Malala Tells Obama: 'End The Drone Strikes'

Pakistani teenage activist Malala Yusufzai has told the US President that drone strikes in her country are "fuelling terrorism".

The 16-year-old schoolgirl, who was shot in the head and neck by Taliban gunmen who attacked her school bus in Pakistan's Swat Valley, met Barack Obama and the First Lady in the White House.

"I thanked President Obama for the United States' work in supporting education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and for Syrian refugees," she said after the meeting.

Malala with her father Ziauddin in Edgbaston, Birmingham

"I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fuelling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people.

"If we refocus efforts on education it will make a big impact."

The US military and the CIA have carried out hundreds of drone strikes against militant groups in the northwest Pakistan since 2004.

But the Pakistani government complains that they also frequently kill civilians and turn ordinary people against Islamabad and the US. 

Malala attracted the anger of the Taliban by writing a blog chronicling the challenges of daily life under the Islamists.

Hundreds of drone strikes have been reported in Pakistan

She is now living in Britain, where she underwent treatment for the injuries sustained in the attack, and campaigns for girls' right to education.

Mr Obama praised the teenager for her "inspiring and passionate work" and signed a proclamation to mark the International Day of the Girl.

A statement issued by the White House said: "The United States joins with the Pakistani people and so many around the world to celebrate Malala's courage and her determination to promote the right of all girls to attend school and realise their dreams."

Malala had been among the favourites for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, but the award was handed to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

In 2012 Barack Obama condemned Malala's shooting as "barbaric". White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "I know that the President found the news reprehensible and disgusting and tragic."

The teenager was treated in Britain following her shooting in 2012

The Pakistani army retook control of Swat later that year, and Malala received the country's highest civilian award.

Since then she has been nominated for several international awards for child activists - including the EU's Sakharov human rights prize which she won earlier in the week - and has written a book about her campaign work called I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education And Was Shot By The Taliban.

Last week Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the group stood by its decision to target the teenager, who he said "targeted and criticised Islam".

"She accepted that she attacked Islam so we we tried to kill her, and if we get another chance we will definitely kill her and that will make us feel proud.

"Islam prohibits killing women, but excepts those that support the infidels in their war against our religion.".

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De Villota Death 'Directly Linked To Crash'

The family of Spanish test driver Maria de Villota have claimed her death on Friday was a direct result of her crash at Duxford Aerodrome in Cambridge last year.

A statement issued by the family read: "Maria left us while she was sleeping, approximately at 6am (on Friday), as a consequence of the neurological injuries she suffered in July of 2012, according to what the forensic doctor has told us.

"Maria is gone, but she has left a very clear message of joy and hope which is helping the family move on in these moments."

She had been test-driving a MR-01 car when she crashed

Dr Joaquin Lucena Romero, the head of forensic services at Spain's Institute for Legal Medicine, has declared de Villota's death was "due to natural causes" following a post-mortem.

But Britain's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) say they are still investigating potential links between the accident 15 months ago and her death last week.

An HSE spokeswoman stated the organisation "would expect to be kept informed of any new evidence".

The accident occurred after 33-year-old de Villota had been test-driving an MR-01 race car for Marussia, the English-Russian Formula One team based in Oxfordshire.

Despite her injuries she made a remarkable recovery in one month

After driving the vehicle at speeds of 200mph she pulled off the track and accidentally hit a stationary vehicle at low speed.

The accident left her in a critical condition and caused the loss of her right eye, though she made a remarkable recovery after just a month in hospital. Marussia were cleared of liability relating to the car

The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) have announced they will hold a minute of silence at Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

A statement released by the GPDA read: "All F1 drivers of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association are very saddened to hear of the tragic death of our former member Maria de Villota.

"She has been an active member and contributed to driver safety in a very enthusiastic and most professional manner.

"Her positive attitude, maturity and extreme commitment will never be forgotten and are something we have learned from. Maria will be missed and always remembered by all of us."

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Cyclone Phailin Batters India's East Coast

More than 440,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in two states as a huge cyclone made landfall on India's east coast.

India's weather office issued a red alert, saying the "very severe cyclonic storm Phailin" was packing gusts as high as 150mph (240kph).

The evacuation is one of the biggest such exercises in the country's history, said the national disaster agency.

A satellite image of the cyclone

At least 12 million people are in the path of the storm, which virtually filled the Bay of Bengal - an area the size of France.

The cyclone is expected to be the fiercest storm to hit India since a devastating cyclone killed 10,000 people 14 years ago.

Some forecasters likened its size and intensity to hurricane Katrina, which devastated the US Gulf coast and New Orleans in 2005.

Fishermen pull a boat from the waters of the Bay of Bengal to safer ground

Dr Liz Bentley from the Royal Meteorological Society told Sky News: "This particular part of the coastline is very low-lying so it (Phailin) will penetrate quite well in land.

"It is like a mini-tsunami hitting that - not caused in the same way as a tsunami but it's the same effect."

Large waves have already pounded beaches in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Villagers along the coast were evacuated to schools in the north of the state and in neighbouring Odisha, while panic buying drove up food prices.

Relief items are packaged for distribution to cyclone evacuees

Authorities have been evacuating villagers along the coast to government-run shelters and schools in three districts of Andhra Pradesh state and five districts of Orissa state.

But many villagers said they had not been told to evacuate, and others were refusing to leave their homes.

"Of course I'm scared, but where will I move with my family?" said Kuramayya, 38, a fisherman from the village of Bandharuvanipeta, while 12ft waves crashed behind him. "We can't leave our boats behind."

Floods have already ripped down power lines

The Indian Meteorological Department said Phailin would hit between Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and the port of Paradip in Odisha. Storm surges 10ft above normal tides were predicted.

About 12 hours before Cyclone Phailin's landfall, meteorologists held out hope that the storm might hit while in a temporary weakened state, but no matter what it will be large and deadly.

Residents move to safer ground

Ryan Maue, a meteorologist at Weather Bell, a private US weather firm, said even in the best-case scenario there will be a storm surge of 20-30 feet (7-9 metres).

A storm surge - the giant wall of water that that a cyclone blasts ashore - is the big killer in such events.

The predicted path of the cyclone

The storm already has been large and powerful for nearly 36 hours, he said, and those winds have built up tremendous amount of surge, Mr Maue said.

He said: "A storm this large can't peter out that fast. There's nothing to stop it at this point."

Officials cancelled holy day celebrations and stockpiled emergency supplies in coastal Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states.

Floods have already hit ahead of the cyclone

If the storm continues on its current path without weakening, it is expected to cause large-scale power and communications outages and shut down road and rail links, officials said. There would also be extensive damage to crops.

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Somerset Rally Car Crashes Into Dad And Sons

A man and his two sons have been injured by a rally car which left a track and careered into spectators.

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service said they are being treated in hospital for non life-threatening injuries.

A fourth person was treated and discharged at the scene.

The incident happened just before midday at Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

An eyewitness told the Shepton Mallet Journal the car, thought to have been a Subaru Impreza, skidded across the grass as it attempted to take a corner.

"Although the crowd was probably 20 to 30 metres away from the track the car carried on going its way into a young family, two young lads, eight or nine years old, and their dad," they said.

"I saw the young lads fly up into the air the dad flew over the top of the car and then it came to a stop and the driver was in a bit of a state, psychologically, kicking the car, he was very upset about what had happened."

The one-day Regency Stages Rally, featuring 55 miles of tarmac rallying across 10 stages, was being held at the venue.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said the condition of the rally driver involved in the crash is unknown.

"There is a joint investigation involving the police and the Health and Safety Executive into the incident," he said.

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Nazi War Criminal Erich Priebke Dies In Rome

Former SS captain Erich Priebke, one of the last Nazi war criminals, has died in Rome at the age of 100, his lawyer has said.

Priebke was sentenced to life in prison in 1998 for his role in a massacre at Rome's Ardeatine caves in March 1944.

But he spent the last few years of his life under house arrest at his lawyer's apartment in Rome.

Priebke, who turned 100 years old in July, had been in charge of SS troops who executed 335 civilians with a bullet to the neck in retaliation for the killings of 33 German soldiers by a partisan group.

He admitted shooting two people and rounding up victims, but insisted he was only following orders.

Priebke was sentenced to life in 1998 over the killing 335 civilians

After he appealed his sentenced, claiming to be too ill to stay in prison, he was granted a relaxed regime of house arrest.

Members of the Jewish community in Rome staged a protest outside the apartment on his 100th birthday, with scuffles breaking out when his grandson arrived carrying a bottle of champagne.

Priebke's lawyer Paolo Giachini said in a statement that the convicted war criminal had left a final interview as his "human and political testament".

It was not clear when it would be released.

After the war Priebke escaped to Argentina but was deported to Italy after being interviewed on US television and admitting his role in the massacre, which he said had been conducted against "terrorists".

The Ardeatine massacre was depicted in a film staring Richard Burton as the Rome Gestapo chief Herbert Kappler, who carried out the killings.

In the film 1973 film, Priebke was played by English stage actor Brook Williams/

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'White Widow' Lewthwaite 'Key' In Al Shabaab

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, In Kenya

Sky News has obtained a Kenyan intelligence report which for the first time shows the reach of the al Shabaab terror network - which carried out the Nairobi shopping mall attack - and the extent of British involvement within the group.

It suggests that Samantha Lewthwaite - the British woman known as the 'White Widow' because she was married to one of the 7/7 London bombers - is an important figure in the terror outfit, plotting multiple bomb attacks across Kenya.

Sky has also been given access to a personal diary of hers which gives a fascinating insight into her mind, where she talks about her ambitions for her children and her love for her husband.

The intelligence report, which is 35 pages long, gives a detailed breakdown of how the network is operating throughout Africa with recruits and cells working in a huge range of countries including Somalia, Uganda, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Mali and South Africa as well as further afield in Yemen and Pakistan.

The report says Lewthwaite is a 'logistician' in a six-person terror cell

But what seems clear is that the group's stronghold and focus is in Kenya with major operational bases in the capital Nairobi and Mombasa.

The report is highly damaging for the Kenyan authorities as it also shows there were clear warnings up to eight months ago that a "Mumbai-style attack" was being planned in Nairobi on the Westgate shopping mall.

It goes on to identify 29-year-old Lewthwaite as a "logistician" within a six-person terror cell which the Kenyans believe was co-ordinated by Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulkadir, whose alias is Ikrima.

Ikrima is a Kenyan who the authorities believe has been elevated to al Shabaab management.

He was the target of the US Navy Seals' mission last weekend which set out to "capture or kill" him from the Somalian port town of Barawe.

She is implicated in the Nairobi shopping centre attack in September

The mission was aborted when the Seals encountered tougher resistance than expected when they landed.

The other members of the terror cell Ikrima was co-ordinating include Fahmi Jamal Salim, who is apparently the cell leader and who the intelligence agencies believe is now married to Lewthwaite.

Other members are said to be Jermaine Grant, who is currently on trial in Mombasa on terror charges which he denies.

The report details how the group was plotting multiple attacks targeting the Kenyan parliament buildings, UN offices in Nairobi, restaurants and a string of assassinations focusing on senior politicians within Kenya.

Londoner Jermaine Grant is also believed to be part of the same group

Kenyan intelligence believes Lewthwaite was living in an exclusive villa in the Shanzu area of Mombasa when the attacks were being planned.

A police raid on a nearby apartment rented by Grant - which led to his arrest - then prompted a subsequent raid on the upmarket villa where Lewthwaite was living with her children.

But the mother-of-four was not there. The police say they found a stash of ammunition there as well as a laptop and excerpts of a diary or journal which Lewthwaite had begun writing.

Lewthwaite's husband Jermaine Lindsay (L) on a dry run for the 7/7 attacks

The journal appears to be the start of a book which Lewthwaite was working on entitled I Want To Be A Mujahid (Islamic military fighter).

It outlines questions she was going to pose to interviewees as well as gives an insight into her love for her husband and reveals a little about how she is bringing up her children.

She writes with pride about how two of her children want to emulate their father - Jermaine Lindsay, who was one of the London 7/7 bombers in the Tube and bus attacks in 2005 which killed more than 50 people.

She recounts how her husband had asked her children what they wanted to be when they got older.

Lewthwaite writes: "Both had many answers but both agreed to one of wanting to be a mujahid."

Extracts from Lewthwaite's diary recovered by police

She goes on to express her commitment and desire to be a good Muslim and how blessed she believes she is to have been married to a shaheed (martyr) in reference to her suicide-bomber partner.

We managed to persuade one of Kenya's most controversial religious scholars to sit down with us and talk about his views - which have led to him being accused by the UN of recruiting al Shabaab fighters and raising funds for the outfit.

Sheikh Abubakar Shariff, who is also known as Makaburi, told us the accusations against him were all "b*******".

Interpol recently issued a 'Red Notice' for Lewthwaite's arrest

He accused the Kenyan government of waging a religious war and allowing the persecution of Muslims who he believes are all being targeted and labelled as terrorists in the wake of the Westgate mall attack.

"Because of the failings of our Government and our military and police in stopping the attack, we, as Muslims, are all being targeted now," he told me.

Makaburi who is also accused by the Kenyan authorities of inciting violence and of encouraging young men to take up jihad (or Holy war) in Somalia, denied he was a member of al Shabaab but said: "I am a Muslim. I speak truthfully. I might have association with al Shabaab without me knowing they are from al Shabaab.

"I cannot say no, I don't know al Shabaab. Maybe one of my friends is a member of al Shabaab without me knowing. But do I have, what you call it, ties with al Shabaab? No, I don't."

He went on to say under his interpretation of the Koran, the Westgate attack was justified because of all the wrongs being meted out to Muslims by the West, the Kenyan Defence Force (who are fighting al Shabaab in Somalia), Ethiopians and other military in "Somalia, Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and all over the world every day".

There is little chance the woman being hunted by Interpol is still in Mombasa, but what the intelligence report indicates is it is now a major hub as well as gateway to terrorism for those bent on violence.

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Human Remains Found In Mansfield Garden

Police have found the remains of two people in a garden near Mansfield.

The discovery was made by officers in the back garden of a property in Blenheim Close, Forest Town, on Thursday, according to Nottinghamshire Police.

A spokesman said it is believed the remains had been there for some time.

Police were led to the address after information came to light about an "incident" alleged to have taken place in the late 1990s.

The remains have yet to be formally identified, and according to police it could take weeks or even months for this to be completed.

Forensics teams could be seen entering the garden, and the scene has been cordoned off while examinations were carried out.

A white police tent and a digger, along with piles of soil, were also visible, and two officers were stood outside the property.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she knew of an elderly couple who used to live at the house in the 1990s.

Police officers on guard outside of the property in Mansfield

The 51-year-old said: "I only saw the man a few times. I never saw the lady or any family.

"I never saw anyone coming or going. My friend and I always used to say 'I wonder what happened to that couple'.

"They just disappeared. We thought they had emigrated."

She said she believed the house then stood empty until the present occupiers moved in around seven years ago.

Post-mortem examinations to establish the cause of death are due to take place today.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Mark Webster, said the two bodies had been removed from the address.

He said: "As a result of information we received in force last week we commenced a search at premises on Blenheim Close in the Forest Town area of Mansfield and yesterday we uncovered the bodies of two people.

"Forensic tests are taking place at this moment to identify who they are formally."

The current residents of the house are not being investigated by police

The officer said the current tenant and the owner of the property had been "extremely helpful" and did not feature in their investigation at this time.

Insp Webster refused to comment any further on the information they had received last week.

Asked whether they had made any arrests, the officer answered: "No, we haven't at the moment."

Appealing for anyone with information to come forward, Mr Webster said: "If anyone in the Mansfield or surrounding areas knows anything that could help the police we'd be very grateful for anything that anyone can give to us.

"It's a historical inquiry because of the length of time the people have been there."

Reassuring the local community, the officer added: "We don't believe that there is any risk of any harm coming to the community.

"People are clearly going to be concerned when an incident of this nature happens and we would like to reassure them and we'd like to thank people particularly the local neighbours on Blenheim Close they've been really helpful to us."

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Royal Mail Shares Soar In First Trades

Shares in Royal Mail have soared in conditional trading, with their value jumping more than 30%.

The spike has boosted the value of the company to more than £4.5bn, up from the pre-flotation pricing of £3.3bn.

Shares opened at 8am on the London Stock Exchange at 430p each and jumped above 450p within minutes.

By late Friday the price eased slightly to around 445p.

The pre-float purchase price was set at 330p per share.

The rise will fuel the debate over whether the sale, one of Britain's biggest privatisations for decades, was priced too cheaply, following criticism from Labour that the Government was short-changing taxpayers.

The first two days of conditional trading allows institutional investors to trade with one another, with full trading getting under way next Tuesday.

In theory if the sale of the five-century-old service was cancelled the trades would be void.

Royal Mail's flotation leaves the Government with a 38% stake, but this could fall to 30% should it choose to exercise an over-allotment option, whereby extra shares can be sold if there is strong demand.

Demand from private investors for the flotation was seven times over-subscribed, with Business Secretary Vince Cable saying there had been 700,000 applications.

Around 150,000 Royal Mail staff will each get about £2,200 of free shares but they must hold on to them for a period of five years.

Full trading on October 15 commences the day before the result of a strike ballot by postal workers.

Members of the Communication Workers Union are expected to back industrial action over issues linked to pay and conditions, with any strike set to be held on or after October 23 - the start of the run-up to the busy Christmas period.

Although the Royal Mail has seen a decline in letter deliveries amid competition from private firms and increasing use of email, its parcel delivery service has strengthened due to internet shopping.

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Energy Minister In Row Over Cost Of Taxes

Energy Minister Michael Fallon has sparked a row over the impact of Government energy taxes after appearing on Sky News.

After SSE became the first firm to hike prices ahead of the winter, Mr Fallon insisted only a "small amount" was added to bills because of Government measures.

He told Sky the cost of measures on energy efficiency and warming the homes of the elderly and vulnerable was "only 4 or 5%".

"There's a small amount added to each bill to help protect the most vulnerable, to keep their homes warm this winter and that's extremely important," he said.

"The bulk of this [rise] is from the energy companies."

He added: "For energy efficiency and to help keep homes warm for the most vulnerable, only 4 or 5% of your bill goes on that so a very small piece on top of it."

But he then clashed with Tony Keeling, SSE's director of customer services, who appeared on Sky to defend the energy company's controversial price rise.

Mr Keeling blamed the hike on three causes - the global cost of energy, the rising cost of getting energy to UK homes and Government schemes.

"About 10% of everyone's bill is effectively extra tax on top of the VAT," the SSE executive told Sky's Eamonn Holmes.

Pressed to clarify his original comments, Mr Fallon agreed the total hit to bills from the Government was "just under 10%".

He said the original figure he gave was for energy efficiency and future investment but conceded "another amount" was also charged to pay for keeping the elderly warm.

Mr Keeling backed the Government's schemes but suggested they should be paid for through general taxation, instead of added to energy bills.

Ed Miliband jumped on the price rise as justification for a freeze

This would allow for it to be targeted at the better-off, he argued, saying: "At the moment it is a blanket charge and some people can't afford that."

The levies pay towards cutting the cost of energy waste and encouraging low-carbon investment as well as helping vulnerable households pay for their supply.

SSE claims transferring the costs of these "environmental and social policies" to the taxpayer would slash up to £4bn from UK energy bills, saving families around £110 each.

It accused policymakers over many years of failing "to highlight adequately the cost to consumers of the policies they have pursued".

But Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "Half of an average energy bill is made up of the wholesale cost of energy.

"This far outweighs the proportion of a bill that goes to help vulnerable households with their bills and to cut energy waste, and to encourage investment in the new low-carbon energy generation we need to keep the lights on.

David Cameron and Ed Miliband rowed about energy at PMQs on Wednesday

"SSE's own figures show that wholesale price rises have contributed more than policy costs to this price increase, as a share of the bill."

The row comes after Labour leader Ed Miliband pledged to freeze energy prices for 20 months if he wins power in 2015.

The Tories continue to dismiss the vow as a "gimmick" and insist it is not possible, given international fluctuations in wholesale prices.

Coalition ministers also stress they have already taken action to simplify the system with fewer tariffs and make it easier to switch supplier.

But Mr Miliband used the SSE hike to justify his position and claim only Labour would "get a grip" and reform the "broken energy market".

Accusing energy firms of "ripping off customers", he said: "The Government is letting the energy companies get away with it and letting down the British people ...

"The companies are trying to blame everyone else, the Government is trying to blame everyone else. They're responsible, they're not getting a grip."

The Prime Minister's official spokesman insisted he "really, really" understood the pressure on family budgets.

"Hard-working families are seeing budgets squeezed," he said. "I think, in terms of what we are doing, there is legislation so that people are automatically put on to the lowest tariff.

"Of course you would expect the Government to always be looking at what more can be done to help hard-working families."

Labour has been forced to reframe its economic attacks around the cost of living as Britain's recovery continues to gather pace.

Energy prices have become the centre of the argument in recent weeks following Mr Miliband's surprise freeze pledge at his party conference.

Mr Cameron accused the party leader of wanting to live in a "Marxist universe" when the pair clashed about the move at PMQs this week.

Mr Miliband claimed the Prime Minister was ignoring a cost-of-living "crisis" and had chosen to back energy companies instead of consumers.

In an attempt to regain the initiative, the Government has announced action to stop large rail ticket price hikes and is expected to unveil further plans in the coming weeks.

:: A special edition of Jeff Randall Live on Sky News at 7pm tonight will be largely devoted to energy pricing.

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Lynne Spalding Found Dead In Hospital Stairwell

A British patient who disappeared from her room at San Francisco's main public hospital more than two weeks ago has been found dead in a stairwell at the building.

Lynne Spalding, 57, was admitted to San Francisco General Hospital for a urinary tract infection on September 19.

The mother-of-two was reported missing from her room there two days later.

A flyer used in the search for Ms Spalding. Pic: Find Lynne

Ms Spalding's relatives and friends spent days scouring the streets of San Francisco with flyers and set up a Facebook page to help find her.

But a member of the hospital's engineering staff found Ms Spalding's body on Tuesday - 17 days after she vanished - while conducting a routine check.

Authorities are continuing to investigate how the marketing and tourism executive, who was originally from Peterlee, County Durham, got there and what caused her death.

The hospital's chief medical officer Todd May said: "What happened at our hospital is horrible.

"We are here to take care of patients, to heal them, to keep them safe. This has shaken us to our core. Our staff is devastated."

Nurses were checking on her every 15 minutes, and she disappeared in the brief time between those visits, Mr May said.

The last time she was seen - about 10.15am on September 21 - she was in a "fair condition", the hospital said.

But friends said Ms Spalding was very thin, frail and on medication that could have made her confused when she disappeared.

Police inspect an outside stairwell at the hospital

The San Francisco Sheriff's Department provides security at the hospital.

Assistant Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said it was not yet known how long Ms Spalding had been in the exterior stairwell.

The rarely used stairwell is a fire exit that has an alarm on it, is locked from the outside and exits onto hospital grounds.

"All of us are committed to learning what happened and ensuring it never happens again," Mr Miyamoto said.

David Perry, who is acting as a spokesman for Ms Spalding's family, has told Sky News that relatives and friends are "horrified, dismayed and frustrated".

"For 17 days Lynne's body was there unfound in the very hospital where she'd gone for treatment," he said.

Mr Perry said officials have a lot of explaining to do as to why Ms Spalding "died alone, in the stairwell, at one of the finest medical institutions" in the US.

"There are a number of questions for San Francisco General Hospital and the San Francisco Sheriff's Department," he told Sky News.

About 100,000 patients pass through the hospital every year

"The San Francisco Sheriff's Department oversees searches and security at the hospital, and we were assured that a search had been done.

"If they searched for her 17 days ago, it wasn't a very good search because her dead body was discovered there."

But Mr Perry praised the work carried out by the San Francisco Police Department, which was responsible for searching outside the hospital.

Ms Spalding had lived in the city for more than two decades and had two grown-up children, a 19-year-old son and 23-year-old daughter, who both live in the US.

Mr Perry said Ms Spalding's children are "stunned".

He added: "She had dozens of friends. She was well known and well liked. She was a consummate professional."

The Sheriff's Department is conducting an internal investigation of its security measures at the hospital.

The Foreign Office said it was providing consular assistance to Ms Spalding's family.

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Woman Denied Help Gives Birth On Hospital Lawn

A photograph of an indigenous woman in Mexico taken as she gave birth outside a clinic where she was denied help has led to the suspension of the health centre's director.

Irma Lopez and her husband were turned away from the health centre by a nurse who said she was only eight months pregnant and "still not ready" to deliver.

But an hour-and-a-half later, her waters broke, and she gave birth to a son, her third child, on her own, as her husband pleaded with the nurse to call for help.

The 29-year-old said: "I didn't want to deliver like this. It was so ugly and with so much pain."

The photograph of her giving birth, her newborn still bound by the umbilical cord and lying on the ground, emerged in several newspapers, including the front cover of La Razon de Mexico, and was widely circulated on the internet.

It was taken by a witness to her ordeal at the Rural Health Centre in the village of San Felipe Jalapa de Diaz.

Mrs Lopez, who is of Mazatec ethnicity, and her husband had walked an hour to the clinic from the family's one-bedroom hut in the mountains of northern Oaxaca.

She was eventually taken in by the clinic after giving birth and discharged the same day with prescriptions for medicine and products that cost her about £19, she said.

"I am naming him Salvador," said Mrs Lopez, which means saviour in English. "He really saved himself."

Authorities in the southern Mexican state have now suspended the health centre's director, Dr Adrian Cruz, and launched an investigation into the incident, which happened on October 2.

The case has pointed to the persistent discrimination against Mexico's indigenous people, and the shortcomings of its health care system.

Hundreds of women still die during or right after pregnancy.

Mayra Morales, Oaxaca's representative for the national Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, said: "The photo is giving visibility to a wider structural problem that occurs within indigenous communities.

"Women are not receiving proper care. They are not being offered quality health services, not even a humane treatment."

Nearly one in five women in the state of Oaxaca gave birth in a place that was not a hospital or a clinic in 2011, according to Mexico's census.

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Energy Bills: SSE To Raise Tariffs By 8.2%

SSE has become the first of the so-called 'big six' energy firms to confirm it is raising prices ahead of winter, sparking a bitter backlash among consumer groups, politicians and regulators.

The company said household gas and electricity tariffs would rise by an average of 8.2% from November 15, affecting 4.4 million electricity and 2.9 million gas customers.

It is understood several of its competitors also plan to announce increases to bills amid a furious debate on potential reforms to the market centring on environmental and other charges imposed on customer bills by successive governments.

Former head of the Office of Fair Trading John Fingleton called for an immediate and "politically independent" investigation into the energy market to restore public trust.

SSE, which trades as Southern Electric, Swalec and Scottish Hydro, blamed its decision to increase bills on rising costs outside its control, which it said it had absorbed for months at its retail division.

SSE says its home energy business has run at a loss during 2013

It said the move would equate to a typical dual fuel customer paying £2 a week more but pledged not to increase bills again until August 2014 having last imposed a 9% rise in October 2012.

There is a north-south divide to the increased charges with customers in the South East facing hikes as high as 9.7% while many in the North and southern Scotland face a 7% rise.

Will Morris, group managing director of SSE's retail business, said: "We're sorry we have to do this.

"We've done as much as we could to keep prices down, but the reality is that buying wholesale energy in global markets, delivering it to customers' homes, and Government-imposed levies collected through bills - endorsed by all the major parties - all cost more than they did last year.

Mr Morris explained: "85% of a typical energy bill is made up of costs outside our direct control and these costs have increased.

"So far this year we have made a loss from supplying energy as a result of the higher costs we have been facing and continue to face.

"We understand and regret that this will add to the pressures on household budgets, but there's a lot we can do to help.

Labour leader Ed Miliband took to Twitter to condemn bill rises

"Rising unit prices do not have to mean rising bills and there remains huge potential for customers to save money by improving further their energy efficiency."

The increases to household bills were announced at a politically-sensitive time, given the debate prompted by Labour leader Ed Miliband's pledge to freeze tariffs for 20 months should his party win the next election.

After the announcement, he took to Twitter to declare that the rise demonstrated "the need to freeze bills" but Downing St described the policy as a "con".

SSE insists its home supply business is currently run at a loss despite rising operating profits on the back of the cold end to last winter.

Ed Davey has insisted that Government is helping cut bills

Its accounts also showed that investment fell by 13% year on year in the 12 months to March.

SSE called for politicians to help cut bills by transferring the environmental and social obligations, making up almost 10% of a bill's total, to central government - claiming it would save consumers £110 annually in 2013 alone.

It accused policymakers over many years of failing "to highlight adequately the cost to consumers of the policies they have pursued".

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said the Government was changing energy bills by cutting the number of tariffs, making bills simpler and clearer, and getting people off poor-value dead tariffs and on to the "best deal for them".

The reaction to the price hikes from consumer groups was one of horror.

Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch, said: "This is a crippling blow for consumers, who are still reeling from last winter's price hike.

"Adding a further £111 to an already sky-high energy bill will leave consumers buckling under the pressure. This will be seen by many as the final nail in the coffin for affordable energy.

"Of course the danger now is that the other big six suppliers will follow suit. This raises the spectre of yet more households forced to cut back on their heating.

"Last winter almost seven in ten households (69%) went without heating at some point to keep their energy costs down, while over a third (35%) said that cutting back on energy usage was affecting their quality of life or health."

She concluded: "This is the grim reality we face as the cost of energy spirals ever higher."

:: A special edition of Jeff Randall Live will be largely devoted to energy pricing - at 7pm on Sky News.

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MI5 Boss Warns Of Growing UK Terror Threat

By Tim Marshall, Foreign Affairs Editor

Britain will face at least one attempted major terror attack every year for the next few years, the head of MI5 has warned.

In his first speech since taking over the Security Service in April, Andrew Parker told a private audience at the Royal United Services Institute: "Since 2000, we have seen serious attempts at major acts of terrorism in this country typically once or twice a year.

"That feels to me, for the moment, unlikely to change."

Among the reasons for this are the increasing numbers of Britons going to Syria to try to become jihadists.

In his off-camera speech, Mr Parker said: "A growing proportion of our casework now has some link to Syria, mostly concerning individuals from the UK who have travelled to fight there or who aspire to do so.

"Al Nusrah and other extremist Sunni groups there aligned with al Qaeda aspire to attack Western countries."

Hundreds of Britons are thought to have joined fighting in Syria

More than any recent conflict, Syria has attracted would-be fighters from the UK.

Sky News understands that the number of individuals involved over the last three years is in the low hundreds.

The fear is some could return to the UK even more radicalised.

Mr Parker repeated a warning made by his predecessor, Jonathan Evans, saying: "It remains the case that there are several thousand Islamist extremists here who see the British people as a legitimate target."

He also mentioned the growing fears about terrorism in Northern Ireland after several incidents and the threat of more.

"Rejecting the political process in Northern Ireland, these ragged remnants of a bygone age are in a cul-de-sac of pointless violence and crime with little community support," he said.

"We will continue to work with the police to put these thugs and killers in front of the courts."

He then turned to the subject of how to combat these threats and the use of technology.

Mr Parker alluded to information leaked by Edward Snowden

When former CIA contractor Edward Snowden leaked details about surveillance tactics, it is thought he inflicted massive damage on several spy agencies, including Britain's Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).

One source said some of the things leaked by Snowden amounted to "an instruction booklet on how to evade surveillance".

This explains why Mr Parker appears to have entered the debate about The Guardian newspaper's publication of some of Snowden's material.

The Guardian was not mentioned by name, but in his speech Mr Parker said: "It causes enormous damage to make public the reach and limits of GCHQ techniques.

"Such information hands the advantage to the terrorists. It is the gift they need to evade us and strike at will."

There are also passages explaining the thinking of MI5.

He accepts there are choices to be made about how and whether communications data is retained, but concludes: "We cannot work without tools."

The language used is temperate, but behind it you sense a passionate argument by a man who understands that there are sections of public opinion which deeply mistrust the security services. 

He asks if it should be accepted "that terrorists should have means of communication that they can be confident are beyond the sight of MI5 or GCHQ acting with proper legal warrant. Does anyone actually believe that?"

It is for Parliament to decide the powers that MI5, MI6, and GCHQ should have, including access to the email of people they suspect of wrongdoing.

That is an ongoing debate which will be revisited when the heads of the three services give evidence to the Intelligence Select Committee next month.

David Cameron has given his full support to the controversial speech, with a No 10 spokesman saying: "The Prime Minister thinks it was an excellent speech."

He also supported Mr Parker's suggestion that intelligence leaks, and their publication, helped terrorists undermined the spy agencies efforts to keep people safe.

In a statement a Guardian News & Media spokesperson said: "A huge number of people - from President Obama to the US Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper - have now conceded that the Snowden revelations have prompted a debate which was both necessary and overdue.

"The President has even set up a review panel and there have been vigorous discussions in the US Congress and throughout Europe. Such a debate is only worthwhile if it is informed. That is what journalism should do."

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Passenger Lands Plane After Pilot Falls Ill

The pilot of a light aircraft who fell ill forcing his passenger to perform an emergency landing at Humberside Airport has died overnight.

During the flight on Tuesday evening, the pilot made a distress call when he became so sick he was unable to continuing flying the light aircraft.

Humberside Police confirmed the pilot died later that night but do not yet know his cause of death.

Two flight instructors were called in to talk to the passenger from the ground while he took control of the plane, an airport spokesman said.

The man had very limited flying experience and had never landed an aircraft before.

Despite this, he managed to successfully land at the North Lincolnshire airport just after 7.30pm.

The Aircraft seen today

Roy Murray, one of the instructors who helped coach the passenger down, said the man completed the landing with no lighting inside the cabin.

"I didn't want to upset him and tell him to move all round the cockpit (trying to locate the light switches), all I was interested in was keeping him flying the aeroplane straight and level."

Mr Murray, who has taught flying for 30 years, said he's never come across a situation like this before.

"When I think about it now that lad did extremely well, no lights, in the dark, no experience, flying a strange aeroplane in a strange area, he must have been nerve-wracked as well as us."

The man took three passes over the runway before landing on the fourth approach.

Mr Murray says the man – who he knows only as John – kept his composure and was able to land the plane safely.

The plane took off from Sandtoft Airfield

"He was very calm and he followed all our instructions and he did a beautiful landing," he said.

"I've never met him, I'd like to meet him, obviously just to say 'Well done, lad. Together we did it'."

Police have not yet released the name or age of the pilot who died. His family has been informed of his death.

The light aircraft took off from Sandtoft Airfield, near Doncaster, for training with one passenger.

The man and pilot were the only two people on board the aircraft.

Humberside Airport praised the response of emergency services in a tweet: "We are pleased to say that the incident that started a few hours ago has been successfully dealt with. Great response from emergency svs!" the airport said.

Flights coming into the airport were delayed while the plane was moved from the runway.

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Artist Ovenden Jailed Over Child Sex Offences

Artist Graham Ovenden has been jailed after judges ruled his non-custodial sentence for child sex offences was "unduly lenient".

Court of Appeal judges sentenced the internationally-renowned painter to two years and three months in prison.

Ovenden, from Cornwall, abused children who posed for him in the 1970s and 1980s, and was convicted in April of six charges of indecency with a child and one of indecent assault relating to three girls.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas, sitting with two other judges in London, quashed the suspended 12-month prison sentence the 70-year-old initially received and said Ovenden had not shown a "shred of remorse" for his victims

The judges also rejected Ovenden's application for permission to appeal the conviction, ruling that the verdicts were "safe".

When he was arrested the artist, whose youngest victim was just six, told police he had a "major reputation" for having "some of the best portraits of children in the last 200 years".

Ovenden claimed that his interest in young girls was artistic and not sexual - but that claim was rejected by the three judges.

Lord Thomas said the girls had "no understanding of the true purpose" behind what Ovenden was doing.

He said: "There was no doubt that his purpose was sexual. There is no doubt that he had a sexual interest in children."

When considering the appropriate sentence the court had to have regard to the fact that the only mitigation Ovenden had was his former good character and his age.

Lord Thomas added that against that "there are a very large number of aggravating factors", including the "very serious impact on the victims, magnified by the way in which he had grossly manipulated them and degraded them by the photographs he had taken".

Attorney General Dominic Grieve QC MP, decided to refer the 70-year-old's case to the Court of Appeal in July.

Speaking after the hearing, the Attorney General said: "Graham Ovenden committed terrible sexual offences against vulnerable young girls who were in his charge and ought to have felt safe. He manipulated them and abused his position of trust.

"It is right that sexual crimes, whether committed many years ago or more recently, should be punished appropriately.

"Today the court affirmed this and sent a clear message that people who have behaved in this way in the past will face the consequences through the courts."

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Madeleine McCann Police Probe Possible Suspect

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Scotland Yard is to appeal for information about a new suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Detectives are to issue an e-fit image of a man seen near the holiday apartment from where the then three-year-old vanished in 2007.

Her parents Kate and Gerry McCann have been shown the image and say they are "greatly encouraged" by the progress of the Metropolitan Police, who have effectively taken over the hunt for the missing girl.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, is expected next week to give details of the suspect's movements around the resort of Praia da Luz, Portugal, on the day Madeleine disappeared.

But sources said police will not know how significant the suspect is until he is identified, traced and interviewed.

Kate and Gerry McCann believe their daughter is still alive

He is one of 41 individuals police believe are "people of interest" they need to talk to.

The image of the possible new suspect is expected to form a crucial part of fresh appeals at the beginning of next week.

Police will give some idea of what witnesses have said about his behaviour on Monday.

They will be making an appeal for new witnesses to come forward if they recall seeing him around the apartment six years ago, or recognise him now, from the detailed image.

The Metropolitan Police now has a team of six Portuguese detectives based in Faro who are carrying out inquiries on its behalf.

The Portuguese investigation is officially closed but authorities there are backing the Scotland Yard inquiry and officers from both countries will work together in pursuing new leads.

Madeleine's parents have said they remain "optimistic" of finding their daughter and will not accept she is dead until they are presented with clear evidence.

Her disappearance is to be the subject of a Crimewatch appeal on Monday to try to produce new witnesses in the case.

It will also be aired in Holland and Germany - where many tourists in the Algarve come from.

There appears to be some doubt as to whether it will be shown in Portugal.

Former Met detective Peter Kirkham told Sky News officers were likely to get "hundreds, if not thousands" of phone calls off the back of the world-wide coverage the television appeal would receive.

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Muslim Free School Threatened With Closure

A Muslim free school could be closed if it does not take "swift action" about how it is being run, the Government has warned.

The Department of Education has written to the Al-Madinah Free School in Derby, demanding that it address concerns about its practices.

According to the letter sent by Schools Minister Lord Nash, it has failed to keep pupils safe, provide a good education and has discriminated against female staff.

He said the school had "manifestly breached" its conditions and could expect to be closed down if it does not make immediate changes.

The letter comes after claims that female teachers at the school were forced to wear hijabs even if they were not Muslim.

Other reports alleged female pupils were made to sit at the back of classrooms and boys at the front.

The school has been given a week to prove it has stopped any activities that could lead to women and girls being treated "less favourably" than men and boys.

It will have to show that it is meeting equality laws in any case where it proposes separating boys and girls or treating them differently.

It has also been ordered to tell staff they are not required to cover their hair if it is against their religion or beliefs.

Lord Nash told head of governors Shazia Parveen: "I will not tolerate breaches of the commitments you gave when entering into the funding agreement."

Further action that the school must take in the next few weeks includes showing it has a "broad and balanced" curriculum and welcomes children of all faiths and none.

The Department of Education has also demanded a full list of all staff, including their references and evidence of criminal record checks.

Lord Nash said: "Unless swift action is taken to address these concerns in a comprehensive way, I will be compelled to terminate the school's funding agreement."

This effectively means that the school will face closure if it fails to deal with the Government's concerns.

Al-Madinah, which is one of the Government's flagship free schools, opened in September last year.

On its website, it describes a "strong Muslim ethos" with shorter holidays and longer school days "to maximise opportunities for pupil achievement and success".

It adds: "At the centre of our school is a community of pupils, able to enjoy learning in a caring Islamic environment which promotes a culture of high expectations and outstanding performance."

Interim principal Stuart Wilson told the BBC last week that he had not received any complaints from colleagues over the school's dress code and denied pupils had been split up.

There is speculation the school will be branded inadequate by watchdog Ofsted in findings due out soon.

Al-Madinah was already forced to close last week after inspectors raised concerns about its records on staff checks.

It reopened to pupils on Monday after a return Ofsted visit to ensure the right measures were in place.

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said: "Inspectors are now engaged in finalising the inspection report for Al-Madinah School, which we expect to be able to publish in the next few days."

Al-Madinah declined to comment on the letter.

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Economy: IMF Makes UK Growth Forecast U-Turn

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor, In Washington

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its forecast for UK economic growth by more than any other major economy, in a boost to the Chancellor's fortunes.

It comes only six months after the IMF downgraded its expectations for the British economy and warned that George Osborne's policies were the economic equivalent of "playing with fire".

In its six-monthly World Economic Outlook, the IMF predicted that the UK's gross domestic product - the broadest measure of economic growth - would increase by 1.4% this year and 1.9% in 2014.

That compares to a forecast of just 0.9% and 1.5% respectively when it last updated its projections in July.

It came as the IMF downgraded its forecast for global GDP this year by 0.3 percentage points to 2.9%.

The rapid change in attitude will be welcomed by the Chancellor, who is due to attend the IMF's annual meeting in Washington later this week.

In April, IMF chief economist Olivier Blanchard warned that austerity policies of the kind Mr Osborne was carrying out were "playing with fire" and urged him to change course.

However, over the following months, the IMF appeared to water down its prescription.

Ed Balls argues the UK economy remains below its potential

Treasury insiders see today's forecast revision as a tacit acknowledgement that Mr Osborne's original course was the right one.

A spokesman said: "The IMF has confirmed that the UK economy is turning a corner, by revising up its forecast for growth over the next two years by more than for any other G7 economy.

"But risks to the global economy remain high, and the recovery cannot be taken for granted. That is why the government will not let up in implementing its economic plan which has already cut the deficit by a third, kept interest rates near record lows and created over a million and a quarter jobs."

However, the text of the IMF report itself did not offer a ringing endorsement of the UK economy.

"In the United Kingdom, recent data have shown welcome signs of an improving economy, consistent with increasing consumer and business confidence, but output remains well below its pre-crisis peak … output levels will remain below potential for many years," it said.

Labour Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said: "After three wasted years of flatlining it's good that we finally have some growth. But this is the slowest recovery for 100 years and working people are worse off as prices continue rising faster than wages.

"Despite these welcome changes to its forecasts the IMF rightly warns that the UK economy will remain below potential for many years.

"That's why the IMF has repeated its view that the Government should bring forward infrastructure investment now, which could be used to build thousands of affordable homes.

"Instead of more complacency from George Osborne we need action to secure a strong and sustained recovery, catch up all the lost ground and tackle the cost of living crisis," he concluded.

The report said that the global economy was now beginning to recover from the Great Recession, but warned that central banks would find it difficult to bring the unprecedented series of emergency crisis measures to an end.

George Osborne (R) will see the U-turn as a vindication of his policies

The Federal Reserve has signalled that it will soon begin tapering the amount of assets it is buying each month under its quantitative easing programme, but stopped short of doing so at its meeting last month.

It said that the world would have to adapt to a slower potential growth rate from China - for the past five years the powerhouse for global growth.

However, the IMF reserved its most serious warning for the US Congress, which is currently deadlocked on talks over the budget, causing a part-shutdown of federal services.

It has also been unable to pass legislation to increase the US debt ceiling, something which could potentially cause the first US default in history.

The IMF said that its forecasts assumed the shutdown would be brief, that extra public spending would be agreed and that the debt ceiling would be raised.

"There is uncertainty on all three accounts," it added.

"While the damage to the US economy from a short shutdown is likely to be limited, a longer shutdown could be quite harmful. And, even more importantly, a failure to promptly raise the debt ceiling, leading to a US selective default, could seriously damage the global economy."

An added worry is that across the world, the recovery could be more tepid than normal.

Long-term average growth across the world is usually close to 4%. However, the IMF said that in the medium term it might only be realistic to expect something closer to 3%, given the serious impact of the Fed and other central banks reversing their quantitative easing programmes.

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Baby P's Mother To Be Released From Prison

Baby P's mother, Tracey Connelly, is to be freed from prison on the order of the Parole Board.

Connelly was jailed indefinitely with a minimum of five years in May 2009 for causing or allowing her son Peter's death.

The Parole Board has recommended her release following a second review of her case.

A statement from the board said: "We can confirm that a three-member panel of the board has directed the release of Tracey Connelly.

"Tracey Connelly first became eligible for parole in August 2012, and at that time a Parole Board panel made no recommendation to release.

Baby P died with over 50 injuries

"This is the second parole review for Tracey Connelly. The decision to release is a matter for the board, which is independent.

"Arrangements and the date of the release are a matter for the Secretary of State."

Baby P died on August 3, 2007 aged 17 months with more than 50 injuries.

This was despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

Connelly admitted the offence soon after being charged and served several hundred days on remand.

The house where Connelly lived with Baby P

It is thought she is currently being held at Low Newton jail near Durham.

Connelly was given a so-called imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence, which carries a minimum term.

An IPP sentence prisoner is eligible to be considered for release by the Parole Board when the minimum term is served.

When making its decision, the Parole Board takes into account a variety of matters including the nature of the offence, the prisoner's offending history and their behaviour in prison.

Reports from psychologists, probation officers and prison officers are also taken into consideration.

Connelly's boyfriend Steven Barker (L) and his brother Jason Owen

Connelly will remain on licence for the rest of her life and would likely be recalled to custody if she breaches any of the conditions.

Her son died at his home in Tottenham, north London, a day after police told Connelly she would not be prosecuted for abusing him.

Connelly was jailed along with her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen, who were convicted of the same offence.

Barker was sentenced to life with a minimum of 10 years for raping a two-year-old girl and given a 12-year term to run concurrently for his "major role" in Peter's death.

Owen was jailed indefinitely with a minimum three-year term but later won an appeal to lower it to a fixed six-year term.

He was freed in August 2011 but was then recalled to prison again in April this year.

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Britain To Appoint Iran Charge D'Affaires

Britain is to appoint a non-residential charge d'affaires for Iran, Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries broke down in 2011, but Mr Hague told parliament: "Both our countries will now appoint a non-resident charge d'affaires tasked with implementing the building of relations, including interim steps on the way towards (the) eventual reopening of both our embassies."

He said the coming months "may be unusually significant" in British-Iranian relations, which have been beset by argument over the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.

The recent election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has raised hopes of a thaw in relations between Iran and the West and a possible deal over the programme.

President Hassan Rouhani addressing UN General Assembly

But Mr Hague warned there were still several competing centres of power in Iran and that Tehran would need to make "substantive changes" if it wanted the West to ease sanctions.

"Iran remains in defiance of six UN Security Council resolutions ... and it is installing more centrifuges in its nuclear facilities," he said.

"In the absence of substantial change to these policies, we will continue to maintain strong sanctions. A substantial change in British or Western policies requires a substantive change in that programme."

Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed Mr Rouhani's election earlier this year, but said ties remain strained because of the ransacking of the British Embassy in Tehran in 2011.

That incident led to one of the worst crises between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The latest developments come two weeks after Mr Rouhani confirmed his country was prepared to restart stalled negotiations over its nuclear programme.

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he said that he wanted to enter talks to build "mutual confidence" -but warned the international community should also recognise Iran's right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.

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Madeleine McCann Inquiry 'Making Progress'

Gerry McCann says he is pleased with the progress being made in Scotland Yard's review of the search for his missing daughter.

He told Sky News he and his wife Kate were "very pleased with the work of the Metropolitan Police both during the review process and now that they have moved into an investigatory phrase.

"I think that is all that any parent would want when their child is missing.

"They've uncovered new evidence and we hope that the appeals that go out next week will lead to further new evidence that helps fill in pieces of the jigsaw and moves at least a step closer to finding Madeleine and those responsible."

The disappearance of Madeleine will be the subject of a Crimewatch appeal next Monday.

Scotland Yard assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said it is hoped it will produce new witnesses, but a conclusion to the case "is not imminent".

A reconstruction of the "latest, most detailed understanding" of the events around the time Madeleine went missing will be shown on BBC Crimewatch.

Gerry McCann

It comes after the Metropolitan Police revealed a vast log of mobile phone traffic could be the key to finding out what happened to the-then three-year-old.

Scotland Yard detectives have interviewed 442 people as part of their review-turned-investigation into Madeleine's disappearance. It has identified 41 people of interest, including 15 UK nationals.

They hope to track down as many people present in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on or around May 3, 2007, as possible.

Dr McCann, speaking outside the General Medical Council (GMC) in London, also said the press needed tougher, independent regulation in order to protect the lives of ordinary people.

He talked about need for speedy arbitration for victims of press intrusion and misreporting, in the light of the Leveson Inquiry, at which he gave evidence.

He said "Ordinary peoples lives are being damaged every day of the week by press intrusion, by lies being printed or exaggeration."

It "personally troubles him and his wife" that "stories are published with no regard to Madeleine's safety, to the investigation itself or whether they will be putting Madeleine or others in danger or alerting those responsible".

He highlighted the need for an independent body that could act quickly saying: "We have absolutely no confidence that the press barons can regulate themselves."

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