Fire Ravages Council HQ After Arson Attacks

Snow Warning As Sub-Zero Temperatures Bite

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 17 Januari 2015 | 18.54

Travel disruption looks set to continue as warnings of plummeting temperatures, snow and ice have been issued for large swathes of the UK.

The mercury will drop below freezing across much of the UK later, down to a low of -9C (16F) in the Scottish glens and -5C (23F) in southern England this weekend.

Sky News weather producer Rebecca Yussuf said: "Widespread sharp frosts will form each night over the weekend and early next week, with icy stretches on untreated surfaces.

"There will be further wintry showers, with rain and hail at low levels, sleet and snow over the higher ground.

"The higher ground of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England can expect a further 2-5 cm (up to two inches), with perhaps a slight covering at lower levels."

Southern England could see sleet and settling snow in places, mainly over the higher ground.

Dr Angie Bone, of Public Health England's extreme events team, urged people to help vulnerable relatives and friends keep warm.

"Cold does kill, even in places where the temperatures aren't at their lowest. Most of our advice on keeping warm in cold weather may seem like common sense, but it's important that we make the point that people should think about how cold can affect them.

"Our advice is that when indoors, have plenty of warm food and drinks to stay warm and try to maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18C, particularly if you are not mobile, have long-term illness or are 65 or over."

Age UK urged older people to "take basic precautions" and called on the Government to "commit to improving the energy efficiency of homes across the country" in a bid to end preventable winter deaths.

Heavy snow has already caused disruption on roads, rail and at airports, and police have warned motorists to only to travel if necessary.

In Scotland on Friday, snow up to 5ft deep in parts left drivers stranded overnight on the A9 route to the Highlands.

Trains were cancelled between Perth and Inverness and there were delays at Glasgow Airport.

A van driver died when a tree fell on top of his vehicle in Co Antrim and a three-year-old child and an elderly woman were among three injured when a pallet was blown from a lorry in east Belfast during strong winds.

Winds of 101mph were reported in Great Dunsell, Cumbria - the highest in the UK - while other exposed areas also saw speeds of above 70mph.

The strong winds caused disruption on railways in Kent and Birmingham, and part of Glasgow city centre was closed off after metal sheeting fell from the roof of a hotel.

:: Send your cold snap pictures and video to news@sky.com

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'Increasing Concern': Search For Missing Teen

Fears are growing for a student who went missing after a night out with friends in Durham two days ago.

Euan Coulthard, 19, has not been seen since the early hours of Thursday and friends say he has not responded to emails, texts or online messages.

Shopkeepers in Durham have put up posters and fellow students have joined searches for the popular student, who comes from Nottingham.

Police have been searching the banks of the River Wear and mountain rescue experts have also been involved in checks of steep wooded areas.

Mr Coulthard is a member of Durham University's St Mary's College and was out on Wednesday evening, celebrating a friend's 21st birthday at an Italian restaurant.

He went to the Love Shack nightclub and was seen leaving alone. He was last spotted on CCTV crossing Framwellgate Bridge.

Mr Coulthard is 5ft 9ins tall, of average build, with light brown hair. He was wearing black skinny jeans, a denim jacket and a beige patterned shirt.

Inspector Dave Coxon said: "It is now about 39 hours since Euan was last seen and, obviously, as time gets on we are increasingly concerned for his welfare.

"Officers have been searching the area where he was last seen and have progressed along the river banks this afternoon. Searches will continue over the weekend."

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Man In Court Over South Oxfordshire Fires

A man has appeared in court charged over a series of arson attacks in South Oxfordshire.

Andrew Main, 47, of Roke Marsh Farm, Roke, Wallingford, appeared at Oxford Magistrates' Court charged with two counts of arson with intent to endanger life and two counts of arson reckless as to whether life was endangered.

The charges relate to fires in Crowmarsh Gifford and Roke Marsh Farm in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The South Oxfordshire Council offices, a funeral parlour and a thatched cottage were targeted, along with a building at the farm.

Twenty-seven fire crews were sent to the infernos - all reported within less than 10 minutes of each other, just after 3am.

A witness described seeing a burnt-out car in the foyer of the council headquarters, while aerial images show a collapsed section of roof on the charred remains of the building.

An army bomb disposal team was also dispatched amid fears of unexploded gas canisters at one of the sites.

Main, who appeared at the short hearing wearing a plain grey tracksuit, nodded when asked if his personal details were correct.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Oxford Crown Court on January 30.

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PM To Tackle 'Poisonous Extremism Narrative'

David Cameron has vowed to tackle what he called the "poisonous narrative of Islamist extremism that is turning too many young minds".

He was speaking following two days of talks with US President Barack Obama in Washington where they said a new group would be set up to exchange information and expertise to tackle the terror threat.

The Prime Minister wants to be able to better track suspected terrorists without undermining civil liberties and admitted there was an inability to interrupt their communications.

He pushed for tougher requirements for internet firms to alert authorities to suspicious online exchanges, ban encrypted communications and store data.

A report last year into the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby concluded that Facebook failed to pass on information that could have prevented his death.

Meanwhile, the director of Europol, Rob Wainwright, admitted to Sky News that stopping every potential attack was "very difficult" but vowed to "prevail" and said there was a determined action by police to disrupt cells.

He said it was a "very serious threat" and "large-scale problem" across many European countries and there could be thousands of suspects radicalised online and through their experiences in Syria and Iraq.

The PM said dealing with extremism meant combating the threat in those conflict zones but also "dealing with terrorism in our own midst".

He said he had some "important discussions [with Obama] about how we combat the poisonous narrative of Islamist extremism that is turning too many young minds towards this.

"And crucially how to make sure that we are still able legally to intercept the communications of terrorists and stop them before they create mayhem and murder.

"This is controversial. We have to get it right. There's always been an inability in extremism to interrupt the communications of terrorists and to stop them doing what they plan.

"I think it's important we maintain those capabilities in the future."

The Prime Minister's policy proposals have caused concern on both sides of the Atlantic about the prospect of security efforts encroaching on privacy.

Mr Obama said it was important to be able to keep tabs on terrorists' use of the internet and social media.

"When we have the ability to track that, in a way that is legal, conforms with due process, rule of law and oversight, then that's a capability we have to preserve," Mr Obama said.

The announcement of a new group to counter extremism comes amid fears about the spread of terrorism after last week's Paris attacks that left 17 people dead and the arrest of more than two dozen people in anti-terror raids in Belgium, Germany and France.

Mr Obama said the attacks in France "underscored again how terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIL (Islamic State) are actively trying to inspire and support people within our own countries to engage in terrorism".

He also suggested European countries needed to make sure their Muslim populations were better "assimilated".

The two leaders also agreed to stage cyber "war games" and establish a joint "cyber cell" to boost both countries' resistance to hack attacks.

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BP Cuts North Sea Jobs As Oil Costs Dive

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 15 Januari 2015 | 18.54

BP has cut 300 North Sea oil jobs as its looks to save costs amid the plunging cost of oil.

Of those to be laid off, 200 are BP workers with the others affected in contractor roles.

BP briefed workers in Aberdeen today on its plans, which it had previously said would result in $1bn (£630m) of restructuring costs this year.

BP is keen to ensure its business in the North Sea remains competitive and sustainable for the long term as Brent crude costs hover below $50 per barrel - down from $115 last June.

Trevor Garlick, regional president for BP North Sea, said: "We are committed to the North Sea and see a long- term future for our business here.

"However, given the well-documented challenges of operating in this maturing region and in toughening market conditions, we are taking specific steps to ensure our business remains competitive and robust, and we are aligning with the wider industry.

"Whilst our primary focus will be on improving efficiencies and on simplifying the way we work, an inevitable outcome of this will be an impact on headcount and we expect a reduction of around 200 staff and 100 contractor roles.

"We have spoken to staff and will work with those affected over the coming months."

It made its announcement 24 hours after the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, warned that falling oil prices represented a "negative shock" for the Scottish economy - but a "net positive" for the UK as a whole, given benefits for consumers.

The North Sea oil and gas sector employs over 400,000 people.

Holyrood's energy minister has called for UK Government action, saying the employment threat had produced the "the most serious jobs situation Scotland has faced in living memory."

In addition to the cuts at BP, Shell and Tullow Oil have ben among other oil firms scaling back their investments worldwide.

Tullow, which has a focus on Africa, reported on Wednesday that its gross annual profits were expected to fall by more than half on 2013, it was taking a writedown of $600m due to asset revisions and cutting 2015 investment by $200m.

It also raised the prospect of major job losses - warning that: "A major internal review of Tullow's organisation is ongoing which will lead to substantial long-term cost savings and efficiencies across the group."

Tullow added that it expected to announce the details at its full-year results on 11 February.

Its share price rose 3.2% in early trading when markets opened for business on Thursday while BP saw a 2.3% boost.

Mining and energy stocks generally recovered some ground following sharp falls on Wednesday.

Unions however warned of the potential for long-term damage to the country's energy capacity as a result of falling investment.

The RMT claimed tens of thousands of jobs were at stake.

Its general secretary, Mick Cash, said: "In the wake of the current price slump, RMT is demanding that Westminster and the Scottish Parliament adopt a crisis management approach to ensure sustained production, maintenance of infrastructure, retention of skills, and a robustly regulated regime in the future.

"If immediate action isn't taken then we risk turning today's crisis into longer term damage that would threaten the very core of our offshore industry.

"This is no time for playing politics when the security of UK energy supplies is on the line."

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Gales To Hit UK As Storm Rachel Sweeps In

Heavy rain and gale force winds are forecast to batter most of the UK, bringing the threat of flooding and disruption to travellers.

Forecasters have predicted the weather will turn very wet and windy across much of the country - strong winds are expected to return with gusts of up to 80mph in places.

A Met Office "be aware" weather warning for rain and strong winds is in place for the whole of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and central and southern Scotland.

Flooding is expected in Tayside, west central Scotland and southeast England.

In Ireland, a status red warning has been issued for exposed coastal mountain areas of Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick.

Schools in areas at risk are closed to save staff, parents and pupils having to travel in high winds.

Some 15,000 customers in the country are without power already, with warnings that the number is likely to increase as the winds become more fierce.

In Wales, 750 homes are without power because of the strong winds.

Four flood warnings are also in place for rivers in mid-Wales, along with nearly 30 flood alerts in place.

The gale force winds and heavy rain come during a week of severe weather in the principality, which has included snow, giant hailstones and a tornado.

In England, high winds and heavy rain all along the south coast of England have caused significant delays for rail travellers on lines operated by South West Trains and South Eastern Trains, with trees and flooding blocking the tracks.

Drivers are being urged to prepare for bad weather in the coming days.

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Gallery: Amber Alert For Snow In Britain

Snow on the A9 near Dunkeld in Scotland

A dusting of snow on the South Pennines

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Assault Charges Against West Ham Star Dropped

Assault charges against West Ham United midfielder Ravel Morrison have been dropped at Manchester Crown Court after CCTV proved the central allegation was false.

The 21-year-old, currently with West Ham United, was accused of hitting Reah Mansoor, 19, and her mother Parveen, 39, after a night out at a Manchester nightclub last July.

A trial was due to take place later this month but the charges were dropped on Thursday and Morrison - who was not in court - was found not guilty.

Prosecutor Guy Mathieson said Morrison's defence team had recovered CCTV footage of the first alleged assault outside the One Central nightclub.

The footage showed that Morrison had not hit his ex, as was alleged, and she had "slumped" to the floor on her own.

She also withdrew her statement alleging he later assaulted her outside her home. Her mother was also reluctant to proceed with the alleged assault on her, the court heard.

As a result, all three charges were withdrawn.

More follows...

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Fire Ravages Council HQ After Arson Attacks

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Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling three major blazes in South Oxfordshire, as police arrested a man on suspicion of arson.

The 47-year-old is being held in connection with the fires, including one that has devastated the South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council offices.

Twenty-seven fire crews were sent to separate infernos at a thatched home in Rokemarsh and a funeral parlour and the council offices in nearby village Crowmarsh Gifford - all reported within less than 10 minutes of each other, just after 3am.

A witness described seeing a burnt-out car in the foyer of the council headquarters.

Howard Chadwick Funeral Service and the council offices are next to each other in Benson Lane and the funeral director suggested the blazes had been started deliberately.

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Gallery: South Oxfordshire District Council Fire

Fire crews have been tackling three major fires in South Oxfordshire, including one at the district council offices

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said at the peak of the incidents a total of a 27 fire crews were tackling the blazes, which all occurred "within a very short timeframe" in the early hours of this morning. Pic: @NegusIan

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Neil Cox, 73, told the Oxford Mail: "I live right next to the funeral home and at about 3.15am I heard a noise so I came out and saw a car drive away quickly, down into the council building.

"The offices of the funeral home were on fire, so I phoned the owner, Howard, called the fire service and we tried putting it out with fire extinguishers.

"My understanding is they broke the window in the front door, popped the cap off a gas canister and threw a match in there."

Mr Cox's son and co-owner of the funeral home, Alistair Cox, said: "I think it's a case of mistaken identity, they probably thought the home was a gatehouse to the council. I've got no idea why they set fire to the council building."

Another co-owner, Sandra Chadwick, told the Oxford Mail "no funerals have been cancelled and no bodies of the deceased have been damaged" as a result of the fires.

Thames Valley Police that it was "believed that a vehicle collided with" the council offices before the fire started there.

"At this stage the police investigation is focusing on all three fires being linked and are believed to be suspicious," the force said.

"This is being investigated as a criminal act and is not thought linked to any terrorist activity. There are cordons in place at all three scenes and residents and motorists are asked to avoid the area.

"Nobody is reported injured as a result of these fires, however following the fires the structures of the buildings are being examined.

"A 47-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and is currently in custody."

David Etheridge, chief fire officer for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We are in the process of dealing with three major fires in South Oxfordshire, which occurred within a very short timeframe."

Karl Mitchell-Shead, who filmed footage of the council office fire, earlier told Sky News: "The roof has collapsed in places and the other half is well and truly alight.

"I got there pretty early in the operation. Police weren't really there. You can't get anywhere near it now.

"The funeral parlour is the last house to the main entrance to the council site. The thatched house is about a mile away."

The latest images show a charred shell on the site of the council offices.

Journalist Marcus Chippendale told Sky News: "There are still some flames coming from the building.

"There are going to be a lot of people this morning with concerns about how the council is going to deal with the issues they have. There are still quite a large number of fire service vehicles here.

"I can see at least 20 firefighters and emergency crews. There is still water being sprayed up onto the building right now."

The Ministry of Defence say they have had no reports of any incident at the nearby RAF Benson.

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Written By Unknown on Rabu, 14 Januari 2015 | 18.54

Blair: Sorry Over IRA Fugitive Letter Blunder

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Tony Blair has said the Northern Ireland peace process would have collapsed if he had not agreed to send "letters of comfort" to IRA terror suspects.

The former prime minister has told the Northern Ireland Select Committee the controversial distribution of the letters to so-called "on the runs", stating they were no longer wanted for past crimes, were not an "amnesty" and were "not secret".

He "defended completely" agreeing to the controversial letters and said an agreement on how to treat those wanted for terrorist crimes during the troubles "was critical to the peace process" and "became fundamental".

Mr Blair told MPs that had he not agreed to send the letters then Sinn Fein would have walked away from the Good Friday Agreement.

He said: "Without having done that we would not have a Northern Ireland peace process."

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Gallery: Hyde Park Bombing: July 1982

A police forensic officer examines the remains of the IRA car which contained the Hyde Park bomb

Images of dead horses and wrecked cars added to the shock for people reeling from the human cost of the atrocity

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Wrecked cars are removed from the scene

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The flag-draped coffin carrying Lt Anthony Daly, the Blues and Royals officer killed in the bombing along with three other soldiers

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A memorial stone marks the location of the 1982 bombing

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The letters from the Police Service of Northern Ireland sparked uproar last year when it resulted in the collapse of the Hyde Park bomb trial at the Old Bailey.

John Downey, who denied murdering four soldiers in the 1982 bombing, had received a letter in error informing him he was no longer being pursued in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

During his trial, it emerged that 187 people had received similar assurances - the majority of them republicans who had never been charged or who had been convicted but then escaped.

Mr Blair said the Downey letter had been a mistake and should not have been sent "if the scheme had been properly applied".

He accepted responsibility for not putting in place a proper procedure, which led to some fugitives being sent letters in error, and apologised to the people who had been affected.

However, he said he would not apologise for the letters sent to those wanted terrorist suspects who it was concluded by the authorities at the time should have received them.

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, those convicted of terrorist offences were released from prison early but those who had gone "on the run" were not considered eligible.

In 2006, after an attempt to establish a formal scheme for "on the runs" failed, Mr Blair wrote to Gerry Adams outlining plans to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".

The scheme had been reported publicly but victims' families said they felt "devastatingly let down" by the collapse of the Downey case - and Northern Ireland's First Minister threatened to resign.

MPs questioned Mr Blair's claim that had he not made the agreement "over on the runs" the peace process would have collapsed saying that Lord Mandelson, a former Northern Ireland Secretary, had told the committee the Good Friday Agreement was not at stake.

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Gallery: IRA Suspect Amnesties: Key Players

Following the Good Friday Agreement and the release of 400 loyalist and republican paramilitary prisoners, the question about what to do with on-the-run IRA suspects, wanted for crimes before April 10, 1998, continued to needle the Tony Blair Government

In 2006, Mr Blair wrote to Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams telling him the Government was working on a solution for dealing with the suspects in question

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Mr Blair said that he agreed with the inquiry carried out by Lady Justice Hallet, which concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and that the scheme was lawful but called Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake".

And he urged the Government to tread with care in Northern Ireland because the situation was still difficult.

He told the committee: "I am saying to the people in Government now: 'You have inherited a peace process that worked so be careful with it because it's fragile still.'"

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