Other UK News In Brief

Appeal Launched To Trace Missing Boy

Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a 12-year-old boy after he went missing from the Camden area. Rasiel Marino was last seen at his home address in north west London at 8.15am on Wednesday as he left for school in Haverstock Hill, but he did not arrive. He is approximately 5ft tall of medium build and of mixed-race appearance. He was last seen wearing black school trousers and a polo shirt with the Haverstock School name on it. Police are becoming increasingly concerned for Rasiel's welfare. Anyone who has any information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Camden police.

BECTU Challenges BBC Academy Cuts Plan

BECTU officials will meet with BBC Academy management on Friday as part of an agreed consultation. The BBC Academy is proposing cuts in staffing which BECTU believes “are so severe and focused on the wrong targets, that if implemented, the Academy would not have sufficient capacity which, in turn, would be both business and broadcast damaging.” The Academy’s management is working towards making 35 per cent savings equivalent to a cut of some £10m in its annual budget. More than half of the required savings (£5.5m) derive from Delivering Quality First, the controversial efficiency programme announced earlier this year by Director-General, Mark Thompson, after agreement with government on a standstill licence fee until 2016. Two meetings are scheduled currently to address the proposals following a trawl to identify staff interested in voluntary redundancy which closed on 30 June. Officials and management will meet tomorrow and then again on 18 July.

New Police Station At Heathrow Unveiled

The new nerve centre for policing at Heathrow is to be unveiled today, with the official opening of the Met's newest police station at Polar Park. In a ceremony today, Sir Paul Stephenson, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, along with Graham Speed, Independent Member of the Metropolitan Police Authority - leading on estates issues for the Authority, will be unveiling a commemorative plaque to mark the opening of the new headquarters of Heathrow's Specialist Operations Aviation Command, SO18. The new police station at Polar Park is now home to all of the command's specialist teams, who work in baggage crime, human smuggling, along with all forms of airport related crime - allowing more streamlined operations. The new building has 30 of the UK's most modern custody cells to date, along with a number of medical and interview rooms, and a state-of-the-art control room and 'Silver' suite, crucial in the management of major incidents. For the first time, a Safer Neighbourhoods Team, Heathrow Villages, will be based at the building, combining community and bespoke aviation policing.

(BMcN/KMcA)