South Sudan: 'Ethnic Killings' As Graves Found

Mass graves have been uncovered in South Sudan amid evidence of ethnic killings in the world's newest state.

Dozens of bodies were discovered at a site in South Sudan's oil rich Unity State, as the death toll from a week of fighting increases.

Violence has flared in a power struggle between President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his ex-deputy Riek Machar, an ethnic Nuer.

The bodies in the grave are thought to be among 75 Dinkas who have gone missing.

A displaced woman lies on her belongings

Meanwhile, a journalist in the capital, Juba, quoted witnesses as saying more than 200 people, mostly Nuers, had been shot by security forces.

The official total dead is 500, but the real figure is believed to be far higher, aid workers say.

Britain has sent a senior diplomat to South Sudan to assist efforts to restore peace, as the UN prepared to vote on boosting the size of its force.

Reports suggest that British nationals are among an estimated 3,000 foreigners trapped in the city of Bor, which has experienced some of the worst violence. 

South Sudan is the world's newest nation

UN spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the victims discovered in the grave were reportedly members of the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

She said there were unconfirmed reports of least two more mass graves in Jebel-Kujur and Newside, near Juba.

Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have fled to the countryside, leading to warnings of an imminent humanitarian disaster.

UN soldiers on guard to protect the displaced people

Tens of thousands more civilians have sought protection at badly overstretched UN bases.

At least 20,000 are sheltering at two bases in Juba, and another 17,000 in rebel-held Bor, capital of the precarious eastern Jonglei state.

"The estimated number of people displaced in the current crisis in South Sudan has risen to 81,000," a UN report said.

"Given the limited access to civilians outside population centres, the number is likely to be significantly higher."                 

Bor, around 200km (125 miles) north of Juba, is an area of special concern, with the army saying it is preparing to launch an assault to recapture the town which it lost last Wednesday.

"In Bor, the situation for the 17,000 people sheltering at the base is challenging, the lack of food and shelter is becoming urgent," the UN warned, adding there had been "large-scale looting of humanitarian compounds and civilian property" in the town.

"The situation in Jonglei deteriorated further, with reported clashes between different armed factions south of Bor ... the base is being reinforced with additional protective barriers, including the area hosting the displaced civilians," it added.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned warring factions that reports of crimes against humanity will be investigated and asked the Security Council to vote to almost double the size of the UN mission in the country.

Fighting started more than a week ago when President Kiir accused his former deputy of attempting a coup.

Mr Machar has denied the claim and has in turn accused Mr Kiir of carrying out a vicious purge of his rivals.

The country has been blighted by ethnic divisions, corruption and poverty since it won independence in 2011.

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23.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Dramatic Moment Dog Rescued From Stormy Sea

Dramatic footage has been released of the rescue of a Labrador whose owner thought had died after it was swept out to sea.

The dog had been out walking with its owner when it went into the sea off Sea Palling on the north Norfolk coast and was swept away by the tide.

The man searched with the help of two kayakers for his pet, but could not spot the animal and assumed it had been swept to its death.

The dog is lifted into the rescue boat

After alerting the Coastguard following the incident on Sunday morning, the man returned to tell his wife the bad news.

However, RNLI crews took to the boats and started to search the reefs half a mile off the coast for the dog.

The crew finally heard barking coming from one of the reefs and there found the animal cold, wet and frightened, but otherwise unhurt.

A member of the crew keeps the dog warm as it returns to shore

They clambered over the rocks to coax the dog to safety before lifting her into the boat and wrapping her in a blanket.

Jake Munday, a member of the RNLI team, said: "This was one lucky dog. We're just grateful to be in the right place at the right time."

The dog, who had recently had puppies, has been reunited with its owners.

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Waitrose Airbrushes Writer A Girl Called Jack

Waitrose has apologised after a writer's tattoos were apparently airbrushed out of a photoshoot for its food magazine.

Jack Monroe said she was "stunned" to see her body art erased without her permission from a photo used in the current issue of Waitrose Kitchen.

The 25-year-old single mother, whose blog about budget recipes for her son earned her a huge following online, said she was commissioned to contribute recipes to the magazine.

Waitrose is traditionally seen as a favourite with middle-class shoppers

She posted a photo of the offending image on Twitter and wrote: "Thanks to Waitrose Kitchen, I now know what I would look like without my tattoos."

Ms Monroe, who has almost 30,000 Twitter followers, added: "I'm missing a massive deck of cards on my shoulder and a big rose underneath it. Wow. Actually stunned."

She told Sky News: "I'm disappointed in the editorial decision to remove my tattoos.

Ms Monroe's tattoos did feature in Waitrose Kitchen's November issue

"Body art may not be to everyone's taste but there's no denying that they are very much a part of who I am - I choose to decorate myself in a similar way that some women would choose statement jewellery or designer handbags, neither of which appeal to me!

"More surprisingly is that in last month's edition of the magazine my tattoos were on full display - so to airbrush them for the following edition seems odd and inconsistent.

"I always take long sleeved tops to photo shoots to give editors the 'option' of featuring my tattoos or not - but airbrushing them out is an entirely different matter."

Waitrose Kitchen's sales rose after Pippa Middleton signed up as a writer

A Waitrose spokeswoman blamed an error in January's magazine and said a previous issue, which featured the tattoos, showed that the supermarket does not have a problem with body art.

She said: "Jack's tattoos were clearly visible in the three pictures in the November issue of Kitchen.

"Unfortunately an error was made in the January edition. We're very sorry for any upset caused."

Waitrose Kitchen - published by John Brown Media and edited by food writer and broadcaster William Sitwell - costs £1.20 and boasts 1.4 million readers.

It saw sales surge by almost 20% after hiring the Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton as a columnist shortly after parting company with 72-year-old Delia Smith.

Jack Monroe started her blog after finding herself with a budget of £10 per week to feed herself and her son Johnny.

The blog's success has earned her a book deal and appearances on shows including BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour and BBC One's The One Show.

Earlier this month, she announced she would be fronting a TV ad campaign for Waitrose's rival Sainsbury's.

23.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Addison Cresswell: 'Larger Than Life' Agent Dies

Addison Cresswell, who managed the careers of Jonathan Ross and Jack Dee and was regarded as one of the most influential figures in British comedy, has died at the age of 53.

Cresswell's management company Off The Kerb had also represented Lee Evans, Jo Brand and Alan Carr and his production company, Open Mike, was behind popular TV shows such as Live At The Apollo.

He negotiated the deals which once saw Ross become one of the highest-earners on UK television - the chat show host signed a three-year contract with the BBC for around £18m which ended in 2010.

Following the fall-out from the Sachsgate scandal, Cresswell took his client to ITV where he now has another successful chat show.

A spokesman said the agent and producer "passed away in his sleep at home last night".

Cresswell, seen as a no-nonsense, forceful and larger than life character by many in the industry, got his break in the entertainment industry after becoming entertainments officer at Brighton Polytechnic where he was studying.

His first client was the poet John Hegley and he began his business working from his kitchen table.

He built his empire to such a degree that his acts - who also include Michael McIntyre - often dominate TV comedy shows.

Jonathan Ross and Jo Brand were among Cresswell's clients

His death has shocked the comedy world with many stars taking to Twitter to leave their tributes.

Stephen Fry wrote: "Oh goodness, I've just heard about Addison Cresswell a larger than life impresario manager. My deepest sympathy to all his family & friends."

James Corden tweeted: "Such sad news. An incredible man. An incredible talent. May he rest in peace x."

Omid Djalili tweeted: "Shocking news about Addison Cresswell. 52. Way too young. I miss the headlocks already RIP."

A spokesman said: "Addison will be fondly remembered by all whose lives he touched as a devoted mentor, a dear friend and an unforgettable character. He will be sorely missed.

"He leaves behind a proud legacy in his tireless charity work, initiating and organising the annual Channel 4 Comedy Gala in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. It was his dearest wish to raise enough to fund the opening of a brand new wing of the hospital, a goal that is now in sight.

He added: "He is survived by his beloved wife, Shelley, his dogs Bonnie and Nessie and many, many pet fish."

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Northern Ireland Talks End Without Deal

Talks being held throughout the night in Northern Ireland aimed at finding a solution to peace process issues have ended without agreement.

The marathon session in Belfast between Stormont's five executive parties and chaired by US former diplomat Richard Haass broke up at 4am.

It had been hoped that a resolution over flags, parades and other matters connected with the troubles of the past could be found before Christmas.

Mr Haass and co-chairwoman Meghan O'Sullivan, a US foreign affairs expert, had hoped to return to the US with an agreement.

Instead, they will fly back home for Christmas empty handed and will instead ask all those involved a number of questions, the answers to which will, they hope, lead to another draft set of proposals - the fifth - that may bring a deal closer.

The pair have said they will consider returning next weekend if an eleventh hour deal can be struck.

Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness appointed Richard Haass to the job

Emerging from the meeting at the Stormont Hotel, Mr Haass insisted the process was not dead.

"I am not in the business of doing post mortems here because the patient is still alive," he said.

Mr Haass said there continued to be "significant differences and divisions" among the parties on all three issues being discussed.

While some progress had been made on parades and dealing with the past, there was no immediate prospect of a deal on flags, he said.

"The work done on flags is quite disappointing by any measure," he explained. "But the other two areas have been, I believe, quite impressive and I believe it would be a real shame not to be able to turn that work into a reality."

He added: "We would like to think there is reason to return....Let me be clear about this - we don't have an agreement, (but) in no way have we given up the possibility of still reaching an agreement before the end of the year."

Mr Haass has already said that neither he nor Ms O'Sullivan will be able to continue to be involved in the process beyond the end of the year because of other commitments.

As the talks were going on, a gun attack was carried out at a police station in Lisnaskea in County Fermanagh, according to members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. No injuries were reported.

Justice Minister David Ford's office tweeted: "Those who tried to kill police officers in Lisnaskea are to be condemned. They have nothing positive to offer."

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Alan Turing: WWII Code-Breaker Granted Pardon

Second World War code-breaker Alan Turing has been given a posthumous royal pardon for a 61-year-old conviction for homosexual activity.

Dr Turing, who played a pivotal role in breaking the Enigma code, arguably shortening the war by at least two years, was chemically castrated following his conviction in 1952.

His conviction for "gross indecency" led to the removal of his security clearance and meant he was no longer able to work for Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) where he had continued to work following his service at Bletchley Park during the war.

There's been a long campaign to clear the mathematician's (far right) name

Dr Turing, who died aged 41 in 1954 and is often described as the father of modern computing, has been granted a pardon - effective from today - under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy by the Queen following a request from Justice Secretary Chris Grayling.

He said: "Dr Alan Turing was an exceptional man with a brilliant mind. His brilliance was put into practice at Bletchley Park during the Second World War where he was pivotal to breaking the Enigma code, helping to end the war and save thousands of lives.

"His later life was overshadowed by his conviction for homosexual activity, a sentence we would now consider unjust and discriminatory and which has now been repealed.

"Dr Turing deserves to be remembered and recognised for his fantastic contribution to the war effort and his legacy to science. A pardon from the Queen is a fitting tribute to an exceptional man."

Dr Turing died of cyanide poisoning and an inquest recorded a verdict of suicide, although his mother and others maintained his death was accidental.

Bletchley Park was Britain's main decryption base during World War Two

There has been a long campaign to clear the mathematician's name, including an e-petition backed by 37,404 signatures and private member's bill, along with support from leading scientists such as Stephen Hawking.

The Justice Secretary has the power to ask the Queen to grant a pardon under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy for civilians convicted in England and Wales.

A pardon is only normally granted when the person is innocent of the offence and where a request has been made by someone with a vested interest such as a family member. But on this occasion a pardon has been issued without either requirement being met.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Alan Turing was a remarkable man who played a key role in saving this country in World War Two by cracking the German Enigma code.

"His action saved countless lives. He also left a remarkable national legacy through his substantial scientific achievements, often being referred to as the father of modern computing."

Iain Stewart, Conservative MP for Milton Keynes South, who was involved in the campaign to secure a royal pardon, said it was a "just reward  for a man who was stripped of his honour, his work and the loyalty he showed his nation".

The World War II Enigma decoding machine at Bletchley Park

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice chancellor of the University of Manchester, where Dr Turing had worked, also welcomed the news and said: "His legacy will live on as one of the most significant scientists of his or any other generation."

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said the granting of the royal pardon was "long overdue" and called for the same treatment to be given to others convicted in similar circumstances.

A GCHQ spokesperson said: "We are delighted about the pardon and point to the personal tribute that Director GCHQ made to Alan Turing in a speech at the University of Leeds in Oct 2012.

"Sir Iain Lobban said at the time: 'If I had to single out one piece of Turing's legacy to GCHQ today, it would be the way that his contribution was part of the irrevocable change that turned the Code and Cypher School from being the mainly cryptanalytic bureau it was between the wars to becoming the highly technological intelligence organisation that GCHQ is today'."

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Care Home Christmas Tree Theft Caught On CCTV

Police are hunting for a woman who was caught on CCTV stealing a Christmas tree from a care home in London.

The video shows the woman entering the sheltered housing building in Camberwell, southeast London, on the pretence of visiting someone.

However, no one at the home for vulnerable adults knew who she was.

After a short time in the building, the suspect picked up the small tree, which had a star on the top, and walked out of the main entrance with it.

It was the only Christmas tree in the home and had been donated by a member of staff.

No one at the care home knew the woman

Police have now issued an appeal for information from anyone who saw the incident on December 15.

PC Lorna Clark said: "This is a particularly callous crime especially at this time of year involving some of our more vulnerable members of society.

"If anyone is able to identify the female or has any information about the theft they are asked to contact police on 020 8721 2446 or 101 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111."

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Surgeon 'Burned Initials On Patient's Liver'

A surgeon has been suspended over an accusation that he branded his initials on a patient's liver.

The letters were allegedly found by a colleague during subsequent routine surgery on the unnamed patient.

It is alleged the surgeon used a beam of argon gas - for sealing vessels - to write them.

Experts say it would leave superficial burns but is not usually harmful.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust confirmed it was looking in to the matter.

"Following an allegation of misconduct, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has suspended a surgeon while an internal investigation is completed," a spokesman said.

Joyce Robins, of campaign group Patient Concern, said: "This is a patient we are talking about, not an autograph book."

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Weather: Christmas Travel Plans Hit By Storms

Travellers are still struggling with transport problems after a night of widespread storms caused flooding and power outages and toppled hundreds of trees.

Earlier there were no train services to or from Gatwick airport in West Sussex and power problems at its north terminal meant that only British Airways flights were departing.

But 11 BA flights have been cancelled and passengers have been told the power supply problems mean they will not be able to travel with their luggage.

The airline said bags will be sent to them as soon as possible but after Christmas Day, meaning many will have to choose between leaving Christmas presents behind or cancelling their trip altogether.

Fire crews rescued motorists from cars Pic: Dorset Fire and Rescue Service

EasyJet, which is flying from the south terminal, has cancelled 38 flights.

Passengers at the airport have complained of a lack of information and spoken of four-hour delays.

In Dorset fire crews rescued around 25 people from cars trapped in floodwater.

Fire control said rescuers helped people who were stranded inside vehicles in the Sturminster, Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Wimborne areas.

Some have been forced to leave their homes as water levels rise, while many villages in the South East have found themselves under water. A severe flood warning has been issued for Leatherhead in Surrey.

The south of the country has had some respite from the stormy weather but parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland are still being battered by strong gales and heavy rains.

Engineers are working to restore power to as many as 130,000 homes across the country, with no guarantee the lights will be back on in time for Christmas Day.

UK Power Networks has said it will buy Christmas dinner for anyone who is still without power on Wednesday.

A number of train companies were unable to run any early-morning trains and when services did eventually start they were subject to delays and cancellations.

Network Rail (NR) said more than 200 trees had come down on lines during the last 24 hours and there had been "a further 100 major incidents discovered on top of that".

The departures board at Waterloo station shows dozens of cancelled trains

It added that in southern England the storm damage had been greater than that of the 'St Jude's Storm' a few weeks ago.

Customers are being advised to check the latest travel situation before starting their journeys.

Some 900 passengers were stuck on the Spirit of Britain ferry outside Dover for 15 hours as it was considered too risky to enter the harbour.

The ship left Calais last night and managed to dock safely at around 7.30am.

Shortly before the ship reached Dover, Digvijay Rathod told Sky News: "Many people haven't slept. I have 53 people to take care of. There are mothers, there are children who have been sick.

Flooded tracks in West Horndon, Essex, show the challenge facing rail firms

"It's been a tough night - people just want to get home. We left Calais at 4pm and we were supposed to reach here within two hours."

The Environment Agency has issued hundreds of flood warnings across all of England and Wales, with a severe flood warning - the highest level warning of danger to life - in the South West, where properties are expected to flood.

People travelling on First Great Western's service from London Paddington to Devon and Cornwall were left stranded at Taunton in Somerset shortly before 1am because of flooding and signal problems.

Passengers described delays after leaving London before the service was terminated at Taunton with First Great Western then having to put people on buses and taxis to get them to their destination.

Tim Field from the Energy Networks Association told Sky News that it was not possible to promise that power would be restored to homes cut off by the storm in time for Christmas Day.

Families in Edenbridge, Kent, say water levels are rising in their street

He said: "We've been able to restore about 60,000 properties yesterday evening and last night but with the storms that have come in, people are waking up this morning to find themselves without power.

"We've been facing some very difficult conditions. Fallen trees have brought down power lines and blocked roads, which has affected engineers' progress."

The Environment Agency Flood Line can be contacted on 0845 988 1188 for advice and up to date information.

Christmas Day is expected to be calmer with just a few wintry showers in the north and west, while Boxing Day looks mainly fine, but stormy conditions look set to return on Friday.

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Dog Owner Is Second To Die Trying To Rescue Pet

Two men have been killed in the space of two days trying to rescue their dogs from fast-flowing river waters as storms caused hazardous conditions across Britain.

A 46-year-old man was swept away by the current after he leapt into the River Lemon after his pet in Newton Abbot at 11.15am on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said he was later spotted some distance downstream by police officers, who managed to retrieve him from the river.

An air ambulance took him to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, but he was later pronounced dead.

The dog escaped from the water unharmed.

Much of the country has been battered by wind and rain

The man had entered the water by the Asda store at Bakers Park, where his family are believed to have been shopping at at the time.

It followed an incident in the River Rothay in Ambleside, Cumbria, on Monday, which saw a 48-year-old man lose his life.

Simon Martindale was seen with his dog in the river at approximately 2.25pm before being swept away by the fast-moving water.

His body was found at 3.30pm following a multi-agency search.

Again, the dog managed to get out of the water.

The storms have so far claimed five lives and the Environment Agency has issued scores of flood warnings across all of England and Wales.

Police have warned people against entering fast-flowing water "for any reason".

A woman died in a river in Gwynedd, North Wales, another woman was killed in a car crash in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and a man died in a multiple-collision crash near Bodmin in Cornwall on Sunday night.

A body has also been found in a stream in Horton, Telford, Shropshire.

Police said it was not known how long the body had been in the water or whether the death was related to the recent weather conditions.

Flooding in Guildford in Surrey

:: See the latest weather forecast here

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Heather Mills Quits Ski Team Over Boot Row

Heather Mills has been accused of a "disgraceful outburst" after a row over a ski boot ended her dream of competing at the Paralympic Games.

The ex-wife of Sir Paul McCartney reportedly "erupted with rage" when the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) told her she would have to change her equipment or be disqualified.

According to the Daily Mirror, she threatened to have IPC official Sylvana Mestre removed from her post, telling her: "I will make your life a misery."

Craig Spence, a spokesman for the IPC, said the "aggressive behaviour and verbal abuse" had left Ms Mestre "extremely shocked and upset".

"Para-athletes are role models and an inspiration to billions of people around the world," he said.

"This disgraceful outburst is not what we expect from any athletes competing in our competitions and will not be tolerated.

Heather Mills in action on the slopes of Queensland, New Zealand

"We understand the pressure athletes are under in the lead-up to Sochi 2014 and that Heather has been working extremely hard to achieve her goal.

"However, there can be no excuse for such aggressive and intimidating behaviour towards such a highly respected and experienced official within the Paralympic movement.

"All Sylvana was trying to do was enforce the rules and offer Heather a solution to the issue."

Ms Mills, 45, had her left leg amputated below the knee after a road traffic accident in 1993.

She earned a place in the development squad of the British Disabled Ski Team (BDST) in 2010 and won a silver medal - the first of her World Cup career - in a slalom race in New Zealand in August.

However, when the IPC noticed she was competing on a modified boot that was different to one approved by its technical committee, she was told to revert back to the standard equipment or be disqualified.

In a statement, the committee said: "Only approved adaptive equipment can be used in IPC Alpine Skiing competitions, a rule that applies to all athletes within the sport."

Ms Mills has now quit the BDST, ending her hopes of competing at the Games in Russia next March.

The British Paralympic Association said Ms Mills had "shown determination and made great progress over the past few months".

They added: "Occasionally in sport equipment issues arise, especially with adaptive equipment and the interpretation of the rules in relation to its use.

"Therefore we are all saddened that she has decided to retire at this stage, rather than working with BDST and IPC Skiing to resolve the issue."

Ms Mills declined to comment when contacted by Sky News.

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Police Believe Body Found In Grave Is Jayden's

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ben Blakeley arrives at court

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

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

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

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

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

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

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Murray has led the investigation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Woolwich Killers 'Abused Soldiers At Olympics'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

Woolwich killer Michael Adebowale openly abused soldiers in the street as they worked at London's Olympic Games, police say.

Both he and Adebolajo were regular street preachers around southeast London and also took part in bigger demonstrations with other Muslims.

Adebowale's small group of preachers regularly set up in the centre of Greenwich on a pavement close to the Cutty Sark.

Local police officers told Sky News that during the Olympics they received complaints that Adebowale's group were targeting soldiers and sailors staying on HMS Ocean.

The vessel was berthed just metres from Adebowale's family home at Macey House on Thames Street, Greenwich.

The police officer said: "The group used to turn up every couple of months with a table and they would give out leaflets.

"But during the Olympics they began shouting abuse at the soldiers and sailors who were guarding the park."

Many of the equestrian events at the games were staged at nearby Greenwich Park.

Adebowale, left, and Adebolajo murdered Fusilier Rigby in May

A 25-year-old sweet shop worker who lives on the same Eastney Street estate where Adebowale stayed with his girlfriend said: "I saw him trying to get everyone to take his leaflets.

"He was shouting about rape, saying 'Stop causing rape' to everyone.

"I was shaking my head saying: 'What are you saying?'

"I know that one day he got arrested by the police for shouting abuse at people."

Retail assistant Aneesh Edakkavil told Sky News in May that the police came to his souvenir shop to look at the CCTV after the incident.

The former Indian Army soldier said: "One of them was arrested outside the shop."

He added: "The police came to see me after the Olympics to gather the evidence.

"Unfortunately, the CCTV camera did not cover the area where they were shouting out so they couldn't find anything."

Sky News also revealed in May how Adebowale was reported to the police for grooming a 12-year-old schoolboy into Islamic extremism.

A local trader, who did not wish to be named, told how he watched Adebowale brainwash the child with speeches against Britain.

The shopkeeper was later told by police that Adebowale was being monitored by security services.

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Justin Bieber's Family: He Doesn't Need Rehab

Justin Bieber's grandmother has denied the teenager needs to enter rehab following an eventful 2013.

Diane Dale, who was among several of the singer's family to attend the premiere of his new film in Los Angeles, said the media had been "terrible" to him as he travelled the world on his global tour.

"There are so many lies going around," she said. "A little bit is true but most of it is lies. It's terrible."

The 19-year-old's grandfather Bruce Dale added: "He's still a teenager growing up in the spotlight.

Bieber braved freezing temperatures at Poland's Lodz airport

"How would you like to wake up in the morning with a camera shoved in your face? I don't blame him for acting out. I would."

A string of peculiar moments on Bieber's world tour began in London, where he turned up late for one concert, collapsed on stage at another and lunged at a photographer.

In March, he was spotted strolling topless in temperatures of -10C at an airport in Poland, before his pet monkey Mally was seized at a terminal in Germany after he failed to produce the correct paperwork.

Mally the monkey was confiscated as Bieber travelled through Germany

The following month, police in Sweden said they found drugs and a stun gun on Bieber's tour bus, while in May, a fan grabbed him on stage as he performed in Dubai.

He was hit by a bottle and walked off stage during a gig in Brazil in November, before kicking the Argentine flag at a concert in Buenos Aires and allegedly spray-painting the wall of a hotel in Australia.

The Canadian star split with his girlfriend Selena Gomez in January, and a paparazzo was killed taking pictures of his sports car in the same month.

Bieber lunged at a photographer during his time in London in March

Speaking at the premiere, Bieber's mother Pattie Mallette defended her son, saying: "It's tough because the whole world is a critic.

"I think sometimes people dehumanise celebrities and I think what's so great about this movie is that you get to see his humanity, the really sensitive side."

Jon Chu, who directed the film and took charge of Bieber's first feature, said the singer had "always been a troublemaker" but described him as "charming" and a "good kid".

Bieber was asked to clean up graffiti from a wall in Australia

"I wouldn't come back if I didn't like him and who he was," he added.

Justin Bieber's Believe is released in cinemas in the UK on December 26.

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Tulisa Denies Class A Drug Offences In Court

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

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

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

He denied a charge of supplying the drug on May 23.

Contostavlos was forced to disclose her address to the court after her solicitor applied for it to be withheld to prevent "unwanted visitors".

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

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

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

Contostavlos allegedly set up the deal after telling Mahmood she could help provide him with "white sweets", which the court heard was a code for cocaine.

She is accused of playing a "significant role" putting the fake sheikh in touch with Coombs before the pair met at the upmarket Dorchester Hotel in central London.

Contostavlos was initially arrested with Coombs on June 4.

She was dropped as a judge on X Factor days before her arrest, with Sharon Osbourne returning in her place.

Contostavlos and Coombs were given unconditional bail by Mr Riddle and will next appear at Southwark Crown Court in central London on January 14.

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NHS Trust 'Betrayed' Breast Cancer Patients

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

A review into how a breast cancer surgeon was allowed to carry out incomplete mastectomies on hundreds of women has described the case as "depressingly familiar".

Ian Paterson performed unregulated "cleavage-sparing" procedures at Solihull Hospital and Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, for 15 years.

The operation leaves breast tissue behind for cosmetic reasons and is against national guidelines.

The independent review, carried out by Sir Ian Kennedy, looked at how the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust responded to concerns raised by staff and patients.

Ian Paterson was told to stop performing the operations after a 2007 review

It found the trust missed a number of opportunities to stop Mr Paterson performing unauthorised surgical procedures.

"Lessons for the future cannot be learned unless the past is understood," Sir Ian said.

"The story is complex but the themes are depressingly familiar. The fundamental theme is one of culture. When culture fails, care fails.

"Concerns were expressed as early as 2003 but were not treated with sufficient seriousness, nor looked into with sufficient rigour and care."

Sir Ian Kennedy delivers the findings of his review

He added: "Various colleagues in the breast unit raised concerns, an investigation was launched and a report produced ... but nothing came of it.

"Mr Paterson was not an easy colleague. He was not a team player. The focus of managers, however, was on man management when it should have been on Mr Paterson's surgical practices and competence."

An internal report carried out at Solihull Hospital in 2004 highlighted the potential risk of the procedure.

In 2007 there was a review of breast care services at the hospital and Mr Paterson was told to stop performing the operations.

Shirley Moroney's sister Marie Pinfield died following surgery

However, there is evidence from solicitors suggesting he performed the procedure until 2010.

In his 165-page report, Sir Ian said the trust must "make its peace with patients, staff and the community".

"There is much anger and a strong sense of betrayal," he added.

Shirley Moroney's sister Marie Pinfield was operated on twice by Mr Paterson in 2006 and on both occasions he left breast tissue behind.

The NHS Trust said negligent surgery did not cause Ms Pinfield's death

Ms Pinfield died two years later but the NHS Trust says negligent surgery did not cause her death and her cancer would have returned even with a full mastectomy.

Ms Moroney believes Mr Paterson had too much power.

"I'd like a cultural change within the NHS that meant that if people were concerned about the way operations were being done that they could have a voice," she said.

"No-one ever questioned him and that's why he was allowed to get away with it as long as he did."

Lord Philip Hunt, chairman of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, said: "I wish to give a full and unreserved apology to all of the patients and their relatives for the way in which they were mistreated by Mr Paterson ... and also how they were subsequently let down by the trust management team at the time in their failure to properly intervene into his practices and his behaviour in terms of patient safety and quality of care.

"This was completely unacceptable and I'm very sorry indeed."

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Lee Rigby Murder Trial: Guilty Verdicts

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

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

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

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

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

Members of Lee Rigby's family sobbed on the court steps as a statement was read by Detective Inspector Pete Sparks on their behalf.

Lee Rigby and his killers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The defendants pictured after the killing

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scotland Yard's head of Specialist Operations, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, told Sky News the Met was fully co-operating with the inquiry.

"If we had known, if we had information that told us that these people were likely to commit this attack, or if somebody had said this was about to happen, of course we would have done everything we could to try to prevent it from happening.

The car driven at Lee Rigby by his murderers

"The profile of these two young men is not unique, sadly. And we will do our level best to try to find out about such people and to try to find out what they may intend. But we can't reduce the risks to zero," she said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Trial Hears Of William's 'Babykins' Call To Kate

Prince William referred to his wife as "Babykins" during phone converstaions and left a high-pitched voice message for his brother pretending to be his girlfriend, it has been revealed.

Transcripts of voicemails intercepted by journalists on the now defunct News Of The World were read out at the Old Bailey hacking trial.

In one voicemail left for his then girlfriend Kate Middleton, Prince William talks about the embarrassment of nearly being shot after getting lost on a training exercise.

It was also disclosed that the Prince had left a message for his brother in a high-pitched voice pretending to be Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry's then girlfriend, and referring to his younger brother as "ginger".

In one message, read out by prosecutor Andrew Edis QC, the Prince told Kate, now the Duchess of Cambridge: "Hi baby. Um, sorry, I've just got back in off my night navigation exercise."

He went on to say: "I had a busy day today again. I've been running around the woods of Aldershot chasing shadows and getting horribly lost, and I walked into some other regiment's ambush, which was slightly embarrassing because I nearly got shot.

"Not by live rounds but by blank rounds, which would have been very embarrassing, though."

In the prank Prince Harry message, the Duke of Cambridge said: "It's Chelsy here and saying you are the best looking ginger I have ever seen."

Former News of the World managing editor Stuart Kuttner, 73, of Woodford Green, Essex, and the tabloid's former editor Andy Coulson are accused of conspiring to hack phones between October 3, 2000, and August 9, 2006, along with former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks.

Former News of the World and Sun editor Brooks also faces two counts of conspiring with others to commit misconduct in public office linked to alleged inappropriate payments to public officials.

She also faces two allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, one with her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, and a second with her husband, Charles Brooks, and former News International head of security Mark Hanna.

Coulson is also facing two allegations that he conspired with former News of the World royal editor Clive Goodman, 56, from Addlestone in Surrey, and other unknown people to commit misconduct in public office.

Jurors were told that news editor Ian Edmondson, who is charged with conspiring to hack phones between October 3, 2000, and August 9, 2006, is "currently unfit" and will take no further part in the trial.

More follows...

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Putin To Pardon Jailed Former Oil Tycoon

Russian president Vladimir Putin has said he will pardon jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

The former head of Yukos Oil was arrested in 2003 and imprisoned for nine years after being convicted of fraud.

In 2010 he was put on trial again, while still serving his original sentence, and found guilty of money-laundering and embezzlement. He and his business partner, Platon Lebedev, were jailed for another seven years.

Both trials have been criticised and Khodorkovsky has often been described by human rights groups as a prisoner of conscience.

Mr Putin's opponents have accused him of having the tycoon jailed to prevent him going into politics.

At his annual end-of-year news conference, Mr Putin said Khodorkovsky had asked him for a pardon.

He said: "He has been in jail already more than 10 years, this is a serious punishment.

"He cites humanitarian reasons. His mother is ill. I decided that with this circumstances in mind, it is necessary to take a decision, and in the near future a decree pardoning him will be signed."

However, Khodorkovsky's main lawyer, Vadim Klyuvgant, denied that his client had requested a pardon.

Khodorkovsky, 50, grew rich during the 1990s in the economic chaos following the fall of the Soviet Union and rose to political prominence as one of the so-called "oligarchs" who surrounded president Boris Yeltsin.

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Woolwich Killers 'Were No Immediate Threat'

Lee Rigby Murder Trial: Guilty Verdicts

Updated: 1:23pm UK, Thursday 19 December 2013

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

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

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

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

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

Members of Lee Rigby's family sobbed on the court steps as a statement was read by Detective Inspector Pete Sparks on their behalf.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scotland Yard's head of Specialist Operations, Assistant Commissioner Cressida Dick, told Sky News the Met was fully co-operating with the inquiry.

"If we had known, if we had information that told us that these people were likely to commit this attack, or if somebody had said this was about to happen, of course we would have done everything we could to try to prevent it from happening.

"The profile of these two young men is not unique, sadly. And we will do our level best to try to find out about such people and to try to find out what they may intend. But we can't reduce the risks to zero," she said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Peer Claims Clocking Row Is 'Storm In Teacup'

Ex-Tory peer Lord Hanningfield has claimed that allegations that he clocked in to the House of Lords for 40 minutes to earn £300 are a "storm in a teacup".

The peer, who was previously jailed during the expenses scandal, was caught on film by the Daily Mirror allegedly 'popping in' to the House of Lords to receive his allowance.

The newspaper said that on 11 of 19 days that it monitored the peer's movements in July, he travelled to Westminster from his home in Essex, but spent less than 40 minutes in the Lords before leaving.

The 73-year-old told Sky News on Tuesday morning the Mirror's investigation was a "lot of rubbish" and that he was previously "wrongly convicted" of expenses fraud.

He said: "This is a lot of rubbish. It's a storm in a tea cup. It's a lot of rubbish about nothing that the Mirror have done.

"I wasn't very well in July, so I didn't spend as long in London as I have in the last three months.

"I wish they had followed me around in the last three months because I have an assistant there now. I've spoken twice in the House of Lords in the last few weeks and asked lots of questions and I intend to carry on doing that.

"Checking in is a mechanism for the Lords to get paid. Most of our work is not actually in the chamber of the House of Commons, it's the post we get, the emails we get, all the letters we get and the problems people bring to us.

"We don't do that in the chamber. But going in the chamber is a mechanism to pay us so that is why we have to go in the chamber. You can do your work at home. You can do your work in the office I have in the Lords."

Paul White, as the peer used to be known, was appointed to the House of Lords in 1998 as a life peer for the Conservative Party after spending many years in local politics in his home county of Essex.

In July 2011 he was jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to six counts of false accounting for wrongly claiming £14,000 in parliamentary expenses.

The jury heard he repeatedly claimed £174 for overnight stays in London when he was not in the capital.

After his release from jail, in July this year the Mirror filmed him as he visited parliament 11 times in 19 days, staying for less than 40 minutes.

It took until December to discover that the peer claimed attendance allowance on each of the 11 days.

There is no suggestion the former Conservative broke any rules, but he faces calls from a Labour MP for him to be investigated by parliamentary authorities.

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Syria Doctor Death: Sister In 'Hero' Tribute

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

The sister of Dr Abbas Khan, who has died while being imprisoned in Syria, has paid tribute to her "hero" brother.

Dr Khan, 32, an orthopaedic surgeon from Streatham, south London, had been held in Syria for more than a year after being seized by government troops in the rebel-held city of Aleppo after entering the country with a visa on a humanitarian mission.

Sara Khan, one of the doctor's six siblings told Sky News: "My brother is my hero. He didn't die in a normal way, he died trying to make a difference.

"Some could say he was naive for going out there and risking his life but he went out there because he knew his skills could help.

"He did something that he he believed in and made an example for other people to do things. It's so brutal out there. Before the war, Aleppo had 1500 general surgeons- now there's only 4.

Talking about his arrest, she said: "When he was taken we were grateful in a way because we knew what we were dealing with. We thought 'OK, now we can get him back'.

Dr Khan in the operating theatre

"We overestimated how well the regime would treat him. We'd spoke to other prisoners who'd been released and they were OK. My brother's a fully grown man so we thought he'd be OK."

Ms Khan recalled the time of his arrest last year.

"He was arrested on November 22 and we didn't get any information from the Foreign Office until June but we knew by then he'd been taken. They said we are going to look after him. Nothing happened - nobody went to see him.

"My mum went to Damascus and continuously banged on doors to find out whether he was. She took a suitcase with her almost full of his favourite biscuits.

"Months later, she was allowed to see him at the Ministry of Justice in Syria where they brought him shackled in front of her. She didn't even recognise him, he'd lost almost half his weight and had scars all over his body and he was missing finger nails.

Dr Khan with his son. Pic: FreeAbbasKhan/Facebook

"He was moved In August to a civil prison - low security almost like an open prison. He seemed to be comfortable and began teaching English to others. My mum saw him regularly at this point.

The authorities ended up charging him with "fixing the bones of the opposition" but he denied treating with prejudice. He never would have done that. The trial kept getting put back.

"Since September, were trying to get a delegation of parliamentarians to go and collect him. The Foreign Office didn't help with this. That was going to be on December 27. Last week, (Bradford West MP) George Galloway called us and said we could go and collect him.

"We thought this Friday was to be the day. The deputy foreign minister of Syria called my mum to say they were going to let him go. We were so happy, we started decorating and preparing for his return.

Dr Khan leaves behind a wife and two children

"Then we heard from the prison that he had been taken away. Officials said it was just a final step in the process. We were sceptical. He went on Friday and on Monday we got a call from a security service official to say he was dead.  Syrians are calling it a case of suicide - the statement released a ridiculous story of how he killed himself."

Dr Khan's sister said the family was "absolutely shocked and devastated" at the "callous crime".

"If they'd have killed him straight away I'd almost understand and accept it, but we had hope. He was due to be back with us in four days. I could never have asked for a better brother. He was an amazing person.

"He was caught up in a political row and it's unfair."

Earlier, the Foreign Office confirmed it was investigating reports into Dr Khan's death.

A statement from the Foreign Office said: "We are extremely concerned by reports that Dr Khan has died in detention in Syria and are urgently seeking confirmation from the Syrian authorities.

"If these tragic reports are true, responsibility for Dr Khan's death lies with them and we will be pressing for answers about what happened.

The doctor was caught up a political row, his sister said.

"We have consistently sought consular access to Dr Khan and information on his detention, directly and through the Russians, Czechs and others.

"All UK consular services in Syria were suspended some time ago and we continue to advise against all travel to Syria."

A statement issued by George Galloway said the MP "had been negotiating for months with the Syrian government over the release of Dr Khan and was due to fly out this week to bring him home".

Mr Galloway said: "I think we will have to wait for clarification on how exactly he died but this is heartbreaking and devastating news for his family who have been working so hard for so long to secure his release, particularly because his freedom had been agreed and he was due to return with me in the next few days.

"My sincere condolences go out to his family whose pain is unbearable."

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Nigella Aide: 'Saatchi Threatened To Destroy Me'

A former aide to Nigella Lawson has told a court she "frequently" found rolled-up banknotes with white powder on them in her handbag, and that the TV cook's ex-husband Charles Saatchi had threatened to "destroy her".

Francesca Grillo, 35, who along with her sister Elisabetta, 41, is on trial accused of defrauding Ms Lawson and Mr Saatchi, said she never saw Ms Lawson taking drugs although she did find evidence of drug use on many occasions.

She also said Mr Saatchi had a "personal vendetta" against her and her sister, who are alleged to have spent £685,000 on credit cards belonging to the now-divorced celebrity couple.

Confronted by the multimillionaire art dealer over her credit card use, the defendant, of Italian descent, told the court: "He was banging on the table ... he said I would end up in handcuffs."

Francesca Grillo (L) and sister Elisabetta arriving at court on Monday

She said the situation became "quite scary" as Mr Saatchi told her: "Hide anywhere in Italy but I will find you and destroy you.

"He said he was going to destroy me and hunt me down. That was his words. His voice was shouting and he was banging on the table and accusing me of various things that were not true.

"The more he got upset, the more I got frightened. You don't cross Charles Saatchi, everyone knows that."

She also said she first saw the rolled-up notes at the food writer's Shepherd's Bush home, in the kitchen after a party and also in a guest bedroom.

One of her jobs as Ms Lawson's aide was to exchange items between her handbags, and she would find rolled-up banknotes in those, she told the court.

Asked how often she found the banknotes, Grillo said: "Frequently. Every time I went through her handbag there was some notes. It was very frequent."

On a few occasions Ms Lawson would come downstairs with white powder "in her nostril", she told the court.

"I said to her, 'you have something in your nose. She wiped it away and said it was make-up. But it was too white to be make-up," she said.

TV cook Nigella Lawson has also appeared as a witness during the trial

The aide also recalled how she improvised an excuse to protect her employer when a child discovered a hollow book containing what the employee thought were drugs.

"She (the child) said 'Look what I found in (the) book!'. It was a small plastic bag with white powder. I made up something," she told the court.

The defendant said she often found remnants of cannabis in the house, but never raised the issue of drugs because "I didn't think it was my place".

She also talked about the photographs of Mr Saatchi with his hands on Ms Lawson's throat outside Scott's restaurant in Mayfair in central London.

"In the photos she appears to be crying. It shocked me because she said she didn't cry very often in public," she said.

"The one that stuck in my mind was the one of him picking her nose. Maybe he found something relating to drugs.

"I maybe thought if he didn't know that, he probably didn't know about the authorisation - the allowance - of the signatures (by Ms Lawson, on personal expenditure)."

She told jurors she raised the evidence of drug use "because it would show a pattern, how Nigella hides the truth and how she behaves".

Charles Saatchi has also given evidence during the proceedings

The jury heard that in the last few years Ms Lawson became "absent and grumpy" and had trouble sleeping.

The ex-PA said Ms Lawson would "swig from bottles containing liquid medication for depression".

The court has heard the siblings bought designer clothes, shoes and luxury holidays on the cards.

The Grillos, of Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, west London, deny committing fraud by using a company credit card for personal gain between January 1, 2008 and December 31 last year.

The trial continues.

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Woolwich: Adebolajo Evidence 'Is No Defence'

The claim by Woolwich murder trial defendant Michael Adebolajo that he is "a soldier of Allah" is no defence to the charge of murder, a jury has been told.

Mr Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale are accused of running down off-duty soldier Lee Rigby with a car and then hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a street in south-east London. 

Mr Justice Sweeney told the jury at the Old Bailey that nothing said by Mr Adebolajo in his evidence amounts in law to a defence to the charge of murder.

He said: "I have ruled that nothing said by the first defendant and... his evidence - in short he was a soldier of Allah and was justified in doing what he did - amounts in law to a defence to this count.

"So nothing that he has said amounts in law to a defence to count one."

In his closing speech, prosecutor Richard Whittam QC said Islam was not on trial and told the jury: "The action of these two men acting together as they did, crashing their car into and breaking the back of Lee Rigby and then killing him is indefensible in the law of this country.

"Killing to make a political point, to frighten the public or to put pressure on the Government or as an expression of anger is murder."

He added: "It remains murder whether the Government in question is a good one, bad one or a dreadful one. We submit to you, it is clearly murder."

Fusilier Rigby's family were in court as Mr Whittam showed the jury once again images of bloodied knives, and also replayed video clips of the May 22 killing.

Replaying a video clip showing Fusilier Rigby being dragged into the road, Mr Whittam said: "Is this a humane killing?

The jury was again shown images of knives found at the scene of the killing

"Is this a killing with an attempt to decapitate and then deposit the body in the middle of the road causing traffic to stop and turn around?"

Mr Whittam recalled witness accounts previously read to the jury as well as extracts from a note handed to Amanda Donnelly-Martin at the scene.

"What was the purpose of what they have done, killing Lee Rigby in the way the had done, in putting the body there and staying at the scene? To borrow a phrase from the first defendant - carnage."

Mr Adebolajo's defending counsel, David Gottlieb, said a proper charge for his client would have been "treason, terrorism, or maybe manslaughter".

In his closing speech, Mr Gottlieb said: "All deaths outside of lawful deaths are cruel, needless and unnecessary.

"Do you think really that this is the cruellest, most sadistic, most callous, most cowardly killing that's ever occured in our nation's history? It isn't."

Mr Gottlieb said Mr Adebolajo's family were "victims" in the case as much as the family of Drummer Rigby and told the jury that his client had been "demonised and painted as a monster".

The defending barrister also suggested that Mr Adebolajo was "the most law-abiding terrorist in the history of this country" as his client paid for a parking ticket moments before the alleged murder took place.

Mr Gottlieb later explained that he was using a "Sherlock Holmes" approach, adding: "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

He said there were unarmed police near the scene, but Mr Adebolajo chose to wait for armed teams, which would not fit with an intention to kill an officer.

The barrister went on to tell the panel of eight women and four men that the issue of what motivated Mr Adebolajo "raises awkward questions" for the UK's political leaders.

He said: "A person, a human being, can do the most evil act in the world and not actually be evil themselves."

The alleged killers no longer face a charge of conspiracy to murder a police officer after the judge discharged the jury from any further consideration of that count.

Mr Adebolajo, 29 and Mr Adebowale, 22, still face counts of murder and attempted murder of a police officer, which they both deny.

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Top 10 Most Complained About Shows Of 2013

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has revealed the year's most complained about shows, with Big Brother topping the list.

The Channel 5 reality show received 965 complaints, over 200 more than any other show, to win the dubious honour for a second year running.

A majority of the complaints centred on comments by housemate Jemima Slade and her preferences on men.

On the show she revealed her inclination towards "dark-skinned Mediterranean" men, but "not black men". The comments received 305 complaints, according to Ofcom.

Viewers also complained about housemates bullying Hazel O'Sullivan as well as arguments between Ms O'Sullivan and Daley Ojuederie, another contestant on the show.

The X Factor was the second most complained about show, generating 734 complaints.

Around 317 viewers were concerned about an episode in which US pop star Lady Gaga performed in a skimpy outfit made of shells and flesh-coloured underwear.

Despite the number of complaints, Ofcom said there were no grounds to investigate against the Broadcasting Code.

ITV News came in third, with 574 complaints, many relating to coverage of the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby on May 22.

Ofcom said an investigation into the news item would be published following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.

The single most complained about TV incident in 2013 related to the BBC's Comic Relief: Funny For Money, broadcast on March 15, in which Rowan Atkinson played the Archbishop of Canterbury.

A total of 487 people complained about the programme, with many citing the actor's portrayal as offensive.

Ofcom ruled that both the use of language and the offence caused by the subject matter explored during the comedy sketch were justified by the context.

The BBC News, Emmerdale, Downton Abbey and Coronation Street were also among the top 10 most complained about shows.

:: The most complained about TV shows of 2013, to December 12

1. Big Brother: 965 complaints

2. The X Factor: 734

3. ITV News: 574

4. Comic Relief: Funny for Money: 492

5. Celebrity Big Brother: 438

6. Britain's Got Talent: 422

7. Emmerdale: 376

8. BBC News: 354

9. Downton Abbey: 252

10. Coronation Street: 225

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India: US Embassy Barriers Removed Over Spat

India has launched a series of reprisals against US officials in retaliation for the arrest and alleged heavy-handed treatment of an Indian diplomat in New York.

The government ordered the return of identity cards for US consular officials that speed up travel into and through India.

Import clearances for the US embassy will also be stopped, while New Delhi police used two trucks and bulldozers to remove concrete security barricades from in front of the US embassy.

ID cards for US consular officials have also been seized

Politicians in India, including the leaders of the two main political parties and the national security adviser, refused to meet a delegation of US politicians earlier this week.

Devyani Khobragade, India's deputy consul general in New York was arrested while dropping her daughter at school last week, for allegedly underpaying her nanny and committing visa fraud to get her into the US.

She was also allegedly handcuffed during her arrest,  strip-searched and "confined with drug addicts" before being released on $250,000 bail and surrendering her passport. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Devyani Khobragade is India's deputy consul general in New York

National security adviser Shivshankar Menon branded the treatment "barbaric".

Foreign minister Salman Khurshid said the arrest was "completely unacceptable".

He added: "We have put in motion what we believe would be effective ways of addressing the issue but also (put) in motion such steps that need to be taken to protect her dignity."

But US State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said that diplomatic security staff had followed standard procedures during the arrest and then handed her over to US Marshals.

Indian TV reported the foreign ministry was considering checking the salaries paid by US embassy staff to domestic helpers and the withdrawal of certain privileges for some US diplomats and their families.

A statement issued by the public attorney for the Southern District of New York claimed Ms Khobragade had agreed with her nanny to pay just over a third of the $9.75 US law minimum rate.

India summoned the US ambassador on Friday to protest at the arrest.

Ms Khobragade faces a maximum of 15 years in jail if convicted on both counts.

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Six US Servicemen Killed In Helicopter Crash

Six US service members have been killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, according to officials.

One person on board the aircraft was injured, but survived the crash in the southern Zabul province.

A statement issued by the Nato international military coalition said the crash was under investigation and stressed there was no insurgent activity in the area at the time.

The helicopter is thought to have developed engine trouble.

Mohammad Jan Rasoolyar, deputy governor of Zabul, said the helicopter came down in the remote Shajau district.

This year, 109 members of the US military have died in Afghanistan, from a total of 139 in the coalition.

The death toll has dropped significantly since the coalition handed over responsibility for security to Afghan forces last summer. Coalition troops are now training and assisting their Afghan counterparts.

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Russia And Ukraine Sign Deal Despite Protests

Russian President Vladimir Putin has slashed the cost of gas sold to Ukraine and agreed to buy billions of government bonds.

The deal comes amid massive protests in the Ukraine over the government rejecting closer ties with the European Union in favour of a new alliance with Russia.

Mr Putin agreed the deal after talks in Moscow with his Ukrainian counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych.

Protesters have been camped on Kiev's main square for nearly a month, angry at the prospect of being drawn back under the influence of their powerful neighbour.

Hundreds of thousands protested in Kiev on Sunday

Opposition leaders had warned Mr Yanukovich not to bother coming back to Ukraine if he "sells out" to Russia.

The deal sees Russian state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom cutting the price of gas deliveries from January 2014 to $268 (£165) per 1,000 cubic metres, from $400 (£246) per 1,000 cubic metres.

Mr Putin also said Russia would invest $15bn (£9.2bn) in Ukraine's government bonds.

The deal dramatically cuts the deal of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine

The Russian President tried to ease concerns over the deal by saying the two leaders had not discussed the idea of Kiev joining a Kremlin-led free trade bloc.

"I would like to calm everyone down, today we have not discussed the issue of Ukraine joining the Customs Union at all," Mr Putin said.

The ex-Soviet nation has been at the heart of a diplomatic tug of war between east and west since Mr Yanukovich's refusal to sign an EU trade deal last month.

Folk singers at one of the Kiev protest camps on Tuesday

The demonstrations began on November 21, but have grown in size and intensity since after unsuccessful attempts by police to clear the protest camp.

Hundreds of thousands took to the streets on Sunday in a huge rally dubbed the 'day of dignity', where they demanded the resignation of the government and called for European human rights.

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