Electoral Commission To Probe Police Vote

Low Turnout For Police Commissioner Polls

Updated: 7:33pm UK, Friday 16 November 2012

Dire turnouts have threatened to undermine the first ever police and crime commissioner elections, with as few as 10% of voters casting their ballots in some areas.

The Electoral Reform Society branded the elections a "comedy of errors" after a record low turnout left at least one polling station - in the Newport area - completely unused.

It said it could end up being the lowest voter turnout ever in peacetime history.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the elections for the new commissioners had descended in to a shambles, with many voters taking to Twitter to describe the low turnout at their polling stations.

A UKIP MEP, John Bufton, even called for Home Secretary Theresa May to resign for presiding over a "shamefully low turnout".

In Wiltshire, the first force area to declare, the overall turnout was 15.8% as Tory candidate Angus Macpherson, a magistrate, won after a second round of voting ahead of Labour's Clare Moody.

But in one part of Wiltshire, Devizes, only 10.41% of voters took part.

Polling stations elsewhere across the country appeared to be equally as quiet as many people opted not to vote for the first generation of PCCs, despite about £75m being spent on the campaign.

Newport City Council confirmed to Sky News that no voters attended one of its polling stations, despite it being open for 15 hours from 7am to 10pm on Thursday.

Elsewhere, turnout was 11.42% in Wigan, 12% in Rochdale, 12.59% in Oldham and 12.49% in Manchester. For Greater Manchester as a whole it was 13.46%.

In Essex, just 12.81%% of voters took to the polls.

Even in Humberside, where Lord Prescott's name on the ballot paper raised the profile of the election, turnout was only 19.48%.

Sky's election analyst Michael Thrasher said the low turnout was "hardly surprising" given the elections were held in dark and chilly November "for an office that no-one has heard of" across unfamiliar police authority areas.

He said the numbers raised questions over the legitimacy of the office and those elected.

Mr Thrasher, a professor of politics at Plymouth University, added that it could end up costing as much as £13 per vote that was cast.

"When you work out how much it's going to cost per vote it becomes quite ridiculous," he said.

But policing minister Damian Green defended the turnout, saying it would improve in years to come.

He told Sky News: "I think it's likely with something new coming on that people will take time to get used to it.

"But I'm absolutely sure they will get used to it in the future and the measure of the success will be the difference they make to policing over the next few years."

Prime Minister David Cameron insisted police commissioners would have a mandate despite the low turnout.

He added: "Remember, these police and crime commissioners are replacing organisations that weren't directly elected at all."

Elections for the new office have been held in 41 police areas outside London.

The newly-elected police and crime commissioner will have the power to control budgets, set policing priorities, and hire and fire chief constables.

The Electoral Reform Society had predicted a turnout of 18.5% before the polls began, which would be below the previous record low in a national poll in peacetime - 23% in the 1999 European elections.

The society's chief executive, Katie Ghose, said: "This election has been a comedy of errors from start to finish.

"The Home Office has operated under the assumption that 'if you build it they will come'. Democracy just doesn't work that way.

"There have been avoidable errors at every step, and those responsible should be held to account."

One of the biggest problems has been that people are not prepared to put a cross beside the name of someone they know little, if anything, about.

Glenda Adcock from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk said she always votes, but not this time.

"I know nothing about the candidates or anything really so I'm not bothering," she said,

And while Bernard Jennings had decided he would take part, he agreed the information had been poor.

"I think they could have done a lot more to help people out so you have a better understanding of what everyone stands for," he said.

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Egypt School Bus Crash Leaves Dozens Dead

Fifty people have been killed after a train collided with a bus in a city south of the Egyptian capital Cairo.

A senior security official in Assiut, near the crash site, said 48 of the dead were children, aged between four and eight years.

One woman and a man, who was the bus driver, also died, he added.

The state news agency said another 15 people were injured. A medical source said as many as 28 were injured, 27 of them children.

"They told us the barriers were open when the bus crossed the tracks and the train collided with it," doctor Mohamed Samir said, citing witness accounts.

Distraught locals search through the wreckage at the crash site

He said the bodies of many of those killed were severely mutilated, indicating the force of the crash, which took place in the city of Manfalut, near Assiut, some 190 miles south of the capital.

President Mohamed Mursi ordered his ministers to offer support to the families of those killed.

Transport Minister Mohamed Rashad has offered his resignation as has the head of the railways authority, which President Mursi was considering, state media reported.

The governor of Assiut, Yahya Keshk, has ordered an inquiry.

Egypt's roads and railways have a poor safety record.

Egyptians have complained that successive governments have failed to enforce basic safety standards, leading to a string of deadly accidents.

Earlier this month, at least three Egyptians were killed and more than 30 injured in a train crash in Fayoum, another city south of Cairo.

In July, 15 people were injured in Giza, close to the capital, when a train derailed.

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Abortion: India Puts Ireland Under Pressure

The Indian government has contacted the Irish government over the death of a woman who was allegedly refused an abortion.

New Delhi has demanded a "transparent" probe into the death of Savita Halappanavar after doctors in Ireland apparently rejected her requests for a termination even though she was miscarrying.

Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said: "I'm confident that the Irish government, with whom we are in constant touch will properly investigate this case and will strive for a system so such incidents do not happen again."

On Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said the concern over Mrs Halappanavar's death was growing in India.

About 100 opposition protesters held a demonstration outside the Irish embassy on Friday - accusing authorities of committing "medical murder".

India is demanding a transparent probe into the death

 MrMrs Halappanavar's family said the 31-year-old dentist repeatedly asked staff at University Hospital in Galway to terminate her pregnancy but doctors kept telling her "this is a Catholic country".

Abortion is illegal in Roman Catholic-dominated Ireland unless it occurs during medical intervention to save the life of the mother. There is no agreed method for determining such circumstances.

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny described her death as a "tragedy", while two separate investigations have been announced.

Indian communist party leader Brinda Karat said Mrs Halappanavar's condition should have been treated as a "medical emergency" as she joined calls for a tough line with Ireland over the incident.

Mrs Halappanavar was allegedly refused an abortion

"The fact that they didn't is a crime and the Irish authorities are responsible for committing a crime of a loss of a human life and I think the Indian government must step in here," she told reporters.

Smriti Irani, president of the women's wing of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata party, was among the protesters outside the embassy and she was allowed in as part of a four-person delegation to meet the ambassador.

"The Irish ambassador assured us that there could be a possibility of inviting international experts to be part of the investigation and we told him that Savita's husband should also be part of it," Ms Irani said.

She added that the ambassador had acknowledged the "intense pressure" from around the world following the death.

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Gaza Pounded As Rockets Hit Israeli City

Gaza Attack: Cock-Up Or Conspiracy?

Updated: 8:45pm UK, Friday 16 November 2012

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

Why would Hamas fire a rocket towards Jerusalem?

The first explanation to be dealt derives from the cock-up theory of world affairs. This suggests that unintended events drive history as much as grand strategy.

So Hamas, or its radical allies, didn't shoot a missile towards Jerusalem - they were aiming somewhere else and it went awry.

Admitting this would have been embarrassing for a militant group which prides itself on efficiency and discipline.

After all, a misfire which landed on the West Bank close to Jewish settlements risked killing Palestinians more than it risked killing Israelis.

On top of that, hitting the Gush Etzion settler block raised the danger of international outrage if the missile had drifted off into Bethlehem nearby.

One could argue that Hamas made a hash of the launch of what they are now claiming is a new long-range missile. Then pretended the mistake was intentional, and sought to make the best of a bad shot.

Oddly enough, the effect of the cock-up theory would be the same as the effect of a conspiracy theory.

In that model Hamas got its hands on a new weapon. It fired it at settlers in the West Bank, not far from Jerusalem and hit its intended target - an illegal Jewish bloc in the Occupied Territories.

This sends a message to fellow Palestinians on the West Bank that there is a force among them to be seriously reckoned with.

It could lure many away from the moderate views of the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas. It could help to trigger a Third Intifada.

And it is a psychological blow to the Jewish citizens of Jerusalem who have never considered themselves physically vulnerable to events on the Gaza Strip.

Cock-up or conspiracy?

In the Middle East, a modern concept forged in Roman, Greek and Byzantine Empires, tempered by the Ottomans and bent out of shape by Europe's colonial powers - every event is a conspiracy.

That is bad news for Israel, and very bad news for the 1.7 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza.

If Hamas has new rockets. If Hamas fired them at Jerusalem successfully. And if Hamas has more of these in an arsenal already estimated to have held 10,000 missiles - then Israel will launch a ground assault. Obviously.

Less obvious is the next level of conspiracy, or unintended consequences.

Is a ground assault in Hamas' interests?

Has Hamas - the militant group, trained by experts from Hizbollah who are probably the world's greatest insurgents, prepared a trap for Israel?

It has been re-arming itself. Israeli sources say it has state-of-the-art tank killing weaponry and Hizbollah's expertise with improvised bombs.

With the Arab street rallying to its cause in Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan; Hamas under fire looks stronger than it did a few weeks ago.

Imagine Israeli troops ambushed in the maze of Gaza City. Groups of young men killed and captured. Israel forced into the use of devastating weapons or an ignominious retreat

So as he contemplates giving Israel's famed Golani, Givati and Paratroop brigades now on the start line outside Gaza the 'GO!' order, the Israeli Prime Minister must ask himself whether or not he is doing Hamas' bidding.

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Demoted Christian Wins Facebook Post Ruling

A Christian man demoted for posting his opposition to gay marriage on Facebook has won his breach of contract action against his employers.

Adrian Smith lost his managerial position, had his salary cut by 40%, and was given a final written warning by Trafford Housing Trust (THT) after writing gay weddings in churches were "an equality too far".

The comments were not visible to the general public, and were posted outside work time, but the trust claimed he broke its code of conduct by expressing religious or political views which might upset fellow workers.

Mr Smith brought breach of contract proceedings, saying the trust acted unlawfully in demoting him.

At London's High Court Mr Justice Briggs ruled in his favour, saying the trust did not have a right to demote Mr Smith as his Facebook postings did not amount to misconduct and was a breach of contract.

Justice Briggs concluded: "Mr Smith was taken to task for doing nothing wrong, suspended and subjected to a disciplinary procedure which wrongly found him guilty of gross misconduct.

"(He was) then demoted to a non-managerial post with an eventual 40% reduction in salary. The breach of contract which the Trust thereby committed was serious and repudiatory."

Mr Smith said in a statement: "I'm pleased to have won my case for breach of contract today. The judge exonerated me and made clear that my comments about marriage were in no way 'misconduct'.

"Britain is a free country where people have freedom of speech, and I am pleased that the judge's ruling underlines that important principle.

"But this sad case should never have got this far. Long ago, Trafford Housing Trust should have held their hands up and admitted they made a terrible mistake.

"Had they done this then my life would not have been turned upside down and my family and I would not have had to endure a living nightmare."

The Christian Institute, the group that paid for Mr Smith's legal case, welcomed the ruling.

Spokesman Mike Judge said: "This is a good day for free speech. But would Adrian have won his case if marriage had already been redefined? I don't think so. The Government should stop playing politics with marriage, because it's ordinary people like Adrian who'll get it in the neck."

Matthew Gardiner, chief executive at Trafford Housing Trust said: "We fully accept the court's decision and I have made a full and sincere apology to Adrian.

"At the time we believed we were taking the appropriate action following discussions with our employment solicitors and taking into account his previous disciplinary record.

"This case has highlighted the challenges that businesses face with the increased use of social media and we have reviewed our documentation and procedures to avoid a similar situation arising in the future. Adrian remains employed by the Trust and I am pleased this matter has now concluded."

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Ikea 'Regrets' Using Forced Prison Labour

Ikea "deeply regrets" use of forced prison labour by suppliers in communist East Germany.

The Swedish furniture giant commissioned a report by accountants Ernst & Young amid claims political prisoners in East Germany worked on products in the 1960s and 70s.

More follows...

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Gaza Conflict: Rocket Fired At Tel Aviv

A Palestinian rocket has targeted Israel's largest city Tel Aviv on the third day of an Israeli military operation against the Gaza Strip.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said: "We believe it landed off the shores of Tel Aviv". No injuries were reported.

Sirens wailed across Israel's commercial and cultural capital on Friday afternoon shortly before a loud explosion was heard.

The Twitter account of al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said: "Al Qassam Brigades shelling Tel Aviv-Tel El Rabee with M75 homemade projectile."

A witness told AFP that the rocket landed some "some 200 metres (yards)" from the beachfront US embassy.

The attack sparked panic among beachgoers, although several people tried to swim out to the point where the rocket landed, the witness said.

It was the second day in a row that a rocket from Gaza had reached the Tel Aviv area in what Israeli networks said was the first time rockets had been fired at the city since the 1991 Gulf War, when it was hit by Iraqi Scud missiles.

On Thursday, another rocket fell in the sea and the other landed in a Tel Aviv suburb, causing no damage or casualties. Israel responded with airstrikes.

The latest rocket came as the Israeli air force continued a major bombing campaign across Gaza Strip.

There were fresh exchanges of fire between Israel and Hamas militants earlier on Friday despite a temporary ceasefire in place for a visit by Egypt's prime minister to Gaza.

Several sites in southern Israel have been hit by rockets fired from inside the Gaza Strip, while a Hamas source said the Israeli air force attacked a Hamas commander's house which resulted in the death of two civilians, one a child.

Hisham Kandil (L) and senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during the visit

But Israel's military strongly denied carrying out any attack from the time Mr Kandil entered Gaza, and accused Hamas of violating the three-hour deal.

The attack on Friday morning takes the Palestinian death toll since Wednesday to 22. Three Israelis were killed by a rocket on Thursday.

During his three-hour visit, the Egypt prime minister Hisham Kandil condemned Israeli action against Gaza as "unacceptable aggression", saying his country will intensify efforts to secure a truce in the conflict.

"This tragedy cannot pass in silence and the world should take responsibility in stopping this aggression," he said at a news conference in Gaza City's Shifa hospital after seeing some victims from an airstrike.

"Egypt will not hesitate to intensify its efforts and make sacrifices to stop this aggression and achieve a lasting truce."

His visit comes as 16,000 Israeli army reservists have been called up and heavy artillery has been seen on the Gaza border, increasing the possibility of a ground attack.

Israel has given the green light to the call-up of up to 30,000 army reservists.

Overnight the Palestinian territory suffered a heavy bombardment, with Israeli warplanes hitting targets in and around Gaza City.

"There have been 130 strikes overnight until now," Hamas interior ministry spokesman Islam Shahwan said.

About 16,000 Israeli reserve troops have been drafted in

He said the strikes destroyed a building belonging to the interior ministry, while there were also reports that training positions used by various Palestinian militant groups had also been hit.

The Israeli army said 11 Palestinian rockets had been fired from Gaza at Israel overnight.

Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton said Israel had the right to protect its people against Gaza rocket attacks but urged it to stick to a "proportionate" response.

She also voiced hopes that the Egyptian prime minister "will be able to calm the situation".

And Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague urged both Israel and the Palestinians to make efforts to halt the violence.

But Mr Hague made it clear that he believes Hamas bears the greatest responsibility for the current crisis, as well as the ability to bring it most swiftly to an end.

Mr Hague told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that there had been "a large increase" in rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza over recent weeks.

And he added: "What Israel has done is obviously the Israeli response to that. The thing that would bring this most quickly to an end would be for Hamas to stop launching rockets at Israel.

"But of course, there are also responsibilities on Israel. I spoke to the Israeli foreign minister yesterday afternoon to urge the Israelis to do their utmost to reduce tension, to take every opportunity to de-escalate the situation and observe international humanitarian law, to avoid civilian casualties.

An Iron Dome launcher fires an interceptor rocket near Sderot in the south

"Both sides have a responsibility to try to bring this to an end."

Asked whether Britain would condemn a ground offensive, Mr Hague said: "We will see what the situation is. This depends on the actions of two sides, not just one side."

The conflict has been intensifying over recent weeks, but flared up dramatically in the wake of the Israeli strikes against senior Hamas figures.

Mr Netanyahu has warned that his country is prepared to extend its operation against Hamas, sparking fears of a repeat of the ground incursion four years ago in which hundreds died.

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Dave Lee Travis Arrest: DJ Denies Wrongdoing

DJ Dave Lee Travis has denied any wrongdoing after being arrested by police investigating the Jimmy Savile sex abuse claims.

Speaking outside his home near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, he protested his innocence and said he did not want his name associated with "bloody evil" child abuse.

He said: "This is nothing to do with kids, all right? That's the first thing. Because that to me is the most important thing in the world and I do not wish to have my name sullied around something that bloody evil, to be honest.

"The second thing I want is to say, yes, there's a complete denial there, but there's nothing else I can tell you because otherwise I might be stepping on the police's feet and I don't want to do that because it might affect their investigations."

His comments came after his weekend radio show was taken off air "with immediate effect" by Magic AM following his arrest on Thursday.

Dave Lee Travis, pictured in 1982

A spokeswoman for Bauer Media, which owns the radio station, said: "We understand that the allegations about which he was questioned by police pre-date his time as a freelance contributor to Magic AM.

"While we can make no judgment on the matters under investigation, we believe it would be inappropriate for him to broadcast until they are resolved."

A 1977 episode of Top Of The Pops featuring Travis due to be shown on BBC4 last night was pulled.

Last month, Travis, 67, vigorously denied allegations that he groped two women while in BBC studios - one alleged he had put his hand up her skirt, while the other said he had "jiggled" her breasts.

Police said the present allegations against Travis do not directly involve Savile, and are classed under the strand of their investigation termed "others".

Officers are looking at three strands within their inquiry: claims against Savile, those against Savile and others, and those against others, with most of the "others" allegations  being made against people associated with the entertainment industry.

Ex-glam rocker Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr and a 73-year-old man have already been arrested and bailed in connection with the investigation.

Meanwhile, the former judge leading the BBC inquiry into the Savile scandal has launched an appeal for witnesses.

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BP Close To Gulf Oil Spill Compensation Deal

British oil giant BP is in advanced discussions about settling criminal and other claims stemming from the Gulf of Mexico well blowout two years ago.

In a statement on Thursday BP said "no final agreement has yet been reached" and that any deal would still be subject to court approvals.

The impending agreement covers all Department of Justice (DoJ) and Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) claims against BP in connection with the 2010 disaster.

The proposed settlement will not include civil claims under the Clean Water Act and other legislation, pending private civil claims and state claims for economic loss.

Oil gushed from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico for weeks

The explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig on April 20, 2010, killed 11 workers and set off a spill which continued for 87 days, fouling large areas of the southern coast of the US.

Any settlement is expected to dwarf the largest previous corporate criminal penalty assessed by the DoJ - the $1.2bn fine imposed on drug maker Pfizer in 2009.

BP has set aside $37.2bn to cover its liabilities from the incident, but the company has said the final cost is by no means certain.

BP also recently announced it expects to make the final payment this year to a $20bn trust fund to cover damage from the blowout.

In March, BP announced a settlement with multiple claimants for medical and economic losses, which is estimated to cost $7.8bn.

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Savile Cops Arrest Man For Sex Offences

A man in his 60s and from Bedfordshire is being held by police investigating the Jimmy Savile child abuse scandal.

He was arrested at 7.45am on suspicion of sexual offences and is being questioned.

A police spokesman said the allegations made against him do not directly involve Savile and are classed under the strand of their investigation termed "others".

The Metropolitan Police Service is leading a national investigation into abuse allegations made against the disgraced television presenter.

So far, around 450 potential victims have come forward and 200 allegations of sexual assault have been made.

Officers are looking at three strands within their inquiry - claims against Savile, those against Savile and others, and those against others.

Most of the "others" allegations have been made against people associated with the entertainment industry.

So far Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr and a 73-year-old man have been arrested and bailed in connection with the investigation.

Children's charity the NSPCC said it had received 236 calls about Savile, an average of five per day, since the first sexual abuse allegations emerged.

The number of contacts made about other claims of sexual abuse has trebled in the last month, rising to 550.

Director of the NSPCC's helpline Peter Watt said: "Sometimes people wait months or years before reporting abuse but we would urge them to act quickly so they can get help as soon as possible.

"While the whole Savile episode has been distressing it has also led to more victims of abuse seeking support, which is positive."

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ITV And Newsnight Investigated By Ofcom

Ofcom's Letter To MP Rob Wilson

Updated: 12:23pm UK, Thursday 15 November 2012

Here is media watchdog Ofcom's full letter to MP Rob Wilson, who complained about Newsnight and ITV.

15 November 2012

Dear Mr Wilson,

Newsnight, BBC2, 2 November 2012 and This Morning, ITV1, 8 November 2012

Thank you for your letters to Ed Richards, dated 8 and 9 November 2012, concerning the above programmes.

Mr Richards has passed your letters to me as the Director of Standards who has responsibility for the team within Ofcom that sets and enforces the rules within the Broadcasting Code ("the Code").

I understand from your letters that you seek Ofcom's confirmation that it will investigate whether:

- ITV was in breach of Section Seven of the Code by failing to provide an opportunity to respond to the individuals whose names were disclosed by Philip Schofield in connection with allegations of child abuse made in This Morning; and,

- The BBC was in breach of Section Seven of the Code by failing to provide the individual against whom allegations of child abuse were made in the Newsnight programme an appropriate and timely opportunity and to respond to the allegations before the programme was broadcast.

I can confirm that Ofcom considers that both the Newsnight and This Morning programmes raise issues warranting investigation in relation to:

1) the application of generally accepted standards by ITV and the BBC; and,

2) the application of standards to prevent unfair treatment to an individual, and unwarranted infringements of privacy.

Ofcom has general duties under section 3 of the Communications Act 2003 ("the 2003 Act") to (among other things) secure the application, in the case of all television and radio services, of:

1) standards that provide adequate protection to members of the public from the inclusion of offensive and harmful material in such services (Section 3(2)e of the 2003 Act); and

2) standards that provide adequate protection to members of the public and to all other persons from both (i) unfair treatment in programmes included in such services; and (ii) unwarranted infringements of privacy resulting from activities carried on for the purposes of such services (Section 3(2)(f) of the 2003 Act).

Therefore, Ofcom has begun investigations into whether the BBC and ITV maintained appropriate standards and ensured that these programmes complied with Rules 2.1, 7.1 and 8.1 (and the relevant "Practices to be followed") of the Code.

You also queried whether the current wording of Section Seven of the Code creates a potential loophole, in relation to innuendo and social media, which broadcasters can use to avoid the fairness requirements of the Code. We believe that Ofcom is able to investigate and properly address the issues raised by the broadcast of these programmes and the resulting speculation on social media and do not consider that there is a potential loophole of the manner you describe. However, I would be happy to discuss this issue with you if that would be helpful.

Thank you for raising these matters with Ofcom. Given the public interest in your original letters to Ofcom, we have placed a copy of this response on our website.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Close

Ofcom Director of Standards, Content, International and Regulatory Development

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Railway Guard Jailed Over Teen's Death

Railway guard Christopher McGee has been jailed for five years over the death of teenager Georgia Varley.

The 45-year-old was convicted of the manslaughter of the drunk teenager after he signalled for a train to move as she was leaning against the carriage.

He was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence by a unanimous jury at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday following a two-week trial.

College student Georgia, 16, had been on a night out in Liverpool with friends when she fell between the train and the platform at the city's James Street station in October last year.

She was three times the legal drink-driving limit and had 0.083mg of the drug mephedrone, or Mcat, in her system at the time, the court heard.

Georgia was described by her father as "special and unique"

The prosecution said McGee, of Edenhurst Avenue, Wallasey, Wirral, was negligent because he gave the signal to the driver to start the train when Georgia was in contact with the train and was in an "intoxicated state".

McGee, who denied manslaughter, told the jury he thought Georgia was moving away from the train when he gave the signal to depart. He also said he did not know how drunk she was.

But Mr Justice Holroyde told McGee: "In my judgement, the CCTV footage is unequivocal, Georgia Varley was not moving away and she was not showing any sign of moving away.

Christopher McGee had denied manslaughter

"She only moved when the movement of the train deprived her of support and caused her to lose balance and fall to her death."

He added: "You did not intend to kill or even injure her, but you displayed an appalling disregard for her safety, and she paid for your criminal negligence with her life."

CCTV footage of the incident was shown to the jury during McGee's trial.

Georgia could be seen mistakenly getting off the train just before 11.30pm, and then turning around and leaning against the side as she realised her friends were still on board.

The Birkenhead Sixth Form College student was then seen to stagger and fall down the gap as the train moved off, before stopping after travelling around 30ft.

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Anti-Austerity Strikes: Protests Grip Europe

A wave of anti-austerity anger is sweeping across Europe with general strikes in Spain and Portugal and walkouts in Greece and Italy - grounding flights, closing schools and shutting down transport.

Millions of workers are taking part in the dozens of co-ordinated protests in a so-called European Day of Action and Solidarity against spending cuts and tax hikes.

In Spain - the fourth-biggest eurozone economy - activists and unions will be staging an evening rally outside the parliament in the Madrid.

Protests got underway early in Madrid and Barcelona, with protesters clashing with police as they attempted to blockade buses and cause disruption at food markets.

A protest by public workers in Lisbon last month

Witnesses said police hit people with night-sticks and 42 arrests were made as riot police clashed with strikers on picket lines.

:: Live: Follow the protests across Europe as they happen

Airlines operating in the country including Iberia, Iberia Express, Air Nostrum, Vueling, Air Europa and easyJet cut more than 600 flights including some 250 international routes.

Hospitals in Spain will fully staff emergency and surgery rooms but non-essential care will be scaled back.

Spain, where one in four workers is unemployed, is now teetering on the brink of calling for a European bailout, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy trying to put off a rescue that could require even more EU-mandated budget cuts.

Protests are also being called in 40 towns and cities across bailed-out Portugal, including Lisbon and Porto.

Portuguese airline TAP said it was grounding more than 160 flights, most of them international.

A rally in front of the parliament in Athens, earlier this month

Greece, struggling to satisfy international lenders that it has cut spending sufficiently to qualify for bailout funds and to avoid default, has called a three-hour walkout and a rally in Athens.

Italian unions, too, are seeking a four-hour work stoppage.

The European Trade Union Confederation said it was the first time that it had appealed for a day of action that includes simultaneous strike action in four countries.

"By sowing austerity, we are reaping recession, rising poverty and social anxiety," its general secretary Bernadette Segol said in an online statement.

"In some countries, people's exasperation is reaching a peak. We need urgent solutions to get the economy back on track, not stifle it with austerity. Europe's leaders are wrong not to listen to the anger of the people who are taking to the streets."

Union-led rallies are also being called across France and in Poland, while high-speed Thalys rail services between Belgium and Germany have been cancelled for the day.

Just 20% of Spain's long-distance trains and a third of its commuter trains are expected to run, while Lisbon's Metro will be shut completely with only 10% of rail services in action.

Tensions have been rising in Spain since last Friday when a woman jumped from her apartment to her death as bailiffs tried to evict her from her home in the country's second apparent suicide linked to evictions.

On Monday, the country's largest banks agreed to halt repossessions for the most vulnerable for two years.

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Taser Death: Police Branded 'Thuggish'

Police who tackled and tasered a Brazilian student on LSD could face further action after a damning report on the man's death.

An Australian coroner said officers acted like schoolboys in "Lord of the Flies" when they crash-tackled Roberto Laudisio Curti and shocked him with 50,000 volts.

New South Wales coroner Mary Jerram said she could not determine what caused the 21-year-old's death but added that it was "impossible to believe that he would have died but for the actions of police".

All of her recommendations were accepted by police, including that five officers involved be referred to an independent watchdog and there be an immediate review of the criteria for use of taser stun guns.

Police have accepted their officers were in the wrong

But Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, who admitted the coroner's report was "quite scathing", said Tasers would continue to be used.

"These weapons save lives," he said.

Officers pursued a shirtless Curti - who had become paranoid and was acting erratically after sharing an LSD tab with two friends - in the mistaken belief that he had committed an armed robbery on a Sydney convenience store.

In shocking him at least 14 times, tackling him to the ground and blasting him with pepper spray, the actions of a number of police officers were "reckless, careless, dangerous, and excessively forceful", Ms Jerram said.

"They were an abuse of police powers, in some instances even thuggish."

She said one probationary constable used his stun gun in a "wild and uncontrolled" manner on the Brazilian, who issued terrible screams and groans as police piled on top of him while he lay on a city street.

"A few of the other constables seem to have thrown themselves into a melee with an ungoverned pack mentality, like the schoolboys in 'Lord of the Flies'," she said, referring to the novel and film about boys who turn savage after being stranded on an island.

A coroner said the actions of the police were "thuggish"

Ms Jerram said many of the police had "no idea what the problem was, or what threat or crime was supposedly to be averted, or concern for the value of life".

Police said Curti had shown a "superhuman" strength as he struggled against them, but the coroner said evidence from cameras on the tasers showed he was quickly handcuffed after being thrown to the ground.

A family spokesman said further action should be taken against the police

She said one officer lay across his back, another knelt on him and others held his arms and legs as he was then repeatedly tasered by two officers while another sprayed pepper spray in his face.

Minutes later he was seen to be unresponsive and could not be revived.

Curti's family members welcomed the findings but said they would still be pushing for those responsible to be held accountable.

"Whilst nothing will ever bring Beto back, we continue to push for those responsible to face the consequences of their appalling behaviour on that night," family spokesman Michael Reynolds told journalists.

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Woman 'Refused' Abortion In Ireland Dies

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

Investigations have been launched after a pregnant woman died in hospital in Ireland after allegedly being refused an abortion.

Savita Halappanavar, 31, suffered a miscarriage and septicaemia. Her husband Praveen claims doctors refused to carry out a termination for religious reasons.

Mrs Halappanavar, who was from India, was 17 weeks pregnant when admitted to Galway University Hospital.

She was suffering from agonising pain and, according to her husband, made several requests for an abortion.

Mr Halappanavar, 34, said doctors had refused to terminate the pregnancy because there was a foetal heartbeat and told his wife: "This is a Catholic country."

The young woman, who had been practising as a dentist in the Republic of Ireland for some time, died on October 28 after developing septicaemia - an infection in the blood.

Her death is expected to spark a backlash against the Irish government, criticised by left-wing members of parliament for failing to introduce new laws to permit abortion in life-threatening circumstances.

Clare Daly, a Socialist Party member of parliament, said: "A woman has died because Galway University Hospital refused to perform an abortion needed to prevent serious risk to her life.

"We were told this situation would never arise. An unviable foetus - she was having a miscarriage - was given priority over the woman, who unfortunately and predictably, developed septicaemia and died."

Galway-Roscommon University Hospitals Group and the state's health officials have launched an investigation.

The family will be interviewed as part of that review and results are expected within three months.

The Galway hospital said doctors have carried out all standard practices in notifying the death to the coroner, informing the Health Service Executive and completing a maternal death notification.

"It is standard practice to review unexpected deaths in line with the HSE's national incident management policy," it said.

"The family of the deceased is consulted on the terms of reference, interviewed by the review team and given a copy of the final report."

A spokesman added: "The Galway Roscommon University Hospitals Group wishes to extend its sympathy to the husband, family and friends of Ms Halappanavar."

The Department of Health also expressed its condolences but said it would wait for the two investigations to be completed before commenting further.

Abortion remains illegal in the Republic unless it occurs as the result of medical intervention to save the mother's life.

There is, however, no agreed method for determining such circumstances.

Abortion is legal in Northern Ireland but only if there is an immediate threat to the mother's life or a long-term threat to her physical or mental health.

The first private abortion clinic on the island opened in Belfast last month.

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Baby Died After 'Serious Failures' At Hospital

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

A baby died of heart failure at Birmingham Children's Hospital after "serious failures", a coroner has ruled.

Hayley Fullerton suffered heart failure following corrective surgery in November 2009, one month after her first birthday.

Her mother, Paula Stevenson, claimed her child had been "overlooked and neglected".

Recording a narrative verdict following an inquest into Hayley's death, Aidan Cotter, coroner for Birmingham and Solihull, said: "The failures by a number of the staff at Birmingham Children's Hospital were serious but not gross."

Speaking after the verdict, Ms Stevenson, who flew to the UK from Australia to attend today's hearing with Hayley's father Bobby Fullerton, said that Hayley's death was "preventable and predictable".

Hayley was born with a condition that restricted blood getting from her heart to her lungs.

After an operation at another hospital, she was sent to Birmingham for corrective heart surgery.

The operation was a success, but complications set in when Hayley's right lung collapsed.

Speaking at Birmingham Coroner's Court earlier this year, Ms Stevenson, said: "I was hoping she would be put in intensive care.

"I was waiting and waiting for someone to come so I was very aware and alert. I was telling her sorry I could not get help."

She also claimed that her child had been failed "abominably" and said her experience at the hands of some staff has been "brutal".

She maintained that staff repeatedly ignored the family's concerns about Hayley's condition and refused to transfer the child to an intensive care unit.

Every time she complained about her daughter's care, the worse it became, she said.

Ms Stevenson, who is originally from Northern Ireland but now lives in Australia, went on to allege that she gave a nurse a £100 gift voucher in an effort to secure better care for Hayley.

"I truly believe if the medical teams had listened to me and my parents, Hayley would still be alive today. They turned their back on her. She was overlooked and neglected," she said.

During the inquest, paediatric cardiologist Dr Oliver Stumper made an apology at the hearing for not requesting physiotherapy at an earlier stage.

"I express my frustration and apology that we failed, that I failed, to request physiotherapy on the evening of November 9."

The hospital's own internal inquiry concluded that there were failings in Hayley's medical care.

Ms Stevenson said her daughter's death, on November 11, had devastated her family.

"After her heart operation, we had serious concerns about certain aspects of her care on ward 11 of Birmingham Children's Hospital," she said.

Ms Stevenson claims that her mother, Sylvia, took her own life because she was so traumatised by her granddaughter's death.

She has now set up a website, heal-trust.org, which campaigns for the NHS to use Rapid Response Teams, which families, friends or patients can call if they feel their concerns over treatment aren't being heeded.

More follows...

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Workers To Be Able To Ask For Flexible Hours

By Gerard Tubb, Sky Correspondent

New mothers will be able to share leave with their partners and all workers will have the right to flexible hours under radical reforms.

Changes to be announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will mean mothers could return to work two weeks after childbirth and hand over their leave to the father.

Every employee in the country will also be given the right to ask for flexible hours to encourage different work patterns for parents and help more women back into work.

Mr Clegg believes that enabling relatives and friends of working parents to alter their working patterns will boost the economy.

The Government estimates around a million women are effectively locked out of employment because of problems balancing work and childcare.

The plans to allow anyone to ask for flexible hours are an extension of the rights introduced in 2009 for parents of children aged 16 and under.

They also mean that grandparents will be able to apply so that they can look after their grandchildren.

Under the changes, a mother could decide to stop her maternity leave at any point and hand over the rest of the year to her partner instead.

Parents will be able to "chop up" time between them or take time off together, as long as no more than 12 months is taken in total and no more than nine at guaranteed pay.

Fathers-to-be will also be given a legal right to take unpaid leave to attend two antenatal appointments.

Mr Clegg will claim that the plans could transform opportunities for young people who want to start a family.

"You won't get to 30 and suddenly have to choose - motherhood or work - because we're making the changes that give you a route back," he will say.

The Lib Dem leader rethought the reforms after being warned that extending paternity leave from the current two weeks would be too difficult for businesses.

Flexible leave will be reviewed by 2018 and extending paternity leave will be re-examined then, Mr Clegg is expected to say.

"These are major reforms and, at a time of continuing economic difficulty, it's sensible to do them in a number of steps, rather than one giant leap," he will say.

"More and more men are taking on childcare duties, or want to, and flexible leave builds on that."

A study last year of eligible parents showed 28% of women and 17% of men had asked to change their work patterns in the previous two years, with 80 to 90% of requests accepted.

At Odyssey Systems on Teesside, a telecommunications company with 30 employees, management says it has helped parents to change working hours, but extending the scheme to everyone will be a burden.

Sales director Christine Gilbert said: "We're still here because we think about customers first. To say that everybody in the whole company has to have flexible working is just going to be a massive managerial nightmare."

Adam Marshall, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce believes the new proposals could cause "unnecessary friction" in the workplace and "unrealistic expectations about the level of flexibility most businesses will be able to accommodate".

But the TUC welcomed the proposals, with General Secretary Brendan Barber describing them as common sense.

He said: "These reforms will make life easier for millions of working parents. Businesses will also benefit from a more engaged workforce and a larger pool of people to recruit from."

The entitlement to ask for flexible hours will be introduced in 2014 at the earliest and employers will have to provide good reason for refusing a request.

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Petraeus' Successor John Allen In Email Probe

Petraeus Affair Scandal: Timeline

Updated: 9:33am UK, Tuesday 13 November 2012

The end of General David Petraeus' career has raised several questions about when the affair began and who knew about it. Here is a timeline of events according to officials involved in the investigation.

:: Spring 2006 Paula Broadwell meets Gen Petraeus at Harvard University, where she is a graduate student. Petraeus is a lieutenant general working on a manual about counterinsurgency and is invited to give a speech about his experiences in Iraq.

:: January 2007 Gen Petraeus is confirmed as the commanding general of US troops in Iraq.

:: 2008 Ms Broadwell begins to study his leadership, and he invites her on a run with him and his team along Washington's Potomac River.

:: October 2008 Petraeus is named commander of US Central Command, based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, where Jill Kelley and her husband attend social events alongside the area's military elite.

:: June 2010 Gen Petraeus is confirmed as the new commander of the war in Afghanistan and Ms Broadwell expands her research to become an authorised biography, making multiple trips to the country and getting unprecedented access to Gen Petraeus and his staff.

:: September 2011 He is sworn in as CIA director with his wife, Holly, by his side. Mr Broadwell keeps in contact and is invited to his office for events, including a meeting with Angelina Jolie. In November of that year, the pair begin an extramarital affair, according to retired Army Colonel Steve Boylan.

:: January 2012 Ms Broadwell's biography is released and she tells her local paper, the Bismark Tribune, that he is an inspirational figure.

:: May 2012 Ms Kelley, a socialite, starts to receive harassing emails and an FBI probe begins. They later determine the email trail leads to Ms Broadwell. Emails between Gen Petraeus and Ms Broadwell suggest an affair.

:: July 2012 The affair ends, according to Col Boylan, a friend of Gen Petraeus. The FBI has concluded there was no security breach, but continues to look at whether Gen Petraeus had any involvement in emails sent to Ms Kelley.

:: October 2012 By the end of the month, Ms Broadwell and Gen Petraeus have acknowledged the affair following questioning by the FBI. He is urged to resign by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

:: November 8 Gen Petraeus asks Barack Obama if he can resign, on the day the president returns from election celebrations in Chicago. Mr Obama accepts the resignation a day later.

:: November 9 Ms Broadwell's husband emails guests to cancel her 40th birthday party, scheduled for that weekend.

:: November 10 Ms Broadwell's biography of Gen Petraeus jumps to 111th place on Amazon, up from 76,792nd the day before as her identity becomes known.

:: November 12 Members of Congress demand to know more details about the sequence of events and FBI agents begin searching the North Carolina home of Ms Broadwell.

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Margaret Moran Found To Have Fiddled Expenses

A former Labour MP has been found to have fiddled £53,000 in expenses in the worst case to have emerged from the parliamentary scandal.

A jury decided Margaret Moran did commit 15 counts of false accounting and six counts of using a false instrument.

Moran, who was MP for Luton South from 1997 until 2010, falsely claimed around £60,000 between 2004 and 2008, of which she received £53,000.

She claimed almost her entire annual allowance in one bogus entry and forged invoices for more than £20,000 of non-existent goods and services.

Margaret Moran, pictured in 2004

Jurors at Southwark Crown Court in London were unable to return a guilty verdict after Moran was ruled unfit to stand trial for mental health reasons.

The case went ahead as a trial of issue and the jury reached a unanimous verdict on all counts.

Mr Justice Saunders adjourned the disposal of the case to a later date.

Moran, 57, could be given a supervision order, hospital order or absolute discharge where no further action is taken against her, the court heard.

"She is presently being treated by psychiatrists at home and that treatment will continue," the judge said.

The former MP's expense claims are the largest amount uncovered in the wake of the scandal that rocked Westminster in 2009.

Former Labour minister Elliot Morley was jailed last year for dishonestly claiming more than £30,000.

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Abu Qatada Freed After Winning Appeal

Timeline: Qatada Legal Battle

Updated: 3:36pm UK, Monday 12 November 2012

Abu Qatada has challenged and ultimately thwarted every attempt by the Government to detain and deport him since 2001.

Here is a timeline of the legal battle.

1993: Abu Qatada claims asylum when he arrives in Britain on a forged passport.

1994: Allowed to stay in Britain.

1995: Issues a "fatwa" justifying the killing of converts from Islam, their wives and children in Algeria.

1998: Applies for indefinite leave to remain in Britain.

1999: April - Convicted in his absence on terror charges in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment.

October - Speaks in London advocating the killing of Jews and praising attacks on Americans.

2001: February - Arrested by anti-terror police over involvement in a plot to bomb Strasbourg Christmas market. Officers find him with £170,000 in cash, including £805 in an envelope marked "For the mujahedin in Chechnya".

December - Becomes one of Britain's most wanted men after going on the run from his home in west London.

2002: Arrested by police in a council house in south London and detained in Belmarsh high-security jail.

2005: Freed on conditional bail and placed on a control order but arrested again in August under immigration rules as the Government seeks to deport him to Jordan.

2008: April: Court of Appeal rules deportation would breach is human rights because evidence used against him in Jordan might have been obtained through torture.

May - Granted bail by the immigration tribunal but told he must stay inside for 22 hours a day.

June - Released from Long Lartin jail in Worcestershire and moves into a four-bedroom house in west London.

November - He is rearrested after the Home Office tells an immigration hearing of fears he plans to abscond.

December - Qatada's bail is revoked by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) after hearing secret evidence that the risk of him absconding has increased.

2009: Five Law Lords unanimously back the Government's policy of removing terror suspects from Britain on the basis of assurances from foreign governments and it is ruled he can be deported to Jordan to face a retrial on the terror charges.

He is awarded 2,800 euro (£2,500) compensation by the European Court of Human Rights after the judges rule that his detention without trial in the UK under anti-terrorism powers breached his human rights.

2012: January - European judges rule he can be sent to Jordan with diplomatic assurances but not while "there remains a real risk that evidence obtained by torture will be used against him".

February - He is released on strict bail conditions.

April - Rearrested as the Government prepares to deport him after Jordan gives assurances it will "bend over backwards" to ensure he receives a fair trial.

March - Qatada's legal team loses its bid to have the case heard by the Europe's human rights judges, clearing the way for deportation proceedings to continue.

May and August - Siac rejects Qatada's applications for bail.

October - Siac holds appeal hearing.

November - His appeal is granted and he is granted bail.

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Amelia Arnold Search: Police Find A Body

Police looking for Amelia Arnold have found a body they believe to be that of the missing teenager.

The discovery comes after searches took place in a wooded area of Hatfield in Hertfordshire.

Formal identification and post-mortem tests are yet to be carried out, a police spokeswoman said.

Ms Arnold, 19, went missing from her home in Hadrian's Walk, Stevenage, on Wednesday.

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Redfearn, who is leading the investigation, said: "Amelia's family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers at this difficult time.

"They have requested that their privacy be respected whilst they come to terms with what's happened over the past few days."

Ms Arnold's boyfriend Jack Wall, 22, with whom she lived, was arrested on suspicion of murder after he handed himself into police on Sunday.

He remains in custody, police said.

Meanwhile, another man, Joseph Potter, 41, has been charged in connection with Ms Arnold's disappearance.

Potter, from Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, is accused of perverting the court of justice and is due to appear in court.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling the non-emergency number 101.

Alternatively call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Charles And Camilla 'Attack Plan': NZ Man Held

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

Police in New Zealand have arrested a man on suspicion of planning to attack the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, according to reports.

The man, in his 70s, had been spotted on CCTV carrying an unidentified item, said New Zealand state broadcaster TVNZ.

He is believed to have been an anti-royal protester.

"A 74-year-old was arrested for preparing to commit an assault before the arrival of the royal couple," the officer told Fairfax Media.

But Fairfax added that the unnamed man got "nowhere near" the royal couple.

He is expected to appear at Auckland District Court on Tuesday.

A royal source told Sky News: "This was an isolated case as thousands turned out to greet Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

"The royal couple couldn't have been welcomed more warmly as they conducted their walkabout during a successful day in Auckland."

Security on royal tours is the principle responsibility of the host country's police force.

But security at each event or engagement is considered in close consultation with the Metropolitan Police travelling with the royal party.

Charles and Camilla are coming to the end of their tour of Australia and New Zealand marking the Queen's diamond jubilee.

Their visit to Auckland's waterfront passed without incident and they will remain in New Zealand until the end of the week.

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BBC Boss: We're Working To Rebuild Trust

Names In Line For BBC Top Job

Updated: 12:00pm UK, Monday 12 November 2012

A number of high-profile candidates could be in line to become the BBC's next director-general.

:: Acting director-general Tim Davie is used to difficult situations.

In his current role of director of BBC Audio & Music, with overall responsibility for BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4, and the BBC digital radio stations, he had to address prank calls made by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross on Radio 2.

In October he was appointed as the new chief executive of BBC Worldwide and was due to take over in December.

Soon after beginning his post Mr Davie had to deal with the decision to shut 6 Music - a call which was later reversed, bringing more scrutiny.

Mr Davie, who is married with three young sons, read English at Cambridge University, and later joined Procter and Gamble's marketing department, becoming a brand manager in 1991.

:: Michael Jackson, the former chief executive of Channel 4, has a varied and strong pedigree.

His reputation at Channel 4 blossomed with his commissioning of such hits as Da Ali G Show, Queer As Folk and So Graham Norton.

He also launched the two successful channels, FilmFour and E4.

He has succeeded on both sides of the Atlantic.

When he left Channel 4 in 2001 to work in the US one network producer told the media staff were "devastated".

Mr Jackson was previously controller of both BBC1 and BBC2 at various times in the 1990s. His move to the States, where he became president and chief executive officer of the USA Entertainment Group, surprised the industry.

The 54-year-old was the first British TV boss to get a top job in the American industry since Michael Grade, his predecessor at Channel 4.

:: Caroline Thomson, 58, is the BBC's former chief operating officer.

She narrowly missed out to George Entwistle earlier this year and left the corporation at the end of September when her post was axed.

A former BBC journalism trainee who went on to produce BBC Panorama, she became head of corporate affairs at Channel 4 before returning to the BBC as deputy director of the BBC World Service, becoming director of policy and legal and then chief operating officer in 2006.

Having previously deputised for the director general, she could yet become the first woman to land the top job.

Recently she told The Daily Telegraph that the BBC "still has a long way to go on the equality agenda for women and ageism".

:: Helen Boaden, who has stepped aside as BBC director of news until Nick Pollard's report into possible failings of management over the axed Newsnight Jimmy Savile investigation.

:: Ed Richards has been chief executive of Ofcom, the regulator for the communications industry, since 2006.

A former policy adviser to Tony Blair, Mr Richards made the final four for the director-general role before Mr Entwistle was appointed.

Mr Richards, who has also worked in consulting at London Economics Ltd and for former prime minister Gordon Brown, is a governor of The London School of Economics & Political Science, and a trustee of The Teaching Awards Trust.

:: Danny Cohen, controller of BBC1, finds his name in the frame for a big promotion.

He is responsible for the overall direction of the channel and determines its editorial policy, priority, style and presentation based on analyses of target audience needs.

From 2007 to 2010, Cohen was Controller of BBC3 and his commissions included Being Human, Blood Sweat And Takeaways, Our War, Junior Doctors, Him And Her and Russell Howard's Good News. Before that he was head of E4 and Channel 4 Factual Entertainment.

He is paid £262,600 annually.

:: Peter Fincham, 56, ITV's director of television is thought to be another frontrunner.

He joined the commercial broadcaster in 2008 and the channel has seen a creative renaissance with the commissioning of popular programmes such as Downton Abbey and the Fred West drama Appropriate Adult which won a clutch of awards - with The Only Way Is Essex being one of the shows of its age.

Mr Fincham might be reluctant to return to the BBC where he was appointed controller of BBC1 in 2005.

He was forced out two years later in a row over a misleadingly-edited trailer for a documentary about the Queen.

"I worked hard to become a BBC insider," Mr Fincham said later. "When Queengate kicked off I quite quickly realised I wasn't."

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Abu Qatada Wins Appeal Against Extradition

Abu Qatada could be freed after winning his latest appeal against extradition, in a major blow to Home Secretary Theresa May.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) decided the radical cleric could not have a fair trial in Jordan because evidence obtained via torture could be used against him.

This is despite the Home Secretary securing assurances from the country that this would not happen.

In a further blow, Siac president Mr Justice Mitting said he was "minded" to release Qatada on bail and he could be freed immediately unless the Home Office mounts a successful challenge.

Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Qatada, said: "Enough is enough. It has gone on for many years now. There is no prospect of deportation taking place within a reasonable time, in fact there is no prospect at present of deportation at all."

The successful appeal is the latest twist in a battle that has now lasted more than a decade.

Siac has already rejected the Government's application to appeal the decision but permission can still be sought at the Court of Appeal.

Robin Tam QC, for the Home Office, said: "You have made a legal error in setting the threshold too low. We should have the possibility to ask the Court of Appeal to consider that."

The Home Office said the Government "strongly disagrees" with the ruling.

"We have obtained assurances not just in relation to the treatment of Qatada himself, but about the quality of the legal processes that would be followed throughout his trial," a spokesman said.

"Indeed, today's ruling found that 'the Jordanian judiciary, like their executive counterparts, are determined to ensure that the appellant will receive, and be seen to receive, a fair retrial'. We will therefore seek leave to appeal."

Mrs May will make a statement in the Commons later.

Qatada, once described by a judge as Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe, was allowed to stay in Britain in 1994 but was convicted of terror charges in Jordan in his absence in 1999.

The cleric, who is said to have wide and high-level support among extremists, featured in hate sermons found on videos in the flat of one of the September 11 bombers.

In December 2001, he became one of Britain's most wanted men after going on the run from his home in west London. He was arrested almost a year later and detained in Belmarsh prison.

He has been in and out of jail in the intervening years and was rearrested in April amid hopes in Government that he could finally be removed from the country.

His legal team lodged a fresh appeal at the European Court of Human Rights but lost, kicking the fight back to the British courts and Siac.

At the hearing last month, Jordan expert Professor Beverley Milton-Edwards, had warned that a fair trial for Qatada there was "unlikely".

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Israel Fires 'Warning Shots' Into Syria

Israel says its forces have fired "warning shots" into Syria after stray mortar fire from fighting in the civil war-hit nation struck the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

It was the first time Israel has been drawn into the fighting in the neighbouring country, and was the first Israeli fire directed at the Syrian military since the 1973 war.

The Israeli army said:  "A short while ago, a mortar shell hit an IDF (Israeli Defence Force) post in the Golan Heights adjacent to the Israel-Syria border, as part of the internal conflict inside Syria.

"In response, IDF soldiers fired warning shots towards Syrian areas."

Another report said the Israeli military had fired a missile into Syria.

An Israeli security source told Reuters the military fired in the direction of a Syrian army mortar crew that had launched a shell.

The shell overshot the Golan disengagement fence and exploded near a Jewish settlement without causing casualties, it was claimed.

There were no reports of damage or injuries inside Israel.

A string of mortar shells have struck the Golan during the 19-month long Syrian conflict between forces loyal to President Bashar al Assad and rebel fighters.

Israel's military chief, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz, warned troops on the Golan Heights a week ago: "This is a Syrian issue that could become our issue."

The Jewish state captured the Golan from Syria in the 1967 Mid-East war.

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Missing Girl: Man Hands Himself In To Police

A 22-year-old man wanted in connection with the suspected murder of a teenager has handed himself in to police.

Hertfordshire Police said Jack Wall had been arrested by officers investigating the disappearance of Amelia Arnold, who was last seen on Wednesday.

Detectives fear that Miss Arnold, aged 19, has been murdered and are focusing their enquiries on her home in Hadrian's Walk, Stevenage.

Wall, also of Stevenage, has been arrested on suspicion of Miss Arnold's murder.

He presented himself to officers at a police station in Hertfordshire after detectives appealed for him to contact them.

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Redfearn, from the joint Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: "Amelia's family are extremely distraught and are desperate for information on her whereabouts."

Officers particularly want to hear from anyone who lives in and around Hollybush Lane, Welwyn Garden City, and saw a white van or anyone depositing items in the area on Thursday afternoon or evening.

"I'd also renew my appeal for anyone who saw or heard any suspicious activity in Hadrian's Walk between Wednesday and Friday to come forward," added DCI Redfearn.

Meanwhile, police are continuing to question a 41-year-old man arrested on Saturday.

Anyone with information which could assist the investigation is asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Remembrance Sunday: Tributes To The Fallen

Two minutes' silence have been held to remember those who have fallen in battle.

Marked by the first stroke of Big Ben at 11am and the firing of a gun from Horse Guards Parade by The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery the silence was followed by The Last Post, sounded by the Buglers of the Royal Marines.

The Queen laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, followed by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, the Princess Royal, Prince Michael of Kent and Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank.

The Queen laid the first wreath following the silence

Wreaths were also laid by Prime Minister David Cameron, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, opposition leader Ed Miliband and Westminster Plaid Cymru group leader Elfyn Llwyd, as well as high commissioners from Commonwealth countries and leaders of the Armed Forces.

Thousands of veterans have also marched through Whitehall to pay their respects at the Cenotaph.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, currently on their Diamond Jubilee Tour in New Zealand, had already paid their respects, laying a wreath of poppies at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Prince Charles visited Auckland War Memorial with the Duchess of Cornwall

There are a number of services taking place, including at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, which was attended by around 3,000 people.

The arboretum's focal point, the national Armed Forces Memorial, is designed so that on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, a shaft of sunlight dissects its inner and outer walls, falling on a bronze wreath sculpture.

Services also took place at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh and Enniskillen in County Fermanagh.

For the first time, the two most senior members of the Irish government will attend Remembrance events in Northern Ireland.

Irish premier Enda Kenny was in Enniskillen, 25 years after the 'Poppy Day bombing' which killed 11 people and injured more than 60. Mr Kenny laid a laurel wreath at the war memorial, only yards from where the no-warning blast detonated a quarter of a century ago

Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Prime Minister David Cameron also laid wreaths

And deputy leader Eamon Gilmore laid a wreath with Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers in Belfast.

In Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan, around 150 servicemen and women attended a service at 11am Afghan time, marking the two minute silence before a bugler sounded the reveille.

Other ceremonies have been held across Helmand at patrol bases and checkpoints by the 9,500 British forces serving there.

Thousands of people also respected the two minute silence on Twitter, abstaining from posting messages during the period of reflection. The idea was spread using the hashtag #2minutesilence.

On Saturday night, Rod Stewart performed for the Queen at the Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance in honour of Britain's war dead.

The show included the traditional two minute silence as poppy petals fell from the roof of the Royal Albert Hall, each representing a life lost in war.

Two minutes of silence begin at 11am every year on November 11 to commemorate the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany for a ceasefire on the Western Front, which took effect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918.

The England cricket team fall silent during their tour match in India

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Lord Patten: BBC Needs To 'Get A Grip'

BBC's Reputation Is In Crisis

Updated: 7:52am UK, Sunday 11 November 2012

By Katie Stallard, Media Correspondent

The BBC has been through crises before, but nothing that has shaken trust quite like this.

According to a ComRes poll carried out after the Savile allegations came to light, but before the latest scandal hit, more people now believe the corporation is untrustworthy than trustworthy.

Of 1,002 adults polled last month, 47% did not agree that the BBC was trustworthy, compared to 45% who said it was.

Among 45 to 54 year-olds, the results were even worse - 59% said the corporation was not trustworthy.

Media commentator Steve Hewlett told Sky News it was the first time he could remember that more people did not trust, than trusted, the BBC.

The corporation has had its share of uncomfortable scrutiny over the last decade - the Hutton Inquiry, misleadingly edited footage of the Queen, the Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand affair.

Yet the Savile scandal seems to have resonated with viewers like never before.

In the space of just over five weeks, Savile has been unmasked as, according to police, one of the most prolific sex offenders the country has ever seen, the BBC has had to order an inquiry into why a Newsnight report that might have uncovered his activities was shelved, and now another Newsnight investigation has been broadcast falsely accusing a senior Tory of being a paedophile.

It has not been the corporation's finest hour.

What's at stake now is trust in the integrity of the BBC's journalism, and trust in the senior management's ability to get a grip.

Mr Hewlett said: "It looks like no-one's in charge, no-one's got a grip and it's clearly unsettling. Not just inside the BBC, where it's plainly unsettling, I can tell you that for certain, but it's also unsettling out there. People are not sure, they are just not sure."

Before he resigned as the corporation's director-general, George Entwistle demanded a report into the latest Newsnight incident and halted all Newsnight investigations while their editorial robustness is assessed.

He also had to admit that he did not see the Newsnight report in question at the time - he was out that night - and he did not know anything about it in advance. He found out about it on the internet, he said.

That led to the unfortunate label "Incurious George" from some - the man who failed to ask questions as Director of Vision last year about the Newsnight Savile investigation, and who failed, as director-general and editor-in-chief of the BBC, to show that he was wholly in charge of the organisation.

Conor Burns MP said that ought to have been "at the very heart of George Entwistle's agenda every day" and which has been "destroying the credibility of the BBC".

"This is a crisis for the BBC, it's been an ongoing crisis for the BBC for some weeks now," he added.

Trust in the BBC is more than just a warm, fluffy sentiment - the BBC depends on the trust of the public because it depends on the licence fee to fund it.

Perhaps no surprise then that the BBC Trust, which oversees the corporation and protects the interests of the licence fee payer, has expressed its concern.

A spokesperson told us: "This is a deeply troubling episode. The Trust notes the BBC Executive's apology and would like to offer its own apology also.

"The Trust has impressed upon the director-general the need to get to the bottom of this as a matter of the utmost urgency and will expect appropriate action to be taken as quickly as possible."

In other words, Auntie needs to get the house in order.

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