Belfast Flag Violence: Rioting In City Centre

Belfast has been hit by another night of rioting as hundreds of loyalists took to the streets to protest over flags.

Eight police officers were injured, with two needing hospital treatment, and five people were arrested following clashes across the city.

Trouble flared at Shaftesbury Square - a popular party spot near Queen's University - after a man tried to drive a black van through a loyalist road block of about 200 people.

Eye witnesses said police officers were pelted with stones, bricks, bottles and other missiles. Two cars were also set on fire.

Police vans cut off part of Belfast's Sandy Row area

Two PSNI water cannons were deployed to the area but were not used against the rioters.

There were also reports of minor sporadic disorder in other parts of the city.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said: "This behaviour is simply not acceptable. These people are only wrecking their own communities and putting innocent people's lives at risk.

"Twenty-one officers have been injured so far this week dealing with this disorder. That's 21 officers who have been pulled away from their roles of protecting the community. This is unacceptable.

"This mob violence and intimidation cannot be allowed to continue and I am urgently appealing to politicians and those with community influence in these areas to do what they can to put a stop to this behaviour now before someone is seriously injured or killed."

A burned out car in Belfast city centre after rioters dispersed

Loyalists opposed to a restriction on the number of days the Union flag can be flown over Belfast City Hall have held protests across Northern Ireland every night since the decision was taken, despite appeals from the First Minister for the pickets to be suspended.

Last night, demonstrations were also held in the greater Belfast area, Bangor, Co Down, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh and Dungannon, Co Tyrone.

Police said there were no reports of violence outside Belfast. On Friday night, police clashed with loyalists in Ian Paisley's home town of Ballymena, Co Antrim.

Hillary Clinton appealed for the violence to stop

There are plans for a major protest in Belfast city centre later today. Traders are worried it could affect business on what should be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

During her visit to Northern Ireland US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appealed for the violence to stop.

Much of the anger has been directed towards the non sectarian Alliance Party, whose councillors in Belfast voted to limit the number of days the Union flag could be flown over the city hall from 365 to 17.

A death threat against the party's only MP, Naomi Long, marked a significant escalation in the seriousness of the sectarian tension.

On Wednesday, a constituency office in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim was destroyed in an arson attack. An attempt to burn down Bangor premises occupied by the Alliance Party's Employment Minister Stephen Farry was thwarted.

Belfast city councillor Laura McNamee was also advised to leave her home while two others living in Bangor had their house vandalised.

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Starbucks Tax Row: Protests Planned Across UK

Coffee chain Starbucks is braced for protests over its tax arrangements despite announcing changes to its payments.

The US-owned giant said it expects to pay around £10m in UK corporation tax for each of the next two years, following the revelation that it paid just £8.6m in 14 years of trading in Britain and nothing in the last three years.

Activist group UK Uncut is planning more than 40 demonstrations across the country, "transforming" Starbucks stores into refuges, creches and homeless shelters.

The anti-cuts direct action group said the number of protests planned for today had increased since Starbucks made its announcement.

UK Uncut said it also wanted to highlight the "disproportionate" impact of the Government's spending cuts on women.

Sarah Greene, a UK Uncut activist, said: "It is an outrage that the Government continues to let multinationals like Starbucks dodge millions in tax while cutting vital services like refuges, creches and rape crisis centres.

"It does not have to be this way. The Government could easily bring in billions that could fund vital services by clamping down."

Hannah Pearce, a UK Uncut supporter, said that offering to pay some tax "if and when it suits" does not stop a company being a tax avoider, adding: "This is just a desperate attempt by Starbucks to deflect public pressure - hollow promises on press releases don't fund women's refuges or child benefits."

Union boss Mark Serwotka says Starbucks' tax stance is "scandalous"

She called on the Government to force Starbucks and other tax avoiding firms to "pay their fair share, instead of cutting welfare and tax credits for single mums and disabled women".

A spokesman from Global Women's strike, one of the women's groups supporting Saturday's action, said: "Women - in families, homes, communities and jobs - bear the brunt of austerity.

"At our Women's Centre we see more women cut off benefits, losing their jobs, being made homeless and going hungry.

"Already, 3.5 million children live in poverty, one in five mothers skips a meal to feed her children, and many walk miles to get food handouts because they can't afford the bus fare.

"Women are also expected to pick up the pieces as services disappear or turn people away, saying they are overwhelmed."

Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, which is supporting the protests, said: "With hundreds of thousands of public sector workers having their jobs, pay and pensions cut, and people entitled to benefits being demonised and targeted in the most shameful way, it is utterly scandalous that some multinational companies believe they can get away with contributing little or nothing to our economy.

"We fully support this weekend's action which, along with previous campaigns by UK Uncut and others, will highlight the fact that if large companies like Starbucks paid their fair share it would change the debate about public spending overnight."

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Hillary Clinton Makes Return To Tense Belfast

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

Hillary Clinton is making a nostalgic return to Northern Ireland but with tension running high over flags, the peace that she and President Clinton helped to build remains far from perfect.

A vote to limit the flying of the Union flag over Belfast City Hall sparked loyalist protests, some violent. 

The civil unrest has been threatening to overshadow Mrs Clinton's visit.

Gavin Robinson, Lord Mayor of Belfast, said: "The US Secretary of State will be no stranger to some of these issues. 

Armagh's Mayor Sharon Haughey, then 14, with President Clinton in 1995

"She's been here in much more difficult times in Northern Ireland and I'm sure she will welcome and mark the progress that has been made and the collective political willingness that we'll not go back to the bad old days of the past."

It was 1995 when the Clintons paid their first historic visit to Northern Ireland.  Thousands turned out to greet them and to herald the dawn of the peace process here.

Teenager Sharon Haughey, who had written a letter about 'The Troubles' to the White House, welcomed them to Armagh.  She's now the city's Lord Mayor and gives them the credit.

Mrs Clinton has already visited Dublin and met children at the US embassy

"The Clintons have played a very important role in the pathway that I have chosen in my life," she said. "They gave me a platform as a very ordinary 14-year-old schoolgirl. 

"They gave me an extraordinary opportunity and I decided to use that opportunity to help shape that future that I wanted and that's really why I'm here today."

The US Secretary of State will attend an American Ireland lunch at Titanic Belfast after a meeting Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Mr Robinson has urged loyalists to suspend their protests over the flag issue. "Those who riot and engage in violence do a disservice to the flag they claim to represent," he said.

His statement followed attacks on the homes and offices of politicians belonging to the neutral Alliance Party, which had encouraged a compromise - the flying of the flag on designated days.

Syria topped the agenda when the US Secretary of State visited Dublin during her trip. 

Regardless of recent setbacks, she'll be keen to celebrate whatever kind of peace she finds in Belfast.

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Richard O'Dwyer Pays £20,000 Over Pirate Site

A student who ran a website where users could stream pirated films has "avoided a conviction" after paying £20,000 to US authorities, his lawyer has revealed.

Richard O'Dwyer, from Sheffield, ran the TVShack website hosting links to pirated films and TV programmes.

But after a court hearing in New York, the 24-year-old avoided extradition and conviction by signing a Deferred Prosecution Agreement.

As a result, he had to pay £20,000 to the authorities, representing the profits he made from TVShack between December 2007 and November 2009.

The money will be distributed among victims whose copyrights were infringed by TVShack.

Mr O'Dwyer's lawyer, Ben Cooper, said it was "a first" in extradition cases.

Mr O'Dwyer's mother complained of 'a sledgehammer to crack a nut'

"He has avoided extradition and will avoid a conviction. The solution reached is pragmatic and allows Richard to finish his final year at university and get on with his studies at a crucial time in his life.

"So far as we know this is a first in extradition cases - and a sensible solution for UK defendants faced with an ever-growing extra-territorial reach of US prosecutions.

"I expect this mechanism will be used by UK defendants in future US extradition cases now the precedent has been established."

Under the agreement, Mr O'Dwyer must also not break any US laws, "associate only with law abiding people" and work regularly in a lawful occupation.

His mother, Julia O'Dwyer, said "We would like to thank the prosecutors who have been willing to engage in dialogue and recognise that this conduct did not merit the extradition, incarceration and criminalisation of my son.

"However, had anyone communicated with us directly from the outset, raising their concerns, this matter could have been dealt with over two years ago without the threat of extradition, which in my view is using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

"Sadly, the UK government was happy to allow Richard's extradition to proceed, just like they have with others similarly accused of conduct in Britain, committed without ever setting foot in the US.

"The Government is using a rotten law which was designed to bring fugitive offenders back to the place where a crime was committed, not for outsourcing our criminal justice system to another jurisdiction."

Earlier this year Home Secretary Theresa May approved Mr O'Dwyer's extradition, which he appealed against.

On November 28 a deal was struck at the High Court in London to avoid him being extradited and led to him signing the three-page deferred prosecution agreement.

The Sheffield Hallam university student could have faced jail if convicted of the allegations, which were brought following a crackdown by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The agency claimed the TVShack.net website earned more than £147,000 ($230,000) in advertising revenue before US authorities obtained a warrant and seized the domain name in June 2010.

It is thought Mr O'Dwyer will return to the UK with his family today.

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Judges To Impose Tougher Sex Offence Sentences

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

Judges will be urged to consider the psychological and long-term damage to victims of sex offences when passing sentence on perpetrators under new sentencing guidelines.

The new proposals, which will go out to public consultation, will also ensure the judiciary takes into account other aggravating factors, such as filming or photographing sex attacks.

They would see sentences brought up to date with advances in the technology and tactics used by offenders.

A tougher maximum sentence of 19 years should be given for "one-off" rapes, a limit currently only available for those who attack the same victim over a course of time or rape multiple victims, the guidelines state.

Mother-of-two Gabrielle Browne was attacked by a serial sex offender in 2003, when she was out running in preparation for the London Marathon.

In the years since she has devoted much of her energies to fighting for victims' rights within the judicial system.

Particularly when it comes to sentencing, she believes victims' voices are often lost in the process.

She told Sky News that in her case, her attacker could have been stopped before he targeted her, had a judge handed down a custodial sentence for crimes he committed against other women.

She said: "One of the most shocking and disappointing revelations in the lead up to court was when I found out that only six months earlier he had attacked six women in the same park.

"Some of those women were out with their children. For those six offences he received a community supervision order."

The changes are designed to make sure paedophiles, people-traffickers and rapists who operate alone or in gangs are dealt with better in courts in England and Wales.

Sentencing Council member Lord Justice Treacy said: "We're improving guidance for courts to help them deal with these incredibly complex, sensitive and serious offences.

"The perspective of victims is central to the council's considerations. We want to ensure sentences reflect everything the victim has been through and what the offender has done.

"We are looking at the whole context, not just the physical offence but also the tactics employed by offenders like grooming activity, the targeting of vulnerable victims or abuse of a position of trust."

Judges are asked to take into account factors such as stalking and previous abuse by offenders, and the targeting of vulnerable victims like those in care.

The council said the review of the guidelines had come about because the nature of offending has changed and in some cases of sexual exploitation and child grooming perpetrators use technology in offences involving indecent images of children.

"The guidelines reflect these developments so they cover the ways these crimes are committed today," the council said.

For rape, the new guidelines are designed take a broader approach covering a range of scenarios, and to recognise not just the stereotypical "stranger rapes" but to take into account that most rapes are carried out by someone the victim knows, and that many occur within families.

The council said the current guidelines for sexual assault take "too narrow an approach", and focus too much on the nature of the physical activity done by the offender.

It called for fear and intimidation to be taken into account, so an offence would be more serious if violence was threatened or threatening or violent sexual language was used.

For child sex offences the council said it wanted to increase the focus on the behaviour of offenders, how children may have been groomed or exploited, and whether offenders abused a position of trust.

It also said factors such as the use of alcohol or drugs to facilitate the offence and the use of gifts or bribes to coerce a victim should be taken into account.

The guidelines say paedophiles operating in rings or those who abuse a position of trust to create images or videos should be given tougher sentences and called for changes in the way images are classified to aid investigators.

Although Gabrielle Browne welcomes the proposed changes, she believes judges will not be fully armed with all the information necessary to pass sentence until victim impact statements become an every day part of sentencing.

She said: "When that becomes a routine part of the court process and a routine part of the judge's papers that he considers before passing sentence there is a much greater likelihood that there will be more uniformity in sentencing and taking a victim's views into account."

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Stuart Hall Charged With Three Indecent Assaults

BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall has been charged with three counts of indecent assault against young girls aged between eight and 17.

Complaints about the 82-year-old Radio 5 Live football presenter have been made to Lancashire police about alleged incidents in the 1970s and 1980s.

Hall has worked for more than a half century in British broadcasting and was awarded an OBE in this year's New Years Honours. He also presented the It's A Knockout show in the 1970s.

John Dilworth, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said the charges are that between September 1, 1974, and December 31, 1974, he indecently assaulted a woman who was then aged 16 or 17 years.

Between January 1, 1983, and December 31, 1983, he is accused of indecently assaulting a girl then aged eight or nine years and between July 1, 1984, and September 27, 1984, he allegedly indecently assaulted a girl then aged 13 years.

Mr Dilworth added: "He has been bailed to appear at Preston Magistrates' Court on January 7, 2013.

"This decision is made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that it is in the public interest to prosecute this case."

Hall was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on Wednesday morning.

The BBC has said that he will not be working for them while police continue with their inquiries.

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Premature Babies: Dilemma Over Care Grows

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Better medical care is improving the survival chances of premature babies but failing to reduce the number suffering from lifelong health problems, according to new research.

Doctors studying extremely preterm babies - those born before the 26th week of pregnancy - warn "little progress has been made" in reducing serious long-term problems.

They say the children are a "significant public health issue" because of the increased workload for health, educational and social services.

Professor Neil Marlow, a neonatal care specialist at University College London Hospitals, told Sky News:  "Intensive care for small babies is expensive, and providing care for children with disabiliteis as they grow up is also expensive.

"Although the number of babies in relation to the general population is relatively small, they have a very high need."

Researchers behind the long-running EPICure study compared premature babies born in 2006 with those born in 1995.

They found there had been a 44% increase in the number of extremely premature babies being admitted to neonatal intensive care, reflecting increasing optimism by doctors.

Survival increased from 40% to 53% over the decade, according to results published on bmj.com.

But in 1995, 41% left hospital with a major disability such as chronic lung disease, brain damage or serious eye problems, and there has been no improvement since.

In the Netherlands doctors do not attempt to save very premature babies - they argue that say it causes more suffering, with little prospect of a successful outcome.

But Professor Andrew Shennan, medical advisor to Tommy's - a charity which funds research into premature birth, miscarriage and stillbirth - said doctors must do their best.

"Doctors who deal with these babies soon after birth have to make very careful decisions not to overstrive to maintain life at all costs. And I don't think that has changed.

"It is disappointing that disability remains a problem and isn't getting better and we need to look at why that is the case."

Nadia and Rosa Connelly were both premature. Nadia was 15 weeks early and her mum was told she had a 50% chance of survival. She says doctors were right to give her a chance.

"You don't know what is going to happen," she said.

"I was told she would have a severe mental or physical disability and she doesn't.

"So I dont think it is so clear cut. You can't say we are not going to treat this child."

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EuroMillions Jackpot Winner Still Unknown

Top 10 National Lottery Winners

Updated: 3:56am UK, Wednesday 05 December 2012

1. Colin and Chris Weir: £161,653,000

The Scottish husband and wife said they were "tickled pink" after becoming Europe's biggest lottery winners in July 2011. The couple reportedly bought a fleet of cars for friends since their win, as well as a mansion.

2. Adrian and Gillian Bayford: £148,656,000

The couple, from Suffolk, decided to go public after scooping nearly £150m on the EuroMillions August 10 draw.

Mr Bayford said he would carry on running his music shop in Haverhill. Mrs Bayford, a children's ward healthcare assistant at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, said she would treat herself to her dream car, an Audi Q7.

3. Anonymous: £113,019,926

One British ticket scooped the massive prize on October 2010 but decided not to go public.

4. Dave and Angela Dawes: £101,203,600

The Cambridgeshire husband and wife hit the EuroMillions jackpot in October last year. It was only the third time the couple had played the lottery.

5. Anonymous: £84,451,320

The haul was won in May 2010 but the winner kept their identity secret.

6. Nigel Page: £56,008,113

Self-confessed white van man Nigel Page took home the win in February 2010. The skydiving enthusiast, who lived in a three-bedroom semi near Cirencester, Wiltshire, married his girlfriend Justine and moved into a mansion in the Cotswolds.

7. Anonymous: £46,432,285

A British ticket scooped the massive prize in February this year but also decided not to go public.

8. Les and Sam Scadding: £45,570,835

Unemployed mechanic Les Scadding and his wife Sam from South Wales bought one of two winning tickets which shared a £90m jackpot in November 2009. The other £45m-winning ticket was bought by a syndicate of seven office workers based in Merseyside. They each banked £6.5m.

9. Cassey Carrington: £45,160,170

The 22-year-old from Nottingham banked the staggering total after matching all five numbers and two Lucky Stars in a EuroMillions draw in February this year. The Iceland store supervisor said she planned to marry painter fiancee Matt Topham this September.

10. Gareth and Catherine Bull: £40,627,241

The Mansfield husband and wife scooped the bumper prize in January this year. Mr Bull, a self-employed builder, said he planned to splash out on an executive box at Manchester United and a new carpet.

His wife said she might go back to her job as a health insurance worker. The couple also said they planned to take their two sons, aged nine and 10, to Florida's Disneyland.

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Belfast City Hall Protest Injures Police

Five police have been injured as loyalists rioted in Belfast city centre after a controversial vote on the Union flag.

An Alliance Party spokesman said: "Tonight was a disaster for this city."

The violence spread to parts of east Belfast on Monday night where loyalists who had earlier tried to smash their way into the grounds of City Hall attacked a Catholic church.

A police spokeswoman said reinforcements had to be called in to deal with hundreds of loyalists throwing missiles, including fireworks, bricks and bottles.

Five police officers, including two women, were injured during the disturbances.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokeswoman said: "Five police officers have been injured, two of whom have been hospitalised. Two security staff of Belfast City Hall have also been injured."

Two female officers were taken to hospital

It is understood a press photographer was also taken to hospital for treatment for hand and facial injuries.

Trouble broke out minutes after Belfast city councillors voted to remove the flag from City Hall.

It is the first time the Union flag has been taken down from the Edwardian building since it opened in 1906.

Councillors agreed by 29 votes to 21 to bring City Hall into line with Stormont and other Government buildings and fly the flag on 17 designated days.

Loyalist protestors carrying Union flags block the back of City Hall

Sinn Fein Policing Board member Gerry Kelly said the PSNI had serious questions to answer about their operation.

He said: "I have to say, and I don't use these words unless I really mean them, it was a disgraceful police operation - or lack of a police operation.

"If that had been 1,000 or more republicans out there ... they would not have left it that they were able to come into the back of City Hall.

"They indiscriminately attacked cars. We are very, very lucky that they didn't get into the building or we could have been dealing with a lot more injuries."

Cars belonging to elected members and council staff were damaged during the disorder.

DUP councillor Christopher Stalford condemned those responsible for violence.

The Union flag will now be flown on 17 designated days

He said: "The violence has distracted from the issue we should be focusing on - the parties in Belfast City Council who have voted as a block to strip the City Hall of its flag."

Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford said: "The violence which took place at the City Hall and round St Matthew's Church was the responsibility of two groups of people.

"The first is those who went to the City Hall spoiling for a fight, who attacked police officers and council staff.

"But there is a second group which bears responsibility. DUP and UUP politicians fomented this protest, with both leaflets and the use of social media. They called people on to the streets.

"They must have known, from experience as recent as this summer, that violence was almost inevitable. They cannot avoid their responsibility.

"Such violence should be condemned by all civic and community leaders."

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Leveson: Editors Make Case On Regulation

Leveson Inquiry: The Options For Reform

Updated: 1:35am UK, Thursday 29 November 2012

Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations could radically change the way media organisations operate in the UK.

He has said he wants an independent body that could provide redress and a swift mechanism to resolve privacy and libel cases.

Those who complain of press harassment want a system that tackles invasions of privacy, inaccuracies and the culture that resulted in the phone hacking scandal.

But journalists and editors warn that freedom of expression will be threatened if a regulator with wide-ranging powers is set up.

Here are some of the options.

:: A "PCC-plus"

Lord Justice Leveson could call for a beefed-up Press Complaints Commission (PCC), with extra powers and resources to carry out inquiries and hand out punishments.

The general consensus is that the PCC's code of practice is a good foundation but many want it to have more power, amid criticism it has been "toothless".

Lord Black, chairman of the funding body for the PCC, has recommended a new body with the power to launch investigations and levy fines of up to £1m.

Current PCC chairman Lord Hunt of Wirral proposed turning the body into a true regulator of newspapers, with separate arms for dealing with complaints and enforcing standards.

A possible third arm could have the powers to mediate in disputes with newspapers and award compensation.

:: A PCC replacement combining self-regulation with a statutory framework

Lord Justice Leveson has stressed that he does not believe in the "binary" distinction between statutory regulation and self-regulation.

It has been suggested that a law should be passed forcing newspapers to sign up to the PCC or its successor.

Comments by the chairman during the hearings indicate he might be leaning towards the creation of an independent regulator backed by statutory powers.

These could include the ability to impose fines and insist on the prominence of corrections in papers, and a requirement to offer a "right to reply" to contentious articles.

:: Full statutory regulation

Some witnesses suggested the press should be subject to a much stricter regime, in the same way broadcasters are subject to watchdog Ofcom.

Ofcom has wide-ranging powers to investigate and penalise breaches of its detailed code - which includes strict clauses on impartiality and privacy - in TV and radio programmes.

Guardian journalists Nick Davies and David Leigh said they felt some newspapers are not capable of regulating themselves but statutory regulation was widely rejected as an option, especially by editors.

Lord Black, chairman of the Press Standards Board of Finance, suggested any form of statutory intervention would struggle to cope with the pace of change.

There is also the question of cost. Ofcom carries out many other roles, but its 2011/12 budget of £115.8m dwarfs the £2m annual bill for the PCC.

Lord Justice Leveson has repeatedly stressed that he does not support the licensing of journalists or newspapers by the state, and this option looks unlikely.

:: An arbitration service outside the court system

Media groups repeatedly complained about the huge cost of defending libel claims brought in the civil courts, and the chilling effect this has on serious journalism in the public interest.

Editors say "no-win, no-fee" arrangements mean they face potentially ruinous legal costs if they fight an action and lose.

On the other hand, the cost of bringing a claim can be too great for ordinary people, rendering them helpless.

Lord Justice Leveson has spoken of the merits of "a speedier, effective and sensible mechanism for all to use and for all to take the advantage of".

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet suggested a successor to the PCC could offer a mediation service dealing with libel and privacy.

Nick Davies called for the formation of an independent panel to give journalists and members of the public confidential advice on whether a story is in the public interest.

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger argued for a Press Standards and Mediations Commission with an adjudication wing, so people would not have to go to the law to address any differences with newspapers.

:: A newspaper industry ombudsman

Press regulation could be split between the PCC, dealing with day-to-day complaints, and an ombudsman with wider powers to investigate and punish.

Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre argued for a new self-regulatory body, standing alongside the PCC, to deal with standards.

He suggested the ombudsman, perhaps a retired judge or civil servant advised by former newspaper editors, could launch his or her own inquiry into potential scandals, summon journalists and editors to give evidence, and impose fines in the most serious cases.

Lord Justice Leveson is said to have looked to Ireland's press watchdog as a possible two-tier model for a new system.

The Press Council of Ireland and the Press Ombudsman were set up as a two-pronged approach to media regulation in 2008, as an alternative to costly court battles.

The Press Ombudsman deals free-of-charge with complaints from the public, considers whether they are valid, then acts to resolve them through conciliation.

Where conciliation is not possible, the ombudsman makes a decision based on the Code of Practice for Newspapers and Magazines.

He has the option of referring "significant or complex complaints" directly to the 13-member strong Press Council, drawn from the public and the media industry, for decision.

:: A new privacy law

Britain already has statutes protecting privacy through its adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights, article 8 of which covers the "right to respect for private and family life".

But critics argue this has been left open to interpretation by judges, who have in recent years tended to side with celebrities whose personal peccadilloes have been aired in newspapers.

Some witnesses called for the UK to adopt a strong law protecting personal privacy as in France.

:: A "prior notification" law

Former Formula 1 chief Max Mosley has campaigned for a law requiring newspapers to notify the subjects of damaging articles before publication since he was the subject of a News Of The World expose.

Lord Justice Leveson has expressed an interest in whether journalists contact people and organisations before running negative stories about them.

But the European Court of Human Rights has already rejected Mr Mosley's proposal, which would have major implications for freedom of expression, and there appears to be no prospect of it being introduced.

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Chris Jefferies Urges MPs To Back Leveson

Christopher Jefferies, who won libel damages after his arrest over the murder of a woman, has penned a letter to MPs asking them to support the Leveson recommendations on press regulation in full.

Mr Jefferies, who was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Joanna Yeates in Bristol in December 2010 but released without charge, was vilified by some newspapers.

He says in the letter: "I believe it must be implemented in full if we are ever to have a press that works in the public interest, and make sure the abuses we have seen never happen again.

"Over the months that Leveson has been sitting it has become clear that the vast majority of the public do not want the present self-regulation of the press, by the press, to continue.

Mr Jefferies was arrested over the murder of Joanna Yeates

"I was pleased to see this echoed in the opinion polls published recently in which the public say they want complaints about the press to be dealt with by an independent regulator.

"The latest YouGov poll, commissioned by the Media Standards Trust, confirmed that 79% of people are in favour of a press regulator established by law - and 82% say it is no longer acceptable for newspaper owners to control the press complaints system."

Mr Jefferies, who let a flat in Bristol to Joanna Yeates and her boyfriend, was arrested after she was found dead in December 2010.

Dutch national Vincent Tabak was later convicted of Ms Yeates's murder and Mr Jefferies won damages from eight newspapers.

"The way I was treated by the newspapers in that period was without doubt the worst time of my life," he said in the letter, which was written on behalf of Hacked Off, campaigners for the victims of phone hacking and media intrusion.

Cross-party talks on the report will resume later with Harriet Harman representing Labour and Culture Secretary Maria Miller for the Tories.

They will take place before MPs debate the contents of the 2,000-page report, which was published last Thursday.

Labour has started work on drafting its own Bill based on the Leveson recommendations for press regulation and will use it as the basis for a Commons vote if David Cameron blocks reform.

:: More than a 123,000 people have now signed a petition by the Hacked Off campaign for an accountable press, calling for full implementation of the Leveson proposals.

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George Osborne Plans Tax Avoidance Crackdown

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky News Reporter

The Chancellor is to announce an extra investment of £154m to crack down on tax avoidance.

George Osborne will order officials to use the cash to draft in an army of investigators to target high earners who aggressively avoid or evade paying tax.

The money will also fund extra staff to speed up work challenging multinationals' transfer pricing arrangements to stop global companies using legal loopholes to shift profits out of the UK.

It comes on the day a damning report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is released, condemning global companies with huge UK operations that are getting away with paying little or no corporation tax.

Margaret Hodge chairs the Public Accounts Committee

The tax avoidance plans employed by companies like Starbucks, Amazon and Google is described as "outrageous and an insult to British businesses and individuals who pay their fair share".

Starbucks announced on Sunday that it is preparing to change its tax affairs so it pays more into Britain's coffers.

There is now growing pressure on others to follow suit.

Margaret Hodge, who chairs the PAC, said: "It does feel as if corporation tax has become a voluntary tax and if you look at the money the Treasury gets in from corporation tax, in the last year alone we have over £6bn less.

Starbucks says it is reviewing its tax arrangements

"At times like this when money is tight we need every penny of tax we can get."

The report is also critical of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) saying that it lacked determination and looked way too lenient in the face of aggressive tax planning.

But Katja Hall, from Confederation of British Industry, told Sky News that tax avoidance is not a widespread problem.

"Companies pay £163bn in tax in the UK every year and the large majority of companies pay the right amount of tax."

The PAC report wants so called "tax scroungers" to be named and shamed in much the same way as benefit cheats.

But George Osborne said he did not want to price Britain out of the world economy.

"If we make our taxes less competitive that will just mean more companies stay out of Britain."

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First Text Was Sent To A Mobile 20 Years Ago

By By Richard Suchet, Sky News Reporter

Tomorrow marks 20 years since the first text message was sent to a mobile phone.

The first SMS was sent on December 3, 1992, when a 22-year-old British engineer called Neil Papworth - an employee of the technology company Sema - used his computer to send the message "Merry Christmas" to an Orbitel 901 mobile phone.

Texting has now surpassed the traditional phone call as the most common method of staying in touch.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Papworth said he never envisaged that texting would be so popular.

"Back then I had no idea - I was just doing a day's testing. It wasn't until the 10th anniversary that I realised and thought 'Wow, that was a big thing'.

"And here we are another 10 years later and text messaging has gone on to even bigger and better things now."

According to figures released by Ofcom, more than 150 billion texts were sent in the UK last year, almost triple the amount sent five years ago.

Its most prolific users are 12 to 15-year-olds, who send an average of 193 texts every week, almost four times as much as the UK average.

In fact, most of us are now more likely to text a friend than to pick up the phone, or have a face-to-face conversation with them.

But the first half of 2012 saw two quarterly declines in the volume of SMS messages sent in the UK.

The drop is being put down to the meteoric rise in web-based communications - many of which are freely available on smartphones and tablets - like WhatsApp, Blackberry Messenger (BBM), iMessenger, Google Talk and MSN Messenger.

An increase in communication through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook is also thought to be having an impact.

SMS stands for Short Messaging Service and a message is traditionally under 160 characters in length.

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Chakrabarti: 'Leveson Law Would Be Unlawful'

A key aide to Lord Justice Leveson claims his calls for press reform laws would be illegal and may breach the Human Rights Act.

Shami Chakrabarti, one of six assessors who worked with the judge on the inquiry, told the Mail on Sunday she could not support legislation because it would "coerce" newspapers into holding higher standards than anyone else, which would be unlawful.

The director of civil rights group Liberty warned that Lord Justice Leveson's proposal for an independent regulatory body backed up in law could have "serious unintended consequences".

The report on press reforms was issued last week

She said: "In a democracy, regulation of the press and imposing standards on it must be voluntary.

"A compulsory statute to regulate media ethics in the way the report suggests would violate the Act, and I cannot support it."

She added that Labour leader Ed Miliband "was hasty" in supporting the recommendations unveiled earlier this week.

Of Hacked Off, she told the Mail on Sunday: "I understand that people who have been wronged want action. But they should be interested in outcomes, rather than particular processes.

The PM has serious concerns about legislative action

"The outcome they should be seeking is a free and vibrant press with access to justice for the public when things go wrong."

David Cameron has expressed "serious concerns and misgivings" about legislative action but faces intense pressure to implement the findings from victims of press intrusion, the public and other party leaders.

The Prime Minister, who called for the press to be given a some time to now get its house in order, will warn Fleet Street it must take swift action to set up an independent press watchdog in crunch talks with the industry next week.

The report has ratcheted up coalition tensions with the Liberal Democrats saying they are prepared to back the regulatory system and slapping down Tory claims that draft laws were only being drawn up to demonstrate the proposals were unworkable.

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