Briton With Ebola Cured After Taking New Drug

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 28 Maret 2015 | 10.18

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A British military health worker has been declared free of Ebola after being the first patient in the world treated with an experimental drug.

Corporal Anna Cross, 25, was admitted to the Royal Free Hospital on 12 March after contracting the disease.

She said she decided to allow doctors to use MIL 77, which they acquired from China, after "careful consideration".

Speaking at a news conference in London, she recalled her response when asked whether she was prepared to try the experimental drug.

"I said: 'I have Ebola, so I'd rather that than high-dose vitamin C. I'll have what drugs you think are good for me,'" she told reporters.

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Gallery: The Desperate Fight To Contain The Ebola Outbreak

A man rests outside the clinic.

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

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Officials try to prevent themselves from spreading the disease.

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

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

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MIL 77 is a close relative of ZMapp, which scientists claimed healed 18 monkeys given a lethal dose of Ebola.

Doctors at the hospital acquired the drug from a company in China and Cpl Cross chose to be treated with the MIL 77 following "careful consideration," she said.

Cpl Cross thanked the medical team who looked after her and added she cried when she heard she was free of the virus.

"They are an absolutely incredible bunch of clinicians; incredibly skilled, incredibly intelligent," she said. "Thanks to them, I'm alive."

Cpl Cross had been working at a British built Ebola crisis centre in Kerry Town, southwest of the capital Freetown when she was diagnosed with the disease.

She was evacuated back to the UK by the RAF after becoming the third Briton to test positive for the virus.

"I was diagnosed by one of the military doctors out there," she said. "They did a blood test on me, then they came and told me personally. It was somebody that I knew really well, and I knew they were gutted to tell me."

Describing how she dealt with being treated as a patient after working as a nurse at the facility, Ms Cross said the experience of others in the hospital made her strong.

"I had treated a patient in the facility and the next day I was sitting with him. So it was nice, in a sense, because I felt like we were having the same experience.

"I have seen patients who got really sick and died but he was doing really well, which was encouraging for me."

Cpl Cross said her family were delighted to learn of her recovery.

"They are really thrilled. They are fighting to look after me at the moment," she said.

Although she has no plans to return to Sierra Leone, Cpl Cross intends to rejoin the military as soon as she is fit again.

"I have to do a lot of physical work, it is going to take me a long time," she said.

British nurses Pauline Cafferkey and Will Pooley also contracted the disease in Sierra Leone and both survived the disease after being treated in the UK.

The current outbreak of Ebola has killed more than 10,000 people in West Africa.

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Written By Unknown on Jumat, 27 Maret 2015 | 10.18

A policeman has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife at their home in Northampton.

The 49-year-old, who is a serving officer with Northamptonshire Police, was held after police arrived at a house in Wootton Hall Park at around 1pm on Thursday.

He has been taken into custody and will be questioned by detectives from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit.

A post-mortem examination is to be carried out by a Home Office pathologist in Leicester.

Det Supt Kate Meynell said: "A full and proper investigation is taking place.

"Northamptonshire Police will not be making any further comment on this investigation at this stage."

The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as a matter of course.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Battle For Number 10: Leaders In Showdown

David Cameron and Ed Miliband have attempted to convince voters they have what it takes to lead the country into 2020 in the first major showdown of the election campaign.

In 90 minutes of the Sky News Channel 4 Battle for Number 10 programme the two men faced tough questioning from the arch inquisitor Jeremy Paxman and members of the studio audience, hosted by Kay Burley.

Mr Miliband attempted to burnish new hardman credentials by telling Paxman "hell yes I'm tough enough" to run the country and said he had stood up to the "leader of the free world" Barack Obama over military action in Syria.

And he said he didn't care if people just thought he was a "north London geek".

In a candid exchange with the studio audience Mr Miliband admitted he had been "bruised" by the leadership battle with his brother, David, in 2010 and it had left the relationship strained but it was healing.

He said: "It was a difficult contest between me and David. It was a bruising contest. Why did I stand? I thought someone needed to lead the Labour Party who could move us on from New Labour.

"Because I thought that was a time that was necessary for the country, and necessary for our party.

"And I had strong views about how we needed to change the country. I think this country's too unequal and we've got to change. I think New Labour was too relaxed about inequality."

Under questioning from Paxman Mr Cameron was forced to admit that he could not live on a zero-hours contract, like 700,000 ordinary people.

He was accused of protecting his rich friends, like Lord Green, the Tory peer and former HSBC chairman, and Jeremy Clarkson, but not helping the poor.

An early ICM/Guardian poll gave victory to Mr Cameron with 54% of the 2,000 people asking saying he had performed best, but it was close and 46% gave the win to Mr Miliband.

Sky News Political Editor Faisal Islam said that the "hard Ed" persona was "something we had not seen before".

He said: "[Ed Miliband] surprised us the most.

"We saw a kind of hard Ed Miliband that you would not recognise from [coverage in] the papers."

"In Paxman's interview with the Prime Minister he did look rather rattled," Islam added.

"The PM didn't make any gaffes but it wasn't comfortable viewing ... When he came out for the Q&A it was very smooth, the Prime Minister that we know – involving anecdotes about his family, sounding very ordinary and normal - it was his comfort zone."

Sky News Business Editor Ian King said Mr Miliband had diagnosed problems with the economy without offering convincing solutions - but also criticised his Tory opponent.

"I was surprised actually how poor the Prime Minister was on the economy," King said.

"That is undoubtedly his strongest hand, and I think he could have laid on with a trowel the crisis that this country faced when the coalition came to power - but he didn't do that."

Both men struggled with questions over immigration, Mr Cameron admitting he had failed to hit his own target on driving down net migration and Mr Miliband refusing to put a figure on the number foreigners coming to the UK.

Mr Miliband told Paxman he was "not going to get into a bargaining game with Alex Salmond" ahead of the election and was not planning on an SNP deal to get into power.

But when Paxman suggested he would bargain with Mr Salmond if it meant it would win the keys to Number 10, Mr Miliband drew laughter from the audience by saying: "Don't be so presumptuous. You're important Jeremy but not that important."

Mr Cameron faced repeated criticism over the friends he made, Paxman saying: "What do you have in common with all these rich people?"

But he responded: "The aspersion you are trying to cast is completely ridiculous."

He was accused of failing on his 2010 election pledge to "fix broken Britain" and conceded the job of turning around the economy was not yet finished and there was more work to be done.

He said: "What I have done for the last five years is lead a Government that has got the economy growing, has got people back to work, has cut the taxes of the poorest people in our country.

"I am not saying we have achieved everything we set out to do, but the country is immeasurably stronger."

Mr Cameron had refused to debate Mr Miliband head-to-head but agreed to a 90-minute session which was split into 18-minute interviews for each man with Paxman and an 18-minute questions session with a studio audience.

The men remained at odds over the European Union with Mr Cameron attempting to stave off the UKIP threat by telling voters the Conservatives were the only party which would offer a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.

Mr Miliband said it was extremely unlikely there would be an in-out referendum if there was a Labour government.

The two men tossed a coin to decide who should go first and the Labour leader won and chose to go second, giving him the final word.

There are a further three televised events in the 40 days remaining to the election – Mr Cameron will only take part in two of those, Mr Miliband all three.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Victims Angry At Blood Inquiry 'Whitewash'

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 26 Maret 2015 | 10.18

HIV and hepatitis C sufferers and their relatives have reacted angrily following the publication of a report investigating how they were infected with contaminated blood.

The Penrose report followed a public inquiry set up by the Scottish government after hundreds of people - many of whom were haemophiliacs - were given infected blood by the NHS during the 1970s and 1980s.

A statement from Lord Penrose - who was not present because he is seriously ill - was read out by the inquiry secretary, Maria McCann, after which several attendees called out "whitewash" to show their disapproval of the findings.

Victim Bruce Norval, who explained he was involved throughout the whole process, had read the report in total as well as every piece of evidence, said the report was "a piece of nonsense".

He went on: "It does not match the evidence, it does not match the charges. It doesn't address the main issues. It degrades patient opinion against medical opinion despite the fact that doctors very clearly have more to lose through an adverse report than we do.

"Their opinion in the form of hearsay, ie: 'We told patients that they were getting hepatitis' was taken over the idea that thousands of UK patients have said: 'No we weren't'."

The statement read on Lord Penrose's behalf said: "For people infected by HIV/Aids and/or hepatitis C, the impact on their lives and the lives of their loved ones has often been devastating.

"I would also comment on the often forgotten suffering of clinical staff, who discovered that the treatments they thought were beneficial to patients actually caused them to become infected with life-threatening conditions.

"They too have been affected, especially when accused of knowing or deliberate attempts to harm patients."

The sole recommendation from Lord Penrose's report was that people who had blood transfusions in the 1970s and 1980s and before 1991 should be tested for hepatitis C.

The Prime Minister, speaking at the last Prime Minister's Questions before the General Election, apologised, saying: "To each and every one of those people I would like to say sorry on behalf of the Government for something that should not have happened.

"While it will be for the next government to take account of these findings, it is right that we use this moment to recognise the pain and the suffering experienced by people as a result of this tragedy.

"It is difficult to imagine the feelings of unfairness that people must feel at being infected with hepatitis C and HIV as a result of a totally unrelated treatment within the NHS."

Scotland's Health Secretary Shona Robison later apologised on behalf of the NHS and her government.

The inquiry only looked at those in Scotland who had been infected.

Thousands more people in England and Wales were also infected at the time.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pothole Repairs To Cost '12bn And Take 13 Years'

It will cost more than £12bn and will take 13 years to fix all the potholes on roads in England and Wales, a report has claimed.

Despite more being filled in, the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) claims the cash spent on repairs in the last 12 months has been "wasted".

The group's annual survey also found an increase in the amount paid in compensation to motorists in England to more than £20m.

Local authority staffing costs, to process the claims, have increased to around £18m, the report said.

Alan Mackenzie, chairman of the AIA, said: "Essentially, the money spent on filling the 2.7 million potholes reported is wasted - it is inefficient and short term in its effectiveness.

"So, while we understand that the Department for Transport is promoting permanent repairs, the point remains that money would be better spent preventing potholes forming in the first place.

"The £6bn of funding pledged between 2015 and 2021 is welcome, and hopefully will be confirmed by an incoming government.

"But the truth is that although it sounds like a big investment, it will only be enough for local authorities to tread water and it will do nothing to tackle the backlog or prevent continuing deterioration."

Peter Box, transport spokesman at the Local Government Association, said: "Councils need billions, not millions, to bring our roads up to scratch.

"Every mile of motorways and trunk roads will receive £1.4m funding over the next six years compared with £31,000 per mile for local roads.

"This makes little sense given the Government's own traffic projections predict an increase in local traffic of more than 40% by 2040."

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Well maintained local roads are vital for our transport network and it is for local councils to maintain them properly."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Claudia Lawrence: Man Arrested For Murder

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 24 Maret 2015 | 10.18

A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Claudia Lawrence, who disappeared six years ago.

North Yorkshire Police say searches are currently being conducted which are expected to continue over a number of days.

A police spokesman said Miss Lawrence has not been found.

Her family have been told about the development and are being supported by trained officers.

Miss Lawrence's father Peter said in a statement that the development was "encouraging".

"It is encouraging to know that following all the media activity over the last three weeks from Claudia's 41st birthday to the sixth anniversary of her being missing, North Yorkshire police continue to be active in seeking answers as to what has happened to Claudia," he said.

"It is to be hoped that the matter can be resolved as soon as possible and I encourage people to continue to come forward with information to the police by phoning them on 101."

The man, who is from the York area, was arrested by police on Monday.

Sky's North of England Correspondent Gerard Tubb said the arrest is linked to the screening of CCTV by police close to Miss Lawrence's home last week.

Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, of North Yorkshire Police, said it was crucial to the case that the arrested man was not identified - including on social media.

"I urge everyone to show restraint and patience while we carry out these very important enquiries," he said.

Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen on 18 March, 2009.

She was reported missing by her father the next day when she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at York University, where she worked as a chef.

Police started reviewing the case in 2013 and have carried out a number of searches since then, including a detailed re-examination of Miss Lawrence's home in the Heworth area of York, and a fingertip search of an alleyway that leads to the rear of the house.

A man was arrested last year in connection with her disappearance and suspected murder, but the 60-year-old was later released without charge.

A 47-year-old remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

On the sixth anniversary of her disappearance last week, police released new CCTV footage of two people seen walking near Miss Lawrence's home on the evening she vanished.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Top Gear's Clarkson To Learn Fate Imminently

Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson could find out within hours whether he is to be sacked from the hit show, a senior BBC executive has said.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper said he thought a decision was "about 24 hours away".

Clarkson has been in limbo for two weeks since the BBC suspended him over his now infamous "fracas" with producer Oisin Tymon.

Both men have given evidence to an internal investigation at the corporation, where Ken McQuarrie has been tasked with getting to the bottom of what really happened at a hotel in the Yorkshire Dales.

The investigation into Clarkson's conduct is being handed over to the director-general Tony Hall, and a decision could follow today.

Mr Cooper said the incident had to be dealt with in "a very serious way".

He said: "I think if my son or daughter went to a place of work where they were shouted at, abused and someone threw a punch at them I would want there to be an inquiry and for that to be dealt with in a very serious way and that's what the BBC is currently doing."

Clarkson, along with his co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond, had been due to take part in four live Top Gear shows in Norway this week, but they were postponed on Sunday.

On the same day, Clarkson wrote about his "turbulent" week in a newspaper column and played down an expletive-packed rant at a charity event, in which he appeared to criticise his BBC bosses.

The 54-year-old seemed to suggest he may be sacked from Top Gear and hit out at the corporation's executives in the speech, which was captured on video.

But he wrote in the Sunday Times: "It was all meant in jest and anyway it worked.

"By being brief, controversial and a bit sweary I woke the room up and the auction prize I was offering - one last lap of the Top Gear test track - raised £100,000."

The presenter of the BBC's most lucrative show also thanked supporters of a petition to reinstate him, which was signed by more than a million people and delivered to New Broadcasting House in a tank last Friday.

Meanwhile, with Top Gear off air during the internal investigation, May has been tweeting about getting to grips with life without work.

He wrote at the weekend: "Woodwork tasks today. Being jobless allows you to revisit old interests, learn new things, and listen to the radio more. Sold the telly."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nigel Farage Chased Out Of Pub By Protesters

Written By Unknown on Senin, 23 Maret 2015 | 10.19

Anti-UKIP protesters have invaded a pub where Nigel Farage was having a family lunch and chased him out.

The party leader was apparently with his wife and two of his children at the Queen's Head in Downe, Kent, where the incident took place.

Dozens of protesters first went to the George & Dragon, where Mr Farage has previously been pictured having a drink, before realising he was not there.

The demonstrators are said to have moved into the Queen's Head, chased the Farage family out and jumped on Mr Farage's car bonnet as he left.

He said afterwards: "I hope these 'demonstrators' are proud of themselves.

"My children were so scared by their behaviour that they ran away to hide.

"At the time of writing this a relative has gone to look for them, and they are not yet at home.

"These people are scum."

Mr Farage's children with his second wife, Kirsten, are Victoria and Isabelle, who are understood to be aged 15 and 10 respectively.

Staff at the pub refused to comment, while the George & Dragon said the protesters had at first claimed they were there for a birthday party.

Dan Glass from Stand Up To UKIP, who organised the protest, said the group was in fancy dress and included migrants, HIV activists, gay people, disabled people and breastfeeding mums.

Mr Glass told Sky News the UKIP leader came out of the pub and called the protesters "sad and lonely".

Around 100 people were there singing We Are Family and dancing a conga line through the village, he added.

Mr Farage pushed through the crowd to get into his car, and was chased down the road.

Some demonstrators jumped onto the bonnet of his car.

His children are now understood to have been found and returned home.

However, responding to reports Mr Farage's children had fled, Mr Glass said: "He was sitting on his own and left on his own.

"We didn't see any kids".

UKIP is believed to have asked for taxpayer-funded security for Mr Farage during the General Election campaign, amid fears he could be regularly targeted by protesters.

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

May's Call For Muslims To Fight Extremism

Britain must no longer tolerate those who fail to respect its values, the Home Secretary will say, as she outlines a series of new measures addressing what she argues is a rising level of extremism.

Theresa May will say extremism manifests itself in racism, anti-semitism, homophobia and sexism - but the "most serious and widespread" problem is Islamic extremism.

"Everybody living in this country is equal and everybody is free to lead their lives as they see fit," she will say in central London later.

"But in a pluralistic society like ours, there are responsibilities as well as rights. You don't just get the freedom to live how you choose to live.

"You have to respect other people's rights to do so too. And you have to respect not just this fundamental principle but the institutions and laws that make it possible. Democracy. Equality. Free speech. The rule of law. And respect for minorities."

Mrs May will say extremism cannot "just be ignored" but "must be tackled head on".

"We have been clear all along that the Government's counter-extremism strategy must seek to defeat extremism in all its forms, but it's obvious from the evidence that the most serious and widespread form of extremism we need to confront is Islamist extremism."

The Tory minister is expected to make a clear distinction between followers of the Islamic faith, which is "entirely compatible" with British values, and extremists who claim there is a "fundamental incompatibility".

"They demand a caliphate, or a new Islamic state, governed by a harsh interpretation of Shari'a law," she will say.

"They utterly reject British and Western values, including democracy, the rule of law, and equality between citizens, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion or sexuality. They believe that it's impossible to be a good Muslim and a good British citizen."

Mrs May will insist the Government cannot act alone by saying: "Individual people, families and whole communities need help and those of you fighting the extremists deserve our support.

"So my invitation is clear - come and join that partnership. If you join us, we will do everything we can to help you."

But for those who reject British "values and the basic principles of our society", she will say: "The game is up. We will no longer tolerate your behaviour. We will expose your hateful beliefs for what they are.

"Where you seek to spread hate, we will disrupt you. Where you break the law, we will prosecute you. Where you seek to divide us, we will stand united. And together, we will defeat you."

10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

MPs 'Putting Lives At Risk Over Legal Highs'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 22 Maret 2015 | 10.18

By Poppy Trowbridge, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Political parties are being urged to commit to a ban on the sale of so-called legal highs in their manifestos, or risk putting thousands of young people at risk ahead of the summer music festival season.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) says MPs have been "too slow" in recognising the dangers and legislating to protect consumers from such products, despite the public's desire for a ban.

According to new research seen by Sky News, three-quarters of the public want the sale of legal highs on the high street to be banned.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of the RSPH, said politicians have not made the issue a big enough priority and as a result have "put a lot of people at risk".

She told Sky News: "Particularly at this time of the year, with the election fast approaching, a ban on legal highs is not included in the manifestos and we believe that would really be something the public would welcome."

The RSPH says consumer protection regulations should be enforced to remove legal products which are marketed in a misleading way.

Furthermore, it says the marketing of products with brand names such as White Stuff, Go-Caine and Mary Jane normalises drug taking.

Ms Cramer added: "Disclaimers that these products are not for human consumption are merely a fig leaf and it is highly irresponsible for them to be marketed in a 'nudge-nudge, wink-wink' manner."

Around three million people attend summer music festivals each year, according to research by Festival Insights, and 23% of festival-goers have taken drugs at an event.

The RSPH believe the number of those who could be tempted to try legal highs is even greater.

There were 101 new substances recorded in 2014, and at least 60 deaths related to legal highs.

Paul Reed, general manager of The Association of Independent Festivals, told Sky News: "The problem is many people equate 'legal' with 'safe'.

"We'd welcome legal changes that would make these substances less available."

Part of the difficulty in legislating against specific legal high substances is that the formulas are often slightly tweaked and then they are put back on the market.

While the Government is developing proposals for a general ban on the sale of legal highs, no specific plan has been put in place. Yet MPs have written to festivals asking them to put their own bans in operation.

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Military Families 'Swept Under The Carpet'

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

Families of soldiers killed fighting for the British military have said the sacrifice of their loved ones should be acknowledged in the General Election.

A letter sent to the leaders of the main political parties by some 60 families said they had been "swept under the carpet" and asked for five pledges in their election manifestos.

Among their requests is a commitment to hold an Afghan inquiry and to give the next Defence Minister responsibility for bereaved families as part of their portfolio.

The letter also demands a review of the Armed Forces Covenant and military wills.

"We believe this is essential in demonstrating your commitment to those who have been prepared to lay down their lives for the greater good of our country," the letter reads.

"The families left behind and to future generations prepared to make those same selfless sacrifices as their commitment to our country and its people."

Lucy Aldridge's son William was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Rifleman Aldridge was the youngest British soldier to die in the conflict. She is one of the signatories.

"There is nobody there. There is no recognition that there is a lack of support and has been for decades. Successive governments have forgotten about us," she said.

"Because deaths in the military are so often sudden and violent, bereaved families can suffer from a very acute form of depression after the loss of their loved ones. We feel there is very little understanding of that from the authorities we turn to for help."

The group wants politicians to recognise that their situation is unique.

Julie Philips' husband Michael was the only British soldier killed in Sierra Leone.

She said: "We do need the support. It's not just about financial support. It's about having somebody there who can oversee and say right, these forces families have all been through the same thing.

"It doesn't matter if it is Iraq, Afghan, an accident, or suicide. If there was support there, then more families could come together."

Families of dead soldiers are often subject to intense media attention at the time. They have to watch the coffin return in a public repatriation which is often broadcast on television, and must attend an inquest into their death often months if not years after the event.

Many of them have created an informal forum on Facebook to share advice and support. There is no official Government or Military equivalent.

Unable to cope with her loss, Ms Aldridge attempted suicide in 2013.

"It isn't just our loved ones who serve, we serve too," she said.

"We're the ones pacing the floor when they're deployed. We're the ones concerned about getting that knock on the door, and when it does happen you hope there will be some long-term support to help you, and there just isn't.

"It feels like once a conflict is over and the publicity dies down, our loved ones are remembered on memorials but we're forgotten about and our concerns are swept under the carpet.

"We need to learn from past conflicts. I'm finding more families are coming up with the same issues and there just isn't anyone to represent us who can look at those issues and actually deal with them."

David Cameron has written to the families and promised the Conservatives will consider the suggestions for their forthcoming manifesto.

Ed Miliband has told Sky News that he will write to the families shortly.

"The whole country honours the memories of members of the Armed Forces who pay the ultimate sacrifice in defending us," he said.

"We must also honour bereaved families who must live with the grief of having lost a son or daughter, father or mother, husband or wife.

"We are very grateful for the proposals put forward by Bereaved Military Families Support UK. We will examine them in detail and respond to the specific suggestions."

10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

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