Weapon 'Moved To Russia After MH17 Shot'

A missile launcher allegedly used to shoot down flight MH17 has been moved over the border into Russia after video emerged purportedly showing it on the back of a truck, Ukrainian officials have claimed.

The video appears to show the Buk launcher with one of the four missiles it carries missing.

The film was allegedly shot by a police surveillance squad at dawn on Friday as the truck headed to the city of Krasnodon in the direction of the Russian border.

The footage, released on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian interior minister, cannot be independently verified.

Interior minister Arsen Avakov wrote on his page: "Criminals try to hide the traces of this heinous crime (but do) not succeed.

"Security Service and Interior Ministry of Ukraine has collected and collects more irrefutable facts and evidence."

In another Facebook post, Anton Gerashchenko, a senior advisor to Ukrainian government, wrote: "The Buk installation by means of which the rocket launch was produced was moved onto the territory of the Russian Federation, where it will be most likely destroyed."

The Buk missile system of the type blamed for the attack. File pic

The footage was released as Russia and Ukraine used social media to blamed each other for shooting down the flight from Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur as it passed over Grabovo, Donetsk, killing 298 people.

Russia has said Ukraine is responsible after failing to resolve the conflict in the east, while pro-Russian separatists have denied they have the capacity to bring down the aircraft.

An unnamed US official is also reported to have told Fox News that the missile launcher is believed to be back in Russia after being moved into Ukraine a few weeks ago.

The senior official  told the broadcaster the missile was fired from Schnidze, a town in eastern Ukraine.

US intelligence used infrared data, measurements and electronic signals, among other methods, to calculate the missile's launch site, the official added.

Ukraine's counter-intelligence chief Vitaly Nada has said he has "compelling evidence" that Russian citizens were operating the missile battery that shot down MH17.

At a press conference, Alexander Borodai, the self-proclaimed prime minister of the People's Republic of Donetsk, rejected claims pro-Russian separatists had shot down the airliner.

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Rebels Accused Of Taking Bodies From Wreckage

Pro-Russian separatists have been accused of removing 38 bodies from the Malaysia Airlines crash scene and attempting to destroy evidence at the site.

Ukraine emergency officials remove a body from the crash scene

The Ukraine government said "terrorists, with the help of Russia, are trying to destroy evidence of international crimes", adding it had obtained data which showed bodies had been taken to a morgue in Donetsk.

However, Sky's Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay, at the scene, said there were reports rebels had moved bodies on Friday, but body parts were now officially being removed by Ukraine emergency ministry staff.

Ukraine's Security Council said 18sq km of the 25sq km had been explored and 186 bodies found.

The fresh claims came amid discussions between the two factions over the creation of a "security zone" around the crash scene following allegations of looting and evidence being compromised.

Concerns have been raised by Malaysia about the investigation as a team of international observers complained of being confronted by aggressive armed rebels, blocking their access to the crash site for a second consecutive day.

Ramsay said: "I know in the past shots have been fired as warnings."

Security monitors speak to a separatist at the crash scene

Critically, the monitors have been unable to speak to anyone about the whereabouts of the jet's two black box voice and data recorders.

Ukraine said they had not been handed over to Kiev and it had no information about them.

Alexander Borodai, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, denied rebels had shot down the plane, or found the black boxes, or removed bodies. But he said body parts which had fallen into people's homes had been taken away.

Russia's foreign ministry urged rebels to grant monitors access to the site, while Malaysia's transport minister Liow Tiong Lai attacked the failure to preserve evidence as a "betrayal of the lives lost"

The debris was scattered over a wide area

Reports of looting of valuables such as credit cards and cash from victims' bodies and luggage were "gaining currency", said Sky's Michelle Clifford, in Donetsk.

"It may be part of a narrative to discredit the rebels," she said. "But, I have just spoken to a contact I trust and he said with his own eyes he saw the rebels taking money and valuables from luggage at the site."

Some 298 people including 10 Britons and 80 children were killed when flight MH17, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was brought down near Grabovo, Donetsk, where Ukrainian forces have been battling separatists.

Hugh Dunleavy, Malaysia Airlines's commercial director, defended the aircraft's flight path and told Sky News up until now there had been no incident involving a civilian plane flying over the war zone.

A children's toy lies among the passengers' possessions

Reports suggested pro-Russian separatist commander Igor Strelkov had made bizarre claims bodies at the crash site had been there for days.

However, postings on his VK.com account, Russia's version of Facebook, showed he actually questioned this: "Version with a plane full of corpses, exciting, of course, but somehow can not (sic) see sense."

:: The Foreign Office has set up a helpline for anyone concerned.  Text MH17 to +447860010026, or call 020 7008 1500. Malaysia Airlines's emergency line is 00 6 037 884 1234.

British victims Richard Mayne, Ben Pocock, Glenn Thomas and Liam Sweeney

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Last British Victims Of Flight MH17 Named

The final two British victims of doomed flight MH17 have been named in a passenger list as John Allen and Andrew Hoare.

A friend of Robert Ayley, whose family earlier confirmed he was on board the Malaysia Airlines plane, has revealed the father-of-two almost missed the flight.

Bill Patteson, who was travelling with the 27-year-old around Europe visiting Rottweiler breeders, has told Sky News his friend didn't make it onto the bus to take him from his hotel to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport.

But Mr Ayley, who was originally from Guildford but moved to New Zealand as a child, managed to get there in time to board the doomed Malaysia Airlines flight, which was shot down over Ukraine with almost 300 people on board.

An ex-journalist, helicopter pilot, students and Newcastle United fans are among the other British victims.

Mr Patteson, who flew back to New Zealand the day before, said: "There were so many things that came together to make Rob be on that flight.

"The stars really had to align for Robert to be on that flight, even right down to the last minute.

"Everyone was hoping he'd missed the flight, but Robert being the great organiser that he was managed to get on his flight."

Six of the British victims on flight MH17

Mr Patteson described his friend as a "really great, confident young man" who was proud of his British roots.

Mr Ayley's wife Sharlene wrote on Facebook: "Rob was our everything. We adored him and there was no one else like him. He touched so many hearts and lives.

"We are grateful to forever have him in our hearts."

The Boeing 777-200 in February. Pic: Andreas Fietz

Mr Ayley's family said he was passionate about life and his family, adding that when it came to Rob "there were no half measures".

"He found in his boys two little people he could love, understand and trust," they said.

"When they cried they were sad, when they laughed they were happy and when they hugged it was because they loved him."

The statement added: "Sharlene and Rob are soul mates. She is his 'Princess'. She changed his life and he changed hers.

Briton Stephen Anderson was on board MH17

"She held his heart and he held hers. Rob will live forever in his family."

The other seven Britons were named yesterday.

They are: Leeds University student Richard Mayne, helicopter pilot Cameron Dalziel, Loughborough University student Ben Pocock, Newcastle fans Liam Sweeney and John Alder, World Health Organisation media officer Glenn Thomas and former RAF search and rescue co-ordinator Stephen Anderson.

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Smell Of Death At Scene Of Downed Flight MH17

Tensions are running high at the site of the crashed passenger jet as the smell of death fills the countryside air in the summer heat of eastern Ukraine, reports Sky's Stuart Ramsay.

International observers arriving at the disaster scene were confronted by armed rebels who prevented them from carrying out their investigations, with the threat of force if they failed to comply he said.

The pro-Russian militia were "firm" in dealing with the monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), with a bus initially used to block their convoy before being allowed to proceed, but under strict supervision.

Gunmen then fanned out to prevent them straying into any area they did not want them to inspect.

Ramsay said: "They were told where they could go. If they had attempted to do something it would have got nasty.

"They have allowed the OSCE to come in, but not do their job."

The observers mission had been to check on the debris of the downed plane, the crash site, and bodies being moved, but they were severely hindered in their work by the separatists.

Against this tense stand-off, emergency workers have begun the task of collecting the remains of dead passengers, with the number of body bags rapidly growing.

Ramsay said it was hot and the smell from the dead bodies was filling the air.

"It's pretty nasty," he said.

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'It Was Hit By A Rocket': MH17's Final Moments

Dramatic mobile phone footage has emerged showing debris falling from the sky and a black plume of smoke moments after flight MH17 was struck by a rocket.

The footage has garnered more than 100,000 views on YouTube after it appeared on a social media account purporting to belong to senior pro-Russian separatist Igor Strelkov.

Strelkov, known to his fighters as "Igor the Terrible", is the top military commander of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.

He posted a link to the video on the Russian website VK less than an hour after flight MH17 was shot down.

Alongside the link, Strelkov appeared to take responsibility on behalf of the separatists for shooting down an aircraft.

The post, which was later deleted from the VK account, read: "We warned you, stay away from our skies."

However, the post claimed credit for shooting down an AN-26 military transport plane, not a commercial airliner.

"We just downed an AN-26 near Torez. It is down near the Progress mine," it added.

The confusion raises the possibility that pro-Russian separatists might have mistaken the Malaysia Airlines jet for a military aircraft, and shot it down in error.

In the video three men - who are reported to be pro-Russian rebels - are heard talking about debris falling from the sky.

Igor Strelkov is the military commander of the Donetsk People's Republic

"We just saw a plane being blown to pieces," one of the men says.

Another man describes the initial explosion he witnessed as "a blast" and praises the precision of those who shot the plane down.

"Wow, that was a blast," says the first man, who adds that he thinks the plane was "hit by a rocket".

Sky News has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the footage, and it is not certain that the VK page is operated personally by Strelkov.

Candles burning at the Dutch embassy in Kiev

Strelkov is an elusive figure who is sought by Ukrainian intelligence officials as the top Russian operative in the separatist east.

He uses at least three aliases, and has vowed to "destroy" Ukrainian forces in Donetsk.

Kiev claims the separatist fighter is an agent of Russia's military intelligence.

Asked about Strelkov's background in May this year, separatist spokesperson Stella Khorosheva said he was an ethnic Russian and a veteran of the Soviet and Russian armies.

She gave no further details about his origins of his citizenship.

An armed pro-Russian separatist at the crash site

"His aides do not know if he has any other names. He has rich military experience and holds the rank of colonel," she said.

Meanwhile, the separatists have given crash investigators access to the site and journalists have been encouraged to take pictures, many of which are too graphic to show.

The names of nine British victims who were on board the plane are emerging. One was Glenn Thomas, a media officer at the World Health Organisation who was on his way to a summit in Australia on AIDS.

And one UK couple have been speaking of their shock after they were told they had to miss the flight because there were not enough seats.

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Malaysia Airlines Plane Crash Victims Named

Britons Glenn Thomas and Richard Mayne are two of nine UK nationals on board flight MH17 when it crashed in eastern Ukraine, colleagues said.

Newcastle United fans, John Alder and Liam Sweeney, who were travelling to see their football team play in New Zealand, also died in the crash, according to NUFC.com and the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.

Richard Mayne during a trip to Nepal. Pic: Facebook

Leeds University student Richard Mayne, 20, from Leicestershire, who had recently completed a charity trek to Everest Base Camp, and was described as a man who had a "great thirst for life" by his former headteacher.

Mr Thomas, 49, from Blackpool, was among 100 delegates reportedly on their way to the International Aids Society (IAS) summit in Melbourne, Australia.

He was a media officer at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva where friends today spoke of their shock and loss.

Newcastle United fan Liam Sweeney

Fadela Chaib, a spokeswoman for WHO, said: "We have lost a wonderful person and a great professional. Our hearts are broken. We are all in shock."

Some of the great minds in the fight against HIV and Aids were heading to the conference, including, it is understood, one of its former presidents Dr Joep Lange, a well-known researcher from the Netherlands.

"If this is the case then the HIV/Aids movement has truly lost a giant," the IAS said.

Dr Lange is believed to have been with partner Jacqueline van Tongeren

Among the 283 passengers and 15 Malaysia Airlines cabin crew on board were also 173 Dutch nationals, 44 Malaysians, 27 Australians, 12 Indonesians, four Germans, four Belgians, three Filipinos, one Canadian and a New Zealander.

In a bizarre twist of fate, flight attendant Sajid Singh 41, swapped flights to fly on MH17 - months after his wife swapped off the doomed MH370 which vanished flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, his his father Jijar Singh told The Malaysian Insider.

Albert Rizk and his wife Maree were returning from. Pic: Facebook

Kaylene Mann, from Queensland, Australia, who lost her brother and sister-in-law in the flight which disappeared on March 8, 2014, is now mourning the loss of her stepdaughter Maree Rizk and her husband Albert, who were on their way back to their Melbourne home after a month-long European holiday.

The Star Online reported Malaysian PM Najib Razak's step-grandmother was among the passengers aboard the fateful flight.

Sailor and businessman Nick Norris, 68, was also heading back from a breakaway in Europe with his three grandchildren, Milo Maslin, 12, Evie Maslin, 10, and Otis Maslin eight, Perth Now reported.

The children's parents were said to be devastated, while Mr Norris's daughter Natalia Gemmell, said her father was a "great man" and described her niece and nephews as "gentle, clever and beautiful kids".

Cor Pan posted a picture of the airliner on Facebook. Pic: Facebook

The Australian media also reported a much-loved nun, Philomene Tiernan, from Sydney, Toorak college teacher Frankie Davison and her husband Liam, student Elaine Teoh and her Dutch boyfriend Emiel Mahler, Canberra mother-of-two Liliane Derden and security consultant Marco Grippeling, from Melbourne, among the victims.

Young Dutchman Cor Pan, from Volendam, north of Amsterdam, who is also believed to have perished in the disaster, posted a picture of the jetliner on Facebook, minutes before he boarded it, writing: "If it should disappear, this is what it looks like."

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Double Malaysia Airlines Tragedy For Oz Family

A woman who lost her brother and sister-in-law in the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has discovered her stepdaughter was on the plane shot down over Ukraine.

Kaylene Mann's brother Rob Burrows was on board the aircraft with his wife when it went missing in March.

She has now learned that her stepdaughter Maree Rizk was killed along with 297 others on MH17, which crashed on Thursday.

US intelligence agencies believe it was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

The aftermath of the Ukraine plane crash

Ms Mann's brother Greg said: "It's just brought everyone, everything back.

"It's just ripped our guts again.

"She (Ms Mann) just lost a brother and now a stepdaughter."

Investigations will try to determine who caused the plane to crash

Mr Burrows added he did not blame Malaysia Airlines: "Nobody could predict they were going to get shot down. That was out of their hands."

Maree Rizk was returning home after a four-week holiday in Europe with her husband Albert, who also died.

The family - from Melbourne, Australia - were heavily involved with local side Sunbury Football Club.

Club president Phil Lithgow said: "They were very lovely people.

"You wouldn't hear a bad word about them - very generous with their time in the community, very community-minded, and just really very entertaining people to be with."

Club members are due to wear black armbands and observe a short silence at their game on Saturday.

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Ukraine-Russia Row Over Who 'Shot Down' Plane

Moscow has hit back after the Kiev government claimed pro-Russian separatists shot down a passenger plane, killing all 298 people on board, including 189 Dutch and nine Britons.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was heading from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur at an altitude of 33,000ft (10,000m) when contact was lost on Thursday afternoon in eastern Ukraine, close to the border with Russia.

It came down near the village of Grabovo, Donetsk in an area where Ukrainian forces have been fighting the rebels.

An emergency worker at the scene of the crash

An adviser to Kiev's interior ministry said the Boeing 777 was hit by a Buk ground-to-air missile and its president Petro Poroshenko called it an "act of terrorism".

 A preliminary intelligence report has concluded the missile was launched from inside Ukraine and fired by pro-Russian separatists, according to a senior US source.

Glenn Thomas was among the victims of the tragedy

But the Russian defence ministry reportedly pointed the finger at its neighbour, saying it picked up radar activity from a Ukrainian Buk missile system south of Donetsk when the airliner came down.

Sky's Katie Stallard said: "That doesn't correlate with the geography. This was a plane flying over territory that the Ukrainian government would perceive as friendly. Territory that they control.

Flames rise from wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines jet

"It is a slightly counterintuitive suggestion that they would perceive that aircraft as a threat when it is heading away from their friendly airspace and towards the Russian border."

Separatist leader Alexander Borodai said Ukrainian government forces were responsible, and Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "The state over whose territory this occurred bears responsibility."

However, a US official said Washington strongly suspected it was brought down by a surface-to-air missile fired by rebels.

And the Ukrainian security council claimed no missiles had been fired from the armouries of its armed forces.

Mr Putin has called for a ceasefire between the warring sides in the months-long conflict.

Flight MH17 taking off at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands

Among the British victims of the crash were Glenn Thomas and Richard Mayne. Newcastle United fans John Alder and Liam Sweeney, who were travelling to see their football team play in New Zealand, also died, according to reports.

British Prime Minister David Cameron called the catastrophe "an absolutely appalling, shocking, horrific incident" and if the jet was shot down, those responsible "must be brought to account".

The cockpit and one of the turbines were found over half a mile apart, and residents said the tail was six miles away, indicating the aircraft most likely broke up before hitting the ground.

The last known location of flight MH17

Many of the bodies strewn across the fields were largely intact - some of them were still strapped into their plane seats. People who live in the area have described seeing bodies falling through the sky.

Pro-Russian separatists said they found one of the "black box" recorders and rescue workers have recovered a second flight recorder.

There were 283 passengers and 15 crew on board. Among the victims were three infants.

Armed Russian separatists inspect the wreckage

Britain has joined the US and other countries in calling for an international probe into the disaster and American Vice-President Joe Biden said the jet appeared to have been deliberately "blown out of the sky".

Stallard said Igor Strelkov, the commander of the pro-Russian Donetsk People's Republic, appeared to have boasted about the incident on social media.

The wreckage was scattered over a wide area

In one deleted message recovered by Sky News, he allegedly wrote: "We warned you not to fly over our sky."

Ukraine's security service also released what it claimed was a recording of an intercepted phone call between two Russian military intelligence officers, discussing the downing of the plane.

A distressed woman waits for information in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia Airlines, still reeling from the loss of flight MH370, has said the route taken by flight MH17 had been declared safe by civil aviation authorities.

However, it has offered all passengers booked on any route before July 26 a full refund if they do not want to travel.

:: Malaysia Airlines has set up an emergency line for worried relatives: 00 6 037 884 1234.

The Foreign Office helpline is 0207 008 1500.

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Great White Shark Chokes On Sea Lion In Australia

A great white shark has washed up dead on an Australian beach - after choking on a sea lion.

Western Australia fisheries officials were left puzzled by the case of the four-metre (13-ft) white pointer.

It had previously been seen thrashing around in the sea off Coronation Beach, 430km (270 miles) north of Perth.

Experts found the shark, which washed up earlier this week, had no sign of visible injury or disease - but they found it had a large sea lion lodged in its throat.

"This could explain why the shark was exhibiting such unusual behaviour in shallow waters off Coronation Beach," said research scientist Rory McAuley.

"It is possible that the shark was trying to dislodge the blockage.

"Such a large object may have damaged the shark's internal organs or impeded water flow into his gills, contributing to his death.

"Alternatively, the shark may have accidentally become stranded in his attempts to get rid of the obstruction."

Local man Brad Tapper described how the shark was spotted by a man walking a dog after his pet refused to go in the water.

"When we spotted it, it was about 50 metres off the shore. We thought it was a diver or something," he told the West Australian newspaper.

"It was kind of surreal, you're watching it and you don't realise how rare it is at the time until you get home and have a look at the footage."

Some people tried to tow the shark back out to sea after it beached, but the animal returned to shore.

"We went to look at it and got within three or four metres of it, but it started kicking and thrashing around again so we thought it was time to leave," Mr Tapper said.

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'Assurance Letters' Not Amnesty For Terrorists

The assurance letters sent to around 200 Irish republicans assuring them they were not wanted by police did not amount to a terrorist amnesty, a review has found.

The scheme, which resulted in the collapse of the trial of John Downey, who was accused over the 1982 Hyde Park bombing, was "flawed" and "unprecedented", the inquiry found, but was not "unlawful".

However, the letter sent to Mr Downey assuring him he would not be prosecuted was a mistake caused by a system "open to error" and the review found that two further letters had been wrongly sent.

One letter was sent out to a potential offender after police used the wrong date of birth to search a database, which would have shown up a linked offence.

John Downey: the case collapsed in February

The second letter was sent out although the suspect was wanted for an offence committed after the Good Friday Agreement.

Lady Justice Hallett, who led in the inquiry, said: "The administrative scheme did not amount to an amnesty. Suspected terrorists were not handed a 'get out of jail free card'."

Announcing the conclusions of the review in the House of Commons, Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: "So I repeat again today to the people holding these letters, they will not protect you from arrest or prosecution and should the police succeed gathering sufficient evidence, you will be subject to due process of law."

The aftermath of the Hyde Park bombing

The judge-led review into the so-called "amnesty letters" scheme, which started in 2000, was ordered after the collapse of the trial of Mr Downey in February after a judge ruled the letter meant he could not be prosecuted.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) sent the letter even though Mr Downey was wanted by the Metropolitan police - when they realised the mistake they did not act.

Lady Hallett said the PSNI's failure to do anything about the error was "inexplicable in law and logic".

However, she found that the collapse of the trial against Mr Downey did not set a precedent in law and it did not mean that others with letters could not expect to find themselves before the courts.

The case triggered a crisis in Northern Ireland leading the Democratic Unionist First Minister Peter Robinson to threaten to resign.

He welcomed the report saying it confirmed the scheme was "wrong in principle" and "shambolic in practice".

Agreement between Tony Blair and Gerry Adams

Mr Robinson had claimed he knew nothing about the letters, however, the review found that the deal between Tony Blair's Government and Sinn Fein in the wake of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement was not a "secret".

It found Mr Blair gave Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams an assurance steps would be taken to resolve the issue of on the runs, which was seen as an issue of genuine importance to the peace process.

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement the early release of those convicted of terrorist offences during the Troubles was agreed, however, it left the question of what to do with those wanted for crimes.

The inquiry found 228 names were put forward for consideration for the scheme by Sinn Fein, the Irish Government, and the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

Of those, 156 were given letters of assurance that they were not wanted, 31 were told they were not wanted some other way, 23 were told they were wanted and 18 have not been made aware of their status. 

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Microsoft Cuts 18,000 Jobs In Nokia Cull

Microsoft has confirmed plans to "eliminate" up to 18,000 jobs worldwide as part of efforts to simplify the company's operations and cut costs.

The announcement was made in an email to staff entitled 'Starting to Evolve Our Organization and Culture' by new chief executive Satya Nadella, who is moving to reshape Microsoft into a cloud-computing and mobile-friendly software company.

The $7.2bn (£4.2bn) purchase of Nokia's mobile division - which is being integrated into Microsoft - was to account for the majority of the losses, Mr Nadella said, as overlaps were identified.

The deal, completed in April, added 28,000 positions to Microsoft's payroll.

The company, which now employs 127,104 people globally, has 3,500 staff in the UK but no announcement was made on exactly where the cuts would be made, apart from identifying 1,300 losses in Seattle.

It estimated costs of up to $1.6bn (£1bn) initially before any savings would be felt.

Mr Nadella told staff: "The first step to building the right organisation for our ambitions is to realign our workforce.

"With this in mind, we will begin to reduce the size of our overall workforce by up to 18,000 jobs in the next year.

"Of that total, our work toward synergies and strategic alignment on Nokia Devices and Services is expected to account for about 12,500 jobs, comprising both professional and factory workers.

"We are moving now to start reducing the first 13,000 positions, and the vast majority of employees whose jobs will be eliminated will be notified over the next six months.

"It's important to note that while we are eliminating roles in some areas, we are adding roles in certain other strategic areas.

"My promise to you is that we will go through this process in the most thoughtful and transparent way possible.

"We will offer severance to all employees impacted by these changes, as well as job transition help in many locations, and everyone can expect to be treated with the respect they deserve for their contributions to this company."

Microsoft's share price rose more than 1% in pre-market trading after news of the plan was confirmed.

The shake-up was seen as central to the company's shift from being software-focused to one that sells online services, apps and devices it hopes will make people and businesses more productive - challenging the dominance of firms like Samsung, Apple and Google.

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Israel And Gaza Trade Fire As Ceasefire Ends

Rockets were allegedly fired into Israel from Gaza and struck the city of Ashkelon just moments after a five-hour ceasefire, as video emerged of Palestinian militants tunnelling under the border.

It came as both Israeli and Hamas officials were said to be considering a second ceasefire at 4am local time (2am UK time) during indirect talks in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

The fragile truce did not end without incident.

The mouth of the Hamas tunnel spotted by Israeli forces

Three mortar shells were allegedly fired into Israel from Gaza two hours into the lull.

Israel's military said the mortars landed in the southern Israeli region of Eshkol, but there were no reports of injuries or damage and it was unclear if Israel would retaliate.

The attacks came after Palestinian police said three civilians were killed when Israeli tank shells landed on a house in Gaza minutes before the truce got under way at 10am local time (8am UK time).

An Israeli cannon fires artillery shells into Gaza on Thursday morning

A further four people were wounded in the attack on the southern Gazan town of Rafah, according to medics, while the Israeli military said 15 rockets were fired into Israel this morning.

The truce came into force hours after Israel said it had foiled an attack by 13 Palestinian gunmen who tunnelled in from Gaza.

A spokesman said the Hamas fighters were identified some 250 metres inside Israel and were struck by aircraft.

A home Palestinians say was destroyed by an Israeli strike before the truce

He said at least one militant was killed and the remaining fighters returned to Gaza through the tunnel, which they had been digging for some time.

They were heading towards Sufa kibbutz, a small community about a mile away, when they were spotted. 

It is the second time Palestinian fighters are reported to have infiltrated Israel from Gaza. Last week four were killed as they attempted to enter from the sea.

Gaza City (foreground) and the Israeli city of Ashkelon (background)

Around 230 Palestinians have been killed during 10 days of fighting, while one Israeli has died.

They agreed to halt fighting for five hours on humanitarian grounds on Thursday to allow aid to get through and for people to shop for provisions.

Israel said it would stand by the agreement despite the infiltration - but warned the attempted attack "could have had devastating consequences" as the Palestinian fighters were armed with "extensive weapons", including rocket-propelled grenades.

Four children were killed in an Israeli strike on a Gaza beach on Wednesday

The brief truce comes after four Palestinian children from the same family, aged nine to 11, were killed on Wednesday when a shell landed on a beach they were playing on.

Gaza's health ministry described the attack as "cowardly", while the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) promised a full investigation and said the deaths appeared to have been a "tragic outcome" of a strike aimed at Hamas militants.

Tensions in the region have been inflamed following the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers and the suspected revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager.

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Hair Salon Killer Jailed For At Least 24 Years

Asher Maslin, who stabbed his ex-girlfriend Hollie Gazzard to death at the hair salon where she worked, has been jailed for life.

Maslin, 22, was told he would have to serve a minimum of 24 years in prison.

The former security guard attacked his 20-year-old ex-girlfriend at the Fringe Benefits & La Bella Beauty salon in Gloucester on February 18.

Staff and customers tried to protect her, but Maslin cornered her and stabbed her 14 times with a £3 knife he had bought on the way to confront her. She had recently ended their relationship.

Hollie Gazzard had asked colleagues to phone police if Maslin turned up

Police were already on their way to the salon as Ms Gazzard had asked colleagues to phone 999 immediately if Maslin turned up.

She was pronounced dead just over an hour after the attack at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Maslin was arrested the following day and later admitted a charge of murder.

Sentencing him at Gloucester Crown Court, Mr Justice Teare said: "The number of stab wounds on a defenceless young woman show that this was a merciless killing.

Maslin went to the salon to confront Ms Gazzard

"It was carried out in public, witnessed by customers of the salon, colleagues of Hollie Gazzard and by passers-by.

"Hollie Gazzard was 20 years of age and at the start of her adult life. As her father said, 'the world was at her feet'.

"Hollie's father and sister have described the devastating effect Hollie's death has had on them and on other members of the family."

The judge added that Maslin had taken cocaine and crack cocaine in the days before the killing.

As he was taken away, Maslin nodded to members of his family, who were weeping in the public gallery, and said: "Sorry."

Miss Gazzard was stabbed 14 times in front of colleagues

Miss Gazzard suffered multiple wounds in the attack and died as a result of massive blood loss.

The court heard she was killed days after ending their relationship. Maslin also sent her threatening text messages before carrying out the attack.

Hollie's father Nick Gazzard said: "She was a character, she would keep you on your toes. She used to light up the room when she came home from work.

"It is such a loss now not to have her around. It was like a light bulb going on when she came in."

The family, from Churchdown, near Gloucester, have launched a foundation - the Hollie Gazzard Trust - in her memory, to protect young people from knife crime and domestic violence.

Solicitor Steven Young read a statement on behalf of Maslin's mother Sam outside the court.

It said: "Hollie's death has been a tragedy. She was a beautiful young woman and there was a time that she and Asher loved each other.

"Asher cannot explain whey he did what he did. All he can now do is express through us his deeply felt sorrow for the pain which he has caused to so many people."

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Bean said: "This horrific and violent attack was a spiteful and cowardly reaction by a self-obsessed individual who couldn't handle rejection."

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ISIS Member From Scotland 'Killed' In Iraq

The Foreign Office has said it is trying to verify reports a man brought up in Aberdeen has been killed while fighting for militant group ISIS in Iraq.

Abdul Raqib Amin, 26, was killed during fighting with government forces near Ramadi, according to social media reports.

Mr Amin, who goes by the fighter name Abu Bara al Hindi and is originally from Bangladesh, was filmed with two other UK-based men in a recruitment video for the extremist group.

The reports of his death have not been officially confirmed. It will add to his family's anguish because the ungoverned status of large parts of Iraq makes it difficult to secure confirmation.

Mr Amin appeared with two other British-based men in an ISIS video

A statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Iraq.

"We stand ready to talk to any family who may be affected.

"The UK is deeply concerned by the growth of terrorism in Iraq and Syria, which threatens the people in the entire region and the UK.

"The UK advises against all travel to Syria and much of Iraq and anyone travelling to these areas is exposing themselves to serious risk."

A woman walks past the scene of a bomb attack in Sadr City

In the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) video, posted to YouTube, Mr Amin appeared alongside students Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan - both 20 and from Cardiff. They urged Westerners to join the fighting in Iraq and Syria.

It comes as Iraqi forces were forced to withdraw from the northern city of Tikrit after meeting heavy resistance.

Government troops retreated to a base two and a half miles from the city after coming under heavy mortar and sniper fire.

Tikrit was captured by ISIS militants on June 12 and a push to retake it began at the beginning of July.

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi has proclaimed a caliphate, or Islamic state, twice the size of Israel spanning Iraq and Syria.

The group began seizing territory north of Baghdad last month and has killed captured Iraqi soldiers.

Last month, Home Secretary Theresa May said the latest figures suggest the number of UK-linked individuals who have gone to fight in Syria currently stands at around 400.

She added the the Government would "need to exercise every tool that we have" to prevent them returning home and posing a threat to UK citizens.

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More Than 600 Paedophile Suspects Arrested

An operation by the National Crime Agency involving 45 police forces has seen 660 suspected paedophiles arrested across the UK.

Thirty-nine of the 660 were registered sex offenders but the vast majority had not come to the authorities' attention before. More than 800 properties were searched.

One arrested man had access to 17 grandchildren - two of them had already made allegations against him.

Two men, one of whom is a doctor, had between them more than a million indecent images of children on their phones and computers.

Care workers and former police officers were also among the hundreds arrested.

As a result of the six-month investigation across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - which has only now been revealed - more than 400 children have been safeguarded, the NCA said.

A total of 431 children now under official protection had been in the "care, custody or control" of suspects, 127 of those children were considered to be at immediate risk of harm, the agency revealed.

None of those arrested is a serving or former MP or member of the Government, it said.

Charging decisions are still due in most cases because of continuing inquiries, but charges brought so far range from possessing indecent images of children to serious sexual assault.

The NCA's deputy director general, Phil Gormley, said: "This is the first time the UK has had the capability to coordinate a single targeted operation of this nature.

The undercover operation involved 45 police forces

"Over the past six months we have seen unprecedented levels of cooperation to deliver this result.

"Our aim was to protect children who were victims of, or might be at risk of, sexual exploitation. A child is victimised not only when they are abused and an image is taken. They are re-victimised every time that image is viewed by someone.

"Some of the people who start by accessing indecent images online go on to abuse children directly. So the operation is not only about catching people who have already offended - it is about influencing potential offenders before they cross that line.

"We want those offenders to know that the internet is not a safe anonymous space for accessing indecent images, that they leave a digital footprint, and that law enforcement will find it."

Mr Gormley said he was "profoundly disappointed" at the scale of the problem and the number of arrests police were forced to make.

It was necessary, he said, to take a harder look at the amount of people looking at child abuse images on the internet.

"The alternative," he said, "is not to look under the stone, and we cannot afford not to look under this stone."

Claire Lilley, Head of Online Safety at the NSPCC said: "This is an important two-pronged operation which has rescued children from abuse and also identified many previously unknown sex offenders.

"Direct action like this sends a strong message to those who subject children to harrowing sexual assaults that they can and will be traced and prosecuted."

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Heatwave Warning Issued For Rest Of Week

Heatwave conditions will affect parts of England later this week, with officials warning people to take precautions.

Public Health England (PHE) has issued guidance on how the extreme temperatures may affect them.

The warning comes as the Met Office issued a level 2 heat alert for parts of the South East, London, east of England and the Midlands.

A level 2 warning is triggered when the Met Office forecasts a 60% or higher chance of consecutive daily temperatures having a significant impact on health.

PHE director for health protection Dr Paul Cosford said: "While many people enjoy hot weather, high temperatures can be dangerous, especially for people who may be particularly vulnerable such as older people, young children and those with serious illnesses.

"The Heatwave Plan, which we published earlier this year, is an important component of overall emergency planning and sets out a series of clear actions that can be taken by healthcare organisations, local authorities, professionals working with vulnerable people, and individuals to help keep people safe during extreme heat.

"To prepare for any type of hot weather this summer, we strongly encourage each locality to consider the actions in this plan and adapt them to their local situation, as a component of wider resilience planning and long-term climate change adaptation arrangements."

Officials said to to be careful remaining outdoors in the hottest part of the day, avoid sunburn and avert dehydration by drinking cool liquids.

Older people and those with long-term illnesses are particularly vulnerable to the higher temperatures, so even indoors they should remain in cool areas.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist  Steve Ramsdale said: "We've got hot and humid air moving up from the continent which will see temperatures rise through to the weekend, with some high day and night-time temperatures expected by Friday.

"The humidity will make it feel close, muggy and uncomfortable for many in the heat and people should take steps to keep cool - particularly across the areas where we have issued a heat health alert."

More follows...

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'The Blob' Eats Up Education Secretary Gove

Cabinet Reshuffle At A Glance

Updated: 2:13pm UK, Tuesday 15 July 2014

David Cameron has announced a cabinet reshuffle as he prepares for a General Election next year. Here the major comings and goings:

:: Philip Hammond becomes Foreign Secretary, replacing William Hague.

:: William Hague becomes Leader of the House of Commons, replacing Andrew Lansley, and remains First Secretary of State.

:: Liz Truss becomes Secretary of State of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, replacing Owen Paterson

:: Nicky Morgan becomes Secretary of State for Education, replacing Michael Gove. She will continue as Minister for Women and Equalities.

:: Michael Gove becomes Commons Chief Whip, replacing Sir George Young. Mr Gove will have an enhanced role in campaigning and doing broadcast media interviews.

:: Michael Fallon becomes Secretary of State for Defence, replacing Philip Hammond

:: Greg Clark becomes Minister for Science and Universities, replacing David Willetts. He also becomes Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, replacing David Laws.

:: Stephen Crabb becomes Secretary of State for Wales, replacing David Jones.

:: Baroness Tina Stowell becomes Leader of the House of Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, replacing Lord Hill.

:: Jeremy Wright becomes Attorney General, replacing Dominic Grieve.

:: Mattthew Hancock becomes Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Energy, replacing Michael Fallon.

:: Mike Penning becomes Minister of State at the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, replacing Damian Green.

:: Mark Harper becomes Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, replacing Mike Penning.

:: Nick Boles becomes Minister of State for Department of Business and Department of Education, replacing Matthew Hancock.

:: David Gauke becomes Financial Secretary to the Treasury, replacing Nicky Morgan.

:: John Hayes becomes Minister of State for Transport, replacing Baroness Kramer.

:: Anna Soubry becomes Minister of State at Ministry of Defence, replacing Mark Francois.

:: Oliver Letwin becomes Lord Privy Seal, replacing Andrew Lansley. He also remains Minister for Government Policy.

:: Clare Perry becomes Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Transport.

:: Priti Patel becomes Exchequer Secretary at the Treasury, replacing David Gauke.

:: Amber Rudd becomes Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

:: Penny Mordaunt becomes a junior minister in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

:: Nick Gibb returns to the Government as Schools Minister.

:: Desmond Swayne becomes minister at the Department for International Development

:: Robert Buckland has become Solicitor General, replacing Oliver Heald.

:: Julian Brazier has become junior Defence Minister.

:: George Freeman has become Minister for Life Sciences.

:: Andrew Murrison becomes Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office.

:: Liam Fox confirms he was approached to be a minister in the Foreign Office but turned it down.

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Female Line-Up An Attempt To Win Votes

Cabinet Reshuffle At A Glance

Updated: 2:13pm UK, Tuesday 15 July 2014

David Cameron has announced a cabinet reshuffle as he prepares for a General Election next year. Here the major comings and goings:

:: Philip Hammond becomes Foreign Secretary, replacing William Hague.

:: William Hague becomes Leader of the House of Commons, replacing Andrew Lansley, and remains First Secretary of State.

:: Liz Truss becomes Secretary of State of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, replacing Owen Paterson

:: Nicky Morgan becomes Secretary of State for Education, replacing Michael Gove. She will continue as Minister for Women and Equalities.

:: Michael Gove becomes Commons Chief Whip, replacing Sir George Young. Mr Gove will have an enhanced role in campaigning and doing broadcast media interviews.

:: Michael Fallon becomes Secretary of State for Defence, replacing Philip Hammond

:: Greg Clark becomes Minister for Science and Universities, replacing David Willetts. He also becomes Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, replacing David Laws.

:: Stephen Crabb becomes Secretary of State for Wales, replacing David Jones.

:: Baroness Tina Stowell becomes Leader of the House of Lords and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, replacing Lord Hill.

:: Jeremy Wright becomes Attorney General, replacing Dominic Grieve.

:: Mattthew Hancock becomes Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Energy, replacing Michael Fallon.

:: Mike Penning becomes Minister of State at the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, replacing Damian Green.

:: Mark Harper becomes Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, replacing Mike Penning.

:: Nick Boles becomes Minister of State for Department of Business and Department of Education, replacing Matthew Hancock.

:: David Gauke becomes Financial Secretary to the Treasury, replacing Nicky Morgan.

:: John Hayes becomes Minister of State for Transport, replacing Baroness Kramer.

:: Anna Soubry becomes Minister of State at Ministry of Defence, replacing Mark Francois.

:: Oliver Letwin becomes Lord Privy Seal, replacing Andrew Lansley. He also remains Minister for Government Policy.

:: Clare Perry becomes Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Transport.

:: Priti Patel becomes Exchequer Secretary at the Treasury, replacing David Gauke.

:: Amber Rudd becomes Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Department for Energy and Climate Change.

:: Penny Mordaunt becomes a junior minister in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

:: Nick Gibb returns to the Government as Schools Minister.

:: Desmond Swayne becomes minister at the Department for International Development

:: Robert Buckland has become Solicitor General, replacing Oliver Heald.

:: Julian Brazier has become junior Defence Minister.

:: George Freeman has become Minister for Life Sciences.

:: Andrew Murrison becomes Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office.

:: Liam Fox confirms he was approached to be a minister in the Foreign Office but turned it down.

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Gove Leaves Education Job As Hague Quits

Michael Gove will leave his job as Education Secretary in the biggest reshuffle of the top jobs in Government for four years.

The 46-year-old, a controversial figure among teachers, has been swapped to the role of Commons Chief Whip - a move described as "definitely a demotion" by Sky's Political Editor Adam Boulton.

In a shake-up described as a cull of the "pale, male and stale", a number of women were promoted into key posts, as has been expected, ahead of next year's General Election.

Nicky Morgan takes over from Michael Gove as Education Secretary

The first to secure a high-profile role was Nicky Morgan from Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Women to fill the vacancy left by Mr Gove. It is a rapid rise for an MP who has only held a seat in the House of Commons for four years.

Liz Truss, also only an MP since 2010, has moved from Education Minister to Environment Secretary to replace Owen Paterson, who was criticised for his response to the flooding crisis over the winter.

Esther McVey, another of the 2010 intake, had been tipped for a move but remains as Employment Minister, although she will now attend Cabinet.

Liz Truss is the Government's new Environment Secretary

Anna Soubry has been promoted to Defence Minister with Claire Perry going to Transport as Parliamentary Under Secretary.

Priti Patel has been made Exchequer Secretary at the Treasury and Penny Mordaunt has become a Communities and Local Government minister. Amber Rudd has become an Energy and Climate Change minister.

The wide-ranging reshuffle also sees the shock departure of William Hague, who has stepped down as Foreign Secretary.

Esther McVey stays at employment but is given Cabinet role

The 53-year-old will become Leader of the House Of Commons before standing down as an MP at the next General Election in 2015.

He is replaced by outgoing Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, whose job has been taken by Michael Fallon.

Mr Hague denied Mr Hammond's appointment marked a more Eurosceptic approach in Government and said: "We are very clear and united on Europe. Philip Hammond, David Cameron and I all have exactly the same policy on Europe.

"We want to improve Britain's relationship with the EU and then hold a referendum on staying in or leaving the European Union."

Philip Hammond replaces William Hague as Foreign Secretary

Mr Hague will now help to coordinate Government policy and become a "leading campaigner in key constituencies".

He will also be the Prime Minister's special representative on preventing sexual violence in conflict, following his work with UN special envoy and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie.

Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge said: "When they said this would be a significant reshuffle, they actually meant it."

Dominic Grieve lost his role as Attorney General and has been replaced by Jeremy Wright, while Policing Minister Damian Green also lost his job, with Mike Penning getting a ministerial role in the Home Office .

Ken Clarke pictured arriving at No 10 on Monday

Mr Cameron has also announced Lord Hill will be the UK's candidate for European Commissioner, to replace Baroness Ashton in Brussels, leaving his post as Leader of the House of Lords. Baroness Tina Stowell will become the new Leader of the Lords.

Matt Hancock, a key ally of Chancellor George Osborne, takes on the post of Minister of State for Business, Enterprise and Energy from Mr Fallon and will also take on the job of Minister for Portsmouth, attending Cabinet.

Mark Harper, who was last seen resigning as immigration minister after he was discovered to be employing an illegal immigrant as a cleaner, has returned as Work and Pensions minister.

Liam Fox, who had been tipped for a return, confirmed he had been approached to be Foreign Office Minister but had turned down the offer.

Mr Hague with Angelina Jolie and US Secretary of State John Kerry

Meanwhile, Ken Clarke is retiring from Government at 74, and on Monday announced he was stepping down as minister without portfolio, bringing to an end a front bench career stretching back to 1972.

Speaking shortly after Mr Hague announced his departure, the Prime Minister paid tribute to him as a "first class Foreign Secretary" and  "a close confidante, a wise counsellor and a great friend".

Welsh Secretary David Jones has been replaced by Stephen Crabb and Transport Minister Stephen Hammond and Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd are also out.

International Development Minister Alan Duncan is standing down at his own request, while Universities Minister David Willetts has also stood down and has been replaced by Greg Clark.

In a shake-up of the Civil Service, Sir Bob Kerslake has stepped down as permanent secretary of the Department for Communities and Local Government, his role as head of the Civil Service will be handed to Sir Jeremy Heywood. 

A new role of Civil Service chief executive is to be created and will report to Sir Jeremy.

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