Syria Crisis: UK Looks At Taking Refugees

Britain is looking at allowing some Syrian refugees to come to the UK according to the Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Plans are being worked on by the Home Secretary Theresa May, details of which are due to be announced shortly said Mr Hague.

The Secretary of State said there is a case to help the most vulnerable people.

The Government has come under growing pressure from all sides to take in refugees, who have fled the bitter three-year civil war.

Prime Minister David Cameron has rejected Labour calls to sign up to the United Nations refugee sanctuary scheme, although accepting there were "very difficult cases of people who don't belong in refugee camps".

And Mr Cameron had indicated he was ready to take in some of the most vulnerable refugees from camps in and around Syria.

On Wednesday, an opposition vote in the Commons will call for Britain to sign up to the UN appeal for western countries to accept 30,000 of those displaced in the region.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Hague insisted the PM did "open the door" to the possibility of Syrian refugees coming to the UK.

"I think there is a case for particularly helping people who are particularly vulnerable," he said..

"That's what the Home Secretary is working on - how we try to help people who actually might need to get away from that region altogether, who are particularly vulnerable to violence."

The Lib Dems say they have been "arguing for weeks" in government for the UK to take part in the UN scheme designed to help those in greatest need.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Mr Hague's comments indicated the Government is "inching forward" but warned against "a fudge".

"This is about sanctuary for those fleeing persecution, it's not about immigration policy or border control - and it is important that the Home Office doesn't confuse the two," she said.

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Teenage Boy Held On Suspicion Of Girl's Murder

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a teenage girl in Surrey.

The 17-year-old victim was found dead at house in Amy Road, Oxted, at 5.20pm on Friday.

Police say they believe the pair were known to each other, although the investigation is still in the early stages.

A police spokeswoman said: "A murder investigation has been launched by the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team following the death of a 17-year-old girl in Oxted.

"Officers were called to an address on Amy Road at around 5.20pm on Friday, 24 January after the body of a girl was discovered at the property. Her next of kin has been informed.

"The investigation is still in the early stages but it is believed that the victim and the offender are known to each other.

"A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently in police custody."

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Terrorism Suspects Free Of Tough Controls

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A group of terror suspects, branded by officials as a genuine threat to national security, are now free of tough controls designed to prevent them engaging in terrorist activity.

From today, seven of the eight suspects on the UK Government's Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) are now no longer subject to any restrictions.

Terrorism experts have told Sky News that the police and security services would now have to implement costly contingency plans to ensure the suspects were still closely monitored.

The TPIMs programme was introduced by the current Government in late 2011 to replace the much criticised Control Orders regime which allowed the state to place tough restrictions on a small number of terrorist suspects who the authorities were unable to put before the courts.

The TPIMs measures include the wearing of GPS tags, tough controls on the use of phones and computers and restrictions on the people a suspect is allowed to associate with.

But in an attempt to address the widespread criticism and legal challenges the previous Control Orders regime received, the Government set a maximum two-year limit on TPIMs orders.

The measures included tough controls on the use of phones and computers

Seven of the eight TPIMs suspects have now reached that two-year mark and are now free to mix with whoever they want and travel freely without restrictions.

Raffaello Pantucci, a terrorism expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said TPIMS were never a permanent fix for what is a complex issue.

"The problem with TPIMs is that they were always a temporary solution. The underlying problem of what to do with individuals who are clearly of concern to the security services but have not crossed the criminal threshold, how to address these sorts of people, was never really fundamentally addressed."

The former TPIMs suspects, now free of their restrictions, cannot be named for legal reasons, but some were described just months ago as being a genuine threat to the public.

They include 'CD' who the authorities have said is "determined to carry out a Mumbai-style attack in Britain".

He attended a terror training camp in Cumbria in 2004 with four of the five men who went on to launch a failed suicide-bombing attack on the London transport network two weeks after the 7/7 bombings.

Missing terror suspect Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed absconded from his TPIM order

Security sources say he repeatedly tried to buy guns for a suspected plot to carry out a mass-casualty attack in the UK.

Another suspect, 'CF,' underwent terror training in Somalia and was caught in the Olympic Park five times in the months leading up to the 2012 games.

Although he never faced trial, 'AM' was described by the authorities as a key player in the foiled plot to blow up transatlantic airliners using liquid bombs.

Imposing restrictions on those who have never been convicted of a crime has always been controversial and both Control Orders and now TPIMs have been criticised by human-rights groups.

Cerie Bulivant was the subject of an anti-terrorism Control Order for two years. His movements were strictly monitored and his access to people and technology were severely restricted.

At one point he absconded before later turning himself in. After a long battle through the courts, he was eventually cleared of all involvement in terrorist activity.

He told Sky News: "Terror control measures do not work and risk further alienating people."

Cerie Bulivant was subject to a two-year Control Order

Under his Control Order, he said: "I felt like you have a sword hanging over your throat. Any slip or misdemeanour on any number of conditions could lead to you being in prison for five years; all on the basis of what is fundamentally secret evidence and secret courts."

The Government believes the TPIMs programme has been "effective in reducing the national security risk posed by a number of individuals".

Security minister James Brokenshire said: "It is not possible to discuss individual cases, but the police and security services have been working for some time to put tailored plans in place to manage the risk posed by these individuals once their TPIM restrictions are removed.

"These plans, which are similar to those put in place for the release of prisoners who have served their sentences, are kept under constant review."

Some experts estimate it could cost up to £20m to keep the former TPIMs suspects under effective surveillance.

Baroness Neville-Jones says 'society has to be protected against threats'

Former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones said that whatever the cost, they would be monitored.

"Society does have to have protection against people who have represented and may continue to represent a real threat to the community.

"This is a very mild way of doing it because people are having their freedoms restored but on the basis that there is an ability on the part of society to continue to ensure for themselves that actually that freedom isn't being abused."

But the authorities acknowledge no surveillance system is full-proof. Even under the Control Order and TPIM regimes, several suspects managed to escape.

Late last year, Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed absconded from his TPIM order after leaving a west London mosque wearing a Burkha. Three months on, he is still on the run.

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New Drug 'Could Stop Breast Cancer Spread'

An experimental drug that could prevent the deadly spread of breast cancer has been tested by scientists at Cardiff University.

Researchers are now working with UK-based biotechnology company Tiziana Pharmaceuticals to further develop the drug and bring it to clinical trials.

The spread of tumours to organs such as the liver, brain and lungs, known as metastasis, is the main reason why people die from cancer.

In the case of breast cancer, up to 12,000 British women a year develop metastatic disease, often several years after their initial diagnosis.

The new research builds on previous studies of a gene called Bc13 that appears to play a critical role in the spread of breast cancer.

The Cardiff University scientists conducted computer simulations to work out how Bc13 functioned and then blocked it using a compound identified from a "virtual library" of chemicals.

"We showed that suppressing this gene reduced the spread of cancer by more than 80%," said Dr Richard Clarkson from Cardiff University's European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute.

"Our next goal was to then find a way to suppress Bcl3 pharmacologically. Despite great improvements in therapy of early stage breast cancer, the current therapeutic options for patients with late stage metastatic disease are limited.

"There is therefore a clear unmet clinical need to identify new drugs to reverse or at least to slow down disease progression."

In tests on mice, the researchers first deleted the gene and then explored ways of inhibiting it with a drug.

They found the right candidate compound by screening a library of chemicals until one was found that could target Bc13.

When mice with metastatic breast cancer were treated with the compound, the spread of tumours to the lungs and other parts of the body was dramatically reduced.

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E-Cigarettes To Be Banned For Under-18s

Under-18s will be banned from buying electronic cigarettes under new Government plans aimed at cracking down on teenage smoking.

The announcement comes as e-cigarettes are enjoying a boom in sales, with an estimated 1.3 million people in the UK thought to use them.

The law, which will be introduced next week as an amendment to the Children and Families Bill, will also make it illegal for adults to buy cigarettes on behalf of someone under 18.

Adults caught flouting the law could be given a £50 a fixed penalty notice or fined up to £2,500.

The move comes as Department of Health figures reveal that 41% of 15-year-olds who smoke say they usually buy their cigarettes from other people rather than buying them from a shop.

And 95% of 11- to 15-year-olds who smoke have managed to get someone else to buy cigarettes for them in a shop at least once in the past year.

Public Health Minister and Conservative MP Jane Ellison said: "Two thirds of smokers say they smoked regularly before they were 18, showing that this is an addiction largely taken up in childhood.

"We must do all we can to help children lead a healthy life. That's why this measure is designed to help protect children from the dangers of being bought cigarettes by irresponsible adults - something that I hope concerned parents and responsible retailers will welcome."

While many people view the tobacco-free devices as a better alternative to traditional cigarettes, health experts remain concerned about the long-term effects they could have on users' health.

The long-term effects of e-cigarettes on people's health are unknown

E-cigarettes provide a hit of nicotine and some fear they reinforce the behaviour of smoking, making it harder to give up in the long term.

England's chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said: "We do not yet know the harm that e-cigarettes can cause to adults let alone to children, but we do know they are not risk free.

"E-cigarettes can produce toxic chemicals and the amount of nicotine and other chemical constituents and contaminants, including vaporised flavourings, varies between products meaning they could be extremely damaging to young people's health."

Currently there is no restriction on people under the age of 18 buying e-cigarettes, and they are hugely popular among teenagers in Britain.

But it is feared that children are turning to the smokeless devices - designed to help users quit - before moving on to traditional cigarettes.

Many secondary schools across the UK have resorted to banning e-cigarettes over fears they are encouraging pupils to take up smoking.

Smoking rates have fallen to their lowest ever, in the wake of the ban on smoking in public and a series of shocking public health campaigns highlighting the dangers of cigarettes.

But more than 1,000 people end up in hospital every day as a result of smoking, and experts have warned that the growth in e-cigarettes could reverse some of the good work that has been done in tackling the habit.

Ministers hopes the new legislation will come into force by the autumn.

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Trader Robin Clark Shot By Hitman In Essex

A City trader has been seriously injured after being shot by a hitman at an Essex railway station.

Police believe Robin Clark, 44, was "deliberately targeted" as he got out of his car in the car park at Shenfield station at 5.50am on Friday.

The gunman, who was wearing a balaclava, fled the scene in a vehicle parked nearby.

Robin Clark suffered serious injuries. Pic: Robin Clark/Twitter

Mr Clark, who lives in Essex, works for City brokerage firm RP Martin.

He was shot in the leg and is being treated at Basildon Hospital for his injuries, which are not life-threatening.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "As he got out of the car he was approached by an unknown man and received a single gunshot to the leg."

Detective Superintendent Gary Richardson said: "At this stage we believe the victim of this assault was deliberately targeted.

"We do not believe this incident was gang-related and I would like to reassure the public that there is no reason for any undue concern.

"Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, including the motive behind the attack."

A spokesman for RP Martin said: "We are aware of this morning's incident and are giving Robin all the support we can.

"It would not be appropriate to comment any further at this stage."

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Palace Seeks Housekeeper To Run Baths

Buckingham Palace is looking to appoint a housekeeping assistant who will be busy looking after guests of the Royal Family, according to the job description.

The advertisement, which appears on the Royal Household website, says the new recruit's duties will include personal maiding and valeting for guests, including taking care of the dry-cleaning, arranging tea and breakfast trays and looking after the Queen's jewellery.

The 40 hours-per-week job will also include running baths for guests and cleaning "internal glass", although its unclear whether that includes the palace's 760 windows.

The ad goes on to say that the Royal Household employee will be rubbing shoulders with members of the Royal Family and so must have an ability to "maintain confidentiality".

The job description for the housekeeping assistant

The successful applicant for the £14,400-a-year post will be "meticulous, with a close attention to detail" and be "committed to achieving exceptional standards of service provision", the ad says.

Although based at Buckingham Palace in London, the person who is taken on will also be required to work at other royal residences for up to three months each year.

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Weather: Heavy Rain Could Add To Flood Misery

Communities across southern England have been told to prepare for possible flooding as further heavy rain is forecast for today through to Tuesday.

The Environment Agency (EA) has 10 flood warnings in place for the South West, which mean flooding is expected and immediate action is required.

It highlighted the Somerset Levels, which run south from the Mendip Hills to the Blackdown Hills, as an area which should be prepared for further flooding.

An EA spokeswoman said: "With the ground already saturated, rivers and groundwater levels remain very responsive to rainfall, particularly on the Somerset Levels.

Flood warnings and alerts in England and Wales Pic: Environment Agency

"Environment Agency teams continue to operate up to 62 pumps 24 hours a day to drain an estimated 65 million cubic metres of floodwater off an area of the Levels spanning 65 square kilometres."

There is also potential for further river flooding across the southwest and southern counties including parts of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, West Berkshire and Surrey into next week.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning of severe weather for the South West from 6am to 2pm today.

It said rain across the UK would be accompanied by strong winds, and up to 20mm of rainfall is expected.

Many communities are still coming to terms with the flooding that hit Somerset at the beginning of January.

The Somerset village of Muchelney has been cut-off by floodwaters

Somerset County Council has declared a "major incident" for all areas affected by flooding in the county.

The leader of the council, John Osman, told Sky News: "There's no let up in the rain coming down. The water levels on the moorlands are rising. We are getting towards breaking point."

A vital boat service operated by Somerset County Council, which is ferrying people to work and school, as well as taking in supplies, is continuing as the access roads are still flooded.

Sedgemoor District Council has also declared a "major incident" on the Somerset Levels.

Strong winds on Saturday blew bricks and tiles off the roofs of houses and forced residents to be evacuated in a street in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Several people dialled 999 as the storm swept through the town but nobody was hurt, Warwickshire Police said.

The A66 as hill snow falls in the Northern Pennines, earlier

Elsewhere in the county the emergency services and the highways agency have been working with local councils to deal with a number of other storm related incidents including trees which had been brought down by the strong winds, and flooded roads as a result of the heavy rain.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "Today's rain may exacerbate the problems  in the South West but is unlikely to have  much impact away from the already flooded areas.

"This week, there may be some small improvements, in so much as there is no further prolonged heavy rain expected before next weekend, but showers will continue."

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Scottish Independence: 46% 'Don't Mind'

An exclusive poll for Sky News suggests almost half of people living outside Scotland "wouldn't mind" waking up to discover the country was independent from the rest of the UK.

YouGov questioned more than 2,500 people across Scotland, Wales and England.

Some 46% of those outside of Scotland asked to imagine waking up and finding the country independent from the rest of the UK said they "wouldn't mind", while 34% said they would be dismayed and 11% said they would be delighted.

When adults in Scotland were asked the same question, there was more evidence of the task facing Alex Salmond, the leader of the Sottish National Party, and the Yes campaign - with 46% saying they would be dismayed and just a quarter saying they would be delighted.

The referendum is de to take place on September 18

Speaking to Sky News for a special programme on Scottish independence, Mr Salmond, told Dermot Murnaghan he was confident people will vote in favour of Independence in the September 18 referendum.

He said the move would bring potential benefits and opportunities for people living in the north of England and Wales - referring to northern English councils' proposals to collaborate far more closely with their Scottish neighbours, as part of the Borderlands initiative.

"It is not for me to intervene in English affairs, but if you want a commentary, if I were a politician in the north of England, I would be campaigning avidly for more economic and political powers for that area.

"There are many people in Wales for example cheering Scotland on, because the tendency over the last generation has been that as Scotland has had increased power Wales has followed that. Therefore, it has been a good thing for other areas of the country."

The Yes campaign is currently a long way behind the polls

The Yes campaign is a long way behind the polls. But the First Minister, who believes independence will benefit the Scottish economy, also believes he can turn the situation around.

"Opinion polls tens to ask people how are you going to vote tomorrow, and people will answer on that basis.

"The referendum is not tomorrow. This referendum is in September, and therefore the campaign you will fight to win this referendum is one that engages people ... and that engagement is going to culminate in September - that's the point to be in front."

He also re-emphasised the proposal for a Scottish Broadcasting Corporation with "dedicated Scottish channels" which would look at Scottish, international and UK news from a Scottish perspective.

Mr Salmond said: "Scotland is not a county, or a district, or a region - Scotland's a country, it's a nation.

'Better Together' campaigners have been hitting the streets too

"That nation exists in friendship with other nations, and after Scottish independence, England will be our best pals, our closest neighbours, our best pals in the world. That's as it should be.

"That doesn't nullify or attack our case for Scottish independence - on the contrary, inter-dependence in the modern world strengthens the case."

Asked what he would do if he woke up on September 19 and found that he had lost the referendum, he replied: "I intend to win."

Former chancellor Alistair Darling, who is chairman of the Better Together campaign, said the UK was "more than the sum of four parts".

He told the Murnaghan show: "The advantage for us, the opportunities that come from being part of something bigger, in terms of jobs because we have got a bigger economy, in terms of the clout we have in the European Union and other international organisations, and the bonds between the four countries - I think you have to think long and hard before throwing that away."

Alistair Darling believes the referendum will be closer than people think

He said he believed the referendum was "going to be closer than people think", adding: "It is all to play for."

Scottish actor Brian Cox told the programme the UK had a "broken political system" in which "England gets the tap end of the bath", while London had always been a "separate principality".

"One of the best things that could have happened to the English parliament is that it moves to somewhere like Wolverhampton," he suggested.

"It seems to me the logical step is that we do have our own nation, we deserve it, and it has been a long time coming."

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Ed Balls: Labour 50p Tax Rate Not Anti-Business

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has defended himself against accusations that he is anti-business over his plans to reintroduce the 50p top rate of tax.

It follows criticism from business leaders and a former Labour City minister who have warned that the move will damage the economic recovery.

Xavier Rolet, CEO of the London Stock Exchange Group, told Sky News: "The right tax rate for entrepreneurs is what motivates investments.

"There are worries and certainly concerns that we do share that increasing the taxation, reversing if you want, the measures that have been taken in the last few years, could impact not only foreign but also domestic investments."

Lord Myners, the former Labour City minister, has also attacked the policy, warning that the economics do not add up and the move would take the party back to the days of "old Labour".

But Mr Balls insisted Labour was "a pro-business party".

"This is not an anti-business agenda but it's an anti-business as usual agenda," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

The cost of living is shaping up as a battle issue for the next election

"It's absolutely not back to the 1980s or the 1990s. I was part of a government which did very many things to open up markets, make the Bank of England independent, to work closely with business but the reality is we are in very difficult circumstances and because, if I'm honest with you, George Osborne's failure in the last few years, those difficult circumstances will now last well in to the next parliament."

Sky's Darren McCaffrey said: "We have heard a whole succession of business leaders come out and criticise the policy.

"They say it is going to damage British business and drive away talent and could undermine Britain's economic recovery.

"So, this is a significant shift for the Labour Party and it does really worry people in the business community.

"He was forced to admit the move was not going to generate an awful lot of money, but it was about sending a political message to those at the top - they still need to pay their way while the deficit remains in force."

Mr Balls would appear to have public opinion on his side. A Mail on Sunday poll suggests some 60% supported the move, while just 17% were opposed.

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