Ebola 'Out Of Control' As US Evacuates Sick Pair

Two Americans infected with ebola in West Africa are to be flown back to the US in the coming days, as world health officials warned the outbreak was moving too quickly.

The Pentagon confirmed on Friday that arrangements were being made for a chartered flight to land at Dobbins Air Base in Marietta, Georgia.  

It is expected to transport Dr Kent Brantly, 33, and 59-year-old Nancy Writebol, a missionary.

Health workers carry an ebola victim's body in Sierra Leone

They were said on Thursday to be in a "stable but grave condition" after contracting the haemorrhagic fever in the Liberian capital Monrovia.

The State Department said on Friday it was leading preparations to evacuate the two Americans back to the US to be cared for in strict isolation.

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said the patients, whom she declined to identify citing privacy concerns, would be taken to medical facilities with appropriate isolation and treatment capabilities.

The patients will be transported in a specially designed portable tent

Emory University Hospital, in southern Georgia, said it was preparing to accept two ebola patients to its containment unit within the next several days.

A small private jet was dispatched from the US state of Georgia to Liberia on Thursday.

The aircraft has been fitted with a portable tent designed for transporting patients with highly infectious diseases, AP news agency reports.

A modified Gulfstream III jet will fly the Americans back to Georgia

The World Health Organisation's director-general warned on Friday that the ebola outbreak, which has killed at least 729 people, is out of control but can be stopped.

Margaret Chan told the presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra, the three worst affected nations: "This outbreak is moving faster than our efforts to control it.

"If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socioeconomic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries.

Emory University Hospital in Atlanta has a dedicated containment unit

"This meeting must mark a turning point in the outbreak response."

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone announced on Friday a quarantine zone to seal off the epicentre of the outbreak where the three countries meet.

One US citizen has already died of the virus. Liberian health ministry official Patrick Sawyer, a naturalised American, began vomiting on a flight from Liberia to Nigeria last month.

Medical staff take a blood sample from an ebola patient in Sierra Leone

Mr Sawyer, who had planned to visit family in Minnesota in August, was taken to a hospital in Lagos where he died.

His case sparked particular alarm because he was able to board an international flight while infected with the incurable disease.

Two other Americans - Peace Corps volunteers -  have been isolated after becoming exposed to ebola in West Africa and are under observation, though neither has shown any symptoms.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hamas: Israeli Soldier 'May Have Been Killed'

Why Obama's Hands Are Tied Over Gaza

Updated: 4:38am UK, Friday 01 August 2014

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

On the day the White House said the Israeli military should do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the US confirmed it had agreed to supply the same military with more ammunition.

The Obama administration has hardened its criticism of the shelling of a UN school in Gaza calling it "indefensible" and saying there is little doubt the Israelis were responsible.

"We need our allies in Israel," said administration press secretary Josh Earnest "to live up to the high standards they have set themselves". Meanwhile those same allies were being invited to help themselves to more of the US arms stockpiles in Israel.

Duplicitous double standards or another sign of the complexity of US-Israeli relations? Depends on your point of view.

There is no doubt the Obama administration is concerned and frustrated by Israel's conduct. There is also no doubt the administration will continue to support it to the hilt for as long as required.

Frustrated not least because of the trashing of the US Secretary of State John Kerry by Israeli cabinet ministers and media after his efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The Obama administration has not hidden its fury at the personal attacks on America's chief diplomat by senior members of the Netanyahu government.

The mounting civilian suffering is a concern to the US, for humanitarian and diplomatic reasons.

What's left of America's standing in the Arab world is further undermined by gruesome pictures of slaughter caused by US-supplied weaponry being fired into Gaza.  

A lot has been made of the dysfunctional relationship of the two countries' leaders. 

Bibi and Barack have had more than their share of differences, and none of the political intimacy of George W Bush and Ariel Sharon. 

But these days Israel can take US support for granted far more than it could back then.

When Ariel Sharon wanted to send his military into Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank in 2002 he personally asked Bush to let him do so and give him enough time to finish the job.

The destruction in Jenin is nothing compared to what Israel has wrought in Gaza and it has done so without needing to ask for American permission. 

There are many reasons for US support for Israel, some historic, others more current.

The US-Israeli relationship is one of the fundamental constants of American foreign policy in the Middle East. With a region in ferment and in a state of flux, that is more important to Washington than ever.

The Israeli lobby is also hugely powerful in the US. 

Capitol Hill has been called Israeli-occupied territory; such is the sway the Jewish state holds over US politicians.

Multifarious pro-Israel organisations, millions given to Israel supporters at election time and masterful use of the media all mean that is unlikely to change.

Israel has the same hold on everyday Americans as it has on politicians.

US public opinion has been overwhelmingly sympathetic to Israel since the second intifada when the Palestinians began blowing up women and children on buses and since 9/11, which hardened US attitudes to violent Muslims of any description.

More often than not the US media is inclined to accept the Israeli narrative. 

Coverage of tunnels out of Gaza is a case in point.

When Israeli military PR shifted the focus from rockets to tunnels, US coverage followed.

Too much talk of rockets is a threat to Israel economically now the country's main airport is within range.

Israel now claims Hamas tunnels are their main casus belli.

There has been little questioning of Israeli claims they are a terrorist threat to women and children, when thus far they have only been used by Hamas militants for military purposes to target Israeli soldiers. 

US support of Israel is mirrored by the attitude of some Arab nations in the region.

Egypt's recent ceasefire plan angered Hamas by including many of Israel's demands and few of the Palestinians'.

The Saudis and Jordanians are also quietly cheering the Jewish state from the sidelines. 

Since the last major Israeli operation in Gaza the faultlines have shifted in the Middle East because of the deepening chasm among Muslims, between Sunnis and Shia. 

On one side, Iran and its allies, the Assad regime in Damascus, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

On the other Tehran's enemies in the Gulf and Egypt who are in no mood to help out Iran's Sunni allies, Hamas in Gaza. 

While much of the Middle East remains silent as the carnage continues in Gaza, Israel will assume it is carrying out the wishes of at least some of its neighbours.

Washington will continue dishing out carefully worded criticism if Israel keeps facing claims it has shelled children sleeping in UN buildings.

But it is not going to be reducing its support for its closest ally in an increasingly troubled region.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pistorius' Brother Critical After Head On Crash

The brother of bladerunner Oscar Pistorius is in a critical condition after a head on collision in South Africa.

Carl Pistorius, who has regularly been seen in court during his brother's murder trial, was in a head on collision on the N1 near Modimolle in Limpopo.

It is understood that a car swerved out in front of him colliding with his vehicle. Mr Pistorius is believed to have suffered numerous fractures.

A Pistorius family spokesperson, Anneleise Burgess, said he was in a critical condition, but was "out of danger".

Burgess said he was returning from a business trip from Polokwane and travelling in a convoy with a business partner on the N1 to Pretoria.

Traffic had backed up on the opposite side of the road, when, without warning, a vehicle pulled out in front of Mr Pistorius, Burgess said.

She said he was transported to a Pretoria hospital late last night.

In 2008 Carl was involved in a collision with a motorcyclist who died and was later acquitted of culpable homicide.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Why Obama's Hands Are Tied Over Gaza

On the day the White House said the Israeli military should do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the US confirmed it had agreed to supply the same military with more ammunition.

The Obama administration has hardened its criticism of the shelling of a UN school in Gaza calling it "indefensible" and saying there is little doubt the Israelis were responsible.

"We need our allies in Israel," said administration press secretary Josh Earnest "to live up to the high standards they have set themselves". Meanwhile those same allies were being invited to help themselves to more of the US arms stockpiles in Israel.

Duplicitous double standards or another sign of the complexity of US-Israeli relations? Depends on your point of view.

There is no doubt the Obama administration is concerned and frustrated by Israel's conduct. There is also no doubt the administration will continue to support it to the hilt for as long as required.

The US has agreed to supply Israel with more ammunition

Frustrated not least because of the trashing of the US Secretary of State John Kerry by Israeli cabinet ministers and media after his efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The Obama administration has not hidden its fury at the personal attacks on America's chief diplomat by senior members of the Netanyahu government.

The mounting civilian suffering is a concern to the US, for humanitarian and diplomatic reasons.

What's left of America's standing in the Arab world is further undermined by gruesome pictures of slaughter caused by US-supplied weaponry being fired into Gaza.  

A lot has been made of the dysfunctional relationship of the two countries' leaders. 

Mr Netanyahu's less-than-smooth relationship with Obama is well documented

Bibi and Barack have had more than their share of differences, and none of the political intimacy of George W Bush and Ariel Sharon. 

But these days Israel can take US support for granted far more than it could back then.

When Ariel Sharon wanted to send his military into Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank in 2002 he personally asked Bush to let him do so and give him enough time to finish the job.

The destruction in Jenin is nothing compared to what Israel has wrought in Gaza and it has done so without needing to ask for American permission. 

There are many reasons for US support for Israel, some historic, others more current.

Palestinians say more than 1,400 people have died in Gaza

The US-Israeli relationship is one of the fundamental constants of American foreign policy in the Middle East. With a region in ferment and in a state of flux, that is more important to Washington than ever.

The Israeli lobby is also hugely powerful in the US. 

Capitol Hill has been called Israeli-occupied territory; such is the sway the Jewish state holds over US politicians.

Multifarious pro-Israel organisations, millions given to Israel supporters at election time and masterful use of the media all mean that is unlikely to change.

Israel has the same hold on everyday Americans as it has on politicians.

US public opinion has been overwhelmingly sympathetic to Israel since the second intifada when the Palestinians began blowing up women and children on buses and since 9/11, which hardened US attitudes to violent Muslims of any description.

Fifty-six Israeli soldiers have died since the offensive began

More often than not the US media is inclined to accept the Israeli narrative. 

Coverage of tunnels out of Gaza is a case in point.

When Israeli military PR shifted the focus from rockets to tunnels, US coverage followed.

Too much talk of rockets is a threat to Israel economically now the country's main airport is within range.

Israel now claims Hamas tunnels are their main casus belli.

There has been little questioning of Israeli claims they are a terrorist threat to women and children, when thus far they have only been used by Hamas militants for military purposes to target Israeli soldiers. 

US support of Israel is mirrored by the attitude of some Arab nations in the region.

Egypt's recent ceasefire plan angered Hamas by including many of Israel's demands and few of the Palestinians'.

The Saudis and Jordanians are also quietly cheering the Jewish state from the sidelines. 

Since the last major Israeli operation in Gaza the faultlines have shifted in the Middle East because of the deepening chasm among Muslims, between Sunnis and Shia. 

On one side, Iran and its allies, the Assad regime in Damascus, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

On the other Tehran's enemies in the Gulf and Egypt who are in no mood to help out Iran's Sunni allies, Hamas in Gaza. 

While much of the Middle East remains silent as the carnage continues in Gaza, Israel will assume it is carrying out the wishes of at least some of its neighbours.

Washington will continue dishing out carefully worded criticism if Israel keeps facing claims it has shelled children sleeping in UN buildings.

But it is not going to be reducing its support for its closest ally in an increasingly troubled region.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mystery Gas Blasts Tear Up Streets In Taiwan

A series of underground gas blasts in Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung has killed 25 people and injured 267 others.

The explosions sparked a huge fire that tore through the city's Chian-Chen district and were powerful enough to upturn cars and split open paved roads. 

One of the blasts left a large trench running down the centre of a road, edged with piles of concrete slabs.

Residents said the blasts felt like a powerful earthquake.

The force of the explosions overturned fire engines and destroyed roads

Media reports suggest the number of dead is likely to rise sharply.

President Ma Ying-jeou promised measures to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

"The explosions were like thunder and the road in front of my shop ripped open. It felt like an earthquake," Taiwan's Central News Agency quoted an eyewitness as saying.

"I saw fire soaring up to possibly 20 storeys high after a blast, and fire engines and cars being blown away while around 10 bodies lay on the street," another witness said.

The explosions hit Kaohsiung municipality late on Thursday night

The National Fire Agency said four firefighters, who were at the scene investigating gas leaks at the time of the explosions, were among those killed. 

It said the local fire department received calls of gas leaks late on Thursday and then there was a series of blasts around midnight affecting "an area of two to three square kilometres".

They were believed to have been caused by a leak of propene, a petrochemical material not intended for public use, but the source of the gas was not immediately clear, officials said.

Rescue workers at the scene of the disaster

Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu said several petrochemical companies have pipelines built along the sewage system in the area.

Xinhua news agency described smoke with a "gas-like smell" seen coming out of drains in the streets before the explosions.

Officials urged people to stay out of the district and people were using schools to take shelter.

Power was also cut off in some areas, making it difficult for rescuers to search for people who might be buried in rubble.

The explosions came just a week after a TransAsia Airways plane crashed in Taiwan during bad weather, killing 48 people.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Fighting In Gaza Two Hours Into Ceasefire

Why Obama's Hands Are Tied Over Gaza

Updated: 4:38am UK, Friday 01 August 2014

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

On the day the White House said the Israeli military should do more to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the US confirmed it had agreed to supply the same military with more ammunition.

The Obama administration has hardened its criticism of the shelling of a UN school in Gaza calling it "indefensible" and saying there is little doubt the Israelis were responsible.

"We need our allies in Israel," said administration press secretary Josh Earnest "to live up to the high standards they have set themselves". Meanwhile those same allies were being invited to help themselves to more of the US arms stockpiles in Israel.

Duplicitous double standards or another sign of the complexity of US-Israeli relations? Depends on your point of view.

There is no doubt the Obama administration is concerned and frustrated by Israel's conduct. There is also no doubt the administration will continue to support it to the hilt for as long as required.

Frustrated not least because of the trashing of the US Secretary of State John Kerry by Israeli cabinet ministers and media after his efforts to broker a ceasefire.

The Obama administration has not hidden its fury at the personal attacks on America's chief diplomat by senior members of the Netanyahu government.

The mounting civilian suffering is a concern to the US, for humanitarian and diplomatic reasons.

What's left of America's standing in the Arab world is further undermined by gruesome pictures of slaughter caused by US-supplied weaponry being fired into Gaza.  

A lot has been made of the dysfunctional relationship of the two countries' leaders. 

Bibi and Barack have had more than their share of differences, and none of the political intimacy of George W Bush and Ariel Sharon. 

But these days Israel can take US support for granted far more than it could back then.

When Ariel Sharon wanted to send his military into Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank in 2002 he personally asked Bush to let him do so and give him enough time to finish the job.

The destruction in Jenin is nothing compared to what Israel has wrought in Gaza and it has done so without needing to ask for American permission. 

There are many reasons for US support for Israel, some historic, others more current.

The US-Israeli relationship is one of the fundamental constants of American foreign policy in the Middle East. With a region in ferment and in a state of flux, that is more important to Washington than ever.

The Israeli lobby is also hugely powerful in the US. 

Capitol Hill has been called Israeli-occupied territory; such is the sway the Jewish state holds over US politicians.

Multifarious pro-Israel organisations, millions given to Israel supporters at election time and masterful use of the media all mean that is unlikely to change.

Israel has the same hold on everyday Americans as it has on politicians.

US public opinion has been overwhelmingly sympathetic to Israel since the second intifada when the Palestinians began blowing up women and children on buses and since 9/11, which hardened US attitudes to violent Muslims of any description.

More often than not the US media is inclined to accept the Israeli narrative. 

Coverage of tunnels out of Gaza is a case in point.

When Israeli military PR shifted the focus from rockets to tunnels, US coverage followed.

Too much talk of rockets is a threat to Israel economically now the country's main airport is within range.

Israel now claims Hamas tunnels are their main casus belli.

There has been little questioning of Israeli claims they are a terrorist threat to women and children, when thus far they have only been used by Hamas militants for military purposes to target Israeli soldiers. 

US support of Israel is mirrored by the attitude of some Arab nations in the region.

Egypt's recent ceasefire plan angered Hamas by including many of Israel's demands and few of the Palestinians'.

The Saudis and Jordanians are also quietly cheering the Jewish state from the sidelines. 

Since the last major Israeli operation in Gaza the faultlines have shifted in the Middle East because of the deepening chasm among Muslims, between Sunnis and Shia. 

On one side, Iran and its allies, the Assad regime in Damascus, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

On the other Tehran's enemies in the Gulf and Egypt who are in no mood to help out Iran's Sunni allies, Hamas in Gaza. 

While much of the Middle East remains silent as the carnage continues in Gaza, Israel will assume it is carrying out the wishes of at least some of its neighbours.

Washington will continue dishing out carefully worded criticism if Israel keeps facing claims it has shelled children sleeping in UN buildings.

But it is not going to be reducing its support for its closest ally in an increasingly troubled region.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

NHS Hospital Paid £1,800 A Day For Nurse

By Thomas Moore, Science and Health Correspondent

NHS hospitals are so short staffed on public holidays they are paying almost £150 an hour for nurses to work, a Sky News investigation has found.

On May Day Bank Holiday this year a locum agency was paid more than £1,800 to supply a nurse for a 12-hour shift, new figures show.

And one hospital paid £2,500 for a doctor to work that day.

The statistics - obtained through a Freedom of Information request - lay bare how much the NHS is relying on private locum staff on public holidays.

In one hospital, half of the doctors who worked on May 5 were locum medics.

And at another, almost one third of the nursing staff was supplied by a private agency.

Experts say that using locum staff unfamiliar with the hospitals they are working in can put patient care at risk.

With the NHS under increasing financial pressure, a nursing body wants the amount hospitals pay agencies to be reviewed.

One trust paid nearly £1,800 for a mental health nurse shift. Pic: File

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "These figures are truly shocking.

"Many (of the nurses) will never have been to that ward before and will probably never be there again.

"It says nothing about continuity of care. Even finding your way round the ward, the geography, it makes life really difficult.

"Agency nurses do not provide good value for money … and the employers who use these extraordinary levels should be held to account for it.

"This is public money that is not being well spent. This is something that should be looked at with the utmost urgency."

Eighty of the 150 NHS trusts in England replied to a Sky News request asking how many locum staff they employed and at what rates on May 5 this year.

At the Heart of England NHS Trust in the West Midlands, half the doctors working that day were temporary locum medics, the figures show.

Experts say a large percentage of locum staff can put patient care at risk

More than three in ten nurses at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust and at Southend NHS Trust were from agencies.

Meanwhile, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay (NHS Foundation Trust) paid an agency £2,500 for a locum doctor to work a single shift.

University Hospitals Bristol (NHS Foundation Trust) paid £1,800 for a nurse on a shift of just over 12 hours - equivalent to almost £150 an hour.

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust paid almost as much (£1,798) for a middle grade nurse specialising in mental health - almost a month's pay for the average nurse.

Separate figures published in April suggested that the NHS has spent £2bn on agency staff since 2010/11.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "We now have 6,700 more doctors and 6,200 more nurses directly employed by NHS organisations than in 2010.

"The figures … are not a full picture of staffing in the NHS, but we encourage all trusts to maintain a tight grip on their staff costs and we will hold poor performers to account."

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Boozy Criminals Get Tags That Detect Alcohol

By Darren McCaffrey, Political Reporter

People who consistently break the law while drunk are to be forced to wear tags that can detect whether they are drinking.

The mandatory so-called 'sobriety tags', which look like electronic tags, could force abstinence for up to four months and work by recording alcohol intake - measuring air and sweat emissions from the skin every half an hour.

If offenders break a drinking ban, they could find themselves back in front of a judge who will consider further sanctions or send them to prison.

This scheme will initially apply only to a handful of London boroughs - Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark and Sutton - and involve 100-150 offenders and is not aimed at those who are alcohol dependent.

The Mayor of London, who announced the scheme, said his aim was to reduce crime.

Boris Johnson said: "Alcohol-fuelled criminal behaviour is a real scourge on our high streets, deterring law-abiding citizens from enjoying our great city, especially at night, placing massive strain on frontline services, whilst costing businesses and the taxpayer billions of pounds.

"I pledged to tackle this booze culture by making the case to Government for new powers to allow mandatory alcohol testing as an additional enforcement option for the courts."

Alcohol-related crime remains a costly problem - estimated at between £8bn and £13bn every year - and two out of every five A&E attendances are due to drink-related injuries.

A 'sobriety tag' being put on a participant of a pilot scheme

The tags are widely used in the US, most famously on troubled actress Lindsay Lohan who was ordered to wear one after failing to show up for a probation hearing.

Authorities claim it has a success rate above 95% as well as reducing re-offending and domestic violence.

Critics have attacked the scheme, arguing that monitoring what people drink is a step too far, though that is denied by the company behind the tags.

Matthew Mitchell, of Alcohol Monitoring Systems, told Sky News: "It is not a human right to abuse alcohol and create public disorder and therefore a proportionate sentence in being ordered to wear this is entirely fair.

"This is high tech monitoring and this is the way our modern society is involving in testing people, which is much better than other systems."

Professor Keith Humphreys, former White House Drugs Advisor, who has advised City Hall on the project, said: "The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) will evaluate and review evidence from the pilot to develop recommendations regarding a wider introduction of the scheme.

"The tags register alcohol consumption but do not monitor movement or location of the individuals and data will be held in accordance with data protection laws."

A pilot scheme trialled in Scotland lasting several years failed to lead to the system being adopted. This latest attempt is due to last a year.

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Israeli Army Mobilises 16,000 Extra Troops

Israel is calling up thousands more reservists to the conflict in Gaza and says it is a "few days" away from destroying Hamas's network of attack tunnels.

"The army has issued 16,000 additional mobilisation orders to allow troops on the ground to rest, which takes the total number of reservists to 86,000," said an Israeli army spokeswoman.

Israel has ordered its ground forces to focus on locating and destroying a warren of cross-border tunnels with which Hamas has menaced its southern towns and army bases.

Major-General Sami Turgeman, chief of Israeli forces in Gaza, said they were "but a few days away from destroying all the attack tunnels".

Israel says it is close to destroying all Hamas cross-border attack tunnels

The army said 32 of the secret passages had been found so far and half of them blown up.

Three Israeli soldiers were killed on Wednesday by a booby trap detonated as they uncovered a tunnel shaft, the army said.

The Israeli military said it would also continue to target Hamas command centres, rocket launchers and weapons arsenals.

The bombardment of Gaza City continued overnight, though there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Hamas's military leader Mohammed Deif has said the militants will not cease fire until their demands are met.

The school where Palestine officials say at least 17 died in shelling

The group has demanded that Israel and Egypt lift a border blockade they imposed on Gaza after Hamas seized the territory in 2007.

Nearly 1,300 Palestinians have died in three weeks of fighting, according to the UN's office for humanitarian affairs (OCHA). Gaza officials put the figure at more than 1,360.

Civilians make up two-thirds of the dead and most of the wounded.

Condemnation also continues over Wednesday's shelling of a UN-run school housing more than 3,000 refugees in the Jebalya area of Gaza, in a day where 116 Palestinians were killed.

The United Nations' 80 camps are meant to be safe zones for the estimated 245,000 people who have fled their homes.

The locations of refugee camps in the Gaza Strip

Furious UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the school shelling "outrageous" and "unjustifiable".

"Nothing is more shameful than attacking sleeping children," said the UN chief.

A carefully-worded White House statement said it "condemned the shelling" - which killed at least 16 - but did not mention Israel explicitly.

The Pentagon later confirmed it had agreed to an "emergency" Israeli request to stock up on grenades and mortar rounds from a store it has kept in the country for several years.

Pentagon spokesman Admiral John Kirby said the request was received on July 20 and approved the three days later, without needing White House approval.

Israel meanwhile has said it is investigating the school shelling incident and repeated it does not have a policy of targeting civilians.

The strike on the Shejaiza market is said to have killed at least 17 people

Foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor described the incident as "tragic" but blamed Hamas' "criminal entrenchment within civilian populations".

The UN has reported instances of militants stashing weapons in some of the schools.

At least 17 Palestinians also died on Wednesday, and 200 were wounded, in an attack on a market in the Shejaiza neighbourhood between Gaza City and the Israeli border.

Fifty-six Israeli soldiers and three civilians have died in total on the Israeli side since the latest violence began at the start of July.

The country's military said 81 rockets fell in Israel on Wednesday, with nine shot down by its missile defence system.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Driverless Cars 'On UK Roads By January'

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

The government is today announcing plans to put driverless cars on public roads as early as January 2015.

The British Army already uses autonomous vehicles, supplied by automotive design specialist MIRA, which is also developing systems for civilian use.

Researchers in Oxford have also developed an autonomous car that can be controlled using an iPad.

Tim Edwards, principal engineer at MIRA, told Sky News the UK had some "very advanced technologies and some fairly unique know-how".

Google is already testing driverless cars on roads in California

But he said: "Where we lag behind is actually getting the technology into some real field trials."

Trials on public roads have already been held in Japan, Singapore and Germany, and Sweden will soon follow suit.

In California, driverless cars are already road legal. Google's self-driving cars have already logged 700,000 miles.

In May, the web giant unveiled a new model - without pedals.

Nick Connor, Managing Director of Volvo UK, said: "We warmly welcome this initiative from the government and will be looking into the detail with keen interest.

Volvo is also testing them in Sweden

"Support of national and local government is crucial if we are to demonstrate the real, life-changing potential of this technology and encourage adoption from the public."

But the main obstacles may not be technological, but legal.

Suzie Mills, a lawyer at Ashfords, told Sky News: "That's going to be one of the areas that consumers want to know about - what does their insurance cover? Is it going to affect premiums?

"That's going to come down to clarifying exactly where responsibility sits. And that is something the government's going to need to look at and definitely insurance companies are going to want to know about."

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Strikes Kill 43 In Gaza As UN School Hit

Gaza Conflict 'Like A Never-Ending Horror Film'

Updated: 2:53pm UK, Tuesday 29 July 2014

By Sherine Tadros, Middle East Correspondent, in Gaza City

"Stay safe," people keep telling us.

"Where?" I always reply.

One of the harsh realities of this war is that there seem to be no red lines or boundaries.

People here are locked inside a tiny, cramped territory while the Israeli army bombs their homes, businesses, schools and hospitals.

Some 23,160 buildings have been damaged in the past three weeks, including 560 houses that were specifically targeted, according to the Health Ministry.

Most of the time there is no electricity, so at night you can only listen to what's happening around you in the dark.

Parents watch as their children die, children watch as their parents die - it's like a horror film.

The hardest part is how to convey the emotion and explain the events you are witnessing to people who live thousands of miles away and have likely never been to Gaza.

How do you do the story justice, remaining calm and fair?

Journalists are obsessed with the idea of balance, but what throws us off is that this is not an equal battle.

Israel says it is defending its civilians from rockets indiscriminately fired at them and underground tunnels used to infiltrate and kill soldiers.

Hamas says it is defending their civilians from an Israeli imposed siege that has strangled Gaza and affects every part of daily life.

The sad reality is that this war will likely end with Israel keeping Gaza under a blockade, which means Hamas will continue to resist - if not with rockets then tunnels, if not with tunnels then something else.

And if it's not Hamas it will be another group. The violence will continue as long as there is a cause.

Covering this war has been just as devastating as in 2008/9, the last time Israel launched a ground assault and I was inside Gaza.

Back then, people felt they were paying the price for a battle between Hamas and Israel.

This time, after seven years of living under siege, many sound hopeless and support Hamas (they call it "the resistance") because they feel there is no other way to end the misery they are living in.

My parents tell me stories of going on holiday to Gaza when they were young.

It has a beautiful coastline and when the drones and jets are quiet you can hear the waves crashing on the beach.

But the last few years of the blockade have been especially tough and Gaza is now a ghetto of 1.8 million people with many living in refugee camps surrounded by bombed out buildings.

Yesterday, at a UN school turned shelter, a woman asked me where I was from.

"Egypt," I replied, expecting her to lecture me about the country's complicity in the siege and how much she hates Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi.

But instead she said in a strong, sad voice: "Take me back with you."

It's simple really: people in Gaza, like elsewhere in the world, just want a chance to live with dignity.

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Cobra Meeting As UK Doctors Warned Over Ebola

The Government's emergency committee is to discuss how to tackle the "new and emerging" threat of ebola, as doctors in Britain were put on alert to spot symptoms of the deadly disease.

The outbreak is the largest in history, with the virus killing more than 670 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria since February.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has told Sky News no British nationals have been affected so far, and there are no cases in the UK.

He said: "However the Prime Minister does regard it as a very serious threat and I will be chairing a Cobra meeting later today to assess the situation and look at any measures that we need to take either in the UK, or in our diplomatic posts abroad in order to manage the threat.

"We are very much focused on it as a new and emerging threat which we need to deal with."

Dr Brian McCloskey, director of global health at Public Health England (PHE), said the risk to British travellers and workers was low, but doctors needed to be vigilant for "unexplained illnesses" in those who have returned from the affected countries.

Medical staff prepare to bring food to patients in an isolation area

Dr McCloskey said: "The continuing increase in cases, especially in Sierra Leone, and the importation of a single case from Liberia to Nigeria is a cause for concern as it indicates the outbreak is not yet under control.

Those who experience symptoms such as fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and a sore throat within three weeks of their return from such countries should "immediately seek medical assistance," Dr McCloskey said.

The Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Mark Walport, has told the Daily Telegraph that ebola was "potentially a major threat" to Britain due to the increasingly "interconnected" nature of the world.

British Airways, which flies to Sierra Leone and Nigeria, said in a statement it complies with guidance from local health authorities and will "continue to monitor the situation closely".

A person from Birmingham was tested for ebola after returning from Africa, but the tests came back negative.

Reports suggest he was tested earlier this week after travelling from Benin in Nigeria via Paris to the Midlands.

Countries affected by the ebola outbreak

Another man visited Charing Cross Hospital in west London after fearing he had the virus, but it was decided by doctors that he did not need an ebola test. 

A Department of Health spokesman said: "We are well-prepared to identify and deal with any potential cases of Ebola, though there has never been a case in this country.

"Any patients with suspected symptoms can be diagnosed within 24 hours and they would also be isolated at a dedicated unit to keep the public safe."

Health workers, family members and others in close contact with sick and dead patients are most at risk from ebola, which can have a fatality rate of up to 90%.

Infection results from direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids and tissues of infected animals or people.

The initial symptoms are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some instances, both internal and external bleeding.

Symptoms can take up to 21 days to show, and there is no treatment or vaccine.

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Hamas Leader's House 'Hit By Israeli Missile'

The home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been hit by an Israeli missile, during the heaviest night of bombardment in three weeks of fighting.

An Israeli aircraft struck at Mr Haniyeh's house early this morning causing damage but no casualties, Gaza's Interior Ministry said.

Mr Haniyeh's son confirmed the strike on his Facebook page but added that the house of the former Hamas Gaza prime minister was empty.

A Palestinian girl at the scene of an explosion that killed nine children

Haniyeh said in a statement. "My house is not more valuable than the houses of other people. Destroying stones will not break our determination."

Israeli aircraft, tanks and gunboats pounded targets in Gaza City that were symbols of Hamas government control, including the headquarters of the Hamas satellite TV station Al Aqsa and Al Aqsa radio. 

The Al Aqsa TV headquaters after being hit by an Israeli shell

Hamas said that despite the attack the stations continued to broadcast. 

As night fell over Gaza City, Israeli flares illuminated the sky to the sound of intense shelling.

A number of rockets fired from Gaza were launched toward various regions in southern and central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area.

An Israeli soldier hurt in a mortar attack is stretchered away by comrades

At least one of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome system. 

The Israeli military warned thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes in areas around Gaza City - usually the prelude to major army strikes.

A building within Gaza port is seen on fire after several missile strikes

In two separate incidents, 10 Israeli soldiers were killed following attacks by Hamas on the border during firefights with Hamas militants who infiltrated Israel through tunnels near the community of Nahal Oz.

Israeli Army Radio said the Hamas gunmen fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the soldiers who were in a watchtower and then tried to drag one of the soldiers' bodies into the tunnel back to Gaza, but failed when troops fired at them, killing one militant.

Hamas said nine of its fighters carried out the attack.

Israeli soldiers with the coffin of their comrade Liad Lavi

Two rockets struck Gaza's main hospital and the other a refugee camp, killing nine children. Palestinians said the rockets were fired by Israel, while Israel said the rockets were misfired by Hamas.

A Palestinian official said at least 10 people were killed in the strike on the camp, and a further 46 injured.

However, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) denied responsibility for the attacks and said it had not been operating in the area.

Lavi died from wounds sustained last week while fighting in Gaza

Israeli army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerne said claims the IDF was responsible were "ridiculous".

The IDF also tweeted: "Since the beginning of the operation #IDF has documented approximately 200 rockets & mortars that landed short within #Gaza."

Gaza's electricity company has claimed two Israeli tank shells have hit the fuel tank of Gaza main power station.

Firefighters in Gaza battle a fire started after a rocket attack

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this morning accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza and called on the Islamic world to arm Palestinians fighting "the Zionist regime".

Israel started its offensive against Gaza on July 8, declaring its aim was to halt rockets fired by Hamas and its allies into Israel.

But Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was widening the objectives, adding the only solution would be a complete demilitarisation of the Gaza.

Hamas' media centre is hit by Israeli fire

"We will not finish the operation without neutralising the tunnels, which have the sole purpose of destroying our citizens, killing our children," he said.

A Palestinian health official said the overall Gaza death toll stands at 1,110.

Israel said a total of 53 soldiers have been killed, including two civilians and a Thai national.

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Immigrant Benefits To Be Cut To Three Months

EU migrants will be able to claim benefits for only three months unless they have serious job prospects, under plans announced by David Cameron.

The Prime Minister insisted the change, which halves the amount of time EU migrants can claim, would make it clear to migrants that they cannot get "something for nothing" and that Britain was "not a soft touch".

In another pledge to safeguard jobs for British people he said he would limit to 500,000 the number of UK jobs being advertised across the EU through a jobseekers' website - down from 1.1 million jobs currently on offer.

There will also be curbs on "bogus colleges" which offer studying visas for cash.

David Cameron says Britain is 'not a soft touch' for EU migrants

Outlining his plans in The Daily Telegraph, David Cameron wrote: "Taken together, this is about building a different kind of Britain - a country that is not a soft touch, but a place to play your part; a nation where those who work hard can get on."

The number of Europeans currently claiming benefits is unclear. However, Government estimates from 2013 suggest only 6.7% of non-UK nationals (397,000) claimed benefits, of which 62,000 were Europeans and 58,000 from EU accession countries.

In contrast 16.4% of UK nationals claim benefits.

Sky News' Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones said: "Welfare and immigration are two touchstone issues for the General Election. The idea of benefits tourism, whether real or not, is where the two collide. 

All job centre posts are advertised across Europe

"All the evidence is the Tories have been outflanked by UKIP on this territory, but in the General Election the main objective is to steal a march on Labour. That's what these announcements are all about."

The benefits plan builds on changes laid out in January to make EU migrants wait three months after arriving in Britain before claiming out-of-work benefits.

Mr Cameron has previously been warned restricting benefits conflicts with the EU agreement on freedom of movement.

Currently more than a million British posts are advertised on European Commission jobs website called Eures, which is partly funded by the UK taxpayer.

Britain's job centres automatically upload available posts to the site. However, Mr Cameron has pledged this will now be limited to 500,000 roles and will only be included if an employer requests it is shared across the EU.

Yvette Cooper says the Government has 'failed' on immigration

A number of employers, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture, have routinely complained they are unable to find British recruits and have to fill the posts with workers from across Europe.

It is unclear how many EU residents actually find jobs through the website.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the Coalition was failing on immigration despite Mr Cameron's promise to reduce it to the tens of thousands by next year.

She said: "We need less talk from the Prime Minister on immigration and more action.

"It's almost a year-and-a-half since Labour called for benefit restrictions on new migrants. In that time we've had reannouncement after reannouncement from the Tories but little in the way of firm action."

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BP Warns Of Impact Of Sanctions On Russia

Oil giant BP has voiced fears that any further international sanctions imposed on Russia could have an "adverse impact" on the company.

It said the plan to tighten economic restrictions by the west, over the ongoing Ukraine crisis, may harm its relationship and investments in Russia's state-owned oil firm Rosneft.

The comments from BP come as it released its second quarter results, showing a profit of $3.635bn (£2.14bn).

The 28-member European Union is set to finalise a new raft of measures on Tuesday to block Russian banks' access to its markets. New sanctions have also been imposed by Japan, which Russia's foreign ministry said would harm their bilateral relations.

BP owns 19.75% of Rosneft, which is Russia's largest oil company, and the source for almost 9% of its annual profits.

BP is a top-tier FTSE 100 firm and a key company for UK pension funds to invest in.

In 2011 BP signed an Arctic exploration deal with Rosneft

On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said his country had no intention of imposing tit-for-tat sanctions.

Mr Lavrov said: "I assure you, we will overcome any difficulties that may arise in certain areas of the economy, and maybe we will become more independent and more confident in our own strength."

His comments came as a panel of judges in The Hague ordered the company to pay $50bn (£29.4bn) in damages to shareholders of the now defunct oil firm Yukos.

They said that officials under President Vladimir Putin manipulated the legal system to bankrupt Yukos, which was formerly owned by Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

Yukos, once Russia's largest oil company, was broken up after Mr Khodorkovsky was arrested in 2003.

It was declared bankrupt and auctioned off - with Rosneft buying most of its assets.

Rosneft said that it expected no claims to be made against the company in connection with the Hague court ruling, which Russia contests.

It said it was not a defendant in the case and that the ruling would not have a negative impact on its "commercial activity and assets".

On Tuesday, Russia's foreign ministry announced that new sanctions imposed by Japan would harm their bilateral relations.

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Man Dies After Freak Lightning Hits Beachgoers

A 20-year-old man has died after lightning struck more than a dozen people at a popular beach during thunderstorms in Southern California.

The man was taken from Venice Beach in Los Angeles and later pronounced dead in hospital, the Los Angeles' County Coroner said.

Another 12 beachgoers were treated. Nine of them, including a 15-year-old boy, went to hospitals.

A fireman looks over the pier during a search for victims at Venice Beach

One was in a critical condition, while others were in a "fair" condition, Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Katherine Main said.

Some of the injured were in the water and others on the busy beach's famed boardwalk at the time of the strikes.

Rescue divers joined the search

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said a fourteenth person was struck on a golf course on Southern California's Catalina Island.

The 57-year-old man is reported to be in a stable condition.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as the sky darkened and lightning erupted shortly afterwards, with thunder and rain.

"You could hear everybody screaming," Angelica Roquemore told the Los Angeles Times.

A swimmer is helped by paramedics

Stuart Acher said he was struck by lightning while playing volleyball on the beach.

"We went about our game and then all of a sudden, there was a big flash of light and a boom, and it felt like someone punched me in the back of my head," he told local station KABC-TV.

"It went down my whole side of my right body, and my calves sort of locked up, and I fell over.

"And I looked up and everybody else was, you know, falling over."

Witnesses told of scenes of panic as the lightning hit

Roger Davis was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying that his house shook and that he heard explosions.

When he ran outside, his neighbour - a doctor - was administering CPR to a victim, he told the paper.

Authorities say the thunderstorms also sparked at least two small grassland fires on the island that were quickly put out.

The unusual weather comes from monsoon moisture that has brought thunderstorms, experts say.

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Downing Of Flight MH17 'May Be War Crime'

The shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines plane killing all 298 people on board may amount to a war crime, according to the UN.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay condemned the "horrendous shooting down" of flight MH17, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, and demanded a "thorough, effective, independent and impartial investigation".

She said in a statement: "This violation of international law, given the prevailing circumstances, may amount to a war crime.

Every effort will be made to ensure that anyone committing serious violations of international law including war crimes will be brought to justice, no matter who they are."

The UN also said latest figures showed more than 1,100 people had been killed and nearly 3,500 wounded in fighting in eastern Ukraine, with both sides using heavy weapons in built-up areas, including artillery, tanks, rockets and missiles.

"Both sides must take great care to prevent more civilians from being killed or injured," Ms Pillay said.

A further 100,000 people have fled the conflict.

The report also accused rebels of conducting a brutal "reign of terror" in the areas they controlled, including the abduction, torture and killing of civilians as the rule of law has collapsed.

"These groups have taken control of Ukrainian territory and inflicted on the populations a reign of intimidation and terror to maintain their position of control," it said.

The report was published as at least eight civilians were killed by fighting in the cities of Luhansk and Donetsk, which are held by separatist militants.

It came as the US released satellite images that it claims show rockets have been fired at Ukraine from within Russia.

The images, which come from the US Director of National Intelligence and have not been independently verified, also purport to show that heavy artillery for pro-Russian separatists has crossed the border.

Their release appears to be a part of Barack Obama's push to hold Russia accountable for its activities in Ukraine - and persuade European allies to apply harsher sanctions on Moscow.

Officials say the images prove heavy weapons were fired between July 21 and July 26 - after the July 17 downing of the airliner.

Moscow has denied allegations of involvement in eastern Ukraine, claiming the US is conducting "an unrelenting campaign of slander against Russia, ever more relying on open lies".            

Meanwhile, a 49-strong team of Dutch and Australian police is making a fresh attempt to reach the MH17 crash site after fierce fighting halted a previous attempt.

Australia's Deputy Commissioner of National Security Andrew Colvin said evidence risked being lost if fighting continued, and the chances of finding the remains of all the dead grew slimmer as time went on.

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UN Calls For 'Unconditional' Gaza Ceasefire

The United Nations Security Council has called for "an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza following an emergency session in New York.

The council adopted a presidential statement - one step below a legally-binding resolution - urging Israel and Hamas "to accept and fully implement the humanitarian ceasefire into the Eid period and beyond".

Several temporary truces have been observed and broken on a weekend when the Palestinian death toll topped 1,000.

Some 43 Israeli soldiers have also been killed since their military operation began on July 8, while three civilians have died from rocket fire into Israel.

The present conflict between Israel and Hamas began on July 8

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian representative to the UN, said he was "disappointed" a formal resolution demanding Israel withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip had not been agreed.

"They should have adopted a resolution a long time ago to condemn this aggression and to call for this aggression to be stopped immediately," he said.

Israeli ambassador Ron Prosor added: "Miraculously (the statement) doesn't mention Hamas. It doesn't mention the firing of rockets.

"You don't have to have the IQ of a rocket scientist to understand that if rockets are falling on you, you are allowed to defend yourself."

On Sunday, Barack Obama called Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to press for an immediate truce.

The US President said Israel had a right to defend itself but reiterated his country's "serious and growing concern" about the loss of life on both sides and the "worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza".

Hamas fired more rockets at Israel overnight, despite claims it had accepted a UN request for a 24-hour extension of a humanitarian ceasefire.

The temporary break, which Israel has not formally agreed, started at 2pm (noon UK time) yesterday ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid.

Sky News' Sherine Tadros, reporting from Gaza City, said more than 160,000 civilians had sought refuge in dozens of temporary shelters and were suffering from major food and water shortages.

As well as calling for an immediate truce, the Security Council statement set out a longer-term aim of two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, "with secure and recognised borders".

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Clegg: Russia Should Be Stripped Of World Cup

Russia should be stripped of the 2018 World Cup in the wake of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, says Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

He said it was "unthinkable" at present that the tournament could go ahead in the country blamed by the West for supplying arms to pro-Russian separatists suspected of shooting down the jet.

Football's world governing body Fifa this week ruled out calls from some German politicians for Russia to be boycotted, insisting the tournament could be "a force for good".

President Putin is coming under increasing international pressure

But Mr Clegg told The Sunday Times that allowing it to go ahead without a change of course by Russian President Vladimir Putin would make the world look "so weak and so insincere" in its condemnation of Moscow's annexation of Crimea and support for the rebels.

"If there's one thing that Vladimir Putin cares about, as far as I can see, it's his sense of status," he said.

"Maybe reminding him that you can't retain the same status in the world if you ignore the rest of the world, maybe that will have some effect on his thinking."

Russia has reacted angrily to additional sanctions imposed by the EU, saying they would hamper co-operation on security issues and undermine the fight against terrorism and organised crime.

Russia's foreign ministry also accused the US of contributing to the conflict in Ukraine through its support for the pro-Western government in Kiev.

It comes as 30 Dutch forensic experts head to the crash site in eastern Ukraine, despite intensifying fighting in the area between Ukrainian government forces and the rebels.

This map shows the flight path of MH17 before it crashed

Malaysia says it has secured an agreement with the separatists to allow international police to enter the crash site.

Officers would be allowed access to the area to provide protection for international crash investigators to recover human remains and establish the cause of the disaster.

Meanwhile, a Malaysia Airlines official has called for the creation of a new body to decide which flight paths are safe following the downing of the Boeing 777-200 in which all 298 people on board died.

Hugh Dunleavy, the company's commercial director, said airlines could no longer rely on decisions made by existing industry bodies on which volatile regions are secure to fly over.

Despite flying over a conflict zone, MH17's flight path had been approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the Ukrainian authorities and the European airspace service provider Eurocontrol, Mr Dunleavy said.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he called for airlines and existing aviation bodies to "review existing processes and set more stringent standards".

"Ultimately, we need one body to be the arbiter of where we can fly," he said.

"This tragedy has taught us that despite following the guidelines and advice set out by the governing bodies, the skies above certain territories are simply not safe.

"For the sake of passenger and crew safety we need to insist on a higher level of authority."

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Israel Resumes Gaza Fighting After Rocket Fire

The Israeli military has resumed fighting in Gaza after accusing Hamas of violating a humanitarian truce, which had been extended by Israel.

Air raid sirens sounded in southern and central Israel this morning as militants in Gaza fired a salvo of rockets across the border. 

In a statement the Israeli military said: "Following Hamas' incessant rocket fire throughout the humanitarian window, which was agreed upon for the welfare of the civilian population in Gaza, the (army) will now resume its aerial, naval and ground activity in the Gaza Strip."

Residents in Gaza reported hearing heavy shelling east of Gaza City shortly after the announcement.

Israel has resumed its offensive in Gaza after a fragile truce

The Israeli army this morning said a soldier had been killed yesterday by a shell fired from Gaza, taking to 43 the number of Israeli troops to die in combat. Three civilians have also been killed by rocket fire into Israel.

Israel had extended a ceasefire until midnight (10pm UK time) on Sunday at the UN's request, but said it would retaliate if attacked. 

Hamas had immediately rejected the truce.

"No humanitarian ceasefire is valid without Israeli tanks withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and without residents being able to return to their homes and ambulances carrying bodies being able to freely move around in Gaza," spokesman Fawzi Barhum said.

Some 132 bodies were reportedly pulled from the rubble in Gaza during the lull, while the pause allowed Palestinians to stock up on supplies.

Some 132 bodies were pulled from rubble in Gaza during Saturday's truce

More than 1,000 Palestinians have died since Israel launched a military operation more than two weeks ago.

Late Saturday the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on Israel immediately after the expiration the initial 12-hour ceasefire.

The resumption of rocket fire led police to clear a protest in Tel Aviv, where thousands of Israelis were demonstrating against their government's military operation.

Anti-war protests also took place in London, Paris, Frankfurt and other cities.

Meanwhile, world leaders continue their attempt to thrash out a wider ceasefire in Paris.

On Friday Israel rejected a seven-day ceasefire backed by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Israelis demonstrated against their government's military operation

A top Pentagon intelligence official has warned that the destruction of Hamas would only lead to something more dangerous taking its place, as he offered a grim portrait of a period of enduring regional conflict.

The remarks by Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, the outgoing head of the Defence Intelligence Agency, came as Israeli ministers signalled that a comprehensive deal to end the 20-day-old conflict in the Gaza Strip appeared remote.

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Controlled Explosions After Homes Evacuated

Police say a number of controlled explosions have been carried out at a flat in Derbyshire where "potentially volatile" substances were found leading to the evacuation of up to 200 residents.

A 55-year-old remains in custody and families from properties within 100m of the find in Newhall, South Derbyshire, remain out of their homes as a precaution.

Homes have been evacuated in Newhall, south Derbyshire

Officers said it could take until this afternoon before people are allowed to return to their homes.

Police had been called to the scene on Saturday afternoon by neighbours worried about loud bangs coming from a block of flats.

Firefighters and bomb disposal experts also attended.

Superintendent Paul Callum said safety is paramount

A man was arrested after the substance was discovered during a search of the flat in Belvoir Crescent.

Council officials told residents they found "volatile chemicals" in the flat that would take time to make safe.

Superintendent Paul Callum, who is in charge of the incident, said: "The safety of the public is paramount in these situations.

"We apologise for any inconvenience to the evacuees. We will let them return to their homes as soon as we can be sure the area is safe."

Local resident Leslie Wood, who is staying with friends after being evacuated, told Sky News: "Fire officers came to me and said there had been an incident and we had to vacate the premises for at least 24 hours."

A local school is being used as a coordination centre and temporary shelter.

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