Michael Jackson Glove: US Fights Dictator's Son

The US government is embroiled in a legal battle to stop a gem-encrusted glove worn by Michael Jackson falling into the hands of an African dictator's son.

The late singer's glove was bought with dirty money by Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's son Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the US claims.

The latest hearing in the 28-month-old case - "United States of America v One White Crystal-Covered 'Bad Tour' Glove and Other Michael Jackson Memorabilia" - will be heard in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday.

In April 2011, US authorities seized assets worth some $71m (£45m) from Obiang Jr, who owns a collection of Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, a $38m (£25m) private jet, and a $30m (£20m) mansion in Malibu, California.

More than 70% of Equatorial Guinea's population lives in poverty, but President Obiang and his cohorts have amassed huge fortunes through corruption, the US claims.

According to Washington's lawsuit, Obiang Jr, who was appointed forestry minister by his father, has "amassed over $300m in net worth, all while earning an income of less than $100,000 per year as an unelected public official appointed by his father."

Obiang Jr, 42, who first moved to America in 1991, is alleged to have laundered stolen public funds in banks across the globe.

The Thriller singer died in Los Angeles in 2009 from an overdose

Three years ago, the aspiring rap music mogul bought a number of items from Michael Jackson's estate, including the glove.

Last year, the French government seized a £68m mansion in Paris belonging to Obiang Jr, where they found millions more in luxury goods and cars, according to The Independent.

However, in April 2012, a California judge threw out the US government's case, saying it had failed to prove that Obiang Jr had amassed his fortune by illegal means in Equatorial Guinea, where he had never been charged with any crime.

The US has now been allowed to file an amended version of its complaint.

Obiang Jr's lawyers argued in a brief filed last month that the US still has no grounds to retain his pop souvenirs.

"The government still has not identified a single victim of extortion or bribery," the papers said.

"In short, all that the government has is evidence that [the] Claimant spent money. Where the money came from is a matter of pure speculation."

The Thriller singer died in Los Angeles in 2009 from an overdose of the surgical anaesthetic propofol.

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A £350m Donation To Nation That Can't Be Used

An unspent donation made to the Government 85 years ago, which is now worth £350m, cannot be touched because it won't fulfil conditions of its use - paying off the national debt.

The anonymous donation of £500,000 was made in 1928 and established a fund which was designed to help the Government pay off the UK's debt.

It was made with a strict request that it should not be touched until it was able to reduce the national debt to zero.

Although it has grown 700-fold since the 1920s, it is unlikely to achieve its target - the national debt currently stands at £1.3trillion.

While the fund is growing at a rate of £5m to £10m a year, Britain's national debt rocketed by an estimated £121bn in 2011/12.

In the meantime, the fund, called The National Fund, is now managed by Barclays and is likely to keep on growing.

The anonymous donor who set it up at its outset is believed to have done so in response by a call from Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, who wrote to the Financial Times in 1919.

He suggested it would be patriotic for British citizens to contribute towards paying off the national debt, which at that point had reached 140% of the total amount of money earned in one year by the UK (GDP).

Barclays Wealth and Investment Management is the fund's trustee

By 1927, the national debt had reached 160% of GDP and it is thought that the donor was prompted to set up the fund with the belief that it would grow sufficiently to pay it off.

The National Fund has now grown to become one of the largest charities in the UK by net assets.

But unlike most charities, it takes in no donations and provides no handouts to needy causes.

Papers lodged with the Charities Commission in 2012 said: "The aim of the charity is to create a fund, that either on its own or combined with other funds, is sufficient to discharge the National Debt.

"The ultimate beneficiary of the National Fund is the National Debt Commissioners."

The papers say the fund increased in value by £12m in 2012 which all came from dividends on investments. Last year it spent £570,000 on managing the fund and £430,000 on other activities.

Barclays has been trying for four years to get permission to use the money to make charitable grants or to turn it over to the Treasury, but any change would have to be approved by a court.

A spokesman for Barclays said: "We've been working ever since we became the trustee to change the original objects, which say the funds can be used only to pay off the entire national debt.

"We are working with the Charity Commission and the attorney general's office to look at how best to take the fund forward."

This week it emerged Joan Edwards left £520K to the Government

A spokesman for the attorney general's office said: "There has been correspondence between the Charity Commission, the trustees and ourselves over the National Fund.

"We are looking at a number of options for the future of the Fund, consistent with its object of extinguishing or reducing the national debt.

"It would not be right to comment further whilst this process continues."

A spokeswoman for the Charity Commission said is it continuing dialogue with the trustee and the attorney general's office regarding the charity.

This week, the Tories and Liberal Democrats gave up a £520,000 bequest from former nurse Joan Edwards amid confusion over whether she actually meant the money to go to the state or to the political parties in power.

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Egypt Travel Warning To 40,000 British Tourists

Thousands of British holidaymakers are being told to stay in their hotels in Egypt because of the continuing violence across the country.

Holiday firms are continuing to run flights to popular Egyptian resorts despite the ongoing unrest in the country, although companies in Germany and France are avoiding the area.

Some of those arriving back from Cairo witnessed the violence, which has led to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to warn against all but essential travel to much of Egypt, except for the Red Sea resorts where it said enhanced security measures were in place to protect tourists.

British tourists in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, where violent clashes led to the death of one person earlier this week, have been advised to remain in the grounds of their hotels.

Speaking to Sky News from her hotel, holidaymaker Sally Asling said that at the moment she felt safe.

She said: "The hotel is high security and the airport is high security. It is quicker for me to get back to London than drive to Cairo. You have to keep perspective on it.

"There was a demonstration a mile down the road two days ago. It is unsettling hearing how quickly things become volatile and kick off. It is safe, but how safe?"

The FCO guidance also warns of "a serious risk of violence and sexual assault at demonstrations", but the advice stops short of that issued by the French and German governments, which have told nationals not to travel to Egypt.

Sharm el Sheikh and the Red Sea resorts are still considered safe

One British woman returning from Cairo at Manchester Airport told Sky News: "It was frightening, just because we were unable to go outside ... we stayed indoors most of the time with family, but we weren't able to go into the streets or anything like that.

"We travelled to Hurghada on bus and then we came back to Cairo and the bus had to turn around on a bridge because there was a fire at the other end."

UK travel organisation Abta estimates there are around 40,000 Britons in Egypt at the moment.

Tour operators Thomson and First Choice have 11,769 British holidaymakers in the country, many of them in Sharm el Sheikh.

A spokeswoman for the two companies said: "We are working with the FCO and monitoring the situation closely in Egypt.

"The majority of our customers are in Sharm el Sheikh which is a considerable distance - indeed, an eight-hour drive - from Cairo.

"There have been no related incidents in Sharm el Sheikh or any of the other popular Red Sea tourist areas."

Thomson and First Choice operate to four Egyptian resorts - Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Taba and Marsa Alam.

Thomson Airways had three return flights to Sharm el Sheikh on Friday and two to Hurghada. On Saturday, it has four return flights to Sharm el Sheikh, and five return flights to on Sunday.

In light of the FCO travel advice, Thomson Cruises has changed its itinerary for an Egypt & the Holy Land voyage on the Thomson Celebration vessel starting next Monday.

Luxury holiday company Kuoni has cancelled all its Egypt excursions for the next 30 days over the security concerns.

The company said it was now contacting clients with bookings to restricted areas of Egypt within the next 21 days to offer them alternative holiday destinations.

Thomas Cook also has several thousand UK tourists in Red Sea resorts and is continuing to operate flights to the area, but has cancelled excursions to Cairo, Luxor, Moses Mountain and St Catherine's Monastery.

The FCO advice reads: "If you are already in a part of Egypt where the FCO advise against all but essential travel, you should consider whether you have a pressing need to remain.

"If you decide to remain in Egypt, you should stay at or close to home or a place of safety (eg your hotel), keep a low profile and pay close attention to your personal safety, particularly in the larger cities. You should avoid crowds.

You should follow the regulations set by the local authorities and obey curfews. Make sure you keep valid photographic identification with you at all times."

It adds: "You are strongly advised to avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings. If you become aware of any nearby protests, leave the area immediately. Don't attempt to cross road blocks erected by the security forces or protestors.

"There is a serious risk of violence and sexual assault at demonstrations. NGOs report more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults against women in demonstrations since 30 June. Foreign and Egyptian women have been attacked."

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Egypt: Gunfire Exchanged At Besieged Mosque

Key Events In Egypt Since 2011

Updated: 12:32pm UK, Thursday 15 August 2013

January 25 - February 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against nearly 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and the military takes over. The military dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.

November 28, 2011 - February 15, 2012 - Egypt holds multistage, weeks-long parliamentary elections.

In the lawmaking lower house, the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats, and ultraconservative Salafis take another quarter.

The remainder goes to liberal, independent and secular politicians. In the largely powerless upper house, Islamists take nearly 90% of the seats.

May 23 - 24, 2012 - The first round of voting in presidential elections has a field of 13 candidates.

The Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under Mubarak, emerge as the top two finishers, to face each other in a run-off.

June 14 - The Supreme Constitutional Court orders the dissolving of the lower house of parliament.

June 16 - 17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential run-off between Morsi and Shafiq. Morsi wins with 51.7% of the vote.

June 30 - Morsi takes his oath of office.

November 19 - Members of liberal parties and representatives of Egypt's churches withdraw from the 100-member assembly writing the constitution, protesting attempts by Islamists to impose their will.

November 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater powers for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move sparks days of protests.

November 30  - Islamists in the constituent assembly rush to complete the draft of the constitution. Morsi sets a December 15 date for a referendum.

December 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack an anti-Morsi sit-in, sparking street battles that leave at least 10 dead.

December 15, December 22 - In the two-round referendum, Egyptians approve the constitution, with 63.8% voting in favour. Turnout is low.

January 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests against Morsi on the two-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

February - March 2013 - Protests rage in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes.

April 7 - A Muslim mob attacks the main cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox Church as Christians hold a funeral and protest there over four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. Pope Tawadros II publicly blames Morsi for failing to protect the building.

June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shi'ites in a village on the outskirts of Cairo.

June 30 - Millions of Egyptians demonstrate on Morsi's first anniversary in office, calling on him to step down. Eight people are killed in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters.

July 1 - Huge demonstrations continue, and Egypt's powerful military gives the president and the opposition 48 hours to resolve their disputes, or it will impose its own solution.

July 2 - Military officials disclose main details of the army's plan if no agreement is reached: replacing Morsi with an interim administration, cancelling the Islamist-based constitution and calling elections in a year. Morsi delivers a late-night speech in which he pledges to defend his legitimacy and vows not to step down.

July 3 - Egypt's military chief announces that Morsi has been deposed, to be replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court until new presidential elections. No time frame is given.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped out in two mass sit-ins in Cairo's streets.

July 4 - Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 5 - Mansour dissolves the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament as Morsi's supporters stage mass protests demanding his return. Clashes between pro and anti-Morsi groups in Cairo and Alexandria, and violence elsewhere leave at least 36 dead. A Brotherhood strongman, deputy head Khairat el-Shater, is arrested.

July 8 - Egyptian soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators in front of a military base in Cairo, killing more than 50. Each side blames the other for starting the clash near the larger of the two sit-ins, near east Cairo's Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque.

Mansour puts forward a time line for amending the constitution and electing a new president and parliament by mid-February. The Brotherhood refuses to participate in the process.

July 9 - 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 onto the streets of Egypt after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi. Five people 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  - Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes clash with Morsi supporters outside the larger of the two major sit-ins in Cairo, killing at least 80 people.

July 30 - The EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton holds a two-hour meeting with detained Morsi at an undisclosed location. She is one of a number of international envoys, including US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, to visit Egypt to attempt to resolve the crisis.

August 7  - Egypt's presidency says that diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff between the country's military-backed interim leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.

August 11 - Egyptian security forces announce that they will besiege the two sit-ins within 24 hours to bar people from entering.

August 12 - Authorities postpone plans to take action against the camps, saying they want to avoid bloodshed after Morsi supporters reinforce the sit-ins with thousands more protesters.

August 14 - Riot police clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, sparking running street battles that kill hundreds of people.

The presidency declares a month-long state of emergency across the nation as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei resigns in protest over the assaults.

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Corrie Star Chris Fountain Suspended Over Rape Rap

A Coronation Street star has been suspended from the soap after he was found to have a "totally unacceptable" rapper alter-ego.

In an apology, Chris Fountain, who plays Tommy Duckworth, said he is "deeply ashamed" of the offensive lyrics in his raps, which glorify rape and violence.

The YouTube clips, which are no longer available online, show Fountain in his rapper persona, The Phantom, wearing a Halloween mask and delivering expletive-laden performances.

In a statement, the 25-year-old, who has starred in Hollyoaks and been a contestant in Dancing On Ice, said: "I would like to sincerely apologise for any offence I have caused. I am deeply ashamed by the lyrics and very much regret my behaviour.

"The videos were made over a year ago when I was experimenting with music and I've not done anything like it since and nor will I."

A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "ITV find both the language used and the views expressed in this video totally unacceptable.

"Chris Fountain has been suspended pending further inquiries into this matter."

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Daniel Perry: 'Suicide Over Web Blackmail'

Police are investigating claims that a teenage boy killed himself after being targeted by online blackmailers.

Daniel Perry, from Dunfermline, Fife, is thought to have fallen victim to a scam where internet users are lured into online chats and then blackmailed.

The 17-year-old is said to have believed he was talking to a girl of around the same age in the US state of Illinois for several months through Skype and other websites.

Daniel, an apprentice mechanic, is thought to have taken his life on July 15 when he was told by the blackmailers that the conversations would be shared with friends and family unless he paid up.

It is understood he was sent a message which warned that his life would not be worth living unless he deposited money into a named account.

Police confirmed the case was being investigated and urged anyone who feared they were being targeted to contact them.

Daniel's funeral was held at Dunfermline Crematorium and money was raised for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Hannah killed herself after being bullied on Ask.fm

His mother, who asked not to be named, told a local newspaper that she wanted to make other children and parents aware of the dangers.

She said she wished she could tell Daniel that "nothing is ever that bad that you have to kill yourself" and "that nothing is worth taking your own life over".

She added that, when she feels strong enough, she wants to do something to prevent this happening to other young people.

The case follows that of Hannah Smith, 14, who was found hanged in her bedroom at the family home in Leicestershire after she was allegedly bullied on the website Ask.fm.

It has also been reported that Daniel had previously been urged to commit suicide by anonymous users on Ask.fm about three months before he died.

Hannah's father, Dave Smith, has called for an immediate change in the law to protect vulnerable youngsters and to prevent further tragedies from happening.

Mr Smith said on Facebook: "To Daniel Perry's mum, I am so sorry for your loss.

"It is a sad time when your teenagers can't be safe and no one is prepared to make them safe.

Latvian-based Ask.fm came under fire after Hannah died

"If you have the strength, please contact me and help me get things changed."

Ask.fm released a statement on Thursday night, saying it was delaying an announcement on changes it planned to implement out of respect for Hannah, whose funeral was held today.

Following Hannah's death, Latvian-based Ask.fm came under fire and has since pledged to work with Leicestershire Police concerning the tragedy.

Alberic Guigou said his company Reputation Squad has seen cases of internet blackmail increase in the four years since he co-founded the online reputation management firm.

"In France, we get up to 10 calls some days regarding such blackmailing," he told Sky News.

"People find you on Skype, social media networks, and they try to trap you into giving away your personal information, especially pictures and videos of you naked.

"Most of the [perpetrators] are professional scammers ... they make it an actual business.

"But sometimes it is people who go to school with you or people from work - but there is much less of that."

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org.

:: BeatBullying.org is also available for advice and support.

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Egypt: Deaths Reported In Fresh Cairo Clashes

Key Events In Egypt Since 2011

Updated: 12:32pm UK, Thursday 15 August 2013

January 25 - February 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against nearly 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and the military takes over. The military dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.

November 28, 2011 - February 15, 2012 - Egypt holds multistage, weeks-long parliamentary elections.

In the lawmaking lower house, the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats, and ultraconservative Salafis take another quarter.

The remainder goes to liberal, independent and secular politicians. In the largely powerless upper house, Islamists take nearly 90% of the seats.

May 23 - 24, 2012 - The first round of voting in presidential elections has a field of 13 candidates.

The Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under Mubarak, emerge as the top two finishers, to face each other in a run-off.

June 14 - The Supreme Constitutional Court orders the dissolving of the lower house of parliament.

June 16 - 17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential run-off between Morsi and Shafiq. Morsi wins with 51.7% of the vote.

June 30 - Morsi takes his oath of office.

November 19 - Members of liberal parties and representatives of Egypt's churches withdraw from the 100-member assembly writing the constitution, protesting attempts by Islamists to impose their will.

November 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater powers for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move sparks days of protests.

November 30  - Islamists in the constituent assembly rush to complete the draft of the constitution. Morsi sets a December 15 date for a referendum.

December 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack an anti-Morsi sit-in, sparking street battles that leave at least 10 dead.

December 15, December 22 - In the two-round referendum, Egyptians approve the constitution, with 63.8% voting in favour. Turnout is low.

January 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests against Morsi on the two-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

February - March 2013 - Protests rage in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes.

April 7 - A Muslim mob attacks the main cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox Church as Christians hold a funeral and protest there over four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. Pope Tawadros II publicly blames Morsi for failing to protect the building.

June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shi'ites in a village on the outskirts of Cairo.

June 30 - Millions of Egyptians demonstrate on Morsi's first anniversary in office, calling on him to step down. Eight people are killed in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters.

July 1 - Huge demonstrations continue, and Egypt's powerful military gives the president and the opposition 48 hours to resolve their disputes, or it will impose its own solution.

July 2 - Military officials disclose main details of the army's plan if no agreement is reached: replacing Morsi with an interim administration, cancelling the Islamist-based constitution and calling elections in a year. Morsi delivers a late-night speech in which he pledges to defend his legitimacy and vows not to step down.

July 3 - Egypt's military chief announces that Morsi has been deposed, to be replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court until new presidential elections. No time frame is given.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped out in two mass sit-ins in Cairo's streets.

July 4 - Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 5 - Mansour dissolves the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament as Morsi's supporters stage mass protests demanding his return. Clashes between pro and anti-Morsi groups in Cairo and Alexandria, and violence elsewhere leave at least 36 dead. A Brotherhood strongman, deputy head Khairat el-Shater, is arrested.

July 8 - Egyptian soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators in front of a military base in Cairo, killing more than 50. Each side blames the other for starting the clash near the larger of the two sit-ins, near east Cairo's Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque.

Mansour puts forward a time line for amending the constitution and electing a new president and parliament by mid-February. The Brotherhood refuses to participate in the process.

July 9 - 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 onto the streets of Egypt after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi. Five people 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  - Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes clash with Morsi supporters outside the larger of the two major sit-ins in Cairo, killing at least 80 people.

July 30 - The EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton holds a two-hour meeting with detained Morsi at an undisclosed location. She is one of a number of international envoys, including US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, to visit Egypt to attempt to resolve the crisis.

August 7  - Egypt's presidency says that diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff between the country's military-backed interim leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.

August 11 - Egyptian security forces announce that they will besiege the two sit-ins within 24 hours to bar people from entering.

August 12 - Authorities postpone plans to take action against the camps, saying they want to avoid bloodshed after Morsi supporters reinforce the sit-ins with thousands more protesters.

August 14 - Riot police clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, sparking running street battles that kill hundreds of people.

The presidency declares a month-long state of emergency across the nation as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei resigns in protest over the assaults.

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Ferry Carrying 700 Crashes Into Cargo Ship

A ferry with 700 passengers on board has collided with a cargo ship near the Philippine city of Cebu, according to the coastguard.

The coast guard said the MV Thomas Aquinas listed and began sinking after hitting the Sulpicio Express Seven Cargo vessel and the captain ordered the ship abandoned.

Officer Joy Villegas said the collision occurred on Friday evening close to the shore near the central city of Cebu. The ferry was travelling from Cebu to Manila.

Two rescue vessels have been dispatched and other nearby boats were helping to pull passengers from the water.

There has been no official confirmation of casualties but passenger Jerwin Agudong told radio station DZBB people were trapped on the ferry and he had seen bodies in the water.

He said: "It seems some were not able to get out. I pity the children. We saw dead bodies on the side, and some being rescued."

More follows...

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China Tower Block Villa: Demolition Under Way

By Victoria Wei in Beijing

A villa built on top of a 26-floor apartment block in China without permission is being demolished.

Workers can be seen demolishing the complex

Zhang Biqing, known as 'Professor Zhang', started building his elaborate residence about six years ago on the roof of a busy residential compound at West Beijing's Haidian District.

Residents had expressed their anger at the penthouse, complaining about the illegal construction for years, with no success of stopping Mr Zhang's grand project that has fake hills, real greens and even a swimming pool.

That was until a few days ago, when the building was spotted by internet users and the pictures of the site were posted and widely circulated among popular Chinese social networks, that caught the attentions of local and international media.

A warrant was issued on Wednesday with a 15-day demolition order.

The building is on the roof of an apartment block

Haidain's local city administrative management bureau, commonly referred by Chinese as 'urban thugs', was allegedly involved in the bribery from Mr Zhang to turn a blind eye to the site.

One officer Chen Yu told reporters on Tuesday that they were having difficulties getting hold of Mr Zhang in order to 'investigate the case'.

Residents complained about the villa

The demolition started around 8am, with workers coming from outside Beijing. Residents said the dismantling of part of the site was ongoing.

Mr Zhang, who became famous after inventing a system of Chinese acupuncture treatment, told local reporters the workers were the same group who built the villa and he would not be present during the process.

One family who lives at the opposite building told Sky News that the work was hugely intrusive.

They said it was loud and very bright and it meant they could not open their curtains at night.

The complex has been built over several years

"It was not only the construction work that carried on at night but also the camera at the top that seemed to be working and recording all the time - we don't have any privacy," said the woman, who did not want to be named.

"I heard the swimming pool has caused floods to downstairs flats a few times; those poor families."

The site in West Beijing has fake hills

China's online users have generated thousands of comments.

People on Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, said it was because of social media that action was being taken.

One user said: "It's the power of the public voice and freedom of information. It has been six years, this Zhang person was not afraid of the city enforcements, officials, or even law, but he's afraid of public supports, afraid of Weibo!"

Some online users also expressed concerns that other illegal constructions there could spring up in the future.

"Will it be ok after the demolition? When it was first built, did it get any permission? It's a big building, it didn't get finished within a day or two.

"It's not small either, it's a really big site, how did he do it exactly? If we don't get to the bottom of the problem, this demolition is only superficial, it won't solve the problem."

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Tributes For Sky Cameraman Killed In Cairo

The Chief Executive of BSkyB has paid tribute to Sky News cameraman Mick Deane, who was shot dead while covering unrest on the streets of Egypt.

Jeremy Darroch expressed his "deepest sympathy" to the 61-year-old's family, adding that the cameraman's death is a reminder of "the bravery and commitment that journalists often show each and every day."

"Like everyone at Sky I was extremely saddened to hear that our colleague Mick Deane had been killed covering the unrest in Cairo," Mr Darroch said.

"Our deepest sympathy and thoughts go to Mick's family in obviously what is a very, very difficult time. We'll be doing whatever we can to help them and Mick's colleagues in the Sky News team.

"Sky News and other news organisations throughout the world play a vital role in bringing information and insight to us all, and in showing the truth in events that occur throughout the world.

"But the tragic events and Mick's death I think also remind us that this is often dangerous work, and of the bravery and commitment that journalists show often each and every day in their search for the truth."

Mick Dean has been described as an inspiring mentor

The married father of two was part of a Sky News team covering the ongoing violence in Cairo. The rest of the news team was unhurt.

Mr Deane had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Jerusalem.

The Head of Sky News, John Ryley, described Mr Deane as the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many.

"Mick Deane was a really lovely, lovely guy. He was great fun to work with; he was an astonishingly good cameraman who took some brilliant pictures.

"But he also had a first class editorial brain. He had brilliant ideas. He was also good fun after the job was done. He was laid back, and I'm really going to miss him, like lots of people here."

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall called Mr Deane "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart... what a human being".

He added: "Micky was humorous in a dry way, he was wise and when you're on the road with small teams, people like that are diamonds to be with.

"Our hearts go out to his family. He died doing what he'd done so brilliantly for decades."

 Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I want to say how sorry I am about the death of Mick Deane.

"It is an incredibly brave and important job he was doing. It is essential that cameramen are in places like Egypt because otherwise none of us would know what is happening.

"But obviously our thoughts should be with his family and friends at this very, very difficult time for them."

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Egypt's Brotherhood Storms Government Building

Key Events In Egypt Since 2011

Updated: 12:32pm UK, Thursday 15 August 2013

January 25 - February 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against nearly 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and the military takes over. The military dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.

November 28, 2011 - February 15, 2012 - Egypt holds multistage, weeks-long parliamentary elections.

In the lawmaking lower house, the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats, and ultraconservative Salafis take another quarter.

The remainder goes to liberal, independent and secular politicians. In the largely powerless upper house, Islamists take nearly 90% of the seats.

May 23 - 24, 2012 - The first round of voting in presidential elections has a field of 13 candidates.

The Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under Mubarak, emerge as the top two finishers, to face each other in a run-off.

June 14 - The Supreme Constitutional Court orders the dissolving of the lower house of parliament.

June 16 - 17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential run-off between Morsi and Shafiq. Morsi wins with 51.7% of the vote.

June 30 - Morsi takes his oath of office.

November 19 - Members of liberal parties and representatives of Egypt's churches withdraw from the 100-member assembly writing the constitution, protesting attempts by Islamists to impose their will.

November 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater powers for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move sparks days of protests.

November 30  - Islamists in the constituent assembly rush to complete the draft of the constitution. Morsi sets a December 15 date for a referendum.

December 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack an anti-Morsi sit-in, sparking street battles that leave at least 10 dead.

December 15, December 22 - In the two-round referendum, Egyptians approve the constitution, with 63.8% voting in favour. Turnout is low.

January 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests against Morsi on the two-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

February - March 2013 - Protests rage in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes.

April 7 - A Muslim mob attacks the main cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox Church as Christians hold a funeral and protest there over four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. Pope Tawadros II publicly blames Morsi for failing to protect the building.

June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shi'ites in a village on the outskirts of Cairo.

June 30 - Millions of Egyptians demonstrate on Morsi's first anniversary in office, calling on him to step down. Eight people are killed in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters.

July 1 - Huge demonstrations continue, and Egypt's powerful military gives the president and the opposition 48 hours to resolve their disputes, or it will impose its own solution.

July 2 - Military officials disclose main details of the army's plan if no agreement is reached: replacing Morsi with an interim administration, cancelling the Islamist-based constitution and calling elections in a year. Morsi delivers a late-night speech in which he pledges to defend his legitimacy and vows not to step down.

July 3 - Egypt's military chief announces that Morsi has been deposed, to be replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court until new presidential elections. No time frame is given.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped out in two mass sit-ins in Cairo's streets.

July 4 - Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 5 - Mansour dissolves the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament as Morsi's supporters stage mass protests demanding his return. Clashes between pro and anti-Morsi groups in Cairo and Alexandria, and violence elsewhere leave at least 36 dead. A Brotherhood strongman, deputy head Khairat el-Shater, is arrested.

July 8 - Egyptian soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators in front of a military base in Cairo, killing more than 50. Each side blames the other for starting the clash near the larger of the two sit-ins, near east Cairo's Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque.

Mansour puts forward a time line for amending the constitution and electing a new president and parliament by mid-February. The Brotherhood refuses to participate in the process.

July 9 - 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 onto the streets of Egypt after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi. Five people 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  - Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes clash with Morsi supporters outside the larger of the two major sit-ins in Cairo, killing at least 80 people.

July 30 - The EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton holds a two-hour meeting with detained Morsi at an undisclosed location. She is one of a number of international envoys, including US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, to visit Egypt to attempt to resolve the crisis.

August 7  - Egypt's presidency says that diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff between the country's military-backed interim leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.

August 11 - Egyptian security forces announce that they will besiege the two sit-ins within 24 hours to bar people from entering.

August 12 - Authorities postpone plans to take action against the camps, saying they want to avoid bloodshed after Morsi supporters reinforce the sit-ins with thousands more protesters.

August 14 - Riot police clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, sparking running street battles that kill hundreds of people.

The presidency declares a month-long state of emergency across the nation as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei resigns in protest over the assaults.

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Dave Lee Travis Faces 12 Sex Assault Charges

The former Radio One DJ Dave Lee Travis has been charged with 11 counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault.

It is understood that nine complainants have come forward to make allegations about his past behaviour.

The ages of the women at the time ranges from 15 to 29 and the allegations relate to offences which occurred between 1977 and 2007.

The 68-year-old has been charged under his real name of David Patrick Griffin, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS London, Alison Saunders, said: "We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police Service as part of Operation Yewtree in relation to David Patrick Griffin, who was initially arrested on November 15 2012 over allegations of sexual offences.

"Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Griffin to be charged with 11 counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.

"These date from 1977 to 2007 and relate to nine complainants aged between 15 and 29 at the time of the alleged offending."

Two of the offences of indecent assault relate to a girl, aged 15, which are alleged to have taken place in 1977.

Four of the women were adult teenagers at the time the alleged offences first took place. Two more were in their early 20s, while the other two were in their late 20s.

Prosecutors have decided that no further action should be taken in relation to seven separate allegations made against the DJ because there was not enough evidence.

Mr Travis is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 23.

Travis, from Bedfordshire, has consistently maintained his innocence since he was first arrested in November, and then re-arrested after further allegations emerged in March.

After his arrest over the additional allegations, he said: "The last four months have been extraordinary. Allegations which I strongly deny have been put to me by the police and to which I have given full and complete answers. I have fully co-operated and my conscience is clear."

He was charged as part of Operation Yewtree, the police investigation prompted by the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal, but the accusations against Travis have no connection to the disgraced television presenter.

Ms Saunders added: "May I remind all concerned that Mr Griffin has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that nothing is said, or reported, which could prejudice that trial. For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further."

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Egypt: Dozens Dead During Clashes With Police

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2:59pm UK, Wednesday 14 August 2013

Egyptian police disperse supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi

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Sky News Cameraman Killed In Egypt

Sky News cameraman Mick Deane has been shot and killed in Egypt this morning.

Mick, 61, had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Jerusalem.

The married father of two was part of our team covering the violence in Cairo. The rest of the team are unhurt.

The Head of Sky News John Ryley described Mick as the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky.

Mick Deane was described as an inspiring mentor

"Mick Deane was a really lovely, lovely guy," he said. "He was great fun to work with, he was an astonishingly good cameraman who took some brilliant pictures.

"But he also had a first class editorial brain. He had brilliant ideas.

"He was also good fun after the job was done. He was laid back, and I'm really going to miss him, like lots of people here."

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall called Mick "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart… what a human being".

He added: "Micky was humorous in a dry way, he was wise and when you're on the road with small teams, people like that are diamonds to be with.

"Our hearts go out to his family. He died doing what he'd done so brilliantly for decades."

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence.

"My thoughts are with his family and the Sky News team."

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Diabetes: Glucose Testing Strips Recalled

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

More than 1.7 million blood glucose testing strips are being recalled in an urgent safety alert.

A manufacturing fault in two batches of the GlucoMen LX Sensor test strips could result in inaccurate readings and lead diabetics to inject too much insulin, according to the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

A spokesman for the watchdog told Sky News that the readings could mislead patients to such an extent that they suffer hypoglycaemia - low blood sugar - which can result in a loss of consciousness.

Just over 1.7 million of the strips were sold in British pharmacies between October and November 2012.

Two batches of the GlucoMen LX Sensor test strips are affected

The affected containers, which are stamped with lot numbers 3212219249 and 3212214249, expire on 31st August 2014 and are no longer on sale. Other batches are unaffected by the fault.

There are no reports at present of patients being harmed by using the strips, which are manufactured in Italy by Menarini.

Bridget Turner, director of policy and care improvement at Diabetes UK, said: "We would urge people with diabetes who use testing strips to follow advice from the MHRA and check their test strips to see if they are from these batches.

"If they are, they should not use them and take them back to their pharmacist or their GP."

There are an estimated three million diabetics in the UK.

Those with type one or type two diabetes often test their glucose levels several times a day using test strips and a hand-held monitor.

The reading tells them whether they need to inject insulin to bring down high blood sugar, or eat more to increase their blood sugar levels.

:: The MHRA urged anyone with the affected strips to contact Menarini on 0800 243667 for a free replacement.

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Egypt: 'Hundreds Die' In Raids On Morsi Camps

More than 140 people have been confirmed killed after Egyptian security forces opened fire as they tried to clear two protest camps loyal to deposed president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo.

A month-long state of emergency has been declared as violence spread from the capital to other parts of the country including the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

A curfew from 7pm to 6am has been declared in Cairo, according to reports, as well as ten other provinces including Alexandria and Suez.

The health ministry put the number of dead in Cairo at 149, with hundreds more injured. But the Muslim Brotherhood claimed hundreds had been killed.

Egypt's vice president, Mohamed ElBaradei, has reportedly announced his resignation.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley, reporting from inside the Rabaa al Adawiya camp in the capital, said it was "under very heavy gunfire" and was a "massive military assault on largely unarmed civilians in very large numbers".

He said government forces were using machine guns, snipers, AK-47 and M16 rifles and were firing into the crowd.

Kiley added: "There are machine gun rounds, and snipers on the roof, that are preventing people from getting any closer to the field hospital (in the camp).

Security forces at one of the camps in Cairo

"I haven't seen any evidence yet of any weapons on the side of the pro-Morsi camp. The camp is very full of women and children."

He said it was a scene of "extreme chaos and bloodshed" and "many hundreds of troops and interior ministry police and special forces are involved".

"The dead and dying are on the steps of an improvised field hospital. The scenes here are absolutely graphic.

"I have covered many wars and this is as severe a battlefield as I have witnessed, with the exception of scenes in Rwanda. There are dozens and dozens of people who have been shot in the head, neck and upper body."

Among those reported killed in the camp was Asmaa al Beltagui the 17-year-old daughter of senior Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed al Beltagui.

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have released video footage taken from a helicopter which it said showed gunmen in the camp firing at security forces.

Riot police fire tear gas at members of the Muslim Brotherhood

The unrest spread beyond the capital, as pro-Morsi supporters clashed with police in the Nile Delta cities of Minya and Assiut, as police stations, government buildings and churches were attacked or set ablaze.

In Alexandria, tear gas canisters rained down on a pro-Morsi march in the Sharq neighbourhood, amid repeated bursts of automatic gunfire.

Residents, armed with clubs, came out of their homes and shops to help the police, detaining Morsi supporters and handing them over to officers at the Sharq police station.

Morsi supporters, carrying Egyptian flags and pictures of the deposed leader, then clashed with his opponents on a road carpeted with rocks.

Earlier, riot officers in Cairo backed by armoured vehicles and bulldozers also fired tear gas in the camps at the demonstrators who are demanding Mr Morsi be reinstated as the country's leader.

The interior ministry, which is in charge of police, warned its security forces would deal firmly with protesters acting "irresponsibly" and said it would guarantee safe passage to those who want to leave the two sites.

Raids on the Rabaa al Adawiya and Nahda Square camp

The larger is the Rabaa al Adawiya camp described as a 'mini town' in Nasr City, while the other is in Al Nahda Square outside the main campus of Cairo University in Giza.

The interior ministry later said security forces had "total control" over the smaller camp and police have managed to remove most of the tents in the square.

The Muslim Brotherhood that backs ousted Islamist president Mr Morsi claimed over 250 people had been killed and 5,000 hurt in the crackdown, which is almost certain to deepen political turmoil in Egypt.

It urged Egyptians to take to the streets in their thousands to denounce the "massacre".

"This is not an attempt to disperse, but a bloody attempt to crush all voices of opposition to the military coup," Brotherhood spokesman Gehad al Haddad said on Twitter.

The Rabaa al Adawiya protest camp, where several Brotherhood leaders are staying, "is calling on Egyptians to take to the streets to stop the massacre," Haddad said.

A medic tends to a child at the scene

At least three members of the security forces were confirmed to have died in the crackdown, while the health ministry said nine protesters were killed and over 80 were injured.

The raids came after international efforts failed to mediate an end to a six-week political standoff between Morsi's supporters and the army-backed government which took power after he was ousted on July 3.

Regional television networks showed images of collapsed tents and burning tyres at both sites, as well as protesters being arrested and led away by troops.

A television feed by a pro-Morsi TV station showed thousands of protesters gathered at the centre of the Nasr City site, with many covering their faces to fend off the tear gas.

It said most of the protesters at the other camp fled to the nearby Orman botanical gardens and inside the sprawling university campus.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "deeply concerned at the escalating violence in Egypt, and regret the loss of life on all sides".

He added: "I condemn the use of force in clearing protests and call on the security forces to act with restraint."

Qatar, Turkey and Iran were among the other countries criticising the deadly crackdown.

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Perseids Meteor Shower To Shimmer Over UK

This year's Perseids meteor shower promises up to 60 shooting stars an hour being visible in the skies over the UK.

The spectacle is expected to peak between late Monday evening and early Tuesday morning.

And the prospects for this year's showing are deemed to be particularly good, especially for stargazers in the UK, according to the Royal Astronomical Society.

The natural phenomenon - the result of the cosmic pollution created by the comet Swift-Tuttle which last passed near the Earth in 1992 - is expected to be visible to the unaided eye.

"Comet Swift-Tuttle won't be visiting our neck of the woods again until the year 2125, but every year we get this beautiful reminder as the Earth ploughs through the debris it leaves in its orbit" said Professor Alan Fitzsimmons of Queen's University Belfast.

The Perseids meteor shower in the Republic of Macedonia, August 2011

"Every meteor is a speck of comet dust vaporising as it enters our atmosphere at 36 miles per second. What a glorious way to go."

Meteors, commonly known as shooting stars, are the result of small particles entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speed.

These heat the air around them, causing the characteristic streak of light seen from the ground.

They mostly appear as fleeting flashes lasting less than a second, but the brightest ones leave behind trails of vaporised gases and glowing air molecules that may take a few seconds to fade.

The Perseids meteor shower is active each year from around mid-July to late-August, but for most of that period only a few meteors an hour will be visible.

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Zanzibar Acid Attack: Suspect Preacher On Run

Police are hunting a radical Muslim preacher wanted in connection with an acid attack on two British teenagers in Zanzibar.

Sheikh Issa Ponda Issa was cornered by officers near Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, but managed to escape and is now on the run.

He was hit in the shoulder with a tear-gas canister during the altercation, according to local police in Morogoro - the scene of the clash.

Police commander Faustine Shilogile said: "He has not been arrested. He has been shot at. We have been looking for him in all corners of the country."

He added: "We are no closer to finding who was responsible for this. But this is a serious police investigation, and we are doing everything we can."

Five men are also being questioned by officers, according to the authorities.

Kirstie Trup (L) and Katie Gee are being treated in London

Victims Katie Gee, and Kirstie Trup, both 18 and from London, are still being treated for burns at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after arriving home on Friday.

They are said to be "well rested and comfortable".

A hospital spokesman said: "They have been with their families all day. Doctors are continuing to assess treatment options for both patients."

The pair were attacked by men on a motorbike as they walked across a road on Wednesday night.

They had been nearing the end of a trip working as volunteer teachers on Zanzibar, a predominantly Muslim island in the Indian Ocean.

Witnesses have spoken of their desperate attempts to wash the acid off the two girls before they were rushed to hospital.

A picture released by the teenagers' families shows one appears to have extensive acid burns on her chin, neck and upper chest.

The street on the island where the attack took place

It is thought one of the girls is not as badly injured as the other because she was helped into the sea immediately after the attack.

They had apparently been due to return to the UK to collect their A-level results next week.

Miss Trup is hoping to study history at the University of Bristol and Miss Gee is considering the University of Leeds, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Tory MP Bill Cash, who sits on the all-party parliamentary group for Tanzania, has urged the Foreign Office to further upgrade its travel warning for tourists visiting both Zanzibar and Tanzania because it was "more than just an ordinary criminal event".

The Foreign Office updated its Tanzania travel advice page on Friday with details of the attack and warns British nationals to "take care" and read its travel advice.

Mr Cash said: "People need to be extra vigilant and the Foreign Office and High Commission need to make a very thorough evaluation of the threat, as these latest attacks would seem to be on religious grounds.

"The threat to tourists going to Tanzania and Zanzibar needs to be upgraded without doubt."

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Gibraltar And Falklands Pose New Battle For UK

Britain is facing the prospect of being taken on by a joint Spanish and Argentine campaign over the disputed territories of Gibraltar and the Falklands.

Spain may take its row over Gibraltar to the United Nations, according to reports in Spanish newspaper El Pais.

According to the paper, the country's foreign minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo is scheduled to travel to Buenos Aires to meet his Argentinian counterpart, Hector Timerman, next month.

The Rock has been a British Overseas Territory since 1713

During this meeting, the paper says, Spain will also explore the possibility with Argentina of a "united front" at the UN, concerning Gibraltar and the Falklands.

Argentina is immersed in its own dispute with Britain over the sovereignty of the Falklands, which Britain has ruled since 1833.

It recently lodged a new claim over the islands to the UN Security Council, of which Britain is a permanent member.

Argentina is on a two-year term as non-permanent member of the UN's Security Council and could potentially use its position to include discussions over Gibraltar on the agenda.

Mr Garcia-Margallo (L) is planned to be meeting Mr Timerman (R) next month

The newspaper's sources do not specify whether Spain will ask the UN to back a request for Britain to give up sovereignty of the territory, or adhere to certain agreements.

Aside from the Security Council, Spain could also take its matter to the UN General Assembly or the International Court of Justice.

Centuries of friction over the Rock - a British overseas territory to which Spain lays claim - have reignited following delays and queues of several hours at the outpost's border with Spain, and Madrid's threats to impose a 50 euro (£43.30) fee on every vehicle entering or leaving Gibraltar.

Madrid has also complained that an artificial reef being built by Gibraltar into the Mediterranean will block its fishing vessels.

HMS Westminster is taking part in long-planned training exercises

The reported change of tack by Spain could further increase diplomatic tensions.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has said that Spain will take "all necessary measures" to defend its interests in Gibraltar.

His comments this week came as Britain sent warship HMS Westminster and two other vessels to the British territory, which the Ministry of Defence said was part of a "long-planned" training exercise.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Our policy on Gibraltar at the United Nations has not changed and is consistent with our policies on other Overseas Territories. Self determination matters more than territorial integrity.

"The people of Gibraltar have repeatedly and overwhelmingly expressed their wish to remain under British sovereignty.

"The UK's position is entirely consistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations, which include the principle of self determination."

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Missing Teen Erika Kacicova: Suspect Bailed

Detectives looking for a 13-year-old schoolgirl who vanished from her home have received a number of reports of possible sightings.

Police, who believe Erika Kacicova is with people she knows, made a direct appeal to the teenager on Sunday afternoon, calling on her to return to her "distraught" family.

She was last seen leaving her home in the Darnall area of Sheffield at around 4pm on Monday, August 4.

Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries there, and have expanded their search to Bradford.

A 22-year-old man from Bradford was released on police bail earlier after being arrested on suspicion of child abduction.

He approached police on Friday, the day officers made an urgent appeal for information about Erika's whereabouts.

Detective Inspector Helen Tate said: "Please remember she is a young girl who has never been away from home for this long before and we want her to return safe and well."

Erika's home in Poole Road, Darnall, in Sheffield

She added: "Erika, if you are reading this, please let us know you are okay. You're not in any trouble."

She said members of the public had come forward with information and reports of sightings but that "time was of the essence" as they search for the teenager.

Her disappearance was described as "out of character".

Erika is described as being slim and around 4ft 11ins tall. She has long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

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