JFK Anniversary: 'Remarkable Life' Remembered

JFK: Magic Bullet, Fourth Shot And A Pink Dress

Updated: 1:28am UK, Friday 22 November 2013

From the magic bullet theory to the first lady's blood-stained pink dress, we look at some of the crucial findings and iconic moments surrounding John F Kennedy's assassination.

:: OFFICIAL FINDINGS

The Warren Commission, chaired by Chief Justice Earl Warren, concluded after a ten-month inquiry in 1964 that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. The US House Select Committee on Assassinations found in 1978 that Mr Kennedy "was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy", though investigators were unable to identify a second gunman or the extent of the conspiracy.

:: FOURTH SHOT

The Warren Commission said three shots were fired, all from the Texas School Book Depository. But some witnesses reported hearing a shot from the grassy knoll. One witness, Sam Holland, reported seeing a "puff of smoke" from a group of trees on the knoll. However, no physical evidence pointed to another shooter and nobody reported seeing a person with a rifle at the spot. The Select Committee said it was probable that a fourth shot had been fired from the grassy knoll but missed.

:: MAGIC BULLET

This is one of the most controversial theories surrounding the assassination. The Warren Commission asserted that one bullet passed through Mr Kennedy's throat and then struck Texas Governor John Connally's chest and wrist before lodging in his leg. Sceptics believe this trajectory to be improbable and say the bullet should have been more damaged.

:: ABRAHAM ZAPRUDER

A Russian immigrant who, via Brooklyn, had settled in Dallas, Abraham Zapruder was a successful manufacturer of women's clothing. Like many Americans, the 58-year-old was developing a passion for homemade movies and set out to film Mr Kennedy's motorcade with his 8mm camera. His silent, colour film, taken from a pedestal on grassy knoll, lasts 26 seconds and contains 486 frames. It remains the clearest video of the assassination. The original Zapruder film is part of the Kennedy Collection and is in the custody of the Motion Picture Sound and Video staff.

:: AUTOPSY REPORT

Among the facts that have fed conspiracy theories is the charge that the original notes written by one of the two Navy pathologists who performed the autopsy had disappeared. The pathologist, Dr James J Humes, explained that he burned his original set of notes because they were stained with Mr Kennedy's blood and wanted to prevent them from becoming a macabre collector's item. In a 1992 interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association, he said he had burned them in his fireplace "after I had copied verbatim in my own handwriting the entire contents". 

:: QUESTIONING THE FIRST LADY

Justice Warren, who was close to the Kennedys, resisted interviewing Jacqueline Kennedy to protect her from further distress. Bowing to pressure from other commission members, he agreed to the interview, but he did so without informing other relevant members of the commission and for just a few minutes, according to a new book called A Cruel And Shocking Act by Philip Shenon.

:: THE PINK DRESS

Mrs Kennedy's pink dress, a Chanel-like ensemble with navy lapels complete with pink pillbox hat, has become a symbol of both her glamour and of the assassination day's violence. Mrs Kennedy insisted on wearing the suit, stained by her husband's blood, during Lyndon Johnson's swearing-in and on the flight back to Washington. According to William Manchester's book the Death Of A President, to aides urging her to clean up, she responded: "No, let them see what they've done." Now the dress, still stained, is preserved in a vault of the National Archives, out of view according to restrictions imposed by the Kennedy family. The hat is believed to have been lost in the day's confusion.

:: FUNERAL

Three days after the assassination, the US stopped to bid farewell to the murdered president. The state funeral on November 25, 1963, in Washington drew hundreds of foreign dignitaries. Only 50,300,000 American households had televisions in 1963, and it was estimated that 41,553,000 sets were tuned into the funeral. The ceremony included a touching moment that went on to become one of the iconic images of US history: The president's son, John F Kennedy Jr, saluting his father's casket near St Matthew's Cathedral after the funeral mass in Washington. The president was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

:: JIM GARRISON

New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison announced in 1967 that he had "solved the assassination", accusing anti-Communist and anti-Castro extremists in the CIA. In 1969, he brought to trial New Orleans businessman Clay Shaw on charges of conspiring to assassinate Mr Kennedy with the help of Lee Harvey Oswald and others. A jury took less than an hour to find Mr Shaw not guilty in a trial many saw as a farce. To date, Mr Shaw is the  only man to have been prosecuted for the Kennedy assassination.

:: POPULAR CULTURE

Fifty years after the assassination, a majority of Americans believe Mr Kennedy was the victim of a conspiracy - 61 % according to a Gallup poll this month. Numerous books and movies have been made on the Kennedy assassination, many espousing conspiracy theories. In 1991, Oliver Stone's JFK - largely based on Mr Garrison's views - rekindled interest in the conspiracy theories and led to the declassification of thousands of relevant documents. In 2001, the miniseries The Kennedys, starring Greg Kinnear as the president and Katie Holmes as the first lady, chronicled the life of the family.

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Ex Co-op Bank Chairman Paul Flowers Arrested

Former Co-op bank chairman Paul Flowers has been arrested in connection with a drugs supply investigation, police have said.

West Yorkshire Police said officers detained the 63-year-old in the Merseyside area on Thursday night and he is being questioned at a police station in West Yorkshire.

Mr Flowers, a Methodist minister, was suspended by both the church and the Labour party following claims about drugs.

His arrest comes as the Co-op is seeking to recover £31,000 paid to him since he quit his £132,000-a-year post in June.

Police outside Mr Flowers' house in Bradford

In a statement, it said: "When Paul Flowers relinquished his responsibilities in June, it was agreed, as per his contractual obligations, that his fees for the rest of his period of office would be paid.

"Following recent revelations, the board stopped all payments with immediate effect and no further payments will be made."

Mr Flowers, who led the Co-op Bank for three years, has been accused of incompetence after the bank found a £1.5bn black hole in its finances.

This followed the purchase of Britannia Building Society in 2009 and abortive attempts to take on hundreds of Lloyds Bank branches.

The Co-op is in trouble after a series of bad deals

The bank now faces a rescue which will see 50 branches close and investors including US hedge funds take control of 70% of the business.

The crisis at the Co-op is expected to be high on the agenda at a Prudential Regulation Authority board meeting at the Bank of England later.

Conservative MP David Davis has said George Osborne and the Treasury had "serious questions to answer" about the oversight of the bank.

"There are really serious questions to answer about what they were all doing," he told the Financial Times.

Mr Flowers has been described as "very believable, very plausible"

He said issues over the bank's operations were raised by a rival at the time of the aborted takeover bid of Lloyds branches.

"These problems were apparent to a rival and would have been - with a bit of work - to anyone else," Mr Davis said.

Labour - which accuses Prime Minister David Cameron of seeking to "smear" the party over its relationship with the Co-op - seized on the comments in a bid to move the spotlight on to the Conservatives.

Leader Ed Miliband insists the party acted with the "utmost integrity" in its dealings with Mr Flowers and suspended him when the allegations about his private life emerged.

Labour has come under fire over its dealings with the Co-op

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls, who received a £50,000 donation to his office from the Co-operative Group, said he had "nothing to hide".

He told Sky News political editor Adam Boulton that he had never had a phone call or a meeting with Mr Flowers and stressed that the donation came from the Co-op Group and not the Co-op Bank.

Mr Cameron has announced an inquiry into the bank's ailing finances and the decision to appoint Mr Flowers - with details expected to be announced within days.

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Police: No More Suspects In 'Slavery' Case

Police investigating alleged slavery at a house in London are not looking for any more suspects or victims.

Officers arrested two people after three women aged between 30 and 69 were rescued from a house in Lambeth, south London, following a probe sparked by a Sky News report.

And detectives say the pair, a man and a woman both aged 67, are also being questioned on immigration charges.

Scotland Yard also said the two were previously arrested in the 1970s, but did not reveal the nature of those arrests.

Police, who have bailed the pair until January pending further enquiries, said they expected the investigation to take a "considerable" amount of time.

The three alleged victims are a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, a 57-year-old Irish woman and a 30-year-old Briton - who police say may have been held captive for her entire life.

The house in question is at an address in Lambeth

The case came to light after one of the three told a charity she had been held against her will in a house in London for more than 30 years.

Police said the two suspects have been in the country for "many years", and said the case "so far is unique to us".

It was described as a "complicated and disturbing picture of emotional control over many years".

The women were rescued from a house in Lambeth in south London last month after one of them saw Aneeta Prem, founder of the Freedom Charity, being interviewed on Sky News and contacted her charity for help.

Commander Steve Rodhouse said police are "unpicking a story that spans at least 30 years of these women's lives".

He said that to the outside world they may have appeared to have been a "normal family".

"This does mean that over the course of many decades the people at the heart of this investigation, and the victims, would probably have come into contact with public services, including our own," he said.

"That's something we need to examine fully. What I can say with some certainty is that the two suspects in this case were arrested by the Metropolitan Police in the 1970s, some considerable time ago."

Mr Rodhouse said police do not believe the case falls into the category of sexual exploitation or what is traditionally referred to as human trafficking.

"It is not as brutally obvious as women being physically restrained inside an address and not being allowed to leave," he said.

He said that to label the investigation as domestic servitude or forced labour is "far too simplistic".

More follows.,,

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Arctic Oil Protest Brits Freed In Russia

Five of the Britons arrested by Russian authorities during a Greenpeace protest against Arctic oil drilling have been released from detention in St Petersburg.

Activists Iain Rogers, Frank Hewetson, Alexandra Harris and Anthony Perrett, and journalist Kieron Bryan are the first of six Britons to be freed on bail. Three Russian nationals were freed on Monday.

Thirty people, including the six Britons aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, were detained after the protest in September.

Anthony Perrett following his release Frank Hewetson

The sixth Briton, Philip Ball, has been granted bail, but has yet to be freed.

Speaking after his release, Mr Bryan told Sky News it felt "very, very good" to be free.

"It's good to be outside and see the sky for the first time for a while," he said.

"To everyone who's supported me and the rest of the group: Keep fighting, we're not free yet, this is first step. It's a glimmer of justice, but it's not finished."

He said being imprisoned had been "tough" and that he was looking forward to "a long shower", "never doing another Sudoku puzzle again" and "an improved diet".

Mr Rogers told Sky News: "It's lovely (to be out). It's been pretty traumatic, but it's good for the campaign.

"I think Gazprom have given us the ideal opportunity and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart for publicising our campaign to stop drilling in the Arctic so much."

Iain Rogers at a previous court hearing

Speaking immediately after his release, Mr Hewetson told Sky News: "It feels very good to be out. It's been a long time, two months.

"The campaign's not over. There are many oil companies that are going to be drilling in the Arctic, not only in Russia. In Greenland, America and Canada. The fight continues."

Asked if he would do it again, he said: "That depends."

All 30 of the accused were initially charged with piracy but are now accused of hooliganism, which carries a shorter maximum jail term of seven years.

Ms Harris revealed she was kept in a cell on her own after being taken to a prison in Murmansk.

"For the first week it was really harsh. It was nerve-wracking," she said immediately after being released.

Alexandra Harris after learning her bail application had been successful

"I was in a cell on my own. You do get used to it, but it was tough."

All those released have had their passports returned to them, but none have visas and it is unclear if they will be allowed to leave the country.

Greenpeace on Thursday unveiled giant portraits of those arrested - the "Arctic 30" - outside the London offices of oil giant Shell.

The protest group said it was drawing attention to Shell and its Russian partner Gazprom's planned joint venture to drill for oil in the Arctic.

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: "Shell and Gazprom are not equipped to drill in the Arctic without causing catastrophic damage to the unique ecosystem.

"But what makes their Arctic plans so blindly stupid is that they're only able to drill there because of the huge loss of Arctic sea ice from climate change."

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Monty Python Announce London Comeback Show

Monty Python have revealed their comeback will be on July 1, 2014 at the 02 arena in London.

Directed by Phil McIntyre, it will be the legendary comedy troupe's first new show in three decades.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on November 25.

Eric Idle, Michael Palin, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones chose actor Warwick Davis to host the news conference and began by joking that the show had been awarded to Qatar.

The name labels got a little "confused"

Idle said their comeback would centre on the team's "greatest hits" and would also pay tribute to Graham Chapman, the sixth Python member, who died in 1989.

Just a single show was announced and there are no plans so far to extend the run or take the show on tour.

"We just thought it would be fun to do one and see if we were still funny," Idle told reporters.

"That is our intention so far - just to do the O2 and see if we can fill it."

Tickets prices would be priced from £27.50 to £95.

"We're advertising it as only £300 cheaper than the Stones," joked Idle.

(L-R) Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin and John Cleese

A statement ahead of the news conference said the show would be the group's "final reunion".

The show will be their first time on stage together since performing at the Hollywood Bowl on September 15, 1980 and 40 years after they last appeared on stage in the UK.

The group's Monty Python's Flying Circus TV show was made between 1969 and 1974 and is widely acknowledged as having revolutionised British comedy.

They have since amassed millions of fans for their anarchic comedy series and films, which also launched their own successful solo careers.

"We quite enjoy getting together to be very silly," Michael Palin told the news conference.

"I didn't think it was possible to be silly over 70 but actually it's easier - and very necessary."

John Cleese added: "We just laugh a lot when we're together and we always have."

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Miliband Accuses Cameron Of Co-Op 'Smear'

The Labour leader has hit back at questions over his relationship with the disgraced former Co-op Bank chairman claiming it is all Tory smears.

Ed Miliband accused the Prime Minister of taking a "serious situation at the bank" and using it to make a "cheap political point".

He said: "I think what this episode says is more about the character of the Prime Minister than the character of Labour's relationship with the Co-op.

"We have a Prime Minister who, when he sees a serious situation at the bank, turns to make cheap political points rather than sorting out that serious situation.

"And frankly if David Cameron is determined to smear his way through the next 18 months that's wrong and that is not what the British people expect from their Prime Minister."

He said the Conservatives were "throwing around wild accusations" regarding the disclosures that the Labour Party benefitted from up to £18m of "soft loans".

Paul Flowers speaking about trust in the Co-op Bank in 2012

Mr Miliband said: "As soon as I knew about Reverend Flowers' activities he was suspended from the Labour Party and now what needs to be happen is there does need to be a look at the regulatory issues around the regulation of the Co-op and Reverend Flowers' role in that ."

He said the Labour Party had a "historic relationship" with the Co-op that long pre-dated Mr Flowers involvement with the bank.

Electoral Commission documents show a significant number of loans made to the party at more favourable interest rates than those extended to ordinary customers.

One £1.2m loan deal was made just weeks after the ex-Methodist minister Mr Flowers was invited to a meeting at Mr Miliband's office in March this year.

It has also emerged that Mr Flowers was brought on to the Labour Party's business advisory group and the party is under pressure to explain a £50,000 donation to the shadow chancellor, Ed Balls.

Mr Flowers, who led the Co-op for three years until 2013, is being investigated by the police for allegedly buying and using illegal drugs including crystal meth, crack cocaine and ketamine.

Cameron pledges an inquiry into Mr Flowers' appointment to the bank

It has also emerged that he was convicted for drink-driving in 1990 and for gross indecency in a toilet with a man in1981.

In 2011 he resigned his role on Bradford council after being caught with pornography on his council laptop and it has been claimed he falsely claimed £75,000 from a drugs charity when he was chairman of trustees in 2004.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday after pledging an inquiry into Mr Flowers' three years at the helm of the Co-op Bank, Mr Cameron said: "What we can now see is that this bank, driven into the wall by this chairman, has been giving soft loans to the Labour Party, facilities to the Labour Party, donations to the Labour Party, trooped in and out of Downing Street under Labour, still advising the leader of the Labour Party.

"And yet, now we know, all along they knew about his past. Why did they do nothing to bring to the attention of the authorities this man who has broken a bank?"

Mr Flowers has also been accused of incompetence and resigned his £132,000-a-year post as chair in June after a £1.5bn black hole was discovered in its finances.

The bank found a massive gap following the purchase of Britannia Building Society in 2009 and abortive attempts to take on hundreds of Lloyds branches.

Mr Flowers stumbles when answering MPs' questions

It now faces a rescue which will see 50 branches close and investors including US hedge funds take control of 70% of the business.

During an appearance before the Commons Treasury committee earlier this month, Mr Flowers stumbled over basic facts and figures relating to the bank.

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Daniel Radcliffe Warns Social Media Celebrities

By Richard Suchet, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

Celebrities who tell fans what they are doing "moment to moment" on social media sites cannot expect to have a private life, according to Daniel Radcliffe.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, the Harry Potter star said he tries to avoid the limelight.

"There's certain things you can do to make it a lot easier on yourself," the 24-year-old said. 

"If you don't, for instance, go to premieres that aren't for a film you're in, or don't just turn up at other events and stuff like that, then that's going to help to not fuel the interest.

"Also, I don't have Twitter and I don't have Facebook, and I think that makes things a lot easier because if you go on Twitter and tell everybody what you're doing moment to moment and then claim you want a private life, then no one is going to take that request seriously."

Radcliffe says he has a 'chip on his shoulder'

Speaking ahead of the launch of the second series of A Young Doctor's Notebook on Sky Arts 1 (Thursday, 9pm), he said that when he was younger he resented the attention that his success as a young actor had brought, but that he has no regrets.

"When I was 18 or 19 there was definitely a level of frustration around ... I did have to think where I went more than a lot of my friends and you do get a little frustrated around that age, but ultimately it's childish, petulant - oh I want that too.

"People always say to me 'Do you feel like you missed out on a childhood? Do you feel like you had your childhood taken away?' And I'm like 'No, ridiculous... kids who are abused have their childhoods taken away from them'."

However, he admitted he now has a "chip on his shoulder" that people might think he was fortunate to win the Harry Potter role and now feels he needs to prove himself again.

Radcliffe stars with Mad Men actor John Hamm in A Young Doctor's Notebook

"It's as much to myself, as to anyone else. People always say 'oh he's got a chip on his shoulder' like it's a bad thing. I think it's a perfectly good thing if you let it motivate you.

"When you fall into a position when you're 11 years old, you do tend to think that, you know, everyone, you were lucky to get there. And I was lucky to get there. And I think there's a sense that you just fell into it and that you rode the wave and carried on.

"And that's not what I'm about. I don't know how many people think like that - there may be none, there may be millions, but it doesn't matter. It fires you up."

Radcliffe, who stars in the show with Mad Men actor Jon Hamm, also reveals that despite being worth an estimated £50m, his biggest indulgence is books.

"The only time I will spend a wad of cash in one go - and this is going to sound so nerdy - is in bookshops. I've gone out of bookshops with a pile of 15 to 20 books before. It's excessive.

"I have this thing in bookshops where if I see this thing that there's a good chance I may never ever see again or sounds interesting then I have to get it.

"So that's a way of bleeding your money. The only slightly lavish thing that I do sometimes is that I might take all my friends out for a night out. And that's, like, once a year. I'm refreshingly boring."

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Freed Greenpeace Activists Hit Out At Detention

The latest British Greenpeace activists to be granted bail by a court in Russia have welcomed the decision - but say it shouid have happened "months ago".

Frank Hewetson, 45, and 37-year-old Iain Rogers were among 30 people arrested by Russian security forces after an oil rig protest in the Arctic two months ago.

Father-of-two Mr Hewetson, from London, said: "I'm happy but it should have happened two months ago.

"i think our detention in prison has been unwarranted. We are a peaceful organisation, we are not hooligans."

His partner, Nina Gold, said: "It is a massive relief to know that Frank has been granted bail and that we can see him and talk to him soon.

"But it is not over yet - Frank and the others are still facing absurd charges carrying the threat of a long jail sentence."

When asked by Sky's Katie Stallard if he had a message for his family, Mr Rogers, from Exeter, joked: "Tell my mum I'm saving loads of money!"

Three other Britons, Alex Harris, Anthony Perrett and journalist Kieron Bryan, are also due for release after winning their bail applications on Wednesday.

(L to R) Ms Harris, Mr Bryan and Mr Perrett

Five of the six Britons in detention have now been given bail. The sixth, Philip Ball, will have his application heard on Friday.

More than 20 of those on the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise have now been allowed bail by courts in St Petersburg.

It follows international condemnation over Russia's treatment of the so-called Arctic 30.

Brazilian Ana Paula Maciels, 31, was the first to be released from custody on Wednesday after Greenpeace paid her £38,000 bail.

She was followed on Thursday morning by three Russians - activist Andrei Allakhverdov, photographer Denis Sinyakov and the ship's doctor Yekaterina Zaspa.

Ms Maciels after she was released from detention

The 'Arctic 30' were detained in September after their vessel entered Arctic waters despite Russian warnings.

Some of the activists had tried to scale an offshore drilling platform owned by the state gas giant Gazprom.

The protesters were initially charged with piracy but this was changed to the less serious offence of  hooliganism, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years.

No date has yet been set by for their trials.

Greenpeace denies any wrongdoing and is demanding that all the activists -  who come from 18 different countries - and their ship are freed.

Protesters climb the Prirazlomnaya oil platform

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appealed to Russia to be lenient with the activists, saying environmentalists play a key role in society.

"They (Russia) may have their own domestic rules and regulations but I would hope that they would have some favourable and sympathetic considerations for this case," he said.

"In this world the civil societies ... play a very important role. It is not only the government or business communities who make this world move. A very significant part is now shared by civil society, including Greenpeace."

Meanwhile, Greenpeace has unveiled giant portraits of the 'Arctic 30' as part of its campaign against drilling in the Arctic.

The black and white photographs were put up outside the London offices of oil giant Shell.

Greenpeace said it was drawing attention to Shell and Gazprom's planned oil venture in the Arctic.

Entitled Thirty Acts of Courage, the "exhibition" was officially opened by fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, who said: "I'm delighted to be able to open this exhibition celebrating the bravery of the Arctic 30.

"Their audacious efforts to protect one of the world's last remaining wildernesses from exploitation by the oil industry are an example to us all."

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Hull Named As UK City Of Culture 2017

Hull has been named as the UK City of Culture 2017, beating Leicester, Swansea Bay and Dundee to the title.

The city will hope to see an economic boost from the accolade, which is handed out every four years.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Maria Miller said: "This is brilliant news for Hull and everyone involved in the bid there.

Famous abolitionist William Wilberforce is among Hull's famous sons

"This year's UK City of Culture, Derry-Londonderry, demonstrates the huge benefits that the title brings. These include encouraging economic growth, inspiring social change and bringing communities together.

"It can produce a wonderful mix of inward investment and civic pride, and I hope Hull's plans will make the most of all that being UK City of Culture can bring."

Ms Miller praised the three losing cities for the "time, effort and determination" they put into their bids.

"I hope they will still take forward many of the fantastic ideas and events they had planned so that their communities can enjoy these innovative cultural plans," she said.

Referencing Hull band The Housemartins' first big hit, Happy Hour, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who was a Hull MP for almost 40 years, responded to the news on his Twitter page, writing: "It's Happy Hour again! #HullYes Well done."

TV producer Phil Redmond, who chaired the advisory panel that helped choose the winner, said all four shortlisted cities showed a "real understanding" of what the award was about.

But he said: "Ultimately it was the unanimous verdict of the panel that Hull put forward the most compelling case based on its theme as 'a city coming out of the shadows'.

Hull Marina is a popular attraction in the city

"This is at the heart of their project and reminds both its people and the wider world of both its cultural past and future potential.

"We were particularly impressed with Hull's evidence of community and creative engagement, their links to the private sector and their focus on legacy, including a commitment to enhance funding beyond 2017, and I'd like to congratulate all involved."

Previous holders of the title have sought to improve the image of their city, holding various artistic and cultural events in an effort to increase visitor numbers and offer a boost to the local economy.

Hull's Princes Quay shopping centre

Hull's city council admits one of the aims of the bid is to "change the perceptions" of the city.

It is often derided - up until this year regularly featuring in the comic book Crap Towns - and last month an Economist article cited Hull as one of "Britain's Decaying Towns".

But the current city of culture, Londonderry, has seen visitor numbers double over the course of this year and had around £120m of capital investment pumped into the city since winning the title in 2009.

The Guildhall in the centre of Hull and the city's Prince Street

Its mayor, Councillor Martin Reilly, said: "I am confident that an amazing year awaits Hull as the winning city for 2017.

"I wish them every success and look forward to forming a working relationship with Hull to share our experiences and learning."

Leicester's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said he was surprised and disappointed at the result.

"I can only guess that Hull desperately needed a shot in the arm while the judges decided we in Leicester are making our way successfully and didn't need it as much," he said.

Meanwhile, Welsh Secretary David Jones said: "As much as today's announcement will come as disappointing news to those who have supported Swansea Bay's bid, they should be rightly proud of all that they have achieved."

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Four Killed In Derbyshire Village House Fire

Two adults and two children have died in a house fire in Derbyshire, police have said.

A third child, a seven-year-old girl, is in hospital in Chesterfield with minor injuries.

The fire broke out on Williamthorpe Road, North Wingfield, a village about four miles south of Chesterfield.

Fire crews from Clay Cross, Chesterfield and Staveley were called to the scene at 5am and an investigation is now under way into the cause of the fire.

Police said Williamthorpe Road will be closed for several hours and local diversions are in operation.

More details of the incident are expected at a police news conference from the scene at 2pm.

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Ferry Firm Rescues 'Too Fat To Fly' Frenchman

A ferry company has stepped in to help a 32-stone Frenchman who was told he was too heavy to board a plane or a Eurostar train.

Kevin Chenais was left stranded in Britain after being banned from travelling through the Channel Tunnel on the grounds he posed a safety risk.

But ferry firm P&O said it would transport the 22-year-old back across the English Channel on its Spirit of Britain vessel.

A P&O spokesman said: "We're delighted to help. It's not difficult for us.

"We're used to carrying ambulances across the Channel, so we're set up for this type of thing.

"It's difficult to imagine the frustration that this gentleman has gone through. But for us, it's very straight-forward as we're set up to carry people who have medical needs."

Mr Chenais' travel problems began when he was left stuck in the United States after British Airways refused to carry him on his return ticket. In the end, Virgin Atlantic flew him into London.

P&O said it was "delighted" to help Mr Chenais

But Mr Chenais, who uses a mobility scooter, then encountered more difficulties when trying to travel to France when Eurostar declined to transport him because of safety regulations.

A spokesman for Eurostar said: "This is a terrible situation.

"Our heart goes out to Mr Chenais and his family who are understandably desperate to return home after being stranded in America.

"Unfortunately, there was no question that he would have been able to travel with Eurostar as we must observe very strict safety rules which govern travel through the Channel Tunnel.

"Those provisions require that all passengers are able to be evacuated into the Channel Tunnel in the event of an emergency.

"As a consequence of Mr Chenais's immobility, this would simply not have been possible and would have posed a safety risk to himself, our crew and all of the other passengers on board.

"We simply cannot ignore these safety regulations, nor would we want to."

A British Airways statement said: "We will always try to accommodate someone if it's possible and safe to do so.

"Our customer service team worked diligently to find a solution and have exhausted all options."

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Greenpeace Protest: Britons Released On Bail

Two Britons have been freed on bail after they were arrested following attempts by Greenpeace to occupy an oil platform in the Arctic.

Greenpeace activist Alexandra Harris and independent video-journalist Kieron Bryan were given the news at a court in St Petersburg after spending two months in custody following the protest at the Prirazlomnaya platform in September.

As she heard the news, Ms Harris skipped for joy and said: "This has been the hardest experience of my life. I'm really happy. It's not over yet but there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Journalist Kieron Bryan shows his relief at the news

"It's nice the Russians made the right decision. I love my parents and look forward to speaking to them soon."

Ms Harris' father Chris said: "We're incredibly proud of how she has conducted herself throughout this ordeal.

"I can see when she came into court she was smiling and happy as she'd heard the news the others had been granted bail, but as the hearing progressed she became emotional.

"I think she'll make her own mind up what she does in life. She's always been passionate about the Arctic and we're proud of her.

British activist Iain Rogers was denied bail at a hearing in October

After his release Mr Bryan said: "This has been really difficult and it has been made a lot easier hearing how much support I have in the UK. To my family, 'I love you and I hope to see you soon'."

Speaking of his detention, he said: "I had a couple of phone calls with my girlfriend and that's it. It's the worst possible isolation.

"The conditions were terrible in Murmansk. I think we're very lucky in the UK. Things were better in St Petersburg because they decorated my cell and made it look nice."

Mr Bryan said the moment of his arrest when Russian special forces abseiled onto the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise was like something out of a Hollywood movie.

Russian special forces arrested the protesters at gunpoint in September

"They didn't declare who they were they just pointed their guns at us and took over the ship. I had no idea it was going to carry on like this. If I knew that was the beginning of this nightmare I would have behaved differently."

The group were initially charged with piracy but are now accused of hooliganism, which carries a maximum jail term of seven years.

Greenpeace spokeswoman Birgitte Lesanner said she was "proud" of the protesters, including six Britons, and said their resilience had been "amazing".

"We need to remember they're still charged with really horrible charges and we've no clue as to the next steps, so we're not celebrating yet," she said.

The ship's Captain, Pete Wilcox, was also freed on bail

"But that moment when they (said) they're released on bail (was) quite amazing."

Earlier, as she was led into the courtroom by police, Ms Harris told supporters she felt "trapped inside a political game".

Speaking from inside a metal cage, she told Sky News correspondent Katie Stallard: "I will not dishonour Greenpeace or my country by trying to flee Russia or the investigation."

Ms Harris, whose bail was set at two million rubles (£38,098), said she was nervous and that the past two months had been "horrible".

"When I talk about the last two months, it's hard not to get emotional," she said.

"The conditions (in prison) at first were awful and the food was disgusting.

"They're better now but it's still prison. I'm still trapped, I can't speak to anyone (and I'm) cut off from the world. It's no better."

A total of 30 people aboard the Arctic Sunrise were detained after the protest in September.

Greenpeace activist Anthony Perrett is expected to have his bail application heard later.

A fourth Briton, Iain Rogers, the Arctic Sunrise engineer, was refused bail at a hearing in October.

Dutch protester Faiza Oulahsen and the ship's captain, Pete Wilcox, were granted bail earlier, while Sini Saarela of Finland and Francesco Pisanu of France had their applications approved yesterday.

However, Australian activist Colin Russell was denied bail at an earlier hearing and will be kept in detention until February.

:: Watch Sky News for live coverage of the hearing.

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Stafford: Cover-Up Hospitals To Lose Insurance

Stafford Hospital: The Victims

Updated: 1:45pm UK, Tuesday 19 November 2013

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

The families of three patients that died at Stafford Hospital have spoken of the neglect and failings there.

It was March 2010 when 61-year-old Alan Nash walked into Stafford Hospital for a routine colonoscopy.

Inquiries were already underway into a scandal, which suggested that between 2005 and 2008 up to 1,200 patients may have died needlessly.

As a result the Nash family believed the standards of care would be high. But Mr Nash's bowel was perforated and he died the same day.

His daughter Marie Hillman said: "We felt that all eyes would be on Stafford Hospital so there would not be any mistakes. Obviously it is one of the biggest regrets I have that we talked him into going."

His wife Jenny Nash: "I don't exactly know where the room is where they do the colonoscopy. But I was just sitting in the waiting room and it is not a big area anyway.

"I did hear. It was just like somebody had been punched in the stomach where you get that gasp, if you like and it was quite loud. I think that is when they actually perforated it."

Ms Hillman said: "He had gone into hospital for a routine diagnosis. It was just like a nightmare. A nurse said to me, you will probably find that this happened at home. This happened before he came in.

"And I thought there is no way. Dad walked into the hospital, there is no way this happened at home."

The family thought that they were trying to blame Mr Nash and "pass the buck".

His wife said: "I wasn't with him at the time, I was outside. I didn't know he was going to die."

Ms Hillman maintains that there has been no apology at all.

She said: "We would like more answers. We would like reassurance that steps have been put in place that would prevent this from happening to somebody else. But we haven't had that as of today."

In the case, the hospital did not accept that it had breached its duty of care.

Doreen Duff had already suffered a stroke before she moved to Stafford and came under the care of the local hospital.

She developed asthma and other complications and used the Accident and Emergency on a number of occasions before she was admitted. Doreen was 64 when she died in 2008.

Her husband James Duff said: "The A&E department was just chaotic. You couldn't get a doctor. If you did see one they would go off once they had seen you and they wouldn't come back until they had time again. Short staffed, rude, very, very dirty.

"At one time she was discharged from A&E and was back in A&E within an hour. She suffered more strokes and was eventually paralysed from the neck down and couldn't speak.

"When Doreen went in she was quite a bubbly person and had quite a good quality of life. She had lost the use of her left side but she had still got all the right side and she was as bright as a button.

"When she came out she was paralysed from the neck down, couldn't speak and everything had just gone. That was just because of the care she received in Stafford Hospital, a lack of care. Not giving her medication, not given the proper fluids and left in a bed that is wet, in your own faeces.

"After what we have all been through, the relatives of these, the care still isn't as it should be. They are still getting complaints coming through."

Deb Hazeldine suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of her 67-year-old mother Ellen's death from the hospital superbug C-difficile at Stafford Hospital.

"I will never get over it," said Ms Hazeldine who admits that she still struggles to cope more than six years after her loss.

She said: "My mum was diagnosed with bone cancer in March of 2006. She had some aggressive chemotherapy and unfortunately she suffered a fall at home.

"She didn't sustain any injuries at that point and she was taken into Mid-Staffs where she was told she would need physio and rehabilitation just to get her back on her feet."

Her mother was put onto an open ward despite a family request for her to have a side room or an isolation wing.

"She very quickly contracted C-diff and MRSA. She died from C-diff. She was sitting in a bed in a ward and I was sitting opposite her. We were chatting and faeces fell and covered half of the floor. Obviously it was at visiting time and other people were looking across. My mum just started to quietly cry.

"She was mortified that she was in this state. I looked for a nurse and pressed the buzzer and after about five minutes nobody came.

"I got down on my hands and knees and I started to clean it. I couldn't let my mum sit there like that. 

"When she died we had a call from the undertakers that stated that mum had so many hospital infections that the hospital said she had to be buried in a sealed body bag because she would contaminate the ground she went into.

"Even now we are hearing of complaints that there is lack of support on the wards, these families are still raising the same concerns as I was raising six years ago, of having to go in and support their loved ones.

"I don't understand that six years on, I really don't understand that."

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Iranian Embassy Blasts Kill 23 In Beirut

Two explosions at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut have killed 23 people and injured 146, Lebanon's health minister has said.

Ali Hassan Khalil said the number of victims, which include the embassy's cultural attache, was not final and could rise further.

Lebanese officials say security footage showed a suicide bomber and car bomb were behind the blasts in the neighbourhood of Janah, in the south of the Lebanese capital.

The area is a stronghold of the militant Hizbollah group, which is a main ally of President Bashar al Assad in neighbouring Syria's civil war. It is unclear if the blasts are related to that conflict.

State television in Syria said: "The Syrian government firmly condemns the terrorist attack carried out near the Iranian embassy in Beirut."

The front of the embassy was badly damaged in the blast

Iran accused Israel of being responsible for the attacks.

The bombings were "an inhuman crime and spiteful act done by Zionists and their mercenaries," ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said in remarks reported by the official IRNA news agency.

Al Qaeda-linked group the Abdullah Azzam Brigades has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The neighbourhood has been hit by several blasts in recent months that have killed and wounded scores.

Shi'ite Iran has been bankrolling Mr Assad's fight against the mainly Sunni rebels and has given military support.

Southern Beirut is known as a Hizbollah stronghold and has been hit by at least three other explosions this year.

Those attacks were blamed on groups linked to the rebels, believed to be in retaliation for its involvement in Syria's civil war.

Hizbollah fighters have been supporting Mr Assad's forces in several strategic battles across Syria, a move that has also increased sectarian tension in the two countries.

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Monty Python's Circus Set To Fly Again

Comedy veterans Monty Python are set to reunite for their first major project in 30 years.

Surviving members of the team at the Spamalot opening in New York in 2005

Surviving members John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin are expected to announce their plans at a news conference in London on Thursday.

The announcement follows months of secret talks about getting back together, according to reports.

(L-R) Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Michael Palin and John Cleese

A spokesman for the Pythons would not reveal whether the group planned to perform live, in a TV special or in a film.

"A press conference is set for Thursday where the Pythons themselves will be unveiling their plans to work together again," he said.

Filming Life of Brian

Idle added to the rumours, tweeting: "Only three days to go till the Python press conference.

"Make sure Python fans are alerted to the big forthcoming news event."

World Of Whickers

Monty Python's Flying Circus was made for TV between 1969 and 1974, and the team's work famously includes the Dead Parrot and the Ministry of Silly Walks sketches.

The Pythons went on to make films including Monty Python And The Holy Grail and Monty Python's Life of Brian.

At the Hollywood Bowl, California, 1982

Their final film, Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life, released in 1983, was the last time the six Pythons worked together on a full-time project.

Graham Chapman died of cancer in 1989.

Since the Pythons split, each member of the group has gone on to achieve huge success in his own right.

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Co-op Boss Quits Amid Flowers Drug Scandal

Len Wardle, chair of the Co-operative Group, has resigned after "serious questions" were raised by the scandal over its former banking chairman Paul Flowers.

Mr Wardle had announced last month that he planned to step down amid the wider financial crisis at the bank but quit on Tuesday with immediate effect.

Reverend Flowers, who has already apologised for doing things that were "stupid and wrong" - but without elaborating - has been suspended from the Methodist Church and by the Labour Party after being filmed in a newspaper sting allegedly trying to buy illegal drugs.

The substances said to be at the centre of the claims include cocaine and ketamine - a horse tranquilliser - used as a party drug. 

Len Wardle joined the Co-op's board in 2002. Pic: Co-op

The allegations against Reverend Flowers, which are the subject of a police inquiry, exacerbated pressure on Britain's biggest mutual which is having to explain the background to the bank's financial difficulties - largely a result of its merger with Britannia in 2009.

Mr Wardle said in a statement: "The recent revelations about the behaviour of Paul Flowers, the former Chair of The Co-operative Bank, have raised a number of serious questions for both the Bank and the Group.

"I led the Board that appointed Paul Flowers to lead the Bank Board and under those circumstances I feel that it is right that I step down now, ahead of my planned retirement in May next year.

"I have already made it clear that I believe the time is right for real change in our operations and our governance and the Board recently started a detailed review of our democracy.

"I hope that the Group now takes the chance to put in place a new democratic structure so we can modernise in the interests of all our members."

The Co-op confirmed Mr Wardle would be replaced by Ursula Lidbetter, currently Group deputy chair and chief executive of the Lincolnshire Co-operative Society.

Paul Flowers is being investigated following the Mail On Sunday's claims

His decision was announced hours after The Co-op Group launched a fact-finding probe and a root-and-branch review of its structure after "serious and wide-ranging" allegations about Reverend Flowers, who resigned in June after three years as chair of the banking arm after a £1.5bn black hole was discovered in its finances.

The Group statement on Monday said: "Given the serious and wide-ranging nature of recent allegations, the new executive management team has started a fact-finding process to look into any inappropriate behaviour at the Co-operative Group or the Co-operative Bank and to take action as necessary.

"In addition, the board of the Co-operative Group has launched a root and branch review of the democratic structure of the organisation.

"We need to modernise to ensure that the interests of all our seven million members are properly and directly represented in the oversight of our business activities."

While announcing Mr Wardle's decision to quit, the Co-op said on Tuesday that Ms Lidbetter would chair the Group through the governance review, which will include consideration of how the Board is constituted and chaired.

The Co-op Bank discovered a massive gap in its finances following the purchase of Britannia Building Society in 2009 and abortive attempts to take on hundreds of Lloyds branches.

It faces a rescue which will see 50 branches close and investors including US hedge funds take control of 70% of the business, leaving the wider Co-operative Group with just 30% - described as a "tragedy" by former group chief executive Peter Marks.

The scandal surrounding Reverend Flowers has intensified the focus on the bank's troubles.

Critics have questioned how he could have been appointed given his apparent lack of experience in banking and Andrew Tyrie MP, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, has said that it was clear he was "manifestly unsuitable".

Regulators have said he went through the appropriate process when he joined the Co-op's board as a non-executive director but did not face further scrutiny when he became its chairman.

In a separate development, Labour has come under pressure to return a £50,000 donation backed by Reverend Flowers.

The donation, made by the Co-operative Group, emerged as the party suspended his membership over the drug allegatons.

Labour's leadership has since attempted to distance itself from Mr Flowers, a former councillor, after it emerged he attended a private meeting with Ed Miliband in March.

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Bodies In Ditches: Woman Admits Three Murders

A woman has admitted murdering three men whose stabbed bodies were found in remote ditches in Cambridgeshire.

Joanna Dennehy pleaded guilty to killing Kevin Lee, Lukasz Slaboszewski and John Chapman between March and April this year.

The 30-year-old, from Peterborough, also pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful and decent burial of all three victims, as well as the attempted murders of two other men, Robin Bereza and John Rogers.

The bodies were found close to Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

She was arrested after a police hunt, during which officers distributed her picture and described the distinctive star tattoo she has under her right eye.

Appearing at the Old Bailey, Dennehy told the judge, Mr Justice Sweeney: "I've pleaded guilty and that's that."

Her barrister, Nigel Lickley QC, said: "The course of the arraignment is not one we had anticipated."

Mr Slaboszewski (L) and Mr Chapman were found with stab wounds on April 3

The bodies of Mr Slaboszewski, 31, who was stabbed in the heart, and Mr Chapman, 56, who died from neck and chest wounds, were found at Thorney Dyke, near Peterborough, on April 3.

Four days earlier, Mr Lee, 48, was discovered in a ditch in Newborough, around 10 miles away. He had been stabbed in the chest.

He was last seen on Good Friday and reported missing later that day when his Ford Mondeo was found burned out near a farm in Yaxley.

Mr Lee's body was discovered in a village north of Peterborough

In a statement released after his death, his family described him as a "wonderful husband, father, loving brother and son".

They said he had a "naturally infectious personality (that) touched everyone who knew him", adding: "He will be hugely missed by all his friends and family."

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Sudden Cold Snap Set To Bite Britain

A sudden cold snap is due to hit Britain today, with northern Scotland the first area of the country expected to shiver in the freezing temperatures.

North-westerly winds whipping off the Arctic are expected to bring at least two weeks of wintry conditions, making November up to 3C (37.4F) colder than last year.

Temperatures are expected to fall below zero across the country and peak at just 4C (39.2F) or 5C (41F).

People in the higher regions of Scotland are expected see the season's first blanketing of snow - with further wintry showers set to move south as the week progresses.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said the entire UK would see the mercury plummet by Tuesday.

"North-westerly winds will bring a much colder air-mass this week and temperatures will be just below the average for the time of year," she said.

"Overnight frost and ice is also expected under clear skies, where temperatures will plummet below freezing for most."

She added that some parts were likely to see their first glimpse of snow for the winter.

"Some snow is likely as well, mainly over Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England and north Wales," she said.

"It is unlikely to settle at lower levels, but hills and mountains may have some accumulations. Other coastal areas may also see some wintry showers and they could blow further inland as well."

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Rapper Watsky Sorry For 'Stupid' Gig Rig Jump

A rapper who jumped from a lighting rig and injured two people has apologised for his "stupid and wildly irresponsible" stunt.

George Watsky climbed a rope ladder before leaping into the crowd at Alexandra Palace in north London during a performance at the Vans Warped Tour.

The 30ft fall broke a girl's arm and left another fan in hospital, although Watsky himself escaped with only "nicks, bruises and the shame of endangering the crowd".

In a lengthy apology posted to his Facebook page, the musician said: "The jump was not awesome, it was not badass and it was not ballsy.

The American rapper climbed a rope ladder to reach the lighting rig

"It turned what should have been a great day for the people who got hurt into a nightmare.

"It was stupid and wildly irresponsible, plain and simple."

Video of Watsky's jump has already been viewed more than 180,000 times on YouTube.

The stunt was described as "pretty idiotic", "dumb" and "definitely stupid" by some users, although many of his 200,000 fans on Facebook expressed their support for the star following his apology.

Watsky prepares to jump into the crowd during a gig at Alexandra Palace

Conceding that it was "extremely lucky" no one was more seriously injured, Watsky wrote: "Putting your own body on the line is one thing, but putting other people in harm's way is inexcusable."

He said he would not be cancelling any of his forthcoming tour dates but insisted he "will not be jumping off anything".

"I am deeply sorry and I promise to learn from this mistake," he added.

Watsky said he spent six hours waiting at the hospital while the injured man was seen by doctors and planned to return to the ward to apologise to him.

The musician falls into the crowd, injuring two fans

The artist, who is originally from San Francisco but now lives in Los Angeles, describes himself as a "versatile lyricist who switches between silly and serious, technically complex and simply heartfelt".

His self-titled hip hop track Watsky reached number seven on a specialist iTunes chart in 2010.

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Tornadoes Sweeping Across US Midwest Kill Six

At least six people have died as powerful tornadoes carved a path of destruction across the US Midwest.

Entire neighbourhoods were flattened within seconds as the twisters, triggered by a "very dangerous" and fast-moving weather system, touched down in as many as 10 states.

Forecasters said the extreme weather - which destroyed homes, uprooted trees and flipped cars upside down - could affect more than 50 million people.

The devastation left behind by a tornado in Washington, Illinois

According to the National Weather Service, more than 60 tornadoes struck, unleashing 80mph winds and hail stones up to two inches in diameter.

Illinois was struck the hardest. At least six were killed and dozens more injured, but with communications difficult and many roads impassable, it remained unclear how many people might be hurt.

At one hospital in Peoria, Illinois, doctors were treating at least 24 casualties, some of whom had head injuries and broken bones.

The storm moved toward the east coast, causing major damage in Illinois

Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin were buffered by the storm, which weakened as it tracked east towards Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and New Jersey.

Washington, a town of 16,000 in Illinois, appeared to have the most severe damage. 

Anthony Khoury, who saw a twister rip through Washington, told Sky News: "Most of my neighbourhood is completely destroyed, everything has been demolished.

"Families have lost their homes, people don't have anywhere to sleep and the electricity has gone."

Michael Perdun, a fellow Washington resident, said: "I stepped outside and I heard it coming.

Entire communities were flattened in seconds

"My daughter was already in the basement, so I ran downstairs and grabbed her, crouched in the laundry room.

"All of a sudden I could see daylight up the stairway and my house was gone."

Jeff Leeman, who was in his backyard with his son when a tornado struck Pekin, Illnois, added: "In a matter of seconds ... it was right on top of us.

"We hustled in the house and before we knew it, it was gone. It was that fast."

Two people, an 80-year-old man and his 78-year-old sister, were killed in Washington County; three were killed in Massac County, near the Kentucky border; and the sixth victim was reported in Tazewell County.

A car crushed by a fallen tree in Pekin, Illinois

The tornadoes brought down phone lines, caused thousands of power failures and left debris strewn across roads.

The severe weather also caused the cancellation of many flights, while the Baltimore Ravens' game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field was temporarily suspended in the first quarter due to lightning in the area.

Meteorologist Matt Friedlein said such powerful storms rarely occur so late in the year because the climate is usually too cold.

However, temperatures had been forecast to climb to as high as 26C (78F), he said, which is warm enough to produce severe weather when coupled with strong winter winds.

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Boy Chained Up With Dead Chicken Around Neck

A social worker has been charged after her foster child was found chained to the porch of her home with a dead chicken around his neck, police said.

The 11-year-old boy was discovered, shivering and alone, restrained by a handcuff around his ankle in Monroe, North Carolina, the Union Country Sheriff's Office said.

Captain Ronnie Whitaker said: "The chicken feet were tied together by a string, and it was hanging around his neck.

"[I'm] shocked and in disbelief that anyone could such a thing to another human being, especially a child."

Dorian Lee Harper, 57, was arrested at the scene, and the social worker, Wanda Sue Larson, 57, who also lived there, was later charged.

An officer was responding to a complaint next door when he noticed the child and investigated. He ended up removing five children from the home.

Larson is a supervisor at the county's social services department.

"While not present at the time the children were discovered, Larson is accused of being complicit in the ongoing mistreatment of the children," authorities said.

The driveway leading to the couple's home

The couple had adopted four of the children, aged between 8 and 14, and were serving as foster parents for the 11-year-old found on the porch.

They have both been charged with "intentional child abuse - inflicting serious injury, false imprisonment, and cruelty to animals (based on the condition of some of the family pets as well)", the sheriff's office said.

Larson also faces a charge of failing her duty as a public official.

It is unclear what prompted the use of the dead chicken and handcuffs on the boy.

Captain Whitaker said he could not disclose details from police interviews conducted as part of the investigation.

Sheriff Eddie Cathey pledged to investigate the "shocking" case "to its fullest extent".

People in the neighbourhood were shocked at the news.

"That's some sick people. Sick and ungodly and demonic," said neighbour Harry Wallace.

Another neighbour, Gene Wallace, said: "It was beyond surprise. Makes you wonder what our county officials do in their spare time."

The pair are due in court on Monday.

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Unions Probe: Review Into Intimidation Claims

David Cameron has set himself on a collision course with the unions by announcing an independent review into allegations of intimidation and bullying.

The move follows claims of sabotage and harassment related to the bitter industrial dispute which almost led to the closure of the petrochemical plant at the Grangemouth oil refinery in Scotland.

Downing Street said the wide-ranging review, headed by Bruce Carr QC, will investigate allegations of the use of so-called "leverage" tactics by the unions as well as the impact of such disputes on the critical national infrastructure.

However, in a sign of renewed coalition tensions, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable made clear he had only agreed to the inquiry on the basis that it would also examine the practices of employers.

The Unite union dismissed the review as a "Tory election stunt" and warned that no trade union would be prepared to "collaborate" with it.

The review follows claims that Unite sought to intimidate executives from Ineos, the refinery's owners, including sending "mobs" of demonstrators to protest outside their homes and premises associated with Ineos chairman, Jim Ratcliffe.

In recent weeks the Prime Minister has repeatedly attacked the union in the Commons, challenging Labour leader Ed Miliband to hold an inquiry into claims of vote-rigging in the Falkirk constituency party in an attempt to secure the selection of Unite's favoured candidate for parliament.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has always denied any intimidation or bullying on the part of the union, insisting that it was acting within the law.

As part of his remit, Mr Carr will consider whether existing laws are sufficient to prevent what Government sources described as "inappropriate or intimidatory actions" in trade disputes as well as the response of the police to complaints.

Unite claimed Grangemouth employees had been bullied during the dispute

More generally, the review will look at the underlying causes of industrial relations difficulties in affected industries, the potential impact on the UK's critical national infrastructure and the consequences for investor confidence in key sectors.

It will also make recommendations on the respective roles of government, employers and employee representatives in ensuring effective workforce relationships.

Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, a Conservative, said: "Allegations about trade union industrial intimidation tactics, including attempts to sabotage businesses supply chains and harass employers' families are deeply concerning.

"That's why we need an independent review to get to the bottom of these activities, as well as to look at the role played by government, employers and employees in industrial disputes.

"This forms part of our long-term plan to ensure Britain remains competitive and to secure an economic recovery for hard-working people."

Mr Cable, in contrast emphasised that Britain had generally enjoyed good industrial relations for the past two decades while strikes were at a historically low level.

"There were clearly some very serious matters going on in Grangemouth," he said.

"That is why I have agreed to a proportionate and rational review of industrial disputes, including leverage and other tactics used by both unions and employers.

"There are rogue unions but there are also rogue employers, some of whom have in the past engaged in illegal tactics like blacklisting. This Government will tolerate neither."

A Unite spokesman said: "This review is a sorry attempt by the coalition to divert attention from the cost of living crisis.

"Vince Cable may not have noticed but the Grangemouth dispute has been settled.

"This review is nothing more than a Tory election stunt which no trade unionist will collaborate with."

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