Bank Holiday Weather Alert Over Rain And Wind

A weather alert has been issued as heavy rain and wind threaten travel problems for millions of Britons returning home from a weekend break.

The Met Office has issued a sweeping yellow weather alert for Bank Holiday Monday, predicting significant surface water on roads and gusts of up to 40mph (64kph). 

Monday's weather warning relates to parts of Wales, as well as London, the South East, East and South West of England, although most of the UK will see some rain.

Temperatures will struggle to get above 17C (62.6F) - well below average for August.

Winds of up to 40mph are expected in some areas

Scotland, where it is not a bank holiday, will enjoy the best of the weather on Monday.

The Met Office said: "Heavy rain is expected to affect many southern areas of Britain at times during Bank Holiday Monday, with strong winds a possible additional factor close to southern coasts.

"The public should be aware that there may be some impacts to holiday traffic and other outdoor activities.

"A complex area of low pressure looks like bringing an unpleasant day's weather to much of the south on Monday.

The first frost of the summer is expected to arrive in the north on Sunday

"Rainfall amounts look like exceeding 20mm quite widely, while a few places might see around 40mm, so there will be a lot of surface water and spray on roads.

"The spray will probably be made worse by strong winds across some southern areas; gusts to around 40mph may occur at some coastal locations although this will depend on the exact track of the low pressure."

More than five million people in the UK are planning an overnight holiday trip this weekend, VisitEngland said.

Around one million people are expected to be drawn to Notting Hill Carnival, one of Europe's biggest street carnival events, on Sunday and Monday.

Despite a cold start, Sunday's weather was largely fine across the UK with spells of sunshine and predicted highs of 18C (64.4F).

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Close To Identifying James Foley's Killer

The British ambassador to the US says the UK is close to identifying the Islamic State (IS) militant who murdered an American journalist.

The extremist, believed to be British, beheaded James Foley in a video released last week.

Ambassador Peter Westmacott told CNN that "we are not far away" from identifying the masked killer and "we are putting a lot into it".

He added "sophisticated" technology, including voice recognition software, was being used by authorities to track him down.

The security services MI5 and MI6 have reportedly worked out the identity of the insurgent, dubbed "Jihadi John", who had an English accent. But no details have been disclosed.

The jihadist claimed the killing was in retaliation for US airstrikes on IS positions in northern Iraq. The Islamist militant group has taken over large parts of the country and also areas of Syria in recent months.

A hunt is taking place for Mr Foley's murderer

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the beheading was "an utter betrayal of everything the British people stand for".

Writing in the Sunday Times, he said it was horrifying that the perpetrator "could have been brought up in Britain".

He said the Government was investing "significant resources" to tackle "a barbaric ideology", warning if the IS militants are not stopped in Iraq and Syria "sooner or later they will seek to strike us on British soil".

Mr Hammond said the threat from Iraq and Syria would last a generation, echoing comments made by Home Secretary Theresa May as she announced plans to bring in new laws to tackle the threat of British jihadists.

But former shadow home secretary David Davis dismissed suggestions the new laws, dubbed asbos for terrorists, would prevent Britons fighting for IS, also known as ISIS and ISIL.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has warned of the extremist threat

Instead, he said, the jihadists should be stopped from returning to the UK and stripped of their citizenship.

Mr Davis said the Government's response to the crisis in Iraq had been "tentative, uncertain, almost limp".

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, also called for Britons fighting for IS in Iraq and Syria to lose their passports.

He wrote in the Mail on Sunday: "They should not have access to the privilege of travelling under a British passport... and they certainly should not be able to travel back with the barbaric and bloodthirsty skills they have gained."

The Home Office has insisted it would take the "strongest possible action" against people travelling to fight in Iraq and Syria.

A spokesman said: "The police, security services and Border Force are actively working to identify, detect and disrupt terrorist threats, including from British fighters attempting to return to the UK.

"They use a wide range of powers including those which allow them to detain and interview individuals at the UK border suspected of being involved in terrorism."

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Two Bikers Killed In Manx GP Qualifying Sessions

A motorcyclist has been killed during a qualifying session for the 2014 Manx Grand Prix - the second death in just four days.

Tim Moorhead crashed just before the Black Hut on the Mountain section of the Isle of Man course at around 8.05pm on Friday.

On Tuesday, experienced racer Stephen Mcllvenna, 39, died in another qualifying session in an incident at the Mountain Mile.

Mr Moorhead, 50, from Whitstable, Kent, was married and made his Manx Grand Prix debut in 2012, a statement from the Manx Motor Cycle Club said.

It said: "The Manx Motor Cycle Club wish to pass their deepest sympathy to Tim's family and friends.

Stephen Mcllvenna lost his life on Tuesday

"The coroner of inquests has been informed and an investigation into the circumstances of the accident is under way."

Mr Mcllvenna, from Randalstown, Northern Ireland, first competed in the grand prix in 2005 and won the Junior Manx Grand Prix in 2009.

He also competed in the TT Races a year later.

A statement said: "The Manx Motor Cycle Club wish to pass on their deepest sympathy to Stephen's family and friends."

There is also an investigation into his death.

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Man With Ebola On Flight Back To UK

Nigeria Confirms First 'Secondary' Ebola Cases

Updated: 8:47am UK, Sunday 24 August 2014

Ebola fears in Nigeria have heightened after two more people tested positive, despite having no contact with the man who brought the virus into the country.

The infected people are the spouses of a man and woman who had contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who died in July after flying into Abuja and infecting 11 others.

It comes as blood tests confirmed an Irish engineer who died on Thursday did not have ebola.

Dessie Quinn, 43, had been working in Sierra Leone, one of the countries struggling with the current outbreak.

Nigerian officials now have more than 200 potential ebola cases under "surveillance" after the discovery of the secondary infections.

"They were quarantined two days ago," said Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu.

"But the other ones that were quarantined along with them have been released.

"Those on treatment (in isolation) currently are four - two primary contacts, two secondary contacts. Presently altogether we have 213 on surveillance."

Patrick Sawyer, 40, died from ebola after becoming sick during a flight to Nigeria from the Liberian capital, Monrovia.

Two doctors, two nurses, and a man who picked him up from Abuja airport also died.

The World Health Organisation said earlier this week it was hopeful over the situation in Nigeria because all the cases there had come from a single chain of transmission.

The country now has 14 confirmed cases, including five deaths.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have suffered the worst from the outbreak, accounting for most of the 1,350 fatalities.

Liberian capital Monrovia, in particular, has seen chaotic scenes in recent days as ebola cases increase.

The local crematorium is struggling to burn the infected bodies and is having to send some back to the hospital, according to the Red Cross.

Troops have also fired tear gas to enforce a quarantine zone and prevent looting in the city's huge West Point slum.

A teenage boy, Shakie Kamara, has died after being shot by security forces earlier this week, Information Minister Lewis Brown said on Friday.

Senegal has become the latest country to lock down its border with an ebola-affected neighbour, closing its land border with Guinea.

Decisions to bar widespread use of an experimental ebola drug have caused controversy.

Two Americans, Kent Brantly, 33, and Nancy Writebol, 60, recovered after taking ZMapp, but there are no plans to send it to the heart of the outbreak.

Specialists believe the pair, who were treated in Atlanta, now pose "no public health threat" and will probably be immune to the disease.

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Independent Scotland 'Would Have To Join Euro'

Alex Salmond's "only realistic plan B" for the currency of an independent Scotland is the euro, according to shadow chancellor Ed Balls.

Mr Balls reiterated his warning that the Scottish National Party's preference for keeping the pound in a formal currency union with the rest of the UK is "off the table".

The Labour MP, who was against UK entry to the euro when he worked for Gordon Brown, has previously ruled out a currency union if his party wins the next election.

The current Conservative chancellor, George Osborne, and Scottish Liberal Democrat Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander have also dismissed the prospect.

Keeping the pound without a currency union would accelerate "the movement of financial services out of Scotland", Mr Balls told the Observer newspaper.

Meanwhile, new currency would be "very expensive, very risky" and people would "pay a big price in terms of higher interest rates for mortgages", Mr Balls claimed.

Ed Balls ruled out a formal currency union in the newspaper interview

He said: "I fear that an independent Scotland would end up finding that joining the euro would be the least worst of all the bad options.

"It's not what I would choose for Scotland. And I am not surprised at all that Alex Salmond doesn't want to admit it now, but joining the euro would likely be his only realistic plan B."

Mr Balls added: "Given the size of the UK relative to Scotland, given that Scotland would be leaving the UK, the size of the Scottish financial sector and given the risk, therefore, to UK taxpayers, a sterling currency area would be off the table."

Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling will stage another debate on Monday

He urged Mr Salmond "to tell people what plan B is" at his next debate with Better Together leader Alistair Darling, which will be shown on Sky News on Monday.

A spokesman for Mr Salmond told The Observer: "An independent Scotland will keep the pound because it's our currency too, and pensions and public services will be more sustainable after a yes vote because Scotland's economy is stronger than the UK's."

A Better Together spokesman said: "Alex Salmond wants us to vote for independence on the basis of his blind faith and guesswork alone.

"We should say no thanks to taking on so much risk."

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Independent Scotland 'Would Have To Join Euro'

Alex Salmond's "only realistic plan B" for the currency of an independent Scotland is the euro, according to shadow chancellor Ed Balls.

Mr Balls reiterated his warning that the Scottish National Party's preference for keeping the pound in a formal currency union with the rest of the UK is "off the table".

The Labour MP, who was against UK entry to the euro when he worked for Gordon Brown, has previously ruled out a currency union if his party wins the next election.

The current Conservative chancellor, George Osborne, and Scottish Liberal Democrat Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander have also dismissed the prospect.

Keeping the pound without a currency union would accelerate "the movement of financial services out of Scotland", Mr Balls told the Observer newspaper.

Meanwhile, new currency would be "very expensive, very risky" and people would "pay a big price in terms of higher interest rates for mortgages", Mr Balls claimed.

Ed Balls ruled out a formal currency union in the newspaper interview

He said: "I fear that an independent Scotland would end up finding that joining the euro would be the least worst of all the bad options.

"It's not what I would choose for Scotland. And I am not surprised at all that Alex Salmond doesn't want to admit it now, but joining the euro would likely be his only realistic plan B."

Mr Balls added: "Given the size of the UK relative to Scotland, given that Scotland would be leaving the UK, the size of the Scottish financial sector and given the risk, therefore, to UK taxpayers, a sterling currency area would be off the table."

Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling will stage another debate on Monday

He urged Mr Salmond "to tell people what plan B is" at his next debate with Better Together leader Alistair Darling, which will be shown on Sky News on Monday.

A spokesman for Mr Salmond told The Observer: "An independent Scotland will keep the pound because it's our currency too, and pensions and public services will be more sustainable after a yes vote because Scotland's economy is stronger than the UK's."

A Better Together spokesman said: "Alex Salmond wants us to vote for independence on the basis of his blind faith and guesswork alone.

"We should say no thanks to taking on so much risk."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bank Holiday Weather Alert Over Rain And Wind

A weather alert has been issued as heavy rain and wind threaten travel problems for millions of Britons returning home from a weekend break.

The Met Office has issued a sweeping yellow weather alert for Bank Holiday Monday, predicting significant surface water on roads and gusts of up to 40mph (64kph). 

Monday's weather warning relates to parts of Wales, as well as London, the South East, East and South West of England, although most of the UK will see some rain.

Temperatures will struggle to get above 17C (62.6F) - well below average for August.

Winds of up to 40mph are expected in some areas

Scotland, where it is not a bank holiday, will enjoy the best of the weather on Monday.

The Met Office said: "Heavy rain is expected to affect many southern areas of Britain at times during Bank Holiday Monday, with strong winds a possible additional factor close to southern coasts.

"The public should be aware that there may be some impacts to holiday traffic and other outdoor activities.

"A complex area of low pressure looks like bringing an unpleasant day's weather to much of the south on Monday.

The first frost of the summer is expected to arrive in the north on Sunday

"Rainfall amounts look like exceeding 20mm quite widely, while a few places might see around 40mm, so there will be a lot of surface water and spray on roads.

"The spray will probably be made worse by strong winds across some southern areas; gusts to around 40mph may occur at some coastal locations although this will depend on the exact track of the low pressure."

More than five million people in the UK are planning an overnight holiday trip this weekend, VisitEngland said.

Around one million people are expected to be drawn to Notting Hill Carnival, one of Europe's biggest street carnival events, on Sunday and Monday.

Despite a cold start, Sunday's weather was largely fine across the UK with spells of sunshine and predicted highs of 18C (64.4F).

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Two Bikers Killed In Manx GP Qualifying Sessions

A motorcyclist has been killed during a qualifying session for the 2014 Manx Grand Prix - the second death in just four days.

Tim Moorhead crashed just before the Black Hut on the Mountain section of the Isle of Man course at around 8.05pm on Friday.

On Tuesday, experienced racer Stephen Mcllvenna, 39, died in another qualifying session in an incident at the Mountain Mile.

Mr Moorhead, 50, from Whitstable, Kent, was married and made his Manx Grand Prix debut in 2012, a statement from the Manx Motor Cycle Club said.

It said: "The Manx Motor Cycle Club wish to pass their deepest sympathy to Tim's family and friends.

Stephen Mcllvenna lost his life on Tuesday

"The coroner of inquests has been informed and an investigation into the circumstances of the accident is under way."

Mr Mcllvenna, from Randalstown, Northern Ireland, first competed in the grand prix in 2005 and won the Junior Manx Grand Prix in 2009.

He also competed in the TT Races a year later.

A statement said: "The Manx Motor Cycle Club wish to pass on their deepest sympathy to Stephen's family and friends."

There is also an investigation into his death.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Man With Ebola On Flight Back To UK

Nigeria Confirms First 'Secondary' Ebola Cases

Updated: 8:47am UK, Sunday 24 August 2014

Ebola fears in Nigeria have heightened after two more people tested positive, despite having no contact with the man who brought the virus into the country.

The infected people are the spouses of a man and woman who had contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who died in July after flying into Abuja and infecting 11 others.

It comes as blood tests confirmed an Irish engineer who died on Thursday did not have ebola.

Dessie Quinn, 43, had been working in Sierra Leone, one of the countries struggling with the current outbreak.

Nigerian officials now have more than 200 potential ebola cases under "surveillance" after the discovery of the secondary infections.

"They were quarantined two days ago," said Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu.

"But the other ones that were quarantined along with them have been released.

"Those on treatment (in isolation) currently are four - two primary contacts, two secondary contacts. Presently altogether we have 213 on surveillance."

Patrick Sawyer, 40, died from ebola after becoming sick during a flight to Nigeria from the Liberian capital, Monrovia.

Two doctors, two nurses, and a man who picked him up from Abuja airport also died.

The World Health Organisation said earlier this week it was hopeful over the situation in Nigeria because all the cases there had come from a single chain of transmission.

The country now has 14 confirmed cases, including five deaths.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have suffered the worst from the outbreak, accounting for most of the 1,350 fatalities.

Liberian capital Monrovia, in particular, has seen chaotic scenes in recent days as ebola cases increase.

The local crematorium is struggling to burn the infected bodies and is having to send some back to the hospital, according to the Red Cross.

Troops have also fired tear gas to enforce a quarantine zone and prevent looting in the city's huge West Point slum.

A teenage boy, Shakie Kamara, has died after being shot by security forces earlier this week, Information Minister Lewis Brown said on Friday.

Senegal has become the latest country to lock down its border with an ebola-affected neighbour, closing its land border with Guinea.

Decisions to bar widespread use of an experimental ebola drug have caused controversy.

Two Americans, Kent Brantly, 33, and Nancy Writebol, 60, recovered after taking ZMapp, but there are no plans to send it to the heart of the outbreak.

Specialists believe the pair, who were treated in Atlanta, now pose "no public health threat" and will probably be immune to the disease.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Close To Identifying James Foley's Killer

The British ambassador to the US says the UK is close to identifying the Islamic State militant who murdered American James Foley.

The IS extremist, believed to be British, beheaded the journalist in a video released last week.

Ambassador Peter Westmacott told CNN that "we are close" to identifying the masked killer, adding voice recognition technology was among the resources being used by authorities to track him down.

The security services MI5 and MI6 have reportedly worked out the identity of the insurgent, dubbed "Jihadi John", who had an English accent. But no details have been disclosed.

The jihadist claimed the killing was in retaliation for US airstrikes on IS positions in northern Iraq.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said the beheading was "an utter betrayal of everything the British people stand for".

A hunt is taking place for Mr Foley's murderer

Writing in the Sunday Times, he said it was horrifying that the perpetrator "could have been brought up in Britain".

He said the Government was investing "significant resources" to tackle "a barbaric ideology", warning if the IS militants are not stopped in Iraq and Syria "sooner or later they will seek to strike us on British soil".

Mr Hammond said the threat from Iraq and Syria would last a generation, echoing comments made by Home Secretary Theresa May as she announced plans to bring in new laws to tackle the threat of British jihadists.

But former shadow home secretary David Davis dismissed suggestions the new laws, dubbed asbos for terrorists, would prevent Britons fighting for IS, also known as ISIS and ISIL.

Instead, he said, the jihadists should be stopped from returning to the UK and stripped of their citizenship.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has warned of the extremist threat

Mr Davis said the Government's response to the crisis in Iraq had been "tentative, uncertain, almost limp".

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, also called for Britons fighting for IS in Iraq and Syria to lose their passports.

He wrote in the Mail on Sunday: "They should not have access to the privilege of travelling under a British passport... and they certainly should not be able to travel back with the barbaric and bloodthirsty skills they have gained."

The Home Office has insisted it would take the "strongest possible action" against people travelling to fight in Iraq and Syria.

A spokesman said: "The police, security services and Border Force are actively working to identify, detect and disrupt terrorist threats, including from British fighters attempting to return to the UK.

"They use a wide range of powers including those which allow them to detain and interview individuals at the UK border suspected of being involved in terrorism."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More