Thousands More Face Flood Risk, Ministers Told

More frequent extreme weather events combined with less investment in defences would put many more properties in danger by 2035, the document warned.

Details of the report, drawn up in November by the Association of Drainage Authorities, were published by The Observer as parts of the UK prepared for more heavy rain.

The report warned that "failure of assets and networks is more likely as extreme weather events become more frequent and unpredictable".

Referring to spending cuts, it added: "Annual flood and storm damage costs are approximately £1.1bn, according to the Association of British Insurers, and those households at significant risk (of flood damage) through a reduction in our capacity to manage water levels could increase from 330,000 today to 570,000 in 2035."

Budget cuts had left local authorities having to reduce funding to organisations and landowners who manage river levels, the document said.

"Such reductions in investment mean that some river, watercourse and sea defence systems and structures are maintained only to a minimal level; consequently the useful lives of those assets will be reduced," it added.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said funding is in place for schemes to protect hundreds of thousands of homes.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that more than £40m will be spent strengthening flood defences which were overwhelmed by Storm Eva over Christmas.

A significant portion of that has been earmarked for York, where hundreds of homes were flooded after the Foss Barrier struggled to cope with record levels of rainfall.

Repairs are also expected on defences along the Derwent, Aire, Calder and Ouse in the county - as well as the River Wharfe, which became so swollen that an ancient bridge in Tadcaster collapsed and split the town in two.

The investment is in addition to the £50m pot set aside for local authorities co-ordinating the clean-up effort, and the cash promised to those affected by Storm Desmond in the North West.

The Prime Minister said: "I have seen at first-hand the devastation caused by flooding. And that's why this work to repair and improve flood defences is so vital.

"We are already spending £280m over the next six years to protect thousands of houses from flooding in Yorkshire as part of our £2.3bn investment to protect 300,000 houses across the country."

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron, whose constituency in Cumbria was among those badly hit by flooding, has described the latest package as a "short-term fix", and questioned whether the "small down-payment" of £40m was actually new funding.

An amber "be prepared" warning of heavy rain is currently being enforced by the Met Office for parts of Scotland, with forecasters predicting more than 200mm of rain will fall on saturated ground by Monday.

Yellow warnings are also in place for parts of Wales, Northern Ireland, northeast England and southwest England - with another band of downpours expected on Sunday.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued 23 flood warnings and three flood alerts, while in England and Wales, there are currently 16 flood warnings and 95 flood alerts.

Clinton campaign says it raised $37 million in fourth quarter

The campaign released its fundraising totals for the fourth-quarter on Friday. Clinton's team also says it raised $18 million for the Democratic National Committee and state Democratic parties nationwide.

Heading into the January sprint toward the leadoff Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1, Clinton's campaign says it has nearly $38 million in cash on hand.

The Clinton campaign says more than 60 percent of its donors in 2015 were women.

"Thanks to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have joined together and powered this historic campaign, we are now heading into Iowa and New Hampshire with the resources we need to be successful," campaign manager Robby Mook said in a statement.

Clinton's campaign had set a goal of $100 million for the primary in 2015.

Clinton's rival, Bernie Sanders, did not immediately report his fundraising totals for the quarter that ended on Dec. 31. But the Vermont senator has collected more than 2 million individual contributions and raised money online at a vigorous pace, taking in about $40 million through the end of September and ending that period with about $27 million in the bank.

His campaign has noted that most of its donors have given in small increments — about $20 to $30 apiece — allowing Sanders to return to them repeatedly.

While Clinton has built a steady lead in national polls, Sanders remains competitive against her in Iowa and holds a slight advantage in New Hampshire, his New England neighbor which holds its primary on Feb. 9.

The third major Democrat in the race, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, has lagged behind Clinton and Sanders in fundraising and polls.

Helped by several fundraisers headlined by former President Bill Clinton, most of Hillary Clinton's money came via traditional fundraising events, where the price of entry was often the legal maximum donation of $2,700 for the primary.

The presidential candidates have until Jan. 31 to report such details to federal regulators.

Clinton isn't alone in releasing some selective details ahead of that schedule. Earlier this week, Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's campaign said it had raised nearly $20 million in the fourth quarter.

Cruz's campaign said in a memo to supporters that he will finish the year having raised more than $45 million, but it did not disclose how much the campaign has spent or how much cash it has on hand.

Hundreds Evacuated During 'Huge' Gas Leak

Sergeant Lance Chenery from the Bromley neighbourhood policing team described the evacuation as "large".

He said on Twitter: "On scene with MPSBromley dealing with a serious gas leak in Penge SE20 large evacuation of residents."

The incident happened in Queen Adelaide Road in Penge, shortly before 11pm on Saturday. Around 200 residents were evacuated.

Four reception centres opened to provide shelter for those who were forced to leave their homes.

At around 5am the police account tweeted: "Delighted but cold residents start returning to their homes in Penge ... Christmas slippers coming in useful!"

Danczuk: 'I'm Sorry For Letting My Family Down'

The Labour MP for Rochdale told The Sun on Sunday newspaper that he was "lonely" and "drunk" when he sent the messages while on a holiday in Spain.

"I have a drink problem, and that is a major contributory reason why I sent the messages," he said.

"I've seen a psychiatrist about it and he's told me to stop drinking for six months.

"I feel awful about what happened. I don't know what came over me. I'm so embarrassed that I've been such an idiot.

"I'm sorry for letting my family down and I'm already dreading my young sons finding out when they are older."

The 49-year-old was suspended from the Labour Party pending an investigationinto the messages, which were sent to teenager Sophena Houlihan.

Ms Houlihan, who is now aged 18, said Mr Danczuk sent her numerous messages after she contacted him about a job.

The pair exchanged messages for nearly a month before Mr Danczuk asked how old she was, according to a report in The Sun.

Mr Danczuk earlier responded to the claims on Twitter, saying: "Today's Sun story, while not entirely accurate, refers to an extremely low point in my life."

He also tweeted: "My behaviour was inappropriate & I apologise unreservedly to everyone I've let down. I was stupid & there's no fool like an old fool."

Mr Danczuk has previously spoken about how his work to expose child sex abuse had left him depressed and he was receiving psychiatric treatment.

Mexico mayor killed less than a day after taking office

Cartels seeking to control communities and towns have often targeted local officials and mayors in Mexico [EPA]

The mayor of a city south of Mexico's capital was shot to death less than a day after taking office, officials said.

Gunmen opened fire on Mayor Gisela Mota on Saturday at her house in the city of Temixco, said the government of Morelos state, where Temixco is located.

Mourners gather near Mota's home after the killing [Margarito Perez/Reuters]

Two presumed assailants were killed and three others detained following a pursuit, said Morelos security commissioner Jesus Alberto Capella. He said the suspects fired on federal police and soldiers from a vehicle.

On his Twitter account, Morelos Governor Graco Ramirez attributedMota's killing to organised crime, without citing a particular drug cartel or gang.

Cartels seeking to control communities and towns have often targeted local officials and mayors in Mexico.

Mota's leftist Democratic Revolution Party released a statement describing her as "a strong and brave woman who on taking office as mayor, declared that her fight against crime would be frontal and direct."

'No impunity'

Temixco is a city of about 100,000 people neighboring Cuernavaca, a resort and industrial city which has been suffering kidnappings and extortion linked to organised crime groups.

Though Cuernavaca is the capital of Morelos, Temixco is the seat of several state institutions including the Public Security Commission, which coordinates state and local police forces. Morelos also neighbours drug cartel-plagued Guerrero state.

Mota, who had been a federal congresswoman in her early thirties, was sworn into office on New Year's Day. She was killed the following day.

Morelos Governor Ramirez vowed there "would be no impunity" in her killing and promised that state officials would not cede to what he described as a "challenge from criminals."

Federal and state forces are deployed in Cuernavaca and municipalities near the Guerrero state border in what is called operation "Delta."

Capella did not provide more details about the attack on Mota, but said that when the suspects were detained, authorities found a 9-millimeter gun, an Uzi, ski masks and an SUV with Mexico State license plates.

Morelos Attorney General Javier Perez Duron said the detained suspects have been tied to other crimes, but declined to provide more details.

Hundreds evacuated after 'huge' London gas leak

All three emergency services and the Red Cross remain at the scene following the leak in the Penge Lane and Queen Adelaide Road area of Penge.

It was reported shortly after 22:30 GMT on Saturday.

Residents were moved to four reception centres in a "large" evacuation, but some have started to return home. Road closures were also put in place.

@MPSBromley tweeted: "Huge Gas Leak Penge Lane / Queen Adelaide Road. Houses being evacuated. Please avoid this area." 

A second tweet from the MPS Bromley account at about 02:00 said: "Road closures remain in place in #Penge .. 4 reception centres housing evacuee's. Community spirit pulling through. Updates to follow."

Sgt Lance Chenery tweeted: "On scene with @MPSBromley dealing with a serious gas leak in #Penge #SE20 large evacuation of residents."

Sgt Gareth Starr added some residents were moved from reception centres to hotels, with others escorted home by police officers from about 05:00

Saudi-led coalition announces ending of Yemen ceasefire

A Saudi-led coalition that has been bombing the Houthi movement in Yemen for nine months announced Saturday the end of a ceasefire that began on Dec. 15, the Saudi state news agency SPA said.

The ceasefire began in tandem with peace talks sponsored by the United Nations, but it was repeatedly violated by both sides. Nearly 6,000 people have been killed since the Saudi coalition entered the conflict in March, almost half of them civilians.

The coalition began its military campaign in an attempt to prevent the Houthis, whom it sees as a proxy for Iran, from taking complete control of Yemen after seizing much of the north last year. The Houthis accuse the coalition of launching a war of aggression.

"The leadership of the coalition supporting legitimacy in Yemen announces the end of the truce in Yemen,” the news agency said. "The coalition has been and still is keen to create the right conditions to find a peaceful solution," the statement said. But the ceasefire could not be maintained because of "the continuation of the Houthi militias and Saleh forces in violating it."

The statement charged that Houthis and Yemeni troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh had fired ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia, targeted its border posts and shelled civilian areas where the Houthis are fighting pro-Saudi Yemeni forces.

The U.N. talks have failed to find a political solution that would end the conflict. Negotiations are set to resume on Jan. 14. It is unclear how the resumption of full-scale fighting will affect the peace process.