Michael Jackson Glove: US Fights Dictator's Son

The US government is embroiled in a legal battle to stop a gem-encrusted glove worn by Michael Jackson falling into the hands of an African dictator's son.

The late singer's glove was bought with dirty money by Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's son Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the US claims.

The latest hearing in the 28-month-old case - "United States of America v One White Crystal-Covered 'Bad Tour' Glove and Other Michael Jackson Memorabilia" - will be heard in a Los Angeles courtroom on Monday.

In April 2011, US authorities seized assets worth some $71m (£45m) from Obiang Jr, who owns a collection of Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, a $38m (£25m) private jet, and a $30m (£20m) mansion in Malibu, California.

More than 70% of Equatorial Guinea's population lives in poverty, but President Obiang and his cohorts have amassed huge fortunes through corruption, the US claims.

According to Washington's lawsuit, Obiang Jr, who was appointed forestry minister by his father, has "amassed over $300m in net worth, all while earning an income of less than $100,000 per year as an unelected public official appointed by his father."

Obiang Jr, 42, who first moved to America in 1991, is alleged to have laundered stolen public funds in banks across the globe.

The Thriller singer died in Los Angeles in 2009 from an overdose

Three years ago, the aspiring rap music mogul bought a number of items from Michael Jackson's estate, including the glove.

Last year, the French government seized a £68m mansion in Paris belonging to Obiang Jr, where they found millions more in luxury goods and cars, according to The Independent.

However, in April 2012, a California judge threw out the US government's case, saying it had failed to prove that Obiang Jr had amassed his fortune by illegal means in Equatorial Guinea, where he had never been charged with any crime.

The US has now been allowed to file an amended version of its complaint.

Obiang Jr's lawyers argued in a brief filed last month that the US still has no grounds to retain his pop souvenirs.

"The government still has not identified a single victim of extortion or bribery," the papers said.

"In short, all that the government has is evidence that [the] Claimant spent money. Where the money came from is a matter of pure speculation."

The Thriller singer died in Los Angeles in 2009 from an overdose of the surgical anaesthetic propofol.

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A £350m Donation To Nation That Can't Be Used

An unspent donation made to the Government 85 years ago, which is now worth £350m, cannot be touched because it won't fulfil conditions of its use - paying off the national debt.

The anonymous donation of £500,000 was made in 1928 and established a fund which was designed to help the Government pay off the UK's debt.

It was made with a strict request that it should not be touched until it was able to reduce the national debt to zero.

Although it has grown 700-fold since the 1920s, it is unlikely to achieve its target - the national debt currently stands at £1.3trillion.

While the fund is growing at a rate of £5m to £10m a year, Britain's national debt rocketed by an estimated £121bn in 2011/12.

In the meantime, the fund, called The National Fund, is now managed by Barclays and is likely to keep on growing.

The anonymous donor who set it up at its outset is believed to have done so in response by a call from Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, who wrote to the Financial Times in 1919.

He suggested it would be patriotic for British citizens to contribute towards paying off the national debt, which at that point had reached 140% of the total amount of money earned in one year by the UK (GDP).

Barclays Wealth and Investment Management is the fund's trustee

By 1927, the national debt had reached 160% of GDP and it is thought that the donor was prompted to set up the fund with the belief that it would grow sufficiently to pay it off.

The National Fund has now grown to become one of the largest charities in the UK by net assets.

But unlike most charities, it takes in no donations and provides no handouts to needy causes.

Papers lodged with the Charities Commission in 2012 said: "The aim of the charity is to create a fund, that either on its own or combined with other funds, is sufficient to discharge the National Debt.

"The ultimate beneficiary of the National Fund is the National Debt Commissioners."

The papers say the fund increased in value by £12m in 2012 which all came from dividends on investments. Last year it spent £570,000 on managing the fund and £430,000 on other activities.

Barclays has been trying for four years to get permission to use the money to make charitable grants or to turn it over to the Treasury, but any change would have to be approved by a court.

A spokesman for Barclays said: "We've been working ever since we became the trustee to change the original objects, which say the funds can be used only to pay off the entire national debt.

"We are working with the Charity Commission and the attorney general's office to look at how best to take the fund forward."

This week it emerged Joan Edwards left £520K to the Government

A spokesman for the attorney general's office said: "There has been correspondence between the Charity Commission, the trustees and ourselves over the National Fund.

"We are looking at a number of options for the future of the Fund, consistent with its object of extinguishing or reducing the national debt.

"It would not be right to comment further whilst this process continues."

A spokeswoman for the Charity Commission said is it continuing dialogue with the trustee and the attorney general's office regarding the charity.

This week, the Tories and Liberal Democrats gave up a £520,000 bequest from former nurse Joan Edwards amid confusion over whether she actually meant the money to go to the state or to the political parties in power.

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Egypt Travel Warning To 40,000 British Tourists

Thousands of British holidaymakers are being told to stay in their hotels in Egypt because of the continuing violence across the country.

Holiday firms are continuing to run flights to popular Egyptian resorts despite the ongoing unrest in the country, although companies in Germany and France are avoiding the area.

Some of those arriving back from Cairo witnessed the violence, which has led to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to warn against all but essential travel to much of Egypt, except for the Red Sea resorts where it said enhanced security measures were in place to protect tourists.

British tourists in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, where violent clashes led to the death of one person earlier this week, have been advised to remain in the grounds of their hotels.

Speaking to Sky News from her hotel, holidaymaker Sally Asling said that at the moment she felt safe.

She said: "The hotel is high security and the airport is high security. It is quicker for me to get back to London than drive to Cairo. You have to keep perspective on it.

"There was a demonstration a mile down the road two days ago. It is unsettling hearing how quickly things become volatile and kick off. It is safe, but how safe?"

The FCO guidance also warns of "a serious risk of violence and sexual assault at demonstrations", but the advice stops short of that issued by the French and German governments, which have told nationals not to travel to Egypt.

Sharm el Sheikh and the Red Sea resorts are still considered safe

One British woman returning from Cairo at Manchester Airport told Sky News: "It was frightening, just because we were unable to go outside ... we stayed indoors most of the time with family, but we weren't able to go into the streets or anything like that.

"We travelled to Hurghada on bus and then we came back to Cairo and the bus had to turn around on a bridge because there was a fire at the other end."

UK travel organisation Abta estimates there are around 40,000 Britons in Egypt at the moment.

Tour operators Thomson and First Choice have 11,769 British holidaymakers in the country, many of them in Sharm el Sheikh.

A spokeswoman for the two companies said: "We are working with the FCO and monitoring the situation closely in Egypt.

"The majority of our customers are in Sharm el Sheikh which is a considerable distance - indeed, an eight-hour drive - from Cairo.

"There have been no related incidents in Sharm el Sheikh or any of the other popular Red Sea tourist areas."

Thomson and First Choice operate to four Egyptian resorts - Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Taba and Marsa Alam.

Thomson Airways had three return flights to Sharm el Sheikh on Friday and two to Hurghada. On Saturday, it has four return flights to Sharm el Sheikh, and five return flights to on Sunday.

In light of the FCO travel advice, Thomson Cruises has changed its itinerary for an Egypt & the Holy Land voyage on the Thomson Celebration vessel starting next Monday.

Luxury holiday company Kuoni has cancelled all its Egypt excursions for the next 30 days over the security concerns.

The company said it was now contacting clients with bookings to restricted areas of Egypt within the next 21 days to offer them alternative holiday destinations.

Thomas Cook also has several thousands UK tourists in Red Sea resorts and is continuing to operate flights to the area, but has cancelled excursions to Cairo, Luxor, Moses Mountain and St Catherine's Monastery.

The FCO advice reads: "If you are already in a part of Egypt where the FCO advise against all but essential travel, you should consider whether you have a pressing need to remain.

"If you decide to remain in Egypt, you should stay at or close to home or a place of safety (eg your hotel), keep a low profile and pay close attention to your personal safety, particularly in the larger cities. You should avoid crowds.

You should follow the regulations set by the local authorities and obey curfews. Make sure you keep valid photographic identification with you at all times."

It adds: "You are strongly advised to avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings. If you become aware of any nearby protests, leave the area immediately. Don't attempt to cross road blocks erected by the security forces or protestors.

"There is a serious risk of violence and sexual assault at demonstrations. NGOs report more than 100 rapes and sexual assaults against women in demonstrations since 30 June. Foreign and Egyptian women have been attacked."

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Egypt: Gun Fire Exchanged At Besieged Mosque

Key Events In Egypt Since 2011

Updated: 12:32pm UK, Thursday 15 August 2013

January 25 - February 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against nearly 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and the military takes over. The military dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.

November 28, 2011 - February 15, 2012 - Egypt holds multistage, weeks-long parliamentary elections.

In the lawmaking lower house, the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats, and ultraconservative Salafis take another quarter.

The remainder goes to liberal, independent and secular politicians. In the largely powerless upper house, Islamists take nearly 90% of the seats.

May 23 - 24, 2012 - The first round of voting in presidential elections has a field of 13 candidates.

The Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under Mubarak, emerge as the top two finishers, to face each other in a run-off.

June 14 - The Supreme Constitutional Court orders the dissolving of the lower house of parliament.

June 16 - 17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential run-off between Morsi and Shafiq. Morsi wins with 51.7% of the vote.

June 30 - Morsi takes his oath of office.

November 19 - Members of liberal parties and representatives of Egypt's churches withdraw from the 100-member assembly writing the constitution, protesting attempts by Islamists to impose their will.

November 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater powers for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move sparks days of protests.

November 30  - Islamists in the constituent assembly rush to complete the draft of the constitution. Morsi sets a December 15 date for a referendum.

December 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack an anti-Morsi sit-in, sparking street battles that leave at least 10 dead.

December 15, December 22 - In the two-round referendum, Egyptians approve the constitution, with 63.8% voting in favour. Turnout is low.

January 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests against Morsi on the two-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

February - March 2013 - Protests rage in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes.

April 7 - A Muslim mob attacks the main cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox Church as Christians hold a funeral and protest there over four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. Pope Tawadros II publicly blames Morsi for failing to protect the building.

June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shi'ites in a village on the outskirts of Cairo.

June 30 - Millions of Egyptians demonstrate on Morsi's first anniversary in office, calling on him to step down. Eight people are killed in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters.

July 1 - Huge demonstrations continue, and Egypt's powerful military gives the president and the opposition 48 hours to resolve their disputes, or it will impose its own solution.

July 2 - Military officials disclose main details of the army's plan if no agreement is reached: replacing Morsi with an interim administration, cancelling the Islamist-based constitution and calling elections in a year. Morsi delivers a late-night speech in which he pledges to defend his legitimacy and vows not to step down.

July 3 - Egypt's military chief announces that Morsi has been deposed, to be replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court until new presidential elections. No time frame is given.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped out in two mass sit-ins in Cairo's streets.

July 4 - Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 5 - Mansour dissolves the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament as Morsi's supporters stage mass protests demanding his return. Clashes between pro and anti-Morsi groups in Cairo and Alexandria, and violence elsewhere leave at least 36 dead. A Brotherhood strongman, deputy head Khairat el-Shater, is arrested.

July 8 - Egyptian soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators in front of a military base in Cairo, killing more than 50. Each side blames the other for starting the clash near the larger of the two sit-ins, near east Cairo's Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque.

Mansour puts forward a time line for amending the constitution and electing a new president and parliament by mid-February. The Brotherhood refuses to participate in the process.

July 9 - Mansour appoints economist Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister and opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei as vice president. A military announcement backs up the appointments.

July 26 - Millions pour onto the streets of Egypt after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi. Five people are killed in clashes.

Prosecutors announce Morsi is under investigation for a host of allegations including murder and conspiracy with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

July 27  - Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes clash with Morsi supporters outside the larger of the two major sit-ins in Cairo, killing at least 80 people.

July 30 - The EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton holds a two-hour meeting with detained Morsi at an undisclosed location. She is one of a number of international envoys, including US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, to visit Egypt to attempt to resolve the crisis.

August 7  - Egypt's presidency says that diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff between the country's military-backed interim leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.

August 11 - Egyptian security forces announce that they will besiege the two sit-ins within 24 hours to bar people from entering.

August 12 - Authorities postpone plans to take action against the camps, saying they want to avoid bloodshed after Morsi supporters reinforce the sit-ins with thousands more protesters.

August 14 - Riot police clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, sparking running street battles that kill hundreds of people.

The presidency declares a month-long state of emergency across the nation as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei resigns in protest over the assaults.

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Tributes For Sky Cameraman Killed In Cairo

The Chief Executive of BSkyB has paid tribute to Sky News cameraman Mick Deane, who was shot dead while covering unrest on the streets of Egypt.

Jeremy Darroch expressed his "deepest sympathy" to the 61-year-old's family, adding that the cameraman's death is a reminder of "the bravery and commitment that journalists often show each and every day."

"Like everyone at Sky I was extremely saddened to hear that our colleague Mick Deane had been killed covering the unrest in Cairo," Mr Darroch said.

"Our deepest sympathy and thoughts go to Mick's family in obviously what is a very, very difficult time. We'll be doing whatever we can to help them and Mick's colleagues in the Sky News team.

"Sky News and other news organisations throughout the world play a vital role in bringing information and insight to us all, and in showing the truth in events that occur throughout the world.

"But the tragic events and Mick's death I think also remind us that this is often dangerous work, and of the bravery and commitment that journalists show often each and every day in their search for the truth."

Mick Dean has been described as an inspiring mentor

The married father of two was part of a Sky News team covering the ongoing violence in Cairo. The rest of the news team was unhurt.

Mr Deane had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Jerusalem.

The Head of Sky News, John Ryley, described Mr Deane as the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many.

"Mick Deane was a really lovely, lovely guy. He was great fun to work with; he was an astonishingly good cameraman who took some brilliant pictures.

"But he also had a first class editorial brain. He had brilliant ideas. He was also good fun after the job was done. He was laid back, and I'm really going to miss him, like lots of people here."

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall called Mr Deane "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart... what a human being".

He added: "Micky was humorous in a dry way, he was wise and when you're on the road with small teams, people like that are diamonds to be with.

"Our hearts go out to his family. He died doing what he'd done so brilliantly for decades."

 Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I want to say how sorry I am about the death of Mick Deane.

"It is an incredibly brave and important job he was doing. It is essential that cameramen are in places like Egypt because otherwise none of us would know what is happening.

"But obviously our thoughts should be with his family and friends at this very, very difficult time for them."

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Egypt's Brotherhood Storms Government Building

Key Events In Egypt Since 2011

Updated: 12:32pm UK, Thursday 15 August 2013

January 25 - February 11, 2011 - Egyptians stage nationwide demonstrations against nearly 30 years of President Hosni Mubarak's rule. Hundreds of protesters are killed as Mubarak and his allies try to crush the uprising.

February 11 - Mubarak steps down and the military takes over. The military dissolves parliament and suspends the constitution, meeting two key demands of protesters.

November 28, 2011 - February 15, 2012 - Egypt holds multistage, weeks-long parliamentary elections.

In the lawmaking lower house, the Muslim Brotherhood wins nearly half the seats, and ultraconservative Salafis take another quarter.

The remainder goes to liberal, independent and secular politicians. In the largely powerless upper house, Islamists take nearly 90% of the seats.

May 23 - 24, 2012 - The first round of voting in presidential elections has a field of 13 candidates.

The Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under Mubarak, emerge as the top two finishers, to face each other in a run-off.

June 14 - The Supreme Constitutional Court orders the dissolving of the lower house of parliament.

June 16 - 17 - Egyptians vote in the presidential run-off between Morsi and Shafiq. Morsi wins with 51.7% of the vote.

June 30 - Morsi takes his oath of office.

November 19 - Members of liberal parties and representatives of Egypt's churches withdraw from the 100-member assembly writing the constitution, protesting attempts by Islamists to impose their will.

November 22 - Morsi unilaterally decrees greater powers for himself, giving his decisions immunity from judicial review and barring the courts from dissolving the constituent assembly and the upper house of parliament. The move sparks days of protests.

November 30  - Islamists in the constituent assembly rush to complete the draft of the constitution. Morsi sets a December 15 date for a referendum.

December 4 - More than 100,000 protesters march on the presidential palace, demanding the cancellation of the referendum and the writing of a new constitution. The next day, Islamists attack an anti-Morsi sit-in, sparking street battles that leave at least 10 dead.

December 15, December 22 - In the two-round referendum, Egyptians approve the constitution, with 63.8% voting in favour. Turnout is low.

January 25, 2013 - Hundreds of thousands hold protests against Morsi on the two-year anniversary of the start of the revolt against Mubarak, and clashes erupt in many places.

February - March 2013 - Protests rage in Port Said and other cities for weeks, with dozens more dying in clashes.

April 7 - A Muslim mob attacks the main cathedral of the Coptic Orthodox Church as Christians hold a funeral and protest there over four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. Pope Tawadros II publicly blames Morsi for failing to protect the building.

June 23 - A mob beats to death four Egyptian Shi'ites in a village on the outskirts of Cairo.

June 30 - Millions of Egyptians demonstrate on Morsi's first anniversary in office, calling on him to step down. Eight people are killed in clashes outside the Muslim Brotherhood's Cairo headquarters.

July 1 - Huge demonstrations continue, and Egypt's powerful military gives the president and the opposition 48 hours to resolve their disputes, or it will impose its own solution.

July 2 - Military officials disclose main details of the army's plan if no agreement is reached: replacing Morsi with an interim administration, cancelling the Islamist-based constitution and calling elections in a year. Morsi delivers a late-night speech in which he pledges to defend his legitimacy and vows not to step down.

July 3 - Egypt's military chief announces that Morsi has been deposed, to be replaced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court until new presidential elections. No time frame is given.

Muslim Brotherhood leaders are arrested. Tens of thousands of Morsi supporters remain camped out in two mass sit-ins in Cairo's streets.

July 4 - Supreme Constitutional Court Chief Justice Adly Mansour is sworn in as Egypt's interim president.

July 5 - Mansour dissolves the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament as Morsi's supporters stage mass protests demanding his return. Clashes between pro and anti-Morsi groups in Cairo and Alexandria, and violence elsewhere leave at least 36 dead. A Brotherhood strongman, deputy head Khairat el-Shater, is arrested.

July 8 - Egyptian soldiers open fire on pro-Morsi demonstrators in front of a military base in Cairo, killing more than 50. Each side blames the other for starting the clash near the larger of the two sit-ins, near east Cairo's Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque.

Mansour puts forward a time line for amending the constitution and electing a new president and parliament by mid-February. The Brotherhood refuses to participate in the process.

July 9 - Mansour appoints economist Hazem el-Beblawi as prime minister and opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei as vice president. A military announcement backs up the appointments.

July 26 - Millions pour onto the streets of Egypt after a call by the country's military chief for protesters to give him a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of Morsi. Five people are killed in clashes.

Prosecutors announce Morsi is under investigation for a host of allegations including murder and conspiracy with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

July 27  - Security forces and armed men in civilian clothes clash with Morsi supporters outside the larger of the two major sit-ins in Cairo, killing at least 80 people.

July 30 - The EU's top diplomat Catherine Ashton holds a two-hour meeting with detained Morsi at an undisclosed location. She is one of a number of international envoys, including US Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, to visit Egypt to attempt to resolve the crisis.

August 7  - Egypt's presidency says that diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the standoff between the country's military-backed interim leadership and the Muslim Brotherhood have failed.

August 11 - Egyptian security forces announce that they will besiege the two sit-ins within 24 hours to bar people from entering.

August 12 - Authorities postpone plans to take action against the camps, saying they want to avoid bloodshed after Morsi supporters reinforce the sit-ins with thousands more protesters.

August 14 - Riot police clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi, sparking running street battles that kill hundreds of people.

The presidency declares a month-long state of emergency across the nation as Vice President Mohamed ElBaradei resigns in protest over the assaults.

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University Lake Death: Woman Identified

A woman whose body was found in a university lake has been named by police.

Nomeda Pundziene, 43, a Lithuanian who had been living in Norwich, was found by an angler, floating face down in the lake at the city's University of East Anglia, on August 1.

Officers said the circumstances in which the body was found had delayed the identification process.

A post-mortem examination failed to establish how Ms Pundziene died but, although the cause of death remains a mystery, police now say they are not treating her death as suspicious.

"Her family initially had no cause for concern when they did not see her for a number of days as they believed her to be staying elsewhere," said Detective Inspector Richard Graveling, of Norwich CID.

A picture of the dress the woman wore was revealed last week

"However, when they were made aware of the media coverage surrounding the discovery in the lake, they came to Bethel Street police station and we have sadly been able to confirm that the body was that of Nomeda."

Mr Graveling said he would like to hear from anyone who was with Ms Pundziene around the time of her disappearance or who saw her between July 20 and August 1.

"I hope that more people will come forward as a result of this latest appeal so I can present a full report to the coroner for inquest and give some answers to her family," he said.

Ms Pundziene did not have any connection to the university.

 

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'James Bond' Skydiver Dies In Alps Accident

The British skydiver who parachuted into the 2012 Olympic Stadium dressed as James Bond has been killed in an accident.

Mark Sutton, 41, died yesterday after crashing into a mountain near Martigny in the Swiss Alps.

He had been invited to take part in an event with 19 other wingsuit pilots, which involved being filmed jumping from helicopters.

Wingsuits are special jump suits which increase the surface area of the body and act like a parachute wing, allowing users to glide through the air at high speeds.

The ridge in the Valais canton where Mr Sutton crashed

Mr Sutton had been practising a dangerous discipline in the sport known as terrain flying, which involves flying in close proximity to cliffs and mountains.

The accident happened on the first day of the thee-day event in the Valais canton, near the French border. Rescuers believe Mr Sutton died on impact, though the exact cause of the accident is not yet clear. Swiss police are looking at footage of the accident to establish exactly what happened.

He is understood to have jumped from a helicopter flying at 3,300m (10,826ft) with fellow wingsuit flyer Tony Uragallo. They had intended to fly in close proximity to the terrain and land at a village across the border in France,  according to police.

Jean-Marie Bornet, of the Valais police service, said his injuries were so severe that experts were forced to identify his body with a DNA test.

Mark was chosen by stuntman Gary Connery to film his world record attempt

"We do not know what caused his death but we know it was immediate," he added."The weather was good but when a pilot takes part in this sport, the aim is to fly very close to the ground or mountain side. "If you do this at speeds of 200kmh, the margin for error is very small."

Five days ago he posted an update to his Facebook profile: "The sun comes out for a beautiful day in Chamonix, two base wingsuit flights from Brevent then a spectacular paraglide with Mont Blanc and the glaciers glistening in the background."

Mr Sutton took part in one of the most memorable sequences of the Olympics opening ceremony when, dressed as James Bond, he parachuted into the stadium alongside Gary Connery, who was dressed as the Queen.

He was one of the world's most accomplished wingsuit pilots

He doubled for actor Daniel Craig for a section of the London Games curtain-raiser which saw the spy jump alongside the Queen with Union flag-emblazoned parachutes after flying to Stratford by helicopter from Buckingham Palace.

He was also co-pilot and teammate during Mr Connery's successful attempt to become the first person in the world to safely land a wingsuit without a parachute.

Speaking to Sky News after the event he said: "It was an incredible day. It all felt very 'British' - the enormity of it was only apparent when Gary flew it into the boxes, that everyone had just witnessed a 'World's First'."

After hearing news of the accident, Mr Connery posted the following message on Twitter: "All you jumpers/flyers out there, stay safe, make wise choices and know your limits and your locations live to tell your stories. One love."

One billion people watched Mr Sutton parachute into the Olympic stadium

Mr Connery said Mark was smart, articulate and funny. "Everyone misses him and its horrendous," he said.

"He is an incredible friend, articulate, smart, funny, He was the sort of guy that when you knew you were working with him he had your back 100 percent and the base jumping, wingsuit community and the world is a worse place without him". 

Danny Boyle, who directed the London Olympics opening ceremony, told the Evening Standard that Mr Sutton was a "gentle and thoughtful" man and his death would be "a huge loss to his profession".

Buckingham Palace have told the Daily Mirror  that they are aware of the "very sad news" regarding Mark Sutton's death.

Mr Sutton's death was the thirteenth known wingsuit fatality this year.

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Egypt: 'Hundreds Die' In Raids On Morsi Camps

Dozens of people have been confirmed killed after Egyptian security forces opened fire as they tried to clear two protest camps loyal to deposed president Mohamed Morsi.

The country's health ministry put the number of dead at 56, with hundreds injured. But the Muslim Brotherhood claimed hundreds had been killed.

Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley, reporting from inside the Rabaa al Adawiya camp in Cairo, said it was "under very heavy gunfire" and was a "massive military assault on largely unarmed civilians in very large numbers".

He said government forces were using machine guns, snipers, AK-47 and M16 rifles and were firing into the crowd.

Kiley added: "There are machine gun rounds, and snipers on the roof, that are preventing people from getting any closer to the field hospital (in the camp).

"I haven't seen any evidence yet of any weapons on the side of the pro-Morsi camp. The camp is very full of women and children."

He said it was a scene of "extreme chaos and bloodshed" and "many hundreds of troops and interior ministry police and special forces are involved".

"The dead and dying are on the steps of an improvised field hospital. The scenes here are absolutely graphic.

Security forces at one of the camps in Cairo

"I have covered many wars and this is as severe a battlefield as I have witnessed, with the exception of scenes in Rwanda. There are dozens and dozens of people who have been shot in the head, neck and upper body."

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have released video footage taken from a helicopter which it said showed gunmen in the camp firing at security forces.

The unrest spread beyond the capital, as pro-Morsi supporters clashed with police in the Nile Delta cities of Minya and Assiut, as police stations, government buildings and churches were attacked or set ablaze.

Earlier, riot officers in Cairo backed by armoured vehicles and bulldozers also fired tear gas in the camps at the demonstrators who are demanding Mr Morsi be reinstated as the country's leader.

The interior ministry, which is in charge of police, warned its security forces would deal firmly with protesters acting "irresponsibly" and said it would guarantee safe passage to those who want to leave the two sites.

The larger is the Rabaa al Adawiya camp described as a 'mini town' in Nasr City, while the other is in Al Nahda Square outside the main campus of Cairo University in Giza.

Riot police fire tear gas at members of the Muslim Brotherhood

The interior ministry later said security forces had "total control" over the smaller camp and police have managed to remove most of the tents in the square.

The Muslim Brotherhood that backs ousted Islamist president Mr Morsi claimed over 250 people had been killed and 5,000 hurt in the crackdown, which is almost certain to deepen political turmoil in Egypt.

It urged Egyptians to take to the streets in their thousands to denounce the "massacre".

"This is not an attempt to disperse, but a bloody attempt to crush all voices of opposition to the military coup," Brotherhood spokesman Gehad al Haddad said on Twitter.

The Rabaa al Adawiya protest camp, where several Brotherhood leaders are staying, "is calling on Egyptians to take to the streets to stop the massacre," Haddad said.

At least three members of the security forces were confirmed to have died in the crackdown, while the health ministry said nine protesters were killed and over 80 were injured.

Raids on the Rabaa al Adawiya and Nahda Square camp

The raids came after international efforts failed to mediate an end to a six-week political standoff between Morsi's supporters and the army-backed government which took power after he was ousted on July 3.

Regional television networks showed images of collapsed tents and burning tyres at both sites, as well as protesters being arrested and led away by troops.

A television feed by a pro-Morsi TV station showed thousands of protesters gathered at the centre of the Nasr City site, with many covering their faces to fend off the tear gas.

It said most of the protesters at the other camp fled to the nearby Orman botanical gardens and inside the sprawling university campus.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "deeply concerned at the escalating violence in Egypt, and regret the loss of life on all sides".

He added: "I condemn the use of force in clearing protests and call on the security forces to act with restraint."

A medic tends to a child at the scene

Qatar, Turkey and Iran were among the other countries criticising the deadly crackdown.

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Egypt: Dozens Dead During Clashes With Police

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1:52pm UK, Wednesday 14 August 2013

Egyptian police disperse supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi

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Sky News Cameraman Killed In Egypt

Sky News cameraman Mick Deane has been shot and killed in Egypt this morning.

Mick had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Jerusalem.

He was part of our team covering the violence in Cairo. The rest of the team are unhurt.

The Head of Sky News John Ryley described Mick as the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky.

Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall called Mick "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart… what a human being".

He added: "Micky was humorous in a dry way, he was wise and when you're on the road with small teams, people like that are diamonds to be with.

"Our hearts go out to his family. He died doing what he'd done so brilliantly for decades."

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence.

"My thoughts are with his family and the Sky News team."

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Ed Miliband Is Egged On Campaign Visit

Ed Miliband has been pelted with eggs on his first public appearance in weeks as he attempted to reboot the Labour party.

The Labour leader was campaigning in London when a volley of eggs was thrown at his back.

At least one hit the politician on the head and jacket as he visited East Street market in Walworth, south London.

The egg thrower, who gave his name as Dean Porter, said it was an "opportunistic moment" as he was led away by security.

"They should stop giving favouritism to the banks. They do nothing. The Government do nothing. The shadow government do nothing," he said.

"I don't believe him at all. If you are poor, you are considered a burden. All they care about is the banks."

Dean Porter gloated about throwing the eggs on Twitter

An aide hurriedly removed Mr Miliband's jacket and he continued his tour, chatting to shoppers and stallholders apparently unperturbed.

"This is not the first time it's happened to me, I'm sure it's not the last," he said. "I'm always looking for new ways to connect with the voters."

Mr Porter had earlier written on Twitter: "Watch the news tonight. I suspect I might be on it."

He later wrote: "I tried to egg Ed Milliband as he came down to East Street in southwark, watching the news to see if its on."

Minutes later, he sent a message to the Prime Minister saying: "@David_Cameron hi pleb, can you come to East Street Market so I can egg you like I've egged your chum @Ed_Miliband lol."

He also wrote: "I got the b*****!!! Lol."

Ed Miliband shrugged off the attack, saying: 'It's not the first time'

The incident distracted from the Labour leader's attempts to galvanise his party after a difficult summer and attack the coalition over the cost of living.

Senior figures have questioned the shadow cabinet's "deafening silence" and warned the party must "shout louder" or face electoral defeat in 2015.

The jitters have been compounded by a rise in Tory fortunes thanks to a string of data suggesting the British economy is at last turning the corner.

New figures on Wednesday showed unemployment fell by 4,000 between April and June and average earnings rose by 2.1% in the year to June.

On Tuesday, data revealed inflation fell to 2.8% in July and house prices rose by 3.1% in June and last month growth of 0.6% was given for the second quarter.

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Peru Drugs Bust: Pair Appear In Police Video

A video has emerged of a British and an Irish woman speaking to police shortly after they were arrested on suspicion of cocaine-smuggling in Peru.

The footage shows the two women answering questions shortly after they were held at an airport near the capital, Lima, last week.

Melissa Reid, 19, and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, protested their innocence after police found 11kg (24.2lbs) of cocaine worth £1.5m in their luggage.

An official weighs and tests the drugs allegedly carried by the two women

The police footage also shows an officer examining a row of food bags, in which the drug was allegedly hidden.

Police accused the two of acting as "drug mules" to carry the contraband back to Europe.

Reid, from Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire, told officers: "I was forced to take these bags in my luggage."

The two tourists were arrested at the airport near Lima

Asked if she knew the bags contained drugs, Reid replied: "I did not know that."

Archbishop of Lima Sean Walsh visited the two and said "they were weepy and upset".

He told the Irish Independent: "They are embarrassed at how everything has affected their families back home. They are devastated by that but I assured them they need to stay strong," said Archbishop Walsh.

Melissa Reid travelled to Ibiza for the summer

"They believe they were set up and they will use that as a defence."

Ex-Irish consul to Peru Michael Russell told Sky News: "There are various rumours or stories about what has happened.

"The main thing is not was happened but what the Peruvian courts believe.

Peru's capital Lima is on the Pacific Ocean coast of South America

"They are in very Spartan conditions, not up to European standards."

He added: "They are supposed to be up in front of a judge tomorrow and then they will be transferred to a prison."

The pair both confirmed they had travelled to the South American country from Spain, and then on a Peruvian domestic flight to Cuzco.

Coca leaf is grown in remote areas of Peru for cocaine production

They reportedly stayed four days in Cuzco, which is 350-miles south east of Lima, before returning to the capital.

Both women were detained the following day at Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport.

Peruvian police said the two had been held and their luggage examined after a sniffer dog detected drugs at the Air Europa check-in counter.

Reid was allegedly carrying 18 foil packets containing 5.78kg of cocaine while McCollum Connolly was accused of carrying 5.81kg of the drug in 16 bags.

The pair had lived in Ibiza and were returning to Majorca

They pair said they were planning to travel to Madrid and then to the Mediterranean island of Majorca.

They had apparently spent several weeks before the Peru trip living in Ibiza.

Reid had posted dozens of Facebook photos of her time on the island, however her profile had not been updated since late July.

Leftist guerrillas have funded their insurgency through the cocaine trade

Belfast-born McCollum Connolly, who refers to herself as just Michaella McCollum in the video, had reportedly been looking for work as a nightclub dancer and hostess in Ibiza.

Michaella McCollum Connolly worked as a hostess and model

The apparent disappearance from Ibiza of McCollum Connolly had sparked an online campaign back home, backed by a number of Irish sports stars, to establish her whereabouts.

McCollum Connolly, from Dungannon in County Tyrone, was travelling on an Irish passport.

A representative for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin confirmed she was no longer considered missing and that consular assistance was being provided to her family.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is offering assistance to Reid while she is in custody.

The FCO said in a statement: "We can confirm the arrest of a British national in Peru on August 7. We are providing consular assistance."

Drug experts say Peru has almost certainly supplanted Colombia as the world's leading cocaine-producing country and the trade is used to fund a violent leftist insurgency.

The Reid family home in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire

:: On Monday, two bodies of suspected Shining Path rebel leaders were taken to Lima for DNA testing, after the pair died in a shootout with security forces a day earlier.

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China Mountain Villa On Tower Block 'Must Go'

By Victoria Wei in Beijing

Officials are hunting a man who infuriated neighbours by building an elaborate residence on an apartment block.

About six years ago Zhang Biqing, said to be an ex-army medic, started his grand project to cover the rooftop of the 26-storey Beijing building with fake rocks, real greenery and even a swimming pool.

The apartment is on the roof of the 26-storey building

But residents have expressed their anger at the penthouse, which has no permission or licence to be there.

Mr Zhang, who became famous after inventing a system of Chinese acupuncture treatment, managed to carry out the building work despite years of constant complaints.

The project has allegedly caused water leaks and structural damage to the flats downstairs.

The pool is said to have flooded other apartments

One family who lives at the opposite building told Sky News that the work was hugely intrusive.

They said it was loud and very bright and it meant they could not open their curtains at night.

"It was not only the construction work that carried on at night but also the camera at the top that seemed to be working and recording all the time - we don't have any privacy," the woman, who did not want to be named, told Sky News.

Mr Zhang has been given 15 days to leave the residence. (Pic: Victoria Wei)

"I heard the swimming pool has caused floods to downstairs flats a few times; those poor families."

Local shopkeepers and security guards suggested bribes had possibly exchanged hands, claiming there were close connections between Mr Zhang and the compound's management, who turned a blind eye to the project.

Chinese officials have given Mr Zhang 15 days to vacate the residence in the city's west district of Haidian - but they face a major issue.

"The only thing now for us is that we can't find the owner," said the Beijing City Enforcement Bureau's Chen Yu told reporters.

Beijing authorities say they cannot find the owner

"We have issued a lot of summonses, but he never came to us to be investigated."

But local media managed to find Mr Zhang, who told them he had to keep the villa to accommodate "famous people coming to stay and sing".

"I live here, so I'm not worried about the complaints," Mr Zhang said.

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Asda Parking Space Killing: Man In Court

A man has appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the death of a 64-year-old in an alleged row over a disabled parking space.

Alan Watts, 65, appeared before magistrates and was remanded on bail following the death of Brian Holmes.

Mr Holmes, from Sandy, Bedfordshire, died from head injuries the day after the August 3 incident at the Asda supermarket in Biggleswade.

His family were at his bedside when he died.

In a statement released through police, they said: "The family are devastated by the loss of Brian in such shocking circumstances.

Mr Holmes died from a serious head injury the day after the incident

"A wife has lost her husband, best friend and carer all in one go.

"Brian was a family man who adored his grandchildren and family, and had only this week been given the all-clear following treatment for cancer.

"Brian and his wife were only just starting to make plans for the future that they only dared to dream of."

Alan Watts appeared at Bedford Magistrates' Court only to confirm his name and address and that he understood the charge.

He will next appear at Luton Crown Court on August 28 for a preliminary hearing.

Mr Watts has surrendered his passport as part of bail conditions and must also report daily to a local police station.

He is also barred from driving and must not visit the Asda store where the alleged row took place.

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Teen Stabbing Death: Arrest Over Poplar Killing

A 16-year-old boy, named as Ajmol Alom, has died and another is in hospital with facial injuries after a knife attack in east London.

The two teenagers were attacked in Spey Street, Poplar, east London at around 9.50pm on Monday.

Ajmol was pronounced dead at hospital while the other 16-year-old is still being treated for his injuries, which are not life-threatening.

A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday morning and is being questioned.

Ajmol's headteacher at Langdon Park School, Chris Dunne, described him as a "splendid young man".

"Hardworking, industrious, but also a very caring and thoughtful young man. He was very able in all areas, but that didn't mean he didn't work incredibly hard," he said.

A second 16-year-old was hurt in the stabbing in Poplar

"He came to all the revision classes, he worked flat-out. The exam results will come out next Thursday and he will have very good results."

Mr Dunne added that Ajmol was planning to take A-levels before going on to a "very good university" where he had spoken of studying medicine.

He said the teenager had recently taken part in a conflict resolution project with other young people from Northern Ireland, in which he was "hugely active".

A man who said Ajmol's father was his cousin said he believed the teenager was predicted to get an A* in his maths GCSE but "was hanging around with the wrong crowd".

"He was really quiet, he was into sports. He was really into boxing and got a medal for it," he said.

Ajmol's family has been told about his death and a post-mortem examination will be held, Scotland Yard said.

Former mayor of Tower Hamlets Doros Ullah said he visited the murder scene after hearing what had happened.

A forensic team searches an area on Spey Street

He said: "The chap that got killed was a very good boy. He used to pray five times a day. He was not someone who had been involved in any trouble in the past."

Mr Ullah said he had been told the teenager was the victim of mistaken identity.

"He was outside with some man who, we understand, had been in some trouble in the past, and three boys that came around were looking for him, so he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and became the victim," he said.

Detective Chief Inspector Colette Smyth said: "We believe there were a number of people in the area at the time and we would appeal for any witnesses or anyone with information to please come forward.

"We are keeping an open mind about any possible motive at this stage."

Anyone with information can call police on 0208 3580100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 to remain anonymous.

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Gibraltar: UK Mulls Legal Action Against Spain

The diplomatic row between Britain and Spain over extra checks at the border with Gibraltar has intensified after the UK government said it was considering taking legal action.

Downing Street said it was looking at the "unprecedented step" after the Spanish government failed to lift the additional controls over the weekend.

Spain later said it would not abandon the checks, saying they were "legal and proportionate".

The European Commission plans to send a team of investigators to the border next month, who will observe the controls, following complaints from several MEPs and EU citizens about long waits there.

It comes as three Royal Navy warships set sail for the Mediterranean in what defence officials stressed was a long-scheduled deployment.

The vessels included the flagship HMS Bulwark, helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious and frigate HMS Montrose.

As part of the operation, a fourth warship, the frigate HMS Westminster, will dock in the UK overseas territory of Gibraltar for a routine visit for three days this month, while other ships in the task group are expected to go to Spanish ports.

HMS Westminster will visit Gibraltar for three days

A No 10 spokesman said: "Clearly the prime minister is disappointed by the failure of Spain to remove the additional border checks this weekend. We are now considering what legal action is open to us."

The diplomatic spat between the UK and Spain was sparked by the creation of an artificial reef by the Gibraltarian authorities, which the Spanish claim will destroy fishing in the area.

Madrid responded by beefing up border controls, leading to lengthy queues, and suggesting that a 50 euro (£43.30) fee could be imposed on every vehicle entering or leaving the Rock through the fenced border with Spain.

The Royal Gibraltar Police tweeted on Sunday that Guardia Civil checks had caused queues of up to two hours at the border, with Spanish officers checking "every car" going into the Rock.

Reports in the Spanish media suggested that the diplomatic row could escalate to the United Nations, with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government receiving support from Argentina.

There have been queues of up to two hours at the border

Spanish foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo is expected to propose that the two countries present a "united front" over Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, the El Pais newspaper reported.

Mr Garcia-Margallo will sound out his Argentinian counterpart, Hector Timerman, during a meeting in Buenos Aires next month as he prepares for a "180-degree turn in policy towards the colony", the newspaper said.

Meanwhile, Spanish defence minister Pedro Morenes has said it is "totally normal" for British warships to dock in Gibraltar in what is a "routine visit", according to reports.

Mr Morenes reportedly told the Europa Press news agency: "Neither the British nor the Spanish government have an interest in there being bad relations."

He also said that aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious had requested and been granted permission to stop off at the southern Spanish naval base of Rota on August 18, proving that there was no military escalation between the two countries.

The MOD's operation in the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Gulf - codenamed Cougar 13 - is due to last around four months and will include a series of exercises as well as escort duties and counter-piracy operations.

Four Royal Navy warships, the lead commando group from 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and elements of naval air squadrons will be supported by five vessels from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

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Sinkhole Near Disney World Topples Building

A sinkhole has caused a building in a Florida resort near Disney World to partially collapse, with another section of the building also slowly dropping.

About a third of the three-storey structure collapsed at around 3am on Monday, according to Lake County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Tony Cuellar.

The villa at the Summer Bay Resort in Clermont had already been evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Emergency teams had arrived at the scene about 10 miles west of Disney World late on Sunday night to find the the building was making popping sounds and windows were breaking.

Homes around the damaged building were also evacuated

The sinkhole, which is in the middle of the villa, is said to be about 40 to 50ft (12m to 15m) in diameter. 

The authorities think it may be getting deeper, but it is not clear if it is also growing outward.

The building houses 24 units and about 20 people were staying in it at the time. A nearby villa was also evacuated as a precaution.

Luis Perez, who was staying at a villa near the sinking one, said he was in his room when the lights went off at around 11.30pm. He said he was on his way to the front desk to report the power cut when he saw firefighters and police outside.

"I started walking toward where they were at and you could see the building leaning and you could see a big crack at the base of the building," he said.

Cracks first appeared on Sunday night. Pics: Lake County Fire Rescue

Florida has a well-documented problem with large sinkholes. Last February, a giant pit opened underneath a house in a suburb of Tampa, swallowing up 36-year-old Jeff Bush who was in bed at the time. His body was never recovered.

But such fatalities and injuries are rare, and most sinkholes are small. They can develop quickly or slowly over time.

The state sits on limestone, a porous rock that easily dissolves in water, with a layer of clay on top. The clay is thicker in some locations, making them even more prone to sinkholes.

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Dutch Prince Dies After Avalanche Tragedy

Dutch Prince Johan Friso, who has been in a coma since he was buried in an avalanche last year, has died at the age of 44.

The brother of King Willem-Alexander died in The Hague from complications resulting from the brain damage he suffered after his skiing accident 18 months ago.

The prince had been off-piste in Lech, Austria when the avalanche struck in February 2012.

He was initially treated in a London hospital and was brought back to The Hague last month.

In a statement, the Dutch royal house said Prince Friso had never regained more than "minimal consciousness" after the tragedy.

The government said he died "from complications that arose as a consequence of the brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation following his skiing accident".

He passed away at the Palace Huis ten Bosch, where he was being cared for

More follows...

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Missing Erika Kacicova: Police 'Closing In'

Police searching for a missing 13-year-old have admitted "we still don't have Erika" despite making a second arrest over her disappearance.

In the latest police update on the search, Detective Inspector Helen Tate said she believed that Erika is still alive.

"Although he we made a second arrest, unfortunately we still don't have Erika," she said.

But she added that police were "closing in" as they investigate what has happened to the teenager.

Earlier, South Yorkshire Police said they had arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of child abduction.

Erika's disappearance has been described as 'out of character'

The arrest came as the 13-year-old's father told Sky News he has not been eating or sleeping since his daughter went missing.

Detectives have said they "will not stop" until they find Erika.

Police have appealed to the teenager to contact them so they can visit her to make sure she is safe and well.

They have stressed "she is not in trouble", but have called on her to return to her "distraught" family.

Erika was last seen leaving her home in the Darnall area of Sheffield at around 4pm on Monday, August 5.

Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries there, and have expanded their search to Bradford, where the suspect was arrested.

He is being taken to Sheffield where he will be questioned by officers from South Yorkshire Police.

There have been a number of unconfirmed sightings of the youngster and police say they have some "really positive" lines of enquiry.

But they are still asking the public for any information they have about the missing child.

Her disappearance has been described as "out of character".

Erika is described as being slim and around 4ft 11ins tall. She has long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

A 22-year-old man from Bradford was released on police bail on Sunday after being arrested on suspicion of child abduction.

He approached police on Friday, the day officers made an urgent appeal for information about Erika's whereabouts.

:: Anyone with information about missing Erika is asked to call police on 101.

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Perseids Meteor Shower To Shimmer Over UK

This year's Perseids meteor shower promises up to 60 shooting stars an hour being visible in the skies over the UK.

The spectacle is expected to peak between late Monday evening and early Tuesday morning.

And the prospects for this year's showing are deemed to be particularly good, especially for stargazers in the UK, according to the Royal Astronomical Society.

The natural phenomenon - the result of the cosmic pollution created by the comet Swift-Tuttle which last passed near the Earth in 1992 - is expected to be visible to the unaided eye.

"Comet Swift-Tuttle won't be visiting our neck of the woods again until the year 2125, but every year we get this beautiful reminder as the Earth ploughs through the debris it leaves in its orbit" said Professor Alan Fitzsimmons of Queen's University Belfast.

The Perseids meteor shower in the Republic of Macedonia, August 2011

"Every meteor is a speck of comet dust vaporising as it enters our atmosphere at 36 miles per second. What a glorious way to go."

Meteors, commonly known as shooting stars, are the result of small particles entering the Earth's atmosphere at high speed.

These heat the air around them, causing the characteristic streak of light seen from the ground.

They mostly appear as fleeting flashes lasting less than a second, but the brightest ones leave behind trails of vaporised gases and glowing air molecules that may take a few seconds to fade.

The Perseids meteor shower is active each year from around mid-July to late-August, but for most of that period only a few meteors an hour will be visible.

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Labour Attacks Tesco Over Foreign Staff

Labour has ignited a row with supermarket giant Tesco by planning to attack the chain for employing foreign workers.

Shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant is due to condemn Tesco and other leading companies for being "unscrupulous" and pursuing cheap labour from Eastern Europe.

In a speech on Monday, he is expected to claim Tesco moved its distribution centre to Kent where a "large percentage" of the staff are from the eastern bloc.

The firm has already hit back, denying having a distribution centre in the county and insisting it does not actively seek to recruit abroad.

A spokesman said: "It is wrong to accuse Tesco of this. We work incredibly hard to recruit from the local area and have just recruited 350 local people to work in our Dagenham site."

The company is also understood to be writing to Labour to complain about the "unfair" slight.

Controversial: Frontbencher Chris Bryant

Mr Bryant's speech appears to be the Opposition's latest attempt to wrestle back the initiative on immigration, which is a top concern for British voters.

The party is also battling to get on the front foot after a quiet summer which has seen their poll lead slip and Ed Miliband face internal criticism for failing to set the agenda.

Mr Bryant will admit immigration can have a negative effect on labour markets, according to extracts from the draft speech reported in The Sunday Telegraph.

"The biggest complaint I have heard, from migrants and settled communities alike, is about the negative effects migration can have on the UK labour market. And I agree," he is due to say.

"It is unfair that unscrupulous employers whose only interest seems to be finding labour as cheaply as possible will recruit workers in large numbers in low-wage countries in the EU, bring them to the UK, charge the costs of their travel and their substandard accommodation against their wages and still not even meet the national minimum wage.

"That is unfair. It exploits migrant workers and it makes it impossible for settled workers with mortgages and a family to support at British prices to compete."

He will claim Tesco had recently decided to move its distribution centre in Kent but slashed pay for existing staff, penalising Britons.

"The new centre is larger and employs more people, but the staff at the original site, most of them British, were told that they could only move to the new centre if they took a cut in pay," he will say.

"The result? A large percentage of the staff at the new centre are from [the] Eastern bloc."

As well as highlighting the recruitment of hundreds of local staff, Tesco made clear that the distribution centre is in the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham and was formerly in Essex, not Kent.

Next is also criticised for allegedly seeking out Polish staff

Mr Bryant's address is also set to target high street chain Next, who he accused of printing leaflets in Polish to attract workers from the country.

Extracts from his speech say: "Look at Next Plc, who last year brought 500 Polish workers to work in their South Elmsall warehouse for their summer sale and another 300 this summer.

"They were recruited in Poland and charged £50 to find them accommodation. The advantage to Next? They get to avoid Agency Workers Regulations, which apply after a candidate has been employed for over 12 weeks, so Polish temps end up considerably cheaper than the local workforce, which includes many former Next employees."

The MP's speech will make clear that neither firm has broken the law.

After the extracts emerged, Next admitted using Polish agency workers to help fill slots during the summer sale but vehemently denied it was done to cut costs.

A spokesman said: "We are deeply disappointed Mr Bryant did not bother to check his facts with the company before releasing his speech.

"In fact agency workers from Poland cost us exactly the same as local agency workers, and our existing employees.

"The only reason we seek the help of people from Poland is that we simply can't recruit enough local people to satisfy these spikes in demand for temporary work."

The firm also made clear the nationality of workers had no effect on their rights under Agency Workers Regulations.

"We very much hope that Mr Bryant, being apprised of the facts, will reconsider his claims when he comes to make his speech," it said.

Tesco, which is the third largest retailer in the world, has 3,146 stores in the UK and employs more than 300,000 staff here.

Next has more than 500 shops across the country, employing around 54,000 people.

Tory MP for Harlow Robert Halfon attacked Labour for allowing "uncontrolled immigration" during its time in office, but also joined the row against Tesco.

On Sky News, he accused the supermarket chain of behaving "disgracefully" towards staff when it closed its distribution centre in his constituency.

"They said they were building a new Dagenham plant and the Harlow plant in my own constituency would be alongside it," he said.

"The moment the plant was built it was suddenly announced the Harlow plant would close. They then said to the British Harlow workers yes, they could have jobs in Dagenham, but it would be at lower pay after transitional costs had been taken in.

"As a result the majority of them couldn't afford to work in Dagenham and had to take redundancy. Tesco in my view behaved quite disgracefully and quite ruthlessly."

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Zanzibar Acid Attack: Suspect Preacher On Run

Police are hunting a radical Muslim preacher wanted in connection with an acid attack on two British teenagers in Zanzibar.

Sheikh Issa Ponda Issa was cornered by officers near Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, but managed to escape and is now on the run.

He was hit in the shoulder with a tear-gas canister during the altercation, according to local police in Morogoro - the scene of the clash.

Police commander Faustine Shilogile said: "He has not been arrested. He has been shot at. We have been looking for him in all corners of the country."

He added: "We are no closer to finding who was responsible for this. But this is a serious police investigation, and we are doing everything we can."

Five men are also being questioned by officers, according to the authorities.

Kirstie Trup (L) and Katie Gee are being treated in London

Victims Katie Gee, and Kirstie Trup, both 18 and from London, are still being treated for burns at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after arriving home on Friday.

They are said to be "well rested and comfortable".

A hospital spokesman said: "They have been with their families all day. Doctors are continuing to assess treatment options for both patients."

The pair were attacked by men on a motorbike as they walked across a road on Wednesday night.

They had been nearing the end of a trip working as volunteer teachers on Zanzibar, a predominantly Muslim island in the Indian Ocean.

Witnesses have spoken of their desperate attempts to wash the acid off the two girls before they were rushed to hospital.

A picture released by the teenagers' families shows one appears to have extensive acid burns on her chin, neck and upper chest.

The street on the island where the attack took place

It is thought one of the girls is not as badly injured as the other because she was helped into the sea immediately after the attack.

They had apparently been due to return to the UK to collect their A-level results next week.

Miss Trup is hoping to study history at the University of Bristol and Miss Gee is considering the University of Leeds, according to reports.

Meanwhile, Tory MP Bill Cash, who sits on the all-party parliamentary group for Tanzania, has urged the Foreign Office to further upgrade its travel warning for tourists visiting both Zanzibar and Tanzania because it was "more than just an ordinary criminal event".

The Foreign Office updated its Tanzania travel advice page on Friday with details of the attack and warns British nationals to "take care" and read its travel advice.

Mr Cash said: "People need to be extra vigilant and the Foreign Office and High Commission need to make a very thorough evaluation of the threat, as these latest attacks would seem to be on religious grounds.

"The threat to tourists going to Tanzania and Zanzibar needs to be upgraded without doubt."

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Missing Teen Erika Kacicova: Suspect Bailed

Detectives looking for a 13-year-old schoolgirl who vanished from her home have received a number of reports of possible sightings.

Police, who believe Erika Kacicova is with people she knows, made a direct appeal to the teenager on Sunday afternoon, calling on her to return to her "distraught" family.

She was last seen leaving her home in the Darnall area of Sheffield at around 4pm on Monday, August 4.

Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries there, and have expanded their search to Bradford.

A 22-year-old man from Bradford was released on police bail earlier after being arrested on suspicion of child abduction.

He approached police on Friday, the day officers made an urgent appeal for information about Erika's whereabouts.

Detective Inspector Helen Tate said: "Please remember she is a young girl who has never been away from home for this long before and we want her to return safe and well."

Erika's home in Poole Road, Darnall, in Sheffield

She added: "Erika, if you are reading this, please let us know you are okay. You're not in any trouble."

She said members of the public had come forward with information and reports of sightings but that "time was of the essence" as they search for the teenager.

Her disappearance was described as "out of character".

Erika is described as being slim and around 4ft 11ins tall. She has long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

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