Soldier suicides exceed Afghan toll
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2013 03:15 am 13 July 2013 Last updated at 19:31 ET 
After serving in Afghanistan, L/Cpl Dan Collins was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
More British soldiers and veterans took their own lives in 2012 than died fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan over the same period.
The BBC's Panorama programme has learned 21 serving soldiers killed themselves last year, along with 29 veterans.
The Afghanistan death toll was 44, of whom 40 died in action.
Some of the soldiers' families say the men did not get enough support. The MoD said every suicide was a "tragedy".
The BBC's Panorama programme obtained the figure of 21 through a Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Defence.
Seven serving soldiers have been confirmed as having killed themselves last year, and inquests are pending for a further 14 deaths where suicide is suspected.
The British government, unlike its American counterpart, does not record the suicide rate among ex-soldiers.
But Panorama has independently established that at least 29 veterans took their own lives in 2012.
It wrote to every coroner in the country to ask for the names of soldiers and veterans who killed themselves last year and also analysed newspaper reports of coroners' inquests.
'Hell on earth' One serving soldier who killed himself was L/Sgt Dan Collins, who had fought in Operation Panther's Claw in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in the summer of 2009.
Deana Collins, the mother of L/Sgt Dan Collins , says her son was a "victim of war"
L/Sgt Collins twice survived being shot and was blown off his feet by a roadside bomb.
His friend, L/Cpl Dane Elson, was blown to pieces just yards away from him.
Continue reading the main story Number of suicides, open verdicts and suspected suicides awaiting inquests among serving soldiers
- 2010 - 7
- 2011 - 15
- 2012 - 21
Source: Ministry of Defence
L/Sgt Collins's mother Deana had noticed a difference in her son during his time in Afghanistan.
"The phone calls changed," she said, "and I remember him telling me, 'Mum, this place is hell on earth and I just want to get out of here'."
After a six-month tour, L/Sgt Collins came home, returning to his girlfriend Vicky Roach's house.
Miss Roach said: "Obviously then I started noticing things. Nightmares were the main thing. It was pretty clear he was back there reliving everything."
Return to duty The Army diagnosed L/Sgt Collins with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
L/Sgt Dan Collins's name is not engraved on the wall at the National Memorial Arboretum
After 10 months of intermittent treatment, the Army told L/Sgt Collins he had recovered and would soon be ready to return to duty.
Over the next three months, he twice tried to kill himself.
He started missing his weekly NHS appointments and told his girlfriend his flashbacks were getting worse.
"I wanted to help him but I didn't know what to do," said Miss Roach. "It takes a toll on your relationship and I just asked him to leave."
On New Year's Eve in 2011, L/Sgt Collins left her house, put on his Army uniform, and drove into the Preseli mountains in Pembrokeshire.
He recorded a farewell video on his phone and then hanged himself. He was 29. The inquest into his death is still to be held.
A 'natural response' Clinical psychologist Dr Claudia Herbert said PTSD is the body's "natural response" to distressing events.
It can take years to emerge but is treatable if caught early. Symptoms include flashbacks, severe anxiety and depression.
Continue reading the main story Darren's story
Darren Booker, a Welsh Guardsman, was disturbed by what he had experienced in Afghanistan.
He said: "I went into camp one morning and I just broke down. So they took me to the doctor's and he said you might have PTSD."
An appointment was arranged but he missed it because he was on paternity leave. When he left the Army in January 2011, he had not been formally diagnosed with PTSD and then became chronically depressed.
"I'd feel suicidal every day," he said. "I probably didn't leave the house properly for about a year."
He applied for compensation from the Army but it was refused because he had never been formally diagnosed with PTSD.
He has been unable to work since so his partner must support him and their three children.
The MoD said 2.9% of serving soldiers develop PTSD, which is lower than the general population.
The number of soldiers with PTSD has more than doubled in the past three years among those who served in Afghanistan, according to MoD figures obtained via Panorama's FOI request.
But Dr Herbert said: "Post-traumatic stress disorder in itself should not lead to suicide."
"PTSD is a condition that indicates something has deeply disturbed the system and is a warning that the system needs help and needs to regulate again."
Nobody can be sure how many of the 21 soldiers and 29 veterans who took their own lives in 2012 were suffering from PTSD as the reasons for suicide are complex.
"The evidence suggests there's more of a problem than the government and the MoD are admitting to," said Colonel Stuart Tootal, a former commander of 3 Para.
The former head of the British army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, wants the suicide rate among veterans to be monitored.
"It's pretty clear to me that it should be happening because once you have some statistics you can start to do something about it," he said.
'Victims of war' The MoD said it was not prepared to talk about individual cases but has committed £7.4m to ensure there is extensive mental health support in place for everyone who needs it.
It said 134,780 soldiers have been deployed to Afghanistan since 2001.
Continue reading the main story Number of soldiers with initial diagnosis of PTSD who served in Afghanistan
- 2009 - 108
- 2010 - 180
- 2011 - 183
- 2012 - 231
Source: Ministry of Defence
The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire honours the military casualties of every conflict since WWII.
The names of soldiers who killed themselves in Afghanistan are engraved on the wall but those who took their own lives after returning home are not mentioned.
L/Sgt Collins was a serving soldier at the time of his death on 1 January 2012 but his name will not be on the memorial.
"It's heartbreaking because Daniel would have been so proud to have his name carved somewhere," said Deana Collins.
"Soldiers with PTSD are exactly the same. They're victims of war and they should be treated exactly the same."
You can watch a Panorama special, Broken by Battle, on BBC One at 21:00 BST or Monday, 15 July or catch up later on the iPlayer.
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US jury acquits on black teen death
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2013 03:02 am 13 July 2013 Last updated at 22:05 ET 
George Zimmerman, the Florida neighbourhood watchman who shot dead an unarmed black 17-year-old male last year, has been found not guilty on all charges.
Lawyers for Mr Zimmerman, 29, argued he acted in self-defence and with justifiable use of deadly force.
The jury retired on Friday to consider its verdict on charges of either second-degree murder or manslaughter.
The case sparked a fierce debate about racial profiling in the US.
Police had asked residents of Sanford, Florida - the town where the shooting took place - and the surrounding area to remain peaceful once a verdict was announced.
Read in browser » Glee star Monteith dies in hotel
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2013 03:06 am 14 July 2013 Last updated at 02:03 ET
Glee star Cory Monteith has been found dead in a Vancouver hotel, police say.
The 31-year-old, who played Finn Hudson in the Fox hit, was found dead at the Pacific Rim Hotel in the city centre, said Vancouver police.
The cause of death was not immediately apparent, police say, but foul play has been ruled out.
Monteith, who had been in the musical comedy since its 2009 start, was treated for drug addiction in April, and had a history of substance-abuse.
Read in browser » Police attacked with petrol bombs
By Anonymous on Jul 13, 2013 06:10 pm 13 July 2013 Last updated at 16:15 ET 
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Chief Constable Matt Baggott on the riots in Belfast on 12th July: "Those scenes were both shameful and disgraceful."
The police have come under attack in north Belfast for the second consecutive night.
Stones, bottles and fireworks have been thrown at officers in the Woodvale area of the city. Water cannon are being deployed by police.
It follows serious rioting on Friday night when 32 police officers and an MP were injured.
Another 400 police officers have been brought into Northern Ireland to assist the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, police have advised motorists to avoid Castlereagh Street in east Belfast due to a "build-up of crowds".
Earlier, Chief Constable Matt Baggott described the 12 July trouble as "shameful and disgraceful".
Clashes developed when police enforced a ban on an Orange Order march.
The situation in the Woodvale area of north Belfast on Saturday night
The order called for widespread demonstrations after marchers were banned from a stretch of road separating loyalists and nationalists. It later said it was suspending its protest.
Twenty-two people have been arrested across Northern Ireland.
Mr Baggott said the Twelfth had been a "day of celebration" for many people and that the majority of parades had passed off "peacefully".
'Emotive' "But I think this morning (Saturday) some of the leadership within the Orange Order needs to reflect upon whether they provided the responsible leadership asked for by myself and by the party leaders," he said.
"Some of their language was emotive, having called thousands of people to protest, they had no plan and no control, and rather than being responsible, I think the word for that is reckless."
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Aerial footage of rioting taken by NI police
Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said she "utterly condemned" the rioting.
She said it was "right" that the Orange Order had suspended its protests and called for the organisation to "call them off completely".
"It is the clear responsibility of everyone who has influence, including the Orange Order, community leaders and politicians, to do what they can to calm the situation. We need temperate language over coming days," she added.
Unionists have defended the Orange Order.
Ulster Unionist councillor Mark Cosgrove who is also a member of the Belfast Parades Forum said it was "irresponsible of the chief constable to blame the Orange Order for the disturbances".
"There were hundreds of thousands of people from both the loyal orders and the bands, the supporters out in Belfast and all over Northern Ireland yesterday and, I think, to try and apportion blame to the Orange Order is totally wrong," he said.
However, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said: "In my opinion, the leadership of the Orange Order failed the Orange Order and they failed these communities."
He added: "The decision announced some hours ago, that they are suspending their protests, was a massive admission by themselves that they were culpable for what happened here last night."
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Clashes developed when police enforced a ban on an Orange Order march
Many families with children were caught up in the violence in the north of the city.
Petrol bombs, bricks and fireworks were thrown at the police who responded with water cannon and fired 20 plastic baton rounds.
North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds was knocked unconscious after being hit by a missile thrown by loyalists.
The trouble started when the police blocked a road to enforce a determination made by the Parades Commission, preventing Orangemen from passing Ardoyne on the return route of their annual 12 July march.
The area has seen republican rioting in recent years when the parade was allowed to pass.
Continue reading the main story 
Water cannon and baton rounds were used in north Belfast after violence broke out
Police were enforcing a Parades Commission ban
Nigel Dodds was hit by a missile after earlier appealing for calm in north Belfast
Police officers help an injured colleague in north Belfast
The Parades Commission ruling stops Orange Order lodges from walking on a stretch of road in north Belfast that separates loyalist and nationalist communities
Bricks and bottles were thrown during the trouble
Water cannon and baton rounds were used on the Woodvale Road
Police officers appealed for politicians to use any influence they could to calm the situation
The lodges were allowed to walk on the stretch of road in the morning but were banned from doing so on their return in the evening
The Parades Commission said the lodges could go no further than the junction of Woodvale Road and Woodvale Parade
Police prevented them from walking between that point and the junction of the Crumlin Road and Hesketh Road
In recent years, there has been serious rioting in the nationalist Ardoyne area following the return leg of the parade
The Parades Commission ruling caused anger in loyalist communities
Young men express their anger at the Parades Commission ruling
Every year on 12 July Orangemen march to commemorate William of Orange's victory over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690
Continue reading the main story Trouble also broke out on the Newtownards Road in east Belfast with petrol bombs being thrown at police lines.
Northern Ireland First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson appealed for "cool heads" and said his thoughts were with those "who have been injured this evening, including my colleague Nigel Dodds".
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North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds was injured in the violence that followed the Orange Order parade. Earlier he had appealed for calm and for people to refrain from violence.
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has also called for calm.
Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry Kelly has blamed the Orange Order and unionist politicians for the violence.
He accused them of having a deliberate strategy that had produced "inevitable results".
The marching season in Northern Ireland is a period of events from April to August, with the highpoint on 12 July when Orangemen march to commemorate William of Orange's victory over the Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland in 1690.
William III is revered by the order as a champion of his faith. The Orange Order commemorate his victory in their annual parades.
Many Catholics see the marches as triumphalist and sectarian with some traditional Orange routes passing through or past areas occupied mainly by Catholics and nationalists.
The Parades Commission ruling on the north Belfast parade was welcomed by nationalist politicians but angered unionists.
Read in browser » Firefighter dies after shop blaze
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2013 02:11 am 14 July 2013 Last updated at 01:13 ET 
One firefighter has died tackling a large blaze in Manchester city centre.
Stephen Hunt was among 60 firefighters called to the fire at an underground store room of a shop in Oldham Street.
A spokesman said he got into difficulty at about 20:35 BST along with another firefighter and both were pulled out and taken to hospital.
County Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said: "We are devastated by the loss of one of our colleagues who has died in the line of duty."
The other injured firefighter is not thought to have life-threatening injuries, a Greater Manchester Fire Service spokesman said.
Read in browser » Train crash shadow over Bastille Day
By Anonymous on Jul 13, 2013 09:39 pm 13 July 2013 Last updated at 21:39 ET 
The rail company says two rails had become detached outside the station
France is preparing to mark Bastille Day as investigations continue into the country's worst rail disaster for 25 years.
Six people were killed when a train derailed at Bretigny-sur-Orge, south of Paris, at 17:14 (15:14 GMT) on Friday.
The French train operator SNCF says the crash may have been caused by a fault on the tracks.
The French president is expected to call for solidarity in a traditional Bastille Day broadcast on Sunday.
Francois Hollande will give a series of television interviews as workers continue to inspect the wreckage.
Francois Hollande, who visited the crash site on Friday, will give a traditional Bastille Day address
A large crane arrived at the site on Saturday evening to lift away the remains of carriages, and to find out whether there are still bodies lying beneath.
French media are reporting that it could still take a number of days to clear the derailed cars.
Crowded Transport routes were particularly busy at the time of the crash, as France began a long weekend for Bastille Day.
The 14 July celebrations, marking the start of the French Revolution in 1789, traditionally include an annual military parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris.
A minute's silence was held across France's train network at noon on Saturday to commemorate the victims of the accident.
Those killed were four men and two women, aged between 19 and 82. Thirty people were injured, eight seriously.
SNCF said 385 passengers were on board when the train crashed and the station platforms were crowded.
It is expected to take a number of days to lift away the derailed carriages
The train had just left Paris on Friday afternoon and was heading for Limoges when six carriages derailed as the train passed through Bretigny-sur-Orge station at 137km/h (85mph).
The train's third and fourth carriages derailed first and the others followed. One mounted the station platform.
Eye witnesses described the train flying into the air and flipping over. Some said it was like scenes from a "war zone" with people running and screaming.
'Preventing a collision' Giving its initial findings, SNCF management told reporters a metal bar connecting two rails had become detached at points 200m outside the station.
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Eyewitness Karim Wone: "You could see the train upside-down"
"It moved into the centre of the switch and in this position it prevented the normal passage of the train's wheels and it may have caused the derailment," said Pierre Izard, SNCF's general manager for infrastructure.
An SNCF inquiry is now expected to focus on how the piece of metal had become detached.
Separate investigations are also being conducted by judicial authorities and France's BEA safety agency.
Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier has praised the driver of the train, saying his quick actions averted a worse accident.
Mr Cuvillier said the driver had "absolutely extraordinary reflexes in that he sounded the alarm immediately, preventing a collision with another train coming in the opposite direction and which would have hit the derailing carriages within seconds".
Many people feel it was lucky that the accident was not a lot worse, given the violence of the impact and the fact that a packed train ploughed onto the platform at peak time, said the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris.
The worst railway accident in France in living memory took place at the Gare de Lyon in Paris in 1988, when two trains collided, killing 56 people.
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