Ukrainian leader 'outraged' by protest violence

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich has said he was "deeply outraged" by incidents at a pro-EU rally in Kiev that led to violent confrontation between protesters and police with many injured.

He also said he will do everything in his power to speed up closer integration with the European Union. 

The comments come as the country's capital Kiev braces itself for another demonstration against his decision not to sign a partnership deal with the EU in Vilnius on Friday, after pressure from Russia to opt for closer ties with Moscow instead.               

"I will do everything that depends on me in order to accelerate the process of moving Ukraine closer to the European Union," he said in a statement.  

Mr Yanukovych has vowed to investigate yesterday's early morning clashes for which Kiev police chief Valery Koryak also expressed regret. 

Riot police clearing streets of protesters after a pro-EU rally on Friday night used batons and stun grenades, injuring an undisclosed number of people.

In an address to Ukrainians carried on his web site, the president called for an immediate and objective investigation so that those guilty could be punished, though he did not specifically blame the police for the incidents.

Around 10,000 protesters gathered again last night after Friday's protest with some staying in a city centre church before today's rally. 

Interior minister Vitaly Zakharchenko warned protesters that police would respond if there were mass disturbances. 

"Mass disorder? The police cannot fail to react to this. Do we want to go the way of Libya, Tunis? If there are calls [from the opposition] for mass disorder, then we will react," he told Interfax news agency.

Police earlier had promised there would be no repeat of the violence which has increased tension. 

Opposition leaders have called for a general strike and want the government to fall. 

They have urged crowds to attend today's protest to help remove Mr Yanukovich - who was elected in 2010 - from power. 

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Protesters launch 'people's coup' in Thailand

About 30,000 protesters have launched a "people's coup" on Thailand's government, swarming state agencies in violent clashes, taking control of a state broadcaster and forcing the prime minister to flee a police compound.

Meanwhile, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has announced a government holiday for 2 December as protesters gathered at Government House and other key state buildings in a bid to topple the government.
 
"In order to continue the people's operation and eliminate Thaksin's regime, the People's Democratic Reform Committee would like to announce that Monday, December 2, is a holiday for the government sector," he said in a statement which was broadcast on the Blue Sky channel which is funded mainly by the opposition Democrat party and its supporters.

Riot police behind concrete barriers and barb wire have been repelling crowds of protesters using water cannon and tear gas. 

Apart from government buildings, protesters took over part of a TV station earlier in the day seeking them to air footage of their "people's coup". 
 
Network TPBS aired Mr Suthep's announcement on their channel.
 
The protest leader has been holding rallies at government complex which is partially occupied by his supporters.

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CRC top-ups 'not acceptable' - Taoiseach

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said the controversy over top-up payments at the Central Remedial Clinic is not acceptable in any circumstances.

Mr Kenny said people must expect that money they raise is going towards the services and facilities used by children who attend the CRC.

Last week the CRC confirmed money donated by the public is being used to top up salaries of some of its staff.

The funds were raised by a separate company called the Friends and Supporters of the Central Remedial Clinic.

It admitted the additional salary amounts were over the Department of Health's consolidated pay scales.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said organisations receiving State funding would be expected to abide by State pay rules without exception. 

Funding to organisations ignoring them could be reduced, he warned.   

Speaking on RTÉ's The Week In Politics, Mr Gilmore said that all agencies funded by the State are expected to comply with its pay guidelines and the Government is determined this will apply without exception. 

He added that there were instruments available to Government if agencies do not comply and that funding can be reduced. 

On Friday Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn called on the board of the CRC to resign after it emerged public donations were being used to top up staff salaries.

Mr Quinn said: "Everyone in the public sector has had reductions of pay and certainly there's been a pay cap that voluntary organisations that receive substantial money from the taxpayer through the relevant Government departments are not an exception to that rule." 

"Brendan Howlin and Michael Noonan have made that very clear," he added. 

Mr Quinn said if the board refused to go, and breaches of the pay cap continued, it would result in "consequential actions".

Meanwhile, Lorraine Dempsey, Chair of the Special Needs Parents Association, which supports parents of children with special needs, has said parents were "disgusted" to discover public donations were being used to top up salaries at the CRC.

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NAMA 'disappointed' over social housing take-up

A senior NAMA official has said the agency is "disappointed" at the level of demand from local authorities for the 4,500 homes it has made available for social housing.

Speaking to RTÉ's This Week programme, NAMA relationship manager Martin Whelan said the agency had hoped there would have been greater take-up of the properties.

He was reacting to comments earlier in the week from homeless housing agency Focus Ireland, which criticised the slow pace at which properties owned by NAMA are being transferred to housing charities.

Focus Ireland chief executive Joyce Loughnan said the system was complex and overly bureaucratic and she said her charity had not received any of the 2,000 units promised by NAMA over two years ago.

However, Mr Whelan said where local authorities and housing agencies had completed the requisite lease or sale documents, there was "no delay".

Demand had been indicated for just 2,000 of the 4,500 units which NAMA has made available, he said.

"I suppose we are a bit disappointed. We would have liked to seen more of the houses taken up; more of the apartments taken up. Because ultimately it is about providing much needed houses and apartments," Mr Whelan said.

"We've made four and a half thousand homes available. We would like to see everyone one of those delivered for social housing." 

"We'll invest to make sure they're ready, they're in a proper state for people to live in them, to form communities within them, and, you know, if the local authorities, if anyone, wants to come back to NAMA and say we have a requirement for other houses that we haven't taken up, we'll make them available", Mr Whelan said.

He said that NAMA had made the properties available because it would like them to be used for social housing.

However, demand had been curtailed in some cases by local authority housing policy which capped the amount of social housing units in an estate, typically at around 20% of the total number of residential properties.

Mr Whelan said that it was an area which NAMA had put a "huge amount of work into", in terms of identifying the units, working with debtors and receivers and in establishing a stand-alone company to acquire the properties. 

He said that NAMA had invested around €10m finishing off properties to make them available for local authorities and housing agencies.

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Four killed in New York train derailment

At least four people were killed and 63 injured after five passenger rail cars derailed in the Bronx area of New York.

The New York Fire Department reported the train derailment happened on Palisades Avenue near the Spuyten Duyvil railway station, next to the Hudson River.

Eye-witnesses tweeted images of the scene showing rail cars on their sides on the banks of the river.

Police and other rescue workers were searching for survivors along the shoreline and the waterway.         

The train derailed on a large curved section of track at 7.20am (12.20pm Irish time) in New York about 100 meters north of the station, according to Aaron Donovan, a spokesman for Metro North, a subsidiary of New York State's Metropolitan Transportation Authority.    

The train was a diesel with seven cars. It was on the north end pushing the rail cars southward.

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Recovery effort in Glasgow to 'take some time'

Scottish police have said the operation to recover bodies from the Glasgow helicopter crash is a highly complex and dangerous task  likely to take some time.

At least eight people were killed when a police helicopter crashed into a busy pub on Friday night.

Another 14 people are in hospital with serious injuries following the crash at the Clutha Vaults bar beside the River Clyde in the city centre.

Police confirmed that the body of Gary Arthur, 48, from nearby Paisley, has been recovered.

His 18-year-old daughter, Chloe, is a Celtic and Scottish international women's footballer. 

Tributes have been pouring in from the club and the footballing world to his family. 

A second body has been recovered from the scene and has been taken to the Southern General Hospital for a formal identification.

Special prayers were said and candles lit for the victims at a service at Glasgow Cathedral today as the community tries to come to terms with what has happened. 

Witnesses said the helicopter came down "like a stone" on top of the bar with over 100 people inside. 

Two police officers and the civilian pilot aboard the Eurocopter EC135 T2 are among the dead. 

A major air accident investigation is under way. 

Chief Constable of Police Scotland Sir Stephen House said the rescue operation will go on for many days yet.

He said: "This is a complex and ongoing rescue operation. It will not be a quick operation.

"It's a very complicated and indeed dangerous scene. I pay tribute to those people from the emergency services who are working in and around the scene."

Scotland's top policeman said it is not known how many people are still in the building.

He said the helicopter is in the wreckage and is dominating the space within the building.

It is not possible to fully assess the situation until the helicopter is out of the way, he added. 

Nine-piece Glasgow ska band Esperanza were on stage when the helicopter hit the roof.

Writing on their Facebook page, the band said they were "waking up and realising that it is all definitely horribly real".

Helicopter operator Bond Air Services said it was "deeply saddened" by the incident and is working with Police Scotland, other emergency services. and the Air Accident Investigation Branch as the investigations into what caused the crash get under way.

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Rabbitte dismisses reshuffle 'axe' report

The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte has said he was not worried about a report in the Irish Independent that he was "facing the axe" when there is a cabinet reshuffle.

Speaking at his party's conference in Killarney, he also said that he intends to run again in the next general election. 

The newspaper report claimed that Mr Rabbitte and Minister for Education Minister Ruairi Quinn could be demoted from Cabinet if they were not running in the next election. 

Mr Quinn told RTÉ Radio yesterday he had not made a decision on running in the election. 

1,000 days in government, Labour's deputy leader said wage-led growth is key to economic recovery. 

Minister Joan Burton stressed the need to focus on a "living wage" and said the government needs to safeguard wages from stagnation as the economy recovers.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin told delegates that those responsible for the economic collapse must be held to account by the judicial system, as well as the forthcoming Oireachtas banking inquiry.

Minister Howlin also said that legislation which gave him 
power to issue public sector pay cuts is an emergency measure that he wants to get rid of as soon as is possible. 

The new party chairperson will be announced tonight after Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore's keynote leaders' address at 8.30pm.  

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One dead, 30 hurt after Glasgow helicopter crash

At least one person has died after a police helicopter crashed into the roof of a crowded pub in the centre of Glasgow.

Witnesses said the helicopter came down "like a stone" from the sky and hit the roof of "The Clutha" at 10.25pm yesterday.

Members of the public formed a human chain to help remove those inside the pub in Stockwell Street.

More than 30 people were taken to hospitals across the city.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House, of Police Scotland, said: "Sadly at this time I can also confirm one fatality." 

He said: "We expect that number to increase over the coming hours."

"Given the damage caused and the nature of the damage, it will take some time to complete the search of the building and to assess how we begin the investigation," he said.

"Clearly the safety of those conducting the search is of the highest importance, balanced with the search and rescue operation that is ongoing." he added.

It is unclear if anyone is still alive inside the building.

Sir Stephen said: "We're still in a search and recovery phase and, as always, our prayers are that it is successful and we do recover people alive.

"The response was very, very quick in terms of the ambulance service getting people to hospital.

"There are people on the scene trying to make contact with anyone who may be alive at the scene. It is an unclear situation at this moment in time. All we can do is confirm that there has been one fatality, but we are fearful that there will be more.

"It's been emotional but it is the job of everybody here to deal with it, and we have dealt with it, and we will continue to deal with it effectively."

The injured were taken to Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Western Infirmary.

The aircraft involved was a Eurocopter EC135 T2 and had two police officers and a civilian pilot on board.

An inquiry involving the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the emergency services is under way.

A large section of the city centre is cordoned off with all roads leading to the junction of Clyde Street, Stockwell Street, Bridgegate and Victoria Bridge closed.

Police have set up a telephone number for members of the public concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash. It is 08000 920 410.

First Minister Alex Salmond described today, St Andrew's Day, as a "black day for Glasgow and for Scotland".

He visited the multi-agency command centre in Glasgow with Sir Stephen, other emergency services and Scotland's Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill.

The First Minister praised the speed of the emergency response.
"We've also heard of the instinctive courage of ordinary Glaswegians going to assist their fellow citizens in extremity," he said.

"This is a black day for Glasgow and Scotland but it's also St Andrew's Day, and it's a day we can take pride and courage in how we respond to adversity and tragedy.

"That response from our emergency services and from ordinary citizens has been exemplary.

"As First Minister, it's a day we can take great pride in how we've responded to this extraordinary tragedy."

Scottish flags will fly at half-mast this weekend outside Scottish Government and Historic Scotland buildings, he said.

Among those helping with the rescue last night was Labour frontbencher Jim Murphy who saw a "pile of people clambering out" of the bar as he was driving past.

"I jumped out and tried to help," he said.

"There were people with injuries. Bad gashes to the head. Some were unconscious. I don't know how many.

"The helicopter was inside the pub. It's a mess. I could only get a yard or two inside. I helped carry people out.

"My human instinct kicked in. I didn't like what I was seeing but I did what everyone else was doing and got stuck in. I feel like I'm in shock now. It's a horrible scene."

People formed a human chain to help pass unconscious people out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out", Mr Murphy said.

Grace MacLean, inside the pub at the time of the crash, said it was busy with people listening to a ska band.

"We were all just having a nice time and then there was like a whoosh noise. There was no bang, there was no explosion. And then there was some smoke, what seemed like smoke," she told BBC News.

"The band were laughing and we were all joking that the band had made the roof come down.

"They carried on playing and then it started to come down more and someone started screaming and then the whole pub just filled with dust. You couldn't see anything, you couldn't breathe."

Gordon Smart, editor of The Sun's Scottish edition, said he saw the helicopter come down from a multistorey car park around 250 yards away.

"It was just such a surreal moment. It looked like it was dropping from a great height at a great speed," he told Sky News.

"There was no fireball and I did not hear an explosion. It fell like a stone. The engine seemed to be spluttering."

              
              

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Halawa sisters home in Ireland after Egypt ordeal

The Halawa sisters from Dublin who were detained following unrest in Egypt earlier this year have arrived home at Dublin Airport this morning. 

Irish citizens Somaia, Fatima and Omaima Halawa were taken into custody in August following a protest in Cairo but were freed a fortnight ago. 

Shortly before 10am, their Turkish Airways flight from Istanbul touched down in Dublin Airport where their father and sister waited to greet them.

28-year-old Somaia, 22-year-old Fatima and 21-year-old Omaima, along with their 17-year-old brother, Ibrahim were all detained following clashes in Cairo between security forces and supporters of ousted president Mohammed Morsi.

Ibrahim remains in prison in the Egyptian capital.

The Halawa family have no indication so far when he might be released.
 
Some of the 40 supporters waiting to greet them carried posters and banners opposing the ousting of former Egyptian president Mohammed Mursi. 

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Employers attack ESB unions over strike plans

The Employers' Group IBEC has accused unions at the ESB of holding the country to ransom by planning industrial action for next month which could lead to electricity power cuts. 

Unions at the ESB formally served notice of industrial action on the company yesterday which could begin on 16 December unless agreement is reached in a dispute over pensions. 

The ESB argues it has no further liability for deficits in pensions following a restructuring in 2010.

However, unions insist responsibility continues to lie with the company and intend to take industrial action unless the dispute is resolved. 

IBEC chief executive Danny McCoy told RTÉ Radio that the strike risk is causing disruption already. 

Even if the dispute is resolved before any industrial action, he said the prospect of power cuts has forced some business to take emergency staffing measures to cope with a strike. 

Mr McCoy said he felt there was a degree of cynicism in the timing of the planned industrial action - and that unions had "seized the opportunity" to hold industrial action on the day after Ireland's exit from the EU/ECB/IMF bailout on 15 December. 

He also described the current dispute as not only damaging to workers in the ESB but also to wider society. 

"It's one of the critical pieces of the infrastructure make-up of this country and to be held to ransom at this point is not just damaging for that company and the employees themselves, it's also spilling over to the wider society," argued Mr McCoy. 

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