Britain Braced For More Snow Disruption

Driving Tips For Winter Weather

Updated: 11:51pm UK, Monday 14 January 2013

With many roads in the UK covered by snow and ice, motorists have being warned to take extra care.

Skidding on ice is the main concern for those driving in freezing conditions.

So what is the best advice when it comes to being safe on the roads?

The Institute of Advanced Motorists has issued some top tips for motorists:

Before setting off:

:: Plan your route according to the driving conditions.

:: Make sure your wipers are in good condition.

:: Clean your windows inside and out.

:: Top up the washer fluid with winter strength screen wash which has a freeze-resistant additive.

:: Check last year's scraper and de-icer are up to the job.

:: Check your tyres, especially the tread depth. For optimum safety opt for at least 3mm instead of the legal minimum of 1.6mm.

:: Check all lights.

:: Pack an emergency kit – high-viz jacket, food and water, boots, de-icer, scraper, torch, shovel and charged mobile phone with your breakdown emergency number.

:: If you are on regular medication, take enough with you in case you get delayed.

On the road:

:: Use the 'ice' setting if your car has one.

:: Slow down and accelerate smoothly and gradually.

:: Drive in the highest gear possible, starting off in second.

:: Make sure you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear.

:: Increase your following distance by ten times even if you have ABS.

:: Beware - light steering and reduced road noise could mean you are driving on ice.

:: Frost, ice and snow remain for longer under trees, on bridges, and in areas exposed to wind.

:: Make sure your wipers are in the off position when you stop – they can freeze to the window.

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HMV Calls In Administrators After Sales Drop

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

HMV has thrown in the towel after years of struggling to fend off nimbler rivals by calling in administrators in a move which puts more than 4,000 jobs in jeopardy.

As Sky News revealed exclusively on Monday evening, the board of HMV has served notice of its intention to appoint Deloitte to oversee last-ditch efforts to rescue the high street entertainment retailer.

Following a board meeting that lasted several hours, HMV directors, led by chairman Philip Rowley and chief executive Trevor Moore, decided the business could no longer trade without insolvency protection.

HMV had been in talks with its lenders until last week about a new financing package, the terms of which could not be agreed, according to insiders.

The company said: "On 13 December 2012, the company announced that as a result of current market trading conditions, the company faced material uncertainties and that it was probable that the group would not comply with its banking covenants at the end of January 2013.

"The company also stated that it was in discussions with its banks.

"Since that date, the company has continued the discussions with its banks and other key stakeholders to remedy the imminent covenant breach.

"However, the board regrets to announce that it has been unable to reach a position where it feels able to continue to trade outside of insolvency protection, and in the circumstances therefore intends to file notice to appoint administrators to the company and certain of its subsidiaries with immediate effect.

"The directors of the company understand that it is the intention of the administrators, once appointed, to continue to trade whilst they seek a purchaser for the business."

Trading in HMV's shares, which are now expected to be worthless, will be suspended this morning.

The appointment of Deloitte follows the accountancy firm's work on the collapse of Woolworths in 2008.

HMV has been caught between the encroachment onto its turf of supermarket chains such as Tesco and Asda, and the explosive growth of digital specialists like Amazon which are unencumbered by hefty real estate costs.

Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, said the news of HMV's potential demise was "deeply worrying":

"HMV is a national institution that has been a feature of our high streets for over 90 years, so this news is deeply worrying. 

"For the sake of HMV's employees, we hope a way can be found to keep the business going - the demise of this national institution would be a sad loss to British retail."

HMV traces its roots back to 1921, when Sir Edward Elgar, the renowned composer and conductor, opened its first store on London's Oxford Street.

Retail insiders said Deloitte is likely to be "inundated" with offers for parts of HMV's business, including its brand, but said it was unlikely that any buyer would emerge for the whole business.

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Imani Green: British Schoolgirl, 8, Shot Dead

A woman has told of the moment her young sister was gunned down and killed in a cafe in Jamaica.

Imani Green, eight, was visiting relatives on the island with her mother when she was shot in the northwestern village of Duncans, in Trelawny.

The youngster, from Balham, south London, is reported to have been shot twice, first in the head and then the shoulder. She was taken to hospital but later died. Three others were injured in the shooting.

The girl's sister, Janella Parmer, said: "We heard gunshots. We ran outside and shouted 'Imani, Imani, Imani'.

The shooting happened in Duncans in Trelawny

"I picked her up off the ground and realised she was still breathing. I flagged down a car and they drove us to hospital. The rest is history."

Imani's brother Dean Palmer, who is in his 20s, told Sky News he was completely devastated by the death of his sister, who he described as "an extremely brave girl".

Speaking before he left the UK for Jamaica, he said Imani suffered from sickle-cell anaemia and visits relatives there twice a year to get away from cold weather that worsens her condition.

He said the family had been in two minds about whether to take her this time but the trip went ahead.

Pinky's Bar in Duncans, where eight-year-old Imani Green was shot dead

Imani's cousin, Marco Dane, 17, who also lives in London, told Sky News: "She was a sweet, innocent girl. She always had a smile on her face."

Neighbours have described their sorrow following the girl's death.

One friend of the family, who asked not to be named, said: "This is a close-knit community, so this is going to hurt us."

Another added: "Nobody wants to speak, she was just a little girl. This is all so sad. We're distraught."

"We do not know the motive. What we can confirm is that Imani was not the target of this shooting," he said.

Imani's head teacher at Fircroft Primary School, in Tooting, said: "Imani was a happy, playful child who was popular with staff and pupils alike.

"She dealt with her illness very bravely and coped well with the special arrangements we had to have in place to support her.

"We are now in the process of contacting all the families of children in the same year group to break this terrible news to them and we will be taking steps to offer support and counselling."

Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan, MP for Tooting, said: "(I am) devastated to hear the news of eight-year-old schoolgirl Imani Green, a pupil at a Tooting primary school. This is terrible news."

Imani's killer is understood to have entered the premises - owned by a family member - on Friday evening and argued with another man shortly before the shooting.

Jamaica's security minister, Peter Bunting, condemned the killing.

He told the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper: "The senseless killing of a young, innocent child must outrage all well-thinking Jamaicans, and cause us to join our security forces in an intensified effort to rid our communities of criminals."

Mr Bunting said he thought the little girl might have been caught up in a lottery scam reprisal attack.

He told Channel 4 News: "The initial report that I received from the police seems to suggest that this was a reprisal attack for a shooting late last year that was related to a lottery scam."

The minister said more than 500 murders over the past five years were connected to lottery scams.

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Snow Falls Across Swathes Of Britain Overnight

Snow has fallen over parts of Britain overnight - with a much heavier band of snow on its it way.

Snow was reported across the Midlands, South East England, West Yorkshire and parts of Scotland, but did not accumulate.

A second, heavier band of sleet and snow is expected to move eastwards across the country this morning, bringing up to 10cm of snow on higher ground.

Rain and sleet will continue to spread east in the afternoon, turning to snow across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. However snow will turn to wintry showers by Monday night.

The Met Office has upgraded its "cold weather action" warning to level three - one underneath a national emergency - for all of England.

It still has three amber snow warnings in place in the East Midlands, North East England and Yorkshire to highlight the hazardous conditions and likelihood of disruption to travel services caused by the ice, snow and freezing temperatures.

Amber warnings issued for East Midlands, NE England and Yorkshire

There are also seven yellow warnings covering many parts of England and Scotland, making people aware of possible disruption.

Sky weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Central and eastern parts of England will have snow showers this morning, perhaps quite sleety in parts of the Midlands.

"This afternoon there will be further rain, sleet and snow for central and eastern England, southern areas most likely to have rain or sleet.

"Rain and sleet as well for Wales and western England first thing. Once this clears south-eastwards, it'll be drier and brighter for the afternoon but with some showers, some of which will be heavy and wintry."

Leeds Bradford Airport reported severe weather was causing disruption to its flight schedule - but it later removed the warning from its website.

Yellow warnings in many areas for people to be aware of possible disruption

Staff at Heathrow Airport monitored the weather closely but no flights were cancelled due to the weather.

The Highways Agency reported no major problems overnight, but are still braced for potential adverse weather conditions to come.

The agency has said it is "well prepared" for winter conditions.

A spokeswoman said: "We have a fleet of 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles on standby, supported by tried-and-tested winter resilience plans.

"We have reviewed salt stock levels and taken action where needed to enhance our resilience and we have again established a reserve salt stock to help ensure that there is enough salt to deal with severe winter.

"Our roads will be treated whenever there is a risk of ice or snow. However, even when roads have been treated, drivers should still take care, especially on stretches where the local road layout or landscape means there could be a greater risk of ice forming."

Temperatures are expected to drop further to around -8C on Wednesday night with the possibility of more light snow flurries.

:: Send us your photos or videos of the snow where you are.

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Jamaica: British Girl, 8, Shot Dead In Shop

An eight-year-old British girl has died after a gunman opened fire on a shop in Jamaica, according to reports.

Local media on the Caribbean island said three other people were injured in the shooting which happened in the northwestern town of Duncans, in Trelawny.

It is understood the girl is from Balham, south London, and was visiting relatives in the country with her mother.

The Sun names the victim as Imani Green and reports that she was shot twice, first in the head and then the shoulder.

She was taken to hospital but died later.

The newspaper claims the attack may be linked to an argument the owner of the shop was involved in.

The British Foreign Office said: "We can confirm the death of a British national on January 11 in Jamaica. We are providing consular assistance and liaising with local authorities."

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Britain Sends Planes To Help French Fight In Mali

Britain will provide transport planes to assist the French military operation in Mali, Downing Street has confirmed.

David Cameron spoke with Francois Hollande yesterday evening as France attempted to contain al Qaeda-linked rebels in the north of the West African country.

French military strikes on the country have already claimed the lives of at least 100 rebels in a fight over the strategic town of Konna.

Eleven Malian soldiers are reported to have been killed and a further 60 wounded in the recent fighting.

Mr Hollande has raised his country's terror threat level amid fears of retaliatory attacks in France.

He said that France "has to take all necessary precautions" in the face of a terrorist threat, including "surveillance of our public buildings and our transport network".

French troops prepare to board a flight to Mali from a base in Chad

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister spoke to President Hollande this evening to discuss the deteriorating situation in Mali and how the UK can support French military assistance provided to the Malian government to contain rebel and extremist groups in the north of the country.

"The Prime Minister has agreed that the UK will provide logistical military assistance to help transport foreign troops and equipment quickly to Mali.

"We will not be deploying any British personnel in a combat role.

"Both leaders agreed that the situation in Mali poses a real threat to international security given terrorist activity there.

"They discussed the need to work with the Malian government, regional neighbours and international partners to prevent a new terrorist haven developing on Europe's doorstep and to reinvigorate the UN led political process once the rebel advance has been halted.

"The National Security Council, which was already due to meet on Tuesday, will now consider the situation in Mali and and discuss what needs to be done to secure a lasting political settlement in Mali."

The UN's Sahel envoy Romano Prodi, left, and President Dioncounda Traore

One French pilot has died in the military action after hundreds of French soldiers were deployed in the country.

Mr Hollande took action in Mali at the request of interim President Dioncounda Traore, who has declared a state of emergency.

Western governments expressed alarm on Thursday after an al Qaeda-linked rebel alliance captured Konna, a gateway towards the capital Bamako 600km (375 miles) south.

The Malian army has said it was attacking the "last pockets of resistance" by insurgents in Konna after they recaptured it with the help of the French.

Islamist rebels seized a swathe of northern Mali last spring

Mr Hollande said the "terrorist groups, drug traffickers and extremists" in northern Mali "show a brutality that threatens us all." He vowed that the operation would last "as long as necessary".

The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has now authorised the immediate deployment of troops to Mali.

The bloc's commission president, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, said it made the decision "in light of the urgency of the situation".

For the past nine months, the Islamic militants have controlled a large swathe of northern Mali, a lawless desert region where kidnapping has flourished.

Mr Hollande said the operation was aimed in part at protecting 6,000 French citizens in Mali, including seven who are being held captive.

French Mirage 2000 D aircraft en route to the Mali operation

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Senegal and Nigeria also responded to an appeal from Mali's president for help to counter the militants.

Late last year, the 15 nations in West Africa, including Mali, agreed on a proposal for the military to take back the north, and sought backing from the UN.

The Security Council authorised the intervention but imposed certain conditions, including the training of Mali's military, which has been accused of serious human rights abuses since a military coup last year sent the nation into disarray.

Al Qaeda's affiliate in Africa has been a shadowy presence for years in the forests and deserts of poverty-stricken Mali.

Most Malians adhere to a moderate form of Islam, but in recent months the terrorist group and its allies have taken advantage of political instability, taking territory they use to stock weapons and train forces.

The Islamists have insisted they want to impose Sharia only in northern Mali, though there long have been fears they could push further south.

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Northern Ireland Clashes: Four Officers Injured

Four police officers have been injured after more than 30 petrol bombs as well as other missiles were hurled at them in another night of Union flag demonstrations in Northern Ireland.

The most serious disorder was witnessed in Carrickfergus and the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey, both on the northern outskirts of Belfast.

A bus was also set on fire during the disorder. Police deployed water cannon in an attempt to restore calm.

Two people were arrested, police said.

A small viable pipe bomb device was found on the Westlink dual carriageway in Belfast but it was unclear whether it was linked to the loyalist disorder.

There were widespread demonstrations across Northern Ireland on Friday night in co-ordinated action dubbed Operation Standstill by organisers. Police said most of the protests were peaceful.

Many roads were blocked off between 6pm and 8pm as loyalist protesters again took to the streets to voice their opposition to Belfast City Council's decision to limit the number of days the Union flag flies at City Hall.

Rugby fans travelling to Ravenhill in east Belfast for Ulster's crunch Heineken Cup game against Glasgow faced major disruption due to the pickets.

Protesters carry the Union flag in Newtownabbey

But the city centre was not as empty as might have been expected after an online campaign urged people to defy the protests.

They were urged instead to stage an "Operation sit-in" in cafes, pubs and restaurants to give businesses hit by the six-week campaign of street action a much-needed boost to trade.

Restaurateur Michael Deane told Sky News that the crisis has cost his business dearly but refused to give up.

"I think Belfast is a fabulous city. I've invested everything I have in this city," he said.

"Whether I would come to visit Belfast, looking from outside what you see on the television, no I probably wouldn't but let's hope this all goes away very quickly and people can see the Belfast that we saw last year because it's a fabulous city."

And while loyalists called people onto the streets to protest, young church leaders called them to prayer instead.

Andrew Masters, from the Christian organisation called What Now? told Sky News: "We're asking people to pray at 11:11 every day and for two real simple prayers, that peace would come and hope would come and that things that have been lost - the finance, the business, the hope - would be returned."

Around 70 police officers have been injured and more than 100 people arrested in six weeks of trouble since Belfast City Council limited the number of days the Union flag flies over Belfast City Hall.

More than 100 people have been arrested during weeks of trouble

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: "Police will continue to pursue a vigorous evidence gathering operation to bring those involved in the violence to justice."

The Democratic Unionist Party and Progressive Unionist Party have both submitted challenges in Belfast council over the decision to restrict the flying of the flag.

They claim the move contravened its equality policy.

A Belfast City Council spokeswoman said: "The decision to introduce the policy of flying the Union flag at City Hall was taken democratically by elected members at the monthly meeting of Belfast City Council on December 3.

"The council has taken legal advice throughout this process and the decision is in keeping with the outcome of the equality impact assessment that was undertaken in line with the advice of the Equality Commission.

"The designated days agreed are in keeping with those notified by the UK Government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport."

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