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Miller Redpath: Body Found In Back Garden

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 26 Oktober 2013 | 18.25

Police searching for a missing teenager have found a body in his overgrown back garden.

Public schoolboy Miller Redpath, 18, went missing from his family home in Wenhaston in Suffolk in August.

Suffolk Police said an officer went to the house on Thursday as part of their inquiries and found the body during a search of the garden.

A post-mortem examination has been carried out, however the cause of death remains unknown, police said in a statement.

"At this stage the death is still being treated as unexplained," the statement said.

"Officers have not yet been able to identify the deceased and further tests are required, however early indications suggest that it is the body of 18-year-old Miller Redpath.

"Further searches are taking place at the property and specialist trained officers continue to support Miller's mother at this difficult time."

The discovery comes after Mr Redpath's mother made an emotional appeal for information about her son's disappearance.

"I think he went out purposefully to do something, in order to return shortly, and something went horribly wrong," Anastasia Miller said earlier this month.

"Everything was on track for him as he was doing well at school, he was thinking of London University, had lots of friends and I just don't understand what happened," she added.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Hurricane': UK Will Take Full Force Of Storm

A storm which could reach hurricane strengths of 80mph or more will definitely hit Britain on Monday, weather experts have warned.

There were hopes the huge storm brewing over the Atlantic Ocean would miss the UK, and sweep instead through the English Channel.

But meteorologists are now certain it will strike the south west of England and could leave a trail of destruction as it gusts north-east across the country, causing structural damage, and bringing down trees and power lines.

Roads may also be hit by flash flooding, bringing rush hour traffic on Monday morning to a halt, and homes could be flooded.

Severe weather alerts are in place for England and Wales, with an amber warning, meaning "be prepared", for the southern half of England and Wales.

There is a lesser yellow warning, meaning "be aware", for the rest of Wales and England up to the border with Scotland.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "The storm is coming through at the worst possible time; from around midnight to midday on Monday - which takes in the rush hour when people are trying to get to work.

A map showing weather warnings in place for England and Wales An amber warning is in place across the southern half of England and Wales

"Winds gusting at 80mph are quite capable of bringing down trees and power lines and causing structural damage.

"Trees are still full in leaf at this time of year and the ground is quite damp so there is more chance they can be ripped from the ground, and branches ripped from trees.

"There's also the possibility of flooding with torrential downpours and leaves blocking drains. South Wales and southern England are most at risk.

"There is likely to be flash flooding on roads and the AA will be out in force."

She said Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But the storm will develop on Saturday and intensify on Sunday fairly close to the coast before it strikes with full force.

Forecast for Sunday afternoonForecast for Monday afternoon The storm will intensify on Sunday and hit the UK on Monday morning

A strong jet stream and warm air close to the UK are contributing to its development and strength.

Winds could top 80mph as they hit seaside towns and villages before slowly losing power as they gust across the UK and out to the North Sea.

Some have compared its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in south Wales in 1989.

It will strike two weeks later than the Great Storm of 1987, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16.

Veteran weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict its severity before it flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

Forecast of the storm over Britain Winds could top 80mph as the storm hits seaside towns and villages

This time he warned people to "batten down the hatches" and keep checking the forecasts as the powerful storm approaches.

Darron Burness, head of the AA's flood rescue team, said: "The timing couldn't really be worse, potentially causing significant travel disruption on Monday morning, which is one of the busiest times on the roads.

"If it's bad where you are, keep tuned to the weather and traffic reports - in case of road or bridge closures - and heed any local police advice about whether it's safe to travel.

"At a minimum, take a fully-charged mobile phone and warm, weatherproof clothing."

He said the AA's specialist flood rescue team, driving modified Land Rovers, have been working all week and are on stand-by.

Related Stories

Weather: Storm Alerts As UK Set For 'Hurricane'


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Savile's Chauffeur Bailed Over Sex Offences

Jimmy Savile's former chauffeur has been granted conditional bail after being charged with a string of historical sex offences.

Ray Teret, 72, has been charged with 32 offences relating to 15 alleged victims who claimed they were sexually abused between 1962 and 1996.

He is due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on November 15.

Most of the alleged offences are said to have taken place in the Greater Manchester area.

Ray Teret Ray Teret is also a former DJ

Teret, from Altrincham, is charged with 15 counts of rape of a female under 16, one count of rape, one count of attempted rape of a female under 16, six counts of indecent assault of a female under 16, three counts of indecent assault of a female under 14, one count of gross indecency with a child under 13 and two counts of conspiracy to rape a girl under 16.

The former DJ is also charged with one count of possession of extreme pornography, one count of possession of prohibited images and one count of possession of an indecent image of a child.

Teret, who was initially arrested and bailed last November with another man on suspicion of historic rape allegations, is due to appear before magistrates in Manchester on Saturday.

Police previously said the accusations against him were not linked to the national inquiry into Savile.

DCI Graham Brock, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "This has been a complex investigation that was originally launched in October 2012 when an initial complaint was made to Greater Manchester Police.

"Since that time, we have carried out extensive and wide-ranging inquiries and interviewed a number of people as part of that investigation.

Ray Teret leaves Manchester City Magistrates' Court Teret leaves Manchester City Magistrates' court after being bailed

"It is now very important that we make no further comment and allow the correct legal process to take its course unimpeded and without prejudice.

"We will continue to support all those women who have come forward and offer them whatever welfare they need through the use of specially-trained officers."

Two other men have also been charged following the investigation into Teret.

William Harper, 65, from Stretford, is charged with charged with conspiracy to rape a girl under 16 and attempt rape of a girl under 16.

Alan Ledger, 62, from Altrincham, is accused of indecently assaulting a girl under 16 and aiding and abetting the rape of a girl under 16.

Both men will appear at Manchester City Magistrates' Court on October 30.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Storm Alerts As UK Set For 'Hurricane'

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 25 Oktober 2013 | 18.25

Severe weather alerts have been issued amid fears Britain is about to be hit by the most powerful storm in years.

Forecast of the storm over Britain A Met office image shows a forecast for the storm on Monday

A series of wind, rain and flood alerts are now in place as forecasters predict gales of more than 80mph - classed as hurricane strength. 

The Met Office warned people to "be prepared for the risk of falling trees as well as damage to buildings and other structures".

The storm is currently developing over the Atlantic and will potentially hit UK land on Sunday night and into Monday.

The storm is developingForecast for Sunday afternoon Forecasts show how the storm might develop and move towards the UK

Today, forecasters urged people to prepare for the storm, with some comparing its potential to the Great Storm of 1987 and record-breaking gales in Wales in 1989.

Sky weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "Late October is notorious for strong storms, with a wind gust of 124mph recorded in the Vale of Glamorgan in 1989.

"Should this storm achieve its potential, it is likely to bring down trees and to cause damage to roads and buildings, possibly causing major transport disruption and power cuts."

Map shows the amber and yellow alerts The Met Office website shows amber and yellow alerts for Monday

Wheeler said the storm was due to develop over the Atlantic in the next 24 hours as a strong jet stream and warm air combine to create a deep low-pressure system.

While its trajectory is unclear, there are fears it may hit land, wreaking chaos over England and Wales.

If it does make land, it is likely to hit Wales and the South West first before sweeping east and touching most of the country.

Exposed coasts in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent are most likely to feel the brunt of the winds.

The storm could also miss land completely - sweeping instead through the English Channel.

Met Office senior forecaster Helen Chivers said: "Winds of that strength are damaging winds - there will be a risk of damage to homes and trees and disruption to travel.

"This is not a storm you see every winter. The storm of 1987 is one, and the Burns day storm in January 1990 is another."

Atlantic storms of this type usually develop further west across the ocean, losing strength by the time they reach the UK and Ireland.

But this one is unusual in that it is expected to appear much closer to land, potentially moving across the country while it is in its most powerful phase.

The storm is expected to strike two weeks later than the Great Storm of 1987, which left a trail of destruction on October 15 and 16.

A policeman surveys the damage on a London road in 1987 There are already fears the storm may compare to the Great Storm of 1987

It flattened trees, knocked out power and left 22 people dead in England and France.

Forecasters at the time famously failed to predict the severity of the storm.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police 'Find First 3D Gun-Printing Factory'

By Nick Martin, North of England Correspondent

Police have discovered a 3D printer which they believe criminals were using to try to make a gun, Sky News can reveal.

In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, officers in Manchester on Thursday seized a printer and other components potentially used in the manufacture of firearms during a raid.

As part of an operation to target organised crime gangs in the city, police found a trigger and a magazine they believe is capable of holding bullets, both of which are thought to have been made using the printer.

Officers believe the raid - in the Bagley area of the city - could have uncovered what could be Britain's first 3D gun factory.

Earlier this year concerns were raised that the printers, which construct everyday solid items using very thin layers of plastic, could be used to make a gun, which contained no metal parts and could therefore evade detection by security scanners at airports and other potential criminal targets.

3D magazine The plastic magazine police believe is capable of holding bullets

Detective Inspector Chris Mossop, of Greater Manchester Police, told Sky News: "If what we have seized is proven to be viable components capable of constructing a genuine firearm, then it demonstrates that organised crime groups are acquiring technology that can be bought on the high street to produce the next generation of weapons.

"In theory, the technology essentially allows offenders to produce their own guns in the privacy of their own home, which they can then supply to the criminal gangs who are causing such misery in our communities.

"Because they are also plastic and can avoid X-ray detection, it makes them easy to conceal and smuggle."

The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, Sir Peter Fahy, told Sky News that 3D guns were "a new phenomenon".

He said: "We will really need to look at this new development. Certainly we feel that we are having success - and the important thing is not to be defeatist about this. It is not to think that we'll never win, that these people are cleverer than us.

"They are not, they are just more violent than us."

In May a US defence company successfully fired the first ever gun made with 3D printer technology and announced plans to distribute the blueprints online.

3D printer The 3D printer in what could be a factory for a 'new generation of weapons'

At the time it was warned that criminals may try to use the devices to do something similar.

The firm, Defense Distributed, spent a year trying to assemble a working model. It succeeded using separate printed plastic components and a metal firing pin.

The cost of 3D printers has fallen dramatically in recent months. They can now be bought for less than £1,000.

In a statement Greater Manchester Police said: "Component parts for what could be the UK's first ever 3D gun have been seized by Greater Manchester Police.

"During the searches, officers found a 3D printer and what is suspected might be a plastic clip and a 3D trigger which could be fitted together to make a viable 3D gun.

"It they are found to be viable components for a 3D gun, it would be the first ever seizure of this kind in the UK. The parts are now being forensically examined by firearms specialists to establish if they could construct a genuine device.

"A man has been arrested on suspicion of making gunpowder and remains in custody for questioning."

Sir Peter Fahy Sir Peter: 'These people are not cleverer that us, just more violent'

The raid came as part of what police describe as the largest operation to tackle organised criminal gangs in Manchester's history.

In the past week more than 50 suspected members of criminal gangs have been arrested for a variety of offences including drugs, firearms and money laundering.

As well as the 3D printer, seizures included £330,000 worth of drugs, £25,000 in cash along with weapons such as high-powered air rifles, a BB gun, a Taser, a baton and seven high powered cars.

Up to 50 tonnes of counterfeit goods worth at least £2m - including fake trainers, watches and clothing - were also recovered.

Detective Chief Superintendent Rebekah Sutcliffe, who heads Challenger for Greater Manchester Police, said: "Organised crime groups have a corrosive and insidious effect on our communities. These sorts of people mistakenly believe they 'own their turf' and use violence and intimidation to make people's lives a misery.

"However, this week we have brought the fight to these gangs and through Challenger we are now declaring war on these criminal networks who for too long have been bullying communities and enjoying a lavish lifestyle."

There are currently more than 160 known organised criminal gangs in Greater Manchester, costing the local economy between £850m and £1.7bn each year.

However, it is thought there may be up to 500 of these networks in operation.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Grangemouth's Future Saved In Last-Minute Deal

Grangemouth Petrochemical Plant To Close

Updated: 2:39pm UK, Wednesday 23 October 2013

The owner of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant is to close the operation permanently and keep shut, for now, its major oil refinery amid a continuing pay dispute.

The move threatens up to 800 jobs at the petrochemicals business, which makes products used in everyday items such as packaging and plastic bags, unless it can be sold.

The Grangemouth site's owner Ineos said while it would retain the refinery, which produces 80% of Scotland's petrol and diesel, production would remain shut down until the threat of industrial action was removed.

The Government said there was no current threat of fuel shortages in Scotland because of contingency planning.

Workers were given news of the closure at a meeting with Ineos petrochemicals chairman Calum MacLean following the passing of a deadline on a survival plan which asked all Grangemouth staff to accept changes to pensions and other terms and conditions.

The Unite union said around 680 of the site's total 1,370-strong workforce rejected the proposals, which included a pay freeze for 2014-16, removal of a bonus up to 2016, a reduced shift allowance and ending of the final salary pension scheme.

Following the meeting with staff, one worker who did not want to be named, said: "I feel sick. It's gone."

The worker, who appeared close to tears at points, told Sky News he could only listen to about 10 minutes of the meeting, before he felt he had to leave.

"There's no livelihoods left and we don't even know if we're going to get redundancy out of it. I hope they're happy with themselves," he said.

Unite has accused the company's owner Jim Ratcliffe of playing "Russian roulette" with the future of Grangemouth, the biggest industrial site in Scotland, and said it would back any efforts by the Scottish Government to find a new buyer for the petrochemical complex.

In a statement, Ineos blamed the union's opposition to its survival plan for the decision to close the petrochemical plant - saying shareholders could no longer fund it.

Mr MacLean said: "This is a hugely sad day for everyone at Grangemouth. We have tried our hardest to convince employees of the need for change but unsuccessfully.

"There was only ever going to be one outcome to this story if nothing changed and we continued to lose money.

"We still struggle to comprehend what has happened here. The employees were offered a chance to secure substantial new investment in the company, preserve their jobs and keep their salaries. Sadly this will no longer be the case."

The company added: "As a result of this decision, the directors of the petrochemicals business have had no option but to engage the services of a liquidator. It is anticipated that a liquidation process will commence in a week."

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "I am saddened to hear of Ineos' plans to place the petrochemicals business into administration, particularly because of the impact it will have on the workforce and local community.

"While respecting Ineos' right to make this decision, it is regrettable that both parties have not managed to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement that delivers a viable business model for the plant.

"Even at this late stage, I urge Ineos to continue dialogue with the workforce and Government will offer help and support with this.

"Ineos have informed us that the refinery will stay open and the management wish to restart full operations as soon as possible.

"We stand ready to help with discussions between the management and the union to ensure this can happen.

"Fuel supplies continue to be delivered as usual and there is no current risk of disruption to supplies."

More follows...


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NHS Trusts: Quarter Identified As 'High Risk'

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 24 Oktober 2013 | 18.25

44 NHS Trusts At High Risk

Updated: 10:01am UK, Thursday 24 October 2013

There were 44 trusts in the two bands with the highest risk, with 24 trusts in the highest possible band 1.

Band 1:

Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust

Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Medway NHS Foundation Trust

North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

South London Healthcare NHS Trust

Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust

The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Band 2:

Barts Health NHS Trust

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust

Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust

Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

North West London Hospitals NHS Trust

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation TrustN

Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust

Weston Area Health NHS Trust


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Grangemouth: Union Backs Down 'To Save Plant'

The Unite union has confirmed it will now "embrace" a survival plan at Grangemouth in an effort to reverse a decision by the owner to close its petrochemicals plant.

The move was announced following talks between union officials and management at Ineos which could potentially also lead to fuel production resuming at the company's oil refinery after a shutdown of more than a week.

Unite's general secretary Len McCluskey said shop stewards had decided to accept the company's survival plan "warts and all" in the wake of the closure decision.

That included a pay freeze, ending of a final salary pension scheme and other changes to terms and conditions which had initially been rejected by staff in a union vote.

Mr McCluskey said: "We are not going to let this plant close.

"We have a situation whereby a company has put down an ultimatum and we have to respond. It is not how we engage in modern day industrial relations.

"My union is engaged with thousands of companies every day to negotiate plans to save jobs. There is nothing humiliating about negotiating plans to ensure jobs and communities are safe.

"This plant is on cold shut down and each day that goes by makes it harder to start back up again, which is why the stewards made the offer to the company - so that we can get people back to work."

Sources at Ineos told Sky News ahead of the meeting that any deal to re-open the chemical side of the operation would have to be rubber-stamped by a full meeting of Ineos shareholders.

The company had announced on Wednesday that it could not continue to operate the loss-making petrochemicals division, leaving 800 jobs at risk at the plant with many more contractors facing the axe too.

Ineos also confirmed that while it was not planning to close down the oil refinery, which produces 80% of Scotland's fuel supplies, it would remain shut for now pending reassurances from Unite that there would be no strike action.

Mr McCluskey arrived at Grangemouth this morning to join local efforts to resolve the dispute, hours after officials accused Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe of deliberately engineering the chemical plant's closure.

Ineos argued it was left with no alternative but to close the petrochemical business, which makes products used in the manufacture of household goods such as plastic packaging.

Politicians had urged the two sides to resume talks to prevent the closure, while efforts are expected to continue to find a potential buyer in case the peace efforts fail.


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Coroner: River Deaths Of Two Girls Accidental

A coroner has decided that the deaths of two girls who were swept away by the River Wear in July were accidental.

Tonibeth Purvis, 15, tried to save her friend Chloe Fowler, 14, after she got into difficulty in the river at Washington, Tyne and Wear.

Both girls were swept away and their bodies were later found by emergency crews.

The inquest into their deaths heard the deaths had touched their whole community.

During the prolonged rescue attempt, the coroner was told, various members of the public tried in vain to save the girls.

This included an off-duty police officer who dived into the water and two local fishermen, as well as some of the teenagers' friends.

There were also dozens of emergency service workers at the scene, including specialist dive teams, the fire brigade, a helicopter and 40 police officers.

Recording his verdict, Coroner Derek Winter said: "These events were traumatic and remain so. They touched the families and the whole community.

Girl vanish in river The spot on the River Wear where the two girls got into difficulty

"Chloe jumped into the water and got into difficulty. Then Tonibeth in a valiant attempt to try and save her also got into difficulty.

"Both were overwhelmed by the river and drowned despite the efforts of friends and the rescue services.

"I am so very sad about your loss."

Detective Inspector Mark Ord of Northumbria Police described the timeline of events and said both girls were found within 100 metres of where they were last seen.

He described how, having received the initial report just before 3pm, Tonibeth was not located until 8.49pm and then Chloe at 9.57pm.

"The river was in full flow and was a hazardous environment. It was six metres deep in the middle," he said.

"We tried desperately to find the girls."

The hearing at Sunderland Civic Centre heard that since the incident the local authority has agreed to conduct weekly checks along the river, which rises and falls quickly with the tide.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Godparents Named Ahead Of Royal Christening

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 23 Oktober 2013 | 18.25

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have named Zara Tindall and six other friends as the godparents of Prince George.

The names were revealed ahead of the christening of the future king and supreme governor of the Church of England at St James's Palace later today.

His other godparents include William and Kate's former private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, who continues to serve part-time as their principal private secretary and equerry.

Kensington Palace said the five others are Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Julia Samuel and William van Cutsem.

ZaraThe birth of William and Kate's son George in July 2013 means there are three living heirs to the throne - Charles, William and George Zara Tindall has been named as godmother of the newest royal heir

Mr Baker is an old university friend who attended St Andrews with William and Kate, while Earl Grosvenor, whose first name is Hugh, is the son of the Duke of Westminster.

Ms Samuel was a close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and is the founder patron of Child Bereavement UK, which has William as its royal patron.

Mr van Cutsem is an old family friends of William and Harry, while Ms Jardine-Paterson is an interior designer and an old Malborough College friend of Kate, who also uses her maiden name d'Erlanger in her working life.

Kensington Palace confirmed that those invited to the christening include the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, who has become a grandfather for the first time, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry.

Requiem Mass For Hugh Van CutsemChristening of Prince George of Cambridge William van Custem and Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton are named as godparents

Kate's family - parents Carole and Michael Middleton and siblings Pippa and James - will also attend, along with the godparents and their partners.

The royal couple have chosen celebrity portrait photographer Jason Bell to take the official pictures to mark the christening.

Mr Bell is renowned for his images of showbiz figures like Sir Paul McCartney, actress Scarlett Johansson and former England footballer David Beckham.

The historic 45-minute service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury will see four generations of British monarchs photographed together for the first time since 1899.

While the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all christened at Buckingham Palace, the Duke and Duchess have chosen to break with tradition, holding the baptism in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.

The Royal Christening

The intimate gathering in the chapel where Diana, Princess of Wales' coffin rested before her funeral in 1997 will see William and Kate joined by up to 60 close family and friends.

"This is a hugely significant moment for the Queen. It's terribly important for her to be there with her heir, her heir's heir and her heir's heir's heir," said Sky's Royal Commentator Alastair Bruce.

The last time a monarch was photographed alongside three heirs was in 1899 at the christening of Edward VIII. He was cradled by great-grandmother Queen Victoria, alongside his father George V and grandfather Edward VII.

Prince George will be brought from Kensington Palace by his parents dressed in a Honiton lace christening gown, a replica of the one used by more than 60 members of the Royal Family since 1841.

Prince George christeningPrince George christening The christening of Queen Elizabeth II in 1926 and of Prince Charles in 1948

Alastair Bruce added: "The Queen decided a number of years ago that the original gown was no longer in a fit state to be used for christenings and so had a new one made, first worn by the Earl and Countess of Wessex's son at his christening."

The Lily font used by the Archbishop will be brought to the Chapel Royal from the Tower of London where it is normally housed as part of the crown jewels.

Not expected to attend the christening are family members Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, who have other commitments.

Former Daily Mirror photographer Kent Gavin took the official photographs at Prince William's christening and realised one vital shot was missing.

"I was told not to approach the Queen, but when I realised they'd forgotten to have the Queen Mother hold Prince William, I had to say something," he said.

"The Queen called the Queen Mother into the Music Room, she put her drink down and Diana passed Prince William to her. That's how we got an award-winning shot."

:: Watch coverage of the christening throughout the day on Sky News.


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Job Losses As Petrochemical Plant To Close

The owner of the Grangemouth petrochemical plant is to close the operation permanently and keep shut, for now, its major oil refinery amid a continuing pay dispute.

The move threatens up to 800 jobs at the petrochemicals business, which makes products used in everyday items such as packaging and plastic bags, unless it can be sold.

The Grangemouth site's owner Ineos said while it would retain the refinery, which produces 80% of Scotland's petrol and diesel, production would remain shut down until the threat of industrial action was removed.

The Government said there was no current threat of fuel shortages in Scotland because of contingency planning.

Workers were given news of the closure at a meeting with Ineos petrochemicals chairman Calum MacLean following the passing of a deadline on a survival plan which asked all Grangemouth staff to accept changes to pensions and other terms and conditions.

David Cameron The Prime Minister described the closure as "disappointing"

The Unite union said around 680 of the site's total 1,370-strong workforce rejected the proposals, which included a pay freeze for 2014-16, removal of a bonus up to 2016, a reduced shift allowance and ending of the final salary pension scheme.

Following the meeting with staff, one worker who did not want to be named, said: "I feel sick. It's gone."

The worker, who appeared close to tears at points, told Sky News he could only listen to about 10 minutes of the meeting, before he felt he had to leave.

"There's no livelihoods left and we don't even know if we're going to get redundancy out of it. I hope they're happy with themselves," he said.

Grangemouth More than 1,300 people are currently employed at Grangemouth by Ineos

Unite has accused the company of playing "Russian roulette" with the future of Grangemouth, the biggest industrial site in Scotland, and said it would back any efforts by the Scottish Government to find a new buyer for the petrochemical complex.

In a statement, Ineos blamed the union's opposition to its survival plan for the decision to close the petrochemical plant - saying shareholders could no longer fund it.

Mr MacLean said: "This is a hugely sad day for everyone at Grangemouth. We have tried our hardest to convince employees of the need for change but unsuccessfully.

"There was only ever going to be one outcome to this story if nothing changed and we continued to lose money.

"We still struggle to comprehend what has happened here. The employees were offered a chance to secure substantial new investment in the company, preserve their jobs and keep their salaries. Sadly this will no longer be the case."

The company added: "As a result of this decision, the directors of the petrochemicals business have had no option but to engage the services of a liquidator. It is anticipated that a liquidation process will commence in a week."

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "I am saddened to hear of Ineos' plans to place the petrochemicals business into administration, particularly because of the impact it will have on the workforce and local community.

"While respecting Ineos' right to make this decision, it is regrettable that both parties have not managed to negotiate a fair and equitable settlement that delivers a viable business model for the plant.

"Even at this late stage, I urge Ineos to continue dialogue with the workforce and Government will offer help and support with this.

"Ineos have informed us that the refinery will stay open and the management wish to restart full operations as soon as possible.

"We stand ready to help with discussions between the management and the union to ensure this can happen.

"Fuel supplies continue to be delivered as usual and there is no current risk of disruption to supplies."

More follows...


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Stuart Hall Re-Arrested: New Child Sex Claims

Disgraced broadcaster Stuart Hall has been re-arrested and is being questioned by detectives over new, more serious, child sex allegations.

The former It's A Knockout presenter was taken to a police station from prison, where he is serving a 30-month jail term for sexually abusing 13 victims, one as young as nine, over a period of nearly 20 years.

The latest allegations relate to two alleged female victims, aged between 12 and 15 at the time, according to Lancashire police.

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said the alleged offences took place in Manchester and Derbyshire, between 1974 and 1980.

And they were potentially more serious, as they included allegations of rape.

"One of these two women claims that he raped her over several years on a regular basis," said Brunt

A police spokeswoman said: "This morning an 83-year-old man from Wilmslow in Cheshire was produced from prison and arrested by detectives on suspicion of a number of sexual offences.

"The allegations are historic and relate to two alleged female victims aged between 12 and 15 at the time.

"They allegedly took place in the Manchester and Derbyshire area between 1974 and 1980. We are not prepared to discuss further details at this stage.

"The man will be interviewed at a Lancashire police station during the course of the day.

"We take all allegations of sexual abuse extremely seriously.

"We would encourage people with any information about sexual abuse or who has been a victim of sexual abuse to come forward and report their concerns confident in the knowledge it will be investigated appropriately and with sensitivity."

It comes after it was confirmed that Hall had been stripped of his OBE for broadcasting and charity, in the wake of his conviction for sex offences against children.

Hall was initially given a 15-month prison term at Preston Crown Court, but the Court of Appeal ruled that the sentence was "inadequate" and it was doubled in July.

Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge said his initial denials of his crimes were a "seriously aggravating" feature in the case.

In April, Hall, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, eventually admitted 14 counts of indecent assault against girls aged between nine and 17, and a reporting ban on his pleas was lifted the following month.

He had previously been strident in condemning the accusations, which he labelled "pernicious, callous, cruel and above all spurious".

Hall, whose full name is James Stuart Hall, said he had endured "a living nightmare" and, but for his "very loving family", may have considered taking his own life.

He was a familiar face and voice in British broadcasting for half a century, and his eccentric and erudite football match summaries made him a cult figure on BBC Radio 5 Live.

He also wrote a weekly sport column for the Radio Times magazine up until his arrest.


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'White Widow' Lewthwaite's Ode To Bin Laden

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 22 Oktober 2013 | 18.25

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent

The British terror suspect sought by police following the Nairobi shopping mall massacre wrote a poem in praise of Osama bin Laden in which she warned that al Qaeda is "stronger and fiercer" than ever, Sky News can reveal.

Samantha Lewthwaite - known as the "White Widow" - pledged to continue the fight to bring terror to the West and suggested she was prepared to be a martyr for the Islamic cause.

In the 34-line Ode To Osama, which was found by police on a computer in her Kenyan home, Lewthwaite said her love for the mastermind of the September 11 attacks "is like no other".

She lamented his death in 2011 at the hands of American special forces and called on Muslims to follow his example.

Samantha Lewthwaite bin Laden poem Investigators found an "Ode to Osama" on Lewthwaite's computer

"Us we are left to continue what you started," she wrote.

"To seek the victory until we are martyred. To instill (sic) terror into kuffar (non-Muslims) …Your life an example of how we should be.

"Oh Muslims listen to our beloved sheik's words, Let not his struggle and efforts go unheard, Revive what he started and strive to success, Then maybe we can be raised with the best."

Nairobi's Junction mall The British suspect rented an apartment overlooking the Junction mall

Lewthwaite was married to July 7 bomber Jermaine Lindsay and lived with him in Buckinghamshire before the 2005 attacks. They had two children together.

Last year it emerged she had left Britain for East Africa and had been linked to the al Qaeda terror group al Shabaab.

Despite her sorrow at bin Laden's death, she warned the West - and US President Barack Obama - that the jihad was not over.

Lewthwaite downstairs flat Sky News gained access to a flat directly below the one Lewthwaite rented

"As for our enemies our words will be less," she wrote.

"You picked the wrong army to contest. Al Qaeda are stronger and fiercer than ever. Their (sic) was no victory for you Mr Obama The honour is his on martyred Osama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

As part of an investigation, Sky News has discovered that Lewthwaite, who is being hunted by Interpol in the aftermath of the Westgate Shopping Mall massacre, lived in a flat in the Kenyan capital overlooking a different shopping centre  for seven months in 2011.

Alex Crawford in Kenya Sky's Alex Crawford spoke to a block supervisor, who recognised Lewthwaite

She used her South African alias Natalie Faye Webb while she rented the apartment with her four children.

Sky News sources who are involved in the hunt for her have said this was one of three addresses she acquired in the capital.

It is the first time she has been specifically placed in the city where last month's attack, which left at least 67 people dead, took place.

Samantha Lewthwaite contract Lewthwaite rented the apartment using her known alias, Natalie Faye Webb

Detectives examining the hard drive of a computer left at her house in Mombasa found several self-portraits of Lewthwaite, including one where she posed with two of her children.

They also discovered evidence which led them to an apartment block in Nairobi overlooking the Junction shopping mall, which British and Kenyan intelligence believe was a potential target for the al Shabaab terror group with which Lewthwaite has been linked.

She lived there with her four children and despite having no apparent income paid 60,000 shillings (nearly £500) a month for the three-bedroom flat.

Westgate mall clean-up The clean-up at the site of the Westgate mall attacks is ongoing

A man from the apartment block said she used to go shopping at the nearby mall - popular just like Westgate with wealthy expats - for up to four hours at a time.

Police also traced a flash drive back to her which showed the British woman who married a suicide bomber had spent eight years researching chemicals, explosive ingredients and how to make bombs.

One document she downloaded is entitled the Mujahideen explosives handbook.

The examination of her hard drive showed she had also Googled a significant number of dieting and fitness sites, including websites with workout routines to help you lose weight and makeover sites which demonstrated how to have hair like the singer Taylor Swift.

Out of nearly 2,000 files found, a vast number were about health and body image, and she had downloaded documents about getting started in bodybuilding and visited one site about self-defence.


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Energy Regulator Moves To Protect Fixed Rates

Energy suppliers have been banned from increasing their prices on fixed-rate deals, the industry regulator confirmed while announcing an £8.5m penalty against ScottishPower over misleading sales techniques.

Ofgem said ScottishPower would pay £7.5m to benefit vulnerable customers and establish a £1m customer compensation fund  for breaching the terms of its market licence between October 2009 and January 2012.

It said ScottishPower provided customers with inaccurate estimations of annual charges and comparisons with their current supplier both on the doorstep and over the phone.

The settlement, the company said, meant that more than 140,000 people on the Warm Home Discount scheme would automatically receive payments of around £50 each.

ScottishPower said it would write to 336,000 households that may have been mis-sold, but was criticised by the consumer group Which? for asking people who thought they may have been mis-sold to call an 0845 chargeable phone number.

ScottishPower Scottish powerr ScottishPower: 50,000 households may get up to £30 compensation

The company also came under fire for estimating mis-selling compensation payments at between £5-£30 per affected customer.

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint said: "This is yet more evidence that Britain's energy market is broken.

"Yet again Ofgem's response has been weak and David Cameron refuses to stand up to the energy giants. These companies need to know that if they mistreat their customers there will be a heavy price to pay."

The company said it accepted the selling failings, but insisted it had now rectified the problems. It stopped door-to-door selling in 2011.

Ed Davey Energy Secretary Ed Davey had demanded simpler tariffs

The penalty comes at a sensitive time for the Big Six energy firms which are under fire from customers over inflation-busting increases to bills ahead of winter while politicians scrap over intervention in the market.

To date, three of the firms have announced average rises of between 8% and 11%.

As part of moves to ensure the market acts fairly, Ofgem said new rules were now in force meaning energy suppliers were banned from increasing prices on fixed-term tariffs over the course of a contract and banned from automatically rolling householders onto another fixed-term offer when their current one ended.

The regulator said it wanted to end loopholes in fixed rates, including fixed deals linked to standard tariffs, meaning they would rise as standard prices increased.

From December 31, firms will have to cut the number of tariffs they offer customer to just four for gas or electricity, while from March companies will have to show the cheapest tariff they offer on every customer's bill.

Andrew Wright, Ofgem's chief executive, said: "Ofgem is resetting the energy market in consumers' favour to make it simpler, clear and fairer.

"Today's extra protection for consumers on fixed prices is just one of a range of reforms we are bringing in over the next six months to hold energy companies to higher standards.

"If suppliers fail to deliver, then Ofgem stands ready to take enforcement action to protect consumers.

"In an era of rising prices it is vital that competition works as effectively as possible. Our reforms seek to give consumers the tools they need to find the best energy deal for them and to ensure that suppliers have to treat them fairly.

"Ofgem is going to make it easier for consumers to 'vote with their feet' and for new suppliers to enter the market and take on the Big Six.

"Now we are looking for energy suppliers to pick up the baton and put their efforts into restoring consumer trust.

"Encouragingly suppliers have shown a willingness to start on this journey by signing up to our reforms and are now acting to implement them."

Ofgem's action followed criticism from MPs and Labour which have accused the regulator in the past of failing in its duty to protect consumers.

Energy and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey added: "This is a clear, strong signal that energy companies shouldn't expect to get away with bad practice.

"We're giving Ofgem powers that force energy companies to make direct payments to consumers hurt by these kinds of activities, and backing up Ofgem's reforms so that consumers get a simpler, fairer deal."

:: We want to hear from you - if you've signed up for a fixed tariff, only to find your bill has gone up, or if you've been a victim of mis-selling please get in touch. You can email your comments - or a video of yourself making them - to news@sky.com.


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Schoolboy Bank Robber Sentenced To 40 Months

A 15-year-old school boy who held up a bank with an imitation firearm has been sentenced to 40 months in a young offenders centre.

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Maria Mystery: Roma Couple In Greek Court

Written By Unknown on Senin, 21 Oktober 2013 | 18.25

A Roma couple are in court charged with abducting a mystery blonde girl in Greece.

The pair - named in local papers as Hristos Salis, 39, and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, 40 - were escorted into the back of a courthouse in Larissa from a police van.

Their friends and family waited at the front of the building, with reporters and TV satellite crews.

The couple's lawyer Matetta Palavra was surrounded by journalists as he entered the court.

"You will leave us alone for now, we have a difficult road ahead of us," he told them.

Asked by one reporter what stage the case was at, he replied: "We will see the prosecutor at noon."

The four-year-old girl - known as Maria - was discovered living in a Gypsy camp near the Greek town of Farsala on Wednesday after a raid by police looking for drugs and weapons.

British police say there is no link between her case of and that of missing boy Ben Needham.

Greek court The pair were taken by police van into the back of the courthouse

Ben - one of Britain's longest-running missing person cases - was 21 months old when he went missing on the Greek island of Kos in 1991.

A prosecutor who accompanied police on the raid thought it odd that Maria did not look like her darker-skinned "parents".

DNA tests later confirmed the couple are not her biological parents.

Greek authorities have put out a worldwide appeal to help identify the youngster and find her real family.

Maria is being cared for in Athens by the Greek charity Smile Of The Child, which say they have been inundated with more than 8,000 calls about the girl.

The calls have come from people in the US, Scandinavia, Australia, South Africa and other countries.

Greek court The couple are appearing at a court in Larissa

Charity spokesman Panayiotis Pardalis said a few of the calls had specific details and have been forwarded to police.

Police have said they would seek assistance from Interpol to identify the girl in a Europe-wide search.

The Roma community in Farsala is said to be anxious about the attention the case is attracting.

In a country already devastated by economic crisis, the Roma in the camp make a living selling fruit, carpets, blankets, baskets and shoes at local markets.

They are already considered by some to be social outcasts, thieves and beggars, and now they are worried they will be wrongfully stigmatised as kidnappers and child traffickers.

The president of the local Roma community, Babis Dimitriou, said he hoped there would not be a backlash following Maria's discovery.

"There are no transactions involving children here," he said, adding that the couple cared for the little girl "even better than for their own children".

The Roma in Farsala insist their community is not involved in abductions or trafficking.

But police say they are aware of "dozens" of such cases involving Bulgarian Roma in Greece.

More follows...


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Man Admits Murder Of Hertfordshire Pensioner

A 55-year-old man has admitted the murder of a pensioner who was stabbed after going to the aid of his neighbour - a convicted paedophile - during a robbery.

Ian McLoughlin, 55, appeared at the Old Bailey and admitted killing Graham Buck in Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire, in July.

Mr Buck, 66, suffered fatal stab wounds when he responded to cries from the home of 86-year-old Francis Cory-Wright in the village near Berkhamsted.

McLouglin met Mr Cory-Wright while in prison and showed up at his house claiming to need help setting up a charity for elderly ex-offenders.

But McLoughlin, already a convicted killer, suddenly grabbed him and demanded money and valuables.

He tied up Mr Cory-Wright, who was jailed for 30 months for indecently assaulting a 10-year old boy in the 1970s, and stuffed silver family heirlooms into a pillowcase and demanded his bank cards and pin numbers.

Mr Buck, a father-of-three, who lived two doors away from Mr Cory-Wright, went to help him after hearing shouting in his front garden.

He confronted McLoughlin as he tried to flee Mr Cory-Wright's house and was stabbed in the neck.

In a police interview, McLoughlin apologised for killing Mr Buck.

"I'm not sorry for what I did to the nonce, but I'm sorry for what I did to the pensioner."

Witnesses described seeing Mr Buck with his throat slashed "wide open", prosecutor Ann Evans said. He died on his front lawn, with his pet dog sitting beside him.

McLoughlin, who has also admitted robbery, is due to be sentenced this afternoon.


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Npower Energy Bills Up 11% Before Christmas

Energy giant npower has announced an increase in household tariffs of 9.3% for electricity and 11.1% for gas.

The price rise will be imposed from December 1.

Chief executive Paul Massara said: "This has been a really hard decision for us and I know this news will not be welcome.

"Nobody wants to see their bills go up particularly when household budgets are being squeezed.

"We've tried to protect customers for as long as possible but the truth is we simply cannot hold off any longer.

"There are many external costs which are increasing your bills, including Government schemes and the actual cost of buying energy."

The company is the third of the so-called big six energy firms to raise prices in recent days.

On Thursday, British Gas become the second major supplier of household energy to announce a rise in its prices - by an average 9.2%.

The company said its electricity and gas prices would rise by 10.4% and 8.4% respectively from November 23 - affecting 7.8 million households.

Rival SSE announced a price hike almost two weeks ago, raising its bills by 8.2% from November 15.

Prime Minister David Cameron has called the latest increase "disappointing" and urged households to try to save money by switching suppliers.

But critics say it is more important to lock into a fixed tariff to avoid future rises.

E.ON, Scottish Power and EDF Energy are the other big providers and are yet to make announcements on their winter pricing.

The price boost by npower came after the Government confirmed a deal for EDF to build Britain's first nuclear power station in a generation.

But the Chinese-backed plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset is not expected to be commissioned until 2023 at the earliest.


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Energy Bills: Welby Slams 'Severe' Price Rises

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 20 Oktober 2013 | 18.25

The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a stinging attack on Britain's energy firms, warning the latest round of price hikes seem to be "inexplicable".

Justin Welby insisted the so-called Big Six energy companies had an obligation to behave morally rather than to simply maximise profit.

His intervention, published in an interview with the Mail on Sunday, came after British Gas followed in the footsteps of SSE by announcing a 9.2% increase in prices.

The head of the Church of England, himself a former oil executive, said he understood the anger the rises had generated.

"The impact on people, particularly on low incomes, is going to be really severe in this, and the companies have to justify fully what they are doing," Mr Welby said.

British Gas Last week British Gas announced a 9.2% increase in prices

"I do understand when people feel that this is inexplicable, and I can understand people being angry about it, because having spent years on a low income as a clergyman I know what it is like when your household budget is blown apart by a significant extra fuel bill and your anxiety levels become very high. That is the reality of it."

The Archbishop urged firms to be "conscious of their social obligations", saying they had to "behave with generosity and not merely to maximise opportunity".

"They have control because they sell something everyone has to buy. We have no choice about buying it. With that amount of power comes huge responsibility to serve society," he said.

"It is not like some other sectors of business where people can walk away from you if they don't want to buy your product and you are entitled to seek to maximise your profit.

"The social licence to operate of the energy companies is something they have to take very, very seriously indeed."

Electricity pylons Electricity prices are rising faster than those for gas

But the Church Of England owns a significant number of shares in energy companies.

Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said: "Justin Welby has now joined in this increasingly politically charged debate about energy prices - the only embarrassment really for the Church of England really is that it owns more than £7m of shares in Centrica and about £6m of shares in SSE.

Craig added: "The remarks have been welcomed already by the Labour Party - but they will infuriate government ministers, the Prime Minister and the Energy Secretary."

An ongoing bitter political spat over energy has seen Labour leader Ed Miliband attempt to seize the initiative by pledging a 20-month-long price freeze.

Prime Minister David Cameron has dismissed the idea as a "con", and encouraged consumers to switch suppliers to keep bills down.

But polls have suggested that Labour's promise is popular with voters, putting pressure on the coalition to respond.


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Nick Clegg: No 'Coalition Crisis' Over Schools

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has defended his views on free schools saying it's "not a great coalition crisis" but rather a difference of opinion.

Mr Clegg will dramatically disown key parts of the coalition's education policy in a speech at a London school on Tuesday.

He insists all teachers should be qualified and the national curriculum should be taught in every school.

Speaking to Sky News, he said the Liberal Democrats view on education was not a "state secret".

"Of course there are tensions and pinch points, we are not identical parties," he said.

"No one should be surprised about this and it's not a political crisis when some of those differences are articulated in public."

Mr Clegg maintains he is a supporter of free schooling but wants to strike a "sensible balance" between Labour and the Conservatives.

"Yes, give schools more freedom and autonomy but also give parents the reassurance that there children … are taught by qualified teachers to the same standard as any other school in the rest of the country," he said. 

He says, on the one hand, Labour wants to "strangle" school autonomy and micromanage everything in the classroom, while the Conservatives don't want any "basic standards".

Mr Clegg denies the new stance is an attempt to cosy up to Labour, calling the suggestion "complete and utter nonsense".

He says the Liberal Democrats views on education have been known for a long time. 


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Syria: Suicide Truck Bombing 'Kills 30'

A suicide bomber driving a truck packed with 1.5 tons of explosives has killed at least 30 people in Hama, Syrian state media reported.

The attacker blew himself up inside the vehicle at a government checkpoint on the edge of the city, the Sana agency said.

The explosion appeared to have set a nearby fuel truck on fire, increasing the damage and casualties, it added.

Sana blamed the assault on "terrorists", which is the term it uses to describe rebel forces trying to topple President Bashar al Assad.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al Nusra, or al Nusra Front, carried out the attack.

Meanwhile, a key international conference aimed at ending Syria's civil war will be held in Geneva on November 23 and 24, according to Arab League chief Nabil el Araby.

The announcement came after talks with the Arab League-UN envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi.

The proposed conference will attempt to get Syria's rival sides to agree on a transitional government in that country based on a plan adopted in the Swiss city in June 2012.

Syria's conflict has left over 100,000 people dead.

The fractured and squabbling opposition movement has criticised the conference plan, saying they were not consulted.

They said they could not accept any negotiations that allowed for Mr Assad to remain as head of state in any transitional period.

In the early months of the uprising that started in March 2011, Hama saw some of the largest demonstrations against his rule.

But in the summer of that year, security forces stormed the city, killing scores of people.

They have held a tight grip on the city ever since.

While several other Syrian cities have been engulfed by fighting, Hama has seen only sporadic violence in recent months.

However, the surrounding province has seen some major clashes between troops and rebels.

More follows...


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