Royal Nurse: Radio Gives £320K To Family Fund

A memorial fund for the family of the dead nurse who was the victim of the royal hoax call has been set up by the radio station responsible for the prank.

Southern Cross Austereo, the parent company of radio station 2Day FM, said the remainder of the profits for 2012 should go to a memorial fund to benefit Jacintha Saldhana's family.

The sum is expected to amount to AUS$500,000 (£326,000).

It has also cancelled its Christmas party, saying it would be "inappropriate" to go ahead with the celebrations, and would instead donate the money it would have spent to charity.

Rhys Holleran, SCA's chief executive, said: "We are very sorry for what has happened. It is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts continue to be with the family.

"We hope that by contributing to a memorial fund we can help to provide the Saldanha family with the support they need at this very difficult time."

A post-mortem examination on Ms Saldanha, who initially answered the prank call made to the hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge, is being held today.

Ms Saldanha's family have been left "devastated" by their loss

Ms Saldanha was found dead on Friday days after she was tricked by Australian radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who called the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.

She transferred the presenters, believing they were the Queen and the Prince of Wales, to a colleague who divulged details about Kate's treatment for severe morning sickness.

Ms Saldanha, 46, from Bristol, was found dead in a block of nurses' flats close to the hospital, where she stayed while working in London.

MP Keith Vaz met her family on Monday and said they had been "devastated" by the loss of a "loving mother and a loving wife".

Flanked by Ms Saldanha's husband Benedict Barboza and her two teenage children, Mr Vaz said: "They miss her every moment of every day, but they are really grateful to the support of the British public and to the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness."

Mr Vaz has called for the hospital to provide the family with more support and to hold an inquiry.

His criticism came after the DJs broke their silence about the nurse's death.

Interviewed on Australian TV networks, the 2Day FM presenters said there had been a "tragic turn of events no-one could have predicted or expected".

Mr Christian and Ms Greig have spoken emotionally about the tragedy

Police in London have contacted their Australian counterparts with a view to interviewing the pair ahead of an inquest into Ms Saldanha's death.

In response to Mr Vaz's criticism the hospital said its chief executive John Lofthouse had spoken to the nurse's husband on Friday by phone and offered to meet him whenever he wanted.

Under Australian regulations, the permission of anyone on the receiving end of a radio prank must be sought before the call can be broadcast.

The hospital has denied that anyone within its senior management or media unit was contacted.

The radio station insists appropriate checks were conducted before the pre-recorded item was broadcast.

Ms Saldanha was originally from Mangalore in southwest India, according to reports which have named her children as daughter Lisha, 14, and son Junal, 16.

Scotland Yard said the post-mortem would be held at Westminster Mortuary and it was likely an inquest would be opened and adjourned at Westminster Coroner's Court later this week

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Census: Rise In Immigrants Boosts Population

UK 'More Open To Mixed Marriage'

Updated: 10:53am UK, Tuesday 11 December 2012

By James Matthews, News Correspondent

The British have become far more comfortable than they used to be with interracial marriage, according to a report.

Research by British Future estimates that more than a million people in Britain are now of mixed parentage.

It came as census data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed a significant increase in the number of mixed race people living in the UK. There was also a huge rise in the number of migrants.

The think-tank's report, The Melting Pot Generation - How Britain Became More Relaxed About Race, says "mixed Britain is fast becoming the new normal" .

It points to famous mixed race people such as Jessica Ennis, Lewis Hamilton and Leona Lewis as being key influences on public acceptance.

Olympic heroine Ennis was born in Sheffield in 1986 to a Jamaican father and English mother.

At that time, a British Social Attitudes survey showed 50% of the public were against marriage across ethnic lines. The figure dropped to 40% in the 1990s and now stands at 15%.

Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, said under-30s were Britain's most tolerant generation.

"One in four of the over-65s still say that they would be uncomfortable about a child or grandchild marrying somebody from a different race, but that falls to one in 20 of those under 25.

"It ranked last out of 10 as a possible source of concern, with even worries about the idea of marrying somebody much richer being slightly stronger among the youngest group."

He said the "Jessica Ennis generation" are much more likely to be mixed race, with one in 10 children growing up with parents from different backgrounds.

"Over a million Britons will have ticked the census box as mixed race - and that is only half the story of the rapid growth of mixed Britain," he said.

"Twice as many people have ethnically mixed parentage - but over half of them choose other census categories, such as black or white."

The think-tank believes that Britain has a greater claim to "melting pot" status than the US.

It points out that in America most mixed race people marry someone from an ethnic minority - as with Barack and Michelle Obama - whereas three quarters of Britons with mixed parentage marry white people.

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Belfast Flag Protest Riots 'Disgraceful'

Rioters have been warned against "holding Belfast to ransom" after a petrol bomb attack on a police officer by suspected loyalists which is being treated as attempted murder.

A gang of 15 men targeted surrounded and smashed the unmarked vehicle on Monday night outside the offices of Alliance Party MP Naomi Long in Newlands Road.

It was the worst incident in another night of violence in parts of east and south Belfast involving loyalists who took to the streets again in protest against a decision to restrict the flying of the Union Flag at Belfast City Hall.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said that while the matter was a "sensitive" issue, the clashes would not be tolerated.

"Of course I recognise that feelings can run high about the flying of flags," she said.

"But no matter how strongly people feel about this, it is no justification for rioting, violence and attacks on police officers. Around 27 police officers have been injured since this disgraceful series of events started.

"That is why it is absolutely essential that these violent protests stop. There are ways in which people can express their views, through the ballot box, through reasoned debate.

"It's not acceptable for them to be seeking to hold Belfast to ransom with rioting."

A car set alight in the Newtownards area over the weekend

Police Service Of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said the officer was lucky to escape with her life.

"This was a planned attempt to kill a police officer which also put the lives of the public in danger and it is fortunate there were no injuries," he said.

Officers were also attacked with petrol bombs in south Belfast close to the M1.

More talks are planned later between Peter Robinson, the Northern Ireland First Minister and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, and Mike Nesbitt, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

They will try to agree some sort of political strategy to ease tensions and end the violence.

It follows a meeting in Belfast on Monday between the pair, who have been heavily criticised by nationalists over their leadership since the trouble flared a week ago.

The Alliance Party has been the focus of loyalist anger

Ms Long's Alliance Party has been blamed by loyalists for supporting the nationalist SDLP and Sinn Fein in pushing the vote through Belfast City Council to lower the flag.

She said: "If Northern Ireland is to move forward then we need a strict adherence to the rule of law and respect for the democratic process. We need this urgently before lives are lost."

Mr Robinson said: "The attempted murder of a police officer in East Belfast was a despicable act of terror.

"The masked men responsible do not act in the name of our Union Flag. They are bringing shame on it. My prayers are with the police officers at the centre of this attack."

There were also protests in Limavady, Co Londonderry, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, Ballycastle, Co Antrim, and Cookstown, Co Tyrone, where the car of a DUP member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Ian McCrea, was surrounded by angry loyalists.

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott said some of the violence was intense - and there was clearly some paramilitary involvement.

:: Witnesses have been urged to contact police at Strandtown on 0845 600 8000 or through the confidential Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111.

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'Beast From East': UK Spared Siberian Blast

Britain looks to have been spared heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures from a weather front dubbed the 'Beast from the East' - but some areas will still struggle with freezing conditions.

Forecasters had suggested parts of the country would see the mercury plunge as low as -6C, with icy winds from Siberia expected to blow in over the eastern coast.

But while coastal areas in the east remain likely to receive sleet and snow from the 7,000-mile wide weather front, the extreme conditions are no longer expected to be felt far inland.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "It was initially thought that freezing east to northeasterly winds would bring a severely cold spell along with the potential for some heavy snowfalls across eastern and southeastern Britain.

"However, despite a chilly start to this week with concerns of patchy hill snow, ice and freezing fog, most places should escape with dry and sunny weather."

Daytime temperatures in northern England and Scotland could struggle to top 2C on Wednesday and Thursday with some isolated spots failing to get above -1C.

And parts of the South West and South East are being warned of a deluge of rain from the middle of the week onwards, with 17 flood alerts in place for the regions.

The ground in these areas is already saturated after last month's higher than average rainfall.

Lang added: "Later in the week the weather is set to turn wetter from the south and west with strengthening winds.

"Some snow may fall for a time but the general theme will be a wetter and somewhat milder one as we head through the end of the week.

"Whether conditions remain mild or turn colder again from the east is open to question from this coming weekend onwards.

"This flip-flopping between air masses is not uncommon at this time of year."

Freezing winds, heavy snow and blizzards have caused chaos in parts of Europe over recent days, with four people reported to have died in Croatia and two in Serbia.

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Royal Prank DJs: 'We Are Both Shattered'

Transcript: Prank DJs Break Silence

Updated: 8:33am UK, Monday 10 December 2012

Here is the transcript of the interview carried out with prank call radio DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian by Clare Brady on the Today Tonight programme on Australia's Seven network.

Brady: Considering what we're about to discuss... do you feel emotionally stable to do this interview?

Christian: Yes.

Greig: Yes.

Brady: When you heard the dreadful results following the days after the prank, describe for me how you felt.

Greig: Unfortunately I remember that moment very well because I haven't stopped thinking about it since it happened and I remember my first question was 'Was she a mother?'

Brady: When you found out she was, of two children, how did you feel?

Greig: Very sorry and saddened for the family. I can't imagine what they'd be going through.

Christian: Gutted. Shattered. Heartbroken.

Brady: Does it feel real to you?

Christian: We're still trying to get our heads around everything. Trying to make sense of the situation.

Greig: It doesn't seem real because you just couldn't foresee something like that happening from a prank call. You know it was never meant to go that far. It was meant to be a silly little prank that so many people have done before. This wasn't meant to happen.

Brady: In hindsight, would you do something like that again?

Christian: I don't think that anyone could have predicted what could've happened. It was just a tragic set of circumstances that I don't think anyone could have thought that we'd be here.

Brady: Who came up with the idea of the prank?

Christian: It was just in a team meeting before the show.

Greig: Everything's done as a team.

Brady: Did you have legal advice or senior producers nursing you through this?

Christian: The call to begin with wasn't about speaking to Kate. It wasn't about trying to get a scoop or anything. The call was just - I mean we'd assumed that we'd be hung up on and that'd be that.

Brady: When you weren't hung up on - and, let's be honest, you thought it was a coup at the time - were you quite shocked that you even got that far to talk to the nurse beside Princess Kate?

Greig: Absolutely. And the accents were terrible. You know it was designed to be stupid. We were never meant to get that far from the little corgis barking in the background - we obviously wanted it to be a joke.

Christian: And I suppose, you know, the joke was always on us, not anyone else. It wasn't about trying to fool someone. I mean we just assumed that with the voices that we put on, you know, we were going to get told off and that was the gag - on us.

Brady: Here at the station, at Austereo, do you get any coaching, any training at all as to what you're allowed to put to air? What you've got to tell people on when they're being recorded and they're going to be put on air? Have you been taught that during your tenure here?

Christian: This phone call is the same with any phone call, with any pre-recorded segment that goes to air, there's processes in place and people that make those decisions. I mean our role is just...

Brady: Have you been taught that - sat down in a legal class?

Christian: There are people that make those decisions for us. Our responsibility is just to...

Brady: Did someone listen to that recording and say?

Greig: It went through the processes of every other recorded bit that we do - from interviews to, you know, anything at all that gets recorded and passed on to the appropriate people, goes through the process, and we're told whether it's yes or no to play.

Brady: What was it, if you can give me a rough, and it probably feels all blurry to you, but the time spent from when you did that call to putting it to air? Was it two hours, three hours?

Christian: In between all of that though it wasn't as though we were sitting around waiting for an answer. You know there was...

Greig: We go about our work and just keep going.

Christian: Getting other things organised.

Brady: But you were pretty giddy with what you'd pulled off, weren't you?

Greig: We couldn't believe that it had worked, absolutely. You didn't expect it to. We thought a hundred people before us would've tried the same thing. We just did not see that actually working.

Christian: But it wasn't to get something that no-one else had. It wasn't about getting...

Brady: But you are aware you were trying to get a medical condition and a medical condition on a royal?

Greig: But we didn't actually want that. We just wanted to be hung up on. We wanted to be hung up on with our silly voices and wanted a 20-second segment to air of us doing stupid voices.

Brady: You didn't think of identifying yourselves at the end of that call?

Greig: That's where the process comes in. We just record everything and pass it to the team. That's what we do.

Christian: And again the call itself is - there's no malice in the call. There was no digging. There was no trying to upset or get a reaction.

Brady: Do you feel now that you're part of a witch hunt? That someone wants someone to pay here? There's hackers here threatening to shut down the station and hack into the whole system if you guys aren't sacked. Does that make you feel vulnerable?

Greig (crying): There's nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now. And for what I feel for the family. We're so sorry that this has happened to them.

Brady: How do you move on? Is someone caring for you guys? Are you having counselling too?

Christian: We're getting the support that we need and we've got those around us that are helping us but you know, right now...

Greig: I care more about the family. I want to know that they've got the support that they need and that the public are, you know, being respectful of their privacy.

Brady: Have you tried to contact the family in any way?

Greig: I don't think it's an appropriate time to do that yet. But this is where we want to say that we are thinking of you and if we could call you we would want to reach out to you.

Brady: Or if you could turn the clock back?

Greig: If we played any involvement in her death then we're very sorry for that. And time will only tell.

Brady: Have you been reading a lot, Mel?

Greig: I've been advised not to but I'm doing it on the intention of finding out more about Jacintha.

Brady: What lessons can other DJs, and worldwide, learn from your horrible experience?

Christian: These are prank calls. They've been around for as long as radios existed and they're done by every radio station.

Brady: But this result is just horrific...

Christian: But no-one could have predicted this result.

Brady: What are you guys going to do then? Are you going to pursue your DJ careers?

Greig: I don't want to think about that right now. There's bigger, more pressing issues and that's making sure that family gets through this tough time. You know our careers aren't important at the moment.

Brady: That Scotland Yard is now involved, and you may be called to an inquest, and that inquest will probably be in London and you'll see the family face to face - are you prepared for that?

Christian: Right now we're trying to wrap our heads around what's happened.

Greig: If that's going to make them feel better then I'll do what I need to do, absolutely. If that's something that they want to do, to get some closure, then I'll do that.

Brady: You have had a lot of support. There's a poll out today of 11,000 people and two-thirds have said they feel you're not to blame for this horrible result. And then you've got the other side of horrible Twitter saying 'many lives ruined', 'shame on you', 'you've got blood on your hands'. How do you balance that - the support and the absolute hostility?

Christian: I think that, you know, what's important right now is, you know, that the family of Jacintha are getting the support and the love that they deserve. And I mean that's what's important here. You know, it was, it is nothing more than a tragic turn of events that no-one could have predicted and, you know, for the part that we played, we're obviously incredibly sorry and you know...

Brady: I feel in you, Mel, that you're all but frozen. Is that correct?

Greig: I'm just so devastated for them. I'm really feeling for them.

Brady: It's a shocking turn of events.

Greig: I just couldn't... If we had any idea that something like this could be even possible to happen, you know, we couldn't see this happening. It was meant to be a prank call.

Brady: Do you feel sick now that you were saying 'This is the highlight of my career' and you were excited about getting the call through, to get to this moment?

Greig: We couldn't foresee what was going to happen in the future.

Brady: When you did call them and you were talking - first to Jacintha and then the second nurse - did you think in the days after 'Oh those poor nurses, wonder how they're feeling'? Because I know I did, but I'm an overly cautious person - I think everything through and through and through. Did you think for them at all, or were you just in that giddy sense?

Christian: The call itself was not malicious and no harm was intended on Jacintha, or the other nurse, or Kate, or Prince William, or anyone. It wasn't - from start to finish - there was no harm intended. And obviously, you know, we're incredibly sorry for the harm that we may have helped contribute (to).

Brady: You've been very brave for talking and I just hope that people are caring for you guys too, because it's going to take (a lot). I feel for two DJs who like to put a few smiles on faces and it'll be a while before we hear the two of you laugh.

Christian: Thank you.

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Savile Police Arrest London Man In His 60s

Police investigating sex abuse claims against Jimmy Savile and others have arrested a man in his 60s from London.

Scotland Yard said the man was held at 6.45am on suspicion of sexual offences and taken to a south London police station.

He was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, the investigation into allegations of sex abuse surrounding Savile and others, and falls under the strand termed "others".

The man is the seventh person to be questioned as part of the probe and the sixth to be arrested.

It comes after publicist Max Clifford was questioned by detectives on Thursday, before refuting the allegations and pledging to do all he could to assist the investigation.

"On a personal level, they are very distressing for myself, my wife, my family and loved ones," he said.

"Anyone who really knew me all those years ago and those who have known me since will have no doubt that I would never act in the way that I have today been accused."

Also arrested in connection with the investigation have been Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and a man in his 70s, reported to be former television producer Wilfred De'Ath.

The Metropolitan Police has said it is dealing with around 450 potential victims, the vast majority of whom claimed they had fallen prey to Savile.

The inquiry has been separated into three strands: claims against Savile, those against Savile and others, and those against others.

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Kate Prank: Jacintha Saldanha Family's Grief

British police may want to speak to two Australian DJs following the death of the nurse who answered their prank call to the Duchess of Cambridge's hospital.

The Australian authorities confirmed they have had contact from the Met Police concerning 2Day FM presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig.

The pair hoaxed King Edward VII's hospital staff where the pregnant Duchess was treated for extreme morning sickness.

Jacintha Saldanha - the nurse who took the call and put it through to colleague who divulged private information about Kate's treatment - was found dead on Friday.

The nurse's family are finding it hard to come to terms with her death

New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas said Scotland Yard had been in touch - but emphasized there was no suggestion that a crime had been committed.

He said: "There has been a request for assistance from London's Metropolitan Police to the New South Wales Police through the Australian Federal Police.

"The request has gone to the city central command - the area where the 2Day FM office is.

The company which owns the Australian radio station has called an emergency meeting to discuss the DJs' future.

Mr Kaldas added: "I have to stress, it hasn't been indicated to us that an offence has occurred, they haven't actually asked for anything yet - they've simply touched base, let us know of their interest and they'll get back to us if they want something done.

"Nothing has been requested of us yet."

A bouquet left in memory of the nurse at her digs in London

Scotland Yard confirmed contact had been made with the authorities in Australia but did not elaborate further.

Meanwhile, Ms Saldanha's family in the UK and India have been paying tribute to the mother of two teenagers.

Her daughter Lisha wrote on Facebook, "I miss you, I love you", while her husband Ben Barboza has set up a tribute page on the social networking site.

He wrote: "I am devastated with the tragic loss of my beloved wife Jacintha in tragic circumstances. She will be laid to rest in Shirva, India."

In India, her sister-in-law Celin D'Souza said: "I will really miss her a lot. She was a good-natured sister-in-law. I cannot forget her, she was so good."

Prince William was without Kate at the Winter Whites Gala in London

The hospital where Ms Saldanha worked has condemned the stunt as "truly appalling" while a prominent Conservative MP has called for the DJs to be sacked.

In a letter to the Australian radio station 2Day FM's parent company, Lord Glenarthur, Chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital, said he wanted to "protest" against the "extremely foolish" gag.

The letter to Southern Cross Austereo said the immediate consequence of the station's "premeditated and ill-considered actions" led to the "humiliation" of Ms Saldanha and another nurse.

"The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is, frankly, tragic beyond words," it added.

Tory MP Conor Burns, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said: "The presenters should lose their jobs and there needs to be a serious review as to what they regard as entertainment and what is inappropriate."

News of the nurse's death has led to a huge backlash against the two presenters, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles during the prank on their 2Day FM show.

Southern Cross Austereo said the pair are being "babysat" and kept away from hostile media coverage.

Spokeswoman Sandy Kaye said: "We're seriously concerned about their welfare and we're doing whatever we can to help them."

The Duke of Cambridge made no comment on the situation as he attended a charity function in London on Saturday night without Kate - who is resting after her three day stay in hospital.

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Kate Prank Call 'Could End Radio Wind-Ups'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News correspondent

One of Britain's most notorious DJs has told Sky News the death of a nurse after a prank call to the hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge could mark the end of such radio wind-ups.

Steve Penk built his career winding up unsuspecting members of the public and high profile celebrities.

In 1998, his Capital Radio show famously got put through to then Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mr Penk now believes the tragic consequences of a stunt that saw a nurse apparently take her own life days after putting a hoax call from two Australian DJs through to the ward where the pregnant duchess was being treated could change the entire radio industry.

He told Sky News: "I think there will be huge fallout. I think it will be, for want of a better phrase, the death of the wind-up phone call.

Steve Penk thinks there will be a fallout over the tragedy

"Ofcom (media regulator) will wrap it in so much red tape that it will make it almost impossible to get these things on the air, which I think is a shame because they can be entertaining."

Mr Penk has duped hundreds of people through his career at various radio stations.

Often people were set up by friends or relatives who wrote in and suggested victims. Unlike the Australian stunt, permission was then sought from the victim before the calls were broadcast.

Mr Penk now owns The Revolution 962 in Oldham and has cancelled his latest prank show after the hoax call to the hospital treating the duchess.

DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian from 2Day FM made the prank call

He feels sympathy for the two DJs who are now being vilified for their role in the stunt.

He added: "You can't predict something like this, I genuinely feel very sorry for them.

"I think it is unfair that at the moment the blame is at their doorstep."

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'Whale Skin' Cocktail: London Bar Raided

A London bar has been raided by police for allegedly serving cocktails flavoured with illegal whale skin.

The Metropolitan police targeted the Nightjar bar in Hoxton, East London, where a drink called the Moby Dick was listed in an online menu.

It was described as containing Laphroaig whisky, Drambuie, ale and bitters, along with a "whale skin infusion".

There is a Europe-wide ban on the sale of whale meat and products, except under strict restrictions in Greenland and Denmark.

Police were tipped-off in October that the bar was serving whale skin illegally, and raided the City Road premises on December 3.

It was carried out by officers from the Met's Wildlife Crime Unit and an officer from the United Kingdom Border Force.

"One item from the premises was seized," said a police spokesman. "This has been sent for analysis."

No arrests have been made.

No-one from the bar was available for comment, however the Sunday Times reported that the bar's management was unaware the drink may have contained an illegal ingredient until the raid.

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Belfast Flag Violence: Rioting In City Centre

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A burned out car in Belfast city centre after rioters dispersed

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

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

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

Hillary Clinton appealed for the violence to stop

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

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

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

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

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

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

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