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Oil slick seen after oil rig blast

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Image A mile-long oil sheen has been spotted spreading from an offshore oil platform burning in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Coklough said the sheen, about a mile long and 100ft wide, was seen near the platform off Louisiana owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy. He said Mariner had deployed three firefighting vessels to the site and one was already in place fighting the blaze. The Coast Guard says no one was killed in the explosion and fire, which was reported by a commercial helicopter flying over the site on Thursday morning. All 13 people aboard the rig were rescued as they floated in the water in survival outfits. The platform is in about 340ft of water and about 100 miles south of Vermilion Bay on the central Louisiana coast. Its location is considered shallow water, much less than the approximately 5,000ft where BP's well spewed oil and gas for three months after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in April. All 13 people aboard the rig were found floating in the water, sticking close together, Coast Guard spokesman Chief Petty Officer John Edwards said. "These guys had the presence of mind, used their training to get into survival suits before they entered the water. It speaks volumes to safety training and the importance of it because beyond getting off the rig there's all the hazards of the water such as hypothermia and things of that nature," he added said. All were being flown to a hospital to be checked over. Coast Guard Commander Cheri Ben-Iesau said one person was injured, but Mariner Energy said there were no injuries. "Mariner has notified and is working with regulatory authorities in response to this incident. The cause is not known, and an investigation will be undertaken," the company said in a statement. The platform is a fixed petroleum platform that was in production at the time of the fire, according to a homeland security operational update. The report also said the platform was producing about 58,800 gallons of oil and 900,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The platform can store 4,200 gallons of oil.

Man battered wife and girl to death

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Image A businessman who battered his wife and daughter to death with a mallet professed his love for his family repeatedly in the moments after their brutal killings, an inquest heard. Hugh McFall, 48, was found hanged in his industrial lock-up on February 5, four hours after the bodies of his wife, Susan, 56, and daughter, Francesca, 18, were discovered at the family home in Oswestry, Shropshire. Coroner John Ellery recorded a verdict of suicide for Mr McFall and unlawful killing for Mrs McFall and Francesca, known as Frankie. Both women had sustained extensive head injuries. A handwritten suicide note found near Mr McFall's body said he hoped to "rot in hell" for what he had done and proclaimed: "I love them so much, nobody can understand. Part of me wants to stay alive just so I can keep thinking about them. The pain is too much." Mr McFall left another note next to his daughter's body which read: "I love you more than anything I have ever loved, I couldn't let you suffer, Daddy." And in a 999 call he told an operator: "I've just killed my wife and daughter. I love them so much." A two-day inquest into the three deaths at Shrewsbury Magistrates' Court heard that Mr McFall, a self-employed flower salesman, appeared to have been a devoted family man who "doted" on his wife of 20 years and their daughter. But business associates told the court they had suspected him of overcharging them more than half a million pounds over a period of seven years and had threatened him with police action. It also emerged that Mr McFall secretly trawled the internet for prostitute websites and pornography, and researched HIV testing in the months leading up to his death. John Ellery, Coroner for Mid and North Shropshire, said Mr McFall may have also been driven by business worries and concerns over his "social standing" after losing 95% of his income when his main customer suspended its contract with him. Mr Ellery said: "His financial world had collapsed, his source of business income or at least 90-95% of it, had disappeared in a moment. Their lifestyle, as he knew it, would be over."

Pakistan cricket trio suspended

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Image The three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of match-fixing allegations have been suspended from playing cricket after being charged under the anti-corruption code of the sport's governing body. The announcement by the International Cricket Council (ICC) came as Pakistan test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer prepared to be questioned on Friday over the allegations by detectives from Scotland Yard. The three men have insisted they are innocent but have been charged with "various offences" under Article 2 of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code relating to alleged irregular behaviour during, and in relation to, the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's last month. The three have been "provisionally suspended pending a decision on those charges", the ICC said. ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: "We will not tolerate corruption in cricket - simple as that. We must be decisive with such matters and if proven, these offences carry serious penalties up to a life ban. "The ICC will do everything possible to keep such conduct out of the game and we will stop at nothing to protect the sport's integrity. While we believe the problem is not widespread, we must always be vigilant." The charges mean the sportsmen are "immediately barred from participating in all cricket and related activities until the case has been concluded". They have a right to contest the provisional suspension and have 14 days from receipt of the charge to indicate whether they want to defend themselves before an independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal. The ICC said: "Any player ultimately found to be guilty of committing an offence under the code would be subject to the sanctions described in Article 6 of the code. In this case, the alleged offences, if proved, would involve the imposition of a ban." Mr Lorgat added: "It is important, however, that we do not pre-judge the guilt of these three players. That is for the independent tribunal alone to decide."

'No oil sheen' after rig explosion

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Image The US Coast Guard has backtracked on its earlier report that an oil sheen about a mile long was spreading following a platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Coast Guard Commander Cheri Ben-Iesau said crews were unable to confirm the oil sheen a mile long and 100ft wide reported by platform owner Mariner Energy. In a statement, the company said an initial flyover did not find an oil spill. Ben-Iesau said the fire on the platform has been put out. All 13 crew members were rescued from the water.

BBC chief defends impartiality

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Image The BBC has defended its impartiality after the director general of the corporation was photographed going into a meeting in Downing Street to apparently discuss coverage of government spending cuts. Mark Thompson met one of Prime Minister David Cameron's senior aides to talk about offering prominent exposure to senior government figures on BBC channels in the coming weeks, the Daily Telegraph reported. The meeting appeared to be an attempt by Mr Thompson to assure senior Tory figures that the BBC was not biased against the Government, the paper claimed. The Daily Mail claimed the photographs showed Mr Thompson arrived at Number 10 holding a memo stating that the BBC was ready to put its coverage of spending cuts into "context". Labour MP Michael Dugher, who was a senior aide to former prime minister Gordon Brown told the Telegraph: "The BBC should be standing up for its independence and should not be bullied by Cameron's aides with the threat of cutbacks." A BBC spokesman said: "The director general has made it repeatedly clear that the impartiality of the BBC is paramount. The director general in his role as editor-in-chief discussed the possible participation of a number of members of the Government in the BBC's coverage of the spending review this autumn. "The BBC has regular meetings with both government and opposition parties. Both he and colleagues will also be talking to all the main political parties on this issue."

Cheryl Cole in 'quickie divorce'

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Image Cheryl Cole is due to be divorced from her footballer husband Ashley, according to reports. The X Factor judge's marriage is due to end in a "quickie divorce" at the High Court's Family Division, several newspapers said. A case - titled CAC vs AC which would indicate Cheryl Ann Cole against Ashley Cole - is listed before District Judge Christopher Simmonds "for pronouncement of decree or order under the special procedure rule". The pair separated in February after public allegations about the England and Chelsea defender's infidelity. They met in 2004 when they both had homes in the same London apartment block. Cole, 29, eventually got Cheryl's number from Girl's Aloud bandmate Kimberley Walsh, who was friendly with one of the player's then team-mates at Arsenal. The pop star/footballer union soon led to them being compared to the Beckhams. They were engaged in 2005 after he proposed in Dubai and they tied the knot the next year, with an OK! deal. In early 2008 claims were made, in toe-curling detail, that Ashley Cole had been unfaithful during his time with Cheryl. Their troubled marriage was subject of much media attention and Cheryl Cole was pictured on a number of occasions without her wedding ring. The ring was off again in February when she appeared at the Brit Awards performing her chart-topping solo single Fight For this Love, in an apparent sign that the marriage was doomed. This time it was as a result of stories detailing how pictures of an undressed Ashley Cole were texted to a glamour model. He said the images were sent after he had passed the phone to a friend and had forgotten to delete the photos he had taken. Yet days later another woman came forward to say she too had received saucy shots from the same phone months earlier. And to compound the misery - and pile pressure on the state of the marriage - another woman came forward claiming she had slept with the player in 2009 while he was in the US. The celebrity couple are one of 29 couples who will be granted decrees nisi - a preliminary divorce order which could be finalised within weeks if neither side objects - at the Principal Registry of the Family Division in High Holborn, London. They are the only couple on the list to be solely referred to by their initials. A spokesman for Cheryl Cole declined to comment.

School place lottery system 'fails'

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Image A controversial "lottery" designed to allocate school places fairly has failed to reduce segregation between rich and poor pupils, research suggests. Richer pupils are still dominating places at top-performing schools in Brighton and Hove, and poorer pupils are missing out because of the way school catchment areas are drawn up, according to a study by the Institute of Education and Bristol University. Brighton and Hove introduced a lottery system, the first of its kind, two years ago following concerns that there were unequal opportunities throughout the country for rich and poor families to access the best schools. The theory behind Brighton's reforms was that by using a lottery instead of the distance from a child's home to a school as a measure of allocating places, every child would have the same chance of winning a place. Alongside the introduction of the lottery, new catchment areas were drawn up. Within each of these catchment areas allocations for places is random. The study, which looks at the first two years of the lottery, concluded that there have been "winners and losers", but so-called "social segregation" - the dividing of pupils based on family income - has not significantly reduced. It said the way the new catchment areas have been established means that in general, families in the poorest neighbourhoods still have little chance of getting into the popular schools that are in the city centre. This is because a particular school may not be in their catchment area. The study said: "There are clearly winners and losers from these reforms: some students are attending less academically successful secondary schools than they might have expected to; for others the reverse is true. The location of these winners and losers largely derive from the design of the catchment areas rather than the impact of the lottery where it applies." The report authors, Rebecca Allen of the Institute of Education, and Simon Burgess and Leigh McKenna of the Centre for Market and Public Organisation at Bristol University said: "The main lesson of our analysis is that the introduction of a lottery on its own is not enough to equalise access to the high-performing popular schools. The drawing of the catchment area boundaries is central to the outcome of the reform." The study said it will be "several years" before the impact of Brighton and Hove's reforms will become clear because families are expected to move, and house prices will adjust in response to the new catchment areas.

Record fall in alcohol consumption

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Image The UK has seen its biggest fall in alcohol consumption in 60 years, according to new figures from an industry body. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said 2009 saw the sharpest year-on-year decline in alcohol consumption across the board since 1948. The figures are compiled primarily from HM Revenue and Customs data for the amount of alcohol sold by producers and importers into the UK market. They follow recent data from the Office of National Statistics which found 39% of men and 31% of women exceed the daily guidelines on how much they should drink. The BBPA, which represents the brewing and pub sector, said the data showed a 6% decline in total alcohol consumption in 2009, making it the fourth annual decline in five years. UK drinkers were now consuming 13% less alcohol than in 2004, with consumption remaining below the EU average. UK taxes on beer remained among the highest compared with other countries and were the second highest duty rate in EU - 10 times higher than in Germany and seven times higher than in France, the organisation said. Other statistics published in the BBPA Statistical Handbook 2010 show beer is by far the pubgoer's favourite tipple, making up 60% of all alcohol sales in pubs, hotels, and restaurants. Wine is in second place at 17%. Total spending on beer has reached £17 billion a year, or 41% of all spending on alcohol. The average price of a pint of bitter is £2.58, with lager selling for £2.95. London is the most expensive region to buy a pint, with prices 35% higher than in the North East. BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: "These figures will confound many pundits as yet again they confirm that as a nation we are not drinking more. Those who suggest otherwise need to focus on the hard facts. This handbook also reminds us of just how vital a role beer and pubs play in the UK economy in terms of turnover, jobs, and tax revenues. The new numbers show just how closely linked beer is to Britain's struggling pubs, with beer accounting for around 60% of on-trade sales. Policy-makers should take note."

G20 pathologist faces sanctions

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Image The pathologist who carried out the first post mortem on Ian Tomlinson, who died at last year's G20 protest, is due to find out whether he is to be struck off the medical register. A General Medical Council disciplinary panel ruled Dr Freddy Patel acted in a way that amounted to misconduct during three earlier post-mortem examinations and that his fitness to practise is impaired. Dr Patel has already been suspended from the Home Office register of forensic pathologists amid questions about his post-mortem examination of Mr Tomlinson. The 47-year-old newspaper seller died during London's G20 riots in April last year after being pushed to the ground by a police officer. Dr Patel concluded that Mr Tomlinson died of natural causes but his competency was called into question after two other pathologists agreed that Mr Tomlinson, who was an alcoholic, died as a result of internal bleeding, probably from his diseased liver, after falling on his elbow. The shortcomings in Dr Patel's examination of Mr Tomlinson's body were revealed by prosecutors as they announced that no charges would be brought over the death. The GMC panel has concluded that Dr Patel was "irresponsible" and failed to meet professional standards during his examinations of the bodies of a five-year-old girl in 2002, a four-week-old baby in 2003 and a woman who died in 2005. Dr Patel, 63, was said by the panel to have behaved irresponsibly, failed to meet standards expected of a Home Office pathologist and acted in a way liable to bring the profession into disrepute when he changed the woman's cause of death in 2005. He carried out a post-mortem examination on January 5, and decided she had died due to a blood clot in the coronary arteries. A month later, following a second post-mortem by another pathologist, he prepared an addendum to his report, changing the cause of death to a brain haemorrhage in line with the new findings. The pathologist was also found to be guilty of misconduct in a post-mortem examination on a four-week-old baby in August 2003. His failure to obtain full skeletal X-rays prior to the examination, as recommended by Royal College of Pathologists' guidance, was irresponsible and failed to meet professional standards, the panel decided. Dr Patel carried out the post-mortem examination at 7.20am, prior to the radiologist's 9am start time. The fitness to practise panel is due to impose sanctions on Dr Patel at a hearing in London.

Police quiz 'fix' probe cricketers

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Image The three Pakistan cricketers barred from the sport over match-fixing allegations are expected to be questioned by police. Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer were charged under the anti-corruption code of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday and provisionally banned from playing in any match. The three men have insisted they are innocent but have been charged with "various offences" under Article 2 of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code relating to alleged irregular behaviour during and in relation to the fourth Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's last month. They have been "provisionally suspended pending a decision on those charges", the ICC said. The bans follow newspaper allegations that a middleman accepted £150,000 to arrange for Pakistan players to deliberately bowl no-balls during the fourth Test. ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: "We will not tolerate corruption in cricket - simple as that. We must be decisive with such matters and if proven, these offences carry serious penalties up to a life ban." The charges mean the sportsmen are "immediately barred from participating in all cricket and related activities until the case has been concluded". Pakistan's top diplomat in Britain on Thursday claimed that the men were "set up". Wajid Hasan, the Pakistani High Commissioner in London, said he believed the trio played no part in an alleged plot to bowl no-balls to order during Pakistan's defeat at Lord's. He went on to cast doubt on video evidence about the allegations released by the News of the World. In an interview on BBC News, he said: "We are not seeing on the video what the date or what the time is. Do you have answers to these questions? The video wasn't timed or dated. It could have been dated before the match or after the match, or at a different time." Asked if he thought the three players had been "set up", Mr Hasan said: "Yes, I would say that." The News of the World dismissed the High Commissioner's claims as "ludicrous", adding in a statement: "Watch this space."

Ex-MI6 worker faces jail over leak

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Image A former MI6 worker who says he was "directed by voices" faces a jail sentence after admitting charges of unlawfully disclosing top secret material. Daniel Houghton, 25, who worked for the secret intelligence service between September 2007 and May last year, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Official Secrets Act, in July. Houghton, of Hoxton, east London, who holds British and Dutch nationality, was arrested in a Scotland Yard sting at a London hotel in March. He denied a third charge of theft and the prosecution said it would not offer any evidence on that matter. The two charges under the Official Secrets Act concern the unlawful disclosure of material "relating to security or intelligence". They relate to electronic files "containing techniques for intelligence collection" and electronic files containing two staff lists, "which were in his possession by virtue of his position as a former member of the British Secret Intelligence Service". Mr Justice Bean heard that Houghton's account was that he was "directed by voices to do what he is said to have done in the charges". Duncan Penny, for Houghton, said: "He accepts that a custodial sentence is inevitable in this case, given the gravity of the offences concerned." Houghton was remanded in custody at the Old Bailey for reports, including a psychiatric assessment, to be prepared. After his arrest, American university student Kimberly Peterson, 27, said she had no idea her quietly spoken flatmate used to work for MI6. The pair were among a group sharing a £250,000 ex-council flat in trendy Hoxton after Houghton joined a graduate programme at Lloyds Bank. Miss Peterson said: "It feels like I am in my own episode of Law And Order" as she revealed police had seized all their computer equipment.

Ed Balls outlines £250m jobs pledge

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Image Ed Balls has put employment at the centre of his campaign for the Labour leadership by outlining a £250 million plan to create 200,000 jobs and work placements for the unemployed. As ballot papers continued to land on the doorsteps of Labour Party members, he insisted his policy went "to the heart" of the alternative he would be offering on the economy. And he called for a new guarantee to ensure that anyone unemployed for more than 18 months would be given a job or work placement. The shadow education secretary stressed his plan would ensure everyone of working age had the right to a job - and the responsibility and requirement to take it. Mr Balls, who was a key lieutenant of Gordon Brown, said Labour had to be the "consensus-changers" and challenge the "misguided view" that cutting spending to reduce the deficit was the right priority this year. He was speaking after the Labour Party was rocked by the publication of Tony Blair's memoirs on Wednesday, which have reopened old wounds about the Blair-Brown feud during Labour's years in government. Some believe Mr Blair also came close to endorsing the economic approach of the coalition Government when he wrote in A Journey: "If governments don't tackle deficits, the bill is footed by taxpayers, who fear big deficits now mean big taxes in the future, the prospect of which reduces confidence, investment and purchasing power. This then increases the risk of a prolonged slump." But Mr Balls said: "Labour must be the consensus-changers and challenge the misguided view that cutting spending to reduce the deficit is the right priority this year or that we can somehow cut our way to recovery. "We need to do more to boost jobs, promote growth and get the economy moving again. That's why this week I have called for 100,000 more affordable homes to be built to tackle the housing shortage and create hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs." He added: "This policy goes to the heart of the alternative I am setting out on the economy. The best way to secure economic recovery and get the deficit down over time is to make sure more people are in work and paying taxes."

Gulf oil disaster costs BP £5.2bn

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Image Oil giant BP has said that the cost of tackling the Gulf of Mexico disaster had risen to 8 billion US dollars (£5.2 billion) so far. The ruptured well has been shut since July 15 after pumping almost five million barrels of oil into the Gulf when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank in April. BP this week began work to replace the rig's blow-out preventer, which failed with disastrous consequences. The firm has paid out 428 million dollars (£278 million) in claims so far. Provisions for the crisis sent BP crashing 17 billion dollars (£11 billion) into the red for the April-June period - its first loss in 18 years. The relief well which will seal the well permanently is likely to be completed in mid-September. The group said more than 28,400 staff are working on the relief efforts as well as 4,050 vessels and dozens of aircraft. At the peak of the crisis 3.5 million feet of containment boom was used to rein the spill, although this has now been reduced to 1.72 million. BP has come under heavy fire in the US but the political pressure has eased since the oil firm set up a 20 billion US dollar (£13 billion) fund to meet compensation payouts and costs. The crisis cost former chief executive Tony Hayward his job after a series of PR blunders and he will make way in October for fellow board member Bob Dudley, who becomes BP's first overseas boss. The longer-term fall-out such as fines, penalties and potential legal action is also set to add to the bill and spread the pain over a number of years. BP hopes to sell around 10% of its production assets over the next 18 months, with the aim of raising 30 billion dollars (£20 billion) to beef up its balance sheet to meet the crisis.

Buses and bikes to help in strike

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Image Details of a "major effort" to help people get to work during a strike by London Underground workers have been unveiled, including extra buses, escorted bike rides and more river journeys. Thousands of members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association are due to walk out for 24 hours from 5pm on Monday in a row over 800 job losses. The walkout, to be followed by further stoppages in October and November, threaten travel chaos in the capital, where millions of Tube journeys are made every day. Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport for London on Friday announced contingency plans for dealing with the strike, with 100 extra buses being laid on, escorted bike rides, marshalled taxi ranks, and capacity for 10,000 more journeys on the River Thames. Volunteers will be positioned at Tube, bus, and rail stations to help people with their journeys and provide maps and other information. The move follows the breakdown of peace talks at the conciliation service Acas on Thursday, with both sides blaming each other for the deadlock. TfL warned that disruption is expected from late afternoon on Monday and is set to last throughout Tuesday if the strike goes ahead. Mr Johnson, said: "Londoners are a hardy bunch and I am sure a Tube strike will not deter us from getting around. I have asked TfL to pull out all the stops, but we must be clear that the RMT and TSSA plan to inconvenience Londoners for no good reason. "The extra measures we have put in call for a team effort and people will need to consider buses, boats or bikes as an alternative to their usual journeys. This planned action will cause disruption for millions of Londoners and I call on the unions to get round the table and show common sense." London Underground admitted that disruption is likely on most Tube journeys during the strike, adding that it will run as many trains and keep as many stations open as possible.

Cole's marriage over in 80 seconds

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Image Cheryl Cole's four-year marriage to footballer husband Ashley has ended on the grounds of his admitted unreasonable behaviour. The celebrity couple were not at the Principal Registry of the High Court's Family Division for the hearing, which lasted just one minute 20 seconds. The X Factor judge and England soccer star were the first in a "quickie divorces" list of 29 who were granted a decree nisi by District Judge Christopher Simmonds. The case is the only one listed anonymously - CAC v AC - but the names "Cole v Cole" were read out by an impassive court clerk to a court empty except for the media. A spokesman for the singer said they would not be commenting on the news.

Runaway Nadir appears at Old Bailey

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Image Fugitive tycoon Asil Nadir has arrived at the Old Bailey to face a judge for the first time since fleeing fraud allegations in Britain 17 years ago. Nadir, 69, who returned to Britain from northern Cyprus last week, was given bail in his absence on condition he attend the court. Judge Mr Justice Bean said he hoped the court attendance would end the "legal limbo" which existed since Nadir fled Britain in 1993 as he was due to be tried over the collapse of his Polly Peck business empire. Nadir, a Conservative party donor, was charged with 66 counts of theft in connection with a £34 million fraud when he flew from Britain to the Mediterranean island, which has no extradition treaty with the UK. He had appeared in court the previous year but had not technically surrendered to his bail. So, the judge said, a subsequent arrest warrant, issued on the basis that he had breached his bail, was not valid. Nadir's legal team told the court he was willing to return to face trial if he was granted bail. The Serious Fraud Office had agreed not to oppose bail if the stringent conditions were imposed, which include depositing £250,000 with the court as a security and surrendering travel documents. A provisional trial date may be fixed and his bail renewed at the brief hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday. Nadir and his 26-year-old wife Nur are renting a £20,000-a-month townhouse in Mayfair, central London, as his defence case is prepared.

New baby makes Downing Street debut

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Image David Cameron welcomed a new arrival to Downing Street, posing for pictures with his 10-day-old daughter. The Prime Minister stood with his wife Samantha, who cradled their new baby Florence Rose Endellion on the steps of No 10. The child appeared unfazed by the bank of photographers and camera crews on the other side of the street. Asked how many nappies he had changed, Mr Cameron joked: "Hundreds." Another journalist asked: "Has Nick Clegg changed any nappies yet?" Mr Cameron replied: "That's next." The baby was wearing a white shawl crocheted by a member of the public who sent it in to congratulate the couple on the birth. The woman, Jane Fraser-Cross, from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, is a local fundraiser and grandmother of six, who likes to be known as "Granny Jane". Asked if the baby was keeping them awake, Mrs Cameron smiled and replied: "Yes." The appearance was delayed by more than 10 minutes and a Downing Street press officer said this was for "operational reasons". It was not clear if there was nappy changing involved. Florence was born at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro last Tuesday, weighing 6lb 1oz.

Somerset Council to axe 1,500 jobs

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Image A council is to axe 1,500 jobs. Somerset Council said it was cutting a third of its workforce over the next three years. The move was to plug a funding gap of £75 million over the same period. Leader of the Conservative-led council, Ken Maddock, said: "These are tough times for everyone and it is important that the council does not increase the financial burden on residents. "We are looking to be smaller, leaner and more efficient. Change is essential. We are bringing in a new approach to what we do and how we do it. "The cuts will impact on everybody." The council also announced there would be no increase in council tax for a second year in 2011.

Mother charged over toddler death

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Image A mother who carried the lifeless body of her two-year-old son into a police station has been charged with murder. Melanie Ruddell, 39, had been receiving hospital treatment following her arrest after she carried the body of her son Christy into Peterlee Police Station , County Durham, last month. Mrs Ruddell, of Dean View, Castle Eden, County Durham, is due to appear before Peterlee Magistrates. A Durham Police spokesman said: "Police have... charged a woman with the murder of her two-year-old son last month. "Melanie Ruddell, 39, had been receiving hospital treatment following her arrest after she carried the lifeless body of her son Christy into Peterlee police station on August 9. "After being given medical clearance to speak to her, police formally charged Mrs Ruddell with the offence."

UK vow on military ties with France

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Image Defence Secretary Liam Fox promised "closer co-operation" with the French as military budgets face being squeezed on both sides of the Channel. Dr Fox, who was in Paris for talks with his French counterpart Herve Morin, said the "tough financial climate" meant it was in the interest of both nations to work together. The Defence Secretary and Mr Morin also discussed Afghanistan and the progress being made to train military and security forces in the country. As the leading military nations in Europe, the Ministry of Defence said a strong relationship between the UK and France was important for the defence and security of both countries. Speculation about closer defence ties, including reports of sharing aircraft carrier capability, surfaced in the build-up to the meeting. Dr Fox said: "The UK and France are facing the realities of the tough financial climate and it is in our best interests to work together in to deliver the capabilities that both our nations need. "Mr Morin and I are in agreement that closer co-operation is in both our countries' interests." Ahead of the meeting Ministry of Defence officials played down reports that Britain and France could share the burden of keeping aircraft carriers at sea in a co-operation pact designed to maintain military power while cutting costs. With a root-and-branch Strategic Defence and Security Review set to be concluded later this year, a spokesman said: "Speculation at this stage about its outcome is entirely unfounded." On Afghanistan, Dr Fox said: "The French have made a huge contribution to the ISAF mission in Afghanistan and I welcome the opportunity to speak with Mr Morin about this."
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