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Weather: Tidal Surge Clean Up Under Way

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 07 Desember 2013 | 18.26

By Emma Birchley, East Of England Correspondent

The task of cleaning and repairing flood-damaged homes is under way after a tidal surge so powerful it swept some houses into the waves.

The swollen sea flooded 1,400 properties across the country overnight on Thursday in coastal communities stretching from North Wales to Essex.

It was the most serious tidal surge to hit Britain for more than 60 years, and the Environment Agency said high tides on Saturday could cause more flooding in areas already inundated with water.

But the number of flood warnings and alerts has been reduced with fewer than 50 now in place, and no severe flood warnings, which are issued when flooding poses a "significant threat to life".

Susan Telford and Paul Citrine are still struggling to get through to their insurers after their home in Rhyl, north Wales, was left coated in mud once the waters receded.

Ms Telford said: "It's just a waiting game now, I suppose, and a long clean up...but we're lucky. We've got our health and we've got each other and material things can be replaced."

A man walks through the floods in Rhyl Flooding in Rhyl, north Wales

At Hemsby in Norfolk some homes are gone for good. The sheer power of the sea swept three over the sandy cliff and others were left teetering precariously.

Pub landlord Jonathan Thompson rallied his regulars to help save one family's belongings after he saw the cliff beginning to give way.

"It's heartbreaking to watch someone's entire life being swept into the sea never to be seen again," he said.

The Environment Agency says 800,000 properties were protected thanks to both permanent and temporary flood defences.

They helped prevent a disaster on the scale seen in 1953, when hundreds were killed.

But some barriers were breached as the tidal surge combined with high tides and strong winds.

Floods/storms sunrise promo image

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said two women, two young babies in pushchairs and a dog had been rescued after being hit by a large wave at Louisa Bay in Broadstairs, Kent.

Thousands of homes in coastal areas were evacuated after officials warned that lives could be at risk.

Hundreds of people were forced to spend the night camped out in emergency rest centres.

The North Sea surge followed an Atlantic storm which brought severe gales of up to 80mph across Scotland and northern parts of England.

People gather on a bridge in Sandwich, Kent, to watch the rising River Stour People watch rising waters in the River Stour in Sandwich, Kent

Some mountainous regions in Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire reported speeds of around 140mph.

One man died after he was struck by a falling tree in a park in Retford in Nottinghamshire, while a lorry driver was killed when his HGV toppled onto a number of cars in West Lothian.

The adverse weather also caused chaos on the transport network, with rail services for Scotland and parts of the North of England suspended and number of flights disrupted.

:: Watch the latest live coverage from around the country on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Air Traffic Control Problem Delays UK Flights

Flights at airports across the UK - including Heathrow and Gatwick - have been delayed or cancelled by an air traffic control system problem.

Thousands of passengers have seen their flights delayed by a "technical problem" at southern England's main air traffic control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire.

Airports in the south east of England - the world's busiest airspace - have been hardest hit, with the knock-on impact disrupting flights across the UK and further afield.

Passengers have complained about a lack of information as they spend hours stuck on planes, waiting to find out if their flights will take off.

Eurocontrol, which coordinates air traffic control across Europe, has said the technical problem will not be fixed until 4pm at the earliest.

Heathrow had cancelled 60 flights by 9.45am, with that figure split roughly equally between departures and arrivals.

A spokeswoman said: "Due to a technical issue with air traffic control, flights from many UK airports, including Heathrow, are subject to delay and cancellation.

"If you are flying today you should check the status of your flight with your airline. We are sorry that passengers have experienced disruption to their journeys."

Gatwick Airport tweeted: "Due to air traffic control systems issues some flights may be delayed. Please check with your airline."

NATS The problems stem from a technical issue at NATS air traffic control

There are also reports of delays at Stansted, Manchester, Cardiff, Southampton, Luton, London City and flights to the south from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

NATS air traffic control said in a statement: "Due to a technical problem at Swanwick we are currently experiencing some difficulty switching from night-time to daytime operation.

"At night, when it's quiet, we can combine sectors of airspace. When it gets busy in the daytime we split the sectors out again. The voice communications system is configured to enable this to happen.

"We experienced a technical problem in the early hours of this morning, which means that it hasn't been possible to reconfigure the voice communications system to split out the sectors for the busier daytime traffic in some areas of the UK en route airspace.

"Engineers are working to rectify the problem as soon as possible, but this is resulting in some delays. Safety has not been compromised at any time, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience being caused to passengers."

The issue has also affected flights UK-bound flights from Ireland and Europe.

Dublin Airport tweeted: "Technical issue with air traffic control in southern England is causing a delay to some flights to England & continental Europe this AM."

Daisy McAndrew said she had been caught in the "unholy mess" at Gatwick as she tried to fly to Barcelona for work.

Image from on board a grounded flight Cabin crew opened the doors on a grounded flight as passengers milled about

She told Sky News: "As ever, staff have been fantastic but they know nothing other than the fact it is going to be a very, very long delay - very frustrating.

"And also, it's embarrassing, isn't it? When you look around a lot of people on my plane are not British, they are flying British Airways, they are probably trying to get back to Spain and they will inevitably be thinking this is something that could have possibly been prevented.

"It doesn't show our air traffic control system or our travel system in a good light.

"I have never heard of an example where every single plane is grounded - it's quite eerie when I look out of the window to see the tarmac in Gatwick, normally so busy, and also the sky above Gatwick which is normally busy - completely static, there's nothing moving."

Mrs McAndrew said the pilot on her flight suggested the delays would cause problems at Heathrow for two or three days.

Alwynne Gwilt, stuck at Stansted, told Sky: "We've just been stuck on the tarmac since we boarded the plane - at that point I don't think they realised quite the extent of the issue.

"Once we were settled in they told us there might be a delay of two hours and 45 minutes but we've had no updates since then.

"I understand that safety comes first. Unfortunately you want to make the most of it when you go away for a short getaway, but at the moment we're only seeing the yellow and blue of the Ryanair planes.

"You have to question why we had to get on the plane if they had known a little bit ahead of time. Now we're stuck with no tea, coffee, all those things you would be able to get if you were in an airport."

Gatwick arrivals board The arrivals board at Gatwick Airport, which has been affected

Radar engineer Dan Holland told Sky News the air traffic computer system runs at around 15% capacity during the night when there are fewer flights and then switches to near 100% during the day.

He said: "It seems that when they have made the switch something hasn't gone right and the data isn't being optimised enough for the safety of the passengers and the planes in UK airspace."

Sky News reporter Clare Fallon said problems at Swanwick had caused a similar backlog last summer.

She said: "There were several airports, mostly in the south of England, including Heathrow, and it took several hours then for them to actually deal with that problem."

Aviation analyst Chris Yates said passengers due to arrive at UK airports from overseas could find themselves diverted elsewhere.

He said: "There are contingency plans in place whenever this happens.

"Many of the long-haul flights, coming from China, India, the US and so on, passengers sitting on those planes may find themselves diverted to continental airports.

"But it's going to be a long wait for them. When the system kicks back in and starts working, there will be a backlog of flights.

Travel journalist Simon Calder said the technical glitch was a "disaster".

He told Sky News: "The south-east of England is the busiest airspace in the world. London handles far more passengers than anywhere else including Paris, New York, Tokyo and so on.

He explained that the lack of spare capacity at airports like Heathrow means things get "very messy, very quickly" and airlines are forced to cancel flights to create firebreaks, which allow the system to keep running.

He said there was "no way" that passenger safety would be compromised due to the ongoing problems but that airlines were facing losses of millions of pounds.

He added: "If you are flying today, then good luck, if you're only delayed you're in a pretty good place."

:: Are you stranded? Email us: news@sky.com.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602 and Freeview channel 82.


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nelson Mandela: South Africa Salutes Its Hero

Mandela Embraced Sport To Heal

Updated: 1:02am UK, Saturday 07 December 2013

By Paul Kelso, Sports Correspondent

Of the many remarkable images of Nelson Mandela's remarkable life, few speak as powerfully as the moment South Africa's new president handed the 1995 Rugby World Cup to Francois Pienaar in Johannesburg.

In front of an overwhelmingly white crowd at Ellis Park, the man once regarded as an enemy of the state emerged wearing a Springbok shirt bearing Pienaar's No 6 on the back.

Entirely won over, the crowd chanted his name, and two hours later watched as the two No 6s, one black, one white, but both South African, celebrated a moment of shared sporting triumph.

It was a moment of brilliant political judgement and deep symbolic power.

Mr Mandela had only been president for a year and extreme right-wing elements were attempting to destabilise his government.

At a stroke he had provided a rallying point for a fledgling nation.

"It is hard to put into words what it meant," said Pienaar.

"Everyone knows about our embarrassing past and he comes out and asks the rest of the country to support us.

"I never thought he would wear a Springbok jersey. That meant so much for the white South Africa. He comes out and carries the Springbok on his chest. I think it was a rallying call for the country, that this was a team that played for us all."

Sport is a persistent theme of South Africa's journey from apartheid to emancipation. First, as a lightning rod for the global anti-apartheid movement, and then at Mr Mandela's behest used as a means of healing the nation's deep divisions.

In the dark days of apartheid the old Imperial games of cricket and rugby were central to white South African identity.

Lucas Radebe, the former South African football captain, told Sky News the black majority played soccer in isolation, associating the other games with the regime.

"We looked at cricket as the sport of the minority, we didn't want to have anything to do with cricket or rugby. Everything was just apartheid," he said.

"Our parents still bear the scars, but it got better and there is a lot of history."

Whatever the game, black and white South Africans were barred from playing together. And when it came to sending national teams to play abroad, only whites were considered for selection.

The African National Congress, operating in exile, recognised the symbolic power of this and campaigned for a global boycott of teams selected on racist lines.

The sporting boycott was perhaps the most effective of all sanctions, hitting white identity hard and bringing the iniquities of the apartheid regime to the attention of a global audience.

Mr Mandela and Desmond Tutu both acknowledged the role played by sport in raising awareness, but winning the support of sport was not straightforward.

In Europe and within cricket and rugby there was resistance to a boycott, with many spouting the canard that sport and politics should not mix.

Exclusion from the Olympic Games was a powerful symbol of global revulsion, but it took concerted action from Asian and African countries to overcome European resistance within the International Olympic Committee.

British rugby was only jolted from its complacency by nationwide protests against South African tourists, and cricket finally joined the anti-apartheid consensus after one of the most controversial and divisive incidents in all sport, the Basil D'Oliveira affair.

D'Oliveira was, in the parlance of apartheid South Africa, a "Cape Coloured" who, denied a chance to play international cricket left South Africa and qualified to play for England.

In 1968 he appeared certain to be selected for the tour of South Africa, a decision that was likely to lead to the cancellation of England's visit by the South African government.

But following a secret lobbying campaign orchestrated from Pretoria, D'Oliveira was omitted from the MCC touring party for the winter tour of his homeland.

It prompted outrage and protests and, a month later, following an injury to a player selected ahead of him, he was added to the touring party.

The South African government responded with contempt, cancelling the tour and describing the MCC squad as "the team of the anti-apartheid movement".

The affair exposed the deep racism of South African society, and cast the sport into a wilderness in which it remained until Mr Mandela was released.

Attempts to break the boycott served to highlight the anti-apartheid cause, particularly rebel cricket tours culminating in a party led by former England captain Mike Gatting in 1989.

Gatting, who will become MCC President in October, found himself at the centre of the final convulsion of apartheid, and saw his mercenary expedition cancelled as Mr Mandela was finally released.

Football attracted less attention but there were notable boycott breakers, including Bobby Moore, Geoff Hirst and Alan Ball of England's 1966 World Cup winning side, who all played in South Africa under apartheid.

Having been a tool in the struggle, sport became a symbol of change once Mr Mandela was released.

A South African team competed under the Olympic flag in Barcelona in 1992, and the cricket team played in the West Indies in 1992 with the protea, a flower, replacing the Springbok on their badge.

Mr Mandela astutely used the power of sport to try and heal his nation's deep divisions.

The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the most obvious example but there were others. The 1996 African Cup of Nations, won by the hosts with a team led by the great Lucas Radebe, lifted national esteem further.

Major sporting events were drawn to South African, including the 2003 World Cup and most recently, the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

That brought Mr Mandela's final public appearance as he was driven around Soccer City in a golf buggy, visibly frail but rapturously greeted by a global audience hungry for a piece of the modern-day saint.

Many things matter more than sport as South Africa comes to terms with life after Mr Mandela, but when black and white play together they can take comfort that the simple act is part of his legacy.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602 and Freeview channel 82.


18.26 | 0 komentar | Read More

North Korea: Aide To Kim's Uncle 'Defects'

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 06 Desember 2013 | 18.25

A close aide of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's uncle - who has "disappeared" after being apparently sacked from his roles in the regime - is reported to have fled the country

The unnamed defector is currently being protected by South Korean officials in a secret location in China, cable news network YTN said, citing an unidentified source.

"A source familiar with the matter said the aide immediately requested asylum from the South Korean government and South Korean officials are currently protecting him at a secret place in China," it said.

The aide managed funds for Jang Song Thaek, who was married to Kim's aunt, before escaping the North, officials said.

This gave him knowledge of funds belonging to Kim and his father, former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, it added.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, flanked by his uncle North Korean politician Jang Song-thaek, leaves a military parade in Pyongyang North Korea leader Kim Jong Un with his uncle Jang Song Thaek

Mr Jang was sacked last month, it was reported earlier in the week. YTN said his fall from grace could have been a result of the aide's defection.

Two other aides were executed at the same time as Mr Jang was removed as vice chairman of the North Korean National Defence Commission (NDC), South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said.

On Thursday, North Korea's ambassador to Malaysia Jang Yong-Chol - who is one of Mr Jang's nephews - was recalled to Pyongyang, according to the Yonhap news agency.

Asked about the South Korean media reports, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "We have noted the report, but do not understand the situation."

This undated picture released by North K Previous leader Kim Jong Il with his brother-in-law

China, Pyongyang's only major ally, usually resists allowing defectors from North Korea to seek asylum elsewhere.

If the reports are true, the defection would be the first time in years that an important insider from the Pyongyang regime has switched sides.

About 25,000 North Koreans have defected to the South but few of them were highly placed in Pyongyang.

North Korea's ruling Kim family is ruthless about protecting its security and privacy and little is known about the inner workings of the regime.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nelson Mandela: South Africa's Hero Dies

Life And Times Of Nelson Mandela

Updated: 3:36am UK, Friday 06 December 2013

July 18, 1918: Born Rolihlahla Mandela in a small village in the eastern Cape of South Africa.

1944: Joins the African National Congress (ANC).

1944:  Marries first wife Evelyn Mase.

1948:  South African government introduces the racial segregation policy of apartheid.

December 1952:  Sentenced to nine months hard labour, suspended for two years, for civil disobedience campaign. Opens first black law firm with Oliver Tambo.

1956:  Charged with high treason as part of a round-up of 156 activists.

1958:  Divorces Evelyn Mase and marries social worker Winnie Madikizela.

1959: New racial segregation laws create homelands for South Africa's blacks.

March 21, 1960: Sixty-nine black protesters killed during a demonstration at Sharpeville, in the Transvaal, provoking national uproar.

March 31, 1960: Government declares state of emergency.

April 8, 1960: Government bans the ANC.

March 29, 1961: Mr Mandela acquitted of treason at the culmination of four-year trial. He goes underground on the same day and is dubbed "The Black Pimpernel" by the media for his ability to evade the police.

April 1, 1961: Robben Island turns into a prison for political prisoners.

January 11, 1962: Using the name David Motsamayi, he leaves country and travels around Africa and to England to gain support for the "struggle".

July, 1962: Returns to South Africa.

August 5, 1962: He is arrested for leaving the country without a passport and inciting workers to strike.

November 7, 1962: Mr Mandela is convicted and jailed for five years.

July, 1963: Police raid ANC secret hideout in Rivonia.

October, 1963: Joins 10 other activists on trial for sabotage in what becomes known as the Rivonia Trial.

April 20, 1964: Gives his famous Speech From The Dock during which he declares he is prepared to die for equality.

June 11, 1964: He is convicted, jailed for life with seven others and sent to Robben Island.

1968: Mr Mandela's mother dies.

1969: His eldest son is killed in a car crash; he is not allowed to attend his funeral or that of his mother.

1969: Winnie Mandela is detained in solitary confinement at Pretoria Central Prison for 16 months under the Terrorism Act.

:: Watch Sky News HD for all the latest news and reaction to Nelson Mandela's death

June 16, 1976: Soweto uprising protests - as many as 20,000 students demonstrate against the introduction of Afrikaans in the schoolroom. Up to 700 people are said to have died.

September 12, 1977: Anti-apartheid campaigner Steve Biko dies naked in Pretoria Central Prison after being tortured in police custody.

1980: Oliver Tambo, the president of the ANC, launches international campaign to release Mr Mandela.

May, 1980: British Lions tour to South Africa goes ahead despite British government opposition on grounds of apartheid.

March 14, 1982: Bomb explodes at ANC headquarters in London. Eight South African policemen admit the blast was in revenge for a 1981 attack on a Pretoria military base.

March, 31, 1982: Mr Mandela is transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town.

10 February, 1985: Refuses President PW Botha's offer to release him if he renounces violence.

1985: Fellow Rivonia trialist Denis Goldberg is released from prison.

July 20, 1985: After protests against apartheid increase, President Botha declares a state of emergency in 36 districts.

October, 1985: British PM Margaret Thatcher agrees to impose limited Commonwealth trade sanctions on South Africa.

Nov 1985: Mr Mandela undergoes prostate surgery.

June 12, 1986: State of emergency is extended to the whole country.

November 1987: Fellow Rivonia trialist Govan Mbeki is released from prison.

August 12, 1988: Mr Mandela is treated for tuberculosis.

December 7, 1988: He is moved to a house at Victor Verster Prison, near Paarl.

September 20, 1989: FW de Klerk replaces Mr Botha as president and in his first speech vows to end racism in South Africa.

15 October, 1989: The remaining Rivonia trialists and Jeff Masemola, a Pan Africanist Congress prisoner, are released from prison.

December 13, 1989: Mr de Klerk meets Mr Mandela for the first time to discuss the future of South Africa.

February 2, 1990: Mr de Klerk lifts the ban on the ANC.

February 11, 1990: After 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela walks free from Victor Verster Prison.

1991: Mr Mandela becomes president of the ANC.

December 10, 1993: He and Mr de Klerk win the Nobel Peace Prize.

April 27, 1994: Mr Mandela votes for the first time in his life in a free and democratic election.

May 10, 1994: Mr Mandela is sworn in as South Africa's first democratically elected president as the head of the Government of National Unity.

1996: Divorces Winnie Mandela.

1998:  Marries Graca Machel - former first lady of Mozambique.

June 1999:  Steps down as president and Thabo Mbeki takes over after ANC wins elections.

July, 2001: Mr Mandela is diagnosed with prostate cancer and undergoes treatment.

June 1, 2004: Announces retirement from public life.

January 6, 2005: Mr Mandela announces death of his son Makgatho from Aids.

June 27, 2008: Hyde Park concert in honour of Mr Mandela's 90th birthday.

June 11, 2010: Great granddaughter Zenani is killed in a car crash.

January 26, 2011: Mr Mandela is admitted to hospital in Johannesburg where he is treated for a chest infection for two days.

June 21, 2011: Meets Michelle Obama at his home.

February 25, 2012: Is admitted to hospital for one night with abdominal pains.

December 8, 2012: Goes back to hospital - this time with a lung infection.

December 15, 2012: He has an operation to remove gallstones.

December 26, 2012: Mr Mandela is released from hospital but undergoes further treatment at home.

March 9, 2013: He is admitted for a scheduled overnight hospital check-up.

March 27, 2013: Returns to hospital with a recurrence of his lung infection. President Jacob Zuma asks the world to "pray".

April 6, 2013: Is discharged from hospital.

June 8, 2013: Is admitted to hospital.

December 5, 2013  Mandela dies at age 95. South African President Jacob Zuma makes the announcement at a news conference, saying "we've lost our greatest son."


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: Thousands Evacuated Amid Tidal Surge

Coastal communities have been warned of "exceptionally high tides" to come, as Britain is hit by the most serious tidal surge for more than 60 years.

In some places along the east coast, sea levels have been higher than they were during the devastating floods of 1953.

Speaking after a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said flood defences had protected more than 800,000 homes.

But he warned: "This is not over. There will still be exceptionally high tides ... and I would urge everyone to pay very close attention to advice from the Environment Agency, and also to follow instructions from the emergency services."

A man wades along a flooded street in Lowestoft, Suffolk A man wades along a flooded street in Lowestoft, Suffolk

The North Sea surge comes after a powerful Atlantic storm, packing winds of up to 140mph, claimed two lives and caused widespread disruption.

The Environment Agency has more than 129 flood warnings and alerts in place across England and Wales, including 23 severe flood warnings which are issued only when flooding poses a "significant threat to life".

Further high tides bring a renewed risk of flooding in areas already inundated with water.

UK Hit By Severe Winds As Storm Surges Threaten Coastal Regions People fill sandbags to protect against the high tide in Great Yarmouth

The tide is expected to peak in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex before midday, and in Kent between midday and 3pm.

Thousands of homes in coastal areas, including 9,000 in Norfolk alone, have been evacuated after officials warned that lives could be at risk.

Hundreds of people were forced to spend the night camped out in emergency rest centres.

Waves crash onto the beach after a storm surge in Hemsby, Norfolk Waves crash onto a beach in Hemsby, Norfolk

Sky's Alex Rossi in Hemsby, Norfolk, said: "Lots of bungalows here were evacuated because emergency services were concerned the flood water would inundate the area.

"The area seems to have escaped quite lightly but not all properties have fared so well. One property has been washed away."

Sea defences built since the 1953 floods, which killed hundreds of people, appeared to have held back the tide in many areas.

Emergency rescue service workers evacuate residents from flood water in a residential street in Rhyl, north Wales Lifeboats rescue people in Rhyl, north Wales

However, a Defra spokesman said some defences had been breached by the combination of high tides, strong winds and a large tidal surge.

Sky's Gerard Tubb in Boston, Lincolnshire, said residents had described water "cascading" down the street as sea defences gave way.

"People here are worried there could be more problems to come," he added.

weather

One local resident told Sky News said: "It's never been this bad in my lifetime. We had plenty of warning ... but you never think it's going to happen to you."

In Rhyl, north Wales, firefighters spent the night going from street to street, trying to pump water out of people's homes.

Sky's Becky Johnson, at the scene, said: "Many residents thought their homes were protected by the sea defences and simply weren't expecting to be flooded.

A flooded street in Boston, Lincolnshire Water poured into homes in this street in Boston, Lincolnshire

"Lots of elderly people had to be rescued by lifeboats and they were really quite distressed by what was happening."

The tidal surge followed an Atlantic storm which brought severe gales of up to 80mph across Scotland and northern parts of England.

Some mountainous regions in Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire reported speeds of around 140mph.

A man stands in water washed onto the promenade of the north bay in Scarborough, northern England Water floods over the promenade in Scarborough, North Yorkshire

One man died after he was struck by a falling tree in a park in Retford in Nottinghamshire, while a lorry driver was killed when his HGV toppled onto a number of cars in West Lothian.

The adverse weather also caused chaos on the transport network, with rail services for Scotland and parts of the North of England suspended and number of flights disrupted.

:: Watch the latest live coverage from around the country on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Weather: One Dead As 100mph Winds Batter UK

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 05 Desember 2013 | 18.25

One person has died as winds of up to 142mph battered parts of the UK, causing travel chaos and leaving 100,000 homes without power.

The lorry driver was killed when the HGV he was driving was blown on top of two cars on the A801 near Bathgate, West Lothian, with four others injured in the accident.

The Thames Barrier will be closed from 10pm to protect London from a combined tidal surge and high tide in the Thames estuary.

Autumn weather Dec 5th An overturned lorry on the M6 in Cumbria

Elsewhere, homes in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, are being evacuated after officials warned the lives of people in the region could be at risk from the worst coastal tidal surge for more than 60 years.

Prime Minister David Cameron said a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency response committee had been called to discuss how to combat the extreme conditions.

Motorists have been warned not to travel due to "extremely dangerous" road conditions and Scotland's entire rail network has been suspended.

Autumn weather Dec 5th A tree blocking a train track in Perthshire

Network Rail said debris on the lines and damage to equipment meant it was not safe to operate any services, with trains halted at their nearest stations and passengers advised to disembark.

Spokesman Nick King said: "The weather conditions are such that we are having to bring the network to a standstill at the moment.

"There's too much debris and too much damage to equipment to continue. We cannot continue to run trains with the levels of wind we are seeing."

Travellers have faced severe disruption across the country - while huge tidal surges over the next 48 hours are expected to see water levels breach sea defences along the east coast of England and cause devastating floods.

As winds got stronger - with gusts of 142mph recorded in the Highlands - Network Rail Scotland said Glasgow Central station had been evacuated "due to debris smashing glass in the roof", although no injuries were reported.

Environment Agency map An Environment Agency map showing England's worst-affected areas

Flights are being cancelled at Edinburgh Airport due to the high winds, which have also prompted the closure of the Forth Road Bridge.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has 11 flood warnings and 13 flood alerts in place, most of them for the north and east of the country.

Police Scotland warned that conditions would be "extremely poor" throughout the morning and advised motorists to take care.

An overturned lorry blocking the Friarton Bridge in Perth was causing major delays, and motorists were urged to avoid driving in the south, west, central belt and South Perthshire regions of Scotland.

The strongest gusts have been recorded on the slopes of Aonach Mor, where the Met Office said winds had reached speeds of 142mph.

Meanwhile, the rest of Scotland  and northern parts of England are being lashed by severe gales of between 60mph and 80mph.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it was responding to numerous calls relating to fallen trees and road blockages.

And a spokeswoman for Scottish Hydro said its staff were working to restore power to the 100,000 homes affected by cuts, many of them in the Highlands.

The company said around 500 staff are working to fix the faults, including extra engineers drafted in from England.

In England and Wales, a total of 27 severe flood warnings - meaning there is a danger to life - have been issued by the Environment Agency (EA), 24 of them for the Anglian region.

Areas most at risk include the North Sea coast from Northumberland down to the Thames Estuary and Kent. At present, there are more than 130 flood warnings - indicating "immediate action required" - and 60 flood alerts in place.

In some places, sea levels could be as high as those during the the devastating floods of 1953, the EA said, although flood  efences since then, including the Thames, Deptford and Hull barriers, should provide better protection than 60 years ago.

EA spokesman Peter Fox said 3,000 properties were expected to suffer from flooding in the next 24 hours.

"The most important thing is that along the east coast (of England) the high tide will be hitting in the hours of darkness this evening and tonight, so people really need to take the daylight hours today to prepare for the coastal and tidal flooding that we are predicting," he said.

Northern Ireland has seen gusts of up to 70mph , with flying debris and high winds leaving around 7,000 properties without electricity.

More follows...


18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Live Updates: Autumn Statement 2013

Live Updates: Autumn Statement 2013

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18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

George Osborne Delivers His Autumn Statement

George Osborne tells MPs "Britain's economic plan is working but the job is not done" as he opens his Autumn Statement.

Mr Osborne says that: "We need a government that lives to its means within the world".

The Chancellor says that the deficit is down but more must be done and he says that unemployment is down but young people are not trained to do jobs.

There is, he says, more to be done.

But he delivered good news for the economy, saying Britain is now growing faster than any other major economy.

He said: "At the time of the Budget in March, the OBR forecast that growth this year would be 0.6 per cent.

"Today, they more than double that forecast – and estimate growth will be 1.4 per cent.

"Next year, instead of growth of 1.8 per cent, they are now forecasting 2.4 per cent.

"With faster growth now, it means they've revised the following four years to 2.2 per cent, 2.6 per cent 2.7 per cent and 2.7 per cent."

But he said that the Office for National Statistics has reassessed the depth of the great recession between 2008 and 2009 and £112bn had been wiped off our economy "around £3,000 for every household in this country".

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Live Updates: Nigella Lawson Aides Fraud Trial

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 04 Desember 2013 | 18.25

Live Updates: Nigella Lawson Aides Fraud Trial

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Charles Saatchi former PAs court case

Nigella Lawson arrives at Isleworth Crown Court in west London


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Man Arrested After Police Officer Shot In Leeds

Police have arrested a man in connection with the shooting of a woman police officer in Leeds.

A major police manhunt for James Leslie was launched following the attack which took place shortly after 4am in Cardigan Road in the city's Hyde Park district.

West Yorkshire Police said two uniformed officers attended a "routine call" to a disturbance and were confronted by a man at the address who fired at them.

The force said a 37-year-old man was arrested at 10.10am on Wood Lane in the Headingley area of the city.

Police officers stand guard at the scene of a shooting in Leeds Police officers stand guard at the scene of the shooting in Cardigan Road

The extent of the female officer's injuries are not known, or how many shots were fired.

A police spokesman said: "One female officer received serious but non life threatening injuries.

"A male officer was uninjured. The female officer is currently undergoing treatment in hospital."

Ned Liddemore, vice chairman of the Police Federation, described the shooting as a "cowardly attack".

"We will be supporting the officers and their families through this traumatic time," he said.

Radio Aire reporter Charlie Frost said she spoke to a couple of neighbours who heard the disturbance.

"They told be that they were very shook by the incident and that it is very worrying that it can happen here on their doorstep," she told Sky News.

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Nigella: Saatchi 'Threatened To Destroy Me'

Nigella Lawson has told a jury her ex-husband said he would "destroy her" if she did not go back to him and clear his name.

She insisted that allegations of drug use circulating on a "PR blog" were false and were intended to destroy her reputation.

The 53-year-old made the remarks when questioned about Charles Saatchi as she gave evidence at Isleworth Crown Court at the trial of two former personal assistants accused of spending thousands of pounds on company credit cards.

She said: "If I did not go back to him and clear his name he said he would destroy me."

It is alleged that between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2012, Italian sisters Elisabetta and Francesca Grillo committed fraud by abusing their positions while working for Ms Lawson and Mr Saatchi.

The jury was told they are accused of using credit cards loaned to them by the TV chef and art dealer to spend more than £685,000 on themselves.

Ms Lawson told the court: "I do not believe her (Elisabetta) to be a bad person but I believe her not to have a very strong moral compass.

"I was flabbergasted when I learned of the spending."

Elisabetta, 41, sometimes referred to in court as Lisa, and co-defendant Francesca, 35, both of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, deny the charge against them.

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Glasgow Crash Helicopter Lifted From Pub

Written By Unknown on Senin, 02 Desember 2013 | 18.26

A crane has lifted the wreckage of a police helicopter from the roof of the Glasgow pub where it crashed on Friday.

Nine people died when the three-tonne Eurocopter crashed into the Clutha pub late on Friday evening and 32 were injured. More than 100 people were in the pub listening to a ska band when the helicopter hit.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service assistant chief officer David Goodhew said: "Crews have been tunnelling underneath the helicopter to try to find further casualties and remove those where necessary.

"The helicopter is sheeted up. It's extensively damaged."

Once it was removed crews were immediately put back into the building to complete their search  which was expected to take 90 minutes to two hours.

Mr Goodhew said: "The building has been totally devastated. It's totally unrecognisable in most parts.

"There's a large amount of debris that's underneath the helicopter and therefore you have to dig in slowly and methodically.

"Crews have been working tirelessly. We've been rotating crews, we've used specialist crews, urban search and rescue, every rescue crew.

crashed helicopter Chains are attached to the craft to begin the lift.

"They have been committed to the building the whole time, trying to search."

He said: "It's one of the most difficult operations, I think, of this type in the country.

"The helicopter has landed in a building that's fully packed.

"It has been damaged in such a way that it couldn't just be lifted.

"We've had to tunnel underneath the helicopter to try and find casualties but also in order to make the helicopter safe to lift.

"It's been in an unsafe, unstable condition throughout.

"Effectively the helicopter has had to be held together with straps."

Five of the dead have been named as pilot David Traill, 51, police officers Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43, and 48-year-old Gary Arthur from Paisley and Samuel McGhee, 56, from Glasgow who were in the pub.

They were not able to be removed until the helicopter had been taken away.


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Glasgow Helicopter Crash: Fury At Delays

The son of a man thought to still be inside the Glasgow pub hit by a helicopter has said he is "enraged" at a lack of information.

John McGarrigle has been waiting since Friday for news of his father, also called John, who was inside the Clutha pub when the police helicopter crashed into it.

He told Sky News: "I'm extremely angry my dad is lying in there.

"I was told last night that (the building) would not be getting touched (and that) no bodies were being taken out.

"At three in the morning, I saw a body being taken out on the news.

"I am enraged. I was supposed to get a phone call to tell me exactly what was happening. I've not had that phone call.

Helicopter crash The wreckage of the helicopter has been lifted clear of the Clutha pub

"What about the dignity for the human beings underneath that police helicopter? If they've got one out, they can get the rest out."

Mark O'Prey was last seen in the Clutha bar on Friday night by a friend who went outside for a cigarette moments before the tragedy.

His worried family told Sky News they are frustrated at the inability to get information about their loved one.

Hi father Ian said he dropped the phone when his daughter Louise told him the news that his son had been inside the bar.

"I could not believe it because I'd been watching it all night on television from when it happened," he said.

"Here we are two days later and he's still inside.

Ian O'Prey Ian O'Prey says he is desperate for information on his missing son Mark

"I would hope he would do the same for me if I was lying in that pub. I'd like some answers, not (to be) fobbed off."

David Goodhew, of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters had been tunnelling through wreckage inside the building to try and reach people left inside.

He said crews had been unable to search the whole of the building because of how unstable parts of it were, adding that the operation would be completed once the helicopter wreckage had been removed.

"The building has been totally devastated. It is unrecognisable in most parts inside," he said.

"There is a large amount of debris underneath the helicopter.

"We have got to dig slowly. The building is in such an unstable condition.

"You can imagine underneath the helicopter, the sea of devastation.

"We have been unable to dig into the last areas of the building because of the amount of debris and rubble in those areas."

Ann Faulds who was inside Clutha pub when it was hit by helicopter Ann Faulds said she thought people had been blown into rooms below the pub

Sisters Ann Faulds and Nancy Primrose were both treated in hospital after being injured in the crash.

Ms Primrose had 12 stitches in the back of her head after being blown off her feet by the impact.

She told Sky News: "There were no flames, there were no sparks and there was no warning, just an almighty thud.

"I thought it was a bomb. I honestly thought a bomb had gone off in the pub. It's been a horrendous scene."

Her sister, who was trapped inside, described feeling "immense pain and heat".

"The whole place had come down around us so there was no immediate way for us to get out," she said.

"I thought it was a bomb. There are rooms underneath the Clutha bar (and) I was thinking, 'Have people been blown into the rooms below?'"

The survivors' stories came as a crane lifted the wreckage of the helicopter out of the pub.

Police earlier revealed nine people had been killed in the accident and identified a fifth victim as Samuel McGhee, 56, from Glasgow.

The other named victims include PC Kirsty Nelis, 36, PC Tony Collins, 43, civilian pilot David Traill, 51, and Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley.

Authorities warned that more bodies could be recovered from the wreckage.


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Georgia Williams: Man Admits Teen's Murder

A man who strangled 17-year-old Georgia Williams and dumped her body in woodland before fleeing to Scotland has admitted murder.

Jamie Reynolds, who previously denied the charge, changed his plea to guilty during a hearing at Stafford Crown Court.

The 23-year-old was at the centre of a UK-wide manhunt in May after killing Georgia in their home town of Wellington, Shropshire.

He then dumped her body in woodland near Wrexham.

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