Horsemeat In Burgers: Tesco Removes Product

Tesco, along with a number of other supermarkets, has removed certain brands of frozen beefburgers from its shelves in the UK and Ireland after they were found to contain horsemeat.

A study examining the authenticity of a number of beefburger, beef meal and salami products available from retail outlets in Ireland found horsemeat accounted for approximately 29% of the content in one sample of Tesco Everyday Value Beef Burgers.

Tests on beef products sold in Lidl, Aldi, Iceland and Dunnes Stores uncovered low levels of horse DNA.

Authorities have said there is no threat to public health, but the issue is one of consumer confidence and shoppers being able to trust that what they are eating is what was stated on the label.

Tim Smith, group technical director at Tesco, said: "We immediately withdrew from sale all products from the supplier in question.

"We are working with the authorities in Ireland and the UK, and with the supplier concerned, to urgently understand how this has happened and how to ensure it does not happen again.

"We will not take any products from this site until the conclusion and satisfactory resolution of an investigation.

"We understand that many of our customers will be concerned by this news, and we apologise sincerely for any distress."

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) tested for the presence of horse and pig DNA.

Tesco was among the supermarkets found to have sold the affected burgers

A total of 27 beefburger products were analysed, with 10 (37%) testing positive for horse DNA and 23 (85%) testing positive for pig DNA.

Some 31 beef meal products including cottage pie, beef curry pie and lasagne were also analysed. Twenty-one were found to have pig DNA, while all were negative for horse DNA.

All 19 salami products analysed tested negative for horse DNA, but traces were detected in batches of raw ingredients including some imported from The Netherlands and Spain.

The beefburger products which tested positive for horse DNA were produced by two processing plants in Ireland, Liffey Meats and Silvercrest Foods, and one in the UK, Dalepak Hambleton.

They were on sale in Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Lidl, Aldi and Iceland. In nine of the 10 beefburger samples from these retailers, horse DNA was found at low levels.

The tests found horse DNA in the following products: Tesco Everyday Value Beef Burgers 29.1%, Tesco Beef Quarter Pounders 0.1%, Oakhurst Beef Burgers in Aldi 0.3%, Moordale Quarter Pounders in Lidl 0.1%, Flamehouse Chargrilled Quarter Pounders in Dunnes Stores 0.1%, and two varieties of Iceland Quarter Pounders 0.1%.

Even lower levels were recorded in Moordale Beef Burgers in Lidl and St Bernard Beef Burgers in Dunnes Stores.

Sky's Health and Science Correspondent Thomas Moore said: "These days, meat is traded around Europe. There is a suggestion that this horse meat didn't actually come from Britain or Ireland and it may well have been imported from Spain or Holland.

"In some parts of the continent, horse meat is eaten and is perfectly normal."

The FSAI said it was working with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, as well as the processing plants and retailers involved.

It said the retailers had pledged to remove all implicated batches from their shelves immediately. In addition, Silvercrest Foods was withdrawing all products from sale and replacing them with new ones.

Aldi said it was conducting its own investigation. "We have sought information from one supplier, Silvercrest, which is dealing directly with the FSAI on the issue that has been raised," it said.

Lidl said it had taken the decision to remove all implicated products from sale pending a full investigation.

"A refund will be provided to customers who wish to return affected products," a spokesman said.

Professor Alan Reilly, the chief executive of the FSAI, said although consumers need not worry, the findings did raise a number of concerns.

He said: "The products we have identified as containing horse DNA and/or pig DNA do not pose any food safety risk and consumers should not be worried. Consumers who have purchased any of the implicated products can return them to their retailer.

"Whilst there is a plausible explanation for the presence of pig DNA in these products due to the fact that meat from different animals is processed in the same meat plants, there is no clear explanation at this time for the presence of horse DNA in products emanating from meat plants that do not use horse meat in their production process.

"In Ireland, it is not in our culture to eat horse meat, and therefore we do not expect to find it in a burger. Likewise, for some religious groups or people who abstain from eating pig meat, the presence of traces of pig DNA is unacceptable."

:: The FSAI operates an advice line on 1890 33 66 77 from 9am-5pm.

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HMV Collapse: Early Interest In Retailer

The administrator for collapsed HMV has already had "very positive" expressions of interest in the entertainment retailer.

Deloitte, which was formally appointed on Tuesday evening, told Sky News a few parties had made contact in the wake of the chain's demise.

While all 223 UK stores are still trading, the administrator confirmed its review of the business was continuing and there was no prospect of the company's decision to stop accepting gift cards or vouchers being overturned.

However the "blue cross sale", which began last weekend, would remain in place.

In its initial statement last night confirming it was now running HMV, Deloitte said it was actively seeking a buyer.

Joint administrator Nick Edwards said: "HMV is an iconic retailer and continues to be a very popular brand, but as we have seen with many high street retailers, the market is changing rapidly and conditions are currently very tough.

HMV's 'blue cross sale' will continue in stores across the UK

"Following our appointment, we are working closely with management and staff to stabilise the business in order to continue trading whilst actively seeking a purchaser for the business and assets.

"We appreciate the cooperation and support from the staff, customers, suppliers and landlords at what is clearly a difficult time."

HMV employs 4,123 staff and analysts say it is inevitable that some will lose jobs, even if the chain is bought out.

The retailer had long been criticised for an over-exposure to the high street and its late move into online trading. The consumer spending squeeze only exacerbated the shift in shopping habits and it missed the terms of its bank loans as a result.

Nevertheless Trevor Moore, the group's chief executive, told Sky News on Tuesday afternoon that he was "absolutely confident" about the future of HMV but added: "It does require a number of significant changes in the business, and those changes we're very clear about."

He said: "We would hope to find a prospective buyer that could work with us to enable me to deliver those changes and ensure that HMV - which is one of the consumer's 10 most favourite stores in the UK, remains on the high streets that we operate in."

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Smartphones Could Become UK's New Credit Cards

Most Britons will be able to pay for items using their mobile phone next year.

Banks and financial institutions representing 90% of current accounts have agreed to launch the UK's first industry-wide mobile payment service in spring 2014.

Using a process similar to texting, people will be able to sign up to send and receive payments using their own number.

It will be done without the need to disclose their bank account details.

The Payments Council, the industry body that is leading the project, said using mobiles to buy goods and services, as well as send money to friends and family, would become a mainstream option due to the popularity of the plan among banks.

Shopaholics will soon be able to leave their cash and cards at home

Eight financial institutions have already committed themselves to offering the service, and discussions are under way for others to join.

The council pointed out that while there are existing ways to pay using a mobile, the project is the first to have the potential to link every bank account in the country with a mobile number.

Chief executive Adrian Kamellard said: "This new service will offer a simple, secure way to split a bill for dinner, receive money from a friend or pay a tradesman without needing to remember or share account details."

Before the service launches, the financial institutions involved will invite customers to register via their online banking service, mobile app or other approved method.

The Payments Council said more details about the industry-wide registration process and the precise launch date would be announced later.

More than 5,000 consumers took part in Payments Council research, which revealed the service is likely to prove most popular with smartphone users, who accounted for 67% of those surveyed.

One in three smartphone users said they were either "definitely" or "extremely likely" to sign up to the new service when it launches.

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Helicopter Crash: Witnesses Talk Of Shock

Witnesses have described their shock at seeing a helicopter crash in central London after it hit a crane on top of a tower block by the River Thames.

The street was shut down within minutes of the crash

Michael Krumstets and his flatmate were walking to work when "out of the blue, this happened".

He told Sky News: "We saw the helicopter hitting the crane at the top of the building and there was a loud crack, and then the helicopter started spinning out of control and incredibly towards us ... I mean directly towards us.

"We ran to the side of the road and it then crashed into the road just feet away from us and my flatmate fell over and I had to grab him but it was just awful.

"You see a helicopter hurtling out the sky towards you ... it's the last thing you expect on your way to work. And then it exploded.

"You see things like this in films ... of helicopters or planes crashing but when it's actually happening to you, it's coming towards you ... we were so lucky, we were just so lucky.

"We ran to the side of the road and we just managed to get away ... and then it hit the building on the side of the road and then it exploded ... by that point we were just shaken, you couldn't move ... what could you do?"

The crane that the helicopter hit

Commuter Patrick Garland also saw the accident unfold and told Sky News: "I was riding my bike in to work and was about 40 metres from the construction site when I heard a huge collision and a lot of shouting from workers on the site.

"I looked up and saw the helicopter having just crashed into the crane. Debris and rotors had sprayed everywhere and the helicopter had gone into large cyclical loops across Nine Elms and into the flower market.

"I watched what seemed almost like slow motion as it descended into the ground. There was not a large bang when it landed more of just thud and it simultaneously burst into flames.

"A huge plume of acrid black smoke rose and you could see the orange glow of the actual flames. The crane arm came crashing onto the road and there was debris falling everywhere.

"Myself and another cyclist scrambled for a bus shelter to avoid the falling debris. There was metal work (crane tubing and cabling and other building materials) raining down.

A plume of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky

"We sheltered in the bus stop and there were workers running everywhere trying to stop traffic and congregate themselves near the building offices all very chaotic.

"It was a surreal experience and the whole scene just post crash was a scene of chaos and people seeming to not really believe what had just occurred."

Earlier, Sarah-Beth Casey, who lives in an apartment near the scene in Vauxhall, told Sky News: "I have three small children with me in the flat. It's one of your fears that something like this can happen.

"When I heard the explosion it was like a little earthquake. It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower."

Matt Haverson was doing construction work on railway arches close to the crash site.

Wandsworth Road is one of the busiest routes into central London

He said: "It was extremely scary ... I obviously thought it was a terrorist attack." Police have said there is nothing to suggest terrorists were involved.

Commuter Sherna Noah described seeing a "large plume of dark grey smoke" as she crossed Battersea Bridge at around 8am.

She said: "I was coming across the bridge and basically I could see a few cyclists on the bridge looking towards the water. I looked over to see what they were looking at and could see a pall of grey smoke coming from the south side.

"You could see a large plume of dark grey smoke."

People took to Twitter to report gridlocked traffic in the area, with emergency services struggling to get through

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Divorce Battle: Husband Jailed Over Cash Row

A property dealer has been given a six-month jail term after a High Court judge ruled he was in contempt of court.

Scot Young is embroiled in a divorce cash fight with his estranged wife Michelle over missing finances.

Lawyers representing Michelle Young, 48, had argued that her husband, 51, had given the High Court the "run around" after being told to provide details of his finances and should be sent to prison. 

Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Mrs Young, had told the court that Young had been worth £400m in 2006 but had given  "absolutely no explanation" about where that money had gone.

And he said Young pleaded poverty but seemed to be living a lifestyle "consistent with considerable wealth".

Mr Fitzgerald added: "He is going from party to party with champagne glass in his hand and his current girlfriend, some supermodel or other, on his arm."

Young, who represented himself at a High Court hearing in London on Tuesday, said Mrs Young was trying to commit him to prison out of "malice".

He said he had "done everything in my power" and asked judge Mr Justice Moor to give him more time to answer questions about his finances.

Mr Young told the court that he recently been "detained" in hospital under mental health legislation and had been unable to secure the services of a barrister.

He said he had been harassed by "eight private detectives" instructed by Mrs Young and "made unwell". He suggested that he was under greater surveillance than a terrorist.

Young asked for another 28 days to comply with orders.

But the judge said Young was in contempt. "He has not complied," said Mr Justice Moor. "There has been a flagrant and deliberate contempt over a very long period of time."

And he said neither a fine nor a suspended sentence would be a sufficient penalty.

Wednesday's hearing was the latest stage in a lengthy cash battle between the pair.

The Youngs, who both live in London and have two daughters, separated in 2006.

A judge two years ago ordered Young to pay Mrs Young £27,500-a-month maintenance.

Young - who has been described at earlier court hearings as a "property tycoon" - says he is bankrupt and cannot pay. Mrs Young says he has "secreted enormous assets".

The pair's claims are due to be fully argued at a trial scheduled to begin later this year.

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Helicopter Crash In London: Live Updates

9:50am

Eyewitness Mark Louis-Sidney: "I heard a loud bang, looked up and I just saw bits of propeller and parts of the aircraft falling off it, and it just plummeted straight down and a huge plume of lack smoke went up. I got on the phone straight away and got the emergency services. It happened in a matter of seconds, it was like it was in the sky and then within half a second it was on the ground. I thought, wait a minute, has this thing been shot out the sky or what?"

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British Soldier Dies From Afghanistan Injuries

A British soldier has died from injuries received while serving in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has announced.

Sky sources understand the soldier, who has not yet been named, was taking part in a joint patrol in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand Province when he was seriously wounded in an insurgent attack on Monday.

He was flown back to the UK for treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, but medics were unable to save him.

Spokesman for Task Force Helmand, Major Chris Boryer, said: "It is my solemn duty to report the death of a soldier from 1st Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment who has died as a result of wounds sustained whilst on duty in the Lashkar Gah district of Helmand Province.

"The thoughts and prayers of everyone serving in Task Force Helmand are with his family and friends at this extremely difficult time."

The Ministry of Defence said the serviceman's next of kin have been informed.

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Helicopter Crash In Vauxhall: Pilot Named

The helicopter pilot who was killed when his helicopter crashed in central London has been named as Pete Barnes.

The helicopter hit a crane on St George Wharf Tower, in Vauxhall, amid heavy fog.

It cartwheeled out of the sky, smashed into two cars as it hit the ground and exploded into flames.

Mr Barnes - the only one aboard the helicopter - and a person on the ground were killed, the Metropolitan Police said.

Pete Barnes has been described as an experienced pilot

Mr Barnes, a 50-year-old from the Reading area, had worked for the RotorMotion helicopter charter business for 15 years and had flown aircraft during production of films such as Die Another Day and Saving Private Ryan.

"He was a very highly skilled pilot, one of the most experienced in the UK, with over 12,000 flying hours," the company said in a statement.

It added it was "devastated by the loss of a highly valued colleague and very dear friend".

Twelve people were injured. Five are in hospital, including one with a broken leg, and seven were treated at the scene.

The Agusta 109 helicopter that crashed in central London

One man was rescued from a burning car.

Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road, as cars caught fire and people screamed and ran seeking shelter from the flying debris, witnesses have said.

Two office buildings, five cars and two motorbikes were damaged.

Flames raged and a huge column of black smoke billowed from the crash site just off Wandsworth Road near South Lambeth Road.

Firefighters say the crane is now in a "precarious" position, but rule out any "imminent risk" of a collapse.

They have urged people to stay away from the area while specialists assess the damage sustained by the crane.

Rescue crews searched the River Thames following reports that somebody had been seen in the water after the crash.

Emergency services say the Agusta 109 helicopter was on a scheduled commercial flight from Surrey to Elstree, but was diverted to Battersea due to bad weather.

London City Airport in Docklands had delays earlier in the day due to poor visibility.

Some cars caught fire and one man was rescued from a burning vehicle

Shortly after the crash at around 8am, firefighters, police and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Michael Krumstets, who lives in the area, said he had seen the helicopter hit the crane and the aircraft fall "directly towards us".

"We ran from the side of the road and it hit the road just besides us … and then it exploded," Mr Krumstets said.

Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the incident. She told Sky News: "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that.

"When I heard the explosion - it was like a little earthquake. It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower."

The tower is a 185-metre (200-yard) high cylindrical block overlooking the Thames and the Houses of Parliament.

St George Wharf Tower this morning

Bruce Grain, a station manager for London Fire Brigade and among the first to arrive at the scene, said the driver of one of the cars that had been hit managed to get out, while the driver of the other vehicle could not be immediately located.

"Large parts of the helicopter are in the road," Mr Grain told Sky News. "There is debris over surrounding buildings … three buildings."

He said firefighters had extinguished the fire.

David Cameron said rules for helicopter flights over central London would need to be carefully looked at following the accident.

The Prime Minister was "very saddened to learn of the fatalities and injuries" in the crash, his spokesman said.

Aviation expert Chris Yates told Sky News that any tall structure must have a warning light on top to alert pilots. The question is, he said, whether there was a warning light on the crane and whether the pilot would have been able to see it in the foggy conditions.

RotorMotion says on its website that its helicopters "are fully instrument qualified to fly in poor weather conditions".

The company, whose website features pictures of famous passengers including the Dalai Lama, offered its "full support and assistance" to authorities investigating the crash.

The crash, which happened close to a railway line during rush hour, disrupted transport across central London.

Roads were cordoned off and train services were briefly suspended but are now running in and out of Waterloo station, while the Vauxhall tube station was closed but has now reopened.

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Europe: Tory MPs Demand Return Of Powers

Tory MPs have demanded that David Cameron seizes back powers from Brussels, warning "the status quo is no longer an option".

A report called Manifesto for Change backed by Foreign Secretary William Hague calls for a "new and different relationship" with the European Union.

The Fresh Start group, which is said to have wide support in the party, argues that the Government "should not settle for anything less" than the complete repatriation of powers.

Mr Hague, one of the most senior Tories at the Cabinet table, has called the document "well-researched and well-considered" and suggested some of it could become party policy.

It piles more pressure on the Prime Minister ahead of his key speech on Britain and the EU this Friday, where he is expected to set out how he plans to renegotiate the relationship.

Mr Cameron met with Tory Cabinet ministers to brief them on details of the long-awaited address, which has been moved forward.

At PMQs, he refused to confirm he was giving ministers the green light to campaign for a British exit from the EU if he retains power and tables a referendum in the next parliament.

William Hague has backed the manifesto

Downing Street appears confident that the public will vote to stay in the union if powers in a swathe of policy areas are returned to Britain.

But it is claimed the commitment to a referendum will only apply if the Tories win the next election outright and would not hold if another coalition was necessary.

Fresh Start, founded by George Eustice, Andrea Leadsom and Chris Heaton-Harris, will use the intense focus on Europe to launch its manifesto this morning.

It will demand the repatriation of key powers considered vital if the UK is to retain "national democratic accountability".

Proposals are set to include:

:: The repatriation of all social and employment law, such as the Working Time Directive;

:: An opt-out from all existing policing and criminal justice measures;

:: An "emergency brake" on any new legislation affecting financial services;

:: Stopping the European Parliament moving between Brussels and Strasbourg.

Other non-treaty changes that could save billions a year are identified, according to the Daily Telegraph, including reforming the EU budget for agricultural and fishing policy.

Mr Hague, who is carrying out an audit across Whitehall of all EU powers, wrote in the foreword: "It is a well-researched and well-considered document full of powerful ideas for Britain's future in Europe and, indeed, for Europe's future.

"Many of the proposals are already Government policy, some could well become future Government or Conservative Party policy and some may require further thought."

Mr Eustice, a former press secretary to Mr Cameron, said: "Although it would be a mistake for the Prime Minister to set out a detailed shopping list this far in advance of any negotiations, these proposals are intended to stimulate debate, to highlight those areas where change is required and also to help inform the Government's ongoing balance of competences review."

Mr Cameron's official spokesman described the report as a "very interesting contribution" to the current debate about Britain's position in Europe.

In his speech on Friday, Mr Cameron is expected to announce plans for a referendum on a new settlement with Brussels after the 2015 general election.

But he has already rejected calls for a straight immediate in/out referendum on British membership, which he said would present voters with a "false choice".

At PMQs, Ed Miliband claimed the speech would only spark Tory infighting and that promising a referendum in five years would leave a "closed for business" sign hanging over Britain.

"The problem is this: he thinks his problems on Europe will end on Friday. They are just beginning," the Labour leader said.

But Mr Cameron insisted the UK had to react to changes in Europe driven by the eurozone crisis and focus on the national interest.

"What is in Britain's interest is to seek a fresh settlement in Europe that is more flexible, more competitive. That is in our interest, that is what we will seek," he told MPs.

He repeated his belief that Britain was better off in the EU but said he wanted it to be better-organised so that it has "the full-hearted consent of the British people".

And he accused Labour of not wanting to give the British people a say, declaring that voters would therefore have a simple choice in 2015.

"If you want to take power back for Britain you vote Conservative, if you want to give power to Brussels you vote Labour," he said.

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Blockbuster Collapses: 4,200 Jobs At Risk

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The crisis on Britain's high streets is continuing after Blockbuster UK, the DVD rental chain, called in administrators in a move which puts more than 4,000 jobs at risk.

Blockbuster UK has appointed the accountancy firm Deloitte to handle an insolvency process less than 48 hours after it was also hired to oversee the administration of HMV, the entertainment retailer.

The move was confirmed following a report by Sky News.

The spate of administrations threatens to make this one of the grimmest periods in the history of the high street as retailers face up to the prospect that they can no longer compete with digital competitors.

Blockbuster has been especially hurt by the growth of online film rental companies such as Lovefilm. A plan for Blockbuster to offer its own version of a film-streaming service appeared to stall in recent months.

Blockbuster UK, which is headquartered in Uxbridge, employs almost 4,200 staff and operates from 528 stores.

Blockbuster stores rent out DVDs and games, and offer an exchange service

Its parent company, Blockbuster LLC in the US, is owned by The Dish Network, a US telecoms and media group which is headed by Charlie Ergen, a billionaire businessman.

Lee Manning, a partner at Deloitte, said: "In recent years Blockbuster has faced increased competition from internet-based providers along with the shift to digital streaming of movies and games.

"We are working closely with suppliers and employees to ensure the business has the best possible platform to secure a sale, preserve jobs and generate as much value as possible for all creditors.

"The core of the business is still profitable and we will continue to trade as normal in both retail and rental whilst we seek a buyer for all or parts of the business as a going concern.

"During this time gift cards and credit acquired through Blockbuster's trade-in scheme will be honoured towards the purchase of goods."

A spokesman for the administrator said the company's pension scheme was fully-funded and that gift-cards would be honoured at Blockbuster stores.

The recent flurry of retail collapses threatens to remove some of the famous names on British high streets.

If buyers cannot be found for HMV and Blockbuster, they will join the likes of Jessops, JJB Sports, Clintons Cards and Comet, which have all been forced to call in administrators.

The fact that the collapses of Blockbuster, HMV and Jessops have happened within just a few days of each other - with the potential combined loss of more than 10,000 jobs - also threatens to escalate the crisis into a broader political issue.

More follows...

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