Guantanamo Bay: The Inmates Who Remain

Boko Haram Fight Intensifies In West Africa

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 14 Februari 2015 | 16.08

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, Fotokol

The battle against Boko Haram is intensifying in the run-up to the delayed Nigerian elections.

The terror group appears to be mounting more attacks especially on neighboring border towns along the country's frontier.

Authorities who put back the elections by six weeks because of the threat from the extremist group, have vowed to crush all Boko Haram camps between now and polling day on March 28.

A five-Nation group of West African countries are now involved in the fight. Nigeria has been joined by Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin.

The Sky News team of myself, cameraman Garwen McLuckie and producer Nick Ludlam gained rare access to Cameroon's elite Rapid Intervention Battalion - known as BIR - and joined their troops in the far north of the country.

We travelled with them to the town of Fotokol, which continues to be the focus of fighting.

Parts of Fotokol have been torn apart - with rows of stalls, homes and vehicles torched. Survivors talk of men being sprayed with bullets as they rose from praying in one of the mosques.

We saw the walls of the mosque, peppered with holes. One of those who carried the bodies out said 37 men were killed there.

Fotokol is just one of the towns on the border with Nigeria to be invaded and terrorised by the Boko Haram extremist group - and its inhabitants are traumatised.

One inhabitant told us he had been too scared to leave his household since the attack five days earlier. Nine members of his household had been killed shortly after early morning prayers.

The stakes are high for the Cameroon military posted along the frontier with their much richer, bigger, more powerful Nigerian neighbour.

They have now been bolstered by troops from Chad, but the battle with the militants is just as fierce. And if they fail, the consequences are devastating - as Fotokol found out.

As we arrived in the area, more Chadian troops were preparing to advance into Nigeria, telling us there was a battle still raging over the bridge separating Cameroon from their neighbour.

One Chadian soldier who spoke to us told us the fighting was "very dangerous and hard".

"We don't even have time to sleep," he said.

"The fighting goes on through the night even."

The Cameroon soldiers are fiercely dedicated to their task.

"We will not let Boko Haram enter our country," said one commander.

"That will not happen. If I go, then someone else will take my place. There is no other option."

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Gallery: Profile Of Boko Haram Leader

Abubakar Shekau is the leader of Boko Haram. He took control of the Islamist group after the death of founder Mohammed Yusuf in 2009

Little is known about him, although he was born in Shekau village in the northeastern state of Yobe and is now thought to be in his early 40s

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Ukraine: Fresh Bombing Endangers Peace Deal

Ukraine's president has warned that fresh shelling in the east of the country is putting the impending ceasefire in danger.

At least 11 people have been killed and dozens wounded in the last 24 hours, but a ceasefire agreed on Thursday is due to come into force at 10pm UK time.

A shell landed in a school yard in the eastern Ukrainian town of Artemivsk controlled by the government forces on Friday, killing one child and two adults.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels fought fiercely across the east of the country despite the new peace deal brokered by Germany and France in Minsk.

And Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said: "We have city of Artemivsk which is situated about 30km from the touchline, absolutely not anything involved in the military operation.

"And in the same way like in Kramatorsk, the Russian multiple rocket launch system Grad, or Smerch, just killed, confirmed killed three civilians.

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Gallery: Ukraine Crisis Continues

Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed a deal on Thursday that offers a "glimmer of hope" for an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine after marathon overnight talks

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) addresses journalists as he takes part in peace talks on resolving the Ukrainian crisis in Minsk

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Obese Could Lose Benefits Unless They Diet

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Obese people could lose benefits worth up to £100 a week if they refuse to diet, as a review into sickness payments is ordered by David Cameron.

Drug addicts and alcoholics could also lose benefits if they refuse treatment that would help them get a job, in a move aimed at stopping people claiming as a "lifestyle" choice.

"Too many people are stuck on sickness benefits because of issues that could be addressed but instead are not," said the Prime Minister.

"Some have drug or alcohol problems, but refuse treatment.

"In other cases people have problems with their weight that could be addressed, but instead a life on benefits rather than work becomes the choice.

"It is not fair to ask hardworking taxpayers to fund the benefits of people who refuse to accept the support and treatment that could help them get back to a life of work.

"The next Conservative government is determined to make sure that the hardest to help get the support they need to get them back to a fulfilling life."

Ministers estimate there are almost 100,000 people claiming sickness benefits on the grounds of treatable conditions such as drug or alcohol addiction, or obesity.

At present, there is no requirement for such people to undertake treatment, meaning it is possible to claim without making efforts at recovery.

Of the 2.5 million claiming sickness benefits, about 1.5 million have been claiming for more than five years.

Mr Cameron says he has asked Professor Dame Carol Black to undertake a rapid review in to how best to help those suffering from long-term yet treatable conditions back in to work.

"In particular, I have asked her to consider whether people should face the threat of a reduction in benefits if they refuse to engage with a recommended treatment plan," he said.

"It is vital that people who would benefit from treatment get the medical help they need."

Professor Black, a leading Government adviser on health, work and welfare, said: "I am deeply interested in trying to overcome the challenges these types of benefit claimants pose.

"These people, in addition to their long-term conditions and lifestyle issues, suffer the great disadvantage of not being engaged in the world of work, such an important feature of society."

Explaining the reasons for the threat to axe benefits from the obese, drug addicts and alcoholics, a Government source said: "As well as the unwarranted expense, this represents an unproductive waste of human potential."

Tam Fry from the National Obesity Forum told Sky News: "Obesity is the issue which might bring down the NHS.

"We have the most appalling problem and so far the coalition government have done absolutely nothing serious about it. If this is a sign they are taking obesity serious then I think this is something they should be considering."

He added: "You've got to be very careful about how you do it because all those people who are fat because they have a metabolic and a medical syndrome attached to it, they have got to be protected.

"But for the people who just eat and eat and eat and refuse to take any kind of treatment, then I think there is a salvo that has to be fired across their bows."

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Russia Warned Over Ukraine Truce Failure

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 13 Februari 2015 | 16.08

Russia has been warned sanctions will be ramped up if the truce to end the Ukraine conflict is not fully implemented.

The ceasefire is due to come into force on Sunday following 16-hour talks between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.

Previous ceasefires have failed to hold and German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the agreement as "a glimmer of hope - no more, no less".

Russia is already enduring financial and diplomatic sanctions for its alleged role in helping separatists who control parts of eastern Ukraine.

And Mrs Merkel warned: "We hold open the possibility, if these new agreements are not implemented, that we must take further measures."

EU officials have been asked to prepare extra sanctions in case the ceasefire collapses, Mrs Merkel added.

European Council President Donald Tusk said previously agreed sanctions against 19 Russian and Ukrainian individuals and nine entities would still come into force next week.

"Our trust in the goodwill of (Russian) President Putin is limited, this is why we have to maintain our decision on sanctions," he said.

The terms of the ceasefire include a withdrawal of heavy weapons, Ukraine taking control of its Russian border, the granting of special status to rebel regions and addressing the humanitarian crisis created by the 10-month conflict.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko admitted to having doubts.

"It was very difficult negotiation and we expect a not easy implementation process," he said.

Soon after the ceasefire was announced, Kiev complained of a new mass influx of Russian armour into rebel-held areas.

The US labelled the agreement, which was brokered in Belarus, as "potentially significant", but also expressed concern about the situation on the ground.

"The United States is particularly concerned about the escalation of fighting today, which is inconsistent with the spirit of the accord," the White House said in a statement.

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Gallery: Ukraine Crisis: Fighting Increases (February 11)

Local residents look at the remains of a rocket shell on a street in the town of Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine

Seven civilians have been killed and 26 wounded in rocket strikes on the town of Kramatorsk

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Guantanamo Bay: The Inmates Who Remain

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Some 122 men are being held without charge at Guantanamo Bay, despite many having already been cleared for release.

Here are eight of those prisoners who are still detained at the US-run facility in Cuba.

:: Younis Abdurrahman Chekkouri, 46

Born in 1968 in Morocco, Chekkouri was captured by Pakistani authorities in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo a year later. He is understood to have co-founded the Moroccan Islamic Fighting Group and was a close associate of Osama bin Laden. The US believes he is of high intelligence value and poses a threat to the country and its interests.

:: Omar Hamzayavich Abdulayev, 36

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Gallery: Guantanamo Bay: In Pictures

Detainees sitting in a holding area watched by military police at Camp X-Ray inside Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 11 January 2002

A detainee is escorted by unarmed US army personnel inside Camp X-Ray on the Guantanamo Naval Base, US, 17 January 2002

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General view shows Camp X-Ray at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

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One of the thirty-four newly arrived detainees is walked to the showers by US Army Military Police 11 Febuary, 2002, at Camp X-Ray

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An Army guard watches over detainees at Camp Delta, 10 September 2002

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Abdulayev, originally from Tajikistan, was reportedly captured by Pakistani authorities at a checkpoint in 2001. It was claimed he was carrying handwritten notes on chemicals and explosives and he was transferred to Guantanamo in 2002 at the age of 24. US authorities say he has admitted to being a member of the Islamic Movement of Tajikistan and is of high risk.

:: Ravil Mingazov, 47

Born in 1967 and reportedly of Russian nationality, Mingazov was detained during a raid by Pakistani police in Faisalabad in 2002 and sent to Guantanamo the same year. US authorities claim he has admitted attending al Qaeda training camps in Tajikistan and Afghanistan and has received explosives and assassination training. He is considered by the US to be of high risk to the US and its allies, but of low intelligence value.

:: Ahmed Ould Abdel Aziz, 44

Abdel Aziz was captured by Pakistani intelligence services during a raid on a suspected al Qaeda safe house in Karachi in 2002. It is claimed a search of the house recovered a mobile phone, radios and a telephone book. Originally from Mauritania, he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay the same year to provide intelligence on members of al Qaeda killed in Afghanistan during attacks by US and Coalition forces. US authorities claim he has provided "vast amounts of information" but has been deceptive regarding key facts such as locations and dates.

:: Riduan Isomuddin, 50

Isomuddin was born in Indonesia in 1964 and captured in Thailand in 2003 before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006 to face prosecution for terrorist offences against the US. Authorities in America claim Isomuddin was responsible for the Bali bombings in Indonesia in 2002 and that he is "committed to the most extreme Islamic ideology". The US considers him a high-value detainee.

:: Ghaleb Nasser, 35

Born in 1979 in Yemen, Nasser was taken prisoner in Afghanistan in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo in 2002. US authorities claim he was part of Osama bin Laden's 55th Arab Brigade and that he is high risk to the US and its allies. He has reportedly provided a significant amount of information about al Qaeda and Taliban activities in or near Tora Bora and the front lines of Kunduz.

:: Moath al Alwi, 37

Al Alwi was captured by Pakistani forces in 2001 while attempting to cross the Afghanistan-Pakistani border. He was assessed to be part of Osama bin Laden's security team and sent to Guantanamo in 2002. The US has claimed al Alwi, who is from Yemen, attended advanced militant training courses at al Qaeda-affiliated training camps where he was trained in "elite hand-to-hand combat". He is considered by US authorities to be of high risk to its interests and of high intelligence value.

:: Fayiz al Kandari, 37

Born in Kuwait, al Kandari was reportedly captured by unidentified Afghans as he was heading down the Tora Bora mountains in Pakistan and sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. US authorities have claimed al Kandari served as an advisor to Osama bin Laden and have assessed him as being of high risk to the US, its interests and allies.

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Written By Unknown on Kamis, 12 Februari 2015 | 16.08

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent

The terror group Boko Haram is "perpetually mutating" according to Cameroon military leaders - and it has a well-organised structure with constantly changing tactics.

Sky News has been given rare access to special forces in Cameroon who are at the forefront of the battle against the extremist militant group.

The group is increasingly conducting its operations over Nigeria's borders and mounting attacks into neighbouring countries like Cameroon.

Our team travelled to the north of the country and its border with Nigeria where the militant group was born.

We joined the Cameroon elite unit, the rapid response battalion or BIR, as it attempted to plug the long, porous border with Nigeria.

The Sky News team was the sole British news organisation to travel with the troops to Amchide, Kolofata and Kerawa - three towns along the border which have all suffered at the hands of Boko Haram.

The army commanders told us the extremist group already had a self-declared caliphate in at least one area of Nigeria - in Gwoza.

"Behind that mountain is Nigeria and a Boko Haram state," said Major Garangsou Clement, commander of Kolofata post.

"There is no Nigerian Government there. It is Boko Haram's caliphate."

The militant group has also developed a new favourite form of attack: roadside bombs or IEDs.

They are much more deadly for the troops and a lot less dangerous for the militants.

We drove past a wrecked army pickup. "IED," one of the soldiers told us.

"Two of our soldiers died there."

In front of Amchide army post there are more charred vehicles: an armoured personnel carrier and a pick-up truck.

The militants almost got to the gate of the post in a large attack last October, before being repelled.

Amchide town appears deserted now.

More troops and heavier weapons have been sent to the border town, but so far the residents do not seem to have been persuaded to return.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Korean Air Executive Jailed Over 'Nut Rage'

A court in South Korea has sentenced the daughter of the boss of Korean Air to a year in prison after she threw a tantrum over a packet of airline nuts.

Heather Cho was the Executive Vice President of Korean Air until she was forced to resign in December following an incident on a Korean Air flight from New York to Seoul.

Cho had ordered the plane to return to its gate so the Chief Steward could be removed after she had been offered her first-class snack in a plastic packet rather than in a dish.

The 40 -year-old has been convicted of obstructing aviation safety after making an unauthorised demand for the plane to return to the gate. She was cleared of charges relating to allegations that she had tried to bribe the victims in the case.

One of the three judges said that the incident would never have occurred if Cho had shown consideration for other human beings, had not treated them as slaves, and had been conscious of public perception.

The incident happened in a three-minute period as the plane was backing away from the gate in preparation for take-off. CCTV footage from the gate at JFK airport, played in court, shows the Korean Air plane pulling back from the stand.

After backing up for 25 seconds, the plane stops and remains stationary for three minutes before moving back up to the gate.

Inside the first class cabin, Heather Cho had been offered her nuts by stewardess Kim Do-hee. Angry that they had been presented to her in their packet, Cho remonstrated with the stewardess.

The chief steward of the flight, Park Chang-Jin, attempted to resolves the situation but he too was given a dressing down by Cho.

Mr Park told the court: "[Cho] was like a beast that found its prey, gritting its teeth as she became abusive, not listening to what I had to say at all".

"I don't think Cho showed an ounce of conscience, treating powerless people like myself like feudal slaves, forcing us to sacrifice and treating it as if it was the natural thing to do," the chief steward told the court in evidence.

As the plane sat on the tarmac metres from the gate, Cho ordered that Mr Park bring her a tablet computer containing the airlines protocol so that she could prove to him that he had violated airline procedure in the distribution of nuts to first class passengers.

The computer was produced but Mr Park was unable to remember the password. It is alleged that Ms Cho then began to hit Mr Park and ordered that he be removed from the flight. The Captain returned the plane to the gate and Mr Park was removed.

The incident has sparked a wider debate within South Korea about abuse of power and nepotism within the country's so-called 'Chaebols' – family-owned conglomerates who dominate South Korean business. Cho's father, Cho Yang-ho, the airline's chairman was convicted of tax evasion in 2000 and given a suspended sentence before being issued with a presidential pardon.

There have been numerous other cases involving 'Chaebols' which together have prompted suggestions that they act above the law and lack proper checks and balances.

In 2008, Samsung's Chairman, Lee Kun-hee was given a three year suspended sentence for financial wrongdoing. He too was given a presidential pardon.

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Leaders Struggle To Reach Deal On Ukraine

Leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany are struggling to reach a deal after all-night talks aimed at ending the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

There has apparently been little progress at the summit in the Belarusian capital Minsk.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has said conditions laid down by Russia are unacceptable.

He is said to be unhappy with a Russian proposal on the demarcation line which separates rebels and Ukrainian forces.

Another sticking point is Moscow's position on the future status of territory held by the pro-Russian separatists.

The arrival at the talks of two leaders of the rebel-held Donetsk and Luhansk regions had raised hopes of an agreement.

But they are refusing to sign a deal unless Kiev agrees to withdraw its troops from the key railway town of Debeltseve.

"No agreement yet. The separatists do not want to sign. They demand the retreat of the Ukrainian army from Debaltseve," a source at the talks has been quoted as saying.

The discussions involve Mr Petroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Earlier they were reported to be close to an agreement to end the 10-month conflict, which has cost more than 5,300 lives.

Ukrainian presidential aide Valeriy Chaly said a "battle of nerves" was under way as dawn approached.

"We've got another 5-6 hours of work. At least," he said on Facebook after talks had already been going on for seven hours.

Mr Poroshenko has said the talks are crucial in deciding whether the situation will de-escalate or spiral "out of control".

The negotiations opened with a brief handshake between Mr Poroshenko and Mr Putin, who were meeting for the first time since October.

A source told AFP the leaders were hoping to sign a joint statement calling for the fulfilment of an earlier failed peace plan signed by Kiev and the rebels last year.

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Gallery: Ukraine Crisis: Fighting Increases (February 11)

Local residents look at the remains of a rocket shell on a street in the town of Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine

Seven civilians have been killed and 26 wounded in rocket strikes on the town of Kramatorsk

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Machete Seized As Australia Plot 'Foiled'

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 11 Februari 2015 | 16.08

Australian police say they have prevented an "imminent" terror attack linked to Islamic State (IS) after arresting two men in a Sydney suburb.

Police say a machete, a hunting knife and homemade IS flag were seized in Fairfield, as well as a video of a man talking about an attack.

New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said the planned attack was "consistent with the messaging coming out of IS".

State premier Mike Baird said a potentially "catastrophic" incident had been avoided.

He said: "It was beyond disturbing, what was planned. Certainly, something catastrophic was avoided... and for that we should be very thankful."

When asked whether a beheading was planned, Ms Burns said police were unsure of the attack's nature, but added it was imminent and likely to have involved a knife.

"We believe that the men were potentially going to harm somebody, maybe even kill somebody, and potentially using one of the items that we identified and recovered yesterday, potentially a knife," she said.

The men, aged 24 and 25, would have carried out the attack on Tuesday if they had not been arrested that day, Ms Burn added.

"We built up information, we received further information which indicated an attack was imminent, and we acted," she explained.

Omar al Kutobi and Mohammad Kiad have been charged with undertaking acts in preparation or planning for a terrorist act, which carries a maximum punishment of life in prison.

They were refused bail during a brief court hearing on Wednesday. Neither man appeared in the courtroom.

Ms Burn said the men were not previously on their radar and she did not know whether the alleged target was the police, military or the general public.

However, she did confirm that one of those arrested features in the video that was seized.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Parliament the footage depicted one of the suspects kneeling in front of the IS flag with the knife and machete while making a statement in Arabic.

Police are trying to determine if the men were in contact with anyone associated with IS.

In December, a gunman claiming to represent IS took 18 people hostage in a 16-hour siege at a Sydney cafe.

The hostage situation ended in a hail of gunfire when police rushed the cafe.

The gunman, Man Haron Monis, and hostages Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson died in the siege.

A number of raids have been carried out in Sydney and Melbourne since Australia raised its terror threat level to high for the first time in September, citing the likelihood of attacks by Australians radicalised in Iraq or Syria.

Australia, which backs US action against IS in Syria and Iraq, believes at least 70 citizens are fighting in the region, backed by 100 "facilitators" at home.

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NHS Whistleblowers Set To Get Protection

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

NHS staff who blow the whistle about poor patient care are to be protected by sweeping reforms that will bring an end to the cover-up culture in hospitals.

The measures will be announced in Parliament by the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt in response to a review that he commissioned into the treatment of staff who speak out.

The review by Sir Robert Francis, who led the inquiry into the Mid-Staffs scandal, has been delayed by two months because he received more than 18,000 responses, many of them from doctors and nurses who were sacked for sounding the alarm.

Sir Robert is expected to warn that poor care at failing hospitals went undetected for many years because staff concerns were suppressed.

Dr David Drew, a consultant paediatrician, says he was sacked for gross misconduct because he spoke out over the death of a toddler.

He says for too long the NHS and Department of Health have done nothing to support whistleblowers.

He told Sky News: "They have not lifted a finger to help us. Patients are suffering, patients are dying.

"The staff who would like to speak up for them are being hamstrung by the people in charge of these hospitals."

Sir Robert is expected to make a series of recommendations to ensure NHS workers can raise public interest concerns without fear of recrimination - and that appropriate action is taken as a result.

Those who mistreat whistleblowers could also be held to account.

However, Sir Robert will not re-open any previous cases under the reforms.

Julie Bailey, whose mother died at Stafford Hospital in 2007 and successfully campaigned for an inquiry into the Trust, said: "In his first inquiry, Robert Francis recommended that there would be criminal sanctions against those who try to silence whistleblowers.

"We need this Government now to put that recommendation into action."

Nurse Jennie Fecitt, who was bullied and victimised after raising concerns about a colleague who had claimed to have qualifications he did not, told Sky News: "My main concern was patient safety.

"He didn't possess the essential qualifications for the job that he was doing which was seeing patients, diagnosing and treating them autonomously as a primary care nurse, no reference to a doctor.

"So he was in a considerable position of responsibility."

Calling for protection for whistleblowers, Ms Fecitt said: "I have a duty to make patients my first concern. It's non-negotiable."

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Driverless Car Trials Begin Across Britain

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

A project to test driverless vehicles is being launched today in the hope the UK will become a leading global supplier.

A shuttle is being tried out in the London borough of Greenwich and an electric pod will be used on closed roads and pedestrian areas in Milton Keynes and Coventry.

Vehicles trialled in Bristol will also help gauge public reaction to the cars and assess legal and insurance issues.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The UK is at the cutting edge of automotive technology - from the all-electric cars built in Sunderland to the Formula One expertise in the Midlands.

"It's important for jobs, growth and society that we keep at the forefront of innovation, that's why I launched a competition to research and develop driverless cars.

"The projects we are now funding will help to ensure we are world leaders in this field and able to benefit from what is expected to be a £900bn industry by 2025."

The Government says there are no legal barriers to the testing of automated vehicles on public roads.

Dr Nick Reed from the Transport Research Lab, which is running the Greenwich trials, said the shuttles use sensors to avoid hazards.

"Safety is paramount in our research and the vehicle is detecting moving objects around it, and if pedestrians are moving into its path it will slow down, and if they continue into its path it will come to a safe stop ahead of the pedestrian," he said.

It is hoped £19m of Government funding will help British designers get ahead of competitors.

In the US, Google has been testing its version for several years and car companies have been showing off their designs.

For the UK trials, a qualified driver will be ready to take control if necessary.

Insurer David Williams said: "Currently whoever is driving the car, or cars, are responsible for the accident, but going forward what's it going to be?

"Is it going to be the manufacturer of the vehicle? The person who programmed the software? And it gets even more complicated - most of these vehicles, they're not driverless all the time, they have the ability for people to interact and take over."

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Gallery: Mercedes Unveils Driverless Car At CES

The Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion autonomous concept car is shown on stage during the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas

The interior features a wooden floor and four futuristic armchairs covered in white Nappa leather, which rotate to face each other

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Lung Cancer 'Breathalyser' To Go On Trial

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 10 Februari 2015 | 16.08

By Tom Cheshire, Technology Correspondent

A "breathalyser" that can diagnose lung cancer will be used in two NHS hospitals this summer as part of a £1m clinical trial.

The device was originally invented by engineer Billy Boyle to detect explosives in airports and on the battlefield, but he refocused on medical applications after his wife Kate Gross, then 34, was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2012.

Mrs Gross, who after leaving Oxford University had become a high-flying civil servant, advising prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, was given a 5% chance of survival.

The LuCID (lung cancer indicator detection) project by Owlstone, the company founded by Mr Boyle, analyses the chemicals present in a person's breath.

Diseases like lung cancer produce miniscule but unique chemical traces.

This can indicate illness long before symptoms become obvious - when survival rates are much higher.

The survival rate for Stage 1 lung cancer is 75%; Stage 4 is just 5%.

Mr Boyle told Sky News: "The great thing is the technology exists today.

"We already have the microchip, we're working on small handheld devices in (a) GP's office.

"It's important to get the clinical evidence first. But we think we can have systems available, proven, within the next two years.

"And our goal is to save the NHS £245m - but more importantly to save 10,000 lives."

After two years with cancer, Kate died early on Christmas Day, aged 36.

Mr Boyle said: "Me and my wife talked about different applications of Owlstone's technology.

"We spent many years sitting in cancer wards in Addenbroke's in Cambridge and down in London and you see a lot of people there.

"And they're there because the disease is detected too late.

"So early detection means that you will have fewer people sitting in those waiting rooms.

"Because of the experience of my wife and my family, we saw the devastation that cancer brings to families, in the various hospitals that we've been.

"You develop technologies for a reason.

"Sometimes it's for monetary gain. Other times it's to make a difference. And I think we have a real opportunity to try and improve the lives of patients."

Owlstone's technology can be applied to other diseases too, including bowel cancer, tuberculosis and asthma.

Dr Jonathan Bennett, a consultant respiratory physician at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, told Sky News: "If successful, this test could be delivered locally - for example at GP surgeries and pharmacies for people assessed at being high risk."

"We are looking forward to answering this question with this innovative study."

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cameron: 'It's Time Britain Had A Pay Rise'

David Cameron will call for business leaders to pass the benefits of economic growth and low oil prices to employees, saying Britain deserves a pay rise.

In a speech at the British Chambers of Commerce annual conference today, Mr Cameron will say economic success should be reflected in the contents of workers' wallets.

The Prime Minister will argue that business chiefs should share the proceeds of economic growth with their workers.

"Economic success can't just be shown in the GDP figures or on the balance sheets of British businesses ... but in people's pay packets and bank accounts and lifestyles," he is expected to say.

"The most recent figures show that wages are already growing faster than inflation and as the economy continues to grow it's important this continues and that everyone benefits.

"Put simply - it's time Britain had a pay rise."

He will tell the conference in Westminster that Britain is currently seeing "the strongest growth for seven years".

"We are seeing falling oil prices, meaning businesses up and down the country have lower prices on their inputs," he will say.

"Now that your costs are falling and it's cheaper to do business, I'm confident that more businesses will pass on that good economic news to their workers in rising pay cheques and higher earnings.

"That's good for your employees, it's good for you to have happier and more productive staff and frankly it's good for anyone who wants to make the argument for business."

But the TUC's general secretary Frances O'Grady dismissed Mr Cameron's call as "no more than pre-election mood music".

"Since David Cameron became Prime Minister, the average wage is worth £2,500 less a year, the worst fall in living standards since Queen Victoria was on the throne," she said.

"Saying it would be nice if wages went up is no more than pre-election mood music.

"If elected again his policies would do the opposite."

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls will also address the conference, and is expected to attack the Conservatives for creating damaging uncertainty for Britain's businesses.

He will also argue that with working people £1,600 a year worse off than in 2010, more needs to be done to ensure rising prosperity for all.

"This is set to be the first time since the 1920s when working people are worse off at the end of the Parliament than they were at the beginning," Mr Balls will say.

"So at a time when, even as our economy recovers, most people are not yet seeing the benefit in their wages and living standards, this is no time for complacency.

"If we are to win the argument that Britain can succeed in an open global economy, we have to show that our economy can deliver rising prosperity for everyone who works hard and plays by the rules.

"And that is not what people think is happening in our country at the moment."

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Probe Deadly Truck Crash Near School

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Police are continuing to investigate the cause of a collision involving a tipper truck that left four people dead, including a young girl.

The 32-tonne truck, which was carrying aggregate, crashed into cars and pedestrians as it travelled down a steep hill in Upper Weston in Bath, Somerset, just after 4pm on Monday.

The girl, who was a pedestrian, and three adults in a car died at the scene.

Eyewitness accounts given to police suggest the driver of the truck had been trying to avoid an accident.

The area was busy with parents collecting children from school, and police have asked Weston All Saints Primary School to remain closed today due to the incident.

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Gallery: Runaway Truck Hits Cars And Pedestrians

The tipper truck - carrying gravel - turned over in the accident

Lansdown Lane in Upper Weston was closed over the accident

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The deaths happened outside a school. Pic: Peter Fletcher

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Witnesses said the driver of the truck was trying to prevent an accident

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The air ambulance was called to take the injured to hospital. Pic: Chris Lucas

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A number of people were also injured.

One of them, who is believed to be female, was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol in a critical condition from a primary school playing field.

Another three patients, two men and one woman, suffered minor injuries and were taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

A hospital spokesman said: "As a precaution, one adult male and one adult female are being kept in overnight."

"The third person, an adult male, is being discharged."

A makeshift facility at the school was set up to treat several "walking wounded" with less serious injuries.

A detailed examination of the scene has begun, and motorists have been told to avoid the Lansdown Lane area between the High Street and Deanhill Lane, which will remain closed.

Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster said the council had imposed a 20mph speed limit on parts of the road to improve safety.

"It is a road where we have put speed limits in and flashing lights because it is quite a steep hill coming down," he said.

"There have been attempts by the council over the years to improve safety on the road."

Anyone with information who has not already spoken to police is asked to contact Avon and Somerset Police's collision investigation unit on 101.

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Written By Unknown on Senin, 09 Februari 2015 | 16.08

By Alex Crawford, Sky's special correspondent in Manoua, northern Cameroon

The terror of Boko Haram has forced a six-week delay for Nigeria's presidential elections - but few Nigerians who have escaped the extremists believe their power will be curbed in that time.

Safety has come at a heavy price for tens of thousands of Nigerians who have run away from the Islamic militant group and are now sheltering in neighbouring Cameroon.

They scratch around for food and complain bitterly at the shortage of water in the huge refugee camp north of Manoua which is now their home.

There are rows and rows of tents made of plastic sheeting supplied by the UN refugee agency UNHCR which now house families - but there are also large numbers of fragile one-room stick homes.

Halima Adam and her five children live in one of them.

Tears roll down her cheeks as she tells Sky News how the militant fighters murdered her husband and she fled for her life, over the border to Cameroon.

A free and fair election in her homeland is not her first priority right now. Surviving is.

"I'm hungry," cries her 12-year-old daughter Aisha. Her three-year-old sister asks her mother: "Maybe they've come to give us food or water?" She's talking about the foreigners in their shack - us.

But along with the tens of thousands like her, she will not be able to vote in the upcoming Nigerian elections.

The polls have been delayed for six weeks until March 28 in the hope that the danger of Boko Haram can be more adequately contained.

But few believe that is the sole reason for the vote delay or that the militants who have grown increasingly powerful in northern Nigeria, can be cowed in that time.

Many sceptics believe the set-back to the voting could have more to do with the increasingly close race between the current President Goodluck Jonathan, who is seeking re-election, and his rival, Muhammedu Buhari.

Certainly many of the refugees we spoke to in the huge camp (31,222 registered refugees but locals say the more accurate figure is 47,000+) insist they feel let down by their government and the Nigerian army.

"The military have sold us to the Boko Haram fighters," said Yohanna Ayamesi, one of the refugees.

"They're just playing with Boko Haram. There were 30 of us and the militants killed 27. I'm just one of three who survived. The powerful Nigerian army can't take on Boko Haram. They are working with them. They have sold out the poor of Nigeria."

His view is replicated through much of the camp and in northern Nigeria.

The attacks by Boko Haram appear to be every more frequent and deadly.

The extremist group wants to create its own caliphate across Western Africa much like Islamic State in Syria and Iraq - and the violence is spilling more and more often across the Nigerian borders and into her neighbours' backyards.

Cameroon and Niger have both suffered Boko Haram attacks within the past week alone. Niger had two attacks within three days.

The decision by the five West African nations of Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, Benin and Chad have agreed to pool resources and deploy a combined force of 8,750 troops into the area by probably as early as next month.

But the idea that they will be able to curb the militant group's activities within the next six weeks before the new election date, is seen as hopelessly optimistic by most civilians.

16.08 | 0 komentar | Read More

Egypt: 25 Killed In Riot Before Football Match

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A riot outside a major football match in Egypt has killed at least 25 people, authorities have said.

The violence preceded a game between Egyptian Premier League clubs Zamalek and ENPPI at the Air Defense Stadium east of Cairo.

Anonymous security officials said some people died during a stampede, while others were killed in clashes with police.

They claimed Zamalek fans tried to get into the game without tickets, sparking clashes.

However, a group of Zamalek fans known as the White Knights posted on Facebook that violence started because the authorities only opened one narrow, barbed-wire door to let them in.

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Gallery: Clashes Leave 25 Dead Before Football Match In Egypt

At least 25 people have been killed in clashes between police and football fans in Egypt

Security officials said fans of Zamalek tried to get into the game without tickets, which sparked the violence

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Zamalek fans said on their group's official Facebook page that the violence started because the authorities only opened one narrow, barbed-wire door to let them in

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Some of the victims are reported to have died during a stampede, while others were killed in clashes with police. Continue through for more pictures

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The group later posted pictures it claimed were of dead fans and the names of 22 people it said had been killed.

One witness said: "We were inside the stadium when the clashes began outside.

"There was a police car on fire and they were shooting birdshot and tear gas.

"The people fled into the desert to escape."

At least another 25 people were wounded.

The match continued despite the trouble, sparking further anger among fans.

The league has now been suspended indefinitely, while the state prosecutor has ordered an investigation.

Previous troubles meant supporters have only recently been allowed at matches again.

The Interior Ministry planned to let only 10,000 fans into the ground, which has a capacity of approximately 30,000.

The deadliest football riot in Egyptian history happened three years ago during a match between Port Said's al Masry and Cairo's al Ahly.

A total of 74 people, most of them al Ahly fans, were killed.

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