Business 'hit by Olympics message'

The message to stay away from London during the Olympic Games has worked "too well", with businesses suffering as a result, it has been claimed.

There are fears the host city has turned into a "ghost town", with visitors flocking to Olympic venues but avoiding traditional tourist hotspots in the centre.

But despite concerns being raised by the tourism industry, the Mayor of London insisted that the city was "open for business".

A London Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman said too many people had heeded warnings about transport in the city. She said: "It's understandable that some people are staying out of the city at the moment. TfL and Locog did a good job of making people aware - maybe too good a job."

However, she stressed that it was too early to assess the impact of the Games on business, as the picture would only emerge when they have finished, and added that it was a traditionally quiet time of year for many. The spokeswoman also said there could be long-term benefits connected to international trade.

Boris Johnson said: "Things are going really well. London is open for business with world-class tourist attractions and theatres, world-renowned restaurants and world-famous shopping. "Crime is down across London, we've only needed about 40 per cent of the Games lanes so far and I'm obviously heartened that people have heeded the travel advice and have indeed got ahead of the Games."

Some theatres and tourist attractions have reported a fall in visitors. But Mr Johnson added: "Many, many thousands of people are flowing into London, the hotels are busy, the Olympic venues are attracting huge numbers and people are enjoying the brilliant live sites, a raft of free events for all the family and the free sport as well, with hundreds of thousands out over the weekend for the cycling."

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said cab drivers had been hit hard. He said: "Anecdotally our business is down by about 20-40% depending on the time of day. Normally about 90% of our customers are Londoners but they've all left the city and haven't been replaced by tourists. I don't know where all these tourists are or how they're getting about, but London is like a ghost town."

Retailers hoping for an Olympics boost appear to have suffered an early drop in business as visitors stay away from central London due to fears of overcrowding. London's West End is hoping for more than 25 million visits over the summer, with about 90% of those arriving for the Olympics expected to shop and eat in the area. But about 10% fewer people visited the West End and 7% fewer visited the East End last Friday and Saturday compared with the same weekend last year, according to Experian Footfall.

A Transport for London spokesman insisted that it had never advised people to stay out of London. He said: "People should simply plan ahead to avoid the busiest stations at the busiest times. London is open for business, we are getting everyone to their Games events on time and keeping the city moving."

©Press Association

Paxman's Bible comments 'offensive'

Comments by Jeremy Paxman in which he called the Bible's book of Genesis "hogwash" during an edition of Newsnight have been ruled offensive by the BBC Trust.

The no-nonsense presenter - known for his robust style - also referred to those with a literal belief in the Old Testament as "stupid people".

The Trust's Editorial Standards Committee decided the terms were offensive to some parts of the audience and there was "no clear editorial purpose" for their use.

It was accepted Paxman had not intended to deliberately cause offence.

He made the comments during an item about Professor Richard Dawkins's new book, The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True, during a programme screened in October of last year.

The piece prompted a complaint that it had been biased against religious belief, although this was rejected.

The BBC's editorial complaints unit had previously cleared the edition of causing any offence.

But following an appeal, the Trust upheld the complaint in part.

It concluded: "Although Mr Paxman's use of the terms 'religious hogwash' and 'stupid people' was not intended to cause deliberate offence, particularly to those with religious views and beliefs, the use of the terms was offensive to some of the audience and there was no clear editorial purpose for their use in the context of this Newsnight item."

The Trust decided some Newsnight viewers were "unlikely to have expected Jeremy Paxman' typically robust and confrontational interviewing style to extend to the use of the terms 'religious hogwash' when introducing the story of Genesis, and 'stupid people' when talking about those with a literal belief in the Old Testament in the context of the item about religious myths."

Baby P's mother set to be freed?

The Parole Board, which assesses the dangerousness of criminals eligible for release, has refused to comment on whether the mother of Baby P could soon be freed.

Tracey Connelly was jailed indefinitely with a minimum of five years in May 2009 for causing or allowing her son Peter's death.

The toddler died on August 3 2007 with more than 50 injuries, despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over eight months.

Connelly admitted the offence soon after being charged and served several hundred days on remand and will therefore possibly be eligible for parole in the coming weeks from Foston Hall Prison in Derby, where she is believed to be.

A Parole Board spokesman said: "It is the policy of the board not to comment on or confirm its decisions or reasons in individual cases such as this.

"Once an IPP (indeterminate for public protection) sentence prisoner's minimum tariff has been served, the court regards them as having served the necessary period of imprisonment to reflect the gravity of the offence and the need for punishment.

"The only legal question which has to be answered to determine the justification for detention thereafter is whether or not the prisoner is a risk to the public. The statutory test to be applied by the Parole Board is whether it is satisfied that the risk to life and limb to the public is no more than minimal. If it is so satisfied, it is required to release the prisoner.

"When making their judgment, the board will take into account the nature of the index offence, the prisoner's offending history, the prisoner's progress in prison, any statement made on behalf of the victim(s), psychologist's reports, probation officers' reports, prisons officers' reports, any statistical risk assessments that have been completed. There must also be a comprehensive resettlement plan in place."

Baby Peter died at his home in Tottenham, north London, a day after police told Connelly she would not be prosecuted over abuse of the 17-month-old. Connelly was jailed along with her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen, who were convicted at trial of the same offence.

Barker was jailed for life with a minimum of 10 years for raping a two-year-old girl and given a 12-year term to run concurrently for his "major role" in Peter's death. Owen was jailed indefinitely with a minimum three-year term but later won an appeal to lower it to a fixed six-year term. He was freed last August.

MP: Extra tickets for southerners

A northern Labour MP has joined the Olympic ticket row, claiming only southerners will benefit from the release of extra tickets.

Simon Danczuk, the MP for Rochdale, said while the sale of tickets for empty seats at Games venues will benefit locals in London, it is unlikely the rest of the UK will be able to take up the opportunity.

"We were promised these games would be inclusive and reach out to all corners of the UK," he said.

"Yet the reality is those who will benefit from the release of further tickets are Londoners. People in the north who were unable to get tickets first time round will feel hard done by."

Sparse crowds at some events on the first day of the Games led to questions for the organisers Locog. Swathes of empty seating could be seen in areas used by the "Olympic Family" - VIPs, sports federations and the thousands of media who have all descended on the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London.

Armed services helping with security at the Games and local teachers and school children were given access to the unused seats. And thousands more unused tickets were made available online as Locog tried to tackle the issue.

Mr Danczuk added: "People living outside the M25 will not be able to get to London at the drop of the hat and they will feel doubly aggrieved at missing out again."

So far, more than two million spectators have turned out to watch the first three days of London 2012, said organisers.

Some 856,000 fans, including the football crowds and a "conservative" estimate of 500,000 for the road race, watched on Saturday, with a further 900,000 turning out on Sunday, said Locog.

A further 370,000 spectators watched on Monday, meaning attendee rates for the three days were 86%, 92% and 88% respectively.

Teenager held in Daley tweets probe

A 17-year-old has been arrested after malicious tweets were sent to Olympic diver Tom Daley.

Dorset Police said the teenager was held at a guest house in Weymouth hours after 18-year-old Daley received the messages on social networking site Twitter.

A police spokeswoman said: "A 17-year-old man was arrested by Dorset Police officers in the early hours this morning at a guest house in the Weymouth area on suspicion of malicious communications. He is currently helping police with their inquiries."

Daley and his Team GB diving partner Pete Waterfield missed out on a medal on Monday when they finished fourth in the men's synchronised 10m platform diving event at the Olympics. Shortly afterwards, Daley retweeted a message from user Rileyy69 which said: "You let your dad down i hope you know that."

Daley responded by tweeting: "After giving it my all... you get idiots sending me this..."

Daley's father Rob died last year from brain cancer. Speaking before the Olympics, Daley revealed that his father "gave me all the inspiration that I've needed".

The teenager, from Plymouth in Devon, said: "Winning a medal would make all the struggles that I've had worthwhile. It's been my dream since a very young age to compete at an Olympics.

"I'm doing it for myself and my dad. It was both our dreams from a very young age. I always wanted to do it and Dad was so supportive of everything. It would make it extra special to do it for him."

When news of the insensitive tweet spread, Rileyy69 attempted to apologise. He tweeted: "@TomDaley1994 I'm sorry mate i just wanted you to win cause its the olympics I'm just annoyed we didn't win I'm sorry tom accept my apology."

He later added: "please i don't want to be hated I'm just sorry you didn't win i was rooting for you pal to do britain all proud just so upset."

Homeless households increase by 25%

The number of homeless households in England has risen by a quarter in the last three years, new figures show.

Some 50,290 families and individuals were classed as homeless and in need of emergency accommodation in 2011/12, compared with 40,020 in 2009/10 - an increase of more than 25%.

But despite the rise in the number of cases, spending on tackling homelessness fell from £213.7 million to £199.8 million between 2009/10 and 2010/11, data experts SSentif said.

Local housing authorities have a legal duty to provide emergency accommodation for "priority need" groups left without a home. They include households with dependent children, pregnant women, vulnerable people with a mental illness or physical disability, victims of domestic violence and people left without homes due to a disaster such as fire or flooding.

Priority need categories also include applicants aged 16 or 17; 18 to 20-year-olds who were previously in care; people left vulnerable as a result of time spent in care, in custody, or the armed forces, and those who have fled their homes because of violence or the threat of violence.

Last year alone saw 6,130 more households in England left homeless in 2011/12 - a rise of almost 14%, according to figures from SSentif. Regionally, the highest percentage increase was the East of England, with the number of cases rising from 3,660 in 2009/10 to 5,270 in 2011/12 - a 44% increase.

The largest regional increase was in Birmingham, with 3,929 households requiring emergency accommodation - an increase of 558 cases compared with 2009/10. It was closely followed by Sheffield, which reported 1,383 households as homeless - an increase of 437 people (46%) on 2009/10.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: "These figures are a narrow and misleading snapshot. The bigger picture is that homelessness is actually lower than for 28 of the last 30 years - and is half the average rate seen under the previous government."

Shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn said: "This surge in homelessness has been caused by a perfect storm of a double-dip recession made in Downing Street and sharp falls in housebuilding.

"The Government's own figures show that social house completions dropped 97% in 2011/12 compared to the year before, and affordable housing by 68%. To help bring homelessness down and get the economy moving, the Government should use funds raised from a tax on bank bonuses to build thousands of affordable homes."

Syria's Charge D'Affaires Quits London Post

Syria's charge d'affaires has left his London post because he is "no longer willing to represent a regime that has committed such violent and oppressive acts".

The Foreign Office said Khaled al Ayoubi's decision illustrated the "revulsion and despair" the regime's actions were provoking amongst Syrians.

His defection comes as the battle between government forces and opposition fighters in Syria's largest city intensified , with thousands of civilians forced to flee to neighbouring countries.

Fierce fighting for the past several days has centred on the Salaheddine district in southwest Aleppo, where President Bashar al Assad's troops have been backed by helicopter attacks.

In London, a spokesperson for the FCO said: "We urge others around Bashar al Assad to follow Mr al Ayoubi's example; to disassociate themselves from the crimes being committed against the Syrian people and to support a peaceful and free future for Syria."

Sky News' Foreign Affairs Editor, Tim Marshall, said the defection was a serious one for Mr Assad.

"It is yet another chip, as they chip away at the edifice of the regime, which now no longer has cracks in it, it has gaping holes in it," he said.

A series of envoys from Damascus have now fled the regime, including Nawaf Fares, the country's ambassador to Iraq, who left for Qatar this month after publicly renouncing his post.

The Syrian diplomats who were stationed in the UAE and Cyprus have also fled the regime .

Gervais blasts testing on animals

Comedian and actor Ricky Gervais has waded into a row over the testing of cosmetic products on animals.

The Office star lashed out after companies were accused of putting profits before ethics to sell their products to China, where animal testing can be a legal requirement.

Cosmetics testing on animals has not been allowed in the UK since 1998, and a Europe-wide ban on the sale of animal-tested beauty products will be fully in force by next year.

The Chinese government reserves the right to carry out animal tests on cosmetic products before approving them for sale in China.

Mr Gervais spoke up in support of Humane Society International's "Be Cruelty Free" campaign which aims to halt cosmetics animal testing around the world.

He said: "Like me, most people will be shocked to learn that testing cosmetics on animals is often still a legal requirement in China.

"By law, rabbits must have cosmetic chemicals dripped in their eyes or spread over their sensitive skin, causing sores and bleeding. It makes me really angry that this is still going on, and it makes me particularly angry that some previously cruelty-free companies are abandoning their principles and returning to animal testing in order to profit from the Chinese market."

Last year a number of cosmetics manufacturers involved with China were removed from the list of those granted the cruelty-free "Leaping Bunny" trademark.

They include Yves Rocher, L'Occitane, Mary Kay and Caudalie.

Mr Gervais added: "China's cosmetics market is worth billions of dollars and virtually every major global cosmetic company is getting a piece of the action."

Sacked player 'racially victimised'

A black footballer was unfairly sacked by Gillingham FC after being racially victimised, an employment tribunal has ruled.

Former Barbados international player Mark McCammon, 33, took legal action against the League Two side after being dismissed for alleged misconduct last year.

The 6ft 2in striker told a hearing in Ashford, Kent, that he and other black players at the club were treated differently from white players. McCammon said he was ordered to come into the ground amid "treacherous", snowy driving conditions while some white players were told they were not required.

He also said the club tried to "frustrate him out" by refusing to pay private medical bills to help him regain his fitness following injury.

Instead, he claims he was offered the same operation on the NHS rather than privately, a move he described as "completely out of character" for a Football League club, and that he was fined two weeks' wages when he paid a visit to a private consultant. In contrast, the former Charlton, Swindon, Millwall and Brighton player said, a white team-mate was flown to Dubai for treatment by an eminent physiotherapist at the club's expense.

In a letter sent to the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) outlining his grievances, McCammon also claimed he was told not to blog while others were permitted to.

Officials at Gillingham said they were "staggered" by the ruling, saying the club had employed thousands of staff of different races and religions.

The club said in a statement: "Today we have received the decision of the Ashford Employment Tribunal which sets out their findings that Mark McCammon was unfairly dismissed and that his dismissal was an act of racial victimisation. We are hugely disappointed, in fact staggered, by this decision. As an organisation we are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate against, nor victimise our staff.

"This case is the first of its kind to be brought against the club in its entire history, a history that has seen the club employ many thousands of staff of various race, religion and creed, none of whom have ever felt the need to bring such a claim.

"Given the nature of the case, and the findings, we will discuss the judgment with our lawyers and decide upon the next course of action, whether that be an appeal against the findings, or another form of action, as deemed appropriate. There will be no further comment on the case by the club until the matter has run its full course."

Rain blamed for high street woes

High street retailers reported a greater-than-expected slowdown in sales growth this month, the CBI said, amid poor weather and weak consumer confidence.

A balance of 11% of retailers said sales volumes were higher than a year ago this month, which was a weaker reading than companies had predicted in June.

Businesses also reported higher orders in July, with a balance of 5% reporting growth, but again this was lower than anticipated, the CBI said.

Judith McKenna, chair of the CBI Distributive Trades Panel and Asda's chief operating officer, said: "With consumer confidence weak and wage growth remaining sluggish, the longer term outlook for retailers remains challenging."

The survey results were published as a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) study showed an increase in the number of insolvencies among retailers rising to 426 in the second quarter, up from 386 the previous year.

Soldier 'abused by G4S Games guard'

Embattled security contractor G4S has launched an internal investigation after an employee allegedly threw verbal abuse at a serviceman while they worked at an Olympic Games venue.

The guard is also said to have spat at the soldier and called him a "baby killer" - an apparent reference to his service in Afghanistan - during the archery contest at Lord's cricket ground on Saturday, The Sun reported.

G4S said the soldier, reportedly a member of 35 Engineers, had asked to search the security officer.

A spokesman for the firm said: "We are urgently investigating claims of an altercation between a security officer and a soldier.

"We take any case of improper behaviour by a member of our staff very seriously.

"We do not tolerate insulting behaviour and, where necessary, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken."

The Ministry of Defence described the alleged incident as an "isolated occurrence".

A MoD spokesman said: "We can confirm that there was an incident at Lord's cricket ground on 28 July. The matter was reported and is being investigated by G4S.

"This isolated occurrence is not indicative of the good working relationship between the military and G4S."

G4S was forced to admit it had not hired enough security guards to patrol the Games just weeks before they were due to begin, forcing the Government to step in and provide 4,700 extra military personnel to plug the gaps.

Flaws exposed in fit for work test

The test which assesses whether disabled or sick people are fit to work is "patchy" and needs improvement, an expert has said.

Professor Malcolm Harrington, the man appointed by the Government to review the Work Capability Assessment, told BBC's Panorama that as a result people who are genuinely unable to work will suffer.

Prof Harrington said: "There are certainly areas where it's still not working and I am sorry there are people going through a system which I think still needs improvement."

The programme, which airs on Monday night, features the story of one man who suffered from heart failure and died 39 days after being declared fit for work.

Stephen Hill was sent to his first Work Capability Assessment in 2010 when he gave up his job as a sandwich delivery man after being referred for tests on his heart. His wife Denise, who was with him at the assessment, said: "She checked him out. She did his blood pressure and his heart and said to see a doctor as soon as possible."

Despite the assessor telling Mr Hill to seek urgent medical advice, he was still found fit for work. In the meantime doctors had diagnosed him with heart failure. He won his appeal but he was ordered to attend another assessment.

"He got a letter for another medical and I couldn't believe it," said Mrs Hill. "He'd got to go for a medical when he was waiting for a heart operation." But he was again declared fit for work, with the assessor declaring: "Significant disability due to cardiovascular problems seems unlikely." Mr Hill died of a heart attack five weeks later.

The assessments are carried out by Atos Healthcare on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions. According to the programme, two-and-a-half million people in the UK take the test because they are too ill to work. But more than 176,000 cases go to appeal tribunals each year, costing the taxpayer an additional £50 million.

"The Work Capability Assessment was introduced by the last government and we have made real efforts to improve it," said Minister for Employment Chris Grayling. "The reason why we reassess people who are on sickness benefits is that all the evidence is that a substantial proportion can return to some form of work.

"We have no financial targets for this. We simply believe that people who can work are better off being helped to do so, even if it can be a difficult and stressful process, rather than simply being abandoned on benefits for the rest of their lives. It's about saving lives, not saving money."

New Game Rating System To Protect Children

Anyone selling a 12-certificate video game to a child under that age could face jail under a simpler and stronger rating system.

All games sold in the UK will be regulated under the Europe-widePEGI (Pan European Game Information) scheme, ending the role of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) in rating video games.

The BBFC had until now provided legally enforceable 15 and 18 certificates for games but it was never tasked with providing 12 certificates, meaning it was technically legal to sell a 12-rated game to younger children.

The new system makes all PEGI ratings made by the UK-based Video Standards Council (VSC)legally enforceable.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: "The UK has one of the most dynamic and innovative video games industries in the world, and the games they produce not only entertain millions, but can also educate and foster creativity.

"Today's simplification of the ratings system benefits both industry and consumers and will help ensure that the millions of games sold in the UK each year are being played by the audiences they were intended for."

The PEGI system is specifically designed for video games and the age rating on the packaging will be accompanied by information about the type of content that led to it.

The VSC will have the power to refuse to grant an age-rating for a video game if it includes extreme content, meaning it would not be allowed to be sold in the UK.

Dr Jo Twist, chief executive of The Association of UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie)said: "As we mark the start of PEGI as the single video game age rating system, we're delighted to use the opportunity to help parents to make informed decisions about which video games to choose for their family.

"We very much believe that the sole adoption of PEGI will provide clear and consistent direction on age ratings for parents and will be a vital tool in helping them to understand the types of games that their children should be playing."

MPC to discuss further rates cut

Bank of England policymakers will debate whether to slash interest rates beyond current historic lows when they meet this week in a drastic move to boost the economy.

The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) lifted levels of emergency support by £50 billion to £375 billion at its July meeting, while holding its base rate at 0.5%. But the outlook has darkened since the nine-strong panel last convened after figures revealed a larger-than-expected slump in output in the second quarter of the year.

The Committee, chaired by Bank Governor Sir Mervyn King, considered cutting rates below current levels at the meeting in a move that once seemed completely improbable.

However, most economists believe that while the action will be discussed again this week, the MPC will continue to favour quantitative easing as its economic weapon of choice.

Alan Clarke, UK and eurozone economist at Scotiabank, said: "The poor second quarter GDP data make it hard for the Bank of England not to loosen monetary policy further. However, we judge that a further reduction in bank rate could backfire and hold back the creation of new mortgages. Hence we suspect that the further policy ease will be in the form of more QE, not a cut in bank rate."

The economy shrank by 0.7% in the second quarter, meaning the UK is now mired in the longest double-dip recession since quarterly records began in 1955 - and possibly since the Second World War.

A reduced rate would be the lowest in the Bank's 318-year history, with a cut to 0.25% saving a borrower with an average lifetime tracker rate on a £200,000 mortgage £328.56 a year, according to comparison site Moneyfacts.

But lower borrowing costs would deliver yet another blow to Britain's savers, who have lost out since rates hit their current historic low in March 2009.

The Bank's main concern over a rate cut beyond 0.5% is the impact it could have on some banks' and building societies' ability to lend.

Lenders have assets, mainly mortgages, with interest payments contractually linked to the Bank's rate and a reduction below 0.5% might squeeze some lenders' interest margins to the point at which they become less able to offer new loans to customers.

Olympics Probe Into Rows Of Empty Seats

Olympic organisers have launched an investigation after fans expressed disappointment at the sight of rows of empty seats on the first day of the London Games.

Locog were prompted to act after gaps were visible at a number of venues, including the Aquatics Centre where British medal hope Hannah Miley missed out on a podium place.

In contrast, huge crowds lined the streets, where tickets were not required, to watch Mark Cavendish and Team GB compete in the cycling road race.

A spokesman for Locog said the majority of the empty seats were believed to belong to accredited groups such as governing bodies and the media.

He added that some tickets remained unsold and urged members of the public to check online for opportunities to attend the Games.

"Many of our venues were packed to the rafters today. Where there are empty seats, we will look at who should have been sitting in the seats, and why they did not attend," he said.

"Early indications are that the empty seats are in accredited seating areas, but this is day one, and our end of day review will provide a fuller picture of attendance levels across all our venues."

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt suggested the vacant seats could be offered to members of the public.

"I was at the Beijing Games, in 2008, and one of the lessons that we took away from that, is that full stadia create the best atmosphere, it's best for the athletes, it's more fun for the spectators, it's been an absolute priority," he said.

"I think it was accredited seats that belonged to sponsors, but if they're not going to turn up, we want those tickets to be available for members of the public, because that creates the best atmosphere."

He said a system had been introduced for these Olympics similar to the one used at Wimbledon, where people coming out of the stadium handed on their tickets so the seats could be made available to other people.

"So we are trying a lot of innovations, it's a shame this happened, but we are going to do everything we can to make sure we fill up these stadia," he added.

Gaps in the seating were also visible at the gymnastics, handball, volleyball, badminton and basketball arenas.

The cheaper seats higher in the stands were mostly full but those lower down, which are generally more expensive, were not filled.

One basketball spectator, Jane Smith, from London, said: "It's very disappointing to see this, particularly as we all tried so hard to get our tickets. It doesn't help the atmosphere at all."

Other fans took to Twitter to express their concerns.

One fan wrote: "All those empty seats should have been given to the locals or sold on first come first serve on the day. Games are looking real empty!"

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe has previously threatened to name and shame companies which do not use their tickets.

Over 130 activist cyclists arrested near Olympic park

More than 130 cyclists were arrested when they ignored warnings not to ride near the Olympic Park in east London as the opening ceremony was taking place, police said on Saturday.

They were part of a group called "Critical Mass" who hold a monthly cycle ride in central London that police believe had been joined by other riders planning to stage a protest.

"The procession usually attracts approximately 100 cyclists, but on this occasion around 400 to 500 people gathered near Waterloo (station)," Scotland Yard said in a statement.

"Officers believe this may have included other individuals or groups not normally part of the monthly procession."

The arrests came after they ignored warnings not to enter the Olympic route network or go near the stadium.

Critical mass groups stage monthly events - usually on the last Friday of the month - in over 300 cities around the world with the loose aim of "reclaiming the streets."

Protests against the London Games have been minor so far and usually directed against their corporate sponsors.

(Reporting by Stephen Addison, editing by Ed Osmond)

PM urged to act over Games tweet MP

David Cameron is facing mounting pressure to condemn a Tory MP who branded the Olympic opening ceremony "leftie multicultural crap".

Aidan Burley, who was forced to quit as a ministerial aide after attending a Nazi-themed stag do last year, delivered the barb on Twitter during the event on Friday night.

One post read: "The most leftie opening ceremony I have ever seen - more than Beijing, the capital of a communist state! Welfare tribute next?"

Shortly afterwards he added: "Thank God the athletes have arrived! Now we can move on from leftie multi-cultural crap. Bring back red arrows (sic), Shakespeare and the Stones!"

London Mayor Boris Johnson added his voice to a barrage of criticism, dismissing the comments as "nonsense".

Visiting the Olympic Park on the first day of the Games, the Conservative politician said: "It was actually the truth about this country in the last two or three hundred years told in a big, dynamic way. People say it was all leftie stuff. That is nonsense. I'm a Conservative and I had hot tears of patriotic pride from the beginning. I was blubbing like Andy Murray."

He added: "The thing I loved was the heavy political stuff. I loved the emergence of the urban proletariat and the rise of the chimneys and the forging of the ring."

Downing Street moved quickly to distance Mr Cameron from the comments, with a senior source saying simply: "We do not agree with him."

But Croydon MP Mr Burley struck a defiant tone in interviews, insisting he still thought the event had been "trite". He told the BBC: "I wasn't having a go at multiculturalism itself, I was having a go at the rather trite way, frankly, it was represented in the opening ceremony." He admitted his tweets might not help his career but said he welcomed the debate.

Labour frontbencher Michael Dugher said: "David Cameron should show some leadership and demand a full apology from Aidan Burley immediately. Burley has got form. His comments were stupid, ignorant and offensive. David Cameron has said that the Conservative Party has changed but it is clear from the words of his own MP that not a lot has changed."

London Olympics opening ceremony highlights - video

©BBC/Reuters

Osborne hails AAA credit rating

George Osborne has hailed confirmation of Britain's gold-plated AAA credit rating by a key agency.

The Chancellor said the verdict from Standard & Poor's showed the "world has confidence" in the coalition's economic policies.

The news is a boost to Mr Osborne after dire GDP figures prompted heavy criticism of his performance and the Government's austerity measures.

S&P said its outlook for the UK's coveted rating was stable and predicted the economy would pick up in the coming months.

"We project that despite recent weakness, the UK economy should begin to recover in the second half of 2012 and steadily strengthen, and we expect economic policy to continue focusing on closing the fiscal gap," the agency said in a statement yesterday.

"In our view, monetary flexibility remains a key credit strength owing to the British pound sterling's role as a global reserve currency."

S&P said its stable outlook for the rating reflected its "expectation that the UK Government will implement the bulk of its fiscal consolidation programme and that the economy should recover in the remainder of 2012 and strengthen thereafter".

But it added: "We could lower the ratings in particular if the pace and extent of fiscal consolidation slows beyond what we currently expect."

Mr Osborne said: "As Britain welcomes the world to our country for the Olympic Games, this is a reminder that despite the economic problems we face, the world has confidence that we are dealing with them.

"The deficit has fallen by a quarter; inflation has fallen by half; employment is rising, with British businesses creating over 800,000 new jobs; and the economy is rebalancing, with Britain now exporting more to the rest of the world than Europe."

Google: 'We Didn't Delete Street View Data'

Google has confessed it has failed to stick to an agreement to delete all personal Wi-Fi data they 'mistakenly' collected via their Street View cars in 2010.

In a letter to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) Google has apologised for the error and sought advice how to proceed.

A row broke out in 2010 after it was revealed Google's cars had collected 600 gigabytes of private data from unsecured wireless networks around the world.

In a written agreement with the ICO in 2010, Google promised to delete all the information by the end of the year. But now the search engine has discovered not all the data was erased.

An ICO spokesman said: "Earlier today Google contacted the ICO to confirm that it still had in its possession some of the payload data collected by its Street View vehicles prior to May 2010.

"This data was supposed to have been deleted in December 2010.The fact that some of this information still exists appears to breach the undertaking they gave to the ICO in November 2010.

"In its letter to the ICO today, Google indicated that it wanted to delete the remaining data and asked for the ICO's instructions on how to proceed.

"Our response, which has already been issued, makes clear that Google must supply the data to the ICO immediately, so that we can subject it to forensic analysis before deciding on the necessary course of action.

"The ICO has always been clear that this should never have happened in the first place and the company's failure to secure its deletion as promised is cause for concern."

Google infuriated privacy campaigners in 2010 after they admitted their Street View cars, which carry panoramic cameras to collect pictures for their mapping service, had also scooped-up private web traffic, including passwords.

Peter Fleisher, Google's privacy counsel, said: "Google has recently confirmed that it still has in its possession a small portion of payload data collected by our Street View vehicles in the UK.

"Google apologises for this error."

Unqualified teachers for academies

All academies will be allowed to hire unqualified teachers in the future, the Government has announced.

Ministers said the move will mean schools can hire staff who are experts in their field who have not taught in state schools before and do not have qualified teacher status (QTS).

One teaching union condemned the decision, calling it a "clear dereliction of duty" and arguing that all schoolchildren should be taught by qualified teachers.

From Friday, funding "contracts" between new academies and the Education Secretary will state that the school has the right to employ staff who they believe are properly qualified, even if they do not have QTS. Academies that are already open can ask for this clause to be included in their agreement.

The Department for Education (DfE) said that the move brings academies in line with private schools, and the Government's flagship free schools. It means that academies can hire professionals such as scientists, engineers, musicians and linguists who may not have QTS status.

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said it was a "perverse decision by the DfE and a clear dereliction of duty". She added: "The NUT believes all children deserve to be taught by qualified teachers."

Ms Blower said that a poll conducted by the union last year found that 89% of parents want a qualified teacher to teach their child.

"Parents and teachers will see this as a cost-cutting measure that will cause irreparable damage to children's education," she said. "Schools need a properly resourced team of qualified teachers and support staff, not lower investment dressed up as 'freedoms'."

A DfE spokesman said: "Independent schools and free schools can already hire brilliant people who have not got QTS. We are extending this flexibility to all academies so more schools can hire great linguists, computer scientists, engineers and other specialists who have not worked in state schools before.

"We expect the vast majority of teachers will continue to have QTS. This additional flexibility will help schools improve faster. No existing teacher contract is affected by this minor change."

©Press Association

Fans conned by fake archery tickets

Archery fans have been duped into buying fake tickets for the first London-based action of the Olympics.

Dozens of people turned up to the men's archery ranking round at Lord's cricket ground to find out that their tickets were counterfeits.

The disappointed fans were denied entry to the event, which is traditionally held behind closed doors.

A London 2012 spokeswoman confirmed that "a few" people arrived at the site with fake tickets.

It is understood that others believed the event was non-ticketed and that they could gain access free of charge.

Several people had queued from early in the morning in the hope of gaining access on a "first come, first served" basis and numbers peaked at around 50 by the time the archers had started shooting.

The London 2012 spokeswoman said: "Tickets have not been advertised or sold by Locog for the archery ranking event which starts today at Lord's cricket ground. We have always made it clear that the preliminary rounds are not open for spectators.

"There are a number of unofficial websites claiming to sell tickets; we therefore advise people to be extremely cautious and vigilant when attempting to buy tickets and only purchase from an official source - if in doubt there is a url checker on our website which will identify official sources."

Meanwhile, three people who were due to work as security staff at an Olympic venue were arrested on suspicion of immigration offences, the Home Office said.

The trio were drafted in to work as security guards at St James' Park, Newcastle, but were arrested on Wednesday - just 24 hours before the Mexico and South Korea match at the stadium. The three were employed by a private security firm, but were not G4S staff, a Home Office spokesman said.

Olympic security staff arrested

Three people who were due to work as security staff at an Olympic venue have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences, the Home Office said.

The trio were drafted in to work as security guards at St James' Park, Newcastle, but were arrested on Wednesday - just 24 hours before the Mexico and South Korea match at the stadium.

The three were employed by a private security firm, but were not G4S staff, a Home Office spokesman said.

He added: "These arrests show that UK Border Agency security checks are working.

"The responsibility for ensuring that employees have the right to work in the UK rests with the employer.

"The UK Border Agency is working closely with employers and contractors at Olympics venues to prevent illegal working."

Staff from the UK Border Agency made the arrests alongside officers from Northumbria Police after acting on intelligence and carrying out routine checks.

The Home Office were unable to release the nationalities or ages of those arrested.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "On Wednesday, July 25, officers carried out a number of arrests in conjunction with the UK Border Agency in connection with suspected immigration offences."

Two men admit pig cruelty charges

Two men have admitted animal cruelty after an undercover investigation revealed them beating pigs with plastic pipes and a metal bar.

Geoffrey Towell, 54, and James Dove, 27, both from Norfolk, were exposed hitting the animals on Harling Farm in an investigation carried out by animal rights group Animal Equality.

The organisation said Towell, from East Harling, pleaded guilty at Norfolk Magistrates' Court to five counts of cruelty to pigs and piglets, contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006, by hitting five sows with a plastic pipe - one 35 times - unlawfully killing three pigs by hitting them on the head with a metal bar, and using unnecessary force to handle piglets.

He also admitted one charge of failing to protect pigs from pain and suffering by lifting pigs by the ears and dropping them from waist height.

Dove, from Wymondham, pleaded guilty to two charges of cruelty by hitting sows with a plastic pipe and throwing pigs over a barrier - contrary to Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

He also admitted two charges of failing to protect pigs from suffering by lifting them with excessive force, lifting pigs by the ear and leg, dropping them to the ground and kicking them while moving them - contrary to Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Animal Equality said Towell's defence lawyer, Jamieson Plummer, said "dispatching" of pigs by hitting them with a blunt instrument was not uncommon, but said his client was "ashamed" at the way it had been carried out.

The case was adjourned for sentencing until August 17 so probation reports can be prepared.

Animal Equality spokeswoman Laura Gough said: "We are pleased that the people responsible for the harrowing scenes we documented on this farm, have been brought before the courts for the suffering they inflicted on pigs.

"Although laws are clearly insufficient to protect animals, we consider it's important to use the little protection animals have to generate a debate on their exploitation. Nothing can erase what these individual animals went through. We maintain that the only way to stop this abuse from happening is to not demand animal products."

Warning over pupil premium's impact

The Government's flagship pupil premium could have a limited impact on the poor children it is designed to help, a charity has suggested.

Less than 3% of teachers say they are planning to use the money to allow pupils to teach their classmates and to give good feedback on students' performance, according to a report by the Sutton Trust.

But these are the most cost-effective measures, and if done properly, are likely to boost pupils' achievement, claimed the trust.

Their new report draws on a survey of almost 1,700 primary and secondary teachers, who were asked how they plan to spend the pupil premium money that their school receives.

The premium, a key initiative for the coalition Government, is extra funding attached to disadvantaged children, following them as they move schools. It is given to pupils eligible for free school meals - a measure of poverty - with the aim of closing the achievement gap between richer and poorer youngsters.

The new findings show that 15% of those questioned say reducing class sizes is their top priority for extra spending, with 16% saying they will focus on early intervention schemes. One in 10 said that more one-to-one tuition will be the top priority, with 13% citing additional teaching assistants or teachers, and 8% saying pupil premium funding will be used to offset budget cuts elsewhere.

But more than one in four (28%) said that they did not know what the top priority was for spending pupil premium funding. Just 2% said it would be used to improve feedback between teachers and pupils, with less than 1% saying they will introduce peer-to-peer tutoring schemes.

The trust said its teaching and learning toolkit, created with the Education Endowment Foundation, shows that these two schemes, if implemented well, can boost pupils' performance by the equivalent of an extra eight or nine months in a school year.

Chairman Sir Peter Lampl said: "If the billions of pounds allocated through the pupil premium are to genuinely help improve the results of poorer children then we need to ensure that teachers receive the best guidance on what works in the classroom."

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We trust professionals on the front line to do what is best for their pupils. We will not tell teachers how to spend the pupil premium, but we will hold them to account for what they achieve with it. From September, schools will have to publish information showing how they have spent the pupil premium and what the impact of that spend was in narrowing the gap between rich and poor students."