US Tight-Lipped Over Knox Extradition Chances

The US will not reveal whether it has received a request to extradite Amanda Knox after her murder conviction was upheld.

The 26-year-old, who lives in Seattle, faces a 28-and-a-half year jail sentence after an Italian court reinstated the guilty verdicts against her and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.

They are accused of killing 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher in 2007.

The State Department's deputy press secretary Marie Harf said: "We've been following it closely as it's gone through the Italian legal system.

Knox wiped away tears during a TV interview in the US

"I don't have any more analysis of the Italian judicial procedure for you. But again, we'll just keep monitoring it and if we have anything else to say as we get further along in the process, we will.

"Extradition requests I understand, are legally private and confidential, so I don't think I have more comment than that. We do have an extradition treaty, which has been in force since 1984."

On Friday, Knox wept on television as she vowed to fight her latest conviction for the murder of Miss Kercher "to the very end".

She broke down several times in the TV interview and said: "This really has hit me like a train."

Exchange student Miss Kercher lived with Knox

She made it clear she would never voluntarily return to Italy to serve the sentence handed down by a court in Florence.

Legal experts say there is no reason why the US should refuse Italy's request, meaning Knox could be jailed in Italy.

Lyle Kercher, Meredith's brother, said: "If somebody's found guilty and convicted of a murder - if an extradition law exists between those two countries - I don't see why they (the US) wouldn't.

"It would set a difficult precedent if a country such as the US didn't choose to go along with laws they themselves uphold when extraditing convicted criminals from other countries."

Members of Ms Kercher's family want Knox extradited

Sollecito, who was not in court for the verdict but had attended lengthy hearings earlier in the day, was sentenced to 25 years.

The 29-year-old has been held by Italian police after being stopped near the country's border with Austria on Friday morning.

Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito have said they intend to appeal to Italy's highest court and a long legal battle for Knox's extradition is expected.

Knox and Sollecito were charged in 2007 after Miss Kercher's semi-naked body was found with her throat cut in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia.

Sollecito has been held by police near the Austrian border

The Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, had been sexually assaulted.

Two years after the pair were found guilty at their original trial in 2009 - and handed jail terms totalling more than 50 years - the verdicts were overturned and both walked free from court, with Knox returning to the US and going on to sign a book deal.

Their acquittals in 2011 came after a damning 100-page report outlined a catalogue of errors and breaches of procedure that had been made in collecting evidence.

The third trial began last September in Florence.

After nearly 12 hours of deliberations on Thursday, the court upheld the 2009 convictions.

Drug dealer Rudy Guede was sentenced to 16 years for Miss Kercher's murder. Investigators said he did not act alone.

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Baby Boy's Death: Mother Arrested In Oldham

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Police are questioning a mother on suspicion of murdering her seven-week-old baby in Oldham.

The 23-year-old mother's partner, a man aged 35, and the couple's lodger, a 26-year-old man, have also been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The baby was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital with serious head injuries last Saturday.

Hospital staff contacted police and the child's mother and her partner were originally arrested on suspicion of assault.

Following the baby's death and the results of a postmortem examination they were re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

The baby was taken to Royal Oldham Hospital

Along with their lodger they are also being questioned on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

All three remain in police custody.

Detectives are searching the house where the child lived in the Clarksfield area of Oldham.

The couple's next door neighbour, who did not want to be named, told Sky News she was "shocked" to hear the news.

She said she understood the couple had only moved into the house in November and said they had put up balloons and banners when the baby was born.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the child's father.

The infant died at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Detective Inspector Andy Cunliffe from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "This is a tragic case in which a very young baby has lost his life.

"We are determined to find out exactly what the circumstances were that led to him suffering such injuries.

"News of the death of such a little boy will no doubt come as a great shock to people.

"And I would like to try to reassure the community as much as I can that we have a team of detectives dedicated to working on this investigation, and they will today be interviewing the three people in our custody.

"If anyone has any information at all that they believe may assist us with our enquiries, then please get in touch and tell us what you know."

Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP's Major Incident Team on 0161 856 1722 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Weather: Rain And High Tides Are 'Risk To Life'

Heavy rain, large waves and strong winds wreaked havoc in Britain and Ireland today, cancelling flights and sparking a "significant risk to life" warning.

Some of the worst winds were battering the Republic of Ireland this morning and gusts were expected to pick up across Wales and southern parts of England during the day.

Flooding in central Limerick, Ireland (pic: Sean Keogh/@Fame_For_Sale)

The Environment Agency warned "extraordinary measures" may be taken in Gloucestershire today to keep back tidal and river floods.

England and Wales are covered by flood warnings and alerts

It issued severe flood warnings - meaning there is an imminent danger to life - for several parts of the county and the coasts of Cornwall and north Devon.

Further warnings are in place along the length of the River Severn amid fears it could burst its banks.

River Parrett in Burrowbridge in the 1960s when it was regularly dredged In Spring 2013, without dregdging (pic Flooding on the Levels Action Group) The same river today

Flood barriers have already been installed in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and Bewdley, Worcestershire, as the water level rises.

The Environment Agency warned against all non-essential travel amid fears drivers could become stranded, while Gloucestershire Police urged people to stay away from river banks.

Lesser warnings remain in place for many parts of Britain, including the already blighted Somerset levels and west Wales, where 49 flood warnings and 15 alerts have been issued this morning.

In the the Republic of Ireland, there were reports of severe flooding in Limerick City with the river Shannon bursting its banks.

The Severn laps over a road in Arley, Worcestershire. Pic: Neill Woodward

With gusts of almost 80mph in coastal areas of the country, several parts were hit by flooding and at one stage 5,500 homes and properties were left without power, 4,000 of them in Ennis, Co Clare.

Flights out of Dublin airport were affected because of the gales force winds. Flights to Manchester, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Cardiff, Paris and Madrid had to be cancelled.

Isabel Webster, reporting from the River Parrett in Burrowbridge, Somerset, tweeted at 8.30am: "High tide in Burrowbridge this morning. It's just touching the sand bags."

Minutes later she tweeted: "Water is seeping through giant sandbags onto road beyond at high tide here in Burrowbridge."

As heavy rain fell in the South, snow swept across parts of the North

Amid fears the bags would not hold back the water an emergency team from the Environment Agency, rushed to the scene to bolster the defences.

There are fears that flooding in the area will worsen as river levels rise over the coming hours and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, David Cameron has admitted a "long-term" action plan is needed to reduce the devastating impact of flooding on communities.

He insisted the Government was doing "everything we can to help people recover as quickly as possible".

Residents in the village of Muchelney, Somerset, have been cut off

However, he admitted there was work to do, especially in Somerset, where some residents remain cut off after the wettest January on record.

In a letter to the Western Daily Press, Mr Cameron said: "Like everybody across the country I feel enormous sympathy for the people who live on the Somerset Levels and are suffering from the devastating impact of the flooding."

He added: "We need long-term action to reduce the risk of this happening again. That is why (Environment Secretary) Owen Paterson is working with the Environment Agency (EA) and local agencies in Somerset to deliver a robust plan for the next 20 years."

The Prime Minister said plans to dredge rivers will begin "as soon it is safe to do so" and the EA will spend "the coming months improving river flows" across the south west, dredging and weed clearance.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has claimed a lack of river dredging for the past 40 years has worsened the impact of the flooding in Somerset.

"The EA decided to abandon the dredging for the sake of the river bank and they sold the wonderful dredging machines for scrap," said the dairy farmer.

"Can you believe it? That was 40 years ago. This (flooding) is the result of that decision."

In the Republic of Ireland, Munster, Leinster, Connacht, Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan were told to prepare for possible flooding, while communities in west Wales and along the south coast from Dorset to Kent were also put on alert.

Hundreds of university students in Aberystwyth were told to leave accommodation on the town's seafront amid fears high tides could hit the town for the second time in a month.

As well as wind and rain, the Met Office warned of snow for Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, as well as icy stretches on roads across much of the UK.

Wintry weather swept across northern areas on Friday, closing the Lake District's exposed Kirkstone Pass and causing hazardous driving conditions elsewhere.

The latest forecasts will be met with trepidation in flood-stricken communities in Somerset, where the military is on standby to help with the relief effort.

On Tuesday, Prince Charles will meet people who remain cut off by water after the wettest January on record.

Some residents have criticised the Government and the Environment Agency for what they say is a lack of action to prevent the floods.

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Kercher 'Killer' Sollecito 'Held Near Border'

Raffaele Sollecito, the man re-convicted of Meredith Kercher's murder, has been held by police at Italy's border with Slovenia.

Sollecito was apprehended by police at a hotel in an area near Udine. 

Sollecito is apparently being held in a police station

Giovanni Belmonte, of the Udine police, said officers held the 29-year-old in Venzone, at 1am - about 30 miles from the border with Slovenia.

Sky's Nick Pisa, in Italy, said Sollecito had been staying at the Carnia hotel with his current girlfriend Greta.  

Police took his passport and put a stamp in his Italian identity papers showing that he cannot leave the country, Mr Belmonte said.

He is expected to be freed later.

Sollecito was given a 25-year jail term after being found guilty in the latest court case.

He had been in the courtroom earlier on Thursday but left before the verdicts were delivered.

He and Amanda Knox were originally found guilty of murder in 2009, and were handed jail terms totalling more than 50 years.

They were cleared nearly two years later - but the appeal court ordered a fresh trial in March last year.

Rudy Guede, a drug dealer, is serving a 16-year sentence over the death - though the courts have said he did not act alone.

Yesterday, after lengthy deliberations, the Italian court heard that both were guilty.

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Madeleine McCann Cops Hunt Resort Workers

British police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance have asked their Portuguese counterparts to search the homes and bank accounts of three suspects.

A Scotland Yard team led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood made the request during meetings about new leads in the case with senior members of Portugal's Policia Judiciaria earlier this week.

Investigators believe the trio were workers at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz, where the McCann family were staying in 2007 and were behind a string of burglaries in the weeks before Madeleine, then three, went missing.

Former Ocean Club worker Nelson Rodrigues, told Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt that employees at the complex would have had the perfect opportunity to snatch a child.

Nelson Rodrigues speaks to Sky's Martin Brunt

He said: "Yes, you could suspect (them). The workers there know the shifts and the hours when people are at home or not at home.

"It's waiters, barmen, people from maintenance, reception, the cleaners - it's a lot of staff."

In May 2007, when the McCanns were holidaying in the Algarve, there were some 160 people working at the family resort.

There were around 160 workers at the Ocean Club when Madeleine vanished

One expat apartment owner told Sky News that he had property stolen about a month before Madeleine disappeared and that others had been targeted.

He said there was no sign of forced entry at his property and he suspected that the thieves might have had access to a key.

The man spoke to British police 18 months ago - suggesting that their renewed probe has been focused on Ocean Club employees almost since it began.

British Police visited Faro, near Praia da Luz where the McCanns stayed

Paul Luckman, editor of the expat Portugal News, has been following the latest developments in  the case.

He told Sky News: "It's alleged that they could be employees of Ocean Club, which puts a whole new light on it and that they're not, as we've supposed until now, a little group of opportunist burglars going round stealing passports and wallets whenever there was a window open.

"There are suggestions that this is slightly different."

Kate and Gerry McCann have been 'buoyed' by progress in the investigation

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that police were hunting the three men whose phones were "red hot" after Madeleine vanished.

Mobile phone records show that the men made numerous calls to each other in the hours after Kate and Gerry McCann discovered their daughter had disappeared from her room.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry are said to be "buoyed" by signs of progress in the effort to find out what happened to their daughter.

But it is unclear whether Portuguese authorities will respond positively to the latest request for help from the British investigation team.

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Knox Extradition Demanded By Kercher Family

Meredith Kercher's brother has said Amanda Knox should be handed over by the US despite the American saying she is "frightened and saddened" after being found guilty again of murder.

An Italian court yesterday reinstated her conviction for killing the 21-year-old British student.

Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also found guilty after judges ruled the pair should not have been cleared on appeal in 2011.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday morning, Lyle Kercher, Meredith's brother, said: "If somebody's found guilty and convicted of a murder - if an extradition law exists between those two countries - I don't see why they (the US) wouldn't.

Amanda Knox leaves her Seattle home after the verdict was announced

"It would set a difficult precedent if a country such as the US didn't choose to go along with laws they themselves uphold when extraditing convicted criminals from other countries."

Knox, who was in her hometown of Seattle when she learned her conviction had been reinstated, has been sentenced to 28 years and six months.

The 26-year-old described the decision as "unjust".

"Having been found innocent before, I expected better from the Italian justice system," she said.

"The evidence and accusatory theory do not justify a verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Members of Ms Kercher's family were in court

"Rather, nothing has changed. There has always been a marked lack of evidence. My family and I have suffered greatly from this wrongful persecution."

Sollecito, who was not in court for the verdict but had attended lengthy hearings earlier in the day, was sentenced to 25 years.

Reports in Italy say the 29-year-old is now being held by police after being stopped at the country's border with Slovenia on Friday morning.

He had reportedly been in the area since Thursday afternoon.

Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito have said they intend to appeal to Italy's highest court and a long legal battle for Knox's extradition is expected.

Exchange student Miss Kercher lived with Knox

Miss Kercher's sister Stephanie and brother Lyle were both at the Nuovo Palazzo di Giustizia courthouse in Florence to hear the outcome of the third trial in the case.

Speaking after the verdict, Mr Kercher told Sky News he could never forgive those responsible for his sister's death.

"I think you'd have to be a very strong-willed - arguably religious - person to find that forgiveness," he said.

"I think it is so easily forgotten what happened to Meredith.

"When I read reports even now, I find myself skimming past the paragraphs that refer to what actually happened to her because it is so horrific."

The verdicts are delivered in Florence

Knox and Sollecito were charged in 2007 after Miss Kercher's semi-naked body was found with her throat cut in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia.

The 21-year-old Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, had been sexually assaulted.

Two years after the pair were found guilty at their original trial in 2009 - and handed jail terms totalling more than 50 years - the verdicts were overturned and both walked free from court, with Knox returning to the US and going on to sign a book deal.

Sollecito is in Italy but was not in court for the verdict

Their acquittals in 2011 came after a damning 100-page report outlined a catalogue of errors and breaches of procedure that had been made in collecting evidence.

The third trial began last September in Florence.

After nearly 12 hours of deliberations on Thursday, the court upheld the 2009 convictions.

In an interview recorded before the verdict, Knox said the court's decision meant she was now technically a fugitive. 

"I'm definitely not going back (to Italy) willingly," she said. "They'll have to catch me and pull me back kicking and screaming."

Speaking to The Guardian, Ms Knox said her memory of what happened on the night the murder was clear.

"I knew what I did that night," she said. "I very clearly remembered what I did that night. That I was with Rafael, we had dinner, we did what we always normally do when we're all the things we do when we're together.

"But they started questioning me about that, making me doubt what I was telling them. I kept telling them, 'look, I don't know what time I was doing things. 

"All I can tell you is I left my house, me and Rafael went to his house, we were hanging out, listening to music, I read some Harry Potter ... I remember reading emails, we talked, we had dinner; that's what we did."

Though Knox has remained in the US, she emailed the court to protest her innocence in a statement read out by her lawyer in which she insisted she ''was not a monster".

Speaking outside the court, Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said she would launch an appeal against the decision.

He added: "For those that, like me, are convinced that Amanda is innocent, it is a very difficult time.

"We have to respect the verdict but we will challenge them. We're very sad at the moment."

Sollecito's lawyer Luca Maori said: "There isn't a shred of proof."

Drug dealer Rudy Guede was sentenced to 16 years over Miss Kercher's murder. Investigators said he did not act alone.

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Flooding: Military Ride To Rescue In Somerset

Military planners and the Red Cross have swung into action to bring help to areas of the UK hit by severe flooding.

Service personnel on the ground told Sky News that they were assessing the situation, and seeing what practical help they can given to residents.

The Red Cross has also sent the 7.5-tonne Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater, which has also been used to help people stranded on the Somerset Levels after nearly a month of flooding.

Earlier, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said specialist Army vehicles could be drafted in to help tackle the flooding, delivering food and sandbags and transporting people.

His intervention came after David Cameron said rapid action is needed to deal with floodwaters in the Somerset Levels and promised the dredging of rivers would begin as soon as water levels were reduced to a safe level.

And he told MPs he would "rule nothing out" in dealing with the situation as the Government's emergency Cobra committee met again to discuss ways to ease the situation.

Parts of the Somerset Levels have been flooded since Christmas

Mr Paterson said: "The Ministry of Defence and the Department for Local Government are discussing how we could deploy specialist vehicles which could help some of those villages which have been cut off, to help people travel backwards and forwards, to get fuel and food in and out, and to help with transport from dry land.

"And secondly, there will also be help with sand bags which could help prevent further flooding."

Mr Paterson said the county council asked for assistance "for the first time today" and echoed the Prime Minister's assertions that dredging would take place as soon as it is safe.

The British Red Cross has sent a Unimog supply vehicle to the affected area

Farmers, politicians and church leaders have demanded immediate action to alleviate what furious residents describe as "Third World" conditions.

Many parts of the Levels have been flooded since Christmas and there are fears it could be months before the water is completely pumped away.

Drainage experts blame two decades of under-investment in flood defence work for turning the Levels into a "disaster area" and said it was "very, very urgent" that rivers are dredged to prevent more damage to homes, livelihoods and wildlife.

The Environment Agency has come under fire from MPs and local councils, but insists that increased dredging of the rivers would not have prevented the recent flooding and was "often not the best long-term or economic solution".

Sky's Kay Burley tweeted this picture of the road to Muchelney in Somerset

Flood victims had become so desperate that Somerset County Council leader John Osman said the authority had been prepared to place its own order for amphibious vehicles out of public funds.

Flood warnings in place across the UK

He added that some residents were being forced to pay insurance excesses of up to £35,000 in some of the worst-hit areas.

The Environment Agency has issued 28 flood warnings - where flooding is expected and immediate action required - mostly in the Southwest and Midlands. Another 162 flood alerts are also in place.

With heavy rain forecast, Sky's weather presenter Isobel Lang said Somerset is particularly at risk of further flooding given the low-lying nature of the Somerset Levels and Moors, and that the rain will probably be heaviest in the west.

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Lee Rigby Killer Adebolajo Lodges Appeal

Michael Adebolajo, one of two men found guilty of murdering off-duty soldier Lee Rigby, is appealing his conviction.

The 29-year-old's decision follows his conviction along with co-defendant Michael Adebowale, 22, last month.

Adebolajo's brother, Jeremiah, told Sky News he knew of the application but did not want to comment on the details.

He said he was not aware anything had changed in his brother's outlook since he tried to justify his actions while giving evidence during the trial.  

The pair, who had been lying in wait near Woolwich Barracks, assumed the 25-year-old was a soldier as he was wearing a Help for Heroes hooded top and carrying a camouflage rucksack.

Lee Rigby had served in Cyprus, Germany, and Afghanistan

The British Muslim converts ran Fusilier Rigby down in a car before hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a frenzied attack.

They dumped his body in the middle of the road close to the barracks in southeast London on May 22, 2013.

Shocking footage of Adebolajo, with bloodied hands confessing to the killing and claiming his actions were "an eye for an eye", was shown during the trial.

Both men were shot by police in scenes captured by CCTV.

Adebowale (pictured) said he was a 'soldier of Allah'

Adebolajo was seen dropping the meat cleaver as he sprinted across the road towards a police car. He collapsed to the ground when he was shot.

Adebowale was seen folding over as he was shot by one of three armed officers.

Both men asked to be called by their adopted Islamic names in court - Adebolajo as Mujahid Abu Hamza, and Adebowale as Ismail Ibn Abdullah.

They claimed they carried out the murder because they were "soldiers of Allah".

Mr Justice Sweeney said he will sentence the pair after a key Court of Appeal ruling on the use of whole-life jail terms.

A date for the ruling has not been announced following a recent hearing before a panel of five leading judges.

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Record Rainfall For January, And More To Come

Heavy rain will sweep across most of the UK on Friday bringing the risk of further flooding in Somerset as new figures show parts of the south saw the wettest January since 1910.

The Met Office said the UK would see between 10mm and 20mm of rain, which, combined with high spring tides and saturated ground, could cause more misery for places like Somerset.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "During tomorrow an Atlantic frontal system will sweep across us bringing in strong winds, heavy rain and mountain snow

"The highest rainfall is likely to be across the west, especially across Wales and southwest England, although the south still looks more at risk from flooding due to a combination of recent rain, high ground water and river levels."

A military Land Rover negotiates a flooded road in Somerset

It comes as southeast and central southern England recorded the wettest January since records began in 1910.

The Met Office statistics reveal both regions have received more than twice their average rainfall with 175.2mm between January 1 and 28. This beats the previous record of 158.2mm set in January 1988.

A large area from East Devon to Kent and inland across parts of the Midlands has already seen twice the average rainfall for the month.

Southwest England and south Wales saw the fifth wettest January on record with rainfall reaching 222.6mm up to January 28. It was the wettest since 1995, when 224.4mm fell.

A flooded road in Somerset

The wettest January on record in this region was in 1948, when 244.3mm of rain was recorded.

Although the UK as a whole has seen above average rainfall in January, Scotland only saw a 6% increase while Northern Ireland saw a 25% rise and England 35%.

Inverness and Kinross in Scotland were drier than normal.

"For the UK as a whole, 164.6 mm of rain has fallen so far this month, 35% above the long-term average, with all nations having above average rainfall," a Met Office spokesman said.

"We have seen quite a contrast from south to north across the UK, with northern Scotland having received 85% of its long-term average rainfall so far this month, a sharp contrast to the 200% over southern England."

The wet weather has been accompanied by milder temperatures with the mean temperature across the UK up to January 28 at 4.9C, 1.2C above average.

"The main reason for the mild and wet weather so far is that we have seen a predominance of west and south-west winds, bringing in mild air from the Atlantic - as well as the unsettled and at times stormy conditions."

The wettest winter on record was in 1915 with 437.1mm of rainfall.

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Madeleine McCann: UK Police Fly To Portugal

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 9:05am UK, Wednesday 29 January 2014

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: February 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: February 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: February 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

:: October 17 - Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who is leading the Scotland Yard team, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, and Mr and Mrs McCann meet officers in Lisbon to be briefed on the Portuguese case.

:: October 23 - Britain's most senior police officer Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe defends the way the Portuguese dealt with the initial investigation into Madeleine's disappearance, saying it would have been "very difficult" to immediately know if they were dealing with a serious crime.

:: October 24 - Detectives in Portugal reopen the investigation into Madeleine McCann's disappearance after an internal review uncovers new lines of inquiry and witnesses who were never questioned during the original Portuguese investigation.

2014

:: January 3 - A family source says Kate and Gerry McCann have been denied permission to give evidence at a Portuguese libel trial over a book about the case by former local police chief Goncalo Amaral.

:: January 13 - British police investigate three burglars who were in the area when Madeleine disappeared, and whose phones were apparently "red hot" after she went missing. A letter is sent to Portuguese police asking for help to track them down.

:: January 29 - Scotland Yard officers, including the detective leading the case, fly to Portugal to meet police there and discuss the latest developments.

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William Roache: Corrie's 'Deirdre' In Court

Coronation Street actress Anne Kirkbride, who plays Deirdre Barlow, has arrived at court to give evidence in the trial of co-star William Roache.

Roache is accused of four counts of indecently assaulting four girls and two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in Lancashire in 1967.

He denies all of the charges.

Chris Gascoyne, Roache's on-screen son in the soap, and actress Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt, will give evidence in the 81-year-old's defence.

Roache arrives at court with his son Linus and daughter Verity

Roache's defence case opened on Tuesday, and he told Preston Crown Court he did not know any of the five alleged victims who have accused him of the offences.

He admitted "frequently" cheating on his first wife Anna Cropper, but told the jury he was "not interested in gratuitous sex, and certainly not with under-age people".

"I have no interest in people under age and I have no interest in imposing myself on people."

More follows...

For live updates from the trial, click here.

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Weather: Floods Feared As Insurance Bill Rises

Residents in parts of the South West are preparing for more flooding as fresh warnings are issued and more showers forecast.

The Environment Agency has issued some 24 flood warnings and 151 flood alerts, mostly in the South East and South West.

Residents have been advised to take immediate action in areas including the River Severn and Severn Ham, Lower Frome from Dorchester for Wareham, the South Winterbourne Valley and the River Yeo from Yeovil to Langport.

More showers were expected across England and Wales today although forecasters said they should clear by this afternoon. It is also forecast to be cold and icy across parts of Scotland.

Tomorrow, rain is also expected to spread across the Republic into Northern Ireland and there will be more patchy rain for southeast England

The weather warnings come as it is revealed insurance claims from the floods and storms over Christmas and the New Year could reach £426m.

A number of farmers in Somerset have been hit by the weather

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that between 23 December 2013 and 8 January 2014, insurers dealt with some 174,000 claims for damage to homes, businesses and cars.

Aidan Kerr, ABI spokesperson said: "Insurers are playing a crucial role in helping customers affected by the storms and floods recover.

"Together with loss adjusters, insurers reacted quickly to help flood victims get through Christmas. Insurers will continue to work closely with customers to ensure the repair process is completed as soon as possible.

"This was a traumatic event for those affected, and shows the importance of having adequate property insurance. The insurance industry is fully prepared to deal with the damage caused by bad weather like this."

The Environment Agency has advised claimants to request insurance pay for repairs that will better protect properties from flooding in future.

Claimants should also mark the height of flood water on the wall with a permanent marker in all flooded rooms and take pictures of property damage.

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Royal Estate Overspend Leaves £50m Repair Bill

By Rachel Younger, Sky News Correspondent

Financial mismanagement within the Royal household is putting the future of some of our finest buildings at risk, according to the parliamentary watchdog responsible for scrutinising Royal finances.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) believes over a third of the Royal estate, which includes both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, is in disrepair and has put the cost of fixing it at around £50m.

Margaret Hodge MP, who chairs the committee, told Sky News: "Forty per cent of it needs something doing to it.

"The boilers at Buckingham Palace haven't been replaced for 60 years.

"Windsor Castle has problems with the bedrooms and the Royal Picture Gallery has buckets to catch the water coming through."

It is the first time that Parliament has scrutinised the Sovereign Grant given to the Queen to support her public duties.

Windsor Castle needs repairs to its bedrooms

Since the Civil List was abolished in 2013, the Royal household has been given a percentage of revenue from the Crown Estate and is meant to be more accountable to the taxpayer.

But the committee has criticised the household for spending over its means.

According to the committee report, in 2012/13 it received £31m from the taxpayer, but spent £33.3m, raiding its reserves.

That has left a contingency of only £1m - a historic low - with no plan drawn up to pay for the backlog of repairs.

The report demands that the household "must get a much firmer grip on how it plans to address its maintenance backlog", adding "it has not even costed the repair work".

It also calls on the Palace to do more with less.

In a financial climate where many public institutions have had to make dramatic cuts the Royal household has only managed to reduce its expenditure by 5% in the last six years.

The Queen receives the Sovereign Grant to support her public duties

The committee believes there is scope to generate more income and reduce costs - possibly by opening Buckingham Palace to the public for more than just one month a year.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "The Royal household was charged by the PAC in 2009 to generate more income to supplement the funding it receives from Government.

"This has been done successfully. In 2012-13 the household generated £11.6m in comparison with £6.7m in 2007-8. Work on income generation continues.

"A significant financial priority for the Royal household is to reduce the backlog in essential maintenance across the occupied Royal palaces.

"Recent examples of work include the renewal of a lead roof over the royal library at Windsor and the removal of asbestos from the basement of Buckingham Palace."

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Economy Grows At Fastest Rate Since 2007 Crash

The British gross domestic product (GDP) figure for the fourth quarter of 2013 stood at 0.7%, with growth for the full year reaching 1.9%.

Output for 2013 reached its fastest annual rate of growth for six years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The figures were in keeping with forecasts made by economists and the FTSE 100 was trading up slightly after the data was released at 9.30am.

The preliminary result shows the important service sector - which accounts for around three-quarters of the economy - was up 0.8%.

The ONS said construction was 0.3% down on the previous three months, due to weak figures being recorded in November.

Agriculture was up 0.5% in the October to December period, while production was up 0.7% in the same three months.

Manufacturing was up 0.9% in the quarter, which was its biggest quarter-on-quarter rise since Q3 in 2010.

ONS chief economist Joe Grice said the service sector is now above the pre-recession levels, but both production and construction are still below that level overall.

Mr Grice said: "We have now seen four successive quarters of significant growth and the economy does seem to be improving more consistently.

"Today's estimate suggests over four-fifths of the fall in GDP during the recession has been recovered, although it still remains 1.3% below the pre-recession peak."

The latest figures have given a boost to the Chancellor and come just weeks after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) did a U-turn on its forecast for the UK economy.

George Osborne said: "These numbers are a boost for the economic security of hard-working people, growth is broadly based, with manufacturing growing fastest of all.

"It is more evidence that our long-term economic plan is working.

"But the job is not done, and it is clear that the biggest risk now to the recovery would be abandoning the plan that's delivering jobs and a brighter economic future."

The IMF now forecasts growth in 2014 of 2.4%, a figure which is in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The Bank of England's current forecast is for growth of 2.8% in 2014.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander added: "2013 was the first year since 2007 to see economic growth in all four quarters and to ensure the recovery is long term and sustainable, we need business to invest now."

"Britain is on the right track and we will not waver from the coalition economic plan that is delivering jobs, growth and the right climate for investment."

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Corrie's William Roache: I Did Not Abuse Girls

Actor William Roache has denied committing any sex offences and claims he cannot remember meeting any of his alleged victims.

The Coronation Street star swore on the Bible as he gave evidence from the witness box at his trial at Preston Crown Court.

Roache has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and four counts of indecent assault between 1965 and 1971 involving five complainants aged 16 and under.

Defence lawyer Louise Blackwell QC asked him: "Have you committed any of the offences with which you have been charged?"

He replied: "No I have not."

Miss Blackwell continued: "Do you have any memory of being in the company of any of the people that have made the allegations against you?"

"No, not one of them," Roache said.

The actor added he did not know them in any way.

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Weather: Heavy Rain Could Add To Flood Misery

Communities across southern England have been told to prepare for possible flooding as further heavy rain is forecast for today through to Tuesday.

The Environment Agency (EA) has eight flood warnings in place for the South West, which mean flooding is expected and immediate action is required.

It highlighted the Somerset Levels, which run south from the Mendip Hills to the Blackdown Hills, as an area which should be prepared for further flooding.

An EA spokeswoman said: "With the ground already saturated, rivers and groundwater levels remain very responsive to rainfall, particularly on the Somerset Levels.

"Environment Agency teams continue to operate up to 62 pumps 24 hours a day to drain an estimated 65 million cubic metres of floodwater off an area of the Levels spanning 65 square kilometres."

There is also potential for further river flooding across the southwest and southern counties including parts of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, West Berkshire and Surrey into next week.

Somerset flood warnings (red) and alerts (orange). Pic: Environment Agency

The Met Office has issued an amber warning of severe weather for the South West from 6am to 2pm today.

It said rain across the UK would be accompanied by strong winds, and up to 20mm of rainfall is expected.

Many communities are still coming to terms with the flooding that hit Somerset at the beginning of January.

Somerset County Council has declared a "major incident" for all areas affected by flooding in the county.

The leader of the council, John Osman, told Sky News: "There's no let up in the rain coming down. The water levels on the moorlands are rising. We are getting towards breaking point."

A vital boat service operated by Somerset County Council, which is ferrying people to work and school, as well as taking in supplies, is continuing as the access roads are still flooded.

The Somerset village of Muchelney has been cut-off by floodwaters

Sedgemoor District Council has also declared a "major incident" on the Somerset Levels.

Strong winds on Saturday blew bricks and tiles off the roofs of houses and forced residents to be evacuated in a street in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Several people dialled 999 as the storm swept through the town but nobody was hurt, Warwickshire Police said.

Elsewhere in the county the emergency services and the highways agency have been working with local councils to deal with a number of other storm related incidents including trees which had been brought down by the strong winds, and flooded roads as a result of the heavy rain.

Sky New weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "Today's rain may exacerbate the problems  in the South West but is unlikely to have  much impact away from the already flooded areas.

"This week, there may be some small improvements, in so much as there is no further prolonged heavy rain expected before next weekend, but showers will continue."

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Terrorism Suspects Free Of Tough Controls

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A group of terror suspects, branded by officials as a genuine threat to national security, are now free of tough controls designed to prevent them engaging in terrorist activity.

From today, seven of the eight suspects on the UK Government's Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) are now no longer subject to any restrictions.

Terrorism experts have told Sky News that the police and security services would now have to implement costly contingency plans to ensure the suspects were still closely monitored.

The TPIMs programme was introduced by the current Government in late 2011 to replace the much criticised Control Orders regime which allowed the state to place tough restrictions on a small number of terrorist suspects who the authorities were unable to put before the courts.

The TPIMs measures include the wearing of GPS tags, tough controls on the use of phones and computers and restrictions on the people a suspect is allowed to associate with.

But in an attempt to address the widespread criticism and legal challenges the previous Control Orders regime received, the Government set a maximum two-year limit on TPIMs orders.

The measures included tough controls on the use of phones and computers

Seven of the eight TPIMs suspects have now reached that two-year mark and are now free to mix with whoever they want and travel freely without restrictions.

Raffaello Pantucci, a terrorism expert at the Royal United Services Institute, said TPIMS were never a permanent fix for what is a complex issue.

"The problem with TPIMs is that they were always a temporary solution. The underlying problem of what to do with individuals who are clearly of concern to the security services but have not crossed the criminal threshold, how to address these sorts of people, was never really fundamentally addressed."

The former TPIMs suspects, now free of their restrictions, cannot be named for legal reasons, but some were described just months ago as being a genuine threat to the public.

They include 'CD' who the authorities have said is "determined to carry out a Mumbai-style attack in Britain".

He attended a terror training camp in Cumbria in 2004 with four of the five men who went on to launch a failed suicide-bombing attack on the London transport network two weeks after the 7/7 bombings.

Missing terror suspect Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed absconded from his TPIM order

Security sources say he repeatedly tried to buy guns for a suspected plot to carry out a mass-casualty attack in the UK.

Another suspect, 'CF,' underwent terror training in Somalia and was caught in the Olympic Park five times in the months leading up to the 2012 games.

Although he never faced trial, 'AM' was described by the authorities as a key player in the foiled plot to blow up transatlantic airliners using liquid bombs.

Imposing restrictions on those who have never been convicted of a crime has always been controversial and both Control Orders and now TPIMs have been criticised by human-rights groups.

Cerie Bulivant was the subject of an anti-terrorism Control Order for two years. His movements were strictly monitored and his access to people and technology were severely restricted.

At one point he absconded before later turning himself in. After a long battle through the courts, he was eventually cleared of all involvement in terrorist activity.

He told Sky News: "Terror control measures do not work and risk further alienating people."

Cerie Bulivant was subject to a two-year Control Order

Under his Control Order, he said: "I felt like you have a sword hanging over your throat. Any slip or misdemeanour on any number of conditions could lead to you being in prison for five years; all on the basis of what is fundamentally secret evidence and secret courts."

The Government believes the TPIMs programme has been "effective in reducing the national security risk posed by a number of individuals".

Security minister James Brokenshire said: "It is not possible to discuss individual cases, but the police and security services have been working for some time to put tailored plans in place to manage the risk posed by these individuals once their TPIM restrictions are removed.

"These plans, which are similar to those put in place for the release of prisoners who have served their sentences, are kept under constant review."

Some experts estimate it could cost up to £20m to keep the former TPIMs suspects under effective surveillance.

Baroness Neville-Jones says 'society has to be protected against threats'

Former security minister Baroness Neville-Jones said that whatever the cost, they would be monitored.

"Society does have to have protection against people who have represented and may continue to represent a real threat to the community.

"This is a very mild way of doing it because people are having their freedoms restored but on the basis that there is an ability on the part of society to continue to ensure for themselves that actually that freedom isn't being abused."

But the authorities acknowledge no surveillance system is full-proof. Even under the Control Order and TPIM regimes, several suspects managed to escape.

Late last year, Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed absconded from his TPIM order after leaving a west London mosque wearing a Burkha. Three months on, he is still on the run.

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Ukraine Unrest: Opposition Reject Top Jobs

Protests in Ukraine will continue, say opposition leaders who have rejected an offer of government jobs from President Viktor Yanukovych in an attempt to end the crisis.

The move comes amid the ongoing violence and protests, with demonstrators trying to seize government offices across the country.

On Saturday night activists laid siege to a building in the capital Kiev where police were trapped inside.

Anti-government protesters try to enter a building in Kiev

Demonstrators threw firebombs and smashed windows and doors while police responded with tear gas.

Mr Yanukovych offered opposition chiefs Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko the posts of prime minister and deputy prime minister in a new government.

But world boxing champion Mr Klitschko said: "Our demand is the holding of presidential elections this year... "

"We will not yield, but talks will continue," he told tens of thousands of protesters in Independence Square in Kiev.

Demonstrators have tried to seize government buildings across the country

Mr Yatsenyuk, head of the Fatherland party, said the opposition was prepared to take on responsibility, but added: "The people will determine the power in Ukraine. We will not step down from our position."

In recent talks between Mr Yanukovych and the opposition, both sides agreed that the protests and police presence in Kiev would be scaled down, raising hopes of a resolution to the crisis.

Mr Yanukovych also said he was willing to consider changes to the constitution that would reduce the presidency's huge powers.

He also promised to consider changes to anti-protest laws passed by parliament on January 16 which sparked the latest crisis.

Until the past week, protests had centred mainly in Kiev, with only smaller rallies elsewhere.

Opposition leader Vitaly Klitschko (L) at a rally in Independence Square

But following the latest clashes, a series of government buildings have been seized in the west of the country, where support for Mr Yanukovych is weak.

Protesters clashed with riot police as they forced their way into a regional administration office in the town of Vinnytsia, around 120 miles from Kiev.

And about 100 anti-government activists rushed the country's energy ministry in Kiev, where clashes with police have continued.

Energy Minister Eduard Stavytsky said their actions had threatened the country's entire power supply.

Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich (2nd L) meets with opposition leaders

Protesters also continue to occupy Kiev city hall, which they have turned into a makeshift headquarters.

The rallies began in November last year after Mr Yanukovych scrapped a treaty with the European Union in favour of a bail-out loan from Russia, following lobbying by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt suggested Mr Yanukovych was losing control over his country. He posted a map of Ukraine on Twitter showing which regions had been hit by protests.

"If Kiev regime tries a military solution to this situation, it will be very bloody and it will fail," he tweeted.

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