Top Gear Team Driven Out Of Argentina

The BBC has dismissed accusations that Top Gear deliberately chose a car with a number plate appearing to refer to the Falklands War to cause controversy while filming in Argentina.

The programme's cast and crew are flying out of the country after facing protests from politicians and army veterans.

Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond were reportedly among those who had to abandon their cars at the roadside and flee after being pelted with stones by an angry crowd.

The team used a Porsche with the registration number H982 FKL, which some people suggested could be seen to refer to the conflict which took place in 1982.

A group of war veterans protested outside their hotel and one local politician said they were escorted to the airport.

Video: May 3: Clarkson On Final Warning

Juan Manuel Romano, secretary of social development for Ushuaia in southern Tierra del Fuego province, said: "They have taken the decision to leave."

The BBC confirmed they were leaving the country, although show bosses have said the number plate was merely a coincidence.

The programme has already run into problems this year, with one episode found to be in breach of Ofcom's broadcasting code for the use of a racially offensive term during a two-part special filmed in Burma, following a complaint from a couple of viewers.

And Clarkson apologised after unbroadcast footage emerged in which he appeared to use the N-word, although he denied actually saying it.

The team from the show are in South America filming a special on a remote highway passing through Chile and Argentina.

Executive producer Andy Wilman said: "Top Gear production purchased three cars for a forthcoming programme; to suggest that this car was either chosen for its number plate, or that an alternative number plate was substituted for the original is completely untrue."

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Thai Murders: Suspects Stage Reconstruction

Two Burmese workers who have confessed to the murders of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been taken to the scene of the crime.

Mr Miller, 24, from Jersey, died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Miss Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, died from head wounds on Sairee beach in Thailand last month.

Their semi-naked bodies were found on the southern island of Koh Tao, near where they were staying, in the early hours of September 15.

A blood-stained garden hoe, which is thought to be the murder weapon, was discovered nearby.

David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were killed last month

Footage showed the handcuffed suspects, wearing motorcycle helmets and police vests in case of attacks by angry locals, on Sairee beach.

The pair were surrounded by police as a reconstruction of the attacks was staged, watched on by hundreds of locals and tourists.

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1. Gallery: Thai Murders Accused At Crime Scene

   Two workers from Burma (wearing helmets and handcuffs), suspected of killing two British tourists on the island of Koh Tao last month, stand near Thai police officers where the bodies of the tourists were found

2. The pair have admitted to killing David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the island in southern Thailand

3. Actors were used in the staging of the reconstruction

4. One of the suspects wields a mock weapon

5. The case has threatened to further damage the country's already bruised tourism sector

6. The victims' bodies were discovered on a beach on the island of Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, on 15 September, close to where they were staying. Continue through for more pictures

One suspect could be seen walking from the sea to the sandy beach, and wielded a large handled tool to apparently replicate a garden hoe while talking to officers.

The reconstruction also saw a man and woman, depicting the victims, walking along the beach, their arms around each other.

Thai police announced the pair - named as Win, 21, and Saw, 23, from Rakhine state in Myanmar (Burma) - had been charged after admitting killing the British tourists during questioning.

Sky's senior correspondent Michelle Clifford said: "The men are said to have confessed to the killings, enduring often uncomfortable scenes as they staged a reconstruction of what happened leading up to the deaths.

"But local journalists were suspicious, pressing not just the men but police for facts."

Video: David Miller Seen On CCTV

She added: "Apparent progress will be welcome but migrant workers, particularly those from Burma, are often used as scapecoats for crimes in Thailand.

"And despite reported confessions, there will be immense pressure on prosecutors to prove they have got the right men."

Thai National police chief Somyot Poompanmoung said: "The suspects saw them kissing and were aroused, so they attacked and got rid of the man and proceeded to rape the female victim.

"There was clear evidence: forensic evidence, (testimony from) witnesses and other evidence, as well as closed-circuit television footage."

He went on: "Looking at the DNA results, we have tested that the DNA of these two match the DNA found in the deceased.

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1. Gallery: Thailand Beach Murders

   The family of Hannah Witheridge in Thailand. Miss Witheridge was killed alongside David Miller on a beach on Koh Tao

2. Police outside the Ware family home on Jersey. Christopher and James Ware, who were childhood friends of Mr Miller, have been questioned in Thailand as part of the investigation

3. The pair suffered "gruesome" injuries, according to police

4. The victims were staying in this hotel

5. Thai police at the scene of the beach attack

"There was also a mobile, a guitar and a motorcycle used to do the crime. The mobile phone was the mobile of the victim which the suspects took it to destroy. Police were able to confiscate these."

Provincial police chief Kiattipong Khaosamang said the two men had also admitted raping Miss Witheridge. 

Thai police have collected DNA samples from more than 100 men on the island.

Police had originally said they believed three men were involved in the attack - two who raped and killed Miss Witheridge, while a third man watched.

A third Burmese man remains in detention and is being questioned on suspicion of involvement.

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Jeremy Clarkson: 10 Top Gear Gaffes

As the BBC defends the Top Gear team after protests over a car number plate in Argentina, Sky News looks at past controversies on his show.

:: "Slope" remark during Burma special (series 21, March 2014)

Clarkson was accused of using "casual racism" during a Top Gear special, during which he and his co-presenters built a bridge over a Burmese river.

As a man walked across the bridge, Clarkson said: "That's a proud moment but there's a slope on it."

A BBC spokesman said the show was not aware the word "slope" was considered by some to be offensive and insisted it was used to make a "light-hearted wordplay joke".

Clarkson with Top Gear's the Stig, Richard Hammond, left, James May, centre

Ofcom ruled that the programme breached broadcasting rules.

:: "N-word" edited out of Top Gear broadcast (series 19, February 2013)

Video: Clarkson Row: Star's Full Statement

Clarkson was accused by the Daily Mirror of using the "n-word" while filming an episode of the motoring show.

According to the paper, Clarkson "can be heard chanting, 'Eeny, meeny, miny moe...', before mumbling 'Catch a n****r by his toe'."

Clarkson responded by saying he was "horrified" by the allegations.

The BBC launched an investigation into the episode, which was broadcast without the alleged comment.

:: Fallout from the top over India special (series 17, December 2011)

An Indian special, during which Clarkson built a toilet into the back of a Jaguar, claiming it would be "perfect" for tourists because "everyone" who visits the country suffers diarrhoea, sparked a complaint from the Indian High Commission.

It accused the show of "cheap jibes" and "tasteless humour", adding that it "lacked cultural sensitivity".

A BBC spokesman said it had not insulted Indian people or the country's culture.

:: Albanian man's "murder" triggers complaints (series 16, February 2011)

Hundreds of people complained to the BBC after Top Gear aired a segment during which the presenters tried to squeeze an overweight Albanian man, who had ostensibly been murdered, into the boots of their cars.

The presenters pretended to have been sent to the country to test drive cars for a mafia boss.

:: Top Gear slammed over "vulgar" Mexico claims (series 16, December 2010)

A special episode of the show upset Mexicans by describing them as "lazy, feckless and flatulent" and branding their food "refried sick".

It claimed the Mexican ambassador to the UK would not complain as he was likely to be asleep.

In response, ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza wrote to the BBC, describing the comments as "outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable".

Ofcom found the BBC had not breached guidelines but the broadcaster admitted the language used had "reinforced" stereotypes.

:: Lorry load of trouble over "prostitute" claim (series 12, November 2008)

The BBC received hundreds of complaints after Clarkson joked about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes.

"Change gear, change gear, check mirror, murder a prostitute, change gear, change gear, murder," he said. "That's a lot of effort in a day."

Video: Clarkson 'Begs For Forgiveness'

One MP called for Clarkson to be sacked but the BBC defended its presenter, saying viewers have "clear expectations" of his on-screen persona and humour.

:: Botswana special leaves trail of controversy (series 10, November 2007)

Environmental campaigners claimed Top Gear had damaged Botswana's Makgadikgadi salt pan by blasting through it during a 2007 special.

They claimed tracks left by the team's vehicles would remain visible for decades.

However, the BBC said it was careful to avoid sensitive conservation zones.

:: Dead cow "humour" angers viewers (series nine, February 2007)

During a one-off US special, Clarkson tied a dead cow to the roof of a Chevy Comaro before reversing the car and flinging the animal to the ground.

The stunt sparked complaints to both the BBC and Ofcom, but the broadcaster insisted it was "very typical" of the show's "irreverent humour".

A spokesman added: "No offence was intended."

:: Mock Nazi salute sparks anger (series seven, November 2005)

Clarkson did little to strengthen Anglo-German relations when he made a mock Nazi salute during a segment discussing a new Mini.

He also claimed the car's in-built navigation system "only goes to Poland".

German diplomats sternly pointed out that, had his salute been on German TV, he would have faced criminal charges and even a possible six-month prison term.

The BBC said it would be dealt with under its "rigorous" complaints procedure.

:: Crash test damages villagers' tree (series three, November 2003)

The BBC was forced to hand over £250 to a parish council in Somerset after Clarkson damaged a horse chestnut tree while testing the strength of a Toyota Hilux.

Local people thought the damage had been caused by vandals until later recognising the tree on TV.

The show "unreservedly apologised".

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HMS Defender Joins US Fight With Islamic State

One of the Royal Navy's most advanced warships is supporting US forces as they launch airstrikes against Islamic State militants.

HMS Defender is using its hi-tech air defence weapons to protect US Navy aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush and her aircraft as they carry out bombing missions against IS targets, the Ministry of Defence said.

The Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer is using its air defence radar and Sea Viper missile system as part of an "umbrella" of support for the Nimitz class aircraft carrier and its escort ships as they patrol the Gulf.

The ship was deployed to the Gulf in June 2014, tasked with conducting maritime security operations throughout the Middle East and as far south as the coast of Somalia, where pirates have caused chaos with hijackings and kidnappings.

It is now operating with the US navy's Arleigh-Burke class destroyers USS Truxton and USS Roosevelt and the Ticonderoga class destroyer USS Philippine Sea to provide support for the USS George HW Bush.

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1. Gallery: IS Oil Refineries Hit By US Airstrikes

   A man inspects damage at an oil refinery that was targeted by what activists said were US-led air strikes at al-Khaboura village, near the Syrian town of Tel Abyad of Raqqa governate

2. Three makeshift oil refineries in Syria's Raqqa province were hit as part of an assault to weaken Islamic State (IS) militants

3. The United States has been carrying out strikes in Iraq against the Islamic State since July and more recently in Syria with the help of allies

4. It aims to damage and destroy the bases and forces of the al Qaeda offshoot which has captured large areas of both countries

5. Street vendors selling diesel and gasoline wait for customers along a street in the Islamic State's stronghold of Raqqa

6. Activists said that the price of the diesel and gasoline has increased since the beginning of the US air raids. Continue through for more pictures

Engaged in round-the-clock operations, HMS Defender's task is to build an accurate air surveillance picture over the whole of the Gulf in order to guard the US aircraft carrier against possible air attack.

Royal Navy Commander Phil Nash, Defender's commanding officer, said: "As an air defence destroyer, HMS Defender was built for exactly the sort of tasking that we are conducting in support of the USS George HW Bush.

"Since we arrived in the Gulf in June, we have been engaged in exercises with navies from around the world to test our air defence capabilities and I am delighted that my ship's company now have an opportunity to put into practice the training they have received over the past few months.

Video: First RAF Airstrikes Against IS

"This will be our primary role in the future, so to be able to provide the same defensive shield to a US Navy aircraft carrier that we will deliver as part of a British carrier strike group is an excellent chance to prove the value we can add in a national and international environment."

The UK has already committed Royal Air Force fighter bombers to carry out reconnaissance missions and air strikes in Iraq.

Visiting troops at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, David Cameron has warned that the fight against Islamist extremism will continue for many years.

Video: FSA: No Contact With US On Strikes

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Stand Up Be Counted: German Unis Ditch Fees

Lower Saxony has become the last of Germany's states to abolish fees for university students.

Announcing the decision, science and culture minister Gabrielle Heinen-Kjajic was quoted by germanpulse.com as saying in a statement the decision was taken "because we do not want higher education which depends on the wealth of the parents".

That means all the country's universities are now non-fee paying.

They were free in the past but were allowed to charge after a 2006 court ruling said charging was not against the constitution that committed the country to universal education.

But the bringing in of costs was unpopular and, state by state, fees were dropped.

There are no fees for international students in Germany

Fees for international students, unlike in Britain, are also free, making them an increasing popular destination for study.

Germany is presently the fourth most popular country in which to study, after the US, UK and Australia, according to topuniversities.com.

Video: Stand Up Be Counted: The Figures

The topic of university fees evokes anger among many young people - and parents who want to help fund their children when they can.

Universities in England and Wales are now allowed to charge up to £9,000 a year, although Welsh students can benefit from a nationwide grant from the Welsh government to help with costs.

Scottish students do not have to pay fees at Scottish universities.

Lexie from Liverpool used Sky News' Stand Up Be Counted to express her views, saying it should be "equal for everyone, rich or poor".

Video: How To Shoot The Perfect Selfie

"Just because my family works and earns a certain wage, I could miss out on one of the best opportunities of my life," she said.

"To reach my dream of being a pharmacist, I have to be educated further.

"It's not just underprivileged people who suffer ... I have to pay £9,000 a year for my course but I could be eligible for only £3,000 a year, and that's peanuts.

"Why should I suffer because I want a future?"

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Hunger Games Stunt Double Dies In Parkour Fall

A stunt double who has worked on films such as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has died after attempting a parkour jump at a hostel in Lisbon.

Carlos Lopez IV is reported to have been trying to jump from his fourth floor window to a balcony at the Goodnight Hostel in the Portuguese capital.

The martial arts expert, from North Carolina in the US, died from injuries sustained after falling to the ground.

He is thought to have been staying at the hostel with his girlfriend.

A neighbour told Portuguese local media she had "never seen so much blood".

Jennifer Lawrence stars in the Hunger Games films

"I woke up with the noise, went to the window and saw the young man lying on the ground, on an interior patio we share with the hostel where it happened," said 77-year-old Natercia Gama.

Lopez, 25, has worked on a number of Hollywood films including this summer's blockbusters Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and 22 Jump Street.

Tributes have been paid to the stunt performer on Facebook.

His friend Gabe Hansen wrote: "Three months ago I met a kid in Jersey City, he took me in, gave me a place to stay, he became my training partner, my teammate, my roommate, my little brother, he was selfless, humble to a fault, his heart was pure gold.

"Thank you Carlos for sharing the love with me. It's still hard to believe you would leave, but it was your time, it's not the end...See you soon brother."

Tony Vo wrote: "I still can't believe this ... I won't ever forget the times we trained together, you will always be here with us Carlos."

According to his IMDB page, Lopez was working on a new film called The Nest which stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler and is due for release next year.

Parkour is a popular urban sport which involves trying to get from place to place by any means possible, including jumping, swinging and climbing over buildings.

A representative from the Goodnight Hostel told Sky News they are very sorry for what has happened and will issue a statement once they have permission from the Portuguese police.

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Hong Kong Demos: Talks Called Off After Clashes

Protesters have called off talks with the Hong Kong government aimed at resolving days of demonstrations after violence blamed on triad gangs erupted.

There were clashes at two pro-democracy camps in the packed Mong Kok and Causeway Bay districts after hundreds of pro-China supporters tore down their tents and barricades and threw water bottles.

The "Occupy" activists accused the government and police of turning a blind eye to "violent acts" by their opponents.

In Mong Kok, protest leaders had urged their supporters to leave for their own safety but hundreds ignored the plea and descended on the area to outnumber the counter-protesters.

Officers formed a human chain to keep the two groups apart, with some pro-democracy protesters reportedly throwing objects as some members of the pro-China group were led away by bus.

Police have been accused of turning a blind eye to violence

The scuffles were the most chaotic since police used tear gas and pepper spray last weekend to try to disperse protesters pushing for greater electoral reforms for the territory.

The protests are the biggest challenge to China's authority since Britain handed control of Hong Kong to Beijing in 1997.

Video: Clashes Erupt At Hong Kong Protests

The embattled government of Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying had promised talks in an attempt to end the demonstrations that have brought large parts of the semi-autonomous Chinese city to a standstill since Sunday.

Tens of thousands of people have filled major roads demanding China grants them free and fair elections in 2017 after Beijing said only vetted candidates could run.

The Hong Kong Federation of Students said in a statement: "There is no other option but to call off talks. Everybody saw what happened today.

"The government and police turned a blind eye to violent acts by the triads targeting peaceful Occupy protesters".

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1. Gallery: Hong Kong Clashes As Sit-In Drags On

   Pro-democracy protesters gather outside the government offices in Hong Kong

2. The umbrella has become a symbol of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement

3. An anti-protester shouts at pro-democracy demonstrators in an occupied area of Hong Kong

4. Pro-democracy campaigners, mainly students, stand firm

5. Many of the anti-protesters are angry they have not been able to go to work during the protests

6. Police officers try to get a man to let go of a fence guarded by pro-democracy demonstrators

7. The protests are about to enter their second week

Police said there had been at least two arrests and defended their response to the chaotic scenes, with senior superintendent Kong Man-keung telling reporters the force had "deployed a lot of manpower to control the situation".

Protesters reacted angrily to the arrests, saying pro-Beijing thugs had been freely allowed to attack their camps. The crowds in Mong Kok chanted "Bring out the handcuffs!" late into the night.

The pro-Beijing supporters were said to be visibly older than the pro-democracy group and yelled, shoved and tried to drag the younger protesters away.

Many shouted their anger that the demonstrators were preventing them from going to work and earning a living.

Video: How Protesters Use Social Media

"Give us Mong Kok back, we Hong Kongers need to eat!" one man shouted as he attempted to remove the barricades.

One young female protester said: "We're sorry for the inconvenient cause but we hope you can show consideration."

She said she was determined to stay, adding: "Yes I do (have safety worries) but I don't have other choice."

A woman on the other side said: "My father lives here and I come here to buy things but the shops are closed and the roads are closed and everybody cannot go to work.

Video: Hong Kong Leader Offers Talks

"I completely respect their rights to express their views but I just think Hong Kong is not such a place where you have to occupy roads or create such a tension between people to express their views."

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Shark Attack Surfer Swam 100m With One Arm

A surfer swam 100 metres to shore with only one arm and no hands to escape a shark off Western Australia, a witness has said.

Sean Pollard's escape was described as "the bravest thing I've ever seen" by a man who drove the injured 23-year-old to an ambulance.

Details of the escape came as it emerged that two great white sharks have been caught and killed near to the scene of the attack in the town of Esperance.

Authorities said they may not be able to tell whether the sharks - one 15ft and one about 10ft - were involved in the attack on the surfer at 11am on Thursday.

A beach at Esperance, Western Australia. Picture: Creative Commons: Cookaa

"Even upon examination it may not be possible to confirm that either shark was involved in the incident," the Department of Fisheries said.

"It is common for sharks to disgorge stomach contents."

Video: Shark Attack Victim Loses Hands

The sharks' carcasses were being transported to the state's capital Perth to be dissected by officials late on Friday, the department said.

Mr Pollard lost one arm as well as the hand on his other arm, and suffered cuts to his leg in the attack.

"He's obviously swum about 100 metres with those injuries ... it was probably the bravest thing I've ever seen," a witness called Robbie told Fairfax radio.

He added two men had pulled Pollard out of the surf, while a paramedic who happened to be on the beach gave him first aid.

"He was really unlucky but he was really lucky to have had the help he had when he got to the beach by those three people," he added.

The shark deaths, which occurred while the animals were caught on hooks attached to floating drums, were lambasted by conservationists.

"Simply killing sharks will not reduce the risk of a shark attack," Humane Society International said.

The group urged the Western Australian state government to use non-lethal methods, such as closing beaches and erecting warning signs.

The latest attack came weeks after the government said it would abandon its controversial catch-and-kill shark policy after objections from environmentalists.

Experts say attacks by sharks, which are common in Australian waters, are increasing as water sports become more popular.

A man was killed by a shark in front of his wife last month after being bitten on the leg while swimming at Byron Bay, on Australia's east coast.

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Hostage John Cantlie's Father Pleads With IS

The father of a Briton being held by Islamic State militants has tried to contact the group in an appeal for the freedom of his son, who he describes as a "good man".

Speaking from his hospital bed, Paul Cantlie said he could not think of a "greater joy than seeing my dear son released and allowed to return home to us".

"My family and I are trying to communicate with the Islamic State to deliver an important message regarding John and can only hope that it has been received as we have had no response," he said.

"To those holding John: please know that he is a good man, he sought only to help the Syrian people and I ask you from all that is sacred, to help us and allow him to return home safely to those he loves and who love him."

Islamic State has taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq

Footage of the journalist, dressed in orange and sitting behind a desk as he spoke to the camera, was released by his captors last month.

In the video - the first of a series - he said he wanted "to convey some facts" which "if you contemplate might help preserving lives".

Video: Barbara Henning's Desperate IS Plea

Mr Cantlie said the Western media "tries to drag the public back ... to another war" with IS.

His father said the video released by IS was the first time in almost two years the family had seen him.

"As a family we experienced great relief seeing and hearing John and knowing that he is alive. This was followed by the feeling of despair and helplessness," he said.

The 43-year-old was seized in northern Syria in 2012, where he had been working as an independent photojournalist.

His father said he was "seeking out the true story of the suffering of the Syrian people and ensuring the world was made aware of their plight".

"John felt a strong need to help in the best way that he could: as an impartial and respected journalist he knew that he could make a difference by acting as a platform for the world to listen to and take notice, using his journalistic skills for the good of the people; as a friend and as a civilian," he said.

"I have had many messages saying they cannot conceive what we, his family and all those who love him, must be feeling.

"Speaking entirely for myself, this is not how I had imagined I would be passing my 81st year.

"I want John to know how very proud I am of him. I can think of no greater joy than seeing my dear son released and allowed to return home to us."

The insurgent group, which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq, has previously killed three western hostages - Briton David Haines and Americans James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

It has also threatened the life of UK aid convoy volunteer Alan Henning.

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Helicopter Shot Down By IS Rocket Launcher

Fighters from the Islamic State extremist group have used a rocket launcher to shoot down an Iraqi military helicopter, say officials.

The pilot and co-pilot of the Mi-35 aircraft were reportedly killed in the attack which happened between the towns of Beiji and al Senniyah in northern Iraq.

The shooting down of the helicopter showed the insurgents' ability to hit back against air operations by Iraqi authorities and the US-led coalition.

The IS jihadists have taken over large parts of western and northern Iraq in recent months after government forces melted away in the onslaught and left behind US-made military equipment including tanks.

Beiji, which is 130 miles north of Baghdad, is home to Iraq's biggest oil refinery.

Video: PM: More Tornados Joining Fight

IS have seized several refineries in Iraq and Syria which helps increase their revenues.

The US and its coalition, including Arab and European allies, have carried out dozens of airstrikes against IS targets in the two countries to try to counter the militant threat.

The aerial raids include several by RAF Tornado fighter jets over Iraq in recent days after parliament backed action from the air a week ago.

Canada is set to join the military campaign following an announcement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Video: Pilots Debriefed After Iraq Mission

He said his country's jets would take part in the airstrikes for up to six months and also planned to send a refuelling aircraft and two surveillance planes, subject to MPs' approval.

But he said Canada would not deploy ground troops.

Meanwhile, IS fighters retreating from an attack by pro-government forces have blown up an important bridge in the Salaheddin province of the country, according to officials.

Iraqi troops, Kurdish peshmerga forces and Shia militias have been pushing west from the city of Tuz Khurmatu since Thursday.

Video: First RAF Airstrikes Against IS

An official said the forces attacked several areas from Tuz Khurmatu towards Tikrit and reached Zerga bridge - a strategic link between the two - before it was destroyed by IS.

Tikrit, the home town of former president Saddam Hussein, has been under IS control since the jihadists launched their major offensive in Iraq four months ago.

The Iraqi army has tried and failed to recapture it several times.

Military planes reportedly carried out strikes on IS targets north of Tuz Khurmatu, near Taza, on Friday, and at least 16 jihadist were killed.

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Cheryl's 'I Don't Care' F-Word Rant New Single

Cheryl Fernandez-Versini - the singer formerly known as Cheryl Cole - has released an expletive riddled new single.

The singer and X Factor star's latest offering, I Don't Care, uses the F-word throughout in the chorus with a censored version of the song being premiered on radio stations.

Despite the censoring, it is clear what Fernandez-Versini is saying.

The singer said the title referred to the fact that, at 31, she was grown up and less concerned about things than she used to be.

"I'm a woman now; I'm at that age that things don't bother me like they used to.

"I still care about things, but I've discovered what's important to care about, and what's most definitely not."

I Don't Care, a song taken from her forthcoming album, Only Human, is due to be released on November 9.

Her last single, Crazy Stupid Love, was a chart-topping success.

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Children Were Exposed To US Ebola Patient

By Sky News US Team

Texas' governor says "school-age children" are being monitored after having contact with a man who is seriously ill with ebola.

"Today we learned that some school-age children have been confirmed as having had contact with the patient," Rick Perry told a noon press conference in Dallas.

He said the youngsters were being monitored at home.

The children are among 12-18 people who are being monitored, including the ambulance crew who transported the man, after exposure.

A health official at the same press conference said the patient was in a serious but stable condition on Wednesday.

The unidentified man has been in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas since Sunday.

More follows...

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PM Pledges Tax Cut For Millions Of Families

David Cameron has promised to raise the 40p tax threshold to £50,000 if the Tories win another five years in power.

The pledge, which would help thousands of middle income earners, was among an array of sweeteners offered by Mr Cameron in his last conference speech before the General Election.

David Cameron with his wife, Samantha, ahead of his speech

He vowed to balance the nation's books by 2018 so he could deliver tax cuts for "hard-working families", including lifting the tax-free allowance from £10,500 to £12,500.

The PM said it would mean a tax cut for 30 million people and that those on the national minimum wage working a 30-hour week would pay "nothing, zero, zilch" in income tax. 

Video: Cameron On Basic Rate Tax

He also said he would increase the 40p tax rate from £41,900 to £50,000.

Mr Cameron attempted to paint a picture of the Tories as the champion of the ordinary man and families.

He said he wanted a Britain where there was: "the chance of a job, a home, a good start in life, whoever you are, wherever you're from. And by the way, you never pull one person up by pulling other people down."

Video: Cameron On 40p Tax Rate

He added: "We believe in aspiration and helping people get on in life and what's more, we're proud of it."

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls accused Mr Cameron of attempting to "pull the wool over people's eyes" by promising a tax cut without explaining how it would be paid for.

Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: "We await the details of how such reforms will be financed. Increasing the personal allowance is particularly expensive to the Exchequer."

Video: Cameron Does Hague Impression

The Prime Minister went on to make a fierce defence of his handling of the NHS, saying he intended to take the health service back for the Tories after Labour's attempt to claim it with a £12.5bn spending pledge at the party's conference last week.

He accused Labour of "spreading complete and utter lies" by suggesting he was selling off the NHS and said: "How dare they suggest I would put that at risk for other people's children?"

Mr Cameron has spoke of his first-hand experience of the NHS during the care of his son, Ivan, who died in 2009 at the age of six, bringing tears to the eyes of his wife, Samantha, who was sitting in the audience. 

Video: 'UK Jihadists Enemies Of The State'

He said Labour did not understand that the country "can only have a strong NHS if you have a strong economy".

The Conservative Party leader also said he would scrap the Human Rights Act, which has allowed the courts in Strasbourg to rule Britain must give prisoners the vote, and introduce a British Bill of Rights.

Identifying problems with the free movement of people in the EU, Mr Cameron highlighted a number of things he was keen to change.

Video: Cameron Plans Tax Cuts For Millions

"Britain: I know you want this sorted, so I will go to Brussels, I will not take no for an answer and when it comes to free movement I will get what Britain needs," he said.

Mr Cameron's speech brings to a close a conference which has been tarnished by four UKIP "defections", the most significant of which was the MP Mark Reckless.

The Prime Minister warned that a vote for UKIP was a vote for Labour. He said: "On the 7th of May, go to bed with Nigel Farage and wake up with Ed Miliband. I don't know about you, but not a bit of that works for me."

Video: Analysis of Cameron's Speech

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1. Gallery: Tory Party Conference: In Pictures

   The Conservative Party Conference has drawn to a close. Here are some of the highlights: Boris Johnson addressed delegates with a brick - and cracked a joke about "purring" at David Cameron's expense ...

3. But of course Boris and Dave are close - as they proved with this touching stroll together

4. It was not Mr Cameron but Ed Miliband who was the butt of most jokes. The best one was the one about him forgetting to mention the deficit in his keynote address to the Labour Party Conference last week

5. It shifted some merchandise such as this hilariously named beer

6. George Osborne started it in his speech, during which he invited voters to choose Dave, choose the Conservatives and choose the future

7. But it did make him sound like Renton from Trainspotting. Everyone thought so

8. Nigel Farage was the spectre at the feast. Four defections to UKIP - one MP, a donor and two others since the conference began

9. The PM prepared for his big speech by asking delegates what they thought of him by posting message boards around the conference in Birmingham

11. And spent some time with Samantha, his wife

12. He posed for selfies with delegates

13. And did not miss a hard hat, high-vis opportunity

14. He was photographed memorising the chapter on the deficit ... in glasses and Union flag cufflinks ...

15. ... as he prepared for the crowds in the main hall

16. Where he gave some money away - tax cuts for the "hard-working"

17. Got really cross about the NHS

18. Then got clapped quite a lot

19. Still, the Conservatives concluded that what Britain needs is an iron lady ...

20. ...and here's Home Secretary Theresa May

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Sandy Hook Elementary Evacuated Amid Threat

By Sky News US Team

A Connecticut elementary school attended by survivors of the 2012 shooting massacre has been evacuated following a bomb threat.

The threat was called in to the school in Monroe at about 9.30am, Lieutenant Brian McCauley said.

Twenty children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook in Newtown

Students were evacuated and taken to a nearby school where they will be reunited with their parents.

Lt McCauley said the school building and grounds were checked and no evidence of danger was found.

Investigators are trying to track down the origin of the threat, he said.

The town of Monroe opened the school to students and teachers from neighbouring Newtown after a gunman shot and killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary in December 2012.

The parent of one child killed in that attack praised the quick response to Wednesday's threat.

"We are first grateful to hear that all children and staff were physically unharmed," Jimmy Greene told the Connecticut Post.

"I am thankful for the quick response and transparent communication of the superintendent and the staff of Newtown Public Schools." 

Mr Greene added that the threat "clearly indicates the need to reach those people who choose to commit such cruel and thoughtless acts".

The Newtown school as demolished in October 2013.

More follows...

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Alice Gross: 'Now A Murder Investigation'

Police searching for missing teenager Alice Gross have found a body in the River Brent in west London.

Detectives hunting for the 14-year-old, who disappeared nearly five weeks ago after leaving her home in Hanwell, said there had been "significant efforts" to hide the human remains.

The search for Alice is the Met's largest since the 7/7 London bombings

Scotland Yard Commander Graham McNulty said: "This is now a murder investigation and I need the public's help to find whoever is responsible."

The body has been removed from the scene and Alice's family have been informed.

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1. Gallery: Body Found In Major Search For Alice Gross

   Police searching for missing Alice Gross have found a body in the River Brent in west London

2. A cordon has been put in place after the discovery of human remains

3. Forensic officers are at the scene

4. Her father has changed his Facebook profile picture from a campaign poster to a field of wild flowers

5. Alice's family had made a heartfelt plea for the safe return of the missing teenager

6. Scotland Yard released new images of Alice as police staged a reconstruction of her last known movements

7. The teenager disappeared on August 28

8. Police received more than a thousand calls from the public in response to appeals

10. The 14-year-old has been missing for five weeks

11. Police have been carrying out a fingertip search in Hanwell, west London, where missing Alice Gross is from. This image shows officers searching the area on September 22

12. The hunt for the 14-year-old is the biggest search operation since the 7/7 bombings in 2005

13. A dinghy was brought in to help in the search

14. Here, on September 18, forensics officers are seen in the garden of builder Arnis Zalkalns

15. Zalkalns, a Latvian national, has been named as the main suspect by police after he, too, went missing from his home in Boston Manor Road, which runs between Hanwell and Brentford

16. September 8: a police diver enters the Grand Union Canal to search for the missing schoolgirl

17. September 7: Police search the River Brent, near Hanwell

18. A missing persons flyer is attached to a lamppost in central London

21. She was seen on CCTV at Brentford Lock

22. Arnis Zalkalns was seen on CCTV in the same area

Her father has changed his Facebook profile picture from a campaign poster to a field of wild flowers.

Mr McNulty said: "Our work at this scene is crucial to make sure we capture all of the available evidence, to establish who is responsible for this dreadful crime.

"I can confirm significant efforts were made to conceal the body."

Video: Alice Gross Police Statement

He added: "We are unable to make a formal identification at this stage, but clearly this news is devastating for everyone involved in the search for Alice.

"At this time my thoughts are with Alice's family and friends."

Thanking the local community for their support during the investigation, he said: "This discovery will have a significant impact throughout the borough."

Video: Alice's Movements Reconstructed

Alice was last seen on CCTV walking along the towpath next to the Grand Union Canal as it passes under Trumpers Way at 4.26pm on August 28. She has not been seen since.

Her disappearance sparked a huge police search - the Met's largest since the 7/7 bombings.

Hundreds of officers from several forces around the country have been involved in the investigation, while the RAF was also drafted in to help identify new search areas.

Video: Missing Girl's Parents' Anguish

Footage from 300 CCTV cameras within a six-square-mile radius was examined, while police also staged a reconstruction of the  the teenager's last-known movements in a bid to jog people's memory.

Mr McNulty said the search of the river was carried out as part of the investigation into Alice's disappearance.

Police have not said exactly where the body was found.

Video: Latvia Asked For Help Over Alice

The River Brent runs a short distance from Hanwell and the towpath next to the Grand Union Canal where Alice was last seen on CCTV.

Convicted murderer Arnis Zalkalns, who was filmed cycling along the same route behind Alice, has emerged as the prime suspect in the case.

The Latvian builder was reported missing within days of her disappearance, but police stressed he was just "one line of enquiry".

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Hunter's Stray Bullet Blinds Six-Day-Old Boy

By Sky News US Team

A six-day-old boy has been left blind after ht was hit in the head by a stray bullet fired by a hunter in Pennsylvania.

Shayne Iverson survived as the bullet exited through his eye socket rather than hitting his brain last Thursday near Saltsburg, according to his family.

But the infant, who is in a stable but critical condition in intensive care, has lost his sight.

Shayne's parents, Stefanie and Jeremie Pic: Facebook

His parents Stefanie and Jeremie, who have three children, have been meeting state police and the game commissioner about the incident.

Indiana County District Attorney Pat Dougherty said the hunter who fired the shot had an agricultural deer control permit. 

The shooting is thought to have been accidental, though investigators are looking into whether the hunter complied with state regulations.

Relatives have set up an online fund to pay for Shayne's medical costs.

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DVLA Swamped By Drivers As Tax Discs Ditched

The vehicle licensing agency has been swamped by motorists enquiries, as the traditional road disc is ditched for an electronic system.

The Cardiff-based Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) said it was struggling to cope with what it said was "unprecedented demand".

A DVLA spokeswoman told Sky News: "We are currently experiencing unprecedented demand which means that some customers may be experiencing slow response times or having difficulty accessing the service.

"We are of course very sorry for any inconvenience and we are urgently investigating to improve service quality for the minority of our customers that are experiencing issues."

It said 270,000 enquiries were made on Tuesday, up 30,000 on the same day last year.

Video: Potential Car Insurance Savings

Motorists have reported lengthy queues on the enquiry line and slow or halting website access.

Tax discs have been placed on motorists' windscreen since 1921, but as of today they are no longer required.

Known officially as the vehicle excise duty (VED), the tax can be paid either online, over the phone or at post offices.

The Government said the new system has the potential to save the DVLA up to £7m annually in administration costs.

However, motoring groups have warned about the extra revenue-raising potential of the new system, while a survey has shown many drivers and riders are unaware of its implementation.

From this month, buyers of vehicles will no longer be able to use the remaining time to expiry paid for by the previous owner.

Buyers cannot take advantage of the remaining months and days of the car's existing taxed period and will need to renew the excise duty themselves.

Significant pre-renewal time for both discs and MOTs have long been seen as an added selling point for vendors.

New owners will need to renew the disc after purchase or classify it through a statutory off-road notification (SORN).

Motoring groups said they had received complaints from members that the Government can potentially "double tax" owners.

The RAC has also expressed concerns that there could be a spike in drivers on the roads without tax.

It said the possible scenario could mean Treasury coffers lose out on up to £167m annually, although the DVLA dismissed the claim and said there was no reason to expect a spike in tax evasion.

Automatic number plate recognition cameras and manual police checks of vehicles, which are already used to find uninsured drivers, is to be used to snare untaxed vehicles.

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PM Parks Austerity In Favour Of Prosperity

No memorised speeches for this Prime Minister. A giant lectern. Autocue. And he was never going to forget his promise of a whopping tax cut.

This has been a long time in the planning. Indeed the tough front-loaded austerity programme was always going to end like this: a pre-election tax cut. It is the well-trodden Conservative strategy.

But this speech was more than that.

It was a parking of austerity in favour of prosperity.

David Cameron was spending some of George Osborne's hard-won fiscal credibility.

Video: Cameron's Vision Of A Tory Future

In essence, freezing benefits on Monday helps you offer an unfunded £7bn tax cut for 30 million at some yet-to-be-specified time before 2020.

The millions of beneficiaries - a million on minimum wage taken out of tax, 800,000 higher earners removed from the 40% rate - will just have to take David Cameron at his word. But it might take four years.

In order to get that hearing on the economy and win that trust of centre ground voters, the PM knows he needs to neutralise the mistrust of the Conservatives on the NHS.

Video: Analysis of Cameron's Speech

There was a powerful personal rebuttal to Ed Miliband about Labour's election message of "saving the NHS" from "Tory privatisation".

"How dare they?" question his sincerity on the health service, given, among other things, the tragic experience of his late son, Ivan.

No surprise that cabinet colleagues such as George Osborne and other delegates were lauding this as Mr Cameron's best-ever speech.

Video: Cameron On 40p Tax Rate

The Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond looked close to ecstasy that Mr Cameron had finally dealt with fiscal drag - raising the threshold of the 40p rate of tax up to £50,000 by 2020.

A party that can now imagine a world no longer constrained by coalition

The week started badly for the Camerons. It was always going to get better. The battleground: the NHS, the economy and leadership.

Video: Cameron On Basic Rate Tax

But despite conference confidence, so much of this depends on public trust in one man. David Cameron himself.

Video: Cameron On Zero Hours Contracts

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Hillsborough Cop: Fans 'Have Responsibility'

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

A senior police officer on duty at the Hillsborough stadium on the day of the disaster has said Liverpool fans must take responsibility for what happened.

Former superintendent Roger Marshall was in charge of policing the area outside the stadium where the congestion of supporters began.

When asked about consumption of alcohol by barrister Pete Weatherby QC, who is representing bereaved families, he said: "If you want my honest opinion, I think that some of the fans have a responsibility for what occurred, and for the situation that arose under my command outside."

The ex-policeman said that a "substantial minority" of fans had had too much to drink.

"People were not lying on the floor totally incapacitated. People quite rightly had a drink or two - but I can tell you that some people had a little too much, and to the effect that it coloured their judgement," he added.

Supt Roger Marshall, as pictured on CCTV at the Hillsborough match

Mr Weatherby asked Mr Marshall about accusations that Liverpool fans had arrived late for the match.

He replied:  "It was a major semi-final ... 54,000 people going. I would have thought that if I was going to a football match that was a major event, I would have been trying to get in there well before 2.50pm." 

Earlier the witness said that police had "lost control completely" of the crowd arriving at Leppings Lane End, where 96 fans were to lose their lives.

Video footage was shown of the build-up of fans outside the ground in the hour leading up to the 3pm kick-off.

Mr Weatherby suggested that it showed no apparent misbehaviour by fans.

The ex-policeman said a 'substantial minority' of fans had drunk too much

Mr Marshall said: "People with any common sense would see that this area was completely packed with people. I just question why people would then push and move."

It was put to him that there was no pushing going on in the footage, but the former superintendent replied: "Well, I think there is."

Mr Weatherby added: "They are simply shuffling there – trying to get into the ground, weren't they?"

But Mr Marshall insisted: "I don't think that is shuffling. I think that's pushing."

During the inquest, the retired officer claimed that police at the match did their "professional best".

He went on to say: "The outcome was tragic for everyone. Not just for the fans who lost their lives, which was awful, and the families of these people – but tragic for every police officer. It is a tragedy that affects us all."

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