Pilot's Final Words Before Jet Crashes Into Kent House

A pilot's final words before his doomed private jet plunged into a house in Kent have been replayed at an inquest into the deaths of its five occupants.

Michael Roberts reported a problem within a minute of take-off from Biggin Hill airport en route to Pau in France.
The Cessna ploughed into a house in nearby Farnborough, catching fire. Nobody was in the house at the time of the crash, on 30 March 2008.
Mr Roberts, from Effingham, Surrey, and the other four on board all died.
The inquest in Bromley, south-east London, heard that Mr Roberts, one of two people on board who were qualified to fly the Cessna, reported engine vibrations within a minute of taking off.
'Extremely fortuitous' He asked permission to return to the airport telling air traffic control: "We have a major problem, a major problem. It looks as though we're going in, we're going in."
Witnesses reported seeing the jet flying low over homes before crashing into the house in Romsey Close.
Coroner Roy Palmer said it was "extremely fortuitous" that no one was in the house at the time and through "great good fortune" that no one was killed on the ground.
With Mr Roberts, 63, on board were co-pilot Michael Chapman, 57, of Shoreham, West Sussex; Dumfries-born David Leslie, 54, a former racing driver; Richard Lloyd, 63, from Brackley, Northamptonshire and Christopher Allarton, 25, of Coventry. All five died at the scene.
The inquest heard that when asked by air traffic controllers what the problem was that prompted him to return to the airport, Mr Roberts said: "Er, don't know, sir. We're getting engine vibration. We'll come straight back."
Moments later Mr Roberts reported the "major problem" during his final transmission before the aircraft started to descend

Manchester United Premier League Trophy Parade

Tens of thousands of Manchester United fans gathered to cheer their team on an open-top bus tour to parade the Premier League trophy.

The supporters lined the rain-soaked streets of Manchester as the players travelled a 4.5-mile route to celebrate their record 19th league title.
Fans cheered as the bus set off from Manchester Cathedral at 1000 BST.
The parade headed out of town and as it reached Old Trafford Sir Alex Ferguson thanked fans for their support.
The bus bore a number 19 to mark the number of times they have now won the league.
It travelled down Deansgate to Chester Road, along Bridgewater Way, Wharfside Way and Sir Matt Busby Way, then went on towards Trafford Town Hall and Stretford Mall, where the parade ended at 1245 BST.

A number of roads were closed to traffic to accommodate the crowds.
United were defeated 3-1 by Barcelona in the Champions League final at Wembley stadium on Saturday, but despite this fans were out in force to welcome the team home.
Among the players on the bus were Michael Owen and Paul Scholes - who are both out of contract - and leading scorer Dimitar Berbatov who was left out of the squad for the Champions League final.Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Manchester United winning their 19th top flight title is a remarkable and historic achievement."
Damian Martin, 43, from Salford, at the parade with his son, Damian, five, and nephew Dylan, eight, said: "The weather could have been better and it's a bit early on a Bank Holiday to be up and out of bed, but the kids really wanted to come.
"They are United daft and it's great to see the players enjoying themselves. They've done us proud this season."
Dave Edgar, 33, from Salford, added: "I'm not disappointed at all - it's not 'only' one trophy. "City and Liverpool can say what they want, we are the best in Britain and we'll have another crack at Barcelona next season. United have done Manchester proud."

Dead Red Cross Worker Angela Hoyt Was Being Harassed

 A Red Cross worker found dead at her home in Hertfordshire had days earlier complained to police about being harassed, it has been revealed.

Angela Hoyt, 34, was found at Glebeland in Hatfield, at 1730 BST on Tuesday.
Police are now searching for Martin Collett, 35, her former boyfriend in connection with the death.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has begun an inquiry into Hertfordshire Police's response to Ms Hoyt's complaint.
IPCC commissioner Sarah Green said: "The IPCC is independently investigating Hertfordshire Police's response to a report of harassment made at Hatfield Police Station on the afternoon of 20 May 2011."The woman who made the allegation, Angela Hoyt, was subsequently murdered and there is an ongoing police operation to trace her former partner.
"Therefore at this stage we will not be issuing any further information, and I would encourage any members of the public who can help the police find him to contact them immediately."About 30 specialist officers scoured the grounds of Hatfield House in Hertfordshire on Friday after receiving information about a man seen in the are at
 has also emerged that Mr Collett was a former briefing manager for former Labour home secretaries David Blunkett and Charles Clarke.Ms Hoyt worked as a junior member of the Home Office media team at around the same time Mr Collett was employed.A Home Office spokesman said: "They both did work in the Home Office."

Ms Hoyt is believed to have died some time between 22 and 24 May.Det Ch Insp Mark Ross, of the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire major crime unit, said: "It is vitally important we trace Martin Collett as soon as possible."Ms Hoyt's family have paid tribute to the "very ambitious and driven girl".

'Strong opinions'

"She had a passion for human rights and wanted to use her work to help improve the lives of those less fortunate.
"She had strong opinions and convictions."
Ms Hoyt was born in Windsor in Ontario, Canada, and moved to the UK in 1999.
She had recently returned from a three-month role in Pakistan as part of her work with the Red Cross.Officers have not released any further details about how Ms Hoyt died.

Ratko Mladic Denies Srebrenica Massacre Role - Son

Ex-Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic says he did not order the Srebrenica massacre in 1995, according to his son.
 
Darko Mladic made the statement a day before his father is due to lodge an appeal against being trasferred to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague.Some 7,500 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed at Srebrenica, and the massacre is a key charge against Gen Mladic, 69, arrested on Thursday.
Thousands have gathered to support Gen Mladic in Serbia's capital Belgrade.
Darko Mladic spoke out after visiting his father, who is in detention at Serbia's war crimes court after 16 years on the run.
"He said that whatever was done in Srebrenica, he had nothing to do with it.
"He saved so many women, children and fighters... His order was first to evacuate the wounded, women and children and then fighters. Whoever did what behind his back, he had nothing to do with it."

'Regime of traitors'

To some Serbs Gen Mladic remains a national hero, and his son's statement came as more than 10,000 supporters of the general began protests in Belgrade to voice their opposition to his arrest and likely extradition.Sunday's rally is taking place outside parliament in Belgrade.Demonstrators listened to nationalist songs played by loudspeaker and waved flags describing Gen Mladic as a Serb hero.Far-right group 1389 urged its supporters to "show to this regime of traitors that we are not afraid of their threats and repression and that we are ready to defend Serbian heroes".
An association of former Bosnian Serb soldiers held a separate protest against Gen Mladic's arrest in the Bosnian village of Kalinovik, where he was born.The BBC's Nick Thorpe, in Kalinovik, said several thousand people had gathered and were protesting peacefully.Gen Mladic's lawyer Milos Saljic has said his client knew he would be transferred to a UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.Mr Saljic is to appeal against the transfer on Monday, after a court said Gen Mladic was fit to be extradited.
Speaking on Sunday he maintained that Gen Mladic's health had deteriorated in the two days since the court's decision. I can tell you that his health condition today is much worse then yesterday. It is worse psychologically," the told the Associated Press.

Liverpool Women's Concedes Incontinence Negligence Cases

 A hospital being sued by hundreds of women, who claim their incontinence was made worse by a surgeon, has admitted liability or agreed to pay compensation in 50% of claims processed so far.

George Rowland, a former consultant urogynaecologist at Liverpool Women's NHS Trust, is accused of performing inappropriate operations on the women.
About 400 are suing the trust. More than 70 cases have been processed.
It is one of the largest group actions ever taken against an NHS trust.
A spokeswoman for Liverpool Women's NHS Trust confirmed that Mr Rowland no longer worked at the hospital and said the National Health Service Litigation Authority (NHSLA) was progressing the claims. The General Medical Council (GMC) has imposed conditions on Mr Rowland's licence to practise. They are in place until May 2012.

Barcelona Gave Us A Hiding, Says Man United Boss Ferguson

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson labelled Barcelona "the best team I have faced" after his side's 3-1 defeat in the Champions League final


The Spanish club put on a stunning display of passing, movement and clinical finishing at Wembley to lift the European Cup for the fourth time.Wayne Rooney equalised after Pedro scored, but goals from Lionel Messi and David Villa left United well beaten."Nobody's given us a hiding like that but they deserve it," Ferguson said."They play the right way and they enjoy their football. They do mesmerise you with their passing and we never really did control Messi. But many people have said that.
"In my time as manager, it's the best team I've faced."
Having already experienced defeat by Barcelona in a Champions League final - in Rome in 2009 - Ferguson was desperate not for history to repeat itself.But his side were outplayed and outclassed, with Messi at the heart of everything good about Barcelona - and there was plenty that was good.Ferguson compared Saturday's loss to the famous 4-0 drubbing United received from Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 1994, a result which helped redefine his team's approach to European competitions."It's not going to be easy, but that's the challenge," Ferguson said. "You shouldn't be afraid of a challenge. The one thing we have shown is that we are consistent in Europe."This may be the kind of stepping stone that we had some years ago when we got beaten 4-0. We improved after that and we want to improve after tonight."
Barcelona's victory was their second triumph in the Champions League in three years - and their third in six seasons.Ferguson admitted that Barcelona would be difficult to beat so long as their star players Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez remained in their ranks.

Libya Nato Planes Target Gaddafi's Tripoli Compound

 British jets have struck a compound where Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi sometimes lives.


RAF Typhoons and other Nato jets fired guided weapons to destroy guard towers on the perimeter of the Bab al-Aziziya complex, said the Ministry of Defence.
A spokesman said it sent a clear message that the regime's leadership was no longer "hidden away from the Libyan people behind high walls".
On Thursday the UK announced plans to send four Apache helicopters to Libya.
The Bab al-Aziziya compound was badly damaged by US planes in 1986 when President Ronald Reagan attacked the Gaddafi regime after Libya was blamed for a bombing at a nightclub in Germany that killed two US servicemen.

Council credit cards 'used for luxury junkets

Eric Pickles said councils would have to give details of their expenditure in future

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• Council in credit cards blunder
• Council warned over spending data

Council staff have used taxpayer-funded credit cards to pay for top hotels and first-class flights, a newspaper says.

The Daily Telegraph said documents showed cards had been used to spend millions of pounds on hospitality, travel, iPads and even llamas.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles told it: "Some councils have been enjoying the high life paid for by you and me."
But local government groups said proper use of credit cards was "entirely appropriate" and could cut red tape.
Local Government Association (LGA) chairman Baroness Margaret Eaton said: "The use of credit cards for legitimate purposes is entirely appropriate and transparent.
"It helps reduce red tape by removing the need to invoice businesses and helps the cash-flow of regular suppliers who receive more prompt payment.

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“Start Quote

It is outrageous that the - often handsomely rewarded - people on the top floor at County Hall are lavishing vast sums on travel, hotels, home cinema systems and even £1,000 on 'pure silk ties'”

End Quote Jeremy Rowe Cornwall Council Lib Dem opposition leader

"The £100m spent on council credit cards in the last three years represents less than 0.03% of the £350bn local authority budget over that time.

"Councils are the most transparent part of the public sector, publishing details of spending in excess of £500. We would like to see that matched in all central government departments which, with one exception, currently only publish spending in excess of £25,000."
Gucci bags The Daily Telegraph said it had unearthed the information after making a number of requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
It comes as councils are trying to cut their spending by 28% over the next four years.
In addition to travel and hospitality, the paper said, some councils had bought luxury gifts, including Tiffany jewellery, Gucci bags and silk ties.
And it said Conservative-run Horsham Council in West Sussex had spent £1,150 on two llamas to graze on communal land.
The Telegraph said Cornwall Council's total credit card bill of £8.97m was the largest of any of the councils for which it had obtained details, and included £1,145,160 spent on hotels since 2008.

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...the culture of wild overspends which became the norm under Labour, will hopefully become a thing of the past”

End Quote Eric Pickles Communities Secretary Eric Pickles

Cornwall Council officers had made trips to Goa in India, Bangkok in Thailand and Kyoto in Japan.

In a statement, Conservative-led Cornwall Council said it was one of the largest local authorities in the country and its overall budget for the same three year period was more than £3.5bn.
The council said the figures quoted in the Daily Telegraph were still being checked but at least £1.3m of the costs for overseas travel and hotels were "wrong".
"One example of this is a figure of £114,142 for hotel costs in India for an educational exchange involving teachers from Cornish schools. This amount was actually in Indian rupees and would have been £1,645 in UK currency," the statement said.
Council leader Alec Robertson added: "Cornwall Council is committed to achieving the best possible value for money for council taxpayers in Cornwall.
"However, while we are committed to being open and transparent, this incident shows the importance of analysing raw data carefully and responsibly.
"We are disappointed that, having told the journalist that the information was inaccurate, they did not give us the time to provide them with the accurate information".
Cornwall's Liberal Democrat opposition leader Jeremy Rowe told the BBC: "At a time when Cornwall's lowest paid workers are having their pay frozen it is outrageous that the - often handsomely rewarded - people on the top floor at County Hall are lavishing vast sums on travel, hotels, home cinema systems and even £1,000 on 'pure silk ties'.
"It really is time the Tories, instead of merely posturing about keeping council spending under control, decided to get a grip on this astounding level of expenses on the taxpayers' credit card."
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "Now that we are forcing councils to release details of their expenditure, the culture of wild overspends and excess which became the norm under Labour, will hopefully become a thing of the past.

Tom Daley's father Rob loses battle with cancer

Teenage British Olympic diver Tom Daley's father Rob has died after losing his battle with cancer.

The 17-year-old's agent confirmed to BBC Radio Devon that Rob Daley, 40, had passed away on Friday evening.
Rob's health had deteriorated since February when it was confirmed that a brain tumour had returned.
A statement from British Swimming read: "Rob, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2006, passed away peacefully with his family at his side."
Rob, who gave up his electrician's business to follow Tom to events around the world, watched his then 15-year-old son become Britain's first individual diving world champion, when he won the 10m platform event in Rome in 2009.
Plymouth-born Tom followed that success with double Commonwealth gold in the 10m platform and 10m synchro event in Delhi in October 2010.
However, for the first time, Rob was not with Tom because he had been undergoing chemotherapy and doctors had advised him not to travel.
Rob, who had 80% of a fist-sized brain tumour removed in 2006 and had been in remission until a routine health check in 2010 discovered a tumour had returned, He watched events unfold on television and was phoned by Tom "within a minute" of him winning gold.
Tom, who was with his father on Friday, wrote on Twitter: "I love you so much Dad."
And on Saturday, he said: "If I could be half the dad that my dad was to me then that would be my best achievement! I love you! Xx"

Dad causes blushes for gold-winner Daley

The British Swimming statement continued: "Tom Daley's father, Rob Daley lost his battle with cancer yesterday, 27 May, at 9.35pm.
"His health has been fluctuating since February but he continued to fight until the last day, defying doctors' expectations.
"The family have asked for respect to their privacy during this very difficult period."
David Sparkes, chief executive of British Swimming added: "On behalf of everyone at British Swimming, I would like to express our condolences to the Daley family at this very sad time.
"We will be doing all we can to ensure the whole family has the right support structures in place to help them through this difficult time.
"Rob will be remembered as a dedicated father, a fan of diving and a passionate and effervescent character who will be greatly missed."
Several high-profile divers and swimmers have posted their own messages on Twitter.
Tom's 10m synchro diving partner Pete Waterfield said: "R.I.P Rob our thoughts are with you @TomDaley1994 love the Waterfield family."
And Australia's Olympic gold medal winning diver Matthew Mitcham tweeted: "@TomDaley1994 my thoughts are with you *hugs*"
Britain's doube Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington said: "My thoughts are definitely with @TomDaley1994 and his family at this horrible time! Such awful sad news. We're all here for you tom x"
Tom is one of Britain's biggest prosepcts for a medal at next year's Olympics and last October, in an interview for a BBC documentary, Rob said: "London 2012 is a massive motivation for me. Am I going to be there? Tom is the oil in my lamp and he's going to keep me burning."
Last month Rob defied his illness to watch Tom and his new synchro partner Waterfield win a World Series event in Sheffield.
Rob wore a t-shirt to the meeting which read "Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning" with Tom saying after the event: "I am his oil."
Rob leaves his wife Debbie and three sons, Tom, William and Ben.
.

Champions League: Rooney Will Relish Final - Ferguson

Ferguson said United are well prepared and "have a great chance" of reversing their loss in the 2009 final, when Rooney was subdued.
"We have players who will all like this stage," added the Scot."In terms of Rooney's progress in Europe, he is much more mature than he was in 2009. And others too."Rooney played wide on the left in the 2009 Champions League final when United lost 2-0 to the Catalan side, but he is expected to start in a more central role on Saturday.Although he suffered a poor start to the season, the 25-year-old has struck up a formidable partnership with strike partner Javier Hernandez and the pair could begin the match at Wembley if Ferguson decides to name an attacking line-up.United defender Rio Ferdinand is also sure that Rooney can have an impact, and cited Rooney's overhead kick against Manchester City earlier in the season as evidence he could deliver on the big stage.

Champions League Police Ops In Manchester And London

Major policing operations are taking place in London and Manchester as thousands of fans prepare for the Champions League final at Wembley.
Extra patrols are being carried out in Manchester city centre as supporters fill pubs and bars to watch the match.
In London, officers from Manchester and Spain are working with the Metropolitan Police to spot trouble and anyone trying to take flares to the stadium.
The Manchester United v Barcelona game is due to kick off at 1945 BST.
Each club has 25,000 supporters with match tickets, although an estimated 110,000 football fans will be travelling to London for the final.
Pubs in the area will be closed an hour before kick off and no alcohol is being permitted inside the stadium.
The Metropolitan Police has revealed that officers from the Spanish force will be on duty in London during the game.

Flares warning

"A Catalan speaking officer from the Met will be liaising with the Spanish police during the event and will be on hand to assist with fans if required," a spokesman said.
"Police spotters from Greater Manchester Police and Spanish police will be working alongside uniformed Met spotters.

Jody McIntyre Wheelchair Complaint: Tuition Fees Police Cleared

Police were justified in removing a man from his wheelchair during a violent demonstration against tuition fees in central London, Scotland Yard has said.
Jody McIntyre said he was tipped out of his chair and dragged across a road on 9 December, and was hit with a baton.
A police probe found officers were right to remove him from the wheelchair based on the "perceived risk" to him, while the baton hit was "inadvertent".The 20-year-old said the findings were "shockingly poor" and plans to appeal.The Directorate of Professional Standards at the Metropolitan Police (Met) said violent disorder had been taking place and officers were "under sustained attack and were required to use force to protect themselves".

Queen Safety Police Wheel-Clamped In Portsmouth

 Two police officers had their vehicles wheel-clamped as they carried out security duties for the Queen's recent visit to Portsmouth.

 The two unmarked police vehicles were clamped during the surprise royal visit to Gunwharf Quays on Wednesday for lunch aboard a luxury yacht.
Hampshire Police said the officers had "not left the vehicles".
The alleged clamper, Gareth Andrews, 37, from Fareham, has been charged with obstructing police.
Mr Andrews, of Privett Road, is due to appear before South East Hampshire Magistrates' Court on 3 June.

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The officers had not left the vehicles at the time they were clamped”

Hampshire Constabulary spokesman

Police said the incident had stopped them "conducting their duties".

Wheel-clamping firm Shoal Enforcement said the police officers had declined to prove they were on duty when asked, and had subsequently arrested their member of staff.
During the Queen's unannounced visit she had lunch on board the 245ft (75m) super yacht Leander, owned by NCP car park millionaire Sir Donald Gosling.

Crowd gathered

Shoppers were taken by surprise when they heard she was near to the Gunwharf Quays shopping complex, which she visited in 2002 as part of her Golden Jubilee Tour.
A crowd gathered to see her leave the yacht and applauded her as she waved back to them.
The Queen had arrived in Portsmouth by helicopter, having attended a dinner the evening before hosted by US President Barack Obama at the end of his state visit to the UK.
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said the incident had prevented "the officers, who were at Gunwharf as part of a security operation, from conducting their duties".
"The officers had not left the vehicles at the time they were clamped."
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said that she could not confirm details of the visit as it was a "private engagement".

'No officers in vehicles'

Shoal Enforcement said: "A plain-clothes police officer produced his warrant card and requested that both vehicles be released.
"Our member of staff confirmed he would release the vehicles if the police officer would provide confirmation that he was on duty.
"The police officer declined and arrested our member of staff for obstruction.
"There were no officers in the vehicles at any time during the incident and our member of staff was correctly displaying his SIA licence."
Mr Andrews was also charged with contravening the Private Security Industry Act for allegedly not displaying the appropriate licensing badge

Titanic Captain's Cigar Box Sells For £25,000

 A cigar box once owned by the captain of the Titanic has been sold for £25,000 at an auction in Liverpool.

The walnut humidor was discovered gathering dust on a bedroom cabinet in the Merseyside home of Hilary Mee.
It was spotted by auctioneer John Crane when he was invited to value a number of antiques.
Ms Mee said she had no idea the item was connected to the ill-fated vessel, even though it had been lying around her home for 20 years.

Finest smokes

The box carries the distinctive emblem of the White Star Line shipping company and bears the initials of the master of the passenger liner, Edward John Smith, who was from Stoke-on-Trent.
At first Mr Crane could not work out what the initials stood for but he said a tingle went down his spine when he realised it belonged to the ship's captain.
Ms Mee said the box had been in her family for several generations. It is thought to have been given to her father by relatives of Edward John Smith's widow, Sarah.
The box is lined with camphor wood and was designed to hold 40 of the finest Havana cigars.
The RMS Titanic was built at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast and sank after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912.

France And Russia Strike Mistral Warship Deal

The purchase of four Mistral-class helicopter carriers was finalised at the G8 summit in Deauville, France, and will be signed within a fortnight.
Two of the carriers will be built in France, and the other two in Russia.
The Russian military has also long been in need of modernisation, correspondents say.
"We have reached a definitive agreement on the two carriers built in France and the two carriers built in Russia," French President Nicolas Sarkozy told a news conference with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.
Mr Sarkozy added the deal was evidence the Cold War was far in the past and Russia should be considered a friend.
The carriers are thought to cost between 400m euros and 500m euros each ($525m to $655m).
Negotiations over the purchase began two years ago, but stalled on several occasions over price and technology transfer.
There were also some concerns from France's Nato allies that the ships could be used against Russian neighbours such as Georg

Barack Obama's The Beast Incurs £10 London C-charge

Mayor Boris Johnson said the motorcade was charged, unlike the Popemobile, because roads were not closed.
He and Mr Obama exchanged "points of view", he said, over £5.2m worth of unpaid congestion bills when they met.
The US Embassy said it was exempt from paying "direct taxes" but the mayor maintains the charge is not a tax.
Transport for London has confirmed that the Presidential convoy was charged but the bill has not been paid.
Mr Johnson said: "Unlike the Pope where we didn't charge the Popemobile because we closed the roads, when The Beast rolled through London that Beast paid a congestion charge.
But on the wider principle of US and other diplomats following on the lead of the majority of good embassies in London, who pay the congestion charge, a discussion was had, points of views were exchanged, I would say that discussions were ongoing."
Several embassies refuse to pay the £10-a-day charge for driving in central London, claiming they are exempted from local taxes.
The total bill stands at £51m and the US, Russia and Japan are the top three in the list of non-payers.
In a statement, the US Embassy said it "conscientiously abides by all UK laws, including paying fines for all traffic violations, such as parking and speeding violations"
"Our position on the direct tax established by Transport for London in 2003, more commonly known as the congestion charge, is based on the 1960 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits the imposition of this sort of tax on diplomatic missions," the statement adde

£110m Of UK Aid To Support Arab Spring Nations

The money is a significant increase on the £5m of funds announced for the Arab Partnership Initiative in February by the foreign secretary. It will come out of the existing Department for International Development budget.PM David Cameron said progress in the region was good for Britain too.The money will be spent over the next four years to improve political participation, the rule of law, anti-corruption measures, youth employability and the development of the private sector.It constitutes the UK's contribution to calls for the G8 group of leading industrialised nations to do all they can to encourage the so-called Arab Spring. Speaking at the G8 summit in France, the prime minister said:
What I'd say to everybody about the issue of overseas aid and the money that will be pledged at this summit is that there is a real case for saying, 'If we can secure greater democracy and freedom in countries like Egypt and Tunisia, that is good for us back at home. That will mean less extremism, it will mean more peace and prosperity, and it will mean there won't be the pressures of immigration that we might otherwise face to our own country.The wave of uprisings in the Arab world began in Tunisia in January and lead to the fall of the government there, and subsequently in Egypt. There have also been pro-democracy demonstrations in countries including Syria, Bahrain and Yemen, and the supression of a similar movement in Libya has led to the intervention of Nato to protect civilians.

Teacher Gary Smith's Muslim Attackers Jailed

Four Muslim men who assaulted a religious education teacher because they did not approve of him teaching Muslim girls, have been jailed.Gary Smith, 38, was beaten as he walked to Central Foundation Girls' School in Bow, east London, last July.The gang left him unconscious after attacking him with a metal rod and a brick, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.The four all pleaded guilty to GBH with intent and given an indeterminate jail sentence with a minimum of five years.

Your belief is that you carried out a duty to your God and you did so with no mercy Judge John Hand QC

Simon Alam, 19, of Whitechapel, Azad Hussain, 26, of Wapping, Sheikh Rashid, 27, of Shadwell, and Akmol Hussein, 26, of Bethnal Green, all in east London, were all jailed on Thursday.Judge John Hand QC said he believed the four remained a danger to the public because of their extreme religious beliefs.Addressing the defendants one by one, he said: "Your belief is that you carried out a duty to your God and you did so with no mercy."If you think that people around you in society present an insult or threat to God then you will not hesitate in attacking again in the way that you have acted."

'Mocking us'

The court heard Mr Smith suffered multiple injuries, has a permanent 4.7in (12cm) long deep scar across his left cheek, and the whole of the facial part of his skull was broken.The court heard how the men were only caught because Hussein's car was being bugged on an unrelated matter.Hussein, who had a niece at the school, was heard to say: "He's mocking us and he's putting thoughts in people's minds."How can somebody take a job to teach Islam when he's not even a Muslim himself?"

Depression and anxiety

Hussein was also recorded as saying he did not care if he had to go to prison over the attack as he was doing it for the sake of Allah.Prosecutor Sarah Whitehouse said Mr Smith had been head of religious studies at the school for eight years, was "by all accounts an able, enthusiastic and popular teacher.The court heard he cannot remember the attack and has problems with his memory and sufferers from depression and anxiety - all of which now affect his ability to teach.A fifth defendant, Badruzzuha Uddin, 24, of Shadwell, east London was jailed for two years after admitting a charge of assisting an offender after he hid the men's bloodstained clothes.

Ratko Mladic Arrest: UK's Hague Hails Historic Moment'

Gen Mladic, commander of the Bosnian Serb army during the war of 1992-95, was the last remaining high-profile fugitive from the Bosnian war. He is accused of a key role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
Mr Hague said the arrest should be a warning for Col Gaddafi and others who were committing war crimes in Libya. Gen Mladic was indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague in 1995 for crimes including genocide over the Srebrenica massacre - in which at least 7,500 men and boys were killed - the worst single atrocity in Europe since World War II.He disappeared after the arrest of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in 2001 and became the most prominent Bosnian war crime suspect still at large, after former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was arrested in 2008.Serbian President Boris Tadic said work was under way to extradite Gen Mladic to the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague.

'Appalling crimes'

Mr Hague said the arrest was of enormous significance and marked the beginning of a new chapter for the western Balkans. The foreign secretary said the regime in Libya - which has carried out a brutal crackdown on anti-Gaddafi protesters - should also take note."These things do not get forgotten," he told the BBC. "For any members of that regime who are contemplating anything that makes them complicit in war crimes, or crimes against humanity, this does carry an important lesson for them."
Prime Minister David Cameron said Gen Mladic was accused of orchestrating "the most appalling war crimes". "There is a very good reason why the long arm of the international law has been looking for this man for such a long time," he said.For Labour, Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said the arrest showed that "however much you hide and however much you run" no-one could hide from justice. "There have been many people over many, many years who have been working for this outcome and I think we owe it to the victims of the terrible massacres in Srebrenica and Sarajevo that he now faces the full force of international law."And he added: "It does, I think, remove one of the significant obstacles, perhaps the most significant obstacle, preventing Serbia being able to move towards a securer European future.
Former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown, who was High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina between 2002 and 2007, also welcomed the news and said his trial would be a chance for the whole Balkan region to put the past behind them.Conservative MP Col Bob Stewart, who commanded UN troops in Bosnia in 1992, told the BBC: It is very, very important that this man Mladic is brought to The Hague quickly, the trial starts quickly, the trial is expeditious in dealing with the matter and, actually, at the end of it justice prevails.

South Sudan Salva Kiir Says No To War With North

South Sudan's leader Salva Kiir has said he will not lead his people back into conflict with the north over the disputed region of Abyei.The region, seized by northern troops at the weekend, is also claimed by South Sudan, which is due to become independent from the north in July."We will not go back to war, it will not happen," Mr Kiir said in his first public statement since trouble began.Analysts fear the dispute could reignite the north-south conflict.A peace deal in 2005 ended 22 years of civil war in which some 1.5 million people died.The status of Abyei was left undecided and a referendum, due last January, on whether the area should be part of the north or south has been postponed indefinitely.

In a national address, Mr Kiir said the south had "fought enough" and that it was time for peace.He described the north's invasion of Abyei as an over-reaction, and said the area would eventually be reclaimed by the south.Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has refused to withdraw his troops from the region, despite UN condemnation of the move.

Earlier, a southern minister in the national government resigned, saying "war crimes" had been committed in the disputed Abyei region.The Satellite Sentinel Project has released satellite images of burnt huts and says they provide evidence of war crimes.The project's spokesman Jonathan Hutson said other troop movements in the north were also a cause for concern."Satellite Sentinel Project has identified Sudan armed forces, those of the northern armies, massing near the contested border area of Abyei with heavy armour and artillery and tanks at a place called El Obeid - there's a barracks there," he told the BBC's World Today programme.
They could reach Sudan's north-south border or Abyei town in less than a day without refuelling.Aid workers say some 40,000 people have fled the fighting around Abyei - mostly southerners, heading further south.Some families fleeing Abyei have been split up and children are missing "Tens of thousands have been displaced - the villages that they've left behind have been systematically razed," Mr Huston said.David Deng Bol, manager of Mayardit FM radio station in Turalei, about 75km (45 miles) south of Abyei, told the BBC more than 25,000 people had arrived in that area in the last few days.Many were camping under trees and in the rush to leave some families had been split up and children were missing, he said."The situation of the IDPs [internally displaced people] is very very bad. They sleep outside being affected by the rain, the places are cold, there's no food, no water or no medication," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
Meanwhile, the UN has said it believes militiamen from the Misseriya ethnic group were responsible for shooting at one of its helicopters on Wednesday.The Misseriya are northern nomads and one of two groups to claim Abyei, along with the southern Dinka Ngok people. They were armed by Khartoum and used to attack the south during the civil war.Reports suggest many Misseriya have arrived in Abyei town since the northern armed forces took control of it on Saturday, accusations denied by one nomad leader as "nonsense".Under the 2005 peace agreement, Abyei was granted special status and a joint administration was set up in 2008 to run the area until a referendum decided its fate

Ratko Mladic Arrested Bosnia War Crimes Suspect Held

Serbian President Boris Tadic said the process to extradite the former Bosnian Serb army chief to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague was under way. Gen Mladic is accused over the massacre of at least 7,500
Bosnian Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica in 1995.He was the most prominent Bosnian war crimessuspect at large since the arrest of Radovan Karadzic in 2008.

The detention, the Serbian leader said, closed one chapter in Serbian history, bringing the country and the region closer to reconciliation.It also
opened the doors to membership of the European Union, he added. Serbian media initially reported that Mr Mladic was already on his way to the Hague, but Serbian prosecutors later said the procedure to extradite him might take a week.

A spokeswoman for families of Srebrenica victims, Hajra Catic, told AFP news agency: "After 16 years of waiting, for us, the victims' families, this is a relief."UN war crimes chief prosecutor Serge Brammertz welcomed the arrest, saying:

Today's events show that people responsible for grave violations of

international humanitarian law can no longer count on impunity.US deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said the US was delightedUK Defence Secretary Liam Fox said it was a chance for Serbians to close a very unhappy chapter in their historyNato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the arrest finally

offered a chance for justice to be doneSwedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Serbia's EU prospects were "now brighter than ever Gen Mladic was said by Serbian media to have been arrested in Vojvodina, a northern province of Serbia, in the early hours of Thursday. President Tadic would only confirm he had been arrested "on Serbian soil", adding that details of the arrest would be released once an investigation had been completed.Gen Mladic
had reportedly been using the assumed name Milorad Komodic.Serbian security sources told AFP that three special units had descended on a house in the village of Lazarevo, about 80km (50 miles) north of Belgrade.
The house was owned by a relative of Gen Mladic and had been under surveillance for the past two weeks, one of the sources added.Gen Mladic was indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague in 1995 for genocide over the killings that July at Srebrenica - the worst single atrocity in Europe since World War II - and other crimes.Having lived freely in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, he disappeared after the arrest of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in 2001.
Speculation mounted that Gen Mladic would eventually be arrested when Mr Karadzic was captured in Belgrade in July 2008.Larry Hollingworth, a logistics officer with the UN refugee agency who regularly met Gen Mladic during the Bosnian war, said he was "absolutely delighted" by news of the arrest. He was a very, very imposing figure and managed to frighten a lot of people - certainly those who worked for him, he told BBC Radio.

Jury Out In Essex Peer Lord Hanningfield Expenses Trial

Former Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield, 70, is alleged to have claimed for hotel stays in London he did not make.He denied six counts of false accounting at Chelmsford Crown Court.Lord Hanningfield was suspended from the Parliamentary Conservative Party when he was charged over the claims.He also stood down as a front bench business spokesman in the House of Lords.Lord Hanningfield, of West Hanningfield, near Chelmsford, is appearing at court under his name Paul White.He has previously told the court he claimed for the overnight stays in London while actually returning home because all the other peers were doing it.

Absolutely clear 

And he said that while MPs could claim up to £130,000 a year for staffing, there was no such allowance for peers, adding that he had claimed extra in some categories because of losses in others.On Thursday Clare Montgomery QC, prosecuting, told the jury: "The rules are absolutely clear about what you can and can't claim for."Lord Hanningfield is the only person who says you can claim travel when you haven't travelled and claim an overnight stay when you haven't stayed overnight.if you can't afford to be a peer, the answer is not to make up false claims, it's to stop doing the job.Alun Jones QC, defending, said Lord Hanningfield had been using the expenses system to recoup his costs

He was often out of pocket and had made no money out of 40 years of public service, he said.The House of Lords is unique in asking people to do a full-time and demanding job - and you are not paid for it, said Mr Jones.He also questioned the thoroughness of the police investigation, and said there were many other peers who saw the allowance system as a way to generate income