Brit Held Over Threats To Kill 200 US Students

Detectives are questioning a British man in connection with alleged threats to shoot dead 200 children at a US school.

Sky Tyne and Wear reported Northumbria Police arrested Reece Elliott, 24, from South Shields, on Friday on suspicion of making threats to kill.

An anonymous post made on Wednesday on a Facebook memorial page set up for a deceased student threatened a mass killing spree, saying: "I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself."

Elliott is being held at South Shields police station.

Homeland Security in the US has been informed, and the threats led schools in Warren County, Tennessee, to tighten security.

Some reports said as many as 3,000 students did not attend classes the next day.

The post said: "My father has three guns. I'm planning on killing him first and putting him in a dumpster. Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast.

"I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself."

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Kristin Helm said its cyber crime agents are helping in the investigation and the source of the post had not been identified.

It is not yet known whether any potential prosecution will be brought in England or the US, or both.

Warren County Schools tightened security following the threats

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said: "At 2.12pm on Friday February 8, police received notification that a man had posted threatening information on Facebook.

"A 24-year-old man from South Shields has been arrested on suspicion of threats to kill and is currently in custody.

"The message is believed to have been posted on Wednesday. There is nothing to suggest it posed any physical threat to any school either here or in America."

Bobby Cox, director of Warren County Schools in Tennessee, said: "As most of you are aware we received notice of violent threats directed at Warren County High School late Wednesday evening, February 6.

"We put an action plan together with the local authorities to ensure the safety of our schools and our campuses across the system.

"We wanted to make sure that we had all the facts before we sent a mass message out via our calling system to you.

"Currently the Sheriff's Department is working with the TBI and Homeland Security to trace down the person who posted this message.

"We have increased the presence of Police and Sheriff's Deputies in our schools today and tomorrow and all schools will limit access into each building to ensure the safety of our staff and students."

The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported police officers were posted to 11 schools in the area.

In December, gunman Adam Lanza killed 27 when he opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

He died at the scene and the body of his mother, Nancy Lanza, was found at his family home. She had been shot in the face.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Horsemeat Scandal: Aldi Takes Meals Off Shelves

Who's In Charge Of Keeping Food Safe?

Updated: 1:38pm UK, Friday 08 February 2013

There are a number of different agencies responsible for food labelling and safety in the UK.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for food standards legislation in England that is principally non-safety, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) monitors standards that are safety based.

Food Standards Agency:

The FSA, a non-ministerial government department, is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food.

This includes food safety and hygiene, labelling for safety and allergies and food law enforcement.

It aims to:

1) make sure foods produced or sold in the UK are safe to eat

2) ensure imported food is safe to eat

3) make sure food producers and caterers give priority to consumer interests in relation to food

4) give consumers the information and understanding they need to make informed choices about where and what they eat

5) make sure regulation is effective, risk-based and proportionate, is clear about the responsibilities of food business operators, and protects consumers and their interests from fraud and other risks

6) ensure enforcement is effective, consistent, risk-based and proportionate and is focused on improving public health.

In the wake of the horsemeat scandal the FSA announced it is demanding a more comprehensive testing programme from food businesses.

Chief executive Catherine Brown said: 'Following our investigations into Findus products, the FSA is now requiring a more robust response from the food industry in order to demonstrate that the food it sells and serves is what it says it is on the label.

"We are demanding that food businesses conduct authenticity tests on all beef products, such as beef burgers, meatballs and lasagne, and provide the results to the FSA. The tests will be for the presence of significant levels of horsemeat."

There are separate FSAs for Scotland, Wales and the Irish Republic.

Defra:

In July 2010 food labelling was transferred from the FSA to Defra.

Food standards legislation sets out specific requirements for the labelling, composition and, in some cases, safety parameters for specific high value foodstuffs which are potentially at risk of being misleadingly substituted with lower quality alternatives.

The legislation makes sure consumers are not misled as to the nature of food products when it is sold to them.

It also makes the playing field level for food producers, so they have established standards they can work to when producing well known or traditional foodstuffs.

Most legislation on food standards is developed in Europe, with full involvement from UK Government officials.

Secondary legislation is then used to either implement the requirements or put in place enforcement powers, depending on the nature of the European legislation

Meat:

For a range of meat products there is legislation setting out specific compositional and labelling requirements.

The rules set out minimum meat content requirements for certain meat products sold using reserved descriptions such as sausages, burgers, corned beef, meat pies, pasties, etc.

In addition, there are very specific labelling rules for certain meat products that look like a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcass of meat.

Where any added water over certain limits as well as any added ingredients of different animal species to the rest of the meat must be mentioned in the name of the food.

Department of Health:

The DoH takes the lead on nutrition labelling police in England.

In October 2012 it announced proposals for front-of-pack nutrition labelling that displays how much fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calories foods contain.

This is colour-coded and shows a guideline daily amount.

The advertising of food is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Findus Beef Lasagne Meals 100% Horsemeat

Tests on Findus beef lasagne have revealed that some of the ready meals were made entirely from horsemeat.

Findus analysed 18 of its beef lasagne products and found 11 meals contained between 60% and 100% horsemeat, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said.

There is no evidence to suggest the horsemeat found in the Findus beef lasagne is a food safety risk, the FSA said.

However, the agency has ordered urgent tests on the lasagne for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone. Meat from animals treated with "bute" is not allowed to enter the food chain in Britain as it may pose a risk to human health.

All food companies have been told to test their beef products, with the FSA saying it was "highly likely" that criminal activity was to blame for the contamination.

Consumers who have purchased the ready meals - produced by French food supplier Comigel on behalf of Findus - have been advised by the FSA not to eat them and return them to the shop they were bought from.

Retail giant Tesco and discount chain Aldi have already withdrawn a range of ready meals produced by Comigel over fears they contained contaminated meat.

Findus UK has already started a full recall of its lasagne products. It withdrew its 320g, 360g and 500g lasagne meals from supermarket shelves as a precautionary measure earlier this week.

It came after Comigel alerted Findus and Aldi that their products "do not conform to specification".

It advised them to remove Findus beef lasagne and Aldi's Today's Special frozen beef lasagne and Today's Special frozen spaghetti bolognese.

Shoppers who have bought the product can get a full refund, says Findus

Findus UK apologised to customers "for any inconvenience caused" - and said anyone who bought the affected lasagne products could get a full refund.

A spokesman said: "We understand this is a very sensitive subject for consumers and we would like to reassure you we have reacted immediately. We do not believe this to be a food safety issue.

"We are confident that we have fully resolved this supply chain issue. Fully compliant beef lasagne will be in stores again soon."

Tesco also decided to withdraw its Everyday Value spaghetti bolognese, which is produced at the same Comigel site.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We are aware of the results of the Findus tests and we will of course assist Findus with their recall process.

"Tests on our frozen Everyday Value spaghetti bolognese product are ongoing under our new DNA testing programme. We will inform our customers of the results as soon as possible."

The FSA, Defra and the Department of Health are working with businesses and trade bodies to enforce food safety and assess whether there are significant levels of improperly described meat in a whole series of processed beef products in the UK, including supplies to schools and hospitals.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "The presence of unauthorised ingredients cannot be tolerated ... the responsibility and for the safety and authenticity of food lies with those who produce it, and who sell or provide it to the final consumer."

Labour has accused ministers of being "asleep on the job" and has called for a police investigation into what it believes is fraud.

Shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said she was "shocked and appalled" by the latest revelations.

She told Sky News: "The time has come for government ministers to pull their heads out of the sand and to take some swift action.

"We have had three weeks of damaging revelations about what is happening in the meat industry ... there is evidence that criminal gangs are involved in this, and frankly I cannot believe that the Government hasn't called in the police to investigate this in the UK.

"I don't see how we get to the bottom of it without getting in specialist teams and working out who is behind this fraud and why it is happening."

People must have confidence that the food they buy is properly labelled, legal and safe to eat, she added.

Anyone who has purchased a Findus beef lasagne can call the firm's UK customer care line on 0800 132584, those in the Republic of Ireland, 1800 800500, or email careline@findus.co.uk for a full refund.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ex-LAPD Cop Hunt: Dorner Accused Of Killings

A huge manhunt is under way for a former Los Angeles policeman who is believed to have killed three people in revenge for his dismissal from the force.

Christopher Dorner, 33, is suspected of killing a former police captain's daughter and her fiance last weekend, and killing a police officer yesterday.

The search for the 33-year-old stretches throughout Southern California and Nevada.

Dorner's burnt-out pickup truck has been found near Big Bear Lake ski resort, 80 miles east of Los Angeles, prompting the lockdown of schools and several buildings in the area.

Officers surround LAPD headquarters

San Bernardino county sheriff John McMahon said that 125 law enforcement officers were combing the area for Dorner and conducting door-to-door inquiries.

Christopher Dorner was sacked from the Los Angeles police force in 2008 and published a manifesto on his Facebook page promising to wage war on his former colleagues.

"I will bring unconventional and asymmetrical warfare to those in LAPD uniform whether on or off duty," said the manifesto.

"Unfortunately, I will not be alive to see my name cleared. That's what this is about, my name. A man is nothing without his name."

Police respond to the shooting in Riverside where one officer was killed

LAPD police chief Charlie Beck said Dorner, who has military training, has access to multiple weapons including an assault rifle, adding he should be considered "armed and extremely dangerous".

More than 40 protection officers have been dispatched to protect more than 40 potential targets across the region. The department has also pulled officers from motorbike duty, fearing they could make for easy targets.

Police say Dorner opened fire on police in this cruiser

Dorner is wanted in the killings of Monica Quan and her fiance, Keith Lawrence. They were found shot in their car at their condominium on Sunday night in Irvine, authorities said.

Ms Quan, 28, was an assistant women's basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton. Mr Lawrence, 27, was a public safety officer at the University of Southern California.

Ms Quan's father, a former LAPD captain who became a lawyer in retirement, represented Dorner in front of the Board of Rights, a tribunal that ruled against Dorner at the time of his dismissal in 2008, LAPD Captain William Hayes told The Associated Press.

Authorities also said Dorner opened fire early on Thursday on police in cities east of Los Angeles, killing an officer and wounding another.

Meanwhile, a wallet containing a detective badge and a picture ID belonging to Dorner was handed in to police in San Diego less than four hours after a man matching his description attempted to steal a 47-ft boat from the city's Shelter Island marina.

Monica Quan

San Diego detective Garry Hassen said the suspect tied up an 81-year-old man who was on the boat and then fled after the engine failed to start.

Nevada authorities have also joined the search for Dorner, who owns a house nine miles from the Las Vegas Strip, according to authorities and court records.

According to documents from a court of appeals hearing in October 2011, Dorner was fired from the LAPD after he made a complaint against his field training officer, Sgt Teresa Evans.

Dorner said that in the course of an arrest, Sgt Evans kicked suspect Christopher Gettler, a schizophrenic with severe dementia.

Richard Gettler, the schizophrenic man's father, gave testimony that supported Dorner's claim.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mother Of Two Killed In Shooting Is Named

Police have identified a mother who died in a shooting incident at the weekend.

Hayley Pointon, 30, died from a single gunshot wound at an address in Hinckley, Leicestershire on Sunday night.

Police leading the investigation have appealed for witnesses who may have seen two hooded men nearby at the time of the shooting.

Detective Superintendent Tom Davies said: "Hayley's death has left two young children without a mother and it is vital that those involved are dealt with.

"We are still keen to speak to anyone who saw two men in the area at the time of the incident.

"The men both had their hoods up and were said to have left the scene in a dark car that was parked in the street.

"If you were in the area or you have any information about the incident or the events leading up to it, please come forward."

Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident, including a 26-year-old man who has been released without charge.

The other two, who are aged 29 and 36, have been released on bail pending further inquiries. Ms Pointon was from the Coventry area and had two children.

:: Anyone with information can call Leicestershire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Michael Gove In U-Turn On Scrapping GCSEs

Education Secretary Michael Gove has been forced to abandon his flagship plan to scrap GCSEs and replace them with a new English Baccalaureate.

The move follows pressure from the Liberal Democrats and criticism from across the political spectrum, teachers and regulators.

And it comes days after the cross-party Commons Education Committee said the Government had "not proved its case" that GCSEs should be abolished in key academic subjects.

Labour branded it a "humiliating climbdown" for Mr Gove, who is one of the most high-profile members of the Cabinet and had been seen as a potential future Tory leader.

The Education Secretary will make a statement to the Commons later where he will insist he is still working to toughen up the exam system.

He had originally wanted to introduce the new EBacc certificate in England in the five core academic areas of English, maths, science, languages and humanities - history or geography.

Each of the core subjects would have been handed to a single examination board - a move he argued was essential to prevent boards "dumbing down" standards to attract more schools.

However, officials warned the plan could fall foul of EU procurement rules.

It is the second time the Liberal Democrats have blocked Mr Gove's reforms after they vetoed plans to replace GCSEs with a two-tier exam system last year.

Moves to cut the role played by coursework at GCSE level and changes to the national curriculum will go ahead.

Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg said Mr Gove should have listened to warnings that the scheme would not work.

"This is a humiliating climbdown from Michael Gove," he said. "It shows why he should have listened to business leaders, headteachers and experts in the first place and not come up with a plan on the back of an envelope.

"Pupils and parents need certainty now. Michael Gove must now make clear whether he will abandon his narrow, out of date plans altogether or merely try to delay them.

"He needs to go back to the drawing board and develop a curriculum and exam system that meets our future challenges as a country.

"Labour wants to work with the Government to forge a long term consensus on exam and curriculum reform. We would welcome cross party talks."

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More

Families Of Victims Speak Of Stafford Neglect

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

The families of three patients that died at Stafford Hospital have spoken of the neglect and failings there.

It was March 2010 when 61-year-old Alan Nash walked into Stafford Hospital for a routine colonoscopy.

Inquiries were already underway into a scandal, which suggested that between 2005 and 2008 up to 1,200 patients may have died needlessly.

As a result the Nash family believed the standards of care would be high. But Mr Nash's bowel was perforated and he died the same day.

His daughter Marie Hillman said: "We felt that all eyes would be on Stafford Hospital so there would not be any mistakes. Obviously it is one of the biggest regrets I have that we talked him into going."

Alan Nash with his family

His wife Jenny Nash: "I don't exactly know where the room is where they do the colonoscopy. But I was just sitting in the waiting room and it is not a big area anyway.

"I did hear. It was just like somebody had been punched in the stomach where you get that gasp, if you like and it was quite loud. I think that is when they actually perforated it."

Ms Hillman said: "He had gone into hospital for a routine diagnosis. It was just like a nightmare. A nurse said to me, you will probably find that this happened at home. This happened before he came in.

"And I thought there is no way. Dad walked into the hospital, there is no way this happened at home."

The family thought that they were trying to blame Mr Nash and "pass the buck".

His wife said: "I wasn't with him at the time, I was outside. I didn't know he was going to die."

Ms Hillman maintains that there has been no apology at all.

Doreen Duff died at the hospital in 2008

She said: "We would like more answers. We would like reassurance that steps have been put in place that would prevent this from happening to somebody else. But we haven't had that as of today."

In the case, the hospital did not accept that it had breached its duty of care.

Doreen Duff had already suffered a stroke before she moved to Stafford and came under the care of the local hospital.

She developed asthma and other complications and used the Accident and Emergency on a number of occasions before she was admitted. Doreen was 64 when she died in 2008.

Her husband James Duff said: "The A&E department was just chaotic. You couldn't get a doctor. If you did see one they would go off once they had seen you and they wouldn't come back until they had time again. Short staffed, rude, very, very dirty.

Ellen Hazeldine died from a superbug at the hospital

"At one time she was discharged from A&E and was back in A&E within an hour. She suffered more strokes and was eventually paralysed from the neck down and couldn't speak.

"When Doreen went in she was quite a bubbly person and had quite a good quality of life. She had lost the use of her left side but she had still got all the right side and she was as bright as a button.

"When she came out she was paralysed from the neck down, couldn't speak and everything had just gone. That was just because of the care she received in Stafford Hospital, a lack of care. Not giving her medication, not given the proper fluids and left in a bed that is wet, in your own faeces.

"After what we have all been through, the relatives of these, the care still isn't as it should be. They are still getting complaints coming through."

Deb Hazeldine suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of her 67-year-old mother Ellen's death from the hospital superbug C-difficile at Stafford Hospital.

"I will never get over it," said Ms Hazeldine who admits that she still struggles to cope more than six years after her loss.

Deb Hazeldine is still reeling from her mother Ellen's death at Stafford

She said: "My mum was diagnosed with bone cancer in March of 2006. She had some aggressive chemotherapy and unfortunately she suffered a fall at home.

"She didn't sustain any injuries at that point and she was taken into Mid-Staffs where she was told she would need physio and rehabilitation just to get her back on her feet."

Her mother was put onto an open ward despite a family request for her to have a side room or an isolation wing.

"She very quickly contracted C-diff and MRSA. She died from C-diff. She was sitting in a bed in a ward and I was sitting opposite her. We were chatting and faeces fell and covered half of the floor. Obviously it was at visiting time and other people were looking across. My mum just started to quietly cry.

"She was mortified that she was in this state. I looked for a nurse and pressed the buzzer and after about five minutes nobody came.

"I got down on my hands and knees and I started to clean it. I couldn't let my mum sit there like that. 

"When she died we had a call from the undertakers that stated that mum had so many hospital infections that the hospital said she had to be buried in a sealed body bag because she would contaminate the ground she went into.

"Even now we are hearing of complaints that there is lack of support on the wards, these families are still raising the same concerns as I was raising six years ago, of having to go in and support their loved ones.

"I don't understand that six years on, I really don't understand that."

14.59 | 0 komentar | Read More