Family Of UK Hostage Tell Captors: Contact Us

The family of a British aid worker thought to be held by Islamic State militants have appealed for his captors to contact them.

IS extremists have threatened to kill Mr Haines and have not responded to any of the family's attempts to make contact so far.

A statement on behalf of the family released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said: "We are the family of David Haines.

"We have sent messages to you to which we have not received a reply.

"We are asking those holding David to make contact with us."

Mr Haines, who was educated at Perth Academy secondary school, was taken while working for ACTED in Syria in March 2013.

He had worked as "a humanitarian" since 1999, helping people in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa.

IS militants have beheaded two American journalists, posting the evidence online in videos featuring a masked jihadist with a British accent.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said the FCO will be doing "everything" they could to protect Mr Haines.

The 44-year-old has a teenage daughter in Scotland from a previous marriage and a four-year-old daughter in Croatia from his present marriage.

He was in Libya during its civil war in 2011, working as head of mission for Handicap International, which helps disabled people in poverty and conflict zones around the world.

ACTED has previously said that the threats made to the Scotsman's life were "intolerable".

In a statement, it said: "ACTED strongly condemns the violence and threats against David. A man's life should never be threatened on account of his humanitarian commitment."

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Ex-Democratic Unionist Leader Ian Paisley Dies

The former Democratic Unionist Party leader Dr Ian Paisley has died, aged 88.

His family said they are "heartbroken", while his successor as DUP leader and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said he was a "towering figure".

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness also expressed his deep regret and said he had lost a friend.

A firebrand Protestant preacher turned politician, Dr Paisely led opposition to compromise with the IRA for decades later became a peacemaker when he entered government with Sinn Fein at Stormont following a landmark deal.

Dr Paisley's family said they are 'heartbroken'

He had been ill for some time, and was hospitalised in 2012 with a heart problem.

In a statement announcing his death, his wife Eileen said: "My beloved husband, Ian, entered his eternal rest this morning.

"Although ours is the grand hope of reunion, naturally as a family we are heartbroken.

"We loved him and he adored us, and our earthly lives are forever changed."

The funeral will be private but a memorial service is planned later in the year.

Mr Robinson told Sky News: "Ian Paisley was a towering figure, not just within unionism, but Northern Ireland politics as a whole.

Dr Paisley at Westminster in 1970

"He was in many ways Mr Northern Ireland."

Mr McGuinness, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, said: "In the brief period that we worked together in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister I developed a close working relationship with him which developed into a friendship, which despite our many differences lasted beyond his term in office."

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Ian Paisley was one of the most forceful and instantly recognisable characters in British politics for nearly half a century.

"Of course, Ian Paisley was a controversial figure for large parts of his career.

"Yet the contribution he made in his later years to political stability in Northern Ireland was huge."

Dr Paisley with Hillary Clinton and Martin McGuinness in 2007

Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair said: "Ian was a man of deep convictions. The convictions never changed. But his appreciation of the possibilities of peace, gradually and with much soul searching, did. He began as the militant. He ended as the peacemaker."

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said: "Dr Paisley was by any measure a major figure in the history of these islands.

"While he was of course a divisive figure, his greatest legacy will be one of peace."

In his tribute, former Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain said: "Ian Paisley was the Big Man of Northern Ireland politics.

"The historic 2007 peace settlement bringing bitter lifetime enemies to govern jointly could never have happened without him."

Dr Paisley led opposition to any accommodation with republicans for decades and his fiery rhetoric was legendary.

He opposed successive political deals including the Anglo Irish and Good Friday Agreements but agreed to power-sharing with Sinn Fein in 2007 following that party's acceptance of the new police force.

The former North Antrim MP stepped down as leader of the DUP and as first minister in 2008.

He retired from the European Parliament in 2009, Parliament in 2010 and the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011.

1. Dr Paisley was elevated to the House of Lords in 2010 taking the title Lord Bannside, to reflect the starting point of his parliamentary career in the now-defunct constituency.

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Girl Shot 'In Head By Father' In Village

An eight-year-old is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after apparently being shot in the head by her father, who then turned the gun on himself.

The body of a man - believed to be the girl's father - has been found in a car close to the scene of the shooting at an address in Spring Hill, in Northiam, near Rye, East Sussex.

Police say the death is not being treated as suspicious.

The girl has been taken to King's College Hospital where police say she is fighting for her life.

Chief Superintendent Neil Honnor said: "We are treating this as a tragic domestic incident and do not believe that anyone else is involved.

"At this stage we are not in a position to confirm the relationships of all those involved but we can say that the girl and the man knew each other. The man does not live at the address.

Northiam is near Rye in East Sussex

"We are treating this as an isolated incident and there is no evidence that any other members of the public are at risk."

An earlier statement from the Sussex force said there was "no suggestion that the public are in danger" and that they were not looking for anyone else.

Armed officers were sent to the scene after the shooting, with scores of police cars surrounding an area cordoned off to the public.

Villager Anthony Burr, 37, lives near the scene of the shooting.

"I was in the living room and heard the sound of a firearm," he told Sky News.

"The sound of police sirens followed some minutes later."

He said a neighbour had told him the girl had been shot in the head.

"Obviously there was panic across Northiam, we all went into lockdown, shut doors, got the children in," he said.

"What transpired is what we feared, which is that a young girl, who was eight years old, was shot in the head."

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Dozens Of Animals Dead In Dogs' Home 'Arson'

More than 40 animals have been killed in a suspected arson at one of the country's largest dogs' homes.

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of arson following the blaze at Manchester Dogs' Home.

Greater Manchester Police said the fire was under control.

Residents reported hearing "dogs yelping".

Twitter user @Hoyles10 said: "Big fire at Manchester Dogs Home, apparently the building has collapsed, too late for the animals by all accounts ... Heartbreaking."

Fellow user @MostonRedDevil wrote: "Manchester dogs home is on fire with all the dogs yelping."

There were reports of residents risking their lives by running into the burning building to save animals.

A woman saves a dog from the fire. Pic: @manchesterfire

At least 40 dogs were confirmed by police to have died, with "numerous" other animals having to be treated for injuries, the Greater Manchester force said.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service station commander Paul Duggan confirmed that part of the roof of the single-storey kennels collapsed.

Outrage and shock at the blaze resulted in a fundraising campaign that has raised more than £100,000 in less than six hours.

Anna Stansfield, manager of the home's sister facility, Cheshire Dogs Home, described the fire as "soul destroying".

She said: "I cannot describe what we have seen tonight. It's soul destroying.

"We are so grateful to the people of Manchester and Greater Manchester who have come to support us but we need to get the roads clear so we can get the dogs out."

She said all the 150 dogs rescued by the fire service would be transferred to its site in Grappenhall, Warrington.

The dogs' home was established in 1893. Pic: @StacyHilton

TV presenter and singer Jodie Prenger, one of the home's patrons, tweeted: "All my thoughts are with you guys. It's broke my heart to hear such sad news."

The blaze provoked an angry response on social media, but police warned people not to "take matters into their own hands".

Superintendent Marcus Noden said: "We would ask if anyone was in the area and remembers seeing anything suspicious around the dogs' home that they call police and tell us what they know.

"As a dog owner myself I understand that many people will feel angry and upset about what has happened, but I would ask that they let the police carry out their investigations and not take matters into their own hands."

The home has cared for more than one million dogs since it was established in 1893. It is said to care for more than 7,000 stray and unwanted dogs each year.

A spokeswoman for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home said staff were "incredibly saddened" to hear of the fire.

Police are asking for people with cash donations to take them to Central Park Police Station later today, between 11.30am and 2.30pm.

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Rotherham Abuse: Council To Face Inspection

Call For New Law To Oust Under-Fire Police Boss

Updated: 11:38pm UK, Tuesday 09 September 2014

Senior MPs are calling for the Government to look at introducing emergency legislation so police and crime commissioners such as under-fire Shaun Wright can be sacked.

Appearing before the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, Mr Wright said he intended to stay in his job, claiming that resigning would have been the easy option.

South Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner has resisted demands to quit in the wake of a damning inquiry into child abuse in Rotherham spanning 16 years, including five where he was in charge of the town's children's services.

Those calling for him to step down include Prime Minister David Cameron, Home Secretary Theresa May and Labour leader Ed Miliband as well as his deputy, Tracey Cheetham, who stepped down herself in protest at his failure to go.

Now, committee chairman Keith Vaz is writing to Ms May "because it is unsatisfactory in our view that someone should be able to say to the public who elected them 'I'm just carrying on'".

Mr Vaz called for Mr Wright's "immediate resignation", and the chairman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Nick Alston, told Sky News "his position was untenable".

The Jay Report outlined how at least 1,400 children had been subjected to trafficking, rape and other sexual exploitation between 1997 and 2013.

It also said their plight had been ignored by range of agencies, including police, councillors and council officials.

Twenty-five more victims have come forward since the report was published last month.

Mr Wright told MPs the problem of child sexual exploitation was not flagged up to him as a significant issue during his time as a councillor with responsibility for Rotherham's children services from 2005 to 2010.

But Mr Vaz responded by saying: "We don't accept you didn't know."

Mr Wright told the MPs: "I basically think that resigning would have been, perhaps, the easy option given the last fortnight with the various criticisms that have been made and the effect that that's had on both myself and my family."

He said it was his responsibility to the people of South Yorkshire to continue in his post and said no one had raised any questions about his conduct since his 2012 election - a suggestion rejected by Mr Vaz.

Earlier, a former South Yorkshire police boss admitted he had "no idea" about the scale of child abuse in Rotherham while he was in charge.

Meredydd John Hughes, who was chief constable between 2004 and 2011, told MPs he was "embarrassed" at the failure to act to stop it.

Appearing before the same committee, he faced some tough questioning from MPs who said child exploitation "on an industrial scale" had taken place on his watch.

There were heated exchanges with Mr Hughes, who told the committee: "I can say with honesty that at the time I was both deputy and chief constable, I had no idea of the scale and scope of this type of organised crime."

He said he had not seen three of four reports being examined by their inquiry until recently.

He said: "Some of those reports ... I frankly felt sick last night when I read them. I am not immune to the ideas that this is a hideous crime and I am deeply embarrassed."

But he was rebuked by Mr Vaz, who told him his denials were "impossible to believe" in the face of "evidence of the most compelling nature" to the contrary.

After a 32-year career with the police, Mr Hughes said he had "singularly failed the victims of these victims".

His successor, Chief Constable David Crompton, was also questioned and told MPs: "I accept things should have been done differently in the past."

But he also told the committee: "Things are better now than they used to be."

Mr Vaz had taken the unusual step of requiring the witnesses to swear an oath before the hearing started.

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Alleged DLT Attack 'Was Not Carry On-Style'

An alleged assault by veteran DJ Dave Lee Travis on a female television personality was "aggressive" and not a Carry On-style "playful" act, a court has heard.

Comedian Dave Gorman said colleagues on the Mrs Merton Show told him Travis had "grabbed" the woman's breasts in the corridor of the BBC television studio.

He said the former Radio 1 star had appeared as a guest on the comedy chat show in the mid-1990s when he heard about the alleged attack on the member of the show's production team.

Dave Gorman on his way into court

The alleged victim previously told the court that Travis got a "weird sexual thrill" and had an "intense" stare as he squeezed her breasts.

Gorman, who was a writer on the Mrs Merton Show, told Travis' retrial at Southwark Crown Court in London: "I was told that as (the woman) was escorting Mr Travis back to his dressing room, he at some point ...grabbed her t***.

"My recollection was everyone in the team would have known. This was office gossip to some extent.

"My feeling was, if you think back to that time, the idea we'd call the police and say 'Dave Lee Travis grabbed (the woman's) t***', wouldn't have gone anywhere.

"He had been and gone.

"I recall discussions and questions about whether it had been a sort of 'Carry On film wahey', which might be playful albeit ill-judged, or whether it was aggressive.

"My recollection was it was aggressive."

The woman, who was in her 20s at the time of the alleged assault, claimed Travis approached her while she was smoking and commented on her "poor little lungs", before squeezing her breasts.

She told the court she "froze" as she was pinned against the wall by the DJ before he let go of her breasts after 10-15 seconds.

Mr Gorman said the alleged assault "was never at the front of his mind" over the years but it was not something he had "completely forgotten".

Travis, 69, who is charged under his real name, David Griffin, denies two counts of indecent assault and one of sexual assault.

He is facing a retrial on two counts - one of indecent assault of a woman between November 1,1990 and January 31, 1991, and another of sexual assault on a different woman between June 1, 2008 and November 30, 2008 - on which a jury was unable to reach verdicts at a trial earlier this year.

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Call For New Law To Oust Under-Fire Police Boss

Senior MPs are calling for the Government to look at introducing emergency legislation so police and crime commissioners such as under-fire Shaun Wright can be sacked.

Appearing before the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, Mr Wright said he intended to stay in his job, claiming that resigning would have been the easy option.

South Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner has resisted demands to quit in the wake of a damning inquiry into child abuse in Rotherham spanning 16 years, including five where he was in charge of the town's children's services.

Those calling for him to step down include Prime Minister David Cameron, Home Secretary Theresa May and Labour leader Ed Miliband as well as his deputy, Tracey Cheetham, who stepped down herself in protest at his failure to go.

Keith Vaz MP, chairman of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee

Now, committee chairman Keith Vaz is writing to Ms May "because it is unsatisfactory in our view that someone should be able to say to the public who elected them 'I'm just carrying on'".

Mr Vaz called for Mr Wright's "immediate resignation", and the chairman of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Nick Alston, told Sky News "his position was untenable".

The Jay Report outlined how at least 1,400 children had been subjected to trafficking, rape and other sexual exploitation between 1997 and 2013.

It also said their plight had been ignored by range of agencies, including police, councillors and council officials.

Twenty-five more victims have come forward since the report was published last month.

Former South Yorkshire chief constable Meredydd John Hughes

Mr Wright told MPs the problem of child sexual exploitation was not flagged up to him as a significant issue during his time as a councillor with responsibility for Rotherham's children services from 2005 to 2010.

But Mr Vaz responded by saying: "We don't accept you didn't know."

Mr Wright told the MPs: "I basically think that resigning would have been, perhaps, the easy option given the last fortnight with the various criticisms that have been made and the effect that that's had on both myself and my family."

He said it was his responsibility to the people of South Yorkshire to continue in his post and said no one had raised any questions about his conduct since his 2012 election - a suggestion rejected by Mr Vaz.

David Crompton admits things should have been done differently

Earlier, a former South Yorkshire police boss admitted he had "no idea" about the scale of child abuse in Rotherham while he was in charge.

Meredydd John Hughes, who was chief constable between 2004 and 2011, told MPs he was "embarrassed" at the failure to act to stop it.

Appearing before the same committee, he faced some tough questioning from MPs who said child exploitation "on an industrial scale" had taken place on his watch.

There were heated exchanges with Mr Hughes, who told the committee: "I can say with honesty that at the time I was both deputy and chief constable, I had no idea of the scale and scope of this type of organised crime."

He said he had not seen three of four reports being examined by their inquiry until recently.

He said: "Some of those reports ... I frankly felt sick last night when I read them. I am not immune to the ideas that this is a hideous crime and I am deeply embarrassed."

But he was rebuked by Mr Vaz, who told him his denials were "impossible to believe" in the face of "evidence of the most compelling nature" to the contrary.

After a 32-year career with the police, Mr Hughes said he had "singularly failed the victims of these victims".

His successor, Chief Constable David Crompton, was also questioned and told MPs: "I accept things should have been done differently in the past."

But he also told the committee: "Things are better now than they used to be."

Mr Vaz had taken the unusual step of requiring the witnesses to swear an oath before the hearing started.

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Man Arrested Over Mum-Of-Five's Fatal Stabbing

A man has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a mother-of-five from the New Forest.

Police say the 36-year-old man is in custody, where he is being held on suspicion of Pennie Davis' murder. He was arrested in Southampton shortly before 8pm.

The 47-year-old was tending her two horses in a paddock off Hatchet Lane, near Beaulieu, when she was killed.

She suffered multiple stab wounds and her husband Pete later found her body in the field.

Mrs Davis, from Blackfield, worked in a supermarket and married just four months ago.

Police believe it is possible she may have been followed from her workplace to the field.

A 22-year-old man previously arrested on suspicion of murder and a 37-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have both been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

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Duchess Of Cambridge To Have Second Baby

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

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

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

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

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

The Duke of Cambridge said they were "immensely thrilled", but added it had been "a tricky few days".

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

Speaking at a planned engagement in Oxford which Kate was unable to attend, William said: "She's feeling okay.

"It's great news - early days, but I'm hoping things will settle down and she feels a bit better... I've got to get back and look after her now."

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

William said the Duchess may be over the worst of her morning sickness in a "few weeks' time".

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

The Royal couple with George at his christening last year

Prince Harry, speaking at the Invictus Games, said it was "exciting" and joked that he could not wait for his brother to "suffer more" with another child.

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

When it was put to him that the new baby further reduced his own chances of becoming King, Harry laughed and said: "Great!"

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

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

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

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

Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement moments after the announcement, saying: "Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I'm delighted by the happy news that they're expecting another baby."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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'Catastrophic' Hammer-Attack Injuries Revealed

Images of a man's horrific hammer-attack injuries have been released after his flatmate was jailed over the "vicious" assault.

Connor Huntley was 18 when Joseph Williams hit him twice in the head with the tool at the home they shared in Margate, Kent, in May last year.

Upon arriving at the flat, police found Mr Huntley on a blood-splattered inflatable air bed still alive but with the claw hammer firmly embedded in his head.

The injuries, described as "life-changing" and "little short of catastrophic", left him with epilepsy and affected his body movement.

Williams, aged 21, was sentenced to 14 years in prison at the Old Bailey for attempted murder.

Mr Huntley now suffers from epilepsy and his body movement is affected

Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Donne QC told Williams: "It is fortunate in the extreme for both him and for you that he did not die.

"That was only down to the skill of the medical personnel treating him but he will never be able to live an ordinary life.

"Not only did it fracture his skull but it was embedded in his brain.

"The injuries suffered by Connor Huntley were little short of catastrophic. They were life-changing.

"He will be never be able to enjoy all the things that young people enjoy doing.

"You have taken away a good part of his life."

Williams will serve his sentence in a high-security hospital until he is deemed fit to leave after he was found to have been suffering mental health issues at the time of the attack.

Police said Mr Huntley was lucky to be alive

Following the attack, he told a 999 operator what he had done and explained his mental health had "deteriorated",

The court heard that Williams came from a Catholic background and a few months before had made disparaging remarks about gay men. Mr Huntley was openly gay and often wore women's clothes and make-up.

A week before the attack, Williams told his neighbour, a friend of Mr Huntley, that he did not know if he could live with him because he would end up hitting him.

Reacting to the verdict, Detective Inspector Richard Vickery said: "This was a nasty and seemingly unprovoked attack, with Williams striking Connor on the head whilst he was defenceless and asleep."

Mr Huntley's family said: "Whilst Connor is making slow but steady progress from this horrific ordeal, we feel he has been handed his own life sentence by this hideous act.

"No one deserves to be so viciously attacked in such an evil manner, regardless of race, age, gender or sexuality."

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