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Clooney's In-Laws Stage Wedding Do In Bucks

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 25 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

George Clooney and new wife Amal had the wedding of the year but it seems they are not ready to stop celebrating with another party planned in Buckinghamshire.

Amal's parents, Baria and Ramzi Alamuddin, are believed to be hosting a party at Danesfield House Hotel near Marlow, Buckinghamshire, for guests who could not make the Italian ceremony.

Sky News understands the hotel is in lockdown for 24 hours with staff having to hand in their phones to ensure no details are leaked.

It has led to speculation that A-list stars could attend, with locals hoping for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie after they missed the Venice wedding.

Entertainment journalist Ashley Pearson told Sky News: "By all accounts, Amal's parents are rather traditional and they wanted to throw a wedding for their daughter as most people planned to do.

"There's every belief that her parents are footing the bill for this party despite they fact that she is now married to a multi-millionaire.

"This is for their friends, their family friends as well as Amal's colleagues who couldn't make it to Venice."

She added the Italian wedding "became such a spectacle in the end" and "I think this is something that is going to be much more private".

Video: Third Clooney Wedding Party In UK?

A marquee has been put up in the hotel's 65 acre grounds with the on site Michelin-starred chef expected to cater for guests.

The grounds are accessible by helicopter for those who do not want to drive.There is also a spa for those wanting to relax.

The management has refused to confirm who is hosting the private event.

Video: Clooneys Are All Smiles In Venice

The spot is a perfect choice for British-Lebanese lawyer Amal who grew up near-by and is believed to have bought a home with US actor Clooney down the road in Sonning.

People living in Marlow were very excited when they spoke to Sky News.

One said: "It's nice thing for the community. I'm sure everyone's very happy for them because I know she's a local girl and she went to a local school."

1/20

  1. Gallery: Clooney And Bride: First Appearance Since Tying The Knot

    The morning after: Actor George Clooney and his new wife Amal Alamuddin have made their first appearance since tying the knot

  2. They left their seven-star hotel in Venice for a luxurious trip around the romantic Italian city

  3. It is rumoured the couple are planning a second civil ceremony on Monday

  4. But for now, the glamorous couple are enjoying their first day of married life

  5. They took a water taxi on a tour of the Grand Canal in Venice

  6. The couple posed for photographs, with the paparazzi keen to get the first snaps of the famous bachelor as a married man

  7. Clooney and human rights lawyer Alamuddin wed in the glamorous Aman Canal Grande Venice on Saturday

  8. Clooney was pictured making his way to a gala dinner ahead of the lavish ceremony

  9. As were a number of the celebrity guests...

  10. ... including actor Bill Murray

  11. U2 frontman Bono flashes his trademark salute

  12. Anna Wintour was also among the guests

  13. Matt Damon, one of several A-listers invited

  14. Ahead of the wedding, Clooney and his Lebanon-born British fiancee were photographed on a water taxi taking a tour of the floating city

  15. The couple arrived at the hotel on a boat appropriately called 'Amore'

  16. The world's media has descended on Venice but the pair seemed happy to pose for photos

  17. Clooney with businessman Rande Gerber who was his best man

  18. Ms Alamuddin was seen carrying a hat box displaying the letters A and G and the word Venice to mark the occasion

Another said: "It's all very exciting. It's fantastic. I think it'll bring some business to Marlow as well."

Video: Post-Wedding Bliss For Clooney

20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Human Remains Are Missing Student Hannah Graham

Police say remains found in a dried-up creek in rural Virginia are those of British-born student Hannah Graham.

A skull and bones were discovered in a heavily wooded area five weeks after the 18-year-old vanished in Charlottesville, a college town about 100 miles southwest of Washington DC.

Her parents, John and Sue Graham, said in a statement: "When we started this journey together we all hoped for a happier ending.

"Sadly that was not to be. We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter.

"Although we have lost our precious Hannah, the light she radiated can never be extinguished."

The University of Virginia student, who moved from Britain to the US when she was five, vanished on September 13 after a night out with friends.

She left an off-campus party alone and then texted a friend saying she was lost, police said.

In CCTV footage, she was seen walking and running unsteadily past a pub and a service station and then on to a block of bars, restaurants and shops.

1/7

  1. Gallery: Hannah Graham Search In Rural Area

    Police are scouring the area where remains that might belong to missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham were found

  2. The Albemarle County area is home to horse farms

  3. Officers sifted through autumn leaves in the heavily wooded area looking for clues

  4. Police have blocked off roads

  5. Forensic experts must examine the remains

  6. Ms Graham, who is British-born, was last seen on 13 September

  7. Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr, 32, has been charged with abduction

Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr, 32, the last person seen with her, has been charged with abduction with intent to defile her.

The area where her remains were found is six miles (10km) from where 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington's body was found after she vanished in 2009.

Police said forensic evidence connects Matthew to Ms Harrington's killing.

DNA also allegedly links him to a sexual assault in northern Virginia in 2005.

On Monday, he was indicted with rape and attempted murder over that case.

Matthew, who weighs 270 pounds (122kg), was an operating room technician at the university's hospital.

Friends said they were shocked the "gentle giant" could be suspected of murder.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Schools Urged To Give Body Confidence Lessons

By Enda Brady, Sky News Correspondent

Schools are being urged to hold lessons in body confidence as a new survey reveals that one in four Britons is depressed by their appearance.

A new project called Be Real aims to tackle the issue which campaigners say is trapping millions of people in the UK in an unhealthy cycle of depression, short-term dieting, cosmetic intervention and eating disorders.

"Low body confidence is a critical public health issue that we cannot ignore," said Caroline Nokes MP, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Body Image.

"It affects everyone - all ages, both sexes - and starts as young as five years old.

"Be Real wants to change attitudes to body image, and help all of us, whatever our size, ethnicity or ability, to put health above appearance and be confident with how we look and feel."

Ms Nokes visited Therfield School in Leatherhead, Surrey, and spoke to Year 8 pupils as part of her work to raise awareness of the issue.

Video: 'Radical' Plan Unveiled To Save NHS

"Through this campaign, we're driving change through three priority areas," she said.

"We want to ensure children and young people are educated about body confidence from an early age, to promote healthy living and wellbeing over weight loss and appearance."

She said Be Real also wanted to "encourage the media, business and advertisers to recognise diversity and positively reflect what we really look like".

Video: Losing 3% Of Weight 'Achievable'

A survey of 2,000 adults across the UK found 26% were "depressed" by how they look, while 28% said they refused to exercise because of body anxiety and 20% skipped meals to lose weight.

More than one in seven people have considered cosmetic interventions and almost a fifth of 18 to 24-year-olds are currently taking muscle building supplements to improve their physique.

"Too often the way we look becomes a measure of who we are and there is a growing pressure to achieve an aesthetic ideal that few of us can live up to," said Denise Hatton, chief executive of youth charity YMCA England.

Video: NHS-Funded Classes To Fight Fat?

"When we feel bad about how we look, we make bad choices about our health and are stopped from achieving our full potential.

"We are seeing this amongst young people, both boys and girls, across the country and urgently need to help them become confident about who they are and what they look like."

YMCA youth ambassador Kelsey Hibberd, who helps young people in Southend, Essex, was bullied in her teens and says she would be "thrilled" if body confidence lessons were offered in schools.

Video: 'Sinister' Body Image Culture

"It would mean that young people are learning really valuable life lessons and are not just being judged on grades," she told Sky News Online.

"Your body is just a shell, it's not a measure of you, your intelligence, your morals or your values. I'd be thrilled if these lessons went nationwide into every school in Britain."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

E-Cig Ban Poses Smoking Danger, Says Expert

By Katie Spencer, Sky News Reporter

Growing calls for e-cigarettes to be banned in public risk sending smokers back to tobacco, an industry expert has told Sky News.

Michael Clapper, chairman of the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association, has warned that companies which are introducing bans are being "short sighted".

"There's a very real danger that you're going to send a lot of those people back to smoking," he said.

"We've got an NHS waiting list building up again thanks to smoking related illnesses and as far as businesses are concerned its short sighted of them because we know the science says they don't harm other people."

It's estimated there are two million e-cigarette users in the UK but increasingly public venues are now banning their use - from coffee shops like Starbucks through to pubs chains like All Bar One.

Video: Calls For E-Cigarette Indoor Ban

The public is largely supportive of the move. A recent poll by YouGov and The Sunday Times found 60% of people wanted bans in all public buildings.

While the smoke they produce may be an unsettling sight for non-smokers, the vapour given off is largely water.

Leading experts say the concentrations of carcinogens e-cigarettes contain aren't anywhere near as toxic as smoking and any toxins produced are too low to pose a significant health risk to others.

Shirley Cramer, from the Royal Society for Public Health, says it's easy to understand why some companies want stronger controls.

Video: Confusion Over E-Cigarette Safety

"Now, what we're seeing is this precautionary principle," she told Sky News.

"Employers and people in transport are taking the line 'we banned tobacco, we're going to ban vaping because we don't know enough'.

"There will be more evidence [of their long-term effects] eventually but it's very interesting because if you've already banned it, would you un-ban it?"

The Vape Lab in London's Shoreditch is one venue where users are being encouraged to smoke e-cigarettes.

Video: US To Regulate E-Cigarettes

Pierre Durand, one of the coffee shop's founders insists, rather than ban e-cigarettes in public, it's non-smokers who need to learn more.

"There are many people that need to be educated because since it's a disruptive technology there's not much knowledge and people don't know everything they should know," he said.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scottish Labour Leader In Shock Resignation

Ed Miliband's leadership has come under fire again with the resignation of Scottish Labour Party leader Johann Lamont, as she claimed her colleagues "do not understand the politics they are facing".

The Glasgow MSP used her exit to criticise the party's leadership across the UK, and accused Westminster of trying to manage Scotland "like a branch office of London".

She added: "Colleagues need to realise that the focus of Scottish politics is now Holyrood, not Westminster.

"There is a danger of Scottish politics being between two sets of dinosaurs… the nationalists who can't accept they were rejected by the people, and some colleagues at Westminster who think nothing has changed."

It marks another setback for Ed Miliband ahead of next year's General Election - already, a group of Scottish Labour activists are pushing for their party to enjoy complete autonomy from London.

Speculation over Ms Lamont's leadership has grown since the referendum, with one senior aide confessing Scottish Labour needed to rediscover its "sense of purpose".

Video: Labour: Scotland Is Still Our Focus

Nicola Sturgeon, due to become the First Minister in November once she replaces Alex Salmond as leader of the SNP, warned that "Scottish Labour really is in meltdown" if rumours of its tensions with Westminster were true.

Meanwhile, a Scottish Conservative spokesman said: "Johann Lamont's resignation has shown the complete chaos at the heart of Ed Miliband's operation in the starkest possible terms.

"The man isn't fit to run a village fete, never mind the UK."

In a statement, Mr Miliband said: "Johann Lamont deserves significant credit for the successful No vote in the Scottish referendum campaign.

Video: Fall-Out Over Scottish Referendum

"She has led the Scottish Labour Party with determination."

Earlier this week, Scottish Labour was described as "going through a period of reflection" after the referendum, which saw large numbers of the party's supporters vote to leave the UK, despite the overall majority of Scots backing the union.

Ms Lamont, who took over as leader in December 2011, is the second Scottish party leader to resign since September's vote - and made her comments during a Daily Record interview.

The first to quit, Alex Salmond MSP, said: "The fact that Scottish Labour are now going to have their fifth leader since the SNP took office in 2007 indicates that their problems are not about personalities - they are much more deep-seated than that.

Video: MPs To Debate Scotland's Future

"It was always very clear that Johann Lamont was never able to be meaningfully in charge of Labour in Scotland, and that is laid bare in dramatic fashion in her resignation comments."

Gordon Brown, who is one of the favourites to succeed the mother-of-two, said: "I am sorry to hear than Johann has resigned.

"She brought determination, compassion and a down-to-earth approach to the leadership and deserves great credit for taking on the challenge after 2011.

"I wish her well in the future."

Video: Gordon Brown On Devolution

Meanwhile, Tony Blair, another former Labour Prime Minister, has had to deny rumours that he privately believes Mr Miliband will not win the next General Election.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Eleven Held After 'Vulnerable' Woman Raped

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 24 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

Eleven people, including a 12-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl, have been arrested over the rape of a "vulnerable" woman in her own home.

Police are appealing for information following the serious sexual assault in the Anfield area of Liverpool.

The victim was taken to hospital after the attack and was described as being in a distressed state.

Detectives believe the 43-year-old woman had been sexually assaulted by a group of males.

The suspects include a 12-year-old boy and three 13-year-old boys.

The other males who were held were three aged 15, and individuals aged 16, 18 and 19.

All 10 males, who come from the Anfield, Walton, Everton and Old Swan areas, and the 15-year-old girl have all been released on bail pending further enquiries.

Paramedics had called police after they went to a property in Ullswater Street and reported a woman had been subjected to a sexual offence at 4.20pm on 24 September.

Detective Superintendent Tim Keelan, said: "The victim has been distressed by her ordeal and is being supported by specialist officers.

"This was an appalling attack on a woman in her own home and we would urge anyone who has information, which could help us bring those responsible to justice, to come forward.

"It is possible that some of those who were in the flat on the day may have talked to people, including friends or family, about what happened and if they have we would urge them to contact us."

Anyone with information should contact the specialist Unity team on 0151 777 1382, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Economy: Third Quarter Growth Slows To 0.7%

UK economic growth slowed in the third quarter of the year, according to the first official estimate of GDP for the period.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured Gross Domestic Product growth of 0.7% in the period, down from output growth of 0.9% in the previous three months.

It charted a slowdown in manufacturing, saying expansion - at 0.3% - was its weakest for 18 months amid concerns for the world economy and the euro area in particular - the country's biggest trading partner.

The service sector, which accounts for more than 75% of the country's total output, showed growth of 0.7% during the three months to September - down from 1.1% in the previous quarter.

It meant, the ONS said, that annual growth was 3%, down from 3.2%, though total economic output was 3.4% bigger than its pre-crisis peak in 2008.

All the figures are subject to revision but the status quo still leaves manufacturing 4.1% behind and construction 8.2% short of their peaks.

Video: Govt 'Out Of Touch' On Economy

Construction output grew 0.8% in the third quarter.

The performance was widely expected by economists, given forecasts suggesting the eurozone may slip back into recession.

The data for the service sector suggests businesses will be more wary about spending while consumers remain hit by weak wage rises.

Chancellor George Osborne said: "Today's strong growth figures show that the UK continues to lead the pack in an increasingly uncertain global economy.

"With all the main sectors of the economy growing, it's clear that our recovery is broadly based.

"But the UK is not immune to weakness in the euro area and instability in global markets, so we face a critical moment for our economy.

"If we want to avoid a return to the chaos and instability of the past, then we need to carry on working through our economic plan that is delivering stability and security."

Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls responded: "For all George Osborne's claims that the economy is fixed most people are still not feeling the recovery.

"Working people are over £1,600 a year worse off since 2010 and these figures now show a concerning slowdown in economic growth too.

"We need a strong and balanced recovery that works for all working people, not just a few at the top."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chancellor Needs Hard Hat For Fight Ahead

It's a rum state of affairs when Britain is apparently punished for having a strong economy.

After all, we've spent the past five or six years telling ourselves that all we desperately need is a bit of growth.

And yet that's how things look today, with the UK fighting off an attempt by the European Union to charge it an extra €2.1bn (£1.7bn) because of the strength of its recovery.

As if to rub it in, that coincides with another set of relatively strong gross domestic product numbers, reminding us that the recovery is indeed in full train.

Now, in truth the EU charge is largely down to long term rather than short term trends - particularly revisions to long-term output levels conducted over the course of the past year or so.

Video: Osborne: Recovery At Crucial Phase

But it nonetheless begs a few questions: first, where will this money come from? Second, is the UK economy really in a position of strength?

The first question is rather awkward for the Chancellor, for while the economy is certainly growing a lot quicker than expected (today's 0.7% growth means GDP is 3% higher than a year ago, and 3.4% higher than before the recession hit in 2008), it isn't bringing in as much tax as had been hoped.

Indeed, while economists had expected the Treasury to reduce the deficit by £10bn, the latest numbers suggest it may end up the same or higher than last year.

Indeed, the OBR had been expecting income tax receipts to rise by 6.5% this year; instead they have fallen by 0.8%.

And when you factor in the extra money the Chancellor will need to pay for the new tax cuts he set out at party conference a few weeks ago, one has to conclude that there simply isn't much cash to spare.

The second question is simpler to answer. The UK economy is doing well at the moment.

Today's growth numbers were more or less in line with expectations, and every sector of the economy - services, production, agriculture and construction - grew at a fair whack in the most recent quarter.

Though don't be fooled by the optics frequently employed by the Chancellor.

Video: Govt 'Out Of Touch' On Economy

You might have assumed, given how many times you've seen George Osborne in a hard hat or (as he was today) in a car factory, that these were the sectors which really drove the recovery.

The detailed figures we got today tell a different story. Since the start of the crisis output in the construction sector is actually down by 8.2%. The output of the motor vehicle sector is, admittedly, up by 4.4% but it has driven growth far, far less than administrative and support activities, up by a whopping 27.8%.

In other words, it is office workers who have driven the recovery, not people in hard hats.

It is the support staff, computer repair engineers and other white collar workers whose sectors have expanded most quickly.

But, to bring things back to the EU once again, the problem is that those office-based sectors don't make and export things overseas.

The one aspect of the economy Britain desperately needs to improve is its balance of trade, which is woefully weak - and, if anything, worsening.

Without an improvement in that, strong GDP or not, Britain's economy will remain imbalanced and potentially vulnerable to future crises.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Briton Dies During Bangkok Cosmetic Surgery

A British woman has died while having cosmetic surgery in Thailand, according to officials.

The English woman, who has not been named but is aged in her 20s, died while under anaesthesia during a corrective procedure at a clinic in Bangkok.

Police were called to the scene at around 11pm on Thursday and said the woman had stopped breathing after receiving the anaesthetic.

Lieutenant Chaleang Inthip said the woman had visited the clinic for surgery on 14 October but was unhappy with the results and was having a corrective procedure when she died nine days later. There were also reports that she died of an infection.

It is understood Sompob Sansiri, the doctor who performed the surgery, did not have the correct certification.

The doctor has been arrested and charged with causing reckless death, a charge which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' jail.

The clinic's owner, Dr Somphop Saensiri, 51, is being questioned by police.
 The clinic has been closed for 60 days.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We were informed of the death of a British national in Thailand on the 23 October. We stand ready to provide consular assistance."

Consultant plastic surgeon Michael Cadier, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said: "This tragic case highlights how, if lured by the prospect of what is essentially 'cheap surgery', patients can be left vulnerable.

"Standards for healthcare may vary, and patients frequently undergo 'consultations' with company representatives who have no medical background and are, therefore, not being given the appropriate knowledge in order to give informed consent."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Queen Of Twitter: Monarch Posts First Message

The Queen has sent her first tweet, during a visit to the Science Museum in London.

The monarch formally opened the museum's new Information Age Galleries by touching a tablet screen to send her message around the world.

The 88-year-old tweeted through the @BritishMonarchy Twitter account, which was set up in 2009 and has 722,000 followers.

She posted: "It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting.  Elizabeth R."

The message was pre-typed, before the Queen published it to Twitter by touching the screen in front of an audience at the event. 

The £15.6m gallery features more than 800 objects and explores how breakthroughs have transformed the way people communicate over the past 200 years.

The Duke of York is the most prolific tweeter in the royal family, signing off messages he has written on the @TheDukeOfYork account with AY, for Andrew York.

The micro-blogging site has been used by her grandson Prince Harry, who sent his first official tweet in May, but he admitted during the summer he no longer has a personal account when chatting to a group of students who were promoting his Invictus Games on social media.

The Queen and members of her family are represented on Twitter by the account @BritishMonarchy, while @ClarenceHouse covers the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tesco Profits Plunge 92% In Accounting Chaos

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 23 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

Tesco's chief executive has told Sky News he will not take an axe to prices in the short term to win back shoppers, after first-half profits fell 92%.

Dave Lewis was speaking after the supermarket chain revealed its latest results and the conclusions of an inquiry into an accounting scandal.

Its chairman Sir Richard Broadbent confirmed a plan to quit as the probe identified a £263m profit overstatement.

Tesco said the internal investigation by Deloitte into its procedures had found historic failures in its UK food business going back a number of years, having previously suggested the error was a one-off.

The overstatement reflected profits in previous reporting periods too, Tesco confirmed, not just in the first half of its financial year.

Its share price fell 7% when the FTSE 100 opened for business in the wake of the statement but later eased back.

Analysts said it could be explained by UK sales continuing to fall and Mr Lewis' decision not to launch an immediate discount challenge to rivals - especially hard discounters at the bottom and Waitrose at the top end, who have eaten away at its market share.

Video: Ex-Investor Wants Tesco Redress

Mr Lewis told Sky's Business Presenter Ian King: "Our promotional intensity is very high."

He said: "The critical thing is that I and 320,000 other people give great service, make sure everything's available in a really good, quality way, and then price will be part of the equation."

But he added he might think about price in a "different way" once his business review was completed.

Thursday's results statement was delayed by a month because of the investigation.

Eight senior executives have been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry, which examined how Tesco logged suppliers' rebates and if they were reported in the correct accounting period.

Tesco said there was no evidence anyone at Tesco had sought to gain personally but the findings raise questions about the leadership of former chief executive Philip Clarke, who stepped down in the summer before the accounting issues were made public.

Tesco said his pay-off - and that of former finance chief Laurie McIlwee - was being delayed until such time as inquiries were complete.

Sir Richard said his decision to stand down reflected "the important principle of accountability."

The accounting scandal failed to overshadow the spotlight on tesco's turnaround efforts.

Pre-tax profits fell 92% to £112m in its first six months while UK trading profit was down 55.9% to £499m.

Video: Waitrose Wins As Tesco Struggles

UK like-for-like sales were 4.6% lower - slightly better than expected.

Mr Lewis said: "We know that we have got a lot of work to do.

"We know what it is we need to do to turn the business around".

Tesco's market value - which has lost £17.6bn in the last five years - has plunged more than 50% in the past 12 months alone.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

NHS Demands Extra £8bn In Plan To Save Services

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

The NHS needs an extra £8bn a year in funding and must undergo a major shake-up if it is to survive, according to a "radical" plan to safeguard services in England.

A range of measures are outlined in the report by NHS England, including a shift in resources from treating disease to preventing ill-health and a massive migration of services from hospitals into GP surgeries.

But it warns the upgrade to services will only be possible with a series of savings and an £8bn-a-year rise in government funding by 2020, to help make up a projected £30bn annual shortfall.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News there was "massive pressure" on frontline services.

"We have nearly a million more over-65s than we had four years ago and doctors and nurses are working really hard," he said.

Video: NHS 'Can Bridge £30bn Funding Gap'

"What this report says ... is that we need to change the model of care, so that we're not just depending on hospitals.

"We need to be so much better at looking after people in the community and in their homes, using GP practices (and) catching people before they get seriously ill.

"It's not an easy process ... but if we do that, the £30bn gap that people have been talking about can be bridged, and actually we can get it right down to zero."

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England said the country had "no choice" but to follow the plan.

"If we do it, a better NHS is possible," he said.

"If we don't the consequences for patients will be severe."

The report warns there needs to be "hard-hitting national action" on obesity, smoking and alcohol.

Video: GP: Specialist Treatment In Surgery

It wants employers to offer workers incentives to lose weight, including shopping vouchers, cash or prizes.

NHS staff will also be urged to "set a national example" with healthier lifestyles.

Local authorities should take tougher action on fast-food and alcohol outlets to improve the health of their populations.

"Put bluntly, as the nation's waistline keeps piling on the pounds, we're piling on billions of pounds in future taxes just to pay for preventable illnesses," the report says.

NHS England also wants to move more services out of hospitals, which are expensive to run.

It says GPs could group together to provide tests that have traditionally required a referral, and even employ consultants to run specialist clinics.

The NHS 111, 999 and out of hours GP services also need to be overhauled so patients know where to go for urgent care.

Video: NHS Surgery For The Obese

The report says changes to health services and a switch to disease prevention will make the NHS far more efficient.

But David Bennett, chief executive of the NHS regulator Monitor, warned there will still be an £8bn hole in the NHS budget unless the Government increases funding by 1.5% above inflation every year.

He said: "If we get the investment we need... we see no reason why it's not possible to sustain a comprehensive tax-funded NHS which is actually better for patients and an NHS which is really fit for the 21st Century."

Chris Ham, chief executive of health charity The King's Fund, said the report "throws down the gauntlet to the political parties".

"Politicians now need to explain whether and how they will find this money," he said.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Couple Held Over Pirated Music Hard Drives

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of selling hard drives containing hundreds of thousands of chart-topping music and videos.

City of London Police say the value of the music on just one of the drives is thought to be worth more than £350,000.

A 55-year-old man and a woman, aged 39, from Bury, were arrested at their home in the town by officers from the force, with support from Greater Manchester Police.

The case was referred to police by the BPI - the music industry's trade association.

The couple are believed to have been selling hard drives filled with up to 200,000 files of copyrighted material including full music tracks, karaoke tunes and music videos.

Head of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Medlycott said: "Our creative industries are incredibly important; not only are we recognised worldwide as producing great films, TV and music but these industries are playing a large part in supporting our country financially, contributing a huge £71.4bn to the UK economy and supporting 1.7 million jobs.

"The vast majority of people who work in the music and film industries are not making vast amounts of money and we have a responsibility to protect the industries they work in."

BPI director of content protection David Wood said: "Counterfeiting criminals who believe music piracy is a low-risk activity that carries no penalty are flawed in their views.

"Put simply, it is illegal and it will not go unseen by the eyes of the law.

"Anyone trying to build a business on the back of someone else's ideas or copyright should ask themselves if making a quick buck at the expense of musicians, local businesses - and indeed their own future - is really worth it."

The PIPCU unit - launched in 2013 and funded by Government - is being given an extra £3m so it can run until 2016.


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Eight Headaches For Supermarket Giant Tesco

A decade ago Tesco was an investor's delight, with a share price shooting up more than 70% between 2004 and 2007, and healthy dividend payments. So what went wrong?

PROFIT WARNINGS

With 14 years as CEO to his credit, Sir Terry Leahy stepped down in 2011 after overseeing a leap in pre-tax profit from £750m in 1997 to £3.4bn in 2010. Yet less than a year into the job as new CEO, Philip Clarke issued the first profit warning in two decades as a result of a poor 2011 Christmas trading period.

CHANGING TASTES

Tesco was being squeezed by changing consumer tastes, a dislike of its cavernous and cold stores, and complaints about frosty customer service. It unveiled a £1bn revamp plan in April 2012.

AMERICAN ADVENTURE

In April 2013 it reported its first fall in annual profit for 19 years, with a post-tax profit plunging 95% to £120m, after suffering a £1.2bn charge to exit its struggling Fresh & Easy American venture.

PROPERTY BUST

It also suffered a write-down of £804m for land bought at the height of the property boom, earmarked for development but subsequently put on hold.

MEAT SCANDAL

Last year, Tesco was caught up in the biggest food fraud of the century - with some of its beef burgers found to contain up to 29% horsemeat.

Video: Tesco Investigating Profits Mistake

CLEVER COMPETITION

German discounters continue to nibble away at Tesco's customer base at one end, while M&S and Waitrose take share from consumers willing to pay more for premium products.

BIG NOT NIMBLE

Despite the woes Tesco remains the country's biggest retailer and still dwarfs its competition. Tesco is around the same size as Sainsbury's and Morrisons combined, and globally employs more than half a million people in 12 countries. But big rarely means nimble. A large number of senior staff have quit the company in recent years and 40-year Tesco veteran Mr Clarke was ousted by the board last July, after dismissing critics of his turnaround plans.

SIDELINES

Tesco wholly-owns a retail research company named dunnhumby, with offshoots including BzzAgent, KSS Retail, and Sociomantic - which sells display adverts on Facebook and mobiles.

This analysis arm crunches data from over 350 million consumers in 28 countries and sells it to corporate giants such as Coca-Cola, Shell and Procter & Gamble. The Tesco empire is huge, with numerous and competing divisions, and as a result does not always see the wood for the trees.

Dunnhumby does not trumpet the Tesco parentage on its website - but maybe it is time Tesco starts looking in-house for an answer to its woes.

Video: Tesco Profit Error: Execs Suspended

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Glam Rock Star Alvin Stardust Dies Aged 72

Singer and actor Alvin Stardust has died at the age of 72 after a short illness, his manager has said.

The My Coo Ca Choo singer had recently been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and died at his West Sussex home with his wife, Julie Paton, and family around him.

He died weeks before his first album for 30 years was due to be released.

Announcing details of the record recently on his website, Stardust said: "I'm extremely delighted to announce that my new album is now finished and will be released at the beginning of November on Conehead Records. 

"Alvin is a new and exciting departure for me and I'm immensely proud of the finished product and the amazing work of Richard Scott and Scott Ralph of Daftdog Productions in recording and producing it."  

Video: Road Safety By Alvin Stardust

Stardust - real name Bernard Jewry - became a huge star during the 1970s glam rock era and featured in stage shows including Godspell and Phantom Of The Opera.

Hi TV credits included a Sunday morning children's show, It's Stardust, and more recent appearances in Hollyoaks, Doctors and Harry Hill's TV Burp - where he revisited his role in a well-known Green Cross Code road safety advert.

He was born in north London but grew up in Mansfield and had a handful of hits in the 1960s performing as Shane Fenton in the band Shane Fenton and the Fentones. 

He created his Alvin Stardust persona with help from his record label boss Michael Levy - now better known as Labour peer Lord Levy. 

Video: Stardust's Hit My Coo Ca Choo

His manager Andy Davies said: "Alvin and I had only started working together over the last couple of years because he and I believed that musically he still had a great deal to give and explore, and so we recorded an album that is a testament to an artist who gave his career to music.

"I may not have known him long but even in that short time he proved to be one of the most genuine and likeable men I've ever met. His passing is a huge and sad loss."

Stardust had four children from three marriages, including to Bergerac actress Liza Goddard.

His son Adam Jewry is a successful music producer and DJ, known as Adam F.


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GPs To Pocket £55 For Dementia Diagnosis

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 22 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

Plans to pay GPs a £55 bonus when they make a dementia diagnosis have been condemned as an "ethical travesty".

NHS England confirmed family doctors would receive the cash under a new scheme to ensure sufferers are identified early and given tailored care.

But Dr Iona Heath, ex-president of the Royal College of GPs, told the medical magazine Pulse: "I think the proposal is an intellectual and ethical travesty."

Health experts believe that just under half of the people living with dementia are not being diagnosed.

Under the scheme, GPs will get the cash for every additional dementia diagnosis they make over the next six months.

Video: Sept: Cost Of Dementia Care Soars

Dr Martin McShane, NHS England national director for long-term conditions, said: "Dementia can be devastating both for individuals and their families.

"We know that more needs to be done across the health service to ensure that people living with dementia are identified so that they can get the tailored care and support they need.

"This additional investment is part of a drive to ensure this."

Health chiefs have identified a gap of about 90,000 patients, an average of 12 per practice, who could benefit from a more timely diagnosis.

However, the Patients Association say the scheme is "a distortion of good medical practice".

Chief executive Katherine Murphy said: "We know GPs receive incentive payments to find all sorts of conditions, such as high cholesterol, raised blood pressure and diabetes - but this seems a step too far. It is putting a bounty on the head of certain patients.

"Good GPs will be diagnosing their dementia patients already. This seems to be rewarding poor GPs.

"There is an issue of people presenting late with dementia to doctors, but this is not the right way to go about tackling that.

"If people were given hope that something could be done, that would be the greatest incentive for coming early."

Dr Matthew Norton, Head of Policy at Alzheimer's Research UK said: "For people with dementia, a diagnosis can help them to make sense of the symptoms they are experiencing, as well as opening the door to vital support and treatments.

"The ability to offer a timely diagnosis is important, but it's also critical for people to have access to the services they need once a diagnosis has been given."

"Diagnosing dementia can be a challenge, particularly as the symptoms can overlap with other health conditions, and research is crucial to improve diagnosis methods."


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Dementia: What Tests The GP May Do To Check

A proposal suggests GPs will be given extra money to look out for signs of dementia in a patient. So what could a test involve?

According to Alzheimer's Research UK, a GP will first want to chat to the patient and a close relative to see if the person's memory is worse than might be expected given a number of factors including age and medical history.

The GP will want to know whether the patient has a history of strokes, heart disease or diabetes, all of which may raise the risk of dementia. They will also inquire about medication as side effects of some medicines may include short-term memory problems that are not linked to dementia.

They may do a blood and or urine test to check for vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems as these can affect the memory and, with treatment, can be reversed.

Video: Sept: Cost Of Dementia Care Soars

If these are ruled out and no other immediate cause of memory impairment is found, the GP could carry out a variety of tests to check for signs of dementia.

These include:

:: Orientation
   Asking the patient to name the date, day, year or season, to see how much present awareness they have.

Video: Dementia: Threat To Humanity

:: Concentration
   Spelling a word backwards or counting backwards from 100 and seeing how far the patient can go without forgetting or stopping.

:: Long-Term Memory Check
   Asking the name of the present prime minister or reading out three words and then asking the patient to repeat them back, also testing for short-term memory recall.

:: Understanding of Language
   Reading out a sentence with instructions to see how much they comprehend and can follow, ie: "Close your eyes."

Video: "It's incredibly difficult to cure"

:: Visual/Spatial Awareness
   Showing the patient a picture of a simple shape and asking them to draw the shape.

The tests are scored on a points basis, taking into account age and the fact that the memory will change with age.

If the GP is concerned that the deterioration is not in line with what could be expected, they can refer the patient to a specialist memory clinic, a neurologist or an old age psychiatrist.

Video: What Have You Forgotten Today?

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Wife Held Over British Man's Murder In Bali

The wife of a British businessman who was found with his throat slashed and dumped in a Bali rice field has admitted ordering his murder, police have said.

Julaikah Noor Ellis, 45, was arrested on Tuesday night after reporting the disappearance of her 60-year-old husband Robert earlier in the day.

His body was found by a farmer in a ditch in the Bangdun region of the Indonesian island.

Mr Ellis' arms and legs had been tied up and his body wrapped in plastic. There were deep gashes in his neck.

Badung police chief Komang Suartana said marital problems and money were among the possible motives for the murder.

He told Australia's Channel Nine: "We have named suspects - one of killers called Ariel and (the) victim's wife who has (ordered) and (planned) to kill the victim.

"Based on the victim's wife's confession, she wanted to take over victim's wealth."

He added: "She says she was hurt by the victim. There were many factors, one of them that her husband was frequently cheating on her."

Mr Suartana claimed Noor Ellis, an Indonesian citizen, was at home at the couple's luxury villa when the killer she had hired slashed her husband's throat in the kitchen.

A man accused of being the killer was arrested in Padangbai, a port in eastern Bali, where he was allegedly trying to flee to Lombok island.

Two maids were also in custody, while police are still hunting a further four suspects.

Police initially said Mr Ellis was an Australian citizen, but subsequently said he was a British passport-holder who had lived in Australia for many years.

"We are coming to terms with this tragedy only very slowly," said Ross Taylor, the president of the Perth-based Indonesia Institute and who said he had known the couple for years.

Mr Taylor said dual national Mr Ellis was a successful businessman who had lived in Indonesia for many years and was well liked.

He said he had been looking at acquiring a fish processing business in Sulawesi and owned a luxury villa in the Balinese seaside district of Sanur where he had settled for the past few years.

Flowers arrived at the villa on Tuesday afternoon from friends paying their respects.


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Ex-Jihadist Teaching Young Brits To Resist IS

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

With little sign that the allure of Islamic State is diminishing, the Government is refocusing its anti-extremism programmes.

The Prevent initiative is now almost entirely devoted to the threat from IS.

Sky News was given rare access to an anti-extremism workshop in Walthamstow, east London.

A class of 20 boys, some as young as 11, were given an uncompromising message. 

The objective of Islamic State, they were told, is to "create hostility, to create harm, to kill people".

Addressing the group was Hanif Qadir, a former jihadi fighter who is now an outreach worker helping to steer young people away from extremism.

As the group sat in silence, he told them the methods used by Islamic State were brutal in the extreme and against Islamic law. 

Video: British Jihadis - Special Report

He said the terror group advocates killing non-Muslims by any means.

He said their refrain was: "If you can't use a bomb, use a bullet; if you can't use a bullet use a brick.

"Do whatever you can and if you can't do that spit in their face... and if you can't do that, you're not a Muslim."

Mr Qadir told the youngsters: "Now we all know this is nonsense."

It is a stark message, but he told Sky News: "The only way to tackle this problem is do exactly the same as they [Islamic State] are doing, only a little bit better. That's the only way you can do it."

Video: How Is Islamic State Funded?

He added: "Using online and social media has been very effective and very potent... we need to do the same and harness social media and the internet as well."

Mr Qadir's group recently released its own internet video, using the Not In My Name hashtag. 

The video went viral and was praised by US President Barack Obama.

With confirmation that hundreds of young UK citizens are still being drawn to Islamic State, the Government acknowledges the work of Mr Qadir and his anti-extremism task force has never been more vital.


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Mike Read Sorry For UKIP Calypso Song

Former Radio 1 DJ Mike Read has apologised for "unintentionally causing offence" with his song UKIP Calypso which he wants withdrawn from sale.

But the party has blamed "synthetic outrage" for Read's decision, claiming critics are depriving the Red Cross of funds to help the fight against Ebola.

Read had previously defended the tune, which is sung with a mock Caribbean accent, saying it was "nothing remotely racist" and just a "bit of fun".

But Read has now told Sky News: "I'm the last person in the world who would want to cause any offence - I'm absolutely mortified. That's why I've asked the record company to withdraw it."

"I'm so sorry that the song unintentionally caused offence. That was never my intention and I apologise unreservedly if anyone has taken offence," he told the Press Association.

The song praises UKIP and its leader Nigel Farage, who promoted the track and urged his followers to help get it to number one.

Its lyrics include: "When we take charge, and the new prime minister is Farage; we can trade with the world again, when Nigel is at Number 10."

Read, a former Conservative supporter, used the song to warn his listeners against trusting David Cameron, singing: "The British people have been let down, that's why UKIP is making ground.

"From Crewe to Cleethorpes, from Hull to Hendon, they don't believe Cameron's referendum."

UKIP said it regretted that Read had felt obliged to ask his record company to withdraw it from sale.

"This is Mike's song and it is obviously his decision what to do with it," a party spokeswoman said.

"We do think it is a shame that he has been treated so harshly by many in the 'right-on' media, but we respect his decision."

UKIP said it would donate its share of the proceeds so far to the Red Cross to help make up for income the charity would miss from future sales.

"Were it not for the synthetic outrage, the song would have generated a lot of money for charity, as profits were to be split with the Red Cross for their Ebola Outreach programme," a party spokeswoman said.

"It's a pity those so concerned with political correctness have trodden all over this."

On Wednesday lunchtime the single was still for sale on iTunes.

While some were putting bets on whether the song would reach number one, others were less complimentary about the track.

One Amazon customer wrote: "My God, the musical equivalent of the Ebola virus. Anyway, isn't calypso music a bit foreign for UKIP?"

Another said: "Pretty sick with faux Jamaican accent."

Read hit the headlines in 1984 when he refused to play the Frankie Goes To Hollywood single Relax because he objected to its lyrics.

He has also turned his hand to musicals, but his 2004 show about the life of writer Oscar Wilde closed after one night due to dreadful reviews and poor ticket sales.


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Hurricane Gonzalo Alert Cancels UK Flights

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 21 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

Thousands of passengers are facing travel disruption after Heathrow cancelled 10% of its flights due to storms caused by the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo.

A yellow weather warning is in place across most of the UK as the storm system that battered Bermuda concludes its journey across the Atlantic.

Heathrow said 10% of flights with its biggest 20 carriers would be cancelled due to high winds.

"We do not know exactly how many passengers or flights that will have an impact on, although the cancellations are only expected for Tuesday," a Heathrow spokesman said.

Gusts of more than 55mph are likely inland, but could reach 60 or 70mph in coastal areas.

1/18

  1. Gallery: Remnants Of Gonzalo Blow Across UK

    Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

  2. A train braves the coastal route near Whitehaven in Cumbria, as the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo blew into Britain, causing rush-hour misery for road, rail and air travellers

  3. Some areas were subjected to gusts of wind up to 65mph, but forecasters predicted that the worst of the weather will be over after Tuesday

  4. Rough seas near Whitehaven

  5. A woman struggles to hold her umbrella during windy weather on London Bridge

  6. People take photographs of heavy seas in front of New Brighton lighthouse near Liverpool

  7. People are covered by a breaking wave as they walk along the promenade at New Brighton

  8. Looking across the River Mersey at New Brighton

  9. A ship close to the seafront in roughs seas at Crosby on Merseyside

  10. A runner on the Crosby seafront

  11. A photographer on the seafront

  12. Large waves hit the seafront at Blackpool

  13. A ranger vehicle on the seafront at Crosby

  14. Passengers queue to check in at Heathrow Terminal 2 after some flights were cancelled

  15. The departures board in Terminal 2 showing cancelled flights

  16. The sea off Portland Bill in Dorset

Northern Scotland will have the highest winds - up to 80mph on the coast.

The Met Office said: "The public should be aware of the potential for disruption to travel and possible damage to trees.

"Difficult driving conditions will result, perhaps exacerbated by surface water and spray in places."

The strongest winds will coincide with the morning rush hour in places.

Video: Bermuda Clears Up After Hurricane

Virgin Trains also warned that heavy rain might affect services on Tuesday.

A spokesman said anyone planning to travel should check before setting off. Customers with tickets for Tuesday would be able to travel on Wednesday if they preferred.

Hurricane Gonzalo - which at its peak sustained winds of 110mph - caused severe damage and a power blackout when it hit Bermuda at the end of last week.

Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, with a crew of 180, has arrived at the British territory to help with the relief effort if needed.


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Land Girls To Attend War Effort Tribute

By Hind Hassan, Sky News Reporter

Hundreds of former Land Girls are expected to attend the unveiling of a tribute to their work during the First and Second World Wars.

A life-sized bronze sculpture will be revealed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire today.

It honours members of the Women's Land Army (WLA) who worked on farms during the First and Second World Wars when conscription and military casualties led to a shortage of labourers.

James Shallcross is the assistant curator at the National Memorial Arboretum and told Sky News it was important to recognise the role Land Girls played during and after the two wars.

"The Women's Land Army was a major part of the effort to help the country in a time of conflict," he said.

"Without their help the nation would probably have starved and may well have not won the Second World War."

The memorial also honours Lumber Jills, the women who worked in forestry during the Second World War as part of the Women's Timber Corps.

The sculpture depicts a Lumber Jill linking arms with the Land Girl who is holding a pitchfork.

Mary Wright, 84, joined the WLA when she was 17, two years after the end of the Second World War.

"It was very physically demanding, but you were doing something for the country," she said.

"They needed women on the farms because there weren't enough labourers to do the work."

The sculpture was created by Denise Dutton and will be unveiled by HRH the Countess of Wessex.


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Woman Killed By Falling Tree In High Winds

A woman has died after being hit by a falling tree in London during high winds caused by the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo.

The London Ambulance Service said the woman died at the scene of the accident in Kensington, west London.

A spokeswoman said: "We were called at 11.40am to reports of a tree fallen on a person on Kensington Road.

"We sent an ambulance crew, a responder by car, an advanced paramedic, a medical team from London's Air Ambulance by car and a duty officer to the scene.

"Sadly, despite our attempts to resuscitate the patient, a woman died at the scene."

1/18

  1. Gallery: Remnants Of Gonzalo Blow Across UK

    Waves crash into the shoreline at Blackpool

  2. A train braves the coastal route near Whitehaven in Cumbria, as the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo blew into Britain, causing rush-hour misery for road, rail and air travellers

  3. Some areas were subjected to gusts of wind up to 65mph, but forecasters predicted that the worst of the weather will be over after Tuesday

  4. Rough seas near Whitehaven

  5. A woman struggles to hold her umbrella during windy weather on London Bridge

  6. People take photographs of heavy seas in front of New Brighton lighthouse near Liverpool

  7. People are covered by a breaking wave as they walk along the promenade at New Brighton

  8. Looking across the River Mersey at New Brighton

  9. A ship close to the seafront in roughs seas at Crosby on Merseyside

  10. A runner on the Crosby seafront

  11. A photographer on the seafront

  12. Large waves hit the seafront at Blackpool

  13. A ranger vehicle on the seafront at Crosby

  14. Passengers queue to check in at Heathrow Terminal 2 after some flights were cancelled

  15. The departures board in Terminal 2 showing cancelled flights

  16. The sea off Portland Bill in Dorset

Hurricane Gonzalo - which at its peak sustained winds of 110mph - caused severe damage and a power blackout when it hit Bermuda at the end of last week.

A yellow weather warning is in place across most of the UK as the storm concludes its journey across the Atlantic.

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said 10% of flights with its biggest 20 carriers would be cancelled due to high winds.

"We do not know exactly how many passengers or flights that will have an impact on, although the cancellations are only expected for Tuesday," the spokesman said.

Video: Latest Sky News UK Weather Update

Flights from Manchester to the two German airport hubs have also been cancelled.

Sky's weather presenter Nazaneed Ghaffar said: "Although it will be sunny for most places, it will also feel chilly, mainly due to the winds that will be gusting up to 50mph for most places, and up to 70mph across exposed parts of the North and West.

"However, later this afternoon the winds will tend to ease from the South West and it should dry up across the Republic of Ireland and southern England later."

More follows ...


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Aid Boss Joins British Troops Battling Ebola

By Alex Rossi, Senior News Correspondent

The International Development Secretary has joined troops on a flight to Sierra Leone to see how British aid is being distributed in the fight against Ebola.

Justine Greening is calling on the international community to do more in the battle against the virus.

During her two-day visit Ms Greening will visit an Ebola training academy which is in the final stages of construction.

She said it is paramount that Britain continues to lead the fight against the deadly disease in Sierra Leone if it is to be stopped from spreading to other parts of the world.

"I think it matters because we have seen this disease really escalate In West Africa and really the best way we can keep the British public safe and keep the risk to the UK low is to be working with governments like Sierra Leone to help the combat Ebola over there in the first place."

Sitting alongside the minister on the flight are 135 British troops who are forming part of the UK's aid effort.

Video: Extra Troops To Sierra Leone

Major General Tim Radford, who is overseeing the operation, says they will help train local people on how to deal with the epidemic.

"The soldiers will be staying in a base just east of Freetown and they will be training (local) health care workers to go out into the community to look after the local population - we aim to train about 3,500 within the next five weeks."

Army Medic Private Anne-Marie Magaharan, from Catterick 5 Armoured Regiment, says defeating Ebola is just another kind of warfare.

Video: Ebola Tales: The Survivor

"I think it is going to be a good learning experience for some of us to go out and teach people what we have learned ourselves," she said.

"I've spoken to my friends and they've all kind of panicked and because of what I've been taught now I am able to turn around to them now and say exactly what it is and how you can prevent getting it."

The UK has pledged £125m to tackle Ebola in West Africa. The money will help to build at least five new treatment facilities - with 700 beds for patients. Some 750 troops have been sent to build them and will also provide logistical support and training.

1/11

  1. Gallery: The Desperate Fight To Contain The Ebola Outbreak

    A man rests outside the clinic.

  2. A woman is comforted after medical officials remove her husband, who is suspected of having the disease.

  3. Officials try to prevent themselves from spreading the disease.

  4. A local who has just brought his brother to the centre. He had to rely on plastic bags tied around his hands to try to protect himself.

  5. A man thought to be infected with ebola waits for treatment.

  6. Patients wait to be seen by medical staff.

  7. Workers try to decontaminate themselves.

  8. A worker with a child who may have caught ebola.

  9. A makeshift hand-washing station in Monrovia.

  10. Decontaminated boots of medical staff.

  11. The basic conditions make containing the disease very difficult.

West Africa has been devastated by the Ebola virus. According to the United Nations, more than 4,500 people have already died but the actual figure may be much higher.

But without more help from the outside world experts fear the number of dead could rise to a million by July next year.

Video: Ebola Cases Are 'A Wake Up Call'

1/8

  1. Gallery: Hazmat Crews At Ebola Patient's Apartment

    A team of Dallas firefighters tape off the door of the home of the latest Texas health worker to be diagnosed with ebola. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

  2. A hazmat team decontaminates areas around the health worker's home. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

  3. Decontamination talks outside the health worker's home. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

  4. Dallas police officers and firefighters gather to distribute information leaflets in the area around the home of a sick hospital employee. Pic: Dallas Police/Twitter

  5. Decontamination efforts at the apartment block. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter

  6. A hazmat crew prepares in Dallas. Pic: Sana Syed/Twitter. Continue through for more images.

Video: Obama: I've Hugged Ebola Nurses

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Briton Found Dead With Throat Slit In Bali

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

A British man has been found dead with his throat slit and wrapped in a plastic bag on Indonesian holiday island Bali.

Locals discovered the man's body in the island's Bangdun region.

A forensics doctor at Bali's Sanglah Hospital, Ida Bagus Putu Alit, confirmed reports the victim had several cuts to his throat, including one that severed a main artery.

Local police had thought the man was an Australian citizen but now say he was from the UK and was believed to have been living on Bali with his Indonesian wife.

Police say the victim's arms and legs were tied up when a farmer discovered the body inside a plastic bag.

It is understood the victim showed signs of bruising to his body. Police believe the man died early on Monday.

A spokesman at the Foreign Office told Sky News: "We were notified about the death of a British national on Bali on October 21. The Foreign Office stands ready to give consular assistance".

The spokesman added that Foreign Office officials were liaising with local police in Bali.

Although the victim is believed to have been identified by his wife, he has not yet been named.


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Didcot Fire Puts The Squeeze On Energy Supplies

Written By Unknown on Senin, 20 Oktober 2014 | 20.14

The huge fire which swept through Didcot Power Station has increased the likelihood of an energy supply crisis this winter, according to analysts.

Half of the gas-fuelled plant - which supplies a million homes - will remain out of action indefinitely putting further pressure on the UK's already squeezed electricity network.

The blaze is the third fire at a UK power station this year following similar fires at the Ironbridge plant in February and at Ferrybridge in July.

Together with spine cracking problems at Heysham and Hartlepool nuclear power stations, some 4.3 gigawatts (seven percent) of the UK's conventional and nuclear energy plant has been taken offline.

The UK usually has enough energy reserves to absorb ten unexpected events, but most of these reserves have already been used.

Peter Atherton, Head of Utilities Research at Liberum Capital said: "The loss of this plant would not normally be a cause for concern but so far this year we've used two thirds of our reserve capacity.

"UK energy policy has also engineered historically low reserves as we head into winter and we've seen three unexpected events before the clocks go back, which in itself increases demand enormously at peak times.

"Another one or two events such as the fire at Didcot could cause a serious security of supply event and a probable surge in wholesale prices.

"The odds are still that the UK will escape a security of supply crunch this winter, but the mere fact a security of supply crisis is a material possibility is in itself a sign of a huge policy failure in our view."

There is also more energy capacity temporarily offline due to planned maintenance or statutory outages. Meanwhile, grid operator National Grid has announced measures to keep the lights on, including a scheme which pays businesses to reduce electricity use.

Officials at RWE npower, who own the Didcot site, say it is too early to estimate how long the unit will be offline, though pictures of the site reveal substantial damage was done to two plant cooling towers. 

"The fire was brought under control during the night and the fire brigade will remain on site during Monday morning for a handover of the cooling towers back to the local RWE team," the company said.

A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "The lights will not go out this winter.

"Up and down the country there are power stations on standby that can start pumping out power when needed, and the Government has given National Grid the extra powers it needs to ensure there is enough electricity to keep the lights on."


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Comparison Sites Under Fire Over 'Kickbacks'

Price comparison websites have been accused of hiding the best energy deals from consumers.

Instead, tariffs are promoted from providers who are paying the sites up to £60 commission when a user switches, according to consumer group The Big Deal.

It claimed CompareTheMarket, uSwitch, Confused.com, GoCompare and MoneySuperMarket use search options that filter out the best non-commission offers.

The Big Deal, which uses an alternative of collective bargaining to negotiate with providers, said some websites have option boxes such as switch "now" or "today", showing only providers that pay commission.

The group's Will Hodson told Sky News: "We're calling on the competition authorities to crackdown on this kickback culture."

"The claim that they are consumer champions has to be challenged - these guys put commission first and consumers second."

It said better switching offers are available that can save consumers up to £200 a year.

The websites said their services were transparent, operating within existing guidelines and saving consumers money.

Uswitch's Ann Robinson told Sky: "The people who use our site save an average £200, and 10% of our users save over £300."

MoneySuperMarket said filter results were "not a loophole" and CompareTheMarket added that "suppliers sometimes stipulate which tariffs they wish to sell on price comparison websites".

Confused.com added that it was "committed to transparency in everything we do".

A spokesman for GoCompare said: "Consumers have to bear in mind that this is a highly orchestrated PR campaign being run by a company with a vested interest in moving customers away from comparison sites to their own collective switching model.

"The Big Deal also makes its money by being paid a commission by the energy supplier to which its customers switch."

The energy watchdog Ofgem said it was considering a regulation overhaul of the sector.

In January, the boss of Co-operative Energy told Sky News comparision websites were misleading customers and pushing up energy bills.

Profits for the so-called big five comparison sites have climbed 400% since 2005, reaching a combined total of £170m last year.

The Big Deal said it has written to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over the hidden cost claims of the comparison firms.

The CMA is currently investigating the energy market over concerns of tariff and previously said the big energy providers could be split up, separating retail arms from their supply divisions.

The big six providers currently supply around 92% of all consumers - down from 99% five years ago - according to recent estimates.

Energy costs for consumers have more than doubled in the last decade, despite falling inflation and a squeeze on wages since the financial crash.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

UKIP Calypso Not Racist, Says Mike Read

Former DJ Mike Read has defended his calypso song praising UKIP and Nigel Farage as "nothing remotely racist" and just a "bit of fun".

Read is hoping for chart glory with the Caribbean-infused ditty which he sings in a mock Jamaican accent.

He told Sky News: "It's a satire and a bit of fun. It's not terribly serious. It wouldn't have sounded very good sung in a Surrey accent."

He said people criticising the song had "lost their sense of humour", and that if he had done an Australian song he would have put on an Australian accent.

Some bookies already have the former Radio 1 DJ at 50-1 to go straight in the charts at Number One.

The song's lyrics include: "When we take charge, and the new prime minister is Farage; we can trade with the world again, when Nigel is at Number 10."

Others point fun at European Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker and chastise the EU for trying to "ban bent bananas and British jam".

In the past Read has also turned his hand to musicals, but his show about Oscar Wilde closed after one night following after a critical panning and poor ticket sales.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hurricane Gonzalo Triggers UK Gales Alert

Gusts of up to 70mph threaten to cause travel disruption and difficult driving conditions as the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo hits the UK.

Gales are expected to affect much of the country on Tuesday, leading the Met Office to issue a "yellow" weather warning for most parts, including the Midlands, northern England, Wales, Northern Ireland and western Scotland.

Tonight will see wet and windy conditions sweeping eastwards, with the strongest winds expected as the rain clears eastwards on Tuesday morning.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "By this evening, heavy rain and strengthening winds from the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo will push into western parts of the Republic Ireland and Scotland, and will continue spreading eastwards across the UK overnight, clearing all but eastern England by the morning.

"Behind the rain, clearer skies will develop but also blustery showers.

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  1. Gallery: Gonzalo's Path To UK

    A 'yellow' weather warning has been issued for most parts. Pic: Met Office

  2. The tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo is heading for the UK and Ireland. Pic: NOAA

  3. Gonzalo hit the British territory of Bermuda on Friday. Pic: NOAA

  4. A NASA satellite image shows the hurricane as it departed the Caribbean

"The heaviest and most frequent downpours will be over the north and west, where winds will also gust up to 70mph around exposed coasts. Elsewhere across the UK and Ireland, gusts are still expected to reach up to 50 or 60mph.

"The stormy conditions could also cause disruption to travel, especially as the strongest winds will be around the morning rush hour time."

A Met Office spokesperson said the weather could see fallen leaves impeding drainage and increasing the risk of surface water, which could affect road conditions.

They also said some damage to trees was possible, given that many are still in full leaf.

Hurricane Gonzalo caused widespread damage in Bermuda, pulling up trees and cutting power to 70,000 people.

Video: Bermuda Clears Up After Hurricane

It approached Bermuda as a Category 3 storm then weakened to Category 2 before moving ashore with sustained winds of 110mph (175kph).

Nearly all of the island's roads were impassable and cluttered with debris and fallen trees, police said.

The roof of Bermuda's hospital was damaged and there was also water damage in its new intensive care unit.

Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, with a crew of some 180 sailors, has arrived at the tiny British territory to help with the relief effort if needed.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ministers Risk Controversy With NHS Sale Plan

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Ministers have begun exploring a sale of the main supplier of temporary staff to the NHS in a move likely to revive political accusations about its creeping privatisation.

Sky News has learnt that the Department of Health (DoH) has appointed Deloitte, the accountancy firm, to review options for NHS Professionals, the state-owned staffing agency.

A formal decision to sell NHS Professionals, which has roughly 40,000 nurses, doctors, midwives and other healthcare workers on its books, has not yet been taken.

However, sources said on Monday that an outright sale of the now-profitable agency was "a very real possibility", with analysts estimating that it could raise between £50m and £100m.

News of the prospective sale process comes amid an increasingly heated political debate about NHS funding less than seven months before the General Election.

The Conservatives and Labour both made bold commitments about the NHS at their autumn conferences, underlining the importance of health policy during the looming election campaign.

NHS Professionals is a limited company wholly owned by the DoH and run by Stephen Dangerfield, its chief executive.

According to its 2013 annual report, it moved from a £6.7m loss in 2009-10 into the black the following year, since when it has made an aggregated profit of £10.8m.

The agency managed 2.9 million shift requests last year, filling 21.5 million hours of staffing requirements, including 350,000 same-day requests for shift work.

NHS Professionals counts 60 NHS Trusts as its clients and said this year that in "the forseeable future, growth in our revenue and profit will come from extending our business in our core markets".

The new process is not the first time that ministers have examined a sale of the agency.

In 2010, a consultation over its future was launched, with ministers anticipating bids from private equity firms and outsourcing groups.

For undisclosed reasons that sale process was delayed.

If the Deloitte review does result in a decision to press ahead with a sale, it would be the latest in a string of controversial privatisations initiated by the coalition Government.

A row erupted 12 months ago about the sale of Royal Mail, while last week, George Osborne, the Chancellor, confirmed plans to sell taxpayers' 40% stake in Eurostar.

A source at the DoH confirmed that Deloitte had been engaged to examine "all options" for the NHS Professionals agency, although the Department had not provided a formal response more than three hours after Sky News' initial enquiry.


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hurricane Gonzalo Sparks UK Gale Warning

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 19 Oktober 2014 | 20.15

Gale force winds are threatening to cause major travel disruption and hazardous driving conditions as the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo hits the UK.

A "yellow" alert - warning of severe weather which has the potential to cause danger to life or widespread disruption - has been issued by the Met Office for much of Britain on Tuesday.

Strong gales of up to 60mph and heavy rain will sweep across the UK for around 24 hours, particularly affecting Northern Ireland, northern England, North Wales, southern and eastern Scotland.

Sky News weather forecaster Isobel Lang said: "The remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo are forecast to affect us during Monday night and Tuesday, bringing a spell of very heavy rain followed by gale or severe gale force northwest winds.

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  1. Gallery: Hurricane Gonzalo's Path

    The latest predicted route of Hurricane Gonzalo sees it travel across the Atlantic towards the UK and Ireland. Pic: NOAA

  2. Forecasters say a downgraded weather system could hit Ireland in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with this image showing their current margin of error. Pic: NOAA

  3. Gonzalo could hit the British territory of Bermuda on Friday. Pic: NOAA

  4. A NASA satellite image shows the hurricane as it departed the Caribbean

"It will arrive across the northwest and spread rapidly eastwards taking an area of heavy rain across most parts.

"The winds will become strong and squally and turn northwesterly through Tuesday with gusts of 60mph possible."

The Met Office said: "There is the potential for some significant disruption to travel from the very strong winds on Tuesday, particularly as the strongest winds will coincide with rush-hour in places.

Video: Bermuda Clears Up After Hurricane

"Difficult driving conditions are also expected thanks to large amounts of spray on the roads and potential for wind-blown debris."

Hurricane Gonzalo has caused widespread damage in Bermuda, pulling up trees and cutting power to 70,000 people.

It approached Bermuda as a Category 3 storm then weakened to Category 2 before moving ashore with sustained winds of 110mph (175kph).

Video: Sky News UK Weather Forecast

Nearly all of the island's roads were impassable and cluttered with debris and fallen trees, police said.

The roof of Bermuda's hospital was damaged and there was also water damage in its new intensive care unit.

Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, with a crew of some 180 sailors, was expected to arrive on Sunday to help with recovery efforts.


20.15 | 0 komentar | Read More
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