Smart Glasses For Blind 'In Shops By 2016'

By Gemma Morris, Sky News Reporter

Pairs of high-tech smart glasses, designed to help millions of blind and partially sighted people to see, could be in shops in 2016.

The specs use a specially adapted 3D camera to maximise a person's remaining vision by separating and highlighting objects ahead.

They were created by researchers at the University of Oxford, who linked up with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to develop them further.

RNIB Solutions managing director Neil Heslop said trialists had experienced extraordinary things while testing the glasses.

Iain Cairns tries on the hi-tech specs

He told Sky News: "They've recognised faces, they've avoided obstacles, they've even seen their own guide dogs for the first time."

Participant Iain Cairns was impressed with the glasses, despite saying he felt like Star Trek character Geordi La Forge when wearing them.

He said: "To have something that will help me to keep independent, able to walk to work, to make tea - I think it will make a big difference to my quality of life."

The glasses help Mr Cairns to pour a cup of tea without spilling a drop

Around 360,000 people in Britain are registered blind or partially sighted.

The RNIB believes the new smart glasses could help as many as 150,000 of those and around 15 million people could benefit worldwide.

At the moment, the glasses are rather bulky. They are also fairly expensive and participants have to carry around a connected laptop with them.

But the project recently won £500,000 from the Google Impact Challenge - a competition to develop tech to transform lives - which means the team can now modify the headset further.

Sky's Gemma Morris, as seen through the smart glasses

Project leader Dr Stephen Hicks said: "The Google Impact Grant will allow us to make smaller, lighter and cheaper versions that people can carry around.

"It will be powered by something about the size of a mobile phone that can slip into your pocket."

He said nothing like their prototype has ever been made before.

"This is really pushing the limit of what we can do in wearable displays and it's great to be able to have a chance to use this in a way which is potentially going to help millions of people," he said.

Wider trials are soon to get under way and the team hopes to have a smaller version of glasses in shops as early as 2016 with a target price of around £300.

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Laughing Gas Crackdown Amid 'Disturbing' Craze

A "deeply disturbing" laughing gas craze sweeping the country is being fuelled by internet videos that glamorise use of the substance, council leaders say.

Hauls of canisters are confiscated from UK streets every night, with one London council - Hackney - seizing 1,200 on one Saturday alone.  

Officials in Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Thames Valley have also reported increasing numbers of canisters being found.

Council leaders are so concerned they have launched a campaign to highlight the dangers of the chemical.

Thousands of canisters are seized every weekend (pic Rob Brewer/Flickr)

In particular, the Local Government Association (LGA) is calling for web giants, such as YouTube, to crack down on internet videos which promote the use of laughing gas.

The association, which represents around 400 councils in England and Wales, said it was "deeply disturbing" that people widely view nitrous oxide as a "safe" legal high.

And the LGA warned that the chemical - which is regularly taken at nightspots, festivals and parties by almost half a million young people across the country - has been linked to a number of deaths.

It said abusing nitrous oxide can lead to oxygen deprivation resulting in loss of blood pressure, fainting and even heart attacks.

"It is deeply disturbing that this drug, which can be highly dangerous, is still widely viewed as safe," said Katie Hall, chairwoman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board.

"It is imperative that users understand just how harmful it can be. This gas can kill and much more needs to be done to get this message across.

"We are particularly concerned about internet pages and uploaded clips which are effectively 'promoting' this as a harmless drug.

"The web giants must do more to crack down on this, they cannot simply sit on their hands and ignore what is happening on their own sites.

"We are calling on the big internet corporations to step up to the plate and show responsibility by providing health warnings and links to drug awareness charities."

While inhaling nitrous oxide is not illegal, council officers are able to seize canisters under unauthorised street trading regulations.

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Don't Drink Two Days In A Row, Government Says

People should only drink alcohol every other day to avoid health problems like cancer, heart attacks and liver disease, government officials are warning.

The new guidelines drawn up by Public Health England, a government quango promoting healthy living, will recommend drinkers follow a "one day on, one day off" rule.

The 92-page paper says: "Daily drinking is a key contributor to increased risk, so it is possible that promoting a simple approach such as never drinking two days in a row would have a positive impact."

However, the advice has been criticised as "nannying" and experts questioned whether it would decrease health risks and encourage heavy drinkers to cut back.

"Giving up alcohol on alternate days is not something most doctors would recognise as a helpful strategy to curb excessive drinking," GP Martin Scurr told the Daily Mail.

"It's hard to see how this plan from Public Health England will persuade excessive drinkers to rein back."

Conservative MP and former minister Gerald Howarth said the advice was "completely unrealistic" and an example of the "nanny state".

"People have the common sense to know how to look after themselves," he told the Mail.

The Public Health England strategy said changes to alcohol pricing as well as the availability and strength of alcohol are more likely to have "immediate positive impacts" and it would continue to work on those areas.

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Britain Braced For Flash Floods From Bertha

Heavy rain has caused flash flooding in parts of the UK - and forecasters are warning of further storms on Sunday as the remnants of Hurricane Bertha hit.

The Met Office says Bertha's transition from a tropical to an extra-tropical storm is a "particularly hard one to forecast" but it is expected to affect the UK tomorrow.

Residents had to be evacuated after heavy rain flooded several streets in the Lincolnshire town of Louth on Friday.

Lightning hits Eggborough Power Station in Yorkshire. Pic: Phil Lowe

Downpours also led to waterlogged roads in and around York and in Maidstone, Kent.

There were reports of power outages in Cambridgeshire, where the A14 was flooded.

Environment Agency flood warnings and alerts remain in place in numerous parts of the country.

Old Trafford, where England's test match has been disrupted by heavy rain

Friday's rainy weather was unconnected to Hurricane Bertha, which has been travelling across the Atlantic.

Bertha wreaked havoc in the Caribbean islands with gusts of more than 90mph, leaving thousands of homes without power.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Ex-hurricane Bertha has become more of a typical depression now, albeit with very warm, moist air wrapped up within it.

A flash flood following heavy rain in Maidstone, Kent

"It is looking likely that the storm will reach southwest England and Wales by around 6am on Sunday and then track northeast across northern England during the afternoon, to eventually lie off the east coast of Scotland on Sunday night.

"Gusts of 50mph to 60mph are expected, especially along the south coast with large waves, spray and the chance of some coastal flooding.

There could be more floods on Sunday

Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said there was still a chance that the storm may pass to the south of the country, giving the UK a brighter day.

But Environment Agency flood risk manager, Craig Woolhouse, said: "Heavy rain on Sunday may lead to localised surface water flooding in some parts of England and Wales.

"On Sunday and Monday a combination of high spring tides and strong westerly winds brings a risk of large waves and spray and possible flooding to the South West coast of England and along the Severn Estuary."

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Caroline Graham: Man Held Over 1989 Murder

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering a young woman who disappeared 25 years ago.

Caroline Graham, 19, was living in Portadown, County Armagh when she went missing in 1989.

The arrest comes as forensic scientists examine items of potential interest found during a search of Caroline's last known address.

The items were uncovered by specialist victim recovery dogs brought into the Hanover Street flat.

A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: "Detectives from Serious Crime Branch investigating the murder of Caroline Graham in Portadown in 1989 have arrested a 53-year-old man.

"He has been arrested on suspicion of Caroline's murder and possession of a firearm. He was arrested in County Antrim this morning and is being questioned at the Serious Crime Suite in Antrim town."

Police re-opened the case two years ago following a search of waste ground near the flat.

The search of Caroline's flat was conducted under warrant but with the consent of the current owner of the property.

Detectives do not believe the owner has any knowledge of the events of 1989.

They have appealed without success for two soldiers, who gave Caroline a lift in a black XR3i, to come forward.

Earlier this week, Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery said: "Despite all the hurdles posed by the passage of time, I still believe that a form of closure is possible for Caroline and her family.

"It is appropriate to once again begin a planned search operation, primarily to locate Caroline's remains but also as an important part of the overall investigation into her murder."

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Breast Cancer Drug 'Too Expensive' For NHS

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

A life-extending breast cancer drug has been rejected for routine use by the NHS because it is "too expensive".

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has issued a final draft blaming the high price for making it "impossible to recommend".

The drug, Kadcyla, is known to increase life expectancy by an average of around six months, with minimum side effects.

It treats people with HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Kim Mawby, 45, has been trialling the drug for three years after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

She was initially given six months to live but now lives a normal life with her husband and three children.

Kim Mawby says the drug has given her a normal life

"I think it costs about £6,000 a month," she said.

"A lot of people are going to say that's too much money but I don't think you can put a price on someone's life.

"When I wake up I do feel incredibly lucky that I am still here, that I am able to just get up and go to work, see the kids off to school.

"I do sit back and think 'wow, if it wasn't for this drug I wouldn't be watching (my son) going to school on his first day'."

Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive of Nice, says the cost of the drug works out at £90,000 per patient, per year.

Jennifer Cozzone, from Roche, says Kadcyla is good value for money

"This drug is so expensive that it's way beyond even that additional flexibility that we can offer," he said.

"I can't negotiate the price with the manufacturer. It's entirely in Roche's hands, the manufacturer's hands, now. They know what they need to do."

However, Roche says the price reflects the value it provides to patients.

Jennifer Cozzone, from Roche, told Sky News that Nice was the first organisation to reject the drug, which she said demonstrated the system in the UK was broken.

A campaign made breast cancer drug Herceptin more widely available

"Every other country, including countries nearby like Norway or Sweden or Switzerland, who have very similar economies to ours, have considered Kadcyla to be good value for money and made it available routinely at very similar prices to what we're talking about here," she said.

Nice says other countries have different arrangements for funding pharmaceuticals.

Kadcyla is available to some patients in the UK through the Cancer Drugs Fund, but Nice says that is not a "long-term mechanism".

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "Nice is an independent expert body that is responsible for evaluating what drugs should be available from the NHS, taking into account cost, demand and effectiveness.

"Kadcyla will still be available to patients through the Cancer Drugs Fund if their doctor thinks it is right for them and we remain open to discussions with the manufacturer about the price of Kadcyla to the NHS."

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Lib Dems 'To Stop Drug Users Going To Jail'

By Joanna Simpson, Sky News Reporter

The Liberal Democrats are announcing that if they win the next General Election they will stop people found in possession of drugs for personal use being sent to jail.

The manifesto pledge will state that if no other offence has been committed an alternative sentence should be given instead of a prison term.

The effective decriminalisation they say would be more effective as it should be regarded as a health issue therefore the drugs and alcohol policy would be removed from the Home Office brief and given to the Department of Health.

The party states that each year more than 1,000 people in England in Wales are jailed for possession of drugs for their own personal use.

It says the £5m would be better spent tackling addiction in the community as many of those imprisoned have a medical problem.

Civil penalties such as warnings or fines could be among those imposed instead or criminal cautions, probation or community service.

Currently the maximum penalty for possession of a Class A drug in the UK is seven years in prison. For a Class B drug it's up to five years and Class C up to two years.

For all classes of drugs there can also be an unlimited fine given either as an alternative or in addition to the jail term.

In 2012, the UK Drug Policy Commission published a report called "A Fresh Approach to Drugs".

It was based on a six-year study which recommended that possession of certain drugs for personal use should become a civil rather than a criminal offence.

The independent advisory body, which included scientists and senior police officers, wrote: "The evidence from other countries that have done this is that it would not necessarily lead to any significant increase in use, while providing opportunities to address some of the harms associated with existing drug laws."

The Home Secretary Theresa May rejected it, telling MPs: "People can die as a result of taking drugs, and significant mental health problems can arise."

The report stated that the UK has 2,000 drug-related deaths each year and more than 380,000 problem drug users.

Support services warn that criminalising people means those in need may be reluctant to ask for help.

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Antarctic Researchers Lose Heating At -55.4C

British researchers living on an ice shelf in Antarctica have said they are in "good spirits" after experiencing a 19-hour power outage during record freezing temperatures.

The 13 staff members from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have been dealing with a "serious operational incident" at the Halley Research Station since the end of last month.

Temperatures have been as low as -55.4C (-67.7F) on the Brunt Ice Shelf causing extremely difficult living conditions for the Cambridge-based team.

A statement on the BAS website said "power and some heating are back online" and the station has been able to maintain good satellite communications.

The cause of the power loss is not known.

Electrical and renewable energy engineer Anthony Lister is one of the people in the station who has been keeping the public up-to-date with the situation on Twitter and on his blog.

He wrote: "Whilst all the fun was happening at #halley6 (not that it's over) we had the lowest ever recorded temps down here at -55.4. Which was nice."

Mr Lister says the team is drinking lots of tea and has a big kettle. He reiterated that they are all healthy and making sure the station is in good order.

BAS said: "Contingency plans for alternative accommodation on site are in place and ancillary buildings are being made ready in case of a further power-down.

"Our urgent priority is to ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of the wintering team."

The survey added that all science, apart from meteorological observations has been stopped.

The Halley Research Station is the centre for atmospheric science programmes and the 13 research and support staff are "wintering" there at present.

The BAS website says medical facilities at Halley include a surgery with emergency facilities and there is also a full-time doctor at the station. 

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Chicken Bug Retailers Could Be Named

A consumer group is urging food standards bosses to name retailers found selling fresh chickens containing a bug blamed for tens of thousands of cases of food poisoning every year.

The bug campylobacter was found in 59% of samples in a survey by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which also found it on the outside of packaging in 4% of samples.

The agency has declined to name supermarkets and other retailers involved until it has more data from its 12-month survey which runs until February 2015.

Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: "The FSA's survey reveals unacceptably high levels of campylobacter and they must now publish the names of the retailers so consumers are aware of the best and worst performing shops.

"Campylobacter is responsible for thousands of cases of food poisoning and the deaths of 100 people every year so much more must be done to minimise the risk of contamination at every stage of production."

The FSA says chicken is quite safe as long as it is thoroughly cooked

FSA chief executive Catherine Brown said: "There is still a lot more to be done by all elements of the supply chain to ensure that consumers can be confident in the food they buy.

"As soon as we have enough data to robustly compare campylobacter levels in different retailers we will share that data with consumers."

Over the 12 months 4,000 samples of whole chickens bought from UK retail outlets and smaller independent stores and butchers will be tested. The new results are for the first quarter and represent 853 samples.

Ms Brown said the survey "will give us a clearer picture of the prevalence of campylobacter on raw poultry sold at retail and help us measure the impact of interventions introduced by producers, processors, and retailers to reduce contamination".

The survey is aimed at helping stem the prevalence of the campylobacter bug

She added: "The chicken supply chain is looking at how interventions such as improved biosecurity on farms, rapid surface chilling, and anti-microbial washes can help reduce campylobacter.

"So when they take action and invest in interventions designed to make a difference, these survey figures will enable us to see if they really do make an impact."

She said low levels of contamination on packaging may show that leak-proof wrappers used by most retailers is working.

Campylobacter is killed by thorough cooking, but is the most common form of food poisoning in the UK. It affects an estimated 280,000 people a year, and the majority of these cases come from contaminated poultry.

The FSA said that previous studies carried out into the prevalence of the bug had also shown around two thirds of raw poultry carry it.

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Daily Aspirin Pill 'Helps Prevent Cancer'

Taking a daily dose of aspirin could help ward off some types of cancer, according to a new study.

Researchers say that long-term use of the drug can significantly cut the chance of dying from gastrointestinal illnesses such as bowel and stomach cancer.

It is estimated that 130,357 cancer deaths could be prevented over two decades if everyone in the UK between 50 and 64 took the drug for 10 years.

However, widespread aspirin use could cause just under 18,000 deaths over the same time period, mainly due to internal bleeding and strokes.

Researchers from the Centre for Cancer Prevention at Queen Mary University of London pulled together data from more than 200 studies on the preventative use of aspirin.

The research examined more than 200 studies on the drug

Lead researcher Professor Jack Cuzick said he believed GPs should recommend healthy patients take a daily dose of the drug.

His team found bowel cancer incidence could be cut by 35%, and deaths by 40%, if people took aspirin for 10 years.

Stomach and oesophageal cancer were reduced by 30%, and deaths from these diseases by 35% and 50%.

But the effect on non-gastrointestinal cancers was less dramatic.

Lung and prostate cancer were reduced by 5% and 10%, and deaths from both by 15%. It also reduced breast cancer incidence by 10% and deaths by 5%.

Heart attack risk went down by 18%, but there was only a 5% dip in mortality rates.

Professor Cuzick said: "Until our study, where we analysed all the available evidence, it was unclear whether the pros of taking aspirin outweighed the cons.

"Whilst there are some serious side effects that can't be ignored, taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity, and will probably be much easier to implement."

Long-term aspirin use also increases the risk of dying from a stroke

The risks of daily aspirin use include a sharp increase in serious or fatal bleeding in the gut for people over 70, due to the drug's blood-thinning effect.

It also raised the risk of peptic ulcer by 30% to 60%, and the chances of dying from a stroke by 21%.

There is also no evidence that taking more than a low dose of 75-100 milligrams produces any greater benefit.

Professor Cuzick said anyone considering taking a daily aspirin dose should see their GP as some people are more susceptible to the potential negative effects.

Dr Julie Sharp, head of health information for Cancer Research UK, which co-funded the study, also sounded a note of caution.

She said: "Aspirin is showing promise in preventing certain types of cancer, but it's vital that we balance this with the complications it can cause."

Dr Sharp said the charity was planning a five-year study with 10,000 cancer patients to find out more about how best to use the drug.

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Woman Arrested After Elderly People 'Poisoned'

A woman has been arrested for "administering a noxious substance" after 16 people fell ill at a care home, police have said.

The 23-year-old was held after a number of people at Goldfield Court in West Bromwich were taken ill with what police described as food poisoning symptoms.

Four of the people were taken to hospital for treatment, with two being kept in overnight.

The woman was arrested on Monday and is now at a secure unit after she was released on bail while investigations continue, a force spokeswoman said.

West Midlands Police spokeswoman Keiley Gartland said: "Further tests and enquires are underway to determine the exact nature and cause of the illness.

"An individual has been arrested and is currently assisting the police with their enquires.

"Anyone with information in relation to the investigation should contact Sandwell Police by dialling 101, anyone with any concerns should contact the extra care unit."

Goldfield Court, which is run by Housing & Care 21, is described as  "extra care housing" for older people. There are 93 flats at the site.

In a statement issued on its website, Housing & Care 21 confirmed a care worker had been suspended.

It said: "Housing and Care 21 can confirm that a care worker has been suspended from Goldfield independent living scheme in West Bromwich.

"We are providing information and assistance to the police and Sandwell Social Services and will support them with any further investigation.

"Our thoughts are with both residents and staff at the Goldfield community and we will ensure they are fully supported during this difficult time."

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Walgreens Confirms Full Takeover of Boots

US pharmacy chain Walgreens has confirmed it is to take full control of Boots.

In a deal worth £5.6bn worth of cash and shares, the drugs giant will acquire the remaining 55% of Alliance Boots that it does not already own.

The transaction is expected to be completed early in 2015, following full shareholder approvals.

The new enterprise will be named Walgreens Boots Alliance and will keep its headquarters in the US.

Meanwhile, UK-based Boots will remain headquartered in Nottingham.

Walgreens Boots Alliance will be led by chief executive Greg Wasson, with senior executives from both companies on the management team.

Mr Wasson said: "We are excited to move forward with the next important step in becoming a new kind of global healthcare leader. 

"Expanding globally with Alliance Boots will make quality healthcare more affordable and accessible to communities here in America and around the world."

It comes after Sky News exclusively revealed news of the deal yesterday.

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Royals Plant Poppies At WWI Installation

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have joined Prince Harry at an art installation symbolising those killed during World War One.

The Royals will each plant a ceramic poppy at the Tower of London exhibition, entitled Blood Swept Lands And Seas Of Red, at the attraction's dry moat.

It is the site where more than 1,600 men swore an oath to the crown in August 1914 after enlisting for the war.

The three climbed the Middle Tower to view the entire artwork, before they walked through the field of poppies and planted their tributes to the war dead alongside General Lord Dannatt, Constable of the Tower of London.

The first ceramic poppy was planted in July and the final one will be installed in the Historic Royal Palaces artwork on Armistice Day, on November 11.

A total of 888,246 poppies - one for each British and Colonial death during the war - will be installed by a team of volunteers.

Profits from the artwork will be divided between six service charities including Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion.

Each poppy will go on sale online priced at £25 each after the installation ends.

It comes after commemorative events were held in Belgium, Scotland and Westminster Abbey in London to mark 100 years since the start of the Great War.

An estimated 37 million people were killed or injured in World War One, which lasted from 1914 until 1918.

Paul Cummins, who created the artwork, said he got the idea from a "living will" he found in Derbyshire in 2012 which he used to give the installation its name.

He said: "Each one represents someone who died in the First World War from Britain and the Dominions.

"I'm literally trying to represent people because a number is a number, but if you see it all like this it is a visual idea of how many people were there."

Tom Piper, a stage designer who helped to make the project, added: "We also wanted to make sure it didn't become regimented mass rows of poppies - there is an organic quality to it - so taking the line of the 'seas of red', a feeling of waves of movement so that some of the poppies are higher than others so you can see them gently moving in the breeze."

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Referendum TV Debate Could Be A Game-Changer

When Hollywood gets its hands on the Scottish referendum, maybe in a few hundred years, it'll be a smash hit.

A swashbuckling adventure in which a boisterous, William Wallacey guy wages war against the swotty nemesis who can inflict death by grey hair and treasury statistics. It'll be box office.

Tonight's TV debate? Not so much.

Alex Salmond versus Alistair Darling. Independence versus the Union. Like The Odd Couple without the gags.

And yet it will be compulsive viewing.

Sure, the audience knows it will trawl through a familiar script - currency, defence, EU, border controls, etc.

Yes, it might well feel like a repeat we've been watching for years - the one where both sides batter each other to a standstill on the key issues. 

The referendum is set to take place next month

But the attraction of STV's debate - and similar events to follow - is that it is the arena most likely to produce a 'game-changer'.

Bear in mind that Scots have lived this referendum campaign for years and many just want the noise to stop. The big arguments on the big issues don't resonate the way they once did, and still should.

What television provides is the opportunity to make a judgement on who to trust. The presentation under pressure in which voters will assess degrees of assurance and conviction. It will be critical in the effort to sway undecided voters. 

There will be no Nick Clegg-style national awakening - Darling and Salmond have been around too long to benefit from any new-discovery status. Both men face different challenges. 

Of the two, it's Darling who has most to lose. He has retained a consistent poll lead for the pro-Union Better Together campaign and, as such, he needs not to lose.

It is the challenge facing a football manager who's team's playing for a nil-nil draw - the position you might choose, yet fear. Too little ambition can lead to defeat and frequently does.

Alex Salmond might consider he has an advantage. If the arguments have become tired by repetition and neutralised by claim and counter-claim, then the point-scoring could lie with the independence message. 

Whatever the context, independent is something that people, generally, want to be. It is something the 'Yes' campaign benefits from in a way that its 'No' opposition does not. 

So listen for the buzzwords of independence from Scotland's First Minister as he reaches through the ribcage to squeeze the Scottish heart.

The word 'victory' might yet hinge on it.

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Scotland's Future Up For Debate In TV Contest

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

The two men leading the fight for Scotland's future will go head to head in a TV debate tonight.

First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will face Alistair Darling MP, leader of the Better Together campaign, with just over six weeks to go until the September 18 referendum on independence.

Broadcast by STV, it is the first such encounter between the pair during the campaign and kicks off its closing stages. 

Alex Salmond had initially refused to face Mr Darling, instead insisting he would only take on David Cameron. The Prime Minister has consistently refused the offer. 

Tonight's two-hour debate will take place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow and the men will cross-examine each other, as well as take audience questions.

Alex Salmond (L) will go head-to-head with Alistair Darling

Alistair Darling's Better Together campaign has consistently been ahead in the polls and he is expected to press the First Minister for answers on independence.

Blair McDougall, his campaign director, said: "Voters in Scotland have been listening to the independence debate for over two years now.

"Surely if Alex Salmond had convincing answers on the details of separation, we would have heard them by now.

"Scots tuning in deserve to finally get straight answers from Mr Salmond to the questions they have been asking. What would separation mean for our pound, pensions and public services?

"Unlike the leaders' debates in the 2010 General Election, this debate isn't a job interview between candidates.

"Instead, it is a discussion about what separation would mean for our children and grandchildren's futures."

The big vote on Scotland's future is little more than a month away

For Alex Salmond, the TV debate and similar events that are expected to follow present an opportunity to strive for the game-changing moment that his campaign needs to turn the polls around.

Blair Jenkins, chief executive of the Yes campaign, said: "Independence is the opportunity of a lifetime for the people of Scotland, and the Yes campaign are looking forward immensely to the debate.

"We know that Scotland is one of the richest countries in the world, wealthier than the UK, France and Japan, and only the powers offered by a Yes vote will enable us to make this wealth work better for everyone in Scotland.

"Viewers will get the chance to hear why decisions made on Scotland's future should be taken here in Scotland.

"Our experience is that most undecided voters choose Yes when they hear both sides of the debate, and therefore we believe the mass TV audience will benefit our positive campaign.

"We also believe that the No campaign have a problem with both the negativity of their message and the unpopularity of their messengers."

On the morning of the debate, the three main UK party leaders announced they had signed a pledge to increase the powers of the Scottish Parliament. 

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg all put their name to a declaration made earlier this year by their parties' Scottish leaders to guarantee an increase in Scotland's powers under devolution.

It is a pre-debate move to bolster Alistair Darling before the big event and protect "their man" against accusations that increased devolution is an empty promise that won't be delivered.

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Tropical Storm Threatens UK's Sizzling Summer

A tropical storm heading along the US east coast could move across the Atlantic, threatening a dramatic break in the UK's sizzling summer weather.

Hurricane Bertha, which has now been downgraded to a tropical storm, is expected to weaken as it heads towards Europe.

But its winds of around 75 miles per hour have already caused destruction in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

"We won't be seeing a 'hurricane in Europe', but there is a chance we could see a fairly active summer storm," said the Met Office in a blog.

It adds: "While all forecast models suggest the storm will head in the general direction of UK and continental Europe, there remains a lot of uncertainty about exactly what it will do."

A US National Hurricane Center projection of the storm's possible path

Meteorologists are currently studying forecast models before committing themselves to a definite outcome.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "The Sky News Weather Team will be watching the track of this ex-hurricane very closely as it crosses the Atlantic.

"The details are sure to change but the general picture through Sunday and into Monday is for a period of rain and strong winds with the risk of gales.

"With RideLondon and other events taking place, it's worth keeping up to date with our catch-up service."

The RideLondon event will see elite riders take to the streets on Saturday, and on Sunday around 24,000 amateur cyclists will ride through London and Surrey on a similar route to that of the London 2012 Olympic Road Cycling Races.

The Met Office is keeping a close eye on Bertha's path

The weekend also sees an number of music festivals around the country including Fairport's Cropredy Convention in Oxfordshire, Strawberry Fields Festival in Leicestershire and Bath Folk Festival.

Lang adds: "Once the storm clears the weather looks set to turn rather autumnal and showery."

It looks likely that the earliest Bertha would affect the UK would be on Sunday or into the start of next week.

The Met Office said it will be keeping an eye on how this situation develops over the next few days "to give everyone in the UK the best advice on what Bertha is likely to do".

It said: "Given the time of year and the potential heavy rain, strong winds and large waves Bertha could bring if it does head to the UK, we'd advise everyone to stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings from the Met Office over the next few days."

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World War One And The 'Short-War Illusion'

By Professor David Stevenson

In August 1914 German Emperor Wilhelm II famously promised to his departing troops that they would return before the autumn leaves fell.

Yet most of Europe's military chiefs did not, in fact, expect a short war.

The Chief of the German General Staff had predicted a struggle lasting between 18 months and two years. His French and Austrian opposite numbers took a similar view.

A clash between two great alliance blocs, each fielding armies that numbered millions and were supported by the resources of entire nations, would not be settled in weeks. 

Even the direst military predictions, however, failed to foresee a conflict lasting four and a half years that would claim at least 10 million lives.

Lord Kitchener warned the Cabinet of a drawn-out bloodbath in Europe

And civilian politicians seem not to have been informed about the military leaders' pessimism.

When Europe's governments decided for war, they expected heavy casualties, but nothing resembling what actually occurred.

Lord Kitchener, the colonial hero who was brought in as Britain's Secretary of State for War, stunned the Cabinet by warning them to prepare for a three-year bloodbath.

And as for members of the ordinary public, evidence from diaries and letters suggests that many really did expect a struggle that would last only a few months.

Newspaper sellers in the run-up to war on August 1, 1914

Much of this optimism may have been wishful thinking. And research by historians has made clear that 'war enthusiasm' was skin-deep.

To be sure, there was excitement, and cheering crowds gathered round the royal palaces in Berlin and London, but these demonstrations were quite small, composed mostly of well-to-do young men, and most prominent after war had been declared.

Up until then, pacifist and anti-war protests rivalled them - for example in Trafalgar Square as late as Sunday August 2, only two days before Britain came in.

British soldiers in a shallow trench during the Battle of the Somme

On 31 July the London Stock Exchange was closed for the first time in its history, due to a run on the Bank of England's gold reserves and sell-offs of government bonds across Europe, while both in Britain and on the Continent queues formed outside savings banks and there was panic food-buying.

Although The Times consistently advocated British intervention, The Manchester Guardian remained unconvinced, and many civilian diarists expressed anxiety and foreboding.

In all the combatant countries political parties suspended their differences for the duration of the war effort.

But it seems to have been only later, once reports came in of heavy fighting and massive casualties, that a deeper pro-war consensus formed on both sides.

The public had not begun this business, but now they were in it they would see it through.

In Britain, hundreds of thousands flocked to the recruiting offices in late August and September. Although the volunteers had many motives, patriotism was certainly one of them.

And even after the campaigning bogged down into opposing lines of trenches, many still (without the benefit of hindsight) expected it to carry on for only a few more months. The short-war illusion did not end in 1914.

:: Professor David Stevenson is the author of With Our Backs To The Wall: Victory And Defeat in 1918, and 1914-1918: The History Of The First World War. He teaches at London School of Economics & Political Science

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Tourists Left On Drips After Sickness Bug

British holidaymakers have told how they needed intravenous drips after contracting a sickness bug while at a four-star Egyptian resort.

Tourists took to the TripAdvisor review website to express their anger after suffering from diarrhoea, sickness and fever at the Coral Sea Waterworld in Sharm el Sheikh.

One poster, Bristols, wrote: "Sickness and diarrhoea was rife throughout the hotel, seven out of our party of nine were really poorly including myself.

"I became ill on the second night and was unable to eat, drink, use the pools or waterpark for the whole holiday.

"I had two drips, injections, antibiotics, tablets coming out of my ears."

Another, tim308, wrote: "Just as I was recovering from my illness when my wife was struck down with one far worse, sickness, diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever that continued for the duration of our holiday and is still not 100% now."

The Red Sea resort is popular with British holidaymakers

And Rebecca R added: "By 3am on the Tuesday morning went down with terrible diarrhoea, feeling sick and raging temperature, spent the next few days mainly lying on the bathroom floor, never felt so ill."

Reports claim staff at the resort were made to wear latex gloves after the sickness bug broke out and extra doctors were brought in to cope with the numbers of people becoming ill.

Simpson Millar LLP Solicitors is representing a group of between 70 and 80 people who became unwell while staying at the resort.

Nick Harris, head of international travel law at the firm, said: "At present we are representing approximately 70-80 holiday makers who fell ill with gastric infections, including Shigella, whilst on holiday at Coral Sea Waterworld in Egypt.

"This figure is rising sharply, as we continue to receive calls from holiday makers returning from the resort complaining of vomiting, diarrhoea and painful stomach cramps.

"This is a serious outbreak at a hotel supplied by the UK's most prominent tour operators, Thomson and First Choice."

On its website, Simpson Millar states: "Complaints include cases of faecal contamination incidents in swimming pools, undercooked buffet food and the use of what seemed to be untreated water to irrigate the hotel lawns and gardens."

A statement from First Choice Holidays said: "First Choice is aware of a small number of cases of sickness at the Coral Sea Water World, Egypt, with symptoms similar to a virus.

"Reported cases of sickness have reduced and an independent health and safety consultant has been undertaking a thorough investigation in resort, ensuring that the correct containment procedures are in place.

"We would like to reassure customers that we closely audit all the resorts to which we operate to ensure that health, hygiene and comfort levels are maintained."

In May 2013, five-year-old Chloe Johnson, from Forest Hill, southeast London, drowned in one of the swimming pools at the hotel.

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Ceremonies To Mark 100 Years Since WWI

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The centenary of Britain's entry into World War One will be commemorated in a series of events across Europe today.

:: 9.10am - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend a service at L'Abbaye Saint-Laurent in Liege, Belgium

:: 9.55am - William and Kate will lay a wreath at the Cointe Inter-Allied Memorial in Liege

:: 10am - The Prince of Wales will attend a Service of Remembrance at Glasgow Cathedral

Each ceramic poppy at the Tower of London represents a British death

He will be joined by 1,400 invited guests, among them representatives of Commonwealth countries, and senior military figures, charities and cross-faith groups.

Prince Charles will then lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in George Square.

:: 11am - Prince Harry will inspect a parade of troops in Folkestone

The event will mark the route taken by millions of young men who marched through the Kent harbour town on their way to northern France and Belgium.

The simple message that saw Britain enter the Great War

Prince Harry will officially open a Memorial Arch in dedication to the veterans of the Great War.

:: 6.45pm - The British Government and Commonwealth War Graves Commission will host an international event at the small St Symphorien Cemetery, outside the town of Mons

It will be attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, the King and Queen of Belgium and senior representatives from the UK, France, Ireland, Canada and Germany.

Crowds cheer the outbreak of war in London's Trafalgar Square

The cemetery was chosen because it contains an almost equal number of German and Commonwealth graves.

It is also the burial ground for the first and last British soldiers to be killed on the Western Front and the first soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the 1914-18 conflict, Lieutenant Maurice James Dease.

There is a particular focus on the younger generation, reflected in the members of the Royal Family chosen to attend and various contributors to the event itself.

:: 10pm - People are being urged to turn off their lights for an hour to mark the moment the UK entered the First World War

British troops pictured after arriving in France in 1914

:: 11pm - A candlelit vigil will be held at Westminster Abbey in London, mark the time Britain declared war on Germany, 100 years ago.

It will pay tribute to the famous words spoken by the Foreign Secretary of the time, Sir Edward Grey, who remarked as he gazed out of his office and over St James' Park, that "the lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime".

In memory of that, candles will be extinguished one-by-one until a single burning oil lamp remains at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior.

A single lamp will be left burning at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior

The lights on Tower Bridge and the Blackpool Illuminations will also go dark and households across the country are encouraged to join in.

A lone candle on the steps of Downing Street will be the only light in that Whitehall corridor of power where so many tough decisions were taken 100 years ago.

The First World War began on July 28 when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia following the assassination in Sarajevo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand - the heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire.

Germany became involved in the conflict, invading neutral Belgium and Luxembourg and threatening France, forcing Britain to declare war on August 4.

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World War One Centenary: Britain Remembers

Commemorations are taking place across Europe to mark the centenary of the day Britain entered the First World War.

An estimated 37 million people were killed or injured in the conflict which lasted from 1914 until 1918.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are attending a service to mark 100 years since the German invasion of Belgium at the start of World War One.

The Royals were received at L'Abbaye Saint-Laurent in Liege by King Philippe of Belgium, from where they walked to the Cointe Inter-allied Memorial for a service, during which Prince William gave a speech and spoke of the importance of reconciliation across Europe.

Prince Harry salutes during a WWI centenary event in Folkstone, Kent

"We were enemies more than once in the last century, and today we are friends and allies," he said.

"We salute those who gave us our freedom. We will remember them."

William and Kate with Mr Hollande at a ceremony in Liege, Belgium

Among the more than 50 heads of state joining them were French President Francois Hollande and German President Joachim Gauck.

It is one of a series of events marking Britain's entry into the Great War.

Prince Charles lays a wreath in George Square, Glasgow

Across the Channel, the Prince of Wales, dressed in the uniform of a British admiral of the fleet, was attending a Service of Remembrance at Glasgow Cathedral where the 1,400 invited guests included representatives of Commonwealth countries, senior military figures, charities and cross-faith groups.

He will later lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in George Square.

Thousands of poppies are on display at the Tower of London

At the other end of the UK his son, Prince Harry, inspected a parade of troops in Folkestone - marking the route taken by millions of young men who marched through the Kent harbour town on their way to northern France and Belgium. For some, it was their last glimpse of English soil.

He will officially open a Memorial Arch in dedication to the veterans of the Great War, before joining William and Kate, and Mr Cameron, later this evening at a special ceremony at Belgium's St Symphorien Cemetery, outside the town of Mons.

The Great War in numbers

Speaking outside Glasgow Cathedral this morning, Prime Minister David Cameron said the war "profoundly changed our world".

"It is right to commemorate this because this event had a massive impact on every community, every family in our country," he said.

"It is also right to remember the outbreak of the war because so many young British people thought they were rallying to a cause of defending the right of a small country, Belgium, to exist, and the prevention of the domination of Europe by one power.

The small Belgian cemetery of St Symphorien, nears Mons

"There are principles and thoughts that were in play at that time and are worth remembering today as well," he added.

Across the other side of the globe, Australia and New Zealand also marked the outbreak of the Great War with Prime Ministers Tony Abbott and John Key describing it as a conflict that shaped their nations too.

People are being urged to turn off their lights for an hour at 10pm to mark the moment the UK entered the war, 100 years ago.

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Royal Navy 'To Rescue Britons From Libya'

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The Royal Navy is preparing to rescue British nationals from Libya, Sky News understands.

HMS Enterprise is being moved into position off the coast of North Africa ready to be given the order to sail into Tripoli on Sunday morning.

There has been a severe deterioration in the security situation

She will moor offshore and her survey boat, Spitfire, will collect people from the Port of Tripoli.

A detachment of armed personnel, usually Royal Marines, will provide force protection to the ship in the event of attack.

HMS Enterprise. File picture

The routine follows a similar scenario in 2011 during the uprising when HMS Cumberland, a Type 22 frigate, evacuated foreign nationals and refugees from the civil war.

Although the United States used F-16 fighter jets for air cover when their citizens left Libya by road for Tunisia last week, it is not thought any British aircraft will be involved in this mission.

Britain is one of the last countries to wind down its diplomatic mission in Libya following a severe deterioration in the security situation as rebel groups continue fighting each other.

France and America, two of the other principal players in the 2011 war, closed their embassies last week.

The Ministry of Defence said: "As the Foreign Office has made clear, the UK Government will provide assisted departure for a number of UK nationals before suspending consular operations on Monday.

"For operational reasons we will not discuss further details including whether, and in what ways, the MoD could support these efforts."

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Fugitive UK Drug Dealer Found In South Africa

One of the UK's most wanted men has been captured in South Africa, Sky News has learned.

Drug trafficker Martin Evans, 52, a former Welsh businessman of the year, went on the run from prison in August 2011 after a home visit.

He had been serving 21 years for drug smuggling and fraud when he was released on a temporary licence to an address in Swansea.

Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said detectives swooped on Evans in Johannesburg and described his capture as "a real scalp". 

"There's a lot waiting for him when he gets back," Brunt said.

Evans, from Pontardulais, was once an award winning businessman running a successful double glazing firm in Port Talbot.

But his business collapsed and Evans turned to fraud, cheating investors in a new ostrich farm business out of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Much of the money was channelled into offshore accounts in Jersey and the Bahamas and Evans was known to have a £2m villa in Marbella.

He also had properties in Miami and Florida.

Shortly before his trial for fraud, Evans went on the run for the first time, first to Spain and then to Holland.

The National Crime Agency said it was there that he masterminded a multimillion-pound drugs and money laundering operation, supplying cocaine and MDMA between 1999 and 2001.

He was caught when he tried to use a false passport to enter the US in November 2001 and was jailed for 21 years back in the UK.

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Woman Charged With Murder Of Girl, 7

A woman has been charged with murdering a seven-year-old girl in Nottingham.

Nottinghamshire Police said Kay-Ann Morris, 23, would appear before magistrates tomorrow accused of killing the girl, who has yet to be formally identified.

The girl's body was found at a house in Beckhampton Road, Bestwood Park, Nottingham, at around 5.10am on Thursday.

Police say concerns had been raised for her welfare.

A police spokesman said Morris, of Beckhampton Road, would remain in police custody until her appearance at Nottingham Magistrates' Court.

A post-mortem examination established the preliminary cause of the girl's death as a head injury, the spokesman added.

Officers investigating the death also arrested a 47-year-old man, who has been released without charge.

Anyone with information which could help the inquiry is urged to contact the incident room on 0115 8445012 or to call the Crimestoppers service on 0800 555 111.

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Indian Olympics Officials Arrested In Glasgow

Two Indian Olympics officials have been arrested on suspicion of assault in Glasgow, say Sky sources.

One of the officials held is believed to be the Indian Olympics Association secretary general Rajeev Mehta who is part of the Indian contingent at the Commonwealth Games. The incidents are understood to be separate and unrelated.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "On Saturday 2nd August a 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault in Glasgow city centre and a 45-year-old man was held for alleged assault in west Glasgow.

"Both men are expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff's Court on Monday."

The Commonwealth Games closing ceremony takes place tonight at Glasgow's Hampden Park.

According to Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond, tens of thousands of visitors were made to feel at home during the games with Scotland extending "the warmest of welcomes."

Mr Salmond praised the people of Glasgow, spectators and the athletes for helping to deliver what he said were the "best and friendliest Commonwealth Games ever".

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