Body In Suitcase: Man 'Confesses To Killing'

An American man has confessed to killing his girlfriend's mother, whose body was found in a suitcase in Bali, police have said.

Tommy Schaefer, 21, said he carried out the crime after an argument with victim Sheila von Wiese Mack, officers added.

Schaefer's partner, Heather Mack, 19, claimed she watched him kill her mother and then helped stuff the body into the case, said the police chief in Bali's capital Denpasar.

The couple were arrested on the island on August 13, a day after the 62-year-old victim was discovered in the boot of a taxi at the St Regis hotel where the three had been staying.

Colonel Djoko Heru Utomo said: "Schaefer confessed to killing von Wiese-Mack during police interrogation. He was hurt and offended by the victim's words in an argument with him. That is the motive for the murder."

He said Ms Mack, who is three months' pregnant, admitted her involvement during a separate interrogation.

The suitcase which contained the victim's body

The pair are in custody in Bali while police investigate and could face the death penalty if found guilty of premeditated murder.

Police say they have interviewed dozens of witnesses, including the taxi driver and hotel employees, and some had reported an argument among the three over who should pay for the rooms.

Security camera video showed the victim having an argument with Schaefer in the hotel reception.

Police have said the couple hired the taxi and placed the suitcase inside the boot.

They then told the driver they were going to check out of the hotel and would return.

After they did not show up, hotel security guards who found blood on the suitcase suggested the driver take the vehicle to the police station. That was when officers opened the case and discovered the body.

Col Utomo said the pair were accompanied by their Indonesian and US lawyers during the interrogations.

The pair are yet to be charged with any crime because, under the Indonesian legal system, suspects are not formally charged until they appear in court at the start of a trial.

A trial will only begin once police have completed their investigations and passed the evidence to prosecutors. The victim and the suspects are all from the Chicago area.

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Freed Islamic State Hostages Return To Turkey

Dozens of Turkish hostages seized by Islamic State militants in Iraq have been freed in what Turkey's President described as a secret rescue operation.

The 49 hostages - including diplomatic staff, special forces soldiers and children - were taken from the Turkish consulate in Mosul in Iraq on June 11 after the city was overrun by Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said they were released after a "pre-planned operation" involving the country's intelligence services.

The PM (R) kisses Turkish consul-general Ozturk Yilmaz after his release

"After intense efforts that lasted days and weeks, in the early hours, our citizens were handed over to us and we brought them back to our country," he said.

The release of the hostages came as a full-length propaganda film produced by IS emerged.

It was not immediately clear what Turkey had done to secure the safe return of the hostages, but Turkish independent broadcaster NTV said no ransom was paid and there were no clashes with insurgents during the operation to release them.

Mr Davutoglu (L) gets on a plane with the freed hostages

President Tayyip Erdogan said: "I thank the Prime Minister and his colleagues for the pre-planned, carefully calculated and secretly conducted operation throughout the night.

"MIT (the Turkish intelligence agency) has followed the situation very sensitively and patiently since the beginning and, as a result, conducted a successful rescue operation."

Police formed a cordon outside the airport in the southern Turkish city of Sanliurfa as the hostages arrived in buses with curtains drawn.

The hostages were taken in Mosul and returned to Sanliurfa

The Prime Minister, who cut short an official trip to Azerbaijan to travel to Sanliurfa, hugged the hostages before boarding a plane with them to the capital, Ankara.

Mr Davutoglu did not provide further details on the circumstances of the release, but said it was carried out through "MIT's own methods".

Sky's Senior Correspondent Ian Woods said: "It seems that some sort of deal must have been done because these are people, unlike the Western hostages, journalists and aid workers, these were people who were not in the country of their own volition.

"To describe this as something co-ordinated by the intelligence service suggests that a deal has been done. It was described as a rescue mission, but we should not think of this as such because is it unlikely they could rescue all 49 people without casualties."

IS fighters in Mosul, Iraq. File image

Seizure of the hostages put Turkey in a difficult position as a summit of 30 countries met in Paris last week to co-ordinate their response to the IS threat.

The nations agreed to "support the Iraqi government by any means necessary - including military assistance".

Turkey resisted joining the coalition and the United States was careful not to push Ankara too hard as it worked to free the hostages.

The hostage release comes as Turkey opened up its border to thousands of Kurds fleeing clashes with IS in neighbouring Syria.

Under tight security, the refugees, mostly women and children, crossed to the Turkish side of the border in the southeastern village of Dikmetas.

"We have taken in 4,000 brothers," Mr Davutoglu told reporters.

Mr Cantlie was seen in an IS video

"The entries have started now. The number might increase. Their needs will be met. This is a humanitarian mission."

Islamic State has killed two US journalists and a British aid worker who were working in Syria in retaliation for airstrikes that Washington launched against them in Iraq.

IS is also holding two British hostages captured in Syria who have appeared in videos released by the group.

A group of Muslim scholars has made a direct appeal to IS to release hostage Alan Henning.

In a video message posted online, the men told the 47-year-old's captors that killing him would be against Islamic law.

Mr Henning, a taxi driver from Salford, was delivering aid in Syria when he was captured in December near the town of al Dana.

A video released on Thursday showing British journalist John Cantlie, who is also believed to be held by IS.

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IS Releases Gruesome Full-Length Film

Freed Islamic State Hostages Return To Turkey

Updated: 2:28pm UK, Saturday 20 September 2014

Dozens of Turkish hostages seized by Islamic State militants in Iraq have been freed in what Turkey's President described as a secret rescue operation.

The 49 hostages - including diplomatic staff, special forces soldiers and children - were taken from the Turkish consulate in Mosul in Iraq on June 11 after the city was overrun by Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said they were released after a "pre-planned operation" involving the country's intelligence services.

"After intense efforts that lasted days and weeks, in the early hours, our citizens were handed over to us and we brought them back to our country," he said.

The release of the hostages came as a full-length propaganda film produced by IS emerged.

It was not immediately clear what Turkey had done to secure the safe return of the hostages, but Turkish independent broadcaster NTV said no ransom was paid and there were no clashes with insurgents during the operation to release them.

President Tayyip Erdogan said: "I thank the Prime Minister and his colleagues for the pre-planned, carefully calculated and secretly conducted operation throughout the night.

"MIT (the Turkish intelligence agency) has followed the situation very sensitively and patiently since the beginning and, as a result, conducted a successful rescue operation."

Police formed a cordon outside the airport in the southern Turkish city of Sanliurfa as the hostages arrived in buses with curtains drawn.

The Prime Minister, who cut short an official trip to Azerbaijan to travel to Sanliurfa, hugged the hostages before boarding a plane with them to the capital, Ankara.

Mr Davutoglu did not provide further details on the circumstances of the release, but said it was carried out through "MIT's own methods".

Sky's Senior Correspondent Ian Woods said: "It seems that some sort of deal must have been done because these are people, unlike the Western hostages, journalists and aid workers, these were people who were not in the country of their own volition.

"To describe this as something co-ordinated by the intelligence service suggests that a deal has been done. It was described as a rescue mission, but we should not think of this as such because is it unlikely they could rescue all 49 people without casualties."

Seizure of the hostages put Turkey in a difficult position as a summit of 30 countries met in Paris last week to co-ordinate their response to the IS threat.

The nations agreed to "support the Iraqi government by any means necessary - including military assistance".

Turkey resisted joining the coalition and the United States was careful not to push Ankara too hard as it worked to free the hostages.

The hostage release comes as Turkey opened up its border to thousands of Kurds fleeing clashes with IS in neighbouring Syria.

Under tight security, the refugees, mostly women and children, crossed to the Turkish side of the border in the southeastern village of Dikmetas.

"We have taken in 4,000 brothers," Mr Davutoglu told reporters.

"The entries have started now. The number might increase. Their needs will be met. This is a humanitarian mission."

Islamic State has killed two US journalists and a British aid worker who were working in Syria in retaliation for airstrikes that Washington launched against them in Iraq.

IS is also holding two British hostages captured in Syria who have appeared in videos released by the group.

A group of Muslim scholars has made a direct appeal to IS to release hostage Alan Henning.

In a video message posted online, the men told the 47-year-old's captors that killing him would be against Islamic law.

Mr Henning, a taxi driver from Salford, was delivering aid in Syria when he was captured in December near the town of al Dana.

A video released on Thursday showing British journalist John Cantlie, who is also believed to be held by IS.

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Thai Murders: Hannah DNA Matches Asian Men

DNA taken from the body of murdered British tourist Hannah Witheridge matches that of two Asian men, Thai police say.

Officers also said they do not know if the killer is still on the island of Koh Tao, where she and David Miller, 24, were found murdered.

Sky News has obtained video of Ms Witheridge filmed in the hours before she was killed.

In the exclusive footage, she is seen on CCTV walking between bars with a group of friends.

Ms Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, suffered severe head wounds and Mr Miller died from blows to the head and drowning, post-mortem examinations showed.

Their bodies were found in a rocky area of Sairee beach on Monday.

A garden hoe with Ms Witheridge's blood on it was discovered nearby, and investigators are searching for a blunt metal object used on Mr Miller.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, on Koh Tao (Turtle Island), said: "Today the head of Thailand's police flew to the island by helicopter - really a sense of how seriously now the Thai authorities are taking this investigation.

"He confirmed that two men's DNA that was found on Hannah's body have been analysed and he has confirmed those two samples are from two Asian men.

"Of course they have no idea at the moment, as far as we understand, who these two men may be.

"They have questioned many people on the island, but so far they tell us they have no firm suspects."

Ms Witheridge is seen leaving a bar with friends

DNA on a cigarette butt has been matched to semen found on Ms Witheridge, and officers say the cigarette was smoked by more than one person.

Meanwhile, two British brothers who were questioned by police have been told they are free to return home to Jersey.

Christopher and James Ware, childhood friends of Mr Miller, were spoken to by officers but were never detained or named as suspects.

A group of Burmese migrants who were interviewed by police after bloodstains were found on their clothes have also been eliminated from police inquiries.

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Scotland Votes No: PM Promises New Powers

Devo Max: What New Powers Can Scotland Have?

Updated: 12:01pm UK, Friday 19 September 2014

David Cameron has pledged new powers for Scotland that some have said amount to Devo Max. However, it's not quite as clear cut as that.

What is Devo Max?

Scottish Parliament basically gets power over everything - apart from defence and foreign affairs. Maximum devolution.

Is that on offer?

No it's not, although some say David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have come close to that.

What powers does Scotland already have?

It makes its own laws on health, education, law and order, environment, social services, housing, local government, tourism, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and some areas of transport. It can also raise or lower its income tax by 3p, but has not used this power.

What does Westminster have control of?

Defence, social security, immigration, benefits, foreign policy, employment, broadcasting, trade and industry, nuclear energy, oil, gas and electricity, consumer affairs and the constitution.

What powers will be given away in this quasi Devo Max deal?

It is not entirely clear. More power over setting income tax is definitely on the agenda, and control of housing benefits too. Holyrood is unlikely to get control over the oil take or corporation tax.

Under Gordon Brown's 12-point plan, giveaways include power over borrowing, job creation, social care and employment rights. The Scottish Parliament will also be confirmed as permanent, binding future governments to ensure its continued existence.

But what about England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Well, Mr Cameron has also promised more powers for Wales and Northern Ireland and to listen to the "millions of voices of England". He has promised to address the problem of "English votes for English laws" or the West Lothian question as it is also called. 

At the moment Scotland's 59 MPs can vote on matters that affect all of the UK but English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters where powers have been devolved to Holyrood. 

With the promise of new powers for Scotland's Parliament, it has led to calls of "unfair" and for England to get more powers and the Prime Minister has said he will deliver. A sort of devolution revolution, if you will. 

Leader of the House of Commons William Hague is in charge of drawing up these plans but do expect that the Lib Dems and Labour will have rival versions. No cross-party consensus has been reached as with devolved powers for Scotland.

Make no mistake, it's a major shake-up - and yes, it will be an election issue.

So when is all this going to happen?

Gordon Brown has tabled a House of Commons debate over his planned 12-point power giveaway and the timetable for its delivery in mid-October.

There intention is that a new draft law to be drawn up by January 25 (Burns Night). Alex Salmond has agreed to talks to thrash out the details of these new powers but he will clearly be trying to get as close to delivering Devo Max as he can - having lost the battle for independence. It will not be passed until after the General Election in May but as there is a cross-party agreement theoretically, this should not provide a problem.

But the plans for England, Wales and Scotland do not have to work to the same timetable. They could be far more contentious as the parties are unlikely to agree on plans. Any English votes for English laws will put Labour at a distinct disadvantage as it effectively loses 40 MPs if its Scottish politicians are not included.

In addition, English MPs may be reluctant to allow new powers for Scotland to go through when they don't know "what's in it for them". 

In short, this could get messy and take a very long time.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage now on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Alibaba Shares Make New York Trading Debut

Trading is underway in Alibaba shares following a flotation that could raise a world record sum of $25bn (£15.3bn).

The Chinese e-marketplace, which priced its initial public offering (IPO) at the top end $68-a-share (£42), is to trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker "BABA".

Follow first day share price movements here.

It was the biggest flotation in US history at almost $22bn but market experts say the listing is on course to become a world record.

Jack Ma is in New York for the IPO

If, as expected, underwriters exercise an option to buy up more shares to meet demand, the sale is expected to raise $25bn - more than the $22.1bn by China's AgBank in 2010.

NYSE, anxious to avoid a repeat of the glitches which marred Facebook's IPO on the rival Nasdaq exchange in 2012, said extensive testing of its systems had identified no problems.

The opening bell was rung at 2:30pm BST as Alibaba representatives looked on.

The company's founder and executive chairman Jack Ma, who started the company in a one-bedroom apartment, has shares that stand to be worth up to $14bn though one of the biggest winners will be Yahoo!

The tech firm's in line to make almost $10bn as it prepares to lower its stake in Alibaba - an investment it made for $1bn in 2005.

Its total holding before trading got underway was valued at $26bn.

More follows...

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What Now For UK? 10 Things You Need To Know

Scotland has rejected independence. So what happens now, and can we all still be friends?

1) What new powers will Scotland get?

David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have all promised Scotland will get some - although we don't yet know exactly what they are. Gordon Brown has set out a 12-point plan and will be drawing up the Home Rule deal. Remember Scotland already makes its own laws in a number of areas including health and social services, education, and law and order.

2) When will it get them?

Work will start straight away. Mr Brown has secured a House of Commons debate on October 16 and a command paper is expected at the end of that month. A draft new law will be drawn up by January 25, 2015 - Burns Night - but this will not be passed until after the General Election.

3) Will there be another referendum?

No, at least not any time soon. Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has said he will accept the result and has no appetite for another vote. However, the issue of independence has cropped up once or twice before... Never say never.

4) Will Scottish people pay less tax than England?

They could, yes. The new powers will give Scotland more power over setting income tax. Still it's worth noting that Holyrood already has power to vary income tax by 3p above or below the rest of the UK (set to rise to 10p in 2016). It's never used them.

5) Will Scotland get better benefits?

Potentially, yes. It's likely the new powers will give Scottish Parliament more say on housing benefit, which could see it scrap the unpopular so-called "bedroom tax".

6) Will Wales and Northern Ireland want a slice of the cake?

Yes - and David Cameron has indicated that they will get more powers and will be part of drawing up a "new and fair settlement" for the whole of the UK. This new "devolution revolution" will also mean England's MPs will get a greater say in English matters.

7) Will Scotland carry on getting a greater allocation of wealth than England under the Barnett Formula?

The yearly per-capita distribution of wealth under the Barnett formula

It seems so. Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg and Mr Miliband have said the method for allocating the UK wealth will continue. Scotland does a lot better out of it than England. Northern Ireland comes out top. It's unpopular and even the man who came up with it, Labour peer Lord Barnett, has said it's outdated.

English MPs are not happy and it remains to be seen if it will be altered under the new deal. However, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander says he thinks it is good for the whole of the UK.

8) Will Scottish MPs still be able to vote on English matters?

This head-scratcher is called the West Lothian question - because it was raised by Labour's West Lothian MP Tam Dalyell… in 1977.

Scotland's 59 MPs can vote on any issues in Westminster - even swaying votes on matters that will not affect their constituents - but English MPs cannot vote on powers devolved to Scotland.

Mr Cameron has promised that this "question of English votes for English laws" will be addressed and that the "millions of voices of England must be heard".

9) Can England have its own parliament now?

Maybe. A growing number of MPs are calling for an English parliament, led in the main by Tory MP John Redwood. However, it will clearly be part of the talks in the coming months. Leader of the House of Commons William Hague will be drawing up plans on powers for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Expect rival Labour and Lib Dem versions.

10) Can England and Scotland still be friends?

Expect initial hostilities after the slings and arrows of a fairly feisty campaign but take comfort from history. The two nations have had their differences but have rubbed along for centuries. That said, Andy Murray has taken a fair drubbing on Twitter after coming out for the Yes campaign. And there's always football - the two countries meet in a 'friendly' in November.

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Was This The Rehabilitation Of Gordon Brown?

By Faisal Islam, Political Editor

An important subplot of this week's constitutional convulsions was the role of former prime minister Gordon Brown.

Although it appears he was parachuted in to help the No campaign after the late-August Salmond surge, the rapprochement between Mr Brown and his former colleague and antagonist Alistair Darling occurred months ago. He always was going to play a significant role.

In those months Mr Brown had regularly pleaded with Conservatives to firm up an offer for maximal devolution to bring home the No vote.

The Conservatives resisted.

While the polls showed a 20 point lead under Mr Darling, why would they offer such gifts?

Rockstar politics with 'that' speech. Was it Mr Brown what won it?

But when the polls tightened after the second debate, with Labour voters tempted by a promise of a Scotland free of Tory rule forever, Mr Brown took control.

It was essentially an insurance policy. A premium paid in the form of a promise and then a vow, against even a small risk of the unthinkable break up of the union.

And Mr Brown knew that Downing Street would pay it. A set, tight timetable for more devolution of tax and spending powers, achieved by aligning the core of three unionist parties' devolution plans. Draft legislation by Burns Night in January.

Mr Brown was a formidable chancellor for many years...

Mr Brown has long form for championing extra powers for Scotland stretching back to his student days.

It gave credibility to a vague promise.

And most importantly the SNP found it difficult to attack him too much.

As one senior SNP member puts it: "We can't attack Gordon Brown - all we can say is 'he's a good man, but he's got this one wrong." Mr Brown announced the timetable and the powers, and within hours Downing Street and the other parties signed up to the deal.

... but he struggled to make his mark as prime minister

This was no ploy from Mr Brown. He was achieving, through deployment of his Scottish political capital in an electoral crisis, some of the constitutional reforms he had hoped to achieve as prime minister.

When I spoke to him on Wednesday, I asked him why the rest of Britain should accept this.

"The change I propose to the leaders of the parties is not at the expense of the rest of the UK," he said.

"The regions and the nations in the rest of the UK I think will be quite happy with these changes.

"And I think the offer must be open to them, if they wish to pursue the path of further devolution then that is a good thing to do. What we are admitting is that the old UK constitution which was uniform, unitary, centralised, Westminster sovereignty undiluted, that's all going."

He said his children had prompted him to get involved in the No campaign

And what about even the maintenance of the Barnett formula for public spending?

"This is not at the expense of equity for the regions and nations of the UK. Scotland is not asking for anything at the expense of these regions and nations. But the centralising tendencies in London will have to change," he told me.

Above all Mr Brown regained his political class, the return of a heavyweight prize fighter out of semi-retirement.

His speeches displayed the passion of his peak powers as Chancellor in the early 2000s. His final conference speech at Maryhill Community centre could be remembered as one of the greats. The only thing we missed: the opportunity to see him slug it out in debate with Mr Salmond.

His motivation was singular, he told me.

I asked him if he was enjoying his return to the centre of the debate. "I'd left frontline politics, I have entered this campaign for one reason only, because I was thinking about my children's future," he said.

"My children are brought up in Scotland, at school in Scotland. Given this choice could affect their future and their children's future, so someone like me as a father and a parent could not afford to be out of this debate. But I have no desire to be back in frontline politics."

His ideas will now condition a British devolution revolution for at least six months. Much mocked for his accidental claim to have "saved the world" in the aftermath of the financial crisis, Mr Brown can now certainly lay claim to having helped save the Union.

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Scotland: Keep Up With Events As They Unfold

Decision Day For Scotland: Voters Go To Polls

Updated: 1:46pm UK, Thursday 18 September 2014

People in Scotland are voting on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.

Polling stations opened at 7am and people have until 10pm to cast their ballot, with the result expected to be known by breakfast time tomorrow.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond voted at Ritchie Hall polling station in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, two hours after polls opened.

Mr Salmond, leading the Yes campaign, was joined by two first-time voters, 18-year-old Natasha McDonald and Lea Pirie, 28.

He gave both women a soft Yes toy as a mascot for their vote and the trio stopped for pictures on their way in.

Despite long days of campaigning, the First Minister said he managed to get a good rest on the eve of the vote.

Former Chancellor and leader of the Better Together campaign Alistair Darling was photographed with his wife Maggie and No campaigners in Edinburgh.

He was booed by some, but cheered by others, as he arrived at the polling station at the Church Hill Theatre in Edinburgh.

He told reporters: "It's been a long, hard two-and-a-half year campaign, passions have been aroused on both sides, and understandably so because we are talking about the biggest single decision that any of us will ever take in our lifetime."

Former PM Gordon Brown arrived at the polling station at North Queensferry Community Centre, Fife, to cast his vote.

He shook hands with No campaign supporters, as well as one Yes voter, who were waiting for him in the mist.

After casting her vote, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "I've just voted #Yes to Scotland becoming an independent country. What a wonderful feeling."

Elsewhere, queues formed outside polling stations across the country from early morning as turnout was expected to be as high as 90%.

There was an alleged assault at a polling station in Clydebank, a few miles northwest of Glasgow. Police arrested a 44-year-old man over the incident in Faifley Road at 8.30am.

More than 2,600 schools, sports centres and local halls have opened their doors to voters.

Four million voters are being asked a simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

A Yes vote at the end of a hard-fought campaign will bring an end to the Union of the United Kingdom that has stood for 307 years.

After the polls close tonight, counting of the votes takes place at 32 regional centres all over Scotland.

Then, once each result is in, the numbers will be sent to the main counting centre in Edinburgh.

The earliest declarations, at around 2am on Friday, will include North Lanarkshire, Orkney, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

The latest, at 6am, is expected to be Aberdeen. Dundee is expected at 3am and Edinburgh and Glasgow at 5am.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage from 9pm on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Alice Gross Suspect 'Is Convicted Murderer'

A builder that police are looking for in connection with the disappearance of Alice Gross has a murder conviction in his native country, police have said.

Police have now named Arnis Zalkalns as a suspect, and revealed that as well as the murder conviction in Latvia in 1998, he was previously arrested in London over an indecent assault on a young girl, but was never charged.

The 41-year-old was caught on CCTV cycling along the path where Alice was last seen, and Scotland Yard have been urging him to come forward.

Forensic officers have been searching Zalkalns' house in Ealing, west London, but the Metropolitan Police has stressed it has no leads to suggest she has died.

The police have been scouring the area where Alice was last seen alive

Zalkalns has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since September 3, and has not returned home since this date.

At a news conference, investigators confirmed it may be possible that someone is helping the convicted murderer, who served seven years in a Latvian jail, by providing him with money or somewhere to stay.

Alice Gross walked by a canal shortly before Zalkalns used the same route

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, added: "This is not a murder inquiry in the sense that we don't have evidence or information to say that Alice is not alive."

It is thought Zalkalns has been in the UK since 2007 - however, he left his passport at home in Ealing when he went missing two weeks ago.

Police have warned the man "clearly poses a risk to the public". Anyone who sees him is asked not to approach him.

Alice's mother, Rosalind Hodgkiss, has appealed for help. Pic: Crimewatch

Meanwhile, the Latvian Embassy has released a statement to confirm that Zalkalns has not contacted them, and to insist that they have no information on his whereabouts.

So far, there is no evidence to suggest that Alice and Zalkalns knew each other.

A reward of £20,000 is being offered to anyone who has information that leads detectives to find the teenager, who was last seen walking along the Grand Union Canal in west London.

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Decision Day For Scotland: Voters Go To Polls

People in Scotland are voting on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.

Polling stations opened at 7am and people have until 10pm to cast their ballot, with the result expected to be known by breakfast time tomorrow.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond voted at Ritchie Hall polling station in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, two hours after polls opened.

Mr Salmond, leading the Yes campaign, was joined by two first-time voters, 18-year-old Natasha McDonald and Lea Pirie, 28.

He gave both women a soft Yes toy as a mascot for their vote and the trio stopped for pictures on their way in.

Alex Salmond outside a polling station in Aberdeenshire

Despite long days of campaigning, the First Minister said he managed to get a good rest on the eve of the vote.

Former Chancellor and leader of the Better Together campaign Alistair Darling was photographed with his wife Maggie and No campaigners in Edinburgh.

He was booed by some, but cheered by others, as he arrived at the polling station at the Church Hill Theatre in Edinburgh.

Voters queue in Glasgow

He told reporters: "It's been a long, hard two-and-a-half year campaign, passions have been aroused on both sides, and understandably so because we are talking about the biggest single decision that any of us will ever take in our lifetime."

Former PM Gordon Brown arrived at the polling station at North Queensferry Community Centre, Fife, to cast his vote.

He shook hands with No campaign supporters, as well as one Yes voter, who were waiting for him in the mist.

Better Together campaigner Alistair Darling with wife Maggie in Edinburgh

After casting her vote, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "I've just voted #Yes to Scotland becoming an independent country. What a wonderful feeling."

Elsewhere, queues formed outside polling stations across the country from early morning as turnout was expected to be as high as 90%.

There was an alleged assault at a polling station in Clydebank, a few miles northwest of Glasgow. Police arrested a 44-year-old man over the incident in Faifley Road at 8.30am.

Gordon Brown outside a polling station in Fife

More than 2,600 schools, sports centres and local halls have opened their doors to voters.

Four million voters are being asked a simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

A Yes vote at the end of a hard-fought campaign will bring an end to the Union of the United Kingdom that has stood for 307 years.

After the polls close tonight, counting of the votes takes place at 32 regional centres all over Scotland.

Then, once each result is in, the numbers will be sent to the main counting centre in Edinburgh.

The earliest declarations, at around 2am on Friday, will include North Lanarkshire, Orkney, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

The latest, at 6am, is expected to be Aberdeen. Dundee is expected at 3am and Edinburgh and Glasgow at 5am.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage from 9pm on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Honeymoon Briton Killed In Jet Ski Crash

A British man has been killed in a jet ski crash two days into his honeymoon in Santorini, Greek police have said.

The 39-year-old, who has not been named, is thought to have been rammed into by another apparently British jet skier.

He was picked up by coast guard crews, who ordered an emergency airlift to the nearby island of Crete.

The man died of severe head and chest injuries before arriving at hospital.

Greek authorities said the owner of the water sports rental was arrested along with a 29-year-old Briton - a friend of the groom.

The Brit was detained at the airport.

Both of the accused are due to appear before a state prosecutor on the island of Naxos on Friday.

Authorities have refused to disclose details of the Britons.

Coast guard have launched an investigation into the deadly accident. They expect the Briton to be charged with negligent homicide.

The Foreign Office are looking into the apparent killing.

More follows...

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Brown Urges Scottish 'Patriots' To Vote 'No'

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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Wearing A 'No' T-Shirt In Scotland's 'Yes City'

How Facebook Shaped The Referendum

Updated: 8:27am UK, Tuesday 16 September 2014

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

It's Facebook 'wot might win it.

Sure, the August poll surge in support for independence was down, in part, to traditional campaigning. Meetings and megaphones have thrust the Yes campaign "in yer face" over years leading up to Thursday.

But why, according to the opinion polls, did it all seem to come together in the space of a few weeks? Why, suddenly, the knife-edge?

In the word of a senior Yes strategist: Facebook.

I chatted to him as the Alex Salmond Labour Heartland tour rolled up at its latest venue, playing to the target market through the TV cameras. It was a big, well-attended, photo-call - the staple diet of the political campaign.

As the strategist stood back from the madding crowd, he told me that the magic formula didn't lie in the blood and snotters of a mass media scrum, but in the quiet exploitation of social media. Facebook, in particular.

The challenge for supporters of Scottish independence, historically, has been in turning it from a fringe notion into something people allow themselves to contemplate. Check their election success at the Scottish Parliament to see the considerable style with which that's been accomplished.

Scots have taken the hop and a step. Why, now, might they be shaping to take the jump? 

The Yes strategist pinned it on Facebook.

"Ask yourself," he said, to paraphrase him, "if a parent wants to check on their youngster who's on a night out, what do they do?  They don't phone them, because they probably won't answer.

"They might text ... but, invariably, they'll Facebook them. And when they do, dozens or hundreds of their friends will see it. It's a chat network that plugs people into the other people they value. There are no better opinion-formers for someone than the friends and family they like and trust.

"So, as a campaigning tool, it's been very effective. We encourage Yes supporters to spread the word to their Facebook friends and, over time, you build a network around people that builds a political case.

"Facebook is more effective than Twitter. You put something on Twitter and you reach people within the political bubble. With Facebook, you tap into a far bigger community."

So why the spike in support for Yes after polls that had No with a consistent and strong lead over the course of a two and a half year campaign?

"People just didn't turn their mind to the referendum until it actually came round. It's been in the far distance for most of the campaign but, now that people realise they're getting to decision time, large numbers are now weighing up the arguments ... and they're deciding having had their views on independence softened by Facebook friends."

There were more than 10 million referendum-related interactions on Facebook in the five weeks to September 8 - 85% of which was from Scotland.

He said he reckoned the Yes campaign had been four or five times more active than their opponents on Facebook and pointed out a Facebook chat with Scotland's pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond attracted around 5,000 questions.

Data suggests the Yes campaign is slightly in the lead with 2.05 interactions in Scotland compared to 1.96 million for the no campaign.

The strategist said the campaigning beauty of social media was that it eliminated the need to rely on mainstream media coverage, that the likes of Facebook cut out the middle man and enabled them to reach out to the voter directly.

Just how many the campaign has touched and what effect it has had, we'll find out soon enough.

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Sky Poll: Scots Unclear Over No Vote Powers

PM May Regret 'Double Or Quits' Scot Gamble

Updated: 7:06am UK, Wednesday 17 September 2014

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

If David Cameron has any regrets on the eve of the final day of campaigning in the Scottish referendum, one might centre on the terms he negotiated for this historic vote.

After all, polls suggest that the largest group of Scots did not want to choose "Yes" or "No". Instead, they would have been happy with a third option, so-called "Devo-Max".

But the Prime Minister, not keen on handing over more devolution, decided to play double or quits.

He made the contest a straight choice - presumably confident that it would result in the outcome that he wanted.

Now there is a chance that his gamble may not pay off.

What no one expected months ago, when the No campaign had a 22-point lead, was a race that would be described in its final days as being on a knife-edge.

But that is what Mr Cameron is now faced with.

And it explains why he, along with Labour leader Ed Miliband, and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, have put a big new offer on the table for Scottish voters.

An offer that devolves more powers to the country, and is being received by many of its newspapers as the "Devo-Max" the Prime Minister originally rejected.

The Daily Record, for example, says the choice is now between a "No" vote that means Scotland and the UK are changed forever, or a "Yes" vote that ends Britain.

Offering that new choice leaves Mr Cameron facing a potential backlash in England among MPs who feel his promise gives their constituents an unfair deal.

He did it because the stakes are high, with the Prime Minister's job under threat if he loses this vote.

That is why on Monday, instead of bowing to calls to recall Parliament to discuss the murder of a British hostage in the Middle East, he travelled to Aberdeen to love-bomb Scotland.

Mr Cameron said he would be "heartbroken" if the UK was divided, telling Scots he knew they did not like him but he would not be around forever.

But if the stakes are high for the Conservative leader, they are arguably higher for his Labour counterpart, who faces losing dozens of MPs and the hope of future majorities.

That is why Ed Miliband will be north of the border from now until after the vote.

As for Mr Clegg, an independent Scotland would lose him one fifth of his Parliamentary party.

Yet their challenge remains a steep one - a Yes campaign that has energy and momentum, and which has already persuaded a large proportion of Scots to change their mind.

Alex Salmond enters these final 24 hours with his life-long dream of independence in touching distance.

And remember, no one expected it to be this close.

If he just misses out, he will still be able to argue that his campaign pushed the opposition into placing on offer on the table with many more powers for the Scottish people.

With one day to go, Mr Salmond is, arguably, facing a win-win situation.

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Thai Police Question Brothers Over Beach Murders

Two British brothers are being questioned over the murders of two backpackers in Thailand as tests revealed more about how the victims died.

Chris Ware and his brother James, from Jersey, have been asked to stay in Thailand as experts wait for the results of DNA tests.

Chris Ware being interviewed by Thai police

The brothers were questioned as police continued to detain six Burmese suspects with alleged links to the deaths.

Police Colonel Kissana, deputy Thai police spokesman, said there was "strong evidence" linking the Burmese suspects to the murders, including blood stains on clothes.

"DNA tests are being completed and we should hopefully have a report tomorrow." Kissana said.

"We also have two British suspects but they have not been detained. We cannot rule them out. They were close friends and knew all about the victims.

Police want to trace a man of Asian appearance caught on CCTV

"We have got to do whatever it takes to obtain concrete evidence."

The developments came as forensic experts revealed that David Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head. Hannah Witheridge died from head wounds. 

Pornchai Sutheerakune, head of the Thai Institute of Forensic Medicine, said Mr Miller also had wounds on his hand, indicating a struggle had taken place.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, on Koh Tao, where the murders happened, said Chris Ware has been spoken to by police after he booked into a hotel at Bangkok airport.

Koh Tao is one of Thailand's most popular backpacker islands

It is the second time he has been questioned by officers.

He was initially questioned in the hours after the murders by officers who were concerned about an injury to his arm.

Police were satisfied with Mr Ware's explanation and he was told he was free to go, but officers later caught up with him in Bangkok to speak to him again. 

"Once we receive the physical examination report, including a DNA test, we will be able to determine if he was involved in the incident," a police officer said.

Samuels said James Ware had also spoken to police.

Police say there had been a beach party in the hours before the murders

The semi-naked bodies of Mr Miller, 24, and 23-year-old Miss Witheridge were discovered on a beach early on Monday.

Police said the pair sustained horrific injuries, with both suffering deep wounds to the head and face.

A bloodstained garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found near to the bodies.

Samuels said it was understood Chris Ware was a friend of Mr Miller's.

Tributes to Hannah have been posted online

Dozens of police officers have been focusing their attention on the accommodation used by the victims, examining rooms and items found there for evidence.

Police are also focused on tracing a particular suspect - an Asian man - captured on grainy CCTV footage, shortly after the murders.

It shows what appears to be a topless man who officers say was acting suspiciously as he left a beach party near the murder scene.

He is captured running past the security camera at 3.44am and is seen again an hour later walking down the same street.

Police investigate the killings on the beach

In another image, Mr Miller, from Jersey, and Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, are seen walking hand-in-hand after leaving a bar at around 1am.

It was taken hours before their bodies were discovered semi-naked on Sairee beach.

More than 70 Thai police have been questioning migrant workers and tourists on the island, visiting hotels, bars, homes and businesses.

The families of both victims have paid tribute to them.

Ms Witheridge was described by her family as "a beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman who poured joy into the lives of all who knew her".

Mr Miller was a "hard-working, bright and conscientious" young man who would be "sorely, sorely missed", his family said.

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Scotland Campaign Trail 'Sours', Says Darling

How Facebook Shaped The Referendum

Updated: 8:27am UK, Tuesday 16 September 2014

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

It's Facebook 'wot might win it.

Sure, the August poll surge in support for independence was down, in part, to traditional campaigning. Meetings and megaphones have thrust the Yes campaign "in yer face" over years leading up to Thursday.

But why, according to the opinion polls, did it all seem to come together in the space of a few weeks? Why, suddenly, the knife-edge?

In the word of a senior Yes strategist: Facebook.

I chatted to him as the Alex Salmond Labour Heartland tour rolled up at its latest venue, playing to the target market through the TV cameras. It was a big, well-attended, photo-call - the staple diet of the political campaign.

As the strategist stood back from the madding crowd, he told me that the magic formula didn't lie in the blood and snotters of a mass media scrum, but in the quiet exploitation of social media. Facebook, in particular.

The challenge for supporters of Scottish independence, historically, has been in turning it from a fringe notion into something people allow themselves to contemplate. Check their election success at the Scottish Parliament to see the considerable style with which that's been accomplished.

Scots have taken the hop and a step. Why, now, might they be shaping to take the jump? 

The Yes strategist pinned it on Facebook.

"Ask yourself," he said, to paraphrase him, "if a parent wants to check on their youngster who's on a night out, what do they do?  They don't phone them, because they probably won't answer.

"They might text ... but, invariably, they'll Facebook them. And when they do, dozens or hundreds of their friends will see it. It's a chat network that plugs people into the other people they value. There are no better opinion-formers for someone than the friends and family they like and trust.

"So, as a campaigning tool, it's been very effective. We encourage Yes supporters to spread the word to their Facebook friends and, over time, you build a network around people that builds a political case.

"Facebook is more effective than Twitter. You put something on Twitter and you reach people within the political bubble. With Facebook, you tap into a far bigger community."

So why the spike in support for Yes after polls that had No with a consistent and strong lead over the course of a two and a half year campaign?

"People just didn't turn their mind to the referendum until it actually came round. It's been in the far distance for most of the campaign but, now that people realise they're getting to decision time, large numbers are now weighing up the arguments ... and they're deciding having had their views on independence softened by Facebook friends."

There were more than 10 million referendum-related interactions on Facebook in the five weeks to September 8 - 85% of which was from Scotland.

He said he reckoned the Yes campaign had been four or five times more active than their opponents on Facebook and pointed out a Facebook chat with Scotland's pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond attracted around 5,000 questions.

Data suggests the Yes campaign is slightly in the lead with 2.05 interactions in Scotland compared to 1.96 million for the no campaign.

The strategist said the campaigning beauty of social media was that it eliminated the need to rely on mainstream media coverage, that the likes of Facebook cut out the middle man and enabled them to reach out to the voter directly.

Just how many the campaign has touched and what effect it has had, we'll find out soon enough.

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Thai Murders Suspect Captured On Camera

FCO Advice For Thailand Tourists

Updated: 10:39am UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The latest Foreign Office advice for tourists in Thailand warns of the danger of robberies and sex assaults in areas popular with backpackers.

Here is the FCO's advice on crime in the country, which draws around 800,000 British visitors each year.

Eleven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.

These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin.

Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui.

Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Krabi. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province.

Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms.

In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit.

Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don't lose sight of your card during transactions.

There have been incidents of ATM skimming in Thailand. Where possible use an ATM within a bank and always protect your PIN.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Taking items from one shop's area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks.

If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

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Rotherham Abuse Scandal: Shaun Wright Resigns

South Yorkshire Police Commissioner Shaun Wright has resigned after coming under mounting pressure over the Rotherham child abuse scandal.

Mr Wright had resisted calls to step down from the Prime Minister and Home Secretary after a report found 1,400 children in the South Yorkshire town had been victims of child sexual exploitation since 1997.

He also endured a grilling from MPs and was confronted by relatives of abuse victims at an angry public meeting in Rotherham earlier this month, when he again refused to quit.

Mr Wright was councillor with responsibility for children's services in the borough from 2005 to 2010, when Professor Alexis Jay's report found officials failed to act to stop gangs of abusers.

Sarah Wilson confronted Mr Wright last week over her abused sister's death

In a statement released by his office, he said: "My role as South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner has clearly become prominent in terms of public opinion and media coverage following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay's report.

"This is detracting from the important issue, which should be everybody's focus - the 1,400 victims outlined in the report - and in providing support to victims and bringing to justice the criminals responsible for the atrocious crimes committed against them.

"With this in mind, I feel that it is now right to step down from the position of police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, for the sake of those victims, for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire and to ensure that the important issues outlined in the report about tackling child sexual exploitation can be discussed and considered in full and without distraction."

Joyce Thacker has resisted calls to resign from her children's services job

Mr Wright is the first of 41 elected police and crime commissioners to resign and his departure will trigger a by-election in South Yorkshire to find a replacement.

Keith Vaz, chair of parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "This is something that we asked Shaun Wright to do 10 days ago when he appeared before the committee.

"At that stage, he said he needed to stay on because of the victims. Today, he says he has to resign because of the victims.

"I welcome this, I think this is the right thing to do. To let it go on any longer would put him in direct conflict with some of the issues we were discussing in parliament.

"The committee is actively drafting a bill based on ensuring police and crime commissioners can't stay on when they've lost the confidence of local people."

Roger Stone, leader of Rotherham Council, announced he was stepping down when the damning abuse report was published in August and the council's chief executive Martin Kimber said last week that he would leave his post in December.

The current head of children's services in Rotherham, Joyce Thacker, has refused to quit despite being told by Mr Vaz that she should resign "as a matter of conscience".

Rotherham Council also faces an independent inspection that will look at whether years of abuse in the town were covered up.

The probe will be led by Louise Casey, head of the Government's troubled families programme and a former victims' commissioner.

Bassetlaw MP John Mann called for former Labour home secretary David Blunkett, who is leaving the Commons next year, to put himself forward to replace Mr Wright.

He said: "He is a credible and dedicated public servant who has served in a variety of roles locally and nationally. He knows and understands South Yorkshire and is widely respected throughout the area.

"I believe he will get to the bottom of what went wrong in South Yorkshire."

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Salmond: Leaders' Vow A 'Desperate Offer'

How Facebook Shaped The Referendum

Updated: 8:27am UK, Tuesday 16 September 2014

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

It's Facebook 'wot might win it.

Sure, the August poll surge in support for independence was down, in part, to traditional campaigning. Meetings and megaphones have thrust the Yes campaign "in yer face" over years leading up to Thursday.

But why, according to the opinion polls, did it all seem to come together in the space of a few weeks? Why, suddenly, the knife-edge?

In the word of a senior Yes strategist: Facebook.

I chatted to him as the Alex Salmond Labour Heartland tour rolled up at its latest venue, playing to the target market through the TV cameras. It was a big, well-attended, photo-call - the staple diet of the political campaign.

As the strategist stood back from the madding crowd, he told me that the magic formula didn't lie in the blood and snotters of a mass media scrum, but in the quiet exploitation of social media. Facebook, in particular.

The challenge for supporters of Scottish independence, historically, has been in turning it from a fringe notion into something people allow themselves to contemplate. Check their election success at the Scottish Parliament to see the considerable style with which that's been accomplished.

Scots have taken the hop and a step. Why, now, might they be shaping to take the jump? 

The Yes strategist pinned it on Facebook.

"Ask yourself," he said, to paraphrase him, "if a parent wants to check on their youngster who's on a night out, what do they do?  They don't phone them, because they probably won't answer.

"They might text ... but, invariably, they'll Facebook them. And when they do, dozens or hundreds of their friends will see it. It's a chat network that plugs people into the other people they value. There are no better opinion-formers for someone than the friends and family they like and trust.

"So, as a campaigning tool, it's been very effective. We encourage Yes supporters to spread the word to their Facebook friends and, over time, you build a network around people that builds a political case.

"Facebook is more effective than Twitter. You put something on Twitter and you reach people within the political bubble. With Facebook, you tap into a far bigger community."

So why the spike in support for Yes after polls that had No with a consistent and strong lead over the course of a two and a half year campaign?

"People just didn't turn their mind to the referendum until it actually came round. It's been in the far distance for most of the campaign but, now that people realise they're getting to decision time, large numbers are now weighing up the arguments ... and they're deciding having had their views on independence softened by Facebook friends."

There were more than 10 million referendum-related interactions on Facebook in the five weeks to September 8 - 85% of which was from Scotland.

He said he reckoned the Yes campaign had been four or five times more active than their opponents on Facebook and pointed out a Facebook chat with Scotland's pro-independence First Minister Alex Salmond attracted around 5,000 questions.

Data suggests the Yes campaign is slightly in the lead with 2.05 interactions in Scotland compared to 1.96 million for the no campaign.

The strategist said the campaigning beauty of social media was that it eliminated the need to rely on mainstream media coverage, that the likes of Facebook cut out the middle man and enabled them to reach out to the voter directly.

Just how many the campaign has touched and what effect it has had, we'll find out soon enough.

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British Tourists Found Dead On Thailand Beach

FCO Advice For Thailand Tourists

Updated: 10:39am UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The latest Foreign Office advice for tourists in Thailand warns of the danger of robberies and sex assaults in areas popular with backpackers.

Here is the FCO's advice on crime in the country, which draws around 800,000 British visitors each year.

Eleven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.

These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin.

Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui.

Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Krabi. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province.

Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms.

In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit.

Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don't lose sight of your card during transactions.

There have been incidents of ATM skimming in Thailand. Where possible use an ATM within a bank and always protect your PIN.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Taking items from one shop's area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks.

If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

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British Hostage's Friends 'In Absolute Disbelief'

Anti-IS Coalition Agrees Military Action Plan

Updated: 2:37pm UK, Monday 15 September 2014

World leaders meeting in Paris to form a broad coalition against Islamic State have agreed to provide military aid to Iraq to fight the extremist network.

International efforts to combat the Islamist militants, who have grabbed large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, have taken on an added urgency after the beheading of British aid worker David Haines and the threat to kill a second UK hostage.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was at Monday's summit - spearheaded by French President Francois Hollande and Iraqi President Fuad Masum - bringing together 30 countries to co-ordinate a response to the IS threat.

The nations agreed to "support the Iraqi government by any means necessary - including military assistance".

French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said: "When you are facing a terrorist group as dangerous as this one, a certain number of measures have to be taken of a military nature, and these will vary according to the country."

Mr Hollande opened the summit warning: "The terrorist threat is global and the response must be global. The cowardly murder of David Haines is a terrifying example of what is going on... There is no time to lose."

Some 930 French citizens or residents, including at least 60 women, are actively engaged in jihad in Iraq and Syria, or are planning to go there.

Mr Masum said there was a need for a "quick response" to the Islamist group which he said had "committed massacres and genocidal crimes".

Representatives of the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) and US Secretary of State John Kerry were also among the delegates at the conference.

However, Iran said it had rejected a request from the US to join the fight against IS because of Washington's "unclean intentions".

Sky's Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet in Paris said: "This is about building a much broader alliance with regional actors, especially countries with Sunni majorities.

"This is now the pressing international issue and America would like to see all countries uniting against Islamic State."

Ahead of the talks, the US said several countries in the Middle East had offered to join airstrikes against the militants, while Australia said it would send aircraft and personnel and France announced it would begin reconnaissance missions over Iraq.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is under pressure to act following the killing of Mr Haines, has given no indication over whether he would commit military forces to airstrikes.

Video footage of the British aid worker's death showed a knife-wielding militant who speaks with a British accent.

The clip also included a threat to kill a second hostage, Alan Henning, who was a volunteer on an aid convoy.

It follows the beheadings of two American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

Mr Cameron vowed to "hunt down" the "monsters" who killed Mr Haines, and said the crime would "strengthen our resolve" to smash the extremist network which has seized swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Explaining Mr Cameron's dilemma, Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said: "He tried to get a vote in Parliament last year on missile strikes on Syria.

"Thirty or so Conservative MPs voted against, as did Labour, and he lost the vote. He was humiliated. So he doesn't particularly want to go down that route again."

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Twitter Q&A: British Muslim Radicalisation

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1:59pm UK, Monday 15 September 2014

Three British men featured in an IS recruitment video

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Anti-IS Coalition Agrees Military Action Plan

World leaders meeting in Paris to form a broad coalition against Islamic State have agreed to provide military aid to Iraq to fight the extremist network.

International efforts to combat the Islamist militants, who have grabbed large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, have taken on an added urgency after the beheading of British aid worker David Haines and the threat to kill a second UK hostage.

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Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was at Monday's summit - spearheaded by French President Francois Hollande and Iraqi President Fuad Masum - bringing together 30 countries to co-ordinate a response to the IS threat.

The nations agreed to "support the Iraqi government by any means necessary - including military assistance".

French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said: "When you are facing a terrorist group as dangerous as this one, a certain number of measures have to be taken of a military nature, and these will vary according to the country."

Mr Hollande opened the summit warning: "The terrorist threat is global and the response must be global. The cowardly murder of David Haines is a terrifying example of what is going on... There is no time to lose."

Some 930 French citizens or residents, including at least 60 women, are actively engaged in jihad in Iraq and Syria, or are planning to go there.

Mr Masum said there was a need for a "quick response" to the Islamist group which he said had "committed massacres and genocidal crimes".

Mr Hammond and US Secretary Of State John Kerry arriving in Paris

Representatives of the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) and US Secretary of State John Kerry were also among the delegates at the conference.

However, Iran said it had rejected a request from the US to join the fight against IS because of Washington's "unclean intentions".

Sky's Europe Correspondent Robert Nisbet in Paris said: "This is about building a much broader alliance with regional actors, especially countries with Sunni majorities.

Mr Haines was taken hostage in Syria last year

"This is now the pressing international issue and America would like to see all countries uniting against Islamic State."

Ahead of the talks, the US said several countries in the Middle East had offered to join airstrikes against the militants, while Australia said it would send aircraft and personnel and France announced it would begin reconnaissance missions over Iraq.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is under pressure to act following the killing of Mr Haines, has given no indication over whether he would commit military forces to airstrikes.

Mr Cameron has vowed to 'hunt down' the 'monsters' who killed Mr Haines

Video footage of the British aid worker's death showed a knife-wielding militant who speaks with a British accent.

The clip also included a threat to kill a second hostage, Alan Henning, who was a volunteer on an aid convoy.

It follows the beheadings of two American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

A central part of the plan is to engage Arab countries in the coalition

Mr Cameron vowed to "hunt down" the "monsters" who killed Mr Haines, and said the crime would "strengthen our resolve" to smash the extremist network which has seized swathes of Iraq and Syria.

Explaining Mr Cameron's dilemma, Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said: "He tried to get a vote in Parliament last year on missile strikes on Syria.

"Thirty or so Conservative MPs voted against, as did Labour, and he lost the vote. He was humiliated. So he doesn't particularly want to go down that route again."

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