Driver Spends 14 Hours Upside Down In Ditch

A driver has been rescued after spending almost 14 hours trapped upside down in a ditch in his car.

The 44-year-old is believed to have been returning from work in the early hours of the morning when he plunged 20ft (6m) into the water-filled ditch alongside the A2070 in Kent.

He escaped drowning by climbing into an air pocket towards the boot of his MG Z4 but could not free himself from the wreckage.

He was eventually spotted by a passing lorry driver who saw the car's wheels and raised the alarm.

"The car was almost submerged in 4ft (1.2m) of water," said Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) watch manager Allan Brown.

"Firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to release the hatchback door so they could check if there was anyone inside.

Firefighters had to winch the car clear of the water-filled ditch

"In order to release him, crews winched the car partially up the bank so it was far enough out of the water to safely remove him."

The driver, named locally as Mark Beckford, of New Romney, was treated at the scene by paramedics.

He was taken by ambulance to the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford where his condition was described as stable.

Rob Sherwood, of KFRS, described the rescue as "very unusual" and praised firefighters who climbed into the ditch to reach the stranded motorist.

"I'd (also) like to praise the lorry driver for spotting the car and calling 999," he said.

"If he hadn't stopped for a look then the man would have been in there even longer and it might have been a different outcome."

:: Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the serious collision investigation unit at Kent Police on 01622 798538.

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Whipps Cross Hospital 'Unsafe And Uncaring'

An NHS trust has been issued with three formal warnings after inspectors found "unsafe" conditions including filthy maternity wards and water placed out of the reach of elderly patients.

Barts Health NHS Trust "failed to protect the safety and welfare of patients" at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

The trust must now make "urgent improvements", following unannounced inspections in May and June.

The hospital was failing to meet 10 of the 16 national standards for quality and safety, inspectors found.

On maternity wards, "serious shortfalls" were noted, such as blood-stained equipment, filthy curtains, staff not cleaning their hands and midwives failing to carry out proper checks on newborns.

Resuscitation equipment for babies did not have an oxygen supply and was not checked regularly, while some equipment was not sterile, inspectors found.

"We saw examples of poor care, unacceptable staff behaviour and poor infection control in maternity services," inspectors said in their report.

"In surgery, theatre processes and communication arrangements put people's safety at risk."

During just one visit, inspectors identified "serious shortfalls" in eight out of the 16 essential standards hospitals are required to meet by law.

Staff on postnatal wards were found to be "uncaring".

The report said: "We saw a woman in a blood-stained gown and bed. About 10 minutes later we saw the same woman crying in the corridor.

"The midwife on duty asked the woman 'Why are you crying?' The woman replied 'I am in pain'. 'Pain!' the midwife repeated in a sarcastic manner.

"The midwife got some medication and handed her a white pot which contained tablets without telling the woman what the tablets were.

"We observed the same midwife bringing the wrong formula milk (as it was different to what the woman had previously been feeding her baby). When asked by the woman, the midwife did not accept she had brought the wrong milk and did not offer the woman the correct alternative."

On the labour wards, the theatre sluice pipe had previously leaked onto the floor.

"We saw visible dried stains on that sluice pipe and floor," inspectors said.

Inspectors also found shortages of staff on elderly care wards, including a lack of qualified nurses.

Barts Health NHS Trust chief executive Peter Morris said: "Barts Health is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of every one of our patients and we are extremely sorry for the failings in some of our services at Whipps Cross Hospital.

"We have taken immediate action to rectify the failures to ensure we meet standards across the hospital at all times."

Barts Health NHS Trust is already under scrutiny by chief inspector of hospitals Professor Sir Mike Richards.

It is one of 18 trusts being examined due to potential risks to patients, and is one of five on the list, announced in July, that is considered to be "high risk".

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) London regional director Bernell Bussue said: "It's deeply concerning to see these failures in relation to basic standards of infection control, hygiene, waiting times and providing adequate food and drink."

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Cat DNA Database Helps Convict Killer

A database of cat DNA has been set up and has already helped convict a killer.

It was used to show the likelihood that cat hairs found on the dismembered torso of Hampshire man David Guy belonged to Tinker, a cat owned by main suspect David Hilder.

DNA for 152 cats has been collected by University of Leicester scientists, who now hope to publish it so it can be used in future investigations.

Dr Jon Wetton, who led the project, said: "This is the first time cat DNA has been used in a criminal trial in the UK.

"This could be a real boon for forensic science, as the 10 million cats in the UK are unwittingly tagging the clothes and furnishings in more than a quarter of households."

In July last year, eight car hairs were found on the torso of Mr Guy, who was found on a Southsea beach wrapped in a curtain.

California scientists analysed the hairs and found the mitochondrial DNA matched the suspect's cat.

The DNA type was unique among 493 randomly sampled US cats.

Doctor Wetton, working with Hampshire Police, set out to discover if it was equally rare in the UK - and, more specifically, in the area of the crime.

He looked at 23 cats from Southsea and another 129 from the rest of the country and found only three matches, confirming that the DNA type was indeed rare.

That evidence helped the prosecution get a successful conviction for manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court in July.

The samples collected form the new cat DNA database, which scientists hope can be built up over time.

Dr Wetton said: "Within each cat hair are two types of DNA, individual-specific 'nuclear DNA' detectable in the roots of some larger hairs, and 'mitochondrial DNA' which is shared by all maternally-related individuals and can be found even in the finest hair shafts.

"Animal DNA offers a way of linking people to places and items through the transfer of their pet's hairs."

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Lee Rigby Terror Videos: Woman In Court

A 21-year-old woman has appeared in court on terror charges for allegedly distributing video clips about the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby.

Rebekah Dawson, from Hackney, east London, appeared briefly at Westminster Magistrates Court.

It is alleged she made two video recordings on May 22, the day of Lee Rigby's murder in Woolwich, and distributed them "with the intention of encouraging others in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism".

She is also accused of encouraging terrorism by publishing a statement entitled "Muslim laughs at British Soldier killing".

Dawson is jointly charged along with Royal Barnes, 22, who appeared at the same court on Monday to face terror charges linked to the footage.

The pair are due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Drummer Rigby, 25, was hacked to death in broad daylight near Woolwich barracks in southeast London on May 22.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale have been charged with his murder and are due to stand trial on November 18.

Drummer Rigby served in Afghanistan as a machine gunner and was attached to the regimental recruiting team when he was killed.

His murder sparked nationwide shock and revulsion and led to an outpouring of support for his family from the public.

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Jobs: Claimant Count Hits Four-Year Low

The number of people claiming unemployment benefit dropped by almost double the forecast figure last month to a four year low.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Jobseeker's Allowance claims tumbled - for the ninth consecutive month - by 29,200 in July as the labour market strengthened

There was also a favourable revision to June's number which was revised to 29,400 - the largest monthly drop since May 2010.

While the total number of people unemployed fell by 4,000 between April and June to 2.51 million, unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds increased by 15,000 to reach 973,000, while the number of people out of work for more than two years rose by 10,000 to 474,000, the highest since 1997.

The number of people in work increased by 69,000 in the quarter to 29.78 million, the highest since records began in 1971 but the ONS said the unemployment rate held steady at 7.8%.

That statistic is now closely watched after the Bank of England's new governor Mark Carney confirmed the monetary policy committee (MPC) did not envisage raising the base rate of interest until the jobless rate dropped to 7%.

It emerged today, in minutes from the bank's last MPC meeting that one member, Martin Weale, voted against the new policy of giving forward guidance on the possible movement of interest rates.

The ONS data provided better news for household incomes as average weekly earnings growth, including bonuses, accelerated to 2.1% in the period, compared with a year earlier.

The body said it represented the fastest growth since late 2011 though it still lagged way behind inflation - standing at 2.8% in July according to figures released on Tuesday.

Giving his reaction to the job statistics Employment Minister Mark Hoban said: "With 29,000 fewer people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance compared to this time last month, and more people in work than ever before, today's figures paint a positive picture of the UK labour market.

"There are now more jobs available than at any time since the end of 2008, and more hours being worked than ever before - which shows that there are opportunities out there for people who want to work and get on in life."

But Dave Prentis, general secretary of the Unison union, was less upbeat.

He said: "Today's small drop in unemployment rates masks the damaging growth of under-employment plaguing the country and stifling economic recovery.

"A toxic combination of part-time, minimum wage, zero-hours working is spreading across the country, as decently paid, full-time opportunities become increasingly rare.

"We know that just a few months ago there were, on average, almost four people chasing every vacant job in England, Scotland and Wales. For young people desperate to get their first job, these are desperate times. Getting the work experience they need to get a start in life is hard to find."

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Ed Miliband Is Egged On Campaign Visit

Ed Miliband has been pelted with eggs on his first public appearance in weeks as he attempted to reboot the Labour party.

The Labour leader was campaigning in London when a volley of eggs was thrown at his back.

At least one hit the politician on the head and jacket as he visited East Street market in Walworth, south London.

The egg thrower, who gave his name as Dean Porter, said it was an "opportunistic moment" as he was led away by security.

"They should stop giving favouritism to the banks. They do nothing. The Government do nothing. The shadow government do nothing," he said.

"I don't believe him at all. If you are poor, you are considered a burden. All they care about is the banks."

Dean Porter gloated about throwing the eggs on Twitter

An aide hurriedly removed Mr Miliband's jacket and he continued his tour, chatting to shoppers and stallholders apparently unperturbed.

"This is not the first time it's happened to me, I'm sure it's not the last," he said. "I'm always looking for new ways to connect with the voters."

Mr Porter had earlier written on Twitter: "Watch the news tonight. I suspect I might be on it."

He later wrote: "I tried to egg Ed Milliband as he came down to East Street in southwark, watching the news to see if its on."

Minutes later, he sent a message to the Prime Minister saying: "@David_Cameron hi pleb, can you come to East Street Market so I can egg you like I've egged your chum @Ed_Miliband lol."

He also wrote: "I got the b*****!!! Lol."

Ed Miliband shrugged off the attack, saying: 'It's not the first time'

The incident distracted from the Labour leader's attempts to galvanise his party after a difficult summer and attack the coalition over the cost of living.

Senior figures have questioned the shadow cabinet's "deafening silence" and warned the party must "shout louder" or face electoral defeat in 2015.

The jitters have been compounded by a rise in Tory fortunes thanks to a string of data suggesting the British economy is at last turning the corner.

New figures on Wednesday showed unemployment fell by 4,000 between April and June and average earnings rose by 2.1% in the year to June.

On Tuesday, data revealed inflation fell to 2.8% in July and house prices rose by 3.1% in June and last month growth of 0.6% was given for the second quarter.

Mr Miliband dismissed the criticism from within Labour's ranks and flatly rejected shadow health secretary Andy Burnham's warning the party's message was not getting through.

He insisted he was addressing voters' concerns about the "cost of living crisis" and offering a "comprehensive alternative" to the coalition on the economy.

"What we are doing as a Labour Party is setting out how we would change the country," he said.

"Just take this area of the cost of living crisis. Have Labour got answers? Absolutely we have got answers on rail fares, on energy prices, on a fairer tax system.

"They are all the things I believe the country wants and that is what we are going to be talking about in the coming months."

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Sky News Cameraman Killed In Egypt

Sky News cameraman Mick Deane has been shot and killed in Egypt this morning.

Mick, 61, had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Jerusalem.

The married father of two was part of our team covering the violence in Cairo. The rest of the team are unhurt.

The Head of Sky News John Ryley described Mick as the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky.

Mick Deane was described as an inspiring mentor

"Mick Deane was a really lovely, lovely guy," he said. "He was great fun to work with, he was an astonishingly good cameraman who took some brilliant pictures.

"But he also had a first class editorial brain. He had brilliant ideas.

"He was also good fun after the job was done. He was laid back, and I'm really going to miss him, like lots of people here."

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall called Mick "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart… what a human being".

He added: "Micky was humorous in a dry way, he was wise and when you're on the road with small teams, people like that are diamonds to be with.

"Our hearts go out to his family. He died doing what he'd done so brilliantly for decades."

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence.

"My thoughts are with his family and the Sky News team."

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Lord King Given £10,000 Gift For Retirement

Mervyn King has been given a £10,000 painting of himself from the Bank of England.

The portrait was one of several gifts the Bank's former Governor received following his retirement last month.

His leaving presents totalled £13,000 and also included a £597 silver napkin ring and a £2,505 sculpture of German politician and writer Johann von Goethe.

The cost to the Bank for marking Lord King's departure escalated further as it put on three events that added up to more than £10,000.

An evening reception was held on 26 June and cost £4,672 while there was also a £3,450 dinner the following day.

Another meal came in at £3,800, with flowers and invitations for all occasions costing £1,501.

The most recent figures to be published put Lord King's pension pot at £198,200 a year, but some reports suggest it is now worth much more.

Canadian banker Mark Carney succeeded Lord King, taking up the post as the Bank of England's new Governor on July 1.

Related stories:

Forward Guidance: A Monetary Policy Gamble

Carney Starts As Bank Of England Governor

King Heads Towards Bank Exit With A Smile

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JP Morgan: Charges Over $6bn 'London Whale'

The United States has charged two ex-JP Morgan traders over the so-called 'London Whale' scandal that resulted in losses of $6.2bn (£4bn).

Prosecutors in Manhattan accused former London-based traders Julien Grout and Javier Martin-Artajo of wire fraud and a conspiracy to falsify books and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) records, according to court papers.

A news conference is expected to confirm later that another former employee Bruno Iksil, who was nicknamed the London Whale over the size of his trades, will not face any charges relating to the allegations.

The case, filed in federal court, claims Grout and Martin-Artajo deliberately tried to hide hundreds of millions of dollars in losses on trades in a portfolio of synthetic credit derivatives.

Lawyers for both men have previously stated that their clients did nothing wrong and JP Morgan spokesman Joe Evangelisti declined to comment on the case.

It is understood that Spanish national Martin-Artajo supervised JP Morgan's trading strategy in London while his French colleague recorded the value of any bad investments.

The charges are the result of an investigation into events surrounding the losses in the London division of JP Morgan's chief investment office.

The losses over alleged wrongdoing first became public in April 2012.

More follows...

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Diabetes: Glucose Testing Strips Recalled

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

More than 1.7 million blood glucose testing strips are being recalled in an urgent safety alert.

A manufacturing fault in two batches of the GlucoMen LX Sensor test strips could result in inaccurate readings and lead diabetics to inject too much insulin, according to the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

A spokesman for the watchdog told Sky News that the readings could mislead patients to such an extent that they suffer hypoglycaemia - low blood sugar - which can result in a loss of consciousness.

The strips were sold in British pharmacies between October and November 2012.

Two batches of the GlucoMen LX Sensor test strips are affected

The affected containers, which are stamped with lot numbers 3212219249 and 3212214249, expire on August 31, 2014 and are no longer on sale. Other batches are unaffected by the fault.

There are no reports at present of patients being harmed by using the strips, which are manufactured in Italy by Menarini.

Bridget Turner, director of policy and care improvement at Diabetes UK, said: "We would urge people with diabetes who use testing strips to follow advice from the MHRA and check their test strips to see if they are from these batches.

"If they are, they should not use them and take them back to their pharmacist or their GP."

There are an estimated three million diabetics in the UK.

Those with type one or type two diabetes often test their glucose levels several times a day using test strips and a hand-held monitor.

The reading tells them whether they need to inject insulin to bring down high blood sugar, or eat more to increase their blood sugar levels.

:: The MHRA urged anyone with the affected strips to contact Menarini on 0800 243667 for a free replacement.

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