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Anglicans join Catholic branch

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Image Seven Anglican priests and up to 300 members of several parishes are to join a new part of the Roman Catholic Church, a diocese spokesman has said. The faithful, from six congregations, are to be welcomed into the Ordinariate - a grouping set up by the Pope for disaffected Anglicans. The switch to Rome, reported to be the largest of its nature, involves three parishes in Essex and three in east London. Between 250 and 300 churchgoers are expected to complete the move with them, a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Brentwood, in Essex, said. The transition follows the historic ordination of three former Anglican bishops as Catholic priests earlier this month. The group of priests, including one retired vicar, met the Bishop of Brentwood, the Right Reverend Thomas McMahon, on Friday, ahead of their ordination. We had a wonderful day of sharing together and preparing for the future," Bishop McMahon said. "It is a marking moment for the life of our diocese." However, the Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, expressed disappointed that members were converting to Catholicism. "Although I'm sorry these people are going, I do respect their decision," he told BBC Essex. "But it is a small group of people. The Church of England remains the church for everyone." It is unclear where the new congregations will worship. The seven priests - from the parishes of Chelmsford, Hockley, Benfleet and Billericay, in Essex, Leytonstone, in London, and two from Walthamstow, also in London, will go through training before they are ordained as deacons in May and then as Catholic priests in June. The Ordinariate was established for Anglicans who wished to join the Roman Catholic Church while retaining aspects of their heritage. The Vatican-approved scheme offers an alternative to opponents of women bishops, gay clergy and same-sex blessings.

Sky stars yellow-carded over sexism

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Image Sky Sports football presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys have been left red-faced after being recorded criticising a female assistant referee and saying they "probably don't know the offside rule". The apparent blunder is likely to spark accusations of sexism against the high-profile broadcasters. A Sky Sports spokesman said the off-air remarks were "not acceptable". The pair commented on Sian Massey's appointment for the Premier League game between Wolves and Liverpool on Saturday, when they believed their microphones were switched off. They concurred that female officials "don't know the offside rule" with Keys adding: "I can guarantee you there'll be a big one today. Kenny (Liverpool manager Dalglish) will go potty." Keys then remarked on comments made by West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady in The Sun on Saturday morning about the level of sexism in football by saying: "See charming Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Yeah. Do me a favour, love." The audio was obtained by the Mail on Sunday. Sky released a statement which read: "The comments are not acceptable. They were not made on air but we have spoken to Richard and Andy and told them our views and they have apologised and expressed their regret." The Football Association gave their support to Massey, who crucially made a correct borderline call in the build-up to Liverpool's first goal at Molineux. An FA statement read: "The FA has made real strides in encouraging both male and female match officials to enter the game at every level, and will continue to offer every encouragement to all officials within the football family to progress to the highest levels possible. We are proud to have some of the world's best match officials, both male and female."

Pop songs replace mournful funerals

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Image Britons are increasingly rejecting traditional funerals in favour of "celebrations" featuring favourite pop songs, football teams and hobbies, a study has found. Half of today's funerals are a "celebration of life" and one in 10 (12%) do not include any religious elements, research by The Co-operative Funeralcare found. The survey suggests that the funerals for Diana, Princess of Wales and Jade Goody have transformed modern customs, encouraging personal services instead of those organised mainly by church officials or funeral providers. The poll of 850 funeral homes and 2,000 British adults found that more than half of the population (54%) would prefer a celebration at their send off, and almost half (48%) wanted a service that reflected their favourite hobby, colour, football team or music. Funeral historian Dr Julian Litten said: "The funerals of Princess Diana and Jade Goody have opened people's eyes to the array of choices available from cars to coffins, pop songs to white doves. Most importantly, today's funerals are increasingly a celebration of life rather than mourning a loss." The Co-operative Funeralcare's own directors had reported requests for pink Cadillacs, milk floats, motorbikes and a tandem bicycle, while mourners had watched firework displays, blown bubbles and released balloons. Just 36% of funerals used purely religious music in favour of more contemporary tracks, with the top three being My Way (Frank Sinatra or Shirley Bassey), Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler or Celine Dion) and Time To Say Goodbye (Sarah Brightman/Andrea Bocelli). One in 20 coffins (6%) was bespoke, with requests including models of a Lancaster bomber, a Tardis and a yacht. The choice of materials now includes wood, cardboard, wicker and British wool. At 60% of funerals, the deceased was dressed in clothes that reflected their life, job or hobby. More unusual outfit requests had included a clown costume, cyclists' Lycra, fishermen's waders and a wet suit. More common requests included wedding dresses, football strips, military uniforms, kilts and bikers' leathers. ICM surveyed 2,000 British adults online between September 22-24, 2010.

Armed police involved in park siege

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Image Armed police are negotiating with a suspected gunman after he was stopped by officers while walking across a park. Police locked down an area around Leagrave Common, in Luton, Bedfordshire, after a stand-off developed shortly after 8pm on Sunday. Dozens of officers remained in place as they attempted to resolve the incident without injury. A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: "Last night, at approximately 8.30pm, a man was stopped coming across the park by armed response officers as he was believed to be in possession of a firearm. "He has been contained in the park and police are speaking with him. At this point in time there is no danger to the public although people are asked to stay away from the area while police are dealing with the situation. "A police cordon is in place around the area. The location is a park between Sundon Park Road and Henge Way." The suspected gunman is understood to be standing on an area of open ground, surrounded by police officers. No-one has been hurt.

Jo Yeates murder accused in court

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Image The next-door neighbour of Joanna Yeates has appeared in court accused of her murder. Dutch engineer Vincent Tabak was remanded in custody at Bristol Magistrates' Court charged with killing the 25-year-old landscape architect. Tabak, 32, of Canynge Road, Clifton, Bristol, who works at Buro Happold in Bath, was arrested last Thursday. It is understood he was detained at an address in Aberdeen Road, Cotham, about a mile from his home, where he is thought to have been staying. He was remanded in custody for a week to appear next at Bristol Crown Court on the murder charge, but the court was told that he may also appear at the crown court on Tuesday for a bail hearing. The defendant spoke only to confirm his name, age and address, and no details of the prosecution case against him were given in court. Takab was charged with murdering Miss Yeates sometime between December 16 and December 26. She disappeared on December 17 and her body was discovered on Christmas Day. A Dutch interpreter was present but Tabak did not appear to have any difficulty understanding proceedings during the two-minute hearing. Tabak, a trilingual engineer, is an expert in the flow of people through buildings, including sports venues. He lived next door to Miss Yeates with his girlfriend Tanja Morson, an analyst for Dyson, in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

Protests over undercover police

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Image Protesters have blockaded New Scotland Yard, calling for a judge-led inquiry into the use of undercover policing. Dozens lined the entrance to the Metropolitan Police headquarters in Westminster to demonstrate against the tactic of infiltrating protest movements to gather intelligence. The picket consisted mainly of women protesters bearing posters of three officers who have been exposed as uncover police, as well as silhouettes representing other undercover officers who remain unidentified. The group called on police to name officers who have been covertly involved in protest movements to reveal whether any others had formed relationships with women protesters. The calls came after ex-Metropolitan Police Pc Mark Kennedy was exposed as an undercover officer who spent a reported seven years posing as an environmental activist known as Mark "Flash" Stone. Sophie Stephens, spokesman for the blockade, said: "It's time for the abuse of women by undercover police officers to stop. If a person is pretending to be somebody else, if they are spying on you, then you absolutely cannot give your informed consent. "Women are not able to make an informed decision about who they are having a relationship with if they are being duped by police officers. We also want a judge-led inquiry. We don't trust the police to police themselves. They have showed time after time they believe they are above the law." Officers on motorcycles gathered to police the protest, which included environmental campaigners and others involved in social justice movements. One of the protesters, who gave her name only as Sarah, said she knew women who had had relationships with undercover police officers. She said: "People we know and work with have had relationships with undercover policemen who they didn't know were policemen and there is no way they could have given their consent. I know they are feeling angry and betrayed. It's overwhelming - I had no idea this kind of thing could happen in this country. What we want to know is who the undercover policemen are." Sam Lyas, 23, also joined in the blockade and said: "This is just an abhorrent thing to happen. The police specifically condone undercover policemen having sex to glean information. It's sanctioned by the state. I'm here to show my support. Hopefully, there's going to be an independent inquiry into how undercover policing is used in the UK."

Crisis talks over Irish government

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Image Irish finance minister Brian Lenihan is due to enter talks with opposition parties over the fast-tracking of legislation that will give effect to the budget and bring forward a general election in Ireland. The Irish Government was left on the brink of collapse after the junior coalition Green Party pulled the plug, blaming a complete breakdown in trust and patience in partners Fianna Fail. The Greens have vowed to support the Finance Bill from the opposition benches and claimed Fine Gael and Labour agreed to ease the passage of the legislation. Labour has threatened to press ahead with its motion of no confidence in the government unless the bill is rushed through by Friday and the Dail dissolved - meaning voters could go to the polls next month instead of March 11. But Mr Cowen and Mr Lenihan have warned the timeframe is unrealistic. The Taoiseach said: "The important thing now is to have an orderly completion of the Finance Bill in the interests of the country and then obviously we move to a dissolution of the Dail and a general election." Talks will begin between Department of Finance officials and the opposition finance spokesmen to discuss a timetable for the passage of the legislation through parliament. Sinn Fein opposes any pact between parties to get the bill through before an election, with Independents Michael Lowry and Jackie Healy Rae are due to declare their stance later. Meanwhile, Mr Cowen has said has no intention of resigning as Taoiseach and dissolving the government, instead reassigning the Cabinet positions of Green Party leader John Gormley and communications minister Eamon Ryan. With six other resignations from Cabinet in the last week, and the Greens stopping them from being filled with new faces, the majority of government ministers are already double-jobbing or two triple-jobbing. As his party left government, Mr Gormley said the Irish people had begun to lose confidence in politics and deserved better. "For a very long time we in the Green Party have stood back in the hope that Fianna Fail could resolve persistent doubts about their party leadership," he said. "A definitive resolution of this has not yet been possible. And our patience has reached an end. Because of these continuing doubts, the lack of communication and the breakdown in trust, we have decided that we can no longer continue in government."

Obesity and drink fuel cancer rate

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Image The UK ranks 11th out of 50 countries for rates of breast cancer, with high levels of obesity and a taste for alcohol are fuelling rates among British women, experts claim in a new report. Overall, the UK comes 22nd for cancers in both sexes while Denmark is the cancer capital of the world, according to the most recent estimates from the World Health Organisation (WHO), for 2008. Of the top 50 countries worldwide by cancer rate, the UK comes 33rd for male cancers and 12th for female. Rates of cancer overall are higher in men than women, the analysis showed. On breast cancer, more women per 100,000 develop the disease in the UK (260.5) than in France (254.9), Italy (251.6), Germany (245.7), Sweden (241.2), Switzerland (236) or Spain (187).The highest rates are in Denmark (325.3), New Zealand (287.1) and Ireland (285.1). Experts believe some of the explanation for Danish data could be down to better diagnosis but noted high rates of smoking among Danish women. The country also has high levels of alcohol consumption. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), which compiled the league tables from WHO data, said it showed that high-income countries generally have much higher cancer rates than lower income ones. While this may be down to better diagnosis and data collection, high income countries have higher rates of obesity, drinking and lower levels of exercise. Many cancers are linked to these lifestyle factors, including those of the mouth and larynx, lung, stomach, pancreas, liver, bowel, breast, prostate and kidney. Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser for the WCRF, said: "We know that people in high-income countries are more likely to be overweight, to drink a lot of alcohol and to be inactive. When you look at the list, it is clear that the countries that do worse for these factors tend to be nearer the top." Prof Wiseman said about a third of the most common cancers in the UK could be prevented by maintaining a healthy weight, good nutrition and exercise.

Witness: Gunman has shot himself

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Image A suspected gunman apparently shot himself after a 16-hour stand-off with police, according to an eyewitness. A single gunshot was heard at about midday at the centre of a police operation on Leagrave Common, in Luton, Bedfordshire. One eyewitness said a man, who appeared to have been holding a sawn-off shotgun to his head, could be seen lying on the floor. He said: "There was a gunshot. The man is now lying on the ground. He is surrounded by armed police and paramedics." The stand-off was sparked at about 8.30pm last night when the man was challenged by armed police who suspected he was carrying a gun. Armed officers surrounded the man and trained negotiators were brought in as police shut down the large open space. Earlier, the eyewitness said the man was sitting cross-legged on a football pitch close to a set of goalposts. He said the man was holding an object that looked like a sawn-off shotgun to his chin with the butt of the gun in his lap. The man was described as aged in his late-30s or early-40s, wearing dark clothing. He was sitting next to a brown paper McDonald's bag. A police cordon remains in place around the park between Sundon Park Road and Henge Way. Speaking at the scene, a Bedfordshire Police spokeswoman said the gunman is still being treated by paramedics. She said the man discharged his weapon and a police firearms officer may also have fired a shot.

Comments made my blood boil - Brady

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Image West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has said the comments made by Sky Sports presenters about her and Premier League official Sian Massey made her "blood boil". The executive hit back after Andy Gray and Richard Keys agreed female officials "don't know the offside rule". The pair were recorded talking off-air on Saturday as Liverpool FC visited Wolverhampton Wanderers. Lineswoman Ms Massey got one crucial, borderline decision spot on. But Keys had said earlier: "I can guarantee you there'll be a big one today. (Liverpool manager) Kenny (Dalglish) will go potty." Brady told Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 5 Live: "It makes my blood boil, if I'm absolutely honest. What really upsets me is the fact that only females in our industry are judged by their gender. And that is categorically wrong." The Hammers' vice chairman said there was little sexism on the business side of football these days. But she added the game "still has this sort of old-fashioned, out-of-date view of what a woman's role is within the industry and it infuriates me. "I am surprised they didn't say 'better go and get her to get the kettle on'," she added. Richard Keys' sister Susan phoned the programme to defend him. She said: "He hasn't got anything bad to say about women, I have never heard him making comments before."

Terror detention powers 'not ready'

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Image Powers to detain suspected terrorists for more than 14 days in an emergency have not been put in place, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has said. The Government was adopting a "shocking and cavalier" approach to national security and it was "irresponsible" of ministers "not to be prepared for every eventuality or to be able to react swiftly if emergencies arise", she said. The power to hold terror suspects for 28 days lapses on Monday night, meaning the detention limit will revert to 14 days ahead of the announcement of the result of a sweeping review of counter-terrorism powers by Home Secretary Theresa May on Wednesday. Home Office Minister Damian Green said last week that emergency legislation would be drawn up and placed in the Commons library to extend the maximum period to 28 days "to prepare for the very exceptional circumstances when a longer period may be required". But no such legislation has appeared. Ms Cooper said: "The Tory-led Government's counter terrorism policy is collapsing into ever greater confusion. This is a shocking and cavalier way to deal with our national security. "Ministers themselves told us these back up powers were needed in case of emergency, but they have failed to get them ready and give Parliament the chance to look at them or see the evidence. "Ministers need to tell us urgently what is going on and whether this puts our security at risk. If their own review has shown this emergency legislation is needed, then ministers need to act immediately to get it ready and in place, in case a crisis arises. "Right now we have no idea when this legislation will be ready and it is irresponsible of the Government not to be prepared for every eventuality or to be able to react swiftly if emergencies arise." She went on: "Government policy on counter terrorism is vital to the future of our country and needs to protect our national security as well as our historic freedoms. But instead of serious, responsible debate, we have seen chaos, delay and party political manoeuvring within the Government."

Billions spent on 'vague' schemes

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Image Billions of pounds of taxpayers' money are committed to spending schemes on the basis of "vague hopes" of improving people's lives, rather than solid evidence that the plans will work, a report has warned. The report, from the Centre for Social Justice thinktank, called for a "fundamental shake-up" of the way that Whitehall spends public money to eliminate waste and boost results. And it warned that, without a change of culture, the current £81 billion round of spending cuts could leave wasteful programmes in place, while shutting down ones which are valued by the public. The report - entitled Outcome-Based Government - called for the establishment of an independent Office of Spending Effectiveness to scrutinise Government programmes to see whether they are delivering the required results and good value for money. For decades, successive governments have focused more on outputs - such as numbers of police officers, teachers or social workers - than on the outcomes which matter to the public, like falling crime, better exam results or fewer drug addicts, said the report. It urged the Government to spell out the intended outcomes of its programmes, to be more open about the impact of cuts and to focus on trimming the least effective schemes. "Whitehall decisions about the allocation of £700bn of taxpayer's money should be made on the basis of clearly defined objectives and not vague hopes of improving people's lives," said the thinktank, founded by current Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith. More than three-quarters of inquiries by the National Audit Office spending watchdog over the past four years have criticised the clarity of objectives, cost-effectiveness and implementation of Government policies. Earlier this year, the Commons Public Accounts Committee found that £1.2bn was spent each year on problem drug users, without the Government knowing what overall effect it was having. CSJ executive director Gavin Poole said: "Taxpayer's money should tackle real problems and improve people's lives. Too often there is limited evidence to show this is the case."

Lethal blast hits Moscow airport

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Image Several people have been killed in an explosion at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow. Sergei Markin of the Investigative Committee confirmed reports of the explosion at the busiest of the city's three commercial airports, but said he had no further details. Russian news agencies said the blast was believed to have happened inside the airport's international arrivals hall.

'Sexist' Sky presenters dropped

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Image Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys have been dropped from Monday's line-up after their off-air sexist comments, the broadcaster said. The pair caused controversy after agreeing female officials "don't know the offside rule" and predicting lineswoman Sian Massey would drop a clanger during Wolves's home game against Liverpool on Saturday. She ended up correctly calling a crucial borderline decision. On Monday, Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said the pair had been disciplined and dropped from coverage of Monday's Bolton versus Chelsea match. He said: "I have spoken directly to both Richard Keys and Andy Gray. It has been made clear to each of them that their comments were totally unacceptable. "Those views are inexcusable, entirely inconsistent with our ethos as a business and employer, and will rightly offend many of our customers, our people, and the wider public. "They are inexcusable from anyone at Sky, regardless of their role or seniority. "We have dealt with this matter by taking immediate disciplinary action. As with any employee it would not be right to go into detail on those proceedings. However, they have been clearly warned about their behaviour and reminded of their responsibilities. "In addition, Richard and Andy will not be involved in any way with tonight's live Monday Night Football." Responding to the comments West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady told Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 5 Live: "It makes my blood boil, if I'm absolutely honest. What really upsets me is the fact that only females in our industry are judged by their gender. And that is categorically wrong." However Richard Keys' sister Susan phoned the programme to defend him. She said: "He hasn't got anything bad to say about women, I have never heard him making comments before."

Stand-off gunman fights for life

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Image A gunman is fighting for his life after he apparently shot himself during a 16-hour stand-off with police. Paramedics are trying to save the man after at least one shot was fired on Leagrave Common, in Luton, Bedfordshire. Eyewitnesses said the man was holding a sawn-off shotgun to his chin before the blast rang out shortly before midday on Monday. Bedfordshire Police said one marksman may have also discharged a shot during the confrontation. Paramedics and police were holding up a screen around the injured man as an air ambulance remained on stand-by. Armed police were called to the area after a member of the public dialled 999 to report a man in Wauluds Bank Drive with a gun on Sunday night. They found a man walking across Leagrave Common, which includes several football pitches, at about 8.30pm. The armed officers were joined by dog handlers and specialist negotiators as a stand-off took place and continued through the night. The gunman, who was wearing dirty jeans, a hooded top, cap and scarf, was seen walking around with a gun held to his chin. Eyewitnesses said he also spent some time sitting down cross-legged with the butt of the gun in his lap and the muzzle against his head. It appeared police brought him a McDonald's takeaway at some stage during the negotiations. A police spokeswoman said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will be informed of the shooting in due course.

31 dead in Moscow airport blast

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Image An explosion at Domodedovo Airport in Moscow has killed 31 people, according to reports. Sergei Markin of the Russian Investigative Committee confirmed reports of the explosion at the busiest of the city's three commercial airports, but said he had no further details. Russian news agencies said the blast was believed to have happened inside the airport's international arrivals hall. One passenger, identified only as Viktor, told how he heard a bang outside the airport, where he was waiting for a car. "There was an explosion, a bang. Then I saw a policeman covered in fragments of flesh and all bloody. He was shouting 'I've survived! I've survived!'" Domodedovo is generally regarded as Moscow's most up-to-date airport, but its security procedures have been questioned. In 2004, two suicide bombers were able to board planes at Domodedovo by buying tickets illegally from airport personnel. The bombers blew themselves up in mid-air, killing all 90 people aboard the two flights. In more recent suicide bombings in Moscow, twin blasts in the Metro last March killed 39 people and wounded more than 60. In December 2009, Chechen rebels blew up a high-speed train between Moscow and St Petersburg, killing 26 people and injuring scores. The Foreign Office said it was "urgently investigating" whether any British nationals may have been caught in the airport bombing.

Olympic stadium decision postponed

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Image A decision on who will move into the £537 million Olympic Stadium, due to take place on Friday, has been postponed, the Olympic Park Legacy Company has said. A spokesman said "more time is needed to consider the bids". London rivals West Ham and Tottenham, both in football's Premier League, are in a head-to-head race to move into the stadium in Stratford, east London, after the 2012 Games. An OPLC board meeting on Friday was widely seen as the point when a final decision would be made for the showpiece stadium. The company is in charge of securing an economical viable future for the Olympic Park. Final submissions were made by the rival bidding teams last Friday. An OPLC spokesman said: "Given the detailed nature of both bids received, we need more time to seek further clarification with both bidders in order to identify a preferred bidder. The stadium is a significant public asset and we have a duty to run a robust process. "In addition to the two short-listed bids, the Legacy Company also has the option of the original plan to convert the Olympic Stadium to a 25,000 seats, mixed-use venue. In going to market, the Legacy Company's aim was to consider options which would enhance and build on that plan." West Ham, in a joint bid with Newham Council, want to create a 60,000-capacity arena for football, athletics, concerts and community use. Tottenham, in a joint bid with sports and entertainment giant AEG, has pledged to create an athletics legacy elsewhere and contribute to the refurbishment of the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace. An athletics legacy was one of the key promises that London 2012 made to the International Olympic Committee when it won the right to stage the Games.

RAF escort for jet after 'threats'

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Image A man has been arrested after a passenger jet was diverted to Stansted Airport under an RAF escort. The Etihad flight bound for Heathrow Airport was redirected after a passenger began making threats. Two RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled to accompany the airliner before it landed shortly before midday. An Essex Police spokeswoman said a 37-year-old British national was arrested at Stansted Airport. She said: "A 37-year-old man, a British national, has been arrested following an incident on board an Etihad Airways plane travelling from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow. "The pilot reported a passenger causing disruption and making threats. The plane was diverted to Stansted Airport where it landed just before midday. "No-one has been injured and the airport has been operating normally." A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "Typhoon aircraft were launching this morning to escort a passenger aircraft due to an incident on board. The aircraft landed safely at Stansted Airport." An Etihad Airways spokeswoman said the flight, EY19, was diverted because of a passenger. She said: "The flight was diverted from Heathrow to Stansted. This was done to offload a disruptive passenger. It was a question of inappropriate comments made on the flight and a disruptive passenger. There was no threat to the safety of the aircraft or the passengers."

Council job cuts 'top 140,000'

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Image The number of job losses threatened at local authorities because of Government spending cuts has topped the 140,000 mark, according to a study. The GMB union said 203 councils had now issued official warnings of redundancies after having their budgets slashed by central Government. The Local Government Association warned last year that 140,000 jobs could be lost, but the GMB said this figure had already been passed. Most of the local authorities in the study had issued a 90-day statutory consultation warning of job cuts, said the union. Councils have given notice that they plan to delete vacant posts and seek volunteers for early retirements and redundancy, according to GMB officials. Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary, said: "The Government is deliberately creating unemployment on a scale that we have not seen before. "As a direct consequence of the Government spending plans, the cumulative number of job losses is 140,456 for 203 authorities in Britain. To that total has to be added the job losses in the rest of the public sector. Any suggestion that frontline services for the most vulnerable people in our society are not being affected by cuts of this scale is simply nonsense.The impact for those who depend on these services will be devastating. Some services like meals on wheels in some authorities are now only available to those at death's door. "In the current circumstances it is hard to see the private sector creating enough new jobs to make up for these job losses. The money that people in work have to spend is being badly affected by the hike in VAT, high fuel prices and other inflationary pressures on the economy as pay is not keeping up with inflation. "Pay freezes in the public sector and the threatened increase in pension contributions will make matters worse."

Man arrested after jet diverted

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Image A passenger airliner has been diverted under a fighter jet escort after a man began making threats on board. The Etihad flight bound for London's Heathrow airport was redirected after the pilot reported a disruptive passenger. Two RAF Typhoon jets were scrambled to accompany the aircraft before it landed at Stansted Airport shortly before midday on Monday. An Essex Police spokeswoman said a 37-year-old British national was arrested after it touched down. She said: "A 37-year-old man, a British national, has been arrested following an incident onboard an Etihad Airways plane travelling from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow. "The pilot reported a passenger causing disruption and making threats. The plane was was diverted to Stansted Airport were it landed just before midday. No one has been injured and the airport has been operating normally." A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "Typhoon aircraft were launched to escort a passenger aircraft due to an incident on board. The aircraft landed safely at Stansted Airport." An Etihad Airways spokeswoman said the flight, EY19, was diverted because of a passenger. She said: "The flight was diverted from Heathrow to Stansted. This was done to offload a disruptive passenger. "It was a question of inappropriate comments made on the flight and a disruptive passenger. There was no threat to the safety of the aircraft or the passengers."
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