Costa Concordia: Five Guilty Of Manslaughter

Five people have been found guilty of manslaughter over the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster which left 32 people dead.

The court in Grosseto in Italy handed down the highest sentence to the crisis co-ordinator for the Italian cruise company Costa Crociere, Roberto Ferranini, who could serve two years and 10 months.

The ship's hotel director was sentenced to two years and six months while two bridge officers and a helmsman got sentences ranging from one year and eight months to one year and 11 months.

None are likely to go to jail though as the sentences of less than two years are suspended, and the longer sentences may be appealed or replaced with community service, judicial sources said.

On Thursday, Francesco Schettino - the captain of the Costa Concordia and the main defendant - asked the judge at his manslaughter trial to order tests on the cruise liner's wreckage to determine why electrical and other systems failed after the vessel struck a reef off the Italian island of Giglio.

Schettino talks to his lawyers in Grosseto

The outcome of his request will not be known until at least September.

His trial was adjourned until September 23 for a summer's break.

Schettino is also charged with causing the shipwreck in January 2012 and abandoning ship before all aboard had been evacuated.

His defence claims that no one died in the collision itself, but that the failure of a backup generator and supposedly water-tight compartments that were flooded created problems during the evacuation, when the deaths occurred.

If convicted, Schettino could receive up to 20 years in prison.

The cruise company Costa Crociere was given an administration fine of one million euros (£860,000) earlier this year, under a law in which companies whose employees commit crimes can be sanctioned. It has put the blame for the collision on Schettino.

Salvage experts are still attempting to work out how to right the ship, which remains stuck on a reef off Giglio, and float it away to the mainland for demolition.

The boat has become a macabre tourist attraction in the area.

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Beijing Airport Blast 'Caused By Wheelchair User'

A man has been hurt after apparently detonating a homemade bomb in an arrivals hall at Beijing International Airport.

Pictures posted on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, Weibo, showed smoke in Terminal 3 after the blast at around 6.30pm local time.

Eyewitnesses have claimed that a man was sitting in a wheelchair in the arrivals hall, shouting and waving a small bag in the air before the explosion took place.

The Sina Weibo microblog of state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said a man detonated a package of black gunpowder used to make firecrackers just outside the international arrivals exit.

Photos taken in the minutes after the explosion showed a wheelchair lying on its side, medical workers attending to someone and people running through the terminal.

Police appear to tend to a casualty. Pic: @mild_luna

A man, who local media say is Ji Zhongxing who was born in 1979 and is from Shandong Province, was injured in the blast and has been taken to hospital.

No one else was hurt in the incident and airport operations are now back to normal.

"The explosion sound was loud," said a witness who gave only his family name, Chen. He said he was only 25m away from the explosion when it occurred.

Chen said there was only one explosion, and that the terminal was crowded with people. "Since there was no second explosion, many people took out their phones and gathered near the explosion spot to take photos," he said.

He said police responded to the explosion immediately.

Sky's China Correspondent Mark Stone, at the airport, said the man may have travelled to the capital to petition for a particular social cause.

"This is looking like a tragic story really. There are a lot of people in China who call themselves 'petitioners'.

Only the wheelchair user was injured in the blast

"Every now and again they go a little bit further and it's a very much more extreme form of petitioning and that I think, is what this appears to be."

Stone said most petitioners complain of local corruption, land grabs and beatings.

He added that a blog purporting to have been written by the man contains claims he was beaten and paralysed by Chinese police in 2005. This has not been verified.

Terminal 3, which opened in 2008 just ahead of the Beijing Olympics, is the airport's hub for international flights. United Airlines and American Airlines operate out of the terminal.

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British Comedian Mel Smith Dies Aged 60

Comedian Mel Smith, known for the Alas Smith and Jones and Not the Nine O'Clock News shows, has died from a heart attack, aged 60.

Mel began his career as a theatre-director at some of the country's most established venues, but it was his partnership with fellow comedian Griff Rhys Jones that made him a household name.

In the 70s, Mel and Griff as they became know produced and starred in four series of the hit comedy, Not The Nine O'Clock News.

More follows...

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Six Jailed For Life Over India Gang Rape

Six men have been sentenced to life in jail for the gang rape of a Swiss woman in India, according to reports.

More follows...

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Wolverhampton Mosque: Explosive Device Found

Debris from an explosive device has been found close to a mosque in Wolverhampton, a police statement has said.

"The find was made late last night (Thursday 18 July) by officers and army bomb disposal experts as they searched land in and around the building on Waterloo Road," the statement said. 

"The debris, found on Fiveways roundabout, has been declared safe and further detailed forensic enquiries will be conducted at the scene throughout the day," it added. 

The mosque was evacuated on Thursday evening but has been reopened for worship following the discovery.

Information about the device, which police believe was activated on June 28, was uncovered as part of an investigation into recent attacks near mosques in Walsall and Tipton.

Two men aged 25 and 22, both of Eastern European origin, were arrested in Small Heath, Birmingham, on Thursday in connection with the blasts.

Bomb disposal experts were called to the mosque after reports of a blast

They continue to be held under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of being involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

No one was injured in the Wolverhampton blast.  

Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale, who is leading the investigation, said: "Officers searching the area have found the seat of an explosion and debris on the island near the mosque.

"The investigation is being led by specialist officers and staff from our Counter Terrorism Unit who are being supported by a range of departments from across the force.

"We recognise the impact news of the latest find will have on the communities of Wolverhampton and further afield. We're working hard to complete our enquiries so that the area can be returned to normality.

"We are keen to hear from people who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously on or near to the roundabout on the night of the 27 or the morning of 28 June," said ACC Beale.

"Whether people feel the information is important or not, I would urge them to contact us so that we can assess that information."

:: Anyone with information which could assist the inquiry is urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Heatwave: 30C Temperatures Into Next Week

Britain will continue to bake in temperatures of 30C (86C) right through into next week, forecasters say.

Six days of 30C-plus temperatures have already been recorded, the longest heatwave for seven years.

And this is expected to continue over the weekend and into the early part of next week.

A young child cools down with an ice-cream

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Western areas will still remain very warm into the weekend, in fact it will feel hot for some with temperatures possibly reaching up to 30C locally.

"There will be a brief respite from the heat in the east with cloudier skies during the mornings and perhaps the cloud lingering into the afternoon.

"But into the start of next week there will be plenty of sunshine across the UK and Ireland and feeling hot again, especially across southern counties where we could see temperatures up to 31C, perhaps a little higher locally."

A man basks in the summer sunshine in Nottingham

She warned that the heat and humidity are likely to trigger some thunderstorms in the west.

The prolonged hot spell has prompted the Met Office to issue level three heatwave health warnings for northwest and southwest England, and the West Midlands after a similar alert for London and the South East on Wednesday.

Level three warnings are only one notch below the most serious alerts and are put out when high temperatures place the very young, the very old and those with chronic diseases at risk.

A couple and their dog enjoy Roundhay Park, Leeds

Ambulance call outs have increased by 30% as Britain's heatwave continues and The Met Office has already warned of an increased wildfire risk due to the dry, hot conditions.

Mountain blazes tore across the south Wales' valleys while flames devastated swathes of Tentsmuir Forest in north east Fife, Scotland, on Thursday night, while London experienced its worst grass fires since 2006.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) has already dealt with twice as many grass fires in this summer's heatwave compared with last year.

Meanwhile, the death toll from swimming accidents during the heatwave has reached 13, as people look to lakes and the sea to cool off in the sweltering sun.

There have also been reports of people arriving at hospitals with extreme sunburn, including a four-week-old baby.

Children should be sent home from school if temperatures in classrooms soar, teachers' leaders have suggested.

Youngsters can become lethargic, unable to concentrate and even faint if the heat becomes too much.

Schools are due to break up for the summer holidays within the next week, but in the meantime many are coping with "hot and stuffy" classrooms as the mercury continues to rise.

Meanwhile a man and a teenage boy who drowned while swimming at a beauty spot have been named by police.

Ryan Pettengell, 41, of Railway Road, King's Lynn, Norfolk, and Umar Balogun, 16, from the Waltham Forest area of east London, died at Bawsey Pits, a disused quarry near King's Lynn, on Tuesday.

Their bodies were recovered from separate lakes following a major search and rescue operation by emergency services, after both had separately been reported getting into difficulties in the water.

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Woolwich: Prison Staff Deny Adebolajo Assault

Prison officers "strenuously deny any wrongdoing" after Woolwich murder suspect Michael Adebolajo reportedly lost two teeth while being restrained in jail.

The 28-year-old was injured at high security Belmarsh prison in south east London on Wednesday, where he is being held on suspicion of murdering soldier Lee Rigby.

The Prison Officers Association (POA) said its members would challenge the allegations made by the prisoner.

"We are aware of an incident that took place on Wednesday July 17, which involved a prisoner being subjected to restraint using approved techniques called Control and Restraint," it said in a statement.

Adebolajo is in Belmarsh Prison awaiting trial for the murder of Lee Rigby

"Our members strenuously deny any wrongdoing and the POA will be supporting them legally and emotionally during this difficult time.

"The use of restraint is only used where necessary when dealing with incidents up and down the country."

It said it will fully co-operate with any police investigation, and expects the officers to be "fully exonerated".

The prison officers' trade union also accused the Ministry of Justice of not doing enough to avoid what they described as "sensationalist reporting" of the alleged assault.

The Prison Service has refused to comment on the detail of what happened, but the Met Police confirmed it was investigating an allegation of assault. prison. An investigation has been started."

Adebolajo is accused together with Michael Adebowale, 22, of hacking Drummer Rigby to death near Woolwich Barracks in south east London on May 22. The pair are due to stand trial at the Old Bailey on November 18.

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Bert Trautmann: Manchester City Goalkeeper Dies

The goalkeeper who famously won the FA Cup after playing the final 17 minutes of the match with a broken neck, Bernd Trautmann, also known as Bert, has died at the age of 89.

Trautmann made a name for himself in England with Manchester City after originally arriving in Britain as a prisoner of war.

He played more than 500 times for City between 1949 and 1964 and was bestowed with an honorary OBE for his work in promoting Anglo-German post-war relations.

But it was his performance in the FA Cup victory over Birmingham in 1956 that made him "a true club legend", as City said after his death.

Trautmann makes a save against Tottenham Hotspur

The team had taken a 3-1 lead with just 17 minutes to go when Trautmann divided at the feet of Brimingham's Peter Murphy. The forward's knee collided with the goalkeeper's head and Trautmann was knocked out.

But with no substitutions allowed an unsteady Trautmann returned to his position between the posts after being revived.

After making two more save he collided with one of his own defenders and needed to be brought round again.

Only two days later did an X-ray reveal that the goalkeeper had suffered a broken neck.

After his playing days, he moved into management with Stockport before returning to his native Germany in 1967 to coach Preussen Munster.

Trautmann with his Player Of The Year award. Pic: Allsport Hulton/Archive

He passed away at his home in Spain.

German FA (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach said: "Bert Trautmann was an amazing sportsman and a true gentleman.

"He went to England as a soldier, and thus a war enemy, and he became a celebrated hero there. He was a legend.

"His extraordinary career will remain forever in the history books."

Trautmann survived two heart attacks this year, but passed away unexpectedly in La Llosa, near Valencia.

"We were in very close contact since 1996, when he was part of our official delegation when we won the European Championships in England," Niersbach added.

"The DFB had invited him to Nuremberg in October, but he turned down the invitation because it was the same time he wanted to celebrate his 90th birthday.

"That makes this news even more surprising."

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Cory Monteith: Heroin And Alcohol Killed Star

Glee star Cory Monteith died from a heroin and alcohol overdose, according to a coroner.

The 31-year-old actor was found dead in his hotel room in the Canadian city of Vancouver on Saturday.

Barbara McLintock, from the British Columbia coroner's office, said: "There is no evidence to suggest Mr Monteith's death was anything other than a most sad and tragic accident.

Popular musical comedy Glee first aired in 2009

"The cause of death was a mixed drug toxicity, and it involved heroin primarily and also alcohol."

The findings come after a post-mortem examination and toxicological analysis.

Police said the Canadian actor had been out with other people earlier, but was believed to have been alone when he died.

Fans left flowers outside the Vancouver hotel where Monteith died

He was discovered by hotel staff after he failed to check out on Saturday.

The coroner's office said the investigation into his death was continuing, and no other details were available at this time.

Monteith had talked openly about struggling with addiction since he was a teenager, calling it a serious problem and telling Parade magazine in 2011 he was "lucky to be alive".

Monteith was dating Glee co-star Lea Michele

The star, who played Finn Hudson in the TV show and dated his co-star Lea Michele, admitted himself to rehab in April.

He also received treatment when he was 19.

Monteith and the other Glee actors became high-profile celebrities when the hit musical show made its TV debut in 2009.

The Fox network and the producers of Glee, including 20th Century Fox Television, said Monteith was an exceptional performer "and an even more exceptional person".

Gia Milani, who recently produced and directed a Canadian film featuring Monteith, said the actor "seemed healthy" when she last saw him four weeks ago in Los Angeles.

"He looked super fit and he was energetic and excited," Milani said.

She said Monteith showed no signs of a substance abuse problem while shooting the film a year ago.

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Weather: Heatwave Health Alert As Mercury Rises

Health warnings have been issued as Britain continues to swelter in the country's first heatwave for seven years.

After five consecutive days basking in 30C-plus temperatures, forecasters said Britain was in the midst of its first prolonged heatwave since 2006.

The Met Office responded by issuing a "level three heat health watch" for London and the South East and advised "alertness and readiness" for those in the North West and North East.

Level three warnings are only one notch below the most serious alerts and are put out when high temperatures place the very young, the very old and those with chronic diseases at risk.

Forecasters said Wednesday could break the record for the warmest day of the year, with temperatures expected to creep as high as 32C (89.7F) in parts of England.

Two men have died in Norfolk after seemingly ignoring swimming bans

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Wednesday could be the hottest of the current heatwave across the London area with a high of 32C, topping Heathrow's 31.4C on Monday and Kew Gardens' 31.2C yesterday."

Referring to the level three heat-health warning for London and the South East, she added: "The temperature threshold for the region is for daytime highs of 31 or 32C (90F) and night minima of 16 to 18C (64F) over two days and the intervening night."

The alert comes after a series of tragic accidents in which people have died trying to cool off.

Emergency services have reiterated a warning of the dangers of swimming in open water after the bodies of two men were recovered from the water at a beauty spot in Norfolk where swimming is banned. A teenage boy and man in his 40s were found in separate lakes at the Bawsey Pits.

There have been four water-related deaths in Wales over the last week. In the latest accident a man in his twenties was reported dead on Wednesday morning after being pulled from the River Ceiriog at Pont-y-Blew, near Wrexham, the previous evening.

In the Brecon Beacons, a 24-year-old man died while swimming at the Cantref Reservoir and a 52-year-old man did not return from his swim in Pontsticill Reservoir in Merthyr Tydfil.

Only days earlier the body of 14-year-old Hollie McClymont from Glasgow was found in the sea near Fontygary in the Vale of Glamorgan. She was last seen in difficulty in the waters near Barry Island.

Two TA soldiers died of suspected heat exhaustion during an SAS assessment in the Beacons on Saturday.

Doctors at the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) health board, which covers Swansea, say they have been inundated with people suffering with sunstroke and sunburn.

Londoners relax in the high temperatures on the Southbank

Other cases have included toes being amputated due to gardening accidents as well as a rise in those hurt in falls.

Emergency departments have become so busy that people not seeking urgent medical attention are being urged to instead contact their GP or pharmacist to avoid long waits.

ABMU emergency medicine consultant Andy MacNab said: "We are very busy, and we would urge people to take great care during this hot weather. They need to stay cool, avoid sun burn and keep well hydrated.

"If they are using a lawnmower or strimmer, then they need to have sturdy footwear and not cut grass in flip-flops.

"If they are taking part in sports, then they should ensure they are using all the necessary safety gear for their activity, like helmets, for example."

Firefighters in London have dealt with with twice as many grass fires this summer compared with last year, with 1,010 so far.

Motorists have been advised to prepare for summer "getaway" traffic as schools start to break up at the end of this week - including basic checks on coolant levels, tyre pressures and cooling fans.

Traffic is expected to peak on the weekend of July 26-28, with the busiest routes expected to be in the South West as people head for beaches.

Some relief from the heat is in sight, with cooler northeasterly winds set to bring cloudier skies across eastern Scotland and eastern and southeast England from Thursday.

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