Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Egypt military 'agrees new government'

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News:
Egypt military 'agrees new government'

Egypt's military rulers have agreed to form a "national salvation government" and speed up the process towards presidential elections, reports say.

The move follows days of often violent protests in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

Delegates at a crisis meeting between political groups and the military said parliamentary elections next week would go ahead as scheduled.

They said presidential elections would take place before the end of June next year - a key demand of protesters.

Next week's elections are due to set in train a process of transition to democracy following the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak in February.

But many Egyptians fear the military intends to hold on to power, whatever the outcome of the polls.

The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Cairo says the readiness to bring forward presidential elections appears to be a major concession from the military.

Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), is expected to make a statement later, Egyptian TV reports.

Tens of thousands of people packed Tahrir Square on Tuesday evening following days of protests against the country's military rulers.

Read More:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15843425

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Mobile phone companies warned over data tariff advice

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Mobile phone companies warned over data tariff advice

Mobile phone operators must do more to help people avoid getting unexpectedly large bills after going online, says the Communications Ombudsman.

The complaints watchdog says so-called data download bill shock is a serious and growing problem.

Chief Ombudsman Lewis Shand Smith says that is because it is becoming more common for people to download big files, like videos, onto mobiles.

He says that has led to a rise in the number of customers being affected.

Adam Barclay-Faulkner, who's 27, runs his own small business selling big, inflatable adverts in Staffordshire.

He says he makes the most of his mobile's unlimited data deal.

He said: "Mainly I use my mobile for Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends.

"I also send and receive a lot of work emails and watch the occasional video as well."

Big bills

Like many people Adam thought he was on an unlimited data deal with his mobile operator.

As can often be the case though, there was a limit which was in the small print of the contract.

Read More: www.bbc.co.uk

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Sepp Blatter says sorry for comments on racism

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Sepp Blatter says sorry for comments on racism

Blatter: "It is part of my core values to respect all nations, all cultures"

Sepp Blatter has told the BBC he is sorry for causing offence with his controversial statements on racism.

The Fifa president appeared to suggest on Wednesday that racial discrimination could be settled with a handshake.

"It hurts and I am still hurting because I couldn't envisage such a reaction," said the 75-year-old Swiss.

"When you have done something which was not totally correct, I can only say I am sorry for all those people affected by my declarations."

Blatter insisted his "fight against racism and discrimination will go on" and said he would not resign, despite calls for him to quit by numerous British players, managers, administrators and politicians.



"I cannot resign," he told BBC sports editor David Bond in an exclusive interview. "Why should I?

"When you are faced with a problem you have to face the problem. To leave would be totally unfair and not compatible with my fighting spirit, my character, my energy."

Blatter admitted his comments had caused a "serious incident" and that he had used "unfortunate words" which he "deeply regretted".

He also said any players found guilty of racism on the pitch should be thrown out of the game.

"Zero tolerance," he said. "This was a good lesson for me as well."

Blatter's comments about racism, made earlier in the week, caused consternation in England.

Manchester United defender and former England captain Rio Ferdinandaccused the Fifa president of "ignorance", while David Beckham described Blatter's remarks as "appalling".

Beckham added: "I don't think the comments were very good for this game. [Racism] can't be swept under the carpet and it can't be sorted out with just a handshake."

Blatter tried to clarify his stance when speaking to Fox Soccer on Thursday but his interview with the BBC is the clearest acknowledgement yet that his comments caused offence.

Tokyo Sexwale, the South African minister included in a photo with Blatter when Fifa put out a statement on Wednesday night saying the Swiss's comments had been misunderstood, commented: "It is important that such conduct [racism on the pitch] is rooted out from the field of play without any equivocation.


Read More: www.bbc.co.uk

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Soldier creates smartphone app to save the lives of burns victims on battlefield

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News:

Chris Seaton, former captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps, developed lifesaving burns app

A FORMER Army medic has created a pioneering smartphone app which could save the lives of soldiers badly burned on the battlefield.

Chris Seaton, once a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps, is the mastermind behind the Mersey Burns app.

It lets medics do an exact and rapid calculation to see the precise amount of fluid a burns victim needs – something usually worked out with a pen and paper, which is time consuming and prone to error.

Chris said: “There are people who get burned out in Afghanistan and you can’t get them to a doctor or nurse – and if you get them to a combat medic they are going to be even more flustered than a doctor.

“After managing medics in Afghanistan I know the information and detail they have to take in and the pressure they have, so taking something and putting it in an app could solve all sorts of problems.”

Read more: www.mirror.co.uk

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: New York police clear Occupy camp

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News:


New York police have dismantled the Occupy Wall Street camp in Zuccotti Park following a late-night raid.

Protesters were woken at 01:00 (06:00 GMT) and ordered to leave, before police began dismantling tents and removing property.

Occupy Wall Street was set up in September to protest against economic inequality and had inspired dozens of similar camps around the world.

A camp in Oakland, California was cleared overnight on Monday.

Police in New York gave an announcement as their operation began, telling protesters: "The city has determined that the continued occupation of Zuccotti Park poses an increasing health and fire safety hazard."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office released a message on Twitter saying protesters should "temporarily leave and remove tents and tarps" but could return once the park was clear.

Read More: www.bbc.co.uk

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Prince William to be deployed to Falkland Islands

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News:

Prince William to be deployed to Falkland Islands

London (CNN) -- Prince William is to be deployed next February to the Falkland Islands in his role as a search and rescue pilot, the British Ministry of Defence said Thursday.
He will be one of four Royal Air Force pilots to be sent to the lonely, windswept military base, the air force said in a statement.
The deployment is part of the normal crew rotation for the air force and will form part of his training and career progression, the statement said. The air force provides 24-hour search and rescue cover year-round from the base.
William, whose marriage in April to Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was watched by millions around the world, qualified as a search and rescue pilot in September last year.
He has been flying Sea King helicopters for the Royal Air Force from a base in Anglesey, Wales.
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, opened the Mount Pleasant base to which his nephew will be deployed over two decades ago. Living conditions are said to be basic and isolated.

Read more: www.cnn.com

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News:EXCLUSIVE: Saab Unveils Amazing 'Magic Maps' for Military

• Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News
  

  
  

  Saab's brand new military technology can create an incredibly detailed and accurate 3D map of a battlefield -- and shows troop and vehicle movements in real time.

  
  Maps may not sound sexy. But Saab's real-time 3D maps will nonetheless make your eyes pop.
  
  Remember those magic maps from the Harry Potter books that tracked the location of every wizard at Hogwarts -- down to the last footstep? Saab’s Rapid 3D Mapping is far, far cooler.
  
  FoxNews.com can exclusively reveal this never-before-seen military technology, which can create an incredibly detailed and accurate 3D map of a battlefield and -- with the help of footage from a nearby drone as an overlay -- provide real-time information on the war zone. These maps are "geo-referenced," meaning they incorporate latitude, longitude and height, and they’re accurate to within an amazing four inches.

"We truly believe that Rapid 3D Mapping will revolutionize the field of geospatial intelligence and the way military and security forces get access to much needed accurately geo-referenced data," Saab director Michael Olofsson told FoxNews.com.

Given that this is cutting-edge technology, Saab's Olofsson won't explain exactly how it works, other than in general terms -- it uses aerial images from aircraft, UAVs, helicopters and satellites to build its terrain maps. All the company needs is the exact location of a camera in the sky to work out precise angles.

Once built, the potential applications for this technology are limitless.

Suppose a commander wants to find the best spots for snipers in a town he's approaching. Because every pixel is geo-referenced, he can place a virtual sniper within the Saab map to study his 360-degree point of view and find the best vantage point.
Read more: www.foxnews.com

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Italy crisis: Senate to vote on austerity measures

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News:

Italy crisis: Senate to vote on austerity measures
The Italian senate has begun a debate - to be followed by a vote - on austerity measures designed to avoid a bailout of the eurozone's third largest economy.
The measures are likely to be approved, with the lower house voting at the weekend and paving the way for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign.
A technocrat government possibly led by former EU commissioner Mario Monti is being debated.
On Thursday, Italy raised 5bn euros (£4.3bn) from new government bonds.
But this was at an interest rate of 6.087% to borrow the money for one year.
A vote in the upper house is expected on Friday afternoon or evening.
Mr Berlusconi, who lost his parliamentary majority in a vote on Tuesday, has promised to resign after the austerity measures are passed by both houses of parliament.
Nervous markets
Italy's leaders are desperate to signal that they can bring the country's finances under control, says the BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome, and they are moving fast.
Mr Monti, a well respected economist, is exactly the sort of man that the money markets would like to see take charge at this time of crisis, our correspondent says.
The austerity package foresees 59.8bn euros in savings from a mixture of spending cuts and tax rises, with the aim of balancing the budget by 2014. Measures include:

• An increase in VAT, from 20% to 21%

• A freeze on public-sector salaries until 2014

• The retirement age for women in the private sector will gradually rise, from 60 in 2014 until it reaches 65 in 2026, the same age as for men

• Measures to fight tax evasion will be strengthened, including a limit of 2,500 euros on cash transactions

• There will be a special tax on the energy sector

Read more on this story at: www.bbc.co.uk 

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News: Italy borrowing costs hit record 7

Alan Blinkhorn - Urgent News:



BBC.co.uk: 9 November 2011 Last updated at 16:19

Italy borrowing costs hit record 7%

Italy's cost of borrowing has touched a new record, a day after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he would resign once budget reforms were passed.

If Italy tried to borrow money today, payable in 10 years, it would have to pay an interest rate of more than 7%.

Investors fear that Italy could become the next victim of the debt crisis.

In a bid to calm markets, President Giorgio Napolitano said reforms would be passed and Mr Berlusconi would resign "within a few days".

The 7% level is widely viewed as unsustainable and was the point at which Portugal, Greece and the Irish Republic were forced to seek a bailout.

This so-called yield on Italian government debt is the highest since the euro was founded in 1999. In comparison, Germany's implied cost of borrowing for 10 years is 1.73%.

Read more at: www.bbc.co.uk