Austrian Alps Fall Kills British Climber

A British climber has died in the Austrian Alps after losing his balance and plunging around 200 metres (650ft) down a slope.

Police said the 42-year-old man, who has not been named, was hiking with a companion in the Tyrol region in western Austria on Friday.

Neither was an experienced climber, according to police.

The Foreign Office confirmed it was communicating with the Austrian authorities.

A spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Austria. We are providing consular assistance to the family." 

The official tourism website for the area said it is popular with novice hikers and seasoned climbers, with a rating system that includes "easy" hiking trails, moderate mountain footpaths and "extreme" Alpine routes.

The latest tragedy comes just over a month after a British skier died when he fell down the north face of the Aiguille du Midi mountain in the French Alps.

The man was with another skier when they were caught in a storm while descending the challenging Vallee Blanche near Chamonix.

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EDL Leader Tommy Robinson Released On Bail

Two English Defence League leaders have been released on police bail after they were arrested by police in Central London.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan police said: "Two men aged 30 and 44 have been released on bail to a date in mid- August pending further enquiries."

Tommy Robinson had shouted, "You are enforcing Sharia law", at officers who held him on suspicion of obstructing police as he tried to enter the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

EDL member Kevin Carroll was also arrested

The EDL had previously announced plans to walk through part of the capital before gathering outside Woolwich Barracks, near where Drummer Rigby was hacked to death in broad daylight.

But the Metropolitan Police put conditions on the march which demanded that it ended at Old Palace Yard, opposite the House of Lords.

As well as planning to lay flowers in memory of Drummer Rigby, Mr Robinson and EDL co-leader Kevin Carroll, who was also arrested, were walking to raise money for a young girl fighting cancer.

Sky Correspondent Tom Parmenter said: "They'd walked six miles when they were arrested outside Aldgate East underground station.

"Police had been tracking the walk across London and had regularly spoken to them about their route.

"The EDL leaders had been warned not to go past a large mosque in east London or enter the borough of Tower Hamlets.

"As they approached the boundary of the borough they were warned again by officers who told them they may be arrested."

Mr Robinson and Mr Carroll repeatedly asked if they would actually be arrested before another man approached the pair and assaulted Mr Carroll. 

Parmenter said: "As police officers tried to deal with the situation the EDL leaders continued to walk forward and then a senior policewoman placed the pair under arrest."

Mr Robinson is led into a police van

The pair, who were wearing T-shirts bearing the words "support our troops", were led into a police van in handcuffs while complaining about their treatment. They were taken to Wandsworth police station, in southwest London, and two other men were arrested over the assault.

At the start of the walk in Hyde Park, Mr Robinson had said: "There's two of us doing a charity walk.

"They're (police) saying it (Tower Hamlets) is a Muslim area but to me there is no Muslim area, there are just areas of my capital city that if I have to walk from A to B then you have to walk through."

"Obviously I don't want to get arrested and I don't want to get in trouble so we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." 

Scotland Yard said the conditions were imposed because of fears the march and the gathering would result in "serious public disorder" and it had warned that a breach would lead to arrest.

The Met said it had attempted to work with the EDL to facilitate the march and gathering and offered them two alternative routes that avoided the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is home to the East London Mosque.

In a statement posted on the EDL's Twitter feed, the group said: "Tommy Robinson & Kev Caroll arrested for obstructing the police and carted off."

The statement claimed "negotiations" for their release were taking place and that the pair still hoped to walk to Woolwich to lay flowers.

Mr Robinson earlier replied to a tweet asking him what weather he was expecting for Saturday: "ill be in a cell by lunch time so won't matter. Ha ha"

The EDL campaigns against what it says is the spread of radical Islam, but it has been accused of Islamophobia and previous rallies have ended in clashes with anti-fascist groups.

Earlier this week, two American political activists who founded an anti-Muslim group were banned by the Home Secretary from entering the UK following reports they were to attend this weekend's march.

Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer, who set up Stop Islamisation of America and run the website Jihad Watch, have been forbidden from entering the country on the grounds their presence would "not be conducive to the public good".

The police also banned the British National Party from marching from Woolwich Barracks earlier in June and ordered it to move its protest to Westminster.

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NHS Tourism: Govt To Announce Crackdown

Loopholes that allow migrants to wrongly access free UK health care will be closed under a crackdown on abuse of public services next week, Jeremy Hunt will announce.

The NHS bill for treating tourists, estimated to be up to £200m, will also be tackled as part of reforms being outlined by the Health Secretary on Wednesday.

Ex-pats, who currently face paying for care if they live permanently overseas, are set to be given guaranteed access to free NHS healthcare, but only once they have paid 10 years of national insurance contributions.

The changes are part of a government-wide push to cut down on abuse of British services but doctors warned they feared being turned into a "form of immigration control".

Mr Hunt will launch a consultation on introducing a tracking system that would mean a patient's NHS number is linked to their immigration status.

Plans to charge for GP services for people not eligible for free care are also being considered.

It comes after Prime Minister David Cameron said earlier this year that immigrants cannot expect "something for nothing" in the UK.

The new Immigration Bill, introduced during the Queen's speech in May, outlined plans for incomers accessing NHS services to make a contribution to the cost of their care, either with their own money or through their government.

Mr Hunt said: "No one expects health workers to become immigration guards and we want to work alongside doctors to bring about improvements, but I'm clear we must all work together to protect the NHS from costly abuse.

"We want a system that is fair for the British taxpayer by ensuring that foreign nationals pay for their NHS treatment.

"By looking at the scale of the problem and at where and how improvements can be made we will help ensure the NHS remains sustainable for many years to come."

The proposals include tightening up systems for claiming back the cost of treating thousands of European visitors every year from their home country.

An audit will be launched into how much overseas patients and short-term residents cost the health service.

Around £33m went on the treatment of foreign nationals in hospitals in 2011/12, of which around £12m was written off.

According to Department of Health research, less than half of overseas visitors using hospitals are identified and only half of their costs are recovered, but officials pointed to a 2003 report by insurers CCI that put the cost at between £50m and £200m.

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Duchess' 'Hotel' Baby Birth Not For Everyone

The Duchess of Cambridge is just weeks from becoming a mum for the first time - in the "hotel-like" environment of a private hospital.

The experience at the Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital, where it costs £5,000 for the first day of a normal delivery, will differ significantly from that of most expectant parents.

Manchester couple Chloe Renwick, 27, and Matthew Lee-Cook, 28, whose baby is due at around the same time as the Duke and Duchess', have been speaking to Sky News in the months leading up to their big day on July 17.

The pair, who are more than happy with their NHS treatment at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester, told Sky's Adele Robinson what they make of the offering at the other St Mary's - which includes a glass of champagne to toast the new arrival.

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Rolling Stones Make Debut At Glastonbury

By Michael Blair, Arts and Entertainment Producer, Glastonbury

The Rolling Stones have performed at Glastonbury festival for the first time in their 50-year career, headlining the iconic Pyramid Stage.

The band played for over two hours with a set featuring hits from throughout their five decades together including Brown Sugar, Miss You and Start Me Up.

Lead singer Mick Jagger told the audience of thousands: "After all these years they finally got round to asking us!"

After thanking those who had been to see them throughout the years Sir Mick joked: "If it's the first time you've ever seen the band please come again!"

Sir Mick alongside guitarist Keith Richards

Pyrotechnics wowed the crowd while a giant mechanical phoenix rose above the stage during Sympathy For The Devil.

Former guitarist Mick Taylor joined his old bandmates on stage for a few songs and a choir accompanied them for You Can't Always Get What You Want.

The veteran rockers closed the night with a storming rendition of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction complete with a spectacular firework display.

Reaction from festival goers was positive with Zara Steele from Bangor, Northern Ireland, saying: "It was brilliant - Mick has a lot of energy and really gets the crowd going.

"The songs are fantastic and it sounded perfect - they did a great show!"

Kate Moss and husband Jamie Hince at the festival

The heavily anticipated appearance was part of the group's tour marking their 50-year anniversary.

It was thought that the Stones' two concerts at London's O2 Arena in December last year would be the only shows in the UK to celebrate the milestone but the Glastonbury slot was announced in March following years of speculation.

It is understood the band initially objected to the BBC broadcasting the gig in full but a deal was reached to screen just an hour of the show to viewers at home.

Their set followed day two of the festival's performance with Primal Scream, Elvis Costello and Laura Mvula all featuring on the main stage line-up.

After a muddy and wet start on Thursday, the event has enjoyed sunshine and temperatures of 22C, while a drop in crime on the previous Glastonbury will be more good news for founder Michael Eavis.

There have been 160 reported crimes and over 100 arrests have been made.

Sunday marks the final day of the UK's biggest music festival with Mumford and Sons closing the show.

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House Of Lords To Get £100,000 New Toilets

Taxpayers will fund a refurbishment of two toilets used by peers and VIP guests at the Palace of Westminster - at an "eye-watering" cost of up to £100,000.

The men's and women's lavatories in the House of Lords are in "unacceptable condition for the high profile area they are in", according to an advert inviting contractors to bid for the work.

The rooms are not the only toilets in the building and are not particularly big, with one cubicle and two urinals in the men's toilets and one cubicle plus a hand basin in the women's.

However, the costs will not be helped by the fact that the work must comply with English Heritage requirements for grade one listed buildings.

It includes replacing "historic oak panelling", minor demolition work, new decorations and new sanitary equipment.

The toilets - used by peers, staff and visitors from delegations from overseas parliaments - were built in 1937.

They have reached the "end of their serviceable life" and give a "poor image" of the Palace of Westminster, the tender document adds.

Twelve companies have expressed an interest in carrying out the work and a House of Lords spokesman said the winner of the contract would be chosen "with a determined focus on value for money for the taxpayer".

Taxpayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Sinclair said the sums involved were "eye-watering".

"A family could afford to build themselves a home for this much cash," he said.

"The parliamentary authorities need to ensure refurbishments to the estate provide value for taxpayers' money."

The work, which will ensure the toilets in the Salisbury Room area comply with disability access legislation, is estimated to take six weeks.

The last revamp took place more than 20 years ago, and the contract is valued by the House of Commons authorities at between £90,000 and £100,000.

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Dundee's Landmark Tower Blocks Demolished

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

A church in Dundee was the meat in a "demolition-sandwich" when two neighbouring tower blocks were blown down.

St Martin's Episcopal Church is situated just metres from Butterburn and Bucklemucker Court multi-storeys, which have been razed to the ground.

The congregation was decanted elsewhere for their Sunday worship, where prayers were said for the church to survive intact.

The top of one of the buildings appeared to fall onto its side

The Bishop of Brechin, the Right Reverend Dr Nigel Peyton, told Sky News before the demolition: "We'll be praying for everyone involved in the whole day, really. 

"There'll be a lot of other neighbours anxious about their properties and we'll be praying for them. We are confident that the blow down of the 'multis' will go well. 

"We've made our preparations, we've talked to the contractors and have a lot of confidence in them and we've certainly told our insurers!"

A huge pile of debris was left after the towers were brought to the ground

Preparations for the plume of dust included sealing the church organ in plastic, removing valuable items from the premises and taping up exterior doors.

The demolition of the 25-storey blocks removed two landmarks that have been prominent on the Dundee skyline since 1971. 

The 374 flats were demolished by explosives placed strategically in the structure of the buildings. 

A cloud of dust hangs over Dundee after the demolition

More than 10,000 detonators were used by the contractors SAFEDEM, which has worked on the tower blocks for several months, removing internal fittings and weakening support walls prior to the final 'blow down'. 

An exclusion zone has been set up closing off 20 surrounding streets and, as well as St Martin's Church, around 600 homes and 60 business premises were evacuated.   

Dundee City Council advised people in the area to keep windows and vents closed, not to hang out their washing and to cover garden fish ponds.

The demolition took place as part of a regeneration project for Dundee's Hilltown area.

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Cameron Meets Newly-Elected Pakistan PM

Afghanistan: PM Knows Risks Needed

Updated: 4:49pm UK, Sunday 30 June 2013

By Joey Jones, Deputy Political Editor

For years, the focus of British involvement in Afghanistan has been reasonably straightforward.

Fight the Taliban; force them into some form of submission or docility; limit the casualties among British troops as far as possible; try to prepare the Afghans (politically and militarily) to go it alone.

Now that British military involvement is drawing to a close, things are getting more complicated.

The political situation is in flux. President Hamid Karzai is due to leave office next year, creating instability on the government side.

The Taliban are coming to the negotiating table, and are likely to exhibit all the same qualities of aggression, unpredictability, disunity and stubborn endurance as have characterised them on the battlefield.

The process is already chaotic, and even if it succeeds is bound to collapse and be resurrected again along the way.

But the fact David Cameron went to the presidential palace days after an attack on the outskirts of the compound shows he thinks the main protagonists should react with a shrug of the shoulders to such bumps on the road.

Meanwhile, neighbouring countries are weighing the situation with an eye to extending their own sphere of influence.

Amid this maelstrom, for a British Prime Minister, there are decisions to be made, all in the knowledge that each decision could lead to a trap; each judgment could come back to haunt him.

Mr Cameron plainly knows risks have to be taken. He acknowledged as much when he effectively endorsed General Nick Carter's view that the Taliban should have been engaged in a political process way back in 2001.

Speaking in Lashkar Gah, Mr Cameron told Sky News: "I think you can argue about whether the settlement we put in place after 2001 could have been better arranged.

"Of course you can make that argument. Since I became Prime Minister in 2010 I have been pushing all the time for a political process and that political process is now under way.

"But at the same time I know that you cannot bank on that, which is why we have built up the Afghan army, built up the Afghan police, supported the Afghan government so after our troops have left, and they will be leaving under the programme we have set out, this country shouldn't be a haven for terrorists."

Drawing the Taliban into peace talks months after 9/11 would indeed have been thinking the unthinkable, but the Prime Minister is of the view  - though even he might not have been in 2001 -  that unless all sides are engaged, a political settlement will not hold.

Then there is the involvement of neighbouring countries.

Pakistani links with the Afghan Taliban have been until now a source of considerable frustration for the British, who have decried the often malign influence of elements within Pakistan on Afghanistan.

Now, though, those very links are seen as an opportunity - an avenue through which Pakistani politicians might put leverage on the Taliban to show themselves reliable partners for peace.

The risk, as ever, is that if Pakistan throws its weight around within Afghanistan, there is a tendency for the Afghan leadership to rush to the arms of Pakistan's arch enemy India, with the potential only to escalate the problems.

All in all, it is hard to calculate what the situation will look like in a month, let alone a year. Come back soon, Mr Cameron!

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Salford Murder: Police Seek Linzi Ashton Ex

The ex-boyfriend of a 25-year-old mother who was "brutally murdered" in her home is being hunted by police.

Detectives in Salford said Michael Cope, 28, was their main suspect in the death of Linzi Ashton and have warned locals against "harbouring" him.

Bar worker Ms Ashton had clearly suffered face and head injuries when her body was found on Saturday evening by relatives, police said.

It is understood her daughters Destiny, seven, and Daisy, two, were not at home in Westbourne Road, Winton, at the time.

The couple had an "acrimonious" relationship, police said, and officers had been called to the address in the past. Because of this, the case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Ms Ashton's children were not at home at the time of the attack

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Shenton said: "I have named Michael Cope as I believe he is responsible for Linzi's death.

"Linzi and Michael Cope have been in a relationship and that relationship has been acrimonious and the subject of reports to police.

"A young woman has been brutally murdered and our thoughts are with her family and friends at what is obviously a totally devastating time for them.

"I will take a dim view of anybody who provides assistance to Cope knowing that he is being sought by Greater Manchester Police."

A post-mortem examination on Ms Ashton's body was taking place on Sunday.

Neighbours have laid flowers close to the scene as police continue to look for clues.

Tributes were also left at the Duke of York pub in Eccles town centre, where Ms Ashton worked. One read: "Our Lovely Princess Linzi. Fallen too soon. Forever in our hearts and memories."

It is thought Ms Ashton was last seen alive by a friend in the Eccles area shortly before 2am on Saturday.

:: People are advised not to approach Michael Cope. Anyone with information should call police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

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Meat From Diseased Cattle Sold By Defra

Meat from cattle slaughtered after testing positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is being sold for human consumption by Defra, the food and farming ministry has said.

The meat is banned by most supermarkets and burger chains, The Sunday Times reported.

Tesco, for example, rejects it because of "public-health concerns surrounding the issue of bTB and its risk to consumers".

But carcasses from around 28,000 diseased animals are sold to caterers and food processors every year.

The meat then finds its way into schools, hospitals and the military, or is used in products such as pies and pasties, the newspaper said.

A Defra spokeswoman said: "All meat from cattle slaughtered due to bovine TB must undergo rigorous food safety checks before it can be passed fit for consumption.

"The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed there are no known cases where TB has been transmitted through eating meat and the risk of infection from eating meat, even if raw or undercooked, remains extremely low."

Cattle which test positive for bTB must be slaughtered. Unless a private slaughter is arranged, the animals are taken to slaughter by Defra, which then pays compensation to farmers based on the market value.

Compensation ranges from £81 for a dairy calf up to £1,717 for an older breeding bull. Payments for pedigree cattle vary from £639 to £4,471.

Meat from slaughtered cattle is sold with no warning to processors or consumers that it comes from a bTB-infected herd.

A spokeswoman for the FSA said: "All meat must be marked with an identification mark which will indicate the approval number of the plant of origin.

"However, meat from TB reactors (animals that have failed tests for TB), once it has been passed as fit for human consumption, is not required to be marked in any way to distinguish it from other meat.

"Meat which passes the post-mortem inspection is fit for human consumption and does not need additional labelling."

The spokeswoman said that where an inspection of a carcass reveals tuberculous lesions in more than one organ or region it is declared unfit for human consumption and destroyed.

If the lymph nodes in only one organ or part of the carcass are infected, that area is removed and the rest is considered safe to enter the food chain.

"Cooking this meat would be an additional safety step, but we would emphasise the risk even before cooking is very low," she said.

George Browning, an organic farmer in Frankton, Warwickshire, told Sky News he would be "happy enough" to eat meat from a TB-infected animal.

"It's a waste for one thing," he said. "I'd rather eat something that had had TB than had been filled with drugs of all sorts, which I'd view as more unsafe to eat.

"People have got used to having cheap food and if you want cheap, you can't afford to be picky about what's in there."

The Sunday Times claimed Defra's reassurances contrasted with experts' warnings that rising levels of bTB in cattle are becoming a serious threat to human health.

Such claims have been used to justify a cull of tens of thousands of badgers which are said by some to help spread the disease between cattle.

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