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Iraq's Anbar appeals for help against Islamic State
Iraqi officials have made an urgent appeal for military help in the western Anbar province, saying the area could fall to Islamic State (IS) militants.
The jihadist group has been attacking the provincial capital Ramadi, and has seized army bases in the area.
A US official told AFP news agency the situation in Anbar was "fragile".
IS fighters control large stretches of territory in Syria and Iraq. They are also fighting for control of the Syrian border town of Kobane.
Anbar is a strategically important province, and home to Iraq's second-largest dam, the Haditha dam.
Seizing Anbar would give IS control of a stretch of territory across much of Syria and Iraq, enabling it to establish a supply line and potentially launch attacks on the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
'Fall in days'
Anbar's provincial council submitted a request to the Iraqi government asking for US ground troops to help fight IS militants, Iraq's al-Sharqiyah TV reported.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly ruled out any foreign ground troops in Iraq.
The US military has carried out several air strikes on IS militants, preventing them from seizing the Haditha dam. However, IS militants are still advancing in the province.
Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
John Simpson on the IS front line with the Iraqi army
The vice-president of the council, Faleh al-Issawi, warned that Anbar could "fall in 10 days", The Times newspaper reported.
Fighting in Kobane, the Kurdish town on the Syria-Turkey border, had diverted international attention from the IS advance in Anbar, he added.
A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the situation in Anbar was "tenuous".
"They are being resupplied and they're holding their own, but it's tough and challenging."
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi, 19 Sept
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi last month
A damaged police station is seen in the Anbar province town of Hit, Iraq, 6 October 2014
IS fighters have attacked army bases and police stations elsewhere in Anbar
Iraqi government troops were unable to effectively combat the IS threat, US officials added.
One said that there was "no comparison" between the effectiveness of Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army.
"The Kurds are moving, they're taking back towns and territory," the official said, whereas the Iraqi army "starts an operation and it stops after a kilometre".
'Massacre likely'
Islamic State forces have continued to take ground inside the Syrian border town of Kobane.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29581193
Iraqi officials have made an urgent appeal for military help in the western Anbar province, saying the area could fall to Islamic State (IS) militants.
The jihadist group has been attacking the provincial capital Ramadi, and has seized army bases in the area.
A US official told AFP news agency the situation in Anbar was "fragile".
IS fighters control large stretches of territory in Syria and Iraq. They are also fighting for control of the Syrian border town of Kobane.
Anbar is a strategically important province, and home to Iraq's second-largest dam, the Haditha dam.
Seizing Anbar would give IS control of a stretch of territory across much of Syria and Iraq, enabling it to establish a supply line and potentially launch attacks on the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
'Fall in days'
Anbar's provincial council submitted a request to the Iraqi government asking for US ground troops to help fight IS militants, Iraq's al-Sharqiyah TV reported.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly ruled out any foreign ground troops in Iraq.
The US military has carried out several air strikes on IS militants, preventing them from seizing the Haditha dam. However, IS militants are still advancing in the province.
Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
John Simpson on the IS front line with the Iraqi army
The vice-president of the council, Faleh al-Issawi, warned that Anbar could "fall in 10 days", The Times newspaper reported.
Fighting in Kobane, the Kurdish town on the Syria-Turkey border, had diverted international attention from the IS advance in Anbar, he added.
A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the situation in Anbar was "tenuous".
"They are being resupplied and they're holding their own, but it's tough and challenging."
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi, 19 Sept
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi last month
A damaged police station is seen in the Anbar province town of Hit, Iraq, 6 October 2014
IS fighters have attacked army bases and police stations elsewhere in Anbar
Iraqi government troops were unable to effectively combat the IS threat, US officials added.
One said that there was "no comparison" between the effectiveness of Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army.
"The Kurds are moving, they're taking back towns and territory," the official said, whereas the Iraqi army "starts an operation and it stops after a kilometre".
'Massacre likely'
Islamic State forces have continued to take ground inside the Syrian border town of Kobane.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29581193
German investigation team told us that "prorussian" terrorists stole the Ukrainian BUK and shot down that plane.
Ukrainian government declared that BUK was not Ukrainian and nobody stole it but that BUK had to be from Russia and russian.
So, I see that somebody is lying here, the west team or Ukrainian government, what do you think?
Ukrainian government declared that BUK was not Ukrainian and nobody stole it but that BUK had to be from Russia and russian.
So, I see that somebody is lying here, the west team or Ukrainian government, what do you think?
Ebola serum for Africa patients within weeks, says WHO
By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News Online
Serum made from the blood of recovered Ebola patients could be available within weeks in Liberia, one of the countries worst hit by the virus, says the World Health Organization.
Speaking in Geneva, Dr Marie Paule Kieny said work was also advancing quickly to get drugs and a vaccine ready for January 2015.
The Ebola outbreak has already killed more than 4,500 people.
Most of the deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The partnership which is moving the quickest will be in Liberia where we hope that in the coming weeks there will be facilities set up to collect the blood, treat the blood and be able to process it for use”
Dr Kieny, WHO assistant director general for health system and innovation, said: "There are partnerships which are starting to be put in place to have capacity in the three countries to safely extract plasma and make preparation that can be used for the treatment of infective patients.
"The partnership which is moving the quickest will be in Liberia where we hope that in the coming weeks there will be facilities set up to collect the blood, treat the blood and be able to process it for use."
It is still unclear how much will become available and whether it could meet demand.
Serum
If a person has successfully fought off the infection, it means their body has learned how to combat the virus and they will have antibodies in their blood that can attack Ebola.
Doctors can then take a sample of their blood and turn it into a treatment called serum - by removing the red blood cells but keeping the important antibodies - for other patients.
The Spanish nurse who became the first person to contract Ebola outside West Africa tested negative for the virus after reportedly receiving human serum containing antibodies from Ebola survivors.
Dr Kieny said the treatment was not without risks, and WHO has already issued guidelines to ensure safety. Any donor blood will need to be screened for infections such a hepatitis and HIV, for example.
Vaccines and drugs
She said trials of two possible Ebola vaccines could produce initial results by the end of the year.
The vaccines will be tested first to see if they are safe for humans, and if they can protect people from the Ebola virus.
Once these questions have been answered, the WHO hopes to extend the trials to a much wider group of people and start giving it to Africa.
"These trials will all start in the coming two weeks... and continue for six months to a year but to have initial results about safety and immunogenicity to have a choice of a dose level by the end of this year in December."
Dr Kieny said there were a number of drugs being tested and developed in different countries.
A partnership between Oxford University and the Wellcome Trust is now visiting sites in the three affected African countries to identify which treatment centres would be adequate and willing to start testing drugs soon, she said.
bbc.com
By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News Online
Serum made from the blood of recovered Ebola patients could be available within weeks in Liberia, one of the countries worst hit by the virus, says the World Health Organization.
Speaking in Geneva, Dr Marie Paule Kieny said work was also advancing quickly to get drugs and a vaccine ready for January 2015.
The Ebola outbreak has already killed more than 4,500 people.
Most of the deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The partnership which is moving the quickest will be in Liberia where we hope that in the coming weeks there will be facilities set up to collect the blood, treat the blood and be able to process it for use”
Dr Kieny, WHO assistant director general for health system and innovation, said: "There are partnerships which are starting to be put in place to have capacity in the three countries to safely extract plasma and make preparation that can be used for the treatment of infective patients.
"The partnership which is moving the quickest will be in Liberia where we hope that in the coming weeks there will be facilities set up to collect the blood, treat the blood and be able to process it for use."
It is still unclear how much will become available and whether it could meet demand.
Serum
If a person has successfully fought off the infection, it means their body has learned how to combat the virus and they will have antibodies in their blood that can attack Ebola.
Doctors can then take a sample of their blood and turn it into a treatment called serum - by removing the red blood cells but keeping the important antibodies - for other patients.
The Spanish nurse who became the first person to contract Ebola outside West Africa tested negative for the virus after reportedly receiving human serum containing antibodies from Ebola survivors.
Dr Kieny said the treatment was not without risks, and WHO has already issued guidelines to ensure safety. Any donor blood will need to be screened for infections such a hepatitis and HIV, for example.
Vaccines and drugs
She said trials of two possible Ebola vaccines could produce initial results by the end of the year.
The vaccines will be tested first to see if they are safe for humans, and if they can protect people from the Ebola virus.
Once these questions have been answered, the WHO hopes to extend the trials to a much wider group of people and start giving it to Africa.
"These trials will all start in the coming two weeks... and continue for six months to a year but to have initial results about safety and immunogenicity to have a choice of a dose level by the end of this year in December."
Dr Kieny said there were a number of drugs being tested and developed in different countries.
A partnership between Oxford University and the Wellcome Trust is now visiting sites in the three affected African countries to identify which treatment centres would be adequate and willing to start testing drugs soon, she said.
bbc.com
Cannabis lamps to grow grass at Rochdale football pitch
21 October 2014 Last updated at 14:07 GMT
Oli Makin said the cannabis lamps make a massive difference to the pitch
Heat lamps seized by police in drugs raids on cannabis farms are being used to cultivate the grass at Rochdale's football ground.
The lights have been mounted on special rigs at Spotland, the home of League One team Rochdale AFC.
Head groundsman Oli Makin said heat from the lamps will improve the turf around the goal mouths and the tunnel.
He said the idea came about after discovering Notts County FC had used confiscated lamps.
The lights heat up the soil and replicate warmer conditions which helps the grass grow.
Mr Makin said the lights, which would have cost the club between £20,000 and £30,000, were donated by Sgt Andy Fern of Greater Manchester Police.
The 24-year-old groundsman said it would make a "massive difference" to the pitch particularly as Spotland stadium is also home to Rochdale Hornets rugby league club.
"It gets a lot of wear and tear in winter because there are football matches on Saturdays and rugby on Sundays."
He said: "I can't thank police enough."
"It has saved the club a fortune and the players will be happy, especially the goalkeeper."
bbc.com
21 October 2014 Last updated at 14:07 GMT
Oli Makin said the cannabis lamps make a massive difference to the pitch
Heat lamps seized by police in drugs raids on cannabis farms are being used to cultivate the grass at Rochdale's football ground.
The lights have been mounted on special rigs at Spotland, the home of League One team Rochdale AFC.
Head groundsman Oli Makin said heat from the lamps will improve the turf around the goal mouths and the tunnel.
He said the idea came about after discovering Notts County FC had used confiscated lamps.
The lights heat up the soil and replicate warmer conditions which helps the grass grow.
Mr Makin said the lights, which would have cost the club between £20,000 and £30,000, were donated by Sgt Andy Fern of Greater Manchester Police.
The 24-year-old groundsman said it would make a "massive difference" to the pitch particularly as Spotland stadium is also home to Rochdale Hornets rugby league club.
"It gets a lot of wear and tear in winter because there are football matches on Saturdays and rugby on Sundays."
He said: "I can't thank police enough."
"It has saved the club a fortune and the players will be happy, especially the goalkeeper."
bbc.com
Swedish search for 'foreign sub' focuses on Ingaro Bay
21 October 2014 Last updated at 14:03 GMT
The Swedish corvette Visby is equipped to detect submarines
Naval vessels searching Swedish waters for a suspected foreign submarine are focusing on a bay near the capital Stockholm on the fifth day of the biggest such operation in years.
Ships equipped to detect submarines are among at least five vessels searching Ingaro Bay.
One Swedish newspaper said that a ship had "made contact" but there was no official comment on the report.
Russia has denied that any of its vessels are involved.
A Russian oil tanker has been sailing in international waters nearby, raising suspicion that it was there to help a submarine in difficulty.
Russia has several submarines based in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania and facing out to Sweden, as well as a much bigger force near Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula.
The supreme commander of Sweden's armed forces, Sverker Goransson, told a news conference that it was "too damned bad that someone or some thing is inside our territory in this way", indicating that the military was convinced that something was present.
He said there had been further observations in the past 24 hours and the military would comment on them later.
In another development, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced his government would increase spending on defence in its budget on Thursday.
"We agree on a broad basis between many parties in Sweden in the Swedish parliament that we need to increase our capacity, meaning that we need to put more resources into defence," he said on a visit to the Estonian capital Tallinn.
Misinformation
Among ships in Ingaro Bay were the Trosso, the Stockholm and the Visby, which have advanced equipment to look for submarines, Swedish media report.
Reporting the "contact", Dagens Nyheter said it could not reveal its source for the information or explain exactly what the military meant. Swedish public radio reported that the military had not commented on the report.
Earlier, the military admitted giving out misleading information about the location of a picture widely circulated since the search began.
The Swedish military handed out an image taken by a passerby showing an object in the sea near Stockholm
A Swedish military spokesman said the wrong information had been released about the grainy photo, which shows a dark object at sea, surrounded by foam, "so as not to aid a foreign power".
An order that private boats stay at least 10km (six miles) away from the search operation was removed on Monday but airspace above the search area remains closed to civilian flights at low altitude, Swedish radio reports.
Soviet submarine sightings during the Cold War caused security alerts in Sweden in the 1980s.
There have been three reported sightings of a submarine west of the capital, Stockholm, since Thursday.
Local media said Sweden had also intercepted a distress signal in Russian.
Trout fishing
Meanwhile, a man whose presence in the search area raised suspicions has turned out to be a Stockholm old age pensioner out fishing for trout.
Speaking to Expressen newspaper, "the man in black" said: "I saw there were a lot of military ships out there... A friend called and told me that I was the picture in the newspaper."
Russia's official government newspaper, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, questioned whether there was any submarine at all.
"Either Sweden's echo location equipment is working badly or, as the old saying goes, the eyes of fear see danger everywhere," it remarked.
A Russian-owned oil tanker, the Concord, has been circling near Swedish waters for days, giving rise to suspicions that it is there to resupply a submarine.
However, Anders Nordin at the Swedish Coast Guard told Swedish news agency TT that its journey was consistent with normal tanker movements
bbc.com
21 October 2014 Last updated at 14:03 GMT
The Swedish corvette Visby is equipped to detect submarines
Naval vessels searching Swedish waters for a suspected foreign submarine are focusing on a bay near the capital Stockholm on the fifth day of the biggest such operation in years.
Ships equipped to detect submarines are among at least five vessels searching Ingaro Bay.
One Swedish newspaper said that a ship had "made contact" but there was no official comment on the report.
Russia has denied that any of its vessels are involved.
A Russian oil tanker has been sailing in international waters nearby, raising suspicion that it was there to help a submarine in difficulty.
Russia has several submarines based in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania and facing out to Sweden, as well as a much bigger force near Murmansk on the Kola Peninsula.
The supreme commander of Sweden's armed forces, Sverker Goransson, told a news conference that it was "too damned bad that someone or some thing is inside our territory in this way", indicating that the military was convinced that something was present.
He said there had been further observations in the past 24 hours and the military would comment on them later.
In another development, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven announced his government would increase spending on defence in its budget on Thursday.
"We agree on a broad basis between many parties in Sweden in the Swedish parliament that we need to increase our capacity, meaning that we need to put more resources into defence," he said on a visit to the Estonian capital Tallinn.
Misinformation
Among ships in Ingaro Bay were the Trosso, the Stockholm and the Visby, which have advanced equipment to look for submarines, Swedish media report.
Reporting the "contact", Dagens Nyheter said it could not reveal its source for the information or explain exactly what the military meant. Swedish public radio reported that the military had not commented on the report.
Earlier, the military admitted giving out misleading information about the location of a picture widely circulated since the search began.
The Swedish military handed out an image taken by a passerby showing an object in the sea near Stockholm
A Swedish military spokesman said the wrong information had been released about the grainy photo, which shows a dark object at sea, surrounded by foam, "so as not to aid a foreign power".
An order that private boats stay at least 10km (six miles) away from the search operation was removed on Monday but airspace above the search area remains closed to civilian flights at low altitude, Swedish radio reports.
Soviet submarine sightings during the Cold War caused security alerts in Sweden in the 1980s.
There have been three reported sightings of a submarine west of the capital, Stockholm, since Thursday.
Local media said Sweden had also intercepted a distress signal in Russian.
Trout fishing
Meanwhile, a man whose presence in the search area raised suspicions has turned out to be a Stockholm old age pensioner out fishing for trout.
Speaking to Expressen newspaper, "the man in black" said: "I saw there were a lot of military ships out there... A friend called and told me that I was the picture in the newspaper."
Russia's official government newspaper, Rossiiskaya Gazeta, questioned whether there was any submarine at all.
"Either Sweden's echo location equipment is working badly or, as the old saying goes, the eyes of fear see danger everywhere," it remarked.
A Russian-owned oil tanker, the Concord, has been circling near Swedish waters for days, giving rise to suspicions that it is there to resupply a submarine.
However, Anders Nordin at the Swedish Coast Guard told Swedish news agency TT that its journey was consistent with normal tanker movements
bbc.com
theguardian.com - Farce as Fifa investigator Michael Garcia attacks ‘erroneous’ ethics report
Fifa has been plunged into fresh chaos after a long-awaited probe into the controversial bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was disowned by its own ethics investigator.
Michael Garcia, the former attorney for the southern district of New York hired as part of a drive to revive Fifa’s image, complained that a 42-page summary of his 430-page report contained “numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts”.
bbc.com - World Cup: Former FA chief David Bernstein calls for boycott
The Football Association has been urged to lobby Uefa for a European boycott of the next World Cup - unless Fifa implements meaningful reform.
Former FA chairman David Bernstein told BBC Sport it was time for "drastic" action against the governing body.
Fifa has been plunged into fresh chaos after a long-awaited probe into the controversial bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups was disowned by its own ethics investigator.
Michael Garcia, the former attorney for the southern district of New York hired as part of a drive to revive Fifa’s image, complained that a 42-page summary of his 430-page report contained “numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts”.
bbc.com - World Cup: Former FA chief David Bernstein calls for boycott
The Football Association has been urged to lobby Uefa for a European boycott of the next World Cup - unless Fifa implements meaningful reform.
Former FA chairman David Bernstein told BBC Sport it was time for "drastic" action against the governing body.
The Swedish military has confirmed a “Russian” aircraft that entered Swedish airspace on Saturday was actually French. The Expressen newspaper had falsely reported a Russian plane was "a couple of kilometers on the wrong side of the border.”
The military plane actually turned out to be from France and Jesper Tengroth, a press officer for the Swedish military said they are now going to investigate what the plane was actually doing there. Speaking to The Local news website, he was unable to give any further details about the French aircraft and added the Expressen publication would, “have to take responsibility for their sources.”
The French Embassy in Stockholm says they are currently investigating the air violation. “I do not have any information right now. We are in contact with Paris to understand what is happening,” said Lionel Fabre, who is the embassy’s press officer, as reported by Expressen.
However, Janzen made no mention of the mix-up on his Twitter page, preferring to continue condemning Moscow for testing Europe’s air defenses.
The military plane actually turned out to be from France and Jesper Tengroth, a press officer for the Swedish military said they are now going to investigate what the plane was actually doing there. Speaking to The Local news website, he was unable to give any further details about the French aircraft and added the Expressen publication would, “have to take responsibility for their sources.”
The French Embassy in Stockholm says they are currently investigating the air violation. “I do not have any information right now. We are in contact with Paris to understand what is happening,” said Lionel Fabre, who is the embassy’s press officer, as reported by Expressen.
However, Janzen made no mention of the mix-up on his Twitter page, preferring to continue condemning Moscow for testing Europe’s air defenses.
LOL, new humanitarian help ala west world...or just monitoring action :-D
UK Sends 10 Armored Vehicles to OSCE Mission to Ukraine
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20141118/1014862060.html
I suppose, that OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), need to have more power to make there that "co-operation" :-) )
UK Sends 10 Armored Vehicles to OSCE Mission to Ukraine
http://sputniknews.com/europe/20141118/1014862060.html
I suppose, that OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), need to have more power to make there that "co-operation" :-) )
Bird flu: New EU measures after Dutch and UK cases
Benno Bruggink, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority: "The public should not be overly concerned"
The European Commission has adopted protective measures to try to contain a bird flu outbreak after new cases were reported in the UK and the Netherlands.
The measures include killing animals in infected areas and banning sales of poultry products from those areas.
The Dutch government has reported the "highly contagious" H5N8 strain at a poultry farm there.
The UK reported a case at a duck farm in East Yorkshire, and the Commission said it was "probably identical".
H5N8 can potentially affect humans.
EU officials say the outbreaks may be linked to bird flu recently found in Germany.
They say it could have been spread by migratory wild birds heading south for winter, but that tests are continuing to confirm any links between the three cases.
Three-day ban
The European Commission said in a statement that the UK and the Netherlands were already applying directives on culling affected poultry, prohibiting sales of affected poultry products and live birds, and establishing protection zones.
It said: "The measures aim at quickly bringing the disease under control and at preventing the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza within the affected member states, to other member states and to third countries."
At the scene: BBC's Anna Holligan in Hekendorp
It was a tense and traumatic day at the farm.
The idyllic Dutch image was destroyed by the hum of a truck carrying an industrial size gas canister and the appearance of men in orange boiler suits. The health and safety teams came to Hekendorp to gas 150,000 hens.
Their primary concern is to contain the outbreak. Poultry farmers, even those operating outside the 10km exclusion zone, have an additional concern. Many are worried about the potential damage to the reputation of Dutch poultry products.
The industry has been brought to a standstill. A nationwide transportation ban will remain in place until at least Tuesday. The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world. It exports more than six billion eggs annually.
We watched from behind the fire retardant barrier as diggers poured hundreds of dead chickens into trucks. Neighbours living around the contaminated farm see the cull as an unpleasant but essential sacrifice.
Eggs and chickens are dumped into a container at Hekendorp
The Dutch authorities have already begun destroying 150,000 hens at the infected farm, in the village of Hekendorp.
"This highly pathogenic variant of avian influenza is very dangerous for bird life," the Dutch government said in a statement (in Dutch).
"The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans."
The Dutch economics ministry says humans can only be infected through very close contact with infected birds.
Experts wore protective suits before examining the Hekendorp farm
The authorities have imposed a three-day nationwide ban on the transportation of poultry and eggs.
Earlier this month, a farm in north-eastern Germany detected cases of H5N8, which had previously not been reported in Europe.
The strain has never been detected in humans, but an outbreak in South Korea meant millions of farm birds had to be slaughtered to contain it.
Also on Monday, Egyptian health officials said a woman had died from the deadliest strain of the virus, H5N1, after coming into contact with infected birds in the south of the country.
Dangerous strains
Meanwhile, officials in the UK confirmed at least one case of bird flu in Yorkshire, but insisted the risk to public health was "very low".
A cull of poultry is being carried out at the site and an exclusion zone is in place.
The Commission said: "The information available indicates that the H5 virus in the UK is probably identical to the H5N8 virus found in the Netherlands and in Germany."
The head of the World Animal Health Organisation, Bernard Vallat, suggested that bird feed at the farms might have become contaminated by wild migratory birds.
"If feed is not protected and a wild bird comes to eat it, it's enough to contaminate the feed and then those that eat that feed," Mr Vallat said.
Most forms of bird flu do not infect humans, but H5N1 and H7N9 have caused serious infections in people, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
The majority of those infected had come into close contact with live or dead poultry.
There is no evidence to suggest H5N1 and H7N9 can be passed to humans through properly prepared poultry or eggs, the WHO says.
H5N1 has a mortality rate of about 60% in humans, and led to 384 deaths between 2003 and December 2013, according to WHO figures.
Common symptoms include a high fever and coughing.
bbc.com
Benno Bruggink, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority: "The public should not be overly concerned"
The European Commission has adopted protective measures to try to contain a bird flu outbreak after new cases were reported in the UK and the Netherlands.
The measures include killing animals in infected areas and banning sales of poultry products from those areas.
The Dutch government has reported the "highly contagious" H5N8 strain at a poultry farm there.
The UK reported a case at a duck farm in East Yorkshire, and the Commission said it was "probably identical".
H5N8 can potentially affect humans.
EU officials say the outbreaks may be linked to bird flu recently found in Germany.
They say it could have been spread by migratory wild birds heading south for winter, but that tests are continuing to confirm any links between the three cases.
Three-day ban
The European Commission said in a statement that the UK and the Netherlands were already applying directives on culling affected poultry, prohibiting sales of affected poultry products and live birds, and establishing protection zones.
It said: "The measures aim at quickly bringing the disease under control and at preventing the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza within the affected member states, to other member states and to third countries."
At the scene: BBC's Anna Holligan in Hekendorp
It was a tense and traumatic day at the farm.
The idyllic Dutch image was destroyed by the hum of a truck carrying an industrial size gas canister and the appearance of men in orange boiler suits. The health and safety teams came to Hekendorp to gas 150,000 hens.
Their primary concern is to contain the outbreak. Poultry farmers, even those operating outside the 10km exclusion zone, have an additional concern. Many are worried about the potential damage to the reputation of Dutch poultry products.
The industry has been brought to a standstill. A nationwide transportation ban will remain in place until at least Tuesday. The Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world. It exports more than six billion eggs annually.
We watched from behind the fire retardant barrier as diggers poured hundreds of dead chickens into trucks. Neighbours living around the contaminated farm see the cull as an unpleasant but essential sacrifice.
Eggs and chickens are dumped into a container at Hekendorp
The Dutch authorities have already begun destroying 150,000 hens at the infected farm, in the village of Hekendorp.
"This highly pathogenic variant of avian influenza is very dangerous for bird life," the Dutch government said in a statement (in Dutch).
"The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans."
The Dutch economics ministry says humans can only be infected through very close contact with infected birds.
Experts wore protective suits before examining the Hekendorp farm
The authorities have imposed a three-day nationwide ban on the transportation of poultry and eggs.
Earlier this month, a farm in north-eastern Germany detected cases of H5N8, which had previously not been reported in Europe.
The strain has never been detected in humans, but an outbreak in South Korea meant millions of farm birds had to be slaughtered to contain it.
Also on Monday, Egyptian health officials said a woman had died from the deadliest strain of the virus, H5N1, after coming into contact with infected birds in the south of the country.
Dangerous strains
Meanwhile, officials in the UK confirmed at least one case of bird flu in Yorkshire, but insisted the risk to public health was "very low".
A cull of poultry is being carried out at the site and an exclusion zone is in place.
The Commission said: "The information available indicates that the H5 virus in the UK is probably identical to the H5N8 virus found in the Netherlands and in Germany."
The head of the World Animal Health Organisation, Bernard Vallat, suggested that bird feed at the farms might have become contaminated by wild migratory birds.
"If feed is not protected and a wild bird comes to eat it, it's enough to contaminate the feed and then those that eat that feed," Mr Vallat said.
Most forms of bird flu do not infect humans, but H5N1 and H7N9 have caused serious infections in people, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.
The majority of those infected had come into close contact with live or dead poultry.
There is no evidence to suggest H5N1 and H7N9 can be passed to humans through properly prepared poultry or eggs, the WHO says.
H5N1 has a mortality rate of about 60% in humans, and led to 384 deaths between 2003 and December 2013, according to WHO figures.
Common symptoms include a high fever and coughing.
bbc.com
Comet lander: Camera sees Philae's hairy landing
This collection of images was acquired when Rosetta was about 15km above the surface of 67P
High-resolution pictures have now been released of the Philae probe in the act of landing on Comet 67P last Wednesday.
They were acquired by the Narrow Angle Camera on the Rosetta satellite, which had dropped the little robot towards the surface of the "ice mountain".
The images are presented as a mosaic covering the half-hour or so around the "first touchdown" - the probe then bounced to a stop about 1km away.
Philae lost battery power on Saturday and is no longer talking with Earth.
Scientists still have not located the craft's current resting spot.
But European Space Agency controllers have not given up hope of hearing from the plucky robot again - if it can somehow get enough light on to its solar panels to recharge its systems.
Getting a precise fix on its location, to then photograph its present predicament would provide a better idea of whether this is likely to happen.
The new NAC images will certainly help in this respect because they show the direction the lander took as it bounced away.
At the weekend, Esa presented some fascinating views of the first touchdown taken by Rosetta's navigation cameras, but the Osiris NAC system has substantially better resolution.
It's a trap
The new mosaic is produced by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, which operates Osiris.
It details Philae's descent, and the impact mark it leaves on 67P's surface. You then see the 100kg probe heading away on its initial bounce. (All times are in GMT on Wednesday. The resolution is 28 cm/pixel).
This rebound reached hundreds of metres above the comet and lasted almost two hours.
When Philae came back down, it made another small leap, which took it into a high-walled trap.
Telemetry and pictures from the robot itself indicate this location is covered in deep shadow for most of 67P's day.
As a consequence, Philae receives insufficient solar power to re-boot and form a radio link to the orbiting Rosetta spacecraft.
Esa cannot be sure the robot will ever come back to life, but even if it does not the agency says it is "hugely happy" with what was achieved in the more than 50 hours following landing.
The probe managed to complete over 80% of its planned primary science campaign on the surface.
'Rock' hard
This data was pulled off the robot just before its sagging energy reserves dropped it into sleep mode.
Little of the results have so far been released by the various instrument teams. The one major exception is MUPUS.
This sensor package from the German space agency's Institute for Planetary Research deployed a thermometer on the end of a hammer.
It retrieved a number of temperature profiles but broke as it tried to burrow its way into the comet's subsurface.
Scientists say this shows the icy material underlying 67P's dust covering to be far harder than anyone anticipated - having the tensile strength of some rocks.
It also helps explain why Philae bounced so high on that first touchdown.
The 4km-wide comet has little gravity, so when key landing systems designed to hold the robot down failed at the crucial moment - the probe would have been relying on thick, soft, compressive layers to absorb its impact.
However much dust it did encounter at that moment, it clearly was not enough to prevent Philae making its giant rebound.
bbc.com
This collection of images was acquired when Rosetta was about 15km above the surface of 67P
High-resolution pictures have now been released of the Philae probe in the act of landing on Comet 67P last Wednesday.
They were acquired by the Narrow Angle Camera on the Rosetta satellite, which had dropped the little robot towards the surface of the "ice mountain".
The images are presented as a mosaic covering the half-hour or so around the "first touchdown" - the probe then bounced to a stop about 1km away.
Philae lost battery power on Saturday and is no longer talking with Earth.
Scientists still have not located the craft's current resting spot.
But European Space Agency controllers have not given up hope of hearing from the plucky robot again - if it can somehow get enough light on to its solar panels to recharge its systems.
Getting a precise fix on its location, to then photograph its present predicament would provide a better idea of whether this is likely to happen.
The new NAC images will certainly help in this respect because they show the direction the lander took as it bounced away.
At the weekend, Esa presented some fascinating views of the first touchdown taken by Rosetta's navigation cameras, but the Osiris NAC system has substantially better resolution.
It's a trap
The new mosaic is produced by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, which operates Osiris.
It details Philae's descent, and the impact mark it leaves on 67P's surface. You then see the 100kg probe heading away on its initial bounce. (All times are in GMT on Wednesday. The resolution is 28 cm/pixel).
This rebound reached hundreds of metres above the comet and lasted almost two hours.
When Philae came back down, it made another small leap, which took it into a high-walled trap.
Telemetry and pictures from the robot itself indicate this location is covered in deep shadow for most of 67P's day.
As a consequence, Philae receives insufficient solar power to re-boot and form a radio link to the orbiting Rosetta spacecraft.
Esa cannot be sure the robot will ever come back to life, but even if it does not the agency says it is "hugely happy" with what was achieved in the more than 50 hours following landing.
The probe managed to complete over 80% of its planned primary science campaign on the surface.
'Rock' hard
This data was pulled off the robot just before its sagging energy reserves dropped it into sleep mode.
Little of the results have so far been released by the various instrument teams. The one major exception is MUPUS.
This sensor package from the German space agency's Institute for Planetary Research deployed a thermometer on the end of a hammer.
It retrieved a number of temperature profiles but broke as it tried to burrow its way into the comet's subsurface.
Scientists say this shows the icy material underlying 67P's dust covering to be far harder than anyone anticipated - having the tensile strength of some rocks.
It also helps explain why Philae bounced so high on that first touchdown.
The 4km-wide comet has little gravity, so when key landing systems designed to hold the robot down failed at the crucial moment - the probe would have been relying on thick, soft, compressive layers to absorb its impact.
However much dust it did encounter at that moment, it clearly was not enough to prevent Philae making its giant rebound.
bbc.com
Hong Kong authorities clear part of Admiralty protest site
Security staff have been removing metal barricades outside Citic Tower
Court bailiffs in Hong Kong have cleared part of a pro-democracy protest camp in the Admiralty district.
The bailiffs, backed by police, dismantled barricades outside Citic Tower after the building's owners complained about the disruption and were granted a high court injunction.
The student protesters did not resist the clearance, and many helped to remove tents and fences.
The high court has also authorised the clearance of the Mong Kok site.
A third protest camp remains at Causeway Bay.
The activists have been on the streets since early October to protest against a decision by China to screen candidates for Hong Kong's 2017 leadership election. Numbers were originally in the tens of thousands but have fallen to a few hundred.
The authorities moved in after a court granted an injunction from Citic Tower's owners to clear the area
Protesters have helped workers to remove barricades at the Admiralty site
Hong Kong and the Beijing government say the protests are illegal, and there is growing public frustration with the disruption to traffic and business.
'We will go elsewhere'
The BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Hong Kong said the scene at Admiralty on Tuesday appeared calm on Tuesday morning, with many students saying they would not get in the way and police standing by but not acting.
But they said the peaceful demolition of one part of the camp did not mean the end of their protest, and that they would remain on the streets until their demands were met.
Prominent student leader Joshua Wong told the BBC that they would not resist as long as the authorities only cleared the area mentioned in the injunction. Mr Wong said if the authorities headed to other sites, activists would be "very disappointed".
Garment worker Jason Fung told the South China Morning Post: "We'll just go protest somewhere that the injunction doesn't cover."
The high court has also granted an injunction to taxi and minibus associations to clear the roads in Mong Kok, where on Tuesday protesters had also begun packing up.
More requests have been lodged by bus companies to clear other roads affected by the protest sites.
Police operations to clear and contain the camps in recent weeks have sometimes led to clashes.
An attempt to clear an underpass near Admiralty led to accusations that police had used excessive violence, after a video emerged of officers apparently beating a protester.
At the weekend, a group of student leaders were prevented from travelling to Beijing, where they had hoped to seek an audience with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, after their travel permits were declared invalid.
Hong Kong democracy timeline
1984: Britain and China sign an agreement where Hong Kong is guaranteed "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs" for 50 years following the handover in 1997.
June-July 2014: Pro-democracy activists hold an unofficial referendum on political reform and a large rally. This is followed by protests by pro-Beijing activists.
31 August 2014: China says it will allow direct elections in 2017, but voters will only be able to choose from a list of pre-approved candidates. Activists stage protests.
22 September 2014: Student groups launch a week-long boycott of classes in protest.
28 September 2014: Occupy Central and student protests join forces and take over central Hong Kong.
October 2014: Chief Executive CY Leung refuses demands for his resignation. Discussions between government and student leaders go nowhere. High court begins granting injunctions to clear protest sites.
15 November 2014: Student leaders' attempt to travel to Beijing fails.
18 November 2014: Bailiffs move in to clear a portion of the Admiralty protest site.
2017: Direct elections for chief executive due to take place
bbc.com
Security staff have been removing metal barricades outside Citic Tower
Court bailiffs in Hong Kong have cleared part of a pro-democracy protest camp in the Admiralty district.
The bailiffs, backed by police, dismantled barricades outside Citic Tower after the building's owners complained about the disruption and were granted a high court injunction.
The student protesters did not resist the clearance, and many helped to remove tents and fences.
The high court has also authorised the clearance of the Mong Kok site.
A third protest camp remains at Causeway Bay.
The activists have been on the streets since early October to protest against a decision by China to screen candidates for Hong Kong's 2017 leadership election. Numbers were originally in the tens of thousands but have fallen to a few hundred.
The authorities moved in after a court granted an injunction from Citic Tower's owners to clear the area
Protesters have helped workers to remove barricades at the Admiralty site
Hong Kong and the Beijing government say the protests are illegal, and there is growing public frustration with the disruption to traffic and business.
'We will go elsewhere'
The BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Hong Kong said the scene at Admiralty on Tuesday appeared calm on Tuesday morning, with many students saying they would not get in the way and police standing by but not acting.
But they said the peaceful demolition of one part of the camp did not mean the end of their protest, and that they would remain on the streets until their demands were met.
Prominent student leader Joshua Wong told the BBC that they would not resist as long as the authorities only cleared the area mentioned in the injunction. Mr Wong said if the authorities headed to other sites, activists would be "very disappointed".
Garment worker Jason Fung told the South China Morning Post: "We'll just go protest somewhere that the injunction doesn't cover."
The high court has also granted an injunction to taxi and minibus associations to clear the roads in Mong Kok, where on Tuesday protesters had also begun packing up.
More requests have been lodged by bus companies to clear other roads affected by the protest sites.
Police operations to clear and contain the camps in recent weeks have sometimes led to clashes.
An attempt to clear an underpass near Admiralty led to accusations that police had used excessive violence, after a video emerged of officers apparently beating a protester.
At the weekend, a group of student leaders were prevented from travelling to Beijing, where they had hoped to seek an audience with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, after their travel permits were declared invalid.
Hong Kong democracy timeline
1984: Britain and China sign an agreement where Hong Kong is guaranteed "a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs" for 50 years following the handover in 1997.
June-July 2014: Pro-democracy activists hold an unofficial referendum on political reform and a large rally. This is followed by protests by pro-Beijing activists.
31 August 2014: China says it will allow direct elections in 2017, but voters will only be able to choose from a list of pre-approved candidates. Activists stage protests.
22 September 2014: Student groups launch a week-long boycott of classes in protest.
28 September 2014: Occupy Central and student protests join forces and take over central Hong Kong.
October 2014: Chief Executive CY Leung refuses demands for his resignation. Discussions between government and student leaders go nowhere. High court begins granting injunctions to clear protest sites.
15 November 2014: Student leaders' attempt to travel to Beijing fails.
18 November 2014: Bailiffs move in to clear a portion of the Admiralty protest site.
2017: Direct elections for chief executive due to take place
bbc.com
God bless the french people...
http://rt.com/business/206455-france-will-not-sign-ttip/
Boosting trade with the US may also come at a cost for European countries that may need to compromise on health, safety and environmental regulations.
http://rt.com/business/206455-france-will-not-sign-ttip/
Boosting trade with the US may also come at a cost for European countries that may need to compromise on health, safety and environmental regulations.
TTIP and SOPA, the same shit! :S Corporations want to have complete freedom to do whatever they, all for just 1 goal, maximum profit!
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-11-18/ukraine-admits-its-gold-gone
This conspiracy theory is now true :-) ?
This conspiracy theory is now true :-) ?
Yes, you and Ukraine .... SPAM!
Noticed how friendly and normal the forum was without your crap?? Please keep it that way and stop the trolling!
Noticed how friendly and normal the forum was without your crap?? Please keep it that way and stop the trolling!
Bird flu at UK duck farm same strain as Germany and Netherlands cases
Culling of 6,000 birds at duck-breeding farm in East Yorkshire under way to stem ‘highly pathogenic’ H5N8 virus
Bird flu outbreak Preparations begin for a cull of ducks at a farm in Nafferton, East Yorkshire, after a bird flu outbreak.
The strain of bird flu found on a duck-breeding farm in the UK is the same as the one recently identified in the Netherlands and Germany, the environment department has said.
The culling of 6,000 ducks at the farm in Nafferton, near Driffield, East Yorkshire, where the “highly pathogenic” virus has been found, is under way, according to officials.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the disease was the H5N8 strain, the same as the strain confirmed at a chicken farm in the central province of Utrecht, the Netherlands, and in Germany.
But the advice from the chief medical officer and Public Health England remained that the risk to public health from the virus was “very low” and the Food Standards Agency has said there is no food safety risk for consumers, she said.
She said the cull to prevent the potential spread of infection was being carried out in a safe and humane manner by fully-trained staff from the government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency.
“Our response to this outbreak follows tried and tested procedures for dealing with avian flu outbreaks and we expect the cull to be completed later today. Additionally, our animal health laboratory at Weybridge has confirmed that the outbreak of avian influenza in East Yorkshire is the H5N8 strain.
“The advice from the chief medical officer and Public Health England remains that the risk to public health is very low. The Food Standards Agency have said there is no food safety risk for consumers,” the spokeswoman said.
The cull of 6,000 ducks at the farm owned by the UK’s largest producer of duck and duck products, Cherry Valley, comes after the transport of poultry and eggs throughout the Netherlands was banned after the H5N8 outbreak in Utrecht.
Officials have been quick to reassure the public that the strain found at the farm after the alarm was raised by a vet on Friday was not the H5N1 strain of the virus which has led to human deaths, and that the risk to public health from the outbreak remained very low.
But experts have warned further outbreaks could emerge in the coming days.
Officials are investigating how the virus reached East Yorkshire, whether it could have be the result of commercial transport of birds, or carried by wild birds which are also affected by bird flu.
The East Yorkshire outbreak is the first serious case of bird flu since 2008, when the H7N7 strand was found in free-range laying hens near Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Most types of bird flu are harmless to humans but two types, H5N1 and H7N9, have caused serious concerns.
Chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens said the Cherry Valley farm at the centre of the alert had good biosecurity in place, and as a result the risk of spread was “probably quite low”, he said. But he warned more cases could follow and, because of the risk of wild birds spreading the disease, urged farmers and their vets all over the country to be alert to the possibility of disease.
Keith Warner, president of the British Veterinary Poultry Association, also said that while previous outbreaks of bird flu had been controlled on one or two isolated farms, there could be more incidents in the latest outbreak.
“Everybody in the UK that owns birds in any number should be on biosecurity lockdown,” he urged, advising no unnecessary visits to farms, transport or sharing of equipment, and that free-range birds in the restriction zone should be kept inside.
Paul Bellotti, head of housing, transportation and public protection at East Riding of Yorkshire council, said staff would be stationed across the six-mile (10km) surveillance zone and the two-mile protection zone immediately around the farm to provide advice and guidance and gather important data.
“By the close of play today, every registered poultry farm will be visited within the 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone, as well as other smaller non-registered poultry and bird-keeping premises that we become aware of during the course of the day,” he said. “Residents should not be concerned by the visits being undertaken by our officers and we would ask that they provide any and all assistance, if requested.
“The council would like to once again state that the risk to public health is very low and would also like to reassure residents that poultry and eggs are safe to purchase and eat, subject to normal food preparation. Motorists and the travelling public should continue to use any and all routes on the highways network, unless they are advised otherwise, and, unless specifically closed, public footpaths remain open.”
The British Poultry Council said: “Defra confirmed this afternoon that the strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) found on a duck breeding farm in Yorkshire is of the H5N8 strain, which is a very low risk to human health and no risk to the food chain. Work is now under way to understand the route of the infection.
“The exclusion zones around the farm, at 3km (protection zone) and at 10km (surveillance zone), remain in place. Across the country a high level of surveillance of housed and wild birds is continuing.”
theguardian.com
(edited)
Culling of 6,000 birds at duck-breeding farm in East Yorkshire under way to stem ‘highly pathogenic’ H5N8 virus
Bird flu outbreak Preparations begin for a cull of ducks at a farm in Nafferton, East Yorkshire, after a bird flu outbreak.
The strain of bird flu found on a duck-breeding farm in the UK is the same as the one recently identified in the Netherlands and Germany, the environment department has said.
The culling of 6,000 ducks at the farm in Nafferton, near Driffield, East Yorkshire, where the “highly pathogenic” virus has been found, is under way, according to officials.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the disease was the H5N8 strain, the same as the strain confirmed at a chicken farm in the central province of Utrecht, the Netherlands, and in Germany.
But the advice from the chief medical officer and Public Health England remained that the risk to public health from the virus was “very low” and the Food Standards Agency has said there is no food safety risk for consumers, she said.
She said the cull to prevent the potential spread of infection was being carried out in a safe and humane manner by fully-trained staff from the government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency.
“Our response to this outbreak follows tried and tested procedures for dealing with avian flu outbreaks and we expect the cull to be completed later today. Additionally, our animal health laboratory at Weybridge has confirmed that the outbreak of avian influenza in East Yorkshire is the H5N8 strain.
“The advice from the chief medical officer and Public Health England remains that the risk to public health is very low. The Food Standards Agency have said there is no food safety risk for consumers,” the spokeswoman said.
The cull of 6,000 ducks at the farm owned by the UK’s largest producer of duck and duck products, Cherry Valley, comes after the transport of poultry and eggs throughout the Netherlands was banned after the H5N8 outbreak in Utrecht.
Officials have been quick to reassure the public that the strain found at the farm after the alarm was raised by a vet on Friday was not the H5N1 strain of the virus which has led to human deaths, and that the risk to public health from the outbreak remained very low.
But experts have warned further outbreaks could emerge in the coming days.
Officials are investigating how the virus reached East Yorkshire, whether it could have be the result of commercial transport of birds, or carried by wild birds which are also affected by bird flu.
The East Yorkshire outbreak is the first serious case of bird flu since 2008, when the H7N7 strand was found in free-range laying hens near Banbury, Oxfordshire.
Most types of bird flu are harmless to humans but two types, H5N1 and H7N9, have caused serious concerns.
Chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens said the Cherry Valley farm at the centre of the alert had good biosecurity in place, and as a result the risk of spread was “probably quite low”, he said. But he warned more cases could follow and, because of the risk of wild birds spreading the disease, urged farmers and their vets all over the country to be alert to the possibility of disease.
Keith Warner, president of the British Veterinary Poultry Association, also said that while previous outbreaks of bird flu had been controlled on one or two isolated farms, there could be more incidents in the latest outbreak.
“Everybody in the UK that owns birds in any number should be on biosecurity lockdown,” he urged, advising no unnecessary visits to farms, transport or sharing of equipment, and that free-range birds in the restriction zone should be kept inside.
Paul Bellotti, head of housing, transportation and public protection at East Riding of Yorkshire council, said staff would be stationed across the six-mile (10km) surveillance zone and the two-mile protection zone immediately around the farm to provide advice and guidance and gather important data.
“By the close of play today, every registered poultry farm will be visited within the 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone, as well as other smaller non-registered poultry and bird-keeping premises that we become aware of during the course of the day,” he said. “Residents should not be concerned by the visits being undertaken by our officers and we would ask that they provide any and all assistance, if requested.
“The council would like to once again state that the risk to public health is very low and would also like to reassure residents that poultry and eggs are safe to purchase and eat, subject to normal food preparation. Motorists and the travelling public should continue to use any and all routes on the highways network, unless they are advised otherwise, and, unless specifically closed, public footpaths remain open.”
The British Poultry Council said: “Defra confirmed this afternoon that the strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) found on a duck breeding farm in Yorkshire is of the H5N8 strain, which is a very low risk to human health and no risk to the food chain. Work is now under way to understand the route of the infection.
“The exclusion zones around the farm, at 3km (protection zone) and at 10km (surveillance zone), remain in place. Across the country a high level of surveillance of housed and wild birds is continuing.”
theguardian.com
(edited)