Half Of Seven-Year-Olds Not Exercising Enough

Half of all seven-year-olds do not get enough exercise - with girls far less active than boys according to new research.

Only 51% of all seven-year-olds in the UK achieve the recommended hour of exercise every day.

That figure is broken down to just 38% of girls hitting the target, compared with 63% in boys.

Half of this age group is also sedentary for an average of 6.4 hours or more every day, experts have found.

The research, published in the online journal BMJ Open, found that children of Indian origin and those living in Northern Ireland are among the least physically active of all seven-year-olds.

Experts from the University College London's Institute of Child Health examined data for 6,497 children.

The youngsters wore an accelerometer to measure exercise levels which was attached to an elastic belt round their waist. It was only removed when bathing or when the children went to bed.

In total, the experts were able to record 36,309 days of data based on the children wearing the accelerometer for at least 10 hours a day over the course of a week.

Girls were more sedentary and less active than boys while only one in three (33%) children of Bangladeshi origin met the recommended daily exercise minimum.

Among the four UK countries, children in Northern Ireland were the least active, with just 43% managing the recommended 60 minutes, while children in Scotland were most likely (52.5%) to achieve the target.

Around 52% of all children in England managed the 60 minutes but there were regional differences.

The researchers wrote: "The results of our study provide a useful baseline and strongly suggest that contemporary UK children are insufficiently active, implying that effort is needed to boost physical activity among young people to the level appropriate for good health."

Senior author Professor Carol Dezateux, from the Institute of Child Health, called for policies to promote more exercise among girls.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "We have committed to giving primary schools £300m of ring-fenced funding to improve PE and sport, and help all pupils to develop healthy, active lifestyles, and have invested a further £3m to extend Change4Life School Sports Clubs to areas with the highest childhood obesity."

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GCSE Results Out As Grade Fall Predicted

Hundreds of thousands of teenagers are receiving their GCSE results as experts predict the overall pass rate could fall.

Attempts to "secure standards" along with changes to key GCSEs and moves by students to sit different exams could cause a drop in the pass rate for only the second time ever.

Pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are all finding out their grades today.

Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University, said it was "likely" that results will drop this year.

Last summer, the proportion of GCSEs awarded at least a C grade fell for the first time in the exam's history, with 69.4% getting this grade or higher - down 0.4% on 2011.

There was also a fall in the proportion of GCSEs awarded the top grades and drops in the percentage of English, maths and science GCSE entries achieving passes at A*-C.

Prof Smithers said:  "I think it's likely that it will drop. Last year it came down a bit at all levels.

"What has happened is the pass rate has gone up year on year because everyone had a vested interest in that happening."

But he added that there is now a "true regulator", Ofqual, which has said that standards should be comparable year on year.

Prof Smithers said that the introduction of the Government's new English Baccalaureate, which is awarded to students who gain at least a C at GCSE in English, maths, science, history or geography and a language could also have an effect.

But he said pressure on schools to ensure pupils meet a set standard could counteract changes within exams.

This year schools must ensure that at least 40% of pupils get five or more Cs at GCSE including English and maths, as well as meeting national progress measures.

In July, Ofqual said it was expecting to see a "small drop in achievement" in science following a move to toughen up the qualifications in the wake of a 2009 report suggesting the courses were too easy.

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Missing Teen Adela Found - Three Men Arrested

A 14-year-old girl who sparked a police search when she went missing from home has been found.

Adela Copakova was located in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Three men have been arrested in connection with her disappearance and are being held in custody.

The teenager had been missing from her home in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, for three days.

The last time she had been seen was at 8pm on Sunday outside a house in the Bradway area of the city.

Police originally said they were searching around the Sheffield area, but later said the teenager had connections to the West Yorkshire area.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said on Wednesday: "Missing 14-year-old Adela was found in Bradford this morning. Three men are in custody re her going missing. Thank you for your assistance."

She is the second teenager from the Sheffield area to go missing recently who was subsequently found in Bradford.

That girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found in Bradford city centre.

At least four men and one woman were arrested as part of that inquiry. All have since been released on police bail.

Police earlier said there were no links between the two.

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Bolton: OAP Dies After Being Attacked By Intruder

An 87-year-old man who was robbed and beaten in his home by an intruder has died from his injuries in hospital.

More follows...

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Ed Miliband Snubbed By A Third Of Labour Voters

A third of Labour voters believe Ed Miliband should not lead the party into the next General Election.

According to a new poll only two out of every ten voters are satisfied with the Labour leader's performance.

Of those who voted for Labour in 2010, 34% said he should not lead the party into the 2015 general election, while just 46% said he should.

The ICM poll carried out for the Daily Mirror also found that 21% of voters said they are satisfied with the way he is leading the party, double the number (42%) said they are dissatisfied.

Among Labour voters, 45% said they were satisfied and 31% dissatisfied.

Mr Miliband will find it harder to dismiss criticism of his management style following publication of the poll by the newspaper which has traditionally backed his party.

Mr Miliband's approval rating is particularly low among older and male voters.

Of those polled, 61% of pensioners said they are unhappy with his leadership, while 48% of men say he is not up to the job, compared to 37% of women.

However, the poll offers Mr Miliband a few glimmers of hope.

Given a choice of eight Labour MPs, Ed Miliband came out on top with 16%, when asked who would be the best person to lead the party.

Martin Boon of ICM said: "Let's not be in any doubt that with less than half (45%) of 2010 Labour voters satisfied with him (31% dissatisfied) he is polling miserably."

ICM Research interviewed an online sample of 1,435 adults aged 18 and over on August 16 and 18. The data has been weighted to the profile of all adults.

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Prince George Photos: First Official Pictures

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duchess of Cambridge's father, Michael Middleton, has taken the first official photographs of William, Kate and their son Prince George.

The Royal couple with Prince George and the pet dogs

The two pictures from the new Cambridge family album were taken by the young prince's grandfather in the back garden of the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Kensington Palace confirmed.

Taken in "early August", the first photograph is a simple parents and child shot.

The couple, back-lit by the sun, are standing in the gardens of the Berkshire home with Kate cradling her two-week-old son.

In the second, William and Kate can be seen sitting on a rug, also in the garden.

Kate continues to hold Prince George, but they are this time joined by their cocker spaniel, Lupo, and the Middletons' retriever, Tilly.

Sky News understands the two photos were selected from a larger collection taken while the Duke of Cambridge was on paternity leave.

For their official engagement and wedding photographs, the Royal couple opted for well-known celebrity photographers Mario Testino and Hugo Bernand.

Michael Middleton took the photographs

Asking Mr Middleton to take the photos is yet another example of the Duke and Duchess choosing to do things their way throughout their marriage.

The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George are thought to have joined Prince William in Anglesey in recent days.

The couple will next be seen together in public on September 12 for an awards dinner hosted by conservation charity Tusk Trust.

In his first interview since he became a father, William said his young son reminded him of himself or Prince Harry.

The Duke told CNN: "He's a little bit of a rascal, I'll put it that way.

"He either reminds me of my brother or me when I was younger, I'm not sure, but he's doing very well at the moment."

:: Do you have a favourite family photo? Are you proud of a particular snap, even though it wasn't taken by a professional photographer? Is there an image you love despite the fact it is a bit blurred and the lighting is dodgy?

Send it to us through our Your Photos page and we will publish a selection in a picture gallery.

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British Military HQ Moves To Camp Bastion

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The headquarters of the British military operation in Afghanistan has moved from Lashkar Gah to Camp Bastion.

It marks a major milestone in the conflict.

For seven years, Lashkar Gah has been the location where all British military operations had been planned and commanded.

The move is part of the British plans for the withdrawal of all combat troops by the end of 2014.

It is a demonstration of how British troops are taking a step back in the fight against the Taliban and letting the Afghan Security Forces take the lead.

In total 260 personnel have moved back to Camp Bastion from Lashkar Gah.

Eight Chinooks worked in pairs for a day, moving people.

It has been described as one of the most complex headquarters moves since the Second World War.

The move to Camp Bastion marks a major milestone in the Afghan conflict

The Lashkar Gah base is still open however, for reconstruction and local liaison workers. A small number of British troops are still based there for force protection.

And the Commander of British Forces in Helmand Province has told Sky News that the decision to withdraw from the country was the right one and is on track.

"I think the end of 2014 timeline, the 5,200 (troops to be left in Afghanistan) by Christmas actually act as very effective forcing functions," Brigadier Rupert Jones said.

"It encourages us to step back and every time we've stepped back the Afghans have impressed us by the degree to which they've stepped forward, not least this Summer."

Although the security situation in Helmand Province is markedly better than a few years ago, that isn't necessarily the case for other parts of the country.

In Kabul, the country's capital, Afghan police and soldiers man checkpoints and guard posts at every road junction. International forces are still in the city, but to provide a supporting role when needed.

The country is currently on higher alert with the end of Ramadan and Eid.

Last week the Taliban attacked a civilian compound in the west of the country. A number of foreign workers were killed.

The task of closing British bases and moving equipment back to the UK has been under way since October 2012.

There are currently 11 British bases remaining, down from 137. By October of this year that number is set to be around five.

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Families Struggling With £150K Child-Rearing Costs

The cost of raising a child has risen by 4% in the last year to almost £150,000, a study has found.

The research published by Child Poverty Action Group and co-funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation reveals that British parents face a growing struggle to provide a decent standard of living for their families.

The study found it now costs a minimum of £148,000 to bring up a child to the age of 18 and meet their minimum needs, including childcare and housing, which is around £160 a week.

The minimum necessary cost for raising a child rose by 4% in 2013, but in comparison average earnings rose by just 1.5%, the minimum wage increased by 1.8%, and child benefit did not go up at all.

The study also found the value of both child benefit and child tax credit relative to the costs of raising a child has decreased in the last year.

Many low-income families have also seen cuts in housing support with the introduction of changes such as the spare-room subsidy, dubbed the "bedroom tax" by Labour.

At the same time, working families have had to contend with rapidly increasing childcare costs, which have risen by 5.9% in the last year.

Alison Garnham, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group, said: "This research paints a stark picture of families being squeezed by rising prices and stagnant wages, yet receiving ever-diminishing support from the government over the course of the last year.

"Every parent knows it's getting harder to pay for the essentials their children need, and they don't feel like politicians see them as a priority. Child benefit and child tax credit have been cut at the very time families need them most. Families are getting worse off and parents know it.

"If every child in Britain can grow up healthy, well-educated and an active participant in their community, we all benefit from a more prosperous economy. This was well understood by the post-war generation who prioritised universal benefits for all children despite being much deeper in debt than we are today.

"As we move towards a 'living standards election', now would be a good time to renew our national commitment to all our children."

Katie Schmuecker, policy and research manager at Joseph Rowntree Foundation, added: "The next election is likely to be the first since the 1930s where living standards are lower than the last poll.

"All parties must go to the country with policies and a commitment to help the prospects of low-income families.

"The risk and costs otherwise are enormous. Child poverty costs the Treasury £29bn a year - a price we can scarcely afford to pay, particularly in the current economic context."

The coalition insists it has to slash the welfare bill to reduce the burden on the taxpayer and to rebalance the system so that it pays to work.

A Government spokesman said: "We know times are tough, and we are securing a recovery for everyone who wants to work hard.

"That is why we are taking action to help families with the cost of living by cutting income tax for 25 million people, which will save a typical taxpayer over £700, taking 2.7 million out of income tax altogether and freezing council tax for five years, saving a typical household £600."

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