Radical Preacher: Arrest 'Politically Motivated'

Radical preacher Anjem Choudary says his arrest was "politically motivated" after being released on bail on suspicion of being a member of a banned terrorist group.

He was one of 11 men held as part of a police investigation into alleged support of extremist group Al Muhajiroun.

The 47-year-old, who is to answer bail in January, tweeted: "I've been released from police custody.

"Just in time for Cameron to declare war on Islam & Muslims in Iraq & Syria."

Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammad

He was among nine men, aged between 22 and 51, held in London on suspicion of being members of a terror organisation and encouraging terrorism.

Two more were stopped and detained near junction 1 of the M6, just outside Rugby, Warwickshire.

One of the arrested men - 39-year-old Trevor Brookes - has been charged with two counts of breaching his notification requirement, while seven others have been bailed.

The pair held on M6 remained in custody.

A number of properties - 11 in east London, one in west London, one in northwest London, five in south London and one in Stoke-on-Trent - were searched as part of the investigation.

One of them was Yummy Yummy, a sweet shop in Whitechapel, East London, owned by Mr Choudary's brother Yadzani.

Mr Choudary said after his release: "My arrest certainly was politically motivated.

"The last time the government proscribed any organisation linked to me or previous groups I have been linked to was in June 2014.

"They have done nothing since then. They waited until the day before a major vote on a war against Muslims for a high-profile series of arrests."

Mr Choudary said he was questioned at Southwark police station about being a member of up to 10 banned groups including Islam4UK and Need4Khalifah.

He was reported to have said this week he had no sympathy for aid worker Alan Henning, who has been captured by the Islamic State in Syria.

He reportedly said: "In the Koran it is not allowed for you to feel sorry for non Muslims. I don't feel sorry for him."

Al Muhajiroun was set up by Mr Choudary and Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammad, who was told he could not return to the UK after the 7/7 bombings.

The organisation was banned in the UK in 2010.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Father's Death Blamed On Fridge-Freezer Timer

A coroner says manufacturers should be stopped from keeping safety concerns secret after a father died in a fire caused by a faulty fridge-freezer.

Santosh Benjamin Muthiah managed to save his two young daughters - aged three months and three years old - by passing them to neighbours through a window at his North London home.

However the 36-year-old was overcome by smoke and died two days after the fire.

The faulty Beko fridge-freezer

A wide-ranging number of recommendations put forward by London Fire Brigade and Hertfordshire Trading Standards – including forcing manufacturers to reveal emergency safety concerns in a public database - were backed by coroner Andrew Walker.

Under the proposals, failure to report faulty products could lead to unlimited fines and even prison sentences.

Lawyers acting for Mr Muthiah's family said the changes "would stop manufacturers keeping safety issues secret".

Mr Walker blamed a defrost timer on the family's Beko fridge-freezer as he recorded a narrative verdict at North London Coroner's Court for the death in November 2010.

Manufacturer Beko was aware of a possible safety issue as far back as 2003, the inquest heard, but failed to rectify it.

However, Mr Walker said a produce recall may not have prevented the blaze.

Clayton Witter, former managing director at Beko, said the concern had been judged as not adequate enough to warrant a safety recall despite a "serious risk" to safety.

The victim's wife, Dr Jennifer Benjamin, said the family had been unaware of any safety concerns.

The inquest heard that manufacturers can currently be fined £5,000 for faults, compared with an average cost of £11m to recall a white goods appliance.

A statement issued by Dr Benjamin after the inquest read: "We sincerely hope that this legal exercise results in changes to prevent incidents of this nature in the future."

A spokesman for the Business, Innovation and Skills Department said: "We are yet to receive the coroner's report in this particular case but when we do we will, of course, carefully consider the recommendations and respond in due course."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

First-Time Buyers To Get 20% Off Under Tories

Young first-time buyers will get a 20% discount on their new homes, under plans announced by the Conservatives.

David Cameron has set out plans to build tens of thousands of new homes on commercial "brownfield" land, reserved for first-time buyers, under 40.

As Tories begin gathering in Birmingham for their annual conference, the PM said a Conservative government would implement the plan if they were re-elected in 2015.

Homes built under the proposed Help to Buy: Starter Homes scheme would be exempt from a range of taxes, lowering their price by 20%, say Tories.

First-time buyers have been priced out of many areas, especially in London

In an interview with The Sun, Mr Cameron said the programme would deliver 100,000 starter homes over the lifetime of the next parliament.

"We want to help more young people achieve the dream of home ownership so today as part of our long-term economic plan I can pledge we will build 100,000 homes for young, first-time buyers," he said.

"We will make these starter homes 20% cheaper by exempting them from a raft of taxes and by using brownfield land.

"I don't want to see young people locked out of home ownership.

David Cameron says the new homes would be exempt from some taxes

"We've already started to tackle the problem with Help to Buy mortgages - and these new plans will help tens of thousands more people to buy their first home."

The Conservatives said the homes would be built on brownfield land already zoned for development but no longer needed for industrial or commercial use.

Such land is not normally made available for housebuilding and can be bought more cheaply than other land, and the savings will be passed on to the buyer.

Public sector land which is surplus to requirements will also be brought into the scheme.

At the same time, the Conservatives said that the properties would be exempt from most of the taxes imposed on new homes.

These taxes include the social housing requirement and the community infrastructure levy.

Some future regulations such as the zero carbon homes standard will also not apply to properties built under the scheme.

The announcement is intended to set the tone for the party's final annual conference before the country goes to the polls next May.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fathers Of Iraq War Dead Split Over Raids

UK Can't Stand By On IS Murder, Says Hammond

Updated: 9:48am UK, Friday 26 September 2014

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Britain cannot stand by and allow Islamic State extremists to murder thousands of people, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has told Sky News ahead of a crucial vote by MPs on airstrikes.

He insisted raids by RAF planes would be based on intelligence to minimise civilian casualties and "target the bad guys".

He was speaking as David Cameron was poised to win support from MPs for airstrikes in Iraq which senior ministers have warned could last up to three years.

Asked on Sky News over the implications for UK hostages held by IS of military action, Mr Hammond said he understood the anguish of the families, but added: "We have seen how ISIL behaves. We have seen of what they are capable of doing."

He went on: "We cannot stand by as they murder thousands of people and displace millions of people.

"We have to respond to that challenge."

He also said future airstrikes in Syria were possible, but that would require a further vote by MPs.

The widow of David Haines, who was beheaded on film by his captors, has backed targeted British airstrikes.

Dragana Prodanovic Haines said: "The recent tragic event has changed my life as well as the lives and perception of most free thinking people around the world.

"I do support British military air strikes but limited to distinctive targets. No changes in such societies can be enforced, they have to come from within."

Operations could begin within hours of a vote in the Commons which is expected to be overwhelmingly in favour of bombing raids.

Desperate to avoid a repeat of the Commons defeat over airstrikes against Syria last year, the PM is proposing a cautiously-worded motion intended to win support from all parties.

"This motion does not endorse UK airstrikes in Syria as part of this campaign, and any proposal to do so would be subject to a separate vote in Parliament," it states.

And it adds: "Her Majesty's Government will not deploy UK troops in ground combat operations."

Mr Cameron goes into the debate with an opinion poll suggesting voters strongly back airstrikes in Iraq, but would also support attacks against Syria.

A YouGov survey for The Sun shows the largest support yet for RAF airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq, with 57% now in favour and just 24% against.

But it also suggests voters support bombing raids against IS in Syria by 51% to 26%, even though Mr Cameron has already ruled this out for now.

The poll findings are a complete turnaround from 13 months ago, when voters opposed airstrikes on Syria's President Bashar al Assad by two-to-one.

The Cabinet met for 90 minutes yesterday and "unanimously" backed airstrikes in Iraq.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon suggested the campaign against IS could be a "long haul" of "two to three years".

"But we have to face up to this. This kind of extremism has been spreading, taking root in democracies," he told Parliament's House magazine.

After the Cabinet meeting, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the Government was confident Parliament would approve the Government's motion and stressed that Britain's role would currently be limited to airstrikes in Iraq.

"There will be a ground operation. It's just that we will not be providing ground combat troops," Mr Hammond said.

"If we were to put large numbers of Western troops into Iraq now that would simply feed ISIL's narrative.

"If ground forces are needed they have to come from regional countries - primarily from Iraq itself."

Asked whether the action could be extended into Syria at a later stage, Mr Hammond replied: "We haven't ruled out anything for the future."

Although the Labour leader Ed Miliband has said his MPs will support the Government in the vote, some anti-war left-wing MPs are expected to oppose military action.

Labour's John McDonell told Sky News: "I think our intervention makes it worse.

"It has to be resolved regionally."

And fellow Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn has handed in a petition at 10 Downing Street opposing bombing raids.

But some Conservative MPs want the Government to go further and deploy raids on Syria and commit troops.

Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said: "If you don't attack their bases in Syria, then clearly you are not addressing it.

"One will be left with the taste in the mouth that we are leaving it to the Americans to do the dirty end of the job."

:: The Commons debate will begin at 10.30am with the vote expected at around 5pm. Watch on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage will also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Can't Stand By On IS Murder, Says Hammond

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Britain cannot stand by and allow Islamic State extremists to murder thousands of people, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has told Sky News ahead of a crucial vote by MPs on airstrikes.

He insisted raids by RAF planes would be based on intelligence to minimise civilian casualties and "target the bad guys".

He was speaking as David Cameron was poised to win support from MPs for airstrikes in Iraq which senior ministers have warned could last up to three years.

Asked on Sky News over the implications for UK hostages held by IS of military action, Mr Hammond said he understood the anguish of the families, but added: "We have seen how ISIL behaves. We have seen of what they are capable of doing."

David Cameron says airstrikes will only target Iraq, not Syria

He went on: "We cannot stand by as they murder thousands of people and displace millions of people.

"We have to respond to that challenge."

He also said future airstrikes in Syria were possible, but that would require a further vote by MPs.

The widow of David Haines, who was beheaded on film by his captors, has backed targeted British airstrikes.

The UK strikes would follow raids by US planes in Syria and Iraq

Dragana Prodanovic Haines said: "The recent tragic event has changed my life as well as the lives and perception of most free thinking people around the world.

"I do support British military air strikes but limited to distinctive targets. No changes in such societies can be enforced, they have to come from within."

Operations could begin within hours of a vote in the Commons which is expected to be overwhelmingly in favour of bombing raids.

Desperate to avoid a repeat of the Commons defeat over airstrikes against Syria last year, the PM is proposing a cautiously-worded motion intended to win support from all parties.

"This motion does not endorse UK airstrikes in Syria as part of this campaign, and any proposal to do so would be subject to a separate vote in Parliament," it states.

And it adds: "Her Majesty's Government will not deploy UK troops in ground combat operations."

Mr Cameron goes into the debate with an opinion poll suggesting voters strongly back airstrikes in Iraq, but would also support attacks against Syria.

A YouGov survey for The Sun shows the largest support yet for RAF airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq, with 57% now in favour and just 24% against.

But it also suggests voters support bombing raids against IS in Syria by 51% to 26%, even though Mr Cameron has already ruled this out for now.

The poll findings are a complete turnaround from 13 months ago, when voters opposed airstrikes on Syria's President Bashar al Assad by two-to-one.

The Cabinet met for 90 minutes yesterday and "unanimously" backed airstrikes in Iraq.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon suggested the campaign against IS could be a "long haul" of "two to three years".

"But we have to face up to this. This kind of extremism has been spreading, taking root in democracies," he told Parliament's House magazine.

After the Cabinet meeting, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the Government was confident Parliament would approve the Government's motion and stressed that Britain's role would currently be limited to airstrikes in Iraq.

"There will be a ground operation. It's just that we will not be providing ground combat troops," Mr Hammond said.

"If we were to put large numbers of Western troops into Iraq now that would simply feed ISIL's narrative.

"If ground forces are needed they have to come from regional countries - primarily from Iraq itself."

Asked whether the action could be extended into Syria at a later stage, Mr Hammond replied: "We haven't ruled out anything for the future."

Although the Labour leader Ed Miliband has said his MPs will support the Government in the vote, some anti-war left-wing MPs are expected to oppose military action.

Labour's John McDonell told Sky News: "I think our intervention makes it worse.

"It has to be resolved regionally."

And fellow Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn has handed in a petition at 10 Downing Street opposing bombing raids.

But some Conservative MPs want the Government to go further and deploy raids on Syria and commit troops.

Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said: "If you don't attack their bases in Syria, then clearly you are not addressing it.

"One will be left with the taste in the mouth that we are leaving it to the Americans to do the dirty end of the job."

:: The Commons debate will begin at 10.30am with the vote expected at around 5pm. Watch on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage will also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Find 'Area Of Interest' In Alice Hunt

Detectives searching for missing schoolgirl Alice Gross have identified an "area of interest" in west London.

They cordoned off part of Elthorne Park, near her home in Hanwell, and are examining "something of interest" found there, Scotland Yard said.

Meanwhile, police have staged a reconstruction of Alice's last-known movements.

The 14-year-old was last seen on CCTV at 4.26pm on 28 August walking along the Grand Union Canal back towards her home.

Alice's parents say the house feels empty without her

Scotland Yard hope the reconstruction, which began with her leaving her home at 1pm before walking along Brentford Lock, will help jog people's memories.

A forensic tent has been put up at the park

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, leading the hunt, told Sky News police were anxious to know what happened to Alice after 4.26pm that day.

He said people may remember her distinctive "power walk" - very fast with swinging arms.

Around 600 officers from eight forces are involved in the investigation, making it the Metropolitan Police's biggest operation since the 7/7 bomb attacks in London in 2005.

The area has been cordoned off

Alice's parents Rosalind Hodgkiss and Jose Gross told Sky News of their anguish as they made a plea for her safe return.

Ms Hodgkiss, who is a teacher, said: "The longer Alice has been missing the more worried and concerned that we feel and obviously the greater the anguish that we feel.

It is the biggest search by the Met since the 7/7 bomb attacks in London

"We are looking forward to being back as a family again. The house feels very empty without her."

She added: "Alice is a very lively, funny girl. She's quirky. We are really looking forward to the sound of her voice, seeing her smile, just her presence."

Mr Gross, 60, said of his daughter, a keen musician: "Her singing was a really big part of the sounds in our house."

Alice had suffered from anorexia, but Mr Gross said: "There's nothing specific we can think of that would have made her want to run away."

Police have staged a reconstruction to try to jog people's memories

Her father also highlighted the "extraordinary" level of support they had received from the public, which had been "uplifting".

Yellow ribbons are in evidence all over the area of west London where the family live, along with posters highlighting the teenager's disappearance.

The prime suspect is 41-year-old builder Arnis Zalkalns - a convicted murderer who served seven years in a Latvian jail for killing his wife.

Zalkalns is a suspect in the case and has not been seen since September 3

He was spotted on CCTV cycling along the same path as Alice on the day she vanished.

He has not been seen since September 3 and has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone.

Officers have been sent to his native Latvia to trace him.

A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads detectives to find Alice.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alice Gross: Family Appeal 'To Bring Her Home'

By Enda Brady, Sky News Correspondent

The family of missing schoolgirl Alice Gross have said "every morning brings new agony" as they made a heartfelt plea for her to return home.

The appeal came as police stage a reconstruction of her final movements, four weeks after she disappeared.

Alice, 14, was seen on CCTV on August 28 walking alongside the Grand Union Canal in west London back towards her home in Hanwell and has not been seen since.

Some 600 officers from eight forces are involved in the search

A statement from Alice's family, released through Scotland Yard, said: "Alice has been missing for four weeks now. We are desperately concerned about her welfare and worry constantly about what may have happened to her.

"We are appealing to Alice. If you are out there, to come home where you belong. We love you and we miss you. We want to see your smile again, we want to hear you sing again, to see you cuddle Peggy, or sit at the piano. We want to be a family again.

"The whole family, all your friends, the community and the police are united in trying to bring you home.

Sightings of Alice on August 28

"We are also appealing to anyone out there who knows anything about Alice's disappearance or where she is to come forward now.

"We cannot believe that Alice is not at home with us and every morning brings new agony. We dearly love our daughter and Nina dearly loves her sister.

"Please, please help us."

Murder detectives investigating the disappearance have followed up 729 lines of inquiry and received more than 1,000 calls from the public in response to appeals, but have not yet been able to establish what happened after 4.26pm that day.

It is the biggest search undertaken since the 7/7 attacks of 2005

They have searched 30 properties, 25 square kilometres of open land and 5.5km of canals and rivers.

Around 600 officers from eight forces are involved in the investigation, making it the biggest search undertaken by the Metropolitan Police since the 7/7 transport bomb attacks in London in 2005.

Prime suspect, 41-year-old builder Arnis Zalkalns - a convicted murderer who served seven years in a Latvian jail for killing his wife - was spotted on CCTV cycling along the same path as Alice on the day she vanished.

He has not been seen since September 3 and has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone.

Officers have been sent to his native Latvia in an effort to trace him.

Scotland Yard hope the reconstruction of Alice's last known movements, which began with her leaving her home at 1pm before walking along Brentford Lock, will help jog people's memory of the afternoon of August 28.

Scotland Yard commander Graham McNulty has admitted his officers would have no power to arrest Zalkalns if he is found in his native Latvia or elsewhere.

He said the force would need to be "charge ready" to apply for a European Arrest Warrant, and has not done so because this would stop officers being able to interview the suspect.

A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads detectives to find Alice.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Take That Continue As Trio As Jason Orange Quits

Jason Orange has quit boy band Take That saying he was "proud" of what the group had achieved since forming nearly 25 years ago.

The 44-year-old said there had been "no fallings out" after he told bandmates Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald last week that he did not want to commit to a new album.

In a statement, he said: "I have spent some of the best years of my life with Take That and I'd like to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey, including my bandmates, who I feel are like brothers to me.

"Most especially my gratitude goes to all of the good and kind, beautiful and ever-loyal fans of the band, without whom none of this could have been possible. Thank you.

"At the end of The Progress Tour I began to question whether it might be the right time for me to not continue on with Take That. At the start of this year and with my full knowledge and blessing the guys began writing new material."

The group said it was a 'sad day' for them professionally and personally

Orange has followed in the footsteps of fellow ex-Take That star Robbie Williams who revealed earlier this year he would not be reuniting with the band for their next tour.

"There have been no fallings out, only a decision on my part that I no longer wish to do this," he said.

"I know how much Mark, Gary and Howard enjoy writing and making music, and they know that they have my full support and encouragement to continue on with what is to be another chapter for the band."

In a joint statement, the remaining members of the group said they "fully respect" Orange's decision.

"This is a sad day for us," they said. "Jason leaving is a huge loss both professionally and even more so personally.

"We first became aware of Jason's reservations a couple of years ago but had hoped that by giving him the desired time and space he may begin to feel differently.

"This has not been the case and we now have to accept and fully respect his decision which we know hasn't been an easy one.

"Jason's energy and belief in what this band could achieve has made it what it is today, and we'll forever be grateful for his enthusiasm, dedication and inspiration over the years."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Anjem Choudary: Preacher Held In Terror Arrests

Nine men have been arrested in London on suspicion of being members of a terrorist organisation and encouraging terrorism.

Radical preacher Anjem Choudary, 47, was reportedly among those held by officers from the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command (SO15) on Thursday.

The men, aged between 22 and 51, have been taken to police stations in central London and remain in custody on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation or supporting a proscribed organisation.

The organisation is believed to be Al Muhajiroun, the Press Association reported. Set up by Omar Bakri Muhammad, who was told he could not return to the UK after the 7/7 bombings, the group was banned in 2005.

A number of residential, business or community properties - 11 in east London, one in west London, one in northwest London, five in south London and one in Stoke on Trent - are also being searched as part of the investigation.

A statement from the Met Police said: "These arrests and searches are part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist related terrorism and are not in response to any immediate public safety risk."

This week, Choudary was reported to have said he had no sympathy for aid worker Alan Henning, who has been captured by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

He reportedly said: "In the Koran it is not allowed for you to feel sorry for non Muslims. I don't feel sorry for him."

Last month, the Government raised Britain's terror threat level from substantial to severe because of the threat from militant groups in the Middle East.

A severe threat means an attack is deemed to be "highly likely", but there is no intelligence to suggest one is imminent.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

24-Hour Tube Launch Date Is Revealed

London's Tube trains are set to operate a 24-hour service from 12 September next year, it has been announced.

Night-time journeys in the capital are expected to be cut by 20 minutes on average, with some journeys expected to be reduced by up to one hour.

Transport For London said the new service, first promised by Mayor Boris Johnson and London Underground last November, had been made possible due to modernisation of the network and improved levels of reliability.

Half a million Londoners use the Tube after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays

The launch of the "Night Tube" service will coincide with the Rugby World Cup, which is being hosted in England in September and October.

Fans attending at any of the three venues in London - Twickenham Stadium, Olympic Stadium and Wembley Stadium - will able to make use of the new service.

Mr Johnson said: "London is a bustling, 24-hour global city and by this time next year we'll have a 24-hour Tube service to match.

"Running trains all through the night was once thought impossible, but with the huge investment we've put in and upgrades that have been delivered we stand ready to take the Tube to the next level."

To meet the expected demand of the new service, there will be six trains per hour through central London on all Night Tube lines, including the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines.

There will be eight trains per hour on the Northern line to meet demand at busy stations between Leicester Square and Camden Town.

Boris Johnson: 'We stand ready to take the Tube to the next level'

Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground, said: "We are now less than a year away from the first ever 24-hour services operating on London Underground.

"Already over half a million Londoners use the Tube after 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and the introduction of the Night Tube, which will cut journey times and open up new possibilities across the night time economy, is a historic step in our modernisation of the Underground."

While rail unions welcome the move, they have asked for talks with Transport for London managers to ensure it will not be a low cost, low management service.

Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, said: "With Boris still wanting to axe 900 jobs and close all ticket offices, we want to ensure that the new service is properly staffed to ensure safe and secure travel for all passengers and that weekend maintenance work is not postponed to disrupt weekday services."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

iPods Save 750 Lives During Hospital Trials

By Lisa Dowd, Sky Correspondent

The lives of more than 750 patients have been saved at two hospitals after nurses started using iPods instead of paper charts to record patients' vital signs.

Research published in the British Medical Journal found that in one year the number of deaths at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth fell by 397 following the introduction of the new system.

At University Hospital Coventry 372 fewer patients died. The system has been trialled at the West Midlands hospital since 2007.

The special software automatically calculates if a patient is deteriorating and sends out alerts.

Staff have found the system is cutting down mistakes and saving time.

Nurse Amy-Dawn Lees uses an iPod to record a patient's blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels and temperature, as well as tapping in how a patient is feeling.

"The old paper charts were very, very difficult to decipher; the crosses, the arrows, written on the chart by the previous nurse. You can't actually distinguish exactly where the cross is," said Ms Lees.

"On the new electronic charts everything is colour-coded, you are able to see the previous observations in more detail, more accurately and obviously able to see whether your patient is the same, better or worse."

Handheld devices have replaced paper charts at two hospitals

Data from each iPod goes into a central computer system, which doctors, nurses and managers can access.

Patients across all wards are given a score of between 0 and 21.

"We have patients in today with high scores varying from 6, where we're starting to be concerned, to 11, which is the sickest patient we have," said Dr Duncan Watson, Clinical Director of Critical Care at University Hospital.

Doctors and nurses are also alerted to patients' needs by colour codes. Red signifies patients who need the most attention.

"It's radically changed things for us," added Dr Watson.

"It has decreased the mortality rates for the hospital, we are able to identify 10 patients a week and prevent them coming into the intensive care units, we can decrease their length of stay and the patients actually do better as they don't get as sick and we identify them quicker."

The system is expensive, according to Dr Watson - but it has the potential to save money long-term.

More importantly, across the two hospitals death rates have fallen by 15%.

Most hospital trusts still use a paper system, but University Hospital is now almost paper-free.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alice Gross: Police Reconstruct Teen's Journey

A reconstruction of the last-known movements of teenager Alice Gross will take place tomorrow - four weeks after the 14-year-old went missing.

Detectives are hoping it could throw up vital clues from anyone who saw her walking alongside the Grand Union Canal in west London.

The prime suspect, convicted killer Arnis Zalkalns, has disappeared and police are in his native Latvia to try to track him down.

Police found a knife in the River Brent

Police and divers are continuing to wade through the River Brent near Ealing Hospital after a knife - currently undergoing forensic testing - was found in the area earlier this week.

The search is the biggest since the 7/7 bombings in London, with 600 officers pursuing more than 700 lines of inquiry, and more than 1,000 people spoken to.

Divers have searched several miles of canals

Thursday's reconstruction will see a police cadet walk the canal-side route that Alice took on August 28 in the hope witnesses could remember a small but potentially important detail.

CCTV recorded the teenager as she made her way back to her home in the Hanwell area of west London, and also filmed Zalkalns cycling past the same spot 15 minutes later.

Arnis Zalkans whereabouts are unknown - but he did not take his passport

Detectives believe he is likely to have seen Alice as they were both going north along the towpath.

The Latvian has not entered his homeland by plane and police there have said they would not detain him anyway because there is no evidence against him.

The labourer was seen on CCTV 15 minutes after Alice passed the same spot

Edgars Strautmanis, from the police international cooperation bureau, told the Daily Telegraph: "There are no legal grounds to put him in a cell.

"He has not committed any criminal offence in Latvia. There are no grounds to search him under Latvian law."

Zalkalns, who served seven years in prison for killing his wife and burying her in a forest after a dispute about her sexuality, has not been seen since September 3 and has not used his phone or bank account.

Alice was last seen on August 28

The labourer was also arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the UK in 2009, but no further action was taken.

Scotland Yard, meanwhile, has said it is reviewing the early stage of the investigation after coming under fire for being too slow to ask Latvia authorities for help.

A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads detectives to find Alice.

Zalkalns is white, 5ft 10ins and stocky, with dark brown hair that he normally wears tied in a ponytail.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miliband To Set Out 10-Year Strategy For Britain

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband is expected to use his Labour conference speech to unveil his 10-year plan to bolster the health service and rebuild Britain.

The centrepiece of his speech is expected to be a major spending pledge on the NHS, likely to be funded with an extra £1bn from a "mansion tax" on homes worth more than £2m announced by Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls in his conference speech earlier.

The Labour leader will spell out a "national mission" with six goals for the country's future, including the doubling of the number of people buying their first home to 400,000 per year.

Other goals will be the boosting of apprenticeships until they match the number of people going to university, halving the number of low-paid workers and creating a million new "green technology" jobs.

Dismissing claims the "mansion tax" move would fail to win back voters in the South East, shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna, told Sky News it would only hit a "very tiny minority".

He said: "The idea of owning a £2m property is very far off for many of your listeners, as much as people will aspire to do that.

"We are talking about a very small number of homes and this does not affect many people at all, doesn't affect the mainstream majority who have been struggling over the last years."

Speaking on Monday, Mr Balls said the party would do "whatever it takes" to protect the NHS and Mr Miliband will echo the pledge to create a "world class 21st Century health and care service".

Referring to the close vote in the Scottish independence referendum, he will say many Scots wanted independence "because they felt they had nothing left to lose" by quitting the UK.

"Our task is to restore people's faith in the future," he will say. "But the way to do it is not to break up our country. It is to break with the old way of doing things, break with the past."

Mr Balls said Labour will do 'whatever it takes' to protect the NHS

Outlining plans to double the numbers getting on the housing ladder - partly through a pledge to be building 200,000 new homes a year by 2020 - Mr Miliband will say property ownership is "that most British of dreams" but has faded for too many young people priced out of the market.

The Labour leader will promise a "revolution in apprenticeships" to ensure as many school leavers go into one as now go on to study for a degree.

At present four times as many go to university, "leaving both young people and businesses without the skills they need to succeed for the future", he will add.

Mr Miliband will also promise help for "the growing army of our self-employed, five million working people, so often the most entrepreneurial, go-getting people in our country".

He will add: "They don't want special treatment. But they do deserve a fair shot: two thirds have no pension, one in five is stopped from getting a mortgage. It is time to end this modern injustice."

Setting out the battleground for the general election campaign, Mr Miliband will declare: "The Tories are the party of wealth and privilege. Labour is once again the party of hard work fairly-paid."

Responding to Mr Miliband's speech, Tory chairman Grant Shapps said: "Ed Miliband forgets that he was at the heart of a Labour government which had three terms, 13 years - and left Britain on its knees at the end of it."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alice Search Continues As Forensics Test Knife

Police divers are continuing to search a river in the hunt for missing Alice Gross as forensic tests are carried out on a knife found in the water.

The search for the 14-year-old, who went missing in west London on August 28, is the biggest operation of its kind since the 7/7 bombings in 2005.

Attention is focusing on the River Brent and its banks near Ealing Hospital in west London where the knife was recovered.

Scotland Yard has issued a further appeal for information on her whereabouts and that of prime suspect Arnis Zalkalns.

A spokesman said: "The knife will be taken away for analysis but it is too early to say if it's connected. We are focusing on the same area as we were yesterday."

The force has come under fire for taking four days to ask Latvian authorities for help in finding Zalkalns, who served seven years in prison after he was convicted of killing his wife, Rudite Zalkalns.

He went missing six days after Alice was last seen walking alongside the Grand Union Canal.

Arnis Zalkalns could have returned to Latvia by road

Zalkalns has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since September 3, nor has he returned home to his partner and young child.

His passport was left at his house and police in Latvia have confirmed he has not entered the country by plane.

They have however acknowledged it is possible he could have got in undetected if he travelled by car or coach.

Zalkalns was seen on CCTV footage cycling along a path by the Grand Union Canal 15 minutes after the last sighting of Alice.

Detectives believe he is likely to have seen Alice as they were both going north along the canal towpath.

A reward of up to £20,000 is being offered for anyone who has information that leads detectives to find Alice.

Zalkalns is white, 5ft 10ins and stocky, with dark brown hair that he normally wears tied in a pony tail.

Police have said that he "potentially poses a risk to the public" and have asked anyone who sees him not to approach him and to dial 999.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rail Passengers Unhappy With Delay Information

Only one in three rail passengers says they are satisfied with the way train companies deal with delays and cancellations, according to a customer survey.

Passengers complained Twitter provided better information than station staff and only 17% were aware of rail disruption before arriving at their station.

The survey by Passenger Focus revealed passengers wanted honest, reliable and up-to-the-minute information that painted a realistic picture of problems as they unfolded.

Passengers said they needed delay information as quickly as possible

Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: "Despite improvements, it is clear that many passengers are still dissatisfied with the way the rail industry deals with delays.

"Passengers need information as quickly as possible - ideally before leaving home. Only 17% knew about the disruption before arriving at the station.

"For instance, a fallen tree across a railway is just that, not an 'obstruction'. Passengers told the full reasons for the delay are likely to be less frustrated than those who are not.

"Passengers now receive information from a range of sources, so train companies must ensure that staff at stations and on trains are ahead of the information game."

Train operators said they had worked hard to make improvements

The survey findings were based on responses from 1,020 passengers who had experienced a delay in the previous seven days.

A total of 34% of those who answered said the disruption had been handled either very or fairly well, with another 36% saying neither well nor badly and 29% either fairly or very poorly.

One customer said: "I'd have liked an announcement from a human, rather than numbers on a board."

Another said: "Just the facts - the live departure information is often just a joke. Why cannot Southeastern be honest and just say 'no trains' rather than raising hopes?"

Passenger Focus accepted the tone of announcements needed to signal the train company was "on the passengers' side" and could be as important as the content of the messages.

A fallen tree should not be described as an 'obstrution' said the survey

Michael Roberts, director general of the Rail Delivery Group, which represents Network Rail and rail operators, said rail companies had worked hard to make improvements.

"Passengers are at the heart of what we do and we know they want the industry to provide them with clear, accurate and timely information so they can make informed journey choices," he said.

"That is why we have worked hard to make improvements and are already committed to implementing many of the report's key recommendations.

"The industry will shortly produce a revised plan that includes more prominent service information on websites, earlier notification of any changes to the following day's timetable and measures to boost awareness of how to claim compensation for delayed journeys."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Hunt For More Body Parts After Leg Found

Police have launched an investigation after a dog walker found a human leg near Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Lancashire police are using sniffer dogs to search the area after the adult limb was found on land behind Healey Conservative Club in Whitworth on Sunday.

A police spokesman said: "Police were called at shortly before 2.45pm to a report that a member of the public had found a human leg on land behind Healey Conservative Club at Whitworth.

"Police are now searching the area to see if there are any further body parts and inquiries are ongoing to try to establish to whom the leg belongs."

It is not clear how long the leg has been there or whether it belonged to a man or a woman.

The Conservative Club declined to comment.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alice Gross: Police Ask For File On Suspect

Police have asked colleagues in Latvia for the case file of Arnis Zalkalns, the prime suspect in the disappearance of Alice Gross, Sky sources say.

The hunt for the 14-year-old, who went missing in west London on August 28, is the biggest search operation since the 7/7 bombings in 2005.

Zalkalns, a Latvian national, has been named as the main suspect by police after he, too, went missing from his home, in Ealing on September 3.

Zalkalns was spotted on CCTV cycling along a path by the Grand Union Canal

Sky's Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt says police have denied they linked the builder with the case only after a reporter made the connection.

It has emerged that the 41-year-old was jailed in his native country in the late 1990s for murdering his wife and burying her in a forest after a dispute about her sexuality.

He was also arrested in London five years ago on suspicion of indecent assault on a 14-year-old girl, but was never charged.

Police in the garden of builder Arnis Zalkalns

Zalkalns' ex-girlfriend has told The Daily Telegraph he was accused of drugging and molesting the girl.

Search teams, including dogs and divers, have been deployed across west London looking for Alice, who is from Hanwell.

Some 630 officers from eight police forces have been involved.

They have searched 25 square kilometres (9.6 square miles) of open land and 5.5km of canals and rivers.

Police load a bike into a van during the search for Alice

On Friday, police recovered a bicycle belonging to Zalkalns after searching one of his former homes in Hanwell.

Zalkalns has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since September 3, nor has he returned home to his partner and young child.

He was seen on CCTV footage cycling along a path by the Grand Union Canal 15 minutes after the last sighting of Alice.

Detectives believe he is likely to have seen Alice as they were both going north along the canal towpath.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Major Incident Declared After School Bus Crash

A major incident has been declared after a school bus and a car were involved in a crash in Drumquin, Co Tyrone.

More than 50 people, mostly children, have been injured after the collision on Omagh Road, but Sky News understands none of them are seriously injured.

The bus and the car ended up on their sides in a field.

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service spokesman John McPoland said: "52 people were treated at the scene but none of their injuries were serious. The vast majority were checked as a precaution because of their age.

"Six people have slightly more than minor injuries. This would include children who banged their heads off the bus windows but no one went through any windows."

These children, and the occupants of the car, have been taken to the South West Acute Hospital and Altnagelvin Hospital.

Omagh Road has been closed between Segully Road and Drumrawan Road.

More follows...

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Briton's Body Found After Mexico Hurricane

The body of a British woman who went missing while travelling on a yacht off the coast of Mexico has been found.

The Foreign Office confirmed one Briton had died after a search operation was launched earlier this week for couple Paul Whitehouse and Simone Wood in the aftermath of Hurricane Odile.

The pair, from London and Wolverhampton, were reported missing on Friday after their yacht overturned in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez.

Mr Whitehouse is still missing. Pic: Facebook

The couple are thought to have been living in La Paz, Mexico, for a year.

Mr Whitehouse, who is believed to be a scuba instructor, is reportedly still missing.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national, reported missing along with another British national earlier this week off the coast of Mexico.

The hurricane affected power and water supplies

"The Embassy is working with the local authorities and consular staff are providing assistance to both families at this very difficult time."

Hurricane Odile left a trail of destruction when it hit the Baja California Peninsula last Sunday.

Three other people have been confirmed dead following the storm - two Korean citizens and a German man who reportedly died from a heart attack.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boy, 2, Seriously Hurt In Hotel Balcony Fall

A two-year-old boy has suffered head injuries after plunging from a balcony on the first floor of a hotel in Liverpool.

The toddler, who is in serious condition in hospital, fell from the mezzanine floor to the lobby of the Hilton Hotel in the centre of the city at about 4pm on Saturday.

Hotel staff gave first aid to the child before emergency services arrived.

A spokesperson for the hotel chain said: "We can confirm that an incident occurred this afternoon at Hilton Liverpool whereby a child was injured on the hotel premises.

"Team members from the hotel were on hand and immediately administered first aid before an ambulance arrived.

"The safety and security of our guests is of paramount importance and we are liaising closely with the child's parents, police and local hospital.

"Our primary concern is the child's wellbeing and we continue to offer our support during this difficult time."

Merseyside police has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the fall.

A force spokesman said: "Emergency services were called at about 4pm to the Hilton Hotel on Thomas Steers Way to a report a two-year-old boy had fallen from the mezzanine floor of the hotel into the lobby.

"Police and paramedics attended at the scene and the child was taken to hospital for treatment.

"The child sustained head injuries as a result of the fall and he remains in a serious condition in hospital at this time."

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miliband Sets Out Plan For £8 Minimum Wage

Labour leader Ed Miliband has pledged to raise the national minimum wage to at least £8 an hour if he becomes Prime Minister.

The minimum wage is due to rise from £6.31 an hour to £6.50 on October 1, but Mr Miliband plans to add £1.50 an hour on to that by 2020.

The increase would add around £60 a week, or £3,000 a year, to the pay packets of workers currently on the minimum wage.

One in five UK workers - more than five million people - are categorised as being on low pay, defined as wages of less than £7.71 an hour.

Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Mr Miliband said: "Too many working people have made big sacrifices but in this recovery they're not seeing the rewards for their hard work because, under the Tories' failing plan, the recovery is benefiting a privileged few far more than most families.

"One in five of the men and women employed in Britain today do the hours, make their contribution, but find themselves on low pay.

"But if you work hard, you should be able to bring up your family with dignity."

Mr Miliband added: "This week Labour's Plan for Britain's Future will show how we can change and how we can become a country that rewards hard work once again. Because Labour is the party of hard work, fairly paid."

The announcement comes on the eve of Labour's annual conference in Manchester - the last before next year's general election.

The planned increase, which would affect around 1.4 million jobs, would be introduced in annual stages by the Low Pay Commission before October 2019.

The promised rate is said to be similar to that in force in Australia and EU countries such as Belgium and Germany, but still lower than in France and New Zealand.

16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More