UK Economic Depression To Be Declared 'Over'

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

The longest economic depression in British history will be declared over today, with the Office for National Statistics expected to confirm that the recovery is strengthening.

The ONS is expected to report that the economy grew by around 0.8% or 0.9% in the second quarter of the year.

George Osborne has been boosted by recent figures on growth

The increase in gross domestic product (GDP) will mean that the economy finally surpasses the size it was at the beginning of the recession in 2008.

The news will come as an added bonus for the Chancellor, who yesterday celebrated as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgraded Britain's growth forecast for this year and the next.

The IMF also said that UK growth this year will be stronger than in any other major economy.

However, this strong growth belies the fact that Britain's depression - the period for which GDP is below the pre-crisis peak - lasted longer than any other G7 economy.

But while there are concerns about the nature of recent economic growth in the UK and the possibility of a housing bubble in London, George Osborne is likely to emphasise the fact that all major sectors of the economy have been growing recently.

The Chancellor is currently on a tour of northern cities to underline the efforts the Government is taking to attempt to narrow Britain's regional economic divide.

Although overall GDP is back at pre-crisis levels, the natural increase in the population since 2008 means that GDP per capita remains around 6% lower than before the recession.

This, in turn, has contributed to lower wages and the squeeze on incomes felt in recent years.

Economists have also warned that while the services sector is bigger than before the crisis, the manufacturing and construction sectors are significantly smaller.

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Single-Shot Radiotherapy For Breast Cancer

A new type of radiotherapy which could be delivered in a single dose during surgery is offering new hope for tens of thousands of women with breast cancer.

Intrabeam radiotherapy has been given provisional go-ahead for NHS use by the National Institute for Health and Care excellence (Nice).

In new draft guidance, Nice said the treatment option should be considered for people with early stage breast cancer.

Professor Carole Longson, director of health technology evaluation at Nice, said: "Unlike regular radiotherapy, with the Intrabeam Radiotherapy System only one dose is required.

"This single dose is given at the same time as surgery, eliminating the need for numerous hospital visits.

"Regular radiotherapy typically requires numerous doses over a three week period - although some people may receive it for longer - and is performed weeks or months after surgery or chemotherapy.

"Whilst current evidence was not extensive, this type of radiotherapy was more convenient for patients and can improve a person's quality of life.

"It's still a new treatment - so far only six centres in the UK have used the Intrabeam Radiotherapy System to treat early breast cancer.

"Because it is still relatively new it is only right to recommend its use in a carefully controlled way.

The new technique could spare women weeks of traditional radiotherapy

Breakthrough Breast Cancer said the "revolutionary" treatment would not only cause less hassle for patients but it would also save the NHS time and money.

"This is great news for early breast cancer patients due for breast conserving operations," Sally Greenbrook, senior policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said.

"Intrabeam is unique in that it is given during surgery, avoiding the need for weeks of follow up appointments and for many women, this is all the treatment they need.

"As this is a new technology, patients will need to be made aware of the pros and cons before going ahead.

"However, this technique can greatly reduce the disruption, stress and inconvenience of what for some people can be over 15 additional trips to and from hospital as well as saving the NHS money and time.

"Whilst this is just an initial decision from Nice we look forward to their final decision which we very much hope will remain positive."

Every year, around 41,500 women and 300 men in England are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Nice said that around 86% of these patients, or 35,970 people each year, could potentially benefit from the treatment.

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'Girl Summit' Aims To End Child Marriage

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Correspondent

The first ever "Girl Summit" is being held in the UK, aimed at increasing efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) within a generation.

Co-hosted by UNICEF and the UK Government the event is being held in London from today and will bring together government representatives, international organisations, the private sector and girls themselves to call for action.

Organisations involved say millions of girls and women are being prevented from achieving their potential, or live a life free from violence, because of harmful practices such as FGM and CEFM, which are illegal in the UK.

Sky News spoke to one Kurdish woman who at the age of 15 was forced to marry a man she didn't know, and was subsequently beaten and raped.

Speaking through a translator, she described how her own relatives attacked her when she tried to escape.

"Her own family tried to kill her for leaving her husband," the translator said.

"They stabbed her twice, once in the chest and another in the back, and this was done by her brothers.

"When she did escape she was also prevented from seeing her children for 15 years. This has had a tremendous psychological effect."

But Diane Nammi from the Iranian and Kurdish women's rights organisation says this isn't just a distant problem.

Some 14 million girls are married every year before they turn 18

"It happens in London, in Newcastle, anywhere in the UK," she said.

"They are doing it mainly where there is sharia law and sharia courts, and so many young girls can be wife of a man as old as their father or grandfather, they can be the second wife of a man."

It's estimated that 14 million girls are married every year before they reach 18, with one in nine across the developing world married by 15.

Some 60% of child brides are also taken out of school so they have no formal education.

In most countries the legal minimum age for marriage is 18 - but loopholes often allow it to happen as part of local customs.

The group Girls Not Brides told Sky News that change is happening within communities and families in the UK, and across Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Europe, with more and more saying no to this form of abuse.

But Heather Hamilton from the partnership said many still don't realise the harm child marriage causes.

She said: "It's an entire end to the girl's life as her own person.

"We take it for granted that we're going to be able to make choices and have opportunities.

"We're going to be able to choose whether we get married, go to school or university.

"It's almost inconceivable for women who have the privileges we have to understand what this means, but it has a devastating impact on the girls and their lives."

A social media campaign has been launched to boost support for the event, with the Government asking people to share the hashtag #GirlSummit.

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Litvinenko Public Inquiry To Be Announced

The Government is to announce there will be a public inquiry into the death of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.

The ex KGB officer was poisoned by a cup of tea laced with the deadly radioactive element polonium 210 during a meeting at a London hotel in 2006 with two former Russian agents.

His widow, Marina has fought for a public inquiry into his death ever since but the Government refused on the grounds it wanted to wait for the outcome of an inquest.

However, the High Court ruled in February the Home Secretary should reconsider and Sky News understands Theresa May will be making the announcement in a written statement later on Tuesday.

The Litvinenko affair has caused significant diplomatic ructions between Britain and Russia. Police have asked for the arrests of two prime suspects, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, but the Kremlin has refused.

The announcement of an inquiry could not come at a worse time for Britain's increasingly frayed relationship with Russia as tensions between the two countries intensify over Vladimir Putin's handling of the Ukraine air disaster.

However, the Government had run out of time to make the announcement - kept low key in a written statement- because Parliament breaks up for the summer today. 

Mr Litvinenko fled Russia in 2000 and was granted asylum in Britain. His widow claims he was working for MI6 at the time of his death.

More follows...

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Police 'Closing In' On Landlady Murder Suspect

Police hunting a man suspected of murdering a guest house landlady in East Yorkshire have said they are closing in on him.

Bei Cater, 49, was found dead on Friday night at the Morayland Hotel in Bridlington.

Detectives said suspect John Heald may have returned to his native South Yorkshire and may be sleeping rough.

They have described the 53-year-old as "dangerous" and warned any friends he approaches looking for help not to assist him.

Bei Cater

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Baldwin, of Humberside Police, said: "John Heald has managed to evade the police so far but we are closing in on him and will not relent until we have found him.

"I believe he is a very dangerous individual and it is an absolute priority to track him down.

"I strongly suspect he has headed back to South Yorkshire where he originates from and he may have approached friends for help in providing him with shelter.

"My message to them is very clear; this is a dangerous man, the police need to find him as a matter of urgency and if he contacts you, ring the police immediately.

"Do not assist him in avoiding the police.

"It may also be that Mr Heald is sleeping rough and so once again I would ask for the public to remain vigilant and anyone who thinks they see him should not approach him but contact the police straight away."

:: Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Incident Team at Humberside Police on 01377 208989 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Warning Over 'Terrorist' Label For UK Rebels

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

Muslim leaders in the UK have warned against laws that automatically brand British fighters in Syria as terrorists.

It comes as Home Secretary Theresa May launches a campaign today to discourage young men from going to fight in Syria and Iraq. A short film will focus on the distress it can cause their families.

But some in the Muslim community have told Sky News the Government's legal stance on fighting abroad could "increase the risk" to the UK.

Abdullah al Andalusi, a senior researcher at the Muslim Debate Initiative, said: "It's hypocritical of the UK Government to expect Muslims not to go, if they feel they want to fight in a just war.

"Bertrand Russell, George Orwell - they went to the Spanish civil war, people were going to fight Gaddafi in Libya and that was all fine.

"So I worry that the British Government should dictate to us what is fine and what is not fine about where to go, when the situations could be arguably very similar in all those places."

Young fighters in the Spanish civil war

He added: "Obviously there are some terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq but if we start punishing everybody it only adds a grievance which actually increases the risk (to the UK).

In the late 1930s, British nationals fought against a fascist rebellion in Spain - and under today's laws they would probably be classed as terrorists.

The 2006 Terrorism Act stipulates that weapons training and fighting in rebel groups against the foreign state can be treated as if acts of terror in the UK. The Government is seeking to strengthen this law with its Serious Crime Bill.

Some British fighters in Syria have argued they are only acting where the West failed to act following President Bashar al Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons on his own people.

Hundreds of British jihadists are thought to have joined the fight in Syria

Security Minister James Brokenshire told Sky News: "I understand that people want to assist but the point is that by doing so they may put their own lives at risk because of the situation on the ground, and put themselves at risk of exploitation by extremist and terrorist groups such as the Al Nusra Front and ISIS.

"We know that there are those who have been involved in terrorism in Syria and that's why we've seen prosecutions and why we must remain vigilant, because of the potential threat posed by those individuals who have been exposed and therefore what they may do on their return to the UK."

However, Maulana Shahid Raza, trustee of the British Muslim Council, told Sky News: "Everybody should not be branded a terrorist unless it is proven. So my request to the politicians is we need their support and we need their help in order to resolve this crisis among a section of our young people."

Maulana Mohammed Madni, chairman of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board, said: "Just going there, they are endangering their lives but they are not necessarily terrorists."

With so many groups in Syria fighting each other, the Government warns that Brits who think they may be joining a battle against the Assad regime are being sucked into a quite different ideological battle controlled by terrorist groups.

The Muslim community is also united in warning people not to go.

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MH17: Money Pours Into Fund For Newcastle Fans

Malaysia Airlines Defends War Zone Flight Path

Updated: 4:48pm UK, Saturday 19 July 2014

A Malaysia Airlines official has defended the company's decision to fly over eastern Ukraine after flight MH17 was brought down.

Hugh Dunleavy, commercial director for the airline, said there had been no incidents involving civilian aircraft using the flight path and Malaysia Airlines had been using it "for quite some time".

However, at least three Ukrainian military aircraft were hit by missiles fired by pro-Russian separatists operating in the region in the week before MH17 was shot out of the sky, killing 298 people. Of the victims, 189 are Dutch.

Mr Dunleavy told Sky News: "Now there's been an incident like this, everyone is looking back saying 'you should have done something different'.

"But at the time we were flying, along with many other airlines on that flight path, there had been no incidents involving civilian aircraft.

"These are routes that are traditionally accepted on a day-by-day basis by the air traffic control authorities so they also consider them safe to fly.

"This was something totally extraordinary, it could just as easily have been the aircraft ahead of Malaysia Airlines or the aircraft behind that was hit."

Mr Dunleavy added the airline would now be using an alternative flight path around Ukraine and they have stopped calling the route MH17 out of respect for the victims. It will now be called MH19.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation, a UN agency and other aviation authorities recently issued a "notice to airmen" (NOTAM) putting the eastern edge of Ukrainian airspace off limits up to 32,000 feet because of the conflict.

But MH17 was flying at 33,000 feet when it was hit by a missile fired from what experts believe was a Buk launcher.

Ukraine has now closed all airspace in the east. 

Ismail Nasaruddin, president of the Malaysian Flight Attendant Union, said some crew members were too distraught to work following the tragedy.

He said: "We have lost 21 crew members in a very short time period. This is not something we like to see.

"We are affected, the crew members are demoralised by the essence of this tragic incident.

"What we are looking at now is probably an event that Malaysia crew members have never experienced before."

Daniel Holland, a military aviation expert, told Sky News airspace above war zones should be sealed off to commercial aircraft.

He said: "When a war zone occurs, everything from ground level up until realistically the level of space needs to be sealed off to any and all commercial traffic just to avoid something like this happening where a plane accidentally wanders over a battle ground.

"You've got that probability that an accidental misfire could occur and strike a civilian target without any real rhyme or reason, other than it being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

On Tuesday, Polish blogger Michael Dembinski suggested flying over eastern Ukraine was "worrying".

He wrote: "Take a look at eastern Ukraine and you'll see a procession of civilian aircraft flying along an air corridor between Luhansk, Donetsk, Horlivka, Kramatorsk - places where battles are raging and people are being killed.

"Yet blithely oblivious to what's happening on the ground, some of the world's largest civilian airliners are criss-crossing the area at 38,000ft."

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Last British Victims Of Flight MH17 Named

The final two British victims of doomed flight MH17 have been named as a charity in Newcastle revealed a child in its care has been orphaned by the crash.

John Allen, who worked at international law firm NautaDutilh, has been described as a "much-loved colleague". He died on the flight alongside his Dutch wife, Sandra Martens, and their three sons - Christopher, Julian and Ian.

"He was a person with many talents, and in addition to his professional contribution to our firm he generously shared his musical and athletic abilities with us as well," the firm said.

John Allen was killed along with his wife Sandra Martens and three sons

"All of us who had the privilege of working with John during his 18 years at NautaDutilh came to know him as a kind, down-to-earth and humorous man and many of us have also lost a friend. He will be dearly missed."

His sister Wonder Allen Smith posted a picture of her brother on Facebook with the following statement: "I lost my whole family, my only brilliant brother and his beautiful wife and three magnificent children in the mh17 airplane crash".

The final British person onboard the flight has been named as Andrew Hoare.

Meanwhile, the Percy Hedley Foundation, which cares for disabled people, said it has been unable to contact the family of one of the children in its care. It said it was working with authorities to try and establish what has happened to them.

The foundation has not revealed the nationality of the child or the family.

Nine of the British victims on flight MH17

Another British victim Robert Ayley has been confirmed as being on board the Malaysia Airlines flight. A friend of Mr Ayley has told how the father-of-two almost missed the flight.

Bill Patteson, who was travelling with the 27-year-old around Europe visiting Rottweiler breeders, has told Sky News his friend didn't make it onto the bus to take him from his hotel to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

But Mr Ayley, who was originally from Guildford but moved to New Zealand as a child, managed to get there in time to board the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight, which was shot down over Ukraine with almost 300 people on board.

An ex-journalist, helicopter pilot, students and Newcastle United fans are among the other British victims.

Mr Patteson, who flew back to New Zealand the day before, said: "There were so many things that came together to make Rob be on that flight.

"The stars really had to align for Robert to be on that flight, even right down to the last minute.

"Everyone was hoping he'd missed the flight, but Robert being the great organiser that he was managed to get on his flight."

Mr Patteson described his friend as a "really great, confident young man" who was proud of his British roots.

Mr Ayley's wife Sharlene wrote on Facebook: "Rob was our everything. We adored him and there was no one else like him. He touched so many hearts and lives.

Briton Stephen Anderson was on board MH17

"We are grateful to forever have him in our hearts."

Mr Ayley's family said he was passionate about life and his family, adding that when it came to Rob "there were no half measures".

"He found in his boys two little people he could love, understand and trust," they said.

"When they cried they were sad, when they laughed they were happy and when they hugged it was because they loved him."

The statement added: "Sharlene and Rob are soul mates. She is his 'Princess'. She changed his life and he changed hers.

"She held his heart and he held hers. Rob will live forever in his family."

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