Freak Meeting Reunites Twins After 41 Years

By Victoria Wei and Sabrina Zeng, in Beijing

Twin brothers, separated as babies, have been reunited after more than 40 years following a chance encounter in China's Sichuan province.

In late June, a friend of Chengdu resident Zeng Yong, 41, said he had met a man in the city of Neijiang, 200km away, whom he claimed was identical to Mr Zeng.

Mr Zeng, a hotelier, travelled to Neijiang, home to close to four million people, to see the man for himself.

Amazingly, on meeting Liu Yonggang, a junior manager at the city's bus company, he realised he was his long-lost twin brother.

Due to their parents' poverty, the pair had been put up for adoption in 1972 when only a few months old. They were taken by different families.

Since being reunited, the brothers have tracked down their estranged 74-year-old mother.

After being reunited, the twins tracked down their mother.

She was living in Jianning, having remarried after the death of the boys' father a decade earlier.

The twins' story has proved popular on China's Sina Weibo social media website.

One user commented: "People nowadays can't understand the helplessness of parents in that era of poverty.

"Keeping children at home meant leaving them to die of starvation … I hope they are both happy."

Another said: "Brothers reunited. Words can't express it. 41 years apart, how sad. I wish them all the happiness."

Mr Liu's colleagues at the bus company have organised a party to celebrate the reunion and welcome the new family members to Neijiang.

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Dismembered Woman's Identity Known By Police

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Police have established the identity of a woman whose dismembered body was found buried in a shallow grave.

Her remains were found a month ago on Corstorphine Hill, which overlooks Edinburgh.

Detectives had made repeated appeals for help and issued a facial reconstruction image of the victim.

They now know who she is, but her name will not be released until next of kin have been informed.

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie told Sky News: "Identifying the victim was the first priority of this murder investigation and I would like to thank the public and the media for their help in achieving that aim.

"While this is positive news, it also means that a loved one has been lost.

"We are progressing our inquiries into the circumstances of this woman's death and to finding those responsible for it."

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Pope Clears John Paul II For Sainthood

Pope Francis has cleared John Paul II for sainthood, approving a second miracle attributed to his intercession, the Vatican says.

John Paul was extremely popular during much of his 27-year-papacy. 

He died in 2005 at age 84.

The canonisation ceremony is expected to take place before the end of the year, possibly in December.

Two miracles are required for sainthood.

A view of St Peter's Square during John Paul's funeral

The first miracle to be approved by the Vatican came just six months after John Paul's death, when French nun Sister Marie Simon-Pierre inexplicably recovered from Parkinson's disease after praying for the late pontiff's "intercession".

There have been suggestions that Sister Marie did not actually have Parkinson's.

The Vatican spokesman said the second miracle concerned a Costa Rican woman.

The Spanish Catholic newspaper La Razon said she suffered from a brain aneurysm that was inexplicably cured on May 1, 2011 - the day of John Paul's beatification.

La Razon reported that the woman had been given only a month to live after doctors found she had the aneurysm. But her family said that after they prayed to John Paul, the aneurysm disappeared.

Pope Francis approved the second miracle attributed to John Paul

The newspaper quoted her doctor, Dr Alejandro Vargas, as saying: "I can't explain it based on science."

For a healing to be officially certified as a miracle, the occurrence must be permanent, instantaneous and have no scientific explanation.

The Vatican put John Paul on a fast-track to sainthood just weeks after his death on April 2, 2005, dispensing with the traditional five-year waiting period.

Calls for the beloved pontiff to become a saint erupted at his funeral, where many mourners shouted "Santo Subito!" ("Sainthood Now!").

But some Vatican observers have voiced concerns that the process has been too quick.

The Pope with the Queen in 2000

The last years of John Paul's papacy have been marred by a clerical sex abuse scandal, and critics said he failed to address other problems such as dysfunctional governance at the Vatican.

As one of the longest-serving popes, the Polish-born John Paul travelled far and wide, often greeted by massive crowds as he championed peace, denounced human rights abuses and deplored the decadence of the modern world.

Pope John XIII was dubbed the 'good pope'

He eschewed the pomp that surrounded his predecessors to seek contact with ordinary people, and is credited by many with helping to topple Communism in Eastern Europe. In 1981, he survived an assassination attempt in St Peter's Square.

But he also alienated many Catholics with staunchly conservative views on social matters.

Pope Francis also decided to make the late pontiff John XXIII a saint even though the Vatican has not confirmed a second miracle attributed to his intercession.

The Vatican said Francis had the power to "dispense" with the normal saint-making procedures to canonise him on his own merit, without a miracle.

John XXIII, who led the Roman Catholic Church between 1958 and 1963, was dubbed the "good pope" and enacted sweeping reforms to modernise the Vatican.

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Trayvon's Screams On 911 Call, Says Family

Trayvon Martin's mother and brother have testified that screams for help captured on a police call the night he was shot came from the 17-year-old.

Sybrina Fulton and Jahvaris Fulton took the witness stand during the trial of George Zimmerman, a Florida neighbourhood watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the black teenager's death last year.

Zimmerman, 29, has pleaded not guilty and says he shot Martin in self-defence during a fight.

The case sparked protests because police did not charge Zimmerman for 44 days and it touched off a nationwide debate about race and self-defence.

George Zimmerman arrives in court

After the audio was played, prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked Sybrina Fulton: "Who do you recognise that to be?"

She replied: "Trayvon Benjamin Martin."

Identifying the screams on the police call could be critical to the case because it may help determine who was the aggressor during the scuffle between Zimmerman and the teenager.

Under cross-examination, defence lawyer Mark O'Mara suggested that Sybrina Fulton may have been influenced by others who listened to the police call, including relatives and her former husband.

Mr O'Mara also asked Mrs Fulton hypothetically whether she would have to accept it was Zimmerman yelling for help if the screams did not come from her son. He also asked if she hoped her son did not do anything that led to his death.

"I heard my son screaming," she said. "I would hope for this to never have happened and he would still be here."

Jahvaris Fulton, the teenager's brother, also testified that the screaming voice was his.

Trayvon Martin's parents and brother pictured together in 2012

But Mr O'Mara asked him why last year he had told a reporter that he was not sure if the voice belonged to his brother. Jahvaris Fulton, in explaining his comment to the reporter, told the court he was "shocked" when he heard it.

"I didn't want to believe it was him," he said.

Mr O'Mara asked to play the television interview for jurors, but Judge Debra Nelson denied his request for the time being.

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Azelle Rodney 'Unlawfully Killed' By Police

An inquiry into the death of a man shot dead by police eight years ago has concluded that he was unlawfully killed.

Azelle Rodney, who was 24, died after the car he was in was stopped by armed officers in London.

An official report found the police marksman who shot Mr Rodney had no reason to believe he had picked up a weapon - so there was "no lawful justification" for killing him.

The officer who fired the fatal shots could now face criminal charges after the case was referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander said the report backed her view that her son was "executed" and demanded an apology from Scotland Yard.

Former High Court judge Sir Christopher Holland released his findings following the public inquiry into the shooting in Edgware, north London in 2005.

The VW Golf in which the victim was travelling with two other men was stopped by officers who feared the trio were on their way to stage an armed heist on Colombian drug dealers and had an automatic weapon capable of firing 1,000 rounds per minute.

Mr Rodney's family and legal team spoke out after the report was published

Mr Rodney was shot six times, once each in the arm and back and four times in the head.

Sir Christopher's critical conclusions raise the possibility of the officer, known only as E7, facing criminal charges for the shooting.

He found that even if the armed officer believed Mr Rodney had picked up a weapon, it was disproportionate to fire the four fatal head shots.

E7 told the inquiry that he had seen Mr Rodney start moving around, reaching down and then coming back up with his shoulders hunched.

But Sir Christopher's report dismissed this account, which was also contradicted by eyewitnesses.

It said: "E7's accounts of what he saw are not to be accepted. Prior to firing he did not believe that the man who turned out to be Azelle Rodney had picked up a gun and was about to use it.

"Further, on the basis of what he was able to see, he could not rationally have believed that."

The officer has written to the inquiry to claim that the findings against him are " irrational".

Three guns were found in the Golf - a Colt .45 calibre pistol, a Baikal pistol and a smaller gun that looked like a key fob.

The Colt was not loaded, the Baikal was loaded but was not cocked and the safety catch was on, and the key fob gun was loaded, cocked and the safety catch was off.

During the 11-week public inquiry it emerged that E7 had previously shot two men dead during an incident in the 1980s, and injured another two.

Inquests into the men's deaths later found that they had been lawfully killed, and the officer received a commendation from the-then Metropolitan Police Commissioner for his conduct.

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the Met "deeply regrets" the killing

The two injured men were later tried and jailed.

Sir Christopher found that Operation Tayport, which led to Mr Rodney's death, was not run in a way that would minimise the threat to life.

He also concluded that the "hard stop" on the Golf "fell short of the standards set by the MPS".

Drivers were not supposed to deliberately ram the suspect car but two of the police cars did.

The firearms officers were also supposed to be wearing police caps, but the two that could be seen in a video of the shooting were not.

Two officers also fired rounds into the tyres of the Golf after it had been rammed and hemmed in by unmarked police cars.

Sir Christopher has recommended that Scotland Yard now nominates a senior officer to carry out a review of the operation.

Speaking after the report was published, Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander said: "I do not seek to justify what Azelle was doing on the day he died, but he was entitled to be apprehended and, if there was evidence, to be charged and brought before a court of law to face trial before a jury.

"The fact that he was strongly suspected in being involved in crime does not justify him or anyone else being summarily killed."

She said she did not want any further delays in investigating what happened to her son, and asked for apologies from the police and watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "I have read the findings carefully and want to express my personal sympathy to Mr Rodney's family.

"The MPS deeply regrets his death, and I recognise how distressing the inquiry must have been for them."

He said the force accepts recommendations made by Sir Christopher about how officers are debriefed after firearms operations.

The CPS said in a statement: "Following the publication of the report into Mr Rodney's death, the IPCC has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions to ask that we review the case in light of new evidence provided to the Public Inquiry.

"This review will be completed as soon as practicable, in close liaison with the IPCC and in accordance with the Attorney General's undertaking to the inquiry."

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Madeleine McCann: Cameron Welcomes Met Probe

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 12:59pm UK, Saturday 15 June 2013

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

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

:: Feb 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.

:: Feb 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. 

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Fugitive Murder Suspect 'Using Canal Paths'

Detectives hunting a man suspected of murdering his ex-girlfriend believe he may be using canal pathways to avoid arrest.

Michael Cope, 28, is wanted by police over the "sustained and vicious" killing of mother-of-two Linzi Ashton, 25, whose body was found at her home in Winton, Salford, on Saturday.

Police say Cope has "good knowledge" of the pathways around the Bridgewater Canal between Winton and Leigh after he was last spotted at The Moorings in Worsley at about 9am on Saturday.

More than 30 addresses in the area have been searched as part of the investigation with three arrests made so far.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan said: "It is vital we find and speak to Michael Cope to assist our investigation into the brutal murder of Linzi Ashton.

"Understandably, her family are absolutely shattered by what has happened to her, and we are committed to giving them the answers that they need.

"We have made it abundantly clear that Cope needs to be found and we suspect that he may well become more and more desperate as the manhunt continues.

"He therefore could be sleeping rough. We urge people to call the police if they notice any suspicious behaviour around their outbuildings, sheds or gardens."

On Tuesday, police released CCTV footage of Cope buying snacks hours before the young mother was murdered.

A Home Office post-mortem concluded she died as a result of pressure to the neck and multiple injuries.

Cope was in a brief "acrimonious" relationship with Miss Ashton, who worked at the Duke of York pub in nearby Eccles.

Police had been seeking to arrest Cope since the end of April when Miss Ashton made a complaint of rape against him.

Her body was discovered by a relative at her home in Westbourne Road shortly before 6pm on Saturday. Her two daughters, Daisy, two, and Destiny, seven, were not at the address at the time.

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Prince Harry Qualifies As Apache Commander

Prince Harry has qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander within 3 Regiment Army Air Corps which puts him "at the very top of his profession".

The post gives the royal, known as Captain Wales within the Armed Forces, overall control of the two-man helicopter during missions.

It is the culmination of three years of training during which he has won the prize for the best Co-Pilot Gunner and completed a tour of Afghanistan.

Prince Harry's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Tom de la Rue said: "This is a tremendous achievement for Captain Wales, who passed with flying colours.

"I am delighted that his new status as a qualified Apache Aircraft Commander and Co-Pilot Gunner places him at the very top of his profession."

Prince Harry in front of an Apache helicopter

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the Prince was put through a "gruelling six-hour flying assessment" covering the UK's skyline.

The route took him from his base at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk, up to Newcastle, cutting across to RAF Spadeadam and then Carlise, before flying down over Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham and finishing back at base.

During the assessment he was tested across a wide range of tactical and procedural scenarios, including a simulated low level attack at RAF Spadeadam and flying in controlled airspace.

The royal spent Christmas in Afghanistan as part of his deployment, which lasted from September last year to January.

During an interview on his return Prince Harry said that killing the Taliban was a job "you would expect to do" as a soldier.

A spokesperson for Kensington Palace said that he would now " continue with normal duties as an Apache Pilot based at Wattisham Airfield".

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Falkirk Row: Miliband Hits Out At McCluskey

Ed Miliband has launched an attack on the boss of the Unite union as Labour's row with its biggest donor threatens to engulf the party.

Mr Miliband confirmed that he is handing Labour's investigation into alleged irregularities over the selection of an election candidate in Falkirk to the police - but insisted the episode was an "exceptional case".

It is claimed Unite crammed the Scottish constituency with 100 or more members whose subscriptions were paid by the union, some of them without their knowledge.

Facing potentially the biggest crisis of his Labour leadership, Ed Miliband told Len McCluskey to face up to "malpractice" and insisted the union should not be defending "machine politics".

In an interview with Sky News he said: "I think that Len McCluskey hasn't behaved well in this process, I think he should have faced up to the serious concerns that there were in Falkirk.

"Instead of the last 48 hours of him somehow defending the position and saying we were in the wrong, he should have recognised that for the Labour Party under my leadership to be taking these actions must have meant there was something seriously wrong... and frankly, he needs to recognise that."

Mr McCluskey has stood his ground in the war of words, saying: "It seems to me that the Labour leadership is now being caught up in anti-union Tory hysteria.

"I would urge the Labour leadership to stop responding to the Tory agenda.

Tom Watson's resignation from the shadow cabinet deepened the row

"We believe [Labour] have handled it absolutely amateurishly and they have played into the Prime Minister's and the Coalition's hands.

"They must be rubbing their hands at this."

Mr McCluskey accused the Labour leadership of deliberately picking a fight in an echo of Tony Blair's "Clause IV moment" when he got rid of Labour's historic commitment to collective ownership.

"It's depressing that Labour leaders seem to want to have a Clause IV moment, they've got to have a situation where they front up union leaders," he said.

"Well Ed [Miliband] doesn't need to front up me, I'm his friend, I support him."

He is calling for an independent inquiry into the allegations.

"We have no confidence in the so-called investigation that has been carried out by Labour Party HQ," he said.

"If an independent report indicates that Unite have done something wrong then I'll be the first to put my hand up and accept responsibility for it and do something about it.

Karie Murphy - Unite's favoured candidate for Falkirk - has been suspended

"But at the moment we're caught up in a media storm caused by Labour's inability to deal with this situation.

"They've shot themselves in the foot."

The seething dispute has seen Tom Watson - who has close links with Unite - step down as Labour's deputy chairman and left the shadow cabinet.

Mr Watson said that he was quitting to safeguard "the unity of the party".

Mr Miliband also announced he was suspending two members of the Falkirk party - constituency chairman Stephen Deans and Karie Murphy, Mr Watson's office manager who was Unite's favoured candidate for the seat.

Conservative Paty chairman Grant Shapps has written to Mr Miliband demanding the publication of Labour's internal report on events in Falkirk.

Mr Shapps also asked Mr Miliband whether he would suspend candidates in 40 other seats named in a leaked Unite document as enjoying support from the union in selection contests.

Labour insists it has no evidence of membership irregularities in any constituencies outside Falkirk.

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Egypt Coup: Three Killed As Army Opens Fire

Three people have been shot dead after Egyptian troops opened fire in a stand-off with demonstrators.

Violence erupted as supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi marched on the Cairo headquarters of the Republican Guard chanting "down with military rule".

Thousands of people streamed towards the barracks after a Muslim Brotherhood rally at the city's Rabea al Adaweya mosque.

Shots were fired as protesters hung pictures of Mr Morsi on a barbed wire barrier around the military complex, although a spokesman for the Egyptian army said troops were using only blank rounds.

Soldiers were pelted with stones and responded by firing tear gas into the crowd.

Protesters carry away an injured man in Cairo

Sky's Middle East correspondent Sam Kiley, who is in Cairo, said shotguns had been used on the ground. He saw several people injured and said live rounds had "certainly" been used.

He spoke to one man whose clothes were apparently stained with the blood of a victim and said the atmosphere was "tense", with the headquarters likely to become a "magnet" for supporters of Mr Morsi.

He added: "The demonstrators know that their only chance to retain the high ground is to maintain the stance of non-violence.

"There are clearly hotheads within the crowd who did try it on with the Republican Guard."

The army says soldiers fired blank rounds and tear gas

Egypt's health ministry has confirmed three people were killed at the army headquarters.

It came after the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies called for protesters to take to the streets on the Muslim day of prayer for what it described as a "Friday of Rage".

Mr Morsi is said to be under house arrest

The Egyptian army positioned its tanks and troops outside the presidential palace in Cairo, blocking access to protesters. There have been smaller-scale clashes way from the capital, with protesters taking on police in Alexandria.

The leader of the country's Muslim Brotherhood later vowed to restore Mr Morsi to power, saying the country will not accept "military rule" for another day.

General Guide Mohammed Badie was speaking to a crowd of tens of thousands of Morsi supporters in Cairo as a military helicopter circled low overhead.

Addressing the military, he said "your leader is Morsi" and demanded that they stick to their pledge of loyalty to the deposed president.

Meanwhile, the United Nations' human rights chief, Navi Pillay, has expressed concern at the arrest of key members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mr Morsi is believed to have been placed under house arrest since Egypt's top judge, Adli Mansour, was sworn in as interim president. At least four of his aides and advisers are also being held.

A supporter of Mohamed Morsi holds a poster of the ousted president

Egyptians are braced for more violence, although Muslim Brotherhood officials have urged their followers to refrain from violence.

Sky's Andrew Wilson, in Cairo, said: "One thing we will not see this time round, as we might have seen during some parts of the original Arab Spring, is two sides clashing.

"The protesters in Tahrir Square - this so-called coalition or rebellion - all agreed on one point and one point only. They wanted Mr Morsi out and they've won. They have no interest whatsoever in getting involved in clashes in the streets.

"The army has delivered what half the population wants and now only has the job of policing the other half."

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CCTV: Man 'Unable To Feed Himself' Dies In Cell

Footage has been released which suggests an inmate spent the last two days of his life lying naked on a blanket in his cell, unable to feed himself the food placed beside him.

Elliott Earl Williams was pronounced dead five days after he was booked into Tulsa County Jail in Oklahoma.

Williams' estate is suing Sheriff Stanley Glanz and the jail's healthcare provider, claiming wrongful death and civil rights violations.

The estate alleges a lack of mental and physical care contributed to his death.

Between the time he was placed in the cell and the time he died - 51 hours - prison workers gave him one cup of water that was initially placed at his feet and then at his side.

He was also given what appeared to be two servings of food, put next to him, according to the video.

And then just hours before his death, what appeared to be another meal was pushed through the slot in the cell door.

The footage showed him dipping his fingers in the water cup, and bringing them to his lips. He also placed his hand on one of the meals but appeared otherwise immobile.

The video, which lasted 10 minutes, began with Williams being dragged into the cell on a blanket at 8:27am on October 25, 2011.

Firefighters and jail workers tried to resuscitate Williams

Two days later, at 8:41am on October 27, jail workers checked the bottom of Williams' feet for a response before returning at 11:04am to begin CPR.

Workers and firefighters were unable to revive him and the video ended at 11:29am, with a photographer taking pictures of his body after he was pronounced dead.

The lawsuit alleged officers had arrested Williams following a disturbance call, and cited a police report, saying it was "readily apparent" he was having a "mental breakdown".

The 37-year-old was taken to Owasso police headquarters to be booked on a misdemeanour obstruction charge.

During that time, the lawsuit said he crawled on his hands on knees, barking and screaming. It said he slammed his head against a wall many times.

Police reportedly moved him to the Tulsa County Jail shortly afterwards. The lawsuit states that during the time he was booked in, Williams said he could not walk and begged staff to "cut it out of my belly".

The lawsuit states that he was not initially separated from other inmates. Following an examination from a psychiatrist later on, he was moved to what is called a "suicide cell".

The medical examiner's office reports it was likely a spinal injury from blunt force trauma that caused his death.

Under-sheriff Tim Albin called the death an "unfortunate" incident, adding: "We're looking forward to defending the case in court."

Attorney Guy Fortney, who is representing the Sheriff's Office in the lawsuit, has said previously that the Tulsa Jail is one of the best in the country.

And he accused the Williams estate's attorneys, Daniel Smolen and Louis Bullock, of attempting to try the case in the court of public opinion.

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Adopted Boy Sexually Abused By Gay Fathers

Police in Australia have described the case of a six-year-old boy who was sexually abused by his adoptive gay fathers and other people as "depraved".

The men, who obtained the baby from a Russian surrogate in 2005, had presented themselves as loving fathers before their arrests in California last year.

Authorities in Australia and the US worked together to bring the men to justice after it emerged that the child had been offered to others for sexual exploitation from a very young age.

Last week one of the men, an American, was jailed in the US for 40 years while the other, who is from New Zealand, is still to be sentenced.

"None of these cases are very good," Queensland Detective Inspector Jon Rouse, who heads the task force which investigates online child exploitation and abuse, told the AFP news agency.

"What's pretty sad about this one is the way this child came into their lives. It's just really a tragedy. It's extremely depraved."

It is not known whether the boy was conceived with one of the men's sperm. But he had been living as the couple's son when a chance discovery in New Zealand put police on their trail.

Authorities investigating a child sex offender in Wellington found images of the boy on the man's computer.

The images were not illegal, but raised a red flag with Australian police who saw them as "modelling shots". Further investigations unearthed chat logs between the couple and other child sex offenders.

When police raided the couple's home while they were in the United States, they found enough material on laptops and other devices to ensure their arrest and the boy's removal from their care.

DI Rouse said police were determined to ensure that all offenders were tracked down.

"We are talking about a fairly extensive network of child sex offenders," he said.

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Egypt Sex Attacks Reach 'Horrific' Levels

Almost 100 women have been sexually assaulted in Cairo's Tahrir Square in just four days, according to Human Rights Watch.

The charity described the attacks as "rampant" and said they highlight the "failure of the government and all political parties to face up to the violence that women in Egypt experience on a daily basis".

Some of the 91 women assaulted were reportedly beaten with metal chains, chairs and sticks, while others were attacked with knives.

Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said: "These are serious crimes that are holding women back from participating fully in the public life of Egypt at a critical point in the country's development."

The assaults come amid escalating protests in the square around the first anniversary of President Mohamed Morsi's election.

He faces mounting pressure to resign, as well as an army deadline to resolve the country's political crisis that could lead to military intervention.

Some say the attacks are staged by thugs who are abusing a lack of security and are confident of escaping prosecution.

Others claim they are organised to scare women into not joining anti-government protests.

Human Rights Watch cited figures from a hotline for victims of sexual assault and Nazra for Feminist Studies, a women's rights group.

The watchdog called on Egyptian officials and political leaders to "condemn and take immediate steps to address the horrific levels of sexual violence" in the square.

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Arizona Fire: Survivor 'Deserves Good Life'

The widow of one of the 19 elite firefighters killed in a raging blaze in Arizona has said the sole survivor of the hotshots crew "deserves to have a good life".

It comes as fire crews made some progress as they tried to contain the dangerous and unpredictable wildfire, which is among dozens burning across the western US.

The blaze turned deadly on Sunday when the specially trained outfit called the Granite Mountain Hotshots were suddenly engulfed by wind-whipped flames in a matter of seconds.

The only survivor was Brendan McDonough, 21, who was on a hilltop as a lookout and warned his crew the weather was changing rapidly.

He told his colleagues the fire had changed directions because of strong, erratic winds and was heading straight for them.

Juliann Ashcraft pictured with Andrew Ashcraft

Mr McDonough made it to safety, but the rest were overwhelmed by the blaze.

Juliann Ashcraft, the widow of 29-year-old Andrew Ashcraft, said of Mr McDonough: "I hope he knows we love him and losing one more would not have been what we wanted.

"We are so grateful he made it home.

"The first time I saw him after the fire, I gave him a big hug and he still smelt like the fire - the same way my husband would smell when he'd come home."

Mrs Ashcraft said Brendan McDonough was 'a great guy'

Speaking to NBC, she also said Mr McDonough: "He's a great guy and I'm so glad that his outcome was different. He deserves to have a good life with his daughter."

Prescott fire department spokesman Wade Ward said of the survivor: "He did exactly what he was supposed to.

"He's trying to deal with the same things that we're all trying to deal with, but you can understand how that's compounded (by having been) there on the scene."

The hotshot crew were killed in the fire

As well as Mr Ashcraft, the other victims were Kevin Woyjeck, 21, Anthony Rose, 23, Eric Marsh, 43, Christopher MacKenzie, 30, Robert Caldwell, 23, Clayton Whitted , 28, Scott Norris, 28, Dustin Deford, 24, Sean Misner, 26, Garret Zuppiger, 27, Travis Carter, 31, Grant McKee, 21, TravisTurbyfill, 27, Jesse Steed, 36, Wade Parker, 22, Joe Thurston, 32, William Warneke, 25, John Percin, 24.

Mr McDonough attended a vigil in Prescott for the dead on Tuesday evening, but did not wish to speak to the media.

Thousands of mourners were at the memorial at a high-school football stadium.

It was the first opportunity for many in the community to gather together since the men fighting the fire in nearby Yarnell died in the line of duty.

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Woman Falls Asleep And Goes Under Train

A woman miraculously survived after falling asleep while stood on a subway station platform and tumbling under an oncoming train.

CCTV footage from the Prague underground on Monday appears to show the young commuter dozing on her feet, staggering towards the edge before falling forwards onto the tracks.

Luckily the woman landed in the groove between the rails, giving her enough room to avoid being hit by the undercarriage of the train that quickly pulled into the station.

Police spokeswoman Eva Kropacova said in a statement: "Miraculously the woman stood up, dusted her trousers and walked off."

She added that the woman refused both medical treatment and a breathalyser test, telling police she was "merely tired".

One bystander on the platform had tried to pull the woman back but missed by seconds, but a group of men were then on hand to help her out through the gap between the carriages.

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Pelka Case: Sibling Says Boy Had Head 'Bashed'

The sibling of Daniel Pelka, who died after allegedly being starved to death, has told a court how the four-year-old had his head "bashed" in the bathroom.

The jury at Birmingham Crown Court was played a tape of evidence given by the child, whose age and gender cannot be published for legal reasons.

The prosecution claims Daniel died of head injuries after being subjected to a campaign of "incomprehensible" cruelty at the hands of his mother and stepfather.

Magdelena Luczak and her partner Mariusz Krezolek deny murder and causing or allowing Daniel's death.

During the interviews with police, the sibling claimed that Daniel hit his head on a bath after being pushed over.

Responding to questions from a female police officer, the witness said: "When Mariusz was too much drinking, my brother had a cold bath and I asked Mariusz to stop it.

"I got my brother from the bath and I pulled the plug out and I hugged him."

Asked by the police officer to give further details of the incident, the witness replied: "I was downstairs, I heard him screaming.

"I came upstairs and smashed Mariusz to stop it, and he stopped it.

"I got my brother from the bath and put a towel on him and hugged him."

The child said the last time they saw Daniel he was "sleeping in my bedroom" and they "tried to wake him up ... I listened to his heart ... I couldn't hear his heart ... it couldn't beat".

The child said they used to hide and cook food to give to Daniel "because he's not allowed to come down the stairs".

The court heard that the boy's bedroom "smelled disgusting" and the sibling said they had seen bruises on his legs.

The child said: "I love him and I didn't want him to be hurt."

Daniel, whose physical condition was likened by a doctor to that of a concentration camp victim, is alleged to have been deliberately starved over several months.

The primary school pupil was pronounced dead in the early hours of March 3 last year after paramedics were called to his home.

Krezolek, 33, and Luczak, 27, are alleged to have "imprisoned" Daniel in an upstairs room.

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Dewani: 'Better To Get On With' Extradition

Delaying the extradition to South Africa of the man accused of murdering his wife on their honeymoon could make things worse for him, a court has heard.

Shrien Dewani, who has depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, is accused of orchestrating the death of his 28-year-old wife Anni, who was shot on the outskirts of Cape Town in November 2010.

The 33-year-old strongly denies any involvement in his wife's murder.

Psychiatrist Dr Ian Cumming told London's Westminster Magistrates' Court: "It could be six months, then another six months, then on and on.

Dewani has strongly denied involvment in his wife's murder

"It could make things worse and could be better to get on with it. Actually it may be a kind thing for him - to actually get on."

Dr Cumming has visited South Africa and been reassured that the businessman would be admitted to a general ward at Valkenberg Hospital in Cape Town, rather than a unit where people are sent by the courts.

He is confident the standard of Dewani's ongoing medical treatment will be "robust" and will not drop once he leaves Britain.

"The receiving hospital there will prepare themselves very well," he said. "There will be exchange of information and reports and a handover. It is likely a nurse will accompany him from the UK to South Africa.

"I think they would make it as robust as possible. They would not stop whatever medication he is on - that would be bad practice and they would not do that."

Dewani's post-traumatic stress is severe, his depressive illness is moderate to severe, and his current risk of self-harm is real and significant but not immediate, the court was told.

He has received treatment for his mental condition since his wife's death, most recently at two units near Bristol.

The place where he is currently being treated seems to be a "protective mechanism for him", Dr Cumming noted.

Previously, Dewani's lawyers have expressed concerns he would be a high suicide risk if he returned to the country, and his human rights could be breached because of the risk of violent and sexual assaults in jail, and of contracting HIV.

Newlywed Mrs Dewani was shot when a taxi in which the couple were travelling was hijacked in the Gugulethu township.

Mr Dewani and driver Zola Tongo were ejected from the car before Mrs Dewani was driven away and killed.

She was found dead in the back of the abandoned vehicle with a bullet wound to her neck.

Last year, South African Xolile Mngeni was convicted of premeditated murder for shooting Mrs Dewani.

Prosecutors claimed he was a hit-man hired by Shrien Dewani to kill his new wife, something that Dewani has consistently denied.

Tongo was jailed for 18 years after he admitted his part in the crime, and another accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, also pleaded guilty to charges over the murder and was handed a 25-year prison sentence.

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Bankrupt Kerry Katona Dropped By Loan Firm

Former pop star Kerry Katona has been dropped as the face of a payday loans company after she filed for bankruptcy for the second time in five years.

The ex-Atomic Kitten, who began forging a TV career after leaving the group, was first declared bankrupt in August 2008 after failing to pay the last instalment of a tax bill.

The mother of four lost her contract with lending firm Cash Lady after she filed for bankruptcy recently at Wigan County Court.

In an advert for the company, the star of reality shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! told viewers: "We all have money troubles at some point - I know I have. You could see your bank and fill in loads of forms.

"But is there an easier way to get a loan? Check out CashLady.co.uk.

"With Cash Lady it's simple to apply for up to £300.

"It's dead fast, too. If you're approved, the money goes straight into your account."

Cash Lady's website offers loans of up to £300

Cash Lady said: "Clearly, as a business, we are committed to responsible lending, so it is with sadness that we will not be able to continue using Kerry as the face of Cash Lady.

"We enjoyed working with Kerry a lot, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours."

Katona has spoken publicly about her financial problems before.

Earlier this year, after launching her autobiography Still Standing, she told The Daily Telegraph she had in the past felt under pressure to "buy people's friendships".

"I've never spent on myself, really," she said. "Now I'm so cautious with money. I've got to be - I've got four kids.

"I'm not a spender but I'm not tight."

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Egypt's Morsi Fights On As Army Deadline Passes

The army has been accused of a military coup after its deadline for a resolution to the country's political crisis elapsed with rival protesters out in force on the streets of Cairo.

President Mohamed Morsi, sworn in around a year ago, was given until around 5pm (4pm BST) to act on the ultimatum to "meet the demands of the people" or face military intervention.

According to the Egyptian security forces, orders banning Mr Morsi, Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohammed Badie and his deputy Khairat al Shater from travelling abroad have been issued to airport officials.

Thousands protest in Tahrir Square in Cairo

The army, which has entered the presidential palace as well as state TV buildings in Cairo to monitor content in the station's newsroom, could dissolve parliament and take control of the country.

Soldiers were said to be blocking any presidential statements from going out, forcing Mr Morsi's aides to use Facebook to communicate with the divided country.

Army movements were also reported elsewhere in the city with armoured vehicles and troops including commandos deployed near Cairo University where supporters of the president gathered - and barbed wire and barriers erected around the barracks where the president was said to be working.

"For the sake of Egypt and for historical accuracy, let's call what is happening by its real name: Military coup," Essam al Haddad, the president's national security adviser, said in a statement on Facebook.

Crowds in the main square celebrate as the army deadline passes

Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall, in Cairo's Tahrir Square, said: "The pieces are in place for a coup. The army has put tanks on the outskirts of the city, it's positioned people.

"I think we are going to get some dramatic developments this evening.

"Whether it is a bona fide coup, or whether the Muslim Brotherhood are upping the anti to make sure their supporters come down in large numbers ... because if there is a coup, their supporters will react badly to this."

Sky's Middle East correspondent Sam Kiley, outside Cairo University where supporters of the president have gathered, added: "The military have moved at least have a dozen armoured personnel carriers supported by about two companies of troops, on one side of the university. On the other side there are a number of riot police.

Pro-Morsi protesters shout slogans during a demonstration

"At the moment there is a tense standoff between supporters of President Morsi and the military, with his supporters building barricades, but also standing on the military side of the barricades trying to show a level of solidarity."

The army said in an official statement that it was securing the area and denied what it said were reports that it was attacking Mr Morsi's supporters, saying: "The Egyptian army belongs to all Egyptians."

Mr Morsi has refused to step down, saying he will protect his democratic "legitimacy" with his life.

Crisis talks involving military chiefs, political and religious leaders continue, with Mr Morsi offering a coalition government as part of a solution to the standoff, but no new compromises.

As the army deadline passed, he warned his elected leadership was the only safeguard against violence and instability - and that it was a mistake for the military to "take sides".

A protester sits in front of anti-Morsi artwork on a Cairo building

"The presidency envisions the formation of a consensus coalition government to oversee the next parliamentary election," his office said in a statement on Facebook.

Opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei is also believed to have held talks with army chief General Abdel Fattah al Sisi.

The crisis meetings followed reports in the state-run media that Mr Morsi would either step down or be removed from office when a political road map for the future of the country was drawn up by the military.

The Al-Ahram newspaper said the plan would establish a three-member presidential council to be chaired by the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, although the claims were rejected by an Egyptian military source.

In a 45-minute televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Mr Morsi said he had been voted for in a free and fair election and it was his job to "safeguard the revolution" that put him in office.

Members of the Muslim Brotherhood ride on a truck through Cairo

He called for calm and said Egyptians should not attack the army, police or each other. He said he was attempting to get the army to return to its normal duties and withdraw its ultimatum.

The armed forces, which took control of the country after the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, have intensified their presence in Egypt's cities in recent days.

Thousands of people gathered in Tahrir Square, the birthplace of the revolution, while a giant crowd protested outside the Qasr el Qobba presidential palace where Mr Morsi has been working in recent days.

Meanwhile, Muslim Brotherhood supporters who witnessed clashes near Cairo University told Sky News demonstrators were attacked with automatic gunfire.

They claimed many protesters were killed and said they expect similar attacks after the deadline passes.

The Foreign Office has warned against all but essential travel to most of Egypt and said any Britons in the country should consider "whether they have a pressing need to remain".

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Toddler Calls 999 For Unconscious Mum

A three-year-old boy has been praised by police after he dialled 999 for help when his mum had an accident in their Coventry home.

Taylor Price called the emergency services after 21-year-old Chloe Price fell down the stairs in their home and was left unconscious in the hallway.

Unable to wake his mum, quick-thinking Taylor raised the alarm by finding her mobile phone and calmly dialling for help.

In a recording of the 999 call a West Midlands Police contact centre officer can be heard to ask "What's the matter?" to which Taylor replies: "My mummy has hurt herself."

He can then be heard calling out to Ms Price before the call cuts out. Operators tried to return the call but were unable to get an answer.

However, they managed to trace the call to Foleshill, Coventry,

PC Claudette Jordan, who was one of the first police officers on the scene, said: "We couldn't believe it when the paramedics told us that Taylor had found the front door keys and unlocked the door to let them in.

"He was so calm and composed; he's an absolute credit to his mum and family."

Taylor's mum Chloe, said: "I don't know what I'd have done without him, he was so brave. Only a few weeks ago his granddad had taught him how to call 999 in an emergency.

"The ambulance crew told me that Taylor had even tried to feed me some marmite and toast, which I'd just made him for his breakfast, to try and get me to wake up!

"He turns four this month and I don't know many children his age who would know what to do to get help. I can't explain just how proud we are of him."

Chief Superintendent Andy Nicholson, said: "He's a testament to his family and a shining example to other youngsters of what to do in an emergency."

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