Victoria Cross Award For L/Cpl James Ashworth

A soldier killed protecting his comrades in Afghanistan is to be awarded the Victoria Cross - the UK's top bravery medal.

Lance Corporal James Ashworth's courage was hailed as "beyond words" by friends who served with him until his death last June.

The 23-year-old died in a grenade attack during a fierce battle with the Taliban in Helmand's Nahr-e Saraj district.

He was on foot patrol and battling his way through compounds against enemy fighters when he was fatally wounded.

The cross was first bestowed during the Crimean War

It is expected that the rare VC award to the soldier from Kettering, Northamptonshire, will be officially announced later this month.

The VC has been awarded 10 times to British soldiers since World War Two and only once for bravery in Afghanistan.

At the time of L/Cpl Ashworth's death, his family said: "We are devastated by the loss of our son, brother, uncle and boyfriend. He meant the world to everyone and has left an irreplaceable hole in our hearts."

His father Duane was also a Grenadier Guard, while his younger brother Coran is also a soldier.

He also left behind his mother Kerryann, sisters Lauren and Paige, brother Karl and four-year-old niece Darcy, as well as his girlfriend, Emily.

His company commander, Captain Mike Dobbin, praised the soldier's actions.

He said: "Lance Corporal Ashworth was killed while fighting his way through compounds, leading his fire team from the front, whilst trying to protect his men and he showed extraordinary courage to close on a determined enemy.

"His professionalism under pressure and ability to remain calm in what was a chaotic situation is testament to his character."

Lance Corporal Ashworth's body being repatriated

Guardsman Jordan Loftus also paid tribute to his friend's bravery.

He said: "Selfless, brave, courageous ... words like these don't come close to what Ash demonstrated that day. He will be missed by all as a commander, but most of all a good mate."

L/Cpl Ashworth's Commanding Officer in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, Lieutenant Colonel James Bowder said: "Lance Corporal Ashworth was an outstanding soldier whose loss has moved us all. A real self-starter, he excelled in everything that he undertook.

"Fit, strong and brilliant at his job, he set the bar very high. Indeed, such was his calmness under pressure, his charisma, and his selflessness that he made an exemplary junior leader."

The previous recipient of the VC in Afghanistan was 29-year-old Corporal Bryan Budd of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, who died when he single-handedly stormed a Taliban position in Sangin in 2006.

The last living recipient was L/Cpl Johnson Beharry of 1st Battalion the Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment, who twice saved the lives of colleagues under enemy fire in Iraq in 2004.

The medal is the British military's highest bravery award and was first bestowed on troops during the Crimean War in 1854-55.

Johnson Beharry is the last living recipient of a medal

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Cyprus Bailout: Savers Lose Money In EU Deal

Anyone with savings in a Cyprus bank will lose some of their money under a ground-breaking bailout deal agreed by European finance ministers.

Bank customers will pay a levy of up to 9.9% on their savings, a charge which will raise nearly 6bn euros (£5.1bn).

Cyprus is the fifth country to seek a bailout following Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain but the terms of the deal are a radical departure from previous schemes.

Finance ministers have agreed to lend the indebted island 10bn euros but in return the public will be forced to forfeit part of their savings.

Savers with more than 100,000 euros (£86,500) in the bank will be charged a one-off levy of 9.9%. Those with less will be charged 6.7%.

It will apply to everyone from pensioners to Russian oligarchs, who are alleged to have billions stashed away in what officials say is a bloated Cypriot banking sector.

Private investors will also face a second hit under a "withholding tax" imposed on interest on bank deposits

Banks have stopped electronic transfers but cash machines are working

More than a third - 37% - of cash held in the Cypriot banking system belongs to non-residents and the country has a large British ex-pat community.

Queues of people gathered at cash machines on the island on Saturday as they tried to withdraw their money ahead of the move.

And the country's cooperative banks had to shut their doors after seeing a rush of savers keen to protect their money.

Savers could apparently withdraw money but were not able to carry out electronic transfers.

British ex-pat David Symonds, who lives in Limasol, told Sky News: "Everybody was surprised. We were assured only a few days ago that the haircut on the deposits was a red line for the government.

"When we learned that it might become a possiblity we were told it would only be on deposits above 100,000 euros. Now of course we know it affects everybody."

British Cypriot Andy Georgiou, 54, moved his life savings to Cyprus last year after selling his home in London.     

"I am extremely angry. I worked years and years to get it together and now I am losing it on the say-so of the Dutch and the Germans," he said.

Andri Menelaou, 25, had thought anything below 100,000 euros was protected by the state and said: "I don't have much but I don't see why I should pay for bank mistakes."

The move is expected to generate 5.8bn euros (£5bn) for Cyprus, which first applied for a bailout in June 2012.

Banks have already taken steps to freeze the required amount in deposit accounts and parliament is due to vote on the levy on Sunday.

Nicholas Papadopoulos, head of parliament's Financial Affairs Committee, said: "My initial reaction is one of shock.

"This decision is much worse than what we expected and contrary to what the government was assuring us, right up until last night."

Angela Merkel and Cyprus's president Nicos Anastasiades in Brussels

Mr Papadopoulos, Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Party, which is a coalition partner in government, said he did not want to predict how parliament would vote.

"If we go ahead with this, there is a great risk it is not the end. The banking system will still face instability because it will face a significant capital flight," he said.

Cyprus was badly hit by the Greek financial crisis because of its close links to the country.

Its two largest banks saw combined losses of 4.5bn (£4bn) euros - equal to a quarter of the island's gross domestic product.

The rescue package was agreed after 10 hours of talks in Brussels and was significantly less than the 17bn euros (£14.7bn) asked for.

As part of the deal, the government will also have to hike corporate tax to 12.5% from 10% and sell off state assets to help balance the public finances.

Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said: "As it is a contribution to the financial stability of Cyprus, it seems 'just' to ask a contribution of all deposit-holders."

He added: "The challenges we were facing in Cyprus were of an exceptional nature."

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said: "We did what we had to."

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India: Tourist Gang-Raped And Husband Beaten

A Swiss tourist has been gang-raped in India and she and her husband were beaten before being robbed, police said.

The pair were on a cycling trip in the impoverished Madhya Pradesh state, when they were attacked by seven to eight men.

The perpetrators tied up the man and raped the woman in his presence, police official S M Afzal said.

He added they stole 10,000 rupees (£122) and a mobile phone from the woman.

The attack comes just a few days after the man accused of leading the fatal gang rape of a student on a New Delhi bus was found hanged in his prison cell.

Police say Ram Singh took his own life in the high-security Tihar jail where he had been on suicide watch in an isolated cell.

The case made headlines around the world and raised the issue of sexual violence against women in India.

The student's internal injuries were so horrific she died two weeks later in a hospital in Singapore despite surgery to try to save her.

A security official at the scene of the attack

The latest attack happened at a village near Datia where the 39-year-old woman and her husband were camping.

They had stopped there while on their way from Orchha to the tourist destination of Agra, home to the iconic Taj Mahal monument.

Police said 13 men were detained in connection with the attack. Six of them were later released.

According to the woman's husband, a group of seven men with lathis (wooden sticks) in their hands overpowered him.

He said four of them gang-raped his wife and then beat him up.

The woman was taken to a hospital in Gwalior where a medical examination confirmed that she was gang-raped.

The couple will be asked to try to identify the accused, NDTV reported. Police said the pair apparently did not suffer any major injuries.

Swiss foreign ministry spokesman Tilman Renz described the case as "deeply disturbing" and said Swiss diplomats were assisting the couple.

The chairman of India's national commission for women, Mamata Sharma, slammed the provincial government of Madhya Pradesh over its failure to curb violence against women.

The couple, who were travelling to Agra, were attacked near Datia

She said: "The government should pay attention towards what is happening with the foreigners.

"I have said this for the past few days that the crime against women in Madhya Pradesh is increasing and the government should take stringent action to put an end to such incidents.

"Many incidents of violence against women have come into the limelight in Madhya Pradesh but the government is completely insensitive towards them.

"The accused should be punished and we should see what kind of image of India we are presenting to the outside world. The government should take strict action."

Sky's Alex Rossi, reporting from Delhi, said of the gang rape: "This is another shocking case of violence against women, highlighting the very real problems that women face in this country on a day-to-day basis.

He added: "Foreign tourists, especially single women, face problems of unwanted sexual harassment in this country.

"This area of Madhya Pradesh in central India is known for its banditry. It is fairly lawless and it is also very poor."

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Missing Prisoner John Anslow Arrested In Cyprus

A prisoner who has been missing since he escaped from a police escort van in January 2012 has been arrested in Northern Cyprus.

John Anslow, 32, has been wanted by police since he escaped near HMP Hewell in Worcestershire while on his way to court.

He is charged with the murder of 27-year-old businessman Richard Deakin in Chasetown, Staffordshire, in July 2010.

Anslow, from Tipton, West Midlands, was arrested on Wednesday in Alancak in Northern Cyprus for immigration offences and deported by the Turkish Cypriot authorities.

He was then arrested at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning and has been transferred to a high-security prison.

He will appear via video link at Stafford Crown Court on Monday for failing to appear at court in January 2012.

In the past three weeks, nine men have been arrested and charged by West Mercia Police in connection with Anslow's escape.

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HS2 High-Speed Rail Scheme's 'Unlawful' Ruling

The Government insists its HS2 high-speed rail project has not hit the buffers after a High Court judge ruled the consultation process for compensating those affected was "unlawful".

It was the only successful case among five in which Mr Justice Ouseley had been asked to send the multi-billion pound project back for reconsideration.

He described the compensation consultation process "as so unfair as to be unlawful".

But despite the decision at London's High Court, Transport Minister Simon Burns insisted the scheme would not be held up.

"This has been a convincing victory for the Government," he said.

"It's a green light to go ahead. It will not hold up us going ahead with the project, which is in the national interest.

"This is a major landmark victory for HS2 and the future of Britain.

"HS2 is the most significant infrastructure investment the UK has seen in modern times and a project the country cannot afford to do without.

The scheme has provoked angry opposition

"The judgement ensures that nothing now stands in the way of taking our plans to Parliament.

"We will now move forward as planned with the crucial business of getting the scheme ready for construction in 2017 and delivering enormous benefits for the country."

The first phase of HS2 would see a high-speed railway line running through Tory heartlands from London to Birmingham.

The decision on compensation was a victory for the High Speed 2 Action Alliance (HS2AA), consisting of more than 70 affiliated action groups and residents' associations.

Human rights lawyer Richard Stein, who helped represent HS2AA, said: "This was never a Nimby argument. Many thousands of people living along the route will not be able to sell their homes for some 15 years because their homes are blighted.

"They should not have to bear the burden for this national project.

"We hope now that proper arrangements are put in place by the Government for compensation for those who live by the proposed HS2 route to make it possible for them to move if and when they wish, in the same way that the rest of us can."

Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said: "We've now had nearly three years of dither and delay over HS2 which must now come to an end.

"It is vital that the Government now gets on with introducing the necessary legislation to make this scheme a reality on the ground. When they do so, they will have cross-party support from Labour."

Supporters point to the benefits of a reduction in journey times between the UK's two biggest cities.

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Newborn Baby's Body Found Near Reebok Stadium

The body of a newborn baby has been found abandoned near the Bolton Wanderers football stadium.

Greater Manchester Police were called to Ox Hey Lane, Lostock, near Bolton, on Thursday afternoon after receiving a call that a body had been found.

The spot is about half a mile from the Reebok Stadium.

The road, which is in a mainly rural area but is close to the M61, was sealed of while police carried out a forensic examination.

The force made an appeal to the baby's parents and asked for help from the community.

The body was wrapped up in clothing and plastic bags, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.

Officers also recovered a note which requested that the baby receive an Islamic burial.

The age, sex and ethnicity of the baby is not yet known and it is unclear whether the baby was born alive or stillborn.

Chief Inspector Carol Martin said: "Obviously this is an extremely upsetting incident and our investigation at the moment is twofold: finding out how and when the baby died, and locating the parents.

"I cannot begin to imagine what either parent may be going through and we are very worried about their physical and emotional state.

"It is likely the mother in particular will require some form of medical attention and I want to appeal directly to both parents or anyone who knows them to contact police or visit your GP or local hospital.

"It is vitally important that I stress support networks are in place and are waiting and on hand to help the parents."

Ms Martin added: "While we cannot speculate on the ethnicity of either parent, there was a note left requesting the baby receive an Islamic burial and we have already reached out to the Muslim community through their Friday prayers through our partnership connections at the Bolton Council of Mosques.

"The answer undoubtedly lies somewhere in the community and I want to ask the Bolton community as a whole whether they know of anyone who may have tried to conceal a birth or who recently has been pregnant but now is without a baby or appears withdrawn, upset or in physical discomfort.

"I also want to appeal to residents in the Lostock area who perhaps use Ox Hey Lane for running, cycling or walking on a frequent or daily basis: have you noticed a pile of what appeared to be clothing and plastic bags in the shrubbery off the tarmaced area recently?

"If so, please call us."

Police said a post-mortem was expected to take place on Monday.

The body was found shortly before 4.55pm. Police have not said how they are treating the death.

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Crossbow Siege: Man Arrested By Armed Police

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

A man has been taken away by police in Greater Manchester following a stand-off with a man armed with a crossbow.

The siege began at 8.30pm last night after the 31-year-old man barricaded himself into his house and threatened police officers and social workers.

Streets were closed near the address at North Lonsdale Street, in Gorse Hill, close to the Manchester United stadium.

The man has been arrested on suspicion of affray and threats to kill. He remains in police custody.

No one was injured in the incident.

Superintendent Simon Retford said: "First and foremost I would like to thank the community for their patience and understanding.

"This was an incident which required a highly sensitive response and it is inevitable that it took some time.

"The man in question will get all of the support he needs and we continue to work with our partners to progress this."

Neighbour Kathryn Sherden told Sky News the on-going operation had frightened people nearby who had been given little or no information about what was happening.

"I would have preferred the police to tell us there was an incident going on. My daughter has walked past on her way to school. If I'd known I'd have taken her myself. It terrified me."

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Eric Joyce: Alcohol Ban On MP After Bar Fight

MP Eric Joyce has been banned from buying and being served alcohol from all parliamentary facilities following his arrest after a brawl in a bar at the House of Commons.

The independent Member of Parliament for Falkirk was held after the fight broke out at the Sports and Social Club bar, and is still being questioned by police in custody.

It is the second time Mr Joyce, who in the past month has spoken of his struggle with alcoholism and violence, has been arrested in a year in Parliament.

A House of Commons spokesman said: "The House Authorities take their responsibility for the welfare of those who work in and visit the Commons Estate very seriously.

It is the second time Eric Joyce has been arrested in Parliament in a year

"Alcohol-related incidents on the Estate are rare, and the serious incident last night was counter to the policies in place.

"Given the Member for Falkirk has previously been found guilty of an alcohol-related incident on the Parliamentary Estate, the Speakers and House Authorities have agreed that with immediate effect the Member for Falkirk will be prohibited from purchasing and being served alcoholic beverages from all Parliamentary facilities.

"This ban will be indefinite subject to the outcome of police investigations."

Mr Joyce's arrest raises questions about the drinking culture in the Houses of Parliament.

There are 27 places - including bars, restaurants, cafes and gift shops - where MPs, peers, staff and members of the public can buy alcohol on the estate, which serves around 15,000 passholders, and some 8,000 people on an average working day.

Witnesses say around 150 people were taking part in a karaoke night at the venue at the time of the fight.

Tony Grew, from the PoliticsHome website, said he saw the MP "wrestling on the ground with two police officers".

Mr Joyce, who is no stranger to controversy and is due to stand down at the 2015 general election, is now facing pressure to quit.

There are 27 places where MPs can get an alcoholic beverage on the estate

Speaking from Mr Joyce's constituency in Denny, Falkirk, Sky's James Matthews said people were "disappointed and disgusted".

"I think they have had enough of Eric Joyce here and the general view is that he should step down now," he said.

One constituent described his arrest as "a disgrace", while another said he should "resign".

At the EU summit in Brussels David Cameron was asked about whether constituents should be able to sack their MPs.

The Prime Minister replied: "I do support the recall proposals that were in our manifesto. I still think it is right if we can find a way of putting this in place. I think it is an important idea.

"As for Eric Joyce, I think this is going to have to be properly looked at. I'm sure that the authorities, both inside and outside of the House, are more than capable of doing that."

Mr Joyce resigned from the Labour Party after headbutting Tory rivals Stuart Andrew and Ben Maney in a different Commons bar called Strangers' Bar, last February, where the average cost of a pint of beer is £3.30 and a glass of red wine £2.88.

On that occasion the 52-year-old also punched Tory councillor Luke Mackenzie and Labour whip Phillip Wilson and insulted police officers. After leaving Mr Andrew with a bloodied nose, Mr Joyce told police: "He deserved it."

Mr Joyce, who accepted he was "hammered" on red wine during the brawl, launched into a frenzied attack after shouting that the Strangers' Bar "was full of ******* Tories".

The former soldier walked away from Westminster Magistrates Court with a fine and pub banning order after admitting four counts of common assault. He was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,400 to victims after he entered early guilty pleas.

Mr Joyce was also given a 12-month community order - banning him from entering pubs and licensed premises for three months - and imposed with a curfew order from Friday to Sunday.

After the hearing, he admitted he was lucky not to be jailed and said he was "deeply apologetic".

MPs are automatically expelled from their seats if they receive a jail term of more than one year.

Michael Connarty, MP for Linlithgow & East Falkirk, suggested Mr Joyce's problems may stem from his time in the armed forces.

"I think he is a perfect example of combat stress," he told Sky News.

"I have dealt with people who go through combat stress here in Scotland, who are basically ... exactly like Eric, who have come out of the armed forces, not really fitted into civilian life ... excess alcohol intake, they've lost their families, lost their homes ... have been rehabilitated - but they have to give up alcohol to do that ... I think Eric has that problem."

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said police were called shortly before 10.30pm "to reports of a disturbance at a bar within the House of Commons".

"Officers attended and a man aged in his 50s was arrested in connection with this incident. He remains in custody and inquiries continue," he added.

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Pope Francis: Profile Of New Catholic Leader

Francis is the first ever pope from the Americas, an austere Jesuit intellectual who modernised Argentina's conservative Roman Catholic Church.

Known until Wednesday as Jorge Bergoglio, Pope Francis is respected as a humble man who denied himself the luxuries that previous Buenos Aires cardinals enjoyed.

In the past, the 76-year-old pontiff often rode the bus to work, cooked his own meals and regularly visited the slums that ring Argentina's capital.

He accused fellow church leaders of hypocrisy, and forgetting that Jesus Christ bathed lepers and ate with prostitutes.

The Archbishop of Buenos Aires kissing the hand of late Pope John Paul II

"Jesus teaches us another way. Go out. Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your brothers, go out and share, go out and ask. Become the Word in body as well as spirit," the then-Cardinal Bergoglio told Argentina's priests last year.

He was born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, one of five children of an Italian railway worker and his wife.

His legacy as a cardinal includes his efforts to repair the reputation of a church that lost many followers by failing to openly challenge Argentina's murderous 1976-83 dictatorship.

The new pope on the streets of Buenos Aires earlier this month

He also worked to recover the church's traditional political influence in society, but his outspoken criticism of President Cristina Kirchner could not stop her from imposing socially liberal measures, from gay marriage and adoption to free contraceptives.

He came close to becoming pope in 2005, reportedly gaining the second-highest total in several rounds of voting before bowing out in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.

Initially trained as a chemist, Bergoglio taught literature, psychology, philosophy and theology before taking over as Buenos Aires archbishop in 1998.

He became cardinal in 2001, when the economy was collapsing, and won respect for blaming unrestrained capitalism for impoverishing millions of Argentines.

Bergoglio talks with a man as he rides the subway in Buenos Aires

Sergio Rubin, Bergoglio's authorised biographer, said the new pope felt most comfortable taking a very low profile, and his personal style was the antithesis of Vatican splendour.

"It's a very curious thing. When bishops meet, he always wants to sit in the back rows. This sense of humility is very well seen in Rome," Mr Rubin said before the 2013 conclave to choose Benedict's successor.

Bergoglio has stood out for his austerity. Even after he became Argentina's top church official in 2001, he never lived in the ornate church mansion where Pope John Paul II stayed when visiting the country.

He almost never granted media interviews, limiting himself to speeches from the pulpit, and was reluctant to contradict his critics, even when he knew their allegations against him were false, said Mr Rubin.

Cardinal Bergoglio with his family members

That attitude was burnished as human rights activists tried to force him to answer uncomfortable questions about what church officials knew and did about the dictatorship's abuses after the 1976 coup.

Many Argentines remain angry over the church's acknowledged failure to openly confront a regime that was kidnapping and killing thousands of people as it sought to eliminate "subversive elements" in society.

It's one reason why more than two-thirds of Argentines describe themselves as Catholic, but fewer than 10% regularly attend mass.

Under Bergoglio's leadership, Argentina's bishops issued a collective apology in October 2012 for the church's failures to protect its flock. But the statement blamed the era's violence in roughly equal measure on both the junta and its enemies.

"Bergoglio has been very critical of human rights violations during the dictatorship, but he has always also criticised the leftist guerrillas; he doesn't forget that side," Mr Rubin said.

The bishops also said "we exhort those who have information about the location of stolen babies, or who know where bodies were secretly buried, that they realise they are morally obligated to inform the pertinent authorities".

But that statement came far too late for some activists, who accused Bergoglio of being more concerned about the church's image than about aiding the many human rights investigations.

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Acrobat Breaks Neck In Moscow Circus Fall

A Kenyan acrobat suffered serious injuries including a fractured vertebra after falling through a safety net during a show at a Moscow circus.

Video footage showed the moment 22-year-old Karo Christopher Kazungu fell nearly 50ft through the net and on to the arena floor during the show on Wednesday evening.

The Great Moscow State Circus said on its website that Mr Kazungu was conscious when he was taken to hospital.

Russian news agencies quoted the director of the acrobatics show saying the acrobat was diagnosed with a fracture of one of the vertebra in his neck and was in intensive care.

He is understood not to have been paralysed.

Life News reported the net broke underneath the acrobat, slowing his impact with the ground.

Mr Kazungu was one of a dozen Russian and Kenyan performers who were taking part in a highly complex show.

Edgard Zapashny, director general of the circus, told Russian television that the circus had never had any incidents of this kind and that the German-made safety net had been rigorously tested at the circus before it was used.

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Philpott Fire Trial: Wife Treated Like 'Slave'

By Darren Little, At Nottingham Crown Court

A man who is alleged to have killed his six children in a house fire has been accused in court of treating his wife like a slave.

Michael Philpott, 56, was accused at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday of controlling his wife Mairead, 31, and treating her like a "skivvy".

The pair, and a third defendant Paul Mosley, are on trial for the manslaughter of their six children in a house fire at their home in Allenton on May 11 last year. All three deny the charges.

On the second day of giving evidence in his own defence, Philpott admitted he had "been terrible to Mairead, I don't deny that".

Shaun Smith, representing Mairead, asked Philpott: "You regarded her as your property, didn't you? Your slave. That's what she was, wasn't she?

"She did everything in that house, didn't she, even when you were having a relationship with another woman? You think you own her, don't you?"

Tributes outside the family home in Allenton after the fire in May 2012

Philpott shook his head and said "no".

The court heard there was "a pattern" to the women Philpott was attracted to.

He began a relationship with Mairead when she was 19 and he was 43, and with Lisa Willis when she was 18 and he was also 43.

Miss Willis, 29, lived with the Philpotts and her five children - four of them fathered by Michael Philpott - until she left with the youngsters in February last year.

He admitted that Mairead had been present when he and Lisa first kissed but rejected claims she was "hurt" when he brought another woman into their relationship.

He said: "Can you help who you fall in love with?

"I didn't actually want two women in my life. It just happened and I regret it.

"It might sound strange to you but I asked Mairead's permission. And I got it. We was one happy family."

Philpott also told the court petrol residue found inside the house came from filling a garden strimmer.

Jade, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five, all died in the fire on Victory Road, Allenton, last year.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, was taken to Derby Royal Hospital but died three days later.

The trial continues.

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Pope Francis Settles Hotel Bill After Prayers

Pope Francis has started his new life as leader of the Roman Catholic Church by praying at one of Rome's oldest basilicas - before checking out of his hotel.

The 76-year-old, who has become the first ever pope from Latin America and the first Jesuit pope, opened his pontificate quietly leaving the Vatican with a visit to Santa Maria Maggiore - dedicated to the Virgin Mary - for private prayers via a side entrance.

"He spoke to us cordially like a Father," said Father Ludovico Melo, a priest who joined in the prayers. "We were given 10 minutes' notice that the Pope was coming."

the new Pope lays flowers on the basilica altar during his visit

Shortly after his election, Pope Francis had told a 100,000-strong crowd packed in a rain-soaked St Peter's Square that he intended to pray to the Madonna "that she may watch over all of Rome".

Choosing not to use the official papal car, but another with a Vatican plate, the pontiff then left the basilica and instructed the driver to take him to his hotel so that he could collect his belongings.

And despite now effectively being in charge of the Domus Internationalis Paulus VI - a Church-run residence - he insisted on paying the bill.

He has a reputation for frugality, and is the first pope to take the name of St Francis of Assisi, a gesture of solidarity with the poor.

Francis leaves the basilica following his morning prayers

Later, he will attend a mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel - where they elected him leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics - to officially close the conclave.

He will also receive the keys to his papal apartments, which were sealed after Benedict's departure, but Francis will not be moving in until their renovation is complete.

A planned trip to see his predecessor Benedict XVI at the papal retreat in Castel Gandolfo at some point during the next few days is significant.

Benedict's resignation has raised concerns about potential power conflicts emerging from the peculiar situation of having a reigning pope and a retired one alive at the same time.

Huge crowds welcomed the announcement of Pope Francis

Francis, who faces many challenges to put the Church in order, has already spoken by phone with Benedict, who has been living at the papal summer residence, south of Rome, since the end of his papacy.

Prior to that, his second day in the job will begin with an audience with the College of Cardinals in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, where Benedict said his farewell to them last month.

The somewhat mild and media-shy new Pope, who has a busy few days ahead of him, is expected to speak to some 4,000 accredited journalists for the first time at a press conference on Saturday.

Francis will recite the Angelus at noon on Sunday from a window of the papal apartments, with tens of thousands of followers expected to gather in St Peter's Square below.

World leaders will descend on Rome on Tuesday for his inauguration mass - preparations for which are already under way.

The new pope is revealed on Wednesday night

Many were quick to congratulate Francis - the first non-European pope in more than 1,000 years - with US President Barack Obama describing him as "a champion of the poor and the most vulnerable among us".

And the reactions to his election continued on Thursday with Israeli President Shimon Peres saying he represented "holy modesty", as he invited him to visit the Holy Land.

Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning, Al Azhar, called for "better relations" with the Vatican under Pope Francis - as did China. Beijing has long had strained ties with the Vatican in a dispute about authority over China's Catholics.

The Dalai Lama expressed his "sense of joy" in a letter to the new pontiff, while the Syrian National Council called on Francis to "make a special gesture for Syria" where more than 70,000 people have been killed in two years of conflict.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio becomes the first Jesuit pope

Known for his humility and simplicity, his decision to slip out the Vatican earlier was seen as another example of his modesty.

Francis shunned the papal limousine last night for a shuttle bus with other cardinals to go back to a residence inside the Vatican for a meal.

That showed his humble side, according to prominent US cardinal Timothy Dolan, who also revealed that the new pontiff told the cardinals he would be visiting Benedict.

Speaking at the North American College, the US seminary in Rome said Francis was expected to arrive in the limousine.

"And as the last bus pulls up, guess who gets off? It's Pope Francis. I guess he told the driver, 'that's ok, I'll just go with the boys'."

During the dinner, Cardinal Dolan said the new pope also showed his humorous side.

As Francis toasted the cardinals, he said to them: "May God forgive you." It brought the house down, said Cardinal Dolan.

Known until Wednesday as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentine Pope Francis became a cardinal in 2001.

His election has pleased Latin Americans, who number 40% of the world's Catholics but have long been underrepresented in the church leadership.

Francis is certain to bring the church closer to the poverty-wracked region, while also introducing the world to a very different type of pope, whose first words to the faithful were a simple, "Brothers and sisters, good evening".

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Shark-Wrestler Grandad 'Disgusted' By Sacking

A grandfather who grappled with a shark on a busy beach has told of his disgust at being sacked from his job after footage of his feat went round the world.

Charity worker Paul Marshallsea, 62, said he and his wife Wendy had been on long-term sick leave with stress and were on holiday on their doctor's advice when the incident happened.

He told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan he was feeling better by the time of the incident: "We'd been there a few weeks and I did feel better.

"When I came back I went to the doctor and told him I was better. The day I came back was the day I was ready for work."

Mr Marshallsea, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, was called a hero after he waded in to the surf and grabbed the 6ft shark by the tail amid fears it would attack paddling children.

A local news crew caught his exploits on camera and his story made headlines around the world and earned him praise from lifeguards.

But now Mr Marshallsea has lost his job with children's charity the Pant and Dowlais Boys & Girls Club. He had been signed off with work-related stress since last April.

The grandfather-of-one and his 56-year-old wife, who also worked for the charity and was off ill at the time, flew back to Britain to letters informing them they had been sacked.

He has now hit back saying he was "disgusted" by the way he has been treated. He said: "What am I going to do now? There's not much call for shark wrestlers in Merthyr Tydfil."

Mr Marshallsea claims that he should have received a pat on the back for his efforts and that he only took the holiday with his wife on the advice of his GP.

Mr Marshallsea worked as project co-ordinator at Dowlais Engine House, where the charity has a base, and his wife was a senior youth worker.

He had been featured on Sky News for his work with the charity and once met Prince Charles, who visited to find out about the project's work in the town.

The letter he received read: "Whilst unfit to work you were well enough to travel to Australia and, according to recent news footage of yourself in Queensland, you allegedly grabbed a shark by the tail and narrowly missed being bitten by quickly jumping out of the way, the photographs and footage appearing in newspapers and television broadcasts."

A follow-up letter added: "The breakdown of the trustees' confidence and trust in you and your ability to perform the role is so great that we find that dismissal is the only course of action we can recommend."

Mr Marshallsea said running the club became increasingly stressful as it gained in success and the couple were working up to seven days a week.

"We created a whip to hit our own backs. It grew so big and we didn't realise. There was no stopping it."

Sky News contacted the charity trustees and is awaiting their response.

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North Korea Threatens 'Merciless' Retaliation

North Korea has confirmed it has pulled out of an armistice with its "enemies" and added the next step was an act of "merciless" military retaliation.

In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, the armed forces ministry argued that the real "warmongering" was coming from the US and its "puppets" in South Korea.

"They would be well advised to keep in mind that the armistice agreement is no longer valid and (North Korea) is not restrained by the North-South declaration on non-aggression," it said.

"What is left to be done now is an action of justice and merciless retaliation of the army and people."

The announcement added to the tide of threats that have been flowing from Pyongyang in recent days, raising military tensions on the Korean peninsula to their highest level for years.

The latest announcment also criticised the South's Park Geun-Hye

The armistice was agreed in 1953 after the Korean War ended. However, the two sides remained technically at war because no peace deal was ever struck.

The North had already announced last week that it would nullify the agreement and other peace pacts signed with Seoul in protest over joint South Korea-US military manoeuvres that began on Monday.

Although observers noted it was not the first time that North Korea had pulled out of the armistice.

The United Nations and South Korea criticised Pyongyang's unilateral withdrawal.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said: "The terms of the armistice agreement do not allow either side, unilaterally, to free themselves from it."

The North has previously threatened to launch nuclear strikes against the US and South Korea in response to fresh UN sanctions adopted after the North carried out its third nuclear test last month.

While the threats have been mostly dismissed as bluster, there are concerns that the North will attempt some form of military provocation in the coming weeks.

Wednesday's statement also carried the first official criticism of South Korea's new president, Park Geun-Hye, since she took office a little more than two weeks ago.

While the spokesman did not mention Ms Park by name, he said the "frenzy" stirred up the "warmongers" in South Korea was orchestrated by the "swish of the skirt made by the owner of Chongwadae (the Blue House)."

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Philpott House Fire Trial: Father Breaks Down

By Darren Little, Nottingham Crown Court

A father accused of killing six of his children in a house fire slumped in the dock as his frantic 999 call was played to a court.

A sobbing Mick Philpott put his head in his hands and almost disappeared from view as a jury at Nottingham Crown Court listened to the recording.

"I was hysterical," he said.

"How do you explain not being able to get to your babies?"

Giving evidence at the start of his defence, the 56-year-old insisted he had nothing to do with the blaze - but that he had his suspicions about who did.

Anthony Orchard QC, defending Philpott, asked him: "Did you set the fire?"

"No," Philpott replied.

Floral tributes outside the Philpott home in May last year

"Are you connected to the setting of the fire?" the counsel continued. Philpott responded: "No."

Mr Orchard then asked the defendant if he knew who did start the blaze, to which Philpott replied that he did not.

Asked by the counsel: "Do you have your suspicions?" - Philpott answered: "I do."

Jade, 10, and brothers John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six and Jayden, five, all perished in the blaze on Victory Road in Allenton in May last year.

Their brother Duwayne, 13, was taken to Derby Royal Hospital but died three days later after being transferred to a Birmingham hospital.

Mick Philpott, 56, and his wife Mairead, 31, deny killing their six children after a "plan" to frame his ex-mistress Lisa Willis went wrong. A third defendant, Paul Mosley, 46, also denies six counts of manslaughter.

Miss Willis, 29, lived with the Philpotts with her five children, four of whom were fathered by Mick Philpott, until she left with the youngsters in February last year.

Asked about their relationship, he said: "At that particular time I thought that me and Lisa had this bond that was inseparable."

Philpott told the court he spent a lot of time with his wife and slept with Miss Willis in the evenings.

The court heard he openly discussed his desire to divorce his wife and marry Miss Willis, but said his wife would never leave him.

"She was not going anywhere," he told the jury. "Mairead will always be my wife, even if we got divorced."

Whilst giving evidence, Philpott became emotional while talking of his wife's attempted suicide after Miss Willis moved out.

Philpott told the court he was "distraught" when he realised his wife had taken an overdose.

He admitted the suicide attempt was a "wake up call", and admitted he had "made mistakes and had not been the best husband".

Jurors also heard of the family's appearance on television on the Jeremy Kyle Show - a move Philpott said he regretted because his children were bullied and the family received death threats afterwards.

Asked why he decided to go on the chat show by Mr Orchard, Philpott replied: "We all decided. At that time we needed a bigger house."

In response to claims that the fire was set last year because the family wanted a bigger house, Philpott told the court: "The house was quite sufficient."

The trial continues.

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Danny Nightingale: Wins Gun Conviction Appeal

SAS sniper Danny Nightingale has won an appeal against a conviction for illegally possessing a pistol and ammunition.

Sergeant Nightingale's barrister told three appeal judges that the soldier was put under "improper pressure" to plead guilty.

The judges agreed, quashing the convictions and ordering a retrial after a hearing in London.

Speaking outside court, Sergeant Nightingale said: "I'm very relieved that the conviction has been quashed. Very relieved. Fantastic. We now have a re-trial to face."

He said any decision on whether he returned to duty pending the re-trial would be for the Ministry of Defence.

William Clegg QC  earlier told the hearing his client had been told by a barrister representing him at the military trial that he would get a five-year jail term if found guilty but might not go to prison if he pleaded guilty.

Sergeant Nightingale and his wife, Sally, upon his release

In written arguments presented to the three appeal judges, Mr Clegg said that "undue pressure" had been placed on Sgt Nightingale by barrister Ian Winter QC.

But when outlining arguments orally, Mr Clegg said the "wrong" occurred when the trial judge - Assistant Judge Advocate General Alastair McGrigor - "entered the arena".

Mr Clegg told the appeal court today: "What he (Mr Winter) was forced to say is 'This is what the judge is saying is going to happen'. This is where the improper pressure came from."

The barrister said, in written arguments given to judges, that the "pressure" placed on Sgt Nightingale rendered his conviction "unsafe" and his guilty plea a "nullity".

Sgt Nightingale, 38, who has spent 11 years in Special Forces and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, was sentenced to 18 months in military custody after pleading guilty to illegally keeping a pistol.

He had been given the weapon as a present by Iraqi forces he had been training, but had no recollection of owning it after suffering a brain injury.

His sentence was cut to 12 months and suspended by the appeal court last November after a campaign by his wife Sally gathered huge public support for a man described by the appeal court judge as an "exemplary soldier".

Nightingale was given the weapon by Iraqi troops he had been training

Since his release the highly trained elite soldier has been at home in Cheshire, unable to rejoin his regiment whilst awaiting the outcome of his appeal.

"It's very frustrating wanting to do something (but having) no routine," he said before the hearing.

"And yes, being paid to do not what I'm supposed to do.

"You're trained up to do stuff, and you want to do stuff. You can't stand the futility of not doing it. To be told 'that's it, go and do nothing, you can't do anything'. That's hard."

The situation has meant he has spent a lot of time with his two young daughters, Mara, five, and Alys, two.

"I've probably had more time with my family in the last 18 months than regiment (SAS) guys will have in seven years," he said.

Sgt Nightingale is desperate to get back to work and said: "I still love it. It was the proudest day of my life when I passed (the notoriously tough SAS selection course)."

Mrs Nightingale is more circumspect about the possibility of her husband rejoining the SAS as a frontline soldier after his brain injury, which she believes still affects him.

She feels her husband has been made a scapegoat by the Army and wants to know why, but acknowledges she will probably never get the answers to her questions.

If he does return to work then it will be more upheaval for his young girls according to Sally

"They've got to get used to that again because they have had dad to take them to school, to pick them up from school, do clubs with them, take them swimming," she said.

"You know, he does all those extra bits while I'm working and doing other things. So they've had a really good time with dad."

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'Cannibal Cop' Convicted In Plot To Eat Women

By Sky News US Team, in New York

A New York City police officer has been convicted of plotting to kidnap, cook and eat women.

The jury reached the verdict at the kidnapping conspiracy trial of Officer Gilberto Valle, a 28-year-old father with an admitted fetish for talking on the Internet about cannibalism.

Valle's lawyers argued that he was just fantasising and noted that none of the women were ever harmed.

Prosecutors countered that an analysis of Valle's computer found he was taking concrete steps to abduct his wife and at least five other women he knew.

They said he looked up potential targets on a restricted law enforcement database, searched the Internet for how to knock someone out with chloroform, and showed up on the block of one woman after agreeing to kidnap her for $5,000 for a man, now awaiting trial.

Valle "left the world of fantasy and entered the world of reality", prosecutor Hadassa Waxman said during closing arguments.

She said the officer's arrest near Halloween last year interrupted a ghoulish plan to "kidnap, torture, rape and commit other horrific acts on young women".

The jury heard Valle's potential victims testify that they were trading innocent-sounding emails and texts with him, unaware he was supposedly scheming to make meals out of them.

The government also sought to drive home the point that Valle was more of a threat because he was a police officer.

The trial opened a window on strange online underworld where people share sick and twisted fantasies of torture, murder, dismemberment and cannibalism.

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Snow And Ice Cause Chaos On Rail And Roads

Mid-March travel misery has continued for millions with the late blasts of winter closing roads, disrupting flights and cancelling trains.

Ice warnings were in place for much of the country, and drivers in snow-hit areas urged to postpone journeys if possible.

The Met Office issued yellow "be aware" warnings for parts of the South East. South West, northern Scotland and Ireland, as well as western parts of Wales.

In London, police said a man was fighting for his life after being hit by a telegraph pole that is thought to have been blown over during strong winds.

The 27-year-old was resuscitated by ambulance staff and treated for a head injury after the accident in Wandsworth on Monday night. He was taken to hospital, where he was said to be in a "serious condition".

The M20 southbound remains gridlocked due to the severe weather

Temperatures were expected to stay below freezing in many areas for the next few days, with the minimum as low as -7C.

Up to 10cm (4in) of snow was forecast to settle in the worst-affected areas, including Kent, Sussex and southern Hampshire, and over higher ground in areas like the Pennines.

Some of the roads where driving conditions were at their worst included the M20 in Kent and the A2.

The Highways Agency earlier warned motorists heading north from the Dover Ports to take the M20 London bound and to avoid the A2, while those driving in and around West Sussex were advised to avoid the A23 and M23.

Rail services also faced disruption. Southern warned of short-notice cancellations and delays of up to an hour on all services.

Popstars Toyah Willcox and Cheryl Baker were among those trapped

There were delays to Southeastern services between Paddock Wood and Strood in Kent because of a signalling problem, while some Gatwick Express services were cancelled.

On First Capital Connect, journeys between Bedford and Brighton were also subject to short-notice cancellations, with delays of up to 45 minutes.

Ice and snow made roads across much of the South East impassable, with Dover and Folkestone among the worst affected.

The Channel Tunnel reopened after technical issues, with delays back to Junction 10 (Ashford) on the M20.

Eurostar suspended its services for the day because of bad weather in France and Belgium.

A message on its website said: "Our advice to passengers is not to travel today and not to come to our stations. Exchanges and refunds will be available to affected passengers."

Poor road conditions have hampered much of the UK

At the Port of Dover in Kent, cross-Channel ferry operations were operating "as far as possible", but passengers were advised to allow extra time for their journeys amid possible road blockages on the A2 and A20.

Jersey Airport was closed for the day, while travellers heading for Gatwick were warned to allow extra time to reach the West Sussex airport due to snow on the roads in the area.

Speed restrictions were in place on the M48 Severn Bridge in Monmouthshire due to strong winds.

About 500 passengers on a ferry from Ireland to France were forced to spend the night anchored off shore after the vessel failed to dock due to high seas.

A number of French children on a school trip to Ireland were among those on board Irish Ferries vessel Oscar Wilde, which made numerous attempts to dock in Cherbourg in the north-west of France

Police in Sussex said they had attended more than 300 crashes during Monday and overnight across the county, where some motorists were trapped in their cars in the snow for up to 10 hours in blizzard-like conditions.

Residents in Crawley wake up to the snow

The force received nearly 2,500 emergency and non-emergency calls - around 700 more than an average March weekday.

The British Red Cross sent emergency teams out to help those stranded in the freezing conditions overnight on the A23 with tailbacks stretching 30 miles.

A spokesman for the police force said it was stretched to "capacity" recovering abandoned vehicles and helping those stranded.

Chief Inspector Phil Nicholas, from the force's roads policing unit, said: "Today is going to be about helping recover vehicles as many people fell asleep in their cars or abandoned them, so even when the roads did become clearer they were still blocked.

"Although the conditions have improved slightly, we are asking people to not make any journeys unless they are essential."

Cheryl Baker, the 1980s pop star with the Eurovision-winning group Bucks Fizz, was among those stuck on the A23 as she tried to make her way to Brighton to her children. At 10.30am she tweeted: "WE'RE HOME!! Only taken 15 1/2 hours!!"

Snow ploughs and gritters were stuck in the traffic. (Pic: Jonathan Lava)

South East Coast Ambulance Service asked the public to only dial 999 in a genuine emergency because staff were struggling to get into work.

The disruption followed a night of chaos on the roads during which snow ploughs and gritters struggled to get through to clear the roads after a number of vehicles jackknifed causing gridlock.

Temperatures plummeted to as low as -3C (27F), forcing many people to abandon their vehicles for service stations.

Abandoned cars had to be moved to allow the gritters, snow ploughs and emergency teams to pass.

Police community support officer Christopher Kingswood, a former soldier, was forced to put his survival training into use when he became stranded after hours of helping drivers on the A259 and A27.

Unable to reach his home at the end of his marathon shift, he bedded down in a cramped police box, with his head and feet touching both ends, before returning to duty at 7am.

A number of motorists questioned why gritters had failed to keep the roads clear despite clear forecasts of heavy snow.

The Highways Agency said extra gritters had been out on the roads since 6am on Monday preparing for the freezing weather.

Forecasters believe Monday was the coldest March day in 27 years, since March 1, 1986. Saughall, in south Lanarkshire, reached -12C (10F).

Ladbrokes said they have been forced to slash the odds of snow reappearing across Easter weekend, March 29 to April 1.

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Snowfall In Western Europe Sparks Travel Chaos

Snow has been causing travel mayhem in parts of Europe, leaving passengers stranded at airports, railway stations, on the roads - and at sea.

Frankfurt Airport - Europe's third busiest - was shut down by heavy snowfall until further notice.

The airport had already cancelled more than 100 flights and reported many delays after the German city saw about 12cm (5ins) of snow.

It was not immediately clear how many more of the scheduled 1,200 flights would be cancelled due to the closure.

Tailbacks on the E429 highway near in Belgium

Travel in France was also affected, with a quarter of flights out of Paris cancelled by the city's two main airports - Charles de Gaulle and Orly.

The nearby Beauvais airport, serving mainly low-cost airlines, cancelled all flights.

At Orly, a Tunisair flight carrying 140 people from Djerba skidded off the runway on landing but no one was injured, an airport source said.

Several roads in the capital were closed too, while the French rail network SNCF advised rail users to stay at home because of "unfavourable weather conditions".

The unseasonable snowfall - coming only eight days before the official start of spring - also knocked out power to thousands of people in France and left hundreds of motorists stranded in their cars.

Many flights hsve been cancelled at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris

About 80,000 homes in the north and northwest of France were without power, following snowfalls of up to 60cm (24ins).

More than 2,000 people were stranded in their cars overnight as heavy snow paralysed roads in Normandy and Brittany, with many spending the night in emergency shelters.

"There are cars in front, there are cars behind. We're in a film, it's like the end of the world," said one trapped driver.

A traffic accident near Lille injured 14 people and a 58-year-old homeless man was found dead, presumably from the cold, outside a building in the town of Saint-Brieuc in Brittany.

Across the border in Belgium, motorists were hit by record traffic jams with many caught in treacherous conditions and battling icy roads, strong winds and reduced visibility due to snowdrifts.

Rail services were also affected - many cancelled - including some of the Thalys high-speed trains to Paris, Germany and the Netherlands, leaving thousands of commuters stranded on snowed-in platforms.

Long traffic jams because of snow and ice also snaked along motorways in the southern Netherlands, hampering travel to and from Belgium after more than 10cm (4ins) of snow overnight.

People walk under heavy snow falls on Place de la Concorde in Paris

Eurostar suspended cross-Channel train services between London and Paris following heavy snow.

"Due to extremely difficult weather conditions in northern France and Belgium, with a major part of the high-speed train tracks closed, Eurostar trains have been suspended until further notice," it said.

"Our advice to passengers is not to travel today and not to come to our stations. Exchanges and refunds will be available to affected passengers."

About 500 passengers on a ferry from Ireland to France were forced to spend the night anchored off shore after the vessel failed to dock due to high seas.

A number of French children on a school trip to Ireland were among those on board Irish Ferries vessel Oscar Wilde, which made numerous attempts to dock in Cherbourg in the north west of France

Passenger Caroline Mulreany told Sky News: "This boat, I feel, is in danger of a serious accident.

"Maybe more help is needed and they are not asking for it. The boat right now is swaying really, really bad and crashing in and out of the water.

"Everyone on board is violently sick and they don't have a doctor or anti-sick tablets."

Pedestrians walk through the snow in Cologne, western Germany

The company said the vessel had attempted to dock four times without success.

"The vessel remains off the port and it is expected that a further attempt will not be made until circa lunchtime today when some weather improvement is expected (or earlier, if possible)," it said.

"To complicate matters further, it is understood that the port area and roads around Cherbourg are gripped by snow and icy conditions.

"Save for the obvious discomfort of being delayed from going ashore, everyone on board is safe and reported to be in good spirits, are comfortable and are being well catered for on board.

In the docking attempt yesterday, one crew member suffered what is understood to be a fractured leg. It was not possible to evacuate him to hospital. He is being attended to by two doctors who were travelling as passengers.

The vessel is not due to make its scheduled return sailing to Rosslare until later today and no Ireland-bound passengers have yet been affected by the delay," it added.

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Pope Election: Cardinal Conclave To Begin

Voting Cardinals Tweet Goodbyes

Updated: 8:42am UK, Tuesday 12 March 2013

Cardinals entering the Vatican on Tuesday ahead of a conclave to elect the next pope took to Twitter to say goodbye to their online flock before they are cut off from the outside world.

"Last tweet before conclave: May Our Father hear and answer with love and mercy all prayers and sacrifices offered for fruitful outcome. God bless!" South African cardinal Wilfrid Napier told his thousands of followers.

Cardinals will be completely isolated inside the Vatican walls for the duration of the conclave, which could last up to a few days.

Jamming devices in the Sistine Chapel block all communications and the Vatican has said anyone caught tweeting will be excommunicated.

Before moving to the Vatican residence where the 115 cardinal electors will eat and sleep during the conclave, US cardinal Roger Mahony wrote: "Last tweet before moving to Casa Santa Martha, and mass to elect a pope.

"First conclave meeting late Tuesday afternoon. Prayers needed," he said.

Pierre Durieux, spokesman for France's Philippe Barbarin, tweeted to say that the three French cardinals had entered the Vatican and now: "A big silence".

Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed concern on her account saying: "In this electronic age, I worry some cardinals may go into iPad and Twitter withdrawal."

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Weather: Snowfall Causes Rush Hour Accidents

Heavy snowfall across parts of Britain has caused travel disruption, as the possibility of a white Easter looms.

The southern counties of England are taking the brunt of heavy, repeated snow showers moving in from the South West.

That will be followed by a second band of wintry weather which will hit eastern and central parts of Scotland and a dusting of snow is expected in all other areas, bringing with it the risk of travel problems for morning and evening rush hours.

At 12.30pm, there were yellow weather warnings in place across the south east coast of England, and northern and eastern parts of Scotland.

Allendale in Northumberland pictured after snowfall

Jersey Airport was shut due to snow, and on the roads there were hazardous conditions on many major routes.

Blizzard conditions were reported on the M40 in Warwickshire and there were numerous rush-hour accidents.

Strong winds added to drivers' problems, with falling trees blocking some roads.

On the trains, poor rail conditions led to delays in Sussex and Hampshire, while there was also a number of signalling problems.

The closure of Jersey Airport meant a number of flights had to be cancelled.

On the roads, there were hazardous driving conditions on the A69 and A6 in Cumbria and on the A54 in Cheshire.

In Sussex, police said there had been "a number" of crashes caused by the snowy conditions as they warned motorists to take extra care on the roads.

While drivers contended with heavy snow on the M40 in Warwickshire, motorists in Wales had to put up with strong winds.

One lane of the M48 Severn Bridge was closed and falling trees blocked some Welsh roads.

Some of the roads where driving conditions were at their worst today included the A46 in Nottinghamshire, the A14 in Suffolk and the A353 in Dorset.

Fallen trees blocked roads in Newquay in Cornwall and in Lynton in Devon.

Condor Ferries services between Jersey and St Malo were affected by the bad weather.

Up to 10cm (4in) are likely to settle in the worst-affected areas, including Kent, Sussex and southern Hampshire, as well as over higher ground in areas like the Pennines, while large areas could see around up to 4cm (1.6in) accumulate.

After snowfall on Monday and Tuesday, temperatures will remain below freezing in many areas for the next few days, with minimum temperatures as low as -7C.

Ladbrokes said they have been forced to slash the odds of snow reappearing across Easter weekend, March 29 to April 1.

On Sunday evening it was even money for snow to fall in any major city, and there is a 4/1 chance it is the coldest Easter on record, the bookmaker said.

Spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: "The odds of snow falling over Easter are dropping as quick as the temperatures."

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Queen Cancels Westminster Abbey Visit

Tim Marshall, Foreign Affairs Editor

Updated: 2:26pm UK, Monday 11 March 2013

The Queen is not signing a new charter "backing equal rights for women and gay people in every Commonwealth nation", despite headlines to the contrary.

She is signing a document which has no legal underpinning, and which has been watered down in order to ensure Commonwealth countries that have homophobic laws (a majority of them) would agree to it.

This could be regarded as a step forward for those who believe in equality for gay people, or it could be seen as a sop allowing homophobic governments a fig leaf to continue repressive practices.

The Commonwealth Charter declares: "We are implacably opposed to all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds."

Not, you will note, "on grounds of sexuality", but "on other grounds". This language is not just loose, it is deliberately so.

The words "other grounds" are being seen by some as including sexuality.

However, they can interpret it that way as much as they wish. The fact that "sexuality" is not spelled out will allow homophobic governments to retain laws currently used to suppress forms of sexuality they see as threatening.

According to the Human right campaigner Peter Tatchell, 41 of the 54 Commonwealth states still criminalise homosexuality.

Being found 'guilty' of homosexual acts can carry life sentences in jail in countries such as Sierra Leone and Bangladesh.

Uganda is considering legislation introducing the death penalty for repeat offenders.

A state which jails people for homosexuality can still argue that their national laws allow for this and say that their reading of the Commonwealth Charter allows for it.

Mr Tatchell told Sky News that while the charter could be considered a step forward it "does not include an explicit commitment to gay equality ... this was vetoed by the homophobic majority of member states."

In her speech the Queen will say: "Our shared values… which are found in our new Commonwealth Charter - mean that we place special emphasis on including everyone in this goal, especially those who are vulnerable."

She may say that, but the charter does not.

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CCTV: 'Shocking Assault' On Worker In Shop

Police hunting a man who attacked a shop worker in a "shocking assault" during an attempted armed robbery have released CCTV footage of the raid.

The hooded offender is seen walking into the supermarket as the woman is at the till and then holds the weapon up before jabbing her in the face with it.

The perpetrator, whose weapon was wrapped in a plastic bag, then tried to open the till before leaving Heart of England Co-op in Rugby, Warwickshire, empty-handed.

The member of staff suffered injuries to her left eye in the attack shortly after 7.30pm on Wednesday March 6.

She was then treated in hospital.

Police said the offender is described as a white male with a scarf covering the lower part of his face.

He is thought to be in his 20s, about 5ft 8in to 5ft 10in tall and slim build.

He was wearing a maroon coloured padded jacket with hood, dark trousers and a dark coloured glove on his left hand.

Police said: "The video shows the hooded offender subjecting the victim, a member of staff, to a shocking assault.

"He used a weapon wrapped in a plastic bag to jab her in the face, causing injuries to her left eye which needed hospital treatment. He then left the store empty-handed."

Officers in the Local Investigations team at Rugby, would like to hear from anyone who saw the man approach or leave the store, or anyone with information which would held with enquiries.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 01926 415000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Huhne And Pryce In Court For Sentencing

Chris Huhne and his ex-wife are in the dock where they are this afternoon expected to be sent to prison for lying about his penalty points.

The former Cabinet minister, 58, is sitting just one empty chair from Pryce, 60, who exposed the deception to exact revenge after he left her for another woman.

Huhne's girlfriend, Carina Trimingham, who arrived in a bright orange coat, is watching from the public gallery as the hearing unfolds.

Vicky Pryce clutching her small suitcase

The couple, and the politician's former wife of 26 years had to battle through a media scrum as they arrived separately at Southwark Crown Court in London.

Pryce, who was clutching a small, black suitcase, was bizarrely handed a single rose by a bystander as she made her way inside.

She kept the rose with her in the dock, where it could be seen sticking out of her handbag. Huhne too arrived with an overnight bag.

Prosecutors outlined their case against the man who was once one of the leading lights of the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Justice Sweeney is now imminently expected to pass sentence as the lawyers for Huhne and Pryce finish their pleas in mitigation.

He has already made clear they should expect jail terms.

Perverting the course of justice carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with an average sentence of around 10 months.

Huhne is also facing a hefty legal bill after the Crown Prosecution Service announced plans to recoup the costs of his "sustained challenges" against the prosecution before his 11th-hour guilty plea.

Huhne's girlfriend Carina Trimingham followed him through the scrum

The sentencing comes after an ugly and protracted trial which saw Pryce claim she had been coerced into taking speeding points for her husband in 2003.

Huhne admitted lying to police on the first day of the planned joint trial, ending months of denials, but ex-wife continued to claim she was forced.

It was revealed during the court case that Pryce told The Sunday Times about the swap to "nail" her ex-husband after he left her for Ms Trimingham in 2010.

During the trial, she also claimed that the senior Lib Dem had forced her to have an abortion in the 90s - in a bid to show how much influence he had over her.

The wreckage of their marriage was laid bare in court and bitter text messages between Huhne and his youngest son Peter were also disclosed.

Huhne and Pryce after his election win in 2010

Pryce, a prominent economist and mother-of-five, was convicted last week after a retrial. The first trial collapsed when the jury failed to reach a verdict.

The case brought an end to Huhne's once-promising political career. His charge forced him to stand down as energy secretary and his guilty plea prompted his resignation as Eastleigh MP.

Despite the impact of his prosecution on the party, Huhne was lavished with praise at the weekend's Liberal Democrat spring conference.

Party leader Nick Clegg described him as an "effective" and "outstanding" politician.

He told a fringe event on Saturday: "Not only was he an outstanding local constituency MP, he was also an extremely powerful thinker and indeed a very effective secretary of state."

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Storm Sweeps Plum Island Homes Into Ocean

Powerful waves and winds have caused two homes to collapse - and left several others severely damaged - on a US beach.

The late two-day winter storm swept into New England, dumping more than a foot of snow in some areas and sending tides crashing into the northeastern coastline of Massachusetts amid flood warnings.

An aerial view of one of the collapsed properties

High seas washed away the dune from underneath some properties, compromising their foundations and rendering them a danger to the public.

One couple on Plum Island watched the ocean wash away the foundations of their summer residence on Annapolis Way.

A toppled house rests on the sandy beach

"High tide last night just eroded away the foundation on the side of the house, and that just couldn't take it anymore," said Stephen Bresnahan.

"It's an emotional, very important, emotional part of our lives."

A neighbour clears the sand from beneath his home

His wife added: "My children have been here in the summer. We got engaged here in the summer."

An empty house nearby was also ripped from its foundations and collapsed into the sea.

Demolition workers get to work on one of the houses

Some roads in coastal towns were flooded with up to 3ft of water.

Flooding at the morning high tide closed some coastal roads north and south of Boston.

Several other properties were also damaged by the storm

Other parts of New England experienced nearly 2ft of snow - wreaking havoc on the roads and causing some motorists to be left stranded.

Schools were also affected and were either forced to close or delay opening.

Elsewhere in New England, motorists battle the snow drift

National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Dunham said it was like a "conveyor belt of wave after wave of snow" coming in.

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'Mummy Tax': Benefit Changes Criticised

By Tadhg Enright, Business Correspondent

The new Archbishop of Canterbury has chosen Mother's Day to fire a warning to the Government over planned cuts to welfare.

In his first significant intervention since being appointed, the Most Rev Justin Welby is among 43 bishops who have written an open letter condemning changes to the benefit system.

He warned that "children and families will pay the price" if the plans go ahead in their current form.

The Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill will cap benefit rises at 1% a year until 2016.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who is attempting to steer the reforms through Parliament, has said they are needed to help get spending "back under control" and create a fairer deal for taxpayers.

But the archbishop, who will be formally enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on March 21, said the legislation would remove the protection given to families against the rising cost of living and could push 200,000 children into poverty.

His predecessor, Dr Rowan Williams, was strongly criticised for expressing his views about Government policy.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister had a Mother's Day card delivered to his door by campaigners for new mums whose benefits are about to be capped.

The Most Rev Justin Welby has criticised the planned reforms

Labour has accused the Government of imposing a "mummy tax" and said the welfare reforms are part of a series of austerity measures which unfairly target mothers.

Shadow minister for women Yvette Cooper MP told Sky News: "It's like David Cameron and George Osborne have a blindspot about women because they're paying three times more than men in tax and benefit and pay and pension changes.

"That is so unfair when women earn less and own less than men.

"It shows that the Prime Minister and the Chancellor just don't get it and it's outrageous that new mums are hurt hardest."

Around 340,000 women claim either statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance every year.

Until now their benefits have gone up in line with inflation, which currently stands at 2.7%, according to the Consumer Price Index.

But from next month new mothers' benefits will go up by just 1% every year as part of a three-year cap on welfare increases.

So by 2015 critics have calculated the benefits will be effectively cut by £180 because they will not increase by as much as the cost of living will.

Conservative MP Amber Rudd said: "The fact is there are so many good things we are doing to try to help mothers.

"What mothers really want is welfare that works, improved education and jobs.

"That's what they talk to me about on the doorstep and I feel this Government is doing a lot on that front.

Yvette Cooper has slammed the benefit cap

"And it's rank hypocrisy of Labour to accuse us on this front when they have made no suggestions about how to reduce the deficit."

And Schools Minister, Liberal Democrat David Laws MP, also defended the welfare reforms and said the Coalition had tried to help those on lower incomes.

He told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan: "We've had a public sector pay freeze. We've also had a 1% cap in the future on public sector pay. So we've have had to take difficult decisions not just for some of those on lower incomes but for everybody in society.

"And actually we've tried to help some of those on lower incomes by raising the tax free personal allowance and also exempting some of the lowest paid public sector workers from the effects of the pay freeze."

A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "In difficult economic times we've protected the incomes of pensioners and disabled people, and most working age benefits will continue to increase 1%.

"This was a tough decision but it's one that will help keep the welfare bill sustainable in the longer term. By raising the personal allowance threshold, we've lifted two million people out of tax altogether, clearly benefiting people on a low income."

Single mum-to-be Helen Mockridge has one clear suggestion for a better way to reduce the deficit.

"Taxing really rich people, obviously, that's where the money should come from," she said.

"For me it's a real no-brainer and it makes me really angry that certain parts of society are very, very wealthy and the gap between rich and poor is getting bigger.

"That's where the money should be coming from, not from single mothers or the disabled or any other vulnerable group."

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1D: One Direction Pull Fans' Tattoo Request

One Direction have been forced to delete a social media request for fans to submit footage of their "real tattoos" to have a chance of appearing in the boyband's forthcoming film.

The band wiped the request from Facebook and Twitter after sparking a fury of criticism, as many fans of One Direction - who refer to the group as 1D - are under the age of 18.

Spokesman Simon Jones said: "This tweet was posted in error and has now been removed. One Direction do not want to encourage any of their fans to get 1D tattoos."

On Saturday the band put out the call for imagery of fans' tattoos on its official Twitter feed, which has more than 10 million followers, and to its 13 million Facebook friends.

The band had encouraged fans to send videos of their tattoos to an email address, giving them the chance for the footage to appear in a 3D movie due out in the summer.

The band tweeted: "Have a real #1D tattoo? Show us! Submit a 90 sec YouTube video to 1d3dfan@gmail.com and show us why you should be in the @1D3Dmovie!"

The appeal on social media was quickly retweeted by more than 4,000 followers and set as a favourite by nearly 6,000 people.

But fan reaction was swift and by late Sunday morning both sites had been wiped of the request, and Mr Jones was forced to release the explanatory statement.

Singer Harry Styles is known to have multiple tattoos himself

Facebook friend Julia Zwagerman said of the request: "Okay One Direction, I love you guys to pieces I really do, but promoting young girls to get a tattoo?"

Twitter follower plumlilo said: "Why would you encourage people to get tattoos that they'll regret in 10 years"

Follower JB1DJanoskians added: "A real tattoo of 1D, im so sorry but that is a load of b*******, people who do that is sick."

Although the social media request was removed fans can still upload photos of themselves to the band's website, as the group intends to use "a mosaic made of thousands of little things - you" for its movie poster.

No upload restrictions are in place for imagery, except that participants must be over the age of 14.

Some members of the five-piece band, which was formed for talent show The X Factor, have increasingly taken to having so-called hipster tattoos adorning their bodies.

Harry Styles and Zayn Malik have become famous for their collections of offbeat inked art.

One American website has even devoted a section to "The ugliest tattoos of One Direction".

However, not everyone was critical of the decision of the band to tweet the tattoo request message on Saturday.

A young fan from Colorado, 1DGottaBeYouu, tweeted: "Why the hell would most of directions have tattoos? We aren't even old enough. BUT when I turn 18= 1D Tattoo :)"

Twitter user The1DScoop, operated by five female followers of the band, said: "Finally you realise we aren't all 12."

The band are currently in Belfast and due to perform two sold out shows on Sunday and Monday nights.

Tickets for the show, which cost up to £35.50 each, come with the recommendation that children under the age of 14 should be accompanied by an adult.

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Nigeria: British Worker 'Likely' Among Dead

A British construction worker is likely to be among seven hostages killed after they were kidnapped by a Nigerian Islamist group, Foreign Secretary William Hague has confirmed.

"It is with deep sadness that I must confirm that a British construction worker, held hostage in Nigeria since 16 February, is likely to have been killed at the hands of his captors, along with six other foreign nationals who we believe were also tragically murdered," Mr Hague said in a statement.

"This was an act of cold-blooded murder, which I condemn in the strongest terms," he added.

Earlier, Italy's foreign ministry confirmed that the hostages had died.

The ministry said in a statement that: "Our checks conducted in coordination with the other countries concerned lead us to believe that the news of the killing of the hostages seized last month is true."

Greek authorities have also announced that their own investigation led them to believe the Greek hostage was dead.

"The information we have shows that the Greek citizen is dead," the foreign ministry said.

"The ministry has informed his family," the statement added.

Mr Hague said responsibility for the deaths rested "squarely with the terrorists".

"I am grateful to the Nigerian Government for their unstinting help and cooperation. We are utterly determined to work with them to hold the perpetrators of this heinous act to account, and to combat the terrorism which so blights the lives of people in Northern Nigeria and in the wider region," he added.

On Saturday, a Nigerian Islamist group said it had killed the seven hostages abducted from the compound of Setraco, a Lebanese construction company, in the town of Jama'are in Bauchi state on February 7.

The al Qaeda-linked Ansaru group, believed to be an offshoot of the larger Boko Haram, is said to be behind the abductions.

It claimed that the hostages had been killed in retaliation for a rescue attempt by the British and Nigerian governments.

British planes flew to Abuja in Nigeria to ferry troops and equipment to Bamako in Mali - which may be why there were claims the British military was involved in a rescue attempt.

The Ministry of Defence said: "There are a number of deployments as parts of various engagements in Africa which will include the movement of assets."

The Greek foreign ministry also denied there had been a rescue attempt.

"Based on the information we have, there was no rescue operation," it said.

Italy too rejected the claim, saying: "It's an atrocious act of terrorism, against which the Italian government expresses its firmest condemnation, and which has no explanation, if not that of barbarous and blind violence."

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