Baked Bean Heist: Tins Snatched From Lorry

Thousands of tins of baked beans have been stolen from a lorry while the driver was asleep in his cab.

A total of 6,400 tins of Heinz baked beans with sausages were taken after thieves cut a large hole in the white Scania vehicle, West Mercia Police said.

The incident happened while the truck was parked in a layby on the A441 at Cookhill, near Redditch in Worcestershire.

An entire pallet and part of a second pallet were stolen from the lorry between 8.45pm on Monday and 5.30am on Tuesday.

"Police are appealing for information, especially about anyone trying to sell large quantities of Heinz baked beans in suspicious circumstances," a force spokesman said.

The product code is 71517000 with an expiry date of 31 March 2015.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or alternatively, the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111 for which a reward may be paid.

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Iran Execution Survivor Saved From Hanging

An Iranian man who was found alive in a morgue after a botched execution will not be hanged for a second time.

Iran has decided to spare the life of convicted drug trafficker, identified only as Alireza M, following calls from within Iran and appeals from international rights groups against a second execution.

Justice Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi told the official IRNA news agency: "The convict who survived (the death penalty) will not be executed again.

"After putting much effort to prevent the second execution of this convict, we have received a positive response."

Earlier this month the man was pronounced dead by the attending doctor after hanging for 12 minutes from a noose suspended from a crane at a jail in the country's northeast.

But the next day, staff at the mortuary in the city of Bojnord discovered Alireza M was still breathing.

Media later reported that he had fallen into a coma.

All judicial affairs and decisions in the Islamic republic rest with the judiciary, which constitutionally operates independently from the government.

The incident led to a heated debate between jurists, with some arguing against a repeat hanging and others for.

According to the media, a petition signed by jurists and attorneys was sent to judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, appealing for a stay in the exceptional case.

Amnesty International also called for an immediate stay of execution.

Iran has one of the highest rates of execution in the world, with more than 500 cases last year and some 508 executions so far this year, according to Human Rights Watch.

Tehran says the death penalty is essential to maintain law and order, and that it is applied only after exhaustive judicial proceedings.

Murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking and adultery are among the crimes punishable by death in Iran, based on its interpretation of sharia law in force since its 1979 Islamic revolution.

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Primark Death: Woman Falls From Liverpool Store

A woman has died after falling from a third-floor balcony at a Primark store in Liverpool.

Officers were called to the clothing store in Church Street by paramedics at 6pm on Tuesday.

The 57-year-old woman was found at the bottom of the escalators on the ground floor.

Moments earlier, she had been seen on the balcony next to the escalators on the third floor, police said.

A doctor, who was in the area at the time, treated the woman at the scene before paramedics arrived.

She was taken to the Royal University Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition, but was pronounced dead a short time later.

A police spokesman said: "Merseyside Police can confirm that an investigation is under way after a woman was found with serious injuries inside a clothes store in Liverpool city centre on Tuesday evening."

A post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish a cause of death.

The police spokesman added: "Detectives are speaking to witnesses and viewing CCTV to establish the full circumstances of the incident."

Anyone with any relevant information about the incident should call St Anne Street CID on 0151 777 4065 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

At the same store five years ago a three-year-old girl fell through a gap between the escalators.

She survived the fall, but suffered multiple injuries, including a broken arm and leg.

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Pope Suspends Germany's £26m 'Bling Bishop'

Pope Francis has suspended a German Catholic bishop dubbed the "bling bishop", who spent £26m (€31m) on his new residence.

The Vatican said: "The Holy See deems it appropriate to authorise a period of leave from the diocese for Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst."

The suspended Bishop of Limburg Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst

The Most Rev Tebartz-van Elst, Bishop of Limburg, faced calls for his resignation after it was revealed that the cost of his residence was more than six times the planned amount.

His private quarters in a new diocesan building are reported to have cost some £2.47m (€2.9m) and included a 63sq m dining room and a £12,800 (€15,000) bathtub - paid for using the revenue from a religious tax in Germany.

He was investigated by a Vatican envoy after protests in his diocese against lavish spending.

The decision to suspend him was taken after Bishop Tebartz-van Elst met Pope Francis in Rome on Monday.

The Vatican did not say if the bishop would permanently leave the diocese  but it said newly-named vicar general, Monsignor Wolfgang Roesch, would administer the diocese during his "period of time away".

Protesters pray and sing in front of the new residence of the bishop

In a statement, the Vatican said the situation in the diocese had become such that Bishop Tebartz-van Elst "could no longer exercise his episcopal ministry".

The 53-year-old bishop has defended the renovation, saying it involved 10 different projects and that there were additional costs because of regulations on buildings under historical protection.

But his alleged extravagance is at odds with Pope Francis's shift of the Church's focus towards simplicity and poverty.

The soaring cost of the stately residence next to Limburg's hilltop cathedral has been strongly criticised by churchgoers and officials after it was made public by the diocese.

Anger that taxes paid to the Church by ordinary Germans are apparently being squandered has led to demonstrations outside the bishop's residence.

The bishop's new home is part of a complex of buildings

Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Treves, in West Germany, last week told Germany's public television chain ARD that the situation has "escalated to the extent that bishop Franz-Peter can no longer on principle work in Limburg".

When the cost emerged local Catholic Raimund Champert said: "Such prestige projects simply don't fit with Catholicism.

"The Church, like the Pope, has a responsibility to be humble and lead by example. We are not in the Middle Ages any more."

His wife, Roswitha Champert, added: "It's actually shameless what's going on. I may be a Catholic but I don't agree with it."

Christoph Hefter, a lay member of the diocesan council, said: "The cost is shocking, it is beyond belief."

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Grangemouth Job Losses As Chemical Plant To Shut

The owner of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant is to close the operation permanently and keep shut, for now, its major oil refinery amid a continuing pay dispute.

The move threatens up to 800 jobs at the petrochemicals business, which makes products used in everyday items such as packaging and plastic bags, unless it can be sold.

The Grangemouth site's owner Ineos said while it would retain the refinery, which produces 80% of Scotland's petrol and diesel, production would remain shut down until the threat of industrial action was removed.

The Government said there was no current threat of fuel shortages in Scotland because of contingency planning.

Workers were given news of the closure at a meeting with Ineos petrochemicals chairman Calum MacLean following the passing of a deadline on a survival plan which asked all Grangemouth staff to accept changes to pensions and other terms and conditions.

The Prime Minister described the closure as "disappointing"

The Unite union said around 680 of the site's total 1,370-strong workforce rejected the proposals, which included a pay freeze for 2014-16, removal of a bonus up to 2016, a reduced shift allowance and ending of the final salary pension scheme.

Following the meeting with staff, one worker who did not want to be named, said: "I feel sick. It's gone."

The worker, who appeared close to tears at points, told Sky News he could only listen to about 10 minutes of the meeting, before he felt he had to leave.

"There's no livelihoods left and we don't even know if we're going to get redundancy out of it. I hope they're happy with themselves," he said.

More than 1,300 people are currently employed at Grangemouth by Ineos

Unite has accused the company's owner Jim Ratcliffe of playing "Russian roulette" with the future of Grangemouth, the biggest industrial site in Scotland, and said it would back any efforts by the Scottish Government to find a new buyer for the petrochemical complex.

In a statement, Ineos blamed the union's opposition to its survival plan for the decision to close the petrochemical plant - saying shareholders could no longer fund it.

Mr MacLean said: "This is a hugely sad day for everyone at Grangemouth. We have tried our hardest to convince employees of the need for change but unsuccessfully.

"There was only ever going to be one outcome to this story if nothing changed and we continued to lose money.

"We still struggle to comprehend what has happened here. The employees were offered a chance to secure substantial new investment in the company, preserve their jobs and keep their salaries. Sadly this will no longer be the case."

The company added: "As a result of this decision, the directors of the petrochemicals business have had no option but to engage the services of a liquidator. It is anticipated that a liquidation process will commence in a week."

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "I am saddened to hear of Ineos' plans to place the petrochemicals business into administration, particularly because of the impact it will have on the workforce and local community.

"While respecting Ineos' right to make this decision, it is regrettable that both parties have not managed to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement that delivers a viable business model for the plant.

"Even at this late stage, I urge Ineos to continue dialogue with the workforce and Government will offer help and support with this.

"Ineos have informed us that the refinery will stay open and the management wish to restart full operations as soon as possible.

"We stand ready to help with discussions between the management and the union to ensure this can happen.

"Fuel supplies continue to be delivered as usual and there is no current risk of disruption to supplies."

More follows...

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PM Vows To Roll Back Green Taxes On Energy

The Lib Dems have accused David Cameron of a "panicky U-turn" after he pledged to roll back green taxes blamed for driving up energy bills.

During another bitter row about energy policy with Ed Miliband at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron said he wanted to "get a grip" on green regulations.

The levies have been criticised by suppliers in recent weeks as they started to unveil a string of price hikes in household bills ahead of the winter.

Mr Cameron also told MPs the Government is to launch an annual audit of competition in the energy industry to see if the market can be improved.

The announcements came as he was mocked by the Labour leader over former Tory prime minister Sir John Major's shock call for a windfall tax on energy firms.

Upper hand: Ed Miliband and Ed Balls both mocked the PM

But they sparked deep coalition divisions to be laid bare as the Lib Dems, who oppose any change to green taxes, stressed their commitment to the environment.

A party source said: "Everybody knows the Tories are getting cold feet on the environment. The Tories have put no properly worked up policies in front of us.

"But we will not allow a panicky u-turn during PMQs to dictate Government policy. The way to provide stable fuel bills now and in the future is not to make policy up on the hoof."

At PMQs, Mr Miliband claimed Sir John's intervention on Tuesday had exposed the Prime Minister's unwillingness to stand up to energy firms.

"Many people face the choice this winter between heating and eating. These are the ordinary people of this country who this Prime Minister will never meet and whose lives he will never understand," he said.

Mr Cameron replied: "I can tell the House today that we will be having a proper competition test carried out over the next year to get to the bottom of whether this market can be made more competitive.

"I want more companies, I want better regulation, I want better deals for consumers. But yes, we also need to roll back the green charges that he put in place as energy secretary."

Amid heated exchanges, Mr Cameron lashed out at the Labour leader, telling him: "Sir John Major is a good man, you are acting like a conman."

He said: "He left us a market with just six players, we have already seen seven new energy companies come into that market.

"So we need an annual audit of competition to make this market more competitive, something he never did when in office.

"And we need to roll back the costs that have been imposed on people's energy bills, part of which he was responsible for."

Tory Zac Goldsmith called party leaders "muppets"

After coming off worse in the bout with the Labour leader, Mr Cameron was also reprimanded by the Commons Speaker for repeating "conman" later in the session.

John Bercow said he had let it slide once but later told the Prime Minister the word was "frankly unparliamentary".

He said: "The Prime Minister is a man of great versatility in the use of language - it's a bit below the level. We'll leave it there, it's a bit below the level."

Downing Street sources said Mr Cameron had discussed his plans to roll back green levies with the Lib Dems in recent weeks.

More details are expected in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement in December.

According to Number 10, green levies will rise from £112 to £194 - or 14% of the typical household bill - by 2020 if there is no policy change.

The Lib Dems promised any detailed proposals would be examined but added that they would not let the Conservatives "undermine" their green credentials.

Details of the competition review will also be set out next week in the Energy Secretary's annual statement to the Commons.

It will be conducted by watchdog Ofgem, the Office of Fair Trading and the new Competition and Markets Authority.

The first review, which will look at prices, profit levels and any barriers to new suppliers trying to enter the market, is due to start within weeks and report next year.

Sir John's call for an "excess profits tax" on energy firms if there is a severe winter and vulnerable people were suffering has already been dismissed by Downing Street.

Officials say there are "no plans" for such a move, but Labour were delighted by the comments as they claimed the former PM was making their case for them.

Energy has now become central to the row over the cost-of-living and is unlikely to fade for weeks to come as the "Big Six" energy suppliers continue to unveil price hikes.

A Labour source suggested David Cameron's response to the issue was "panicked and totally inadequate".

Tory MP and keen environmentalist Zac Goldsmith also branded the party leaders "muppets" for their approach.

He wrote on Twitter: "In 2010, leaders fought to prove they were the greenest. Three years on, they're desperately blaming their own policies on the other. Muppets."

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Raped Girl 'Not Treated As Human' By Couple

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

A couple have been jailed for a total of 18 years for trafficking a deaf and mute girl into the UK, where she was repeatedly raped and subjected to forced labour.

Ilyas Ashar, 84, and his wife Tallat Ashar, 68, forced the vulnerable youngster to sleep in the cellar of their home in Greater Manchester, where she was beaten and slapped, and led a life of domestic servitude for almost a decade.

The girl was also used to steal more than £30,000 in benefits on her behalf.

She was even taught enough sign language by the family so she could agree to the benefit money being handed over.

Their victim had no family or friends in the UK and had never been to school in Pakistan or Britain.

Ilyas Ashar also routinely raped the girl from the moment he brought her into the UK from Pakistan, aged around 10, in June 2000.

Ashar was convicted of 13 specimen counts of rape by a jury last week, though the court heard the rapes happened "many, many times more".

He had also been convicted at an earlier trial of two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit and one of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit.

He was jailed for 13 years at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

His wife was jailed for five years for two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, and four counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit.

Their daughter, Faaiza Ashar, 46, who was found guilty at an earlier trial of two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit, and one count of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit, was given a 12 month community order with 300 hours of unpaid work.

Passing sentence Judge Peter Lakin said: "You Ilyas Ashar and you Tallat Ashar did not treat this girl as a human being.

"To you she was merely an object to be used, abused and cast aside at will.

"You took full advantage of her extreme vulnerability.

"You exploited her physically, you exploited her mentally and you exploited her economically.

"There was throughout a distasteful undercurrent of violence and intimidation.

"All that she had in her life was the love of her family and her own human dignity. You two took that away from her. You consigned her to a life of misery and degradation.

"Throughout these proceedings not one of you have shown any remorse.

"You are concerned with your own selfish, self-centred interests.

"You Ilyas and Tallat Ashar are deeply unpleasant, highly manipulative and dishonest people."

When police and local trading standards raided the Ashar family home in Cromwell Road, Eccles, in Salford, on June 8, 2009, officers were "shocked" to discover the girl asleep in the cold and dark cellar.

One officer likened her behaviour to that of an "animal" - not allowed to sit on the furniture - and an indication of her status in the house.

She was taken from the house and is now doing well with the help of social services, the court heard.

A proceeds of crime hearing will be held next year to recoup the benefits stolen by the Ashars.

They had fought the case at every turn, mounting a series of legal challenges and appealing but failing to overturn their convictions at the Court of Appeal.

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Boy, 13, Carrying Toy Gun Killed By Police

Police have shot dead a 13-year-old boy who was carrying a replica rifle, authorities have said.

The teenager was spotted walking with the toy gun by two Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies in Santa Rosa, California.

They called for backup and repeatedly ordered him to drop what appeared to be a rifle before firing several rounds, said Lieutenant Dennis O'Leary.

The boy, who has been identified as being called Andy Lopez, then fell to the ground on top of the replica weapon.

Deputies told him to move away from the object and when he did not comply they put handcuffs on him.

They then realised he was unresponsive and began giving him first aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr O'Leary said the deputies also found a plastic handgun in his waistband.

Rodrigo Lopez told the Press Democrat of Santa Rosa that the victim was his son and the toy gun belonged to a friend.

He told the newspaper he last saw his son on Tuesday morning before he left for work.

"I told him what I tell him every day," Mr Lopez said in Spanish. "Behave yourself."

It was unclear whether the fake rifle was capable of firing BBs or other projectiles.

An investigation will be carried out by police from Santa Rosa and Petaluma and the district attorney's office.

The deputies involved have reportedly been placed on administrative leave.

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Prince George Christened At St James's Palace

Prince George has been christened in a ceremony at St James's Palace that spanned four generations of the royal family.

The baby boy was pink cheeked and chubby as he emerged from the historic Chapel Royal with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, after the service.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry gathered for the private ceremony of the future king and supreme governor of the Church of England.

Before entering the chapel, William told everyone: "He's all ready. So far, so good."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George

Prince George was dressed in a Honiton lace christening gown, a replica of the one used by more than 60 members of the Royal Family since 1841.

Kate looked relaxed before the service began and wore a cream Alexander McQueen outfit and a matching hat by milliner Jane Taylor.

Other guests include Kate's family - parents Carole and Michael Middleton and siblings Pippa and James - along with his godparents and their partners.

The historic 45-minute service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury saw the four generations of British monarchs photographed by celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell, together for the first time since 1899.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive at the service

Harry and Pippa both gave readings and William and Kate chose two hymns, two lessons and two anthems for the service.

The Lily font used by the Archbishop was brought to the Chapel Royal from the Tower of London where it is normally housed as part of the crown jewels.

While the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all christened at Buckingham Palace, the Duke and Duchess have chosen to break with tradition, holding the baptism in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.

It is the chapel where Diana, Princess of Wales' coffin rested before her funeral in 1997.

Prince George wore a lace christening gown

Earlier, Kensington Palace revealed the names of Prince George's seven godparents.

They are Zara Tindall, Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton.

Mr Lowther-Pinkerton is William and Kate's former private secretary, who continues to serve part-time as their principal private secretary and equerry.

Mr Baker is an old university friend who attended St Andrews with William and Kate, while Earl Grosvenor, whose first name is Hugh, is the son of the Duke of Westminster.

Ms Samuel was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and is the founder patron of Child Bereavement UK, which has William as its royal patron.

Mr van Cutsem is an old family friend of William and Harry, while Ms Jardine-Paterson is an interior designer and an old Malborough College friend of Kate, who also uses her maiden name d'Erlanger in her working life.

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Plebgate: Police 'Did Not Mean To Mislead'

Key Dates Of The Plebgate Scandal

Updated: 8:08am UK, Wednesday 23 October 2013

The row over Andrew Mitchell's argument with a police officer in Downing Street has resurfaced three months on. Here are the key developments.

:: September 4 - Andrew Mitchell is appointed Chief Whip in David Cameron's first Cabinet reshuffle.

:: September 19 - Mr Mitchell tries to cycle out of the Downing Street main gates but is stopped by a police officer who tells him he must use a side exit.

The officer on duty makes a log of the encounter, claiming that the Chief Whip swore and called police "plebs".

:: September 20 - Deputy Chief Whip John Randall is sent an email apparently from a constituent claiming he and his nephew witnessed the altercation.

It claims passers-by had been shocked and suggests some could have filmed it, as well as repeating the "plebs" allegation.

:: September 21 - The Sun runs a story on the row titled "Cabinet minister: police are plebs".

Mr Mitchell apologises for not "treating the police with the respect they deserve" but denies using the language reported.

David Cameron says he has apologised and allows him to keep his job but the Police Federation insist he has to go.

:: September 24 - Mr Mitchell says sorry on television as the row refuses to die away but his apology is dismissed as lacklustre and calls grow for him to quit.

Labour calls on Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to launch an investigation but the appeal is rejected.

:: September 25 - The Daily Telegraph publishes the full police log of the row, piling yet more pressure on the senior Tory.

:: October 4 - Mr Mitchell pulls out of the Tory party conference to avoid being a "distraction".

:: October 12 - The Chief Whip meets representatives of the Police Federation at his constituency office in Sutton Coldfield but officers remain dissatisfied.

:: October 17 - Labour leader Ed Miliband declares that Mr Mitchell is "toast" during Prime Minister's Questions and accuses the Tories of "double standards".

:: October 19 - Mr Mitchell meets David Cameron at Chequers and resigns but continues to deny using the word "plebs".

:: December 15 - Officers investigating the leak of the police log arrest a serving police officer with the diplomatic protection squad on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

:: December 18 - Allegations emerge that the officer was behind the email to Mr Randall in September but never actually witnessed the argument.

New CCTV footage which appears to conflict with the official police account is also revealed by Channel 4 News.

Mr Mitchell claims he is the victim of a "stitch-up" and demands a full inquiry. Number 10 calls the allegations "exceptionally serious".

Met Police Chief Bernard Hogan-Howe says nothing he has seen affects the original police account.

:: December 19 - Police widen their probe into the case to include the email allegations and the possibility of a police "conspiracy".

David Cameron calls for the claims that an officer tried to "blacken the name of a Cabinet minister" to be "seriously investigated".

Senior Tory figures brand the latest developments "appalling" and suggestions begin that Mr Mitchell could soon be back on the front bench.

A 23-year-old man is arrested at 8pm by Scotland Yard on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an indictable offence in relation to the affair.

:: December 20 - The second arrested man is released on bail, to return in January.

2013

:: January 31 - A police officer from the Diplomatic Protection Group is held on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

:: February 1 - A female police officer tasked with protecting Government officials is arrested over alleged leaks linked to the Mitchell row.

:: June 15 - A 48-year-old diplomatic protection group officer is arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and a woman, aged 49, is detained on suspicion of assisting an offender.

:: October 15 - The IPCC questions the "honesty and integrity" of three police officers who gave interviews after Andrew Mitchell's meeting with Police Federation representatives last October.

:: October 21 - The Police Federation release a statement in which the officers say they are sorry for their "poor judgement" in talking to the media but did not plan or intend to mislead anyone.

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