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European Cold Snap Continues As Death Toll Rises |
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2012-02-04 13:22:18
A week-long cold snap across Europe in which temperatures plunged to record lows of minus 38 degrees, has claimed the lives of more than 220 people.
The big freeze, which is expected to continue over the weekend, stretches from Italy to Ukraine and the Czech Republic.
In Italy, Venice's canals started freezing over and even Rome was dusted in snow. Meanwhile, closer to home, parts of England and Scotland are expected to get over 10 centimetres of snow tomorrow.
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US Soldier Faces Court Marshall For Wikileaks Files |
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2012-02-04 12:22:03
The U.S. soldier who's alleged to have given Wikileaks over 700,000 military documents will face a court martial.
Private First Class Bradley Manning is accused of carrying out the biggest leak of classified information in American history.
He faces 22 charges, after allegedly sending documents and combat video to the Wikileaks website.
Reporter Dominic Waghorn says the White House thinks he should be locked up for ever.
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UN Meeting To Pass Condemnation Of Syria |
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2012-02-04 12:19:21
Members of the UN Security Council will meet later to try and pass a resolution condemning the violent repression in Syria.
There are claims that Syrian forces killed 350 civilians, including women and children, in a "massacre" in the central city of Homs.
The meeting comes amid firm opposition from Russia.
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Romney Expected To Win Easily In Nevada |
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2012-02-04 12:17:05
Mitt Romney's focused on unemployment ahead of the presidential caucuses in Nevada - despite more Americans finding a job in January.
He's heavily favoured to win the state in the Republican fight to decide who faces Barack Obama in November.
Romney cruised to victory in Florida last Tuesday.
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More Russian Protests Ahead Of Fresh Elections |
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2012-02-04 10:24:47
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through the centre of Moscow this morning to mark the one-month countdown to elections.
Two competing marches, planned by pro and anti-Putin movements took to the streets.
Late last year, there were accusations of electoral fraud surrounding the Prime Minister's ruling United Russia party.
Reporter Amanda Walker, in Moscow, says Mr Putin is just about hanging on.
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Syria Plunges Into More Violence As 200 Killed |
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2012-02-04 10:21:40
Human rights activists say well over 200 people have been killed by Syrian army shells landing in the city of Homs.
This fresh violence comes as the UN is preparing to vote today on a draft resolution, urging President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.
Meanwhile, a crowd of protesters has stormed the Syrian Embassy in Cairo, smashing furniture and equipment and setting fire to parts of the building, in protest over the latest bloodshed in the country.
Protests have also been staged outside Syrian's Embassies in Britain, Germany and the United States.
In London five people were arrested after around 150 people descended on the Syrian embassy there.
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3 Killed In Cairo Clashes |
2012-02-03 17:50:10
There's been another day of violence in Egypt - with reports of three deaths as protesters continue to clash with police.
Tear gas has been fired in and around Cairo's Tahrir Square, and demonstrators have targeted the interior ministry.
They blame authorities for failing to prevent Wednesday's riot at a football game, where more than 70 people were killed.
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Ryanair Fills Gap Created By Malev |
2012-02-03 17:07:45
Ryanair has moved to fill the gap left by the grounding of Hungary's national airline Malev.
Malev said the immediate decision was based on a refusal by Israeli ground staff to service a Malev flight in Tel Aviv.
However the airline had been struggling after the EU ordered it to pay back state aid it had receieved between 2007 and 2010.
Today Ryanair announced it would be setting up a Budapest base with four planes serving 31 destinations within two weeks.
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US Economic Growth Gathers Pace |
2012-02-03 17:07:18
The US economic recovery is gathering pace even faster than experts had been predicting.
243-thousand jobs were added to the country's payroll in January, far ahead of the analysts' forecast figure of 150-thousand.
That's the fastest pace of job creation for nine months.
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FBI Confirms Major Security Breach |
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2012-02-03 17:00:56
The FBI has confirmed that hackers have intercepted a conference call between American investigators and their counterparts at Scotland Yard in England.
Online group Anonymous says it was behind the release of the confidential conversation.
Investigators are heard discussing the tracking and prosecuting of the group's members.
Sky's Defence and Security Editor Sam Kiley says breaches don't come much bigger.
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Cold Snap Death Toll Hits 218 |
2012-02-03 12:54:51
The week long cold snap hitting Europe has claimed 218 lives and has now spread to France.
Daytime
temperatures have hit a relatively rare minus 5 degrees Celsius in
Paris - and it's 10 degrees below freezing in Strasbourg.
In the Czech Republic, temperatures dropped to minus 38.1 degrees Celsius overnight while even Rome had snow.
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2012-02-03 11:55:21
Britain's Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has resigned after being charged with perverting the course of justice.
The Lib Dem MP's accused of avoiding a speeding penalty by getting his ex-wife to say she was driving, and accepting the points on her licence.
Mr Huhne says he's innocent and intends to clear his name.
Legal commentator Joshua Rozenberg says the couple face serious allegations.
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John Terry Stripped Of England Captaincy |
2012-02-03 11:49:34
John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy for a second time.
He's due to stand trial over racial abuse allegations after the tournament.
The Chelsea defender denies the allegations.
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Europe's Big Freeze Hits France |
2012-02-03 11:44:47
The big freeze sweeping through Europe has reached France.
Daytime temperatures have hit a relatively rare minus 5 degrees Celcius in Paris - and it's 10 degrees below freezing in Strasbourg.
Severe weather warnings have been issued for nearly 40 districts in the centre and east of the country.
The plunging temperatures in Ukraine have now claimed 101 lives.
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UN: Germany Has WW2 Legal Immunity |
2012-02-03 10:51:21
The U-N has ruled that Germany has legal immunity from being sued in foreign courts, by victims of World War 2 atrocities.
The International Court of Justice said a 2008 ruling by Italy's Supreme Court violated German sovereignty.
That judgment said an Italian civilian was entitled to reparations for his deportation to Germany in 1944.
But Germany said the Italian ruling threw into doubt a restitution system that's seen Germany pay tens of billions of dollars since the 1950's.
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Hungarian Airline Runs Out Of Cash |
2012-02-03 10:36:08
Hungary's national airline Malev has grounded its planes after running out of cash.
The company - which has been in operation for 66 years - says the immediate reason was a refusal by Israeli ground staff to service a Malev flight in Tel Aviv.
However, the EU ordered the carrier, which employs 2,600 people, to pay back state aid nearly a month ago.
A Malev flight from Dublin to Budapest was among those cancelled this morning.
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Ukraine Death Toll Hits 101 |
2012-02-03 10:27:47
A week of ferociously cold temperatures in Ukraine has now claimed 101 lives.
Authorities say almost 1-thousand 600 people have requested medical attention for frostbite and hypothermia.
Freezing weather - with temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees, and heavy snow is affecting much of Eastern Europe.
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Man Dead After Cairo Violence |
2012-02-03 10:20:43
A volunteer doctor says a man's died from gunshot wounds following violence in Cairo.
Police and protesters have clashed for a second day - over a riot at a football match on Wednesday which left 71 people dead.
Two protesters were shot and killed yesterday in Suez.
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Supergiant Prawn Found Off NZ Coast |
2012-02-03 10:19:23
Deep sea scientists in New Zealand have discovered what they describe as a supergiant prawn.
The creature measures 30 centimetres - that's TEN times the size of the normal species.
It was found 4 miles under the sea.
The researchers say the don't know why the prawn's evolved to such a huge size.
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Flooding Strands Thousands In Australia |
2012-02-03 10:18:01
Major flooding has hit parts of east Australia - stranding thousands of residents.
Parts of New South Wales and Queensland have been declared natural disaster zones.
The town of Moree in New South Wales, has been severely affected with many families having to be evacuated from their homes.
Locals say streets now resemble canals.
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