September 15, 2010, 4:44 pm
![Image]( "Jacko gigs promoter hit by lawsuit")
Michael Jackson's mother is suing a concert promoter, alleging the company failed to provide life-saving equipment and a doctor who was looking out for the pop star's well-being as he prepared for what were intended to be his comeback concerts.
The lawsuit was filed against AEG Live in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The suit contends AEG and its agents told Jackson the company would provide the equipment and hire Dr Conrad Murray to care for Jackson so he could perform at the concerts in London.
"AEG's representations to Jackson were false because in reality AEG was merely doing whatever it took to make sure that Michael Jackson could make it to rehearsals and shows and AEG did not provide a doctor who was truly looking out for Jackson's well-being and did not provide equipment," the lawsuit states.
AEG spokesman Michael Roth said the company had not seen the lawsuit.
AEG Live president Randy Phillips said soon after Jackson's death in June 2009 that Dr Murray was enlisted to act as Jackson's personal physician as the singer prepared for the concerts. However, Jackson died before signing the agreement. As a result, Mr Phillips said the agreement was not binding.
The suit also said AEG Live was responsible for the actions of Dr Murray in the care of Jackson. Dr Murray, however, was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. "At the time of his death, Michael Jackson was under the immediate care of a doctor selected by, hired by, and controlled by AEG; indeed AEG demanded and required that Michael Jackson be treated by this particular doctor to ensure that Michael Jackson would attend all rehearsals and shows on the tour," the complaint states.
Dr Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter over Jackson's death at the age of 50. Police said Murray gave Jackson an overdose of the anaesthetic propofol.
Katherine Jackson, who is the guardian of the singer's three children, also sued on their behalf.
The suit claims Jackson's eldest son, Prince, suffered great trauma and severe emotional distress because he witnessed his father's final moments. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
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September 15, 2010, 6:16 pm
![Image]( "Clegg defends planned benefit cuts")
Nick Clegg has issued a staunch defence of radical benefit cuts as he geared up for potential clashes with party activists at its annual conference.
The Deputy Prime Minister told The Times welfare should not be there "to compensate the poor for their predicament" but act as "an engine of mobility".
Billions of pounds are to be slashed from the welfare budget by Chancellor George Osborne when he unveils the results of his drastic public spending review next month.
Liberal Democrat backbenchers have publicly accused the Coalition Government of targeting the vulnerable and Mr Clegg of breaking promises to ensure all cuts were "fair".
The issue could prove a flashpoint with the left of the party when activists gather in Liverpool from Saturday for the first time since joining the Tories in government.
But Mr Clegg made clear he considered the reforms to be essential. "A fair society is not one in which money is simply transferred by the central State from one group to another," he wrote in an article for the newspaper.
"Welfare needs to become an engine of mobility, changing people's lives for the better, rather than a giant cheque written by the State to compensate the poor for their predicament. Instead of turning the system from a 'safety net' into a 'trampoline', as Labour promised, people have been stuck on benefits, year in, year out."
A fair society, he wrote, was "one in which people are able to make a better life for themselves, with support from government and the broader community".
Mr Clegg's intervention came hours after Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith denied that he had signed up to another £4 billion of spending cuts to the welfare budget.
Mr Duncan Smith acknowledged that he would have to find savings in the Government's forthcoming spending review but said he was still in negotiations with the Treasury.
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September 15, 2010, 6:16 pm
![Image]( "Cardinal's comments hit Papal visit")
Pope Benedict's historic arrival in Britain has been overshadowed by comments comparing the nation with a "third world country".
German-born Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, who was due to join the Pope's entourage, pulled out of the trip on Wednesday following his remarks made during an interview with the German magazine Focus.
Vatican officials reportedly attributed the change of plans to ill health but his withdrawal followed the interview in which he commented on the Godlessness of a section of English society, claiming Britain was facing an "aggressive new atheism" and that "Christians were at a disadvantage".
Asked about the protests expected to greet the Pope's visit, he remarked on Britain's multi-cultural inhabitants, telling the magazine that someone landing at Heathrow may think they were in a "third world country" as there was such a variety of faces there.
The Catholic Church in England and Wales distanced itself from Cardinal Kasper's comments, saying they were "the personal views of one individual" but the remarks threatened to overshadow the first state visit by a pontiff to Britain.
Pope Benedict will be flown into Scotland where he will meet the Queen and address thousands of pilgrims at an open air mass before travelling to London.
The four-day trip will include a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron and a prayer vigil in Hyde Park, culminating in a beatification ceremony for Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham on Sunday.
It is the first papal trip to Britain since Pope John Paul II made a pastoral visit in 1982 following an invitation from the Church.
The packed itinerary begins in Edinburgh with a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland, where the Pope will also be introduced to First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
Up to 100,000 people are expected to line the streets of the Scottish capital as he is driven through the city centre in the Popemobile to the home of Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
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September 15, 2010, 6:16 pm
![Image]( "Deposit scheme for bottles urged")
A deposit refund scheme for glass and plastic drinks bottles could reduce litter and boost recycling rates, new research has suggested.
Charging people a small fee for buying bottles and cans which would then be given back to consumers would cut waste, the report compiled for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said.
It claimed a deposit of 15p for containers smaller than 500ml and 30p for larger ones would lead to 90% being returned for recycling.
The report entitled "Have we got the bottle? Implementing a deposit refund scheme in the UK" was prepared for the organisation by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
It added the scheme could reduce costs to the public sector by £160 million a year - the equivalent of £7 per household.
The CPRE said the introduction of such an idea would aid the Government in trying to achieve a "zero waste" economy by increasing recycling.
Bill Bryson, CPRE president, said: "These findings throw rational and informed light on an issue that is nonsensically contentious in the UK. What sensible nation would not want to capture and recycle its precious and finite resources? What discerning people would not want to enjoy a litter-free environment?
"CPRE has published this research to reignite the debate, so that an effective mechanism which delivers environmental and social benefits in many other countries can be given its proper consideration in the UK."
Researchers estimated setting up such a scheme would take an initial £84 million investment, spread over one or two years.
They added the running costs of the scheme - approximately £700 million per year - would be met by unclaimed deposits and by the drinks industry.
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September 15, 2010, 6:16 pm
![Image]( "Insurance warning over flooding")
Hundreds of thousands of homes could become uninsurable and unmortgageable if the Government cuts spending on flood defences, it has been claimed.
AA Insurance urged the Government not to cut resources in this area in the Comprehensive Spending Review, saying the industry is instead calling for spending to be significantly increased.
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, warned that any cuts to the amount of money spent protecting flood prone parts of the UK could lead to hundreds of thousands of homes becoming uninsurable, meaning people would no longer be able to get a mortgage on them.
He added that spending cuts in this area would also "inevitably" lead to higher insurance premiums for other homeowners.
In an open letter to Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman, he said: "Millions of people are at risk of inundation from overflowing rivers, coasts and estuaries during extremes of weather and that risk is increasing all the time."
Under the Statement of Principles on the Provision of Flood Insurance, which was agreed by the Association of British Insurers and the previous government, insurers have agreed to continue offering flood cover to existing customers until 2013, providing the flood risk is being adequately managed.
But Mr Douglas said: "If spending isn't maintained, it will compromise the Statement of Principles, which could see many homes become uninsurable."
He added that the Environment Agency has called for flood defence spending to be doubled during the next 25 years.
The group also warned that the cost of buildings and contents insurance policies could rise rapidly if flood protection was removed.
The cost of home insurance had remained largely static for a number of years up until mid-2009.
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September 15, 2010, 6:16 pm
![Image]( "Watchdog probing Derren Brown stunt")
The media watchdog has said it is investigating illusionist Derren Brown's latest TV show after viewers complained about a scene portraying a man restrained by a straitjacket on a railway track.
Ofcom received 11 complaints about the set-up where the man made a Houdini-style escape moments before an oncoming train arrived at the spot where he was tied up.
The Channel 4 programme, Derren Brown: Hero At 30,000 Feet, saw Brown help a volunteer who lacked confidence by helping him through a series of challenges.
The finale culminated in Brown tricking the "average Joe" to believe he safely landed a Boeing 737 after the captain became unconscious.
In reality the volunteer was placed under hypnosis by the illusionist and moved to a flight simulator where he believed he successfully landed the aircraft.
The media regulator is investigating the show, broadcast on September 8 at 10pm, to see if it breached broadcasting regulations.
It will decide whether the railway scene provided "adequate protection for members of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful or offensive material" or whether the programme included material "which condones or glamorises violent, dangerous or seriously antisocial behaviour and is likely to encourage others to copy such behaviour".
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September 19, 2010, 1:38 am
![Image]( "Hatton 'disgusted' at drug taking")
Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton has spoken of his "disgust" at his alleged binge drinking and drug taking but insisted he did not have a problem.
The 31-year-old, who is to be investigated by police over allegations he snorted cocaine in a hotel room, was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic on Monday.
Hatton, who was secretly filmed taking what is alleged to be lines of the class A drug on a night out, gave a candid interview in which he revealed his anger and pledged to fight and win his way back to health.
Speaking to the News of the World he said: "I'm so angry I could knock myself out. I'm disgusted at myself for what I have done. I've had a wonderful career and am furious that I have tarnished it."
Hatton, however, insisted he did not have a problem. He said: "I'm not the slightest bit worried about the cocaine. Problem? What problem?"
He added: "I have dabbled with the drug on a few sparing occasions. The only time I have ever done it is when I have been so depressed or drunk that it's a case of, 'Go on then'."
The boxer revealed he had been suffering blackouts, panic attacks and depression following a second round defeat. He has not fought since May 2009.
In a video clip, on the newspaper's website, he stares directly into the camera saying: "I'm Ricky Hatton and I'm here to tell the truth. I'm currently in the Priory dealing with depression due to the fact that I have not been able to cope with my retirement from boxing. I have been binge drinking heavily and dabbling in other daft and silly things but it is going to be the toughest fight of my life and I'm here to win it."
The two-weight world champion was out with friend Emma Bowe, an Irish national senior women's boxing champion, when he was caught on camera.
Greater Manchester Police said officers were aware of the story and planned to question him. The force said it would respect the former boxer's privacy after he admitted himself to the clinic. He is to be interviewed once his rehabilitation is complete.
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Lib Dems offer postal guarantee")
The Liberal Democrats offered a "copper-bottomed guarantee" that mail will continue to be delivered anywhere across the United Kingdom at the same price.
There had been fears that the universal service obligation could be under threat after Business Secretary Vince Cable threw his weight behind a report on the future of the Royal Mail, which said significant amounts of private capital were needed to keep the business afloat.
Last week the TUC backed a campaign by the Communication Workers Union to oppose plans to privatise the business, which claims hundreds of post offices will close and the universal postal service will end if it is sold off.
But at the Liberal Democrat's annual gathering in Liverpool, Tavish Scott, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats said: "I want to be very clear what a future postal service for Scotland must be. Yes explore how best to keep Royal Mail solvent, to stabilise the business, to modernise the network.
"But three conditions, three Scottish conditions apply to reform.
"So conference, I am delighted to tell you that I have secured an agreement from our Business Secretary, Vince Cable.
"He has confirmed today, firstly the universal service obligation is a copper-bottomed guarantee. Posties delivering the same letter at the same price, anywhere in the UK, whether it is Kensington or Kyelachlan.
"Second, Labour's Post Office closure programme, which saw 1,000 close in Scotland will be halted. That is because we know that in many areas Post Offices are part of the community.
"Thirdly, posties will be allowed shares in their company."
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Beatification Mass ends Papal visit")
Pope Benedict XVI marked the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain by paying tribute to the those who sacrificed their lives resisting the "evil ideology" of the Nazi regime.
The German-born Pope, who was forced to join the Hitler Youth as a 14-year-old schoolboy, said it was "deeply moving" to be in Britain for the occasion, which was a chance to "recall with shame and horror the dreadful toll of death and destruction that war brings".
The Pope was addressing a special Mass to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman on the last day of the state visit, with about 55,000 people from the UK and around the world converging on Cofton Park in Rednal, Birmingham.
It is the first beatification to be carried out by Benedict since he was elected Pope in 2005, a mark of his lifelong interest in the 19th century clergyman and famous convert to Catholicism.
He said: "This particular Sunday also marks a significant moment in the life of the British nation, as it is the day chosen to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
"For me as one who lived and suffered through the dark days of the Nazi regime in Germany, it is deeply moving to be here with you on this occasion, and to recall how many of your fellow citizens sacrificed their lives, courageously resisting the forces of that evil ideology.
"My thoughts go in particular to nearby Coventry, which suffered such heavy bombardment and massive loss of life in November 1940.
"Seventy years later, we recall with shame and horror the dreadful toll of death and destruction that war brings in its wake, and we renew our resolve to work for peace and reconciliation wherever the threat of conflict looms."
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Fresh strategy over cannabis urged")
Decriminalising the personal use of drugs such as cannabis could enable greater resources to be used to tackle organised criminal networks, a senior police officer has said.
Tim Hollis, chief constable of Humberside Police, said budget cuts had led to officers "prioritising" capabilities towards targeting high-level dealers above those caught with minor amounts of drugs for their own use, it was reported.
He told The Observer: "We would rather invest our time in getting high-level criminals before the courts, taking money off them and removing their illicit gains rather than targeting young people."
He continued: "We don't want to criminalise young people because, put bluntly, if we arrest young kids for possession of cannabis and put them before the courts we know what the outcome's going to be, so actually it's perfectly reasonable to give them words of advice or take it off them."
The chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers' drugs committee, called for a debate on whether alcohol and nicotine, both lawful drugs, should be incorporated into measures to fight illegal substances.
Earlier this week, one of Britain's leading experts on cannabis proposed the idea of introducing a licence to smoke cannabis legally.
Professor Roger Pertwee said making cannabis as available as alcohol would prevent drug-related crime, and reduce the chances of people being introduced to harder narcotics.
But he cautioned that it might be necessary to prevent vulnerable individuals obtaining the drug.
A Home Office spokesman said: "There is clear evidence that cannabis is a harmful drug which can cause damage to mental health in the immediate and longer-term. Even occasional use of cannabis can be dangerous for people with diseases of the circulatory system.
"The Government does not believe decriminalisation of cannabis is the right approach. Our priorities are clear - we want to reduce drug use, crack down on drug-related crime and disorder and help addicts come off drugs for good."
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Cuts claims 'exaggerated': Clegg")
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has risked the wrath of unions and benefit claimants by suggesting fears about the impact of public spending cuts may be "exaggerated".
Despite most Whitehall departments facing budget reductions of up to 25%, Mr Clegg said the results may not be as bad as people think.
Interviewed for the BBC's Andrew Marr show during the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool, the DPM said daily reports about the cuts were unhelpful when final decisions had yet to be taken.
"That has created a climate where arguably some people are developing fears which might even, dare I say it, turn out to be exaggerated," he added.
The intervention came hours before Chief Treasury Secretary Treasury Danny Alexander is due to tell Lib Dem activists that some trade unionists are "spoiling for a fight" and trying to "misrepresent" the coalition's aims.
More than 2,000 TUC members are due to protest near the Arena and Convention Centre over the prospect of public sector jobs being slashed and pensions downgraded.
But Mr Clegg pleaded with people to wait and see what emerged when the Comprehensive Spending Review is completed in a month's time.
"Daily now I read a huge amount of speculation about what might be taken, a decision which hasn't yet been taken," he said. "Essentially you have this vacuum where decisions have yet to be taken."
Asked whether the universality of welfare payments such as child benefit were at stake, the Lib Dem leader signalled that all options were being studied.
"We are going to look at all benefits in the round," he said.
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan")
Two British soldiers, one from The Queen's Royal Lancers and one from the Royal Engineers have been killed in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.
The pair died in an explosion on Saturday, during a vehicle patrol in the Lashkar Gah District of Helmand Province.
They were serving as part of Combined Force Lashkar Gah. Next of kin have been informed.
A spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, said: "It is with great sadness I must inform you that a soldier from the Queen's Royal Lancers and a soldier from the Royal Engineers were killed this afternoon west of Lashkar Gah.
"They were attached to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards Battlegroup. The soldiers were part of a ground domination patrol when they were struck by an explosion.
"They will be greatly missed and their sacrifice will not be forgotten. We will remember them."
The number of British losses since the conflict in Afghanistan began in 2001 now stands at 337.
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Two arrested over child fire death")
Two people have been arrested after a toddler died in a flat fire, police said.
A murder inquiry was launched after the 19-month-old girl died in hospital following the blaze in Camberwell, south east London, early on Saturday morning.
A 27-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman were arrested late on Saturday night at an address in south London, Scotland Yard said.
The pair remain in custody at a south London police station.
Fire crews used thermal imaging cameras and breathing apparatus as they attempted to rescue five people who were trapped in the building.
The five, who were all related, included two women aged 45 and 23, an 11-year-old girl, a four-year-old boy and the toddler.
They were all found unconscious and suffering from smoke inhalation.
The two women and the boy were today said to be in a serious but stable condition in hospital, while the 11-year-old girl's condition was described as "critical".
The two-bedroom, first-floor flat, in Arnould Avenue, a residential area of Camberwell, was destroyed by the fire which started in the early hours of the morning.
Acting Detective Chief Inspector Rick Murphy said: "This fire has wrecked the lives of those involved and I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact us and help piece together what happened."
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "23 dead after car blasts in Baghdad")
Two car bombs have exploded in Baghdad as commuters were starting their working week, killing at least 23 people and wounding dozens of others, Iraqi officials said.
The blasts broke what has been a period of relative calm since the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and underlined the challenges facing Iraqi security officials in protecting their capital city.
Ten people were killed when a car bomb exploded in western Baghdad's affluent Mansour neighbourhood, Army Brigadier General Ali Fathal who is responsible for the western half of the city, said.
He said another 10 were wounded in the attack, and security officials are investigating whether it was the work of a suicide car bomb targeting a crowded commercial area near an AsiaCell store, one of Iraq's biggest mobile phone providers.
Minutes later another car bomb exploded in Kazimiyah neighbourhood's Adan square in the northern sector of the city, killing at least 13 and wounding more than 70 others, police and hospital sources said.
Two policemen were killed in the blast.
Police said the Kazimiyah blast was the work of a suicide car bomber targeting a checkpoint in a residential area leading to a branch office of the Ministry of National Security.
Earlier, two people in a minibus were killed when a roadside bomb went off in the Shula neighbourhood of north-western Baghdad, police and hospital officials said.
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Tory backer set to quit party role")
Controversial Tory backer Lord Ashcroft is to quit as the party's deputy chairman after delivering a stinging critique of its failure to secure outright victory at the general election, it has been reported.
The Sunday Telegraph said that the billionaire told David Cameron on Friday that he intended to resign at the next meeting of the Conservative Party board.
The paper also carries details of Lord Ashcroft's analysis of the party's election campaign - which he helped to finance - and its failure to produce a "thumping majority" for the Tories.
He concluded that the party failed to get its message across and that voters had "little clear idea" of what they stood for or what they would do in government.
He said that the relentless negative attacks on Labour were "unnecessary and counter-productive", while agreeing to the televised leaders' debates enabled the Liberal Democrats to to seize the "real change" initiative.
He pointed out that through 2008 and 2009 nearly all the published opinion polls were giving the Conservatives a double-digit lead over Labour. "Why did these figures not translate into a thumping majority? The key lies in the gap between the change people wanted and the change people thought we were offering," he wrote.
"Going into the election, many voters had little clear idea of what we stood for or what we intended to do in government. At a national level, too much of our message was focused on unnecessary and counter-productive attacks on Gordon Brown and Labour, which meant that voters were not clear about our own plans."
The Telegraph said that his comments were made in the executive summary of his 133-page book: Minority Verdict: The Conservative Party, the Voters and the 2010 Election. He told the paper that the book would be his "first and only contribution" to any public debate on the subject. "This is a record of what I thought at the time, and what I think now," he said.
Lord Ashcroft also made clear his frustration that he did not receive greater support from the party leadership when he was forced to admit in March that he had "non-dom" status and had not been paying income tax on his worldwide earnings.
A Conservative spokesman said: "Michael (Lord Ashcroft) helped to fight a great campaign and we're all extremely grateful for his tireless work as deputy chairman throughout the campaign. This book is part of the 'lessons learnt' exercise and we should welcome it. He has made a very significant contribution to the success of the Conservative Party and we thank him for his work and dedication."
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September 19, 2010, 1:41 am
![Image]( "Six freed after Pope 'plot' probe")
Six men quizzed by counter-terrorism police probing a plot to attack the Pope were all released without charge, Scotland Yard has said.
The men, all believed to be of North African origin, were arrested on Friday in London.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Six men who were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 on Friday, 17 September, were all released without charge late on Saturday night (September 18) and early this morning (Sunday September 19)."
Police searched eight homes in north and east London and two business premises in central London, including a street cleaning depot as part of the investigation. The Metropolitan Police said the searches of the premises had been completed and had not revealed any weapons or suspicious materials.
The BBC quoted Scotland Yard sources saying that the men posed no credible threat, while the Sunday Mirror reported that the men had simply been overheard sharing a joke in their canteen.
The six are aged 26, 27, 29, 36, 40 and 50.
One of the men, a 29-year-old, was arrested at a home in north London shortly before 2pm on Friday. The five other men, believed to be street cleaners, were arrested at gunpoint as armed officers swooped on their base as they prepared to start their shift shortly before 6am on Friday.
They work for Veolia Environmental Services, a contractor which employs 650 on-street staff to keep the streets of Westminster clean.
A huge security and public order operation swung into action as the Pope arrived in Britain. Thousands of officers are involved in the operation from forces including the Met, Strathclyde, Lothian and Borders, West Midlands and British Transport Police.
The cost of policing the Pope's visit will exceed £1.5 million and is being co-ordinated by South Yorkshire Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes.
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September 19, 2010, 9:06 am
![Image]( "Woman opens fire at German hospital")
A woman has opened fire in a hospital in Germany's Black Forest, killing at least one person and wounding several others, before fatally shooting herself, German officials said.
Police in the town of Loerrach confirmed that a shooting had taken place at the Elisbethen hospital, in south-western Germany, but did not elaborate.
State police in Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg state where Loerrach is located, told the dapd news agency that a woman had opened fire in the hospital, killing one person and wounding two others, before killing herself.
They said there was no immediate motive for the shooting.
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September 19, 2010, 9:06 am
![Image]( "Clegg unveils aid boost to Pakistan")
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced a major increase in aid to Pakistan as the country struggles to cope with the devastation caused by the floods.
He told the Liberal Democrat conference the UK will be "dramatically increasing" the amount of money going to Pakistan beyond the £60 million already provided.
The money will provide temporary school facilities, help farmers replace livestock and crops and provide more support for the emergency efforts in southern Pakistan.
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September 19, 2010, 9:07 am
![Image]( "Royals at Battle of Britain service")
A fly past by Second World War fighter planes has led the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Britain.
A Spitfire and a Hurricane flew above Westminster Abbey to commemorate one of the most pivotal battles in recent British military history.
Earlier, veterans from the decisive battle rubbed shoulders with royalty and senior politicians at a thanksgiving service in the Abbey.
Prince William, fresh from graduating as a Search and Rescue Force helicopter pilot, attended the event with his father, the Prince of Wales, and the Duchess of Cornwall.
The ceremony celebrates the 70th anniversary of the pivotal Second World War battle in which Britain's pilots defeated the Nazi threat in the skies of southern England.
The Battle of Britain began as Hitler turned his attention across the Channel after defeating the French.
Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of Air Staff, said winning the Battle of Britain was vital to the overall outcome of the war.
Speaking before the service he said: "The importance of today is of course to recognise the veterans who are still here and all those who gave their lives to ensure that the Battle of Britain was won and the freedom of this country was assured.
"Unless we had control of the skies over Britain we could not build up the forces ready to liberate Europe later on.
"Of course that is entirely relevant today, without the freedom of the skies in Afghanistan it is well recognised that there would need to be 10 times the number of soldiers and marines on the ground to achieve the same effect."
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September 19, 2010, 9:07 am
![Image]( "Briton in airport 'terror' arrest")
A British man of Somali descent has been arrested at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport for possible links to a terrorist group.
The man was arrested after flying in from Liverpool and before he flew out to Uganda, prosecutors' spokesman Evert Boersma said, without specifying what terror group was involved.
"He was arrested on the tip-off from British authorities," Boersma said.
Dutch state broadcaster NOS reported that the suspect is allegedly linked to Somalia's most dangerous militant group, al-Shabab, which has claimed responsibility for suicide bombing attacks at UN facilities and other targets, including July attacks in Uganda's capital during the World Cup final that killed 76 people.
Al-Shabab said those blasts were in retaliation for civilian deaths caused by African Union troops in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and the group has called for Uganda to withdraw its peacekeeping forces from Somalia.
Militant veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts help train al-Shabab fighters, one of the reasons the sophistication of its attacks has risen in recent months. The al Qaida-linked group in the past has recruited Somali-Americans to carry out suicide bombings in Mogadishu.
Dutch prosecutors could not immediately confirm the NOS report.
Amsterdam's airport has significantly beefed up its security measures since Christmas Day, after it was a departure point for a Nigerian student, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who allegedly tried to blow up a plane above the US by setting off explosives hidden in his underwear.
He was tackled by passengers and crew, and is now charged in a US federal court in Detroit with attempting to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 with 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard. Abdulmutallab insists on representing himself.
Last month, two Yemeni men were arrested at the Amsterdam airport after flying in from Chicago, on suspicion they may have been conducting a dry run for an airline terror attack. The two were held for several days then released without charge after an investigation turned up no evidence to link them to a terror plot.
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Michael Jackson's mother is suing a concert promoter, alleging the company failed to provide life-saving equipment and a doctor who was looking out for the pop star's well-being as he prepared for what were intended to be his comeback concerts.
The lawsuit was filed against AEG Live in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The suit contends AEG and its agents told Jackson the company would provide the equipment and hire Dr Conrad Murray to care for Jackson so he could perform at the concerts in London.
"AEG's representations to Jackson were false because in reality AEG was merely doing whatever it took to make sure that Michael Jackson could make it to rehearsals and shows and AEG did not provide a doctor who was truly looking out for Jackson's well-being and did not provide equipment," the lawsuit states.
AEG spokesman Michael Roth said the company had not seen the lawsuit.
AEG Live president Randy Phillips said soon after Jackson's death in June 2009 that Dr Murray was enlisted to act as Jackson's personal physician as the singer prepared for the concerts. However, Jackson died before signing the agreement. As a result, Mr Phillips said the agreement was not binding.
The suit also said AEG Live was responsible for the actions of Dr Murray in the care of Jackson. Dr Murray, however, was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. "At the time of his death, Michael Jackson was under the immediate care of a doctor selected by, hired by, and controlled by AEG; indeed AEG demanded and required that Michael Jackson be treated by this particular doctor to ensure that Michael Jackson would attend all rehearsals and shows on the tour," the complaint states.
Dr Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter over Jackson's death at the age of 50. Police said Murray gave Jackson an overdose of the anaesthetic propofol.
Katherine Jackson, who is the guardian of the singer's three children, also sued on their behalf.
The suit claims Jackson's eldest son, Prince, suffered great trauma and severe emotional distress because he witnessed his father's final moments. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.
Nick Clegg has issued a staunch defence of radical benefit cuts as he geared up for potential clashes with party activists at its annual conference.
The Deputy Prime Minister told The Times welfare should not be there "to compensate the poor for their predicament" but act as "an engine of mobility".
Billions of pounds are to be slashed from the welfare budget by Chancellor George Osborne when he unveils the results of his drastic public spending review next month.
Liberal Democrat backbenchers have publicly accused the Coalition Government of targeting the vulnerable and Mr Clegg of breaking promises to ensure all cuts were "fair".
The issue could prove a flashpoint with the left of the party when activists gather in Liverpool from Saturday for the first time since joining the Tories in government.
But Mr Clegg made clear he considered the reforms to be essential. "A fair society is not one in which money is simply transferred by the central State from one group to another," he wrote in an article for the newspaper.
"Welfare needs to become an engine of mobility, changing people's lives for the better, rather than a giant cheque written by the State to compensate the poor for their predicament. Instead of turning the system from a 'safety net' into a 'trampoline', as Labour promised, people have been stuck on benefits, year in, year out."
A fair society, he wrote, was "one in which people are able to make a better life for themselves, with support from government and the broader community".
Mr Clegg's intervention came hours after Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith denied that he had signed up to another £4 billion of spending cuts to the welfare budget.
Mr Duncan Smith acknowledged that he would have to find savings in the Government's forthcoming spending review but said he was still in negotiations with the Treasury.
Pope Benedict's historic arrival in Britain has been overshadowed by comments comparing the nation with a "third world country".
German-born Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, who was due to join the Pope's entourage, pulled out of the trip on Wednesday following his remarks made during an interview with the German magazine Focus.
Vatican officials reportedly attributed the change of plans to ill health but his withdrawal followed the interview in which he commented on the Godlessness of a section of English society, claiming Britain was facing an "aggressive new atheism" and that "Christians were at a disadvantage".
Asked about the protests expected to greet the Pope's visit, he remarked on Britain's multi-cultural inhabitants, telling the magazine that someone landing at Heathrow may think they were in a "third world country" as there was such a variety of faces there.
The Catholic Church in England and Wales distanced itself from Cardinal Kasper's comments, saying they were "the personal views of one individual" but the remarks threatened to overshadow the first state visit by a pontiff to Britain.
Pope Benedict will be flown into Scotland where he will meet the Queen and address thousands of pilgrims at an open air mass before travelling to London.
The four-day trip will include a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron and a prayer vigil in Hyde Park, culminating in a beatification ceremony for Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham on Sunday.
It is the first papal trip to Britain since Pope John Paul II made a pastoral visit in 1982 following an invitation from the Church.
The packed itinerary begins in Edinburgh with a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland, where the Pope will also be introduced to First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
Up to 100,000 people are expected to line the streets of the Scottish capital as he is driven through the city centre in the Popemobile to the home of Cardinal Keith O'Brien, leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland.
A deposit refund scheme for glass and plastic drinks bottles could reduce litter and boost recycling rates, new research has suggested.
Charging people a small fee for buying bottles and cans which would then be given back to consumers would cut waste, the report compiled for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) said.
It claimed a deposit of 15p for containers smaller than 500ml and 30p for larger ones would lead to 90% being returned for recycling.
The report entitled "Have we got the bottle? Implementing a deposit refund scheme in the UK" was prepared for the organisation by Eunomia Research & Consulting.
It added the scheme could reduce costs to the public sector by £160 million a year - the equivalent of £7 per household.
The CPRE said the introduction of such an idea would aid the Government in trying to achieve a "zero waste" economy by increasing recycling.
Bill Bryson, CPRE president, said: "These findings throw rational and informed light on an issue that is nonsensically contentious in the UK. What sensible nation would not want to capture and recycle its precious and finite resources? What discerning people would not want to enjoy a litter-free environment?
"CPRE has published this research to reignite the debate, so that an effective mechanism which delivers environmental and social benefits in many other countries can be given its proper consideration in the UK."
Researchers estimated setting up such a scheme would take an initial £84 million investment, spread over one or two years.
They added the running costs of the scheme - approximately £700 million per year - would be met by unclaimed deposits and by the drinks industry.
Hundreds of thousands of homes could become uninsurable and unmortgageable if the Government cuts spending on flood defences, it has been claimed.
AA Insurance urged the Government not to cut resources in this area in the Comprehensive Spending Review, saying the industry is instead calling for spending to be significantly increased.
Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, warned that any cuts to the amount of money spent protecting flood prone parts of the UK could lead to hundreds of thousands of homes becoming uninsurable, meaning people would no longer be able to get a mortgage on them.
He added that spending cuts in this area would also "inevitably" lead to higher insurance premiums for other homeowners.
In an open letter to Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman, he said: "Millions of people are at risk of inundation from overflowing rivers, coasts and estuaries during extremes of weather and that risk is increasing all the time."
Under the Statement of Principles on the Provision of Flood Insurance, which was agreed by the Association of British Insurers and the previous government, insurers have agreed to continue offering flood cover to existing customers until 2013, providing the flood risk is being adequately managed.
But Mr Douglas said: "If spending isn't maintained, it will compromise the Statement of Principles, which could see many homes become uninsurable."
He added that the Environment Agency has called for flood defence spending to be doubled during the next 25 years.
The group also warned that the cost of buildings and contents insurance policies could rise rapidly if flood protection was removed.
The cost of home insurance had remained largely static for a number of years up until mid-2009.
The media watchdog has said it is investigating illusionist Derren Brown's latest TV show after viewers complained about a scene portraying a man restrained by a straitjacket on a railway track.
Ofcom received 11 complaints about the set-up where the man made a Houdini-style escape moments before an oncoming train arrived at the spot where he was tied up.
The Channel 4 programme, Derren Brown: Hero At 30,000 Feet, saw Brown help a volunteer who lacked confidence by helping him through a series of challenges.
The finale culminated in Brown tricking the "average Joe" to believe he safely landed a Boeing 737 after the captain became unconscious.
In reality the volunteer was placed under hypnosis by the illusionist and moved to a flight simulator where he believed he successfully landed the aircraft.
The media regulator is investigating the show, broadcast on September 8 at 10pm, to see if it breached broadcasting regulations.
It will decide whether the railway scene provided "adequate protection for members of the public from the inclusion in such services of harmful or offensive material" or whether the programme included material "which condones or glamorises violent, dangerous or seriously antisocial behaviour and is likely to encourage others to copy such behaviour".
Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton has spoken of his "disgust" at his alleged binge drinking and drug taking but insisted he did not have a problem.
The 31-year-old, who is to be investigated by police over allegations he snorted cocaine in a hotel room, was admitted to a rehabilitation clinic on Monday.
Hatton, who was secretly filmed taking what is alleged to be lines of the class A drug on a night out, gave a candid interview in which he revealed his anger and pledged to fight and win his way back to health.
Speaking to the News of the World he said: "I'm so angry I could knock myself out. I'm disgusted at myself for what I have done. I've had a wonderful career and am furious that I have tarnished it."
Hatton, however, insisted he did not have a problem. He said: "I'm not the slightest bit worried about the cocaine. Problem? What problem?"
He added: "I have dabbled with the drug on a few sparing occasions. The only time I have ever done it is when I have been so depressed or drunk that it's a case of, 'Go on then'."
The boxer revealed he had been suffering blackouts, panic attacks and depression following a second round defeat. He has not fought since May 2009.
In a video clip, on the newspaper's website, he stares directly into the camera saying: "I'm Ricky Hatton and I'm here to tell the truth. I'm currently in the Priory dealing with depression due to the fact that I have not been able to cope with my retirement from boxing. I have been binge drinking heavily and dabbling in other daft and silly things but it is going to be the toughest fight of my life and I'm here to win it."
The two-weight world champion was out with friend Emma Bowe, an Irish national senior women's boxing champion, when he was caught on camera.
Greater Manchester Police said officers were aware of the story and planned to question him. The force said it would respect the former boxer's privacy after he admitted himself to the clinic. He is to be interviewed once his rehabilitation is complete.
The Liberal Democrats offered a "copper-bottomed guarantee" that mail will continue to be delivered anywhere across the United Kingdom at the same price.
There had been fears that the universal service obligation could be under threat after Business Secretary Vince Cable threw his weight behind a report on the future of the Royal Mail, which said significant amounts of private capital were needed to keep the business afloat.
Last week the TUC backed a campaign by the Communication Workers Union to oppose plans to privatise the business, which claims hundreds of post offices will close and the universal postal service will end if it is sold off.
But at the Liberal Democrat's annual gathering in Liverpool, Tavish Scott, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats said: "I want to be very clear what a future postal service for Scotland must be. Yes explore how best to keep Royal Mail solvent, to stabilise the business, to modernise the network.
"But three conditions, three Scottish conditions apply to reform.
"So conference, I am delighted to tell you that I have secured an agreement from our Business Secretary, Vince Cable.
"He has confirmed today, firstly the universal service obligation is a copper-bottomed guarantee. Posties delivering the same letter at the same price, anywhere in the UK, whether it is Kensington or Kyelachlan.
"Second, Labour's Post Office closure programme, which saw 1,000 close in Scotland will be halted. That is because we know that in many areas Post Offices are part of the community.
"Thirdly, posties will be allowed shares in their company."
Pope Benedict XVI marked the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain by paying tribute to the those who sacrificed their lives resisting the "evil ideology" of the Nazi regime.
The German-born Pope, who was forced to join the Hitler Youth as a 14-year-old schoolboy, said it was "deeply moving" to be in Britain for the occasion, which was a chance to "recall with shame and horror the dreadful toll of death and destruction that war brings".
The Pope was addressing a special Mass to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman on the last day of the state visit, with about 55,000 people from the UK and around the world converging on Cofton Park in Rednal, Birmingham.
It is the first beatification to be carried out by Benedict since he was elected Pope in 2005, a mark of his lifelong interest in the 19th century clergyman and famous convert to Catholicism.
He said: "This particular Sunday also marks a significant moment in the life of the British nation, as it is the day chosen to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
"For me as one who lived and suffered through the dark days of the Nazi regime in Germany, it is deeply moving to be here with you on this occasion, and to recall how many of your fellow citizens sacrificed their lives, courageously resisting the forces of that evil ideology.
"My thoughts go in particular to nearby Coventry, which suffered such heavy bombardment and massive loss of life in November 1940.
"Seventy years later, we recall with shame and horror the dreadful toll of death and destruction that war brings in its wake, and we renew our resolve to work for peace and reconciliation wherever the threat of conflict looms."
Decriminalising the personal use of drugs such as cannabis could enable greater resources to be used to tackle organised criminal networks, a senior police officer has said.
Tim Hollis, chief constable of Humberside Police, said budget cuts had led to officers "prioritising" capabilities towards targeting high-level dealers above those caught with minor amounts of drugs for their own use, it was reported.
He told The Observer: "We would rather invest our time in getting high-level criminals before the courts, taking money off them and removing their illicit gains rather than targeting young people."
He continued: "We don't want to criminalise young people because, put bluntly, if we arrest young kids for possession of cannabis and put them before the courts we know what the outcome's going to be, so actually it's perfectly reasonable to give them words of advice or take it off them."
The chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers' drugs committee, called for a debate on whether alcohol and nicotine, both lawful drugs, should be incorporated into measures to fight illegal substances.
Earlier this week, one of Britain's leading experts on cannabis proposed the idea of introducing a licence to smoke cannabis legally.
Professor Roger Pertwee said making cannabis as available as alcohol would prevent drug-related crime, and reduce the chances of people being introduced to harder narcotics.
But he cautioned that it might be necessary to prevent vulnerable individuals obtaining the drug.
A Home Office spokesman said: "There is clear evidence that cannabis is a harmful drug which can cause damage to mental health in the immediate and longer-term. Even occasional use of cannabis can be dangerous for people with diseases of the circulatory system.
"The Government does not believe decriminalisation of cannabis is the right approach. Our priorities are clear - we want to reduce drug use, crack down on drug-related crime and disorder and help addicts come off drugs for good."
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has risked the wrath of unions and benefit claimants by suggesting fears about the impact of public spending cuts may be "exaggerated".
Despite most Whitehall departments facing budget reductions of up to 25%, Mr Clegg said the results may not be as bad as people think.
Interviewed for the BBC's Andrew Marr show during the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool, the DPM said daily reports about the cuts were unhelpful when final decisions had yet to be taken.
"That has created a climate where arguably some people are developing fears which might even, dare I say it, turn out to be exaggerated," he added.
The intervention came hours before Chief Treasury Secretary Treasury Danny Alexander is due to tell Lib Dem activists that some trade unionists are "spoiling for a fight" and trying to "misrepresent" the coalition's aims.
More than 2,000 TUC members are due to protest near the Arena and Convention Centre over the prospect of public sector jobs being slashed and pensions downgraded.
But Mr Clegg pleaded with people to wait and see what emerged when the Comprehensive Spending Review is completed in a month's time.
"Daily now I read a huge amount of speculation about what might be taken, a decision which hasn't yet been taken," he said. "Essentially you have this vacuum where decisions have yet to be taken."
Asked whether the universality of welfare payments such as child benefit were at stake, the Lib Dem leader signalled that all options were being studied.
"We are going to look at all benefits in the round," he said.
Two British soldiers, one from The Queen's Royal Lancers and one from the Royal Engineers have been killed in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence said.
The pair died in an explosion on Saturday, during a vehicle patrol in the Lashkar Gah District of Helmand Province.
They were serving as part of Combined Force Lashkar Gah. Next of kin have been informed.
A spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Lieutenant Colonel James Carr-Smith, said: "It is with great sadness I must inform you that a soldier from the Queen's Royal Lancers and a soldier from the Royal Engineers were killed this afternoon west of Lashkar Gah.
"They were attached to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards Battlegroup. The soldiers were part of a ground domination patrol when they were struck by an explosion.
"They will be greatly missed and their sacrifice will not be forgotten. We will remember them."
The number of British losses since the conflict in Afghanistan began in 2001 now stands at 337.
Two people have been arrested after a toddler died in a flat fire, police said.
A murder inquiry was launched after the 19-month-old girl died in hospital following the blaze in Camberwell, south east London, early on Saturday morning.
A 27-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman were arrested late on Saturday night at an address in south London, Scotland Yard said.
The pair remain in custody at a south London police station.
Fire crews used thermal imaging cameras and breathing apparatus as they attempted to rescue five people who were trapped in the building.
The five, who were all related, included two women aged 45 and 23, an 11-year-old girl, a four-year-old boy and the toddler.
They were all found unconscious and suffering from smoke inhalation.
The two women and the boy were today said to be in a serious but stable condition in hospital, while the 11-year-old girl's condition was described as "critical".
The two-bedroom, first-floor flat, in Arnould Avenue, a residential area of Camberwell, was destroyed by the fire which started in the early hours of the morning.
Acting Detective Chief Inspector Rick Murphy said: "This fire has wrecked the lives of those involved and I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to contact us and help piece together what happened."
Two car bombs have exploded in Baghdad as commuters were starting their working week, killing at least 23 people and wounding dozens of others, Iraqi officials said.
The blasts broke what has been a period of relative calm since the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and underlined the challenges facing Iraqi security officials in protecting their capital city.
Ten people were killed when a car bomb exploded in western Baghdad's affluent Mansour neighbourhood, Army Brigadier General Ali Fathal who is responsible for the western half of the city, said.
He said another 10 were wounded in the attack, and security officials are investigating whether it was the work of a suicide car bomb targeting a crowded commercial area near an AsiaCell store, one of Iraq's biggest mobile phone providers.
Minutes later another car bomb exploded in Kazimiyah neighbourhood's Adan square in the northern sector of the city, killing at least 13 and wounding more than 70 others, police and hospital sources said.
Two policemen were killed in the blast.
Police said the Kazimiyah blast was the work of a suicide car bomber targeting a checkpoint in a residential area leading to a branch office of the Ministry of National Security.
Earlier, two people in a minibus were killed when a roadside bomb went off in the Shula neighbourhood of north-western Baghdad, police and hospital officials said.
Controversial Tory backer Lord Ashcroft is to quit as the party's deputy chairman after delivering a stinging critique of its failure to secure outright victory at the general election, it has been reported.
The Sunday Telegraph said that the billionaire told David Cameron on Friday that he intended to resign at the next meeting of the Conservative Party board.
The paper also carries details of Lord Ashcroft's analysis of the party's election campaign - which he helped to finance - and its failure to produce a "thumping majority" for the Tories.
He concluded that the party failed to get its message across and that voters had "little clear idea" of what they stood for or what they would do in government.
He said that the relentless negative attacks on Labour were "unnecessary and counter-productive", while agreeing to the televised leaders' debates enabled the Liberal Democrats to to seize the "real change" initiative.
He pointed out that through 2008 and 2009 nearly all the published opinion polls were giving the Conservatives a double-digit lead over Labour. "Why did these figures not translate into a thumping majority? The key lies in the gap between the change people wanted and the change people thought we were offering," he wrote.
"Going into the election, many voters had little clear idea of what we stood for or what we intended to do in government. At a national level, too much of our message was focused on unnecessary and counter-productive attacks on Gordon Brown and Labour, which meant that voters were not clear about our own plans."
The Telegraph said that his comments were made in the executive summary of his 133-page book: Minority Verdict: The Conservative Party, the Voters and the 2010 Election. He told the paper that the book would be his "first and only contribution" to any public debate on the subject. "This is a record of what I thought at the time, and what I think now," he said.
Lord Ashcroft also made clear his frustration that he did not receive greater support from the party leadership when he was forced to admit in March that he had "non-dom" status and had not been paying income tax on his worldwide earnings.
A Conservative spokesman said: "Michael (Lord Ashcroft) helped to fight a great campaign and we're all extremely grateful for his tireless work as deputy chairman throughout the campaign. This book is part of the 'lessons learnt' exercise and we should welcome it. He has made a very significant contribution to the success of the Conservative Party and we thank him for his work and dedication."
Six men quizzed by counter-terrorism police probing a plot to attack the Pope were all released without charge, Scotland Yard has said.
The men, all believed to be of North African origin, were arrested on Friday in London.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Six men who were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 on Friday, 17 September, were all released without charge late on Saturday night (September 18) and early this morning (Sunday September 19)."
Police searched eight homes in north and east London and two business premises in central London, including a street cleaning depot as part of the investigation. The Metropolitan Police said the searches of the premises had been completed and had not revealed any weapons or suspicious materials.
The BBC quoted Scotland Yard sources saying that the men posed no credible threat, while the Sunday Mirror reported that the men had simply been overheard sharing a joke in their canteen.
The six are aged 26, 27, 29, 36, 40 and 50.
One of the men, a 29-year-old, was arrested at a home in north London shortly before 2pm on Friday. The five other men, believed to be street cleaners, were arrested at gunpoint as armed officers swooped on their base as they prepared to start their shift shortly before 6am on Friday.
They work for Veolia Environmental Services, a contractor which employs 650 on-street staff to keep the streets of Westminster clean.
A huge security and public order operation swung into action as the Pope arrived in Britain. Thousands of officers are involved in the operation from forces including the Met, Strathclyde, Lothian and Borders, West Midlands and British Transport Police.
The cost of policing the Pope's visit will exceed £1.5 million and is being co-ordinated by South Yorkshire Chief Constable Meredydd Hughes.
A woman has opened fire in a hospital in Germany's Black Forest, killing at least one person and wounding several others, before fatally shooting herself, German officials said.
Police in the town of Loerrach confirmed that a shooting had taken place at the Elisbethen hospital, in south-western Germany, but did not elaborate.
State police in Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg state where Loerrach is located, told the dapd news agency that a woman had opened fire in the hospital, killing one person and wounding two others, before killing herself.
They said there was no immediate motive for the shooting.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced a major increase in aid to Pakistan as the country struggles to cope with the devastation caused by the floods.
He told the Liberal Democrat conference the UK will be "dramatically increasing" the amount of money going to Pakistan beyond the £60 million already provided.
The money will provide temporary school facilities, help farmers replace livestock and crops and provide more support for the emergency efforts in southern Pakistan.
A fly past by Second World War fighter planes has led the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Britain.
A Spitfire and a Hurricane flew above Westminster Abbey to commemorate one of the most pivotal battles in recent British military history.
Earlier, veterans from the decisive battle rubbed shoulders with royalty and senior politicians at a thanksgiving service in the Abbey.
Prince William, fresh from graduating as a Search and Rescue Force helicopter pilot, attended the event with his father, the Prince of Wales, and the Duchess of Cornwall.
The ceremony celebrates the 70th anniversary of the pivotal Second World War battle in which Britain's pilots defeated the Nazi threat in the skies of southern England.
The Battle of Britain began as Hitler turned his attention across the Channel after defeating the French.
Sir Stephen Dalton, Chief of Air Staff, said winning the Battle of Britain was vital to the overall outcome of the war.
Speaking before the service he said: "The importance of today is of course to recognise the veterans who are still here and all those who gave their lives to ensure that the Battle of Britain was won and the freedom of this country was assured.
"Unless we had control of the skies over Britain we could not build up the forces ready to liberate Europe later on.
"Of course that is entirely relevant today, without the freedom of the skies in Afghanistan it is well recognised that there would need to be 10 times the number of soldiers and marines on the ground to achieve the same effect."
A British man of Somali descent has been arrested at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport for possible links to a terrorist group.
The man was arrested after flying in from Liverpool and before he flew out to Uganda, prosecutors' spokesman Evert Boersma said, without specifying what terror group was involved.
"He was arrested on the tip-off from British authorities," Boersma said.
Dutch state broadcaster NOS reported that the suspect is allegedly linked to Somalia's most dangerous militant group, al-Shabab, which has claimed responsibility for suicide bombing attacks at UN facilities and other targets, including July attacks in Uganda's capital during the World Cup final that killed 76 people.
Al-Shabab said those blasts were in retaliation for civilian deaths caused by African Union troops in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and the group has called for Uganda to withdraw its peacekeeping forces from Somalia.
Militant veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts help train al-Shabab fighters, one of the reasons the sophistication of its attacks has risen in recent months. The al Qaida-linked group in the past has recruited Somali-Americans to carry out suicide bombings in Mogadishu.
Dutch prosecutors could not immediately confirm the NOS report.
Amsterdam's airport has significantly beefed up its security measures since Christmas Day, after it was a departure point for a Nigerian student, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who allegedly tried to blow up a plane above the US by setting off explosives hidden in his underwear.
He was tackled by passengers and crew, and is now charged in a US federal court in Detroit with attempting to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 with 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard. Abdulmutallab insists on representing himself.
Last month, two Yemeni men were arrested at the Amsterdam airport after flying in from Chicago, on suspicion they may have been conducting a dry run for an airline terror attack. The two were held for several days then released without charge after an investigation turned up no evidence to link them to a terror plot.
