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Solar Eclipse: Cheers As The Clouds Parted

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Maret 2015 | 00.48

Solar Eclipse: Cheers As The Clouds Parted

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Whoops of joy greeted the sun as the moon passed over it, delighting millions of skywatchers across northern Europe.

As the clouds parted over the Faroe Islands, turning total darkness to light again in seconds, thrilled crowds shouted in enchantment, with many yelling out: "Oh my God, Oh my God!"

The spectacular eclipse has been described as "amazing", "beautiful" and "eerie".

At one point, at around 9.40am, Sky News senior correspondent Ian Woods said: "We are standing in total darkness, I can hardly see the camera."

After the sun emerged again Woods said: "It was so grey and miserable, weather-wise, that we were preparing to give up on the whole thing.

1/31

  1. Gallery: People Around The World In Awe As Skies Blacken

    A pupil at St Vincent's Catholic Primary School in Altrincham looks through special glasses at the partial solar eclipse

Bridal and groom Sarah Wolf and Michael Wilde (R) and their guests look through a rescue foil as they watch the partial solar eclipse in Munich

]]>

  • A woman uses protective glasses for her dog in Nice, southeastern France

    ]]>

  • People watch the partial solar eclipse from the grounds of Belfast Zoo, in Belfast

    ]]>

  • People wearing special sunglasses wait for a total solar eclipse on Svalbard

    ]]>

  • "But then suddenly we saw it - it was absolutely awe-inspiring. Just at the end, it went very, very dark and then we saw a glimpse of totality.

    "We only got a few seconds of totality before the sun emerged again, but it was incredible."

    Jill Lucas, who travelled to Faroe from Pennsylvania in the US, told Woods: "This is a thrill in itself, to be this dark at nine o'clock in the morning - it's like nine o'clock at night."

    However, despite the excited reaction from some, not all of the 10,000 visitors turning up on Faroe were satisfied.

    "It was overcast, there was rain and wind. You could see nothing. It was a disappointment for everybody," said Gabor Lantos, a Hungarian tourist.

    "Some tourists were so irritated, they argued with tour operators, demanding their money back," he said, adding that would be impossible.

    Elsewhere, the moon took its first nibble out of the right hand side of the sun at 8.28am in Skegness, on the east coast of Lincolnshire.

    Security guard and amateur photographer Gary Martin, 45, took his camera to the seafront straight after a night shift.

    "It's been brilliant," he said. "It was very important not to miss it and by taking photos - I can keep the memories for years to come."

    Val Goll, 65, from the town described feeling an unusual "atmosphere" and a noticeable drop in temperature as the moon passed in front of the sun.

    "I'm immensely pleased and excited to have seen it," she said. "It is beautiful."

    Meanwhile, some of the best experiences were had in Newquay, Cornwall, where there was an 85% eclipse and some clear skies.

    Sky's Isabel Webster chatted to children who wore special glasses to observe the spectacle.

    One boy, Archie, said: "It's the first one I've seen and I saw it through the glasses, to avoid causing damage to my eyes. It's really good."

    Another witness in Newquay said: "It was quite eerie, everything just went pretty dark and the birds seemed to go quiet."

    On the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland, where there was a 95% eclipse, viewers turned out with makeshift cameras made from cardboard boxes.

    One viewer, called Elliott, told Sky's James Matthews: "I'm quite impressed - what I can see is not very big - but the box has drawn attention to the eclipse."

    Space journalist Sarah Cruddas told Sky News: "Not only was the solar eclipse amazing, but equally amazing is the fact that so many people, schools, news organisations, are so engaged in what's going on.

    "This really is a once-in-a-lifetime event  - you can tell it's a lot darker outside."

    Despite the excitement some voiced their disappointment on Twitter after poor weather spoiled views.

    Software engineer Amarjeet Rai (@sonu27), from London, wrote: "Solar eclipse this morning. Shame it's cloudy."

    Fellow user @RGGoldie wrote from Jersey: "So cloudy I can't even tell where the sun is right now."

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    5. Breaking News: Girls 'Keen On Syria' Barred From Leaving UK

    • Solar Eclipse: Cheers As The Clouds Parted

    We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

    Whoops of joy greeted the sun as the moon passed over it, delighting millions of skywatchers across northern Europe.

    As the clouds parted over the Faroe Islands, turning total darkness to light again in seconds, thrilled crowds shouted in enchantment, with many yelling out: "Oh my God, Oh my God!"

    The spectacular eclipse has been described as "amazing", "beautiful" and "eerie".

    At one point, at around 9.40am, Sky News senior correspondent Ian Woods said: "We are standing in total darkness, I can hardly see the camera."

    After the sun emerged again Woods said: "It was so grey and miserable, weather-wise, that we were preparing to give up on the whole thing.

    1/31

    1. Gallery: People Around The World In Awe As Skies Blacken

      A pupil at St Vincent's Catholic Primary School in Altrincham looks through special glasses at the partial solar eclipse

    Bridal and groom Sarah Wolf and Michael Wilde (R) and their guests look through a rescue foil as they watch the partial solar eclipse in Munich

    ]]>

  • A woman uses protective glasses for her dog in Nice, southeastern France

    ]]>

  • People watch the partial solar eclipse from the grounds of Belfast Zoo, in Belfast

    ]]>

  • People wearing special sunglasses wait for a total solar eclipse on Svalbard

    ]]>

  • "But then suddenly we saw it - it was absolutely awe-inspiring. Just at the end, it went very, very dark and then we saw a glimpse of totality.

    "We only got a few seconds of totality before the sun emerged again, but it was incredible."

    Jill Lucas, who travelled to Faroe from Pennsylvania in the US, told Woods: "This is a thrill in itself, to be this dark at nine o'clock in the morning - it's like nine o'clock at night."

    However, despite the excited reaction from some, not all of the 10,000 visitors turning up on Faroe were satisfied.

    "It was overcast, there was rain and wind. You could see nothing. It was a disappointment for everybody," said Gabor Lantos, a Hungarian tourist.

    "Some tourists were so irritated, they argued with tour operators, demanding their money back," he said, adding that would be impossible.

    Elsewhere, the moon took its first nibble out of the right hand side of the sun at 8.28am in Skegness, on the east coast of Lincolnshire.

    Security guard and amateur photographer Gary Martin, 45, took his camera to the seafront straight after a night shift.

    "It's been brilliant," he said. "It was very important not to miss it and by taking photos - I can keep the memories for years to come."

    Val Goll, 65, from the town described feeling an unusual "atmosphere" and a noticeable drop in temperature as the moon passed in front of the sun.

    "I'm immensely pleased and excited to have seen it," she said. "It is beautiful."

    Meanwhile, some of the best experiences were had in Newquay, Cornwall, where there was an 85% eclipse and some clear skies.

    Sky's Isabel Webster chatted to children who wore special glasses to observe the spectacle.

    One boy, Archie, said: "It's the first one I've seen and I saw it through the glasses, to avoid causing damage to my eyes. It's really good."

    Another witness in Newquay said: "It was quite eerie, everything just went pretty dark and the birds seemed to go quiet."

    On the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland, where there was a 95% eclipse, viewers turned out with makeshift cameras made from cardboard boxes.

    One viewer, called Elliott, told Sky's James Matthews: "I'm quite impressed - what I can see is not very big - but the box has drawn attention to the eclipse."

    Space journalist Sarah Cruddas told Sky News: "Not only was the solar eclipse amazing, but equally amazing is the fact that so many people, schools, news organisations, are so engaged in what's going on.

    "This really is a once-in-a-lifetime event  - you can tell it's a lot darker outside."

    Despite the excitement some voiced their disappointment on Twitter after poor weather spoiled views.

    Software engineer Amarjeet Rai (@sonu27), from London, wrote: "Solar eclipse this morning. Shame it's cloudy."

    Fellow user @RGGoldie wrote from Jersey: "So cloudy I can't even tell where the sun is right now."

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    1. 'Eerie' Solar Eclipse Casts Shadow Across Europe
    2. Teen Gets 22 Years For Plot To Behead Soldier
    3. Clarkson Tells Live Audience He's Been Sacked
    4. At Least 142 Killed In Yemen Suicide Bombings
    5. Breaking News: Girls 'Keen On Syria' Barred From Leaving UK


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    At Least 142 Killed In Yemen Suicide Bombings

    At least 142 people have been killed and hundreds more injured after four suicide bombers attacked two mosques in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

    The bombers struck during Friday prayers at mosques mainly used by supporters of the Shi'ite Muslim Houthi group which recently seized control of the government.

    The attackers detonated their explosive belts inside and outside the buildings.

    One witness said: "A man with a crutch and his leg covered with plaster showing the Houthi sign on the crutch entered the inside of the mosque, then we heard the explosion."

    A spokesman for the country's health ministry said at least 30 of those wounded in the attacks were in a critical condition in intensive care.

    In an online statement, the previously unknown Sanaa branch of Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the bombings and said they were "just the tip of the iceberg".

    The US condemned the attacks, but said it was too early to confirm whether IS was involved.

    White House spokesman Josh Earnest said there is not, as yet, a "clear operational" link between Yemeni extremists and IS fighters in Syria and Iraq.

    "We express our condolences to the families of the victims, we deplore the brutality of the terrorists who perpetrated today's unprovoked attack on Yemeni citizens, who were peacefully engaged in Friday prayers," he said.

    Yemen is divided by a power struggle between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the north and UN-recognised President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who fled to the southern city of Aden in February after escaping house arrest in the capital.

    He has established a rival seat in Aden with the backing of Sunni-led Gulf Arab states but twice in the last two days unidentified aircraft have attacked his presidential palace.

    A government spokesman said the President was not in the palace at the time and is unharmed.


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    Clarkson Tells Live Audience He's Been Sacked

    Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson appeared to be back on provocative form as he declared on stage that the BBC had sacked him.

    Speaking at a fundraising event in London on Thursday night, Clarkson joked with the audience as he said: "I don't know when I did my last-ever lap of the Top Gear test track before the f***ing b******s sacked me."

    Amid laughter and applause the presenter apparently repeated the claim which was caught on camera.

    The BBC has not commented but said on Thursday afternoon that director general Tony Hall is to be given a dossier on the matter next week and will subsequently make a decision.

    Earlier, a BBC executive suggested Clarkson's co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond had been offered the chance to finish this season's Top Gear shows but had refused to do so.

    They "didn't want to do it without Jeremy", the executive was reported as saying.

    Clarkson was suspended from the show earlier this month after allegedly punching a producer over a row about the lack of a hot meal at a hotel following a day's filming.

    Both Clarkson and producer Oisin Tymon have now given their evidence to an inquiry set up to investigate the matter.

    The show makes millions of pounds for the BBC and, while some at the corporation are believed to want the presenter off Top Gear, he has a strong fan base, with almost a million people signing a petition for his reinstatement.

    Meanwhile, Clarkson's co-hosts May and Hammond have been tweeting about what they have been doing on their enforced days off.

    May on Thursday revealed his empathy with the unemployed as he wrote: "Seriously, if you really are unemployed, good luck to you. It's not funny in reality."

    Richard Hammond tweeted a picture of his dog and said: "Not trying to be cryptic, just enjoying a gorgeous morning. Off."


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    North Korea 'Prepared' To Fire Nuclear Missile

    By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

    North Korea is ready to launch a nuclear war if it feels threatened, the country's ambassador to the UK has told Sky News.

    In a rare interview, the senior official told us North Korea has nuclear weapons and is ready to use them.

    "We are prepared," he said. "That is why I say if a sparkle of a fire is made on the Korean peninsula, it will lead to a nuclear war.

    "We don't say empty words. We mean what we mean. It is not the United States that has a monopoly on nuclear weapons strikes."

    "So can I just be clear: you are telling me that the North Korea has the ability now to fire a nuclear missile?" I clarified.

    "Any time, any time, yes."

    Hyun Hak-bong also hit out at allegations made against his country days after the United Nations launched yet another investigation into North Korea's human rights record.

    The diplomat was asked about allegations made to Sky News last year by North Koreans living in the South Korean capital Seoul. They claim to have been tortured and beaten in their own country.

    He said: "Those allegations are based on fabricated stories by the defectors from the North."

    "Do you know the difference between human beings and animals? Human beings have a conscience and morality. If they do not have a conscience and a morality the are like nothing.

    "They're animals. That is why we call the defectors animals. They are no better than animals. They're human scum."

    The UN will investigate reports that up to 20,000 North Koreans have been sent to Qatar to help build the 2022 World Cup facilities under inhumane conditions.

    Sky News was invited to interview the Ambassador for a second year running. Like 12 months ago, the interview coincided with annual US/South Korean military exercises.

    The exercises are called Foal Eagle and Key Resolve, and last a number of weeks. They involve hundreds of thousands of troops on land, sea and in the air.

    America says the manoeuvres are defensive but Pyongyang believes they are a preparation for an invasion.

    The ambassador claims America is "softening" North Korea before conducting "a pre-emptive strike".

    The exercises raise tensions on the peninsula but so far have not led to war. The worry is one misunderstanding could turn the situation very serious


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    Teen Gets 22 Years For Plot To Behead Soldier

    Teen Gets 22 Years For Plot To Behead Soldier

    We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

    A teenager has been jailed for 22 years for hatching a plot to behead a British soldier inspired by the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

    Brusthom Ziamani, 19, stood impassively in the dock as the sentence was handed down at the Old Bailey.

    He was arrested in an east London street carrying a 12in knife and a hammer in a rucksack.

    He had earlier researched the location of army cadet bases in the south east of the capital.

    The court was told how he had earlier shown his ex-girlfriend weapons, described Fusilier Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo as a "legend".

    1/5

    1. Gallery: Ziamani: 'This Is Islamic State Of Ireland And Britain'

      In this letter, Brusthom Ziamani told his parents that he had an obligation to fight for Allah - and as he couldn't travel to Iraq and Syria, he would have to wage war on the British Government. 'This is Islamic State of Ireland and Britain,' the 19-year-old adds

    The man, from southeast London, said the heads of British soldiers would be removed and burned - and claimed: 'you cannot defeat the Muslims because we love to die the way you love to live'

    ]]>

  • He chillingly added: 'we should do a 9/11, 7/7 and a Woolwich all in one day, everyday'

    ]]>

  • As the letter continued, Ziamani told his mother and father that he planned to die a martyr and leave this world - 'so please do not grieve, as I will be in paradise'. He also asked his parents to forgive him for the stress he had caused them in the past

    ]]>

  • In the final section, the teenager urged his parents not to mix with Christians, Jews and non-believers - and said they should all be killed with no pity. 'But do not kill the women and children,' he added

    ]]>

    He told his girlfriend he would "kill soldiers".

    The defendant was radicalised after being befriended by members of a radical Muslim organisation which held meetings in London.

    Ziamani was found guilty last month of preparing an act of terrorism and was sentenced by Judge Timothy Pontius.

    Judge Pontius said: "A realistic and sensible assessment of the whole of the evidence leads inescapably to the conclusion that this defendant, had he not by sheer good fortune been spotted and stopped by the police on the street in east London, would have carried out the intention he had so graphically expressed to his ex-girlfriend just a few hours before."

    The judge told Ziamani that he would have to serve at least two-thirds of his 22-year sentence before being eligible for parole.

    Earlier, in mitigation, Ziamani's lawyer, Naeem Mian, said his client was not an "entrenched extremist".

    Mr Mian said Ziamani was a young man who while destitute had been groomed by people who were "more sophisticated and mature" than him.

    He said: "It is worrying to say the least that those who groomed him are able to groom and radicalise a young man in such a short period of time.

    "On any view it is a tragic case because this young man will spend a long time in custody after which he will inevitably be unemployable.

    "His foolish, naive acts have resulted in him throwing his life away at his tender age.

    "He has nothing to look forward to now. The only glimmer of hope he has is the fact his parents - in particular his mother - has been to see him a number of times since his conviction.

    "They are still not comfortable with the fact he has converted to Islam. As you would expect of caring and loving parents, they have been to see him."

    The trial was told how Ziamani had "reverted" to Islam only last year and was kicked out of home in Camberwell, south London, by his parents.

    1/3

    1. Gallery: Knife Shown To Terror Trial Jury

      Police have released images of material shown to the jury in the trial of Brusthom Ziamani

    The knife along with this Shahada flag were found in Ziamani's rucksack when he was arrested, the court heard

    ]]>

  • Ziamani was born in London to Congolese parents. His mother worked as a nursery nurse and his father was a psychiatric nurse.

    He said he first became interested in Islam at the age of 15 through rap music and decided to convert again in the months before his arrests.

    He initially turned to his local mosque for support before he fell in with the Muslim group al-Muhajiroun - or ALM.

    The group gave him money, clothes and a place to stay.

    He attended their talks in the basement of a halal sweet shop in Whitechapel and bought a black flag to take on their demonstrations.

    He said he was going "to rock it everywhere I go in the Kaffirs' face".

    The court was told how he posted comments on Facebook that he was "willing to die in the cause of Allah".

    He added: "Sharia law on its way on our streets. We will implement it, it's part of our religion."

    At the time he was first arrested last June on an unrelated matter, police found a ripped-up letter in his jeans pocket.

    In the letter he wrote about mounting an attack on a British soldier and expressed the desire to die a martyr.

    But Ziamani denied he was planning a copycat terror atrocity like the murder of Fusilier Rigby.

    On the letter, he said: "I was ranting and raging about the situation in Muslim countries which was described in these talks. I did not believe it at all."

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    5. Breaking News: Girls 'Keen On Syria' Barred From Leaving UK

    • Teen Gets 22 Years For Plot To Behead Soldier

    We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

    A teenager has been jailed for 22 years for hatching a plot to behead a British soldier inspired by the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

    Brusthom Ziamani, 19, stood impassively in the dock as the sentence was handed down at the Old Bailey.

    He was arrested in an east London street carrying a 12in knife and a hammer in a rucksack.

    He had earlier researched the location of army cadet bases in the south east of the capital.

    The court was told how he had earlier shown his ex-girlfriend weapons, described Fusilier Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo as a "legend".

    1/5

    1. Gallery: Ziamani: 'This Is Islamic State Of Ireland And Britain'

      In this letter, Brusthom Ziamani told his parents that he had an obligation to fight for Allah - and as he couldn't travel to Iraq and Syria, he would have to wage war on the British Government. 'This is Islamic State of Ireland and Britain,' the 19-year-old adds

    The man, from southeast London, said the heads of British soldiers would be removed and burned - and claimed: 'you cannot defeat the Muslims because we love to die the way you love to live'

    ]]>

  • He chillingly added: 'we should do a 9/11, 7/7 and a Woolwich all in one day, everyday'

    ]]>

  • As the letter continued, Ziamani told his mother and father that he planned to die a martyr and leave this world - 'so please do not grieve, as I will be in paradise'. He also asked his parents to forgive him for the stress he had caused them in the past

    ]]>

  • In the final section, the teenager urged his parents not to mix with Christians, Jews and non-believers - and said they should all be killed with no pity. 'But do not kill the women and children,' he added

    ]]>

    He told his girlfriend he would "kill soldiers".

    The defendant was radicalised after being befriended by members of a radical Muslim organisation which held meetings in London.

    Ziamani was found guilty last month of preparing an act of terrorism and was sentenced by Judge Timothy Pontius.

    Judge Pontius said: "A realistic and sensible assessment of the whole of the evidence leads inescapably to the conclusion that this defendant, had he not by sheer good fortune been spotted and stopped by the police on the street in east London, would have carried out the intention he had so graphically expressed to his ex-girlfriend just a few hours before."

    The judge told Ziamani that he would have to serve at least two-thirds of his 22-year sentence before being eligible for parole.

    Earlier, in mitigation, Ziamani's lawyer, Naeem Mian, said his client was not an "entrenched extremist".

    Mr Mian said Ziamani was a young man who while destitute had been groomed by people who were "more sophisticated and mature" than him.

    He said: "It is worrying to say the least that those who groomed him are able to groom and radicalise a young man in such a short period of time.

    "On any view it is a tragic case because this young man will spend a long time in custody after which he will inevitably be unemployable.

    "His foolish, naive acts have resulted in him throwing his life away at his tender age.

    "He has nothing to look forward to now. The only glimmer of hope he has is the fact his parents - in particular his mother - has been to see him a number of times since his conviction.

    "They are still not comfortable with the fact he has converted to Islam. As you would expect of caring and loving parents, they have been to see him."

    The trial was told how Ziamani had "reverted" to Islam only last year and was kicked out of home in Camberwell, south London, by his parents.

    1/3

    1. Gallery: Knife Shown To Terror Trial Jury

      Police have released images of material shown to the jury in the trial of Brusthom Ziamani

    The knife along with this Shahada flag were found in Ziamani's rucksack when he was arrested, the court heard

    ]]>

  • Ziamani was born in London to Congolese parents. His mother worked as a nursery nurse and his father was a psychiatric nurse.

    He said he first became interested in Islam at the age of 15 through rap music and decided to convert again in the months before his arrests.

    He initially turned to his local mosque for support before he fell in with the Muslim group al-Muhajiroun - or ALM.

    The group gave him money, clothes and a place to stay.

    He attended their talks in the basement of a halal sweet shop in Whitechapel and bought a black flag to take on their demonstrations.

    He said he was going "to rock it everywhere I go in the Kaffirs' face".

    The court was told how he posted comments on Facebook that he was "willing to die in the cause of Allah".

    He added: "Sharia law on its way on our streets. We will implement it, it's part of our religion."

    At the time he was first arrested last June on an unrelated matter, police found a ripped-up letter in his jeans pocket.

    In the letter he wrote about mounting an attack on a British soldier and expressed the desire to die a martyr.

    But Ziamani denied he was planning a copycat terror atrocity like the murder of Fusilier Rigby.

    On the letter, he said: "I was ranting and raging about the situation in Muslim countries which was described in these talks. I did not believe it at all."

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    2. 'Oh My God!' Cheers As Clouds Part For Eclipse
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    4. At Least 142 Killed In Yemen Suicide Bombings
    5. Breaking News: Girls 'Keen On Syria' Barred From Leaving UK


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    Inquest: McCann Troll's Death Was Suicide

    By Ashish Joshi, Sky News Correspondent

    A Leicester coroner has concluded a woman found dead days after she featured in a Sky News report into online trolling took her own life.

    Brenda Leyland was found dead in a Leicester hotel room in October 2014.

    An inquest into her death at Leicester's Coroners Court heard witness testimony from a toxicologist, two police officers, Mrs Leyland's former psychiatrist and two Sky News employees.

    A written statement from Mrs Leyland's youngest son, Benjamin, was read to the court.

    He said: "I have no doubt in my mind that the panic and fear that I heard in her voice after the Sky News interview was the final straw that pushed my mum to do what she did.

    "She was broken, destroyed."

    Mr Leyland, who lives in America, described his mother as a woman who "felt it hard to connect with people".

    He wrote: "She struggled with depression. She had undergone psychiatric treatment and medicated for anxiety. The court was also told that there had been a previous suicide attempt."

    Sky News' Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt, who challenged Brenda Leyland about her alleged online trolling in a report for the channel, said he had talked to Mrs Leyland on the telephone after approaching her but before the report had been broadcast.

    He said: "I asked her how she was and she said 'Oh, I had thought about ending it all but I'm feeling better, I've had a drink I've spoken to my son who has told me I've been a silly, stupid woman."

    Mr Brunt was asked by Coroner Catherine Mason if he thought it was a throwaway line.

    He replied: "Yes".

    Detective Sergeant Steven Hutchings told the court that Mrs Leyland had posted more than 2,000 tweets under the name Sweepyface.

    Of these, 424 mentioned Gerry and Kate McCann. The couple's three-year-old daughter Madeleine was taken from the family's Portugal holiday apartment in 2007.

    In recording a verdict of suicide, the coroner said: "I'm satisfied although Mrs Leyland had a mental health history, that others would not necessarily have known that she was suffering from mental health (problems).

    "She had mentioned wanting to take her own life but then dismissed it. I don't think it could have been known to anybody that there was a definite intention for her to take her own life."

    A Sky News statement issued after the coroner's verdict said the broadcaster was confident that no editorial guidelines were breached.

    "The team at Sky News followed its editorial guidelines and pursued a story in a responsible manner that we believed was firmly in the public interest," the statement said.

    "Brenda Leyland's tragic death highlights the unforeseeable human impact that the stories we pursue can have, and Sky News would like to extend its sincere condolences to her family."

    :: If you feel suicidal or vulnerable, click here to contact the Samaritans or call 08457 90 90 90.


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    Man Wrongfully Jailed For 39 Years Gets $1m

    By Sky News US Team

    A man freed last year after spending 39 years in jail for a murder he did not commit will receive around $1m from Ohio for his wrongful imprisonment.

    Ricky Jackson is the longest-held US prisoner to be cleared of a crime.

    "Wow, wow, wow, that's fantastic, man," he said, upon learning of the payment from a journalist.

    "I don't even know what to say. This is going to mean so much."

    Mr Jackson, 58, was one of three men sent to death row in 1975 after being convicted of aggravated murder in the slaying of a businessman outside a corner store in Cleveland.

    Prosecutors at the time relied on the testimony of a 13-year-old boy to convict Mr Jackson and two brothers who were his best friends, Wiley Bridgeman and Ronnie Bridgeman.

    The boy, Eddie Vernon, recanted his testimony years later, and told authorities he had never actually witnessed the crime. There was no other evidence linking Mr Jackson to the killing.

    Based on the recantation and corroborating testimony that Vernon lied in 1975, a judge dismissed the charges against the three men in November.

    The Court of Claims ordered the state of Ohio to pay Mr Jackson $1,008,055 (£677,000) for the nearly 39 years he spent in state prison.

    Wiley Bridgeman and Ronnie Bridgeman, who now goes by the name of Kwame Ajamu, have not received any compensation yet.


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    FTSE Hits 7,000 For First Time In History

    The FTSE 100 Index has risen to more than 7,000 points for the first time in its history.

    World markets were cheered by a small recovery in the price of oil as well as signs of a breakthrough in the Greek debt crisis.

    London's top-flight index was also buoyed this week by the prospect of UK and US interest rates remaining lower for longer.

    It closed at 7022.5 as the price of a barrel of Brent crude edged above $55 - still less than half its value last summer.

    The FTSE had been on the brink of the landmark after a Budget-inspired rally earlier in the week.

    It has never before breached the 7,000 mark, which makes the combined value of London's top companies nearly £1.8 trillion.

    In February it passed a record high of 6,950, set at the time of the dotcom boom in 1999.

    Peter Cameron, assistant fund manager at Ecclesiastical Investment Management, said: "After 15 long and bumpy years, the FTSE 100 has finally clawed its way back to the levels of the late 1990s and unlike then, when the market was gripped by an irrational technology bubble, this new high should not cause alarm amongst investors.

    "A backdrop of inflation tailwinds from declining food and fuel prices, falling unemployment and signs of wage growth finally returning, create a benign outlook for the UK economy in 2015."

    The rise boosted Royal Dutch Shell and BP - which feature in many UK pension funds - by about 1%, with exploration firm Tullow Oil climbing nearly 3% and rival BG Group up 2%.

    Irish cement firm CRH advanced 6% after Holcim and Lafarge salvaged a planned multi-billion-pound merger to create the world's biggest cement firm.

    CRH has agreed to buy 6.5 billion euros worth of assets, which would give anti-trust clearance for the Holcim-Lafarge deal.

    The new assets would transform CRH into the world's third biggest building materials supplier.

    UK bank TSB also rose 2.2% after agreeing to a £1.7bn takeover by Spanish lender Banco Sabadell in one of the biggest cross-border banking deals since the financial crisis.

    Lloyds, which was ordered to sell TSB as a condition of its £20bn bailout during the banking meltdown of 2008, agreed to sell a 9.99% stake to Sabadell. It also says it will sell its remaining 40.01%.


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    'Eerie' Solar Eclipse Casts Shadow Across Europe

    Millions of people across Europe have defied gloomy weather forecasts to watch a solar eclipse cast its shadow across the continent.

    Some lucky observers in Britain got to experience the full extent of the event as the moon crossed in front of the sun, covering up to 97% of its face.

    One of the best vantage points was in South Gloucestershire, where amateur astronomer Ralph Wilkins described the "eerie" feeling as a chilly gloom descended and shadows sharpened.

    Elsewhere there were reports of birds "going crazy" and flocking to trees, confused by the fading light.

    Skywatchers in Newquay, Cornwall, got a clear view of first contact as the moon cut across the Sun at 8.20am, shortly after observers in Spain saw the eclipse begin.

    As the spectacle began, astronomer Tom Kerss told Sky News: "You're seeing the Moon's rugged mountainous and valleyed surface starting to cut into the face of the Sun. That will just grow and cut more of the Sun away." 

    :: As It Happened: Countdown To The Solar Eclipse

    First contact in London was visible at 8.47am, with a large crowd of enthusiasts choosing the Royal Observatory at Greenwich as the ideal spot to watch as the Sun was partially obscured.

    Members of the public and commuters who might have caught sight of the eclipse on the way to work had been warned that looking directly at the Sun could seriously damage their eyesight.

    Despite fears that cloud cover could ruin the event, there were good views in many areas, from the South West to London, Lincolnshire and the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.

    But some were left disappointed, including in cloudy Eastbourne, Glasgow, Bristol and Sheffield.

    Twitter user @RGGoldie wrote from Jersey: "So cloudy I can't even tell where the sun is right now."

    Even in gloomy areas darker skies and a slight drop in temperature were experienced during the event that will not be seen again in the UK until 2026.

    It was the deepest solar eclipse shadow to fall across Britain since 1999.

    The Faroe Islands and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in the North Atlantic were the only places to get a total eclipse.

    There were clouds in the Faroes, where Jill and Valerie Lucas, who travelled from Pennsylvania in the US to watch the eclipse, told Sky's Senior Correspondent Ian Woods: "This is a thrill in itself, to be this dark at nine o'clock in the morning - it's like nine o'clock at night."

    But moments later there were gasps from the delighted crowd when the Sun broke through the darkness of total obscuration at 9.42am.

    Around the UK, the proportion of the sun covered by the moon increased towards the north, ranging from 84% in London to 89% in Manchester, 93% in Edinburgh and 97% in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles.

    :: London

    The partial phase of the eclipse commenced at 8.25am. One hour and six minutes later at 9.31am the maximum eclipse occurred with 85% of the Sun blocked out. The event ended at 10.41am.

    :: Manchester

    Viewers in the northwest saw 90% of the Sun obscured. The event began at 8.27am, and reached maximum coverage at 9.32am. It lasted two hours and fifteen minutes finished at 10.42am.

    :: Belfast

    The event began a minute later than London at 8.26am and lasted two hours and 13 minutes, ending at 10.39am. The eclipse reached maximum coverage at 9.31am when 95% of the Sun was obscured.

    :: Scotland

    Further north, eclipse watchers enjoyed a slightly better show. Viewers in Edinburgh saw 93% of the Sun covered and from Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, the Moon obscured 97% of the solar disk. 

    :: Aberystwyth

    Viewers watched the eclipse from 8.24am and the event lasted a total of two hours and 14 minutes. The event reached maximum at 9.29am when 90% of the Sun was obscured.

    Despite the excitement, Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, warned the event could become memorable for the wrong reasons if observers failed to heed warnings of the dangers.

    "This one takes place right in the middle of the rush-hour," he said. "It's not the best time from a safety point of view.

    "A partial eclipse is more risky by far than a total eclipse because people don't realise that even looking at a thin sliver of sun is dangerous. It's absolutely true that there is a serious risk to people's eyesight.

    "If people can't find a way to view the eclipse correctly then they shouldn't look because they're likely to damage their eyes."

    A tourist visiting Norway for the eclipse has described the terrifying moment a polar bear dragged him out of his tent as he slept.

    :: Watch a Sky News special report on the solar eclipse today at 6.30pm and 9.30pm on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 132 and Freesat channel 202. Also available on skynews.com, iPad, iPhone and Sky Go. 


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    Girls 'Keen On Syria' Barred From Leaving UK

    Five teenage girls who have shown an interest in going to Syria have been barred by a High Court judge from travelling abroad.

    The two 15-year-olds and three 16-year-olds were made wards of court by Mr Justice Hayden.

    The judge's decision prevents them from leaving the jurisdiction of England and Wales.

    He made the ruling at a hearing in London after Tower Hamlets local authority raised concerns.

    The judge, who said the girls could not be identified, also made orders removing their passports and those of a number of adults involved in their care.

    Mr Justice Hayden said he made the order involving the adults because of evidence that, in at least one other case, young girls had travelled on passports belonging to members of their family.

    More importantly, there was evidence suggesting the family members in the case had not been full and frank with social services, and that the girls had been moving to a more radicalised position.

    He said: "It seems to me that that must have been known to the parents and they deliberately did not share it with the authorities who were keen to protect these vulnerable young girls."

    Three girls who attended Bethnal Green Academy in east London disappeared last month and are believed to have travelled to Syria to join Islamic State militants.

    Shamima Begum, Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, took flights to Istanbul last month.

    The schoolgirls are thought to be staying at a house in the IS stronghold of al Raqqa, Sky sources say.

    Their disappearance led to criticism from Turkey's deputy prime minister, who said officials had not been given enough warning about them going missing.

    Three young British men suspected of planning to join IS militants in Syria were arrested in Turkey earlier this week.

    CCTV video of the teenagers was taken at an airport in Istanbul just before they were stopped allegedly heading to the Syria border.

    The trio, two aged 17 and one aged 19, were arrested and flown back to the UK but have since been released on bail.

    Security services estimate 600 Britons have gone to Syria or Iraq to join militant groups, including Mohammed Emwazi, also known as "Jihadi John", who has appeared in several IS beheading videos.

    More follows...


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