Daring Rescue Of Dog Trapped On Frozen Lake

A team of rescue workers risked their own lives to save a dog who had become stranded on frozen Lake Erie in Michigan.

One emergency worker was seen rubbing the animal to keep it warm as another arrived on a boat near Brownstown Township.

The dog was dragged onboard as another rescuer, who was holding on to the outside of the small boat, was seen falling through the ice repeatedly.

Once safely on shore, the rescue workers successfully gathered up the cold animal and carried it to a waiting ambulance.

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India Gang-Rape Victim 'Struggling Against Odds'

An Indian woman who was gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi suffered "significant" brain damage and is fighting for her life.

The 23-year-old woman was flown to Singapore for treatment at Mount Elizabeth hospital on Thursday.

The unnamed victim had already undergone three abdominal operations and suffered a cardiac arrest in India prior to her flight.

Hospital chief executive Dr Kelvin Loh said she also has an infection of the lungs and abdomen and "is currently struggling against the odds".

"She continues to remain in an extremely critical condition and is still receiving treatment at the hospital's intensive care unit," he added. 

The announcement comes 10 days after she was brutally attacked by six men on December 16.

The rape has triggered widespread outrage and riots across India.

Official figures show that 228,650 of the total 256,329 violent crimes recorded last year in India were against women.

The real figure is thought to be much higher as so many women are reluctant to report attacks to the police.

During an address to the chief ministers of India's states on Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged to bring in new laws to cover attacks on women.

In a separate incident, a 17-year-old Indian girl who was gang-raped killed herself after police pressured her to drop the case and marry one of her attackers.

One police officer has been sacked and another suspended over their conduct after the assault during the festival of Diwali on November 13, according to officials.

The teenager was found dead on Wednesday night after swallowing poison.

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Abducted Atiya Anjum-Wilkinson 'On Way Home'

Missing six-year-old girl Atiya Anjum-Wilkinson is reportedly on her way home three years after being abducted by her father.

Atiya vanished in November 2009 after going to stay with her father, Razwan Ali Anjum.

The former insurance salesman said he was taking the girl to Southport.

Instead he took her to Lahore, Pakistan, and told Atiya's mother, Gemma Wilkinson, that she was "never going to see Atiya again", courts have heard.

Anjum is serving a prison sentence in Britain for refusing to reveal his daughter's whereabouts despite a court order.

Atiya vanished in November 2009

However, sources have now suggested Atiya has been located in Pakistan and is due to arrive back in the UK this afternoon.

In November, Ms Wilkinson, 32, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, made a fresh appeal for information on her daughter's whereabouts.

She said: "It's been an absolute nightmare.

"As to her whereabouts we know nothing. We've had no contact. I'm worrying every day, every single day. Everything is affected by it. When I close my eyes I see her.

"I say goodnight to her every night before bed. I pray she's OK. There is no proof she is still alive. It's been discussed that she could have been sold, but I don't want to believe it.

"She was so funny. She was a little bundle of joy. We just want her home."

Atiya is thought to have been found in Pakistan

Ms Wilkinson's "on-off" relationship with Anjum ended in 2008.

Anjum was handed a fourth consecutive jail term by a High Court judge in April after he refused to reveal where his daughter was.

Mr Justice Moor imposed a 12-month sentence after he found him in contempt of a High Court order instructing him to disclose Atiya's whereabouts.

He said Anjum, who is in his late 20s, would not be eligible for release until he had served at least six months.

Judges have previously imposed jail terms of two years, 12 months and another 12 months in the hope that Anjum would provide information.

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Katie Holmes' Broadway Play Closes Early

Katie Holmes' return to Broadway is being cut short after the producers decided to close the play she is starring in early.

Despite the former Mrs Tom Cruise's appearance, ticket sales for Dead Accounts have been poor and that is being blamed on lukewarm reviews.

The play, which also stars Tony award-winning Norbert Leo Butz as Holmes' onstage brother, will close on January 6.

Its run at the Music Box Theatre was due to end on February 24 but instead it will shut after 27 previews and 44 performances.

Director Jack O'Brien and Katie Holmes at a Christmas charity event

Director Jack O'Brien, another Tony award winner, earlier declared writer Theresa Rebeck's play as "an extraordinary combination of morals, comedy, and money".

In the show, which opened on November 29, Butz's character returns to his Midwest  family home with a secret.

Rebeck created the first season of NBC's Smash and several well-received plays including Seminar and Mauritius.

In an earlier publicity interview Holmes said: "We have such a good time doing the show. And I love working with everyone."

The actress, who became a star in the teen soap opera Dawson's Creek, made her Broadway debut in the 2008 production of All My Sons.

She was married to Mission Impossible and Jack Reacher star Cruise from 2006 until this year.

Holmes, 34, surprised Cruise in June when she filed for divorce. He was in Iceland shooting a movie at the time.

The divorce, due to "irreconcilable differences", was finalised in August when it was reported that Cruise will pay $400,000 (£253,000) annually in child support for his daughter Suri, six, until she is 18.

Holmes reportedly receives nothing from the actor's fortune due to a pre-nupital agreement.

US media reports that Suri spent Christmas Day with her mother in Ohio and is spending time with her father after Holmes returned to New York for the play.

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Silvio Berlusconi: Ex-Wife To Get £82k A Day

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been ordered to pay his ex-wife maintenance of 100,000 euros (£82,000) a day as part of their divorce settlement.

Mr Berlusconi, 76, will be able to keep the family home, said to be worth 78 million euros (£64m), and the daily figure he will pay to Veronica Lario amounts to more than 36 million euros (£29m) a year.

However, it was not immediately clear how long the terms lasted.

The decision was made by a judge in Milan just before Christmas and details have now been revealed.

The ruling said the money would allow Ms Lario, the mother of Mr Berlusconi's three children, to "live in the manner that she was accustomed to during her marriage" and it also noted she was "without a home as part of the settlement".

Ms Lario began proceedings against Mr Berlusconi three years ago after it emerged he had attended the 18th birthday party of lingerie model Noemi Letizia - which sparked fury from his then wife who accused him of never attending birthday parties of their own children.

The ex-Italian PM attended the 18th birthday party of Noemi Letizia

As a result, she said that she could "no longer live with a man who associates with minors" and she instructed lawyers to begin divorce proceedings against her husband, who is one of the world's richest men with a personal fortune estimated to be around seven billion euros.

Initially Ms Lario, 55, had wanted to keep the family home at Macherio and also 300,000 euros (£245,000) a month in maintenance but after two years of legal wrangling she has settled for an increase in the financial settlement and to leaving the house which was also home to their three children Barbara, 27, Eleonora, 25 and Luigi, 21.

Ms Lario has spent 19 of the last 30 years at Macherio near Milan and she met Mr Berlusconi in the early 1980s, while he was still married to his first wife Carla Dall Oglio, when she performed topless in a play called The Magnificent Cuckold.

There had been some suggestion she also wanted a 'slice' of his extensive business empire Fininvest but it is understood that is not part of the settlement and remains in his hands although Mr Berlusconi is said to have ensured the three children as well as his two from his first marriage are covered.

Initially Ms Lario had threatened to "make things messy" for Mr Berlusconi in what many believed was a reference to his relationship with Miss Letizia who it later emerged had been among dozens of women invited to parties he hosted at his home on the island of Sardinia.

According to reports in the Italian media, the settlement authorised by judge Gloria Servetti was reached with both parties agreeing not to blame each other for the split.

Mr Berlusconi has confirmed he is dating Francesca Pascale

The relationship had been strained since 2007 after Mr Berlusconi was spotted telling TV star Mara Carfagna, who later went on to serve in his Cabinet, that he would marry her if he was not already married.

Ms Lario was furious and demanded a public apology which she got from Mr Berlusconi with a grovelling sorry published on the front page of all Italian newspapers and reported extensively on TV.

Maria Morelli, Ms Lario's lawyer, was unavailable for comment at her Milan office and Mr Berlusconi's legal team who negotiated the settlement, Ippolita Ghedini and Cristina Rossello, could also not be reached.

Mr Berlusconi is currently on trial accused of having underage sex with a prostitute and he has also thrown his hat into the ring for the general election which takes place in February.

He also recently confirmed he is seeing former TV showgirl Francesca Pascale, 27, who he described as ''beautiful on the inside and beautiful on the outside".

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Norfolk Car Crash: Two Young Girls Killed

Two girls aged seven and 10 have been killed and three other people injured after a car crash in Norfolk, police have said.

The children were in a car along with two adults and another child which crashed on the A47 near Wisbech at 6.40pm, according to Norfolk Police.

All five occupants of the black Ford Focus were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn, where the girls died from their injuries.

The other three occupants of the car remain in hospital, although police said their injuries are not believed to be serious.

A Norfolk Police spokesman said: "The incident happened on the A47 at approximately 6.40pm when a black Ford Focus left the road, ending up on its side at the edge of a ditch.

"Five people were travelling in the car, two adults and three children, who were all taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn.

"Sadly, two girls aged seven and 10 died in hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the collision."

The girls were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn

The road was closed in both directions for several hours at the scene of the accident - close to the Norfolk border with Cambridgeshire - before reopening just before 10.30pm.

A police spokesman said officers were continuing to investigate how the vehicle came to leave the road and asked for witnesses to the crash to come forward.

The accident comes two days after two young brothers were killed in a Christmas Day motorway crash.

Adnan Habib, 10, and four-year-old Arsalaan were killed when the car they were in - also a Ford Focus - crashed on the M6.

The crash happened on the A47 at 6.40pm on Thursday

In a statement their family said: "Adnan and Arsalaan were our family's precious jewels, spreading joy wherever they went. They were happy and joyous boys who were a central part of the family, always smiling and bringing smiles to everyone they met."

Their 32-year-old aunt, Bushra Tazarib, also died in the crash which happened close to junction 15, near Stoke-on-Trent, at about 11.25am.

Two other women were travelling in the car, including the boys' mother, who was driving at the time of the crash. Both were taken to hospital but discharged on Boxing Day after treatment.

The scene of the crash near Wisbech, Norfolk.

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Reagan's Last-Ditch Falklands Plea Revealed

Thatcher Stood Firm Over Falklands

Updated: 9:44am UK, Friday 28 December 2012

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

Shortly before midnight on May 31, 1982, a phone rang in Downing Street. On the other end was the US President Ronald Reagan.

More than two and a half thousand miles away, on the Falkland Islands, British Forces were preparing for the Battle of Stanley. It would be the decisive fight in the conflict and would ultimately result in a ceasefire and Argentinian surrender just two weeks later, but Mr Reagan was calling to make a last-ditch appeal to broker a truce.

He told his close friend Margaret Thatcher that diplomacy should be given a final chance of success and suggested sending a US-led international peacekeeping force to the islands. Mrs Thatcher was having none of it.

She had not dispatched a British Task Force to the Southern Atlantic to just "hand over the Queen's islands to a contact group" she told the US president. She made it clear to Mr Reagan that too many British lives had been lost and ships sunk to back away now.

The only acceptable solution for Mrs Thatcher was a full Argentinian withdrawal. Nothing less. It was a rare falling out between the two leaders and in part an indication of divided opinion within the Washington administration but Mrs Thatcher made clear to Mr Reagan that without America's help Britain had been forced to go it alone and so Britain would call the shots - negotiation was not an option.

Days later the prime minister wrote a telegram to General Galtieri, the Argentinian leader: "In a few days the British flag will be flying over Port Stanley. In a few days also your eyes and mine will be reading the casualty lists.

"On my side, grief will be tempered by the knowledge that these men died for freedom, justice and the rule of law. And on your side? Only you can answer that question."

The telegram was never sent. Her confident prediction of British victory was correct.

The newly released files, held in secret by the National Archive under the 30-year rule, also reveal that a British air attaché stationed in Brazil, uncovered a plot by Libya to supply arms to Argentina during the conflict. With the help of a source at Recife Airport in Brazil he discovered that Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was using the South American country as a dropping off point to fly weapons into neighbouring Argentina.

At one point, under the cover of darkness, the attaché came within five yards of a Aerolineas Argentinas plane on the tarmac. He reported seeing a nervous and armed crew guarding the plane, and the aircraft's Captain talking with the Argentinian Consul to Brazil.

George Harding, the British Ambassador in Brasilia at the time, warned against taking any direct action for fear of an "immediate and adverse" reaction from Brazil. Instead the Foreign Office leaked the information out through another country in order to publicly embarrass Brazil.

The Falklands conflict tested relations with a number of other countries.

Although publicly grateful for French support, realisation that Argentina was attacking British ships with French-made Exocet missiles strained the Anglo-French friendship to breaking point.

Mrs Thatcher asked President Francois Mitterrand for assurances that no Exocet missiles would fall into Argentinian hands. Mr Mitterand agreed but within days British intelligence had discovered an order from Peru of four Exocet missiles.

Even the French security services agreed with their UK counterparts that the missiles would inevitably end up in Argentina, but Mr Mitterand, who had originally agreed to delay the shipment until the conflict was over, was put under pressure by the Peruvian government. They had told other Latin American countries that France was stalling with the order and agreeing to Britain's demands, thereby threatening all French contracts with countries in the region.

Mrs Thatcher's reaction was close to apoplectic.

"If it became known, as it certainly would, that France was now releasing weapons to Peru that would certainly be passed on to Argentina for use against us, France's ally, this would have a devastating effect on the relationship between our two countries," she wrote in a telegram to Mr Mitterand.

"Indeed, it would have a disastrous effect on the alliance (Nato) as a whole. This is the last thing that either of us would wish. I greatly hope therefore that for the time being you will be able to find some way of keeping these missiles in France."

The threat worked. France informed Peru the delivery would be delayed. The explanation given? "Political reasons".

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Norovirus: Confirmed Cases Up 83% On Last Year

More than 3,500 cases of the norovirus winter vomiting bug in England and Wales have been confirmed in laboratories this season - but the true number could be over one million.

The 3,538 figure - for July to mid-December - is 83% higher than the same period in 2011 where there were 1,934.

The number of confirmed cases have risen by about 500 from last week's 3,046, said the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

But the agency added that for every reported case an estimated 288 go unreported, meaning there could be 1.01 million cases, a rise from just under 880,000 last week.

It said in the two weeks to 23 December there were 70 reported hospital outbreaks of the virus, compared to 61 in the previous fortnight, bringing the total of outbreaks for the season to 538.

The number of cases has risen earlier than expected this year, the HPA went on.

It has not yet been determined why this has been the case, but it is a trend that has been seen across Europe and other parts of the world.

Experts say norovirus is "very contagious"

The bug has swept the country and has led to the closure of dozens of hospital wards. It has also affected holidaymakers on two cruise ships.

Norovirus is highly contagious and can be transmitted through contact with an infected person or contaminated surfaces and objects.

It is known to spread rapidly in closed environments such as hospitals, schools and nursing homes.

Symptoms include sudden vomiting, diarrhoea, or both, a temperature, headache and stomach cramps. The bug usually goes away within a few days.

Although people can suffer from norovirus at any time of the year, activity increases in the winter months, with most cases seen between January and March.

John Harris, an expert in norovirus from the HPA said: "The number of laboratory confirmed cases has risen once again as it appears that we have seen the rise in cases that usually begins in January start a little earlier than we normally expect.

"Norovirus is very contagious, and very unpleasant.

"To help prevent spread of the disease, it's important that people who believe they are unwell with the virus maintain good hand hygiene and stay away from hospitals, schools and care homes, as these closed environments are particularly prone to outbreaks which can cause severe disruption."

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New York Subway Death: CCTV Of Female Suspect

Police hunting a person who pushed a man to his death in front of a New York subway train have released CCTV footage of a female suspect.

The video shows the woman running from the platform at a station in the borough of Queens on Thursday night.

She is described as Hispanic, aged in her 20s and stocky.

Witnesses told police she had been following the victim closely and was mumbling to herself.

She got up from a nearby bench and allegedly shoved him as the train arrived.

Police said it did not appear that the man noticed her. They added the condition of his body was making it difficult to identify him.

It is not known if the victim and the woman knew each other or if anyone tried to help the man before he died.

It was the second time this month a person has been killed after being shoved on to subway tracks.

On December 3, Ki-Suck Han, 58, was pushed in front of a train in Times Square.

Homeless 30-year-old Naeem Davis was charged with murder over Mr Han's death and was ordered to be detained without bail.

Davis has pleaded not guilty and said Mr Han attacked him first. The two men had not met before.

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Church Organist Dies After Midnight Mass Attack

A church organist who died after being attacked on his way to midnight mass on Christmas Eve has been described as a "good man" with a "gentle soul".

Alan Greaves, 68, from Sheffield, was found with head injuries on the pavement close to his home on Greengate Lane at approximately 11.15pm on December 24.

He died on Thursday night surrounded by his family at the city's Northern General Hospital.

South Yorkshire Police have launched a murder investigation and are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Detective Superintendent Matt Fenwick said it is likely a weapon was used but the motive for the attack is not known.

Mr Greaves, a retired social worker, had been an organist and lay preacher with St Saviour's Church in High Green for nine years.

Canon Simon Bessant who worked closely with Mr Greaves and his wife Maureen, a church community worker, said: "He was a good man and this was an evil act.

"He was a gentle soul. He wasn't foolish - he would have handled the situation as best as anyone would but we don't know what he encountered."

Mr Bessant, who was expecting Mr Greaves at the church, went on: "He never arrived, which we thought was strange. Sadly, he was attacked about 250 yards from the church. His family were all at home and the police contacted them at about midnight to say there has been an accident.

"I spent most of Christmas Day with him and the family. They have a strong faith but that doesn't mean you don't feel the difficulty. It was a hard vigil by his bedside, watching him struggle.

"His wife wants justice but she doesn't want vengeance. She is not embittered but obviously she wants this person to be caught.

"This isn't even a bad area. He was walking down the main road opposite the school and park. It isn't like a dark alleyway and there were people around on Christmas Eve."

Det Supt Fenwick said: "At 11pm on Christmas Eve Mr Greaves left his house and walked towards the nearby church where he performs as an organist.

"Between his house and that location he was subjected to the brutal attack. At 11.15pm a member of the public found Mr Greaves and called the emergency services.

"He was a family man and the family are devastated about what has taken place. I would like to appeal on their behalf and on my behalf for anyone who might have witnessed any part of this incident or anyone who has information that could assist this investigation to please contact us."

Mr Greaves had four adult children and had recently become a grandfather to two twin boys adopted by his daughter in Mozambique.

He and his wife had recently set up a food bank and community project in the area where he was murdered.

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Burma: British Family Of Four Survived Crash

A British family of four was aboard an aircraft packed with tourists which crash-landed in Burma on Christmas Day.

The Foreign Office has confirmed it provided assistance to the family and that they have now left hospital following treatment for minor injuries.

Two people died and 11 were injured when the Air Bagan plane, carrying more than 60 passengers, crashed two miles short of the runway at Heho Airport.

Details of the crash remain unclear, however the airline and officials have blamed heavy fog for the aircraft's crash into a rice paddy field.

The ageing Fokker 100 jet was carrying Christmas tourists from Rangoon to Heho Airport, via Mandalay. The airport is the main gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake.

Survivors of the Christmas Day crash-landing have told of their terror as the plane struck the ground.

The plane crashed in thick fog about two miles short of the runway

"We felt the first bump, then a few big bumps and then (started) sliding very fast," said Anna Bartsch, a 31-year-old Australian advertising executive.

"In my window I saw the flames, and it was hot and we knew straight away we didn't have much time to get out. We didn't know then that the wings had come off," she said.

Air Bagan says the plane's black box will be sent to Singapore for analysis.

The airline has said "the plane hit electrical cables about a mile from Heho Airport as it descended and landed in rice fields".

All fatalities were Burmese citizens, including a man riding a motorcycle where the plane came down, and a tour guide aboard the plane.

The accident has raised concerns about the safety standards of Burma's overburdened airlines, as foreign visitors flock to the country as it emerges from a half-century of military rule.

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Firefighter Ambush Shooting: Killer Left Note

The gunman who ambushed two firefighters as they approached his burning house left a note saying he wanted to torch the neighbourhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people".

Gerald Pickering, police chief in Webster, New York state, said 62-year-old William Spengler armed himself with three weapons and set his house on fire to lure emergency services into a death trap.

Spengler killed two volunteer firefighters - Mike Chiapperini, 43, and 19-year-old Tomasz Kaczowka - and shot two others before taking his own life in the small town on Monday morning.

Police believe human remains found in the burnt-out home are those of the gunman's 67-year-old sister, Cheryl, who has been missing since the blaze. The remains will be examined before identity is confirmed.

The full contents of the two-page, typed note - which police said does not reveal a motive - have not been published, but Mr Pickering said it clearly shows the killer's "intent".

Victims: Michael Chapperini (left) and Tomasz Kaczowka

One of the guns used was a semi-automatic Bushmaster rifle, the same type of gun used in the December 14 school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. Mr Pickering said Spengler was "equipped to go to war".

Mr Chiapperini's full-time job was as a public information officer with the Webster police department. He was named firefighter of the year for 2012.

Mr Kaczowka worked as an emergency call dispatcher and Mr Pickering described him as "a tremendous young man".

The two injured volunteer firefighters, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino, remain in hospital. They are said to be awake and alert and are expected to recover despite suffering "significant" injuries.

Webster is northwest of New York City

Spengler was released from prison in 1998 after serving 17 years for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980.

Authorities have said he lived a quiet life and had done nothing to bring himself to police attention since his parole.

Spengler's mother Arline, who had lived with her two children, died in October, leaving Spengler on his own with his sister whom he "couldn't stand", according to neighbour Roger Vercruysse.

Spengler "stayed on one side of the house and [Cheryl] stayed on the other," Mr Vercruysse said.

Dozens of people turned out on Monday night for an impromptu vigil to mourn the firefighters, leaving bouquets and messages of condolence at the local fire station.

One man left a crate of beer, the local newspaper told Sky News.

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Kickboxer Lee Aldhouse Charged With Murder

A British kickboxer could face the death penalty in Thailand after being charged with murdering an ex-US Marine at a popular holiday resort.

Lee Aldhouse, originally from Birmingham, told media crews he was being mistreated as he was taken to court in Phuket in the south of the country.

Prosecutor Chiengsan Panya said Aldhouse could be facing execution or a lengthy jail sentence.

He told the court: "The prosecutor has decided to proceed with charges against the suspect.

Lee Aldhouse competed in kickboxing fights in Phuket

"According to the law article 288, the suspect can be executed, or serve life in prison, or be imprisoned for 15 years and 20 years."

The 29-year-old is accused of stabbing to death 23-year old Dashawn Longfellow after an argument in a bar on August 14, 2010.

Police launched a manhunt for Aldhouse following the murder and he was arrested four days later at London's Heathrow Airport.

He was flown to Thailand from the UK earlier this month in the first-ever extradition of a criminal suspect from Britain to Thailand.

Victim Dashawn Longfellow had served in Iraq and Afghanistan

Local media said Aldhouse had been living for several years in Phuket and was a semi-professional kickboxer who fought under the nickname 'Pitbull', while Mr Longfellow had also been studying the sport

The victim's mother said her son served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he was injured when a roadside bomb exploded under his truck.

He was awarded the Purple Heart for his injury.

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Boxing Day Sales: Bargain Hunters Hit Shops

Britain's shops look set for a bumper Boxing Day of profits as bargain hunters go on a predicted £3bn spending spree at the sales.

People queued overnight in London's Oxford Street in preparation for stores opening this morning, with thousands pouring through the doors from as early as 6am.

Selfridges bosses said they took £1.5m at the tills in the first hour of opening and stores across the West End expect some £50m of takings in one day.

Sue West, Selfridges director of operations, said handbags and menswear were among the items flying off the shelves.

She said: "Online sales have been great but year on year people still want to experience the Boxing Day sales."

Manchester's Trafford Centre has been enjoying what is thought to be the biggest Boxing Day in its history - with police drafted in to help manage the crowds.

Hundreds of shoppers poured through the doors when Selfridges opened

The centre's Gordon McKinnon said: "Many retailers have kept stock levels much tighter this year, so the sales will not be stretching on into January."

Queues began to form at Kent's Bluewater at 1am on Boxing Day, with around 3,000 waiting for the doors to open at 7am.

Up to 7.1 million shoppers are expected to hit the shops at some stage, with one in 10 venturing out for a deal before 9am, according to research from Green Flag.

According to MoneySupermarket.com, shoppers in the UK are set to spend a total of £2.9bn.

A poll for the website found almost four million Britons (8%) planned to head to the high street on Boxing Day in addition to more than five million (10%) who will be searching online.

Queues formed outside some shops from as early as 1am.

However, figures from one survey, by comparison website Pricerunner, suggested that almost half (47%) of those questioned were not planning on buying anything in the post-Christmas sales.

A strike by London tube drivers about bank holiday pay does not seem to have had too much impact on the sales.

Extra buses were laid on for those travelling to the West End, as well as the Westfield shopping centres in Stratford, east London, and White City, west London, Transport for London said.

Jason Tyrrell from the New West End Company told Sky News: "We were prepared for this strike and had coaches for staff. The shoppers are out in force, but I hope both sides get round the table and sort it out."

Stores reported an influx of shoppers from abroad

Online retailers tried to stay one step ahead of the competition by offering heavy discounts on Christmas Day with Amazon's UK website seeing a 263% rise in sales over the last five years.

Analyst Experian predicted that Christmas 2012 would be the "biggest and busiest ever" for online retailers in the UK, with visits to retail websites expected to reach 126 million today, up 31% on 2011 and consumers predicted to spend £472.5m online.

But there was more gloom for the high street in the run-up to Christmas with shoppers preferring to buy presents online, according to Business recovery group Begbies Traynor.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said high street spending was "acceptable but not exceptional" this festive period - blaming it on poor accessibility to high streets and weak consumer demand rather than online shopping.

Richard Dodd of BRC said: "There are a lot of myths around online retail - 10% of overall retailing over the year comes from online shopping and actually it presents lots of opportunities for the retail sector."

A Begbies Traynor report said almost 140 high street firms were in a critical condition in the fourth quarter, meaning they are on the brink of collapse, while more than 13,700 were in "significant" distress - up 35% during the three months to December 17.

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Weather: Landslide Alert Amid Floods And Rain

A landslide warning has been issued by the Met Office, as continued heavy downpours sparked fears of unstable cliff faces.

Boxing Day walkers were urged to take extra care in "dangerous conditions" with flooding set to worsen across parts of England and Wales today.

The Met Office has issued the warning following advice from the British Geological Survey.

Forecasters said coastal areas in southwest England are in particular danger of collapsing cliff edges, but stressed that all areas with heavy rain are at risk.

Helston in Cornwall has been badly affected by floods

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "We have had such heavy and persistent rain fall over the last few days and weeks and that there is a danger of landslides and rockfall along the coast, even on coastal paths.

"We are advising Boxing Day walkers in the southwest of England to take particular care in these dangerous conditions, especially those not familiar with the area.

"Do not get too close to the cliff edge or walk under the cliff face along the beach and remember that coastal paths could be impacted too."

Many coastal paths have been closed over the last few weeks along the South West and train services have been disrupted by small coastal landslides.

Charlotte Blackman was killed in a landslide during the summer

There have been several landslide tragedies involving walkers in recent years. Last summer, Charlotte Blackman was buried by rocks while walking with her family on the Dorset coast.

Weather experts said up to 15mm of rain fell across southwest England and south Wales, with up to 20mm expected again today.

Sky weather presenter Sarah Pennock said there would be more heavy rainfall over some areas of the UK.

She said: "The main event today is a band of rain already spreading into southwestern Ireland and Scotland.

"This will dump up to an inch in places, will fall on already saturated ground and will exacerbate the risk of further flooding."

The Environment Agency has 119 flood warnings in place, which urge residents to take immediate action against expected flooding.

A further 228 less severe flood alerts have been issued across most of England and Wales.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has removed all its warnings, with lighter showers expected only through the southwest of the country.

Around 470 properties have flooded since Wednesday, while Floodline revealed it has received 18,000 calls during the recent wet weather.

The worst affected areas have been southwest England and stretches along the south coast from Cornwall to Kent, along with Wales and northern Scotland.

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Nigeria: Fireworks Blast And Blaze Kills One

Fire has ripped through a crowded part of the Nigerian city Lagos, killing at least one person and injuring 30 others after a huge explosion rocked a building storing fireworks.

The blast and fire, which started around 9am local time, led to panic in the Jankara neigbourhood of Lagos, with residents jumping from windows to flee and others salvaging goods from their shops.

Fireworks continued to explode well after the fire began making it difficult for rescue workers and firefighters to approach the scene.

Officials have tried to band fireworks in Nigeria

"We pulled out a body from the building," said Ibrahim Farinloye of the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema).

Huge crowds gathered in the area and residents rushed to help firefighters, bringing containers of water and helping carry hoses.

Three tankers at the scene from the fire service later ran out of water and an emergency official said military personnel were called in to help.

Officials said the inferno appeared to have started at the fireworks warehouse, where a major explosion shook parts of the sprawling city of some 15 million people.

The blast happened around 9am

An emergency source said initial reports indicated that the fire caused the explosion. But an official statement from Nema later said the precise cause was yet to be determined.

Rubble-strewn streets surrounding the burning building were covered in the spent shells of fireworks.

Several police officers and security officials found large, mortar-like fireworks in the building, the kind wired to explode as part of a large arrangement put on by professionals.

"We have treated up to 30 people so far," Red Cross worker Nicolas Adesile said at the scene.

About 30 people have been hurt

Rescue workers had difficulty reaching the scene due to traffic and crowds.

Fireworks are popular in Nigeria during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

But local government officials have tried to ban fireworks this year, in part due to safety and in part due to the fear they can cause in a nation where a radical Islamist sect is carrying out shootings and car bombings. 

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Hunting Ban Repeal Vote 'Is Not Imminent'

There is no imminent prospect of a parliamentary vote on repealing the hunting ban, a Cabinet minister has signalled.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson appeared to rule out bringing the issue before the Commons next year.

Mr Paterson, a keen supporter of country sports including hunting, told the Daily Telegraph: "There's only a point having a vote if you're going to win.

"At the moment, it would not be my proposal to bring forward a vote we were going to lose. There needs to be more work done on Members of Parliament."

He went on: "It is our clear intention to have a free vote but we need to choose an appropriate moment."

Owen Paterson has appeared to rule out the vote in 2013

The comments emerged as an estimated 300 Boxing Day hunts gather up and down the country for the busiest day of the season.

They will go ahead despite the ban on hunting with dogs that was passed under Labour in 2005.

Campaigners say enforcing the restriction wastes police time, and suggest some officers turn a blind eye to breaches of the law.

But David Cameron has been accused of dragging his heels over acting on the coalition agreement promise of a free vote on overturning the ban.

Many Tories would support repeal, but most Labour and the Liberal Democrats are still in favour of the ban.

Animal welfare charities, including the RSPCA, have commissioned research which suggests that only 15% of people want to scrap the ban.

But the Countryside Alliance says it has seen no slackening of support for hunting in recent years.

For Labour, shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said there was no public support for ending the hunting ban.

"Most people back Labour's ban on hunting wild animals with dogs and accept there is no place for animal cruelty in a civilised society," she said.

"People are worried about their incomes falling, prices rising and losing their jobs, yet this out of touch Tory-led Government wants to bring back hunting.

"After the recent high profile conviction of members of the Prime Minister's hunt, I hope that hunts will respect the law this year."

A Defra spokesperson said: "The coalition Government pledged to put forward a motion to allow a free vote on the Hunting Act.

"This will take place at an appropriate time and if Parliament were to vote in favour of repeal, the Government would introduce a Repeal Bill in the House of Parliament in due course."

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Thunderbirds Creator Gerry Anderson Dies

Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson has died at the age of 83.

His son Jamie said he died peacefully in his sleep at midday on Boxing Day, having suffered with mixed dementia for the past few years.

Anderson also created Captain Scarlet, Stingray, Joe 90 and Space:1999.

Nick Williams, the chairman of the Fanderson fand club, said: "To those who met him Gerry was a quiet, unassuming but determined man.

"His desire to make the best films he could drove him and his talented teams to innovate, take risks, and do everything necessary to produce quite inspirational works.

"Gerry's legacy is that he inspired so many people and continues to bring so much joy to so many millions of people around the world."

Anderson was diagnosed with mixed dementia two years ago and his condition worsened over the past six months.

Having already decided with his family on a care home for himself earlier this year, he moved in there in October.

Gerry Anderson, his then-wife Sylvia and some of the "cast" from Stingray

Until recently Anderson remained interested and involved in the film industry, keen to re-visit some of his earlier successes using the latest technology available.

His last producer credit came in 2005 on New Captain Scarlet, a CGI-animated re-imagining of his 1967 Supermarionation series, which premiered on ITV in the UK.

Most recently he worked as a consultant on a Hollywood remake of his 1969 series UFO, directed by Matthew Gratzner.

He also worked as a celebrity ambassador for The Alzheimer's Society, helping to raise awareness of the disease and funds for the society.

Anderson leaves three children from former marriages, Joy, Linda and Gerry Junior, his son Jamie and widow Mary.

Fanderson is planning to pay a full tribute to him at the FAB 74 event next March.

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Russia: Magnitsky Retaliation Bill Approved

A controversial law banning Americans from adopting Russian children has won final approval from the parliament in Moscow.

The bill - in retaliation for a US law intended to punish Russian human rights abusers - will now go to President Vladimir Putin for his signature.

Putin has strongly hinted he will sign the bill, which also outlaws some US-funded NGOs and hits back at sanctions by imposing visa bans and asset freezes on Americans accused of violating the rights of Russians.

The Federation Council, Russia's upper parliament, voted unanimously to approve the bill, which has clouded US-Russian relations and outraged liberals who say lawmakers are playing a political game with the lives of children.

The bill has drawn unusual criticism from some government officials including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Olga Golodets, a deputy prime minister who said it may violate an international convention on children's rights.

Police were on hand to prevent any disturbances at the parliament

Putin has described it as an emotional but appropriate response to US legislation he said was poisoning relations.

US President Barack Obama this month signed off on the Magnitsky Act, which imposes visa bans and asset freezes on Russians accused of human rights violations, including those linked to the death in custody of a lawyer in 2009.

The ban on American adoptions takes Russia's response a step further, playing into deep sensitivity among Russians - and the government in particular - over adoptions by foreigners, which skyrocketed after the 1991 Soviet collapse.

The bill is named for Dima Yakovlev - a Russian-born toddler who died of heat stroke when his adoptive American father forgot him in a car.

"It is immoral to send our children abroad to any country," Federation Council deputy Valery Shtyrov said in a one-sided debate before the 143-0 vote.

Child rights advocates say the law, due to take effect on January 1 if signed by Putin, will deprive children of a way out of Russia's overcrowded orphanage system.

A group of demonstrators also turned out to show support for the bill

Opposition activist Boris Nemtsov said: "This is the most vile law passed since Putin came to power. Putin is taking children hostage, like a terrorist".

Police said they had arrested seven people protesting against the law on Wednesday outside the Federation Council.

Nevertheless, lawmaker Gennady Makin said the Magnitsky Act demanded a tough response. "He who comes to Russia with a sword dies by that sword," he said.

The dispute adds to tension in US-Russia ties already strained over issues ranging from Syria to the Kremlin's treatment of opponents and restrictions imposed on civil society groups since Putin, in power since 2000, began a new six-year term in May.

The Russian bill would outlaw US-funded "non-profit organisations that engage in political activity", which Putin accuses of trying to influence Russian politics.

Russia ejected the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which funds Russian non-governmental groups, in October, and Putin has signed a law forcing many foreign-funded organisations to register as "foreign agents" - a term that evokes the Cold War.

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M6 Crash: Brothers And Woman Killed Named

Police have named the two brothers and a 32-year-old woman who were killed when the car they were travelling in flipped over on the M6 on Christmas Day.

Brothers Adnan Habib, 10, and Mohammed Arsalaan Habib, 4, and Bushra Tazarib were travelling to a family wedding in the Greater Manchester region when they died.

All three victims were from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.

The car's two other occupants, including the boys' mother who was driving, survived the crash, which happened near junction 15, close to Stoke-on-Trent, at 11.25am.

The mother of the boys and the other passenger, a female relative, spent the night at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in a stable condition. They were discharged earlier on Boxing Day.

Two women survived the crash

Officers continued to appeal to the public for help to work out exactly what happened when the red Ford Focus smashed.

The police force said it was described by investigating officers as "unimaginably sad and tragic".

Chief Superintendent Martin Evans of the Central Motorway Policing Group (CMPG) said: "The thoughts of all officers and emergency services colleagues involved are with the bereaved families at this extremely difficult time, and specially trained family liaison officers have been appointed to support them."

The crash shut the M6 for much of the day to allow emergency services - including three ambulances and two air ambulances - to reach the scene.

The accident occurred on the M6 between junctions 14 and 15

No other vehicles were believed to have been involved and the circumstances surrounding what caused the crash are being investigated by the CMPG.

:: Anyone with information about the crash is urged to contact the force's collision investigation unit on 01785 234094.

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