A man who raped a 12-week-old baby has had his six-year jail term increased to eight by the Court of Appeal. The five-year-sentence originally imposed on Alan Webster’s accomplice Tanya French will remain, judges said. Webster, 40, was sentenced to life in January but was eligible to apply for parole after six years. French, 19, was jailed for five years.

A former professor of medical ethics has called for all forms of euthanasia to be legalised. Len Doyal, ex-member of the British Medical Association’s ethics committee, said doctor-assisted deaths did take place and should be better regulated.

A summary of responses to the consultation on the criminalisation of forced marriage was published today by the Government’s Forced Marriage Unit (FMU), as part of its ongoing programme of work to tackle the issue.

The quality of NHS care is continuing to improve, with maximum waits for operations down to six months and more than nine out of ten A&E patients seen within four hours, reports acting chief executive of the NHS, Sir Ian Carruthers, in his first six-month report published today.

The NHS deficit has reached £512m – more than double the amount last year. The unaudited figure for the 2005-6 financial year is £100m less than mid-year forecasts, prompting ministers to say the crisis had stabilised.

Care home managers will be better able to provide the best levels of treatment and support for residents at the end of life thanks to the availability of a new guide which provides details about practical steps that can be taken to improve care.