Fake Goods Websites Seized In Cyber Sting

Officials have seized control of nearly 700 websites selling counterfeit goods in Europe and the US.

Europe's cross-border police agency, Europol, confirmed authorities now control a total of 690 sites suspected of selling fake items in Britain and other nations.

The City of London Police, which conducted the British part of the Transatlantic 3 seizure campaign, told Sky News 90 of the websites were in the UK and that there were just around 300 in the rest of Europe.

Europol told Sky News that the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement had teamed up with European police and Hong Kong customs authorities to seize the sites' domain names.

In total, 10 law enforcement agencies in eight countries were involved in the internet raid.

A total of 297 domains were seized in the US and 393 others in Britain, France, Spain, Romania, Hungary, Denmark, Belgium and Hong Kong.

Europol said: "During the weeks leading up to the end of the year, the market is flooded with counterfeit products being sold at stores, on street corners, and online.

"Not only ripping the consumer off and providing shoddy products, but also putting their personal financial information at risk.

"The most popular counterfeit products seized each year include headphones, sports jerseys, personal care products, shoes, toys, luxury goods, cell phones and electronic accessories."

Would-be customers to the sites have are now being redirected to a warning notice posted by the seizing agency.

The operation was launched to coincide with the big online shopping day known as Cyber Monday.

The police action comes after US officials seized hundreds of websites, many registered in China, selling fake basketball and football jerseys to US residents.

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Glasgow Helicopter Crash: No Mayday From Pilot

The pilot of the police helicopter that plunged into Glasgow's Clutha pub killing nine people made no mayday call before the crash.

Dave Miller, deputy chief inspector of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, told reporters there was no explosion and no fire before the helicopter fell onto the roof of the building causing debris to land on revellers below.

He said there was no 'black box' flight recorder on board but it does have a "significant number of modern electronic systems on board and it may be possible to recover details from those systems".

Nothing fell from the craft before the accident and the helicopter rotors were intact at the moment of impact.

The bodies of the four victims which remained trapped inside the wrecked Clydeside venue were removed after the "extensively damaged" Eurocopter craft was lifted out by crane.

Police have named five of the nine people who died in the crash

Emergency service workers then formed a guard of honour to pay their respects to victims of Friday night's crash as the bodies were driven away in private ambulances.

Pope Francis has sent a message expressing his "closeness" to the people of Glasgow following the tragedy. 

Meanwhile, relatives have expressed anger at the time it has taken to recover their love ones.

John McGarrigle, whose father, also John, is thought to be among the dead, said: "What about the dignity for the human beings underneath that police helicopter? If they've got one out, they can get the rest out."

A guard of honour marked the passing of the remaining Clutha crash victims

More than 100 people were in the pub listening to a ska band when the helicopter hit at 10.25pm.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service assistant chief officer David Goodhew said rescuers had been working in very confined spaces with the danger of potential further collapse in order to find bodies and remove the helicopter.

"Crews have been tunnelling underneath the helicopter to try to find further casualties and remove those where necessary," he said.

Once the wreckage was removed, crews were immediately put back into the building to complete their search, which took under two hours.

The Eurocopter will be taken to AAIB in Farnborough for examination

Mr Goodhew said: "The building has been totally devastated. It's totally unrecognisable in most parts.

"There's a large amount of debris that's underneath the helicopter and therefore you have to dig in slowly and methodically."

He added: "It's one of the most difficult operations, I think, of this type in the country. The helicopter has landed in a building that's fully packed.

"It has been damaged in such a way that it couldn't just be lifted. It's been in an unsafe, unstable condition throughout."

The helicopter fuselage was embedded in the roof of the Clutha

Three people were killed in the helicopter - pilot David Traill, 51, and police officers Kirsty Nelis, 36, and Tony Collins, 43.

Gary Arthur, 48, from Paisley, and Samuel McGhee, 56, from Glasgow, were among six people killed in the pub. 

Dr Jennifer Armstrong, of NHS Greater Glasgow, said 12 people remain in hospital.  

"The patients continue to be treated for a range of serious injuries including bone fractures, spinal injuries, lacerations, chest injuries and head injuries," she said.

Glasgow City Council said financial help will be made available to anyone in hardship as a result of the tragedy.

Meanwhile, a 16-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly posting sectarian and racist comments on Twitter in the wake of the Glasgow helicopter crash. He is expected to appear at Ayr Sheriff Court later.

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Snow Threat As Cold Blast Hits Britain

Parts of the UK could be affected by snow by the end of the week as an Arctic blast causes temperatures to plummet.

By Friday, average temperatures in England and Wales are expected to drop to just above freezing, with strong winds forecast for some coastal areas.

Patchy rain could then turn into snow showers as the colder air hits the UK.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Towards the end of this week the winds will swing round to a very cold northerly air flow bringing with it lower temperatures, below freezing across most places during nights with frosts, wintry showers and strong to gale force winds.

"From Thursday a band of rain will spread southwards across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

"As that cold front clears to the south, there will be brighter conditions behind it from Friday.

"High pressure will also keep it dry for many, albeit bitterly cold in the northerly winds, but there will be some showers in the north and along exposed coasts which will turn increasingly wintry."

Snow is also forecast to fall on higher ground, especially in Scotland.

Long term forecasts suggest temperatures across the UK could remain below average for much of December.

November saw some snow showers in high areas of Scotland and North Wales.

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Paul Walker 'Wanted More Time With Daughter'

Paul Walker, the Fast and Furious star killed in a car crash, had considered taking time out from acting to spend more time with his teenage daughter, his father has said.

Paul Walker Sr fought back tears as he paid tribute to his son, who was killed with his friend Roger Rodas when the red Porsche they were travelling in slammed into a lamp post in Valencia near Los Angeles.

"I'm just … glad that every time I saw him, I told him I loved him. And he would say the same thing to me," Mr Walker Sr told CBS in Los Angeles.

He quoted his son as saying about his daughter, Meadow: "'I want to take a hiatus, she's just 15 and I don't have much more time to be with her.'

"And then boom, he got another movie. He would say, 'I don't know what to do.'"

The red Porsche crashed into a light pole and burst into flames

The fiery crash took place close to a fundraiser organised by the 40-year-old's Reach Out Worldwide foundation to help victims of the Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Walker had just left the event in the Porsche, and Mr Rodas was driving.

Meadow was at the charity event but she was kept away from the scene, a witness said.

Walker starred in all but one of the Fast and Furious movies

"They kept his daughter off to the side, so she wouldn't know what was going on until they really knew what had happened," Jim Torp said, adding the girl "was in pieces".

Mr Rodas' eight-year-old son rushed to the site crash site in an attempt to free his father, Mr Torp added.

"I ran over afterwards, I was trying to find Roger's son," he said.

"I found out his son had jumped the fence and gone over, he was trying to get his dad out."

A makeshift memorial is erected at the site of the crash

One of Walker's friends also tried to rush to the scene to help the trapped men but he was stopped by emergency officials, according to Mr Torp.

Walker fans erected a makeshift memorial at the site, leaving flowers, candles and memorabilia from the Fast and Furious movies.

Co-star Tyrese Gibson  broke down when he visited the memorial, reportedly taking a piece of the wreckage left at the scene in memory of his friend.

Fast and Furious Co-star Tyrese Gibson paid tribute to Walker

"Paul is the heartbeat of this franchise and we're gonna see to it that his energy and presence lives on forever," he later posted on his Instagram account.

Investigators said speed was a factor in Saturday's crash, although it will take time to establish how fast the car was actually going.

They are trying to determine what caused the Porsche to go out of control, including whether the driver was distracted or something in the road prompted him to swerve.

Both bodies in the car were badly burned and will be identified through dental records.

The downed light pole had a speed limit sign of 45mph.

Walker had completed the seven instalment of the Fast and Furious franchise, which currently is slated for release in July.

He also left behind two completed films. He stars in the upcoming Hurricane Katrina drama Hours, which Lionsgate's Pantelion Films is to release December 13.

He also stars in Brick Mansions, a remake of the French action film District B13 that Relativity plans to release next year.

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Paedophiles Anthony Marsh And Lee Davis Jailed

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

Two "predatory" paedophiles, one of whom kept his HIV diagnosis hidden from his victims, have been jailed for life.

Serial offenders Anthony Marsh and Lee Davis have been sentenced to life imprisonment after admitting a string of sexual offences against children they groomed on the internet.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that the two men were "predatory and promiscuous" and targeted teenage boys across the north of England through Facebook, Bebo, Skype and specialist gay websites.

Marsh, 53, and Davis, 39, trawled through various sites before engaging boys in conversation and then arranging to meet them.

Marsh, a salesman from Sheffield, and Davis, from Conisborough, between them admitted numerous offences including sexual activity with a child. 

Jobless Davis also pleaded guilty to a charge of raping an "extremely vulnerable" 13-year-old boy in his home.

Both offenders were described as "family men" who lead double lives.

Although they are not thought to have known each other, they began working together weaving "an intricate web" to hide their crimes.

They singled out "young, naive and immature" children described as "vulnerable because of their dawning sexuality".

Marsh, who also used the names Tony Taylor and Tony Smith, was caught in a Scarborough hotel in May 2012 when he was spotted with indecent and sadistic images of children "of the most serious level," some involving children as young as three.

Both men filmed their own crimes.

Davis, who also used the name James Parkin, had a library of DVDs featuring his sexual offences hidden behind a wooden panel in the cellar of his home.

Having heard of Marsh's arrest he destroyed many of his computer records but police were able to identify 45,000 text messages on his mobile phone.

The court was told that the victims were aged 13 to 17 and that the abuse took place over a nine-year period.

Marsh was married for many years and did not even tell his wife he was HIV positive.

Attempts by Marsh's barrister to suggest that his "HIV was not an aggravating factor" were described by the judge Julian Goose QC as "rather unrealistic".

He told the defendants that they had boasted on the internet of wanting their victims to be as young as possible.

The boys concerned continue to receive the support of specialist agencies as do the families of Marsh and Davis. 

South Yorkshire police believe there may be other victims who have so far not been identified and they have urged anyone who may have been affected to come forward.

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Tom Daley Comes Out In YouTube Video

Diving star Tom Daley has said he "couldn't be happier" after revealing he is dating a man.

The 19-year-old, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games, posted a video on YouTube in which he spoke for the first time about his relationship.

"I've never really had a serious relationship to talk about," he said.

"Come spring this year, my life changed massively when I met someone.

"It made me feel so happy, so safe and everything just feels great. And that someone is a guy. 

"It felt right. My whole world just changed, right there and then."

He added: "Of course I still fancy girls. But I mean, right now I'm dating a guy and I couldn't be happier ... is it a big deal? I don't think so."

Daley, whose father Rob Daley died in May 2011 following a battle with brain cancer, said his family had mixed opinions about him talking about his sexuality.

"My Dad always said to me, 'As long as you're happy, I'm happy'. Right now, I couldn't be happier.

"Mum has been so supportive and all my friends and family that I've told have been so supportive. It's been great.

"But I told the rest my family today and, well, let's just say they had mixed opinions.

"Lots of them didn't believe it, lots of them wanted me to keep it quiet. Some said, 'Why don't you just issue a statement? What about a magazine cover?' But I didn't want my words to get twisted."

Daley posted a link to the video to his 2.4 million Twitter followers, adding the message: "Got something I need to say ... not been an easy decision to make. Hope you can support me."

Responding to offensive tweets posted on Twitter in response to Daley's video, former England footballer Gary Lineker tweeted: "They may be a small minority, but some of the homophobic bile on here is disgusting and pathetic. Grow up you morons!

"Hope the gay footballers who may be contemplating 'coming out' are encouraged by the groundswell of good feeling towards @TomDaley1994."

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London Bus Attack: Woman Knocked Unconscious

Police have released footage of a woman being attacked on a bus by a gang who knocked her unconscious and poured a drink over her head.

CCTV shows the 22-year-old victim sitting with a friend on the top deck of a night bus when the group of five young men boarded and sat in seats next to them.

Words were exchanged, with a row escalating when some of the men criticised what the woman was wearing.

One man poured a drink over the victim and pulled her hair, while another member of the group appeared to grab at her from behind as his friends looked on laughing.

The woman got up from her seat but was pushed and kicked in the stomach.

The incident started with an exchange of words at the back of the bus

She hit her head as she fell backwards and was left sprawled unconscious on the floor of the bus.

The group of men, who got on the route 344 London bus at Lambeth Road, fled soon after the assault, heading in the direction of Lambeth Walk, SE1.

Paramedics took the woman to St Thomas' Hospital and she was treated for her head injury and released later the same day.

The attack took place at about 1.15am on August 29 on the bus, which was heading towards Clapham Junction.

Other members of the group laughed as the victim was attacked

The main suspect for the assault is a light-skinned black man of slim build.

He is approximately 20 years old and was wearing a black T-shirt with a patterned pocket on the chest, dark trousers and a baseball cap worn back to front.

The other four men in the group were also black.

Detective Constable Kyla Mulley, of Lambeth CID, said: "This was a shocking attack on a young woman, prompted by nothing more than a brief exchange of words.

"It is vital we track down this man and hold him to account for his behaviour.

"I am also keen to speak with other members of the group, who would be able to assist the investigation."

:: Anyone with information is encouraged to call DC Mulley on 020 8649 2196 or report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Volcano Sends Pillar Of Fire 1,000m Into Sky

With a pillar of fire stretching up into the clouds, this spectacular image captures the moment a volcano erupted in remote Russia.

The stream of lava rose up to a kilometre above the summit of Klyuchevskoy, one of the active volcanoes on the Kamchatka peninsula in the east of the country.

The volcano, which erupts around every two years, is one of the largest on-land active volcanoes, according to the US Geological Survey.

It stands at 15,584ft on the north end of a belt of 30 active volcanoes.

The dramatic picture of Klyuchevskoy was captured by photographer Marc Szeglat on October 16 at a distance of approximately 9.5 miles from its concealed cone, as the volcano erupted for the first time in three years.

The explosion triggered by the eruption could be heard from 20 miles away.

In September 1994, an eruption caused disruption after it affected airline routes across the Pacific Ocean.

The active nature of the volcano, which first began erupting in 1697, means it is still rarely a target for climbers.

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Woolwich Murder: Court Hears Graphic Testimony

Lee Rigby's mother and widow have left court in tears as jurors heard graphic accounts of how he was run over and attacked with a meat cleaver and knives.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC read statements made by members of the public who saw the Fusilier's alleged murder near Woolwich barracks in southeast London on May 22.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are on trial for Drummer Rigby's murder, which they deny.

Drummer Rigby's tearful widow Rebecca and mother Lyn left the Old Bailey courtroom as details of the soldier's final moments emerged.

Drummer Rigby walks off the London Underground shortly before the attack

Witness Amanda Bailey described her shock at seeing the attack on the soldier, who she said looked "like a young man coming home from college".

She said in a statement: "The car sped up and went straight towards the young man. He didn't seem to mind the car or notice at all."

After he was run over, she said that she thought he might be dead.

She told the court: "I could see that his eyes were still open but they looked frozen. He wasn't moving or making any noise. I thought that he was dead or in shock."

Ms Bailey described one of the men trying to decapitate Drummer Rigby.

She said: "He was holding the cleaver in his right hand. He was using a lot of force to hack at the young man's neck.

"The motion of his arm was that he was raising it up and bringing it down.

"I was so shocked all I could do was sit there and stare and what happened, I couldn't believe what was going on.

"He was determined and he wasn't going to stop. He didn't care. It was broad daylight and this man didn't care.

"The whole incident took about two minutes, but I can't be sure. It felt like a lifetime."

Adebolajo denies murdering the soldier

Gill Hucks said in her statement that she saw two men taking it in turns to stab the soldier.

She went to get out of her car near the scene but her passenger Gary Perkins said: "F***ing hell, that man is being stabbed".

She said: "What I saw then I can only describe as a horrific frenzied attack on the man on the floor by two knife-wielding crazy men.

"I could not believe that they were doing such a thing in the middle of the afternoon in a busy street."

She said she saw one of the men "playing to the cameras" as people filmed the aftermath of the attack on their mobile phones.

Ms Hucks' passenger, Mr Perkins, was the first person to give evidence in person at the Old Bailey.

Describing one of the weapons, Mr Perkins said: "It was like a larger butcher's cleaver."

Mr Whittam QC said Mr Perkins had described the actions like a "butcher attacking a joint of meat".

"That's correct," Mr Perkins said.

The body was motionless and silent throughout, he added.

Mr Perkins said the weapon held by the other man was like a "longer, thinner blade, maybe like a butcher's carving knife".

Adebowale also denies murder

Mr Perkins said he was attacking the body on the ground with "frenzied stabbing-type motions".

Describing Ms Hucks, he said: "She was in an extreme state of distress. I got out of the car, when I saw what was happening, my immediate thought was to get back into the car and move for fear of us being next to be attacked.

"She was in no state to move the car."

In his statement, Thomas Seymour, an electrician for Greenwich Borough Council, described seeing Drummer Rigby's body.

"I thought he looked black but after a short while I realised this was because he was covered in blood," he said.

Mr Seymour said he saw one of the men stab the soldier with "forceful" actions between the chest and belly button "10 or 20 times".

Mr Seymour said the other man was "hacking the victim's head".

"I believed he was trying to cut the victim's head off by the way he was attacking him," he said.

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Due to the craziness of what was going on around me, I assumed it was gang or drug-related."

Another witness, James Henegan, wept in court as he described how one of the men pointed a gun at him.

"He pulled a gun from the bag and pointed it at us," he said.

"I thought he was going to shoot...fire a gun at us."

Mr Henegan wiped away tears as Adebolajo's barrister David Gottlieb asked him was he aware "there was nothing he could have done to change what happened".

"Yes," he said.

"My client is very is very anxious that you should know that," Mr Gottlieb added.

Adebolajo and Adebowale are also accused of attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer.

The trial continues.

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Bloomsbury: Firefighters Battle Flats Blaze

Six people have reportedly been rescued from a fire in a seven storey block of flats in Bloomsbury, London.

Some fifty-eight firefighters and eight fire engines from Kensington, Clerkenwell, Islington, Paddington, Knightsbridge and surrounding stations are reported to be at the scene and a fourth floor flat is understood to still be alight. 

Pictures posted on social-media from witnesses at the scene showed emergency services attending to some of the injured. Two men are being treated for smoke inhalation.

It is not yet known how the fire started. The London Fire Brigade say firefighters are working hard to stop the blaze spreading to the rest of the building.

More follows...

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