Experts Defuse Bomb Found In Northern Ireland

A bomb discovered and defused in a car in Northern Ireland was destined for a police station, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed.

The device was found in County Fermanagh, not far from the luxury Lough Erne golf resort where this June's G8 conference of world leaders will be held.

Sky's David Blevins said the device consisted of explosives packed into a beer keg rigged with timing devices.

PSNI district commander Pauline Shields said: "The people responsible for this have no regard for the lives of anyone in our community.

"It is fortunate that no-one was killed or seriously injured as a result of this reckless act.

"Although investigations are at an early stage it is our assessment at present that this vehicle was destined for Lisnaskea PSNI station."

Residents were told to leave their homes and Army technical officers carried out a clearance operation on the suspicious car and a viable device was made safe.

Ms Shields added: "Once again our community has been disrupted and the lives of residents put at risk by an element intent on causing  loss of life and disruption.

A week ago the Police Service of Northern Ireland discovered a mortar-type device aimed towards New Barnsley police station in north Belfast.

Also last week, three officers escaped injury when an explosive device detonated close to them as they patrolled a coastal path on the outskirts of Belfast.

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US: Boy, 10, Killed By Falling Airport Sign

A 10-year-old boy was killed and several members of his family injured after an electronic information sign fell on top of them at an airport in Alabama.

Deputy Coroner Derrick Perryman said Luke Bresette was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Two of his siblings were being treated for injuries while their mother, Heather Bresette, was in a critical condition at University Hospital.

Firefighters estimated the arrivals and departure sign at Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport weighed between 150 kg and 180kg.

Albert Osorio, 46, described hearing a loud boom when the sign fell, followed by the screams of the family and witnesses.

It took him and five other people to lift the sign off the family.

He said: "The whole thing flipped down on those kids. It took all of us here to stand it up."

Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Derrick Perryman said the family is from Overland Park, Kansas.

Airport spokeswoman Toni Herrera-Bast said officials were unsure how the sign fell over.

The airport continued to operate while rescue workers tended to the family.

It completed the first phase of a $201m modernisation effort and opened newly renovated concourses last week.

Mayor William Bell issued a statement saying the city offered its full support to the Airport Authority in investigating the accident.

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Weather: Snow Disrupts Travel And Cuts Power

Heavy snowfall has brought disruption to many parts of the UK, with roads closed, flights delayed, rail services cancelled and sports events called off.

Power lines were brought down, leaving tens of thousands of homes in Northern Ireland without electricity, while 6,000 properties in Scotland and hundreds more in areas of northern England also had no power.

The snowy conditions extended south, hitting areas around London and Kent, where forecasters said there could be 2cm-5cm of the white stuff on higher ground.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for the public to be aware of adverse weather conditions as a slow-moving band of rain, sleet and snow made its way across many central and northern parts, and the south and east.

There may be 5-10cm of snow at lower levels and further significant snow accumulations were likely on hills, with continued drifting and blizzard conditions in strong southeasterly winds. 

There is apparently 18 inches of snow near Wrexham (Pic: Alison Brooks)

One of the worst affected areas seemed to be North Wales, where reader Alison Brooks said there was more than 18 inches (45cm) of snow outside the town of Wrexham.

Airports were forced to shut their runways, and road closures hit motorists.  The AA has warned drivers that even short journeys may be difficult.

More snow is expected tonight but it set to slowly die out on Sunday and forecasters say most places will have a cold, dry day with cold easterly winds.

About 70 people stranded in their cars in Cumbria overnight were put up in a local high school.

Bay Search and Rescue in Cumbria were deployed to help people in the snow

In Northern Ireland, 6ft snow drifts left emergency crews struggling to get through but electricity returned to 5,000 homes overnight.

However, about 35,000 customers were still cut off and teams were out again from first light to continue with network repairs, Northern Ireland Electricity said.

In Scotland, ScottishPower estimated there were some 6,000 homes were still off supply in the south-west area.

Electricity North West was trying to restore power to parts of Cumbria, with 350 customers still without electricity, as engineers were unable to reach them due to road closures.

Leeds Bradford Airport said flights were not currently operating due to the adverse weather conditions. There was also disruption at East Midlands Airport.

Among the problems reported on the railways was disruption on First Transpennine Express services between Huddersfield and Manchester, and no Northern Rail services between Skipton and Carlisle.

The bad weather also hit the sporting programme, with racing at Doncaster and Newbury called off and some football league games in England and Scotland postponed.

A motorist drives past another car stuck in a snow drift near Belfast

Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Russia fell foul of the weather for the second time in 24 hours, with hostile conditions rendering Windsor Park unplayable.

The Group F clash was initially due to take place on Friday night but heavy snow and plummeting temperatures in Belfast saw the fixture postponed after three inspections by Norwegian referee Tom Hagen and the FIFA delegation.

The South West, which was hit by heavy rain and floods on Friday, was expected to have a relatively dry day, with only one flood warning, meaning flooding was expected, in place.

Dozens of flood alerts, where flooding was possible, remained for that region as well as the South East, the Midlands and Anglia.

Sky weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Southeast England, East Anglia, the Midlands, north Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland can expect snow today.

"High ground will be worst affected with some heavy snow at times with drifting in the strong winds and also blizzards.

"Low levels could see 5-10cm, two to four inches, of snowfall today although amounts will probably be lower across London."

She added: "Southwest England, south Wales and southern Ireland looks largely dry and relatively mild with some brighter spells.

A snow plough ended up on its side in the bad weather (Pic: Shaun Cullis)

"A few showers may nudge into the extreme southwest later. Tonight will stay dry with a frost forming in places."

The rain was a particular problem on Friday in Cornwall, where a landslide, thought to have been triggered by torrential rain, smashed through a block of flats, partially collapsing the building.

Emergency crews found a woman's body after picking through debris at the Veronica flats in Looe on Friday night. The body is believed to be that of Susan Norman, who was in her 60s and had been unaccounted for, according to the police.

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Miliband Offers Answer To 'Decade Of Decline'

Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron of condemning the UK to a "decade of decline" by sticking to austerity plans.

In a speech this afternoon, the Labour leader insisted public anger with the coalition is growing in the wake of a no-change Budget - but he conceded that his party still has work to do to convince voters there is a real alternative.

Mr Miliband presented a list of policies that he claims would kick-start growth and make the economy fairer, including bank reform, infrastructure investment and a 10p tax rate.

He contrasted the platform he fleshed out with George Osborne's financial package this week.

"We are five years on from the financial crisis of 2008," he told a 'people's policy forum' in Birmingham, which is billed as representing political opinion from across the West Midlands.

"We are in the slowest recovery for 100 years. And it is you who are suffering. Wages are frozen. Prices are rising. Living standards falling.

"Yet the Chancellor offered no change in the Budget. He offered more of the same. Can you imagine another five years of this?

"Low growth. Living standards squeezed further. You paying the price. A lost decade Britain cannot afford. A decade of national decline."

Mr Miliband accused the Government of "shrugging their shoulders", saying ministers have "run out of ideas", and he urged voters to give him a chance to change the way the country is run.

"Over the last two and a half years since I became Labour leader, I have sought to understand why people left Labour," Mr Miliband said.

"From banking regulation to immigration to Iraq, I have been clear about what we got wrong. But as I listen to people around Britain I also know they are increasingly disappointed with this Government.

"People all over Britain have lost confidence in David Cameron's ability to turn Britain around. But let me clear with you. I know that however discredited, divided and damaging this Government is, I will not assume that their unpopularity will mean people turn to Labour.

"Indeed, many people will believe that the failure of this Government means they should give up on politics altogether."

Mr Miliband said he cannot offer "overnight answers" or that things will be easy, but he pledged to seek an economic recovery "made by the many, not just a few at the top".

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Woman And Child Killed By Train At Station

A woman and a young child have died after they were struck by a train in the morning rush hour.

British Transport Police were called to the incident at Riddlesdown rail station near Purley, south London, at around 8.20am.

Ambulance teams and Met Police officers also attended and the woman and child - believed to be a toddler - were declared dead at the scene.

The station was temporarily closed while the emergency services dealt with the incident and the police investigation was carrying on.

Riddlesdown railway station (pic: Sunil Prasannan)

Electrical power to the line between Woldingham and South Croydon was turned off and it was anticipated the line would not open until at least 4pm today.

There was considerable disruption to services run by the Southern train company in the area, with buses running between some stations and extended journey times.

Later, British Transport Police senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Simon Taylor said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the woman and child involved in this tragic incident.

"Officers are continuing to work to establish the full circumstances surrounding this incident, although early indications show that no-one else was believed to have been involved."

The line between Uckfield/East Grinstead and South Croydon reopened early this afternoon but delays are expected until around 4pm.

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Snow And Rain: Woman Missing After Floods

A woman is missing after the country was lashed by heavy rain, floods and snow that have brought widespread disruption.

Police spent the morning using a sniffer dog to search for the woman after floodwater crashed through her home in Looe, Cornwall.

Devon and Cornwall Police say Susan Norman, who is in her 60s, has not been seen or heard of since 6pm yesterday.

Neighbours said they heard "windows popping" at the three-storey property under the pressure of a torrent of surface water which had been washed down the road behind the building, which is split into three flats.

Fire and Rescue search teams have been unable to carry out a thorough search of the building as it is too dangerous.

Devon and Cornwall Police duty inspector Graham Claybourn said: "The property and adjoining properties were evacuated this morning, everybody was accounted for.

"However, one lady has not been accounted for. She lives in the ground flat."

It came as up to 40cm (16ins) of snow was expected over high ground in the Midlands, north and east Wales and northwest England, with 10-15cm (four to six ins) in lower lying areas.

Amber alerts have been issued for snow and rain

Up to 30cm (12ins) of snow was predicted for Northern Ireland across the hills of counties Antrim and Down, with high winds leading to blizzard conditions.

The snow was expected to continue into Saturday with the Met Office saying another 5-10cm (4-6ins) was possible in some areas of central Britain.

Two amber warnings for snow have been issued, meaning that the public in some places should be prepared for "severe disruption, particularly to transport and power supplies".

The bad weather resulted in the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria being shut down.

A spokesman said: "In response to the current and predicted adverse weather conditions on and around the Sellafield site, as a precaution, a site incident has been declared and the plants on the site have been moved to a controlled, safe, shutdown state.

"There is no reason to believe that there will be any off-site nuclear, environmental or conventional safety issues associated with the incident."

In Northern Ireland, more than 40,000 homes and businesses were left without power and around 60 schools were closed.

George Best City Airport closed its runway for a while but later announced it had reopened and flights from Belfast International Airport were disrupted.

Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifying match against Russia at Windsor Park in Belfast has been called off.

Snow in Derwen (Pic: Geraint Evans)

In West Yorkshire, Leeds Bradford International Airport has suspended all flights due to "adverse weather conditions".

The airport has told passengers: "We advise you contact your airline or tour operator and check the status of your flight before arriving at the airport."

Among the main roads affected in the region are the A1(M) between the end of the M1 and the A62 junction, between Leeds and York, where snow has closed a lane, the M62 near Brighouse, where another lane has been closed due to the weather and the A66 across the Pennines which has been closed in both directions between the A685 and the A1.

Police in Cumbria have established a multi-agency 'Gold Group' to co-ordinate its response to a number of incidents.

A spokeswoman said police had received about 20 calls throughout the morning for assistance following multiple reports of road traffic collisions, impassable roads from trees falling, road signs blowing over and heavy snowfall.

Despite a series of accidents on the region's road network, North Wales Police said all main routes were passable but urged drivers to take care.

In the West Midlands, nearly 230 schools shut their doors to pupils, with many reporting burst pipes and frozen heating systems.

In Staffordshire, 170 closed their doors, but there was also disruption in Walsall, Dudley and Wolverhampton.

Nearly 200 schools closed across North Wales and scores more closed across Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. Schools across Greater Manchester appeared largely unaffected.

In Scotland, police advised supporters travelling to tonight's Scotland V Wales World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park, Glasgow, that due to the adverse weather, Queens Park Recreational Ground, off Queens Drive, would be closed. 

Shops and homes were flooded in Cornwall overnight, as the AA warned motorists even short journeys "can quickly turn bad".

The worst flooding was reported to be around Newlyn in Cornwall

Yesterday and last night there was flooding across the South West, including Penzance, Newlyn, Porthleven, Stithians, Bridge, Mevagissey, Colebrook and Holbeam with early reports suggesting around 10 properties have flooded so far.

At one point, there were 96 flood warnings in place across the country, with southwest England the worst affected.

Fifteen flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 40 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, are now in place across the south west. Another 36 flood alerts applied to East Anglia, the Midlands, the south east and Wales.

Sgt Dave Opara, based in Plymouth, said: "There has been a considerable amount of rainfall across the force area."

Cornwall opened its dedicated control centre to deal with the volume of calls about flooding.

Newlyn, in the southwest of the county, was reported to be the worst affected area.

Sky's weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The snow will turn to sleety rain over north Wales and the north Midlands for a time, reverting to snow again later. Southern Britain and south-east Ireland meanwhile will see more heavy rain, bringing local flooding in the west where another 5cm, (2ins) are possible.

"There'll be more snow tonight, from around the M4 up into central Scotland and across the north of Ireland, while southern counties will have yet more rain. Saturday will see snow over central parts slowly fading, but there'll be a raw wind and it will stay near freezing away from the south-west.

"The average temperature for the month so far, combining day and night, has been around 3C, well below the long term average of 6C. It's highly unlikely to be record breaking (the coldest March on record was in 1962, at 1.9C), but it could well be the coldest for over 25 years."

Environment Agency spokesperson Pete Fox said the public can sign up for flood warnings and check the latest information on the Environment Agency's website, or follow us on Twitter at @EnvAgency.

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, visited a snowy Scout camp in the Lake District

Darron Burness, head of the AA's Special Operations Response Team, said: "It's going to be a real witch's brew of driving wind, rain and snow, which will inevitably cause disruption on the roads.

"Drivers should be well prepared as even short journeys can quickly turn bad."

The Local Government Association said council gritting and ploughing teams would be out in force to try to ensure main roads remained passable.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge had to battle through the weather in order to reach her appointment of the day - a Scout camp in the snow-bound Lake District.

Wrapped up against the biting cold, five-months pregnant Kate arrived at the Tower activity centre near Newby Bridge, near Windermere, wearing a fleece, green parka-style jacket, and wearing wellies and a friendship knot.

Kate knelt in the snow to show them how to make fire from sparks using flints and cotton wool, cheering along after one youngster - after several attempts, managed to create a flame.

Also, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is calling on Londoners to donate the items to help the animals in its care during March's unexpected cold snap.

 :: Send in your photos of the weather here

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Israel Apologises For Gaza Flotilla Raid

The Israeli Prime Minister has apologised for a raid on a Gaza flotilla which resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists.

Benjamin Netanyahu announced the restoration of normal diplomatic relations with Turkey and expressed regret during a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

President Barack Obama helped arrange the call shortly before leaving Israel.

In a statement released by the White House said, Mr Obama said: "The United States deeply values our close partnerships with both Turkey and Israel, and we attach great importance to the restoration of positive relations between them in order to advance regional peace and security.

Video taken on-board the ship showed the arrival of Israeli commandos

"I am hopeful that today's exchange between the two leaders will enable them to engage in deeper cooperation on this and a range of other challenges and opportunities," he added.

The flotilla incident severely harmed ties between the once-close allies. Turkey withdrew its ambassador from Israel, and diplomatic ties and military cooperation were greatly scaled back.

Netanyahu said the "tragic results" were not intentional and Israel "expressed remorse" for the loss of life. He cited "operational mistakes."

The nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed aboard the Turkish-flagged ship Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010, after passengers resisted a takeover by Israeli naval commandos.

The flotilla was en route to Gaza in an attempt to bring international attention to Israel's blockade of the Palestinian territory.

At the time, the former legal adviser to Israel's foreign ministry, Alan Baker, said it was tragic that lives had been lost, but there was no need for an apology.

More follows...

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Bus Stabbing Girl: Funeral Of Christina Edkins

The family of a 16-year-old girl stabbed to death on a bus say they have been "overwhelmed" by the support of well-wishers.

Christina Edkins' funeral was held at Birmingham Cathedral.

Speaking on behalf of Ms Edkins' family before the service, her cousin Stephen Newby said: "Today we will say goodbye to Christina.

Christina's parents said she was "bubbly, beautiful and intelligent"

"We are devastated that she should have been taken away so senselessly and continue to try to come to terms with what has happened.

"We have been overwhelmed and comforted by the spontaneous reactions of so many people.

"While many of them never knew Christina, all have been touched in some way by this tragic event and share in our grief."

Ms Edkins died of a single stab wound to her chest on March 7 during morning rush hour after she was attacked on the top deck of a bus in Edgbaston.

The driver raised the alarm and attempts were made to resuscitate the schoolgirl, but she died at the scene.

The teenager's silver coffin was taken to the cathedral in a white carriage, pulled by a pair of white horses.

A message from Christina's parents

Christina's parents Jason and Kathleen led her family into the 300-year-old building which was packed with those wanting to pay their respects.

Despite the icy chill about 300 mourners stood outside to pay their respects, while inside the service was attended by 600 family and friends.

Among them were 120 pupils from Leasowes High School, which Christina attended in Halesowen, and colleagues from the Tesco supermarket where she worked part-time.

There were tearful tributes to Christina, including from her school principal, Neil Shaw, who called her "an inspiration".

Christina was stabbed on a bus on Hagley Road, Birmingham

Following her death, Christina's parents Jason and Kathleen described her as a "bubbly, beautiful and intelligent" teenager.

Mr and Mrs Edkins said in a statement: "We are heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful princess, Christina, and it's hard to find words to describe the pain we're all feeling.

"Her family and friends will remember her as an amazing individual with her whole life ahead of her - a life that was tragically cut short on that Thursday morning.

"Our lives will never be the same again."

Christina was attacked on the top deck of the bus

The grieving parents added: "We are truly overwhelmed by the kindness that's been shown by friends and neighbours, people who knew Christina well and also those who never got the chance to meet her."

Her parents said she was "just like most 16-year-olds" and had been studying hard for forthcoming exams while looking forward to her school prom.

The statement continued: "We'd bought Christina's prom dress the week before and recall the day she tried it on ... she looked like a princess.

"Christina was studying extremely hard for her exams and weighing up which college to attend.

"In many ways she was like most 16-year-olds - worried about her appearance, what fake tan to wear, how her hair and nails looked and about 'hot boys', as Christina would call them!

"We would like to thank everyone for their kind words, flowers, teddies, balloons and candles ... the support has been fantastic and shows what good, kind people there are in this world.

"We'd like to thank West Bromwich Albion for their half-time tribute at the weekend and to the fans for their heartfelt applause, which was very emotional."

Phillip Simelane, 22, from Walsall, has been charged with her murder.

He has been remanded in custody in a secure mental health unit and is due to appear in court for a plea hearing on May 31.

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Weather: Weekend Snow Warnings Across UK

Large swathes of the UK are facing a white weekend, as more wintry weather looks set to cause widespread disruption.

Snow is expected overnight in Northern Ireland, Wales, the Midlands, northern England and southern and western Scotland.

Commuters are being warned of Friday morning rush-hour chaos as strong gusts combine with the anticipated deluge to cause blizzard-like conditions.

And dozens of flood alerts have been issued by the Environment Agency for south-east England, while the Met Office put out several severe weather warnings for the weekend.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The rain across south-west England, southern Wales and the south of the Republic of Ireland will continue moving north-eastwards into tonight.

"As it does, it hits the cold air coming in from the east and so it will turn to snow, giving significant accumulations by the early hours of the morning.

"The areas most affected will be across Northern Ireland, central and northern parts of Wales, the Midlands, northern England and southern and western Scotland."

Ghaffar added that outbreaks of rain across south-western parts of the UK and Ireland brought the risk of flooding.

"Disruptions are likely during Friday morning's rush hour as the snow will continue to fall with strong to near gale force winds, causing blizzard conditions and drifting," she said.

"In fact, throughout the day on Friday outbreaks of sleet and snow will continue with windy conditions, although outbreaks of light and patchy rain are more likely for southern England and southern Wales.

"Additional accumulations are likely across the north Midlands, Lincolnshire, northern England and Scotland.

"It'll be windy and cold over the weekend with further outbreaks of snow, especially across northern England, Wales and the Midlands."

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Dale Cregan 'Admitted' Two More Killings

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

A man who murdered two Manchester policewomen admitted to a psychiatrist he had earlier killed a father and son, a jury has heard.

Dr James Collins said Dale Cregan told him he had fantasised about stabbing rivals to death and cutting off their heads.

The psychiatrist had been sent to Manchester's Strangeways prison earlier this year to assess Cregan's mental health as he waited for his trial to begin.

Dr Collins told Preston Crown Court that Cregan harboured fantasies about mutilating his victims.

Cregan admits killing police officers Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes

In relation to one of them he allegedly said: "When I was having my fantasies I used to think about stabbing him repeatedly, about smashing him with a hammer, cutting his head off.

"I have been thinking that when I killed him I could have done more."

Cregan, 29, admits murdering PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes in a gun and grenade attack last September but denies killing Mark Short and his father David earlier last year.

Dr Collins said Cregan admitted killing all four victims, that he had built up a stock of firearms including pistols, revolvers and machine guns and that he had brought hand grenades into the UK from the Netherlands.

Cregan told a psychiatrist he had a host of weapons

The killer is alleged to have said: "I got bored with them (the guns). I don't like them as much as knives. It is too easy to use them. You just shoot them."

The court was told Cregan had grown up fighting with members of the Short family and had developed an intense hatred towards them.

He is alleged to have told Dr Collins: "I shot David Short point-blank in the head three times, but I would have preferred it if I had used a knife.

"A big relief rushed through me (after the killing) but if I had the time I would have cut his head off.

"If I'd had time, I would have cut his head off and arms and legs ... I had the best night's sleep I had had for a long time that night.

"I have never had a temper. When I killed him I was just like I am now - as calm as I am now. I didn't get butterflies or anything."

Cregan also allegedly told the psychiatrist that he made £20,000 a week through drug dealing.

The trial continues.

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Archbishop Of Canterbury Enthroned At Cathedral

The Most Rev Justin Welby has been enthroned as the new Archbishop of Canterbury at the city's cathedral.

The service was attended by dignitaries including Prince Charles and Prime Minister David Cameron.

Prince Charles applauded the new archbishop after the enthronement was complete.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall as they entered the cathedral

The ceremony got underway despite protesters gathering earlier outside Canterbury Cathedral, demonstrating against cuts to public services and the so-called bedroom tax.

New Pope Francis, who was elevated to the head of the Catholic Church on March 13, earlier sent a message on the enthronement in England.

Pope Francis said: "I thank you for the kind words contained in your message to me at my election, and I wish in turn to offer my greetings and best wishes on the occasion of your enthronement at Canterbury Cathedral."

Speaking ahead of the inauguration at the cathedral, the new archbishop told Sky News he was looking forward to meeting and working with Pope Francis as both religious leaders start their high-profile roles.

The ceremony got underway on Thursday afternoon

He told Sky News Sunrise presenter Eamonn Holmes: "The papacy is a completely different thing to an Archbishop of Canterbury.

"I am one of almost 100 English bishops with a particular role, whereas he is the head of the Roman Catholic Church globally.

"I am greatly looking forward to meeting him. His story - his life story - is extraordinary. He is a great intellectual, but also an incredibly pastoral and simple, down-to-earth character.

"I am absolutely sure that we will be able to work together on a vast number of issues."

The Archbishop chose to visit West Sussex last Tuesday as part of a pilgrimage of his own around five English cities this month, instead of the Vatican for Pope Francis' inauguration.

The Most Rev Justin Welby with his wife Caroline

He now leads 80 million Christians - in comparison to the Pope, who is leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

However, they do have one thing in common. Like the newly-installed Pope, the Archbishop also likes to travel on the bus.

"I don't know what he will do, but I find it the easiest way of getting around," he said.

In the process of moving into Lambeth Palace, he conceded: "It is a very different life, it'll take a while to settle. We have a very close family. They tease relentlessly and keep my feet very firmly on the ground."

He faces many divisive issues within the church, including women bishops, gay clergy and relations with the Catholic Church.

The solemn service was held at the historic Canterbury Cathedral

"I think reconciliation is about learning to be very different ... and continue to love and care for each other as we should within the church, and within society to be able to hold very different views without being destructive," he said.

"One of the greatest challenges of my job is following Rowan Williams because he was such an extraordinary, exceptional, wonderful man, and such a wonderful archbishop."

When he is not working, he likes to spend time with his family, reading and running. Asked what he likes to watch on TV, he confessed he has not owned one for the last two years.

Dr Rowan Williams is the outgoing archbishop

"I love The West Wing. If I want to kick back I watch something like The West Wing - and I must start watching the new series of The Newsroom.

"We do now have a TV and I do watch a bit. The great thing I love about the telly is I like happy endings, simple stories and things that don't make me think too much. Though I do watch some more serious stuff, but not too much, because life is pretty serious on the whole and telly is great entertainment."

The Most Rev Welby was named as Dr Rowan Williams' successor in November. The father-of-five resigned as an oil executive in 1987 after 11 years in the industry to train for the Anglican priesthood.

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Scotland Names The Day For Independence Vote

First Minister Alex Salmond has named the day for the historic ballot in Scotland to decide whether it should become independent.

Mr Salmond revealed in a statement at the Scottish Parliament that the vote will take place on September 18 next year.

The Scottish National Party leader declared it would be an "historic day when the people will decide Scotland's future".

The referendum will ask the question approved by the Electoral Commission: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

Mr Salmond said: "Next year the choice facing the people is one of two futures. A No vote means a future of governments we didn't vote for, imposing cuts and policies we didn't support.

"A Yes vote means a future where we can be absolutely certain, 100% certain, that the people of Scotland will get the government they vote for."

He added: "I believe it will be the day we take responsibility for our country, when we are able to speak with our own voice, choose our own direction and contribute in our own distinct way."

Scotland's Labour leader Johann Lamont welcomed the naming of the date when the issue would be settled once and for all.

But she criticised Mr Salmond for letting Scotland "languish" for another 18 months.

"The truth is Alex Salmond knows if he held the referendum now, he wouldn't just lose it, he would be routed," she said.

She also called answers to key questions like what control the Bank of England would have over Scotland and what would happen if Scotland joined the EU.

Alistair Darling, the former chancellor and MP for Edinburgh South West, told Sky News: "I think the majority of people in Scotland can see that we are better and stronger as part of the United Kingdom.

"The truth is that all the countries in the United Kingdom have gained from each other - we are much more than the sum of our parts."

The date was confirmed as the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill was published.

Mr Salmond said it was "the most important legislation to be introduced" since the devolved Scottish Parliament was established in 1999.

The vote is taking place after the Scottish National Party won an unprecedented majority in Holyrood in the 2011 election.

Negotiations with the UK Government followed, before the First Minister and Prime Minister David Cameron signed a deal on the ballot last October.

The Scottish Government has already brought forward separate legislation which will allow 16 and 17-year-olds to take part in the vote.

Mr Salmond stressed that the referendum will "meet the highest international standards of fairness and transparency".

The Referendum Bill formally allows for elections watchdog the Electoral Commission to have overall responsibility for overseeing the vote.

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Budget 2013: The Key Points You Need To Know

The main Budget announcements by the Chancellor, George Osborne:

:: New Employment Allowance to take the first £2,000 off the employer National Insurance bill of every company from next April.

:: Personal tax allowance will be raised to £10,000 from 2014 meaning no income tax on an individual's first £10,000 of earnings.

:: Abolishes beer duty escalator. Cuts beer duty by 1p effective from Sunday night. Planned rises for all other alcohol duties maintained.

:: Cancels 3p-per-litre fuel duty rise scheduled for September.

:: New Help-to-Buy scheme for those struggling to find mortgage deposits will include a Government interest-free loan worth 20% of the value of a new build house. New mortgage guarantee sufficient to support £130bn worth of loans.

:: Flat rate pension worth £144 a week to be brought forward to 2016.

:: Wide programme to tackle tax avoidance and evasion to bring in £3bn in unpaid taxes.

:: Help for employees includes more generous shareholder status, Capital Gains Tax relief for sales of business to workers and a doubling to £10,000 for tax-free loans for commuters' season tickets.

Osborne: Employment Allowance was the Budget's biggest tax measure

:: Corporation Tax rate cut to 20% from April 2015. Abolishing different rates. Levy on bank balance sheets raised to 0.142% from next year.

:: Stamp Duty on shares in Alternative Investment Market (AIM) scrapped.

:: Two major carbon capture and storage projects and offering new tax incentives for manufacture of ultra low emission vehicles and production of shale gas.

:: Annual extra spending on infrastructure of £3bn from 2015/16.

:: Public sector pay rises to be limited to 1% for a further year to 2015/16. Armed Forces to receive full recommended increase in "X-Factor" payment in May and be exempted from changes to progression pay.

:: Whitehall department budgets to be cut by 1% after £11bn under-spend this year, with protection for schools and health.

:: There will be an updated remit for the Bank of England's monetary policy committee. The 2% CPI inflation target will remain.

:: The deficit continues to come down. Deficit has fallen from 11.2% of GDP in 2009/10 to a forecast 7.4% this year and is expected to fall to 6.8% next year, 5.9% in 2014/15, then 5%, 3.4% and 2.2% by 2017/18.

:: OBR has revised down forecast for growth but suggests Britain will miss triple-dip recession. Growth now estimated at 0.6% in 2013 (halved) and 1.8% in 2014.

:: OBR estimate for employment revised up, with 600,000 more jobs expected in 2013 than this time last year.

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Omagh Bombing: Two Blamed By Civil Court

Two men have been found liable for the Omagh bombing following a landmark civil action at Belfast High Court.

Republicans Colm Murphy and Seamus Daly have been confirmed to be responsible for the Northern Ireland atrocity after having attempted to overturn a lawsuit taken out by some of the victims.

Murphy and Daly had been ordered to face a retrial after they successfully appealed a finding of liability against them in the original case in Belfast High Court.

But their second trial delivered the same outcome in the same court, with judge Mr Justice John Gillen ruling the men were responsible for the 1998 Real IRA atrocity.

Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died when the dissident republican car bomb ripped through the Co Tyrone market town on August 15, 1998. More than 200 were injured in the blast.

Colm Murphy is one of those held responsible for the Omagh bombing

Murphy was tried and convicted in the Irish criminal courts but was released after it was revealed that the Gardaí forged interview notes used in the case.

Because no-one was successfully convicted of the bombing, in 2009 some of the bereaved families took out a civil case against four people accused of the attack.

Murphy, a builder and publican from Dundalk, Co Louth, and Daly, a bricklayer from Cullaville, Co Monaghan, along with Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt and Co Louth republican Liam Campbell were held responsible.

The men were ordered to pay £1.6m in damages.

McKevitt, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence in the Irish Republic for directing terrorism, and Campbell, who recently successfully fought extradition proceedings to Lithuania on arms smuggling charges, failed in their bids to overturn the Omagh civil judgment.

They are now seeking to have their case heard in the European Court of Human Rights.

Murphy and Daly successfully appealed but both men were ordered to face another trial. The retrial started in January and finished last month, with Mr Justice Gillen delivering his reserved judgment today, confirming the men were responsible.

The bombing killed people from a variety of different backgrounds including Protestants, Catholics, a Mormon teenager, five other teenagers, six children, a woman pregnant with twins and several tourists.

The nature of the bombing - described as Northern Ireland's worst terrorist attack - created a huge international outcry and added to the impetus of the peace process.

Neither defendant was in court for the judgment. Both men also declined to give evidence during the trial.

Mr Justice Gillen said the case against them, which was primarily based on mobile phone evidence, was "overwhelming".

Michael Gallagher (c), who lost his son, was among the relatives who sued

The judge said he had drawn a negative inference from their failure to provide any explanation in court.

"Given the strength and quality of the evidence, I have determined that both defendants were involved in assisting the preparation, planting and detonation of the bomb in circumstances where those involved in assisting those acts would be joint tortfeasors (individuals who committed a wrongful act injuring another person)," he said.

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Natalie Putt: Land Search For Missing Teen Ends

Police have called off a search of land in south Staffordshire over the disappearance of teenager Natalie Putt 10 years ago.

Specialist teams scoured private land off the Stourbridge Road in Wombourne after getting new information.

But West Midlands Police said nothing significant had been found in the operation.

Natalie disappeared from her home in Thornleigh, Lower Gornal, in September 2003.

A police compter-generated image of how Natalie might have looked in 2010

The young mother, who was aged 17 at the time of her disappearance, had given birth to a baby boy 11 weeks before.

Natalie's child, Rhys, continues to be cared for by relatives.

Superintendent Andy Parsons, from Dudley Police, said: "The missing persons investigation into Natalie's disappearance will always remain open and any new lines of inquiry will be investigated."

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Budget: 2013 Growth Forecast Is Cut In Half

George Osborne has unveiled tax breaks for beer drinkers, drivers and first time buyers as he admitted the economy is still struggling.

The Chancellor's Budget contained a string of moves designed to ease the cost-of-living, including a 1p cut in the price of beer and the cancellation of a planned fuel duty hike.

A £130bn mortgage guarantee scheme will help people without big deposits buy homes, with interest-free loans worth 20% of the value of a new build property also available.

And in what he called a Budget for "the aspiration nation", Mr Osborne said the income tax threshold will rise to £10,000 in 2014, a year earlier than planned.

The Chancellor also gave small businesses a boost by unveiling a new employment allowance which will save employers £2,000 on their National Insurance bills.

But he was forced to admit that the recovery was taking far longer than expected as he confirmed growth forecasts for this year have been cut in half to just 0.6%.

Ed Miliband called George Osborne a "downgraded Chancellor"

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility does expect Britain to avoid a triple-dip recession but public borrowing will be higher because of the floundering recovery.

It is now forecast to hit £114bn this year instead of £108bn before eventually falling to £42bn in 2017/18.

Driving home the problems facing Britain, figures released hours before the Budget showed the first rise in unemployment for a year - up 7,000 to 2.52m.

But despite growing calls to change course from his austerity regime, Mr Osborne insisted there could be no turning back.

"It is taking longer than anyone hoped but we must hold to the right track," he said.

Labour leader Ed Miliband claimed: "All he offers is more of the same - higher borrowing and lower growth - a more of the same Budget from a downgraded Chancellor.

"He is the wrong man in the wrong place at the worst possible time for the country."

The Chancellor leaving Number 11 Downing Street with his Budget

But Mr Osborne declared: "This is a Budget that doesn't duck our nation's problems. It confronts them head on. It is a Budget for an aspiration nation. It is a Budget for a Britain that wants to be prosperous, solvent and free."

He fleshed out plans for a further £2.5bn in Whitehall cuts over the next two years to fund capital spending projects.

And he confirmed plans to help working parents with tax-free childcare support and to introduce a flat rate pension by 2016.

The Capital Gains Tax holiday will also be extended and corporation tax cut further by 1% to 20% in April 2015.

But there will be anger at the extension of the 1% public sector pay cap to 2015/16, which came as civil servants staged a 24-hour strike.

There will also be further cuts in spending review for 2015/16, up from £10bn to £11.5bn.

The House of Commons was extremely rowdy as Mr Osborne delivered one of the most important speeches of his career.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls was singled out by the deputy speaker for barracking from Labour's front bench.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) now predicts growth of 2.3% for 2015, 2.7% in 2016 and 2.8% in 2017.

Figures also show that the deficit has fallen from 11.2% of GDP in 2009/10 to 7.4% this year and is set to continue dropping until it reaches 2.2% in 2017/18.

A Twitpic shows George Osborne at work

But public sector net debt will rise from 75.9% of GDP this year to 79.2, 82.6, 85.1 and then 85.6% in the following years before falling to 84.8% in 2017/18.

Mr Osborne announced that the Bank of England's remit was being overhauled but that it will keep its inflation target of 2%.

Meanwhile, London's Evening Standard newspaper apologised for posting its front page with details of the Budget on Twitter ahead of the statement.

John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, criticised Mr Osborne for not going far enough to support business and boost growth.

"We are at an unprecedented moment in economic history, and the Government should be doing everything in its power to get the economy moving", he said.

But Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: "We applaud this Budget. The Chancellor has stuck to his guns and held his nerve - which is exactly what we wanted to see.

"Deficit reduction is not an optional policy, it is an absolute necessity, and he is right to reject the siren calls to abandon it."

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Pope Francis To Embrace Poor As Papacy Begins

Pope Francis has vowed to embrace the world's "weakest and poorest" and called on world leaders to shun "destruction" at his inaugural mass in St Peter's Square.

Francis was interrupted by applause several times during his homily, including when he spoke of the need to serve one another with love and tenderness and not allow " hatred, envy and pride to defile our lives".

The Pope must "open his arms to protect all of God's people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important," Francis, the first Jesuit pope, said.

"He must be inspired by lowly, concrete and faithful service," said Francis, who as a Jesuit has taken a vow of poverty.

Francis is the world's first Jesuit pope

"I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life ... Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world.

"It means respecting each of God's creatures and respecting the environment in which we live.

"It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about."

The Fisherman's Ring

The new pontiff officially began his ministry as the 266th pope and leader of the world's 1.2bn Roman Catholics when he earlier received the ring and pallium symbolising his new papal powers at the Vatican.

The pallium is a strip of lambswool that represents the Pope's role as a shepherd and the Fisherman's Ring is named in honour of the first pope St Peter, a fisherman by trade.

The grand ceremony started at 8.30am GMT in a sun-drenched St Peter's Square before about 200,000 people, including royalty, political and religious leaders.

The biggest delegation came from Argentina, led by President Cristina Kirchner, who held a private meeting with Pope Francis on Monday.

Britain was represented by the Duke of Gloucester, Kenneth Clarke MP and Baroness Warsi. The Queen and Prime Minister David Cameron did not attend.

The Pope kissed several babies as he toured the square

Controversial Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, a practising Catholic, also made the journey to Rome in defiance of an EU travel ban, which does allow him to attend events within the Vatican state boundary. 

Before the proceedings began, Francis toured a crammed St Peter's Square, kissing babies and blessing a disabled man.

In another sign of the informality that is already a mark of his papacy, Francis abandoned the bullet-proof popemobile frequently used by his more formal predecessor Benedict, to tour the square.

After the Mass, Francis met with Mr Mugabe and other leaders

Francis wore a plain white papal cassock and black shoes in contrast to the luxurious red loafers that attracted attention under Benedict.

"Go Francis! We Will Be With You Wherever You Go!" read a sign held up by a group of Brazilian nuns in St Peter's Square.

Sister Rosa, an elderly Italian nun, said she expected the pope would be "another St Francis on Earth for love, goodness, poverty and humility".

Crowds had been pouring into the square and surrounding streets since before dawn.

The former archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the surprise choice at a conclave of cardinals to find a successor to 85-year-old Benedict, who last month brought a sudden end to a papacy, saying he was too old to carry on.

The crowds had begun gathering from the early morning

After the Mass, Pope Francis met many of the world leaders, including Mr Mugabe, before having lunch.

Leaders of the Eastern Catholic Rite were also at the ceremony, including Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Bartholomew I became the first patriarch from the Istanbul-based church to attend a papal investiture since the two branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago.

Also attending for the first time was the chief rabbi of Rome.

Francis abandoned the bullet-proof popemobile

Their presence underscores the hopes for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue in this new papacy given Francis' own work for improved relations and his namesake St Francis of Assisi.

In a gesture to Christians in the East, the pope prayed with Eastern rite Catholic patriarchs and archbishops before the tomb of St Peter and the Gospel was chanted in Greek rather than the traditional Latin.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Francis will hold meetings at the Vatican before he holds a face-to-face meeting with Benedict at Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome, on Saturday.

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Fire Deaths: Accused 'Can't Rule Out Husband'

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

A woman accused of killing her six children in a fire at the family home in Derby says she does not know if her husband was responsible and she could not rule anyone out.

Speaking at Nottingham Crown Court, Mairead Philpott, 31, said: "I don't know if he is capable of it. I don't know if he has done it or not."

She was asked under cross-examination whether it was possible that Mick Philpott, 56, got up in the night and set the fire without her knowledge.

She told the court: "I don't know, I was asleep. I can't rule out anybody."

Richard Latham QC for the prosecution said to her: "Are you saying there is a possibility your husband set this fire behind your back?"

"I honestly, don't know," she replied.

She was asked about covert police recordings made after the blaze.

In one passage of the recordings Mick Philpott is heard to say: "Don't say nothing now, don't say nothing."

The fire claimed the lives of six siblings

In another section he said: "Don't worry we will walk through it, I promise you. Unless you want me to blab about it."

The prosecution allege that they were talking about a plot to start the fire.

Mairead Philpott claims it was about not revealing details of their unconventional sex life, which they feared would get into the press.

Mr Latham said: "This is not about sex. It's about the allegation of killing your children." This was denied by Mrs Philpott.

Jade Philpott, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, and Jayden, five, perished in the fire last May.

Duwayne, 13, died in Birmingham Children's Hospital days later.

On Monday, Mairead Philpott denied starting the fire at her home in Victory Road and said there was no plan to start one with Mick and co-accused Paul Mosley, 46.

The Philpotts and Mosley are on trial for the manslaughter of the Philpotts' six children. All three deny the charges.

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School Shooter Gives Finger As He Gets Life

Ohio teenager TJ Lane, who admitted killing three students in a high school cafeteria in February 2012, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The 18-year-old chuckled as the term was imposed for the deadly shootings at Chardon High School, 30 miles east of Cleveland.

Lane had arrived in court on Tuesday wearing a white T-shirt with the word "killer" scrawled on the front.

He stuck his middle finger up to the courtroom packed with relatives of his victims after making a short statement.

TJ Lane at a previous hearing

The prosecutor said it just went to prove how much the killer is a "disgusting human being".

Lane had pleaded guilty in February this year to three counts of aggravated murder, among other charges, in a deal with prosecutors.

Prosecutors agreed to drop the death-penalty specifications from the counts.

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Bill Roache: Soap Star Sorry Over Remarks

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "very sorry for any offence caused" after he seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

The star, who has played Ken Barlow in the ITV soap for more than 50 years, was criticised for the controversial remarks he made to a New Zealand television station.

Speaking to TVNZ, he said: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

The comments echo those of Glenn Hoddle who was sacked as England's football manager in 1999 after he was quoted as appearing to suggest disabled people were paying for sins committed in previous lives.

Glenn Hoddle appeared to say disabled people were paying for previous sins

Roache was later asked by Sky News correspondent Becky Johnson: "You appear to have suggested some victims may be paying for things they did in a past life. Is that how you feel?"

The star replied: "No I would not go along and say things like that. I'm not saying that. In this situation where we can only talk about the law. I'm not going to talk about victims or life.

"Life is what we make it. We do come into life to learn from certain experiences and broadly some of the major experiences we have we have asked to go through. This is my understanding of life."

He added: "If you're going to pin me down and start saying 'all victims deserve what they're getting'. No I am not saying that at all."

Roache then issued his apology in a statement, saying: "I would like to say that I am very sorry for any offence that has been caused as a result of my comments.

"I would never say that victims of sexual offences are in any way responsible for the abuse they have suffered and I offer my deepest apologies if anything I have said has been misunderstood in this way.

"I had no intention of causing any kind of distress as a result of my interview and I offer my utmost sympathies to anyone affected by sexual offences and paedophilia."

His original remarks to TVNZ were condemned by the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), which said his comments were an insult to abuse victims.

Michael Le Vell pictured arriving at court

Dr Jon Bird, from NAPAC, condemned Roache's "hippy-dippy" spiritualist beliefs, saying child sex abuse left people with horrific physical and mental scars.

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court. Le Vell has denied any wrongdoing.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache said: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be. They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone. We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

Speaking to Sky News, Roache said: "I'm not blaming anybody for anything but things were different back in the 1970s. People were more tactile.

"I think it's probably unfair to judge too harshly today on things that were done 20 or 30 years ago. There should be a greater understanding that things were different in those days."

He added: "I'm not excusing inappropriate and insensitive behaviour to women. I think women are wonderful and they should be treated with respect."

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Egypt Vigilantes Kill Two Men As Crowd Watches

Two Egyptian men accused of stealing a rickshaw and trying to kidnap a girl were beaten and hung by their feet while some in a crowd of thousands chanted "kill them!".

Both men died in the vigilante attack in the town of Samanod, about 90km (55 miles) north of Cairo.

The lynchings come a week after the attorney general's office encouraged civilians to arrest criminals and hand them over to police.

State-run newspaper Ahram reported the two men were killed after being caught "red-handed" trying to steal the motorised rickshaw.

Witnesses said they were also accused of kidnapping a girl inside the rickshaw, but she escaped unharmed.

The two men were beaten and were still alive before they were strung up from the rafters of an open-air bus station, a witness said.

Both were stripped down to their underwear.

Graphic photos and recordings of the lynchings taken by people in the crowd quickly circulated on social media websites.

The images show one of the men hanging with deep, bloody lacerations covering his back.

Another shows a man's face completely covered in blood. Other shots show both hanging by their feet, bruised, cut and bleeding.

Mamdouh al-Muneer, spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood in Gharbiya, the province where the attack happened, said the lynchings followed a spate of rapes in the area.

Both men were stripped down to their underwear

He told the Associated Press (AP) there have been a number of cases in recent months where girls were abducted while leaving school.

"Unfortunately, the police are completely out of the picture in Gharbiya," he said.

A photographer who witnessed the killings told the AP that women and children were in the crowd of about 3,000 watching the killings.

Some were on balconies overlooking the scene, while some joined chants of "kill them!", he said.

The photographer, who was not named, said some in the crowd threatened to kill him if he took pictures of the lynchings with his professional camera.

Security officials said some people tried to help free the two men but were pushed back by others.

Afterward, residents took their bodies and dumped them on the doorstep of a nearby police station, according to witnesses.

Ahram said police could not reach the scene because angry drivers had cut off all the major roads nearby to protest a fuel shortage, another big problem in Egypt.

Witnesses said they were bracing for possible feuds between residents of Samanod and the nearby village of Mahallahit Ziyad, where the two men were from.

The lynchings are symptomatic of the chaos sweeping Egypt and a massive security breakdown.

People have increasingly taken matters into their own hands following the 2011 uprising that ousted authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak.

The country's once powerful and feared police force was left weakened after the revolt and thousands of  police officers are now on strike over working conditions.

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Leveson: Parties Reach Deal But Row Over Clause

The three main political parties have reached a deal on how to regulate the press - but Labour and the Tories have become embroiled in a war of words over who has emerged on top from the fraught negotiations.

The details are expected to be revealed in the House of Commons later, but it appears a Royal Charter - rather than legislation passed by Parliament - will be used to create an independent regulator which will have more powers to deal with the press if it breaks the rules.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who will give an oral statement and apply for an emergency debate on the reforms, has been clear he is very uncomfortable with the idea of setting anything down in law because it could be seen as politicians meddling with the press.

However, it is understood a compromise has been reached to include three lines of statute - a clause in the legislation to ensure that any Royal Charter cannot be amended in the future without two-thirds majorities in both Houses of Parliament.

There will be no industry veto of who sits on the regulator, and judges will have the power to direct newspapers on apologies.

But the main point of contention - whether or not it should be underpinned by law - seems to be a matter of interpretation, and has triggered a dispute about the degree of statutory regulation.

The row centres on a clause being inserted into the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill in the Lords later.

It does not explicitly refer to the Royal Charter that will establish the new press arrangements - but Labour and the Liberal Democrats argue the effect would be the same.

David Cameron insists all parties have accepted his blueprint

Labour leader Ed Miliband and Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg claim the deal is based on their plans for a Royal Charter underpinned by law, so that it cannot be watered down or changed.

But Mr Cameron, who was addressing Conservative MPs this afternoon ahead of the Commons showdown - disagrees.

He told a meeting of his parliamentary party in Westminster that he had "called the bluff" of Mr Miliband, according to a senior Downing Street source.

The PM insisted that dramatically pulling the plug on the talks last week had forced Labour and Lib Dems to "flesh out their positions".

He has denied the new press regulations will have "statutory underpinning", and insists the agreement on a Royal Charter, struck in the early hours of this morning, avoids the need for a law to control newspapers.

He said: "It's not statutory underpinning. What it is, is simply a clause that says politicians can't fiddle with this so it takes it further away from politicians, which is actually, I think, a sensible step.

"What we wanted to avoid and we have avoided is a press law. Nowhere will it say what this body is, what it does, what it can't do, what the press can and can't do. That, quite rightly, is being kept out of Parliament.

"So no statutory underpinning but a safeguard that says politicians can't in future fiddle with this arrangement."

Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg claim they have got what they wanted

He added: "What's happened is that everyone has accepted my argument for a Royal Charter. Why does that matter? Well I thought it was important to avoid a press law, a law that said the press can do this, the regulator's got to do that. That would be dangerous, that's not going to happen and that's what we secured and that's why this is a good deal."

But Mr Miliband said: "What we have agreed is essentially the Royal Charter that Nick Clegg and I published on Friday. It will be underpinned by statute ... because it stops ministers or the press meddling with it, watering it down in the future.

"It will be a regulator, a system of complaints where the regulator has teeth, can direct apologies ... and it is independent of the press.

"For too long we have had a system where the press have been marking their own homework. There has been a lot of tough negotiation in this process, but I genuinely believe this upholds the freedom of the press ... at the same time as protecting the victims.

"People who revealed MPs' expenses, people who revealed phone hacking have nothing to fear from what has been agreed."

The Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems are understood to have held talks for more than five hours.

Mr Cameron was not present but was represented by Oliver Letwin, who has been the key figure for the party in recent negotiations.

Mr Clegg told Sky News that in his opinion "everybody" was a winner. "We have secured the cherished principle of the freedom of the press, but also given innocent people reassurance that they won't be unjustifiably bullied or intimidated by powerful interests in the press without having proper recourse when that happens," he said.

Hacked Off, the group campaigning for victims of phone hacking, also welcomed the cross-party deal.

London bombing hero Paul Dadge told Sky News: "This isn't to stop stories in the newspapers in the future. This is to ensure that things that happened to me, the Dowler family, the McCanns, don't happen again in the future."

But Neil Wallis, former executive editor of the News Of The World, disagreed. "What these people want to do is to control what the public is told. And if you give the state legislation, what you have not got any longer is a free press." he said.

"You can't put those words in the same sentence - 'state regulation' and 'free press'. It simply stops."

Trevor Kavanagh, former political editor of The Sun, added: "Until we've examined the fine print we will have to hold our fire, but it's a little worrying when the three political parties get together and their final verdict is welcomed so enthusiastically by Hacked Off, which is definitely seeking to shackle and gag the free press."

Mr Cameron, who last week pulled out of talks about implementing Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations, previously warned that legislation would endanger press freedom.

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Falklands: Pope Asked To Intervene In Row

Argentine President Cristina Kirchner says she has asked her fellow countryman to promote dialogue between their country and Britain.

"I asked his intervention to promote dialogue between the two sides," Ms Kirchner told a news conference after meeting Pope Francis ahead of his inaugural mass on Tuesday.

She noted that Pope John Paul II had mediated in a similar conflict between Argentina and Chile.

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Cyprus Bailout: Savings Shift Amid Russia Offer

Cyprus has ordered its banks to stay shut until Thursday as the government seeks to alter the terms of a controversial EU bailout that taxes savings.

The uncertainty comes as Russia's finance minister said his country would consider restructuring its loans to Cyprus.

Russian energy giant Gazprom has also reportedly offered financial assistance to Cyprus in exchange for access to the island's gas reserves.

Eurozone countries across the region have seen markets shudder as a result of the weekend bailout offer, which includes a one-off tax on bank deposits, with many losing more than 2% and the FTSE dropping 1.6%.

Officials in southern Cyprus, which does not include the Turkish north of the island, have now delayed the parliamentary vote until Tuesday in order to soften the impact of a levy on smaller savers.

Sky News will have Budget coverage throughout Wednesday, starting from 9am

Banks stayed closed on Monday due to a long weekend and will remain closed on Tuesday to prevent a run on the banks.

Yiannakis Omirou, the speaker of parliament, said the delay is needed to give the government time to amend the deal agreed late last week.

Authorities had planned a 6.7% tax on deposits under 100,000 euros (£85,000), triggering queues at cash machines as people in Cyprus rushed to withdraw their money on a bank holiday weekend.

But the country's government is thought to now want a 20,000-euro (£17,000) minimum to the levy, with the tax set at 6.7% on the next 80,000 euros (£68,000) and 9.9% above that figure.

In exchange for the levy which would raise 5.8bn euros (£5bn), Cyprus would receive another 4.2bn euros (£3.6bn) in aid to help recapitalise its banks.

Meanwhile, eurozone ministers planned a conference call to discuss the issue, as Germany insisted it was not behind the extraordinary weekend bailout proposal.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed the proposed tax in Cyprus, where some 30,000 of his compatriots live.

"(Mr) Putin said that this decision, in case of its adoption, will be unfair, unprofessional and dangerous," Russian news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

The Cypriot government discussed the bailout deal offer from the EU

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who was elected just three weeks ago, had earlier said the island must accept a painful compromise or face bankruptcy.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) boss Christine Lagarde added: "The IMF has always said that we would support a solution that is sustainable, that is fully financed, and that appropriately allocates the burden sharing."

Depositors in the eurozone's weaker economies have been unnerved by the levy, with investors fearing it will set a precedent that could reignite market turmoil.

But the European Central Bank (ECB) moved to soothe investor nerves, saying Cyprus is a special case and other countries should not fear contagion from its bailout deal.

ECB governing council member Ewald Nowotnytold Austria's ORF radio: "For other countries, there is absolutely no reason to fear contagion."

He said Cyprus' banking system accounted for an above-average proportion of national output, and that the island nation had a particularly high share of foreign depositors.

Savers have queued to withdraw their money from cash machines across Cyprus

The British Government said staff and military personnel in Cyprus will be protected from any levy on their bank deposits.

Foreign Secretary William Hague told Sky News that Britain had been "separated" from contributing towards the bailout, adding that 3,000 Britons in the country would not suffer in the proposed raid on bank savings.

The tax on deposits in Cyprus, which accounts for only 0.2% of the eurozone's economy, is expected to raise up to 6bn euros (£5bn) and affect rich Russians with deposits in Cyprus and domiciled European retirees, as well as Cypriots themselves.

The levy will apply to all deposits held in banks within Cyprus, including an estimated 2bn euros (£1.75bn) of British money, according to the ECB.

It will not affect deposits held in the UK branches of Cypriot banks, such as Bank of Cyprus, whose UK subsidiary is regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

However, Laiki Bank UK said on its website: "Your eligible deposits with Laiki Bank UK are protected up to a total of 100,000 euro by the Cyprus Deposit Protection Scheme and are not protected by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

"Any deposits you hold above the 100,000-euro limit are not covered."

Cypriot banks lost 4.5bn euros (£3.8bn) - equal to a quarter of the island's gross domestic product - when eurozone leaders decided to write off Greek debt last year.

As part of its bailout deal, corporate tax will rise from 10% to 12.5%, while state assets will be sold off to help balance the public finances. Cuts to government workers' salaries and pensions have already been approved.

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Pope Francis Ad Libs During His First Angelus

Pope Francis has broken with tradition while delivering the first Angelus of his papacy.

As he made his first Sunday window appearance from the balcony of a papal apartment high above St Peter's Square, he delivered off-the-cuff remarks about God's power to forgive instead of reading from a written speech.

And the 100,000-strong crowd gathered down below roared with delight.

Dozens of flags from his native Argentina were waving in the packed piazza as the former Buenos Aires archbishop began his first Angelus.

Tens of thousands packed into St Peter's Square for the Angelus

"Thank you for your welcome, and for your prayers," said the first pope from Latin America. "Pray for me," he added.

The occasion is traditionally used to comment on international issues, but Francis instead used the moment to emphasise his Italian roots.

The former cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, whose parents hailed from Italy's northwestern Piedmont region, said he chose to name himself after St Francis of Assisi because of his "spiritual ties with this land".

Flags from other Latin American nations including Colombia, Peru, Paraguay and Mexico, could also be seen in the crowd.

Pope Francis greeting crowds earlier on Sunday

One banner read: "Francis, You Are the Springtime of the Church", reflecting a groundswell of hope that the choice of a humble outsider has inspired in many Catholics weary of Vatican scandal and dysfunction.

Gabriel Solis, 33, an Argentine pilgrim, said: "He will bring much peace because he seems more humble, more spontaneous. He seems closer to the people. We didn't feel that with the pope we had before."

Earlier on Sunday, Francis made an impromptu appearance to the public from a side gate of the Vatican before celebrating Mass.

Dressed only in a white cassock, he waved to the crowd in the street outside St Anna's Gate before entering the church.

The Pope conducts a mass in Santa Anna church inside the Vatican

The Pope took the opportunity to shake hands with well-wishers, and kissed their babies, plunging into crowds pushing against barricades as security men and Swiss Guards stood nervously by.

Chanting "Viva Il Papa" and calling his names, the faithful jostled to greet the new pontiff, who has projected a common touch by breaking with many formal traditions since his surprise election to lead the world's 1.2bn Catholics on Wednesday.

Francis then went over to the chief of his security detail and appeared to indicate he wanted to greet two priests in the crowd, who approached and embraced him.

One said: "I think he is very different to what we are accustomed to. He has a different style, he is from the south. More natural. He is not so Vatican."

He shakes hands with well-wishers leaving the church

Some young American tourists said: "This is history in the making. It's great to be part of it and really exciting for us."

Soon after the Angelus, Francis sent his first tweet. It read: "Dear Friends I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me."

The 76-year-old has displayed an informal style that contrasts sharply with that of his more academic predecessor Benedict XVI.

Hours after his appointment, he shunned the papal limousine for a shuttle bus with other cardinals to return to a residence inside the Vatican for a formal supper.

He also showed his humorous side during the meal. As Francis toasted the cardinals, he said to them: "May God forgive you." It brought the house down, according to US cardinal Timothy Dolan

The first tweet from the new pope

The official car was dropped again on his first full day in office when he slipped out the Vatican for private morning prayers at Santa Maria Maggiore. The priest at the ancient Rome basilica was given just 10 minutes' notice of his arrival.

On leaving the place of worship, he insisted on settling his bill at the hotel he stayed in before the start of last week's conclave.

Pope Francis has a busy week ahead. On Monday, he will meet the President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, one of the many world leaders who are flying into Rome for the Pontiff's Inaugural Mass on Tuesday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, he holds meetings at the Vatican, and then on Saturday he will fly by helicopter to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo on the outskirts of Rome for an unprecedented meeting with Benedict who resigned last month.

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