October 31, 2011, 3:41 pm
![PM demands adoption service changes]()
David Cameron has called for an end to the "tick-box mentality" in adoption services as league tables naming poor performers were unveiled.
The Prime Minister said officials were spending too much time asking prospective parents "pointless questions" and urged them to show more "discretion" and "judgment".
He also warned local authorities that "go on year after year failing" children waiting for adoption that they will lose the right to run the service.
Mr Cameron said: "Time is not just money in these cases. Time can lead to tragedy."
During a visit to a children's centre in north London, he added: "Everyone wants to make sure that adoptive parents are asked the right questions and that we have proper checks and safeguards, but there are far too many stories today about pointless questions, very intrusive questions, and also a sort of tick-box mentality that means that people are looking at things like how long ago you gave up smoking, the age of your youngest natural child.
"There's too much ticking of boxes and not enough discretion, judgment and responsibility."
He continued: "We want to act to help some of those vulnerable children in our country, children who languish in the care system who have a terrible start in life. And often, as a result, go on and have really difficult lives. We want to do more to help those children.
"The state is responsible for them and frankly the current situation isn't working."
Hackney, in London, was named the worst performer over the last three years for placing children up for adoption quickly.
Just 43% of youngsters were found new homes within 12 months, the Department for Education's league tables show. The national average was 74% from 2008-2010.
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October 31, 2011, 3:41 pm
![Abramovich: I owe nothing to rival]()
Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich has told a High Court judge that allegations he betrayed a Russian business rival were "wholly without merit".
Mr Abramovich, 45, is being sued for billions of pounds by exiled Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, 65, in a trial before Mrs Justice Gloster at the Commercial Court in London.
Mr Berezovsky says the Russian billionaire businessman "betrayed" him and "intimidated" him into selling shares in Russian oil company Sibneft for a "mere 1.3 billion" US dollars (£800 million) - "a fraction of their true worth".
He alleges breach of trust and breach of contract and is claiming more than £3 billion in damages.
However, Mr Abramovich said he owed Mr Berezovsky nothing in "law or honour".
"I would respectfully hope that it will be apparent to this court that Mr Berezovsky's claims are wholly without merit," said Mr Abramovich, in a written witness statement given to the judge.
"Mr Berezovsky has already obtained a very substantial sum of money from me and I do not believe that he has any entitlement to be paid anything more, whether in law or honour."
He says Mr Berezovsky was paid millions of pounds for his services as a "political godfather" but was not a business partner.
The court has heard that Mr Berezovsky "fled Russia, never to return" in late 2000, following a fall-out with then president Vladimir Putin - travelling initially to France then settling in England.
Mr Abramovich gave evidence at the start of his defence case as the trial entered its fifth week. He is expected to be in the witness box for several days.
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October 31, 2011, 3:41 pm
![October record as temperatures soar]()
Temperatures soared in October with a record high for the month of 29.9C.
The top temperature was recorded on October 1 in Swanscombe, Kent, which basked in 165 hours of sunshine this month, an average of more than five a day.
The previous hottest October day was 29.4C, recorded in Cambridgeshire in 1985.
Overall, Britain enjoyed its warmest October for five years and its seventh warmest since records began, according to weather historian Philip Eden, for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association.
The balmy autumn was relatively dry too, with average rainfall of 64mm for the month and less than 20mm in the East Midlands, East Anglia and the north Home Counties.
This made it drier than three out of four of the last 100 Octobers.
It was sunnier than three-quarters of all Octobers in the last 100 years, with an average of 123 hours of sunshine for England and Wales, and 69 hours for Scotland.
The average maximum temperature for October ranged from 18.1C at Heathrow, Kew Gardens, St James's Park and Olympic Park South in London to 10.5C at Dalwhinnie, Inverness-shire.
The Midlands enjoyed a 3.5C boost to its average and most regions saw a rise of 1.5C to 2.5C.
Mean minimum temperature varied from 12.8C at St Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight and Portland in Dorset to 6.3C at Loch Glascarnoch and Elphin.
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October 31, 2011, 3:41 pm
![Hundreds remember Red Arrows pilot]()
Hundreds of RAF service men and women have joined family and friends to remember a dedicated and inspirational Red Arrows pilot with an "infectious smile" at a memorial service.
Flt Lt Jon Egging died in August while completing a Red Arrows display at the Bournemouth Air Festival.
Around 1,000 military service men and women, family and friends joined his wife Dr Emma Egging at a packed Lincoln Cathedral to remember the pilot.
His Red Arrows team mates also attended, along with TV presenter Carol Vorderman and Queen star Brian May, who had flown with Flt Lt Egging and the team before the 33-year-old's death.
At the service his wife paid tribute to a loving husband dedicated to his family and his job.
She told those gathered at the service that Jon "lived and breathed his passion for flying".
She said: "A great deal of what made Jon, Jon, was his commitment to serving and supporting others whether in his capacity as a husband, son, brother, as a team mate, flying instructor, whether on operations in Afghanistan or as Red 4, Jon wanted to be there for others and to support and serve them and the RAF to the best of his ability."
Echoing the sentiments of Squadron Leader Ben Murphy and Group Captain Harv Smith, who also spoke at the service, Dr Egging spoke of her husband's confidence and hard work to both achieve his own dreams and inspire others around him.
His achievements, such as being selected for the Red Arrows in September 2010, were down to "hard work and his positively," she said.
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October 31, 2011, 3:41 pm
![Libya names new prime minister]()
Libya's interim leadership has chosen an electronics engineer from Tripoli as the country's new prime minister.
Abdel-Rahim al-Keeb was chosen by 51 members of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and will appoint a new Cabinet in the coming days.
The new government is to run Libya in the coming months to pave the way for general elections.
Jalal el-Gallal, an NTC spokesman, said Mr al-Keeb received 26 votes.
He said the NTC wanted to form a new interim government after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi because its initial members started out as an impromptu group.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Girls being raped as gang 'weapons']()
Girls are being used as weapons in disputes between rival gangs, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.
Mrs May said girls and young women were often the girlfriends of gang members and were being raped by members of rival gangs as part of disputes.
She pledged at least £1.2 million over the next three years to improve services for young victims of sexual violence in major urban areas.
Mrs May admitted that girls could also be involved in gang violence themselves, but added: "More often they would be the victims. They would be the partners of gang members. They would find themselves being abused and sometimes being used as weapons - raping a rival gang leader's girlfriend to get back at that gang."
She said it was a serious issue which the Government needed to "shine a light on".
Mrs May also announced plans for former gang members who are in danger or who want to get away from their old lifestyle to be rehoused. A 100-strong task force of experts will also be brought in to provide practical advice and support to areas with a serious youth violence problem.
The move is part of plans to tackle young people at risk of being drawn into gangs and violence at every stage of their lives, including as troubled toddlers. Mrs May said youngsters should be targeted at every stage of their lives to help change the life stories of young people ending up dead or wounded on the streets.
Youth workers could be placed in hospital A&E departments to pick up and refer young people who come in for treatment for knife wounds, and young offenders with mental health needs or substance misuse problems could be diverted to specific schemes when they are arrested.
"Gang and youth violence is not a problem that can be solved by enforcement alone," she said. "We need to change the life stories of young people currently ending up dead or wounded on our streets or locked in a cycle of reoffending."
Under the plans, gang members who trade in guns could face life in jail following concerns that the same guns are being traded between gangs and used in a series of different attacks. Mrs May is considering bringing in a new offence of possession of an illegal firearm with intent to supply, with a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Match-fixing Test stars face jail]()
Two Pakistani cricketers are facing possible jail terms after being found guilty of match-fixing during last year's tour of England.
A jury at London's Southwark Crown Court convicted former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, of plotting to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lord's Test as part of a betting scam.
The pair were caught after an undercover reporter recorded UK-based sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, boasting how he could arrange for Pakistan cricketers to rig games for money.
Majeed claimed he had been carrying out match-fixing for two-and-a-half years and had made "masses and masses of money".
He spoke of the advantages of "grooming" younger cricketers to work with him and bragged that he had seven players in Pakistan's national side rigging games for him.
The corrupt agent also discussed deliberately losing the Oval Test match against England last summer for more than a million dollars and plotted to fix games at last year's Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.
The fixing scandal emerged after the News of the World's investigations editor Mazher Mahmood approached Majeed in August last year pretending to be a wealthy Indian businessman seeking major international cricketers for a tournament. The agent was secretly filmed accepting £150,000 in cash from the journalist as part of an arrangement to rig games.
Majeed promised the reporter that Asif and fellow fast bowler Mohammad Amir, 19, would deliver three no-balls at specific points during the Lord's Test between Pakistan and England from August 26 to 29 last year.
Amir had already admitted his part in the match-fixing plot, it was later revealed. The jury was not told that he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments at a pre-trial hearing on September 16.
The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, said he would sentence Butt, Asif and Amir on Wednesday and Thursday.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Hague warns on 'cyber free-for-all']()
Foreign Secretary William Hague has called for an end to the "cyber free-for-all" which threatened to "swamp" the internet with rising levels of online crime and state-sponsored cyber attacks.
Addressing an international cyberspace conference in London, Mr Hague said it was vital that countries came together to agree online "rules of the road" to ensure the huge global benefits of the digital age were protected.
Sixty nations are represented at the conference, including China and Russia who were accused by a No 10 adviser on cyber-security - former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones - of launching cyber attacks on other countries.
In his keynote speech, Mr Hague said that countries needed to agree "norms of behaviour" online, based on "opportunity, freedom, innovation, human rights and partnership between government, civil society and the private sector".
He stressed the importance of governments acting both "proportionately" and in accordance with international law when operating in cyberspace.
"The truth is that in cyberspace, no one country can go it alone," he said. "In place of today's cyber free-for-all, we need rules of the road."
Mr Hague also issued an impassioned plea for human rights online - including the the right to freedom of expression, a view which he acknowledged was not shared by all participants at the conference.
"We reject the view that government suppression of the internet, phone networks and social media at times of unrest is acceptable," he said.
"We know that this is not a view that is shared by all countries. But states will find it harder and harder to try to restrict their citizens' demands for the freedom to express their ideas on the internet. Britain will always be on the side of people aspiring for political and economic freedom, in the Middle East and around the world."
Prime Minister David Cameron told the conference that it was essential to strike a balance between the demands of cyber security and the need for freedom online. He said: "We cannot leave cyberspace open to the criminals and the terrorists that threaten our security and our prosperity but at the same time we cannot just go down the heavy-handed route."
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![No warships guarding British shores]()
Cutbacks have left the UK without a single warship specifically tasked with protecting the country's shores for the past month, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
The Royal Navy normally provides a minimum coverage of a frigate or destroyer fulfilling the role of Fleet Ready Escort (FRE).
This task is for the ship to be at high readiness for an emergency, including a terrorist attack, in UK waters or abroad.
However pressures on the navy caused by cuts to its fleet in last year's strategic defence and strategy review (SDSR) as well as its commitments to the Nato mission to Libya, has left it unable to fill the role.
In the SDSR, the Government cut the number of frigates or destroyers in the navy's surface fleet from 24 to 19.
The last ship to undertake the FRE role was the Type 23 frigate HMS Portland which left the position on October 3 to take part in the Joint Warrior Nato exercise off Scotland.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "Due to the successful deployment of Royal Navy units to the Libya campaign, it has been necessary to reprofile the commitments of some ships.
"Should a FRE activation be required, a Royal Navy ship would be allocated."
The spokesman explained that although there had not been a ship specifically tasked as an FRE, one of the vessels taking part in the Joint Warrior exercise could have been allocated within 24 hours' notice.
He added that the FRE would not necessarily be on patrol during its tasking but could be alongside in port at high readiness to sail.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Cleric hails legal move suspension]()
A senior cleric at St Paul's Cathedral has hailed the decision by its chapter to suspend its legal action against the protesters camped outside as a "breakthrough".
St Paul's Canon Pastor the Right Reverend Michael Colclough said at a press conference inside the cathedral that the suspension of legal action was "the right way to go".
The anti-capitalist protest has caused divisions in the cathedral's hierarchy and led to the resignations of its Dean, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles, Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Giles Fraser and part-time chaplain Fraser Dyer.
The City of London Corporation intends to continue with its plans to remove the protesters and will take legal action if they refuse to remove their tents.
Speaking following a meeting between cathedral officials and those leading the protest, Mr Colclough said: "I believe we had a very useful beginning to what must be an ongoing dialogue."
Asked about the cathedral's decision to suspend its legal action, he added: "This is not a PR stunt, it is a breakthrough in Christian dialogue."
He said he believed the protesters had the right to protest and hoped the Church would act a brokering agent in the dispute.
The City of London Corporation said later it had suspended legal action against demonstrators until Wednesday morning, when the situation will be reviewed.
A spokesman said: "Legal action has been suspended until tomorrow morning when the situation will be revisited. We have not handed them (the protesters) a letter this afternoon."
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Airliner has to land with wheels up]()
An airliner carrying 230 passengers had to make an emergency landing in Warsaw after its landing gear failed to open.
None of the passengers aboard the Boeing 767 from Newark, New Jersey, were injured, said a spokesman for LOT, the Polish airline that operated the flight.
The pilots discovered a technical problem with their landing gear ahead of landing, and circled above the airport for about an hour before landing the plane on its belly without its wheels.
The fire brigade laid out special foam for the plane to land on. LOT said the plane landed with nearly empty tanks after dumping fuel in preparation.
On landing, sparks flew from the engine and small fires erupted under the plane but were immediately put out by firefighters.
Passengers evacuated the plane and were taken to a medical centre to be examined by doctors.
"There was no panic among the passengers. The cabin crew prepared them for the emergency landing well," LOT airlines president, Maciej Pirot, said.
He added that the crew carried out a "perfect emergency landing," which prevented anyone from being injured.
"It is the first time a LOT plane had to land without the landing gear out," he said, adding that such landings are not always so straightforward.
The airport has been closed until Wednesday.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Greek poll panics world markets]()
Greece's shock plan to hold a referendum on the eurozone rescue package has triggered a slump on world markets.
The FTSE 100 Index in London fell more than 2%, or 122.7 points, to 5421.6, after Greek prime minister George Papandreou's unexpected move cast fresh doubts on last week's much-heralded proposals to protect Europe from economic collapse.
Barclays was down 9%, while taxpayer-backed banks Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland were down 6 respectively amid fears that Greece could default on its debts if it does not accept the plan.
The gloom intensified when a closely-watched survey showed the UK's manufacturing sector slipped into decline in October, triggering fresh fears that the economy could slide back into recession.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Child porn on Joanna killer laptop]()
Murderer Vincent Tabak kept images of children being sexually abused on his laptop computer, police have discovered.
The 33-year-old killer was jailed for life on Friday after a jury found him guilty of throttling 25-year-old Joanna Yeates.
Following his conviction at Bristol Crown Court it was revealed that the Dutch engineer was obsessed with images of women being strangled during sex and had perversions for violent pornography and prostitutes.
It also came to light that Tabak faced further questioning by police relating to material discovered on the hard drives of computers he used.
It has now been reported that Avon and Somerset Police discovered 30 images of youngsters being sexually abused.
An officer involved in the investigation, who asked not to be named, told the Bristol Evening Post that he and his colleagues wanted to clear up speculation surrounding these "other matters".
He said: "Tabak had 30 images depicting child pornography on his laptop computer at home. They were all category four images."
The officer said that, due to Tabak's conviction for murder and life sentence, he did not think the Crown Prosecution Service would take action, although the matter has been referred on to prosecutors.
There are five levels of seriousness for offences involving indecent photographs of children, which start with images depicting "erotic posing with no sexual activity". Category four images depict penetrative sexual activity involving a child or children, or both children and adults.
Despite being blocked from hearing of the details of his depraved sex secrets, jurors still found Vincent Tabak guilty of murdering his next-door neighbour on December 17 last year. He was jailed for life by Mr Justice Field and told he would serve at least 20 years in prison before he could apply for parole.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![NotW tried to settle Taylor case]()
Documents showing how the News of the World tried to keep the Gordon Taylor phone hacking case under wraps have been published by the parliamentary committee investigating the scandal.
Correspondence between the tabloid's then legal chief Tom Crone and editor Colin Myler details their efforts to achieve a "confidential settlement" with the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association.
In a memo on May 24 2008, Mr Crone advised: "Our position is very perilous."
Mr Taylor had obtained a "damning email" containing transcripts of his private voicemails as well as evidence from the Information Commissioner of other illegal activities by News of the World journalists, Mr Crone said.
"Amongst the documents from the Information Commissioner is a list of named News of the World journalists and a detailed table of Data Protection infringements between 2001 and 2003 (this is based upon evidence seized in a raid on another private investigator who was subsequently prosecuted).
"A number of those names are still with us and some of them have moved to prominent positions on NoW and The Sun. Typical infringements are 'turning around' car reg and mobile phone numbers (illegal)."
In a subsequent email to solicitor Julian Pike, Mr Crone says that Mr Myler was to use the memo "as the basis for his chat with Chief Exec James Murdoch" - suggesting that Mr Murdoch was made aware of the issues at that stage.
Mr Murdoch, who is to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for a second time on November 10, has said he did not recall being briefed about the Gordon Taylor case until June 10 2008.
Also published are the notes of the News of the World's external solicitor, Julian Pike, from a phone call with Mr Myler on May 27 2008 in which he writes that the editor "spoke to James Murdoch".
The documentation, provided by Mr Pike's firm Farrer & Co, shows how the News of the World tried to negotiate a settlement with Mr Taylor that would keep the case out of the courts.
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November 1, 2011, 1:07 pm
![Growth boost fails to dispel gloom]()
Better-than-expected UK growth figures have been overshadowed by a manufacturing slump and grim predictions the economy could yet collapse back into recession.
Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.5% between July and September, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, up from 0.1% growth in the previous quarter and ahead of predictions of 0.3%.
But economists warned the latest figures were flattered as the economy played catch-up from the previous quarter, which was hit by one-off factors such as an extra bank holiday for the royal wedding.
Elsewhere, a closely watched Markit/CIPS survey showed the manufacturing sector slipped into decline in October, fuelling fears the economy could contract in the final quarter of 2011.
Chancellor George Osborne said the figures represented a "step forward", while Labour said they provided further evidence that the Government's austerity measures were choking off the recovery.
Efforts to "rebalance" the UK economy towards more exports have been hampered by recent market turbulence amid doubts that a recently announced eurozone rescue package can solve the bloc's deep-rooted debt problems.
Meanwhile, UK consumers are reining in spending as living standards face the biggest squeeze since the 1920s amid spiralling inflation and the Government's austerity measures. The encouraging figures for the third quarter were immediately followed by the dismal PMI data, which revealed manufacturers suffered the quickest fall in new orders since March 2009.
Chris Williamson, economist at Markit, said: "While it is reassuring to see that the economy did not slide back into contraction, the third quarter is already history. More important are the forward-looking indicators, of which the release of the manufacturing PMI is the most alarming."
The third quarter GDP figures - which are an initial estimate and may be revised in coming weeks - were boosted by a strong performance from the powerhouse services sector, which rose 0.7%. Production industries, which include manufacturing and oil and gas production, also increased 0.5%, compared with a fall of 1.2% in the previous quarter.
This helped offset a 0.6% contraction in the construction industry after a rise of 1.1% in the previous quarter.
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November 1, 2011, 5:00 pm
![Jackson doctor won't give evidence]()
Michael Jackson's doctor has told a judge that he will not testify in his own defence as evidence came to a close in his involuntary manslaughter trial.
Closing arguments in the six-week case will begin on Thursday before jurors begin deliberations.
Cardiologist Dr Conrad Murray held his hands over his mouth as if he was praying in the moments before Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor asked him whether he intended to give evidence.
The judge also asked if he understood the decision was his alone to make. "Have you made up your mind?" the judge asked.
Murray paused, looked at all his lawyers in the Los Angeles court, seemed to sigh and said: "My decision is I will not testify in this matter."
The judge asked lead attorney Ed Chernoff if he had conferred with Murray about his rights and Chernoff said yes.
"The court finds the defendant has knowingly, freely and explicitly waived his right to testify," the judge said. "I certainly will respect that decision."
Murray had left open the possibility of testifying on Monday, when he told the judge that he had not made a final decision.
Prosecutors contend Murray gave Jackson a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol in the bedroom of his mansion. Defence lawyers claim Jackson self-administered the dose when Murray left the room.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death on June 25 2009. He could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical licence if convicted.
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November 1, 2011, 5:01 pm
![More support for disabled victims]()
Hate crimes against disabled victims will be treated with the same severity by the courts as racially-motivated attacks, the Lord Chancellor Ken Clarke has promised.
The Justice Secretary told Labour MP Kate Green that the Government would table amendments to its Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill in the House of Lords to offer disabled victims of crime the same protection as those targeted because of their race, religion or sexual orientation.
Ms Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, said the law needed to be changed so that disabled victims were not "seen as vulnerable" but at "greater risk of harm".
Tory MP Paul Maynard, who represents Blackpool North and Cleveleys and has cerebral palsy, added: "There will be utter incomprehension if we fail to make progress on this matter. It should be a simple matter of human dignity and equality."
Mr Clarke then told the Commons that the Bill was going to be changed.
He told the MPs: "Can I give you an assurance on behalf of the Government that I agree with you (both)? I can give you an assurance that we will in (the Lords) table amendments to give effect to what you are asking for and we propose to include transgender as well."
Ms Green replied: "I am extremely grateful to you, as will be the many disabled people and their families who have been in touch with me. I am delighted that there will be a Government amendment."
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November 1, 2011, 5:01 pm
![St Paul's legal move halt welcomed]()
Legal action to evict anti-capitalist protesters from the doorstep of St Paul's Cathedral has been halted.
St Paul's Canon Pastor the Right Reverend Michael Colclough said suspending the legal bid was "the right way to go".
The City of London Corporation, which was due to hand a letter to the protesters warning them they had 48 hours to clear the site or face High Court proceedings, said it was "pausing" its legal action.
The protest outside St Paul's has caused divisions in the cathedral's hierarchy and led to the resignations of its dean, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles, Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Giles Fraser and part-time chaplain Fraser Dyer.
The cathedral said Rt Rev Knowles's resignation had given it the "opportunity to reassess the situation".
Speaking after a meeting between church officials and protesters, Rt Rev Colclough said: "This has been an enormously difficult time for the cathedral but the chapter is unanimous in its desire to engage constructively with the protest and the serious issues that have been raised, without the threat of legal action hanging over us.
"Legal concerns have been at the forefront in recent weeks but now is the time for the moral, the spiritual and the theological to come to the fore."
He said he believed the protesters had the right to protest and hoped the church would act as a brokering agent in the dispute.
The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, said: "The alarm bells are ringing all over the world. St Paul's has now heard that call.
"Today's decision means that the doors are most emphatically open to engage with matters concerning not only those encamped around the cathedral but millions of others in this country and around the globe."
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November 1, 2011, 5:01 pm
![Cameron warns on internet crackdown]()
Fears of cyber attacks and rising online crime must not be an excuse for a "heavy-handed" crackdown on freedom on the internet, David Cameron has said.
Addressing an international cyberspace conference in London, the Prime Minister said it was essential to strike a balance between the needs of online security and the right to free expression.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary William Hague said it was not acceptable for governments to try to close down social media and mobile phone networks at times of social unrest.
However critics contrasted his comments with Mr Cameron's response to the London riots when he suggested preventing people using websites and mobile phones to plot violence and disorder.
"It's very easy to defend the case of black and white - human rights against dictatorships around the world," John Kampfner, the chief executive of the Index on Censorship, told the conference.
"But as soon as our own Western-style stability of the state is called into question, well then freedom of expression is expendable. There should be one rule for all including Western governments."
The call by Mr Cameron and Mr Hague for human rights online to be respected was seen as a direct challenge to Russia and China - both represented at the conference - who have been pressing for tighter regulation of the internet through binding international treaties.
Britain, in contrast, has been arguing for internationally agreed "norms of behaviour", ensuring the free flow of information and ideas in cyberspace while taking concerted action to tackle online crime.
"We cannot leave cyberspace open to the criminals and the terrorists that threaten our security and our prosperity but at the same time we cannot just go down the heavy-handed route," Mr Cameron told the conference.
"Do that and we will crush all that is good about the internet and the free flow of information - the climate of creativity that gives such life to so many new ideas and new movements."
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November 1, 2011, 5:01 pm
![Britons 'die in Saudi coach blast']()
Two Britons have died in Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office has confirmed.
The deaths reportedly came in an explosion on board a coach carrying pilgrims to the Muslim holy city of Mecca.
Although the exact cause of the blast or fire near Jeddah has yet to be determined, it is thought to have been accidental.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office declined to comment on reports that those who died were a couple from Birmingham, but did confirm that officials are providing help to family members.
The spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the death of two British nationals in Saudi Arabia.
"We are in touch with the local authorities and the next-of-kin and are providing consular assistance at this difficult time."
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David Cameron has called for an end to the "tick-box mentality" in adoption services as league tables naming poor performers were unveiled.
The Prime Minister said officials were spending too much time asking prospective parents "pointless questions" and urged them to show more "discretion" and "judgment".
He also warned local authorities that "go on year after year failing" children waiting for adoption that they will lose the right to run the service.
Mr Cameron said: "Time is not just money in these cases. Time can lead to tragedy."
During a visit to a children's centre in north London, he added: "Everyone wants to make sure that adoptive parents are asked the right questions and that we have proper checks and safeguards, but there are far too many stories today about pointless questions, very intrusive questions, and also a sort of tick-box mentality that means that people are looking at things like how long ago you gave up smoking, the age of your youngest natural child.
"There's too much ticking of boxes and not enough discretion, judgment and responsibility."
He continued: "We want to act to help some of those vulnerable children in our country, children who languish in the care system who have a terrible start in life. And often, as a result, go on and have really difficult lives. We want to do more to help those children.
"The state is responsible for them and frankly the current situation isn't working."
Hackney, in London, was named the worst performer over the last three years for placing children up for adoption quickly.
Just 43% of youngsters were found new homes within 12 months, the Department for Education's league tables show. The national average was 74% from 2008-2010.
Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich has told a High Court judge that allegations he betrayed a Russian business rival were "wholly without merit".
Mr Abramovich, 45, is being sued for billions of pounds by exiled Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, 65, in a trial before Mrs Justice Gloster at the Commercial Court in London.
Mr Berezovsky says the Russian billionaire businessman "betrayed" him and "intimidated" him into selling shares in Russian oil company Sibneft for a "mere 1.3 billion" US dollars (£800 million) - "a fraction of their true worth".
He alleges breach of trust and breach of contract and is claiming more than £3 billion in damages.
However, Mr Abramovich said he owed Mr Berezovsky nothing in "law or honour".
"I would respectfully hope that it will be apparent to this court that Mr Berezovsky's claims are wholly without merit," said Mr Abramovich, in a written witness statement given to the judge.
"Mr Berezovsky has already obtained a very substantial sum of money from me and I do not believe that he has any entitlement to be paid anything more, whether in law or honour."
He says Mr Berezovsky was paid millions of pounds for his services as a "political godfather" but was not a business partner.
The court has heard that Mr Berezovsky "fled Russia, never to return" in late 2000, following a fall-out with then president Vladimir Putin - travelling initially to France then settling in England.
Mr Abramovich gave evidence at the start of his defence case as the trial entered its fifth week. He is expected to be in the witness box for several days.
Temperatures soared in October with a record high for the month of 29.9C.
The top temperature was recorded on October 1 in Swanscombe, Kent, which basked in 165 hours of sunshine this month, an average of more than five a day.
The previous hottest October day was 29.4C, recorded in Cambridgeshire in 1985.
Overall, Britain enjoyed its warmest October for five years and its seventh warmest since records began, according to weather historian Philip Eden, for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association.
The balmy autumn was relatively dry too, with average rainfall of 64mm for the month and less than 20mm in the East Midlands, East Anglia and the north Home Counties.
This made it drier than three out of four of the last 100 Octobers.
It was sunnier than three-quarters of all Octobers in the last 100 years, with an average of 123 hours of sunshine for England and Wales, and 69 hours for Scotland.
The average maximum temperature for October ranged from 18.1C at Heathrow, Kew Gardens, St James's Park and Olympic Park South in London to 10.5C at Dalwhinnie, Inverness-shire.
The Midlands enjoyed a 3.5C boost to its average and most regions saw a rise of 1.5C to 2.5C.
Mean minimum temperature varied from 12.8C at St Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight and Portland in Dorset to 6.3C at Loch Glascarnoch and Elphin.
Hundreds of RAF service men and women have joined family and friends to remember a dedicated and inspirational Red Arrows pilot with an "infectious smile" at a memorial service.
Flt Lt Jon Egging died in August while completing a Red Arrows display at the Bournemouth Air Festival.
Around 1,000 military service men and women, family and friends joined his wife Dr Emma Egging at a packed Lincoln Cathedral to remember the pilot.
His Red Arrows team mates also attended, along with TV presenter Carol Vorderman and Queen star Brian May, who had flown with Flt Lt Egging and the team before the 33-year-old's death.
At the service his wife paid tribute to a loving husband dedicated to his family and his job.
She told those gathered at the service that Jon "lived and breathed his passion for flying".
She said: "A great deal of what made Jon, Jon, was his commitment to serving and supporting others whether in his capacity as a husband, son, brother, as a team mate, flying instructor, whether on operations in Afghanistan or as Red 4, Jon wanted to be there for others and to support and serve them and the RAF to the best of his ability."
Echoing the sentiments of Squadron Leader Ben Murphy and Group Captain Harv Smith, who also spoke at the service, Dr Egging spoke of her husband's confidence and hard work to both achieve his own dreams and inspire others around him.
His achievements, such as being selected for the Red Arrows in September 2010, were down to "hard work and his positively," she said.
Libya's interim leadership has chosen an electronics engineer from Tripoli as the country's new prime minister.
Abdel-Rahim al-Keeb was chosen by 51 members of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and will appoint a new Cabinet in the coming days.
The new government is to run Libya in the coming months to pave the way for general elections.
Jalal el-Gallal, an NTC spokesman, said Mr al-Keeb received 26 votes.
He said the NTC wanted to form a new interim government after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi because its initial members started out as an impromptu group.
Girls are being used as weapons in disputes between rival gangs, Home Secretary Theresa May has said.
Mrs May said girls and young women were often the girlfriends of gang members and were being raped by members of rival gangs as part of disputes.
She pledged at least £1.2 million over the next three years to improve services for young victims of sexual violence in major urban areas.
Mrs May admitted that girls could also be involved in gang violence themselves, but added: "More often they would be the victims. They would be the partners of gang members. They would find themselves being abused and sometimes being used as weapons - raping a rival gang leader's girlfriend to get back at that gang."
She said it was a serious issue which the Government needed to "shine a light on".
Mrs May also announced plans for former gang members who are in danger or who want to get away from their old lifestyle to be rehoused. A 100-strong task force of experts will also be brought in to provide practical advice and support to areas with a serious youth violence problem.
The move is part of plans to tackle young people at risk of being drawn into gangs and violence at every stage of their lives, including as troubled toddlers. Mrs May said youngsters should be targeted at every stage of their lives to help change the life stories of young people ending up dead or wounded on the streets.
Youth workers could be placed in hospital A&E departments to pick up and refer young people who come in for treatment for knife wounds, and young offenders with mental health needs or substance misuse problems could be diverted to specific schemes when they are arrested.
"Gang and youth violence is not a problem that can be solved by enforcement alone," she said. "We need to change the life stories of young people currently ending up dead or wounded on our streets or locked in a cycle of reoffending."
Under the plans, gang members who trade in guns could face life in jail following concerns that the same guns are being traded between gangs and used in a series of different attacks. Mrs May is considering bringing in a new offence of possession of an illegal firearm with intent to supply, with a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Two Pakistani cricketers are facing possible jail terms after being found guilty of match-fixing during last year's tour of England.
A jury at London's Southwark Crown Court convicted former Test captain Salman Butt, 27, and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, of plotting to bowl deliberate no-balls in the Lord's Test as part of a betting scam.
The pair were caught after an undercover reporter recorded UK-based sports agent Mazhar Majeed, 36, boasting how he could arrange for Pakistan cricketers to rig games for money.
Majeed claimed he had been carrying out match-fixing for two-and-a-half years and had made "masses and masses of money".
He spoke of the advantages of "grooming" younger cricketers to work with him and bragged that he had seven players in Pakistan's national side rigging games for him.
The corrupt agent also discussed deliberately losing the Oval Test match against England last summer for more than a million dollars and plotted to fix games at last year's Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.
The fixing scandal emerged after the News of the World's investigations editor Mazher Mahmood approached Majeed in August last year pretending to be a wealthy Indian businessman seeking major international cricketers for a tournament. The agent was secretly filmed accepting £150,000 in cash from the journalist as part of an arrangement to rig games.
Majeed promised the reporter that Asif and fellow fast bowler Mohammad Amir, 19, would deliver three no-balls at specific points during the Lord's Test between Pakistan and England from August 26 to 29 last year.
Amir had already admitted his part in the match-fixing plot, it was later revealed. The jury was not told that he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments at a pre-trial hearing on September 16.
The judge, Mr Justice Cooke, said he would sentence Butt, Asif and Amir on Wednesday and Thursday.
Foreign Secretary William Hague has called for an end to the "cyber free-for-all" which threatened to "swamp" the internet with rising levels of online crime and state-sponsored cyber attacks.
Addressing an international cyberspace conference in London, Mr Hague said it was vital that countries came together to agree online "rules of the road" to ensure the huge global benefits of the digital age were protected.
Sixty nations are represented at the conference, including China and Russia who were accused by a No 10 adviser on cyber-security - former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones - of launching cyber attacks on other countries.
In his keynote speech, Mr Hague said that countries needed to agree "norms of behaviour" online, based on "opportunity, freedom, innovation, human rights and partnership between government, civil society and the private sector".
He stressed the importance of governments acting both "proportionately" and in accordance with international law when operating in cyberspace.
"The truth is that in cyberspace, no one country can go it alone," he said. "In place of today's cyber free-for-all, we need rules of the road."
Mr Hague also issued an impassioned plea for human rights online - including the the right to freedom of expression, a view which he acknowledged was not shared by all participants at the conference.
"We reject the view that government suppression of the internet, phone networks and social media at times of unrest is acceptable," he said.
"We know that this is not a view that is shared by all countries. But states will find it harder and harder to try to restrict their citizens' demands for the freedom to express their ideas on the internet. Britain will always be on the side of people aspiring for political and economic freedom, in the Middle East and around the world."
Prime Minister David Cameron told the conference that it was essential to strike a balance between the demands of cyber security and the need for freedom online. He said: "We cannot leave cyberspace open to the criminals and the terrorists that threaten our security and our prosperity but at the same time we cannot just go down the heavy-handed route."
Cutbacks have left the UK without a single warship specifically tasked with protecting the country's shores for the past month, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
The Royal Navy normally provides a minimum coverage of a frigate or destroyer fulfilling the role of Fleet Ready Escort (FRE).
This task is for the ship to be at high readiness for an emergency, including a terrorist attack, in UK waters or abroad.
However pressures on the navy caused by cuts to its fleet in last year's strategic defence and strategy review (SDSR) as well as its commitments to the Nato mission to Libya, has left it unable to fill the role.
In the SDSR, the Government cut the number of frigates or destroyers in the navy's surface fleet from 24 to 19.
The last ship to undertake the FRE role was the Type 23 frigate HMS Portland which left the position on October 3 to take part in the Joint Warrior Nato exercise off Scotland.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "Due to the successful deployment of Royal Navy units to the Libya campaign, it has been necessary to reprofile the commitments of some ships.
"Should a FRE activation be required, a Royal Navy ship would be allocated."
The spokesman explained that although there had not been a ship specifically tasked as an FRE, one of the vessels taking part in the Joint Warrior exercise could have been allocated within 24 hours' notice.
He added that the FRE would not necessarily be on patrol during its tasking but could be alongside in port at high readiness to sail.
A senior cleric at St Paul's Cathedral has hailed the decision by its chapter to suspend its legal action against the protesters camped outside as a "breakthrough".
St Paul's Canon Pastor the Right Reverend Michael Colclough said at a press conference inside the cathedral that the suspension of legal action was "the right way to go".
The anti-capitalist protest has caused divisions in the cathedral's hierarchy and led to the resignations of its Dean, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles, Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Giles Fraser and part-time chaplain Fraser Dyer.
The City of London Corporation intends to continue with its plans to remove the protesters and will take legal action if they refuse to remove their tents.
Speaking following a meeting between cathedral officials and those leading the protest, Mr Colclough said: "I believe we had a very useful beginning to what must be an ongoing dialogue."
Asked about the cathedral's decision to suspend its legal action, he added: "This is not a PR stunt, it is a breakthrough in Christian dialogue."
He said he believed the protesters had the right to protest and hoped the Church would act a brokering agent in the dispute.
The City of London Corporation said later it had suspended legal action against demonstrators until Wednesday morning, when the situation will be reviewed.
A spokesman said: "Legal action has been suspended until tomorrow morning when the situation will be revisited. We have not handed them (the protesters) a letter this afternoon."
An airliner carrying 230 passengers had to make an emergency landing in Warsaw after its landing gear failed to open.
None of the passengers aboard the Boeing 767 from Newark, New Jersey, were injured, said a spokesman for LOT, the Polish airline that operated the flight.
The pilots discovered a technical problem with their landing gear ahead of landing, and circled above the airport for about an hour before landing the plane on its belly without its wheels.
The fire brigade laid out special foam for the plane to land on. LOT said the plane landed with nearly empty tanks after dumping fuel in preparation.
On landing, sparks flew from the engine and small fires erupted under the plane but were immediately put out by firefighters.
Passengers evacuated the plane and were taken to a medical centre to be examined by doctors.
"There was no panic among the passengers. The cabin crew prepared them for the emergency landing well," LOT airlines president, Maciej Pirot, said.
He added that the crew carried out a "perfect emergency landing," which prevented anyone from being injured.
"It is the first time a LOT plane had to land without the landing gear out," he said, adding that such landings are not always so straightforward.
The airport has been closed until Wednesday.
Greece's shock plan to hold a referendum on the eurozone rescue package has triggered a slump on world markets.
The FTSE 100 Index in London fell more than 2%, or 122.7 points, to 5421.6, after Greek prime minister George Papandreou's unexpected move cast fresh doubts on last week's much-heralded proposals to protect Europe from economic collapse.
Barclays was down 9%, while taxpayer-backed banks Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland were down 6 respectively amid fears that Greece could default on its debts if it does not accept the plan.
The gloom intensified when a closely-watched survey showed the UK's manufacturing sector slipped into decline in October, triggering fresh fears that the economy could slide back into recession.
Murderer Vincent Tabak kept images of children being sexually abused on his laptop computer, police have discovered.
The 33-year-old killer was jailed for life on Friday after a jury found him guilty of throttling 25-year-old Joanna Yeates.
Following his conviction at Bristol Crown Court it was revealed that the Dutch engineer was obsessed with images of women being strangled during sex and had perversions for violent pornography and prostitutes.
It also came to light that Tabak faced further questioning by police relating to material discovered on the hard drives of computers he used.
It has now been reported that Avon and Somerset Police discovered 30 images of youngsters being sexually abused.
An officer involved in the investigation, who asked not to be named, told the Bristol Evening Post that he and his colleagues wanted to clear up speculation surrounding these "other matters".
He said: "Tabak had 30 images depicting child pornography on his laptop computer at home. They were all category four images."
The officer said that, due to Tabak's conviction for murder and life sentence, he did not think the Crown Prosecution Service would take action, although the matter has been referred on to prosecutors.
There are five levels of seriousness for offences involving indecent photographs of children, which start with images depicting "erotic posing with no sexual activity". Category four images depict penetrative sexual activity involving a child or children, or both children and adults.
Despite being blocked from hearing of the details of his depraved sex secrets, jurors still found Vincent Tabak guilty of murdering his next-door neighbour on December 17 last year. He was jailed for life by Mr Justice Field and told he would serve at least 20 years in prison before he could apply for parole.
Documents showing how the News of the World tried to keep the Gordon Taylor phone hacking case under wraps have been published by the parliamentary committee investigating the scandal.
Correspondence between the tabloid's then legal chief Tom Crone and editor Colin Myler details their efforts to achieve a "confidential settlement" with the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association.
In a memo on May 24 2008, Mr Crone advised: "Our position is very perilous."
Mr Taylor had obtained a "damning email" containing transcripts of his private voicemails as well as evidence from the Information Commissioner of other illegal activities by News of the World journalists, Mr Crone said.
"Amongst the documents from the Information Commissioner is a list of named News of the World journalists and a detailed table of Data Protection infringements between 2001 and 2003 (this is based upon evidence seized in a raid on another private investigator who was subsequently prosecuted).
"A number of those names are still with us and some of them have moved to prominent positions on NoW and The Sun. Typical infringements are 'turning around' car reg and mobile phone numbers (illegal)."
In a subsequent email to solicitor Julian Pike, Mr Crone says that Mr Myler was to use the memo "as the basis for his chat with Chief Exec James Murdoch" - suggesting that Mr Murdoch was made aware of the issues at that stage.
Mr Murdoch, who is to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for a second time on November 10, has said he did not recall being briefed about the Gordon Taylor case until June 10 2008.
Also published are the notes of the News of the World's external solicitor, Julian Pike, from a phone call with Mr Myler on May 27 2008 in which he writes that the editor "spoke to James Murdoch".
The documentation, provided by Mr Pike's firm Farrer & Co, shows how the News of the World tried to negotiate a settlement with Mr Taylor that would keep the case out of the courts.
Better-than-expected UK growth figures have been overshadowed by a manufacturing slump and grim predictions the economy could yet collapse back into recession.
Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.5% between July and September, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, up from 0.1% growth in the previous quarter and ahead of predictions of 0.3%.
But economists warned the latest figures were flattered as the economy played catch-up from the previous quarter, which was hit by one-off factors such as an extra bank holiday for the royal wedding.
Elsewhere, a closely watched Markit/CIPS survey showed the manufacturing sector slipped into decline in October, fuelling fears the economy could contract in the final quarter of 2011.
Chancellor George Osborne said the figures represented a "step forward", while Labour said they provided further evidence that the Government's austerity measures were choking off the recovery.
Efforts to "rebalance" the UK economy towards more exports have been hampered by recent market turbulence amid doubts that a recently announced eurozone rescue package can solve the bloc's deep-rooted debt problems.
Meanwhile, UK consumers are reining in spending as living standards face the biggest squeeze since the 1920s amid spiralling inflation and the Government's austerity measures. The encouraging figures for the third quarter were immediately followed by the dismal PMI data, which revealed manufacturers suffered the quickest fall in new orders since March 2009.
Chris Williamson, economist at Markit, said: "While it is reassuring to see that the economy did not slide back into contraction, the third quarter is already history. More important are the forward-looking indicators, of which the release of the manufacturing PMI is the most alarming."
The third quarter GDP figures - which are an initial estimate and may be revised in coming weeks - were boosted by a strong performance from the powerhouse services sector, which rose 0.7%. Production industries, which include manufacturing and oil and gas production, also increased 0.5%, compared with a fall of 1.2% in the previous quarter.
This helped offset a 0.6% contraction in the construction industry after a rise of 1.1% in the previous quarter.
Michael Jackson's doctor has told a judge that he will not testify in his own defence as evidence came to a close in his involuntary manslaughter trial.
Closing arguments in the six-week case will begin on Thursday before jurors begin deliberations.
Cardiologist Dr Conrad Murray held his hands over his mouth as if he was praying in the moments before Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor asked him whether he intended to give evidence.
The judge also asked if he understood the decision was his alone to make. "Have you made up your mind?" the judge asked.
Murray paused, looked at all his lawyers in the Los Angeles court, seemed to sigh and said: "My decision is I will not testify in this matter."
The judge asked lead attorney Ed Chernoff if he had conferred with Murray about his rights and Chernoff said yes.
"The court finds the defendant has knowingly, freely and explicitly waived his right to testify," the judge said. "I certainly will respect that decision."
Murray had left open the possibility of testifying on Monday, when he told the judge that he had not made a final decision.
Prosecutors contend Murray gave Jackson a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol in the bedroom of his mansion. Defence lawyers claim Jackson self-administered the dose when Murray left the room.
Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death on June 25 2009. He could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical licence if convicted.
Hate crimes against disabled victims will be treated with the same severity by the courts as racially-motivated attacks, the Lord Chancellor Ken Clarke has promised.
The Justice Secretary told Labour MP Kate Green that the Government would table amendments to its Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill in the House of Lords to offer disabled victims of crime the same protection as those targeted because of their race, religion or sexual orientation.
Ms Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, said the law needed to be changed so that disabled victims were not "seen as vulnerable" but at "greater risk of harm".
Tory MP Paul Maynard, who represents Blackpool North and Cleveleys and has cerebral palsy, added: "There will be utter incomprehension if we fail to make progress on this matter. It should be a simple matter of human dignity and equality."
Mr Clarke then told the Commons that the Bill was going to be changed.
He told the MPs: "Can I give you an assurance on behalf of the Government that I agree with you (both)? I can give you an assurance that we will in (the Lords) table amendments to give effect to what you are asking for and we propose to include transgender as well."
Ms Green replied: "I am extremely grateful to you, as will be the many disabled people and their families who have been in touch with me. I am delighted that there will be a Government amendment."
Legal action to evict anti-capitalist protesters from the doorstep of St Paul's Cathedral has been halted.
St Paul's Canon Pastor the Right Reverend Michael Colclough said suspending the legal bid was "the right way to go".
The City of London Corporation, which was due to hand a letter to the protesters warning them they had 48 hours to clear the site or face High Court proceedings, said it was "pausing" its legal action.
The protest outside St Paul's has caused divisions in the cathedral's hierarchy and led to the resignations of its dean, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles, Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Giles Fraser and part-time chaplain Fraser Dyer.
The cathedral said Rt Rev Knowles's resignation had given it the "opportunity to reassess the situation".
Speaking after a meeting between church officials and protesters, Rt Rev Colclough said: "This has been an enormously difficult time for the cathedral but the chapter is unanimous in its desire to engage constructively with the protest and the serious issues that have been raised, without the threat of legal action hanging over us.
"Legal concerns have been at the forefront in recent weeks but now is the time for the moral, the spiritual and the theological to come to the fore."
He said he believed the protesters had the right to protest and hoped the church would act as a brokering agent in the dispute.
The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, said: "The alarm bells are ringing all over the world. St Paul's has now heard that call.
"Today's decision means that the doors are most emphatically open to engage with matters concerning not only those encamped around the cathedral but millions of others in this country and around the globe."
Two Britons have died in Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Office has confirmed.
The deaths reportedly came in an explosion on board a coach carrying pilgrims to the Muslim holy city of Mecca.
Although the exact cause of the blast or fire near Jeddah has yet to be determined, it is thought to have been accidental.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office declined to comment on reports that those who died were a couple from Birmingham, but did confirm that officials are providing help to family members.
The spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the death of two British nationals in Saudi Arabia.
"We are in touch with the local authorities and the next-of-kin and are providing consular assistance at this difficult time."
