Apocalypse? Not Now, As World Survives

An ancient prediction that the world would end this morning has failed to come true.

As the clock counted down to - and then passed - 11.11am, people around the world used the moment as an excuse for a party.

December 21 marks the end of the 5,125-year Mayan calendar, which some said represents the end of the world.

But the claim was dismissed by everyone from Nasa and the US government to the Vatican.

The tiny French village of Bugarach drew global attention

People who paid just under £1,000 to take refuge in the underground bunker of former Soviet dictator Josef Stalin now stand to qualify for a 50% refund.

In the tiny French village of Bugarach in the Pyrenees, UFO watchers were left disappointed when aliens said to inhabit a jagged mountain failed to board a spacecraft and flee the Earth.

In Serbia, the place to be was Mount Rtanj, a pyramid-shaped peak, where local legend has it that the mountain once swallowed an evil sorcerer who will be released on doomsday in a ball of fire.

The end is nigh! How some were counting down the seconds

Old coal mineshafts were opened up as safe rooms for the dozens who arrived early.

Sirince, a small Turkish village known for its wines, was also being touted as a safe haven, thought to be because it is close to an area where the Virgin Mary is believed to have lived her final days.

In China, the authorities have been detaining more than 500 members of a fringe Christian group, Almighty God, who got into trouble after spreading rumours about the world's impending end, with leaflets, CDs, books and other material all seized.

A man in China made tsunami-proof survival pods

Closer to home, hundreds of people converged on Stonehenge for an End of the World party that coincided with the winter solstice.

In London, themed events included a Last Supper club.

Many scientists and historians argue that the Mayans had a cyclical sense of time, so that the end of a calendar simply signifies the end of one period and the beginning of another.

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Ex-Army Doctor Struck Off Over Iraqi's Death

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Former Army doctor Derek Keilloh has been found guilty of misconduct over the death of an Iraqi detainee in British military custody.

The verdict on Dr Derek Keilloh, 38, came after a 47-day hearing by the Medical Practioners Tribunal Service, described as a watershed case in military history.

Dr Keilloh, now a family doctor in North Yorkshire, was a captain and regimental medical officer with the British army, 1st Battalion, Queen's Lancashire Regiment, in war-torn Basra in 2003.

He had claimed that after being called in to examine Baha Mousa he had noticed only dried blood around the arrested man's nose.

Mr Mousa had 93 separate injuries

Mr Mousa had been hooded, handcuffed and beaten by soldiers. He had suffered 93 separate injuries, including a broken nose, broken ribs and severe bruising to his face and neck.

In subsequent inquiries, Dr Keilloh stuck by his story under oath. But the 'fitness to practise' hearing found his conduct dishonest and misleading.

Mr Mousa was an innocent hotel receptionist and a father of two who had been arrested as a suspected insurgent. His wife had died of cancer some months earlier and his death left the couple's children orphaned.

The medical panel said that Dr Keilloh had been "a relatively inexperienced doctor unexpectedly thrust into a war zone at very short notice to supply the highest levels of clinical care with little support or supervision".

They said that his handover on arrival had been "ineffective and contained no written brief of procedures".

But it added: "Given the national and international importance of these investigations and the need to uncover the truth...your repeated dishonesty was wholly unacceptable."

It concluded that "given the gravity and nature of the extent and context of your dishonesty, it considers that your (Dr Keilloh's) misconduct is fundamentally incompatible" with continuing to practise as a doctor.

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Arthur Scargill Loses High Court Flat Fight

Former miners' leader Arthur Scargill has lost his High Court fight to have the National Union of Mineworkers continue to meet the costs of his London flat for his lifetime.

The NUM had called on Mr Justice Underhill to declare that it has no such continuing obligation to 74-year-old Mr Scargill, its President for 20 years until July 2002.

The union also successfully disputed Mr Scargill's fuel allowance at his Barnsley home and payment for the preparation of his annual tax return - but not the cost of his security system in Yorkshire.

Mr Scargill has occupied the Barbican apartment - rented from the Corporation of London - since June 1982.

The rent and associated expenses were paid by the union until 2011, except for a period between 1985 and 1991 when he met them.

The NUM's counsel, Nicholas Davidson QC, had argued the case was not about whether anyone thought any particular obligation ought to exist - but whether it did exist, based on documents dating back 30 years and the identification of what terms were agreed between duly authorised representatives of the NUM and Mr Scargill.

Mr Scargill's counsel, Timothy Pitt-Payne QC, argued his client was entitled to the retirement benefits under the terms of his successive contracts of employment with the NUM.

Mr Scargill had drawn the court's attention to the NUM's practice of providing accommodation in retirement for former full-time national officials.

That practice had been applied to his predecessor Joe Gormley - later Lord Gormley - and it was determined in 1982 that he was to enjoy the same allowances and facilities.

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Cancer Ruling: Neon's Mum Loses Legal Fight

A High Court judge has ruled a seven-year-old boy should have radiotherapy treatment for cancer against his mother's wishes.

Sally Roberts, 37, has argued radiotherapy will cause her son Neon long-term harm, and she has been locked in a court battle for alternative treatment.

Doctors have said Neon could die within months if he does not get the radiotherapy.

Mr Justice Bodey, who has heard arguments about the pros and cons of radiotherapy at the High Court in London, said radiotherapy treatment could start.

"The mother has been through a terrible time. This sort of thing is every parent's nightmare," said the judge.

"But I am worried that her judgement has gone awry on the question of the seriousness of the threat which Neon faces."

Ms Roberts,  a New Zealander who lives in Brighton, East Sussex, had told the court she was not a "bonkers mother" and insisted on alternative treatment.

She said she feared radiotherapy would reduce Neon's IQ, shorten his life, put him at risk of having strokes and make him infertile.

Neon's father Ben, who lives in London and is separated from Ms Roberts, had agreed to radiotherapy but was "apprehensive", the court heard.

The judge praised the dedication of the paediatric oncologist who has been following Neon, and who has only been identified as Dr A for legal reasons, and said he fully accepted the evidence provided by the doctor.

"The alternative treatment sought by the mother would at least have to meet the 85% success rate of the existing radio/chemotherapy treatment," the judge said.

He also said Neon was to reside with his father for the duration of the cancer treatment.

The boy has undergone two operations on his brain, including a seven-hour procedure on Wednesday to remove a "residual tumour".

The court was told that operation had gone well.

Ms Roberts has declined to comment.

Mr Roberts' solicitor, Gwen Williams, said her client was "relieved" that the judge had made a ruling on Neon's treatment.

"He now hopes that Neon can be allowed to recover from his latest operation and start the radiotherapy and chemotherapy that the doctors have outlined without any further delay," said Ms Williams.

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BAE Systems Strikes £2.5bn Deal With Oman

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A deal worth £2.5bn has been completed between British defence manufacturer BAE Systems and Oman.

It will see BAE provide the Gulf state with 12 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and eight Hawk training jets.

As well as supplying aircraft, BAE Systems will provide in-service support to the Royal Air Force of Oman's (RAFO) operational tasks.

Work to start building the aircraft will begin in 2014, with the first jets due for delivery in 2017.

But the markets did not seem too enthusiastic about the announcement, as the BAE share price was down 2% during the early hours of trading.

More importantly for the company's future financial health is the Salam deal for 72 Typhoon jets with Saudi Arabia, worth £4.5bn.

Earlier this week, BAE warned that its 2012 earnings would suffer if no agreement was reached on this deal by February 21.

Last month, Prime Minister David Cameron visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on a trade mission to promote BAE and persuade the states to buy British-made defence equipment.

PM David Cameron visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE last month

It is unusual for a British prime minister to promote defence companies so openly but the Government is seeking to build closer ties with friendly Middle Eastern states in the face of what it sees as a growing threat in the region from countries like Iran.

The move also demonstrates an attempt to forge links outside of the traditional Nato countries.

The deal is not only important for BAE Systems but also for the companies that form the supply chain, many of which are based in the UK.

The deal will support BAE's assertion that it still has a strong business with a positive future after the proposed merger with EADS collapsed in October.

Cuts to defence budgets globally have resulted in a tougher and more competitive market, and BAE had hoped a merger with a company that specialises in civil aviation would lessen any effect of budget cuts.

Guy Griffiths, group managing director for BAE Systems' International business, said: "Receiving this contract is an honour and is excellent news for both BAE Systems and the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium.

"We look forward to working in partnership with Oman's Ministry of Defence, and the Royal Air Force of Oman, to ensure this is a highly successful programme that maximises the potential of both Hawk and Typhoon."

Oman becomes the seventh country in the world, and the second in the Middle East, to operate the Typhoon, joining the air forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "This is obviously a very good day for BAE Systems, its suppliers and the broader Eurofighter supply chain.

"We, and our partners in the Eurofighter consortium are pursuing a number of opportunities at present and I hope that the decision by Oman to join the Typhoon family is followed by more of its friends and neighbours."

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School Shootings: Protests As NRA Speaks Out

The National Rifle Association has reacted to last week's deadly school shooting, blaming media and video games for creating a violent culture and calling for armed guards in America's schools.

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre called on the US Congress to immediately pass legislation to place guards with guns in schools by the time classes resume from winter breaks in January.

With this proposal the NRA said it aims stop the next killer "waiting in the wings", with Mr LaPierre claiming that "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."

Banks, sports stadiums, airports and court houses already have such protections, he said.

"If we truly cherish our kids more than our money, more than our celebrities... we must give them the greatest level of protection available," Mr LaPierre said.

Mr LaPierre advocated for a "model school shield" program consisting of volunteer patrols to be implemented at every school nationwide, at any cost. 

The NRA's comments came exactly a week after a gunman killed 26 people at a Connecticut school, including 20 young children.

Former Republican Congressman Asa Hutchinson, also speaking at the news conference, said armed, trained guards would be part of the program but not all of it.

Protesters were quickly removed

He said local school boards could decide on a case-by-case basis if schools should not have guards.

Mr Hutchinson called the NRA a natural choice to head up the "potentially life-saving effort" because of its gun safety, marksmanship and hunter education programmes. 

Two protesters from the social justice group Code Pink interrupted the news conference, holding banners in front of Mr LaPierre and shouting that the NRA "is killing our kids".

They were quickly removed from the room.

In terms of addressing mental health issues, Mr LaPierre suggested creating a national database of the mentally ill.

And he blasted the media and video game industries as "a callous, corrupt and corrupting shadow industry that sells and stows violence against its own people".

The NRA's propositions come as President Barack Obama vowed to address gun control, and appointed Vice President Joseph Biden to lead a working group of administration officials and outside advisers to offer recommendations by January.

On Friday morning people in Newtown and across the nation observed a moment of silence to honour the shooting victims.

Gunman Adam Lanza, 20, also killed his mother one week ago before later taking his own life at Sandy Hook Elementary school.

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Steve Jobs' £80m Super Yacht Impounded

A super yacht built for Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs has been impounded in Amsterdam because of a dispute over an unpaid bill to designer Philippe Starck, a lawyer has said.

Mr Jobs, who died last year, never got to use the vessel, called Venus.

But he had commissioned the French designer to work on the yacht, which cost more than 100m euros (£81.3m).

A lawyer representing Mr Starck's company Ubik told reporters his client had received 6m euros out of a 9m euro commission for his work on the minimalist vessel and was now seeking to recover the rest of what he was owed.

Steve Jobs died in October 2011 after making his name and fortune at Apple

The yacht was impounded on Wednesday evening, the lawyer said, and will remain in Amsterdam port pending payment by lawyers representing Mr Jobs' estate.

"The project has been going since 2007 and there had been a lot of detailed talk between Jobs and Starck," said the lawyer, Roelant Klaassen.

"These guys trusted each other, so there wasn't a very detailed contract."

The lawyer representing Mr Jobs' estate could not immediately be reached for comment.

The yacht is named after the Roman goddess of love

The 256ft (78-metre) vessel, built by shipbuilders Feadship, took to the water at the firm's yard in Aalsmeer, just south of Amsterdam, in October, a year after Mr Jobs' death.

According to Mr Jobs' biographer Walter Isaacson, the vessel, which is made of exceptionally long aluminium panels, was just as Mr Jobs had imagined it.

The late Apple chief is believed to have given his input in a day-long discussion with Mr Starck.

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X Factor Hopeful Who Glassed Man Avoids Jail

An X Factor hopeful who was axed from the show after she glassed her boyfriend has avoided jail.

Lucie Slater, 21, was sentenced to 51 weeks in prison suspended for two years, a two-year supervision order and 120 hours of community service.

Slater, from Ryton, Gateshead, had pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding DJ William Aitken in June.

Lucie Slater was part of a girl band called Quantro

The couple were drinking wine together at his house when she came across a message on Facebook that she did not like, the court heard.

"We were cuddling," Mr Aitken recalled. "Next thing I knew she swung round and hit me with a glass and my face began to pour with blood."

The woman also threw a laptop across the room.

Slater then drove him to hospital, where she first claimed he had fallen down the stairs but later admitted what happened, the court was told.

Slater, a bar promotion worker, was part of girl band Quantro but they were thrown off the ITV talent show when the attack came to light.

'I still love her and I want to know why she did it,' says Mr Aitken

Judge Toby Hedworth said: "Drink played a greater role than is now suggested.

"I also take into account the effect of your actions on Mr Aitken. All that he has ever sought in these proceedings was an acknowledgement of what happened."

Mr Aitken called the assault 'life changing'

Due to his injuries and the time he spent in hospital, Mr Aitken lost his business and modelling career, the court heard.

Mr Aitken said the experience was "life changing" and called the assault "an act of stupidness" that caused a lot of damage.

"I really did not think she was capable of something like that. We are not speaking to each other now," he said.

"I still love her and I want to know why she did it. It's a really sad love story. We did not plan our future like this. Instead of us breaking up, we have been ripped apart."

Slater was initially charged with the more serious offence of wounding with intent but her plea to the lesser charge was accepted by the prosecution.

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Obama To Pick John Kerry As Secretary Of State

President Barack Obama will nominate Massachusetts Senator John Kerry to succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, a senior administration official has said.

Mr Kerry's nomination marks Mr Obama's first move in a sweeping overhaul of his national security team heading into his second term as President.

The Democratic senator is expected to be easily approved for the cabinet post by his longtime congressional colleagues.

Mr Kerry leapt to the front of Mr Obama's list for the State Department job after UN Ambassador Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration last week.

She faced harsh criticism from congressional Republicans for her initial accounting of the deadly September attack on Americans in Benghazi, Libya.

Mr Obama vigorously defended Ms Rice, a close friend and longtime adviser, but Republican senators dug in, threatening to hold up her nomination if the President tapped her for the post.

The official who disclosed Mr Kerry's nomination requested anonymity because the President has not announced it yet.

Mr Kerry came to prominence during his failed presidential campaign against George W Bush in 2004.

John Kerry would take over from Hillary Clinton

He now serves as the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

But the 69-year-old has long sought the nation's top diplomatic post.

Mr Obama considered him for the job after the 2008 election, before later picking Hillary Clinton in a surprise move.

Since then, Mr Obama has dispatched Mr Kerry around the world to tamp down diplomatic disputes in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

He was also part of the President's debate preparations team during the 2012 election, playing the role of Republican challenger Mitt Romney in mock debates.

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South Sudan: UN Helicopter Shot Down

The UN says one of its helicopters has been shot down in South Sudan, killing all four crew members.

UN deputy spokesman Eduardo del Buey said the South Sudanese armed forces informed the country's UN peacekeeping mission "that it has shot down the helicopter in the Likuangole area in Jonglei state".

Del Buey said the MI-8 helicopter was on a reconnaissance flight to the troubled area and initial reports indicate that it had crashed and burst into flames.

No reasons for the incident have been given.

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Lostprophets Singer Facing Child Sex Charges

Lostprophets lead singer Ian Watkins has appeared in court accused of conspiring to rape a one-year-old girl among other child sex offences.

Watkins, 35, whose band have sold more than 3.5 million albums worldwide, was remanded in custody to appear at Cardiff Crown Court on December 31.

The singer, from Pontypridd, is alleged to have conspired with a woman to rape the girl, Cardiff magistrates were told.

He also stands accused of two incidents of conspiring to engage in sexual touching with two young children; possessing, making and distributing indecent images; and possessing "extreme" animal pornography.

The conspiracy charges related to a period between May 1 and Monday this week, while the indecent images related to a period between August 12 and Monday, the court heard.

Defending barrister Tom Crowther said his client - dressed in a black hooded top and looking visibly tired - would be denying the charges and argued that his celebrity status could help to enforce bail conditions.

He said that Lostprophets had cancelled a planned tour, Watkins had no previous convictions and his mother, who was sitting in the public gallery, was willing to put forward her house as a bail surety.

But presiding magistrate Alan Knight opted to remand Watkins - along with two women aged 20 and 24 - in custody.

The women, who face similar child sex allegations, cannot be named for legal reasons. All three will appear at Cardiff Crown Court on December 31.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Peter Doyle said earlier that specially-trained staff were available to speak to anyone with concerns or information regarding the investigation.

"I want to encourage anyone who has any concerns or information which they think may be relevant to contact us," he added.

"Safeguarding children involved in such cases is always a high priority and as such measures have already been taken."

Police are asking anyone with any information concerning the investigation to contact the Operation Globe incident room on 0800 056 0154, or the NSPCC on 0800 389 5347.

Lostprophets have received several Kerrang! Awards and nominations, and have sold around 3.5 million albums worldwide.

Last Train Home and Rooftops were both Top 10 hits on the UK Singles Chart, while Last Train Home took the No 1 spot on the Alternative Songs chart.

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Miss USA Contestant Told To Pay Pageant $5m

A Miss USA contestant who claimed the pageant was rigged has been ordered to pay the organisation $5m for defamation.

An arbitrator found that Sheena Monnin's comments about billionaire businessman Donald Trump's pageant were false, harmful and malicious.

The $5m (£3.1m) figure was the amount the arbitrator said the pageant lost in 2013 from a potential sponsor following Ms Monnin's allegations on Facebook and on NBC's Today show.

Ms Monnin was Miss Pennsylvania USA, but resigned that title after she failed to make it past the 2012 Miss USA contest's preliminary rounds.

In her Facebook post, she wrote: "I witnessed another contestant who said she saw the list of the top 5 before the show ever started (to) proceed.

"I knew the show must be rigged. ... and from what I witnessed is dishonest."

The arbitrator ruled there was no reasonable possibility the pageant's judging was rigged.

"Monnin claimed the pageant was rigged within minutes of being passed over as one of the sixteen semi-finalists, and before she had any purported factual basis for her allegation of rigging," arbitrator Theodore H. Katz wrote in his ruling.

He also said Ms Monnin objected to the pageant's decision to allow transgender contestants.

Ms Monnin did not participate in the arbitration. Her lawyer's office had no comment.

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Sandy Hook: British Boy's Parents Speak Of Grief

The parents of a six-year-old British boy killed in the Sandy Hook shootings have said they will never regret moving to Connecticut.

Dylan Hockley was one of 20 children and six adults shot dead by gunman Adam Lanza in America's worst school shooting.

He was born in Hampshire to a British father and American mother, Ian and Nicole Hockley, and the family moved to Newtown two years ago.

In a statement released through the British Foreign Office, Dylan's family gave their thanks to the emergency services and first responders who helped on Friday.

"It was an impossible day for us, but even in our grief we cannot comprehend what other people may have experienced," they said.

The couple, who have an older son called Jake, said they had specifically chosen the Sandy Hook area to move to because of its close community and Sandy Hook Elementary School, where the massacre took place.

"Sandy Hook and Newtown have warmly welcomed us since we moved here two years ago from England. We do not and shall never regret this choice. Our boys have flourished here and our family's happiness has been limitless."

They praised the staff at the school including head teacher Dawn Hochsprung, who was killed as she confronted Lanza as he entered the school, and teacher Vicki Soto, who was hailed a hero as she tried to protect her pupils by hiding them in cupboards.

"Though our hearts break for Dylan, they are also filled with love for these and the other beautiful women who all selflessly died trying to save our children."

The statement reads: "Everyone who met Dylan fell in love with him. His beaming smile would light up any room and his laugh was the sweetest music. He loved to cuddle, play tag every morning at the bus stop with our neighbours, bounce on the trampoline, play computer games, watch movies, the colour purple, seeing the moon and eating his favourite foods, especially chocolate.

"He was learning to read and was so proud when he read us a new book every day. He adored his big brother Jake, his best friend and role model. 

"There are no words that can express our feeling of loss. We will always be a family of four, as though Dylan is no longer physically with us, he is forever in our hearts and minds. We love you Mister D, our special gorgeous angel."

President Barack Obama is expected to appoint Vice President Joe Biden to head a government panel to formulate a response to gun violence in the wake of the Newtown school massacre.

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Traveller Family Jailed Over Forced Labour

By Isabel Webster, West of England Correspondent

Five members of a traveller family have been jailed for a total of 18 years after being found guilty of forcing vulnerable men to work for them.

The Connors family enjoyed top-of-the-range cars and expensive holidays. But to live the high life, they picked up men - often homeless drifters or addicts - to work for them as labourers.

The victims lived in squalid caravans on traveller sites as they moved around the country working on the Connors' paving and patio businesses.

Some were also ordered to perform humiliating tasks, such as emptying the buckets used as toilets by their bosses.

James and Miles Connors

William Connors, 52, was jailed for six and a half years and his wife Mary, 48, received a sentence of two years and three months.

The couple's son, John, 29, was jailed for four years. Their other son James, 20, got three years detention in a young offender institution. Son-in-law Miles Connors, 24, received a three year prison sentence.

They were all convicted last week at Bristol Crown Court of conspiracy to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour between April 2010 and March 2011 following a three-month trial.

Mary and her daughters wept as the judge told them they had "exploited" the vulnerable who had chosen "one form of extreme deprivation over another".

Mary walked free after the sentencing due to time she has already served.

John Connors

The men - called "dossers" by the Connors - had worked for the family for nearly two decades.

Many were beaten, hit with broom handles, belts, a rake and shovel, and punched and kicked by the Connors.

The men were paid as little as £5 for a day's hard labour on jobs which would earn the family several thousands of pounds.

They were given so little food that they resorted to scavenging from rubbish bins at supermarkets.

In contrast, the Connors lived in large and well-appointed caravans fitted with luxury kitchens and flat-screen televisions.

William and Mary, known as Billy and Brida, enjoyed exotic holidays, including Dubai and a 10-day cruise around the Caribbean on the Cunard flagship liner Queen Mary 2.

The family also spent the spoils of their enterprise on breaks to Tenerife and Cancun in Mexico.

As well as holidays, they drove around in cars including an A-Class Mercedes saloon, a Rolls-Royce, a red Mini convertible, a Toyota Hilux pick-up, a Ford Ranger and a Mercedes van, and had built up a mounting property portfolio potentially now worth millions of pounds.

Detective Chief Inspector David Selwood, from Gloucestershire Police, said: "Billy Connors is a greedy and arrogant man. This was all about making him a lot of money.

"He could have been a drug dealer or a robber but his criminality was exploiting vulnerable men ... Offering the most vulnerable in society hope and then abusing their trust and making a fortune out of them."

Sixteen vulnerable men were liberated by police following covert surveillance of the family.

It is thought 37 men passed through the Connors' hands over several decades.

DCI Selwood added: "They're trying to move on with their lives but they still live in fear. They fear that William or John will turn up and tap them on the shoulder and say they're going to live with that fear for many years.

"Hopefully now they're locked up it will give them reassurance."

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Hillsborough: High Court Orders New Inquests

The High Court has quashed the original accidental death verdicts for the Hillsborough victims and ordered new inquests to be held.

The landmark ruling was welcomed by the families of the 96 Liverpool supporters who were killed 23 years ago, and came shortly after the Home Secretary announced a new police investigation into the disaster.

Three months ago, a damning report from the Hillsborough Independent Panel revealed a widespread cover-up by police to put officers in a favourable light and deflect blame for the disaster on to Liverpool fans.

More than 40 families had travelled to London to attend the High Court hearing, and many applauded when the ruling by Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge was announced in the packed courtroom.

Others watched by videolink from Liverpool, where some cried at the news and the mayor called it a "watershed moment".

Lord Judge expressed regret that the families had to go through such a "dispiriting and prolonged" process.

The Attorney General Dominic Grieve said the main basis for his application to have the verdicts quashed was new medical evidence made public in the report by Hillsborough Independent Panel.

The Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989. Pic: David Cannon/Allsport

"It is bitter-sweet. We have known the truth for 23 years," said Michelle Carlile, 44, clutching a photograph of her brother Paul, 19, who died at Hillsborough.

Trevor Hicks, chair of Hillsborough Family Support Group, told reporters outside the courtroom: "Justice is on its way. Everything we've said has been proven to be correct."

The Liverpool supporters died in the crush at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989, when their team played Nottingham Forest in a semi-final of the FA Cup.

Watching from videolink in Liverpool, Cathy Crane, whose brother Gary Jones died in the disaster aged 18, said she felt "pleased and delighted".

"It has just been very difficult over the last 23 years. Every day having to fight for the honour of someone who you love and today, at least, people will start to understand what we have gone through."

Marion Brady, whose son Paul was crushed to death, said: "At last we feel we are getting somewhere."

Trevor Hicks lost two daughters in the disaster

The new police investigation will be led by former Durham chief constable Jon Stoddart, and will focus specifically on the 96 deaths.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I am determined to see a swift and thorough response to the findings of the Hillsborough Panel to deliver justice for the 96 football fans who died and the families who have fought so hard on their behalf."

Mr Stoddart will be able to recruit investigators and staff to his team, but he will not be allowed to employ officers or former officers with any prior connection to the Hillsborough disaster.

He is also unable to recruit any officers or former officers who worked in the West Midlands, South Yorkshire or Merseyside police forces.

"I am aware of the great significance and personal responsibility which comes with leading this criminal investigation," he said.

"My first priority is to meet with as many of the families as possible and to establish a working open relationship with them throughout the investigation."

Mr Stoddart added he had already held some meetings and had been "struck by the families' humility and steadfast determination to see justice delivered for their loved ones".

Reacting to the ruling in London, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: "This is a watershed moment on the road to justice for the families of the 96, and I share their overwhelming relief that, after 23 very painful years, the inquest verdicts have been quashed."

He expressed hope that as a result of the new police investigation "those that played a role in causing the disaster and the monumental cover-up are brought to account."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron told campaigners for a tax break on sales of a charity single in aid of Hillsborough to expect good news.

The version of the Hollies' hit He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother by The Justice Collective will help cover the legal costs of the victims' families. Campaigners want it to benefit from a VAT waiver, granted in the past to similar charity singles.

"I think I can confidently predict there will be a decision that will go down well in Merseyside," Mr Cameron said.

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Plebgate: Probe Looks At Police Conspiracy

Police have widened their probe into the Andrew Mitchell "plebgate" row amid allegations that a police officer tried to "blacken" the politician's name.

Some 30 officers are now working on the investigation and will look at claims the officer posed as a member of the public and falsely claimed to have witnessed the argument.

Scotland Yard confirmed it will also be examining whether there was any sort of "conspiracy" to smear the then Tory Chief Whip as part of a "large scale and complex investigation".

The row was revived after claims the officer wrote an email to his local MP giving details of of Mr Mitchell's behaviour when he was prevented from cycling through the Downing Street gates.

There are also fresh questions after CCTV footage of the altercation on September 19 emerged and appeared to conflict with the official police version of events.

David Cameron said at PMQs: "A police officer posing as a member of the public and sending an email potentially to blacken the name of a Cabinet minister is a very serious issue and does need to be seriously investigated.

"The Metropolitan Police Service is conducting a thorough and well-resourced investigation to get to the truth of this matter as quickly as possible.

"The Independent Police Complaints Commission will be supervising the investigation and I think we should allow them to get to the truth."

Andrew Mitchell wanted to cycle out of the main gates

Mr Mitchell, who eventually quit in October after a month under intense pressure, has claimed he was the victim of a "stitch-up" and is demanding a full inquiry.

In an earlier statement, Number 10 described allegations that an officer pretending to be a bystander and had fabricated evidence as "exceptionally serious".

Scotland Yard has vowed to establish the truth "as quickly as possible" but warned "the investigation will not be short".

Mr Mitchell was thrust to the centre of a political storm three months ago when a police report about his rant at the Downing Street officer was leaked to the press.

It claimed the senior Tory had warned the policeman: "Best you learn your f****** place. You don't run this f****** government. You're f****** plebs."

The politician has always denied using the word "plebs", although he did admit swearing and getting angry. Instead, he claims he said: "I thought you guys were supposed to f****** help us."

But the "pleb" claim was seized on by the Police Federation and Labour who demanded that he stand down.

The email, now known to be from a fellow police officer, allegedly helped fuel the row and keep up the momentum that eventually cost Mr Mitchell his job.

The policeman wrote to his MP John Randall, apparently not disclosing his job and describing how he had been walking past Downing Street with his nephew when the spat happened.

It suggested Mr Mitchell had sworn repeatedly and called the officers "plebs", as well as claiming passers-by near the gates had been shocked.

The account closely matched the official police log's version of events, which was eventually leaked and published in full by the press.

Mr Cameron summoned his Chief Whip after being told about the email and suggested he had been "caught bang to rights", according to an investigation by Channel 4 News.

When Mr Mitchell flatly denied key parts, the Prime Minister ordered an investigation but this failed to establish who sent the email.

It emerged only when the officer was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office last week.

Contacted by Channel 4 News, the individual seemed to admit that he had never been present when the row happened.

Andrew Mitchell during an ill-fated TV apology in September

Mr Cameron was said to be "furious" when he found out.

Previously unreleased CCTV footage of the clash also showed no evidence of passers-by who could be a man with his nephew.

The video, which has no sound, shows Mr Mitchell talking to three officers by the main gate for around 20 seconds before wheeling his bicycle to the side gate and leaving.

Clips from other cameras suggest there were few members of the public close by at the time - apparently contradicting the police log.

Mr Mitchell said: "'Three phrases were hung around my neck for 28 days and used to destroy my political career and toxify the Conservative Party.

'They are completely untrue - I never said them. I have never called someone a f****** pleb and never would.

"I always knew that the emails were false, although extremely convincing. It has shaken my lifelong support and confidence in the police.

"I believe now there should be a full inquiry so we can get to the bottom of this."

Met Police Chief Bernard Hogan-Howe, speaking before Channel 4 broadcast its programme, said he did not think the new revelations "affected the original account of officers at the scene".

But Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "These are very serious allegations that must be investigated with all possible urgency.

"An allegation that a serving police officer posed as a member of the public whilst fabricating evidence is a matter of the utmost gravity."

Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, suggested the police watchdog or the HM Inspectorate of Police should investigate the affair instead of Scotland Yard.

"There is clearly a need for a robust, transparent and comprehensive investigation," he said.

John Tully, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation (MPF), said: "The serious allegations aired in the Channel 4 News report are of concern to the MPF.

"However, as this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to make further comment, other than to say we support a full and thorough investigation to establish the truth."

Former Tory leader Michael Howard said he was "appalled" by the claims and hoped Mr Mitchell would be back in Government "at the earliest opportunity".

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "The Prime Minister's view remains that he hopes in time Mr Mitchell will be able to return to public life."

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WWII Arctic Convoy Veterans To Get Medals

Veterans of the Second World War Arctic Convoys who delivered supplies to the Soviet Union are to be awarded medals, the Prime Minister has announced.

The decision caps a long battle for recognition by the veterans, who embarked on what Winston Churchill called the "worst journey in the world" to keep supply lines open.

More than 3,000 seamen died in Operation Dervish, which for four years, starting in 1941, delivered material to the Soviet ports of Murmansk and Archangel.

David Cameron told MPs he had accepted the recommendations of a review of military medals carried out by former diplomat Sir John Holmes.

He added that "the heroic aircrews should be awarded a Bomber Command Clasp".

"Sir John has recommended and I fully agree, there will be an Arctic Convoy Star medal," Mr Cameron announced at Prime Minister's Questions.

"I am very pleased that some of the brave men of the Arctic Convoys will get the recognition they so richly deserve for the very dangerous work they did."

Only a few hundred veterans are thought to still be alive.

Their efforts to secure formal recognition had been repeatedly rebuffed over many years on the grounds of protocol and because the Cold War had made the decision politically unpalatable.

Commander Eddie Grenfell, a veteran and leading campaigner for recognition, said he was "pleased but not delighted" and accused Mr Cameron of taking too long.

"In the meantime God knows how many of my Arctic Convoy chums have died waiting," said the 92-year-old from Portsmouth.

Cmdr Grenfell, one of the few to be rescued when his ship was blown to pieces on one mission, served in a number of theatres during the war but said none was as horrific as the Arctic.

Operation Dervish started in 1941. Photo provided by Greenpeace

Once the conflict ended, he said, it was impossible to campaign for a medal for helping the Russians since Moscow was then the enemy.

When relations thawed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, an attempt to secure recognition was refused because of a rule saying medals can be awarded only within five years of the end of a war.

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage, another prominent campaigner, welcomed the decision to address what she said was a "huge injustice" but urged the Government to act swiftly on its promise.

"After years of waiting, time is no longer a luxury that these brave men have on their side," she said.

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BBC Savile Report: News Boss Quits

The Deputy Director of BBC News has quit after the publication of a damning report into the axing of a Newsnight programme on Jimmy Savile.

At a news conference to address the highly critical findings, the BBC announced the departure of Stephen Mitchell, who had been with the corporation for 38 years.

Mr Mitchell was one of several high-profile figures at the organisation to be criticised in an independent report, led by Nick Pollard, former head of Sky News.

In a statement Mr Mitchell said that he had quit following the "strain over the past month" but rejected criticisms levelled at him by the review, which cost £2m.

Former BBC chief George Entwistle says he feels vindicated by the report

The report said that the decision by Newsnight's former editor, Peter Rippon, to shelve the programme into Savile's "dark side" was "seriously flawed", but taken in "good faith".

Mr Rippon immediately rejected the criticism and said he had never "shirked from my responsibilities".

However, BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten said the BBC accepted the review in its "entirety".

The BBC also announced that it had put in place a new editorial team at Newsnight, as well as accepting Mr Mitchell's departure.

The report paints a picture of a top-down organisation with rivalries and factional fighting.

It said the BBC's management system "proved completely incapable of dealing" with the issues raised by the axing of the story.

It added that "the level of chaos and confusion was even greater than was apparent at the time".

Stephen Mitchell (left) and Peter Rippon

The report found: "The decision to drop the original investigation was flawed and the way it was taken was wrong but I believe it was done in good faith.

"It was not done to protect the Savile tribute programmes or for any improper reason."

The report came at the same time as a review, by the BBC Trust, into a Newsnight report leading to the wrongful identification of Lord McAlpine as a paedophile.

That report concluded that the error had resulted largely from a failure by members of the team to follow the BBC's own editorial guidelines.

Among the senior figures criticised in the Pollard report are former Director General George Entwistle and director of news Helen Boaden.

The review blamed in part an "apparent adherence to rigid management chains" for the failure to deal with the issue.

It said Ms Boaden's attempt to alert Mr Entwistle to potential problems posed by the story during an industry lunch was "too casual".

Nick Pollard presents the report

She is also criticised for not taking "greater responsibility" as the crisis grew.

Mr Entwistle, who resigned after 54 days in the top job, was criticised for appearing to "have taken a long time to take any real control" of the problems at the BBC.

However, Mr Entwistle responded with a statement saying he felt he had been completely vindicated.

"I am pleased that the Pollard Report makes it clear I played no part whatever in Newsnight's decision not to broadcast the original Savile investigation - just as I was not personally to blame in any way for the journalistic failures on Newsnight when it broadcast its erroneous report about the North Wales care home," he said.

The review concluded that the BBC does not have to be taken down "brick by brick" but said the Director General's role as editor-in-chief needs to be examined.

It also said it "raises a question about the insularity of some people within the BBC" who are described as being unaware of wider industry practices.

Also criticised was Mr Mitchell, who decided to remove the Savile investigation from the corporation's Managed Risk Programmes List (MRPL).

The MRPL is an internal mechanism to flag up stories that contain some element of potential danger including risk to the BBC's reputation.

Mr Pollard described that decision as "critical", adding: "It was important to establish why he had done this. Very unfortunately, he could offer no convincing reason".

Mr Pollard said that if it had stayed on the MRPL some of what followed "might well have been avoided".

The report also paints an unflattering picture of relations between staff on Newsnight and in the wider BBC.

It said the decision to cancel the story led to disagreements between show boss Peter Rippon and his journalists and "relationships... began to break down".

It found there was no "undue pressure" on Mr Rippon from his bosses to drop the story, but said his decision to do so "was seriously flawed".

It went on: "He made a bad mistake in not examining the evidence properly".

It also describes the background to his blog post on the issue, which was later corrected after being found to be factually incorrect, as "chaotic".

The evidence given to the review also reveals Mr Entwistle refused to speak to Newsnight reporter Meirion Jones off-the-record because he "didn't trust him to have an off-the-record conversation".

It also includes evidence from Ms Boaden that Mr Entwistle told her he would not accept her resignation but was going to make a public statement that would make "it impossible for Peter [Rippon] not to resign".

The report includes sections of an email sent to Mr Entwistle two years before becoming Director-General.

The email tells him an obituary for Savile had not been done because of "the darker side" to his life though Mr Entwistle told the inquiry he had not read it.

The review said the email, and others like it, indicates "there was knowledge, not just rumour ... about the unsavoury side of Savile's character" in BBC TV shortly after his death.

Speaking outside Broadcasting House in central London, Mr Jones criticised the BBC for pulling the story.

He said: "I hope the BBC takes measures to make sure nothing like that will ever happen again. What I do feel confident about though is the BBC has now taken measures to make sure that children are safe here."

Meanwhile the BBC Trust review into the McAlpine error described the incident as a "grave breach which had been costly to all concerned".

The Trust said it resulted in the public being misled.

Yesterday Lord McAlpine agreed £310,000 in damages from the BBC and ITV over the wrongful allegations.

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Libor: Former UBS Traders Charged In US Probe

US prosecutors have criminally charged two former senior UBS traders as part of their investigation into the bank's manipulation of the Libor benchmark rate.

A criminal complaint against former traders Tom Hayes and Roger Darin was unsealed in a district court in New York, the US Justice Department said.

Both traders were charged with conspiracy, while Hayes was also charged with wire fraud and an antitrust offence.

Announcing the charges, US Attorney General Eric Holder said: "By causing UBS and other financial institutions to spread false and misleading information about Libor, these alleged conspirators - and others at UBS - manipulated the benchmark interest rate upon which many consumer financial products -including credit cards, student loans, and mortgages - are frequently based.

"They defrauded the company's counterparties of millions of dollars. And they did so primarily to reap increased profits, and secure bigger bonuses, for themselves."

Another official said the US would seek the extradition of the pair, one of whom is believed to be in England. The other former employee is said to be in Switzerland.

The Justice Department official said: "We're going to seek their extradition and our investigation continues.

" ...Mr Hayes obviously was a very, very major trader, and we're going to continue to move forward."

The charges came as the Swiss bank agreed to pay a £940m ($1.5bn) fine to US, UK and Swiss authorities to resolve related allegations. It is the second-biggest fine ever slapped on a bank.

The penalty was for "widespread and routine" attempts to manipulate key inter-bank lending rates, including Libor.

In the UK, the UBS will pay £160m to the Financial Services Authority, which is almost three times what Barclays paid for the same offences in June.

UBS has also admitted market abuse in the US, Japan and Switzerland.

The FSA said at least 45 of the bank's staff were involved, with traders, managers and senior managers colluding to fix rates both to make money and, during the financial crisis, to make the bank appear stronger than it was.

Meanwhile, a new financial services law has been approved in the UK to make the rigging of Libor and other market benchmarks a criminal offence from next April - with tougher penalties.

But the law will not be applied in retrospect, meaning the FSA will have to continue fining on the basis of breaches of general conduct principles.

The Libor rate is a reference point for vast ranges of financial contracts around the world worth about £184 trillion.

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School Shooting: Obama Wants New Gun Policies

Barack Obama is tasking Joe Biden to head up a new government panel to formulate fresh policies to deal with gun violence, following last Friday's school shooting.

The president will formally outline the role of the vice president - a longtime gun control advocate - at the White House on Wednesday.

The panel will explore possible new gun legislation to rein in the sale of assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, but will also look at mental health policies and violence in popular culture.

The president has vowed to use "whatever power this office holds" to safeguard the nation's children after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut.

Twenty children and six adults were killed by 20-year-old Adam Lanza, who earlier shot dead his mother Nancy at the home they shared, and then killed himself at the school as police closed in.

Adam Lanza killed his mother before shooting dead 20 children and six staff

The massacre has re-ignited the debate over gun control in the US, with some calling for a clampdown on firearms.

President Barack Obama backs a new bill to reintroduce a ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Mr Obama is "actively supportive" of an attempt by Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein to write the bill early next year.

The president has also telephoned pro-gun senator Joe Manchin, who has shifted his position on firearms laws since Friday's carnage in Connecticut.

Mr Manchin, along with fellow democrat Mark Warner, who have so-called "A" ratings from the National Rifle Association, said the Newtown massacre has convinced them the time for reform has come.

West Virginia's Senator Manchin told MSNBC it was time to "move beyond rhetoric" on gun control. He said: "I don't know anyone in the sporting or hunting arena that goes out with an assault rifle. It's common sense."

Senator Warner said "the status quo isn't acceptable" and in a later interview called for "rational gun control".

The NRA has broken its silence over the Sandy Hook school massacre, saying its members were "shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders".

The group also said it wanted to give families time to mourn before making its first public statement.

It pledged "to help to make sure this never happens again" and has scheduled a news conference for Friday.

On Monday, 75 activists demonstrated outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC.

They chanted: "Shame on the NRA," and demanded the organisation drop its hardline stance and make way for new gun control laws.

Protesters outside the NRA's headquarters in Washington DC

"More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country," said Josh Nelson, the campaign manager for the progressive Credo Action group that organised the protest.

"We call on the NRA's lobbyists to stand down and allow Congress to pass common-sense gun laws."

:: Watch USA: The Gun Debate on Sky News on Wednesday at 8.30pm.

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