Family Of UK Hostage Tell IS Captors: Contact Us

British Aid Worker Held By IS Militants

Updated: 6:10pm UK, Thursday 04 September 2014

David Cawthorne Haines is an aid worker with more than a decade of experience in areas including South Sudan, Libya and the former Yugoslavia.

A father-of-two, he was abducted in March 2013 at a Syrian refugee camp close to the Turkish border, according to aid workers.

The 44-year-old grew up in Perth, Scotland, but is believed to have lived in Croatia with his wife Dragana, where he was a consultant director at Astraea - a kitchen supply company.

He had previously been a security manager with the Belgium-based Nonviolent Peaceforce.

Tiffany Eastholm, of the group, confirmed Mr Haines had worked with the company for six months in 2012 in South Sudan.

She told NBC News he was "very familiar with insecure locations". She added: "He was very caring, had a good sense of humour."

Mr Haines is thought to have gone to Syria with Agency for Technical Co-operation and Development (ACTED), a French international relief agency founded in 1993.

The threat to his life came in a video which showed US hostage Steven Sotloff being killed by a masked militant.

In the video footage of Mr Sotloff's murder, a masked Islamic State (IS) militant says: "We take this opportunity to warn those governments who have entered this evil alliance with America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone."

Mr Haines, wearing an orange jumpsuit, is shown to the camera as the militant grabs his collar and a caption underneath gives his name.

He is thought to have been captured along with Italian aid worker Federico Motka, 31, who was released in May.

British Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond said the UK was looking at "every possible option to protect" Mr Haines after he appeared in the video.

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Scotland's Gender Divide Over Independence

How Yes Vote Would Change Scotland

Updated: 4:05am UK, Wednesday 29 January 2014

By Niall Paterson, Sky News Correspondent

Anyone who tells you they know with certainty what will happen in the advent of a 'Yes' vote is at best being disingenuous, at worst lying through their teeth.

Plenty of questions simply cannot be answered until the voters decide to make Scotland an independent nation.

Of course, a degree of informed speculation is taking place across the UK - so with the above in mind, here's what Scotland might gain or lose after the referendum on Thursday, September 18:

:: SCOTLAND GAINS: A NATIONAL ANTHEM

Officially, Scotland doesn't have one. Then again, neither does England. God Save The Queen is the British anthem, although it was long ago purloined by those south of Gretna Green, and sung with lusty glee at Twickenham and Wembley. Flower Of Scotland, by beardy Scottish folk heroes The Corries, was adopted by the Scottish rugby team back when they won things and is a strong contender, although references to sending the English home again might be considered a bit thirteenth century. A new anthem might well be commissioned, but having watched Eurovision over the past few years, few would bet on it being any good.

:: SCOTLAND LOSES: THE BBC

Nope, this isn't just a chance for me to lay into Auntie. Again. Obviously the BBC would retain a presence north of the border and Eastenders isn't going anywhere (unfortunately) but Alex Salmond has proposed a Scottish Broadcasting Service, a joint venture with the Beeb. It would initially be set up using BBC Scotland's facilities and staff, although one wonders what they would think of that. The SNP says it would have an annual budget of £345m, which would mean doubling the amount spend on public service broadcasting in Scotland. River City (Google it, Englanders) will continue ... to annoy me.

:: SCOTLAND GAINS: A PASSPORT AND BORDERS

Well, there will certainly be a Scottish passport after a 'Yes' vote, and borders seem increasingly likely. Theresa May has said there would need to be improved checks as the SNP intends to pursue a more liberal immigration policy. Any government would be able to do that, in fact, so some form of control would appear a necessity. Goodbye to the "Welcome to England" sign, hello annoying spot checks and cavity searches.

:: SCOTLAND LOSES: MEMBERSHIP OF THE EU

For now at least. No one really expects an independent Scotland wouldn't ultimately gain EU membership, but it might be a rather time-consuming process given the other member states would have to agree - and there are a few with their own issues around self-determination (see Spain and Catalonia) that might wish to make it rather difficult.

:: SCOTLAND GAINS: ITS OWN ARMED FORCES

As with the BBC, Alex Salmond seems intent on a bit of a land grab (don't worry, people of Durham, not literally), and there has been the suggestion that forces based in Scotland could switch allegiances. Defence secretary Philip Hammond says that is "laughable". In any event, the plan is to have a Scottish Defence Force, with a standing army of as many as 12,500 troops, close working relations with Scandinavian countries and between 20 and 25 ships. No word yet on whether any of those will be called Dignity.

:: SCOTLAND LOSES: TRIDENT

A biggie, this. Growing up not terribly far from the nuclear submarine base at Faslane, I was blissfully unaware of the Russian warheads targeting the UK's deterrent. And, whether true or not, the view lingers that it whilst it makes strategic sense to put the subs as far away from Westminster as possible, it's rather unfair, particularly given a strong historic opposition in Scotland to nuclear weapons. The problem is the SNP have only latterly recognised that Nato membership is important to Scotland's international standing - and it is, of course, a nuclear alliance.

:: SCOTLAND (POSSIBLY) GAINS: NORTH SEA OIL

Bit tricky, this one. At stake, there's as much as 24 billion barrels of oil and gas worth £1.5 trillion waiting to be extracted - and HM Treasury's coffers aren't exactly overflowing at the moment. Geographically, Scotland could claim up to 90% of this and one could argue the UK's position on the Falklands strengthens the SNP case. But the Government in Westminster could also argue it should be recompensed for decades of infrastructure investment. Frankly, I don't know. Sorry. Told you this was going to be difficult.

:: SCOTLAND (POSSIBLY) LOSES: THE POUND

Undoubtedly there will be a currency used in Scotland called the pound. The question is, whether or not it continues to be backed by the Bank of England. It would essentially mean a currency union between an independent Scotland and the remainder of the UK - and whilst the First Minister thinks it's an absolutely smashing idea, funnily enough that's not a view shared by, for example, the Chancellor nor the Governor of the Bank of England. True, a separate currency would make trading between the nations that bit more difficult, and that's got to be a factor when the recovery is so fragile. But the Governor, Mark Carney, is fond of pointing to the Eurozone crisis. One thing's certain - those funny-coloured banknotes so loved by London taxi drivers aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Which is a good thing. No trip to London is complete without a wizened driver turning up his nose at your purple twenty quid note.

So, in short, we don't really know. And we will only get to know in the passage of time after a 'Yes' majority in the referendum.

Some will vote with their heart, some with their head.

Some won't vote at all - and with so many unanswerables, who can blame them?

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Officers 'Ambushed' In Police Station Shooting

A manhunt is under way across three US states after a fatal shooting at a police barracks in Pennsylvania.

One officer was killed and another injured after they were "ambushed" outside the Blooming Grove barracks in Pike County.

Police from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey are searching for those responsible following the shooting at 11pm local time on Friday.

Commissioner Frank Noonan told reporters: "I know a lot of people are wondering if the threat is resolved. It is not.

A manhunt is underway in Pike County. Pic: WNEP

"The perpetrators of this heinous crime are still at large. We do not have a description or any real information about their identity."

He added that the situation was of "grave concern".

Police do not have any information about the motive but Commissioner Noonan said "this attack seems to be directed particularly at the Pennsylvania State Police".

The injured officer has undergone surgery and is in a stable condition.

Blooming Grove is a township of about 4,000 people

Local media reported that more than 100 police vehicles were dispatched to the barracks, including a SWAT team from neighbouring Lackawanna County.

Several roads have been closed and helicopters are searching the area.

Blooming Grove is about 35 miles east of Scranton and is home to 4,000 people.

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'Great Depression' Warning For Scottish Voters

A leading bank's warning that a Yes vote could be a mistake akin to those that sparked the Great Depression has threatened to overshadow the biggest weekend of political campaigning in Scotland's history.

At least 2.6 million leaflets will be delivered to households in 48 hours as polls suggest Thursday's vote is on a knife-edge.

An estimated 10,000 people attended a rally by the Orange Order in support of the Union in Edinburgh on Saturday - and their cause has been backed by Deutsche Bank.

The financial institution claims the economic arguments against independence are "overwhelming".

Coverage starts at 9pm

Chief economist David Folkerts-Landau said a Yes vote could be a "mistake as large as Winston Churchill's decision in 1925 to return the pound to the Gold Standard or the failure of the Federal Reserve to provide sufficient liquidity to the US banking system, which we now know brought on the Great Depression in the US".

Mr Folkerts-Landau said he found it "incomprehensible" that Scots were even contemplating withdrawal from the UK.

Scotland's SNP Government accused him of failing to take into account the country's "strong fiscal position".

However, the comments were followed by another blow for the Yes campaign as three more retailers said customers would be hit by higher prices under independence.

Alex Salmond's cause will be backed by 35,000 volunteers this weekend

Marks and Spencer, B&Q and Timpson made the claim in a joint letter published in the Daily Record.

Asda and John Lewis made similar assertions this week, but Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Yes campaign's "momentum is still growing and will soon become unstoppable, as people reject the Downing Street-orchestrated campaign to talk Scotland down".

The Yes side has planned to have more than 35,000 volunteers on the streets of Scotland over the weekend, manning 473 registered street stalls.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Gordon Brown is trying to persuade the public to vote No in the country's east.

An estimated 10,000 people attended a rally by the Orange Order

The latest opinion poll by ICM in Saturday's Guardian put decided voters 51-49% in favour of No. 

Many of Britain's newspapers reported on comments by a former SNP deputy leader which appeared to threaten recriminations against businesses that backed a No vote.

Jim Sillars said there would be "a day of reckoning with BP and the banks" if Scotland votes Yes, adding that BP would "need to learn the meaning of nationalisation".

In a fiery interview with Sky News, Mr Sillars said he was simply using "robust" language to draw attention to the "orchestrated fear campaign coming from Downing Street".

A sign of support for the Union during the Orange Order march

First Minister Alex Salmond praised Mr Sillars's dedication to the campaign but said rather than a "day of reckoning", a Yes vote would be followed by a "day of celebration".

He added: "The people are showing no signs whatsoever of being cowed. They are in no mood to be bullied by big Westminster government putting pressure on big business to intimidate the people of Scotland."

Elsewhere, a poll among English voters for the Daily Mail found that while 70% want Scotland to stay in the Union, if they do go 53% believed Scotland should not be able to keep the pound, and 83% think Scotland should be forced to take its share of the multi-billion pound national debt.

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Pistorius Family 'Never Doubted' Athlete's Story

Oscar Pistorius' uncle Arnold has said the family never doubted his version of events on the night he killed his girlfriend.

He said Reeva Steenkamp's death at the athlete's house in Pretoria, South Africa, was a "tragic event" and his family remained "deeply affected" by it.

Arnold Pistorius also said he was grateful to Judge Thokozile Masipa for finding the runner not guilty of murder and it was a "big burden off our shoulders and Oscar's".

The double amputee was convicted of a lesser charge of culpable homicide, which is the equivalent charge of manslaughter in the UK.

Judge Masipa said Pistorius had acted negligently when he fired four shots into a locked toilet door, killing the 29-year-old model who was behind it.

But she also said he did not intend to kill anyone and could not have seen that the intruder he thought was hiding in his toilet was actually Ms Steenkamp.

Arnold Pistorius said: "We always knew the facts of the matter. We never had any doubt in Oscar's version of this tragic incident."

He said "there were no victors" and added: "It won't bring Reeva back but our hearts still go out to her family and friends."

Pistorius was also convicted of discharging a firearm at a Johannesburg restaurant on January 11, 2013.

But he was acquitted of firing a gun through a car sunroof while with his then-girlfriend Samantha Taylor and friend Darren Fresco on November 30, 2012, and cleared of illegally possessing ammunition.

Oscar Pistorius pictured leaving court after his bail was extended

The Paralympian and Olympian was freed on bail and will return to court in Pretoria on October 13 to be sentenced.

Nathi Mncube, for the National Prosecuting Authority, said he was "disappointed" Pistorius was convicted of only two charges.

Speaking outside the court he said: "We respect the judgment that has been delivered.

"We believed in this instance there was enough evidence to secure a conviction under premeditated murder.

"Of course we are disappointed. We are disappointed we did not secure a conviction under premeditated murder and also there was acquittal on the other two (gun) charges."

He said it was too early to decide whether prosecutors would launch an appeal.

Ms Steenkamp's family has not yet commented on any of the verdicts.

Her parents June and Barry Steenkamp were in court for the judgement.

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Oscar Pistorius Guilty Of Reeva's Manslaughter

Pistorius: Trial Of The Century?

Updated: 1:20pm UK, Friday 12 September 2014

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent, in Pretoria

The live television coverage of the Oscar Pistorius trial has exposed a slow and sometimes bizarre criminal justice system and some shoddy policing.

It has allowed the two principal lawyers to showboat and frighten witnesses into choosing not to be seen on camera.

And it was unable to stop grim images of the victim's shattered head being flashed on screen.

But most here believe the bold decision to let cameras into a South African court for the first time was the right one.

It has allowed justice to be seen to be done, a right that's been denied to most of the population in this fledgling democracy where, for so many years, justice was colour blind.

The judge deciding the Olympic athlete's guilt or innocence is a former tea girl from the Soweto township.

When Thokozile Masipa became a judge at the age of 43 she was only the second black woman to do so.

But she has presided over a trial that's been excruciatingly embarrassing at times.

It was supposed to last three weeks, but has limped on in fits and starts for six months and a tougher judge might have clamped down on the delays.

She has also, in some observers' views, allowed the principal lawyers, prosecutor Gerrie Nel and defence barrister Barry Roux, to play to the gallery.

There has been no jury to sway, so who else can their showboating have been aimed at but the television audience?

And Nel's mocking and goading of Pistorius in his cross-examination was courtroom behaviour that would never be tolerated in the Old Bailey or any British court.

But, oddly, the judge suddenly one day reprimanded the prosecutor for calling Pistorius a liar.

The whole trial was predicated on the prosecution's belief that the defendant was lying. If Mr Nel thought Pistorius was telling the truth, there would not have been a trial.

The witness translation was sometimes laughable, with interpreters translating from Afrikaans into English which was their third language.

So poor was it that some witnesses who had chosen to speak in Afrikaans gave up and delivered the rest of their testimony in often perfect English.

Cross-examination of police witnesses revealed some shoddy detective work.

An officer who handled a gun without gloves, a door that was kept in a senior detective's office instead of contamination-free storage, and a valuable watch that appeared to have been stolen from Pistorius' house in the early hours of the investigation.

Seemingly important evidence introduced early on, but never revisited.

The court was shown photographs of blood splatter on the wall above Oscar's bed and a bullet hole in a door frame.

The images hinted at a fight, but that was the first and last we saw or heard of them.

And the defence promised we would hear sound test recordings that would demonstrate that Oscar Pistorius screams like a woman. The recordings were never played.

For all its delays, faults, inconsistencies and omissions, few people who have followed the Oscar Pistorius trial could argue that it was wrong to televise it live.

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Royal Hoax 'Pressing' On Suicide Nurse's Mind

A nurse who committed suicide blamed herself after putting through a hoax call to the Duchess of Cambridge's hospital ward, an inquest has heard.

Jacintha Saldanha's body was found hanging in nursing accommodation three days after staff at London's King Edward VII Hospital were tricked into revealing details of the Duchess's stay.

The mother-of-two, 46, was the first nurse to answer the on-air call by Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who pretended to be the Queen and Prince Philip.

She passed them on to a second nurse on Kate Middleton's ward, who unwittingly gave out information about her morning sickness.

Australian DJs Michael Christian and Mel Greig

"The hoax call was clearly pressing on her mind, as were difficulties she had experienced with a colleague," said coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox.

She said the cause of death was hanging and it was "inconceivable" that Mrs Saldanha would have given her permission for the call to be broadcast on radio.

Dr Wilcox did not criticise the DJs or radio station, but referred to four calls made to the hospital by production staff to gain Mrs Saldanha's consent before the recording aired.

"If she did take these calls I find it inconceivable she would have consented, as a participant in the call, to its broadcast," she said.

Ms Greig, who posed as the Queen during the prank call on Sydney's 2Day FM, apologised to Mrs Saldanha's family at the inquest at London's High Court.

"I really just wanted to say I am truly sorry, I've wanted to say that for so long," she told them.

Mrs Saldanha's family with Leicester MP Keith Vaz outside the High Court

"This tragedy will always stay with me and serve as a constant reminder."

Speaking on behalf of Mrs Saldanha's family, Leicester MP Keith Vaz said after the hearing: "Over the last two days, the family and the world have heard about her nobility, her dedication to her patients, her love of her job and her fantastic professionalism.

"The family of course accept the verdict of the coroner's court today.

"It is an irony that four calls made in 115 seconds, which were the cause of so much mirth in Australia, could have deprived Benedict (Barboza, her widower) of his wife and Lisha and Janal of their beloved mother.

"These despicable and cruel actions, this hoax, has changed their lives forever."

He said the family was taking advice over possible legal action.

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As It Happened: The Oscar Pistorius Verdict

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2:33pm UK, Friday 12 September 2014

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Oscar Pistorius Cleared Of Reeva Murder

M'Lady: The Trial Judge Who Rose From Nothing

Updated: 8:38am UK, Thursday 11 September 2014

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Pretoria

The fate of Oscar Pistorius lies in the palm of one Thokozile Masipa, a woman who grew up in poverty but rose to become only the second black female to be appointed a judge in South Africa.

From day one of the trial, the irony of this elderly black woman standing in judgement over a rich, privileged young white man cannot have been lost in a country with a racial history like South Africa.

The 66-year-old grew up under the apartheid system in Soweto - the most well-known disadvantaged township of them all at the time. 

She would have had to obtain permission from her white employers to travel to certain areas. She would have had to show her passbook when asked to by the police, which would have been often.

She would have been confined to all-black schools with deliberately limited opportunities and she would not have been allowed to vote.

Judge Masipa would have been 29 years old when a peaceful march by thousands of students in Soweto was broken up after police fired tear gas and live bullets. The Soweto uprisings as they became known led to similar protests across South Africa.

These events would have shaped Thokozile Matilda Masipa, who was the eldest of 10 siblings.

She already had two main careers and had two young children by the time she started studying law in her forties - achievements which would be considered exceptional and remarkable for a white woman in South Africa (or anywhere), but were utterly unheard of for a black woman then.

Although she worked at a string of odd jobs beforehand, including as a nursing assistant and a tea lady, she sought largely vocational careers where her friends say she hoped to change the unequal South African landscape she was born into.

She became first a social worker and then a newspaper reporter, at one stage working as a crime reporter. It was a tough time to be a journalist.

Once she spent a night in the cells having been arrested for protesting at the unfair detention of some of her male journalist colleagues.

During her time as women's editor of The Post, she broke with tradition and wrote about female empowerment and the victims of police brutality rather than cooking recipes and fashion.

It seems she has been breaking with tradition ever since.

She graduated from law school in 1990, the same year that Nelson Mandela was freed from prison and eight years later became only the second black woman judge appointed to the High Court.

The woman known as "Tilly" to her longtime friends is known to be a quiet, diligent, conscientious, reserved person.

Her boss for 14 years is the former Judge President, Bernard Ngoepe, who remembers her being quick to help, uncomplaining and absolutely passionate about justice.

He was part of the process which saw her appointed judge.

He said: "I felt her past experiences in social work and journalism meant she had a certain empathy, a real feeling for the people she was dealing with. I liked that in her."

And what about being at the centre of South African legal history?

The Oscar Pistorius trial is the first to be broadcast live in South Africa - and around the world.

Mr Ngoepe said: "I rang and asked her whether I should do this interview with you.

"And you know what she said? She said it's neither here nor there. She said she hasn't read any of the newspapers or followed events on the television during this trial so it's neither here nor there.

"I don't think it's made any difference to her that it's been broadcast live."

In one rare interview a few years ago, Judge Masipa admitted her background affected the way she viewed the mainly poor, mainly young men who came before her in court.

She said: "I understand them because they are from the same place I come from. I wouldn't say I am too lenient but I am more understanding."

Certainly judging from at least one of her decisions, she is anything but lenient. She once sentenced a serial rapist to 252 years in jail for leaving his victims traumatised for life.

But her views on the six-month-long Pistorius murder trial have been difficult to decipher.

She has said little, intervened only when absolutely necessary and astonished many of the watching media by her ability to maintain a poker face through some of the most dramatic moments of the 41 court days.

She has shown she is no pushover - admonishing the media, the public, the two advocates and publicly humiliating the defence's legal assistant when his mobile phone inadvertently went off.

"He apologises, m'lady," defence lawyer Barry Roux said.

"Well he can stand up and apologise himself," retorted the indomitable Judge Masipa. And he did.

Over the next two days, the inscrutable m'lady will take us through her thinking, her assessments, who she believes and who she doubts - and at the end of that, she will finally conclude whether Oscar Pistorius committed murder or not when he shot his girlfriend four times through the toilet door.

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Scotland: Bank Jobs And Higher Prices Warning

Alex Salmond has demanded the Government investigates a "Treasury leak" of RBS plans to move its HQ to London in the event of independence.

The Scottish First Minister said that divulging market sensitive information to the press ahead of an official announcement was "as serious a matter as you can possibly get".

Mr Salmond claimed a "Treasury source" had told journalists on Wednesday night that the bank, which employs a 11,500 people in Scotland, would be re-registering its base in London if there is a Yes vote next week.

He said the rules were quite clear and the details should not have been leaked ahead of the official announcement after the markets opened at 7am on Thursday morning.

RBS: lights out?

The move by the bank was widely regarded as a significant blow to Mr Salmond's Yes campaign.

In a statement, RBS, which has been based in Scotland since 1727, said it had made the decision because there were a "number of material uncertainties arising from the Scottish referendum vote which could have a bearing on the bank's credit ratings".

The state-backed bank will now press the Government to introduce legislation that would speed up the process for them to relocate their legal headquarters in the English capital.

John Prescott clutches his referendum campaign notes on Wednesday

The department store giant John Lewis also warned that shoppers in Scotland could expect higher prices if it votes for independence because retailers would no longer be willing to absorb the higher cost of trading there across the UK.

Clydesdale Bank has also confirmed it would be re-registering in England if voters opted for independence and Standard Life, which employs 5,000 in Scotland, said it would move some operations south of the border.

It moves the referendum battleground to matters of the "head" and the country's crucial financial services sector, which generates around £7-9bn each year and employs 100,000.

Mr Miliband spoke of matter of the 'heart' in Glasgow on Wednesday

The announcement follows David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg's last-minute campaign visit on Wednesday during which they took it in turns to appeal to matters of the "heart" in an attempt to bolster support for the No campaign.

Mr Salmond claimed the moves were part of a political campaign by the UK Government and said they would have no impact on jobs or the corporation tax Scotland might receive.

He said a letter to Scottish staff from the chief executive of RBS made clear the registering of an HQ in London was a "technical procedure" and would not mean job losses.

PM: Don't vote to kick the 'effing Tories'

His comments were backed by former RBS chairman Sir George Mathewson,who said: "This is a nonsense, this has already happened. RBS already has major head office operations in London. Talk of a move from Scotland is a figment."

RBS has not said there will be no job losses and, according to Sky's Political Editor Faisal Islam, typically such moves see several hundred redundancies.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown said Mr Salmond could not continue to ignore the warnings of retailers, oil companies and the financial services sector.

He said: "John Lewis has warned about prices and many other supermarkets are going to say the same. The oil companies have warned about cuts in investment, which will affect jobs in Scotland."

Mr Brown also said he would stand as a member of Scottish parliament if Mr Salmond did not "stop peddling lies" about the NHS.

On Thursday morning Sir Charlie Mayfield, the chairman of John Lewis, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "From a business perspective there will be economic consequences to a Yes vote, not just in uncertainty but some of the turmoil we are hearing about.

"And it is also the case that it does cost more money to trade in parts of Scotland and therefore those hard costs, in the event of a Yes vote, are more likely to be passed on."

While hundreds of businesses have also made public their support for independence the Lloyds RBS move will come as a significant boost to the No campaign.

A Survation survey poll found 53% of Scottish people were expected to vote no to independence, while 47% would vote yes - this was unchanged from August 28.

Speaking in Edinburgh on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said he would be "heartbroken" if the Union were to split and said he cared more for his country than his party.

And he warned voters they should not use the referendum just to give the "effing Tories" a kick because once they made their decision there would be no way back.

He and Mr Clegg have returned to London but Mr Miliband remains in Scotland. UKIP leader Nigel Farage is expected to visit on Friday.

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Pistorius Verdict: The Judge's Key Remarks

Calm, measured and without pomp or ceremony, Judge Thokozile Masipa took her time as she summed up the evidence in the trial of Oscar Pistorius.

There were several crucial observations from the judge throughout the hearing.

:: Judge Masipa said witnesses who claimed they heard gunshots from Pistorius's home had been "correctly criticised" as unreliable. She added that, in actuality, the noise they heard was a cricket bat hitting a door. On that basis, she excluded their testimonies.

:: She discussed Reeva Steenkamp's injuries after four gunshots were fired through the toilet door. The judge insisted that because the shots were fired in quick succession, "the deceased would have been unable to scream".

:: Judge Masipa said the state prosecution's case rested mostly on circumstantial evidence and not facts. This, in part, is because the timings given by witnesses did not match up to their phone records.

:: Other evidence thrown out by the judge included four WhatsApp messages, which the state claimed was proof that the athlete "dominated and scared" his model girlfriend.

:: Turning to the cross-examinations that Pistorius has given in recent months, Judge Masipa described the double amputee as an "evasive and very poor" witness.

:: After a short break, the judge rejected the defence's claims that Pistorius suffered from a mental disorder, and ruled he was capable of appreciating the wrongfulness of his actions.

She said Pistorius did have control over his actions and could distinguish between right and wrong – implying that she thought he had made a conscious decision to shoot.

:: Judge Masipa continued to compare how Pistorius acted with how a "reasonable man" would. She insisted it was not reasonable that he armed himself with a gun, and said "the accused clearly wanted to use the firearm".

:: However, in a blow to the prosecution, the judge ruled that "there were just not enough facts" to prove that Pistorius had committed premeditated murder.

:: Soon afterwards, Judge Masipa said there was nothing to suggest that Oscar Pistorius did not honestly believe there was an intruder in his home. She added: "At worst for him, he can be convicted of culpable homicide."

The judge ruled out negligence, but said there was "no doubt" that Pistorius had acted unlawfully on Valentine's Day last year.

:: Judge Masipa finished today's court hearing by telling Pistorius that "there were other means avail to you to deal with the threat".

She added: "All the accused had to do was pick up the phone and ring security, or run to the balcony and call for help."

The judge warned that his background was not an excuse for his conduct, as "other victims do not resort to sleeping with firearms under their pillows".

Judge Masipa concluded by saying that Pistorius "acted too hastily and used force", then adjourned for the day.

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Hammond Rules Out UK Airstrikes In Syria

The Foreign Secretary has said the UK will not be taking part in airstrikes in Syria after the US said it would take action.

It comes after Barack Obama authorised military attacks on Islamic State fighters in Syria, as well as Iraq, for the first time saying the terrorists had a free passage across the countries' borders.

Mr Obama said the move did not amount to support for the Assad regime in Syria, which has always claimed the terrorists were behind the uprising in the country, which is now in its third year.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Philip Hammond said the UK would not take part in the military action in Syria and said the decision would not be "revisited".

His comments appeared to be at odds with earlier comments from Downing Street. A spokesman said the Prime Minister agreed with the President's position on both Iraq and Syria. He added the UK was not at the stage of making a decision on military intervention.

Barack Obama makes his speech in the White House

A number of MPs had voiced concerns about taking action in Syria, where years of civil war have allowed IS fighters to gain a stronghold and exploit unrest over the Nouri al-Maliki administration and move on Iraq.  

They feared it would be seen as tacit backing of the Syrian president Bashar al-.Assad.

Last year the UK was on the brink of launching military action against Mr Assad's regime for using chemical weapons against his own people.

David Cameron suffered a humiliating Commons vote defeat after the Labour leader Ed Miliband refused to lend his backing to missile strikes in the country.

President Obama also shied away from strikes.

Announcing the airstrikes in Syria in a 13-minute White House speech, during which he committed the US to a potentially lengthy military campaign, Mr Obama said he would seek out the terrorists wherever there were.

He sad: "That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven."

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PM: Referendum Not About Kicking 'Effing Tories'

What Happens If Scotland Leaves The Union?

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Tuesday 09 September 2014

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum debate are mounting a final push for votes before the ballot on September 18. Sky News looks at what will happen if Scotland votes Yes to exit the UK:

:: 1.  When would Scotland become independent?

The Scottish Government has set a date 18 months from now, March 24, 2016, for Scotland's independence day.

:: 2. What would happen immediately after a Yes vote?

The first step on the morning after the result comes in would involve the forming of teams from both the Yes and No camps to take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations. SNP leader Alex Salmond has already indicated his deputy Nicola Sturgeon would lead the talks for the Scottish nationalists. It is not yet known who would spearhead the Westminster team.

:: 3. What amendments would there be to the constitution?

The negotiating teams would devise a new constitution for Scotland and dissolve the 1707 Act Of Union.

:: 4. What would happen to the Queen?

The Yes campaign has said Her Majesty would stay as monarch so it would not be surprising if Mr Salmond seeks an audience with the Queen in the days and weeks after the vote.

:: 5. Would Scotland take part in the May 2015 General Election?

Scottish voters would still be able to take part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in office.

:: 6. What currency would Scotland use?

That is still being thrashed out and yet to be decided. The three main Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound.

:: 7. How much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland?

This is not yet known, but it is likely to be worked out on a per capita share - based on population.

:: 8. What would happen to Scotland's standing in global affairs?

Scotland would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and Nato, and the population would have to decide whether they want to have the euro.

:: 9. What effect would independence have on Scotland's defence force?

The issue of defence is probably one of the most emotive - and uncertain. Scotland is likely to have its own independent defence force, in time, depending on practicalities and finances, for it has its North Sea oil and fishing industries to protect. Scottish nationalists are opposed to having the Trident nuclear deterrent and would want to see it removed from Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, as soon as possible. However, Nato is fundamentally a nuclear alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member of Nato, it is likely to struggle to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on the Scottish economy. There is also the matter of service personnel - some of which will be currently serving in historic English regiments. Any division of troops north and south of the border would take years.

:: 10. What would independence mean in terms of travelling across the Scotland-England border?

An independent Scotland would control its own borders. The SNP would like to see an open border, but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland to be used as a back door for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a looser immigration policy. So, we could see passport controls on the border between the two countries.

:: 11. Would Scottish citizens need new passports?

A lot depends on whether Scotland joins the EU. Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish citizens.

:: 12. What would happen to benefits and taxes?

Benefits and taxes will become the responsibility of the new Scottish government. In its white paper on Scotland's independence it says the Scottish Parliament will ensure that the personal tax allowance and tax credits increase in line with inflation.

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What Happens If Scotland Leaves The Union?

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum debate are mounting a final push for votes before the ballot on September 18. Sky News looks at what will happen if Scotland votes Yes to exit the UK:

:: 1.  When would Scotland become independent?

The Scottish Government has set a date 18 months from now, March 24, 2016, for Scotland's independence day.

:: 2. What would happen immediately after a Yes vote?

The first step on the morning after the result comes in would involve the forming of teams from both the Yes and No camps to take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations. SNP leader Alex Salmond has already indicated his deputy Nicola Sturgeon would lead the talks for the Scottish nationalists. It is not yet known who would spearhead the Westminster team.

The Queen is said to be privately concerned about the referendum

:: 3. What amendments would there be to the constitution?

The negotiating teams would devise a new constitution for Scotland and dissolve the 1707 Act Of Union.

:: 4. What would happen to the Queen?

The Yes campaign has said Her Majesty would stay as monarch so it would not be surprising if Mr Salmond seeks an audience with the Queen in the days and weeks after the vote.

:: 5. Would Scotland take part in the May 2015 General Election?

Scottish voters would still be able to take part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in office.

Scottish voters would still be able to vote in next year's General Election

:: 6. What currency would Scotland use?

That is still being thrashed out and yet to be decided. The three main Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound.

:: 7. How much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland?

This is not yet known, but it is likely to be worked out on a per capita share - based on population.

:: 8. What would happen to Scotland's standing in global affairs?

Scotland would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and Nato, and the population would have to decide whether they want to have the euro.

Some Scottish troops service in historic English regiments

:: 9. What effect would independence have on Scotland's defence force?

The issue of defence is probably one of the most emotive - and uncertain. Scotland is likely to have its own independent defence force, in time, depending on practicalities and finances, for it has its North Sea oil and fishing industries to protect. Scottish nationalists are opposed to having the Trident nuclear deterrent and would want to see it removed from Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, as soon as possible. However, Nato is fundamentally a nuclear alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member of Nato, it is likely to struggle to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on the Scottish economy. There is also the matter of service personnel - some of which will be currently serving in historic English regiments. Any division of troops north and south of the border would take years.

:: 10. What would independence mean in terms of travelling across the Scotland-England border?

An independent Scotland would control its own borders. The SNP would like to see an open border, but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland to be used as a back door for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a looser immigration policy. So, we could see passport controls on the border between the two countries.

Scotland would introduce its own passport

:: 11. Would Scottish citizens need new passports?

A lot depends on whether Scotland joins the EU. Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish citizens.

:: 12. What would happen to benefits and taxes?

Benefits and taxes will become the responsibility of the new Scottish government. In its white paper on Scotland's independence it says the Scottish Parliament will ensure that the personal tax allowance and tax credits increase in line with inflation.

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Westminster Love-Bomb A Plea To Scots' Emotions

When they make a movie of it, the Saltire scene will take some believing.

The one where the Prime Minister plants the Scottish flag flown above 10 Downing Street and rides his charger over Hadrian's Wall on a charm offensive.

So dramatic, so desperate, so close to the vote. Has the effort to save the United Kingdom really come to this?

Twenty-five years ago, an old pal of mine was the Scotland editor of an English-based tabloid that was launching north of the border.

"You'll love this," his editor purred over the phone as they designed the special launch edition.

"We're going to stick the Scottish flag across the top." 

Scots are being urged to look beyond the border ahead of the crunch poll

"Eh... don't," replied my friend, editorial instinct grabbing him by the throat.

As a native Scot, he knew what was a well-intentioned marketing gesture on one side of the border would translate as a patronising gimmick on the other.

His advice? Let's not be patronising, let's be credible.

The balance between patronising and credible is critical to Messrs Cameron, Miliband and Clegg.

They are running out of time and tactics to reverse the momentum behind the Yes vote.

Hence the gamble by these three reluctant unionist poster boys - representative, as they are, of a Westminster establishment that much of Scotland has turned its back on.

Time is running out to halt the momentum behind the Yes vote

So how do they steer Scots away from that disenchantment?

How do they present change that a nation can believe in? The Saltire won't do it.

The answer probably doesn't lie, either, in the last-minute scramble to place assurances of more devolved powers for the Scottish parliament on the table.

It's all too easy for their opponents to dismiss it as panicky and worthless.

The Prime Minister has written an article in the Daily Mail in which he told Scots: "We desperately want you to stay."

In pressing the emotional button, he is probably pursuing the only strategy left to him at this stage.

Sure, some will scorn at talk of the British family, but he has to hope it will resonate with undecided voters, who still number around half a million and hold the key to the referendum's outcome.

Alex Salmond claims the 'Super Wednesday' blitz is a sign of panic

Similarly, there will be those who are 'soft' Yes voters whose degree of conviction might yet be reshaped.

After a two-and-a-half year campaign, it's a fair assumption that most people have reached a conclusion on the facts and that emotion is the only thing left to be swayed.

Apart from anything else, the sights and sounds of Westminster's love-bomb will invite Scots to look beyond their border and contemplate the constitutional wreckage that their fellow UK citizens would be left with.

This is, after all, about more than Scotland - something that has largely been absent from the debate.

The 'Super Wednesday' blitz by the men in suits represents Downing Street's last throw of the dice.

All that's left in the campaign to save the Union is the Labour-led 'intensity tour' of Scotland, led by former prime minister Gordon Brown.

Not so much a love-bomb as a scatter gun.

If the love isn't reciprocated, it will be the kiss of death for the Union.

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Scottish Vote: BP Says No To Independence

BP has weighed in to the Scottish independence debate by declaring its support for the "integrity of the United Kingdom".

The oil firm's public statement was its first to directly support the Better Together campaign after similar comments earlier this year, in a personal capacity, by chief executive Bob Dudley.

Mr Dudley spoke out today in the wake of criticism of Yes campaign estimates for future North Sea oil production and revenues by Sir Ian Wood.

The North Sea oil tycoon - acknowledged by both Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond as the industry's foremost expert - urged Scots not to gamble their economic future on mis-leading information and promises that could not be delivered.

Bob Dudley sees Scotland's future best served within the UK

He cited a report, which he said was sponsored by Yes campaigners and welcomed by Mr Salmond, which claimed there could be another 21 billion barrels of oil from unconventional shale reserves in the North Sea.

Sir Ian sad: "Quite frankly the N-56 report is an insult to the Scottish people.

"As passions rise and hearts risk over-taking minds in the debate, it is vital that Scots are able to make their decision based on fact and not fantasy.

"The N-56 report gives the impression that 21 billion barrels are in reserves.  Nothing could be further from the truth".

Sir Ian has previously stated his belief that there are just 15 years of reserves left before major damage is inflected on the Scottish economy from declining production.

His comments on Wednesday gave rise to BP coming out in favour of the union.

Mr Dudley said: "BP has been in the UK North Sea for 50 years and we hope to operate here for many years to come.

"However, the province is now mature and I believe Sir Ian Wood correctly assesses its future potential.

"The opportunities today are smaller and more challenging to develop than in the past.

"We also face the challenges of extending the productive life of existing assets and managing the future costs of  decommissioning.

"Much of this activity requires fiscal support to be economic, and future long-term investments require fiscal stability and certainty.

"Our business invests for decades into the future. It is important our plans are based on a realistic view of the North Sea's future potential and the challenges the industry faces in continuing to operate here.

"As a major investor in Scotland – now and into the future – BP believes that the future prospects for the North Sea are best served by maintaining the existing capacity and integrity of the United Kingdom".

Leader in Aberdeen of pro-independence group Business for Scotland, Kenny Anderson, rounded on Sir Ian's comments.

He said: "We have stated that 24 billion barrels of oil is a reasonable target to extract if the North Sea is managed professionally and revenues maximised.

"Our sources for these estimates have included Oil and Gas UK, Professor Alex Kemp, Sir Donald McKay and many other leading forecasters and now it seems Sir Ian Wood himself once predicted the higher figure of 25 billion barrels left to produce.

"One thing is clear, all of the forecasts of the real experts - including Sir Ian's pessimistic one - are far, far higher than those published by the Westminster Government and claimed by Better Together.

"The North Sea represents a huge opportunity to Scotland as an independent country if we move from Westminster's cash cow approach to one of intelligent stewardship in an independent Scotland."

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PM To Miss PMQs In Scotland Campaign 'Panic'

What Happens If Scotland Leaves The Union?

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Tuesday 09 September 2014

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum debate are mounting a final push for votes before the ballot on September 18. Sky News looks at what will happen if Scotland votes Yes to exit the UK:

:: 1.  When would Scotland become independent?

The Scottish Government has set a date 18 months from now, March 24, 2016, for Scotland's independence day.

:: 2. What would happen immediately after a Yes vote?

The first step on the morning after the result comes in would involve the forming of teams from both the Yes and No camps to take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations. SNP leader Alex Salmond has already indicated his deputy Nicola Sturgeon would lead the talks for the Scottish nationalists. It is not yet known who would spearhead the Westminster team.

:: 3. What amendments would there be to the constitution?

The negotiating teams would devise a new constitution for Scotland and dissolve the 1707 Act Of Union.

:: 4. What would happen to the Queen?

The Yes campaign has said Her Majesty would stay as monarch so it would not be surprising if Mr Salmond seeks an audience with the Queen in the days and weeks after the vote.

:: 5. Would Scotland take part in the May 2015 General Election?

Scottish voters would still be able to take part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in office.

:: 6. What currency would Scotland use?

That is still being thrashed out and yet to be decided. The three main Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound.

:: 7. How much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland?

This is not yet known, but it is likely to be worked out on a per capita share - based on population.

:: 8. What would happen to Scotland's standing in global affairs?

Scotland would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and Nato, and the population would have to decide whether they want to have the euro.

:: 9. What effect would independence have on Scotland's defence force?

The issue of defence is probably one of the most emotive - and uncertain. Scotland is likely to have its own independent defence force, in time, depending on practicalities and finances, for it has its North Sea oil and fishing industries to protect. Scottish nationalists are opposed to having the Trident nuclear deterrent and would want to see it removed from Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, as soon as possible. However, Nato is fundamentally a nuclear alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member of Nato, it is likely to struggle to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on the Scottish economy. There is also the matter of service personnel - some of which will be currently serving in historic English regiments. Any division of troops north and south of the border would take years.

:: 10. What would independence mean in terms of travelling across the Scotland-England border?

An independent Scotland would control its own borders. The SNP would like to see an open border, but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland to be used as a back door for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a looser immigration policy. So, we could see passport controls on the border between the two countries.

:: 11. Would Scottish citizens need new passports?

A lot depends on whether Scotland joins the EU. Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish citizens.

:: 12. What would happen to benefits and taxes?

Benefits and taxes will become the responsibility of the new Scottish government. In its white paper on Scotland's independence it says the Scottish Parliament will ensure that the personal tax allowance and tax credits increase in line with inflation.

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B&Q Boss Warns Over Prices If Scots Vote Yes

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The boss of Britain's biggest DIY retail group has warned that Scottish consumers could face higher prices than their counterparts south of the border if voters back independence in next week's referendum.

Sir Ian Cheshire, who was among hundreds of business leaders urged by David Cameron on Monday to speak out in favour of the union, told Sky News that a 'Yes' vote would almost certainly mean increased costs for a standalone Scottish business that would be passed on to customers.

Sir Ian has previously warned of an investment hiatus in Scotland, where Kingfisher employs approximately 5,500 people at its B&Q division.

"We think there is a real risk in terms of higher costs, the uncertainty about a currency union and the difficulty of making investment decisions," he said on Tuesday.

"Smaller, more complex markets often mean passing higher costs on to consumers.

"Investment decisions would be on pause while we work out what's likely to happen.

"We are not going to pick up stores and move them south of the border but [a 'Yes' vote] would represent real and significant challenge for our business."

Sir Ian's comments about potentially higher prices echo private warnings by some of the big supermarket groups, although retailers have generally been unwilling to make such comments publicly.

Sir Ian is expected to make more detailed remarks on the issue alongside Kingfisher's interim results on Wednesday.

A number of other prominent executives are also expected to speak out on the issue in the coming days as they respond to the Prime Minister's plea to give public backing to a No vote.

The latest opinion polls indicate that the two campaigns are neck and neck, defying the forecasts of those who had predicted an overwhelming win for the No lobby as recently as a few weeks ago.

Concerns about the potential impact of a Yes vote prompted uncertainty in financial markets on Monday, with sterling falling to its lowest level against the dollar for ten months, and companies with significant Scottish exposure experiencing falls in their share prices.

At Monday's Downing Street gathering, Mr Cameron said that preserving the union was an objective in which business leaders had a critical role to play, adding that it was as a United Kingdom that Britain had fought and defeated Hitler.

Some campaigners believe that a recent pro-Union letter signed by more than 130 businesspeople was counterproductive, although further such messages are planned for the No campaign during the next week.

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UK To Send Machine Guns And Ammo To Iraq

Britain is sending £1.6m of military kit, including heavy machine guns, to Iraq to help fight Islamic State militants.

The announcement was made by Michael Fallon, the Secretary of State for Defence, in a written statement.

Mr Fallon said the move followed a request from the Government of Iraq (GOI) and would include the Kurdish Regional Government.

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Michael Schumacher Leaves Hospital For Home

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher has left hospital to recuperate at home, nearly nine months after his skiing accident.

His manager, Sabine Kehm, said the seven-time champion has made "progress" since the accident last December put him in a coma.

But despite his improvement in recent weeks and months he still has "a long and difficult road ahead."

Schumacher has been in hospital in Lausanne since June, after six months at a hospital in France.

Ms Kehm said in a statement: "Henceforth, Michael's rehabilitation will take place at his home.

"Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months.

"There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead.

Schumacher skiing and his wife Corinna

"We would like to extend our gratitude to the entire team at CHUV Lausanne for their thorough and competent work.

"We ask the privacy of Michael's family continue to be respected, and that speculation about his state of health is avoided."

A spokesman for the university hospital in Lausanne confirmed the 45-year-old German was no longer in its care.

Schumacher suffered severe head injuries in a ski accident in the French Alps and was transferred to Lausanne after emerging from a coma.

He underwent treatment to stimulate his senses in a specialised outdoor section of the hospital shielded from view. 

He lives in Gland, near Geneva.

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Pound Falls Over Scotland Referendum Fears

Sterling has fallen to a 10-month low against the dollar amid a sell-off of Scotland-linked companies, after a weekend poll showed a potential surge for independence.

The markets reacted with widespread negative sentiment over rising uncertainty about the United Kingdom's economic stability.

The pound was trading down more than 1% against the US dollar in midday trades.

A broad range of companies with major interests in Scotland also saw their share prices fall on Monday.

Weir Group saw its shares drop more than 2.45%, SSE fell 2.44% and defence contractors Babcock and BAE Systems slid 4.87% and 2.37%, respectively.

The Royal Bank of Scotland dropped 2.88%, Lloyds Banking Group was down 3.36% and Standard Life fell 4.2%.

Many leading pension funds have significant exposure to the banks and big companies affected by the sell-off.

Forex.com research director Kathleen Brooks told Sky News: "An independent Scotland would potentially have to start a currency from scratch, which is a hard thing to do.

"Obviously a new currency was formed with the euro, but that was decades in the making - and Scotland doesn't have the time so it would be a real uphill struggle."

The sell-off follows a YouGov poll in the Sunday Times which indicated that 51% of Scots supported independence while 49% backed the current Union.

It was the first time polls suggested there could be a 'Yes' vote for independence in the referendum on September 18.

On Sunday, Chancellor George Osborne sought to head off the surge of support for an independent Scotland by promising more powers north of the border, including control over taxation, job creation and welfare spending.

"The markets took for granted for so long that it was going to be a 'No' vote and as the polls narrow there has been a huge change in sentiment," Ms Brooks added.

"If there is a 'Yes' vote in 10 days' time things are going to get very ugly in the markets, not just for the pound, but for stocks and potentially raise our borrowing costs in the UK without Scotland."

And on Monday, party leaders began a final push to sway undecided voters as Alistair Darling, leader of the Better Together campaign, warned a Yes vote "would be forever". 

The Scottish Government, based on expert advice it has received, has said that Scotland should continue to use the pound as part of a currency union with the rest of the UK.

As a fully tradeable currency Scotland cannot be stopped from using sterling.

In arguing its case, the 'Yes' campaign said: "A formal currency union would provide the right balance of autonomy for government and stability for business, as well as straightforward access to markets in the remainder of the UK."

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Scotland Yes Vote 'Forever', Warns Darling

Business Leaders Sucked Into Independence Row

Updated: 8:00am UK, Monday 08 September 2014

By Ian King, Business Presenter

Business people hate getting involved in politics, as a rule.

There is little upside to getting involved in political spats, particularly for those running consumer-facing businesses, as such interventions often risk alienating customers.

Shareholders do not like to see chief executives of the companies in which they are invested getting involved in politics, either, as it is a distraction from making them money.

Like it or not, though, business leaders have been sucked into the debate over Scottish independence ahead of the referendum.

Both sides have rolled out some big names, too, with the 'Yes Scotland' campaign's supporters including Sir Brian Souter, the Stagecoach founder, Ralph Topping, until recently the chief executive of William Hill, and Sir George Mathewson, the former chairman of Royal Bank of Scotland.

Sir George, a long-time supporter of Scottish independence, told Sky News there were plenty of benefits for the Scottish economy in the event of a 'Yes' vote.

"It would mean the Scottish government was responsible for both sides of the balance sheet - for the income and the expenditure," he said.

"I think we can better use the revenues we have - Scottish GDP is about the same per head as the UK as a whole, and that's not counting the oil.

"I think we can make much better use of the oil revenues than historically by the UK, and we can do things to tailor the assets we have rather than the UK government as a whole will do, but I also like to think the social aspirations of Scotland will be better catered for in an independent Scotland.

"We will no longer have to go cap in hand to the UK government if we have different plans for education and health."

The Better Together campaign also has some big Scottish business names backing it. They include Douglas Flint, the chairman of HSBC, Andrew Mackenzie, chief executive of BHP Billiton - the world's biggest mining company - and Keith Cochrane, chief executive of Weir Group, the £5.6bn pump and mining equipment maker.

Mr Cochrane, who recently helped co-ordinate a letter of business leaders urging Scots to support remaining in the UK, said he was worried about the uncertainty that a 'Yes' vote would create, particularly over the currency that an independent Scotland would use.

But he said his main reason for voting 'no' was that businesses would do better from remaining in the United Kingdom.

He told Sky News: "I will vote no because I think we can have the best of both worlds. A strong Scottish Parliament, focused on the domestic agenda, but, as part of the UK, we can benefit from being a part of a domestic market of 63 million - the skill, the ability to manage risk far more effectively than as an independent Scotland."

The key issue facing every voter in the Scottish referendum is whether Scotland's economy will be stronger, and more jobs created, in the event of independence.

Few people are better placed to speak out on this subject than business people and wealth creators. It is good that they are doing so.

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School Knife Attack: Pupil, 13, Hunted In Malvern

A teenager is being hunted by police after attacking a teacher and another student with a knife at a school in Worcestershire.

West Mercia Police warned the 13-year-old boy fled the scene after the attack at The Chase Technology College in Malvern should not be approached.

"Officers in Malvern are investigating an assault on a teacher and student at The Chase Technology College in Malvern," a police spokesman said.

"A male teacher and a 13-year-old female student from the school were attacked with a bladed instrument at approximately 8.45am.

"The boy should not be approached, please call 999 if you see him. Police are concerned about the boy's welfare and would like to find him as soon as possible."

The suspect is described as white, 5ft 3in tall, with short, spiked hair and wearing glasses.

He was last seen wearing dark grey trousers, a grey hooded jumper and may have a dark-coloured scarf covering his face. He was also carrying a dark rucksack.

The teacher and the other victim, a 13-year-old girl, suffered minor injuries in the attack.

The Chase Technology College said on its website that all staff and pupils were "safe".

"Parents should not be alarmed by the presence of police at the site. This is a precaution and the situation is fully under control," it said.

Police are staying on the site "as a safety measure" but the school days is continuing as normal.

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Duchess Of Cambridge To Have Second Baby

The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her second baby, Kensington Palace has announced.

Prince William and Kate said they were "very pleased to announce" that they are expecting their second child.

It comes a year and two months after she gave birth to Prince George at St Mary's Hospital in London.

The Duchess pictured during one of her most recent engagements in August

Sky's Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison says he has been told by Kensington Palace that the Duchess is not yet 12 weeks into her pregnancy.

The palace said the Queen and members of both William and Kate's families are "delighted" with the news.

Kate is apparently suffering from severe morning sickness, as she did with her first pregnancy.

Doctors are understood to be treating her at Kensington Palace, where she has an apartment with Prince William.

The palace said she will not be joining her husband on a planned engagement in Oxford on Monday.

A statement from the palace said: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their second child.

"The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.

"As with her first pregnancy, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum."

When Kate suffered from the condition during her last pregnancy, she had to be admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.

Kate attends a WWI event in Belgium in August with the country's Royals

Her admission to hospital at the time brought forward the announcement that she was pregnant.

Although she had not reached the 12-week mark - when it is most typical to make a pregnancy public - palace officials are understood to have realised they would be unable to conceal her condition.

The couple's second child will become fourth in line to the throne, moving Prince Harry to fifth in the line of succession.

Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement moments after the announcement saying: "Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"I'm delighted by the happy news that they're expecting another baby."

Prince Harry was the last 'second heir' born to Charles and Diana in 1984

Labour leader Ed Miliband said on Twitter: "Fantastic to hear that Prince George will soon be a big brother! Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their happy news."

Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond also tweeted his congratulations, referring to the royal couple by their Scottish titles.

He said: "Congratulations & best wishes to the Earl & Countess of Strathearn. Wonderful to hear they're expecting their second baby - very happy news!"

The names that are the betting companies' favourites so far are Arthur, Diana and Victoria (10-1), according to Sky Bet. 

Kensington Palace said the attendance by the Duchess at future engagements, including a forthcoming solo trip to Malta, would be decided on a "case by case" basis.

She had been due to appear on Monday night at the Invictus Games, which are supported by her brother-in-law Prince Harry.

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Madeleine: Book Sheds Light On Mystery Predator

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 8:10pm UK, Monday 30 June 2014

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: February 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: February 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: February 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

:: October 17 - Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann meet officers in Lisbon to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

:: October 23 - Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defends the way the Portuguese dealt with the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, saying it would have been "very difficult" to immediately know if they were dealing with a serious crime.

:: October 24 - Detectives in Portugal reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance after an internal review uncovers new lines of inquiry and witnesses who were never questioned during the original Portuguese investigation.

2014

:: January 3 - A family source says Kate and Gerry McCann have been denied permission to give evidence at a Portuguese libel trial over a book about the case by former local police chief Goncalo Amaral.

:: January 13 - British police investigate three burglars who were in the area when Madeleine disappeared, and whose phones were apparently "red hot" after she went missing. A letter is sent to Portuguese police asking for help to track them down.

:: January 29 - Scotland Yard officers, including the detective leading the case, fly to Portugal to meet police there and discuss the latest developments.

:: March 19 - Officers from Operation Grange launch a search for a man who sexually assaulted five British girls in the Algarve between 2004 and 2006.

:: April 23 - Detectives identify five new cases where a lone intruder abused young British girls in holiday apartments in the Algarve.

:: May 1 - Kate and Gerry McCann give an interview to Sky News where they are desperate to find out what happened to Madeleine, even if it is the "worst case scenario" as they back calls for a Child Rescue Alert service similar to the Amber Alert system in the US.

:: May 6 - Scotland Yard plans to dig for evidence in three locations in Praia da Luz are approved, with officers set to use ground penetrating radar.

:: May 8 - British Officers reportedly use a military helicopter to photograph potential excavation sites and hold a four-hour meeting with Portuguese colleagues to agree a timetable for new searches.

:: May 22 - Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley says the investigation will enter a "substantial phase of operational activity" in Portugal in the coming weeks. 

:: June 2 - Portuguese police seal off an area of scrubland to the west of Praia da Luz as they prepare to examine the potential excavation site.

:: June 11 - Police begin to search an area between Praia da Luz and the town of Lagos behind a water treatment plant. The search of the scrubland site was later wound down.

:: June 30 - The British team return to Portugal and plan to speak to a key witness and several suspects the following day.

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Ukraine Ceasefire Threatened By New Fighting

Residents Fearful Amid Fragile Ukraine Truce

Updated: 12:15pm UK, Sunday 07 September 2014

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent, in Mariupol

On the outskirts of Mariupol you could see the remains of Ukrainian artillery still smouldering.

We saw them recovering another piece that had been abandoned in a field.

In the middle of the main road, east outside the city, there is a Ukrainian army tank.

It has ended up disabled in what were meant to be its own side's defences - a tank trap incongruously painted with anti-war slogans and doves of peace.

The force of the impact had flung the barrel right round and destroyed part of a huge concrete block.

On one side of the tank the crew had written "Glory" and "Death to the enemies!" On the other it said "To Moscow!"

Further up the road we found the new rebel front line - they've advanced about 15 kilometres west in three days.

They turned us around and told us to leave.

We saw a T-80 battle tank dug in to the corner of the field behind them.

The pro-Russian rebels are now just a few hundred metres outside the village of Shyrokyne.

We found Ukrainian positions above the village unmanned, the hills leading up to them pockmarked with the impact of artillery fire.

One shell had landed just outside a church - its windows were shattered by shrapnel.

Another had hit a house nearby.

Tamara Spitsa, a retired music teacher, told Sky News she had never imagined this could happen in her village.

"We were hiding in the bathroom with my husband when they started shooting, very loud explosions, shrapnel like this hit my house and broke the roof."

Another man, who gave his name as Andrei, said there was no electricity in the village now.

"Scared is not the right word," he said of his feelings during the shelling.

"[President] Poroshenko should sit right here in the cellar with Litsenko [the Ukrainian Security Council spokesman] - they should be right here and then ask them if they're scared or not?

"Everyone was hiding in their cellars."

In the next village a mortar landed in front of the school, showering the canteen with fragments.

The force sliced branches off trees in the playground.

A woman was killed nearby by a mortar outside her house. She had worked selling vegetables in the market.

Her neighbour, Viktor, blamed the Ukrainian side for firing from outside their village.

"Two Grad rockets came this way," he said, "They started shooting on the rebels' positions on the outskirts.

"As a result they started answering and here is the result - we have people who are dead and injured."

We saw them digging fresh graves in the village cemetery - they want to lay the dead to rest while the ceasefire lasts.

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Alice Gross: Canal Search As Murder Suspect Held

Police are using divers to search for missing 14-year-old Alice Gross after a man was held on suspicion of murder.

The 25-year-old suspect was arrested in the Ealing area at around 5pm on Saturday and is currently in custody at a west London police station.

His arrest follows information detectives received earlier in the day.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "All lines of enquiry are still open at this time and this remains a missing person investigation at this stage."

Newly released CCTV images of cyclists spotted in the area

Police divers were seen carrying out a search of a section of the Grand Union Canal in Brentford on Sunday morning.

Officers with sniffer dogs were also operating on the canal towpath, close to where she was last seen 10 days ago.

Alice, who suffers from anorexia, disappeared from her home in Hanwell, west London, on Thursday, August 28.

She left her home at around 1pm and was captured on CCTV an hour later on the canal towpath near Brentford Lock, walking towards the River Thames.

Sniffer dogs have been used to search the Grand Union Canal towpath

She was later filmed again at 3.45pm along the towpath heading back to her home.

The footage showed her wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and denim blue Vans shoes. She may also have had tartan-framed glasses.

Earlier, the Met Police released new pictures of cyclists riding past the spot where Alice was last spotted, shortly before her disappearance.

Alice was spotted on CCTV before she vanished

The grainy footage show three cyclists riding along the towpath by the Trumpers Way Canal Bridge in Hanwell, moments before Alice walks past at 4.23pm.

They are followed by two more cyclists who pass under the bridge on the Grand Union Canal.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "I would urge everyone to take a good look at the pictures ... to see if it jogs any memories of the day Alice went missing."

Officers also urged anyone who may have befriended Alice on a song-writing workshop at the Camden Roundhouse to come forward.

A social media campaign was launched after the 14-year-old went missing

A large social media campaign has been under way since the teenager went missing and hundreds of posters have been distributed around the area.

Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss appealed to her daughter directly on the Facebook page Find Alice Gross, saying: "Alice if you can see this, please know sweetheart that all of us love you and miss you desperately.

"My love please get in touch and let someone know you are safe. Alice please come home. Mum."

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8358 0100, Ealing Missing Persons Unit on 020 8246 1018 or the charity Missing People on 116 000.

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Scots Yes Camp Not Complacent Over Poll Lead

'Yes' Vote Could Force David Cameron Out

Updated: 12:51am UK, Monday 25 August 2014

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

A 'Yes' vote in Scotland on September 18 would trigger a political earthquake at Westminster and could even force David Cameron out of office.

The Prime Minister has insisted he won't resign if Scotland votes for independence. But if it does, there will immediately be pressure for him to go from within his own party.

"It will be particularly humiliating for him," declared David Davis, the man Mr Cameron defeated in the 2005 Tory leadership election and who still stalks him from the back benches.

More worrying for Mr Cameron will be the verdict of John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, who says: "A Yes vote would destroy Cameron's place in the history books.

"He would become known as the prime minister who gambled on keeping Scotland in the union and lost his gamble."

His supporters also argue that if anyone should resign after a Yes vote it should be Labour leader Ed Miliband, not Mr Cameron, because Labour is "the big, dominant political force" in Scotland.

Cameron loyalists also claim he will be the best person to "sort out the mess" if there is a Yes vote.

Sorting out "the mess" would include passing a "paving Bill", a piece of legislation enabling Scotland to start the process of becoming independent.

This would give the Scottish government the ability to start negotiating with institutions in the UK and around the world in its own right.

The Scottish government would then begin talks with bodies like the EU, the United Nations, Nato, the Commonwealth and even sporting bodies like the International Olympic Committee.

First Minister Alex Salmond has already been warned these talks could be a very slow process.

At the same time, negotiations would start with the British government on the Scottish independence settlement: what would Scotland get and what would be shared.

The big row will be over the currency. Will Scotland keep the pound?

And on defence, what will happen to Scotland's nuclear bases, RAF stations and indeed the Scottish members of the British Armed Forces?

After all this a second piece of legislation would have to be passed at Westminster to dissolve the Act of Union of 1707 and recreate Scotland as a separate country.

And what of the 2015 election? It would be thrown into turmoil.

So what could happen? There are already calls for voters in Scotland's 59 parliamentary constituencies to be banned from voting.

The Scottish National Party has proposed postponing the election by a year, a move rejected by all the other parties.

And if Labour wins, Mr Miliband could suddenly be plunged into a minority government.

If Mr Cameron survives the immediate aftermath of the result and the pressure to quit, he could eventually get the overall Commons majority he and his backbenchers crave.

Mr Salmond has claimed all this will be settled in 18 months and Scotland will become independent on March 24, 2016.

Given the bitterness, rancour and chaos a Yes vote would unleash, that might be optimistic.

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