Volgograd: At Least 14 Dead In Bus Bombing

At least 14 people have reportedly died in an explosion on an electric bus in the Russian city of Volgograd in the second deadly attack in the city in as many days.

Investigators have described the blast, during the morning rush-hour on a trolleybus, as "an act of terror".

Russian investigators said the bus explosion was caused by a male suicide bomber.

A statement from the Federal Investigative Committee said: "It is now possible to preliminarily say that the explosive device was set off by a suicide bomber - a man whose body fragments have been collected and sent for genetic testing."

The death toll could rise further

It comes just a day after a female suicide bomber was blamed for killing 17 people and leaving dozens more injured at the city's main railway station.

Police identified that bomber as a Dagestan national called Oksana Aslanova - who had been married to two Islamists killed by Russian forces.

She apparently detonated a bomb in front of a metal detector inside the main entrance of the station. Russian television is suggesting there may have been two attackers.

That attack was the deadliest in Russia since January 2011, when a male suicide bomber from the North Caucasus killed 37 people in the arrivals hall of a busy Moscow airport.

Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's main investigative agency, said the latest explosion involved a bomb similar to the one used to target Volgograd railway station. The bomb contained 4kg of TNT equivalent explosive.

He said: "That confirms the investigators' version that the two terror attacks were linked. They could have been prepared in one place."

Security has been stepped up after the station blast

President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's counter-terrorism agency to step up security in Volgograd and nationwide in the wake of the two attacks, the Kremlin announced.

The explosions have put the city on edge and highlighted the terrorist threat that Russia is facing as it prepares to host the Winter Olympics in February.

Volgograd is about 400 miles northeast of Sochi, where the Games are to be held.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either of the attacks.

In July, Doku Umarov, leader of an ongoing insurgency in the nearby North Caucasus region, urged militants to use "maximum force" to disrupt the Winter Olympics, a project close to Mr Putin's heart.

Russian authorities have pledged to make the event the "safest ever".

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall said: "It's 39 or 40 days until the Winter Olympics open, this is the opportunity for the Islamic separatists in the Caucasus region to really put themselves on the world map.

"The more this sort of thing happens, if it is indeed them, the more that cause is going to get on the front pages around the world, spoil Putin's Olympics and, more seriously, the more lives it will take."

Known in Soviet times as Stalingrad, and previously as Tsaritsyn, Volgograd is a major industrial centre with a population of more than a million people.

The North Caucasus is the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, bordered by Georgia and Azerbaijan to the south.

It includes the predominantly Muslim Krasnodar Kai, Stavropol Krai, Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya and Dagestan.

Insurgents have carried out attacks on Russian military and civilians following two wars against Chechnya in 1994-1996 and from 1999 to 2009.

The violence has spread into neighbouring republics and even Moscow as insurgents attempt to establish an Islamic state in the region.

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China: Party Officials Banned From Smoking

China's ruling Communist Party has issued an edict banning officials from smoking in public places or while performing official duties.

Until the notice from the State Council - China's Cabinet - efforts to curb smoking in public were largely limited to city and other local-level measures.

The health ministry pushed out guidelines banning smoking in venues including hotels and restaurants in 2011, but these were criticised as having no clear punishments or details on how bans would be enforced.

The new rules, which campaigners hope will bring about a nationwide law banning smoking in public places, call on officials to lead by example by stubbing out their cigarettes.

Officials are not allowed to smoke in schools, hospitals, sports venues or on public transport, according to Xinhua News.

They are also not allowed to use public funds to buy cigarettes and within Communist Party or government offices tobacco products cannot be sold or advertised.

Ray Yip, head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's China programme, said: "This is likely a major breakthrough.

"For the first time, very high-level attention and support is being given to anti-tobacco efforts.

"This likely will lead to meaningful legislation and enforcement related to smoking."

The foundation has been working on smoking cessation campaigns in the country.

China, with a population of 1.35 billion, has more than 300 million smokers.

Experts say huge revenues from the state-owned tobacco monopoly have hindered anti-smoking measures. Smoking has been linked to an average annual death toll of 1.4 million people in China.

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NHS: Migrants To Be Charged For A&E Care

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

Visitors and migrants who use NHS accident and emergency services in England are to be charged, ministers have announced.

The move is part of an extension of the NHS charging strategy intended to deter so-called "health tourists" while trying to recoup up to £500m a year.

Critics have accused the Government of trying to grab headlines rather than helping the NHS.

Ministers say no-one will be turned away in an emergency, but there will be a bill to pay afterwards for those from overseas.

Health Minister Lord Howe said: "Having a universal health service free at the point of use rightly makes us the envy of the world, but we must make sure the system is fair to the hard-working British taxpayers who fund it.

"We know that we need to make changes across the NHS to better identify and charge visitors and migrants. Introducing charging at primary care is the first step to achieving this.

"We are already looking at taking action and next year we will set out our detailed plans to clamp down on the abuse of our NHS."

Doctors' leaders warned the proposed changes could cost more to administer than they would actually raise for the NHS while deterring some people desperately in need of treatment from seeking care.

Dr Mark Porter, chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) council, said: "This could mean the system of administering the new charging system will end up actually costing more to run than it collects in revenue."

The announcement has been timed less than 48 hours before restrictions on migrants from Bulgaria and Romania end.

A major influx of immigrants could put additional strain on the NHS and other public services.

Labour argue ministers are putting spin before substance.

Lord Hunt said: "Labour is in favour of improving the recovery of costs from people with no entitlement to NHS treatment. Rather than more grand-standing, the Government needs to deliver practical, thought-through changes to make that happen.

"Instead this out-of-touch government is left asking doctors and nurses to act as surrogate immigration officials."

Also under the proposed changes, migrants and overseas visitors will have to pay for primary care services such as minor surgery carried out by GPs, while prescription charges will be extended.

There will also be higher charges for services which are subsidised for patients entitled to free NHS treatment, such as optical and dental care.

But consultations with GPs and nurses will remain free of charge, to ensure initial access remains to prevent public health risks such as TB, HIV and sexually-transmitted infections.

Details of the scheme are still being worked out and ministers won't have a full plan until March.

But the Government will be hoping its crackdown down on health tourism will resonate home and abroad.

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Schumacher Fighting For His Life, Say Doctors

Former motor racing world champion Michael Schumacher is in a coma following a skiing accident in France - and doctors say they "cannot predict his future".

The 44-year-old German is fighting for his life at a hospital in Grenoble and surgeons are working "hour by hour" to save him.

Michael Schumacher was skiing with his son at the time of the accident

At a press conference this morning, in Grenoble, doctors said he had suffered many lesions to his brain and his prognosis was unclear.

Surgeons operated to remove a blood clot in his brain and are now trying to reduce "dangerous swelling", meaning his condition could go either way. 

The hospital revealed that Schumacher was being kept in a state of hypothermia by controlling his temperature to keep it at 34C-35C (93.2F-95F).

He is under general anaesthetic in an induced coma.

"He's in a critical situation - this is considered to be extremely serious," Chief Anaesthetist Jean-Francois Payen told journalists.

The "Dent de Burgin" peak under which Schumacher was skiing

The doctor said that Schumacher's family were at his bedside and friends had flown in to the hospital to lend their support.

"We are working day and night at his bedside," Dr Payen said. "It is too early to say anything as far as prognosis is concerned," he added.

Neurosurgeon Stephan Chabardes said an emergency brain scan had revealed internal bleeding, and injuries including contusions and lesions.

Michael Schumacher was staying at this exclusive chalet in Meribel

"On his arrival we examined him clinically and we realised he was in a serious condition, in a coma, with in fact cranial pressure," Dr Chabardes said.

"The brain scan showed a number of pieces of information, some intercranial haematoma but also some cerebral contusions and oedema.

"We operated urgently to try to eliminate the haematoma. After the operation we saw that we had been able to eliminate these haematoma but also sadly the appearance of various bilateral lesions.

The F1 racer was taken to hospital by helicopter

"So therefore he was taken to intensive care to try to help.

"I am very worried just like his family, we are very worried about his condition. The doctors won't tell you more because they can't tell you more, they are working hour by hour." 

Schumacher was wearing a helmet when he hit his head on a rock while skiing in the French Alps resort of Meribel with his 14-year-old son.

Doctors could not give a prognosis at a press conference in Grenoble

"Someone who had suffered this accident without a helmet would not have made it this far," Dr Payen said

The area where Schumacher was skiing is part of a web of trails that slice down through a vast and, in parts, very steep snowfield.

Although challenging, the runs are broad and neatly tended, and the off-piste areas - where Schumacher was found - is free of trees.

The lane to Schumacher's private chalet

The motor-racing champion was conscious when first responders arrived on the scene, although agitated and in shock, according to a resort spokesman.

He was first airlifted to a local hospital and then later brought to Grenoble for more intensive treatment, when his condition deteriorated.

The French Mountain Gendarmerie had earlier said Schumacher's life was not in danger.

The German Formula One legend skiing in Italy in 2006

Fellow drivers, politicians and friends spoke of their alarm. Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "extremely shocked along with millions of Germans". 

Schumacher's family also released a brief statement. It read: "We would like to thank the medical team who we know do everything possible to help Michael.

"We like to also thank the people from all around the world who have expressed their sympathy and sent their best wishes for Michael's recovery."

The accident occurred in the resort of Meribel in France

A leading neurosurgery specialist in London has described Schumacher's condition as "very dangerous".

Christopher Chandler, of the London Neurosurgery Partnership, warned that his injuries may take several days to "reach their peak".

He said the haematoma and bruising could cause "ferocious swelling".

Schumacher, a seven-time world champion, first retired from Formula One in 2006.

Schumacher made a comeback to Formula One for Mercedes in 2010

He has been hurt seriously once before, in a motorcycling accident in February 2009 when he suffered neck and spine injuries.

Schumacher recovered sufficiently from those injuries to make a comeback to Formula One in 2010.

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Forty Killed As Army Storms DRC Buildings

Forty gunmen have reportedly been killed in fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital Kinshasa a month after a peace deal with agreed with rebels.

The buildings, along with the army headquarters, in the capital Kinshasa were attacked in an apparent attempt to seize power by supporters of religious leader Paul Joseph Mukungubila.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende said 40 of the gunmen had been killed by security forces, adding: "We have total control of the situation."

The fighting is an attempt to seize power from President Joseph Kabila

Police had earlier put a security cordon around the state television building where gunmen had taken several hostages. Witnesses also reported shooting at the Tshatshi military camp.

There were also reports of clashes between the army and supporters of Mr Mukungubila in the eastern mining city of Lubumbashi.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has struggled to emerge from decades of violence and instability. It is home to a 21,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission.

Before transmission was shut down at state television, two gunmen appeared on camera to deliver a political message against President Joseph Kabila, who took office in 2001 after the assassination of his father Laurent.

The message said: "Mukungubila has come to free you from the slavery of the Rwandan."

Mr Mukungubila, who calls himself "the prophet of the Eternal", ran unsuccessfully for the president against Mr Kabila in 2006.

He has been an outspoken critic of a peace deal signed this month with the Tutsi-led M23 rebel group in eastern Congo.

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Jahi McMath Family Running Out Of Time

A 13-year-old girl declared brain dead could be disconnected from a breathing machine today despite her family's attempt to keep her on life support.

Under a court order, Children's Hospital of Oakland in California is allowed to remove Jahi McMath from a ventilator at 5pm local time (1am on Tuesday, UK time).

But her family believes the girl is alive and is hoping to be able to move her to another facility where she can be kept on a breathing machine.

Jahi went into cardiac arrest earlier this month. Pic: KPIX/CBS

The battle is dividing public opinion in the US.

Jahi suffered complications after undergoing a tonsillectomy at the hospital on December 9.

After she awoke from the operation, her family said, she started bleeding heavily and went into cardiac arrest.

Both the hospital and an independent paediatric neurologist from Stanford University have concluded the girl is brain dead.

The family is hoping to move her to a New York facility. 

"The family is together, and today everybody is praying and being together," Chris Dolan, the family's lawyer, told the AP news agency.

After two California care homes withdrew offers to accept her, Jahi's family views the New York option as their "last, last hope", said Mr Dolan.

The hospital said it would need to confirm there is "lawful transportation" included in any plan to transfer Jahi, and written permission from the coroner.

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Sinatra Confidant Who Lifted Lid On Star Dies

Frank Sinatra's valet and confidant for 15 years, George Jacobs, has died at the age of 87.

Jacobs offered an insider's look into the US crooner's life in his 2003 book Mr S: My Life With Frank Sinatra.

In it, he wrote about the singer's women, his dealings with the Kennedys, the Rat Pack and the Mob.

He was working for Hollywood dealmaker Irving "Swifty" Lazar in 1953 when Sinatra hired him and entrusted him with his personal affairs. He said he was "immensely proud" of his time with Ol' Blue Eyes.

Jacobs said he was later fired by Sinatra after the media reported on him dancing at a nightclub with the star's then-wife, Mia Farrow.

Despite the temper tantrums of 'Mr S', Jacobs wrote that his boss, who died in 1998, treated him well.

Jacobs wrote of Sinatra's relationship with Farrow: "Theirs had to be one of the worst, most ill-conceived celebrity marriages of all time, and after two years of one disaster after another, it was all over except for the paperwork."

He said of their nightclub dancing: "Of all the gin joints in the world, why did Mia have to walk into the Candy Store that hot night?

Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow in 1966

"But she did, and because I danced with her, and because the spying eyes of America, courtesy of an undercover scout for gossip queen Rona Barrett, were upon us, that frug, or watusi, or whatever it was, got blown up into a wild affair.

"Mr S, who was the lowest he'd ever been in the 15 years we'd been together, got even crazier. It cost me the job I loved, and it cost him a guy who loved him."

He also wrote that one of the few times he saw Sinatra cry was when Martin Luther King Jr was killed but the singer "did not shed a tear for Bobby Kennedy".

He said Mr Kennedy, a one-time US Attorney General, was "out to get Sinatra in a big way" and saw him as Al Capone - "all sex and crime".

Jacobs went on: "Frank Sinatra loved gangsters, or at least the world they lived in, just as most Americans have had a fascination with this world.

"The big difference was that Mr S could get a lot closer to the flame than the rest of us. In fact, aside from the so-called gangsters that were Sinatra's friends and at least honorary Godfathers, many of his close pals in showbusiness were also somehow gang-related."

Jacobs' son, Snake Jagger, says his father died of natural causes in Palm Springs, California, on Saturday night.

He was survived by four sons and two daughters.

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Antarctic Ship: Helicopter To Rescue Passengers

Passengers on a ship trapped in Antarctic ice for nearly a week will be evacuated by helicopter as soon as possible, Russian officials say.

The majority of passengers and crew will be removed by a Chinese helicopter after the latest bid to free the vessel failed.

A picture taken from the ship shows the ice around the vessel

The MV Akademik Shokalskiy ship has been stuck since Christmas Eve after blizzard winds pushed sea ice around the ship, freezing it in place.

The ship is not in danger of sinking, and there are weeks' worth of supplies for those on board, but the vessel cannot move.

A statement by the Russian foreign ministry read: "A decision has been reached to evacuate 52 passengers and four crew members by helicopter from China's Xue Long ship, should the weather allow."

Professor Chris Turney is one of the scientists aboard the ship

It was unclear what would happen to the remaining 18 passengers on the ship.

The Australian Aurora Australis ship abandoned the latest rescue attempt because of 30-knot winds, snow showers and poor visibility.

Speaking before the rescue attempt was abandoned, Aurora Australis captain Murray Doyle said ramming the ice around the trapped ship was his "first option".

The Aurora Australis had moved back into open water but may make further rescue attempts once weather conditions improve.

A Chinese vessel, The Snow Dragon, is also in the area after it failed to reach the ice-locked ship during a rescue bid last week.

The scientific team on board the MV Akademik Shokalskiy research ship had been recreating Australian explorer Douglas Mawson's century-old voyage to Antarctica.

It left New Zealand on November 28.

Before the Australian rescue mission was called off, ship passenger Terry Gostlow said passengers were in good spirits.

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Dogs Saved From Euthanasia In America

By Amanda Walker, US Correspondent

Up to four million healthy cats and dogs are euthanised in America every year.

Certain states only allow a 10-day window for an unwanted animal to be claimed before it is put down. South Carolina is one of them - but one animal charity has made it their mission to give thousands of those dogs a second chance.

An anonymous rental van trundles down the I95 towards Washington. Inside there are over 30 very lucky dogs.

It has been a long journey from a gloomy fate in South Carolina to a new life in America's capital.

The van pulls up and the doors open to a chorus of cooing from waiting volunteers as 32 pairs of brown eyes peer out from cages.

From puppies to grown-ups, all of the dogs are ready for some fresh air and adoration. Some rush out tails wagging, while the shy ones need a little more coaxing.

But their journey is not quite complete. Most of the people waiting to greet the dogs are foster carers, the bridge to the ultimate goal: A family of their own.

Daryl is a sweet and playful black lab mix puppy. A next day adoption event will be his moment to shine and win himself a permanent home.

Up to 4 million healthy cats and dogs are euthanised in the US every year

The event gives vetted potential owners a chance to meet the dogs and decide which one suits them best.

Daryl is on his back enjoying a tummy rub - giving it his all - so much so he has won over the Shogi family.

Seven-year-old Guy Shogi has very specific requirements and Daryl fits the bill:  "I like the colour - I don't like a lot of white down the chest. I just like a little and I like when they have these socks on their feet."

His mother Jennifer said it has been a long search: "We go online - we've seen Daryl's profile - we know all about him.

"It's quite a build-up. Whose room is he going to sleep in?!"

Five years ago Lucky Dog founder Mirah Horowitz decided something needed to be done to help dogs facing euthanasia.

"The dogs end up here either because they're strays and they get picked up by animal control, or because people don't want them anymore.

"I do see more people that are surrendering their dogs, so my assumption is that the economy has definitely taken a toll particularly in the Southern areas where most of our dogs are from that are not particularly affluent."

Certain shelters in South Carolina are simply overwhelmed with unwanted dogs.

Ms Horowitz says: "They don't have that understanding about spay and neuter - they have a huge number of dogs, they have a lot of puppies and pregnant dogs that come in, and so they end up with higher euthanasia rates."

Darryl's luck is in: He is off to his new home with the Shogi family.

Over 6,000 dogs have been saved by Lucky Dog and, with no plans to change state laws, the charity's role will continue to be vital.

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Prince William To Attend Cambridge University

The Duke of Cambridge is going back to university in the New Year, Kensington Palace has announced.

Prince William will become a full-time student at Cambridge University for 10 weeks from early January until mid-March.

He will learn about the issues facing rural communities and the farming industry through 18 to 20 hours of lectures, seminars and meetings a week.

Essays and field trips are also likely to form part of the course, which is run by the Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership (CPSL), an institution within Cambridge University's School of Technology.

The Duke, who graduated with a geography degree from the University of St Andrews in 2005, has signed up as preparation for his future role in running the Duchy of Cornwall, which he will eventually inherit from his father.

A palace spokesman said William was "very much looking forward to" his studies.

"The executive education programme of seminars, lectures and meetings will draw on the strengths of academics across the university," the spokesman added.

"It will start in early January and run until mid-March.

"The course has been designed to help provide the Duke with an understanding of contemporary issues affecting agricultural business and rural communities in the United Kingdom."

William is set to visit Australia and NZ with Kate and George

The costs for the course, which does not lead to a formal qualification, will be met privately.

William is expected to live in Cambridge for some of the while he is studying at the university, but will still carry out a number of royal engagements.

He is due to visit Australia and New Zealand with the Duchess of Cambridge in April. The couple's son, Prince George, is expected to join them.

William gave up operational duties with the air force in September after completing a three-year tour as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.

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