Newtown Shooting: Gunman Was Honours Student

Timeline: Connecticut School Shooting

Updated: 8:15am UK, Saturday 15 December 2012

How events unfolded around the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

:: 9.05am (EST) - Sandy Hook Elementary, Newtown, opens its doors to admit its 700 pupils

:: 9.30am  - Doors are locked ready for lessons to begin a short while later police receive a call for help

:: 9.40am - Local police report that a shooter is in the school office and call in state police

:: 10.30am - President Barack Obama told of the shootings

:: noon - Newtown United Methodist Church opens its doors to distressed locals

:: 1pm - Authorities give first press conference on the emergency

:: 2.40pm - US media reports that the gunman's parents are among the victims

:: 2.30pm - Incoming US Senator Chris Murphy arrives in the town

:: 3:15pm - President Obama brands the school shootings as a "heinous crime" and expresses "overwhelming grief'", orders flags at US diplomatic missions to be flown at half-mast

:: 3.30pm - Connecticut state Governor Dannel Malloy addresses the media

:: 3.40pm - Lieutenant Paul Vance confirms that the dead include 20 children, six adults, one gunman and another person at a "secondary scene" in Newtown

:: 3.45pm - Confirmation that the gunman is dead inside the school

:: 5pm  - Suspect shooter identified as Adam Lanza

:: 7.00pm - Police confirm gunman killed his mother at their home before travelling to the school and continuing his rampage

:: 8.00pm - Hundreds attend vigils in Newtown to those killed in the shootings

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US School Shooting: Gunman Kills 27

The United States is in shock after a man murdered his mother at home before gunning down 20 children and six adults in a Connecticut school.

The heavily armed gunman, named as 20-year-old Adam Lanza, shot the children - aged between five and 10 years old - at Sandy Hook Elementary School, where his mother had worked as teacher.

Dawn Hochsprung, the head teacher at the school in Newtown, was among those killed in the shooting, which began at around 9:30am - just after school day started.

After storming through several classrooms, Lanza, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying two handguns, turned one of the guns he was carrying on himself.

An emotional US President Barack Obama wiped tears from his eyes as he told a stunned country: "Our hearts are broken today."

A young boy weeps after learning of the elementary school massacre

Mr Obama hinted at possible gun law reform, declaring that the latest atrocity signals that the country should come together to take meaningful action, "regardless of the politics".

Of the children killed, Mr Obama said: "They had their entire lives ahead of them - birthdays, graduations, wedding, kids of their own." 

Children told their parents they had heard bangs and, at one point, a scream over the intercom. Teachers ordered them to hide in closets or corners.

"I was going back to my classroom and I heard like a person kicking on the door and I turned around I smelled smoke," an eight-year-old boy told NBC.

Reports said Lanza killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, and then drove to the school in her car.

At least three guns were found - a Glock and a Sig Sauer, both pistols, inside the school, and a high-powered rifle in the back of the car, authorities said.

Lanza's older brother Ryan was questioned

A law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity said some of the guns used in the attack may have belonged to Lanza's mother, who had legally purchased five weapons.

The attack, just two weeks before Christmas, was America's second-deadliest school shooting, exceeded only by the Virginia Tech university massacre in 2007 that left 32 dead.

Authorities offered little clue as to the motive for the shootings in the picturesque small town northeast of New York City.

The gunman was believed to suffer from a personality disorder and lived with his mother in an affluent part of Newtown.

State police Lt Paul Vance said just one person suffered an injury and survived, indicating that the gunman was unusually accurate or methodical in his fire.

Frantic parents rushed to the school to find out if their children were OK

Lanza's older brother Ryan, 24, of Hoboken, New Jersey, has been questioned by police but a law enforcement official said he was not believed to have had any role in the shooting and was "extremely cooperative".

Ryan Lanza told law enforcement he had not been in touch with his brother since about 2010.

Hours after the shooting, hundreds of people gathered for a vigil, the crowd filling the church to capacity and spilling outside its doors.

Some lit candles while others joined hands to sing Christmas songs.

The shooting happened at a school in the town, 60 miles from New York

"Evil visited this community today," State Governor Dan Malloy said earlier.

David Connors, whose triplets were at the school during the shooting but were unharmed, said he was still horrified.

"It's hard. I've never imagined a thing like that could happen here."

Police said they expected to be able to make public the identities of the victims later on Saturday.

US flags were flown at half mast over the Capitol and White House

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "It is heartbreaking to think of those who have had their children robbed from them."

The Queen sent a message to Mr Obama in which she said she was "deeply shocked and saddened".

UN chief Ban Ki-moon wrote to Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy to give his "deepest condolences at the shocking murders," a statement said.

"The targeting of children is heinous and unthinkable," he added in condemning the "horrendous" crime.

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Newtown Principal Dawn Hochsprung Among Dead

A headteacher and a school psychologist went to the aid of their pupils after hearing gunshots at a Connecticut school, according to reports.

Dawn Hochsprung and therapist Diane Day were in a meeting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday morning when the gunman, thought to be the son of a teacher at the school, began shooting at around 9.30am.

The pair leaped out of their seats after hearing gunshots and ran to see what was going on, according to Ms Day.

She told the Wall Street Journal: "We were there for about five minutes chatting, and we heard Pop! Pop! Pop!

"I went under the table. They didn't think twice about confronting or seeing what was going on."

Ms Hochsprung is believed to have switched on a loudspeaker system in the school to alert students and staff to the danger.

Fourth-grade teacher Theodore Varga said: "You could hear the hysteria that was going on.

"Whoever did that saved a lot of people. Everyone in the school was listening to the terror that was transpiring."

He added that a school caretaker also ran out warning people there was a gunman on the premises.

A candlelit vigil was held for the victims

Ms Hochsprung was confirmed to be among seven adults and 20 children killed during the rampage. The school psychologist was also reported to have been killed.

The masked gunman - reportedly armed with a Glock and a Sig Sauer handguns as well as a .223-calibre rifle - has been named as 20-year-old Adam Lanza.

Robert Licata, whose six-year-old son was in one of the classrooms when the gunman burst in and opened fire, said he told him the shooter did not say anything.

He said: "That's when my son grabbed a bunch of his friends and ran out the door.

"He was very brave. He waited for his friends."

First-grade teacher Kaitlin Roig barricaded her 15 students inside a tiny bathroom with a bookshelf and told them to be "absolutely quiet".

She told ABC News: "I said, 'there are bad guys out there now. We need to wait for the good guys'.

"They asked, 'Can we go see if anyone is out there? I just want Christmas. I don't want to die, I just want to have Christmas.'"

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Flood Threat As Heavy Rain Hits South Coast

Britain is on flood alert this morning as high winds and heavy rainfall begin to sweep in from the South West.

The Environment Agency has warned residents - many still mopping up after last month's widespread flooding - to brace themselves for a combination of heavy rain and storm surges.

Thirteen flood warnings have been issued across the South West and Wales, while a further 47 areas across Scotland, England and Wales have been told to prepare for possible flooding.

The Environment Agency has also issued a flood alert near Swansea and Port Talbot.

The ground in parts of south and west Wales remains saturated from last month's heavy rainfall, the agency said.

Between 20mm and 30mm of rain is expected to fall over the next 24 hours in the South West and Wales.

High winds of up to 60mph will affect much of the UK, reaching up to 70mph in north-east Scotland.

Heavy rain has already started to fall across the South West, which will bear the brunt of the severe weather.

The public have been advised to stay away from seafronts, quaysides and jetties along the south coast to avoid powerful waves.

Nick Roseveare, of the Environment Agency, said: "We are keeping a close eye on conditions around our coastline and will issue flood warnings if the risk of flooding increases.

"The critical periods will be the early morning tides over the next three days.

"If they coincide with rain, there's a risk of tide-locking, where water is held in rain-swollen rivers and cannot escape into the sea because of the high tides. This could result in localised flooding."

Those in areas of risk have been urged by the Environment Agency to check their website and Twitter feed for the latest updates, or to call the floodline on 0845 988 1188.

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Missing Nicola Payne: Police In Fresh Appeal

The parents of a young mother who went missing 21 years ago are backing a new police appeal for information on the anniversary of her disappearance.

Nicola Payne, 18, vanished after leaving her home in the Wood End area of Coventry in December 1991.

She was heading to her parents' home a short walk away, but they never saw her again.

Marilyn and John Payne said they hoped the appeal would encourage people to come forward with information so they could finally find out what happened to their daughter, who had a six-month-old son.

John and Marilyn Payne say the new appeal gives them hope

Mrs Payne said: "I have a special time of the day where I sit and I think about Nicola. I even talk to her picture and I always think about her.

"It's very difficult yet people keep saying to me you're so strong.

"If they could see inside I'm completely broken. I get this awful pain and it just doesn't go away.

"That will never lift until she is found. If she's found then we can lay her to rest and then we've got an ending."

West Midlands Police want to trace two men who were seen near where the teenager was last seen.

The men were by a parked car near Cardinal Wiseman School playing field, next to an area of wasteland called the Black Pad, between 12.15pm and 12.30pm on December 14, 1991.

Miss Payne had left her home in Winston Avenue at around midday that day to walk across the Black Pad to her parents' home.

Both men are described as white. One was 6ft tall, well-built and wearing a brown leather jacket.

The second is described as being 6ft 3in, thin, with short brown hair with a left side parting.

He was wearing a brown bomber-style leather jacket, light hooded sweatshirt and light blue denim jeans.

The men were standing next to a metallic blue Ford Capri, thought to be a 1980 or V registration with a black spoiler and dirty wheels.

Detective Inspector Martin Slevin said: "These men have never been eliminated from this inquiry and we are keen to trace anyone who may have seen them, who knows them or knows anything about them."

He added that a reward of £10,000 is available for information leading to the whereabouts of Miss Payne.

Mr Payne said: "The new appeal has given us hope that we're going to find something. We've always believed someone local knows something. We're not getting any younger and we just want answers."

Two men, aged 45 and 74, arrested earlier this year have been eliminated from police inquiries.

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Savile Revelations Spark NSPCC Abuse Campaign

The NSPCC has launched a campaign in a bid to prevent people thinking sexual abuse is a problem from the past following the Jimmy Savile abuse revelations.

The children's charity is worried that due to many of Savile's victims being abused in the 1970s and 1980s, people may believe sexual abuse is not as common now as it was then.

The charity also fears people still do not know where to turn for help or that they will hesitate to report child abuse until they feel 100% certain.

Peter Watt, director of the NSPCC helpline, said: "By bravely speaking out, Savile's victims have done a great public service in raising awareness of child sex abuse and its long-lasting, devastating effect on victims.

"Our advert aims to remind people that child abuse remains a widespread problem and children are still abused today.

"To end their suffering and bring their abusers to justice we must all act now. Savile's victims waited decades to be heard and helped. We can't let this happen again.

"With this advert we want to send out a clear message about how vitally important it is to act on your suspicions and that the NSPCC is here to help you do this.

"Our trained counsellors will discuss your concerns and the best course of action."

Some 589 people have come forward with information relating to the Savile scandal, with a total of 450 complaints against the the BBC presenter and DJ himself, mainly alleging sexual abuse, Scotland Yard said.

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Royal Prank Call Nurse's Inquest Set To Open

Timeline: Nurse Prank Call Tragedy

Updated: 8:05am UK, Thursday 13 December 2012

Here are some of the key developments surrounding the death of hospital nurse Jacintha Saldanha following a hoax phone call by two Australian radio hosts.

Monday, December 3
The Duchess of Cambridge is admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London with severe morning sickness.

Tuesday, December 4
2Day FM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian make their hoax call to the hospital in the early hours of the morning, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles. Nurse Jacintha Saldanha puts them through to a colleague who divulges details of how doctors have been treating the Duchess.

Wednesday, December 5
A King Edward VII's Hospital spokesman confirms the Australian radio station made the prank call, saying it "deplores" the act and is conducting a review of its phone system.

Thursday, December 6
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves hospital.

Friday, December 7
:: Ms Saldanha is pronounced dead at staff accommodation close to the hospital. She is thought to have taken her own life, although a post-mortem examination is yet to be held.

:: King Edward VII's Hospital releases a statement saying: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Ms Saldanha. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues."

:: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge send their condolences to Ms Saldanha's family.

Saturday, December 8
:: Ms Saldanha's family in southwest India speak of their heartache. Her mother-in-law, Carmine Barboza, says: "Jacintha was a very caring woman. She used to call us every Sunday without fail. We just cannot believe what has happened."

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian go on indefinite leave from the radio station after they are bombarded with abusive and threatening messages on social media websites.

::  Lord Glenarthur, chairman of the King Edward VII's Hospital, writes a letter to 2Day FM calling for the "truly appalling" broadcast to "never be repeated".

:: Max Moore-Wilton, chairman of Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) which owns 2Day FM, describes the events over the past few days as "tragic", but adds: "The outcome was unforeseeable and very regrettable."

Sunday, December 9
:: It emerges Ms Greig and Mr Christian may be questioned by London's Metropolitan Police.

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian express a desire to speak about the tragedy, but are still in hiding.

:: The Australian Communications and Media Authority, which regulates radio broadcasting, says it is considering whether it should launch an investigation into whether the presenters breached the commercial radio code of practice.

Monday, December 10

:: Mr Christian and Ms Greig break their silence, expressing their regret and sorrow over the tragedy in a series of emotional Australian TV interviews. They insist they never expected their phone call to go so far and thought hospital staff would hang up on them. Both extend sympathy to Ms Saldanha's family.

:: The family pay tribute to a "loving mother and wife". Speaking on their behalf, MP Keith Vaz says: "They are really grateful for the support of the British public and the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness."

Tuesday, December 11

:: A memorial fund for Ms Saldanha's family is set up by the radio station. Parent company SCA is expected to contribute AUS$500,000 (£326,000).

Wednesday, December 12

:: Sky sources reveal that Ms Saldanha was found hanged in her room at staff accommodation. At Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron says: "She clearly loved her job, loved her work, cared deeply about the health of her patients, and what's happened is a complete tragedy. There are many lessons that need to be learned."

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Two Charged After Boy Dies From Drug Overdose

Two people have been charged with manslaughter after a toddler died from a heroin overdose in Wolverhampton earlier this year.

A 29-year-old man and 33-year-old woman have been accused of causing or allowing the death of 23-month-old Daniel Jones.

He was pronounced dead by paramedics who responded to a call to a house in the city at 6.15am on May 29.

Daniel's death was initially treated as unexplained by police but recent forensic tests showed he died from a heroin overdose.

The suspects were detained by police in Penn, Wolverhampton on Wednesday and are due to appear at the magistrates' court today.

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McAfee Back In US After Release From Jail

Anti-virus software pioneer John McAfee has arrived in the US after being deported from Guatemala.

The 67-year-old, who is wanted for questioning in Belize over the murder of his neighbour, had spent a week in a cell after arriving in Guatemala illegally.

A short time after the jet carrying Mr McAfee landed in Miami, a posting on his website announced he was at a hotel in the city's upscale South Beach area.

"I have no phone, no money, no contact information," the post says. Earlier, as he prepared to board the plane in Guatemala he told reporters he felt "10 years older".

British-born Mr McAfee, who travelled home in economy class, frequently blogged and spoke to reporters as he spent nearly a month in hiding.

John McAfee taking a taxi to his Miami hotel

Reached by telephone at his hotel, Mr McAfee told an Associated Press reporter that he was unable to talk because he was waiting for a call from his 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend, who did not travel with him.

The former tycoon has been described as a "person of interest" by the Belizean authorities following the killing of Gregory Faull.

Mr McAfee and Mr Faull are understood to have had several arguments over the behaviour of Mr McAfee's dogs.

Mr McAfee acknowledges his pets were unruly, but denies any involvement in the fatal shooting of Mr Faull.

He has previously told Sky News he went on the run for his own "safety" because the authorities wanted to silence him.

After three weeks in hiding, he crossed into Guatemala with his girlfriend Samantha Vanegas to evade the Belizean authorities. He was arrested on December 5 for illegal entry.

Samantha Vanegas remained in Guatemala

Mr McAfee sold his stake in the anti-virus software company that is named after him and moved to Ambergris Caye in Belize three years ago.

He told The New York Times in 2009 he had lost all but $4m (£2.5m) of his $100m (£62.4m) fortune in the US financial crisis.

However, a story on the Gizmodo website quoted him as describing that claim as "not very accurate at all".

US officials have said there is no active arrest warrant for him in America.

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Ex-Royal Butler: 'Max Clifford Sold Me Out'

By David Bowden, Sky News Senior Correspondent

Just days after being questioned by police in connection with alleged sex offences, which he says are completely untrue, Sky News has learned that Max Clifford is being sued by one of his former clients for alleged breach of confidentiality - accusations the publicist denies.

Princess Diana's butler Paul Burrell claims he hired Mr Clifford in a bid to limit bad press coverage about him a decade ago, but now the former royal servant alleges that rather than stopping stories Mr Clifford passed them on to The News of the World.

His lawyer Mark Lewis says Paul Burrell claims that Mr Clifford asked him to write down personal details which he feared might be uncovered by the media so that he could deal with them if they appeared, but instead of keeping the details confidential it is alleged Mr Clifford faxed the handwritten documents to the News of the World.

He said: "The police say they raided the News of the World's offices and there is a fax header there showing that things were sent from Max Clifford Associates to the News of the World concerning Paul Burrell. Paul's own notes, Paul's own handwriting that he'd given to Max suddenly finds itself at the News of the World."

But Mr Clifford has issued a robust response.

"The claims made by Mr Burrell have no merit. His allegations are opportunistic and are denied," he said.

"It is an affront to common sense to suggest that Mr Burrell, who has sold stories to the newspapers, made countless appearances on TV and has even written a book about his dealings with the royal family, now feels able to claim that any information he provided was confidential.

"We will defend these claims in court and will be asking the judge at the earliest opportunity to strike out these claims as having no prospect of success and an abuse of process."

Mr Clifford has made a very successful, very lucrative and high profile career managing the publicity of some of the world's biggest stars and he has often spoken to the media on a range of PR issues.

If he was to have sold out one of his clients in the way Mr Burrell alleges then that lucrative career would be badly damaged.

Whatever the truth of these allegations, the coming together of the former butler to the one time most famous woman in the world and the publicist to the stars is bound to create a lot of interest.

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North Korea Rapped Over Rocket Launch

Rocket Is Propaganda Coup For Kim

Updated: 8:35am UK, Wednesday 12 December 2012

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

North Korea had two points to prove with its latest rocket launch.

The first was that it had successfully overcome the technical problems that led to the embarrassing failure of an identical launch in April this year.

The second is that the country has indeed put a satellite into space, which would confirm its long-standing claim that all this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme.

It appears to have succeeded with the first point. The rocket remained airborne for a considerable period. It followed the planned and published trajectory and the three "stages" of the rocket separated and fell to the ocean as scheduled.

April's rocket was airborne for barely over a minute before it disintegrated and fell into the sea off South Korea. This time the rocket travelled for about 3,000km (1,864 miles).

The North Koreans claim to have succeeded in putting a satellite being carried by the rocket into orbit.

This is harder for them to prove. On two previous occasions, officials in the North Korean capital Pyongyang have said they have put satellites into space. But international observers including the US and Russia have found no evidence of this.

Pyongyang is yet to provide images of a working satellite being loaded into the rocket and that rocket then being launched. Even if they did, they would then need to prove that the satellite was in orbit. Only then can their claim that this is about pursuing a peaceful space programme begin to stand up.

The US and its allies, including the UK, believe the rocket launch is a straightforward test of North Korea's ballistic missile technology. They say the "space programme" claim is simply a cover.

North Korea has been conducting underground nuclear tests for some time. A combination of those tests with the successful launch and flight of a rocket would give the country somewhat of a credible nuclear deterrent. If it is creating ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear weapons, it could threaten areas as far away as the west coast of the US.

The timing of this launch is very significant. December 19 is the first anniversary of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, the father of the current leader Kim Jong-Un. December 19 also marks the presidential election in South Korea and the Japanese parliamentary election is on December 16.

The launch will prompt a wave of propaganda within North Korea. It is designed to solidify the leadership of Kim Jong-Un, who is in his early-30s and hugely inexperienced.

Pyongyang announced an intention to launch this latest rocket earlier this month. It gave a launch window of between December 10 and December 21. Last weekend, it extended that window to December 29 citing technical difficulties. The latest launch therefore caught people somewhat by surprise.

Within North Korea, a closed society with no access to international news, there will have been no announcements of the plan in case it failed again. The first North Koreans would have heard of the launch was this morning in a special broadcast on North Korean state TV.

What can the international community do now? Further sanctions perhaps, but they are unlikely to have much of an effect - North Korea is already among the most sanctioned countries in the world.

Pressure on China will no doubt come. Beijing is North Korea's only real ally. The Chinese leadership expressed concern about this latest launch plan, but only because its priority is stability in the region.

The removal of the Kim regime and a North Korea unified with the South would only add to America's clout in the region.

For Pyongyang's part, this launch will provide a massive boost of confidence. Kim Jong-Un and those behind him may now use this confidence and perceived new status to engage with the West in order to secure much needed economic assistance. The problem is, Western governments will never believe the claim that this is all about a space programme.

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Weather: Ice And Fog Hit Dozens Of Flights

Freezing fog has descended on parts of the UK, forcing airports to cancel flights - and more delays are expected.

Heathrow Airport says 70 flights due to take off on Wednesday have been scrapped.

A spokesman said further cancellations were likely as adverse conditions affecting large areas parts of the country worsen.

Flights to Warsaw, Nice, Stockholm, Aberdeen and several German cities are among those cancelled.

"We expect the fog to lift between 9am and 10am. Visibility is already improving," said a Heathrow spokeswoman.

"There have been some delays as well as cancellations. There is bound to be a bit of a knock-on effect during the day. Also, some European airports are also affected by the cold weather."

There are also disruptions and cancellations at London City Airport. Passengers are urged to contact airlines to check details. There is no disruption at Gatwick Airport.

Monday night was one of the coldest of the year, with temperatures falling as low as minus 10C (14F), with Scotland worst affected.

After another bitterly cold night on Tuesday, much of the country woke up to sub-zero temperatures this morning.

Fog, which has hit areas including central England, Wales and East Anglia, is expected to spread.

There was congestion on a number of major road routes, while a section of the A1(M) between junctions 39 and 40 in Yorkshire was closed.

On the railways, overhead wire problems caused 50-minute delays in the rush-hour between Bedford and Luton, while a broken-down train at Watford Junction in Hertfordshire also caused hold-ups.

An electrical supply problem led to delays to train services between Seaford and Lewes in East Sussex, while a signalling problem caused hold-ups to services in and out of another Sussex coastal station - Brighton.

In Scotland, a broken-down train at Bathgate led to delays between Edinburgh and Airdrie.

On the Tube, there were severe delays on the Metropolitan line between Rickmansworth and Amersham and minor delays on the rest of the line due to a lack of trains.

There were also severe delays between High Barnet and Finchley Central on the Northern line due to a signal failure at Woodside Park.

Another signal failure - at Arnos Grove in north London - led to delays on the Tube's Piccadilly line between Arnos Grove and Cockfosters.

The coldest spot in the UK on Tuesday night was Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands, where the temperature was minus 10.2C (13F).

• Is your area affected by adverse weather? Get in touch here.

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New York Gun Attack: Man Shot In Back Of Head

A man has been fatally shot in the back of the head while walking outside a school near New York's Central Park.

The killer sped off in a getaway car as the victim, Brandon Lincoln Woodard, 31, lay in a pool of blood with a single gunshot wound, police said.

Mr Woodard, from Los Angeles, had been walking close to a busy tourist area when the gunman approached him from behind and fired what looked like a silver semi-automatic pistol.

The shooting happened on Monday afternoon outside the Saint Thomas Choir School, a boarding school for young boys on 58th Street, a quiet street between Broadway and 7th Avenue.

The shooting happened close to streets teeming with shoppers and tourists

The shooter was wearing a dark coat with a dark hood and khakis, and escaped in a light grey or silver Lincoln sedan. Police do not believe the incident is linked to the school.

No pupils witnessed the shooting because they were rehearsing at a church at the time, said school receptionist Allie Roma.

"We didn't hear the gunshots, but we saw the flashing lights," Ms Roma said.

Jose Villafane, who works nearby, said he heard what sounded like a car backfiring before seeing Mr Woodard on the ground with blood on his face.

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HSBC To Pay £1.2bn In Money Laundering Case

Record Fine: HSBC's Statement

Updated: 8:39am UK, Tuesday 11 December 2012

HSBC released the following statement after confirming it will pay $1.9bn (£1.2bn) to the US Department of Justice over money-laundering.

HSBC has reached agreement with United States authorities in relation to investigations regarding inadequate compliance with anti-money laundering and sanctions laws.

This includes a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with the US Department of Justice. HSBC has also reached agreement to achieve a global resolution with all other US government agencies that have investigated HSBC's past conduct related to these issues and anticipates finalising an undertaking with the United Kingdom Financial Services Authority shortly.

Under these agreements, HSBC will make payments totaling $1.921bn, continue to cooperate fully with regulatory and law enforcement authorities, and take further action to strengthen its compliance policies and procedures.

Stuart Gulliver, Group Chief Executive, said: "We accept responsibility for our past mistakes. We have said we are profoundly sorry for them, and we do so again. The HSBC of today is a fundamentally different organisation from the one that made those mistakes. Over the last two years, under new senior leadership, we have been taking concrete steps to put right what went wrong and to participate actively with government authorities in bringing to light and addressing these matters.

"While we welcome the clarity that these agreements bring, ensuring the highest standards wherever we do business is an ongoing process. We are committed to protecting the integrity of the global financial system. To this end we will continue to work closely with governments and regulators around the world."

In the past several years, the Board of HSBC Holdings plc has taken decisive action to direct management to fix past shortcomings as they have come to light. Since 2011, with new senior leadership teams in place at both HSBC Group and HSBC North America, HSBC has taken extensive and concerted steps to put in place the highest standards for the future.

The Department of Justice has recognised these efforts in the DPA: "Management has made significant strides in improving 'tone from the top' and ensuring that a culture of compliance permeates the institution. The efforts of management have dramatically improved HSBC Bank USA's and HSBC Group's Bank Secrecy Act / Anti-Money Laundering and Office of Foreign Assets Control compliance programmes."

As noted in the DPA, HSBC Bank USA already has, over the past several years, undertaken the following voluntary remedial measures:

• increased its spending on anti-money laundering (AML) approximately nine-fold between 2009 and 2011;
• increased its AML staffing nearly ten-fold between 2010 and 2012;
• revamped its Know Your Customer programme, including treating non-US HSBC Group Affiliates as third parties subject to the same due diligence as all other customers;
• exited 109 correspondent relationships for risk reasons;
• clawed back bonuses for a number of senior officers, and
• spent over $290m on remedial measures.

HSBC Group has also undertaken a comprehensive overhaul of its structure, controls, and procedures. A number of these improvements is included in the DPA. Among other measures, HSBC Group has:

• simplified its control structure, allowing the Group to manage risks worldwide more effectively;
• elevated the role of Group Compliance and given it direct oversight over every compliance officer globally, so that both accountability and escalation now flow directly to and from HSBC Group Compliance;
• created the new role of Head of Group Financial Crime Compliance and Group Money Laundering Reporting Officer, who will help to establish a Global Financial Intelligence Unit;
• made other new senior hires with extensive experience handling relevant international legal and regulatory issues, including a new Chief Legal Officer and a new Global General Counsel for Litigation and Regulatory Affairs;
• adopted a set of guidelines limiting business in those countries that pose a high financial crime risk;
• issued a new global sanctions policy using a more extensive and consistent set of lists to screen all cross-border payments;
• commenced a review of all Know Your Customer files across the entire Group - the first phase of this remediation will cost an estimated $700m over five years, and
• undertaken to implement single global standards shaped by the highest or most effective anti-money laundering standards available in any location where the HSBC Group operates.

Over the five-year term of the agreement with the Department of Justice, an independent monitor will evaluate HSBC's progress in fully implementing these and other measures it recommends, and will produce regular assessments of the effectiveness of HSBC's compliance function.

The agreement notes that HSBC Bank USA and HSBC Group have "provided valuable assistance to law enforcement." HSBC conducted multiple extensive internal investigations, voluntarily made employees available for interviews, and collected, analysed and organised voluminous evidence and information.

HSBC is firmly committed to putting in place robust standards that will help promote the integrity of the global financial system. 

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Belfast Officer Attack Was 'Attempted Murder'

A petrol bomb attack on a police officer by suspected loyalists in Belfast is being treated as attempted murder.

A gang of 15 men targeted surrounded and smashed the unmarked vehicle on Monday night outside the offices of Alliance Party MP Naomi Long in Newlands Road.

It was the worst incident in another night of violence in parts of east and south Belfast involving loyalists who took to the streets again in protest against a decision to restrict the flying of the Union Flag at Belfast City Hall.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said the officer was lucky to escape with her life.

"This was a planned attempt to kill a police officer which also put the lives of the public in danger and it is fortunate there were no injuries," he said.

Officers were also attacked with petrol bombs in south Belfast close to the M1.

A car set alight in the Newtownards area over the weekend

More talks are planned later between Peter Robinson, the Northern Ireland First Minister and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, and Mike Nesbitt, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

They will try to agree some sort of political strategy to ease tensions and end the violence.

It follows a meeting in Belfast on Monday between the pair, who have been heavily criticised by nationalists over their leadership since the trouble flared a week ago.

Ms Long's Alliance Party has been blamed by loyalists for supporting the nationalist SDLP and Sinn Fein in pushing the vote through Belfast City Council to lower the flag.

She said: "If Northern Ireland is to move forward then we need a strict adherence to the rule of law and respect for the democratic process. We need this urgently before lives are lost."

The Alliance Party has been the focus of loyalist anger

Mr Robinson said: "The attempted murder of a police officer in East Belfast was a despicable act of terror.

"The masked men responsible do not act in the name of our Union Flag. They are bringing shame on it. My prayers are with the police officers at the centre of this attack."

There were also protests in Limavady, Co Londonderry, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, Ballycastle, Co Antrim, and Cookstown, Co Tyrone, where the car of a DUP member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Ian McCrea, was surrounded by angry loyalists.

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott said some of the violence was intense - and there was clearly some paramilitary involvement.

:: Witnesses have been urged to contact police at Strandtown on 0845 600 8000 or through the confidential Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111.

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Jenni Rivera: Singer 'Killed In Plane Crash'

Mexcian-American singer Jenni Rivera is feared to have died in a plane crash after wreckage was found with no survivors.

Rivera, who was born in California to Mexican parents, has sold more than 15 million records and has huge numbers of fans on both sides of the border.

The wreckage of the small aircraft in which she is believed to have been travelling hours after a concert was discovered in northern Mexico on Sunday.

Officials said "everything points toward" it being the US-registered Lear Jet 25 that had been carrying Rivera and six other people to Toluca, outside Mexico City, from Monterrey.

The impact was so powerful that the remains of the plane were "almost unrecognisable", although a mangled California driver's licence with Rivera's name and picture was found among the debris.

The singer's driving licence was found near the crash site

The plane had gone missing shortly after take-off on Sunday morning.

Also on board were Rivera's publicist, lawyer, make-up artist and the flight crew.

The 43-year-old, who was a judge on TV show The Voice Of Mexico, had come to be one of the biggest stars of the Mexican regional style known as grupero music, which is influenced by the norteno, cumbia and ranchero styles.             

She recently won two Billboard Mexican Music Awards - Female Artist of the Year and Banda Album of the Year for Joyas Prestadas: Banda.

She had also been nominated various times for Latin Grammys.

Rescue officials search among the debris

Rivera, a mother-of-five and grandmother-of-two, performed in front of thousands of fans in Monterrey on Saturday night.

She gained fans throughout her career for opening up about her personal troubles and her struggle to provide a good life for her children.

After the concert in Monterrey, she gave a news conference and spoke about her emotional state following her recent divorce from her third husband, former Major League Baseball pitcher Esteban Loaiza.

" I am a woman like any other and ugly things happen to me like any other woman," she said.

"The number of times I have fallen down is the number of times I have gotten up."

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Royal Prank DJs: 'We Just Want To Say Sorry'

Transcript: Prank DJs Break Silence

Updated: 8:33am UK, Monday 10 December 2012

Here is the transcript of the interview carried out with prank call radio DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian by Clare Brady on the Today Tonight programme on Australia's Seven network.

Brady: Considering what we're about to discuss... do you feel emotionally stable to do this interview?

Christian: Yes.

Greig: Yes.

Brady: When you heard the dreadful results following the days after the prank, describe for me how you felt.

Greig: Unfortunately I remember that moment very well because I haven't stopped thinking about it since it happened and I remember my first question was 'Was she a mother?'

Brady: When you found out she was, of two children, how did you feel?

Greig: Very sorry and saddened for the family. I can't imagine what they'd be going through.

Christian: Gutted. Shattered. Heartbroken.

Brady: Does it feel real to you?

Christian: We're still trying to get our heads around everything. Trying to make sense of the situation.

Greig: It doesn't seem real because you just couldn't foresee something like that happening from a prank call. You know it was never meant to go that far. It was meant to be a silly little prank that so many people have done before. This wasn't meant to happen.

Brady: In hindsight, would you do something like that again?

Christian: I don't think that anyone could have predicted what could've happened. It was just a tragic set of circumstances that I don't think anyone could have thought that we'd be here.

Brady: Who came up with the idea of the prank?

Christian: It was just in a team meeting before the show.

Greig: Everything's done as a team.

Brady: Did you have legal advice or senior producers nursing you through this?

Christian: The call to begin with wasn't about speaking to Kate. It wasn't about trying to get a scoop or anything. The call was just - I mean we'd assumed that we'd be hung up on and that'd be that.

Brady: When you weren't hung up on - and, let's be honest, you thought it was a coup at the time - were you quite shocked that you even got that far to talk to the nurse beside Princess Kate?

Greig: Absolutely. And the accents were terrible. You know it was designed to be stupid. We were never meant to get that far from the little corgis barking in the background - we obviously wanted it to be a joke.

Christian: And I suppose, you know, the joke was always on us, not anyone else. It wasn't about trying to fool someone. I mean we just assumed that with the voices that we put on, you know, we were going to get told off and that was the gag - on us.

Brady: Here at the station, at Austereo, do you get any coaching, any training at all as to what you're allowed to put to air? What you've got to tell people on when they're being recorded and they're going to be put on air? Have you been taught that during your tenure here?

Christian: This phone call is the same with any phone call, with any pre-recorded segment that goes to air, there's processes in place and people that make those decisions. I mean our role is just...

Brady: Have you been taught that - sat down in a legal class?

Christian: There are people that make those decisions for us. Our responsibility is just to...

Brady: Did someone listen to that recording and say?

Greig: It went through the processes of every other recorded bit that we do - from interviews to, you know, anything at all that gets recorded and passed on to the appropriate people, goes through the process, and we're told whether it's yes or no to play.

Brady: What was it, if you can give me a rough, and it probably feels all blurry to you, but the time spent from when you did that call to putting it to air? Was it two hours, three hours?

Christian: In between all of that though it wasn't as though we were sitting around waiting for an answer. You know there was...

Greig: We go about our work and just keep going.

Christian: Getting other things organised.

Brady: But you were pretty giddy with what you'd pulled off, weren't you?

Greig: We couldn't believe that it had worked, absolutely. You didn't expect it to. We thought a hundred people before us would've tried the same thing. We just did not see that actually working.

Christian: But it wasn't to get something that no-one else had. It wasn't about getting...

Brady: But you are aware you were trying to get a medical condition and a medical condition on a royal?

Greig: But we didn't actually want that. We just wanted to be hung up on. We wanted to be hung up on with our silly voices and wanted a 20-second segment to air of us doing stupid voices.

Brady: You didn't think of identifying yourselves at the end of that call?

Greig: That's where the process comes in. We just record everything and pass it to the team. That's what we do.

Christian: And again the call itself is - there's no malice in the call. There was no digging. There was no trying to upset or get a reaction.

Brady: Do you feel now that you're part of a witch hunt? That someone wants someone to pay here? There's hackers here threatening to shut down the station and hack into the whole system if you guys aren't sacked. Does that make you feel vulnerable?

Greig (crying): There's nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now. And for what I feel for the family. We're so sorry that this has happened to them.

Brady: How do you move on? Is someone caring for you guys? Are you having counselling too?

Christian: We're getting the support that we need and we've got those around us that are helping us but you know, right now...

Greig: I care more about the family. I want to know that they've got the support that they need and that the public are, you know, being respectful of their privacy.

Brady: Have you tried to contact the family in any way?

Greig: I don't think it's an appropriate time to do that yet. But this is where we want to say that we are thinking of you and if we could call you we would want to reach out to you.

Brady: Or if you could turn the clock back?

Greig: If we played any involvement in her death then we're very sorry for that. And time will only tell.

Brady: Have you been reading a lot, Mel?

Greig: I've been advised not to but I'm doing it on the intention of finding out more about Jacintha.

Brady: What lessons can other DJs, and worldwide, learn from your horrible experience?

Christian: These are prank calls. They've been around for as long as radios existed and they're done by every radio station.

Brady: But this result is just horrific...

Christian: But no-one could have predicted this result.

Brady: What are you guys going to do then? Are you going to pursue your DJ careers?

Greig: I don't want to think about that right now. There's bigger, more pressing issues and that's making sure that family gets through this tough time. You know our careers aren't important at the moment.

Brady: That Scotland Yard is now involved, and you may be called to an inquest, and that inquest will probably be in London and you'll see the family face to face - are you prepared for that?

Christian: Right now we're trying to wrap our heads around what's happened.

Greig: If that's going to make them feel better then I'll do what I need to do, absolutely. If that's something that they want to do, to get some closure, then I'll do that.

Brady: You have had a lot of support. There's a poll out today of 11,000 people and two-thirds have said they feel you're not to blame for this horrible result. And then you've got the other side of horrible Twitter saying 'many lives ruined', 'shame on you', 'you've got blood on your hands'. How do you balance that - the support and the absolute hostility?

Christian: I think that, you know, what's important right now is, you know, that the family of Jacintha are getting the support and the love that they deserve. And I mean that's what's important here. You know, it was, it is nothing more than a tragic turn of events that no-one could have predicted and, you know, for the part that we played, we're obviously incredibly sorry and you know...

Brady: I feel in you, Mel, that you're all but frozen. Is that correct?

Greig: I'm just so devastated for them. I'm really feeling for them.

Brady: It's a shocking turn of events.

Greig: I just couldn't... If we had any idea that something like this could be even possible to happen, you know, we couldn't see this happening. It was meant to be a prank call.

Brady: Do you feel sick now that you were saying 'This is the highlight of my career' and you were excited about getting the call through, to get to this moment?

Greig: We couldn't foresee what was going to happen in the future.

Brady: When you did call them and you were talking - first to Jacintha and then the second nurse - did you think in the days after 'Oh those poor nurses, wonder how they're feeling'? Because I know I did, but I'm an overly cautious person - I think everything through and through and through. Did you think for them at all, or were you just in that giddy sense?

Christian: The call itself was not malicious and no harm was intended on Jacintha, or the other nurse, or Kate, or Prince William, or anyone. It wasn't - from start to finish - there was no harm intended. And obviously, you know, we're incredibly sorry for the harm that we may have helped contribute (to).

Brady: You've been very brave for talking and I just hope that people are caring for you guys too, because it's going to take (a lot). I feel for two DJs who like to put a few smiles on faces and it'll be a while before we hear the two of you laugh.

Christian: Thank you.

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Savile Police Arrest London Man In His 60s

Police investigating sex abuse claims against Jimmy Savile and others have arrested a man in his 60s from London.

Scotland Yard says the man was held at 6.45am on suspicion of sexual offences and taken to a south London police station.

He was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, the investigation into allegations of sex abuse surrounding Savile and others, and falls under the strand termed "others".

The man is the seventh person to be questioned as part of the probe and the sixth to be arrested.

It comes after publicist Max Clifford was questioned by detectives on Thursday, before refuting the allegations and pledging to all he could to assist the investigation.

"On a personal level, they are very distressing for myself, my wife, my family and loved ones," he said.

"Anyone who really knew me all those years ago and those who have known me since will have no doubt that I would never act in the way that I have today been accused."

Also arrested in connection with the investigation have been Gary Glitter, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and a man in his 70s, reported to be former television producer Wilfred De'Ath.

The Metropolitan Police has said it is dealing with around 450 potential victims, the vast majority of whom claimed they had fallen prey to Savile.

The inquiry has been seperated into three strands: claims against Savile, those against Savile and others, and those against others.

More follows...

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Kate Prank Call 'Could End Radio Wind-Ups'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News correspondent

One of Britain's most notorious DJs has told Sky News the death of a nurse after a prank call to the hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge could mark the end of such radio wind-ups.

Steve Penk built his career winding up unsuspecting members of the public and high profile celebrities.

In 1998, his Capital Radio show famously got put through to then Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mr Penk now believes the tragic consequences of a stunt that saw a nurse apparently take her own life days after putting a hoax call from two Australian DJs through to the ward where the pregnant duchess was being treated could change the entire radio industry.

He told Sky News: "I think there will be huge fallout. I think it will be, for want of a better phrase, the death of the wind-up phone call.

Steve Penk thinks there will be a fallout over the tragedy

"Ofcom (media regulator) will wrap it in so much red tape that it will make it almost impossible to get these things on the air, which I think is a shame because they can be entertaining."

Mr Penk has duped hundreds of people through his career at various radio stations.

Often people were set up by friends or relatives who wrote in and suggested victims. Unlike the Australian stunt, permission was then sought from the victim before the calls were broadcast.

Mr Penk now owns The Revolution 962 in Oldham and has cancelled his latest prank show after the hoax call to the hospital treating the duchess.

DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian from 2Day FM made the prank call

He feels sympathy for the two DJs who are now being vilified for their role in the stunt.

He added: "You can't predict something like this, I genuinely feel very sorry for them.

"I think it is unfair that at the moment the blame is at their doorstep."

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Kate Prank: Jacintha Saldanha Family's Grief

British police may want to speak to two Australian DJs following the death of the nurse who answered their prank call to the Duchess of Cambridge's hospital.

The Australian authorities confirmed they have received a request from the Met Police to interview 2Day FM presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig, who hoaxed the King Edward VII's hospital where the pregnant Duchess was treated for extreme morning sickness.

Jacintha Saldanha - the nurse who took the call and put it through to colleague who divulged private information about Kate's treatment - was found dead on Friday.

New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas said Scotland Yard had been in touch - but emphasized there was no suggestion that a crime had been committed.

The nurse's family are finding it hard to come to terms with her death

He said: "There has been a request for assistance from London's Metropolitan Police to the New South Wales Police through the Australian Federal Police.

"The request has gone to the city central command - the area where the 2Day FM office is.

The company which owns the Australian radio station has called an emergency meeting to discuss the DJs' future.

Mr Kaldas added: "I have to stress, it hasn't been indicated to us that an offence has occurred, they haven't actually asked for anything yet - they've simply touched base, let us know of their interest and they'll get back to us if they want something done.

"Nothing has been requested of us yet."

Scotland Yard confirmed contact had been made with the authorities in Australia but did not elaborate further.

A bouquet left in memory of the nurse at her digs in London

Meanwhile, Ms Saldanha's family in the UK and India have been paying tribute to the mother of two teenagers.

Her daughter Lisha wrote on Facebook, "I miss you, I love you", while her husband Ben Barboza has set up a tribute page on the social networking site.

He wrote: "I am devastated with the tragic loss of my beloved wife Jacintha in tragic circumstances. She will be laid to rest in Shirva, India."

In India, her sister-in-law Celin D'Souza said: "I will really miss her a lot. She was a good-natured sister-in-law. I cannot forget her, she was so good."

The hospital where Ms Saldanha worked has condemned the stunt as "truly appalling" while a prominent Conservative MP has called for the DJs to be sacked.

Prince William was without Kate at the Winter Whites Gala in London

In a letter to the Australian radio station 2Day FM's parent company, Lord Glenarthur, Chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital, said he wanted to "protest" against the "extremely foolish" gag.

The letter to Southern Cross Austereo said the immediate consequence of the station's "premeditated and ill-considered actions" led to the "humiliation" of Ms Saldanha and another nurse.

"The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is, frankly, tragic beyond words," it added.

Tory MP Conor Burns, a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said: "The presenters should lose their jobs and there needs to be a serious review as to what they regard as entertainment and what is inappropriate."

News of the nurse's death has led to a huge backlash against the two presenters, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles during the prank on their 2Day FM show.

Southern Cross Austereo said the pair are being "babysat" and kept away from hostile media coverage.

Spokeswoman Sandy Kaye said: "We're seriously concerned about their welfare and we're doing whatever we can to help them."

The Duke of Cambridge made no comment on the situation as he attended a charity function in London on Saturday night without Kate - who is resting after her three day stay in hospital.

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Top Tories Launch Gay Marriage Campaign

London Mayor Boris Johnson and Education Secretary Michael Gove are among more than a dozen senior Conservatives who have launched a new group to campaign for gay marriage.

David Cameron supports the plans to allow same-sex weddings to be held in places of worship and has promised a free vote, but more than 100 Tory MPs are expected to oppose the change in the Commons next year.

The new group has been put together by Nick Herbert, the former police minister who resigned from the Government in September's reshuffle.

As well as Mr Johnson and Mr Gove, it includes Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, who is Catholic, Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt, an evangelical Christian, former Tory ministers Lord Fowler and Nicholas Soames and Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson.

In a letter to The Sunday Telegraph announcing the formation of the group, the 19 declared: "Marriage should be open to all, regardless of sexuality.

"We recognise that civil partnerships were an important step forward in giving legal recognition to same sex couples.

"But civil partnerships are not marriages, which express a particular and universally understood commitment."

Former police minister Nick Herbert is spearheading the campaign

Mr Herbert, who is in a civil partnership, said changing the law was "the right thing to do".

"It is precisely because marriage is such a uniquely important institution that we should ensure that all couples who want to enter into it, regardless of their sexuality, can do so," he added.

"Conservatives who believe in marriage should feel this most strongly."

However, Mr Herbert insisted it would be wrong to "compel religious organisations to marry same-sex couples against their will" and called for legal "safeguards" to prevent it.

Under the proposals, due to be fleshed out this week, churches and other venues will be allowed to "opt in" to holding civil marriage ceremonies.

Ministers will offer a guarantee that no institution will be forced to marry gay people on their premises - but Tory MPs and religious groups have questioned whether it would stand up to challenges under the Human Rights Act.

Legislation is expected to be introduced before Easter, and could take effect about a year later - with the first ceremonies likely be held in spring 2014.

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