UKIP Defection Timed For Maximum Damage

Conservative MP Mark Reckless Defects To UKIP

Updated: 4:55pm UK, Saturday 27 September 2014

The Conservative MP for Rochester and Strood, Mark Reckless, has announced he is defecting to UKIP.

The Tory backbencher made the announcement to rapturous applause from delegates at the UKIP party conference in Doncaster.

He said he would resign his seat in Parliament, triggering a by-election in which he intended to stand for the party. 

"We all know the problem of British politics. People feel disconnected from Westminster," he said.

"But disconnected is too mild a word. People feel ignored, taken for granted, overtaxed, over regulated, ripped off and lied to."

He said he promised voters in the last election that he could cut immigration, cut the deficit, decentralise power, have a more open and accountable politics and "above all to help get our country out of the European Union".

He said those were promises he could not keep as a Conservative, but could as a member of UKIP.

The surprise announcement, on the eve of the Conservative party conference, is the second Tory defection in recent weeks.

Clacton MP Douglas Carswell said he will contest his seat for UKIP in a by-election on October 9. 

Shortly after his speech Mr Reckless told Sky News he wanted a "straight in-out referendum" on Europe, which he doesn't think the Conservative Party will deliver.

He said the Prime Minister is offering a vote on EU membership on "rigged terms," based on a "bogus re-negotiation followed by a loaded referendum".

"The more UKIP MPs there are, the better the chance of our getting a fair, straight referendum where we have the best possible chance of restoring our nation's independence," he said.

He would not be drawn on whether other Conservative MPs are planning to follow suit and defect.

Conservative sources have told Sky News they are surprised by the announcement given that, just a month ago, Mark Reckless said another defection would put an EU referendum at risk.

A Conservative spokesman said: "Mark Reckless' decision to join UKIP is completely illogical.

"He says he wants action on a European referendum, tax and immigration. The only party capable of delivering on these issues is the Conservative Party - and a vote for UKIP is a vote for (Labour leader) Ed Miliband."

But a gleeful Nigel Farage said he believed people "rather like the odd surprise."

"I'm delighted," the UKIP leader said. 

"We've got some significant political figures joining UKIP because they see us as being the agents for change."

Michael Dugher MP, Labour's Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, has said the latest defection will come as a "hammer blow" to David Cameron.

"On the eve of his conference we again see that Conservatives' confidence in Cameron is plummeting. David Cameron has always pandered to his right, and even they are now deserting him.

"This also underlines that UKIP are a party of Tory people, Tory policies and Tory money.

"It is clearer than ever that only Labour has a plan to make everyday working people across the country better off."

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Conservative MP Mark Reckless Defects To UKIP

UKIP Steps Up Bid To Build Four-Party Politics

Updated: 9:45am UK, Saturday 27 September 2014

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Nigel Farage and UKIP are attempting to step up from a party of protest to genuine contenders in four-party politics.

After the European elections in May, they could legitimately claim to have done that, having topped the poll with 27.5% of the vote.

It was the first time since the 1906 general election that any party other than Labour or the Conservatives had come top in a national poll.

Now UKIP is bidding to win its first seat in a parliamentary election, when Douglas Carswell attempts to hold his Clacton seat in a by-election on 9 October triggered by his shock defection from the Conservatives. UKIP is also challenging Labour in another by-election on the same day in Heywood & Middleton.

But while Mr Carswell stands a good chance of turning his 12,068 Tory majority in 2010 into a comfortable win for his new party in Clacton, realistically UKIP will win no more than a handful of seats at next year's general election.

The party had hoped its conference this weekend would be a springboard to victory in the two by-elections next month and then a major breakthrough in next year's general election.

But suddenly, Parliament has been recalled to debate going to war and, with no MPs, UKIP has no influence on that decision and its conference is in danger of looking like a sideshow.

It was all very different after the European elections, UKIP's 27.5% of the vote gave the party 23 MEPs. Labour was second with 25.4% and 18 MEPs and the Conservatives third with 23.94% and also 18 MEPs.

The Greens polled 7.87% with three MEPs, while the Liberal Democrats slumped to 6.87%, winning just one MEP. On that showing, it wasn't so much four-party politics as three, with UKIP replacing the Lib Dems as the third party.

But that was the European elections. Parliamentary by-elections are different and the general election different again. Making a breakthrough is harder, as UKIP has already found.

UKIP's task has been made harder by the fact that many of the 18 by-elections since the 2010 general election have been in fairly safe Labour seats. And while UKIP has come second in five, Labour has held them all comfortably, with one spectacular exception.

But in Bradford West, Labour's shock defeat wasn't at the hands of a flamboyant beer-drinking party leader, but an equally flamboyant teetotal firebrand, George Galloway, who stormed to victory by 10,000 votes.

UKIP came second in Barnsley Central, Middlesbrough, Rotherham, South Shields, and Wythenshaw & Sale East.

It came third in Corby and Croydon North, but fourth in Oldham East & Saddleworth, Leicester South, Feltham & Heston and Manchester Central and fifth in Bradford West and Cardiff South & Penarth.

By far UKIP's best result was in Eastleigh, where in the seat previously held by the disgraced Cabinet minister Chris Huhne, Mr Farage's party fell just 1,771 votes short of defeating the Lib Dems.

While UKIP's Diane James was a strong candidate, Mr Farage faced claims that if he had stood he might have won. Not so, he insisted.

In the most recent by-election, in Newark, a monumental Tory effort saw the Conservatives see off the UKIP threat with a comfortable majority of nearly 7,500.

Now the UKIP leader has opted to fight Thanet South, where the Tory majority is 7,617 and a one-term Tory MP, Laura Sandys, is standing down at the general election. Mr Farage is tipped to win. But how many seats will his party win in 2015?

That may depend on whether any more Conservative MPs follow Mr Carswell into the arms of UKIP. And that could depend on how well he does in his by-election next month. Another question: will Mr Carswell hold Clacton in the general election?

Provocatively, UKIP is holding its party conference at Doncaster racecourse, in Ed Miliband's constituency. Mr Farage claims his party takes votes off Labour and Conservatives in equal numbers.

But the evidence of the by-elections so far in this Parliament suggests UKIP will damage the Conservatives more in the general election, handing victory to Labour in some marginals and merely eating into Labour's majority in its safe seats.

The European elections may have given us four-party politics. But unless UKIP springs a surprise and wins more than a handful of seats at Westminster, we won't see four-party politics after the general election.

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Iraq: British Jets Return From Combat Mission

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

British jets armed with missiles have returned from northern Iraq, following their maiden combat mission with authorisation to conduct airstrikes.

The two Tornado GR4 fighter jets - armed with missiles for the first time - took off from RAF Akrotiri at 8.30am this morning.

They were being supported by a Voyager refuelling aircraft also based on the island.

The Tornados were carrying Brimstone and Paveway missiles on board and had authorisation to fire them if they encountered Islamic State (IS) militants.

It is unclear whether any targets on the ground were attacked during the seven-hour mission.

The pilots - one male, one female - were flying over Iraq according to the tasking given to them by US Central Command.

A member of the aircrew prepares to depart on the first mission. Pic: MOD

It is thought to have been a dynamic close air support mission, hitting targets if and when they reveal themselves.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "We can confirm that following Parliamentary approval given yesterday, Royal Air Force Tornados continue to fly over Iraq and are now ready to be used in an attack role as and when appropriate targets are identified.

"For operational security reasons we will not be providing a running commentary on movements; we will provide an update on activity when it is appropriate to do so."

The Tornados are being supported by a Voyager refuelling aircraft

It comes after MPs overwhelmingly backed action in a vote in the House of Commons on Friday.

Parliament gave approval by 524 votes to 43 (a majority of 481) for Britain to join the US-led coalition in the Middle East.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said Britain is ready to play its part in dealing with IS.

He said: "We are one part of a large international coalition. But the crucial part of that coalition is that it is led by the Iraqi government, the legitimate government of Iraq, and its security forces.

"We are there to play our part and help deal with this appalling terrorist organisation."

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told Sky News that Britain would select targets "in accordance with the American and international effort that's going on in Iraq".

He added: "There's fighting around these towns - we have to fit in to the day-to-day fighting and see where we can help best."

An RAF pilot at the base on Saturday morning

Meanwhile, Iraq's deputy prime minister has said Islamic State "is not just the problem of Iraq. It is the problem of all countries".

The planes have been at RAF Akrotiri for the past six weeks carrying out surveillance missions over the Middle East.

The US has been carrying out airstrikes in northern Iraq since August and France joined the mission last week.

Overnight, the US continued to hit suspected IS positions in Syria for a fifth consecutive day of attacks.

The Pentagon said the raids had disrupted lucrative oil-pumping operations that have helped fund IS militants, but that a final victory would need an on-the-ground campaign.

:: Watch full coverage on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202 and Freeview 132.

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Britain's Role In Fight Against IS Explained

Codenamed Operation Shader, the British military action now under way sees UK warplanes swap their surveillance role in Iraq for combat missions.

There are six Tornado GR4s based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and on missions they will be armed with Paveway and Brimstone missiles capable of hitting moving targets.

Having carried out reconnaissance missions over Iraq for the last six weeks, the pilots know the terrain well.

The combat operation is directed out of Qatar from the Al Udeid airbase - shared by both the British and US.

The man heading the RAF mission is Air commodore Al Gillespie, but it is the US directing the growing coalition air operation in Iraq, which also includes Australia, Denmark, and France.

Former RAF navigator John Nichol, who flew in the 1991 Gulf War, told Sky News: "The Americans will be telling each different nation what the target list is, where to patrol, what sort of weapons might be needed, and then they will be launched into the air."

While the Tornado aircraft is 40 years old, Mr Nichol said: "It's been hugely updated. The big updates are the weapons systems.

"When I was flying it was very much what I would call 'dumb bombs'. The weapons that this GR4 deploys are all precision-guided, very, very accurate munitions."

The planes take around two hours to reach northern Iraq from Cyprus

While the planes are capable of flying quicker than the speed of sound, on patrol the planes would travel at around 300-400mph to conserve fuel.

The Tornados fly in pairs and take around two hours to reach northern Iraq from Cyprus.

The two-man crews can be on board for up to eight hours in the cramped cockpits.

The on-board technology allows them to operate at low level, day or night and in poor weather.

During the recent reconnaissance missions the jets often refuelled in mid-air by connecting to fuel lines from an RAF Voyager plane - like "trying to refuel your car on the motorway at night, at 600mph, when the petrol station is doing 600mph", according to Mr Nichol.

The Tornado planes will be armed with precision-guided weapons

The crews are highly skilled and normally very experienced, who have flown many times over Iraq in previous deployments.

Mr Nichol said: "These are young men and women. They are trained to do a job. They want to do the job.

"I compare it to a firefighter. You never want to see anyone's house burning down but its your job to put those flames out and that's what they are getting a chance to do.

"Some of them are battle-hardened veterans, but you have the younger members there as well.

"There's an excitement about what you are going to go and do but a reality and a knowledge of what the cost could be as well."

In the absence of IS command and control centres, he believed  the air crews would be looking at the ground in "real time" for targets.

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Man Beheads Woman At Food-Processing Plant

A man has beheaded a woman at a food-processing plant in Oklahoma, police have confirmed.

Police said the suspect, who was "angry" after just being fired, launched into the knife attack at a food-processing plant in Moore on Thursday afternoon.

Alton Nolen Pic: Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Alton Nolen, 30, decapitated one woman before he was shot by another employee at Vaughan Foods while actively stabbing a second woman.

The man who shot Nolen was an off-duty reserve police officer, Mark Vaughn, who was chief operating officer at the business.

Moore Police spokesman Jeremy Lewis said the suspect "recently started trying to convert some of his co-workers to the Muslim faith".

However, it is not clear if his beliefs played any role in the attack. The FBI is also investigating the incident.

Authorities say it appears Nolen attacked the workers at random.

Police said the attack began when Nolen went to the car park and drove his vehicle to the front of the warehouse where he hit another car. 

He then walked through the main entrance and began his rampage.

The first victim was identified as 54-year-old Colleen Hufford.

Mr Lewis told Friday morning's press conference: "He did kill Colleen and he did sever her head."

The scene outside the plant in the aftermath of the attack

Nolen and the second victim, 43-year-old Traci Johnson, are both in a stable condition in hospital, said police.

Mr Lewis said Mr Vaughn was a "hero" for shooting Nolen.

"It could have gotten a lot worse," he added. "This guy (Nolen) was definitely not going to stop."

There were said to be several hundred employees inside the warehouse at the time of the attack.

According to the state department of corrections, Nolen was convicted in 2011 of marijuana possession, intent to distribute cocaine, escape from detention and assault on a police officer.

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Iraq Airstrikes: MPs Start Debating IS Raids

The Prime Minister has urged MPs to back airstrikes in Iraq - saying Islamic State (IS) fighters are "psychopathic terrorists trying to kill us".

David Cameron, trying to rally support among MPs at Westminster for bombing raids against the Islamist extremists, said IS had "already declared war on us".

He told the Commons debate that Islamic militants "have already murdered one British hostage" and are "threatening the lives of two more".

Mr Cameron described IS, which has invaded large areas of Syria and Iraq, as "a terrorist organisation unlike those we have dealt with before".

He said: "The brutality is staggering - beheadings, crucifixions, the gouging out of eyes, the use of rape as a weapon, the slaughter of children. All of these things belong to the dark ages.

"This is not a threat on the far side of the world. Left unchecked we will face a terrorist caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a NATO member with a declared and a proven determination to attack our country and our people."

The PM said the shadow of the 2003 decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq "hangs heavy" over the vote, but told MPs: "We must not use past mistakes as an excuse for indifference or inaction."

Britain has six Tornado GR4 fighter bombers in Cyprus ready to strike northern Iraq, a figure which Cabinet minister Kenneth Clarke said would make the UK's military contribution "almost symbolic".

The US has carried out over 200 air raids against IS in Iraq and Syria

Labour leader Ed Miliband said he understood the deep unease about taking military action, but said the UK could not stand by in the face of the threat from IS, also known as ISIL.

"ISIL is not simply a murderous organisation; it has ambitions for a state of its own - a caliphate across the Middle East, run according to their horrific norms and values," he said.

But in a typically firebrand intervention, outspoken Respect MP George Galloway said bombing would not work, and stressed the need to strengthen ground forces in the region.

He said: "ISIL is a death cult, it's a gang of terrorist murderers. It's not an army and it's certainly not an army that's going to be destroyed by aerial bombardment."

IS militants have been branded 'psychopathic terrorists' by the PM

Former Tory Defence Secretary Liam Fox said planned airstrikes do not go far enough by not including Syria, while ex-Labour cabinet minister Hazel Blears described Government proposals for action as "minimalist".

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, backed UK airstrikes, telling the House of Lords: "The action proposed today is right."

But he warned "we must not rely on a short-term solution" and a wider effort was needed to turn extremists away from the "evil of ISIL".

On Thursday, the Cabinet unanimously backed military action against IS, which could last up to three years.

Dragana Prodanovic Haines, the widow of UK aid worker David Haines, who was beheaded by his IS captors, told Sky News she backed UK airstrikes "limited to distinctive targets".

Former Cabinet Minister Clare Short criticised the planned bombing, saying it was "more likely we'll get bombs on the streets of London, and not less likely".

She said the UK should stop being an "American poodle", saying airstrikes would not solve the Middle East crisis and will lead to more people joining IS.

Operations could begin within hours of Friday's Commons vote, which is due at around 5pm.

The PM is desperate to avoid the embarrassment of the Commons defeat on Syria airstrikes last year, and tabled a cautiously-worded motion intended to win support from all parties for action in Iraq.

Mr Cameron went into the debate with an opinion poll suggesting voters strongly back Iraq airstrikes, but would also support attacks against Syria.

Meanwhile, Denmark announced it was sending seven F-16 planes to join the US-led coalition against IS.

Shortly before the debate, Home Secretary Theresa May announced the under-fire Passport Office will be brought into the Home Office and made directly accountable to ministers - a move that led to accusations of her trying to "bury bad news".

:: Watch the Commons debate on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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UKIP Tanks On Labour's Lawn, Says Farage

UKIP Steps Up Bid To Build Four-Party Politics

Updated: 7:29am UK, Friday 26 September 2014

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Nigel Farage and UKIP are attempting to step up from a party of protest to genuine contenders in four-party politics.

After the European elections in May, they could legitimately claim to have done that, having topped the poll with 27.5% of the vote.

It was the first time since the 1906 general election that any party other than Labour or the Conservatives had come top in a national poll.

Now UKIP is bidding to win its first seat in a parliamentary election, when Douglas Carswell attempts to hold his Clacton seat in a by-election on 9 October triggered by his shock defection from the Conservatives. UKIP is also challenging Labour in another by-election on the same day in Heywood & Middleton.

But while Mr Carswell stands a good chance of turning his 12,068 Tory majority in 2010 into a comfortable win for his new party in Clacton, realistically UKIP will win no more than a handful of seats at next year's general election.

The party had hoped its conference this weekend would be a springboard to victory in the two by-elections next month and then a major breakthrough in next year's general election.

But suddenly, Parliament has been recalled to debate going to war and, with no MPs, UKIP has no influence on that decision and its conference is in danger of looking like a sideshow.

It was all very different after the European elections, UKIP's 27.5% of the vote gave the party 23 MEPs. Labour was second with 25.4% and 18 MEPs and the Conservatives third with 23.94% and also 18 MEPs.

The Greens polled 7.87% with three MEPs, while the Liberal Democrats slumped to 6.87%, winning just one MEP. On that showing, it wasn't so much four-party politics as three, with UKIP replacing the Lib Dems as the third party.

But that was the European elections. Parliamentary by-elections are different and the general election different again. Making a breakthrough is harder, as UKIP has already found.

UKIP's task has been made harder by the fact that many of the 18 by-elections since the 2010 general election have been in fairly safe Labour seats. And while UKIP has come second in five, Labour has held them all comfortably, with one spectacular exception.

But in Bradford West, Labour's shock defeat wasn't at the hands of a flamboyant beer-drinking party leader, but an equally flamboyant teetotal firebrand, George Galloway, who stormed to victory by 10,000 votes.

UKIP came second in Barnsley Central, Middlesbrough, Rotherham, South Shields, and Wythenshaw & Sale East.

It came third in Corby and Croydon North, but fourth in Oldham East & Saddleworth, Leicester South, Feltham & Heston and Manchester Central and fifth in Bradford West and Cardiff South & Penarth.

By far UKIP's best result was in Eastleigh, where in the seat previously held by the disgraced Cabinet minister Chris Huhne, Mr Farage's party fell just 1,771 votes short of defeating the Lib Dems.

While UKIP's Diane James was a strong candidate, Mr Farage faced claims that if he had stood he might have won. Not so, he insisted.

In the most recent by-election, in Newark, a monumental Tory effort saw the Conservatives see off the UKIP threat with a comfortable majority of nearly 7,500.

Now the UKIP leader has opted to fight Thanet South, where the Tory majority is 7,617 and a one-term Tory MP, Laura Sandys, is standing down at the general election. Mr Farage is tipped to win. But how many seats will his party win in 2015?

That may depend on whether any more Conservative MPs follow Mr Carswell into the arms of UKIP. And that could depend on how well he does in his by-election next month. Another question: will Mr Carswell hold Clacton in the general election?

Provocatively, UKIP is holding its party conference at Doncaster racecourse, in Ed Miliband's constituency. Mr Farage claims his party takes votes off Labour and Conservatives in equal numbers.

But the evidence of the by-elections so far in this Parliament suggests UKIP will damage the Conservatives more in the general election, handing victory to Labour in some marginals and merely eating into Labour's majority in its safe seats.

The European elections may have given us four-party politics. But unless UKIP springs a surprise and wins more than a handful of seats at Westminster, we won't see four-party politics after the general election.

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DLT Sentenced For Groping TV Personality

Disgraced DJ Dave Lee Travis has left court after being given a three-month suspended sentence for indecently assaulting a TV personality.

Speaking to reporters outside, the former Radio 1 star said he was "mortified" and "really disappointed" over his conviction this week and criticised his prosecution.

He said the judge accepted that prosecutors had failed to prove their case that he was a "sexual predator".

Travis said: "I was worried if the prosecution threw enough mud at me, some of it might stick", adding it was "of little comfort that I was acquitted of so many others (alleged offences)".

He said of those people closest to him: "We all know the truth and I'm grateful for that."

Travis, who became a household name in the 1970s, was found guilty on Tuesday of indecently assaulting a woman in 1995.

He was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for two years.

Travis pictured with his wife Marianne

The incident took place behind the scenes at The Mrs Merton Show, a programme which the victim had been working on as a researcher.

The DJ had squeezed her breasts for 10-15 seconds after cornering her in a corridor of a BBC studio.

The victim had been smoking in the corridor when he commented on her "poor little lungs" before groping her.

Sentencing the 69-year-old man at London's Southwark Crown Court, Judge Leonard said: "It was an intentional and unpleasant sexual assault.

"You took advantage of a young woman in a vulnerable position whose job it was to look after you that day."

In the dock, Travis briefly looked down and then said: "Thank you, your honour".

Marianne, his wife of more than 40 years, hugged a friend in the public gallery after the judge delivered his sentence.

In a statement read out ahead of his sentencing, the victim said: "I was subjected to an unprovoked and terrifying physical assault at my place of work.

The DJ became a household name in the 1970s

"I was too paralysed with fear to confront my assailant."

Before sentencing, journalist Camilla Long said Travis had "bashed" on the dock glass and "screamed" at her to move from the seats behind him in the public gallery to the press seats, as she was making him "uncomfortable".

Ms Long, who in 2012 wrote an article in which she claimed Travis had groped her during an interview, told Sky News the incident in court on Friday was "incredibly intimidating".

This week, Travis was found not guilty on a second indecent assault charge and the jury was discharged after it was unable to agree a verdict on a count of sexual assault.

He faced a retrial after jurors failed to reach verdicts on those two charges earlier this year.

He was cleared of 12 counts of indecent assault at his original trial in February.

The broadcaster, of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was first arrested in October 2012 under Operation Yewtree, Scotland Yard's investigation into historic sexual abuse in the wake of allegations against the late DJ Jimmy Savile.

Judge Leonard said Travis' offence was of a "different order of magnitude" to other more serious convictions under Operation Yewtree.

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Iran: 'Blunders' By West Created Terror Threat

Cameron: 'We Must Tackle Islamic State Together'

Updated: 12:41pm UK, Thursday 25 September 2014

Islamic State has "murderous plans" to expand and carry out terrorist atrocities across the world, David Cameron has warned.

Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, the Prime Minister said the militant group's rapid advance could be tackled with help from Iran and an end to Bashar al Assad's regime in Syria.

Mr Cameron was speaking ahead of an emergency debate in Parliament on Friday where he is expected to win cross-party support for airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Iraq.

MPs will vote on whether RAF planes should join the US, France and five Arab states in bombing IS positions, possibly by the weekend.

The Cabinet is also meeting in London to discuss action against IS.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats pledged their support after a formal request for assistance from Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi put potential UK involvement on a legal footing.

The Prime Minister insisted Britain had learned from "past mistakes" in Afghanistan and Iraq, but they would not become an excuse for inaction.

"Isil (Islamic State) is not a problem restricted to just one region. It has murderous plans to expand its borders well beyond Iraq and Syria and to carry out terrorist atrocities right across the world," he said.

"It is recruiting new fighters from all over the world. Five hundred have gone there from Britain and one of them almost certainly brutally murdered two American journalists and a British aid worker.

"We should learn the lessons of the past. But we have to learn the right lessons. Yes to careful preparation; no to rushing to join a conflict without a clear plan.

"But we must not be so frozen with fear that we don't do anything at all."

The Prime Minister's proposals only include military action in Iraq and not Syria, however, the Government has indicated that could expand but would need to be put to another vote.

Speaking on his regular LBC radio programme the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "If we were to decide to take a fuller role on Iraq and Syria then we would go back to the vote."

However, he insisted there would not be boots on the ground.

When asked about the cost of the action Mr Clegg said: "There will be funds to contribute to this but we can't say how much at the moment." But he added: "It will not break the bank."

During an historic meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani earlier, Mr Cameron extended an invitation to Iran to join the fight against IS.

"We have severe disagreements," he said. "Iran's support for terrorist organisations, its nuclear programme, its treatment of its people; all these need to change.

"But Iran's leaders could help in defeating the threat from Isil. They could help secure a more stable, inclusive Iraq; and a more stable, inclusive Syria."

The Prime Minister added that an end to Bashar al Assad's regime in Syria was key to defeating the militant group.

"The failure to meet people's aspirations can create a breeding ground where extremist and even terrorist insurgency can take root," he said.

"In Syria, it must mean a political transition and an end to Assad's brutality. I know there are some who think that we should do a deal with Assad in order to defeat ISIL.

"But this view is dangerously misguided. Our enemies' enemy is not our friend. It is another enemy. Doing a deal with Assad will not defeat ISIL."

The PM was speaking as the US and an Arab alliance launched a fresh wave of airstrikes against strategic IS targets in Syria.

The attacks resulted in the death of a 19-year-old British insurgent from Brighton who was reportedly fighting alongside Islamist group Jabhat al Nusra against the Syrian regime.

In France, President Francois Hollande is holding an emergency meeting of his defence council following the "cowardly" beheading of French hostage Herve Gourdel in Algeria by IS-linked extremists.

French flags were set to be flown at half-mast after Mr Gourdel's murder and fighter jets carried out more airstrikes in Iraq on Thursday.

The Dutch Defence Ministry also said it was advising military personnel not to wear their uniforms on public transport over fears they could be targeted.

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9/11 Illness Kills Three Firemen On Same Day

Three retired firefighters who worked at Ground Zero have died on the same day from 9/11-related illnesses.

New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said the deaths are "a painful reminder that 13 years later we continue to pay a terrible price for the department's heroic efforts".

The FDNY lost 343 firefighters on September 11. File image

Lieutenant Howard Bischoff, Robert Leaver and Daniel Heglund died on Monday.

One had leukaemia, one had oesophageal cancer and a third had colon cancer.

They were among the hundreds of firefighters who rushed to Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks, attending to survivors as they battled the flames and smoke of Ground Zero.

The Fire Department of New York lost 343 firefighters on 9/11. In total, almost 3,000 people died in the attacks.

First responders showed health problems soon after the attacks, with 99% of exposed firefighters reporting at least one new respiratory illness.

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Parliament To Debate Military Strikes On Iraq

Airstrikes Could Happen Minutes After Vote

Updated: 2:41pm UK, Thursday 25 September 2014

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

In theory, British airstrikes on Iraq could start within minutes of parliamentary approval, should it be given, on Friday night.

Realistically, if RAF Tornados are given the order, they will be in the skies in the very early hours of Saturday morning, at the earliest.

They will deploy in pairs, taking off over Akrotiri Bay and climbing northeast over the Mediterranean and towards the Turkish coast.

The butterflies of anticipation will be churning away inside, they will be aware of the television cameras at the end of the runway, they will know that within a few hours, as dawn breaks, they will be headline news.

Hugging the Turkish border with Syria at 25,000 feet, the jets will meet an RAF Voyager refuelling aircraft en route, before dropping down into northern Iraq.

Flying at 400mph (643kph), they will reach the theatre of operations within a short time.

What happens next is a decision for US Centcom, which is co-ordinating the overall operation.

The jets might fit into a holding pattern to perform an "x-cas" role, the military acronym for "emergency close air support".

Because this isn't a traditional conflict against a rogue state, there will be fewer major installations to destroy.

The coalition wants to destroy Islamic State, they don't want to destroy Iraq. Instead it will be dynamic, hitting the rats as they pop their heads out of the ground.

The Tornados, one of the best ground-attack aircraft in the world, will be fully loaded with the equipment specific to the task they've been given.

A Litening III pod will be attached underneath. This gives the crew the ability to examine the immediate area and then laser-designate the target.

The final decision to fire will be down to the pilot himself.

The payload will probably be four Paveway bombs and two Brimstone missiles.

Paveways can be programmed by the crew to explode just before it hits the target, or on impact or with a small delay so it can bury into a building.

The Brimstone locks on to its target the moment it is fired. It is a "fire-and-forget" weapon, meaning that it can be used in all weathers and at distance from the target.

Designed especially for armoured vehicles or similar, a small warhead explodes first to soften up the armour before a larger warhead detonates creating more destruction.

For the British, this will be a twin-pronged operation: from sea and air. A Royal Naval submarine is also moving into position.

Her exact identity and location is top secret but she's most likely in the eastern Mediterranean.

She carries Tomahawk cruise missiles - TLAMS - which have a range of about 1,000 miles (1,600km).

Guided by GPS, these are effective against static objects: buildings, military installations, weapons dumps and oil refineries.

The submarine can also watch live images from a camera on the TLAM as it flies over the battlefield and strikes its target.

Job done, the crew will turn for home. Landing back in Cyprus, the news will just be breaking.

Within hours, footage recorded on board the aircraft will be released to the media to be broadcast and analysed on 24-hour news channels around the world.

As the crews eat some food and get some sleep, another team will be getting ready for their mission, ready to fly at a moment's notice. 

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Missing Alice Reconstruction Staged By Police

Police are staging a live reconstruction of the last-known movements of missing schoolgirl Alice Gross.

The 14-year-old was last seen on CCTV at 4.26pm on August 28 walking along the Grand Union Canal in west London back towards her home in Hanwell.

Scotland Yard hope the reconstruction, which began with her leaving her home at 1pm before walking along Brentford Lock, will help jog people's memories.

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, leading the hunt, told Sky News police were anxious to know what happened to Alice after 4.26pm that day.

Police have staged a reconstruction to try to jog people's memories

He said people may remember her distinctive "power walk" - very fast with swinging arms.

Around 600 officers from eight forces are involved in the investigation, making it the Metropolitan Police's biggest operation since the 7/7 bomb attacks in London in 2005.

Earlier, Alice's parents Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross told Sky News of their anguish as they made a plea for her safe return.

Ms Hodgkiss, who is a teacher, said: "The longer Alice has been missing the more worried and concerned that we feel and obviously the greater the anguish that we feel.

"We are looking forward to being back as a family again. The house feels very empty without her."

It is the biggest search by the Met since the 7/7 bomb attacks in London

She added: "Alice is a very lively, funny girl. She's quirky. We are really looking forward to the sound of her voice, seeing her smile, just her presence."

Mr Gross, 60, said of his daughter, a keen musician: "Her singing was a really big part of the sounds in our house."

Alice had suffered from anorexia, but Mr Gross said: "There's nothing specific we can think of that would have made her want to run away."

Her father also highlighted the "extraordinary" level of support they had received from the public, which had been "uplifting".

Yellow ribbons are in evidence all over the area of west London where the family live, along with posters highlighting the teenager's disappearance.

Alice's parents say the house feels empty without her

The prime suspect is 41-year-old builder Arnis Zalkalns - a convicted murderer who served seven years in a Latvian jail for killing his wife.

He was spotted on CCTV cycling along the same path as Alice on the day she vanished.

He has not been seen since September 3 and has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone.

Officers have been sent to his native Latvia to trace him.

A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads detectives to find Alice.

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IS Beheads French Hostage In Video - Reports

A video has been released that shows a French hostage being beheaded by a group linked to Islamic State, it is being reported.

Herve Gourdel, a 55-year-old hiker from the southern French city of Nice, was kidnapped on Sunday by Jund al Khilifa.

The group had given France a 24-hour deadline stop its airstrikes against IS in Iraq.

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Video: Man Reveals Lottery Win To Ecstatic Sons

Cheque Him Out: $425m Jackpot Winner Hides Face

Updated: 9:35am UK, Wednesday 02 April 2014

The sole winner of a $425m (£255m) Powerball jackpot has come forward to claim his prize after more than a month - but still did not show his face.

B Raymond Buxton, from California, accepted his prize - one of the largest Powerball jackpots in history - at the California Lottery headquarters in Sacramento.

In a photo taken after he claimed the money, Mr Buxton covered his face with an oversize cheque.

His t-shirt featured a picture of Yoda, the Star Wars character, and read, "Luck of the Jedi I have".

Mr Buxton is hoping to remain out of the limelight and hired a publicist to avoid speaking directly to the media.

He also will not reveal his age, address or what he did for a living until his very recent retirement.

"He really wants to live a private life as best he can," said his publicist, Sam Singer.

"He was a solidly middle-class American, and today he is a solidly wealthy one."

In a statement, Mr Buxton said he was shocked after hearing about the February 19 drawing.

After the winning numbers were announced, he sat in front of his computer in disbelief. He checked and double-checked his ticket and did not tell anybody.

"Sitting on a ticket of this value was very scary," he said in the statement.

"Once the initial shock passed, I couldn't sleep for days."

Since winning, he has been working with a lawyer and financial adviser to establish new bank accounts, set up a charity and sort out tax issues.

Mr Buxton bought the ticket at the Dixon Landing Chevron station in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Milpitas, about 10 miles (17km) north of San Jose.

He had been having lunch at a Subway restaurant inside the station when he decided to buy another ticket because the jackpot was so large, lottery officials said.

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MPs Sob At 'Keep Your Mitts Off My NHS' Speech

A 91-year-old Second World War veteran has upstaged Ed Miliband at the Labour Party conference with a passionate and tear-jerking speech on the health service.

Harry Smith moved audience members to tears as he made a passionate case for the NHS and warned David Cameron: "Keep your mitts off my NHS."

Mr Smith received a number of standing ovations as he detailed his life in a "barbarous, bleak and uncivilised" Barnsley slum where he listened to the screams of a woman dying of cancer because she could not afford the medicine to dull the pain.

Mr Miliband admits he forgot to mention the deficit

His eight-minute speech came after a poorly received 66-minute keynote by the Labour leader on Tuesday, which was roundly condemned after it emerged he forgot to mention the deficit.

Political pundits were hailing Mr Smith's speech as a lesson to Mr Miliband in delivery, saying he had managed to make a powerful case for the NHS in a way the leader had failed to.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham with Harry Smith

Steve Hawkes, deputy political editor, of the Sun, tweeted: "91 year-old Harry Smith shows Ed Miliband how to do it - rousing speech (from autocue) that gets delegates on their feet."

Another Twitter user, Robert Bennett, wrote: "Harry Smith 91 years didn't forget any of his speech."

Tears rolling down the cheek of one Labour delegate

While another, Mark Robinson, tweeted: "Such a contrast between Harry Smith's speech and Ed Miliband's."

Labour politicians, including the shadow health secretary Andy Burnham, wept openly as he described how his sister had to be buried in a paupers' pit after dying of tuberculosis at the age of 10.

He said the family watched as she faded away, unable to help because they "just didn't have the dosh to keep her comfortable".

Another conference member wipes her eyes

Mr Smith said that eventually she was sent to die in a workhouse infirmary because her mother could no longer care for her.

Mr Smith told the conference: "In my heart, I can still feel my mum and dad's desperation as they were trying to keep our family safe and healthy in the slum we called home.

"Common disease controlled our neighbourhood and snuffed out life like a cold breath on a warm candlelit flame."

He said he was born in 1923 to a life that was nothing like an episode of Downton Abbey, where hospitals and doctors were for the privileged few.

But he said while his heart was with the children of his generation who did not make it, it was also with the people of the present who were struggling because of welfare cuts and austerity measures.

He finished: "Today we must be vigilant. We must never ever let the NHS free from our grasp because if we do, your future will be my past.

"My life is your history and we should keep it that way.

"So say it loud and say in clear in this hall and across this country, Mr Cameron, keep your mitts off my NHS."

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Obama: We Must Dismantle 'Network Of Death'

US President Barack Obama has called on the world to join together to destroy the Islamic State terrorist group, which he branded a "network of death".

Speaking at the United Nations, he vowed to keep up the pressure on the militants, arguing that the only communication they understood was the "language of force".

His comments came as Prime Minister David Cameron prepared to recall Parliament on Friday to support UK airstrikes in Iraq.

The US President said IS must be 'degraded and destroyed'

Sky News understands that British military assets are being readied for attacks on IS.

President Obama said: "The cancer of violent extremism has ravaged so many parts of the Muslim world.

"In this century, we have faced a more lethal and ideological brand of terrorists, who have perverted one of the world's great religions.

"They have embraced a nightmarish vision that would divide the world into adherence and infidels, killing as many innocent civilians as possible.

"America will not base our entire foreign policy on reacting to terrorism.

"At the same time, we have reaffirmed that the US will never be at war with Islam. Islam teaches peace, Muslims the world over aspire to live with dignity and a sense of justice. When it comes to America and Islam, there is no 'us' and 'them' - there is only 'us'.

"We reject any suggestion of a clash of civilisations."

President Obama added: "Collectively, we must take concrete steps to address the dangers posed by religiously motivated fanatics, and the trends that fuel their recruitment."

More airstrikes have been carried out against IS targets by the US

He reiterated his demand that IS "must be degraded and destroyed".

"This group has terrorised all who they come across in Iraq and Syria. Innocent children have been gunned down. Religious minorities have been starved to death.

"No god condones this terror. No grievance justifies these actions.

"There can be no negotiation with this brand of evil. The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force.

"We do not intend to send US troops to occupy foreign lands. Instead, we will support Iraqis and Syrians fighting to reclaim their communities.

"We will train and equip forces fighting these terrorists on the ground.

"Already, over 40 nations have offered to join our coalition. Today I ask the world to join in this effort. Those who have joined ISIL should leave the battlefield while they can.

"Those who continue to fight for a hateful cause will find they are increasingly alone. We will demonstrate that the future belongs to those who build, not those who destroy. That is the first challenge we must meet."

It comes as the US military confirmed it had launched five more airstrikes targeting IS, including one in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border, two west of Baghdad and two southeast of Irbil.

The first US raids on IS targets in Syria were launched on Tuesday, supported by Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Among the areas hit was the IS stronghold of Raqqa where it is thought British aid worker Alan Henning is being held hostage by the group.

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Cameron: Queen 'Purred' Over Scottish Vote

David Cameron has been overheard describing how the Queen "purred" when he told her Scotland had voted No to independence.

Microphones picked up the Prime Minister telling former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg how Her Majesty reacted during their phone conversation on Friday morning.

He said: "The definition of relief is being the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and ringing the Queen and saying 'It's alright, it's okay'. That was something.

A newspaper headline in the lead up to the vote

"She purred down the line."

After a few seconds where the recording is not clear, Mr Cameron added: "But it should never have been that close.

"It wasn't in the end, but there was a time in the middle of the campaign when it felt…"

The next part of the conversation is inaudible before the Prime Minister, who is in New York for the UN general assembly, closed: "I've said I want to find these polling companies and I want to sue them for my stomach ulcers because of what they put me through.

"It was very nervous moments."

The conversation took place as Mr Cameron was being accompanied around the Bloomberg offices in front of TV cameras.

The Queen remained publicly impartial during the referendum campaign, but the Prime Minister's comments suggest she was relieved that Scots voted 55% to 45% in favour of retaining the Union.

Sky News Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison said Buckingham Palace would neither confirm nor deny whether the Queen purrs when she is happy.

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Dave Lee Travis Found Guilty Of Indecent Assault

Dave Lee Travis: The Fall Of A Familiar Face

Updated: 4:23pm UK, Tuesday 23 September 2014

By Ian Woods, Senior Correspondent

Dave Lee Travis fought accusations that he was a sex pest for two years, and was acquitted of most of the charges against him at an earlier trial.

But a second jury has now decided that he is guilty of indecent assault.

At the height of his career, Travis was one of the most familiar faces in Britain. He presented Top of the Pops and the Radio 1 Breakfast Show.

His real name is David Griffin, but his nickname was the "Hairy Cornflake". During his original trial he described himself as "a big hairy cuddly bear" who liked to hug friends and colleagues.

Travis admitted being tactile, but the women who testified against him claimed he went way beyond that, accusing him of groping them or worse.

When the DJ was arrested and questioned about allegations of indecent assault, the publicity prompted other women to come forward with stories of their encounters with him.

By the time he went on trial in February, he was facing 13 charges of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.

After a month-long trial, he was acquitted of all but two offences, which the jury could not reach a verdict on.

Much to Travis's anger, the Crown Prosecution Service decided on a retrial and added a new accusation from another complainant.  This time, he was convicted of a single count of indecent assault.

As the legal process dragged on, the DJ became more frustrated - and in July, he made a statement outside court, which at the time could not be broadcast for legal reasons.

He said: "In my estimation, the CPS has overcompensated for its failings with Savile and in doing so has taken away the human rights and the dignity of individuals by having the police arrest people first, then go out looking for the evidence."

Five months before he was first arrested, the Sunday Times published a story by Camilla Long which highlighted his behaviour.

She had visited his home to interview him because he was about to meet the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The article's headline read: "Dave Lee Travis: Look out, Suu Kyi - he's a bit touchy".

Ms Long wrote: "I spent 90 minutes with the former Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis and I don't think there is a part of my body that he didn't grope.

"He fondled my foot, inched his hands up my thighs, tried to make me sit on his lap and kissed me. He copped a feel of my hips when I foolishly asked for a tour of his studio, stroked my chin and my back and gave me a full body hug as I left."

Ms Long was asked by the police whether she wanted to press charges and give evidence at his trial, but declined.

She told Sky News: "He didn't worry about getting consent too much, he just did it."

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Syria Airstrikes: PM In Talks Over UK Role

US And Arab Allies Attack IS Targets In Syria

Updated: 3:02pm UK, Tuesday 23 September 2014

The US and five Arab countries have been carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria for the first time.

Fighter jets, bombers and drones as well as 47 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from two US ships in the northern Persian Gulf and the Red Sea were deployed in the aerial raids.

At least 70 IS fighters are said to have been killed in dozens of attacks, which also targeted al Qaeda veterans.

The strikes form part of the expanded military campaign against IS insurgents that was authorised two weeks ago by President Barack Obama. He is due to meet foreign leaders at the UN General Assembly later.

US Central Command said Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar had either taken part in or supported the Syria raids although their exact roles were unclear.

The strikes did not involve the UK but Prime Minister David Cameron supported them and will discuss at the UN what contribution Britain can make, according to Downing Street.

Damascus said Washington informed Syria's UN envoy before launching the bombings against the Sunni insurgent group which have grabbed swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq.

The US also carried out eight aerial raids on its own west of Aleppo against al Qaeda veterans - known as the Khorasan group - who were thought to be planning an "imminent attack" against US and Western interests.

The US military said it had destroyed or damaged multiple IS targets around the militant stronghold of Raqqa as well as Deir al Zor, Hasakah and the border town of Albu Kamal.

It said targets included IS fighters, training compounds, headquarters and command and control facilities, storage facilities, a finance centre, supply trucks and armed vehicles.

Residents in Raqqa said last week that IS was moving underground after Mr Obama signalled on September 11 that air attacks on its forces could be expanded from Iraq to Syria.

The group had evacuated buildings it was using as offices, redeployed its heavy weaponry, and moved fighters' families out of the city, the residents said.

The strikes follow a summit of world leaders in Paris where agreement was reached to form a broad coalition to counter the advance of IS in Syria and to provide military aid to Iraq to fight the extremist network.

Military leaders have said about two thirds of the estimated 31,000 IS militants are in Syria.

Photographs taken in Raqqa showed wreckage of what IS fighters said was a drone that had been shot down.

Pieces of the wreckage, including what appeared to be part of a propellor, were shown loaded into the back of a van.

International efforts to combat the group have taken on an added urgency after the beheading of US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British aid worker David Haines, and the threat to kill UK hostage Alan Henning.

Meanwhile, a second propaganda video of another British hostage John Cantlie has been released by IS.

Speaking to the camera and seemingly under duress, he addresses the coalition of states targeting the group, though it is not clear when the video was filmed.

"Everyone now is getting involved," he said. "Denmark and France have sent air power, Britain is arming the Kurds, Iran is sending troops and contractors are being sought in Iraq.

"Even Bashar al Assad, until earlier this year the most hated and villainised tyrant in the Arab world, is being approached for permission to go into Syria.

"It's all quite a circus. Not since Vietnam have we witnessed such a potential mess in the making."

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Obama: 'This Is Not America's Fight Alone'

Barack Obama has pledged to keep building an international coalition to defeat Islamic State militants, saying that "this is not America's fight alone".

The US President spoke hours after the US and five Arab nations launched airstrikes against the group in Syria.

"America is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with these nations on behalf of our common security," Mr Obama said at the White House.

"The strength of this coalition makes it clear to the world that this is not America's fight alone."

He said defeating IS would take time and effort but added: "We're going to do what's necessary to take the fight to this terrorist group."

A Tomahawk missile is launched from USS Arleigh Burke

After the brief statement, the President left for the UN General Assembly in New York, where he will seek to broaden consensus for the US-led effort.

The American-led air campaign used land- and sea-based US aircraft as well as Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from two Navy ships in the Red Sea and the northern Persian Gulf.

At least 70 IS fighters are said to have been killed in dozens of attacks, which also targeted al Qaeda veterans.

The US has targeted IS facilities in Iraq but this is the first time the campaign has expanded into Syria, a country marred by three years of civil war.

The apparent aftermath of a US airstrike in Idlib

The US military said it had destroyed or damaged multiple IS targets around the militant stronghold of Raqqa as well as Deir al Zor, Hasakah and the border town of Albu Kamal.

It said targets included IS fighters, training compounds, headquarters and command and control facilities, storage facilities, a finance centre, supply trucks and armed vehicles.

The five Arab nations - Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and the United Arab Emirate - either participated in the airstrikes or provided unspecified support, US officials said.

Where the airstrikes took place in Syria

Jordan said its air force had bombed "targets that belong to some terrorist groups that sought to commit terrorist acts inside Jordan".

Separately, the US alone carried out eight airstrikes to disrupt what the military described as "imminent attack plotting against the United States and Western interests" by a network of al Qaeda veterans.

"Once again, it must be clear to anyone who would plot against America and do Americans harm that we will not tolerate safe havens for terrorists who threaten our people," said Mr Obama.

Islamic State have made rapid gains in Iraq and Syria

A US official said the al Qaeda-linked group was nearing the execution phase for an attack in Europe or the US.

Mr Obama had been wary of dragging the US military into the conflict between the regime of President Bashar al Assad and rebel groups.

However, Damascus says the US had informed Syria's envoy to the UN about the strikes.

Activists said the airstrikes hit targets in and around the Syrian city of Raqqa and the province with the same name.

Raqqa is the Islamic State group's self-declared capital in Syria.

International efforts to combat the group have taken on an added urgency after the beheading of US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and British aid worker David Haines, and the threat to kill UK hostage Alan Henning.

The strikes did not involve the UK but Prime Minister David Cameron supported them and will discuss at the UN what contribution Britain can make, according to Downing Street.

Photographs taken in Raqqa showed wreckage of what IS fighters said was a drone that had been shot down.

Pieces of the wreckage were shown loaded into the back of a van.

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Tesco Suspends Bosses Over £250m Profit Error

Tesco has suspended four senior executives after it revealed an accounting error overstated its first-half profit by £250m.

CEO Dave Lewis said that "a number of people" have been suspended while an internal investigation is under way, including the four senior executives.

Sky News understands that Carl Rogberg, Tesco UK finance director, is one of the four executives suspended.

One of the other executives suspended is UK managing director Chris Bush.

Tesco shares have fallen more than 40% in the last year

Shares were down more than 11% in early trading, before easing slightly to around 8% down in early afternoon. Its stock price is down more than 43% in the last year.

Britain's biggest supermarket chain said it has commissioned an independent review to uncover the cause of the profit miscalculation.

Tesco said in a statement: "On the basis of preliminary investigations in to the UK food business, the board believes that the guidance issued on 29 August 2014 for the group profits for the six months to 23 August 2014 was overstated by an estimated £250m.

"Some of this impact includes in-year timing differences. Work is ongoing to establish the extent of these issues and what impact they will have on the full year.

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis (l) and UK managing director Chris Bush (r)

"The board has asked Deloitte to undertake an independent and comprehensive review of these issues, working closely with Freshfields, the group's external legal advisers.

"We will provide a further update at our interim results, which will now be announced on the 23 October 2014."

Tesco has issued a series of income warnings in the last year, with the latest at the end of August when it said trading profit was forecast to be around £1.1bn.

That profit figure is now likely to be reduced to £850m.

Tesco shares are now worth less than they were 10 years ago

Sky News City Editor Mark Kleinman described the accounting error as a "humiliation" for the embattled group.

Regulators are now expected to launch their own inquiries into the profit over-estimation.

Last November, an analyst at stockbroker Cantor Fitzgerald accused Tesco of squeezing suppliers ahead of release of lacklustre trading figures.

The company denied the claim and said the assertions of demanding money from suppliers' trading accounts were "based on speculation".

Tesco has come under increasing pressure in the ongoing supermarket price war, with the rise of discounters Aldi and Lidl, and margin-squeezing of the big four chains.

Chief executive Dave Lewis, who started in the role on September 1, said: "We have uncovered a serious issue and have responded accordingly."

Mr Lewis took control of Tesco after former boss Philip Clarke failed to halt a slide in profit and sales.

Mr Clarke was ousted by the Tesco board in late July as he was preparing to celebrate 40 years with the retailer.

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Tesco Turmoil: Eight Chinks In Supermarket Chain

Tesco Admits £250m Profit Overstatement

Updated: 3:00pm UK, Monday 22 September 2014

Tesco has suspended four senior executives after it revealed an accounting error overstated its first-half profit by £250m.

CEO Dave Lewis said that "a number of people" have been suspended while an internal investigation is under way, including the four senior executives.

Sky News understands that Carl Rogberg, Tesco UK finance director, is one of the four executives suspended.

One of the other executives suspended is UK managing director Chris Bush.

Shares were down more than 11% in early trading, before easing slightly to around 8% down in early afternoon. Its stock price is down more than 43% in the last year.

Britain's biggest supermarket chain said it has commissioned an independent review to uncover the cause of the profit miscalculation.

Tesco said in a statement: "On the basis of preliminary investigations in to the UK food business, the board believes that the guidance issued on 29 August 2014 for the group profits for the six months to 23 August 2014 was overstated by an estimated £250m.

"Some of this impact includes in-year timing differences. Work is ongoing to establish the extent of these issues and what impact they will have on the full year.

"The board has asked Deloitte to undertake an independent and comprehensive review of these issues, working closely with Freshfields, the group's external legal advisers.

"We will provide a further update at our interim results, which will now be announced on the 23 October 2014."

Tesco has issued a series of income warnings in the last year, with the latest at the end of August when it said trading profit was forecast to be around £1.1bn.

That profit figure is now likely to be reduced to £850m.

Sky News City Editor Mark Kleinman described the accounting error as a "humiliation" for the embattled group.

Regulators are now expected to launch their own inquiries into the profit over-estimation.

Last November, an analyst at stockbroker Cantor Fitzgerald accused Tesco of squeezing suppliers ahead of release of lacklustre trading figures.

The company denied the claim and said the assertions of demanding money from suppliers' trading accounts were "based on speculation".

Tesco has come under increasing pressure in the ongoing supermarket price war, with the rise of discounters Aldi and Lidl, and margin-squeezing of the big four chains.

Chief executive Dave Lewis, who started in the role on September 1, said: "We have uncovered a serious issue and have responded accordingly."

Mr Lewis took control of Tesco after former boss Philip Clarke failed to halt a slide in profit and sales.

Mr Clarke was ousted by the Tesco board in late July as he was preparing to celebrate 40 years with the retailer.

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Turkey Clashes As Refugees Flee IS Extremists

Turkish security forces have clashed with Kurdish protesters on the border as the country struggles to cope with a growing flood of refugees fleeing Islamic State extremists in Syria.

More than 130,000 Syrian Kurds have crossed into Turkey in the last four days alone, and the authorities are preparing for many more.

But one of the biggest waves of refugees since the Syrian civil war began has seen tensions flare.

Security forces fired tear gas and water cannon at hundreds of Kurdish youths gathered on the Turkish side of the border near Suruc, responding to calls from Kurdish leaders to join the fight against the militants who have seized swathes of Iraq and Syria and declared an Islamic state, or caliphate.

Fleeing refugees said the militants were executing people of all ages

Kurdish fighters say they have halted the IS advance east of the Syrian city of Kobani - also known as Ayn al Arab - just a few miles from the Turkish border, but that fierce fighting was continuing.

Residents fleeing Kobani said the militants were executing people of all ages in villages they seized.

Turkey's deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus warned the number could rise to "a refugee wave that can be expressed by hundreds of thousands".

"This is not a natural disaster. What we are faced with is a man-made disaster.

"We don't know how many more villages may be raided, how many more people may be forced to seek refuge.

"An uncontrollable force at the other side of the border is attacking civilians. The extent of the disaster is worse than a natural disaster."

A balaclava-clad Kurdish activist Shirwan, 28, said: "We all want to cross the border. We tried yesterday but they attacked us, and we will try again today."

Locals said protesters had gathered from cities across Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast.

Conservative estimates say several hundred Turkish Kurds have already crossed to join the fight.

The advances by Sunni insurgents just across Turkey's southern border has alarmed the government in the country's capital Ankara.

But Turkey has been slow to join calls for a coalition to fight IS, concerned in part about about links between the Syrian Kurds and Turkey's own Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which waged an armed campaign for Kurdish rights over several decades.

While Turkey has denied giving any support to the Islamist militants, the West argues its open borders during Syria's three-year civil war allowed Islamic State and other radical groups to grow in power.

The PKK issued a rallying call to Turkey's Kurds on Sunday, saying "supporting this heroic resistance" in Kobani was a "debt of honour".

Meanwhile, IS has called on supporters to attack citizens of the US, France and other countries which have joined a coalition to combat the terror group.

And an IS spokesman also taunted US President Barack Obama and other Western "crusaders" saying their forces faced inevitable defeat.

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Human Leg Found: Body May Be Missing Man's

A body found by officers searching the area where a human leg was found behind a Conservative Club in Greater Manchester could be that of a missing 31-year-old.

The remains were discovered on land behind Healey Conservative Club in Whitworth, near Rochdale, shortly before 2.45pm on Sunday.

Officers said that although a formal identification had not yet taken place, police believe there is a "strong possibility" that the body is that of Heath Nield.

The find was made near Healey Conservative Club

Mr Nield went missing from his home in Rochdale Road, Bacup, in July.

Lancashire Police say it appears to have been there for some time and is badly decomposed.

There is no indication of the sex or age of the body.

Formal identification of the body is yet to take place

A police statement said: "Mr Nield's family have been made aware of the latest development."

Further forensic tests will take place to confirm the identity of the body.

The Conservative Club declined to comment.

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Alan Henning's Wife Pleads For His Release

The wife of British aid convoy volunteer Alan Henning has issued a statement to the Islamic State calling on his captors to release him.

Mr Henning, 47, a former taxi driver from Manchester, was captured last December near the town of al Dana in Syria by IS militants.

He was shown at the end of a video last week following the murder of fellow British captive David Haines.

The statement, issued through the Foreign Office, said: "I am Barbara Henning the wife of Alan Henning. Alan was taken prisoner last December and is being held by the Islamic State.

"Alan is a peaceful, selfless man who left his family and his job as a taxi driver in the UK to drive in a convoy all the way to Syria with his Muslim colleagues and friends to help those most in need.

Mr Henning (L) had driven an ambulance full of food and water to Syria

"When he was taken he was driving an ambulance full of food and water to be handed out to anyone in need.

"His purpose for being there was no more and no less. This was an act of sheer compassion.

"I cannot see how it could assist any state's cause to allow the world to see a man like Alan dying.

"I have been trying to communicate with the Islamic State and the people holding Alan. I have sent some really important messages but they have not been responded to.

"I pray that the people holding Alan respond to my messages and contact me before it is too late.

"When they hear this message I implore the people of Islamic State to see it in their hearts to release my husband Alan Henning."

It is the first public statement by Mr Henning's family since he appeared in the IS video.

It follows an appeal by Muslim scholars in the UK calling for the release of the Briton, who was captured in December near the town of al Dana.

IS has previously released footage showing the murders of US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

A separate video last week showed British photojournalist John Cantlie, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, saying he wanted to "convey some facts" about IS and saying he would speak about the group in future videos. There was no threat to kill Mr Cantlie in the video.

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Salmond: 'No' Voters 'Tricked' By Westminster

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has said No voters in the referendum were "tricked" by a late promise of more devolved powers for Scotland - and the "writing is on the wall for Westminster".

People who voted against independence are "angry and hurt" that the three main party leaders' promises for extra powers for Scotland are now being "reneged on", he said.

He told Sky's Murnaghan programme that within 24 hours of Friday's No victory there was already disagreement between Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband on the timetable for devolution.

The "logjam" was caused by Mr Cameron saying it should go in tandem with constitutional reform in England, including barring Scottish MPs from voting on solely English matters, while Mr Miliband disagreed, Mr Salmond said.

He questioned why they had not already thought of that when they signed former prime minister Gordon Brown's timetable for the transfer of more powers to Scotland.

There were clashes in Glasgow on Friday night between Yes and No voters

Mr Salmond, who announced he was standing down as Scottish First Minister after voters rejected independence by 55% to 45%, said if the "Westminster gang" think Scots will accept the delay "they've got another thing coming".

The majority of voters under 55 backed independence, while most people over 55 voted against it, so the "destination is pretty certain" for Scotland, he said.

He said it was these No voters who are feeling most angry by Westminster's broken promises and fear they may have "impeded progress for the next generation".

The so-called West Lothian question about the voting rights of Scottish and English MPs has been met with wariness from Labour, which has most of Scotland's 59 seats.

"David Cameron doesn't think he can carry his own backbenchers, never mind the threat from UKIP, unless he links Scottish progress to changes in England," Mr Salmond said.

"Ed Miliband doesn't want to do that because Labour would lose their majority over English business in the House of Commons. That is the logjam the Westminster leaders got themselves into.

Voters in Scotland voted against independence by 55% to 45%

"There is a big issue there, but shouldn't they have thought of that before they made a solemn vow and pledge to the Scottish people."

Speaking on Murnaghan, Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman accused Mr Cameron of "slipping and sliding" on his promises for extra powers for Scotland.

Asked about the issue of ensuring English votes for English laws, she said the matter "must be sorted out" but "it's got to be done properly".

A Downing Street spokesman earlier said: "The three pro-Union parties have made commitments on further powers for the Scottish Parliament and we have set out a clear timetable to do this.

"Lord Smith of Kelvin has agreed to oversee the process to take forward the devolution commitments with powers over tax, spending and welfare all agreed by November and draft legislation published by January.

"This Government has delivered on devolution and we will do so again in the next Parliament."

Earlier, politicians from opposing sides of the referendum campaign went to a special church service at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh aimed at healing their divisions.

On Monday, Mr Cameron will host a summit at Chequers to discuss his plans for "English votes for English laws" with senior Tories, including some of the loudest critics of his decision to back Mr Brown's power transfer timetable.

The meeting is being widely seen as a bid to head off potential backbench rebellion on constitutional reform.

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Thai Murders: 'Beautiful Hannah' Brought Home

The family of a British backpacker murdered in Thailand say they have brought their "beautiful Hannah" back to the UK.

It is nearly a week since the bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and fellow Brit David Miller, 24, were found on a beach in Koh Tao, also known as Turtle Island.

In their first statement since the deaths, Ms Witheridge's family said they travelled to Bangkok on Tuesday.

"The main purpose of our trip was to bring our beloved Hannah home and to obtain information on the investigation," they said.

"We can confirm that we have now returned to the UK with our beautiful Hannah.

The Britons were murdered on Koh Tao

"As a family we feel enormous relief to have Hannah back at home where she belongs.

"We continue to work closely with officers to assist in the investigation and bring those responsible to justice.

"Our family is broken and require time to grieve in private - as do Hannah's many friends."

Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, suffered severe head wounds and Mr Miller, from Jersey, died from blows to the head and drowning, post-mortem examinations showed.

A garden hoe with Ms Witheridge's blood on it was discovered nearby, and investigators are searching for a blunt metal object used on Mr Miller.

Ms Witheridge was caught on CCTV in the hours before her death

Earlier, police hunting the killer told Sky News "sexual jealousy" may be the motive for the killings.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, who is on the island, said officers have asked police in the UK to speak to British friends of the travellers to find out about their interactions in the days leading up to the murders.

He said: "They are also investigating rumours that they may have had a row with a Thai man in a bar."

Police Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen said: "We have asked the Met Police to go back and ask their friends if they can help with any further information."

He added: "We still believe sexual jealously is at the heart of this crime.

Police are also examining CCTV footage of David Miller

"We are aware of reports they may have been involved in a row in a bar with a Thai man and we are currently investigating."

Police previously said DNA taken from the body of Ms Witheridge matches that of two Asian men.

Officers also said they do not know if the killer is still on Koh Tao, where she and Mr Miller were found murdered.

Sky News has obtained exclusive CCTV video of Ms Witheridge in the hours before she was killed, walking between bars with a group of friends.

Samuels said there had been criticism of the police investigation, with "the finger pointed at different people every day".

A message of support to the friends and families of the two victims

But the chief police officer has given assurances they are taking the investigation seriously.

A cash reward worth about £4,000 is being offered for information.

Two British brothers who were questioned by police were told they were free to return home to Jersey.

Christopher and James Ware, childhood friends of Mr Miller, were spoken to by officers but were never detained or named as suspects.

A group of Burmese migrants who were interviewed by police after bloodstains were found on their clothes have also been eliminated from police inquiries.

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22 Dogs Killed In Mystery Kennel Blaze

An investigation is under way after 22 dogs died in their cages in a fire in east Yorkshire.

Firefighters said the blaze "totally destroyed" a wooden kennel at a dog breeder's home in Graingers Road, Hornsea.

The owners, who are thought to breed Staffordshire bull terriers, returned to their home on Saturday night to find it alight with the dogs inside.

One family member had to be restrained by firefighters as he tried to save the animals, The Times reported.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, said a spokeswoman for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.

One neighbour told the Hull Daily Mail: "It is terrible. I could see smoke and flames from my house and saw four fire engines rushing to the scene."

Another resident said: "There has been a lot of people walking down the road and looking at the damage caused by the fire.

"It is a wooden home so when it caught fire it burned down in minutes."

It comes a week after 53 dogs died in a fire at Manchester Dogs Home.

People donated more than £1.2m to the home after the suspected arson attack.

A 15-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of starting the blaze has been released on bail.

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