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Northern Ireland Bomb: Family's Lucky Escape

Written By Unknown on Senin, 31 Desember 2012 | 18.25

A policeman in Northern Ireland targeted by a car bomb was taking his family for Sunday lunch when he found the device, it has emerged.

Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton revealed that the officer was going out with his wife and two young children when he checked his car as a matter of routine.

He found the bomb - believed to have been planted by dissident republicans - underneath his vehicle outside his home in Belfast.

The property is close to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) headquarters at Knock and the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.

"If that officer had not checked his car, we would have been looking at a murder or multiple murders," Mr Hamilton told a press conference as he appealed for witnesses to come forward.

An rmy robot examines a suspect device in east Belfast Army robot used to examine the device

"We believe the consequences of this would have been absolutely devastating for the officer, his family, for the police family and for the communities across Northern Ireland.

"For some reason, those people who are anti-peace, who are still hanging on to the past, who aren't prepared to move forward, have tried to murder this officer and his family.

"We consider that completely repugnant. It's inhumane. By any standards in any society, this is wrong and we utterly condemn this attack."

He warned that there was a severe threat level across Northern Ireland and appealed to officers to be vigilant and check under their cars.

It is hoped that the bomb will be useful as evidence because it was discovered and did not engage.

Justice minister David Ford said: "It is ironic that this latest attack was carried out so close to Stormont, where those who are democratically elected seek to move matters forward through debate.

Map of Belfast showing Upper Newtownards Road The bomb was planted on Upper Newtownards Road

"The people responsible for this and other recent attacks have no mandate and speak for no one. They need to recognise the futility of their campaign and respect the wishes of the vast majority of our community who want an end to all violent acts."

Dissidents have repeatedly targeted security force members in recent years.

Over the last five years there have been 115 arrests and 35 charges and 64 officers have had to leave their homes, a police spokesman said.

In November, long-serving prison officer David Black, 52, was shot dead in a motorway ambush in Co Armagh as he drove to work.

A group styling itself the "new IRA" claimed that attack. The faction was formed in the summer when a number of splinter groups joined forces.

In April 2011 newly qualified police officer Ronan Kerr, 25, died when a dissident booby trap car bomb exploded under his vehicle at his home in Omagh.


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Hillary Clinton In Hospital With Blood Clot

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been admitted to hospital after the discovery of a blood clot stemming from an accident earlier this month.

Mrs Clinton, 65, initially fell ill with a stomach bug that led to her fainting and sustaining a concussion. Officials had insisted she was recovering.

But her spokesman Philippe Reines said in a statement: "In the course of a follow-up exam today (Sunday), Secretary Clinton's doctors discovered a blood clot had formed, stemming from the concussion she sustained several weeks ago.

"She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New York Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours.

"Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion. They will determine if any further action is required."

Mrs Clinton has been off work since her return from her last foreign trip on December 7, although her staff have said she was working from home.

Her lengthy absence from public life had sparked claims from critics that she is trying to avoid testifying in a congressional investigation into a deadly attack on a US mission in Libya.

Earlier this month, the State Department said Mrs Clinton had contracted a bad stomach virus during her five-day stay in Europe. She had to cancel a planned trip to North Africa and Abu Dhabi due to the illness.

A week later, Mrs Clinton's doctors said she had become severely dehydrated due to the effects of the stomach bug and had fainted, suffering a concussion.

They recommended she rest at home and avoid the high-intensity travel she had been accustomed to taking as secretary of state.

US President Barack Obama and Senator John Kerry Mr Obama (L) announcing Mr Kerry's (R) nomination as secretary of state

Mrs Clinton has flown almost a million miles since taking office four years ago, visited 112 countries and spent some 400 days in a plane.

Her health kept her from giving evidence on December 20 about the attack on the US diplomatic post in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on September 11.

The assault, in which the US ambassador and three other American officials were killed, sparked a political firestorm in the United States, and Republicans criticised Mrs Clinton's absence from the hearings, calling on her to testify in January.

Mrs Clinton, who is due to step down from her post in early 2013, also stayed away from the White House last week when President Barack Obama nominated her replacement, veteran Senator John Kerry.


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Auckland Kicks Off The New Year Knees Up

The countdown to 2013 has begun with a spectacular fireworks display in Auckland, New Zealand.

Crowds packed the city centre to watch the annual event at the city's Sky Tower, ensuring the new year was seen in with a bang.

There had been concerns that poor weather might hinder the pyrotechnic display but conditions held up and revellers were treated to a dazzling display of lights.

In London, the night sky is set to be illuminated with pyrotechnics to round-off a momentous year in the capital city.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who has organised the event, said: "Our New Year's Eve fireworks will cap a triumphant year for London.

"As we welcomed the world to the magnificent celebrations for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the glorious success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, London was at its very best.

Fireworks explode over London to celebrate the start of 2012 Last year's London celebrations saw Big Ben lit up

"From the thrilling sporting action to the breathtaking cultural celebrations, it has been an unforgettable year and I am immensely proud o the contribution that our Ambassadors made to that success.

"As we go into 2013 with a spectacular fireworks display I hope we can build on that energy and enthusiasm to make ours the best big city in the world."

Up to 250,000 people are expected to crowd on to the banks of the Thames to watch the display, with millions more seeing it on television.

Following their hard work during the London 2012 Games, more than 150 of the mayor's 'Team London Ambassadors' will volunteer at the event to help ensure it is a success.

They will be giving out maps, helping direct people to the viewing areas, and providing guidance and advice on getting home safely.

Scots rockers Simple Minds will be headlining the Hogmanay concert and street party in Edinburgh.

The View, Bwani Junction, Reverend and the Makers and The OK Social Club will also be playing to an anticipated crowd of 80,000, and fireworks will be set off to mark the start of 2013.

New Year fireworks in Sydney Sydney's fireworks are expected to be bigger than last year

Celebrations got under way in the city last night with a torchlight procession. A record crowd estimated at 35,000, including 7,000 torch carriers, were led by the massed pipes and drums and the Up Helly Aa' Vikings from Shetland.

The procession made its way through the city streets to the burning of the effigy of a Viking boat and a spectacular Son et Lumiere display on Calton Hill.

The central Pacific Ocean island of Kiritimati (Christmas Island) and the eastern-most island in the island nation of Kiribati were the first to usher in the new year at 1000 GMT.

Sydney will be the first major world city to see in the new year at 1300 GMT, with some 1.5 million people expected to attend the city's events.

As one of the largest new year events in the world, the traditional firework show on the Sydney Harbour Bridge will display more than 100,000 firework patterns, costing 6.5m Australian dollars (£4.2m).

American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the US in the southern Pacific Ocean, will be the last place on Earth to herald in the new year on Tuesday at 1100 GMT.


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Russia Plane Crash: Video Of Moment Of Impact

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 30 Desember 2012 | 18.25

Video footage shows the moment a passenger aircraft crashed into a motorway in Russia after it overshot the runway.

The footage, captured from a vehicle on the motorway, shows luggage and other debris flying from the aircraft and hitting other cars on the road as the plane smashed into the ground.

Louds bangs can also be heard as the plane impacted with the ground and the cars were hit by the wreckage.

Four people - the pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and a flight steward - were killed in the crash and another four seriously injured after the aircraft overshot a runway at Moscow's Vnukovo airport.

The Red Wing Airlines aircraft burst through a perimeter fence on to the motorway at Russia's third busiest airport.

Officials said the Tu-204 plane - travelling from the Czech Republic - was carrying eight crew members and no passengers. It broke into pieces and caught fire after crashing.

Russia Plane Crash The passenger plane was sheared in two

The cockpit of the aircraft was sheared off from the fuselage and a large chunk gashed out near the tail during the impact.

Witnesses told state channel Rossiya-24 they saw a man thrown from the plane as it rammed into the barrier of the motorway and described pulling other people from the wreckage.

The airport was closed after the crash and flights were routed to Moscow's other airports, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo.

Prior to Saturday's crash, there had been no fatal accidents reported for Tu-204s, which entered commercial service in 1995.

The plane is a twin-engine mid-range jet with room to carry about  210 passengers.

Investigators said preliminary findings pointed to pilot error as the cause of the crash.

Russia Air Crash Vnukovo is Russia's third biggest airport

The billionaire owner of Red Wing Airlines, Alexander Lebedev, said the pilot was experienced, with 14,500 hours of flying time.

The state news agency RIA Novosti cited an unidentified official at the Russian Aviation Agency as saying another Tu-204 had gone off the runway at the international airport in Novosibirsk, Siberia, on December 20.

The agency said that incident, in which no one was injured, was due to the failure of the plane's engines to go into reverse upon landing and that its brake system malfunctioned.

Russia and other former Soviet republics have some of the world's worst air traffic safety records - with a total accident rate three times the world average, according to the International Air Transport Association.

In April, 31 people were killed after a passenger jet crashed after takeoff in Siberia.

Another 44 people, including the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team, were killed when their aircraft smashed into a riverbank in September 2011.


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Gang Rape Victim Cremated In New Delhi

The body of a woman who was gang raped on a bus in New Delhi has been cremated at a private ceremony held amid tight security.

The 23-year-old medical student was savagely beaten and raped for almost an hour before being thrown out of the moving vehicle.

She was transferred to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for specialist treatment, but later died from severe organ failure.

Her body was flown back to India from Changi Airport with her parents, who were at her bedside when she was pronounced dead.

At the brief cremation ceremony in the southwestern Dwarka district of the city, the funeral pyre was lit after relatives and friends said their final prayers.

According to several mourners, the student was due in February to marry her boyfriend, who was injured in the same attack.

Indian residents Meena Rai (L) and Usharai (R) outside cremation ground Mourner Meena Rai (L) says the victim was planning to get married

"They had made all the wedding preparations and had planned a wedding party in Delhi," Meena Rai, who had been shopping with the victim for wedding outfits, was reported as saying.

The funeral took place just hours after police said the six accused of murdering the student could face the death penalty if convicted.

Sky's India Correspondent Alex Rossi said: "The general thinking behind it as far as the prosecution service is concerned is that the way she was treated on that bus, the manner in which she was subjected to such a brutal attack, the fact that she was thrown from the bus whilst it was still moving and was unconscious suggests that they're fairly confident now that there was pre-meditation in the attack."

INDIA-RAPE-PROTEST Thousands take part in a candlelight vigil for the victim in New Delhi

Her uncle has called for those responsible to be given the "strictest possible sentence".

"This is a very sad day, and a very very sad happening," he said. "My condolences are with my niece's family."

Sonia Ghandi, the president of India's National Congress, has promised to fight for change.

She said: "(The death) strengthens our resolve to fight with all our might, and all the powers of our laws and our administration, for the safety and protection of all women of our country, and to ensure swift and fitting punishment for the perpetrators of such brutal acts."

INDIA-RAPE-PROTEST Police had braced for violent protests, but most passed of peacefully

More than 1,000 protesters gathered in New Delhi city centre for a sit-in, demanding political change to protect women from violence.

Thousands more took part in a candlelight vigil.

The area is home to the president's palace, the prime minister's office and key defence, foreign affairs and home ministries.

Authorities feared a repeat of demonstrations a week ago, where police fired tear gas and water cannon at activists after violence broke out.

Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said: "We have booked all six accused under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

A member of the Rapid Action Force pulls a barricade to close a road leading to the India Gate in New Delhi The horrific crime has sparked an angry debate over women's safety in India

"It is a non-bailable offence which carries the death sentence."

Formal charges are expected to be filed by January 3.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was deeply saddened by the woman's death and described the reaction to the case as "perfectly understandable from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change".

"It would be a true homage to her memory if we are able to channel these emotions and energies into a constructive course of action," he added.

After boarding a bus on December 16, the student was attacked by the men who took turns raping her and assaulted her with an iron bar before they threw her off the moving vehicle.


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Cameron: Britain 'On Right Track' For 2013

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

David Cameron has used his New Year's message to declare that Britain is "heading in the right direction" on all the big issues and can look forward to 2013 with "realism and optimism".

In a video address, the Prime Minister acknowledged 2012 was "tough", with many families finding it difficult to make ends meet - and admitted he had "no quick fixes" to the UK's economic problems.

But he cited evidence of "real progress" on cutting the state deficit, reforming welfare and improving school standards, which he said was preparing Britain to succeed in the "global race" with emerging economic giants like China and India for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

Mr Cameron said that his administration was "a Government in a hurry" which would not give in to pressure to slow the pace of deficit reduction or rein in reforms to welfare and education.

"This is my message to the country at the start of 2013," said the Prime Minister. "We can look to the future with realism and optimism.

"Realism, because you can't cure problems that were decades in the making overnight. There are no quick fixes and I wouldn't claim otherwise.

"But we can be optimistic too because we are making tangible progress. We are doing what's right for our country and what's best for our children's future."

Insisting that "we are on the right track", Mr Cameron said: "On all the big issues that matter to Britain, we are heading in the right direction and I have the evidence to prove it."

The deficit is forecast to be a quarter smaller at the New Year than it was when the coalition Government came to office. There are almost half a million more people in work, and more than 1,000 new academy schools have opened, said Mr Cameron.

And he hailed moves to take millions of low-paid workers out of income tax, freeze council tax bills and deliver the largest-ever increase in the state pension.

"This is, quite simply, a Government in a hurry," said Mr Cameron. "And there's a reason for that.

"Britain is in a global race to succeed today. It is a race with countries like China, India and Indonesia; a race for the jobs and opportunities of the future.

"So, when people say we can slow down on cutting our debts, we are saying no. We can't win in this world with a great millstone of debt round our necks.

"When people say we've got to stop our welfare reforms because somehow it is cruel to expect people to work, we are saying no. Getting people into good jobs is absolutely vital, not just for them, but for all of us.

"And when there is a fight on our hands to change our schools, we are ready and willing to have it, because having a world-class education is the only way our children are going to get on in this world."

He added: "This is what this Government is about: making sure Britain succeeds in this global race and, above all, helping our people succeed - the people who work hard and aspire to a better life for their families."

The message steered clear of the debates over Britain's future in the European Union - due to feature in a long-awaited speech by the Prime Minister in the coming weeks - and gay marriage, which have driven divisions through the Conservative Party over the past year.

Instead Mr Cameron looked back on 2012 as "an extraordinary year for our country", characterised by the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the successful Olympics and Paralympics.

In response, Labour vice chair Michael Dugher said: "It's a case of more of the same from David Cameron.

"In his New Year message, Cameron talks of people who work hard in this country but he's the one hitting hard-working families on lower and middle incomes whilst cutting taxes for millionaires.

"David Cameron stands for the old divide and rule Tory approach of the past - he can't be the One Nation Prime Minister Britain needs.

"Cameron promised change but nothing is changing for the better. Britain's economy is failing under his policies over the last year, with nearly one million young people out of work.

"Prices are still going up faster than wages and borrowing is going up not down, over 7% higher this year than last year.

"This Prime Minister is out of touch, he stands up for the wrong people and he's failing to deliver for working people."


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Bradley Wiggins Knighted In New Year Honours

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 29 Desember 2012 | 18.25

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Britain's gold rush during the London Olympic and Paralympic Games has led to 78 athletes and coaches being named in the New Year Honours List.

Among the top honours are knighthoods for cyclist Bradley Wiggins and yachtsman Ben Ainslie, while Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey becomes a Dame.

Dave Brailsford and David Tanner, the Performance Directors who have ensured that Britain now leads the world in cycling and rowing are also rewarded with knighthoods.

Every British athlete who won a gold medal in the Olympics or Paralympics is included in the list unless they have already been honoured in the past.

Britain's Jessica Ennis celebrates after her second jump in the women's heptathlon Group B long jump event during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium Heptathlete and face of London 2012 Jessica Ennis is awarded a CBE

So Sir Chris Hoy, who was knighted after the Beijing Games, is omitted from the list despite adding two more gold medals to his career tally of six.

Somali-born middle-distance runner Mo Farah becomes a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his stunning double gold medal performances in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

He joins four other competitors who become CBEs having previously collected the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) - rower Katherine Grainger, cyclist Victoria Pendleton, heptathlete Jessica Ennis and wheelchair athlete David Weir.

Britain's Weir celebrates after winning the Men's 800m T54 the Olympic Stadium during the London 2012 Paralympic Games in London David Weir was also given a CBE after winning four gold medals in London

Sir Bradley admitted to having mixed feelings about receiving a knighthood. Born in Kilburn, he is now almost as famous for his sideburns and Mod image as his cycling exploits.

This was the year he became the first Briton to win the Tour De France, and he also won the Olympic Time Trial title and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

He told Sky News: "It's an incredible honour and it's an incredible thing to have. It's still not something that sits incredibly easily with me, I don't think it's something I'm going to use in daily life.

"(It's) an amazing thing to have in the drawer for my wife my kids and my family. It's topped the year off really."

Dame Sarah Storey first won Paralympic gold as a swimmer, and achieved even greater success when she switched to cycling.

A birth defect means she does not have a left hand, but she also competes against able-bodied cyclists and was pushing for a place in the Olympic squad.

Britain's Ben Ainslie competes in the men's Finn class one person dinghy (heavyweight) medal race at the London 2012 Olympic Games Ben Ainslie was also knighted after winning four gold medals

"I really hope that everybody who's been connected to what I've done feels a part of what has happened," she told Sky News.

"To be honoured in this way - the top gong as you might say - you never even imagine or dream of it. It's just beyond your wildest dreams."

Her boss, Dave Brailsford, becomes Sir Dave after overseeing not just the Olympic triumphs, but the rise of Team Sky as a professional road racing team. Like Sir Bradley he is struggling to adjust to the adulation.

He said: "[It feels] very strange. On the one hand you feel proud and honoured, on the other hand it feels quite humbling really.

Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds waves during a parade of British Olympic and Paralympic athletes through LondonSarah Storey reacts after winning gold in London 2012 Paralympic games Swimmer Ellie Simmonds gets an OBE, while Sarah Storey becomes a dame

"It's a recognition for everything that's happened in cycling over a period of time. I'm the lucky one who gets recognised."

Jessica Ennis CBE told Sky News: "It sounds very surreal. It's such an honour.

"When you get involved in sport, and when I started, it certainly wasn't something that I ever thought of, so to now be in this position at 26 and be receiving a CBE is such an honour."

Cyclists Jason Kenny and his girlfriend Laura Trott end 2012 sharing four gold medals and two OBEs (Officer of the Order of the British Empire).

Andy Murray gets one not just for his Olympic victory, but also for winning the US Open.

Britain's Murray kisses trophy after defeating Serbia's Djokovic in the men's singles final match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York Andy Murray caps his Olympic gold and US Open title with an OBE

Olympic rower Katherine Grainger, double equestrian gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin and paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and paralympic horsewoman Sophie Christiansen add OBEs to the MBEs they collected following winning performances in the 2008 Beijing Games.

Christiansen told Sky News: "As athletes we work towards getting gold medals but this is the icing on the cake to be recognised."

Lord Coe, the mastermind of the Games, becomes a companion of honour, but one notable absentee from the list is film director Danny Boyle, the creator of the opening ceremony.

He appears to be one of the minority who for various reasons decline to be honoured.

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the London 2012 Olympic Games, stands on stage during a segment about the Olympic's at the Labour Party annual conference in Manchester London 2012 mastermind Lord Coe becomes a companion of honour

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Forecast Floods May Make 2012 Wettest Ever

Large parts of Britain have been told to prepare for more heavy rain, gales and possible flooding this weekend.

The Environment Agency (EA) said that the west of the UK is expected to take the brunt of further wet weather, with many areas still saturated with water from before Christmas, when floods forced many to flee their homes.

The Met Office forecast heavy rain on Saturday, and then for Sunday into Monday morning.

There are scores of flood warnings and about 200 flood alerts in place across the country, with the Midlands, the South East and South West worst affected.

Pete Fox, the EA's flood risk manager, said: "Flooding is devastating at any time of year, but particularly at Christmas. Unfortunately, more heavy rain is forecast for this weekend.

"As a result, we're urging people, particularly those in North Wales and western England, to remain vigilant to flooding.

"We're working around the clock to continue to protect homes and businesses from flooding and there are also things that people can do to protect themselves and their properties.

"If you're driving home this weekend, give yourself extra time to make your journey, check your route before travelling and avoid driving through flood water. Check the risk of flooding for your property and, if you're at risk, move valuable items to safety."

Uk weather Water levels in Worcester reached three metres last week

The warning comes as the UK teeters on the brink of this year being the soggiest since records began more than a century ago.

According to the Met Office just 1.8in (46mm) of rain is needed to fall before December 31 to make this year the wettest on record for the UK overall. 

A new record has already been set for England with 43.1in (1,095.8mm) falling between January 1 and Boxing Day.

The UK as a whole had 50.8in (1,291.2mm) of rain from January 1 to December 26. The wettest year on record for the UK is currently 2000, when 52.6in (1,337.3mm) of rain fell.

Warnings and alerts have been commonplace since the end of November when deluges flooded homes across the country, causing rivers to burst their banks and roads to become impassable.

Pockets of the UK have had to endure being cut off temporarily, with homes evacuated and residents forced to seek refuge elsewhere, while the country's public transport system has been brought to its knees.

The recent heavy rain, coupled with late-running engineering work and other problems, has meant a miserable return to work for train travellers since Thursday.

First Great Western said the main line in the South West, which has been closed since before Christmas because of flooding between Exeter St Davids and Tiverton, is expected to reopen later today.


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India Rape Death: Six Charged With Murder

Indian police have charged six men with murder, hours after a woman who was gang raped on a bus in New Delhi died in hospital.

The men could face the death penalty if convicted, in a case that has triggered protests across India.

The 23-year-old victim was savagely beaten and raped for almost an hour before being thrown out of the moving vehicle.

She was flown to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for specialist treatment, but later died from severe organ failure.

India Rape Victim The victim's body has arrived back in India from Singapore

Sky's India Correspondent Alex Rossi said: "The general thinking behind it as far as the prosecution service is concerned is that the way she was treated on that bus, the manner in which she was subjected to such a brutal attack, the fact that she was thrown from the bus whilst it was still moving and was unconscious suggests that they're fairly confident now that there was pre-meditation in the attack."

Her uncle has called for those responsible to be given the "strictest possible sentence".

"This is a very sad day, and a very very sad happening," he said. "My condolences are with my niece's family."

India Protests Indian police are braced for more protests

Crowds of protesters have gathered in New Delhi city centre for a sit-in, demanding political change to protect women from violence.

The area is home to the president's palace, the prime minister's office and key defence, foreign affairs and home ministries.

Authorities fear a repeat of demonstrations a week ago, where police fired tear gas and water cannon at activists after violence broke out.

India Protests Activists light candles in memory of the rape victim

But Daily Telegraph journalist Rahul Bedi, who is in New Delhi, said protesters were likely to remain peaceful to "avoid giving the politicians a tool" to criticise them.

"I think there's a conscious decision on the part of the protesters in the land of Gandhi to protest in a non-violent way," he added.

"These sit-ins are going to continue for a long time. This crime has shocked the country, rape is something this country has been dancing around for the last 30 or 40 years."

India Protests Police have closed-off parts of New Delhi with metal barriers

A chartered aircraft has flown the victim's body back to India, along with members of her family.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was deeply saddened by the woman's death and described the reaction to the case as "perfectly understandable from a young India and an India that genuinely desires change".

"It would be a true homage to her memory if we are able to channel these emotions and energies into a constructive course of action," he added.


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Reagan's Last-Ditch Falklands Plea Revealed

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 28 Desember 2012 | 18.25

Thatcher Stood Firm Over Falklands

Updated: 9:44am UK, Friday 28 December 2012

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

Shortly before midnight on May 31, 1982, a phone rang in Downing Street. On the other end was the US President Ronald Reagan.

More than two and a half thousand miles away, on the Falkland Islands, British Forces were preparing for the Battle of Stanley. It would be the decisive fight in the conflict and would ultimately result in a ceasefire and Argentinian surrender just two weeks later, but Mr Reagan was calling to make a last-ditch appeal to broker a truce.

He told his close friend Margaret Thatcher that diplomacy should be given a final chance of success and suggested sending a US-led international peacekeeping force to the islands. Mrs Thatcher was having none of it.

She had not dispatched a British Task Force to the Southern Atlantic to just "hand over the Queen's islands to a contact group" she told the US president. She made it clear to Mr Reagan that too many British lives had been lost and ships sunk to back away now.

The only acceptable solution for Mrs Thatcher was a full Argentinian withdrawal. Nothing less. It was a rare falling out between the two leaders and in part an indication of divided opinion within the Washington administration but Mrs Thatcher made clear to Mr Reagan that without America's help Britain had been forced to go it alone and so Britain would call the shots - negotiation was not an option.

Days later the prime minister wrote a telegram to General Galtieri, the Argentinian leader: "In a few days the British flag will be flying over Port Stanley. In a few days also your eyes and mine will be reading the casualty lists.

"On my side, grief will be tempered by the knowledge that these men died for freedom, justice and the rule of law. And on your side? Only you can answer that question."

The telegram was never sent. Her confident prediction of British victory was correct.

The newly released files, held in secret by the National Archive under the 30-year rule, also reveal that a British air attaché stationed in Brazil, uncovered a plot by Libya to supply arms to Argentina during the conflict. With the help of a source at Recife Airport in Brazil he discovered that Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was using the South American country as a dropping off point to fly weapons into neighbouring Argentina.

At one point, under the cover of darkness, the attaché came within five yards of a Aerolineas Argentinas plane on the tarmac. He reported seeing a nervous and armed crew guarding the plane, and the aircraft's Captain talking with the Argentinian Consul to Brazil.

George Harding, the British Ambassador in Brasilia at the time, warned against taking any direct action for fear of an "immediate and adverse" reaction from Brazil. Instead the Foreign Office leaked the information out through another country in order to publicly embarrass Brazil.

The Falklands conflict tested relations with a number of other countries.

Although publicly grateful for French support, realisation that Argentina was attacking British ships with French-made Exocet missiles strained the Anglo-French friendship to breaking point.

Mrs Thatcher asked President Francois Mitterrand for assurances that no Exocet missiles would fall into Argentinian hands. Mr Mitterand agreed but within days British intelligence had discovered an order from Peru of four Exocet missiles.

Even the French security services agreed with their UK counterparts that the missiles would inevitably end up in Argentina, but Mr Mitterand, who had originally agreed to delay the shipment until the conflict was over, was put under pressure by the Peruvian government. They had told other Latin American countries that France was stalling with the order and agreeing to Britain's demands, thereby threatening all French contracts with countries in the region.

Mrs Thatcher's reaction was close to apoplectic.

"If it became known, as it certainly would, that France was now releasing weapons to Peru that would certainly be passed on to Argentina for use against us, France's ally, this would have a devastating effect on the relationship between our two countries," she wrote in a telegram to Mr Mitterand.

"Indeed, it would have a disastrous effect on the alliance (Nato) as a whole. This is the last thing that either of us would wish. I greatly hope therefore that for the time being you will be able to find some way of keeping these missiles in France."

The threat worked. France informed Peru the delivery would be delayed. The explanation given? "Political reasons".


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Jimmy Savile's 'Love' For Margaret Thatcher

A note written by Jimmy Savile declaring his love for Margaret Thatcher shows how he tried to enlist support for a hospital where he is known to have abused vulnerable people.

In what now appear to be chilling references, Savile refers in the letter to the excitement of his "girl patients" and "paralyzed (sic) lads" at Stoke Mandeville Hospital following a lunch with Thatcher in 1980.

The letter is among a series of previously secret files released to the National Archives in Kew, south west London and show the former Top Of The Pops presenter's communications with the PM as he tried to enlist support for his work to renovate Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

The DJ, awarded a knighthood in 1990 for charitable services, received widespread praise for his work with the hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

But it has since emerged to be one of a series of places where Savile preyed on vulnerable people, abusing them over decades.

An ITV documentary aired on October 4 prompted hundreds of people across the country to come forward about the abuse they say they suffered at Savile's hands.

In his letter to Mrs Thatcher the star spoke of the reaction of his "girl patients" and "paralyzed lads" to his lunch date with her.

Hand-written on "Jim's 'Daily Dozen' paper", it bears the address Flat 84, 22 Park Crescent, W1.

It reads: "Dear Prime Minister. I waited a week before writing to thank you for my lunch invitation because I had such a superb time I didn't want to be too effusive.

"My girl patients pretended to be madly jealous + wanted to know what you wore + what you ate. All the paralyzed lads called me 'Sir James' all week. They all love you. Me too!!

"Jimmy Savile OBE xxx."

The previously unseen documents reveal Savile's regular communications with Mrs Thatcher and Number 10, including his request for a Government contribution to Stoke Mandeville.

The following year there were discussions about Savile's suggestion of a Government contribution to Stoke Mandeville.

The matter is debated in further letters as where the money should come from is discussed.

In December 1981 it was decided the Government would give £500,000 to the Stoke Mandeville Appeal.


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Pensioner Dies After Midnight Mass Attack

A man has died after being attacked while on his way to midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

Alan Greaves, 68, from Sheffield, was found on the pavement close to his home.

South Yorkshire Police said Mr Greaves died last night in the city's Northern General Hospital.

Mr Greaves, a father of four from High Green, died from head injuries.

Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick said: "Mr Greaves appears to have suffered a brutal attack after leaving his home address to attend midnight mass.

"At this stage, the motive is unclear. I want to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident. If you know who did this, please come forward and offer your support to the family at this difficult time."

The Sheffield Star newspaper has reported that Mr Greaves was on his way to play the organ at the service at St Saviours C of E church when he was attacked at around 11pm.


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George HW Bush: Condition Worsens In Hospital

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 27 Desember 2012 | 18.25

The health of former US President George HW Bush has worsened and he is in intensive care with a "stubborn fever".

Mr Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit on Sunday and has been put on a liquids-only diet.

He has been battling bronchitis for the last month and has been in and out of hospital.

Spokesman Jim McGrath: "It's an elevated fever, so it's actually gone up in the last day or two. It's a stubborn fever that won't go away.

"He's had a series of setbacks now that have landed him in guarded condition in the intensive care unit."

Mr Bush had been making a good recovery early last week, he added.

Mr Bush, a Republican, served a single term in the White House from 1989 to 1993, despite sending US forces to victory in Iraq in the first Gulf War, expelling Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait.

He had previously served as Vice President to Ronald Reagan, from 1981 to 1989. His son George W Bush became president of the United States in 2001, serving two terms.

Mr Bush Snr was first admitted to Methodist Hospital in Houston on November 7 for bronchitis treatment and released on November 19.

The 88-year-old was readmitted on November 23 after his cough flared up once more.

Doctors had initially hoped to be able to send the elder statesman home for Christmas, but instead he spent the holiday in hospital, where he was joined by his wife Barbara, son Neil and grandson Pierce.

Mr McGrath said: "I wouldn't say he was able to celebrate it in the traditional sense.

"His family was with him, and he's conscious and he's able to engage in humorous banter with his doctor."


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Child Abuse: New Database Of Medical Visits

By Liz Lane, Sky News Reporter

A national database is being introduced in hospitals to flag up potential vulnerable children to nurses and doctors.

It is in order to prevent cases similar to that of Baby Peter Connelly in which health and social service workers repeatedly failed to pick up on signs that the toddler was being abused.

Baby P - Peter Connelly Social services failed to detect signs that Baby P was being abused

He died of multiple injuries in August 2007.

Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter is behind the system and said: "For many years there's been a problem of getting joined-up and co-ordinated information to front-line healthcare professionals about children that may be potentially at risk from abuse."

Under the system, a flag will appear on the child's medical record at any hospital they attend if they have already been identified by a local authority as being at risk, or if they have frequently been taken to accident and emergency departments.

Currently, this sort of information is not shared between hospitals up and down the country.

Dr Simon Eccles, of Homerton Hospital in east London, believes it will help doctors make better judgements.

"Spotting those characteristic injury patterns that tell you a child has been abused is one thing," he said, "but what's much harder is the child whose injuries are completely understandable but actually have just been happening too often."

Lauren Matthews, whose nine-year-old son Leo has been in hospital recently, told Sky News she has her concerns: "Two weeks ago we had to take him to hospital because his friend closed his hand in the door. And then yesterday we had to come into hospital again because he had an asthma attack, so in certain situations it could be taken out of context."

Doctors say the system will only deal in facts and they will objectively assess each case.

Work will begin on it in early 2013 and it will start to be introduced to NHS hospitals in 2015.


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Floods: 2012 One Of The Wettest Years Ever

The year just past looks set to be one of the wettest on record, and draws to an end with more than 100 flood warnings in place.

Homeowners in the South West - already mopping up after recent flooding - were warned by the Met Office to expect heavy rain on Thursday, with similar conditions in Wales and the North West on Friday and Saturday.

On Thursday morning, the Environment Agency had 103 flood warnings and a further 217 alerts in place.

It is a very different picture to the start of the year, which began with the most severe drought since the summer of 1976 - a legacy of the previous two - and in some places, three - dry winters.

Some reservoirs were less than half-full and ground water levels were unusually low.

However, Isobel Lang, Sky News weather forecaster, said: "Conditions changed rather unbelievably through April, with a switch to significantly wetter weather as the jet stream was positioned further south than usual, driving in a succession of Atlantic fronts and depressions."

The soggy summer that followed was the wettest for a century, and although ground water and river levels recovered, the Environment Agency and the Met Office raised concerns that flooding was increasingly likely during the autumn.

With very little precipitation needed to tip the balance, late September and November saw significant flooding. More followed in the run up to Christmas as mild, southwesterly winds from the Atlantic brought both warmth and torrential downpours.

Winter weather December 27th A flooded road in Spring Cottage, Leicestershire, two days after Christmas

The wettest year on record is 2000 when more than 1,300mm of rain fell.

In 2012, rainfall has already exceeded the 1981-2010 annual average of around 1,150mm, and is far greater than the 950mm seen in 2010.

With the wet weather set to continue, National Rail warned train passengers to expect further disruption after delays before Christmas, while First Great Western warned people not to travel because of line problems in Devon and Cornwall.

Late-running engineering work added to the misery, with no trains between London Paddington, Heathrow Airport and Reading, delays at Birmingham New Street and hold-ups between East Midlands Parkway, Leicester and Peterborough.

In other developments, the British Geological Survey put an amber landslide warning in place for the South West, urging walkers to take extra care along coastal routes.

The death of a monkey at Looe Monkey Sanctuary, Cornwall, may be linked to flooding The weather has been blamed for the death of a monkey in Cornwall

Meanwhile, a monkey sanctuary in Looe, Cornwall, appealed for help after its premises were devastated by the wet and windy weather.

A large tree was brought down, while experts believe the death of a 10-month-old capuchin at the centre from tetanus may be linked to the floods.

"We're hoping (next year) doesn't get any worse," said Claire Turnbull, education officer at Looe Monkey Sanctuary.


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M6 Car Crash Killed Two Young Brothers

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 26 Desember 2012 | 18.25

Two of the three people killed after a car flipped over on the M6 motorway on Christmas Day were brothers, aged four and 10.

The third victim of the accident on a busy stretch of the motorway in Staffordshire was a 32-year-old woman.

The boys' mother, who was believed to have been driving the car, and another female passenger remain in a stable condition at University Hospital North Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Police said the crash happened on the northbound carriageway of the M6 near junction 15 at around 11.25am.

Chief Superintendent Martin Evans said: "Colleagues from the emergency services have worked seamlessly throughout the day in these very sad and exceptionally difficult circumstances.

"Unfortunately the outcome is extremely tragic and our thoughts are with the family of those who have died."

The motorway was closed in both directions following the accident but reopened after several hours.

Map of M6 Crash at Staffordshire The accident occurred on the M6 between junctions 14 and 15

A West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) spokesman said: "Crews arrived to find a single vehicle that had crashed and overturned.

"Two children and an adult that were travelling in the vehicle suffered serious injuries.

"Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance crews, nothing could be done to save the two boys and one woman, and they were confirmed dead at the scene.

In a separate accident on the M6, four adults and three young children were injured on the southbound carriageway, near Corley Services, at around 7pm on Christmas Day.

A WMAS spokesman said two cars were substantially damaged and it was fortunate nobody was more seriously injured.

Earlier on Christmas Day, Ann Mary Goodrich, 57, and her husband Paul John Goodrich, 56, from Hampshire, died following the collision on the B3349 Odiham Road at Heckfield Heath, near Basingstoke.

A 29-year-old man from Farnborough, believed to be the driver of the other vehicle involved, received medical attention at the scene before being taken to hospital with serious injuries.


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Weather: Landslide Alert Amid Floods And Rain

A landslide warning has been issued by the Met Office, as continued heavy downpours sparked fears of unstable cliff faces.

Boxing Day walkers were urged to take extra care in "dangerous conditions" with flooding set to worsen across parts of England and Wales today.

The Met Office has issued the warning following advice from the British Geological Survey.

Forecasters said coastal areas in southwest England are in particular danger of collapsing cliff edges, but stressed that all areas with heavy rain are at risk.

Another flooded garden in Helston Helston in Cornwall has been badly affected by floods

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "We have had such heavy and persistent rain fall over the last few days and weeks and that there is a danger of landslides and rockfall along the coast, even on coastal paths.

"We are advising Boxing Day walkers in the southwest of England to take particular care in these dangerous conditions, especially those not familiar with the area.

"Do not get too close to the cliff edge or walk under the cliff face along the beach and remember that coastal paths could be impacted too."

Many coastal paths have been closed over the last few weeks along the South West and train services have been disrupted by small coastal landslides.

Charlotte Blackman Charlotte Blackman was killed in a landslide during the summer

There have been several landslide tragedies involving walkers in recent years. Last summer, Charlotte Blackman was buried by rocks while walking with her family on the Dorset coast.

Weather experts said up to 15mm of rain fell across southwest England and south Wales, with up to 20mm expected again today.

Sky weather presenter Sarah Pennock said there would be more heavy rainfall over some areas of the UK.

She said: "The main event today is a band of rain already spreading into southwestern Ireland and Scotland.

"This will dump up to an inch in places, will fall on already saturated ground and will exacerbate the risk of further flooding."

The Environment Agency has 151 flood warnings in place, which urge residents to take immediate action against expected flooding.

A further 252 less severe flood alerts have been issued across most of England and Wales.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has removed all its warnings, with lighter showers expected only through the southwest of the country.

Around 470 properties have flooded since Wednesday, while Floodline revealed it has received 18,000 calls during the recent wet weather.

The worst affected areas have been southwest England and stretches along the south coast from Cornwall to Kent, along with Wales and northern Scotland.


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Government Bombing In Northern Syria Kills 20

Shelling in Syria's northern Raqqa Province has killed some 20 people, with at least eight children among the dead, activists say.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has published a video of the aftermath of the bombing.

The video shows rows of blood-stained bodies laid out on blankets, and the sound of crying relatives can be heard in the background.

The shelling hit the village of al-Qahtania in Raqq Province. It remains unclear when the attack happened.

More follows...


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Floods: UK To Remain On Alert For Another Week

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 25 Desember 2012 | 18.25

Christmas has got off to a soggy start for many parts of the UK, as more rain falls on flood-threatened areas.

Hundreds of homes and businesses have been swamped with floodwaters as winter rain continues to fall on saturated land.

The Environment Agency (EA) said widespread showers meant many places remain on flood alert despite the persistent heavy rain being expected to ease off by the end of today.

An EA spokeswoman said: "While the worse of the weather is behind us, the risk of flooding continues with rain falling on already saturated ground.

"As a result, flood warnings and alerts will remain in place for much of the week ahead.

Railway engineers check inflatable dams on the railway line at Cowley Bridge Railway engineers check inflatable dams on the railway line near Exeter

"This is because river levels remain high and sensitive to further rainfall."

The rivers Severn, Trent, Avon and Thames are most at risk of flooding, the EA said, and another band of rain is expected to swamp the country on Boxing Day.

There are more than 160 flood warnings in place across the country, and 266 less serious flood alerts.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning - its second highest alert - for southwest England.

The Met Office said the wettest place in the UK since the heavy rain began last week was Tyndrum in Perthshire with 6.1in (155mm).

Flooding bad weather Nottingham The Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre in Nottingham was flooded

Cardinham, near Bodmin in Cornwall, is the wettest place in England with 5.1in (128.8 mm) of rain and the wettest place in Wales has been Mumbles Head in West Glamorgan with 4.2in (107mm) of rain.

Ballypatrick Forest in Antrim has been the wettest place in Northern Ireland, with 3.5in (89mm) of rain.

Some areas have exceeded their full-month December average since December 19 - such as Plymouth, which has seen 5.1in (128.8mm) of rain compared with a December average of 4.7in (118.8 mm).

Lower-level yellow weather warnings have also been issued for much of southern England and Wales.

Following a an extremely dry start, Britain is now set for one of its wettest years ever, the Met Office said.

The UK's average rainfall in 2012, excluding December, is 1,202mm -  placing it 13th in the list of wettest years since records began in 1910.

Forecasters said December's deluge of rain means this year is now likely to finish among the country's highest rainfall totals on record.

The year 2000 remains the UK's wettest year, with an average rainfall of 1,337.3mm.


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Mandela In Hospital: 'Looking Much Better'

South African President Jacob Zuma visits Nelson Mandela in hospital and says the 94-year-old is "looking much better".

Mr Zuma said the ex-president icon was in good spirits on Christmas morning.

Family members including his wife Graca Machel are spending the day with Mr Mandela at his bedside.

And according to Mr Zuma, doctors are "happy" with his progress.

The anti-apartheid icon was admitted to hospital on December 8 with a lung infection. Since then, he has also undergone surgery to remove gallstones.

More follows ...


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Queen And Royals Attend Christmas Day Service

The Royal Family's traditional Sandringham festivities are getting under way with three notable absentees.

The Queen joined other members of the royal family for the Christmas Day church service after recovering from a cold.

Wearing a turquoise coat dress and matching hat, Her Majesty was wished a merry Christmas by about 1,000 wellwishers at St Mary Magdalene.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are spending the day with Kate's family, while Prince Harry is serving as an Apache pilot in Afghanistan.

Prince William and Kate Middleton leave King edward VII hospital The Duchess left hospital earlier this month

Traditionally, the whole family would gather at the Queen's estate home over the festive period.

But this year's appearance is slightly more low-key without William and Kate who are spending the day privately in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

The Duchess has had a testing few weeks, having been forced to announce her pregnancy earlier than planned when she was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London following a bout of severe morning sickness.

The condition, known as hyperemesis gravidarum, leaves expectant mothers so ill they cannot keep food or liquids down.

Harry's passing-out ceremony at Sandhurst Prince Harry is currently serving in Afghanistan

Days later, she and Prince William found themselves offering their condolences to the family of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, 46, who was found hanged in her nurses' quarters after answering a prank call made to the hospital by two Australian DJs impersonating the Queen and Prince of Wales.

The Duke and Duchess are expected to follow their stay in Bucklebury with a visit to Sandringham at some point over the festive period.

In Afghanistan Prince Harry, like thousands of other servicemen, is celebrating Christmas with troops.

It will be a far cry from the formalities at Sandringham where the Queen, who came down with a cold last week which meant she was forced to miss a church service on Sunday, is expected to be joined by the Duke of Edinburgh for a service at St Mary Magdalene Church.

Prince Philip missed the occasion last year after he was hospitalised over a blocked coronary artery.

Instead, he spent four days at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire, where he was visited by William and Harry following their Christmas lunch.

Queen

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Weather: Rain Hits Roads And Rail Amid Floods

Written By Unknown on Senin, 24 Desember 2012 | 18.25

Flood victims are facing a festive washout as people hoping to get home to friends and family for Christmas are warned rain could prompt travel misery.

Persistent downpours across large parts of the UK caused widespread flooding over the weekend, with a number of routes still affected.

Southwest England, Wales and northeast Scotland have been worst affected, although the Midlands is also on high alert.

Almost 400 flood warnings have been issued by the Environment Agency - which said up to 30mm of rain was expected to fall between midnight and noon - contributing further to the possibility of flooding.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar "We're really looking at unsettled weather for the rest of the year.

"Rain this morning will move north-eastwards across southern and central England, Wales, the Midlands and up to Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

"It should clear off into the North Sea just after midday but this rain will add further to the flooding problems in the west as it falls on already saturated ground."

CrossCountry, East Midlands Trains, First Great Western and First TransPennine Express are all experiencing major delays, according to National Rail.

Winter weather Dec 23rd Flooding in Stonehaven

In the South West there were no trains running between Bristol Parkway and Swindon because of flooding, while services between London Paddington and Swansea were diverted.

Trains will not run between Exeter St Davids and Tiverton Parkway until Friday at the earliest, with replacement buses and diverted routes offering passengers some alternatives.

But First Great Western warned that poor road conditions mean that buses will not be able to travel on many routes.

London Midland is also facing disruption on most of its routes today - this time because of a shortage of train crew - while flooding means services between Derby and Nottingham are suspended.

Network Rail (NR) yesterday said it was working closely with the Environment Agency and its weather service to try and keep things moving where possible.

Robin Gisby, NR's director of network operations, said: "We apologise to passengers who have had their journeys disrupted at this busy time and we are doing all we can to keep things moving.

Meanwhile, numerous roads were flooded, many of them in areas which were under water only a few weeks ago.

Worcestershire was one of the worst-hit counties, with roads also closed due to floods in Worcester, Bromsgrove and Evesham.

It comes as a clean-up continues in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, after flooding forced dozens of people out of their homes and a rest centre set up at Mackie Academy to keep the victims safe and warm.

Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse was due to visit the town to speak to residents and thank people for the efforts to mitigate and clean up the damage.

Devon and Cornwall were also among the worst-hit regions, with RNLI flood rescue teams across the area.


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Edinburgh Car Crash Leaves Three Dead

Three people have died in a car crash near Edinburgh, police say.

The A68 south has been closed following the accident involving two cars on the road between Pathhead and Soutra.

More follows...


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Paul Daniels Reveals He 'Kissed Schoolgirl'

Veteran TV magician Paul Daniels has revealed his shock after discovering a girl he picked up as a hitch-hiker more than 40 years ago and began kissing was a schoolgirl.

The 74-year-old entertainer, writing in his blog The Life and Times of Paul Daniels, said he gave the girl a lift after spotting her as he drove home from a late-night show on a country lane, The Sun newspaper reported.

He wrote: "I kissed her goodnight and it got a bit more passionate.

"Thank God it didn't get too passionate because something she said sent a shiver down my spine - she said she was still at school.

"I had her out of the car as fast as I could and I drove off with the lights off so she couldn't see my number plate! I felt sick."

In his blog, Daniels said the encounter occurred when he was 30. The blog has since been taken down.

The Sun reported that the magician described showbusiness in the 1970s as plagued by teenage "groupies" and added it was difficult to know their age.

He added: "The super-short mini-skirts, the teetering high heels, the full slap made it, as I say, impossible.

"Did I have such a life? Yes. I would be lying if I said I didn't. Were they all over 16? OMG I hope so. Can I remember them? No."

The father-of-three, married to former assistant Debbie McGee, 54, added that performers and pop stars were surrounded by female fans in the 1970s.


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Andrew Mitchell: Police 'Tried To Destroy Me'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 23 Desember 2012 | 18.25

Mitchell: Plebgate In His Own Words

Updated: 7:41am UK, Sunday 23 December 2012

In a 5,000 word article written for the Sunday Times, Andrew Mitchell talks about the "plebgate" scandal and the effect on him and his family. Here are some extracts.

On the moment he became aware of the story:

"... a senior Downing Street official telephoned at about 2pm. "Houston, we have a problem" was his succinct analysis.

"With hindsight I now displayed stunning naivety. 'Is it a big story?' I asked."

On the public's reaction to the plebgate row:

"The hideous caricature of me that emerged at the hands of the press prompted almost 1,000 hostile emails over the first weekend alone."

On the effect on his health:

"By day four, I could not sleep. I also stopped eating. Weight dropped off me. I lost more than a stone in the first three weeks. (My wife) lost almost as much.

"Day after day the press assault continued. On several days I simply could not get out of bed. I would sit for hours with my BlackBerry in one hand and my ancient mobile in the other."

On a previous altercation with Downing Street police:

"Two-and-a-half years ago, arriving from the Department for International Development on my bicycle at the rear entrance to Downing Street, I was refused entry altogether.

"When I pleaded that I had a meeting with the prime minister starting in three minutes, it cut no ice whatsoever and I was forced to rush around to the front, arriving late in the Cabinet Room."

On his hopes for the future:

"I hope that the 30-strong taskforce working under an impressive senior officer will pursue the truth without fear or favour."


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Flood Warnings Amid More Travel Misery

Scores of flood warnings are in place across the country after days of heavy rainfall - and more is on the way.

Around 170 warnings have been issued for England and Wales, along with 29 in Scotland, meaning flooding is expected and immediate action is required.

There are also more than 300 alerts where flooding is possible, and one severe warning remains active at Helston in Cornwall - meaning there is a danger to life.

In the Stonehaven area of Aberdeenshire, police have asked some residents to leave their homes due to "significant flooding".

Many residents in the South West of England face Christmas with floodwater in their homes, and communities across the UK are on alert.

Cornwall has been particularly badly hit, including the town of Lostwithiel where residents looked on helplessly overnight as flood water lapped at the sandbags protecting their homes.

But water levels have now been dropping there.

Flooding in Stonehaven. Aberdeenshire, (Pic: COLINTHIRD1969) Flooding in Stonehaven. Aberdeenshire, (Pic: COLINTHIRD1969)

For train passengers, the chances of getting home for Christmas could be hampered by the effects of the heavy downpours.

Those unable to travel on Saturday because of cancelled services will put further pressure on the network as they reschedule their journeys.

Dozens of routes have been affected by heavy rain in recent days, and flooding was so bad in the South West that First Great Western advised passengers not to travel west of Taunton unless their journeys were essential.

Several train operators struggled to provide replacement buses due to flooded roads and a lack of available vehicles.

Most of the flood warnings are in the South West, Midlands and the Anglian region.

Flood rescue A woman is rescued from flood water in Umberleigh, Devon

There will be some heavy rain in Scotland today, while England, Wales and Ireland will have drier conditions during the day.

However, it will turn wet later, with outbreaks of rain moving into the south-west of England and then heading north.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Tonight outbreaks of rain will move into the south-west of England and then spread to all of the south, including southern Wales by midnight.

"The rain will continuing spreading further north into the rest of Wales, central England, the Midlands, the Republic of Ireland and as far north as Yorkshire and Lancashire.

"Some of the rain will be heavy, especially for south-west England and southern Wales."

In Looe, Cornwall, heavy rain caused two landslides which cut off the nearby the village of Hannafore.

In Umberleigh, Devon, a police helicopter helped in the search and rescue of a woman who had been swept away from her vehicle during flooding in the area.

She was found clinging to branches of a tree on the banks of the swollen River Taw.

Her husband and son were rescued by passers-by while the woman had tried to clamber to safety onto the top of the car but was swept away.

She managed to grab hold of a branch and clung on while a police helicopter hovered overhead. Robin Goodlad, the RNLI's incident commander said the rescue had been an "heroic" effort.


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Kabul Fire Rips Through Cloth Market

A huge fire has swept through a market in Kabul, destroying hundreds of shops.

The early morning blaze burned through a cloth market in the Afghan capital and forced the evacuation of the nearby money exchange.

A fire department official told the AFP news agency that an electrical short circuit was probably to blame.

The fire was so severe that Nato and Afghan army fire squads were called in to help but no-one was injured.

A Kabul police official said the currency exchange, which is the largest in the country, had to be emptied as the fire neared its walls.

"Police helped the money market evacuate and remove their money from the market to safe places," the official said.

Traders reportedly took hundreds of thousands of dollars into police vans and gold was apparently also moved out.

The Afghan capital, home to around five million people, has a poor fire safety reputation.

This is despite the fire department being upgraded with international help following the allied invasion in late 2001 and after the fall of the Taliban regime.


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School Shooting: Tributes To British Victim

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 22 Desember 2012 | 18.25

The family of a six-year-old British boy killed in the Sandy Hook shootings have paid tribute to their "joyous" son at his funeral.

Dylan Hockley was one of 20 children shot dead by gunman Adam Lanza at the elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, last Friday.

The little boy died in the arms of his favourite teacher Anne Marie Murphy, who was also killed in the shooting.

Mother Nicole Hockley told the congregation at Walnut Hill Community Church in Bethel, Connecticut, that Dylan - who had a form of autism that hindered his language development - would flap his arms when he got excited.

When she asked him why, he replied: "Because I am a beautiful butterfly."

Hundreds of family and friends filled the church to commemorate Dylan's life.

Purple and white balloons were released at the end of the funeral to symbolise the 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook school. Purple was Dylan's favourite colour.

He was born in Hampshire to a British father and American mother - Ian and Nicole Hockley - and the family moved to Newtown two years ago.

They praised staff at the school including headteacher Dawn Hochsprung and teacher Vicki Soto, who have been hailed as heroes as they tried to protect pupils from the gunman. Both women died in the attack.

A statement from the family after his death read: "Everyone who met Dylan fell in love with him. His beaming smile would light up any room and his laugh was the sweetest music.

"There are no words that can express our feeling of loss. We will always be a family of four, as though Dylan is no longer physically with us, he is forever in our hearts and minds.

"We love you Mister D, our special gorgeous angel."

It comes after America's leading gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, called for armed guards to be placed in schools to prevent shootings.


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Weather: Heavy Rain Sparks Christmas Misery

Families preparing for Christmas have been hit by floods and travel chaos as heavy rain batters Britain.

The south west of England has been particularly badly affected by the downpours and four severe flood warnings for Devon and Cornwall are now in place.

Some residents in Helston, Cornwall, were evacuated overnight after river levels rose and the Environment Agency warned that widespread flooding was "imminent".

There are fears about the River Cober in the town with more rain expected later on Saturday, raising fears some families may not be back home for Christmas.

Cornwall Council spokeswoman Trisha Hewitt said: "There is expected to be 30mm of rainfall during a six hour period from 5pm.

"As this is falling on saturated ground, this could cause further flooding."

The River Fowey is also subject to a severe flood warning, with another two for the River Caen in Braunton, Devon.

floods in Helston Cornwall Floods in Helston, Cornwall, led to homes being evacuated

Braunton, which is in north Devon, has already been effectively cut off after the river burst its banks.

"The public are not attempted to attempt to drive to the town as it is flooded," Devon and Cornwall Police said.

There are a further 101 flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and another 301 alerts where it is considered possible.

Much of Britain saw deluges of rain early on Saturday as millions started the holidays, with Christmas Day now looking set to be a washout.

The water has already led to major issues on road and train networks, which will spell trouble for Britons travelling this weekend.

Conditions are so bad in the south west that First Great Western has told passengers not to travel.

Flooding between Taunton and Exeter St Davids and a signalling problem are causing major disruption.

There are no trains between Plymouth and Tiverton Parkway or Taunton, and a replacement bus service is running from Exeter St Davids to Tiverton Parkway and Taunton.

:: Click for travel and weather updates on the Sky News live blog

Braunton in Devon hit by floods A man wading through Braunton, Devon

:: Click here for all the latest from Sky News weather

Further road replacements are being organised to run between Plymouth and Exeter St Davids, but this is expected to add another 90 minutes to journey times.

First Great Western and CrossCountry services are accepting each other's passengers, National Rail said.

A major signalling problem caused by a fire yesterday that affected electrical cables and railside signalling equipment at Preston Park is also causing major disruption near Brighton.

Diversions are in place, with trains between Brighton and Gatwick airport travelling half-hourly and buses laid on for some passengers.

There are also signalling problems affecting some Cross Country and London Midland routes in and around Birmingham.

Flooding near Rhoose Cardiff International Airport is causing disruption on Arriva Trains Wales.

And there remain problems on all London Midland routes because of driver shortages that have been an issue since October.

Replacement bus services are also in place between Bedford and Bletchley because of a lack of crew and in Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall due to flooding.

A landslip has caused rail problems in the Glazebrook area near Warrington, affecting some First TransPennine Express services and links to Manchester.

weather and rainfall map Rain is affecting much of the UK (Pictures: Met Office)

On the roads, the A38 from Bodmin towards Exeter is currently closed because of flooding. The northbound exit slip road on the A19 in Cleveland at the junction with the A139 is also shut.

There are also delays on the A27 eastbound between B2144 and A285 near Chichester because of flooding.

Mike Williams, from the Environment Agency, said: "This is the last weekend before Christmas, so it will be particularly busy with people travelling through the region.

"We would urge people to take extra care when planning their journeys and we aware of the risk of flooding.

"Our teams have been out around the clock to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding.

"People need to keep up to date with the weather forecast and remain prepared for flooding in their area and stay away from dangerous flood water or attempting to drive through it."

Britons attempting to get to Heathrow have also been hit by changes to the Heathrow Express service, which on Friday forced thousands of passengers onto the Underground.

Trains are running normally on Saturday but are due to start later on Sunday and will then not run at all on Christmas Day and Boxing Day because of engineering work.

British Airways alone is set to handle nearly 31,000 passengers on Christmas Day as an estimated four million Britons travel abroad for the rest of the holidays.

There was some good news after two main line rail strikes that threatened to cause travel chaos over the Christmas period were called off.

But the train drivers' union Aslef is still striking on Boxing Day in a move that will hit the Underground and has already forced the cancellation of the Arsenal-West Ham United football match.

The other main train problem for the festive period is likely to be engineering work on the West Coast Line.

There are no direct services from London Euston to Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool or Glasgow on December 23 and 24.

Direct services resume on December 27 but with two of the four lines closed up to and including New Year's Eve.

:: SEND US YOUR WEATHER PICTURES - Email news@sky.com or use Twitter @skynews


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Gavin Mooney: British Economist Beaten To Death

An eminent British economist and his wife have been murdered at their home in Australia.

Professor Gavin Mooney, 69, and Dr Delys Weston, 62, were found at the property in Tasmania on Wednesday and are thought to have been bludgeoned to death.

The retired Briton was previously the director of the Social and Public Health Economics Research Group in Australia and held a number of senior positions at universities in the country.

He was born in Glasgow in 1943 and graduated from the University of Edinburgh before embarking on a career that saw him hold academic positions in the UK, Denmark and Australia.

He moved to Australia permanently in 1993.

Australian health minister Tanya Plibersek said the deaths were a "tragic loss for the health community, both in Australia and internationally".

She said: "Professor Mooney was a fearless advocate for social justice, and in particular the role of citizen juries, leading debates on the importance of consumers in determining how their health resources are allocated.

"Described as 'one of the founding fathers of health economics', his research was driven by real world challenge and geared towards identifying practical solutions.

"He was an inspiring teacher and supervisor, which when coupled with his extensive publication record, will ensure his legacy persists."

Australian media reports claimed Dr Weston's son has been charged in connection with the deaths and is expected to appear in court in the New Year.


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Stunt Rider Eddie Kidd: Wife's Assault Charge

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 21 Desember 2012 | 18.25

The estranged wife of paralysed motorbike stunt rider Eddie Kidd has been charged with assaulting him.

Samantha Kidd is due to appear in court next month accused of assaulting the 53-year-old six times in four months.

The 44-year-old, of High Street, Seaford, allegedly beat her husband between July and October this year.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said they received a report of domestic abuse on December 11.

He said Mrs Kidd was charged after a "prompt and thorough investigation" and bailed to appear before magistrates in Brighton on January 9.

Eddie Kidd receives his OBE at Buckingham Palace Eddie Kidd received his OBE earlier this year

She must not contact Mr Kidd or visit the area where he lives during that time.

Mr Kidd, who made more than 10,000 daredevil jumps during his career, was paralysed and suffered brain damage in a motorbike accident near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, 16 years ago.

In 1984, aged 18, he broke a world record by jumping 190ft over 14 double-decker buses in London.

He jumped the Great Wall of China in 1993 and was challenged to a duel by Robert 'Evel' Knievel in the same year.

His stunts have also featured in a number of films, including Hanover Street, Riding High and the James Bond movie Goldeneye, in which he appeared as Pierce Brosnan's double.

Mr Kidd carried the Olympic torch through Lewes in July and was made an OBE at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in October.

In 2011, he completed the London Marathon in 50 days, raising nearly £100,000 for the charity Children With Cancer UK.


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BAE Strikes £2.5bn Deal With Oman

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

A deal worth £2.5bn has been completed between British defence manufacturer BAE Systems and Oman.

It will see BAE provide the Gulf state with 12 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and eight Hawk training jets.

As well as supplying aircraft, BAE Systems will provide in-service support to the Royal Air Force of Oman's (RAFO) operational tasks.

Work to start building the aircraft will begin in 2014, with the first jets due for delivery in 2017.

But the markets did not seem too enthusiastic about the announcement, as the BAE share price was trading down 2% during the early hours of trading.

More importantly for the company's future financial health is the Salam deal for 72 Typhoon jets with Saudi Arabia, worth £4.5bn.

Earlier this week, BAE warned that its 2012 earnings would suffer if no agreement was reached on this deal by February 21.

Last month, Prime Minister David Cameron visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on a trade mission to promote BAE and persuade the states to buy British-made defence equipment.

David Cameron in Jordan PM David Cameron visited Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE last month

It is unusual for a British prime minister to promote defence companies so openly but the Government is seeking to build closer ties with friendly Middle Eastern states in the face of what it sees as a growing threat in the region from countries like Iran.

The move also demonstrates an attempt to forge links outside of the traditional Nato countries.

The deal is not only important for BAE Systems, but also for the companies that form the supply chain, many of which are based in the UK.

The deal will support BAE's assertion that it still has a strong business with a positive future after the proposed merger with EADS collapsed in October.

Cuts to defence budgets globally have resulted in a tougher and more competitive market, and BAE had hoped a merger with a company that specialises in civil aviation would lessen any effect of budget cuts.

Guy Griffiths, group managing director for BAE Systems' International business, said: "Receiving this contract is an honour and is excellent news for both BAE Systems and the Eurofighter Typhoon consortium.

"We look forward to working in partnership with Oman's Ministry of Defence, and the Royal Air Force of Oman, to ensure this is a highly successful programme that maximises the potential of both Hawk and Typhoon."

Oman becomes the seventh country in the world, and the second in the Middle East, to operate the Typhoon, joining the air forces of the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria and Saudi Arabia.


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Iraq: Former Army Doctor Struck Off

Former Army doctor Derek Keilloh is struck off the medical register for misconduct over the death of Iraqi detainee Baha Mousa.

More follows...


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Flood Fears Rise Ahead Of A Soggy Christmas

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 20 Desember 2012 | 18.25

Flooding is set to hit Britain as successive bands of heavy rain move across the country ahead of a damp Christmas.

Most of England, Wales and Scotland is expected to be wet today with heavy rain in some places.

Snow is also likely over the Scottish mountains, especially on southeast-facing slopes of the Grampians where blizzard conditions are possible.

The Environment Agency (EA) said large swathes of southern and southwestern England, southeast Wales and the Midlands are potentially under threat today, with flood warnings likely in parts of the South West, the South East and East Anglia.

Some 25mm to 35mm fell overnight in parts of the South West.

Waves crash into the sea wall at Seaham Harbour Wind caused heavy waves to crash near the lighthouse at Seaham

Sky News weather presenter Isabel Lang said: "Although it will ease during the day in the South West, there will be persistent rain elsewhere.

"Amounts of rain will vary but a further 25 to 50mm is forecast today which will continue to raise flooding concerns.

"Driving conditions will also be difficult in places with standing water and localised flooding already reported."

Although Friday will largely be dry in the South West, the next band of rain is set to move in by the evening and brings renewed flood risks.

Lang said: "The next band coming through is very moist and warm air. There is the potential for major disruption.

"After a white Christmas in 2010 and an unseasonably warm 2011, we may have a wet 2012 Christmas."

Areas of England and Wales were last month engulfed by flood water that surged through streets and down roads.

Rivers burst their banks and fields were flooded as several days' rain fell in just a few hours.

EA flood risk manager Craig Woolhouse said: "Our teams are out around the clock to minimise the risks and prepare for flooding, clearing drainage channels and ensuring that flood defences are working properly.

Residents Deal With Flooding Aftermath Flooding last month in Old Malton, North Yorkshire

People have been advised to check their route for disruption before travelling, and not to drive or walk through floodwater.

The EA now offers a free flood warning service on its website.

Mr Woolhouse said: "We urge people to keep up to date with the weather forecast and local news overnight and remain prepared for flooding in their area by signing up to receive free flood warnings and staying away from dangerous flood water."

:: Information is available on the Environment Agency website or by calling the EA Flood Line on 0845 988 1188.


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Plebgate: Second Arrest Over Mitchell Row

Scotland Yard have arrested a second man in connection with their inquiry into the Andrew Mitchell "plebgate" row.

The 23-year-old was held on suspicion of intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an indictable offence on or around December 14.

He is not a police officer or a member of police staff but the arrest relates to claims by an officer to have witnessed the clash in Downing Street, Scotland Yard said.

He was arrested on Wednesday night and questioned at a London police station before being released on bail to return in January.

The move comes days after a serving police officer was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in connection with the affair.

December 14 was the day after police received fresh information about the argument on September 19 and one day before the officer was arrested.

The Met Police now have 30 officers working on an investigation into the row after widening their probe when new revelations emerged.

Scotland Yard Scotland Yard now have 30 officers working on the case

Mr Mitchell was forced to quit as Tory chief whip over the clash but insists he was the victim of a "stitch-up" and is pushing for a full inquiry.

Allegations that an officer posed as a member of the public and falsely claimed to have witnessed the argument are now being looked at by police.

They are also examining the possibility of a "conspiracy" to smear Mr Mitchell as part of a "large scale and complex investigation".

And CCTV footage which appeared to conflict with the official police log of the altercation, which was leaked to the press, is being scrutinised.

Prime Minister David Cameron has described allegations that an officer tried to "blacken the name of a Cabinet minister" as a "very serious issue".

The officer allegedly wrote an email to his local MP, Conservative John Randall, posing as a member of the public and accusing Mr Mitchell of calling police "plebs".

The account in the email, which was written the day before the story first appeared in the press, was very similar to the police log which was also later leaked.

Littered with grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, capital letters and malapropisms, it was passed to Downing Street on September 25.

According to Channel 4 News, the writer claimed he had been walking past with his nephew and recognised Mr Mitchell.

"Imagine our horror when we heard MR MITCHELL shout very loudly at the police officers guarding YOU [expletive blacked out] PLEBES!! and "YOU THINK YOU RUN THE [expletive blacked out] COUNTRY" and just continued to shout obscenities at the poor police officers," he wrote.

Mr Mitchell has admitted swearing at police but insists he never said the word "plebs" - a word that was seized on by Labour and the Police Federation.

The email allegedly helped fuel the row and keep up the momentum that eventually forced the MP to stand down several weeks later.

At the time, Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood compared the email's claims to the CCTV footage. He decided they were not "reliable" but did not look at the police log.

There is speculation Mr Mitchell could be restored to the frontbench, depending on the results of the police investigation.


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BBC Takes Advice On Slashing Entwistle Pay-Off

By Niall Paterson, Media Correspondent

The BBC has taken advice about recouping some of the £450,000 pay-off to its former director-general after being accused of a "cavalier" attitude over the handout.

BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten revealed they had discussed the possibility of using a claw back clause in the contract with lawyers but was doubtful it would apply.

For it to work, there would need to be very strong grounds implicating George Entwistle in Wednesday's Pollard review into the Jimmy Savile and Lord McAlpine scandals.

Mr Entwistle has already claimed the report vindicates him, although it does highlight his lack of control during the crisis and wider "chaos and confusion".

Lord Patten conceded the Trust had "in hindsight" chosen the wrong person for the top job but insisted the BBC would have ended up in an "appalling mess" had it not agreed to the deal.

His comments came as the corporation endured fresh criticism over the payment to the former director-general, who resigned in November after just 54 days in the job.

The BBC chief was forced to stand down because of his handling of the Jimmy Savile crisis and fallout from false claims on Newsnight about Lord McAlpine.

His £450,000 pay-off was double what he was owed under contract and he was also handed a raft of further benefits, including a year's private healthcare and money to handle the press.

Lord Pattern BBC chair Lord Patten has defended Mr Entwistle's pay-off

The Commons' Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said this was "out of line both with public expectations and what is considered acceptable elsewhere in the public sector".

It also criticised the pay-offs given to 10 other senior managers, including £949,000 for former deputy director-general Mark Byford and £670,000 for former chief operating officer Caroline Thomson.

During a PAC session, MPs claimed Ms Thomson had been awarded the money partly as "compensation" after she missed out on the job of director-general.

The committee's report described the payments as "excessively generous" and also expressed concern that the BBC Trust had turned down an offer from the National Audit Office to examine its deal with Mr Entwistle.

Ms Hodge said: "The BBC's generosity with severance packages goes beyond the one awarded to George Entwistle. Since 2010, over £4m in total has been made in severance payments to 10 other departing senior managers.

"The BBC is also providing 422 senior managers with private medical cover as part of their remuneration packages.

"We have asked the comptroller and auditor general to include in his 2013 programme of work on the BBC an examination of severance payments and benefits for senior managers."

Mr Entwistle was only due £225,000 under his contract but demanded more. A deal was quickly signed off to allow a clean break and the appointment of a new boss as soon as possible.

The committee said: "By agreeing to this payment, the BBC Trust may have secured the director-general's quick departure but it did not act in the wider public interest. Public servants should not be rewarded for failure."

The Trust insists the terms were the "best available in the circumstances" because a legal battle had they refused would have taken time and could have cost even more.

Lord Patten told BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "It was precisely because we were dealing with public money and a great public service broadcaster that we took the view that it was more sensible to settle for the amount that we were being asked for rather than fetch up paying more for a constructive dismissal."

He added: "We've taken legal advice about whether we could actually take any money back. In order for us to do so we have to be able to argue that, on the basis of what Pollard says, it would have been justified to make a summary dismissal of the former director-general.

"I rather doubt whether we will get the legal go ahead for that."

But Ms Hodge said: "They don't get it that they are being paid through the licence fee, which is a form of taxation, and they don't understand that people find this astonishing."


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