Belfast Flag Violence: Rioting In City Centre

Belfast has been hit by another night of rioting as hundreds of loyalists took to the streets to protest over flags.

Eight police officers were injured, with two needing hospital treatment, and five people were arrested following clashes across the city.

Trouble flared at Shaftesbury Square - a popular party spot near Queen's University - after a man tried to drive a black van through a loyalist road block of about 200 people.

Eye witnesses said police officers were pelted with stones, bricks, bottles and other missiles. Two cars were also set on fire.

Police vans cut off part of Belfast's Sandy Row area

Two PSNI water cannons were deployed to the area but were not used against the rioters.

There were also reports of minor sporadic disorder in other parts of the city.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said: "This behaviour is simply not acceptable. These people are only wrecking their own communities and putting innocent people's lives at risk.

"Twenty-one officers have been injured so far this week dealing with this disorder. That's 21 officers who have been pulled away from their roles of protecting the community. This is unacceptable.

"This mob violence and intimidation cannot be allowed to continue and I am urgently appealing to politicians and those with community influence in these areas to do what they can to put a stop to this behaviour now before someone is seriously injured or killed."

A burned out car in Belfast city centre after rioters dispersed

Loyalists opposed to a restriction on the number of days the Union flag can be flown over Belfast City Hall have held protests across Northern Ireland every night since the decision was taken, despite appeals from the First Minister for the pickets to be suspended.

Last night, demonstrations were also held in the greater Belfast area, Bangor, Co Down, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh and Dungannon, Co Tyrone.

Police said there were no reports of violence outside Belfast. On Friday night, police clashed with loyalists in Ian Paisley's home town of Ballymena, Co Antrim.

Hillary Clinton appealed for the violence to stop

There are plans for a major protest in Belfast city centre later today. Traders are worried it could affect business on what should be one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

During her visit to Northern Ireland US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appealed for the violence to stop.

Much of the anger has been directed towards the non sectarian Alliance Party, whose councillors in Belfast voted to limit the number of days the Union flag could be flown over the city hall from 365 to 17.

A death threat against the party's only MP, Naomi Long, marked a significant escalation in the seriousness of the sectarian tension.

On Wednesday, a constituency office in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim was destroyed in an arson attack. An attempt to burn down Bangor premises occupied by the Alliance Party's Employment Minister Stephen Farry was thwarted.

Belfast city councillor Laura McNamee was also advised to leave her home while two others living in Bangor had their house vandalised.

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Syria: Rebel Prisoners On Their Religious War

Interviewing people who, under different circumstances, might kill you, is a strange experience.

To the soundtrack of multiple rocket launchers and small arms fire, I met six men who the Syrian authorities told us were jihadist rebel fighters captured by the army.

We were in a Ministry of Interior prison near Damascus in an area now close to the front lines.

The men, four Syrian, an Iraqi, and a Turk, said they had indeed been in the jihadist movement fighting President Assad's forces, but now renounced the armed struggle even though they continued to espouse Salafist ideology. All are awaiting court appearances.

Jamil Us Turk, Ahmed al Rabido, Hamid Hassan al Attar, Bahar al Bashah, Ali Hussein and Mahmoud al Ahab said they were happy to be interviewed and had not been badly treated.

At one point I asked the guards to leave, spoke with the men alone and checked them for obvious signs of mistreatment, which were not apparent. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International both accuse the Syrian regime of routinely torturing prisoners.

As far as I could ascertain, the men were who they said they were. The Turkish man spoke Turkish, the Iraqi had an Iraqi accent, they displayed religious knowledge of the sort taught to those with a Salafist mindset.

The captured fighters are from Turkey, Iraq and Syria

Most of the rebel militias are not radical jihadists, but in the last few months there appears to have been a sharp increase in the number of foreign fighters coming to Syria.

The Syrian authorities are keen to promote the view that they are fighting an al Qaeda type force which partially explains why, after much pushing, we were allowed rare access into the jail.

Mahmoud al Ahab, who described himself as a Palestinian Syrian, told me he was in the al Nusra Front which he said was an al Qaeda group. He had sworn an oath of allegiance to al Nursa but now felt this was a mistake.

Ahmed al Rabido, a 48-year-old Syrian, said he was a religious leader, a Mufti, in the Free Syrian Army.

"I joined because I wanted to demolish the secular state... I don't believe in this anymore because the country is being ruined," he said.

Bahar al Basah, 35, another Palestinian Syrian, told me he was influenced by the writings of Abu Qatada, the radical cleric currently under house arrest in the UK.

The men only became animated when I showed a little knowledge of Salafist ideology and brought up the works of Islamists such as the Egyptian Sayyid Qutb.

Sky's Tim Marshall interviewed the men awaiting trial

This led to a question about the future of Syria's minorities such as the Christians. Ahmed, Basah, and Hamid Hassan all agreed - Christians could only live there if they either converted, or paid the 'Jizyah' - a special tax levied on non-Muslims in previous centuries in the Middle East. If not said Bahar, they could be killed.

When asked why, the answer was, to them, quite simple - because the Prophet Mohammed said so. I was then invited to become a Muslim.

The conversation verged on the surreal. There we were talking in a quite friendly manner, with the occasional joke, about killing people because they wouldn't pay the Jizyah, which critics regard as effectively obtaining money through menaces.

The interview ended with Ahmed volunteering that eventually Muslims must reclaim Andalucia in Spain for the Islamic Caliphate.

His logic, that it was justified because Spain used to be under Islam, was somewhat undermined when he went on to say that Islam should move on to bring the UK under its control and indeed, eventually, the whole world.

Rebel fighters want an end to President Assad's regime

This was a rare first-hand glimpse into the jihadi mindset.

The men are not representative of the FSA, indeed many militia units are deeply suspicious of the jihadists' aims.

However, it appears that a lot of the best weapons are reaching the jihadist groups, and they are using these to gain influence and territory. 

Even if the rebels overthrow the government, they won't just have a problem dealing with militia from the minority groups, they will have problems with each other.

As the men left to go back to their cells, we shook hands.

Two of them were still trying to convert me, asking me, with a smile, to say the Shahada 'La ilaha il Allah' - there is no God but Allah.

Men like this scare Syria's Christians, Allawites, Shia, Druze, and Kurds, indeed they frighten many of the countries Sunnis, but the war here is now so steeped in blood that compromise seems almost impossible to achieve, and there are now people on both sides who reject compromise out of hand.

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Pregnant Kate: Radio Station Faces Backlash

Two DJs are being offered counselling after the nurse duped by their prank call to the Duchess of Cambridge's hospital died in a suspected suicide.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead days after taking the hoax call and putting it through to a nurse on Kate's ward, who divulged private information about her treatment.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led tributes to the 46-year-old mother of two, saying they were "deeply saddened" by news of her death.

Flowers have also been left outside the hospital's nurses' block, just around the corner from the building where Kate was treated for acute morning sickness.

Major advertisers have dumped 2Day FM and presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian have been taken off air as the station faces a backlash over the disastrous stunt.

The duchess said she felt "much better" when she left the hospital

Speaking at a news conference in Melbourne, Rhys Holleran, CEO of 2Day FM's parent company Southern Cross Austereo said the "shocked and devastated" DJs had been offered help dealing with the tragedy.

He said: "This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we're deeply saddened by it.

"I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered.

"These people aren't machines, they're human beings. We're all affected by this."

Holleran would not say who came up with the idea for the call, only that "these things are often done collaboratively".

He said 2Day FM would work with authorities, but was confident the station hadn't broken any laws, noting that prank calls in radio have been happening "for decades".

The DJ pair bragged about the stunt on Twitter after an initial apology

"They're not just part of one radio station or one network or one country - they're done worldwide," he said

Supermarket giant Coles and telecoms firm Telstra both announced they are withdrawing their business from the station at the earliest opportunity, while Australian media are reporting that media company Optus is also reviewing its position.

The station later announced that it would pull all advertising from its airwaves with immediate effect.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority, which regulates the country's media industry, said it had been inundated with complaints.

It will be looking at whether the DJs breached the Commercial Radio Code of Practice, part of which aims "to prevent the unauthorised broadcast of statements by identifiable persons".

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard described the incident as a "terrible tragedy".

Police found the nurse's body at her hospital accommodation

During the hoax call, Greig impersonated the Queen and Christian mimicked Prince Charles and they managed to elicit details about the pregnant Duchess' medical condition.

Driving instructor Jeff Sellick, who taught Ms Saldanha last year, said she was a "delight to teach".

"I heard about it yesterday and it's just such a shame she was such a nice person, I can only imagine what happened would have played heavily on her mind," he told Sky News.

"I just feel for the family at this point because she must have been deeply traumatised by what happened to her."

A fierce online storm erupted as soon as news of the nurse's death emerged, with both presenters bombarded by messages on Twitter and the radio station's own comment section deluged.

At the time, the station's website had still been promoting the video of the prank call, but this was later removed.

Online critics called for the presenters to resign and some claimed they had "blood on their hands".

Ms Saldanha, who had worked at the hospital for four years, was found dead at an address near King Edward VII's Hospital in London on Friday morning.

Her family said in a statement: "We as a family are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Jacintha."

A spokesman for Prince William and wife Kate said: "Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII's Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time."

"At no point did the Palace complain to the hospital about the incident. On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times."

The King Edward VII's Hospital said: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha.

"Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII's Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.

"We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."

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Max Clifford: 'Nothing To Hide' Over Sex Claims

Max Clifford has said he will try to continue to lead a normal life after being arrested over allegations of sexual offences he called "totally untrue".

The publicist was released on bail on Thursday after being detained at his Surrey home by officers from Operation Yewtree, the investigation set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal.

Clifford, 69, was held on suspicion of historic sex offences and taken to Belgravia police station in central London for questioning.

Speaking to reporters as he left his house today, Clifford said the allegations "are totally without any foundation and are totally untrue".

He said he had "absolutely nothing to hide" over the claims he believed dated from 1977 and a few years afterwards.

He went on: "I'll be working as I normally do - so trying to make things as normal as I possibly can in the circumstances."

Clifford said it had been "a horrible experience but you have to face up to these things".

He continued: "The police have got to look into it (the allegations). That's what they have to do and obviously I have to answer their questions and hopefully show clearly and conclusively to them and everybody else that there's absolutely no truth in it at all."

Clifford also addressed the media outside a police station

Speaking outside the police station on Thursday night, he said: "Anyone who really knew me all those years ago and those who have known me since will have no doubt that I would never act in the way that I have today been accused."

Officers said he was bailed to appear at a later date but refused to give any further details.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said on Thursday: "The individual (held today) falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed 'others'. We are not prepared to discuss further."

Police working on Operation Yewtree have said they were looking at three categories of offences; those allegedly committed by Savile alone, those allegedly committed by Savile and others, and alleged offences by others.

Clifford is the fifth suspect to be arrested - and the sixth person to be questioned - in connection with the Yewtree operation, which has already cost around £2m and involves a team of 30 officers.

Among those arrested have been former pop star Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and a man in his 70s, reported to be former television producer Wilfred De'Ath.

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EastEnders: Brother Admits Killing His Sister

The brother of the EastEnders actress, whose headless body was found in a canal, has admitted killing her.

Tony McCluskie, 35, has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his sister, Gemma, in March this year and claims he "suffered loss of control". He denied murder.

The 29-year-old actress went missing after attending the opening of a hospital earlier this year. Her brother joined friends in launching an extensive search to find her.

The former EastEnders co-stars Natalie Cassidy and Brooke Kinsella appealed on Twitter for help.

Miss McCluskie's headless and limbless body was discovered a week after she went missing floating in the Regents Canal in east London.

A trial was due to take place last month but had to be put off because her head was discovered in September.

Prosecutors are still waiting for medical reports to establish how the actress, who played Kerry Skinner in the BBC soap in 2001, died.

McCluskie will now face a trial for murder on January 14.

Judge Gerald Gordon said that the trial must not be delayed any further. "The family must have closure", he said.

McCluskie, who lived in Hackney with his sister, appeared at the Old Bailey by videolink from Belmarsh Prison.

His father, also called Tony, watched from the back of the court as his son admitted to the killing.

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Linesman Death: Fourth Teen Held In Holland

Dutch police have arrested a fourth teenager in connection with the beating to death of a football linesman.

The 16-year-old from Amsterdam was arrested on Thursday evening, police said. There are now two 15-year-olds and two 16-year-olds in custody.

Volunteer linesman Richard Nieuwenhuizen died on Monday, a day after he was attacked during a game at the ground of Amsterdam team Nieuw Sloten.

Mr Nieuwenhuizen's own son had been playing in the game, which was held in the town of Almere.

Prosecutors said they expected to charge at least some of the teenagers with manslaughter, assault and public violence.

Mr Nieuwenhuizen's team, Buitenboys, have not announced the exact cause of his death, but Dutch TV station RTL said he had brain damage.

Mr Nieuwenhuizen left after Sunday's match and was not aware anything was wrong. He returned to his club later that night and collapsed.

"You can't believe this could happen. That kids of 15 or 16 are playing football, you come to watch and see something like that," said Buitenboys chairman Marcel Oost.

"He did it every week. He enjoyed doing it. He was a real football man - he was always here."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said in a statement he was "deeply shocked" by Mr Nieuwenhuizen's death.

Parents and other volunteers regularly referee and officiate at sports matches involving their children in The Netherlands.

• Related stories
• Dutch Linesman Death: Teens To Be Charged

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Egypt: Tanks Move In As Violence Kills Five

Egypt's army has moved tanks in to protect the presidential palace after a night of violent clashes in which at least five people were killed.

Running street battles between supporters of President Mohamed Morsi and his opponents raged overnight outside the palace.

Rival sides attacked each other with firebombs, rocks and sticks in the worst outbreak since Egypt's new crisis erupted two weeks ago.

The Health Ministry told state television that 446 people had been injured and five killed in the scenes outside the presidential complex in the north of Cairo.

The violence broke out on Wednesday after thousands of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood supporters marched on the palace where 300 of the president's opponents were staging a sit-in.

Riot police were injured as they tried to break up the fighting

Riot police were sent in and fired tear gas but were unable to stop the fighting, which continued until early morning.

Three tanks and three armoured vehicles have been moved outside the presidential complex ahead of a statement from Mr Morsi in which he is expected to address the new climate of unrest in the country.

According to the state news agency: "The Republican Guard began a deployment around the headquarters of the presidency ... to secure the headquarters of the presidency in its capacity as a symbol of the state and the official headquarters of government."

Opposing sides used lasers against their rivals in the clashes

Violence between the president's supporters and opponents has escalated rapidly since the first protests on November 22, after Mr Morsi assumed sweeping new powers, leading critics to brand him the "new pharaoh".

It has been exacerbated by the hasty drafting of a new constitution.

Despite the fighting, the president appears to be pressing ahead with plans for a constitutional referendum to pass the new charter.

Violence has spread to other parts of the country and protesters have set fire to the offices of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood party in Suez and Ismailia, east of Cairo.

Mr Morsi's supporters stand by a tank outside the presidential palace

In Alexandria, the country's second biggest city, security officials said a senior Muslim Brotherhood official was taken to hospital after being severely beaten.

Four of the president's advisers resigned on Wednesday, joining two other members of his 17-member advisory panel who have abandoned him since the crisis began.

The offices of Mr Morsi's Muslim brotherhood was set on fire in Ismailia

The opposition is demanding that Mr Morsi rescind the decrees giving him nearly unrestricted powers and shelve the controversial draft constitution, which was rushed through last week.

Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel laureate and a leading opponent of Mr Morsi's, said that the president's rule was "perhaps even worse" than Hosni Mubarak's, the former president who was overthrown in 2011.

He accused the president's supporters of a "vicious and deliberate" attack on peaceful demonstrators outside the palace.

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Virgin Trains Gets West Coast Line Extension

Virgin Trains says it has reached an agreement to operate services on the West Coast Main Line for the next 23 months.

It comes after an embarrassing U-turn by the Department for Transport (DfT), which admitted it got its sums wrong after initially awarding the franchise to rival FirstGroup.

Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin, who had described the bidding process as "insane" and mounted a legal challenge to the decision was delighted by today's decision.

He said: "It has been a long journey to get to this point but we won't be resting on our laurels and intend to keep improving services for our loyal customers.

"Our lawyers said we had a less than 10% chance of winning after the Government originally awarded the franchise to FirstGroup. One of the key things we have learned from this episode is to never give up if you think right is on your side.

"This is a perfect early Christmas present for our wonderful Virgin Trains staff and customers. Onwards and upwards in 2013 and beyond."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "We are determined to ensure not only that passengers continue to experience the same levels of service they have in the past, but that services improve.

"There will be a new hourly service linking Glasgow and London and we will also work with Virgin Trains to explore other service improvements."

Virgin said there will be up to 28,000 more seats each day on the line because of the delivery of 106 new Pendolino carriages.

Its temporary deal will run from December 9 until November 9 2014, after which the West Coast line will be let under a long-term franchise.

DfT will be able to cut the 23-month period short "by up to six months if a subsequent franchise can be let on a shorter timescale", the Government added.

Three DfT officials were suspended after the bidding process was scrapped and Virgin was expected to be given the go-ahead to run the line for between nine and 13 months.

The new deal will see Virgin run the line on a temporary basis for far longer but does not involve an interim franchise as all existing bid processes were suspended pending the findings of an independent inquiry into the franchise system ordered by Mr McLoughlin.

The investigation, led by Centrica chief executive Sam Laidlaw, produced damning initial findings which listed a string of failings by the DfT.

The publication of the full report, expected later on Thursday, was delayed after one of the suspended department officials, Kate Mingay, mounted a legal challenge to her suspension.

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Pregnant Kate: Duchess Is Out Of Hospital

The Duchess of Cambridge has been discharged from hospital after a stay of three days for treatment for severe morning sickness.

Kate, who is less than 12 weeks pregnant, left with Prince William and was taken to their London home, Kensington Palace, to rest.

A pale, but relaxed looking Duchess, wrapped up against the cold in a coat and scarf, emerged from the building carrying a bouquet of yellow flowers.

She gave a brief smile to the waiting press before being driven away with the Duke of Cambridge by her side.

Kate was receiving treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum - a rare condition which causes severe vomiting during pregnancy and can cause dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine called ketosis.

She was admitted to the central London private hospital on Monday after developing the condition.

Her discharge comes the day after it emerged two Australian radio DJs managed to trick hospital staff treating the Duchess into revealing detailed information about her condition.

Sydney's 2Day FM presenters, Mel Craig and Michael Christian, impersonated the Queen and the Prince of Wales to dupe staff.

They, and the radio station, have since apologised for the prank call.

However, Christian has been promoting their stunt on Twitter telling followers in a tweet: "Still haven't heard the #RoyalPrank that has the world talking? Listen to it here..."

In a brief statement, St James's Palace said: "Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank the staff at the hospital for the
care and treatment the Duchess has received."

More follows...

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Girl, Four, Dies After Level Crossing Crash

A four-year-old girl who was injured when the car she was travelling in collided with a train at a level crossing has died in hospital.

Emma Lifsey had been airlifted to Sheffield Children's Hospital after the incident in North Nottinghamshire on Tuesday.

A British Transport Police spokesman said "she was sadly pronounced dead in the early hours Wednesday".

The other person injured in the crash, a 67-year-old woman who was driving the car, remains in hospital and was in stable condition.

The girl's parents, Mark and Zoe Lifsey, said in a statement: "Emma meant the world to us. She was our much-loved daughter and a baby sister to her 11-year-old brother Jack.

"We are still trying to come to terms with the terrible incident on Tuesday afternoon and there are no words that can properly express how utterly distraught we are."

The Beech Hill crossing after the crash

The couple said they were thankful for the support received in the aftermath of the incident, but sought privacy at a time of grief.

They added: "This tragic incident has left us shocked and devastated and we would ask that we can be left to grieve in private at this acutely difficult and sad time for us."

The woman travelling in the car, a black Volvo, sustained serious neck injuries and bruising.

Police were investigating the accident, and said they would talk to any witnesses while experts examine evidence from the scene and the car.

Girl's death has left parents 'shocked and devastated'

The train, a Lincoln to Doncaster service, was damaged but remained upright and on the tracks. No injuries have been reported among passengers or staff onboard.

Speaking at the scene on Tuesday, Inspector Andy Selby of the British Transport Police declined to comment on whether the barriers and lights at the unmanned crossing were working correctly.

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Weather: Flights Delayed After Snow In London

The first snow of winter has fallen across London and the Home Counties, causing delays to flights and rail services.

A thin blanket of snow fell in the early hours, causing the temporary closure of Stansted Airport from 6am. It re-opened just over two hours later but departures are delayed.

Meanwhile Network Rail reported delays across southern England, while London Underground and Overground services were affected.

Delays of up to 90 minutes were reported between Reading and London Waterloo, due to fewer trains running.

No trains were able to run between Watford Junction in Hertfordshire and Harrow and Wealdstone in North West London, while snow caused disruption between London and Reading in Berkshire.

Trains were unable to run between Barnes and Hounslow via Brentford in West London, while there were delays between London and Ashford International in Kent.

In London, there were delays on the London Overground, and the Metropolitan, Central and Bakerloo Tube lines, while a faulty train led to delays on the Victoria line.

The snow is expected to melt away by mid-morning.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "This is the first real snowfall across London this winter, and it's happening right in the middle of the morning rush hour.

"However it won't be around for long, and will melt quickly in the sunshine."

Wales, the Midlands, northern England and the rest of South West England will have a cold day with the risk of ice.

One of Manchester Airport's two runways was closed due to icy conditions, but later re-opened.

Aberdeen airport said there was snow overnight and there could be delays to flights.

Ireland and Scotland are also experiencing a cold start with ice first thing and some snow showers across northern and eastern Scotland.

On Thursday the snow risk is likely to extend south into the Lake District and Pennine areas bringing the risk of disruption across higher routes during the morning before it turns back to rain and continues to spread southeast across the rest of England and Wales.

This weekend – two of the biggest shopping days of the year – will be crisp and dry.

• Click here for the latest Sky News weather information

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Autumn Statement: Osborne Tightens The Screw

Chancellor George Osborne will warn there are no "miracle cures" as he admits more drastic action is needed to balance Britain's books.

Mr Osborne will confirm in a bleak mini-budget that Whitehall departments are being ordered to find another £5bn in cuts to fund projects aimed at kick-starting the economy.

He is also widely expected to concede that sluggish growth means it will take longer to tackle the deficit and that his key target of having public sector debt falling by 2015-16 may be missed.

Other key measures could include postponing the 3p fuel duty hike due in January, more benefits cuts, a fresh hit on the banks and a raid on the pension pots of higher earners.

The Chancellor's hands are largely tied because of weaker than expected economic growth and high borrowing, which have forced him to extend austerity well beyond 2015.

He has been battling to regain the upper hand since his Budget in March, which was heavily-criticised and led to a string of damaging U-turns over taxes on pasties, caravans and charitable donations.

Delivering his Autumn Statement this afternoon, he will argue that he is "confronting the country's problems, instead of ducking them" as he still seeks to show "we're all in this together".

"The public know that there are no miracle cures. Just the hard work of dealing with our deficit and ensuring Britain wins the global race," he will say.

Mr Osborne will confirm plans to use fresh cuts to fund capital projects in transport, schools, science and skills over the next two years.

They will include £1bn to build or expand up to 100 new academies and free schools over the next two years, with cash directed at areas experiencing a shortage in classroom places.

Departments will be forced to slash spending by 1% in 2013-14 and 2% the following year but health, schools, international aid, HM Revenue and Customs and nuclear decommissioning will be protected.

Treasury sources said the departmental savings amounted to less than the £3bn underspend by departments in the last two years and that the rest was coming from existing budgets.

But Labour claimed the move amounted to an admission that the reduction in infrastructure spending since 2010 had been "a catastrophic mistake" and weakened the economy.

The Chancellor is also expected to target the pension pots of higher earners by slashing the amount of annual tax relief earned on pension contributions from £50,000-a-year to £30,000.

Implementing the full cut could raise as much as £1.8bn for the Government.

A crackdown on people and businesses avoiding or evading tax is also likely, with a £77m boost for HM Revenue and Customs to track down those not paying their fair share.

Further plans to signal approval for up to 30 new gas-powered electricity power stations have already sparked controversy.

Mr Osborne will also float possible tax breaks and regulatory reforms to encourage investment in innovative "fracking" technologies for extracting gas from shale deposits.

• Follow Sky's live coverage of the Autumn Statement
•  10am-5pm: Dermot Murnaghan
•  5pm-7pm:   Live at Five
• 7pm-8pm: Jeff Randall Live

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Kate Pregnant: Duchess Remains In Hospital

The Duke of Cambridge is expected to return to his pregnant wife's bedside today as she continues her hospital treatment for severe morning sickness.

Kate was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in central London on Monday where she is likely to remain for the next few days.

Prince William was by her side until 8.20pm last night when he left the hospital without speaking to the media outside.

William leaves the hospital on Monday evening

It is understood the rest of the royal family learned about the news only a few hours earlier on Monday.

The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry - and Kate's family - are said to be "delighted".

The child will be third in line to the throne, whether it is a boy or girl, after Prince Charles and Prince William.

The Prime Minister was among the first to congratulate the royal couple on Twitter. "I'm delighted ... They will make wonderful parents," David Cameron said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg tweeted: "... a perfect way to round off the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year."

Labour leader Ed Miliband tweeted: "A royal baby is something the whole nation will celebrate."

Julia Gillard, prime minister of Australia, called it "delightful news" and Jay Carney, press secretary to US president Barack Obama, said: "On behalf of everyone here in the White House, beginning with the President and the First Lady, we extend our congratulations ..."

St James's Palace would not say when the royal couple became aware of the pregnancy - only that it was "recently".

Only last week Kate took to the hockey field while visiting her old school

It is understood that the pregnancy has not passed the 12-week point and the announcement was prompted by the Duchess's medical condition.

It was reported that the Queen's former gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, who delivered the Countess of Wessex's two children, is treating her.

Kate is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a rare condition which causes severe vomiting during pregnancy and can cause dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine called ketosis.

News that Kate's condition may indicate she is carrying twins has prompted bookmaker William Hill to cut the price of the royal couple having two babies from 33/1 to 25/1 following a number of bets overnight.

The Duchess's engagements this week have all been cancelled, said St James's Palace.

Kate and William were married at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.

:: Bookmaker William Hill said favourite names are Frances and John, both at 9/1, while Charles, Victoria and George are 10/1.

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Household Spending Hits Highest Ever Level

The average UK household spent £483.60 a week in 2011 - the highest amount ever recorded by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Last year's level was £10.00 higher than in 2010, due in part to increases in transport and housing costs.

However, although the average families' weekly spend hit a record high in cash terms last year, it actually fell when adjusted for inflation.

British households spent £498.20 in 2010 when adjusted for inflation, which means spending fell in real terms by 2.9% the following year.

In cash terms, the highest spend in 2011 was on transport, which rose by 80p to £65.70 per week, driven by hikes in petrol and diesel prices.

A rise in spending on cinema tickets, leisure classes and sporting events meant that recreation took up the next highest chunk of families' spending, at almost £64 a week.

Housing, fuel and power took up the third largest amount of households' spending at £63.30 a week in 2011 - a weekly increase of £2.90.

But some types of household expenditure decreased in 2011.

Spending on household goods and services fell by £4.10 to £27.30 a week, mainly due to a significant drop in the number of people buying furniture and clothing.

There was a small fall in expenditure on audio-visual equipment - including computers - which edged down by 90p to £6.30 a week.

The ONS reported "notable differences" in the way people of different incomes chose to spend their money.

The 10% of households with the lowest incomes spent a significantly larger proportion of their weekly total on housing, fuel and power, and food and non-alcoholic drinks than the 10% with the highest incomes. 

Households in the highest income group spent a greater proportion on transport and recreation and culture. 

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Linesman Dies After Attack By Teenage Players

A football linesman beaten and kicked by teenage players during a youth match has died.

Three players aged between 15 and 16 were arrested after Richard Nieuwenhuizen collapsed at the Dutch club Nieuw Sloten in the town of Almere on Sunday. 

The 41-year-old, whose own son had been playing in the game, had left after the match and was unaware anything was wrong with him, but he then returned to the club later that night and collapsed.

He died in hospital the next day. His team, Buitenboys, has not announced the exact cause of death, but Dutch TV station RTL said he had brain damage.

"You can't believe this could happen. That kids of 15 or 16 are playing football, you come to watch and see something like that," said Buitenboys chairman Marcel Oost.

"He did it every week. He enjoyed doing it. He was a real football man - he was always here."

Dutch sports minister Edith Schippers said: "It is absolutely terrible that something like this can happen on a Dutch sports field."      

Parents and other volunteers regularly referee and officiate at sports matches involving their children in the Netherlands, where youth football and hockey is popular and well-organised.

Anton Binnenmars, of the Royal Netherlands Football Association, said: "It is too crazy for words that somebody involved in a sporting hobby becomes a victim of this kind of aggression."

Police said they would not rule out arresting more suspects.

Nieuw Sloten said in a statement on its website it has banned the players involved and pulled their team out of the league. Such incidents "do not belong on a football field", the statement added.

The Dutch FA said all Nieuw Sloten's matches next weekend had been cancelled at the club's request.

The attack in Almere was even discussed at a news conference in Spain on the eve of Ajax's Champions League match against Real Madrid.

"You can't imagine it happening," said Ajax coach Frank de Boer. "That boys of 15, 16 years short circuit like that. You wonder about the parenting ... this is too ridiculous for words."

The death is almost exactly a year since a Dutch amateur footballer fatally kicked a 77-year-old supporter following a match.

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M1 Crash: Two Men Killed And Motorway Closed

Two men have been killed in a crash on the M1 which forced the closure of a section of the motorway.

The collision between two black BMW cars happened shortly before 2.40am on the southbound carriageway between junctions four and five, near Watford in Hertfordshire.

One of the drivers and his front seat passenger were killed, while another two men travelling in the same car were taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, central London, with "serious injuries", a Hertfordshire Police spokeswoman said.

Two men who were in the other BMW are being treated in Watford General Hospital, although their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, she added.

An investigation is now under way to determine the cause of the crash, which resulted in the closure of five junctions of the motorway in both directions.

The northbound carriageway has since reopened but southbound between junctions four and five - Edgware to Watford - is expected to remain closed until at least mid-morning.

Drivers have been advised to use the A1, A40 or M40.

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UK Threatens To Withdraw Ambassador To Israel

Britain is considering withdrawing its ambassador to Israel over the country's settlement building plans, Sky sources say.

The Government is expected to decide later today how to respond to Israel's plan to allow settlement building in the controversial E1 area of East Jerusalem.

Sources have told Sky News that the Foreign Office is considering what action to take saying "all options are on the table".

This could include withdrawing the British ambassador to Israel and the suspension of trade agreements.

The Israeli Ambassador to London, Daniel Taub, was formally summoned to the Foreign Office this morning where the Minister for the Middle East, Alistair Burt, set out the UK's concerns.

Israel approved proposals to build 3,000 additional homes last week in a controversial plan that could effectively cut off Palestinians in East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank.

Britain's diplomatic threat come after the settlement plans were slammed by the head of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon as an "almost fatal blow" to peace hopes.

Sources have said there is "an appetite for action" within the Foreign Office, which could also take the form of "revisiting" the EU's trade agreements with Israel.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We deplore the recent Israeli government decision to build 3,000 new housing units and unfreeze development in the E1 block. This threatens the viability of the two state solution."

Ambassador Matthew Gould at the site of a rocket attack in Israel in 2011

He said: "Any decision about any other measure the UK might take will depend on the outcome of our discussions with the Israeli government and with international partners including the US and European Union."

Sam Kiley, Sky News' Middle East Correspondent, said: " What they are saying to Israel is that we are very angry about this, we are sincere we don't want to see any of these settlements continue to expand because, as Ban Ki-moon said yesterday, it will be a fatal blow to the peace process."

The UK could invoke human rights clauses in order to suspend the trade association agreements.

The E1 area of East Jerusalem is a 4.6 square mile area, which is largely uninhabited. Israel has been under pressure not to build homes there from the international community, especially the US.

This is because any settlement will effectively cut the West Bank in two and prevent a contiguous Palestinian state.

Israel has built 100 settlements since its occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank - development that is considered illegal under international law.

However, there was a moratorium on settlement building but this ended in 2010, bringing an end to peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

The announcement of the new settler homes prompted stern responses from both the US and Britain, traditionally close allies of Israel.

Mr Netanyahu approved the proposals to build the 3,000 homes in East Jerusalem and the West Bank just 24 hours after the UN agreed to officially recognise a Palestinian state, entitling the Palestinians to take part in UN debates.

The decision was opposed by the US and Britain abstained from the vote, with Mr Hague saying he could only back the move if the Palestinians agreed to return to peace talks immediately.

Matthew Gould was appointed as Britain's first Jewish ambassador to Israel in September 2010.

On taking up the post he said: "We come out determined to help build the strongest possible partnership between Britain and Israel, and to help ensure that Britain and Europe do everything they can to help the people of Israel move forward on the difficult path towards peace and lasting security."

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Winter Weather As Snow Hits Northern UK

Snow is continuing to fall across the north of the UK, with up to 10cm settling across the high mountains overnight.

Glasgow and Edinburgh have seen up to 5cm fall overnight, with up to 4cm settling in Teesside and County Durham.

The mountains in Cumbria, Northumbria and parts of Scotland have been decorated with a blanket of 10cm of snow.

Sky's weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Winter started on December 1 and the weather has become more seasonal.

"In fact it looks set to stay that way with a continued threat of frost, ice and snow.

"Even looking ahead towards Christmas the rather cold and wintry story continues."

And the rest of this week is bound to be frosty, said Lang.

"On Tuesday colder north winds will bring in more widespread snow showers across northern and eastern Scotland, with these spreading across hillier parts of eastern England on Wednesday," she said.

"During Thursday another Atlantic frontal system is set to sweep east bringing in more persistent rain, preceded again by a period of snow."

Frozen flood water at York Racecourse, North Yorkshire, on Sunday

Further south, including Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, escaped the snowfall but were greeted with rain and very cold temperatures instead.

Eastern England shivered in temperatures dipping to -4C and it dropped to -7C in western Scotland.

But hasn't been cold all over Britain - areas of Cornwall and west Wales enjoyed far warmer highs of 11C.

The extreme weather in parts of the UK caused signal failures on transport, meaning delays for passengers on Sunday.

The big chill comes just days after severe flooding hit Britain, from which many areas are still recovering.

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Osborne Eyes Tax Evaders And Pensions Of Rich

The Chancellor has promised to hunt down tax evaders and tax the wealthy - warning that everyone must make a contribution.

In his Autumn Statement on Wednesday, George Osborne is set to hit the pension pots of the wealthiest by slashing the £50,000 annual tax relief cap on pensions to as little as £30,000, according to The Sunday Times. That could raise between £600m and £1.8bn.

Tax evaders are also under the scanner of the Chancellor who told The Sun "we are hunting down those who evade tax wherever they try to hide".

The comments come as several leading football clubs face questions about their tax arrangements and amid an unprecedented public outcry over multinational corporations' tax avoidance through complex offshore mechanisms.

Starbucks, which recently came under fire from MPs over its tax affairs, is reportedly in talks with officials at Revenue and Customs about doing a deal.

In an article in The Sun, Mr Osborne said: "We are still all in this together. Everyone must make a contribution to dealing with our debts, from the richest in our society to those living a life on benefits.

"Every one of my Budgets has raised more from the richest. The situation under Labour where top people in the City were paying lower tax rates than their cleaners has been ended."

Meanwhile, shadow chancellor Ed Balls told the Sunday Mirror that a change of course was needed from David Cameron and Mr Osborne.

"When the medicine makes the patient sicker, you don't just take more of it. We need to change the medicine, or change the doctor."

Any form of mansion tax - or splitting council tax bands - is likely to be ruled out in the coming statement.

There is also speculation a planned 3p per litre rise in fuel duty planned for January may be delayed.

Some benefits are also expected to be frozen.

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Japan Tunnel Collapse: Five People Dead

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

Police say at least five people have died after being trapped inside their burning vehicle in a highway tunnel that collapsed in Japan.

The Sasago tunnel on the busy Chuo Expressway, about 50 miles (80 km) west of Tokyo, caved in just after 8am local time.

CCTV footage from inside the tunnel shows large sections of the roof lying across the road. 

Several cars are understood to have been crushed and a fire in the tunnel has complicated the rescue effort.

A fire in the tunnel complicated the rescue

Motorists described narrow escapes from falling debris, and a long walk through the darkness after abandoning their cars.

"When I was driving in the tunnel, concrete pieces fell down suddenly from the ceiling," a man in his 30s told public broadcaster NHK.

"I saw a crushed car catching fire. I left my car and walked for about an hour to get out of the tunnel."

Aerial footage showed black smoke billowing from the 2.8-mile (4.7-km) tunnel in Yamanashi prefecture.

The fire was extinguished about 11am local time but the rescue and recovery operation has been delayed by concerns that there could be further collapses.

The cause of the collapse is not yet clear. There are no reports of earthquakes in the region though there is a suggestion that a landslide could have contributed to the incident.

Given the frequency of earthquakes in the region, the authorities will have access to rescue equipment which will prove useful for this sort of operation.

NHK reporter Yoshio Goto, caught in Sunday's accident, hit the accelerator and managed to drive out.

"But it was a bit too late and pieces of ceiling fell on my car. I kept pressing the pedal and managed to get out," he said.

"Then when I looked around, I saw half of the car ceiling was crushed."

It was the worst such accident in Japan since 1996, when a tunnel collapsed and falling rocks crushed cars and a bus, killing 20 people.

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Starbucks Pledges Action Over UK Tax Affairs

Starbucks has confirmed it is in talks with the HMRC and the Treasury over its tax affairs.

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