UK Soldier 'Posed With Dead Taliban Fighter'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

The RAF has launched a probe after photographs surfaced appearing to show a serviceman posing with a dead Taliban fighter.

The pictures were apparently taken in the wake of an attack by 15 insurgents on Camp Bastion, the main British base in Afghanistan, in September 2012.

The insurgents breached the perimeter of the base, triggering a battle involving a British RAF regiment and US marines.

Two of the marines and 14 Taliban fighters were killed in the firefight, and UK troops were also injured.

The two photographs appear to show at least one member of the RAF giving a thumbs-up sign as he kneels next to the body of a dead insurgent.

Camp Bastion is the main British base in Afghanistan

It is unclear if it is the same serviceman in both of the photographs.

Sky News has learned that the individual or individuals belong to 51 Squadron.

An RAF source said he was making "no excuses" for the behaviour but said it was important to consider the context.

"This was a long, extensive firefight against a well-drilled, well-armed enemy who was trying to kill them," the source said.

He spoke of the "heat of conflict", the "relief of victory" and the "unusual adrenaline fuelled situation" in which "foolish" things happened.

The investigation will focus on whether the airman broke the rules by "mistreating" the enemy.

They may also be reprimanded for simply having and using photographic equipment.

Another photograph shows a burned-out plane in a hangar - six US Harriet jets were destroyed in the attack.

The images first appeared on the website Live Leak.

An RAF spokesman said: "Inappropriate actions will not be tolerated in the armed forces.

"The RAF is treating this incident extremely seriously and has launched a military police investigation.

"As this incident is subject to an ongoing investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time."

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'Killer' Asian Hornet Could Wipe Out Honey Bees

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

A new "killer" hornet may soon threaten Britain's honey bees, it has been warned.

The Asian hornet has already been spotted in France and could be transported to the UK in food pallets or may even be able to fly across the Channel.

They are smaller than British hornets, with queens growing up to three centimetres long.

Their bodies are dark brown or black with a fine yellow band and their stings are up to a quarter of an inch long.

They hunt in packs and have a taste for honey bees, often targeting adults outside the hive or eating the offspring inside.

The honey bee population has declined rapidly in the last 60 years

Some experts claim they can kill up to 40 bees a day so if introduced into Britain, they could have a severe impact on the native honeybee population, which has been rapidly declining since the 1950s.

Tim Lovett from the British Beekeepers Association explained: "When bees are out foraging you'll find that the hornets will lurk around the front of the hive and try to bring down foragers as they come back to the hive.

"Having got them down on the ground they paralyse them and they will then cart them off to their own nests where they'll use them for feed for their own larvae."

Six people in France have died from anaphylactic shock after being stung by the hornets.

But Gavin Broad from the Natural History Museum says there is no need for people to worry.

An Asian hornet (left) next to a British hornet (right)

He said: "In terms of their sting it's no worse than any other hornet so if you're going to suffer from anaphylactic shock it's just as likely from as Asian hornet as from a native hornet."

The public is being urged not to kill any hornets that they find and posters are now being handed out to help people identify and report any sightings.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: "There have been no confirmed sightings of Asian hornets in the UK - they are smaller than our own native hornets and are no more dangerous.

"We are aware of the potential impacts they could have on honey bees and have plans in place to eradicate them if they are identified.

"In Great Britain we would not expect Asian hornets to establish outside southern parts of England and Wales due to colder weather."

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Thousands Of Cars Stolen Using Hi-Tech Gadgets

By Thomas Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

Tens of thousands of cars are being stolen or broken into every year by thieves using electronic hacking equipment, a Sky News investigation has found.

Last year half of all car thefts and vehicle break-ins in London alone were carried out without the use of force, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Instead criminals are believed to have used hi-tech devices originally designed for locksmiths to gain access to vehicles.

Commonly, the thieves use easily obtainable equipment that can intercept the signals from key fobs to get into cars or that plug into a car's on-board computers remotely.

Modern cars contain about 50 low-powered computers which criminals have learnt to take advantage of to steal vehicles in as little as 10 seconds without causing any damage.

Sky News has established that the devices can be bought cheaply online, from websites based mainly in Bulgaria. Video tutorials posted online can teach criminals how to gain access to popular models.

One of the sophisticated car-hacking devices

The problem was first exposed several years ago in certain models. But now police are warning that all modern makes are potentially vulnerable.

And for the first time, the Met has disclosed the growing nature of the threat. About 21,000 cars were stolen in the capital last year, according to the latest figures. A further 68,000 were broken into.

"Recent analysis of crime data suggests that almost half the total number of vehicles stolen in London are taken using this method, which can affect all manufacturers," the force said in a statement to Sky News.

"High-end vehicles are becoming more and more sophisticated. In turn so are criminals.

"Some organised criminals have access to technology that avoids the need to (physically break in). Vehicles are becoming more technologically advanced and the criminals are becoming more savvy towards that technology and they will develop."

The Met said it was working with manufacturers to protect drivers from having their cars stolen or broken into.

Car crime has fallen in recent years as manufacturers create even more secure vehicles.

But in countries closer to Bulgaria, like Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, the crime rate has started to rise after years of decrease.

Hacking has led to increases in car crime on the continent

"We have every reason to believe that other European countries will be following suit this year and next," Mike Parris, head of the secure car division at SBD security, told Sky News.

"It is getting worse," he added. "The tools are becoming much more readily available. The price of them is falling. And they're operating much more quickly - you can re-program a key in a matter of seconds.

"All vehicle manufacturers are aware of the problem. It's fair to say some are doing more than others.

"Car manufacturers are acutely aware of the need to constantly make their vehicles more secure because they know criminals will adapt and develop."

The Met advises car owners to leave their cars in well-lit areas, to consider using steering, gear shift and pedal locks, as well as tracking devices.

One website found to be selling the devices did not respond to a request to comment from Sky News. Its homepage says: "All devices are sold for official use only!!! If you use them for any illegal purposes, this is your own responsibility!!!"

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Michael Wheatley Charged Over Armed Robbery

Michael Wheatley, who was arrested after going missing from an open prison, has been charged with carrying out an armed robbery.

The 55-year-old is accused of carrying out the raid at the Chelsea Building Society in Sunbury-on-Thames in Surrey on Wednesday while on the run from HMP Standford Hill on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

He has also been charged by Surrey Police with possession of a firearm or imitation firearm and being unlawfully at large.

A second man, Kevin Perry, 53, from east London, has been charged with assisting an offender, perverting the course of justice and handling stolen goods.

The pair remain in police custody and will appear at East Surrey Magistrates' Court later today.

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'Skull Cracker' Arrest Caught On Video

A video has emerged of the moment escaped prisoner Michael Wheatley was arrested in east London.

The 55-year-old convicted armed robber, known as "The Skull Cracker," was captured by police in the Tower Hamlets area.

He and one other man, aged 53, are currently being held in police custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

A statement issued by Kent Police said Wheatley was also arrested on suspicion of being unlawfully at large.

Wheatley, who earned his nickname for pistol-whipping victims, was being sought following his failure to return to prison after his temporary release on Saturday. He was being held at HMP Standford Hill - an open prison on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent.

Wheatley escaped from prison on Saturday

It was the third time he had gone on the run from prison. 

The arrests come after an armed robbery on Chelsea Building Society in Sunbury-on-Thames on Wednesday morning.

Wheatley was first jailed in the 1980s for nine years for a post office raid but escaped in 1988 when he was given permission to go to hospital and did not return.

He then carried out nine armed robberies and was jailed again in 1989.

Three years later, authorities released him to go to the optician and he went on the run again, carrying out eight robberies for which he was jailed for seven years.

Police tracked Wheatley down to the Tower Hamlets area

He was released on parole in 2001 and within weeks was staging a series of raids on banks.

Prosecutors said he returned to a life of crime after a relationship with a woman he met while in custody ran into trouble, and she spent his money and ran up debts.

During his trial at the Old Bailey it emerged that, when asked his occupation by a custody officer, he had replied: "Armed robber."

Wheatley was ordered to serve 13 life sentences in 2002, with a minimum term of eight years.

There had been a confirmed sighting of him in Twickenham on Monday.

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Madeleine Police Arrive In Portugal For Digs

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 12:46pm UK, Tuesday 06 May 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.

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Celebrities Sing Song For Dementia Campaign

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Reporter

A host of famous faces have joined up to sing a classic Beatles song to raise awareness of the isolation felt by those living with Alzheimer's.

The Dementia Friends campaign features Lily Allen, Chris Martin, Eamonn Holmes, Simon Pegg, Paul O'Grady, Sir Terry Pratchett, and many more all singing the track With A Little Help From My Friends.

The short music video, put together by Alzheimer's Society and Public Health England, encourages viewers to become a Dementia Friend - finding out about the challenges faced by people with dementia and learning a few useful tips to help make life better for those living with the condition.

There are 800,000 people with dementia in the UK, and it is estimated there will be over a million people living with the condition by 2021.

It comes as new research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) highlights the amount of time many spend caring for those with Alzheimer's, with carers on average looking after someone for 28 hours a week.

Simon Pegg and Ray Winstone have also added their voices

Some 51% of carers are also working, and the hours taken up by this care cost English businesses £1.6bn a year.

It is estimated 50,000 carers may have to quit their jobs in 2014.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Alzheimer's Society, said: "We're all beginning to talk about dementia, however, society is not yet fully supportive of people with dementia, either in the workplace or in everyday life.

"I'd love to see everyone become Dementia Friends, and make life that little bit easier for people with dementia."

Nick Stratford Williams, who was diagnosed with Alzhemier's two years ago when he was 58, told Sky not everyone is always that understanding of his condition.

He said: "It might sound nasty, but it eats you away and you think what have I done?

"I haven't done anything. Don't just push us away, that's what hurts the people like me and others.

"We're still people. We haven't gone anywhere and we're not going anywhere."

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Irish Republicans Offered Boston Tapes Return

A college which interviewed republicans actively involved in the Troubles in Northern Ireland has offered to return the interviews to those who provided them.

It comes after some expressed concerns about their safety or legal exposure following the arrest of Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams over the murder of widowed mother-of-10, Jean McConville.

His detention by police in Northern Ireland stemmed from allegations made by republicans in the interviews, which were part of a five-year Boston College oral history project, launched back in 2001.

When one of the interviewees, former IRA commander in Belfast Brendan Hughes, died in 2008 it emerged he had claimed Mr Adams was a senior IRA leader during the Troubles and had ordered Mrs McConville's killing.

It also emerged Old Bailey bomber Dolours Price, who died last year, had made similar allegations about the Sinn Fein leader.

Dolours Price and Brendan Hughes took part in the Boston College project

Academics, historians and journalists decided to record interviews with people, including former paramilitaries, both republican and loyalist, about their roles in the 40 years of violence.

They were assured the information they divulged would not be made public until after their deaths.

"If interviewees in the Belfast Project express their desire to have their interviews returned to them, Boston College will accommodate their request upon proper identification," the college said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mr Adams, who was released after four days in custody on Sunday night, said material from the interviews was used by police when they questioned him over the 1972 abduction, murder and burial.

Police officers from Northern Ireland went to court in the US and gained access to the collection of tapes last year.

The college said it was no longer bound by restrictions on what it may do with the material.

Jean McConville was kidnapped and murdered in 1972

Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn said several interviewees had already asked for the material to be returned to them, adding that the college would not be keeping its own copies.

He said: "Some are concerned for their safety, and some are concerned they could face possible PSNI actions."

Mr Adams held a news conference after he was freed, in which he said: "Let me very clear - I am innocent of any involvement in any conspiracy to abduct, kill or bury Mrs McConville.

"I have worked hard with others to have this injustice redressed and for the return of the bodies of others killed during the conflict and secretly buried by the IRA, and I will continue to do so."

He added: "The IRA is gone, finished."

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'Skull Cracker' Victim 'Uneasy' As Robber On Run

A woman held hostage by a violent bank robber dubbed "the Skull Cracker" has told of her surprise after police did not warn her he is on the run from prison.

Clare Townsend said she feels "uneasy" knowing Michael Wheatley - who earned his nickname for pistol-whipping victims - had walked out of jail in Kent.

The Government has ordered a full review of prison security, examining why such a dangerous criminal was being held in an open prison.

Conservative backbencher Philip Davies said whoever allowed Wheatley out of prison is "a berk" and should be sacked.

Wheatley, 55, was given 13 life sentences at the Old Bailey in 2002 for a string of brutal raids on banks and building societies.

A major police manhunt is under way after he failed to return to HMP Standford Hill on the Isle of Sheppey.

Ms Townsend, who gave evidence against the serial armed robber, told Sky News: "I was very surprised that I wasn't notified (of his escape), because I gather it happened yesterday.

Michael Wheatley raided 13 building societies and banks in 2001 and 2002

"The police would have had our details on file and I was very surprised to suddenly learn he was free because I remember his face very, very clearly.

"I went to the Old Bailey when he was sentenced, and it made me feel uneasy."

Wheatley carried out 13 raids between June 2001 and April 2002 in bank branches from Southampton in Hampshire to Royston in Hertfordshire.

Ms Townsend was in one of the banks when Wheatley struck and thought he was going to kill her.

"Suddenly, without any warning, I was grabbed around the neck, he stuck a gun to my head, grabbed me towards the counter and started screaming at the cashiers to give him money," she said.

"All the time he was also saying: 'Don't you dare press the button! Don't you dare set off an alarm!'

"Unfortunately for me, initially, the cashiers froze. They just stared at him and I could feel the pressure of the gun, and also his hand round my neck.

"And I actually thought at that point that I wouldn't survive because he was very het up and very angry."

She said his grip loosened as the cashiers began handing over cash, which he shoved down the front of his fleece.

"I thought at least I'm going to survive," Ms Townsend said.

"Unfortunately my mobile phone went off ... He whirled round at me, with the gun absolutely straight on me, and I just managed to get out: 'Do you mind if I answer my mobile phone?'

"You see, I think he thought it was on an alarm. At that moment, he seemed to suddenly come to, and he just shrugged his shoulders and said: 'Do what you like.' He picked up some more money and left."

She added: "I was very lucky, later on in the series of robberies, he pistol-whipped people, he hurt people quite badly. And I could see that he had that potential just because of the way he seemed so panicked and angry."

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Ethnic Minority Population 'To Double By 2050'

The proportion of UK citizens from ethnic minority communities is set to double over the next 35 years, a new report by think tank Policy Exchange has found.

The report claims black and minority ethnic communities will make up almost a third of the UK population by 2050.

Currently eight million people, or 14% of the UK population, are from ethnic minority groups.

It said that figure has doubled in the last decade alone and accounts for 80% of the UK's population growth.

The majority of non-white Britons identify themselves as "British only", it said.

The right-leaning think tank used the report, In A Portrait Of Modern Britain, to highlight the growing importance of ethnic minority voters in the future.

It said the UK's five largest minority groups have "clear and meaningful" differences in experiences, traditions and attitudes, which policymakers have so far failed to address.

It warned politicians must start appealing to the differing views and concerns of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black African and Black Caribbean ethnic groups over the coming years.

David Cameron's party won just 16% of the ethnic minority vote in 2010

Rishi Sunak, report co-author and head of Policy Exchange's BME Research Unit, said: "These communities will continue to become an ever more significant part of Britain, especially in future elections.

"However, as our research demonstrates ethnic minorities are not one homogeneous political group.

"From education to employment, housing to trust in the police, politicians from all parties must understand the different issues affecting individual communities."

Voting intention was found to be one of the few shared traits between the different groups.

The report said ethnic minority communities overwhelmingly identified with and voted for the Labour Party, with 68% having voted for Gordon Brown's party at the 2010 General Election.

That compared to just 16% for the Conservatives and 14% for the Liberal Democrats.

Last month Conservative MP, Adam Afriyie, warned the party would struggle to increase its voter base among ethnic minorities in time for the next election. 

He said even if Prime Minister David Cameron adapted his policies and "does everything perfectly" in the run up to the 2015 General Election, the party will not be able to make significant gains.

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Gerry Adams Declares Innocence After Release

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has again stressed he was not involved in a notorious IRA murder as he was released from custody after four days of questioning.

He was freed without charge after being quizzed for 96 hours by police investigating the murder of mother-of-10 Jean McConville, who was snatched from her home in front of her children in 1972.

Mr Adams, 65, told a news conference in west Belfast: "I rejected all of the allegations made against me."

He said he did not eat during the first two days of his detention and was "concerned about the timing" of his arrest which came before local and European elections.

"Let me very clear - I am innocent of any involvement in any conspiracy to abduct, kill or bury Mrs McConville," he said.

"I have worked hard with others to have this injustice redressed and for the return of the bodies of others killed during the conflict and secretly buried by the IRA, and I will continue to do so."

Armoured Land Rovers could not leave the police station

Earlier, Loyalists blocked roads outside Antrim police station in Northern Ireland in an attempt to stop officers freeing him.

Dozens of protesters holding flags and placards stood outside the high-security building bearing messages such as "Justice for Victims".

Armoured Land Rovers, one thought to contain Mr Adams, were prevented from leaving the front gate as Loyalists sat in the road chanting "we shall not be moved".

Police in riot gear stood guard as the sit-down demonstration continued.

While that was going on, Mr Adams left the police station by the back gate in an another armoured police vehicle.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said a file will be sent to the Public Prosecution Service, which will decide whether to charge Mr Adams.

Protesters started to gather as news broke that Mr Adams was being freed

The decision would normally rest with the region's Director of Public Prosecutions Barra McGrory QC.

But he is to delegate the case to another senior official, as he has previously acted as Mr Adams' lawyer.

Mrs McConville's son Michael called for an independent body to investigate the allegations made against Mr Adams "so there is no political pressure on the police".

Mr Adams' arrest has led to a growing political row, with Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson accusing Sinn Fein of attempting to blackmail police.

The party had warned it would review its support for policing if Mr Adams was charged.

Mr Robinson said: "The PSNI must not be the subject of republican bully boy tactics."

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Elena Baltacha Dies After Cancer Battle

The former British tennis number one has died of liver cancer at the age of 30, her family has announced.

She died peacefully at her home early on Sunday morning, her family said.

Baltacha was diagnosed with the illness in January, just two months after retiring from tennis and only weeks after she married her coach Nino Severino.

"We are heartbroken beyond words at the loss of our beautiful, talented and determined Bally," Severino said in a statement released by her family.

"She was an amazing person and she touched so many people with her inspirational spirit, her warmth and her kindness."

Husband Nino Severino says he is heartbroken

Kiev-born Baltacha retired from professional tennis last November after struggling to overcome a series of injuries.

The daughter of former Ipswich, St Mirren and Inverness footballer Sergei, she reached a career-high world ranking of 49 in 2010, and beat the likes of Li Na and Francesca Schiavone.

Baltacha was British number one from December 2009 to June 2012 - 132 weeks - and she won 11 International Tennis Federation titles.

She played 39 times for Britain in the Fed Cup from 2003 to 2012 and was also part of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.

She was diagnosed at the age of 19 with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic liver condition which compromises the immune system.

Her agent and friend Eleanor Preston told Sky News that Baltacha was a "fighter on and off court" and for that reason her "spirit and memory will live on".

The Lawn Tennis Association says she was a 'shining light'

"She was somebody who achieved an awful lot despite having a very serious liver condition which she struggled with since she was 19," she said.

"For that reason she should be held up as a real role model for everybody, for the way she overcame those obstacles and went on to achieve great things, and throughout it all without having the slightest ounce of pity or ego about it."

The Lawn Tennis Association's head of women's tennis Iain Bates said in a statement: "Today we have lost a shining light from the heart of British tennis - a true role model, a great competitor and a wonderful friend.

"We have so many special memories to cherish, but this leaves a gaping hole for everybody in both British and women's tennis, and words simply cannot express how saddened we are by this news.

"All our thoughts are with Nino and the rest of Elena's family. We will miss you Bal."

Baltacha's friend Andy Murray is to play in a fundraiser in her memory

In 2010, Baltacha launched the Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis, which helps children from all backgrounds to learn and play tennis.

All those involved in running the Academy have pledged to carry on the work that she started, the family statement said.

The previously announced 'Rally for Bally' - a fundraiser due to be played in June - will still go ahead, now in her memory.

Her childhood friend Andy Murray had committed to play in the event along with Martina Navratilova and Tim Henman.

The money raised will be split between the Elena Baltacha Academy of Tennis and the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

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Boy, 13, Charged Over 'Break-In' Murder

A 13-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of Martin Thomas, who died from a stab wound during a suspected break-in at his home in southwest London.

The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, has been remanded in custody to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Monday.

A 15-year-old boy has already appeared in court charged with murder and has been remanded in custody.

A 17-year-old and a 16-year-old both arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on bail.

Mr Thomas, 39, was pronounced dead at his home in Huntingfield Road, Roehampton, on April 22.

A post-mortem revealed he died from a stab wound that punctured his lung.

Police are continuing to appeal for information surrounding his murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Charlie King, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said earlier: "At this early stage we are keeping an open mind about any possible motive.

"Members of the public have already provided us with accounts of three young men seen loitering in the area prior to the incident. I am directly appealing to these young men to come forward and speak us.

"I am also urging anyone who may have more information regarding this incident to contact us."

:: Anyone with information should call police on 0208 721 4205 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Man Charged Over 'Malicious' Teacher Message

One man has been charged and another arrested in connection with what police describe as "malicious communications" following the murder of teacher Ann Maguire in Leeds.

Mrs Maguire, 61, was stabbed to death in front of her students at Corpus Christi Catholic College last Monday, where she had taught for more than 40 years.

West Yorkshire Police said Jake Newsome, 21, from Leeds, has been released on bail after being charged and is due to appear in court on Wednesday.

They added a 42-year-old man, from Port Talbot, South Wales, has also been arrested. He remains in custody.

Today, prayers will be said at dozens of churches across West Yorkshire for the family of the dedicated Spanish teacher and mother of two.

The Catholic Diocese of Leeds has written to around 90 churches urging them to pray for Mrs Maguire, was due to retire in September.

Mrs Maguire was stabbed during a lesson at Corpus Christi Catholic College

A spokesman for the diocese said: "We are asking everybody to remember Ann Maguire in their prayers, and to remember her family who will be under pressure and stress at this time.

"She was amazingly well known in the local community for what she had done for young people.

"Everybody is so hurt by what has happened and taking time to recover.

"This is a time to remember her. We are talking about three generations of people - children, parents and grandparents - whose lives she has touched.

"She made a major difference to a lot of people's lives through the care she gave them and her teaching.

"Part of her philosophy was to make sure that students achieved their best, and this is a chance to remember her."

A book of condolence has also been opened at the cathedral in Leeds for those who want to express their sympathies.

A 15 year-old boy is in custody charged with Mrs Maguire's murder.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared via video-link at Leeds Crown Court on Friday. There was no application for bail.

The case was adjourned until July 11 for a plea and case management hearing.

A date for the start of the murder trial was set for November 3.

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