Third Night Of US Protests Over Chokehold Case

By Sky News US Team

Demonstrators are on the march again in US cities to protest against police treatment of black Americans.

People have so far taken to the streets on Friday in New York City, Washington DC, Chicago and Boston.

More than 200 arrests were made in New York a day earlier when protesters of all ages and backgrounds turned out in cities from coast to coast.

The rallies have been sparked by a grand jury decision not to indict a white policeman in the chokehold death of a black man, Eric Garner.

The case is stoking a national debate about policing, racial profiling and criminal justice.

Video: More US Demos Over Chokehold Death

A New York City prosecutor said on Friday he would convene a grand jury to consider charges against a rookie cop who fatally shot a black man, Akai Gurley, on a housing project stairwell.

Activists, meanwhile, finished a 120-mile march from Ferguson, Missouri, to the state governor's mansion on Friday, in a protest over a white policeman who was cleared of killing a black teenager.

There have also been protests in Phoenix, Arizona, after a white police officer shot dead an unarmed black drug suspect during a scuffle.

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1. Gallery: Chokehold Protesters On March Across US

   An NYPD policeman stands next to protesters on a second night of nationwide demonstrations over the death of a black man and the clearing of a white cop who restrained him in an alleged chokehold

A demonstrator restrains another as protesters clash with police in Times Square

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Cop Killing Of Black Man On Stairwell Probed

By Sky News US Team

A New York City district attorney has announced he will convene a grand jury to consider charges against a rookie cop who fatally shot a black man.

The news came just hours before a memorial service for Akai Gurley, 28, who died on 20 November after he was shot once in the chest.

Probationary Officer Peter Liang's gun fired accidentally on the dimly lit stairwell of a housing project, police officials have said.

It is the latest case in a debate about policing, racial profiling and criminal justice, which has spawned a third night of nationwide protests.

Announcing the grand jury plan, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson said in a statement: "It is important to get to the bottom of what happened."

Video: Protests Spread Across US

He added: "I pledge to conduct a full and fair investigation and to give the grand jury all of the information necessary to do its job."

The prosecutor, who is black, said there was no timeline for the jurors to be impanelled. 

The New York Daily News reported on Friday that the officer involved texted his union representative as Mr Gurley lay dying.

After Officer Liang discharged the bullet that struck Mr Gurley, he and partner Shaun Landau did not respond to radio contact for more than six and a half minutes, according to the newspaper.

A neighbour phoned for the ambulance that took Mr Gurley to hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, reports the Daily News.

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1. Gallery: Chokehold Protesters On March Across US

   An NYPD policeman stands next to protesters on a second night of nationwide demonstrations over the death of a black man and the clearing of a white cop who restrained him in an alleged chokehold

A demonstrator restrains another as protesters clash with police in Times Square

]]>

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Hamas: Loss Of Hope Behind Jerusalem Violence

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Video: Hamas Chief: We've Nothing To Lose

By Tom Rayner, Middle East Reporter

The leader of Hamas has claimed rising violence in Jerusalem is the result of Palestinians having lost hope of any "just solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In an exclusive interview from his base in Qatar, Khalid Meshaal said recent deadly attacks against Israelis were the fault of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "playing with fire" by allowing right-wing activists to enter the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

Mr Meshaal warned it could lead to "chaos in the region".

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of being behind attacks on civilians, and said Palestinian leaders were inciting violence by misrepresenting its policies regarding the sacred area, known to Jews as Temple Mount.

Violence broke out over the situation at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound

Hamas, deemed a terrorist organisation by EU governments and the US, has not claimed responsibility for the attacks - but Mr Meshaal refused to condemn them.

"The Palestinian people no longer have anything to lose in light of the continuation of the occupation and settlements, stealing the land, the attacks on the women and children and the Holy sites," he said.

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1. Gallery: Jerusalem: Fresh Clashes As Car Rams Crowd

   Israeli firefighters prepare to tow the vehicle of a Palestinian man at the scene of what police said appeared to be a deliberate attack on pedestrians in East Jerusalem

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man looks into the vehicle near the scene of the attack

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The motorist rammed into the crowd on a busy street and then got out of his vehicle to attack people with a metal bar. Israeli police shot him dead.

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At Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque, people run for cover during clashes between Israeli police and stone-throwing Palestinians. Continue through for more pictures

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Palestinians run for cover as Israeli police use stun grenades to disperse a crowd in Jerusalem's Old City

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"The reaction is spontaneous…The Israeli stubbornness, combined with the international impotence in solving the Palestinian issue with a just solution, which gives the Palestinian people their self-determination, and gets rid of occupation… will lead to chaos in the region, not just in the Palestinian arena, but to an open conflict - a blood-bath."

"We warn against keeping the Palestinian issue with no solution and stripping the Palestinian people of hope," said the Hamas leader.

"Those betting on a security solution for stopping the resistance, by hunting its leadership and blocking weapons coming to its fighters, through the security cooperation of the Palestinian Authority with the Israelis, with regional and international cooperation - all of this has proven useless.

"Because when public anger reaches its limit it explodes on its own, and expresses itself in ways that surprises everyone."

Read the full transcript of the Sky News interview with Khalid Meshaal 

Mr Meshaal, who leads the political wing of the group, said Hamas remained committed to reconciliation with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

He described it as a "national necessity" despite the apparent deterioration of relations following bombings targeting the property of Fatah officials in Gaza.

He also claimed Hamas was committed to the goal of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders - a position Mr Meshaal said was enshrined in Palestinian reconciliation agreements signed with Fatah and other factions - but that it would remain committed to "armed-resistance" until it was achieved.

When asked whether this made the prospect of resolution impossible, Mr Meshaal said: "Put Hamas aside, what about Mr Mahmoud Abbas?

"He has positions which satisfy Western and American standards. And with all this, what has Netanyahu done in return? Nothing.

"Therefore the problem is not the Palestinian position, whether from Fatah or Hamas, or the leadership, the fault is Netanyahu's position."

Mr Meshaal also welcomed the recent symbolic votes in the France and UK parliaments supporting recognition of a Palestinian state.

He described them as "excellent developments", adding: "the world has started understanding the justice of the Palestinian cause".

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Video: Hamas Chief: We've Nothing To Lose

By Tom Rayner, Middle East Reporter

The leader of Hamas has claimed rising violence in Jerusalem is the result of Palestinians having lost hope of any "just solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In an exclusive interview from his base in Qatar, Khalid Meshaal said recent deadly attacks against Israelis were the fault of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "playing with fire" by allowing right-wing activists to enter the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

Mr Meshaal warned it could lead to "chaos in the region".

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of being behind attacks on civilians, and said Palestinian leaders were inciting violence by misrepresenting its policies regarding the sacred area, known to Jews as Temple Mount.

Violence broke out over the situation at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound

Hamas, deemed a terrorist organisation by EU governments and the US, has not claimed responsibility for the attacks - but Mr Meshaal refused to condemn them.

"The Palestinian people no longer have anything to lose in light of the continuation of the occupation and settlements, stealing the land, the attacks on the women and children and the Holy sites," he said.

1/13

1. Gallery: Jerusalem: Fresh Clashes As Car Rams Crowd

   Israeli firefighters prepare to tow the vehicle of a Palestinian man at the scene of what police said appeared to be a deliberate attack on pedestrians in East Jerusalem

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man looks into the vehicle near the scene of the attack

]]>

The motorist rammed into the crowd on a busy street and then got out of his vehicle to attack people with a metal bar. Israeli police shot him dead.

]]>

At Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque, people run for cover during clashes between Israeli police and stone-throwing Palestinians. Continue through for more pictures

]]>

Palestinians run for cover as Israeli police use stun grenades to disperse a crowd in Jerusalem's Old City

]]>

"The reaction is spontaneous…The Israeli stubbornness, combined with the international impotence in solving the Palestinian issue with a just solution, which gives the Palestinian people their self-determination, and gets rid of occupation… will lead to chaos in the region, not just in the Palestinian arena, but to an open conflict - a blood-bath."

"We warn against keeping the Palestinian issue with no solution and stripping the Palestinian people of hope," said the Hamas leader.

"Those betting on a security solution for stopping the resistance, by hunting its leadership and blocking weapons coming to its fighters, through the security cooperation of the Palestinian Authority with the Israelis, with regional and international cooperation - all of this has proven useless.

"Because when public anger reaches its limit it explodes on its own, and expresses itself in ways that surprises everyone."

Read the full transcript of the Sky News interview with Khalid Meshaal 

Mr Meshaal, who leads the political wing of the group, said Hamas remained committed to reconciliation with President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

He described it as a "national necessity" despite the apparent deterioration of relations following bombings targeting the property of Fatah officials in Gaza.

He also claimed Hamas was committed to the goal of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders - a position Mr Meshaal said was enshrined in Palestinian reconciliation agreements signed with Fatah and other factions - but that it would remain committed to "armed-resistance" until it was achieved.

When asked whether this made the prospect of resolution impossible, Mr Meshaal said: "Put Hamas aside, what about Mr Mahmoud Abbas?

"He has positions which satisfy Western and American standards. And with all this, what has Netanyahu done in return? Nothing.

"Therefore the problem is not the Palestinian position, whether from Fatah or Hamas, or the leadership, the fault is Netanyahu's position."

Mr Meshaal also welcomed the recent symbolic votes in the France and UK parliaments supporting recognition of a Palestinian state.

He described them as "excellent developments", adding: "the world has started understanding the justice of the Palestinian cause".

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Putin: 'Enemies Seek Russia's Downfall'

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country's "enemies of the past" are seeking to carve up the state, just like Yugoslavia.

In his annual State of the Nation speech Mr Putin criticised sanctions imposed by the West, saying they are an attempt to undermine Russia.

He said: "There is no doubt they would have loved to see the Yugoslavia scenario of collapse and dismemberment for us - with all the tragic consequences it would have for the peoples of Russia. This has not happened. We did not allow it."

The president pledged not to sever ties with Europe but added: "We are ready to meet any challenge of the times and win."

Mr Putin has faced fierce criticism from the international community over Russia's role in the crisis in Ukraine.

Video: Deciphering The Putin Speech

But he defended Russia's actions, saying they are necessary for his country's survival.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was quick to respond, urging Mr Putin to engage with the West.

He said: "It is not our design or desire that we see a Russia that is isolated through its own actions. In fact we are convinced that Moscow could rebuild trust and relationships if it simply helps to calm turbulent waters."

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1. Gallery: Gun Battle In Chechnya Capital

   A media building known as the Press House burns as militants attack in the Chechen capital Grozny

At least six gunmen and three policemen were killed in gun battles in which the building was stormed

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Iran Denies Airstrikes In Iraq Against IS Targets.

Iran has denied Pentagon claims that it has carried out airstrikes in neighbouring Iraq against Islamic State militants.

A senior official also insisted that cooperation with the US in such attacks was out of the question.

The denial comes after a Pentagon spokesman said Iran had carried out raids in eastern Iraq, but said the US had not coordinated with Tehran over the strikes.

Rear Admiral John Kirby said the US continued to fly missions over Iraq and that it was up to the Iraqi government to avoid conflicts in its own airspace.

He said it was believed to be the first time Iran had launched manned aircraft from inside Iran to strike targets in Iraq.

Video: Iran Launches Airstrikes In Iraq

Iranian military leaders have admitted that dozens of their forces have been in Iraq fighting alongside Kurdish troops battling extremists.

The US has not invited Iran to join the coalition fighting Islamic State and Iran has said it would not join in any case.

Rear Admiral Kirby said: "There's no reason to believe they are not true, those reports that Iranian aircraft struck targets against IS in eastern Iraq.

Video: How Is Islamic State Funded?

"It's Iraqi airspace and it's for Iraqis to deconflict.

"We are not coordinating with nor deconflicting with Iranian military."

But a senior Iranian offical said: "Iran has never been involved in any air strikes against the Daesh (Islamic State) targets in Iraq.

Video: Coalition Against IS 'Will Prevail'

"Any cooperation in such strikes with America is also out of question for Iran."

It came as NATO foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss the threat posed by IS.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the battle against IS militants would last "as long as it takes to prevail".

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Costa Concordia Captain Was 'Second To God'

The captain of the Costa Concordia has insisted his decision to delay the cruise ship's evacuation saved lives, stating he was "second only to God" on the doomed vessel.

In the dock for the first time, Francesco Schettino claimed that sounding the emergency alarm immediately would have caused the 4,299 passengers and crew to panic.

The Concordia had hit rocks off the Italian island of Giglio, and Schettino believed the ship would drift into shallower waters, making any evacuation safer.

"Had I sounded the nautical signal for abandon ship – seven long whistles and one short one – people would have thrown themselves into the water," the captain said in court.

Earlier in the day, video emerged of Schettino getting ready to leave the cruise liner, contradicting his claims that he had "tripped and stumbled into a lifeboat".

Video: Costa Concordia Captain On Trial

He abandoned the ship half an hour before the emergency alarm was finally sounded – with hundreds of passengers still on board. Some 32 people were killed in the disaster, leading him to he dubbed Captain Coward.

In an apparent attempt to spread the blame, Schettino claimed that decisions were made collectively, adding: "It's not like the captain is alone on a ship, it's not like I'm a truck driver."

Prosecutors are trying to depict Schettino as someone who was completely overwhelmed after the attempted "sail past", in January 2012.

Video: Inside The Costa Concordia

The captain has insisted he was completely in control of the 115,000 tonne ship at all times, even though all of its engines were out of action.

But in a recording played to the court, one of Schettino's colleagues is heard telling him: "Water is coming in everywhere."

Schettino was also asked whether a failure to radio for tow boats, which would have helped stabilise the ship, was to save money.

Video: Time Lapse: Concordia Under Tow

"I did not put the ship before human lives. The cost I would have thought about afterwards," he said.

The disgraced captain is charged with manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.

He is being tried alone after five other defendants reached plea deals.

Video: Costa Concordia Starts 4 Day Voyage

Video: Chilling Video Of Sunken Liner

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Bill Cosby Sued Over Playboy Mansion 'Sex Act'

Bill Cosby is being sued by a California woman who claims the comedian molested her around 1974 when she was 15-years-old.

Judith Huth claims in the sexual battery lawsuit that the incident happened at the Playboy Mansion.

The document claims she and a friend met Cosby at a Los Angeles film shoot and the comedian later gave them drinks at a tennis club.

It then states that Cosby took them to the Playboy Mansion after several drinks. Her suit states Cosby forced her to perform a sex act on him.

The woman claims she suffered emotional distress and that she discovered its impact within the past three years.          

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1. Gallery: A Profile Of Bill Cosby

   Bill Cosby was born in Philadelphia in 1937, one of four children

He followed his father into the US Navy before securing an athletics scholarship to Temple University in Philadelphia

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Phillip Hughes: Funeral Held For Cricket Star

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1. Gallery: Australia Says Goodbye To Its Hero

   Australia's cricket team has said goodbye to their former colleague Phillip Hughes who died last week

Tributes have also been paid around the country

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The batsman was hit on the neck during a Sheffield Shield game in Sydney

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Australian captain Michael Clarke said last week: "Words cannot express the loss we all feel as a team right now."

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A funeral service for Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes is about to begin in his hometown of Macksville, New South Wales.

The 25-year-old batsmen died in hospital in Sydney last week after he was hit on the back of the neck by a cricket ball during New South Wales' first-class match against South Australia.

He had scored 63 runs when he was hit by a short ball from bowler Sean Abbott and was wearing a helmet at the time.

Around 1,000 people, mostly locals, packed into Macksville High School for the service, with hundreds more watching on big screens outside.

The service was also broadcast live on national television and on big screens in Australia's major cities, including at the Sydney Cricket Ground where Hughes was fatally injured.

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1. Gallery: Phillip Hughes: Cricket Career In Pictures

   Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes has died after suffering a severe head injury during a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Cricket Australia confirmed the 25-year-old's death, saying: "Our thoughts go out to Phillip's family, friends, and the entire cricket community"

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Hughes had scored 63 runs during the New South Wales vs South Australia match when he was hit by a ball

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Hughes' siblings, Jason and Megan, paid tribute to their brother during the service on behalf of the family.

The mourners included Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Australia cricket team and Sean Abbott.

Former Australian players Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and the Waugh brothers all attended, alongside Richard Hadlee, Brian Lara and India batsman Virat Kohli.

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke acted as a pallbearer for his close friend during the service.

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1. Gallery: #PutYourBatsOut Tribute To Phillip Hughes

   England cricketers put their bats out in their dressing room in memory of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka

A cricket bat and cap left by a Cricket Victoria player sits in the players tunnel at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

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On Saturday, Clarke paid an emotional tribute to his teammate and announced that Hughes' one-day international shirt number 64 would be retired.

He said: "Words cannot express the loss we all feel as a team right now.

"His legacy of trying to improve each and every day will drive us for the rest of our lives. Our dressing room will never be the same, we loved him and always will."

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1/4

1. Gallery: Australia Says Goodbye To Its Hero

   Australia's cricket team has said goodbye to their former colleague Phillip Hughes who died last week

Tributes have also been paid around the country

]]>

The batsman was hit on the neck during a Sheffield Shield game in Sydney

]]>

Australian captain Michael Clarke said last week: "Words cannot express the loss we all feel as a team right now."

]]>

A funeral service for Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes is about to begin in his hometown of Macksville, New South Wales.

The 25-year-old batsmen died in hospital in Sydney last week after he was hit on the back of the neck by a cricket ball during New South Wales' first-class match against South Australia.

He had scored 63 runs when he was hit by a short ball from bowler Sean Abbott and was wearing a helmet at the time.

Around 1,000 people, mostly locals, packed into Macksville High School for the service, with hundreds more watching on big screens outside.

The service was also broadcast live on national television and on big screens in Australia's major cities, including at the Sydney Cricket Ground where Hughes was fatally injured.

1/11

1. Gallery: Phillip Hughes: Cricket Career In Pictures

   Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes has died after suffering a severe head injury during a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Cricket Australia confirmed the 25-year-old's death, saying: "Our thoughts go out to Phillip's family, friends, and the entire cricket community"

]]>

Hughes had scored 63 runs during the New South Wales vs South Australia match when he was hit by a ball

]]>

Hughes' siblings, Jason and Megan, paid tribute to their brother during the service on behalf of the family.

The mourners included Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Australia cricket team and Sean Abbott.

Former Australian players Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and the Waugh brothers all attended, alongside Richard Hadlee, Brian Lara and India batsman Virat Kohli.

Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke acted as a pallbearer for his close friend during the service.

1/12

1. Gallery: #PutYourBatsOut Tribute To Phillip Hughes

   England cricketers put their bats out in their dressing room in memory of Australian cricketer Phil Hughes at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka

A cricket bat and cap left by a Cricket Victoria player sits in the players tunnel at the Melbourne Cricket Ground

]]>

On Saturday, Clarke paid an emotional tribute to his teammate and announced that Hughes' one-day international shirt number 64 would be retired.

He said: "Words cannot express the loss we all feel as a team right now.

"His legacy of trying to improve each and every day will drive us for the rest of our lives. Our dressing room will never be the same, we loved him and always will."

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Ferguson Officer Quit Because Of 'Threats'

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Video: Policeman Who Killed Teen Resigns

By Sky News US Team

The white officer who shot dead black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, quit because of threats against the police department, his lawyer has said.

Darren Wilson's resignation with immediate effect was announced on Saturday, four months after the confrontation that fuelled violent protests in the St Louis suburb and across the US.

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson told a news conference on Sunday: "The threats (from protesters) have been egregious and counselling is available to the officers."

He was joined by Ferguson Mayor James Knowles, who said Mr Wilson, 28, received no severance payment package.

The city leader also unveiled proposals to boost the number of black members on the community's police force, including a stipend for officers who live locally.

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1. Gallery: Ferguson Protests Lead To Arrests Across US

   Protests have been held across the US after a white officer was not charged for shooting unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri

Some of the most violent rallies were in San Francisco. Here a police officer on a motorcycle confronts protesters

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A demonstrator barracks police in San Francisco

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Demonstrators use a metal barricade to break a window in San Francisco

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Protesters face off with police in front of the Westfield Mall in San Francisco

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Mr Wilson's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, told the Associated Press news agency his client stepped aside after the department told him of the unspecified threats.

"The information we had was that there would be actions targeting the Ferguson (police) department or buildings in Ferguson related to the police department," Mr Bruntrager said.

A grand jury declined last Monday to bring charges against Mr Wilson, who had been on administrative leave since the shooting on 9 August.

Mr Wilson, who had been with the department for less than three years, told the St Louis Post-Dispatch: "I'm not willing to let someone else get hurt because of me."

According to the newspaper, his resignation letter to the Ferguson force read: "It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal."

Video: Cleaning up after the riot debris

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for Michael Brown's family, said Mr Wilson's resignation was not a surprise.

"It was always believed that the police officer would do what was in his best interest, both personally and professionally," Mr Crump said.

"We didn't believe that he would be able to be effective for the Ferguson community nor the Ferguson Police Department because of the tragic circumstances that claimed the life of Michael Brown Jr."

The US Justice Department is still conducting a civil rights investigation into the shooting and a separate probe of police department practices.

Mr Wilson began his career in nearby Jennings before moving to the Ferguson job a few years ago.

Video: Ferguson Cop Breaks Silence

He had no previous complaints against him and a good career record, according to Chief Jackson, who described Mr Wilson as "an excellent police officer".

A few months before the shooting, Mr Wilson had received a commendation for detaining a suspect in a drugs case.

An American flag was burned during the most recent protests outside police headquarters in Ferguson on Saturday night, when two people were arrested.

Ten people were meanwhile arrested at a Ferguson-inspired demonstration in Portland, Oregon, after a rally at which civil rights leader Rev Jesse Jackson spoke.

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Video: Policeman Who Killed Teen Resigns

By Sky News US Team

The white officer who shot dead black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, quit because of threats against the police department, his lawyer has said.

Darren Wilson's resignation with immediate effect was announced on Saturday, four months after the confrontation that fuelled violent protests in the St Louis suburb and across the US.

Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson told a news conference on Sunday: "The threats (from protesters) have been egregious and counselling is available to the officers."

He was joined by Ferguson Mayor James Knowles, who said Mr Wilson, 28, received no severance payment package.

The city leader also unveiled proposals to boost the number of black members on the community's police force, including a stipend for officers who live locally.

1/11

1. Gallery: Ferguson Protests Lead To Arrests Across US

   Protests have been held across the US after a white officer was not charged for shooting unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri

Some of the most violent rallies were in San Francisco. Here a police officer on a motorcycle confronts protesters

]]>

A demonstrator barracks police in San Francisco

]]>

Demonstrators use a metal barricade to break a window in San Francisco

]]>

Protesters face off with police in front of the Westfield Mall in San Francisco

]]>

Mr Wilson's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, told the Associated Press news agency his client stepped aside after the department told him of the unspecified threats.

"The information we had was that there would be actions targeting the Ferguson (police) department or buildings in Ferguson related to the police department," Mr Bruntrager said.

A grand jury declined last Monday to bring charges against Mr Wilson, who had been on administrative leave since the shooting on 9 August.

Mr Wilson, who had been with the department for less than three years, told the St Louis Post-Dispatch: "I'm not willing to let someone else get hurt because of me."

According to the newspaper, his resignation letter to the Ferguson force read: "It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal."

Video: Cleaning up after the riot debris

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for Michael Brown's family, said Mr Wilson's resignation was not a surprise.

"It was always believed that the police officer would do what was in his best interest, both personally and professionally," Mr Crump said.

"We didn't believe that he would be able to be effective for the Ferguson community nor the Ferguson Police Department because of the tragic circumstances that claimed the life of Michael Brown Jr."

The US Justice Department is still conducting a civil rights investigation into the shooting and a separate probe of police department practices.

Mr Wilson began his career in nearby Jennings before moving to the Ferguson job a few years ago.

Video: Ferguson Cop Breaks Silence

He had no previous complaints against him and a good career record, according to Chief Jackson, who described Mr Wilson as "an excellent police officer".

A few months before the shooting, Mr Wilson had received a commendation for detaining a suspect in a drugs case.

An American flag was burned during the most recent protests outside police headquarters in Ferguson on Saturday night, when two people were arrested.

Ten people were meanwhile arrested at a Ferguson-inspired demonstration in Portland, Oregon, after a rally at which civil rights leader Rev Jesse Jackson spoke.

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Canadian Woman Kidnapped By IS - Reports

The Canadian government has said it is trying to verify reports that one of its citizens has been kidnapped in Syria.

The woman was believed to be helping Kurdish militias in the fight against Islamic State, according to Haaretz.

It cites a blog used by the extremist organisation, which claims a 31-year-old Canadian-Israeli had been taken captive.

Israel has banned its people from travelling to countries deemed as enemy states, including Iraq and Syria. 

When asked about the reports, Moshe Ya'alon, Israel's Defence Minister, said "I cannot confirm that and I hope that it isn't true."

More follows...

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