Sharif 'set for Pakistan poll win'
By Anonymous on May 12, 2013 03:14 am 11 May 2013 Last updated at 15:28 ET 
Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.
Coups, conflict and cricketers: Pakistan's vital election - in 90 seconds
Votes are being counted in Pakistan, after a historic election that should lead to the country's first transition from one elected government to another.
Media projections based on partial results suggest a big lead for former PM Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League. Mr Sharif has already claimed victory.
The turnout was huge but the poll was marred by violence.
In Karachi, the Pakistan Taliban said they planted a bomb which killed 11 people and wounded 40 others.
The bomb was placed outside the office of the Awami National Party.
There were also attacks in Balochistan and the north-western city of Peshawar.
Voting was extended for an hour across the country before closing at 18:00 (13:00 GMT).
'Thank Allah' An election commission spokesman said they hoped for a turnout of 60-80%. In 2008 it was 44%.
No official results have yet been released, but unofficial partial results suggested that Mr Sharif's party was ahead in more than 100 of the 272 directly elected parliamentary seats.
However, it is not clear if they will be able to win a simple majority of 136 seats.
In a speech at his party headquarters in the north-eastern city of Lahore, Mr Sharif said that the Muslim League (PML-N) was sure to emerge as the largest party.
"We should thank Allah that he has given PML-N [Muslim League] another chance to serve you and Pakistan."
"I appeal for all parties to come to the table and sit with me and solve the country's problems."
The Movement of Justice (PTI) party of former cricketer Imran Khan has also performed well, with projections saying he had won a big victory in Peshawar.
President Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party is in a race for second place with the PTI, but both seem likely to win less than 40 seats.
Read in browser » 
Abstain in EU vote, ministers urged
By Anonymous on May 12, 2013 12:08 am 12 May 2013 Last updated at 00:08 ET 
Backbench MPs will be allowed a free vote on the amendment if it is debated in the Commons
Tory ministers are being advised to abstain in a Commons vote on the failure to introduce laws guaranteeing a referendum on the UK's EU membership, a Downing Street source has confirmed.
It is thought about 100 backbench MPs could oppose government policy.
Number 10 said David Cameron, who wants a referendum to take place by 2017, was "relaxed" about the situation.
Labour is expected to oppose the motion and has accused the prime minister of being scared to confront his party.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, has yet to decide whether to select for debate an amendment "regretting" that there were no plans for an EU referendum bill in the Queen's Speech.
But if there is a vote on Wednesday, ministers will, in the words of a senior source, be "guided" to abstain, says BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins.
Other MPs, including ministers' parliamentary aides, will be free to vote with their consciences, said our correspondent.
One of them - Gavin Barwell, parliamentary private secretary to Education Secretary Michael Gove - has already said that he intends to support the amendment.
'Wrong sign' Mr Cameron has promised a referendum if the Tories win the next election.
The prime minister has said the pledge to hold an in/out vote by 2017, once he has negotiated the return of some powers from Brussels, will be in the next Conservative manifesto.
He has told the rebels he cannot introduce a bill paving the way for this because of opposition from his Liberal Democrat coalition partners.
But Conservative unrest over Europe has gained fresh momentum following the recent election success of the UK Independence Party and comments by Tory grandees such as Lord Lawson suggesting EU withdrawal.
Eurosceptic backbenchers, led by Basildon and Billericay MP John Baron, want legislation in the current Parliament binding the next government to hold a referendum.
The amendment has been signed by nearly 30 Tory backbenchers, including former Cabinet minister Cheryl Gillan and former leadership contender David Davis, as well as two Labour MPs.
However, it would stand little chance of being passed as Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs, most of whom oppose a referendum on those terms, as well as many Conservatives, would vote against it.
Speaking to the Labour group Progress on Saturday, Labour leader Ed Miliband said the prime minister was "hiding behind the sofa" too scared to confront his party.
Mr Miliband said: "It is wrong now to commit to an in/out referendum and have four years of uncertainty and a 'closed for business' sign above our country."
Labour aides stressed that Mr Miliband was opposing the decision to signal a referendum now but not ruling out the possibility of a referendum in the future.
Read in browser » Nurse leaders warn on staff ratios
By Anonymous on May 12, 2013 03:07 am 11 May 2013 Last updated at 19:04 ET 
Campaigners say more nurses means better care
Senior nurses have issued an "unprecedented warning" about hospital ward staffing levels in England.
The Safe Staffing Alliance says hospital wards regularly have each registered nurse looking after eight patients - which they say is unsafe.
The group, which included the Royal College of Nursing, Unison and the Patients Association, says safe nursing levels have been ignored for too long.
The government said hospitals were responsible for their own staffing.
The Safe Staffing Alliance, which also includes a number of directors of nursing at English hospitals, was formed last summer.
It says the one nurse to eight patients ratio should not be regarded as a minimum acceptable level of staffing.
And it says research has shown the risk of harm and death increases if a nurse is asked to look after more than eight patients.
It is calling for any instances where nurses have to look after more than eight patients to be publicly recorded and investigated.
'Compassionate care' The alliance quotes a survey of nurses at 31 English hospitals, in which just under 3,000 nurses took part.
They said that wards were run with the one to eight ration about 40% of the time.
In a statement, the group said: "For the sake of clarity, more than eight patients per registered nurse is the level considered to be unsafe and putting patients at risk. It is not a recommended minimum.
"For nurses to provide compassionate care which treats patients with dignity and respect, higher levels will be needed and these should be determined by every health care provider."
Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said the Care Quality Commission had cited staffing levels as a key issue for patients.
"Patients said they thought all staff, and in particular nurses, were overworked," she said.
"A frequent comment was that staff were caring but that they 'did not have enough time for you'.
"The fact is without adequate staffing levels, overstretched nurses are not able to give patients the care they need."
Health minister Dan Poulter said: "It is for hospitals themselves to decide how many nurses they employ, and they are best placed to do this.
"Nursing leaders have been clear that hospitals should publish staffing details and the evidence to show that staff numbers are right for the care needs of the patients that they look after."
And he said the soon-to-be appointed chief inspector of hospitals would be tasked with taking action if hospitals were found to be compromising patient care by not having the right number of staff on wards.
Read in browser » Inquiry into CofE cleric abuse claim
By Anonymous on May 11, 2013 08:42 pm 11 May 2013 Last updated at 20:42 ET 
Dr Sentamu's office said the inquiry findings would be made public
Archbishop of York John Sentamu is setting up an independent inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse made against a Church of England cleric.
A former Archbishop of York has denied being negligent by failing to notify police when made aware of the claims.
Dr Sentamu's office said the probe would look "specifically into the issues surrounding the reports" and the findings would be made public.
It said child abuse allegations were treated "with the utmost seriousness".
The accusations, which were brought to light by the Times newspaper earlier this week, concern alleged abuse against a schoolboy in Australia in the 1960s and a Manchester Cathedral choirboy in the 1980s.
They relate to Robert Waddington, who was Dean of Manchester Cathedral from 1984 to 1990, who died in 2007.
'No legal obligation' The former Archbishop of York, David Hope, was reportedly told of the Australia claims in 1999 and the other allegations four years later. He confronted Mr Waddington and banned him from conducting services, but did not call the police.
The now Lord Hope - who was Archbishop of York from 1995 to 2005 - said he had acted in line with Church child protection policy of the time.
He said in a statement: "I strenuously deny (and am obviously disappointed at) the suggestion that myself or my team at the time would have acted negligently in this or any other safeguarding matter."
Guidance stated there was "no automatic legal obligation on the Church to refer allegations by adults to the police or social services" but has since been revised.
Lord Hope added that, "in considering whether children would be at risk from Robert Waddington, I decided under these guidelines that this would not be the case given his serious ill health following cancer surgery".
In announcing the independent inquiry, Dr Sentamu, stressed that the Church's first priority was the victims of clerical abuse.
A statement from his office said: "When any church related abuse comes to light the Church's first concern must be for the victim offering support and apologising for the abuse, acknowledging that the effects can be lifelong...
"The Church of England continues to review its child and safeguarding policies regularly to ensure that the Church is a safe place for all.
"Child abuse is a heinous and personally damaging crime, it is therefore incumbent on the Church to treat such matters with the utmost seriousness."
The Archbishop of York is the second most senior cleric in the Church of England after the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Read in browser » Turkey warns of response to bombing
By Anonymous on May 11, 2013 11:35 pm 11 May 2013 Last updated at 23:35 ET 
Local people are reported to have turned on Syrian refugees after the attack
Turkey has warned it will take any necessary measure to protect itself after two car bombs exploded in a town on its border with Syria.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu vowed to catch those behind the attack, adding: "Nothing will go unanswered."
At least 43 people died in Reyhanli which is home to many Syrian refugees.
Turkey, a member of Nato, said it suspected the involvement of a Syrian intelligence agency.
Turkey is a strong supporter of the opposition in Syria's civil war and a vocal critic of the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
The US and Nato have condemned the bombs and expressed support for Ankara.
Speaking during a visit to Berlin, Mr Davutoglu said it was "not a coincidence" that the bombings occurred as diplomatic efforts to solve the Syrian crisis were intensifying.
"There may be those who want to sabotage Turkey's peace, but we will not allow that," he said.
"No-one should attempt to test Turkey's power. Our security forces will take all necessary measures."
However, he said he saw no reason to call an emergency meeting of Nato. Such a meeting would be the first step towards involving the alliance in any possible response.
'Refugees attacked' Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay said he believed the attackers were from Turkey but linked to a Syrian intelligence agency.
"We have established that the organisation and assailants have links to the pro-regime Mukhabarat (intelligence) organisation," he told reporters.
He did not name the group but said the attack was intended to pit Turks against Syrian refugees in Reyhanli.
BBC World Affairs correspondent James Reynolds says the attacks will put pressure on Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
His policy on Syria has always been to support the Syrian opposition but not become involved in the war, but the attacks now make it very difficult for him to carry on staying out of the conflict, our correspondent adds.
Mr Erdogan travels to Washington in a few days time for long-planned talks with President Barack Obama.
Reyhanli is an entry point for refugees fleeing violence in Syria and local people attacked Syrian refugees and cars with Syrian number plates after the attack, according to local media.
The bombs exploded 15 minutes apart near the town hall and post office catching many passers-by.
Video posted on Turkish media showed people running to help victims of the first blast when the second explosion was heard.
The border area of Reyhanli has itself been attacked in recent months.
In February, an explosion near the town killed 17 people and wounded 30.
Five people were killed last October when a mortar round hit the Turkish border town of Akcakale.
Read in browser » Obesity poses 'dementia time bomb'
By Anonymous on May 11, 2013 07:02 pm 11 May 2013 Last updated at 19:02 ET 
Are we facing an obesity-dementia double whammy?
Ever-growing waistlines could result in a big increase in the number of people who develop dementia in the future, researchers have warned.
Previous studies have shown that being overweight in middle age increases the odds of developing the mental disorder.
Data presented at the European Congress on Obesity suggests stemming the rise in obesity will cut dementia.
The Alzheimer's Society charity said regular exercise and a healthy weight were important for reducing risk.
Piling on too many pounds is known to be bad for the body, but there is growing evidence that it is also bad for the mind.
£940m saving predicted Nobody knows exactly what causes dementias such as Alzheimer's disease, but body weight appears to be a risk factor.
One study of 8,500 Swedish twins showed that those with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, who are classified as obese, were almost four times as likely to develop dementia as those with a normal BMI.
Even those who were clinically overweight, a BMI between 25 and 30, were 71% more likely to develop dementia.
In England 24% of men and 26% of women are obese.
Researchers from the UK Health Forum used computer models to compare what would happen if obesity rates stayed the same or increased to 46% of men and 31% of women by 2050, which has been predicted by some groups.
They said rates of dementia would go from 4,894 cases in every 100,000 people over 65 to 6,662 cases in every 100,000 people over 65.
Keeping obesity levels constant would save around £940m in dementia care, the study predicted.
'Immediate impact' Tim Marsh said: "We've known for a long time about the risks to cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, so this is a new concern.
"Obesity is a major concern that's going to have a major economic impact on the country and this further compounds that.
"The trouble is there's a 25-year lag in this. Obesity started increasing in the 80s."
Jessica Smith, a research officer at Alzheimer's Society, said: "It's easy to see the immediate impact of piling on the pounds, but we can't afford to ignore the long-term effects.
"Evidence shows that obesity increases the risk of developing dementia. This study highlights the impact obesity will have on the numbers of people with the condition in the future.
She added that "maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly - especially in midlife - are hugely important in reducing your risk".
Read in browser » 
No comments:
Post a Comment