nine police forces are drafted in to plug G4S Olympic security gap

Only 17 of an expected 56 G4S staff turned up for work, according to Paul Murphy, chairman of the Greater Manchester Police authority. This forced Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to reassign officers from front-line duties so they could guard athletes staying at the Marriot Worsley Park hotel over the weekend. GMP's Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said: "On Saturday, Greater Manchester Police became aware of a shortfall in security services for athletes participating in the 2012 Olympic Games. "On Sunday, policing operation was set up by GMP officers to assist with the security operation to protect athletes staying at the main Olympic team hotel in Worsley. "At no point was their a failure to provide security for the athletes.

Three people suffered injuries after being stabbed during Swedish House Mafia's show in Milton Keynes on Saturday (July 14).

Photo: PA

The gig, which took place at Milton Keynes Bowl, was marred by three incidents in which two 23-year old men and one 24-year old man were stabbed. 

According to Thames Valley Police, a 23-year-old man from the West Midlands area is currently in Milton Keynes General Hospital and is being treated for a punctured lung. 

Another, a 24-year-old man from the West Midlands, received a cut to his head and arm but has been discharged from hospital. Another 23-year old man was treated for minor injuries onsite by St John's Ambulance. 

Speaking about the incident, Detective Chief Inspector Justin Fletcher said: "This appears to have been an isolated incident, and overall we are very pleased with how the event passed off, but we would like to trace the person responsible for this assault."

Police have also said that they are keen to speak to a man who is described as white, aged in his early 20s, wearing a blue Nike T-shirt, a black jacket and black jogging bottoms, in connection with the assault.

A police spokesman said: "Anyone who witnessed the incident, particularly if they captured it on their camera or mobile phone, is requested to contact the police."

During the concert, three people were also arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class-A drugs. They are a 19-year-old man from Liverpool, a 26-year-old man from London, and a 37-year-old man from Ipswich.

This is the second time in a week that a Swedish House Mafia show has been marred by stabbings. Nine people suffered injuries after being stabbed during their show in Dublin last Saturday (July 7) and a man passed away after a drug overdose. 

Swedish House Mafia are currently completing their farewell tour.

Hundreds of police officers are drafted in as security guards after G4S fails to provide staff at dozens of Olympic venues.

Police officers in several forces have been asked to help security

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Police forces where Olympic Games venues are located have been asked to provide extra security, after G4S failed to provide enough staff.

Sky News understands that nine out of 12 police forces have been drafted in to help the embattled firm ensure the Games are kept secure.

The forces providing additional personnel include Strathclyde, West Midlands, Thames Valley, Greater Manchester and Dorset.

Sky News home affairs correspondent Mark White said: "The police say at this stage they have deployed hundreds of officers rather than thousands, but that could change in the coming days as more Olympic venues go into security lockdown."

"The need for extra officers will depend on whether G4S can meet its security commitment in the coming days and whether the military can deploy to those venues in time."

Only 15% of G4S staff allocated to the Gateshead Hilton arrived for duty

Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison, the Police National Olympic Security Coordinator, told Sky News: "Whilst some of the activity police officers are undertaking was not anticipated, plans were put in place to allow us to do this.

"Forces are making sure they make the best use of their resources locally to do all they can to minimise the impact on local policing.

"Delivering a safe and secure Games is a priority, but we will not compromise on keeping our local communities safe."

The details emerged after Northumbria Police were called in to help G4S with Olympic football security.

Sky Tyne and Wear discovered that less than 10 G4S guards reported for duty out of an expected 58 staff, as Northumbria Police Federation called the security firm's blunder "shambolic".

Chairman Charlie Munro said: "We are an emergency service and of course we will provide cover. The situation really is shambolic.

"I really think G4S needs to be looked at. They are a very big organisation and they've had long enough to plan for this. It really doesn't fill us with confidence."

G4S boss Nick Buckles (c) is under pressure over the security chaos

A spokesperson for G4S said: "As the games get closer, security is being tightened at venues around the UK, before the full complement of accredited staff have been assigned.

"Some venues are being supported by police in the short-term while the private security workforce is being mobilised.

"This situation is being rectified over the coming days, which should lead to the withdrawal of police from those roles assigned to private security."

The new revelation comes as Home Secretary Theresa May told the Commons about details behind the Olympic security crisis.

She said G4S only revealed last Wednesday that it had a staffing problem and the Government "took immediate action" in response.

"I want to be clear, this was the first time G4S told any minister about not being able to fulfil the contract," Mrs May told Parliament.

"G4S had repeatedly assured us it would overshoot their targets."

Defence minister Andrew Robathan told the Commons that the Olympic security situation was a "debacle".

The crisis has escalated since it was revealed last week that thousands of troops were needed to provide venue security after G4S admitted it may not be able to provide its full complement of 10,400 staff.

Mrs May said 20,000 G4S staff had been vetted and accredited, however the main problem was a shortfall when the company tried to allocate staff among venue.

She confirmed that no member of the armed forces would be out of pocket or losing leave entitlement over the need to deploy and supplement G4S staff.

The G4S share price plunged around 10% on Monday as investors fled the firm and newly-appointed chairman John Connolly agreed to meet key City investors to discuss the crisis and its impact on the company.

Meanwhile, embattled CEO Nick Buckles appears increasingly likely to become a victim of the debacle, which has been estimated to cost the firm £50m.

Some experts, however, expect the damage to be much deeper than the company has calculated and G4S' plans to nearly double its UK Government outsourcing are now under threat.

The company has been advertising for a new HR director, to be paid a six-figure sum, to manage 3,500 staff as they launch "ambitious plans" to reach a turnover of £400m by 2015.

Labour MP Keith Vaz has called into question the firm's role in outsourcing and said the company has "let down" the country.

Bankers face the prospect of jail as Serious Fraud Office launches criminal probe into interest-rate fixing at Barclays

Hearing: Former chief executive Bob Diamond left Barclays over the matter, before appearing before MPs this week

A criminal investigation has been launched into alleged rigging of the Libor rate within the banking industry, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) confirmed today.

SFO director David Green QC formally accepted the Libor issue for investigation after Barclays was fined by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) last week for manipulating the key interbank lending rate which affects mortgages and loans.

The claims ultimately led to the resignation of Barclays boss Bob Diamond and have become the focal point of a fierce political debate over ethics in the banking sector.

The investigation could ultimately lead to criminal prosecutions and bankers facing charges in court.

The SFO's update came after it revealed earlier this week that it had been working closely with the FSA during its investigation and would consider the potential for criminal prosecutions.

The Government department, which is responsible for investigating and prosecuting serious and complex fraud, said on Monday the issues surrounding Libor were "complex" and that assessing the evidence would take time.

Under fire: Barclays former chairman Marcus Agius (right) with former CEO Bob Diamond (centre), and former chief executive John Varley (left)

As the SFO prepares its investigation, Labour leader Ed Miliband continued to push for an independent inquiry into the banking scandal despite MPs rejecting the demands.

The Labour leader said that while the party would cooperate with a parliamentary investigation, its remit was too "narrow" and a judge-led probe was still needed.

Mr Miliband also defended the conduct of Ed Balls after the shadow chancellor engaged in a bitter war of words with his opposite number George Osborne in the Commons.

 

 

Diabetes drug makes brain cells grow

The widely used diabetes drug metformin comes with a rather unexpected and alluring side effect: it encourages the growth of new neurons in the brain. The study reported in the July 6th issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, also finds that those neural effects of the drug also make mice smarter. See Also: Health & Medicine Brain Tumor Stem Cells Nervous System Mind & Brain Brain Injury Intelligence Neuroscience Strange Science Reference Neural development Stem cell treatments Diabetes mellitus type 2 Embryonic stem cell The discovery is an important step toward therapies that aim to repair the brain not by introducing new stem cells but rather by spurring those that are already present into action, says the study's lead author Freda Miller of the University of Toronto-affiliated Hospital for Sick Children. The fact that it's a drug that is so widely used and so safe makes the news all that much better. Earlier work by Miller's team highlighted a pathway known as aPKC-CBP for its essential role in telling neural stem cells where and when to differentiate into mature neurons. As it happened, others had found before them that the same pathway is important for the metabolic effects of the drug metformin, but in liver cells. "We put two and two together," Miller says. If metformin activates the CBP pathway in the liver, they thought, maybe it could also do that in neural stem cells of the brain to encourage brain repair. The new evidence lends support to that promising idea in both mouse brains and human cells. Mice taking metformin not only showed an increase in the birth of new neurons, but they were also better able to learn the location of a hidden platform in a standard maze test of spatial learning. While it remains to be seen whether the very popular diabetes drug might already be serving as a brain booster for those who are now taking it, there are already some early hints that it may have cognitive benefits for people with Alzheimer's disease. It had been thought those improvements were the result of better diabetes control, Miller says, but it now appears that metformin may improve Alzheimer's symptoms by enhancing brain repair. Miller says they now hope to test whether metformin might help repair the brains of those who have suffered brain injury due to trauma or radiation therapies for cancer.

Spanish Tourism Industry Prepares for Difficult Summer

Spain's tourism industry is bracing itself for a painful slowdown in bookings this summer, driven by a steep decline in local tourism, according to the country's leading hotel association. Reservations by Spanish vacationers for the month of July are 30% lower than last year, amid persistently high unemployment and a protracted economic recession, said Juan Molas, president of the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations. An influx of visitors from Russia and other countries in Eastern Europe has compensated somewhat for the decline in local tourism, but weak local demand is expected to weigh on an industry that accounts for about 11% of Spain's annual economic output. Hotel owners are concerned that the government may raise the industry's value-added tax to 18% from the current 8%, in a bid to reduce its yawning budget deficit, making Spain less attractive to foreign tourists compared with other less expensive destinations "If the VAT rises to 18%, it will be absolutely catastrophic for the sector," Mr. Molas said at an event Thursday in Madrid. Spain's government is working to secure €100 billion ($126 billion) in aid for its struggling banking sector from the European Union and plans to meet with EU officials next week to discuss new measures to improve its public finances. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has already implemented €45 billion in austerity measures, but weak tax revenue threatens to undermine his administration's goal of trimming its shortfall this year to 5.3% of gross domestic product from 8.9% last year. Sentiment in the hospitality industry is at its lowest level since 2009, according to an index developed by the hotel association and consulting firm PwC. Based on a survey of hotel firms, 57% of operators expect international tourism will hold steady this year, while 76% expect domestic tourism to decline. "The parts of the country that will suffer the most are those that cater to national tourists," Mr. Molas said.

Holidaymakers in Spain this summer are facing a surprise new airport tax imposed by the Spanish government

Holidaymakers in Spain this summer are facing a surprise new airport tax imposed by the Spanish government as it tries to balance its books. Some airlines are passing the new departure tax on to passengers, even if they booked their flights months ago. Some passengers have received emails telling them either to pay an extra charge of up to seven euros (£6) per person - or to cancel their flights. Other airlines are deciding whether to absorb the cost themselves. The budget airline Ryanair said Spain's 2012 budget, passed into law at the end of June, obliged airlines to pay increased taxes. Spain is implementing drastic measures to try to slash its budget deficit to 5.3% from 8.5% in 2011. It has been promised bailout funds of up to 100bn euros for its banks, but wants to avoid a full state bailout. Retrospective The European travel agents' association ECTAA said the amount of the extra levy varied depending on which airport people used. It said the average rise in the tax was 18.9%, but at some of the larger airports it would almost double. For instance, at Madrid-Barajas the tax would rise from 6.95 euros to 14.44, while at Barcelona's El Prat airport it would rise from 6.12 euros to 13.44. Ryanair said it would pass the cost on to passengers, even those who had already paid in full for their flights, because the tax applied "retrospectively to customers who booked flights before 2 July 2012 and are travelling from 1 July onwards". It said for bookings made on or after 2 July, the increased tax would have been included in the price. The Spanish low-cost airline Vueling is also passing on the cost. It sent emails to passengers giving them seven days to cancel their flight, or the extra payment would be debited automatically from the card they used to book. British Airways and Iberia told the BBC they had not yet decided whether to pass on the cost or absorb it. ECTAA said in a statement it was "dismayed" by the rise, which was imposed "without proper consultation of airport users nor appropriate implementation time". It said travel agents faced a "technical and financial nightmare to recover the extra charge".

Each three-mile lap around central London would take the cars about 94 seconds.

Each three-mile lap around central London would take the cars about 94 seconds. Photograph: Dan Chung for the Guardian

If Bernie Ecclestone gets his way – and he is not a man particularly at ease with compromise – central London could soon echo with the roar of F1 cars tearing down Piccadilly at speeds previously matched only by midnight minicab drivers bearing peaky-looking fares.

The billionaire Formula One supremo, who has long dreamed of staging the world's biggest grand prix in the capital, has now offered to stump up the £35m needed to pay for the event.

Ecclestone believes that an F1 race in the heart of the city, with cars zooming past landmarks including Nelson's Column and Buckingham Palace, would eclipse the glamour of the Monaco circuit and pay for itself quite comfortably.

According to the Times, plans drawn up for the event – due to be unveiled on Thursday night – suggest it would be watched by 120,000 people in grandstands along a three-mile route and attract a global television audience in the tens of millions, generating as much as £100m for London's economy.

"With the way things are, maybe we would front it and put the money up for it," Ecclestone told the newspaper. "If we got the OK and everything was fine, I think we could do that."

He added that the financial benefits for both the capital and England would far outstrip the money brought in by the events taking place in east London and elsewhere this summer.

"Think what it would do for tourism," he said: "It would be fantastic, good for London, good for England – a lot better than the Olympics."

The proposed route would see cars lining up on the Mall, buzzing the Ritz, skirting Green Park, passing Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament before speeding along the Embankment, and hurtling through Trafalgar Square before nipping under Admiralty Arch and back to the Mall. Each of the 59 laps would take an F1 car a mere 94 seconds, with speeds on the Piccadilly and Birdcage Walk straights reaching 180mph.

The plans come at a time when governments around the world are queuing up to buy the rights to stage a grand prix for up to £30m per race.

A study by global design practice Populous has examined the feasibility of staging a London grand prix. Assistant principal John Rhodes told the Times the event would not cause major disruption, taking five days to set up equipment and three to dismantle it.

Others believe the revenue generated by an F1 race in London could even exceed Ecclestone's predictions.

Nigel Currie, the director of the leading sports marketing agency brandRapport, said the grand prix could represent a "commercial bonanza" for the capital.

"Maybe it would be two or three times that £100m," he told the Times. "A successful London Olympics will show that there is an appetite for big events and bringing a grand prix to the people on their doorstep will attract massive attention."

This British brand caters to the sizing needs of the petites -- which is a crucial key point in its success and rapid growth in Asia.

Miss Selfridge opened in Greenbelt 5, Makati City last Wednesday, the brand’s official introduction to the Philippine market. It currently has around 250 stores in the UK, Europe, Middle East, and in Asia -- Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

Its rapid growth in the region, noted Oliver Solomon, international visual merchandising coordinator of Miss Selfridge, can be attributed to the brand’s offering of a petite range, a perfect fit for most Asians.

It’s assumed the brand wants to replicate the kind of success experienced by its sister brand, Topshop, here in the country when it first offered its petite range.

Topshop and Miss Selfridge are both under the same mother group, Arcadia, with Miss Selfridge the feminine, trendy, more outgoing child.

“Someone who wears the brand,” said Mr. Solomon, “is young spirited, very feminine, girly, and considers shopping as a social activity. She’s very flirty and very sexy.”

Sasa Domingo, brand manager of Miss Selfridge, said “the brand is more outgoing than Topshop. Topshop is edgier, while Selfridge is more going out, smart, fashion forward, and very on trend.”

Miss Selfridge is anything but a new brand.

It began as the young fashion section of London’s Selfridges department store in 1966 -- “The swinging ’60s,” Mr. Solomon pointed out. “The time when fashion became popular and accessible to everyone.”

“[The reason the brand has lasted as long as it has is because] It’s always been at the forefront of young people’s fashion,” he said.

“The dresses are amazing. We dont have really have basics, it’s all fashion, embellishments, studding, panelling... and all designs... are [by] in-house [designers], and are unique to the brand.”

According to Ms. Domingo, prices start at P595 for its basic line to P7,195 for its premium line. Its going-out dresses start at P3,995.

“Filipinos like affordable prices. The pieces might be pretty pricey but fans know they’re paying for brand exclusivity, exclusive prints, and pieces exclusively made for Miss Selfridge,” she said.

One more store will be opening this year, said Ms. Domingo, who did not reveal its exact location but said it would be at one of the newer Robinsons malls.

Fashion retailer Coast will open its biggest store on Friday – a £1 million outlet in London’s Oxford Street.

Customers will be invited to make appointments with friends and be served drinks while trying on clothes. 

Upmarket: Customers will be invited to make appointments with friends and be served drinks while trying on clothes

About a third of the store, which is four times the size of a typical Coast outlet, has been devoted to fitting rooms.

But the range has also increased by 40 per cent compared with a typical store to reflect better the products available online. 

Margaret McDonald, managing director at Coast, said: ‘The fitting room experience  is critical. 

‘We have found that the longer customers spend trying on clothes, the more likely they are to buy.’

The brand is best known for its clothes for special occasions, but has recently tried to broaden the range.

Assange seeks political asylum

On Tuesday night WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange applied for political asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London after failing in his bid to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sex crime allegations. The 40-year-old Australian is currently inside the building in Knightsbridge, having gone there on Tuesday afternoon to request asylum under the United Nations Human Rights Declaration. The country's foreign minister Ricardo Patino told a press conference in the South American country that it was considering his request. In a short statement last night, Mr Assange said: "I can confirm that today I arrived at the Ecuadorian Embassy and sought diplomatic sanctuary and political asylum. This application has been passed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital Quito. I am grateful to the Ecuadorian ambassador and the government of Ecuador for considering my application." The computer expert, who was on £200,000 bail after failing in several attempts to halt extradition, attracted several high-profile supporters including Ken Loach and socialite and charity fundraiser Jemima Khan, who each offered £20,000 as surety. Other supporters included Bianca Jagger and veteran left-winger Tony Benn. The Swedish authorities want him to answer accusations of raping a woman and sexually molesting and coercing another in Stockholm in August 2010 while on a visit to give a lecture. Assange, whose WikiLeaks website has published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables that embarrassed several governments and international businesses, says the sex was consensual and the allegations against him are politically motivated. The Supreme Court last month ruled in favour of a High Court ruling that his extradition was legal. Last week the Supreme Court refused an attempt by him to reopen his appeal against extradition, saying it was "without merit". He had until June 28 to ask European judges in Strasbourg to consider his case and postpone extradition on the basis that he has not had a fair hearing from the UK courts. A statement issued on behalf of the Ecuadorian Embassy said Mr Assange would remain at the embassy while his request was considered.

Smartphone users 'risking health' with overuse of devices

People are risking their health by working on smartphones, tablets and laptops after they have left the office, according to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. It says people have become "screen slaves" and are often working while commuting or after they get home. The society said poor posture in these environments could lead to back and neck pain. Unions said people needed to learn to switch off their devices. An online survey, of 2,010 office workers by the Society found that nearly two-thirds of those questioned continued working outside office hours. The organisation said people were topping up their working day with more than two hours of extra screentime, on average, every day. The data suggested that having too much work and easing pressure during the day were the two main reasons for the extra workload. 'Posture' Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote Individuals who find themselves unable to leave their work in the office should talk to their managers and learn to switch off their smartphones” Brendan Barber Trades Union Congress The chairwoman of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Dr Helena Johnson, said the findings were of "huge concern". She said: "While doing a bit of extra work at home may seem like a good short-term fix, if it becomes a regular part of your evening routine then it can lead to problems such as back and neck pain, as well as stress-related illness. "This is especially the case if you're using hand-held devices and not thinking about your posture. Talk to your employer if you are feeling under pressure." The general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Brendan Barber, said: "Excessive work levels are not good for anyone. Overworked employees are not only unlikely to be performing well at work, the stress an unmanageable workload causes is also likely to be making them ill. "By the time someone is so overloaded they constantly feel the need to put in extra hours every night of the week at home, things have clearly got out of hand. "Individuals who find themselves unable to leave their work in the office should talk to their managers and learn to switch off their smartphones."

Victoria hit by 5.2-magnitude earthquake

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake has shaken Melbourne and parts of Victoria. Windows were rattled and floors rocked as the tremor hit around 8.55pm (AEST) and lasted for around 30 to 40 seconds.

Police study Murdoch's 'secret' iPhone account

Scotland Yard detectives investigating phone hacking at the News of the World are examining the call records of four newly discovered Apple iPhones issued to senior executives at News International. The smartphones, issued by O2 in a contract beginning in October 2009, included a handset given to James Murdoch, the former chairman and chief executive of News Corp Europe. Despite billing for the phones totalling nearly £12,000 between June last year and May this year, neither Operation Weeting nor the Leveson Inquiry was told of the existence of the smartphone accounts. Phone text messages and emails sent and received by News International executives and advisers have provided some of the most controversial evidence heard by Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into press practices and ethics. It had been assumed that the email and text traffic from key News International executives was centred solely on their company BlackBerry account with Vodafone. In accounts seen by The Independent, issued through 02's corporate customer services at Arlington Business Park in Leeds, Mr Murdoch's iPhone account is listed as "active". Mr Murdoch is said to have told 02 that he specifically wanted a "white iPhone" when the smartphone was issued to him in the summer of 2009. Katie Vanneck-Smith, listed as News International's chief marketing officer, also has an active account. Two other NI executive numbers are described as disconnected. Between June last year – just before The Guardian revealed in July that the mobile phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had been hacked into – and the beginning of the Leveson Inquiry in November, the NI iPhone accounts were billed for £9,650. Last night, Labour MP Tom Watson said people would be "shocked" to learn that the smartphones had been issued to key NI executives, while the company's disclosures focused only on the BlackBerry Vodafone accounts. Mr Watson said he hoped that News Corp's Management and Standards Committee, which is responsible for all matters relating to phone hacking, would enforce its own promise of full transparency and appropriate disclosure, by revealing all the data and logs held on the discovered phones to both the police and the Leveson Inquiry. Last night, a spokeswoman for News International, said: "Mr Murdoch fully co-operated with the Leveson Inquiry. It is ridiculous to suggest that James Murdoch keeps or kept a 'secret phone'." Meanwhile sources close to the Leveson Inquiry have denied that Lord Justice Leveson threatened to quit his judicial investigation following comments made in February by Michael Gove. The Education Secretary told a gathering of political journalists that the inquiry into press ethics and practices was creating a "chilling atmosphere" towards press freedom. During Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons the day after Mr Gove's lobby speech, David Cameron appeared to back his cabinet colleague's view. Concern that Mr Gove might be the Prime Minister's advance messenger prompted Lord Justice Leveson to call the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood. Whitehall sources say Lord Justice Leveson wanted to learn directly from Mr Cameron whether his inquiry was wasting public money on an ultimately futile exercise or whether his initial remit stood. Although the reassurances from No 10 took two days to arrive, sources claim there was no threat from the judge to resign from his own inquiry.

A ban on a nine-year-old girl taking photographs of her school meals has been lifted.

Martha Payne, from Argyll, got more than two million hits on herNeverSeconds blog in just a few weeks.

Argyll and Bute Council said press coverage of the blog had led catering staff to fear for their jobs.

But council leader Roddy McCuish later told the BBC that he had instructed senior officials to lift the ban immediately.

Local MSP Mike Russell, Scotland's education secretary, had written to the council's chief executive in his capacity as local MSP, calling for the "daft" ban to be overturned.

Martha began publishing photographs of her Lochgilphead Primary School lunches on 30 April.

She gave each meal a 'food-o-meter' and health rating, and counted the number of mouthfuls it took her to eat it.

But in a post published on Thursday evening, Martha said her headteacher told her not to take any more photographs for the blog.

Under the headline "Goodbye", the post stated: "This morning in maths I got taken out of class by my head teacher and taken to her office. I was told that I could not take any more photos of my school dinners because of a headline in a newspaper today.

"I only write my blog not newspapers and I am sad I am no longer allowed to take photos. I will miss sharing and rating my school dinners and I'll miss seeing the dinners you send me too."

The council's decision to impose the ban came after the Daily Record newspaper published a photograph of Martha alongside chef Nick Nairn under the headline "Time to fire the dinner ladies.."

Charity blog

Martha had been using the blog - which she started with the help of her father Dave - to raise money for the Mary's Meals charity.

An explanatory note posted on the blog by her father read: "Martha's school have been brilliant and supportive from the beginning and I'd like to thank them all.

Continue reading the main story

AnalysisRory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent

The decision, according to her father, was not taken by the school, which has been very supportive, but by the Argyll and Bute council.

It's not quite clear why - perhaps there is a ban on taking photos inside schools, or maybe there is some concern about the damage to the reputation of the school meals service.

I prefer to think there is another explanation - and that this is all a cunning plan by the councillors to draw attention to their beautiful region with its dramatic coastline, and fine cuisine.

It seems to be working - the case of the banned blog is rapidly becoming a cause celebre, with emails, tweets, and presumably phone calls arriving at council headquarters from around the world.

• Read more from Rory

"I contacted Argyll and Bute Council when Martha told me what happened at school today and they told me it was their decision to ban Martha's photography.

"It is a shame that a blog that today went through two million hits, which has inspired debates at home and abroad and raised nearly £2,000 for charity is forced to end."

Mr Payne later told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme his daughter was not happy about the council's decision.

He added: "I can see that the photographs at the start didn't look the most appetising, but Martha marked the last school meal 10 out of 10.

"I understand that it's brought pressure from around the world and media interest, but that is really out of our control.

"But we are very supportive of the school - the fact that she has been encouraged to blog and she got permission to do this is testament to them.

"Everyone in the kitchens has been wonderful to Martha and she enjoys going into lunch every day."

In a statement released on its website, Argyll and Bute Council claimed media coverage of the blog had led catering staff to fear for their jobs.

It added: "The council has directly avoided any criticism of anyone involved in the 'never seconds' blog for obvious reasons despite a strongly-held view that the information presented in it misrepresented the options and choices available to pupils.

"However this escalation means we had to act to protect staff from the distress and harm it was causing.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

If you had met with the staff at the school yesterday, the level of distress that was there - It was palpable. It was very significant for them. People were in tears”

Cleland SneddonArgyll and Bute Council

"In particular, the photographic images uploaded appear to only represent a fraction of the choices available to pupils, so a decision has been made by the council to stop photos being taken in the school canteen.

"There have been discussions between senior council staff and Martha's father however, despite an acknowledgement that the media coverage has produced these unwarranted attacks, he intimated that he would continue with the blog.

"The council has had no complaints for the last two years about the quality of school meals other than one from the Payne family received on 6 June and there have been no changes to the service on offer since the introduction of the blog."

Cleland Sneddon, the executive director of community services at Argyll and Bute Council, told the BBC that school catering staff had been left "in tears" by press coverage.

He added: "Newspapers have a significant impact on public opinion. They have a significant impact on this particular staff group.

"If you had met with the staff at the school yesterday, the level of distress that was there - it was palpable. It was very significant for them. People were in tears. This was a culmination of a period of seven weeks of this level of coverage and we had to take some action to protect our staff."

However, Mr McCuish later told the BBC Radio 4's World at One programme that he had instructed senior officials to lift the ban immediately.

Martha's blog was featured by media across the globe, with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver tweeting: "Shocking but inspirational blog. Keep going, big love from Jamie x."

Martha gave this cheeseburger a health rating of just 2/10

After hearing about the ban, Oliver tweeted on Friday morning: "Stay strong Martha" before urging his 2.3 million followers to retweet the message to show their support for the schoolgirl.

Martha had been raising money through a Justgiving page for the Mary's Meals charity, which helps feed some of the poorest children in the world.

Publicity caused by the ban helped her smash through her £7,000 target - with total pledges of more than £16,000 being made by Friday lunchtime.

The total stood at only about £2,000 on Thursday evening.

A Mary's Meals spokesman said: "Martha's support for Mary's Meals has been amazing and we are extremely grateful for everything that she has done to help us reach some of the hungriest children in the world.

"We are overwhelmed by the huge response to her efforts today which has led to so many more people donating to her online donation page.

"Thanks to this fantastic support, Martha has now raised enough money to build a kitchen in Malawi for children receiving Mary's Meals as part of our Sponsor A School initiative and has broken the record for hitting a Sponsor A School online fundraising target in the quickest amount of time".

Among the pictures Martha published on her blog was one featuring her £2 lunch of a pizza slice, a croquette, sweetcorn and a cupcake.

Martha wrote: "I'm a growing kid and I need to concentrate all afternoon and I can't do it on one croquette. Do any of you think you could?"

London tourist's illegally parked car blown-up by police

A London tourist had his car blown up by anti-terrorist officers after it broke down - and he was also given a parking ticket. Nima Hosseini Razi, 32, said his Ford Mondeo had broken down in early hours of Wednesday close to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. He said he had left a note on the car to say: "This car is broke. Please do not fine me," before going sightseeing. But when he returned hours later, "the boot was blown off". A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We can confirm there was a suspect vehicle at Storey's Gate at 10.20am on Wednesday and a controlled explosion took place... the incident was subsequently deemed as non-suspicious." Westminster Conservative Councillor Daniel Astaire said: "On this occasion the driver was parked in a very dangerous place, on yellow lines, so police instructed our parking attendant to issue the driver with a ticket." 'Extremely arrogant' Mr Razi, who is studying for an MBA at the University of Wales, said he had left a note on his car explaining: "Dear Sir or Madam, this car is broken. I am just waiting for the AA to arrive. Please do not fine! Thank you, yours sincerely." He said he had gone off to visit some of London's sights, including Buckingham Palace, but when he returned to the car "the windows were smashed in pieces. I was completely shocked". "Police wanted to remove the car. They covered the car with some of my stuff left in it. "On the window, they had fined me." He added: "The police's actions were extremely arrogant and unprofessional. "They treated me like a terrorist. They were never interested in listening to my real story." Scotland Yard has not responded to Mr Razi's comments.

Man attacked with Samurai sword in his East Ham home

A man has been stabbed with a sword in his east London home, prompting an appeal to trace three youths. The man, 65, tried to scare the youths off from his garden in Barking Road, East Ham, at about 01:30 BST on Saturday. But the group got inside his house, and one then stabbed the man with a Samurai sword which was inside the building. Police said the victim was in a stable condition with multiple wounds at an East London hospital.

Britain is at risk of being lashed by a once in 50 years storm, forecasters warned today.

The Weather Channel said rivers would be overwhelmed and warned of a 'major flooding event' as Nasa released this satellite picture of a huge low sweeping in from the Atlantic.

Forecasters at the Met Office have already predicted 60mph hurricane-force winds will bring three months of rain over the next three days, making June the wettest since records began.

Flying high... while they can: Paragliders take advantage of break in the miserable weather over Beachy Head and Eastbourne in East Sussex today

 

Making the most of it: The paragliders may have to back up they chutes soon, though, as more downpours are sweeping their way across the UK today

 

Emergency services issued a flood alert in the South-West and Wales last night with eight inches of rain expected as a massive front of terrible weather sweeps in from the Atlantic.

Forecasters said England and Wales’ appalling June weather is officially the worst since records began more than 100 years ago. The countries are on course for the wettest ever June, temperatures are up to 10C below normal and sunshine is down 60 per cent.

 

 

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• Lovely weather for slugs: Wet summer creates ideal conditions for slimy creatures and means more bad news for your garden

 

After a dry period of respite for many parts of Britain yesterday and today, the wet weather will return this evening and get worse going into tomorrow as a slow-moving area of low pressure brings thundery showers and strong winds.

It's coming: NASA's Terra satellite took this stunning image of today's 70mph Atlantic storm at 12.45pm as it span towards the South-West

 

Weather Channel forecaster Leon Brown said: 'There’s a 50 per cent possibility of extreme downpours seeing over 80mm of rain in 12 hours in south and east Wales, which is a once-in-50 years event.

'The greatest intensity of rain will be early Thursday night and again on Friday daytime. Overall, up to 110mm is expected in Wales in just over 48 hours to midnight Saturday.

With yet more rain and stormy weather forecast, Freya Kirkpatrick , 4, takes a last chance to play in the sunshine with her dog, Monty, in a giant field of ox eye daisies on the edge of Blithfield Reservoir near Rugeley, Staffordshire

'This rainfall will be widespread across river catchment areas and could completely overwhelm rivers downstream. There is a high risk of flooding, with situation made even worse by ground being saturated from previous rain this week.'

MeteoGroup forecaster Julian Mayes said: 'We cannot find a period of June weather worse than this month since records began. For a 12-day period, it’s as bad as it can be.

'There’s no parallel with this month’s combination of very high rainfall, very low sunshine and very low daytime temperatures.

'The outlook is unsettled and although we don’t yet know for sure if it will be the wettest June, it’s well on the way.'

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said its 650 firefighters and 100 support staff were ready to take flood action.

A spokesperson said: 'Ourselves, the police and county council are monitoring the weather forecast and will take appropriate action when needed. We have vast experience dealing with flooding, in particular floods which devastated Cornwall in November 2010.'

Bank of England meets amid talk of £50bn stimulus

Bank of England policymakers meet today to decide whether to change interest rates or to pump in more money into the ailing economy, with leading economist saying they may opt to inject a further £50bn of stimulus.

Europe is on the verge of financial chaos.

Global capital markets, now the most powerful force on earth, are rapidly losing confidence in the financial coherence of the 17-nation euro zone. A market implosion there, like that triggered by Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008, may not be far off. Not only would that dismantle the euro zone, but it could also usher in another global economic slump: in effect, a second leg of the Great Recession, analogous to that of 1937. This risk is evident in the structure of global interest rates. At one level, U.S. Treasury bonds are now carrying the lowest yields in history, as gigantic sums of money seek a safe haven from this crisis. At another level, the weaker euro-zone countries, such as Spain and Italy, are paying stratospheric rates because investors are increasingly questioning their solvency. And there’s Greece, whose even higher rates signify its bankrupt condition. In addition, larger businesses and wealthy individuals are moving all of their cash and securities out of banks in these weakening countries. This undermines their financial systems. 423 Comments Weigh InCorrections? Personal Post The reason markets are battering the euro zone is that its hesitant leaders have not developed the tools for countering such pressures. The U.S. response to the 2008 credit market collapse is instructive. The Federal Reserve and Treasury took a series of huge and swift steps to avert a systemic meltdown. The Fed provided an astonishing $13 trillion of support for the credit system, including special facilities for money market funds, consumer finance, commercial paper and other sectors. Treasury implemented the $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program, which infused equity into countless banks to stabilize them. The euro-zone leaders have discussed implementing comparable rescue capabilities. But, as yet, they have not fully designed or structured them. Why they haven’t done this is mystifying. They’d better go on with it right now. Europe has entered this danger zone because monetary union — covering 17 very different nations with a single currency — works only if fiscal union, banking union and economic policy union accompany it. Otherwise, differences among the member-states in competitiveness, budget deficits, national debt and banking soundness can cause severe financial imbalances. This was widely discussed when the monetary treaty was forged in 1992, but such further integration has not occurred. How can Europe pull back from this brink? It needs to immediately install a series of emergency financial tools to prevent an implosion; and put forward a detailed, public plan to achieve full integration within six to 12 months. The required crisis tools are three: ●First, a larger and instantly available sovereign rescue fund that could temporarily finance Spain, Italy or others if those nations lose access to financing markets. Right now, the proposed European Stability Mechanism is too small and not ready for deployment. ●Second, a central mechanism to insure all deposits in euro-zone banks. National governments should provide such insurance to their own depositors first. But backup insurance is necessary to prevent a disastrous bank run, which is a serious risk today. ●Third, a unit like TARP, capable of injecting equity into shaky banks and forcing them to recapitalize. These are the equivalent of bridge financing to buy time for reform. Permanent stability will come only from full union across the board. And markets will support the simple currency structure only if they see a true plan for promptly achieving this. The 17 member-states must jointly put one forward. Both the rescue tools and the full integration plan require Germany, Europe’s strongest country, to put its balance sheet squarely behind the euro zone. That is an unpopular idea in Germany today, which is why Chancellor Angela Merkel has been dragging her feet. But Germany will suffer a severe economic blow if this single-currency experiment fails. A restored German mark would soar in value, like the Swiss franc, and damage German exports and employment. The time for Germany and all euro-zone members to get the emergency measures in place and commit to full integration is now. Global capital markets may not give them another month. The world needs these leaders to step up.

Diamond Jubilee: Rain could force cancellation of RAF flypast planned as climax of weekend's celebrations

The Ministry of Defence said a decision will be taken tomorrow morning on whether the line-up of Second World War aircraft and fast jets can go ahead. Experts said that if visibility falls below three miles or if clouds descend below 1,500ft, the display will have to be abandoned, and forecasters said the conditions would be “on the edge” for safe flying. Yesterday a planned flypast of nine Naval helicopters flying in a diamond formation behind a Second World War Swordfish torpedo bomber was scrapped as torrential rain hit the Thames Diamond Jubilee Flotilla. The Met Office is forecasting rain over London for the time of tomorrow’s planned flypast at 3.30pm, which is due to feature the Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfires of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, followed by the Red Arrows. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The decision will be taken tomorrow on whether it can go ahead.

London fire crews attend false alarms 'every 10 minutes'

False fire alarms are attended by London Fire Brigade (LFB) almost once every 10 minutes at a cost of £37m per year, figures have revealed. In 2011, LFB attended 55,719 false alarms with hospitals and Heathrow Airport being the main call-outs. But the number of call-outs from false alarms has steadily decreased annually from 71,679 in 2007. LFB said it had worked hard to reduce the number of false fire alarms it was called to but it was still too high. False alarms are when automatic fire alarms are wrongly activated or when people set off alarms when there is no emergency. A LFB spokesman said: "The Brigade works closely with organisations across the capital, such as hospitals, universities, hotels and airports, in a bid to reduce the number of false alarms it is called out to. "Staff from the Brigade visit these organisations to offer advice on how to manage and maintain their fire alarms properly."

A Facebook crime every 40 minutes

A crime linked to Facebook  is reported to police every  40 minutes. Last year, officers logged 12,300 alleged offences involving the vastly popular social networking site. Facebook was referenced in investigations of murder, rape, child sex offences, assault, kidnap, death threats, witness intimidation and fraud.

Prince Philip in hospital

The Duke of Edinburgh has been taken to hospital with a bladder infection and will miss the rest of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Buckingham Palace said Prince Philip, 90, had been taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London from Windsor Castle as a "precautionary measure". The Queen is still expected to join 12,000 others at the Jubilee concert which is under way at the palace. The prince will remain in hospital under observation for a few days. The prince had appeared to be in good health when he accompanied the Queen on Sunday on the royal barge the Spirit of Chartwell, which formed part of the rain-drenched Jubilee river pageant. He and the Queen stood for most of the 80-minute journey, as they were accompanied by 1,000 boats travelling seven miles down the river to Tower Bridge.

Luka Rocco Magnotta, the 'Canadian Psycho,' arrested in Berlin

Luka Rocco Magnotta was arrested in Berlin Monday after a four-day international manhunt that spanned three countries. The 29-year-old Canadian wanted over a horrific Montreal ice pick murder and decapitation of a Chinese student that he allegedly filmed and posted to the Internet, was arrested in or near an Internet cafe, Berlin police said. Montreal police confirmed they are aware of the reports that Magnotta was arrested, but said they are still in the process of contacting their Berlin counterparts. The arrest comes after French authorities said they were investigating a tip that Magnotta travelled from Paris to Berlin via bus on the weekend. “Somebody recognized him and (then) all the police recognized him,” Berlin police spokesperson Stefan Redlich told CP24 Monday. Handout (Click to enlarge) Magnotta's alleged victim is Lin Jun, a 33-year-old Concordia University student from Wuhan, Hubei, China. He was last seen on May 24, police said, and reported missing on May 29. Redlich said police were called in by a civilian who spotted Magnotta and he was arrested after police asked for his identification at about 2:00 p.m. local time in Berlin. Reuters is reporting it was an employee of the cafe, Kadir Anlayisli, that recognized Magnotta. The cafe is on Karl Marx Strasse, a busy shopping street filled with Turkish and Lebanese shops and cafes in the Neukoelln district of Berlin. German television quoted the owner of the cafe saying Magnotta was surfing the Internet for about an hour before his arrest. Redlich said Magnotta has been taken into custody without incident and will go in front of a judge Tuesday. Canadian officials are expected to start the extradition process for Magnotta in the near future.

Rush for safe havens as euro fears rise

US benchmark borrowing costs plunged to levels last seen in 1946 and those for Germany and the UK hit all-time lows as investors took fright at what they see as a disjointed policy response to the debt crisis in Spain and Italy. In a striking sign of the flight to haven assets, German two-year bond yields fell to zero for the first time, below the equivalent rate for Japan, meaning investors are willing to lend to Berlin for no return. US 10-year yields fell as low as 1.62 per cent, a level last reached in March 1946, according to Global Financial Data. German benchmark yields reached 1.26 per cent while Denmark's came close to breaching the 1 per cent level, hitting 1.09 per cent. UK rates fell to 1.64 per cent, the lowest since records for benchmark borrowing costs began in 1703. "They are extreme levels because we are in an extremely perilous situation. People just want to put their money somewhere where they think they will get it back. People may soon be paying Germany or the US to look after their money," said Gary Jenkins, head of Swordfish Research, an independent credit analysis company. The flight to safety came as the situation in Italy and Spain, the eurozone's third- and fourth-largest economies, deteriorated further. Italy held a disappointing debt auction and saw its benchmark borrowing costs rise above 6 per cent for the first time since January. The euro fell 0.8 per cent against the dollar to under $1.24 for the first time in two years. Confusion over how the Spanish government's rescue of Bankia, the stricken lender, will be structured led the premium Madrid pays over Berlin to borrow to hit fresh highs for the euro era at 540 basis points. Analysts said the elevated level meant that clearing houses could soon raise the amount of margin, or collateral, that traders need to post against Spanish debt, a move that led to the escalation of crises in Portugal and Ireland. The European Central Bank has made clear to Spain that it cannot use the bank's liquidity operations as part of a recapitalision of Bankia. However, the central bank said on Wednesday it had not been officially consulted on the plans. Equity markets globally fell on the eurozone fears with bourses in Paris, Frankfurt and London all dropping 2 per cent. But Nick Gartside, international chief investment officer for JPMorgan Asset Management, noted that while US bond yields had halved since April last year the S&P 500 equity market was at the same level. "One of those two markets is mispriced. Core government bonds are an efficient market and they are ahead," he added. Investors said borrowing costs for the US, UK and Germany were likely to continue to fall amid a worsening economic backdrop and the threat of more central bank intervention. Wealth managers have been moving client assets into currency havens in recent weeks, with the Swiss franc and the US dollar among the biggest beneficiaries "Risk aversion, a rapidly slowing global economy and unusually low policy rates will pin these short and intermediate maturity bonds at unprecedented low levels for quite a while," said Mohamed El-Erian, chief executive of Pimco, one of the world's largest bond investors. Mr Gartside said he could easily see German rates going below 1 per cent, following a path that only Japan and Switzerland have taken among major economies, while the US and UK could dip under 1.5 per cent. Markets are increasingly resigned to more turmoil until policy makers take more radical action. The two most popular plans of action for investors are for the ECB to buy Spanish and Italian bonds in unlimited size or for eurozone countries to agree on a fiscal union involving the pooling of debt. "You have to throw everything at it. Spain is just too big for half measures. The next intervention has to be not just massive in size but it has to show a total commitment," said Mr Jenkins. He recommends that the ECB set targets either for the premium Spain and Italy pay to borrow over Germany or for their yields.

Euro break-up 'could wipe 50pc off London house prices'

Property prices in the capital’s most sought-after postcodes have been driven up by investors moving funds out of assets held in euros to buy into what is seen as a “safe haven” alternative. Foreign money seeking a refuge from the wider economic turmoil accounted for 60pc of acquisitions of prime central London property between 2007 and 2011, according to a report by Fathom Consulting for Development Securities. If the shared currency broke up completely, London property would initially be boosted by the continued flight towards a safe haven, the report predicts. But, once the break-up had taken place, demand for these assets as an insurance against this event would start to ebb. “Although fears about a messy end to the euro debt crisis may account for much of the gain in prime central London (PCL) prices that has taken place over the past two years, we find that a break-up of the single currency area is also the single greatest threat to PCL,” said researchers.

Leveson - The Hunt is on

Up until now, Lord Justice Leveson has only held the future of the British press in his hands. Today, despite all his protests to the contrary, his inquiry may determine the fate of the culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt. The judge insists that it is not his job to put any minister in the dock and that he certainly will not be giving his verdict on whether there have been any breaches of the ministerial code. Nevertheless, the prime minister has made it clear that he sees today's hearing as the moment when Mr Hunt must defend his much criticised handling of News Corp's £8bn bid for total control of BSkyB. The culture secretary has, I'm told, submitted more than 160 pages of internal memos, emails and text message transcripts to the Leveson Inquiry. I understand that he will insist that, despite having originally been a cheerleader not just for Rupert Murdoch but also for his bid, he acted in ways which frustrated it rather than accelerated it once he was made the minister in charge. He will claim that he referred it to the broadcasting regulator Ofcom when told by officials that it wasn't necessary to do so. He is likely to face questions about why he did not follow Ofcom's advice to refer the bid to the Competition Commission. He is likely to reply that he was given legal advice that he had first to consider News Corps offer to spin off Sky News so as to deal with so-called plurality issues. The culture secretary is likely to be asked how he can claim to have been unaware of the scale or nature of the contact between News Corp and his political adviser, Adam Smith - who resigned once his flood of emails and texts were revealed. I understand that Jeremy Hunt originally believed that his adviser had done nothing wrong and told friends he would resign himself rather than letting a junior official resign for him. The prime minister shows no sign yet of wanting to force him out - believing that however bad things may now look, Mr Hunt didn't actually do anything wrong or anything which helped the Murdochs and their bid. Labour argue that - even before today's hearing - it is evident the culture secretary should go as he is in breach of the ministerial code for failing to supervise his adviser, and for misleading the House of Commons when he wrongly asserted he had published all contacts between his department and News Corp - as well as claiming never to have intervened to affect the outcome of the bid.

Coulson on Sheridan perjury charge

David Cameron's former communications chief Andy Coulson has been charged over allegations he committed perjury during the trial of former MSP Tommy Sheridan. The 44-year-old was detained for questioning at Govan police station in Glasgow by officers from Strathclyde Police. More than six hours later, the force confirmed he had been arrested and charged with perjury. A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal which will decide if Coulson is to face court proceedings. The former News of the World editor gave evidence at Sheridan's perjury trial at the High Court in Glasgow in December 2010, while he was employed by Downing Street as director of communications. At the trial, he claimed he had no knowledge of illegal activities by reporters during the time that he was editor of the now-defunct newspaper. He said: "I don't accept there was a culture of phone hacking at the News of the World." Sheridan was ultimately jailed for three years in January last year after being found guilty of perjury during his 2006 defamation action against the News of the World. He had been awarded £200,000 in damages after winning the civil case but a jury found him guilty of lying about the tabloid's claims that he was an adulterer who visited a swingers' club. The former Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) leader was convicted of five out of six allegations in a single charge of perjury relating to his evidence during the civil action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. Sheridan was released from jail in January this year after serving one year of his sentence and vowed to continue the fight to clear his name. Coulson was arrested last year in relation to Scotland Yard's long-running investigation into phone hacking at the newspaper. He was held in July on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications and corruption, and had his bail extended earlier this month. Coulson resigned as editor in 2007 after the paper's former royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for phone hacking. In May that year, he was unveiled as director of communications and planning with the Conservative Party. He quit his role as Downing Street communications chief in January last year after admitting the News of the World phone-hacking row was making his job impossible.

Julian Assange's fight to evade extradition to Sweden appears doomed despite stay of execution

Julian Assange's fight to evade extradition to Sweden appeared doomed today though he was given a stay of execution by the highest court in the land. His celebrity-endorsed legal battle trundled on without him as the self-proclaimed champion of truth and transparency remained stuck in London's notorious traffic, undoubtedly disappointing his legion of fans. While vastly diminished in number from the early days of the furore surrounding the WikiLeaks founder, they were as vociferous as ever, penned in outside the Supreme Court yesterday, carrying megaphones, guitars and banners proclaiming “Free Assange” and “God Save Julian”. Mr Assange, 40, had argued that an European Extradition Warrant from Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual molestation was invalid as the public prosecutor who issued it did not constitute a “judicial authority”. He denies the accusations, insisting they are “politically motivated”. His case was partially trumped by the French translation of the words judicial authority, which judges at the Supreme Court said carried a far wider meaning that simply a judge or court. By a majority of five to two they decided the practice by many European countries to have public prosecutors issue such warrants countered the interpretation in United Kingdom and his appeal failed. Nevertheless they granted his lawyers 14 days to apply to have the case re-opened after they insisted that they had not been given an opportunity to argue on the very legal points on which the judges had based their decision.