CCTV Shows 'Agitated' Suspect After Lover's Fall

A murder trial has been shown CCTV of a man throwing his hands into the air and clawing at his face in a lift shortly after his girlfriend had plunged to her death from their apartment balcony.

Simon Gittany, 30, is accused of throwing Lisa Harnum from the 15th floor flat at the boutique Hyde apartment building in Sydney in July 2011.

He was captured on security cameras apparently acting in a highly agitated manner moments after the 30-year-old Canadian's death.

Gittany was seen holding his head in the apartment lift

Gittany was wearing pyjamas when he walked into the lift in the building and began gesticulating wildly and putting his hands to his head.

When the doors opened on the ground floor he ran into the lobby, his trial at the Supreme Court was shown.

Earlier in the trial, footage showed Gittany allegedly struggling with his girlfriend.

Lisa Harnum was killed by her 'abusive' boyfriend, the prosecution claims

Gittany has pleaded not guilty to her murder and will give evidence next week.

He says she climbed onto the balcony railing and then fell.

Crown Prosecutor Mark Tedeschi QC said the video of the couple wrestling with each other was taken from a secret pin hole camera outside the couple's apartment.

The balcony from which Ms Harnum fell

It allegedly shows Ms Harnum walking out of the front door before being grabbed in a headlock and pulled inside.

She fell to her death 69 seconds later and Gittany left the flat 14 seconds after that, the court was told.

He is then caught on camera leaving the apartment with no shirt on. He returns seven seconds later and leaves again, this time wearing a white top.

Gittany arrives at court in Sydney with his new girlfriend

After taking the lift to the lobby, another camera captures him running outside to where Ms Harnum's body is on the pavement.

The court was then played CCTV footage of her body hitting the ground - video the judge said was too distressing to be released.

It is alleged Gittany was controlling, abusive and secretly monitored his girlfriend's phone calls and emails.

The court heard he was angry because she wanted to leave him.

The trial continues.

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Pakistan Taliban Leader Killed By US Drone

The head of the Pakistani Taliban has been killed in a US drone strike, according to US and Pakistani official.

A senior US intelligence official confirmed the strike, adding that the US has received positive confirmation that Hakimullah Mehsud has been killed.

The strike - carried out in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region - also killed four other suspected militants, according to Pakistani intelligence officials.

Mehsud, who was believed to be aged in his mid-30s, was one of Pakistan's most wanted men. He has been reported dead several times before.

The US offered $5m (£3.1m) for Mehsud's capture after he appeared in a video with a Jordanian suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees at a base in Afghanistan in 2009.

Mehsud (c) seen with other Taliban militants in a video from October 2009

Mehsud is also believed to be behind a failed car bombing in New York's Times Square in 2010, as well as brazen attacks inside Pakistan.

The US National Counterterrorism Centre describes Mehsud as "the self-proclaimed emir of the Pakistani Taliban". 

The CIA and the White House have declined to comment on the death.

The killing is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Pakistani Taliban.

A drone strike killed Mehsud's number two in May and one of his most trusted lieutenants was captured in Afghanistan last month.

The death follows months of debate over potential peace talks between the Taliban and the new government of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who swept to a landslide victory in May elections.

The strike comes at a politically sensitive time. Pakistan's government has been trying to cut a peace deal with the militants to end years of fighting that has killed thousands of Pakistani civilians and security forces.

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Greenpeace Activists Moved To St Petersburg Jail

Greenpeace says 30 men and women arrested after protesting against Russian oil drilling in the Arctic have been moved from a Murmansk detention centre to St Petersburg jail.

The reason behind the move is not yet clear, according to Greenpeace lawyers.

"The detainees shouldn't be in jail at all," says Greenpeace International executive director Kumi Naidoo.

The 'Arctic 30', as the group are known, were being held in a detention centre in Murmansk.

Mr Naidoo has expressed fears conditions could be worse at the St Petersburg jail.

"There is no guarantee that conditions inside the new detention centre will be any better than in Murmansk. In fact, they could be worse," he said.

The 30 activists - six of them British - were arrested in September as their ship circled near the Prazlomnaya oil platform in the Pechora Sea.

Armed officers stormed the Greenpeace vessel after some activists attempted to board the platform.

The platform, owned by Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom, is the first offshore oil rig in the Arctic.

Prosecuting authorities in Russia came under fire on Friday after failing to lift piracy charges against the group, as promised.

Russia's powerful Investigative Committee announced last week that the piracy charges - which carry a 15-year jail sentence - would be replaced with charges of hooliganism.

But when the 30 detainees appeared before the Committee this week, the piracy allegations were not withdrawn.

Instead each of the activists faced an additional charge of hooliganism, which carries a maximum sentence of  seven years.

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LA Airport 'Shooting' Prompts Evacuation

A terminal at Los Angeles International Airport has been evacuated amid reports of a shooting.

The Los Angeles Fire Department issued a statement saying it is "assisting law enforcement at multi-patient incident".

Witness Brian Keech said he heard "about a dozen gunshots" from inside the security gate at Terminal 3.

MythBusters' Tory Belleci posted this photo of passengers evacuating

Aerial footage shows police surrounding the terminal and passengers fleeing the area.

The alleged gunman has been taken into custody, according to US media reports.

The incident was reported after 9.30am local time.

There was no immediate word of any injuries, but television images showed two people being wheeled away by firefighters.

NBC in Los Angeles reports two people have been shot, including a Transportation Security Administration employee.

Triage stations were seen being set up outside the terminal.

Tory Belleci, of television's MythBusters, was tweeting and posting pictures from inside the airport.

"Heard gun shots then everyone starting running for the door," he wrote.

"Eye witness said the shooter had an assault rifle."

The White House said President Barack Obama has been briefed on the incident.

More follows...

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Charlene Downes: Murder Hunt Reopened

Police are reopening their investigation into the unsolved murder of 14-year-old Charlene Downes on the 10th anniversary of when she was last seen alive.

Charlene went missing on November 1, 2003 and her body has never been found.

During the 2007 trial of a Jordanian takeaway owner and his Iranian business partner, who were both acquitted of Charlene's murder, the court heard the teenager was one of a number of young white girls who gravitated to Blackpool's fast food outlets to have sex with older men.

Prosecutors claimed her body was chopped up and had "gone into kebabs".

The two men received compensation of more than £230,000 after being found not guilty.

A new senior investigating officer has been assigned to Charlene's case full-time along with a team of specialist officers.

They will also investigate the disappearance of 15-year-old Paige Chivers in August 2007.

Her body was never found and police have not ruled out a link between the cases. Paige had also been connected to sex exploitation in the area.

Paige Chivers went missing in 2007 and has been connected to exploitation

Police have made four arrests on suspicion of Paige's murder over the years but all have been freed without charge.

Lancashire Police Assistant Chief Constable Andy Rhodes said: "We know that people are more confident in coming forward to report historic information nowadays and this may be the case here.

"Charlene and Paige's friends, obviously just teenagers at the time they went missing, will now be grown up and may have their own children.

"I would hope they may be more confident now in coming forward and telling us what they may know."

The British National Party (BNP) has organised a memorial Charlene and will hold a rally against "Muslim grooming gangs", which they have repeatedly claimed were responsible for her exploitation.

However, confidential police documents and witness statements quoted by the Times newspaper, suggested Charlene was systematically abused throughout her life by a range of men, many of them white.

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Baby Found In A Bag: Police Release Picture

Police have released a picture of a newborn baby found in a bag in a park in Stechford, Birmingham, as they search for her mother.

The 6lb baby, who has been named Jade by hospital staff, has been described as "alert, happy and contented" as she continues to recover.

She was named after the dog whose walker found her in a community park off Stuarts Road on Thursday.

West Midlands Police released the photo and a video clip of Jade, as they stepped up efforts to locate her family.

Birmingham East Police Chief Inspector Ian Green, said: "It is fantastic news that baby Jade is recovering well in hospital; I'm told she's very alert and a contented happy baby.

"She's doing well and should make a full recovery over the next couple of days - but of course what she really needs is to be in her mother's arms.

"I'd urge Jade's mum to make contact with us on the 101 police number so we can reunite them and get her medical attention and emotional support."

The newborn was found in Marlborough House Community Park

Officers have carried out extensive house-to-house enquiries around the park and have checked regional hospitals, medical centres and care homes.

The towel that Jade was wrapped in, along with the carrier bag she was in, have been sent away for fast-track forensic examination.

Police also hope DNA samples taken from the child will help identify her parents.

Chief Insp Green, added: "Paediatricians have confirmed the baby was lucky to be found when she was as even just a few more hours exposed to the elements could have had fatal consequences.

"Thankfully, we now know she's safe and well - and our priority is very much on finding her mum to ensure her safety and to provide whatever support she needs."

Officers are keen to hear from people who were in the park on Thursday and may have seen somebody with a carrier bag from The Entertainer toy shop.

The child's mother, or anyone with information about the birth, is urged to call West Midlands Police on the 101 number.

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M25 Closure Causes Severe Delays After Crash

A lorry crash on the M25 is likely to cause rush hour chaos after the Highways Agency announced part of the motorway would be closed for most of the day.

Police said there were severe delays on the northern part of the M25 after it was shut in both directions between junction 23 at South Mimms in Hertfordshire and junction 25 at the junction with the A10 north of Enfield in north London.

Clockwise traffic caught immediately behind the crash has now been released, according to the Highways Agency. 

One person is in critical condition after the crash

Motorists have been asked to consider alternative routes.

Police have arrested the lorry driver on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He remains in custody at a police station in north London.

Many drivers have taken to Twitter to express their frustration at the delays.

"Thanks M25 - Nothing like spending 6 hours in traffic to round off your week," wrote David Hobson.

Others were more upbeat about the incident. 

Aerial footage of the crash scene

"M25 is shut in both directions this is the time where all the little rat runs you learn working in a van pay off," wrote Daniel Cooper.

Four people were hurt when the lorry overturned around 9:30am, forcing police to close the carriageway while emergency services attended the scene.

One man was taken to a hospital in Cambridgeshire by the Hertfordshire Ambulance Service, where he remains in a critical condition.

A second man was taken to a central London hospital by the London Air Ambulance in a serious condition.

The closed off section of the motorway

A third man is being treated at a central London hospital for a leg injury. The fourth man received treatment at the scene for minor injuries.

It is the second time in three days the M25 has partially closed.

On Tuesday, the M25 had to be closed between J23 and J25 after the driver of a lorry died when the vehicle overturned and caught fire near J25.

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Hacking Trial: Coulson Email Said 'Do His Phone'

A jury has heard that former News of the World editor Andy Coulson sent an email telling a journalist to "do the phone" of a celebrity.

Coulson gave the instruction to head of news Ian Edmondson after fears that Calum Best would leak his story to a rival newspaper in 2006.

The NOTW had been chasing a story that he had apparently fathered a child with a woman. She had planned to sell her story to the newspapers.

Prosecutors said the email amounted to Coulson tasking Edmondson and others to hack the phone of Best.

Other alleged targets of the phone hacking included former home secretary Charles Clarke, actors Jude Law and Sienna Miller, and former aide to Prince William and Prince Harry, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, the jury heard.

The list also included Lord Archer, cook Delia Smith, and model Abi Titmuss.

Prosecutors said Prince Harry and Calum Best were phone hacking victims

Prosecutors claim journalists at the NOTW used phone hacking as a "perfectly rational but entirely illegal" way of checking stories they had received tip-offs on.

The court also heard that former NOTW and Sun editor Rebekah Brooks allegedly approved a payment of £4,000 for a picture of Prince William in fancy dress at Sandhurst, which had apparently come from a military source. The image was never used in the newspaper.

Brooks also personally authorised £40,000 to the Sun's defence contact while her staff authorised twice that, the jury heard.

Prosecutors said that in signing off payments, Brooks was involved in a conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

The jury was also shown an email from the paper's former royal editor Clive Goodman to Coulson detailing payments to palace police.

Sky's Mark White said according to the prosecution, the 2003 email is an admission that the pair had been involved in criminality by paying police officers for information regarding the royal family.

Defendants Stuart Kuttner and Clive Goodman

A redacted version of the email by Goodman said: "Andy, one of our royal policemen at St James's Palace has obtained the brand new green book, the telephone directory with all the home numbers of the royal family and their household staff. Incredibly useful.

"The standard price is £1,000. So far, so good, but I had a heck of a time getting cash credits signed off by Stuart (Kuttner) earlier this week to pay a Kensington Palace copper.

"I'm not criticising Stuart at all but these people will not be paid in anything other than cash because if they're discovered selling stuff to us they end up on criminal charges, as could we."

Coulson replied questioning why he had recently signed off on a payment of £750 for another copy of the directory.

Goodman answered: "This is the harder to get one which has the Queen's direct lines to her family in it."

Goodman, managing editor Kuttner, Edmondson and Coulson are one of eight defendants on trial for phone hacking at the Old Bailey along with former News International chief Brooks. They deny the charges.

The jury also heard that phone hacking uncovered a claim that Prince Harry had broken rules at military training academy Sandhurst by asking an aide for help with an essay.

Mr Edis said the NOWT story came from a voicemail that was illegally accessed by private investigator Glenn Mulcaire on behalf of Goodman. It is claimed Coulson also knew what was happening.

Mr Edis said the story, which ran under the headline, "Harry's aide helps out on Sandhurst exams", had "got into the paper and was based entirely on a voicemail".

After Coulson stopped weekly payments to Mulcaire in February 2006, Goodman emailed Coulson asking him to keep them going.

The royal editor said he was a valuable source of stories on the royal family, especially after Prince William started at Sandhurst.

He wrote: "We are the only paper getting any information out of there at all about his movements and Kate's."

Jurors were also told that a top aide to the Prince of Wales was targeted by NOTW journalists, chasing false rumours that the Prince Charles' private secretary Sir Michael Peat had been having an affair.

The trial continues.

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Pair Buried In Garden Died From Gunshot Wounds

Detectives say an elderly couple found buried in their back garden in Nottinghamshire died from gunshot wounds.

Police have not yet formally identified the pair, but believe they are William and Patricia Wycherley, who lived at the house in Blenheim Close in Forest Town, Mansfield in the 1990s.

A police spokesman said: "A Home Office pathologist has determined that both people died as a result of being shot."

Their daughter and son-in-law have been arrested on suspicion of their murders, according to the Press Association.

Susan Edwards, 55, and her husband Christopher, 57, were arrested at St Pancras International railway station in London on Wednesday evening, said the news agency.

Nottinghamshire Police have refused to confirm the identities of the suspects, other than saying they are aged 57 and 55.

The couple, who are believed to have been living abroad, are being questioned in police custody.

It comes after human remains were found at the house last month. Police went there following a tip-off.

Police have not yet formally identified the bodies found in the garden

Mr and Mrs Wycherley moved to the address in 1987 and, according to neighbours, "simply disappeared" in 1998.

Officers have said Mrs Wycherley is believed to have been born in Fulham, west London, and would now have been 79. Her husband would have been 100.

Police say bone analysis has shed further light on the remains.

One of the bodies is believed to be that of an elderly white man who was older than 60, well-built and around 5ft 8in.

The other is thought to be that of a well-built white woman, who was 40 or older and around 5ft 6in.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Griffin, who is leading the inquiry, said: "Bill and Pat, who would be 100 and 79 respectively if they were to still be alive today, were known to be quite reclusive.

"But with help from relatives and old friends, we are starting to build a picture of their lives and, more importantly, their movements in 1998, when neighbours say they simply disappeared."

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Co-Op: US Hedge Funds Reassure Watchdog

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

A group of American hedge funds is trying to reassure the Bank of England about their role in the restructuring of the Co-operative's troubled banking arm ahead of a formal deal to be announced on Monday.

Sky News has learnt that the LT2 Group, a coalition of funds which has forced Britain's most important mutual to cede majority ownership of its troubled lender, has held talks with regulators to reassure them that they do not intend to cross a crucial bank ownership threshold.

Under Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) rules, any party owning more than 10% of the shares in a regulated bank must receive approval from the banking watchdog.

The stipulation is designed to prevent undue influence being exercised over important financial institutions by unregulated entities.

The rule also applies to a group of investors acting in concert, which hedge funds including Aurelius and Silver Point have been doing as they sought to win a better restructuring deal for bondholders from the Co-op Group.

Last week, it emerged that the bondholders would gain control of 70% of the Co-op Bank's shares as part of a debt-for-equity swap, leaving the Co-op Group still as the largest individual shareholder, although holding just a 30% stake.

Advisers to Aurelius, Silver Point and other bondholders have informed the PRA that none of them plans to individually hold a stake of 10% in the Co-op Bank, and that they should not be deemed to be acting collectively despite their months-long campaign to restructure the bank.

People close to the situation said on Friday the PRA was expected to be sympathetic to the hedge funds' argument, but that the issue was the subject of strict legal tests and would be closely monitored.

The funds are anxious to avoid having to be approved by the PRA because of the length of time the process can take.

The restructuring of the Co-op Bank will involve listing its shares on the London Stock Exchange next year, as it seeks to raise £1.5bn to fill a capital hole in its balance sheet.

Next Monday's financial restructuring is expected to be accompanied by the publication of a revised business plan for the Co-op Bank, which will entail significant cost cuts and job losses.

The news that the Co-op Bank would no longer be majority-owned by a mutual has sparked fury among many customers, prompting the bondholder group to acknowledge the lender's ethos.

"The Co-Operative Bank is unique for its ethics, mission and heritage which are an essential component of the Bank's differentiated approach," LT2 said in a statement last week.

"It is important to us that the Bank will maintain its unique characteristics and ethos.

"The Co-operative Group Ltd. will remain the Bank's largest shareholder by far and the Bank will benefit by this connection to the Co-operative movement."

Spokesmen for LT2 and the Co-op declined to comment.

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