Manti Te'o Denies Role In Dead Girlfriend Hoax

American college football star Manti Te'o has insisted he played no role in the hoax involving his 'imaginary girlfriend'.

In his first interview since the scandal erupted, the Notre Dame linebacker said he was tricked by three people who have confessed they were behind the deception and apologised.

But Te'o accepted he did lie to his father about meeting the 'girl' because he was embarrassed they had never met - and to cover that up, he lied to everyone else.

"I wasn't part of this," he told ESPN . "When they hear the facts they'll know. Two guys and a girl are responsible for the whole thing."

Te'o's virtual relationship began when a girl calling herself 'Lennay Kekua' sent him a friend request on Facebook. In the months that followed the pair had sporadic contact on the internet and over the phone.

Te'o: 'I wasn't part of this. Two guys and a girl are responsible'

But whenever he tried to speak to her on Skype, the picture was always blocked. On several occasions he arranged to meet her in person, but she would always call off the meeting or sent others in her place.

Te'o referred to Lennay as his girlfriend several times, but he denies creating 'Lennay' or her 'death' to boost his career.

After he received a message from someone who claimed 'Lennay' had died of leukaemia, Te'o admitted he misled the public about the nature of their relationship because he was too embarrassed to admit he had never met her in person.

Te'o publicly referred to Lennay as his girlfriend several times

He said: "That goes back to what I did with my dad. I knew it was crazy that I was with somebody that I didn't meet so I tailored my stories so people would think, 'yeah, he met her before she passed away'."

Te'o insisted he did not know 'Lennay' was not real until two days ago, when he claims he was contacted by a 22-year-old man who confessed he was the perpetrator, along with one other man and a woman.

He said their relationship intensified after 'Lennay' told him her father had died.

"She told me her dad passed away, and I was there. I was that shoulder to cry on, and I kind of just naturally cared for the person," he said.

But je insisted he wasn't aware she wasn't real until two days ago

He was also once told 'Lennay' had been in a car accident and was in hospital in a coma.

"I would ask to talk to her, and the only communication I had was through Noah, her brother," he said. "He would put the phone right next to her mouth and I could hear the ventilator going and she would be breathing.

"They said every time I was on the phone the nurse noticed that she must have recognised the voice because she would breath quicker and I could hear it on the phone."

When asked why he did not visit 'Lennay' in hospital, Te'o said: "It never really crossed my mind. I don't know. I was in school."

When asked what he thought should happen to the alleged perpetrator, Te'o replied: "I hope he learns, I hope he understands what he's done. I don't wish an ill thing to somebody. I think embarrassment is big enough."

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Horse Abattoir Film Reveals Welfare Breaches

By Jason Farrell, Sky Correspondent

Sky News has uncovered shocking animal welfare conditions at a UK horse abattoir.

They include animals being beaten, neglected and illegal procedures in the process of slaughtering British horses destined for European food markets.

It comes amid public anger that some of our biggest supermarkets have been selling beef burgers and other products that contained horse meat.

Sky News visited the Red Lion Abattoir near Nantwich in Cheshire after concerns were raised by Animal Welfare Group Hillside Animal Sanctuary.

Investigators at Hillside fitted secret cameras which filmed horses being beaten with an iron rod to encourage them into the pens. 

Some were then crammed into the slaughter pens in pairs and, on one occasion, a group of three, before being stunned together.

The video revealed horses hit with sticks to goad them into slaughter pens

In harrowing images the horses fall on top of each other. Under The Welfare of  Animals Act 1995, horses should not be slaughtered in sight of one another because of the distress it causes.

Furthermore, Sky News found that sick or injured horses were left untended overnight rather than put down immediately.

As a result of the investigation, two slaughter men have had their licences revoked.

Craig Kirby, head of approvals and veterinary advice at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) told Sky News: "As soon as we got the footage and reviewed it we took immediate action to revoke the slaughter men's licences.

"That means they cannot work to slaughter animals again. We will also look to gather further evidence to see if we can prosecute."

Former government chief veterinary officer Keith Meldrum, who viewed the footage, said he was shocked by what he described as "appalling" welfare breaches.

"We see three animals stunned at the same time and it is totally illegal and contrary to welfare slaughter regulations," he said.

"It's a significant welfare problem for a number of reasons. It's harder to render them unconscious in a group and they have a higher chance of regaining consciousness before you've completed the procedure."

Another incident filmed included a horse that appeared to come round from the stun while being hung upside down before being bled. Mr Meldrum described it as "totally and completely unacceptable".

Some 8,426 horses were slaughtered in the UK in 2012

FSA statistics released to Sky News show a dramatic increase in the number of UK horses slaughtered every year, from 3,859 in 2007 to 8,426 in 2012.

Depending on the size and breed they are bought for anything between £100 to £300 and can fetch around 700 euro on the European meat markets.

The animals come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are former pets, others come from show jumping or the race track.

A report last year from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) found: "The number of thoroughbreds reported dead to the Horse Passport Issuing Authority rose by 580 - an increase of 29% - from 1994 to 2574 horses.

"Of these, 1127 horses either in training, breeding or out of training were reported as killed in abattoirs - and reported to the Government Meat Hygiene Service - from 499 horses in 2010, an increase of 126%."

However, in a statement to Sky News, the BHA added: "This is a wider equine issue and not an issue for the British racing industry, which is one of the country's most highly regulated equine pursuits.

"However, if there are allegations that any horse, whether thoroughbred or not, is being inhumanely treated in an abattoir we would fully support any investigation and subsequent action, if appropriate."

During the investigation, Hillside Animal Sanctuary rescued one racehorse called Underwriter by bidding against the abattoir at auction. They discovered it had a distinguished career.

John Watson, from Hillside, said: "It's not just ill and old horses being killed. There are very many fit and healthy horses, horses with foals, pregnant mares, and thoroughbreds that are being treated badly.

Red Lion Abattoir said they had revoked the license of two slaughtermen

"It blows away the myth of humane slaughter, and there is a misery in that place that is palpable."

Hillside's lead investigator, who did not want to be identified, added: "What we've found has shocked us deeply; animals left with horrendous injuries and horses shot on top of each other.

"In all the years I've been doing this work, without doubt it's the most harrowing experience I've come across. All the horses in there had their heads hung down."

The Red Lion Abattoir told us it views animal welfare and public health with paramount importance.

In a statement it said: "In attendance at the The Red Lion Abattoir are three full time Food Standards Officers comprising of an official veterinarian and full-time meat hygiene inspectors throughout production."

It said the incidents were "not the norm, but of an isolated nature" and they have taken disciplinary action against the individual featured.

The statement continued: "I agree horses should individually enter the stunning area and most certainly not three at a time.

"However, small horses and ponies having spent years together as companions are difficult to separate. Horse lovers would understand that.

"My opinion and that of other veterinarians is it is better to keep those types together to reduce the stress, providing swift dispatch is achieved."

The Red Lion Abattoir also insisted it meat was not part of the recent supermarket burger scandal.

The horses there are destined to be served in European food markets. The scandal this time is the way they are treated, in the last moments of their lives, in a licenced British abattoir. 

Roly Owers, chief executive of World Horse Welfare, viewed the footage and said: "The breaches, from what we've seen, are throughout; from the care of the animals to the slaughter process.

"Horses are intelligent animals. When they see an animal stunned in front of them you can only imagine the distress that animal is going through. There are, without doubt, welfare issues here and it is plain illegal."

The RSPCA said "The footage is shocking and upsetting to watch."  They have requested a full copy of the film with a view to investigating.

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Blockbuster Shuts 129 Shops And Slashes Staff

The collapsed DVD and games rental firm Blockbuster is to close 129 of its 528 shops and axe 760 workers in the coming weeks.

Some 31 branches have already been put on notice of closure, according to the company's administrators Deloitte.

The move means the chain is already planning to close a quarter of its branches and make 18% of its workforce redundant.

It was announced just days after the chain went into administration in a run of bad news for the British high street.

There will be fears that this is just the first step in taking apart a company that employs more than 4,000 people in the UK.

Lee Manning, of administrator Deloitte, said: "Having reviewed the portfolio with management, the store closure plan is an inevitable consequence of having to restructure the company to a profitable core which is capable of being sold.

"We would like to thank the company's employees for their support and professionalism during this difficult time. We are also grateful to the customers for their continued support."

An employee helpline and an "employee assistance programme" have been set up to help staff find other jobs.

The firm's trading woes were blamed on competition from internet firms and digital streaming of movies and games.

Blockbuster had struggled to adapt to the changing market and rivalry from internet retailers including Netflix, Amazon's LoveFilm and iTunes, which now offers a movie rental service.

Its collapse came after its own plans to break into film-streaming appeared to stall in recent months.

It follows the demise of camera chain Jessops and electricals group Comet, which also blamed competition from online players for their downfall.

Just a day before Blockbuster went into administration, the music and entertainment chain HMV went under following dismal Christmas sales.

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Armstrong: I Deserve To Compete Again

Lance Armstrong believes he should be given the opportunity to compete again, saying his life ban feels like a "death penalty".

The 41-year-old Texan has confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs during all seven of his Tour de France victories. He was stripped of all results from August 1, 1998 and banned from sport for life.

Armstrong was competing in triathlons, mountain bike events and marathons before he was sanctioned and believes he deserves that opportunity in the future, suggesting a life ban is not right.

In the second part of their television interview, he told Oprah Winfrey: "I can't lie to you. I'd love the opportunity to be able to compete, but that isn't the reason that I'm doing this.

"Frankly, this might not be the most popular answer, but I think I deserve it (to be able to compete again).

Armstrong competing before he was sanctioned

"I deserve to be punished. I'm not sure that I deserve a death penalty."

Eleven of Armstrong's former team-mates gave evidence against him in exchange for six-month suspensions.

He added: "If you look at the situation, if you look at that culture, you look at the sport, you see the punishments. I could go back to that time ...you're trading my story for a six-month suspension.

"That's what people got, what everybody got. I got a death penalty. I'm not saying that that's unfair, necessarily, but I'm saying it's different."

After years of denials, Armstrong confirmed that during his record run, from 1999 to 2005, he used blood-boosting agent EPO, blood doping, testosterone, cortisone and human growth hormone.

Armstrong, who was last October stripped of all results dating from August 1, 1998 and banned from sport for life, denied doping during his comeback from retirement in 2009, when he finished third in the Tour, and 2010.

He has also refuted suggestions he paid off cycling's world governing body, the UCI, to cover up a positive test in 2001.

In hindsight he wishes he had co-operated with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)investigation which proved his downfall.

Co-operation could have meant a lesser penalty.

Armstrong's long-time sponsors each deserted him in quick succession following the publication of the USADA report, but he said the most challenging moment was when his own Lance Armstrong Foundation, the charity known now as Livestrong, distanced itself from him.

"The foundation is like my sixth child and to make that decision, and to step aside, was big," said Armstrong, who expressed his wish the charity can thrive without being associated with him.

"I wouldn't at all say [I was] forced out, told to leave. I was aware of the pressure. It was the best thing for our organisation, but it hurt like hell. That was the lowest [moment]."

The full interview will be shown on Discovery at 8pm on Saturday

Asked if he feels disgraced, Armstrong said: "Of course, but I also feel humbled. I feel ashamed - this is ugly stuff. It's a process. And I think we're at the beginning of the process."

Armstrong confirmed he has been undergoing therapy to deal with his demons.

His competitive desire remains, though. Asked whether he believes his life ban should be overturned, he said: "Selfishly, yes. But realistically I don't think that's going to happen. And I have to live with that."

Winfrey asked Armstrong: "Did anyone know the whole truth?"

"Yeah," he replied, but there was no follow-up to ascertain who.

Armstrong was emotional when discussing his 13-year-old son Luke, with tears welling up in his eyes and hesitated in giving answers, his voice croaking.

He had discovered Luke was defending him at school and had to address the matter.

Armstrong said: "That's when I knew I had to tell him. He'd never asked me. He'd never said 'Dad, is this true?' He trusted me. He heard about it in the hallways.

"I said: 'Don't defend me anymore'. I said: 'If anyone says anything to you, do not defend me. Just say my dad said he was sorry'.

"He said: 'Look, I love you, you're my dad, this won't change that'."

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Kim Dotcom To Launch New File Sharing Megasite

What Are Cyberlockers?

Updated: 12:48pm UK, Saturday 19 January 2013

Cyberlockers are also known as cloud storage or file storage services, which enable users to keep files, or back them up, on the Internet.

Users can access files from these virtual storage lockers, which operate on remote servers, from any computer with an internet connection, often more quickly than on personal computers.

Many of these sites offer limited free storage, and users can pay for more capacity through subscriptions.

:: What are they used for?

Like cloud storage services, users can use cyberlockers to store photos, documents, music and video files, which are often too large to save on personal computers.

Users can grant access to these files at their discretion, while many sites enable users to search for content.

Many cloud storage services are promoted as a business tool to enable several people to access shared files, while cyberlockers often refer to services for individual use. Both are interchangeable in their uses.

:: Why are they controversial?

The entertainment industry has been a vocal opponent of cyberlockers containing copyrighted films and music, arguing that it is illegal to distribute such material without their consent.

Site operators say they cannot be held responsible for any illegally obtained content as it is impossible for them to monitor the massive number of files stored on their servers.

They say they do not knowingly enable users to store and share illegal material.

Sites offer a "take-down" feature which enables copyright holders to order cyberlocker users? Or the locker operator?  to remove unpermissioned content. The understanding is that any delay or refusal to act may make the cyberlocker?? liable for such content.

:: What role does encryption play?

Encrypted files feature a code designed to stop the file being hacked. Some cyberlockers offer this feature to guarantee users privacy of their files.

Many in the technology and security industries see considerable merits to file encryption, as it would secure large files, including government documents, stored on offshore servers.

While protecting the privacy of files, encryption also enables users to conceal them. Mega, Kim Dotcom's cyberlocker to be launched on January 20 features a file encryption system which will enable users to encode their files before storing them on the Mega servers.

Once the file is encrypted and stored, they are accessible only using a decryption key which the fileholder alone will control.

As a result, Dotcom claims that the fileholder will be solely responsible for the content stored on Mega, and that the
site operator cannot be held liable for content as it will nothave access to any of the files stored in the cyberlocker.

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Weather: Snow And Ice Causes Heathrow Misery

The UK's busiest airport has been forced to cut its flight schedule by 20% as the country's transport network continues to struggle with freezing weather conditions.

Heathrow Airport in west London said it was reducing the number of flights scheduled for Sunday by at least a fifth after forecasters predicted another 2-6cm of snow and low visibility in the area.

Passengers are being urged to check with their airlines before travelling to the airport - where bosses are warning weather conditions at other European airports could further decimate schedules.

Passengers at Heathrow have been facing disruption after many were stranded on planes for seven hours or forced to spend a night on the floor.

More than 100 Saturday flights have been cancelled and travellers have been complaining about check-in queues of up to two hours as staff battle to clear a backlog caused by 400 cancellations on Friday.

Elsewhere, drivers are being warned of treacherous conditions after heavy snow on Friday across much of Britain turned to ice overnight.

A young woman from Peterborough was killed in a crash involving a number of vehicles shortly after 6pm on Friday, Lincolnshire Police said.

Planes grounded at Heathrow Airport

It is not known if anyone else was injured in the accident, which happened in bad weather on the A1 at Little Ponton, near Grantham.

Humberside Fire and Rescue said seven passengers were taken to hospital after a double-decker bus collided with two cars and ploughed into a garden.

The Met Office is forecasting more snow for Sunday and has issued yellow warnings for ice for large swathes of the country and a severe red warning for South Wales, which has experienced some of the worst weather.

:: Are you stuck at Heathrow? Contact the Sky news desk on news@sky.com.

With more heavy snow possible on Sunday, the Highways Agency has said its fleet of snow ploughs and gritters will be out in force throughout the weekend.

Heathrow said its runways were open on Saturday with no restrictions, but services were still being disrupted following Friday's heavy snow.

Of 104 flights cancelled on Saturday, 100 were with British Airways, which has faced criticism for its handling of the disruption so far.

A woman sleeping on the floor at Heathrow

Husband and wife David and Janet Brindle, from Cumbria, branded BA's customer service and treatment of passengers caught up in the chaos as "appalling" and said some people had been close to tears.

The couple sat on a plane at Manchester airport from 9am until 3pm on Friday and have been stuck at Heathrow since missing their connecting flight to New Zealand.

Mrs Brindle said: "They got us off the plane but our bags weren't off. Not a single person came to tell us what was happening.

"Most people missed their connecting long-haul flights from Heathrow. We were advised to make our own way to Heathrow, so that's what we did.

"Nobody knew what they were doing. They couldn't tell us anything - they were quite rude, actually."

A British Airways spokesman said: "We have unfortunately had to make a number of cancellations today, mainly due to knock-on disruption from yesterday.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled since Friday

"So we've got a number of aircraft out of position and it's quite a complex operation to put that back together."

BA says it is offering customers who no longer wish to travel this weekend the chance to rebook their flight at a later date and providing refunds and overnight accommodation, or letters to make a claim, to those who could not fly.

Some passengers on British Airways flights told Sky News that they have spent up to seven hours on aircraft which have never left the runway.

Sky Reporter Clare Fallon, at Heathrow, said: "It's a surreal sight, there are hundreds of people on the floor trying to get some sleep because they are essentially stranded here. Some have told me they have been here since 11am yesterday morning.

"People feel very frustrated and stressed, and they don't understand how a relatively small amount of snow has been able to cause so much chaos."

A Gatwick spokeswoman said the airport is operating as normal on Saturday, with 505 flights scheduled and no knock-on effect from earlier bad weather.

In Northern Ireland, around 2,400 homes have been left without electricity after the severe weather caused power cuts along the east Down coast.

The Highways Agency said several motorway lanes and major A roads had closed due to the snow and ice, as well as several crashes.

Drivers have been warned to be extra careful as freezing temperatures turn the snow to treacherous ice.

The deepest snowfall has been measured at 26cm in Sennybridge, Wales, although snow has been thawing in other areas and some train services have been returning to normal.

There have also been severe hold-ups for rail passengers, with many companies cancelling services to help them cope with problems caused by the weather.

Eurostar passengers are facing delays of up to 30 minutes due to speed restrictions in France and Virgin Trains cancelled a number of services from London to Birmingham to Manchester, while others were delayed.

But while commuters have been facing misery, the winter wonderland scenes have brought joy to thousands of youngsters who got a long weekend after schools were forced to shut.

The weather has also disrupted the sporting calendar, with six football matches in League One, eight in League Two and six in Scotland postponed.

Race meetings at Ascot and Haydock have also been called off.

:: Send in your weather photos and videos

Heavy snow is once again expected across the North East and Scotland, while other areas will see patchier coverage.

On Sunday, between 2-5cm of snow is predicted for the South East, the Midlands, East Anglia and Lincolnshire.

Darron Burness, from the AA, said commuting in the wintry conditions was "likely to test man and machine".

Those who decide to travel have been urged to travel prepared with a fully charged mobile phone, warm waterproof clothes, boots and a blanket, some food and drink, and have a torch, ice scraper, de-icer and a shovel.

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Bulgaria: Turkish Politician Escapes Gun Attack

A man jumped on stage and pointed a gun at the leader of Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish party before security guards wrestled him to the ground during a televised conference.

Ahmed Dogan, the long-time leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) escaped unscathed - and it was not immediately clear why he had been targeted at the party congress in Sofia.

Television footage showed a man jumping out of the audience and interrupting a speech by 58-year-old Mr Dogan, who has led the party for almost a quarter of a century.

Security guards were seen beating and kicking the man.

The attacker was later escorted from the conference by security guards

"Ahmed Dogan is in good health. Everything is under control," MRF official Ceyhan Ibryamov told journalists.

Police said they had arrested a 25-year-old man from the Black Sea town of Burgas. They said the attacker was also carrying two knives.

The liberal MRF party represents ethnic Turks and other Muslims who make up about 12% of Bulgaria's 7.3 million population.

Mr Dogan is seen as one of Balkan country's most influential political figures. The MRF was a junior partner in the previous
Socialist-led cabinet.

In 1996, former prime minister Andrei Lukanov was found shot dead near his home in Sofia, though attacks on politicians are rare.

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Ukraine's Tymoshenko 'Accused' Of 1996 Murder

The former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been named as a suspect in the murder of a businessman and his wife in 1996.

Ukranian authorities have formally notified Tymoshenko that she is suspected of "ordering and organising" the contract-style killing of the couple and two other people.

The Prosecutor General's Office said on its website that the murder appeared aimed at eliminating a business rival.

While the notice is not a formal charge, it does indicate that charges against the 52-year-old are likely.

Yulia Tymoshenko shows off bruises she received in prison

Tymoshenko is serving a seven-year prison term for abuse of office while negotiating a gas deal with Russia in 2009.

However, Western nations, including the UK, have called her imprisonment politically motivated and the European Union has frozen a key deal with Ukraine because of it.

Tymoshenko denies the allegation and said it is part of a broader campaign against her by the President, Viktor Yanukovych, who, she says, wants to keep her in prison and out of politics.

Eugenia Tymoshenko, daughter of Yulia: the family fears for her health

The latest move against Tymoshenko, who led the Orange Revolution and often made headlines in the West because of her unique hairstyle, is expected to further mar relations with the EU.             

Tymoshenko's party said the formal announcement of suspicion represented a "shameful day in the history of the Ukrainian law enforcement system."

The European Court of Human Rights is expected to rule on the Tymoshenko gas case in the next few weeks, and analysts said the murder case was the government's attempt to keep her in jail during the 2015 presidential campaign.

Tymoshenko lead the Orange Revolution and became prime minister in 2005

Vadim Karasyov, a political analyst with ties to the government, told the Interfax news agency: "It is evident that the Ukrainian authorities are really and seriously intent on keeping Tymoshenko in jail."

Meanwhile, Tymoshenko's family has expressed concern over the state of her health. She is undergoing hospital treatment for a severe back condition.

Her lawyer, Serhiy Vlasenko, said on Friday that when he tried to see her recently, she was unresponsive for several minutes.

Doctors insisted she was in a satisfactory condition and was under the influence of sedatives.

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Algeria: 'Seven Hostages Die' As Stand-off Ends

The hostage situation at an Algerian gas plant has been brought to an end with more deaths, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has said.

Seven hostages were reportedly killed and 16 others freed amid reports of a "final assault" by Algerian special forces on the complex that had been taken over by Islamist militants.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said fewer than 10 British nationals were still "at risk or unaccounted for" after a four-day stand-off.

He warned that the country needed to prepare for more "bad news" as the Algerian state news agency APS said the militants took the lives of seven foreign hostages.

Their nationalities have not been specified.

A police checkpoint near the In Amenas gas installation

The latest fatalities are in addition to the reported deaths of 12 detainees and 18 terrorists earlier on in the crisis.

Downing Street said Prime Minister David Cameron had spoken to his Algerian counterpart who confirmed the operation to resolve the crisis has ended.

BP chief executive Bob Dudley said 18 of its workers were at the site at the time of the rebel attack and four were still unaccounted for.

Algerian special forces are said by APS to have stormed the natural gas installation in the middle of the Sahara desert. They reportedly killed 11 militants holding out inside the plant.

An ambulance enters a hospital in the town of In Amenas

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond confirmed eight Scottish residents involved in the hostage crisis were "safe and secure".

Mr Hammond, speaking during a news conference with US counterpart Leon Panetta, said: "The hostage situation has been brought to an end by a further assault by Algerian forces which has resulted in further loss of life."

He said the loss of life was "appalling and unacceptable and we must be clear that it is the terrorists who bear sole responsibility for it".

Philip Hammond speaking at a news conference

A local source told the Reuters news agency that 16 other hostages, including two Americans, two Germans and one Portuguese national, were free.

Reuters also reported the plant has been mined by the terrorist group and was being cleared by Algerian troops.

Algerian authorities estimate that around 30 militants took over the In Amenas site on Wednesday.

Earlier, Mr Hague was cautious in his comments on Saturday afternoon, stressing: "This situation is still going on. It remains a very difficult and dangerous situation."

The siege took place at the gas complex in eastern Algeria

He continued: "Of course our priority remains the welfare of British nationals caught up in this incident. The large majority of British nationals originally caught up in it are now safe and accounted for.

"As of now, there are fewer than 10 British nationals at risk or unaccounted for but that of course means we must of course continue to prepare ourselves for bad news."

Addressing the wider terrorist threat, he added: "This whole incident underlines the scale and ruthlessness of the terrorist threat that we and other nations face.

"We underline our resolve to deal with that and to defeat such terrorism and murder, working with allies across the world and including in North Africa."

In Amenas in eastern Algeria is near the border with Libya

Mr Hague chaired an emergency Cobra meeting earlier on Saturday and a second would be held later today.

A consular team is now on the ground to help the Britons who have escaped and ambassador Martyn Roper is in the town of In Amenas near the gas complex.

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Scotland Avalanche: Three Climbers Missing

Three climbers are missing and a major rescue operation is under way after an avalanche in Glencoe, Scotland.

Northern Constabulary and mountain rescue teams were alerted to the emergency on Bidean Nam Bain at about 2pm.

One woman, who is said to be seriously injured, has been taken to Belford Hospital in Fort William while a male climber has been found safe and well.

Glencoe mountain rescue team is continuing to look for three other members of the party, helped by Lochaber mountain rescue team and police search and rescue dogs.

More follows...

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