Jim Acosta row: Donald Trump threat over reporters' behaviour

Donald Trump has threatened to walk out of future press briefings if reporters do not act with "decorum".

The US president was speaking after a Washington DC court ordered the White House to return CNN reporter Jim Acosta's press pass after it was revoked by the US Secret Service.

Mr Acosta's press pass was taken after he clashed with the president during a news conference earlier this month.

Mr Trump played down the ruling, saying it wasn't "a big deal".

But, he said, "people have to behave", adding his staff were "writing up rules and regulations" for the press to abide by, including sticking to the agreed number of questions.

"If they don't listen to the rules and regulations we'll end up back in court and will win," Mr Trump said. "But more importantly, we'll just leave, and then you won't be very happy."

"You can't take three questions and four questions and just stand up and not sit down," he added. "Decorum. You have to practice decorum."

'A great day'

Speaking outside the court earlier in the day, Mr Acosta praised the decision and told reporters "let's go back to work".The judge said the White House decision likely violated the journalist's right to due process and freedom of speech.

The ruling forces the White House press office to temporarily return Mr Acosta's "hard pass", the credential that allows reporters easy access to the White House and other presidential events.

Mr Acosta's lawyer called the ruling "a great day for the first amendment and journalism".

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How did the row begin?

Mr Acosta was barred from entering the White House a day after he had a heated exchange with President Trump during a news conference on 8 November.

A White House intern tried to take the microphone from Mr Acosta as he attempted to ask the president a follow-up question.

In a statement Mrs Sanders claimed that he had put "his hands on a young woman" during the exchange, during which Mr Trump called the reporter "a rude, terrible person".

CNN sued to have Mr Acosta's pass restored, and their lawsuit was joined by other media groups, including conservative-leaning Fox News.

Winning the battle but not the war

Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington

With Jim Acosta sitting in the front row of the courtroom, the media won the opening round of what could be an extended legal battle.

Judge Kelly said he was not ruling on the merits of this case, but that the White House did not provide sufficient justification for revoking Acosta's credentials.

That shouldn't come as much of a shock, given that the administration's explanation for the move has shifted multiple times, from a tenuous allegation that the CNN reporter "placed his hands" on a White House intern to a more general assertion that he violated press conference decorum.

What's left to be decided after further hearings and court filings - assuming the case proceeds - is how much power a president has in determining which reporters get to have, and keep, access to the White House.

An administration has discretion to limit the number of passes it gives out, but the balancing of executive power and press rights gets trickier when government officials try to take media credentials away.

What did the judge say?

Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the bench by Mr Trump last year, said Mr Acosta's constitutional rights outweighed the White House's right to have an orderly news conference, the Washington Post reported.

He also criticised the Trump administration's decision, saying that the process was "so shrouded in mystery that the government could not tell me... who made the decision".

He also called Mrs Sanders' statement claiming that Mr Acosta had inappropriately touched an intern "belated efforts [that] were hardly sufficient to satisfy due process".

But in court documents, the White House argued that the decision was made in order to preserve White House decorum and it did not claim impropriety towards the intern.

Judge Kelly added that the White House was required to restore his White House access, but is under no obligation to call on him during questions.

A hearing on the case is scheduled for next week, but it is unclear if the White House will once again seek to strip Mr Acosta's access, or allow him to resume his work as CNN's chief White House correspondent.

What has the reaction been?

In a statement, CNN said: "We are gratified with this result and we look forward to a full resolution in the coming days.

"Our sincere thanks to all who have supported not just CNN, but a free, strong and independent American press."

Mrs Sanders said the judge "made clear that there is no absolute first amendment right to access the White House" and that her office planned to "temporarily reinstate the reporter's hard pass".

Ben Wizner of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said that the White House's attempts to silence Mr Acosta had backfired.

"The White House surely hoped that expelling a reporter would deter forceful questioning, but the court's ruling will have the opposite effect.

"The freedom of the press is a bedrock principle, and our democracy is strengthened when journalists challenge our leaders rather than defer to them."

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More to be done to get best possible EU deal - Leadsom

There is still "more to be done" on Theresa May's draft Brexit deal, Commons leader Andrea Leadsom has said.

The leading Brexiteer said there was "still time" before the EU summit, adding she supported the PM's efforts to get the "best possible deal".

The BBC understands that Mrs Leadsom is co-ordinating a group of five ministers hoping to amend the deal.

Despite widespread criticism of the draft withdrawal agreement, Mrs May has vowed to "see it through".

The 585-page document sets out the terms of the UK's departure, including details such as how much money will be paid to the EU, details of the transition period and citizens' rights. It is due to be finalised at an EU summit next Sunday, 25 November.

The publication of the draft text prompted the start of a tumultuous few days for Mrs May, with two senior ministers and several other junior ministers and aides resigning.

Some Conservative Brexiteers who are unhappy with the agreement have also been submitting letters of no-confidence in Mrs May. If 48 letters are sent, then a vote will be triggered and she could face a challenge to her leadership.

Mark Francois, one of the 21 Conservative MPs who have publicly said they have sent a letter, said Mrs May's plan would leave the UK "half in and half out" of the EU and everyone knew she would never get it through Parliament.

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But Conservative MP Sir Alan Duncan urged his other fellow MPs to "stop and reflect", saying a 

leadership challenge was not going to get the country a better deal than Mrs May's.

"All it's likely to do is create chaos, break the government, break the party and leave the country in great disarray."

If there were to be a confidence vote in Mrs May's leadership, party veteran Ken Clarke said she would "easily" win it but Nadine Dorries was doubtful, saying "when pen comes to paper" most MPs would vote against her in a secret ballot.

On Friday evening, it emerged that Mrs Leadsom hopes to work with the four other ministers to change the draft withdrawal deal into something "winnable and supportable".

The four ministers believed to working with Mrs Leadsom are Michael Gove and Liam Fox - who on Friday publicly threw their support behind the PM - plus Penny Mordaunt and Chris Grayling.

Speaking in her constituency to Sky News on Saturday, Mrs Leadsom said: "I'm absolutely determined to support the prime minister in getting the best possible deal for the UK as we leave the EU.

"There is still more to be done and we do still have more time before the EU Council at the end of the month."

She said she was "absolutely committed" to securing the Brexit outcome that 17.4 million people voted for.

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The cabinet "gang of five" specifically want to change the part regarding the Irish backstop - which 

has been one of the main sticking points in talks with Brussels.

Both the UK and the EU want to avoid a hard Northern Ireland border so they agreed to put in place a "backstop" - or back-up plan - in case they cannot reach a long-term trade agreement which does this.

The backstop would mean that Northern Ireland would stay more closely aligned to some EU rules on things like food products and goods standards than the rest of the UK, which critics say is unacceptable.

The UK would not be able to leave the backstop without the EU's consent.According to the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg, the group of ministers want a change in the draft text to include the possibility of new technology or a free trade deal as alternative solutions to the Irish border issue.

The group's plans were described as a "work in progress", and a "last-ditch attempt to find something to put to the Commons".

The deal is expected to be approved at a special EU summit on 25 November, before being voted on by MPs in Parliament.

Ahead of the vote, the EU is saying it intends to stick to the existing text, according to BBC Europe editor Katya Adler. If it is voted down, the EU would be open to "tweaks" but a source close to French President Emmanuel Macron has said "nothing fundamental" could change.

Our correspondent adds that if it came to a general election or another referendum, the EU would likely be open to putting the leaving process on ice to avoid a no-deal Brexit and in the hope the UK might change its mind and stay in the EU.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said the EU should not enter "some kind of bargaining process" over parts of the text, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel insisted the EU and the UK had agreed the text so negotiations should not continue.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has suggested that Labour could renegotiate the deal before the UK is due to leave the EU in March next year.

"I think we can do it with good will, we can change the atmosphere of negotiations into one of mutual interest and mutual benefit," he told Sky News.

Whisky for May

Meanwhile, the prime minister told the Daily Mail the withdrawal agreement was "not everybody's ideal deal" but said her job was to make "tough decisions" and "find a way through".

She also warned her opponents their alternative Brexit plans would not resolve the Irish backstop issue.

Commenting on the backlash to the deal, Mrs May acknowledged it had been "a pretty heavy couple of days".

She revealed her husband Philip, who she described as her "rock", had helped her through it - at one point pouring her a whisky and making beans on toast.

On Friday night, Mrs May called dozens of constituency chairmen to appeal to them to back her deal and her leadership - and this weekend she is expected to embark on a "social media blitz" to try to sell her plans to people not usually engaged in politics.

Mrs May's comments come after Stephen Barclay was picked as the new Brexit secretary - replacing Dominic Raab who quit on Thursday.

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A No 10 spokesman indicated that Mr Barclay, who becomes the third Brexit secretary since the role was created, would focus on domestic preparations for Brexit, rather than the negotiations.

In other developments:

• Amber Rudd was named as the new work and pensions secretary - replacing Esther McVey who also quit over the deal

• Stephen Hammond takes over from Mr Barclay as a health minister in the mini-reshuffle

• And John Penrose will join the Northern Ireland office, replacing Shailesh Vara; while Kwasi Kwarteng will go to the Department for Exiting the EU, replacing Suella Braverman

• David Davis, Brexit secretary before Mr Raab, pressed Mrs May for a looser deal with the EU, saying the US would be ready to start negotiating a free trade deal straight after Brexit if she ditches her plan

• On Sunday, the pro-Brexit European Research Group plans to publish a seven-page summary of the 585-page draft agreement

• The Chief Constable of Northern Ireland warned that "anything that re-emphasises" the Irish border presented challenges for policing and the threat of violence was not being exaggerated

• Meanwhile Ireland's deputy PM Simon Coveney warned British politicians to sign up to the deal or risk crashing out of the EU without one, saying people were "too quick" to write off Mrs May

• The draft withdrawal agreement for Brexit that Mrs May agreed with her cabinet on Wednesday has been signed off by negotiators from both the UK and EU.

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US to join Australia in Papua New Guinea naval base plan

The US says it will join Australia in developing a naval base in Papua New Guinea (PNG), in an apparent move to curb China's growing influence.

Vice-President Mike Pence said the three countries would work together on the facility on Manus Island.

Australia announced last month that it would work with PNG to develop the island's Lombrum Naval Base.

Mr Pence made the announcement on the sidelines of the Apec summit in the PNG capital, Port Moresby.

"The United States will partner with Papua New Guinea and Australia on their joint initiative at Lombrum Naval Base," he said.

"We will work with these two nations to protect sovereignty and maritime rights in the Pacific islands."

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Lombrum, which was a major US naval base during World War Two, holds a strategic position overlooking busy trade routes.

The US and Australia have a shared concern over China's increasing influence in the region. Reports earlier this year that Beijing was looking to build a permanent military base in the South Pacific alarmed both countries.

Mr Pence did not elaborate on US plans for the Manus Island base or whether US ships would be permanently stationed there.

He said the facility would show US commitment to an "open and free Indo-Pacific".

"Our commitment is to stand with countries across this region who are anxious to partner with us for security," he added.

Australian defence minister Christopher Pyne has said some Australian ships would probably be based permanently at Lombrum, broadcaster ABC reported.

Australia and the US are part of the "Five Eyes" Western intelligence alliance along with Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

Earlier this month Australian PM Scott Morrison announced a multi-billion dollar fund for Pacific island nations to build infrastructure - another apparent attempt to counter Beijing.

He said the project aimed to restore the Pacific to the "front and centre" of Australia's foreign outlook.

China has been providing millions of dollars in loans for infrastructure projects in the region and has become the second-largest donor of foreign aid there behind Australia.

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California wildfires: Trump to visit state's deadliest wildfire

US President Donald Trump is heading to California to survey the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state's history.

The Camp Fire in northern California has killed at least 71 people.

More than 1,000 people are reported to be missing, although officials say that figure could fluctuate.

Leaving for California, Mr Trump again focused on forest management as a cause of the blazes, a claim that has been disputed by experts.

On top of the Camp Fire, firefighters are also tackling several other blazes, including the Woolsey Fire near Los Angeles which has claimed at least three lives.

And adding to the misery, scores of people have become sick after outbreaks of the norovirus at shelters and the air quality in northern California has been rated the world's worst.

Heavy rain is forecast next week that could douse the flames but also bring mudslides and floods on hillsides stripped of vegetation.

What's the latest on the Camp Fire?

The death toll rose to 71 on Friday after seven more bodies were found in the town of Paradise, which has been all but destroyed by the fire.

Military troops are assisting forensics teams and cadaver dogs as they continue to search for human remains eight days on after the Camp Fire first broke out.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea put the number of people unaccounted for at 1,011, a sharp leap from the 631 reported just 24 hours earlier.

However, he described the list as "dynamic",

"The information I am providing you is raw data and we find there is the likely possibility that the list contains duplicate names," he said.Some of those on the list may be fine but unaware they have been reported missing, or unable to call, authorities say.

The Camp Fire is now about 50% contained but fire officials say they may not have it fully under control until the end of the month.

What kind of welcome will the president get?

Mr Trump is due to meet survivors and firefighters involved in tacking the blaze when he touches down.

Asked on Fox News if he thought climate change had contributed to the wildfires, he said "Maybe it contributes a little bit. The big problem we have is management."California Governor Jerry Brown, who has criticised this argument as simplistic, said he would welcome the president to the state.

"Now is a time to pull together for the people of California," he tweeted.

Others suggested the president faced a difficult reception. One woman who voted for Mr Trump and was forced to flee Paradise said she disagreed with his assessment.

"I would tell him that this fire has nothing to do with forest mismanagement. Thousands and thousands of homes got destroyed with no trees around," Roslyn Roberts told Reuters.

Another woman, living in a shelter, told Associated Press: "If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade."

Historically, California's "wildfire season" started in summer and ran into early autumn - but experts have warned that the risk is now year-round.

Low humidity, warm winds, and dry ground after a rain-free month have produced a prime fire-spreading environment.

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Australia 'trolley hero' faces police charges

A homeless man who used his shopping trolley to try to ram a knife-wielding attacker in Melbourne has been charged with offences including burglary and theft.

Michael Rogers, dubbed "Trolley Man" online, was filmed on 9 November trying to prevent Hassan Khalif Shire Ali from stabbing two police officers.

• The suspect had already killed a cafe owner and injured two other people.

• He was later shot by police and died in hospital.

• Mr Rogers was called in by police for questioning on Friday.

Australian media reported that the five alleged offences - two counts of burglary, two counts of theft and committing an indictable offence while on bail - had taken place before the 9 November attack.

Mr Rogers has been hailed as a hero for his efforts to prevent Shire Ali from stabbing two police officers.

When tracked down by reporters, the 46-year-old told 7 News: "I threw the trolley straight at him, and I got him. I didn't quite get him down, though."

At the time he was only metres from a burning car full of gas cylinders, which the attacker had set alight near Bourke Street, a busy road in the city centre.

An online fundraising campaign for Mr Rogers has raised more than A$140,000 ($103,000; £80.000).

It was set up by Donna Stolzenberg, founder of the charity Melbourne Homeless Collective, to help get him back on his feet.

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France fuel protest: One dead in 'yellow vest' blockades

A protester has died in an accident and dozens have been injured as demonstrators angry at rising fuel prices disrupt traffic across France.

The female protester was struck after a driver surrounded by demonstrators panicked and accelerated.

Some 120,000 "yellow vests", so-called after the high-visibility jackets they are required to carry in their cars, have gathered in 2,000 locations.

They accuse President Emmanuel Macron of abandoning "the little people".

Mr Macron has not so far commented on the protests, some of which have seen demonstrators call for him to resign.

But he admitted earlier in the week that he had not "really managed to reconcile the French people with their leaders".

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• Nonetheless, he accused his political opponents of hijacking the movement in order to block his reform programme.

What has happened so far?

Chantal Mazet, 63, was killed in the south-eastern Savoy region when a driver who was taking her daughter to hospital panicked at being blocked by about 50 demonstrators, who were striking the roof of her vehicle, and drove into them.

The driver has been taken into police custody in a state of shock.

The protest "would be a failure" if it cost lives, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner was quoted by Le Parisien as saying.

"We are very worried. It is important to avoid risks," he said.

Elsewhere in France there were reports of dozens of injuries, most taking place as infuriated drivers attempted to force their vehicles through crowds of protesters.

In Arras in northern France a 71-year-old demonstrator suffered serious injuries after being struck by a car which then scattered more demonstrators as the driver sped off, la Voix du Nord newspaper reported. The driver was later arrested.

In the northern town of Hazebrouck, two people were hurt when a truck driver mounted a pavement and forced the vehicle through protesters, la Voix du Nord said.

Two more people were hurt when a blocked driver turned round and collided with two oncoming vehicles near the eastern city of Besançon, L'Est Républicain reported.

In Sélestat near Strasbourg a driver ran over a protester's foot, the DNA regional news website said.

In the southern town of Grasse, a police officer was struck by a driver attempting to force his vehicle through a protest. The driver was arrested, Nice-Matin reported.

Police have used tear gas to disperse protesters blocking a bridge in Savoy.

And in Bessan in southern France a frustrated driver was arrested after he took out a gun and fired in the air to try to get protesters out of the way, the Midi Libre newspaper reported.

In Paris increasing numbers of protesters were gathering on the Champs-Elysées.

Most of the protests have been taking place without incident and there has been a total of 17 arrests.

Why are drivers on the warpath?

The price of diesel, the most commonly used fuel in French cars, has risen by around 23% over the past 12 months to an average of €1.51 (£1.32; $1.71) per litre, its highest point since the early 2000s, AFP news agency reports.

World oil prices did rise before falling back again but the Macron government raised its hydrocarbon tax this year by 7.6 cents per litre on diesel and 3.9 cents on petrol, as part of a campaign for cleaner cars and fuel.

The decision to impose a further increase of 6.5 cents on diesel and 2.9 cents on petrol on 1 January 2019 was seen as the final straw.

Speaking on Wednesday, the president blamed world oil prices for three-quarters of the price rise. He also said more tax on fossil fuels was needed to fund renewable energy investments.

How big is the movement?

It has broad support. Nearly three-quarters of respondents to a poll by the Elabe institute backed the Yellow Vests and 70% wanted the government to reverse the fuel tax hikes.

More than half of French people who voted for Mr Macron support the protests, Elabe's Vincent Thibault told AFP.

"The expectations and discontent over spending power are fairly broad, it's not just something that concerns rural France or the lower classes," he said.

The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Paris says the movement has grown via social media into a broad and public criticism of Mr Macron's economic policies.

Are opposition politicians involved?

They have certainly tried to tap into it. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who was defeated by Mr Macron in the second round of the presidential election, has been encouraging it on Twitter.

She said: "The government shouldn't be afraid of French people who come to express their revolt and do it in a peaceful fashion."

Laurent Wauquiez, leader of the centre-right Republicans, called on the Macron government to scrap the next planned increase in carbon tax on fossil fuels in January to offset rising vehicle fuel prices.

Mr Castaner has described Saturday's action as a "political protest with the Republicans behind it".

On the radical left of French politics, Jean-Luc Mélenchon cast doubt on the official attendance figures, saying they would equate to 62 people at each demonstration whereas some were clearly bigger.Olivier Faure, leader of the left-wing Socialist Party said the movement - which has no single leader and is not linked to any trade union - had been "born outside political parties".

"People want politicians to listen to them and respond. Their demand is to have purchasing power and financial justice," he said.

Is there any room for compromise?

On Wednesday, the government announced action to help poor families pay their energy and transport bills.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that 5.6 million households would receive energy subsidies. Currently 3.6 million receive them.

A state scrappage bonus on polluting vehicles would also be doubled for France's poorest families, he said, and fuel tax credits would be brought in for people who depend on their cars for work.

Protesters have mocked the president relentlessly as "Micron" or "Macaron" (Macaroon) or simply Manu, the short form of Emmanuel, which he famously scolded a student for using.

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Azaan Kaleem death: Mother cannot forgive killers for laughing at trial

The mother of a teenager who was stabbed to death said she cannot forgive his killers after they "laughed and joked" at their trial.

Azaan Kaleem, 18, was with his girlfriend in Luton in March when a group of strangers "piled out of a car" and stabbed him. He died in hospital.

Four men were convicted over his death on Thursday at the Old Bailey.

Roseann Taylor, who switched off her son's life support, said: "They had no remorse or regard for what they did."

Mr Kaleem, who was Ms Taylor's only child, was "viciously attacked" after a disagreement.

Two men aged 18 and 19, who cannot be named, and Harrison Searle, 18, of Derwent Road, Luton, were convicted of murder.

Reece Bliss-McGrath, 20, of Exton Avenue, Luton, was found guilty of manslaughter. All four will be sentenced next month.

Ms Taylor sat through their four-week trial, in which CCTV footage of the fatal attack was repeatedly played.

"What I saw was like a pack of animals - rounding up, seeking something, finding it and stalking it - and that's what they did to my son.

"I had to watch the CCTV of son being murdered and all the while I was keeping my composure, the defendants laughed and joked and had fun.

"Azaan was just a person to them, he was just a name."

She said she got a call about the attack in Hartsfield Road and had hoped her "accident-prone" son would be [sitting] on the kerb, moaning about his latest scrape.

Instead, he was prone on the pavement, surrounded by paramedics. He had been attacked at 17:20, in full daylight.

"I was blocked by a police officer," she said.

"That was soul-destroying - to know your child is lying on the floor and you know its serious and you can't get to them. "

Asked about her last memory of her son, she said: "Switching his machine off.

"It was horrific. To stand behind your child and stroke their hair, and kiss their forehead and wait while a policeman has to watch for his heart to stop beating.

"They [the killers] even stole that moment, because it wasn't private.

"I wanted Azaan's organs to be given away because he was a healthy 18-year-old, and I wanted to give the gift of life to someone else.

"But Azaan became evidence we weren't allowed to do that."

She added: "It's changed my life for ever. No-one will ever call me mum again.

"I will get there one day, I will forgive them, but not yet."

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Italy storms: Two families killed in Sicily house

Two families have been wiped out in Italy after a river burst its banks submerging their house in Sicily.

Nine people died in the incident in Casteldaccia - from children aged one, three and 15 to their grandparents. Only three people who were outside the house at the time survived.

Three other people died when their cars were swept away on the southern island.

Days of heavy rain and winds have killed at least 17 other people in Italy, mainly in the north and west.

Some of the worst damage was to roads around Belluno in the northern Veneto region, after days of storms had dislodged mud, rocks and water.

Deadly storms hit Italy, flooding Venice

Six regions remain under alert - from Veneto to Sicily and Sardinia in the south.

The tragedy in Casteldaccia occurred overnight on Saturday.

Twelve members of two families had gathered to spend the night when water from river Milicia swamped the house.

Three of those on the premises had lucky escapes. A father and daughter had gone out on an errand at the time. The third - another father of two - survived by climbing onto a tree.

In addition to the three children, the dead included the mother of two of them, her brother, sister and their parents - and the mother of one of the surviving fathers.

One of the neighbours described the scene minutes before the incident.

"I heard the dogs barking. It was around 22:30 (21:30 GMT). I told my husband to go out to see what was happening. He opened the door and water filled the house," said Maria Concetta Alfano.

Town mayor Giovanni Di Giacinto spoke of a "frightening tragedy" - given the Milicia was only a small river that had never had much water.

"It has never presented a threat to Casteldaccia, and it wasn't a very rainy day, anyway," he added.

Elsewhere in Sicily:

A man and a woman died when their hired car was swept away in Cammarata

A petrol station worker's body was found in his jeep in Vicari

And rescuers are looking for a doctor who was heading into Corleone hospital to start his shift. His car has been found abandoned in a part of the road hit by flooding and landslides.

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BA passengers in three-day Orlando to Gatwick journey 'hell'

British Airways passengers who endured a 77-hour "journey from hell" back to London from Florida, have said they were treated "inhumanely".

Passengers have complained of sleeping on airport floors and holidaymakers crying on the "chaotic" journey home.

BA flight 2036 was supposed to take off from Orlando at 19:25 ET (00:25 GMT) on Thursday and arrive at Gatwick eight hours later - but it arrived in the UK on Sunday after going through New York.

BA has apologised to passengers.

The airline said it "appreciated that this was an exhausting and frustrating experience" for the more than 200 passengers on board and said sorry for the "long delay".Passenger Sarah Wilson whose £11,000 "dream" family holiday to Disney World "turned into a nightmare" has accused BA of "failing their passengers when they needed help most".

"BA's customer service was disgusting, absolutely abhorrent," said the mother-of-four from Undy, Monmouthshire, whose flights to Florida alone cost more than £4,000.

"The passengers were treated inhumanely, all we wanted was some food and drink, somewhere to sleep and to be kept informed - and they failed on all counts no matter what they claim."

The flight was due to leave Orlando on Thursday evening but after passengers waited on the plane for four hours for a technical fault to be repaired they were forced to disembark and stay in a nearby hotel.

"Imagine 200 people turning up in the early hours to check in to a hotel," Ms Wilson said. "It was a chaos and there was not a BA representative in sight taking charge.

The 44-year-old said the coach back to Orlando Airport was delayed twice before eventually leaving at about 20:00 ET on Friday.After the flight left for Gatwick at 01:00 ET on Saturday, Ms Wilson said the flight was diverted to New York's JFK airport 40 minutes after take-off.

"The captain said over the tannoy, the original problem had come back," said Ms Wilson.

"They had to drop the landing gear, lose fuel to make the plane lighter and divert to New York - it was the roughest one-and-a-half hours on a flight I'd ever experienced, made worse as I suffer from travel sickness.

"Children were having panic attacks, the turbulence was awful and people were scared, tired and hungry.On arrival at JFK, first of all we had to wait until 06:00 ET for the BA staff to arrive and then told there was no food waiting and getting a hotel would be difficult because the New York Marathon was on and everywhere was fully booked.

"One mother asked where she could get formula for her seven-month-old baby and the reply was 'it would be difficult to find anywhere at this hour'. She was in tears.

"Children were sleeping on floors in JFK's Terminal 7 but my husband found a hotel in Queens for us to sleep for a few hours but we paid ourselves.

The passengers eventually left the US on Saturday evening and arrived back in London on Sunday morning.

"It was a horrendous experience but BA's handling is the issue" added Ms Wilson.

"Unfortunate things happen but it's how you deal with a crisis that's important and BA didn't have a contingency plan.

"Their communication with the passengers - most of whom were beside themselves by the end - was non-existent."So much so they put on food for us eventually in the BA business lounge at JFK on Saturday evening but didn't tell anyone. We only found out by luck but most of the passengers didn't know.

"I'm glad to be home but to top it all, my suitcase is still in JFK. I admit I've had a bit of cry. There were a lot tears from passengers.

"It was the journey from hell when it was supposed to be a holiday on a lifetime that we'd saved up for years to go on."

British Airways apologised and confirmed its "aircraft diverted to New York on Saturday morning as a precaution, following a minor technical issue".

"We sent a relief aircraft out to New York on Saturday morning to get customers back to London Gatwick as quickly as possible.

"Customers were rebooked where possible and while there were limited hotel rooms available, our teams on the ground cared for customers in our first class lounge providing bedding, food and drinks to ensure they were comfortable during their stay."

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Breeders' Cup: Man arrested for drunkenly riding horse

A man has been arrested for getting on a horse while drunk and nearly making it to the track at the Breeders' Cup meet in Kentucky, local media report.

Michael Wells-Rody, 24, sneaked into "a restricted area", grabbed a horse and was "in the track entrance" before being stopped, says a police report.

It added he was "under the influence of alcoholic beverages" and was "loud and disorderly" when asked to dismount.

The $6m Breeders' Cup Classic was won by Accelerate at Churchill Downs.

Enable, ridden by Frankie Dettori, won the Breeders' Cup Turf race to become the first horse to win both a Breeders' Cup fixture and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The Breeders' Cup is one of the biggest meetings on the American racing calendar.

According to the report in the Kentucky Herald Leader, Wells-Rody has been charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place and disorderly conduct, and is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

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New Caledonia: French Pacific territory rejects independence

Voters in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia have rejected a bid for independence.

Final results showed that 56.4% chose to remain part of France while 43.6% voted to leave - a tighter result than some polls had predicted.

Turnout was about 81%. The vote was promised by a 1988 deal that put an end to a violent campaign for independence.

President Emmanuel Macron said it showed "confidence in the French republic".

"I have to tell you how proud I am that we have finally passed this historic step together," he added.

New Caledonia has large deposits of nickel, a vital component in manufacturing electronics, and is seen by France as a strategic political and economic asset in the region.

 where the process of decolonisation has not been completed.

About 175,000 people were eligible to vote in Sunday's referendum New Caledonia, east of Australia, where indigenous Kanaks make up 39.1% of the population.

French nationalism is strong among the territory's ethnic Europeans - constituting 27.1% of the population - and observers say even some Kanaks back staying part of France.

The remaining third of the population of New Caledonia's 268,000 inhabitants are also largely said to oppose independence.The remote islands receive about €1.3bn (£1.1bn; $1.5bn) from the French government every year.

During a visit to the capital, Nouméa, in May, Mr Macron said that France would be "less beautiful without New Caledonia".

France first claimed the islands in 1853 and once used them as a penal colony.

In the 1980s there were deadly clashes between French forces and Kanaks.

The climax of that conflict came when Kanak separatists killed four French gendarmes and took another 23 hostage in a cave. The subsequent French assault cost the lives of 19 Kanaks and two soldiers.In 1988 representatives from the both pro- and anti-independence camps agreed to end the violence and eventually hold a self-determination referendum.

A No vote may not spell the end of the independence drive. Two further referendums on independence can still be held before 2022.

A Yes vote would have made New Caledonia the first French territory to break away since Djibouti (1977) and Vanuatu (1980).

New Caledonia is represented in the French parliament by two deputies and two senators.

It has a congress which elects an executive with powers over some policy areas - notably policing, education and local laws.

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