Britons In Coach Crash In Kenya

A number of Britons were travelling on a coach which crashed in Kenya, the Foreign Office has said.

Around 15 people were believed to have been in the vehicle when the accident happened in the coastal city of Mombasa.

The number of Britons involved is not yet known.

There are thought to be some injuries but they are not believed to be life-threatening.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "There has been a coach crash that we are aware of.

The number of Britons involved is not yet known

"We believe there are British nationals involved, and there are some injuries.

"We are sending staff there now and we'll have more details later.

"Indications are the injuries are not life-threatening but we won't know for certain until our people are on the scene."

People stand at the side of the road following the crash

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Sharks: 'Hundred Million Are Killed A Year'

Nearly 100 million sharks are killed each year and they need to be better protected or many species could face possible extinction, according to a new study.

The rate of commercial fishing far exceeds what many populations need to recover, scientists have warned.

Sharks take years to sexually mature, produce small litters and are exceptionally vulnerable to overfishing.

They are being caught at an average rate that is 30% to 60% higher than they can sustain, the study said.

The fish are often targeted for their fins, which are used in shark fin soup, a delicacy in Asia where a bowl of it can reportedly sell for £65.

The practice known as "shark finning" - where the fish are caught and thrown back after their fins are cut off - is globally widespread, according to the researchers from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.

Some areas including Europe, the US, Canada and Australia have introduced anti-finning legislation but the practice continues in most other parts of the world, they added.

The Porbeagle shark is also under threat

Sharks are also caught accidentally by vessels looking for tuna, swordfish and other species.

The researchers, using information from nearly 100 papers, estimated global reported catches, unreported landings, discards and finning totalled 97 million fish caught in 2010.

The number is only slightly less than the estimated 100 million caught in 2000, and the 2010 figure could actually be as high as 273 million, said the study published in the journal Marine Policy.

It is thought between 6.4% and 7.9% of all sharks are killed each year, less than the 4.9% that means population stability can be maintained.

Anything over that threatens the long-term survival of species like the oceanic white tip, porbeagle and several kinds of hammerheads.

"There's a staggering number of sharks being caught every year and the number is way too high considering the biology of species," says Dalhousie biologist Boris Worm, the study's lead researcher.

The study said "protective measures have to be scaled up significantly in order to avoid further depletion and the possible extinction of sharks, with likely severe effects on marine ecosystems around the world".

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Rape T-Shirts: Amazon Offers 'Hit Her' Tops Too

Amazon UK has continued to offer controversial clothing on its website hours after an American fashion firm was forced to apologise for selling "Keep Calm And Rape" T-shirts.

The discovery comes after the "Keep Calm And Rape A Lot" shirts, offered for sale by the Solid Gold Bomb company, were withdrawn following widespread criticism.

A spokesman for Amazon UK told Sky News that the 'rape' garments were no longer available and said: "I can confirm that those items are not available for sale."

However, although Amazon has withdrawn that item, it sill offered shirts from the same firm that apparently advocate domestic violence.

One shirt for sale on Saturday morning in both Britain and Germany was emblazoned with the message: "Keep Calm And Hit Her".

Another for sale through Amazon said: "Keep Calm And Grope On".

Solid Gold Bomb was 'sorry for the ill-feeling this has caused'

Critics of the T-shirts quickly let their feelings be known by posting scores of negative comments on the relevant Amazon pages about the online retailer and the fashion company.

One said: "Do the decent thing and pull this disgusting item now. Remove all items by the same company to show them this will not be tolerated."

Another online customer, Jody, said: "Your on a roll now Amazon. So not content with supporting and encouraging rape your also advocating violence against women.

"Domestic violence is a crime. Real men don't beat there partners."

The firm posted an apology but later shut down Twitter and Facebook

Amazon listed the manufacturing quality as "Fine Jersey T-Shirt", saying the items were made by American Apparel prior to printing in the US.

When Solid Gold Bomb withdrew the 'rape' garment it also posted a statement on its website which said: "We have been informed of the fact that we were selling an offensive T-shirt primarily in the UK.

"This has been immediately deleted as it was and had been automatically generated using a scripted computer process running against 100s of thousands of dictionary words."

Solid Gold Bomb said it received death threats and its Twitter account was bombarded with scores of angry messages - many of which said: "Rape is not a joke."

The Amazon UK site still offered "hit her" T-shirts on Saturday

Solid Gold Bomb replied: "We're sorry for the ill-feeling this has caused! We're doing our best here to fix the problem."

It said the scripted programming process that created the slogan was compiled by "only one member of our staff", but that it "accepted the responsibility of the error".

Solid Gold Bomb said it sends its T-shirts from Worcester in Massachusetts to throughout the US, UK, Germany, Canada and 79 other countries daily.

:: The Twitter and Facebook accounts of Solid Gold Bomb have since been taken down.

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South Africa Suspends Cops After Van Brutality

Several South African police officers have been suspended and a murder investigation launched after a video showed a man being handcuffed to a moving police van.

Police in Pretoria held a press conference to placate a nation outraged by the video showing taxi driver Mido Macia being dragged through the streets.

He was later found dead in a police cell with serious head and internal injuries.

National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Riah Phiyega, said that eight officers had been suspended and disarmed.

The station commander in Daveytown, a township east of Johannesburg, had also been removed from his post, she said.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has opened a murder investigation.

"Any one death is one too many," Ms Phiyega said. "We believe in the principle of police being policed."

The Daily Sun, a South African newspaper, posted footage of the dragging incident, which occurred on Tuesday.

It was apparently filmed by several people on mobile phones.

Witnesses said Mr Macia, 27, of Mozambique drew the attention of police when he parked in a way that blocked traffic, and then got into an row with officers.

"We are going to film this," several onlookers shouted in Zulu as the police subdued Mr Macia.

One bystander can be heard shouting: "What has this guy done?"

President Jacob Zuma condemned the killing of Mr Macia.

Some commentators drew comparisons with the 1977 death of anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, who also suffered head injuries in police custody.

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Premier League To Use Goal-Line Technology

By Enda Brady, Sky News Correspondent

Debates over whether the ball crossed the line or not will soon be a thing of the past in the Premier League with the news that goal-line technology will be used from next season onwards.

The Premier League is understood to be in discussions with two companies, thought to be Hawkeye and GoalRef.

Fifa has already confirmed that the technology will be used at next year's World Cup in Brazil, while this summer's Confederations Cup will also employ the system.

A spokesman for the Premier League confirmed that all 20 clubs must have the equipment in place for the first day of the new season, "including those promoted".

Hawkeye works by using six cameras to focus on the goal and when the ball crosses the line an encrypted message is sent to the referee's wristwatch within a second, if a goal has been scored. GoalRef uses sensors on the posts and crossbar which detect any change in the magnetic field when the ball crosses the line.

Lampard reacts after his goal was disallowed

It is likely that the league will now choose one system and deploy it across all 20 clubs, with the same system likely to be employed at Wembley for England international fixtures in the future.

A Premier League spokesman said: "We are in advanced discussions with two of the companies who provide the systems and we are working on the basis of having goal-line technology in place for the start of the season.

"All clubs will have to have the system to ensure the universal integrity of the competition, including those who are promoted."

The Premier League will make its decision on which system to use based on cost and ease of use.

The move should take the pressure off referees whose decisions have been greatly criticised by clubs and fans in the past.

The most high profile case in recent years was a Frank Lampard strike for England against Germany in the 2010 World Cup. Germany ran out 4-1 winners, but the incident happened when England were only trailing 2-1.

The International Football Association Board - effectively the game's rule-makers - will meet in Edinburgh on Saturday where officials are due to be told that the first use of the technology at the Fifa World Club Championship in Japan in December was a resounding success.

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Eastleigh: Lib Dems Win, Tories Fall To Third

David Cameron has insisted the Tories can "win people back" after a disastrous result in the Eastleigh by-election saw the party beaten into third by UKIP.

The Prime Minister attempted to shrug off the severe blow by calling a huge surge in support for the eurosceptic party a mid-term "protest".

"It's disappointing for the Conservative Party but we must remain true to our principles, true to our course, and that way we can win people back," he said.

But the terrible result in a constituency which is among the Conservatives' top targets to win back from the Lib Dems will increase fears of defeat in 2015.

Lib Dem local councillor Mike Thornton managed to hold the seat vacated by disgraced Cabinet minister Chris Huhne despite a torrid week for his party.

At 1,771, the Lib Dem majority was less than half that achieved by Mr Huhne in 2010 but the victory was still seen as a major boost for the coalition's junior partner.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage with Diane James who came second

Nick Clegg said the "stunning" result proved "we can be a party of government and still win".

"We held our nerve, we stood our ground. We overcame the odds and won a stunning victory," he said, standing alongside Mr Thornton in the constituency.

The Conservatives' third place, which was despite major campaigning by senior figures, will increase tensions on the backbenches and at the grass roots.

There will be concern that Mr Cameron's pledge to hold a referendum on EU membership if the Tories stay in power has not curbed UKIP's rise.

The eurosceptic party's candidate Diane James polled 11,571, not far behind Mr Thornton on 13,342 and more than 1,000 ahead of Tory Maria Hutchings.

The Tory's 10,559 votes or 25.4% share represented a slump of 14 points on her result against Mr Huhne in 2010.

Nick Clegg celebrating in Eastleigh with candidate Mike Thornton

In his victory speech, Mr Thornton said his victory proved those who had "written off" the Lib Dems were wrong.

"Those who say the Liberal Democrats won't win again, those who are so keen to do us down, that the Liberal Democrats can do it - we have done it and we will do it again," he said.

Lib Dem president Tim Farron warned there were 20-30 Tory seats that his party might feel it could snatch in 2015.

"Defeat by a single vote would have been unspeakable catastrophe and a win by a single vote would have been unspeakable triumph, so this is unspeakable triumph and it means everything to the Liberal Democrats," he said.

"The narrative that we are written off and we can't win anything and we are going down the plughole in 2015 is now, I think, completely confounded - there's a lot of people with egg on their faces this morning.

Disappointed Tory candidate Maria Hutchings

"The morale and energy boost it will give Lib Dems up and down the country is just priceless."

Ms James called her second place "a humungous political shock" that represented a "seismic shift" in British politics, while Mrs Hutchings appeared to be tearful as she thanked opponents for a "clean campaign".

Delighted UKIP leader Nick Farage blamed the Tories' bad showing on Mr Cameron.

"The Conservatives failed here because traditional Tory voters look at Cameron and they ask themselves 'Is he a Conservative?' and they conclude 'No, he's not'," he said.

"He's talking about gay marriage, wind turbines, unlimited immigration from India. He wants Turkey to join the European Union. The Conservatives' problems are not because of UKIP, it's because of their leader."

Eastleigh is on a Tory target list of 20 Lib Dem-held seats considered crucial to win if Mr Cameron is to win outright at the next general election.

Senior Tory backbencher David Davis had already warned the Prime Minister that third place in the seat would represent a "crisis" for the party.

Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps tried to play down the significance of the result, saying: "Governments in mid-term regardless get a drubbing. Let's wait until the general election."

Education Secretary Michael Gove said he was "deeply disappointed" but insisted the Tories must not change track on the economy or shift to the right.

Labour leader Ed Miliband called it a "disastrous night for the Conservatives and David Cameron" but also admitted he would have preferred to win more votes.

"It convinces me that we need to redouble our efforts to reach out to every part of the country, including areas where Labour hasn't traditionally been strong," he said.

Calculations by the Press Association suggest Labour would have a majority of 60 if the vote share changes were repeated nationally at a general election.

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South Africa: 'Man Dragged Behind Police Van'

A taxi driver in South Africa died after being handcuffed to a police vehicle and dragged hundreds of yards, it has been alleged.

Independent police investigators are looking into the claims after video footage emerged showing a man being dragged along a road behind a police van.

The man, a 27-year-old from Mozambique, was later found dead in a police cell in Daveyton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

Officers have claimed they put the taxi driver in a police van in order to take him to a police station on the East Rand, and cannot explain how he later died.

But the video, obtained by South Africa's Daily Sun newspaper, shows officers struggling to overpower a man - believed to be the taxi driver - before attaching him to a point at the rear of their vehicle and then driving off leaving him hanging outside.

Officers are seen restraining the man and handcuffing him to the van

At one point they attempt to carry his legs while the vehicle is moving forward but have to drop him as the police van speeds up.

The footage then shows the man trying to stay on his feet as he is dragged behind the vehicle for several hundred metres.

The person filming the incident attempts to keep up with the truck dragging the taxi driver, but has to give up as the vehicle is going too fast.

The van then starts to move away with the man hanging on

South Africa's Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) said on Wednesday that officers had initially attempted to arrest the man because he was allegedly obstructing traffic.

IPID spokesman Moses Dlamini said: "We are investigating an incident involving the death of man, allegedly at the hands of the police. We are shocked by the footage which has been released.

"The circumstances surrounding his death are still allegations ... let's find out what really happened," he said.

At one point they lift his legs but have to let go when the van speeds up

He said there were reports the man had tried to disarm a police officer before the attack.

The taxi driver was then allegedly beaten once inside the police holding cells.

He is understood to have been found dead by another police officer later the same day.

Mr Dlamini told the South African website News 24 that an investigation had begun before the man's death into allegations he carried out an assault resulting in grievous bodily harm.

A post-mortem on the dead suspect indicated he had died from head injuries with internal bleeding.

The van then starts to accelerate away and the suspect is dragged behind

Police in South Africa are known for heavy handedness when dealing with the public, and the police watchdog is handling numerous cases of police brutality.

The police department could not confirm if the officers had been suspended.

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Woman's Diamond Ring Stolen As She Lay Dying

A dying woman had a treasured diamond ring stolen from her finger in the final moments of her life at a hospice.

The gold band was taken from Wendy Dolton's hand as she lay powerless in her bed.

Hours later, the 65-year-old lost her battle with cancer.

The ring was given to Mrs Dolton by her husband to celebrate her 40th wedding anniversary. It was the last gift he gave her before he died nine years ago.

Her son Sean, 46, said: "It's a violation of morality that is just unbelievable. I'm speechless. Whoever did this is absolute scum.

"I saw her at about 6pm on the Wednesday and she had it on and she died at around 5pm on the Thursday. I feel sick to know that someone could do that in the last hours of her life.

"It's not just any ring. It was a 40th anniversary present from my father in the last months of his life, so the value is hugely sentimental.

"The fact that someone could do that to someone when they are at their most vulnerable is unbelievable. She would have been lying there and unable to do anything."

The theft took place at the Pilgrim's Hospice in Canterbury, Kent, between 6pm on February 13 and 6pm the following day.

The chief executive of Pilgrim's Hospice, Steve Auty, said: "Pilgrims Hospices is co-operating fully with the police and I am leading our own internal investigation.

"We are not aware of an incident like this occurring in our three hospices at any time in our 30-plus years history.

"Clearly it is not a situation that we want to occur in our hospices and especially not at such a difficult time for the family members concerned."

He said that there was no evidence to suggest any members of staff were implicated in the theft.

Pc Chris Poulter, of Kent Police, who is investigating the theft, said: "The theft of the ring has caused a great deal of upset for Wendy's family at a time when they are already trying to cope with her sad passing.

"Pilgrim's Hospice has been fully co-operative and our investigation continues. We have already visited some second-hand shops and will continue to make inquiries."

Anyone with information about the theft of the ring, described as a gold band with a large square diamond, is asked to call Kent Police on 101.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Papacy Enters Final Hours

By Sally Arthy, Senior News Editor, Rome

Pope Benedict XVI's tenure as leader of the world's Catholics will draw to a close later today.

The 85-year-old stands down as Pontiff after nearly eight years and at a time when the Church is mired in controversy.

This morning, more than 100 cardinals said their farewells to the Pope at a gathering in the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace.

He promised "unconditional reverence and obedience" to his successor during the gathering and urged his cardinals to work in unity as they select the next pope.

Just before 4pm UK time, Benedict will leave his apartments for the last time, give his thanks to the senior staff who have been by his side during his papacy, and then make his way to the Vatican helipad.

From there he will fly to Castel Gandolfo - the Pope's retreat on the outskirts of Rome.

The Pope waves from his 'popemobile' at the end of his last weekly audience

Then, at around 4.30pm, he will make his last brief appearance on a balcony in front of an expected crowd of around 7,000 before withdrawing from public life for good.

At 7pm the doors of the villa will close and the Swiss Guard will stand aside marking the end of Benedict's papacy.

From then on he will be known as Emeritus Pope and devote his days to prayer and meditation.

Once renovations are complete, Benedict will move to a monastery in the grounds of the Vatican.

He will have the official title of "pope emeritus" and can still wear a white cassock normally reserved only for pontiffs, but without a doubled shoulder cape.

Spokesman Frederico Lombardi said he has chosen to swap his trademark red shoes for a brown pair given to him by artisans in Mexico during a trip last year.

Edward Pentin, from the Catholic Herald, said Benedict will live a monk's life and not interfere in the work of his successor.

The next Pope will be chosen by secret ballot during the conclave of eligible cardinals who will vote in the Sistine Chapel.

Pope Benedict XVI's departure from the Vatican sets in motion a timetable of centuries-old traditions in what is an unprecedented resignation in modern Catholic history.

After 7pm on Thursday, the Catholic Church enters a period known as "Sede Vacante" (vacant See) during which a senior cardinal takes over interim powers until a new pope is elected.

That cardinal, referred to as the camerlengo or chamberlain, will be Italy's Tarcisio Bertone.

The camerlengo has traditionally had the role of officially certifying the death of a pope - once carried out by tapping the pontiff's forehead three times with a special silver hammer and calling out his birth name.

He is also charged with destroying the Fisherman's Ring - a gold signet ring specially cast for each new pope - which symbolises the end of a papacy.

From Monday, cardinals from around the world will hold a series of meetings known as general congregations.

The meetings are aimed at identifying priorities for the Roman Catholic Church for the future, but are also a good way of vetting possible candidates for next pope.

The cardinals then meet in a secret conclave to choose the next pope under a system adapted in the 13th century.

All conclaves have been held in the Sistine Chapel and the cardinals are sworn to absolute secrecy under pain of ex-communication during voting.

Two ballots are held in the morning, and two in the afternoon, until one candidate wins two-thirds of the votes.

At the end of each session, the ballots are burned in a stove by the chapel, releasing smoke above the Apostolic Palace. The smoke is black after each unsuccessful ballot, white once the vote succeeds.

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Egypt Balloon Crash: Luxor Grounds Flights

An investigation is under way in Egypt after 19 people - including two Britons and a UK resident - died in a hot air balloon crash.

Amateur footage shows smoke billowing from the balloon before it falls 1,000 feet to the ground during a sunrise flight near the ancient city of Luxor.

Luxor Governor Ezzat Saad imposed an immediate ban on all hot air balloon flights in the province as Prime Minister Hisham Qandil ordered the investigation.

Four investigating teams have been established to probe the causes of the crash.

According to one of the investigation teams, the balloon company, Sky Cruise, had passed a routine inspection by the Civil Aviation Ministry earlier this month.

An initial probe has ruled out any criminal activity as a cause of the accident, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

Michael Rennie survived but his wife, Yvonne, died

British nationals Yvonne Rennie and Joe Bampton, and Mr Bampton's partner, Hungarian-born UK resident Suzanna Gyetvai, were named as being among those killed.

Mrs Rennie's husband Michael, 49, is in hospital after he survived by leaping from the balloon before it exploded.

Witnesses said they heard a loud blast before seeing plumes of smoke as the balloon caught fire. People were seen jumping out from "about the height of a seven-storey building".

Speaking from Cairo, Sky's Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay described the flight's final moments.

He said as the balloon approached its landing point, it came within three metres (10 feet) of the ground.

At that point a fire broke out on-board, engulfing the balloon's pilot in flames. The pilot leapt from the basket.

"At this stage it's likely that Mr Rennie also was out of the basket, because his injuries are obviously not that bad, so he can't have fallen that far," Ramsay said.

"As the fire got going, the balloon started to heat up and to inflate, and (it) started to rise fairly rapidly. It eventually got to about a thousand feet. As it was rising, people were jumping off. It was moving very quickly. Those people died on impact.

"If you didn't get off in those early seconds, there was no chance that you would survive this because of the explosions that happened."

Victims Joe Bampton and his girlfriend Suzanna Gyetvai

A spokeswoman at Luxor international hospital said Mr Rennie was in a stable condition.

Mr Bampton, 40, and Ms Gyetvai, 34, were from Clapham, south London.

Mr and Mrs Rennie, from Perth, Scotland, were described as "very nice people" who only spent the weekends together due to work commitments.

Neighbour Linda Kettles said: "They were very, very nice people who kept themselves to themselves.

"They've gone on holiday to enjoy themselves. They only get the weekends together and any break together is good for them.

"They were really looking forward to getting away. I'm totally devastated by the news. I really feel for their families."

The other tourists on board, including holidaymakers from France, Hong Kong and Japan, were all thought to have died in the explosion.

The only other survivor of the crash was the pilot, an Egyptian man, who is in hospital with burns to 60% of his body.

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Pope Benedict XVI Gives His Farewell Speech

The Pope has given his last general audience before stepping down as Pontiff.

Benedict XVI stunned the Catholic Church earlier this month when he announced he no longer had the mental or physical strength to carry on in the role.

He will officially stand aside on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years.

Benedict greeted pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for the final time before retiring, and waved to tens of thousands of people who have gathered to bid him farewell.

He was driven around the square in an open-sided vehicle, surrounded by bodyguards. At one point he stopped to kiss a baby handed up to him by his secretary.

The crowd fell silent as he started to speak.

The Pope began by saying he will keep the faithful in his prayers and he has "great trust" in the future of the church.

"To love the church means also to have the courage to take difficult, painful decisions, always keeping the good of the church in mind, not oneself," Benedict said to thundering applause.

Many in the audience have been chanting "Benedetto"

He recalled that when he was elected pope on April 19, 2005, he questioned if God truly wanted it. "'It's a great burden that you've placed on my shoulders,'" he recalled telling God.

He said his Papacy had faced joy, but also had undergone 'difficult moments'. He said that during his time as head of the 1.2bn Catholics around the world, there had been 'turbulent seas'.

Drawing on a Biblical analogy, he said: "The Lord gave us days of sun and of light breeze, days in which the fishing was good. There were also moments when there were stormy waters and headwinds."

But, he said, God would not let the church sink.

He said he had resigned not for his own good, but for the good of the Church.

Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday said he was aware of the "gravity and novelty" of his decision to resign and would "accompany" the Church in prayer even after his resignation the following day.

"I took this step in full awareness of its gravity and novelty but with profound serenity of spirit," he said.

Pope Benedict told the 50,000-strong crowd he was not "coming down from the Cross", but would remain in the service of the Church through prayer.

He asked the faithful to pray for the cardinals as they faced a weighty task choosing his successor and for whoever they chose.

After he had finished speaking the crowd gave a rousing round of applause that lasted nearly a minute.

He went on to give his address in other languages.

Tens of thousands of people, some toting banners saying "Thank you!" had earlier began filling St Peter's Square in preparation for his appearance.

Cardinals await the final public appearance of the Pope

Spontaneous chants of "Benedetto" erupted every so often and the mood - even hours before Benedict was to arrive - was one of excitement.

Many of the cardinals who will choose the next Pope were among those waiting to hear Benedict XVI speak.

Once he completes his resignation tomorrow, the Pope will leave the Vatican and fly by helicopter to the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, until renovations have been completed on a monastery inside the Vatican walls.

The Pope will live out the rest of his days in the new monastery in prayer and meditation.

At precisely 8pm (Rome time) the villa gates at Castel Gandolfo will close and the Swiss Guard will withdraw - a symbol that Pope Benedict XVI's papacy is over.

Benedict will then be known as Emeritus Pope and wear a simple white cassock and brown shoes rather than his trademark red loafers.

Following his general audience, the Pope was due to meet a select group of heads of state and make final preparations for his departure.

On Thursday morning, he will bid farewell to his cardinals who will begin a series of meetings to determine his successor.

The date for the conclave - when eligible cardinals vote in secret in the Sistine Chapel - has yet to be announced.

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Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell In Court

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

The Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell has appeared in court for the first time to face six charges of raping a child.

Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster in the ITV soap opera, is accused of 19 child sex offences.

The actor sat glum-faced in the dock as charges of raping a child were put to him.

During the eight-minute hearing, Le Vell - whose real name is Michael Turner - spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth.

Le Vell looked shaken as he arrived for the hearing

Four members of his family sat towards the back of the court.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and all took place between 2001 and 2010, the court heard.

District Judge Khalid Qureshi asked Le Vell's solicitor, Richard Gowthorpe, if there was any indication of plea, to which he replied: "No indication of plea today other than the fact that the charges are contested, and will be fully contested in the Crown Court."

Le Vell was bailed on the condition he surrenders his passport, does not contact named witnesses or have unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 14.

Asked if he understood the conditions, Le Vell nodded.

Le Vell is one of television's most famous faces

As he left the court, he said to waiting photographers:  "You must have enough pictures of me by now."

When the charges were announced earlier this year, the 48-year-old father-of-two said he intends to fight them "vigorously".

"I would like to make it quite clear that following the serious allegations that have been brought against me on Thursday 14th February 2013, I am innocent of these charges and intend to fight them vigorously," he said.

"I will now put all my efforts into clearing my name and proving my innocence."

ITV dropped the actor from any further episodes of the show after the charges became public.

Minders clear the path for Le Vell outside the Manchester court

An ITV spokesman said: "Given the serious nature of these charges, Michael Le Vell will not be appearing in Coronation Street pending the outcome of legal proceedings. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time."

Le Vell, who split from his wife Janette Beverley last year, is one of television's most famous faces after playing car mechanic Kevin Webster for the past 30 years in the TV show.

Originally from Manchester, he began his acting career in the Oldham Theatre Workshop after taking an interest in amateur dramatics while at school.

He first joined the soap in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor, and fathering two teenage girls as well as a love child from his affair with Molly Dobbs.

Le Vell is due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on March 20.

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Burger Sales Plunge 43% Amid Horsemeat Scare

Frozen beef burger and ready meal sales have plunged dramatically, according to the first retail sales data since the horsemeat scandal erupted.

Kantar Worldpanel said that in the four weeks ending February 17, frozen burger sales plunged by 43% while frozen ready meals dropped 13%.

Horsemeat contamination was first revealed on January 16 after analysis was undertaken by Irish food officials. The scandal has since spread across Europe.

Last week Birds Eye withdrew 15 beef products in four European nations

The research indicates there has been a significant change in shopping habits as a result of the contamination, Kantar said.

The sales data also indicated changing fortunes of supermarkets during the 12 weeks to February 17.

It said out of the so-called Big Four supermarkets - Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco - only Sainsbury's increased market share in the quarter.

Sainsbury's saw a growth rate of 4.6% in the period, while Tesco saw its market share drop from 30.1% a year ago to 29.7% now.

Tesco was the first major retailer to withdraw its frozen burgers, after equine DNA was discovered in products produced by its meat processors.

Horsemeat is still highly regarded in some European countries

"It might seem natural to attribute this decline to the horsemeat contamination; however, Tesco undertook heavy promotions this time last year, where consumers received a £5 voucher when they spent £40, and not repeating this offer will have adversely affected its share," Kantar Worldpanel director Edward Garner said.

Morrisons was the only retailer to post a sales decline in the 12 weeks, due in part to easing Christmas demand, a lack of convenience stores and no online presence.

It has since announced a decision to buy a swathe of Blockbuster video stores to convert into metro outlets.

Morrisons is also expected to bolster sales in the coming months as it is the only major UK supermarket with its own abattoir division, assuring meat supply chain integrity.

Meanwhile, there appears to be a growing split in the upper and lower edges of the market.

"Waitrose and Aldi deliver all-time record shares this period of 4.8% and 3.3% respectively indicating that market polarisation and the 'two nations' consumer climate continues," Mr Garner said.

Brand name Findus was also found to have used horse in its beef products

"Iceland records 10.1% growth confirming that the frozen food category as a whole remains robust."

Research now shows that the total grocery market is growing at a rate of 3.7%, which lags behind grocery price sector inflation of 4.3%.

As a result, pressure continues on shoppers who are using 'coping strategies' to reduce their effective personal inflation rate.

These strategies include switching products and retailers to seek out offers.

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Two Britons Killed In Egypt Balloon Explosion

Two Britons are among 18 foreign tourists who died when a hot air balloon crashed near the Egyptian city of Luxor, tour operator Thomas Cook has confirmed.

Two other Britons are in hospital in critical condition following the crash, Thomas Cook added.

"What happened in Luxor this morning is a terrible tragedy and the thoughts of everyone in Thomas Cook are with our guests, their family and friends," said Thomas Cook UK & Continental Europe CEO Peter Fankhauser.

"We have a very experienced team in resort with the two guests in the local hospital, and we're providing our full support to the family and friends of the deceased at this difficult time."

Officials said the balloon, which was carrying 21 people and flying at 1,000ft, caught fire and exploded during a trip at sunrise.

The site at Luxor 40 minutes before the crash (Pic: @chrismichel)

It plunged into sugar cane fields as it travelled over Qurna, in Luxor's West Bank.

The casualties are believed to be British, French and Japanese nationals as well as nine tourists from Hong Kong.

Dr Hany Sabry, from Luxor International Hospital, told Sky News that one of the injured passengers suffered multiple fractures and internal bleeding.

He added that the second injured passenger remains under observation in the intensive care unit.

The balloon's pilot is also believed to have survived the crash.

An employee at the company operating the balloon, Sky Cruise, said two people in the balloon survived by jumping from the basket before it hit the ground.

Witness Christopher Michel was travelling in one of several balloons in the air above Luxor early on Tuesday morning.

He told Sky News: "I was in one of about eight balloons that were flying that morning. We were approaching landing ... coming down in a remote field just outside of Luxor.

"We heard a loud explosion behind us, and I looked back and saw lots of smoke. It wasn't immediately clear that it was a balloon. We were surrounded by the balloons that had been flying with us.

"Then we could see the reaction of the pilot on the balloon and he said that this hasn't happened in a long time."

Ballooning in Luxor is very popular with tourists visiting its temples

The Foreign Office said it was aware of the reports about the possibility of British casualties. "We are making inquiries," a spokesman said.

Hot air ballooning is popular with tourists who go to Luxor to visit its ancient temples and the tombs of the Valley of the Kings.

But the activity is not without its dangers. In April 2009, 16 people were hurt - including two British women - when a balloon crashed during a tour of Luxor.

The balloon was believed to have hit a mobile phone transmission tower near the banks of the Nile.

Following the 2009 crash, early morning hot air balloon flights over the Valley of the Kings were suspended for six months while safety measures were tightened up.

During the break, all 42 pilots from the eight companies who operate flights had extra training.

A notice on the Foreign Office website warns tourists: "There were three serious hot air balloon accidents in Luxor in 2009. You should consider the operator's safety arrangements carefully."

Egypt's tourism industry has suffered a sharp downturn in visitor numbers since the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, with two years of political instability scaring off foreign tourists.

Thomas Cook UK has opened a hotline for relatives who have guests in Egypt: 0800 107 5638.

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Tamara Ecclestone's Ex Jailed For Blackmail

The former boyfriend of socialite and model Tamara Ecclestone has been jailed for four years for blackmailing her for £200,000.

Derek Rose, of Camden, north London, dated the daughter of Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone in 2002.

An email sent to Ms Ecclestone's manager in 2011 threatened to reveal her "intimate secrets", and claimed Rose had been approached to sell his story to a tabloid newspaper.

Rose, 33, was found guilty by a jury at Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

Judge Andrew Goymer told him: "This was an audacious attempt to obtain a large sum of money."

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Oscars: Historic Win For Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis has made Oscar history after becoming the first man to win the best actor trophy three times.

The British-born actor was honoured for his portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's historical drama.

He spent a year preparing for the role and, in his customary method, remained in character during the production.

Accepting his Oscar from Meryl Streep, Day-Lewis said: "I really don't know how any of this happened, I do know I've received more than my fair share of good fortune in my life."

Christoph Waltz won the first award of the night

He joked Streep had been the first choice to play Lincoln and he had been committed to play Margaret Thatcher - the role that won Streep an Oscar last year - before tearfully thanking his mother.

He previously won in 1989 for My Left Foot and in 2007 for There Will Be Blood.

It was a good night for British talent with Adele winning the Oscar for best original song for her Bond theme Skyfall.

The tearful singer thanked her songwriting partner Paul Epworth for "believing in me all the time, and my man, I love you baby".

She wowed the audience of A-listers in the Dolby Theatre with her first ever live performance of the 23rd Bond film's title track.

Dame Shirley Bassey wowed the audience in the theatre

Ben Affleck's Iran hostage thriller, Argo, won the Oscar for best picture, despite the star being snubbed in the best director category.

The nominees for best film were introduced by First Lady Michelle Obama from the White House, before she named Argo as the winner.

Affleck, who also starred in the film, paid tribute to the "genius" Spielberg whose film, Lincoln, lost out in the category.

Referring to his success with 1997's Good Will Hunting, he said: "I never thought I would be back here and I am because of so many of you who are here tonight."

He added: "It doesn't matter how you get knocked down in life, all that matters is that you get up."

The cast of Les Mis took to the stage

It was the first time since Driving Miss Daisy in 1990 that a film won the top prize at the Oscars without its director also being nominated.

The show's host Seth MacFarlane, the man behind hit cartoon Family Guy, started proceedings by poking fun at the Academy for not nominating Affleck, saying the plan was "so top secret the film's director is unknown to the Academy".

Taiwanese director Ang Lee picked up the statuette for best director for Life of Pi, beating Spielberg who many expected would collect the award for Lincoln. Lee collected the same award for Brokeback Mountain in 2005.

In a night that was otherwise short on shocks Jennifer Lawrence claimed the best actress gong for Silver Linings Playbook.

The 22-year-old fell as she climbed the steps to the stage to claim her prize.

Some had predicted the award would go to French actress Emmanuelle Riva who starred in Amour and at 86 was the oldest woman ever to be nominated. She won a Bafta award earlier this month for the role.

Jennifer Lawrence fell on the stairs to the stage

Anne Hathaway picked up the best supporting actress statue for her role in the musical Les Miserables.

The star, who only featured as Fantine in the film for around 15 minutes, fought back tears as she said "it came true" and thanked her husband and everyone who worked on the film.

She had been widely predicted to win the award in a tough category where Sally Field, Helen Hunt, Amy Adams and Jacki Weaver were also nominated.

Christoph Waltz won the first award of the night, best supporting actor, for his role in Django Unchained.

Waltz offered thanks to his character and "to his creator and the creator of his awe-inspiring world, Quentin Tarantino".

It was the second time in three years he has won the category - his first Oscar was for his role in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.

Waltz beat off stiff competition from Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tommy Lee Jones.

Some of host Seth MacFarlane's jokes were a bit close to the bone

Tarantino went on to collect the prize for best original screenplay.

Brave, the Scottish story of a rebellious, red-headed princess, won the Oscar for best animated feature.

Amour, a French-language film about an elderly couple won best foreign language film which was accepted by its Austrian director Michael Haneke.

Skyfall also won the trophy for best sound editing, which was tied with Zero Dark Thirty. It is only the third time in Oscar history that winners have been tied.

The night of British success started with Jacqueline Durran winning for her costume design on Anna Karenina and the make-up and hairstyling award went to Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell for Les Miserables.

The presentation of awards was broken up by a series of musical performances including Catherine Zeta-Jones singing All That Jazz from Chicago and Jennifer Hudson performing I'm Telling You from Dreamgirls.

A tribute to the Bond films and music made up of classic clips of 007's adventures was introduced by one-time Bond girl Halle Berry.

And 76-year-old Dame Shirley Bassey took to the stage in a gold dress to sing Goldfinger which received a standing ovation.

But it was a medley of Les Miserables songs sung by the cast that left the audience with goosebumps.

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Nick Clegg On Rennard: I've Nothing To Hide

Nick Clegg has insisted he has "nothing to hide" over the handling of allegations about sexual harassment by his party's former chief executive.

The Deputy Prime Minister is facing accusations of a cover-up after admitting he knew five years ago about the claims against Lord Rennard.

Several women have accused the peer of inappropriately touching and propositioning female party workers, which he strenuously denies.

Mr Clegg admitted on Sunday that his office had been aware of "indirect and non-specific concerns" about his conduct back in 2008 but insisted the party had acted properly.

Lord Rennard in this year's Pancake Race

Amid further questions about exactly what he knew, the leader said on Monday: "Until last week, no very specific allegations were put to me.

"We acted on general concerns which had been expressed sometime ago but, of course, now that those general concerns have evolved into specific allegations, we can act and we will."

He added: "I have got nothing to hide, the party has nothing to hide ... I totally understand people have got lots and lots of questions but I hope I have given a full, frank, honest account.

"I happen to know some of these women very well. One of them worked for me. I spoke to her just last night. She never, ever said anything about this until now."

In his statement on Sunday, Mr Clegg said he was "angry and outraged" at the suggestion he would not have acted had the allegations been put to him.

"When indirect and non-specific concerns about Chris Rennard's conduct reached my office in 2008, we acted to deal with them," he said.

"My chief of staff at the time, Danny Alexander, put these concerns to Chris Rennard and warned him that any such behaviour was wholly unacceptable."

However, Lib Dem President Tim Farron - who is now overseeing a new inquiry - has acknowledged the party "screwed this up".

"We screwed this up as a party. There are individuals out there who we had a duty of care towards and we did not fulfil that duty of care," he said on Monday.

He had earlier told Sky News: "My guess is that the party has indeed let itself down in the past and not dealt with these complaints when they were put."

Danny Alexander confronted Lord Rennard

Mr Clegg's aides have said he only learned about the specific complaints made against Lord Rennard after a Channel 4 News report last week.

The women claim they reported Lord Rennard's alleged behaviour to senior party officials at the time, but no further action was taken.

The peer was a key party strategist and adviser to a succession of Liberal Democrat leaders before standing down due to ill health in 2009.

He said he was "deeply shocked" by the allegations, which he "strongly disputes" and regards as a "total distortion" of his character.

An independently chaired review is to be held into Lib Dem procedures and how they were applied at the time. A separate investigation into the peer will also be conducted under the party's disciplinary rules.

Lib Dem MP Vince Cable said: "We are now setting up a proper investigative process - we want an independent element to that - and we'll get to the bottom of it."

Asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr show whether he knew about the allegations before the Channel 4 show, the Business Secretary said: "Absolutely not."

Former Lib Dem head of press Mark Littlewood said: "Nick Clegg is definitely going to have to outline and spell out in exact detail what he knew and when and what actions he took."

Labour's shadow minister for equalities and women, Kate Green, said: "At issue is not just a series of serious allegations from a number of women, but how the Liberal Democrat Party responded to those allegations.

"Only with a fully independent investigation can the public have confidence that the truth will prevail and lessons learned for the future."

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Britain's Top Cardinal Keith O'Brien Resigns

The most senior priest in the Roman Catholic Church in Britain Cardinal Keith O'Brien has resigned over claims he previously behaved innappropriately, it has emerged.

There was no official confirmation of the news, which comes just a day after the claims by three priests and a former priest first surfaced.

Cardinal O'Brien should have been travelling to the Vatican this week to help choose the next Pope.

The Cardinal missed the traditional Sunday Mass on Sunday (February 24) after the Observer newspaper carried allegations relating to actions of the Cardinal 30 years ago.

Bishop Stephen Robson, who is auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, made a statement at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh.

He said: "A number of allegations of inappropriate behaviour have been made against the cardinal.

"The cardinal has sought legal advice and it would be inappropriate to comment at this time. There will be further statements in due course.

"As always in times of need such as this we cannot not be saddened by the events of the last 24 hours.

"It is to the Lord that we turn to now in times of need."

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Doctors From Abroad Must Take English Test

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

New checks will be introduced to make sure all NHS doctors can speak English well enough to treat patients, the Government has announced.

It comes five years after David Gray, 70, was killed by a German doctor on his first out-of-hours shift in the UK.

Daniel Ubani accidentally gave the pensioner 10 times the recommended dose of the painkiller diamorphine.

The locum was struck off the medical register in the UK, but still practises in Germany, despite admitting death by negligence in a German court.

Mr Gray's son Stuart, 53, himself a GP, said: "What Ubani had done was try to register with Leeds PCT (Primary Care Trust).

"They'd made him sit an English language test to see if he was proficient. He failed that, so he decided to apply to another PCT, this being Cornwall.

"They didn't bother to test his English language skills, put him on the list, once he was on the list he can practise anywhere in the country and he then went to practise in Cambridgeshire where he killed my father."

Daniel Ubani caused the death of 70-year-old David Gray (pictured)

Last year, research by Pulse magazine for GPs found that 792 EU doctors were on the so-called "performers lists" of 51 Primary Care Trusts, allowing them to work in the UK. Of those, 657 doctors, or 83%, hadn't had their English skills tested.

From April 1 there will be one national list which every GP will have to be on before treating patients. There will also be a legal duty to ensure those on it have good English.

Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said: "It's not something that should cause huge public alarm, but it's something that we do know from the case of Doctor Daniel Ubani, and other doctors, who are sometimes flown in to do short-term locums in the NHS from Europe, that it is something that has actually caused deaths in this country.

"That's completely unacceptable and that's why we're introducing language checking for all overseas doctors including those within the EU."

But Dr Gray, of Blakedown, Worcestershire, has his doubts. He said: "I'd like to know how they're going to police it.

"If they say it's going to be illegal for the doctor to work here if they can't communicate in English, well, it was illegal for Cornwall PCT to put Ubani on their list, and no one has been held to account for breaking the law there."

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Pistorius Brother To Stand Trial Over Death

The brother of Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius is facing charges over the death of a woman in a car crash in 2010.

Carl Pistorius, who was a constant present in court over the past week to support Oscar, is charged with culpable homicide over the alleged accidental death of a female motorcyclist.

His lawyer Kenny Oldwage, who also represents Oscar Pistorius, confirmed the charges to Sky's Alex Crawford.

Carl Pistorius, 28, appeared in court just two days before his famous brother's bail hearing last week.

Carl Pistorius arrving at his uncle's house in Pretoria on Sunday

Local media said his trial was meant to start last Thursday but it has been postponed until March.

Crawford said in Britain the equivalent charge to culpable homicide is manslaughter.

The family's public relations managers said they would issue a statement later.

On Sunday morning, Carl Pistorius arrived at his uncle's house in an affluent suburb of the South African capital Pretoria.

Oscar Pistorius has been staying at his uncle's house since he was bailed

Oscar Pistorius, 26, is staying at the luxury three-storey villa after a judge released him on bail on Friday.

He has been charged with premeditated murder in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day.

Oscar Pistorius was released on Friday

But the athlete denies murder, saying he killed the 29-year-old model accidentally. He says he opened fire after mistaking Miss Steenkamp for an intruder in his home.

The Oscar Pistorius case took a dramatic turn last week when it was revealed the lead investigator, Hilton Botha, was facing charges of attempted murder himself.

Botha, who denies the charges, was questioned at the athlete's bail hearing, where he gave an often confused testimony.

Carl Pistorius and his sister Aimee have been in court to support Oscar

But the day after he was questioned in court, a judge dropped him from the case because of the charges.

Prosecutors admitted that the timing of the attempted murder charges had been "totally weird".

On Saturday, the Pistorius family distanced themselves from a tweet on Carl's account thanking people for the support offered to both families.

A spokeswoman for the family said the account had been hacked. They said Pistorius' siblings would cancel their social media accounts.

Miss Steenkamp was killed on Valentine's Day

It came as Miss Steenkamp's father spoke about the case, saying Oscar Pistorius will "suffer" alone if he is lying about how his daughter died.

"It doesn't matter how much money he has and how good his legal team is, he will have to live with his conscience if he allows his legal team to tell lies on his behalf," Barry Steenkamp told Beeld, an Afrikaans newspaper.

"But if he is telling the truth then maybe I can forgive him one day. If it didn't happen the way he said it did, he must suffer, and he will suffer... only he knows."

Her mother June said that the Pistorius family had sent a card and flowers offering condolences for the death of her daughter but she added it meant little because: "They are not to blame."

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'Gas Poison' Deaths: Caravan Park Trio Named

The three people who died of suspected carbon monoxide in Cornwall have been named locally as John and Audrey Cook, and their daughter, Maureen.

Mr Cook was aged 90, his wife was 86 and their daughter was 46.

The alarm was raised at the caravan park near Camborne where they were living just before 1pm on Saturday after the couple's helper was unable to reach them, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Firefighters broke into the caravan and found the bodies of three people, and a dog, inside.

Audrey and John Cook

Inspector David Eldridge of Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Shortly before 1pm this afternoon, we were called to a caravan park near Camborne in Cornwall, where a helper had been unable to get a reply from an elderly couple who lived in the caravan.

"We were able to see that there was a figure sat in a chair but they were unresponsive to knocks at the door.

"Cornwall Fire and Rescue were called. They forced entry into the property and found that the three occupants were all dead."

An investigation into what caused the deaths is under way, but the incident is not being treated as suspicious.

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