Blockbuster Shuts 129 Shops And Slashes Staff

The collapsed DVD and games rental firm Blockbuster is to close 129 of its 528 shops and axe 760 workers in the coming weeks.

Some 31 branches have already been put on notice of closure, according to the company's administrators Deloitte.

The move means the chain is already planning to close a quarter of its branches and make 18% of its workforce redundant.

It was announced just days after the chain went into administration in a run of bad news for the British high street.

There will be fears that this is just the first step in taking apart a company that employs more than 4,000 people in the UK.

Lee Manning, of administrator Deloitte, said: "Having reviewed the portfolio with management, the store closure plan is an inevitable consequence of having to restructure the company to a profitable core which is capable of being sold.

"We would like to thank the company's employees for their support and professionalism during this difficult time. We are also grateful to the customers for their continued support."

An employee helpline and an "employee assistance programme" have been set up to help staff find other jobs.

The firm's trading woes were blamed on competition from internet firms and digital streaming of movies and games.

Blockbuster had struggled to adapt to the changing market and rivalry from internet retailers including Netflix, Amazon's LoveFilm and iTunes, which now offers a movie rental service.

Its collapse came after its own plans to break into film-streaming appeared to stall in recent months.

It follows the demise of camera chain Jessops and electricals group Comet, which also blamed competition from online players for their downfall.

Just a day before Blockbuster went into administration, the music and entertainment chain HMV went under following dismal Christmas sales.

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Manti Te'o Denies Role In Dead Girlfriend Hoax

American college football star Manti Te'o has insisted he played no role in the hoax involving his 'imaginary girlfriend'.

In his first interview since the scandal erupted, the Notre Dame linebacker said he was tricked by three people who have confessed they were behind the deception and apologised.

But Te'o accepted he did lie to his father about meeting the 'girl' because he was embarrassed they had never met - and to cover that up, he lied to everyone else.

"I wasn't part of this," he told ESPN . "When they hear the facts they'll know. Two guys and a girl are responsible for the whole thing."

Te'o's virtual relationship began when a girl calling herself 'Lennay Kekua' sent him a friend request on Facebook. In the months that followed the pair had sporadic contact on the internet and over the phone.

Te'o: 'I wasn't part of this. Two guys and a girl are responsible'

But whenever he tried to speak to her on Skype, the picture was always blocked. On several occasions he arranged to meet her in person, but she would always call off the meeting or sent others in her place.

Te'o referred to Lennay as his girlfriend several times, but he denies creating 'Lennay' or her 'death' to boost his career.

After he received a message from someone who claimed 'Lennay' had died of leukaemia, Te'o admitted he misled the public about the nature of their relationship because he was too embarrassed to admit he had never met her in person.

Te'o publicly referred to Lennay as his girlfriend several times

He said: "That goes back to what I did with my dad. I knew it was crazy that I was with somebody that I didn't meet so I tailored my stories so people would think, 'yeah, he met her before she passed away'."

Te'o insisted he did not know 'Lennay' was not real until two days ago, when he claims he was contacted by a 22-year-old man who confessed he was the perpetrator, along with one other man and a woman.

He said their relationship intensified after 'Lennay' told him her father had died.

"She told me her dad passed away, and I was there. I was that shoulder to cry on, and I kind of just naturally cared for the person," he said.

But je insisted he wasn't aware she wasn't real until two days ago

He was also once told 'Lennay' had been in a car accident and was in hospital in a coma.

"I would ask to talk to her, and the only communication I had was through Noah, her brother," he said. "He would put the phone right next to her mouth and I could hear the ventilator going and she would be breathing.

"They said every time I was on the phone the nurse noticed that she must have recognised the voice because she would breath quicker and I could hear it on the phone."

When asked why he did not visit 'Lennay' in hospital, Te'o said: "It never really crossed my mind. I don't know. I was in school."

When asked what he thought should happen to the alleged perpetrator, Te'o replied: "I hope he learns, I hope he understands what he's done. I don't wish an ill thing to somebody. I think embarrassment is big enough."

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Algeria Crisis: 'Sixteen Hostages Freed'

Sixteen foreign hostages being held by Islamist fighters at a BP gas plant in Algeria have reportedly been freed.

Those freed include two Americans, two Germans and one Portuguese, a source told the Reuters news agency.

It also reported Algerian special forces had killed 11 rebels in a final assault, citing the Algerian state news agency APS.

At least 10 Britons remain unaccounted for as the army hunted the al Qaeda-linked gunmen at the complex.

Foreign Secretary William Hague chaired a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee and said on Twitter the hostage crisis would "remain our top priority until every British national is accounted for".

Earlier, around 30 foreigners were still missing after the terrorists stormed the complex on Wednesday and seized hundreds of workers.

A police checkpoint near the In Amenas gas installation

The British ambassador to Algeria is expected to get permission to go to the site with a small consulate team later today, Sky sources said.

A UK plane carrying a "diplomatic team" landed in Algeria around 280 miles from the hostage scene. Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said the SAS were on standby.

APS earlier reported 12 foreign and Algerian workers and 18 Islamist militants were killed in fighting after government troops carried out a raid at the In Amenas installation on Thursday.

Details remain sketchy but the figures suggested around a dozen of the original group of 30 heavily-armed terrorists could still be holed up at the complex -

The Algerian military controlled the vast residential barracks, while gunmen were in the industrial plant itself with an undisclosed number of hostages, making it difficult for special forces to intervene, Reuters reported.

The siege took place at the gas complex in eastern Algeria

The army is surrounding the plant and helicopters are monitoring the area, Algerian state radio said, quoting a reporter in the city of In Amenas.

Hundreds of workers escaped on Thursday when the army launched their operation, but some hostages were reportedly killed in the assault at the facility, which is jointly run by BP, the Norwegian energy firm Statoil and the Algerian state oil company.

Despite the casualties among the hostages, an Algerian government source quoted by APS strongly defended the military operation, saying it prevented a "true disaster" which would have caused "immeasurable" human and material damage.

One Briton is known to have died earlier in the crisis.

APS reported around 100 of the 132 foreign workers at the site had been freed along with 573 locally employed staff.

Irishman Stephen McFaul, who managed to flee from the kidnappers, is expected to be reunited with his family later.

People pictured outside a hospital in In Amenas

The 36-year-old father-of-two from west Belfast is understood to have been able to escape when a vehicle he was in crashed after being attacked by the Algerian army - despite having explosives placed around his neck.

Hostage Iain Strachan, 38, from Howwood in Renfrewshire, spoke to an Algerian television channel about his ordeal.

He said was "very relieved to be out", adding: "Obviously we still don't really know what's happening back on site. So, as much as we're glad to be out, our thoughts are with colleagues who are still there at the moment."

He said the Algerian army's assistance has been "fantastic". He added: "I've never been so relieved as when they came and got us off site. We thank them very much for that."

Mr Strachan was interviewed on a bus alongside Darren Matthews, 29, from Teesside.

In Amenas in eastern Algeria is near the border with Libya

Mr Matthews said: "I am relieved to be going to see friends and family. I feel safe at the moment but I won't feel 100% happy until I'm back in the UK, when I am back with my family.

"My heart goes out to the guys that are still there and hopefully everyone comes home safe because, at the end of the day, it's only work. No-one should have to go through that just for a job."

The militants are believed to be under the command of the al Qaeda-linked terrorist Mokhtar Balmokhtar, a one-eyed Algerian known as The Uncatchable, who specialises in hostage taking and has strong links with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

The group behind the raid Katibat Moulathamine, or The Masked Ones, said it was retaliating for French military intervention against al Qaeda-backed rebels in Mali.

The gunmen are said to be demanding the release of two terror figures held in the US, including the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing mastermind Omar Abdel Rahman, in return for American hostages.

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Weather: Snow And Ice Causes Heathrow Misery

The UK's busiest airport has been forced to cut its flight schedule by 20% as the country's transport network continues to struggle with freezing weather conditions.

Heathrow Airport in west London said it was reducing the number of flights scheduled for Sunday by at least a fifth after forecasters predicted another 2-6cm of snow and low visibility in the area.

Passengers are being urged to check with their airlines before travelling to the airport - where bosses are warning weather conditions at other European airports could further decimate schedules.

Passengers at Heathrow have been facing disruption after many were stranded on planes for seven hours or forced to spend a night on the floor.

More than 100 Saturday flights have been cancelled and travellers have been complaining about check-in queues of up to two hours as staff battle to clear a backlog caused by 400 cancellations on Friday.

Elsewhere, drivers are being warned of treacherous conditions after heavy snow on Friday across much of Britain turned to ice overnight.

A young woman from Peterborough was killed in a crash involving a number of vehicles shortly after 6pm on Friday, Lincolnshire Police said.

Planes grounded at Heathrow Airport

It is not known if anyone else was injured in the accident, which happened in bad weather on the A1 at Little Ponton, near Grantham.

The Met Office is forecasting less snow for Saturday but has issued yellow warnings for ice for large swathes of the country.

:: Are you stuck at Heathrow? Contact the Sky news desk on news@sky.com.

With more heavy snow possible on Sunday, the Highways Agency has said its fleet of snow ploughs and gritters will be out in force throughout the weekend.

Heathrow said its runways were open on Saturday with no restrictions, but services were still being disrupted following Friday's heavy snow.

Of 104 flights cancelled on Saturday, 100 were with British Airways, which has faced criticism for its handling of the disruption so far.

Husband and wife David and Janet Brindle, from Cumbria, branded BA's customer service and treatment of passengers caught up in the chaos as "appalling" and said some people had been close to tears.

A woman sleeping on the floor at Heathrow

The couple sat on a plane at Manchester airport from 9am until 3pm on Friday and have been stuck at Heathrow since missing their connecting flight to New Zealand.

Mrs Brindle said: "They got us off the plane but our bags weren't off. Not a single person came to tell us what was happening.

"Most people missed their connecting long-haul flights from Heathrow. We were advised to make our own way to Heathrow, so that's what we did.

"Nobody knew what they were doing. They couldn't tell us anything - they were quite rude, actually."

A British Airways spokesman said: "We have unfortunately had to make a number of cancellations today, mainly due to knock-on disruption from yesterday.

"So we've got a number of aircraft out of position and it's quite a complex operation to put that back together."

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled since Friday

BA says it is offering customers who no longer wish to travel this weekend the chance to rebook their flight at a later date and providing refunds and overnight accommodation, or letters to make a claim, to those who could not fly.

Some passengers on British Airways flights told Sky News that they have spent up to seven hours on aircraft which have never left the runway.

Sky Reporter Clare Fallon, at Heathrow, said: "It's a surreal sight, there are hundreds of people on the floor trying to get some sleep because they are essentially stranded here. Some have told me they have been here since 11am yesterday morning.

"People feel very frustrated and stressed, and they don't understand how a relatively small amount of snow has been able to cause so much chaos."

A Gatwick spokeswoman said the airport is operating as normal on Saturday, with 505 flights scheduled and no knock-on effect from earlier bad weather.

In Northern Ireland, around 2,400 homes have been left without electricity after the severe weather caused power cuts along the east Down coast.

The Highways Agency said several motorway lanes and major A roads had closed due to the snow and ice, as well as several crashes.

Drivers have been warned to be extra careful as freezing temperatures turn the snow to treacherous ice.

The deepest snowfall has been measured at 26cm in Sennybridge, Wales, although snow has been thawing in other areas and some train services have been returning to normal.

There have also been severe hold-ups for rail passengers, with many companies cancelling services to help them cope with problems caused by the weather.

Eurostar passengers are facing delays of up to 30 minutes due to speed restrictions in France.

But while commuters have been facing misery, the winter wonderland scenes have brought joy to thousands of youngsters who got a long weekend after schools were forced to shut.

The weather has also disrupted the sporting calendar, with six football matches in League One, eight in League Two and six in Scotland postponed.

Race meetings at Ascot and Haydock have also been called off.

:: Send in your weather photos and videos

Heavy snow is once again expected across the North East and Scotland, while other areas will see patchier coverage.

On Sunday, between 2-5cm of snow is predicted for the South East, the Midlands, East Anglia and Lincolnshire.

Darron Burness, from the AA, said commuting in the wintry conditions was "likely to test man and machine".

Those who decide to travel have been urged to travel prepared with a fully charged mobile phone, warm waterproof clothes, boots and a blanket, some food and drink, and have a torch, ice scraper, de-icer and a shovel.

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Lance Armstrong Admits Doping On Oprah Show

Lance Armstrong has admitted he took performance-enhancing drugs and used blood transfusions as he won his seven Tour de France titles.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the 41-year-old said it was "not possible" to win the gruelling race so many times without doping.

Armstrong confessed that he doped during all seven Tour victories from 1999 to 2005, using blood-boosting agent EPO; blood doping; testosterone, cortisone or human growth hormone.

He said: "My cocktail was EPO, transfusions and testosterone. I made my decisions. They're my mistake. And I'm sitting here today to acknowledge that and to say I'm sorry for that."

The Texan, who won the world road race title in 1993, added that his drug use began in the "mid-90s".

"I suppose earlier in my career there was cortisone and then the EPO generation began," he said.

However, he said that at the time he did not believe what he was doing was cheating.

Armstrong was interviewed in his hometown of Austin, Texas

"I looked up the definition of cheat. The definition of cheat is to gain an advantage over a rival or foe," Armstrong said. "I didn't do that. I viewed it as a level playing field."

Armstrong, who has already had his Tour wins taken away and been banned from the sport for life, acknowledged his admission was probably "too late" for most people.

"I view this situation as one big lie, that I repeated a lot of times. It wasn't as if I just said no."

He had repeatedly previously denied all accusations made against him, despite the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) found him to be a central figure in "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".

Although Armstrong acknowledged the doping, he rejected some of USADA's claims about his US Postal team, saying: "It was definitely professional and it was definitely smart, if you can call it that. But it was very conservative, very risk averse.

"But to say that that programme was bigger than the East German programme in the mid-80s, it's not true."

Armstrong denied doping on his return to cycling in the late 2000s

He denied forcing others on the team to take banned substances, but said he led by example.

Armstrong was adamant he did not dope or perform blood transfusions in 2009 or 2010, when he made his comeback to the sport, saying: "The last time I crossed that line was 2005."

He said that allegations that he did take banned substances during this comeback period were the only thing in the USADA's detailed report that "really upset" him.

It was out-of-competition testing and the so-called biological passport, which collates biological markers of doping and doping tests, that forced him to stop.

USADA chief executive Travis Tygart called the admission a "small step in the right direction".

"But if he is sincere in his desire to correct his past mistakes, he will testify under oath about the full extent of his doping activities."

The interview, which you can see again on Discovery at 8pm, was recorded in Armstrong's home town of Austin, Texas, three days before it was broadcast.

Cycling's governing body, the UCI, welcomed Armstrong's confession.

President Pat McQuaid said: "It was disturbing to watch him describe a litany of offences including, among others, doping throughout his career, leading a team that doped, bullying, consistently lying to everyone and producing a backdated medical prescription to justify a test result.

Armstrong confessed he took drugs during all his seven Tour de France wins

"However, Lance Armstrong also rightly said that cycling is a completely different sport today than it was 10 years ago. In particular the UCI's introduction of the biological passport in 2008 - the first sports federation to do so - has made a real difference in the fight against doping."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which on Thursday stripped Armstrong of his bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Games, said: "There is a positive side if these revelations can begin to draw a line under previous practices.

"We now urge Armstrong to present all the evidence he has to the appropriate anti-doping authorities so that we can bring an end to this dark episode and move forward, stronger and cleaner."

Sky's US Correspondent Amanda Walker joined cyclists at Nello's Cycles in Armstrong's hometown of Austin, Texas, to watch the interview.

She said: "Bike enthusiasts here have followed Austin's most famous son throughout his career. Most say they knew Armstrong was doping. Finally, they got to hear it from the man himself:

"With part one of the interview broadcast, this was the verdict from some of his closest followers. Bike shop manager David Figueroa said: "I think he had a good performance. I think he spent a lot of time preparing for it and I think he's proud of himself."

"Customer and cyclist Gregg Dansom said: "As a human being, I think he's a jerk. Would I ride with him? Yeah, I don't care - I know plenty of jerks - the difference is he made up lies about people and destroyed peoples lives."

"America has another instalment to go before deciding whether to accept accept Armstrong's plea for atonement."

The Sunday Times, which was sued by Armstrong in 2004 after the paper printed allegations of his doping, said it will now be pursuing its case against him "vigorously".

A spokesman for the newspaper said: "We watched Lance Armstrong's interview with interest and noted his numerous admissions regarding taking performance-enhancing drugs.

"The Sunday Times believes that our case for recovering the £1m he obtained from us by fraud is now even stronger. We will be pursuing that case vigorously."

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Cameron Condemns 'Brutal And Savage' Attack

Algerian forces launched their rescue mission fearing an "immediate threat" to the hostages, David Cameron has told the House of Commons.

The attempt to rescue gas workers taken hostage by al Qaeda-linked militants ended in a number of deaths, including one Briton.

The Prime Minister put off a high-profile speech on Europe to stay in London and oversee developments.

After chairing a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee, he told MPs that the situation in Algeria was "continuing" but he hoped it would be resolved shortly.

He said the attack on the complex was "large, well co-ordinated and heavily armed" and appeared to be pre-planned.

A satellite image shows the scale of the sprawling gas complex

On Thursday night, fewer than 30 British citizens were believed to be "at risk" in Algeria. That number has now been "quite significantly reduced", Mr Cameron said.

Meanwhile Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said a number of Scottish residents who had been held captive have been confirmed as "safe and well".

A British plane carrying a "diplomatic team" has arrived in Algeria around 280 miles from the hostage scene.

Reuters has quoted the Algerian News Agency as saying 650 hostages have been freed, including 573 Algerians.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has cut short a visit to Australia to return to the UK.

The In Amenas facility is close to the border with Libya

Before leaving, he said: "The responsibility for the tragic events of the last two days squarely rests with terrorists who chose to attack innocent workers, murdering some and holding others hostage."

Foreign Office officials believe hostage takers could still be on the site.

Sky's Sophy Ridge said: "There has been perhaps an assumption … that this is a now just a search operation but certainly that's not the basis that the Foreign Office in the UK is working on."

The rescue attempt was launched early on Thursday without consultation with the UK. Mr Cameron was only informed it was under way when he spoke to the Algerian prime minister.

Algerian communications minister Mohamed Said Belaid said the military operation succeeded in "neutralising a large number of terrorists and freeing a large number of hostages".

He added: "But unfortunately, we are sorry to say, there were some deaths and injuries.

"We do not yet have a definitive figure. As soon as we have it, we will make it public."

One British citizen has already been confirmed dead earlier in the hostage situation.

Among those confirmed freed include Irishman Stephen McFaul and three Japanese workers.

The militant group believed to have carried out the raid on the In Amenas gas plant - Katibat Moulathamine or The Masked Ones - said it was retaliating for French military intervention against al Qaeda-backed rebels in neighbouring Mali.

The attack began on Wednesday morning when heavily-armed militants launched a dawn raid.

They claimed to have seized dozens of foreign workers, including Britons, Americans, Norwegians and Japanese.

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Snow: Travel Fears For Rush Hour Commuters

Britons face the prospect of a treacherous journey home from work as heavy snow continues to blanket the country, causing severe disruption in parts.

Trains have been cancelled and motorists have been caught up in slushy traffic jams, while hundreds of schools told parents to keep children at home.

Blizzards and strong winds are set to make conditions dangerous on many roads for the rest of the day - and the the bitterly cold temperatures look set to stay for the weekend.

South Wales had to bear the brunt of the wintry weather first thing, with a rare "red warning" in place from the Met Office there and up to 30cm - a foot - of snow expected. The deepest snowfall so far has been measured at 26cm in Sennybridge, Wales.

At first the Home Counties were spared the early-morning flurries, with millions leaving home for work before snow showers swept across the country.

A runway at Heathrow Airport was closed earlier

But with the ice-cold conditions expected to continue for the rest of the day, there are fears the country's transport network could be at buckling point for the rush hour.

Flights have been cancelled at airports including Heathrow, where a runway was closed so workers could clear snow and ice. It had reopened by midday after around 170 flights were pulled.

The West Country, eastern England, the North East and Scotland have also been hit hard.

More than 1,000 schools in Wales were among those shut for the day, with some sixth-form and college students having their A-level exams postponed.

Panic-buying has been reported at supermarkets in Derbyshire and Wales

Most of the UK is seeing temperatures hover around zero. Amber alerts are in place for the Midlands, London and the South, the east of England, the South West, the North West and Northern Ireland.

In Wales, a power cut left 10,000 people without electricity. There were reports of panic-buying in South Wales, the West Country and the Home Counties as shops ran low on stock.

Merthyr Tydfil has been among the worst hit areas and the A4232 leading into Cardiff was packed with commuters who left home despite the conditions. The closure of a section of the M4 at Bridgend caused morning rush hour headaches for many.

There have been severe hold-ups for rail passengers, with many companies cancelling services to help them cope with problems caused by the weather.

Some have been making the most of the weather

Eurostar axed four services between London and Brussels. Train firms are advising passengers to check with operators before travelling.

While commuters have been facing misery, the winter wonderland scenes have brought joy to thousands of youngsters who got the day off.

Sky's David Crabtree said pupils at well over 100 schools were told to stay at home across the West Midlands as the region braces for a 14-hour deluge of snow.

Few parts of the UK will escape the wintry weather as it continues into the weekend.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said between 20-30cm of snow could fall in South Wales, with blizzards and snow drifts in higher areas.

The Met Office has a red alert in South Wales - amber and yellow elsewhere

She said: "There will be heavy snow across Wales for most of the day.

"Southwest England can also expect snow, and it will continue spreading east into the Midlands, northwest England, central and southern England by this afternoon."

:: Send in your weather photos and videos

Snow will later reach Scotland, northeast England, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and East Anglia, she said.

A bactrian camel braves the snow at Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire

There is up to 10cm of snow likely in northern and eastern England as well as Ireland and southern and eastern Scotland on Saturday. Snow elsewhere will be lighter but it will be bitterly cold.

Sunday could also bring persistent but light snow to southeast England and some flurries for Scotland.

Darron Burness, from the AA, said commuting in the wintry conditions was "likely to test man and machine".

Those who decide to travel have been urged to travel prepared with a fully charged mobile phone, warm waterproof clothes, boots and a blanket, some food and drink, and have a torch, ice scraper, de-icer and a shovel.

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Parents Guilty Of Son's Methadone Death

A couple wept in court as they were convicted of the manslaughter of their two-year-old son who died from drinking methadone.

Riley Pettipierre died in hospital after drinking the heroin substitute from a beaker left in a bedroom at his family's flat in Belper, Derbyshire, last March.

A jury at Nottingham Crown Court found his parents, Sally Dent, 33, and Shaun Binfield, 45, guilty of his manslaughter.

During the two-week trial, the jury heard that Dent had a history of drug use going back many years and was prescribed methadone to try to rid her of the habit.

Dent regularly sold some of her methadone to other drug addicts to make extra money and was struggling to kick her addiction.

The jurors heard that a green and yellow child's beaker of the drug was left in the bedroom on March 12 last year so Dent could drink from it during the night if she needed it.

The next morning Dent, who had taken heroin the night before, woke to find Riley unconscious next to her in bed after the toddler drank the drug from the beaker.

The couple told the court a cup was usually kept on top of the wardrobe in their bedroom but had been moved on that occasion because it was more convenient for Dent.

Binfield told the court he forgot to move the cup because he had got caught up with putting the family bins out and the childcare routine after getting up on March 13.

He fought back tears as he admitted he missed three opportunities to move the cup, which the child must have managed to get hold of and drink from.

Dent called 999 and paramedics arrived at the house to find Riley lifeless. His heart had stopped beating and his lips were blue, the court heard.

The child was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving and a post-mortem showed that Riley had enough methadone in his blood, stomach and urine to prove fatal.

He is believed to have consumed between 10ml and 20ml of methadone, the court heard.

The jury took just four hours to convict Dent and Binfield of manslaughter.

Dent was also found guilty of a separate charge of cruelty to a child under the age of 16 for failing to keep methadone out of the reach of her child.

Following her conviction, the court heard Dent had previous convictions for possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, assault and prostitution.

Judge Milmo adjourned sentencing until February 19.

He thanked the jury for dealing with such an "emotionally charged" case. "This has been a distressing case and I'm afraid it has fallen to you to deal with it," he said.

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N-Dubz Dappy Guilty Over Forecourt Fight

N-Dubz frontman Dappy has been found guilty of affray in connection with a brawl at a petrol station.

The 25-year-old was also convicted by a jury at Guildford Crown Court of a charge of assault by beating, which involved him spitting at a man.

The singer was cleared of two charges of common assault in which he was accused of spitting at - but missing - two 19-year-old women.

The week-long trial heard how Dappy had been out on February 27 last year celebrating the release of his single Rockstar featuring Queen guitarist Brian May.

After spending the night in the VIP area of the Casino nightclub in Guildford, Dappy and his friends were travelling back in three cars to a recording studio in Godalming.

They stopped at a Shell garage in Woodbridge Road at about 3.30am, where Dappy approached Grace Cochran and Serena Burton.

Prosecutor Brian Stork said the women had been sitting on the kerb outside the station shop where Dappy tried to persuade them to get into the car with him.

The court was told that when they refused these advances and began to ridicule him, Dappy allegedly became angry and insulted them.

He was then accused of spitting at them but missing - the two counts of common assault faced by the singer.

Mr Stork said a man called David Jenkins who had been talking to the two women then stepped in to protect them, but was spat at by Dappy.

This spitting, which hit Mr Jenkins, made up the charge of assault by beating. The trial was told that saliva was found on Mr Jenkins' T-shirt which had a DNA link to Dappy.

The court heard that Mr Jenkins put the rapper in a headlock, leading to several other people joining in the fight.

This included two other defendants, Kieran Vassell, 25, of west London, and Kalonji Stewart, 32, of Birmingham, who were both charged with affray.

The jury convicted Vassell but cleared Stewart.

A fourth man, Alfred Miller, 28, of west London, had pleaded guilty to affray and his sentencing was adjourned.

The trial heard that Mr Jenkins suffered several broken teeth in the fight while another man, Oliver Billson, suffered a swollen eye and Christopher Gibson sustained a broken nose.

Dappy had denied attempting to pick up the two women and told the court that he only spoke to them to promote his single.

Judge Neil Stewart adjourned the case for reports to be prepared on Dappy and Vassell.

Sentencing will be carried out on February 15 and the pair were released on unconditional bail until then.

Speaking to the jury, Judge Stewart said: "Thank you for the care and attention you gave to that trial."

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Helicopter Crash: Crane Operators Late For Work

The mother of a workman who should have been in a crane that was hit by a helicopter in central London has spoken of her relief that he overslept.

Richard Moule and Nicki Biagioni were late for work and hurrying to climb the crane in Vauxhall when the helicopter clipped the structure and plunged 700ft to the ground.

Maureen Biaginoi wrote on her Facebook page: "Thank God my son is ok a bit shaken but alive.

"He defo has a guardian angel thank you thank you ssssooooo much."

Pilot Peter Barnes was killed in the crash and Scotland Yard named a second man who died as Matthew Wood, 39, from Sutton, south London.

He is believed to have been walking to work when he was killed.

Pilot Peter Barnes and Matthew Wood were killed in the crash

Twelve other people were injured and police said it was a "miracle" more were not hurt when the helicopter crashed on to the busy rush-hour street.

The crash happened at 8am on Wednesday near Vauxhall Station when an AgustaWestland 109 Power hit a high-rise crane at The Tower in St George Wharf - one of Europe's largest skyscrapers.

Mr Moule, 31, a father of two from Harlow, Essex, was supposed to be at work at 7am with his colleague Mr Biagioni, 30, but they were both late.

Mr Moule told the Daily Mail: "It was the first time I've been late since starting this job three years ago. I just woke up late.

"Call it divine intervention if you like."

He was in the basement of the building when the helicopter struck the crane and was evacuated.

He added: "The first thing I did was call my wife Stephanie and tell her 'you'll be hearing about this but I'm OK'."

Mr Biagioni, from Ongar, Essex, told The Sun he was late because his four-year-old son slept in.

His wife Leanna told the newspaper: "Nicki was at the site minutes before it happened. He gets a lift to a certain level and then climbs a ladder the rest of the way.

"If he'd been climbing he would have died from the fall for certain. It's too horrible to think about."

Mr Barnes, 50, from Berkshire, was alone in the aircraft in thick cloud when it hit the crane. It came down on land near to the building, strewing burning wreckage across the road.

The helicopter was undertaking a commercial flight from Redhill, Surrey, to Elstree, Hertfordshire, but Mr Barnes asked to be diverted to Battersea heliport because of bad weather.

Witnesses described hearing a loud bang and a flash of light as the twin-engine aircraft crashed near Wandsworth Road.

Video footage and photos flooded on to social media sites revealing chaotic scenes, burning wreckage and vehicles charred by flames.

Mother-of-five Sharon Moore, who lives on the nearby Wyvil Estate, said she saw the aircraft slice through the crane "as if it was a piece of paper".

She said: "The helicopter did not seem to know which way to turn and then it just dropped, it sliced, screeching into the metal."

Residents from nearby houses in Lambeth and Wandsworth were not allowed to return home on Wednesday night after debris was scattered over a large area, including on rooftops.

The eight-seater helicopter is owned by Cornwall-based Castle Air but was leased to another firm RotorMotion, which is based at Redhill Aerodrome.

Tributes have been paid to Mr Barnes.

Kevin Hodgson, who worked alongside him on life-saving missions with the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA), said: "Pete was as good a guy as you can imagine and one of the best pilots I've ever had the pleasure of flying with."

Mr Barnes, who also flew aircraft for films Tomb Raider II and Saving Private Ryan, had around 9,000 hours of flying time, including 3,500 hours on the type of craft involved in the incident.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said helicopter regulations for flying over London included "requirements for lighting on tall structures".

The authority said: "In addition, where appropriate, very tall structures are also notified to pilots for flight planning purposes, as was the case with the crane that was involved in this morning's accident."

Scotland Yard and the London Fire Brigade are working with other agencies including the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the CAA.

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Weather Warning: Blizzards To Blanket Britain

Heavy snowfall and icy storms are set to leave much of the country shivering during the next few days.

Motorists face travel misery on Friday when a band of snow sweeps the UK

Snow has already started to fall in parts of Wales, and is expected to hit the South West before pushing across the rest of the UK.

But forecasters are predicting the heaviest snowfall of the winter will come on Friday

Up to 10 inches of snow is expected to fall on higher ground, and between three and five inches on lower ground.

Train services are expected to be cancelled, and airports and schools to close.

Snow clings to trees in Sleights, near Whitby, in north east England

Temperatures are expected to remain below zero in most parts, making it bitterly cold, while blizzards and strong winds are set to make conditions treacherous on the roads.

Motorists are being warned that heavy snow will arrive before the morning rush-hour.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for the East Midlands, North West and South West England, Wales, the West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber.

It comes after a bitterly cold night for much of the UK, with temperatures over East Anglia dropping to -11C.

Further snow showers are expected on Saturday, particularly along eastern coastal areas, with lighter snow showers on Sunday in the Midlands and northwards.

Shoppers walk in the high street after heavy snowfall in Guisborough

Sky News weather presenter, Jo Wheeler, said: "As evening approaches, temperatures will drop, fog thickening in the east and there'll be a widespread frost.

"As the rain spreads across Wales and the South West, it will give significant snowfall, potentially up to 25cm over exposed uplands.

"There'll also be strong winds, with gusts of between 50mph and 60mph which will give blizzard conditions for a while.

"All in all, the travel situation will be quite atrocious for tomorrow's commute or school run.

"The snow will push eastwards during the day, and is expected to reach London around the middle of the day, and eastern coasts by evening.

"Behind the snow however, it will become milder, with rain showers following onto western coasts."

An upturned car on the A169 road near Whitby on Tuesday

The Highways Agency has warned motorists to check forecasts, allow extra time for their journeys and avoid any unnecessary travel.

Steve Crosthwaite, head of the agency's national traffic operations centre, said: "During periods of severe weather we also suggest people consider whether their journey is essential. They may want to delay their travel until conditions improve."

The freezing weather has already caused havoc on the roads, with the AA reporting about 1,000 breakdowns an hour.

In Kent, four accidents were reported on the A258 in three hours. The first involved a van toppling onto its side. An hour later, a car and a bus were involved in a collision. Police officers also discovered a car in a ditch, before a van crashed into a traffic sign at 7.40am.

In Norfolk, 93 schools remain closed due to the weather.

Motorists drive through snowy conditions in Pickering, northern England

London Fire Brigade has also urged caution during the "Arctic blast".

It follows the rescue of an elderly man from a serious blaze in Wembley, north London, on Wednesday, which is believed to have been caused by a halogen heater being placed too close to flammable items.

Firefighters also battled flames in Fulham, west London, after an electric blanket was left on for the weekend.

Police have said a pensioner who was found dead in the street near his home may have collapsed while clearing snow from his driveway.

Graham Clark, who was in his 70s, was discovered with serious head injuries in the village of Buxhall in Suffolk on Tuesday afternoon.

British Gas said it was expecting a "huge spike of activity" for its home service engineers this weekend, predicting they would attend around 20,000 call-outs.

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Algeria Crisis: 'Gunmen Free 25 Hostages'

Gunmen in an ongoing stand-off with Algerian forces at a gas compound have reportedly demanded safe passage, amid reports up to 25 foreign hostages are now free.

William Hague earlier condemned the killing of a Briton at the plant near the border with Libya as "cold-blooded murder".

The Briton and an Algerian were killed when around 20 attackers from an al Qaeda-backed group stormed the In Amenas facility and claimed to have taken 41 hostages.

Several British people were known to be among those taken captive. Scottish National Party leader Alex Salmond has confirmed they included Scottish people.

Various unconfirmed reports of hostages escaping or being freed from the base have emerged. In the latest, an Algerian security source said 25 people had been freed and that two of them were Japanese.

Six people were wounded in Wednesday's attack, which the group claims is a retaliation for the French military intervention against al Qaeda-backed rebels in neighbouring Mali.

The raid is believed to have been planned by Mokhtar Belmokhtar, an Islamist known as Mr Marlboro and The Uncatchable.

Algerian forces are surrounding the plant, with army helicopters overhead

His group goes under various names including Khaled Abul Abbas Brigade, the Masked Ones and The Blood Battalion and is said to have links with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a Mali-based militant group that wants to overthrow Algeria's government.

Mr Hague said he was sceptical the attack was a retaliation over the offensive against Islamist fighters in Mali because it would take longer to plan.

David Cameron earlier chaired emergency meeting on the crisis. Downing Street said it still believes the best approach is to work through the Algerian government and oil companies who share ownership of the base, such as BP.

The siege showed signs of "considerable" planning, Downing Street added.

The Prime Minister has said he will consider "any requests for assistance" from Algeria - but no such requests have been made so far, Sky's Tim Marshall said.

Algerian interior minister Dahou Ould Kablia has said his government would not negotiate with "terrorists".

An Algerian security official has said the government is in talks with the US and France over whether an international force could help.

Meanwhile, the wife of one Norwegian worker who escaped as gunmen launched their attack on a bus that was departing the site said he had been shot at.

Vigdis Sletten told Norway channel VGTV her husband, who is now being protected in a military camp, had said in a phone call: "Their guards returned the fire while they threw themselves on the floor in the bus.

"They escaped through the bus window and were taken to a military camp.

"I do not know if he is injured or not."

In its latest statement, BP said the situation remains "unresolved and fragile".

The Irish government has said a 36-year-old Irish national was among the hostages. He was believed to be unharmed.

The militant group Katibat Moulathamine - The Masked Ones - has claimed responsibility. A spokesman said the action was carried out in retaliation for Algeria allowing France to use its airspace to carry out raids on northern Mali, where France now has 1,400 troops on the ground.

Britain has provided two RAF C-17 transport aircraft to support the Mali operation as well as offering to share intelligence with Paris.

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Divorce Battle: Husband Jailed Over Cash Row

A property dealer has been given a six-month jail term after a High Court judge ruled he was in contempt of court.

Scot Young is embroiled in a divorce cash fight with his estranged wife Michelle over missing finances.

Lawyers representing Michelle Young, 48, had argued that her husband, 51, had given the High Court the "run around" after being told to provide details of his finances and should be sent to prison. 

Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Mrs Young, had told the court that Mr Young had been worth £400m in 2006 but had given  "absolutely no explanation" about where that money had gone.

And he said Mr Young pleaded poverty but seemed to be living a lifestyle "consistent with considerable wealth".

Mr Fitzgerald added: "He is going from party to party with champagne glass in his hand and his current girlfriend, some supermodel or other, on his arm."

Young, who represented himself at a High Court hearing in London on Tuesday, said Mrs Young was trying to commit him to prison out of "malice".

He said he had "done everything in my power" and asked judge Mr Justice Moor to give him more time to answer questions about his finances.

Mr Young told the court that he recently been "detained" in hospital under mental health legislation and had been unable to secure the services of a barrister.

He said he had been harassed by "eight private detectives" instructed by Mrs Young and "made unwell". He suggested that he was under greater surveillance that a terrorist.

Mr Young said he had "done everything in my power" and asked judge Mr Justice Moor to give him another 28 days to comply with orders.

The judge said Mr Young was in contempt. "He has not complied," said Mr Justice Moor. "There has been a flagrant and deliberate contempt over a very long period of time."

And he said neither a fine nor a suspended sentence would be a sufficient penalty.

Wednesday's hearing was the latest stage in a lengthy cash battle between the pair.

The Youngs, who both live in London and have two daughters, separated in 2006.

A judge two years ago ordered Young to pay Mrs Young £27,500-a-month maintenance.

Young - who has been described at earlier court hearings as a "property tycoon" - says he is bankrupt and cannot pay. Mrs Young says he has "secreted enormous assets".

The pair's claims are due to be fully argued at a trial scheduled to begin later this year.

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Helicopter Crash In London: Live Updates

9:50am

Eyewitness Mark Louis-Sidney: "I heard a loud bang, looked up and I just saw bits of propeller and parts of the aircraft falling off it, and it just plummeted straight down and a huge plume of lack smoke went up. I got on the phone straight away and got the emergency services. It happened in a matter of seconds, it was like it was in the sky and then within half a second it was on the ground. I thought, wait a minute, has this thing been shot out the sky or what?"

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BP Gas Site Hit By 'Kidnap Terror'

At least eight foreigners, including an Irishman, have been kidnapped from a gas facility part-operated by BP in Algeria.

The Foreign Office confirmed a "terrorist" incident was ongoing soon after BP said it had reported a "security incident" to the UK authorities.

But the company was yet to confirm a link to reports that Islamist militants, said to be connected to al Qaeda, had seized a number of people in an attack that had a possible revenge motive for French military action in Mali.

A French citizen was killed, according to the AP news agency, which quoted an Algerian security official.

He suggested the attack on the base, about 60 miles from the Libyan border, came at 2am and the militants involved came from Mali.

The In Amenas field (courtesy BP.com)

The official claimed that the Algerian army had since surrounded the militants and their hostages and negotiations had started.

In its statement BP said: "We can confirm that there has been a security incident this morning at the In Amenas gas field in the eastern central region of Algeria.

"The In Amenas field is operated by a joint venture of which BP is a member. Algerian authorities are engaged with the incident; UK authorities have also been advised.

"BP has activated its emergency response system and is setting up a helpline for relatives."

The company did not say whether foreigners were taken away from the facility.

The Foreign Office said: "The British embassy in Algiers is aware of the incident and is liaising with local authorities.

"We are aware that British nationals are working in the area. We cannot confirm at this stage whether any are involved in the incident. We are urgently seeking clarification from oil companies working in the area."

Downing Street sources added that the Prime Minister was being given regular briefings.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs (DPA) confirmed a 36-year-old married man from Northern Ireland, travelling on an Irish passport, was among those taken.

It is understood that Japanese, Norwegian and French nationals were also part of the group.

Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore called for the Irishman's immediate release.

He said: "The Government stands ready to use all the resources available to us to ensure that our citizen is released as soon as possible.

"I would ask that the family be allowed privacy at this difficult time."

The country's DPA added it was providing consular assistance to the family and was in close contact with its international partners and a wide range of other contacts in order to establish the facts of the situation.

A spokesman said: "At this stage, the identity and motives of the kidnappers is unknown."

More follows...

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Helicopter Crash: Two Killed In Vauxhall

Two people have been killed as a helicopter smashed into a crane in central London, crashing into two cars as it hit the ground.

Witnesses said the aircraft cartwheeled out of the sky after hitting the crane on St George Wharf Tower, in Vauxhall, amid heavy fog. It then exploded into flames.

The pilot - the only person aboard the helicopter - and a person on the ground were killed, the Metropolitan Police said.

Thirteen people were injured. Six are in hospital, with one reported to be in a critical condition, and seven were treated at the scene, police said.

One man was rescued from a burning car, London Fire Brigade said.

Burning wreckage and aviation fuel covered the road, as cars caught fire and people screamed and ran seeking shelter from the flying debris, witnesses have said.

Flames raged and a huge column of black smoke billowed from the crash site just off Wandsworth Road near South Lambeth Road.

Firefighters say the crane is now in a "precarious" position, but rule out any "imminent risk" of a collapse.

They have urged people to stay away from the area while specialists assess the damage sustained by the crane.

Some cars caught fire and one man was rescued from a burning vehicle

Rescue crews searched the River Thames following reports that somebody had been seen in the water after the crash.

Emergency services say the Agusta 109 helicopter was on a scheduled commercial flight from Surrey to Elstree, but was diverted to Battersea due to bad weather.

London City Airport in Docklands had delays earlier in the day due to poor visibility.

Shortly after the crash at around 8am, firefighters, police and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Michael Krumstets, who lives in the area, said he had seen the helicopter hit the crane and the aircraft fall "directly towards us".

"We ran from the side of the road and it hit the road just besides us … and then it exploded," Mr Krumstets said.

St George Wharf Tower this morning

Sarah-Beth Casey lives in an apartment near the incident. She told Sky News: "You're always worried about things like 9/11 and things like that.

"When I heard the explosion - it was like a little earthquake. It was like a gas explosion. I looked up to see debris falling off the tower."

The tower is a 185-metre (200-yard) high cylindrical block overlooking the Thames and the Houses of Parliament.

An Agusta 109 helicopter

Bruce Grain, a station manager for London Fire Brigade and among the first to arrive at the scene, said the driver of one of the cars that had been hit managed to get out, while the driver of the other vehicle could not be immediately located.

"Large parts of the helicopter are in the road," Mr Grain told Sky News. "There is debris over surrounding buildings … three buildings."

He said firefighters had extinguished the fire.

David Cameron said rules for helicopter flights over central London would need to be carefully looked at following the accident.

The Prime Minister was "very saddened to learn of the fatalities and injuries" in the crash, his spokesman said.

Aviation expert Chris Yates told Sky News that any tall structure must have a warning light on top to alert pilots. The question is, he said, whether there was a warning light on the crane and whether the pilot would have been able to see it in the foggy conditions.

The crash, which happened close to a railway line during rush hour, disrupted transport across central London.

Roads were cordoned off and train services were briefly suspended but are now running in and out of Waterloo station, while the Vauxhall tube station was closed but has now reopened.

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HMV Collapse: Gift Cards And Vouchers Invalid

The Vinyl Countdown: HMV's History

Updated: 12:21pm UK, Tuesday 15 January 2013

The chain's history spans more than 90 years - and it even played a part in helping The Beatles land their record deal.

1921

The company's landmark store in Oxford Street, London, is opened by the composer and conductor Sir Edward Elgar. Its owners, the Gramophone Company (later EMI), developed its legendary "His Master's Voice" trademark.

1962

Brian Epstein visits the store's recording studio and cuts a demo for The Beatles. It led to the band meeting Parlophone's George Martin and they recorded their first single at Abbey Road studios four months later.

1976

HMV begins to expand and has around 25 stores across the UK.

1986

The group expands overseas, opening stores in Ireland and Canada. It opens a new Oxford Circus shop, which is the world's largest record store.

1990s

HMV opens stores in Australia, the US, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Germany.

1997

The company launches its HMV UK website.

1998

EMI and venture capital firm Advent Investors create HMV Media Group, which then acquires HMV, Waterstones and Dillons - subsequently rebranded as Waterstones.

2002

HMV Media Group is renamed HMV Group and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

September 2006

Former managing director of Comet, Simon Fox, becomes chief executive of HMV Group.

2007

The chain acquires a number of Fopp and former Zavvi stores.

January 2009

HMV enters the live music market after buying venue owner MAMA Group for £46m.

January 2011

In an attempt to reduce its debt pile, the company begins to close 40 HMV stores and 20 Waterstones shops.

May 2011

Waterstones is sold to Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut for £53m.

January 2012

HMV does a deal with Universal and other music suppliers to help bolster its finances. The company's banks agree to give it more time to repay its debt.

June 2012

The company winds down its live music business, selling the Hammersmith Apollo for £32m.

August 2012

Chief executive Simon Fox says he will leave the business, with former Jessops boss Trevor Moore to take over.

December 2012

HMV admits it could breach crucial banking agreements at the start of 2013 as a result of huge debts and falling sales.

January 2013

The company calls in administrators Deloitte to oversee efforts to rescue it, leaving 4,000 jobs at risk.

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Cleaner Steals Train And Hits House In Sweden

A cleaner has been arrested after stealing a train before it crashed at high speed into a house, Swedish officials say.

Police officers at the scene of the crash

The woman was seriously injured when the train derailed at Saltsjobaden station, southeast of Stockholm, and collided with the building, police spokesman Lars Bystrom confirmed.

She was flown to hospital in the capital city and has been arrested on suspicion of endangering the public.

The woman driving the train was seriously injured

The cleaner stole the four-carriage train at a depot then drove it around a mile (1.6km) before it crashed, a spokesman for train operator Arriva said.

Witnesses said the train did not slow down when it reached the station before smashing through the stop barriers at the end of the track.

No-one in the house, which sits around 50 metres from the stop barriers, was injured and there were no passengers on board the train at the time.

The building hit by the train was evacuated following the crash

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Lance Armstrong Interview: Oprah 'Satisfied'

Oprah Winfrey has said Lance Armstrong "did not come clean in the manner I expected" during a two-and-a-half hour interview with the disgraced cyclist.

The shamed sportsman reportedly admitted using performance-enhancing drugs to the US talk show host, ending a decade of denial.

And speaking to CBS after the interview, Winfrey said she was "satisfied" with the confessional.

"I would say he did not come clean in the manner that I expected," she said.

The interview will be aired on Oprah Winfrey's television network

"It was surprising to me. I would say for myself, my team ... we were mesmerised and riveted by some of his answers.

"I feel he answered the questions in a way that (suggested) he was ready. I can only say I was satisfied with the answers."

Asked if Armstrong was contrite during the interview, Winfrey said: "I choose not to characterise.

"I would rather people make their own decisions about whether he was contrite or not. I felt that he was thoughtful, I thought that he was serious, I thought that he certainly had prepared himself for this moment. I would say that he met the moment.

"At the end of it... we were both pretty exhausted."

Winfrey tweeted after the interview: "Just wrapped with @lancearmstrong. More than 2 1/2 hours. He came READY!"

Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year after a US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) report said he was a ruthless competitor, willing to go to any lengths to win the prestigious race.

USADA chief executive Travis Tygart labelled the doping regime allegedly carried out by the US Postal Service team that Armstrong once led "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".

The interview with Winfrey is Armstrong's first public response to the report.

He is not expected to have provided a detailed account about his involvement, or addressed in depth many of the specific allegations made in the more than 1,000-page report.

A government source has told ABC News that Armstrong had also met authorities to discuss paying back some of his former team's sponsorship money from the US Postal Service.

The source also suggests Armstrong may give the names of others involved in illegal doping - leading to a possible reduction of his lifetime ban.

The American has apologised to staff at his Livestrong Foundation, saying he was sorry for the distress he had caused. He vowed he would repair the foundation's reputation.

Armstrong is said to be worth around $100m (£62m). However, most sponsors dropped him after USADA's scathing report - at the cost of tens of millions of dollars - and soon after, he left the board of Livestrong.

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BA Employee Nadia Eweida Wins Cross Case

A British Airways employee has won a landmark legal battle over her right to wear a cross at work.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Nadia Eweida, a Coptic Christian, had been discriminated against under freedom of religion laws.

But three other Christian claimants, who launched similar action, lost their cases.

Miss Eweida, 60, took her case against the UK government to the ECHR after she was sent home for wearing a small silver cross around her neck in 2006 in breach of BA uniform codes.

Registrar Lillian Ladele lost her case

She said she was "jumping for joy" at the ruling and was pleased it recognised the "anxiety, frustration and distress" she suffered.

"I'm very happy and very pleased that Christian rights have been vindicated in the UK and Europe," she added.

The British government was ordered to pay her £1,600 in damages and £25,000 to cover costs.

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "Delighted that principle of wearing religious symbols at work has been upheld - ppl shouldn't suffer discrimination due to religious beliefs."

Counsellor Gary McFarlane refused sex therapy to homosexuals

An employment tribunal in Britain had ruled Miss Eweida, who lives in Twickenham, southwest London, but is originally from Egypt, did not suffer religious discrimination.

The decision was upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court before Miss Eweida took her fight to the ECHR.

The European judges ruled there had been a violation of article nine (freedom of religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

They found a fair balance was not struck between Miss Eweida's desire to demonstrate her religious belief and BA's wish to "project a certain corporate image".

It said Miss Eweida's cross was discreet and cannot have detracted from her professional appearance.

Nurse Shirley Chaplin refused to remove a crucifix

"The court therefore concludes that, in these circumstances where there is no evidence of any real encroachment on the interests of others, the domestic authorities failed sufficiently to protect the first applicant's right to manifest her religion."

Miss Eweida returned to work in customer services at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 in February 2007, after BA changed its uniform policy on visible items of jewellery.

In a statement, the airline said it was not a party to this legal action, which was pursued against the UK government.

"Our own uniform policy was changed in 2007 to allow Miss Eweida and others to wear symbols of faith and she and other employees have been working under these arrangements for the last six years," the statement said.

Director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, welcomed the judgement

"Miss Eweida has worked continuously for British Airways for 13 years."

Judges rejected the case of nurse Shirley Chaplin, 57, after they found she was asked to remove her cross for health and safety purposes.

The ruling also found against marriage counsellor Gary McFarlane, 51, who was sacked for saying he might object to offering sex therapy to homosexuals.

The judgement said Mr McFarlane took the role at counselling service Relate in the knowledge that clients could not be divided in up in accordance with their sexual orientation.

Registrar Lillian Ladele, who was disciplined when she refused to conduct same-sex civil partnership ceremonies, also lost her legal action.

Dr John Sentamu

The court decided Islington Council's action was "legitimate" given it was also obliged to consider the rights of same-sex couples.

All three plan to appeal the decision.

In reaction to the verdict, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said: "Christians and those of other faiths should be free to wear the symbols of their own religion without discrimination.

"Whether people can wear a cross or pray with someone should not be something about which courts and tribunals have to rule."

Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty, said: "Today's judgement is an excellent result for equal treatment, religious freedom and common sense.

"Nadia Eweida wasn't hurting anyone and was perfectly capable of doing her job whilst wearing a small cross.

"British courts lost their way in her case and Strasbourg has actually acted more in keeping with our traditions of tolerance."

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William And Kate: Baby Due To Be Born In July

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby is due in July, St James' Palace has announced.

Kate's condition is also continuing to improve following her stay in hospital last month for a severe form of morning sickness, a spokesman for the couple said.

The Duchess is believed to be around 13 to 14 weeks pregnant and confirmation of the birth month means it is likely she has now had a routine 12-week scan.

"Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in July," a St James' Palace spokesman said.

"The Duchess's condition continues to improve since her stay in hospital last month."

The Duchess at an unveiling of her first official portrait last week

The announcement brings confirmation that Kate is expecting just one baby, following speculation she might have been carrying twins.

The Duchess has been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes severe vomiting during pregnancy and is more often experienced by women expecting a multiple birth.

The condition is most common in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and often eases off in the second trimester of pregnancy, which Kate is believed to be entering now.

Kate's pregnancy was announced earlier than planned on December 3 after she was admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital over the illness.

Sky News Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison said no specific due date had been revealed because traditionally a due month is announced, as was the case for Princes William and Harry.

He said: "July fits in with a lot of speculation recently - if you consider that you don't generally announce your pregnancy until 14 weeks.

"Kate and William had to because she was admitted to hospital in early December. It sits perfectly for a mid-July birth."

The new prince or princess could end up sharing a birthday with William's mother, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, who was born on July 1.

A spokesman for the couple said they were unlikely to undertake any engagements in the next few weeks because William would be concentrating on his flying with the RAF Search and Rescue Force.

The couple went on a nine-day trip to Asia and the Pacific in mid-September

He added that Kate was likely to return to engagements "in the near future".

However, once the due date draws near, any major trips - along the lines of their joint nine-day visit to Asia and the Pacific in mid-September of last year - are expected to be off the cards.

The Queen has acted to ensure the new arrival - a future King or Queen - will be entitled to be a princess if William and Kate have a daughter.

Under past rules, a daughter would have been styled Lady instead and not known as Her Royal Highness - only a first-born boy born to the Cambridges would automatically have become a prince.

The Queen has issued a Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm declaring: "All the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of royal highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour."

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Catherine Gowing: Man Admits Murdering Vet

A 46-year-old man has admitted murdering Irish vet Catherine Gowing who went missing in North Wales.

Ms Gowing's body has never been fully recovered, although remains were found at two rural locations near her home in Flintshire, north Wales, and near Chester.

Clive Sharp, of no fixed address, has pleaded guilty to her murder at a hearing at Mold Crown Court.

Ms Gowing, 37, was living in New Brighton, Flintshire, when she disappeared on 12 October, 2012.

She had been working at a vet's practice in Mold.

She was last seen since at about 8pm on the day she went missing when she was picked up on CCTV leaving an Asda supermarket in Queensferry.

Her burned out car was found in a disused quarry near her home a week later.

It took nearly three weeks before two sets of remains, later identified as Ms Gowing, were discovered in a shallow pool in Sealand, Flintshire, and at Higher Ferry, next to the River Dee, in Chester.

More than 300 people attended a remembrance service in Kinnitty, County Offaly, in the Irish Republic, earlier this month.

Her sister Emma told a packed church that she was 'the closest person to perfection', she knew.

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April's Death: Bridger 'Probably Responsible'

By Mike McCarthy, Sky News correspondent

The man accused of the abduction and murder of April Jones has appeared in court and pleaded not guilty, though his barrister says he is "probably responsible" for her death.

Mark Bridger, 47, sat in the dock at Mold Crown Court flanked by two security guards as details of the charges were read out. He clearly replied "not guilty" to the charges as April Jones' parents stared into the glass-fronted dock.

The judge made an order under the Contempt of Court Act that none of the evidence mentioned should be publicly reported.

But he added that Bridger's barrister's statement that Bridger was "probably responsible" for the death of April, could be reported.

Earlier the murmurings from people gathering in Court One were silenced as Mr and Mrs Jones walked in with police family liaison officers.

April's parents left court flanked by detectives

Mrs Jones shook her head as Bridger was led back into custody by court officers after the hearing.

As well as facing charges of abducting and murdering April, Bridger is also accused of unlawfully disposing of and concealing her body with intent to pervert the course of justice.

April's disappearance sparked an outpouring of public support, with hundreds of people joining the search in the early days. 

She was last seen playing on her bike on Machynlleth's Bryn-y-Gog estate, in north Wales, where she lived, on October 1 last year.

On the day she went missing Mr and Mrs Jones had allowed April to play out late as a treat after she received a glowing report from school.

Former lifeguard  Bridger was arrested the following day.

Officers resumed efforts to find the five-year-old's body on January 7 after a two-week break.

In December Superintendent Ian John, who is heading the search, said it will continue on the same scale and with equal numbers into the new year.

Just before Christmas her parents made an emotional plea on Facebook, which said: "We just want you home for Christmas."

The message continued: "11 weeks now my baby April been missing. It's so hard you not here running around asking how long before father Christmas is coming + you trying to open your present + try and help us wrap
presents for family + friends.. please come home."

Bridger, who appeared in court wearing jeans and a navy sweater, will face trial next month.

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Snow: Cold Snap Bites With More To Come

A heavier band of snow is on its way today after parts of Britain had a dusting overnight.

The worst affected areas are expected to be North East England, Yorkshire, East Anglia and the East Midlands, with up to 10cm (4in) of snow predicted to fall on higher ground.

The Met Office has issued amber warnings for these areas, highlighting the hazardous conditions and likelihood of disruption to travel services caused by the ice, snow and freezing temperatures.

There are also eight yellow warnings covering parts of England and Scotland, making people aware of possible disruption.

Central England will widely see up to 5cm (2in) of snow with temperatures hovering around 1C (33.8F).

A dusting of snow was earlier reported in the Midlands, southeast England, Yorkshire and parts of Scotland.

Amber and yellow warnings have been issued in the UK

A heavier band of sleet and snow is expected to move eastwards across the country today.

The second highest ice and snow alert - level three - is in force for all of England - with a 90% chance of severe cold conditions between now and Friday.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Central and eastern parts of England will have snow showers this morning, perhaps quite sleety in parts of the Midlands.

"This afternoon there will be further rain, sleet and snow for central and eastern England, southern areas most likely to have rain or sleet.

"Rain and sleet as well for Wales and western England first thing. Once this clears south-eastwards, it'll be drier and brighter for the afternoon but with some showers, some of which will be heavy and wintry."

Children play on their sledge in Bingham, Nottinghamshire

Leeds Bradford Airport reported severe weather was causing disruption to its flight schedule - but it later removed the warning from its website.

Staff at Heathrow Airport monitored the weather closely but no flights were cancelled due to the weather.

The Highways Agency reported no major problems overnight, but are still braced for potential adverse weather conditions to come.

The agency has said it is "well prepared" for winter conditions.

A spokeswoman said: "We have a fleet of 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles on standby, supported by tried-and-tested winter resilience plans.

"We have reviewed salt stock levels and taken action where needed to enhance our resilience and we have again established a reserve salt stock to help ensure that there is enough salt to deal with severe winter.

"Our roads will be treated whenever there is a risk of ice or snow. However, even when roads have been treated, drivers should still take care, especially on stretches where the local road layout or landscape means there could be a greater risk of ice forming."

Eastergate, West Sussex, by Sky News viewer Grannygill

Looking ahead to Tuesday, Ghaffar said it would be "cold again but most places will be dry with sunshine. There will be wintry showers down the east coasts with the chance of some heavier snow across Kent".

"Wintry showers as well across western coasts, especially for Wales and south-west England."

Temperatures are expected to drop further to around -8C on Wednesday night with the possibility of more light snow flurries.

:: Send us your photos or videos of the snow where you are.

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