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TUC warns over youth unemployment

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TUC warns over youth unemployment Youth unemployment has increased in virtually every area of the UK in the past year and could soon hit a million, according to a new report. A study by the TUC showed that the number of people jobless 18 to 24-year-olds rose in 196 of 202 local authorities in the year to September. The only six local authorities where youth unemployment has stalled in the last year are Hillingdon, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Reading and Warwickshire. Areas with the biggest increases in the number of young people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance between September 2010 and September 2011 included Hartlepool (up by 3.5%), Darlington (3.2%), Waltham Forest (3%), Sandwell (2.9%), and Doncaster, Torbay and Blackpool (all 2.7%). TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "We're facing the biggest youth unemployment crisis in a generation with close to one million of our young people unable to find work. "With the economic outlook the gloomiest it's been since the end of the recession, the bleak prospects facing young jobseekers look set to be with us for some considerable time to come, unless the Government changes course now and brings in immediate measures to support jobs and growth. "Young people need particular help to make sure they don't spend long periods out of employment or education. We need a proper replacement for the Future Jobs Fund, new measures to support the creation of more apprenticeships and a Government commitment that no unemployed young person will spend more than six months out of employment or high-quality training. "The Chancellor's plan A has already sent unemployment to a 17-year high. Our young people, and our whole country, urgently need a plan B to get people back into work and the economy back on its feet." A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "We are determined to ensure all young people have the chance of work which is why we are cutting the deficit to bring stability back to the economy, and promoting economic growth to create jobs for the long term. "Our Work Programme offers tailored support to ensure young people get the help that's right for them to start the journey into work, while our work experience scheme is giving thousands of young people the chance to show an employer what they can do and get their feet on the ladder."

Committee backs high-speed rail bid

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Committee backs high-speed rail bid The Government's HS2 high-speed rail plan has been backed by the House of Commons Transport Committee following its inquiry into the £34 billion project. But the committee's approval came with a number of provisos, including MPs urging supporters and opponents of the scheme to desist from name-calling and terms such as "Nimbys" and "Luddites". The committee said there was a "good case" for HS2 which would feature 250mph, 1,100-passenger trains running from London to Birmingham and then on to north-east and north-west England and Scotland. Bitterly opposed by some residents and councils, HS2 would run through picturesque Tory heartlands in its first phase from London to Birmingham, with the Government due to make a decision on the route before the end of this year. The committee's report said: "We call on the Government to consider and to clarify these matters before it reaches its decision on HS2." The MPs said: "Unlike policies for major roads and airports, this proposal has all-party support. It is not, however, universally supported by MPs or the public. "We acknowledge the deeply held and often well-informed views on both sides of the debate." The report went on: "What should have been a serious and factually based debate about how best to address the transport, economic and environmental challenges of HS2 has too often been reduced to name-calling and caricature. "Luddites, Nimby and white elephants fought out a battle of 'jobs versus lawns'. We urge the Government to desist from disparaging opponents of HS2 as Nimbys and for both sides in the debate to show respect for each other and to focus on the facts."

Osborne to reaffirm FTT opposition

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Osborne to reaffirm FTT opposition Chancellor George Osborne is to repeat Britain's opposition to a Europe-wide tax designed to recoup some of the costs of the banking crisis. The European Commission has proposed the financial transactions tax (FTT) tax for all 27 EU countries - putting the UK on collision with France and Germany over the plan. Berlin and Paris want the tax on all types of financial investment systems, to demonstrate to taxpayers that governments are trying to ease the bailout burden on the public purse But Mr Osborne has warned that the FTT could drive investment out of Europe and threaten the interests of the City of London and could only work if a global deal is struck to ensure a level playing field. He is to put down a marker against the plan in a sign of Government concern that the idea lacks the necessary international backing to enable such a scheme to work fairly. In September the Chancellor warned: "I am against an EU tax: there would be no point introducing a financial transaction tax that led, the next day, to our foreign exchange markets moving to New York or Singapore or anywhere else." The tax could not work "unless you can get every jurisdiction in the world to sign up to it". Prime Minister David Cameron will take up the issue again at an EU summit next month. Meanwhile, the finance ministers will review progress at separate talks on Monday night of the 17 eurozone member states on efforts to implement a promised boost to the EU's economic crisis bailout fund to about one trillion euros. The meeting failed to resolve how to leverage the existing fund of 440 billion euros and vowed to come up with plans by the end of November. Eurozone chairman Jean-Claude Juncker said Monday night's gathering had been "one step in the process" and said an agreed extra eight billion euros due to be paid to Greece could not be handed over until a new Greek government was fully installed.

Cameron defends 'Big Society' idea

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Cameron defends 'Big Society' idea David Cameron will issue a defence of his "Big Society" vision when he faces a grilling on his pet project by senior MPs. The Liaison Committee - made up of the chairs of the main Commons scrutiny bodies - has chosen it as the focus of its latest session with the Prime Minister. Mr Cameron told the Conservative Party conference last month that creating the Big Society to resolve deep-seated social issues remained his "driving mission in politics". He wants individuals, charities and communities to take on more responsibility and not "just look to Government to solve the many problems that we have". Critics, however, say the drive is a cover for privatising services and deep public spending cuts and that the Big Society agenda is unclear. Britain's most senior Catholic leader, Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, has urged the premier not to use it as "a cloak for masking cuts". Among questions to be raised at the hearing - under the title "Big society or Broken Society" - are the Government's capacity to deliver on the agenda, the "constraints" on Government funding and the impact of the summer's riots.

Doctor guilty of killing Jackson

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Doctor guilty of killing Jackson Michael Jackson's doctor has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter after he administered a lethal dose of a powerful anaesthetic that killed the pop star. The verdict against Dr Conrad Murray marked the latest chapter in one of pop culture's most shocking tragedies - the death of the King of Pop on the eve of the singer's heavily promoted comeback concerts. Members of Jackson's family, including his sister LaToya, wept quietly after the verdict was read at the Los Angeles court. Mother Katherine Jackson later said: "I feel better now." La Toya Jackson said she was overjoyed. "Michael was looking over us," she said on her way out of the courthouse. Murray sat stone-faced during the verdict and was handcuffed and taken into custody without bail until sentencing on November 29. He appeared calm as officials led him out of the courtroom. "Dr Murray's reckless conduct in this case poses a demonstrable risk to the safety of the public" if he remains free on bond, Judge Michael Pastor said. A shriek broke the eerie silence in the packed courtroom when the verdict was read, and the crowd erupted outside the courthouse. Jubilant Jackson fans cheered and sang "Beat It" as they held signs that read "guilty" and "killer". Passing motorists honked their horns. The jury deliberated for less than nine hours. Murray, 58, faces a sentence of up to four years in prison. He could also lose his medical licence. Murray's lawyers left the courtroom without commenting. In Las Vegas, a former Murray patient and current friend, Donna DiGiacomo, sobbed and said she thought the jury was under "overwhelming pressure to convict". Jackson died on June 25, 2009. The complete story of his death finally emerged during the six-week trial. It was the tale of a tormented genius on the brink of what might have been his greatest triumph with one impediment standing in his way - extreme insomnia.

Report warns over benefits shake-up

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Report warns over benefits shake-up The Government's reform of incapacity benefits will "impoverish" a vast number of households and cause "untold distress", a new report has claimed. A study found that the number of people on incapacity benefits will fall by almost a million by 2014, mainly among existing claimants who will lose their entitlement. Researchers from Sheffield Hallam University said 600,000 people will be "pushed out" of the benefits system altogether, with the biggest impact being felt in Wales, Scotland and the north of England. Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, Easington in County Durham, Liverpool and Glasgow look set to be hit 10 times harder than areas such as Kingston upon Thames in London or Wokingham in Berkshire, said the report. Professor Steve Fothergill, co-author of the report, said: "The large numbers that will be pushed off incapacity benefits over the next two to three years are entirely the result of changes in benefit rules, the introduction of a new tougher medical test and, in particular, the more widespread application of means-testing from next April onwards. "The estimates show that the coalition Government is presiding over a national welfare reform that will impact principally on individuals and communities outside its own political heartlands. "In terms of the numbers affected and the scale and severity of the impact, the reforms to incapacity benefits that are under way are probably the most far-reaching changes to the benefits system for at least a generation. They will impoverish vast numbers of households and cause untold distress in countless more. "The incapacity benefit numbers need to be brought down, but this is not the way." Employment Minister Chris Grayling said: "It's clear that millions of people have been written off for years left on incapacity benefit with no real support to get into work. That's why we are re-testing people to see if they have the capacity to work. "Our changes will make sure those in genuine need get more support and those who could and should be working are given the opportunity to do so. For those that need additional help our new Work Programme is up and running and will tailor support to people's needs so that they can overcome whatever barriers they face."

Savile fans set to pay respects

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Savile fans set to pay respects Three days of celebrations marking the life of broadcasting legend Sir Jimmy Savile are beginning as fans get the chance to pay their respects at his coffin. The larger-than-life DJ's casket is being taken to The Queens Hotel, in the centre of his home town of Leeds, so members of the public can say goodbye to him. A room at the hotel will be open for most of the day for well-wishers to visit the coffin, which will be closed. The event is taking place the day before the funeral service for Sir Jimmy which will take the form of a Requiem Mass at the Roman Catholic St Anne's Cathedral, also in the centre of Leeds. Sir Jimmy's cortege is expected to arrive at the cathedral following a tour of places in the city which were important in his life. The broadcasting icon, who died last month aged 84, will be buried the following day in the North Yorkshire seaside resort of Scarborough, which he loved and where he also had a flat. His family have confirmed this will also be a public event including a final drive down the town's well-known seafront. The veteran DJ, who presented the first episode of Top Of The Pops as well as his long-running show Jim'll Fix It, was found at his flat in Roundhay, Leeds, just two days before his 85th birthday. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall led tributes to the star. Known for his trademark catchphrases, tracksuits, cigars and tinted glasses, friends and colleagues described Sir Jimmy as a "larger than life" character who was dedicated to charity work. He started his working life as a miner in his native Yorkshire before running a series of clubs and working as a wrestler and DJ. He raised millions for charity and for many years was a regular marathon runner in support of good causes.

Councils' child services 'good'

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Councils' child services 'good' The majority of local authorities are providing good services for children and young people, according to new figures from the education watchdog Ofsted. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills said the 2011 Children's Services Assessment showed the majority of authorities are providing good or better children's services, with 28 authorities providing excellent services for children in their area, eight more than last year. This year 25 authorities have improved their overall performance, with 11 improving from performing adequately to performing well. The annual children's services assessment this year found that overall 71 authorities are performing well, 33 are providing adequate services and, similar to the previous year, 15 authorities are performing poorly. The outcomes for five authorities are not being published as further inspections are due to take place. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Miriam Rosen, said: "It is encouraging to see that more authorities continue to provide excellent services for children and young people in their local area. These authorities are a beacon for others and must be congratulated for their achievement in supporting and helping to ensure that children are safe, happy and get the best possible start in life. "This year's children's services assessments have shown that more authorities have improved their children's services than declined, and a large majority have sustained their strong performance. However, the pattern of improvement is still too variable. The challenge now is for all authorities to aspire to provide the highest level of services for all children and young people in their community." An analysis of the results indicates that local authorities that have improved their services to performing well have been able to tackle identified weaknesses and underperformance. The quality of universal services, such as childcare, primary and secondary schools and post-16 education provision, has improved for these authorities in almost all cases. Some local authorities have also achieved considerable improvement in social care services including adoption and fostering, and in keeping children safe from harm. However, in authorities that have declined and are now judged as performing adequately, the quality of services is mixed. Seven authorities have declined in their performance since last year.

May faces new grilling over borders

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May faces new grilling over borders The political storm over relaxed border controls at UK ports during the peak summer period is set to continue as Home Secretary Theresa May faces another grilling by MPs. On Monday, Mrs May admitted authorising a watering down of checks on Britons and other EU nationals. But senior officials at the UK's border force went further, scrapping key checks against a Home Office database without ministerial approval, she said in a statement. The number of suspected terrorists, criminals and illegal immigrants who entered the country as a result of the move will never be known, Mrs May said. Three staff, including the head of the UK border force Brodie Clark, have been suspended and those responsible will be punished "to make sure that border force officials can never take such risks with border security again", she said. Labour accuses her of giving the "green light" to the policy and she will be pressed further for details of how it unfolded when she appears before the Home Affairs Select Committee. Its Labour chairman, former minister Keith Vaz, has complained of a "culture of complacency" and suggested the Home Secretary's office must have been informed of the policy. Mr Clark confirmed he had gone further than the pilot scheme allowed when John Vine, the independent chief inspector of the UK Border Agency (UKBA), raised concerns last week, Mrs May told the Commons. Biometric checks on European nationals and checks against the Home Office database on children from the European Economic Area (EEA) "were abandoned on a regular basis, without ministerial approval", she said. Adults were not checked against the database at Calais and the fingerprints of non-European nationals from countries that require a visa were stopped. "I did not give my consent or authorisation for any of these decisions," Mrs May insisted. "Indeed I told officials explicitly that the pilot was to go no further than we had agreed." The Public and Commercial Services union has claimed that border controls were relaxed to keep queues down despite cuts to personnel. Some 5,200 staff will be cut from the UKBA, taking its numbers down to 18,000, by 2015, with 1,552 jobs to go in the UK border force before the next general election, including 886 this financial year, MPs heard. But Mrs May denied the cuts led to the unauthorised reductions in border controls.

Jackson doctor facing jail sentence

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Jackson doctor facing jail sentence Michael Jackson's personal physician Dr Conrad Murray faces up to four years in prison after he was convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of the star. A jury of seven men and five women took eight and a half hours to reach a unanimous verdict, ruling that the doctor gave the King of Pop a fatal overdose of the anaesthetic propofol. Murray, who could also lose his medical licence, was stony-faced as the verdict was read out. The physician was refused bail and was led away to jail in handcuffs ahead of his sentencing on November 29. Outside Los Angeles Superior Court, fans cheered when they learned of the conviction. Some were overcome with emotion and fainted. Members of Jackson's family wept and his mother Katherine told a reporter: "I feel better now." After leaving court, the singer's sister LaToya Jackson tweeted: "VICTORY!!!!!!" The star's father Joe told reporters: "Justice was served," and Jermaine Jackson, the singer's brother, added: "Michael is with us." His sister Rebbie Jackson said outside court: "It's not going to bring him back but I'm happy he was found guilty." Explaining his decision to refuse bail, judge Michael Pastor said Murray had been convicted of "homicide predicated upon criminal negligence" and may pose a flight risk now he is a convicted felon. He added that Murray's "reckless conduct" posed a "demonstrable risk to the safety of the public". Speaking after the verdict, District Attorney Steve Cooley said: "We are gratified that the jury saw the overwhelming evidence of this case led to just one conclusion: that Dr Murray was guilty of involuntary manslaughter, the death of Michael Jackson." Defence attorney Ed Chernoff said the verdict was a disappointment and there would be an appeal. Asked how Murray took the verdict, he said: "He is a pretty strong guy." The court was told the "inept" 58-year-old doctor caused the star's death through negligence, depriving Jackson's children of their father. Murray, who was due to be paid £150,000 a month for his role, acted in a criminally negligent way by using propofol as an insomnia treatment without the proper staff or medical equipment, the court was told. Prosecutors said that he botched resuscitation efforts and lied to other medical personnel about his actions.

£442m painkillers bill for NHS

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£442m painkillers bill for NHS The NHS spends more than £440 million a year on painkillers - with the biggest bill in the north, according to a new analysis. Data for England showed health trusts spend an average of £8.80 per head of population on drugs to treat pain, with some GPs even giving patients Lemsip and Anadin on prescription. Data analysis firm SSentif examined figures for 2010/11 from the NHS Information Centre and head of population data from the Office for National Statistics. Researchers found that the overall NHS spend on painkillers in 2010/11 was £442 million. In some northern towns and cities, the spend per head was as high as £15, dropping to just £3.26 per head in some parts of the south. According to figures, the highest spend was in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Rochdale and Blackpool, with painkiller prescription bills in those primary care trusts averaging £2.3m each. These figures are more than double the prescription cost in Richmond and Twickenham, Camden and Westminster primary care trusts (PCTs), despite having lower populations. The analysis also showed that PCTs are spending thousands prescribing over-the-counter painkillers and branded cold and flu treatments such as Lemsip, Beechams, Anadin and Panadol. Between January and June, PCTs spent just over £3,000 on prescriptions for cold and flu remedies and more than £59,000 on prescribing over-the-counter painkillers. The research also looked at any link between painkiller prescribing, deprivation and older age (over-65s). It found a strong correlation between painkiller prescribing and age in the south but almost no link with deprivation.

Savile lies in state at city hotel

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Savile lies in state at city hotel The coffin of broadcasting legend Sir Jimmy Savile has arrived at a hotel in his home city where he will lie in state before his funeral. The gold-coloured casket, featuring a crucifix, was taken to The Queens Hotel in Leeds in a hearse and carried into the building along a red carpet. Members of the public will be able to pay their respects to the larger-than-life DJ in the bar of the hotel for most of Tuesday. Tuesday is the first of three days of celebrations marking Sir Jimmy's life. A funeral service in the form of a Requiem Mass at the Roman Catholic St Anne's Cathedral will take place on Wednesday afternoon. Sir Jimmy's cortege is expected to arrive at the cathedral following a tour of places in the city which were important in his life. The TV and radio star, who died last month aged 84, will be buried the following day in the North Yorkshire seaside resort of Scarborough, which he loved and where he also had a flat. His family have confirmed this will also be a public event including a final drive down the town's seafront. The veteran DJ, who presented the first episode of Top Of The Pops as well as his long-running show Jim'll Fix It, was found dead at his flat in Roundhay, Leeds, just two days before his 85th birthday. Known for his trademark catchphrases, tracksuits, cigars and tinted glasses, friends and colleagues described Sir Jimmy as a "larger than life" character who was dedicated to charity work. He started his working life as a miner in his native Yorkshire before running a series of clubs and working as a wrestler and DJ. He raised millions for charity and for many years was a regular marathon runner in support of good causes.

Pupils join bid to halt knife crime

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Pupils join bid to halt knife crime Inner-city teenagers are swapping ideas with police as part of a fresh bid to beat the capital's knife crime problems. More than 90 schoolchildren are taking part in the new scheme aimed to shape the way youth violence is tackled. Barry Mizen, whose 16-year-old son Jimmy was murdered in 2008, is among a panel of experts speaking to 14 and 15-year-olds at City Hall. Emily Thomas, a prison governor at Cookham Wood, Duncan Bew, a trauma surgeon from King's College Hospital, and Commander David Zinzan will speak to the teenagers, all based in the south-east London district. Scotland Yard hope the project will create a "large group of influencers" who will go back to their schools and peer groups to promote ways to reduce harm. Police also hope to improve engagement between teenagers, the police and other leading agencies working towards the mutual aim of making London safer for young people. Mr Zinzan said the event proved officers were "prepared to listen and try something different". "Police have an important role to play but we need to harness the views of young people in dealing with this menace," he said. "The young people here have been especially chosen by their schools for their ability to communicate and influence. Police alone cannot solve this and today gives us a great opportunity to both give and receive messages." Mr Mizen added: "It is important to recognise that young people are just as concerned about this issue as the adult population. It is after all young people who are affected by it the most. "The forum at City Hall is an opportunity for adults involved in tackling violence to hear the views and experiences of young people, especially those identified as leaders in their own peer groups. When young people are included in the process their sense of ownership and self-worth is boosted, enabling them to recognise that their involvement in the solution is paramount."

M5 pile-up victim leaves blind son

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M5 pile-up victim leaves blind son A lorry driver killed in the horrific M5 crash has a blind son. Kye Thomas, 38, had only moved to a new home in Gunnislake, south east Cornwall, with Becki, his wife of 12 years, and their four children the day before the crash last Friday night, Mrs Thomas told the Plymouth Herald. She spoke of a man "flourishing" as a father, devoted to their daughters Jordan, 12, and Trinity-Rose, 16 months, and sons Kane, 11, and Connor, nine, who is blind. "It was Saturday night when it really hit me," she told the paper. "I went into shock. I think that was when I said 'goodbye' to him. It is hard trying to carry on with the kids." She said Kane went back to school on Monday because he "wanted to go ahead and make it easier for when Connor goes back". "He said to me 'I am the man of the house now, I have to step up'," she told the newspaper. Mr Thomas died along with fellow Samworth Brothers driver Terry Brice, father and daughter Michael and Maggie Barton, grandparents Anthony and Pamela Adams and battle re-enactor Malcolm Beacham in the multi-vehicle pile-up on the motorway in Somerset. Police are focusing their attention on the theory that the crash was caused by smoke drifting on to the M5 from a fireworks event at nearby Taunton Rugby Club. A total of 51 people were injured in the accident - described as one of the worst British motorway crashes in memory - and 11 remain in hospital. Mr Thomas, a third dan in taekwondo and former lance corporal in the King's Royal Hussars, was working as an agency driver on a night shift taking a delivery to Bristol for Samworth Brothers, owner of Ginsters, which has its factory just a few miles from the family home in Callington. Mrs Thomas worked for Ginsters, as did her mother. Her father is also a lorry driver.

Osborne warning on euro 'firewall'

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Osborne warning on euro 'firewall' Eurozone leaders most show the world they are prepared to stand behind their currency, Chancellor George Osborne has said. Arriving in Brussels for a meeting of EU finance ministers, he said that they needed to build a convincing "firewall" to prevent the crisis spreading. He warned that failure to build on last month's deal to bail out the stricken Greek economy would have a "very damaging effect" on Britain. "We need to focus on getting a firewall in place. It is all very well saying we have got a firewall, but the eurozone now need to convincingly show the world that the firewall exists and has got sufficient resources in it," he told reporters. "The eurozone needs to show the world that it can stand behind its currency. We can't just stand and wait on developments in Athens and in Rome. We have also got to make progress here in Brussels. "If we don't, that will continue to have a very damaging effect on the entire European economy, including the British economy."

Man tells of family deaths struggle

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Man tells of family deaths struggle The husband of a woman who slit the throats of their two children before taking her own life at their family home has said he is continuing to deal with the effects of the tragedy. In a statement following an inquest into the three deaths, Iain Oakes-Green, 41, said he loved and missed his wife Claudia, son Thomas, 13, and daughter Eleanor, nine, very much and that it had been "a very difficult time". In the statement released by Leicestershire Police, he said he was "continuing to face and attempt to deal with the effects of this tragedy has had on my life. "I love and miss Claudia, Thomas and Eleanor very much and think about them constantly." He said family, friends and colleagues had been incredibly supportive and that he "wouldn't have been able to cope without them". The bodies of Claudia Oakes-Green, 44, Thomas and Eleanor were found at their detached house in Garendon Road in Shepshed, Leicestershire, on February 23. A pathologist told the inquest at Loughborough Coroner's Court that the two children had died from incised wounds to the neck and chest caused by a knife. Their bodies were discovered by police in two bedrooms. Mrs Oakes-Green was found with multiple incised wounds to her arms in the bathroom. Coroner for Rutland and North Leicestershire Trevor Kirkman recorded a verdict of unlawful killing for the two children. For Mrs Oakes-Green, he recorded the verdict that she "died of her own hands".

Catholic church liable for priests

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Catholic church liable for priests The High Court has ruled that the Catholic Church can be held liable for the wrongdoings of its priests. A judge in London announced his decision in a case which has been described as being "an issue of wide general importance in respect of claims against the Catholic Church". Although the point to be decided arose in a damages action over alleged sex abuse by a priest, it is understood that the decision will affect other types of claims made against the Church. Mr Justice MacDuff gave a decision in favour of a 47-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who claims she was sexually assaulted as a child by the late Father Wilfred Baldwin, a priest of the Portsmouth Diocese, at a children's home in Hampshire run by an order of nuns. Giving his decision on a preliminary issue in her damages action the judge held that, in law, the Church "may be vicariously liable" for Father Baldwin's alleged wrongdoings. The trustees of the Portsmouth Roman Catholic Diocesan Trust - the defendant "standing in the shoes of the bishop" - were given leave to appeal. Lord Faulks QC, for the defendants, said that the Catholic Church "takes sexual abuse extremely seriously and it is entirely concerned to eradicate it". The preliminary issue was on a point of law, he said, and emphasised that the Church was not seeking to abandon responsibility for sexual abuse. During the hearing of the issue in July, the judge was told by Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel QC, representing the woman at the centre of the sex abuse claim, that the issue to be determined was whether the Church "can ever be vicariously liable in any situation for any tort at all". It was, she said, "a very wide issue indeed". Lawyers for the alleged victim said it was the first time a court has been asked to rule on whether the "relationship between a Catholic priest and his bishop is akin to an employment relationship".

Crewman hurt in Red Arrows incident

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Crewman hurt in Red Arrows incident A member of Red Arrows air crew is believed to have been injured in an incident on the ground at the world-famous aerobatics team's base. Medical services were called to RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire after the incident involving one of the display team's Hawk T1 aircraft, said the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The MoD said the aircraft was not airborne at the time but would not confirm the condition of the crew member involved. An MoD spokesman said: "I can confirm there has been an incident at RAF Scampton. The RAF are investigating and will provide more details when they are available." The incident comes after Red Arrows pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, 33, from Rutland, was killed in an air show crash near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset in August. Flt Lt Egging's wife, Dr Emma Egging, watched her husband perform with the Red Arrows just minutes before he crashed to his death. Eyewitnesses described seeing the aircraft flying low before smashing into a field and coming to a standstill with its nose in the River Stour near the village of Throop. The RAF temporarily halted flying of all 126 of its Hawk T1 training jets while preliminary investigations were carried out into the cause of the tragedy. Hundreds of RAF servicemen and women joined Flt Lt Egging's family and friends at a packed memorial service for the popular pilot in Lincoln Cathedral last week. Reports suggested that the latest incident involved the aircraft's ejector seat.

Man arrested over Spurs Olympic bid

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Man arrested over Spurs Olympic bid A 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of fraud after allegations that Tottenham Hotspur FC spied on Olympics officials during its stadium bid. News of the arrest came as Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) chairwoman Baroness Ford claimed the north London football club had all 14 members of her board monitored by private investigators. The suspect was being questioned as officers conducted a string of searches in Sussex, Sutton, south west London, and Westminster. Spurs denied putting officials under surveillance. Detectives, who have been investigating the claims since August 2011 "following allegations by West Ham and the Olympic Park Legacy Company in respect of the unlawful obtaining of information", said the suspect was arrested at an address in Sussex. He was taken into custody at a Sussex police station "where he remains", said a spokesman. "As part of their inquiries, detectives have conducted searches at both a residential and business premises in Sussex, a second private address in Sutton, and a further business address in Westminster," police said. Baroness Ford, chairman of the OPLC, which is in charge of securing a viable economic future for the home of the London 2012 Games, told the London Assembly earlier: "My board were put under surveillance by Tottenham Hotspur and the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur felt confident enough to say in the Sunday Times several months ago that all 14 members of my board were put under surveillance. The Metropolitan police are now conducting an investigation into that surveillance. "There has been all kinds of behaviour here that I could not have anticipated which, believe me, has not been pleasant in the last 12 months." Tottenham Hotspur Football Club rejected Baroness Ford's comments and issued a statement through its lawyers, which read: "The club did not undertake, instruct or engage any party to conduct surveillance on any member of the OPLC Committee and we consider the making of this baseless accusation to be wholly inappropriate and irresponsible. We totally reject the accusation in the strongest possible terms."

Guest house pair launch gays appeal

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Guest house pair launch gays appeal Christian guest house owners have appealed against a judge's ruling that they acted unlawfully in refusing to allow a gay couple to stay in a double room. Peter and Hazelmary Bull, who run Chymorvah House in Marazion, Cornwall, challenged a ruling, made in January by Judge Andrew Rutherford at Bristol County Court, at the Court of Appeal in London. Judge Rutherford said the Bulls acted unlawfully in turning away Martyn Hall and his civil partner Steven Preddy, both from Bristol, in September 2008. He ordered the Bulls to pay the couple a total of £3,600 damages. Mr Hall, who is in his 40s, and Mr Preddy, in his 30s, had claimed sexual orientation discrimination under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007. Mr Bull, 71, and Mrs Bull, 67, were in court for the start of the appeal hearing, which lawyers expect to end on Wednesday. Mr Hall and Mr Preddy were not in court. James Dingemans QC, for the Bulls, told three appeal judges that his clients had no wish to "undermine" Mr Hall and Mr Preddy nor to disrespect them. But he argued: "The learned judge erred in failing to balance the respective rights in this case." He said the Bulls believed that "unmarried sexual behaviour was wrong" but were not prejudiced against homosexuals. Mr Dingemans said the law should be capable of accommodating Mr Hall and Mr Preddy's rights under equality legislation and the Bulls' rights to beliefs about sex before marriage. "(The Bulls) have prevented hundreds of unmarried couple sharing double beds," said Mr Dingemans. "(Their) beliefs may be considered outdated, uneconomic, for those operating a private hotel but, we respectfully submit, they are entitled to manifest those beliefs." He said the Bulls had an "absolute right" to believe that "unmarried sexual behaviour is wrong" and a "qualified right" to "manifest that belief". "If human rights is to have any value at all, it must be respecting of all rights," added Mr Dingemans. "It should not be beyond the ability of the courts to accommodate both sides."
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