Parents To Be Punished For Kids' Bad Behaviour

Parents have been warned by Education Secretary Michael Gove they will face punishments for failing to ensure their children arrive at school "ready to learn and showing respect for their teacher".

Mr Gove has vowed to raise school standards "higher than ever before" as he set out an uncompromising vision to get rid of what he believes is a culture of low expectations.

In a speech to the Policy Exchange think tank, Mr Gove insisted mothers and fathers have to take responsibility for their children's behaviour or face sanctions.

He also hit out at teachers who "set children up to fail" by refusing to think they might be intellectually curious or capable of greatness.

Mr Gove said: "We need to ensure that those parents who don't play their part in ensuring their children attend school, ready to learn and showing respect for their teacher, face up to their responsibilities.

"We will, later this year, be outlining detailed proposals to ensure parents play their full part in guaranteeing good behaviour and outlining stronger sanctions for those who don't."

Mr Gove wants to eradicate what he thinks is a culture of low expectations

The Education Secretary's approach has seen him clash numerous times with teaching unions, which have accused him of a "personal ideological crusade".

But Mr Gove rejected suggestions his reforms are too demanding, and added his reforming zeal would not diminish.

"I believe we have to embrace reform, lean in to the future, set standards higher than ever before," he said.

Mr Gove said he knew what "real barriers to success look like".

"I spent the first four months of my life in care," he said.

"Both my parents had to leave school at 15.

"My sister spent all her school career set apart from other children who were just as bright as her in a school for children with special needs.

"And I know what setting children up to fail looks like."

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Protests Grip Sao Paulo Ahead Of World Cup

Police in Brazil have used tear gas and batons to break up protests in the city that will host the first game of the World Cup in less than a week.

A strike by subway workers in Sao Paulo affected millions of commuters and caused massive traffic jams on the night of the national team's final warm-up match before their opening game against Croatia on Thursday.

Across town there was a separate anti-government demonstration in which protesters blocked the street in front of the Central Bank in a protest against the economic policies of President Dilma Rousseff.

Picketing strikers inside one of the subway stations

Police pushed back picketing strikers inside a central station after commuters tried to enter.

Three of the city's five stations were disrupted, causing bumper-to-bumper traffic to stretch as far as 155 miles (251km) as commuters turned to cars or buses.

The strike is set to continue today after the workers' union and their employers failed to reach an agreement on a pay rise.

Union leader Paulo Pereira da Silva said: "Our problem is not with the national team.

The subway strike is set to run for a third day on Saturday

"We will cheer for them. But on October 5 (the date of a presidential election), we will send Dilma Rousseff to hell."

Bus drivers, teachers and police have staged walkouts in other cities recently to demand better pay.

The subway strike caused problems for fans going to Brazil's game against Serbia at the city's Morumbi stadium, which finished 1-0 to the hosts.

There have been numerous protests recently to demand better pay

Parts of the crowd jeered the team as they laboured to victory on the eve of a tournament they are expected to win.

The first game will be played at the city's new Corinthians Arena, which is awaiting safety clearance. 

The subway will be the main link to the stadium for fans, meaning officials are hard-pressed to resolve the strike.

Fifa's executive committee will meet in Sao Paulo today to discuss the unrest, the prospect of several unfinished stadiums and renewed allegations of corruption surrounding Qatar's successful bid for the 2022 tournament.

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Dozens Of Iraqi Students Taken Hostage

Dozens of students have been taken hostage after militants stormed a university in Iraq.

More follows...

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Conservatives Hold Newark In By-Election

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

David Cameron is celebrating after the Tories' massive effort in the Newark by-election was rewarded with a comfortable victory over UKIP and a majority of nearly 7,500.

Conservative candidate Robert Jenrick held the seat with 17,431 and 45% of the vote, with UKIP's Roger Helmer second with 10,028 and 26%.

Labour's Michael Payne finished in third place with 6,842 votes, 18% of ballots cast.

But in yet another dismal result for the Liberal Democrats, their candidate David Watts came sixth, polling just 1,004 votes and 2.5%, and was beaten by an independent and the Green Party candidate.

Mr Jenrick said: "The people of Newark have voted to back this government, to back this government's long-term economic plan to secure the future of this constituency and of this great country."

UKIP's candidate, Roger Helmer

Although they failed to capture the seat, UKIP will be delighted at the big increase in its support, leapfrogging from fourth to second place and almost polling as highly as the party did in Eastleigh, where it came second to the Lib Dems.

Mr Helmer said the result was a "great sign" for the future of his party.

"We stood in this election hoping to win and planning to win and we have not won but we are encouraged by the fact that we have increased our share of the vote since the general election by a factor of six and we have halved the Conservative majority."

Labour's Mr Payne said he was "extremely proud" of the campaign his party fought and added: "Labour has listened to the people of Newark, campaigning throughout on the issues that matter, especially the future of Newark hospital and the local NHS."

The turnout was a respectable 52.7%, down from 71.5% at the general election, considerably higher than the 2010 average.

The seat was previously held with a majority of 16,152 by the Tory MP and former Army officer Patrick Mercer, who quit after being exposed in a cash-for-questions scandal.

The candidates on stage at the count

Faced with a UKIP surge, the Conservatives threw everything into the by-election campaign.

Mr Cameron visited the constituency four times during the campaign and Tory MPs - including the most senior Cabinet ministers - were ordered to make at least three visits

Right up to the very last minute, the Tories left nothing to chance.

Led by party co-chairs Grant Shapps and Lord Feldman, up to 100 MPs and 1,000 activists were in Newark on polling day in an all-out effort to stop UKIP winning its first Parliamentary seat.

Nigel Farage at the count

UKIP found itself heavily outgunned, with only around 200 volunteers rallying support on polling day.

Mr Helmer was not helped by Mr Farage keeping a relatively low profile during the campaign, visiting just once, last Saturday.

On Wednesday he was in Malta speaking at a conference organised by the Institute of Travel and Tourism of the UK in Malta, and did not arrive in Newark until Thursday afternoon.

:: Political Editor Adam Boulton has taken a look at the state of the parties as they gear up for the general election next year. You can find his analysis on the Sky News Catch Up Service, which is free for TV customers with Sky+ HD boxes connected to broadband.

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Canada Police Arrest Suspect Over Shootings

Royal Canadian Mounted Police have arrested a 24-year-old man in connection with the fatal shooting of three officers and the wounding of two others, ending a huge manhunt.

In a tweet, the RCMP said: "Justin Bourque arrested by RCMP at 12:10 in Moncton. He is in police custody. Residents of north Moncton can now leave their homes."

Resident Michelle Thibodeau tweeted she saw the arrest take place outside her home.

"He was in my backyard," she said. "I saw him arrested in front of my eyes. He is alive. Thank you.

"The swat team arrived at my house and unloaded and started screaming in my backyard for him to surrender and he did. I watched it happen.

Officers took cover behind police cars when the gunmen opened fire

"They had him sprawled on my front lawn for some time and then loaded him into the swat vehicle. They are now checking my yard for firearms."

Earlier, police released a photo of Bourque dressed in military fatigues and carrying what they described as two "high-powered" firearms.

During the manhunt in the east coast city of Moncton, several hundred police officers wearing tactical gear cordoned off a large area in the city's northwest, including a heavily wooded area, and told residents to stay inside their homes and lock their doors.

Such violence is rare in Canada

The attack was one of the worst of its kind in Canada, where gun laws are stricter than in the US and fatal attacks on police officers are rare.

Canada's Parliament has observed a moment of silence and the flag on Parliament Hill is flying at half-mast.

Police said the two wounded officers had undergone surgery for non-life-threatening injuries. One was later released from hospital.

They have not released the names of the dead and injured victims.

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D-Day: World Leaders Join Commemorations

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

D-Day commemorations are under way across northern France, with veterans and world leaders marking the 70th anniversary of an event that changed the course of the Second World War.

The Queen will join David Cameron, Barack Obama, Francois Hollande, Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel for a service at Sword Beach in Ouistreham later.

A re-enactment of the moment 150,000 Allied troops landed on the beach - one of five places where soldiers came ashore on June 6, 1944 - is likely to be one of the highlights of the day.

Soldiers landing on Juno Beach in Bernieres-sur-Mer on June 6, 1944

Described by wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill as "undoubtedly the most complicated and difficult that has ever taken place", D-Day proved to be a pivotal moment of the Second World War.

It marked the start of an 80-day campaign to liberate Normandy, an operation that involved three million troops and cost some 250,000 lives.

Services are being held at beaches and war cemeteries across the region, including in Arromanches, where the Normandy Veterans' Association has organised a day of events.

This anniversary will be the group's last as it plans to disband later this year.

War veterans arrive for the service at Bayeux Cathedral

A remembrance service at Bayeux Cathedral heard from Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, the national chaplain of the Royal British Legion, who told the congregation: "We come to remember those who from the air, in the water and on the beaches made the supreme sacrifice."

Among those at the event was 91-year-old veteran Tony Snelling, who was pushed into the cathedral in his wheelchair by his grandson, William Holmes.

In nearby Colleville-sur-Mer, Mr Obama is attending a service for US servicemen at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial.

The Queen will join world leaders to mark the 70th anniversary

The Queen is expected to visit the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Bayeux later.

Commemorations began at midnight when Mr Cameron attended a memorial at Pegasus Bridge, the first strategic landmark to be captured.

Some 70 years after the exact moment the first gliders landed, a champagne toast was raised at Café Gondree, the restaurant next to the bridge, which became the first house to be liberated in France.

D-Day veteran Jock Hutton is met by Prince Charles after his parachute jump

American veterans gathered at dawn on Omaha Beach, where a statue of two soldiers was unveiled.

On Thursday, a commemorative parachute jump honoured the soldiers who dropped into France in the early hours of June 6 as part of the crucial airborne invasion.

D-Day veteran Jock Hutton, aged 89, jumped with The Red Devils, the Paratroop Regiment's free-fall display team.

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Newborn Dies As NHS Drips 'Poison 15 Babies'

An investigation is under way after a baby being treated in intensive care died from blood poisoning through an infection caught from a suspected contaminated drip.

Public Health England (PHE) said it is examining 14 other cases of septicaemia in babies at a total of six hospitals in England.

The infant who died was being treated at St Thomas' Hospital in central London.

The baby died on June 1 and the other two children who fell ill at the same neonatal unit are "responding well" to antibiotics, a spokeswoman for the hospital said.

"All babies on the unit are being screened for the bacterium as a precaution and enhanced infection control measures have been put in place to prevent any further cases," she said.

Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust, where four children suffered infections

PHE said the 15 cases have been "strongly linked" with a number of batches of a liquid called parenteral nutrition, which was fed to the babies through intravenous drips.

The bacteria that caused the infection is called bacillus cereus, which is found widely in the environment in dust, soil and vegetation.

As well as St Thomas' Hospital, babies have fallen ill in neonatal intensive care units at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust (four cases), Whittington Hospital (one case), Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (three cases), CUH Addenbrookes (two cases) and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (two cases).

Professor Mike Catchpole, PHE's incident director, said: "We have acted quickly to investigate this issue ... and we have taken action to ensure that the affected batches and any remaining stock of this medicine is not being used in hospitals."

Parenteral nutrition is usually produced under sterilised conditions to cut the risk of the use of the product resulting in infections.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a Class 1 Drug Alert over the suspected batch of contaminated liquid.

Class 1 is the most critical alert and requires immediate recall.

PHE said London-based ITH Pharma Limited, which makes the batch in question, had already issued a recall notice.

Two babies fell ill at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital

The company's managing director, Karen Hamling, said the firm was "very saddened" by the baby's death and is co-operating fully with the investigation.

Sky's Health Correspondent Thomas Moore said premature and seriously sick children were particularly vulnerable to infections.

He said: "(Officials) believe there's probably nothing left of these batches in the supply chain.

"There's been a precautionary note to doctors and nurses asking them to check batch numbers.

"They believe this has been contained, that it's been identified swiftly, although sadly not swiftly enough for this one baby."

PHE said investigations with the company had identified an incident that might have caused the contamination. 

It said most surfaces would test positive for the presence of the bacteria, which produces hardy spores that, in the right conditions, produce a toxin which causes illness.

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Freed US Hostage's Homecoming Party Cancelled

Six Things To Know On Bowe Bergdahl

Updated: 11:11pm UK, Wednesday 04 June 2014

Everything you need to know about Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, the US prisoner of war released by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Bowe Bergdahl had a variety of hobbies including ballet and fencing

The 28-year-old grew up in the small mountain town of Hailey, Idaho, where he was home-schooled with his older sister, Sky.

His devout Calvinist parents, Bob and Jani, taught their children about ethics and religious thinkers.

By all accounts, Sgt Bergdahl was a bookish teenager with a number of pursuits from skiing to shooting. He performed ballet, took up fencing and studied foreign languages.

He also became interested in Buddhism and tarot cards.

Sgt Bergdahl once tried unsuccessfully to join the French Foreign Legion, according to his father. He worked as a barista in Idaho before joining the US Army in June 2008.

The soldier reportedly became disillusioned with the US role in Afghanistan

According to a report in a Rolling Stone magazine profile, Sgt Bergdahl wrote an email to his parents saying he was "ashamed" to be an American.

He wrote: "The horror that is America is disgusting."

Members of his unit said Sgt Bergdahl kept mainly to himself. The New York Times cites platoon members as saying he wrote Jason Bourne-type novels in which he made himself the lead character.

He is said to have learned Dari and Pashto in his spare time and was reportedly traumatised after seeing an Afghan child run over and killed by an American armoured vehicle.

Members of his platoon say he sent all his belongings, including a laptop, home before vanishing.

Members of his unit have accused him of desertion

According to soldiers in his platoon, Sgt Bergdahl abandoned his post while on guard duty, with only a compass, a knife, water, a digital camera, a diary and possibly also a phone.

The New York Times reports that he left a note in his tent saying he did not support the American mission in Afghanistan and was leaving to start a new life.

The Pentagon concluded in 2010 that Sgt Bergdahl had walked away from his unit before he was captured by the Taliban.

Sgt Bergdahl may have attempted to escape during his captivity

The Taliban released propaganda videos during Bergdahl's time in captivity in which the prisoner, looking under-fed, denounced US foreign policy.

In one clip, a bald and bearded Bergdahl said he was "scared" he would not be able to return home. In others, he was seen eating and exercising.

In one video, he shouted at the camera: "Release me, please! I'm begging you, bring me home!"

In 2011, he is thought to have escaped briefly. When he was recaptured, it reportedly took five militants to overpower him.

"He fought like a boxer," a Taliban fighter told Newsweek.

There are claims US soldiers were killed as a result of having to look for him

Former members of Sgt Bergdahl's battalion and military officials have claimed between six and 14 soldiers died in the search for him.

But the facts seem murky, as so often in the fog of war.

Two of the soldiers whose deaths have been blamed on Bergdahl's disappearance died inside a US military outpost that was under Taliban attack, not while out searching for him.

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has said: "I don't know of any circumstances or details of US soldiers dying as a result of efforts to get Bergdahl."

He will likely face a court martial for desertion

Some have called for Sgt Bergdahl, who is said to be in stable condition at a military hospital in Germany, to be shot for desertion.

But that will not happen, according to Yale Law School professor Eugene Fidell, a specialist in military legal affairs.

He told Sky News the last US soldier to be killed for desertion, Eddie Slovik, was tied to a post and shot in 1945.

Prof Fidell thinks it more likely Sgt Bergdahl will face a court martial, a short sentence of confinement and a punitive discharge.

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Police Hunt Gunman After Three Officers Killed

Police are hunting a gunman after three officers were shot dead and two others were injured in Canada.

The shootings began after police responded to a call about an armed man in north Moncton, New Brunswick province, at 7.30pm (11.30pm UK time).

The attacker, reportedly wearing a camouflage outfit, began firing at officers and a massive manhunt is now taking place to catch him.

Police say he is still believed to be in the Pinehurst area of the eastern city and have urged people there to stay inside, lock their doors and leave their outside lighgts on.

Officers are looking for 24-year-old Justin Bourque of Moncton and say he is considered "armed and dangerous".

The window of the police car is shattered

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in New Brunswick confirmed the three officers' deaths on its Twitter feed.

The two other officers had non-life threatening injuries and were in a stable condition in hospital.

The force tweeted an image of a suspect wearing military camouflage and wielding two guns.

A video has emerged showing officers taking cover behind police cars and which apparently shows the moment the gunmen opened fire.

The police officers were shot dead in Moncton on the east coast of Canada

There is a thud and an unnamed person in the footage said: "He shot him, he shot a cop."

Witness Danny Leblanc, 42, said he saw the gunman in the distance on Wednesday evening standing in the middle of the street with his gun pointed at police vehicles.

The construction worker said he believed it was an RCMP officer he was looking at until he heard a burst of automatic gunfire coming from the man's gun.

He said he quickly went back into his home and remained there with his family.

Mr Leblanc said: "It's devastating. I don't know if he was on a hunt for them, or what."

At one point a neighbour posted on social media that their kitchen window was shattered by gunfire.

Another witness said she saw an injured officer being taken away.

The unnamed woman said: "We just came outside. My daughter said there were police in the area, and we noticed that there was a lockdown on the street, they wouldn't let anybody in or out, they were turning vehicles around.

"And we noticed there was a staff supervisor vehicle that had taken an injured officer away, the lady liked like she was, like, really hurt."

RCMP Constable Damien Theriault, who appeared emotional during a news conference, said he personally knew the officers who were killed.

Constable Theriault asked the public not to disclose any information about the police operation or locations of officers on social media.

A number of roads in the city were blocked and drivers were also asked to stay out of the area.

Moncton mayor George LeBlanc urged all residents to pay strict attention to the RCMP warnings.

Such violence is rare in Canada, particularly on Canada's east coast.

Constable Theriault said Moncton did not have a homicide in 2013 or this year until Wednesday evening.

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Pensions Changes At Centre Of Queen's Speech

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Sweeping reforms to boost pensions for millions of people will be the centrepiece of a Queen's Speech outlining new laws for the final year of the Coalition Government.

Changes in George Osborne's Budget will end the requirement for pensioners to buy an annuity to provide a guaranteed income and legislation is also expected on collective workplace pension schemes.

Stung by allegations of a "zombie Parliament" and claims that the coalition has run out of steam, David Cameron and Nick Clegg claim the programme will be "unashamedly pro-work, pro-business and pro-aspiration".

But there are likely to be only around a dozen major Bills, with the bulk of the 2010 Coalition Agreement now enacted and the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats keen to differentiate themselves from each other.

In a coalition bid to rebuild trust with voters after a battering at the polls last month, the Queen's Speech will include a Bill giving voters the power of recall of MPs, with a by-election being triggered if 10% of voters sign a petition.

Another pledge with far-reaching implications for millions will be a 5p charge on plastic bags in supermarkets, pledged by Mr Clegg in his 2013 Liberal Democrat party conference speech.

This will not require primary legislation, because it is already provided for in the 2008 Climate Change Act and therefore will only need the passing of regulations in Parliament to enforce it.

The major Bills expected to feature are:

:: "Tax-free childcare" worth up to £2,000 per child each year, another move championed by the Liberal Democrats

:: Extra legal protection for people carrying out good deeds against liability for health and safety risks

:: A so-called "Cinderella law", outlawing emotional neglect of children by their parents

:: A hugely controversial Bill to authorise fracking, the exploitation of shale gas

:: Regulation of pubs, highlighted by Mr Clegg and Vince Cable in their pub photocall on the eve of the Queen's Speech.

Last year's State Opening of Parliament

In their joint statement, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg said the speech marks "the next big step in our long-term plan for Britain. Its aim: to secure the recovery for our country".

They added: "Its guiding principle: to back everyone who wants to get on in life.

"We may be two parties, with two different philosophies, but we understand one thing: countries rise when their people rise. So this Queen's Speech is unashamedly pro-work, pro-business and pro-aspiration."

On the pensions legislation, they said: "By no longer forcing people to buy an annuity, we are giving them total control over the money they have put aside over their lifetime and greater financial security in their old age."

And on the coalition's future in the final year before the election, they said: "Four years on, our parties are still governing together and still taking bold steps."

But Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "We would have a Queen's Speech with legislation which would make work pay, reform our banks, freeze energy bills and build homes again in Britain."

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Taliban Releases Video Of Hostage Handover

The Taliban has released a video showing American hostage Sgt Bowe Bergdahl being handed over to US forces in Afghanistan.

Sgt Bergdahl, clean shaven, and dressed in white Afghan clothing with a shaved head, is seen waiting in a white pickup truck close to the Afghan border with Pakistan as Taliban militants outside lean in to talk to him.

He is blinking frequently in the bright light as he looks at and listens to his captors. He appears to struggle to speak English.

The 17 minutes of footage shows armed gunmen dotting the hills around the valley, as US Black Hawk helicopters overhead draw closer to the meeting point.

The Taliban reporter speaking over the clip explains: "We told them there are 18 armed fighters and the Americans said that's all right."

As one of the helicopters lands, throwing up a cloud of dust, Sgt Bergdahl is led to his rescuers by two men, one leading him by the hand, and another waving a white cloth tied to a wooden stick.

Sgt Bowe Bergdahl is lead to the US Black hHawk helicopter

Most of the Taliban have their faces covered with scarves, while Sgt Bergdahl wears his over his shoulders.

After a brief exchange of handshakes between insurgents and US forces, Bergdahl moves unsteadily towards the helicopter.

Before boarding the helicopter the freed man is patted down to check he is not carrying any weapons.

The aircraft takes off and the message in English flashes up: "Don' come back to afghanistan"(sic).

The Taliban video, entitled Ceremony Of The American Soldier Exchange is laced with religious music and chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest).

At one point the voiceover said: "I congratulate all the mujahiedeen for this victory."

The Taliban's message to the Americans and Sgt Bergdahl

Sky's Diplomatic Editor Tim Marshall said: "The meaning of the pictures is that we see visual evidence that the Taliban are negotiating with the Americans on almost an equal basis.

"It is a propaganda coup for the Taliban."

US defence officials have said dozens of US special forces troops backed up by helicopters were sent for the handover.

Five years after he was captured by Afghan militants, Sgt Bergdahl was freed at the weekend in exchange for five militants held at Guantanamo Bay.

He was the only US soldier held by the Taliban after being captured in Afghanistan.

His release has lead to sharp criticism of the Obama administration, with some US politicians fearing it poses a threat to Americans abroad.

Heaviliy armed Taliban fighters dotted the hillside around the exchange

There is also a suggestion that Sgt Bergdahl may be disciplined over claims from members of his unit that he was captured in 2009 after abandoning his post.

The 28-year-old is now in a military hospital in Germany, undergoing physical and mental assessments.

Related Stories 

Sgt Bergdahl: Army 'May Pursue' Desertion Probe

Bowe Bergdahl Release Backfires On White House

Soldier's Motives Are The 'Unknown Unknown'

Bowe Bergdahl: Obama Defends Taliban Exchange

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Body Found In Hunt For Brit Gareth Huntley

Police in Malaysia's Tioman Island have confirmed that a body has been found in the search for missing Brit Gareth Huntley.

The backpacker disappeared last week after attempting to find a waterfall in the jungles of the paradise island.

According to Malaysian newspaper The Star, the body was found in a pond close to a kayak storage unit in the compound of the conservation camp where the 34-year-old was volunteering.

Deputy Superintendent Johari Yahaya told the newspaper he could not confirm whether the body was that of the missing Briton.

The Foreign Office says it is aware of the reports and is looking into them urgently.

The backpacker had been volunteering on Tioman Island

Mr Huntley's mother has also been notified.

Janet Southwell arrived on the island off Malaysia's east coast on Monday to assist in the search for her son.

The family initially criticised Malaysian authorities for not doing enough to find the missing backpacker.

However a team of volunteers were assisted by multiple helicopters, speedboats and sniffer dogs in the latter days of the search.

The 34-year-old from Hackney, east London, set off on May 27 telling friends at the Juara Turtle Project where he was volunteering that he would return by 2pm, but was not seen again.

Mr Huntley, who was originally from West Yorkshire, was on a sabbatical from his job in the City.

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'Muslim School Plot' Fears Were Raised In 1994

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs And Education Editor

Fears that hardline Muslim governors have been infiltrating Birmingham schools go back at least two decades, and were raised with the government in 1994.

Sky News has learned that senior leaders at three schools in Birmingham were so concerned about the influence of Muslim extremists in the 1990s they took their fears to the top.

In a letter to education ministers, copied to then Prime Minister John Major, the heads said extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir was gaining an alarming influence over schools in the city.

Former chair of governors at Golden Hillock School, John Ray, met with then education minister Emily Blatch in Westminster.

He says that had the government acted then, the current trend - in which conservative Muslims have been able to dominate school leadership - could have been averted.

"(The Trojan Horse plot) reveals something, something that is true," said Mr Ray.

"It reveals a mess that the city council has not been able to check - the development of this whole infiltration of this ceding in of governors of one particular ideology. They are not people who have the welfare of these children at heart."

A letter sent to government ministers in 1994

Like many, Mr Ray believes the content of the so-called Trojan Horse letter, which alleges a plot to oust non-hardline Muslims from schools in Birmingham, is a fake. But he maintains the concerns themselves are very real.

He resigned after 25 years as a governor at Golden Hillock School - one of the schools at the centre of the alleged plot - last year when it was taken over by the Park View Educational Trust, the organisation headed by Tahir Alam, who is accused of exerting pressure on state-funded, secular schools to conform to conservative Islam.

Concerns about Mr Alam and the influence of the Park View Educational Trust have led to a spate of high-level investigations by Ofsted, the Department for Education and Birmingham City Council.

Golden Hillock is now expected to be placed in special measures following the results of an Ofsted inspection to be published next week.

The Department for Education says it has been tackling extremism in schools since 2010, and Birmingham City Council is conducting an investigation which will also look at retrospective evidence.

But details of claims going back two decades will place further pressure on the authorities to explain why it took so long to act.

"I think the city council but also central government and all parties were very reluctant to question the received wisdom that suggests it is fair enough that a separate Islamic identity should be stressed," said Mr Ray.

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Syrians Vote In 'Show Of Force' Election

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent

Syria's presidential elections have begun in government-held areas as a brutal three-year civil war continues across the country.

For the first time in the country's history there is more than one candidate competing for the top job.

Running against President Bashar al Assad are Maher Hajjar, a little-known parliamentarian from Aleppo, and Hassan al Nouri, a former government minister and businessman from Damascus.

Both were vetted by the government and neither have a chance of winning.

Syria's Supreme Court earlier disqualified 21 candidates from the race and a restrictive election law essentially made it impossible to run without government approval.

One of Bashar al Assad's posters in Damascus

This election is not about democracy, but rather a show of force by Assad.

By holding elections as planned, he is sending a message to the international community and Syrians that he is winning the war.

Two years ago the opposition thought Assad's days were numbered and the West portrayed his demise as imminent.

Not only has he survived but the momentum on the ground is in his favour. Pro-Assad forces recently reclaimed the Old City of Homs from the rebels, negotiating a ceasefire there. As the heart of the uprising, the regime's victory in Homs was an important milestone.

Millions will be prevented from voting - not just those in rebel-held areas where polling stations won't operate, but also the hundreds of thousands of refugees not officially registered, as well as those who are internally displaced or who lost their documents when they fled their homes.

Syrian refugees in Tripoli protest against the possible election of Assad

In Lebanon, where there are more than a million registered Syrian refugees, people queued for hours to vote at the one polling station in the Syrian embassy in Beirut.

Some were clearly eager to show their support for Assad; others were afraid if they didn't vote they would be punished or refused entry back into Syria.

In three years of fighting, an estimated 160,000 people have died and more than three million have fled the country with another million internally displaced. Many Syrians say privately they do not trust Assad or the various opposition forces. 

The incumbent is heading for victory and a third, seven-year term. For him and his allies this election signals a new phase in the conflict where he will be able to use the election to prove he is the legitimate leader of Syria. 

Many fear more intense fighting as an empowered Assad moves to crush rebel fighters. Others see this election as the start of an official splitting up of the Syrian state, as Assad consolidates power in the areas under his control.

Either way, there is no end in sight for the millions of Syrians who continue to bear the brunt of this war.

:: Sky News has been refused visas to enter Syria to report on the political situation in the country. Sky's Sherine Tadros is reporting from Cairo.

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Europe Calls On UK Govt To Increase Taxes

The European Commission has urged the UK Government to raise taxes and rein in its Help To Buy scheme.

The European Union's executive body called on the Government to increase the amount it collects in taxes to help it cut the deficit, saying policy had so far been "heavily skewed" to spending cuts.

Setting out their 2014 economic policy recommendations for the UK, commissioners said the coalition should be "prioritising capital expenditure" to boost the "fragile" recovery.

Many of the recommendations concern the housing market, including a call for more houses to be built and for adjustments to Help To Buy, which many have warned is causing a potentially damaging housing bubble.

The "regressive" council tax system was also in the Commission's sights.

Mr Cameron has said the EU is "too bossy"

The Commission said: "At the moment, increasing property values are not translated into higher property taxes as the property value roll has not been updated since 1991 and taxes on higher value property are lower than on lower value property in relative terms due to the regressivity of the current rates and bands within the council tax system."

The Commission broadly praised action on extending childcare provision and reforming welfare, but said more must be done on apprenticeships and skills.

Recommendations on economic policy have been made for all countries. It comes after the European elections were dominated by anti-EU sentiment, with people protesting about the powers of the unelected European Commission.

Prime Minister David Cameron described the EU as "too big, too bossy, too interfering" last week, but a Treasury spokesman said the recommendations were "in line" with the Government's approach.

Mr Cameron is currently battling moves to appoint arch federalist Jean-Claude Juncker to president of the Commission, as he tries to renegotiate Britain's deal with the EU.

The Prime Minister reportedly warned at the weekend that the UK could quit the union if Mr Juncker was appointed.

The Commission's economic suggestions have provoked anger among politicians and some campaigners.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Business for Britain, said: "This is further evidence that the EU should be let nowhere near tax policy of its member states.

"Leaders in Brussels appear not have taken on board the resounding message from the recent elections that Britain wants less interference from the continent, not more."

 A Treasury spokesman said: "The Government's long-term economic plan is working, delivering economic security for hardworking people.

"The European Commission continues to support the UK Government's strategy including its commitment to deficit reduction. The Commission's recommendations are in line with the Government's approach."

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UK 'Summers Of Rain': Climate Change Warning

Global warming could lead to more extreme bursts of summer downpours and increase the risk of flash flooding in Britain, experts have warned.

A study by the Met Office and Newcastle University has examined how climate change could result in heavier summer rainfall.

Published in the Nature and Climate Change journal, the report said: "Short duration rain events are predicted to intensify during the summer months in the southern United Kingdom.

"This predicted increase means more events would exceed the Met Office and Environment Agency Flood Forecasting Centre guidance threshold for serious flash flooding."

The landmark study highlights how short bursts of heavy rainfall triggered devastating flooding in the north Cornwall town of Boscastle in 2004.

Boscastle was hit by flash flooding in the summer 2004

Around 100 people were airlifted to safety, 58 properties were flooded and four businesses were demolished.

In the aftermath the Environment Agency created an £800,000 flood defence scheme and North Cornwall District Council gave the go-ahead for a £4.5m flood defence project for the village.

Researchers say the report is significant because previous climate models have not been able to work out the effect on extreme hourly rainfall in the warmer months.

To improve the resolution of their model, researchers in this latest experiment used smaller grid spacings than normal, providing it with more detailed research.

The report adds that previous interpretations of future regional climate change scenarios should be revisited, as changes in these types of rain events could have been underestimated.

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Spain's King Juan Carlos Abdicates For His Son

Spain's King Juan Carlos is abdicating to allow his son Prince Felipe to take over, the country's Prime Minister has announced.

Mariano Rajoy addressed the nation to say that there would be an amendment to the constitution to allow the Crown Prince to take over.

The 76-year-old king oversaw his country's transition from dictatorship to democracy but in recent years has had repeated health problems.

In the last few years the monarchy has been beset by scandals, which included a furore over an elephant hunting trip Juan Carlos took during the financial crisis.

In the last few months, his daughter the Infanta Cristina has appeared in court to face questions over an financial allegations which have engulfed her husband.

The king came to power in 1975, two days after the death of the dictator Francisco Franco, who won a bloody civil war in the late 1930s.

Mr Rajoy said: "His majesty, King Juan Carlos, has just communicated to me his will to give up the throne. I'm convinced this is the best moment for change."

Crown Prince Felipe (right) will take over from his father

His move comes a year after a similar one by the Dutch former Queen Beatrix, who stood aside to allow her son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander to take the throne.

That abdication prompted speculation that the British Queen Elizabeth II may do something similar.

Mr Rajoy said that Juan Carlos, who has had a number of hip operations in recent years, is stepping down for personal reasons.

The date that the abdication will take place has yet to be announced. Queen Beatrix's handover came about three months after the announcement was made.

More follows...

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Madeleine Cops Seal Off Praia Da Luz Scrubland

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 12:46pm UK, Tuesday 06 May 2014

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: February 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: February 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: February 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

:: October 17 - Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann meet officers in Lisbon to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

:: October 23 - Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defends the way the Portuguese dealt with the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, saying it would have been "very difficult" to immediately know if they were dealing with a serious crime.

:: October 24 - Detectives in Portugal reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance after an internal review uncovers new lines of inquiry and witnesses who were never questioned during the original Portuguese investigation.

2014

:: January 3 - A family source says Kate and Gerry McCann have been denied permission to give evidence at a Portuguese libel trial over a book about the case by former local police chief Goncalo Amaral.

:: January 13 - British police investigate three burglars who were in the area when Madeleine disappeared, and whose phones were apparently "red hot" after she went missing. A letter is sent to Portuguese police asking for help to track them down.

:: January 29 - Scotland Yard officers, including the detective leading the case, fly to Portugal to meet police there and discuss the latest developments.

:: March 19 - Officers from Operation Grange launch a search for a man who sexually assaulted five British girls in the Algarve between 2004 and 2006.

:: April 23 - Detectives identify five new cases where a lone intruder abused young British girls in holiday apartments in the Algarve.

:: May 1 - Kate and Gerry McCann give an interview to Sky News where they are desperate to find out what happened to Madeleine, even if it is the "worst case scenario" as they back calls for a Child Rescue Alert service similar to the Amber Alert system in the US.

:: May 6 - Scotland Yard plans to dig for evidence in three locations in Praia da Luz are approved, with officers set to use ground penetrating radar.

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Ex-Fifa Official Accused Over $5m Qatar Bribe

A former senior Fifa official allegedly paid $5m (£2.98m) in bribes to secure support for Qatar's successful 2022 World Cup bid.

The Sunday Times has claimed Mohamed Bin Hammam, an ex-Fifa executive member for Qatar, made "dozens" of payments to top football bosses.

Mr Bin Hammam used 10 slush funds to pay cash to football officials in order to create a "groundswell" of support for Qatar's campaign, the paper claimed.

He also allegedly hosted lavish junkets for African officials at which he handed out almost $400,000 in cash.

It is also alleged he paid $1.6m (£950,000) into bank accounts controlled by Jack Warner, the former vice-president of Fifa, some $450,000 (£268,000) of which was paid before the vote for the World Cup.

People celebrate after Qatar's successful bid was announced in 2010

The allegations were made after the newspaper obtained millions of emails and other documents related to the payments.

The newspaper said Mr Bin Hammam declined to respond when asked about the claims.

Members of Qatar's bid committee have also denied any links with the former Fifa official.

John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport committee, told Sky News if the claims are proved to be true, Fifa president Sepp Blatter should resign.

"These are obviously very serious allegations and they need to be investigated very quickly.

"The failure of Sepp Blatter over the past two years really to take this seriously ... does put his position into question.

An artist's impression of Qatar's planned Al-Shamal stadium

"If these allegations are shown to be correct, then the contest of the 2022 host country does need to be looked at again."

Sports Minister Helen Grant added: "These appear to be very serious allegations.

"It is essential that major sporting events are awarded in an open, fair and transparent manner."

Mr Bin Hammam is a controversial figure in world football. He was banned for life from football administration by Fifa's ethics committee shortly after a failed campaign for the presidency in 2011.

In 2010, he was among the 22 people who decided to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

The decision provoked widespread condemnation, and concerns about the safety of players, who will be forced to play in the nation's extreme heat.

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Scotland Rally Crashes: Three Spectators Killed

Three spectators have been killed and six others injured after two separate crashes during the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland.

Race organisers only abandoned the event following the second crash, which took place at Little Swinton, near Coldstream, raising questions over safety.

Police say one woman and two men died when a car came off the road and struck four spectators.

Emergency crews pronounced the three spectators dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred around 4pm on Saturday.

Sky sources understand two of the three people killed were from the same family, while the third was a photographer.

The sources added that the car was going over a hump at speed before it lost control.

The fourth spectator, a man, was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmity in a critical condition.

Police attend the crash scene in the Scottish Borders

Two hours earlier another rally car left the road near Crosshall Farm, striking five people.

Three men were initially taken to Borders General Hospital, however one was later transferred to an intensive care unit in Edinburgh.

The remaining two spectators were treated for minor injuries.

Police say the two drivers involved in the crashes were unhurt.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has expressed his condolences following the two accidents.

"This is desperately sad and difficult news from the Borders of the tragic circumstances that have occurred at the Jim Clark Rally," he said.

Alex Salmond: "This is desperately sad and difficult news"

"The police have confirmed three fatalities and my thoughts are with all of those involved and the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives.

"The government is in contact with Police Scotland and we await the outcome of their inquiries. The Jim Clark Rally is a long-standing event of over 40 years.

"It is much loved in the Borders and by the rally driving community who I know will share in our sadness at what is a black day for the Borders and for Scotland."

Spectator Tommy Tait was watching the race close to the location of one of the crashes.

He wrote on Facebook: "We must be like cats have nine lives never have we been so close to getting wiped out by a rally car our thoughts go out to the 4 who got hit (sic)."

The Jim Clark Rally takes place over three days on closed roads in the Duns and Kelso areas.

The rally course is described on the event's website as having "a reputation for being fast with big jumps, ditches and hedges".

The event is named after Scottish Formula One driver Jim Clark, who was raised in the area. Clark died in a motor racing accident in Hockenheim, Germany, in 1968.

The organisers of the race said in a statement: "The organisers of the Jim Clark Rally would like to extend their heartfelt condolences and sympathy to all of the families and their friends who have been affected by today's (Saturday's) tragic events.

"Our thoughts are especially with those who have lost family members and to the families of the injured spectators.

"All members of the organising team are in shock and are cooperating fully with Police Scotland to establish the facts."

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Jewish Museum Shooting Suspect Arrested

Police investigating a shooting at a Jewish museum in Belgium that left four people dead have arrested a man.

Mehdi Nemmouche, a Frenchman with suspected ties to Islamic radicals in Syria, was detained in Marseille in southern France, investigation sources told the AFP news agency.

The 29-year-old, who is being held on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, was allegedly found with a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgun.

Two women and a man were killed in the shooting in Brussels on May 24, which French President Francois Hollande said was clearly of "anti-Semitic character".

A fourth person who was injured in the attack died later in hospital.

The victims, who were shot in the face and neck, included two Israeli tourists who were visiting Brussels from Tel Aviv.

Following the attack, Belgian police released CCTV footage of a suspect dressed in sunglasses and a cap, who walked into the museum carrying two bags.

He can be seen removing an automatic rifle and shooting through a door before walking away.

Security around all Jewish institutions in Belgium was raised to the highest possible level in the aftermath of the shooting.

The country is home to about 42,000 Jews, half of whom live in Brussels.

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