Hit-And-Run Revenge Driver Jailed For 20 Years

A motorist caught on CCTV ploughing into a group of men as they crossed the street in a revenge attack - leaving one of them brain damaged - has been jailed for 20 years.

Aqab Hussain was convicted of four counts of attempted murder by a jury at Manchester Crown Court at an earlier hearing.

CCTV footage captured the 21-year-old mowing down the men after "horseplay" over a baseball cap led to a fight outside a club in Manchester city centre.

One was catapulted over the roof, another knocked to the side and a third carried down the street before Hussain swerved to dislodge him from the bonnet of his car.

One of his targets managed to jump out of the way of his vehicle which Rachael Pavion, prosecuting, said was used as a "lethal weapon" as Hussain "sought revenge by driving at speed deliberately at the four men with a clear intention to kill".

The attack in John Dalton Street in the early hours of August 21 last year left one of his victims with "life changing" injuries.

Michael Ward, who was carried several metres down the street on the bonnet of Hussain's car, spent many weeks in a coma after suffering injuries to his brain.

The court heard the injuries were so severe Mr Ward could not remember he had three children, and that he would never be able to look after himself.

His wife, Maryrose, was in court for the sentencing, and said of the prison term afterwards: "In a way I am disappointed, but in one way I am happy, because it would have been worse if they never caught the person who ran my husband over.

"It ruined my husband's life, and my life, and my kids ... he can't remember my kids ... so happy in a way and then feel upset in one way."

She added: "He can't talk, he can't walk. He has no concentration, he has no memory of years ago, the kids. We've been married seven years, no memory. He can't wash himself, he can't feed himself ... I will care for him for the rest of my life."

Hussain, who declined to give evidence during the trial, showed "complete disregard" for his actions and fled the country three days after the attack.

Police arrested him at Manchester Airport seven weeks later on his return to the UK.

Witness accounts, CCTV footage and forensic evidence helped prove that he was behind the wheel of the car.

Hussain, from Manchester, was also disqualified from driving for 15 years.

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Russia Muslims Face DNA Tests Ahead Of Sochi

Russia has reportedly been taking DNA samples from religiously conservative Muslim women in the North Caucasus as part of its security measures for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The DNA would be used to identify body parts should any of the women carry out suicide bomb attacks on Olympic targets.

Eight Dagestani women contacted by the Reuters news agency said they had been asked to provide swabs of saliva.

Locals said the DNA tests were part of a sweep after a suicide bombing in the capital Makhachkala in May.

The move coincides with a crackdown by President Vladimir Putin on an Islamist insurgency in Dagestan, which lies east of the Sochi Games sites.

Critics say the new hard line being taken by Mr Putin is feeding the resentment that lies behind insurgent attacks in the region.

The scene of May's bomb attack in Makhachkala

In July, Doku Umarov, the leader of the Islamist insurgency, urged his fighters to use "maximum force" to sabotage the Sochi Olympics.

A suicide bombing on October 21 that killed six people in Volgograd, a major city north of Sochi, was blamed on a woman from Dagestan.

Dubbed "black widows", some 49 female suicide bombers have carried out attacks in Russia in the past 13 years, according to the Caucasian Knot website.

In response, security forces have blown up the homes of militants' relatives, sealed off mountain villages and rounded up young men suspected of having ties to militants.

A truck damaged in a security operation

Many madrassas, or religious schools, and charities run by traditional Salafi Muslims, have been closed.

Earlier this month security forces shut down two madrassas in Novosasitli, photographing students and taking their fingerprints.

"I can't describe how terrified the girls were, how many tears were shed," said Abdurakhim Magomedov, a Salafi preacher.

Although the security crackdown has resulted in many Salafis fleeing abroad, others have stayed and taken up arms, their leaders say.

Mr Putin is spending billions on the Sochi Games

Mr Putin, who is spending $50bn (£31bn) on the Games, has tightened security around Sochi, where Cossack militia patrol the streets.

Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev told the Russian parliament the authorities were receiving "alarming information" and were working to eliminate leaders and members of armed groups.

"There are simply no other ways to combat these inhuman monsters," he said.

Security analysts say militants are unlikely to penetrate the layers of protection around Sochi but attacks cannot be ruled out, especially in nearby cities like Volgograd.

A cemetary in Dagestan for people killed by Russian security forces

"The special services can't prevent everything. There are many people who want to ruin the Sochi Olympics," said Sergey Goncharov, formerly a senior counter-insurgency official.

Dagestan, Russia's most southern province, has Islamic roots dating back to a 7th Century Arab invasion and the majority of its 2.9 million inhabitants people are Muslim.

A growing number have become Salafis in recent years, influenced by scholars who studied in the Middle East.

Some have joined the Islamist insurgency that grew out of separatist wars in neighbouring Chechnya.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing, spent the first half of 2012 in Dagestan.

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South Carolina Killer Told 911 He Was 'Stressed'

A chilling 911 call made just moments before a man shot dead five people, including two children, and then turned the gun on himself has been released.

Already facing legal problems and troubles at home, 27-year-old Bryan Sweatt told a police dispatcher in North Carolina he was "stressed out" and about to kill himself.

A woman can be heard crying in the background and pleading: "Please put it down."

When asked by the dispatcher if he is armed, Sweatt replies: "Yes ... a 44."

He then says, apparently to someone in the room with him: "Get in there".

A woman's voice can be heard to reply: "Don't point it at me." 

Then the phone line goes dead.

Officers at the scene of the shooting. Pic: FoxCarolina.com

Sometime after, police say Sweatt killed his girlfriend, her parents, and two children living in the Greenwood home.

He then turned the gun on himself.

While police were heading to the scene, a neighbour made a frantic 911 call, telling the dispatcher four children had fled to her home saying someone killed their mother.

The bodies of the six dead were later found inside a ranch-style home by Swat officers.

Greenwood County Sheriff Tony Davis said: "Once you see a horrific scene like this it never leaves you. It's with you day in and day out."

The victims were identified as Chandra Marie Fields, 26, Richard Fields, 51, Melissa Fields, 49, Tariq Robinson, 11, and nine-year old William Robinson.

Police have not established a definite motive, but Sweatt was embroiled in a custody battle with his girlfriend over their seven-month-old daughter and was facing a burglary charge that could have seen him jailed.

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Alan Giles May Be Sleeping Rough In Woodland

Police believe missing child killer Alan Giles may be sleeping rough in woodland and have appealed to dog walkers to keep a look out.

The 56-year-old fled from an "open" section of HMP Hewell, near Redditch, in Worcestershire, on Monday morning.

Giles, originally from the Oldbury area of the West Midlands, was jailed for 19 years for kidnapping and murdering Kevin Ricketts in 1995.

The 16-year-old's body was not found until 1998, after Giles asked to speak to West Midlands Police while serving his sentence.

Detectives say Giles could be sleeping rough, possibly in woodland, and are appealing to dog walkers, hikers, and farmers to call police immediately if they spot him. They say he should not be approached.

Police are concentrating their hunt on the Redditch and South Warwickshire areas, although Giles has friends and family in other parts of the West Midlands.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Judge said police have "safeguarding measures in place" to protect Kevin's family who have been told the killer is at large.

Police have appealed to Giles to hand himself in

"We are urging the public to help us by staying alert and calling us if they think they have seen Alan Giles," he said.

"He could be sleeping rough and may be using barns or other outbuildings to shelter. He may be on foot and could also be using public transport."

Police also made a direct appeal to Giles, who is eligible for consideration for parole next year, to hand himself in.

The motive for him leaving prison is not clear, and detectives are concerned about his state of mind.

Det Chief Insp Judge also warned that anyone harbouring Giles could face serious consequences.

Giles is described as white, 5ft 9in, with short grey hair and blue eyes. He has tattoos of an eagle on his back and a swallow, shark and flower on his left arm.

It is believed he is wearing a grey Rockport sweater, blue jeans and white Asics trainers.

:: Anyone with information should call 101 and ask for Redditch CID.

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Back-To-Work Schemes 'Legally Flawed'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

The Government's back-to-work schemes, under which people on benefits work for free, are legally flawed, the Supreme Court has ruled.

Judges upheld an earlier Court of Appeal ruling which found that 2011 regulations underpinning the schemes, which have been criticised as "slave labour", were invalid.

However, the judges ruled that regulations did not constitute forced or compulsory labour, leaving both sides claiming victory.

The legal battle focused on several cases including graduate Cait Reilly who had been made to work for two weeks cleaning and stacking shelves in a Poundland store in Kings Heath, Birmingham.

The 24-year-old graduate said she gained nothing from the fortnight and felt as though she was simply giving her labour for free.

The other case was that of 40-year-old unemployed HGV driver Jamieson Wilson, from Nottingham, who had to do unpaid work cleaning furniture and was stripped of his jobseeker's allowance for six months.

The Supreme Court dismissed Secretary of State Iain Duncan Smith's appeal on the issue of the legality of the back-to-work schemes, holding that the regulations were "invalid" as they did not give sufficiently detailed "prescribed description" of the schemes.

Iain Duncan Smith is pleased with the ruling on 'slave labour'

It also held that the Secretary of State had failed to provide sufficient information about the schemes to Ms Reilly and Mr Wilson.

Following the judgment Miss Reilly, who said she had been unfairly labelled a 'job snob' for challenging the scheme, said: "I am really pleased with today's judgment, which I hope will serve to improve the current system and assist jobseekers who have been unfairly stripped of their benefits.

"I brought these proceedings because I knew that there was something wrong when I was stopped from doing voluntary work in a local museum and instead forced to work for Poundland for free.

"I have been fortunate enough to find work in a supermarket but I know how difficult it can be. It must be time for the Government to rethink its strategy and actually do something constructive to help lift people out of unemployment and poverty."

Following the Court of Appeal ruling in February, the Government retrospectively passed legislation to correct problems in the system.

That new legislation rendered much of today's Supreme Court ruling academic but the Government trumpeted its success.

Mr Duncan Smith said: "We are very pleased that the Supreme Court today unanimously upheld our right to require those claiming jobseeker's allowance to take part in programmes which will help get them into work.

"We have always said that it was ridiculous to say that our schemes amounted to forced labour, and yet again we have won this argument.

"Ultimately this judgment confirms that it is right that we expect people to take getting into work seriously if they want to claim benefits."

On Tuesday, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt lost his appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling, which found he had no power to announce cuts to A&E and maternity services at Lewisham Hospital.

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Tunisia: Suicide Bomber Strikes At Beach Resort

A man has blown himself up at a Mediterranean resort town in Tunisia which is popular with British holidaymakers.

The man, who was wearing a belt of explosives, detonated his charge near the Riadh Palm Hotel in Sousse - moments before security forces foiled a second similar attack elsewhere.

Witnesses told Tunisian media that the man appeared to be about to enter the hotel when the bomb detonated.

It is believed to be the first suicide bombing ever to take place in the country.

A would-be suicide bomber who tried to blow himself up at the tomb of former President Habib Bourguiba in the southern city of Monastir was captured by police.

The suicide bombing was in Sousse, and a second attack foiled in Monastir

"An attempted attack targeting the compound of the Bourguiba mausoleum was foiled ... and a young man carrying explosives was arrested," said ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Laroui.

Both men appeared to belong to an extremist group, he added.

The suicide bomber in Sousse, which is situated 90 miles south of the capital Tunis, was the only person killed in the attack, the interior ministry said.

There were no immediate reports of any other casualties.

Sousse has long been a major destination for European tourism, a sector that is now recovering from a catastrophic drop following the country's 2011 revolution which kick-started the Arab Spring.

The country has been battling unrest since the overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's secular dictatorship, and has seen the rise of a hardline Islamist movement that has armed itself and carried out attacks.

Earlier this year, Tunisia's moderate Islamist government began a crackdown on Ansar al Sharia, one of the most radical groups to emerge since the uprising.

The group's leader is a former al Qaeda veteran who once fought in Afghanistan.

Nine police officers were killed in clashes with militants earlier this month.

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Sheffield Pizza Man Killed On Final Delivery

A 25-year-old student has been stabbed to death as he made his final pizza delivery before starting a career as an IT consultant.

Thavisha Lakindu Peiris, who was originally from Sri Lanka, was found slumped at the wheel of his car on Sunday evening, in the Southey area of Sheffield, as he was on his way to deliver a takeaway.

Detectives say they cannot explain the "brutal and shocking death" of a "career-minded, hard-working, bright, articulate and friendly young man".

According to South Yorkshire Police, Mr Peiris was making his last delivery for Domino's Pizza when he died.

He had been working for the chain's branch on Halifax Road in the city, while he studied IT at Sheffield Hallam University.

Mr Peiris had been taking an order to an address in Southey Crescent, which was due around 10pm.

When he failed to arrive, his work colleagues went to look for him.

He was found dead at 10.30pm in the driver's seat of his silver Toyota Yaris, outside the address he was delivering to.

Southey Crescent in Sheffield, where Mr Peiris was found dead in his car

A post-mortem examination showed that he died from stab wounds.

A 50-strong police team is now working on the murder inquiry.

Mr Peiris's family are hoping to travel to South Yorkshire, police said.

Detective Superintendant Lisa Ray, who is leading the investigation, said no motive had yet been established for the murder, and police were keeping an open mind.

But as the crime was not committed on a main through road, she believed it likely the fatal attack was carried out by somebody locally.

Extensive house-to-house inquiries are being carried out, and CCTV footage is being examined. His car had also been taken to a specialist forensic garage.

Det Supt Ray said: "This was his last delivery he was going to make, so it's an absolute tragedy. At the moment we don't have any positive leads as to who was responsible."

But she added: "Somebody, somewhere knows something."

The branch of Domino's Pizza in Halifax Road where the 25-year-old worked

Police stress it was an isolated incident, but had increased the number of patrols in the area to reassure residents.

Det Supt said: "Thavisha Lakindu Peiris was a bright, hard-working, intelligent and caring man who had worked hard to develop his career in Sheffield.

"Everything we have learned from his family, friends and workmates at Domino's suggests he was a career-minded, hard-working, bright, articulate and friendly young man who was very much planning his future.

"To date, we have found no explanation for his brutal and shocking death.

"I need to hear from anyone who knows anything about his murder.

"A family is grieving for a young man whose life has been taken from him in the most brutal of fashions, and we owe it to him and his family to find the person or persons responsible."

He spoke to his mother in Sri Lanka every day.

A number of people have been arrested and questioned by detectives since the murder, but have since been released without charge, according to a force spokesman.

A spokesman for Sheffield Hallam University said Mr Peiris graduated in 2011.

He said: "The university is saddened to hear of the tragic death on Sunday of Thavisha Peiris, who successfully graduated in 2011 with a degree in information technology.

"We encourage anyone with information to contact South Yorkshire Police."

Anyone with information is urged to contact South Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 1253 of October 27.

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Newspapers Lose Battle To Halt Royal Charter

Newspaper publishers have lost a last-ditch legal challenge to stop the Government's press regulation plans being approved.

Two judges ruled they did not have an arguable case to challenge a decision rejecting proposals for a rival charter backed by the newspaper industry.

The publishers were refused an injunction to stop ministers going to the Privy Council today with plans to seek the Queen's approval for a rival royal charter.

They intend to take their case to the Court of Appeal this afternoon.

The rival charter is backed by the three major political parties but bitterly opposed by much of the industry.

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Boots Sells Sperm Count DIY Fertility Kit

A DIY male fertility test has gone on sale in Britain, allowing men to carry out sperm count checks at home for the first time.

The SpermCheck fertility kit went on sale in Boots stores across the UK this weekend.

The kit takes 10 minutes to test if a man has a normal or below normal sperm count.

The US-designed kit - which looks similar to a home pregnancy test - is able to determine with 98% accuracy whether a man has a low sperm count or not.

However, the test is unable to determine the health of the sperm.

Around one in six couples in the UK have difficulty conceiving a child.

Up to a fifth of young men suffer from a low sperm count, defined as having fewer than 20 million sperm per millilitre of semen.

A low sperm count or poor sperm quality is the cause of infertility in about 20% of couples in the UK, and is a contributory factor in a further 25% of couples.

SpermCheck chief executive Ray Lopez told the Mail on Sunday: "With this test we can truly help couples suffering from infertility.

"A lot of the time, the woman is the one who is burdened with finding out what is wrong, but the reality of the situation is that in 40% to 60% of cases, male factor infertility is to blame."

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David Beckham Involved In LA Car Collision

David Beckham has been involved in a car collision in Los Angeles but is unhurt, Sky News has confirmed.

His black Range Rover and a white Acura were damaged on Friday near the football star's home.

Photos of the scene showed the white 4x4 with a damaged front mudguard.

The complete front bumper of Beckham's SUV appeared to have been torn away in the impact.

Beckham's 14-year-old son Brooklyn was also in the car at the time.

After the collision Beckham, 38, waited for police to arrive.

"There was an incident on Friday between David and a woman driving a car," a source close to Beckham told Sky News.

It is understood that no action is to be taken against either driver.

"No one was hurt and there was no need for drivers to exchange details," the source told Sky.

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Storm: Britain Braced For Hurricane-Speed Winds

An amber weather warning has been issued across large parts of England and Wales as a hurricane-strength storm builds over the Atlantic and moves towards Britain.

Meteorologists have warned the fierce winds of up to 80mph and torrential rain  - which will first strike the south-west of England  - could leave a trail of destruction as the storm sweeps north-east across the country, damaging buildings and bringing down trees and power lines.

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

Storm clouds gathering over Brighton earlier Pic: Phil Beaven ‏@beevr001

Prime Minister David Cameron said he had chaired a call with Government departments and agencies to hear about their plans to "ensure people are protected from tonight's storm".

He was updated on preparations and contingency planning for transport, schools. hospitals, councils and power supplies.

Mr Cameron was told that the storm could have "a widespread impact", but that transport providers, local Government, emergency services and power companies had plans in place to respond.

The much-anticipated storm - which the Met Office has said will affect Britain on Sunday night and Monday morning - has been named St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, whose feast day is tomorrow.

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987.

Rough seas at Porthleven, Cornwall

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

This time he has warned people to "batten down the hatches" and to delay their journey by two or three hours on Monday morning.

He told Sky News' Murnaghan show: "There is certainly a severe storm on the way - and we certainly do need to worry about it.

"If you draw a line from about Aberystwyth to the Humber - everywhere south of there looks like getting affected by strong winds, to the north of that the problem is going to be heavy rain and localised flooding.

"These strong winds aren't going to last all that long, but they are going to be unfortunately getting up around about rush hour time, so the message we're trying to convey at the moment is to delay your journey just by two or three hours in the morning, and then you should be safe."

The storm will intensify very quickly when it reaches the UK

Fire chiefs have urged people to stay indoors if possible, and to take extra care if venturing out.

Insurance companies have advised households to take steps to protect themselves and their property.

People should also establish evacuation plans, place valuable items upstairs to limit flood damage and ensure gutters are clear so water can drain away.

The Environment Agency says 20-40mm of rain could fall within six to nine hours.

It has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts, and are closely monitoring water levels so they are ready to issue flood warnings if necessary.

A spokesman said: "Seafronts, quaysides and jetties should be avoided due to the risk of overtopping by waves and wind-blown shingle."

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

Severe weather alerts are in place, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

A yellow warning, meaning "be aware", has been issued for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

Ferry services between Plymouth and Roscof, as well as Penzance and the Isles of Scilly, have been cancelled.

Brittany Ferries, which runs the Plymouth-Roscoff route, said on its website: "We are in the process of contacting all passengers booked on these sailings. We apologise for the inconvenience the cancellation of these services will cause."

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday.

"So Monday morning's rush hour looks like being chaotic with travel and power interruptions anticipated.

"The public are advised to take the greatest care - and to carry a fully charged mobile if travel is necessary.

It has been compared to the Great Storm of 1987

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But the storm is expected to intensify near to the mainland before it hits the south-west coast with full force, with a strong jetstream and warm air close to the UK contributing to its development and strength.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads."

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

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Brooklyn Stabbings: Five Dead Including A Baby

Police have named a woman and four young children who were stabbed to death in New York City.

Officers arrived at an apartment on 57th Street, near Ninth Avenue, in Brooklyn, at 11pm on Saturday and found all five victims unconscious and unresponsive.

They were named as Qiao Zhen Li, 37, Linda Zhuo, nine, Amy Zhuo, seven, Kevin Zhuo, five, and one-year-old William Zhuo.

William and the two girls were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency crews.

The woman and five-year-old boy were taken to separate Brooklyn hospitals where they were later pronounced dead.

A police officer seals off the street near the attack

Police did not give the relationships of the victims but said they all lived in the home.

Sources said a 25-year-old suspect, believed to be a relative, was arrested at the scene.

Police handcuffed the man inside the apartment. He was wearing jeans and had blood on his bare feet.

The children's distraught father reportedly arrived home from work to find the area sealed off by police.

One report said a machete and scissors were taken from the building as evidence.

Fire Department spokesman Jim Long said emergency workers received a 911 call from a person stabbed at the residence in the Sunset Park neighbourhood.

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