Woman Killed By Falling Tree In High Winds

A woman has died after being hit by a falling tree in London during high winds caused by the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo.

The London Ambulance Service said the woman died at the scene in Knightsbridge, west London.

A spokeswoman said: "We were called at 11.40am to reports of a tree fallen on a person on Kensington Road.

The tail end of Gonzalo hits Perth, Scotland. Pic: Ashleigh Jolly

"We sent an ambulance crew, a responder by car, an advanced paramedic, a medical team from London's Air Ambulance by car and a duty officer to the scene.

"Sadly, despite our attempts to resuscitate the patient, a woman died at the scene."

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1. Gallery: Remnants Of Gonzalo Blow Across UK

   Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

2. A train braves the coastal route near Whitehaven in Cumbria, as the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo blew into Britain, causing rush-hour misery for road, rail and air travellers

3. Some areas were subjected to gusts of wind up to 65mph, but forecasters predicted that the worst of the weather will be over after Tuesday

5. Rough seas near Whitehaven

6. A woman struggles to hold her umbrella during windy weather on London Bridge

7. People take photographs of heavy seas in front of New Brighton lighthouse near Liverpool

8. People are covered by a breaking wave as they walk along the promenade at New Brighton

9. Looking across the River Mersey at New Brighton

10. A ship close to the seafront in roughs seas at Crosby on Merseyside

11. Large waves hit the seafront at Blackpool

12. Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

13. Visitors have to contend with gale force winds on the sea front at Blackpool

14. A coastguard vehicle drives along the promenade as waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

15. Foam from large waves and whipped up by gale force winds cover the coast road at Cleveleys near Blackpool

16. Large waves hit the seafront at Cleveleys near Blackpool

17. Waves hit the seafront at Blackpool, with the famous Blackpool Tower in the background

22. A runner on the Crosby seafront

23. A photographer on the seafront

25. A ranger vehicle on the seafront at Crosby

26. Passengers queue to check in at Heathrow Terminal 2 after some flights were cancelled

27. The departures board in Terminal 2 showing cancelled flights

28. The sea off Portland Bill in Dorset

Meanwhile, three women - one of them believed to be a wheelchair user - have been injured by a falling tree in West Sussex.

They were taken to hospital after the incident at the Southwick Recreation Ground just before 10am on Tuesday morning.

Hurricane Gonzalo - which at its peak sustained winds of 110mph - caused severe damage and a power blackout when it hit Bermuda at the end of last week.

A yellow weather warning is in place across most of the UK as the storm concludes its journey across the Atlantic.

Video: Latest Sky News UK Weather Update

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said 10% of flights with its biggest 20 carriers would be cancelled due to high winds, and more than 100 journeys have been axed so far.

"We do not know exactly how many passengers or flights that will have an impact on, although the cancellations are only expected for Tuesday," the spokesman said.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Although it will be sunny for most places, it will also feel chilly, mainly due to the winds that will be gusting up to 50mph for most places, and up to 70mph across exposed parts of the North and West.

"However, later this afternoon the winds will tend to ease from the South West and it should dry up across the Republic of Ireland and southern England later."

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pregnant Kate Glad To 'Get Out Of The House'

The Duchess of Cambridge has appeared officially in public for the first time in the six weeks since her second pregnancy was announced.

Kate joined William to welcome Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife, Mary, on an official visit to Britain.

She told Mrs Tan she had been "looking forward to getting out of the house" when the president's wife expressed her pleasure at seeing her two years after they last met.

The Duchess is still reportedly suffering from morning sickness

The Duchess, who is just over 12 weeks pregnant, has been forced to miss a number of public engagements because she is suffering from a rare and debilitating form of morning sickness.

The royal couple visited Singapore in September 2012 as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

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1. Gallery: Kate And William Announce Due Date

   The couple, pictured at the Tower of London, announced they were expecting in September

2. Prince George gets a close-up view of a bilby during a Royal visit to Australia

3. Kate has suffered from hyperemisis gravidarum - extreme morning sickness - during both pregnancies

4. The world's media looked on as the Royal couple welcomed their first child George in July 2013

5. Prince George was born at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London

6. Kate's little prince will have a little brother or sister in a few months

Kate referred to that trip when she told the president: "It's a bit colder than our last meeting." He replied: "The weather is lovely."

The royal couple made the short trip from their Kensington Palace apartment to the Royal Garden Hotel, which is next door to the palace.

Watched by a large group of photographers, they took the lift up to the presidential suite where Mr and Mrs Tan were waiting.

William appeared on good form as he looked out of the hotel window onto Kensington Palace and said: "You can probably see into our bedroom window which is a bit worrying - I wouldn't look too closely."

Mr Tan is the first Singaporean president to make a state visit to the UK and his four-day visit will include a meeting with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, as well as having talks with the Prime Minister.

The 74-year-old was a successful banker before he entered politics in 1979 and held various positions before becoming deputy prime minister.

He left government in 2005 and later ran for president - he was elected Singapore's seventh head of state in August 2011.

The visit takes place ahead of Singapore's golden jubilee - the 50th anniversary of its independence.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hammer Attacker Guilty Of Attempted Murder

A burglar who bludgeoned three sisters in a "sustained and vicious" attack as they slept in a luxury hotel has been found guilty of attempted murder.

Philip Spence has been told to expect a "very substantial sentence" after using a claw hammer to beat the wealthy tourists, leaving all three women with life-changing injuries.

The 32-year-old walked into London's four-star Cumberland Hotel in the early hours of April 6, 2014, and travelled up to the victims' room, where the door was unlocked.

The claw hammer used in the attack was on the seventh floor of the hotel

One of the women, Ohoud al-Najjar, was repeatedly bludgeoned with such force that her skull splintered, as her nine-year-old nephew hid beside her underneath the bedsheets.

The traveller, who was visiting the capital from the United Arab Emirates, survived the hammer attack, but now has just 5% brain function, is unable to speak, and has lost an eye.

Spence ran away from the scene with a case packed with iPads, expensive jewellery and smartphones, leaving the women for dead. 

The drug addict left the blood-stained weapon on the seventh floor of the hotel, which was soon traced to his accomplice, Thomas Efremi.

Although Spence, from Harlesden, north-west London, admitted the attack, he denied three counts of attempted murder, as well as conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary.

Simon Mayo QC had told Southwark crown court: "The intention of their attacker, say the prosecution, was to kill them.

"The scene that met the eyes of the police and emergency services as they arrived in the aftermath was, in the words of one of those attending, 'horrific'."

More follows...

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Baker Street Saxophone Soloist Dies

The saxophonist who played the solo on Gerry Rafferty's famous hit Baker Street, but who admitted he was "irritated" by it being out of tune, has died.

Raphael Ravenscroft, 60, found fame almost overnight following the release of the 1978 track.

He went on to work with Pink Floyd, Abba and Marvin Gaye and more recently worked as a session musician for Daft Punk and Duffy.

He died following a suspected heart attack early on Sunday.

Ravenscroft is reported to have been paid £27 for the session with a cheque that bounced, while the hit reached number three in the UK charts and number two in the US.

Rafferty was said to have earned £80,000 a year from the royalties on the song alone.

Gerry Rafferty died after a long illness in 2011

In a radio interview in 2011, Ravenscroft, of Exeter, Devon, said hearing the song annoyed him.

He said: "I'm irritated because it's out of tune. Yeah, it's flat. By enough of a degree that it irritates me at best."

He had already appeared on one disco album by Maxine Nightingale, Right Back Where We Started From, in 1976, as an arranger but emerged as one of pop-rock's most prominent sax men.

In 1990 Ravenscroft, also a former tutor of music at York College, published a successful instruction book, The Complete Saxophone Player.

In 2011, he recorded a tribute to commemorate the funeral of Rafferty called Forgiveness, which combined his saxophone playing with the voices of Grammy-nominated choir Tenebrae.

Rafferty was also famous for his hit Stuck In The Middle With You which he recorded with his band Stealers Wheel.

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Aid Boss Joins British Troops Battling Ebola

By Alex Rossi, Senior News Correspondent

The International Development Secretary has joined troops on a flight to Sierra Leone to see how British aid is being distributed in the fight against Ebola.

Justine Greening is calling on the international community to do more in the battle against the virus.

During her two-day visit Ms Greening will visit an Ebola training academy which is in the final stages of construction.

She said it is paramount that Britain continues to lead the fight against the deadly disease in Sierra Leone if it is to be stopped from spreading to other parts of the world.

Justine Greening chats to troops before the journey

"I think it matters because we have seen this disease really escalate In West Africa and really the best way we can keep the British public safe and keep the risk to the UK low is to be working with governments like Sierra Leone to help the combat Ebola over there in the first place."

Sitting alongside the minister on the flight are 135 British troops who are forming part of the UK's aid effort.

Video: Extra Troops To Sierra Leone

Major General Tim Radford, who is overseeing the operation, says they will help train local people on how to deal with the epidemic.

"The soldiers will be staying in a base just east of Freetown and they will be training (local) health care workers to go out into the community to look after the local population - we aim to train about 3,500 within the next five weeks."

Army Medic Private Anne-Marie Magaharan, from Catterick 5 Armoured Regiment, says defeating Ebola is just another kind of warfare.

Video: Ebola Tales: The Survivor

"I think it is going to be a good learning experience for some of us to go out and teach people what we have learned ourselves," she said.

"I've spoken to my friends and they've all kind of panicked and because of what I've been taught now I am able to turn around to them now and say exactly what it is and how you can prevent getting it."

The UK has pledged £125m to tackle Ebola in West Africa. The money will help to build at least five new treatment facilities - with 700 beds for patients. Some 750 troops have been sent to build them and will also provide logistical support and training.

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1. Gallery: The Desperate Fight To Contain The Ebola Outbreak

   A man rests outside the clinic.

2. A woman is comforted after medical officials remove her husband, who is suspected of having the disease.

3. Officials try to prevent themselves from spreading the disease.

4. A local who has just brought his brother to the centre. He had to rely on plastic bags tied around his hands to try to protect himself.

5. A man thought to be infected with ebola waits for treatment.

6. Patients wait to be seen by medical staff.

7. Workers try to decontaminate themselves.

8. A worker with a child who may have caught ebola.

9. A makeshift hand-washing station in Monrovia.

10. Decontaminated boots of medical staff.

11. The basic conditions make containing the disease very difficult.

West Africa has been devastated by the Ebola virus. According to the United Nations, more than 4,500 people have already died but the actual figure may be much higher.

But without more help from the outside world experts fear the number of dead could rise to a million by July next year.

Video: Ebola Cases Are 'A Wake Up Call'

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1. Gallery: Hazmat Crews At Ebola Patient's Apartment

   A team of Dallas firefighters tape off the door of the home of the latest Texas health worker to be diagnosed with ebola. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

2. A hazmat team decontaminates areas around the health worker's home. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

3. Decontamination talks outside the health worker's home. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

4. Dallas police officers and firefighters gather to distribute information leaflets in the area around the home of a sick hospital employee. Pic: Dallas Police/Twitter

5. Decontamination efforts at the apartment block. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

6. A hazmat crew prepares in Dallas. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter. Continue through for more images.

Video: Obama: I've Hugged Ebola Nurses

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Brother Killed Identical Twin In Drunken Row

A plasterer who murdered his identical twin brother in a drunken row on New Year's Eve has been jailed for life.

Robert Cerqua, 32, was convicted at Winchester Crown Court of killing his brother Christopher.

The trial heard that Cerqua stabbed his twin in a "fit of temper" after a row at their family home in Hythe, Hampshire, on December 31 last year.

Judge Mr Justice Teare said: "His death and its consequences have had, and will continue to have, a devastating effect on your parents and those close to you.

"You grew up with your brother and from time to time worked with him in the building trade.

"When you were both sober, it seems you got on well. But when each of you had too much alcohol, there was a risk an argument might break out leading to violence."

The court heard that Cerqua had served prison sentences for offences of battery and affray involving his former partners. He also had previous convictions for motoring offences and criminal damage.

Nicholas Haggan QC told the trial that the twins' parents, Peter and Denise Cerqua, were at the property when the fight broke out in the kitchen.

He said the defendant fled bare-foot and called his girlfriend, who took him to a friend's party where he continued drinking.

Cerqua turned off his mobile phone while at the party, but was traced to the address by police and arrested.

He inflicted a seven-inch stab wound to his brother's lower stomach, but told police he had acted in self-defence.

The court heard DNA found on the knife matched both the defendant and his brother because they shared the same DNA profile as identical twins.

A blood test showed Christopher had 230mg of alcohol in 80ml of blood - nearly three times the drink-drive limit.

Cerqua had told police he had a "fiery relationship" with his brother, and drinking alcohol made him "short-tempered".

Detective Inspector Simon Baker, of Hampshire Police, said: "This is a double tragedy for the family who have lost one son and now have another who has been convicted of killing him.

"Our thoughts remain with Christopher's family and friends."

Julia Woodward, senior prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Wessex, added: "His parents had to deal with the tragedy that will change their lives for ever.

"It may be that he did not intend to kill his brother but it was the prosecution case that he was guilty of the murder of his brother as he intended to cause him grievous bodily harm, which led to Christopher's death."

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

RAF Drones To Gather IS Intelligence In Syria

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

RAF Reaper drones will fly surveillance missions over Syria, the Defence Secretary has announced.

The missions will start in a matter of days but the drones won't be authorised to fire on targets.

The RAF Rivet Joint spy plane will also expand its area of operations into Syria.

Michael Fallon told MPs in a written statement: "As well as their operations over Iraq, both Reapers and Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft will be authorised to fly surveillance missions over Syria to gather intelligence as part of our efforts to protect our national security from the terrorist threat emanating from there.

"Reapers are not authorised to use weapons in Syria; that would require further permission."

Video: Travelling Through Syria

Britain has 10 Reaper drones.

They have been based at Kandahar airbase in Afghanistan but controlled by pilots based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

Sky News understands they will be moved to an airbase in Kuwait.

They are armed with Hellfire missiles and do have permission to fire at Islamic State forces in Iraq.

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1. Gallery: Human Cost Of Battle For Kobani

   A Syrian Kurdish woman and her children at a refugee camp at Suruc, Turkey. These images have emerged as Islamic State (IS) continues to fight for control of the border town of Kobani in Syria

2. Turkey dropped its refusal to allow Kurdish fighters over the border to defend besieged Kobani, saying it was now helping Iraqi peshmerga to cross the frontier in a major policy shift

3. A woman boils a kettle of tea as her children gather around in Suruc

4. Children try to get warm around the fire

5. Children look out from their tent

6. A Kurdish refugee child from the Syrian town of Kobani sits on a makeshift swing

7. A woman boils a pot of tea in front of her tent

8. The centre of Kobani is seen from near the Mursitpinar border crossing

9. A US-led coalition aircraft flies over Kobani

10. Smoke rises as bullets with tracers fly through the air after an explosion in Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by IS militants

The British Government insists strike missions in Syria can only be carried out with Parliamentary approval but the latest development will encourage accusations of mission-creep.

A Number 10 spokeswoman said: "We are using these assets to enhance our capability to gather intelligence and protect Britain from threats emanating from Syria. 

"The Prime Minister and Government have made clear that we would return to Parliament for a separate decision if we were proposing to take military action. This is about intelligence gathering.

"We've also made clear that, if there was a critical national interest at stake or we needed to act swiftly to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, we would act immediately and explain to Parliament afterwards. I think our approach is consistent with that."

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Briton Found Dead With Throat Slit In Bali

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A British man has been found dead with his throat slit and wrapped in a plastic bag on Indonesian holiday island Bali.

Locals discovered 60-year-old Robert Ellis' body in the island's Bangdun region.

A forensics doctor at Bali's Sanglah Hospital, Ida Bagus Putu Alit, confirmed reports the victim had several cuts to his throat, including one that severed a main artery.

Local police had thought Mr Ellis was an Australian citizen, because he had previously lived in Australia.

He had been living in a luxury apartment complex in the Balinese seaside district of Sanur with his Indonesian wife.

Police say the his arms and legs were tied up when a farmer discovered the body inside a plastic bag.

It is understood his body showed signs of bruising. Police believe he died early on Monday.

A spokesman at the Foreign Office told Sky News: "We were notified about the death of a British national on Bali on October 21. The Foreign Office stands ready to give consular assistance".

The spokesman added that Foreign Office officials were liaising with local police in Bali.

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Ambassador Demands Top Gear Public Apology

The Argentinian ambassador to the UK has made a formal complaint to the BBC and wants a public apology following the row over a Top Gear special filmed in the country.

The show's presenters and crew had to flee Argentina after protests and violence erupted over a car they were using for the programme.

Jeremy Clarkson was driving a Porsche with the registration number H982 FKL, which some people believed was a deliberate reference to the Falklands conflict in 1982.

Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman has denied the number plate was a "stunt" and Jeremy Clarkson was "shocked" when someone pointed out the link between the number plate and the Falklands War days into filming.

Clarkson and his co-presenters James May and Richard Hammond

A statement from the embassy said: "Argentine ambassador to the UK Alicia Castro made a formal complaint to the BBC regarding Jeremy Clarkson's provocative behaviour and offensive remarks towards the government and the Argentine people, following Top Gear's recent filming in Argentina, calling for the BBC to make a public apology."

She met the BBC's director of television, Danny Cohen, at New Broadcasting House in central London on Monday.

The complaint referred to "serious accusations" Clarkson had made against the Buenos Aires government which he said had made "political capital" out of the issue.

The embassy statement went on: "Furthermore, the Argentine ambassador deeply regretted Jeremy Clarkson's entirely false accusations of alleged resentment against British citizens in Argentina."

A BBC spokeswoman said: "The BBC has received a complaint and will apply its usual processes."

The cars were attacked by a mob

Clarkson said the attack by an angry crowd armed with rocks and pickaxe handles earlier this month was "the most terrifying thing I've ever been involved in".

He emphasised that the number plate was a coincidence and not a stunt designed to cause controversy.

Ms Castro is not the first diplomat to be upset by the long-running motoring show.

In 2011, the BBC had to apologise to the Mexican ambassador over comments made by Clarkson and co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond.

May described Mexican food as "like sick with cheese on it" and Clarkson predicted they would not get any complaints about the show because "at the Mexican embassy, the ambassador is going to be sitting there with a remote control like this (snores). They won't complain, it's fine."

In fact, the Mexican ambassador His Excellency Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza wrote to the corporation to complain about the "outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults" and the BBC had to say sorry.

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Record Number Of GCSEs And A-Levels Regraded

Record numbers of A-level and GCSE grades were changed from exams taken this summer amid growing concerns about marking.

New figures show that tens of thousands of results were altered after a big rise in papers were submitted to exam boards for rechecking and re-marking.

England's exams regulator Ofqual said it had expected to see a rise in enquiries this year following sweeping changes to the exams system, but acknowledged that the increase, especially at GCSE level, was concerning.

Head teachers said they were not surprised by the rise as many schools had seen "worrying" results which they did not believe reflected students' abilities.

The Ofqual figures show a 48% increase in the number of enquiries sent back for checks and re-marks.

Secondary schools and colleges sent back 450,500 papers, up from 304,250 last year.

This resulted in 45,500 grades being changed, up from 39,650.

Overall, nearly one in five (19.1%) inquiries resulted in a grade change, the figures show.

A breakdown of the figures shows a 56% increase in the number of GCSE results sent back by schools for checks and re-marks, while the number of A-level papers resubmitted rose by 34%.

Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: "We're not surprised to hear that there has been a significant increase in requests for re-marks.

"Many schools have told us of a worrying number of results which simply did not reflect how well students should have done."

He said there was a "lack of confidence" in the system, which had been hit by "confusing" and "ad hoc" changes to qualifications.

Ofqual chief regulator Glenys Stacey said teachers should be able to expect good quality marking and that their concerns are being taken seriously.

In a report on the figures, Ofqual said it had expected more enquiries about results this year because a move to end-of-course exams at GCSE and cuts to resits at A-level meant more exam papers were marked this summer.

The watchdog insisted it is taking action to improve the marking system, such as making the appeals system more transparent and fair.

Education minister Nick Gibb said: "Parents, pupils and schools must have faith in exam marking and we are working closely with Ofqual and the exam boards to ensure this is the case."

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