Gold Diggers Flock To Beach For Treasure Hunt

An artist has caused a gold rush on a beach after apparently burying thousands of pounds worth of the precious metal there as part of an arts festival.

Michael Sailstorfer says he has hidden 30 bars of 24-carat gold, worth £10,000, under the sand of Outer Harbour beach in Folkestone, Kent.

People are being encouraged to search the beach after low tide - and can keep any gold that they find.

People have travelled from as far as London to take part, the curators say

The bars are around the size of a dog tag, and worth up to £500 each.

Rachel Kinchin, communications director at arts producers Situations UK, which is curating the project, said around 500 people had turned up so far, and described the response as "amazing".

She said: "There's so many stories of what people would do with it (a piece of gold).

There have been four reports of people finding gold so far

"One guy who's redundant said he would start up his own business. Others want to keep it as a piece of art."

Ms Kinchin said they had received reports of four treasure hunters striking it lucky, although no one has officially come forward to them.

One of those who went down on Thursday, the first day of searching, was Vicky Webb, who told Kent Online: "I heard about this on the radio and I thought we should go down and join in.

Each piece is around the size of a dog tag

"Some people are getting a bit frustrated at not finding anything but it's a lot of fun."

Ms Kinchin said there is no time frame for when the hunt will end, and added it was possible some of the gold might never be found.

The project by Berlin-based Mr Sailstorfer is called Folkestone Digs and is part of the town's triennial, which runs from August 30 to November 2.

People are being encouraged to sift through sand so as not to miss any gold

A common theme of his work is said to be the "disruption of the everyday".

Situations UK said the project "is a continuation of his aim to make art that comes less from the head and more from the stomach".

Some are using metal detectors to help them, others are relying on spades

Ms Kinchin said part of the work was about a "shared experience and sense of community".

Folkestone's triennial, which happens every three years, has previously included works by artists including Tracey Emin, Jeremy Deller and Martin Creed.

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'Poisonous Ideology' Behind Terror Threat

David Cameron has said the root cause of an increased terror threat to the UK is a "poisonous ideology of Islamist extremism".

The UK terror threat level was raised to severe from substantial on Friday, meaning a terrorist attack on the UK is "highly likely".

At a news conference in Downing Street, Mr Cameron said the Iraq war in 2004 was not to blame for the rise of Islamic State (IS), which has seized swathes of territory across Iraq and Syria to form an "Islamic caliphate" and carried out beheadings and mass killings.

He said: "The root cause of this threat to our security is quite clear: it is a poisonous ideology of Islamist extremism that is condemned by all faiths and by all faith leaders.

Islamic State was behind the beheading of journalist James Foley

"It believes in using the most brutal forms of terrorism to force people to accept a warped world view and to live in an almost medieval state.

"It is vital we make this distinction between religion and political ideology.

"Islam is a religion observed peacefully and devotedly by millions. Islamist extremism is a poisonous political ideology supported by a minority.

"What we're facing in Iraq now with ISIL is a greater and deeper threat to our security than ever before. We have to confront this ideology at home and abroad."

It is the first time the terror threat level has been above substantial since July 2011.

Intelligence and security services believe at least 500 Britons have gone to fight in Syria and potentially Iraq.

Mr Cameron said the Government had already taken steps to counter the threat of jihadists returning to carry out attacks in the UK, but admitted there was still a need to fill "gaps in our armoury".

He said the Taliban had harboured and facilitated al Qaeda terrorism, but IS was effectively a state run by terrorists.

"We could be facing a terrorist state on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a Nato member," he said.

"... we are in the middle of a generational struggle against a poisonous political ideology that I believe we will be fighting for years and probably decades."

He added that the murder of US journalist James Foley was "clear evidence - not that any more is needed - that this is not some foreign conflict thousands of miles from home that we can hope to ignore".

Mr Cameron said he would make a statement to the House of Commons on Monday about new legislation to make it easier to take passports away from people who have travelled abroad to fight.

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Missing Ashya: Videos Reveal Fight For Life

Ashya King's fight for life after being diagnosed with a brain tumour has been chronicled in a series of poignant videos filmed by his brother.

One video shows Ashya in hospital while another includes a message assuring the boy: "Everyone is praying for you. We just want to see your smile again."

The posts were uploaded to Facebook and YouTube by Ashya's brother Naveed, after the brain tumour diagnosis was made by doctors.

Naveed posted this picture of Ashya with his mother

Speaking into the camera in a message directly to Ashya, he said: "I haven't slept. I've been awake all night worrying.

"We love you so much. We're all here for you.

"Everyone is praying for you. We just want to see your smile again. No kid at the age of five deserves to have a brain tumour.

"Let's just hope the doctors know what they're doing and they know exactly where to operate and what to take out, and they take everything out and you can be better.

"And when we look back in 10 years' time when you're 15, we can actually see that things have changed for the better.

Ashya was "progressing slowly" according to one of the videos

"Just because they're bad at one point doesn't mean they'll always be bad. I love you so much. I can't wait to see you."

Police have launched a "major investigation" to find Ashya who was taken from Southampton General Hospital to France against medical advice.

In other videos - which Sky News has chosen not to show - Ashya is clearly in distress as he undergoes treatment for his condition.

On August 18 Naveed posted an update on Facebook signed "King family", saying Ashya had been "progressing slowly".

The post included several pictures, one showing Ashya with his mother, and another of a large stitched wound at the back of the boy's head and neck.

Naveed said that his family were staying in a "charity home"

Naveed wrote: "He (Ashya) is now able to swallow (only liquid things like water and on odd occasions soft yoghurt) but not chew or move his leaps (sic).

"He can also close his eye lids but still struggles in moving his eyes to look at people or things.

"He is still unable to talk to explain how he feels or what may be hurting him on occasions.

"As a family we thank everyone who has taken their time in prayer for Ashya to get better and also by the amazing gifts he has received from those prayers!

"He is still far from being a normal child and still not out of the danger zone of where minor issues could cause severe problems for his brain, so please continue to pray for him to have the strength and to be able to recuperate quickly!"

In another YouTube video posted earlier this month, Naveed said his family had been staying in a "charity home" and he was visiting his brother twice a day in hospital.

He said Ashya was struggling to move his legs and arms or swallow food and had only recently been able to close his eyelids.

"He's progressing slowly," Naveed said.

"It still might be a couple of weeks before he can maybe move an arm or two and might be a couple of months before he can walk."

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Iceland Volcano: Airlines On Ash Cloud Alert

Iceland has told airlines to be vigilant following a volcanic eruption near the Dyngjujokull glacier just after midnight.

An orange alert warning issued by the Icelandic Met Office indicates that the Bardarbunga volcano shows "shows heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption".

After cancelling a red alert earlier, Iceland's Air Traffic Control has now completely lifted flight restrictions which stopped planes from flying below 18,000ft.

The eruption, which took place approximately five miles north of Bardarbunga, follows a fortnight of earthquakes throughout the area.

There has been no indication of ash being released into the atmosphere

Martin Hensch, a seismologist with the Met Office, told Sky News: "The most powerful phase of the eruption is already over. It was at its most powerful between 12.20am and 2.30am, with volcanic activity peaking shortly before 1am.

"We are still seeing slight volcanic tremors, but at the moment, there is no major concern, as there have been no changes since 3am."

The Dyngjujokull glacier is not far from the Bardarbunga volcano

Mr Hensch said there was no evidence for the emission of ash into the atmosphere so far, adding that airspace would have been restricted to 50,000ft or higher if that was the case.

"There is no immediate danger to flight traffic or the aviation industry. What we are monitoring closely is how these things develop," he added.

The Eyjafjallajokull ash cloud, seen from space, caused major disruption

The development of an ash cloud in Iceland could be disastrous for the aviation industry and cause widespread disruption for travellers.

In 2010, an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano left vast swathes of European airspace closed for six days.

There have been fears that insurers may not pay claims related to future ash cloud disruption, on the basis that repeated warnings from the Icelandic Met Office make it a "known event".

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Putin: Ukraine Assault Like Nazis In WW2

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Ukraine's assault on cities in the east of the country is reminiscent of the Nazi siege of Leningrad.

"Small villages and large cities surrounded by the Ukrainian army which is directly hitting residential areas... It sadly reminds me the events of the Second World War, when German fascist... occupants surrounded our cities," he told a youth camp outside Moscow.

Mr Putin urged Kiev to begin "substantive" negotiations with the separatists to achieve peace, adding that Russians and Ukrainians are "practically one people".

"It is necessary to force the Ukrainian authorities to substantively begin these talks - not on technical issues… the talks must be substantive," Mr Putin said.

He also said Russia needed to strengthen its position in the Arctic, economically and militarily.

Mr Lavrov: 'No proof of Russian involvement'

Earlier Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed claims that its troops are fighting in eastern Ukraine as "conjecture".

"We're hearing various conjectures, not for the first time, but not once have any facts been presented to us," he said.

Mr Lavrov was speaking after the US accused Russia of lying about its involvement in Ukraine and warned of tougher economic sanctions.

Speaking at the White House, President Barack Obama said Russia has been supporting pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine "for months".

Russian arms seized in eastern Ukraine

He ruled out any direct US military intervention but said Russia would incur "more costs and consequences".

"The separatists are backed, trained, armed, financed by Russia. Russia determined that it had to be a little more overt in what it had already been doing, but it's not really a shift," Mr Obama said.

Nato has accused Russia of blatantly violating its international obligations, saying there is clear evidence its troops are moving across the border into Ukraine.

Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen condemned the action, re-iterating the organisation's unwaivering support for Kiev.

A satellite image allegedly showing a Russian military incursion in Ukraine

"Despite Moscow's hollow denials, it is now clear that Russian troops and equipment have illegally crossed the border into eastern and southeastern Ukraine," he said.

"This is not an isolated action but part of a dangerous pattern over many months to destabilise Ukraine as a sovereign nation."

Kiev said on Friday a call by Mr Putin for separatists to open a 'humanitarian corridor' to allow encircled Ukrainian troops to withdraw was further proof they were "led and controlled directly from the Kremlin".

"I'm calling on insurgents to open a humanitarian corridor for Ukrainian troops who were surrounded in order to avoid senseless deaths," Mr Putin said in a statement.

The rebels control the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk

He went on to praise the pro-Russian separatists for "undermining Kiev's military operation which threatened lives of the residents of Donbass and has already led to a colossal death toll among civilians".

A top insurgent in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk promptly reacted to Mr Putin's appeal but said the Ukrainian troops would have to lay down their arms before they were allowed to go.

"We are ready to open humanitarian corridors to the Ukrainian troops who were surrounded with the condition that they surrender heavy weaponry and ammunition so that this weaponry and ammunition will not be used against us in future," Alexander Zakharchenko said on Russia's state Rossiya 24 television.

A Ukrainian soldier exchanges fire with separatists

Ten Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 30 wounded in fighting with pro-Russian separatists in the past 24 hours, Kiev's security and defence council said on Friday.

Fighting has intensified since the rebels - allegedly helped by Russian soldiers - opened a new front just as Ukraine's army had virtually surrounded Donetsk and another separatist stronghold, Luhansk.

The casualty figure was released after the UN revealed a total of 2,593 people have been killed in eastern Ukraine since the fighting erupted in mid-April.

It said the number included civilians as well as Ukrainian and separatist combatants, but not the 298 victims of the MH17 Malaysian Airlines plane crash.

Nato is due to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis later, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said an EU summit on Saturday would discuss the prospect of further sanctions against Russia.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Friday the current sanctions "have not worked and the EU will have to consider additional measures.

Responding to calls by Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk for his country to join Nato, Mr Rutte said it would "not contribute to a solution".

Meanwhile, the US fast-food giant McDonald's has revealed a total of 12 branches in Russia had been temporarily closed by the state food safety watchdog over alleged sanitary law breaches.

The company, which has 440 restaurants in the country, also said more than 100 further inspections were being carried out at its outlets.

"We are studying the essence of claims in order to determine the necessary actions for the swift re-opening of restaurants for visitors," the firm said in a statement.

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Ebola Crisis May Have Started At Healer Burial

The ebola outbreak which is sweeping West Africa may have begun at a funeral in Sierra Leone, scientists believe.

At least 14 women were infected with ebola after attending the burial of a traditional healer who believed she could cure the killer virus, a study suggests.

After the ceremony in May - which qualifies as a "super-spreader" event because of the number of people infected - the disease continued to spread.

Medics test blood in Kenema, Sierra Leone, where funeralgoers were treated

But there have been hundreds of genetic changes along the way, which could make the virus easier to spread and harder to treat.

More than 500 new cases of ebola have been recorded over the past seven days, according to the World Health Organisation - the highest weekly increase since the outbreak began. 

Shortly after the WHO's announcement, Senegal confirmed that it was dealing with its first case of ebola. The patient is understood to be a Guinean national.

Kent Brantly, the US doctor who survived ebola, was treated with ZMapp

Riots have also broken out in Guinea following rumours that health workers deliberately infected locals with the ebola virus.

Gangs threatened to attack a hospital in Nzerekore, and several people were injured before soldiers intervened.

Experts at Harvard University now fear that pioneering treatments to prevent ebola could be obsolete by the time they are ready to be used, because this latest strain evolves too quickly.

Dr Bruce Aylward of the WHO is hopeful of stopping ebola in nine months

Their warning, published in the Science journal, suggests that a new vaccine being developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) may be affected. 

Five co-authors of the report died of the virus before their work could be published.

From next Tuesday, the GSK treatment is going to be tested on 20 healthy volunteers in the US, in the hope that their immune systems respond.

Another experimental drug, ZMapp, may also become ineffective in the near future – but researchers believe this cutting-edge medicine remains beneficial for now.

Two US nationals who contracted the virus in Sierra Leone made a full recovery after taking it.

A National Institute of Health spokesman said: "From long experience with developing vaccines, you've got to be careful when you're putting it into humans.

"All the monkeys that were given a lethal dose of ebola died. All the animals who were vaccinated [with ZMapp] survived, so the results were pretty crisp and clear cut."

The concern over the efficacy of these new treatments comes after the World Health Organisation warned that there could be 20,000 cases of ebola in the current epidemic.

Its assistant director-general, Dr Bruce Aylward, said that "the outbreak continued to accelerate", but the health agency hoped to stop the disease spreading within the next nine months.

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Sidelined UKIP Candidate Won't 'Roll Over'

A UKIP candidate has said he will not "roll over" and accept losing the nomination in Clacton after Douglas Carswell's defection.

Roger Lord told Sky News Mr Carswell should "join the queue" and accused UKIP leader Nigel Farage of making a mistake in allowing him to stand in the seat.

He said: "If they think I'm going to roll over like a puppy, they've got the wrong guy.

"For somebody to come along, just as we're on the cusp of winning, knowing they might well lose their seat and join the unemployment line in May, to take all our hard work... and take all our glory.

"Come on, join the queue Douglas, get back there and put some effort in!

Mr Carswell visited his former consitutency with Nigel Farage on Friday

"He knew he was going to lose come next May if I stood against him. I can debate him in public and beat him down. Simple as that.

"He knew his boat was sinking. The water's up to his knees, he's jumped ship and he's looking after himself."

Mr Lord was the UKIP candidate for Clacton and was set to contest the seat against Mr Carswell, before his defection from the Conservative Party on Thursday.

He was selected to the role three weeks ago after joining UKIP in 1997, but said he could now listen to other offers.

He added: "Douglas Carswell has been a bit stupid on this. He's created a vacancy for a parliamentary candidate. If offers come in from elsewhere and a deal can be done..."

On Friday, UKIP donor Stuart Wheeler told Sky News two Tory MPs were "seriously considering" defecting to the party.

Mr Lord said on Thursday he had spoken to Mr Farage. He said: "It was a very civilised conversation... other people have rung me up like hysterical teenagers."

The Clacton seat has a Conservative majority of more than 12,000.

On Wednesday, Mr Farage was confirmed as the UKIP candidate to contest the seat of South Thanet in Kent.

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UK Terror Threat Level Raised To Severe

The government has raised Britain's terror threat level from substantial to severe because of the threat from militant groups in the Middle East.

A severe threat means an attack is deemed to be "highly likely", but there is no intelligence to suggest one is imminent.

At a press conference in London, David Cameron said an attack was more likely because of the increased threat from militant groups in Iraq and Syria, where Islamic State (IS) have seized large swathes of territory.

The Prime Minister added the UK was in the midst of a "generational struggle" against a "poisonous ideology" and that IS posed a "greater and deeper threat to our security than we have known before".

"We could be facing a terrorist state on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a Nato member," he said, adding that Britain's security services believed at least 500 Britons have gone to fight in Syria and potentially Iraq.

The PM also announced new legislation that would make it easier to remove passports from people who may travel abroad to fight, adding that the Taliban had harboured and facilitated al Qaida terrorism, but IS was effectively a state run by terrorists.

Islamic State militants have declared a state in parts of Iraq and Syria

Meanwhile, the White House has said it does not expect to raise the US terror threat level.

Speaking before the PM's statement, Home Secretary Theresa May said: "The increase in the threat level is related to developments in Syria and Iraq where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the West.

"Some of those plots are likely to involve foreign fighters who have travelled there from the UK and Europe to take part in those conflicts. We face a real and serious threat in the UK from international terrorism.

Members of the public have been urged to remain vigilant. Pic: File

"I would urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to the police."

Police forces say they will increase their patrols in response to the raising of the terror threat, which is set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC).

The JTAC's decision comes amid growing concern about hundreds of aspiring British jihadis travelling to Iraq and Syria and the murder of American journalist James Foley

Haras Rafiq from counter-extremist think tank the Quilliam Foundation, said that IS terrorists may want to target high-profile gatherings in the UK.

Police patrols will be increased to act as a deterrent to attack. Pic: File

"Next week we have a very important Nato conference in Wales. It would be right to suggest that ISIS may well want to target high-profile targets like that.

"The danger is also from a wider aspect in terms of European fighters. We talk about Britain having a large number of fighters out there, but per captia Belgium is the worst offender.

"The threat is not just from Britain it's from a wider European perspective."

Sky News police analyst Graham Whetton said the raised level would trigger increased policing levels and public alertness to suspicious activity.

"Police will contact transport hubs and sports stadiums and ask them to increase their vigilance and security checks. The airports will get the same threat level increase so they will be asked to raise their awareness and alertness.

"Police cannot have eyes and ears everywhere. Officers need communities and families to bring to their attention anybody they perceive may be vulnerable or in danger of escalating towards terrorism.

"That is a key piece of the anti-terrorism jigsaw, getting people to come forward with any information they may have."

Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the UK's most senior police officer, said Scotland Yard is ready for an influx in case large numbers of homegrown extremists return at the same time.

National Policing Lead for Counter-Terrorism, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, said: "We need communities and families to bring to our attention anyone they perceive may be vulnerable, a danger or escalating towards terrorism.

:: Anyone with information is urged to contact the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.

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Uzi Death A Tragic Accident - Victim's Family

The family of a shooting instructor accidentally killed by a nine-year-old girl while he was teaching her to fire an Uzi submachine gun, say they feel sorry for the youngster.

Charles Vacca, 39, had been showing the girl how to use the automatic weapon at the Last Stop outdoor shooting range in White Hills, Arizona, when she pulled the trigger and the recoil sent the gun over her head, investigators said.

Mr Vacca was hit in the head and airlifted to University Medical Centre in Las Vegas but died shortly afterwards.

Mr Vacca's family say their thoughts are with the girl. Pic: NBC News

His 19-year-old daughter, Ashley, told NBC's Today show: "We know it was a tragic accident and that it's something that we're all going to have to live with.

"We really do want the prayers to be going out to the family of the little girl."

She planned to write a letter to the girl's family.

"Our thoughts and our prayers are with them. We don't want their life to revolve around this," she added.

Mr Vacca's ex-wife, Anamarie, said: "My heart goes out to the little girl and I feel sorry for her and for her family."

She added: "Charles was definitely a good person and he was a good dad. He loved his children very much, and family was very important."

The youngster, who has not been named, was on holiday from New Jersey with her parents.

Prosecutors have said they will not file charges.

Police released footage, reportedly filmed by the girl's parents, of the moments immediately before the tragedy.

It shows Mr Vacca helping the girl hold the gun, adjust her stance and then fire a single shot.

His last words to her are: "All right, full auto."

Mohave County Sheriff Jim McCabe told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the video was "ghastly".

Firearms safety expert Ronald Scott said most ranges have an age limit and strict safety rules when teaching children how to shoot.

Instructors usually have their hands on guns when children are firing high-powered weapons, he said.

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Missing Ashya: Feeding Tube Runs Out Today

"Time is running out" for a five-year-old boy with a brain tumour who was taken from hospital by his parents, police say.

Hampshire Constabulary said "there are serious concerns" for the life of Ashya King as he needs constant medical care.

Interpol has issued a global Yellow Notice missing persons alert for the missing boy who police say was taken to France on Thursday.

CCTV captures Ashya being taken from the hospital in his wheelchair

The notice was issued at the request of UK authorities and has been circulated to all of Interpol's 190 member countries.

British police say Ashya was operated on seven days ago, and had been fed through a tube in his hospital bed.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead told a news conference: "The feeding system is battery operated and that battery will run out today.

Interpol have joined the urgent hunt for missing Ashya

"It is vital that we find Ashya today. His health will deteriorate rapidly."

He added: "Time is running out for this little boy. We need to find him and we need to find him urgently.

"The information we have received from his medical team at Southampton General Hospital is that he must continue to be fed via a tube by someone with the relevant medical training.

Ashya needs 24-hour medical attention, say police. Pic Naveed King

"If he doesn't receive urgent medical care, or the wrong treatment is given, his condition will become life-threatening."

Ashya was taken from his ward bed at around 2pm on Thursday.  CCTV images captured him being wheeled from the hospital by his father Brett King.

Mr King, 51, and his wife Naghemeh King, 45, boarded a cross-Channel ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg at 4pm with Ashya and six siblings.

The family boarded a ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg They arrived in France at roughly 8pm Police believe the family are still in France

Mr Shead said the six-and-a-half-hour gap between Ashya being taken from hospital and police being called would be looked at "further down the line".

Appealing directly to the family, Mr Shead said: "Our message to you is 'please take Ashya to the nearest hospital immediately'.

"We understand this must be an awful time for you but the most important thing is to get the proper medical care for Ashya.

"Please work with us to provide Ashya that care."

Ashya with his father in hospital. Pic: Naveed King

Mr Shead said he was unable to confirm whether a return ferry ticket had been booked, saying it was a line of inquiry.

The sick child is still likely to be in a wheelchair or buggy, he cannot communicate verbally and is immobile, a police spokesman said.

The family, believed to be Jehovah's Witnesses, are travelling in a grey Hyundai I800 Style CRDI, registration KP60 HWK.

They arrived in France at roughly 8pm local time on Thursday and are still thought to be in the country.

Hampshire Police are working with officers in France to activate their emergency child rescue alert procedures to locate the family.

Hampshire Police have launched a social media campaign to find Ashya

Meanwhile, Guy Canonici, the president of the Jehovah's Witnesses in France, has told Sky News he has put over 1,000 Kingdom Halls (places of worship) on alert for the missing boy.

He said so far no one has come forward with any information.

TV channels and newspaper websites in France have urged motorists to look out for the right-hand drive English car carrying Ashya

A Southampton hospital spokesman said police have been provided with a detailed medical report on Ashya so any hospital he is taken to can provide care. 

The spokesman said  Ashya was a long term patient who was permitted to leave the ward under the supervision of his parents as part of his ongoing rehabilitation.

Ashya with his mother Naghemeh. Pic Naveed King

"When the length of time he had been absent became a cause of concern to staff yesterday afternoon they contacted police after a search of the site and attempts to contact the family were unsuccessful," the spokesman said.

In a video posted on YouTube last month, Naveed King said his little brother Ashya had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and was undergoing emergency surgery.

Speaking into the camera in a message directly to Ashya, he said: "I haven't slept. I've been awake all night worrying.

"We love you so much. We're all here for you. Everyone is praying for you. We just want to see your smile again.

"No kid at the age of five deserves to have a brain tumour.

"Let's just hope the doctors know what they're doing and they know exactly where to operate and what to take out, and they take everything out and you can be better."

A car similar to the one being used by the family

Naveed, whose Instagram profile says he is 20, describes himself as a Jehovah's Witness on the social networking site.

Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions on religious grounds but are open to other medical procedures.

Ashya's paternal grandmother, Patricia King, said his parents were "wonderful" and had been left beside themselves at their child's plight.

Brett King is understood to have wheeled the boy out of the hospital

Speaking from her home in Southsea, she said of her son: "He's the most caring and wonderful father you could ever have. The kids love him."

She said she last spoke to her son "quite a while ago", adding: "He wouldn't have told me anything because he wouldn't want me to know anything in case I got involved in it all."

She said she did not know whether Ashya's illness was terminal, saying: "I knew he was seriously ill, we all knew that."

Anyone with information about Ashya's whereabouts should contact Hampshire Constabulary on 101, quoting Operation Aquilion.

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Russian Paratroopers' Mothers Plead For Release

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent

The wives and mothers of some of the Russian paratroopers captured in Ukraine have appealed to President Vladimir Putin to help bring them home.

Recording their messages on camera phones, the women pleaded for the men to be returned alive.

They spoke from the office of the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, a human rights organisation in Kostroma, the central Russian town where the men are based.

"Dear President, Minister of Defence and commanders," the first woman said. "My child, Yegor Valeryevich Pochtoev, is at the moment in captivity on Ukrainian territory.

"I am begging you in the name of God: give me my child back. Get him back alive and all the other boys who were captured with him.

"My son, boys, we are with you. Guys, we will get you out of this trouble in any case. If the commanders don't help us, we will do it ourselves; your mothers will do it."

Russia says the men crossed the border "by accident"

The mother of Sergei Arkhipov addressed her son: "Serega, we love you, we are waiting for you, we are doing everything we can.

"We are addressing everyone: Please, help us."

The mother of paratrooper Sergei Smirnov tried to speak but broke down in tears and had to ask her husband to make the appeal for her.

"We are asking the President and the Minister of Defence to help to resolve this conflict, so that they would send guys wisely in the future," he said.

"So that everyone would come back alive. Please, help us."

Paratrooper Alexey Generalov's wife sobbed as she said: "Lesha, we love you and wait for you at home. Save them and help us to bring them home alive and in good health.

"I am addressing everyone, all the government, the Minister of Defence and the President. Please, bring them back to us as soon as possible."

The men are apparently being held in the Ukrainian capital Kiev

The 10 paratroopers were detained close to the village of Dzerkalnye, approximately 19 miles (30km) from the Russian border, according to Ukraine's state security service.

Russia's defence ministry says they crossed the border "by accident".

Speaking at a news conference in Kiev on Wednesday, the men repeated their earlier assertion that they had not known they were crossing into Ukraine.

Sergeant Vladimir Savosteyev said: "Only the highest command probably knew what would happen. We didn't know. No one had any idea."

Paratrooper Ivan Romantsev explained: "We are ordinary soldiers and we don't want to fight.

"We are not informed at all. We were sent there. We either got lost or not, we were sent there, we didn't know the way and where we were going.

"And when it all happened - shelling - and when we came to your boys, we realised that it's war indeed. There is a war, but by this time we don't know who runs this war."

A spokesman for Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council said the men were being held at a pre-trial detention centre in Kiev.

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Better Together Ad 'Insulting' To Women

Salmond: The Man Behind The Nationalist

Updated: 9:14am UK, Monday 25 August 2014

Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond was born at home in Linlithgow in 1954, on what is one of the most important days in the Scottish calendar - New Year's Eve.

He was the second of four children born to Robert and Mary Salmond, both of whom were civil servants.

The future Scottish National Party leader attended school locally and then went on to the University of St Andrews where he took his first step towards his lifelong passion for an independent Scotland by joining the Scottish National Party.

Mr Salmond graduated in 1978 with a 2:2 MA honours degree in Economics and Medieval History.

He went to work for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland in 1978, serving as an assistant economist.

He moved to the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1980, working there as an assistant economist and then being appointed an oil economist - he later combined that role with that of a bank economist.

The early 1980s were a good time personally for Mr Salmond who met and married his wife, Moira, in 1981.

The engineer's daughter was herself a senior civil servant and had been her husband's boss during his time in what was then the Scottish Office.

The couple have no children and Mrs Salmond, who gave up her job at the time of her marriage, is known to prefer to keep a low profile.

Mr Salmond began his political career in 1987 when he was elected MP for Banff & Buchan.

He became leader of the Scottish National Party in 1990 when he beat sole opponent Margaret Ewing by 486 votes.

The General Election of 1992 was a disappointment for the party and its leader when, despite increasing its share of the vote, it failed to win a large number of seats and make the breakthrough it had hoped for.

Following a referendum in 1997 when the Scottish electorate backed the setting up of a Scottish Parliament, Mr Salmond was elected as an MSP in 1999.

But two years later he resigned as leader after being criticised from within the party about a number of fall-outs with party members. He left the Scottish Parliament.

He remained deeply involved in politics, publicly protesting about the 2003 invasion of Iraq in which the UK took part. This was not a new stand; he had also opposed PM Tony Blair's bombing of Serbia in 1999 because it was not backed by a UN Security Council resolution.

In 2004, despite having earlier said he would not be leadership candidate for the SNP, Mr Salmond decided to stand and won the contest with more than 75% of the vote.

After becoming leader of the SNP, he was elected as an MSP for the constituency of Gordon in May 2007, making political history by becoming the first nationalist to be elected First Minister of Scotland.

Mr Salmond lives with his wife in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, and he lists his hobbies as horse racing, football - he supports Scotland and Heart of Midlothian FC - golf and reading.

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Apple iPhone 6 Rumours Reach Fever Pitch

As the latest iPhone launch approaches, the rumour mill is turning at full speed.

Apple blogs and insiders predict the device, likely to be called the iPhone 6, will be on the shelves next month. Here's what to expect:

Size: The iPhone 6 It is expected to launch with two screen sizes – one measuring 4.7ins, and a larger 5.5ins version.

There has also been speculation that it may be slimmed down by removing the 3.5mm headphone jack and replacing it with a Lightning connection.

Display: With a bigger display comes a new resolution, but Apple is expected to keep its "retina" display standard.

One of the likely major selling points is a toughened sapphire screen.

The company is rumoured to have spent hundreds of millions on the material, which is tougher than the existing Gorilla Glass and said to be virtually scratch free.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook has refused to confirm whether the sapphire glass will be used on the new iPhone, but has said that a new plant in Arizona is for the material.

Camera: Some Chinese websites have predicted an impressive 10-megapixel camera - two megapixels more than the current iPhone 5s.

However even that upgrade would not be enough to help it catch up with some of its rivals, who boast resolutions of up to 16 megapixels.

Instead Apple is likely to focus on improving the camera's other features, such as image stabilisation.

Software: As with every Apple iPhone release, new software is expected. The latest version - iOS 8 - comes with a smart keyboard, improved photo sharing and messaging, a health monitoring app, and other improvements.

Charging: Wireless charging for the new iPhone has been a rumour circulated on several Apple blogs, but no evidence has emerged to back this up yet.

Capacity: Apple is likely to drop its 16GB version, according to Chinese website Tencent, leaving the options of 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB.

Launch date: This one's been confidently predicted by several respected Apple blogs and websites – the iPhone 6 is scheduled to be announced in early September, probably on the ninth, and released later in the month.

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Girl Accidentally Kills Gun Instructor With Uzi

Police have released footage of the moments before a nine-year-old girl accidentally shot and killed a shooting instructor who was teaching her to use an automatic Uzi submachine gun.

Charles Vacca was shot in the head on Monday at an outdoor shooting range in Dolan Springs, in north Arizona.

The 39-year-old was airlifted to University Medical Centre in Las Vegas but died shortly afterwards.

Mr Vacca was standing next to the girl at the Last Stop outdoor shooting range in White Hills when she pulled the trigger and the recoil sent the weapon over her head, investigators said.

The footage, reportedly filmed by the girl's parents, shows Mr Vacca helping the girl hold the gun, adjust her stance and then fire a single shot.

His last words to her are: "Alright, full auto."

It is not known if the range has an age limit on shooting or if the girl, who has not been named, had been through a safety class.

The youngster was on holiday from New Jersey with her parents.

Mohave County Sheriff Jim McCabe told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the video was "ghastly". 

Firearms safety expert Ronald Scott said most ranges have an age limit and strict safety rules when teaching children how to shoot.

Instructors usually have their hands on guns when children are firing high-powered weapons, he said.

"You can't give a nine-year-old an Uzi and expect her to control it," Mr Scott added.

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Panda May Have Faked Pregnancy For Buns

Panda Facts - In Black And White

Updated: 1:34pm UK, Tuesday 12 August 2014

Edinburgh Zoo is hopeful that Tian Tian the panda is expecting a little panda. Here are some facts about what she can expect.

:: The foetus does not start to develop until the final weeks of pregnancy.

:: A cub weights around 5.3oz (150g) at birth - that is 1,000th of a fully grown female panda. It grows up to 10 times its birth weight in the first five to six weeks of life.

:: The cub is born pink, finely covered in short, white, hair with tightly-closed eyes. These partly open at between 30 and 45 days and open fully a week or two later.

:: It starts to develop black patches after around a week. The cub starts to grow black hair on its patches a few weeks later.

:: After a month, the cub is beginning to resemble its giant panda parent but it has a longer tail. 

:: It takes several weeks before the cub can crawl, and before then it cries loudly and often so its mother is aware of its needs for food and sleep.

:: Panda mothers lick their cubs often and stay with the cub for up to a month, by which time the cub can regulate its own body temperature and does not need its mother to keep it warm.

:: By 75 to 80 days cubs can stand and walk a few steps. Their eyesight is improving, as is their hearing and they are beginning to teethe. 

:: At four months cubs are active, running about and climbing on their mother's back in play.

:: At five months they follow their mother and mimic her as they eat bamboo and climb trees.

:: The cub starts to eat solids at around six months.

:: It will get its permanent teeth at around the time of its first birthday when it will now weigh between 50lb and 60lb (23kg-27kg). It will be suckling only once or twice a day.

:: By the age of two, the same age that the cub starts to make its own way in the wild, the cub is likely to go back to China.

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Syria Hostage Peter Theo Curtis Back On US Soil

An American journalist held hostage in Syria for almost two years has thanked the hundreds of "brave and determined people" who helped secure his release.

In his first public remarks since touching down in the US, Peter Theo Curtis said: "I had no idea when I was in prison that so much effort was being expended on my behalf.

"Now that I have found out I am just overwhelmed with emotion."

Mr Curtis, 45, was reunited with his mother Nancy after landing back on home soil on Tuesday.

Nancy Curtis was pictured with her son on his return. Pic: Curtis Family

The reporter, originally from Boston, was released by al Qaeda's official wing in Syria, al Nusra Front, two days earlier after 22 months in captivity.

His voice trembling at times, Mr Curtis told reporters that total strangers had been coming up to him and saying "we are glad you are home, welcome home, I'm glad you are back, glad you are safe."

"To all those people I say a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said.

Shirley Sotloff pleads for her son's life Pic: Al-Arabiya TV

His former cellmate, a US photographer, has previously said their captors tortured Mr Curtis by whipping the soles of his feet with a cable.

Shortly after being reunited with her son, Nancy Curtis told reporters he was "so excited to be home".

She said while she was "overwhelmed with relief", his arrival home was a "sober occasion", given recent events in Syria.

Fears had risen for Mr Curtis over the last month after the FBI revealed it had received a video of him pleading for his life, saying he had just three days to live.

Peter Theo Curtis was captured by al-Nusra Front in 2012

Qatar, whose diplomacy helped free him, is believed to be working to free remaining hostages in Syria.

Mr Curtis' release came days after the execution of fellow journalist James Foley, who was captured by al Nusra's rivals, the militant group Islamic State (IS), in 2012.

IS posted a video showing the beheading of Mr Foley, which they said was in retaliation for US airstrikes on IS positions in northern Iraq.

The group also threatened to kill another American journalist in their captivity, Stephen Sotloff.

Journalist James Foley was killed by a rival extremist group last week

His mother, Shirley Sotloff, made an emotional and rare public appeal for his release on Wednesday, in a video broadcast on the al-Arabiya channel.

"Steven is a journalist who travelled to the Middle East to cover the suffering of Muslims at the hands of tyrants," said Ms Sotloff, who lives in the Miami area.

"Steven is a loyal and generous son, brother and grandson. He is an honourable man and has always tried to help the weak."

She added: "Since Stephen's capture, I've learned a lot about Islam. I've learned that Islam teaches that no individual should be held responsible for the sins of others.

"Stephen has no control over the actions of the US government. He's an innocent journalist."

The US has been preparing military options in Syria, including surveillance flights, in an effort to eradicate IS. 

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UN Accuses Syria Over Chemical Weapons

A United Nations report has accused Syria of using chemical weapons eight times in April - and highlights mass atrocities by Islamic State militants.

The report by the independent Commission of Inquiry said it believed chlorine, dispatched in barrel bombs, was the agent used on multiple occasions.

It also highlighted mock crucifixions, public executions, amputations and the beheading of children by Islamic State militants in parts of Syria.

The accusations came amid reports that Syrian rebels had seized control of the Syrian crossing with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there had been heavy fighting between rebels - including the al Qaeda affiliated al Nusra Front - and the army.

An Israeli army officer stationed in the Golan Heights has been injured after errant fire, sources said.   

Islamic State fighters in northern Raqqa province

The UN's 45-page report accused the Syrian regime of dropping barrel bombs on residential areas and highlighted atrocities meted out by Islamic State members. 

"Reasonable grounds exist to believe that chemical agents, likely chlorine, were used on (northern Syrian villages) Kafr Zeita, al Tamana and Tal Minnis in eight incidents within a 10-day period in April," it said.

"Witnesses saw helicopters drop barrel bombs and smelled a scent akin to domestic chlorine immediately following impact," it pointed out.

President Assad was sworn in for another seven years in July

Victims suffered "symptoms compatible with exposure to chemical agents, namely vomiting, eye and skin irritation, choking and other respiratory problems".

It marks the first time the UN has assigned blame for the use of the chemical agent. 

Bashar al Assad and the opposition have accused each other of using chemical agents, including chlorine, in the bloody uprising, that began in March 2011.

The report also outlines atrocities being carried out by IS militants in Syria, including public executions, amputations, lashings and mock crucifixions.

The document describes beheadings of boys as young as 15 and men flogged for smoking or accompanying an "improperly dressed" female relative.

Women have been publicly lashed for not following the group's strict dress code, the report says.

IS is also recruiting and training children as young as 10, with teens being used in active combat and suicide-bombing missions, the report said.

"This is a continuation - and a geographic expansion - of the widespread and systematic attack on the civilian population," according to the report.

The four-member commission was created three years ago by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate abuses committed in the war.

Syria has said it is ready to cooperate with the international community in the fight against the militants who have taken over areas straddling both Iraq and Syria.

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National Guard F-15 Jet Crashes In Virginia

An F-15C fighter jet has crashed in western Virginia, say military officials, and it is unclear if the pilot survived.

The single-seater plane from Massachusetts Air National Guard was flying to Louisiana when it went down near the town of Deerfield.

The jet was on a training exercise with no munitions onboard, National Guard spokesman Maj Matthew Mutti told AP news agency.

Witnesses reported hearing a noise like an explosion and heavy smoke coming from the side of a mountain shortly after 9am on Wednesday.

Military officials had reported losing communication with a jet, said Augusta County police dispatcher Becky Coynter.

A news release from state police said officials were on their way to the crash site.

More follows...

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Who Should Be Called To Account In Rotherham?

Many people are asking why no-one in a position of responsibility has been held accountable in the wake of the Rotherham sex abuse scandal.

A devastating report revealed at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited over 16 years - between 1997 and  2013 - with girls as young as 11 repeatedly raped by large numbers of men.

The inquiry found Rotherham council knew as far back as 2005 of sexual exploitation on a wide scale - mostly by Asian men - but failed to act.

Three reports into the extent of sexual abuse were published between 2002 and 2006, but were "ignored or suppressed" by the police and council.

Roger Stone (L) stepped down and there are calls for Shaun Wright to quit

But Rotherham chief executive Martin Kimber said there was not enough evidence for the council to take action against any employees, while many other were now working elsewhere. 

Some of the notable figures in positions of responsibility during the scandal include:

:: Roger Stone - Council Leader

Council leader Roger Stone resigned following the publication of the report. He is the only councillor to lose his position over the scandal. He said he took responsibilty on behalf of the council.

:: Shaun Wright - Police and Crime Commissioner and Rotherham cabinet member for children's services 2005-10

Joyce Thacker (L) has an OBE, and Dr Sonia Sharp (R) now works in Australia

There is mounting pressure for South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Shaun Wright, to step down.

He was responsible for children's services at the town council for five of the 16 years during which at least 1,400 children were subjected to sexual abuse.

Questions are being asked about others who were in positions of power when the child abuse took place.

:: Joyce Thacker - Head of Child Services, Rotherham Council

Joyce Thacker is head of child services at Rotherham Council. She was given an OBE in 2007 for her work with children.

:: Dr Sonia Sharp - Strategic Director of Children and Young People's Services at Rotherham Council 

Dr Sonia Sharp was in position between 2005 and 2008. She now works in the Department of Education in the Australian state of Victoria.

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Rotherham Abuse: Police Boss Refuses To Quit

South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner is resisting growing calls to resign over the Rotherham child abuse scandal - claiming he was unaware of the scale of the problem.

Shaun Wright, who was responsible for children's services at the town council for five of the 16 years when at least 1,400 children were abused, is being urged to stand down, including by his own Labour Party.

Mr Wright told Sky News he was "completely astonished" at the extent of the abuse revealed in a damning report, which told of 11-year-olds being gang raped and children being forced to watch violent sex abuse while being threatened they would be next.

But Professor Alexis Jay, who headed the inquiry, cast doubt on claims people had been unaware of the problem, which had been set out "unambiguously" in seminars and reports.

Rotherham Council leader Roger Stone stood down in the wake of the report

She also told Sky News nearly everyone in positions of authority should have done more.

Home Secretary Theresa May also piled pressure on Mr Wright to stand down from his £85,000-a-year job, saying he "has real questions to answer".

Sky News Senior Political Correspondent Jon Craig said there was now so much pressure on Mr Wright to resign, "I'd be very surprised if he's still in his post by later on this evening."

Mr Wright was a Labour councillor for Rotherham until he was elected Police Commissioner in 2012, and was in charge of children's services from 2005 to 2010.

He told Sky News he was "completely astonished" at the abuse, and said he had been unaware of the scale of the problem.

He said: "I take my share of the responsibility. There was systemic failure. I only wish that I knew more at the time.

"If I knew then what I know now then clearly more could have been done.

"I do have regrets I wasn't more aware of the issue at the time."

Alexis Jay's highly critical report detailed "appalling" abuse

He claimed information was not "escalated up" to the political level or senior managers.

But pointing to a number of seminars and reports detailing the abuse, Prof Jay told Sky News: "I would be surprised if anyone could say at the end of that, they didn't know."

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News: "The Labour party has said that the Police and Crime Commissioner should stand down, just as the leader of the council has done, because 1,400 children were abused and they were let down badly by the authorities."

Roger Stone, the leader of Rotherham Council, stepped down with immediate effect following the publication of the report.

Chief Superintendent Jason Harwin, police district commander for Rotherham, said no officers had faced disciplinary action but added: "A number of individuals that were in the service then are no longer in the service."

Solicitor David Greenwood, who represents some of the victims, told Sky News they intend to take legal action against the authorities.

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