Badgers Should Be Gassed, Princess Anne Says

The Princess Royal has been criticised by animal rights campaigners after she described the gassing of badgers as a "much nicer way" to control them than shooting them.

Gassing has been banned since 1982 and is considered inhumane by animal rights activists. 

But Princess Anne said she believed most people "will tell you that gas is a much nicer way of doing it, if that's not a silly expression".

"Because of the way it works. And how it works is that you go to sleep, basically."

Speaking about the recent badger cull pilot programmes designed to reduce TB in cattle, Princess Anne said controlling the spread of the disease was just one reason for killing the animals. 

"From a conservation issue alone, you'd have to say there are too many badgers. A bigger growth in the badger population is not good for the balance of conservation anyway," she told the BBC's Countryfile programme.

A third of one cattle herd at Princess Anne's Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire - where one of the pilot culls took place - has been wiped out by bovine TB over the past two years.

Princess Anne farms at her Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire

An independent experts' report has found the "controlled shooting" of badgers could deliver the level of culling needed to bring about a meaningful reduction of TB in cattle.

Humane Society International UK executive director Mark Jones said a reintroduction of gassing would result in a "slow and painful" death for many badgers and possibly other animals.

"Gassing experiments carried out at Porton Down in the early 1980s were abandoned because of the appalling levels of suffering to which the badgers were exposed," he said.

"Lethal concentrations of gases in complex badger setts are difficult to achieve, making sub-lethal exposure and associated suffering highly likely."

His remarks were echoed by Green Party animals spokeswoman Caroline Allen.

The badger cull pilots sparked widespread protests

Ms Allen, a working vet, said: "It is very sad that a high-profile figure such as Princess Anne has chosen to weigh in to the badger debate showing even less awareness and even more ignorance on the issue than we have come to expect from Secretary of State Owen Paterson.

"Defra has clearly stated that gassing with cyanide should never again be considered and there are no alternate gases available without similar unacceptable effects."

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said last year that gassing badgers was being considered but would only be used if proven to be safe, humane and effective.

The Government recently announced the pilot culls would continue this year but will not be extended to other areas.

Princess Anne also spoke of her support for genetically-modified crops in the interview.

"I think the claims are probably slightly greater than most of the deliverables actually are. They do add to our ability to perhaps be more efficient users of the land," she said.

And she admitted she "seldom" discusses the subject with her brother Charles, who once suggested the method risked creating "the biggest disaster environmentally of all time".

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Mafia Boss 'The Professor' Arrested Again In UK

An alleged Italian mafia boss has been arrested on a fresh international warrant a week after he was told he was free to remain in the UK.

Domenico Rancadore had been told by a judge he could return to his home in Uxbridge, west London, after prosecutors withdrew their appeal against a ruling that blocked his extradition to Italy.

But he was arrested in Uxbridge on Friday night on a European Arrest Warrant by officers from Scotland Yard's extradition unit.

The 65-year-old was taken into police custody and is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London later this morning.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: "(The warrant) alleges that he has an outstanding sentence of seven years' imprisonment to serve for participation in Mafia association between December 17, 1987 and April 13, 1995 in Palermo, Italy."

The warrant was issued in Italy and certified by the UK's National Crime Agency.

The house in Uxbridge where Rancadore was arrested

Rancadore - known as "The Professor" - was arrested in Britain last August after 20 years on the run.

He had won his legal fight against extradition on March 17 on the basis that returning to Italy's overcrowded prisons would breach his human rights.

At a hearing last week, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed they had lodged an appeal, but said it was not served within the statutory time limit and was therefore being withdrawn.

Rancadore fled to England in 1994 with his wife and two children, and lived under the false name of Marc Skinner.

Italian authorities claim he was a leading figure in the Cosa Nostra, a Sicilian mafia group controlling Trabia near Palermo.

He is one of Italy's most wanted criminals and was sentenced to seven years in prison in his absence.

Italian police claim he was involved in extortion, racketeering and drug trafficking.

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Dawlish: Damaged Railway Reopens After Repair

David Cameron has paid tribute to workmen after they completed repair work on the badly-damaged rail line at Dawlish.

A 300-strong team has spent weeks repairing the line, which was badly damaged on February 4 when the sea wall was breached during storms.

The line which links Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance was forced to close after part of the wall collapsed.

Storms caused a 100m breach in the sea wall at Dawlish

The Prime Minister said: "This is a great day for the hard-working people of Dawlish, and for businesses and commuters across the South West whose lives have been turned upside down by the devastating loss of their train line."

Shipping containers were put into place in Dawlish to act as a temporary sea wall, but they suffered damage after further storms in February and engineers also discovered a cliff face just south of the village in Teignmouth had sheared away above the track.

Mr Cameron said: "Back in February when I visited the town to see the damage for myself, I promised to do everything I could to get to this vital artery back up and running as quickly as possible.

Half of Dawlish train station has been rebuilt after the storms

"I am delighted to say that promise has been delivered today. A promise which says that the South West is well and truly open for business."

As part of the repair work, half of Dawlish station has also been rebuilt, new cabling has been installed and the sea wall breach has been fortified with more than 6,000 tonnes of concrete.

Heavy seas, strong winds and rain caused widespread damage in the UK

National Rail chief executive Mark Carne said: "Our army of engineers has done an amazing job of putting back together a railway that was ravaged by the elements.

"They have overcome every obstacle thrown at them, winning many battles along the way to restore this critical piece of the network, ahead of schedule, and in time for the Easter holidays."

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UK Smog Set To Ease As Cleaner Winds Move In

Air pollution levels will drop towards the weekend as cleaner winds move in from the Atlantic, Defra has said.

Ambulance services in the UK have reported a spike in the number of emergency calls from people suffering with asthma, lung problems and heart conditions as a result of smog.

The poor air quality has been triggered, in part, by dust from the Saharan desert whipped up by a large storm in north Africa.

During the day on Thursday, air pollution reached "very high" - the highest on a scale of 1-10 - in London and the South-East.

Yellow areas show "moderate" air pollution. Pic: Defra

But these levels will drop to moderate or low as the southwesterly winds move in.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "England and Wales will have moderate or low levels of pollution as the cleaner southwesterly winds extend their influence north and east.

"Low levels are expected across Scotland and Northern Ireland."

Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson said: "Air pollution has been a big concern across England and Wales over the last few days, with some locations in the south-east reporting very high levels.

"To really improve the air quality we need a change in air mass and the arrival of lower pressure, which will help disperse the pollutants into the higher atmosphere.

"Thankfully, we'll see that change on Friday. South-westerly winds will develop, bringing in cleaner air from the Atlantic, but it may take some time for eastern England to see the effects.

"Overall there'll be improvements in the air quality going into the weekend, with just low levels of pollution forecast by Sunday."

The Shard in London is obscured by smog

London Ambulance Service said it had received 14% more 999 calls from people suffering with breathing difficulties. West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed it had also seen a rise in emergency calls.

A poll of asthmatics by the charity Asthma UK also found about a third had suffered an attack as a result of the smog, while 84% had used their blue reliever inhaler more often than usual.

The pollution reached record levels in Harrow, northwest London, and Rochester, Kent.

Health warnings were issued for people exercising strenuously outdoors

Public Health England has advised adults and children with lung problems, as well as adults with heart conditions, to consider reducing strenuous physical exercise, especially outdoors.

Some of the dust has appeared as red speckles on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces after being deposited by rain.

However, many of the health fears surround particulates - the tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel-powered cars and industry that can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

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Teenage Student Yashika Bageerathi Deported

A teenager at the centre of a deportation battle has left the UK on a plane to Mauritius.

The removal of student Yashika Bageerathi has gone ahead after a last-minute attempt to secure an emergency injunction failed.

The 19-year-old is being flown back by Air Mauritius, which has issued a statement saying it "regrets this situation".

Her headteacher Lynne Dawes told Sky News the teenager had been put on the plane at Heathrow surrounded by four security guards.

She said: "I just can't believe they are sending her home.

"I thought some compassion would be shown."

Her tearful mother had pleaded with the authorities to allow her to stay to complete her A-levels.

"Do not force her like that to be alone," she told Sky News.

A petition against her deportation attracted around 175,000 signatures

And supporters have vowed they will fight for her to be able to return.

Earlier, a judge at London's Law Courts had rejected an application to halt her removal, in order to give her legal team more time to take her case to the Court of Appeal.

Such stay orders are granted only if a judge decides the case raises issues which are arguable and merit a further hearing.

A spokesman for the teenager's school, Oasis Academy Hadley, in Enfield, north London, said they were extremely disappointed at the judge's decision.

He said: "We thought there was a solid legal case for her to stay while she finished her A-levels.

"It's worrying the legal system doesn't reflect the heart of the people of this country."

There had been calls for Air Mauritius not to take her on the plane.

In a statement, the airline said it had not been in a position previously to take Miss Bageerathi as not all conditions had been met.

But it subsequently received a "directive" from the UK authorities on April 1.

The statement said: "All conditions having been satisfied, the company had no other choice than to abide by the directive.

"The company has taken all steps to ensure that the flight of Miss Bhageerathi takes place in the best  possible conditions.

"Air Mauritius regrets this situation, but as all airline companies cannot but abide by decisions taken by relevant authorities."

Miss Bageerathi's MP David Burrowes said he was "deeply disappointed" by the deportation order.

The A-level student has been held at Yarl's Wood immigration detention centre in Bedfordshire since March 19.

A campaign against her deportation has attracted around 175,000 signatures to an online petition.

She has already had two late reprieves from deportation after airlines apparently refused to fly her home.

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire told MPs he would intervene only in "exceptional" cases, and this did not fall into that category.

He said her case had been through the proper legal process and resulted in a Home Office decision that she does not need protection from violence or persecution.

Miss Bageerathi came to the UK with her mother, sister and brother in 2011 to escape a relative who was physically abusive and claimed asylum last summer.

She was due to take her A-level exams next month.

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Air Pollution: UK Braced For Third Day Of Smog

A health warning remains in force for millions of vulnerable people as the country prepares for a third day of record air pollution levels.

High levels of smog are forecast today for East Anglia, the Midlands, Lincolnshire, the Wirral and the north coast of Wales.

Parts of England are experiencing the highest level of air pollution ever recorded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in part due to dust from the Sahara.

The elderly, people with asthma, and those with lung and heart conditions are being told to take precautions as forecasters say the smog will not clear until Friday.

Forecast for April 2, 3, 4. Dark red, purple are highest levels. Pic: Defra

Pollution from Europe, low southeasterly winds and domestic pollution have also contributed to the plummeting air quality.

Public Health England (PHE), Asthma UK and Defra have all issued warnings.

Sotiris Vardoulakis from PHE said: "On occasions where levels are high, adults and children with lung problems, and adults with heart problems, should reduce strenuous physical exertion, particularly outdoors, and particularly if they experience symptoms.

"Anyone experiencing discomfort such as sore eyes, coughing or sore throat should consider reducing activity, particularly outdoors."

A view of London's Canary Wharf on Wednesday

Moderate pollution levels are also likely to affect the northwest coast of England, southwest Scotland and the northeast coast of Northern Ireland.

The UK's 3.6 million asthmatics are being advised to use their blue reliever inhalers more often.

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said: "The two-thirds of people with asthma who find that air pollution makes their asthma worse will be at an increased risk of an attack following the alarming Defra warning of high pollution levels around the country."

Saharan dust gets blown over to Britain several times a year. This latest episode has been caused by a large wind storm in North Africa.

Some commuters have taken to wearing face masks

Cars in some areas of the country have been covered with speckles of the dust.

The World Health Organisation estimates seven million premature deaths annually are linked to air pollution.

The UK is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels. Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

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Defra: Air Pollution Levels To Top The Scale

Air pollution will reach "very high" or "high" levels across much of England on Wednesday, the UK's Environment Department has warned.

The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said air pollution will worsen, reaching the top level of 10 in some areas in the South and Midlands.

It said: "High to very high air pollution is expected across much of England to the south of a line from Merseyside across to The Wash."

London will be among the areas worst hit.

Adults and children with lung problems, adults with heart problems, and older people, have been told to avoid strenuous physical activity.

It will be the second day in a row that the country has been hit by heightened smog levels.

Rising smog levels are linked to dust blown from the Sahara

On Tuesday Defra recorded "high" to "very high" air pollution levels across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber.

The agency has linked the increased air pollution levels to sandstorms in the Sahara.

A spokesperson told Sky News: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara."

Many in the country have woken up over the last few days to see a thin level of red sand coating cars and streets.

The Met Office said: "A large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the desert, around 2,000 miles away in northwest Africa.

Sand from the Sahara is being blown towards the UK

"The airborne particles were blown north to the UK where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers."

Paul Hutcheon at the Met Office added: "We usually see this happen several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly winds to bring that dust here.

"More dust rain is possible during showers expected later this week."

However, it seems the high pollution levels won't last for long. 

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill told Sky News: "As we head towards the latter part of this week; Thursday into Friday, the air quality is set to improve.

"By the weekend the air pollution will be low across the UK."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) air pollution poses the world's most serious environmental health risk. 

It found that pollution, ranging from cooking fires to car fumes, was linked to seven million deaths in 2012. That is roughly one in eight.

The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the WHO said.

England is not the only country to be hit by increased smog levels recently.

Last month Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

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Clegg And Farage Set For Debate Round Two

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

EU foreign policy in relation to Ukraine and Syria is likely to dominate when Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage clash tonight in their second televised debate.

The Lib Dem and UKIP leaders have already started to gear up for the contest with firing shots about the role of Vladimir Putin.

Mr Farage picked out the Russian president when asked who he most admired in an interview for GQ by the former Labour spin-doctor Alistair Campbell.

"As an operator, but not as a human being, I would say Putin," he said.

"The way he played the whole Syria thing. Brilliant. Not that I approve of him politically."

Mr Clegg hit back describing the comment as "utterly grotesque". He said Mr Putin had been the "chief sponsor and protector of one of the most brutal dictators on the face of the planet, President Assad".

A UKIP source said it seemed the Lib Dems wanted to focus Wednesday's debate on the issue.

"We are ready for a row about foreign policy," he said. "We think most people agree with Nigel on this one. Clegg, Hague, Miliband, Cameron have been behaving like a bunch of sanctimonious students."

Polls suggested Mr Farage won the pair's first debate

Mr Farage is likely to argue that the British public are fed up of being dragged into conflicts with no pressing national interest. He has accused UK leaders of "destabilising" countries such as Ukraine and Syria.

Meanwhile, the Lib Dems are keen to focus on the fact that the Conservative and Labour leaders have chosen not to take part in the debate.

The party has released a poster overnight that describes Mr Clegg as the only leader "standing up for British jobs" - and slams Ed Miliband and David Cameron as "missing in action".

A Lib Dem poster takes a swipe at the absence of Labour and the Tories

Although the immediate polls following last week's debate suggested Mr Farage had won overall, both leaders saw a boost.

The Lib Dems want to use the debates to help them win pro-European votes off both the Conservatives and Labour.

A senior Lib Dem source said: "Although we are low in the polls, being able to move one or 2% of people might make a big difference to this. It is exposure and it is an important debate."

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UK Prisons 'Are Revolving Door For Offenders'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

More than one in three offenders sentenced in the year up to September 2013 had 10 or more previous convictions, Sky News can reveal.

Figures released by the Ministry of Justice lay bare the scale of career criminality across England and Wales.

Of the 177,597 people with prior convictions running into double figures, 14,646 had more than 50.

Sky News was given exclusive access to Wormwood Scrubs in London, where one prisoner explained he had 20 convictions and 10 prison sentences behind him at the age of 34.

Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, said prisoners released into society had a huge "temptation" to turn to alcohol or drugs and slip back into the lifestyle that landed them in jail in the first place.

Sky's Anushka Asthana talks to a prisoner inside Wormwood Scrubs

He said one of the problems was that people who carried out short jail sentences of under 12 months were released with no support whatsoever.

Today's figures show that over a six-year period - up to 2011 - huge numbers of crimes were committed by people who had been let out of prison just months earlier.

There were 84,564 thefts including burglary, 11,751 violent crimes and 901 sexual offences committed within a year of a short sentence ending.

The MoJ is hoping to reduce such crimes by a change this June that will see the vast majority of offenders, including those on short sentences, face supervision for a year after release.

The prisoner - who asked not to be named - said he repeatedly slipped back into a cycle of committing commercial burglaries.

One of the biggest problems was a lack of housing when he left prison, leaving him surrounded by the "wrong people" who encouraged the criminal behaviour.

He said his family were devastated as they were hard working and had brought him up the right way.

"It breaks (my mum's) heart, and that breaks my heart," he said.

Prisoners 'are at a crossroads when they walk out of jail'

Locked up alongside him in the prison's "C-wing" were the same faces again and again, he added, calling it a "revolving door".

He said he hoped that a mentoring scheme at the prison, which will see him met at the gates by a volunteer, will help place him on a better path.

David Redhouse, the deputy governor at Wormwood Scrubs, said the important thing was to try to get prisoners through the first few months as that was when reoffending rates were highest.

He said the men in C-wing were at a crossroads when they walked out - and needed support to encourage them not to return to criminality.

Mr Redhouse described how the prison used vocational training - with painting courses, job sessions, welfare support and IT classes. There was also a programme through which prisoners come face-to-face with victims.

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Royal Mail Sell-Off 'Cost Taxpayer Millions'

Taxpayers lost out due to the Government's low valuation of Royal Mail shares during its privatisation, the National Audit Office has found.

The public spending watchdog concluded ministers showed "deep caution" when pricing the shares last year.

The Government sold £2bn-worth of shares in October, amounting to 60% of the company.

The NAO points out that on the first day of trading alone, Royal Mail's new shareholders benefited to the tune of £750m - money which could have gone to the public purse.

Twelve priority investors sold all or some of their holdings within the first few weeks of trading.

Royal Mail shares are now trading more than two-thirds higher than the price at which they were sold by the Government.

Business Secretary Vince Cable has defended the sale

Amyas Morse, head of the NAO, said: "The department was very keen to achieve its objective of selling Royal Mail, and was successful in getting the company listed on the FTSE 100. Its approach, however, was marked by deep caution, the price of which was borne by the taxpayer.

"The Government retained 30% of the company. It could have retained even more and allowed the taxpayer to participate further in the rapidly increasing share price and thus limit the cost to the taxpayer."

Business Secretary Vince Cable is the minister under scrutiny and the report does partly vindicate his approach to the sale.

It says he was right to reject bankers' gold-plated valuations of Royal Mail of more than £9bn.

Mr Cable said: "Achieving the highest price possible at any cost and whatever the risk was never the aim of the sale.

"The report concludes there was a real risk of a failed sale attached to pushing the price too high, and a failed sale would have been the worst outcome for taxpayers and jeopardised the operation of Royal Mail going forward.

Royal Mail employees received 10% of the business

"The report also comprehensively demolishes the argument that the government should have relied on the price valuations of some banks who were pitching for the contract to sell Royal Mail.

"The NAO confirms we have protected taxpayers from the risk of needing to offer ongoing support to the company as well as safeguarding the vital six-day-a-week service that customers and businesses around the country rely on."

Critics of the sale have seized on the axing of 1,300 jobs and a hike in stamp prices in recent days as evidence of the folly of privatisation.

Unite national officer Brian Scott said: "This report is startling proof that the Government sold off the country's family silver on the cheap.

"The privatisation of Royal Mail was wrong in every way. The loser is the UK taxpayer and the tragedy is that money that should be flowing into the Treasury for schools and hospitals is going into the pockets of private investors."

Some 10% of Royal Mail was handed free to employees during the privatisation.

Taxpayers were left with a 30% stake that is now worth about £1.6bn.

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