Snow Falls As Wild Weather Strikes Britain

Tests Don't Mean An Ebola Outbreak Is Imminent

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 31 Desember 2014 | 10.19

Medical authorities had been expecting a case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the UK by Christmas. They were just a few days out.

The infection control procedures appear to have been followed to the letter.

The nurse sought medical advice by phone when she developed symptoms overnight, a specialist ambulance crew wearing protective equipment put her into quarantine and just one person is thought to have had direct contact with her.

Passengers sitting near her on the flight from London Heathrow to Glasgow on Sunday evening are being contacted.

But this seems to be a precaution - the nurse was not suffering symptoms on board and so wasn't infectious.

The safety-first approach also lies behind the isolation of a second possible case in Scotland, and another in Truro, while they are tested for the virus.

Anyone with a fever who has been to the West African countries affected by the epidemic and may have had contact with the virus is considered a risk.

But the symptoms could also be due to malaria, or indeed flu.

Public Health England figures from 4 December show that 113 patients have been tested for Ebola in similar circumstances over the last few months.

Just one - nurse Will Pooley - was positive.

So there is no reason to panic about a sudden burst of possible Ebola cases.

All it shows is that the medical authorities are being cautious. They won't gamble with public health when it comes to Ebola.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ebola Nurse Could Be Given Blood From Survivor

A nurse being treated for Ebola at a London hospital could be given blood donations from survivor Will Pooley to overcome the deadly virus.

Pauline Cafferkey fell ill after returning from Sierra Leone and is the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the UK.

She was initially treated at a Glasgow hospital after reporting symptoms on Monday morning, before being transferred to a specialist unit at the Royal Free Hospital on Tuesday.

Chief medical officer Professor Dame Sally Davies said the experimental drug ZMapp, which was used to treat Mr Pooley, is not available at the moment.

But she added that another option could be available: "We do have available a small amount of convalescent plasma.

"Will Pooley gave a donation of the plasma and the theory is as we fight off infections we make antibodies and if you harvest the plasma you got a source of antibodies that you can put in to someone and you'd expect it to work."

Ms Cafferkey is in a stable condition and the risk to the general public is said to be very low.

She travelled home via Casablanca and London Heathrow, spending around six hours in each airport before catching connecting flights.

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Gallery: Ebola Patient's Route To Glasgow

Freetown, Sierra Leone to Casablanca, Morocco

Casablanca to Heathrow, UK

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Make Appeal Over Christmas Eve Murder

Written By Unknown on Senin, 29 Desember 2014 | 10.18

Police have launched a murder investigation after the body of a 51-year-old man was found in Bath city centre on Christmas Eve.

A member of the public discovered Thomas Downey under a railway arch on Lower Bristol Road, near Bath railway station just after 1.30pm on Wednesday.

The area was cordoned off and a detailed search of the area continues.

A post mortem examination has been carried out and confirmed that Mr Downey died from significant head injuries.

His family have travelled down from Manchester and are helping investigating officers with the inquiry.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: "They are being supported by a police family liaison officer and our thoughts are with them at this sad time."

Mr Downey is known locally as "Manchester Tommy".

Officers have urged anyone with information to share it with police to help them piece together what happened on Christmas Eve.

Two men in their thirties have been arrested on suspicion of murder and continue to be questioned.

The spokesman added: "The neighbourhood policing team are working with the local community to provide support and reassurance and to assist with the investigation.

"However, we are still keen to speak to anyone who was in the area near to the station in Lower Bristol Road around lunchtime on Christmas Eve.

"We believe the area would have been busy with shoppers and people leaving work early."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Crime Investigation Team on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

King's Cross Station Hit By More Problems

London's King's Cross station was hit by more problems today as an investigation was launched into disruption caused by overrunning engineering work.

A number of trains out of King's Cross were cancelled and other services delayed after a signalling failure this afternoon.

The failure meant that some Great Northern services from the station were cancelled, while incoming trains ended their journeys at Finsbury Park.

A Great Northern spokeswoman said: "At approximately 13.30 this afternoon signalling problems were experienced in the Finsbury Park area, resulting in no trains being able to run in and out of London King's Cross.

"Several trains terminated at Finsbury Park and Welwyn Garden City. Rail replacement buses were organised for passengers to transport them across to the Thameslink route, where ticket acceptance was in place.

"Signalling was restored at 14.15. Customers may have been affected by residual delays of up to 60 minutes whilst the service recovered.

"We would like to apologise for any inconvenience that Great Northern's customers may have experienced."

Today's problems follow major disruption yesterday when King's Cross and Paddington stations were closed because engineering works ran over schedule.

Both stations have since reopened and services from Paddington were running as planned, a Network Rail spokeswoman said.

Network Rail's Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations, apologised for yesterday's disruption which led to extra police being brought in to control crowds.

"I'm deeply sorry for the delays, upset and upheaval caused... to passengers impacted by our overrunning improvement work outside King's Cross," he said.

"We've had an army of 11,000 engineers out over Christmas Day and Boxing Day at 2,000 locations nationwide.

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Gallery: Travel Chaos Hits London

This was the scene at Finsbury Park station

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Severe Weather Warnings As Cold Snap Strikes

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 28 Desember 2014 | 10.19

Severe weather alerts have been issued across Britain with the Met Office warning of dangerous conditions caused by snowfall, heavy rain and extreme cold.

The Met Office says there is a 90% chance of severe cold, ice and snow in some areas of England between today and the New Year.

Yellow weather alerts are in place in the East Midlands, the West Midlands, London and the South East of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland's South West, Wales and across several other regions.

The cold weather alert issued by the Met Office warns conditions could "increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services".

The wild weather has already caused travel disruption on the roads, railway and at UK airports.

Motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles after becoming stuck in snow in Sheffield.

Traffic was backed up on the Prince of Wales Road in the early hours of the morning with some motorists reporting four-hour tailbacks.

Stranded coach passengers spent the night at Our Lady and St Thomas Church in Sheffield after their vehicle got stuck on the A61 heading out of the city. They eventually continued their journey early on Saturday morning.

Liverpool's John Lennon Airport and Leeds Bradford International Airport in Yorkshire were forced to close their runways while snow was cleared.

Four flights into Liverpool from Malta, Berlin and Bucharest had to be diverted to Manchester Airport on Boxing Day. Both airports reopened on Saturday.

A pilot at Manchester Airport was also forced to call the police after he was stuck on the tarmac for three hours waiting to be "de-iced" as the snow fell.

The ferry port at Calais, in France, was closed for around two hours after a ferry was forced to turn back due to strong winds.

And Newcastle United football fans were forced to spend the night on their coach after it got suck heading back from Manchester near Rochdale.

Around 52 fans spent the night on the coach on the M62, before arriving back in the North East 12 hours later than expected.

Christmas night was the coldest of the year so far, with -8.5C recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire.

Temperatures could also drop as low as -10C in some places at the start of next week.

Leek, near the Peak District in Staffordshire, has seen the worst of the snowfall with four inches falling, according to the Met Office.

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Gallery: Festive Feeling As Snow Falls Across The Midlands And Northwest England

A boy enjoys the snow on his sledge in Bingham, Nottinghamshire

The freezing temperatures make for a picturesque scene in Gunthorpe, Nottinghamshire

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10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Inquiry Launched After Christmas Travel Chaos

Delays at two of London's busiest rail hubs are expected to ease today as an investigation is launched into disruption caused by overrunning engineering work.

Rail bosses have apologised for the disruption caused when King's Cross and Paddington stations were closed because engineering works ran over schedule.

A statement on National Rail's website said disruption to and from Paddington station is expected to continue until 9am this morning.

But passengers are still being advised to check whether their journey is likely to be delayed before travelling.

As pressure mounted on Network Rail, Robin Gisby, managing director of network operations, apologised for disruption which led to extra police being brought in to control crowds.

"I'm deeply sorry for the delays, upset and upheaval caused... to passengers impacted by our overrunning improvement work outside King's Cross," he said.

"We've had an army of 11,000 engineers out over Christmas Day and Boxing Day at 2,000 locations nationwide.

"Over 90% have been completed and handed back to time but I realise this is no consolation for the thousands affected."

Paddington, one of London's busiest stations, was closed for much of Saturday as trains were cancelled or delayed.

Hundreds of passengers intending to use King's Cross were instead rerouted to Finsbury Park station in north London.

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Gallery: Travel Chaos Hits London

This was the scene today at Finsbury Park station

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10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snow Falls As Wild Weather Strikes Britain

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 27 Desember 2014 | 10.18

Snow Falls As Wild Weather Strikes Britain

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Forecasters have raised the cold weather alert for large swathes of Britain - warning of ice, plumetting temperatures and up to 10cm of snow.

The Met Office has increased its alert level from yellow to amber - the second highest warning - for the Midlands and the North of England.

An amber alert means "there is a 90% probability of severe cold weather/icy conditions/heavy snow".

The South, Northern Ireland, Wales, East Anglia, London and Kent are on yellow alert, meaning there is a 70 to 80% chance of freezing conditions.

In some central and northern parts, up to 10cm of snow could fall later.

Liverpool's John Lennon airport was forced to close due to snow. Five flights into the airport were rerouted and it has now re-opened.

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Gallery: Festive Feeling As Snow Falls Across The Midlands And Northwest England

Heavy snow at Liverpoolss John Lennon Airport Pic: @dazza1405

Maisy and Lulu Byrne, aged nine and seven, having fun in the snow in Gateacre, Liverpool

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Snow fell during the Premier League game between West Brom and Manchester City at the Hawthorns

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City's Argentine defender Martin Demichelis may not be used to the conditions, but his team won 3-1

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Meanwhile, temperatures could dip below freezing across much of Britain next week - falling to -15C in some parts.

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang said: "After this evening's low pressure system spirals into the near continent, the remnants of any snow should clear and it will turn icy.

"Scattered showers of rain, sleet and snow are likely to affect many areas during Saturday, but it will turn drier and clearer as high pressure moves in through Sunday and the run up to New Year.

"That period is likely to be the coldest of 2014 with some very low temperatures forecast. Minima of minus 10 to minus 15C are possible with daytime highs barely reaching zero or 1C in central areas."

The Met Office cold weather alert warns conditions could "increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services".

Met Office meteorologist Krista Mitchell said: "This year as a whole has been very mild, so this could be the coldest spell that we've had.

"As we go towards Monday and Tuesday, we will see overnight temperatures really drop, with widespread frost and most places dropping below freezing."

A spokesman for Transport Scotland said it was monitoring the conditions.

"As ever, the public have a vital role to play in terms of helping to minimise disruption," he said.

"We would advise people to prepare for some travel disruption as bridges could be affected by high winds and driving conditions could be challenging in some areas, so please allow extra time for your journeys.

"They should also check the relevant websites, such as Traffic Scotland, for up-to-date travel information before they set off."

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Written By Unknown on Kamis, 25 Desember 2014 | 10.18

A 64-year-old man has been charged over the murder of his nine-year-old grandson in Lincolnshire.

Stewart James Greene, of Grimoldby, was charged following the death of Alex James Robinson on Tuesday.

Lincolnshire Police were called to Pennell Street, in Lincoln, just before midday on Tuesday.

The boy was taken by ambulance to Lincoln County Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police initially described the boy's death as "suspicious", adding that a 64-year-old man was "helping police with inquiries".

Police say Greene was charged with murder after a post-mortem was carried out on the boy's body.

Greene is due to face Lincoln Magistrates Court on Boxing Day.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Christmas Lights Tribute To Glasgow Victims

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Thousands of people have turned off their Christmas lights as an act of remembrance for the victims of the Glasgow bin lorry crash.

Some 72,000 people signed up to a Facebook event page asking people to turn off their decorations for two minutes at 9pm on Christmas Eve.

The event was created for people to reflect on the tragedy, which saw six people killed and 10 others injured on Monday.

The tribute came after the Archbishop of Glasgow Philip Tartaglia led a memorial mass at St Andrew's Cathedral to remember the victims.

He told mourners he had spent time with those who lost loved ones in the crash, including a mother who saw her daughter and parents killed.

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Gallery: Victims Of Glasgow Bin Lorry Crash

Jacqueline Morton, 51, who had left work early to collect her granddaughters

Stephenie Tait, 29, was a teacher at St Philomena's Primary school

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Gillian Ewing, 52, was also killed in the accident

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Jack Sweeney, 68, from Dumbarton, was killed along with his wife and granddaughter

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Erin McQuade, 18, with her grandmother Lorraine Sweeney, aged 69

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Jacqueline McQuade was on a Christmas shopping trip when her 18-year-old daughter Erin McQuade and parents Jack and Lorraine Sweeney, all from Dumbarton, were fatally injured.

Primary school teacher Stephenie Tait, 29, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow, and Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, were also killed.

Another 10 people, including the driver, were injured.

Archbishop Tartaglia said: "On the evening of the tragedy, I was privileged to be permitted to spend some time with one of the families who had been cruelly devastated by the incident.

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Gallery: Tributes For Lorry Crash Victims

A service to remember the victims of the disaster will be held at Glasgow's St Andrew's Cathedral at 1pm

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"I was able to witness and share the grief and sadness of a mother and of a father for their daughter, and of two daughters for their mother and father.

"The distressed woman to whom I was speaking had seen her daughter and her own parents killed almost right in front of her. Can you imagine the horror?

"I tried to console them and comfort them. We spoke and we cried and we were silent before the abyss of their loss and the random meaninglessness of what had happened.

"They openly spoke of their faith, but their faith was sorely tried, and I commended them silently to God that the Lord would find the way to bring them comfort."

It is not yet clear what caused the driver, who has not been named, to lose control of the vehicle.

Witnesses reported seeing him slumped at the wheel as the lorry collided with pedestrians on Queen Street, before crashing into the side of the Millennium Hotel at George Square.

The driver and five other people remain in hospital, with one patient said to be in a critical condition.

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Written By Unknown on Rabu, 24 Desember 2014 | 10.19

Northern Ireland's political parties have reached agreement on a range of issues that had threatened the devolved government's future.

The "Stormont House Agreement", which has been forged after weeks of talks, has resolved wrangles over the budget and welfare reforms and established new structures to deal with the legacy of unsolved killings during the Troubles.

An Independent Commission on Information Retrieval will help the bereaved and injured obtain information about events during the conflict.

The First and Deputy First Ministers will also bring forward proposals to deal with parades after the General Election, while a commission will be set up to address the issue of flags.

The agreement paves the way for corporation tax powers to be devolved to Belfast as well, after Chancellor George Osborne said he would do so, provided there was progress at the talks.

Prime Minister David Cameron has also agreed to lend the devolved government £2bn to address a shortfall, after Stormont agreed to cushion welfare reform from its own budget.

Mr Cameron said: "I am delighted that a workable agreement has been reached that can allow Northern Ireland to enjoy a brighter, more prosperous future, while at the same time finally being able to deal with its past.

"This historic agreement has been long in the making and I would also like to pay tribute to all those involved - the Northern Ireland parties, the UK and Irish governments and Senator Hart - for getting us to this position.

"We will now all work collaboratively to see this through. The people of Northern Ireland deserve nothing less."

First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson said the deal acknowledged that further work was needed.

"Of course every one of us would have liked to have had a more comprehensive and complete agreement but this is as much and more than we have ever been able to do on these issues in the past," he said.

"So it is a very significant agreement."

Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the "remarkable agreement" had the potential to give the Executive a "fresh start".

"And it is a fresh start we need to seize with both hands," he said, flanked by party leader Gerry Adams.

Irish foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan, who was involved in negotiations, said: "Today we are building on the hard-won peace on this island with a new agreement which aims to further reconciliation and foster economic growth."

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tycoon's Fall On To Railings 'Not Suspicious'

A bankrupt property tycoon whose body was found impaled on railings did not die in suspicious circumstances, a coroner has said.

Scot Young was discovered in what was described as a "grisly" and "brutal" scene following his death in Marylebone, central London, on December 8.

The 52-year-old had been jailed during a public divorce row over a multimillion-pound settlement because he would not reveal financial records.

After his fatal fall, friends of Mr Young came forward with concerns about a potential "ring of death" in his inner circle - saying four of his reported close friends had died in a similar way.

They pointed out Johnny Elichaoff, Boris Berezovsky, Robert Curtis and Paul Castle all appear to have killed themselves after suffering financial setbacks over the past four years.

But opening the inquest into Mr Young's death, Westminster assistant coroner Angela Hodes said there were no suspicious circumstances.

She said his body was identified by brother-in-law Guy van Ristell, with details supplied to the police by his daughter Sasha.

No members of Mr Young's family or friends were present at the hearing, which was adjourned until January 12.

Speaking after his death, his 30-year-old American model girlfriend, Noelle Reno one of the stars of the Ladies Of London reality TV show, said she was "distraught by the sudden loss of my best friend" and wanted to "grieve in peace".

Mr Young had been locked in a long-running legal battle with his ex-wife Michelle, 50, with whom he had two daughters.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

The Omen Actress Billie Whitelaw Dies Aged 82

Written By Unknown on Senin, 22 Desember 2014 | 10.19

Billie Whitelaw, famous for roles in films such as The Omen, has died aged 82, her son has confirmed.

Matthew Muller told the Guardian his mother passed away peacefully at Denville Hall, a retirement home for actors in north London.

He said she had not been well for about a year, but had deteriorated rapidly over the last few months.

Billie Whitelaw famously played the demonic nannie in the film series The Omen and the mother of English gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray in the 1990 film The Krays.

She was also known for her collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, who once famously referred to her as "a perfect actress."

Her later film roles included a cameo in the 2007 police comedy Hot Fuzz.

Billie Whitelaw was awarded a CBE in 1991.

Paying tribute in the Guardian, Mr Muller said she was "an incredibly loving mother".

"I am going to miss her deeply," he said.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

DNA Study To Put UK At 'Forefront Of Science'

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases and cancer could be transformed by an ambitious project that will see 100,000 complete sets of people's genes decoded.

Eleven Genomic Medicine Centres (GMCs) across England will begin work in February to collect and map the samples over a three-year period.

The initiative, known as the 100,000 Genomes Project, will help scientists and doctors understand more about specific conditions such as the rare genetic illness cystinosis, which left 24-year-old Christopher Melville needing a kidney transplant when he was just 10.

"I'm excited," he said. "Obviously the more knowledge we have, the more understanding we have of how to treat people. It leads to better development, better research and better treatment."

Samples will be taken from people like Christopher and also their parents, while cancer patients will provide both blood and tumour tissue as part of the research.

Professor Dion Morton, who will run the West Midlands GMC, based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, described the work as "transformational", adding that not long ago it took eight years to decode a single person's genome.

"It's going to change the way we practice medicine (and) it's going to give us opportunities to bring new medicines to our patients.

"Historically medicine's been delivered to groups of patients with similar conditions and now we can start subdividing those groups into the exact genetic code that is really causing that condition, so target the treatment of that code and hopefully make treatment safer, more effective."

NHS England's medical director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, said the project was an achievable ambition "which positions Britain to unlock long-standing mysteries of disease on behalf of mankind".

"Embracing genomics will position us at the forefront of science and make the NHS the most scientifically-advanced healthcare system in the world," he added.

A total of 75,000 people will take part in the project.

Christopher's mother, Julie Melville, is delighted the project is about to begin.

"It feels like finally somebody is sitting up and taking note that this rare disease exists," she said.

Her hope is that gene therapy could eventually mean a cure for cystinosis sufferers like her son - one of 150 people in the UK with the disease.

It is estimated new diagnostic tests and drugs could be available as a result of the work within 15 years.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Arrested Over Police Constable's Killing

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 20 Desember 2014 | 10.19

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an off-duty police constable was beaten to death in Liverpool.

Neil Doyle was attacked by a group of men during a Christmas night out with colleagues from Merseyside Police.

The 36-year-old got married in July and was due to go on honeymoon next month.

Two other off-duty officers suffered facial injuries in the attack, which took place near the Aloha nightclub in Colquitt Street at around 3.15am on Friday.

Officers are investigating the possibility they were targeted because of their jobs.

The 28-year-old suspect walked into a police station on Friday evening and is being interviewed by detectives.

Mr Doyle, who joined the force in May 2004, was taken to the Royal Liverpool Hospital, but died a short time later.

A post-mortem examination concluded he died from fatal bleeding around the brain, consistent with an assault.

Chief Constable Sir Jon Murphy described the investigation as being at a "very early stage".

He said: "On behalf of everybody connected with Merseyside Police I extend our heartfelt and sincere condolences to his wife Sarah and the rest of his family.

"Constable Doyle was enjoying a Christmas night out with his work colleagues.

"At around 3.15am Neil left the Peacock bar and walked with two colleagues along Colquitt Street in the city centre.

"The three officers were subjected to an apparently unprovoked and vicious attack by a group of males."

Mr Doyle had received a commendation for his actions in arresting three men after a violent robbery.

Peter Singleton, chairman of Merseyside Police Federation, said the police community was "devastated" by his killing.

"He exemplified the British bobby. He was a solid, good, hard-working, honest copper," he said.

The two other officers required hospital treatment. One suffered a fractured cheekbone.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Flood Victims Hit By Huge Insurance Quotes

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky Reporter

Flood victims in Somerset say they are facing insurance quotes of tens of thousands of pounds to protect their homes from future flooding.

Sky News has seen one renewal quote of almost £100,000 for one year. That falls to just under £500 for the year if flood cover is removed.

The owners did not want to speak on camera but told Sky their property in Moorland would only cost around £120,000 to rebuild from scratch.

Neighbour Sally Vize has been told she won't be able to move back into her home until March - 13 months after the winter storms caused £120,000 worth of damage.

She is due to renew her insurance in the next few months, but is extremely concerned she won't be able to afford the quote.

"I think someone said £12,000 if they want to insure for floods again, who can afford that? It's ridiculous, and I think it's morally wrong," she said.

One in six homes in England are at risk of flooding and the Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimates between 300,000 and 500,000 UK households could struggle to obtain affordably priced flood insurance.

From next summer, in conjunction with the Government, the ABI is hoping to launch its Flood Re scheme which will allow insurers to pass the flood risk element of a home insurance policy into a fund that will pay any subsequent flood claim.

Mark Shepherd, from the ABI, explained: "In certain parts of the country this is becoming a much bigger problem and that's why we are working with the Government to introduce Flood Re, which in the future will ensure those homes at the highest flood risk will still be able to get affordable flood insurance."

Since the flooding began last Christmas, a group called the Somerset Emergency Volunteers have been helping those in need of immediate help.

They have filled a warehouse with donations including food, clothes, furniture and household goods to allow people to begin replacing what they have lost.

They are also providing 400 homes with emergency boxes and sandbags so they are prepared for any repeat.

"Moorland and Fordgate were only given six sandbags by the council when it was flooded - three for the front door, three for the back," said assistant operations manager Sadie Forster.

"We're giving them 36 reusable sandbags."

The Environment Agency has now dredged 8km of river in Somerset, with the Government promising to spend £4.2m on flood defences in the county.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mobile Networks Agree Deal To Boost UK Coverage

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 18 Desember 2014 | 10.19

A £5bn project to guarantee mobile phone voice and text coverage to 90% of the UK geographical area by 2017 will go ahead.

The deal means the four mobile networks - EE, O2, Three and Vodafone - have all agreed to tackle poor coverage in so-called partial "not spots".

These are areas that may have coverage from some but not all of the four networks.

This will halve the number of areas where there is patchy mobile coverage.

In addition, the operators will increase full coverage from 69% to 85% - allowing phone users to download data.

Culture Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Too many parts of the UK regularly suffer from poor mobile coverage leaving them unable to make calls or send texts.

"Government and businesses have been clear about the importance of mobile connectivity, and improved coverage, so this legally binding agreement will give the UK the world-class mobile phone coverage it needs and deserves."

A Vodafone UK spokesman said: "We support the Government's objective of delivering better coverage to rural areas including partial not-spots.

"It is a great result for UK consumers and businesses and it will make the UK a leader across Europe in terms of the reach of mobile coverage."

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jimmy Savile Abuse Victims Given Police Apology

By Gerard Tubb, North Of England Correspondent

A police force has apologised for letting prolific sex offender Jimmy Savile slip through their net by not properly investigating him while he was alive.

North Yorkshire Police has admitted it missed opportunities to act and let down people who reported abuse by the disgraced entertainer and another man in Scarborough.

Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy apologised to 35 people who say they were abused in Scarborough between 1958 and 1998 by Savile or his friend Peter Jaconelli, a former mayor of the town.

Two of the alleged victims say both men attacked them.

"On behalf of North Yorkshire Police I am sorry, I am truly sorry we did not respond more effectively, we did not investigate those allegations early on," he said.

ACC Kennedy said if Savile and Jaconelli were alive they would be arrested on suspicion of child sex offences ranging from indecent assault to rape.

Savile died in 2011 before being exposed as a prolific offender who abused at least 500 children and Jaconelli died in 1999.

After Savile's crimes were made public campaigners and bloggers on the Yorkshire coast pressured the police over their claims that they had no knowledge of complaints against either Savile or Jaconelli when they were alive.

When several men came forward in March 2014 to say they had been abused by Jaconelli the force referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission and began an investigation.

Nigel Ward from the North Yorks Enquirer website welcomed the apology but said more needs to be done.

"The only way to get to the bottom of this now is to have a full scale public enquiry and I would welcome that because I think there are a lot of people who have been culpable in terms of covering up and making it possible for these terrible people to get away with these offences," he said.

The IPCC has recently quizzed an unnamed serving detective sergeant from North Yorkshire Police as part of an ongoing investigation into potential misconduct over how information about Savile and Jaconelli was handled.

Both men are buried in Scarborough's Woodlands Cemetery, where Savile's grave is unmarked after his headstone was removed in 2012 while Jaconelli's prominent headstone records him as Alderman Peter Jaconelli.

Scarborough Council, which is led by Tom Fox, a former Scarborough police commander, stripped Jaconelli of his civic honours when the extent of the complaints against him were acknowledged earlier this year.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boxer Hurt After Tackling Pair Of Burglars

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 17 Desember 2014 | 10.18

Boxer Anthony Crolla is being treated for a head injury and a broken ankle after tackling a pair of burglars.

The 28-year-old, known as "Million Dollar", is due to undergo CT scans.

His trainer Joe Gallagher said before going in to see the fighter in hospital: "I tried talking to him before but he's concussed.

"The next door neighbours were being burgled, and the burglars came into his garden.

"He gave chase, and apprehended one of them, and the other one lifted a slab of concrete and hit him with it, and he fell and broke his ankle."

Crolla was due to face Richar Abril from Cuba for the WBA world lightweight title in Manchester on January 23 - but his promoter Eddie Hearn tweeted: "Anthony is in a stable condition in Oldham hospital.

"Unfortunately the Jan 23rd fight is off but concerns right now are with Ant and family."

He added: "You ask anyone in boxing doubt you could find a nicer kid than Crolla, absolutely gutted for him."

Crolla has fought in the super featherweight and lightweight divisions and is the current holder of the WBO inter-continental lightweight title after beating Gavin Rees.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Festive Cheer On Forecourt As Petrol Prices Fall

Petrol prices could soon fall below £1 per litre - the lowest level since the end of May 2009.

The RAC said the recent fall in the price of oil - now below the $60-a-barrel - would keep dropping.

"What's currently happening at the pumps with falling fuel prices is something many motorists will not remember seeing before," said RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said.

"Talk of prices going up like a rocket and falling like a feather could not be further from the truth as retailers have been quick to pass on savings at the forecourt since we forecast on December 6 that prices were due to come down by 7p a litre for petrol and 6p for diesel."

The RAC added that it was hopeful drivers would benefit from the fall in prices in the first few months of the new year.

The group's monitoring of fuel prices shows the average price of a litre of petrol is 116.9p - nearly 14p a litre cheaper than at the start of the year.

Diesel is nearly 16p cheaper - 122.33p a litre now compared to 138.24p in January.

The average supermarket price of fuel is 114.26p a litre for petrol and 120.18p for diesel.

Mr Williams added: "Current forecasts are for average petrol prices to fall to below 110p a litre in the next fortnight and diesel to drop to under 116p.

"At these average prices across the country the cheapest retailers will almost certainly be selling petrol for around 105p a litre, or even lower."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Murdered Club Owner's Son Appears In Court

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 16 Desember 2014 | 10.18

The son of stabbed London nightclub tycoon David West has appeared in court charged with his murder.

The 44-year-old, who has the same name as his father, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court where the case was referred to the Old Bailey.

The body of Mr West, 70, was found at an address near Piccadilly - believed to be his home - on Friday night.

The cause of death was a single stab wound, according to a post-mortem examination.

Mr West reportedly owned the nightclub Hey Jo, as well as Russian restaurant Abracadabra.

He made millions selling alcohol from a Calais warehouse having started out with a flower and grocery stall at Romford market.

In 2007 he hit the headlines after he hired Cherie Blair to mount a legal challenge against the smoking ban.

Friends have described him as a flamboyant figure who reportedly bought the title of "Lord of the Manor of Hollesley" on eBay.

Neighbour Stephen Fry told The Sun that he heard "horrifying screams" on Friday night and wondered what was going on.

"I looked out the window and saw Dave's body taken out of his home and placed on the road outside.

"The emergency services were desperately trying to revive him but were unfortunately unable to do so.

"I saw them place a cloak over him after he had passed away. It's an absolute tragedy."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Five Boys Held For Murder After Argument

Three boys aged 14 and two others who are 13 were arrested on suspicion of murder after a man was stabbed in north London.

The 52-year-old victim was attacked apparently during an argument with a group of youngsters as he tried to get into a block of flats where he lived in Edmonton on Sunday night.

Police say the victim - who was with a woman - continued into the block but was followed by two of the boys and he was then stabbed.

The youngsters did not know the man, who died at the scene shortly before 8.40pm.

Of the boys arrested, the three 14-year-olds and one 13-year-old were bailed and must return to an east London police station on a date in late January pending further enquiries.

The second 13-year-old remains in custody at an east London police station.

Detective Chief Inspector Neale Baldock said: "Our initial enquiries have established that there was a supervised party taking place at another address within the block and the group of males were trying to gain access to this.

"The victim and this group were not known to each other - what started as a minor verbal altercation has escalated into a shocking act of violence."

Sky Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said: "There is a good deal of police activity at the scene, much of it focused on talking to people that live in this block of flats.

"They're trying to establish how what appears to have been an altercation turned into such a drama."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Glitch Causes Items To Be Sold On Amazon For 1p

Written By Unknown on Senin, 15 Desember 2014 | 10.18

Businesses are furious after a piece of software used by retailers on Amazon went wrong, causing hundreds of items to be sold for 1p.

Some firms which use RepricerExpress say they risk going bankrupt because the problem has resulted in them losing so much money.

The software is designed to keep businesses competitive by automatically repricing items of stock so they are cheaper than others in the digital market.

The firm states on its website: "We are here to increase your sales on Amazon and Rakuten's Play.com and make your efforts as profitable as possible."

For an hour on Friday, between 7pm and 8pm, a problem with RepricerExpress led to hundreds of items being sold on Amazon at a fraction of their normal price. At the same time, some customers said, Amazon charged its usual fees for every item sold.

One of the sellers, Judith Blackford of Kiddymania, told Sky News she could be forced out of business as result of the error.

She said: "I started using Repricer Express - a repricing tool as did a lot of other businesses a few months ago.

"Last night through an error in their programme they listed my stock on Amazon at 1p per item including delivery.

"I have lost about £20,000 overnight. Having asked Amazon to cancel the orders they are still sending them out and charging me horrendous fees.

"Surely someone has to be accountable for this. I will be bankrupt at this rate by the end of January."

Another online trader Belle thinks her company, which sells toys and games, will lose around £30,000 and she will probably be put out of business.

She told Sky News: "It's disgusting really because this third party software, that is their business, this should not have happened, this is 2014.

"We have to pay for this software every month, we've been using it for 18 months no problem.

"At the busiest time - this was predicted to be our busiest weekend of Christmas - turnover is zero."

As a result of the error, several buyers commented on Twitter at how pleased they were to have bought the items for so little.

One person wrote: "Amazon are having a glitch on their site and loads of stuff is selling for 1p. I just bought an incense holder, don't even need it."

An email to some customers from the CEO of RepricerExpress, Brendan Doherty, said the problems with the software caused incorrect pricing to be sent to Amazon.

A statement on the company's website from Mr Doherty said: "I am truly sorry for the distress this has caused our customers.

"We have received communication that Amazon will not penalise sellers for this error. We are continuing to work to identify how this problem occurred and to put measures in place to ensure that it does not happen again.

"Everyone here is devastated and disappointed that you have experienced this problem.

"We understand that you are angry and upset and we will endeavour to work to make good on this issue."

A spokesman for Amazon said: "We are aware that a number of Marketplace sellers listed incorrect prices for a short period of time as a result of the third party software they use to price their items on Amazon.co.uk.

"We responded quickly and were able to cancel the vast majority of orders placed on these affected items immediately and no costs or fees will be incurred by sellers for these cancelled orders.

"We are now reviewing the small number of orders that were processed and will be reaching out to any affected sellers directly."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

UKIP Candidate Quits Over Offensive Remarks

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A high-profile UKIP Westminster hopeful has quit as the party's candidate in a top target seat after making offensive comments.

In recordings of phone calls obtained by the Mail on Sunday, Kerry Smith is said to have mocked gay party members as "poofters", and referred to someone as a "chinky bird".

He also joked about shooting people from Chigwell in a "peasant hunt".

In a statement released on Sunday evening, he said: "I have this evening offered my resignation as UKIP PPC for South Basildon and East Thurrock.

1/16

Gallery: The UKIP History In Pictures

1993: UKIP is founded by Alan Sked in response to the Maastricht Treaty, which set out the modern day EU and paved the way for the Euro. He left the party in 1997 saying it had become a "racist party for the far-right". He is now the leader of New Deal, which has been called UKIP of the Left.

1999: The party takes its first three seats in the European Parliament, under the leadership of the millionaire businessman Michael Holmes. Nigel Farage is one of those MEPs.

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2000: Michael Holmes resigns and Jeffrey Titford takes over as leader of UKIP. He leads the party to field 420 candidates at the 2001 General Election and secure 1.5% of the vote.

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2002: Former Conservative Roger Knapman takes over at the helm.

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2004: The party wins 12 seats at the European Elections, among the UKIP MEPs is the chat show host Robert Kilroy Silk.

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"I want the best for South Basildon and East Thurrock and I want to see the real issues discussed that touch the lives of people.

"Therefore I have chosen to resign so that Ukip can win this seat next May."

Mr Smith's resignation comes just days after he was reinstated as the party's election candidate in South Basildon and East Thurrock.

Mr Smith, a member of both Essex County Council and Basildon District Council, initially apologised and said he had been under great stress and taking strong painkillers for a back injury when he made the comments.

Mr Kerry also accepted claims he made in the calls about party leader Nigel Farage and other senior figures were "completely wrong" and "fuelled by frustrations at the time".

Mr Smith was deselected as the candidate for South Basildon and East Thurrock in October - with Neil Hamilton, the former Tory minister who is now UKIP's deputy chairman, in the running to win the nomination.

But Mr Hamilton ended up endorsing the Essex county councillor in his hustings speech after Mr Smith was reinstated.

It led the ex-Conservative to hit out at party insiders over a "dirty tricks" campaign being run against him.

A party spokesman was unable to say when the selection process would be run again, and Mr Hamilton declined to comment on Mr Smith's resignation or his own plans.

UKIP MEP Patrick O'Flynn said of Mr Smith's comments before he announced his resignation: "He needs to learn to express himself more respectfully about minorities of all kinds now he is off the prescription drugs and he is our candidate."

But he added: "He is very popular... He is a young man, he is learning politics.

"We don't want to become so anodyne and speaking in such non-colloquial language that we lose touch and I think some of the other parties risk doing that.

"But clearly what he said there is unacceptable. He has apologised unreservedly. There are big mitigating circumstances.

"It is from some time ago and we are willing now to judge him on his performance going forward from now."

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Written By Unknown on Minggu, 14 Desember 2014 | 10.19

Businesses are furious after a piece of software used by retailers on Amazon went wrong, causing hundreds of items to be sold at 1p.

Some firms which use RepricerExpress say they risk going bankrupt because the problem has resulted in them losing so much money.

The software is designed to keep businesses competitive by automatically repricing items of stock so they are cheaper than others in the digital market.

The firm states on its website: "We are here to increase your sales on Amazon and Rakuten's Play.com and make your efforts as profitable as possible."

One of the sellers, Judith Blackford of Kiddymania, told Sky News she could be forced out of business as result of the error.

She said: "I started using Repricer Express - a repricing tool as did a lot of other businesses a few months ago.

"Last night through an error in their programme they listed my stock on amazon at 1p per item including delivery.

"I have lost about £20,000 overnight. Having asked Amazon to cancel the orders they are still sending them out and charging me horrendous fees.

"Surely someone has to be accountable for this. I will be bankrupt at this rate by the end of January."

Another retailer affected, Discount Discs, told Sky News: "We are yet to quantify the amount of stock we have lost but we are aware of other sellers losing around £100k of stock.

"This has happened on probably the busiest trading weekend of the year for many sellers."

As a result of the error, several buyers commented on Twitter at how pleased they were to have bought the items for so little.

One person wrote: "Amazon are having a glitch on their site and loads of stuff is selling for 1p. I just bought an incense holder, don't even need it."

An email to some customers from the CEO of RepricerExpress, Brendan Doherty, said the problems with the software caused incorrect pricing to be sent to Amazon.

A statement on the company's website from Mr Doherty said: "I am truly sorry for the distress this has caused our customers.

"Everyone here is devastated and disappointed that you have experienced this problem.

"We understand that you are angry and upset and we will endeavour to work to make good on this issue."

No comment has yet been received from Amazon.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

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