February 6, 2011, 1:38 pm
![Image]( "Two charged over 'frat' shootings")
Two men have been charged over a shooting at an Ohio fraternity house that killed one student and injured 11 people at a party.
Mahoning County coroner's office identified the dead student as 25-year-old Jamail Johnson and said he was shot in the head and legs.
Youngstown police chief Jimmy Hughes said each man was charged with aggravated murder, shooting into a house and 11 counts of felonious assault at the fraternity house near the Youngstown State University campus.
He did not name the suspects but said they were in their early 20s and from the Youngstown area.
Chief Hughes said earlier that the suspected gunmen were involved in a dispute at a party, left, then returned and began firing outside the crowded house on Saturday.
The 11 people who were hurt were aged 17 to 31. Eight have been released from hospital.
YSU President Cynthia Anderson met students and their families at the hospital and called the shootings "a sad day for the YSU family".
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February 6, 2011, 1:38 pm
![Image]( "Nurses condemn NHS staffing levels")
Fewer than one in 10 nurses believe there is adequate staffing on NHS wards to deliver good-quality care, according to a poll.
The survey, of more than 1,900 nurses for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), found 83% believe poor staffing compromises patient safety.
Just 7% of nurses said there are enough staff to care for patients properly, 80% think there are not and 13% are unsure.
Nurses also told the union they were coming under mounting pressure in the face of cuts, with posts left unfilled and recruitment freezes. There are fears that care may be "dumbed down" as a result of not having the right number and balance of staff.
The RCN is collating figures on the number of job losses at NHS trusts across England.
At the last count, 27,000 jobs had been earmarked for cuts. This includes redundancies, posts not being filled when staff retire or leave, and a diluting of the skill mix (balance of fully qualified staff with less-qualified assistants).
Of those questioned in the survey, 46% said that there had been unfilled vacancies in their workplace for more than six months, while 40% said there was currently a recruitment freeze.
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the RCN, said the Government's reforms of the NHS and the drive to find £15 to £20 billion annually in "efficiency savings" added to the pressure.
"The results of our survey act as a reality check for those saying that cuts aren't biting in the NHS," he said. "It is deeply worrying that some nurses are telling us that they do not have enough staff to deliver quality care and that safety could be compromised."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "The NHS must still find efficiency savings but we have been clear that every penny saved - including a 45% reduction in management costs - will be reinvested to support front line services and improve quality."
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February 6, 2011, 1:38 pm
![Image]( "Unions 'expect weakening economy'")
Union officials are pessimistic about the prospects for the economy this year, with most fearing job losses and below-inflation pay rises, according to a study.
A survey of almost 200 workplace reps showed that most believed the economy would be weaker in 2011, with those in the public sector most fearful.
Only a minority of those questioned by the Labour Research Department (LRD) believed workers would receive a pay rise in line with inflation this year, with a handful expecting wages to be frozen or even cut.
Three out of five workplace union officials said they expected jobs to be cut, especially in the public sector which is facing reduced Government funding.
Pay deals monitored by the research group showed average rises of around 2.6%, more than 2% below RPI inflation.
LRD researcher Lewis Emery said: "Pay rises will need to move considerably beyond the current mid-point if employees' spending power is to be maintained.
"Coupled with widespread fears of job cuts even in the more buoyant sectors of the economy, these findings suggest that the coalition cannot expect an easy route out of the economic doldrums."
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February 6, 2011, 3:51 pm
![Image]( "Rock legend Gary Moore found dead")
Bandmates of former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore paid tribute to a "great player and great guy" following his death on holiday in Spain.
The 58-year-old, originally from Belfast, was found dead in a hotel room on the Costa del Sol in the early hours of yesterday.
Thin Lizzy founding member Brian Downey said he was stunned by the news.
"I am in total shock," he said. "He will always be in my thoughts and prayers and I just can't believe he is gone."
After his time with the Irish rock band, Moore went on to forge a successful solo career and was still actively touring.
His death was confirmed with a poignant message on the star's official website.
"It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night," it stated. "Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time."
Despite his solo ventures and numerous collaborations with other bands and artists, it is Moore's time with Thin Lizzy that he will be best remembered.
He joined the band in 1973 after the sudden departure of guitarist Eric Bell but only played with them for four months. Four years later he returned and went on to play on the band's Black Rose album.
Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham said it been a pleasure to share a stage with him. "Playing with Gary during the Black Rose era was a great experience, he was a great player and a great guy," he said. "I will miss him."
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February 6, 2011, 3:51 pm
![Image]( "PM: William will be wonderful king")
David Cameron has said Prince William will make a "fantastic husband" and a "wonderful king".
The Prime Minister said he had found the Prince to be "a remarkable young man" after spending time with him in Zurich for England's recent failed bid to host the World Cup.
Speaking to US news network CNN about the royal wedding, Mr Cameron said he was confident it would be "a great moment for Britain", adding that William and fiancee Kate Middleton were "a wonderful couple".
On the April 29 wedding, Mr Cameron said: "I know it will be a huge success, not just for the country and I think the world looking at Britain and how we have this wonderful Royal Family and Prince William, who I've spent some time with recently, is a remarkable young man - great, balanced, poised.
"I think he will make I am sure a fantastic husband and one day he will make a wonderful king.
"I think the world will be looking at this royal wedding but I think we will be very proud of it in the UK, but above all it's two young people who love each other very much. They are getting married and we should be very happy for them."
He refused to say whether he had given the Prince any advice.
Asked whether it would be a budget wedding given the Government's austerity measures, Mr Cameron said: "No, it will be a royal wedding that the whole country can celebrate."
He said issues around the cost would be discussed, with the Government contributing in terms of policing and security.
"I obviously have weekly meetings with Her Majesty the Queen. They are absolutely secret so I would have to kill you if I told you anything that was discussed," he said.
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February 6, 2011, 3:51 pm
![Image]( "Plans to tackle nuisance behaviour")
A range of measures to tackle anti-social behaviour are to be unveiled as the Government pledges to crack down on minor crime.
Among the proposals to be outlined on Monday are plans to compel police to investigate any incidences of anti-social behaviour reported by at least five people.
The "community trigger" is one of a raft of proposals which form part of a government consultation on anti-social behaviour, a Home Office source said.
Other measures will see police given powers forcing culprits to make amends for nuisance behaviour immediately.
The move comes as the Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) is overhauled. Instead police will be able to apply for a court order to tackle low-level nuisance behaviour. The new measures will be called criminal behaviour orders.
The Asbo was launched under the last Labour government while Tony Blair was still in power.
But the measure has attracted criticism in some quarters for the perception that it is seen as a badge of honour among offenders.
Shadow home office minister Vernon Coaker said: "The thing that has made the biggest difference to anti-social behaviour over the last 10 years has been neighbourhood police teams including PCSOs out on the streets and working with local communities to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
"Whether using Asbos or the other measures the Labour government introduced, these teams have made a real difference. What we have learnt is that no matter what measures you introduce, you need the officers to enforce them.
"This Tory-led government's savage cuts, putting chief constables in an impossible position and meaning more than 10,000 fewer police officers, will undoubtedly impact the work of these teams. No matter what announcements this Tory-led government makes, the truth is they are taking an unacceptable risk with the safety of our streets."
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February 6, 2011, 3:51 pm
![Image]( "Lockerbie documents to be published")
A dossier of official documents shedding light on the release of the Lockerbie bomber will be published on Monday.
Disclosures from the eagerly-anticipated publication may throw up new questions for the former Labour government and Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.
Mr MacAskill sanctioned the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds in August 2009, because he was supposed to have little time left to live. Al-Megrahi is still alive in Tripoli.
The publication follows Prime Minister David Cameron's promise to US president Barack Obama that he would review the paperwork in the case.
Mr Cameron asked Sir Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, to conduct the review and ensure that everything that could be made public was.
The tranche of letters, memos and minutes to be released today is described as "comprehensive".
The Prime Minister discussed Libya with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton when they met at a security conference in Munich on Saturday. A Downing Street spokeswoman said they had "strongly agreed that the release of the Lockerbie bomber had been a mistake".
It was reported last week that Libya had been given advice by a then Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell on how to secure al-Megrahi's release.
Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over the Scottish town on December 21, 1988, killing 270 people in the air and on the ground.
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February 6, 2011, 9:02 pm
![Image]( "Guitarist Gary Moore found dead")
Bandmates of former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore have paid tribute to a "great player and great guy" following his death on holiday in Spain.
The 58-year-old, originally from Belfast, was found dead in a hotel room on the Costa del Sol in the early hours of Sunday.
Thin Lizzy founding member Brian Downey said he was stunned by the news.
"I am in total shock," he said. "He will always be in my thoughts and prayers and I just can't believe he is gone."
After his time with the Irish rock band, Moore went on to forge a successful solo career and was still actively touring.
His death was confirmed with a poignant message on the star's official website.
"It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain," it stated. "Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time."
Despite his solo ventures and numerous collaborations with other bands and artists, it is Moore's time with Thin Lizzy that he will be best remembered.
He joined the band in 1973 after the sudden departure of guitarist Eric Bell but only played with them for four months. Four years later he returned and went on to play on the band's Black Rose album.
Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham said it had been a pleasure to share a stage with him. "Playing with Gary during the Black Rose era was a great experience, he was a great player and a great guy," he said. "I will miss him."
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February 6, 2011, 9:03 pm
![Image]( "Big Society 'undermined by cuts'")
David Cameron's Big Society is being undermined by government spending cuts which are in danger of "destroying" the country's volunteer army, an outgoing charity leader has warned.
Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, who is stepping down after leading Britain's largest volunteering charity Community Service Volunteers (CSV) for more than 40 years, also said the Prime Minister had overestimated the amount of responsibility volunteers were prepared to take on.
She told the Times the Government had failed to provide opportunities for people to do more in their communities and in some cases spending cuts imposed on councils had actually taken them away.
Dame Elisabeth said: "Does one hand know what the other hand is doing? We know we need to save money, but there are other ways of saving money without destroying the volunteer army. Once you close a library there is nowhere for a volunteer to help.
"Few people want to be responsible for the library. Most people want to feel there's an expert on the premises. They are quite happy to issue and re-shelve the books, but taking the final responsibility is a bit more than more people want to do."
She said volunteering should be introduced as part of national curriculum projects in schools and backed a US idea tying funding handed to public bodies with the number of volunteers they involved in their activities. And she said the Government should be using its power to insist it had volunteers for classrooms, hospital wards and police forces.
Dame Elisabeth later told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: I think there are a lot of people putting a lot of energy into the Big Society, but it's not strategically planned. I think it's the job of national government to co-ordinate services across the nation and make sure they happen."
Minister for civil society Nick Hurd told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are investing. My own department's got £470 million to spend over the next four years. For those charities that are heavily dependant on the state, where cuts in public expenditure do cause vulnerability, we set aside £100 million of taxpayers' money to help those charities that feel particularly vulnerable."
Dame Elisabeth, 69, dubbed "the Mother of Volunteers", is due to outline her proposals during her retirement speech in Westminster.
The Prime Minister has faced much criticism over his Big Society initiative. Last week the leader of Liverpool City Council, Joe Anderson, wrote to Mr Cameron to say the authority was pulling out of the Big Society plans. The city was one of four pilot areas for the scheme, aimed at giving community groups and volunteers more control over their local services.
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February 6, 2011, 9:03 pm
![Image]( "Pregnant blaze girl 'was stabbed'")
Police investigating the murder of a heavily-pregnant teenager have said they believe the crime was "locally based".
Officers launched a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination revealed Nikitta Grender, who was found dead after a flat fire, had been stabbed.
The 19-year-old was eight months' pregnant with a baby girl and friends paid tribute saying she would have made a "great mum".
Officers and firefighters were called to reports of a blaze in a flat in Broadmead Park in Liswerry, Newport, south Wales, at 7.50am on Saturday. Emergency crews entered the smoke-logged property and found the body of Ms Grender inside the bedroom of the first-floor flat. Her pet dog, a pug cross, also died in the fire.
Detective Superintendent Geoff Ronayne of Gwent Police said: "This is an horrific crime where two innocent lives have been lost. Nikitta was two weeks away from giving birth to a baby girl. This is particularly callous and something we very rarely see. When Nikitta's family should have been looking forward to the birth of her baby they are now absolutely grief stricken.
"We know Nikitta was out with friends Friday evening and visited McDonald's in the Spytty area during the evening, and we are establishing the exact time she was dropped back to her address, but we would urge anyone who was in the vicinity of Nikitta's address in 51 Broadmead Park, was with her or who saw her at any stage from 7pm on Friday February 4 onwards to get in touch.
"Someone must know who did this and we are urging members of the community to come forward and help us with this inquiry."
He said it was one of the "worst offences" he had seen, adding: "We are working on the basis that this crime is locally based.
"Somebody knows where the knife is and we urge them to come forward. Someone will know who is responsible. Please come forward to give us that information that we need."
Anyone with information should get in touch with police on 01443 865562 or 01633 838111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
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February 6, 2011, 11:50 pm
![Image]( "Judge 'should OK undercover police'")
Undercover policing operations should have to be authorised in advance by a judge, the head of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has said.
Sir Hugh Orde, Acpo president, said the change was needed to restore public confidence.
It follows concerns about the role played by ex-Metropolitan Police constable Mark Kennedy, who spent a reported seven years posing as an environmental activist.
Sir Hugh said the benefits of judicial oversight of future operations would "far outweigh the additional administrative burden".
Speaking at a policing seminar held by human rights group Liberty in central London, Sir Hugh said: "The current system of retrospective inspection is, in my judgment, no longer sufficient to secure the confidence of right thinking people that such interference with citizens' rights (with its foreseeable collateral intrusion on many) is appropriate.
"Therefore the solution must take the form of some independent pre-authority that is already a common feature in other areas of policing in this country."
Control of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU), to which undercover officer Mr Kennedy belonged, was transferred from Acpo to Scotland Yard last Monday.
Six protesters accused of planning to invade Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in Nottinghamshire claimed prosecutors dropped charges against them after Mr Kennedy offered to give evidence on their behalf.
Several inquiries - by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and Scotland Yard - are investigating aspects of undercover policing in the wake of the controversy.
Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said: "Recent revelations of abusive infiltration into non-violent protest movements should shame every democrat in Britain. We agree with Sir Hugh that such an important service should be accountable not to politics but to the law."
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February 6, 2011, 11:50 pm
![Image]( "Labour 'assisted bomber's release'")
The former Labour government did "all it could" to help Libya secure the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Britain's top civil servant is expected to say.
Sir Gus O'Donnell reportedly makes the admission in a review of the process that led to Abdelbaset al-Megrahi being freed on compassionate grounds in August 2009.
Prime Minister David Cameron is due to make a statement to MPs after a dossier of official documents shedding light on the controversy is published.
In an accompanying summary, Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus apparently concludes: "Policy was, therefore, progressively developed that Her Majesty's Government should do all it could, while respecting devolved competencies, to facilitate an appeal by the Libyans to the Scottish government for Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi's release under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) or for release on compassionate grounds."
Mr Cameron asked Sir Gus to conduct the review last year after promising US President Barack Obama that documents would be made public where possible.
The Prime Minister discussed Libya with American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when they met at a security conference in Munich on Saturday.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said they had "strongly agreed that the release of the Lockerbie bomber had been a mistake".
The tranche of letters, memos and minutes being released is described as "comprehensive".
Tony Blair and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi signed a PTA in 2007, and the UK reportedly dropped efforts to exclude Megrahi from the deal after Libya used a multibillion-pound oil deal with BP as a bargaining chip.
However, Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill eventually sanctioned his release on separate compassionate grounds because he was suffering from cancer and supposed to have little time left to live. Megrahi - the only man convicted over the 1988 bombing which killed 271 people - is still alive in Tripoli.
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February 7, 2011, 12:22 am
![Image]( "WikiLeaks founder 'fears execution'")
Julian Assange fears he could be taken against his will to the United States and executed if he is extradited to Sweden, his legal team has said.
Lawyers for the WikiLeaks founder have asked the Australian government to request assurances from their Swedish counterparts that he would never be removed from their country.
They are concerned the Swedes could "bow to US pressure" or "naively" rely on diplomatic assurances and allow the 39-year-old to be taken across the Atlantic.
In legal papers released as Assange appeared before a district judge at Woolwich Crown Court, his barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC said he may end up in Guantanamo Bay.
He said there is a "real risk" his client faces further extradition or illegal rendition to the United States if he is sent to Sweden to answer allegations of sexual assault.
Mr Robertson said: "If Mr Assange were rendered to the USA, without assurances that the death penalty would not be carried out, there is a real risk he could be made subject to the death penalty, which is provided for in the Espionage Act. It is well known that prominent figures have implied, if not stated outright, that Mr Assange should be executed."
In an unusual move, Assange's legal team released a 74-page outline of their arguments against his extradition as a two-day hearing got under way. The largely technical challenges focused on the status of Swedish officials, the validity of the European Arrest Warrant and claims that his human rights would be breached.
Assange, an Australian national, arrived under an extraordinary media spotlight at the high-security Crown Court, which is sitting as Belmarsh Magistrates' Court. Reporters from around the world laid siege to the courthouse and queued around the block to claim their tickets to the 100 media seats available.
He is supported by a number of high-profile campaigners, including Bianca Jagger, socialite Jemima Khan and veteran left-winger Tony Benn.
Assange faces three charges of sexually assaulting one woman and one charge of raping another during a week-long visit to Stockholm in August. He denies committing any offences and his supporters claim the criminal inquiry and extradition request are unfair and politically motivated.
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February 7, 2011, 12:22 am
![Image]( "Offenders 'could have iPods seized'")
Offenders could be stripped of prized possessions such as iPods under proposals to give police better powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, the Home Office has said.
Authorities would also be forced to take action if several people in the same neighbourhood complain or if one victim complains three times with no action being taken.
The "community trigger", one of a raft of proposals which form part of a Government consultation on anti-social behaviour, comes after Fiona Pilkington killed herself and her disabled daughter Francecca in 2007 after being hounded by youths outside their home in Leicestershire.
Crime Prevention Minister James Brokenshire said: "For too long anti-social behaviour has wreaked havoc in our communities and ruined decent people's lives. It is time for a new approach that better supports victims and makes it easier for the authorities to take fast, effective action.
"This consultation sets out how we propose to tackle this stubborn problem, ensuring the most vulnerable in our communities are protected from the cowards and bullies who carry on in such an offensive manner. It is important there is no let-up - local areas must continue to use the most appropriate powers available to them."
In the consultation document, the Home Office said it was working with the Ministry of Justice on proposals "to increase the use of asset seizure as a sanction for criminal offences. For example, to explore whether there are particular types of offender for whom seizing assets might be effective and proportionate."
It added that the Government was also considering seizing an offender's passport as a "useful additional sanction".
Asbos, Criminal Asbos and a whole range of other measures will be replaced with Criminal Behaviour Orders and Crime Prevention Injunctions, Mr Brokenshire said.
The orders will ban an individual from certain activities or places while the injunctions will be designed to nip bad behaviour in the bud before it escalates. They will also need a lower level of proof than the criminal orders.
Mr Brokenshire also suggested that offenders could be banned from taking holidays abroad as an incentive to comply with any court orders. "We're looking at a range of issues that might have an impact on how people behave," he said.
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February 7, 2011, 12:22 am
![Image]( "Protesters continue Cairo vigil")
Thousands of protesters are defiantly continuing their vigil in central Cairo despite government efforts to defuse the political crisis.
Opposition leaders insist President Hosni Mubarak must step down immediately.
The government has promised reforms but says he should stay in office until September elections.
In the latest concessions, judicial officials promised to start questioning three former ministers and a senior ruling party official on corruption charges. A marketing manager from Google who was held is also expected to be released.
Mohammed Eid, a student on Tahrir Square where the main body of protesters are gathered, said: "Our main objective is for Mubarak to step down. We don't accept any other concessions."
Mr Mubarak's regime appears confident in its ability for the moment to ride out the unrest, and maintain its grip on power, with Western backing, at least until the September elections.
Egypt's state-run news agency reported that he ordered the country's parliament and its highest appeal court to re-examine lower-court rulings disqualifying hundreds of ruling party MPs for campaign and ballot irregularities, that were ignored by electoral officials.
The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) won more than 83% of the 518 seats in the 2010 parliamentary elections. Implementing the rulings against NDP MPs could cause many to lose their seats and force the dissolution of the parliament and new elections if enough are disqualified.
Meanwhile, the army seems to be treating the protesters like a new feature of life in central Cairo, which seems closer to its normal weekday routine.
Banks were open for limited hours along with some shops, the stock market remained closed and schools were shut for the mid-year holiday and traffic was returning to ordinary levels in many places.
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February 7, 2011, 12:22 am
![Image]( "Gay-row GP sacked as drug adviser")
A Christian GP has been sacked as a Government drugs adviser just weeks into the job after it emerged he wrote a study linking homosexuality to paedophilia.
Hans-Christian Raabe, who backs total abstinence from drugs, said his dismissal came as a result of his views "completely unrelated to drug policy".
He was appointed to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) less than a month ago, but the move immediately met with criticism from a high-profile former member of the committee and some politicians.
Dr Raabe told the Daily Mail: "I have been discriminated against because of my opinions and beliefs, which are in keeping with the teaching of the major churches.
"My appointment has been revoked based on the wrong perception that I could potentially discriminate against gay people - something I have never done, neither in my private nor professional life."
A Home Office spokesman said: "Dr Raabe's appointment to the ACMD has been revoked and we will be starting a recruitment campaign for a replacement GP shortly. The ACMD's work will continue."
Former ACMD chairman Professor David Nutt criticised Dr Raabe's appointment, saying it was "deeply worrying" that he could support total abstinence when there was "a vast body of evidence in favour of harm reduction".
Bridget Phillipson, a Labour member of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said it was an "absolute outrage" that the Government had appointed "someone with such horrific opinions to this senior role".
Dr Raabe was one of seven authors of a report called Gay Marriage And Homosexuality: Some Medical Comments in February 2005.
It read: "Any attempts to legalise gay marriage should be aware of the link between homosexuality and paedophilia. While the majority of homosexuals are not involved in paedophilia, it is of grave concern that there is a disproportionately greater number of homosexuals among paedophiles and an overlap between the gay movement and the movement to make paedophilia acceptable."
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February 7, 2011, 12:22 am
![Image]( "Vigilante warning over stab death")
Neighbours of a heavily pregnant murdered teenager have warned that vigilantes may act if police fail to find her killer soon.
The body of Nikitta Grender, 19, was found by firefighters called to a blaze at her flat in Newport, South Wales, on Saturday morning.
Shock at what appeared to be a tragic accident turned to anger when police revealed that Miss Grender, eight months pregnant with a baby girl, had been stabbed to death.
The strength of feeling locally could be seen on Monday by the number of floral tributes left outside the flat in Broadmead Park, Liswerry.
Mother-of-four Christine Tovey, a neighbour of the murdered teenager, said: "I can see vigilantes coming in if the police do not find who did this. I couldn't blame them if anyone did. Emotions are running so high around here. Life isn't fair any more."
She said Miss Grender had moved in to the flat with her boyfriend about five or six months ago and was well-liked within the community.
Officers are continuing house-to-house inquiries and a team of workmen are using an array of equipment to empty out drains in the hope of finding the murder weapon, believed to be a knife.
Detective Superintendent Geoff Ronayne, of Gwent Police, said: "This is an horrific crime where two innocent lives have been lost. Nikitta was two weeks away from giving birth to a baby girl. This is particularly callous and something we very rarely see.
"We know Nikitta was out with friends Friday evening and visited McDonald's in the Spytty area during the evening, and we are establishing the exact time she was dropped back to her address, but we would urge anyone who was in the vicinity of Nikitta's address in 51 Broadmead Park, was with her or who saw her at any stage from 7pm on Friday February 4 onwards to get in touch."
Anyone with information should get in touch with police on 01443 865562 or 01633 838111 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
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February 7, 2011, 12:22 am
![Image]( "Firm 'can appeal over Rooney deal'")
Sports management firm Proactive has won permission to appeal over a £4.3 million claim against Manchester United and England footballer Wayne Rooney.
Judge Brendan Hegarty QC ruled at Manchester Mercantile Court in July last year that the agreement between Proactive and Rooney for a 20% commission for a number of multimillion-pound deals was unenforceable.
The judge said the eight-year contract Rooney signed as a young Everton player was "an unreasonable restraint" of his trade when the Football Association recommended a maximum of two years.
Lord Justice Ward, giving permission at the Court of Appeal in London, said Proactive did have a prospect of success in its arguments over Rooney's contract and whether or not they were due sums accrued for services it did provide.
"The mere fact that this was a claim for millions of pounds is almost in itself a compelling reason to give permission to appeal."
Judge Hegarty, who had postponed his verdict until after the World Cup had finished, ordered Speed 9849 Ltd, the company owned by Rooney's wife, Coleen, to pay Proactive just over £90,000 for work conducted on her behalf up to October 2008.
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February 7, 2011, 12:22 am
![Image]( "Geldof's tribute to guitarist Moore")
Bob Geldof has praised late guitarist Gary Moore as "one of the greats" as he added his voice to tributes to the former Thin Lizzy star and blues player.
The 58-year-old, originally from Belfast, was found dead in a hotel room on the Costa del Sol in the early hours of Sunday.
Spanish authorities said there were no signs of foul play but police will await the results of a post-mortem examination before deciding if an investigation is needed.
Geldof said Moore's work had been a huge influence on later rock acts, particularly bands such as Guns N' Roses, adding that he was also a fine blues guitarist.
"He is one of the great blues players," he told Radio 5 Live. "Axl Rose will say that without Thin Lizzy you don't get Guns N' Roses, and that whole idea of rock and roll, and Gary was sort of fundamental in developing that twin-guitar, lyrical thing like on Parisian Walkway.
"But really you didn't have to cut the skin hard to find just a great, great blues player, and absolutely one of the best," said Geldof, who had been a close friend of Thin Lizzy's singer Phil Lynott who died in 1986.
Former colleagues of Moore were stunned by his death.
Founding member of Lizzy, Brian Downey, said: "I am in total shock. He will always be in my thoughts and prayers and I just can't believe he is gone."
After his time with the Irish rock band, Moore went on to forge a successful solo career and was still actively touring.
His death was announced with a message on his website which read: "It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night. Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time."
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February 7, 2011, 6:20 am
![Image]( "Afghan police 'have drug culture'")
A culture of drug-taking and "indiscipline" exists among Afghan nationals working with British troops in Afghanistan, a preliminary inquest hearing into the deaths of five British soldiers has been told.
The UK troops were murdered by an Afghan policeman on November 3 2009.
The soldiers were gunned down without warning by an officer they had been living alongside at an Afghan National Police (ANP) checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, 40, Sergeant Matthew Telford, 37, and Guardsman Jimmy Major, 18, from the Grenadier Guards, died alongside Corporal Steven Boote, 22, and Corporal Nicholas Webster-Smith, 24, from the Royal Military Police.
They had just returned from a patrol and had taken off their body armour and were drinking tea with their Afghan colleagues in the courtyard of the compound.
The suspect, named only as Gulbuddin, suddenly opened fire from the roof of the checkpoint with a machine gun before anyone could respond, then fled.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the murders and some reports suggested Gulbuddin had escaped back to them, but military sources have previously suggested the attack was probably unconnected to the insurgents.
Another six British soldiers and two Afghan policemen were wounded in the attack at Checkpoint Blue 25.
The preliminary hearing, held at Trowbridge, Wiltshire, was told that the taking of opium and cannabis was commonplace amongst the ANP including those being mentored by British troops. The hearing was also told that Gulbuddin was a cannabis user. Coroner David Ridley said: "There is a culture that smoking of opium or cannabis is, to them, like to us the smoking of cigarettes."
However, Mr Ridley added that there was no evidence that Gulbuddin was under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack.
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Two men have been charged over a shooting at an Ohio fraternity house that killed one student and injured 11 people at a party.
Mahoning County coroner's office identified the dead student as 25-year-old Jamail Johnson and said he was shot in the head and legs.
Youngstown police chief Jimmy Hughes said each man was charged with aggravated murder, shooting into a house and 11 counts of felonious assault at the fraternity house near the Youngstown State University campus.
He did not name the suspects but said they were in their early 20s and from the Youngstown area.
Chief Hughes said earlier that the suspected gunmen were involved in a dispute at a party, left, then returned and began firing outside the crowded house on Saturday.
The 11 people who were hurt were aged 17 to 31. Eight have been released from hospital.
YSU President Cynthia Anderson met students and their families at the hospital and called the shootings "a sad day for the YSU family".
Fewer than one in 10 nurses believe there is adequate staffing on NHS wards to deliver good-quality care, according to a poll.
The survey, of more than 1,900 nurses for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), found 83% believe poor staffing compromises patient safety.
Just 7% of nurses said there are enough staff to care for patients properly, 80% think there are not and 13% are unsure.
Nurses also told the union they were coming under mounting pressure in the face of cuts, with posts left unfilled and recruitment freezes. There are fears that care may be "dumbed down" as a result of not having the right number and balance of staff.
The RCN is collating figures on the number of job losses at NHS trusts across England.
At the last count, 27,000 jobs had been earmarked for cuts. This includes redundancies, posts not being filled when staff retire or leave, and a diluting of the skill mix (balance of fully qualified staff with less-qualified assistants).
Of those questioned in the survey, 46% said that there had been unfilled vacancies in their workplace for more than six months, while 40% said there was currently a recruitment freeze.
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive of the RCN, said the Government's reforms of the NHS and the drive to find £15 to £20 billion annually in "efficiency savings" added to the pressure.
"The results of our survey act as a reality check for those saying that cuts aren't biting in the NHS," he said. "It is deeply worrying that some nurses are telling us that they do not have enough staff to deliver quality care and that safety could be compromised."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "The NHS must still find efficiency savings but we have been clear that every penny saved - including a 45% reduction in management costs - will be reinvested to support front line services and improve quality."
Union officials are pessimistic about the prospects for the economy this year, with most fearing job losses and below-inflation pay rises, according to a study.
A survey of almost 200 workplace reps showed that most believed the economy would be weaker in 2011, with those in the public sector most fearful.
Only a minority of those questioned by the Labour Research Department (LRD) believed workers would receive a pay rise in line with inflation this year, with a handful expecting wages to be frozen or even cut.
Three out of five workplace union officials said they expected jobs to be cut, especially in the public sector which is facing reduced Government funding.
Pay deals monitored by the research group showed average rises of around 2.6%, more than 2% below RPI inflation.
LRD researcher Lewis Emery said: "Pay rises will need to move considerably beyond the current mid-point if employees' spending power is to be maintained.
"Coupled with widespread fears of job cuts even in the more buoyant sectors of the economy, these findings suggest that the coalition cannot expect an easy route out of the economic doldrums."
Bandmates of former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore paid tribute to a "great player and great guy" following his death on holiday in Spain.
The 58-year-old, originally from Belfast, was found dead in a hotel room on the Costa del Sol in the early hours of yesterday.
Thin Lizzy founding member Brian Downey said he was stunned by the news.
"I am in total shock," he said. "He will always be in my thoughts and prayers and I just can't believe he is gone."
After his time with the Irish rock band, Moore went on to forge a successful solo career and was still actively touring.
His death was confirmed with a poignant message on the star's official website.
"It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night," it stated. "Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time."
Despite his solo ventures and numerous collaborations with other bands and artists, it is Moore's time with Thin Lizzy that he will be best remembered.
He joined the band in 1973 after the sudden departure of guitarist Eric Bell but only played with them for four months. Four years later he returned and went on to play on the band's Black Rose album.
Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham said it been a pleasure to share a stage with him. "Playing with Gary during the Black Rose era was a great experience, he was a great player and a great guy," he said. "I will miss him."
David Cameron has said Prince William will make a "fantastic husband" and a "wonderful king".
The Prime Minister said he had found the Prince to be "a remarkable young man" after spending time with him in Zurich for England's recent failed bid to host the World Cup.
Speaking to US news network CNN about the royal wedding, Mr Cameron said he was confident it would be "a great moment for Britain", adding that William and fiancee Kate Middleton were "a wonderful couple".
On the April 29 wedding, Mr Cameron said: "I know it will be a huge success, not just for the country and I think the world looking at Britain and how we have this wonderful Royal Family and Prince William, who I've spent some time with recently, is a remarkable young man - great, balanced, poised.
"I think he will make I am sure a fantastic husband and one day he will make a wonderful king.
"I think the world will be looking at this royal wedding but I think we will be very proud of it in the UK, but above all it's two young people who love each other very much. They are getting married and we should be very happy for them."
He refused to say whether he had given the Prince any advice.
Asked whether it would be a budget wedding given the Government's austerity measures, Mr Cameron said: "No, it will be a royal wedding that the whole country can celebrate."
He said issues around the cost would be discussed, with the Government contributing in terms of policing and security.
"I obviously have weekly meetings with Her Majesty the Queen. They are absolutely secret so I would have to kill you if I told you anything that was discussed," he said.
A range of measures to tackle anti-social behaviour are to be unveiled as the Government pledges to crack down on minor crime.
Among the proposals to be outlined on Monday are plans to compel police to investigate any incidences of anti-social behaviour reported by at least five people.
The "community trigger" is one of a raft of proposals which form part of a government consultation on anti-social behaviour, a Home Office source said.
Other measures will see police given powers forcing culprits to make amends for nuisance behaviour immediately.
The move comes as the Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) is overhauled. Instead police will be able to apply for a court order to tackle low-level nuisance behaviour. The new measures will be called criminal behaviour orders.
The Asbo was launched under the last Labour government while Tony Blair was still in power.
But the measure has attracted criticism in some quarters for the perception that it is seen as a badge of honour among offenders.
Shadow home office minister Vernon Coaker said: "The thing that has made the biggest difference to anti-social behaviour over the last 10 years has been neighbourhood police teams including PCSOs out on the streets and working with local communities to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
"Whether using Asbos or the other measures the Labour government introduced, these teams have made a real difference. What we have learnt is that no matter what measures you introduce, you need the officers to enforce them.
"This Tory-led government's savage cuts, putting chief constables in an impossible position and meaning more than 10,000 fewer police officers, will undoubtedly impact the work of these teams. No matter what announcements this Tory-led government makes, the truth is they are taking an unacceptable risk with the safety of our streets."
A dossier of official documents shedding light on the release of the Lockerbie bomber will be published on Monday.
Disclosures from the eagerly-anticipated publication may throw up new questions for the former Labour government and Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill.
Mr MacAskill sanctioned the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds in August 2009, because he was supposed to have little time left to live. Al-Megrahi is still alive in Tripoli.
The publication follows Prime Minister David Cameron's promise to US president Barack Obama that he would review the paperwork in the case.
Mr Cameron asked Sir Gus O'Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, to conduct the review and ensure that everything that could be made public was.
The tranche of letters, memos and minutes to be released today is described as "comprehensive".
The Prime Minister discussed Libya with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton when they met at a security conference in Munich on Saturday. A Downing Street spokeswoman said they had "strongly agreed that the release of the Lockerbie bomber had been a mistake".
It was reported last week that Libya had been given advice by a then Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell on how to secure al-Megrahi's release.
Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over the Scottish town on December 21, 1988, killing 270 people in the air and on the ground.
Bandmates of former Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore have paid tribute to a "great player and great guy" following his death on holiday in Spain.
The 58-year-old, originally from Belfast, was found dead in a hotel room on the Costa del Sol in the early hours of Sunday.
Thin Lizzy founding member Brian Downey said he was stunned by the news.
"I am in total shock," he said. "He will always be in my thoughts and prayers and I just can't believe he is gone."
After his time with the Irish rock band, Moore went on to forge a successful solo career and was still actively touring.
His death was confirmed with a poignant message on the star's official website.
"It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain," it stated. "Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time."
Despite his solo ventures and numerous collaborations with other bands and artists, it is Moore's time with Thin Lizzy that he will be best remembered.
He joined the band in 1973 after the sudden departure of guitarist Eric Bell but only played with them for four months. Four years later he returned and went on to play on the band's Black Rose album.
Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham said it had been a pleasure to share a stage with him. "Playing with Gary during the Black Rose era was a great experience, he was a great player and a great guy," he said. "I will miss him."
David Cameron's Big Society is being undermined by government spending cuts which are in danger of "destroying" the country's volunteer army, an outgoing charity leader has warned.
Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, who is stepping down after leading Britain's largest volunteering charity Community Service Volunteers (CSV) for more than 40 years, also said the Prime Minister had overestimated the amount of responsibility volunteers were prepared to take on.
She told the Times the Government had failed to provide opportunities for people to do more in their communities and in some cases spending cuts imposed on councils had actually taken them away.
Dame Elisabeth said: "Does one hand know what the other hand is doing? We know we need to save money, but there are other ways of saving money without destroying the volunteer army. Once you close a library there is nowhere for a volunteer to help.
"Few people want to be responsible for the library. Most people want to feel there's an expert on the premises. They are quite happy to issue and re-shelve the books, but taking the final responsibility is a bit more than more people want to do."
She said volunteering should be introduced as part of national curriculum projects in schools and backed a US idea tying funding handed to public bodies with the number of volunteers they involved in their activities. And she said the Government should be using its power to insist it had volunteers for classrooms, hospital wards and police forces.
Dame Elisabeth later told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: I think there are a lot of people putting a lot of energy into the Big Society, but it's not strategically planned. I think it's the job of national government to co-ordinate services across the nation and make sure they happen."
Minister for civil society Nick Hurd told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are investing. My own department's got £470 million to spend over the next four years. For those charities that are heavily dependant on the state, where cuts in public expenditure do cause vulnerability, we set aside £100 million of taxpayers' money to help those charities that feel particularly vulnerable."
Dame Elisabeth, 69, dubbed "the Mother of Volunteers", is due to outline her proposals during her retirement speech in Westminster.
The Prime Minister has faced much criticism over his Big Society initiative. Last week the leader of Liverpool City Council, Joe Anderson, wrote to Mr Cameron to say the authority was pulling out of the Big Society plans. The city was one of four pilot areas for the scheme, aimed at giving community groups and volunteers more control over their local services.
Police investigating the murder of a heavily-pregnant teenager have said they believe the crime was "locally based".
Officers launched a murder investigation after a post-mortem examination revealed Nikitta Grender, who was found dead after a flat fire, had been stabbed.
The 19-year-old was eight months' pregnant with a baby girl and friends paid tribute saying she would have made a "great mum".
Officers and firefighters were called to reports of a blaze in a flat in Broadmead Park in Liswerry, Newport, south Wales, at 7.50am on Saturday. Emergency crews entered the smoke-logged property and found the body of Ms Grender inside the bedroom of the first-floor flat. Her pet dog, a pug cross, also died in the fire.
Detective Superintendent Geoff Ronayne of Gwent Police said: "This is an horrific crime where two innocent lives have been lost. Nikitta was two weeks away from giving birth to a baby girl. This is particularly callous and something we very rarely see. When Nikitta's family should have been looking forward to the birth of her baby they are now absolutely grief stricken.
"We know Nikitta was out with friends Friday evening and visited McDonald's in the Spytty area during the evening, and we are establishing the exact time she was dropped back to her address, but we would urge anyone who was in the vicinity of Nikitta's address in 51 Broadmead Park, was with her or who saw her at any stage from 7pm on Friday February 4 onwards to get in touch.
"Someone must know who did this and we are urging members of the community to come forward and help us with this inquiry."
He said it was one of the "worst offences" he had seen, adding: "We are working on the basis that this crime is locally based.
"Somebody knows where the knife is and we urge them to come forward. Someone will know who is responsible. Please come forward to give us that information that we need."
Anyone with information should get in touch with police on 01443 865562 or 01633 838111 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Undercover policing operations should have to be authorised in advance by a judge, the head of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) has said.
Sir Hugh Orde, Acpo president, said the change was needed to restore public confidence.
It follows concerns about the role played by ex-Metropolitan Police constable Mark Kennedy, who spent a reported seven years posing as an environmental activist.
Sir Hugh said the benefits of judicial oversight of future operations would "far outweigh the additional administrative burden".
Speaking at a policing seminar held by human rights group Liberty in central London, Sir Hugh said: "The current system of retrospective inspection is, in my judgment, no longer sufficient to secure the confidence of right thinking people that such interference with citizens' rights (with its foreseeable collateral intrusion on many) is appropriate.
"Therefore the solution must take the form of some independent pre-authority that is already a common feature in other areas of policing in this country."
Control of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU), to which undercover officer Mr Kennedy belonged, was transferred from Acpo to Scotland Yard last Monday.
Six protesters accused of planning to invade Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station in Nottinghamshire claimed prosecutors dropped charges against them after Mr Kennedy offered to give evidence on their behalf.
Several inquiries - by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC), the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (Soca) and Scotland Yard - are investigating aspects of undercover policing in the wake of the controversy.
Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti said: "Recent revelations of abusive infiltration into non-violent protest movements should shame every democrat in Britain. We agree with Sir Hugh that such an important service should be accountable not to politics but to the law."
The former Labour government did "all it could" to help Libya secure the release of the Lockerbie bomber, Britain's top civil servant is expected to say.
Sir Gus O'Donnell reportedly makes the admission in a review of the process that led to Abdelbaset al-Megrahi being freed on compassionate grounds in August 2009.
Prime Minister David Cameron is due to make a statement to MPs after a dossier of official documents shedding light on the controversy is published.
In an accompanying summary, Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus apparently concludes: "Policy was, therefore, progressively developed that Her Majesty's Government should do all it could, while respecting devolved competencies, to facilitate an appeal by the Libyans to the Scottish government for Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi's release under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) or for release on compassionate grounds."
Mr Cameron asked Sir Gus to conduct the review last year after promising US President Barack Obama that documents would be made public where possible.
The Prime Minister discussed Libya with American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton when they met at a security conference in Munich on Saturday.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said they had "strongly agreed that the release of the Lockerbie bomber had been a mistake".
The tranche of letters, memos and minutes being released is described as "comprehensive".
Tony Blair and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi signed a PTA in 2007, and the UK reportedly dropped efforts to exclude Megrahi from the deal after Libya used a multibillion-pound oil deal with BP as a bargaining chip.
However, Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill eventually sanctioned his release on separate compassionate grounds because he was suffering from cancer and supposed to have little time left to live. Megrahi - the only man convicted over the 1988 bombing which killed 271 people - is still alive in Tripoli.
Julian Assange fears he could be taken against his will to the United States and executed if he is extradited to Sweden, his legal team has said.
Lawyers for the WikiLeaks founder have asked the Australian government to request assurances from their Swedish counterparts that he would never be removed from their country.
They are concerned the Swedes could "bow to US pressure" or "naively" rely on diplomatic assurances and allow the 39-year-old to be taken across the Atlantic.
In legal papers released as Assange appeared before a district judge at Woolwich Crown Court, his barrister Geoffrey Robertson QC said he may end up in Guantanamo Bay.
He said there is a "real risk" his client faces further extradition or illegal rendition to the United States if he is sent to Sweden to answer allegations of sexual assault.
Mr Robertson said: "If Mr Assange were rendered to the USA, without assurances that the death penalty would not be carried out, there is a real risk he could be made subject to the death penalty, which is provided for in the Espionage Act. It is well known that prominent figures have implied, if not stated outright, that Mr Assange should be executed."
In an unusual move, Assange's legal team released a 74-page outline of their arguments against his extradition as a two-day hearing got under way. The largely technical challenges focused on the status of Swedish officials, the validity of the European Arrest Warrant and claims that his human rights would be breached.
Assange, an Australian national, arrived under an extraordinary media spotlight at the high-security Crown Court, which is sitting as Belmarsh Magistrates' Court. Reporters from around the world laid siege to the courthouse and queued around the block to claim their tickets to the 100 media seats available.
He is supported by a number of high-profile campaigners, including Bianca Jagger, socialite Jemima Khan and veteran left-winger Tony Benn.
Assange faces three charges of sexually assaulting one woman and one charge of raping another during a week-long visit to Stockholm in August. He denies committing any offences and his supporters claim the criminal inquiry and extradition request are unfair and politically motivated.
Offenders could be stripped of prized possessions such as iPods under proposals to give police better powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, the Home Office has said.
Authorities would also be forced to take action if several people in the same neighbourhood complain or if one victim complains three times with no action being taken.
The "community trigger", one of a raft of proposals which form part of a Government consultation on anti-social behaviour, comes after Fiona Pilkington killed herself and her disabled daughter Francecca in 2007 after being hounded by youths outside their home in Leicestershire.
Crime Prevention Minister James Brokenshire said: "For too long anti-social behaviour has wreaked havoc in our communities and ruined decent people's lives. It is time for a new approach that better supports victims and makes it easier for the authorities to take fast, effective action.
"This consultation sets out how we propose to tackle this stubborn problem, ensuring the most vulnerable in our communities are protected from the cowards and bullies who carry on in such an offensive manner. It is important there is no let-up - local areas must continue to use the most appropriate powers available to them."
In the consultation document, the Home Office said it was working with the Ministry of Justice on proposals "to increase the use of asset seizure as a sanction for criminal offences. For example, to explore whether there are particular types of offender for whom seizing assets might be effective and proportionate."
It added that the Government was also considering seizing an offender's passport as a "useful additional sanction".
Asbos, Criminal Asbos and a whole range of other measures will be replaced with Criminal Behaviour Orders and Crime Prevention Injunctions, Mr Brokenshire said.
The orders will ban an individual from certain activities or places while the injunctions will be designed to nip bad behaviour in the bud before it escalates. They will also need a lower level of proof than the criminal orders.
Mr Brokenshire also suggested that offenders could be banned from taking holidays abroad as an incentive to comply with any court orders. "We're looking at a range of issues that might have an impact on how people behave," he said.
Thousands of protesters are defiantly continuing their vigil in central Cairo despite government efforts to defuse the political crisis.
Opposition leaders insist President Hosni Mubarak must step down immediately.
The government has promised reforms but says he should stay in office until September elections.
In the latest concessions, judicial officials promised to start questioning three former ministers and a senior ruling party official on corruption charges. A marketing manager from Google who was held is also expected to be released.
Mohammed Eid, a student on Tahrir Square where the main body of protesters are gathered, said: "Our main objective is for Mubarak to step down. We don't accept any other concessions."
Mr Mubarak's regime appears confident in its ability for the moment to ride out the unrest, and maintain its grip on power, with Western backing, at least until the September elections.
Egypt's state-run news agency reported that he ordered the country's parliament and its highest appeal court to re-examine lower-court rulings disqualifying hundreds of ruling party MPs for campaign and ballot irregularities, that were ignored by electoral officials.
The ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) won more than 83% of the 518 seats in the 2010 parliamentary elections. Implementing the rulings against NDP MPs could cause many to lose their seats and force the dissolution of the parliament and new elections if enough are disqualified.
Meanwhile, the army seems to be treating the protesters like a new feature of life in central Cairo, which seems closer to its normal weekday routine.
Banks were open for limited hours along with some shops, the stock market remained closed and schools were shut for the mid-year holiday and traffic was returning to ordinary levels in many places.
A Christian GP has been sacked as a Government drugs adviser just weeks into the job after it emerged he wrote a study linking homosexuality to paedophilia.
Hans-Christian Raabe, who backs total abstinence from drugs, said his dismissal came as a result of his views "completely unrelated to drug policy".
He was appointed to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) less than a month ago, but the move immediately met with criticism from a high-profile former member of the committee and some politicians.
Dr Raabe told the Daily Mail: "I have been discriminated against because of my opinions and beliefs, which are in keeping with the teaching of the major churches.
"My appointment has been revoked based on the wrong perception that I could potentially discriminate against gay people - something I have never done, neither in my private nor professional life."
A Home Office spokesman said: "Dr Raabe's appointment to the ACMD has been revoked and we will be starting a recruitment campaign for a replacement GP shortly. The ACMD's work will continue."
Former ACMD chairman Professor David Nutt criticised Dr Raabe's appointment, saying it was "deeply worrying" that he could support total abstinence when there was "a vast body of evidence in favour of harm reduction".
Bridget Phillipson, a Labour member of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said it was an "absolute outrage" that the Government had appointed "someone with such horrific opinions to this senior role".
Dr Raabe was one of seven authors of a report called Gay Marriage And Homosexuality: Some Medical Comments in February 2005.
It read: "Any attempts to legalise gay marriage should be aware of the link between homosexuality and paedophilia. While the majority of homosexuals are not involved in paedophilia, it is of grave concern that there is a disproportionately greater number of homosexuals among paedophiles and an overlap between the gay movement and the movement to make paedophilia acceptable."
Sports management firm Proactive has won permission to appeal over a £4.3 million claim against Manchester United and England footballer Wayne Rooney.
Judge Brendan Hegarty QC ruled at Manchester Mercantile Court in July last year that the agreement between Proactive and Rooney for a 20% commission for a number of multimillion-pound deals was unenforceable.
The judge said the eight-year contract Rooney signed as a young Everton player was "an unreasonable restraint" of his trade when the Football Association recommended a maximum of two years.
Lord Justice Ward, giving permission at the Court of Appeal in London, said Proactive did have a prospect of success in its arguments over Rooney's contract and whether or not they were due sums accrued for services it did provide.
"The mere fact that this was a claim for millions of pounds is almost in itself a compelling reason to give permission to appeal."
Judge Hegarty, who had postponed his verdict until after the World Cup had finished, ordered Speed 9849 Ltd, the company owned by Rooney's wife, Coleen, to pay Proactive just over £90,000 for work conducted on her behalf up to October 2008.
Bob Geldof has praised late guitarist Gary Moore as "one of the greats" as he added his voice to tributes to the former Thin Lizzy star and blues player.
The 58-year-old, originally from Belfast, was found dead in a hotel room on the Costa del Sol in the early hours of Sunday.
Spanish authorities said there were no signs of foul play but police will await the results of a post-mortem examination before deciding if an investigation is needed.
Geldof said Moore's work had been a huge influence on later rock acts, particularly bands such as Guns N' Roses, adding that he was also a fine blues guitarist.
"He is one of the great blues players," he told Radio 5 Live. "Axl Rose will say that without Thin Lizzy you don't get Guns N' Roses, and that whole idea of rock and roll, and Gary was sort of fundamental in developing that twin-guitar, lyrical thing like on Parisian Walkway.
"But really you didn't have to cut the skin hard to find just a great, great blues player, and absolutely one of the best," said Geldof, who had been a close friend of Thin Lizzy's singer Phil Lynott who died in 1986.
Former colleagues of Moore were stunned by his death.
Founding member of Lizzy, Brian Downey, said: "I am in total shock. He will always be in my thoughts and prayers and I just can't believe he is gone."
After his time with the Irish rock band, Moore went on to forge a successful solo career and was still actively touring.
His death was announced with a message on his website which read: "It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night. Our thoughts are with his children, family and friends at this sad time."
A culture of drug-taking and "indiscipline" exists among Afghan nationals working with British troops in Afghanistan, a preliminary inquest hearing into the deaths of five British soldiers has been told.
The UK troops were murdered by an Afghan policeman on November 3 2009.
The soldiers were gunned down without warning by an officer they had been living alongside at an Afghan National Police (ANP) checkpoint in Nad-e-Ali in Helmand Province.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Darren Chant, 40, Sergeant Matthew Telford, 37, and Guardsman Jimmy Major, 18, from the Grenadier Guards, died alongside Corporal Steven Boote, 22, and Corporal Nicholas Webster-Smith, 24, from the Royal Military Police.
They had just returned from a patrol and had taken off their body armour and were drinking tea with their Afghan colleagues in the courtyard of the compound.
The suspect, named only as Gulbuddin, suddenly opened fire from the roof of the checkpoint with a machine gun before anyone could respond, then fled.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the murders and some reports suggested Gulbuddin had escaped back to them, but military sources have previously suggested the attack was probably unconnected to the insurgents.
Another six British soldiers and two Afghan policemen were wounded in the attack at Checkpoint Blue 25.
The preliminary hearing, held at Trowbridge, Wiltshire, was told that the taking of opium and cannabis was commonplace amongst the ANP including those being mentored by British troops. The hearing was also told that Gulbuddin was a cannabis user. Coroner David Ridley said: "There is a culture that smoking of opium or cannabis is, to them, like to us the smoking of cigarettes."
However, Mr Ridley added that there was no evidence that Gulbuddin was under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack.
