Prince Philip due to have operation
By Anonymous on Jun 07, 2013 03:22 am 7 June 2013 Last updated at 00:01 ET 
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The operation is expected to take place on Friday, as the BBC's Nicholas Witchell reports
The Duke of Edinburgh is due to have an exploratory operation on his abdomen after spending the night in hospital.
Prince Philip, who will be 92 on Monday, was admitted to the London Clinic on Thursday and is expected to stay in hospital for about two weeks.
Buckingham Palace said it was a planned and not an emergency visit to hospital.
The Queen is continuing with her engagements, which include officially opening the BBC's New Broadcasting House in central London on Friday.
The duke went to hospital straight after a Buckingham Palace garden party on Thursday afternoon. Guests said he gave no signs of being unwell. Philip will undergo surgery under general anaesthetic.
Continue reading the main story Publicly, the talk is of Prince Philip being "in good spirits".
Privately, officials will know this is a potentially serious moment as the Queen's husband, who'll be 92 in three days time, undergoes surgery under general anaesthetic.
In the past week, the prince has been slipping in and out of the London Clinic for what the Palace has called "abdominal investigations".
These were prompted by routine tests which showed that something was amiss. The precise nature of the problem has not been made public.
But whatever it is that has been discovered will now be tackled by what's being described as an "exploratory operation" at the private hospital in central London.
Unfortunately for the Queen, during an anxious time in her life, she'll be on public display in a building full of journalists when she officially opens the BBC's London headquarters, Broadcasting House.
The Palace said in a statement that further updates would be issued "when appropriate".
In the past week, the duke has been having unannounced "abdominal investigations" at the hospital in central London, where police officers have been standing guard outside.
Prince Philip pulled out of an engagement for the Royal National Institute of Blind People on Monday, after becoming unwell ahead of attending a service at Westminster Abbey marking the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.
The Queen was due visit the BBC's £1bn headquarters with the duke, but she will now carry out this engagement alone.
The monarch is expected to meet personalities such as Sir Bruce Forsyth and David Dimbleby, and witness The Voice star Danny O'Donoghue in Radio 1's Live Lounge.
The Queen will be shown around the state-of the-art broadcasting centre - home to BBC News and World Service among others - by BBC director general Tony Hall and BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten, as well as meeting journalists in the newsroom.
The last time the Queen visited Broadcasting House was seven years ago to mark the 80th anniversary of the corporation's Royal Charter.
Continue reading the main story Prince Philip's health
- August 2012 - spends night in hospital after recurrence of bladder infection
- June 2012 - taken to King Edward VII Hospital, London, with bladder infection
- December 2011 - taken to Papworth Hospital, Cambs, with chest pains - coronary stent fitted
- October 2011 - pulled out of trip to Italy due to a cold
- June 2010 - had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome as a day patient at an undisclosed hospital
- January 2009 - pulled out of engagements due to back injury while carriage driving on his Norfolk estate
In April, Buckingham Palace played down fears about the Duke of Edinburgh's health after he was pictured in Canada with purplish skin around his eye.
It said he did not fall and simply woke up with the discoloration.
Prince Philip has been admitted to hospital three other times in the past two years after suffering health scares.
After attending events to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee a year ago, he went to hospital for five nights after sustaining a bladder infection.
He spent four days in hospital over Christmas 2011 following an operation to clear a blocked heart artery.
In August 2012, he was treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a bladder infection.
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Half 'will get cancer in lifetime'
By Anonymous on Jun 06, 2013 07:57 pm 6 June 2013 Last updated at 19:57 ET 
A cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy treatment in an oncology ward
The number of people in the UK who will get cancer during their lifetime will increase to nearly half the population by 2020, a report has forecast.
Macmillan Cancer Support said the projected figure of 47% would put huge pressure on the NHS.
Yet those who do develop cancer will be less likely to die from the disease, the charity predicted.
The Department of Health wants the NHS to save an extra 5,000 lives a year among cancer patients by 2014-15.
In 1992, the proportion of people in the UK who got cancer during their life was 32%. This increased to 44% in 2010, an increase of more than a third.
Macmillan said this figure would continue rising over the next decade, levelling off at around 47% between 2020 and 2030.
The charity said this was likely to be an underestimate of the true risk facing people alive in 2020, as life expectancy increased and more people developed cancer.
To produce their figures, Macmillan used data on cancer incidence, cancer mortality and deaths from all causes from across the UK.
The charity also found that many more people were surviving cancer compared to 20 years ago.
In 1992, 45,000 people, or 21% of those who had cancer, did not die from the disease.
This increased to around 90,000 (35%) in 2010 and was predicted to rise to four in 10 people (38%) surviving cancer and dying from another cause by 2020.
Other causes of death are most commonly heart disease, respiratory disease or stroke.
Gruelling treatments Macmillan puts the increased survival rates from cancer down to a greater focus on early diagnosis, advances in cancer treatments and better cancer care.
Continue reading the main story Cancer risk factors
- There are many factors that influence an individual's risk of developing cancer
- Some factors cannot be controlled, such as age and family history
- But risk factors related to lifestyle can be controlled - such as giving up smoking, keeping physically active and maintaining a healthy weight
- Around one in four cancers diagnosed in the UK could be avoided if people made changes to their lifestyles
The growth in the number of people getting cancer is explained by the fact that people are living longer, because as the population ages the incidence of cancer rises.
Although the charity said the survival trend was "encouraging", it said there was growing evidence that many cancer patients did not return to full health after gruelling treatments and the serious side effects of the disease.
Prof Jane Maher, chief medical officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "Many patients can be left with physical health and emotional problems long after treatment has ended.
"People struggle with fatigue, pain, immobility, or an array of other troublesome side-effects.
"We need to manage these consequences for the sake of the patient, but also for the sake of the taxpayer. We should plan to have more services to help people stay well at home, rather than waiting until they need hospital treatment."
Ciaran Devane, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said the predicted cancer incidence figures posed "a herculean challenge for the NHS and for society".
"The NHS will not be able to cope with the huge increase in demand for cancer services without a fundamental shift towards proper after-care, without more care delivered in the community, and without engaging cancer patients on their own health."
Sean Duffy, NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, said the NHS had been set the challenge of saving an additional 5,000 lives from the disease a year by 2014-15.
"We also recognise that local NHS teams need to consider providing a new range of care services for cancer survivors to tackle their needs and improve their quality of life."
He added: "Through our strategic clinical networks for cancer, we aim to share best practice and develop clinical pathways that help deliver better outcomes for patients."
Cancer specialist Professor Greg Rubin, from the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "This is welcome evidence that people are increasingly likely to survive cancer but a powerful reminder that survivors have complex needs that health services, particularly in primary care, will need to respond to."
Read in browser » Turkey PM urges end to protests
By Anonymous on Jun 07, 2013 12:15 am 6 June 2013 Last updated at 20:06 ET 
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for protests across the country to end.
At Istanbul airport he told crowds of supporters who were welcoming him home from a four-day North Africa tour that the protests bordered on illegality.
But as he spoke, thousands of anti-government protesters were also rallying in Istanbul's Taksim Square.
The unrest began as a local protest over a park in Istanbul but spiralled into nationwide demonstrations.
Read in browser » Ex-troops to train as teachers
By Anonymous on Jun 06, 2013 08:15 pm 6 June 2013 Last updated at 20:15 ET By Judith Burns BBC News education reporter 
Ministers say military values like discipline, teamwork and adaptability will benefit pupils
Former armed forces personnel without degrees will be fast-tracked into teaching in England under a new government programme.
The Troops to Teachers scheme will help "highly skilled" former military personnel become teachers within two years.
Education Minister David Laws said ex-members of "our inspiring armed forces" could make great teachers.
Teaching unions doubted whether two years' training would be enough.
According to the Department for Education (DfE), service leavers without degrees "will be the only people able to start training as a teacher without a degree and be qualified within two years".
'Outstanding' potential The DfE stressed that the scheme would use a rigorous assessment, selection and recruitment process to identify those "with the potential to become outstanding teachers".
From January 2014 those selected for the scheme will earn a salary, training four days a week on-the-job in classrooms around England and one day at university.
After two years' training they will count as 'newly qualified teachers' and will have gained an honours degrees in education, specialising either as secondary school subject teachers or as primary teachers.
A DfE spokesman stressed that top military specialists often have relevant experience, particularly in science and technology which could help redress the shortage of teachers in some subjects.
Many military personnel also have experience of "teaching, instructing, mentoring and coaching" which would count as credits towards the degree, says the government.
The government also wants to attract former service staff who have degrees into teaching, and is offering a range of training options to them under the scheme.
Mr Laws said military values such as leadership, discipline, motivation, and teamwork would benefit children.
"We want to capture the ethos and talents of those leaving the armed forces and bring this experience into teaching. We know that our highly-skilled servicemen and women can inspire young people and help raise educational attainment."
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said both veterans and their young pupils would gain from the scheme.
"A career in the armed forces provides skills and experience you cannot gain anywhere else and I would encourage anyone leaving the services to take the opportunity to pass on their invaluable knowledge".
'Learning ethos' Teachers' leaders offered a cautious welcome to the contribution that ex-forces personnel could make to teaching, but Chris Keates of the NASUWT warned of a difference between maintaining military discipline and ensuring good behaviour in classrooms.
"To say you can simply transfer the skills from one to the other is an oversimplification of the complexities of dealing with pupil behaviour in schools," she said.
Brian Lightman, of the Association of School and College Leaders, said one day a week at university was not enough for trainee teachers without degrees.
"There is no doubt that some ex-military personnel have the potential to make excellent teachers, but they need the right preparation and support.
"From what we've seen so far, this programme lacks both... a military ethos belongs in the military. Schools need a learning ethos."
Christine Blower, of the National Union of Teachers, said: "Teaching is a wonderful profession and we welcome applicants from all walks of life who feel they can make the commitment to teach, including ex-military personnel.
"However, teaching involves a complex mix of knowledge, skills and understanding of child development and trainees need both a high level of education themselves and thorough teacher training before they can take on the demands of educating our young people.
Russell Hobby, of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "It seems predicated on the notion that military service automatically makes someone a good teacher, whereas the reality is, some will make brilliant teachers and some won't."
Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said Labour supported re-training troops as teachers but said the government had been too slow to do it.
"It has taken three years for Michael Gove just to launch this scheme, and during that time only a handful of volunteers have come forward".
Read in browser » Early Down's test 'more sensitive'
By Anonymous on Jun 07, 2013 12:06 am 7 June 2013 Last updated at 00:06 ET 
The test analyses foteal DNA in a mother's blood
A more accurate test for Down's syndrome which can also be given earlier in pregnancy than current checks has been developed, say experts.
A study of 1,000 pregnancies found the test of foetal DNA in maternal blood can show a baby is "almost certainly" affected or unaffected by Down's.
The King's College London team behind it said it could help women decide if they needed further, invasive tests.
The Down's Syndrome Association said the new test was not "imminent".
Around 750 babies are born with Down's syndrome each year in the UK.
The condition is caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21, which occurs by chance.
'Nearly diagnostic' Women are currently tested between weeks 11 and 13 of pregnancy. They have an ultrasound, during which a pocket of fluid at the back of a baby's neck - the nuchal fold - is measured. Babies with Down's syndrome tend to have more fluid than normal.
Continue reading the main story Testing for Down's syndrome
- All pregnant women are offered screening for Down's syndrome
- This combines an ultrasound scan of the baby and a blood test for the mother
- Experts then estimate a woman's chance of having a baby with Down's
- Those at higher risk can then opt to go for an invasive diagnostic test that will tell them if their baby has Down's
- This could be an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling
- Both carry a one in 100 risk of miscarriage
- The new blood test could reduce the number of high risk women needing an invasive test by adding an extra level of screening
Women also have a blood test to check for abnormal levels of certain proteins and hormones.
They are then given an estimation of the chances of their child having Down's - which also takes their age into account - such as one in 150 or one in 700.
Each of the three elements is only an indication.
But based on the result, those with a higher estimated risk can have one of two invasive and potentially risky tests.
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) involves testing a small sample of the placenta, while an amniocentesis tests the amniotic fluid around the baby.
Both tests carry a one in 100 risk of miscarriage.
Prof Kypros Nicolaides, who is leading the research and also developed the nuchal fold test, says the foetal DNA (cfDNA) test is much more definitive.
The test shows there is either more than a 99% chance, or less than one in 10,000 that their baby has Down's syndrome.
The research showing it is more sensitive, and less likely to offer a false-positive result, is published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Prof Nicolaides said: "This test is nearly diagnostic. It tells you almost certainly your baby has Down's or almost certainly it does not.
"From a woman's perspective, that is a much more clear message about what to do next."
Between 3% and 5% of pregnant women currently undergo invasive testing.
'Lip-service' Next month, the professor and his team are to begin a two-year prospective study of 20,000 women in NHS hospitals to further assess the test.
However it currently costs around £400, so Prof Nicolaides says - if the cost does not fall - it may be that the NHS could use the conventional test (which costs £180) for all pregnant women, then the foetal DNA test for those at a higher risk - perhaps 10-15% of all pregnancies.
He said his aim was to offer women clearer information to allow them to make choices about how they should proceed.
"It has been trendy to say we must involve patients in the decision-making process, but it has often been something we only pay lip-service to.
"If the risk is say one in 250, how do they decide? When they have much more clarity, a clearer result, it is made easier."
Carol Boys, chief executive of the Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) said: "The latest results from Prof Nicolaides and his team at King's College show that the use of an early non-invasive blood test that could be used throughout the national screening programme is still a fair way off.
"The DSA considers it far more important at this point to focus on providing relevant, accurate and up-to-date information about Down's syndrome, delivered by midwives and associated health professionals, who have received our targeted training prior to any screening test.
"We are currently seeking full funding to ensure that our Tell it Right, Start it Right training can be rolled out nationally in readiness for the time when the non-invasive diagnostic test in early pregnancy is a reality in the UK.
"We do not believe that this is imminent."
Read in browser » French journalists missing in Syria
By Anonymous on Jun 07, 2013 03:20 am 7 June 2013 Last updated at 03:07 ET 
The journalists were said to have been making their way to Aleppo
Two French journalists missing in Syria must be released immediately, France's President Francois Hollande has said.
Speaking in Japan, he said the men "do not represent any state" and were working "so the world can get information" on the conflict in Syria.
The men were named by their employer, French radio station Europe 1, as Didier Francois and Edouard Elias.
They had been travelling to Aleppo and had not been heard from in 24 hours, Europe 1 said.
Meanwhile, Austria has announced it is to withdraw its peacekeepers from the Golan Heights because of fighting between the government and rebel forces there.
The border clashes came a day after Syrian troops backed by Lebanese Hezbollah militants retook the key town of Qusair.
'Unacceptable' threat "We have indeed lost contact with these two journalists, but we do not yet know the exact circumstances," President Hollande said during a visit to Japan.
"I demand the immediate release of these journalists because they do not represent any state. These are men who have worked so the world can get information. Journalists must be treated as journalists."
Europe 1 said its reporter Didier Francois and photographer Edouard Elias had gone missing as they were heading to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, adding that the French authorities were "doing everything to provide us with information".
Earlier this week, France accused "the regime and its accomplices" of using sarin, saying it had confirmed numerous uses of the nerve agent during lab tests in Paris.
Austria's decision to withdraw its soldiers from the Golan Heights came after days of fighting around Quneitra - the only open crossing between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
Austria, whose troops make up more than a third of the more than 900-strong UN monitoring force, said the threat had "reached an unacceptable level".
Continue reading the main story This battle for Qusair is over. But now the fight begins to help the people who survived.
Thousands fled the violence; many were trapped inside. Aid agencies speak of alarming reports that large numbers of wounded need urgent care.
There's not enough food or water in Qusair or for those displaced outside in schools, shelters and on the streets. In the last two days, the UN managed to send in a powerful generator to help restart the main pumping station for this entire region.
But now aid agencies are urging the government to give them greater access to the city. The fight for Qusair was a strategic victory, but a humanitarian disaster.
The UN said the withdrawal of Austrian troops would affect the mission's operational capacity and it would look for replacements.
Croatia, Canada and Japan had already withdrawn their contingents in the Golan because of the conflict in Syria.
Israel expressed regret at Austria's decision, and said it hoped it would not lead to "further escalation" in the region.
Israeli officials have voiced fears the civil war in Syria could spill over their borders. They are worried the Golan Heights could be used to launch attacks against Israel - either by Islamist extremists fighting for the rebels, or by Hezbollah militants fighting on the government side.
Ruined city Hezbollah's growing role in the conflict was highlighted by its involvement in the battle for Qusair, which government forces recaptured on Wednesday after a bitter siege.
Hezbollah is a political and military organisation in Lebanon made up mainly of Shia Muslims.
It emerged with backing from Iran in the early 1980s when it fought Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and has always been a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Its involvement in Syria has heightened sectarian tensions across the region, and the US has called for it to withdraw.
Qusair lies only 10km (6 miles) from the Lebanese border and is close to important supply routes for both the government and rebels.
More than 80,000 people have been killed in Syria and more than 1.5 million have fled the country since an uprising against President Assad began in 2011, according to UN estimates.
International efforts to resolve Syria's conflict continue, but the US and Russia have failed to set a date for proposed peace talks.
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