Eyeball link to Alzheimer's studied

27 October 2014 Last updated at 00:20

Researchers at Dundee University are to lead a £1.1m study into whether eye tests can reveal the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

A team from the university's school of computing will carry out the three-year study with colleagues in Edinburgh.

Evidence suggests changes to veins and arteries in the eye could be linked to diseases including stroke and cardiovascular disease.

The team will study if this could act as an "early warning" of Alzheimer's.

The new study uses specially-developed computer software to analyse high-definition images of the eye from multiple instruments to establish whether such changes in the eye could act as an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease.

The team will further develop existing software and cross-reference data with medical history information stored at Ninewells Hospital to see if a relationship can be established.

'Interesting proposition'

Emanuele Trucco, professor of computational vision at the school of computing, is leading the project.

He said: "If you can look into someone's eyes using an inexpensive machine and discover something which may suggest a risk of developing dementia, then that's a very interesting proposition.

"There is the promise of early warning in a non-invasive way and there is also the fact that we even might be able to use the test to differentiate between different types of dementia."

The project has been funded as part of an £8m investment at 11 universities by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

The body's chief executive Prof Philip Nelson said: "The UK faces a huge challenge over the coming decades, we have an ageing population and a likely rise in the numbers of people suffering from dementias.

"These research projects will improve our abilities to detect and understand dementias and how the disease progresses."

The study will begin in April 2015 and run for three years.

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Drone safeguards urged by pilots

27 October 2014 Last updated at 00:49

Strict regulations will need to be introduced before large drones are allowed to appear in the UK's skies, pilots association Balpa has said.

It says the public must be protected against remotely-controlled drones sharing airspace with regular aircraft.

Current rules on small drones could not apply to commercial operators, such as those carrying cargo, Balpa's chief is to tell a House of Lords committee.

The government says "robust safety measures" will remain in place.

Drones, which are officially known as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), range in size from small craft operated by enthusiasts, TV companies, police forces and surveyors and weighing a few kilograms, to larger military devices.

Balpa says remote aircraft the same size as small passenger planes could be operated commercially in the UK within 10 years.

It says they must meet the same safety standards as piloted aircraft and tough security measures at ground level be in place to ensure they cannot be seized or their computer systems hacked. A full public consultation should also be carried out before government rules on larger commercial drones are introduced.

'Safe drone zone'

Balpa general secretary Jim McAuslan said: "The UK should become a 'safe drone zone' so we can make the most of the major business and leisure opportunities offered by remotely piloted aircraft, while protecting passengers, pilots and residents.

"Large unmanned aircraft, when they come, should be as safe as manned aircraft and the British public should be fully consulted before companies fly large, remotely-piloted aircraft over their homes alongside passenger planes."

Current Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules prohibit the flying of drones over or within 150m of built-up areas and require operators to have permission and demonstrate basic flying skills. But dozens of clips appear on the internet showing the aircraft, which can be bought for £300, over populated areas of the UK.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Civilian RPAS are closely regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and are treated in the same manner as equivalent manned aircraft.

"Robust safety measures are currently in place to ensure that large RPAS are segregated from other airspace users. We will not allow the integration of RPAS with other air traffic until RPAS can demonstrate that this can be done safely.

"The UK is at the forefront of efforts to develop Europe-wide regulations on unmanned aircraft to become a global leader in this field. We are currently looking at how we can further engage with the public on this issue."

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Safety review after surfing deaths

27 October 2014 Last updated at 04:58

Lifeguard cover at a beach in Cornwall is to be reviewed after the deaths of three people who are thought to have been surfing in an unprotected area.

Two men and a woman died after being airlifted to hospital from Mawgan Porth beach, near Newquay, on Sunday.

The RNLI said its lifeguard patrols ran from March to September with "clear signs" informing beachgoers of this.

An inquiry into what happened "will form part of the review into whether we need to extend cover there", it said.

The alarm was raised shortly after 13:00 GMT and a search was launched involving Newquay and Padstow Coastguard rescue teams, RNLI lifeboats and a Royal Navy helicopter from RNAS Culdrose.

Four children, described as teenagers, managed to get out of the water but the adults, a man and a woman in their 40s from Cornwall, and a second man, were taken unconscious from the sea.

They were brought to shore via a combination of lifeboats and the helicopter.

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Conditions on the beach were fairly typical, as the BBC's Jon Kay reports

On the beach they were given emergency medical treatment before being airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro but were later pronounced dead.

A spokeswoman for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution said regular risk assessments were carried out and lifeguards were positioned "at certain beaches during the summer months and at times that we think will be busy during the year".

"That risk assessment is decided by taking into account the number of users, the type of users, the topography of the area - how the waves fall there - and the proximity of other rescue services.

"Every season an assessment is carried out to see what lifeguards there should be on every beach."

She stressed that "clear signs" at the beach emphasised the lack of lifeguard cover and the dangers of strong currents.

It is thought those in the water got into difficulty when they may have been caught in a rip current, fast-flowing narrow currents which move away from the shore and cut through the lines of breaking waves.

Peter Abell, owner of the nearby Kingsurf surfing school, which was not involved in the incident, said sea conditions on Sunday were "not as bad as it can be" but added some currents were "slightly more dangerous than usual".

Supt Jim Pearce, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said on Sunday: "This is a tragic incident and our condolences go out to the families of those involved.

"Along with the other emergency services, we are now working to ascertain the full circumstances of this incident and our priority is to contact the families of those involved and offer all the support we can."

Are you in the area? Did you see what happened? Have you been affected? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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'HS3' backed for north of England

27 October 2014 Last updated at 05:50

Plans for a high-speed "HS3" rail link in the north of England have moved a step closer after a report by the boss of the HS2 scheme, Sir David Higgins.

Sir David said better rail links in northern England were "desirable" and "possible" after being asked to look at ways of maximising the benefits of HS2.

Journey times from Manchester to Leeds could be cut from 48 to 26 minutes.

The government says it will now produce a strategy looking at options, costs and a delivery timetable for HS3.

An interim report will be produced in March.

The east-west improvements backed by Sir David would be in addition to the north-of-Birmingham phase two of HS2 which will see a Y-shaped route going from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.

Sir David does not make specific proposals for how to achieve faster times, but says a mixture of current and new projects would make them possible.

He says improvements to rail services across the Pennines between Leeds and Manchester could involve a doubling of trains per hour, with either a new high-speed track and tunnel under the Pennines, or an upgrade to the existing line.

This, suggests Sir David, should be the first step in a "clear strategy to address poor connectivity across the north from Liverpool to Hull, as well as to Sheffield and Newcastle."

Analysis

By Richard Westcott,

Transport Correspondent, BBC News

The announcement is a long way shy of any solid commitment to speed up trains across the Pennines.

The government has just asked for some possible routes and prices…. a cynic might say it's all good publicity in the run-up to an election.

And one industry expert told me HS3 could cost £7bn.

But that's not to say that it won't happen. There is real momentum now behind the campaign to help England's great northern cities compete with London.

If you've ever caught a train between, say, Hull and Liverpool, you'll know how frustratingly slow and often overcrowded it can be. It doesn't exactly oil the wheels of industry being stuck on an overcrowded old chug-chug for hours on end.

Londoners are about to enjoy their brand new £16bn Crossrail train line, due to start running in 2018. Many feel the north is long overdue for the same kind of help.

Follow Richard on Twitter @BBCwestcott

'Northern powerhouse'

Chancellor George Osborne said in June that a high-speed rail link between Manchester and Leeds could help to create a "northern global powerhouse" and asked Sir David to consider how to improve east-west connectivity.

In his report, Rebalancing Britain, Sir David said: "I firmly believe that substantially improved services east-west across the North are not only desirable, but possible.

"We need to turn the aspiration into a practical plan."

He said the HS2 project was being seen as a "catalyst" for a strategy for transforming Britain's transport system.

Faster and less congested services would make it easier for cities in the North to "pool the skills, talent and other elements they need to thrive", Sir David added.

Under the plans analysed by Sir David, a mixture of current proposals for rail upgrades and further work, including electrification, could cut journey times from Liverpool to Leeds to an hour.

More journeys between Leeds and Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield Meadowhall, York and Birmingham and Nottingham to Birmingham could also be reduced by a half or more.

Around 30 minutes would also be cut from journeys between Manchester and both Hull and Newcastle.

Sir David said: "This initial work needs to continue, and intensify, to identify the best route, how and when it would be constructed, and its cost.

"This is as important to the North as Crossrail is to London."

Chancellor George Osborne has set up a new body called Transport for the North, made up of the main northern city regions, which will work with the UK government to produce a strategy for the region.

Prime Minister David Cameron said improving connectivity and reducing journey times was "crucial" to the government's long-term economic plan for the north of England.

He added: "I welcome Sir David Higgins' report which will help our work to create a northern powerhouse and ensure that HS2 delivers the maximum economic benefits."

Estimated journey times under HS3

Leeds to Manchester: 26 to 34 minutes (currently at least 48 minutes)

Liverpool to Leeds: Around 60 minutes (currently at least 1 hour 28 minutes)

Manchester to Hull: Under 1 hour 30 minutes (currently at least 1 hour 51 minutes)

Manchester to York: Under 60 minutes (currently at least 1 hour 14 minutes)

Manchester to Newcastle: Under 2 hours (currently at least 2 hours 22 minutes)

Source: Rebalancing Britain

In the report, Sir David also recommends sticking with the plan to split the HS2 line in two after the London to Birmingham stage is completed.

An eastern leg will stretch from Birmingham to Leeds, via the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

A western leg will run from Birmingham to Manchester, via Crewe.

Sir David also recommends a north-west England hub for HS2 is built in Crewe, saying it is the "best way to serve not just the local region, but also provide services into the rest of the North West, north Wales and Merseyside."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "Our northern cities are on the brink of an economic transformation and today's report underlines how we can secure this by bringing those cities together to maximise the benefits of good transport links."

He said: "You've got the same sort of population that you've got in London but it hasn't got the same interconnections and the same transport system that London's got. And if we're going to enable the North to compete we're going to have to be very bold on our investment for transport."

Analysis

Spencer Stokes, BBC Look North reporter

The announcement from Sir David Higgins is partly a reaction to critics of HS2 who claim that the high-speed line risks sucking economic growth in the North towards London, rather than spreading it evenly across the country

It's likely that the faster trains in the north of England wouldn't run on completely new lines, but a mix of upgraded and new tracks. And whilst the proposed HS2 route would have a maximum speed of 225mph, the suggested speed for the new trans-Pennine link would be around 125mph. That's the same as trains currently running on the West and East Coast Main Lines.

Rail services across the North are considerably slower than those in the South. A journey between Leeds and Manchester currently takes on average 55 minutes for a distance of 42 miles. In comparison passengers can get from London to Reading in 25 minutes, a distance of 36 miles.

Mary Creagh, Labour's shadow transport secretary, said: "Labour supports high-speed rail to tackle commuter overcrowding and to improve connections between cities in the North and Midlands and London.

"We have repeatedly said we need value for money for the taxpayer and to improve the existing plans to maximise the benefits for the whole country."

David Cameron would be judged "on his actions, not words", she said.

'Complete mess'

Stop HS2 campaign manger Joe Rukin said the "HS3" scheme would prove more costly per mile than HS2.

He claimed Sir David's report "showed that the original plans for HS2 weren't thought through properly."

He added: "Changing the mess that is phase two doesn't change the fact that phase one is still a complete mess, as is the entire concept of HS2."

Construction on the £50bn HS2 project is due to start in 2017.

Phase one involves a new high-speed line from Euston in London to Birmingham, with an expected completion date of 2026.

Phase two was originally scheduled to be completed in 2032/33, although Sir David is keen for this date to be brought forward.

Objectors to HS2 have said the scheme will cause an unacceptable level of environmental damage, loss of homes and disruption to many communities.

But in January the Supreme Court rejected a legal bid to force further scrutiny of the first stage of the government's plans.

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Afghan sacrifice 'never forgotten'

27 October 2014 Last updated at 08:14

The British troops who died in Afghanistan will never be forgotten, the prime minister has said at the end of the UK's 13-year military campaign.

The last British base, Camp Bastion, was handed over to Afghan security forces in a ceremony on Sunday.

David Cameron tweeted: "We will always remember the courage of those who served on our behalf".

But former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott has questioned whether the results "justified" the 453 UK deaths.

The union flag was lowered at the ceremony at Camp Bastion in Helmand province on Sunday morning, while Camp Leatherneck - the adjoining US base - was also handed over to Afghan control.

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"13 years of war haven't ended in victory for either side" the BBC's John Simpson concludes

The UK forces were part of a US-led coalition which toppled the ruling Taliban in 2001, following the 9/11 attacks, and Bastion has been the UK's main Afghan base since 2006.

The Chief of the Defence Staff, Gen Sir Nick Houghton, said the UK's armed forces had "played a hugely significant role in delivering a security legacy for the people of Afghanistan".

The UK's most senior officer in Helmand, Brig Rob Thomson, said Sunday's ceremony marked the "final step in a deliberate, responsible and measured handover" to the Afghans.

He told the BBC: "There is regret over every single serviceman who has lost their life in this country and all those who have been wounded and we hold them in our hearts to the very end of our days.

"But what I can tell every single member of the armed forces who served here and every single family who have sent their loved ones here is that we have made a difference."

Writing in the Daily Mirror Lord Prescott, who was in the cabinet that sent British troops to Afghanistan in 2001, said he "gratefully welcomed" the return home of service personnel.

"I respect the thousands of gallant men and women who went to Afghanistan and Iraq to save lives and restore peace," he said.

"But they teach us that being the world's policeman carries a heavy price and does not justify the heavy loss of lives."

Not 'walking away'

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC that troops were coming home with their "heads held high", having helped make Afghanistan a "much better place".

He said the country was no longer a "safe haven" for extremist group al-Qaeda and Afghans now had a "chance of a better future".

He said there was "no guarantee" Afghanistan would "be safe and stable forever" but the Afghan government now had 300,000 soldiers and police officers.

Asked if the Afghan army might collapse, as parts of the Iraqi army did in the face of Islamic State militants, Mr Fallon said Iraq's forces were "seen as sectarian" while the Afghan army had the "support of the whole population".

He said the UK was not "walking away entirely" and would continue to give help and support, including financial aid and military training.

Continue reading the main story

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "All those who served did so to help ensure Afghanistan could no longer be used as a safe haven for terrorists."

Rear Adm Chris Parry, who helped plan the role of UK troops in Afghanistan, told the BBC that Britain's involvement had been "worth it", saying the country was now "more stable", was improving economically and had 40% more children going to school.

Jack Straw, foreign secretary from 2001-06, said the UK had been wrong to lead international efforts against Afghanistan's opium trade.

He told the Times it had been "very much a diversion", adding: "You have got to make a choice about which front you fight on."

In 2001, then prime minister Tony Blair said more than 90% of the UK's heroin came from Afghanistan's opium poppies.

He said the Taliban was "funded by the drugs trade" and it was "another part of their regime we should seek to destroy."

A US report last week suggested Afghan opium cultivation had increased significantly since 2001 and hit record levels last year, with 209,000 hectares of opium poppies grown.

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Man held after Edinburgh incident

26 October 2014 Last updated at 04:22

A man has been detained after an incident in Edinburgh which led to part of the city centre being cordoned off for several hours, police have said.

Officers investigating a motorbike theft were called to reports that the suspect was on a roof in Cockburn Street at about 22:00 BST.

Fire crews joined police as a search of the building began.

Police Scotland later said that a man had been apprehended but officers were still looking for the alleged thief.

Witnesses on social media reported seeing the police helicopter circling above the Scottish capital's Old Town, and told of serious traffic delays.

Police Scotland said its helicopter was sent out to assist in their search and streets were cordoned off as a precaution.

Some earlier postings on Twitter also suggested a man was armed with a gun.

But police say no firearms were involved in the incident and there was no risk to the public.

A spokesman said: "Police in Edinburgh were in attendance on the Royal Mile on Saturday evening in connection with an earlier incident of a stolen motorbike and the man was reported to be on the roof of a building...

"A cordon was put in place so there was no risk to the public and no armed police were involved. Inquiries are ongoing to locate the man."

The Scotsman newspaper said that its former office at 30 Cockburn Street had been searched by officers.

The paper reported that 50 police officers carrying riot shields attended the scene, as well as fire engines.

Lindsay Barkley, who lives opposite the building, told the BBC officers cordoned off the area with security tape and told people it was not safe to be in the street.

She had noticed a man inside the building before the police went in.

"They were thinking of breaking down the door, but then they seemed to get the keys," she added.

"They all put on their riot gear and went in, one with a sniffer dog. They searched floor by floor."

Were you in the Cockburn Street area of Edinburgh? Did you witness the events? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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'Record number' of low-paid Britons

26 October 2014 Last updated at 00:00

A record five million UK workers are now in low-paid jobs, research from a think tank suggests.

Those earning less than two thirds of median hourly pay - equivalent to £7.69 an hour - rose by 250,000 to 5.2m last year, the Resolution Foundation said.

It said a "growing rump" of low-paid jobs was a problem for ministers because it kept tax revenues low.

The government said it had taken lower earners out of income tax and wanted to raise the value of the minimum wage.

Workers in Britain were more likely to be low paid than workers in comparable economies like Germany and Australia, the left-of-centre think tank's report said.

Last week, tens of thousands of people protested in London, Glasgow and Belfast about pay and austerity.

Teachers, nurses and civil servants were among those opposing a below-inflation 1% pay offer from the government.

The report said there was a serious problem of people being stuck in low-paid jobs, with almost one in four minimum wage employees still on that rate for the last five years.

The minimum wage, set by the government, rose 19 pence at the start of October to £6.50.

The UK living wage, promoted by the Living Wage Foundation, is currently £7.65, and £8.80 in London.

'Squeeze continues'

Continue reading the main story

Many jobs created since the crash are very much of the low-paid, casual and zero-hours variety"

End Quote Frances O'Grady TUC general secretary

The Resolution Foundation's chief economist, Matthew Whittaker, described the figures as "troubling".

He said: "While recent months have brought much welcome news on the number of people moving into employment, the squeeze on real earnings continues.

"Being low paid, and getting stuck there for years on end, creates not only immediate financial pressures, but can permanently affect people's career prospects.

"A growing rump of low-paid jobs also presents a financial headache for the government because it fails to boost the tax take and raises the benefits bill for working people."

Shadow treasury minister Catherine McKinnell said most people were "still not feeling the recovery".

Meanwhile, Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O'Grady said many of the jobs created in the last few years "were very much of the low-paid, casual and zero-hours variety".

"This risks many people and their families simply being left behind, unable to share in any benefit from the economic recovery," she added.

A Department of Business, Innovation & Skills spokesman said: "We have taken continued action to help low-paid workers by taking lower earners out of income tax and asking the Low Pay Commission to consider how we can further increase the real value of the national minimum wage, without having an adverse impact on jobs."

Are you earning less than £7.69 an hour? What impact does it have on your life? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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Salmond blames Miliband over Lamont

26 October 2014 Last updated at 00:10

Ed Miliband is to blame for Johann Lamont quitting as leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Alex Salmond has claimed.

Scotland's First Minister said "Labour's meltdown in Scotland has been created by Labour in London."

Ms Lamont resigned on Friday with a stinging attack on her colleagues at Westminster who she said had made her position "untenable".

Scottish Labour said it would set out plans to elect a new leader soon.

In her resignation letter, Ms Lamont said she was standing down to enable the party to have a "real discussion" about its future.

She said senior members of the party had "questioned" her place and she was taking herself "out of the equation" so it could decide the best way forward.

In an earlier interview with the Daily Record, Ms Lamont had accused the UK party of treating Scotland like a "branch office" and branded some of her Westminster colleagues as "dinosaurs".

Mr Salmond, who announced after the No vote in the Scottish independence referendum that he will stand down next month, has called on the UK Labour leader to respond to Ms Lamont's claims.

He said: "We have the extraordinary situation that an outgoing leader has admitted that Scottish Labour is just a 'branch office' controlled by London - in other words the Scottish Labour Party is a fiction.

"The person responsible for that, and for making Johann Lamont's position 'untenable', as she herself put it, is Ed Miliband.

"Mr Miliband should be answering questions about why Labour in Scotland is run as an extension of his Westminster office, and why he has effectively forced the resignation of a Labour leader in Scotland."

He added: "He should be making a statement about his responsibility for the meltdown of Labour in Scotland."

Leadership contenders

Responding to Ms Lamont's resignation, Mr Miliband said she had "led the Scottish Labour Party with determination" and deserved "significant credit" for the successful "No" vote in the Scottish referendum campaign in September.

He added: "She campaigned the length and breadth of Scotland making the case for social justice within the United Kingdom."

The timetable for choosing a new leader will be set out soon.

In the meantime, deputy leader Anas Sarwar is in charge and an MSP will be chosen to stand in for Ms Lamont at Holyrood.

Mr Sarwar is among those already being linked to the leadership role. Former prime minister Gordon Brown and fellow MP Jim Murphy have also been suggested as contenders for the job.

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Inmate planned kidnap and escape

26 October 2014 Last updated at 01:57

Detailed plans to kidnap a prison officer in a bid to escape from the Isle of Wight Prison, were found in the cell of a Muslim inmate.

An internal Prison Service document, seen by the BBC, reveals an Islamic State, or ISIS, flag was also found in the cell at the jail's Parkhurst site.

The prisoner was placed in the jail's close supervision unit.

A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spokesman said security measures had been shown to be "robust" by the discovery.

'Detailed' plans

Details of the incident were contained in the weekly security bulletin of the National Offender Management Service which is compiled for all prisons in England and Wales.

In the bulletin for the week ending 19 October, it says "acting on intelligence a prisoner's cell was searched".

"Detailed escape plans involving taking a member of staff hostage were discovered."

It says activity at the prison was restricted "whilst the accommodation and his associates were searched".

The MoJ said "a very basic description" of the interior of the prison was found in the inmate's cell by "vigilant" staff, demonstrating the "effectiveness of its security measures".

HMP Isle of Wight was created in 2009 with the merger of Parkhurst, Albany and Camp Hill prisons.

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UK base in Afghanistan handed over

26 October 2014 Last updated at 08:34

The last UK military base in Afghanistan has been handed over to the control of Afghan security forces.

The union flag was lowered at Camp Bastion, while Camp Leatherneck - the adjoining US base - was also handed over to Afghan control.

British troops have been in the country since 2001 and Camp Bastion, in the desert of Helmand Province, became their main base in 2006.

The number of deaths of British troops throughout the conflict stands at 453.

The UK's command of Helmand was transferred to US forces in April and personnel, military vehicles and kit have begun returning home in recent months.

At the height of the war in 2009, about 10,000 UK troops were based in Camp Bastion and the UK's 137 patrol bases in southern Afghanistan.

Only a small number of personnel are due to remain in the country after this year, at the British-run military academy in Kabul.

At the scene

Jonathan Beale, BBC defence correspondent, Camp Bastion

The Union flag has been flying in Helmand since 2006.

In a simple ceremony in Bastion - the now mostly empty main base for UK forces - it was lowered for the last time.

The moment was a symbol - for Britain at least - that its war in Afghanistan was over.

US marines alongside British and Afghan soldiers formed a guard of honour, saluting as the national anthems of all three countries were played over a loudspeaker.

It was a US-led ceremony with speeches by American and Afghan commanders.

There was no British voice.

As American marching tunes were piped over the sound system, the Afghan flag stood on its own.

The Afghans will now carry on a fight that's already claimed the lives of around 4,000 of their security forces this year.

As for the few remaining British troops in Bastion - about 300 - they will be leaving for good soon.

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