Pizza Delivery Driver Murder: Two Charged

Two people have been charged with the murder of pizza delivery driver Thavisha Lakindu Peiris, South Yorkshire Police have said.

Shamraze Khan, 25, of Southey Crescent, Sheffield, and a 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are both due to appear at Sheffield Magistrates' Court later.

Mr Peiris had been delivering his last ever pizza when he was stabbed to death in his car in the Southey area of the city.

The 25-year-old was on his final shift before starting his dream job as an IT consultant.

He was found dead in a silver Toyota Yaris car in Southey Crescent at about 10.30pm by fellow Domino's workers who had gone looking for him after he failed to deliver his order.

His family described him as the "most caring and loving son a parent could have".

Speaking from their family home in Sri Lanka, his father Sarath Mahinda Peiris and mother Sudarma Narangoda said: "We sent our son to the UK to study so he can have a better life. Now we are left with only a broken heart.

"We were devastated and shocked to hear of our son's tragic end and we are still unable to comprehend that he is actually gone.

"Thavisha was one of the most caring and loving sons a parent could have. He was full of life and always had a smile on his face. Anyone who met him immediately liked him."

Mr Peiris came to the UK to finish an IT degree and graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2011.

His colleagues and police said he had been feeling unwell during his last shift and was going to go home early but agreed to deliver one last order.

Domino's Pizza has said it was funding the cost of flying his family to the UK in the coming days.

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Water Bills: Crackdown On Costs Expected

Water bills may be "rolled back" after the Government vowed to get tough on the rising cost of living.

David Cameron's spokesman indicated that an announcement on water bills would be made next week.

The spokesman said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) would be making the announcement.

He said: "There will be some action next week from Defra with the intention of looking at water bills.

David Cameron says he wants to see household costs cut

"The Prime Minister takes household bills across the piece seriously and wants energy prices to be rolled back and wants various things done, whether it's council tax being frozen, the flex on rail fares being brought down, MoT costs being frozen, these sorts of measures to protect household bills."

He added: "The Prime Minister wants to see household costs across the piece being reduced as low as possible. The intention is to try to reduce the burdens on hard-pressed families."

Mr Cameron "wants regulators to look at the industry they regulate and make sure that they are robust and delivering what they need to deliver for consumers", the spokesman added.

Concerns have been raised that consumers are being ripped off

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the market needed to be scrutinised to ensure it was working for consumers.

At an event for regional newspaper journalists, Mr Miliband said: "I think we should be looking at all markets to make sure they are working properly - and that includes the water industry."

The Western Morning News quoted the Labour leader as saying: "Some people will say this is an anti-business agenda. I think it is a pro-business agenda that you have got to reform markets that are not working properly.

"I think the water industry is something that should be scrutinised to make sure it is working properly, and make sure it is working properly for the benefit of consumers, because I know concerns have been raised.

"I'm proud Labour is championing this agenda and I think it is consistent with believing what a market economy can do, and water is part of that."

MPs are set to consider the reform and infrastructure of the water industry on Tuesday next week after Tory Robert Buckland secured a backbench debate.

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LA Airport Attack: 'Gunman Sent Suicide Text'

A man suspected of carrying out a deadly attack at Los Angeles International Airport sent a suicidal text message to his sibling, police have said.

The alleged gunman shot his way past a screening checkpoint, killing a security officer and wounding three other people before being injured in a shoot-out and taken into custody, authorities said.

The suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Paul Ciancia, who police have said appeared to have a grudge against security services.

His father, who has the same name, called his local police chief around the time of the shooting to report his son had sent the text and he needed to find him, police said.

The elder Paul Ciancia, from Pennsville, New Jersey, telephoned Allen Cummings, telling him one of his children had received the message from the younger Ciancia "in reference to him taking his own life".

At the time, the 23-year-old man was carrying out his shooting using a semi-automatic rifle, authorities said.

The attack caused major disruption to travellers

A motive was not clear, but Ciancia was wearing military fatigues and carrying a bag containing a handwritten note that said he "wanted to kill TSA (Transport Security Administration) and pigs," according to a law enforcement official.

The official said the rant referred to how Ciancia believed his constitutional rights were being violated by TSA searches and that he was upset at former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Ciancia, who managed to enter the secure area of Terminal 3, was reportedly shot in the mouth and leg by two airport police officers.

After getting the call from the suspect's father, Mr Cummings contacted LA police, who sent a patrol car to Ciancia's apartment.

He said: "Basically, there were two roommates there. They said, 'We saw him yesterday and he was fine.'"

A police officer at Los Angeles airport

Mr Cummings said his police department had never had dealings with the younger Ciancia.

Neighbour Josh Pagan, 17, said: "He was never weird toward me. He never gave me any weird vibes."

He added that in the 10 years he has lived across the street from the Ciancia family "they've been nothing but nice to us."

The airport attack disrupted more than 700 flights across the US. One witness at LAX, Brian Keech, said he heard "about a dozen gunshots" from inside the security gate.

Travellers described a chaotic scene as security staff evacuated terminals and rushed them outside to the tarmac.

The man who died was named as 39-year-old Gerardo I. Hernandez - the first TSA officer killed in the line of duty in the 12-year history of the agency, founded in the aftermath of 9/11.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti praised the response of officers and said: "There were more than 100 more rounds that could have literally killed everybody in that terminal today. Were it not for their actions, it could have been a lot more damage."

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Sugary Drinks Tax 'Could Raise Treasury £275m'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

A tax on sugary drinks would reduce the number of obese adults in the UK by 180,000 and raise over £275m for the Treasury, according to doctors.

Researchers from Reading and Oxford universities say a standard 500ml bottle of some drinks contains as many as 14 teaspoons of sugar, or 210 calories; and they warn the drinks increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and tooth decay.

Professor Richard Tiffin, Reading University: 'Taxing food is a big step'

In the most detailed study of its kind, the researchers calculated that a 20% tax on sugary drinks - adding roughly 12p to a can of fizzy pop - would reduce purchases by around 15%.

That would reduce the average calorie consumption by 28 calories a week, enough to reduce obesity by between 110,000 and 250,000, according to results published in the British Medical Journal.

Dr Adam Briggs of the British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group at Oxford University, and one of the researchers, said: "Sugar sweetened drinks are known to be bad for health and our research indicates that a 20% tax could result in a meaningful reduction in the number of obese adults in the UK.

"Such a tax is not going to solve obesity by itself, but we have shown it could be an effective public health measure and should be considered alongside other measures to tackle obesity in the UK."

The researchers say the impact of the tax would be greatest on young people. On average people aged 16-29 drink around 300ml of sugary beverages a day.

But one of the researchers, economist Professor Richard Tiffin of the University of Reading, warned that the tax would not reduce obesity by enough to justify the hardship it could cause.

Researchers at Reading found some drinks contained 14 teaspoons of sugar

"Taxing food is a big step, especially when spiralling bills are already making households poorer, and will make very little difference if people are unable or unwilling to make healthier choices elsewhere in their lives," he said.

Professor Sir Stephen O'Rahilly from the Medical Research Council's Metabolic Diseases Unit in Cambridge agreed that sugary drinks are "part of the problem"' but he added that taxation was "politically undeliverable" in most democracies.

He said: "A workable alternative might be to encourage the major companies to switch to the aggressive promotion and marketing of less harmful versions of their products.

Soft drinks firms said there was evidence a tax would not curb obesity

"This could be achieved by balancing a 20% tax on sugared products with a 20% subsidy on artificially sweetened versions of the same beverages."

Gavin Partington of the British Soft Drinks Association said there was "ample" evidence that taxing soft drinks will not curb obesity.

"Trying to blame one set of products is misguided, particularly when they comprise a mere 2% of calories in the average diet."

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Baby P's Mum Tracey Connelly 'Freed From Jail'

Baby P's mother, who was jailed in 2009 over her son's death, has been released from prison, according to reports.

Tracey Connelly was reportedly freed after the Parole Board recommended her release following a second review of her case.

The Ministry of Justice said it does not comment on individual cases and would not confirm or deny the reports.

Connelly was jailed indefinitely with a minimum of five years following her son Peter's death.

The Parole Board confirmed recently that a three-member panel had directed her release.

It said then: "Tracey Connelly first became eligible for parole in August 2012, and at that time a Parole Board panel made no recommendation to release.

"This is the second parole review for Tracey Connelly. The decision to release is a matter for the board, which is independent - arrangements and the date of the release are a matter for the Secretary of State."

Steven Barker (L) and Jason Owen

Baby P died on August 3, 2007, with more than 50 injuries, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

Connelly admitted the offence soon after being charged and served several hundred days on remand.

She was given a so-called imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence, which carries a minimum term.

Connelly will remain on licence for the rest of her life and if she breaches any of the conditions, she will probably be recalled to custody.

Her son died at his home in Tottenham, north London, a day after police told Connelly she would not be prosecuted over abuse of the 17-month-old.

Connelly was jailed with her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen, who were convicted at trial of the same offence.

Barker was jailed for life with a minimum of 10 years for raping a two-year-old girl and given a 12-year term to run concurrently for his "major role" in Peter's death.

Owen was jailed indefinitely with a minimum three-year term but later won an appeal to lower it to a fixed six-year term.

He was freed in August 2011 but was then recalled to prison again in April this year.

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RBS Confirms Plan For £38bn 'Bad Bank'

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has confirmed plans to hive off nearly £40bn of toxic assets into a new division as part of an effort to accelerate its recovery that will be treated with scepticism by advocates of a more radical break-up.

Announcing a third-quarter pre-tax loss of £634m, RBS said £38bn of impaired loans would be placed into an 'internal bad bank' to be called RBS Capital Resolution Division.

The new arm of the bank is designed to provide a clearer distinction between the clean parts of the business and the tens of billions of pounds of legacy loans that critics say have hampered its ability to play a role in aiding the recovery of the UK economy.

Ross McEwan, RBS's new chief executive, conceded that quickening the run-off of these assets - with a target of up to £25bn of the £38bn being shed by the end of 2015 - would incur steeper losses.

The outcome of the four-month review commissioned by the Chancellor, George Osborne, and conducted by City firms BlackRock and Rothschild will see the rebranding of RBS's existing non-core wing, which has already offloaded hundreds of billions of pounds of toxic loans since the bank's £45.5bn bail-out by UK taxpayers in 2008.

Sky News exclusively revealed details of the internal bad bank plan and the broader restructuring of the bank, which is 81%-owned by taxpayers, last weekend.

Alongside the new bad bank, RBS will also bring forward the disposal of its US retail bank, Citizens; further shrink its investment banking business; resolve the issue of a dividend-blocking instrument that RBS will need to acquire from the Government; and target new cost-cutting measures that could lead to thousands more job cuts.

Mr Osborne said the reforms were part of a broader objective of "creating a banking system that works for Britain".

"Under this new direction RBS will deal decisively with the problems of the past by separating out the good from the bad, and putting the bad loans in a bad bank. Our independent analysis shows that the bad bank should be an internal one, funded by RBS, rather than an external one funded by the taxpayer.

In a pointed remark highlighting divisions between the Treasury and Mr McEwan's predecessor, Stephen Hester, the Chancellor said that the new strategy was jointly-supported by RBS's management, the Government and the regulator.

The Bank of England said that it welcomed "the development of a more focussed strategy for RBS and the commitments of the Board to specific actions that will bolster its capital position in the next three years.

"These actions should create a more resilient institution that is better able to support the real economy without any expectation of further Government support. Given these developments, the Bank of England fully supports the conclusions of the Review published today by HM Treasury."

While there was a consensus about the reforms within Government, Mr Osborne may have to brave a more hostile response from figures who wanted a more radical split of RBS.

Among their ranks were Lord Lawson, the former Chancellor; Sir Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of England; and Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards.

Alongside the new measures aimed at boosting RBS's recovery, a report was published condemning the bank's attitude to lending to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

Mr McEwan pledged to implement the recommendations, and said RBS would target becoming the best SME bank in the UK.

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Cameras To Film Appeal Court After Campaign

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Legal and broadcasting history will be made later when Sky News' cameras are allowed to film inside the Royal Courts of Justice for the first time.

Permission has been granted to show civil and criminal cases at the Court of Appeal, although there are heavy restrictions on what can be filmed.

Cameras have been banned from courts in England and Wales since 1925.

The rules in Scottish courts are different and earlier this year cameras were allowed to film a murder trial - but only with the permission of all the participants, including the defendant.

Sky News and other broadcasters have been campaigning for a decade for cameras to be allowed to show all trials.

After prolonged negotiations, the Government and the judiciary have agreed to allow cameras inside certain courtrooms.

The move has been welcomed by the Lord Chief Justice for England and Wales, Lord Thomas.

"My fellow judges and I welcome the commencement of broadcasting in the Court of Appeal," he said.

"The Court of Appeal has been open to the public and to journalists for a very long time.

"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.

Four remotely controlled cameras will be placed in the courtroom

"We hope it will increase confidence in the administration of justice."

Sky News, the BBC, ITN and the Press Association have co-operated on the project, and hired a video-journalist who will recommend which are the most interesting cases on a daily basis.

For now, only one courtroom per day can be televised. Matt Nicholls, an experienced court reporter, will place four remotely-controlled cameras in the courtroom before the case begins.

But he is not allowed to show anyone other than the judges and the lawyers arguing the case.

The dock, where the defendant or appellant sits, will be off-limits and there are no witnesses or jurors in the Court of Appeal.

Mr Nicholls said: "There are very strict rules on what we can and cannot shoot.

"You can't show a reaction shot of a judge. You can only show someone when they're actually speaking, so I'll be making sure I get those permitted shots.

"There's no swearing or graphic language, or anything that legally we can't broadcast."

He has the ability to censor the broadcast feed by muting the sound or cutting the video on the direction of the judges.

A number of monitors will be linked to the cameras

The portable broadcasting equipment has been designed by Sky News technical staff and the control panel is housed in an oak trolley to try to blend in with the historic courtrooms in which it will sit.

Civil cases can be broadcast almost in real time, though there is a 70-second delay built into the feed to allow for contentious material to be removed.

And criminal appeals must be recorded and only broadcast if a retrial has not been ordered, in case a future jury member becomes familiar with the evidence.

Mr Nicholls added: "The judges have been very keen to see the equipment and see how it works.

"But really we don't want to impact on the court business. We've got the cameras and the equipment, but really we shouldn't be getting in the way."

Sky News Associate Editor Simon Bucks, who has led the negotiations over the introduction of cameras into court, said: "Yes it is quite limited, but it is definitely a first step.

"It's not surprising that both the politicians and the judiciary wanted to do this in baby steps and the Court of Appeal is a good place to start doing this.

"But we're really optimistic that this will work well and it won't be long before we're able to get into criminal trials, initially to hear judges deliver sentencing remarks.

"The first thing we have to do is to show that we can do this thing in the Court of Appeal responsibly and effectively."

The control panel will be housed in an oak trolley

But critics fear it could open the door to American-style televised justice.

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, a leading barrister who also became a successful broadcaster, told Sky News that while she supports cameras in the Court of Appeal, she opposes the televising of criminal trials.

"The television companies are playing a longer game here," she said.

"They want to get into the higher courts and they will behave perfectly well and most of the nation will doze off because what we lawyers do in the courts discussing the law is not that captivating.

"But they really are playing the game that they want to get into the courts where things are much juicier. What will be picked out will be the most sensational.

"It will be the most salacious and sexual cases. It will be the stuff that is dramatic and enticing and brings in viewing figures."

Andrew Walker QC is a civil law barrister who deals with appeal cases and can expect to be among the lawyers who may find themselves on camera in the months ahead.

He told Sky News that it will have little impact.

"I suspect that most people will get used to it and it will become part of the background," he said.

Only those speaking will be filmed

"It's a fairly polite and rarefied atmosphere in the Appeal Court and that won't change. Judges aren't impressed by anything other than what the real issues are."

But he does not expect it to lead on to televised trials, with defendants and witness appearing on screen.

"There's been a long-running debate in America about the televising of trials and there are a lot of views both ways," he said.

"That says a lot, that even in America people are wary and see the difficulties, and here we're likely to be much more careful."

The Government says the new rules are designed to bring greater transparency to the judicial system.

Courts Minister Shailesh Vara told Sky News: "I think this is a landmark occasion for the justice system.

"I don't think we need to worry about this becoming a celebrity issue following the American route.

"For the past two years the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, has been filmed on the internet and we haven't seen any change of behaviour of the judiciary or indeed the lawyers."

Despite the limitations, Mr Nicholls says he hopes the public will find the Appeal Court coverage "eye-opening".

"As an experienced court reporter you do get those dramatic moments in the court where someone's conviction is overturned after a lengthy legal fight, when the people learn of this decision that is going to change their lives," he said.

"Sometimes the arguments might be dry and quite weighty, but you do get those moments of drama as well. All human life is here."

Viscount Hewart, who was Lord Chief Justice for almost 20 years from 1922, originated the phrase about justice not merely being done, but being seen to be done.

Now appeal court judges can be truly be seen by everyone when they hand down their judgements.

:: Sky News will be broadcasting proceedings from inside the Court of Appeal from October 31 - watch coverage on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.

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Niger Migrants Die After Sahara Breakdown

The bodies of 87 migrants have been found in the desert in Niger, all having died of thirst after their vehicles broke down and they went in search of water.

The seven men, 32 women and 48 children were discovered a few miles from the border with Algeria, where they were believed to be heading.

The bodies of another five women and girls were found earlier.

All are said to have died earlier this month after setting out in late September.

Almoustapha Alhacen, from the local aid organisation Aghir In'man, said: "The corpses were decomposed; it was horrible.

"We found them in different locations in a 20km (12 mile) radius and in small groups, often under trees. Sometimes a mother and children, but some lone children, too."

He said the bodies were buried according to Muslim rites "as and when they were found".

Nigerien officials said on Monday that dozens of migrants, most of them women and children, had died of thirst in the Sahara desert earlier this month.

Niger has been hit by a series of food crises. Pic: File

They were in two vehicles which broke down, one about 50 miles (80km) from Arlit in northern Niger from where they had set off, the other about 100 miles (160km) from the city.

"The first vehicle broke down. The second returned to Arlit to get a spare part after getting all the migrants it was carrying to alight, but it too broke down," said a security source.

"We think that the migrants were in the desert for seven days and on the fifth day they began to leave the broken down vehicle in search of a well."

The source said 21 people had survived. They included a man who walked to Arlit and a woman who was saved by a driver who came across her in the desert and took her back to Arlit.

Nineteen others reached the Algerian city of Tamanrasset but were sent back to Niger, the source added.

Niger is one of the world's poorest countries and has been hit by a series of food crises.

The UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that at least 30,000 economic migrants passed through Agadez, northern Niger's largest city, between March and August of this year.

Libya, rather than Algeria, is generally the favoured country of transit for west Africans making the journey across the continent, many aiming to travel on to Europe. 

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Syria's Chemical Weapons Equipment 'Destroyed'

Syria has destroyed all its declared chemical weapons production facilities, the international chemical weapons watchdog says.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a document - seen by the Reuters news agency - that teams had inspected 21 out of 23 chemical weapons sites across the country.

The other two were too dangerous to inspect but the chemical equipment had already been moved to other sites which had been inspected, it said.

"The OPCW is satisfied it has verified, and seen destroyed, all declared critical production/mixing/filling equipment from all 23 sites," the document said.

Under a Russian-American brokered deal, Damascus agreed to destroy all its chemical weapons after Washington threatened to use force in response to the killing of hundreds of people in a sarin attack on the outskirts of Damascus on August 21.

The United States and its allies blamed President Bashar al Assad's forces for the attack and several earlier incidents. The Syrian president has rejected the charge, blaming rebel brigades.

Under the disarmament timetable, Syria was due to render unusable all production and chemical weapons filling facilities by November 1 - a target it has now met.

By mid-2014 it must have destroyed its entire stockpile of chemical weapons.

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Pensions: 'Rip-Off' Charges Targeted By Govt

Plans to stop "rip-off" pension charges could see people getting an extra £100,000 in their retirement savings pot.

The Government is to unveil plans that could include a ban on all charges above 0.75% a year as it rolls out landmark reforms to automatically place people into workplace pensions.

The industry has been working to improve transparency and the average charge on new pension schemes set up in 2012 is around 0.51%.

But the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) estimates there are more than 186,000 pension pots with £2.65bn worth of assets which are subject to an annual charge of above 1%.

Small variations in charges can make huge differences over time to the eventual size of the pension pot that someone ends up with.

The Government said that someone who saves £100 a month over a typical working lifetime of 46 years could lose almost £170,000 from their pension pot with a 1% charge and over £230,000 with a 1.5% charge.

A pension saver with a 0.75% annual charge on their pension pot could eventually end up £100,000 better off than if they had been charged a rate of 1.5%, the Government said.

Pensions Minister Steve Webb said: "The Government believes that enough is enough on charges.

"People need to know they are getting value for money when they save into a pension and not being ripped off by excessive charges."

Other options for caps being considered by the Government include a higher charge cap of 1% and a "two-tier" cap.

The two-tier cap would involve a standard cap of 0.75% and as well as a higher cap of 1% if employers explain to the Pensions Regulator why their scheme charges more than 0.75%.

Any final cap could lie somewhere between the two levels suggested, depending on the evidence received.

The Government wants to hear from the industry and the public on how it can best design a charging cap that can protect people's savings before putting its plans in place next year.

Otto Thoresen, director general of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said: "The industry is committed to making pension reform a success and of course will engage fully with this consultation."

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Supermarkets Announce New Petrol Price Cuts

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

The cost of fuel is being slashed at pumps across the UK in the latest phase of a supermarket petrol price war.

It was sparked by Asda, which is cutting prices to its lowest this year. Sainsbury's,Tesco and Morrisons have acted quickly to announce reductions.

Asda has launched a national cap on prices, saying drivers filling up at its forecourts will pay no more than 126.7p a litre for petrol or 133.7p for diesel.

Sainsbury's says it is cutting prices by up to 3p - their cheapest for two-and-a-half years.

Tesco will reduce prices by up to 2p. Morrisons will do the same "at the majority of its sites".

Quentin Wilson, from the campaign group FairFuel UK, said: "Don't get excited, everybody, because this will not stay. We will see it go up again.

"But at least now we have a much faster reflection of wholesale prices at the pump. We don't have to wait two or three or four weeks for the fuel to come down in price when we know it goes up in a heartbeat, so I'm pleased, FairFuel is pleased."

There are words of caution from campaigners that lower prices may not last

The AA has welcomed the move, saying it reflects a fall in the wholesale price of fuel, but the continued uncertainty over Libyan oil production continues to leave the market unpredictable.

An AA spokesman said: "The average price of petrol in the UK has hovered around the 132p a litre mark since mid-October, making 126.7p a very good price."

At Asda in Leamington Spa, motorists greeted the news with delight.

Susan Cooper, who drives 50 miles a day, said: "This will save me a lot of money. It is about time we had some better news with gas and electricity going up."

Another customer, Martin Cavanagh, said: "It has to be good news. I know oil and everything is a complicated commodity and that's why we get the price jumping around. Let's hope it goes low and stays low."

Oil analyst Richard Mallison said it was significant that retailers were passing on the fall in wholesale oil prices to consumers on the forecourt.

He told Sky News: "The biggest reason for supermarkets being able to slash prices at the pump has been the change in the dollar-to-pound exchange rate.

"The dollar's weakened, that's brought down the cost of oil and wholesale fuel and that's now being passed on."

But he warned that low prices may not last for long.

He said: "We've seen the UK recovery stronger than expected, we've seen the troubles with the US shutdown and debt ceiling - both of those effects might fade in terms of the exchange rate, which would then mean petrol prices starting to go up again."

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Man Killed On Final Pizza Delivery

A 25-year-old student has been stabbed to death as he made his final pizza delivery before starting a career as an IT consultant.

Thavisha Lakindu Peiris, who was originally from Sri Lanka, was found slumped at the wheel of his car on Sunday evening, in the Southey area of Sheffield, as he was on his way to deliver a take-away.

Detectives say they cannot explain the "brutal and shocking death" of a "career-minded, hard-working, bright, articulate and friendly young man".

According to South Yorkshire Police, Mr Peiris was making his last delivery for Domino's Pizza when he died.

He had been working for the chain's branch on Halifax Road in the city, while he studied IT at Sheffield Hallam University.

A 50-strong police team is now working on the murder inquiry.

Mr Peiris's family are preparing to travel to South Yorkshire, police said.

A number of people have been arrested and questioned by detectives since the murder, but have since been released without charge, a force spokesman said.

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Savile Chauffeur David Smith Found Dead

A former driver charged with sex offences as part of the investigation triggered by allegations of abuse against Jimmy Savile has been found dead.

David Smith, 66, was the first person to be charged by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Operation Yewtree investigation.

He had pleaded not guilty in July to two counts of indecent assault and two of gross indecency on a child following his arrest in December.

But he failed to turn up at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday for the start of his trial, prompting police to go to his home in Effingham Road, Lewisham.

Smith had previously worked as Jimmy Savile's chauffeur

Scotland Yard said: "At approximately 14:20 officers entered the address and found the body of a man. A FME (forensic medical examiner) attended and pronounced the man dead at the scene. Next of kin are being informed."

Smith's barrister, Sandy Canavan, had told the court she was "concerned" that her solicitor had been unable to contact him ahead of the trial as she had regularly been in touch with him.

She told the court Smith was the sole carer for his elderly mother.

Police have separated the Yewtree investigation into three parts, the first concerned with the actions of Savile, while the second concerns allegations against what has become known as 'Savile and others'.

Smith was investigated under the third strand, concerning accusations of sexual abuse unconnected to Savile, but made by people who came forward following publicity surrounding the Savile allegations.

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Storm: Battle To Get Britain Working Again

Up to 61,000 homes are still without power following the most powerful storm to hit Britain for a decade.

The authorities are continuing to clear away debris and fallen trees while engineers work to restore power and rail services slowly return to normal.

Dubbed St Jude after the patron saint of lost causes, the storm claimed four lives and caused transport disruption on road, rail, air and sea as it ripped across the country, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

National Rail said it was not yet able to say how services would be affected today, but urged travellers to check with their train operator, while ferry services from Dover are still delayed because of rough seas.

The storm, which is now over Scandinavia, will today be replaced with far lighter winds and rain, but dozens of areas in southern England still remain on flood alert, the Environment Agency said.

Insurers are counting the cost of the storm, but say it is too early to tell whether it will compare with the multi-billion pound hits caused by previous severe weather events.

Fallen trees caused major delays for Monday morning commuters

On Monday morning, winds of up to 100mph swept through the South West, South, South East, the Midlands and the East of England after first hitting land in the early hours.

Up to 2.4in of rain - half the monthly average - fell in a just few hours during the storm in areas including Hampshire and Devon, causing flash-floods.

Bethany Freeman, 17, died after a 30ft tree fell on the caravans she and her family were living in while renovation work was taking place at their home at Edenbridge in Kent shortly after 7am.

"Loving husband" and father-of-three Donal Drohan, 51, originally from Waterford in the Irish Republic, died after his car was hit by a tree at the bridge over the River Colne in Watford.

In Hounslow, west London, two people were killed by an explosion, thought to have been caused by an uprooted tree rupturing a gas main, which devastated three houses and damaged two others.

Met Office spokeswoman Laura Young warned that the impacts from the storm are still around and urged the public to remain alert.

John Lee, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, said it was the most powerful storm in years.

"There will no doubt be some disruption still following the damage caused by strong winds and heavy rain, but the weather will be quite different," he said.

"It will be blustery with some showers, especially in the west, but a lot lighter.

"On Friday there is an indication that stormy weather could return, but it's likely to bring heavy rain rather than strong winds."

:: Keep up to date with the latest travel information in your area:

TRAINS:

Greater Anglia
Stansted Express
East Coast
East Midlands Trains
C2C
First Hull Trains
Grand Central
London Midland
South West Trains
Southeastern
Southern Railway
First Capital Connect
Arriva Trains Wales
London Overground
London Underground

PLANES:

Heathrow Airport

FERRIES:

Brittany Ferries

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Baby P: Shoesmith Set For 'Six-Figure Payout'

Former child protection boss Sharon Shoesmith is reportedly to receive a six-figure unfair dismissal payout over her sacking in the wake of the Baby P scandal.

A settlement which could be up to £600,000 has been agreed with Haringey Council, although it is thought Ms Shoesmith may receive a lower sum.

Ms Shoesmith won a 2011 ruling that she had been unfairly sacked from her £133,000-a-year job following a damning report into the death of Peter Connelly.

She had been removed from her post by then Education Secretary Ed Balls and then fired without compensation after regulator Ofsted found Haringey had failed to protect 17-month-old Peter, who died in 2007 following months of abuse.

Ms Shoesmith has reportedly not worked since leaving Haringey Council.

Her lawyers argued that she was the victim of a "flagrant breach of natural justice" fuelled by a media witch-hunt.

Baby Peter suffered some 50 injuries despite being on 'at risk' register

In May 2011, the Court of Appeal concluded she had been unfairly sacked because Mr Balls and Haringey had not given her a proper chance to put her case before she was removed.

The Department for Education and Haringey sought permission to attempt to overturn the ruling in the Supreme Court, but judges rejected the applications, clearing the way for Ms Shoesmith to receive compensation, which some experts predicted could even be as high as £1m.

Some of the cash for her settlement will come from central government funds, but the council will have to foot most of the bill, according to BBC Newsnight.

Mr Balls said at the time at the time of the Court of Appeal ruling he was "surprised and concerned" by the decision, which he warned would make it "difficult for ministers to act swiftly" when children are at risk.

Peter died in Tottenham, north London, on August 3, 2007 at the hands of his mother Tracey Connelly, her lover Steven Barker and their lodger Jason Owen.

Peter's ordeal at the hands of his mother and Steven Barker shocked the UK

He had suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over the final eight months of his life.

A series of reviews identified missed opportunities when officials could have saved his life if they had acted properly on the warning signs in front of them.

Ms Shoesmith had been due in court later this week, seeking a declaration that she remained employed by Haringey Council.

That action has now been dropped, and the settlement reached between the two parties is understood to be a final one.

The council said the terms of the settlement were confidential.

A spokesman said: "Following the decision of the Court of Appeal in favour of Ms Shoesmith, and the court's direction that the parties seek to resolve the issue of compensation, the London Borough of Haringey and Ms Shoesmith have reached a settlement in this case."

Earlier in October it was reported that Tracey Connelly was due to be released from prison on parole. 

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Storm: Newhaven Search For Boy Called Off

A 14-year-old boy is feared dead after being swept into the sea while playing in the surf in rough weather conditions.

The youngster disappeared from West Beach at Newhaven, East Sussex, at about 4.15pm on Sunday.

Rescue teams, including a coastguard helicopter and a RNLI lifeboat, scoured the area in what were described as "atrocious conditions" with poor visibility.

An RNLI lifeboat is buffeted by the waves as it takes part in the search

After around six hours the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said it had stood down its search teams.

The teenager was playing with friends - who have all been accounted for - when the accident occurred.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "This is a very distressing incident and everything possible is being done to try to find the boy."

A MCA spokeswoman said that rescue teams had struggled in difficult conditions.

She said police were with the boy's family, who are "distraught".

A rescue worker looks on as his colleagues battle the elements at sea

Meanwhile, the public were reminded of the dangers of being on the coast in bad weather. 

Solent Coastguard watch manager Steve Mann said: "The crashing waves are spectacular to watch but also extremely dangerous. HM Coastguard's advice is simple: don't take risks.

"But if you do get into difficulty, or spot someone who might be in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard."

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Hurricane-Force Storm Hits Southern Britain

Britain is facing a day of transport chaos after hurricane-force winds battered southern areas, uprooting trees, shutting down bridges and rail services and grounding flights.

St Jude's storm hit the South West from around midnight - bringing winds in excess of 90mph and torrential rain.

The storm has ripped across Wales and England, felling trees, cutting power supplies to up to 220,000 people and damaging vehicles, with some of the worst weather expected during the morning rush hour.

Collapsed scaffolding in Francis Road, Leyton Pic: Mark Davies

Gusts of 99mph have been recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight, according to the Met Office, while the Environment Agency has put in place 17 flood warnings and 141 flood alerts.

Winds have topped 80mph along southern coastal areas, becoming turbulent inland also reaching 75mph in Yeovilton in Somerset and 79mph at Andrewsfield in Essex.

In Newhaven, East Sussex, the family of a 14-year-old boy who was swept into the sea are said to be "distraught" after coastguard rescuers were forced to call off their search.

Whitehall has been closed in both directions in Westminster, London, after a crane collapsed onto the Cabinet Office which was evacuated.

A tree across a railway track in Keymer, near Brighton Pic: Network Rail

Prime Minister David Cameron has held talks with government departments and agencies to ensure they are prepared for the storm's impact, while transport minister Baroness Kramer urged commuters to stay at home until the worst of the weather has passed.

Most train operators have cancelled all services in the south of England before 9am - with further disruption expected throughout the day.

Network Rail said: "Trains will not be allowed to run until the worst of the storm has passed and engineers have been able to check railway lines in daylight for fallen trees, branches or any other debris which may have blown onto or damaged the infrastructure."

Heathrow airport has cut capacity for all airlines by 20% between 6am and 11am and cancelled 60 flights before the storm hit the mainland.

A crane falls onto the roof ogf the Cabinet Office in Whitehall, London

Sky's Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White said airline workers have been briefed that winds of up to 80 knots (90+ mph) could last until midday at Heathrow.

Engineers have warned that they will be unable to open aircraft cargo hatches or operate walkways used to offload passengers in winds of more than 40-45 knots.

Airlines are believed to be making plans to divert planes to airports in the north of the UK if necessary.

The Port of Dover has been closed where gusts of 65 knots were recorded.

Both crossings over the Severn Estuary, the QEII Dartford Crossing bridge and the Sheppey Crossing in Kent are all closed to traffic while the Highways Agency issued warnings for high-sided vehicles, caravans and motorbikes.

A 'Boris Bike' stand crushed by a fallen tree in Kennington

The Royal Parks - which include Hyde Park and Regents's Park in London - have been closed amid concerns for the safety of park users, drivers and cyclists. Trees in the parks have also been damaged.

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang said: "The worst is just about over. The storm is clearing out into the North Sea, but it is currently bringing 70 to 80mph gusts to East Anglia and Kent. These winds should slowly subside in the next hour."

Some 50mm of rainfall in 12 hours has been recorded in Otterbourne in Hampshire and about 44mm in Cardiff.

Baroness Kramer said: "Don't travel unless you have to. If you do have to travel then check with your rail operator or the Highways Agency that it is safe to do so.

"Use common sense. I wouldn't want to be on the roads in the dark later tonight."

The Environment Agency has teams working to minimise river flood risk, clearing debris from streams and unblocking culverts.

A spokesman added: "Seafronts, quaysides and jetties should be avoided due to the risk of overtopping by waves and wind-blown shingle."

Met Office severe weather alerts are in place, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

A yellow warning, meaning "be aware", has been issued for the rest of Wales and England.

Police cars attempt to get past a felled tree in East Sussex

In London, the Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

The storm has been compared to the Great Storm of 1987, which claimed 22 lives in England and France in a three hour period.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish, who famously failed to predict its severity, has warned people to "batten down the hatches" and delay their Monday morning journey by two or three hours.

:: For the latest on the storm watch a special edition of Sky News Sunrise from 6am.

:: Send us your photos and videos of the storm.

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Storm Causes Major Headache For Commuters

Transport services including trains, planes and ferries have been cancelled or disrupted after a severe storm struck the southern half of the UK.

More than 100 trees fell on railway lines across the South East, with Network Rail saying its engineers would be working to remove them "as soon as possible".

East Coast Trains said fallen power cables and flooding at the southern end of its network had caused delays and cancellations to services and urged passengers not to travel, while First Capital Connect told its passengers there would be "no services until further notice".

Other operators including Greater Anglia, East Midlands Trains and Stansted Express said services would be suspended until later this morning, while trains from London Victoria are not expected to run until at least 10am.

Hurricane-force winds and heavy rain also caused disruption on the roads, with a number of major routes affected.

Both Severn estuary crossing were closed, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the Sheppey Crossing in Kent.

Countless local roads have also been shut by fallen trees.

Rough seas caused the Port of Dover to suspend all ferry crossings while Brittany Ferries cancelled services between Plymouth and Roscoff, Poole and Cherbourg and Portsmouth and Bilbao.

Among the services that will be affected by the storm are:

Trains

:: Southern Railway has announced that it is "highly unlikely" it will run any services before at least 9am on Monday.

:: Gatwick Express services finished at around 1am and will not resume until at least 9am.

:: South West Trains has warned people not to travel at all on Monday and will be running a "significantly reduced timetable".

:: Southeastern Railway is expecting to run a reduced service and most routes will not be operating until after 9am. 

:: East Coast Trains will operate an amended timetable for Monday due to speed restrictions that will be in force south of York Station.

:: Greater Anglia Trains has announced that services will be suspended on Monday until 9am and no alternatives to trains will be provided.

:: First Capital Connect trains are not expected to run until after 9am.

:: London Overground services will not be operating until after 9am on Monday.

:: East Midlands Trains - no services into or out of London St Pancras until at least 10am. No services between Nottingham, Ely, Peterborough and Norwich until around 9am.

:: C2C trains suspended until at least 9am.

:: Eurostar cross-channel services suspended until at least 7am to allow inspection of high speed lines.

Planes

:: Heathrow airport has cut capacity for all airlines on Monday, including a 20% reduction between 6am and 11am.

About 130 flights have been cancelled and the airport recommends all passengers contact their airline.

The cancellations are a combination of arrivals and departures.

:: British Airways' Heathrow cancellations are currently all from its European and domestic schedule. Passengers can rebook or get a refund.

:: Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and Bristol airports have not yet announced any cancellations but are telling passengers to check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

Ferries

:: Brittany Ferries' services has announced cancellations between Plymouth and Roscoff; Poole and Cherbourg; Portsmouth and Bilbao.

Ferries also cancelled between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly.

Roads

:: The Highways Agency has issued a severe weather alert for high-sided vehicles, caravans, motorbikes and other vulnerable vehicles.

:: Both crossings over the Severn estuary have been closed.

:: Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, the southbound Dartford Crossing, is closed. However, the tunnels will remain open and operate a contraflow system so that traffic can cross the Thames in both directions.

:: The Sheppey Crossing bridge in Kent is currently closed due to high winds.

:: The A14 Orwell Bridge near Ipswich has been shut

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Brooklyn Stabbings: Five Dead Including A Baby

Five people - including a baby - have been stabbed to death at a house in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

New York Police Department said on Sunday that the ages of the victims ranged from one to 20.

Police did not immediately disclose the gender of the victims, or their relationships to one another.

Authorities were alerted to a stabbing at a home on 57th Street near Ninth Avenue at around 11pm on Saturday.

New York Fire Department spokesman Jim Long said emergency crews found three people dead at the scene.

Two others were taken to hospitals - one to the Lutheran Medical Centre and another to Maimonides Medical Centre - where they were pronounced dead.

Police provided no further details and would not say if anyone was in custody.

More follows...

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Merkel's Phone 'Bugged For Decade By US'

The United States may have bugged Angela Merkel's phone for more than 10 years, it has been claimed.

Der Spiegel magazine said the German chancellor's mobile telephone had been listed by the NSA's Special Collection Service (SCS) since 2002 and was still on the list weeks before Barack Obama visited Berlin in June.

Germany's outrage over reports of bugging of Ms Merkel's phone by the NSA prompted it to summon the US ambassador for the first time in living memory.

In an SCS document cited by Der Spiegel, the agency said it had a "not legally registered spying branch" in the US embassy in Berlin, the exposure of which would lead to "grave damage for the relations of the United States to another government".

Mr Obama met with Ms Merkel in Berlin earlier this year

From there, NSA and CIA staff were tapping communication in the Berlin's government district with high-tech surveillance.

Quoting a secret document from 2010, Der Spiegel said such branches existed in about 80 locations around the world, including Paris, Madrid, Rome, Prague, Geneva and Frankfurt.

The magazine said it was not clear whether the SCS had recorded conversations or just connection data.

Mr Obama apologised to Merkel when she called him on Wednesday to seek clarification on the issue, Der Spiegel wrote, citing a source in Ms Merkel's office.

Ms Merkel's spokesman and the White House declined comment.

The rift over US surveillance activities first emerged earlier this year after reports that Washington had bugged European Union offices and had tapped half a billion phone calls, emails and text messages in Germany in a typical month.

But it appeared close to resolution after Ms Merkel's government said in August - just weeks before a parliamentary election - the United States had given sufficient assurances they were upholding German law.

Mr Obama ordered a review of US surveillance programmes after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents that raised alarm in the United States and abroad.

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Storm: Britain Braced For Gusts Of Up To 80mph

England and Wales will be hit by a "significant storm" on Sunday night with winds of up to 80mph in some areas, the Met Office has warned.

Forecasters say the storm is expected to bring "exceptionally strong winds" to parts of the UK when it strikes late on Sunday night.

Meteorologists say it will strike the south west of England and could leave a trail of destruction as it gusts north-east across the country, causing structural damage, and bringing down trees and power lines.

Frank Saunders, Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We are confident that a severe storm will affect Britain on Sunday night and Monday.

"We are now looking at refining the details about which areas will see the strongest winds and the heaviest rain."

An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

The Environment Agency says 20-40mm of rain could fall within six to nine hours.

Severe weather alerts are in place for England and Wales, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

There is a lesser yellow warning, meaning "be aware", for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday - which takes in the rush hour when people are trying to get to work.

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

It has been compared to the Great Storm of 1987

But the storm will develop on Saturday and intensify on Sunday fairly close to the coast before it strikes with full force.

A strong jetstream and warm air close to the UK are contributing to its development and strength.

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in south Wales in 1989.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

This time he warned people to "batten down the hatches" and keep checking the forecasts as the powerful storm approaches.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads."

The Metropolitan Police has urged people to avoid calling 999 during the storm unless there is a real emergency.

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