Obama: Trayvon 'Could Have Been Me' Years Ago

Barack Obama has said Trayvon Martin "could have been me 35 years ago" and urged Americans to do some "soul-searching" about the country's racial history.

The president took the rare step of speaking about his own personal experiences of racism, as he talked openly for the first time since a man was cleared of killing a black teenager in Florida last week.

In the aftermath of the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watch volunteer, Mr Obama had issued only a statement urging calm.

But on live TV, he said: "When Trayvon Martin was first shot, I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago."

The case, rife with racial overtones, have prompted protests across the US

The president said black Americans feel pain after the verdict because they view the case through "a set of experiences and a history that doesn't go away".

Mr Obama, the country's first African-American president, spoke emotionally about the kind of subconscious racial profiling that blacks, especially young black men, continue to suffer in the country.

"There are very few African-American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they are shopping at a department store - and that includes me.

"There are very few African-American men who haven't had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars - that happened to me, at least before I was a senator."

George Zimmerman was acquitted by a Florida jury

Mr Obama said that violence would "dishonour" Trayvon's death.

Trayvon, 17, was shot to death by Mr Zimmerman, who describes himself as Hispanic, during a confrontation in a gated community in Florida in 2012.

Trayvon, who was unarmed and had been visiting his father, was followed by Mr Zimmerman. 

Mr Zimmerman said Trayvon assaulted him and he fired his gun in self-defence.

A jury last week agreed with his version of events and cleared him of second-degree murder charges.

The president declined to wade into the detail of legal questions about the case, saying: "Once the jury's spoken, that's how our system works."

But he said state and local laws, such as Florida's "stand your ground" statute, need a close look.

Mr Obama said it would be useful "to examine some state and local laws to see if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of confrontation" that led to Trayvon's death.

He questioned whether a law that sends the message that someone who is armed "has the right to use those firearms even if there is a way for them to exit from a situation" really promotes the peace and security that people want.

Trayvon's parents have said they were shocked at the verdict

Trayvon's parents said in a statement they were honoured by Mr Obama's "beautiful tribute" to their son.

"What touches people is that our son, Trayvon Benjamin Martin, could have been their son. President Obama sees himself in Trayvon and identifies with him. This is a beautiful tribute to our boy," they said.

Sky News US Correspondent Amanda Walker said: "There will be some who feel Mr Obama has gone too far, but for many African Americans there will be a sense of relief - relief that could calm the mood of a series of protests planned for the weekend."

Trayvon's parents have spoken of their shock at the verdict, and several protests have been staged across the US.

The Justice Department has said it plans to review the case to determine whether federal prosecutors should file criminal civil rights charges now that Mr Zimmerman has been acquitted.

10.03 | 0 komentar | Read More

Heatwave Warning: Danger Of Grass Fires

More than 120 firefighters have been battling to control grass fires to the east of London.

The fires on Wanstead Flats, which were reported early on Friday afternoon, were tackled by fire crews from Walthamstow, Ilford, Stratford, Homerton, Leyton, and Chingford. 

Authorities have warned that a prolonged period of hot weather in England will continue to put a strain on the emergency services over the coming days and asked that the public be aware of fire risks. 

London Fire Brigade's Dave Brown said: "A small spark from a cigarette is often all it takes to start a grass fire in these dry conditions.

"It really is important that smokers dispose of their cigarettes properly. Drivers also need to take care not to throw cigarettes out of car windows as they can easily burn grass verges.

"If you see a grass fire, don't attempt to put it out yourself as grass fires can be fast moving and change direction without warning. Call the fire brigade and let us know where the fire is."

As temperatures soar, London's firefighters are dealing with twice as many grass fires compared to last year.

A young child cools down with an ice-cream

In the first half of July last year there were just five grass fires a day and a total of 535 from May 1 to July 15. This year the figures have soared to 21 fires a day and 1,010 respectively.

Britain will continue to bake in temperatures of 30C (86C) right through into next week, forecasters say.

Six days of 30C-plus temperatures have already been recorded, the longest heatwave for seven years.

The hot weather is expected to continue this weekend and into the early part of next week.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Western areas will still remain very warm into the weekend, in fact it will feel hot for some with temperatures possibly reaching up to 30C locally.

"There will be a brief respite from the heat in the east with cloudier skies during the mornings and perhaps the cloud lingering into the afternoon.

A man basks in the summer sunshine in Nottingham

"But into the start of next week there will be plenty of sunshine across the UK and Ireland and feeling hot again, especially across southern counties where we could see temperatures up to 31C, perhaps a little higher locally."

She warned that the heat and humidity are likely to trigger some thunderstorms in the west.

The prolonged hot spell has prompted the Met Office to issue level three heatwave health warnings for northwest and southwest England, and the West Midlands after a similar alert for London and the South East on Wednesday.

Level three warnings are only one notch below the most serious alerts and are put out when high temperatures place the very young, the very old and those with chronic diseases at risk.

Mountain blazes tore across the south Wales' valleys while flames devastated swathes of Tentsmuir Forest in north east Fife, Scotland, on Thursday night. 

A couple and their dog enjoy Roundhay Park, Leeds

There have also been reports of people arriving at hospitals with extreme sunburn, including a four-week-old baby.

The death toll from swimming accidents as people look to cool off has reached 13.

A man and a teenage boy who drowned while swimming at a beauty spot in Norfolk have been named by police.

Ryan Pettengell, 41, and 16-year-old Umar Balogun, died at Bawsey Pits, a disused quarry near King's Lynn, on Tuesday.

Their bodies were recovered from separate lakes following a major search and rescue operation by emergency services after both had separately been reported getting into difficulties in the water.

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Policeman Leaks Photos Of Boston Bomb Suspect

Photos showing the moment a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings was captured have been released by a police photographer angry at a magazine cover "glamorising" the alleged attacker.

Sgt Sean Murphy took the pictures of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as the 19-year-old crawled out from beneath the cover of a boat four days after the blasts.

One of the photos shows him with a bloodied face and hand, with the red dot of a sniper's rifle laser sight on his forehead.

Sgt Murphy released the image after a portrait of Tsarnaev appeared on the front of Rolling Stone magazine.

The photographer claims his pictures, which were published in Boston Magazine, show the "real Boston bomber, not someone fluffed and buffed".

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev took the photo which appeared on the magazine himself

"The truth is that glamorising the face of terror is not just insulting to the family members of those killed in the line of duty, it also could be an incentive to those who may be unstable to do something to get their face on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine," he told the publication.

A state police spokesman said Sgt Murphy was not authorised to release the photographs.

He said the images would not be handed out to other media organisations.

Three people died and hundreds more were injured when two pressure cooker bombs exploded close to the finish line of the Boston Marathon in April.

Earlier this month, Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty to 30 charges, including the use of weapons of mass destruction.

The explosions killed three people, including a young boy

His brother Tamerlan, who allegedly helped commit the attack, died during the manhunt for the pair.

Meanwhile, the editors of Rolling Stone added a statement to the online version of their article about Tsarnaev in which they said: "Our hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings and our thoughts are always with them and their families.

"The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone's long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day.

"The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens."

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Evacuation As Bomb Experts Called To Mosque

Bomb disposal experts have been called to a mosque in Wolverhampton after police received information about a "possible device".

Wolverhampton Central Mosque and a large area around the building have been evacuated while a search is carried out.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said the evacuation was necessary "to ensure the absolute safety and security" of the local community.

Police officers arrive at the scene. Pic: Sophie Calvert/Free Radio/Twitter

Information about the possible device, which police believe may have been activated last month, was uncovered as part of an investigation into recent attacks near mosques in Walsall and Tipton.

Earlier, two men aged 25 and 22, both of Eastern European origin, were arrested in Birmingham in connection with the blasts.

They were held under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

Roads around the mosque were closed. Pic: Sophie Calvert/Free Radio/Twitter

The discovery of the device in Walsall led to an evacuation of more than 100 people from their homes.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang but no one was injured and the device - the remains of which were found in a nearby alleyway - caused minimal damage.

The suspected nail bomb blast in Tipton, around eight miles from Walsall, took place on July 12 outside the Kanz Ul Iman Masjid mosque.

Bomb experts carried out a controlled explosion on part of the device, which officers said was designed to cause "serious harm".

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Bond Actor Paul Bhattacharjee Found Dead

The body of an actor who disappeared from a London theatre a week ago has been found, police have confirmed.

Paul Bhattacharjee, who appeared in the James Bond film Casino Royale and EastEnders, had last been seen leaving rehearsals at the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, London, on July 10 and appeared to walk in the direction of a nearby Tube station.

The 53-year-old was said to be in good spirits that evening but after sending his girlfriend a text message at 9pm, no-one heard from him and he was reported missing.

Scotland Yard was contacted by officers in Sussex this morning and told that the body of a man matching his description had been found near cliffs at Splash Point in Seaford, East Sussex, last Friday.

Mr Bhattacharjee, from Redbridge, north-east London, was formally identified today and his next of kin have been informed.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

His friends and family had made pleas for his safe return, including his 24-year-old son Rahul Bhattacharjee-Prashar, who told the Evening Standard the disappearance was "completely out of character".

He added: "He was doing well in his career and everything seemed to be going okay."

The actor, who also appeared in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, White Teeth and Dirty Pretty Things, had been due to appear in this week's play Talk Show at the Royal Court.

Bhattacharjee and Meera Syal rehearse last year

His role in the play, which began last night, was recast.

He was part of the theatre's company of 14 actors performing in the Weekly Rep series, which sees six plays staged in six weeks, and had already appeared in two of the productions.

Tributes have been paid to the actor, with many from the theatre world taking to Twitter to express their sadness.

Director Jamie Lloyd wrote: "Very sad to hear about the death of Paul Bhattacharjee. He was a very fine actor. My thoughts are with his family."

Muzz Khan, who appeared in Much Ado About Nothing alongside the late actor, said: "Rest In Peace, Paul Bhattacharjee. I can't believe you're gone, mate."

Playwright Duncan Gates wrote: "'When you depart from me sorrow abides and happiness takes his leave'. RIP Paul Paul Bhattacharjee."

Actor Rick Warden wrote: "Having a bad time with the news about friend and colleague Paul Bhattacharjee's death. An intelligent & charismatic man. Very sad."

He played a doctor in Casino Royale in 2006 and was in several episodes of EastEnders as Inzamam between 2008 and 2010.

Other television credits for the actor included Waking The Dead, Spooks and The Bill.

Last year he appeared as Benedick opposite Meera Syal in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Much Ado About Nothing.

:: 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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NHS Patients Urged To Be Hospital Inspectors

Patients are being urged to join a "small army" of inspectors keeping check on NHS hospitals.

The new Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richard, has announced ways to radically change how hospitals in England are assessed.

In his first press conference since taking the Care Quality Commission (CQC) job, Sir Mike called on people "from different walks of life" to help the watchdog inspect facilities.

His beefed-up inspection teams - made up of patients, doctors, nurses and other professionals - will give all hospitals school-style ratings.

"Today I am issuing a call for inspectors. I want assistance in this inspection process," Sir Mike said.

"I want to start building a small army of inspectors.

Sir Mike admitted the CQC had "flawed" inspections in the past

"These inspectors need to come from different walks of life, some of them will be practising clinicians who will come and do two or three inspections a year,  some others will be retired clinicians but importantly we are also seeking patients and carers and we will provide training.

"We will assess whether services are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led."

Sir Mike said each of the 161 acute hospital trusts will be rated as "outstanding", "good", "requires improvement" or "inadequate".

If they are deemed to be inadequate they could be put into "special measures" - as seen earlier this week with 11 hospital trusts reviewed for having higher mortality rates.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said it was "worrying" that the CQC failed to spot any real cause for concern at the 11 trusts.

Sir Mike admitted the embattled regulator had "flawed" inspections in the past.

"If we thought that the CQC process in the past had been perfect we wouldn't be changing it," Sir Mike said.

"We are changing it because we recognise that it was flawed."

Sir Mike said the bigger inspection teams would spend longer examining the hospitals with a mixture of announced and unannounced inspections.

However, he said the surprise inspections will "probably" occur after the announced ones which raises concerns that failing trusts could prepare for inspections.

Simon Whittle went to an NHS hospital with a broken leg and ended up having much of his leg amputated .

Mr Hunt said CQC's assessment of the 11 trusts was "worrying"

He told Sky News what should have been a simple procedure to mend it went badly wrong.

Mr Whittle said the new inspections will be a waste of time and money.

"It (money) should be where it's needed," he said.

"You don't need these inspections. Just give them the money to do what they need to do."

Another NHS hospital patient, Hazel Cameron, agrees.

"We don't need people inspecting what's being done. We just need being it done," she told Sky News.

"I don't know the answers. I'm not political, but I know they've got to improve the quality of nursing care."

Sir Mike said the new ratings system will be rolled out from next January and that all hospitals will be assessed by 2015.

Earlier this week, a shocking report revealed that thousands more patients died than would have been expected at 14 hospital trusts, including the 11 put into "special measures".

The review by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh found that none of the hospitals investigated was providing "consistently high-quality care to patients" and all the trusts have been ordered to act on recommendations set out by health officials.

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Cory Monteith: Heroin And Alcohol Killed Star

Glee star Cory Monteith died from a heroin and alcohol overdose, according to a coroner.

The 31-year-old actor was found dead in his hotel room in the Canadian city of Vancouver on Saturday.

Barbara McLintock from the British Columbia coroner's office said: "There is no evidence to suggest Mr Monteith's death was anything other than a most sad and tragic accident.

Popular musical comedy Glee first aired in 2009

"The cause of death was a mixed drug toxicity and it involved heroin primarily and also alcohol."

The findings come after a post-mortem examination and toxicological analysis.

Police said the Canadian actor had been out with other people earlier but was believed to be alone when he died.

Fans left flowers outside the Vancouver hotel where Monteith died

He was discovered by hotel staff after he failed to check out on Saturday.

The coroner's office said the investigation into his death is continuing, and no other details are available at this time.

Monteith had talked openly about struggling with addiction since he was a teenager, calling it a serious problem and telling Parade magazine in 2011 he was "lucky to be alive".

Monteith was dating Glee co-star Lea Michele

The star, who played Finn Hudson in the TV show and dated his co-star Lea Michele, admitted himself to rehab in April.

He also received treatment when he was 19.

Monteith and the other Glee actors became high-profile celebrities when the hit musical show made its TV debut in 2009.

The Fox network and the producers of Glee, including 20th Century Fox Television, have called Monteith an exceptional performer "and an even more exceptional person".

Gia Milani, who recently produced and directed a Canadian film featuring Monteith, said the actor "seemed healthy" when she last saw him four weeks ago in Los Angeles.

"He looked super fit and he was energetic and excited," Milani said.

She said Monteith showed no signs of a substance abuse problem while shooting the film a year ago.

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Primary School Pupils May Be Nationally Ranked

Primary schoolchildren will be ranked against their peers across the country under Government proposals.

Eleven-year-olds would sit tests and be put into 10% ability bands, with parents then being updated on their child's ranking.

The move is one of a raft of proposals by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Schools Minister David Law aimed at raising primary school standards and ensuring youngsters are ready for secondary school.

The ministers also suggest testing five-year-olds on their progress, described as "a simple check of a child's ability in the early weeks of a child's career at school".

Outlining the "ambitious" overhaul of England's primaries, Mr Clegg said national rankings of 11-year-olds will help raise the bar.

Mr Clegg said the bar must be raised for pupils

"Every primary school should strive to make its pupils ready for secondary school by the time they leave," he said.

"All the evidence shows that if you start behind, you stay behind. A better start at secondary school is a better start in life.

"I make no apology for having high ambitions for our pupils.

"But for children to achieve their potential we need to raise the bar - in terms of tests, pass marks and minimum standards.

But Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), does not agree with ranking 11-year-olds through testing.

"The Government has a fondness for testing young children in the belief that the tests create reliable measures of performance. They don't," he said.

"And, by relying only on what can be measured, they risk missing what matters.

"There is far more to being 'secondary ready' than a score on an hour's test. A teacher's judgment, built up over four years, has much to contribute."

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), is concerned about children who rank in the lower ability bands.

"I worry what will happen to those children who have tried hard yet are told that they are in one of the bottom bands," he said.

"Children at that age mature differently and their confidence can be easily damaged.

Children as young as five could be tested on their progress

"It could make secondary teachers' job in building self-esteem and confidence even more difficult.

"There are better ways of making it clear to parents and children what they should be achieving at the end of primary school."

Schools also face being labelled as under-performing if they fail to ensure that more pupils reach higher standards in English and maths tests and 11-year-olds will be expected to gain higher results in their national curriculum tests.

Primaries will need to make sure that more of their pupils are reaching these new tougher standards, or face instant Ofsted inspections and being singled out for improvement measures.

The current system requires that children reach Level 4 in English and maths at the end of primary school, with primaries expected to ensure that 65% of their pupils achieve this standard.

They are also measured on the progress they make between ages seven and 11.

The new system proposes that from 2016, schools should have at least 85% of their students reaching the new higher standard.

The plan also contains measures to scrap national curriculum levels and introduce a new scoring system which is used in international tests.

Mr Clegg also announced that primary schools will be given hundreds of pounds more for each poor child to help improve standards among disadvantaged youngsters.

He said the Pupil Premium is to rise to £1,300 per eligible primary pupil in 2014/15 compared to £900 this year.

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Report Slams High Death Rate NHS Hospital

Staff at a hospital being investigated by the NHS medical director for having a high death rate put targets ahead of patient care, according to a report.

Tameside General Hospital in Greater Manchester is one of 14 of the worst trusts in England at the centre of a probe spearheaded by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh into hospitals with high mortality rates after the scandal at Stafford Hospital.

Sky's Health Correspondent Thomas Moore obtained a report detailing the findings into Tameside which revealed a series of critical findings into chronic mismanagement and failings in patient care.

The investigation found "insufficient levels of nursing staff", "poor supervision of junior doctors by consultants" and a "lack of compassion" from staff dealing with patient complaints.

There were insufficient critical care beds which meant patients were being treated in the wrong place.

The report also detailed specific examples of poor care including a patient with the superbug Clostridium difficile being admitted to a six-bed bay which immediately put the other five patients at risk of a potentially fatal bacterial infection.

Tameside is one of 14 trusts with high death rates in the spotlight

In another case, a patient was given penicillin despite telling staff that they were allergic to the antibiotic, while members of one family were left to clean up a loved one with faecal incontinence.

On one unannounced visit to the hospital, the most senior surgical doctor in the hospital was a trainee with just two years' experience.

"The culture appeared to be one of managing targets rather than ensuing overall quality and patient experience," the report said.

"The panel was not convinced that the Board has the capability currently to fully address the cultural change required in the Trust."

Moore said: "We had heard that perhaps Stafford was a one-off scandal. This (the report) shows that it wasn't."

The father of a 12-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who died at the hospital on February 7, 2011, told Sky News what an independent specialist told the inquest into his daughter Emma's death.

Michael Stones' daughter Emma, 12, died at Tameside in 2011

"She said in her experience, if medical intervention would have happened at an earlier stage, she said Emma would have probably survived," said Michael Stones.

"And this was verified by the coroner in his verdict. So we are put in a situation where we'll never know because of the absolute, disgraceful behaviour of that hospital towards my daughter. An animal gets treated better."

Among the 14 trusts under close scrutiny because of their mortality rates over the last two years are Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, Buckinghamshire Healthcare, Burton Hospitals, Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation, and The Dudley Group.

Others include East Lancashire Hospitals, George Eliot Hospital, Medway NHS Foundation, North Cumbria University Hospitals, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals, Sherwood Forest Hospitals and United Lincolnshire Hospitals.

Moore said the findings into each of them - due to be published on Tuesday - would "paint a terrible picture of an NHS that in some areas still isn't able to provide the care and the compassion that patients would expect".

The long-awaited report commissioned by the Government is expected to reveal that up to 13,000 people may have died needlessly in NHS hospitals since 2005.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt will deliver a statement to MPs in the House of Commons on the probe.

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Mexico Zetas Drug Cartel Leader Captured

Mexican marines have captured the leader of the brutal Zetas drug cartel, officials have announced.

Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, known as El Cuarenta or Z-40, was caught before dawn in Nuevo Laredo in northern Mexico, government spokesman Eduardo Sanchez told reporters.

Trevino Morales, 40, was in a truck with his bodyguard and an accountant when he was arrested on a dirt road in the town on the US border.

Eight guns and $2m (£1.3m) in cash was seized from the vehicle, Mr Sanchez said.

Trevino Morales has been charged with murder, torture, kidnapping and other crimes.

Trevino Morales was captured in the border town of Nuevo Laredo

His capture is a victory for President Enrique Pena Nieto, who came into office promising to drive down crime levels, but has struggled to do so.

The Zetas, founded by deserters from an elite army unit, have carried out some of Mexico's bloodiest massacres, biggest jail breaks and fiercest attacks on authorities.

The gang earned its notoriety for brutality by becoming the first to publicly display their beheaded rivals - most infamously two police officers in April 2006 in the resort city of Acapulco.

A Mexican marine with a vast Zetas cache of arms, cash and drugs

The severed heads were found on spikes outside a government building with a message signed "Z'' that said: "So that you learn to respect."

Trevino Morales took control of the Zetas following the death of one of its founders, Heriberto "The Executioner" Lazcano, in October 2012.

Mexican troops killed Lazcano in a gunfight in the northern state of Coahuila.

But just hours later, gunmen burst into a funeral home and stole his body, which has never been recovered.

The body of Lazcano was stolen by armed gang members

Trevino Morales' brutality is well-known among his men, his rivals and Nuevo Laredo citizens.

One technique favoured by Trevino Morales was the "guiso", or stew, which saw enemies placed in 55-gallon (250-litre) drums and burned alive.

Others who crossed the commander would be beaten with wooden planks.

"If you get called to a meeting with him, you're not going to come out of that meeting," said a US law-enforcement official in Mexico City, who spoke to AP news agency on condition of anonymity.

Trevino Morales, 40, is expected to be succeeded by his brother, Omar, a former low-ranking turf boss seen as far weaker than his older brother.

Marines caught nine Zetas members in a bust in October last year

Miguel Angel Trevino Morales began his career as a teenager in the Los Tejas gang, which controlled most crime in Nuevo Laredo, his home town.

He soon graduated from washing cars and running errands to running drugs across the border, and was recruited into the Gulf cartel, which absorbed Los Tejas.

Originally, the Zetas acted as the armed wing of the Gulf cartel, but the two groups split in recent years, sparking brutal turf wars in northern Mexico.

The US State Department had offered a $5m (£3.3m) reward for Trevino Morales, while Mexico had a £1.5m bounty.

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Manchester Firefighter Was 'Loving' Father

The firefighter killed tackling a blaze in Manchester has been remembered as "loving" father who made his family proud.

Father-of-two Stephen Hunt was part of a team responding to a fire at Paul's Hair World in Oldham Street, in Manchester city centre, when he and a colleague got into difficulties last night.

Both were rescued by firefighters and taken to hospital, but the 38-year-old Mr Hunt died.

Stephen Hunt was a father-of-two

His family said in a statement: "It is extremely hard to capture all of what Stephen means to our family.

"Stephen was an old fashioned gentleman with manners that are rare in this day and age. With core values which included loving his family, being the best father that he could be, loving and affectionate to those that were close to him.

"Stephen lived to serve his country having served for 7 years in the Royal Signals and then becoming a firefighter, which was a career that he was very proud of.

"The whole family will miss spending time with Stephen - none more so than his son, daughter and grandmother. We loved his sense of humour and are very proud of him and what he brought to our lives."

Two teenage girls arrested on suspicion of manslaughter have been released on bail. The two girls, both 15, have been bailed until September pending further investigation.

The fire began around 2.50pm on Saturday.

A second firefighter pulled from the blaze remains in hospital but his injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

The fire started in the store room of the shop

Both men got into trouble inside the building at around 8.35pm.

The fire, which started in the store room of the shop, has been particularly difficult to tackle due to the complex layout of the building and the amount of materials inside, a spokeswoman for the fire service said.

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Glee's Cory Monteith 'Was Feeling Fantastic'

Friends and colleagues are expressing shock at the death of Glee star Cory Monteith, who they said seemed fine in recent weeks.

The 31-year-old actor was found dead at Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver just after noon on Saturday.

Monteith checked into rehab in April

Adam Shankman, a director on Glee, told CNN: "I had several interactions with him yesterday where he said that he was doing amazing.

"He even said 'I am feeling fantastic'.

"I'm like everybody else, really devastated and confused by what happened."

The Canadian actor had been dead for several hours when his body was discovered after he failed to check out of his hotel.

There were no signs of foul play and the cause of his death was not clear, British Columbia Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said.

An autopsy is expected to take place on Monday.

Monteith's representatives issued a statement, saying, "We are in shock and mourning this tragic loss" but offering no details on the possible cause of death.

But Monteith had talked openly about struggles with drugs, and in April he voluntarily entered rehab for substance addiction.

The actor's cousin Richard Monteith at a memorial outside the hotel

He had also been treated in a rehab clinic when he was 19.

Asked whether Monteith had died of a drug overdose, Vancouver Police Department Acting Chief Doug LePard said he would "not discuss anything that we might have found in the room at this time".

The actor told Parade magazine in 2011 that was "lucky to be alive" as he had a serious drug problem during his teenage years.

Other people were in Monteith's hotel room on Friday night but evidence, including fob key entries, showed he returned to his room by himself early on Saturday and was alone when he died, police said.

Monteith and Lea Michele in June

Mr LePard said the people who were out with Monteith before he died are being interviewed.

Monteith began his career in a number of small TV and film roles, but the hit musical show Glee was his breakthrough.

His character's on-again-off-again romance with Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele, was a big part of the show.

Monteith and Michele followed in the footsteps of their Glee characters by dating in real life.

They appeared publicly together as recently as last month at a charity ball.

Michele was asking for privacy after receiving the news.

"We ask that everyone kindly respect Lea's privacy during this devastating time," said her representative, Molly Kawachi.

When Monteith entered rehab in April, Michele told People magazine that she loved and supported him and was proud he was seeking help.

His cousin Richard Monteith cried at a makeshift memorial outside the hotel where the actor died, while stars, co-workers and fans have been expressing their sadness on Twitter.

Monteith on stage with Lady Gaga and Glee co-star Jane Lynch in 2010

Monteith was an avid supporter of Project Limelight, a Vancouver charity that offers a theatre and arts programmes to at-risk youth.

He dined with Project Limelight co-founder Maureen Webb at a Vancouver restaurant just days before his death.

In an interview last year, Monteith credited Ms Webb for suggesting that he enrol in acting classes when he was struggling at 19.

He kept in touch with Ms Webb and made a video to support Project Limelight when the charity was launched last year.

"I think kids really need a place to go and feel like they belong," Monteith said in the video posted on Project Limelight's website.

"When I was a kid, I struggled a lot with who I was and where my life was going and what I was interested in. And I was fortunate to have the arts inspire me."

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Trayvon Martin: George Zimmerman Acquitted

George Zimmerman has been acquitted of all charges over the death of black teenager Travyon Martin in Florida.

Mr Zimmerman was freed after the jury deliberated for more than 15 hours over two days in the murder trial.

The jurors notified the judge on Saturday night, shortly before 10pm local time, that they had reached a decision.

Minutes later the verdict was announced. Mr Zimmerman stood impassively as the verdict was read out.

Supporters of Trayvon Martin outside court after the verdict was reached

But outside the court supporters of Trayvon reacted with disappointment and anger.

Some chanted and held up a large banner saying "End racial oppression".

The case had divided public opinion in the United States, with even President Barack Obama commenting on the shooting and urging calm.

The six-member, all-woman jury began deliberating at 2.30pm on Friday after spending part of the day listening to the defence closing arguments and a rebuttal from the prosecution.

Trayvon Martin was shot dead in a gated community

Mr Zimmerman had been charged with second-degree murder over the teen's death, but jurors had the option of finding him guilty of manslaughter.

The neighbourhood watch guard at a gated community had always maintained that he shot the youth in self-defence.

The case drew massive protests after a 44-day delay in Mr Zimmerman's arrest.

After hearing the verdict, Judge Debra Nelson told Mr Zimmerman he was free to go.

The teen's death drew protests in cities across America

Jurors heard two different portraits of Mr Zimmerman and had to decide whether he was a wannabe cop who took the law into his own hands or a well-meaning neighbourhood watch volunteer who shot the teenager because he feared for his life.

The police chief in Sanford, where Martin was shot and where the trial was held, urged peace after the verdict was read.

The Florida state attorney later defended the decision to launch the murder trial, saying on the available evidence prosecutors believed Mr Zimmerman had a case to answer for second-degree murder.

Second-degree murder is classed as a death that does not include specific intent, and the trial centred on the controversial self-defence rule of "Stand Your Ground".

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Belfast: Clashes In Second Night Of Rioting

Police have used plastic bullets against protesters during a second night of rioting in parts of Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Police use water cannon to disperse protesters in Belfast

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said so-called attenuated energy projectiles (AEP) were used in one location.

Water cannon were also deployed against demonstrators in several areas.

Police said they fired "a number of AEPs" in the Woodvale area of north Belfast on Saturday night.

It was the second night of trouble in the area.

Bottles and other missiles were thrown at officers on Woodvale Road.

Over 30 police officers were injured in the first night of clashes

Sky News Ireland Correspondent David Blevins said: "For a second consecutive night police came under sustained attack.

"It is mainly from youths pelting police lines with bricks, bottles, masonry and fireworks.

"There has also been a number of petrol bombs."

Youths set fire to bins and threw objects at officers

The PSNI also responded to isolated incidents elsewhere in north Belfast, at Rosapenna Street and North Queen Street.

Police said the disorder in the Woodvale area was "sporadic", but said one officer was struck by a petrol bomb.

The PSNI said the officer had been examined by medical personnel and remained on duty.

Officers said a 40-year old male was arrested in the Castlereagh St area of east Belfast on suspicion of breach of the peace following a protest in the area.

Over 30 police officers were injured in the first night of clashes

A 17-year-old male and a female, also 17, were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of riotous behaviour during Friday's clashes in east Belfast.

The Woodvale Road and the Newtownards Road in east Belfast witnessed the worst violence on Friday, with 32 police officers injured.

MP for North Belfast Nigel Dodds was taken to hospital amid the clashes in Woodvale after being struck by a brick.

He was discharged from hospital on Saturday morning.

Around 400 extra police officers have been sent to Northern Ireland after the clashes.

More than 600 officers from forces in England, Scotland and Wales were already in the region supporting the PSNI operation.

On Saturday PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott condemned those responsible for the trouble.

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