Odd Text Real Estate Agent Is Found Dead

Real estate agent Beverly Carter, who had been missing since last week, has been found dead in Arkansas, police have said.

The 49-year-old's body was found in a shallow grave, the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Authorities had been searching for Mrs Carter since last Thursday, when she failed to return from an appointment to show a home to a potential buyer.

Beverly Carter, 49, had been missing since Thursday

On Monday, police arrested Arron Lewis, 33, on suspicion of kidnapping Mrs Carter.

Now authorities are planning to charge him with capital murder, the statement said.

According to the sheriff's office, Lewis was questioned for more than 12 hours on Monday.

He eventually admitted that he had abducted Mrs Carter, but did not divulge her whereabouts.

Police said they then received information leading them to the address where she was found.

Local residents joined in the search in the past days

Lewis told reporters as he was being taken from the jail to the sheriff's office that he did not kill Mrs Carter.

He described her as "a woman that worked alone - a rich broker".

Last Thursday, Mrs Carter told her husband she was going to meet the potential buyer at a repossessed property in the town of Scott, east of Little Rock.

Mr Carter said he later found his wife's car abandoned with her purse and wallet still inside.

He said he received three out-of-character text messages in a row from his wife's phone at about 1am on Friday.

The first read simply: "Yes."

The next said: "My phone's low. The battery's down, and I'll call you whenever I get signal."

The final message read: "Oh, I'm out drinking with some friends" - though Mr Carter said his wife was not a drinker.

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Thai Murders: British Backpacker 'Was Raped'

A British backpacker in Thailand was raped by both her killers before she was murdered, police have said.

They believe three people were involved in the attacks on 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, 24, whose semi-naked bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao earlier this month.

Lieutenant General Panya Mamen told the Bangkok Post: "Two of the suspects raped and killed Witheridge while another one witnessed the murder.

"We're confident we have a very high chance of finding the suspects."

David Miller, 24, died from drowning and a blow to the head

Two different semen samples were collected from Ms Witheridge's body, he added.

Mr Miller, from Jersey, died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Miss Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, died from head wounds on Sairee beach in the early hours of September 15.

A blood-stained garden hoe, which is thought to be the murder weapon, was discovered nearby.

Officers have collected 200 DNA samples from people on the island - including more than eight Thai footballers - and the results are expected at some point this week.

Almost three weeks after the murders police are no closer to an arrest

The group of Thai footballers, who reportedly threw a late-night party at the nightclub where the victims spent their final hours, are the latest to be questioned by officers investigating the murders.

Almost three weeks after the deaths police are no closer to making an arrest and are offering a reward of more than £13,000 (700,000 baht) in an effort to catch the killers.

The latest development in the probe comes as it emerged tourists in Thailand may be issued with wristbands in the wake of the murders to help identify those who run into trouble.

Party curfews and restrictions on where they can be held are also being considered, as well as the idea of introducing a "buddy system" - pairing tourists with a local minder.

Tourists in Koh Tao where the bodies of two British backpackers were found

Thailand's tourism minister, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, said: "When tourists check in to a hotel they will be given a wristband with a serial number that matches their ID and shows the contact details of the resort they are staying in so that if they're out partying late and, for example, get drunk or lost, they can be easily assisted.

"The next step would be some sort of electronic tracking device, but this has not yet been discussed in detail."

Having consulted hotels over the identity wristband idea, she admitted it had already been met with some resistance.

"Most people welcome the idea but some hotels are concerned that tourists may not want to wear the wristbands," she said.

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May Plans To Seize Terror Suspects' Passports

Theresa May has outlined new plans to prevent hundreds of young British Muslims from travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight with Islamic State militants.

The Home Secretary told the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham: "There is a battle raging in the Middle East for the heart and soul of Islam.

"We must do everything to defeat this ideology and prevent the radicalisation of young British Muslims."

However, her proposals to curb the activities of radical Islamist preachers even if they have committed no crime have been criticised as "wholly wrong" by civil liberties campaigners.

Mrs May said the threat posed by IS was made greater by the fact that at least 500 British nationals were in Iraq and Syria, many of them to fight.

The Cabinet minister said she had the power to keep those with dual nationalities, and naturalised British citizens, out of Britain, and to strip those planning to travel to Syria and Iraq of their British passports.

She revealed she had already used this power 25 times in relation to Syria.

The Home Secretary said under a new Counter-Terrorism Bill to be introduced by the end of the November, police will be given new powers to seize the passports of suspects.

An Islamic State fighter in Syria

A new criminal offence - to prepare and train for terrorism overseas - would also be created.

She told delegates the Home Office would drive through a new cross-governmental counter extremism strategy.

Outlining proposals that will feature in the Conservative manifesto, she advocated new Banning Orders for extremist groups that currently fall short of the threshold for proscription.

They would apply to groups deemed to be inciting hatred or promoting the overthrow of democracy. The plans would also make it a criminal offence to become a member of, or raise money for, the groups concerned.

She also announced plans for Extremism Disruption Orders to restrict the movement of extremists who stay within the law, "but still spread poisonous hatred".

Individuals who are deemed to be extremists but are not guilty of terrorist offences could also face other controls if the Conservatives come to power, which could stop them from associating with named individuals, speaking at public meetings, using social media or broadcasting.

Mrs May said IS, formerly known as ISIL, had "made clear their ambitions and they have made us their enemies, and the lesson of history tells us that when our enemies say they want to attack us they mean it".

"We must not flinch... we must act to destroy ISIL," she said.

Emma Carr, director of Big Brother Watch, a civil liberties think tank, said of the proposals: "In a democratic country, it is wholly wrong for people to be labelled an 'extremist' and face having major restrictions placed on their freedom without facing a due legal process and a transparent and accountable system.

"The Home Secretary must think very carefully about the international precedent that this policy would set and consider the potential consequences for members of the public."

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Cameron Denies Privatising The NHS Claims

Cameron's Pledge For Seven-Day Access To GPs

Updated: 9:30am UK, Tuesday 30 September 2014

David Cameron has pledged to make sure everyone in the country has access to their family doctor seven days a week.

At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, the Prime Minister is expected to announce a £100m spending boost to improve access to family doctors should the Tories win next year's election.

He said the move would put the "family doctor service back front and centre of the NHS" and take the pressure off already over-stretched accident and emergency departments.

Mr Cameron told Sky News that by 2015 10 million people in England would be able to see their GP between 8am and 8pm on weekdays and weekends. This would be extended to include the entire country by 2020.

In an attempt to fight back against Labour's claim to be the party of the NHS, he reiterated his commitment to the health service saying: "I am the Conservative leader who said he could sum up his beliefs in three letters - n, h, s."

He said that without a strong economy there could be no funding for the NHS and added he has protected the health service from cuts.

GPs will also take responsibility for individual patients as part of a new GP contract being launched by NHS Employers.

However, today the chief inspector of GPs has said 200 surgeries face closure because of poor care. Earlier this year the head of the Royal College of GPs warned it would take an extra £1bn and 10,000 extra GPs to provide seven-day access.

The announcement comes after Chancellor George Osborne claimed the Tories, not Labour, are "the real party of the NHS".

Last year Mr Cameron set up a Challenge Fund for GP access which allocated £50m to 20 health groups.

Under a second wave of proposed funding, practices will be able to bid for awards from the extra £100m fund.

Sky's Political Editor Faisal Islam said the NHS is set to be "front and centre" of the campaign leading up to next year's election.

"This is a new front, the NHS. They [the Conservatives] won't cede this ground to Labour," he said.

"They are convinced that if Labour is ahead on the NHS in polling and behind on the economy, they have to have a strong promise on the NHS.

"This is the beginning of what we will get and it's going to be a continuing battle."

But the commitment has already drawn criticism from Labour, which argues the government has made it "harder, not easier" for patients to get a GP appointment.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "David Cameron made an almost identical announcement this time last year but, in the 12 months since he has made it harder, not easier, to get a GP appointment.

"After the election, David Cameron scrapped Labour's GP appointment guarantee and cut support for evening and weekend opening. His broken promises on the NHS have caught up with him."

On Monday, Mr Osborne announced a two-year freeze on benefits for those who could be working.

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'Radicalised' Schoolgirl Heading For Syria

A British teenage girl has gone missing from home and is feared to be travelling to war-torn Syria, possibly because she has become radicalised.

The 15-year-old, who is yet to be named, is currently in Turkey, and police are urgently trying to find her before she crosses the border.

Although she left for school as normal on the morning of her disappearance last week, the teenager was nowhere to be seen when her father went to pick her up at the end of the day.

She is believed to be with a 17-year-old woman, also of Somali descent, from Lambeth.

"There are indications she may have been radicalised, but at the moment, our priority is to find her before she crosses the border to Syria," said Assistant Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe, of Avon and Somerset Police.

The student, from Bristol, has been described as "incredibly bright, articulate and popular" by her family in a statement.

Ms Rolfe added: "We must all be vigilant and ready to stop the signs of radicalisation. Often, young people who go to Syria can be naïve and don't recognise that they are being sucked into joining extremist groups.

"This is not about criminalising these young people, it's about preventing tragedies."

Cllr Hibaq Jama has issued a message on the family's behalf. It read: "Please come back. We miss you very much. You are not in any trouble. We just want you to be safe and to come home as soon as possible."

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Wife's Desperate Plea For Alan Henning's Release

The wife of Alan Henning, the British aid convoy volunteer being held hostage by Islamic State, has renewed calls for his release.

In an emotional television appeal, Barbara Henning said her family was "dreadfully concerned" for Alan Henning's safety after he appeared in an IS video on September 13.

She said she had had no contact from militants other than an audio file in which he pleads for his life and insisted "we have not abandoned Alan".

Alan Henning was captured by militants in December last year

She said: "Some say wrong time, wrong place. Alan was volunteering with his Muslim friends to help the people of Syria.

"He was in the right place doing the right thing.

"We are at a loss why those leading Islamic State cannot open their hearts and minds to the truth about Alan's humanitarian motives for going to Syria and why they continue to ignore the verdict of their own justice system.

Hundreds of people attended a vigil for Mr Henning on Monday evening

"Alan, we miss you, and we're dreadfully concerned for your safety. Please release him we need him back home."

The 47-year-old former taxi driver, originally from Eccles in Greater Manchester, was captured by militants last December while delivering aid in Syria.

Since then family, friends and colleagues have made repeated calls for him to be released.

The hostage was reportedly cleared of wrongdoing at a Sharia Court

In a previous statement, Mrs Henning described her husband as a "peaceful, selfless man" who left his job to deliver aid in Syria.

It comes after another British hostage, John Cantile, appeared in a third IS video on Tuesday where he condemned President Obama for the use of airstrikes on militants in Syria and Iraq.

Mr Cantile was kidnapped at the same time as US journalist James Foley nearly two years ago.

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Dead Deputy Head Had Images Of Boys Changing

Images from a school changing room have been discovered at the house of a deputy headteacher who was found dead earlier this month.

Essex Police began an investigation on 9 September into allegations that Martin Goldberg, 46, had images of naked teenage boys on his computer and had bought material from abroad.

He was not arrested at the time because police said there was insufficient evidence, but when officers returned to his home in Shoeburyness the next day following concerns for his welfare, his body was found.

Officers continuing their investigation found the photos on a camera hidden inside a bag.

Essex Police said the camera had been used to film male children undressing at Thorpe Hall School, in Southend, in the changing rooms at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre swimming pool and two other unidentified locations.

In total 75 images in the school's male changing rooms, which are classified as indecent, were recovered.

There were a further 465 images from the swimming pool and 38 from the other two locations.

"These are criminal offences of voyeurism under the Sexual Offences Act 2003," a spokesman said.

Specialist detectives have identified four of the children and their parents have been informed.

Officers believe the images date from 2000 onwards and appear to be of boys aged from nine to 12.

Just over 1,000 still and moving images have been recovered from Goldberg's computer, although there was evidence he had tried to delete content.

Police added that they have found no evidence to suggest that Goldberg had any inappropriate physical contact with the children.

The force said Thorpe Hall School has cooperated with their investigation and there is no reason to believe the teacher shared the images with anyone else.

Anne Jones, Southend-on-Sea Council's executive councillor for Children and Learning, said: "We have been working very closely with Essex Police and Thorpe Hall School since this matter was drawn to our attention earlier this month.

"As a parent myself, I can understand how upsetting this must be to all those concerned."

Nick Alston, the county's police and crime commissioner, said there were indications that mistakes may have been made in the case.

He added that the original investigation had been launched after police in Toronto, Canada, contacted Essex Police in November 2013 with information suggesting that Goldberg had bought videos of naked boys several years ago.

As a result of this delay, the case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

At a press conference, Chief Superintendent Luke Collison of Southend Police refused to confirm there was a delay or discuss the issue because of the IPCC's involvement.

Mr Goldberg's death is not being treated as suspicious and the matter has been passed to the coroner.

A statement from the school at the time of his death said: "Mr Goldberg was a fantastic maths teacher who inspired countless young Thorpe Hallians over the last 23 years to strive to do their best and achieve amazing things."

A special number has been set up for anyone with concerns - 0800 056 0944, or +44 207 158 0010 if they are outside of the UK.

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Clegg Summons China Ambassador Over Demos

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has summoned the Chinese ambassador over concerns about the handling of protests in Hong Kong.

Tens of thousands of activists have been demonstrating against China's decision to only allow vetted candidates to run for elections on the island in 2017.

At the weekend police fired tear gas to try to disperse the pro-democracy demonstrators, who have occupied the centre of Hong Kong for several days.

Mr Clegg will meet the ambassador later this week to make clear his "dismay and alarm" at how authorities have handled the demonstrations.

He said the population of the former British colony were "perfectly entitled" to expect "free, fair, open elections".

"It is essential that the people of Hong Kong have a genuine choice of chief executive in 2017, through universal suffrage," Mr Clegg said.

The protests are continuing in the centre of Hong Kong

"To that end I have asked for an urgent meeting with the Chinese ambassador to reiterate our position and seek reassurances from the Chinese government."

The unrest began after it was ruled that in three years' time, Hong Kong residents must choose their leader, or chief executive, from candidates picked by Beijing who must declare their "love" for China and its Communist system.

The activists, who want the decision requiring a pro-Beijing panel to screen candidates to be reversed, have set a deadline of Wednesday for the government to respond to demands for reforms.

But the island's chief executive Leung Chun-Ying has called on protest leaders to "immediately" withdraw their followers from the streets.

In his first public comments since tear gas was fired on Sunday, he said: "Occupy Central founders had said repeatedly that if the movement is getting out of control, they would call for it to stop.

A slogan on a street reads 'No violence'

"I'm now asking them to fulfil the promise they made to society, and stop this campaign immediately."

But Occupy, the main group behind the recent street protests which started on Friday, rejected Mr Leung's demands and renewed its calls for him to step down.

Some demonstrators have worn masks and resorted to umbrellas or plastic capes to protect themselves - prompting the phrase "umbrella revolution" to trend on social media.

However, in a shift of tactics, uniformed police looked on from behind barricades and have so far not intervened in the peaceful protest.

Sky's Asia Correspondent Mark Stone, at the scene, said the activists were "good natured but utterly driven".

Mr Clegg is "dismayed and alarmed" at how authorities handled the demos

On Sunday night, riot officers fired 87 rounds of tear gas after being charged by "violent protesters", with police saying 41 people had been injured.

Prime Minister David Cameron has told Sky News that he is "deeply concerned" about the situation in the former British colony and hopes it can be resolved.

China, meanwhile, has warned the international community not to "interfere".

Under the agreement of the 1997 handover from Britain to China, Hong Kong was given an independent legal and political framework.

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White House Breach 'Will Never Happen Again'

The director of the US Secret Service has said last month's White House breach was "unacceptable" and "will never happen again".

Julia Pierson told a House committee that the agency's security plan "was not executed properly" on 19 September, when a knife-wielding man ran into the executive mansion.

Newly released details revealed that Omar Gonzales penetrated farther into the White House than previously disclosed, running through nearly half of the main floor.

Gonzalez was arrested two months ago by state troopers

The new account was in stark contrast with the original Secret Service statement that Gonzales was "physically apprehended after entering the White House North Portico doors".

On Tuesday, Ms Pierson said: "It is clear that our security plan was not executed properly.

"I take full responsibility. What happened is unacceptable and it will never happen again."

The Secret Service chief was facing tough questions on Tuesday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is investigating the breach.

Critics have questioned the amount of time it took agents to detain Gonzalez after he jumped a fence and sprinted across the vast White House lawn before entering the mansion.

Representative Jason Chaffetz, a Republican, grilled Ms Pierson on why agents did not use more force, including shooting the intruder.

Mr Chaffetz, who leads the House Oversight subcommittee that oversees the Secret Service, indicated on Tuesday that he would be in favour of a security plan that called for shooting intruders "on sight".

Ms Pierson said that all decisions and actions made by agents on that day are being reviewed. She also said that she ordered extra security measures around the White House immediately after the breach.

More follows...

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Cameron Rules Out Reducing The Voting Age

Prime Minister David Cameron has ruled out lowering the current voting age of 18.

In an interview with Sky News' Political Editor Faisal Islam, Mr Cameron denied he was "scared" of giving 16 and 17-year-olds the vote.

"I'm not scared of it," the PM insisted, "I just think that 18 is the right age for majority and the right age to vote.

"Voting is an enormous privilege and a right, but it's a right you should get at 18."

Mr Cameron continued: "I think the reason the Scottish referendum took fire, wasn't because of votes for 16 year olds, it was because it was such a massive question about the future of our country.

The PM says 18 is the "right" age to vote

"I think the next election will be a massive question about the future of our country ... forward with the Conservatives or back to square one with Labour - that's a pretty big question."

For the first time in British politics, 16- and 17-year-olds were allowed to have their say in the vote over the Scottish referendum held on 18 September.

The apparent success of the policy has prompted a call for the voting age to be cut in UK elections as a whole.

Young people involved in Sky News' Stand Up Be Counted back a change.

Would-be voter Emma said on SUBC: "It would help to engage more youth in politics, whether it's following David Cameron on Twitter or having Newsnight on in the background as they do their homework."

Govomt calls for young people to back the campaign for a change, saying: "Engage, empower and inspire!"

CharOsuagwu said: "Regardless of your age, you should have the right to vote."

Labour leader Ed Miliband has already pledged to lower the voting age if his party wins next year's General Election.

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