GCHQ 'Did Not Break UK Laws' Over Prism

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

GCHQ, Britain's electronic eavesdropping agency, did not circumvent UK law in requesting and obtaining intelligence from its US counterparts gathered from the NSA Prism programme, it has been ruled.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee investigated the allegations made by the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and came to the conclusion that the intelligence agency operated within the law.

GCHQ submitted classified material to the committee as evidence and the agency's Director, Sir Iain Lobban, was questioned.

The committee also discussed the allegations with NSA and congressional counterparts on a recent visit to Washington.

"We have reviewed the reports that GCHQ produced on the basis of intelligence sought from the US, and we are satisfied that they conformed with GCHQ's statutory duties," the report states.

Edward Snowden (top) and William Hague

"Further, in each case where GCHQ sought information from the US, a warrant for interception, signed by a Minister, was already in place, in accordance with legal safeguards contained in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000."

At the time William Hague, who as Foreign Secretary is responsible for GCHQ, described the allegations as "nonsense" and "fanciful".

Responding to the committee's findings, he said: "I see daily evidence of the integrity and high standards of the men and women of GCHQ.

"The committee's findings are further testament to their professionalism and values.

"The Intelligence and Security Committee is a vital part of the strong framework of democratic accountability and oversight governing the use of secret intelligence in the UK.

"It will continue to have the full cooperation of the Government and the security and intelligence agencies."

However, the committee does suggest that the laws governing intelligence operations should be considered to ensure they are still relevant and adequate, although it makes no suggestion that this might not be the case.

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India: 22 Children Die After Eating School Meal

Some 22 children, aged between five and 12, have died after eating free meals at a primary school in eastern India.

At least another 35 children remain in hospital in Patna, the Bihar state capital. Ten of the youngsters are in a critical condition. 

They fell ill after eating a lunch of rice and lentils in Masrakh village in the Saran district on Tuesday. Medical teams treating the children say they suspect the food had been contaminated with insecticide.

A family with their son who fell ill after consuming a free school meal

The children were rushed to hospital in the capital, some 50 miles (80km) south of the village. Some of the other sick children were taken to hospital in nearby Chaapra.

Sky producer Neville Lazarus, in New Delhi, said: "Masrakh is in one of the poorest of the poor states in the country and in a remote place, so there weren't proper medical facilities."

The meal was cooked in the school kitchen, and police have seized all the ingredients used. Lazarus said the cook and her two children had also died.

Bihar's Education Minister P K Shahi said a preliminary investigation suggested the food had traces of phosphorous, which is used to preserve rice and wheat.

A woman cries after hearing that her grandson was one of the victims

R K Singh, medical superintendent at the children's hospital in Patna, said: "We feel that some kind of insecticide was either accidentally or intentionally mixed in the food, but that will be clear through investigations.

"We prepared antidotes and treated the children for organic phosphorous poisoning."

Authorities have suspended a food inspector and registered a case of criminal negligence against the head teacher.

The father of an ill child, Raja Yadav, told reporters that his son was vomiting after returning from school.

Free lunches are used as a way of increasing school attendance

"As soon as my boy returned from school, we rushed to the hospital with him. His condition was not good," he said.

Bihar state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has also ordered an inquiry, announced that families of the dead children will be offered financial compensation of 200,000 rupees (£2,200).

Twenty of the children who died were buried near the school on Wednesday morning as angry residents armed with poles and sticks took to the streets in the city of Chhapra to protest against the state government over the children's deaths.

"Hundreds of angry people staged a protest in Saran since late Tuesday night, demanding stern action against government officials responsible for this shocking incident," district government official S K Mall said.

Angry parents take to the streets in protest at the tragedy

Lazarus described the situation as "tense", with locals saying there was a delay in getting medical help to the children, contributing to the high death toll.

Free meals are offered to impoverished students in state-run schools as part of government welfare measures in many of India's 29 states

The lunches are hugely popular with poor families and educators see the meals as a way of increasing school attendance and stemming malnourishment.

But children often suffer from food poisoning due to poor hygiene in school kitchens and the sometimes poor quality food.

More than 130 students were taken to hospital in the western city of Pune last year after eating lunch at school, the Times of India reported.

A probe revealed that the food served to them was contaminated with E. coli bacteria, strains of which can cause food poisoning.

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Weather: Heatwave Health Alert As Mercury Rises

Health warnings have been issued as Britain continues to swelter in the country's first heatwave for seven years.

After five consecutive days basking in 30C-plus temperatures, forecasters said Britain was in the midst of its first prolonged heatwave since 2006.

The Met Office responded by issuing a "level three heat health watch" for London and the South East and advised "alertness and readiness" for those in the North West and North East.

Level three warnings are only one notch below the most serious alerts and are put out when high temperatures place the very young, the very old and those with chronic diseases at risk.

Forecasters said Wednesday could break the record for the warmest day of the year, with temperatures expected to creep as high as 32C (89.7F) in parts of England.

Two men have died in Norfolk after seemingly ignoring swimming bans

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Wednesday could be the hottest of the current heatwave across the London area with a high of 32C, topping Heathrow's 31.4C on Monday and Kew Gardens' 31.2C yesterday."

Referring to the level three heat-health warning for London and the South East, she added: "The temperature threshold for the region is for daytime highs of 31 or 32C (90F) and night minima of 16 to 18C (64F) over two days and the intervening night."

The alert comes after a series of tragic accidents in which people have died trying to cool off.

Emergency services have reiterated a warning of the dangers of swimming in open water after the bodies of two men were recovered from the water at a beauty spot in Norfolk where swimming is banned. A teenage boy and man in his 40s were found in separate lakes at the Bawsey Pits.

There have been four water-related deaths in Wales over the last week. In the latest accident a man in his twenties was reported dead on Wednesday morning after being pulled from the River Ceiriog at Pont-y-Blew, near Wrexham, the previous evening.

In the Brecon Beacons, a 24-year-old man died while swimming at the Cantref Reservoir and a 52-year-old man did not return from his swim in Pontsticill Reservoir in Merthyr Tydfil.

Only days earlier the body of 14-year-old Hollie McClymont from Glasgow was found in the sea near Fontygary in the Vale of Glamorgan. She was last seen in difficulty in the waters near Barry Island.

Two TA soldiers died of suspected heat exhaustion during an SAS assessment in the Beacons on Saturday.

Doctors at the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) health board, which covers Swansea, say they have been inundated with people suffering with sunstroke and sunburn.

Londoners relax in the high temperatures on the Southbank

Other cases have included toes being amputated due to gardening accidents as well as a rise in those hurt in falls.

Emergency departments have become so busy that people not seeking urgent medical attention are being urged to instead contact their GP or pharmacist to avoid long waits.

ABMU emergency medicine consultant Andy MacNab said: "We are very busy, and we would urge people to take great care during this hot weather. They need to stay cool, avoid sun burn and keep well hydrated.

"If they are using a lawnmower or strimmer, then they need to have sturdy footwear and not cut grass in flip-flops.

"If they are taking part in sports, then they should ensure they are using all the necessary safety gear for their activity, like helmets, for example."

Firefighters in London have dealt with with twice as many grass fires this summer compared with last year, with 1,010 so far.

Motorists have been advised to prepare for summer "getaway" traffic as schools start to break up at the end of this week - including basic checks on coolant levels, tyre pressures and cooling fans.

Traffic is expected to peak on the weekend of July 26-28, with the busiest routes expected to be in the South West as people head for beaches.

Some relief from the heat is in sight, with cooler northeasterly winds set to bring cloudier skies across eastern Scotland and eastern and southeast England from Thursday.

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Kate Beckinsale: Plaque Honours Father Richard

A plaque has been unveiled by actress Kate Beckinsale in honour of her actor father Richard.

He was best known for playing Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom Porridge and Alan Moore in ITV's Rising Damp in the 1970s.

The Nottingham-born actor died aged 31 in 1979 after suffering a heart attack.

A tearful Kate Beckinsale at the ceremony

His daughter visited his former school, College House Junior School in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, for a ceremony where the blue plaque was revealed.

Headteacher Mark North said: "It's a real honour for the school to be a part of this special occasion, dedicated to the memory of Richard Beckinsale.

Richard Beckinsale pictured alongside Ronnie Barker on the set of Porridge

"We are also honoured to host Mr Beckinsale's family and friends.

"We place a high priority on the performing arts in school, and hope that pupils will continue to be inspired by Richard's career for many years to come."

The actress, 39, has starred in movies including Underworld, Total Recall and The Last Days of Disco.

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Queen Jokes: 'Please Have Baby Soon, Kate'

The Queen has said she does not mind if the Duchess of Cambridge has a boy or a girl - but hopes the baby arrives before she goes on holiday.

Her Majesty made the quip in reply to a question from a 10-year-old schoolgirl while on a series of engagements in the Lake District.

Fay Batey, a pupil at Wiggonby CofE Primary School, asked: "Do you want Kate's baby to be a boy or girl?"

The Queen replied: "I don't think I mind."

Then laughing, she added: "I'd very much like it to arrive ... I'm going on holiday (soon)."

Fay and fellow pupils waved Union flags and cheered as the royal party arrived at the Brockhole Lake District Visitor Centre.

The Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital

The youngster later told reporters it was "really, really exciting" to speak to the Queen.

Her Majesty's response echoed the anticipation felt by many over the pending royal birth.

The world's media has gathered outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in central London.

Kensington Palace has refused to comment on speculation the child was due on July 13.

It would only confirm what everyone already knew - he or she should arrive this month.

Whatever the sex, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first child will be next in line to the throne after Prince Charles and William.

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Daniel Pelka: Mum 'Told School Not To Feed Boy'

By Adele Robinson, Midlands Correspondent

A mother accused of murdering her son told his school not to give him any more food, a court has heard.

Magdalena Luczak and her boyfriend Mariusz Krezolek deny killing four-year-old Daniel Pelka in March 2012.

He was allegedly starved for months during a campaign of "incomprehensible cruelty" before being beaten to death.

Prosecuting barrister Jonas Hankin QC, who has been questioning Luczak on her third day in the witness box, asked: "It was you who insisted that Daniel not be given more food at school?"

Luczak replied: "Yes, because I knew Mariusz would check his belly."

Luczak said she used to give Daniel breakfast and a packed lunch for school but that he would not eat in the evenings because Krezolek would not let him.

She said: "He didn't eat after school, and he didn't eat at the weekend, that's why he looked like that."

The court also heard how Daniel's mother would "bribe" him with chocolate to stop him telling teachers what was happening to him at home.

The prosecuting barrister asked how Luczak could "bribe him with the most precious thing of all, the food he was not being given?"

"I don't know but I did bribe him," Luczak replied.

During questioning, Luczak admitted "completely failing" Daniel and knowing that her boyfriend posed a "significant risk" to the boy in the three months before his death.

She was asked how she could "cuddle up to a man who has poured salt into your son's throat?"

"I don't know. I chose Mariusz, I should have protected my own child but I didn't," she said.

Luczak broke down in tears in the witness box as she was shown a body map portraying the injuries Daniel suffered, including 23 bruises on his body and nine on his head.

She admitted she "should have protected him" but did not, saying she would "never forgive" herself.

Mr Hankin said: "You had supplements for your nails and hair, but did not give your own child enough food to enable his bones to grow..."

She replied that she "didn't use the supplements".

The trial continues.

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Costa Concordia Captain In Plea Bargain Bid

The captain of a cruise ship that ran aground off the Italian coast, claiming the lives of 32 people, has made a last-ditch attempt for a plea bargain deal at his trial.

Lawyers for Francesco Schettino, who was in charge of the Costa Concordia liner when it crashed into rocks off the island of Giglio last year, said he was ready to plead guilty in exchange for a prison sentence of three years and five months.

But the defence said it held little hope the judge would allow such a deal as the trial resumed in Grosseto, the town closest to where the shipwreck happened, after a week-long suspension because of a lawyers' strike.

The captain, the only defendant, risks up to 20 years in jail if found guilty on charges of manslaughter, abandoning ship and causing the shipwreck.

The plea bargain request was made after an earlier bid for a deal was thrown out by the judge in charge of preliminary investigations into what happened.

Schettino is accused of abandoning ship before all the crew and passengers had been rescued.

The cruise ship captain speaks with his lawyers

His lawyers argue he prevented an even worse disaster by steering the 290-metre (950ft) vessel into shallow waters after the impact and that he was thrown overboard due to the angle of the leaning ship.

The trial began on July 9 but was immediately suspended because lawyers involved were taking part in a nationwide strike against measures to streamline civil trials.

The hearing, which is expected to last for more than a year, is being held in an improvised courtroom in Grosseto's theatre with the panel of judges seated on the stage.

Before proceedings began on Wednesday Francesco Di Ciollo, who represents two Italian families, said: "We're here today to get justice.

"Survivors have to live with anxiety for the rest of their lives. There was darkness, panic … they were stranded inside without a way out."

Grosseto's theatre is serving as a makeshift court to make room for people

The Costa Concordia crashed off Giglio on the night of January 13, 2012 with 4,229 people from 70 countries on board.

Schettino was nicknamed "Captain Coward" for leaving while terrified people were trapped aboard the vessel and then sobbing in the arms of the ship's chaplain.

The 52-year-old has been depicted as a blackguard who was showing off for a blonde female guest when he performed a risky manoeuvre to "salute" the island.

The Concordia crashed as many of the passengers were sitting down to dinner. A delayed and chaotic evacuation saw some desperately throw themselves overboard into the dark sea as lifeboats ran out.

Many of those who jumped into the sea and managed to swim to shore have recalled their shock and amazement that Schettino was already there on shore others were still on the boat.

Schettino's lawyer Francesco Pepe speaks to the media outside the theatre

Most of the last survivors had to be lifted to safety from the capsized wreck by helicopters.

Some lawyers have been arguing the captain should not be the sole defendant and Costa Crociere, Europe's biggest cruise operator, should share the blame.

Massimiliano Gabrielli, who represents members of a group called 'Justice for the Concordia', accused Costa of "choosing to save the ship instead of saving people" - a reference to the delay of over an hour between the crash and the order to abandon ship.

Schettino's lawyers, Domenico and Francesco Pepe, have called for 100 witnesses and pledged to show that "no single person was responsible".

They plan to question Costa Crociere management and ask about materials used to build the ship and the apparent malfunction of emergency doors and back-up generators.

Moldovan dancer, Domnica Cemortan, who was on the bridge with him when the collision occurred, is also concerned he is the only person on trial.

Domnica Cemortan was with Schettino at the time of the crash

Ms Cemortan was travelling as a passenger but had worked in the past as a hostess for the Italian cruise operator.

She attended court on Wednesday to formally ask to join hundreds of other survivors in civil actions attached to the criminal trial that could result in hefty compensation payments.

Five other people have been charged over the disaster, including the ship's Indonesian helmsman and the head of Costa Crociere's crisis unit.

The five have negotiated plea bargains which are due to be ruled on at a separate hearing on July 20.

The Costa Concordia still lies beached on its side, its rusting frame dwarfed by blue cranes and a floating hotel for divers and salvage workers.

The vessel is due to be re-floated but technical difficulties have repeatedly hampered the salvage and there have been warnings it may be more damaged than previously thought.

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Liam Gallagher Sues Amid 'Love Child' Claims

Liam Gallagher is suing a US newspaper which reported he was embroiled in a New York court case over allegations he fathered a child during a one-night stand.

A spokesman for the former Oasis singer refused to comment on the story but confirmed Gallagher's lawyers are taking legal action against the paper.

Gallagher, who now fronts Beady Eye after the break-up of Oasis, is married to former All Saints singer Nicole Appleton.

He has three children, including one with former wife Patsy Kensit, and one with Lisa Moorish.

Gallagher has a famously frosty relationship with his brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel and recently revealed that he does not even have his sibling's phone number.

The pair have not spoken since Noel walked out of the group in 2009.

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Bernie Nolan Funeral: Hundreds Pay Respects

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

More than a thousand people lined the streets of Blackpool to pay their final respects to Bernie Nolan.

The singer and actress died earlier this month at the age of 52 after a long battle with cancer.

Crowds gathered outside Blackpool's Grand Theatre where a ceremony to celebrate her life was held and broadcast over loudspeakers for mourners and fans.

The former lead singer of The Nolans shot to fame with her sisters in the 1970s, and went on to achieve global success with hits including "I'm In The Mood For Dancing".

Bernie's sister Maureen read a letter Bernie had written for the ceremony prior to her death.

Bernie during her cancer battle in 2010

"Don't be crying too much for me. Obviously I'd like a bit. I think I'm worth a little crying, but not too much," Bernie wrote in the letter.

"No-one has had a better life than me really. Fifty years of singing, some of the best ever shows ... what an amazing time I've had.

"Do not mourn my passing, please. Celebrate ... my wonderful life."

Mourners listened as Bernie's 14-year-old daughter Erin read a poem, and as Linda Nolan paid a tearful tribute to her sister.

Among the guests from the world of showbiz were EastEnders star Shane Richie, singer Joe Longthorne and comic duo Cannon and Ball.

The Nolan sisters (Bernie: top right)

Bernie was given the all clear for breast cancer in 2010 but last year discovered it had spread to her brain, lungs, liver and bones.

She passed away in July with her husband, Steve Doneathy, and family by her side.

The Nolans sold millions of records around the world and enjoyed success with songs such as "Don't Make Waves", "Attention To Me" and "Gotta Pull Myself Together".

They were huge in Japan, where they are said to have sold more records than the Beatles, and also supported Frank Sinatra.

Bernie quit the group in 1994 and made a name as an actress appearing in Brookside and The Bill.

After the service the family invited her friends to join them at Carleton crematorium.

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Google 'Must Do Better' Over Search Concerns

Google must do more to overcome worries that its search results are unfair to its competitors, the European Commission has said.

The company came up with proposals that it hoped would satisfy a three-year investigation into how it displays and ranks search results.

But Joaquin Almunia, the European Union's competition commissioner, said its ideas were not good enough.

If it does not come back with better ideas, it could face a fine of around $5bn (£3.3bn).

"I concluded that proposals that Google sent to us months ago are not enough to overcome our concerns," said Mr Almunia.

He said a letter had been sent to Google chairman Eric Schmidt asking the firm to "present better proposals".

Google has been accused of unfairly flagging up products or services that are listed via its specialised search tools, such as Google Shopping.

The accusation being that customers are kept within the Google framework and rival search services are discriminated against.

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has been asked to 'do better'

Competition bosses are concerned that it is also bad for shoppers as products that are potentially better, more relevant or cheaper, may be listed too low in the results.

Other worries centred on how Google manages the ads next to its search results, how it displays content from other websites and how its actions affect advertising on rival networks.

The company had offered to mark out its own promoted links in search results, provide clear links to at least three rival search sites such as Yahoo and Bing, and make it easier for advertisers to move to rival platforms.

But the measures failed to impress the European Commission, with Google's competitors claiming they were "highly unlikely" to boost competition.

Google spokesman Al Verney said its proposal "clearly addresses" the areas of concern. "We continue to work with the commission to settle this case," he said.

If the two sides cannot agree on a solution then the Commission could take formal action against Google, with a potential fine of 10% of revenue.

Mr Almunia said he wants the case resolved by the end of the year.

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