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Ed Miliband pays tribute to 'tireless fighter' Bob Crow
Labour leader Ed Miliband paid tribute to RMT union leader Bob Crow, who died today aged 52. Writing on Twitter, Mr Miliband said he respected his "tireless commitment to fighting for the men and women in his union".
Bob Crow was a major figure in the labour movement and was loved and deeply respected by his members.
I didn’t always agree with him politically but I always respected his tireless commitment to fighting for the men and women in his union.
Watch: One of the last interviews with RMT union leader Bob Crow
Children eating too much salt, study shows
Children aged five and six are eating 0.75 grams more salt than the recommended daily amount and teens are exceeding the limit by around 1.5 grams, researchers claim.
The recommended daily levels of salt according to age are as follows:
- One to two years - 2g salt per day (0.8g sodium)
- Four to six years - 3g salt per day (1.2g sodium)
- Seven to 10 years - 5g salt per day (2g sodium)
- 11 years and over - 6g salt per day (2.4g sodium)
The study showed that 36% of children's intake of salt comes from a combination of bread-based and cereal products, while meat provided an additional 19%.
An example of salt levels in popular foods (taken from a sample of popular brands):
- Children's cereal: around 0.3g salt per 30g
- A slice of white bread: around 0.35g salt per slice
- Pork sausages: around 0.3g per sausage
- Ready salted crisps: around 0.45g per packet
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Safest approach in pregnancy is 'not to drink at all'
Women have been told the safest approach in pregnancy is to not drink at all after a recent study found that more than half of women exceed the recommended drinking limits during the first three months of pregnancy.
The Royal College of Obstetricians issued the following advice:
- The safest approach in pregnancy is to choose not to drink at all
- No more than one to two units have been shown to be harmful
- Drinking one to two units no more than once or twice a week has been shown to be harmful
- One unit of alcohol is equivalent of a half a pint of lager or beer, a glass of wine or a single shot of a spirit
- Drinking five or more units of alcohol on one occasion is known as binge drinking
- Regular binge drinking particularly in the early stages, is harmful to a woman and her baby
Oscar Pistorius' head in his hands during murder trial
Read: Oscar Pistorius 'wanted friend to take blame for car shooting'
One of the last interviews with RMT union leader
In one of his last television interviews, RMT union leader Bob Crow spoke to ITV News Meridian on Saturday at a gathering of union members in Brighton to mark the 30th anniversary of the Miners' Strike.
MPs to debate on hospital closure measure at 3pm
MPs will debate a controversial measure that would give ministers the power to close local hospital services in financially failing NHS Trusts.
Read: Labour appeals to MPs over power to close hospitals
Labour has said it will vote against the measure, clause 119, when it is debated later this afternoon. Labour whips said on Twitter that the debate is due to take place at 3pm, and the vote will take place at 6pm.
For those asking when #clause119 will be debated - expect debate to start about 3pm with vote/s at 6pm - will provide usual full analysis
More: NHS should be run for 'clinical not financial reasons'
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Interpol release new image of MH370 passengers
Interpol have released a new image of two Iranian nationals who used stolen passports to board the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.
Delavar Seyed Mohammadreza, pictured at the front, and Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad have been identified by the authorities who do not believe terrorism was linked to the incident.
IMAGE: MH370 passengers who travelled on passports previously declared stolen and recorded in INTERPOL's databases. http://t.co/vpIK4ByOZA
Read: Interpol believe missing plane 'is not linked to terrorism'
Bob Crow: East London track worker to union leader
- Born in east London, Crow moved to Essex as a toddler and left school at 16
- His first job on London Underground was as an apprentice track worker
- He became a representative for what was then the National Union of Railwaymen aged 20
- He took part in a nationwide day of action in 1980 ordered by the TUC, and the next strike he took part in was on the Tube, the day after returning from his honeymoon in 1982
- He took up his role as general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union in 2002, and led several strikes during his tenure, most recently last month in protest at closure of ticket offices.
He was not afraid of leading his members into industrial action, as he said himself:
I don't shirk from taking industrial action. Our job is to negotiate the best pay and conditions.
Industrial action is the last resort and you don't take it lightly - but when you start you don't finish until you have won. That's what I have been brought up on.
Interpol believe missing plane 'is not linked to terrorism'
Interpol secretary general has said he believes the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines plane is not a terrorist incident.
"The more information we get, the more we are inclined to conclude it is not a terrorist incident," Ronald Noble said.
He said the two men had swapped their passports in Kuala Lumpur to use stolen Austrian and Italian passports to board the missing flight.
Authorities have identified the men as Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad, 19, and Delavar Seyed Mohammadreza.
Union leader never afraid to fight for his members
Bob Crow, who was 52, was one of the most high-profile left-wing union leaders of his generation, and a passionate defender of the rights and working conditions of members of his RMT union.
Read: Bob Crow 'did the best for his members'
Never afraid of controversy, he sparked as much anger from passengers hit by rail and Tube strikes as praise from his members for winning pay rises.
Watch: Bob Crow warns 950 jobs will be lost if TFL go ahead with plans to close offices
He was constantly involved in industrial disputes and campaigns and led a walkout by London Underground workers last month in a dispute over ticket office closures.
