Clarkson: Falklands Row Mob Attack 'Terrifying'

Jeremy Clarkson has told how he and his Top Gear crew were attacked by an angry crowd armed with rocks and pickaxe handles - saying it was "the most terrifying thing I've ever been involved in".

The 54-year-old was in Argentina filming a special for his TV show when his team had to abandon their cars on the roadside as they were pelted with stones.

The violence was sparked by Clarkson driving a Porsche with the registration plate H982 FKL, which some interpreted as a dig over the Falklands conflict of 1982.

A mob rounded on Clarkson and fellow presenters Richard Hammond and James May near the southern city of Ushuaia and tried to attack them with pickaxe handles while yelling "burn their cars".

Clarkson said his car's number plate was pure coincidence

Clarkson told The Sun: "I've been to Iraq and Afghanistan, but this was the most terrifying thing I've ever been involved in.

"There were hundreds of them. They were hurling rocks and bricks at our cars. This is not just some kind of jolly Top Gear jape - this was deadly serious."

BBC bosses said the number plate was a coincidence and was not chosen deliberately, but it led to protests in Argentina, including a demonstration by war veterans outside the team's hotel.

Clarkson said someone could have been killed during the attack after returning to the UK on Saturday morning.

In a series of Tweets, he said: "All TG crew now safely out of Argentina. I just got back to UK.

"The number plate WAS a coincidence. When it was pointed out to us, we changed it.

"And these war veterans we upset. Mostly they were in their 20s. Do the maths.

"They threw us out for the political capital. Thousands chased crew to border. Someone could have been killed.

"This was not a jolly jape that went awry. For once, we did nothing wrong."

Top Gear's executive producer Andy Wilman said: "Top Gear production purchased three cars for a forthcoming programme; to suggest that this car was either chosen for its number plate, or that an alternative number plate was substituted for the original, is completely untrue."

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Alan Henning's Family 'Numb With Grief'

The family of Alan Henning have paid tribute to a "decent, caring human being" after he was murdered by Islamic State (IS), saying they are devastated.

In a statement they thanked those who campaigned for his release, saying they had comfort "knowing how many people stood beside us in hoping for the best".

"There are few words to describe how we feel at this moment. Myself, Lucy and Adam, and all of Alan's family and friends are numb with grief," the statement said.

Support from the Government, Foreign Office and Greater Manchester Police "meant that we were able to get through the most awful of times", the family said.

The statement went on to add: "His interest was in the welfare of others.

Video: Henning 'Handed Death Sentence'

"He will be remembered for this and we as a family are extremely proud of him and what he achieved and the people he helped."

David Cameron earlier vowed to do "everything we can" to "hunt down" Mr Henning's killers.

Mr Cameron had met officials from the Foreign Office, intelligence agencies and the military at Chequers, his official country residence.

Video: Imam Condemns Alan Henning's Murder

The PM said: "We will use all the assets we have as we have been up to now to try and find these hostages, to try and help these hostages, to help their families and do everything we can to defeat this organisation which is utterly ruthless, senseless and barbaric in the way it treats people."

Mr Cameron also paid tribute to Mr Henning, the second Briton to be beheaded by IS, for his "kindness, peacefulness and gentleness".

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "We will do everything we can to support the efforts of the Government to bring those guilty of this terrible act to justice."

Video: Shock At Murder Of Alan Henning

A video lasting one minute and 11 seconds and titled Another Message To America And Its Allies, was posted on YouTube on Friday.

It shows Mr Henning, a taxi-driver who was captured on an aid mission in Syria in December 2013, kneeling in front of a knife-wielding militant in a desert setting before being beheaded in front of the camera.

Mr Henning, who is dressed in red, says: "I am Alan Henning. Because of our Parliament's decision to attack the Islamic State, I, as a member of the British public, will now pay the price for that decision."

Video: Al Qaeda Could Not Free Henning

The masked killer, who speaks with a British accent and is believed to be the man responsible for previous beheadings, makes a direct statement to Mr Cameron: "The blood of David Haines was on your hands, Cameron. Alan Henning will also be slaughtered, but his blood is on the hands of the British Parliament."

Last week MPs voted to join the US-led coalition and take part in airstrikes against IS fighters in Iraq.

At the end of the video another hostage, a former US soldier turned charity worker believed to be Peter Edward Kassig, is paraded in front of the cameras. The militant in the video says Mr Kassig will be the next victim.

Video: Terry Waite: Beheading 'Tragic'

The UK Muslim community condemned Mr Henning's murder, which came on the eve of the Islamic festival Eid Al-Adha.

Leaders said it was a "cowardly and criminal act" and called for action to be taken to bring the terrorists to justice.

:: Full coverage now on Sky News – watch Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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1. Gallery: Profile: Alan Henning

   Alan Henning, 47, was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. Friends gave him the nickname "gadget" due to his love of technology

2. He was married for 23 years and he had a teenage son and daughter

3. He worked as a self-employed taxi driver

4. Mr Henning saw the plight of Syrian people and volunteered with a Muslim charity. He had been to the region at least three times

5. He drove life-saving medical equipment from the UK to Syria in old ambulances. He left in December 2013 to make the 4,000-mile trip

6. He was kidnapped by IS in Syria by masked men. He may have been held in Ad Dana near Aleppo, then Raqqa

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United Outrage Over Alan Henning Murder

Condemnation of Alan Henning's murder has been swift and fierce, with the Prime Minister calling the killing "repulsive" and Muslim leaders labelling it "despicable and offensive".

David Cameron said the beheading shows "just how barbaric and repulsive these terrorists are" and vowed to "hunt down these murderers and bring them to justice".

"My thoughts and prayers tonight are with Alan's wife Barbara, their children and all those who loved him," said Mr Cameron, who has just increased the jets targeting IS in Iraq from six to eight.

Labour leader Ed Miliband described the killing as "appalling and barbaric", while Deputy PM Nick Clegg said the UK was "resolved to defeat this evil".

RAF jets this week launched their first attacks against IS positions in Iraq after MPs voted overwhelmingly for military action.

Alan Henning went on several aid trips to Syria

They have carried out strikes against IS targets on four missions, destroying vehicles, command and control positions and machine gun posts.

Outspoken Respect MP George Galloway also took to Twitter to condemn what he described as "a depraved Satanic act committed by devils in human form".

Video: Islamic State: Audio Of Threat

President Barack Obama, who has seen two of his own citizens killed on camera by a masked IS militant, led international revulsion, condemning the "brutal murder".

"Standing together with our UK friends and allies, we will work to bring the perpetrators of Alan's murder - as well as the murders of Jim Foley, Steven Sotloff and David Haines - to justice."

He added: "Mr Henning worked to help improve the lives of the Syrian people and his death is a great loss for them, for his family and the people of the United Kingdom,"

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1. Gallery: Profile: Alan Henning

   Alan Henning, 47, was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. Friends gave him the nickname "gadget" due to his love of technology

2. He was married for 23 years and he had a teenage son and daughter

3. He worked as a self-employed taxi driver

4. Mr Henning saw the plight of Syrian people and volunteered with a Muslim charity. He had been to the region at least three times

5. He drove life-saving medical equipment from the UK to Syria in old ambulances. He left in December 2013 to make the 4,000-mile trip

6. He was kidnapped by IS in Syria by masked men. He may have been held in Ad Dana near Aleppo, then Raqqa

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande said he was "outraged by the heinous crime" and vowed that his country would continue their own airstrikes against IS.

Senior Muslim figures in the UK, whose direct appeals to the terror group to free Mr Henning fell on deaf ears, also hit out at the killing, labelling the group as having "no regard for Islam".

"It is quite clear that the murderers of Alan Henning have no regard ... for the Muslims around the world who pleaded for his life," said Dr Shuja Shafi, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain.

Video: Wife Pleads For Henning's Release

"Alan was a friend of Muslims, and he will be mourned by Muslims," he added.

"They are nothing but criminals," said Sughra Amed, the President of the Islamic Society of Britain.

She told Sky News: "Every Muslim I know, or have come across, or have seen commenting on this in the public eye has said exactly that."

Video: 'Another Example Of IS Brutality'

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Dozens Die In Stampede At Indian Festival

By Neville Lazarus, Sky News India producer

Thirty-two people, mostly women an children, have been killed in a stampede in northern India triggered by rumours that an electrical cable had fallen on people during a hindu festival.

The stampede started when thousands of people who had gathered at Gandhi Maidan in the state of Bihar to celebrate the festival of Dusshera started to leave the venue after watching an effigy of the demon God Ravana set ablaze.

Home secretary of the state of Bihar, Amir Subhani, said: "Thirty-two people have died in the stampede ... A few dozen people could be injured. Senior officials are at the hospital, including the Health Secretary, and treatment is being ensured."

The celebrations were organised by the government, but witnesses say it lacked crowd control measures. 

Anxious people were seen searching for missing relatives at hospitals. Many were seen shouting slogans against the administration and the government.

The police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Dusshera is a popular Hindu festival which is celebrated across India. The day is celebrated as a triumph of good over evil.

Large crowds at religious festivals have been a major concern for authorities, but it's the lack of crowd control and proper administrative organisation that has led to such tragedies.

In February this year, a stampede killed 36 people at the Kumbh festival, the largest gathering of religious pilgrims in the world, and in October last year, a stampede in Ratangarh in central India killed 115 people.

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IS Beheadings Provoke 'Clash Of Civilizations'

Twenty one years ago American historian Samuel Huntingdon famously argued that the world was heading towards a "Clash of Civilizations" between Islam and the Christian democratic West.

Some critics dismissed his argument as a fumbling towards a new enemy now that the Cold War was over.

But he had a good student living in the caves of Afghanistan and on 9/11 Osama bin Laden proved Huntingdon's point.

Within days the United States had come out with a "you're either with us or with the terrorists" slogan, announced the War on Terror, and began invasion plans not only for Afghanistan but Iraq too.

From the perspective of many followers of Islam the WoT very quickly began to look more like a War on Muslims - the clash was underway. 

Turkish soldiers on the Syrian border near the southeastern town of Suruc

Defence spending soared in the West. Spy agencies' budgets enjoyed a bonanza.

Rights preventing detention without trial were undermined, habeas corpus came under threat, America began using drones to conduct extrajudicial executions of alleged terrorist enemies (including of its own citizens) in Pakistan, the Yemen and Somalia.

Video: Alan Henning Beheaded In IS Video

The argument was, and remains, that al Qaeda and its franchise posed a strategic threat to American and European interests.

It did not, and is many decades from being in a position to do so.

Notwithstanding the mass killings in London on 7/7, the Madrid bombings and other atrocities, al Qaeda cannot cut fuel supplies, disrupt trade routes, and cripple economies.

That kind of war against the West could only conceivably be carried out by the Russian commonwealth, China, or both.

Indeed the WoT has exposed weaknesses in the West's combat potential and political structures that play into the hands of strategic rivals.

By the end of the noughties the war in Iraq was over. This year the Afghan campaign is due to end.

Video: Al Qaeda Could Not Free Henning

The WoT had gone out of fashion and the Clash of Civilizations caused by the Bush administration's overreaction to al Qaeda began to look like a tense standoff.

Then along came Islamic State. It's found a new way to cause overreaction - the televised beheading of Westerners.

Specifically, of those who had already risked their lives to expose the suffering of ordinary Muslims in Syria, who had in large part been abandoned by the West in the revolution against Bashar al Assad.

It's perfectly normal to feel a visceral rage at the murder of Alan Henning and his fellow hostages, to demand their killers and the structures behind them be annihilated.

But attack is precisely what IS wishes to provoke - to keep the Clash alive.

So far their tactic has had strategic effect. With no serious threat to the West, IS has provoked the US, and her allies into airstrikes across Iraq and Syria.

Video: IS Threatens To Kill US Hostage

In Iraq they may hold IS back - but in Syria they are little more than punishment raids that have resulted in new recruits to IS and a reinforcement of Mr Assad's military standing.

They have reinvigorated the Clash of Civilizations without any prospect of success. That will only come when the two civilizations comprehend mutual respect - a very distant prospect.

Rudyard Kipling wrote: "East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet".

It's often forgotten that he added: "But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,

"When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the end of the earth!"

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World First As Baby Is Born From Donated Womb

By Sean Dilley, Sky News Reporter

A mother from Sweden has become the first woman to give birth after receiving a womb transplant.

Her baby boy was born last month according to The Lancet, which describes the delivery as a breakthrough for infertile women.

The 36-year-old woman, who has not been identified, was born with healthy ovaries but no uterus - a condition that affects one woman in every 4,500.

Prof Matts Braennstroem led the operation

But thanks to the donation of a live womb by a 61-year-old "close family friend", doctors were able to harvest eggs from the recipient's ovaries for fertilisation and cryogenic freezing.

A year after the pioneering transplant, doctors introduced a single early stage embryo in to the womb; a pregnancy test three weeks later was positive.

The baby was delivered by caesarian section at 31 weeks after the woman developed preeclampsia.

But despite the boy's premature birth, he weighed a healthy 3.9 lbs (1.77 kg) and doctors say mother and baby are both fine at home.

Liza Johannesson, gynaecology surgeon at the University of Gothenburg, said: "I think it can have major impact, huge impact, because it actually gives hope. And it gives hope to those women and men also, of course that thought they would never have a child."

Doctors in Britain are among those planning similar operations from next year, potentially helping thousands of British women in the future.

However, Professor Mats Brannstrom, team leader of the Uterus Transplantation Team at the University of Gothenburg, who led the research and delivered the baby, said this won't be a routine surgery "until many years yet". 

"It depends on the results of coming research studies on the same subject," he said.

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Even Al Qaeda Tried To Free Alan Henning

A filmmaker, who was involved in the early negotiations to free Alan Henning, has told Sky News how even al Qaeda thought holding him hostage was "not a good idea".

The terrorist group sent a member to bargain with the Islamic State fighters holding him but failed to secure his release.

The al Qaeda member, who was sent to bargain with the Manchester taxi driver's captors, said the jihadists were "difficult" and "tough".

Delivering aid to the suffering in Syria. Pic: Cage

Bilal Abdul Kareem told how Mr Henning, who was helping to make an aid delivery in Syria, was captured just an hour after arriving in al-Dana, around 30 minutes from the Turkish border, on Boxing Day.

He said Islamic State fighters had arrived in the town and detained all of those in the convoy but quickly released the Muslim members, holding only Mr Henning.

Video: Cameron Condemns Henning Murder

Mr Kareem said when Mr Henning was first taken he was set to be released later that day or even the next but when that did not happen people started to worry.

Then the jihadists claimed the 47-year-old, father-of-two as their prisoner and said they were planning to exchange him for people in British custody.

Mr Kareem said: "They had a course of action that they were going to take and nobody was going to be able to talk them out of it.

Video: PM Pledges 'All Assets' Against IS

"Even al Qaeda affiliates al Nusra went there to talk to them because nobody outside of ISIS thought this was a good idea, nobody thought that it was OK to do this, none of the other groups were doing that, nobody thought it was a good idea.

"When the al Qaeda representative went to go down and try to talk to them he returned, his face was different, he said something to the effect these guys are really being difficult, really being tough but they did say that they were going to release him.

"Everybody was anticipating that but that never happened."

Video: UK Muslims 'Disgusted'

On Friday the terrorists posted a video of Mr Henning's killing. In it he is pictured kneeling in front of a masked man, who speaks with a British accent and is believed to be the man responsible for previous beheadings.

The man makes a direct appeal to David Cameron saying: "The blood of David Haines was on your hands, Cameron. Alan Henning will also be slaughtered, but his blood is on the hands of the British Parliament."

Muslim leaders have condemned the beheading on the eve of the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Adha, which represents a day of mercy, and said they want to see justice done.

Video: Eccles Pastor: 'It's Gut-wrenching'

As the community of Eccles mourned, Mr Cameron said Britain would use all of its assets to destroy Islamic State.

:: Full coverage now on Sky News – watch Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

Video: Shock At Murder Of Alan Henning

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1. Gallery: Profile: Alan Henning

   Alan Henning, 47, was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. Friends gave him the nickname "gadget" due to his love of technology

2. He was married for 23 years and he had a teenage son and daughter

3. He worked as a self-employed taxi driver

4. Mr Henning saw the plight of Syrian people and volunteered with a Muslim charity. He had been to the region at least three times

5. He drove life-saving medical equipment from the UK to Syria in old ambulances. He left in December 2013 to make the 4,000-mile trip

6. He was kidnapped by IS in Syria by masked men. He may have been held in Ad Dana near Aleppo, then Raqqa

Video: Wife Pleaded For Henning's Release

Video: Latest Analysis: Sky's Joey Jones

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Pair In Court Over Thailand Beach Murders

Two men have appeared in court charged with murdering British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in Thailand.

Police say the Burmese workers, named Win and Saw, have admitted killing the pair on Koh Tao beach - claiming they were jealous.

The handcuffed suspects, who are also charged with rape and robbery, appeared before a judge on the neighbouring island of Koh Samui on Saturday.

Win was forced to play the guitar as part of the reconstruction

They were remanded in custody for a further 12 days and could face the death penalty if convicted.

On Friday, the pair wore crash helmets and police vests to protect them from angry locals as they were paraded by officers in a bizarre reconstruction of the crime.

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1. Gallery: Thai Murders Accused At Crime Scene

   Two workers from Burma (wearing helmets and handcuffs), suspected of killing two British tourists on the island of Koh Tao last month, stand near Thai police officers where the bodies of the tourists were found

2. The pair have admitted to killing David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the island in southern Thailand

3. Actors were used in the staging of the reconstruction

4. One of the suspects wields a mock weapon

5. The case has threatened to further damage the country's already bruised tourism sector

6. The victims' bodies were discovered on a beach on the island of Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, on 15 September, close to where they were staying. Continue through for more pictures

At one point Win was told to play the guitar as part of the reconstruction before acting out the murders of Mr Miller, 24, and Miss Witheridge, 23, on Sairee beach.

He also held a dustpan to represent the garden hoe allegedly used in the killings on 15 September.

Mr Miller, from Jersey, died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Miss Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, died from head wounds.

Thai National police chief Somyot Poompanmoung said: "The suspects saw them kissing and were aroused, so they attacked and got rid of the man and proceeded to rape the female victim.

Video: Thai Murder Suspects Paraded

"There was clear evidence: forensic evidence, (testimony from) witnesses and other evidence, as well as closed-circuit television footage."

Provincial police chief Kiattipong Khaosamang said Win, 21, and Saw, 23, have also admitted raping Miss Witheridge.

A third Burmese man is being questioned on suspicion of involvement.

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Hong Kong Protesters Get Ultimatum On Demos

Hong Kong's leader has issued a stark warning to protesters, telling them they have until Monday to clear key roads on the island.

In a statement, chief executive Leung Chun-ying said the government and the police would take all action necessary to restore order and allow the territory's seven million citizens "to resume their normal work and life".

The ultimatum came after campaigners postponed talks with the government over political reforms, following violent street clashes between pro-democracy protesters and opposition groups.

Police arrested 19 people, including suspected triad gang members.

Demonstrators make their views known with a protest sculpture and road sign

At least 12 people, including six police officers, were injured during the scuffles.

The authorities have been accused of turning a blind eye to the violence or even using hired thugs to stir up trouble, although this was angrily denied by Hong Kong's security chief.

Video: Hong Kong Talks Called Off

Amnesty International issued a statement criticising the police for "(failing) in their duty to protect hundreds of peaceful pro-democracy protesters from attacks by counter demonstrators".

And Democrat lawmaker James To said: "The government has used organised, orchestrated forces and even triad gangs in an attempt to disperse citizens."

But Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok said: "These accusations are made up and are very excessive."

Video: Hong Kong Protesters Clash

The standoff is the biggest challenge to Beijing's authority since it took over the former British colony in 1997, with tens of thousands of pro-democracy activists occupying the streets in the packed Mong Kok and Causeway Bay districts.

Setting a Monday deadline for the protesters to disperse, Mr Leung said: "The government and the police have the responsibility and resolution to take all actions necessary to resume social order and let the government and all seven million citizens resume their normal work and life."

Protest sites remained tense with fears of further attacks by opposition groups.

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1. Gallery: Hong Kong Clashes As Sit-In Drags On

   Pro-democracy protesters gather outside the government offices in Hong Kong

2. The umbrella has become a symbol of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement

3. An anti-protester shouts at pro-democracy demonstrators in an occupied area of Hong Kong

4. Pro-democracy campaigners, mainly students, stand firm

5. Many of the anti-protesters are angry they have not been able to go to work during the protests

6. Police officers try to get a man to let go of a fence guarded by pro-democracy demonstrators

7. The protests are about to enter their second week

The protesters have been in the streets since 26 September, pledging to preserve Hong Kong's Western-style legal system and civil liberties.

They want the Chinese government to reverse a decision requiring all candidates in the first election for Hong Kong's leader in 2017 to be approved by a mostly pro-Beijing committee.

The demonstrators are calling for open nominations.

Video: Protest Talks Buy Time In Hong Kong

China has accused democracy campaigners of destabilising the city and have said they were "daydreaming" over the prospect of change.

Video: How Protesters Use Social Media

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American Hostage Parents Issue Video Plea

By Sky News US Team

The parents of American hostage Abdul-Rahman Kassig, formerly known as Peter, have issued a video plea asking for his safe return.

Mr Kassig appeared at the end of a clip posted online on Friday that showed the killing of British aid worker Alan Henning by Islamic State militants.

Ed and Paula Kassig pleaded with their son's captors "to show mercy and use their power" to let him go.

Mr Kassig converted to Islam and changed his name to Abdul-Rahman

Mrs Kassig, speaking directly to her son, added: "Most of all, know that we love you, and our hearts ache for you to be granted your freedom so we can hug you again and then set you free to continue the life you have chosen, the life of service to those in greatest need."

Peter Kassig changed his name to Abdul-Rahman after years of humanitarian work in the region "culminated in him embracing Islam", his father said.

Ed Kassig said his son "grew to love and admire the Syrian people and felt at home there".

A family spokesman previously said Mr Kassig's faith "has provided him comfort during his long captivity".

The 26-year-old Indiana native and Iraq War veteran was captured by IS militants on October 1 while en route to Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria.

More follows...

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