Diberdayakan oleh Blogger.

Popular Posts Today

Britain Braced For Second Storm - And Snow

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 10 Januari 2015 | 16.12

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.

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.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said: "A band of squally rain will move south-eastwards and that's going to bring brighter but much colder conditions behind it.

"Some showers are likely to be heavy and may well fall as sleet or snow, particularly in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England and some of the showers could bring significant accumulations, particularly over higher ground. We could widely see 2cm to 4cm of snow, and perhaps 8cm on the highest ground.

"That could cause major disruption to travel so there are yellow warnings in place for affected areas.

"As it moves south it will leave colder conditions so after a mild night temperatures will really tumble to 4 or 5C."

Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution said it has restored supplies to around 60,000 customers and is working to restore electricity to more than 2,000 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.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Abu Hamza Due To Be Sentenced In New York

The radical preacher Abu Hamza will be sentenced in New York later after being found guilty of supporting terrorist organisations.

The 56-year-old faces life in prison for offences including seeking to establish an al Qaeda training camp in the US and aiding the taking of hostages in Yemen.

He will be sentenced before district judge Katherine Forrest at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in Manhattan.

The sentencing is due to begin at 3pm UK time.

Hamza was convicted in May of 11 charges, including conspiring to set up a terror training camp in Oregon.

His lawyers have argued that he should be sent to a prison medical centre as 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 - when handing down a sentence.

In papers submitted to the court, they also argued that he should not receive a life sentence.

In the 1990s Hamza led the Finsbury Park Mosque, where 11 September conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and shoe bomber Richard Reid reportedly attended.

Hamza denied ever having met the pair.

He later spread violent messages at the mosque following the 2001 attacks on America.

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


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

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.

A spokesman said: "The conditions for searching overnight were awful - it was pitch black and the sea was extremely choppy. It was very difficult to search.

"The helicopter and the all-weather lifeboats searched the area overnight but started to stand down at about 4.30am. They felt they had done all they could.

"Very sadly, nothing has been found and it is very unlikely that anything will be.

"This has turned into a recovery mission. Very sadly there is no chance of finding them alive.

"The coastguard remains on site but the searches will mostly be in and around the shoreline."

Sussex Police said the men, in their 20s, had gone into the water near the Palace pier.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

PFA Boss Compares Evans Plight To Hillsborough

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 09 Januari 2015 | 16.12

The head of the Professional Footballers' Association has been criticised 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."

Social media users were quick to condemn the comments on Twitter.

Paul LFC Foreman posted: "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.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

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.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

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.

As predicted, the winds have brought power lines down and caused travel disruption.

Up to 75,000 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.

The winds arrived following Met Office amber warnings for northern and central Scotland, with flood warnings also in place for the region.

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

Strong winds blew over a lorry on the M6 in Cumbria and high-sided vehicles were advised to avoid using the Ouse Bridgeon the M62 in Yorkshire.

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.

1/15

  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

]]>
16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sponsor's Last Minute Warning Over Evans Deal

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 08 Januari 2015 | 16.12

A major sponsor has threatened to withdraw its support from Oldham Athletic Football Club if they complete the signing of convicted rapist Ched Evans.

ZenOffice made the threat amid reports the 26-year-old has already agreed personal terms and could be in the squad for Saturday's game against Doncaster.

The company said in a statement it had sponsored League One Oldham for five years and the relationship was based on "mutual respect" and the fact they shared the same "family and community" values.

But it warned: "ZenOffice do not agree that the current path OAFC are embarking on espouses these values.

"Therefore it is with much regret that ZenOffice would like to confirm that we will end our association with Oldham if the move goes ahead to sign Ched Evans."

According to Sky sources Oldham are on the verge of signing Evans after canvassing opinion among fans and sponsors including ZenOffice.

Sky Sports News reporter James Cooper said: "There has been a split among fans and sponsors but one of the major sponsors 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 apparently told Oldham they will continue to back them whatever they decide.

But the club has come under increasing pressure to turn its back on Evans with tens of thousands of people signing an online petition and local police and politicians voicing their concerns.

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.

Reports that Evans had been offered a contract by a leading Maltese club were denied by his spokesman.

Oldham are currently 14th in League One.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

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 hurt its performance in December.

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."


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

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 - however 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 the company defined benefit pension scheme to staff 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 more than 5% in early trading on the FTSE 100.

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.

"The investments we are making in service, availability and selectively in price are already resulting in a better shopping experience.

"A broad-based improvement has built gradually through the third quarter, leading to a strong Christmas trading performance.

"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.

"We have some very difficult changes to make. I am very conscious that the consequences of these changes are significant for all stakeholders in our business but we are facing the reality of the situation.

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


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

A&E 'Crisis' Summit Demanded By Labour

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 07 Januari 2015 | 16.12

An emergency summit is needed to find ways to ease the pressure on struggling A&E departments, Labour has said.

More than a dozen hospitals have declared "major incidents" as they struggle to cope with the rising number of admissions in accident and emergency departments.

Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge was the latest hospital to activate a major incident plan on Tuesday evening, warning patients they faced long waits due to "unprecedented levels for demand for our services". 

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.

But he dismissed claims the service is on the brink of disaster.

The Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has published a letter accusing his opposite number 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", Mr Burnham wrote.

He told Sky News: "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, and that's what I'm asking the Government to do immediately."

Mr Burnham said the 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 British Medical Association said the records showed the "unprecedented levels of pressure" on the health service and the Royal College of Nursing said the system was in "crisis".

But 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 


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Your First-Hand Experiences Of A&E Wards

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."

1/5

  1. Gallery: When Should You Go To A&E?

    Unresponsive - Loss of consciousness

Confusion - Acute confused state and fits that are not stopping

]]>
16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Four Dieters Embark On Weight Loss Mission

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

Sky News is following four people as they embark on a mission to lose excess weight and answer the question whether diets really hold the key to tackling Britain's obesity epidemic.

Safira Ali, 32, weighs more than 17st and wants to shed the pounds to have children.

She said the thought that being overweight could stop her having kids was "just devastating".

Hywel Roberts, 33, weighs 15st 9lb and is concerned about his long-term health and body image.

Michelle Okpocha, 47, weighs over 15st and says she was lighter when she was pregnant. She has also been diagnosed with high blood pressure.

"The high blood pressure, I've never really had that before, and the possibility of getting cancer through weight gain is frightening," she said.

Philip Wark, 38, weighs more than 18 stone and believes he is living "on borrowed time".

Sky will follow them as they each try different medically-supervised diets to see whether they can achieve their goals and go on to keep the weight off.

Some £5.1bn a year is spent by the NHS on problems caused by eating too much and not taking enough exercise - and experts warn it will be completely swamped if action is not taken.

Latest figures show the number of hospital admissions linked to obesity in England rose tenfold in the 10 years to 2012-13 - from 29,237 to 292,404.

Tom Sanders, emeritus professor of nutrition and dietetics at King's College London, told Sky News the NHS could not cope with the increased demand for surgery to help with weight loss.

"Unless obesity can be successfully prevented, it will overwhelm the NHS," he said.

However, an even greater burden is type 2 diabetes, which can cause a host of life-limiting and deadly conditions, including strokes, heart attacks and cancer.

Something undeniably needs to be done, but does the diet industry hold the answer?

Politicians agree it is a huge problem but are divided when it comes to how to deal with it.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says part of the solution relies on early intervention.

"I think the shocking statistic is that 9% of children enter primary school clinically obese and 19% leave obese. That is just not acceptable and we need to do a lot more."

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham told Sky part of the answer lies in "exercise on referral or on prescription".

"So instead of people being put on medication, people are put on specialist weight management and exercise courses to break the cycle and get control," he said.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince Andrew Is 'Best Man In The World'

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 06 Januari 2015 | 16.12

The Duchess of York has paid a glowing tribute to Prince Andrew, who strongly denies claims of having sex with an underage girl.

Speaking for the first time since the allegations against the Duke of York surfaced, Sarah Ferguson said her ex-husband was "the best man in the world".

The Duke flew home on a private jet from a ski resort in Verbier, Switzerland, following the claims, which were made in court papers in the US.

The Duchess, 55, who had been on holiday with the Duke and the couple's daughter, Princess Eugenie, remained in Verbier, where she spoke to reporters as she headed off for a mountain walk.

Asked if she was sticking by the Duke, who she divorced in 1996, she replied: "The York family is a tight unit. We've always been a tight unit.

"He is the greatest man there is. It was the finest moment of my life in 1986 when I married him. He is a great man, the best in the world."

The Duke, 54, reportedly spent the day at Royal Lodge, the home in Windsor Great Park he shares with the Duchess.

Buckingham Palace has in recent days issued two denials over the woman's claims.

It has "emphatically denied" the Duke had sexual contact with the woman, who has been named in reports as Virginia Roberts.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman insisted "any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors" was "categorically untrue".

Scotland Yard has confirmed it has not received a complaint relating to the case, but added it would investigate if an allegation was made.

The woman's claim is part of a lawsuit in connection with American billionaire and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein - a former friend of the Duke.

Andrew was photographed with Epstein in New York two years after his release from prison in 2009, and has faced criticism over their friendship.

In an interview in 2011 he denied any sexual contact with any of the young women connected to the banker.

The woman claims that between 1999 and 2002 she "was forced to have sexual relations with this prince when she was a minor" in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein.

She is believed to have been 17 at the time - underage in US law.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Facing 'Unmanageable Cancer Crisis'

The number of people living with cancer in the UK is set to hit a record 2.5 million this year - creating a "crisis of unmanageable proportions".

The estimate comes from Macmillan Cancer Support, whose analysis puts the figure up by almost half a million from five years ago.

It includes people who have received the all-clear from doctors.

Macmillan chief executive Lynda Thomas wants politicians to commit to ensuring survival rates that match Europe's best ahead of May's General Election.

"While it is great news that more people are surviving cancer or living longer with it, progress is a double-edged sword," Ms Thomas said.

"As numbers surge, the NHS will soon be unable to cope with the huge increase in demand for health services and the support that organisations like Macmillan provide will become even more urgent and important.

"But we cannot do it alone. As we are threatened by a cancer crisis of unmanageable proportions, all political parties must step up and make a real commitment to supporting people with cancer."

The rising number of people living with cancer is largely due to better detection, as well as a growing and ageing population.

However, there has also been an increase in cancers linked to lifestyle such as kidney, liver and skin.

The number of people living with cancer will reach four million by 2030, according to the charity's estimate.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "It is hugely welcome news that over the last five years 500,000 more people are able to live with cancer - part of the fact that cancer survival rates are increasing from relatively poor performance by European standards to their highest ever level in England.

"The NHS is rising to the challenge this presents and is seeing 51% more patients with suspected cancer than 2010, offering cutting-edge drugs through the Cancer Drugs Fund, focusing on high-quality compassionate care as never before, and working to introduce a personalised recovery care package for every patient."


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Osborne To Attack Labour's Spending Plans

Written By Unknown on Senin, 05 Januari 2015 | 16.12

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Five Tory Cabinet ministers led by Chancellor George Osborne are to launch an assault on Labour spending plans they claim will be based on costings carried out by the Treasury.

Mr Osborne, Theresa May, William Hague, Nicky Morgan and Sajid Javid will claim Labour's commitments for its first year in office alone total many billions of pounds.

The Conservative attack will coincide with Ed Miliband launching Labour's General Election campaign, claiming the election will be a once in a generation fight about who the country works for.

"It is a choice between a Tory plan where only a few at the top can succeed and our public services are threatened - or a Labour plan that puts working people first, deals with the deficit and protects our NHS," he will say.

:: Click here for the In The Margins console

The clash will come on what is effectively day one of the general election campaign, in which the Conservatives want the economy to dominate the agenda and Labour the National Health Service.

The Conservatives claim their analysis of Labour spending is based on official HM Treasury Opposition Policy Costings and other reliable sources.

They say Labour's unfunded commitments for the year 2015-16 total some £20.7bn.

"When we took office four and a half years ago, we were left a note by the Labour Party saying simply: 'there's no money left'," said a Conservative spokesman.

"The mess we were left behind by Labour threatened this country's economic security and the economic security of everyone living here.

"But the evidence we will produce shows that Labour have not demonstrated the fiscal discipline or economic competence that earns an opposition the credibility to form a government.

"The chaos of unfunded spending promises, higher taxes and more borrowing offered by Labour is a risk to economic recovery. Competence or chaos. That is the choice for the British people at the election."

But Labour's Shadow Chief Secretary Chris Leslie has already hit back, saying: "It is David Cameron and George Osborne who have made over £7bn of unfunded tax promises.

"These could only be paid for by another Tory VAT rise, even deeper cuts to public services or both.

"Labour has made no unfunded commitments. In fact the Institute for Fiscal Studies said last month that we had the most cautious approach and, unlike the parties, had promised no net giveaways."

Speaking to a rally in Manchester, Mr Miliband will urge activists and supporters to mobilise for an unprecedented four million doorstep conversations with voters in the next four months.

"We will offer hope, not falsehood," he will say. "We know the depths of our values matter more than the depth of our opponents' pockets. We will win this election, not by buying up thousands of poster sites, but by having millions of conversations."

Attacking the Tories on the economy, the Labour leader will say: "It's the first time since the 1920s that working people will be worse off at the end of a parliament than they were at the beginning.

"At a time when education and training are critical to the chances of earning a decent wage, tuition fees have trebled and apprenticeships for young people are falling.

"And think what has happened to our NHS: longer to wait to see your GP, longer to wait in A & E, longer to wait for your operation - an NHS without time to care. The Tories have damaged the NHS in these five years. Give them five more and the NHS, as we know it, just won't be there."

The Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will attack both the major parties on the economy.

On Ed Balls' claim that Labour is now in the centre ground of politics, he will say: "It's like waking up to find a late night voicemail from an ex saying that they've changed and it will all be different if only you give them one more chance."

And on the Conservatives' boasts about economic recovery, Mr Clegg will say: "It's a con. It's like a mobile phone salesman offering to renew your existing contract and then cutting the amount of calls you can make."

:: Follow Sky News presenters and correspondents from 6am on Monday as we launch our multi-media project In The Margins - examining 150 key marginal constituencies across the country. Watch live on Sky News, skynews.com and our mobile apps - channels Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Prince Andrew Back In UK Amid Sex Claims

The Duke of York has arrived back in the UK following claims that he had sex with an underage girl.

Sky News understands Prince Andrew flew home on a private jet from a ski resort in Verbier, Switzerland, following allegations made in court papers in the US.

Buckingham Palace has in recent days issued two denials over the woman's claims that she was forced to have underage sex with the prince.

It has "emphatically denied" the Duke had sexual contact with the woman, who has reportedly been named as Virginia Roberts.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman insisted "any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors" was "categorically untrue".

Sky Reporter Harriet Hadfield said: "We think it's likely he will return to his home in Windsor, which actually makes a face-to-face meeting today with the Queen unlikely as she's in Sandringham.

"So perhaps an initial phone call today is more likely."

Scotland Yard has confirmed it has not received a complaint relating to the case, but added it would investigate if an allegation was made.

Two Sunday newspapers have published details of interviews with the woman, who reportedly named Prince Andrew in US court documents.

Her claim is part of a lawsuit in connection with American billionaire and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein - a former friend of the Duke.

Andrew was photographed with Epstein in New York two years after his release from prison in 2009, and has faced criticism over their friendship.

In an interview in 2011 he denied any sexual contact with any of the young women connected to the banker.

The woman claims that between 1999 and 2002 she "was forced to have sexual relations with this prince when she was a minor" in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein.

She is believed to have been 17 at the time - underage in US law.

The accusation is reportedly contained in a motion filed in a Florida court this week which is part of a lawsuit over how prosecutors handled Epstein's case.

The Duke is understood to be planning to attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, later this month, despite the controversy.

An associate of Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, has branded the claims against her as "untrue" and "obvious lies" after she, too, was reportedly named in the court documents.

But the woman has hit back, saying in a statement: "These types of aggressive attacks on me are exactly the reason why sexual abuse victims typically remain silent and the reason why I did for a long time.

"That trend should change. I'm not going to be bullied back into silence."


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Second Palace Denial Over Andrew Sex Claims

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 04 Januari 2015 | 16.12

Buckingham Palace has issued a second denial over a woman's claims she was forced to have underage sex with the Duke of York.

It has branded the allegations "false and without any foundation".

The denial comes after two Sunday newspapers published details of interviews with the woman, who reportedly named Prince Andrew in US court documents.

The palace said on Friday that "any suggestion of impropriety with under-age minors" by him was "categorically untrue".

In the second statement, a spokesman said: "It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with (the woman).

"The allegations made are false and without any foundation."

The woman's claim is part of a lawsuit in connection with American billionaire and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein - a former friend of the Duke.

Andrew was photographed with Epstein in New York two years after his release from prison in 2009, and has faced criticism over their friendship.

In an interview in 2011 he denied any sexual contact with any of the young women connected to the banker.

The woman claims that between 1999 and 2002 she "was forced to have sexual relations with this prince when she was a minor" in London, New York and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein.

She is believed to have been 17 at the time - underage in US law.

The accusation is reportedly contained in a motion filed in a Florida court this week which is part of a lawsuit over how prosecutors handled Epstein's case.

The Mail on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror have since published details of interviews given by the woman in recent years, in which she discusses three alleged encounters with the Duke.

According to the Sunday Express, Andrew was due to fly back to Britain later following a ski trip in Switzerland.

Epstein was convicted in 2008 and spent 13 months in jail after he admitted having sex with a 14-year-old.

He had been investigated for paying underage girls to have sex with him at his luxury Palm Beach home - and 40 women had come forward as victims.

However, he cut a deal with federal prosecutors and the charges were not progressed.

Two of his victims have now brought a case against the prosecutors, claiming their rights were violated because they were not consulted on the secret deal.

The woman, referred to as Jane Doe 3 in documents, has applied to the court to be included in the lawsuit.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Stabbed To Death In Manchester

A murder investigation has been launched after a 26-year-old was stabbed to death in Manchester's city centre.

The man was found at about 3.25am in Charles Street in the city centre and died later in hospital.

Detective Superintendent Joanne Rawlinson of Greater Manchester Police said: "A young man has sadly died and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his relatives and friends.

"I cannot begin to imagine what they are going through and specially-trained officers are offering them whatever support we can."

She appealed for any witnesses to come forward, adding: "We are in the very early stages of the investigation and we have a team of experienced detectives working to establish the circumstances leading up to his death."

A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Det Supt Rawlinson said:"Although one man has been arrested in connection with the murder, we still need to hear from anyone who was around the Charles Street area in the early hours of this morning or has any information which may assist us with our investigation.

"We will have an increased police presence in the area as we continue our investigation and to reassure local residents, so if you have any concerns or information you wish to provide please come and speak to us."

:: Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police on 101 or independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.


16.12 | 0 komentar | Read More
techieblogger.com Techie Blogger Techie Blogger