Isis rebels declare 'Islamic state'

30 June 2014 Last updated at 10:35

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Footage aired on Iraqi state TV apparently shows troops undertaking a flash operation to weed out insurgents, as the BBC's Paul Adams reports

Jihadist militant group Isis has said it is establishing a caliphate, or Islamic state, on the territories it controls in Iraq and Syria.

It also proclaimed the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as caliph and "leader for Muslims everywhere".

Setting up a state governed under strict Islamic law has long been a goal of many jihadists.

Meanwhile, Iraq's army continued an offensive to retake the northern city of Tikrit from the Isis-led rebels.

The city was seized by the insurgents on 11 June as they swept across large parts of northern-western Iraq.

In a separate development, Israel called for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in response to the gain made by the Sunni rebels in Iraq.

Allegiance demand

The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) announced the establishment of the caliphate in an audio recording posted on the internet on Sunday.

Isis also said that from now on it would be known simply as "the Islamic State".

The BBC's Middle East editor, Jeremy Bowen, says the declaration harks back to the rise of Islam, when the Prophet Muhammad's followers conquered vast territories in the Middle Ages.

The Sunni-Shia split has its origins in a dispute over the succession to Muhammad.

Analysis: The BBC's Paul Adams in Baghdad

It's easy to dismiss the latest crop of Isis videos and statements as mere propaganda (however well produced), but the announcement of the establishment of a caliphate is rich with religious, cultural and historic significance.

Generations of Sunni radicals have dreamt of a moment when, in the words of Isis spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, Muslims "shake off the dust of humiliation and disgrace" and a new caliphate rises out of the chaos, confusion and despair of the modern Middle East.

Many Sunnis, and all Shia, will recoil in horror from the barbarism that has accompanied this moment, but the sight of old colonial-era boundaries being erased is a powerful statement, designed to attract new recruits to this whirlwind jihad.

In one of the Isis videos uploaded on Sunday, a bearded fighter called Abu Safiyya guides the viewer around a newly demolished border post. The video, with its arresting imagery and impressive production values, is designed to electrify the group's followers.

The fact that Abu Safiyya is described as being from Chile merely adds to what the authors hope is now the organisation's global appeal.

Isis said the Islamic state would extend from Aleppo in northern Syria to Diyala province in eastern Iraq.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the group said, would become the leader of the state and would be known as "Caliph Ibrahim".

In the recording, the rebels also demanded that all Muslims "pledge allegiance" to the new ruler and "reject democracy and other garbage from the West".

What is a caliphate?

• An Islamic state ruled by a single political and religious leader, or Caliph

• Caliphs are regarded by their followers as successors to Muhammad and sovereign over all Muslims

• First caliphate came into being after Prophet Muhammad's death in 632

• In the centuries which followed, caliphates had dominion in the Middle East and North Africa

• The last widely accepted caliphate was abolished in 1924 by Turkish leader Kemal Ataturk after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire

• The Ahmadiyya sect of Islam has recognised a caliphate for the last century, but it is only this group that does so

On Sunday, Iraqi government jets struck at rebel positions and clashes broke out in various parts of Tikrit, witnesses and officials said.

"The security forces are advancing from different areas", Lt-Gen Qassem Atta told journalists. "There are ongoing clashes."

Troops had reportedly pulled back to the nearby town of Dijla as Saturday's initial offensive met stiff resistance.

The heavy fighting over the two days caused many casualties on both sides, eyewitnesses and journalists told the BBC.

Insurgents were reported to have shot down a helicopter and captured the pilot.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the creation of an independent Kurdish state in response to gains made by Sunni insurgents in Iraq.

In a speech in Tel Aviv, he said the Kurds were "a nation of fighters and have proved political commitment and are worthy of independence".

The Kurds have long striven for an independent state but they remain divided between Syria and Turkey, Iran and Iraq.

The international community, including neighbouring Turkey and the US, remains opposed to the breakup of Iraq.

Are you in the area? What is your reaction to the current situation? Email your views to haveyoursay@bbc.o.uk with the word 'Iraq' in the subject heading.

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Pistorius 'had no mental disorder'

30 June 2014 Last updated at 11:55

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LIVE: Watch coverage of the murder trial of athlete Oscar Pistorius

Oscar Pistorius did not have a mental disorder when he killed his girlfriend, a psychological report said as his murder trial resumed.

This means the Olympic athlete was criminally responsible for his actions when he shot her, the prosecution said.

The defence team argued Mr Pistorius was suffering from an anxiety disorder.

The athlete denies deliberately killing Reeva Steenkamp. He says he shot her accidentally in a state of panic after mistaking her for an intruder.

The prosecution says Mr Pistorius deliberately killed Ms Steenkamp following an argument.

Both prosecution and defence have accepted the results of the psychological report.

Continue reading the main story

The defence has called acoustic expert Ivan Lin to give evidence in the hope of discrediting prosecution witnesses who said they heard the scream of a woman on the night Ms Steenkamp was killed.

Earlier, the court heard from Dr Gerry Versfeld, who amputated Mr Pistorius' legs when he was just 11 months old. He was born without the fibulas in both of his legs but went on to become an Olympic athlete.

Dr Versfeld testified about the impact of the disability on Mr Pistorius, 27, and to what extent he can walk without his prosthetic legs.

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State prosecutor Gerrie Nel: Oscar Pistorius ''did not suffer from a mental illness or defect'' at the time of the shooting

The defence is expected to finish presenting its evidence in the next few days.

Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, was shot through a toilet door at Mr Pistorius' house in Pretoria on Valentine's Day last year.

The couple had been dating for three months.

"Mr Pistorius did not suffer from a mental illness or defect that would have rendered him criminally not responsible for the offence charged," said state prosecutor Gerrie Nel, reading from the psychologist report.

The prosecution requested the evaluation after a defence witness said the double amputee was suffering from Generalised Anxiety Disorder (Gad).

Mr Pistorius, 27, underwent a month of tests as an outpatient at Weskoppies psychiatric hospital in Pretoria.

He has often displayed his emotions during the trial, and has sobbed and vomited in court.

There are no juries at trials in South Africa, so the athlete's fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.

If found guilty of murder, Mr Pistorius, who went on trial on 3 March this year, could face life imprisonment. If he is acquitted of that charge, the court will consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive about 15 years in prison.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder

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The BBC's Michelle Roberts explains Generalised Anxiety Disorder

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder is a medically-recognised, long-term condition
• People with Gad feel anxious on most days and worry about a wide range of issues
• It is thought to affect around one in 25 people at some point in their lives and is more common in women than in men
• Symptoms vary - making it tricky to diagnose
• People with Gad may have difficulty concentrating, feel tired and irritable, feel sick, dizzy or sweaty and experience aches and pains
• Gad tends to run in families, can follow stressful events, and may be linked to chemical imbalances in the brain
• The main treatments include using talking therapies, relaxation techniques and medication

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UK leaving EU 'would be bad news'

30 June 2014 Last updated at 09:32

The vice-president of the European Commission has said "it would be very bad news" if the UK left the EU.

Joaquin Almunia also predicted that David Cameron would be able to work with the in-coming European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker.

He told the BBC Mr Juncker was "a committed pro-European" but also "a pragmatic politician" and the UK "was an important member of the EU".

The PM faces MPs later, after failing to stop Mr Juncker's appointment.

The prime minister forced a vote of EU states on Friday on the selection of Mr Juncker - but lost it 26-2.

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Joaquin Almunia, Vice-President of the EU Commission, said a UK exit from the EU would be "very bad news"

Downing Street said the defeat would only "redouble the prime minister's resolve".

In Monday's Daily Telegraph, the PM said he would "work with" Mr Juncker, adding: "There is business we can do."

He said he was still determined to renegotiate the UK-EU relationship and then put the changes to a referendum on whether the UK should stay in, or leave, the EU - but accepted that was now "harder".

And defending his decision to demand Friday's vote, he said he was right to stand up for the principle that the president of the European Council should be chosen by "consensus".

"Sometimes it is possible to be isolated and to be right," he added.

Only Britain and Hungary voted to block the appointment of Mr Juncker, a former prime minister of Luxembourg, who is seen as a backer of closer political union in the EU.

'Benefit of the doubt'

Although Germany was on the opposite side over Mr Juncker, its finance minister told the Financial Times a British exit from the EU was "unimaginable" and "absolutely not acceptable".

Wolfgang Schauble said his country would do everything in its power to keep Britain in the union

"Clearly, we have in many economic questions and regulatory questions a broad consensus," he said.

"Historically, politically, democratically, culturally, Great Britain is entirely indispensable for Europe."

Mr Cameron is likely to face criticism from Labour in the Commons later.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has said the PM's strategy "totally failed", and shadow chancellor Ed Balls said the bid to block Mr Juncker's appointment was a "catastrophe for Britain and the British national interest".

'Fair deal'

But the Labour ex-European Commissioner Lord Mandelson, who met Mr Juncker in Berlin last week, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We should give him the benefit of the doubt.

"He explicitly said he does not advocate a united states of Europe - he's not a green-eyed federalist minister as some in Britain have portrayed him.

"Mr Juncker has the experience and the knowledge to be an effective president of the European Commission."

But prominent Conservative Eurosceptic MP David Davis said while Mr Juncker was a "bad candidate", Mr Cameron had to turn his opposition to the EC president into a "tactical advantage" to secure constitutional changes that allow Britain to protect "our national interests".

Mr Cameron phoned Mr Juncker on Sunday, "congratulated" him on his new job and they spoke about a "fair deal for Britain", a Downing Street spokesman said.

In his article on the situation, the PM said: "If by a fair deal, we can agree that we are not heading, at different speeds, to the same place - as some have assumed up to now - then there is business we can do."

He said further integration in Europe was "inevitable" - and he did not oppose it - but the UK wanted "no part of it".

Britain still had allies in the EU and Friday's vote was not a "fatal blow to our renegotiation strategy in Europe", he said.

"I do not deny that it has made the task harder and the stakes higher," Mr Cameron added

"But it is not in our nature as a country to give up."

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Scout dies during adventure holiday

30 June 2014 Last updated at 11:59

A 14-year-old boy from a scout group near Glasgow has died in a swimming accident on an adventure holiday in the Italian Alps.

The incident happened at the Lillaz Falls, about 1,800m above sea level, in the Gran Paradiso National Park on Sunday.

Eastwood District Scouts has confirmed that the boy was from its group.

Outdoor education provider Acorn Adventure said he was part of a group jumping into water under instruction.

"Although he was immediately rescued from the water and given CPR, tragically he could not be resuscitated," the company said in a statement.

"The group were on the second full day of their nine-day adventure activity trip in northern Italy when the incident happened.

'Unable to resuscitate'

"They were jumping into the water, where instructors were waiting for them.

The 14-year-old was a member of the Pegasus Explorer Scout Unit, which is linked to the 35th Glasgow Scout Group.

"All participants were wearing buoyancy aids, wet suits and helmets, as is standard on this activity, carried out by hundreds of participants every year for the past 18 years," the statement said.

"As yet, it is unclear why this participant lost consciousness as he entered the water."

An investigation into the incident is being led by the Guardia di Finanza (Finance Guard) of Entreves.

The outdoor education company added: "Acorn Adventure continues to work with the Italian emergency services and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to ensure he is brought home to his family swiftly and respectfully and senior operations staff are travelling to Italy to provide all possible support."

'Devastated'

In a statement, the Scout Association said: "The young person was taking part in a holiday to the Aosta Valley in Italy organised by Acorn Adventure, who are a company specialising in adventure based trips.

"We are working with Acorn Adventure to support the family, leaders and other young people involved in this very sad event.

"We are devastated that a young person has died and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the young person at this time."

The Foreign Office said it was aware of the death of a British national in Italy and was ready to provide consular assistance.

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Girl, 14, dead as car hits teenagers

30 June 2014 Last updated at 12:07

A girl has died after a car mounted the pavement and hit four pedestrians in Oxfordshire.

The driver, an 18-year-old man, lost control of a blue Citroen C2 on the A4095 Curbridge Road at Witney at about 08:15 BST, police said.

The car then hit a man, in his 40s, and three 14-year-old girls.

One of the girls died, another was seriously injured and the other escaped injury. The man sustained pelvic and leg injuries. The driver was arrested.

The road has been closed both ways, between Church View Road and A415 Ducklington Lane.

Insp Paul Winks said officers were yet to determine how the driver had lost control of the car.

"At the moment we're trying to gather forensic evidence from the scene, evidence from eye witnesses and any CCTV in the area," he added.

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Hacking retrial over corrupt payments

30 June 2014 Last updated at 12:42

Ex-News of the World editor Andy Coulson and its former royal editor Clive Goodman are to face a retrial on a charge of buying royal telephone directories from police officers.

An Old Bailey jury failed to reach a verdict on the charges last week.

Coulson was found guilty last week of conspiracy to hack phones and faces a maximum of two years in prison.

He is due to be sentenced later this week for plotting to hack phones at the NoW between 2000 and 2006.

Prosecutor Andrew Edis QC said: "The CPS has taken the position to proceed with the retrial."

He also described the list of phone hacking victims as reading "like a Who's Who to Britain for the first five years of the century", adding that "what occurred was the routine invasion of privacy and that has the capacity to do serious harm".

And Justice Saunders agreed with Mr Edis that the public should be told how two years is the maximum term the convicted men can be sentenced to serve in prison, so that public expectations around their sentencing would be "based on what is lawful".

'Utterly corrupted'

Coulson appeared on Monday at the Old Bailey as the sentencing process began, alongside former colleagues Neville Thurlbeck, Greg Miskiw and James Weatherup who have all admitted their part in what the court heard was "systemic misconduct".

Private detective Glenn Mulcaire also appeared, for his part in the hacking plot. Former NoW reporter Dan Evans, who has also admitted phone hacking, will be sentenced separately in late July.

Mr Edis also told the court on Monday that the Crown would make an application for costs against Miskiw, Thurlbeck, Weatherup and Coulson totalling £750,000.

Those four men had "utterly corrupted" the NoW, which "became at the very highest level a criminal enterprise", the court heard.

The court also heard Miskiw was the most heavily implicated in phone hacking, making some 1,500 requests to Mulcaire between 1999 and 2006, even after he had left the News of the World.

In July 2004 he asked Mulcaire to target Spectator publisher Kimberly Quinn because of her involvement with former home secretary David Blunkett.

And he and Thurlbeck were also responsible for instructing Mulcaire over the hacking of voicemails on a mobile phone belonging to murdered Surrey teenager Milly Dowler in 2002.

Robin Brant, BBC political correspondent

It is quite a scene - the News of the World hackers reunited.

Behind the Perspex screen shielding the dock sat six men who have pleaded guilty to, or have been convicted of, what's been described yet again as intercepting voicemails on an "industrial scale".

Left to right sat Greg Miskiw, Dan Evans, James Weatherup, Neville Thurlbeck, Andy Coulson and Glen Mulcaire.

The man who did most of the hacking - Mulcaire - sat alongside the editor who agreed to it. Coulson and Thurlbeck, once the NoW's chief reporter, chatted before all six were asked to stand and confirm their names.

Arms behind his back, suit button done up, Coulson simply answered: "Yes". The court was packed with barristers - 20 at my count - and some of the media sitting in the seats reserved for the jury.

It was a reminder that this is no longer a trial but the last phase of the process, where the judge alone decides what sentences to pass on these men.

The News of the World was closed by its parent company, News International, in July 2011 after the incident involving Milly Dowler's phone emerged.

Police say thousands of people's phones were also targeted by the newspaper's hackers.

After leaving the News of the World, Coulson, 46, of Charing in Kent, later became director of communications for Prime Minister David Cameron.

Clive Goodman, 56, of Addlestone, Surrey, is the newspaper's former royal editor and pleaded guilty to phone hacking in 2006.

Coulson was News of the World editor from 2003-07 then worked for the Conservative Party from 2007 and became the PM's director of communications after the 2010 election.

Following Coulson's conviction Mr Cameron apologised for hiring him and said it had been "the wrong decision".

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Tornado jet crewman 'feared flying'

30 June 2014 Last updated at 12:55

One of three airmen who died when two RAF Tornado GR4s collided had a fear of flying at medium level, air accident investigators have said.

The weapon systems operator was in the rear seat of a jet with a student pilot when it collided with another aircraft over the Moray Firth in 2012.

A report said the airman's condition did not directly cause the accident, but was probably a factor.

Another factor was the lack of anti-collision equipment on the jets.

In its report, the Military Aviation Authority (MAA) said there was "much opportunity for this mid-air collision to be prevented".

It noted that there was no collision warning system (CWS) on board the Tornado fleet.

A system has been recommended for many years but installation was repeatedly delayed.

The report said it was unfortunate that this "final safety barrier" which would have made the crews aware of their close proximity did not exist.

The MAA indentified 17 contributory factors and seven other factors in the accident on 3 July 2012.

Contributory factors included poor weather conditions, "ineffective supervision" at squadron level of the aircraft involved and "shortcomings in the management process".

Another factor was that there had not been a formalised and effective care plan for the weapon systems operator (WSO) with the fear of flying at medium level.

He had sought help for his condition, the MAA report said.

In April 2012, the WSO said he had reached a "crisis point" and "could not face flying".

He was diagnosed with a phobic anxiety disorder. The WSO stopped flying for a time, before returning to the cockpit.

The report said on the day of the accident, the jet he was in made a "rushed" descent to low level and this was done in "marginal weather" conditions.

While there was no evidence that the WSO's anxiety affected his decision-making, the report said his decisions were "not commensurate with his recognised experience and professional standing".

• Between 1979 and 2001 there were 42 separate mid-air collisions involving RAF aircraft.
• 40 lives were lost and 47 aircraft - including 12 Tornados - destroyed.
• Since 2001, there have been nine mid-air collisions involving UK military aircraft.
• Among the 17 people who died in those incident, three were air cadets.

An onboard collision warning system would have helped to prevent the Tornado GR4s from colliding, air accident investigators said.

Equipment designed to help fast jet pilots avoid mid-air collisions was recommended in the late 1990s.

A system with a total cost of £53.46m was approved for installation in October 2012 and a contract for the work was awarded in December that year.

The rollout of the equipment is due to be completed by this year.

The MAA said, at the time its report was written, there was no requirement for the RAF's new Typhoon and F-35B to be fitted with CWS.

The Ministry of Defence said the recommendations contained in the MAA report were being implemented.

The crash happened over the Moray Firth, off the coast of Sutherland, near Helmsdale.

The crews were on separate training missions at the time and were headed for a firing range at Tain in Easter Ross when they collided.

Bangor-born Flt Lt Hywel Poole, 28, Sqn Ldr Samuel Bailey, 36, from Nottingham, and Flt Lt Adam Sanders, 27, who grew up in Lancashire, died.

Sqd Ldr Paul Evans, from RAF Lossiemouth, survived but was badly injured.

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GPs who miss cancer could be named

29 June 2014 Last updated at 12:47

GPs with a poor record in spotting signs of cancer could be publicly named under new government plans.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt wants to expose doctors whose failure to spot cancer may delay sending patients for potentially life-saving scans.

Labour called the idea "desperate" and accused Mr Hunt of attacking doctors.

The Royal College of GPs said it would be a "crude" system and one that could lead to GPs sending people to specialists indiscriminately.

It warned this could result in flooding hospitals with healthy people.

The move is part of the health secretary's plans to make the NHS more transparent.

Ranking GP surgeries on how quickly they spot cases of cancer and refer patients for treatment is among proposals being considered.

The information could eventually be published on the NHS website.

This follows a survey for the NHS last year, which suggested that more than a quarter of people eventually diagnosed with cancer had seen their GP at least three times before being sent to a specialist.

"We need to do much better," the health secretary told the Mail on Sunday.

"Cancer diagnosis levels around the country vary significantly and we must do much more to improve both the level of diagnosis and to bring those GP practices with poor referral rates up to the standards of the best."

Continue reading the main story

If you simply name and shame GPs, the tendency would be for us to refer everyone"

End Quote Chaand Nagpaul BMA

Doctors found to be missing too many cases of cancer or with patients who are forced to make repeated visits before being referred for tests would be marked with a red flag.

Those found with quick referral times for patients would be given a green rating.

Shadow health minister Jamie Reed said the government would not take responsibility for problems it had created in the NHS.

"David Cameron wasted billions on a re-organisation nobody wanted and left cancer patients waiting longer for tests and treatment. He should be ashamed of his own record - not attacking doctors," he said.

"This government has thrown away progress made on cancer care. It is proof of why the Tories can't be trusted with the NHS."

'Clog up clinics'

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the British Medical Association general practitioners committee, said to name and shame doctors would not help patients.

He said it was important to understand why there were delays in making referrals and to raise public awareness about the signs and symptoms of cancer.

"We need to look at the whole system and if you simply name and shame GPs, the tendency would be for us to refer everyone," he told the BBC.

"And that can be a disadvantage because if we clog up hospital outpatient clinics, we'll get patients who need to see their specialist actually having to wait longer."

Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, a former GP who chairs the Commons health select committee, said the government needed to be careful not to wrongly label people as "poor doctors".

She too warned there was a danger of automatically referring everyone to a specialist and creating "impossibly long waiting lists", which could harm those needing to be seen urgently.

Rising demand

Dr Wollaston added that she could not see how GPs could maintain current levels of service amid rising demand without a funding injection.

"The NHS budget has been protected in line with background inflation but that does not keep pace with inflation in health costs from rising demand and demographic changes," she said.

"I don't want to see any reduction in services. I would like to see further improvements and that will require an increase in funding."

Dr Wollaston joined Conservative former health secretary Stephen Dorrell and Lib Dem former health minister Paul Burstow in calling for increased funding for the NHS.

Mr Burstow warned that the NHS was in danger of collapse within five years without extra spending. He said the health service needed an extra £15bn over that period in order to function properly.

Mr Dorrell said he would be ashamed if the government failed to increase NHS funding at a time when the economy was growing.

"I am in favour of the government not denying what 5,000 years of history tells us is true, which is that every time a society gets richer it spends a rising share of its income on looking after the sick and the vulnerable," he told The Observer.

Have you or has someone you know been diagnosed with cancer? Do you think doctors who miss too many cases should be named? If you are happy to speak to a BBC journalist about these issues please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the word 'cancer' in the subject heading.

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Fresh clashes in battle for Tikrit

29 June 2014 Last updated at 13:13

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The BBC's Paul Adams: ''It's clearly a difficult fight for the Iraqi military''

Iraqi government forces are continuing an offensive to retake the northern city of Tikrit from Sunni rebels.

Aircraft have struck at rebel positions and clashes have broken out in various parts of the city, witnesses and officials have said.

Troops had reportedly pulled back to the nearby town of Dijla as Saturday's initial offensive met stiff resistance.

The city of Tikrit was captured by Sunni rebels on 11 June as they swept across large parts of northern Iraq.

"The security forces are advancing from different areas", Lt-Gen Qassem Atta told journalists. "There are ongoing clashes."

There was fighting in the northern Qadissiyah district, near the university where troops established a foothold in the city a few days ago, witnesses told the Associated Press.

An unnamed official also told the agency of clashes around an air base formerly used by the US military, Camp Speicher.

Improvised devices

Heavy fighting took place on Saturday between the Iraqi security forces and armed men from different factions controlling Tikrit, resulting in many casualties on both sides, eyewitnesses and journalists told the BBC.

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Foreign Secretary William Hague: "I don't think it would be wise to have a British military intervention"

Insurgents, led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), were reported to have shot down a helicopter and captured the pilot.

The witnesses said the Iraqi forces had been hampered in their bid to retake the city by the large number of improvised explosive devices laid on the approaches to the city.

But Lt-Gen Atta said that during Sunday's offensive many of the devices had been detonated.

Fear inside Tikrit

"We cannot live here another day. The entire night we have only heard bombs bursting all around the hospital" - Marina Jose, one of 46 stranded Indian nurses at a Tikrit teaching hospital, tells BBC

'No-one wants to stay here'

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Iraq "receives Russian attack jets" to fight rebels

Meanwhile, Iraq said it had received the first batch of military jets ordered from Russia in order to help fight the militants.

The defence ministry said five Sukhoi aircraft would enter service in "three to four days".

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, British Secretary of State William Hague called for political unity in Iraq to help fight what he called the "mortal threat" to the state.

"Security operations will only work with strong political support from all elements in Iraq" he said.

Mr Hague's intervention will add to the pressure on Iraq's leaders to form a national unity government, correspondents say.

It follows a call from Iraq's most influential Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Sistani for a prime minister to be appointed by Tuesday - when the new parliament meets - to try to defuse the country's political crisis.

Prime Minister Nouri Maliki wants a third term, though correspondents say he is seen by many as having precipitated the crisis through sectarian policies that have pushed Iraq's Sunni minority into the hands of Isis extremists.

Are you in the area? What is your reaction to the current situation? Email your views to haveyoursay@bbc.o.ukwith the word 'Iraq' in the subject heading.

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'Scores trapped' in India collapse

29 June 2014 Last updated at 10:08

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Most of those trapped under the rubble are thought to be workers from a neighbouring province

More than 100 people are still feared trapped after a building collapsed in southern India, an official has said.

At least nine people died and several were hurt when the 12-storey building under construction toppled in Chennai in heavy rain late on Saturday.

Hours earlier, a four-storey building came down in the capital Delhi killing 10 people including five children.

India has seen frequent building collapses, many blamed on lax safety and substandard materials.

Rescue teams with cutters and shovels are continuing to search for survivors in the rubble in Chennai, Tamil Nadu state.

"There are approximately 132 labourers who are under the debris and approximately 100 of them belong to southern Andhra Pradesh province," joint collector Rekha Rani told Reuters news agency.

At least 26 people have so far been rescued. It is not clear whether Mr Rani was speaking before the rescues took place.

A police investigation has also been launched.

By Yogita Limaye, BBC News, Mumbai

Building collapses have become an almost common occurrence in India, with numerous such accidents taking place across large cities over the past year. The latest incidents have once again put the spotlight on the need for better regulation of construction in the country.

While some collapses have occurred because poor quality material was used, others, have been because the buildings were simply too old and residents refused to leave despite them being labelled as dangerous to live in.

Corruption is also a factor, because in many cases, changes to the building's structure, such as adding extra floors, or breaking down walls, which might make it vulnerable are permitted by authorities that have been found to have accepted bribes.

Soaring property prices in Indian cities have also meant that finding a flat that fits your budget is so hard, that people very often tend to compromise on safety.

In pictures: India building collapses

Police said larger pieces of rubble would have to be moved before rescuers could search for more survivors, adding that access to the building was difficult because of a narrow lane leading to it.

Fire service official Vijay Shekar told the Times of India newspaper that it could take two days to reach the ground floor of the building, adding that it would be a "massive operation".

While the cause of the latest collapse is still under investigation, a lack of construction codes, leading to lax safety, is one reason for frequent collapses of buildings and other infrastructure projects in India.

There is also a high demand for housing, pushing up costs and forcing less affluent people to risk their lives in decrepit or badly constructed buildings.

In January, at least 14 people died when a building under construction came crashing down in the western state of Goa.

At least 42 people died after a four-storey building collapsed in Mumbai last September.

Are you in the area? Have you been affected? Please share your comments with us. You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'India Building Collapse'.

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Britain should stay in EU, CBI says

29 June 2014 Last updated at 01:59

The success of the UK economy depends on staying in the EU, the head of the country's biggest business group says.

Confederation of British Industry (CBI) director general John Cridland told the Observer EU membership supported jobs, growth and the UK's "competitiveness".

His comments come after Prime Minister David Cameron lost a vote on the next president of the European Commission.

He tried to block the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker, who is seen as a backer of closer political union.

EU states voted 26-2 to appoint Mr Juncker on Friday, and Mr Cameron called it a "bad day for Europe".

Mr Cameron wants to renegotiate Britain's position in the EU before holding a referendum on membership after the next general election.

'Fundamental'

Some Conservative MPs believe Britain should leave the EU, and on Friday Tory MEP Daniel Hannan proposed a "Swiss-type deal where we are only in the free market and we are outside everything else".

But Mr Cridland opposed this, saying: "Alternatives to full membership of the EU simply wouldn't work, leaving us beholden to its rules without being able to influence them."

He said the CBI, which lobbies the government on behalf of businesses, would "continue to press the case for the UK remaining in a reformed European Union".

"The EU is our biggest export market and remains fundamental to our economic future," he said.

"Our membership supports jobs, drives growth and boosts our international competitiveness."

After Friday's European vote Labour leader Ed Miliband said the UK was now "closer to the exit door" in Europe, posing a threat to the economy, and UKIP leader Nigel Farage said Mr Cameron had been "utterly humiliated".

But Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Mr Cameron had been "brave" to take on Europe and said the debate had now changed.

The leaders of Sweden and Germany offered the PM some encouragement after the vote.

Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt said he knew closer union was not "for everyone", and German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "ready to address British concerns".

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Metallica: Glastonbury 'sensational'

29 June 2014 Last updated at 10:21 By Mark Savage BBC News entertainment reporter

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There have been mixed reactions to headline act Metallica at the Glastonbury Festival, as Lizo Mzimba reports

Heavy metal band Metallica won over new fans as they headlined on Glastonbury's famous Pyramid Stage on Saturday.

The band played for 90 minutes, with highlights including One, Cyanide and an extended version of Master Of Puppets.

The quartet are the first metal act to headline the festival since its inception in 1970.

Drummer Lars Ulrich said: "That was sensational. I don't remember much of it... the energy was fantastic."

Speaking to the BBC's Jo Whiley backstage after their set, Ulrich said he had been at Glastonbury since Friday and wanted to immerse himself in the experience.

"We have one shot, you never know if you'll be invited back," he said.

"I want to soak up every second of this thing. We would love to come back."

He added that he was looking forward to Sunday's acts, including Dolly Parton and Kasabian.

"I'll be the last one (here)... the one walking round with a garbage bag on Tuesday."

Asked to describe his Glastonbury experience in one sentence, Ulrich simply said: "Other-worldly."

Even the band's detractors would have been hard-pushed to deny their musicianship.

Fans and supporters lined the back of the stage as they ended the main set with Nothing Else Matters and Enter Sandman.

"Metallica. Glastonbury. Together at last," declared songwriter James Hetfield. "That felt good."

Returning for an encore of Whiskey in the Jar and Seek and Destroy, the band launched dozens of black Metallica-branded weather balloons into the audience, triggering a giant game of dodgeball between the audience and security guards.

"Metallica loves you, Glastonbury," said Hetfield as the band took their final bow.

"You made us feel so good. Thank you for having us."

Taking the microphone, Ulrich added: "There's no place on this earth like this beautiful Glastonbury Festival. Thank you for letting us be part of your experience and we hope to see you one more time."

Formed 33 years ago, the group's best-known songs include Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters and Master of Puppets.

Prior to their arrival on the Pyramid Stage, the band played a clip of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, in tribute to actor Eli Wallach, who died this week.

Ennio Morricone's Ecstasy of Gold, which features in the classic Western, has been Metallica's introduction music for many years.

The band also addressed criticism of Hetfield's involvement with pro-hunting groups head-on, showing an extended clip of an English fox hunt, soundtracked by Sweet's glam rock classic Fox on the Run.

At the climax of the hunt, four men in bear costumes shot the riders from their horses.

The bear's heads were removed to reveal the four grinning members of Metallica.

In the field

Metallica rocked Glastonbury with a strange mix of arrogance and humility.

Continue reading the main story

• Creeping Death
• For Whom the Bell Tolls
• Wherever I May Roam
• Sad But True
• Fade to Black
• Cyanide
• The Unforgiven
• The Memory Remains
• One
• Master of Puppets
• Nothing Else Matters
• Enter Sandman

Encore:

• Whiskey in the Jar
• Seek and Destroy

Speaking to the crowd 15 minutes into the set, Hetfield said: "Glasto - Metallica is grateful to be invited to such an event.

They knew they had something to prove - but they were also representing a genre of music that, they feel, has been unfairly maligned.

"We're very proud to be representing the heavier side of music," said Hetfield, dedicating a song to "all the UK bands dreaming of playing this stage and uttering the cry: 'Do you want heavy?'"

The answer was a definitive "yes".

The band didn't hold back, delivering a sensory assault of punchy power riffs from the outset.

But it wasn't just, as one critic suggested "loud one, loud one, loud one, encore" - with moments of acoustic reflection and supple musicianship amidst the double kick drums.

In the end, Metallica did what they came to do - win over new fans.

And for metalheads, the show will have been much more resonant than the Rolling Stones' headline set was for their audience last year.

Jack White, who played the Pyramid Stage immediately before Metallica, jammed on the riff to Enter Sandman during his set, prompting a surge towards the stage.

The musician ran through two dozen hits - including Hotel Yorba and Seven Nation Army - each delivered with the urgency of a band playing their encore.

But the effect was dampened slightly when, leaving the stage, he fell over his drum kit.

The audience had endured heavy showers throughout Saturday, and large swathes of the 900-acre site have become a swamp - but there was no sign of the thunder and lightning that had been forecast.

Sunday is due to be dry.

Famous faces spotted at the festival include Stella McCartney, Downton Abbey actresses Laura Carmichael and Lily James, film star Bradley Cooper and new Culture Secretary Sajid Javid.

As of midday on Saturday 138,152 ticket-holders were on site - a few thousand below capacity, suggesting some had been put off by the weather.

Singer-songwriter Nick Mulvey opened proceedings on the main Pyramid Stage, telling fans: "I know you're going to have the best day of your lives."

The musician, whose hits include Cucurrucu and Meet Me There, later confessed he only had "10 minutes to get things together, because Metallica were soundchecking right up until our stage time."

But his uplifting acoustic-pop was perfect for the early morning revellers, who swayed and bobbed in time to the music.

Mulvey later played at a special event curated by folk-pop band Mumford and Sons in the Avalon Field, on the very outskirts of the site.

Rock group Haim also joined the low-key show, playing Fleetwood Mac's Oh Well and the Rolling Stones' Honky Tonk Woman with Marcus Mumford and his band, who headlined the festival last year.

Lana Del Rey drew an adoring crowd to the Pyramid Stage, making a dramatic appearance in kohl-smudged eyes and a tie-dye dress.

Her louche, darkly romantic hits National Anthem, Video Game and West Coast were suitably dramatic as the sun played hide-and-seek in a stormy sky, but some fans felt the singer lacked charisma and drifted away towards the end of her set.

Thousands turned up to watch rock newcomers Royal Blood at the smaller John Peel tent, spilling out into the fields and nearby campsites.

"We couldn't see any grass, it was all just hair and eyes," said frontman Mike Kerr after the show.

"We always felt [Glastonbury] was going to be a bit of a milestone for us, but that show blew us out of the water. The response still hasn't registered."

Former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant played one of the most musically diverse sets of the day, with hits like Black Dog given drastic West African and South East Asian overhauls.

Preceding him on the Pyramid Stage, R&B star Kelis also re-tooled some of her most famous songs, giving a jazzy big-band treatment to tracks like Milkshake and A Capella.

Dressed in a neon pink dress, the US star spread positive vibes in the midday sun, signing off saying: "Live well. Treat each other well. Cheers!"

"I feel like I'm on a winning streak," she told the BBC backstage.

"This is my third Glastonbury and it's been sunny every time. I'm very happy about that."

Over on the Other Stage, Jake Bugg played a headline set, above more experienced acts like Manic Street Preachers and The Pixies.

The 20-year-old admitted that topping the bill had given him a case of the nerves.

"I get apprehensive, certainly," he told the BBC. "It's a big deal for me.

"If people are going to come and spend their evening watching my set, I've got to make sure I perform well and play the songs they want."

The festival continues on Sunday with Dolly Parton, Ed Sheeran and Kasabian on the bill.

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Labour in £30bn local funding plan

29 June 2014 Last updated at 10:54

Labour would transfer £30bn of funding from central to local government to "begin reversing a century of centralisation", Ed Miliband has said.

The party is set to unveil a range of new policies, and writing in the Sunday Times, Mr Miliband also said he wanted a quarter of government contracts to go to small and medium-sized firms.

Meanwhile Labour's Jon Cruddas has been recorded calling party plans "cynical".

Labour said Mr Miliband and Mr Cruddas shared a commitment to "radical" ideas.

Writing about the party's plans, Mr Miliband said he would unveil a report about growth by Labour peer Lord Adonis next week.

He said the report "recommends transferring £30bn of funding to city and county regions over the course of the next Parliament".

"This is just one of many ideas he has to nurture skills, help small businesses thrive and ensure innovation flourishes," he added.

He said Labour's plans were not about "big spending" but rather "big reform".

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said the party had "big ideas" about devolution of powers, long-term infrastructure spending and manufacturing .

He said Labour wanted to introduce "more devolution of power to our cities and our county regions, more devolution of housing spending, job spend, skills and business support".

'Cynical nuggets'

It comes following apparent criticisms of Labour's policies from Mr Cruddas - a Labour MP who is also co-ordinator of the party's policy review.

Continue reading the main story

"I talked to John a couple of days ago. He is not frustrated, he is excited about his political agenda"

End Quote Ed Balls Shadow chancellor

In a recording of a talk he gave to think tank Compass last weekend, he expressed frustration at what he saw as the crushing of complicated ideas about policy into media-friendly soundbites.

He said "cynical nuggets of policy" which "chime with focus groups" were being prioritised by the party over "innovation or creativity".

BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said it was not the first time Mr Cruddas had "wondered aloud" about party policy.

"He doesn't mention Ed Miliband by name - and has praised his leadership in recent days," our correspondent said.

"But he contrasted what he saw as the vitality of ideas he heard from activists around the country with what he called the 'profound dead hand at the centre [of the party]'."

Mr Balls denied Mr Cruddas was "frustrated" with Labour's lack of big policies.

Asked about the reference to "the dead hand at the centre", Mr Balls told the Andrew Marr Show that Mr Cruddas was part of the Labour centre, adding that "we are all working together on these big reforms".

"I talked to John a couple of days ago. He is not frustrated, he is excited about his political agenda," he said.

"He is frustrated by the way in which one report of 250 pages gets reduced down to one headline."

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Prince 'wanted more grammar schools'

29 June 2014 Last updated at 13:14

The Prince of Wales tried to persuade Tony Blair's government to expand grammar schools, former education secretary David Blunkett has said.

In a BBC Radio 4 documentary examining the constitutional role of the prince, Mr Blunkett said Prince Charles "didn't like" it when his request was refused.

He discussed complementary medicine and climate with other Labour ministers.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Sir John Major revealed he changed policies after discussing them with the Queen.

Mr Blunkett is one of three former cabinet ministers interviewed for the documentary, The Royal Activist.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

If you are waiting to be the king of the United Kingdom... you genuinely have to engage with something or you'd go spare"

End Quote David Blunkett

'Constantly frustrated'

Recalling his conversations, Mr Blunkett, who was education secretary for four years between 1997 and 2001, said: "I would explain that our policy was not to expand grammar schools, and he didn't like that.

"He was very keen that we should go back to a different era where youngsters had what he would have seen as the opportunity to escape from their background, whereas I wanted to change their background."

"I can see constitutionally that there's an argument that the heir to the throne should not get involved in controversy; the honest truth is I didn't mind," added Mr Blunkett.

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David Blunkett: "I would explain that our policy was not to expand grammar schools and he didn't like that"

"If you are waiting to be the king of the United Kingdom, and you've waited a very long time, you genuinely have to engage with something or you'd go spare."

But Graham Smith, chief executive of the group Republic which campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy, said it was wrong for any member of the Royal Family to try to shape the decisions of the elected.

"The deal with the monarchy is that the royals stay out of politics completely and these revelations just kind of prove what we've been saying all along which is that they are involving themselves, influencing public policy and that is completely unacceptable in a democratic society," Mr Smith said.

Former environment minister Michael Meacher recalled that he and the Prince "would consort together quietly" to affect policy on climate change and genetically modified crops.

He said they worked together "to try and ensure that we increased our influence within government".

"I knew that he largely agreed with me and he knew that I largely agreed with him," said Mr Meacher. "We were together in trying to persuade Tony Blair to change course."

Asked if there might be a constitutional problem in the Prince taking a political opinion, Mr Meacher replied: "Well, over GM I suppose you could well say that. Maybe he was pushing it a bit. I was delighted, of course."

A 'meddling' prince?

It is not the first time Prince Charles has attracted interest - and at times criticism - for his views.

Previously:

Prince Charles has been a well-known supporter of complementary medicine. According to another former Labour cabinet minister, Peter Hain, it was a topic they shared an interest in.

"He had been constantly frustrated at his inability to persuade any health ministers anywhere that that was a good idea, and so he, as he once described it to me, found me unique from this point of view, in being somebody that actually agreed with him on this, and might want to deliver it."

Mr Hain added: "When I was Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in 2005-7, he was delighted when I told him that since I was running the place I could more or less do what I wanted to do.

"I was able to introduce a trial for complementary medicine on the NHS, and it had spectacularly good results, that people's well-being and health was vastly improved.

"And when he learnt about this he was really enthusiastic and tried to persuade the Welsh government to do the same thing and the government in Whitehall to do the same thing for England, but not successfully," added Mr Hain.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

I can recall occasions where the Queen in discussion put a gloss upon something that made one think and reflect upon whether it was being done in the right fashion"

End Quote Sir John Major

The Prince's policy interventions are also supported by Sir John Major.

The former prime minister said: "I think it is encouraging that the Prince of Wales is entirely free from his unique perspective to write to ministers or the prime minister in a way that is invariably intended to be helpful, and I think to cut that off, or to make sure those letters are much more bland than they otherwise might be, would be a loss."

Sir John also revealed that he occasionally changed policy as a result of discussions with the Queen - although he would not be drawn on the specific times this took place.

Asked if he remembered being influenced by the Queen, Sir John said : "I think every prime minister can think that, and can think of occasions where that happened...

"But the answer is yes of course. It would be very foolish indeed not to be influenced."

"I can recall occasions where the Queen in discussion put a gloss upon something that made one think and reflect upon whether it was being done in the right fashion at the right time, or perhaps reflect upon what the impact of it would be," Sir John said.

The Royal Activist is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 13:30 BST on Sunday, 29 June.

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Ukraine truce holds despite attacks

28 June 2014 Last updated at 10:46

A Ukrainian government ceasefire in the conflict in the east of the country appears to be holding, despite attacks by pro-Russia rebels.

Several government-held sites came under fire overnight and in the morning but no casualties were reported.

President Petro Poroshenko extended the week-long ceasefire on Friday for three days, saying he was hoping for progress on his peace plan.

Some rebel leaders said they would match the truce but others oppose it.

Mr Poroshenko's announcement came hours after he had signed a landmark EU trade pact - the issue that has been the trigger of the recent crisis.

He said it was a "historic" moment and Ukraine's most important day since independence.

The refusal of Mr Poroshenko's predecessor, Viktor Yanukovych, to sign the EU deal - under pressure from Russia - led to protests in Kiev and his eventual overthrow this year.

Russia has since warned it will hit Ukraine with punishing trade restrictions if the pact has a negative effect on its economy.

But speaking on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian TV that it would be easier to solve the Ukrainian crisis if the United States was not involved.

"Our American colleagues... prefer to push the Ukrainian leadership along a confrontational path," he said.

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President Poroshenko said the EU deal "marks a historic day for Ukraine"

Key steps

In the latest fighting, separatists opened fire with mortars on the airfield in the town of Kramatorsk, a Ukrainian forces base near Kryva Luka and another base in Donetsk region, military reporter Dmytro Tymchuk said on his Facebook page (in Russian).

Later the Defence Ministry reported more attacks in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and said the Ukrainian army had regained control of a checkpoint outside Sloviansk.

No casualties have been reported.

A gas distribution station was also targeted in the third attack. There were no casualties on the government side.

One of the leaders of the self-declared "Donetsk People's Republic" in the east, Aleksander Boroday, said the new truce would be observed until 30 June.

However, two other senior rebels in the Donetsk region, Pavlo Gubarev and Igor Girkin, were quoted by local media as saying they rejected the truce.

Mr Poroshenko agreed to extend the truce after meeting top security and defence officials on his return from Brussels.

It will continue until 22:00 local time (19:00 GMT) on Monday.

A statement on the Ukrainian presidential website pointed to a policy statement on Ukraine, issued by the European Council on Friday which set out key steps it expected to happen by Monday.

They include the return of three key checkpoints to Ukrainian forces and the "launch of substantial negotiations on the implementation of President Poroshenko's peace plan".

Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted on a long-term ceasefire to allow for negotiations between the Ukrainian government and separatists, urging Mr Poroshenko to embark on a "path of peace, dialogue and accord".

Mr Poroshenko set out a 15-point peace plan on 20 June. It involves decentralising power and holding early local and parliamentary elections.

It also proposes the creation of a 10km (six-mile) buffer zone on the Ukrainian-Russian border, and a safe corridor for pro-Russian separatists to leave the conflict areas.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Russia the EU was prepared for "drastic measures" if there was no speedy progress on the plan.

More than 420 people have been killed in fighting between pro-Russia rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine since mid-April, the UN estimates.

The separatists have declared independence, claiming that extremists have taken power in Kiev. Their move followed Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region.

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BT apologises for broadband outage

28 June 2014 Last updated at 13:19

BT has apologised after "many" users in the UK experienced problems recently connecting to the internet, but says the issue has now been resolved.

Users complained they were unable to connect to some websites - including social media, banking and shopping sites - as a result of the problems.

BT said it was unable to say how many customers had been hit, but issues were reported in various parts of the UK.

"We're sorry for any trouble this may have caused," a BT spokesman said.

The firm, which has about seven million broadband subscribers in the UK, said it was still investigating the incident.

A message posted on Twitter by BTCare said: "Sorry about the issues many of you had accessing the Internet this morning. Problem is now fixed- sorry for any trouble caused."

'Wildfire'

Customers complained of problems in parts of Cornwall, as well as in Eastbourne, Preston, Tunbridge Wells and several other areas.

David Black, from St Austell, told the BBC: "It started with eBay at 09:30 BST and is spreading like wildfire.

"Amazon, Netflix, most forums, Facebook and Twitter are all blocked, with more being blocked all the time."

He added: "No-one can get through to the BT help pages as, ironically, they are also affected."

Another BT customer, Peter Clayton, added: "It seems to be all the major sites that don't work. HSBC, eBay, Amazon.

"My plumbing website seems also to be down and I'm a small business so this really does affect me as I have people in my office just twiddling their thumbs."

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Funeral for Guildford Four's Conlon

28 June 2014 Last updated at 11:54

The funeral has taken place in Belfast for Gerry Conlon, who was wrongly convicted of the 1974 Guildford IRA pub bombings in Surrey, England.

His funeral was carried into St Peter's Cathedral in west Belfast by four members of the Birmingham Six.

Mr Conlon died at home in west Belfast on 21 June, after an illness. He was 60-years-old.

He was one of the Guildford Four, who spent 15 years in prison before their convictions were quashed in 1989.

Lawyer Gareth Pierce who represented both the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six was also at the funeral, as was Irish deputy prime minister Eamon Gilmore and a number of politicians.

His memoirs, Proved Innocent, were used as a basis for the Hollywood film In the Name of the Father, in which his part was played by Daniel Day-Lewis.

In a statement issued through his lawyer Gareth Peirce, Mr Conlon's family said: "He brought life, love, intelligence, wit and strength to our family through its darkest hours.

"We thank him for his life and we thank all his many friends for their love."

The Guildford Four were convicted amid the backdrop of an IRA bombing campaign targeting pubs in England.

Gerry Conlon, Paddy Armstrong, Paul Hill and Carole Richardson were jailed for life in 1975 for an attack on the Horse and Groom pub in Guildford which killed four soldiers and a civilian, as well as injuring scores more.

All those involved vigorously protested their innocence.

The Court of Appeal quashed their sentences in October 1989, amid doubts raised about the police evidence against them.

An investigation into the case by Avon and Somerset Police found serious flaws in the way Surrey Police handled the investigation.

It is considered to be one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in Britain.

The perpetrators of the Guildford bomb attack have never been brought to justice.

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Bosnia marks centenary of WWI spark

28 June 2014 Last updated at 09:10

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Allan Little looks at how the assassin is remembered in Sarajevo

Bosnia is commemorating 100 years since the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, the act that triggered World War One.

Cultural and sporting events, including a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, are marking the occasion in the city.

Gavrilo Princip, who shot the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, continues to be a divisive figure in Bosnia.

The shots fired by the Bosnian Serb on 28 June 1914 sucked Europe's great powers into four years of warfare.

Bosnia's Serbs, Croats and Muslim Bosniaks are still divided over the role Princip played in bringing tensions to a head in Europe in 1914, with counter-commemorations planned by Bosnian Serbs.

In Austria, Franz Ferdinand's great-granddaughter and family will be holding events at the family castle at Artstetten, near Vienna, where he is buried.

Countdown to WW1

The World War One Centenary

Differing interpretations

Leaders of Serbia and some Bosnian Serbs are boycotting official events, which they say are designed to incriminate Serbs.

On Friday, Serbs in eastern Sarajevo unveiled a statue of Princip, seen by them as a national hero who ended years of occupation of the Balkans by the Austro-Hungarian empire.

In the eastern town of Visegrad, actors will re-enact the murder of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, and the Belgrade Philharmonic will play music by Vivaldi.

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Anita Hohenberg speaks about her great-grandfather Franz Ferdinand

The commemorations in central Sarajevo will take on a completely different tone to those in the east of the city, says the BBC's Guy De Launey.

The Vienna Philharmonic will play a selection harking back to Hapsburg days, including Haydn's Emperor Quartet, he adds.

The concert is being held at the newly-restored national library, which was destroyed during the 1992 siege of the city by Bosnian Serb forces in the Bosnian War.

Austrian President Heinz Fischer will be attending the concert, which is the centrepiece of official events marking the anniversary.

Commemorations are due to close with an open-air musical memorial event in Sarajevo.

Twenty-eight European Union leaders gathered on Thursday to mark 100 years since the beginning of World War One at Ypres in Belgium.

Princip and the shot that sparked WWI

• Gavrilo Princip, one of seven members of Mlada Bosnia (Young Bosnia), a Bosnian Serb militant organisation which wanted independence from Austria-Hungary
• Archduke Franz Ferdinand and wife Sophie shot dead in their car by Princip on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo
• Austria responds angrily and declares war on Serbia, securing unconditional support from Germany
• Russia announces mobilisation of its troops
• Germany declares war on Russia, 1 August
• Britain declares war on Germany, 4 August

Gavrilo Princip's living legacy

Ten interpretations of who started WW1

Gavrilo Princip: Remembering an assassin

Meanwhile, the UN cultural organisation Unesco has asked all vessels at sea to fly their flags at half-mast on Saturday to mark the assassination anniversary.

The organisation is trying to highlight its convention on underwater cultural heritage, designed to increase safeguards for thousands of sunken ships vulnerable to deliberate destruction and looting.

The agreement only applies to century-old wrecks so over the next four years, thousands of British, German and other ships lost in World War One will be added to the list.

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Soul legend Bobby Womack dead at 70

28 June 2014 Last updated at 12:39

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Bobby Womack's career spanned more than 50 years

Legendary soul singer and songwriter Bobby Womack, who penned hits for many of the greatest musicians of the 20th Century, has died at the age of 70.

The cause of death was not announced, but Womack had suffered from cancer and Alzheimer's disease and battled with drug addiction.

His hits included It's All Over Now, performed by the Rolling Stones, and Lookin' for Love.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.

Survivor

Womack was born in 1944 in Cleveland, Ohio and began singing in a gospel group in the 1950s with his brothers.

He later gained attention after the siblings signed to SAR Records in 1960.

The brothers, including Cecil, Curtis, Harry and Friendly Jr, cut two R&B albums as the Valentinos.

Later the group broke up and Womack turned to song writing and a solo career.

He outlived many of the acts with whom he played and with whom he was friendly, including Jimi Hendrix and Wilson Pickett.

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DJ Tony Blackburn: ''He was one of the greatest soul singers of all time"

His songs were recorded by Janis Joplin, Wilson Pickett and many others. His friend Sam Cooke persuaded him to let the Rolling Stones record It's All Over Now.

"He said, 'One day you'll be part of history, this group is gonna be huge,'" Womack told BBC Newsnight in 2012. "I said, 'Why don't they get their own songs?'"

He also worked as a session guitarist, appearing on recordings by Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Dusty Springfield, and Pickett.

From 1970-90, Womack charted 36 singles including That's the Way I Feel About Cha and Woman's Gotta Have It.

A series of personal tragedies including the deaths of two sons led him to drug abuse, according to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame.

'My worst critic'

After a long musical hiatus, in 2009 he was tapped by Gorillaz co-founder Damon Albarn to record a song for the group's third album.

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In 2012, Womack talked to Newsnight's Stephen Smith about his career

In 2012, Womack released his first album in more than ten years, entitled The Bravest Man in the Universe.

Womack told the BBC in 2013 "drugs had a lot to do with" a period spent away from the music industry prior to 2009.

"I've always been my worst critic," he said. "I think that keeps me reaching... I never take the audience for granted."

Just two weeks before his death, Womack performed at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.

Musicians who worked with the star paid tribute to his career and contribution to music.

Gospel singer Candi Staton, who knew Womack since childhood, said he had "a style that nobody else could ever capture".

"I loved him and I will miss him so, so very much" said the singer, who also toured with him.

Jason Newman from Rolling Stone Magazine said that he was one of the biggest soul acts of the day in the 1970s.

"Some of his albums and tracks are classics.. He was doing it for seven decades", he told the BBC.

Twitter reaction

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Armed Forces Day celebrations begin

28 June 2014 Last updated at 12:59

Armed Forces Day celebrations across the country have got under way, led from Stirling.

Hundreds of veterans, serving personnel and cadets have joined Princess Anne and the Prime Minister for the day of military demonstrations and events.

A huge parade of services personnel - young and old - kicked off the proceedings, marching from Stirling Castle to the events grounds nearby.

A Red Arrows display is among a packed timetable of entertainment on show.

Continue reading the main story

The parade began at Stirling Castle under stormy skies, at a place much fought over by the English and the Scots in the late Middle Ages.

That echo of battles past and battles still to come hung in the air as Prime Minister David Cameron stood near Alex Salmond, Scotland's first minister, as Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal took the salute.

Mr Salmond is the man hoping to lead the country to independence this September - in a referendum that's not the only one proving troublesome for Mr Cameron.

During the march past, an Indian-born veteran of the Parachute Regiment, Sergeant Milton Reilly, took the chance to tell Mr Salmond, the Princess Royal and the Prime Minister in person what he thought of the referendum, and his hopes that the UK would remain united, before he was moved along gently by security.

But most here wanted to keep politics out of a day that they say is here to remind the UK of the sacrifices of the UK's armed forces in the past and the present, rather than debate the future.

This afternoon, the Red Arrows will fly overhead - as well as the Battle of Britain memorial flight display, and the Royal Navy Historic flight.

All this, an unspoken reminder that the future of defence in Scotland - from its historic regiments to the nuclear deterrent base in Faslane - is also at stake when Scotland votes in September.

Representatives of the Army, Navy and Air Force are all taking part in the event, which is the centrepiece of celebrations going on all over the country and at British military outposts abroad.

Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond were both on hand as the Princess Royal took the salute from a group of veterans leading the 1000-strong parade from the castle at 11:30.

They headed through the Old Town and were joined by cadets and serving personnel at the Albert Halls, before making their way to the events ground at the Royal Parklands.

Tanks and military vehicles are on display throughout the day, with demonstrations by Sea King, Apache and Puma helicopters.

Plane enthusiasts will get to see the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane in flight, along with more modern Typhoon and Tornado jets, and a demonstration by the Red Arrows stunt team is scheduled to close the event.

Other displays include Royal Marines fast-roping from helicopters, pipe bands, a parachute display by the Army's Red Devils, an artillery gun salute and troops staging a ground assault complete with casualty evacuations.

The event comes on the same day First Minister Alex Salmond appointed Scotland's first Veterans Commissioner to provide greater support for services personnel.

Meanwhile the Queen is attending a service honouring volunteers who served in World War One, 100 years on from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo which led to the outbreak of war.

Organisers estimate the Armed Forces Day event will earn about £1m for the local economy, while boosting Stirling's reputation as a tourist destination.

'Time to shine'

Armed Forces Day is part of Stirling's "Big Weekend", which includes the Bannockburn Live battle re-enactment weekend, the Pipefest pipe band competition, and a night of open-air performances, entertainment and street art at Stirling's Big Night Out.

VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay said thousands of people were expected to attend the events.

He said: "The teams for Pipefest, Armed Forces Day and Bannockburn Live are working hard to ensure Stirling's Big Weekend is one to remember.

"Never before has this stunning city hosted as many tourists from all over the world and it really is Stirling's time to shine, showcasing the attractions, landscapes and history of this amazing area."

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Cameron under fire after EU defeat

28 June 2014 Last updated at 13:17

David Cameron has come under fire after his defeat in an EU vote over a new European Commission president.

While Sweden and Germany offered Mr Cameron encouragement, Labour leader Ed Miliband said the PM was taking the UK "closer to the exit door" of the EU, which posed a threat to the economy.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said Mr Cameron had been "utterly humiliated".

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the PM had been "brave" to take on Europe and the debate had now changed.

Britain forced the vote in an attempt to block the selection of Jean-Claude Juncker, seen as a backer of closer political union.

But EU states voted 26-2 to appoint him president of the Commission in what Mr Cameron described as "a bad day for Europe".

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Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt: ''David Cameron is the only political leader who has said he will give the British people a say''

Mr Miliband said the prime minister now posed "a clear and present danger" to the UK's future.

"David Cameron, by his own admission, is taking us closer to the exit door of the European Union, which would threaten three million jobs across the United Kingdom," he said.

Mr Miliband said European leaders questioned the prime minister's true intentions, which had prevented them from allying with him and was "bad for Britain".

He said Mr Cameron's strategy had "totally failed" and that he had been "comprehensively and humiliatingly" outvoted.

'Always complaining'

He said Mr Cameron had become "toxic" and was not the man for the job of reforming Europe.

Nigel Farage, the leader of UKIP, which wants Britain to withdraw from the EU, said Mr Cameron's defeat left him "looking like a loser" who had learnt nothing.

He said Mr Cameron would be unable to renegotiate the UK's position, despite claiming that he could.

Mr Farage said there was a mood within the EU that it would rather get rid of the "friendless" UK than allow it to start "picking apart treaties".

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Among the leaders there is anxiety that this defeat will hasten the exit of Britain from the EU"

End Quote

He told the BBC that leaders viewed Britain as "a damned nuisance" that was "always complaining", and that while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would address British concerns, ultimately, when she "puts her foot down" everybody fell into line.

Mr Farage said the EU was a "political union" which the British people did not want, and that leaders were not listening to Mr Cameron.

Defending the prime minister, Mr Hunt accused some leaders of "cowardice" for backing Mr Juncker's appointment. He said they would have to "work much harder" to persuade the UK that the EU could change.

The health secretary also said there had been a "sea change" in the wider debate and that EU leaders "desperately" wanted the UK to remain a member and would be open to "concessions and compromises".

Despite being one of the UK's closest allies in Europe, Sweden backed the appointment of Mr Juncker.

But the country's prime minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt, said after the vote that he knew closer union was not "for everyone".

Mr Reinfeldt pointed to a document issued by EU leaders after the vote which accepted that the idea of an ever-closer union should not apply to all member states.

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Jean-Claude Juncker: Career insider or committed European?

"Just look into what we have written in our conclusions," he said.

"You will find references with text, which I think is very important for David Cameron, saying this ever-closer union perception is maybe not the best for everyone."

He highlighted that this had "never been stated" by the EU before.

Germany also supported Mr Juncker's appointment, but Mrs Merkel said she was "ready to address British concerns".

She said there would be a review of how the president was nominated and said she shared Britain's ideas about what the EU should be like.

Mr Juncker was the preferred candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest group in the European Parliament, and his appointment must now be endorsed by the parliament.

The appointment of the European Commission president has previously been by consensus but Mr Cameron opposed the choice and his demand for a vote was granted.

Mr Cameron tried to convince other countries to oppose Mr Juncker, a former leader of Luxembourg, but in the end only the UK and Hungary did so.

He warned the appointment would hand more power to the European Parliament and take it away from the heads of government.

The BBC's Europe editor, Gavin Hewitt, said the prime minister needed a shift in power back to national parliaments in order to sell the idea of a reformed Europe to the British public.

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