Helicopter Fell 'Like A Stone Out Of The Sky'

Eyewitnesses have described the "terrifying" moment when a police helicopter spun out of control and plunged into a bar which was hosting a live music gig.

Grace MacLean was in The Clutha in Stockwell Street, Glasgow, and said people only became aware of the crash when the the ceiling of the venue started to cave in.

She told Sky News: "There was a band on, they were quite loud, and we just kinda heard a whoosh and some smoke.

"We looked around and no-one really knew what was going on. Everyone just carried on listening to the band.

Emergency services at the scene

"And then we kind of looked again and the roof was gradually coming down.

"Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is.

"No-one had a clue what was going on. There was no loud noise.

"People were helping each other out. Everyone started helping people who were hurt. People had some head injuries. Lots of people were covered in dust. There were lots of people shocked.

"No-one knew it was a helicopter crash until people told you."

Firefighters on the roof of the pub where the helicopter crash-landed

Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy was one of the first people on the scene immediately after the crash and helped carry people out.

He said he saw a "pile of people clammering out" of the bar as he was driving past.

"I jumped out and tried to help," he said. "There were people with injuries. Bad gashes to the head. Some were unconscious."

Scores of passers-by in the area ran to the venue after seeing or hearing the aircraft go down.

Mr Murphy said people formed a human chain to help pass those that were unconscious out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out".

Connor Gillies, from Radio Clyde News, told Sky News of the "scenes of chaos" and "continuous stream of sirens" in the area on Friday evening.

MP Jim Murphy helped people out of the venue

Mr Gillies described seeing "blood on the shirt" of Mr Murphy, who he said was "clearly very shaken, very upset by the whole thing".

Wesley Shearer, who posted pictures on Twitter of the scene, said there had been "talk of fatalities", but this has not been confirmed.

"This is unbelievable," he tweeted shortly after the crash. "Just spent 20 minutes pulling people out of the bar."

Jan Hollands, who also tweeted pictures from the scene, said she heard the crash and described it as "scary".

Gordon Smart, editor of the Sun's Scottish edition, witnessed the aircraft plunge into the pub.

He said: "It was a terrifying sight. I was on the roof of a car park, six floors up, getting into my car, about to drive home for the evening. I looked up and saw a helicopter which I think was a police helicopter falling out of the sky.

"It was like a stone dropping from the sky. It landed a few 100 yards from me. Strangely there was no explosion.

"It was just a strange, surreal moment. It looked like it was dropping from a great height, at a great speed.

"There was no fireball and I did not hear an explosion. The engine seemed to be spluttering."

He added: "It was an incredibly eerie spell. I was expecting to hear sirens straight away. There was no noise at all. I just couldn't quite believe what I had seen."

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Police Helicopter Crashes Into Glasgow Pub Roof

A police helicopter has crashed into a pub roof on the banks of the River Clyde in central Glasgow.

The aircraft came down on The Clutha in Stockwell Street at 10.25pm which was packed with more than 100 people at the time.

Police Scotland said a crew of two officers and a civilian pilot were on board the helicopter, but added the force was "not in a position to confirm any details regarding injuries".

Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said it was "too early at this stage to provide any details around why the helicopter came down".

Two police officers and one civilian pilot were on board the helicopter

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said "a number of casualties" with "multiple types of injury" had been taken to hospital, while crews worked to stabilise the "very unsafe building" and free others who remained trapped inside.

"We will be here for as long as it takes," said Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay.

He said it was difficult to tell how many people were still inside.

"Our officers are working very hard in what is a very complex and hard environment for them tonight," he said.

"We've had some contact and we're working away just now to make sure that the building is safe in order to get people out."

Glasgow Royal Infirmary said nine people were being treated at the hospital, but gave no further details on their condition.

Emergency services confirmed search and rescue dogs were assisting police and 125 firefighters at the venue, where a local band were playing on Friday evening.

Those inside the pub gather outside after the crash Pic: Paul Agnew

One image of the crash on social media sites showed the dark blue helicopter on the roof with yellow "Police" insignia on part of the wreckage.

First Minister Alex Salmond said that given the scale of the Glasgow helicopter crash, "we must all prepare ourselves for the likelihood of fatalities".

Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy, who was among those helping the wounded out of the pub, tweeted: "Terrible here in Glasgow Helicopter crashed into roof of pub".

He told Sky News: "I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub. It is a horrible, horrible scene."

Gordon Smart, editor of the Sun's Scottish edition, saw the crash from a multi-storey car park nearby.

He told Sky News: "I thought it was a plane that was going to crash. I looked up at the sky and I could see the helicopter falling, tumbling ... and then there was an eerie silence for the last part of the fall.

The Clutha is situated in Stockwell Street in Glasgow

"But the thing that was disturbing and shocking was there was no explosion. I couldn't understand why a helicopter would fall from that height and not explode.

"To see the angle, the speed and the trajectory of the fall ... it was a horrific sight."

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "My thoughts are with everyone affected by the helicopter crash in Glasgow - and the emergency services working tonight."

The Police Roll of Honour Trust tweeted "Our thoughts are with the crew of @policescotland SP99 helicopter that has crashed in Glasgow - hoping everyone is alright."

Glasgow Central Mosque, located close to the pub on the opposite side of the Clyde, tweeted: "Have told emergency crew that we r on standby & can make available mosque & volunteers to assist in any way to aid injured & emergency crew."

A full probe involving the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the emergency services is under way.

Members of the public concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash can call an emergency helpline on 0800 092 0410.

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Mairead Philpott's Appeal Hearing Televised

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

The father of Mairead Philpott has told Sky News she should not be appealing against her sentence for killing her six children.

The court hearing is due to be televised later.

It will be the most high-profile case to be broadcast since cameras were allowed into the Court of Appeal last month.

Philpott, 33, and family friend Paul Mosley, 46, got 17 years for the manslaughter of the children in a house fire in Derby in May 2012.

Back (l-r) Duwayne and John, Front (l-r) Jack, Jessie, Jade and Jayden

Philpott's husband, Mick, 56, was jailed for life. He has not appealed, and a plan for Mosley to appeal has been abandoned.

Jade Philpott, 10, and her brothers, Duwayne, 13, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, all died in their bedrooms after a fire swept through the family home on Victory Road in the Allenton area of the city.

Mairead's father, Jimmy Duffy, said she "shouldn't be appealing at all".

He added: "They should be getting on with what they've got."

A letter written in prison from Mairead to her father

Mr Duffy said he was in support of court proceedings being televised.

"Basically they're going to be seen for what they are, in fact they should have televised the whole case if I had my way," he said.

Mr Duffy said his daughter had written to him from prison. In the letter, Philpott said she is "coping as best as I can it's hard but I'm doing ok for now", and signs off, "Hope to hear from you soon, love Mairead xxxxxx".

But Mr Duffy has little sympathy for her.

Mairead is appealing her sentence for killing her children

"I love her, she's my daughter, don't get me wrong, she's my flesh and blood, but I can't forgive her for even having a part in it," he said.

Mosley's sister Angela doesn't think he should have tried to appeal in the first place.

She told Sky News: "If you knew your friend was going to set fire to their house, my first port of call would be to the police station.

"You would do everything in your power to stop the fire but they didn't they carried on, they're guilty."

A wedding photo of Mick and Mairead Philpott

It will be the first time a Court of Appeal hearing has been filmed outside London.

The Lord Chief Justice Sir John Thomas, Mr Justice Flaux and Mr Justice Macduff will hear from legal representatives for Philpott.

They will then go through the sentencing guidelines, and give their judgment.

The house of Victory Road being demolished

It's unlikely that Philpott will be in court, even via video link, and cameras will only focus on the judges and lawyers.

There is also a 70-second delay which will enable any protests to be screened out and ensure that judges have sufficient time to signal to the video-journalist, Matt Nicholls, if they believe any material needs to be removed from the broadcast.

Last month The Lord Chief Justice said: "The bringing of cameras into the Court of Appeal and the recording of its proceedings will enable those to be understood much better by the public as a whole. We hope it will increase confidence in the administration of justice."

Philpott and Mosley were sentenced in April by Mrs Justice Thirlwall who described Mick Philpott as "a disturbingly dangerous man" and said his wife put him "above" her children "and as a result they have died".

She said Mosley must have appreciated the "appalling risk" but was "prepared to go along with the plan".

:: The appeal, scheduled for 10.30am, can be watched on Sky News.

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Energy Bills: Govt Wants Price Freeze Until 2015

The Energy Secretary has written to the big six energy providers asking them to freeze their prices until after the 2015 general election, according to Sky sources.

The call, barring any big increase in wholesale fuel costs, is to try to avoid another round of price rises that could be blamed on Government green levies, industry sources have said.

Annual bills could be cut by around £50 by the move, it is claimed.

Ed Davey has promised to help firms by introducing changes to the green levies that Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have pledged to "roll back".

Energy Secretary Ed Davey is believed to be seeking a deal with firms

He first wrote to the firms last week and followed-up his appeals with fresh letters this week.

It is understood the companies have so far given no commitment to his proposal.

Ministers are proposing to change the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) - one of the green levies branded "green crap" by a Tory source last week.

The Government wants to be able to announce a pledge or deal in the Autumn Statement on December 5.

The Department of Energy & Climate Change described the claims as speculation, stating there would be no comment on the issue ahead of next week's statement.

Bills are burned during a protest this month against prices and budget cuts

The move comes ahead of a speech by Ed Miliband later in which he will pledge to end the energy "rip-off".

The Labour leader is to call for a tough new regulator with powers to order firms to pass on wholesale savings to customers, and intervene in the market to ensure they get good value in the future.

An independent Energy Security Board would be created modelled on the Office for Budget Responsibility, to help draw up and implement a timetable for building energy capacity and ensure the lights stay on.

He will also promise action to boost competition among suppliers, simplify bills for customers and "secure energy which is affordable and available".

Labour leader Ed Miliband is to pledge to end the energy "rip-off"

The shake-up - described by Mr Miliband as the biggest since privatisation in the 1980s - would be implemented during the 20-month price freeze he has pledged if Labour wins the general election.

Launching the party's energy green paper at Manchester Town Hall, Mr Miliband will refer to the famous "Tell Sid" campaign advertising British Gas privatisation under Margaret Thatcher.

"In the past three years it has become clear to everyone but this government that the energy market is broken," he is expected to say.

"Prices are rising year on year without justification. And Britain is not getting the investment in energy we need to secure supplies for the future...

"We have a new message for Sid: We will freeze your bills for 20 months. We will reset the market with real competition and proper regulation so that prices are affordable. We will secure the investment we need.

"We will stop you being ripped off and, together, we will power Britain into the next century."

Other commitments include preventing power generation companies doing exclusive deals with their retail arms and ensuring all environmental and policy levies on bills are delivering "value for money".

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'Bedroom Tax' Leaves Disabled Fearing Eviction

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

Thousands of disabled people are cutting back on food and heating to pay for the so-called "bedroom tax" according to a group of leading charities.

The chief executives of leading groups including Disability Rights UK, Scope, Carers UK, The Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Council For Disabled Children say the policy is having a "devastating impact" on people with disabilities.

More than 50 organisations have signed a letter to Iain Duncan Smith calling for immediate action to exempt disabled people from the Spare Room Subsidy.

They claim that it is harder for people in adapted housing to move and that "it is hitting disabled people who need an extra room for essential home adaptations or equipment which enable them to live independently".

The letter to the Department of Work and Pensions states: "We have been deeply frustrated at reports that disabled people and their families are protected from this policy.

The intorduction of the "bedroom tax" has proved controvesrial

"The stark evidence since the policy was implemented in April clearly shows they are not.

"None of these groups are exempt and our organisations are seeing the devastating impact it is having on those who now face a shortfall in their rent as a result of the changes."

Government does offer help with extra discretionary housing payments (DHPs) for disabled social housing tenants.

However, the letter points to research conducted by the Papworth Trust which showed that one in three disabled people applying for DHPs are refused, the same number as non-disabled people; and that 90% of disabled people refused a DHP are already cutting back on food, drink, household bills and medication or therapies.

Charities have written to Iain Duncan Smith about the bedroom tax

The letter claims that carers and families of disabled children are "being forced deeper and deeper into debt and falling behind on their rent, putting them at risk of eviction".

Sky News spoke to 47-year-old Heather Simpson from Battersea who suffers from a degenerative disease and needs an adapted property with wheelchair access and a stair-lift.

She has been told by her local housing association that they are unable to find her an appropriate smaller home. 

Come December she is worried she may have to find an additional £80 a month to cover her spare room.

She told Sky News: "I'm stuck basically, there's nowhere for me to go.

"I understand there's overcrowding, but there's nowhere for me to go. So I'll just get into debt."

Council tenants judged to have extra bedrooms now receive less benefit

In a letter sent to Heather last week, her Housing Association, Peabody, said they had 1,600 applicants for rehousing and only 145 places.

In a statement, Peabody told Sky News: "The Government's under-occupancy charge has a significant impact on vulnerable people, and we are working with other housing associations and councils to try and increase the options for people needing to move…

"We would like to see the Government take action to mitigate the impact of this policy particularly for the most vulnerable residents in our homes."  

A Department of Work and Pensions spokesperson told Sky News: "We are determined to support those who might need extra help through these necessary reforms.

"That is why we set aside £190m this year to do precisely this, with £25m specifically for disabled people living in specially adapted properties.

"The Courts have ruled we are meeting our equality duties to disabled people who are affected by the policy.

"The removal of the spare room subsidy means we still pay the majority of most claimants' rent, but the taxpayer can no longer afford to pay the £500m cost of claimants' extra bedrooms."

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Migrant Benefit Rules Tightened By Cameron

EU migrants are to be barred from claiming out-of-work benefits, such as Jobseeker's Allowance, for their first three months in the UK.

Those who do go on to claim the benefits will now only be able to get payments for a maximum of six months.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced the shake-up in a newspaper article amid concerns over a possible surge in Romanians and Bulgarians in January.

He also said that migrants caught begging or sleeping rough could be deported.

Writing in the Financial Times, Mr Cameron said he "shared concerns" of many of his MPs over the ending of restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian workers.

Workers from the two countries will soon get the same right to work in the UK as other EU migrants, with some suggesting tens of thousands could arrive.

Dozens of Conservative MPs want the Government to ignore EU law and extend existing controls until 2018.

Mr Cameron said: "We are changing the rules so that no one can come to this country and expect to get out of work benefits immediately; we will not pay them for the first three months.

"If after three months an EU national needs benefits - we will no longer pay these indefinitely.

"They will only be able to claim for a maximum of six months unless they can prove they have a genuine prospect of employment.

"We are also toughening up the test which migrants who want to claim benefits must undergo.

"This will include a new minimum earnings threshold. If they don't pass the test, we'll cut off access to benefits such as income support. Newly arrived EU jobseekers will not be able to claim housing benefit."

Currently, some immigrants can access Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) within a month of arrival in the UK, according to Downing Street aides.

Mr Cameron said migrants found begging or sleeping rough could be deported and barred from re-entry for 12 months "unless they can prove they have a proper reason to be here, such as a job".

Other measures - in a bid to prevent undercutting of British workers - include fines of up to £20,000 for firms that pay below minimum wage.

Mr Cameron also called for tighter rules over the right of EU citizens to move to any member country.

He said one option would be to "require a new country to reach a certain share of average EU GDP per head before full free movement was allowed".

"Individual member states could be freed to impose a cap if their inflow from the EU reached a certain number in a single year," he added.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the Liberal Democrats were behind the tougher rules and called them "sensible and reasonable reforms".

"The right to work does not automatically mean the right to claim," Mr Clegg said.

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Sandy Hook Gunman Obsessed With Columbine

The gunman who carried out last year's Connecticut school shooting was obsessed with mass killings, investigators have said.

Twenty children and six adults were killed by Adam Lanza on December 14 but his motive may never be known conclusively.

State Attorney Stephen Sedensky III said there was no clear indication why the 20-year-old gunman chose Sandy Hook Elementary as his target other than the fact that it was close to his home.

Police at first thought there could have been several gunman

The summary of the investigation said Lanza had an obsession with mass murders, in particular the April 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado.

Lanza had significant mental health issues that affected his ability to live a normal life and interact with others but did not affect his mental state for the crimes.

He "was undoubtedly afflicted with mental health problems", Mr Sedensky wrote.

The shooting rampage sent shockwaves around the world

"Yet despite a fascination with mass shootings and firearms, he displayed no aggressive or threatening tendencies.

"Some recalled that the shooter had been bullied but others, including many teachers, saw nothing of the sort."

The mother of slain teacher Victoria Soto said in a statement that nothing could make sense of the shooting.

Donna Soto said: "Yes, we have read the report, (but) no, we cannot make sense of why it happened.

Twenty children and six adults were killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook

"We don't know if anyone ever will. We don't know if we will ever be whole again, we don't know if we will go a day without pain, we don't know if anything will ever make sense again."

Lanza killed his mother inside their Newtown home before driving to Sandy Hook Elementary and carrying out the killings.

He then committed suicide as police arrived.

A timeline released with the report indicated that nearly six minutes passed between the arrival of the first Newtown police officer and the time officers entered the school.

Demolition of the elementary school began in October

The report said law enforcement officers were operating under the belief there may have been more than one shooter.

Mr Sedensky released his report amid an ongoing court battle over the release of the 911 tapes associated with the shooting.

The withholding of the recordings, which are routinely released in other cases, has been the subject of a legal battle between The Associated Press and Mr Sedensky before the state's Freedom of Information Commission.

A Connecticut judge said on Monday he will listen to the tapes before ruling on whether they can be publicly released.

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Children Being 'Failed' Over Gang Sex Abuse

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

Children are suffering "sadistic levels" of sexual abuse by gangs, but services designed to protect them are still woefully inadequate, a new study has found.

The research for the Children's Commissioner found that only 6% of Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are fully complying with key parts of Government guidance on tackling sexual exploitation.

The report stated: "Whilst 98% of LSCBs told the inquiry that Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a strategic priority, almost half were unable to tell us how many victims had been identified during 2012 in their local area.

"During site visits we also continued to hear references to children "putting themselves at risk", rather than the perpetrators being the risk to children."

The report went on: "Too many people who should be protecting children are in denial about the realities of CSE and therefore do not believe what children may tell them. One young person told us: 'They made me feel like it was my fault.'"

In a long list of failings, the report says agencies are "failing to engage" with children, that there is "a lack of leadership" and "limited or no strategic planning".

It also emerged that one Chair of a Children's Safeguarding Board did not even know there was a set of Government guidelines on the issue.

The Deputy Children's Commissioner, Sue Berelowitz, told Sky News that the panel had been shocked by the lack of action being taken.

She said: "There is no doubt that children are still falling through the net because of some serious failings.

"It was of great concern to us to identify that of the top 15 requirements that Local Safeguarding Board must comply with to protect children, only 6% are doing what they should be doing.

"So the vast majority of them have a long way to go before they are doing what they should be doing in law to protect children."

The study found victims of gang sexual abuse could be as young as 11 years old and the offenders as young as 12 years old.

The children also have younger siblings who are on the fringes of being at risk.

Sue Berelowitz added: "I have worked with many children who have been victims of sexual violence but I have never before encountered the levels of sadism and cruelty that I have during this inquiry.

"The sheer degree of depravity that has been enacted on children, sometimes by other children, has been truly shocking."

A two-year study by the University of Bedfordshire was released alongside the report.

They spoke to 188 young people living in gang-affected areas and found that gang sexual violence was not confined to inner cities, or even deprived areas, but was a countrywide problem.

The report author Jenny Pearce told Sky News: "Thirty four per cent said multiple rape was commonplace among gangs.

"Rape was used as a form of weaponry.

"Initiation to a gang might be through raping a girl. A young man might have his girlfriend raped as a form of punishment. Someone might be raped for failing to perform a task."

She added: "Only one in 12 said they would report a rape, and of those most would only tell peers.

"They won't go to the police. That's something we need to address."

To coincide with these two reports London Metropolitan University has studied young people's attitudes to rape and sexual consent.

Young people were given rape scenarios and asked whether they felt consent had been given.

Dr Maddy Coy who conducted the study said: "There is a sense that young women's actions are always under scrutiny.

"If they have accepted a drink, or worn a top that flatters their breasts, that is seen as an invitation to have sex and they are blamed for what happens next.

"The focus is always on those giving consent, but not enough focus on getting consent. Young people are not aware of what getting consent looks like."

Dr Coy added that only "a minority of young people we spoke to felt that consent should be negotiated".

The Children's Commission is now calling for the Department of Education to review the guidance on Child Sexual Exploitation and to ensure that local services are complying with what has already been set out.

They suggest problem-profiling of potential victims, offenders and gangs needs to take place - along with a greater emphasis on relationship and sex education by trained professionals for children and young people.

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Iran Nuclear Deal Reached At Talks In Geneva

An agreement has been reached between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief.

The deal, announced by European Union policy chief Catherine Ashton, is a first step towards resolving a decade-old stand-off between Tehran and the West.

The agreement between the Islamic state and the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia was nailed down after more than four days of negotiations in Geneva.

US President Barack Obama said it was an important first step towards a comprehensive solution to Iran's nuclear programme.

William Hague hailed the agreement as 'very important and encouraging'

He said Iran could not use its next-generation centrifuges under the deal and the limitations under the agreement "cut off Iran's most likely paths to a bomb".

He added that if Iran did not meet its commitments during a six-month period, the US would turn off sanctions relief and "ratchet up the pressure".

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the nuclear deal as an "historic mistake" and reserved his country's right to defend itself.

"Today the world became a much more dangerous place because the most dangerous regime in the world made a significant step in obtaining the most dangerous weapons in the world," he said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran's Mohammed Javad Zarif

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the agreement recognises Tehran's "rights" to maintain a nuclear programme, and it would "never" seek atomic weapons.

The country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "This can be the basis for further intelligent actions. Without a doubt the grace of God and the prayers of the Iranian nation were a factor in this success."

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said the deal leaves Tehran further from getting a nuclear weapon and "demonstrates how persistent diplomacy and tough sanctions can together help us to advance our national interest".

Foreign Secretary William Hague said the agreement was "very important and encouraging", adding that it meant "the nuclear programme won't move forward for six months".

However, he acknowledged that "legitimate concerns" remained.

The Iranian foreign minister got a hero's welcome back in Tehran

He and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the deal, as well as the latest developments in Syria, during talks in London on Sunday.

Speaking in London, Mr Kerry said: "This could not have happened if our friends had not come together to create sanctions and force sanctions and to press this agreement.

"Now the really hard part begins; the effort to get the comprehensive agreement in terms of verification, transparency and accountability.

"We are determined to work together. We will start today to continue the efforts out of Geneva. President Obama could not be more grateful for David Cameron's support."

High purity uranium stockpiles will be destroyed or diluted

Mr Kerry offered assurances to Israel over the nuclear agreement, saying it would make the Jewish state safer over the next six months because the world would have "insights" into Iran's nuclear programme.

President Obama also telephoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the deal, said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

He said the US was looking forward to consulting with Israel over ongoing negotiations with Iran.

Speaking on Iran's Press TV, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the deal was an opportunity for the West to restore trust with the Iranian nation.

He said Tehran would expand co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.

European Union policy chief Baroness Catherine Ashton and Javad Zarif

The easing of sanctions could boost Iran's economy by up to $7bn (£4.3bn).

In return, it has committed to stop uranium enrichment above a purity of 5% - enough for medical use and nuclear power, Iran's stated goal, but not enough for a weapon.

Any uranium it has above 20%, which is close to the level needed for weapons, will be destroyed or diluted. 

Equipment capable of enriching weapons-grade uranium will also be switched off and the deal calls for intrusive UN nuclear inspections.

The agreement has sparked fears in Israel, said Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley.

"Israel's economy minister Naftali Bennett has said this deal could result in the use of suitcase nuclear devices five years down the line. It could be traced to this historic moment," he said.

"What they're really saying is that the international community, the world's diplomats, have been suckered by Iran in the same way that the international community was successfully suckered, let's face it, by the North Koreans who agreed to a similar deal to downscale their nuclear programme, and after a few months went by actually demonstrated that they had developed a nuclear weapon in secret.

"That is precisely what worries the Israelis."

Diplomacy was stepped up after the landslide election of Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate, as Iranian president in June, replacing nationalist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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Domestic Violence: 'Clare's Law' Set To Widen

A scheme that gives people the right to ask police if their partner has a history of domestic violence is expected to be widened.

'Clare's Law' has been trialled by four police forces and is named after Clare Wood, who was strangled and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, George Appleton, in 2009.

Police run checks and speak to agencies such as the Prison Service, the Probation Service and Social Services.

'Facebook fugitive' George Appleton strangled Clare Wood in 2009

If a risk is discovered, information about an abusive partner may be disclosed to whoever is best placed to help - but the disclosure must be "lawful and proportionate".

'Clare's Law' has been running in Gwent, Wiltshire, Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire and ministers are today expected to tell Parliament that it should be extended.

As well as the potential victim, a third party such as a parent, can also apply for information under the initiative - which is officially called the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme.

Miss Wood, 36, a mother-of-one, had met Appleton on Facebook, unaware of his history of violence against women, including repeated harassment, threats and the kidnapping at knifepoint of one of his ex-girlfriends.

Recent television adverts have highlighted domestic violence

At the inquest into her death, the coroner said women in abusive relationships should have the right to know about the violent past of the men they were with.

Clare's father Michael Brown told Sky News he was "delighted" at the prospect of the scheme being extended.

"Why these lads can go through in a little underworld of their own, moving from partner to partner, and causing the trail of devastation that they leave and get away with it - because data protection says you can't tell - I thought it was nonsense," said Mr Brown.

"I'm delighted for the ladies it will protect in the future."

One woman who used Clare's Law to uncover her partner's abusive past said she was glad she took action.

Clare Wood's father is 'delighted' the scheme looks set to expand

She told Sky News: "I found out that my previous partner was abusive, some physically but mostly emotionally and mentally, which made me feel very uncomfortable.

"I'd started to feel that way myself, so by having that confirmed to me it does help you feel a little bit stronger."

The charity Refuge has in the past raised doubts over Clare's Law, saying most abusers are not known to police and urging that instead more should be spent on improving the police response to domestic violence and keeping refuges open.

It is difficult to accurately know the extent of domestic violence in the UK.

However, a 2011/12 survey by the Office for National Statistics found 1.2 million females and 800,000 males reported experiencing domestic abuse over a 12-month period.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "These new measure that the Government has been piloting will help us to be able to support victims more, to deal with perpetrators and to constantly try to stop this terrible crime of domestic violence that takes place all too often."

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Former Co-op Chairman Released On Police Bail

Chancellor George Osborne has announced plans for an independent inquiry into the Co-operative Bank's near collapse, as its former chairman was released by police.

The review uses new powers under the Financial Services Act and follows calls from Prime Minister David Cameron for an inquiry into the bank's ailing finances and the decision to appoint Paul Flowers as chairman.

It will add to an investigation being considered by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), following the regulators' talks with Bank of England governor Mark Carney on Friday.

Mr Osborne announced the review

The Co-op faces a rescue which will see 50 branches close and investors including US hedge funds take control of 70% of the business.

The Treasury-led inquiry will look into mistakes made in the run-up to the Co-op Bank's woes and the £1.5bn black hole in its finances, dating back to at least 2008.

The Treasury said it will investigate actions of the regulators and government in relation to the issues at the bank.

It will also cover the Co-op's takeover of Britannia Building Society at the height of the banking crisis, as well as appointment procedures in light of the scandal surrounding Mr Flowers.

Since Mr Flowers stepped down in June, questions have been asked about his competence in the role.

The 63-year-old Methodist minister was arrested by West Yorkshire Police on Thursday night in Merseyside.

He has been held in connection with an "an ongoing drug supply investigation", police said.

Mr Flowers has been questioned all day by police, and was released on Friday evening.

Asked how Mr Flowers was feeling, his solicitor Andy Hollas said: "I think a rather ponderous frame of mind - I think anyone in his situation would be."

Mr Hollas added: "He's not necessarily guilty of anything, he's not been charged with anything."

Mr Flowers resigned as Co-op chairman in June

Mr Flowers was suspended by both the church and the Labour Party following newspaper allegations that he bought and used illegal drugs.

The Treasury's inquiry will not start until the outcome of criminal investigations into Mr Flowers, or it is clear proceedings will not be prejudiced.

As with the recent review into Royal Bank of Scotland, the probe will be independently chaired, which is seen as vital by the Treasury Select Committee because the role of the regulators will also come under scrutiny.

The FCA said it "fully agrees" the investigation should be led by an independent person.

The Co-op is already at the centre of a barrage of investigations, with the group being grilled by MPs on the Treasury Select Committee into the bank's failed Project Verde bid for 632 Lloyds Banking Group branches.

Sky News has learned that the former Bank of England governor, Lord King, warned of a "political desire" for the Co-op to buy the branches.

It also emerged earlier that the Co-op is seeking to recover £31,000 paid to Mr Flowers since he quit his £132,000-a-year post in June.

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Grieve Warns Of 'Ethnic Corruption' In UK

Politicians need to "wake up" to the problem of corruption in ethnic minority communities, the Government's senior law officer has warned.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve said he was referring "mainly to the Pakistani community" in his comments.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph the Tory MP pointed out that it could also be found in the "white Anglo-Saxon" community but he said it was a growing problem "because we have minority communities in this country which come from backgrounds where corruption is endemic".

"It is something as politicians we have to wake up to," he added

The MP for Beaconsfield said: "I can see many of them have come because of the opportunities that they get. But they also come from societies where they have been brought up to believe you can only get certain things through a favour culture.

"One of the things you have to make absolutely clear is that that is not the case and it's not acceptable."

Baroness Warsi said electoral fraud also affects the Asian community

Asked if he was referring to the Pakistani community in his remarks, Mr Grieve told the newspaper: "Yes, it's mainly the Pakistani community, not the Indian community. I wouldn't draw it down to one. I'd be wary of saying it's just a Pakistani problem."

He added: "I happen to be very optimistic about the future of the UK. We have managed integration of minority communities better than most countries in Europe."

Mr Grieve highlighted electoral fraud as an area of concern, echoing comments made in 2010 by senior Tory Baroness Warsi.

Lady Warsi told the New Statesman magazine there were "at least three seats where we lost, where we didn't gain the seat, based on electoral fraud" and said the problems were "predominantly within the Asian community".

Mr Grieve also said that the UK's infrastructure could be put under strain if significant numbers of Bulgarians and Romanians come to the UK when controls expire in January.

He acknowledged that "the volume of immigrants may pose serious infrastructure issues".

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Women Were 'Kept As Slaves For Over 30 Years'

Two people have been released on bail as part of an investigation into slavery and domestic servitude at a house in London sparked by a report on Sky News.

The inquiry was launched after one of three alleged victims told a charity she had been held against her will for more than 30 years in a house in Lambeth, south London.

She contacted the Freedom Charity after seeing its founder Aneeta Prem in a report last summer about forced marriages.

Scotland Yard said the charity, which advises and supports victims of forced marriages or honour-based violence, got in touch and helped with sensitive negotiations, which revealed the location of the house and led to the rescue of the three women.

Police said two people detained in connection with the investigation - a 67-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman - have been bailed until a date in January, pending further inquiries. 

Police believe the youngest of the alleged victims may have spent her entire life as a domestic slave.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland from the Metropolitan Police's human trafficking unit told a news conference at Scotland Yard that the force had "never seen anything of this magnitude".

Home Secretary Theresa May is "shocked by this appalling case," her department said in a statement.

Officers said the two suspects, who are not British, were arrested at 7.30am and taken to a south London police station for questioning.

Detective Inspector Kevin Hyland said the victims were 'highly traumatised'

One of the three alleged victims is a 69-year-old Malaysian woman, the other a 57-year-old Irish woman and the third a 30-year-old Briton.

All three, described by police as "highly traumatised", were taken to a place of safety where they remain.

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said police do not believe the women were sexually assaulted, but they may have been physically and mentally abused.

Ms Prem told Sky News it was the Irish woman who phoned the Freedom Charity after watching her on television.

"I think all of them saw me on the news and made a decision because of the name of the charity and because they had seen me on TV - that gave them the courage to make that phone call," she said.

"I can't go in to too many details but they managed to get to a phone and make a call to us.

"We started to talk to them in depth when we could. It had to be pre-arranged when they were able to make calls to us and it had to be done very secretly because they felt they were in massive danger.

"It was planned that they would be able to walk out of the property. The police were on standby."

The three women were rescued from an address in Lambeth, south London

Police said the British and Irish women left the house and met police at an agreed location on October 25. They helped police find the address, where the third woman was rescued on the same day. 

DI Hyland said the suspects were not immediately arrested as officers had to "establish the facts" from "extremely traumatised" victims.

He said it appeared the three alleged victims had been given "limited freedom" during the three decades they claim to have been held as slaves.

He said he was unable to confirm any relationship between the suspects and the three women who were freed.

"I don't know any relationships between the women in respect of the suspects," he said.

"Clearly, because of the nationalities of the women that have been held victims, it's very unlikely they are related in any way."

He added: "We applaud the actions of Freedom Charity and are working in partnership to support these victims who appear to have been held for over 30 years."

A neighbour said the arrested couple were "very nice".

The neighbour added: "They just kept themselves to themselves and I keep myself to myself. So it was just a case of we'd pass and say hello to each other.

"They just seemed a very normal couple. I just know it's very unfortunate."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The Home Secretary is shocked by this appalling case and while the police need to get to the bottom of exactly what happened here, she's made clear her determination to tackle the scourge of modern slavery."

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Latvia Supermarket Collapse: 12 Killed

Rescue teams are searching among the rubble of a Latvian supermarket which collapsed and killed at least 12 people.

Fire trucks and ambulances remain at the scene of the Maxima shopping centre, and rescue workers are using mechanical cutters to clear debris from the single-storey concrete and glass building.

"Up to 6am (local time) 12 people have been found dead, three of them were state fire and rescue service officials," Latvian rescue services spokeswoman Viktorija Sembele said.

The roof of the supermarket collapsed on Thursday evening when the store was busy with shoppers on their way home from work.

Rescue workers were called to the store, situated in the midst of grey, Soviet-era housing in a suburb of the capital Riga.

The Maxima supermarket in the Latvian capital Riga

Several people were injured by a second collapse caused by the building's weakened structure.

It is unclear how many people remained trapped in the ruined store.

News agency RIA Novosti quoted Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs as saying 70 people are still in the building.

Rescue services said 36 injured people had been rescued and police sniffer dogs were searching for people still trapped.

Seven of the injured and three of the dead were firefighters.

Rescue workers at the site of the collapsed supermarket

More than 60 soldiers were helping with the rescue effort, the army said on its official Twitter feed.

Latvian TV said three cranes are working to remove concrete blocks from the roof so that rescuers could get to those inside, but firefighters feared another collapse.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis told Latvian TV that the rescue work would probably go on for many hours.

"It is clear that there has been a problem with fulfilment of construction requirements," Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis told Latvian TV by telephone.

The police have launched an investigation into the collapse.

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Paris Shootings: Suspect's DNA Is A Match

DNA collected at one of the scenes of the Paris shootings is a match to a suspect arrested on Wednesday evening.

The man, named by police as Abdelhakim Dekhar, was detained at around 7pm local time (6pm GMT) in a vehicle in an underground  car park in the western suburb of Bois-Colombes.

The office of city prosecutors said the reading of Mr Dekhar's rights had to be postponed because he was not in a position to be questioned.

Several sources close to the investigation said the suspect was found in a semi-conscious state.

A witness to the arrest told BFM TV: "I don't know if they fired or not to make him stop. He did not move in the ambulance."

Police made the arrest after a tip-off

Police sources told AFP that the man arrested is the same Abdelhakim Dekhar who was convicted in 1998 for his links to a "Bonnie-and-Cyde" style murder spree.

Dekhar was accused of buying a gun used in the 1994 attacks by Florence Rey and her lover Audry Maupin.

Three policemen and a taxi driver were killed in the attacks, in a case that gripped France.

Dekhar protested his innocence at his trial in 1998, claiming he had been recruited by the Algerian secret service to infiltrate the French far-left. Despite that, he was found guilty and sentenced to four years in jail.

Investigators had earlier released CCTV images of the man they were looking for taken in an entrance in the La Defense business area.

They have received hundreds of calls about the case from members of the public.

On Monday, the shooter critically wounded a photographer at the offices of Liberation newspaper.

The suspect was caught on camera in the La Defense area

The photographer was arriving for his first day of freelance work at the newspaper and suffered wounds to his chest and stomach.

After fleeing the newspaper's offices in the east of Paris, the gunman is believed to have crossed over to the western edge of the city, where he fired several shots outside the main office of the Societe Generale bank. No one was hurt.

He then reportedly hijacked a car driven by a priest and forced him to drop him off close to the Champs-Elysees in the centre of the city.

The shootings prompted a massive manhunt across Paris. The motive for the attacks remains unknown.

The same man is also suspected to have previously entered the offices of French TV station BFM carrying a gun.

The attacks led to French police arranging guards at Paris media outlets.

The photographer's assistant, who has not been named, is understood to be awake and off life support.

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Hundreds Of Brits Jailed Abroad On Drug Charges

By Tadhg Enright, Sky News Correspondent

More than 850 Britons are locked up in prisons overseas for drugs-related offences - with some facing the death penalty or sentences of up to 39 years.

The figures have been released by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) which has launched an information campaign aimed at preventing others from meeting a similar fate.

The "Know Before You Go" campaign says the zero-tolerance approach of some countries often results in strict penalties which can come as a shock to British travellers who, if arrested, can be detained for months without trial in distressing prison conditions.

Consular affairs minister Mark Simmonds told Sky News:  "There's an assumption that what might be a cautionary offence in the UK will be a cautionary offence in other countries.

"People continue to be astonished at some of the penalties handed down for certain crimes overseas.

"In some countries possessing small amounts of marijuana can lead to decades in prison."

While the FCO helps Britons detained overseas, it has warned it cannot interfere in the process of law and its message to anyone tempted to smuggle drugs is the risk will always be greater than the reward.

The campaign follows the high profile cases of Michaella Connolly and Melissa Reid who are awaiting trial in Peru where they are accused of cocaine smuggling.

The young UK nationals, who claim they were kidnapped and threatened into attempting to smuggle the drugs, were paraded before cameras by the Peruvian authorities.

Briton Terry Daniels is helping to spread the word having once been jailed in Spain for drug smuggling.

"When I first saw the girls (in Peru), one of them looked very similar to me at that age and it absolutely shocked me," she said.

While working in the bars and clubs of Tenerife in 1997, Terry went on holiday with her boss, only to be arrested upon their return when cocaine was found in his suitcase:  "He was a drug smuggler and in their eyes we were both guilty.  Whether I knew or not, they didn't care."

She spent the following 14 years, some of it in a mixed prison, fighting and waiting for a pardon from the King of Spain:  "Nobody's invincible, everybody who goes abroad thinks they're wearing some cloak like nobody can see what they're doing.  Don't take any risks that you wouldn't take in this country.  Drugs are bad enough here, let alone abroad".

Lindsay Sandiford faces the death penalty in Bali for drug smuggling

Convicted drug smugglers can face the death sentence in a total of 33 countries worldwide including Thailand and Indonesia.

British grandmother, Lindsay Sandiford, 57, is currently on death row in a prison on Bali having been convicted of smuggling cocaine.

In the United Arab Emirates, possessing - or even testing positive for - the smallest amount of illegal drugs carries a minimum four year sentence.

The charity Prisoners Abroad is currently supporting 80 Britons between the ages of 18 and 30 held in foreign countries for drug offences. Two thirds of these are still awaiting trial while others are serving sentences from a year to nearly 39 years.

Chief executive Pauline Crowe said: "In many countries, men and women find themselves without access to food, clean water and the most basic of medical care.

"We urge people to consider the unsanitary conditions, overcrowded cells and the constant threat of disease before they get involved in drugs. They may have to live through these conditions for many, many years."

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Stafford Inquiry: 'Nurse Count' To Boost Safety

By Thomas Moore, Health & Science Correspondent

Hospitals will have to make public the number of nurses on their wards under a series of measures to improve patient safety.

The Department of Health said the monthly reports will be mandatory from next April.

Hospitals in England will also have to disclose the percentage of shifts that meet safe staffing guidelines independently approved by the health watchdog NICE.

The plans are part of the Government's response to the inquiry into the scandal at Stafford Hospital, in which several hundred patients are thought to have died as a result of poor care.

NHS England will also set up a national patient safety programme to spread best practice and learn from mistakes.

Health minister Norman Lamb said: "We are determined to see the NHS become a world leader in patient safety, with a safety ethos and level of transparency that matches the airline industry.

"We need transparency on staffing levels, backed up by a strong inspection regime to get better, safer care."

Figures from NHS England show that hospitals expect to recruit an extra 3,700 nurses by the end of the financial year.

Frank Robinson's son John died after misdiagnosis at Stafford Hospital

In February the Mid Staffordshire Inquiry by Sir Robert Francis QC made more than 200 recommendations to change the culture in the NHS and put compassion back at the heart of patient care.

The report had recommended that hospitals should have a duty of candour, a legal responsibility to tell patients if something has gone wrong in their care.

But the Department of Health has so far refused to fully introduce the policy.

Peter Walsh, the head of the patient safety campaign group Action Against Medical Accidents, told Sky News: "The current plans are that this is limited to fatal cases and the most severe cases of permanent disability.

"That would be a disaster. In effect, it would legitimise the vast majority of serious harm caused to patients being covered up. That would take us in exactly the opposite direction from the one we need to go in."

Frank Robinson, whose son John died after he was misdiagnosed and sent home from Stafford Hospital, also urged the Government to introduce the duty of candour as soon as possible.

Patient satisfaction at the Princess Alexandra Hospital has soared

He told Sky News: "So many lives have been lost through cover-ups and so many people have suffered. I just don't want that to happen to anyone else and this is a golden opportunity, and if the Government miss this opportunity, that's shameful."

The Mid Staffs Inquiry had strongly criticised managers for chasing government targets, rather than treating patients with compassion.

But there is evidence that the report is beginning to change the culture in the NHS.

The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, has increased the amount of consultant time on the unit, and made sure patients have a full assessment by a senior nurse within 15 minutes of arriving.

Patient satisfaction has soared as a result.

Dr Joud Abduljawad, clinical director of urgent care at the hospital said: "Targets are not our primary reason for looking after patients.

"If you give every patient a timely assessment and timely care you will achieve the target as a secondary point.

"It's not the target, it's what is best for the patient that we are focussing on."

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Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Knocks Over Councillor

Toronto's city council has voted to strip its scandal-plagued mayor Rob Ford of many of his powers after a heated debate where he knocked over a female councillor.

The council voted to cut his office budget by 60% and allow mayoral staff to join the deputy mayor.

Members of the public chanted "Shame! Shame!" at the mayor.

In chaotic scenes caught on camera Mr Ford is shown running across the council chamber straight into councillor Pam McConnell, who falls to the ground.

Another councillor asked him to apologise and Mr Ford said he was rushing to the defence of his brother, city councillor Doug Ford.

"I picked her up," Rob Ford said.  "I ran around because I thought my brother was getting into an altercation."

Visibly shaken after being run over, Ms McConnell, a petite woman in her 60s, said she never expected the chaos that broke out.

Mr Ford now effectively has no legislative power as he will no longer chair the executive committee.

But he keeps his title and ability to represent Toronto at official functions.

Mr Ford has vowed to take the council to court

Mr Ford, 44, has admitted smoking crack and buying illegal drugs over the past two years.

Outbursts caught on camera and claims he verbally abused his aides and entertained a prostitute have added to the controversy.

Defending himself in an interview with CNN, he said: "If someone would have said, came up to me and said, 'Have you ever smoked crack? Have you ever smoked weed? I would have said, 'Yeah, I have'.

"But when you come and accuse me of being a crack addict and say, 'Do you smoke crack?' No I don't. Have I? Yeah, OK. Have I drank, have I acted like an idiot when I drank? Yeah, I did."

The latest council motion is the strongest possible measure it can adopt against Mr Ford since it does not have the power to remove a mayor unless there is a criminal conviction.

Mr Ford has vowed to take the council to court and insists he will seek re-election next year.

"It's a coup d'etat - that's all this is," he said as he arrived at City Hall on Monday.

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Google Agrees To Block Child Abuse Images

Google has agreed to introduce measures backed by Prime Minister David Cameron to block child sex abuse content across its search engines.

The groundbreaking move will soon prevent illegal images and videos from appearing in more than 100,000 search terms associated with abuse.

Google says it has also developed technology that will allow illegal videos to be 'tagged' so that all duplicate copies can be removed across the internet.

The changes will apply across the world in more than 150 languages.

Microsoft, which operates and powers Bing and Yahoo, will reportedly confirm at a Downing Street summit on online pornography today that it is introducing similar reforms.

Google chairman Eric Schmidt, writing in the Daily Mail ahead of the No 10 talks, said: "We've listened."

He added: "We've fine-tuned Google Search to prevent links to child sexual abuse material from appearing in our results."

Illegal images showing child sex abuse will not appear in search results

Mr Cameron has welcomed the move as "a really significant step forward", but threatened to bring forward new legislation if search engine companies failed to deliver on their promises.

Mr Cameron told the Daily Mail: "We learnt from cases like the murder of Tia Sharp and April Jones that people will often start accessing extreme material via a simple search in one of the mainstream search engines."

Senior figures from Google, Microsoft and BT were summoned to Parliament for a meeting with Culture Secretary Maria Miller in June where they told they must do more to combat child porn.

The crackdown comes as Mr Cameron is set to reveal at the summit later that Britain's National Crime Agency is to join America's FBI to tackle online child abuse.

The transatlantic taskforce is being established by the US assistant attorney general and the British to target criminals who use the internet to hide from the law, Downing Street says.

It will be specifically tasked with tracking down offenders who use the "dark web" - secret and encrypted networks that are increasingly being exploited by paedophiles and other criminals.

The UK's National Crime Agency is to join forces with America's FBI

The NCA estimates that the number of UK daily users of secret or encrypted networks will have risen to 20,000 by the end of the year.

While some will be using them for legitimate purposes, UK law enforcement and intelligence agencies believe that paedophiles involved in distributing child abuse material are using them to hide their identities.

At the same time a group of industry experts is being set up to look at new technical solutions for removing child abuse material from the the internet.

Joanna Shields, the chief executive of Tech City UK, said it would be looking to spot the "threats of future" to protect the most vulnerable in society.

"It's vital that governments and industry work together to eradicate child abuse content from the internet, and that we mobilise the best and brightest in the technology industry to come up with innovative solutions to tackling this problem," she said.

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US Midwest Hit By Severe Tornadoes: Three Dead

At least five people have been killed as powerful tornadoes sweep through the US Midwest, tearing through communities and destroying homes.

An elderly man and his sister were killed when a tornado hit their farmhouse in the town of New Minden, in rural southern Illnois.

And a third person was killed when a tornado struck the city of Washington in Illnois, and authorities confirmed two other deaths.

The devastation left behind by a tornado in Washington, Illnois

Tornadoes and damaging winds have already hit and caused extensive damage in a number of communities in Illnois, Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri, but authorities say as many as 10 states could be affected.

Homes have been flattened, cars overturned, trees uprooted and dozens of people injured.

One hospital in Peoria, Illinois, reported 24 patients in the emergency room. Eight of those patients were trauma victims, some with head injuries and broken bones.

The storm caused major damage

Forecasters warned of a "very dangerous" and fast-moving weather system across the US Midwest threatening 53 million people.

"We obviously have a very dangerous situation on our hands and it's just getting started," said Laura Furgione, deputy director of the National Weather Service.

They said there was a possibility of intense tornadoes, large hail up to two inches in diameter, and damaging winds reaching speeds of more than 80mph.

Anthony Khoury described what happened where he lived in Washington, Illnois, as a twister ripped through the city.

A car stands crushed beneath a fallen tree in Pekin, Illnois

He told Sky News: "Most of my neighbourhood is completely destroyed, everything has been demolished.

"Families have lost their homes, people don't have anywhere to sleep and the electricity has gone."

A large tornado struck outside Peoria, Illinois, meteorologists said, and the community of Washington in central Illinois has also been particularly hard-hit. 

One resident said his neighbourhood was wiped out in a matter of seconds by what appeared to be a tornado.

Ten states may be affected by the storms (Pic: National Weather Service)

"I stepped outside and I heard it coming. My daughter was already in the basement, so I ran downstairs and grabbed her, crouched in the laundry room and all of a sudden I could see daylight up the stairway and my house was gone," Michael Perdun said.

"The whole neighbourhood's gone, (and) the wall of my fireplace is all that is left of my house."

Jeff Leeman was working in his backyard when a tornado struck Pekin, Illnois, south of Peoria.

He said: "My son said, 'there it is', and in a matter of seconds we turned around and it was right on top of us. We hustled in the house and before we knew it, it was gone. It was that fast."

The Baltimore Ravens' game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field was temporarily suspended in the first quarter due to lightning in the area.

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Age Of Consent 'Should Be Dropped To 15'

The age of consent should be lowered to 15, a leading public health expert has said.

Professor John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, has called for a national debate, saying that society sends "confused" signals about when sex is permitted.

His intervention comes against a backdrop of official figures which suggest that up to a third of teenagers have sex before the present age of consent of 16.

Prof Ashton told the Sunday Times that lowering the age by a year could "draw a line in the sand" against sex at 14 or younger.

It would also make it easier for 15-year-olds who are in sexual relationships to obtain contraception or sexual health advice from the NHS.

He said: "Because we are so confused about this and we have kept the age of consent at 16, the 15-year-olds don't have clear routes to getting some support.

Lowering the age would make it easier for 15-year-olds to get contraception

"My own view is there is an argument for reducing it to 15 but you cannot do it without the public supporting the idea and we need to get a sense of public opinion about this.

"I would not personally argue for 14 but I think we should seriously be looking at 15 so that we can draw a line in the sand and really, as a society, actively discourage sexual involvement under 15.

"By doing that, you would be able legitimately to organise services to meet the need."

The Faculty of Public Health, part of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, gives advice to ministers and civil servants although it is independent of government.

David Tucker, head of policy at the NSPCC, said he would be happy to have a debate on the issue but said he would want to see the evidence for Prof Ashton's claims.

He said: "Has there really been a significant change in the amount of young people having sex over the past 20 or 30 years?

"If it has changed, then is reducing the age of consent the most sensible way to deal with it?"

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