China: Dozens Of Kidnapped Children Freed

Chinese police have rescued 92 children and two women kidnapped by a human-trafficking gang and arrested 301 suspects.

In one of the biggest operations of its kind in years police simultaneously swooped on locations in 11 provinces after a six-month investigation.

Police also found sleeping pills used for the babies in the process of trafficking.

The raids were reported by China Central Television and state news agency Xinhua, quoting the Ministry of Public Security.

Police investigations started in March with a child trafficking case in central China's Henan Province.

They found members of the network followed a clear pattern, with kidnappers collecting children in southwest China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces.

They were then driven to other regions into the hands of sellers, according to the statement released by the Ministry.

Armed police prepare to raid premises where children were held

The freed children have been sent to hospitals for checkups and some of them have been handed over to a children's home in Zhengzhou, Henan Province.

Zhang Wenli, head of Zhengzhou Children's Welfare Home, said: "Our childcare workers have been professionally trained, so they know how to communicate with the babies, and know how to comfort and rear them. 

"Meanwhile, we are working together with hospital staff to cure these children's diseases."

Before their biological parents are identified, the freed children will stay at the home, Ms Zhang added.

A traditional preference for boys, especially in rural areas, and a strict one-child policy have contributed to a rise in the trafficking of children and women in recent years.

State media did not give a breakdown of how many boys and girls were taken.

Kidnapped women are sold to men in remote areas who are unable to find brides because of a shortage of women blamed on the one-child policy.

The government will impose harsh punishments on people who buy kidnapped children, as well as parents who allow them to be sold, state television said.

China has trumpeted the success of an intensified crackdown on the kidnapping and sale of children and women.

In 2011, police said they had rescued more than 13,000 abducted children and 23,000 women over the past two years or so.

The latest arrests happened on September 11 but no reason was given for the delay in reporting the operation.

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Marriage Tax Breaks For Four Million Couples

David Cameron says four million couples will benefit from the Government's new £1,000 marriage tax allowance.

Ahead of the start of the Conservative Party conference, the Prime Minister said the scheme - starting in April 2015 - will be worth up to £200 a year for married couples, including 15,000 in civil partnerships.

They will receive the benefit at the end of the tax year in 2016.

It will work by letting people transfer £1,000 of their personal tax allowance to their spouse or civil partner - an increase on the £750 allowance promised in the Tory manifesto, which would have seen couples gain £150.

The new allowance, which is not available to couples which include a higher rate taxpayer, is aimed at couples where one partner has not used all of their personal allowance or does not work at all.

Bride-to-be Jo Herbert, told Sky News at a west London wedding show that she did not think the proposals were fair and that she felt they would do little to encourage marriage.

She said: "Personally I don't think that it's very fair that they (married couples) are receiving financial rewards and couples that just that just choose not to get married for any reason cannot benefit as well. 

The PM says 'nothing would be possible' without his wife Samantha

"I don't think that it would actually incentivise anyone to get married because £200 - I mean yes thank you very much I will take that -but it is not going to go too far especially in the grand scheme of things, in how much weddings cost."

The announcement comes after a trade-off that allowed the Liberal Democrats to announce free school meals for all children under eight earlier this month.

The proposal, which Downing Street said shows the Government values commitment by recognising marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system, makes good on promises Mr Cameron made when he was running for leadership of the party in 2005.

In an article in today's edition of The Daily Mail, he said: "I believe in marriage. Alongside the birth of my children, my wedding was the happiest day of my life.

"Since then, Samantha and I have been a team. Nothing I've done since - becoming a Member of Parliament, leader of my party or Prime Minister - would have been possible without her."

He said that the new measures would apply "if you're gay or straight - and in a civil partnership or a marriage. This summer I was proud to make Equal Marriage the law. Love is love, commitment is commitment".

Labour's shadow chief secretary to the treasury, Rachel Reeves, said that the marriage tax break would not even help two-thirds of married couples and said he was out of touch if he "thinks people will get married for £3.85 a week".

She said: "And even for the minority who might benefit, it will be far outweighed by what David Cameron's Government has already taken away in higher VAT and cuts to child benefit and tax credits. In most cases, the extra payment will be paid to men, even though it is women who have disproportionately lost out so far."

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School Accountant 'Stole $2m Lunch Money'

A former school accountant has been accused of stealing more than $2m (£1.3m) of student lunch money in California.

Judith Oakes, who worked for the Rialto school district for 25 years, was allegedly caught on security video stuffing cash from the school meals programme into her bra.

Police say she may have stolen as much as $3m (£2m) over the past seven years.

Rialto Police Captain Randy De Anda told CBS-LA News: "Obviously she had access to large sums of money and she was able to possess those large sums of money and get them out of the building." 

The money was meant to feed children in the Rialto school district

He said when officers went to Oakes' house in August to arrest her, they found thousands of dollars in stolen cash.

The case is believed to be the largest white-collar crime that Rialto police have investigated, Captain De Anda added.

Oakes, 48, who earned $60,000 (£40,000) a year, has not yet been charged.

Police allegedly found thousands of dollars in cash at Oakes' home

Rialto Unified School District said in a statement: "The district is continuing to work closely with law enforcement to make sure that those criminally responsible are identified and prosecuted. 

"We are taking all appropriate steps to recover the lost funds."

Several agencies, including the federal government, are investigating because she had access to federal school funds.

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Iran Leader Met With Protests After US Trip

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has been met with protesters chanting "Death to America" as he arrived from New York after a historic phone call with Barack Obama.

Shoes and eggs were thrown towards his motorcade as it left Tehran's Mehrabad Airport, as some 60 hardline Islamists also chanted "Death to Israel".

They were outnumbered by 200 to 300 supporters of the president who shouted: "Thank you Rouhani."

Mr Rouhani, who was returning from a UN General Assembly meeting in New York, stood up through his car's sunroof to acknowledge the crowds.

Mr Rouhani's supporters outnumbered his opponents as he arrived home

He did not appear to have been hit by any of the projectiles. Throwing shoes is considered deeply offensive in the Middle East.

Mr Rouhani's 15-minute telephone conversation with Mr Obama on Friday was the first contact between leaders of the two countries in more than three decades.

The exchange could reflect a major step in resolving global concerns over Tehran's disputed nuclear programme.

Mr Obama said he had a constructive conversation, adding: "While there will surely be important obstacles to moving forward and success is by no means guaranteed, I believe we can reach a comprehensive solution."

Both leaders will now direct their teams to work quickly to find an agreement after the first direct verbal communication between the nations' presidents since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Earlier, Mr Rouhani said he hoped talks with the US and other world powers over its nuclear programme will lead to results in "a short period of time".

Surrounded by tight security, Mr Rouhani waved to crowds at Tehran airport

He said Iran would present its plan for a resolution to the nuclear issue at discussions with the six countries scheduled for Geneva on October 15 and 16.

The six are the five permanent UN Security Council members - Britain, China, France, the United States and Russia - and Germany, known as P5+1.

Iran has insisted its nuclear programme is a peaceful attempt to generate electricity but America and its allies including Israel have long demanded a halt to Tehran's uranium enrichment, fearing it could secretly build nuclear warheads.

Mr Rouhani vowed his country would not build a nuclear bomb, adding his government would be transparent and had the backing of authorities at home to handle the nuclear issue.

In his latest comments, he said: "We say explicitly that we will be transparent; we say explicitly that we will not build a bomb. Through the P5+1 we want to provide even more assurances."

Around 60 hardliners waved anti-US placards at Mehrabad Airport

Earlier Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met US Secretary of State John Kerry along with representatives from the other P5+1 powers. That was followed by a brief bilateral meeting between Mr Zarif and Mr Kerry.

The two sides said the tone was positive but they remained cautious about resolving the long-running stand-off over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Mr Rouhani and Mr Zarif, both in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, have said they are eager to clinch an agreement quickly that could bring relief from what the president called "illegal" sanctions.

The sanctions have slashed Iran's vital oil exports by more than half, restricted its international bank transfers, devalued its currency and sent inflation surging.

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Baroness Thatcher Finally Laid To Rest

Baroness Thatcher's ashes have been laid to rest in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London.

Her children, Sir Mark and Carol Thatcher, attended a short service in the chapel there before a solid oak casket containing her ashes was placed in the ground alongside those of her husband Sir Denis, who died in 2003.

A simple headstone bearing the inscription Margaret Thatcher 1925 – 2013 marks the site of the final resting place of Britain's first and only woman prime minister.

Lady Thatcher's ashes are carried ahead of her son Sir Mark and his wife

Lady Thatcher died aged 87 on April 8.

The longest-serving prime minister of the twentieth century, Lady Thatcher was given a ceremonial funeral with full military honours at St Paul's Cathedral on April 18, attended by more than 2,300 mourners including the Queen.

It was in stark contrast to Saturday's private service at All Saints Chapel in the hospital's Margaret Thatcher Infirmary, which she opened in 2009.

Carol Thatcher, her twin brother Mark and his wife Sarah

The small group of mourners included Lady Thatcher's former private secretary Lord Powell and Lord Bell, her former political adviser.

Sir Mark, his wife Sarah and Carol took it in turns to place a single red rose alongside the casket.

Carol, who wore sunglasses, comforted Cynthia Crawford, who was Lady Thatcher's personal assistant for more than 30 years.

Carol and Sir Mark leave a single red rose alongside the casket

Prayers were said while music was provided by the chapel choir who sang Po Atarau, a traditional Maori song of goodbye in recognition of Lady Thatcher's family connections with New Zealand.

Lady Thatcher built up a strong relationship with the Royal Hospital Chelsea during the last 10 years of her life and her final resting place was chosen by her.

She was elected MP for Finchley in 1959 and served as Conservative prime minister between 1979 and 1990.

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Kenya Attack: Sixth Briton Confirmed Dead

A sixth Briton has been confirmed dead following the Kenya shopping centre attack, as officials say the number of British casualties may rise further.

Some 67 people were killed in the attack on the Westgate shopping mall and dozens of people are still reported missing.

The number of British deaths had earlier been revised from six down to five, but on Saturday the Foreign Office revealed that another UK national had been identified among the fatalities.

The identity of the sixth victim has not been revealed.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have no information at this time that any further British nationals have been killed although we cannot rule out the potential for further British casualties and we continue to stay in close contact with the Kenyan authorities as their investigations continue."

It comes as Sky News filmed new footage from the rear of the Nairobi mall which shows the extent of the damage following the attack.

New images filmed by Sky News show the extent of the damage

Hundreds of tons of masonry, debris and metal fell down several floors after part of the roof collapsed.

Sky News filmed from a private property of resident Sukhbir Singh, who said he heard "really loud blasts" and "several gunshots".

He said at the part of the roof which has now fallen down he saw two or three gunmen opening fire towards children, adding "it was really, really bad".

"They just came in and sprayed bullets without talking," he added.

The Islamist group al Shabaab said it carried out the massacre to punish Kenya for sending its troops into Somalia to fight the al Qaeda-linked organisation.

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Mumbai Building Collapse: Number Of Dead Rises

The number of people killed after a five-storey apartment block collapsed in Mumbai has risen to 45 amid fears the figure could increase further.

Rescue teams have pulled out at least 33 people alive following the collapse on Friday but have struggled to find more survivors in the rubble. More than 12 are still missing.

Just one person was found alive on Saturday from under the twisted iron bars and chunks of fallen concrete.

Emergency workers worked for six hours to free the 50-year-old man who was trapped for more than 30 hours beneath the wreckage with his leg crushed by part of a wall.

Relatives wait near the site of the tragedy

Rescuers lifted up a slab of cement using a compressed air-pressure bag, and he was taken to hospital.

"We were able to save him, but he may lose his leg," rescue chief Alok Awasthi said.

Alok Avasthy, a senior official at the National Disaster Management Authority, said: "We've got 45 bodies now and that number is likely to rise though we still hope for survivors."

The cause of the collapse in the Indian city is not known, but residents in the area complained of builders using sub-standard materials.

Very little remains of the building

"There should not be corruption in the building process. They should use best of the materials - then only the buildings will last," said Sanjay Mayekar, who lives in another apartment building next to the one that fell.

It was the third deadly building collapse in the city in six months and some have expressed fears that their own buildings might also fall down.

Between 83 and 89 people were in the block, which housed workers for the city's government, when it caved in, residents said as frantic relatives held a vigil at the site.

Rudiben Parmar sat with several weeping relatives near the rubble, waiting for news of the last of five family members who were in the building.

A young child is saved from the rubble

Three of them - a nephew and two of his children - had already been found dead.

The nephew's wife was rescued, but the couple's young daughter was still unaccounted for.

Ms Parmar said she did not know who was to blame for the disaster, adding: "We will be OK once all members of our family are recovered."

At least 72 people died in April when an illegally-constructed building fell down in Mumbai.

In June, over 10 people including five children died when a three-storey structure collapsed in the city.

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Pakistan Earthquake: At Least 15 Killed

A powerful earthquake in Pakistan has killed at least 15 people just days after hundreds were killed by a quake in the same area.

The 6.8-magnitude quake hit the region of Balochistan in the south west of the country on Saturday morning, sending people running into the streets in panic.

On Tuesday a 7.8-magnitude tremor rocked the same impoverished Awaran district killing 359 people, razing hundreds of mud-and-brick homes to the ground and leaving tens of thousands homeless.

People still recovering from injuries sustained in the first disaster fled the hospital where they were being treated fearing the building would collapse.

The epicentre was 90 miles west of Khuzdar

The US Geological Survey measured the earthquake at 6.8 magnitude, however Pakistan's Meteorological Department said it measured 7.2.

The department said the epicentre was located 90 miles west of the town of Khuzdar, a short distance from the epicentre of the earthquake earlier in the week.

A number of people were wounded, and officials fear the number of dead could significantly increase.

There have been reports that homes still standing after Tuesday's earthquake had collapsed on Saturday.

Balochistan is Pakistan's largest but least populated province. The rough terrain and the lack of good roads have made it difficult for rescue staff.

People visit an island formed by Tuesday's tremor

The Pakistani Air Force has been making air drops of supplies and using helicopters to ferry injured people to medical care.

However, the aid efforts have been hampered by militants who want to overthrow central government and establish a hard-line Islamic state. The separatists have fired at the military aircraft helping with the aid and rescue mission.

Around 300,000 people were affected by Tuesday's earthquake which was so strong it is believed to have caused a small island to emerge just off the coastline in the Arabian Sea.

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Kenya Attack: New Video Shows Aftermath

Sky News has filmed pictures from the rear of the Nairobi shopping mall showing the devastating aftermath of last Saturday's terror attack.

Hundreds of tons of masonry, debris and metal fell down several floors after part of the roof collapsed where the car park was.

The scene has been described as a 'mini Ground Zero' by one forensic expert who spoke to Sky News.

It comes as the Foreign Office said a sixth British national had been confirmed dead following the atrocity. The figure had earlier been lowered to five.

Burned out cars were filmed hanging precariously over the edge of the pit and the tin roof of the supermarket atrium was severely damaged.

Below the hole in the roof was where a cookery competition was taking place involving adults and children when the gunmen began shooting at them.

The air conditioning system on the left of the picture was burnt out

Some people said the roof collapse was caused by the terrorists starting a fire, others said it was the military that detonated explosives or fired rocket propelled grenades which set off the blaze.

The pictures were filmed from a private property of resident Sukhbir Singh who told Sky News he heard "really loud blasts" and "several gunshots".

He said at the part of the roof which has now fallen down he saw two or three gunmen opening fire towards children, adding "it was really really bad".

He went on: "They just came in and sprayed bullets without talking."

Resident Sukhbir Singh witnessed the terror attack

Seven days after the attack which left at least 67 people dead, there is still no clear word on the fate of dozens who have been reported missing and no details on the gunmen who carried it out.

Al Shabaab said it carried out the massacre to punish Kenya for sending its troops into Somalia to fight the al Qaeda-linked militant group that had seized large parts of that country for years before being dislodged from the capital, Mogadishu.

The Kenyan Red Cross has said 59 people are unaccounted for, raising fears of bodies in the debris.

The Kenyan government is facing questions after the reported leaking of an intelligence report dated September 13 which warned of an elevated risk and which some top officials said was treated too casually.

Sky News filmed from the rear of the shopping centre

Senior security officials told the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity that an intelligence report warning of an attack had been sent to the treasury, interior, foreign affairs and defence ministers, as well as the army chief.

"Briefs were made to them of increasing threat of terrorism and of plans to launch simultaneous attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa around September 13 and 20, 2013," according to the report, quoted in the Nation newspaper.

The report also apparently said Israel, which has close security ties with Kenya, had warned of plans to attack Israeli property in September, a month which included several Jewish holidays.

Meanwhile, new footage from the Kenyan Red Cross shows the organisation's staff helping shoppers as they emerged from Westgate Mall during last week's terror attack.

Shoppers were told to leave the mall with their hands up

The video was filmed on September 21 - the first day of the siege and just hours after gunmen attacked the mall with assault rifles and grenades.

The organisation's secretary general, Abbas Gullet, is a prominent figure in the footage, not just overseeing the medical care of the injured, but also providing direct medical assistance himself at times.

Mr Gullet's team of medics regularly risked their own lives to bring people out of the shopping centre.

One man can be seen with is hand on a body covered with a red blanket weeping, while medical teams look on.

Stretchers were repeatedly run in and out of the mall despite the ongoing attack by gunmen.

The Red Cross also helped to transport those who lost their lives in the deadly assault.

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New York Taxi Crash Briton Leaves Hospital

A British holidaymaker who lost part of her leg after being hit by a New York taxi has been discharged from hospital.

Sian Green, 24, is set to return to the UK in the next few days, according to a family spokesman.

Ms Green, from Leicester, was involved in an accident while on holidays with her best friend in New York.

Her injuries were so serious she had to have part of her left leg amputated below the knee.

The fashion student has spent more than five weeks in the city's Bellevue Hospital surrounded by friends and family, where she has made good progress.

Her father, mother, sister Stacey and best friend Keshia Warren - with whom she travelled to the city - have all remained at her side.

In a recent interview on American television, she praised people at the accident scene in Manhattan on August 20, whose quick-thinking she believes saved her life.

Ms Green's family says she has shown "incredible strength" in hospital

Ms Green also told reporters she could remember an argument between a taxi driver and a cyclist before the accident, and not being able to move after being hit.

In a statement her family confirmed she had been discharged on September 26, and was preparing to fly home.

"Sian's incredible strength has been an inspiration to all," they said.

"Her positive attitude, infectious personality and determination to recover have played an important role in the result of her discharge.

"In addition, her family, friends and loved ones have been a constant source of motivation for Sian.

"The unwavering love and support from her best friend, Keshia Warren, who has been by her side every day for the past five weeks has also provided her with another source of courage and strength."

Her family added Ms Green was now looking forward to getting back to a normal routine and focusing on her fashion studies.

They also thanked the people of New York for the kindness and care they had shown their daughter.

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