Cameron's Speech Rebuked By Fiscal Watchdog

David Cameron has been rebuked by the Office for Budget Responsibility about the impact of his Government's austerity measures on economic growth.

In a high-profile speech on Thursday, the Prime Minister said the OBR was "absolutely clear that the deficit reduction plan is not responsible" for depressed growth, adding "in fact, quite the opposite".

But the head of the independent fiscal watchdog has written to Mr Cameron saying he misrepresented its position.

Chairman Robert Chote wrote to Number 10, disputing the claims.

He insisted that it believed there was a short-term effect and that "fiscal consolidation measures have reduced economic growth over the past couple of years".

The strong retort from the watchdog came in response to a passage from the Prime Minister's speech which he used to insist there was "no alternative" to the Government's strategy.

"There's not some choice between dealing with our debts and planning for growth," he said.

"As the independent Office for Budget Responsibility has made clear growth has been depressed by the financial crisis, the problems in the eurozone and a 60% rise in oil prices between August 2010 and April 2011.

"They are absolutely clear that the deficit reduction plan is not responsible. In fact, quite the opposite."

But the OBR published a letter sent to Number 10 on Friday by Mr Chote in which he took exception to the claims.

"For the avoidance of doubt, I think it is important to point out that every forecast published by the OBR since the June 2010 Budget has incorporated the widely-held assumption that tax increases and spending cuts reduce economic growth in the short term."

He added that an impact of "external inflation shocks, deteriorating export markets and financial sector and eurozone difficulties were more likely explanations" than incorrect multipliers for the reason growth was even weaker that initially forecast.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The OBR has today again highlighted external inflation shocks, the eurozone and financial sector difficulties as the reasons why their forecasts have come in lower than expected.

"That is precisely the point the Prime Minister was underlining."

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Birmingham Bus Stabbing Suspect Is Sectioned

A man arrested on suspicion of fatally stabbing a 16-year-old schoolgirl on a bus has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Christina Edkins was killed on a double-decker in Hagley Road, Birmingham, during the morning rush-hour yesterday.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said the man will now be sent to a secure facility after the latest assessment by mental health professionals deemed him unfit to be interviewed.

Police said the suspect had been regularly assessed by medical experts throughout his time in police custody.

He was arrested near the scene of the attack yesterday.

Christina had been sitting in front of her attacker on the top deck when he struck as the bus was slowing down.

Christina died from a single stab wound

Post mortem tests have revealed that the teenager died from a single stab wound to the chest.

Detective Superintendent Richard Baker said after the attack: "He walked down the stairs and calmly waited to get off the bus."

This afternoon, friends of the teenager gathered to pay their respects at the scene, where a growing number of floral tributes have been placed.

Police have released a picture of the suspected killer, a black man in his early 20s, who was wearing a distinctive jacket with a picture of a tiger on the back.

They believe he used buses in and around Birmingham around the time of the attack and have appealed for anyone who saw him between 6am and 1pm to come forward.

The killer calmly got off the bus in Edgbaston after the attack

They also called on any remaining passengers from the number nine bus to speak to them about what happened.

Mr Baker said: "We know that at the time of the tragic event yesterday 16 people were on the bus. We have identified and spoken directly to about eight of those individuals.

"We are appealing for the other people on the bus at the time of the incident to please come forward also.

"Even if you think the information you have is not relevant or will not assist us, please let us make that assessment."

Mr Baker added: "It is quite possible that the people on the bus who haven't come forward may not have been aware at the time of the severity of what had happened.

"We know from witness accounts that we do have that, although some screaming was heard immediately after the incident, initially people thought perhaps it was just teenagers messing around on the top deck of the bus."

Forensic officers at the scene

The arrested man, a British national with links to Walsall, was not known to mental health units in the area and has no known link to the teenager.

Police said it was part of Christina's regular daily routine to get the bus at that time.

Mr Baker said the teenager's family were distraught over the apparently motiveless attack.

He added: "Clearly they are absolutely devastated by what has happened. If you look at the pictures of Christina, she was a beautiful young girl. This attack appears to be totally senseless and random.

"The dedicated officers in the investigation team are working hard now to make sure the person responsible for this is brought to justice, and we will continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service over the coming hours in order to make that happen."

A woman claiming to have witnessed the incident on the bus said she waited for the girl's attacker to get off the vehicle before performing CPR on the teenager.

Writing on Facebook, Stephanie Bent said: "I was on that bus I knew what he had done and he was stood next to me when he was getting off, all I could think of was I hope he gets off this stop so I can go upstairs and help the girl.

"Thankfully he got off and I was able to go upstairs and help the girl as best I could I gave CPR until medics arrived and am deeply traumatised I could not save her, I certainly wasn't going to confront a knifeman knowing he had just stabbed someone I thought he may stab me too all I cared about was getting up to the girl to help."

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Bus Stabbing: Christina Edkins Killed

Police have chased down and arrested a man suspected of stabbing to death 16-year-old Christina Edkins as she travelled to school.

Christina was on a packed double-decker bus during rush hour in Birmingham when she was killed in what police believe was a random attack.

Paramedics and police officers were called just after 7.30am and tried to save Christina's life but she died at the scene.

Armed police were sent to patrol in the city as police hunted for what they described as an "extremely dangerous" suspect who they believed could have been armed.

Forensic officers search the double-decker bus where the attack happened

Officers arrested a 22-year-old, who was seen acting suspiciously, after a short chase near a Morrison's supermarket in the city.

Christina, a pupil at Leasowes High School in Halesowen, was an avid user of the social networking site Twitter and on February 8 the @christinaedkin  account included a post that read: "This man is worrying me on the bus keeps getting up and walking up and down stairs, and sitting in different place :I"

West Midlands Police said they would be looking at her social media activity, but that "at this stage there is nothing to suggest she was being targeted".

Officers said that there was "nothing immediately" to suggest that Christina knew her attacker and that he had already been on the bus when she got on board.

The head teacher at Christina's school, Neil Shaw, said: "Christina was a bright and popular student much loved by staff and students alike. We are deeply saddened to hear this tragic news and our thoughts and hearts go out to her family and everyone who knew her.

"The school is working closely with the police and a team of counsellors to provide support to our pupils and staff."

Christina had recently taken part in Twitter "meet ups", where social media users get together to socialise.

Christina was stabbed on the crowded number 9 service

Joe James, 18, from Bristol got to know Christina through these events and told Sky News: "I'm still not believing it. I just can't understand - why her?

"She had everything, she was very popular and generous - she was the kind of girl to help an old lady across the road."

A tribute page has been set up on Facebook for "beautiful angel" Christina, with users calling her death "a waste of a beautiful young life" and saying "justice will prevail".

Detective Superintendent Richard Baker said: "This is a tragic case and the victim's family are devastated.

"We are still anxious to hear from anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident this morning to speak to us via the dedicated hotline 0800 096 0095.

"There will be a high police presence across the city this afternoon following this morning's tragedy particularly on buses and in schools in the area to provide reassurance to local people."

He said that he thought a number of people travelling on the bus at the time of the attack on Hagley Road had yet to come forward and that officers were trawling through CCTV footage for evidence.

Paramedics were called but nothing could be done to save the teenager

National Express West Midlands said the vehicle was heading out of the city when the stabbing happened.

A spokesman said: "We can confirm that a tragic incident occurred on a number 9 service this morning.

"Our thoughts and condolences are with the friends and family of the person involved and we will offer all possible support to the police in their investigation of this matter."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said they had been called to the scene shortly after 7.35am.

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Gunman Seen At Brisbane Mall: Police At Scene

Armed police have surrounded a mall in Brisbane following reports that a gunman is holed up at the scene.

The Examiner website said staff at the Queen Street Mall were seen running and screaming, "Run, there is a man with a gun".

Police said the area had been locked down at 11.20am local time after receiving reports of a man with a weapon.

"The area has been evacuated and motorists and pedestrians are advised to avoid the area," police said.

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Deer Cull Urged By Experts As Numbers Soar

By David Crabtree, Sky Correspondent

Experts are urging drastic measurers to cull the soaring deer population in Britain.

New research suggests that only by killing 50-60% of the animals can their numbers be kept under some control.

The number of deer in the UK is estimated at 1.5 million. A cull could result in more than 750,000 animals being shot every year.

They are having a damaging effect on woodland and farmers' crops. They are also causing an increasing number of accidents.

Each year about 450 people are injured or killed on the roads and more than 14,000 vehicles are severely damaged as a result of collisions with deer.

Research Fellow Kristin Waeber, from the University of East Anglia, said: "I think deer belong in the landscape, but if we let the deer numbers increase even more, then we have to make a decision that we lose our woodlands, our bluebells, our oxlips, because the deer will just eat them.

"So are we okay in compromising that in just having a lot of deer about? I think it is important to keep a balance."

The common red deer is Britain's largest land mammal

She says the deer are disturbing the ecology so much that native birds are being wiped out. The fact that nightingales are now so rare is largely blamed on deer.

Thetford Forest has about 14,000 deer in 52,000 acres. They shoot about 2,000 a year and the bodies are sent to local game dealers.

Trevor Banham, chief wildlife ranger at Thetford Forest, said: "We have a part to play in this. We have to try to manage this population and if we don't, we have this process that is going on now where they are starting to go out of control.

"It is needed, the cull is needed all the time."

The RSPCA says it is opposed in principle to the killing or taking of all wild animals unless there is strong evidence to support it.

It is urging controlled methods, where a cull must be taken on a case-by-case basis. They do not want it to be rolled out in a uniform way across the country.

Although they were kept on private land belonging to the nobility, native wild deer were virtually unknown in England for 1,000 years until their re-introduction by the Victorians.

Today, there are more deer in the UK than at any time since the Ice Age.

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RBS Apology As Customers Hit By New IT Glitch

RBS, NatWest and Ulster Bank have apologised after many customers were unable to log in to their accounts or withdraw cash.

The technical problems come less than a year after they were hit by a computer meltdown that left millions of people unable to access their money.

"We are disappointed that our customers have faced disruption to banking services for a period this evening, and apologise for that," the banks said in a message on Twitter.

The banks said their systems were back to normal around three hours after they admitted there was a problem.

Customers said they had difficulties using cash machines or logging into online banking, while others complained their cards had been declined.

Steve Ireland, who lives in London, told Sky News he discovered the problem when he tried to pay with his card at a supermarket.

RBS boss Stephen Hester had to apologise for a glitch last June

"I was out shopping after a night out with my partner to celebrate a birthday," he said. "I went into a very big chain supermarket and got to the cash desk with all my shopping, only to be told the card was declined.

"It was a really bad experience and very embarrassing. You get evil looks from the cashier when you can't pay."

Stuart Keel, from Cornwall, said he tried to use a cash machine but it was not working.

"We went to the supermarket thinking we could use our cards in there, no problem," he said.

"While we were walking around I was using my NatWest (smartphone) app and it wasn't working at all."

He said his card was then declined at the checkout.

"I thought, 'There's something not right here'," he added.

In June last year, millions of people were affected when a software update failed at the banks.

Customers were unable to view up-to-date balances, while payments such as direct debits for bills were not made and some wages were not received.

Stephen Hester, the chief executive of the banks' parent company RBS Group, which is 80% state-owned, was forced to apologise for the problems at the time and £100m was put aside to compensate customers.

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Hugo Chavez: A Master Of The Spotlight

'Go To Hell': Chavez In Quotes

Updated: 11:44pm UK, Tuesday 05 March 2013

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez repeatedly caught the headlines with his turns of phrase as he addressed his own people in his weekly TV show or spoke to the world on official engagements.

"You have a pig's tail, a pig's ears, and you snort like a pig. You are a pig."

- To opposition leader Henrique Capriles in February 2012.

"You are a donkey, Mr Danger."

- Referring to US President George Bush in his weekly television show Alo Presidente in March 2006.

"Don't mess with me, Condoleezza. Don't mess with me, girl."

- Responding to then US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in February 2006, who days earlier had called Venezuela a threat to regional democracy and a "sidekick" of Iran.

"Yesterday the devil came here. Right here. And it smells of sulfur still today."

- Speaking at the United Nations the day after President George Bush in 2006.

"The lord of war is Donald Rumsfeld, one of the dogs of the devil."

- Speaking about US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in 2006.

"You are an imperialist pawn. ... Go straight to hell."

- Speaking about then-Prime MInister Tony Blair in 2006.

"Go to hell, Yankee *****, here stands a dignified people. Go to hell a hundred times, we are the sons of Bolivar!"

- After Venezuela expelled the US ambassador in 2008.

"You are a fraud, Obama. ... Go and ask many people in Africa, who might have believed in you because of the colour of your skin, because your father was from Africa. You are an Afro-descendant, but you are the shame of all those people."

- Speaking about US President Barack Obama in 2011.

"Give me your crown of thorns, Christ, give it to me, so that I bleed; Give me your cross, 100 crosses, and I will carry them for you. But give me life, because I still have things to do for my people and my country. Don't take me yet."

- During a mass held for his health during his cancer treatment in April 5, 2012.

"We will live and will win!"

- After being diagnosed with cancer in June 2011.

"It would not be strange if they had developed the technology to induce cancer and nobody knew about it until now."

- Accusing the CIA of spreading cancer in Latin America in 2011.

"Marisabel, I'm giving you one tonight, get ready!"

- To his wife on Valentine's Day 2000.

"I am a president held prisoner, I have not resigned."

- During a short coup against him in 2002.

"Theirs is a victory of ****."

- On the failure of a constitutional amendment in 2007.

"If God gives me life and health, I'll be with you until 2021! Hey ho, Chavez will not go!"

- Launching a move to repeal term limits for presidents in 2008.

"Christopher Columbus (the Italian-born explorer) was the spearhead of the biggest invasion and genocide ever seen in the history of humanity."

- Speaking about indigenous rights in 2003

"Israel criticises Hitler a lot, so do we, but they've done something very similar, even worse, than what the Nazis did."

- Discussing Israel during a visit to Iran in 2006

"I promise you that at least I will make an effort not to be so lengthy."

- Before giving a nine-hour speech in 2012.

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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Dies

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has died at the age of 58 after losing his long battle with cancer.

The country's vice president Nicolas Maduro fought back tears as he announced the death in a national television broadcast.

He said Mr Chavez died at 4.25pm local time "after battling a tough illness for nearly two years".

Mr Maduro also said the army and police had been deployed "to accompany and protect our people and guarantee the peace".

The country's foreign minister Elias Jaua declared seven days of national mourning and said a wake for Mr Chavez will be held until Friday, when his official funeral will take place.

He said Mr Maduro would take over the presidency until fresh elections can take place in around 30 days.

President Barack Obama reaffirmed American "support for the Venezuelan people and its interest in developing a constructive relationship with the Venezuelan government".

An emotional Nicolas Maduro announced the death on national television

"As Venezuela begins a new chapter in its history, the United States remains committed to policies that promote democratic principles, the rule of law, and respect for human rights," he added.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "I was saddened to learn of the death of President Hugo Chavez today. As President of Venezuela for 14 years he has left a lasting impression on the country and more widely."

Mr Chavez, whose condition had been said to be deteriorating in recent days, had been undergoing cancer treatment in Cuba on and off since June 2011 - when he was first diagnosed with the illness.

The announcement came just hours after Mr Maduro announced the government had expelled two US diplomats from the country.

He said "we have no doubt" that Mr Chavez's illness was induced by foul play by "the historical enemies of our homeland".

Hundreds of Venezuelans poured into the streets of Caracas, with many crying, hugging each other, or shouting slogans of support for Mr Chavez.

Some Venezuelans in the US say they are glad the "dictatorship" has ended

Clusters of women with tears streaming down their faces clung to each other and wept near the Miraflores presidential palace. Some wore T-shirts with slogans that read "Go forward commander!"

Nearby, grime-faced men pumped their arms in the air while shouting "Long live Chavez! Long live Chavismo!"

People also gathered outside the military hospital where Chavez died. Soldiers in riot gear stood shoulder to shoulder guarding the complex.

"I feel such big pain I can't even speak," said Yamilina Barrios, a 39-year-old office worker weeping at a street corner. "He was the best thing the country had ... I adore him. Let's hope the country calms down and we can continue the tasks he left us."

The government announced late on Monday that Mr Chavez's condition was "very delicate" due to a "new, severe" respiratory infection.

Mr Chavez had not been seen in public or heard since undergoing a fourth round of surgery in Cuba on December 11 in the pelvic area.

The government said he returned home on February 18, and had been confined to Caracas' military hospital ever since.

Mr Chavez with daughters Rosa Virginia (R) and Maria

During more than 14 years in office, Mr Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally.

The fiery populist leader declared a socialist revolution in Venezuela, crusaded against US influence, championed a leftist revival across Latin America, and over time, gradually placed all state institutions under his personal control.

Following his death a period of mourning was also declared in Cuba, where Mr Chavez was hailed as a "true son" to Fidel Castro.

But the former army paratrooper commander, who rose to fame by launching a failed 1992 coup, never groomed a successor.

His death sets up a snap presidential election after his illness prevented him from taking the oath of office when he was re-elected last year.

Under the constitution, the head of Congress, Diosdado Cabello, would assume the interim presidency.

However, Mr Maduro is Mr Chavez's self-anointed successor and has been holding the reins since the president's health took a turn for the worse.

The man Mr Chavez defeated in October's presidential elections, Miranda state Governor Henrique Capriles, is expected to represent the opposition in any new national polls.

He called for unity and offered his condolences to Mr Chavez's family and supporters.

Venezuela's defence minister pledged the military would remain loyal to the constitution in the wake of Mr Chavez's death.

Admiral Diego Molero appeared on national television and appealed for "unity, tranquillity and understanding" among Venezuelans.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said Mr Chavez "used a mixture of brute force, persuasion, passion and charisma to keep himself in power".

"Such was the adoration and devotion that mainly the poor in Venezuela felt for him that he was seen as this almost sort of religious figure, and his loss now leaves a huge void in Venezuelan politics.

"A lot of people say he is irreplaceable."

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Woman Jailed For Life For Grandmother Murder

A woman has been jailed for a minimum of 37 years for murdering a stranger in a knife attack in the street.

Nicola Edgington had killed her mother six years earlier, but was released to live in the community.

She was found guilty at the Old Bailey last month of murdering Sally Hodkin, 58, and attempting to murder Kerry Clark, 22.

Both women were on their way to work in Bexleyheath, southeast London, in October 2011 when Edgington attacked them with a knife.

She bought one knife from Asda and attacked Miss Clark, who was waiting for a bus.

When Miss Clark grabbed the blade and kicked her away, Edgington ran to a butcher's shop and grabbed a larger knife.

Edgington took the knife from a butcher's shop

She attacked Mrs Hodkin, a law firm accounts clerk, with such force that she almost decapitated her.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found that a number of police blunders led to Edgington carrying out the attacks.

The 32-year-old made five 999 calls just hours before asking to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act because she believed herself to be a danger.

But Metropolitan Police staff failed to carry out a police national computer (PNC) check on her which would have alerted them to her previous conviction for the manslaughter of her mother, the IPCC said.

Edgington also sought help at a local hospital from where she called 999.

But after delays in admitting her, she walked out.

The IPCC found officers only contacted the hospital following her fourth phone call and said Edgington's second 999 call from the A&E department was downgraded because she was considered to be in a place of safety.

Sally Hodkin was on her way to work

An officer was not dispatched at this stage despite Edgington's claim she could be very dangerous, it found.

Edgington was said to have a borderline personality disorder and was found to be emotionally unstable and regularly blamed others for her situation.

She was ordered to be detained indefinitely at a secure hospital after stabbing her mother nine times in 2006.

Doctors diagnosed schizophrenia and she pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

But medics ruled she was well enough to be treated in the community after three years.

At the Old Bailey Judge Brian Barker told Edgington her behaviour had been "consistent and calculated".

He said: "You are manipulative and exceptionally dangerous. What you did could not have been more selfish.

"I disagree that the responsibility for these acts can be laid on others.

"You made your choice and these were terrible acts for which you must take responsibility.

"You have come as near as can be to having three deaths on your hands."

Edgington was jailed for life with a minimum term of 37 years for murder and given a concurrent sentence of life with a minimum term of 20 years for attempted murder.

Mrs Hodkin's widower, Paul, told the court in a statement: "Forty years of marriage gone, wiped out in seconds by someone that should not have been on the streets."

His solicitor, Daniel Rubinstein, said outside court: "While the family are relieved that a very dangerous woman has been taken off the streets, they remain concerned at the very many questions that remain over the actions of authorities and the alleged failure to treat clearly dangerous people in a secure environment.

"They will be considering further action to get answers in the hope that other families won't have to go through the same appalling experience that they have."

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Syrian Soldiers In Iraq Killed In Ambush

At least 42 Syrian soldiers and a number of Iraqis have been killed after they were attacked by unidentified gunmen

The Syrians had sought refuge in northern Iraq during clashes with rebels close to the border earlier in the week.

Iraqi authorities moved them from Nineveh province to the capital Baghdad, but were transporting them back to the Syrian border through Anbar province when the attack took place.

Armed men attacked the convoy from two sides with mortar rounds, automatic weapons and mines, according to Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Khalaf al-Dulaimi of the Iraqi border protection forces.

Eight Syrians and four Iraqis were also wounded, and three vehicles in the convoy destroyed, he added.

Ali Mussawi, a spokesman for Iraqi prime minister Nuri al Maliki, said: "This confirms our fears of the attempt of some to move the conflict to Iraq, but we will face these attempts by all sides with all of our power."

The attack came as opposition activists claimed the rebels had pushed government troops from most of the northern city of Raqqa, setting off celebrations in a central square where scores of cheering protesters tore down a bronze statue of President Bashar Assad's late father.

Britain is to provide greater assistance to the rebels

Photographs showed a burning guard post, men ripping down a poster of Assad and the fallen statue, while video footage posted on the internet purportedly showed an abandoned prison in the centre of the city.

Iraq's government, which is dominated by Shia Muslims like Syria's principal backer Iran, has so far not backed calls for President Assad to stand down but has called for both sides to end the violence.

Anbar province is dominated by Sunni Muslims, who also make up the majority of the rebels fighting Assad's soldiers.

However, the Syrian National Council has accused Baghdad of giving "political and intelligence support to the Syrian regime".

The United Nations estimates that more than 70,000 people have been killed and one million have fled their homes because of the conflict in Syria.

Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire has defended the decision to provide "technical assistance and non-lethal equipment" to the opposition after being summoned to the Commons to be questioned on whether greater support would aid terrorists.

"The longer the situation goes on, the greater the danger extremism takes hold, the greater the danger of destabilising neighbouring countries and the greater the extreme humanitarian distress involved," he said.

"We must do more to try and help save lives in Syria. That is why we led the way in agreeing an amendment to the EU sanctions regime to ensure that the possibility of further assistance is not closed off."

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Queen Treated In Hospital Over Stomach Bug

The Queen has been taken to hospital "as a precaution" after suffering symptoms of gastroenteritis.

Her Majesty, who is aged 86, is being assessed by doctors at the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.

The monarch is in "good spirits" and is otherwise in "good health", according to her spokesman.

She was driven to the hospital by private car at about 3pm and is expected to remain at the medical facility for a couple of days.

The spokesman said: "This is a precautionary measure. She was not taken into hospital immediately after feeling the symptoms.

"This is simply to enable doctors to better assess her."

The Queen was last in hospital in 2003 when she had a knee operation.

All official engagements planned for this week will be postponed or cancelled, Buckingham Palace said.

Police officers pictured outside the King Edward VII Hospital

Medical experts said she would probably be treated with a drip. It is important to ensure patients are given combinations of sugar and salt to help fluids be absorbed.

The Queen's sickness was first announced on Friday.

She had been due to attend a military celebration in Swansea on Saturday for St David's Day celebrations, but was forced to cancel because of the illness.

Instead, the monarch spent the day resting at Windsor Castle.

Before her admission to hospital she presented a female member of staff an award for long service at Windsor.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were set to fly out to Rome for a two-day visit this Wednesday, which will now not go ahead.

The Queen had been due to meet the Italian president Giorgio Napolitano who said he sends his "best wishes for a speedy recovery".

Prime Minister David Cameron also wished the Queen well and said he hoped she makes a speedy recovery, according to Downing Street.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "The Queen is being assessed at the King Edward VII's Hospital, London, after experiencing symptoms of gastroenteritis.

"As a precaution, all official engagements for this week will regrettably be either postponed or cancelled."

The Duchess of Cambridge was treated at the same hospital last year

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel. The most common symptoms are vomiting and repeated episodes of diarrhoea.

The two most common causes of gastroenteritis in adults in the UK are norovirus and food poisoning.

The Queen undertook a number of engagements during the last week.

On Tuesday she met the Archbishop of Canterbury at Buckingham Palace, on Wednesday she visited the Royal London Hospital, and a day later she presented Olympic stars with honours during an investiture ceremony.

Her Majesty has rarely missed a royal engagement due to ill health in recent years.

She was last forced to pull out of an investiture ceremony in October last year after suffering with a bad back.

She also missed a visit to the British Museum in October 2011 because of a cold.

The Duchess of Cambridge was treated at the King Edward VII hospital last December for acute morning sickness.

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Mortar Bombs Found In Van In Londonderry

Sky sources say at least three mortars have been found in the back of a van on the outskirts of Londonderry.

Sky's Ireland correspondent David Blevins said: "It would appear that police have managed to thwart yet another attempted attack by dissident Republicans.

"A huge security operation has been under way for several hours now but in the last few minutes Sky sources have confirmed to us that police intercepted at least three mortars last night.

"One hundred families have been evacuated from their homes and we understand that two men, aged 35 and 37, have been detained.

"We are being told by local people in the Letterkenny Road area that police stopped the van and there is some suggestion they stopped a motorbike at the same time before they took the two people into custody.

"The police realised very quickly that they had intercepted the mortars primed for an attack in the vehicle with a Southern Irish registration number plate.

"They have called in the Army bomb squad to defuse the devices."

Blevins added: "The timing of any attack would be significant given that we are just four days away from a Westminster by-election in Northern Ireland in the mid-Ulster constituency - the seat which was formerly held by Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness.

"That indeed may have been why a possible attack was being planned by those opposed to the peace settlement."

More follows...

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Mokhtar Belmokhtar: Gas Terror Chief 'Killed'

Belmokhtar: Profile Of Mr Marlboro

Updated: 12:54am UK, Sunday 03 March 2013

By Sam Kiley, Middle East Correspondent

He was known as Mr Marlboro because of his cigarette smuggling. The French intelligence service called him "The Uncatchable".

Born in central Algeria in 1972, Mokhtar Belmokhtar grew obsessed with Jihadi ideology in his teens. At 19 he volunteered to fight alongside the mujahedeen in Afghanistan.

He missed most of the fighting there as the Soviets withdrew as he arrived but he did encounter senior members of what was to become al Qaeda - receiving training in a Jalalabad base.

In the early 1990s he returned to Algeria to join Islamic militant groups. He served them as a quartermaster - rapidly rose to dominate operations in the south of the country during the Algerian civil war.

Described by the then head of France's Territorial Surveillance Directorate (Direction de la surveillance du territoire – DST) as Algeria's link to al Qaeda, Belmokhtar maintained strong links to the movement's core in Pakistan.

But he was a vital element in the expansion of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). A franchise of the Jihadi movement AQIM was seen as the poorly performing franchise during the last decade. 

But Belmokhtar forged links with Tuareg rebels in the south Sahara from Mali to Niger and into Mauritania.

He rapidly expanded a criminal empire to fund his political and military operations from smuggling cigarettes, diamonds, drugs and people into Europe.

He further stuffed his war chest with funds from hostage taking operations. In 2003 he was implicated in the kidnapping of 32 Europeans in the Sahara.

In 2008, he took control of negotiations for the release of two Austrian hostages. And in 2009 took control of two Canadians kidnapped in Mali and released by him for allegedly £3m and freedom for several of his associates from Malian jails.

Robert Fowler was a UN special envoy in Mali when he was kidnapped and then handed on to Belmokhtar.

He described the man who has now projected himself on to the world stage from the relative obscurity of the Saharan wastes.

"He is very cold. Very business-like. I was afraid for my life all the time. I was afraid for my life when I woke up in the morning and when I went to sleep at night. He is a very serious player," Mr Fowler told ABC News in the US.

Belmokhtar's movement got a huge boost from the collapse of the Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi.

The Tuareg fighters he had employed from Niger, Mali and Chad, fled his service carrying with them vast stockpiles of heavy weapons and bringing many years of combat experience.

This influx of new weapons and fighters allowed for al Qaeda-related groups to capture much of northern Mali and establish closer links between groups from Mauritania to Somalia and into the Arabian Peninsula.

Some intelligence agencies believe that Belmokhtar fell out with the AQIM leader in the north of Africa, Abdulmalek Droukel.

But al Qaeda is a franchise. Its strength lies in fragmentation. A devolved series of groups are harder to infiltrate or destroy than one large organisation.

Al Qaeda expert Aaron Zelin describes this as "controlled fragmentation".

French intelligence services had been trying to kill or capture Belmokhtar for more than a decade. They believed that he had the capacity to mobilise French citizens with their roots in North Africa for terror operations inside Europe.

After France launched its war against Islamists in Mali, many of whom are connected to Belmokhtar, his organisation which calls itself "The Masked Ones", vowed to continue attacks against western targets in Africa and beyond.

Belmokhtar's attack in Algeria meant his name was heard more widely as his movement posed a strategic threat to Europe's energy supplies.

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Assad Hits Out At UK Government In Interview

Syrian President Bashar al Assad has heavily criticised the British government, calling it "shallow and immature".

In an interview with The Sunday Times, he dismissed any suggestion that Britain could help to resolve the conflict saying: "We do not expect an arsonist to be a firefighter."

He said Britain was not trusted by many in the Middle East, saying its has been viewed as "unconstructive" in the region for centuries.

"There's no contact between Syria and Britain for a long time.

"You cannot separate the role form the credibility, and you cannot separate the credibility from the history of that country.

"To be frank, Britain has played famously in our region (an) unconstructive role in different issues, for decades, some say for centuries."

He added: "How can we expect to ask Britain to play a role while it's determined to militarise the problem?

"How can you ask them to play a role in making the situation better, more stable, how can we expect them to make the violence less when they want to send the military supply to the terrorist?

"I think they are working against us, and they are working against the interests of the UK itself.

"This Government is acting in a naïve, confused, and unrealistic manner. If they want to play a role they have to change this, they have to act in a more reasonable and responsible way."

Earlier this week the Syrian Government said it is ready for talks with its armed opponents.

However, Syrian rebel leader Selim Idris said there could be no negotiations unless Mr Assad stepped down and leaders of the army and security forces were put on the trial.

The UN estimates that around 70,000 people have been killed since fighting began in Syria almost two years ago.

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