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Britain Braced For Second Storm - And Snow

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 10 Januari 2015 | 20.14

The first widespread snowfall of the year is expected today as a second burst of extreme weather from across the Atlantic sweeps parts of the country, the Met Office has said.

More than 100,000 homes were left without power on Friday as hurricane-force winds bringing gusts of up to 113mph battered the north of Britain, bringing down power lines.

The worst affected areas were across the Highlands, islands, Aberdeenshire and the central belt of Scotland.

There was also major disruption to travel services. National Rail said trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central via Carstairs will divert and not call at Motherwell today.

While flooding near Kingussie in the Scottish Highlands has meant trains are not running between Perth and Inverness.

Ferries were cancelled, roads closed and the Forth Road Bridge was shut for a period after a van was blown onto its side.

A gust of 113mph was recorded at Stornoway, the strongest there since records began in 1970.

High winds caused severe problems on the A1 throughout Yorkshire and the North East as a number of lorries were blown over, blocking the carriageway.

The trans-Pennine A66 route has been closed to high-sided and vulnerable vehicles between Brough and Bowes.

The ferocious gales have been stirred up by an extra-powerful jet stream triggered by plunging temperatures in the US hitting warmer air in the south.

Gales are expected to return this weekend but are due to peak at around 80mph.

Forecasters said they will be accompanied by snow with yellow "be prepared" weather alerts in place for all of Scotland, the north and Midlands of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sky News weather presenter Jo Wheeler said: "There will be snow, mainly over hills, but also to lower levels for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"Tonight there will be further wintry showers in the north and west, with snow over northern hills, reaching lower levels at times.

"Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England are most at risk from snow and ice."

The Met Office said between 2cm and 4cm of snow, and perhaps 8cm on the highest ground, is likely.

Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution said it has restored supplies to around 60,000 customers and is working to restore electricity to more than 32,000 customers.

It said its engineers were continuing to reconnect homes today, but staff were "facing a monumental task'' in getting to damaged lines in remote parts.

Scottish Power said around 20,000 customers have been reconnected after losing power, with work ongoing to reach a further 800 properties.


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Recovery Mission For Pair Missing In Sea

The search for two men missing at sea off the coast of Brighton has turned into a recovery mission.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has said there is now "no chance of finding them alive".

The pair were among four men believed to have been on a night out in the town who had gone into the water in the early hours of this morning.

Two managed to get back to shore and called the coastguard just after 1am, saying two of their companions were missing.

Volunteer lifeboat crews are expected to resume searches in waters close to the shoreline, although the helicopter crews have returned to base having "exhausted all possible options", the coastguard said.

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  1. Gallery: Two Missing In Sea Off Brighton

    The search for two men missing at sea off the coast of Brighton has turned into a recovery mission, with "no chance of finding them alive", the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said. Pic: Jason Reeve

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'Evil' Cleric Abu Hamza Sentenced To Life

By Sky News US Team

A New York judge has told radical preacher Abu Hamza he is "evil" as she sentenced him to life in prison for supporting terrorist organisations.

The 56-year-old was found guilty of 11 charges last May, including a plot to establish an al Qaeda training camp in the US state of Oregon.

He was also convicted of providing a satellite phone and advice to Yemeni militants who kidnapped Western tourists in 1998.

Judge Katherine Forrest told Hamza: "Evil comes in many forms but doesn't always show itself immediately in all its darkness...

"There is a side of you which this court believes is evil."

The judge said his actions were "barbaric, misguided and wrong".

Sky News' Hannah Thomas-Peter, who was at Friday's hearing, said Hamza addressed the Manhattan court shortly before learning his fate.

He said even a lenient sentence would "consume the rest of his life", and pleaded to be kept in a medical facility.

Hamza, who wore blue prison clothes, asked the court that his incarceration not be a "back door for a slow-motion crucifixion, not a back door for torture".

He also complained about his last two-and-a-half years in a Manhattan holding prison.

"I've been coerced to do things no disabled should be asked to do," he said.

"This is torture. When the cuts happen, when the pain happens, when the stress happens."

Hamza finished by pleading in the courtroom, just a few blocks from Ground Zero, that "the victims of all wars get together ... and investigate how the (Twin) Towers collapsed".

He said he wanted "victims of all this false intelligence to see their day in court".

Throughout the hearing, Hamza had access to a prosthetic with a pen attachment for making notes, which he seldom wore.

Manhattan prosecutor Preet Bharara issued a statement on the sentencing that made reference to the jihadist attacks in France.

"Abu Hamza's blood-soaked journey from cleric to convict, from imam to inmate, is now complete," he said.

Hamza's lawyers said their client's toenails were not cut for nine weeks, causing them grow painfully into his skin.

His legal team have argued he is too disabled to spend life in a high-security jail.

They say the court should consider Hamza's disabilities - including his amputated forearms, psoriasis, diabetes and high blood pressure.

UK Home Secretary Theresa May said on Friday: "His sentence reflects the severity of his crimes and I am pleased he will spend the rest of his life behind bars where he belongs."

In the 1990s Hamza led London's Finsbury Park Mosque, which was reportedly attended by 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and shoe-bomber Richard Reid.

Hamza denied ever having met the pair.

He later spread violent messages at the mosque after the 9/11 attacks.

Hamza was jailed in Britain for seven years for soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred in 2006.


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PFA Boss Sorry For Ched Evans Comparison

The head of the Professional Footballers' Association has apologised for comparing convicted rapist Ched Evans' situation to the Hillsborough disaster.

The comments made by Gordon Taylor led to calls from Liverpool fans for the PFA chief executive to resign.

Mr Taylor was speaking in a radio interview after Oldham Athletic confirmed plans to sign Evans had collapsed.

"He (Evans) would not be the first person or persons to have been found guilty and maintained their innocence and then been proved right," Mr Taylor told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"If we are talking about things in football, we know what happened, what was alleged to have happened at Hillsborough.

"And it's now unravelling and we are finding it was very different to how it was portrayed at the time - indeed by the police at the time.

"He's in a very difficult situation because he's been put through a wringer and the minute you show any sympathy for Ched everybody will say 'Well, what about the other parties concerned?'

"And that's why I'm making the point that nobody's forgetting them."

Amid widespread criticism, Mr Taylor returned to the airwaves to apologise.

"The last thing I intended to do was to upset anybody connected to the Hillsborough case," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"I've long been a supporter of them (the Hillsborough families) so if that's the impression they got, it's a totally wrong one and I'm very sorry for that."

Social media users were quick to condemn Mr Taylor's initial comments.

Paul LFC Foreman posted on Twitter: "Expect nothing more than a P45 for #GordonTaylor in the morn from @PFA absolutely disgusting comments not even comparable #JFT96."

Liverpool-based singer Pete Wylie said: "@PFA @LFC should withdraw the players from all activity-including playing-until Gordon Taylor apologises AND resigns+takes Evans too #JFT96."

Oldham Athletic's deal to sign Evans collapsed after staff, sponsors and fans suffered "vile" threats, the football club said.

The League One outfit had come under increasing pressure to turn its back on Evans with tens of thousands of people signing an online petition.

The club's main sponsor ZenOffice also threatened to pull out if they signed him.

After the deal fell apart, the former Wales international issued an apology "for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned".

However, he maintained he had consensual sex with the 19-year-old in a hotel room in 2011.

"Finally, it has been claimed that those using social media in an abusive and vindictive way towards this woman are supporters of mine," he added.

"I wish to make it clear that these people are not my supporters and I condemn their actions entirely and will continue to do so."

The victim has reportedly changed her identity and moved house a number of times after abuse on social media.

Evans has been unable to find a team since being released from prison in October having served half of a five-year sentence.


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Tory Plan To Make Public Strikes More Difficult

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky News Politics Reporter

The Conservatives have promised to legislate to make striking more difficult in some core public services if they win this year's general election.

Under the manifesto commitment, industrial action in areas such as health, transport, the fire services and schools would require at least 40% support of those eligible to vote - as well as a majority of those who have actually voted.

The move is an attempt to stop strikes going ahead which have been supported by, sometimes, only one in ten

The TUC has denounced the plan as a 'democratic outrage' which would make it "virtually impossible for anyone in the public sector to go on strike".

The proposals also pledge to end the ban on the use of agency staff to cover for striking workers, and promise a review on the possible introduction of minimum service levels to ensure that core services remain available during strikes.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told Sky News: "A lot people are affected by these strikes, hardworking people going about their daily business don't actually have the opportunity of participating in that ballot.

"So I think it is absolutely right that before a strike can be called in an essential public service there has to be very, very strong support from the membership of that union."

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said the proposed measures would "shift the balance completely in favour of the government and employers, and away from dedicated public servants".

He added: "The UK already has tough laws on strikes - there is no need to make them stricter still."

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny pointed out that Conservatives failed to secure 40% support of those who voted in the 2010 general election, while only 15 Tory MPs had the backing of 40% of those entitled to vote in their constituencies.

Nearly three-quarters (86) of 119 significant ballots for industrial action conducted between August 2010 and December 2014 would have been invalid under the proposed thresholds.

Among those was last year's London Underground strike, which fewer than one third of eligible RMT members voted for, said the Conservatives.

And next week's planned bus strikes in London would be banned, as only 16% of those entitled to vote backed the 13 January action in a ballot which attracted a turnout of just 19%, a party source said.

Labour election campaign vice-chair Lucy Powell also criticised the plans. She said: "The Tories have run out of ideas for the country so are resorting to playing political games with the unions.

"They should be finding solutions to reach negotiated settlements to avoid industrial action.

"The current laws governing strikes were introduced by Margaret Thatcher - not exactly a friend of the unions."


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BAFTA Award Nominations Revealed

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 09 Januari 2015 | 20.14

Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne and Rosamund Pike are among the leading contenders for awards at this year's BAFTAs.

Redmayne and his co-star Felicity Jones have been nominated for their roles as Stephen and Jane Hawking in the film about the scientist's life, The Theory Of Everything.

"I'm feeling amazing, I'm feeling really extraordinary, we're in Los Angeles and we just found out so we're about to open a bottle of something," Redmayne said, after the nominations were announced by BAFTA host Stephen Fry in London.

Jones said: "I'm sort of stunned and excited. It's wonderful. I'm looking forward to celebrating with a glass of champagne and Skyping my family."

In the best-actor category, Redmayne is up against fellow English acting darling Cumberbatch, who is nominated for his part in The Imitation Game, about the life of wartime codebreaker Alan Turing.

The other best actor contenders are Jake Gyllenhall for Nightcrawler, Michael Keaton for Birdman and Ralph Fiennes for The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The nominees for best actress are Jones, Pike for Gone Girl, Amy Adams for Big Eyes, Julianne Moore for Still Alice and Reese Witherspoon for Wild.

But it is Wes Anderson's stylish comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel that surprisingly leads the pack with 11 nominations.

One of those nominations is for best film; it is up against Birdman, Boyhood, The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game.

Birdman, a dark comedy tipped for glory at the Golden Globes this weekend, and The Theory of Everything both received 10 nominations, while The Imitation Game got nine.

Mike Leigh's Mr Turner is up for four awards, including costume design, but Timothy Spall was snubbed for his performance in the title role which won him the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

The film version of Paddington, which stars Ben Whishaw as the voice of the famous bear, picked up two nominations.

Other nominations include nods for Keira Knightley and Imelda Staunton for best supporting actress, along with Steve Carell and Ethan Hawke for best supporting actor.

The winners will be announced at London's Royal Opera House on 8 February.

The main nominations are:

:: BEST FILM

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

The Theory of Everything

:: OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

'71

The Imitation Game

Paddington

Pride

The Theory of Everything

Under The Skin

:: DIRECTOR

Alejandro G Inarritu - Birdman

Richard Linklater - Boyhood

Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel

James Marsh - The Theory of Everything

Damien Chazelle - Whiplash

:: LEADING ACTOR

Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game

Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything

Jake Gyllenhall - Nightcrawler

Michael Keaton - Birdman

Ralph Fiennes - The Grand Budapest Hotel

:: LEADING ACTRESS

Amy Adams - Big Eyes

Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore - Still Alice

Reese Witherspoon - Wild

Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl

:: SUPPORTING ACTOR

Edward Norton - Birdman

Ethan Hawke - Boyhood

J.K Simmons - Whiplash

Mark Ruffalo - Foxcatcher

Steve Carell  - Foxcatcher

:: SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Emma Stone - Birdman

Imelda Staunton - Pride

Keira Knightly - The Imitation Game

Patricia Arquette - Boyhood

Rene Russo - Nightcrawler


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'Outrage' Over Plans To Drop Cancer Drugs

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

Cancer drug companies say they are "outraged" that their treatments may be taken off a list of approved medicines after a review by NHS England.

More than 40 drugs currently on offer to cancer patients are being re-evaluated as part of cost cutting after the Cancer Drugs Fund overspent by £100m.

Since 2010, the Government has put aside hundreds of millions of pounds for the fund separately from NHS spending on cancer drugs as some treatments cost tens of thousands of pounds a year per patient.

Decisions on future provision are expected next week but some manufacturers have said their products have been earmarked for withdrawal within two months - though patients already using the affected drugs will continue to get them.

Gary Hendler, president of Eisai's global oncology business unit which makes a breast cancer drug called Halaven, claimed the review process was based on "arbitrary scoring" and told Sky News: "We are extremely shocked, what we are asking for is the Prime Minister to pause the current process of rationing cancer drugs."

One breast cancer patient also spoke out about the review.

Shani Lloyd Roberts, 32, has secondary breast cancer and has been taking a life-prolonging drug for 16 months.

It is not yet known whether or not her drug will be offered to new patients but she is concerned about the review cutting choice to cancer patients.

"Why take drugs away that are actually working for people? If someone's going to be diagnosed today, tomorrow, a week or a month down the line, they're not going to be offered the same drug that's working for somebody else.

"I don't understand that, it makes no sense and makes life a little bit scarier."

Cancer Drugs Fund chair, practising oncologist Peter Clark, defended the process: "We need to get maximum value for every pound we spend through the CDF.

"We can no longer sustain a position where we are funding drugs that don't offer sufficient clinical benefit when drugs that will do more for patients are coming on stream."

NHS England said excluded drugs would include some which "offer some benefit but are very costly" and said it was essential that patients were able to access the latest treatments.

It pointed out that there was a formal review process available to affected firms.

Tarja Stenvall, general manager of Sanofi, which says its prostate cancer drug Jevtana and bowel cancer treatment Zaltrap are among those being withdrawn, also called on the Government to halt the process.

The full details of the review will be announced next week.


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MI5: Al Qaeda Plotting New Massacre In Britain

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

Al Qaeda is plotting to massacre huge numbers of civilians in Britain and other western countries, the head of Mi5 has warned.

Andrew Parker, director general of the security service, told a select group mostly from the Royal United Services Institute at his London headquarters that while the so-called Islamic State is the newest threat to the West and that self-started lone wolf plots are hard to foil, al Qaeda still has ambitions for something more spectacular.

He said: "We know that terrorists based in Syria harbour... ambitions towards the UK - trying to direct attacks against our country, and exhorting extremists here to act independently."

But this was in addition to newly identified plans from al Qaeda to revisit their traditional style of operations.

He said: "…we still face more complex and ambitious plots that follow the now sadly well-established approach of al Qaeda and its imitators: attempts to cause large scale loss of life, often by attacking transport systems or iconic targets.

"We know, for example, that a group of core al Qaeda terrorists in Syria is planning mass casualty attacks against the West."

Al Qaeda experts are known to have moved from Pakistan to Syria, where they may be able to draw on British volunteers to conduct attacks in the UK. Their mission is entirely focussed on plots against the West.

They are known to be led by Muhsin al Fadhli, an expert bomb maker wanted by the FBI who has a $7m price on his head. He moved to Syria two years ago and was unsuccessfully targeted in a coalition air strike last year.

It is also known that British citizens are in the ranks of al Qaeda in Syria and could be used in a major atrocity back home.

The domestic spy chief spoke hours after the UK's COBRA committee ordered a boost to national security.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: "Following the attacks we took the precautionary step yesterday of increasing security at the French-UK border.

"The UK threat level, which is set by the independent Joint Terrorism Advisory Centre, remains at severe; that means a terrorist attack is highly likely and the public should remain vigilant.

"This morning I chaired COBRA to consider Britain's response to the attacks and our own preparedness to a similar attack."

Extra police have already been deployed at British ports and stations serving the Eurostar.

Lone wolf plots aimed at the police and military have surged over the last year and these have combined with the Paris killings to cause unease among officers.

"It's a huge worry for us," said Sir Peter Fahy, chief constable of Greater Manchester Police.

"There is a particular increased threat to police officers at the moment and there have been a number of attacks foiled in differed parts of the country, but I can tell you that our officers are very concerned about it… they see what happened in France, and clearly we are an unarmed police force but it is the nature of that threat which is worrying but despite that our officers go out there and do their duty." 

Such concerns from front line police reflect similar fears in the intelligence community. Put simply - the world is getting more dangerous.


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PFA Boss Sorry For Ched Evans Comparison

The head of the Professional Footballers' Association has apologised for comparing convicted rapist Ched Evans' situation to the Hillsborough disaster.

The comments made by Gordon Taylor led to calls from Liverpool fans for the PFA chief executive to resign.

Mr Taylor was speaking in a radio interview after Oldham Athletic confirmed plans to sign Evans had collapsed.

"He (Evans) would not be the first person or persons to have been found guilty and maintained their innocence and then been proved right," Mr Taylor told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"If we are talking about things in football, we know what happened, what was alleged to have happened at Hillsborough.

"And it's now unravelling and we are finding it was very different to how it was portrayed at the time - indeed by the police at the time.

"He's in a very difficult situation because he's been put through a wringer and the minute you show any sympathy for Ched everybody will say 'Well, what about the other parties concerned?'

"And that's why I'm making the point that nobody's forgetting them."

Amid widespread criticism, Mr Taylor returned to the airwaves to apologise.

"The last thing I intended to do was to upset anybody connected to the Hillsborough case," he told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"I've long been a supporter of them (the Hillsborough families) so if that's the impression they got, it's a totally wrong one and I'm very sorry for that."

Social media users were quick to condemn Mr Taylor's initial comments.

Paul LFC Foreman posted on Twitter: "Expect nothing more than a P45 for #GordonTaylor in the morn from @PFA absolutely disgusting comments not even comparable #JFT96."

Liverpool-based singer Pete Wylie said: "@PFA @LFC should withdraw the players from all activity-including playing-until Gordon Taylor apologises AND resigns+takes Evans too #JFT96."

Oldham Athletic's deal to sign Evans collapsed after staff, sponsors and fans suffered "vile" threats, the football club said.

The League One outfit had come under increasing pressure to turn its back on Evans with tens of thousands of people signing an online petition.

The club's main sponsor ZenOffice also threatened to pull out if they signed him.

After the deal fell apart, the former Wales international issued an apology "for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned".

However, he maintained he had consensual sex with the 19-year-old in a hotel room in 2011.

"Finally, it has been claimed that those using social media in an abusive and vindictive way towards this woman are supporters of mine," he added.

"I wish to make it clear that these people are not my supporters and I condemn their actions entirely and will continue to do so."

The victim has reportedly changed her identity and moved house a number of times after abuse on social media.

Evans has been unable to find a team since being released from prison in October having served half of a five-year sentence.


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Winds Top 110mph As Jet Stream Lashes UK

Hurricane-force winds have brought gusts of around 110mph to Scotland as extreme weather from across the Atlantic reached Britain.

A gust of 113mph was recorded at Stornoway, the strongest there since records began in 1970.

The ferocious gales have been stirred up by an extra-powerful jet stream triggered by plunging temperatures in the US hitting warmer air in the south.

The winds have brought power lines down and caused travel disruption.

Up to 85,000 properties in Scotland were left without power while ScotRail suspended its rail services "for safety reasons". Some services have since been resumed.

The Forth Road Bridge was closed for some hours when a van blew over and Aberdeen Police said a number of trees had been blown down on Aberdeenshire and Moray roads.

Police in Inverness said several roads and bridges, including the Skye Bridge and Dornoch Bridge, had been closed in northern Scotland and travel conditions in the Highlands and Islands were "hazardous".

The winds followed Met Office amber warnings for northern and central Scotland.

Flood warnings are also in place with all schools in the Western Isles and Orkney been closed as a precaution.

Gusts of between 60mph and 70mph were predicted throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Met Office issued yellow "be prepared" warnings.

The bad weather led to delays to CrossCountry trains running between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Newcastle, while in Kent a  broken-down train at Westgate-On-Sea caused hold-ups to services between Margate and Chatham.

Will Lang, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: "We'd advise anyone planning to travel ... to be prepared for some transport disruption and check traffic and travel conditions before heading out to ensure you can make your journey safely."

The AA has also warned that drivers faced "potentially hazardous" conditions.

John Seymour, national manager of the AA's severe weather team, said: "Drivers need to be prepared for possible widespread travel disruption and challenging driving conditions across the affected areas.

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  1. Gallery: Large Parts Of US In Deep Freeze

    A frozen beach at Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois

Commuters endure sub-zero temperatures in Chicago as a deep freeze sweeps across much of the nation

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UK's Borders Tightened After Paris Attacks

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 08 Januari 2015 | 20.14

Security at ports and train stations that act as a border into the UK has been tightened up in the wake of the attack on a magazine in Paris, the government has said.

The Prime Minister's spokesman told journalists that there had been no change to the UK's terrorism threat level but the government had decided to take extra measures.

Sky sources said a visible extra security presence was expected to be in place both at British and French ports and stations which serve destinations in the UK.

It is believed that passengers using stations serving Eurostar and Le Shuttle and ports that serve ferries to and from France will be among those affected.

Passengers, cars and freight trains at places like Calais and the Gard du Nord in Paris could be subject to extra checks.

The sources said that the decision to boost security was not based on any specific intelligence, but rather was "an appropriate" response to the events on Wednesday that left 12 people dead after an attack on a French satirical magazine.

The current threat level remains at severe, the Home Office said.

The sources added that there was no evidence of a link between Britain and the attacks in France, or indeed the suspects and Britain.

There has also been no intelligence to suggest that any copy cat type attacks may happen in the UK.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are in the process of updating advice to British travellers to France.

Earlier, the FCO described Wednesday's attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris and the latest in Montrouge on its website and told visitors: "You should take extra care at this time and follow the security advice issued by the French authorities."

The department said an additional counter terrism officer from the Metropolitan Police will be based at the British Embassy in Paris.

More follows...


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Tesco To Cut Stores and Jobs In Revival Plan

Tesco has confirmed it is to close 43 unprofitable UK stores and halt construction on almost 50 others as part of a plan to revive its fortunes.

In the wake of four profit warnings last year and the accounting scandal which saw group chief executive Dave Lewis take charge of the UK business, Tesco said it had enjoyed a good Christmas.

Like-for-like sales fell just 0.3% in the six weeks over Christmas - better than analysts predicted - although like-for-like sales in its third quarter were down 2.9%.

But Tesco's sales woes - a result of a lack of focus on its core store offering in the past and the strong challenge from discounters - are only part of the problem for Mr Lewis.

He used the trading update to confirm a number of changes in order to ensure no repeat of the £263m profit over-statement - including new guidelines for supplier negotiations - and outlined plans to streamline the business.

Its head office in Cheshunt is to close in 2016 while it confirmed the sale of Tesco Broadband and Blinkbox, the video steaming service, to TalkTalk.

Options were being explored for Dunnhumby, the unit which manages its Clubcard loyalty scheme, signalling a likely sale process which could value it at up to £2bn.

Tesco did not disclose the locations of the 43 stores to close but Mr Lewis revealed that a "significant proportion" would be Tesco Express convenience shops.

Changes to store management and working-hour flexibility structures would deliver savings of £230m annually but result in a one-off cost of £300m, Tesco said.

It also plans to close its final salary pension scheme but said colleagues would soon be offered turnaround-based bonuses.

Tesco confirmed too that it had poached Halfords boss Matt Davies to run the UK business but he would not be able to start work until 1 June.

The announcements were cheered by investors, with Tesco's share price - having taken a battering last year - rising 10% on the FTSE 100.

Sainsbury's and Morrisons also saw their values shoot up but Halfords lost more than 5% on news of Mr Davies' departure.

On the shop floor, Tesco joined the New Year price war with major rivals by cutting prices from today on hundreds of branded products.

It said the move, resulting in average savings of 25% on brands such as Hovis, Coca-Cola, Marmite and Tetley, was a response to "demands from customers for simpler, lower and more stable prices."

Commenting on the Christmas sales performance, Mr Lewis said: "We are seeing the benefits of listening to our customers.

"In difficult circumstances the team has begun the challenging task of reinvigorating our business. There is more to do but we have taken the first important steps in the right direction.

"Our recent performance gives us confidence that when we pull together and put the customer first we can deliver the right results."


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Ched Evans' Oldham Deal Off After Threats

Oldham Athletic's deal to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans is off.

Oldham Athletic Football Club confirmed to Sky they reneged on a deal to sign Evans despite pushing it for the last four days.

An Oldham director has claimed that board members and their families were threatened during talks to sign the convicted rapist, according to Sky's Paul Kelso.

The football club had come under increasing pressure to turn its back on Evans with tens of thousands of people signing an online petition, local police and politicians voicing their concerns and the club's main sponsor ZenOffice threatening to pull out if they signed him.

"The board of directors has been keen to pursue this deal despite the criticism so this has come as a test of their resolve", Kelso said.

"Evans may have to go further down the football pyramid to get back into the game."

The Wales international has been unable to find a team since being released from prison in October after serving half of a five-year sentence for rape.

He had trained with his previous employers Sheffield United after leaving jail but any hopes of him rejoining them were dashed by fierce opposition from influential figures including Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill.

More follows...


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M&S Online Delivery Woes Hurt Xmas Sales

Marks and Spencer has revealed a sharp drop in clothing, gifts and homewear over Christmas, as it held back on discounting and suffered online delivery woes.

The retailer also blamed an unseasonably warm autumn for a weak clothing performance as it outlined a 5.8% slump in like-for-like sales in its general merchandise division during the 13 weeks to 27 December.

M&S, which insisted its winter clothing range was well received, said disruption at its Castle Donington online distribution centre in Leicestershire hurt its performance in December.

Customers complained that they were not able to make in-store click-and-collect orders for the next day, while deliveries to home addresses, which normally take three to five days, were taking up to 10 days.

M&S said it had made progress in addressing the issues, which were fuelled by Black Friday demand at the end of November, and insisted its delivery services were now back to normal.

The company added: "We deliberately held back the level of discounting, especially in December.

"While this had an adverse impact on sales we delivered a good performance on gross margin."

The retailer had also previously warned that it would take time for its new website, which required members to re-register, to bed in but said it had performed well.

Its food division - which has been a consistent performer - delivered record sales growth of 17% over Christmas week but rose only 0.1% in the quarter.

Analysts had forecast an increase of 0.9% and its share price fell 3% when trading began on the FTSE 100.

Chief executive Marc Bolland said: "M&S had a very good Christmas in food.

"We delivered record Christmas sales, strongly outperforming the market.

"We had a difficult quarter in general merchandise, dominated by unseasonal conditions and an unsatisfactory performance in our e-commerce distribution centre.

"We maintained our focus on general merchandise gross margin, with guidance unchanged."


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Paris Attack 'Challenges' British Values

David Cameron has reiterated his support for the French people as an emergency government meeting was held to discuss the implications of an attack on a French magazine for the UK.

Speaking in Manchester, where he has talking to business leaders, the Prime Minister said: "Everyone's thoughts will be with the French people. These events are a challenge to our security. But also a challenge to our values."

Soon after the Cobra meeting got under way, 24 hours after the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine in France on Wednesday, police in London and other force areas held a minute's silence.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey was among a number of officers who held a tribute outside Scotland Yard to those who had died.

"Today was about remembering our colleagues in France and remembering the terrible events of yesterday," he said.

"Our thoughts are with both the French people and our colleagues in the French police and security service for what they are doing at the moment."

Officers in Leicestershire, Greater Manchester, West Mercia, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and Durham also held similar tributes.

ACPO vice president and Greater Manchester chief constable Sir Peter Fahy said: "All members of the British police forces are shocked at the savagery of this attack.

"In any democratic society it is the role of the police to protect basic human rights and our two French colleagues died protecting free speech. We stand in solidarity."

Members of the security services and police attended the meeting chaired Home Secretary Theresa May.

Shortly afterwards it was announced security at Britain's ports and train stations had been tightened.

Earlier, Labour leader Ed Miliband had earlier tweeted: "We stand in solidarity with France against this evil attack by terrorists intent on attacking our democratic way of life & freedom of speech."

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg told his radio show on LBC on Thursday that the Cobra meeting was to double check that all the necessary measures to ensure UK security were in place.

He wrote on his twitter page in French on Wednesday night, saying: "British people are in solidarity with the French people. These acts of terror will never shake our commitment to freedom of expression."

Nigel Farage appeared on Channel 4 News and said: "(The attacks) are truly horrific with obviously some very worrying implications for our civilisation."

He added that he believed the free movement of people across European borders did not aid the fight against attacks like those that happened in Paris.

Mr Clegg used his radio programme to criticise Mr Farage for making political capital out of the tragic events in France and implying British Muslims are "part of the problem".

MPs, peers, parliamentary staff and journalists are due to gather in Westminster Hall at noon to mark events by holding pens in the air.


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Your First-Hand Experiences Of A&E Wards

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 07 Januari 2015 | 20.15

Overwhelming patient demand has seen accident and emergency waiting times plunge to their worst levels in a decade and several hospitals implement major incident plans to cope.

Health professionals estimate nearly a third of people going to A&E are not emergency cases, while a lack of community healthcare has also been blamed for adding to the problem.

In response to the crisis, many viewers have contacted Sky News via email to relate their personal experiences of A&E.

Here are some of them:

:: Alan Pitts

"My 92-old-mother spent just over 24 hours in the A&E department in December. They ran out of blankets pillows, chairs and beds.

"The hospital was like a third world country. The general manager of the hospital advised me that the hospital was operating in an unsafe condition."

:: Barry Fryer

"My 96-year-old mother recently had a bad fall and had to wait on a trolley in a corridor for three hours whilst the staff dealt with more serious patients.

"There was no room on the wards and there were 10 patients on trollies in the corridor. Some were bleeding from cuts and wounds.

"The more serious patients turned out to be aggressive drunks which ended up in security staff and the police being called.

"My mother was 'seen' within the four-hour period but that was only someone taking details of the problems. She was not treated or seen by a doctor for more than seven hours.

"Why should drunks take over A&E departments and why shouldn't they be made to pay for the costs of their self-inflicted problems clogging up A&E?"

:: Wendy McKenzie - her mother, who died last August, had been a patient at two hospitals

"Both hospitals have large A&E departments and in all instances my mum was treated very well. Even if there was a wait someone kept checking on her.

"The last incident could have been very traumatic as she had taken a bad fall.

"The ambulance service were great, ensuring that mum suffered as little discomfort as possible and stayed with her until they could officially hand her over to the medics in A&E.

"The team there again were great.

"Yes, we had to wait even though this was late at night, but nurses continually checked on her and she was treated well.

"Sadly she did not survive, passing away two days later due to a massive haemorrhage. I cannot speak more highly of how she was treated."

:: Shona Wedderburn

"I was in A&E three weeks ago and I was seen within half-an-hour for an X-ray and I was taken into the nurse within an hour of that for my details tombs confirmed.

"I did have to wait nearly four hours to see the doctors but that was due to six ambulances coming in with emergencies, two of which were for resuscitation so to say that 92.6% is bad is wrong."

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Labour Councillor Suspended Over Nazi Parody

A Labour councillor from Nottingham has been suspended for sharing a doctored Conservative election poster on Twitter which shows a photo of a Nazi death camp.

Rosemary Healy, who represents Nottingham City Council's Mapperley ward, has expressed "profound apologies" after sharing the image with more than 1,500 followers.

She said she did not realise the altered version of the Tory election poster had used an image of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

A Labour Party spokesperson confirmed: "Rosemary Healy has been suspended from the Labour Party."

The original Conservative poster shows a country road above the slogan "Let's stay on the road to a stronger economy".

The poster has been mocked in recent days after it emerged the country road shown in the photo is in Germany, not the UK.

The altered version of the poster was posted by the @ThomasPride Twitter account and replaced the road with a picture of the railway lines at Auschwitz.

"The new Tory campaign poster featuring a German road's a bit controversial" the post said, adding the slogan "more people on zero hours, more tax cuts for the rich, no more NHS".

Ms Healy later deleted her retweet and posted: "Profound apologies for that retweet which was a genuine mistake and would never have been retweeted had I recognised it for what it was."

The user of the Thomas Pride account has defended the parody image against complaints from other Twitter users.

He also insisted the parody poster was legitimate satire, adding that he was of Polish descent.


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Scores Offer To Adopt Dog Left At Station

More than 100 people have offered a new home to a dog left a railway station with a suitcase containing his belongings.

The Scottish SPCA had calls from people as far away as California and Tennessee after the story of shar-pei crossbreed Kai being abandoned at Ayr station in South Ayrshire made the papers all over the world.

The animal welfare charity hopes to rehome Kai once he has had surgery to his eyelids, which are curled under meaning his eyelashes touch his eyeballs.

"He needs surgery which is quite a common procedure. He won't be able to leave till he has had that so he will be with us for the next three to four weeks," a spokeswoman for the charity, which is based in Glasgow, said.

Kai, who is aged between two and three, was found tied to a railing outside the station with the case containing items including a pillow, toy, food and a bowl.

Alan Grant, a senior animal care assistant at the Glasgow centre, said: "It would certainly have been very distressing for him at the time he was abandoned.

"He has been tied up to a fence and watched his owners walk away and leave him, and that's distressing for any dog, even if you just tie your dog up outside the shop and go into the shop, most dogs will panic so it must have been very, very distressing for him watching his owners walk away.

"He's settled into the centre not bad and he seems very people-orientated, but it's certainly not the right manner to leave any animal in."

The charity said abandoning an animal is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and anyone found guilty of doing so can expect to be banned from keeping animals for a fixed period or life.

The dog was sold on the Gumtree website in 2013 and the charity is appealing for information to help trace whoever bought him.


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Ministers Reject Call For A&E 'Crisis' Summit

The Government has rejected Labour calls for an emergency summit to discuss ways of easing the growing pressure on accident and emergency (A&E) departments.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham had called for health, social care, council and emergency services to meet after the worst A&E admissions figures in a decade.

Over a dozen hospitals including Addenbrooke's in Cambridge have declared major incidents because of a surge in demand.

London's Fire Brigades' Union has also protested about the knock-on effect, saying vehicles have been pressed into service as makeshift ambulances.

But a Department of Health spokeswoman said: "The Secretary of State (Jeremy Hunt) has been holding weekly meetings about A&E pressures since March last year.

"Alongside colleagues across government and the NHS nationally, we continue to work with the local NHS to help support them through the winter."

:: Click here for the In The Margins console 

David Cameron has admitted the NHS is under pressure following the release of figures showing waiting times at A&E in England have hit their worst level in 10 years.

However, he dismissed claims the service is on the brink of disaster.

Mr Burnham has published a letter accusing Mr Hunt of failing to anticipate the current problems.

Reports of fire engines and police cars being increasingly used as ambulances raised "major patient and public safety concerns", he wrote.

Mr Burnham said any summit needed to include representatives from the police, fire and ambulance services as well as NHS professionals.

The latest figures on A&E waiting times showed just 92.6% of patients were treated within the four-hour time limit against a target of 95%

The figure is much worse in Wales, where Labour is in charge, but Mr Burnham told Sky News the statistics are not the most important thing.

He said: "What really matters is that there are thousands of people today waiting on a trolley in hospital corridors, held in the back of ambulances outside A&E, people who cannot get the care they need in a very serious situation.

"The emergency services are not functioning as they should be. That's a serious issue. It requires urgent action and constructive suggestions."

The British Medical Association says there are now "unprecedented levels of pressure" on the health service, while the Royal College of Nursing said the system was in "crisis".

Mr Cameron said there was a "short-term pressure issue which we need to meet with resources and management".

He added: "A lot of the pressure on A&E is coming from frail, elderly people, often with many different health conditions and the best place for them, frankly, is not A&E.

"They should be being looked after by the family doctor or in other health settings and I think the long term challenge is to make sure those sorts of settings are more available."

The hospitals that have declared major incidents are:

:: The Royal Bolton Hospital
:: Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge
:: Scarborough Hospital In Yorkshire
:: Royal Stoke University Hospital
:: Peterborough City in Cambridgeshire
:: Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
:: Cheltenham General Hospitals
:: Walsall Manor in the West Midlands
:: Croydon Hospital in south London
:: Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals
:: Ashford and St Peter's hospitals in Surrey
:: Stafford's County Hospital
:: Leicester General, Glenfield and Leicester Royal hospitals


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Sky Sources: Evans And Oldham Agree Terms

Oldham Athletic have agreed personal terms with convicted rapist Ched Evans over a potential move before this weekend, Sky sources say.

Oldham had been expected to make a statement about Evans on Tuesday afternoon but a number of issues remained outstanding.

Having canvassed opinion from supporters and sponsors, the club now appear to have made a decision, and Evans could be part of the first team squad for Saturday's match against Doncaster.

Sky Sports News reporter James Cooper said: "There has been a split among fans and sponsors but one of the major sponsors ZenOffice have assured them they will remain a key part of the club.

"If Evans completes the switch he'll be attending a medical and the staff will be ready to carry that out. It looks like three days of waiting for a resolution is almost over."

Secondary shirt sponsors Carter Moore Solicitors have also told Oldham they will continue to back them regardless.

The club had come under increasing pressure to turn their back on Evans with tens of thousands of people signing an online petition urging them not to give him the chance to resurrect his career,.

Local police and politicians have also opposed any deal.

The 26-year-old Wales international has been unable to find a team since being released from prison in October after serving half of a five-year sentence for rape.

Evans had trained with his previous employers Sheffield United after leaving prison but protests by influential figures - including Olympic gold medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill – saw them distance themselves from him.

A Maltese club claimed to have offered Evans a contract but his spokesman said this not the case.

Prime Minister David Cameron has urged clubs to "weigh their decisions very carefully" before attempting to sign the striker.

His official spokesman said: "His view hasn't changed (from)... the time when there were reports around Sheffield United.

"Ultimately, it is for employers to take decisions, but the Prime Minister does think that footballers are role models and he is sure that any potential would-be clubs and employers will weigh their decisions very carefully."

Oldham are currently 14th in League One.


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Baby Death: Sister And Her Partner Are Charged

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 06 Januari 2015 | 20.14

A teenager and her partner have been charged with murder following the death of her baby brother in Birmingham.

Santino Balaz, who was 14 months old, died at Birmingham Children's Hospital on New Year's Day.

He was living in Brighton Road, Balsall Heath, and was taken to hospital following an emergency call on 1 January at 3.45pm.

Santino's sister, Czech national Tereza Lackova, 19, and her partner Marek Holub, 27, have been charged with his murder.

They were due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court.

Detective Inspector Justin Spanner said: "We are awaiting further tests following a post mortem.

"Santino was found to have extensive injuries and fractures to several areas of his body.

"West Midlands Police is currently liaising with colleagues in the Czech Republic to trace Santino's mother, who is believed to have returned home in September last year."


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Five Reasons A&E Wards Are Struggling

Accident and emergency departments are a barometer for the whole NHS - and the latest waiting time statistics show the system is under extraordinary pressure.

So why is that?

:: Population

The population is rising and it's getting older. Frailer patients have more complex medical problems that are likely to require admission to hospital.

:: Pressure on GPs

Long waits to see a GP are driving more patients with trivial problems into A&E.

Doctors say around a third of the patients arriving don't actually need emergency care. But many patients would rather wait four hours in A&E than four days to see their GP.

:: Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol is adding to the pressure on units. Patients who have nothing wrong with them - apart from being drunk - are taking up beds.

Many ambulance services are setting up booze buses staffed by paramedics to help free up beds. But it's not enough.

:: Social Care Stretched

There is a severe shortage of social care beds, largely because of local authority cuts.

That results in high numbers of mostly elderly patients blocking hospital beds - they're well enough to leave, but there's nowhere for them to go.

So other patients can't be admitted through A&E.

:: Staff Numbers

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Rape Investigation Into Tory MP Is Dropped

Mark Pritchard has said the woman who accused him of rape had "concocted a vindictive and outrageous story", after an allegation against him was dropped.

The Conservative MP was initially arrested on 2 December but released on police bail until today when he was told no further action would be taken over the allegations.

Speaking outside Westminster following the announcement. Mr Pritchard, who was secretary of the Tory 1922 committee for two years until 2012 and sits on the national security strategy committee, said it had been a "testing time".

He added: "Sadly, as an MP, sometimes you have a target on your back."

Mr Pritchard, who entered the Commons as MP for Wrekin in 2005, called for a review of the law which currently allows anyone who claims they are victims of a sexual offence to remain anonymous for the rest of their lives.

He said: "To be falsely accused of anything is an awful thing. Of course (my accuser) remains anonymous.

"The law on anonymity does need to be reviewed and fairness does need to play a far greater role in these cases."

His call was backed by fellow Tory MP Nigel Evans, who was cleared of nine sexual allegations, including one of rape, after a five-week trial.

He said: "I think the time has come to redress the balance to get anonymity for both alleged victim and the accused - at least until there is a charge.

"I believe if people consider what effect being accused might have on them, they might agree that there needs to be careful consideration of being named."

The Prime Minister's spokesman said there were no plans to change the law.

However, the House of Commons speaker, John Bercow, has called for a review of the procedure by which an MP was named in the House of Commons public agenda when they are arrested in the wake of the case.

Mr Pritchard, who divorced his wife of 15 years, Sondra, in 2013, told last year how he had been targeted by a journalist as part of the sting that eventually led to the downfall of Tory minister Brooks Newmark over sex selfies.

A police spokesman said: "A 48-year-old man voluntarily attended a north London police station on Tuesday, December 2 where he was arrested, following an allegation of rape in central London.

"He returned on bail on January 6 where he was informed he will face no further action as there was insufficient evidence."


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A&E Waiting Times Are Worst For 10 Years

A&E Waiting Times Are Worst For 10 Years

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Accident and emergency waiting times in England have fallen to their worst levels for more than a decade, latest figures confirm.

New data shows just 92.6% of patients were treated within the four-hour time limit against a target of 95%.

It comes as a surge in demand at emergency departments has forced several hospital trusts to activate major incident plans, leading to routine operations being put on hold, and extra staff being drafted in.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt admitted the figures were "disappointing", but said the NHS was continuing to see nine out of 10 people within four hours.

"We do very well by international comparisons," he said.

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He told Sky News better social care is at the heart of the solution.

But Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham accused the Government of failing to tackle the crisis.

Sky's Health Correspondent Thomas Moore said the waiting time figures were a sign of how emergency departments were struggling to cope with the huge rise in admissions, which have soared by a third over the last 10 years.

When broken down, the quarterly records show the country's major A&E departments fared even worse, with fewer than nine in 10 patients - 88.9% - being seen within the target.

Dr Sarah Pinto-Duschinsky, director of operations and delivery for NHS England, said: "Today's figures show that, in the three months to the end of December, more than nine out of 10 A&E patients in England continued to be seen and treated in under four hours - the best measured performance of any major Western country.

"In the immediate run-up to Christmas, the NHS treated 446,500 A&E attendees, up 38,000 on the same week last year.

"And there were 112,600 emergency admissions - the highest number in a single week since we started publishing performance figures in 2010.

"We faced similar demand over Christmas itself. In the week ending December 28 A&E attendances were up more than 31,000 on the same period last year, meaning we successfully treated more patients in under four hours than ever before."

Hospitals were required to treat 98% of patients within four hours until 2010 but the Coalition scaled the target back to 95%.

The figures were released as a number of hospitals had major incident plans in place to cope with demand.

Gloucester Royal, Cheltenham General Hospital, Scarborough Hospital and the University Hospitals of North Midlands in Staffordshire have implemented the emergency measure.

Others, including the Royal Surrey County Hospital, urged people to stay away from A&E unless their case was a genuine emergency.

Mike Proctor of Scarborough NHS Trust told Sky News cases were prioritised according to clinical need.

"It does mean people will have to wait longer," he said.

Among the worst performers in terms of meeting the target were Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (79.1%), Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (80.5%), Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust (83.4%) and North Bristol NHS Trust (82.7%).

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A&E Waiting Times Are Worst For 10 Years

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Accident and emergency waiting times in England have fallen to their worst levels for more than a decade, latest figures confirm.

New data shows just 92.6% of patients were treated within the four-hour time limit against a target of 95%.

It comes as a surge in demand at emergency departments has forced several hospital trusts to activate major incident plans, leading to routine operations being put on hold, and extra staff being drafted in.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt admitted the figures were "disappointing", but said the NHS was continuing to see nine out of 10 people within four hours.

"We do very well by international comparisons," he said.

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    Unresponsive - Loss of consciousness

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Chest Pain - Persistent, severe chest pain

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Airways - Breathing difficulties

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Life-Threatening - Severe bleeding which cannot be stopped

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He told Sky News better social care is at the heart of the solution.

But Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham accused the Government of failing to tackle the crisis.

Sky's Health Correspondent Thomas Moore said the waiting time figures were a sign of how emergency departments were struggling to cope with the huge rise in admissions, which have soared by a third over the last 10 years.

When broken down, the quarterly records show the country's major A&E departments fared even worse, with fewer than nine in 10 patients - 88.9% - being seen within the target.

Dr Sarah Pinto-Duschinsky, director of operations and delivery for NHS England, said: "Today's figures show that, in the three months to the end of December, more than nine out of 10 A&E patients in England continued to be seen and treated in under four hours - the best measured performance of any major Western country.

"In the immediate run-up to Christmas, the NHS treated 446,500 A&E attendees, up 38,000 on the same week last year.

"And there were 112,600 emergency admissions - the highest number in a single week since we started publishing performance figures in 2010.

"We faced similar demand over Christmas itself. In the week ending December 28 A&E attendances were up more than 31,000 on the same period last year, meaning we successfully treated more patients in under four hours than ever before."

Hospitals were required to treat 98% of patients within four hours until 2010 but the Coalition scaled the target back to 95%.

The figures were released as a number of hospitals had major incident plans in place to cope with demand.

Gloucester Royal, Cheltenham General Hospital, Scarborough Hospital and the University Hospitals of North Midlands in Staffordshire have implemented the emergency measure.

Others, including the Royal Surrey County Hospital, urged people to stay away from A&E unless their case was a genuine emergency.

Mike Proctor of Scarborough NHS Trust told Sky News cases were prioritised according to clinical need.

"It does mean people will have to wait longer," he said.

Among the worst performers in terms of meeting the target were Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust (79.1%), Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (80.5%), Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust (83.4%) and North Bristol NHS Trust (82.7%).

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Top Stories

  1. Five Reasons A&E Wards Are Struggling
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  3. 'Very Happy' Stephen Fry Is Getting Married
  4. Rape Investigation Into Tory MP Is Dropped
  5. Driver Killed In Wild Boar And Lorry Collision


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A&E Major Incident Plans: What Are They?

A surge in demand at emergency departments has forced several hospital trusts to activate major incident plans.

:: Gloucester Royal, Cheltenham General Hospital, Scarborough Hospital and the University Hospitals of North Midlands in Staffordshire have implemented the emergency measure.

:: Others, including the Royal Surrey County Hospital urged people to stay away from A&E unless their case was a genuine emergency.

:: Major incidents are declared when patient demand reaches a level that could disrupt hospital services, and usually mean that hospitals are approaching full bed capacity.

:: One of the causes is the overwhelming numbers of people attending their accident and emergency units.

:: In the immediate run-up to Christmas, the NHS treated 446,500 people at A&E - up 38,000 on the same week last year.

:: The College of Emergency Medicine believes that between 15% and 30% of patients attending emergency departments could be treated elsewhere.

:: Delays can also be caused by so-called bed-blocking, where people cannot be discharged due to a lack of care facilities in the community.

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Queen And Duke To Make State Visit to Germany

Written By Unknown on Senin, 05 Januari 2015 | 20.14

The Queen is to make a three-day state visit to Germany with the Duke of Edinburgh this summer, Buckingham Palace has announced.

The 88-year-old monarch and her 93-year-old husband will travel to the country in June at the invitation of Germany's president, Joachim Gauck, a human-rights campaigner and former East German dissident.

The royal couple last made a state visit to Germany in November 2004.

The trip will follow shortly after the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Prince Philip saw wartime service in the Royal Navy while the Queen joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) as a mechanic.

The June trip will be the fifth state visit by the royal couple to Germany.

In July 2000, during an official visit to Berlin, the Queen opened the new British embassy.

Buckingham Palace said in a short statement: "The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will make a state visit to the Federal Republic of Germany from 24 to 26 June.

"Her Majesty and His Royal Highness are visiting at the invitation of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Joachim Gauck."

Mr Gauck and his partner, Daniela Schadt, were the guests of the Queen and Duke at a lunch at Buckingham Palace in November 2012.

News of the state visit comes just two days before German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits London for talks with Prime Minister David Cameron.

The Queen and Prince Philip have scaled back their overseas trips in recent years, allowing other members of the royal household to represent them, including Prince Charles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry.

Last year they attended the 70th anniversary commemorations of D-Day in France and also made a one-day trip to Rome.

Prior to that, the monarch had not left Britain since visiting Australia in October 2011.


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