Christmas Shoppers To Spend £12bn In Four Days

By Emma Birchley, Sky News Reporter

Shoppers are expected to spend £12bn in just four days as they make the most of slashed prices and promotions, according to retail forecasters.

The deals are being offered as a fierce battle for sales rages both on the high street and online.

Alan Dadswell relies on Christmas to keep his shop Toys 'N' Tuck in Southend-on-Sea going and he says discounts are crucial.

He said: "To get people to spend the money they have got to feel they are getting a bargain and we have got to give them a bargain. We have to hunt with our suppliers to do good deals to get people in to the store."

A sluggish autumn has put added pressure on retailers.

But with 74% of shops offering deals, 13 million people are expected to shop on the high street on the last Saturday before Christmas.

It will help that many people finished work for Christmas on Friday.

Offering discounts at Toys 'N' Tuck in Southend-on-Sea is crucial

But Diane Wehrle, from the shop footfall monitors Springboard, says shoppers are getting increasingly canny.

She said: "Tactics definitely come into it. Shoppers are becoming much more savvy than they used to be. They understand that retailers are slashing prices. They understand they are doing one-off specials and they wait for them.

"So they perhaps go window shopping before the Christmas trading period starts, look out for what they want to buy and then buy them when they are on offer."

Lizzy Clarke, armed with bags of gifts in Southend, has made the most of the offers.

"They've got some great deals ... 75% off in some stores and I've just bought some jumpers that cost me £30 last week and this week have cost me £7," she said.

But Rob Antoniazz, who is unconvinced, said: "The decent items in good shops are never up for sale because the demand is there to buy them."

Tesco's distribution centre in Erith, Kent, has gone into overdrive

Half of the money being spent in the four days to the end of Monday will be on food, with £900m going towards online groceries.

Tesco has sold twice as many turkeys over the internet than last year. At its distribution centre in Erith, Kent, staff are working around the clock preparing orders.

Simon Belsham, the managing director of Online Grocery for the chain, said: "This is a really busy time of year for us. It really reflects that customers are looking for more and more convenient ways to shop for their Christmas presents and Christmas food."

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Lockerbie Anniversary: Cameron Praises Victims

The "fortitude and resilience" of those affected by the Lockerbie bombing has been praised as memorial services marking the 25th anniversary of the atrocity take place today.

Pan Am flight 103 was on its way from London to New York when it exploded above Lockerbie, in southern Scotland, on the evening of December 21 1988, killing 270 people - everyone on board and 11 on the ground.

British Prime Minister David Cameron described it as "one of the worst aviation disasters in history and the deadliest act of terrorism" ever committed in the UK.

Eleven people were killed on the ground in Lockerbie

He said: "Though 25 years have passed, memories of the 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents who lost their lives on that terrible night have not dimmed.

"Over the last quarter of a century much attention has been focused on the perpetrators of the atrocity. Today our thoughts turn to its victims and to those whose lives have been touched and changed by what happened at Lockerbie that night.

"To families, friends, neighbours, loved ones, and all those caught up in the painful process of recovery, let us say to them: our admiration for you is unconditional. For the fortitude and resilience you have shown. For your determination never to give up. You have shown that terrorist acts cannot crush the human spirit. That is why terrorism will never prevail.

"And even in the darkest moments of grief, it is possible to glimpse the flickering flame of hope."

Memorial events attended by politicians, officials, families and members of the community will take place in Lockerbie, London and in at Arlington National Cemetery in the US, where most of the 270 victims were from.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Lord Wallace, Advocate General for Scotland, will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at Dryfesdale Cemetery in the Dumfries and Galloway town.

Mr Salmond said: "As the community of Lockerbie marks the milestone, memorial events will be held in Westminster Abbey, Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and at Syracuse University which lost 35 students in the bombing.

"But, inevitably, a focus of the day will be on the memorial in Lockerbie and it is there that I will pay my respects and condolences on behalf of the people of Scotland."

Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the disaster, told Sky News: "Anniversaries aren't in a sense that big a deal for the families of victims because we have to live with the lovely memories of those that we lost all that time ago, every day of every year. Bereavement in itself is sometimes a life sentence."

Graham Herbert, former rector at Lockerbie Academy which lost three students in the atrocity, said the market town "has always tried to move forward".

Abdelbaset al Megrahi was the only person to be convicted of the bombing

He told Sky News: "I know today there will be a lot of closed doors. A lot of people will not go out of their houses. The memories are just too bitter, there are still open wounds there.

"There are quite a lot of American families in the town today. Each year it just comes back to them, they are not allowed to heal. They want to commemorate, they want to be here where their loved ones fell, but it's hard, it's tough."

Libyan Abdelbaset al Megrahi was found guilty of the bombing in January 2001 and given a life sentence.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008, leading to a decision to free him under compassionate release rules.

Scotland's Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill took that decision on August 20 the following year, sparking a row among politicians on both sides of the Atlantic.

Megrahi died in Tripoli, Libya in May last year. His family is considering lodging a fresh appeal to clear his name.

British relatives of victims who believe he was wrongfully convicted of the bombing are also planning another appeal against the conviction when they meet with lawyers in the new year.

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Chessington Fire: Blaze At Surrey Theme Park

Firefighters have been battling a blaze at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in Surrey.

The park was not open to the public when emergency crews were alerted at 9am and no one was believed to be injured, according to London Fire Brigade.

It had been due to open at 10am for a "festive zoo day" according to its website, but has now been closed for the day.

Eight fire engines were called to the scene of the blaze at the Creaky Cafe.

Fire station manager Craig Carter said: "The fire is affecting a large part of a restaurant within the park, and crews are working hard to bring it under control.

"There were a lot of flames and the area was quite smoky when we arrived, but thankfully firefighters are making very good progress.

"Luckily it doesn't seem like anyone has been involved or injured.

"We're working with our partners at Surrey Fire and Rescue Service along with the police and ambulance services to ensure the incident is brought safely under control."

The fire was near the zoo in the park. All animals have been evacuated to a safe place and no animal injuries have been reported, said the fire service.

The park said on Twitter: "Due to unforeseen circumstances Chessington will be closed today.

"If you had tickets booked for today, they will be valid for another day in the future... Further updates will follow."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman earlier said: "There are some road closures in place to ensure people are kept a safe distance away."

Surrey Police had said people should avoid the area around the park as the A243 was closed - but it was later fully re-opened to traffic.

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Apollo Theatre Collapse: People Tell Of Horror

Audience members who witnessed the theatre ceiling collapse in London have told how they initially thought the incident was part of the show.

Nearly 80 people were injured - seven seriously - when large chunks of plaster crashed on top of people seated in the stalls at the Apollo Theatre.

Theatre-goers were left crying and bleeding as parts of the historic venue's ceiling began to crumble away.

Martin Bostock, who was in the audience with his family, received a head injury after he was hit by falling debris.

He told Sky News: "It was just terrifying and awful. I think the front part of the balcony fell down. At first we thought it was part of the show. Then I got hit on the head.

76 people were injured

"It was complete chaos in the theatre. We got out with cuts and bruises. I think most people did."

Members of the cast of the Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-time shouted a warning at the audience as parts of the ceiling appeared to cave in.

Eyewitnesses heard a loud "creaking" which some initially thought was also part of the performance.

Khalil Anjarwalla, 29, said he, his heavily pregnant wife and her parents managed to escape from the theatre after "kilos of concrete plummeted from the ceiling".

"I was in the upper circle with my family when, about 45 minutes in, people started shouting and screaming," he said. "Within an instant the whole roof seemed to come down.

Buses were comandeered to take the injured to hospital

"We initially thought it was part of the show. Thankfully we are all OK. My wife is seven months pregnant but she is OK. We feel very blessed."

Photographs from inside the theatre showed heavy beams and wood strewn across seats, which were coated in debris and dust.

Sean Walsh, 41, from north London, said: "We were right up in the gods and a couple in the group below just said, 'Go!'

"We thought they were just leaving because maybe they were bored, and my girlfriend thought maybe they had seen a mouse. But then the whole of the ceiling just came down."

Medics said some people were unable to get out because of their injuries

Libby Grundy, 65, said: "There was a bang, and then a huge cloud of dust. At first I thought it was a special effect.

"I heard somebody on the stage say, 'Oh bloody hell', because they must have seen it."

Dee Kearney said: "We were three or four seats from the stage when an actor turned around and said 'Watch out!' We initially thought it was part of the play.

"Then what we felt was debris falling on us, a loud bang, and then all of a sudden there was a coat of dust that came on us."

She added: "It was a thick cloud of dust, so you couldn't actually tell what was happening. You knew it was coming from above but you didn't know what was actually happening."

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Apollo Theatre Collapse: Investigation Starts

Nearly 80 people were injured, seven seriously, when part of a theatre ceiling collapsed during a packed West End show in London.

Eyewitnesses described "chaos and panic" as chunks of plaster and masonry crashed on to people seated in the stalls 40 minutes into a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

An investigation into the roof collapse is being carried out this morning

They said there was a loud creaking before the cave-in, which left the Apollo Theatre engulfed in thick dust and debris. One witness reported hearing an actor yell "watch out" to the audience.

Structural engineers and a district surveyor from Westminster City Council are due to carry out a structural assessment of the building this morning.

Stretchers carried out some of the more seriously injured

Nimax Theatres, which owns the Apollo, described the collapse as a "shocking and upsetting incident", and said its thoughts were "with the audience and staff".

Police commandeered three London buses to take the injured to hospital, many of whom were described as "walking wounded". A makeshift triage centre was set up at the nearby Gielgud Theatre.

Many of those injured were described as "walking wounded"

London Ambulance Service said it treated 76 patients, of whom 58 were taken to four hospitals. Of those, 51 had suffered minor injuries and seven more serious injuries.

Chief Superintendent Paul Rickett, of the Metropolitan Police, said there was "no suggestion at this stage that (the collapse) was as a result of a criminal act".

There were around 720 people watching the show when disaster struck.

Some people were initially trapped by debris but all have now been freed

Martin Bostock, who was in the lower stalls with his family, received a head injury after he was hit by falling debris.

He told Sky News: "It was just terrifying and awful. I think the front part of the balcony fell down. At first we thought it was part of the show. Then I got hit on the head.

"It was complete chaos in the theatre. We got out with cuts and bruises. I think most people did."

School worker Hannah George, 29, said: "I heard someone scream and you heard a shriek - then a chunk of the ceiling collapsed.

The Apollo's ceiling collapsed on to theatre-goers

"It actually missed the balcony and must have hit people down below in the stalls - you couldn't see anything down there.

"Very quickly ushers held the doors open. It wasn't every man for himself, it was very ordered. There were people in front going, 'You OK?' and trying to get people out.

"There were people coming out who were more seriously injured. There were loads of people coming out shaking, and a fellow next to me had quite a badly bleeding arm and a ripped shirt."

Emergency services arrived within minutes, according to one witness

The collapse reportedly took place as a reference was made to waves crashing on Brighton rocks, leading some in the audience to believe the noise was part of the show.

Mark Haddon, author of the book which the play is based on, tweeted: "I hope that those who were seriously injured are ok. I'm sorry, too, that so many people went through such a terrifying experience. I'm hugely relieved that no-one has died."

Mark Tait, an actor in the production, tweeted: "Thoughts are with all the audience. Horrific and unbelievable."

The theatre - a Grade II-listed building - was completed in 1901 and seats 775 people over four levels.

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Adebolajo's Brother Refuses To Condemn Murder

Woolwich Murder: Killers' Timeline

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

1984: Michael Olumide Akinbiyi Adebolajo is born on December 10 at King's College Hospital in Lambeth, south London. His Nigerian-born father, Anthony, a student at the time, went on to become an NHS nurse. His mother, Tina, a housewife and the niece of a university law professor in Benin, west Africa, also dedicated herself to public duty by becoming a social worker. The family lived in Eastern Avenue, Romford, and attended the local church.

1991: Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale is born on May 6, also to Nigerian parents, who split up soon after his birth. His mother Juliet Obasuyi is a probation officer and his father a member of staff at the Nigerian High Commission. Adebowale is known as "Tobi" to family and friends.

1996-2001: Adebolajo attends Marshalls Park School in Romford where he plays football, is seen as a bright student and goes on to complete his GCSEs. He then joins Havering Sixth Form College to study A-levels, including one in psychology.

2002: Adebowale, aged 11, starts at Kidbrooke School in Greenwich. He plays football too, but isn't particularly skilled. Friends say he was easily influenced and "used to follow the crowd".

2002/2003: Adebolajo converts to Islam in his first year at Greenwich University, where he is studying for a BSc in Building Surveying and takes part in first Muslim protests.

2004: He marries Rikki Thomas, who also converts to Islam.

Spring to winter 2004: Jamie Oliver and his team film episodes of Jamie's School Dinners at Kidbrooke School with dinner lady Nora Sands while Adebowale is a pupil.

2004/2005: Adebolajo switches his university course to BA Politics. His academic progress is unsatisfactory and he is not allowed to complete his course.

November 2006: Adebolajo is arrested outside the Old Bailey during a Muslim protest. He is convicted of assaulting two police officers and is sentenced to 51 days in prison.

September 2007: Brought up a Christian, a 16-year-old Adebowale converts to Islam after leaving school and joins a further education college.

January 5, 2008: Adebowale, a low-level runner who couriers drugs for the gang known as the Woolwich Boys, witnesses the murder of friend Faridon Alizada and is a witness in the subsequent court case.

December 2008: He gives evidence in the murder trial and killer Lee James is sentenced to serve a minimum of 25 years and 17 days after being found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Faridon to death.

2009: Adebolajo speaks at a demonstration against the English Defence League and Stop Islamisation of Europe organised by Unite Against Fascism at Harrow Central Mosque. He is recorded as saying: "Don't be scared of them, do not be scared of the police or the cameras. You are here only to please Allah. You're not here for any other reason. If you are here just for a fight, please leave our ranks. We only want those who are sincere to Allah. Purify your intention."

2010: He is arrested in Kenya with five others and released to British authorities in the African country and deported. It is believed be planned to train with al Shabaab, a militant group linked to al Qaeda, according to Boniface Mwaniki, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit. The British Foreign Office confirm "a British national was arrested in Kenya in 2010" and given consular assistance. No charges are filed against Adebolajo, who returns to southeast London. From now on he is either unemployed or working as a fitness instructor.

August 2011: Racial tensions rise in southeast London during and after the summer riots. The Engish Defence League organises patrols of Eltham, a traditional BNP stronghold. A militant wing of the EDL organises fights with Muslims.

July/August 2012: Shopkeepers report the preachers who regularly set up outside their shops are abusing British soldiers who are stationed in Greenwich working at the London Olympics. Local police are aware of the abuse.

Early April 2013: Members of the Greenwich preaching group are detained by police after further complaints from shopkeepers. Adebowale is among them.

May 22, 2013: Adebolajo and Adebowale murder Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, southeast London. They are detained at the scene.

November 29, 2013: The two men go on trial at the Old Bailey.

December 19, 2013: After listening to nearly three weeks of harrowing evidence, jurors took just 90 minutes to find the pair guilty of murdering Fusilier Rigby. They were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers.

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Lee Rigby Murder Trial: Guilty Verdicts

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

An Old Bailey jury has convicted two young London men of the brutal murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

It took the jury of eight women and four men about 90 minutes to return guilty verdicts on Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22.

The pair were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers at the scene of the killing on May 22.  

Members of Lee Rigby's family outside the Old Bailey after the verdicts

Adebolajo glared at journalists as he was led to the prison cells and kissed his copy of the Koran. Adebowale did not react to the verdicts.

Mr Rigby's family and loved ones reached out to support each other, some of them in tears after the verdicts were delivered.

Relatives later sobbed on the court steps as a statement was read by Detective Inspector Pete Sparks on their behalf.

Lee Rigby's widow, Rebecca Rigby, during the family statement

The statement read: "No one should have to go through what we have been through as a family.

"We are satisfied that justice has been done, but unfortunately no amount of justice will bring Lee back.

"These people have taken him away from us forever but his memory lives on in all of us and we will never forget him.

"We are very proud of Lee, who served his country, and we will now focus on building a future for his son Jack, making him as proud of Lee as we all are. Lee will be sorely missed by his siblings, nieces, nephew and all of those who loved him.

"We now ask that we are left alone to grieve through our loss."

The men will not be sentenced until January.

Speaking outside the court building, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, who leads Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism teams, said: "[This attack] was intended to divide our communities, it has had largely the opposite effect and in fact brought people together."

A member of the public shouted "hang them" as Ms Dick addressed television cameras and waiting journalists.

Lee Rigby's sister Sarah McClure and fiancee Aimee West

Speaking in Brussels, David Cameron said: "We have to redouble our efforts to confront the poisonous narrative of extremism and violence that lay behind this and make sure we do everything to beat it in our country."

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "The sickening and barbaric murder of Drummer Lee Rigby united the entire country in condemnation.

"But we must not forget that this appalling and public act of violence and terror robbed his family and loved ones of a brave young man whose life was ahead of him."

Farooq Murad, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, called the murder a "barbaric act".

Lee Rigby holding his son Jack

"Muslim communities then, as now, were united in their condemnation of this crime," he said.

"This was a dishonourable act and no cause justifies cold-blooded murder."

The murder of the off-duty soldier both horrified and united the nation, as politicians, faith leaders and members of the community in southeast London came together to condemn the killing.

The 25-year-old drummer with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers was singled out by his attackers because he was a soldier.

Adebolajo, the only defendant who gave evidence, admitted killing the young serviceman, but claimed his actions were justified as part of a war against the British military and British government for wars waged by the UK in Muslim countries.  

The defendants pictured after the killing - one carrying a machete

During the trial, he was asked directly for his defence to the charge of murder.

Adebolajo told the jury: "I am a soldier. I am a soldier of Allah and I understand that some people might not recognise this because we do not wear fatigues and we don't go to the Brecon Beacons to train. But we are still soldiers."

He told the court he considered al Qaeda to be "mujahideen".

He said: "I love them, they're my brothers. I have never met them. I consider them my brothers in Islam."

Both Adebolajo and Adebowale had been known to the police and security services because of their extremist beliefs, but they had not been considered a significant or immediate threat.

Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee is examining whether any opportunities to prevent Fusilier Rigby's murder might have been missed by the authorities.

Adebolajo runs towards police officers after attacking Mr Rigby

Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick told Sky News the Met was fully co-operating with the inquiry.

Fusilier Rigby's mother, widow and other family members sat through each day of the three week long trial, listening to often very harrowing evidence and viewing graphic video of the events outside Woolwich barracks.

At times, the evidence was just too much for the family to bear and they left court in tears on several occasions.

It was also a very difficult trial for the jury to sit through.

On occasions, some were visibly distressed as they watched CCTV footage taken at the time of the attack and listened to testimony from some of the eyewitnesses.

The car driven at Lee Rigby by his murderers

Witness Cheralee Armstrong said in a statement that there was "pure evil" in one of the knifemen's eyes, and that she thought she would die.

At first she thought they were trying to help the soldier after a road accident, but then saw that they were stabbing and hacking at him.

"It was like they were mutilating the person's body. It seemed like they were trying to remove his organs from his torso," she said.

When she shouted at the attackers to stop, she described one of them looking at her.

"The man in the hat (Adebolajo) stared at me, his expression was blank. Pure evil, and his eyes were bulging," she said.

Police released this image of a gun carried by the attackers

He then pointed a gun towards her and James Henegan, who was driving her in his Citroen C3.

Mr Henegan wept in court as he described the moment he left his car and saw one of the men withdraw the gun from what looked like a "carrier bag".

"I thought he was going to shoot …fire a gun at us," he said.

The jury was told how Fusilier Rigby's killers refused to leave the scene after the murder, as they waited for police to arrive.

Those police officers were to have been their next victims, the prosecution claimed.

Lee Rigby on the day of the murder

Dramatic CCTV and other video of the moments an armed response vehicle arrived outside the barracks were played to the jury.

There were gasps from the court as the footage showed the two men running towards the police vehicle and then being shot.

One of the officers - identified only as D49 - said she "instantly" thought she would die when Adebolajo ran towards her car.

She claimed he had a meat cleaver or machete and was "shouting something", adding that his eyes "were so wide" she could "see the whites of them".

A letter written by one of the defendants to family

Adebolajo claimed both men had wanted the police to kill them, to make them martyrs.

They did not get that wish, as both have since made a full recovery.

Nor did the jury believe their justification for killing Fusilier Rigby.

They ruled that death of the young fusilier was murder, pure and simple.

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Rigby Killers Tried To Buy Gangster's Bullets

Woolwich Murder: Killers' Timeline

Updated: 2:01pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

1984: Michael Olumide Akinbiyi Adebolajo is born on December 10 at King's College Hospital in Lambeth, south London. His Nigerian-born father, Anthony, a student at the time, went on to become an NHS nurse. His mother, Tina, a housewife and the niece of a university law professor in Benin, west Africa, also dedicated herself to public duty by becoming a social worker. The family lived in Eastern Avenue, Romford, and attended the local church.

1991: Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale is born on May 6, also to Nigerian parents, who split up soon after his birth. His mother Juliet Obasuyi is a probation officer and his father a member of staff at the Nigerian High Commission. Adebowale is known as "Tobi" to family and friends.

1996-2001: Adebolajo attends Marshalls Park School in Romford where he plays football, is seen as a bright student and goes on to complete his GCSEs. He then joins Havering Sixth Form College to study A-levels, including one in psychology.

2002: Adebowale, aged 11, starts at Kidbrooke School in Greenwich. He plays football too, but isn't particularly skilled. Friends say he was easily influenced and "used to follow the crowd".

2002/2003: Adebolajo converts to Islam in his first year at Greenwich University, where he is studying for a BSc in Building Surveying and takes part in first Muslim protests.

2004: He marries Rikki Thomas, who also converts to Islam.

Spring to winter 2004: Jamie Oliver and his team film episodes of Jamie's School Dinners at Kidbrooke School with dinner lady Nora Sands while Adebowale is a pupil.

2004/2005: Adebolajo switches his university course to BA Politics. His academic progress is unsatisfactory and he is not allowed to complete his course.

November 2006: Adebolajo is arrested outside the Old Bailey during a Muslim protest. He is convicted of assaulting two police officers and is sentenced to 51 days in prison.

September 2007: Brought up a Christian, a 16-year-old Adebowale converts to Islam after leaving school and joins a further education college.

January 5, 2008: Adebowale, a low-level runner who couriers drugs for the gang known as the Woolwich Boys, witnesses the murder of friend Faridon Alizada and is a witness in the subsequent court case.

December 2008: He gives evidence in the murder trial and killer Lee James is sentenced to serve a minimum of 25 years and 17 days after being found guilty of stabbing 18-year-old Faridon to death.

2009: Adebolajo speaks at a demonstration against the English Defence League and Stop Islamisation of Europe organised by Unite Against Fascism at Harrow Central Mosque. He is recorded as saying: "Don't be scared of them, do not be scared of the police or the cameras. You are here only to please Allah. You're not here for any other reason. If you are here just for a fight, please leave our ranks. We only want those who are sincere to Allah. Purify your intention."

2010: He is arrested in Kenya with five others and released to British authorities in the African country and deported. It is believed be planned to train with al Shabaab, a militant group linked to al Qaeda, according to Boniface Mwaniki, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit. The British Foreign Office confirm "a British national was arrested in Kenya in 2010" and given consular assistance. No charges are filed against Adebolajo, who returns to southeast London. From now on he is either unemployed or working as a fitness instructor.

August 2011: Racial tensions rise in southeast London during and after the summer riots. The Engish Defence League organises patrols of Eltham, a traditional BNP stronghold. A militant wing of the EDL organises fights with Muslims.

July/August 2012: Shopkeepers report the preachers who regularly set up outside their shops are abusing British soldiers who are stationed in Greenwich working at the London Olympics. Local police are aware of the abuse.

Early April 2013: Members of the Greenwich preaching group are detained by police after further complaints from shopkeepers. Adebowale is among them.

May 22, 2013: Adebolajo and Adebowale murder Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, southeast London. They are detained at the scene.

November 29, 2013: The two men go on trial at the Old Bailey.

December 19, 2013: After listening to nearly three weeks of harrowing evidence, jurors took just 90 minutes to find the pair guilty of murdering Fusilier Rigby. They were found not guilty of attempting to murder police officers.

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Woolwich Murder: Muslim Leader Warns Of 'War'

Killers Were 'No Immediate Threat'

Updated: 2:22pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were "known" to MI5 before they killed Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich but were considered to be of no immediate threat to anyone.

In the language of the intelligence agencies, that means the Security Service was aware of their Islamic extremist views and their association with others but had no evidence they were planning any attack.

Was that the right judgement, or should MI5 have kept a closer eye on them and, if it had, could it have prevented Fusilier Rigby's death?

Whitehall sources said both men had come to MI5's attention in various investigations over several years, two among several thousand known Islamic extremists.

One source said: "It is not surprising that someone who does something like this should have come to our notice before, given the range of our investigations."

The source suggested the agency does not believe it should have given the two killers a greater priority, based on what it knew about them at the time, nor does it argue it would have done more with greater resources.

In another favourite spook phrase, the pair were "on the radar, but not under the microscope".

MI5 accepts there will be lessons to learn from the way it dealt with them.

It is known that in Kenya in 2010, Adebolajo was arrested, appeared in court and deported over his plan to travel to neighbouring Somalia and join the terror group al Shabaab.

One British newspaper report said Adebolajo was able to return to Kenya last year, despite its government warning the UK he was a "dangerous radical". It was reported he may have used a false passport.

He is thought to have joined the UK-based extremist group al Muhajiroun in 2003, several years before it was banned and its leader thrown out of Britain.

Adebolajo appeared at the group's demonstrations and was arrested during scuffles outside the Old Bailey in 2006.

According to a close friend, MI5 was doing more than just monitoring Adebolajo. It asked him to work for the agency six months before the Woolwich killing.

Abu Nusaybah told BBC's Newsnight that Adebolajo was stopped and questioned on his return from a trip to Kenya, and later followed and approached at home by MI5.

Mr Nusaybah said: "He was basically being harassed. His wording was, 'they are bugging me, they won't leave me alone'.

"Initially, they wanted to ask him if he knew certain individuals. But after him saying that he didn't know these individuals, what he said was they asked him if he would be interested in working for them.

"He was explicit in that he refused to work for them, but he did confirm he didn't know the individuals."

Straight after the interview, Mr Nusaybah was arrested by counter-terror police as he left the TV studios. He is to stand trial next year on terrorism charges unrelated to Woolwich.

Adebolajo's brother Jeremiah has claimed the foreign intelligence agency MI6 tried to recruit him and urged him to help "turn" Michael to work for MI5.

It will be up to parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee to assess whether MI5's judgement of Adebolajo and Adebolawe was correct.

The committee of MPs is investigating the role of various agencies before the Woolwich attack and is expected to report early next year.

Its chairman Sir Malcolm Rifkind said soon after Drummer Rigby's death: "I don't think MI5 is in the dock. I think that would be very unfair."

MI5 has had a huge budget increase in the past decade, with the number of staff almost doubled, the opening of regional bases and the concentration of 90% of its resources on fighting international terrorism.

It was mildly criticised for poor record-keeping and police liaison by the ISC after the 7/7 London bombings of 2005, but escaped any censure.

The committee concluded that although the 7/7 ringleader Mohammad Sidique Khan was on its radar, the agency couldn't have been expected to identify him as a bomb plotter. 

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

02.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woman Killed As High Winds Hit UK And Ireland

Further strong winds are expected to batter the UK today after two people died in gale force conditions.

The Met Office has an amber warning - its second-highest level - for Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, where gusts of up to 90mph are expected.

Wind warnings are in place across much of the Republic of Ireland, with Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, as well as Munster, Leinster, Cavan and Monaghan, all braced for winds of up to 70mph.

As much as 20cm of snow could fall in Scotland, while icy roads may create treacherous driving conditions in Wales and across much of eastern England.

The League Cup game at Stoke was halted by a hail storm

It comes after storms caused by an Atlantic depression left two people dead and thousands of people without power.

A 23-year-old woman was killed in Ireland when a tree fell onto her car near Mullingar, County Westmeath.

Paramedics cut her free from the wreckage of the vehicle but she died from her injuries.

In Warwickshire, a man suffered head and chest injuries when a tree hit his car on the A45 between Stretton-on-Dunsmore and Rugby.

Flood warnings have been issued across the UK

A 19-year-old passenger in the car also suffered facial injuries.

Meanwhile, coastguards and an RAF helicopter were forced to call off a search after a man fell overboard from a cargo ship on the River Trent in Lincolnshire.

The 45-year-old, who was not thought to have been wearing a life jacket, became entangled in ropes, according to a coastguard spokesman.

The winds knocked out power to around 7,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland, with another 3,500 affected in northwest England and 900 in south Wales, although most people have now been reconnected.

The gales also caused widespread damage to overhead power and train lines.

The Environment Agency issued 29 flood warnings and 114 flood alerts, mostly in the west of the UK.

In Ireland, the strong winds ripped off part of the roof of Kent railway station in Cork, leaving one passenger with minor injuries.

The roof of Kent railway station in Cork collapsed in the high winds

The roof of a hotel was blown off in Moota, Cumbria, forcing police to close the A595.

Sheffield Wednesday's Championship game against Wigan had to be abandoned in the second half because of a waterlogged pitch and Manchester United's game against Stoke was temporarily halted by a hail storm.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Believe Body Found In Grave Is Jayden's

Police believe a body found in a grave in Didcot, Oxfordshire, is that of missing 17-year-old Jayden Parkinson.

Thames Valley Police said her family are heartbroken and devastated by the development.

Jayden was last seen leaving the town's railway station on December 3.

On Wednesday, the man leading the investigation, Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray, said police had received "significant and highly relevant information" which led their search efforts to a specific grave in the churchyard.

At a news conference on Thursday morning he said: "We had prepared Jayden's family for the worst but I'm afraid nothing can prepare you for the loss of your child.

"They remain heartbroken, they remain devastated, and our thoughts are with them at this time.

Ben Blakeley arrives at court

"It's been a long and difficult night but, as you probably know, we discovered a body in a particular grave in All Saints' Cemetery in Didcot and I believe that body to be Jayden Parkinson, our missing teenager.

"Formal identification has not yet taken place. Jayden's body was removed from the cemetery late last night.

"Our only work in that cemetery now consists of returning that cemetery to its previous state.

"A post-mortem will take place today to try to determine how Jayden died and our management of various crime scenes in and around Didcot will be dependent on the outcome of that post-mortem."

Jayden's former boyfriend, 22-year-old Ben Blakeley, of Reading, has appeared at Oxford Crown Court charged with her murder and perverting the course of justice.

More than 100 uniformed officers and detectives have been working on the case, backed up by specialists from the National Crime Agency, since she disappeared.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray has led the investigation

The teenager, who had recently moved to Oxford, was last seen leaving Didcot railway station at 4.27pm on December 3.

Police said there was "no indication" she was still alive, revealing Jayden had not used her mobile phone or accessed her bank account in the days since she had been reported missing.

Officers had previously issued an appeal for information about a man seen struggling with a suitcase just outside Upton, south of Didcot,  at about 2am on Monday December 9.

A search of farmland on the outskirts of the village took place following the sighting.

Officers said a man was seen with the same suitcase in the Lydalls Road area of Didcot - where All Saints is located - at about 3.30am the same day.

Detectives have since recovered several suitcases, one of which "may well be significant", according to Mr Murray.

In a post on Facebook on Sunday, Jayden's mother Samantha Shrewsbury wrote: "My baby, my princess, my heart is so heavy baby girl."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tulisa Denies Class A Drug Offences In Court

Former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos has denied being concerned with the supply of Class A drugs.

The N-Dubz star, 25, of Friern Barnet, north London, is accused of setting up an £860 deal to supply 13.9 grams of cocaine to an undercover reporter.

She appeared alongside rapper Mike GLC, also known as Michael Coombs, 35, of Velocity Way, Enfield, north London, at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

He denied a charge of supplying the drug.

Contostavlos, who wore black trousers, a black top and black jacket, was forced to disclose her address to the court after her solicitor applied for it to be withheld to prevent "unwanted visitors".

But Chief Magistrate Howard Riddle ruled "the address must be given" after considering the application with representations from prosecutor Emma Scheer and the Press Association.

The singer then told the court: "Just to let you know, after it being read out, in the next month or so I might have to move to a new address."

Contostavlos is accused of being "concerned with the supply of 13.9 grams of cocaine" to the Sun on Sunday's undercover reporter Mazher Mahmood, sometimes known as the fake sheikh, between May 20 and May 24.

Coombs, who wore a blue jumper and black jeans, is accused of supplying the drug on May 23.

The pair will next appear at Southwark Crown Court in central London on January 14.

More follows...

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Syria: Sky News Gains Access To UK Jihadists

By Stuart Ramsay, Chief Correspondent

Sky News has gained the first access to a previously unknown brigade of exclusively British jihadists fighting in Syria.

Until now, the existence of this UK brigade has been kept a secret, but it reveals that British security services have hugely underestimated the scale of UK nationals involved in the bloodshed.

In a series of wide-ranging and frank interviews, the jihadists, who have asked Sky News to protect their identities for fear of a backlash against their families in the UK, reveal that hundreds of young men from Britain have joined the fight against Bashar al Assad's government and that "at least" four die each month.

They also claim that the UK remains the largest single source of private fundraising for jihadi fighters, outdoing countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.

In the interviews, carried out by US journalist and Muslim convert, Bilal Abdul Kareem, exclusively for Sky News, the Islamic fighters insist they have no intention of attacking UK targets or waging jihad on British soil.

One of the men, identified as Mustafa, is asked directly if he is part of al Qaeda and why he insists on hiding his identity.

"I'm not part of al Qaeda, and I've never been a part of al Qaeda - ever,"  he says.

UK jihadists say they are no threat to Britain

"I'm not a terrorist in any way. If people could see how much goodness we have in our hearts, how much mercy we have for people and how much you know we are driven by compassion to help other people they wouldn't think that we were terrorists.

"But this is a line that they have been fed and there are people that benefit from pushing that narrative about us, so I protect my identity."

This denial follows warnings from the heads of the UK's security services that young men travelling to Syria risk being radicalised before returning home to carry out terror attacks in Britain.

Fighting on a mountain top in the northeast of the country, these men look like hardcore jihadists, but when they speak they are pure Brits.

They say they will not attack UK targets

They joke and laugh between themselves, sometimes comparing the now ubiquitous "selfies".

But they hardly speak any Arabic and are dependent on one of their number to give orders on the battlefield.

Like British soldiers, they discuss kit and the best things to buy for jihad. In one exchange a young man, advised to buy new binoculars, naively asks if eBay will deliver.

"No man," one of the more seasoned fighters laughs in reply, shaking his head, "eBay won't deliver here man."

It is pure comedy. The men insist they have a moral obligation to help in Syria because of the outside world's refusal to intervene in the near three-year-old civil war, and deny they are terrorists.

"When you see atrocities carried out like what you see from the images that you see from Syria, then really as a human being, you know morally there should be an obligation just being part of the human race to defend such people," one of the brigade's leaders told Sky News.

"But if morals can't, if that's not enough to motivate you, our religion demands for us that people that cannot defend themselves, that somebody needs to get up and respond to their call. Ethically, it's the only right thing to do," he said during a pause in the fighting.

The Britons say they were angered by the lack of international intervention

The armed opposition to President Assad in the north of the country is now being waged almost exclusively by a myriad of jihadist groups supported by a significant number of foreign fighters from the USA, Canada, Northern Europe, North Africa and the former Soviet republics of Chechnya and Dagestan.

The British contingent say their numbers are increasing daily and social networking sites are helping to organise the influx into Syria.

They know that returning to their families in the UK will be extremely difficult from now on, but in reality they probably won't get the chance - the fighting footsoldier's life expectancy in Syria is very short once serious combat begins.

This committed group buck many stereotypes used to describe the Islamist fighters in Syria.

Whether anyone agrees or disagrees with them is not in itself relevant, not yet at least, as this is the first time we have ever heard them speak.

:: A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "Syria is the number one destination for jihadists anywhere in the world. There are thousands of foreign fighters in Syria, including large numbers of Europeans, gaining combat experience and forging connections with extremists.

"Some people who travel from the UK to Syria for jihadist fighting will pose a security threat when they return. We are concerned that Al-Qaeda affiliates such as Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Al Nusrah Front (ANF) are now able to operate in the large areas of ungoverned space that have been created by the conflict.

"We are aware of at least 200 UK-linked individuals of concern who have travelled to Syria, but the true number is likely to be higher."

The FCO said it is taking the following action:

:: Intelligence agencies and police are working to identify and disrupt potential threats.
:: The police have the power to examine and detain individuals at the UK border to investigate any concerns of terrorism involvement.
:: UK nationals of concern seeking to travel from the UK can have their passports removed or withdrawn. And foreign nationals resident in the UK can have their leave to remain revoked if they are deemed non-conducive to the public good.
:: Working with our international partners we have secured the designation of the al-Nusrah Front under the UN al Qaeda sanctions regime.

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

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Toronto Mayor Rob Ford Boogies To Bob Marley

Toronto mayor Rob Ford appeared to be putting recent controversies behind him as he was filmed dancing during a council session.

Mr Ford, who was stripped of most of his powers after he admitted smoking crack cocaine, has refused to step down and has vowed to seek re-election next year.

He said he has quit drinking and is exercising daily after having a "come to Jesus moment".

The spring in his step was clear to see as he energetically boogied to Bob Marley's One Love and a Christmas song in the council chambers.

Colleagues joined Mr Ford for the festivities, which left him pink faced and sweating.

Earlier this month the politician laughed off claims he may have offered $5,000 (£2,900) and a car to buy a video allegedly showing him using crack.

Details of the offer were included in a 450-page police document released by an Ontario Superior Court judge.

Outbursts caught on camera have added to the controversy surrounding Mr Ford, who landed his own TV show in the wake of the scandal and has claimed that efforts to curtail his authority amount to a "coup d'etat".

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Ronnie Biggs: Great Train Robber Dies Aged 84

Biggs: An International Fugitive

Updated: 11:10am UK, Wednesday 18 December 2013

Here is a timeline of Ronnie Biggs' life.

Ronald Arthur Biggs was born in Lambeth, south London, on August 8, 1929.

:: January 1945: The 15-year-old Biggs made his first court appearance - for stealing pencils from Littlewoods.

:: 1950: Biggs cut a faintly absurd figure in the robbery of a bookie in Lambeth Road. His contribution was to ask the bookie's wife for her handbag.

"When she did not have one, Biggs picked up a vase as though to hit her," reads the court report of the case.

:: August 1963: With nine convictions to his name, he was given the chance to play a bit part in a robbery on an altogether grander scale and, by accepting it, set himself on the path to a lifetime of infamy.

About a month after the attack, Biggs and other members of the gang were tracked down by police after an operation led by Scotland Yard detective Jack Slipper.

:: January 1964 - Biggs stood trial for the robbery and was jailed for 30 years.

:: 1965 - after serving just 15 months, he escaped from London's Wandsworth Prison by scaling a wall and jumping on to a mattress in an open-top van.

:: The same year, Biggs took his wife Charmian and sons to Spain and spent two months convalescing after having plastic surgery in France to change his appearance.

:: 1969 - Biggs was tracked by Scotland Yard to Melbourne, Australia and fled to Brazil.

:: 1970 - The mail train driver Jack Mills, who never made a full recovery after being coshed during the robbery, died.

:: 1971 - Biggs' son Nicky died in a car crash aged 10.

:: 1974 - Biggs made a deal with the Daily Express amid rumours he would surrender if assured an early parole date, but the paper contacted detective Jack Slipper who arrested him in Rio de Janeiro.

The convicted robber successfully argued against extradition because he had a Brazilian dependent, a young son, Michael, by his girlfriend Raimunda de Castro.

:: April 1977 - Biggs went aboard the British frigate Danae for a few drinks. The ship was in Rio for a courtesy visit, but surprisingly he was not arrested.

:: 1978 - He recorded No One Is Innocent, for the Sex Pistols and also raised money by selling T-shirts of himself and entertaining Japanese tourists.

:: March 1981 - Biggs was kidnapped in Rio by a gang of adventurers and smuggled to Barbados by boat. Their aim was to bring him back to Britain.

The Barbados High Court decided the rules governing extradition to Britain had not been properly put before the island's parliament, and Biggs was allowed to return to Rio.

:: 1988 - Pop star Phil Collins starred in Buster, a film based on the train robbery.

:: January 1994 - Biggs published his autobiography, Odd Man Out.

:: 1997 - The Brazilian Supreme Court rejected a new request by the British Government to extradite him.

:: March 1998 - The fugitive collapsed at his home in Rio and suffered a stroke which temporarily left him unable to speak.

:: August 8, 1999 - Biggs celebrated his 70th birthday in the company of 140 friends including fellow Great Train Robber Bruce Reynolds, 36 years to the day after their infamous crime.

:: September 1999 - Biggs appeared in a worldwide TV advert for hair grafts. In the same month he suffered his second stroke, followed by a third stroke 12 days later.

:: May 3, 2001 - After 35 years on the run, Biggs sent an e-mail to Scotland Yard saying he wanted to come home.

:: May 7, 2001 - Biggs arrives on a private plane at RAF Northolt, and is immediately arrested. He is later sent back to prison.

Within weeks Biggs was in hospital receiving treatment for a suspected stroke. He spent much of his time in the prison hospital at Belmarsh after suffering a series of heart attacks, strokes and epileptic seizures.

:: January 30, 2002 - The Criminal Cases Review Commission rejects an application to send Biggs' case to the Court of Appeal. He had argued his sentence was inappropriate and unnecessary.

:: March 28, 2002 - Biggs's lawyers lodge papers at the High Court arguing his is an "exceptional case" and should be sent back to the Court of Appeal.

:: July 10, 2002 - Biggs marries Brazilian former Samba dancer Raimunda Rothen, the mother of his son Michael, in a private ceremony at Belmarsh jail attended by 11 guests.

:: January 13, 2003 - Michael claims his father was punched and "karate kicked" by a prison officer in Belmarsh.

:: October 2, 2003 - Biggs' attempt to appeal against his sentence is thrown out by a High Court judge who calls it "hopeless" and "misconceived".

His son Michael complains that his father was not given legal aid to fight the case and announces plans to go to the European Court of Human Rights.

:: January 6, 2004 - Biggs is taken to the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Woolwich, south London, suffering from pneumonia.

:: January 8, 2004 - After returning to Belmarsh the day before, Biggs is taken back to hospital after becoming dehydrated and vomiting. His barrister Nigel Sangster QC says he is making an immediate petition to the European Court of Human Rights about Biggs's continued imprisonment.

:: August 9, 2004 - Biggs' lawyers launch a High Court legal bid to win his release on compassionate grounds. Solicitors ask for a judicial review of Biggs' detention at high security Belmarsh.

:: August 30, 2004 - Biggs is taken to hospital again, this time it is understood it is because he was passing blood.

It is the fifth time the ailing robber has been moved to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital from the hospital wing at Belmarsh after suffering a series of strokes, minor heart attacks and contracting scabies.

:: June 15, 2005 - Solicitors say they have written to Home Secretary Charles Clarke to ask for Biggs to be released on compassionate grounds.

:: July 12, 2005 - Sources say prison bosses have decided that Biggs is not ill enough to qualify for early release.

:: August 10, 2005 - The Home Office confirms Biggs has become infected with MRSA while in hospital undergoing routine treatment.

:: September 21, 2005 - Prison service sources deny claims Biggs has gone on hunger strike.

:: October 26, 2005 - Home Secretary Charles Clarke rejects a plea for Biggs to be released from prison on compassionate grounds - because his illness is not deemed terminal.

:: December 2, 2005 - Biggs' solicitors say they have asked Mr Clarke for a pardon, using "prerogative powers".

:: July 4, 2007 - Prison sources say the Great Train Robber has been moved from Belmarsh to a unit for elderly life-sentenced inmates, even though he is not serving a life sentence, at the lower security Norwich jail.

:: October 4, 2007 - Biggs apologises for "glamorising" his crime and promises that if he is freed from jail he will live outside the UK.

:: February 13, 2009 - Biggs is moved to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich after falling ill in Norwich Prison.

:: July 1, 2009 - Biggs is refused parole by Justice Secretary Jack Straw, who said the Great Train Robber was "wholly unrepentant".

:: August 8, 2009 - Biggs was granted release from his prison sentence on compassionate grounds. Mr Straw said the decision was based on medical evidence that Biggs' condition had deteriorated and he was not expected to recover. The next day he was officially released from the the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital.

:: August 17, 2009 - Biggs moved into his final home, the Carlton Court Care Home in Barnet, north London, where he received 24-hour care.

:: March 20, 2013 - Biggs was last seen in public at the funeral of of fellow great train robber Bruce Reynolds. He had a defiant message for the waiting press as he flipped the 'V' sign.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

The Ashes: England Lose To Rampant Aussies

Ashes Defeat A Ghost Of Xmas Past

Updated: 7:27am UK, Tuesday 17 December 2013

By Paul Kelso, Sports Correspondent

There is something almost nostalgic about the hapless fate of England's cricketers.

For followers of a certain vintage, nothing quite says Christmas like surrendering the Ashes in the same week that Fairytale of New York becomes ubiquitous on the radio.

With their spectacular fall from grace, Alastair Cook's beaten side have provided even less reason for festive cheer than even their most hapless predecessors.

When England were losing eight consecutive series between 1989 and 2003 the beatings were handed down by one of the great sides of all time in any sport.

Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh will be recalled for decades to come as giants of the game.

Not so this Australian side led by Michael Clarke.

Yet the defeats handed out in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth have been every bit as emphatic as those delivered by the greatest Australian sides, and all just three months after England won the home series 3-0.

England have been outplayed, out-fought and out-thought. That is a grim hat-trick of failings for Cook and the England coach Andy Flower to digest as they try and claw back a little dignity in the final two tests of the series.

The collapse has been as startling as any in recent memory, and has at times appeared as much psychological as technical.

From the moment they stepped off the plane England met a barrage of hostility, from a partisan local media to an Australian side that has revelled in dishing out verbal abuse. England, no strangers to sledging themselves, have for once had no answer.

The Australians have played better cricket. The bowlers have been superb, led by cartoon fast-man Mitchell Johnson who blew England's doors off in the first Test, winning the game and precipitating Jonathan Trott's pressure-induced return.

Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle and off-spinner Nathan Lyon have backed him up brilliantly, bowling with discipline to pre-determined plans and with unflagging vigour.

England's attack by contrast has been tepid, with match-winners James Anderson and Graeme Swann short of form and both ruthlessly targeted in Perth.

It is the batsmen who have really let England down however. On their last tour here Trott, Cook and Pietersen were outstanding, batting Australia into the dust.

Here they and the other batsmen have been vulnerable and addled by pressure, often gifting their wickets. Before the second innings in Perth they had passed 300 only once and not scored a single century between them.

Form fluctuates, and sportsmen learn to accept that sometimes the opposition just play better. But that truism does not fully explain the disaster of this tour, for which Flower must take some responsibility.

Envisaging hard, fast wickets England selected three six-feet plus fast-bowlers. In the event just one of them, Chris Tremlett, has played a single Test. Boyd Rankin and Steve Finn have had to make do working as the tallest drinks waiters in cricket, while Tim Bresnan, a hero of the last tour, was whistled up for Perth short of match fitness.

Something is very wrong here. Either the bowlers have all regressed and cannot be trusted in competition, or England's management panicked and scrapped their long-term plan in favour of hunches at the first setback.

The series also raises a wider question about the style of game England play. Cook and Flower have nurtured a team of opportunists, playing no-frills cricket to stay in games until the opportunity arises to seize them.

As a modus operandi it has been hugely effective in recent years, but it has been exposed utterly in Australia.

What few chances England have had they have missed. Clarke's side meanwhile has returned to the hyper-aggressive cricket of the 1990s, scoring quickly, bowling fast and straight and catching like swallows.

England have had no response, and a 5-0 whitewash looms unless something fundamental changes.

In fact there is only one area in which the two sides have been well matched, and that is the boorish, immature spirit in which the games have been played.

Sledging has been a celebrated part of Ashes contests for decades but these back-to-back series have been played in a dreadful atmosphere that betrays the spirit of the game.

Threats of violence have been dished out, centuries have gone unacknowledged by fielders, and there has been an endless stream of profanities from both sides.

It is not meant to be a Christmas drinks party. But the greatest series in sport can be a great deal more uplifting than we have seen.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Motor Insurance Premiums Could Be Cut

Car insurance premiums are too high, says the competition watchdog which is to look at ways of reducing them.

The Competition Commission said there could be caps on the cost of accident repairs and providing replacement vehicles for drivers.

The watchdog also said in its provisional report that too many accident repairs were not carried out to the required standard.

And it found the way add-on insurance products were sold made it difficult for customers to find the best-value products.

It said overall the £11bn market was not working well for drivers and believed too many were footing the bill for unnecessary costs incurred during the claims process after an accident.

These costs are initially borne by the insurers of at-fault drivers, but they feed through into increased insurance premiums for all motorists.

The watchdog was also concerned about the relationship between price comparison websites and insurers.

Alasdair Smith, who is leading the investigation, said: "We are now considering a range of possible measures, some of them far-reaching reforms, to ensure that the market better serves the interests of customers."

Mr Smith said that in most cases the party managing the accident claim - typically the non-fault insurer or intermediary - was not the party liable to pay the costs of the claim.

He added: "There is insufficient incentive for insurers to keep costs down even though they are themselves on the receiving end of the problem."

The commission estimates the extra premium costs due to the separation of control and liability on replacement cars and repairs to be between £150m and £200m a year.

It is considering whether to make a driver's own insurer responsible for providing a replacement vehicle or to give at-fault insurers greater opportunity to take control over managing claims.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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New Runways For Gatwick And Heathrow Airports

Building a controversial third runway at Heathrow airport has been shortlisted as one of the options for expansion by the Airports Commission in its first report.

The interim findings of an independent inquiry led by the former head of the Financial Services Authority, Sir Howard Davies, has also recommended a second runway for Gatwick airport.

Sir Howard has also said he would consider the idea of building a new airport in the Thames Estuary, plans for which have been backed by the London Mayor, Boris Johnson, although he did not include it on the shortlist of options.

He warned if the UK did not expand its airports then it would cost the economy £45bn over 60 years and that to cope with increasing passenger numbers the first new runway should be operation by 2030, the second by 2050.

Sir Howard said: "The UK enjoys excellent connectivity today. The capacity challenge is not yet critical but it will become so if no action is taken soon and our analysis clearly supports the provision of one net additional runway by 2030.

Heathrow dealt with 70 million passengers last year

"In the meantime we encourage the government to act on our recommendations to make the best of our existing capacity."

A third runway for Heathrow has met with bitter opposition and the publication of the report will likely trigger a substantial political row.

The Conservative party made its opposition to plans for the airport's expansion – supported by the Labour government - part of its 2010 election manifesto and ruled a third runway out when the coalition came to power.

Among the most vociferous opponents have been Mr Johnson and the Conservative MP, Zac Goldsmith, a keen environmentalist whose constituency is in the flight path.

Mr Johnson told Sky News that building another runway at Heathrow would be "bonkers".

He said that both the new runway options for Heathrow would involve "concreting over the M25 probably closing that major artery for five years at the least".

And he said that a second strip for Gatwick would make no difference to dealing with the air traffic.

Plans for a third runway at Heathrow have been controversial

He said: "A new airport in the inner estuary is the only credible hub option left, and the only one that would uphold this country's claim to be the natural financial, commercial and economic capital of Europe."

Last week he threatened to call for a judicial review if plans for the four-runway airport on the Isle of Grain, which at £112bn would cost five times as much as Heathrow expansion, were not included in the commission's report.

The commission said it had not shortlisted the Thames Estuary plan "because there are too many uncertainties and challenges surrounding them at this stage".

However, it will undertake further study of plans to see whether it was a "credible proposal" and may include it on the shortlist next summer. The Airport Commission's final report will be submitted in the summer of 2015, after the next General Election.

Mr Goldsmith, who has suggested he would leave the Tory party over the issue, said last week that any decision by the Prime Minister to back Heathrow expansion would represent an "off-the-scale betrayal".

Gatwick is running at 85% of its total capacity

Heathrow is currently operating at 98% of its capacity with 65m travellers using it in 2012 but the report pointed out that it was so busy passengers suffered "a high level of delay and unreliability".

If it is not allowed to expand, those in favour of a third runway claim that travellers to Europe will opt to fly into airports at Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam instead, at a cost to the UK economy.

Heathrow representatives told the commission that a third runway could be operating by 2029 allowing 260,000 more flights a year.

There are two options for the extra runway - to build a 3,500m (11,500ft) strip to the north-west of the site or to extend the northern runway to 6,000m (20,000ft) and use one half for take-offs and the other for landings.

Heathrow chief executive Colin Matthews welcomed the report saying: "This country needs a hub because without that we won't have the long-haul connections that we need."

Boris Johnson says a third runway for Heathrow would be "crackers"

However, Keith Taylor, Green Party MEP for the South East, said: "The political opposition to airport expansion in south east England is sadly melting away.

"There's no doubt that the Government will be pleased with this report. It gives them the cover they need to go on avoiding answering difficult questions on airport expansion and to prepare themselves for a colossal U-turn on Heathrow expansion."

The idea of expansion at Gatwick, which is currently running at 85% of its capacity and full capacity at peak times, has also met with opposition. It would be built to the south of the existing runway.

Georgia Wrighton, director of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England in Sussex, said: "A second runway at Gatwick, together with sprawling development and car parks anticipated on a massive scale, would concrete over cherished open countryside."

The report did not include options for a new runway for Stansted or Birmingham airports, as had been suggested.

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April Jones' Killer Mark Bridger Launches Appeal

The parents of murdered five-year-old April Jones have told of their disgust after learning their daughter's killer has launched an appeal.

Mark Bridger, 47, was given a whole-life sentence in May after being found guilty of kidnapping and murdering the schoolgirl.

Her parents Coral and Paul Jones told The Sun newspaper that police had warned them last week that Bridger had lodged papers at the Court of Appeal.

The killer - one of only 49 prisoners in the UK serving whole-life tariffs - is appealing against his sentence.

The Judicial Office said his application has been referred to the full court with a hearing due in the new year.

Mark Bridger leaves court after being given a whole-life tariff

Mrs Jones, 41, blasted the move and said her family continue to be "tortured" by Bridger.

"It's disgusting," she told the newspaper. "He's in prison where he belongs and he should stay there.

"He's just torturing my family with these legal battles. It's like he's taunting us, like he wants to show he's got the upper hand."

She added that Bridger had already tried to claim compensation following an attack by a fellow inmate while at the top-security Wakefield Prison, in West Yorkshire, earlier this year.

Bridger, a father of six, snatched April near her home in Machynlleth, Wales, on October 1 last year.

The little girl's body has never been found.

The Ministry of Justice said it could not comment on individual cases.

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TV Weatherman Fred Talbot Arrested Again

TV weatherman Fred Talbot has been arrested for a second time by detectives investigating historical sex abuse claims.

The 63-year-old was detained on suspicion of indecent assault and serious sexual assault in relation to five former pupils at a school in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.

He was also arrested on suspicion of indecent assault in relation to offences alleged to have occurred in the North East.

The celebrity meteorologist was first held on April 9 on suspicion of historical sex offences in relation to allegations of abuse against four pupils at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, when he was a teacher there.

Greater Manchester Police said he remains on police bail in relation to one count of indecent assault.

No further action has been taken in relation to the other alleged offences for which he was originally arrested.

He is in police custody for questioning.

More follows...

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Jayden Parkinson: Man In Court Over Murder

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

A man has appeared before magistrates in Oxford charged with the murder of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson.

In a short hearing, Ben Blakeley, 22, spoke only to confirm his name, age and address as Christchurch Road, Reading.

Blakeley, who was wearing navy jogging bottoms and a navy sweatshirt is also charged with perverting the course of justice.

He was remanded in custody and will appear at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday at 10am.

A 17-year-old boy who was also arrested on suspicion of murder is still being questioned by police.

Detectives have still not found the teenager's body, but have received information that indicates she is no longer alive.

They have appealed for information about a man seen struggling with a large suitcase in the early hours of Monday December 9 in the village of Upton, Oxfordshire.

Witnesses saw the man with the suitcase a short time later in the nearby town of Didcot.

Jayden was last seen leaving Didcot Parkway train station on December 3.

She had been living with her mother in the town until November, but most recently had been staying in a hostel in Oxford.

Extensive searches of farmland are continuing at Upton.

A 17-year-old, who did not want to be named, told Sky News that Jayden was her best friend.

She said: "She's fun, caring, she liked to socialise, she liked art, she was good at art, and was waiting to go to college. I'm so upset."

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Mandela Funeral: End Of 'Extraordinary Journey'

Nelson Mandela, hailed as "Africa's greatest son" at an emotional state funeral, has been laid to rest near his childhood home.

The burial of the anti-apartheid icon follows a service attended by 4,000 mourners from across the world, at which South African President Jacob Zuma declared Mr Mandela's "extraordinary journey" was now over.

"It is the end of 95 glorious years of this freedom fighter, a dedicated and humble servant of the people of South Africa," he said during a poignant speech.

Mr Mandela's coffin is carried along a hilltop overlooking Qunu village

"He was a fountain of wisdom, a pillar of strength and a beacon of hope for all those fighting for a just world order."

In contrast to the funeral, held in a huge tent at Mr Mandela's ancestral home of Qunu, in South Africa's Eastern Cape, the burial service was a smaller affair.

Several hundred of Mr Mandela's family and closest friends gathered at the grave site, as military jets and helicopters performed a fly pass.

Television cameras cut away as officials lowered his body into the ground.

Earlier, Mr Mandela's coffin was carried to the funeral on a military carriage and covered with the country's flag, as a 21-gun salute echoed around his childhood home.

It was placed in front of a stage, on which 95 candles - one for each year of his life - were lit and a huge portrait of the smiling former president was displayed.

Mourners heard from political leaders, Mr Mandela's family and some of his closest friends during an emotional service that brought both tears and laughter.

Mr Mandela's family and South Africa's president sit beside his coffin

Ahmed Kathrada, who was imprisoned on Robben Island for 26 years with Mr Mandela, gave a memorable speech, recalling a man he described as his "elder brother".

Speaking directly to his friend, he said: "What can we say ... in these, our last, final moments together?

"Your abundant reserves of love, simplicity, honesty, service, humility, care, courage, foresight, patience, tolerance, equality and justice continually serve as a source of enormous strength to millions."

Mr Kathrada said his close friend was an "enormous" source of strength

Holding back tears, he added: "My life is in a void and I don't know who to turn to."

Hailemariam Desalegn, the Ethiopian Prime Minister and chairman of the African Union, said: "His was a life of struggle in the face of unparalleled odds. A life of suffering in the hands of malicious perpetrators of injustice. A life of perseverance in the face of challenge.

"But we are not mourning. We are celebrating humanity at its finest. We should find consolation that his legacy will live on for eternity."

Mr Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Mandela (left) and widow Graca Machel (centre)

Jakaya Kikwete, the President of Tanzania, described Mr Mandela as "our leader, our hero, our icon and our father", while Kenneth Kanda, the former president of Zambia, added: "As we go on without Madiba ... let us remember the love he had for us all. Without that, we cannot succeed."

High-profile guests included businessman Sir Richard Branson, TV chat show host Oprah Winfrey and actor Idris Elba, who plays Mr Mandela in a forthcoming film about his life, while prominent US civil rights activist Reverend Jessie Jackson and Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams also made the journey.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was in the audience after earlier suggesting he had not received an invitation, while the Prince of Wales attended on behalf of the Queen.

Oprah Winfrey and Sir Richard Branson attended the service

During his speech, Mr Zuma described his predecessor as a man "so great and yet so humble".

"We wish to express two simple words," he said. "Thank you. Thank you for being everything wanted and needed in a leader during a critical period in our lives."

He added: "We'll cherish every moment we spent with you.

"You were an exceptional human being and you will remain our guiding light, as we continue our journey to build the South Africa of your dreams."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu initially thought he had missed out on an invite

As the funeral was beamed to specially erected big screens on hillsides around Mr Mandela's home, warriors, dressed in their colourful tribal outfits, gathered to sing, dance and clap.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, in Qunu, said: "The authorities and the Mandela family have always insisted this should be a coming together of a huge, important state funeral with all its pomp and ceremony, and the traditions of Mr Mandela's tribe.

"These past 10 days have been a chance not just for local people to grieve and to mourn, but also to remember how much of a colossus this man was, both in world politics and South African history."

Members of the armed forces marched alongside Mr Mandela's coffin

Mr Mandela's body arrived in South Africa's Eastern Cape on board a military plane, escorted by two fighter jets.

Tens of thousands of people lined the roads as the funeral procession made the short journey from Mthatha airport to Qunu, although some were angry the cortege did not stop to allow them time to pay their respects.

Preparations for service - the first ever state funeral in South Africa - were also marred by a public spat between the country's government and Mr Tutu, one of the most prominent survivors in the long struggle against apartheid.

A 21-gun salute heralded the arrival of Nelson Mandela's coffin

Mr Tutu, a Nobel laureate who has been critical of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, initially said he was not invited - an apparent snub denied by the government.

More than 100,000 people saw Mr Mandela's body lying in state in Pretoria over the last three days, but some had to be turned away.

The former leader, who was imprisoned for 27 years for opposing racist apartheid before emerging in 1990 to forge a new democratic South Africa, died on December 5.

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Arizona Wildfire: Hotshot's Call For Help

By Toby Sadler, Sky News Reporter

A crew of 19 firefighters killed in a catastrophic Arizona wildfire can be heard desperately radioing in for help before their deaths in newly released recordings.

A helmet cam on one fireman picked up the audio as well as footage which showed the blaze bearing down on the Granite Mountain Hotshots team as they faced a 100ft wall of flames.

"Breaking in on Arizona 16, Granite Mountain Hotshots, we are in front of the flaming front," one member said as they realised they were in trouble in Yarnell Hill last summer.

The recordings were released after an investigation revealed commanders made numerous mistakes managing the wildfire that also destroyed more than 100 homes.

Moments before the hotshots deployed their fire shelters, they called for water-dropping aircraft: "Air Attack, Granite Mountain 7!"

The response was: "Okay ... unit that's hollerin' in the radio, I need you to quit, and ... break, Operations Bravo 33."

But fire commanders did not even know where the hotshots were.

Only one of the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew survived

"So you're on the south side of the fire then? We've got several aircraft coming to you. We'll see if we can't take care of business for you."

Deborah Pfingston, the mother of firefighter Andrew Ashcraft, who died, said: "It shows confusion and that's heart-breaking."

The last dispatch from the Hotshots came from the group's leader Eric Marsh.

He said: "Yeah, I'm here with Granite Mountain Hotshots, our escape route has been cut off.

Audio and video recordings have been released

"We are preparing a deployment site and we are burned out around ourselves in the brush and I'll give you a call when we are under the shelters."

At 4.38pm that day - June 30 - there was a call from dispatch.

"Division Alpha, Bravo 33. Do you hear a helicopter?" But there was no reply.

"Little by little the truth is coming out," said Mr Ashcraft's wife Juliann.

However, to Ms Pfingston the recordings also provide some comfort.

"These guys were working to save each other to the very last moment, and that is commendable," she said.

Brendan McDonough was the sole survivor of the crew

Only one of the elite crew, 21-year-old Brendan McDonough, survived the blaze.

He was on a hilltop as a lookout and warned his crew the weather was changing rapidly.

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Nelson Mandela Funeral: Live Updates From Qunu

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11:21am UK, Sunday 15 December 2013

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