Pope Francis To Embrace Poor As Papacy Begins

Pope Francis has vowed to embrace the world's "weakest and poorest" and called on world leaders to shun "destruction" at his inaugural mass in St Peter's Square.

Francis was interrupted by applause several times during his homily, including when he spoke of the need to serve one another with love and tenderness and not allow " hatred, envy and pride to defile our lives".

The Pope must "open his arms to protect all of God's people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important," Francis, the first Jesuit pope, said.

"He must be inspired by lowly, concrete and faithful service," said Francis, who as a Jesuit has taken a vow of poverty.

Francis is the world's first Jesuit pope

"I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life ... Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world.

"It means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live.

"It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about."

The Fisherman's Ring

The new pontiff officially began his ministry as the 266th pope and leader of the world's 1.2bn Roman Catholics when he earlier received the ring and pallium symbolising his new papal powers at the Vatican.

The pallium is a strip of lambswool that represents the Pope's role as a shepherd and the Fisherman's Ring is named in honour of the first pope St Peter, a fisherman by trade.

The grand ceremony started at 8.30am GMT in a sun-drenched St Peter's Square before about 200,000 people, including royalty, political and religious leaders.

The biggest delegation came from Argentina, led by President Cristina Kirchner, who held a private meeting with Pope Francis on Monday.

Britain was represented by the Duke of Gloucester, Kenneth Clarke MP and Baroness Warsi. The Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron did not attend.

Controversial Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe also made the journey to Rome in defiance of an EU travel ban, which does allow him to attend events within the Vatican state boundary. 

The Pope kissed several babies as he toured the square

Before the proceedings began, Francis toured a crammed St Peter's Square, kissing babies and blessing a disabled man.

In another sign of the informality that is already a mark of his papacy, Francis abandoned the bullet-proof popemobile frequently used by his more formal predecessor Benedict, to tour the square.

Francis wore a plain white papal cassock and black shoes in contrast to the luxurious red loafers that attracted attention under Benedict.

"Go Francis! We Will Be With You Wherever You Go!" read a sign held up by a group of Brazilian nuns in St Peter's Square.

Sister Rosa, an elderly Italian nun, said she expected the pope would be "another St Francis on Earth for love, goodness, poverty and humility".

Crowds had been pouring into the square and surrounding streets since before dawn.

The crowds had begun gathering from the early morning

The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the surprise choice at a conclave of cardinals to find a successor to 85-year-old Benedict, who last month brought a sudden end to a papacy, saying he was too old to carry on.

After the Mass, Pope Francis met many of the world leaders, including Mr Mugabe, before having lunch.

Leaders of the Eastern Catholic Rite were also at the ceremony, including Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Bartholomew I became the first patriarch from the Istanbul-based church to attend a papal investiture since the two branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago.

Also attending for the first time was the chief rabbi of Rome.

Francis abandoned the bullet-proof popemobile

Their presence underscores the hopes for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue in this new papacy given Francis' own work for improved relations and his namesake St Francis of Assisi.

In a gesture to Christians in the East, the pope prayed with Eastern rite Catholic patriarchs and archbishops before the tomb of St Peter and the Gospel was chanted in Greek rather than the traditional Latin.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Francis will hold meetings at the Vatican before he holds a face-to-face meeting with Benedict at Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome, on Saturday.

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Hinkley Point Nuclear Plant Given Go-Ahead

A new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset has moved a step closer after Energy Secretary Ed Davey granted planning permission.

The proposed development of Hinkley Point C by French energy company EDF is a boost for the nuclear industry following a series of setbacks in plans to construct a new fleet of reactors in the UK, which ministers say are needed to cut carbon and keep the lights on.

The deal is expected to be rubber-stamped within weeks when EDF and the Government secure agreement on the price the company will be paid for the electricity it generates.

Once up and running it is anticipated that the plant's two reactors will generate enough electricity to provide 7% of the country's needs, or power five million homes.

Mr Davey told the Commons that affordable new nuclear would play a "crucial role" in ensuring secure, diverse supplies of energy in the UK and decarbonising the electricity sector and the economy.

He also confirmed that EDF had now secured the majority of consents it needed to build and operate the plant and that he expected to announce shortly a deal on the so-called 'strike' price.

Under electricity market reforms, low-carbon power such as nuclear reactors and offshore wind farms will have long-term contracts with a guaranteed price for their electricity, to give investors certainty to invest in projects with high capital costs.

It has been reported that the costs of the new power station would run to around £14bn.

More follows...

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Bill Roache: Soap Star Sorry Over Remarks

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "very sorry for any offence caused" after he seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

The star, who plays Ken Barlow in the long-running soap, made the original remarks in a television interview, during which he said famous men can be "caught in this trap" by young female fans who follow their movements.

Speaking to New Zealand's TVNZ, he said of the victims: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

The comments echo those of Glenn Hoddle who was sacked as England's football manager in 1999 after he was quoted as appearing to suggest disabled people were paying for sins committed in previous lives.

Glenn Hoddle appeared to say disabled people were paying for previous sins

Roache has been asked by Sky News correspondent Becky Johnson: "You appear to have suggested some victims may be paying for things they did in a past life. Is that how you feel?"

The star replied: "No I would not go along and say things like that. I'm not saying that.

"In this situation where we can only talk about the law. I'm not going to talk about victims or life.

"Life is what we make it. We do come into life to learn from certain experiences and broadly some of the major experiences we have we have asked to go through. This is my understanding of life."

He added: "If you're going to pin me down and start saying 'all victims deserve what they're getting'. No I am not saying that at all."

His remarks to TVNZ were condemned by the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), which said his comments were an insult to abuse victims.

Dr Jon Bird, from NAPAC, condemned Roache's "hippy-dippy" spiritualist beliefs, saying child sex abuse left people with horrific physical and mental scars.

He said of the remarks: "This is a real insult, it is horrible. I think a lot of people will be deeply offended by what he said. Abuse is a crime. The rape of a child is an appalling crime and the long term effects we hear about include suicide."

Michael Le Vell pictured arriving at court

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court. Le Vell has insisted he is innocent.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache said: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be. They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone.

"We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

Speaking to Sky News, Roache said: "I'm not blaming anybody for anything but things were different back in the 1970s. People were more tactile.

"I think it's probably unfair to judge too harshly today on things that were done 20 or 30 years ago.

"There should be a greater understanding that things were different in those days."

He added: "I'm not excusing inappropriate and insensitive behaviour to women. I think women are wonderful and they should be treated with respect."

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Weather: No Sign Of Spring Amid More Snow

Snow has covered the north of the UK overnight as persistently cold weather keeps an unusual grip on March.

Heavy snow - up to 10cm across lowlands and 25cm on higher ground - has fallen across Scotland, with temperatures hovering around a bitter three degrees.

The Met Office has issued amber alerts for many parts of Scotland, while gale force winds are also forecast.

Driving conditions have been made difficult and more than 100 schools have closed. Aberdeenshire and the Borders are among the worst hit areas.

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang warned people to prepare for disruption.

She said: "Heavy snow and strong winds will bring travel disruption today with the worst of the conditions likely to be across central and eastern Scotland, northeast England and Northern Ireland.

"Bitter east winds will blow the snow around causing drifting and blizzard conditions."

Several inches of snow have fallen in Scotland

The outlook for the rest of the UK also looks typically unseasonal.

Lang said: "Heavy showers in other parts of Britain could also bring hail, sleet or snow, especially later today and tonight."

Meanwhile, the whole country should be braced for further snow storms and cold wet weather throughout the week - and beyond.

"Tomorrow may start with some snow in the morning, perhaps disruptive in places, but it should turn drier during the day.

"Concerns increase again, though, later in the week as wet and windy weather, preceded by snow, moves in across the southwest and spreads north across the country.

"Although rainfall totals may be enough to cause some problems across the south and southwest, it is likely to be snow that is most disruptive, especially across central and northern parts," Lang said.

The latest snowy spell continues a cold month across the UK which has brought an unwelcome delay to springtime weather.

Forecasters said that while snow was not uncommon in March, the persistent dumpings and low temperatures were unusual.

It is too early to predict if it will be a white Easter or not, but Lang warned that the run-up looked "unsettled and unspring-like".

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Father And Son Die Hiking In The Alps

A British father and his 12-year-old son who went missing while hiking in the Alps have been found dead.

Rescue services in Chamonix were called by the 48-year-old man at 2pm local time on Saturday.

He apparently said his son had fallen into a crevasse near Mont Blanc and that they were lost.

Captain Patrice Ribes, a French police officer, told Sky News that emergency services tried to trace the mobile phone call and launched a rescue mission.

But the rescuers lost contact and had to launch their search with little information about the pair's location.

A helicopter eventually spotted their bodies on Sunday morning at an altitude of 1,600m.

Capt Ribes said: "We think the father tried to find his son after he called us and asked for rescue. We believe he fell as he tried to find his son. Their bodies were found together this morning at 7.40am."

The father and son, who have not yet been named, had ventured into the Glacier des Bossons area of the Mont Blanc mountain range.

Capt Ribes said they had inadequate equipment and were exploring a "dangerous, deep, snowy" mountain trail.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are urgently looking into reports that two British nationals have been found dead in the French Alps."

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Cyprus Postpones Vote On Savings Raid Bailout

Cyprus has delayed a vote on whether savers will have to pay a levy on their bank deposits as part of an EU bailout.

The island's parliament had been due to decide whether to back the radical move later on Sunday but has pushed back the vote until Monday.

The delay came as Britain promised any UK government and military personnel would be compensated if their personal accounts were hit.

Chancellor George Osborne told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "People who are doing their duty for our country in Cyprus will be protected from this Cypriot bank tax."

Around 3,500 British military personnel are based in Cyprus.

George Osborne promises British troops will be protected

But there are tens of thousands more British residents in the country who do not fall into that category and will end up out of pocket.

Under the terms of the 10bn euro (£8.6bn) bailout by the eurozone, savers in Cyprus have to hand over up to 10% of their deposits.

The one-off levy has sparked anger in the eastern Mediterranean island, with queues at cash machines battling to withdraw their money.

Electronic transfers were blocked and the country's cooperative banks had to shut their doors after seeing a rush of savers keen to protect their money.

Christos Demetriades, 58, who was outside a shut Nicosia co-operative bank branch, said: "Politicians and senior bank bosses have covered each other's backs for years, now it's ordinary people who are paying the price and are being punished."

One disgruntled customer at a branch in the southern coastal town of Limassol briefly parked his tractor in front of its shut doors in a show of frustration.

The move marks the first time the 17 eurozone countries and the IMF have dipped into people's savings to finance a bailout.

An informal meeting earlier this morning for parties in the 56-member chamber to discuss the bank levy was also postponed by newly-elected Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.

He has said refusing the bailout would lead to the collapse of the island's two largest banks, badly burnt by their exposure to bailed out neighbour Greece.

Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades with Angela Merkel in Brussels

The tax on deposits in Cyprus, which accounts for only 0.2% of the eurozone's economy, is expected to raise up to 6bn euros (£5bn).

Those affected will include rich Russians with deposits in Cyprus and Europeans who have retired to the island as well as Cypriots themselves.

The size of foreign deposits in Cyprus - estimated at 37% of the total - was one reason the eurozone agreed to the tax on savings, to take effect when banks reopen on Tuesday.

It will apply to all deposits held in banks within Cyprus, including an estimated 2bn euros (£1.75bn) of British money, according to the European Central Bank.

It will not affect deposits held in the UK branches of Cypriot banks, such as Bank of Cyprus, whose UK subsidiary is regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

However, Laiki Bank UK said on its website: "Your eligible deposits with Laiki Bank UK are protected up to a total of 100,000 euro (£87.000) by the Cyprus Deposit Protection Scheme and are not protected by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

"Any deposits you hold above the 100,000 euro limit are not covered."

Cyprus was badly hit by the Greek financial crisis because of its close links to the country.

Its two largest banks saw combined losses of 4.5bn euros (£3.8bn) - equal to a quarter of the island's gross domestic product.

The rescue package was agreed after 10 hours of talks in Brussels and was significantly less than the 17bn euros (£14.7bn) asked for.

As part of the deal, the government will also have to hike corporate tax to 12.5% from 10% and sell off state assets to help balance the public finances.

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Pope Francis Ad Libs During His First Angelus

Pope Francis has broken with tradition while delivering the first Angelus of his papacy.

As he made his first Sunday window appearance from the balcony of a papal apartment high above St Peter's Square, he delivered off-the-cuff remarks about God's power to forgive instead of reading from a written speech.

And the 100,000-strong crowd gathered down below roared with delight.

Dozens of flags from his native Argentina were waving in the packed piazza as the former Buenos Aires archbishop began his first Angelus.

Tens of thousands packed into St Peter's Square for the Angelus

"Thank you for your welcome, and for your prayers," said the first pope from Latin America. "Pray for me," he added.

The occasion is traditionally used to comment on international issues, but Francis instead used the moment to emphasise his Italian roots.

The former cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, whose parents hailed from Italy's northwestern Piedmont region, said he chose to name himself after St Francis of Assisi because of his "spiritual ties with this land".

Flags from other Latin American nations including Colombia, Peru, Paraguay and Mexico, could also be seen in the crowd.

One banner read: "Francis, You Are the Springtime of the Church", reflecting a groundswell of hope that the choice of a humble outsider has inspired in many Catholics weary of Vatican scandal and dysfunction.

Gabriel Solis, 33, an Argentine pilgrim, said: "He will bring much peace because he seems more humble, more spontaneous. He seems closer to the people. We didn't feel that with the pope we had before."

Earlier on Sunday, Francis made an impromptu appearance to the public from a side gate of the Vatican before celebrating Mass.

Pope Francis greeting crowds earlier on Sunday

Dressed only in a white cassock, he waved to the crowd in the street outside St Anna's Gate before entering the church.

The Pope took the opportunity to shake hands with well-wishers, and kissed their babies, plunging into crowds pushing against barricades as security men and Swiss Guards stood nervously by.

Chanting "Viva Il Papa" and calling his names, the faithful jostled to greet the new pontiff, who has projected a common touch by breaking with many formal traditions since his surprise election to lead the world's 1.2bn Catholics on Wednesday.

Francis then went over to the chief of his security detail and appeared to indicate he wanted to greet two priests in the crowd, who approached and embraced him.

One said: "I think he is very different to what we are accustomed to. He has a different style, he is from the south. More natural. He is not so Vatican."

Some young American tourists said: "This is history in the making. It's great to be part of it and really exciting for us."

Soon after the Angelus, Francis sent his first tweet. It read: "Dear Friends I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me."

The first tweet from the new pope

The 76-year-old has displayed an informal style that contrasts sharply with that of his more academic predecessor Benedict XVI.

Hours after his appointment, he shunned the papal limousine for a shuttle bus with other cardinals to return to a residence inside the Vatican for a formal supper.

He also showed his humorous side during the meal. As Francis toasted the cardinals, he said to them: "May God forgive you." It brought the house down, according to US cardinal Timothy Dolan

The official car was dropped again on his first full day in office when he slipped out the Vatican for private morning prayers at Santa Maria Maggiore. The priest at the ancient Rome basilica was given just 10 minutes' notice of his arrival.

On leaving the place of worship, he insisted on settling his bill at the hotel he stayed in before the start of last week's conclave.

Pope Francis has a busy week ahead. On Monday, he will meet the President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, one of the many world leaders who are flying into Rome for the Pontiff's Inaugural Mass on Tuesday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, he holds meetings at the Vatican, and then on Saturday he will fly by helicopter to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo on the outskirts of Rome for an unprecedented meeting with Benedict who resigned last month.

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Six 'Confess' To Tourist Gang Rape In India

Six villagers in India have confessed to the gang rape of a Swiss tourist, according to police.

The woman was on a cycling holiday with her husband in Madhya Pradesh state when they were attacked.

The six men were all arrested after they admitted to the crime, a spokesman said.

The alleged rapists live in a village near the forested area where the couple had stopped to camp for the night.

They were en route to the popular tourist destination of Agra in northern India.

"They were passing by, noticed the couple putting up their tent and saw an opportunity to attack and rape the woman,"  local police official M S Dhodee said.

It is believed the man was beaten and tied to a tree while his wife was sexually assaulted.

The woman, who is thought to be around 39, was treated in hospital but released on Saturday.

The Swiss embassy said it was in touch with local authorities in Madhya Pradesh and has urged a "swift investigation and for justice to be done".

The attack comes just a few days after the man accused of leading the fatal gang rape of a student on a New Delhi bus was found hanged in his prison cell.

Police say Ram Singh took his own life in the high-security Tihar jail, where he had been on suicide watch in an isolated cell.

The case made headlines around the world and raised the issue of sexual violence against women in India.

The student's internal injuries were so horrific she died two weeks later in a hospital in Singapore despite surgery to try to save her.

Four other men and a juvenile are on trial for that attack.

One woman is raped every 20 minutes in India, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

But police estimate only four out of 10 rapes are reported, largely due to victims' fear of being shamed by their families and communities.

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Victoria Cross Award For L/Cpl James Ashworth

A soldier killed protecting his comrades in Afghanistan is to be awarded the Victoria Cross - the UK's top bravery medal.

Lance Corporal James Ashworth's courage was hailed as "beyond words" by friends who served with him until his death last June.

The 23-year-old died in a grenade attack during a fierce battle with the Taliban in Helmand's Nahr-e Saraj district.

He was on foot patrol and battling his way through compounds against enemy fighters when he was fatally wounded.

The cross was first bestowed during the Crimean War

It is expected that the rare VC award to the soldier from Kettering, Northamptonshire, will be officially announced later this month.

The VC has been awarded 10 times to British soldiers since World War Two and only once for bravery in Afghanistan.

At the time of L/Cpl Ashworth's death, his family said: "We are devastated by the loss of our son, brother, uncle and boyfriend. He meant the world to everyone and has left an irreplaceable hole in our hearts."

His father Duane was also a Grenadier Guard, while his younger brother Coran is also a soldier.

He also left behind his mother Kerryann, sisters Lauren and Paige, brother Karl and four-year-old niece Darcy, as well as his girlfriend, Emily.

His company commander, Captain Mike Dobbin, praised the soldier's actions.

He said: "Lance Corporal Ashworth was killed while fighting his way through compounds, leading his fire team from the front, whilst trying to protect his men and he showed extraordinary courage to close on a determined enemy.

"His professionalism under pressure and ability to remain calm in what was a chaotic situation is testament to his character."

Lance Corporal Ashworth's body being repatriated

Guardsman Jordan Loftus also paid tribute to his friend's bravery.

He said: "Selfless, brave, courageous ... words like these don't come close to what Ash demonstrated that day. He will be missed by all as a commander, but most of all a good mate."

L/Cpl Ashworth's Commanding Officer in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, Lieutenant Colonel James Bowder said: "Lance Corporal Ashworth was an outstanding soldier whose loss has moved us all. A real self-starter, he excelled in everything that he undertook.

"Fit, strong and brilliant at his job, he set the bar very high. Indeed, such was his calmness under pressure, his charisma, and his selflessness that he made an exemplary junior leader."

The previous recipient of the VC in Afghanistan was 29-year-old Corporal Bryan Budd of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, who died when he single-handedly stormed a Taliban position in Sangin in 2006.

The last living recipient was L/Cpl Johnson Beharry of 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment, who twice saved the lives of colleagues under enemy fire in Iraq in 2004.

The medal is the British military's highest bravery award and was first bestowed on troops during the Crimean War in 1854-55.

Johnson Beharry is the last living recipient of a medal

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India: Tourist Gang-Raped And Husband Beaten

A Swiss tourist has been gang-raped in India and she and her husband were reportedly beaten before being robbed.

The pair were on a cycling trip in the impoverished Madhya Pradesh state, when they were attacked by seven to eight men.

The perpetrators tied up the man and raped the woman in his presence, police official S M Afzal said.

He added they stole 10,000 rupees (£122) and a mobile phone from the woman.

The attack comes just a few days after the man accused of leading the fatal gang rape of a student on a New Delhi bus was found hanged in his prison cell.

Police say Ram Singh took his own life in the high-security Tihar jail where he had been on suicide watch in an isolated cell.

The case made headlines around the world and raised the issue of sexual violence against women in India.

The student's internal injuries were so horrific she died two weeks later in a hospital in Singapore despite surgery to try to save her.

The latest attack happened at a village near Datia where the 39-year-old woman and her husband were camping.

They had stopped there while on their way from Orchha to the tourist destination of Agra, home to the iconic Taj Mahal monument.

Local police superintendent C S Solanki told the Press Trust of India the couple were beaten and had their belongings stolen, and that the woman was gang-raped.

Mr Solanki said police were questioning 13 men in connection with the attack.

According to the woman's husband, a group of seven men with lathis (wooden sticks) in their hands overpowered him.

He said four of them gang-raped his wife and then beat him up.

The woman was taken to a hospital in Gwalior where a medical examination confirmed that she was gang-raped.

The couple will be asked to try to identify the accused, NDTV reported.

The chairman of India's national commission for women, Mamata Sharma, slammed the provincial government of Madhya Pradesh over its failure to curb violence against women.

She said: "The government should pay attention towards what is happening with the foreigners.

"I have said this for the past few days that the crime against women in Madhya Pradesh is increasing and the government should take stringent action to put an end to such incidents.

"Many incidents of violence against women have come into the limelight in Madhya Pradesh but the government is completely insensitive towards them.

"The accused should be punished and we should see what kind of image of India we are presenting to the outside world. The government should take strict action."

Sky's Alex Rossi, reporting from Delhi, said of the gang rape: "This is another shocking case of vionce against women, highlighting the very real problems that women face in this country on a day-to-day basis.

He added: "Foreign tourists, especially single women, face problems of unwanted sexual harassment in this country.

"This area of Madhya Pradesh in central India is known for its banditry. It is fairly lawless and it is also very poor."

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