Spain: British Man Held Over Father's Death

A British tourist has been arrested on suspicion of killing his 69-year-old father during a fight at a holiday camp in a Spanish beach resort.

A security guard reportedly called police to the Castell Montgri camp in the village of L'Estartit near Girona after an argument broke out between the man, 45, and his father. It is not thought any weapons were used in the lethal attack.

Police discovered the suspect's father lying on the ground with serious head injuries and he was taken to hospital where he died later. Reports suggest 

A police spokesman said: "Officers from the Mossos d'Esqudra have arrested a 45-year-old British man in connection with the death of his 69-year-old father.

The Castell Montgri holiday camp is located in the town of L'Estartit

"The victim was taken by emergency services to hospital to be attended for the wounds he suffered, while local police in Torroella de Montgri arrested the alleged perpetrator for domestic violence.

"The victim died this morning and investigators from the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan regional police) took on the case."

An autopsy is due to take place today to confirm the cause of death.

The Castell Montgri holiday camp is located at the foot of the Rocamaura mountain next to the town of L'Estartit in the Costa Brava region of northeast Spain. This resort is popular with British tourists during the holiday season.

Police have yet to name the deceased or his son.

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Delhi Gang Rape: Teenager Found Guilty

A teenager has been found guilty of the gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student on a bus in New Delhi last year.

The verdict is the first handed down in a case which shocked the world in its brutality and led to widespread protests over sex crimes against women in India.

Police outside the juvenile court

The physiotherapy student died of internal injuries after being raped and assaulted with an iron bar.

It is alleged that six men took part in the attack on the night of December 16, 2012. Her male companion was also beaten up before both were thrown from the bus.

The 18-year-old has been sentenced to three years in a correction facility - the maximum penalty he could be given. The sentence will include the time he has already served custody.

The court case ended in July but the juvenile court had postponed the verdict for the youngest defendant, 17 at the time, four times.

"He has been held guilty for rape and murder and sentenced to three years subject to review," Anil Sharma, the chief investigating officer in the case, told reporters outside the court in the capital.

The woman's mother emerged from the court in tears and said: "He got just three years ... from December onwards he has been given three years."

Her family had earlier called for the teenager to be given the death penalty, saying the juvenile justice system, which seeks to reform rather than punish, was too lenient.

During the trial the court heard that the teenager refuted the police charge sheet that he was the "most brutal" of all the six accused men.

His lawyers submitted there was no medical evidence to connect him to the charges and no fingerprints could be detected within the bus to show complicity.

A native of Uttar Pradesh, the suspect came to Delhi when he was 11.

He worked at a number of road side restaurants before taking up a cleaner's job on the bus. He told the court he was a victim of the alleged ringleader of the group, Ram Singh, for whom he worked and "was not paid by for months".

Singh, 34, killed himself in jail in March.

The trial of the four other suspects is taking place at a fast-track court in New Delhi.

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Syria: Regime 'Ready To Retaliate' To Strike

Syria: US Report On Gas Attack

Updated: 8:13pm UK, Friday 30 August 2013

The US released its assessment of the Syrian government's alleged involvement in the August 21 chemical weapons attack in Damascus. Here is the text.

The United States Government assesses with high confidence that the Syrian government carried out a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs on August 21, 2013. We further assess that the regime used a nerve agent in the attack.

These all-source assessments are based on human, signals, and geospatial intelligence as well as a significant body of open source reporting. Our classified assessments have been shared with the US Congress and key international partners. To protect sources and methods, we cannot publicly release all available intelligence - but what follows is an unclassified summary of the US Intelligence Community's analysis of what took place.

Syrian Government Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21

A large body of independent sources indicates that a chemical weapons attack took place in the Damascus suburbs on August 21.

In addition to US intelligence information, there are accounts from international and Syrian medical personnel; videos; witness accounts; thousands of social media reports from at least 12 different locations in the Damascus area; journalist accounts; and reports from highly credible nongovernmental organisations.

A preliminary US government assessment determined that 1,429 people were killed in the chemical weapons attack, including at least 426 children, though this assessment will certainly evolve as we obtain more information.

We assess with high confidence that the Syrian government carried out the chemical weapons attack against opposition elements in the Damascus suburbs on August 21. We assess that the scenario in which the opposition executed the attack on August 21 is highly unlikely.

The body of information used to make this assessment includes intelligence pertaining to the regime's preparations for this attack and its means of delivery, multiple streams of intelligence about the attack itself and its effect, our post-attack observations, and the differences between the capabilities of the regime and the opposition.

Our high confidence assessment is the strongest position that the US Intelligence Community can take short of confirmation. We will continue to seek additional information to close gaps in our understanding of what took place.

Background:

The Syrian regime maintains a stockpile of numerous chemical agents, including mustard, sarin, and VX and has thousands of munitions that can be used to deliver chemical warfare agents.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad is the ultimate decision maker for the chemical weapons program and members of the program are carefully vetted to ensure security and loyalty. The Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC) - which is subordinate to the Syrian Ministry of Defence - manages Syria's chemical weapons program.

We assess with high confidence that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year, including in the Damascus suburbs.

This assessment is based on multiple streams of information including reporting of Syrian officials planning and executing chemical weapons attacks and laboratory analysis of physiological samples obtained from a number of individuals, which revealed exposure to sarin. We assess that the opposition has not used chemical weapons.

The Syrian regime has the types of munitions that we assess were used to carry out the attack on August 21, and has the ability to strike simultaneously in multiple locations. We have seen no indication that the opposition has carried out a large-scale, coordinated rocket and artillery attack like the one that occurred on August 21.

We assess that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons over the last year primarily to gain the upper hand or break a stalemate in areas where it has struggled to seize and hold strategically valuable territory. In this regard, we continue to judge that the Syrian regime views chemical weapons as one of many tools in its arsenal, including air power and ballistic missiles, which they indiscriminately use against the opposition.

The Syrian regime has initiated an effort to rid the Damascus suburbs of opposition forces using the area as a base to stage attacks against regime targets in the capital. The regime has failed to clear dozens of Damascus neighbourhoods of opposition elements, including neighbourhoods targeted on August 21, despite employing nearly all of its conventional weapons systems.

We assess that the regime's frustration with its inability to secure large portions of Damascus may have contributed to its decision to use chemical weapons on August 21.

Preparation:

We have intelligence that leads us to assess that Syrian chemical weapons personnel - including personnel assessed to be associated with the SSRC - were preparing chemical munitions prior to the attack. In the three days prior to the attack, we collected streams of human, signals and geospatial intelligence that reveal regime activities that we assess were associated with preparations for a chemical weapons attack.

Syrian chemical weapons personnel were operating in the Damascus suburb of 'Adra from Sunday, August 18 until early in the morning on Wednesday, August 21 near an area that the regime uses to mix chemical weapons, including sarin. On August 21, a Syrian regime element prepared for a chemical weapons attack in the Damascus area, including through the utilisation of gas masks.

Our intelligence sources in the Damascus area did not detect any indications in the days prior to the attack that opposition affiliates were planning to use chemical weapons.

The Attack:

Multiple streams of intelligence indicate that the regime executed a rocket and artillery attack against the Damascus suburbs in the early hours of August 21.

Satellite detections corroborate that attacks from a regime-controlled area struck neighbourhoods where the chemical attacks reportedly occurred - including Kafr Batna, Jawbar, 'Ayn Tarma, Darayya, and Mu'addamiyah. This includes the detection of rocket launches from regime controlled territory early in the morning, approximately 90 minutes before the first report of a chemical attack appeared in social media. The lack of flight activity or missile launches also leads us to conclude that the regime used rockets in the attack.

Local social media reports of a chemical attack in the Damascus suburbs began at 2:30 a.m. local time on August 21. Within the next four hours there were thousands of social media reports on this attack from at least 12 different locations in the Damascus area. Multiple accounts described chemical-filled rockets impacting opposition-controlled areas.

Three hospitals in the Damascus area received approximately 3,600 patients displaying symptoms consistent with nerve agent exposure in less than three hours on the morning of August 21, according to a highly credible international humanitarian organisation.

The reported symptoms, and the epidemiological pattern of events - characterised by the massive influx of patients in a short period of time, the origin of the patients, and the contamination of medical and first aid workers - were consistent with mass exposure to a nerve agent. We also received reports from international and Syrian medical personnel on the ground.

We have identified one hundred videos attributed to the attack, many of which show large numbers of bodies exhibiting physical signs consistent with, but not unique to, nerve agent exposure. The reported symptoms of victims included unconsciousness, foaming from the nose and mouth, constricted pupils, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing.

Several of the videos show what appear to be numerous fatalities with no visible injuries, which is consistent with death from chemical weapons, and inconsistent with death from small-arms, high-explosive munitions or blister agents. At least 12 locations are portrayed in the publicly available videos, and a sampling of those videos confirmed that some were shot at the general times and locations described in the footage.

We assess the Syrian opposition does not have the capability to fabricate all of the videos, physical symptoms verified by medical personnel and NGOs, and other information associated with this chemical attack.

We have a body of information, including past Syrian practice, that leads us to conclude that regime officials were witting of and directed the attack on August 21. We intercepted communications involving a senior official intimately familiar with the offensive who confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime on August 21 and was concerned with the UN inspectors obtaining evidence.

On the afternoon of August 21, we have intelligence that Syrian chemical weapons personnel were directed to cease operations. At the same time, the regime intensified the artillery barrage targeting many of the neighbourhoods where chemical attacks occurred. In the 24 hour period after the attack, we detected indications of artillery and rocket fire at a rate approximately four times higher than the ten preceding days.

We continued to see indications of sustained shelling in the neighbourhoods up until the morning of August 26.

To conclude, there is a substantial body of information that implicates the Syrian government's responsibility in the chemical weapons attack that took place on August 21. As indicated, there is additional intelligence that remains classified because of sources and methods concerns that is being provided to Congress and international partners.

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Syria Crisis: US May Act Without Allied Support

President Barack Obama may proceed with military action against Syria even without allied support, US officials have said.

But they stressed no final decision has been made on America's response to the Syrian government's alleged chemical weapons attack, which is said to have killed 1,300 people.

Veto-holding members of the United Nations are at odds over a draft Security Council resolution that would authorise "all necessary force" in response to the alleged gas attack.

The UK's traditional role as America's most reliable military ally was called into question when David Cameron became the first British prime minister in history to be blocked by MPs over the prospect of military action.

A chastened-looking PM, struggling to make himself heard over calls of "resign" from the opposition benches, told them "I get it" as he abandoned hopes of joining any US strike on Syria.

Mr Obama is under pressure to provide a legal rationale for military action

Speaking after the historic defeat, the White House said Mr Obama would decide on a response to chemical weapons use in Syria based on US interests, but that Washington would continue to consult with Britain.

British chancellor George Osborne acknowledged that the inability to commit British forces to any American-led operation against Assad would damage the special relationship between Westminster and Washington.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think there will be a national soul-searching about our role in the world and whether Britain wants to play a big part in upholding the international system, be that big, open and trading nation that I like us to be, or whether we turn our back on that."

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said the relationship between Britain and the US was "bruised but not broken". "I don't think there's a divorce on the cards, a bit of bickering perhaps," he added.

David Cameron was blocked by MPs over the prospect of military action

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, speaking on a trip to the Philippines, said: "It is the goal of President Obama and our government ... whatever decision is taken, that it be an international collaboration and effort."

America is mulling whether to strike Syria without UN backing despite some of the more hawkish figures in the US cautioning against military action.

Former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who helped spearhead US invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan, said: "There really hasn't been any indication from the administration as to what our national interest is with respect to this particular situation."

He said, if anything, the US should be more concerned with Iran.

Earlier, top US officials spoke to key Democrat and Republican politicians for more than 90 minutes in a conference call to explain why they believe the Syrian regime was responsible for the suspected chemical attack.

A UN weapons expert at the site of an alleged chemical attack in Syria

They have been pressing Mr Obama to provide a legal rationale for military action, and to lay out a firm case linking President Bashar al Assad's forces to the attack.

Tennessee Senator Bob Corker, a senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said after the briefing that "strong evidence of the Assad regime's continued use of chemical warfare" merited a military response.

It remained to be seen whether any sceptics were swayed by the call, given the expectation that officials would hold back classified information to protect intelligence sources.

"The main thing was that they have no doubt that Assad's forces used chemical weapons," New York Rep Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said after the briefing.

But he said officials did not provide much new evidence of that.

"They said they have (intercepted) some discussions and some indications from a high-level official," he said, and that they possess intelligence showing material being moved in advance of the attack.

France announced that its armed forces "have been put in position to respond" if President Francois Hollande decides on military action.

He does not need French parliamentary approval to launch military action that lasts less than four months.

Moscow and Beijing have both vetoed previous Western efforts to impose UN penalties on Syria.

China has also been keen to show it is not taking sides and has urged the Syrian government to talk to the opposition and meet demands for political change.

Mr Assad, who has denied using chemical weapons, vowed his country "will defend itself against any aggression".

Mr Obama has ruled out putting American forces on the ground in Syria or setting up a no-fly zone over the country.

He said any US response would be limited in scope and aimed solely at punishing Mr Assad for deploying deadly gases, not at regime change.

The most likely military option would be Tomahawk cruise missile strikes from four Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

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Kate's First Appearance Since Birth Of George

The Duchess of Cambridge will join husband William at the start of an event on Anglesey when she makes her first official public appearance since the birth of Prince George.

William will be joined by his wife as he launches the gruelling, three-day annual "ultra" marathon run around the coast of the island, known as the Ring O' Fire.

The Duke is attending one of his final public engagements on Anglesey as his time there with the RAF comes to an end.

The couple will meet some of the runners and their families and volunteers before the start - but they will not be taking Prince George along.

The annual event is a 135-mile foot race around the rugged coast of Anglesey, staged over three days and including 13,695 feet of ascent.

The couple presented Prince George to the world in July

The presence of Kate is a surprise - it was revealed only today that she would be joining her husband.

William said a public goodbye to Wales a fortnight ago as he confirmed his young family would be leaving their Anglesey home and moving "elsewhere" when his posting comes to an end this month, having completed his three-year tour of duty as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot based at RAF Valley.

He is widely expected to leave North Wales and return to London with Kate and their baby son to take on more royal duties rather than stay in the service.

At the Anglesey Show, he spoke movingly about his time on the island, saying he would miss living and working in the area "terribly" and joked about the demands of looking after a newborn baby with Kate.

With the birth of George last month, the Cambridges are now a family unit and their Kensington Palace apartment is expected to become their main home.

William will start the race, beginning near Holyhead, at 1pm.

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Syria: Cameron Still Wants 'Robust Response'

Vote A Huge Blow To Cameron

Updated: 11:20am UK, Friday 30 August 2013

By Adam Boulton, Political Editor

The Commons defeat over military action in Syria is indeed a stunning blow to David Cameron's authority at both a tactical and strategic level.

No one at Westminster can recall Parliament ever rebuffing a prime minister on the proposed use of force before.

In previous times, a defeat on a matter of defence and security might have caused a government to fall.

That is not expected to happen this time because of the fixed term parliament which binds the coalition government in office.

Nevertheless, the former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown has told Sky News Mr Cameron is now a "broken-backed prime minister".

To take the tactics first, questions will be asked about why the Prime Minister rushed back from his holiday and recalled Parliament when he had neither the country nor enough of his own coalition behind his wish to join the Americans in a punishment attack on Bashar Assad for the use of chemical weapons.

In a desperate attempt to get a decision from Parliament, Mr Cameron watered down his own proposal.

He made it so the green light was only in principle and only once the UN had completed its work, and promised British MPs a second vote.

Even that was not enough and was rejected in the Commons.

Some of the 30 Tory rebels are now claiming it was a good day for Parliament and the Chancellor says Mr Cameron should be applauded for giving MPs a say.

However, Tony Blair also sought parliamentary approval before the invasion of Iraq, and he won it.

Some blame "the shadow of Iraq" and the general sense that the British people were deceived into a war which turned out badly for the public and political opposition to Syrian involvement.

But New Labour veterans say the Cameron team simply did not do the groundwork making the case for military action.

The Prime Minister will speak to Barack Obama later.

We still don't know if the US will proceed with strikes, but the White House has already made clear that America will not be swayed by the British decision.

The strategic question is what this says about Britain's role in the world.

The Chancellor expressed the hope that this does not mean Britain will turn its back on the world's problems in the future.

Lord Ashdown said he was depressed that we will do nothing about Syrian children being burned.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said he believed the vote would harm the special relationship with the US.

But Conservative rebel and former Defence Minister Crispin Blunt said he would be happy if Britain played a diminished role in the world.

Meanwhile, the New York Times commented that Britain now seems increasingly isolated from its allies in Europe and North America.

Effectively, Mr Cameron now faces the task of rebooting his Government after a severe setback to his personal authority and that of his coalition partner Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

It is likely much will be said about the power of parliament, but the job of a prime minister has traditionally been to lead as first amongst equals.

Instead, Mr Cameron has failed in his objective on Syria, strained Britain's relationships with its closest ally, and failed to make the case for intervention against the use of chemical weapons.

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Syria: Russia 'Sending Warships To The Med'

Syria: How The World Is Reacting

Updated: 2:04pm UK, Wednesday 28 August 2013

There has been international condemnation of the alleged chemical attack in Syria, which it is claimed killed more than 1,300 people. This is how some countries are responding:

:: United Kingdom

Prime Minister David Cameron has recalled Parliament for an urgent vote on a possible military response, while the Government says armed forces are drawing up contingency plans for a potential attack.

Britain has drafted a UN resolution condemning the attack and "authorising all necessary measures", although Foreign Secretary William Hague has said the West could act even without full UN Security Council backing.

:: United States

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says its military is prepared to act if Barack Obama calls for it.

Last year, Mr Obama warned Syria it risked crossing a "red line" by using chemical weapons against civilians. In an interview with CNN, he said the alleged massacre of more than 1,300 people was a "big event of grave concern" and something that would "require America's attention".

:: Russia

A strong ally of President Bashar Assad, Russia has called on both sides to co-operate with UN inspectors. It suggested the alleged attack could be a "premeditated provocation" by opposition forces. Moscow has warned Washington of the "extremely dangerous consequences" of military action against the Damascus regime. The recent crisis has driven a new wedge between Russia and the West over Syria, with Moscow and Western capitals offering vastly different interpretations of the incident.

:: China

China supports what it called the UN's "objective, impartial and professional investigation" and has said the Syrian government must "ensure the smooth progress" of inspectors' work.China is sceptical of Western use of force, with Beijing's official news agency running a commentary recalling the 2003 Iraq invasion on the grounds that it possessed banned weapons - which were never found. China joined Moscow in vetoing measures against Assad in the UN Security Council.

:: France

Foreign minister Laurent Fabius has said a "reaction with force" could be necessary if allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria are proved. He has ruled out sending in ground troops, however.

:: Iran

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the country's ISNA news agency that US military intervention in Syria would be "a disaster" for the Middle East. He added: "The region is like a gunpowder store and the future cannot be predicted."

:: Germany

The German government has suggested it would support an international military response against Syria if it is confirmed that President Bashar Assad's troops attacked opponents with chemical weapons.

:: Turkey

Foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu has claimed the use of chemical weapons is "evident" from video footage. A vehement opponent of the Assad regime, Turkey has said it would join an international coalition against Syria even if the Security Council fails to reach consensus on the issue.

:: Italy 

Italy has ruled out taking part in any type of military intervention without UN Security Council approval, saying there was no alternative to "a negotiated political solution".

:: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia called for "firm and serious" action against the Assad regime for the alleged gas attack.

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Syria Warns British MPs Not To Be 'Reckless'

Syria has warned British MPs to avoid "reckless action" as they prepare to debate the suspected chemical attack in Damascus.

The Speaker of the Syrian Parliament wrote to Commons Speaker John Bercow to make clear the consequences of a military strike.

His intervention came after David Cameron was forced to drop plans for early intervention after Labour made clear its opposition.

The Government was further angered on Thursday morning when the Opposition vowed to push ahead with its own amendment, claiming it sets out a better path.

Tensions in Westminster mounted as it emerged six RAF Typhoon jets have been sent to Cyprus as a "prudent and precautionary measure."

Meanwhile, reports suggested Russia is sending an anti-submarine ship and missile cruiser to the Mediterranean.

Making clear the high stakes involved, the letter from Syria suggested international strikes could help terrorists and lead to the deaths of many British soldiers.

It said: "Before you rush over the cliffs of war, would it not be wise to pause? Remember the thousands of British soldiers killed and maimed in Afghanistan and Iraq ..."

The letter urged: "We ask you not to bomb us but to work with us ..." and invited Parliament to send its own delegation to Syria to check the conclusions of UN inspectors.

It condemned the chemical attack in Damascus "without reservation", continuing its repeated denial that is was not responsible for the massacre last week.

An international strike would be "an aggressive and unprovoked act of war", it declared, adding: "By attacking and weakening Syrian targets and institutions you would automatically strengthen our common enemy, Al Qaida and its affiliates."

Police guard the entrance to Downing Street during a rally against action

Parliament has been recalled for an emergency debate on the crisis in Syria and MPs will vote at 10pm tonight on the Government's motion.

But the Prime Minister has already bowed to pressure from Labour and rebel Tory MPs and promised a second Commons vote before Britain supports military action.

MPs will now vote today on the principle of military action in response to a "crime against humanity" by Bashar Assad's regime.

Labour could still oppose the Government after vowing on Thursday morning to press ahead with its own amendment.

It calls for the inspectors to be given time to complete their report and for the production of "compelling evidence" that the Assad regime was responsible for the use of chemical weapons.

UN weapons inspectors are continuing to collect and analyse evidence

Ed Miliband said: "I'm determined to learn the lessons of the past, including Iraq, and we can't have the House of Commons being asked to write a blank cheque to the PM for military action."

A party source added: "We believe it [the amendment] gives a clearer road map, sets our clearer, criteria, of what must be done before any military action is taken."

David Cameron has been forced to retreat

Downing Street is furious at being backed into a corner and sources accused Mr Miliband of "playing politics" and trying to divide the country.

Mr Cameron chaired a Cabinet meeting this morning and will then make the case for military intervention at the start of the Commons debate at 2.30pm.

Ahead of the session, all the main party leaders will meet with their backbenchers in a final push to win their support.

Legal advice and evidence gathered by the intelligence services is also being published by Downing Street this lunchtime.

Parliament was recalled earlier this week following an international outcry at an apparent chemical weapons attack in Damascus.

The Government's motion calls for efforts to secure a UN Security Council resolution and more time for inspectors, both of which were demanded by Labour.

It now also vows: "Before any direct British involvement in such action, a further vote of the House of Commons will take place."

Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Government had made "an effort to accommodate the concerns and questions of other parties" in its motion.

He said the motion "reflects the deep concerns in this country about what happened in Iraq" and stressed the Government's desire for a "consensual" approach.

"We are determined to take action against war crimes, against crimes against humanity and that is what the use of chemical weapons constitutes, but that we will also proceed as far as possible on a consensual basis," he said.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has confirmed weapons inspectors will complete their investigation on Friday and will report to him directly with their findings after leaving Syria on Saturday.

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Rolf Harris Charged With Child Sex Offences

Rolf Harris has been charged with nine counts of indecent assault and four counts of making indecent images of a child.

The 83-year-old is accused of the assault offences between 1980 and 1986 relating to two alleged victims, who were aged 14 and 15 at the time, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

The charges he faces are:

:: Six counts of indecent assault relating to a girl aged between 15 and 16, from 1980 to 1981;

:: Three offences of indecent assault relating to a girl aged 14, in 1986;

:: Four offences of making indecent images of a child between March and July 2012.

Harris was interviewed under caution on November 29 last year, five days after his Berkshire home was searched.

Police passed their evidence to the CPS on August 12.

"We have carefully considered the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police Service as part of Operation Yewtree in relation to Rolf Harris, who was initially arrested on November 29 2012 over allegations of sexual offences," said the CPS' Alison Saunders.

Harris performed last year at the Queen's Jubilee concert

"A file of evidence was passed to the CPS on August 12 2013.

"Having completed our review, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for Mr Harris to be charged."

Harris will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 23.

The Australian, who painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year, has been a family favourite for decades.

He had his first musical hit Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport in 1960, and continued to enjoy success in the industry, gaining cult status in recent years and performing at Glastonbury festival several times.

He also proved popular as a television presenter, getting his first big break in 1967 when he began hosting his own BBC1 programme, The Rolf Harris Show, before moving on to children's television in the 1980s and then to Animal Hospital, which he hosted from 1994 to 2004.

Harris, who has lived in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 50 years, was awarded an MBE in 1968, an OBE in 1977 and a CBE in 2006, and was made Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours list last year.

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Syria: Father Reunited With His 'Dead' Son

A Syrian father's nightmare is over after he learned the son he thought had been killed in a chemical weapons attack is alive.

Video has emerged of the moment the pair are reunited in a suburb of Zamalka, surround by friends and relatives.

The heart-warming film uploaded to YouTube shows the boy first being handed over to someone who appears to be a relative before his relieved father is given the news his son is alive.

Safe: the little boy is reunited with his father

As they are about to be reunited he is so overcome with joy and shock that his legs buckle and he bursts into tears.

Those around him shout "Allahu akbar" (God is great).

The man is so distraught and emotional his son has to be momentarily taken away from him while he composes himself.

Later in the video the boy is seen in his father's arms as he is kissed and hugged.

Some 1,300 Syrians are reported to have been killed in the attack in Damascus, with a further 3,600 treated for neurotoxic symptoms.

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British Soldier Dies In Mont Blanc Fall

A British climber has died after falling 1,000m (3,281ft) from near the peak of Mont Blanc, according to Italian news agency Ansa.

The man, who is known to be a member of the Armed Forces, was said to be climbing with a partner although the two were not roped together, police in Entreves near the French border revealed.

The climber began his ascent on the French side of the mountain but fell on the Italian side.

A Spanish climber saw the fall and raised the alarm.

The victim's body was recovered by mountain rescue in Italy's Val d'Aosta region and taken to Courmayeur.

An investigation has been opened, the report said.

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Syria Crisis: Cameron Holds 'War Talks'

David Cameron is holding 'war talks' at Downing Street as military commanders draw up plans for missile strikes against Syria.

Mr Cameron is chairing a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) after insisting the West must not "stand idly by" in the wake of Syria's suspected chemical attack.

In talks by telephone last night with US President Barack Obama, the two leaders agreed that "all the information available confirmed a chemical weapons attack had taken place", said a Downing Street spokesperson.

"They both agreed they were in no doubt that the Assad regime was responsible," said Number 10.

David Cameron cut short his holiday to return for the talks

Britain has also drafted a United Nations resolution condemning the attack and "authorising all necessary measures".

It will be put forward when the five permanent members of the UN Security Council meet in New York later.

The government's NSC meeting is expected to discuss the intelligence gathered by UN inspectors from their initial visit to Mouadamiya, the site of last week's suspected chemical weapons attack that allegedly killed more than 1,300.

General Sir Nick Houghton, chief of the defence staff, is also expected to outline a series of options for targeted attacks.

A UN weapons inspector visits wounded Syrians after the alleged gas attack

It is understood the most likely military response would be a strike launched from US Navy warships against targets such as command and control bunkers.

The US Navy is repositioning several vessels, including four cruise missile-carrying destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as a missile-firing submarine.

A child is treated after the alleged chemcial attack

Military analysts have also suggested a British Trafalgar class submarine might be used as a potential launch platform.

However, some experts remain sceptical about whether limited strikes on tactical targets would provide a strong enough deterrent.

Defence analyst Francis Tusa told Sky News: "I'm not necessarily sure it puts any particular pressure on the regime to change its behaviour.

"Losing the odd bit of hardware that the Russians will replace for free doesn't seem to be that much of value."

More than 1,300 are said to have died as the result of the alleged attack

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also responded to the rising tensions.

He reportedly said that US military intervention in Syria would be "a disaster for the region".

"The region is like a gunpowder store and the future cannot be predicted," Iran's ISNA agency quoted him as saying.

Parliament will be recalled on Thursday for a final vote on what action the UK should take.

Sky sources say a government motion is expected to call for "appropriate measures" but will not contain a timetable for action.

A vast number of the victims were children

Speaking yesterday, Mr Cameron said action must be "proportionate, have to be legal, would have to specifically be about deterring the use of chemical weapons".

Decisions about British involvement have not been taken, he said on Tuesday, adding Parliament was the "right place to set out all of the arguments".

"We shouldn't stand by when we see this massive use of chemical weapons and appalling levels of suffering," he said.

"But I would say this to people - there is never 100% certainty, there is never one piece or several pieces of intelligence that give you absolute certainty.

"But what we know is this regime has huge stocks of chemical weapons. We know they have used them on at least 10 occasions prior to this last widescale use."

Labour leader Ed Miliband has indicated that his party would consider supporting international action if it was legal and had "clear and achievable goals".

While political momentum towards intervention mounts, the British public has yet to be persuaded.

A YouGov survey for The Sun revealed that nearly three-quarters of people oppose the deployment of British troops to Syria.

And a majority of 3-1 believe the Government should be bound by Parliament's vote tomorrow.

Meanwhile, UN weapons inspectors arrived at the site of the alleged attacks on Wednesday morning, a day after suspending their mission over safety concerns.

The inspectors came under sniper fire when they began their operation on Monday.

Russia has confirmed it has started to pull its citizens out of Syria as the likelihood of military action increases.

It flew 89 people out of the country on Tuesday night and 28 more on Wednesday morning.

The country is strongly against the intervention, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov believing it would seriously destabilise the region.

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China Internet Hit By 'Largest-Ever' Attack

China has been hit by the "largest ever" attack on its internet structure, crashing servers across the country, according to a government agency.

Websites with a Chinese address - ending in .cn - went down for around two hours early on Sunday, the China Internet Network Information Centre (CNNIC) said in a statement.

The cyber attacks work by overloading servers with a huge number of requests to view internet pages - so much so that the system cannot cope and freezes. 

After the first attack, a second wave was described as "the biggest of its kind ever", CNNIC said.

"The resolution of some websites was affected, leading visits to become slow or interrupted."

The organisation did not say who might have been responsible.

Washington has repeatedly accused China of trying to hack the websites of US government agencies and businesses.

But Beijing has always denied the accusations, saying China itself is a victim of internet attacks.

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Syria: UK Draws Up Plans For Military Action

Britain's Armed Forces are drawing up plans for military action in Syria as the Assad regime says it will use "all available means" to defend itself.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is back in London after cutting his family holiday short, is deciding whether he will recall Parliament while he continues talks with global leaders on possible intervention.

Downing Street said Mr Cameron is considering what would constitute a "proportionate response" after the alleged toxic gas attack, which is said to have killed more than 1,300 people.

Mr Cameron is under pressure to be able to legally justify any intervention.

Mr Moualem says any foreign strike on his country would be "delusional"

A build-up of military aircraft on British base RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus suggested that planning had reached a developed stage.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has declined to rule out action, such as targeted air strikes, being launched within days.

At the same time, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem says any foreign strike on his country would be "delusional".

He says Syria will defend itself against any strike using "all available means".

"We have two options: either to surrender, or to defend ourselves with the means at our disposal," he said.

UN chemical weapons experts visit people affected by the alleged attack

"The second choice is the best: we will defend ourselves."

Mr Muallem also claims today's UN inspections had to be scrapped because of disputes between rebels.

Snipers shot at the UN team on Monday, but the inspectors still managed to collect some "valuable" samples.

The UN inspections will take place tomorrow instead, Mr Muallem said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the use of chemical weapons was "undeniable".

Syrian President Bashar Assad's will be held accountable for the "moral obscenity", Mr Kerry said.

There has been a build-up of military aircraft at RAF Akrotiri

"Let me be clear. The indiscriminate slaughter of civilians, the killing of women and children and innocent bystanders by chemical weapons is a moral obscenity," Mr Kerry said.

The US also postponed a Syrian crisis meeting with Russia that was scheduled for this week because of America's ongoing review of the attack.

Russia - the Syrian regime's most powerful ally - said postponing The Hague meeting was a "serious disappointment".

Moscow also warned that any use of force against Syria would have "catastrophic consequences".

"We call on our American colleagues and all members of the international community to show prudence, strict observance of international law, and above all, the fundamental principles of the UN Charter," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Russia's Emergencies Ministry has told Sky News that it is sending a plane to Syria today to take in humanitarian aid and is planning to bring around 150 of its citizens out.

David Cameron is under mounting pressure to recall parliament

Mr Assad denies using the chemical weapons and Moscow - which supplies arms to Syria - has backed claims that video footage of victims could be opposition propaganda.

Back in the UK, Mr Cameron, Mr Hague and other ministers are preparing for Wednesday's National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Syria.

But Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander, told Sky News that MPs must be given a vote before any British military action.

Mr Alexander said he hopes other options besides military intervention are being being considered by the UK, US and other countries.

A UN weapons expert gathers evidence in Damascus

"I don't rule out supporting the Government [on intervention], but I think it's incumbent on the Government to make its case, to produce the evidence, to answer questions and to allow Parliament to have its say," he said.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Middle East envoy, said it was vital to "take sides" against the Assad regime and in other regional disputes.

Mr Blair, who took the decision for British troops to join the US-led action in Iraq, wrote in the Times: "I know as one of the architects of policy after 9/11 the controversy, anguish and cost of the decisions taken.

"They have to be defeated. We should defeat them, however long it takes because otherwise they will not disappear. They will grow stronger until, at a later time, there will be another crossroads and this time there will be no choice."

Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said it was "inconceivable" to act before the UN inspectors had completed their work.

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Nursery Rapist: Repeated Warning Signs Missed

Warning signs that might have prevented a predatory paedophile raping children at the nursery where he worked were ignored, a serious case review has found.

Paul Wilson, 23, was jailed for life in 2011 after pleading guilty to two counts of rape and more than 40 offences relating to grooming children online.

He had been able to take "advantage of weaknesses in the system," Jane Held, independent chair of the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) said in a statement.

"The review found that it was known by the nursery, Ofsted and the local authority that Wilson had a 'special relationship' with [a] child which should have raised the alarm and been examined in more detail," said Ms Held.

"The lack of supervision of the perpetrator, failure to understand the risks of 'special relationships' with individual children, the layout of the nursery and the weak safeguarding practice within the setting combined to create an environment where the external factors that might have deterred the perpetrator from abusing the child were missing.

"The local authority did not communicate to the relevant agencies and investigate when the initial child protection concerns were raised. In addition there was a failure by Ofsted and the local authority to properly investigate concerns and a lack of rigour and depth to the nursery inspection process."

Wilson, from Birmingham, worked at the Little Stars nursery.

Outside of work, he befriended young girls online, often posing as a child, and encouraged them to expose themselves on a webcam.

Subsequently, he would use the images to blackmail the children into carrying out sex acts.

At the time of his sentencing, he was described as "a very, very dangerous individual," by Detective Inspector Kay Wallace of West Midlands Police who led the investigation into his activities.

The Serious Case Review has made eight key recommendations.

Ms Held said: "Parents should be able to trust the people they leave their children with to ensure that children are properly protected. In this case there were unfortunately a number of weaknesses in the way that nursery was run and a number of opportunities to intervene earlier and prevent the continuation of abuse which were missed."

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Crocodile Victim Sean Cole's Body Recovered

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

The body of a man who was snatched by a large crocodile in the north of Australia has now been recovered.

IT worker Sean Cole, 26, was taken on Saturday in front of at least 15 onlookers as he swam with a friend across a muddy river that has one of the highest densities of saltwater crocodiles in the world.

He had been celebrating his friend's 30th birthday at the Mary River Wilderness Retreat when the pair decided to take a swim in the croc-infested water, about 68 miles (110km) from the city of Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory.

Northern Territory Police senior constable Wade Rodgers said his body was found early on Monday in the area where he was last seen.

Police believe they have shot the crocodile responsible for the attack

"Our thoughts are with the family during this very difficult time," he said.

Mr Cole's friend survived.

Witnesses had recounted seeing the animal, believed to be nearly five metres (16 feet) long, swimming upriver with his body in its jaws.

The Northern Territory News said a survey three weeks ago recorded four crocodiles over four metres in the area and 10 to 12 measuring more than three metres.

Parks and Wildlife Ranger Tom Nichols said four crocodiles had been shot, including the one believed to be responsible for the attack.

Police had been searching the Mary River for the Mr Cole

"Any animals that were in that range which we believed to be a possible target in the area where the accident took place, we usually take them out for simple reasons," he said.

"We do autopsies on those and it's also closure for the families if there's anything there."

The pair had gone swimming despite notices and verbal warnings from staff at the retreat about the dangers of crocodiles in the area.

Friend Glen Spearing, from the University Rats Football Club, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation it was out of character for Mr Cole to go swimming in a river known for crocodiles.

"I think myself along with everyone else, when we found out we honestly didn't believe that it would have been Sean, we would have expected it to be almost anyone else in the club but Sean," he said.

"[It] just seemed extremely out of character for him."

Frida Pettersson, who was camping close to where the attack happened, also told the ABC that the frightening incident will hopefully put off others from venturing into the water locally.

A recent survey in the area recorded about 15 large crocodiles

"It was my first time there - obviously I'm never going to forget it, and for my children," she said.

"It's just another wake-up call about water safety and to be aware of the water."

Saltwater crocodiles, which can grow up to seven metres long and weigh more than a tonne, are a common feature of Australia's tropical north.

They have been protected since the 1970s and their numbers have increased steadily since, along with the number of human encounters.

Last December, a nine-year-old boy was taken by a four-metre crocodile while swimming in the Northern Territory.

Adults tried to save the boy but the crocodile dragged the youngster out to deeper water.

In November 2012 a girl, 7, was taken by a saltwater crocodile at Gumarrirngbang outstation, near Maningrida.

Three other people, including two children, have been killed by crocodiles since 2009.

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Rim Fire: San Francisco Power Under Threat

Water and electricity supplies to San Francisco are under threat as hundreds of firefighters battle one of California's worst ever wildfires.

California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in San Francisco as the blaze, known as the Rim Fire, threatens power lines to the city and a key reservoir which supplies 85% of its water.

The Hetch Hetchy reservoir is under serious threat with the fire just four miles away. It provides water to 2.6 million people.

The 2,800 firefighters battling the blaze have gained little ground in slowing the now 225-square-mile fire. Officials estimate it is just 7% contained.

Hundreds of those firefighters have been deployed to protect mountain communities in the path of the Rim Fire, north of Yosemite National Park, as fierce winds causes flames to jump through tree tops.

Bulldozers are being used to clear lines on the north side of the fire to protect the towns of Twain Hart., Tuolumne City and Ponderosa Hills.

Twelve helicopters and six planes are dropping water and retardant from the air.

Some 2,800 firefighters have been battling the blaze

Daniel Berlant, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said: "A crown fire is much more difficult to fight.

"Our firefighters are on the ground having to spray up.

"Unfortunately, we are expecting strong winds out of the south. It's going to allow the fire to advance to the northeast.

"This fire has continued to pose every challenge that there can be on a fire: inaccessible terrain, strong winds, dry conditions. It's a very difficult fire fight."

Investigators are trying to determine how the fire started on August 17, days before lightning storms swept through the region and sparked other blazes.

The Rim Fire has threatened two groves of giant sequoias, which are unique to the region.

The towering trees, which grow only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and are among the largest and oldest living things on earth, can resist fire.

But dry conditions and heavy brush are forcing park officials to take extra precautions in the Tuolumne and Merced groves.

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Syria: UN Inspectors 'Shot At By Snipers'

Syria: How Crisis Has Developed

Updated: 11:47am UK, Monday 26 August 2013

:: March 2011 - as protesters stage demonstrations in Damascus, security forces in Daraa shoot dead several campaigners, leading to unrest and violence.

:: May - the Syrian military deploys tanks in a bid to quash demonstrations.

:: July 19 - the UK freezes £100m of Syrian assets.

:: August 18 - US President Barack Obama calls on Bashar al Assad to step down. The US freezes all assets of the Syrian government.

:: November 16 - the Free Syrian Army attacks a military base near Damascus.

:: February 4, 2012 - a UN Security Council resolution on Syria is rejected for a second time by Russia and China.

:: March 1 - government troops seize the Baba Amr district of Homs after an intense battle lasting for several weeks.

:: April 12 - a UN-brokered ceasefire comes into force after fierce fighting in the country.

:: May 23 - dozens of people, many of them women and children, die in Houla, near Homs. Foreign Secretary William Hague says they were "massacred at the hands of Syrian forces". The UN later accuses the Syrian military of committing war crimes.

:: August - Mr Obama says the use of chemical weapons against civilians would represent the crossing of a "red line".

:: March 6, 2013 - Foreign Secretary William Hague says Britain will provide opposition forces with "non-lethal equipment for the protection of civilians".

:: April-May - Britain says there is credible evidence to suggest Syrian forces have used chemical weapons in Adra, Darayya and Saraqiq and calls for an investigation by the UN.

:: April 29 - Syrian prime minister Wael Nader al Halqi survives an assassination attempt as a car bomb explodes in Damascus.

:: May 14 - footage of a Syrian rebel commander apparently cutting out a soldier's heart is condemned by the country's National Coalition.

:: June 6 - Syrian forces, backed by Hizbollah fighters, recapture the strategic border town of Qusair.

:: June 6 - Human Rights Watch releases footage which it claims shows Syrian troops shelling school buildings.

:: July 25 - the UN says the number of people killed in the civil war has reached 100,000.

:: August 21 - an alleged chemical attack in Damascus kills 1,300 people, according to the opposition. Doctors Without Borders says 335 people died from "neurotoxic" symptoms.

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Syria: US Intervention Will 'Inflame' Region

Syria has warned the US against taking military action against the regime, saying it would "create a ball of fire that will inflame the Middle East".

The warning came as Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama say they are "gravely concerned" about signs that an alleged chemical weapons attack took place in Syria.

The two leaders spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper by telephone last night as calls increased for UN investigators - who are already in the country - to be allowed access to the site of the alleged attack.

The US President and his top advisers are continuing to explore options for responding to the reported chemical weapons use.

But in remarks released by Syria's official SANA news agency, Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi said that any US-led military action would be "no picnic".

"US military intervention will create a very serious fallout and a ball of fire that will inflame the Middle East," Mr Zoabi said.

Doctors Without Borders has said 355 people died in the attack

Iran has also warned the US not to cross the "red line" on Syria, saying it would have "severe consequences", according to the Fars news agency.

The al Qaeda-linked Syrian jihadist group Al-Nusra Front has also vowed to carry out strikes against villages from Assad's community as revenge for the chemical attacks.

"The Alawite villages will pay the price for each chemical rocket that struck our people in Damascus," Al-Nusra front chief Abu Mohammed al Jawlani said in an audio message posted on his Twitter account.

Mr Jazayeri was reacting to statements made by Western officials regarding the possibility of military intervention in Syria, according to Fars.

Earlier, Iranian Press TV reported that Damascus had told Tehran it would allow inspectors to visit the site of the alleged chemical attack.

The attacks took place in the Damascus suburbs of Zamalka and Ein Tarma

A Downing Street spokesperson stressed that any significant use of chemical weapons would merit a "serious response".

The spokesperson added: "The fact that President Assad has failed to cooperate with the UN suggests that the regime has something to hide.

"They reiterated that significant use of chemical weapons would merit a serious response from the international community and both have tasked officials to examine all the options.

"They agreed that it is vital that the world upholds the prohibition on the use of chemical weapons and deters further outrages."

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said the American military is ready to exercise "options" on Syria should force be called for, but he declined to say what that action might be.

He is under mounting pressure to act over the alleged use of chemical weapons, which humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders said had killed 355 people due to "neurotoxic" symptoms.

A boy recovers after the alleged toxic gas attack on Wednesday

The group says it has treated more than 3,500 people showing symptoms of exposure to a "neurotoxic" agent.

Christopher Stokes from the charity told Sky News: ""The situation (on the ground in Syria) is quite confusing.

"We've spent the last three to four days in contact with Syrian doctors that we've been working with for six months in and around Damascus to try and piece together what happened last Wednesday.

"Basically what they've reported to us are consistent signs of the same symptoms across a large number of patients that would indicate a large scale exposure to a neurotoxic agent."

The group said victims flooded three Syrian hospitals after a "chemical massacre" on Wednesday.

Rebel groups have claimed the attack was carried out by Assad's forces and that more than 1,000 people had died. The Syrian regime has denied the allegations.

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Earthquakes In Irish Sea Shake North West

The British Geological Survey has recorded two earthquakes in the North West, with residents of Blackpool and Fleetwood saying they felt their homes shaking.

The first of the two quakes had a 2.4 magnitude. I was reported at 5.37am, at a depth of 3km (1.8 miles), 25km (15 miles) west of Fleetwood.

The second one measured magnitude 3.3. It was recorded at 9.58am at a depth of 5km (3 miles).

Local residents said on social media sites that they had felt a tremor.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

"Just had an earthquake in Blackpool anyone else feel it our breakfast room shook wooooo adrenaline rush !" read the Twitter account of Sandgate Blackpool hotel.

More follows...

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Kilburn Shooting: Second Man Arrested

Police investigating the shooting death of Sabrina Moss in Kilburn have arrested a second man in connection with the case.

The 24-year-old, of Neasden in north-west London, died in hospital after being involved in a double shooting.

Police said she was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time after going out to enjoy her 24th birthday with friends.

Another 24-year-old woman remains in hospital. Her condition has been described as critical but stable.

More follows...

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