Savile's Chauffeur Bailed Over Sex Offences

Jimmy Savile's former chauffeur has been granted conditional bail after being charged with a string of historical sex offences.

Ray Teret, 72, was freed on strict bail conditions until November 15 when he will appear at Manchester Crown Court.

He has been charged with 32 offences relating to 15 alleged victims who claimed they were sexually abused between 1962 and 1996.

Most of the alleged offences are said to have taken place in the Greater Manchester area.

Ray Teret is also a former DJ

Teret, a former pirate radio DJ, spoke in court only to confirm his name and address during the 30 minute hearing.

He stood with his hands clasped in front of him listening as the lengthy list of charges were put to him. No pleas were entered.

Teret, from Altrincham, is charged with 15 counts of rape of a female under 16, one count of rape, one count of attempted rape of a female under 16, six counts of indecent assault of a female under 16, three counts of indecent assault of a female under 14, one count of gross indecency with a child under 13 and two counts of conspiracy to rape a girl under 16.

The former DJ is also charged with one count of possession of extreme pornography, one count of possession of prohibited images and one count of possession of an indecent image of a child.

Teret was initially arrested and bailed last November with another man on suspicion of historic rape allegations.

Police previously said the accusations against him were not linked to the national inquiry into Savile.

Teret leaves Manchester City Magistrates' court after being bailed

DCI Graham Brock, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "This has been a complex investigation that was originally launched in October 2012 when an initial complaint was made to Greater Manchester Police.

"Since that time, we have carried out extensive and wide-ranging inquiries and interviewed a number of people as part of that investigation.

"It is now very important that we make no further comment and allow the correct legal process to take its course unimpeded and without prejudice.

"We will continue to support all those women who have come forward and offer them whatever welfare they need through the use of specially-trained officers."

Two other men have also been charged following the investigation into Teret.

William Harper, 65, from Stretford, is charged with charged with conspiracy to rape a girl under 16 and attempt rape of a girl under 16.

Alan Ledger, 62, from Altrincham, is accused of indecently assaulting a girl under 16 and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl under 16.

Both men will appear at Manchester City Magistrates' Court on October 30.

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Twitter Mistake: Police Sorry For Immigrant Tweet

Police have apologised after they were branded "racist" for sending a tweet saying "Officers 1 Immigrants 0".

The offending message was sent out by an officer at Guildford Police via the Surrey force's official Twitter account during an operation against illegal immigrants.

It was accompanied by the hashtag 'We Will Catch Up With You' and followed the arrests of eight people at a mobile carwash in Sainsbury's in Burpham.

The post said: "re the last tweet. the PCSO was 13331 Mullard and the help of colleagues from the town team. Officers 1 Imigrants 0!!"

After the posting, on Thursday night, scores of people replied to the Guildford Beat police site, accusing them of racism.

One user called @TOCSmusic said "this is one of the single worst tweets ever sent".

Tanya Dale wrote: "DISGUSTING, racism alive and kicking and on display, no more police just government minions."

Another person, Bijou Banton, tweeted: "you are a disgrace and should be ashamed of yourselves. I hope this is some kind of joke."

Dozens of others also accused Surrey officers of racism and stupidity.

The tweet was later deleted as Guildford Police posted apologies to each tweeter with messages like: "The language used in that tweet was inappropriate and has been removed. Apologies for any offence caused."

A Surrey Police spokesman told Sky News the officer "has been given some words of advice" and no disciplinary action will be taken.

In a statement, the force said: "Following a UK Border Agency led operation, supported by Surrey Police, in Guildford, the @GuildfordBeat Twitter account gave an update about the incident to members of the public.

"The language used in a subsequent tweet was inappropriate, it was quickly removed and an apology issued."

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McDonald's To Drop Heinz After CEO Change

McDonald's has announced it will end a 40-year relationship with Heinz as the sauce company is now led the former chief of rival Burger King.

"As a result of recent management changes at Heinz, we have decided to transition our business to other suppliers over time," McDonald's said in a statement.

"We have spoken to Heinz and plan to work together to ensure a smooth and orderly transition."

The switch will be more apparent outside the United States, as McDonald's only serves Heinz sauce in Pittsburgh and Minneapolis.

Heinz has had a 40-year-old relationship with McDonald's

Heinz is now run by Bernardo Hees, former head of Burger King, 

Sauce packages handed out at McDonald's restaurants in the United States often say only "fancy ketchup". Most in-store sauce dispensers are not branded.

The move by McDonald's could benefit Heinz rivals Hunt's, owned by ConAgra Foods Inc., and Del Monte.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and an investment fund affiliated with 3G Capital bought Heinz for $28bn (£17bn) in June and immediately named Hees CEO.

Burger King went public in June 2012, less than two years after it was privatised by 3G Capital Management LLC, which retains a stake in the fast-food chain.

Burger King has been a Heinz customer for "decades" and uses its products in roughly 80% of markets around the world, spokesman Miguel Piedra said.

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Weather: Met Office Warns Of Severe Storm

England and Wales will be hit by a "significant storm" on Sunday night with winds of up to 80mph in some areas, the Met Office has warned.

Forecasters say the storm is expected to bring "exceptionally strong winds" to parts of the UK when it strikes late on Sunday night.

There were hopes the huge storm brewing over the Atlantic Ocean would miss the UK, and sweep instead through the English Channel.

But meteorologists are now certain it will strike the south west of England and could leave a trail of destruction as it gusts north-east across the country, causing structural damage, and bringing down trees and power lines.

The Met Office said winds of between 60mph and 80mph are expected across the southern half of the UK.

In exposed coastal areas the winds may reach speeds in excess of 80mph.

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

Frank Saunders, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We are confident that a severe storm will affect Britain on Sunday night and Monday.

"We are now looking at refining the details about which areas will see the strongest winds and the heaviest rain.

"This is a developing situation and we'd advise people to stay up to date with our forecasts and warnings over the weekend, and be prepared to change their plans if necessary.

"We'll continue to work closely with authorities and emergency services to ensure they are aware of the expected conditions."

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

Severe weather alerts are in place for England and Wales, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

There is a lesser yellow warning, meaning "be aware", for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

The storm will intensify on Sunday and hit the UK on Monday morning

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday - which takes in the rush hour when people are trying to get to work.

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees.

"There's also the possibility of flooding with torrential downpours and leaves blocking drains. South Wales and southern England are most at risk.

"There is likely to be flash flooding on roads and the AA will be out in force."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But the storm will develop on Saturday and intensify on Sunday fairly close to the coast before it strikes with full force.

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK are contributing to its development and strength.

Winds could top 80mph as they hit seaside towns and villages before slowly losing power as they gust across the UK and out to the North Sea.

Winds could top 80mph as the storm hits seaside towns and villages

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in south Wales in 1989.

It will strike two weeks later than the Great Storm of 1987, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

This time he warned people to "batten down the hatches" and keep checking the forecasts as the powerful storm approaches.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads.

"If it's bad where you are, keep tuned to the weather and traffic reports - in case of road or bridge closures - and heed any local police advice about whether it's safe to travel.

"At a minimum, take a fully-charged mobile phone and warm, weatherproof clothing."

He said the AA's specialist flood rescue team, driving modified Land Rovers, have been working all week and are on stand-by.

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

A spokesman said: "The Metropolitan Police Service is reminding Londoners to dial 101 when contacting police when it's not an emergency with expected increases in demand brought about by high winds in the next few days."

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Weather: Storm Alerts As UK Set For 'Hurricane'

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Teen Jailed For Six Years Over Acid Attack

A 16-year-old found guilty of throwing acid at a woman on her doorstep in Essex will serve six years in prison for the attack.

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Weather: Storm Alerts As UK Set For 'Hurricane'

Severe weather alerts have been issued amid fears Britain could be hit by the most powerful storm in years.

A Met office image shows a forecast for the storm on Monday

A series of wind, rain and flood alerts are now in place as forecasters predict hurricane-speed gusts of more than 80mph.

But in order to be scientifically classed a hurricane, the winds need to be sustained.

The Met Office is warning people to "be prepared for the risk of falling trees as well as damage to buildings and other structures".

Forecasts show how the storm might develop and move towards the UK

The storm is currently brewing over the Atlantic and its full force could hit UK land on Sunday night, into Monday.

Meteorologists are urging people to prepare for the storm, with some comparing its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in South Wales in 1989.

Sky weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "Late October is notorious for strong storms, with a wind gust of 124mph recorded in the Vale of Glamorgan in 1989.

The Met Office website shows amber and yellow alerts for Monday

"Should this storm achieve its potential, it is likely to bring down trees and to cause damage to roads and buildings, possibly causing major transport disruption and power cuts."

Wheeler says the storm is due to develop over the Atlantic in the next 24 hours as a strong jet stream and warm air combine to create a deep low-pressure system.

Its trajectory is still unclear but there are fears it may wreak havoc in England and Wales if it hits land.

If it does make land, it is likely to batter Wales and the South West first before sweeping east and touching most of the country.

Exposed coasts in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent are most likely to feel the brunt of the winds.

There is a chance the storm could miss land completely, sweeping instead through the English Channel.

Met Office senior forecaster Helen Chivers said: "Winds of that strength are damaging winds - there will be a risk of damage to homes and trees and disruption to travel.

"This is not a storm you see every winter. The storm of 1987 is one, and the Burns day storm in January 1990 is another."

Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But this one is unusual in that it is expected to appear much closer to land, potentially moving across the country while it is in its most powerful phase.

There are already fears the storm may compare to the Great Storm of 1987

The storm is expected to strike two weeks later than the Great Storm of 1987, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16.

It flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

Forecasters at the time famously failed to predict the severity of the storm.

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Pavlo Lapshyn Jailed For Minimum Of 40 Years

A Ukrainian white supremacist who murdered a grandfather and bombed three mosques in the Midlands has been sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in jail.

Student Pavlo Lapshyn was told he would not be eligible for release for four decades despite his guilty plea, after a judge described his crimes as "abhorrent".

The family of 82-year-old Mohammed Saleem, who was stabbed to death by Lapshyn in Small Heath, Birmingham, said the sentence could "never be enough", adding: "He took away the life of a beloved person."

Granddad Mohammed Saleem, who was murdered by racist Pavlo Lapshyn

Lapshyn, 25, began his racist campaign just five days after arriving in the UK in April this year.

After killing Mr Saleem, he then went on to launch three attacks on mosques in the Black Country, bringing terror to Muslim communities.

Police found dozens of videos and hundreds of images of chemicals, firearms and components for improvised explosive devices.

One clip showed him practising for the attacks by blowing up a tree.

Before sentencing him at the Old Bailey, judge Mr Justice Sweeney told Lapshyn he clearly held white supremacist views and racial hatred.

The judge said: "You were motivated to commit the offences by religious and racial hatred.

"You were clearly planning to plant and detonate more devices in the hope that you would ignite racial conflict and cause Muslims to leave the area where you were living.

"Such views, hatred and motivation are abhorrent to all right thinking people and have no place whatsoever in our multi-faith and multi-cultural society."

Nails were used in the bomb Lapshyn planted near a mosque in Tipton

Lapshyn had won a work placement contest and was employed at a software firm in Birmingham but he used the months after his arrival to orchestrate a hate campaign.

Lapshyn put together a home-made bomb that he hid in a child's lunchbox and left it outside Walsall's Aisha Mosque on June 21.

Seven days later he detonated a device close to Wolverhampton Central Mosque.

On July 12 he used a deadly nail bomb next to the Kanzul Iman Masjid mosque in Tipton, near Wolverhampton.

Detective Superintendent Shaun Edwards, from the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit, said: "We found part-made devices in Lapshyn's room, plus chemicals and bomb-making equipment, so it is clear he planned to place further devices with the intention of killing or maiming innocent members of the public.

"All three of the devices he detonated were powerful but his final attack in Tipton was the first to feature shrapnel and nails.

"He placed this near the mosque's car-park with the intention of hitting worshippers as they arrived for prayers.

"Thankfully the service had been put back an hour so the mosque was largely deserted when the bomb went off."

Lapshyn was caught after he was recognised by a member of the public from CCTV pictures that were distributed in the media.

When he was interviewed by police, Lapshyn said he was acting alone and was not part of any wider group.

During the sentencing, Lapshyn showed no emotion, even while the judge read out a harrowing victim impact statement from Mr Saleem's family.

The hearing was extended by half an hour after a suspicious package was discovered in the courtroom where Lapshyn was due to be sentenced.

More follows...

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Maria: Bulgarian Couple Are Roma Girl's Parents

DNA tests have confirmed that a Bulgarian couple are the biological parents of a mystery girl found in a Greek Roma camp.

Samples showed that Sasha Ruseva and Atanas Rusev were the biological parents of Maria, the blonde child who made global headlines after being spotted in Athens.

Ms Ruseva has said she gave birth to a baby girl four years ago in Greece while working as an olive picker.

A picture of two of Maria's siblings in Bulgaria

She said she gave the child away because she was too poor to care for her but insisted she did not get paid.

However, she has also reportedly told one of her neighbours that she sold the child for the equivalent of around £213.

She recognised Maria when her discovery was reported in the media, she said.

According to reports Mrs Ruseva, who is married and lives in the central Bulgarian town of Nikolaevo, has as many as 10 children.

A hunt was launched for the girl's parents after she was spotted in Greece

Five of those children are blonde, and even closely resemble the girl found at the camp last week.

Maria's case came to light when Greek police noticed the lack of resemblance between the blonde girl and the adults she was staying with in Athens.

Today's confirmation comes after police arrested a childless couple in Greece on suspicion of buying a baby girl and trying to register her as their own.

The couple were arrested in Athens after they allegedly paid a Roma woman 4,000 euros (£3,400) for the baby, a Greek police statement said.

Authorities are looking for the baby's birth parents.

The suspects, aged 53 and 48, were expected to be charged with child abduction.

Under Greek law this includes cases where a minor is voluntarily given away by its parents outside the legal adoption process.

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Royal Mail Sale: Union Demands Cable Quits

The union representing Royal Mail staff has demanded the Business Secretary quits amid revelations by Sky News over the company's privatisation.

Shortly after City Editor Mark Kleinman learned that Wall Street bank JPMorgan told the Treasury the Royal Mail could be worth nearly £10bn ahead of the flotation, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) called for Vince Cable to stand down.

Billy Hayes, the CWU general secretary, said: "On the opening day of the flotation Vince Cable wrote off the undervaluation as froth.

"A week later, we were told it was the fault of the CWU.

"We now have a prima facie case of a conspiracy against the UK taxpayer who were opposed to the sale and have now been robbed of billions.

"In any other walk of life this would be a sacking offence and we call on Vince Cable to resign.

"A full inquiry should be launched into the mishandling of this unnecessary privatisation by Vince Cable.

"We would also like the matter to be referred to the Public Accounts Committee to scrutinise how badly the taxpayer has been left out of pocket."

Kleinman reported that corporate financiers from JPMorgan presented a spectrum for Royal Mail's value ranging from £7.75bn to £9.95bn - the top end of which was more than two-and-a-half times the price at which ministers ultimately sold shares in the company.

Mr Cable defended the price of the sell-off

The Government sold shares in Royal Mail for 330p each earlier this month, valuing the company's equity at £3.3bn, but that soon rose by more than 50% in the early days of trading.

Including its roughly £800m of net debt, the privatisation effectively attributed an enterprise value to the company of £4.1bn, above the average valuation of £3.6bn ascribed to it by the nearly two dozen firms which pitched to advise on the sell-off.

Sky News obtained a letter sent by Mr Cable last Friday to the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee, in which he dismissed concerns that the sale of the postal operator was spectacularly mispriced.

"Value for money has been central to our strategy as we have taken forward the sale of shares through an initial public offering," he wrote.

"Delivering value for money is about more than just the level of proceeds received on day one.

"Our long-term strategy to safeguard the universal service and deliver value for money for the taxpayer involves not only getting good value for the initial stake sold but also getting good value for the residual stake held by Government (30% of the Company assuming exercising in full the Over-allotment Option), and leaving Royal Mail in a strong, sustainable position capable of accessing the capital markets in the future."

A week ago the union confirmed the first national postal strike in almost four years would be held on November 4 over issues linked to the privatisation.

A 24-hour stoppage is being planned for that date unless the CWU secures a deal with Royal Mail bosses on pay and pensions.

The union ballot of around 115,000 of its members at Royal Mail and Parcelforce returned a 4-1 decision on a 63% turnout in favour of industrial action.

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Hurricane-Speed Winds Threaten Britain

Parts of the UK face being battered by hurricane-speed winds which threaten to rip down trees, cause transport chaos, and cut power supplies, forecasters have warned.

The risk of a severe storm has been highlighted by the Met Office, which it said could see gusts of more than 80mph, especially on exposed coasts in the South.

A storm is classed as a hurricane when it has sustained winds of 74mph or higher.

Unsettled weather is expected to continue into the weekend with further spells of heavy rain and strong winds.

But moving into Sunday night and Monday morning, the Met Office warn there is a risk of a 'significant' storm developing.

Based on current predictions, some areas could see some of their strongest winds for a number of years it says.

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK, are both contributing to the development and strength of the storm.

Eddie Carroll, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: "There is still a chance this storm may take a more southerly track and miss the UK, bringing impacts elsewhere in northern Europe, but people should be aware there is a risk of severe weather and significant disruption."

Chris England, meteorologist at the Sky News weather centre, said: "There's the potential for some exceptionally strong winds late Sunday through Monday morning, particularly over the southern half of the UK, with potentially damaging gusts of 80-90mph in exposed parts.

"But we are really talking about something that doesn't exist yet, so the forecast of the track, the timing, and the intensity are still open to change.

"It's really a warning of potential at the moment and something to keep an eye on."

Normally Atlantic storms of this type develop much further to the west of the UK and are waning in strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

This storm is more unusual, developing much closer to the UK and potentially moving across the country while still in its most powerful phase.

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Maria: Police Question Bulgarian 'Mother'

A woman in Bulgaria has confirmed she has been questioned by police about whether she is the mother of Maria, the blonde girl found in a Greek Roma camp.

Speaking to Bulgarian TV, Sasha Ruseva, 38, said she gave birth to a girl while working in Greece "several years ago", but had to leave the child because she did not have enough money to take her home.

It is also being reported that she is willing to take a DNA test, and take the child back if it is shown to be hers.

She insisted she did not get paid for giving up the girl. She had reportedly told one of her neighbours that she had sold the child for the equivalent of around £213, and that she had recognised Maria, when her discovery made headlines around the world.

According to reports Mrs Ruseva, who is married and lives in the central Bulgarian town of Nikolaevo, has between eight and 10 children, five of whom are blonde, and even closely resemble the girl found in central Greece last week.

Eleftheria Dimopoulou and Christos Salis claim they were given Maria

Speaking on TV, Mrs Ruseva said: "I intended to go back and take my child home, but meanwhile I gave birth to two more kids so I was not able to go back."

Police in Bulgaria have declined to comment on the case.

Investigators in Greece have also refused to be drawn on their inquiry.

"We have nothing to say at the moment, there is no information to give," a police spokesman in Athens said.

Greek police have sought help from Interpol to help identify the blonde girl, whose discovery in a Roma camp near Farsala has sparked global interest.

Christos Salis and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, a Roma couple who claimed they were given Maria by her Bulgarian mother who could not care for her, have been charged with abduction.

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Madeleine McCann: Portugal Cops Reopen Case

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 3:44pm UK, Thursday 24 October 2013

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: Feb 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: Feb 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: Feb 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

:: October 17 - Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann meet officers in Lisbon to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

:: October 23 - Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defends the way the Portuguese dealt with the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, saying it would have been "very difficult" to immediately know if they were dealing with a serious crime.

:: October 24 - Detectives in Portugal reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance after an internal review uncovers new lines of inquiry and witnesses who were never questioned during the original Portuguese investigation.

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Grangemouth Job Losses As Chemical Plant To Shut

The owner of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant is to close the operation permanently and keep shut, for now, its major oil refinery amid a continuing pay dispute.

The move threatens up to 800 jobs at the petrochemicals business, which makes products used in everyday items such as packaging and plastic bags, unless it can be sold.

The Grangemouth site's owner Ineos said while it would retain the refinery, which produces 80% of Scotland's petrol and diesel, production would remain shut down until the threat of industrial action was removed.

The Government said there was no current threat of fuel shortages in Scotland because of contingency planning.

Workers were given news of the closure at a meeting with Ineos petrochemicals chairman Calum MacLean following the passing of a deadline on a survival plan which asked all Grangemouth staff to accept changes to pensions and other terms and conditions.

The Prime Minister described the closure as "disappointing"

The Unite union said around 680 of the site's total 1,370-strong workforce rejected the proposals, which included a pay freeze for 2014-16, removal of a bonus up to 2016, a reduced shift allowance and ending of the final salary pension scheme.

Following the meeting with staff, one worker who did not want to be named, said: "I feel sick. It's gone."

The worker, who appeared close to tears at points, told Sky News he could only listen to about 10 minutes of the meeting, before he felt he had to leave.

"There's no livelihoods left and we don't even know if we're going to get redundancy out of it. I hope they're happy with themselves," he said.

More than 1,300 people are currently employed at Grangemouth by Ineos

Unite has accused the company's owner Jim Ratcliffe of playing "Russian roulette" with the future of Grangemouth, the biggest industrial site in Scotland, and said it would back any efforts by the Scottish Government to find a new buyer for the petrochemical complex.

In a statement, Ineos blamed the union's opposition to its survival plan for the decision to close the petrochemical plant - saying shareholders could no longer fund it.

Mr MacLean said: "This is a hugely sad day for everyone at Grangemouth. We have tried our hardest to convince employees of the need for change but unsuccessfully.

"There was only ever going to be one outcome to this story if nothing changed and we continued to lose money.

"We still struggle to comprehend what has happened here. The employees were offered a chance to secure substantial new investment in the company, preserve their jobs and keep their salaries. Sadly this will no longer be the case."

The company added: "As a result of this decision, the directors of the petrochemicals business have had no option but to engage the services of a liquidator. It is anticipated that a liquidation process will commence in a week."

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "I am saddened to hear of Ineos' plans to place the petrochemicals business into administration, particularly because of the impact it will have on the workforce and local community.

"While respecting Ineos' right to make this decision, it is regrettable that both parties have not managed to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement that delivers a viable business model for the plant.

"Even at this late stage, I urge Ineos to continue dialogue with the workforce and Government will offer help and support with this.

"Ineos have informed us that the refinery will stay open and the management wish to restart full operations as soon as possible.

"We stand ready to help with discussions between the management and the union to ensure this can happen.

"Fuel supplies continue to be delivered as usual and there is no current risk of disruption to supplies."

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Raped Girl 'Not Treated As Human' By Couple

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

A couple have been jailed for a total of 18 years for trafficking a deaf and mute girl into the UK, where she was repeatedly raped and subjected to forced labour.

Ilyas Ashar, 84, and his wife Tallat Ashar, 68, forced the vulnerable youngster to sleep in the cellar of their home in Greater Manchester, where she was beaten and slapped, and led a life of domestic servitude for almost a decade.

The girl was also used to steal more than £30,000 in benefits on her behalf.

She was even taught enough sign language by the family so she could agree to the benefit money being handed over.

Their victim had no family or friends in the UK and had never been to school in Pakistan or Britain.

Ilyas Ashar also routinely raped the girl from the moment he brought her into the UK from Pakistan, aged around 10, in June 2000.

Ashar was convicted of 13 specimen counts of rape by a jury last week, though the court heard the rapes happened "many, many times more".

He had also been convicted at an earlier trial of two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit and one of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit.

He was jailed for 13 years at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

His wife was jailed for five years for two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, and four counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit.

Their daughter, Faaiza Ashar, 46, who was found guilty at an earlier trial of two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit, and one count of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit, was given a 12 month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work.

Passing sentence Judge Peter Lakin said: "You Ilyas Ashar and you Tallat Ashar did not treat this girl as a human being.

"To you she was merely an object to be used, abused and cast aside at will.

"You took full advantage of her extreme vulnerability.

"You exploited her physically, you exploited her mentally and you exploited her economically.

"There was throughout a distasteful undercurrent of violence and intimidation.

"All that she had in her life was the love of her family and her own human dignity. You two took that away from her. You consigned her to a life of misery and degradation.

"Throughout these proceedings not one of you have shown any remorse.

"You are concerned with your own selfish, self-centred interests.

"You Ilyas and Tallat Ashar are deeply unpleasant, highly manipulative and dishonest people."

When police and local trading standards raided the Ashar family home in Cromwell Road, Eccles, in Salford, on June 8, 2009, officers were "shocked" to discover the girl asleep in the cold and dark cellar.

One officer likened her behaviour to that of an "animal" - not allowed to sit on the furniture - and an indication of her status in the house.

She was taken from the house and is now doing well with the help of social services, the court heard.

A proceeds of crime hearing will be held next year to recoup the benefits stolen by the Ashars.

They had fought the case at every turn, mounting a series of legal challenges and appealing but failing to overturn their convictions at the Court of Appeal.

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Plebgate: MPs Told Public Were 'Misled'

Key Dates Of The Plebgate Scandal

Updated: 8:08am UK, Wednesday 23 October 2013

The row over Andrew Mitchell's argument with a police officer in Downing Street has resurfaced three months on. Here are the key developments.

:: September 4 - Andrew Mitchell is appointed Chief Whip in David Cameron's first Cabinet reshuffle.

:: September 19 - Mr Mitchell tries to cycle out of the Downing Street main gates but is stopped by a police officer who tells him he must use a side exit.

The officer on duty makes a log of the encounter, claiming that the Chief Whip swore and called police "plebs".

:: September 20 - Deputy Chief Whip John Randall is sent an email apparently from a constituent claiming he and his nephew witnessed the altercation.

It claims passers-by had been shocked and suggests some could have filmed it, as well as repeating the "plebs" allegation.

:: September 21 - The Sun runs a story on the row titled "Cabinet minister: police are plebs".

Mr Mitchell apologises for not "treating the police with the respect they deserve" but denies using the language reported.

David Cameron says he has apologised and allows him to keep his job but the Police Federation insist he has to go.

:: September 24 - Mr Mitchell says sorry on television as the row refuses to die away but his apology is dismissed as lacklustre and calls grow for him to quit.

Labour calls on Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to launch an investigation but the appeal is rejected.

:: September 25 - The Daily Telegraph publishes the full police log of the row, piling yet more pressure on the senior Tory.

:: October 4 - Mr Mitchell pulls out of the Tory party conference to avoid being a "distraction".

:: October 12 - The Chief Whip meets representatives of the Police Federation at his constituency office in Sutton Coldfield but officers remain dissatisfied.

:: October 17 - Labour leader Ed Miliband declares that Mr Mitchell is "toast" during Prime Minister's Questions and accuses the Tories of "double standards".

:: October 19 - Mr Mitchell meets David Cameron at Chequers and resigns but continues to deny using the word "plebs".

:: December 15 - Officers investigating the leak of the police log arrest a serving police officer with the diplomatic protection squad on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

:: December 18 - Allegations emerge that the officer was behind the email to Mr Randall in September but never actually witnessed the argument.

New CCTV footage which appears to conflict with the official police account is also revealed by Channel 4 News.

Mr Mitchell claims he is the victim of a "stitch-up" and demands a full inquiry. Number 10 calls the allegations "exceptionally serious".

Met Police Chief Bernard Hogan-Howe says nothing he has seen affects the original police account.

:: December 19 - Police widen their probe into the case to include the email allegations and the possibility of a police "conspiracy".

David Cameron calls for the claims that an officer tried to "blacken the name of a Cabinet minister" to be "seriously investigated".

Senior Tory figures brand the latest developments "appalling" and suggestions begin that Mr Mitchell could soon be back on the front bench.

A 23-year-old man is arrested at 8pm by Scotland Yard on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an indictable offence in relation to the affair.

:: December 20 - The second arrested man is released on bail, to return in January.

2013

:: January 31 - A police officer from the Diplomatic Protection Group is held on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

:: February 1 - A female police officer tasked with protecting Government officials is arrested over alleged leaks linked to the Mitchell row.

:: June 15 - A 48-year-old diplomatic protection group officer is arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and a woman, aged 49, is detained on suspicion of assisting an offender.

:: October 15 - The IPCC questions the "honesty and integrity" of three police officers who gave interviews after Andrew Mitchell's meeting with Police Federation representatives last October.

:: October 21 - The Police Federation release a statement in which the officers say they are sorry for their "poor judgement" in talking to the media but did not plan or intend to mislead anyone.

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Prince George Christened At St James's Palace

Prince George has been christened in a ceremony at St James's Palace that spanned four generations of the royal family.

The baby boy was pink cheeked and chubby as he emerged from the historic Chapel Royal with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, after the service.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry gathered for the private ceremony of the future king and supreme governor of the Church of England.

Before entering the chapel, William told everyone: "He's all ready. So far, so good."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George

Prince George was dressed in a Honiton lace christening gown, a replica of the one used by more than 60 members of the Royal Family since 1841.

Kate looked relaxed before the service began and wore a cream Alexander McQueen outfit and a matching hat by milliner Jane Taylor.

Other guests include Kate's family - parents Carole and Michael Middleton and siblings Pippa and James - along with his godparents and their partners.

The historic 45-minute service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury saw the four generations of British monarchs photographed by celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell, together for the first time since 1899.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive at the service

Harry and Pippa both gave readings and William and Kate chose two hymns, two lessons and two anthems for the service.

The Lily font used by the Archbishop was brought to the Chapel Royal from the Tower of London where it is normally housed as part of the crown jewels.

While the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all christened at Buckingham Palace, the Duke and Duchess have chosen to break with tradition, holding the baptism in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.

It is the chapel where Diana, Princess of Wales' coffin rested before her funeral in 1997.

Prince George wore a lace christening gown

Earlier, Kensington Palace revealed the names of Prince George's seven godparents.

They are Zara Tindall, Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

Mr Lowther-Pinkerton is William and Kate's former private secretary, who continues to serve part-time as their principal private secretary and equerry.

Mr Baker is an old university friend who attended St Andrews with William and Kate, while Earl Grosvenor, whose first name is Hugh, is the son of the Duke of Westminster.

Ms Samuel was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and is the founder patron of Child Bereavement UK, which has William as its royal patron.

Mr van Cutsem is an old family friend of William and Harry, while Ms Jardine-Paterson is an interior designer and an old Malborough College friend of Kate, who also uses her maiden name d'Erlanger in her working life.

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Ireland: Blonde Roma Girl Taken Into Care

A blonde girl thought to be aged around seven and living with a Roma family in Ireland has been taken into care, Sky Sources have revealed.

Police are understood to have swooped on the family after a tip off from a member of the public.

The girl, who also has blue eyes, was taken into care after officers called to a house in the Dublin suburb of Tallaght on Monday afternoon.

Concerns were raised after the member of the public saw the blonde girl being looked after by the Roma family.

Sky Sources have said that the parents were unable to prove the identity of the girl.

It follows the taking into care of a four-year-old blonde girl called Maria and the arrest of a Roma couple in Greece last week.

The youngster taken from the family in Dublin is now being cared for by Ireland's Health Services Executive.

Sky News has been told the couple who were looking after the girl are being questioned by police in Dublin.

Ireland's Sunday World newspaper reported that the couple were asked by police to produce a birth certificate but, at first, could not find one.

The parents, according to the paper, then claimed the girl was born at Dublin's Coombe hospital in April 2006, but inquiries with the hospital resulted in no record being found of the girl being born in the hospital at that time.

After two hours in the house, the parents eventually found a birth certificate but the Gardai were not satisfied that it matched.

It is understood police may seek to take DNA samples to determine if the girl is related to anyone in the Roma camp.

The couple who claimed to be the parents of a blonde, blue-eyed girl aged around four in Greece have been charged with abduction.

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Maria: Police Investigate Lisa Irwin Lead

Mystery Blonde Girl: Eight 'Promising' Leads

Updated: 11:32pm UK, Sunday 20 October 2013

A charity looking after a young girl who was found living with a Roma family in Greece say they have eight "promising" leads in relation to her case.

Authorities have put out a worldwide appeal to help identify the four-year-old-child - known as 'Maria' - and find her real family.

The youngster was discovered living in squalid conditions in a Roma camp near the town of Farsala on Wednesday after a raid by police looking for drugs and weapons.

It is thought she may have been trafficked or abducted.

South Yorkshire Police have said "there appears to be no direct correlation" between this case and the disappearance of Ben Needham who was 21 months old when he went missing on the Greek island of Koss in 1991.

In a statement they said: "The case of Ben Needham continues to be investigated by the Greek authorities and South Yorkshire Police continues to support his family.

"No investigation is currently being carried out by the Force in light of this recent case and officers from South Yorkshire Police will only become involved should authorities in Greece require our assistance."

The Smile Of The Child charity told Sky News it had received more than 5,000 calls from Greece and abroad, and thousands of emails from the United States, Europe and Australia.

It said of the eight "promising" calls, four were from the US, and one each from Sweden, France, Canada and Poland, and the organisation was passing the information to police.

Charity spokesman Panos Pardalis Dresios said the girl, who is in hospital, was playing with her toys and "feeling much better".

He added: "What we're trying to do is for the kid to be calmed down and to play, and the experts will be the ones who will decide how they're going to deal with this."

Maria was found with people who were pretending to be her parents, but DNA tests later proved they were not.

The couple, a 39-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, were arrested and charged with abducting a minor.

But a man calling himself Kostas, the brother of the 39-year-old male, said Maria was very loved and cared for.

"We got this girl in a very nice way. We raised her. We got her. She was given to us and we raised her," he said.

"She had problems with her eyes. We took her to the doctor, we took her everywhere. We didn't take her to sell her. We loved her so much, with so much passion."

Giorgos Tsakiris, the general secretary of the Roma association in Farsala, said the girl had a good life with the people who were raising her.

He said: "I can tell you better than her other siblings, the biological ones. She spent her days very well and that is why the little girl loves them and what they say about abductions is not true."

After police raided the camp, an officer became suspicious when he noticed Maria bore no likeness to her supposed family.

Further investigations into the couple raised even more suspicions.

Authorities allege the mother claimed to have given birth to six children in less than 10 months, while 10 of the 14 children the couple registered as their own are unaccounted for.

Maria's discovery has given hope to the family of Ben Needham, a British boy who disappeared from outside his grandparent's farmhouse on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

The news of Maria being found has also buoyed the hopes of missing Madeleine McCann's parents.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann, said: "They have always maintained that until there is evidence to prove otherwise missing children can still be out there waiting to be found."

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Energy Bills: Major Calls For 'Windfall Tax'

Sir John Major has called for energy firms' profits to be taxed to help people struggling to pay bills if there is a cold snap.

The former Prime Minister said he did not believe it was "acceptable at all" that three of the so-called Big Six energy companies had already hiked prices by around 10% when costs were "rising broadly 4%". 

He warned that "many people are going to have to chose between keeping warm and eating" if temperatures were to plummet this winter.

"That is not acceptable," Sir John said.

"So if we get this cold spell the government, I think, will have to intervene and if they do intervene, and it is costly, I for one would regard it as

perfectly acceptable for them then, subsequently, to levy and excess profits tax on the energy companies and claw that money back to the Exchequer, where their primary job is to get the economy working and people back to work."

Earlier, the Commons Energy Committee confirmed it would be summoning the bosses of British Gas, Scottish Power, E.ON, EDF Energy, nPower and SSE to give evidence on the hikes to bills.

Sir John also said at the Parliamentary Press Gallery lunch that Labour leader Ed Miliband's "heart was in the right place" when he suggested a cap on energy prices, but insisted the plan was unlikely to work.

Labour seized on Sir John's comments that "government should exist to protect people not institutions".

On Twitter, Mr Miliband said: "Sir John Major makes Labour's argument: David Cameron stands up for the energy companies not hard-pressed families."

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Rachael Slack Killing: Police Failings

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

Failures by police in the run-up to the killings of a pregnant mother and her toddler son contributed to their deaths, an inquest jury has found.

Rachael Slack, 38, and her 23-month-old son Auden were found with multiple stab wounds in their home in the village of Holbrook, Derbyshire, on June 2, 2010.

The inquest heard how Andrew Cairns, Ms Slack's former partner and Auden's father, had threatened to kill them just five days earlier.

He was also found dead at Ms Slack's home after turning the knife on himself.

Coroner Dr Robert Hunter told jurors that 44-year-old Cairns had been known to psychiatric services for a "considerable number of years" before the deaths.

The court in Derby heard that the former golf tutor became upset when Ms Slack, who was an artist, told him she was in a new relationship and pregnant.

Cairns had made threats to kill his former partner and their son

On May 27 2010 Ms Slack went to a police station and told officers that Cairns had said: "You're a ******* bitch for abandoning me and getting together with someone else and getting pregnant.

"I've given up everything to be with you, if you are going to make it difficult, I'll make it more so, you've no idea of what I'm capable of, I'll kill you and take him (Auden) with me."

He was arrested and Ms Slack and Auden was considered by officers at "high risk" of homicide.

Auden, who had been stabbed 16 times, was pronounced dead in hospital

But Cairns was released on bail the following morning. He was told not to contact Ms Slack or their son.

His mental health had also been assessed by professionals who ruled that he had no major mental health issues and was not a danger to himself or others.

Ms Slack was stabbed 32 times, including twice through the heart. She also had "defensive" injuries to her hands.

Auden had been stabbed 16 times and had a "faint pulse". The child was airlifted to hospital but later pronounced dead.

Jurors returned verdicts of unlawful killing in respect of Ms Slack and Auden, and found that Cairns took his own life.

As part of their deliberations they were asked by the coroner to consider if it was more likely than not that a failure on the part of Derbyshire Constabulary made a more than minimal contribution to the deaths.

They found that Ms Slack's death was in part "more than minimally contributed" to by a failure to impress upon her that she was at risk of serious injury or homicide by her ex-partner.

In the case of Auden, jurors found that in part his death was "more than minimally contributed" to by a failure to impress upon his mother that he was at risk of serious injury or homicide, and a failure to discuss with his mother adequate steps to assess the risk.

Sarah Ricca, solicitor for the family of Rachael and Auden Slack, has called for a public inquiry into domestic violence.

The inquest heard that Derbyshire police had now told officers to make it clear to victims if they are deemed at "high risk" of homicide.

Derbyshire Healthcare, who had treated Cairns for depression for a number of years, said they had sent a "lessons learnt" memo to all staff.

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Plebgate Police Officers In Mitchell Apology

Three police officers have apologised for their conduct after meeting the former chief whip during the "plebgate inquiry".

The Police Federation have released a statement in which the officers say they are sorry for "poor judgement" in talking to the media after a meeting with Andrew Mitchell.

The statement has been issued on behalf of Inspector Ken MacKaill, of West Mercia Police; Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton, of Warwickshire Police; and Sergeant Chris Jones, of West Midlands Police.

The three officers have been under pressure to apologise to Mr Mitchell for their conduct since an Independent Police Complaints Commission report last week questioned their "honesty and integrity".

It concluded that the three had lied about what Mr Mitchell had said in a meeting on October 12 last year in order to support police colleagues in London who claimed he had called them "******* plebs" during a row over his bicycle on Downing Street.

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Maria: Roma Couple Charged With Abduction

A Roma couple have been formally charged with abducting a mystery blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl in Greece.

The pair, named in local papers as Hristos Salis, 39, and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, 40, were escorted into the back of a courthouse in Larissa from a police van.

Their friends and family waited at the front of the building, with reporters and TV satellite crews, as a dozen police officers stood guard. No press were allowed into the court.

The couple told the investigative magistrate the girl's biological mother gave the little girl to them as a baby because she could not look after her.

They deny charges of abduction and procuring false documents relating to the girl's birth certificate.

One of their lawyers, Constantinos Katsavos, told reporters outside court: "It was an adoption that was not exactly legal but took place with the mother's consent." 

The pair were taken by police van into the back of the courthouse

The court will decide whether the pair will be kept in custody pending trial or released on bail.

The mystery girl, known as Maria, was discovered living in a Gypsy camp near the Greek town of Farsala on Wednesday after a raid by police looking for drugs and weapons.

British police say there is no link between her case of and that of missing boy Ben Needham, who was 21 months old when he vanished on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

A prosecutor who accompanied police on the raid thought it odd that Maria did not look like her darker-skinned "parents".

DNA tests later confirmed the couple are not her biological parents.

The couple are appearing at a court in Larissa

The pair claim they were given the child by a Bulgarian woman who was unable to look after her, two weeks after she was born on January 31, 2009.

Greek authorities have put out a worldwide appeal to help identify the youngster and find her real family.

Maria, who utters just a few words in Greek and Roma dialect, is being cared for in Athens by the Greek charity Smile Of The Child and is said to be "doing well".

Charity spokesman Panagiotis Pardalis told Sky News that Maria is still in hospital and waiting for medical examinations to be completed.

"She is talking to hospital staff and seems happy, and is playing with staff and showing normal child behaviour," he said.

Maria seen in a family video as a toddler

The Roma couple claim Maria is four years old, although medical and dental tests have confirmed she is a year or two older than that.

The little girl, dubbed the "blonde angel" by Greek media, will be transferred to one of the charity's homes when she leaves hospital.

The charity has been inundated with more than 8,000 calls about the girl from around the world, including from people in the US, Scandinavia, Australia and South Africa.

Some of the calls had specific details and have been forwarded to police.

Neighbours in Farsala's ramshackle Roma camp said Maria's real father had come to look for her soon after she was taken away by police.

Maria was found in a Roma camp in Farsala

Babis Dimitriou, chairman of the local Roma community, told The Daily Telegraph: "There was a Bulgarian husband and wife who were working around Greece in temporary jobs, who used to stay here sometimes.

"At one point they left the girl to be raised by the family here in the village.

"The family raised the child as if it was their own, although her father would come back every now and then to see her. The last time he visited was only five days ago, after the arrests had been made.

"All the other Roma here were telling the Bulgarian man to explain to the police that the girl was his, but he has now disappeared."

His account was backed by other residents, the paper reported.

The Roma community in Farsala is said to be anxious about the worldwide media attention the case is attracting.

In a country already devastated by economic crisis, the Roma in the camp make a living selling fruit, carpets, blankets, baskets and shoes at local markets.

They are already considered by some to be social outcasts, thieves and beggars, and they are now worried they will be stigmatised as kidnappers and child traffickers.

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Graham Buck Murder: Man Jailed For Life

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

A man has been jailed for life after he admitted murdering a Good Samaritan who had gone to the aid of his neighbour – a convicted paedophile – during a robbery.

Ian McLoughlin, 55, was ordered to serve a minimum of 40 years for the murder of pensioner Graham Buck, 66, in Hertfordshire in July.

Mr Justice Sweeney said he was barred from passing a whole life term because of a European judgement that deemed such sentences a breach of human rights.

"However, even for a man of 55 years of age, the minimum term of years must be a very long one indeed."

Speaking outside court, Mr Buck's wife Karen said she was pleased with the sentence but "at the end of the day it does not change anything".

"Graham's death has left a massive hole in many people's lives and he will be missed but not forgotten," she said.

In court Mr Justice Sweeney read part of her victim impact statement:

"His family, friends and I will never be able to make sense of what happened. There was no justifiable reason and we will be left with that thought, and of his pain and suffering, for the rest of our lives," the statement read.

"I'll never forget the feeling of shock and numbness when I was told he'd been killed."

She said telling her daughter news of the death was "the worst act I have ever had to carry out in my entire life".

McLoughlin had been released from a murder sentence and went straight to visit an elderly man who he had met earlier in prison.

The court heard how McLoughlin had intended to steal money from Francis Cory-Wright, who was jailed for 30 months for indecently assaulting a 10-year old boy in the 1970s.

He tied the 86-year-old up in his home in the village of Little Gaddesden, near Berkhamsted.

During the violent struggle, Cory-Wright called out for help. His neighbour Mr Buck tried to intervene but was met on the driveway by McLoughlin who stabbed him.

Another neighbour described how Mr Buck's throat had been slashed "wide open" in the attack.

He died on his front lawn, with his pet dog sitting beside him.

The killer then went on the run hiding in London before being arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police in Tottenham.

He later told officers he intended to hurt Cory Wright but he regretted his attack on Mr Buck.

He said: "I'm not sorry for what I did to the nonce, but I'm sorry for what I did to the pensioner."

McLoughlin was on day release from prison where he was serving a life term for the murder of Brighton barman Peter Halls, whom he stabbed multiple times in 1992.

He had previously been jailed for the manslaughter of Len Delgatty, 49, in 1984, whom he hit over the head with a hammer after a row, before leaving his body in a cupboard.

Mr Buck's family said that shortly before the murder he had travelled to Poland to see relatives and to meet his newborn granddaughter.

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Mosque Blasts: Ukrainian Student Pleads Guilty

By Correspondent David Crabtree

A Ukrainian man has pleaded guilty to murdering a Muslim pensioner and plotting to carry out a string of explosions near mosques.

Pavlo Lapshyn, a postgraduate student from Dnipropetrovsk, appeared at the Old Bailey charged with the murder of 82-year-old grandfather Mohammed Saleem as he walked home from a mosque in Birmingham in April.

He also admitted causing an explosion on July 12 near the Kanzal Iman mosque in Tipton, and engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between April 24 and July 18 this year.

This included planting bombs near mosques in Walsall and Wolverhampton, researching locations to plant bombs and buying chemicals on the internet to make explosives.

The site of the murder and explosions

Lapshyn, who arrived in the country only five days before the killing, later told police: "I have a racial hatred, so I have a motivation, a racial motivation and racial hatred."

The 25-year-old will be sentenced on Friday.

The Ukrainian was in the UK on a sponsored work placement at a software firm in the Small Heath area of Birmingham when he was arrested on suspicion of Mr Saleem's murder nearby on July 20.

The father-of-seven was stabbed three times yards from his house on April 29, prompting an outpouring of grief from the community.

Nails found at the site of the Tipton blast (Pic: West Midlands Police)

While Lapshyn remained at large, he plotted the planting of devices near three mosques. With each attack the homemade bombs, with timing devices, became ever more powerful.

In the attack on the mosque in Tipton, Lapshyn loaded the device with nails. Luckily no one was injured.

The bomb exploded at 1pm, the time worshippers would normally be at Friday prayers. Because of Ramadan the prayers were put back to 2pm and police said this may have saved a lot of people from death or serious injury. 

No one was injured by any of the explosions.

Lapshyn has been described as a "lone actor" with no apparent affiliation to any extreme right wing groups.

The self-radicalised racist believed that a series of explosion would spread more panic and fear. 

In police interviews he said: "I would like to increase racial conflict….because they are not white and I am white."

Police trawled through thousands of hours of CCTV to track Lapshyn's movements.

When he was arrested, bomb-making equipment, including chemicals components from mobile phones were found at his flat.

Detective Superintendent Edwards said: "The words of the interviewing officers were calm, calculated and committed.

"He is a man with hatred of non-white people, coupled together with his skills in relation to creating bombs and actually being in the country for five days and to murder someone.

"From his premises he had other devices, other components of devices. He could have carried on with his campaign. If it wasn't for that intervention at the time he was arrested, this could have been much worse."

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Mystery Blonde Girl: Eight 'Promising' Leads

A charity looking after a young girl who was found living with a Roma family in Greece say they have eight "promising" leads in relation to her case.

Authorities have put out a worldwide appeal to help identify the four-year-old-child - known as 'Maria' - and find her real family.

The youngster was discovered living in squalid conditions in a Roma camp near the town of Farsala on Wednesday after a raid by police looking for drugs and weapons.

The girl is being looked after by The Smile of the Child charity

It is thought she may have been trafficked or abducted.

The Smile Of The Child charity told Sky News it had received more than 5,000 calls from Greece and abroad, and thousands of emails from the United States, Europe and Australia.

It said of the eight "promising" calls, four were from the US, and one each from Sweden, France, Canada and Poland, and the organisation was passing the information to police.

A Roma woman walks next to the house where the girl lived

Charity spokesman Panos Pardalis Dresios said the girl, who is in hospital, was playing with her toys and "feeling much better".

He added: "What we're trying to do is for the kid to be calmed down and to play, and the experts will be the ones who will decide how they're going to deal with this."

Maria was found with people who were pretending to be her parents, but DNA tests later proved they were not.

The couple, a 39-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman, were arrested and charged with abducting a minor.

Kostas said the child was very loved

But a man calling himself Kostas, the brother of the 39-year-old male, said Maria was very loved and cared for.

"We got this girl in a very nice way. We raised her. We got her. She was given to us and we raised her," he said.

"She had problems with her eyes. We took her to the doctor, we took her everywhere. We didn't take her to sell her. We loved her so much, with so much passion."

Members of the Roma community where the girl was found living

Giorgos Tsakiris, the general secretary of the Roma association in Farsala, said the girl had a good life with the people who were raising her.

He said: "I can tell you better than her other siblings, the biological ones. She spent her days very well and that is why the little girl loves them and what they say about abductions is not true."

After police raided the camp, an officer became suspicious when he noticed Maria bore no likeness to her supposed family.

A poster released in the search for Maria's real parents

Further investigations into the couple raised even more suspicions.

Authorities allege the mother claimed to have given birth to six children in less than 10 months, while 10 of the 14 children the couple registered as their own are unaccounted for.

Maria's discovery has given hope to the family of Ben Needham, a British boy who disappeared from outside his grandparent's farmhouse on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

Ben Needham disappeared in Greece

The news of Maria being found has also buoyed the hopes of missing Madeleine McCann's parents.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for Kate and Gerry McCann, said: "They have always maintained that until there is evidence to prove otherwise missing children can still be out there waiting to be found."

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Syria: Suicide Truck Bombing 'Kills 30'

A suicide bomber driving a truck packed with 1.5 tons of explosives has killed at least 30 people in Hama, Syrian state media reported.

The attacker blew himself up inside the vehicle at a government checkpoint on the edge of the city, the Sana agency said.

The explosion appeared to have set a nearby fuel truck on fire, increasing the damage and casualties, it added.

Sana blamed the assault on "terrorists", the term it uses to describe rebel forces trying to topple President Bashar al Assad.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al Nusra, or al Nusra Front, carried out the attack.

Several vehicles were wrecked in the attack

Meanwhile, a key international conference aimed at ending the civil war will be held in Geneva on November 23 and 24, according to Arab League chief Nabil el Araby.

The announcement came after talks with the Arab League-UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi.

The proposed conference will attempt to get Syria's rival sides to agree on a transitional government based on a plan adopted in the Swiss city in June 2012.

Syria's conflict has left over 100,000 people dead and forced two million to seek refuge abroad.

Debris and a destroyed vehicle at the scene

The fractured and squabbling opposition movement has criticised the conference plan, saying they were not consulted.

They said they could not accept any negotiations that allowed Mr Assad to remain as head of state in any transitional period.

The main Western-backed opposition umbrella group, the Syrian National Coalition, is scheduled to hold a meeting on November 1 to decide whether or not to attend the conference.

One of the most prominent factions within the coalition, the Syrian National Council, has publicly opposed taking part in peace talks with the regime.

Medical teams pictured carrying out their work

In the early months of the uprising that started in March 2011, Hama saw some of the largest demonstrations against his rule.

But in the summer of that year, security forces stormed the city, killing scores of people.

They have held a tight grip on the city ever since.

While several other Syrian cities have been engulfed by fighting, Hama has seen only sporadic violence in recent months.

However, the surrounding province has seen some major clashes between troops and rebels.

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Nick Clegg: No 'Coalition Crisis' Over Schools

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has defended his views on free schools saying it's "not a great coalition crisis" but rather a difference of opinion.

Mr Clegg is expected to dramatically disown key parts of the coalition's education policy in a speech at a London school this week.

He insists that free schools and academies should have teachers who are all qualified and that the national curriculum should be taught in every school.

Speaking to Sky News, he said the Liberal Democrat view was to retain freedom, autonomy and innovation for schools but ensure the "basic building blocks of an education" were provided. 

He said the party's view on education was hardly a "state secret" but it puts him distinctly at odds with David Cameron and Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Mr Clegg said: "Of course there are tensions and pinch points, we are not identical parties.

"No one should be surprised about this and it's not a political crisis when some of those differences are articulated in public."

Mr Clegg maintains he is a supporter of free schools but wants to strike a "sensible balance" between Labour and the Conservatives.

He said: "Yes, give schools more freedom and autonomy but also give parents the reassurance that their children … are taught by qualified teachers to the same standard as any other school in the rest of the country."

He said that while Labour wanted to "strangle" school autonomy and micro-manage everything in the classroom, the Conservatives appeared not to want any "basic standards".

In response to Mr Clegg's comments, the Department for Education (DfE) said free schools were raising education standards and giving parents greater choice.

A spokesman said: "They are run by teachers - not local bureaucrats or Westminster politicians - and are free to set their own curriculum, decide how they spend their money and employ who they think are the best people for the job."

The spokesman said free schools were able to hire "brilliant people" even if they had not attained qualified teacher status (QTS).

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats former minister in the Home Office, Jeremy Browne, said free schools were a liberal policy that the party should support.

The Taunton Deane MP said: "Well I support free schools. I think free schools are a small "L" liberal policy."

But Lord Browne, who was axed from his job as Home Office Minister by Mr Clegg in the reshuffle on October 7, said it would be "a mistake" for the party to shift to the left.

"I think we should be on the liberal centre ground," he told BBC's Sunday Politics.

Mr Clegg denies the new stance is an attempt to cosy up to Labour, calling the suggestion "complete and utter nonsense".

He also played down suggestions of a rift with fellow Liberal Democrat and schools minister David Laws, who last week defended the performance of unqualified teachers.

He said: "David Laws is right that that is the policy of the Department for Education. He is quite right in stating that is the present approach."

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Tornado Lifts Off Roofs At Seaside Resort

A small tornado wreaked havoc across a seaside resort, bringing trees down on cars and lifting the roof covering off of houses and huts.

More than 100 homes in Hayling Island are said to have been damaged after the winds ripped through the coastal community around 7.30am on Sunday.

A Havant Council spokesman said the twister is believed to have caused damage to properties in Blackthorn Road and Ilex Walk.

Cheryl Hart, who lives in the area, told The Portsmouth News the tornado sounded like "a freight train hurtling along the road".

She said: "It woke me up. You could hear it coming. It sounded like a freight train coming up the road.

A roof is lifted off a beach hut on Hayling Island. Pic: Solent News

"You could actually see it. It's difficult to describe but it was like a big grey wall. I didn't see any rubbish or debris in it - just a big grey wall of wind.

"We have just got a bit of damage to our garden but other homes have been hit.

"One has a kayak that has been blown into the garden. No-one knows where it has come from."

No injuries were reported but several trees were blown down and tiles were ripped off the roofs of several houses.

Nearby, several outhouses and beach huts lost their roofs to the wind and some walls were blown over.

A tree is brought down on Hayling Island. Pic: Solent News

Several cars are also believed to have been damaged by fallen trees and broken fences.

One couple reported that their shed was destroyed and their caravan had been smashed into a tree.

The spokesman for Havant Council said: "Emergency services are at the scene and Havant Borough Council (HBC) is working with Hampshire County Council Highways to clean up the debris.

"HBC building control officers are assessing the damage to the affected properties and more will be known once inspections have been carried out."

Paul Knightley, forecast manager for Meteogroup, said: "The conditions were favourable for a tornado; there is an unstable atmosphere, it is fairly warm for this time of year and there is a lot of moisture in the air."

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