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.

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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.

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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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Mandela: 'Fake' Signer Blames Schizophrenia

A "fake" sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial service has reportedly said he suffered a schizophrenic episode.

Thamsanqa Jantjie, who was criticised for apparently making "meaningless gestures" while interpreting the speeches of world leaders on stage, said he takes medication for the condition.

Mr Jantjie says he started hearing voices and hallucinating

He said he did not know whether it was the scale of the event or the happiness he felt about being involved that triggered the episode.

The 34-year-old, who was pictured signing next to the likes of US President Barack Obama, claimed he suddenly lost concentration and started hearing voices and hallucinating.

He also had visions of angels coming into the stadium and was trying not to panic because there were "armed policemen around me".

Mr Jantjie said the episode impaired his ability to hear things properly and interpret what was being said, but he did not feel able to leave so continued to sign words and phrases that did not make sense.

He apologised and was quoted by South Africa's Star newspaper as saying: "There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation.

"I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry, it's the situation I found myself in.

"Life is unfair. This illness is unfair. Anyone who doesn't understand this illness will think that I'm just making this up."

The interpreter pictured next to President Barack Obama

Concerns over the interpreter had been raised by deaf people watching the service at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium.

Bruno Druchen, the national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa, said he "was moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for".

South African parliament member Wilma Newhoudt, a member of the ruling party, also said the interpreter communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements.

Both Mr Druchen and Ms Newhoudt are deaf.

Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages.

South African sign language covers all of the country's 11 official languages, according to the federation.

Mr Jantjie has been called an 'embarrassment'

Nicole Du Toit, an official sign language interpreter who also watched the broadcast, said the man on stage was an "embarrassment".

Mr Jantjie, who was accused of being an imposter, which led to security concerns, claims he is a genuine interpreter and a "champion of sign language" who was paid 850 Rand (£50) for one day's work.

Asked about his interpreting skills, he said: "It is very sad at this present moment because I believe that it was an issue that had to be dealt with earlier.

"If the Deaf Federation of South Africa​ have an issue with my interpreting they should have clarified it a long time ago, not at this crucial time for our country."

He says he has photographs of him working next to various people including President Jacob Zuma in the past.

He said felt honoured to be part of the historic event on Tuesday, but the president's office has contacted him to find out who recommended him for the job.

The South African government is to investigate what happened.

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