Blog Alert for BBC News - Home, May 26, 2013

New Posts to BBC News - Home on May 26, 2013:

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1) Woolwich suspect was held in Kenya
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22673164#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

26 May 2013 Last updated at 08:30 ET

Continue reading the main story

Prayers for slain Drummer Lee Rigby
Security services 'knew suspects'
'Anti-Muslim backlash' sparked
Killed soldier was 'loving father'

One of the suspects in the Woolwich murder was arrested in Kenya in 2010, the UK Foreign Office has confirmed.
It said Michael Adebolajo was arrested there and it gave consular assistance "as normal" in the circumstances.
Media reports have suggested that Mr Adebolajo appeared in court accused of leading a group of Islamists trying to join terrorist group al-Shabaab in neighbouring Somalia.
The Kenyan government had denied that he had ever visited the country.
Mr Adebolajo, 28, and a second man, Michael Adebowale, 22, were arrested on suspicion of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich on Wednesday.
They remain in custody in hospital in a stable condition after being shot and [...]

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2) Thousands risk radicalisation - May
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22671619#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

26 May 2013 Last updated at 05:20 ET

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"I thought it was a bomb, that's how loud it was", one witness to the latest arrests told the BBC

Continue reading the main story

Extremism taskforce after Woolwich
Charges over soldier killing posts
'Thousands' on streets for EDL march
The investigation

Thousands of people are potentially at risk of being radicalised, Home Secretary Theresa May said.
She also told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that those at risk were at "different points on what could be a path to violent extremism".
Mrs May said a taskforce would look at whether new powers were needed to tackle radicalisation.
Three more arrests have been made in connection with the killing of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich.
Two men already arrested on suspicion of the murder of Drummer Rigby remain in custody in hospital in a stable [...]

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3) 'Out-of-control' dog kills man, 79
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-22672602#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

26 May 2013 Last updated at 05:34 ET

A 79-year-old man has died after being attacked by an "out of control" dog in the garden of his home in Liverpool.
Merseyside Police said the dog was destroyed following the incident in Richard Kelly Close, Clubmoor at 20:40 BST on Saturday.
Two women, aged 27 and 28 years, from Clubmoor, have been arrested on suspicion of an offence under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act.
A post-mortem examination on the man is due to take place later.
Merseyside Police said the dog was out of control when officers arrived at the house and found the man's body in the garden.
The breed of dog has not been confirmed.

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4) Service recalls Battle of Atlantic
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-22672847#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

26 May 2013 Last updated at 06:40 ET

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HMS Edinburgh's Commander Nick Borbone on the endurance and bravery of those serving in the Battle of the Atlantic

A service at Liverpool Cathedral is being held to honour those killed in The Battle of the Atlantic.
It is part of a weekend of events commemorating the longest continuous military campaign in World War II.
The service, attended by the Princess Royal, will be followed by a march to remember the thousands who lost their lives during the battle.
It fought for control of vital supply routes, beginning as war broke out in 1939.
Liverpool was the destination of many wartime Atlantic convoys and home of the Western Approaches Command.
The climax of the battle was in May 1943, when Germany's submarine fleet suffered heavy losses in the Atlantic.
Skirmishes in the Atlantic [...]

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5) Two men charged over UK plane alert
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22671946#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

26 May 2013 Last updated at 03:22 ET

Two men have been charged with endangering an aircraft after RAF Typhoon jets escorted a passenger plane over the UK.
Police boarded Pakistan International Airlines flight, originally en-route to Manchester from Lahore, after it was diverted to Stansted on Friday.
Both suspects are British nationals, aged 30 and 41, Essex Police said.
The force said the men - who have not been named - are due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Monday.

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6) Rockets target Hezbollah in Beirut
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22671565#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

26 May 2013 Last updated at 01:22 ET

At least three people have been injured by a rocket strike on the southern part of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Two rockets hit a district controlled by the Hezbollah organisation, officials and residents were quoted as saying by news agencies.
Tension has been high over the conflict in neighbouring Syria.
On Saturday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised his supporters they would prevail in Syria, where they are backing President Bashar al-Assad.

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Posts from BBC News - Home for 05/27/2013

Use this area to offer a short teaser of your email's content. Text here will show in the preview area of some email clients. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Updates from BBC News - Home Contents: EU to discuss arms embargo on Syria Woolwich police release three men Stroke stem-cell trial shows promise Jolie's aunt dies of breast cancer Nick Ross defends rape comments 'Rocket launched' towards Israel EU to discuss arms embargo on Syria By Anonymous on May 27, 2013 02:49 am 26 May 2013 Last updated at 21:21 ET The rebels and their supporters say the EU arms embargo must be lifted Continue reading the main story Qusair's strategic importance Chemical attacks 'Chemical attack' town Unwinnable war European Union foreign ministers are to discuss British and French calls for them to ease sanctions against Syria so weapons can be supplied to the rebels. At a meeting in Brussels, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague is expected to argue that the current sanctions regime, which is due to expire at the end of this week, is no longer working. He wants it amended so arms can be sent to "moderate" forces in the opposition. However, several EU states are totally opposed to ending the arms embargo. Earlier, Syria's foreign minister confirmed the government would "in principle" attend an international peace conference which the US and Russia hope will take place in Geneva next month. Walid Muallem said it would be "a good opportunity for a political solution" to the conflict, which the UN says has left more than 80,000 people dead. Members of the main opposition coalition are currently discussing whether to attend the conference, but spokesmen have said they would if President Bashar al-Assad agreed to step down. 'Devastating consequences' Mr Hague has argued that partially lifting the EU arms embargo, so that weapons could be given to rebel groups, would complement, rather than work against, the peace process because it would strengthen the opposition's hand in negotiations with President Assad. Last week, he told British MPs that weapons would be supplied only "under carefully controlled circumstances" and with clear commitments from the opposition. "We must make clear that if the regime does not negotiate seriously at the Geneva conference, no option is off the table," he said. "We have to be open to every way of strengthening moderates and saving lives rather than the current trajectory of extremism and murder." On Monday, Mr Hague and the French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, will urge other European governments to amend the embargo text to allow weapons to be supplied to the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, or allow more assistance to be sent. Another possibility is for the existing embargo, which expires at midnight on 31 May, to be extended without amendment for a short period to see if the Geneva conference is successful. Unanimity is needed, and several countries are opposed, reports the BBC's Matthew Price in Brussels. They include Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden. One Austrian source told the BBC that allowing lethal weapons to be sent into a war zone would turn EU policy on its head, our correspondent adds. William Hague and Laurent Fabius argue that easing the embargo would put pressure on President Assad Many countries are also afraid that anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons given to rebel fighters considered "moderate" might end up in the hands of jihadist militants, including those from the al-Nusra Front, which has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda. The lack of a centralised command structure and allegations of human rights abuses by rebel fighters are also sources of concern. The European External Action Service (EEAS), the EU's diplomatic service, has cautioned against "any counterproductive move" that could harm the prospects of the Geneva conference. It suggests extending the embargo to allow "more time for reflection". Oxfam has warned of "devastating consequences" if the embargo ends. "There are no easy answers when trying to stop the bloodshed in Syria, but sending more arms and ammunition clearly isn't one of them," the aid agency's head of arms control, Anna Macdonald, said in a statement on Thursday. "International efforts should be focused on halting arms transfers to all sides and finding a political solution to the crisis." US Secretary of State John Kerry has been lobbying EU member states hesitant about lifting the embargo, which our correspondent says has forced the debate in Brussels and added weight to the British and French position. Still, a compromise may be impossible, he adds. Read in browser » Woolwich police release three men By Anonymous on May 26, 2013 10:34 pm 26 May 2013 Last updated at 20:49 ET On Sunday, Drummer Rigby's family visited the spot in Woolwich where he was murdered Continue reading the main story Soldier's family visit death scene Thousands risk radicalisation - May Security services 'knew suspects' 'Anti-Muslim backlash' sparked Three man arrested in south London on Saturday in connection with the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby have been released on bail, Scotland Yard has said. The men, aged 21, 24 and 28 have been bailed to return to a police station in south London. Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, who were arrested at the crime scene in Woolwich, south-east London, remain in custody. A 22-year-old man arrested on Sunday in north London is still being held. Read in browser » Stroke stem-cell trial shows promise By Anonymous on May 27, 2013 12:01 am 27 May 2013 Last updated at 00:01 ET By Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News Trial patients will get progressively higher doses of stem cells Five seriously disabled stroke patients have shown small signs of recovery following the injection of stem cells into their brain. Prof Keith Muir, of Glasgow University, who is treating them, says he is "surprised" by the mild to moderate improvements in the five patients. He stresses it is too soon to tell whether the effect is due to the treatment they are receiving. The results will be presented at the European Stroke Conference in London. Complete paralysis BBC News has had the first exclusive interview with one of the patients involved. They are taking part in a small clinical trial involving nine patients in their 60s, 70s and 80s at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital to assess the safety of the procedure which involves injecting stem cells into the damaged brain part. It is one of the first trials in the world to test the use of stem cells in patients. Results to be presented on Tuesday show that there have been no adverse effects on the patients so far and there have been improvements to more than half participating in the trial. However, at this stage it is not possible to say whether the improvements are due to the close medical attention the patients are receiving. It is well documented that the feeling of wellbeing resulting from such attention, known as the placebo effect, can have a positive effect on people's health. But it is thought that stroke patients do not recover after the first six months of their stroke. All the patients involved in the trial had their strokes between six months and five years before they received the treatment. The recovery of any one of them - let alone five - was not expected, according to Prof Muir, who is in charge of the trial. "It seems odd that it should all just be chance and a placebo effect," he told BBC News. "We are seeing things that are interesting and somewhat surprising. "We've seen people who now have the ability to move their fingers where they have had several years of complete paralysis," Prof Muir said. "We have seen some people that have been able to walk around their house whereas previously they had been dependent on assistance and we have had improvements that have enabled people to recognise what is happening around them." 'Temporary change' These improvements have made it easier for the patients to do day-to-day tasks such as dressing themselves, walking and being more independent. "My expectation had been that we would see very little change and if we did see change it would be a relatively short-lived temporary change. (But) we have seen changes that have been maintained over time," Prof Muir said. Among the patients to have shown improvements is 80-year-old Frank Marsh, who had a stroke five years ago. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Frank and Claire Marsh on the "terrific small improvement" he has made Prior to his attack Mr Marsh, a former teacher, was fit and active: a member of the Glasgow Phoenix Choir and a keen piano player. The stroke left him with poor strength and co-ordination in his left hand and poor balance. He needs a walking stick to help him move around the house and he can no longer play the piano. After the injection of stem cells into the damaged area of his brain, his balance and mobility improved as did his hand strength. He can now also tie up his shoe laces. Mr Marsh said he believed the operation had gradually led to improvements. "I can now grip things that I couldn't grip before, like the hand rails at the swimming baths," he said. Phase two trial His wife, Clare, also a teacher, said that the small improvements had made him more independent. "He had reached a plateau and wasn't really improving (after his stroke). But following the operation he is able to do things he couldn't do before, such as make coffee, dressing and holding on to things." Mr Marsh added that he hoped the improvements would continue: "I'd like to get back to my piano. I'd like to walk a bit steadier and further." However, Mrs Marsh felt that there would be no further progress for her husband, but hoped that others might benefit from the clinical trial that he is participating in. "The great potential is what it is going to do for the future," she said. "I told Frank at the beginning that this may not help you, but it might help your grandson." Mrs Marsh is right in that even if it is proved that the stem-cell treatment really works it will be a long time before any treatment might be widely available. The results so far pave the way for a so-called phase two trial later this year which will be desirable to determine whether any improvement is due to the treatment. If the phase two trial does show that the stem-cell treatment is the cause of the improvements, it could still take many years before it becomes widely available. Larger phase three trials will be needed to assess who the treatment is most suitable for and at what stage it might be most effective. Ethical approval Commenting on the research, Dr Clare Walton of the Stroke Association said: "The use of stem cells is a promising technique which could help to reverse some of the disabling effects of stroke. We are very excited about this trial; however, we are currently at the beginning of a very long road and significant further development is needed before stem cell therapy can be regarded as a possible treatment." The stem cells were created 10 years ago from one sample of nerve tissue taken from a foetus. The company that produces the stem cells, Reneuron, is able to manufacture as many stem cells as it needs from that original sample. It is because a foetal tissue sample was involved in the development of the treatment that it has its critics. Among them is anti-abortion campaigner Lord Alton. "The bottom line is surely that the true donor (the foetus) could not possibly have given consent and that, of course, raises significant ethical considerations," he said. Reneuron says the trial - which it funded - has ethical approval from the medicine's regulator. It added that one tissue sample was used in development 10 years ago and that foetal material has not been used since. Follow Pallab on Twitter @bbcpallab Read in browser » Jolie's aunt dies of breast cancer By Anonymous on May 27, 2013 01:17 am 27 May 2013 Last updated at 01:17 ET Angelina Jolie's uncle praised the actress for electing to have a double mastectomy Angelina Jolie's aunt has died of breast cancer, nearly two weeks after the Hollywood star said she had had a double mastectomy to avoid such a fate. Debbie Martin passed away at the Palomar Medical Centre in Escondido on Sunday, aged 61, the hospital said. Mrs Martin was the sister of Jolie's mother Marcheline Bertrand, who died of breast cancer in 2007 at the age of 56. Her husband, Ron Martin, said the sisters had both had the same mutated BRCA1 gene, which Jolie inherited. "Angelina has been in touch throughout the week and her brother Jamie has been with us, giving his support day by day," he told E! News. "They both loved Debbie very much and although Angie is not able to come right now she has sent her love and support which was very nice." Mr Martin also praised the actress for electing to have a double mastectomy, telling the Associated Press: "Had we known, we certainly would have done exactly what Angelina did." On 14 May, the 37 year old wrote in the New York Times that she had had the operation after doctors estimated she had an 87% risk of breast cancer and a 50% risk of ovarian cancer. "I decided to be proactive and to minimise the risk as much I could," she explained, adding that her chances of developing breast cancer had now dropped to less than 5%. The BRCA1 gene is present in everyone but only mutates in one in 1,000 people. Anyone with the mutation has a 50-80% chance of developing breast cancer. Read in browser » Nick Ross defends rape comments By Anonymous on May 27, 2013 12:29 am 27 May 2013 Last updated at 00:29 ET Ross presented Crimewatch from 1984 to 2007 Former Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross has issued a statement defending himself against criticism over comments he made about rape. In his book, Crime, he said it had become "sacrilege to suggest that there can be any gradation: rape is rape". "The real experts, the victims, know otherwise," he said. After criticism from anti-rape campaigners and on social media, he said rape was "one of the most defiling crimes" and could never be justified. The controversy comes after extracts from the "Sex" chapter of his book Crime - subtitled "how to solve it and why so much of what we're told is wrong" - was published in the Mail on Sunday. 'False storm' The extract featured said: "Half of all women who have had penetrative sex unwillingly do not think they were raped, and this proportion rises strongly when the assault involves a boyfriend, or if the woman is drunk or high on drugs: they went too far, it wasn't forcible, they didn't make themselves clear." He adds: "For them, rape isn't always rape and, however upsetting, they feel is a long way removed from being systematically violated or snatched off the street." After publication, a number of newspapers reported that he had suggested "rape isn't always rape". Sarah Green, campaigner with the End Violence Against Women charity, said: "It's really disappointing - more than that, it's horrible - that a reputable journalist like Nick Ross, with expertise associated with crime through Crimewatch, is trotting out with the same spurious myths about rape." And Jacqui Hames, who presented Crimewatch with Ross for 16 years, tweeted: ".@nickrosscom Just caught up with the MOS - struggling to match the man I know with the comments!!!! What on earth is going on?" In a statement released on Sunday, Ross - who left BBC One's Crimewatch in 2007 - said the reaction to his writing was "a false storm". He said it "sickens and appals" him that people could suggest the blamed rape victims or "belittle what they suffer", adding that "the opposite is true". "For the record, lest it needs saying, and, as I make clear in the published extracts, anyone who suffers such a violating crime should be the centre of our concerns." The book cited research which found many victims did not regard what happened to them as rape, "even though in law it plainly was", he added. "In other words victims themselves plainly see gradations in rape." He said that, "far from taking a chauvinistic view, my chapter on sexual crime disparages the patronising views of women that still too often prevail". He added: "Far from blaming people, my book says we are too quick to blame and that it tends to distract us from finding solutions to crime. "While I acknowledge the self-evident truth that we - all of us - may, through our actions, make ourselves safer or more vulnerable to crime, that is not even remotely the same thing as justifying assault." Read in browser » 'Rocket launched' towards Israel By Anonymous on May 26, 2013 06:26 pm 26 May 2013 Last updated at 17:58 ET A rocket has been fired from southern Lebanon towards Israel, Lebanese media and security sources say. The rocket launch could be heard from the Lebanese town of Marjayoun, about 10km (6 miles) from the Israeli border, the National News Agency reported. The Israeli military said it was investigating reports from residents of the northern Israeli town of Metula that they had heard an explosion. No launch was detected and there were no reports of any damage, it added. Read in browser » More to read:  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2013 Daily News All Over, All rights reserved. Daily News All Over Our mailing address is: Daily News All Over NY Nueva York, NY 10101 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Posts from BBC News - Home for 05/25/2013

Use this area to offer a short teaser of your email's content. Text here will show in the preview area of some email clients. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Updates from BBC News - Home Contents: MI5 'approached Woolwich suspect' Tiger attack wildlife worker dies French army to begin Mali pullout Pakistan bus fire kills 16 children Warnings over flagship projects Swedish riots spread beyond capital MI5 'approached Woolwich suspect' By Anonymous on May 25, 2013 03:37 am 24 May 2013 Last updated at 18:22 ET MI5 asked Woolwich murder suspect Michael Adebolajo if he wanted to work for them, a childhood friend has said. Abu Nusaybah told BBC Two's Newsnight his friend had revealed to him six months ago that the security service had been "knocking on his door". He said Mr Adebolajo told him he had turned down an offer to work for them. The BBC could not obtain any confirmation from Whitehall sources. Mr Nusaybah was arrested at the BBC after giving the interview. Mr Nusaybah said that, six months ago, his friend was "basically being harassed by MI5, this is something that he specifically mentioned to me". He added: "His wording was, 'They are bugging me - they won't leave me alone.' "He mentioned initially they wanted to ask him if he knew certain individuals. "After, they asked him if he would be interested in working for them." Read in browser » Tiger attack wildlife worker dies By Anonymous on May 24, 2013 08:25 pm 24 May 2013 Last updated at 19:22 ET Sarah McClay suffered head and neck injuries in the attack A woman zoo worker attacked by a tiger has died of her injuries. Sarah McClay, 24, was attacked in an enclosure at South Lakes Wild Animal Park, near Dalton-in-Furness in Cumbria. She died at Royal Preston Hospital where she had been taken suffering from head and neck injuries. Cumbria Police said the animal was later securely locked in its enclosure and there had not been any risk to the public. Read in browser » French army to begin Mali pullout By Anonymous on May 25, 2013 12:14 am 25 May 2013 Last updated at 00:14 ET France says troop numbers in Mali will be down to 1,000 by the end of the year Continue reading the main story Fear in Timbuktu Turning soldiers into fighters On the frontline Amputation horror France is set to begin the first major stage of its military withdrawal from Mali, four months after sending troops to push Islamist rebels out the north. A convoy of 80 lorries will leave a French base outside the capital, Bamako, and drive south to Ivory Coast. France began withdrawing some of its 4,000 troops from the country in April. They plan to gradually hand over to the Malian army and a UN peacekeeping force, which will deploy in July ahead of planned nationwide elections. Saturday's withdrawal comes just two days after Islamist rebels targeted an army barracks and French-run uranium mine in neighbouring Niger, killing 21 people. French special forces helped Nigerien soldiers end a hostage siege at the barracks on Friday. It is not known if the attacks will affect French troop deployments. 'Surplus to requirements' The French intervention in Mali in January was prompted by Islamist rebels' increasing control of the north and their advance further south towards Bamako. The militants had taken advantage of weak central government after a coup in March 2012 and the inability of Malian forces to secure territory. Major towns such as Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu fell, and a strict form of Islamic law was imposed. Within weeks of launching their offensive, French and Malian soldiers, backed by fighter jets and helicopters, forced the rebels out of urban areas. However, some fighters retreated to hideouts in the mountains and desert, from where they have launched isolated attacks. The BBC's Alex Duval Smith in Bamako says the French intervention has been immensely popular, and most Malians have dreaded the beginning of the withdrawal. The convoy leaving Bamako for Abidjan is impressive in its size, but the French insist it is simply carrying equipment and vehicles that are surplus to requirements, our correspondent adds. Tanks and most heavy patrol vehicles will remain in northern Mali for now. France still has 3,800 troops in its former colony. It says their number will be down to 2,000 by September and 1,000 by the end of the year. The United Nations' Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma) is to be composed of 11,200 soldiers and 1,440 police officers. The force says it will be deployed to help establish stability and to rebuild the Malian armed forces. Last week, more than $4bn (£2.6bn) was pledged at an international donor conference in Brussels to fund the Malian government's plan for a "total relaunch of the country". It includes rebuilding government institutions, repairing damaged infrastructure, organising presidential elections, holding dialogue with rebel groups in the north and stimulating the economy. Read in browser » Pakistan bus fire kills 16 children By Anonymous on May 25, 2013 03:54 am 25 May 2013 Last updated at 01:34 ET At least 17 children have been burned to death after a gas cylinder exploded on their school bus in eastern Pakistan, police have said. At least seven more children were taken to hospital after the blast, which caused the bus to catch fire. The incident took place on the outskirts of the city of Gujrat. Local media quoted the police as saying the driver had survived the explosion. Gujrat is about 200km (120 miles) south-east of the capital Islamabad. Read in browser » Warnings over flagship projects By Anonymous on May 25, 2013 12:16 am 25 May 2013 Last updated at 00:16 ET The decision to award the £5bn West Coast Main Line franchise - currently run by Virgin - to FirstGroup was scrapped More than 30 of the coalition's flagship schemes, including Universal Credit and the West Coast Main Line scheme, are at serious risk of failure, a government annual report has warned. The Major Projects Authority (MPA) has given 32 projects a red or amber/red rating, meaning they are deemed unachievable or in doubt. Red projects include two £7bn aircraft carriers dogged by delays. The Cabinet Office welcomed the report and said it would lead to improvements. The MPA was established in 2010 in a bid to turn around the civil service's "lamentable record" of delivering large schemes. Its report warns that billions of pounds of public money could be at risk because of delays and inefficiencies in delivering key projects. Documents setting out the status of projects worth £350bn were released on Friday. 'Urgent action' Eight red projects - meaning those deemed unachievable as a result of budget, schedule or delivery problems - include the West Coast Main Line scheme. In October, the government scrapped its decision to award the £5bn franchise to FirstGroup. The mistakes in the West Coast process came to light after rival bidder Virgin Trains launched a legal challenge against the decision. Virgin will continue running the service until November 2014, when a new long-term franchise will begin. Some 23 schemes given an amber/red rating, meaning their successful delivery is in doubt and urgent action needs to be taken, include some of Work and Pensions Secretary Ian Duncan Smith's welfare reforms and the HS2 high-speed rail network. Of 191 programmes assessed, 32 were given the green all-clear rating with 49 classed as amber/green. Some 58 were amber and 21 were exempt from ranking. Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said the MPA had helped to save more than £1.7bn. He said that, when he came into government, there was "a relaxed approach to managing projects worth hundreds of billions of pounds" with problems "swept under the carpet where they festered at the taxpayers' expense". "Since the general election we have got things back on track and are equipping the civil servants with the skills they need," he said. He added: "There's much more to do but thanks to the work of excellent officials we now expect to double the success rate of major projects, compared with the figures from 2010." But shadow Cabinet Office minister John Trickett said the report offered "yet more proof that David Cameron's government has no answers to the challenges facing this country" "The economy is flatlining, prices are going up faster than wages, almost one million young people are unemployed and there's a crisis in A&E - yet all David Cameron offers is failure and more of the same," he added. And Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "The fact that this report was quietly slipped out on a Friday evening will only add to suspicions that the government was trying to bury bad news. "Alarm bells will now be ringing yet again for taxpayers over central government's ability to deliver value for money on some of its multi-billion pound projects." Read in browser » Swedish riots spread beyond capital By Anonymous on May 25, 2013 03:08 am 24 May 2013 Last updated at 12:07 ET Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. The BBC's Steven Evans in Stockholm: "The whole policy of immigration and integration is being questioned" Reinforcements of specially trained police are being sent to Stockholm after five nights of unprecedented rioting in the capital's suburbs. Police officers are being sent from the cities of Gothenburg and Malmo, both of which saw rioting in recent years, a spokesman told BBC News. "They are trained and educated for the police tasks going on in Stockholm," Kjell Lindgren said. Several schools and scores of cars have been burnt in Stockholm this week. The nightly riots began on Sunday in the north-western suburb of Husby, a deprived, largely immigrant area. It is believed they were sparked by the death of a man nearly a week before, who was shot by police after he allegedly threatened to kill them with a machete. The unrest has since spread around the city, with groups of youths stoning police and firefighters summoned to tackle arson attacks. The rioting has raised questions about the success of the country's attempts to integrate foreign-born residents, who now make up some 15% of the population. In Husby, more than 80% of the 12,000 or so inhabitants are from an immigrant background, and most are from Turkey, the Middle East and Somalia. Community activists have accused the police of using racist language during the unrest and prosecutors are investigating complaints. Police have tried to calm the situation by speaking to community leaders, such as in mosques. Read in browser » More to read:  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © 2013 Daily News All Over, All rights reserved. Daily News All Over Our mailing address is: Daily News All Over NY Nueva York, NY 10101 Add us to your address book  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences