Boris Berezovsky 'had neck ligature'

28 March 2013 Last updated at 06:10 ET

An inquest into the death of Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has heard he was found lying on his bathroom floor with a "ligature around his neck".

Mr Berezovsky, 67, was discovered at his Berkshire home on Saturday.

A post-mortem examination found his death was consistent with hanging, but further tests are being carried out and are likely to take several weeks.

The inquest, which has been adjourned, comes after relatives of his second wife described him as "extraordinary".

Speaking at the opening of the inquest at Windsor Coroner's Court, Detective Inspector Mark Bissell, of Thames Valley Police, said Mr Berezovsky was found lying on his bathroom floor with a "ligature around his neck and a piece of similar material on the shower rail above him".

The inquest was opened and adjourned by Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford.

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He has taught me to never stop fighting for what one believes in"

End Quote Anastasia Berezovsky Daughter

Janine Prunty, the coroner's officer, confirmed Mr Berezovsky's daughter, Elizaveta Berezovskaya, formally identified the body.

And police confirmed the ambulance crew found the Russian oligarch's body on the floor at his home in Ascot, Berkshire.

The BBC's world affairs correspondent Richard Galpin said the police search of Mr Berezovsky's house will continue for a few days more and other tests are under way.

Following her father's death, Mr Berezovsky's daughter Anastasia, 19, said: "My father was not the typical parent, nothing about him was ordinary... he has taught me many things about this world.

"He has taught me to never stop fighting for what one believes in no matter what the costs may be."

Anastasia and her brother Artem are Mr Berezovsky's children with his second wife Galina Besharova.

She added: "There aren't enough words in any language that can somehow express everything that he was and everything he will continue to be. The only word that comes close is extraordinary."

'No struggle'

Early reports suggested Mr Berezovsky's body was found by an employee, who called an ambulance at 15:18 GMT on Saturday. He had not been seen since around 22:30 GMT the previous evening.

Police have said the post-mortem examination found nothing to indicate a violent struggle.

They had earlier said there was no evidence so far that a "third party" was involved.

It will be several weeks before the results of further tests, including toxicology and histology examinations, are known.

Our correspondent says some friends of Mr Berezovsky had said he was depressed after the failure of his legal battle in London with fellow Russian oligarch and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich.

But others have insisted he was not a man who would have taken his own life, our correspondent adds.

Mr Berezovsky, an outspoken critic of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, amassed a fortune in the 1990s following the privatisation of state assets after the collapse of Soviet communism.

He survived numerous assassination attempts, including a bomb that decapitated his chauffeur.

Mr Berezovsky had been living in the UK since 2000. He was granted political asylum in 2003 on the grounds that his life would be in danger in Russia.

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Top officer rapped over Hillsborough

28 March 2013 Last updated at 07:29 ET

A police watchdog has said a former chief constable could have been sacked for his actions following the publication of a damning report into the Hillsborough disaster.

Sir Norman Bettison would have a "case to answer for gross misconduct" if he was a serving officer, the IPCC found.

It concluded he tried to influence public perception as West Yorkshire Police Authority was deciding whether to refer him to the IPCC.

His solicitor criticised the findings.

'Dismissal justified'

The Independent Police Complaint Commission's report concluded that Sir Norman, who resigned last year, had a case to answer for discreditable conduct and abuse of authority.

Deborah Glass, deputy chair of the IPCC, said: "It was the IPCC's view at the start of the investigation, as it was the view of his Police Authority, that Sir Norman's actions, if proven, fell so far short of what is expected of a chief constable that dismissal would be justified. "The evidence uncovered during the investigation supports that view.

"While we cannot bring this case to misconduct proceedings, we can publish the evidence and our conclusions, so that the public can judge for themselves."

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We want to see him stripped of his honours - his knighthood and his Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University.""

End Quote Margaret Aspinall Hillsborough Family Support Group

Sir Norman's solicitor, John Harding, said the way in which the investigation had been handled "called into question the fairness of such a process."

He said: "The decision that there is a case to answer is not a finding of guilt. This point is accepted, explicitly, in the foreword of the IPCC report and it therefore sits, uncomfortably, with some of the comments in the investigator's report, made after an incomplete investigation.

"Sir Norman voluntarily attended interview, provided a written statement and invited the IPCC to interview witnesses. Since there can be no formal misconduct hearing my client is denied the opportunity to call those witnesses, which the IPCC declined to interview, and is denied the opportunity to put his case and challenge other evidence."

'Own self-interest'

Margaret Aspinall, of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, said Sir Norman should be stripped of his knighthood.

She said: "In the IPCC's own words, this was gross misconduct and, in my mind, that is a very serious offence and the fact that he resigned should not mean that this report is the end of it.

"We want to see him stripped of his honours - his knighthood and his Honorary Fellowship from Liverpool John Moores University."

Mrs Aspinall, whose 18-year-old son James died at Hillsborough, added: "I believe he resigned to protect his pension and his behaviour has shown he is not deserving of that pension."

The investigation related to the period following the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report, which laid bare police attempts to shift the blame for the tragedy to the victims.

While serving with the South Yorkshire force, Sir Norman was a key figure in compiling its report into how it handled the aftermath of the tragedy.

A separate IPCC investigation into his conduct at that time is ongoing but Sir Norman has always denied being involved in any cover-up.

Last autumn, following his resignation as chief constable, the West Yorkshire Police Authority asked the IPCC to investigate whether he had tried to interfere with its inquiries into his role at Hillsborough.

The IPCC report concluded while he had not tried to prevent the referral from happening he had "attempted to manipulate the public perception of the referral process for his own self-interest."

When he resigned last October Sir Norman said he would co-operate fully with the IPCC investigations.

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Nelson Mandela back in hospital

28 March 2013 Last updated at 07:46 ET

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The BBC's Milton Nkosi: "Last time check-up was routine. This time this hasn't been said"

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been readmitted to hospital with the recurrence of a lung infection.

A statement from the South African presidency said Mr Mandela, 94, had been admitted just before midnight.

Mr Mandela spent 18 days in hospital in December undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.

He is widely regarded as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid.

Mr Mandela served as South Africa's first black president from 1994 to 1999. However, his health has caused concern for some time.

A presidential spokesman told the BBC that Mr Mandela was conscious and was receiving the best possible medical treatment.

"I think we need to be clear that the doctors are attending to Madiba [Mr Mandela] on a continuous basis," spokesman Mac Maharaj said.

"They prefer to act on the side of caution, and the moment they felt there was a recurrence of the lung infection, they felt that it warranted immediate hospitalisation given his age and given his history."

However, the BBC's Andrew Harding in South Africa says the abrupt nature of Mr Mandela's late-night admission is likely to raise concerns.

The presidency has not identified the hospital where he is being treated.

Appeal for prayers

The government statement said President Jacob Zuma wished Mr Mandela a speedy recovery.

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• 1918 Born in the Eastern Cape
• 1943 Joins African National Congress
• 1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped
• 1962 Arrested, convicted of sabotage, sentenced to five years in prison
• 1964 Charged again, sentenced to life
• 1990 Freed from prison
• 1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize
• 1994 Elected first black president
• 1999 Steps down as leader
• 2004 Retires from public life
• 2005 Announces his son has died of an HIV/Aids-related illness

"We appeal to the people of South Africa and the world to pray for our beloved Madiba and his family and to keep them in their thoughts. We have full confidence in the medical team and know that they will do everything possible to ensure recovery," President Zuma said.

The former president is often fondly referred to by his clan name, Madiba.

It is the fourth time Mr Mandela has been admitted to hospital in just over two years.

He first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained on the windswept Robben Island where he served 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned for sabotage.

His lungs are said to have been damaged when he worked in a prison quarry.

Despite his long imprisonment, Mr Mandela forgave his former enemies and as president urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.

In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The treatment he received in December 2012 was his longest spell in hospital since leaving prison in 1990.

Earlier this month he spent a night in hospital following a check-up.

Mr Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.

His main home is in Qunu, a small rural village in Eastern Cape province, where he says he spent the happiest days of his childhood.

However, doctors said in December he should remain at his home in the Johannesburg neighbourhood of Houghton to be close to medical facilities.

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Cyprus banks reopen with tough curbs

28 March 2013 Last updated at 07:46 ET

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The BBC's Tim Willcox was in the city of Nicosia when the banks opened their doors to customers

Banks in Cyprus have reopened after a two-week closure sparked by discussions on an EU-IMF bailout, amid tension over possible large-scale withdrawals.

Branches were replenished with cash overnight and police were deployed amid fears of a run on the banks.

Some queues did form but customers face strict controls on daily withdrawals and the mood was generally calm.

The restrictions on the free movement of capital represent a profound breach of an EU principle, correspondents say.

However, the European Commission on Thursday justified the move, saying the "stability of financial markets and the banking system in Cyprus constitutes a matter of overriding public interest".

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At the scene

Yiannis Paraskevas Ioannau Cypriot resident, Larnaca

---

Across the street from my office is a branch of the Bank of Cyprus. It's now one hour before it's due to open and there's a small line of people arriving to queue. I would like to withdraw my money altogether. I don't have a huge amount and I lose with the "haircut", but I don't trust the banks or the government.

Money in a bank is supposed to be safe and that's not the case here. We are at the mercy of the EU and are trapped in the euro as it's too painful to get out. Everyone is furious because we feel that we are being robbed at gunpoint by the Europeans. It all started when Cyprus agreed to switch to the euro. As a nation we cannot compete with Germany economically. Germany is much more efficient than any other country in Europe.

The Europeans are not really interested in saving Cyprus. They are simply trying to save themselves. The answer is to drop the euro and return to the pound. This will be painful but at least there will be light at the end of the tunnel. Right now I see none.

Cyprus is the first eurozone member country to bring in capital controls.

Cyprus needs to raise 5.8bn euros ($7.4bn; £4.9bn) to qualify for a 10bn-euro bailout from the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the so-called troika.

As part of the bailout plan, depositors with more than 100,000 euros will see some of their savings exchanged for bank shares.

An earlier plan to tax small depositors was vetoed by the Cypriot parliament last week.

Loss of trust

Branches began to open at noon local time (10:00 GMT) and will close at 18:00 (16:00 GMT).

Some did not open on time, causing tension among customers. The longer queues were forming outside branches of Laiki, which is being wound up.

One customer in a queue in Nicosia told the BBC's Tim Willcox he was withdrawing the allowed daily amount of 300 euros ($383; £253) but would take out all of his money if he could.

Our correspondent says the predictions of a stampede did not materialise and in some places there were more journalists than depositors.

Another customer, jewellery shop owner, Roula Spyrou, told AFP news agency: "There's going to be queues so I'm not going to spend so many hours there to get 300 euros."

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Cyprus capital controls

• Daily withdrawals limited to 300 euros
• Cashing of cheques banned
• Those travelling abroad can take no more than 1,000 euros out of the country
• Payments and/or transfers outside Cyprus via debit and or credit cards permitted up to 5,000 euros per month
• Businesses able to carry out transactions up to 5,000 euros per day
• Special committee to review commercial transactions between 5,000 and 200,000 euros and approve all those over 200,000 euros on a case-by-case basis
• No termination of fixed-term deposit accounts before maturity

Some armed police have been deployed in cities and hundreds of staff from the private security firm G4S are guarding bank branches and helping to transport money.

The stock exchange, shut since 16 March, remains closed on Thursday and will not reopen until after Easter.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry of finance insisted the capital control measures were temporary and were needed to "safeguard the stability of the system".

It read: "The Central Bank of Cyprus and the government of Cyprus will review them each day, with a view to progressive lifting of the measures as soon as circumstances allow. "

The severe new rules have been imposed to prevent a torrent of money leaving the island and credit institutions collapsing.

As well as the daily withdrawal limit, Cypriots may not cash cheques.

Payments and/or transfers outside Cyprus via debit and or credit cards are allowed up to 5,000 euros per person per month.

Transactions of 5,000-200,000 euros will be reviewed by a specially established committee, with applications for those over 200,000 euros needing individual approval.

Travellers leaving the country will only be allowed to take 1,000 euros with them.

On Wednesday night, hundreds of protesters rallied outside the presidential palace, chanting: "I'll pay nothing; I owe nothing," the Reuters news agency reported.

Many economists predict the controls could be in place for months.

The unprecedented restrictions represent a profound breach of an important principle of the European Union that capital, as well as people and trade, should able be to move freely across internal borders, says the BBC's economics correspondent Andrew Walker.

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However, the European Commission said member states could introduce capital controls "in certain circumstances and under strict conditions on grounds of public policy or public security".

But it added that "the free movement of capital should be reinstated as soon as possible".

The vice-president of the Cypriot Employers Federation, Demetria Karatoki, told the BBC he believed the country could pull through.

"Although there is going to be hardship, at the end of the day we can start rebuilding our economy on a sound basis," he said.

But British Cypriot businessman, Costa Thomas, said he had lost faith in the system.

"No-one really trusts politicians. So why should we believe them that these controls are going to last only a few weeks and we're going to get shares and get the money back?" he asked.

One employee of the Bank of Cyprus told the BBC that everybody's jobs were at risk.

"If the Bank of Cyprus collapses, all the small business, the large businesses, everything collapses. They cannot buy anything, import anything, export anything. There is nothing," she said.

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Pistorius granted freedom to travel

28 March 2013 Last updated at 07:46 ET

South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, charged with murdering his girlfriend, will be allowed to travel after challenging his bail terms.

A judge said the Olympic and Paralympic star would be allowed to leave South Africa to compete as long as he complies with certain conditions.

He will also be allowed to return to his home in Pretoria, where Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed.

He denies murdering the 29-year-old, saying he mistook her for an intruder.

In the hearing at Pretoria's High Court, Mr Pistorius also sought an end to supervision by a probation officer and compulsory drug and alcohol testing.

The state opposed the application. Mr Pistorius, 26, was not in court for the hearing.

Seeking income

The bail conditions were imposed by Magistrate Desmond Nair on 22 February - including the travel restrictions.

Mr Pistorius was originally ordered to hand over his two South African passports, avoid his home in Pretoria and all witnesses in the case, report to a police station twice a week and to abstain from drinking alcohol.

But they were relaxed but Judge Bert Bam, who described the decision not to grant Mr Pistorius permission to travel as "wrong".

Defence lawyer Barry Roux said the bail conditions amounted to "house arrest".

"Why would this athlete go to a country without extradition and go and hide," he asked the court.

"It is not as if the appellant is travelling for holiday in Mauritius; it's only to gain an income, there's no other reason."

Reports said the athlete had not yet resumed training and had no current plans to compete internationally.

In an unrelated case, the athlete's brother, Carl Pistorius, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with the culpable homicide of a female motorcyclist in a 2008 road crash. He pleaded not guilty and is due to appear in court again next week.

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Tributes paid to dog attack girl

27 March 2013 Last updated at 06:21 ET

Tributes have been paid to a 14-year-old girl who died after she was attacked by a pack of "out of control" dogs at a house in Greater Manchester.

Jade Anderson was found alone with five of the animals at a house she was visiting in Chaucer Grove, Atherton, Wigan, on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said armed officers destroyed four dogs and contained a fifth.

Jade's school, Fred Longworth High School, said staff and pupils were "all deeply shocked and saddened".

Friends of the teenager are set to release lanterns outside the school in Tyldesley later.

Always smiling

A statement on the school's website said: "We are all deeply shocked and saddened by Jade's tragic death.

"She had only been a pupil at the school since the summer but had made a real impact in that short time.

"Jade was a lively student who always had a smile on her face. She loved music and dance and was a regular at our after school dancing club.

"At what turned out to be her last day at school, Jade was given a progress report by her teachers and told everyone was delighted with the progress she was making.

"The Fred Longworth community will miss her and our thoughts and sympathies are with her family and friends at this terrible time."

It added that the school, which is currently closed for the Easter break, would be open next Wednesday and Thursday to pupils in need of support.

Flowers have been left outside the two-storey terraced house where the incident took place, and messages from friends have been posted on Facebook.

Police said Jade's body was found at the house just after 14:00 GMT.

A post-mortem examination was due to take place on Tuesday night but officers said her injuries were "consistent with having been attacked by dogs".

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The BBC's Dave Guest: "Police are in the house carrying out investigations"

Four dogs, believed to be two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers, were shot by police marksmen.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "Officers attended and found the body of a 14-year-old girl.

"They were confronted by a number of dogs that were aggressive and out of control."

Supt Mark Kenny said there would be a "significant" police presence in the area to reassure residents.

"First and foremost, our thoughts are with the family of the girl who has tragically lost her life. Specialist officers are offering them every support," he said.

"I understand this is an extremely distressing incident for all concerned, including the community, and we will work hard to establish the full circumstances that led to this tragedy."

Friends paid tribute to the "quiet" and "timid" teenager, who is thought to have visited the shops and returned to the house with a meat pie when she was attacked.

More than 4,500 people joined a Facebook group set up in Jade's memory.

One of those was the aunt of four-year-old John-Paul Massey, who was killed by a banned breed of dog in Liverpool in 2009.

Tricia Massey wrote: "Such a tragic thing to happen. I know what your poor family must be going through and how they are feeling, I lost my four-year-old nephew three years ago.

"He was killed by a dangerous dog in Liverpool. Something needs to be done about these aggressive animals."

'Overhaul' needed

Pet charity Blue Cross has called for a change in laws governing dangerous dogs.

Chief executive Kim Hamilton said: "This tragic loss of a young life is an extremely distressing reminder that current dangerous dog legislation puts people at risk.

"All our thoughts are with Jade's family and friends but until we see a radical overhaul of the law that allows authorities to step in at the first sign of aggressive behaviour these shocking incidents will continue to happen."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates about 210,000 people are attacked by dogs in England every year.

Five children and one adult have been killed by dogs on private property since 2007.

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Banks told to raise an extra £25bn

27 March 2013 Last updated at 07:07 ET

Major UK banks must raise a total of £25bn in extra capital by the end of 2013 to guard against potential losses, the Bank of England (BoE) has said.

In a statement, the BoE's Financial Policy Committee (FPC) said only some banks need to raise the cash, but did not name them.

It said banks could face losses of about £50bn over the next three years, relating to bad loans and fines.

The order is the first from the FPC, the new financial stability regulator.

It said UK banks and building societies could lose billions of pounds over the next three years relating to "high-risk" loans in the UK commercial property sector and vulnerable eurozone economies.

They may also lose money through fines, and require extra capital to support a "more prudent approach to risk".

Some banks already have enough capital to cover these costs, the FPC said, but others are short.

Yet more money may need to be raised after the end of 2013, the FPC warned, so that banks conform to incoming "Basel III" accords on banking regulation.

Sustain lending

No new government money will be required. Banks are likely to raise the funds by issuing more bonds or selling shares.

But BBC business editor Robert Peston says in the short term the need to raise cash will be bad news for investors, including taxpayers who still own big stakes in two banks - Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds.

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Cyprus is a reminder that the notion of the banks having to absorb big additional losses before too long is not a purely academic one"

End Quote

If these banks are among those that need to raise more capital, it may delay plans to sell the stakes back to private investors.

The measures are also designed to ensure that banks are able to continue lending to businesses and each other, should another banking crisis hit.

The extra capital is needed "to ensure sufficient capacity to absorb losses and sustain lending", the FPC said.

The FPC has overall responsibility for financial regulation in the UK and is part of a new order of regulation designed to keep the banks under closer scrutiny.

It will oversee two new financial watchdogs: the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), which will take over responsibility for supervising the safety and soundness of individual financial firms, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which will be tasked with protecting consumers and making sure that workers in the financial services sector comply with rules.

The new watchdogs will replace the Financial Services Authority, which is set to close next week.

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David Miliband set for 'new start'

27 March 2013 Last updated at 07:55 ET

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Newsnight's Allegra Stratton looks back at David Miliband's political career.

Labour leader Ed Miliband says his brother David's decision to quit as an MP and move to a US-based charity leaves UK politics "a poorer place".

He spoke after David Miliband announced he was to accept the "new challenge and new start" of running the International Rescue Committee in New York.

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Analysis

So does David Miliband's departure strengthen or weaken his brother ?

His friends insist his departure deprives Labour of a figure who would have brought experience and authority to Labour's front bench.

It's argued he would have enabled Labour to better reach out beyond its core vote and to attract those elusive southern voters.

He may also have helped re-fashion Labour's stance on the economy and so regained the party more credibility on the economy.

And yet there were also clear dangers.

A return to the shadow cabinet could have just prompted endless sibling psychodrama stories.

The Labour leader's supporters could reasonably argue their man isn't doing so bad without the help of his brother.

And while in the Westminster village the pros and cons of the most senior remaining Blairite's departure will be much mulled over, outside, life goes on.

The former foreign secretary, 47, was beaten by a narrow margin by brother Ed in the 2010 Labour leadership contest.

David said it was "very difficult" to leave Parliament and UK politics.

But after serving as an MP for 12 years, he said: "I now have to make a choice about how to give full vent to my ideas and ideals."

In an interview with BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson, Mr Miliband said that "sadly" his departure was a step which would help Labour to take on the coalition government "uninhibited".

David Miliband was long seen as a future Labour leader, with supporters of Tony Blair pushing him to stand against Gordon Brown when Mr Blair stepped down as prime minister and Labour leader in 2007.

There were also frequent reports that he was set to challenge Mr Brown during the three years he was prime minister before leading Labour to defeat at the 2010 election.

Instead of challenging, he bided his time and entered the post-election Labour leadership contest as overwhelming favourite - only to lose to his younger brother, who gained more union votes but fewer votes from Labour members and Labour MPs.

The bitter disappointment and strained relations led to David Miliband deciding to step down from the Labour front bench to, as he put it in his letter of resignation, "give Ed the space and the same time the support he needed to lead the party without distraction".

Wednesday's announcement seemingly brings to an end the almost constant rumours that he was set for a return to the opposition front bench.

In his statement Ed Miliband said: "Having spoken to him a lot over the past few months, I know how long and hard he thought about this before deciding to take up the offer. I also know how enthusiastic he is about the potential this job provides.

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David Miliband

• Studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University
• From 1994 to 1997 was head of policy for Tony Blair, and from 1997 to 2001 was head of his policy unit in Downing Street
• In June 2002 was appointed Schools Minister
• Various ministerial appointments followed, and in June 2007 became foreign secretary
• Married to Louise, a violinist, they have two sons - Isaac and Jacob

"We went through a difficult leadership contest but time has helped to heal that. I will miss him. But although he is moving to America, I know he will always be there to offer support and advice when I need it."

David Miliband's decision will spark a by-election in South Shields, where he has been MP since 2001, although the timing of any vote is not yet known.

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said David Miliband "has clearly concluded he does not want to return to the fray, he doesn't want to serve under his brother in opposition or in government which is a serious blow to his brother, and disappointment to members of the party".

In his letter to his constituency party chairman, David Miliband said the International Rescue Committee was founded in the 1930s at Albert Einstein's suggestion to help people fleeing the Nazis. And his own family history - his parents both fled Germany in the 1930s - meant "I feel that in doing this job I will be repaying a personal debt".

American violinist

"This job brings together my personal story and political life - it represents a new challenge and a new start," he said.

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International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee is well know in charity circles as an emergency relief and development agency.

Its symbol, a big yellow arrow, flies over refugee camps and hospitals around the world.

The International Rescue Committee was also, of course, the name of the fictional organisation behind the heroes in the 1960s children's TV series Thunderbirds.

After David Miliband has got over the jokes about being Thunderbird One he'll discover an organisation that not only works to help poor people around the third world but also advocates changing policies to stop them being poor in the first place.

The IRC works on a wide variety of projects including in Syria and Afghanistan. One of its best known pieces of work was an in-depth study in 2010 of mortality rates in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It concluded that the war in the central African country - and the consequent devastation of health care - had, over one decade, caused the deaths of over 5m people, making Congo the most deadliest conflict since World War Two.

I travelled with an IRC doctor along the Congo River in a dugout canoe to see for myself how desperate the situation was.

The Congolese medic, Dr Pascal Ngoy, demonstrated how social care had been worn down to almost nothing over the years. He took me to clinics that were no more than hovels and "regional hospitals" without staff or drugs.

The MP, who is vice-chairman and non-executive director of Sunderland Football Club, is married to violinist Louise Shackelton - who has dual UK/US citizenship - and the couple have two children.

Tony Blair, former Labour leader and prime minister, said: "I congratulate David on his appointment to a major international position. It shows the huge regard in which David is held worldwide. I'm sure he will do a great job. He is obviously a massive loss to UK politics.

"He was the head of my policy unit and then a truly distinguished minister in the government and remains one of the most capable progressive thinkers and leaders globally. I hope and believe this is time out, not time over."

David Miliband's former cabinet colleagues, Lord Mandelson and Jack Straw, said they did not think it was the end of his political career.

"I think he has a future in politics... I think I know a little bit about comebacks in politics and, to coin a phrase, if I can come back [then] David Miliband can come back - and I think he will," said Lord Mandelson.

Mr Straw said he would be "welcomed back into the Labour movement".

As well as tributes from Labour colleagues, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps added: "He has contributed a great deal to British politics and we wish him well."

Former US President Bill Clinton congratulated the charity on appointing Mr Miliband, saying: "I have known David almost 20 years. He is one of the ablest, most creative public servants of our time."

But Labour MP John Mann described David Miliband as "the man who would have been prime minister if he had ever asked 'and what is your view'?"

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Government loses Abu Qatada appeal

27 March 2013 Last updated at 07:58 ET

Home Secretary Theresa May has lost her appeal against a ruling preventing the deportation of preacher Abu Qatada.

Last year, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission said the radical cleric could not be returned to Jordan.

Judges say he could face an unfair trial involving evidence obtained by torturing others.

The Home Office said it would seek to appeal, adding: "This is not the end of the road. The government remains determined to deport Abu Qatada."

A spokesman added: "In the meantime we continue to work with the Jordanians to address the outstanding legal issues preventing deportation."

The Court of Appeal ruling means Mrs May faces releasing the cleric just two weeks after detaining him.

His re-arrest this month followed an alleged breach of bail conditions which involved condition 10 of his bail agreement, concerning the use of communications equipment at his home.

Judges at an urgent Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) on 9 March ruled he must return to Belmarsh prison.

Continue reading the main story

The legal battle over Abu Qatada has gone on so long, he's seen off six home secretaries. It's now very, very, difficult to see where Theresa May can go from here.

The Court of Appeal's ruling makes clear that the chances of an appeal to the Supreme Court are very slim.

The immediate effect is that the preacher can't be detained under immigration law because there's no realistic chance he is going to be deported anytime soon.

So if the home secretary wants to get rid of the cleric, she'll have to start all over again trying to convince judges that the facts on the ground in Jordan have changed.

Critics of this legal saga say it would never have been necessary if Abu Qatada had been charged with a crime and put on trial.

The Metropolitan Police said his re-arrest was linked to an investigation into extremist internet material.

'Compelling evidence'

Siac ruled in November there was a "real risk" evidence gained by torture could be used against Abu Qatada at a retrial in Jordan, meaning that he would not get a fair hearing.

In April 1999, he was convicted in his absence on terror charges in Jordan and sentenced to life imprisonment, and it is on these charges that he faces a retrial.

At a Court of Appeal hearing earlier this month, lawyers for the UK government argued a block on his deportation should be lifted, saying a "fair" trial in Jordan was possible.

James Eadie QC, appearing for Mrs May, said Siac had taken an "erroneous" view of the situation in Jordan and the legal tests that had to be applied when it came to assessing the conditions Abu Qatada could face there.

He said Jordanian law bans the use of torture and reliance on statements extracted under duress.

Jordanians will do everything in their power to make sure Abu Qatada receives a trial that was "fair and seen to be so", he added.

But lawyers for Abu Qatada told the court that the UK should not send someone back to a country with a "dubious human rights record".

Edward Fitzgerald QC, appearing for the cleric, argued the Siac ruling was right and there was "concrete and compelling evidence" that his co-defendants were tortured into providing evidence.

He said government lawyers had "identified no error of law" and were "quarrelling with findings of fact".

Abu Qatada was first arrested in October 2002 in south London and detained in Belmarsh high-security prison. He was re-arrested and released on bail number of times over the years that followed.

In November 2012, he was released on bail from prison in when the courts blocked the home secretary's latest attempt to deport him to Jordan.

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Ex-PC jailed for selling Sun stories

27 March 2013 Last updated at 08:06 ET

A former Surrey Police officer has been jailed for 10 months for selling information to the Sun newspaper.

Alan Tierney, 40, sold details about footballer John Terry's mother and Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood.

Tierney, of Hayling Island, Hampshire, appearing at the Old Bailey, admitted two counts of misconduct, dating back to 2009, earlier this month.

Mr Justice Fulford said Tierney's offences had been "a disgraceful way for a police officer to act".

Tierney was charged as part of the Operation Elveden inquiry into corrupt payments made by journalists to public officials, in return for information.

He passed on details about two stories, the first of which was about the mother of Chelsea captain John Terry, who had been cautioned for shoplifting.

The other was about Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood, who was cautioned for assault after an incident with his then girlfriend.

Tierney's defence team, addressing the Old Bailey hearing, said he had "suffered a collapse of his mental health" since his arrest and had tried to commit suicide.

Continue reading the main story

It could easily have led to that witness withdrawing all co-operation"

End Quote Mr Justice Fulford Judge

The court was told Tierney had lost his wife, family and reputation.

The judge said it was "wholly against the public interest for those who hold public office cynically to profit out of the misery or unfortunate circumstances of those for whom they are responsible".

The court was told Tierney had sold the name and address of a witness to the Wood incident.

"The most serious aspect of the two offences is that, in relation to count two, the defendant provided the name and, most significantly, the address of the witness," said Mr Justice Fulford.

The judge went on: "The fact that the individual coincidentally tried to sell the story to another newspaper is neither here nor there in terms of what this defendant had in mind.

"Put bluntly, it could easily have led to that witness withdrawing all co-operation as regards being a witness."

Tierney is the second police officer to be convicted under Operation Elveden, following the case of ex-counter-terrorism detective April Casburn.

She was jailed for 15 months after offering to sell information to the News of the World newspaper after the inquiry into hacking by the tabloid reopened in 2010.

The operation is being run alongside Scotland Yard's Operation Weeting, which is looking into phone hacking.

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