Chorley National News: Genomic innovation will better target treatment in the NHS

Tuesday January 31^st 2012
Thousands of patients will benefit from tests to match treatment to their DNANHS patients should be able to benefit from genomic technology which can improve the health service's understanding of the nature of disease and mean that treatment can be tailored to patients' individual genetic make up – providing the right treatment to the right patient.In its report to Government on genomic technology published today, the Human Genomics Strategy Group, chaired by Professor Sir John Bell, highlights the UK's achievements in genetics research to date and proposes a strategic vision to realise the future benefit of genomics.Considerable government investment over the past decade – more than £50 million – has meant that genetic tests for...

Chorley National News: Willetts comments on latest UCAS application figures

Tuesday January 31^st 2012
Commenting on the latest UCAS application figures, Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said:“The proportion of English school leavers applying to university today is greater than ever before, barring last year. It is encouraging that applications from people from some of the most disadvantaged backgrounds remain strong, with only a 0.2 per cent decrease.“Even with a small reduction in applications, this will still be a competitive year like any other as people continue to understand that University remains a good long-term investment in your future. And it is still not too late to apply, last year over 100,000 students applied after the January deadline.“It is important that people have the information they need to make life-changing...

Chorley National News: Twitter to allow censorship of posts on a country by country basis

Tuesday January 31^st 2012
The microblogging service Twitter has changed its software support for censoring posts. With the new updates, Twitter can now withdraw individual posts and accounts in specific countries, as opposed to a global deletion. Twitter announced these changes in a blog post on Thursday, and released a clarification update on Friday.Twitter says it needed to make the changes to expand on an international level. It said in a blog post entitled Tweets still must flow, "we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression. Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there. Others are similar but, for historical or cultural reasons, restrict certain types of content, such as France or Germany,...

Chorley National News: Surrey Police Warning Over Missing Chemicals

Wednesday February 1^st 2012
Police have started an investigation after three packages, containing “very toxic” chemicals went missing.
The packages, which have gone missing from Enthone, a company based in Sheerwater, were packed and ready to be sent to different firms across the UK but the packages never reached their destinations.
Two of the packages contain gold potassium cyanide, which produces the deadly gas hydrogen cyanide if it comes into contact with water or acid.
Surrey police have advised anyone who believes they have come into contact with the packages to seek urgent medical treatment.  
Detective Inspector Andy Haslam said: “We are urging people not to touch, inhale or swallow any of these chemicals. If anyone believes they have done so, we urge...

Chorley National News: Weekend Snow Warnings - UK Set To Shiver

Thursday February 2^nd 2012
Residents in Britain should be preparing for snow to hit the country this weekend as the bitterly cold weather continues to take hold of the country.
The current cold weather, that has seen the daytime temperatures plummet to between 4-6°c lower than the predicted and usual average February temperatures, even though it is typically the coldest month of the year for Britons.
Forcasters said Saturday will see a cold front sweep south and east across the UK from the west, resulting in snow where slightly milder air meets cold air.
Aisling Creevey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Today is set to be bitterly cold, with a few snow flurries in the east of England. There will be maximum temperatures...

Chorley National News: BT Profits up as it starts cost cuts

Friday February 3^rd 2012
UK telecom giant BT has reported rises in profits, thanks to cost-cutting and an increase in its broadband service users.
Pre-tax profits for the three months to the end of December were £652 m, 48% higher than a year earlier. Revenue fell 5% to £4.77 bn.
Profits are reported to have increased around 18%.
The company said it has expanded the availability of its fibre optic broadband to 7 million homes and signed 95,000 customers to its service.
"We have delivered another quarter of growth in profits and cash flow despite the economic head-winds" Chief Executive Ian Livingston commented. He went on to add: "In the UK, our fibre roll-out has accelerated bringing super-fast broadband within reach of over seven million homes...