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The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned against focusing solely on economic woes as he described children and the most vulnerable as the "real treasure" and wealth of society.

Dr Rowan Williams acknowledged anxiety and insecurity prompted by fears about job losses, disappearing savings and house repossessions in the face of the economic downturn. But in his pre-recorded New Year Message, to be broadcast on Thursday, he said that "our hearts would be in a very bad way" if we concentrated on the state of our finances to the exclusion of the welfare of fellow human beings.

He spoke of the plight of child soldiers in Africa and street children in Latin America as well as UK children who are damaged by poverty, family instability and abuse.

Children need to be taken seriously as "fellow inhabitants of the globe", he said, and as growing human beings whom we approach with "respect and patience" and from whom we ought to learn.

One of the most damning criticisms of any society would be that it was failing its children, he added.

He said: "So what about a New Year in which we try and ask consistently about our own personal decisions and about public policies, national and international, 'Does this feel like something that looks after our real treasure, something that keeps our real wealth safe - the lives and welfare of the youngest and most vulnerable?'

"Jesus said where our treasure is, that's where our hearts will be. Our hearts will be in a very bad way if they're focused only on the state of our finances. They'll be healthy if they are capable of turning outwards, looking at the real treasure that is our fellow human beings."

Dr Williams' message comes as the Children's Society prepares to publish The Good Childhood Inquiry report early next month, an independent inquiry into the state of childhood.

Dr Williams is a president of the charity and patron of the inquiry. The Archbishop's Message is delivered on BBC One at 1.30pm and again on BBC Two at 6.55pm on New Year's Day.

-Nova

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Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for an urgent ceasefire amid the "humanitarian crisis" in Gaza.

He said aid was now getting through to the Palestinian territory, which has been pounded by five days of Israeli air strikes.

Mr Brown said: "It is vital that moderation must now prevail - there's a humanitarian crisis."

The Prime Minister's comments were made as international pressure grew for a ceasefire in Gaza, where hundreds of people have been killed.

Mr Brown said: "I have talked to the prime minister of Israel and had assurances from him that there will be access for humanitarian reasons to get stocks in, to get supplies to people in Gaza and to help with the casualties.

"We have now set aside 10 million dollars of aid so that will happen. I have some indication that aid is now getting through.

"Of course, the second thing we've got to do is secure an immediate and urgent ceasefire."

The Prime Minister said he had talked to leaders on both sides about a set of proposals put forward for the Palestinian territory.

Mr Brown continued: "The Arab League ministers are discussing them now. I believe that this is the best opportunity for a ceasefire and for peace. I believe that the various forces involved should seize this opportunity now."

The Prime Minister added: "I believe this offers the best way forward, including the guarantee of humanitarian aid. I urge all the sides involved to seize these opportunities now."

-Nova

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A human head has been found in a bag by a woman while she was out walking.

The discovery was made in the Newhaven area of Edinburgh. Lothian and Borders Police have launched an investigation.

It is thought the head may be several years old and it is not known how long it has been there. Police said the remains appeared to be mummified.

A police spokesman said: "Obviously we are at the very early stages of this investigation, and at the moment we are trying to establish the identity of the deceased.

"At this stage it would appear that the remains are a number of years old, although it can't be said for certain how old they are until the necessary tests are carried out.

"At this stage (the) cause of death is unknown, and we will continue our inquiries in order to establish how the remains have came to be on the footpath."

The head was found on a public footpath at Hawthornvale and the woman who found it called the police.

Officers are currently carrying out forensic examinations at the scene, and the area has been cordoned off while investigations take place.

They appealed for anyone with information that can help them establish the identity of the deceased or how the remains came to be there to contact them on 0131 3113131 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

-Nova

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A man was murdered before his body was dumped at the side of a motorway and set on fire.

Warwickshire Police said the victim, aged between 45 and 75, died after suffering substantial head injuries.

His body was then left on an embankment on the eastbound M45 near Dunchurch, Rugby, Warwickshire, and set alight.

The victim was found after a driver travelling on the westbound carriageway reported seeing a fire at about 1.15pm on Tuesday.

Detectives launched a murder investigation as a team of 15 police officers conducted a search of a remote six-mile stretch of the motorway.

The body was so badly burned that the man's identity and ethnicity remains unknown.

Detective Superintendent Adrian McGee, who is leading the investigation, said officers were examining CCTV footage.

A post-mortem examination carried out at University Hospital in Coventry revealed that the man had suffered substantial head injuries and was dead prior to his body being dumped and set alight.

The M45 was closed for 24 hours in both directions between its junction with the A45, near Rugby, and its link to junction 17 of the M1.

Officers are appealing to anyone who saw anything suspicious, such as a vehicle parked at the side of the road on Tuesday afternoon, to contact them.

-Nova

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Two Iraqis accused of murdering two British soldiers have been handed over to the Baghdad government by UK forces in defiance of the European Court of Human Rights.

Defence Secretary John Hutton said Faisal Al-Saadoon, 56, and Khalaf Mufdhi, 58, were transferred by British forces who had been holding them in Basra after a Court of Appeal ruling on Tuesday.

The transfer went ahead despite a last minute bid by the Human Rights Court in Strasbourg to block it with an injunction effectively suspending the Court of Appeal's decision.

The men, who now face trial in an Iraqi court, are suspected of involvement in the murder of Staff Sergeant Simon Cullingworth and Sapper Luke Allsopp.

Mr Hutton said: "After December 31, 2008, the UK had no legal power to detain any individuals in Iraq and continued detention would be a breach of the UK's international law obligations.

"The European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg has asked the UK to retain custody in Iraq of Mr Al Saadoon and Mr Mufdhi when we have no legal power to do so. Compliance with Strasbourg requests would normally be a matter of course but these are exceptional circumstances," Mr Hutton added.

The men had argued that the transfer would violate their human rights because of the risk of torture while in Iraqi custody, the risk of an unfair trial and the risk of the death penalty - all outlawed by the Human Rights Convention, to which the UK is a signatory.

Sgt Cullingworth, 36, and Sapper Allsopp, 24, were caught in an ambush on the outskirts of the town of Al Zubayr during the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

They were dragged from their Land Rover to a local Baath Party HQ and then to an Iraqi intelligence base where they were shot.

Sapper Allsopp, from north London, and Sgt Cullingworth, from Essex, were both in the 33 Engineer Regiment - a specialist bomb disposal unit of the Royal Engineers.

-Nova