'Smart Drug' Modafinil Risks Student Health

Students at some of Britain's best universities are potentially putting their health at risk by using a 'smart drug' bought off the internet, Sky News has been told.

Doctors have warned that increasing numbers of teenagers are using the prescription-only medicine modafinil to stay awake and alert for long periods of time.

The drug is designed to combat the sleeping disorder narcolepsy.

However, research shows it is available to anyone from dozens of online retailers.

Anecdotal evidence suggests there is a black market at universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, with students selling it to each other for around £2 a pill.

Some students are now said to be demanding drug tests before exams to stamp out a practice they believe to be equivalent to cheating.

Some students are turning to the internet to get the drug

One Oxford student told Sky News that he believed up to a quarter of his student friends had taken modafinil.

But academics say that the long-term effects are unknown, and medicines' watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency says the drug should not be taken without a prescription.

Barbara Sahakian, professor of clinical neuropsychology at Cambridge University, said there had been an increase in the number of students taking the drug in recent years.

"A lot of young people are purchasing these drugs over the internet.

"[It] is a very unsafe way to get these drugs because you don't really know what you're getting and you don't know if it's safe for you as an individual."

She said some students feel peer pressure to take the drug in order to keep up with their fellow students.

There can be pressure to take modafinil, says Professor Barbara Sahakian

"There's this kind of coercion that goes on.

"I think a lot of students feel it's very unfair that other students are taking these drugs during exams and they feel that they're losing out because the other person has a competitive advantage.

"Some students feel when you go into the exam perhaps there should be a test to see whether you're on the drug or not, because otherwise there's no way of detecting whether you are or not."

Prof Sahakian believes that the increasing use of modafinil raises serious concerns both for students and society.

"What are the effects of putting a drug into and changing the chemicals in your brain as your brain is developing?" she asked.

"What will society be like in the future? Will we all be just popping pills to stay awake, and alert and keep working? Will we accelerate into a 24/7 society? Is that what we really want?"

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News: "I'm very concerned. Let's be clear. This is drug abuse.

"To all those young people we completely understand the pressures of taking exams but you are playing with fire if you take drugs that haven't been prescribed.

"You don't know what the effect will be on your mind and body. It's a very dangerous thing to do and I would strongly encourage students to think again before doing this."

Laurie Pycroft believes around a quarter of his friends have taken the drug

Laurie Pycroft, a masters student at Oxford University, admits taking the drug every few weeks.

He told Sky News: "Some people report that they become very focused or very good at concentrating on a repetitive task.

"I have found the ability to go without sleep, when necessary, quite effective. It's essentially like caffeine, just a bit more effective and with less jitters.

"The people I've met who offer me modafinil for sale, they've all been fellow students, or academic types, rather than your stereotypical wheeler-dealer in a hoodie down a dark alley."

Doctor Anders Sandberg, research fellow at Oxford University's future of humanity institute uses modafinil every one or two weeks.

While he believes he is doing himself no harm, he would rather be able to get the drug from his GP.

Oxford University says it had not seen evidence of a modafinil problem

"Going via an internet drug store means the money ends up in the grey market, and that's problematic. You might be feeding your money into a market that is actually doing a lot of harm in the world.

"It would be much better if it were in the open market, which would mean that we could actually control that it's actually healthy, that side effects get reported, that you could actually study it properly."

He added: "I don't regard the use itself as immoral or problematic. I'm not competing with anyone else. I am taking the risks on my own."

Buying prescription-only drugs is not illegal, however, supplying them is.

Universities UK says there is no firm evidence to suggest taking 'smart drugs' is widespread among students and called for more research to discover how common it is.

In a statement, it said: "We would be very concerned if the impression were given that most students at UK universities are now taking … 'smart drugs'.

"We are not aware of any new research or data to suggest that such drugs are widely used and available among the UK's higher education student population of 2.5 million students."

It said however, that it would have "grave concerns" about students taking drugs not prescribed to them.

An Oxford University spokesman said: "If 'cognitive enhancement' drugs are a particular problem at Oxford we have yet to see any substantive evidence for it."

In a statement, spokesmen for Oxford and Cambridge universities both said they strongly advised students never to take prescription-only medicines without a doctor's recommendation.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Leicester House Fire Murders: Four In Court

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

Four people, including a 16-year-old boy, have appeared in court charged with murdering a mother and her three teenage children in a house fire.

In the early hours of Friday, September 13, a blaze engulfed the Taufiq family home in the Spinney Hills area of Leicester.

The bodies of the mother Shehnila, 47, her daughter Zainab, 19, and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamil, 15, were all discovered in upstairs bedrooms.

Dr Muhammad Taufiq said he would "deeply miss" his wife and children

The children's father, Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, was not home at the time. The neurosurgeon was working in Ireland.

In a hearing lasting less than three minutes at Leicester Magistrates' Court, the four accused confirmed their names and addresses and indicated they did understand the nature of the charges against them.

Jackson Powell, 19, Nathaniel Mullings, 19, Shaun Carter, 24 and the 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were remanded in custody.

They are due to appear before Leicester Crown Court on Tuesday, October 1, with a further preliminary hearing fixed for October 12.

Another man, Kemo Porter, 18, was charged on September 19 with four counts of murder. He will appear at Leicester Crown court at a later date.  

Mr Taufiq al Sattar has said he would "deeply miss" his "beautiful" wife, daughter and two teenage sons.

The family are originally from Pakistan, but had a home in Ireland for at least 15 years before the children moved to the UK with their mother around five years ago for an Islamic education.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tory Aide Alan Lewis Held Over Rape Claim

The Conservative Party vice-chairman has been arrested on suspicion of raping a teenager in the 1960s.

Alan Lewis, 75, who was appointed by David Cameron in 2010, was held by police after a woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by him when she was younger.

Mr Lewis, a self-made business tycoon who owns the Crombie luxury menswear chain, was released on police bail after his arrest by Manchester police.

The allegation comes as the Conservatives prepare for their party conference to begin in Manchester on Sunday.

A spokesman for Alan Lewis said: "An allegation has been made against Alan Lewis in respect of an event 46 years ago by a then adult female. He vigorously denies the allegation."

In his role for the Conservative Party, Mr Lewis, is responsible for business relations.

The Manchester-born businessman was made a CBE in 1990 for his services as chairman of the Confederation of British Industry's initiative to prepare British businesses for the single market.

Mr Lewis, who has reportedly amassed a fortune of between £220m and £260m, was appointed treasurer of a special committee dealing with the marginal seats campaign for the 1987 General Election under Margaret Thatcher.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "A 75-year-old man was arrested following a complaint received earlier this year of an historic rape that occurred in the Manchester area in the late 60s.

"The man was later bailed pending further inquiries. Specially trained officers are providing support and welfare to the victim."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Marriage Tax Breaks For Four Million Couples

David Cameron says four million couples will benefit from the Government's new £1,000 marriage tax allowance.

Ahead of the start of the Conservative Party conference, the Prime Minister said the scheme - starting in April 2015 - will be worth up to £200 a year for married couples, including 15,000 in civil partnerships.

They will receive the benefit at the end of the tax year in 2016.

It will work by letting people transfer £1,000 of their personal tax allowance to their spouse or civil partner - an increase on the £750 allowance promised in the Tory manifesto, which would have seen couples gain £150.

The new allowance, which is not available to couples which include a higher rate taxpayer, is aimed at couples where one partner has not used all of their personal allowance or does not work at all.

Bride-to-be Jo Herbert, told Sky News at a west London wedding show that she did not think the proposals were fair and that she felt they would do little to encourage marriage.

She said: "Personally I don't think that it's very fair that they (married couples) are receiving financial rewards and couples that just that just choose not to get married for any reason cannot benefit as well. 

The PM says 'nothing would be possible' without his wife Samantha

"I don't think that it would actually incentivise anyone to get married because £200 - I mean yes thank you very much I will take that -but it is not going to go too far especially in the grand scheme of things, in how much weddings cost."

The announcement comes after a trade-off that allowed the Liberal Democrats to announce free school meals for all children under eight earlier this month.

The proposal, which Downing Street said shows the Government values commitment by recognising marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system, makes good on promises Mr Cameron made when he was running for leadership of the party in 2005.

In an article in today's edition of The Daily Mail, he said: "I believe in marriage. Alongside the birth of my children, my wedding was the happiest day of my life.

"Since then, Samantha and I have been a team. Nothing I've done since - becoming a Member of Parliament, leader of my party or Prime Minister - would have been possible without her."

He said that the new measures would apply "if you're gay or straight - and in a civil partnership or a marriage. This summer I was proud to make Equal Marriage the law. Love is love, commitment is commitment".

Labour's shadow chief secretary to the treasury, Rachel Reeves, said that the marriage tax break would not even help two-thirds of married couples and said he was out of touch if he "thinks people will get married for £3.85 a week".

She said: "And even for the minority who might benefit, it will be far outweighed by what David Cameron's Government has already taken away in higher VAT and cuts to child benefit and tax credits. In most cases, the extra payment will be paid to men, even though it is women who have disproportionately lost out so far."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Brakes Could Be Slammed On Parking 'Spies'

Councils could be banned from using CCTV cameras and "spy cars" to impose fines on drivers under new government proposals.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has said he wants to curb "overzealous" local authorities in England which use cameras to maximise their income from parking fines.

He warned that public support for CCTV could be undermined if people believed they were being used to generate revenue rather than preventing crime.

A government consultation paper will suggest amending legislation underpinning the Traffic Management Act 2004 to outlaw the practice.

"We want to rein in these overzealous and unfair rules on parking enforcement, so it focuses on supporting high streets and motorists, not raising money," Mr Pickles told the Daily Telegraph.

"Parking spy cameras are just one example of this and a step too far. Public confidence is strengthened in CCTV if it is used to tackle crime, not to raise money for council officers."

The announcement will be seen as a morale-booster as Conservative activists prepare to head off for their annual party conference next week in Manchester.

The Telegraph reported that 75 local authorities, one in four in England, currently has permission to use CCTV or "approved devices" for parking enforcement.

Revenue from fines 'are a nice litle earner' says the RAC Foundation

The Department for Transport says CCTV should be used only when it is impractical to use traffic wardens.

Last month, a report by the RAC Foundation claimed some local authorities could be using parking revenue to plug gaps in their finances.

During 2011/12 the combined amount of cash left over after money was spent on parking services, filling potholes, funding park and ride schemes, street lights and road improvements was £412m.

This was a £54m increase in the surplus left over in 2010/11, said the foundation.

The authority with the biggest surplus was Westminster Council with £41.6m.

Responding to the report, RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister said: "For many local authorities, parking charges are a nice little earner, especially in London.

"Not all authorities make big sums. Several run a current account deficit and indeed of those with surpluses, many will see the money vanish when capital expenditure is taken into account.

"We do not operate any uncertified parking enforcement cameras. But the bottom line is that hundreds of millions of pounds are being contributed annually to council coffers through parking charges."

But a spokesperson for Newham Council defended the use of CCTV cameras.

"Without CCTV, parts of Newham - and the rest of the country - would simply grind to a halt. It is essential in keeping our borough moving by helping to tackle a variety of motoring offences, which slow traffic and clog our roads. These include vehicles stopping in boxes, parking on crossroads, and illegally turning right.

"We prioritise parking for residents and we do not charge them for first permits where there is a CPZ (controlled parking zone). The majority of residents (who vote) in an area must support the introduction of CPZ and they are designed to meet local needs."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Devon Murder Probe After Man Dies In Pub

A murder investigation is under way after the death of an elderly man at a pub.

Officers were called shortly after 10pm on Thursday to the Black Horse Inn in the Devon town of Sidmouth to reports that a man had been assaulted.

A 71-year-old was found at the scene and pronounced dead a short time later, despite the efforts of officers and paramedics.

It is understood that the man was visiting the area and next of kin are currently being sought by police.

A 41-year-old local man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.

"We believe this is an isolated incident," the a Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said.

"We understand news of this incident will be troubling for many in the Sidmouth area and want to reassure local people there will be some extra officers on patrol in the town."

Anyone with information - particularly those at the Black Horse from late afternoon to early evening - is asked to contact the police force.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Woolwich Suspects Deny Lee Rigby Murder

Two men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby earlier this year.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale appeared at Old Bailey via videolink before their trial.

Drummer Rigby, a father of one, was stabbed as he returned to the Woolwich barracks in southeast London on May 22.

The soldier's widow Rebecca Rigby watched in tears as Adebolajo, 28, and Adebowale, 22, each denied attempting to murder a police officer on the day of Drummer Rigby's death.

They also denied conspiracy to murder on or before that day.

Adebolajo, from Romford in Essex, has asked to be known as Mujaahid Abu Hamza in court, while Adebowale, from Greenwich, southeast London, has asked to be called Ismail Ibn Abdullah.

They were remanded in custody to face trial at the Old Bailey on November 19.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Candy Crush: 'Shares Bid Values Firm At $5bn'

The British creator of the hit Candy Crush Saga game has reportedly used US rules to secretly file for a stock market flotation, valuing the firm at $5bn (£3.1bn).

King - which is based in London's Tottenham Court Road - is currently the largest developer of games on Facebook, having overtaken Zynga of Farmville fame.

Like Twitter a few weeks ago, it is said by The Daily Telegraph to have used the US Jobs Act to file its intentions confidentially because it has annual sales of less than $1bn (£622m).

The firm, which produces gaming products for the mobile market, makes its income through player purchases of in-game products such as extra lives and is said to make $600,000 daily from Candy Crush Saga.

Players of the game must swap different coloured sweets around to match three of the same to pass through levels, collecting rewards along the way.

The decision to file the Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq stock exchange is of little surprise given the market's tech focus, but King will be mindful of Zynga's performance since its stock market debut.

Its value has sunk amid the insurgency from King and praise heaped upon the London firm by Facebook.

King has confirmed hiring Hope Cochrane - credited with the IPO of tech company Clearwire - as its chief financial officer but is yet to respond to queries from Sky News about its flotation plans.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

April Jones Funeral: Machynlleth Says Goodbye

The family of April Jones have said a final farewell to the murdered schoolgirl as the mid-Wales town that shared their grief came to a standstill.

A white horse-drawn hearse led mourners, including the five-year-old's parents Paul and Coral and their two children from their Machynlleth home to St Peter's Church.

Crowds lined the streets and filled the church and its graveyard for the long-awaited ceremony.

Those paying their respects were asked to wear pink, April's favourite colour.

April's body has never been found

The coffin arrived at St Peter's to Emeli Sande's Read All About It played on loudspeakers outside the church.

As it was carried inside by family members, Coral wept, holding her hand to her face, comforted by Paul, while other relatives fought back tears.

A message from April's family, written on the order of service, said they "would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their overwhelming kindness, sympathy and support during this sad, sad time".

Among the crowds were members of the mountain rescue, who helped search for April.

Beginning the service, the Reverend Kathleen Rogers said: "We know that there are no words we can say at this moment to express what we are feeling.

"No words can alleviate our sorrow or take away our pain."

Two poems by a local writer - one called April and the other called An Autumn Night - were read during the service and the words of well-known hymns were changed to suit the family.

It is almost a year to the day since the five-year-old went missing - with her murderer, Mark Bridger, jailed for his entire life in May - but reminders of the youngster are visible throughout the town.

A memorial garden has been built on the estate of Bryn y Gog, close to the home where she lived throughout her brief life.

Earlier April's father Paul inspected flowers and dolls left at the garden, which has become a focal point for locals.

Flowers from April's Nan and Grandad

A bench bearing her name has been placed among the trees and next to a pink playhouse.

Up in the Welsh hills overlooking her hometown, a tree has been intricately wrapped in knitted pink patches and below in the valley pink ribbons still adorn many of the shop fronts and houses.

But the town is different now according to Councillor Mike Williams, a friend and neighbour of April's family.

He explained: "It's the magnitude of an event in which a five-year-old girl was ripped from her family, ripped from the community, in such a vile and vicious way.

"But the town has stayed together and together we will be. We will be as one and we will be always with the family in support."

April Jones' funeral reflected the wishes of her grieving parents, who had wondered for months whether it would even be possible as their daughter's body was never found apart from fragments of bone.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rural Broadband Roll-Out A 'Raw Deal', Say MPs

The roll-out of superfast broadband to homes in rural towns and villages will leave users paying more than they should to get online, according to a spending watchdog.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the programme represented a "raw deal" for consumers despite a "generous public subsidy".

MPs claimed the scheme had been mismanaged by the Government and said sole provider BT would end up "owning assets created from £1.2bn of public money".

They said the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) should cease spending on the scheme until "proper competition and value for money" could be secured.

A spokesman for BT said it was "disturbed" by the report, claiming it was "simply wrong", and insisted the network it is building would be open to its rivals.

BT says it is willing to invest in rural broadband when others are not

"We have been transparent from the start and willing to invest when others have not," he said.

"It is therefore mystifying that we are being criticised for accepting onerous terms in exchange for public subsidy, terms which drove others away.

"The taxpayer is undoubtedly getting value for money."

However, Margaret Hodge, the chairman of the PAC, said all of the 26 contracts awarded by June 2013 had gone to BT and claimed the remaining 18 were "likely to follow suit".

"The DCMS' approach to procurement failed to deliver any meaningful competition to drive down prices and maximise coverage," she said.

PAC chair Margaret Hodge

"Without that competitive tension, it is crucial to have full access to the single supplier's cost information to check that BT's bids are reasonably priced, but the department failed to negotiate that access with the company.

"We now have a situation where local authorities are contributing over £230m more to the programme than forecast in the department's business case, while BT is committing over £200m less."

Concerns about the programme were raised when the Government revised its initial target of 90% of the UK having superfast connections by 2015 to 95% by 2017.

The tender process was also criticised after Fujitsu, which later dropped out, and BT were named as the only approved bidders.

A DCMS spokesman said the PAC's report was "at odds" with the findings of the National Audit Office.

"They found our approach reduced the cost to the taxpayer and reduced risk," he said.

"We put in place a fair commercial process and encouraged different suppliers to bid.

"We are disappointed that the PAC fails to recognise that thousands of rural premises which have never had a decent broadband supply are now getting one, something that is vital for farmers, rural businesses and all those who live outside major cities."

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Clydesdale Bank Fined Over Mortgage Blunder

The Clydesdale Bank has been fined almost £9m by the City regulator for failing to treat customers fairly after miscalculating repayments on 42,500 mortgages.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the lender, owned by National Australia Bank, forced more than half of those customers into higher payments to rectify the error - suggesting they had no alternative but to pay up.

The blunder, which was discovered in April 2009, affected how Clydesdale had calculated variable rate mortgage repayments.

As a result, incorrect repayments were made on over 42,500 customer accounts and 22,000 were left with shortfalls - as high as £18,000 - and immediate demands from the bank for repayment, the FCA said.

Clydesdale was found to have wrongly sought to balance its own commercial interests against the requirement to treat customers fairly.

David Thorburn, chief executive of the Clydesdale Bank said: "I am very sorry that this wasn't handled as it should have been.

"We should have made it clear at the time that this was entirely our fault and that some customers may be entitled to compensation.

"Our priority is to fix this for customers as quickly as possible and they will each receive a letter explaining how we will make this right for them.

"In addition, an automatic compensation process for customers who underpaid as a result of our error is in place to provide immediate resolution for over 14,000 customer accounts.

"Those customers will receive a full apology and confirmation of their refund within the next 48 hours."

Tracey McDermott, the FCA's director of enforcement and financial crime said of the fine: "For most people mortgage payments are their biggest monthly outgoing and we all budget on the assumption that the information our mortgage lender gives us about what we need to pay is correct.

"Here Clydesdale failed in that basic duty and, when it discovered the problem, sought to pass all of the consequences on to its customers - expecting them to find the money to remedy mistakes which were entirely of Clydesdale's making."

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stuart Hall Faces New Rape Allegations

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Detectives are preparing to question jailed broadcaster Stuart Hall over dozens of new rape allegations.

A woman has told police that Hall raped her regularly over several years when she was a young teenager.

The alleged victim is thought to be a relative of friends of the disgraced presenter.

Hall, 83, could be re-arrested in prison and, if charged and convicted, he may never be freed.

Hall was jailed this year for 15 months after admitting 14 charges of indecent assault on girls aged between nine and 17 between 1967 and 1985.

At the time, a single rape charge was not pursued and was left on the file.

His sentence was later doubled when the Attorney-General appealed after some of Hall's victims complained he had been dealt with too leniently.

If Hall is charged with further offences, prosecutors would have to decide whether more expensive and time-consuming court action is in the public interest. 

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Peru Drugs Pair Plead Guilty To Trafficking

Two women accused of trying to smuggle £1.5m worth of cocaine out of Peru have pleaded guilty.

Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum, both 20, were stopped with 11kg (24lb) of cocaine hidden in food packets in their luggage while trying to board a flight to Spain on August 6.

Reid, from Glasgow, and McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, originally claimed they were forced to carry the drugs by an armed gang which threatened them and their family members.

Their U-turn means they will not have to stand trial on drug trafficking charges.

Instead, it is likely they will be sentenced to six years and eight months in jail at a hearing which could take place as early as next week.

The two women admitted their guilt at a private hearing in a makeshift courtroom at a men's jail in Lima.

They were heard separately for half an hour each from 11am local time - 5pm in the UK - and asked their names and ages before being given the opportunity to speak.

The pair were arrested at Lima's airport on August 6

The women's lawyer, Meyer Fishman, declined to comment, but a Callao court spokesman in charge of the investigation confirmed the guilty pleas.

"Both women have pleaded guilty to drugs trafficking," said the spokesman.

"It means they automatically benefit from a sixth off the minimum jail sentence of eight years and will be sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.

"Sentencing has not taken place yet and a new hearing where the women will be sentenced has now got to be arranged.

"But it's likely that will take place in around a week's time."

The cocaine was found hidden in food packets in the women's luggage

Reid and McCollum, who had both been working in Ibiza, were facing up to 15 years in prison if they had been found guilty in a trial.

Reid's parents insisted last week they still believed their daughter had been forced to carry the drugs, but a guilty plea was the best course of action to get her back to the UK.

Prosecutors previously indicated that the women could return home to serve their sentences if they pleaded guilty.

Reid was the first to consider changing her plea, maintaining she carried the drugs under duress and telling the Daily Mail: "Pleading guilty is going to enable me to get back to my family in Scotland sooner rather than later.

Melissa Reid said she did not want to be in jail until the age of 35

"I do not want to be in jail until 35 - I can't get back those years."

McCollum confirmed at the weekend that she too had changed her mind about continuing to protest her innocence.

"I understand that the judicial process will be simpler if we both plead guilty," said the 20-year-old.

"We are hoping we will not have to wait too long before we are sentenced and pleading guilty will speed things up."

The pair are currently being held at the notorious Virgen de Fatima prison in the Peruvian capital Lima.

Peruvian police and prosecutors said from the start they did not believe the women had been forced to smuggle the drugs.

Chief prosecutor Juan Mendoza Abarca claimed their stories were "incredible" and that they had been coached in what to say.

He added: "They staged this whole thing from the beginning because they knew it was possible they would get caught and if they did get caught they had the excuses really well planned.

"It's very obvious they were trained in what to say if they were caught. They were prepared in every sense."

A total of 248 "drug mules" were arrested at Lima's Jorge Chavez international airport in 2012, with nearly 1,600kg of illegal drugs confiscated.

The UN says Peru has overtaken Colombia as the world's largest grower of coca, the raw material of cocaine.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ringo Starr Receives French Medal For Artwork

Beatles drummer Ringo Starr has joined one of the art world's most exclusive clubs after being appointed a Commander of France's Order of Arts and Letters.

The 73-year-old received the award from French ambassador Hugues Moret in Monaco, where an exhibition featuring two of his paintings has opened.

He joins an exclusive club that includes actor Sean Connery, singer David Bowie and the late Irish poet Seamus Heaney.

Starr gives the peace sign next to one of his paintings

The award ceremony took place in front of the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, where the exhibition showcasing the hidden passion for art of various famous people is being held.

It also features works by Starr's fellow Beatle Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan.

"I'm a drummer, but I can do other things - like painting, living, breathing," Starr quipped while posing for photos with his wife Barbara Bach.

Coincidentally, an old, bright yellow submarine is also on display at the museum.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stephen Lee Banned From Snooker For 12 Years

Snooker star Stephen Lee has been handed a 12-year ban for match-fixing, it has been has confirmed.

The former world number five was found guilty of seven match-fixing charges by an independent tribunal last week.

The case related to seven matches in 2008 and 2009 - three in the Malta Cup in 2008, two at the UK Championship in the same year, one at the 2009 China Open and one at the 2009 World Championship.

Tribunal chairman Adam Lewis QC also ordered that 38-year-old Lee pay costs of £40,000.

A statement from the World Professional Billards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said: "The suspension is to be calculated from 12 October 2012, when the interim suspension was imposed. Therefore Stephen Lee will not be able to participate in snooker before 12 October 2024."

WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson said: "We take no pride in having to deal with such serious issues. However, this demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that snooker is free from corruption.

"It is an important part of our anti-corruption approach that players found to be involved in fixing matches or any aspect of a match are severely dealt with.

"We work closely with partners globally and the message we are sending is that if you get involved in match-fixing you will be found out and removed from the sport."

Lee has not played in a tournament since last year

The WPBSA had been seeking a lifetime ban but the organisation's disciplinary head Nigel Mawer insisted a 12-year suspension was effectively the same thing.

Mawer said: "In effect it is a life ban because I think it is highly unlikely that Stephen Lee will be able to come back to the sport at this level.

"We don't take great pleasure out of that - this is a case of a fantastic snooker player who has thrown it all away through making the wrong decisions."

Mawer added that he believed snooker was overwhelmingly a clean sport.

He said: "I am independent and outside the organisation and have a law enforcement background, and all the intelligence on irregular betting comes to me.

"Hand on heart I believe it is a very, very clean sport - I have only had to investigate four incidents in 7,000 matches and two of those have led to suspensions, which puts it in context."

In his written findings, tribunal chairman Lewis pointed out that life-time bans were not part of the disciplinary rules at the time of the offences but that he had the discretion to impose one of that length.

The findings state: "These breaches occurred when Mr Lee was in a financially perilous state not entirely of his own making and was finding it difficult to obtain entry to enough tournaments.

"As a weak man in a vulnerable position he succumbed to temptation. I consider it unlikely that he was the prime mover or instigator of the activity. It seems to me likely that advantage was taken of him."

Lee's agent Adam Quigley has confirmed he will lodge an appeal.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Firefighters Go On Strike In Row Over Pensions

Firefighters across England and Wales have walked out on strike in a bitter row with the Government over pensions.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) left their stations and set up picket lines as they started a four-hour protest at midday.

The union is campaigning against changes it says will force firefighters to work longer, pay more into their pensions and receive less in retirement.

The move will also see firefighters having to work on frontline duties until they are 60 which could put the public at risk, the union argues.

The Government maintains that the changes are fair and will still give firemen and women decent pensions when they retire.

Fire brigades have had to draw up their own contingency plans to deal with the strike because military Green Goddess machines, used as cover in previous disputes, have been sold.

Some brigades, including London and Surrey, hired private contractors to stand in but the public has been warned that non-emergency calls may not be answered.

The London brigade, which is using 27 fire engines during the strike period, said it would not be able to respond to calls about flooding, trapped animals and rubbish fires.

Firefighters stopping work at Kensington Community Fire Station

Officials in the Department of Communities and Local Government stressed that it had a "strategic back-up" it could initiate if necessary.

Royal Navy and Royal Air Force firefighters with fully-trained Army crew members have been deployed as a reserve in England in case there is a major incident.

In Wales, they are acting as frontline firefighters with others poised if more support is required.

A war of words raged between the Government and the FBU as the strike went ahead.

Fire minister Brandon Lewis insisted the pensions package was still "one of the most generous" schemes in the public sector.

Firefighters earning £29,000 and retiring at 60 after a full career would receive a £19,000-a-year payout rising to £26,000 with the state pension, he said.

"An equivalent private sector pension pot would be worth over half a million pounds and require firefighters to contribute twice as much," he added.

"The firefighter pension age of 60 was introduced in 2006 and is in line with the police and armed forces.

"We have been clear with the Fire Brigades Union our pension reforms are not introducing a national fitness standard.

"Firefighter fitness remains a local fire and rescue authority matter. Government is helping local employers and the union to work together on this issue."

General Secretary Matt Wrack countered: "This initial strike is a warning shot to government. Firefighters could not be more serious about protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions.

"Governments in Westminster and Cardiff have simply refused to see sense on these issues.

"It is ludicrous to expect firefighters to fight fires and rescue families in their late 50s: the lives of the general public and firefighters themselves will be endangered.

"None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety."

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady added: "There won't be many members of the public who would feel confident about being rescued from a serious fire if the only route out of the inferno was down a ladder on the back of a firefighter who was about to turn 60."

Almost 80% of FBU members voted in favour of industrial action and union bosses have not ruled out further steps if the dispute continues.

Labour leader Ed Miliband urged them and the Government to get "round the table" to resolve the conflict.

He told Sky News: "What I say about any industrial dispute is that it's a sign of failure. Both sides should be getting round the table because we need an effective fire service that is actually going to serve people.

"What Government should be doing is not ramping up the rhetoric but getting round the table with the firefighters to try and prevent this happening and sort it out."

Firefighters in Scotland are not striking because union officials there are still discussing proposals put forward by the Scottish Government.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Search For Body In Suspected Slavery Case

Detectives have resumed their search for a body after four people were arrested in a series of armed raids at sites allegedly linked to slavery.

More than 100 officers from Gwent Police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (Soca) targeted properties in South Wales after discovering a man living in poor conditions in Newport.

Forensic teams are now combing the site on the strength of intelligence which suggests the body of an unknown person may be buried there.

Monday's raids came after police received evidence to suggest people were being forced to work for no pay.

A 66-year-old man and a woman, 42, both from Marshfield, a Cardiff man, 36, and a woman, 42, from Penhow, have been questioned in custody.

More than 100 police officers were involved in the raids

Detective Superintendent Paul Griffiths, who is leading the investigation, said there had been a "long-running" investigation into alleged slavery.

"The investigation began when a 43-year-old man was found to be living at the Marshfield site in very poor conditions having been reported missing by his family for 13 years," he said.

"Since then, a specialist team of detectives has been investigating and gathering intelligence to ascertain whether this part of a larger criminal conspiracy.

"In addition to the suspected offences in relation to slavery and servitude, we are also acting on intelligence which suggests that the body of an unknown person may be buried at the Marshfield site."

A forensic archaeologist has been drafted in to help the search.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Labour's £800m Tax Break For Small Business

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband will later offer an £800m tax break to smaller companies and pledge to make Labour "the party of small business".

The first act of a Labour government, if it wins the next General Election, will be to reverse a hike in small business rates due in April 2015 and to freeze the levy the following year, the party leader will say.

Labour calculates the move will be worth an average £450 over two years to 1.5 million businesses, including shops, pubs and hi-tech start-ups, and up to £2,000 for some firms.

It would be paid for by scrapping the coalition Government's planned cut in corporation tax from 21% to 20%.

In his speech to Labour's conference in Brighton, Mr Miliband will say he wants growth in the UK economy to benefit "hard-working families" including small business owners, and not just the "privileged few".

Borrowing a slogan from Ronald Reagan's successful 1980 bid for the US presidency, he will say voters should ask themselves in 2015: "Am I better off now than I was five years ago?"

He will also risk a backlash from countryside campaigners by launching a "road map" for the construction of a generation of new towns in England in a bid to solve the housing crisis.

Labour insiders did not identify areas which might come under consideration for new towns, but said Mr Miliband wants to ensure families are given better access to new homes, and communities which want to grow are helped to do so.

The Labour leader will accuse David Cameron and George Osborne of "boasting" about fixing the economy when the proceeds of growth have only gone to a minority.

He will argue life for ordinary families has been getting harder, thanks to a "cost of living crisis" caused by soaring bills and wages which fail to keep pace with inflation.

"Too many of the jobs we're creating in this country are just too low-paid, too many of the gains in our economy are just scooped up by a privileged few, including those with big bonuses," he will say.

"And too often you are left being charged over the odds. They used to say 'a rising tide lifts all boats'. Now the rising tide just seems to lift the yachts."

Mr Cameron has often said his economic policies are designed to help the UK compete in a "global race" for prosperity.

But Mr Miliband will accuse the Conservatives of pursuing a "race to the bottom", in which prosperity for a few is bought at the cost of worsening wages, conditions and workplace rights for the majority of workers.

Ed Miliband says he wants growth to benefit 'hard-working families'

Labour would instead offer "a race to the top", with support for small firms to become the wealth and job creators of the future.

"You've made the sacrifices. But you've not got the rewards. You were the first one into the recession, but you are the last one out," he will say.

"Will the pain be worth it for the gain under this Government? No. They aren't going to solve the cost of living crisis. Because for them, it is not an accident of their economic policy, it is their economic policy.

"David Cameron talks about Britain being in a 'global race'. But what he doesn't tell you is that he thinks the only way Britain can win is for you to lose.

"For the lowest wages, the worst terms and conditions and the fewest rights at work - a race to the bottom. The only way we can win is a race to the top."

Mr Miliband will say 80,000 big businesses have already benefited to the tune of £6bn in reductions in corporation tax under the coalition Government, while 1.5 million small firms will have seen their business rates rise by an average of almost £2,000 by the end of this Parliament.

Labour's decision to hold business rates at 2014 levels for two years would affect properties and commercial premises with an annual rental value of £50,000 or less.

The Labour leader out in Brighton at the weekend

This would mean some franchise-holders operating branches of major multinationals benefiting from the change.

The move would save small firms a total of £250m in 2015/16 and £540m in 2016/17, according to figures from the House of Commons Library.

Halting the 1% cut in corporation tax would raise an estimated £340m in the first year and £785m the next, but Labour insists that any extra money will be passed on in further cuts to business rates and not taken as additional tax revenue for the Treasury.

Explaining his decision to target tax breaks on small firms, Mr Miliband will say: "Most of the jobs of the future are going to be created in a large number of small businesses, not a small number of large businesses.

"And most of the new jobs that British people will be doing in 15 years' time will be in new companies.

"That's why we have to support our small businesses, the vibrant, dynamic businesses that will create wealth in Britain."

He will also caution activists at Brighton that a Labour government would not have funds to lavish on spending hikes.

"We won't be able to win the race to the top by spending money we don't have," he will say.

"You know and I know that the next Labour government will face tough times, and there's no point in pretending otherwise.

"We have to deal with the deficit and that means we need to win the race to the top in a different way, based on the jobs we create, the businesses we support, the talents we nurture, the wages we earn and the vested interests we take on."

:: Watch Mr Miliband's speech live on Sky News from 2.15pm.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Godfrey Bloom Quits As UKIP MEP

Godfrey Bloom has resigned as a UKIP MEP after he had the party whip suspended for calling women "sluts".

Mr Bloom, an MEP for Yorkshire and Humber, was stripped of the party whip last week following offensive remarks he made about women at a party event and an altercation with a TV journalist.

He will sit as an independent MEP for the rest of his term, and will remain a member of UKIP.

Mr Bloom said: "I have felt for some time now that the New UKIP is not really right for me anymore perhaps than New Labour was right for Dennis 'The beast of Bolsover' Skinner.

Bloom hit a TV journalist with a party booklet

"I shall sit out my term as an independent and give my wholehearted support to Jane Collins who is almost certainly going to be the next UKIP MEP and probably a second seat yet to be decided.

"I shall of course retain my membership."

His spokeswoman said it was not clear whether he would seek re-election for a third term next May.

Mr Bloom had the whip withdrawn after calling women at a conference fringe event "sluts" and hitting a TV journalist with a copy of the brochure for the gathering in Westminster.

Nigel Farage said Bloom had gone "way over the line"

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said Mr Bloom's antics had distracted attention from the party's core message, but stressed the party could still make serious inroads at Westminster in 2015 and potentially hold the balance of power after the election.

Mr Bloom insisted the "sluts" remark was a joke, but Mr Farage said the MEP had "just gone way over the line".

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

North London Shooting: Police Appeal For Help

Police are appealing for help to find a man wanted in connection with a murder in north London five months ago.

Father-of-one Zafer Eren was shot dead in the street outside his home in High Street, Southgate.

Witnesses described seeing a masked gunman flee the scene in a burgundy Peugeot 308 just after 7pm on Thursday, April 22.

Detectives want to speak to Jamie Marsh-Smith, 22, who has been known to have links to Tottenham, Hackney, Camden and Kilburn.

A reward of up to £30,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for 34-year-old Mr Eren's killing.

CCTV picture of Marsh-Smith

Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh, who is leading the investigation, said: "We need the public to help us trace and arrest Jamie Marsh-Smith.

"We know that allegiances shift over time and now months on from Zafer's murder, people may have the confidence to talk to us."

As part of the investigation, a 32-year-old man has been detained on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and assisting an offender.

He was arrested at a residential address in West Hampstead and was taken to a west London police station for questioning.

Anyone with information about Jamie Marsh-Smith's whereabouts can call 020 7321 7228 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Immediate sightings of him should be reported by calling 999.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rolf Harris In Court On Child Sex Charges

Rolf Harris has appeared briefly in court charged with nine counts of indecent assault and four counts of making indecent images of a child.

The 83-year-old entertainer arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court with his wife Alwen at his side.

Wearing a dark suit, striped shirt and patterned tie, he said nothing to reporters as he walked into the building flanked by security guards.

He left court around 30 minutes later, surrounded by a throng of reporters and photographers as he climbed into a waiting car.

Harris, 83, said nothing as he walked into court

Harris is accused of assaulting two alleged victims, who were aged 14 and 15 at the time, between 1980 and 1986.

The charges of making indecent images of a child date back to last year.

During the hearing, Sonia Woodley QC, defending, said Harris had indicated he would plead not guilty.

The Australian-born artist, musician and TV presenter was questioned under caution last November by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the investigation into abuse claims against Jimmy Savile.

He was arrested in March and charged in August.

The allegations against him have no connection to Savile.

Harris, who has lived in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 50 years, has been in the public eye for decades.

He fronted the popular TV programme Animal Hospital and had several musical hits, many of which featured his famous wobble board.

He painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year.

His next court appearance will be at Southwark Crown Court on October 7.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cumbria School Bus Crash: Children Injured

A school bus driver has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving after a crash with a lorry left around 20 people injured.

The two vehicles collided on the A685 in the village of Lowgill, near Kendal, at around 8.30am.

A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust said 10 people, including six children with minor injuries, had been taken to hospital.

Three adults - one with a head injury, another with a rib injury and a third with neck pain - were taken to the Royal Lancaster Hospital, where the youngsters are also being treated.

Another patient was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital with head, arm and neck injuries that are not life-threatening.

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said local schools had been informed of the crash.

"Parents are advised to contact their (child's) school if they have any concerns," he added.

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Labour Wants Bank Levy Hike To Fund Childcare

Working parents with children aged three and four would receive 25 hours of free childcare a week under new Labour plans.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has pledged pledge to increase the hours covered by state funding from 15 to 25, where a single parent or both parents work.

The move, in his keynote speech to the Labour party conference in Brighton, comes after another proposal to extend childcare at primary schools from 8am to 6pm.

Under Labour's plans, which it suggests would be funded through an increase in the bank levy, the 15-hour early years entitlement would also remain universal.

Ed Balls and Rachel Reeves at a nursery on Monday

Mr Balls also attempted to underline the party's "iron discipline" on spending amid claims there is a £27bn black hole in its plans.

As he and Ed Miliband struggle to restore public trust in Labour on the economy, he told delegates the party has to be "straight" with the country about the action needed.

He has written to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to ask for an audit of its spending commitments but the watchdog cannot go ahead under its current remit.

Ed Balls playing football on Sunday

Mr Balls now wants parties to unite and push for change so that the body is able to scrutinise the opposition as well as Government, claiming it is about "rebuilding trust".

Tory Sajid Javid, who has released Treasury analysis suggesting Labour promises would require more than £1,000 in extra borrowing per household in 2015, called the move a "stunt".

The Treasury minister said: "Ed Balls knows this is not allowed under the Budget Responsibility Act and the OBR's Charter, so this is just a stunt to try and distract attention from the fact that Labour have been found out for making unfunded commitments that would just mean more borrowing and more debt.

"Nothing has changed - it's the same old Labour. Ed Balls and Ed Miliband still want more spending, more borrowing and more debt - exactly how they got us into a mess in the first place."

OBR chairman Robert Chote also warned there would be "practical issues" if its remit was altered, with questions about resources and access to the right data.

However, some have suggested asking the OBR to assess the credibility of Labour policies would simply be an extension of what already takes place.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said there was an "established process" allowing ministers to ask Treasury officials to cost opposition ideas.

This was used by Mr Javid to examine Labour's policies and led him to make the claim about a £27.5bn black hole of unfunded plans.

The tool has been used by all sides - Labour asked for 38 Tory policies to be costed before the last election, including moves on inheritance tax and stamp duty.

The idea has been put forward by Mr Balls in apparent recognition that Labour still has much to do win back the public's trust on the economy.

Its conference is focused on the cost of living as it seeks to argue that the recovery is not translating into any change for struggling British families.

Mr Balls claimed the Government's bank levy has raised £1.6bn less than the coalition promised and that institutions paid £2.7bn less in overall tax in 2011 compared to 2010.

"At a time when resources are tight and families are under pressure that cannot be right," he told delegates.

"So I can announce today the next Labour government will increase the bank levy rate to raise an extra £800m a year.

"And we will use the money, for families where all parents are in work, to increase free childcare places for three and four- years-olds from 15 hours to 25 hours a week.

"For the first time, parents will be able to work part-time without having to worry about the cost of childcare."

The shadow chancellor admitted that Labour will face some "tough choices" if it regains power in 2015, and will not be able to reverse all of the Government's measures.

He said growth and jobs "cannot magic the whole deficit away at a stroke" and that the coalition's spending totals for 2015/16 would have to be Labour's "starting point".

"Any changes to the current spending plans for that year will be fully funded and set out in advance in our manifesto," he promised.

"There will be no more borrowing for day-to-day spending. And we will set out tough fiscal rules - to balance the current budget and get the national debt on a downward path."

He added: "We won't be able to reverse all the spending cuts and tax rises the Tories have pushed through. And we will have to govern with less money around. The next Labour government will have to make cuts, too."

Ahead of the speech, he dismissed the Conservative claim about a billion-pound funding gap in his tax and spending plans.

"There are no uncosted spending commitments," he insisted on ITV's Daybreak. "There will be no more day-to-day borrowing from Labour in 2015."

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Esme Smith Found Safe After 11-Day Search

Missing 14-year-old Esme Smith, from Surrey has been found safe in north London, say police.

The schoolgirl disappeared 11 days ago.

She was last seen by friends after school in her home town of Farnham on Thursday, September 12. She told them she was going to Woking 16 miles away and then on to a party.

But instead the teenager, described as "extrovert, vivacious, (and) normal", changed out of her school uniform and caught a train from Aldershot just after 4pm and arrived at London Waterloo about an hour later.

The secondary school pupil was pictured on CCTV as she walked down steps near Charing Cross station in London at about 5.30pm that day.

Esme's safe return is thought to be as a direct result of media appeals

A police spokesman said: "A call was made to Surrey Police by the Metropolitan Police around 9.40am today to say that the 14-year-old, who went missing on September 12, was at a north London police station.

"Her safe return is thought to be as a direct result of the media appeals, and the media and public are thanked for their assistance."

Her father Mark Smith, who works at Nato's Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway, said the family had been "worried sick" by her disappearance.

More than 4,000 people had "liked" a Facebook page called Find Esme Smith, dedicated to raising awareness of her disappearance and her sister Sian released a video appeal asking her to return.

In it, Sian said: "We just want her back. I think she's maybe met somebody out there or planned to meet somebody. We just don't know at the moment, and that's the worrying thing. She's not in trouble. We just want her back. We are incredibly worried."

18.55 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pelka 'Failings' Boss Quits Top Children's Job

A children's services boss criticised for failings by his former council over murdered schoolboy Daniel Pelka has stepped down from his new post.

Tower Hamlets Council said Colin Green had decided to withdraw from the role of chairman of the Local Safeguarding Children Board "with immediate effect".

Mr Green took up the post at the London borough council after retiring from his role as director of children's services at Coventry City Council last month.

His departure followed revelations about failings by his department over the four-year-old's death.

A serious case review found key opportunities were missed to intervene in his case by the city's children's services team, health professionals, school staff, police and other child protection agencies.

Luczak and Krezolek were jailed for a minimum of 30 years

Geoffrey Robinson, Labour MP for the area of Coventry where Daniel and his family lived, had condemned Mr Green's move to the Tower Hamlets position, claiming it was "an affront to public opinion".

"Like myself, I am sure the whole of Coventry will be stunned to learn that Colin Green, former director of children's services at Coventry City Council, has gone off to become chair of the safeguarding children board at Tower Hamlets," he said.

"This is a clear example of senior civil servants operating their own network for the benefit of themselves, at the expense of front-line staff who have faced the real challenges on a daily basis.

"The appointment is an affront to public opinion and confirms that I was right to call for a wholly independent inquiry. These boards are not truly independent."

A spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council said: "The new chair of Tower Hamlets Local Safeguarding Children Board, Colin Green, has decided to withdraw from the post with immediate effect."

The London borough council said Mr Green had been appointed by a multi-agency panel in June with all such decisions "based on the merits of each applicant".

Daniel died of a head injury in March 2012, after a systematic campaign of emotional and physical abuse by his mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather, former soldier Mariusz Krezolek, both originally from Poland.

The pair were jailed for a minimum of 30 years each.

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Food Price Rises 'A Source Of Stress'

Rocketing food prices are a "source of stress" for four in 10 UK consumers, while a third say they are struggling to feed themselves or their family.

Almost eight in 10 shoppers (78%) are worried about the increasing cost of food, with almost half (45%) spending a larger proportion of their available income at the supermarket compared to a year ago, the survey of 2,028 consumers for Which? found.

Food prices have risen over and above general inflation by 12.6% over the past six years, according to the Office of National Statistics, while incomes have stagnated.

The poll found 60% are worried about how they will manage their future spending on groceries if prices continue to rise.

A separate survey by the consumer watchdog found one million more households are feeling financial pressure compared to a year ago, leaving 9.5 million households struggling to cope with the cost of living.

It found 40% are likely to cut back spending on food in the next few months.

Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director, said: "While people seem to have accepted their grocery bill going up, stagnating incomes and rocketing food prices are causing stress and worry and leaving people wondering how they are going to cope.

"Supermarkets need to make it much easier for consumers to spot the best deal by ensuring pricing is simple and making special offers genuinely good value for money.

"Politicians need to put consumers at the heart of their economic policies to tackle the rising cost of living and to support growth and prosperity."

Dan Crossley, executive director of the Food Ethics Council charity, added: "As the global food system becomes more deeply trapped in the strangleholds of resource constraint, climate change and population growth, rising food prices are an almost inevitable fact of life.

"Food businesses and government need to start planning now for that future by taking urgent action to tackle the issue of food affordability, including the introduction of measures such as a living wage.

"They also need to develop robust policies that make healthy food affordable, rather than peddling 'cheap' food that is costing us dear in terms of our health and our environment."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

A&E Departments Failing To Hit NHS Targets

The number of NHS Foundation trusts in England failing to see A&E patients within four hours has doubled in the last year, according to new figures.

A quarterly report by regulator Monitor found 31 trusts missed the waiting times target in April-June compared with 13 over the same period in 2012.

The report said: "We are concerned about waiting times in A&E which normally improve in the spring and early summer, but which this year remained challenging for 31 foundation trusts which failed the four-hour target in the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

"This compares to 13 in the same period last year.

"Long waits in A&E may result in patients experiencing unsatisfactory care and the persistence of problems means that it is essential for trusts to plan appropriately and have the right funding in place if the challenges of next winter are to be dealt with effectively."

The report also said the number of foundation trusts running a financial deficit increased from 36 in the first quarter of 2012/13 to 48 for the equivalent period this year.

The overall deficit was £74m, although the regulator stressed that figure was mostly due to a small number of "particularly financially troubled trusts".

Long waits could result in 'usatisfactory care', the report says

During the first quarter of 2013/14, trusts generated £57m less in cost savings than originally planned.

Jason Dorsett, Monitor's financial risk and reporting director, said: "Our analysis of returns from foundation trusts shows that patients are still waiting too long at A&Es in a number of foundation trusts.

"Increased demand means more than ever that trusts need better and earlier planning to make sure they deal with these problems.

"The increased demand has also prevented trusts from delivering their planned financial savings.

"We expect to see trusts planning now for how the increased demand will impact on their finances, so that they are not storing up trouble for the future."

Responding to the figures, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "A&E is the barometer of the whole of health and care.

"It is telling us that there are severe storms ahead for the NHS this winter unless the Government urgently faces up to problems with front-line staffing and in social care.

"Close to one million people have waited longer than four hours to be seen at A&E in the last 12 months - the worst year in decade.

"The Government has brought the NHS to the brink and cannot continue to ignore the warnings that are mounting by the day.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said A&Es saw 95% of patients within their targets since the end of April - as they were before last winter.

She said: "This is testament to the hard work of staff working throughout the health and care system.

"But we know that more work needs to be done to make sure that patients have access to the urgent and emergency services that they need.

"That's why we are investing £500m over the next two years to help ensure A&E departments are prepared for winter."

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More

Labour: UK Apprentice For Each Foreign Worker

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband has launched a Labour fightback after a difficult summer - with policy pledges on the economy and immigration.

The party leader announced plans to increase fines for employers who fail to pay the minimum wage and force bosses to train an apprentice if they hire a foreign worker.

The moves come on the opening day of Labour's conference in Brighton, at which the party will attempt to spell out a series of policies which appeal to voters.

Mr Miliband addresses the crowd in Brighton

The conference begins with the party's high command reeling over the damaging revelations of plots, smears and feuds in the memoirs of Gordon Brown's spin doctor Damian McBride.

It also follows a summer in which senior party figures were accused of being invisible and a gradual shrinking of Labour's opinion poll lead over the Conservatives.

Senior Labour figures claim the new policy announcements signal a new approach on the economy and a new approach on immigration.

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Mr Miliband said the Labour Party was "changing under my leadership" and had "learned lessons from the past".

He said: "I want a high wage British economy, not a low wage brutish economy. We've got plans to make that happen, to drive up skills.

"So we are going to say to any firm that wants to bring in a foreign worker that they also have to train up someone who is a local worker, training up the next generation.

"We think that can create up to 125,000 new apprenticeships over the course of five years and that is a massive boost for skills for our young people."

Mr Miliband said the tenfold increase in fines for the minimum wage would "stop the exploitation which undercuts workers that are already here".

Senior party figures spoke out on Sunday morning to back up Mr Miliband's pledges.

Labour's shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna told Sky News the proposal aimed to deal with the reason why large companies employed people from abroad.

He said: "(Large companies) say that there are skills gaps and we do not have enough people with the skills they need. What we are saying is that if they are bringing people in (from abroad), they also ensure that we are skilling people (with) the provision of training apprenticeships."

Yvette Cooper, shadow home secretary, sought to explain how the policy would work, adding: "Already, if people want to bring in what's called the tier two worker from abroad, they have to meet certain conditions.

"We don't think its good for the long term health of our economy for companies to be reliant on bringing in skilled workers always from abroad and not supporting investment in skills and training we need to have at home."

Mr McBride (far left) with Gordon Brown

On Sunday morning, Ed Miliband told the BBC's Andrew Marr he urged Gordon Brown to sack Damian McBride over concerns the spin doctor was briefing against senior Labour colleagues.

Mr McBride's memoirs are being serialised in the Daily Mail.

On voting intentions Labour's lead over the Tories is barely changed, at eight points: Con 28% (0), Lab 36% (-1), UKIP 17% (-2), LD 10% (+2) and Others 9% (+1).

But Mr Miliband's ratings are poor, with 52% saying that he doesn't have the qualities to be an effective prime minister.

However, more people say they and their families would be better off if Labour won the election (30%) than if the Conservatives did (22%).

18.54 | 0 komentar | Read More