Kate Prank Call Nurse 'Commits Suicide'

A nurse duped by a prank phone call at the hospital treating the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge has died in a suspected suicide.

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, who has worked at the hospital for four years, was found dead at an address near King Edward VII's hospital in London on Friday morning.

The hospital confirmed she had been the victim of a hoax call in which two Australian DJs, pretending to be the Queen and Prince of Wales, phoned up about Kate.

Ms Saldanha, a mother of two, received the call and put it through to the ward where another nurse updated the pair on the Duchess, who was being treated for severe morning sickness.

Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt said the nurse was from Bristol and has a son and a daughter. "The hospital had not suspended Ms Saldanha, nor disciplined her," he added.

Her family said in a statement: "We as a family are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Jacintha."

The owners of the radio station say the two DJs behind the call are "deeply shocked" by the tragedy. They have been dropped from their show until further notice amid a major backlash.

The Duke and Duchess leaving the hospital on Thursday

Kate, who is understood to be well under 12 weeks pregnant, was admitted to the hospital on Monday after falling ill over the weekend and released again on Thursday.

The Duchess and her husband, William, the Duke of Cambridge, said in a statement that they were "deeply saddened" by the nurse's death.

"Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time," they said.

A St James's Palace spokesman added: "At no point did the Palace complain to the hospital about the incident. On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times."

The King Edward VII Hospital said: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha.

"Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII's Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.

"We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."

Hospital chief executive John Lofthouse said: "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends. Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much-loved and valued colleague."

Police going into nurses' accommodation at the hospital

Lord Glenarthur, the hospital's chairman, said: "This is a tragic event. Jacintha was a first class nurse who cared diligently for hundreds of patients during her time with us. She will be greatly missed."

Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, added: "This is tragic news, and the thoughts of all at the Royal College of Nursing go to the family of Jacintha Saldanha.

"It is deeply saddening that a simple human error due to a cruel hoax could lead to the death of a dedicated and caring member of the nursing profession."

Police were called to the address at 9.35am on Friday after a report about a woman found unconscious. Paramedics rushed to the property but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Inquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances of the incident. The death is not being treated as suspicious at this stage."

Michael Christian and Mel Greig, DJs on the 2DayFM radio station, broadcast their call to the hospital on Wednesday morning.

Greig, impersonating the Queen, asked to speak to her "granddaughter Catherine" and managed to persuade Ms Saldanha to put her through to the ward where Kate was being treated.

The security breach was deeply embarrassing for the hospital, which is the medical institution of choice for the Royal Family.

The DJs bragged of their hoax call on Twitter

The DJs apologised for the prank after an initial furore but later took to Twitter to brag of their success - calling it the "easiest prank call ever made".

Following Ms Saldanha's death, the radio station's owners said: "Southern Cross Austereo and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world.

"Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances.

"SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy."

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 08457 90 90 90 or email jo@samaritans.org

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Kate Prank Call: 2Day FM Faces Backlash

A supermarket giant has pulled the plug on royal prank call radio station 2Day FM after the death of a nurse from the hospital that treated the Duchess of Cambridge.

Coles announced that it informed the station's management it would be removing all advertising from the station as soon as possible.

In a separate move, Australia's broadcasting regulator says it will be quizzing the owners of 2DayFM over the incident.

"We understand Australians are clearly angry and upset by what appear to be tragic consequences of the 2Day FM UK hospital prank,'' the supermarket said on its Facebook page.

"We have instructed 2Day FM to remove all Coles group advertising from the station.''

The radio presenters who made the prank call to the hospital have been taken off the air until further notice.

Mel Greig and Michael Christian were said to be "deeply shocked" by the tragedy, which has provoked an angry backlash against them on the internet.

The two DJs were astonished that they were put through to the ward

The pair, who work for 2Day FM in Australia, and the radio station's parent company Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) decided together that they should stay off air.

The company said in a statement: "Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world.

"Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters. They are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances.

" SoutSouuSCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy."

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead on Friday morning, days after receiving the prank call and putting it through to a nurse on Kate's ward.

Greig impersonated the Queen and Christian mimicked Prince Charles and they managed to elicit details about the pregnant Duchess' medical condition.

A fierce online storm erupted as soon as news of the nurse's death emerged, with both presenters bombarded by messages on Twitter and the radio station's own comment section deluged.

At the time, the station's website had still been promoting the video of the prank call but this was later removed.

Online critics called for the presenters to resign and some claimed they had "blood on their hands".

On the radio's comment section, Gordon Stanley wrote: "You presenters are a disgrace to your country, the media profession and society in general. This is one of the most inappropriate 'pranks' imaginable."

On Twitter, another critic wrote: "Your DJ's tried to get private information for a big joke and now the person who took the call has committed suicide. What is it still doing on the website? Sick."

Martin Duncan added: "Absolutely appalled at the death of #JacinthaSaldanha. Michael Christian and Mel Greig hang your heads in shame!"

Cazzy Chic said: "So sad. Let this be a lesson to us all. Your idea of a 'prank', may be the undoing of someone more fragile than you. RIP."

"Not so darn funny now is it? A British nurse is DEAD for the sake of a couple of cheap laughs. Shame on you!," wrote Kim Wilson.

An online petition calling for the pair to be sacked for "gross misconduct" has already attracted more than 1,300 signatures.

Greig and Christian have both deleted their Twitter accounts because of the onslaught.

The presenters had earlier issued an apology after making the call but also milked the publicity by claiming it was "the biggest royal prank ever".

"We thought we'd be hung up on as soon as they heard our terrible accents. We're very sorry if we've caused any issues and we're glad to hear that Kate is doing well," they said.

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John McAfee Rushed To Guatemala Hospital

Software pioneer John McAfee has been rushed to hospital in Guatemala after complaining of chest pains, according to reports.

Mr McAfee was rushed via ambulance to a Guatemala City hospital just hours after he was denied political asylum in the Central American country.

The software guru, who is fighting deportation to Belize where he is wanted for questioning by police over the death of his neighbour, suffered two mild heart attacks, witnesses told Reuters.

An ABC News correspondent on the scene said Mr McAfee appeared unresponsive until medical personnel attempted to undress him, prompting him to say, "not in front of the press".

The 67-year-old was being held at a Guatemalan immigration detention centre for entering the country illegally.

Police in Belize said earlier they expected him to be returned to the capital city of Belmopan "shortly".

McAfee is wanted for questioning in Belize

Mr McAfee fled to Guatemala over the weekend with his 20-year-old girlfriend, Sam Venegas, after going on the run following the murder of his neighbour Gregory Faull in Belize last month.

Police want to question him as a "person of interest" in his fellow US expat's death.

Though intent on eluding the police, Mr McAfee has stayed in constant contact with the press and maintained an active blog.

After his arrival in Guatemala, Mr McAfee employed former Guatemalan attorney general Telesforo Guerra to manage his plea to stay in the country.

"(Mr McAfee) is persecuted in Belize, persecuted politically because he stopped financing the government," Mr Guerra said.

Mr McAfee has maintained his innocence since escaping Belize police on the island of Ambergris Caye hours after his neighbour was shot dead on November 11.

Mr Faull, who was found with a 9mm bullet in his head, had led neighbours in writing a letter to the mayor complaining that the millionaire's "vicious" dogs and aggressive security guards were scaring tourists and residents.

Before he fled after the murder, Mr McAfee shot dead his four dogs, which he said may have been poisoned by Mr Faull.

Ballistics experts have exhumed the animals and are examining them to see if the bullets match that found in the victim.

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Max Clifford: Allegations 'Totally Untrue'

Max Clifford has insisted allegations of sexual offences against him are "damaging and totally untrue" after he was questioned by police for 13 hours.

The publicist was arrested at his Surrey home early on Thursday by officers from Operation Yewtree, the investigation set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal.

Mr Clifford, 69, was held on suspicion of historic sex offences and taken to Belgravia police station in central London for questioning.

Speaking on the station's steps after he was released on bail, he said he thought he was facing two allegations dating back to 1977.

He said: "These allegations are damaging and totally untrue. On a personal level they are very distressing for myself, my wife, my family and loved ones.

"Anyone who really knew me all those years ago, and those who have known me since, would have no doubt that I would never act in the way I have today been accused."

The publicist was bailed at Belgravia police station

The PR guru is the fifth person to be arrested by police investigating the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal. 

Police said he has been bailed to appear at a later date but refused to give any further details.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The individual (held today) falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed 'others'. We are not prepared to discuss further."

Police working on Operation Yewtree had said they were looking at three categories of offences; those allegedly committed by Savile alone, those allegedly committed by Savile and "others", and alleged offences by "others".

Mr Clifford's lawyer, Charlotte Harris, said he would assist the police "as best he can with their enquiries".

Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and a man in his 70s, reported to be former television producer Wilfred De'Ath, have been arrested and bailed as part of the probe.

Last month Scotland Yard said it was dealing with about 450 potential victims, the vast majority of whom claimed they had fallen prey to Savile.

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Stuart Hall Charged With Three Indecent Assaults

BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall has been charged with three counts of indecent assault against young girls aged between eight and 17.

Complaints about the 82-year-old Radio 5 Live football presenter have been made to Lancashire police about alleged incidents in the 1970s and 1980s.

Hall has worked for more than a half century in British broadcasting and was awarded an OBE in this year's New Years Honours. He also presented the It's A Knockout show in the 1970s.

John Dilworth, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said the charges are that between September 1, 1974, and December 31, 1974, he indecently assaulted a woman who was then aged 16 or 17 years.

Between January 1, 1983, and December 31, 1983, he is accused of indecently assaulting a girl then aged eight or nine years and between July 1, 1984, and September 27, 1984, he allegedly indecently assaulted a girl then aged 13 years.

Mr Dilworth added: "He has been bailed to appear at Preston Magistrates' Court on January 7, 2013.

"This decision is made in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that it is in the public interest to prosecute this case."

Hall was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, on Wednesday morning.

The BBC has said that he will not be working for them while police continue with their inquiries.

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Four Dead After Ships Collide In North Sea

Four crew members have died and seven are missing after a cargo ship collided with another vessel and sank off the Dutch coast.

"We can confirm that four bodies have been found, along with 13 people rescued alive," said Coast Guard spokesman Marcel Oldenburger.

An air and sea rescue operation involving several helicopters, two navy patrol ships and even one of the ships involved in the collision has now been suspended.

"We have suspended the search until first light," Coast Guard spokesman Peter Verburg said.

"The chances of finding them alive are slim," he added, saying there was a chance that some of the crew may have gone down with the stricken vessel.

The 485ft Baltic Ace collided with the 440ft container ship Corvus J near busy shipping lanes some 40 miles off the coast of the southern Netherlands.

Baltic Ace was heading from the Belgian port of Zeebrugge to Kotka in Finland and the Corvus J was on its way from Grangemouth in Scotland to Antwerp, Belgium.

Earlier, 13 crew members were rescued from the Baltic Ace.

Four were flown to a hospital in Rotterdam, seven taken by rescue helicopter to a hospital in Belgium and two were being treated on board a ship that found them.

A coast guard spokesman said the cause of the collision was not known.

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Child Fights For Life After Crossing Crash

A young girl is fighting for her life after the car she was in collided with a train on an unmanned railway crossing.

The child was airlifted to hospital and is in intensive care following the incident in North Nottinghamshire.

The driver, a 67-year-old woman, was taken to hospital in nearby Doncaster with neck injuries and bruising.

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: "The child, a four-year-old girl, sustained serious injuries and has been airlifted to hospital in Sheffield, where she is in intensive care."

The level crossing is located close by Robin Hood airport and the incident was first reported to the BTP at around 12.35pm.

Sky's Frazer Maude, reporting from the scene, said debris could be seen as crash investigators worked under floodlights into the night.

"BTP officers were called to the rail line at Beech Hill crossing, Springs Road, Misson Springs, Nottinghamshire, following a report of a train striking a car," the BTP spokesman said.

A boom gate appeared to be broken after the incident

There were no other occupants of the car and no passengers on the train were hurt in the incident.

"The train, a Lincoln to Doncaster service, was damaged but has remained upright and on the tracks.

"Passengers were removed from the train and there are no reports of injuries," the spokesman said.

"Officers are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, including how the vehicle came to be on the tracks.

He added: "This will include establishing whether there were any witnesses to the incident, while specialist officers will also examine the scene and the car in question.

"The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and Office of Rail Regulation have been notified."

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Autumn Statement: Osborne Tightens The Screw

The Chancellor is to admit that more drastic action is needed to balance the Government's books but will warn in his mini-budget that there are no "miracle cures".

George Osborne is to confirm that Whitehall departments are being ordered to find further cuts to fund £5bn of projects designed to kick-start the economy.

In the Autumn Statement he is also widely expected to concede that sluggish growth means it will take longer to tackle the deficit, and that a key coalition target - to have public sector debt falling by 2015-16 - may be missed.

Mr Osborne will argue that he is "confronting the country's problems, instead of ducking them".

"The public know that there are no miracle cures. Just the hard work of dealing with our deficit and ensuring Britain wins the global race," he will say.

The capital projects will include building or expanding up to 100 new academies and free schools over the next two years, with cash directed at areas experiencing a shortage in classroom places, as well as investment in transport and science and skills.

Labour said the announcement amounted to an admission that the reduction in infrastructure spending since 2010 had been "a catastrophic mistake" and weakened the economy.

Health, schools, international aid, HM Revenue and Customs and nuclear decommissioning will be protected from the latest round of cuts.

The Chancellor is also expected to target the pension pots of higher earners.

He may cut the amount of annual tax relief high earners receive on pension contributions from £50,000 a year to £30,000. Implementing the full cut could raise as much as £1.8bn for the Government.

Mr Osborne is expected to announce a crackdown on people and businesses avoiding or evading tax, with a £77m boost for HM Revenue and Customs to track down those not paying their fair share.

He will also use the statement to signal his approval for up to 30 new gas-powered electricity power stations, as well as floating possible tax breaks and regulatory reforms to encourage investment in innovative "fracking" technologies for extracting gas from shale deposits.

Follow Sky's live coverage of the Autumn Statement on Wednesday:

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Kate Pregnant: Making A Happy Royal Family

Before their wedding, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made no secret of the fact they wanted to have children.

Kate, who is close to her own immediate family, said: "I hope we will be able to have a happy family ourselves."

William also expressed his desire to have children, and there was plenty of speculation that the Duchess was feeling broody.

And reports they included Brussels sprouts on the food order for their honeymoon in the Seychelles led to suggestions she was on a diet aimed at boosting her folic acid intake in anticipation of conception.

The baby will be Carole and Michael Middleton's first grandchild and the first for the Prince of Wales - although he is already a grandfather to the Duchess of Cornwall's grandchildren.

He or she is destined to be King or Queen and will be born third in line and in direct succession to the throne - knocking Harry down to fourth.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced in October last year that the 15 other Commonwealth countries where the Queen is Head of State had agreed to give female royals the same rights of succession as their brothers.

"Put simply, if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were to have a little girl, that girl would one day be our Queen," Mr Cameron said.

When the law is enacted, first-born royal daughters in direct line to the throne will no longer be leapfrogged by their younger male siblings.

The proposed constitutional change was spurred by the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in anticipation that they would produce a child.

He or she will one day be Head of the Armed Forces, Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Head of the Commonwealth, which covers 54 nations across the world, and subsequently Head of State of 16 countries.

The birth will also expose the Cambridges, already famous around the world, to even higher levels of public fascination.

William and Kate will have to balance protecting their prince or princess with meeting the the nation's insatiable desire to know more about its future ruler.

When William was born in June 1982, thousands gathered outside Buckingham Palace to wait for the birth to be formally announced.

He was the first future British King to be born in a hospital, showing how times had changed down the generations.

His grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, was born in her grandparents' London home in Mayfair.

At the time Home Secretary Sir William Joynson-Hicks waited in the next room as part of an age-old tradition designed to prevent a substitute baby being smuggled in.

Kate will no doubt be glad the custom has since been discontinued.

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Kate Pregnant: Baby Joy For Royal Couple

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first child, St James's Palace has announced.

The Duchess was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in central London with severe morning sickness.

As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, she is expected to remain there for the next few days.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is a rare condition which causes severe vomiting during pregnancy and can cause dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine called ketosis.

The Duke of Cambridge leaving the hospital on Monday

The couple made their own way to the hospital from Bucklebury, where she had spent the weekend with her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton.

It is understood the rest of the royal family only learned about the news today.

William was by her side until 8.20pm when he left the hospital without saying a word to the media pack assembled outside.

Members of both families including the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry - and the Middletons - are said to be "delighted" with the news.

The Duchess has always shown herself to be at ease with youngsters

The baby will be the Middleton's first grandchild and the first for the Prince of Wales, although he plays an active role in the lives of the Duchess of Cornwall's own grandchildren.

William's uncle Earl Spencer said in a statement: "It is wonderful news and I am thrilled for them both."

The baby would have been a first grandchild for William's late mother and the Earl's sister, Diana, Princess of Wales.

The news comes 17 months after William and Kate married at Westminster Cathedral on April 29, 2011.

Before their wedding, they both spoke earnestly about the next stage in their life.

Kate, who is close to her own parents and siblings, revealed: "I hope we will be able to have a happy family ourselves."

Prince William accepts a babygro from mum Samantha Hill

Her biographer, Claudia Joseph, told Sky News: "I think she will be a lovely mother. She comes from a very stable background herself ... that Kate will replicate."

During the couple's nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific in September, the Duke revealed he wanted to have two children with his wife.

The child will be third in line to the throne whether it is a boy or girl.

Prime Minister David Cameron was among the first to congratulate the royal couple on Twitter.

The Duchess playing hockey on Friday at her old prep school in Berkshire

"I'm delighted by the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a baby. They will make wonderful parents," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg tweeted: "Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their news - a perfect way to round off the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year."

Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted: "Fantastic news for Kate, William and the country. A royal baby is something the whole nation will celebrate."

Just a week ago, during the couple's inaugural trip to their dukedom - Cambridge - the Duke, an RAF search-and-rescue pilot, received a home-made romper suit from new mum , Samantha Hill, 27, from Sudbury, Suffolk.

The Babygro was emblazoned with a picture of a helicopter and the words "Daddy's little co-pilot".

The Duke, all smiles, who has made no secret of his desire to start a family, received the gift saying: "Fantastic, I'll keep this."

St James's Palace would not say when the royal couple became aware of the pregnancy - only that it was "recently".

It is understood that the pregnancy has not passed the 12-week point.

Wills and Kate on a Diamond Jubilee trip to Honiara, Guadalcanal Island

A spokeswoman at Kate's old prep school, St Andrew's in Pangbourne, Berkshire - where she showed off her hockey skills last week in an Alexander McQueen frockcoat and three-inch-high calf-length boots - said they had "no inkling at all" that she was expecting.

She said: "Obviously everyone at St Andrew's are delighted for them both. We're absolutely thrilled."

A spokesman for the Royal Air Force, with which William serves as a search-and-rescue pilot, said: "The RAF is delighted with the news and wishes the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge all the best for the future."

The Duchess had a number of engagements this week, including a visit to London's Docklands on Wednesday for a charity fundraising session on a brokers' trading floor, but they have all been cancelled, said St James's Palace.

The couple in a rainforest in Borneo during their tour of the Far East

A spokeswoman for the University of St Andrews, where Kate and William met, said: "We are delighted for the couple and will be writing to them to offer our congratulations. They must be very pleased."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who married the royal couple in Westminster Abbey in April 2011, said: "The whole nation will want to join in celebrating this wonderful news.

"We wish the Duchess the best of health and happiness in the months ahead."

News that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a baby marks the perfect way to round off the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year.

The news echoes back to the Silver Jubilee of 1977 when the Queen learned that her first grandchild was on its way.

The Princess Royal's pregnancy was described at the time by the Palace as the best Jubilee present of all and Peter Phillips was born in the November of 1977.

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Starbucks Tax Backlash: Firm Pledges Action

Starbucks has announced it is reviewing its tax affairs after a public backlash over the low amount of tax the US company pays in the UK.

The Seattle-based company reportedly paid just £8.6m in corporation tax in 14 years of trading in Britain.

It recently revealed it paid no corporation tax for the past three years, despite sales of £1.2bn in the UK.

Now, the coffee chain has revealed it is in talks with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Treasury over its tax affairs as part of a bid to "build public trust".

"Starbucks is committed to the UK for the long term and we have invested more than £200m in our UK business over the past 12 years," the statement said.

"Starbucks has complied with all the tax laws in this country but has regretfully not been as profitable as we would have liked.

"We have listened to feedback from our customers and employees, and understand that to maintain and further build public trust we need to do more.

"As part of this we are looking at our tax approach in the UK.

"The company has been in discussions with HMRC for some time and is also in talks with the Treasury."

The firm is one of many multinationals to have the amount of tax they pay in the UK put under the spotlight.

Starbucks operates more than 700 stores in the UK

Chancellor George Osborne is set to address the issue in his Autumn Statement on December 5.

On Sunday Mr Osborne announced extra investment to help clamp down on the multinational companies' tax avoidance.

Last month, the Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which is charged with monitoring government financial affairs, questioned senior executives from Starbucks, Google and Amazon on why they pay so little tax in the UK while racking up millions of pounds' worth of sales.

"I assure you we are not making money," Troy Alstead, the chief financial officer of Starbucks, told the committee.

"It's very unfortunate. We're not at all pleased about our financial performance here. It's fundamentally true everything we are saying and everything we have said historically."

His comments came despite operating more than 700 UK stores and employing nearly 8,500 people, along with plans to employ another 6,000 staff and open 300 outlets.

Companies are able to sidestep the taxman legally by conducting different operations in different countries, and constructing complex global frameworks that allow them to move money through offshore subsidiaries and locations.

The three leading US companies and their corporate tax rates

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Singapore Airlines In Virgin Sell-Off Talks

Singapore Airlines confirms it is in talks to sell its 49% stake in British carrier Virgin Atlantic.

SIA did not name the interested parties, but the Reuters news agency reported that Delta Air Lines had held recent talks to buy SIA's stake.

Delta, the second-largest US airline by operating revenue, has been looking to acquire a stake in Virgin Atlantic for more than two years in an effort to expand its access to London's Heathrow airport, sources said.

Previous talks broke down over price and other issues, and there is no guarantee that the recent discussions would result in a pact, Reuters quoted the sources as saying.

Delta wants to expand at Heathrow, which operates at close to full capacity

The European Union requires that EU carriers be under European control, meaning Delta would need to involve an EU airline if it sought majority control of Virgin.

Delta has been considering ways to partner with Air France-KLM, which could take an additional stake in Virgin and allow the carriers to acquire majority ownership. Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson owns 51% of the airline.

Delta has made clear that it would like to expand at Heathrow, a lucrative airport for prized corporate passengers where landing slots are generally hard to acquire.

Virgin is the second-largest carrier at Heathrow after British Airways.

Branson, who set up Virgin Atlantic in 1984, has been weighing the airline's future for some time and two years ago appointed Deutsche Bank to examine offers.

"We are always talking to many airlines on a number of different matters but we never comment on the details of these discussions," a Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman said. Delta declined to comment.

Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, is operating at close to full capacity after the Government blocked its expansion in 2010.

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Leveson: Cameron To Urge Editors To Act

The Prime Minister will meet newspaper editors next week, to discuss the future of press regulation and whether the industry can deliver it alone.

It comes as an online petition demanding the Government act on Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations in full has attracted more than 80,000 supporters in less than 24 hours.

Support for the petition launched by Hacked Off, the group campaigning for victims of phone hacking, has doubled overnight.

The Culture Secretary has warned newspaper editors not to drag their feet in acting on Lord Justice Leveson's calls for setting up a new press watchdog.

Maria Miller, joined by David Cameron, will meet the newspaper industry's most powerful editors next week to push for urgent action.

Paul Dacre has acknowledged that swift action is needed

Downing Street said the PM will call for a timetable to be set for creating a new independent press watchdog.

Lord Hunt of Wirral, the chairman of the Press Complaints Commission, who will also attend, told The Times he wanted a speedy industry resolution to help persuade the public and MPs that laws were not needed to underpin the new independent regulator.

"There's an awful lot we can agree on and I have suggested to the industry (that we) all read the report, digest it and seek out the common ground and unite with one voice," he said.

Ms Miller's warning will come the day before editors on the Code of Practice Committee, chaired by Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre, meet to decide how to tackle the Leveson recommendations.

Mr Dacre said: "Lord Justice Leveson has set us a number of challenges: our task is to address them as urgently as possible."

Best-selling novelist JK Rowling at the inquiry last November

It comes as reports emerged that Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Cabinet colleagues earlier this week that a "Leveson law" would undermine the UK's ability to address freedom of speech issues globally, particularly on cases such as the jailing of punk band Pussy Riot in Russia.

A Government source told The Daily Telegraph: "It was a very serious presentation. He warned that Britain demonstrating that we have a free press is part of our ability to say we believe in democracy."

But David Cameron is under intense pressure to drop his opposition to a law backing up the new watchdog the press has been tasked with devising.

The Prime Minister is facing a backlash from victims of media intrusion over his resistance to legislation.

Author JK Rowling has said that she felt "duped and angry" by Mr Cameron's hesitance to "cross the Rubicon" and introduce a press law.

Gerry McCann said it was time for politicians to 'do the right thing'

The Harry Potter author, who gave evidence about press intrusion into her family's privacy to the inquiry, said: "If the Prime Minister did not wish to change the regulatory system even to the moderate, balanced and proportionate extent proposed by Lord Leveson, I am at a loss to understand why so much public money has been spent and why so many people have been asked to relive extremely painful episodes on the stand in front of millions."

The most high-profile victims of phone hacking refused to meet the Culture Secretary on Friday, saying they felt let down by Mr Cameron's response.

Despite the boycott, Ms Miller has met the leaders of the Hacked Off campaign and described the talks as frank.

Madeleine McCann's father Gerry said giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry would have been "almost useless" if the proposals were not implemented in full, and urged the Prime Minister to "do the right thing".

London bombing hero Paul Dadge, a victim of phone hacking, said he was very disappointed with Mr Cameron's stance and called on him to back the public rather than the press.

Christopher Jefferies, the landlord wrongly arrested for the murder of Joanna Yeates, warned it would be a "disaster" if the recommendation on legislation was ignored, and said he would feel "let down" by Mr Cameron.

Lord Justice Leveson condemned the "culture of reckless and outrageous journalism" that dominated sections of the press for decades as he unveiled the findings of his 16-month inquiry on Thursday.

The Appeal Court judge called for a new watchdog with statutory underpinning to be given the power to require prominent apologies and impose fines of as much as £1m.

Mr Cameron immediately voiced "serious concerns and misgivings" about legislative action, and said the press should be given a "limited period of time" to show it could get its own house in order.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "Many of the victims of sections of the press will be feeling utterly betrayed by David Cameron."

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Japan: 'Five Trapped' After Tunnel Collapses

Five people are thought to be trapped and a number of vehicles are ablaze inside a motorway tunnel which has collapsed in Japan, reports have said.

The Sasago tunnel on the Chuo Expressway, about 50 miles west from Tokyo, caved in at around 8am local time and is said to have affected to the Tokyo-bound lanes.

A 100-metre section of the tunnel is affected, according to several media reports.

Kyodo News reported that firefighters had said there were "at least five" people trapped in the tunnel, saying a woman who escaped had been in a vehicle with five others, none of whom she had seen since she fled.

A local traffic police unit official told AFP news agency: "We have limited information on the accident at the moment but smoke is said to be coming out from the tunnel as an unspecified number of vehicles were burning."

A journalist working for the public broadcaster NHK was driving through the tunnel when it started to disintegrate.

"I managed to drive through the tunnel but vehicles nearby appeared to have been trapped," he reported.

"Black smoke was coming and there seemed to be a fire inside the tunnel."

More follows...

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