Ariel Sharon Dead: Israel's Ex-PM Dies

Former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon has died following a long illness.

The 85-year-old's son was quoted as saying he had died, eight years since a stroke at the height of his powers left him in a coma.

Gilad Sharon said: "He has gone. He went when he decided to go."

Gilad Sharon announces his father's death

Sheba Medical Centre, where he was being treated, said he died at around 2pm (midday UK time).

Mr Sharon's condition suddenly deteriorated on January 1 when he suffered serious kidney problems after surgery.

Sharon's 2000 visit to a disputed Jerusalem site caused the second Intifada

Nicknamed 'The Bulldozer', the veteran soldier fought in all of Israel's major wars before beginning a turbulent political career in 1973.

Long considered a pariah for his personal but "indirect" responsibility for the 1982 massacre of hundreds of Palestinians by Israel's Lebanese Phalangist allies in Beirut's Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, he was elected premier in 2001.

Ministers in Israel's right-wing government and the political opposition mourned a leader who left big footprints on the region through military invasion, Jewish settlement building on captured land and a unilateral decision to pull Israeli troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip in 2005.

President Shimon Peres said: "My dear friend, Arik Sharon, lost his final battle today.

"Arik was a brave soldier and a daring leader who loved his nation and his nation loved him. He was one of Israel's great protectors and most important architects, who knew no fear and certainly never feared vision."

Mr Sharon was accused over the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre

Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a statement: "The nation of Israel has today lost a dear man, a great leader and a bold warrior."

There was no immediate comment on the death from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, with whom Mr Sharon's Likud party successor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been holding US-sponsored peace talks.

But in Gaza, Hamas welcomed Mr Sharon's death.

"We have become more confident in victory with the departure of this tyrant," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zurhi said.

"Our people today feel extreme happiness at the death and departure of this criminal whose hands were smeared with the blood of our people and the blood of our leaders here and in exile."

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Flood Warnings As River Levels Set To Rise

Homeowners in southern England have been warned to prepare for further flooding today after heavy rainfall caused the River Thames to burst its banks.

The Environment Agency (EA) has warned people living along the lower reaches of the Thames to be aware of the risk of rising water levels.

Further flooding is expected over the weekend in Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey as recent rainfall flows downstream.

There are also risks of flooding along the River Parret in Somerset and the River Severn in the Midlands.

Rainfall in England and Wales over recent weeks. Pic: Environment Agency

Residents in Dorset, south Wiltshire, Hampshire and West Sussex have also been warned of likely flooding caused by high groundwater levels.

The EA has issued 94 flood warnings - meaning immediate action is required due to expected flooding - and 151 flood alerts across England.

The agency estimates that some 570 properties have been flooded since the New Year, while a further 239,000 properties have been protected by flood defences.

"Communities along the River Thames, particularly below Oxford, into Berkshire and through Surrey need to remain vigilant for further flooding," said the agency's head of incident management, John Curtin.

Flooding seen in the village of Muchelney, in Somerset

"River levels on the Thames are high and will continue to rise for the next few days and we urge people keep up to date with the latest flood warnings and take action.

"With so much standing water around, we would also remind people to stay out of flood water and not attempt to walk or drive through it."

The Thames burst its banks on Friday, forcing homeowners to carry out clean-up operations and protect their homes from damage.

Parts of the river, stretching from Buscot in Oxfordshire to Bourne End in Buckinghamshire, were under flood warnings as heavy rain over recent days caused river levels to rise.

Flood warnings along the River Thames (Pic: Environment Agency)

Residents were warned on Thursday to expect flooding, with many moving belongings to prevent damage.

Many homes close to the banks are underwater, with flood waters causing damage to ground floors and gardens.

Affected areas included Marlow and Cookham in Buckinghamshire, as well as Shiplake and Wargrave in Berkshire and parts of south Oxford.

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Teachers 'Should Face Regular Classroom MOTs'

Teachers should be made to have licences and will face the sack if they fail to pass checks on their abilities, the Labour party has said.

Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said he wants teachers to be reviewed every few years to improve standards in England's state schools.

A similar proposal was floated by the previous Labour government - and dubbed "classroom MOTs" by former schools secretary Ed Balls - but was opposed by some unions and dropped before the 2010 general election.

Mr Hunt told the BBC: "Just like lawyers and doctors they should have the same professional standing which means re-licensing themselves, which means continued professional development, which means being the best possible they can be.

"If you're not a motivated teacher - passionate about your subject, passionate about being in the classroom - then you shouldn't really be in this profession."

Labour previously said it would insist on all teachers having Qualified Teacher Status, with staff already working in academies given a deadline to acquire a formal qualification.

The plan has not proved popular with teachers. Deputy Secretary General of the National Union of Teacher Kevin Courtney said there had been much reaction on social media.

He told Sky News: "If this turns out to be the same as (previous proposals), that hostility will be there from teachers and won't be supported by the National Union of Teachers.

"We've seen reaction overnight from teachers. There is a large degree of scepticism that Tristram Hunt is going to have to overcome."

A Conservative spokesman said the Government was willing to look any proposals which will "genuinely improve the quality of teaching".

He said: "We have already taken action by allowing heads to remove teachers from the classroom in a term, as opposed to a year previously, and scrapping the three-hour limit on classroom observations.

"We are improving teacher training, expanding Teach First and allowing heads to pay good teachers more.

"Thanks to our reforms, a record proportion of top graduates are entering the profession.

"Fixing the schools system so young people have the skills they need is a key part of our long-term economic plan."

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Duggan Vigil: Police Fear Disorder In Tottenham

Protesters plan to "provoke disorder" at a vigil for Mark Duggan in London, police have warned.

Scotland Yard said it had extra officers on standby and would be ready to "intervene immediately" if trouble broke out.

Hundreds of relatives and supporters of the 29-year-old are gathering outside Tottenham police station and have appealed for those taking part to remain peaceful.

Carole Duggan calls for "calm" at the vigil

His aunt Carole Duggan told the crowds: "Let's show the country that we are not this gangster family that the media has been systematically portraying us as. Mark was not a gangster ... we are just an ordinary family.

"Please remember we are here to respect Mark. He didn't get justice, but the fight goes on. So please let's do it respectfully and calmly."

The event was arranged in protest against what his family have branded a "perverse" inquest finding that Mr Duggan was lawfully killed by police, despite jurors also finding that he was unarmed when he was fatally shot.

His killing by armed police sparked riots across the country in August 2011.

The statement issued by the Metropolitan Police said: "Today is a busy day in the capital and we have a policing operation in place across London.

"This includes having additional officers on standby that could respond to any incident that occurs.

"Part of this operation includes assessing all available information and intelligence, and we are aware of a limited amount of information that indicates a small number of people are expressing their desire to use this vigil as an opportunity.

Mark Duggan's killing sparked riots across Britain

"This information includes the intention of protest groups to attend and of people looking to provoke disorder. We will be ready to intervene immediately if required.

"The family has expressed that they wish this vigil to be held in a dignified and peaceful manner.

"The MPS has met with the organiser to ensure that we can appropriately facilitate their plans."

Tottenham MP David Lammy told Sky News police believed some elements of the "criminal fraternity" wanted to cause trouble at the vigil.

"I am absolutely clear and so are (the police), the people of Tottenham do not want trouble, the family do not want trouble, there's no room for it, no excuses for it and of course the police will have to police this event carefully and safely and ensure we do not see silly scenes on our streets again," he said.

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Slave Case Family's Home Hit By 'Vigilantes'

The home of a family who treated a vulnerable man like a slave and subjected him to daily beatings has been targeted in an apparent vigilante attack.

Windows have been smashed at the bungalow in Sheffield where the Rooke family treated Craig Kinsella like a "punchbag", during a six-week campaign of violence.

The property in the Grenoside area of the city has been boarded up and a police van was parked outside, guarding the area.

David Rooke, 44, his wife Donna, 40, and son Jamie, 19, were all jailed on at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday by a judge who heard that Mr Kinsella, 34, was subjected to frequent attacks.

David Rooke, 44, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in jail

The court was told that the family beat him with a range of weapons, including a pickaxe handle and crowbar, while forcing him to work 17-hour days without pay, and making him sleep in a garage with a bucket for a toilet.

Mr Kinsella,  , , who has learning difficulties, resorted to feeding himself with scraps he found in bins.

Judge Peter Kelson QC said it was "almost unbelievable" and "absolutely staggering" that this kind of thing was happening in modern society.

Donna Rooke was jailed for four months for battery

He jailed David Rooke for six-and-a-half years for false imprisonment and causing actual bodily harm.

Donna Rooke was jailed for four months for battery, and Jamie Rooke was jailed for four years for causing actual bodily harm and affray.

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman confirmed that officers were called to reports of windows being smashed at the property in Halifax Road at 8.45pm on Tuesday.

Jamie Rooke was jailed for four years for causing ABH and affray

She said the incident was being investigated as a case of criminal damage.

Police found Mr Kinsella in a shocking physical state after responding to reports of a man being abused outside the Rooke house on July 6 last year.

He had a broken right arm, a fractured rib, extreme bruising to his back and around his kidney, a fractured chin and cuts, as well as lumps and bruises on his head and legs.

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Brazil: Girl Dies After Bus Fire Attack

By Karine Mayer, Senior News Editor in Rio de Janeiro

Inmates of Brazil's most notorious jail are being blamed by police after a six-year-old girl was killed by a gang who torched a packed bus.

Ana Clara Santos Souza died three days after suffering 95% burns when armed men set fire to the vehicle while passengers were still on board.

Hundreds of people attended her funeral, demanding an end to a wave of gang-led terror that has swept the region since December.

Authorities in the northeastern city of Sao Luis believe the attack was ordered by gang leaders in revenge for a crackdown on violence in Pedrinhas prison.

CCTV footage shows a man board the bus and pull a handgun from his trousers.

As he orders people out of the vehicle, other armed gang members appear in the road and train their weapons on the terrified passengers.

The bus suddenly bursts into flames with people still on board, although at least one passenger manages to jump off.

But Ana appears to fall in the footwell of the bus before scrambling off engulfed in flames, which she desperately tries to put out.

Riot police have been deployed to control violence in the Pedrinhas jail

Her family said the gang had ignored her mother's pleas for mercy.

A relative told Brazil's O Globo newspaper: "Her mother asked the criminals not to harm the children, but they showed no mercy and set fire to the girl."

Her father, Wenderson de Sousa, said:  "I've just buried my daughter. It's terrible pain. There is no logic to this - such cruelty." His wife and one year-old daughter are still in hospital.

Four other people - including Ana's mother and older sister - were injured as four buses were set alight and a police station targeted in a drive-by shooting in the city on January 3.

The Maranhao state government says the attacks were ordered by criminals at the notorious Pedrinhas jail, where at least 62 inmates died last year.

Officials said in a statement: "The attacks are in reaction to recent measures to curb jail violence."

Brazil, which has the world's fourth-largest prison population, has been shocked by footage of the beheading of three Pedrinhas prisoners - apparently filmed on a mobile phone by other inmates.

The gruesome film is narrated by the killers, who gleefully display their victim's heads like trophies as they stand over pools of blood.

In October Maranhao asked for government help after several outbreaks of violence between rival gangs and military police were deployed after the beheadings in December.

Eight suspects have been arrested over the violence in Sao Luis and extra troops have been deployed across the city, state security secretary Aluisio Mendes said.

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Niagara Falls Freeze As Polar Vortex Moves North

Tourists who braved record low temperatures to visit Niagara Falls have been treated to a spectacular sight.

Water turned to ice as it plunged over the 34-metre-high American Falls - one of three waterfalls which form the popular tourist attraction on the border between the United States and Canada.

Icy chunks tumbled over the crest of the falls and long icicles were left dangling above the frozen Niagara River below.

The unusual sight came as a polar vortex that gripped the US for four days, plunging temperatures to -37C (-35F) and leaving at least 21 people dead, finally began to ease its grip.

The crippling cold, which affected more than half the US population as it spread from the Midwest to the East and South, has been pushed northwards, leaving warmer weather and calmer winds in its wake.

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Mark Duggan's Aunt: 'Shocked And Bewildered'

Mark Duggan's aunt has told Sky News she gives the inquest jury, that concluded he had been lawfully killed by police, their due.

Carole Duggan said: "It must have been difficult for the jury to undergo that for three months, days in, day out so we have to give them their due in that sense.

"But it (the verdict) wasn't right."

She also said of her family: "We feel shocked, bewildered, upset, confused even."

Ms Duggan added: "We just did not expect that result.

"We were hoping for unlawful killing but in reality we were thinking maybe an open verdict but when they came back with lawful killing it was a blow to the family."

And she was critical of the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

She said: "If the IPCC in the beginning had done a thorough investigation, the jury may have come to a different conclusion."

The jury concluded on Wednesday that Mr Duggan, 29, had been killed lawfully despite not holding a gun at the time.

Jurors said they believed he had a gun with him in a taxi immediately before police stopped the vehicle but threw it over railings in the moments before he was shot by a marksman.

The conclusion of the inquest led to angry scenes both inside and outside London's Royal Courts of Justice.

The killing in Tottenham, north London in August 2011 sparked rioting days later in the capital and in several other cities across England.

David Cameron has appealed for a calm response to the inquest verdict.

The Prime Minister said he hoped people would respect the "proper judicial process" and welcomed the stance taken by Carole Duggan, who said she wanted "no more violence".

The Met is trying to rebuild trust over the controversial killing, with Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe meeting community leaders over how to improve relationships with the force.

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Schumacher Ski Accident Off 'Well-Marked' Slope

Prosecutors investigating Michael Schumacher's ski accident said examination of his helmet camera showed he had left a properly marked out trail at the time of his fall.

Albertville prosecutor Patrick Quincy said the two-minute film from the helmet camera was very clear and showed the former  Formula 1 driver lost his balance in the French resort of Meribel and struck his head on a rock.

The fall left him in a critical condition and he has been in a medically induced coma since December 29.

Investigators said they had established the signage on the slopes was in accordance with regulations, but the area where Schumacher was hurt was "virgin territory" so was not marked and could be dangerous.

"There are French standards setting rules on safety, signalling, demarcation ... The checks we have made show these standards had been respected," Mr Quincy said.

However, he said the investigation would take time to establish whether the area where he was skiing could be classed as an "official piste" in French law.

Investigators have visited the scene of the accident in Meribel

The video will now be examined by a police expert in mountaineering.

Problems with the rented skis Schumacher was wearing have also been ruled out.

Mr Quincy said Schumacher was "obviously a very good skier" but had not been able to slow himself down in the rocky area of the slope where he fell.

Describing the sequence of events after the former F1 driver went off-piste, he said: "At one point his skis touch a rock, he loses balance and falls forward and his head hits a rock which is 3.5 metres below.

"The rock he hit is eight metres from the edge of the piste and Mr Schumacher on the ground, inanimate, is nine metres from the edge of the piste. That's the information we have with regard to the inquiry."

Early viewings of the helmet camera footage appear to confirm this sequence of events.

Prosecutors said Mr Schumacher's wife Corinna had been 'very co-operative'

The inquiry has not yet been able to confirm reports that Schumacher - who was on a family holiday - was going to the aid of a relative when he fell or the speed at which he was travelling, Mr Quincy said. 

Police chief Stephane Bozon said Schumacher's speed increased when he entered the steeper off-piste section and he had tried to slow down but had difficulty because of the nature of the slope.

Mr Quincy said investigators have also spoken to emergency services and doctors and visited the scene of the accident.

The Albertville prosecutor's office carries out around 50 investigations into serious skiing and climbing accidents every year, he added.

On Monday, a source said he had made a "slight improvement" but remained in a stable but critical condition.

There was initially speculation that Schumacher was travelling up to 100kph (60mph) when he crashed, after it was revealed his helmet had split on impact.

But subsequent reports suggested he was travelling at a "leisurely pace" of up to 20kph (12mph).

Schumacher, known affectionately as 'Schumi' by fans, is the most successful F1 driver in history, racking up a record 91 race wins.

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Polar Vortex Fallout To Sweep Into UK

More heavy rain and wind is on on the way at the end of the week as the fallout from the the blast of freezing polar air battering the US hits the UK.

A weather system forming part of the record-breaking polar vortex that has affected half of America is heading across the Atlantic, warming as it comes.

The Met Office had already extended its severe weather alert until Thursday morning, warning of more floods as saturated ground and swollen rivers in the south of England and Wales may not cope with more rain.

But further heavy falls will be swept in when the US weather system reaches the UK on Friday.

People with a canoe near flood barriers in Oxford

Sky's US Correspondent Dominic Waghorn said the worst of the big freeze in America should now be over, with temperatures set to rise.

"That's good news for Americans but not necessarily for the rest of us," he said.

"Meteorologists warn that when a polar vortex breaks up it scatters its forces literally to the four winds, meaning that the extreme weather experienced here this week could be flung as far afield as Europe."

The Met Office has its lowest warning in place, forecasting "periods of heavy rain" in the south west of England and Wales on Wednesday into Thursday.

Environment Agency workers check river defence barriers

Between 30-40mm of rain is expected to fall in the wettest spots.

A Met Office spokesman said: "The public should be aware of the potential for further flooding, especially in the areas which have been affected recently.

"Given current sensitive hydrological conditions, there is a risk of further surface water flooding in Wales, and both river and surface water flooding in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset."

There are no longer any severe flood warnings in force from the Environment Agency, but there are 114 flood warnings in place across the country.

An Environment Agency map showing the alerts and warnings

A further 195 low-level flood alerts are also in force.

Paul Mustow, flood risk manager at the EA, said: "The risk of flooding continues this week, with communities in the South West and South East urged to stay safe and sign up to free flood warnings."

Seven people have died and more than 1,700 homes and businesses have been flooded in England since the beginning of the Christmas period, with around 550 properties flooded since the new year.

Some 140 properties have been flooded in Wales.

Flood defences protected 220,000 properties over the Christmas period and another 800,000 were protected during the coastal flooding in early December.

High winds over Christmas also left 250,000 homes without power, with some families waiting days for electricity to be restored.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said on Tuesday the Government was working closely with local councils, the insurance industry and others to ensure that people could quickly get the help they need.

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US Helicopter Crash Bodies 'Can Be Removed'

Work is getting underway to recover the bodies of four crew killed in a US military helicopter crash, police have said.

Norfolk Police Chief Superintendent Bob Scully said the coroner had given clearance for the bodies to be removed after carrying out a daylight assessment of the area.

He said the operation could last until Thursday as investigators would have to take care not to disturb evidence that may form part of their probe.

Aerial images of Norfolk's Cley Marshes Nature Reserve show a scene of utter devastation, with debris from the crash spread across scarred marshland where the Pave Hawk helicopter came down.

Mr Scully said some roads around Cley Next the Sea would remain closed until next Monday while police work alongside British and American military specialists to establish what happened.

The helicopter was based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk

He said: "I'm asking the public to have sympathy with the families of the victims and understand the need for a thorough investigation."

Earlier, Mr Scully warned that the crash site poses a risk to the public because of ammunition scattered across a wide area.

He said the wreckage is spread across an area of difficult terrain "the size of a football pitch".

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He said a cordon will remain in place for most of the day while investigators carry out a full examination and work to preserve evidence.

Police have cordoned off the scene of the crash

He said: "The crashed aircraft did contain ammunition. This is not of any great significance - it is bullets, if you will - but it is scattered across the area.

"The site is a hazard to members of the public and people who would normally visit for birdwatching and other nature activities."

The Pave Hawk - based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk - was taking part in a low-flying exercise when it came down at around 7pm on Tuesday.

The investigation will soon be passed over to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and its counterparts in the US, Mr Scully said.

Emergency services worked at the scene throughout the night with the help of military personnel and volunteers.

A second helicopter from RAF Lakenheath was also in the area at the time of the crash and set down on the marshes to try to assist.

Mr Scully refused to speculate on whether the second helicopter had any involvement in the incident but said that, as it was nearby at the time, it made sense that it went to help.

Residents told of hearing a "heavy and very unusual" sound overhead as the helicopter - which specialises in recovering troops from war zones - plummeted into marshland at the Norfolk Wildlife Trust Cley Marshes Nature Reserve.

The Pave Hawk - a derivative of the more famous Black Hawk - gets its name from the PAVE acronym standing for Precision Avionics Vectoring Equipment.

The helicopter is used for combat search and rescue, mainly to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel.

It usually has a four-man crew and can carry up to 12 troops.

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Mark Duggan Inquest Jury Reaches Decision

The jury in the Mark Duggan inquest has reached a conclusion into his death, which will be announced shortly.

The announcement was delayed because members of Mr Duggan's family were running later.

Mr Duggan was was shot dead by armed police in Tottenham in August 2011, sparking rioting in London.

Police intelligence suggested Mr Duggan was a gang member involved in gun and drugs crimes and officers believed he had just collected a gun in east London.

A firearms officer shot him twice as he emerged from a minicab that police had forced to stop. One bullet went through his arm, the other hit his chest and killed him.

The handgun Mr Duggan was alleged to have been carrying

At the centre of the inquest was the issue of a handgun, found, said police, 10 to 20 feet from Mr Duggan's body and on the other side of park railings.

In heated exchanges with the Duggan family lawyer, police denied suggestions they had planted the gun.

The weapon was wrapped in a sock.

Neither had any trace of Mr Duggan's DNA or fingerprints, but his prints were found on a shoebox police said had been used to carry the gun inside the minicab.

The scene of the shooting in Tottenham, north London

The firearms officer who shot Mr Duggan was granted anonymity for the inquest and appeared under the code name V53.

Various members of Mr Duggan's family attended the inquest and his mother Pam said at the start that she hoped "the truth" of her son's death would finally come out.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is still investigating the incident.

In an interim statement in August, it said it had so far found no evidence of criminality by police officers.

The inquest was shown a dummy pinpointing where the shots hit Mr Duggan

But Mr Duggan's family has complained it has not been kept fully informed of the investigation's progress and condemned the IPCC for suggesting early on that Mr Duggan, a father-four, had died in "a shoot-out with police".

Mr Duggan's death prompted rioting in Tottenham, which eventually spread to other areas of the capital and beyond.

The jury began its deliberations before Christmas following a three-month hearing.

It can come to one of three conclusions - unlawful killing, lawful killing or an open verdict.

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Polar Vortex: 187 Million Hit By Big Freeze

More than half the US population is under a wind chill warning as a blast of freezing Arctic air sweeps south and east across the country, bringing the coldest temperatures for decades.

The whirlpool of dense air known as the "polar vortex" has caused a number of deaths, closed schools and businesses, cancelled thousands of flights and left highly-populated cities facing colder temperatures than Siberia.

Around 187 million people could eventually feel the effects of the freezing temperatures - and Americans have been warned their skin could freeze within minutes if they go outside.

The US East Coast is preparing for the cold front moving in from the Midwest on Tuesday and areas as far south as Brownsville, Texas and central Florida are facing record low temperatures.

Temperatures were 11 to 22C (20 to 40F) below average in parts of Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nebraska and broke records in Chicago, Oklahoma and Texas, according to the National Weather Service.

A satellite image shows the polar vortex sweeping across the US. Pic: Nasa

The US saw colder temperatures than Almaty, Kazakhstan, where it was -22C (8F), Mongolia at -23C (-8F) and Irkutsk, in Siberia, at -33C (-27F).

The National Weather Service has issued life-threatening wind chill warnings for temperatures as low as -51C (-60F) in western and central Dakota and officials in Indiana - hit by high winds and more than a foot (30cm) of snow - urged residents to stay indoors.

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard asked schools and businesses to stay closed for another day and said: "The cold is the real killer here.

A tractor is used to clear snow from Woodward Avenue in central Detroit

"You could be dead in 10 minutes without the proper clothes."

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency, announcing that parts of the New York State Thruway in Western New York would be closed due to extreme winter weather conditions.

The weather has caused chaos for US business and industry, threatening to disrupt oil drilling and fracking and hit livestock and grain shipments across the farm belt, even in the Deep South.

Some 4,392 flights were cancelled and 3,577 delayed on Monday, according to FlightAware.com, which tracks airline activity.

Many airlines could not allow their ground crews to remain outdoors for more than 15 minutes at a time.

Birds gather on the partially frozen River Charles in Boston

There were hundreds of cancellations by airlines including United, Southwest and American at airports across the Midwest and Northeast as supplies of fuel and de-icer froze.

The weather has been blamed for a number of deaths across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

They included a 48-year-old Chicago man who had a heart attack while shovelling snow on Sunday and an elderly woman who was found outside her Indianapolis home early Monday.

Some states are beginning to turn their focus to recovery, with Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Indiana Governor Mike Pence issuing disaster declarations, paving the way to request federal aid.

There were, however, some signs of things returning to normal in the affected areas.

A commuter wraps up warm in Chicago

JetBlue Airways, which stopped all scheduled flights to and from New York and Boston on Monday, plans to resume some flights on Tuesday morning.

Southwest Airlines operations in Chicago resumed on Monday night, even if it was, as a spokesman for the Texas-based airline called it, "a trickle".

The Minnesota Zoo announced it would reopen to the public on Tuesday and state lawmakers in Indiana plan to open their 2014 legislative session after a day's postponement.

Warmer temperatures - at least near or above freezing - are in store for the Midwest later in the week.

Indianapolis should reach -3C (27F) on Wednesday, and other parts of the central US could climb above freezing later in the week.

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Floods: Concerns Budget Cuts May Hit Response

Budget cuts at the Environment Department may affect its ability to deal with emergencies such as the current flooding, MPs have warned.

Some £500m has been cut from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (Defra) budget since 2010 and the department is facing further cuts of more than £300m over the next two years.

The damaged promenade in Aberystwyth

Parliament's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee says the department's ability to deal with crises such as flooding and the horse-meat scandal must be protected.

The Government has pledged to increase spending on new flood defence schemes to £370m in 2015/2016, with the money ring-fenced.

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However, the Environment Agency, a government body funded by Defra and with a key role in dealing with flooding, is to lose more than 1,500 jobs in the next year.

Strong winds create tidal surges at Holyhead on the Island of Anglesey

Committee chairwoman Anne McIntosh said: "Ministers must clarify how further budget cuts over £300m over the next coming two years will impact on the funding provided to these agencies and the ability of the department to respond to emergencies."

She added: "Recent flooding events over the Christmas and New Year period reinforce the committee's concerns about cuts to the Defra budget and how these will be realised."

The Government denies its flood defences will be affected. Environment Minister George Eustice told Sky News: "Within the spending envelope we have been given we have prioritised flood defence spending - £2.3bn in the last spending period and have secured another £2.3bn in the latest budget round to 2021.

Severe weather and flood warnings and alerts are in place across the UK

"While there have been hundreds of properties that have been flooded - and that's a tragedy for those involved and I know it's the worst possible thing that can happen to people over Christmas - there have been hundreds of thousands of homes protected by all the infrastructure and investment we have made in flood defences."

The budget warning comes as the country faces another day of stormy weather and remains at risk of more flooding as heavy rain - combined with hail and thunder - and tidal surges continue to batter the southern and south-eastern coast.

A succession of storms means the rain is falling on already heavily saturated ground and swollen rivers, giving rise to difficult road conditions for motorists and causing delays and cancellations to train services.

Flooded homes in the village of Muchelney in Somerset

Flooding in the Somerset Levels has left villages cut off, roads and buildings have been damaged, and waves of up to 27ft have been recorded at Land's End, the most southern tip of the UK.

A flood siren warning of extreme danger to people and property was sounded in Dorset.

The Environment Agency raised the alarm after the sea breached Chesil Beach in Portland, Dorset, on Monday night.

Britain has been battered by wind and rain for days

Dorset Police told families to move to an upstairs room facing away from the sea with flood kits.

Jackie Blakespear, a landlady at The Cove House Inn, described the evacuation and of how 50ft waves crashed over flood defences against the 350-year-old building which she refused to leave.

She told Sky News: "It was a fantastic sight to be fair - scary and exciting all at once. It was very, very scary at some points when the sea actually did come over and hit the pub."

A car drives through a flooded road in Burton, Dorset

Dorset Police have urged residents to be prepared for flooding and to listen out for the siren which will be sounded again in the event of the sea breaching the beach for the second day running.

The Environment Agency has cut the number of severe flood warnings - indicating there is a danger to life - from three to one.

It is at the Lower Stour, near Bournemouth, in Dorset.

Anne McIntosh has warned the Government about cuts

More than 100 flood warnings urging people to be prepared for flooding remain in place across the country, including in Dorset, Oxfordshire, south Wiltshire, Hampshire and along the river Thames, while around 200 low-level alerts have been issued.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "The showers today will be very heavy with hail, thunder and lightning and bring locally torrential downpours especially across western and southern parts worsening the flooding situation.

"However, in terms of high seas and winds the conditions are not as dramatic as yesterday with southwesterly gusts likely to be nearer 50 to 60mph and with less of a tidal surge too."

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Missing Nida: Teenager 'Upset At Studies Ban'

A teenager who has been missing for more than a week was upset because she had been told she could not go to university as her family were asylum seekers.

Nida Ul-Naseer, 18, of Newport, South Wales, vanished while taking out the rubbish on December 28.

The family, originally from Pakistan, had their request for asylum in Britain turned down a year ago which meant Nida chose to retake a business studies course that she had already passed.

"I think that not being able to go to university is the reason for her leaving," sister Shamyla, 23, speaking alongside other family members at Newport Central police station.

Nida vanished outsider her home in Linton Street on December 28

"Nida, please come back home", her sister said.

"Nida, please come back home. We are desperately worried about you. Nida, we need you. Nida, please come back home, we cannot live without you."

Her sister had been upset and angry about the situation before she vanished, Shamyla said.

It emerged that the teenager might also have been barefoot when she disappeared three days after Christmas.

Nida reportedly suffers from a medical condition and needs iron pills in order to prevent anaemia.

Her father, Naseer Tahir, who was also at the news conference, said in broken English that he was happy for his daughter to attend university.

He added that he was sad he was not able to provide her with what she wanted.

Nida did not have a boyfriend and was described by her family as "very religious".

The family's plea to Nida came as the police also made a direct appeal to the teenager during the press conference.

Superintendent Mark Warrender said: "Nida, if you are watching or listening to this please, please get in touch.

"Your family is desperately worried about you and all they want to know, and we want to know, is that you are safe and well."

He also gave an update on the progress of the investigation, but acknowledged there had been no sightings of Nida since she left home.

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Twitter Abuse: Pair Admit 'Menacing' Messages

A man and a woman have admitted sending "menacing" tweets to a feminist campaigner who wanted a female face on the new £10 banknote.

Isabella Sorley, 23, and John Nimmo, 25, both pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court to posting the messages to Caroline Criado-Perez last July.

Ms Criado-Perez was subjected to abuse from 86 accounts on the microblogging site Twitter, the court heard.

It came after she successfully called for the 19th century novelist Jane Austen to be put on the note.

Sorley told Ms Criado-Perez to kill herself and "I would do a lot worse things then rape you", it was alleged.

Sorley said she was drunk and bored when she sent the tweets, described the threats as "empty" and that she was just winding Ms Criado-Perez up.

The court also heard Nimmo told Ms Criado-Perez: "Come to Geordie land b****. What do you think the police will do?"

Nimmo was described in court as a social recluse who claims benefits and only goes out to empty the bins.

Caroline Criado-Perez suffered abuse online

Ms Criado-Perez found the tweets horrifying and frightening and has suffered life-changing psychological effects since the incident, it was claimed.

Labour MP Stella Creasy was said to have also been targeted when she came to the defence of the freelance journalist.

Ms Creasy has feared for the safety of herself and family, the court heard.

Ms Criado-Perez helped persuade the Bank of England to replace Charles Darwin with Austen on the new £10 from 2017 following a petition signed by more than 35,000 people.

The announcement by the Bank was hailed as a "brilliant day for women" by Ms Criado-Perez.

And it followed news last April that social reformer Elizabeth Fry was to be dropped from the £5 note in favour of Winston Churchill.

The Crown Prosecution Service had announced last month that Sorley, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Nimmo, of South Shields, were both charged.

However the CPS said it would not be in the public interest to prosecute over messages allegedly sent to Ms Creasy.

Sorley was remanded in custody and Nimmo was bailed. The case was adjourned under January 24.

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NHS 'Needs £1bn' For Longer GP Opening Hours

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

More than 20,000 extra GPs, nurses and other NHS staff are needed if the Prime Minister wants his plan for longer surgery opening hours to work, the head of the Royal College of GPs has warned.

In her first major TV interview since taking up the post, Dr Maureen Baker told Sky News that GPs needed an extra £1bn of taxpayers' money to recruit sufficient staff to keep practices open seven days a week.

Without the extra money, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable as GPs and hospitals struggle to cope with the extra demand from patients over the winter months, she said.

"If we were to move to seven days a week we would need 10,000 more GPs.

"We probably need the same number of practice nurses and a proportionate number of support staff.

"We don't think seven days a week is realistic."

Dr Baker took over as head of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) in November, a month after the Prime Minister declared his intention to get GPs to work more hours.

According to the British Medical Association (BMA), there are just over 40,000 GPs currently working in the UK.

The RCGP wants that figure to rise by a quarter.

In a dire assessment of the current state of GP practices, Dr Baker said family doctors feel "besieged" as they struggle to deal with the influx of patients, particularly in the winter months.

"It is constant demand with very little let-up," she said.

"We know our colleagues are working 11 to 12-hour days, and that is really difficult to do day after day when it is a job you need to be on top form for.

"They are feeling pressurised and besieged and looking for a bit of respite."

She said GPs need more resources, adding: "The consequence (of not having extra resources) will be the winter pressure effect that comes up every year gets longer and longer.

"My fear is the whole of the NHS becomes unsustainable due to the failure to properly invest in general practice."

She also criticised the Government's £500m handout to hospitals to help them cope this winter.

David Cameron wants longer opening hours for GP surgeries

"It wasn't the best use of money. It was a short-term fix, finger-in-the-dyke stuff," she said.

"There is nothing about the use of that money that will stop the same pressures emerging again and again."

In October, the Prime Minister said he would like GP surgeries to open from 8am until 8pm and at weekends to fit in with the lifestyles of working people.

He told Sky News: "Sometimes people using accident and emergency really just need to see a GP.

"But for hard-working people it is often too difficult because you are at work, you can't get an appointment at the time that fits."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "GPs do a vital job which is why we increased their overall budget last year as part of our protection of NHS funding.

"We have made £50m available to help innovative GPs to extend their services and stay open longer - either on their own or by working with other local practices.

"We have also asked Health Education England to see how we can get 50% of medical students to become GPs."

Some GP surgeries are testing out new ways of working to improve waiting times for appointments.

Under a system devised by the organisation Patient Access, GPs call back patients within an hour of them ringing the surgery.

Within a week of introducing the system GPs at the Phoenix Surgery in Swindon were dealing with 60% of patients over the phone.

The rest were given same-day appointments for a face-to-face consultation.

Dr Peter Swinyard said: "I can deal with two or three patients in the time it used to take me to deal with one.

"I was terrified. You have been working in a certain pattern for 29 years and now you're doing something different.

"But we are providing a better service, a service that patients have a right to expect."

:: All this week Sky News will have live coverage examining the crisis in the NHS. Watch 'A Matter Of Life And Death' on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

We also want to hear your experiences of the NHS - the good and the bad - tweet us using the hashtag #NHSlifeanddeath

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Ban For Hands-On-Head Driver Caught On Camera

A mechanic has been banned from driving for a year after he was caught driving with his hands on his head.

A mobile safety camera captured Richard Newton driving with no hands on the steering wheel on the A171 near Scaling Dam reservoir in North Yorkshire.

In footage released by North Yorkshire Police, he is seen travelling at more than 60mph for around 25 seconds as cars pass him on the opposite side of the road.

The 36-year-old of Abbots Road, Whitby, was found guilty of dangerous driving at for the incident, which happened in August.

Scarborough Magistrates' Court also ordered him to carry out 100 hours of community service and pay a total of £685.

Dave Brown, head of North Yorkshire Police's Mobile Safety Camera Team, said: "This case demonstrates two things, one is the sheer stupidity of some people who put others in danger, and the other is the ability of our safety camera to capture a range of offences.

"This is yet another case which shows that these cameras are about safety and not just speeding.

"We will take action against all manner of offences to ensure we keep our roads as safe as possible for everyone."

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Dennis Rodman: I Love My Friend Kim Jong-Un

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent in Beijing

US basketball star Dennis Rodman has told Sky News he "loves" the North Korean leader and claims that "when the time comes" he will discuss human rights with Kim Jong-Un.

Mr Rodman was speaking at Beijing airport as he departed for his latest trip to the secretive country.

He is travelling to Pyongyang with a group of 11 American basketball players for a match marking Mr Kim's birthday on Wednesday.

He said: "The only thing we are doing right now, as you can see right now, is all the NBA players here to play a game right now.

"And that's the one thing we're trying to do right now."

It is almost universally accepted that North Korea has the worst human rights record in the world.

As many as 200,000 political prisoners are locked up in labour camps around the country. Escapees have said that torture is routine.

Kim Jong-Un recently had his uncle (L) executed

Asked whether he would bring up the subject of labour camps, Mr Rodman said it was not his job.

Given that he is the only American with such unprecedented access to Mr Kim, Sky News put it to him that it was his responsibility to raise the issue.

"That's not my job," he said. "The only thing I am doing right now, I am only doing one thing: this game is for his birthday. It's for his birthday.

"And I hope that if this opens doors and we can actually talk about certain things, then we can do certain things, but I am not going to sit there and go in and say 'hey guy, you're doing the wrong thing'.

"That's not the right thing to do. He's my friend first. He's my friend. I don't give a ****. I tell the world: he's my ******* friend, I love him."

Under the North Korean regime's "three generations of punishment" system, individuals found guilty of a crime are sent to the labour camps with their entire family.

The subsequent two generations of that family are then born in the camp and live their lives locked up inside.

Mr Rodman was asked if he was aware of the 200,000 or so political prisoners in North Korea.

He replied: "Are you aware that lots of people in America is locked up like that too?"

Mr Rodman's unlikely friendship with Mr Kim dates back to February last year when he accompanied the US documentary maker Vice to North Korea with the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team.

The Paddy Power promotional image for the event

Sky News understands that Mr Rodman initially believed he was going to meet the South Korean pop star Psy.

He even tweeted that he might bump into the star behind the hit song Gangnam Style.

For reasons which are yet to become clear, Mr Rodman and Mr Kim became friends.

Sky News has obtained a previously unpublished photograph of Mr Rodman riding one of Mr Kim's horses in August, thought to have been taken at the North Korean leader's ranch outside Pyongyang.

Mr Kim does not speak English and Mr Rodman does not speak Korean.

Their conversations are conducted through North Korean interpreters.

This latest trip was due to be sponsored by the Irish bookmaker Paddy Power.

However, on Christmas Eve, the bookmaker claimed it had pulled its participation.

"Given changed circumstances, Paddy Power has decided to withdraw its association with the Dennis Rodman basketball initiative in North Korea," the company said in a statement.

However, Sky News understands that the bookmaker will continue to provide funding for the trip in order to honour its contractual obligations.

North Korean analysts are split over whether engagement with North Korea by an unusual and eccentric American is an unpalatable publicity stunt or an opportunity for future dialogue.

Dr Daniel Pinkston, North East Asia deputy project director at International Crisis Group, was supportive of the relationship when the Paddy Power event was announced.

"The last few years have been difficult for North Korea watchers seeking new policy prescriptions for dealing with Pyongyang," Dr Pinkston said in a statement on Paddy Power's website in September.

"Thanks to the support of Paddy Power, Rodman's visit had opened a window of opportunity to bring change to North Korea."

In December, Shin Dong-Hyuk, the only person born in a North Korean prison camp known to have escaped to the West, wrote an open letter to Mr Rodman calling on him to engage with Mr Kim.

"I am writing to you, Mr Rodman, because, more than anything else, I want Kim Jong-Un to hear the cries of his people," he wrote.

"Maybe you could use your friendship and your time together to help him understand that he has the power to close the camps and rebuild the country's economy so everyone can afford to eat."

As Mr Rodman left Beijing airport on this latest trip, he left that possibility open.

"When the time comes when I do that I am going to sit down and talk to all the people around the world, when the time comes, I am going to tell you everything that happens.

"But right now I want these guys to go over there and put on a good show for his birthday.

"We will talk about political stuff and anything about refugee camps."

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Storms: UK Hit By More Flooding And Chaos

Britain is being battered again by storms and gale force winds - bringing flooding and travel chaos to many parts of the UK.

Stormy seas have caused problems in southwest coastal regions, and forecasters say there will be more violent weather over the next few days.

Wave heights in the Atlantic at midday on Monday Pic: magicseaweed.com

In a statement to the Commons, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said one million homes in England have so far been protected by flood defences.

But he said there was a likelihood of more flooding "for some time to come" in Dorset and Wiltshire.

A rock fall in Porthcothan Bay, Cornwall

As gusts of up to 70mph hit western coasts, people were urged to remain vigilant and stay away from coastal roads, promenades and jetties with 25ft-high waves crashing on to beaches.

There are fears the next high tides will bring further coastal flooding.

Aberystwyth seafront - including 600 rooms of the university's student halls of residence facing the beach - was evacuated and rescue centres set up as high tides battered the coastline.

The search continues for Harry Martin, who went missing in the storms

Sky's Mike McCarthy, at the scene, said: "The worst predictions are being realised. We have seen waves bringing rocks and stones forward over the fencing."

Student Millie Farmer, 19, said 12ft waves had crashed on to the promenade, ripping up paving slabs and leaving debris scattered on the front.

The severe weather has already taken its toll on the transport network and there was more disruption for commuters with roads closed and trains delayed or cancelled in areas.

:: Send us your weather photos or video to news@sky.com or text your pictures to 84501

Southern Railway services between Horsham and Dorking in Surrey will be out of action until early February after a landslip in Ockley.

The village of Bury surrounded by flood water from the River Arun

And with hail providing an additional hazard, driving conditions are expected to be difficult too with the RAC expecting Monday to be one of the busiest days of the year for breakdowns, with 11,000 call-outs expected.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning - meaning "be aware" - for heavy rain, along with hail and thunder, in southern and western parts of Scotland, across Northern Ireland, north Wales, northwest and northeast England and the South.

With the ground saturated already following recent storms, the Environment Agency (EA) has issued one severe flood warning - near Bournemouth, Dorset - and more than 300 flood warnings and alerts covering every region in England and Wales.

This is the latest storm front to hit Britain

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has 29 flood warnings and alerts in place.

Mr Paterson was in Maidenhead earlier to inspect the town's flood defences and reiterated the Government's commitment to expand schemes to protect homes and businesses.

He said: "It is absolutely awful being flooded and I really do offer my real sympathies to those that have been flooded. It is really shocking for young families and terribly disruptive for businesses."

Waves crash around Portreath Pier on the north coast of Cornwall

The EA said some more than 300 properties have been flooded so far, miles of coastline battered and roads and fields across the country left under water.

Sky News weather producer Jo Robinson said: "As the UK returns to work after the Christmas and New Year holidays, some travel disruption is likely on Britain's roads and railways.

"Also, there's likely to be more flooding, with coastal areas at greatest risk as winds gust up to 70mph in the West.

The scene where the man on his mobility scooter fell into the river

"The storm system out in the Atlantic has whipped up the sea creating a large swell which is heading towards us early on Monday morning, so that combined with strong winds could cause flooding at high tide.

"The spring tides are past their peak now, but the high-tide waters are still likely to cause concern."

The weather conditions that brought misery over the festive period continued to prove treacherous at the weekend - with a 47-year-old man becoming the third person to die in the recent storms.

Tewkesbury is underwater due to floods again

The unnamed victim died when his mobility scooter fell into the swollen River Thames at Osney Lock, Oxford, at 6.30pm on Saturday.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson inspects flood defences in Maidenhead

A search is continuing for missing 18-year-old student Harry Martin, who was last seen leaving his home in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, on Thursday afternoon to take photos of the storms.

A 27-year-old man from Surrey was found on Porthleven Sands beach in Cornwall after he was swept out to sea on New Year's Eve night and a woman died after being rescued from the sea in Croyde Bay, north Devon.

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Wind Warning Prompts New Coastal Flood Fear

Gust of up to 70mph are set to hit the west coast of Britain and Ireland on Monday, prompting fears of further coastal flooding.

More than 200 homes have already been flooded along the west of the UK from Cornwall to Scotland, with miles of coastline battered and roads left under water.

The devastation left in wake of the stormiest December since 1969 has prompted David Cameron to pledge that lessons will be learned.

A new warning has been issued by the Met Office saying that high winds from 3am on Monday along the coast of Scotland, Wales and southwest England could result in waves of up to 10 metres high.

In response, Aberystwyth University is putting plans in place to evacuate students from seafront halls on Sunday night.

A yellow warning has been issued for the whole of west Britain

Aberystwyth was one of the worst affected places on Friday when the bad weather caused widespread damage in coastal areas and damaged rail lines in north Wales.

Sky News's weather producer Joanne Robinson said that waves are expected to reach heights of 7-10 metres around the coasts of western Scotland, Wales and southwest England.

Southern and western parts of Ireland could see waves higher than that while the English Channel would see 3-7 metre high waves.

She said: "There'll be an on-going risk of flooding, with concerns for some coastal areas again tomorrow.

"The winds will continue to pick up over the next 24 hours, bringing gusts up to 70mph in exposed parts of the south and west on Monday.

High winds and a storm surge could reproduce the damaging waves of Friday

"Along with the strong winds tomorrow, there will be large waves for southern and western parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The waves could reach 10m in some spots bringing the risk of flooding at high tide."

The Met Office has also issued yellow warnings for rain in the south of England and snow in the north of England and southern Scotland on Sunday.

Up to 40mm of rain could fall on higher ground on Sunday and there are more warnings of flooding and travel disruption.

Among the weather related disruption is a landslip near Ockley which is preventing Southern Trains travelling between Horsham and Dorking.

Repairs mean the line is not expected to open until early February.

Tewkesbury is underwater due to floods again

:: Send us your weather photos or video to news@sky.com or text your pictures to 84501. But don't take unnecessary risks.

The Environment Agency have been warning that the south and west coasts of England and the Severn estuary are at risk of coastal flooding into next week.

The warnings come as searches resumed in south Devon for missing 18-year-old university student Harry Martin, who was last seen leaving his home in Newton Ferrers, near Plymouth, on Thursday to take photographs of the weather.

Hundreds of local people joined in with the search by police dogs, Navy and police helicopters and an RNLI lifeboat on Saturday.

No public are involved today but police said more resources have been brought in and the search area has been expanded.

Prayers were said at the Sunday service in Mr Martin's local church.

Police are searching for Harry Martin for a third day

Two people have already died in the storms. A 27-year-old man from Surrey was found on Porthleven Sands beach in Cornwall after he was swept out to sea on New Year's Eve.

And a woman died after being rescued from the sea in Croyde Bay, north Devon.

There are currently 69 flood warnings and 214 flood alerts in place in England and Wales. Ten flood warnings and 16 flood alerts are in place in Scotland.

The government has come under criticism for planning to cut the number of jobs in the Environment Agency, which has the responsibility for flood protection.

David Cameron told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: "You are going to see record levels of spending on flood defences. We've guaranteed that, right out into 2020, so they can really plan right out into the future.

Drivers and spectators have been warned to take care in at risk areas

"Local authorities have had to make difficult decisions. The Environment Agency does have to make sure it controls its budgets carefully but we are making sure they invest in the front line."

"Huge sympathy to anyone who has had their house flooded. Anyone who has had a house or an office flooded knows it is absolutely dreadful.

"There are always lessons to learn. I think we're doing a lot more things better."

Meanwhile, the RAC has warned motorists to make sure their vehicles are ready for what they are calling 'manic Monday'.

They are expecting it to be one of their busiest days of the year as many people return to work after an extended break.

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