Afghanistan: British Soldier Killed By Enemy Fire

A British soldier understood to have been serving in the Special Forces has been killed in action in Afghanistan.

"It is with great sadness that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) must announce the death of a soldier from the Royal Engineers in Afghanistan on 23 December, 2013," the MoD said in a statement.

"The serviceman was killed in action as a result of enemy fire whilst on operations east of Kabul."

Next of kin have been informed.

The death takes the number of UK service members who have lost their lives since operations began in Afghanistan in October 2001 to 447.

The majority of British forces are in Helmand Province, in the south of the country, but some also operate elsewhere, including in and around the capital, Kabul.

British combat troops are due to have left the country by the end of 2014.

There are just four bases remaining outside Camp Bastion, due to be closed down one by one in the new year, and the number of personnel has been reduced from 9,000 at the start of the year to around 5,200.

Prime Minister David Cameron said during a visit to the base last week that Afghanistan was "mission accomplished" and that British troops could return to the UK with their "heads held high".

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Adoption: New Online Maps To Ease Process

Would-be adopters are being urged by a minister to use online maps to help match them to some of the 6,000 children in need of a home.

The interactive maps include local information such as the ratio of children in need of waiting adopters and the approval rate.

Children and Families Minister Edward Timpson said there had been "promising progress" to improve adoption rates, but significantly more needed to be done.

The online system has information about each council area

"This Christmas I want anyone considering adoption to look carefully at the information in our interactive maps and consider whether they can offer a child a stable and loving home," said Mr Timpson, who has two adopted brothers.

"There remains significant work to do next year.

"Our new adoption leadership board will play an important role ensuring local authorities and adoption agencies stay on track and recruit more adopters.

"A further £50m for councils in 2014 will help them put the building blocks in place to implement our reforms."

Department for Education figures show a 34% increase in willing adopters and successful adoptions up by 15% following the implementation of reforms.

Adoption UK chief executive Hugh Thornbery said: "We've seen a rise in adoptions this year, but we still need more adopters to provide loving homes for some of society's most vulnerable children.

"We know that key to attracting more adopters is the assurance of accessible, timely and appropriate support."

Successful adoptions are up by 15% following reforms

David Simmonds, chair of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People Board, said an increased focus on improving adoption services was a "positive move, but this isn't new money".

He said it represented a net reduction in funding for local authorities and could impact on services for vulnerable children.

"Councils have been working hard to recruit more adoptive mums and dads and are doing everything in their power to ensure that vulnerable children get the best start in life," he said.

"The fact remains that we still need thousands more potential adopters to come forward to offer loving homes.

"Councils also rightly acknowledge that there is variation in performance across the country and the LGA is working with the Government to help support improvement.

"However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach and decisions must be made on what is in the best interests of each individual child."

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Fire Crews Rescue 25 People Trapped By Floods

Fire crews have rescued approximately 25 people from cars trapped in flood water in Dorset as severe weather batters the UK.

Dorset fire control said rescuers helped get people out of stranded vehicles in the Sturminster, Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sherborne and Wimborne areas.

In Shropshire, a woman was killed and a man seriously hurt in a car crash which happened in "difficult weather conditions".

Strong gales and heavy rains are forecast to sweep most of the country bringing travel chaos to people hoping to get home in time for Christmas.

Engineers are working to restore power to around 100,000 homes across the South, with no guarantee the lights will be back on in time for Christmas day.

The fatal crash in Shropshire happened near Shrewsbury just after 9.30pm on Monday.

The departures board at Waterloo station shows dozens of cancelled trains

West Midlands Ambulance Service said in a statement: "Weather conditions at the time were very difficult.

"On arrival, crews found three cars at the scene. Firefighters were undertaking life support on a woman in one of the cars.

"Sadly despite all efforts, it was not possible to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene. A man from the same car was assessed but was uninjured.

"A man in his 30s from a second car was trapped for over half an hour. He had suffered facial, hip and leg injuries. A woman in the third car was uninjured."

Five teenagers were also injured in a separate incident after their car rolled over in "wet and windy" weather conditions north of Wolverhampton, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

Some 900 passengers were stuck on the Spirit of Britain ferry outside Dover for 15 hours as it was considered too dangerous to enter Dover harbour.

The ship left Calais last night and managed to dock safely at around 7.30am.

Shortly before the ship reached Dover, Digvijay Rathod told Sky News: "Many people haven't slept. I have 53 people to take care of. There are mothers, there are children who have been sick.

Passengers on a Calais to Dover ferry spent a miserable 15 hours at sea

"It's been a tough night - people just want to get home. We left Calais at 4pm and we were supposed to reach here within two hours.

"It was really choppy. Things were falling out of shelves, people were not able to stand properly. We were instructed to be seated and not move around. People were panicking a bit."

With the worst of the storms now likely to affect Scotland and Northern Ireland, the severe weather has caused four deaths.

The Environment Agency has issued hundreds of flood warnings across all of England and Wales, with a severe flood warning - the highest level warning of danger to life - in the South West, where properties are expected to flood.

Rail delays and cancellations are hitting commuters this morning and the Highways Agency has warned of widespread localised flooding and road closures.

A fallen tree blocks a street in Beckenham. Pic: @UGC sophieleanne38

There are no trains to Gatwick or Stansted airports this morning and services to Heathrow are affected by delays.

Southern Railway have advised passengers not to make any plans to travel today until further notice because of damage caused by the storm overnight.

South West Trains said there would be no service before 10am due to 35 trees blocking lines and flooding across the network.

Network Rail asked for passengers' patience and said in southern England the storm damage had been greater than that of the "St Jude's Storm" a few weeks ago.

Customers are being advised to check the latest travel situation before starting their journeys.

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Sarah's Law Reveals
 700 Child Sex Offenders

More than 700 sex offenders have been unmasked using powers under Sarah's Law since it was rolled out nationwide in April 2011.

New figures - released by police forces in England, Wales and Scotland under the Freedom of Information Act - show on average about five child sex offenders have been revealed every week since the scheme was launched.

Avon and Somerset Police uncovered the most paedophiles, with 42 separate individuals being identified, followed closely by Devon and Cornwall Police which disclosed 39 offenders.

The figures also show police forces received 4,754 applications from parents and guardians wanting to know whether people who have contact with children pose a risk - meaning just one in seven result in a disclosure.

However, applications have fallen since the scheme was launched, from 1,944 in 2011/2012 to 1,106 so far in 2013/2014, while disclosures have also declined from 281 in the first year to 122 in current year to April.

Sara Payne led the campaign for the law to be implemented

Charities and campaigners have expressed concern that only one in seven applications result in a disclosure and raised questions over how well the scheme is being publicised in the face of waning numbers of applications.

However, other groups said the figures highlighted a "worrying shift of responsibility" away from the state and onto ordinary members of the public in dealing with sex offenders.

Donald Findlater, director of research and development at Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity which works with sexual abusers as well as victims, said: "Given the apparent drop in applications since the start of the scheme, albeit small, we have some concern that people may not know the scheme is available to them.

"We would like to see continued public awareness and publicity, whether by local forces or nationally by the Home Office, so that people know that this means of checking someone out exists.

"While the number of applications being made is small, at 4,754 over two and half years, the conversion rate of one in seven applications resulting in a disclosure is encouraging. It shows that adults can and do notice worrying behaviour in others around them - a key factor in keeping children safe.

"Our concern here would be the other six out of seven people who made an application but did not get a disclosure. The police know of only a proportion of offenders - many have not been caught and are not on any police database. For members of the public to make an application to police they must have had some concerns in the first place."

Sarah Payne's killer Roy Whiting was a known paedophile

The Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme, known as Sarah's Law, was brought in following a campaign by Sara Payne, whose eight-year-old daughter Sarah was murdered by convicted paedophile Roy Whiting in 2000.

The scheme is a watered-down version of laws in the US under which details of where convicted paedophiles live are actively publicised.

Under the Home Office scheme, parents can ask police about anyone with access to their children and officers will reveal details confidentially if they think it is in the child's interests.

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Rolf Harris Faces Three More Sex Charges

Rolf Harris is to be prosecuted over three more allegations of indecent assault, including one relating to a seven or eight-year-old girl.

Harris already faces 13 other counts after being charged on August 29, 2013.

The Crown Prosecution Service said the first new charge is one offence of indecent assault of a 19-year-old girl in 1984 - the same complainant as six of the existing charges.

The other new charges are one offence of indecent assault of a girl aged seven or eight, in 1968 or 1969, and one offence of indecent assault of a girl aged 14, in 1975. 

Harris, 83, will next appear at London's Southwark Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing on January 14.

His trial is scheduled to begin on April 30.

The 13 original charges against the Australian-born artist, musician and TV presenter relate to nine allegations of indecent assault and four of making indecent images of a child.

Harris was arrested by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the national investigation launched after abuse claims were made against Jimmy Savile, but the allegations against him have no connection to Savile.

He is currently on bail on the conditions that he does not contact prosecution witnesses, lives at his home address and does not spend time with anyone under 18 without being accompanied by someone over 21.

Harris, who has lived in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 50 years, has been in the public eye for decades.

He fronted the popular TV programme Animal Hospital and had several musical hits.

He painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year.

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Weather: Rain And Wind Disrupt Xmas Getaway

Christmas travellers are having to cope with delays and disruption as heavy rain and gales of up to 80mph move across the country.

The stormy weather started in the South West and Northern Ireland and is moving eastwards and northwards throughout the morning.

Almost all of the UK will be affected by the wet weather by midday and winds will reach 70-80mph in eastern and central areas in the afternoon.

Trains are expected to bear the brunt of the weather and at least 21 train companies are predicting changes to timetables and cancelled services.

An emergency go-slow limit of 50mph is likely on many routes.

East Coast has already announced cancellations to and from London

Train bosses say "hundreds of engineers" will be on call over the next two days to deal with any blocked tracks or technical problems.

Passengers are being urged to check the latest information before setting out.

Network Rail Managing Director Robin Gisby said: "I want to be very clear that our priority is running as many trains as we can safely, rather than worrying about hitting the timetable bang on."

Many companies have removed limits on day tickets to deter people from travelling at the height of the bad weather.

Virgin Trains is advising passengers to travel before 3pm and says advance tickets for specific trains will be accepted on any service.

The Met Office's more serious "be prepared" warnings are in the south

It says fewer trains than normal will run between London and Manchester, and London and Birmingham - where the 50mph limit is likely to be enforced.

South West Trains is another operator warning of "significantly reduced speeds" on its network.

The East Coast timetable meanwhile has already announced 12 cancellations on Monday for trains serving Newark, Leeds, Newcastle, York and London's King Cross.

The Met Office's severe weather alert starts at dawn on Monday and amber "be prepared" warnings are in place for London, southeast and southwest England, and south Wales.

Localised flooding is possible and winds of 50-60mph are forecast in inland areas, gusting up to 80mph along the coast.

Icy roads and snow are also forecast for Scotland where there is a yellow "be aware" warning.

Virgin Trains is one of many operators warning of delays and disruption

Sky News' weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said rain would be the biggest problem for most people on Monday.

"There will be heavy downpours bringing 20-40mm of rainfall quite widely and over 60mm likely across parts of the high ground.

"As the rain is falling on already saturated ground that could cause both surface water and river flooding in these areas."

:: See the latest weather forecast here.

Motorists are also being urged to be take special care on the roads and check the flood updates ahead of their journey.

The A82 in Scotland, where there is an ice alert. Pic: @pressscotland

The Environment Agency and the AA strongly advise not entering flood water that is moving or more than 10cm deep.

David Jordan, Director of Operations at the Environment Agency, said: "Tragically people die because they've taken risks and attempted to drive through flood water just to save a few minutes.

"Flood water is dangerous. If there is widespread flooding in your area then don't travel and if a road is closed then turn around and make a detour."

The Highways Agency said high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists should be especially careful in the high winds and and has put out a list of potentially treacherous routes.

It includes the QE2 Bridge/Dartford Bridge, the A27 Shoreham Flyover, the A30/A38 in Bodmin, and the Severn Crossing.

John McTaggart, head of on-road services at the Agency, said: "We are working closely with the Met Office to monitor conditions.

"In the event of persistent high winds we may need to close certain bridges to traffic for a period, so please be alert for warnings of closures and follow the clearly signed diversion routes."

The RAC is predicting that 13 million people will take to the roads from December 24 to 26.

Visitor attractions are also playing it safe ahead of the bad weather, with the popular Winter Wonderland in London's Hyde Park staying shut on Monday

The worst of the weather is expected to clear by the end of Christmas Eve.

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Clutha Tragedy: Comedy Gig To Help Raise Cash

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Glasgow's comedians are lining up to raise a laugh for victims of the Clutha Pub tragedy.

They also hope tonight's comedy gig will raise several thousand pounds for the Clutha Appeal Fund, which has already amassed more than £220,000.

Friends and relatives of the 10 people who died when the Police Scotland helicopter crashed into the Glasgow pub have been invited to the show at the city's O2abc Academy. 

They will be joined in the audience by emergency service workers who helped at the scene of the tragedy.

Comedian Janey Godley told Sky News: "The love and affection of Glaswegians will carry every laugh from that stage right up into the rafters. That's who we are, as a people; you might knock us down but we'll get up and - do you know what? - we'll get up laughing."

Jai McDowall recording the tribute song Won't Forget

The comedy show is one a number of initiatives aimed at raising cash for bereaved families suffering financial hardship as a result of the crash on November 29.

Those who died included the three occupants of the helicopter along with seven customers in the pub. Five people remain in hospital, being treated for a range of serious injuries.

Four police officers who attended the scene of the accident have recorded a song called Won't Forget, which features Britain's Got Talent winner Jai McDowall on vocals.

Police officers Paul Keenan (L) and Jamie Easton

PC Paul Keenan, who wrote the song, told Sky News: "It obviously involved our friends and colleagues, so we felt personally touched by it. It was a tragic loss of life, so we came up with the idea of recording a charity single."

PC Jamie Easton said: "The police is such a close-knit family and it was such a terrible disaster, everybody felt it. Being at the scene myself, it was terrible both for the emergency services and the public. You could see the effect it had on everybody, so I'm grateful to be able to play on the track."

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Volunteers Keep Revellers Safe Over Christmas

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

A front-line team of volunteers has been confronted with the aftermath of assaults, drug abuse and too much to drink as the Christmas festivities for some got out of hand in Norwich.

Sky News spent the night following staff on board the city's SOS bus and medical unit as they coped with one of the busiest party nights of the year.

It was not until after 1am that the trouble really started.

The police called the bus to say a woman was intoxicated nearby. It emerged she had not only drunk too much but had also taken drugs.

She was taken in a minibus back to the main bus to be checked over.

Shift leader Holly Brown said: "People can go unconscious, choking on their own vomit, they can be incontinent.

The volunteers help ease the workload for emergency services

"We need to judge what has happened. We need to make sure they are OK as we want them to get home safely."

Next it was a trip to a report of an assault on a young woman inside a club. She had cuts on her face and was ushered onto the minibus.

Some people will still end up in hospital, but by responding to reports of injury and sickness the pressure is taken off other services such as Accident and Emergency and ambulance crews.

Leigh Baggaley, 25, works for St John's Ambulance Service and first started helping on the bus five years ago.

"It's an eye-opener. If we weren't here there would be lots more A&E admissions.

"We don't tell people what to do but we try to educate people on how they should drink."

The SOS bus was the first of its kind to be set up in the UK

The volunteers even keep every type of phone charger so that drinkers can get back in touch with lost friends. And they offer flip-flops in return for a small donation for those finding their high heels a challenge.

The SOS bus was the first of its kind to be set up in the country back in 2001 and operates every Friday and Saturday night.

Action was taken after two teenagers were found dead in the river following a night out in Norwich. A short time later,  the body of a 21-year-old was discovered in the toilets of a nightclub in the city after drinking too much.

As well as the setting up of the bus, a radio system was installed linking the SOS team with the police, pubs and nightclubs.

Toby Middleton is operations manager of four clubs in the city including Roccos and Mercy.

He said: "Having the facility of having the bus and the people who are prepared to do it free of charge and help us with our duty of care ... is a great asset."

In the past five years alone the SOS bus and medical unit have looked after more than 3000 people.

It has proved such a success that towns and cities are following Norwich's lead.

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Weather Warning As Train Delays Expected

Network Rail is warning of disruption to the Christmas getaway as strong winds and heavy rain are expected across Britain tomorow.

Gusts of up to 60mph are expected nearly everywhere in the afternoon, possibly reaching 80mph later in the day in some areas.

Some trains could be delayed or cancelled and some rail operators could run an amended timetable, Network Rail said.

It could mean disruption to Christmas travel plans for many thousands of people.

The wild weather could also cause problems for motorists. The RAC is predicting that 13 million people will take to the roads from December 24 to 26.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Very strong winds are expected [on Monday] as the deep area of low pressure across the southwest moves northwards past the Western Isles of Scotland. Gusts are expected to reach 60mph almost everywhere during the afternoon.

"Later, during the evening and overnight wind gusts may reach 70-80mph across central and south-eastern parts of England.

"Heavy rain is also expected to spread eastwards to most of the UK during the afternoon and overnight. So it will be a very wet and very windy day for all areas."

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Apollo Theatre Collapse: Venue 'Neglected'

The owner of the Apollo Theatre in London's West End claimed last year that the venue had "suffered years of benign neglect".

Nica Burns, co-owner and chief executive of Nimax Theatres, which runs the building in Shaftesbury Avenue, said in an interview last year that it had a budget of just £2.45m to restore its five West End playhouses.

That was funded by a £1 restoration levy on tickets at the theatres, which the company said was spent entirely on upkeep and maintenance work once VAT was paid.

Speaking to Theatres Magazine, Ms Burns said: "Before we could start on the improvements, we had to address the damp. Water attacks the building from above and below."

A police officer on duty outside the Apollo Theatre in the West End

The restoration work carried out included new £120,000 customer toilets and a makeover for four carved stone muses on the rooftop, she told the magazine.

An investigation is under way after nearly 80 people were injured, nine seriously, when part of the theatre ceiling collapsed during a packed show.

One line of inquiry being considered is that excess water during a torrential downpour may have caused the collapse.

In 2000, previous owner Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who sold the Apollo to Nimax in 2005, told the Times newspaper: "The Apollo in particular is a shocking place.

Emergency services on the roof of the theatre

"I suggested that both it and the Lyric should be knocked down and replaced by top-quality modern theatres."

The composer and musical theatre impresario complained that his plans for a black-box auditorium inside the existing plasterwork had been opposed by English Heritage.

More than 700 people were inside the Apollo when members of the audience started screaming as it appeared parts of the ceiling caved in.

Most of the injured were discharged shortly afterwards, having been mainly treated for cuts and bruises.

Police and ambulance officers at the scene following the collapse

Although performances at the Apollo have been cancelled until January 4, London mayor Boris Johnson said the West End was "open for business"

Mr Johnson also praised the response from emergency services as "exemplary".

"Westminster City Council and the Society of London Theatre have assured me that all safety checks for the West End's historic theatres are up to date but, as a precaution, further checks have already started and will continue throughout the day."

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