Cameron welcomes EU chief's pledge

31 August 2014 Last updated at 02:41

David Cameron has welcomed a commitment by the new president of the European Council to reach a deal with the UK on EU reform.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was appointed to the role at a summit in Brussels, said he "cannot imagine" the European Union without the UK.

He said the free movement of workers was a "barrier" that could be reformed.

The PM has pledged to agree a new deal with the EU and put it to a referendum if the Tories win the next election.

'Dark scenario'

At a press conference after his appointment was finalised by fellow European leaders, Mr Tusk, who will give up his role as prime minister of Poland for his new role, said he wanted to "emphasise that the EU, and me personally, will take on the concerns voiced by the UK".

According to the official translation from Polish, he said: "I am talking about the UK because I am sure that the future of the EU is not about making it smaller, about contraction.

"No reasonable person can imagine the EU without the UK. I cannot imagine it myself. I have talked about it with David Cameron. He put forward many proposals for reforms and I am sure with a reasonable framework of politicians we can reach an agreement.

"We can strive to eliminate various barriers - freedom of movement of workers, for example."

He also described the prospect of Britain leaving the EU as a "dark scenario".

Mr Cameron has said he will quit as prime minister after the 2015 election if he cannot guarantee the holding of a referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU.

Writing on Twitter, he congratulated Mr Tusk and new foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on their appointments, adding that he welcomed the Pole's commitment to work with the UK to reform the EU.

Announcing the appointments, outgoing European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said "Britain's place in the Union" was one of three challenges facing Mr Tusk, along with the "stagnating economy" and Russia's dispute with Ukraine.

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US planes drop aid to Iraq's Amerli

31 August 2014 Last updated at 03:09

US planes have made humanitarian aid drops to the besieged Iraqi town of Amerli, the Pentagon has said.

Some 15,000 minority Shia Turkmen in Amerli have been surrounded by Islamic State (IS) militants for two months.

The US also carried out air strikes on IS positions. The Iraqi army, Shia militias and Kurdish fighters have been struggling to break the siege.

Aircraft from the UK, Australia, France joined the US in the humanitarian aid drops, said Rear Admiral John Kirby.

Food, water, and medical supplies were delivered.

Rear Adm Kirby said operations would limited in scope and duration, as required to protect civilians trapped in Amerli.

The UN has expressed fears there could be a massacre if IS breaks through defences in the town, which lies in Kurdish-controlled Iraq.

Earlier, the US launched new air strikes on IS near the key Mosul Dam.

In a statement, the US military said an armed vehicle, a fighting position and weapons were destroyed in the raid.

It said the strikes were in support of operations conducted by the Iraqi security forces near the strategic dam in the north of the country.

IS has been accused of atrocities in areas of Iraq and Syria under its control.

The Shia Turkmen are seen as apostates by the IS militants.

'Booby-trapped'

The BBC's Jim Muir, in the city of Irbil, says the combined forces are mounting an assault on two fronts in the Salahuddin Kurdish area in northern Iraq.

From the south, Iraqi government troops and allied Shia militias are trying to push into the Marin hill, which overlook the plain on which Amirli lies.

With the help of air strikes by the Iraqi air force, they are reported to be making slow progress, with roads in the area heavily mined and booby-trapped by the Islamist militants.

From further north, a combination of army forces, Shia militia and Kurdish Peshmerga fighters is reported to be trying to push down towards Amerli through a string of villages held by IS.

In one village, Salam, local sources said Shia militias had taken control of half of the settlement - but the IS militants fought back and drove them out.

The impression at this stage is that rapid movement to break the siege is unlikely and that it may be a protracted affair, our correspondent says.

The operation is reported to have two objectives: to break the siege of Amerli and to reopen the main highway leading north from Baghdad.

The road is currently blocked by IS.

'Sold for marriage'

Meanwhile, reports from Syria say that hundreds of Yazidi women, another Iraqi minority, have been sold and distributed as wives among militant fighters in Syria.

The women who were abducted during recent attacks by IS in Iraq are said to have been transported to Syria after being forced to convert to Islam.

At least 27 of them were sold to IS members for marriage, according to the UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

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Fairhead to be BBC Trust chairwoman

31 August 2014 Last updated at 04:37

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Rona Fairhead has a strong business and media background and inside experience of politics, as David Sillito reports

Rona Fairhead, ex-head of the Financial Times Group, is poised to become the new chairwoman of the BBC Trust.

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said Mrs Fairhead was the preferred candidate to replace Lord Patten, who quit in May.

Mrs Fairhead, 53, would be the first woman to chair the trust, which is the body in charge of overseeing the BBC.

She said she was "under no illusions about the significance and the enormity of the job" but was "excited" to have the chance to lead the BBC.

"The BBC is a great British institution packed with talented people, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to be the chairman of the BBC Trust," she said.

Continue reading the main story

I have no doubt [Mrs Fairhead] will provide the strong leadership the position demands and will prove to be a worthy champion of licence fee payer"

End Quote Sajid Javid Culture Secretary

Mrs Fairhead was chairwoman and chief executive of the Financial Times Group between 2006 and 2013 as part of a 12-year career with its owner, Pearson.

In 2012, Mrs Fairhead - a non-executive director at HSBC and PepsiCo - became a CBE, receiving the award for services to UK industry.

Earlier this year she was appointed a British business ambassador by the prime minister.

Lord Patten, who was appointed in 2011, left the job of chairman on health grounds following major heart surgery.

A BBC spokeswoman said there was an appointment process that still needed to be completed.

"But we welcome the announcement of Rona Fairhead as the preferred candidate for chair of the BBC Trust," she said.

"We will comment further once the process is complete."

On of the Hurdles Mrs Fairhead still has to negotiate before being confirmed in the job will be facing questions from MPs on the Media Select Committee on 9 September.

'Big job'

The appointment was ultimately decided by The Queen on a recommendation from Culture Secretary Sajid Javid.

Mr Javid described Mrs Fairhead as an "exceptional" individual with a "highly impressive career".

"Her experience of working with huge multinational corporations will undoubtedly be a real asset at the BBC Trust," he said.

"I have no doubt she will provide the strong leadership the position demands and will prove to be a worthy champion of licence fee payers.

"I am sure that under Rona's leadership the BBC will continue to play a central role in informing, educating and entertaining the nation."

Being in charge of the BBC Trust is a "big job", said BBC media and arts correspondent David Sillito.

"You are overseeing the BBC, but you are also in many ways responsible for being the cheerleader, defending it when politicians have got something to say about the BBC," he added.

Negotiations are about to begin over the BBC's royal charter, which sets out the corporation's purposes and the way it is run. It is reviewed every 10 years, and the current charter runs until the end of 2016.

Meanwhile, Women and Equalities Minister Nicky Morgan posted her best wishes to Mrs Fairhead on Twitter.

"Many congratulations to Rona Fairhead who has been appointed as the new BBC Chairman. I know she will be excellent," she said.

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EU sets Russia sanctions ultimatum

31 August 2014 Last updated at 08:29

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European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said the EU "stands ready to take further significant steps"

The European Union has given Russia one week to reverse course in Ukraine or face new sanctions.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said the EU was working urgently on further restrictive measures.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said his country was "close to a point of no return - full scale-war" with Russia.

Russia denies Western accusations that its forces have illegally crossed into Ukraine to support separatists there.

Pro-Russian rebels have made gains against Ukrainian troops in recent days in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Some 2,600 people have died in fighting.

The conflict in the east erupted in April following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula a month before.

'No time to waste'

Western leaders say there is clear evidence of regular Russian military units operating inside Ukraine with heavy weapons.

Speaking after a summit in Brussels, Mr Van Rompuy said the EU "stands ready to take further significant steps in light of the evolution of the situation on the ground.

"Everybody is fully aware that we have to act quickly."

He did not specify the nature of further sanctions, but said the proposals would be ready within a week.

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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko: "We are very close to the point of no return"

Mr Van Rompuy's comments were echoed by other EU leaders:

• German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the new sanctions would be imposed in Moscow did not change course, adding that there was no military solution to the conflict

• French President Francois Hollande said: "Are we going to let the situation worsen, until it leads to war? Because that's the risk today. There is no time to waste."

The US applauded the EU's move.

"We welcome the European Council's consensus today to show strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to prepare further sanctions for consideration in coming days," White House National Security spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said.

The EU and US have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on many senior Russian officials and separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine.

Western sanctions also restrict loans for Russian state banks, block defence-related technology exports and certain oil industry exports to Russia.

Russia denies that its forces are backing the rebels, instead accusing Ukrainian forces of aggression and deliberately firing at civilians.

New Minsk talks

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Angel Merkel says EU leaders are united in avoiding a military solution to the Ukrainian crisis

Speaking in Brussels, President Poroshenko said Ukraine was a victim of "military aggression and terror".

"Any offensive action which would be undertaken [by Russia]... would be a point of no return. And that's why we undertake enormous efforts to stop that."

Mr Poroshenko also said that he would discuss the possibility of a ceasefire at a meeting in Belarus on Monday of the Contact Group, which includes Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said Russia was "practically in a war against Europe".

She said: "We need to support Ukraine, and send military materials to help Ukraine defend itself. Today Ukraine is fighting a war on behalf of all Europe."

UK Prime Minister David Cameron said the EU faced "a completely unacceptable situation of having Russian troops on Ukrainian soil. Consequences must follow if that situation continues".

But Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said the "jury is still out" on whether sanctions had worked, adding: "We need to find a ceasefire, a peace plan."

Federica Mogherini, named on Saturday as Catherine Ashton's successor, said there could be no military solution to the crisis and that while sanctions were being worked on, the diplomatic process would need to continue.

'Ordered to retreat'

Government forces have lost ground in recent fighting.

A Ukrainian military spokesman said on Saturday that Russian tanks had attacked the town of Novosvitlivka near Luhansk and "destroyed virtually every house".

Spokesman Andriy Lysenko said troops had been ordered to retreat from Novosvitlivk

Ukrainian soldiers have also been trying to evacuate Ilovaisk in the Donetsk region, which has been surrounded by the rebels. Reports say a number of soldiers have been killed in shelling by the separatists.

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Cars queue to leave Mariupol, from where Yuri Vendik reports

Rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko told the Russian News Service radio station a new offensive was being planned to create a corridor between Donetsk and Luhansk.

In south-eastern Ukraine, people have been leaving the port city of Mariupol, after advancing rebels captured Novoazovsk to the east.

Western and Ukrainian officials say this offensive has been substantially helped by Russian regular troops, opening a new front. Russia denies the accusation.

War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost

• At least 2,593 people killed since mid-April (not including 298 passengers and crew of Malaysian Airlines MH17, shot down in the area) - UN report on 29 August
• 951 civilians killed in Donetsk region alone, official regional authorities said - 20 August
• In some particularly dangerous places, such as Luhansk region, victims are said to have been buried informally, making accurate counts difficult
• Rebels (and some military sources) accuse the government of concealing true numbers
• 155,800 people have fled elsewhere in Ukraine while at least 188,000 have gone to Russia

Is the EU right to give a one week grace period to Russia? Should they impose new sanctions if their terms are not met? Are you in Ukraine or are at the border? Please share your experiences by contacting haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

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'Urgent' call for obesity taskforce

31 August 2014 Last updated at 08:41

Health leaders are calling for an emergency taskforce to be set up to tackle childhood obesity in England.

In an open letter to the chief medical officer for England, Prof Dame Sally Davies, they say "an entire generation is being destroyed by a diet of junk food and sugary drinks".

They want an action group, made up of doctors, nurses, dieticians, dentists and schools, to be set up urgently.

Currently, around one in three children under 15 are overweight or obese.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Many parents don't recognise their children are obese because many of them are obese themselves."

End Quote Dr Nigel Mathers Sheffield GP

The Royal College of General Practitioners and 11 other organisations signed the letter, which has been timed to coincide with the start of the new school year.

In it, health leaders call for better co-ordination of obesity treatment services so that all children can be encouraged to eat healthily from a young age.

They also call for a raft of other measures, including:

• increased support for the National Child Measurement Programme
• improved investment in IT programmes for weight management
• more training in malnutrition and obesity for GPs and other health professionals
• outreach projects to educate families about the dangers of obesity

The letter's signatories recommend setting up a national Child Obesity Action Group to tackle the problem.

'Lifetime of sickness'

Dr Rachel Pryke, clinical lead for nutrition at the RCGP, said a consistent national approach to treating obesity was needed.

"The nutritional patterns laid out in early years can define a child's health for life and the stark fact is that overweight children are being set up for a lifetime of sickness and health problems.

"As parents and health professionals, we need to take responsibility and ensure that every child has a healthy and varied diet and regular exercise."

She added: "Many schools are rising to the challenge and doing what they can in terms of education and outreach.

"Public Health England are already carrying out children measurement schemes and weight-prevention initiatives are widespread - but child obesity treatment provision is a postcode lottery with many areas having limited or no child obesity treatment services at all."

Dr Pryke said simply collating those figures was not enough and that a consistent response to these statistics was needed, right across the country.

Doctors leaders have also previously suggested banning adverts for fast food and introducing a tax on sugary drinks.

Generation in denial

Dr Nigel Mathers, a GP in Sheffield and a member of the RCGP, said there was a culture of denial among many of his patients.

"Many parents don't recognise their children are obese because many of them are obese themselves.

"Obesity is the new normal and we need a unified approach to manage it."

GPs say they are dealing with a generation of patients who may die before their parents.

Also, because few people associate weight with cancer, children are growing up with a range of health problems that could develop into serious lifelong illnesses, such as Type 2 diabetes.

Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard from the Royal College of GPs said: "These kids are going to turn into larger and larger adults, which means they are at much higher risk of serious heart disease, cancers, strokes, as they get older.

"But even more worrying is some of these children, children as young as seven, are developing diabetes - and the sort of diabetes associated with increased weight in middle age."

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

We need action now. We've got to start by doing proper monitoring of children's weight from birth and then every year of their lives."

End Quote Tam Fry National Obesity Forum

Tam Fry, chair of the Child Growth Foundation and spokesperson for the National Obesity Forum, says the emphasis should be on stopping children getting fat in the first place.

He is sceptical that "another committee sitting around" will do much good.

"We need action now. We've got to start by doing proper monitoring of children's weight from birth and then every year of their lives - and this has to happen through the GP.

"Then GPs should be talking to them about their weight and acting on it."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Tackling obesity is one of our major priorities, but there is no magic bullet to solve the problem, and everyone has a role to play. We know that childhood obesity is at its lowest since 1998 but more should be done. The government is not considering a sugar tax."

The Department of Health added that the Chief medical officer would formally respond to the letter in due course.

Obesity in numbers

The latest figures, from the 2012 Health Survey for England, show that 14% of children aged two to 15 were obese and 28% were classed as overweight or obese.

Those aged 11 to 15 were more likely to be obese with one in five children placed in that category.

In children aged two to 10, 10% of both boys and girls were obese.

So with nearly one-third of children aged two to 15 classed as overweight or obese, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health estimates that the problem is costing the NHS around £4.2bn a year.

It also says children living in the poorest areas of the country are almost twice as likely to be obese compared to those in the most affluent areas when they are at primary school.

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Missing Ashya King found in Spain

31 August 2014 Last updated at 09:57

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A video clip was posted by Naveed King on YouTube which appears to show Brett King and Ashya before they were found in Spain

A five-year-old boy with a brain tumour who was removed from a UK hospital by his parents has been found in Spain.

Ashya King was taken to a hospital in Malaga and his parents arrested, Hampshire police said.

His father Brett King defended his actions in a video posted on YouTube, saying the family were seeking a treatment Ashya had not been offered.

His disappearance from Southampton General Hospital on Thursday sparked an international search.

Hampshire Constabulary said it had obtained a European arrest warrant on the grounds of neglect. The five-year-old had been removed from hospital against medical advice.

In the video Mr King said his son was doing well, indicated a machine used to feed him was operating normally and called for the "ridiculous chase" to be called off.

Support for the parents' actions has also been voiced by some users of social media.

Situation 'very serious'

Mr King said he and his wife, Naghemeh, had been seeking proton beam radiotherapy for Ashya - a treatment that targets tumours directly - because they did not want him to be "pelted with radiation".

"Proton beam is so much better for children with brain cancer," Mr King said in the video.

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Hampshire Constabulary issued a statement after Ashya was found

Mr King said the couple had "pleaded" with health authorities in Southampton for Ashya to receive the treatment, but were told it would have "no benefit whatsoever".

Southampton General Hospital has not responded to the claims made in the video.

The charity Cancer Research UK says proton beam treatment is only available on the NHS in the UK for eye conditions.

It says countries in Europe, Japan and the USA are using or testing the treatment for types of cancer, including spinal cord tumours and cancers of the prostate, lung, liver and brain, as well as some children's cancers.

Mr King said the family was not "neglecting" the boy and Ashya was "responding so much better" than he did in hospital.

What is proton beam therapy?

• It uses charged particles instead of X-rays to deliver radiotherapy for cancer patients
• The treatment allows high energy protons to be targeted directly at a tumour, reducing the dose to surrounding tissues and organs
• In general, it gives fewer side-effects compared to high energy X-ray treatments
• It can be used to treat spinal cord tumours, sarcomas near the spine or brain, prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer and some children's cancers
• In December 2011, the UK Department of Health said that proton therapy will be made available for patients in London and Manchester from 2018

Sources: NHS England, Cancer Research UK

Speaking after the couple's arrest, Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said the family had been located near Malaga.

Staff at a hotel in Malaga had recognised the family and alerted police.

He said Ashya had been showing "no visible signs of distress" when he was found by Spanish police with his parents in the family's car, adding: "There are no winners in this situation."

"We've said all along this must be a terribly distressing time for Ashya's family and I stand by that now. I think it's been a dreadful period for them."

Officers from the UK are due go to Spain to continue the investigation.

Mr Shead said it was too early to say when Ashya would return to the UK, but Southampton General Hospital has been contacted and would liaise with doctors in Malaga.

He said it would be a matter for the doctors to decide when he would return to the UK.

Concerns for his health had grown because he is fed through a complex unit and its batteries, designed only for temporary use, are not easily replaced.

Are you affected by the issues in this story? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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China rules out open Hong Kong poll

31 August 2014 Last updated at 10:16

Chinese authorities have ruled out open nominations for elections to choose Hong Kong's leader.

Authorities said two to three candidates will be nominated by a "broadly representative" committee.

The decision is expected to limit the selection of candidates to pro-Beijing figures.

The pro-democracy Occupy Central movement says it will launch a sit-in in the city's central business district in protest.

The election for Hong Kong's chief executive is due in 2017 and will be the first time the holder of the post is directly chosen by voters.

The Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress said in its decision that while the election would represent "historic progress", "the sovereignty, security and development interests of the country are at stake," and therefore "there is a need to proceed in a prudent and steady manner".

The pro-democracy Occupy Central movement condemned the decision, saying it had "dashed people's hopes for change and will intensify conflicts in the society".

"We are very sorry to say that today all chances of dialogue have been exhausted and the occupation of Central will definitely happen," the group said.

On Saturday China warned foreign countries against "meddling" in Hong Kong's politics, with an article in a state-run newspaper accusing some in Hong Kong of "colluding" with unnamed "outside forces".

A foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying this would "absolutely not be permitted".

Fierce debate

The decision from Beijing comes in amid a huge debate in Hong Kong over its relationship with the mainland.

In June, almost 800,000 people cast ballots in an informal referendum organised by Occupy Central on how the chief executive should be chosen.

This was followed by large-scale rallies held by both sides.

Hong Kong is a former British colony now governed by China under the principle of "one country, two systems". It has retained wide legal and economic powers since being handed back to China in 1997.

But some activists are worried that China's central government is seeking to exert greater political control over the territory.

Also on Sunday, the pro-Beijing leader of the neighbouring territory of Macau was re-elected unopposed by an election committee composed mostly of Beijing loyalists.

A small group of pro-democracy activists protested outside the venue, saying the election would be meaningful only if all citizens could have a say.

More than 90% of voters who responded to a week-long unofficial referendum on the city's political future said they wanted to directly elect their leader.

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Cameron and Clegg to hold terror talks

30 August 2014 Last updated at 07:55

David Cameron and Nick Clegg will hold talks over the weekend to try to reach agreement on new measures to tackle the threat posed by Islamist extremists.

The negotiations come after the UK's terror threat level was raised from "substantial" to "severe" in response to mounting conflict in Iraq and Syria.

The PM will make a Commons statement on Monday to propose new powers to stop would-be terrorists travelling abroad.

It comes as Labour wants more action to stop Britons being drawn to extremism.

The party's leader Ed Miliband suggested the introduction of a "mandatory programme" of deradicalisation for people "drawn into the fringes of extremism".

Writing in the Independent, he also urged the government to revisit the decision to scrap the control orders regime for terror suspects.

His calls come after warnings from the prime minister that the group calling itself the Islamic State (IS), fighting in Syria and northern Iraq, posed an unprecedented risk to the UK.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Cameron said the "threat is growing" from Britons travelling to fight with IS, adding that there were "gaps in our armoury" that needed to be strengthened.

The new alert level rates the risk of an attack on the UK "highly likely", although Downing Street has said there was no evidence to suggest one was "imminent".

It is the second highest of five possible UK threat levels.

Talks between Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg come after the Conservatives have said they wanted to make it easier to seize the passports of would-be terrorists travelling abroad.

The home secretary already has the power - under the Royal Prerogative - to withhold a passport if it is in the public interest to stop somebody travelling.

Mr Cameron is also likely to consider strengthening terrorism prevention and investigation measures - or Tpims - which were the coalition's replacement for control orders.

However, the Liberal Democrats have said they would only agree to policies that were made calmly, on the basis of evidence and that maintained the liberty of British citizens.

'Bombs and rockets'

Former Conservative defence secretary Liam Fox said he believed there should be intervention to deal with IS - including military action if necessary.

"We have to stop where we can the sale of oil on the black market from which it derives all its money, we've got to stop the flow of money from sympathetic groups within the region," Mr Fox told the BBC's Newsnight.

"I think we need to disrupt the command and control and supply lines of ISIS, and that will require air strikes along with the United States if we're asked to do so.

"I think it's also important that the West provides air cover, close air cover for any ground offensive counter attack by the Iraqis or the Kurds."

He added that any strategy had to be proportionate, limited, diplomatic, financial and political.

"But if you do require a military element to complete that strategy, you should be willing to do it," he said.

However, former Liberal Democrats leader Lord Ashdown argued that diplomacy was vital to limit the risk from jihadists.

"I think we have got to get away from this idea which says that in response to everything in the Middle East our answer is bombs and rockets," he said.

Lord Ashdown added that the government was unwise to concentrate on the "threat of jihadis coming home".

He warned that the bigger threat was a potential "regional war" in the Middle East, which would be religious and result in the changing of borders.

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Lib Dems pledge paternity leave hike

30 August 2014 Last updated at 08:34

The Liberal Democrats will pledge to give fathers an extra four weeks' paternity leave in their manifesto for the general election.

The allowance will be extended from two to six weeks under the plans, which are to be unveiled later.

Lib Dem Business and Equalities Minister Jo Swinson said the move was intended to "establish the important role for dads" early in a child's life.

The proposal would extend total parental leave to 58 weeks.

The Lib Dem plan goes further than the coalition's shared parental leave policy, which is set to benefit 285,000 working couples from April.

It could mean mothers and fathers are both entitled to six weeks, with additional time shared between them.

For same-sex couples, both parents would be entitled to six weeks' reserved leave, with the rest also available to share.

'Shared responsibility'

Ms Swinson said: "Extending paternity leave is an important next step to encouraging new dads to spend more time with their child in those vital early weeks and months after birth.

"When parents share caring responsibilities, more equality in the workplace will follow."

Ms Swinson said it was "nonsense" to believe mothers should be left to care for children alone.

She added: "Most dads want to spend more time with their new baby, but can sometimes be discouraged by outdated ideas and cultural barriers in the workplace.

"The 'use it or lose' it six weeks will establish the important role of dads early on, and encourage couples to use the full flexibility on offer."

According to the party, international evidence suggests fathers' use of parental leave is higher when they are given targeted or reserve leave, rather than simply making shared leave available.

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EU mulls fresh response to Russia

30 August 2014 Last updated at 09:58

EU leaders are to meet in Brussels to consider fresh sanctions against Russia following accusations that its troops are fighting inside Ukraine.

Russia denies that its regular forces are backing a rebel offensive in eastern Ukraine.

But ahead of the summit, EU officials said a clear message must be sent to Russia to de-escalate the crisis.

In Ukraine, a number of government troops remain encircled by the rebels in the Donetsk region.

Reports say the pro-Russian fighters have issued an ultimatum to the Ukrainian troops near the town of Ilovaisk to surrender by Saturday morning.

Some 2,600 people have died in fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The conflict there erupted in April following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula a month before.

In Brussels, the leaders of the 28-member bloc are also to decide who will fill two of Europe's top jobs: president of the European Council and foreign policy chief to replace Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton.

'New dimension'

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is in Brussels to meet Mr Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso, the outgoing head of the Commission, ahead of the summit.

Mr Poroshenko is expected to press for tougher action against the Kremlin.

On Friday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that the "already dangerous situation" in Ukraine had now entered "a whole new dimension".

"The border infringements have intensified, and raised concerns that the situation is slipping out of control.

"This needs to stop, especially if we want to avoid direct military confrontation between Ukrainian and Russian military forces."

He was referring to claims by Ukraine that regular Russian troops had entered Ukraine, capturing the south-eastern town of Novoazovsk.

Russia denies the accusation.

Mr Steinmeier's sentiments were echoed by other EU foreign ministers:

• France's Laurent Fabius spoke of "unacceptable" intervention by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine
• Sweden's Carl Bildt said a clear message had to be sent to Russia: "We have to be aware of what we are facing: we are in the midst of the second Russian invasion of Ukraine within a year"
• The Netherlands' Frans Timmermans said the presence of Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine could not "remain unanswered"

But it remains unclear if a new round of sanctions will be adopted in Brussels.

The EU and the US have already imposed sanctions against dozens of senior Russian officials, separatist commanders and Russian firms accused of undermining Ukrainian sovereignty.

In late July, the EU also blacklisted some key economic sectors, prompting Russia to retaliate by banning food imports.

Russia's energy minister has warned that the Ukrainian crisis could lead to a disruption of gas supplies to European countries this winter.

Nato membership

On Friday, Nato held an emergency meeting after releasing satellite images it said showed columns of Russian armed forces inside Ukrainian territory.

Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called on Russia to "take immediate and verifiable steps towards de-escalation".

Mr Rasmussen also indicated Nato could consider Ukraine's application to join the alliance, shortly after Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced he was putting Ukraine on course for Nato membership.

War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost

• At least 2,593 people killed since mid-April (not including 298 passengers and crew of Malaysian Airlines MH17, shot down in the area) - UN report on 7 August
• 951 civilians killed in Donetsk region alone, official regional authorities said - 20 August
• In some particularly dangerous places, such as Luhansk region, victims are said to have been buried informally, making accurate counts difficult
• Rebels (and some military sources) accuse the government of concealing true numbers
• 155,800 people have fled elsewhere in Ukraine while at least 188,000 have gone to Russia.

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Missing Ashya King 'may be in Spain'

30 August 2014 Last updated at 10:13

A five-year-old boy with a brain tumour, missing since being taken out of hospital by his parents against medical advice, may be in Spain.

Hampshire Police said on Saturday that Ashya King's family have "strong links to the Marbella area" and believe they may be travelling there.

Ashya was last seen on a ferry to France after being taken from Southampton General Hospital.

Police described the need to find him as "desperate".

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Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead urged people to remain vigilant

Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead cautioned it was possible the family could be somewhere other than Spain and asked people on the continent to remain vigilant.

He added: "It is really important that we find him and ensure he receives medical attention at the earliest opportunity."

'Very serious'

Police have said it was likely the battery on the feeding system he uses had run out.

ACC Shead said it was unclear whether his parents had spare batteries, or know how to recharge them.

He added: "Without properly administered food Ashya's situation is very serious."

Police in Marbella have been liaising with officers in Hampshire and will now go to a judge to request the search is spread across Spain.

Ashya had been allowed to leave the ward under supervision of his parents.

Hampshire Police confirmed the family are Jehovah's Witnesses, but there is no suggestion this is why he was taken.

Brett King, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45, removed him from the ward on Thursday.

ACC Shead said the latest information was "positive", adding: "We still urge everyone to please help us find him."

"There have been widespread media alerts across Europe, we would now encourage anyone with links to Spain particularly to also help us spread the appeal via social media," he said.

A spokesman for the hospital, which contacted police six hours after they left, said on Friday: "Ashya was a long-term patient who was permitted to leave the ward under the supervision of his parents as part of his ongoing rehabilitation.

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

Interpol has issued a missing persons alert to all 190 of its member countries and said it was treating all information on the case as "high priority".

Clive Coleman, BBC legal correspondent

Parents have the right to remove their children from hospital unless they are prevented from doing so by a court order - it has not been confirmed whether Ashya was subject to an order.

If doctors are concerned that parents intend to remove a child, deny it the medical treatment it needs, and expose it to the risk of serious harm, they can seek a court order.

This will normally involve CAFCASS (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service), the non-departmental public body which provides guardians to represent the best interests of children in family court proceedings.

Once an order is in place, any parent who removes their child in breach of the order is committing a contempt of court for which they could be imprisoned.

ACC Shead said they were told by the hospital the youngster was missing at 20:35 BST on Thursday - more than six hours after he had been taken by his parents.

On why the hospital did not alert police sooner, he said: "That is something that we need to look at."

Officers were keeping an "open mind" on the motives behind Ashya being taken, he said.

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Naveed King spoke about his brother's illness in a video posted on YouTube

The Office of Public Information for Jehovah's Witnesses said in a statement: "There is absolutely no indication, as far as we are aware, that their decision is in any way motivated by any religious convictions."

Jehovah's Witnesses say they refuse blood transfusions on the basis of Biblical teaching. Their website says the Old and New Testaments "clearly command us to abstain from blood".

The family, from Southsea, Hampshire, were travelling in a grey coloured Hyundai I800 Style CRDI, registration KP60 HWK.

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MH17 crash: Briton's body identified

30 August 2014 Last updated at 10:20

The Foreign Office has confirmed the body of John Alder, one of 10 Britons killed in the Malaysia Airlines crash, has been identified.

Mr Alder, who was 63, died alongside fellow Newcastle fan Liam Sweeney and 296 others when the plane was shot down over Ukraine on 17 July.

Western politicians suspect the jet was hit by a Russian surface-to-air missile fired by pro-Russian separatists.

The rebels and Russia blame the Ukrainian military for the crash.

Mr Alder and Mr Sweeney were killed while making a 23,000 mile round trip to see their team play.

Malcolm Pegg, a friend of both men who co-organised a memorial service held at St James' Park, said: "I think it brings closure.

"Liam was buried the other week. They went away together, this has brought them back together.

"It's a mixture of good news [for his family] they're going to get him back, but sad news it's confirmed he's dead."

He added he expected the club's fans to pay tribute to both men by visiting the memorial garden at St James' Park before the game against Crystal Palace at 15:00 BST.

Supporters are also expected to applaud during the 17th minute of the match to mark the date and flight number that claimed the lives of Mr Alder and Mr Sweeney.

Criminal investigation

Two-thirds of the 298 people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 were from the Netherlands, so the Dutch have taken the lead in identifying the bodies, trying to establish what caused the crash and running the criminal investigation.

On Friday Malaysia Airlines announced it was to cut 6,000 staff as part of its recovery plan after being hit by two disasters this year.

The loss of MH17 follows the disappearance of flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March.

The reduction in staff numbers represents about 30% of its workforce of 20,000.

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George Galloway leaves hospital

30 August 2014 Last updated at 10:32

George Galloway has left hospital after being treated for injuries he suffered in a street attack in west London.

The Respect MP for Bradford West was posing for pictures in Notting Hill when he was assaulted on Friday night.

The MP suffered "severe" bruising to his head and appears to have broken some ribs, his spokesman said.

The spokesman said the attack on Mr Galloway appeared to have been prompted by the MP's views on Israel. A man has been arrested over the attack.

The attacker allegedly called Mr Galloway "a Hitler" during the assault.

'Leapt on him'

The MP's spokesman said the assailant had made reference to the Holocaust.

"George was posing for pictures with people and this guy just attacked him, leapt on him and started punching him," the spokesman said.

"It appears to be connected with his comments about Israel because the guy was shouting about the Holocaust."

Mr Galloway was interviewed under caution by police earlier this month over remarks he made about Israel.

After Friday night's attack, the MP made a statement at Notting Hill police station before being taken to hospital for treatment. He left hospital at about 06:00 BST.

He was feared to have suffered a broken jaw but the MP's spokesman said this was not the case.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed police had been called to Golborne Road at about 19:40 on Friday after a man was assaulted in the street.

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Philippine Syria troops 'attacked'

30 August 2014 Last updated at 10:41

Philippine peacekeepers trapped by rebels in the Syrian Golan Heights are "under attack", Philippine Defence Minister Voltaire Gazmin says.

He said the assault had started early on Saturday, but gave no details on any casualties.

In recent days the Syrian rebels have taken 44 Fijian peacekeepers hostage in the area and surrounded 75 Filipinos manning two separate UN posts.

The rebels have also seized a crossing point into the Israeli-occupied Golan.

They are believed to include members of the al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria.

Mr Guzman told reporters on Saturday that the Philippine soldiers had been attacked at one post, identified as camp 68.

The others, based at camp 69 about 4km (2.5 miles) away, are said to be safe.

Worsening security

The Fijian members of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (Undof) were detained on Wednesday near Quneitra, during fighting between rebels and government forces.

Last week the Philippine government said it would bring home its 331 peacekeeping forces from the Golan Heights in October, amid deteriorating security there.

Israel seized most of the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau in south-western Syria, during the 1967 Six-Day War.

The two countries signed an armistice in 1974, after which Undof was put in place to monitor the demilitarised zone.

It has 1,224 lightly-armed military personnel from Fiji, India, Ireland, Nepal, the Netherlands and the Philippines.

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Ex-children's head 'must quit'

29 August 2014 Last updated at 08:40

A former Rotherham children's services director is facing calls to resign from her current job in Australia over the town's child abuse scandal.

Sonia Sharp led Rotherham's children's department from 2005-2008 and now runs education services in Victoria.

A report published on Tuesday revealed more than 1,400 children in Rotherham were sexually exploited from 1997-2013.

Abuse survivors advocate Andrew Collins said she should resign from her current role "immediately".

Mr Collins told the BBC Ms Sharp's position in Australia was now "inappropriate".

Ms Sharp has apologised and said she wished she had been able to do more to prevent abuse.

Earlier this week she was backed by her boss at Victoria's department of education, Richard Bolt, who said: "I have no doubt that Sonia tackled the issue of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham with maximum commitment, professionalism and focus."

However, a care worker has described in detail how abusers would "brazenly" take girls as young as 11 from their children's home.

The care worker told the BBC men would arrive almost "every night" despite staff's efforts to protect the girls and the regular reporting of events at the home to police and care services.

'Evidence of failures'

Ms Sharp's successor Joyce Thacker remains strategic director of children and young people's services in Rotherham.

The council's chief executive Martin Kimber said Ms Thacker was "part of the solution in achieving better services" and should not resign.

Both Ms Sharp and Ms Thacker were interviewed by the inquiry team as part of its work for Professor Alexis Jay, who on Tuesday published a report that said at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited from 1997-2013.

In response to the findings, the government said inspections of children's services in Rotherham would be carried out early.

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Emma, not her real name: 'Police lost my evidence'

South Yorkshire Police was also criticised in the report and Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) deputy chairwoman Rachel Cerfontyn said it raised "serious concerns" about the actions of the force.

As a result, the IPCC has told the force it should be informed of all "evidence of failures" in the way the force acted.

On Thursday Tracey Cheetham, deputy police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, resigned and backed David Cameron in calling for her boss Shaun Wright to step down.

Mr Wright resigned from the Labour Party on Thursday but has refused to quit from his position as police and crime commissioner (PCC), despite also being urged to by Nick Clegg and Labour.

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Abusers 'brazenly targeted girls'

29 August 2014 Last updated at 09:13

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The anonymous worker said he was threatened when he tried to confront the men picking up the girls

A former Rotherham care home worker has told the BBC how girls as young as 11 were "brazenly" groomed and abused in the South Yorkshire town.

The man, who worked at children's homes for four years, said girls would be picked up by taxis and abusers made "no attempts to disguise" their actions.

A report published on Tuesday found at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited from 1997 to 2013.

Those in charge of care services at the time have faced calls to resign.

They include Sonia Sharp, who ran Rotherham's children's services department from 2003 to 2008 and is now in charge of education services in the Australian state of Victoria.

Andrew Collins, an advocate for historical abuse survivors, said Ms Sharp should resign "immediately" from her current job because her position was now "inappropriate".

A care worker, who worked at children's homes from 2003-2007, told the BBC men would arrive almost "every night" to collect girls, who escaped using a range of methods and were then usually driven off in taxis.

Continue reading the main story

Everything we passed on, nothing seemed to go further in any way shape or form"

End Quote Rotherham children's home worker

The carer, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed staff were reluctant to intervene in some cases for fear of being classed as "racist".

"Sometimes, [the men] would phone and they would pick up around the corner, but sometimes they would just turn up and pick up at the children's home," the care worker said.

"It depended on how brazen they were or how much heat they thought was on at the time.

"They did genuinely think who was on shift, who would be likely to go outside the children's unit.

"I used to make a deliberate attempt to let them know that I had clocked their car, that I was taking their registration plate."

'Have you shot'

He said he confronted some of the men, despite warnings from his colleagues that some carried knives.

"They would laugh it off with a good smirk," he said.

"They would sometimes say that they would have you stabbed or shot by one of their associates."

Police were called each time a girl went missing, but officers usually only arrived when the child got back to the home, sometimes "high on drugs" or "incredibly drunk", our source said.

"They led us very much on a merry dance and there wasn't much we could do apart from keep documenting,.

"And we documented every single night, and we spoke to social workers. The social workers were passing that on.

"Everything we passed on, nothing seemed to go further in any way shape or form."

'Struggling for love'

He said he eventually left the home over his frustrations he was failing the children in his care and said he was not surprised at recent revelations of widespread and long-running abuse in the town.

"These young people have already been sexually abused, in many cases," he said, but children who have been abused do not blame their attacker simply because they "are struggling for love".

"[But] you cannot provide love in a children's unit," he said.

"It's one thing that you can't provide, and as a corporate parent it's where we fail.

"And if [the abusers] are providing that, plus drugs, and alcohol and freedoms, or perceived freedoms, then we're never going to be able to keep them safe."

Meanwhile South Yorkshire Police continues to face criticism and the Independent Police Complaints Commission has told the force it should be informed of all "evidence of failures" in the way it acted.

On Thursday Tracey Cheetham, deputy police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, resigned and backed calls for her boss Shaun Wright to step down.

Mr Wright resigned from the Labour Party on Thursday but has refused to quit from his position as police and crime commissioner (PCC), despite also being urged to by Nick Clegg and Labour.

Earlier this week Sonia Sharp apologised for failures in Rotherham and was backed by her boss at Victoria's department of education, Richard Bolt, who said: "I have no doubt that Sonia tackled the issue of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham with maximum commitment, professionalism and focus."

Ms Sharp gave evidence to Professor Alexis Jay's report, which was published on Tuesday and heavily criticised senior officials at Rotherham Council.

Prof Jay's report revealed children in Rotherham suffered abuse included beatings, rape and trafficking to various towns and cities in England.

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Tesco shares drop on profit warning

29 August 2014 Last updated at 10:30

Shares in Tesco have hit an 11-year low after the firm cut its full-year profit forecast to £2.4bn from £2.8bn.

In a statement, the supermarket said the "challenging trading conditions" would affect the group's financial performance. Sales have been sliding and it has been losing market share.

The start date for the new chief executive Dave Lewis has been brought forward to Monday.

The half-year dividend has also been slashed by 75% compared with last year.

Tesco said it anticipated a dividend of 1.16p per share. This represents a saving to the company of about £600m.

In addition, Tesco said it would cut costs. Spending on the business for the current financial year will be no more than £2.1bn, which is £400m less than planned and £600m less than last year. IT will be affected and plans to refurbish its stores will be slowed.

Market share Continue reading the main story

"The Board's priority is to improve the performance of the Group. We have taken prudent and decisive action solely to that end," said chairman Sir Richard Broadbent.

"The actions announced today regarding capital expenditure and, in particular, dividends have not been taken lightly. They are considered steps which enable us to retain a strong financial position," he added.

In early trading, Tesco shares plunged nearly 8% to 226.70p, the lowest level in 11 years. Other supermarket shares - Sainsbury's and Morrisons - also fell.

Shares in Tesco are down 31% so far this year and down 41% since former chief executive Terry Leahy left the firm.

Current chief executive Philip Clarke agreed to stand down last month.

He had been trying to revive Tesco's fortunes through a £1bn turnaround plan, but a trading update in June showed a 3.7% fall in like-for-like sales, which he admitted were the worst figures for decades.

Figures published on Wednesday from the consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel show Tesco sales fell 4% in the 12 weeks to 17 August - the largest slide of the big four supermarkets. Its market share fell to 28.2% compared to 30.2% a year ago.

Analysis: Kamal Ahmed, BBC business editor

By trying to be all things to all people, Tesco is in danger of becoming not quite enough for nowhere near enough people.

The retailer must hope that this is no more than a major reset of profit expectations after the heady days of Sir Terry Leahy.

Under that scenario, plunging profits will stabilise and then run at lower, but predictable levels.

The great fear must be that the UK's biggest retailer has lost its way more fundamentally and that cutting dividends and reducing the amount it spends sprucing up its shops are sticking plasters over an "everything, everywhere" strategy that is simply past its sell-by date.

'On the rack'

In his new position, Mr Lewis, formerly an executive at Unilever, has been told to review all aspects of the business "in order to improve its competitive position".

Clive Black, a retail analyst at Shore Capital Stockbrokers, said: "We expect, as part of a range of measures, considerable senior management change under Mr Lewis, as Tesco needs a world-class top team to take it forward."

"A dividend cut of this degree underlines the extent of the problems Tesco is facing," said Phil Dorrell, director of consultants Retail Remedy. "Throw in the fact that Dave Lewis is being parachuted in a month early and you have a grocer that is truly on the rack.

"What's certain is that we won't be seeing a rapid turnaround," he added.

"Tesco took its eye off the ball in the UK to fund overseas businesses and is paying the price today," said retail analyst Rahul Sharma. It exited the US in 2013, after continued losses at its "Fresh and Easy" brand, and left Japan in 2012 .

Tesco - what went wrong?

• Started losing ground in 2011

• Left US and Japan after failed ventures

• Losing market share to discount retailers Lidl and Aldi
• On the upmarket end of the spectrum, faces stiff competition from Waitrose

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Nato crisis meeting on Ukraine

29 August 2014 Last updated at 10:33

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President Obama: "Russia is responsible for the violence in eastern Ukraine"

Nato officials are holding an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis in eastern Ukraine, as the West steps up its accusations of direct Russian involvement in the conflict.

On Thursday Nato released satellite images it said showed Russian forces inside Ukraine. and said more than 1,000 troops were operating there.

Russia denies sending troops.

Pro-Russian rebels have gained ground recently. Nearly 2,600 people have been killed since April, the UN says.

Heavy fighting is continuing near the strategic port of Mariupol, on the Azov Sea. Rebel forces are trying to capture the city but Ukrainian government troops are digging in.

On Thursday the separatists seized the nearby town of Novoazovsk.

The advance has raised fears that the Kremlin might seek to create a land corridor between Russia and Crimea - a territory annexed by Russia from Ukraine in March.

Rebels are also reported to have surrounded government soldiers in several places further north, near the city of Donetsk.

Ukraine forces near the town of Ilovaysk say they are cut off and have been urgently asking for supplies and reinforcements.

Overnight, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the rebels to open a "humanitarian corridor" to allow encircled Ukrainian troops to leave without unnecessary casualties, though he did not specify the location.

Rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko later told Russian TV that his fighters had agreed to the request, on condition that the Ukrainians hand over heavy weapons and ammunition.

Ukraine security officials said in a statement that the proposal demonstrated that the rebels "are led and controlled directly from the Kremlin".

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Human Rights Watch: "Abduction and torture cases are becoming more numerous"

At least 2,593 people had been killed in the conflict between mid-April and 27 August, the UN said in its latest report.

Human rights violations like abduction and torture were "committed primarily by the armed groups", referring to the rebels, it said.

Separately, Human Rights Watch said in a report that the rebels were subjecting civilians to torture, degrading treatment and forced labour.

'Not home-grown'

The reports of Russian troops fighting with rebels prompted renewed Western criticism of Moscow's role in the conflict.

US President Barack Obama blamed Russia for the escalation but stopped short of saying its troops had invaded Ukraine.

"There is no doubt that this is not a home-grown, indigenous uprising in eastern Ukraine," he said.

"The separatists are trained by Russia, they are armed by Russia, they are funded by Russia."

Mr Obama is due to discuss the crisis with European leaders at a Nato summit in the UK next week.

Nato released satellite images it said showed columns of Russian armed forces inside Ukrainian territory.

Nato Brigadier General Niko Tak said more than 1,000 Russian troops were operating inside Ukraine, both supporting the separatists and fighting on their side.

He told the BBC there had been a "significant escalation in the level and sophistication of Russia's military interference in Ukraine" over the past two weeks.

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The Ukrainian and Russian ambassadors addressed an emergency session at the UN

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said no proof had been provided that Russia was directly involved.

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

At Thursday's emergency session of the UN Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin accepted that there were Russian volunteers in eastern parts of Ukraine, but accused the Ukrainian government of "waging war against its own people".

War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost

• At least 2,119 people had been killed and 5,043 wounded since mid-April, a UN report on 7 August said
• 951 civilians have been killed in Donetsk region alone, the official regional authorities said on 20 August
• Official casualty counts only record certified deaths while in some particularly dangerous parts of the war zone, such as Luhansk region, victims are said to have been buried informally, for instance in gardens
• Rebels (and some military sources) accuse the government of concealing the true numbers of soldiers killed
• 155,800 people have fled elsewhere in Ukraine while at least 188,000 have gone to Russia.

Have you been affected by what's going on in Ukraine? Tell us your story by emailing us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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Parents snatch ill boy, 5, from ward

29 August 2014 Last updated at 10:44

A five-year-old boy with a brain tumour has been taken without consent from hospital by his parents, sparking a major police hunt for the family.

Ashya King was taken from Southampton General Hospital and is now believed to be in France with his parents and six siblings.

Police said he needs constant medical care and there are "serious concerns" for his life if he is not found today.

Brett King, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45 removed him from the ward on Thursday.

"Everyone is sending their love now. We love you so much and we want to see you very soon and I love you so much and can't wait to see you."

It is believed the family boarded a cross-Channel ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg at 16:00 BST and arrived at 20:00.

Police said Ashya, who recently had surgery, cannot communicate verbally and is immobile. He is likely to be in a wheelchair or buggy.

An image of Ashya being wheeled out of the hospital by his father has been released by police.

The force said it was working with police in France to activate emergency child rescue alert procedures.

The family, from Southsea, Portsmouth, were travelling in a grey coloured Hyundai I800 Style CRDI, registration KP60 HWK.

Det Supt Dick Pearson, of Hampshire Constabulary, said: "If we do not locate Ashya today there are serious concerns for his life.

"He is receiving constant medical care within the UK due to recent surgery and ongoing medical issues. Without this specialist 24 hour care, Ashya is at risk of additional health complications which place him at substantial risk.

"He needs to be taken to a medical facility for his urgent health requirements as soon as he is located."

Police have launched a social media appeal and are urging people to share it, particularly with friends or relatives in France and bordering countries.

Ashya's brother Naveed King posted a YouTube video on 23 July speaking about the five-year-old's illness.

He said: "I haven't slept anything really, I've been awake all night worrying.

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

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Legal challenge to badger cull fails

29 August 2014 Last updated at 10:46

A High Court bid to halt this year's badger culling, which will take place without independent monitoring, has failed.

The Badger Trust argued the "controlled shooting" in Gloucestershire and Somerset should only take place with independent observers overseeing it.

Defra lawyers said the monitoring was only intended to run in the first year.

Almost 1,000 badgers are due to be culled in the two counties in a bid to tackle TB in cattle.

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Tory MPs rule out further defections

29 August 2014 Last updated at 10:48

Eurosceptic Tory MPs have rallied round David Cameron after one of their number - Douglas Carswell - defected to UKIP.

Prominent backbenchers Peter Bone, Stewart Jackson and Nadine Dorries are among those to have ruled out a defection to Nigel Farage's party.

Mr Farage said further defections were likely if Mr Carswell won the by-election in his Clacton seat.

But Tory former Cabinet minister John Redwood said this was "a figment of UKIP's imagination".

Mr Carswell decided to stand down as an MP - rather than sitting in the Commons under a UKIP banner until next year's general election - triggering a by-election in his Essex constituency.

If he wins the vote, which is not expected to take place before early October, Mr Carswell would become UKIP's first elected MP, giving the party a long-awaited platform at Westminster to push for Britain's exit from the EU.

His surprise move has prompted speculation about the number of other Tories who could also jump ship, with the The Daily Mail speculating that as many as eight were in talks with UKIP about defection.

'No roll-out'

Mr Farage, who is visiting Mr Carswell's constituency with his new colleague, said he was "constantly" talking to Eurosceptics in the Tory and Labour Party. He said he had first begun serious discussions with Mr Carswell in June, shortly after UKIP topped the poll in European elections.

Mr Carswell said he had turned to UKIP after talking to Mr Cameron's advisers about the PM's pledge of an in/out referendum on Britain's EU membership, which had convinced him the Tory leader was not "serious" about the issue.

Mr Farage told reporters in Clacton: "There is only one party for a genuine Eurosceptic. That is UKIP."

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UKIP MEP Patrick O'Flynn refused to be drawn on the possibility of more Conservative MPs defecting to UKIP but said he was sure they "think about these things"

He said talk of further defections was "speculation", but added: "If Douglas Carswell wins this by-election, and I believe he will, there will be others on the Tory and Labour backbenchers who may think 'UKIP is for us.'"

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson dismissed reports of a "planned roll-out" of defections but said some MPs may be waiting to see the result of the by-election before contemplating such a far-reaching step.

'Dream on'

Conservative Eurosceptic John Redwood said talk of eight defections was a "figment of UKIP's imagination", suggesting that this was merely an estimate of the number of MPs who may have had dinner with Stuart Wheeler, a former Tory donor who is now UKIP's treasurer.

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Roger Lord, prospective UKIP parliamentary candidate for Clacton, talks to James Naughtie

"Dream on UKIP. It is the kind of figure that you would put round if you were UKIP." he told Radio 4's Today programme, adding that the Conservatives were the only party capable of addressing public concerns about the EU and "work out a way forward".

Among MPs to have ruled out joining UKIP include long-standing EU rebels Mark Pritchard, John Baron, Bill Cash, Bernard Jenkin and Jacob-Rees Mogg.

Speaking in Clacton, Mr Carswell said he had a "phenomenal amount of support" since announcing his decision, adding there had been a "real shift in opinion locally".

He added: "I could lose. There is a risk in this. I am putting my principles on the table."

Clacton's voters

The seaside seat of Clacton's population is older than the national average, and pollsters have found that UKIP's appeal is strongest among the over-60s.

Analysis of demographic data by Nottingham University's Matthew Goodwin suggests that Clacton is "the most favourable seat for UKIP in the country".

In graphics: Will Clacton's voters opt for UKIP?

The maverick backbencher had been unhappy with Prime Minister David Cameron's stance over Europe and his shelving of plans to allow recall elections to remove misbehaving MPs between elections.

'Regrettable'

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Mr Cameron said the resignation was "deeply regrettable"

Mr Cameron has said he wants a by-election in Clacton as soon as possible and plans "to go early to Clacton" to campaign. However, a by-election is unlikely to take place before the end of the Conservative Party conference, which concludes on 1 October.

Tory cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith, himself once a persistent rebel over Europe, said his former colleague had made a mistake leaving the party, as the prime minister had now backed an in-out referendum on EU membership.

"In the course of the next few weeks and months we will have to step up the gas and make sure the public understands this," he added.

"The reality is there is only one party promising that referendum."

'Decent thing'

Meanwhile, a UKIP member says he will challenge Mr Carswell to be the party's parliamentary candidate in Clacton, claiming that he had already been chosen to fight the seat in next year's general election.

Mr Lord said Mr Carswell should have done the "decent thing" and contacted him before making his announcement, adding that he expected better treatment.

"There's a few things he could have done but he didn't do," he told Radio 4's Today programme.

"If other candidates are just swept aside willy nilly and not given a fair hearing, then there's no hope for any other candidates in place at the moment," he added. ""If you push somebody too hard they will push back. I'm just pushing back."

UKIP said its ruling body had decided that Mr Carswell would be the party's candidate at the by-election, making clear that this decision superseded arrangements which may have been in place for a general election.

The chairman of the Conservative association in Clacton, Simon Martin-Redman, promised a tough fight against his former MP.

"A lot of people will be very disappointed in him," he told Newsnight.

"I won't criticise Douglas - I'm only disappointed he has done this."

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Depression in cancer 'overlooked'

28 August 2014 Last updated at 01:36 By Smitha Mundasad Health reporter, BBC News

Three-quarters of cancer patients who are clinically depressed do not get the psychological therapy they need, according to research in the Lancet.

This "huge unmet need" is partly due to a focus on physical symptoms at the expense of good mental healthcare, researchers say.

They argue depression is often overlooked but could be treated at a fraction of the cost of cancer drugs.

Charities say the current situation is "heartbreaking".

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It is heartbreaking to think cancer patients who are already dealing with the toughest fight of their lives are also struggling with depression, without adequate support"

End Quote Jacqui Graves Macmillan Cancer Support

'Persistent sadness'

People often wrongly assume that major depression is part of a natural reaction to cancer - but this is much more than transient sadness, the Edinburgh and Oxford university researchers say.

Their report suggests a new nurse-led treatment could help thousands of people.

In a series of studies they analysed data on 21,000 cancer patients living in Scotland.

They found 6% to 13% of people had clinical depression, compared with just 2% of the general population at any time.

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Cancer survivor Sonia Wilson said cancer made her feel "like a burden to society"

Sufferers of major depression feel persistently low, may find it difficult to sleep and have poor appetites.

But researchers found 75% of people reporting these symptoms were not receiving treatment, partly because they did not consider seeking help and professionals did not pick up on their illness.

The reports also show that, even when given a diagnosis and standard NHS treatment, the majority did not feel better.

Scientists say a new nurse-led approach designed specifically for patients with cancer can substantially reduce depressive symptoms.

In their study of about 500 patients, the therapy halved the depression scores of more than 60%.

Patients reported they were less anxious, less fatigued and experienced less pain.

Only 17% of those who had standard NHS care had similar results.

'Profound impact'

In contrast the new intensive, tailored approach is delivered by a trained cancer nurse and involves the wider medical team.

It includes:

• antidepressant drugs
• encouraging patients to become as active as they can be
• problem-solving therapy

Researchers argue that if their programme were rolled out widely it could improve the quality of life for thousands of people.

Their final paper suggests the therapy improves quality of life, regardless of how good a patient's prognosis is.

Dr Stefan Symeonides, of the University of Edinburgh, said: "Day-to-day oncologists like myself see the profound impact depression can have on a patient with cancer."

He added: " [This is] a huge area of unmet need missed by current practice."

Researchers say the therapy costs around £600 per patient.

Jacqui Graves, of the Macmillan Cancer Support charity, said: "It is heart-breaking to think cancer patients who are already dealing with the toughest fight of their lives are also struggling with depression, without adequate support.

"Anyone experiencing depression should get in touch with their GP."

Have you experienced any of the issues raised in this story? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk and include your contact details.

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