Ferrol when it derailed at about 8.40pm local time - 7.40pm UK time - on Wednesday.

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'Reckless' Train Crash Driver Held By Police

Police have formally detained the driver of a train that derailed in northwestern Spain, killing at least 78 passengers and injuring another 130.

The National Police Chief for the Galicia region, Jaime Iglesias, said driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo was arrested in the hospital where he is recovering.

Mr Iglesias said Garzon would be questioned "as a suspect for a crime linked to the cause of the accident".

Asked at a news conference in Santiago de Compostela why the driver was being detained, Mr Iglesias added: "For recklessness."

Mr Garzon boasted about speeding on his Facebook page

The 52-year-old driver is being guarded by police and cannot yet testify because of his medical condition, the police chief said.

He did not have any further details of his state of health but said it could delay his statement.

Sky News understands Garzon's condition is not serious. Pictures and video footage have emerged of him being led away from the crash scene with his head covered in blood while other images show the engine cabin was largely intact compared to the rest of the train.

Police also said the number of dead, yesterday thought to be 80, has been reduced to 78 as forensic science units continue to identify remains.

The train's black box recorder has been retrieved from the wreckage. Early indications suggested the train may have been travelling at more than twice the speed limit at the time of the crash on Wednesday night.

An official inspects the train's engine

The eight-carriage train came off the tracks on a bend, hit a wall and caught fire just outside the pilgrimage destination Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.

The train entered the bend at 190km per hour (120mph), according to local media reports. The speed limit on the curve was 80km per hour (50mph).

As the investigation turned its focus more and more towards human error, the Spanish press revealed that immediately after the derailment Garzon allegedly said to officials at the railway station 3km from the crash: "I ****** up, I want to die. So many people dead, so many people dead."

Witnesses are also reported to have heard the driver shout into a phone: "I've derailed! What do I do?"

And as his country mourned, it emerged that Garzon is thought to have boasted on his Facebook page about how fast he was driving a train in March last year.

Staff from a hospital treating the injured hold a minute's silence

The driver posted a picture of a train speedometer at 200km per hour (124mph) on the social networking site. His Facebook page has since been blocked.

"What a blast it would be to go parallel with the Guardia Civil (Spanish police) and go past them triggering the radar. Haha what a fine for Renfe (Spanish rail operator) haha," he wrote on what is believed to be his Facebook page.

There was a second driver on the train, but it is believed Garzon was the only driver at the time.

He is understood to have taken control of the train from a second driver about 65 miles (104km) south of Santiago de Compostela.

According to reports, one of the drivers realised what was about to happen before the crash and made a desperate call to Renfe ahead of the bend, saying: "I'm going at 190km per hour, I'm going to derail."

A truck transports a carriage away from the scene of the crash

In a second call to Renfe after the accident, the driver explained that he was trapped in the train.

"We are human, we are human," he is reported to have said. "I hope there are no dead because they would fall on my conscience."

Two investigations are being carried out into the catastrophe - one to look into possible failings by the driver and the other to examine the train's in-built speed regulation systems and see if it was a technical malfunction that meant the driver was not warned of the reduced speed limit around the bend.

Many questions remain unanswered about what went wrong, with some experts claiming that high speed alone would not explain the crash and speculation that the train's braking systems might have failed.

Reporting from the scene, Sky News Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet said investigators would be focusing on the statements made by the driver immediately after the derailment.

An aerial view of the carnage caused by the derailment

Nisbet pointed to further reports from Spanish media suggesting the driver had told officials at Santiago de Compostela train station that an electronic warning signal was flashing inside the driver's cabin to indicate he was going too fast.

"He is said to have pressed a button to acknowledge the warning but still apparently did not slow down," Nisbet said.

State train company Renfe said Garzon had been at the firm for 30 years and he had been driving trains for more than a decade.

He became an assistant driver in 2000 and a fully qualified driver in 2003.

Garzon is understood to have been on the Madrid to Ferrol service, on which the crash happened, for a year, after undergoing training specific to that line.

The impact was so huge one carriage flew several metres into the air

Meanwhile, with 72 of the 78 dead so far identified, medical experts are continuing to try to identify the six remaining victims as distraught families continue to wait for news about their loved ones.

DNA tests are expected to be carried out on those with catastrophic injuries, with results available in the coming days.

The victims of the crash included a US citizen and a Mexican. At least one British citizen and four children were among the 130 people injured. Just over 30 of those in hospital are still critically ill.

Spanish newspaper El Pais has revealed details of a dramatic WhatsApp conversation between one of the survivors trapped in the train wreck and her husband.

At 8.45pm local time, the woman sent messages saying she had been in an accident and was "crushed".

Relatives of passengers on the train wait for news of their loved ones

After what her husband described as "the longest five minutes of my life", she sent another message saying "I'm safe".

The 46-year-old woman escaped with minor injuries to her legs and has already been discharged from hospital.  

Video footage from a security camera showed the train, which had 247 people on board, hurtling into a concrete wall at the side of the track.

The impact was so huge one carriage flew several metres into the air and landed on the other side of a concrete barrier.

The Alvia 730 series train was travelling from Madrid to the port city of Ferrol when it crashed about 8.40pm local time - 7.40pm UK time - on Wednesday.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy visits the scene of the crash

The crash occurred on the eve of a major Christian religious festival honouring St James, the disciple of Jesus whose remains are said to rest in a shrine.

Many of the dead or injured were believed to be Catholic pilgrims converging on the city.

Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who was born in Santiago de Compostela, visited the scene of the crash on Thursday and declared three days of official mourning across the country.

King Juan Carlos also visited one of the hospitals where many passengers are being treated.

Local reaction to the crash has been such that an appeal for blood donations resulted in hospitals having to turn people away because they could not cope with the demand.

Many local hotels are also offering free rooms to relatives of those involved.

The train crash is the worst Spain has experienced since a three-train accident in a tunnel in the northern Leon province in 1944.

Due to heavy censorship at the time, the exact death toll for the Torre del Bierzo disaster has never been established.

The official figure was given as 78 dead, but it is thought that as many as 250 could have been killed.

There was another serious accident in Spain in 1972 when a Madrid to Cadiz express collided head-on with a local train on the outskirts of Seville.

A total of 77 people died, with more than 100 injured.

The latest crash - one of the worst ever in Europe - comes less than two weeks after six people were killed and scores injured in a train crash just south of Paris.

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Sasha Marsden: Barman Guilty Of Teen's Murder

By Frazer Maude, Sky News Reporter

A barman has been found guilty of killing teenager Sasha Marsden, whose partially burned body was found in a Blackpool alleyway.

David Minto, described by police as "cold, callous and evil", sexually assaulted the youngster before stabbing her 58 times with a kitchen knife.

She suffered such serious injuries that her body, which was found wrapped in carpet underlay and bin liners, had to be identified using DNA from her toothbrush.

Sasha was just 16 years old and had been studying childcare at a local college.

However, her plan to take up a part-time cleaning job in a Blackpool hotel to earn some extra money ultimately cost her her life. 

Minto, who worked at the Grafton House Hotel, owned by his girlfriend and her mother, first met Sasha through a mutual acquaintance on a night out.

The 23-year-old contacted her on Facebook, where his online name was David "Demon" Minto, and used the promise of part-time work to lure her to her death.

He told Sasha to come to the hotel on a day when he knew it would be empty.

After sexually assaulting and stabbing her, mainly in the face and neck, he tried to destroy the evidence by setting her body on fire.

The prosecution at the trial in Preston said she was found with several defensive wounds, showing she tried to fight for her life.

Minto claimed he had consensual sex with the teenager and said her blood was on his clothes because she had a nose bleed.

He claimed she left the hotel alive but the jury refused to believe him and found him guilty of murder.

Sasha's mother Jayne Marsden said:  "For his sexual gratification he's robbed us of saying goodbye to her. But he's also robbed us of her 18th birthday, her 21st birthday and her future. He's just robbed us of everything. I can never forgive him. Never."

Detective Superintendent Andy Murphy, of Lancashire Constabulary, said: "After our dealings with Minto, I would describe him as cold, callous, and evil.

"He's put Sasha's family through a real ordeal by pleading not guilty and taking this to trial.

"But the family have been brave and very dignified, appearing in court every day to hear the terrible evidence about what happened to their daughter."

More follows...

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Ohio Kidnapper Ariel Castro Accepts Plea Deal

The Cleveland man accused of holding three women captive in his home for about a decade has agreed to plead guilty in a deal to avoid the death penalty.

In exchange, Ariel Castro would be sentenced to life without parole plus 1,000 years.

Castro was in court on Friday morning to enter the guilty plea.

When asked if he understood he would never be released from prison, Castro said: "I do understand that, your honour."

Castro kidnapped Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight

He added: "I knew I was pretty much going to get the book thrown at me."

Castro was far more interactive than in previous court appearances when he mostly kept his head down and eyes closed.

During Friday's hearing, he answered the judge's questions in a clear, intelligible voice, saying he understood the proceedings and that he would never be released from prison.

Castro, who was born in Puerto Rico, said he could read and understand English well but had trouble with comprehension.

The women were held hostage for nearly a decade in Castro's home

"My addiction to pornography and my sexual problem has really taken a toll on my mind," Castro told judge Michael Russo.

He later said he had been a sexual abuse victim as a child, but the judge cut him off, telling Castro he would have an opportunity to speak at his sentencing hearing.

The plea deal comes more than a month after a statement issued on behalf of the women said they were "hopeful for a just and prompt resolution" and had "great faith in the prosecutor's office and the court".

Castro, 53, had been scheduled for trial August 5 on a 977-count indictment.

News of the long-missing women's escape electrified the city of Clevelend

The indictment included two counts of aggravated murder related to accusations that he punched and starved one woman until she miscarried.

The former school bus driver also was charged with hundreds of counts of kidnapping and rape, plus assault and other counts.

He was accused of repeatedly restraining the women, sometimes chaining them to a pole in a basement, to a bedroom heater or inside a van.

Flanked by her sister, Amanda Berry with her daughter after their release

The charges alleged Castro assaulted one woman with a vacuum cord around her neck when she tried to escape.

The three women disappeared separately between 2002 and 2004, when they were 14, 16 and 20 years old.

Each said they had accepted a ride from Castro, who remained friends with the family of one of the women and even attended vigils over the years marking her disappearance.

The women escaped Castro's house May 6 when one of them kicked out part of a door and called to neighbours for help.

Castro was arrested within hours and has remained behind bars.

News that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight had been found alive electrified the Cleveland area, where two of them were household names after years of searches, publicity and vigils.

Castro fathered a six-year-old daughter with Miss Berry, authorities said.

They allege that on the day the child was born, Christmas 2006, Castro raped one of the other women, who had helped deliver the baby.

Miss Berry told authorities that she, her child and the other women never saw a doctor during their captivity.

Miss Knight said her five pregnancies ended after Castro starved and repeatedly punched her.

The three women recently appeared in an online video thanking the public for its support. They otherwise have sought to stay out of sight and have appealed for privacy.

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US Will Not Seek Death Penalty For Snowden

Former National Security Agency analyst Edward Snowden would not face the death penalty for leaking secret information on surveillance programmes, the Attorney General has said.

In a letter dated July 23, Eric Holder said the criminal charges the former National Security Agency (NSA) systems analyst faces do not carry the death penalty and that the US would not seek it even if Snowden is charged with additional crimes that were eligible for it.

Mr Holder said the letter follows reports that Snowden, who leaked information on largely secret electronic surveillance programmes, has filed papers seeking temporary asylum in Russia on the grounds that if he were returned to the US he would be tortured and face capital punishment.

The letter was sent to Alexander Vladimirovich Konovalov, Russian minister of justice.

In it, Mr Holder said: "I can report that the US is prepared to provide to the Russian government the following assurances regarding the treatment Mr Snowden would face upon return to the United States.

"First, the US would not seek the death penalty for Mr Snowden should he return to the US. Mr Snowden will not be tortured. Torture is unlawful in the US."

The letter added that he would be brought before a civilian court and would receive "all the protections that US law provides".

Snowden remains in a transit area at a Moscow airport after travelling there from Hong Kong last month.

His passport has been revoked, but Mr Holder said he could still travel out of Russia because he remains a US citizen and is eligible for a limited validity passport which would allow him to fly directly to the US.

Snowden's father, Lon Snowden, said in an interview on NBC's Today show that some members of US Congress were trying to "demonise" his son.

He said politicians should be more focused on whether the NSA's collection of the phone records of millions of Americans is constitutional.

The House voted 217-205 on Wednesday to spare the NSA surveillance programme.

More follows...

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Fire Deaths: Man Guilty Of Killing Four Siblings

The family of four siblings killed in a house fire have welcomed the conviction of a man found guilty of starting a fire in a wardrobe.

Four-year-old twins Holly and Ella Smith and their two-year-old brother Jordan were asleep as the blaze took hold in Freckleton, Lancashire, while elder brother Reece, 19, was overcome by fumes as he went upstairs to try to rescue them.

All four died from the effects of smoke inhalation following the blaze on January 7 last year.

Dyson Allen, 19, was convicted of four counts of manslaughter by a jury at Preston Crown Court today. He was cleared of their murders.

Reece Smith, 19, twins Holly and Ella, four, and Jordan, two

The conviction was welcomed by mother Michelle Smith, Reece's father Martin Goulding and the rest of the family,

A statement read outside court by DC Ian McVittie said: "We are pleased that Dyson Allen has been convicted of the manslaughter of our beautiful children Reece, Holly, Ella and Jordan.

"We'll never know the reason why our children were taken from us but even knowing the answer won't bring them back.

"He had the chance to explain his actions to the police and the court but he lied from the very beginning."

They thanked the emergency services and police adding: "Finally though, we would like to pay tribute to Reece who paid the ultimate price for trying to rescue his brother and sisters and for that we will be eternally grateful and proud."

In court members of the victims' family shouted "yes" in tears as the jury foreman returned each guilty verdict on the manslaughter counts.

The aftermath of the house fire that left four siblings dead

The defendant held his hands over his eyes in shock and then wept as he leaned  forward.

Mr Justice Males told the court: "There must be no doubt that it is inevitable there will be a substantial prison sentence."

Allen was the only other person who was upstairs at the dormer bungalow when the fire broke out, said the Crown.

A birthday party was being held for the children's mother, Michelle Smith, at the address on the night of the fire.

The fatal fire began inside a wardrobe in the bedroom shared by the three young children and their mother.

Allen was a regular visitor  to the house and spent most of the night of January 7 in the second upstairs bedroom, according to those who were in the house, said prosecutor Neil Flewitt QC.

Ms Smith, 37, said she said remembered the lights going off and then the defendant jumped down the stairs and shouted "Fire" before he ran through the kitchen and out of the back door.

An expert concluded the fire started in hanging clothes

Ms Smith told police that smoke alarms had been had taken down by Reece in the days before the fire because one or both of them kept making beeping noises.

The court heard the recollection of most of the witnesses who attended the party was "affected to some extent by drink and in some cases by drugs in the form of cannabis".

It could be established though that the first 999 call to report a fire was made at 11.20pm by a neighbour.

And that some time after 10.45pm one of the family friends, who was sober, went up to the bedroom where Allen was.

He said the defendant appeared "drunk and stoned" after Allen had earlier told him was going to make a mix for a cannabis "bong". When he returned downstairs there was a loud bang shortly after and all the lights in the house went off.

The ruins of the bedroom in which the siblings died

In a witness statement given to police in the early hours of January 8 Allen claimed had discovered the fire and raised the alarm but never admitted his involvement.

He said he told Reece there was a fire and to "get those kids out".

The court heard that Reece was heard kicking at the door to the children's bedroom as others escaped from the property.

Mr Flewitt told the jury that several "extremely detailed investigations" had taken place into the cause of the fire and the unanimous view of the experts was that it was started deliberately.

One expert concluded the fire started in the hanging clothes in the wardrobe,and the most likely source of ignition was a naked flame.

The upper floor of the dormer bungalow was badly damaged by the fire

The fire was detected because of an electrical fault that caused the house electrics to trip out, he continued.

The electrical fault occurred when the fire spread from the wardrobe to a lighting unit fitted to the ceiling of the room, the jury was told.

By that time the fire would have already reached its maximum, said Mr Flewitt.

Forensic evidence showed the three children in the bedroom were likely to have been "incapacitated very quickly" but that Ella and Jordan made attempts to escape.

Sentencing was adjourned until September 27 for the preparation of psychiatric reports.

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Seven Saved By 'Send For Help' Sand Message

Seven people stranded on a beach were rescued after a walker on a cliff top spotted their "send for help" message which they had written in the sand.

The group had travelled around Stepper Point in Cornwall to a beach at Butter Hole in a sailing dinghy and small rigid inflatable boat for a picnic.

Conditions were perfect until the tide started coming in and the waves increased to a two-metre swell, trapping the four adults and three children on the beach.

No-one in the party had a radio, or a mobile phone reception, so they resorted to writing a distress call in the sand.

It was luckily spotted by a walker on the cliff top who raised the alarm.

A crew of volunteers at Rock RNLI launched at 3.21pm yesterday, with the coastguard team from Padstow and the Padstow RNLI all-weather lifeboat later called to help.

Volunteer Neil Davis managed to get colleague Leon Burt onshore to help transfer one of the adults and all of the children to the lifeboat, before transferring them to a nearby tripping boat, the Ocean Voyager.

They then returned to rescue the three remaining adults, who were transferred to the Padstow RNLI all-weather lifeboat.

The group was then taken back to Padstow, while the Rock RNLI team recovered their Wayfarer dingy and small rigid inflatable boat.

Mike Hewitt, the RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager at Rock, said: "This was a very difficult rescue carried out with great skill and bravery.

"There was the ever present threat of the lifeboat being swamped or capsized by the dumping seas, but using their RNLI training our crew worked together to recover all the people and then their boats.

"The group made a very sensible decision not to try launching their boats into the building seas but they were lucky that a passing walker noticed the message calling for help written in the sand and I would remind people that it's important to have a suitable means of contacting someone when going to sea.

"Don't assume you will have a mobile phone signal when you go to a beach by water so take a VHF radio.

"Be aware of local conditions too. The group left in near perfect conditions but big waves can suddenly develop around here when the tide starts to come in and this can catch you out," he added.

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Royal Baby Arrives At Kate's Parents' House

Snappers Get Royal Baby Shot

Updated: 7:09am UK, Wednesday 24 July 2013

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

For the past few weeks, photographers have been jealously guarding their spots in front of the Lindo Wing, waiting for the Duke and Duchess to leave with their baby in tow.

Sky's Jason Farrell spent a day with the assembled snappers as they prepared to get the crucial shot.

More than 100 stepladders crack, squeak and scrape as men with super-size cameras climb into place to get "the shot".

A woman tries to push in from the back between the metal stilts with her iPhone poised for an amateur snap.

"Woah! Madam, please, this is a press area," one snapper says. If one ladder were to go, they'd topple like dominoes.

A Royal press man says: "Five more minutes, maybe a bit longer."

"No problem," replies a snapper. "We've been here three weeks."

The ladders have been stacking up since July 1 as photographers negotiated their position. From the two-steps at the front to the 10-step-highs at the back they have created a theatre of ladders and lenses.

Their stage is the doorstep of the Lindo Wing at St Mary's hospital. The event - a new arrival to the portfolio of Royal celebrity.

Perched on top of one ladder is Getty Images Royal Photographer Chris Jackson.

"I'm up high because its the best chance of getting the baby's face." He said: "With William he was all bundled up and no one got it."

Mr Jackson spots my copy of the Metro and points out the picture of Kate on the front page is one of his, but thoughts turn to the shot he's waiting to take.

"This is such a significant moment because on those steps, for the first time, we're going to see the next generation of the Royal Family and our future king."

Two places in front of him, under a cap, is veteran Royal photographer Arthur Edwards. He's been taking pictures of the Royals from the days when Prince Charles was still looking for a bride.

Back then it was well known that his job was to find out who Charles would marry. Indeed, when the Prince tied to knot with Diana he sent a telegram to Mr Edwards asking him if he was now redundant.

"I just want them to look my way and to get a picture of all three of them, especially the baby's face," he says.

"We want to know what he looks like. And I hope everyone shows respect and the pack doesn't start shouting. If they do, William will just leave."

He tells me that in his entire career he has never seen one story create the size of interest demonstrated by the 150-metre-long press pen holding media from across the globe.

"It's partly down to Kate. She's thrown herself into the job. Her wedding was seen by billions around the world. They're such a handsome couple."

He added: "Then we had the jubilee and the Olympics. People who maybe weren't decided about the Royals changed their mind when the Queen did what she did at the Olympic opening ceremony. You know, she played along with the joke."

Royal Photographer Mark Stuart says he's here for the occasion: "This isn't going to be a financially rewarding shot because there will be 100 photographers with the same picture.

"You might get £180 for a front page. But it is an historic moment and you have to be here."

When the couple finally step out, proud parents and child creeping into the light, crowds cheer and shutters burst into action like the flutter of a swarm of insects passing through the street.

The pictures reach the world almost instantly. There's no need to even download them onto a laptop these days; a 4G device on the side of the cameras can send the images automatically to a press desk and in less than a minute they can be digitally fired around the world.

Where will they end up? "On the front page of lots of magazines and newspapers hopefully," says Mr Jackson.

For Mr Edwards its always the front page of The Sun: "I got a lovely one of the couple looking into each others eyes," he says.

The weeks of waiting has been rewarded with about a minute of Royal face time - and yes even the baby's face was visible, just.

Then it's back inside into a car seat and he's gone.

But his image is already being replicated millions of times around the world, and those stepladders and those fluttering insects will never be far away for the rest of his life.

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Nadine Dorries MP Repays £3,000 In Expenses

Nadine Dorries has repaid £3,000 in travel expenses, according to the Parliamentary watchdog.

The MP accepted her travel claims were "wrongfully made and should not have been allowed", said the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa).

Ms Dorries told Ipsa that the claims for journeys between Westminster and her Mid Bedfordshire constituency were made for family reasons, meaning they were not allowed under the expenses scheme.

Other complaints about claims for utility bills were dismissed by Ipsa.

A spokesman for the watchdog said: "MPs have a responsibility to ensure that any expenses claims they make are for parliamentary purposes.

"As part of the regular review of all MPs' claims, Ipsa's internal assurance function found that Nadine Dorries MP's pattern of travel and accommodation claims were unusual, and were referred to the compliance officer for investigation.

He added: "The compliance officer has found that claims made by Ms Dorries were outside the scheme, and that these claims should be repaid. Ms Dorries has subsequently repaid these claims."

More follows...

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Royal Baby Name: Odds In Favour Of Tradition

Thousands of punters are banking on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge picking a traditional name for their newborn son.

George is the favourite at odds of 9/4, according to Sky Bet, with James also in the running at 11/4.

Alexander, Louis and Henry are also among the top choices for those placing bets at the bookmaker.

Punters willing to take a long shot can get odds of 66/1 on Daniel, or 50/1 for Andrew - after the baby's great uncle.

The baby could have Philip as a middle name

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to follow tradition however, with most Royal infants having names that are passed down through the generations.

Charles Kidd, the editor of Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage, predicted that William and Kate would select a conventional first name for their son.

Charles is another possibility

"I do think that Prince William is quite a traditionalist - that's my feeling," Mr Kidd said.

"The fact that he chose to use the Royal dukedom (of Cambridge) and has followed Royal precedent, I wouldn't be surprised if they use a name that is already familiar in the Royal Family - something that has Royal associations."

The Royal parents may like grandfather Michael to share a name with baby

Midway through her pregnancy, Kate revealed she and William had a shortlist of names and that her friends were giving her ideas.

"We have a shortlist for both (boy and girl) but it's very difficult. My friends keep texting me names," she told a well-wisher.

And new uncle Harry may get a namecheck too

David Beckham has also had his say, jokingly suggesting to Sky News recently that David would be a good choice.

The baby, who will eventually be king, will be styled HRH Prince (forename) of Cambridge, with - when a surname is needed - Mountbatten-Windsor as his family name.

Royal babies also usually have a number of middle names. The Prince of Wales has four names, as does William.

Charles, Philip and Michael are in the frame as possible middle names in honour of the Royal grandparent and great-grandparent and the baby's maternal grandfather.

Francis is another name considered to be a possible middle name because it has strong ties with the Duchess's family.

William's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, was given the female version, Frances, as her middle name.

And then, of course, there is Henry - Prince Harry's real name.

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Royal Baby Boy 'Absolutely Beautiful'

The Duchess of Cambridge's parents have visited their grandson - the future king - in hospital and afterwards Carole Middleton told the world's media he was "absolutely beautiful".

She and husband Michael arrived by black cab and spent just over an hour at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London with the new baby boy, their daughter Kate and son-in-law Prince William.

Mrs Middleton said both mother and baby were "doing really well" and she was "so thrilled".

When asked how the first-time parents were doing, she answered "fabulously".

And asked what the first cuddle with her grandson was like, Mrs Middleton, who had been ushered forward by her husband to speak to the press, said: "Amazing, it's all coming back."

Kate and her one-day-old son, whose name has not yet been revealed, were not expected to leave hospital until later tonight or tomorrow morning.

The name of the Royal couple's new addition has not been revealed

The Duchess gave birth on Monday afternoon as the world waits for the first glimpse of the new Royal arrival.

Crowds are gathered outside the hospital in anticipation of the departure while TV crews and photographers from around the globe have their cameras at the ready to capture pictures of the third in line to the throne.

Prince William was at his wife's bedside during her labour. The Duchess spent the night in hospital, as did her husband.

Signs the Royals could be leaving sometime later in the day came as Kate's aide Alice Cook Tucker arrived at the hospital with an assistant carrying a baby car seat.

When the new family of three do leave, is is not yet known how the parents will negotiate putting their newborn into a car seat, as required by law.

No such legislation existed when Prince Charles and Princess Diana left the hospital in 1982 after the birth of Prince William.

Kate's aide Alice Cook Tucker (R) arrives with her assistant

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge issued a statement thanking the hospital where their baby boy was born for the "tremendous care" they received.

The Royal couple said: "We would like to thank the staff at the Lindo Wing and the whole hospital for the tremendous care the three of us have received.

"We know it has been a very busy period for the hospital and we would like to thank everyone - staff, patients and visitors - for their understanding during this time."

A Kensington Palace spokesman added: "Mother, son and father are all doing well this morning."

The Royal baby boy, who will be known as the Prince of Cambridge, was born at 4.24pm on Monday, weighing 8lb 6oz (3.798kg).

The Prince of Wales today said he was "thrilled and very excited" about the birth of his first grandchild.

He and the Duchess of Cornwall were met by cheering crowds of well-wishers on a visit to East Yorkshire.

Villager after villager offered Charles and Camilla their congratulations as the royal couple walked around the green in Bugthorpe, which was decked out with Union flags and bunting for the visit.

Many people asked whether the new baby had a name, but Charles gave little away.

Celebrations have taken place in London to honour the birth of the new Royal arrival.

Guardsmen marked the changing of the guard outside Buckingham Palace by playing 'Congratulations' and gun salutes sounded across the capital to mark the special occasion.

The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Honourable Artillery Company carried out the ceremonial royal salutes in honour of the new addition to the Royal Family.

This included a 41-gun salute at London's Green Park and 62 rounds fired at the Tower of London.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did not find out if their baby was going to be a boy or girl prior to the birth, meaning they are believed to have considered a stock of names for a future monarch of either sex.

George, James, Alexander, Louis and Henry are currently among the favourites at the bookmakers.

The Queen will be informed of the baby's name before it is announced, which may even be weeks away.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were said to be "delighted at the news".

William's uncle and brother of the late Princess Diana also described his joy at the new Royal baby. Earl Spencer said: "We're all so pleased: it's wonderful news.

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PC Keith Blakelock: Man Charged With Murder

A 44-year-old man has been accused of murdering PC Keith Blakelock, who died during riots in Tottenham, London, in 1985.

Nicholas Jacobs is due to appear in court on Wednesday after being charged on Tuesday.

PC Blakelock was stabbed dozens of times while trying to protect firefighters as they tackled a blaze at a supermarket during the height of the unrest.

Alison Saunders, chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service London, said: "Following a thorough investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service, we have decided that Nicholas Jacobs should be charged with the murder of PC Keith Blakelock during the disorder at Broadwater Farm in October 1985.

Police officers on the Broadwater Farm estate following the 1985 riots

"We have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to prosecute.

"We have also concluded that no further action should be taken against five other individuals suspected of taking part in the death of PC Blakelock as there is insufficient evidence to warrant a prosecution."

Three men - Winston Silcott, Mark Braithwaite and Engin Raghip - were convicted in March 1987 of PC Blakelock's murder but all three convictions were quashed four-and-a-half years later after forensic tests on pages of key interview records suggested they had been fabricated.

In 2003, Scotland Yard reopened the murder investigation after a review indicated there were possible new lines of inquiry and in 2010 14 men were arrested in connection with his death and the attempted murder of his colleague PC Richard Coombes.

Nine were told in August 2011 that they would face no further action and Scotland Yard said on Tuesday that another four had also been released from bail.

Prosecutors have advised that a fifth person should also face no further action.

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Royal Baby: London Events Mark Prince's Birth

Celebrations are taking place across the capital to honour the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's son.

Formal events began in the morning when guardsmen marked the changing of the guard outside Buckingham Palace by playing 'Congratulations'.

Crowds gather at Buckingham Palace to watch a special changing of the guard

Crowds gathered to watch the ceremony and hear the band, hoping also to catch a glimpse of the easel in the forecourt of the Palace displaying the official birth announcement.

Later, gun salutes sounded across the capital to mark the special occasion.

Guardsmen perform the ceremony before playing 'Congratulations'

The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and the Honourable Artillery Company carried out the ceremonial royal salutes in honour of the new addition to the Royal Family.

This included a 41-gun salute at London's Green Park and 62 rounds fired at the Tower of London.

The birth was marked with a gun salute at London's Green Park

Gun salutes are fired for the birth of every prince or princess, no matter where their place is in the line of succession, the Ministry of Defence said.

The last royal salute for a birth was for Princess Eugenie in 1990.

The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fire a salute to welcome the baby

The bells at Westminster Abbey, where Kate and William married just over two years ago, rang out until 5pm.

Three of the bell ringers performing the task did the same for the new Prince's father more than 30 years ago.

Tourists watch the gun salute performed at the Tower of London

When the Duke of Cambridge was born in June 1982, Clarke Walters helped ring a peal at the gothic church in central London in honour of the newest member of the royal family.

Mr Walters said it was "wonderful" to now be performing the peal for William's own baby son.

The HAC's notice. Pic @HRP_Palaces or Historic Royal Palaces

He also rang the celebratory bells for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding at the Abbey in April 2011.

The complex peal is made of 5,000 thousand changes and known as the Cambridge Surprise Royal. The tune was a deliberate choice but its name entirely coincidental.

Londoners and tourists are in a celebratory mood

Historically,  the Abbey's bells are rung for significant royal occasions. For William's birth, a Yorkshire Surprise Royal was chosen.

The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall who conducted William and Kate's wedding service, said: "We assure Their Royal Highnesses of our prayers and very best wishes. The birth of any child brings great joy to families and friends.

"This birth, of a child destined one day to be monarch, will rightly be celebrated throughout the United Kingdom and Realms, the Commonwealth and beyond."

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Royal Baby: Charles Knows 'Absolutely Nothing'

The Prince of Wales has told Sky News he knows "absolutely nothing" about news on the birth of the newest member of the Royal Family.

Prince Charles was questioned as he arrived at the National Railway Museum in York by steam train at the start of a two-day visit to Yorkshire.

As he stepped off the Royal Carriage through clouds of steam to cheers from the crowd, Sky News asked him: "What news of the baby, sir?"

He replied: "Absolutely nothing at the moment..."

Excitement is building at a private hospital in London after the Duchess of Cambridge was taken there with William at her side.

Kensington Palace has confirmed she is in the early stages of labour, after being admitted early this morning.

Prince Charles spoke to other well-wishers who had turned out to welcome him.

Among them was Alex Dickinson and her sons, Thomas, seven, and Freddie, five, who had travelled from nearby Church Fenton.

Ms Dickinson wished him well with the birth of his first grandchild as her children gave him a picture of a giraffe for the baby.

"He said 'Thank you very much'," she said. "Freddie said he thought the baby was coming in six hours and Charles said 'Yes, it may well be'."

Thomas said: "He didn't say anything about if it was a boy or a girl."

Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron sent his "best wishes" to the couple, saying: "It is an exciting occasion and the whole country is excited with them, so everyone's hoping for the best."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, wrote on Twitter: "My thoughts and prayers are with Kate and the whole family on this enormously special day."

Broadcaster Piers Morgan tweeted: "Keep Calm ... and Carry On. #Kate".

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Royal Baby: Hospital Frenzy Testing Patients

By Kat Higgins, Sky News Online, St Mary's Hospital

Keeping a busy hospital running normally when a Royal birth is happening was never going to be easy.

There are road closures, diversions and a 6ft-deep press pen running the length of the road outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London.

Calling it a crush is an understatement.

Mothers with pushchairs as well as patients on crutches and in wheelchairs have been battling against a sea of cameras, photographers' ladders and reporters from around the world.

Passers-by take photos of the media

While many passers-by are stopping to take photos to mark the historic occasion for themselves, some are not so keen to be part of the media frenzy.

One woman who was visiting her son, who has had a bone marrow transplant, told Sky News the crowds were "ridiculous".

"It's not fair, people in here are sick, it's pathetic that the police can't do more," she said.

Jake Pearson, 22, has been in the hospital for nine days and said it has been "very difficult" to get outside to make a phone call or have a cigarette.

He said: "People are not being as considerate as they should be considering there are patients in wheelchairs trying to move around."

The area has been swamped with journalists and Royal fans

Hospital staff have been trying their best to keep the onlookers moving and have opened extra entrances, but many have looked at a loss for what to do as more and more people arrive.

"We're trying as best we can," one security guard said as he diverted a woman pushing a double buggy away from the main entrance.

Mother-of-two Carly, 24, was trying to take her son to an appointment but said she was 20 minutes late after buses in Paddington were diverted.

"We had to have a police escort to the appointment in the end," she said.

Many have been counting down the days for this baby to arrive, but others will be glad the wait is almost over. 

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Body-In-Suitcase Murder: Woman Found In Hendon

A woman's body has been discovered inside a suitcase dumped in woodland in north London, police have said.

Detectives have launched a murder investigation after the grisly find near a sports ground at Thornfield Avenue, Hendon, on Sunday afternoon.

The suitcase was hidden among trees and the surrounding area has been cordoned off. The woman, who has been described as a young adult, has yet to be identified.

Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said: "It's officially a murder investigation. Whether that means that police have been able to work out exactly how this woman died and that would point clearly to murder, it's not clear at this stage.

"Clearly the circumstances in which this body has been found would point to a crime. Whether the victim is one of the quarter of a million missing people who go missing every year, it's not clear."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a post-mortem examination would be arranged.

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Royal Baby: Duchess Of Cambridge In Labour

Royal staff have been sending extra supplies to the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge is in labour as the world awaits a new heir to the throne.

Kate, who is thought to be more than a week past her due date, was taken through a side entrance of St Mary's Hospital in London just before 6am.

The Duke of Cambridge travelled with her by car from Kensington Palace, where she went into labour naturally after spending the weekend there.

Crowds await the official announcement at Buckingham Palace

She plans to have a natural birth at the hospital's private Lindo wing and the couple's spokesman said: "Things are progressing as normal."

Sky News' Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison said it was believed a number of "bits and bobs" had been brought to the Duchess by staff via side entrances at around lunchtime.

It also appears officials staged a "dummy run" in preparation for her arrival amid reports of police activity at the hospital last night.

There is a robust police presence at the hospital

Further officially confirmed details are likely to be thin on the ground until the Royal baby is born.

The arrival will be announced in traditional fashion, with a notice on an easel behind the iron railings of Buckingham Palace.

The brief bulletin, on headed Palace notepaper, will be taken by an official from the Lindo wing of the hospital in an official car to Buckingham Palace.

The Queen arrives at Buckingham Palace on Monday afternoon

The car will be followed by the Sky News helicopter on the route from St Mary's Hospital to the gates of the Palace.

The foolscap sized note will confirm the sex of the baby but usually gives little else away other than that the baby has been "safely delivered" and perhaps the weight.

Well-wishers from around the globe have descended on the Palace on the off-chance of catching a glimpse.

Terry Hutt is among the royal fans outside the hospital. Pic: Kat Higgins

Royal fan Kelly arrived outside Buckingham Palace where she is waiting for news with partner Paul and their children Jack and Evie.

She told Sky News: "We've been here since 12 o'clock, we'll probably stay another couple of hours, as long as it takes.

"We just want to share the news and the experience with everyone it's an historic day."

There were frantic scenes this afternoon when the Queen arrived after spending the weekend at Windsor Castle - the first real movement at the Palace for several hours.

John Jackson, head of security at the hospital, told Sky News: "We've got plans in place throughout the trust, we're very pleased with the way the plans have gone and our future Royal baby will be safe while it's here.

Larissa Milare, 25, from Sao Paulo in Brazil, said she was keen to witness the announcement in person. "It would be so special," she said. "I don't want to miss this."

Royal fans have also gathered around the hospital, where there is a strong police presence.

Among them is Terry Hutt, 78, from Cambridge, who has been sleeping at the scene for days and is wearing a Union flag suit and tie for the occasion.

The former soldier, who served with the Royal Ordnance Corps, said: "I have lost my voice with all the excitement.

"The health of the baby, and Kate, is the only important element."

David Cameron also wished the royal couple well. "Best wishes to them," he said. "A very exciting occasion and the whole country is excited with them. So, everyone's hoping for the best."

The 'Great Kate Wait', as it was dubbed by the press, is reaching an end

People from Kate's home village of Bucklebury have spoken of their excitement, with bunting out and pubs that normally shut on a Monday preparing to open when the announcement is made.

The Duchess' former music teacher, Daniel Nicholls, said: "Once the baby is born, Bucklebury will take it in its stride that the future King or Queen of England will come from here."

Kate is being tended by a top medical team led by the Queen's former gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, who delivered the Countess of Wessex's two children.

Former midwife Clare Byam-Cook told Sky News: "They'll be monitoring her very carefully to check that the baby is doing well."

Kate's due date has never been announced, but it was widely believed to be July 13.

The '82 scene at St Mary's for William's birth, left, and a shot from today

The world's press have been outside St Mary's, in Paddington, for days in anticipation of the birth.

Some 250 reporters and crew are packed into a relatively small stretch of the street opposite the hospital. Their patch shrunk even further earlier when "twitchy" police herded them from the road to the pavement.

Earlier, Prime Minister David Cameron sent his "best wishes" to the couple, saying: "It is an exciting occasion and the whole country is excited with them, so everyone's hoping for the best."

Others voicing their support included the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, who tweeted: "My thoughts and prayers are with Kate and the whole family on this enormously special day."

Kate is thought to be more than a week past her due date

Celebrities including Joan Collins, Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole and ex-Spice Girl Melanie Brown are among those sharing the nation's excitement.

Prince Charles, who is on a two-day visit to Yorkshire, told Sky News at York's National Railway Museum earlier that he knew "absolutely nothing" about his first grandchild's impending arrival.

At York Minster, members of the public shouted "Congratulations" to Charles, who walked over to one woman, smiling, and said: "Do you know something I don't?"

The news that the Duchess was in labour at the Lindo wing - on what is set to be the hottest day of the year so far - was confirmed in a brief statement from Kensington Palace at 7.30am.

William is at his wife's side

The Duke and his younger brother Prince Harry were born in the same wing and the Prince and Princess of Wales famously posed on the building's steps in 1982 holding baby William.

Baby deliveries at the wing start at £5,000, while consultant fees and other charges can bring the cost of a two-night stay to more than £12,000. Its other current patients include the pregnant sister of adventurer Ben Fogle, Tamara.

William is known to want a daughter, while the Duchess is hoping for a son.

Betting on the name of their first-born, which will be third-in-line to the throne, has produced one favourite with a number of bookies - Alexandra. According to Oddschecker.com, George and James are the joint top contenders for a boy.

Whatever name the couple go with, it is likely to set a trend for the next generation of infants.

Recent changes to the rules of succession mean that if it is a girl, she will not be leapfrogged to the throne by a younger brother.

The Queen will be informed of the birth in a phone call from William, according to the Queen's former press secretary Dickie Arbiter.

But he said the Royal Family will not visit because it demands an extra level of security. "The last thing they'll want is to disrupt the hospital," he said.

The birth will be a historic first with three heirs in waiting while the sovereign is fit and well, Mr Arbiter added.

Prince William will be on paternity leave from his job as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot for two weeks. It is not known how long Kate intends to put her Royal duties on hold so she can devote her time to the baby.

They are becoming parents more than two years after they were married at Westminster Abbey in April 2011, with the celebrations watched by millions around the world.

Doctors say the Royal Family could have its newest member by midnight - the average length of labour for a first-time mother is 12 hours.

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Great Barrier Reef Hit By Four US Jet Bombs

Two American fighter jets dropped four bombs on Australia's Great Barrier Reef after a training exercise went wrong, it has emerged.

US officials said the pilots of two AV-8B Harrier jets were forced to jettison the unarmed devices on Tuesday because both aircraft were running low on fuel and could not land with the bombs on board.

The pilots intended to drop the munitions on a designated bombing range on Townshend Island but aborted the mission when controllers reported the area was not clear of hazards.

Instead, they jettisoned two bombs from each aircraft on the World Heritage-listed marine park off the coast of Queensland state.

The pilots tried to minimise the damage by releasing the devices over deep water of more than 50 metres and away from coral reefs, officials said.

All four bombs were inert and so did not explode. It is unclear whether any environmental damage was caused.

The bombs were dropped from two AV-88 Harrier jets

An Australian Defence Force spokesman was quoted as saying the bombs posed "minimal risk or threat to the public, the marine environment or civilian shipping transiting the reef area".

The two jets were launched from aircraft carrier USS Bonhomme Richard during a three-week joint military training exercise involving around 28,000 US and Australian personnel.

Graeme Dunstan, who is among the environmentalists and anti-war activists protesting against the joint exercise, claimed the US military could no longer be trusted to protect the environment.

"How can they protect the environment and bomb the reef at the same time? Get real," Mr Dunstan said from the Queensland coastal town of Yepoon near where the military exercise is taking place.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest network of coral structures rich in marine life that stretches more than 1,800 miles along the Australian northeast coast.

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Tia Sharp's Father Backs Child Abuse Image Ban

The father of murdered schoolgirl Tia Sharp has said he backs a plan for websites to be told to block certain search terms and warn people when they try to view illegal content, as part of a crackdown on child abuse images.

Steven Carter told Sky News he believes Stuart Hazell was "fuelled" by images of abuse and violence he viewed before he killed the 12-year-old.

He said Tia's death may have been prevented if there was a governing body or more policing to stop the availability of indecent images online.

Mr Carter met the Prime Minister at Downing Street last week with the parents of April Jones to discuss the issue.

David Cameron is to use a major speech to tell companies they have a "moral duty" to protect youngsters.

The Prime Minister will call on websites including Google, Bing and Yahoo! to adopt a blacklist of words and phrases drawn up by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) within months.

He will also recommend splash screens that tell people they could lose "their job, their family, even access to their children" by viewing indecent images online.

Steven Carter has met the PM to talk about how to tackle abuse on the web

The pages could redirect people to the charity Stop It Now's website in an effort to help change people's behaviour.

"There are some searches which are so abhorrent and where there can be no doubt whatsoever about the sick and malevolent intent of the searcher that there should be no search results returned at all," Mr Cameron will say.

"I have a very clear message for Google, Bing, Yahoo! and the rest. You have a duty to act on this - and it is a moral duty.

"You are not separate from our society, you are part of our society, and you must play a responsible role in it.

"This is quite simply about obliterating this disgusting material from the net - and we will do whatever it takes."

The Prime Minister is expected to warn companies that "legislative options" could be used to force them to comply if they have not made progress on a blacklist before October.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr show that this further step "might take a bit of an argument but it's an argument on behalf of Britain's parents and children that I am prepared to have".

He said international collaboration would be needed to make companies aware of their responsibilities.

The PM meets the families of April Jones and Tia Sharp

Mr Cameron will also urge firms to hold hackathons - events which allow software experts to collaborate on projects - to produce results.

Pressure to prevent people accessing indecent images of children has increased following two high-profile murder trials.

Mark Bridger, who killed April Jones, was found to have accessed offensive images, including some of children.

Experts argued there was a clear link between their obsessions and their actions.

Labour Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the PM isn't going far enough to tackle online child abuse.

"David Cameron said he would make sure the police had the resources. But the truth is that Theresa May has cut by 10%  the resources for the Ceop - which has identified 50,000 cases of British residents accessing child abuse online but only around 2000 were pursued last year," she said.

"And the failure of the Government to develop workable proportionate communications data plans means Ceop often can't find out who is responsible for the IP addresses used for abusive child images.

"Companies do need to do much more - as Labour called for in our Parliamentary debate in June.  But Ministers need to demonstrate that there will be Government action too - including quickly moving to ban depiction of rape in extreme porn as other countries have done."

Last month, the four main UK internet service providers agreed to donate an extra £1m to the Internet Watch Foundation to help its work with Ceop.

In 2012, the Government abandoned proposals for an "opt-in" system that would have forced users to contact their internet service provider in order to gain access to adult content.

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