Fifa Head: Qatar Summer World Cup A 'Mistake'

FA Boss Warning Over Qatar 2022

Updated: 3:36pm UK, Saturday 10 August 2013

Fifa "probably made a mistake" in awarding the World Cup to Qatar for the summer of 2022, according to the FA's new chairman.

Greg Dyke has said staging the tournament in the Middle East country during some of the hottest weeks of the year, when temperatures can reach 50C (122F), would be "impossible".

But Qatar said in a statement that it was the right decision to award it the Finals, and it was ready to stage the event in either summer or winter.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Dyke said he had serious concerns for the safety of football players and supporters if the event was not moved to the winter or taken away from Qatar completely.

He said: "I have a lot of sympathy with the Qataris. They bid for it and they got it. I think the Fifa executive probably made a mistake at that time - we have to live with that.

"The question now is, how do we solve this problem?"

It is the first time the FA has taken a formal position on the controversial issue. Mr Dyke believes a winter World Cup is more likely than Qatar losing the tournament completely.

His predecessor David Bernstein said in June that any plans to move the World Cup to the winter were "fundamentally flawed".

The FA's position could lead to some differences with the Premier League, whose chief executive Richard Scudamore strongly opposes any move to change the World Cup to the winter because it would disrupt domestic club competitions.

Fifa's president, Sepp Blatter, has said there is still enough time to switch the tournament to the winter months, when temperatures are significantly cooler but can still reach 30C (86F).

Mr Dyke said: "I don't know how many people have been to Qatar in June. I have. The one thing I can tell you is you can't play a football tournament in Qatar in June.

"Even if all the stadia are air-conditioned - which seems a bit strange in terms of the green policy - it would be impossible for the fans just to go out there, wander around in that sort of heat.

"The FA's position will be you can't play it in summer in Qatar.

"Fifa therefore has two choices; you either move it in time or to another location.

"I suspect that either ends up in some sort of litigation, but then someone should have worked that out in 2010 when it was awarded."

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee later released a statement saying: "It was the right decision to award the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time in 2022.

"Football is the most popular sport in the Middle East and the people of our region deserve the opportunity to have history made in their part of the world.

"We are committed to delivering on the promises we made in our successful bid.

"We are ready to host in summer or winter. We have always maintained that this issue requires the agreement of the international football community.

"A decision to alter the dates of the 2022 FIFA World Cup would not affect our infrastructure planning."

The final decision on the fate of Qatar's World Cup rests with Fifa, whose executive committee will discuss the matter at its next meeting, in early October.

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'Dallas Buyers Club' Experimental Drug Bill Passed

Colorado has become the first US state to allow terminally ill people to take experimental drugs - even those which are years away from getting federal approval.

State's Governor John Hickenlooper signed the so-called 'Right To Try' bill into law in Fort Collins.

It was passed unanimously after emotional testimony from relatives who told harrowing stories about trying to get federal permission to access experimental medicine.

The fiilm Dallas Buyers Club starred Matthew McConaughey

"When you're terminal and there's a drug out there that might help you, it can seem that the obstacles to get that drug are insurmountable," said Senator Irene Aguilar, who co-sponsored the controversial bill.

She dubbed it the 'Dallas Buyers Club' bill, after the Hollywood film about an AIDS patient who smuggled medicine from Mexico because it was not cleared for use in the US.

Similar 'Right To Try' bills are to be signed in Louisiana and Missouri.

In November, voters in Arizona will decide whether to pass the legislation, which allows drug companies to provide experimental medications outside of clinical trials.

Colorado's bill has received a careful 'no comment' from doctors' groups, hospitals and health insurers.

It was amended to clarify that healthcare providers and insurers are not liable for any adverse effects if a patient chooses to take experimental drugs.

Patients and relatives who support the new law say they are willing to accept any amount of risk if there is a chance of prolonging life.

Among them is Keith Knapp, from Sacramento, California, whose wife Mikaela died last month from kidney cancer.

The Knapps tried in vain to access new drugs through existing "compassionate use" guidelines, which require permission from the US Food and Drug Administration.

But there are many critics of the bill.

Dr David Gorski, a surgical oncologist, says "Right To Try" proposals are simply feel-good measures that won't help many patients.

"These proposals are built on this fantasy that there are all these patients out there that are going to be saved if they could just get access to the medicine," he said.

"In reality, the patients that might be helped are very few, while the number of patients who could be hurt by something like this are many."

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Utah May Bring Back Firing Squad Executions

A Utah politician wants to bring back firing squads as a method of execution after controversy over a botched lethal injection in Oklahoma.

Republican Representative Paul Ray believes death by gun is a more humane and cheaper form of execution, and wants it to be an option for criminals sentenced to death in his state.

He plans to introduce his proposal during Utah's next legislative session in January.

Lawmakers in Wyoming and Missouri tried to pass similar legislation this year, but both efforts failed.

Mr Ray believes firing squads may seem more acceptable now, especially after drug shortages complicated lethal injections.

The default method of execution in the US also came under heightened scrutiny last month when prisoner Clayton Lockett's vein collapsed and he died of a heart attack more than 40 minutes later.

"It sounds like the Wild West, but it's probably the most humane way to kill somebody," Mr Ray said.

Clayton Lockett died in pain after a botched lethal injection

"The prisoner dies instantly. It sounds draconian. It sounds really bad, but the minute the bullet hits your heart, you're dead. There's no suffering."

However, critics say things can go wrong with any method of execution.

They cite a case from Utah's territorial days in 1897, when a firing squad missed Wallace Wilkerson's heart and it took him 27 minutes to die.

Utah outlawed firing squads in 2004, citing the excessive media attention it gave inmates.

But those sentenced to death before that date still have the option of choosing it.

The last execution by rifle in the state was 2010, when five police officers used .30-caliber Winchester rifles to kill Ronnie Lee Gardner, who murdered a lawyer in 1985 while trying to escape from a courthouse.

Ray's proposal would give all inmates the option to be shot.

Opponents say firing squads are not necessarily a foolproof answer.

It is possible an inmate could move or police could miss, causing the inmate a slow and painful death, said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes capital punishment.

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Nigeria Kidnappers Are 'Al Qaeda Operation'

Nigeria's president has said he was "totally committed" to finding the 223 kidnapped girls who were taken by Boko Haram from a school last month.

Goodluck Jonathan said the Islamist militant group was no longer a local terror threat but has become West Africa's al Qaeda.

Speaking at an international summit in Paris where Nigeria and its neighbours agreed an action plan to fight the rebels, he said Boko Haram was "acting clearly as an al Qaeda operation".

French president Francois Hollande said the plan will involve sharing intelligence, protecting borders, and a quick response in a crisis.

Francois Hollande greets Goodluck Jonathan

Mr Jonathan added: "We have shown our commitment for a regional approach. Without West African countries coming together we will not be able to crush these terrorists."

Chad's president said countries neighbouring Nigeria were ready to wage war against the militants as fears mount the group will spread beyond its borders and destabilise the wider region.

"There is determination to tackle this situation head on ...to launch a war, a total war on Boko Haram," Idriss Deby said.

Earlier, Mr Jonathan's aide Dr Doyin Okupe told Sky News the president would visit the town where the girls were snatched and said the disclosure he had cancelled a trip because of safety fears was a "misconception".

Nigerian security forces say they are not equipped to tackle Boko Haram

"We are committed to ensuring we get these girls released," he said.

The announcement by his office on Friday had prompted outrage among relatives of the girls, in a community already angry that is has taken the president so long to visit the town.

Mr Jonathan was on Saturday put under pressure from the international community to deal effectively with the problem of Boko Haram at the Paris summit.

He was urged by Foreign Secretary William Hague to improve significantly the security forces, who Mr Hague described as "not well-structured". Nigeria had to provide a "more effective response", Mr Hague said.

Mr Hague said Nigeria needed to work more closely with the neighbouring states of Cameroon, Niger and Chad, to create an "intelligence cell" to combat the insurgents.

Michelle Obama joined the #Bring Back Our Girls campaign

President Hollande said Boko Haram was linked to al Qaeda and was now a direct threat to the West.

It comes as Nigerian police told Sky News they lacked the equipment to prevent another attack by Boko Haram. There has also been mounting anger over missed opportunities to rescue the girls in the immediate aftermath of the school attack.

Leaders from Nigeria's neighbours were present at the summit along with Mr Hague, Mr Hollande and a senior official at the US State Department.

There have been long-running hostilities between Nigeria and Cameroon, which has significantly damaged the potential for joint action against Boko Haram.

However, with Mr Jonathan's attempt to drive the Islamist movement out, many have fled to the Cameroon border and the rebels have recently carried out several attacks in the country.

On Saturday, rebels attacked a Chinese plant in the north of Cameroon, killing one worker and abducting a further 10, according to reports.

The international community has galvanised efforts to find the girls, who were kidnapped on April 14, with Britain, France and US sending specialist teams and equipment.

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Balkans: Worst Floods In A Century Kill 20

The worst floods to hit the Balkans in more than a century have killed at least 20 people, and there are fears that number could rise further as water recedes from deluged towns and cities.

Tens of thousands have fled their homes in Bosnia and Serbia after three months of rain fell on the region in just three days.

Boats and helicopters have been used to evacuate those affected by floodwaters, which reached the second floor of homes in some parts of Bosnia, where 12 have died.

In the eastern town of Bijeljina, around 100,000 people were evacuated on Saturday after flood defences were unable to hold back the rain-swollen Sava River.

Mayor Mico Micic said: "We need everything, we are under water."

People receive food in the flooded town of Obrenovac

Scores of landslides are also posing a problem.

Many have lost homes they have only just finished rebuilding after the 1992-95 war which killed 100,000 people and devastated the country.

More than 15,000 people have been evacuated in Serbia, where eight people have died.    

Most of those who have fled their homes have found shelter in schools and sports halls.

Soldiers and emergency crews are using boats and helicopters to rescue thousands of people trapped in the town of Obrenovac, near the capital, Belgrade.                    

Boats and helicopters are being used to rescue people

The flooding there is threatening the country's biggest power plant, Nikola Tesla.

Capacity at the plant has already been cut after a coal mine nearby was submerged.

There was a slight respite for some parts of the country on Saturday when the rain eased, but Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic warned a new flood wave on the Sava will hit on Sunday evening.

"Our primary concern is to protect the power plant," he said.

"We are doing all we can."

Many people have lost homes rebuilt after the 1992-95 war

Thousands of volunteers have been bused in from all over the country after responding to a government appeal to help build flood defences along the river.

Residents have used social media to help collect food, blankets and clothes for crisis-hit areas.

Both countries have appealed for international help and many European Union countries have sent equipment and emergency crews.

A Russian team has joined the rescue effort.

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Turkish Police Clash With Mine Protesters

Turkish police have fired tear gas and water cannon at thousands of protesters in Soma near the site of a deadly mining disaster.

A crowd, reported to be up to 10,000 strong, were chanting anti-government slogans as they demonstrated in the town following the deaths of at least 298 coal miners.

The country's worst ever mining accident has lead to protests in several Turkish cities from the capital Ankara to the western city of Izmir.

Protesters in Soma blame the AK Party government for the mine tragedy

Anger grew as the extent of Tuesday's fire and explosion became clear.

Protests were partly directed at mine owners accused of prioritising profit over safety, and partly at Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government, seen as too close to big business and too lax in enforcing regulations.

Mr Erdogan has also been accused of punching a demonstrator, as fresh images sparked new claims of violence against protesters angry over the government's handling of the disaster.

Rescuers are still trying to recover bodies from the coal mine in Soma

In Soma, people scattered into side streets as the police intervened on a commercial street lined with shops and banks, as well as the offices of the local government and labour union.

One hand-written sign among the crowd read: "No coal can warm the children of fathers who died in the mine".

The protesters had been trying to get to a statue honouring miners in the centre of the town when the route was blocked by the police.

Muslim men during Friday prayers in Soma

Fire sent carbon monoxide rushing through the mine within minutes on Tuesday but the exact cause remains unclear, the mine operator said on Friday.

Most of the 787 workers inside had oxygen masks but smoke and gas spread so quickly that many were unable to escape.

Amateur video shot during Mr Erdogan's visit to the site of the mining disaster appears to show two of his bodyguards punching an anti-government protester.

Relatives of a miner mourn beside his grave

On Friday a Turkish mining company defended its safety record and senior Turkish officials denied allegations of lax government oversight.

"We have no inspection and supervision problem" at the Soma mine, insisted Huseyin Celik, a deputy leader of the ruling party, who said the mine "was inspected vigorously 11 times since 2009."

Akin Celik, the Soma mining company's operations manager, said there was "no negligence" involved. He said thick smoke from the underground fire cost the lives of miners who had no gas masks.

An adviser to Turkey's PM was seen kicking a protester in Soma on Thursday

Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said that anyone found to have been negligent about safety at the mine can expect punishment.

Soma resident Ibrahim Ali Hasdan said he was astonished by claims that there was no negligence.

The owner of the mine, Alp Gurkan, said he had spent his own money improving standards at the mine and hoped to continue operations there after correcting any problems found by investigators.

The scene of the coal mine accident in Soma, western Turkey

Grieving relatives in Soma laid dozens of their dead to rest in mass burials this week, chanting the names of lost miners and wailing with photos of their loved ones pinned to their chests.

Funeral prayers were being held in mosques throughout Turkey for the victims. Mr Erdogan attended one in Istanbul.

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Nigeria: Police Not Equipped To Fight Boko Haram

Police in Chibok have said they are not equipped to deal with another Islamist attack like the one which resulted in the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, who is in Chibok, said that despite an increased security presence, police felt under-equipped to serve as any sort of meaningful deterrent against further attacks.

One officer told her he felt unable to enter into a combat situation with the militants, many of whom are armed with heavy machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades. 

It has been over a month since more than 200 girls were seized by the militants.

Residents in Chibok, in Nigeria's northern Borno state, say they are in constant fear of further attacks, with abductions and killings taking place in the region on a regular basis.

The girls appeared in a video released by Boko Haram last week

Nigerian authorities are accused of being powerless in the face of the Islamist threat and too slow to respond to the schoolgirls' abduction. 

Speaking to Sky News, Nigerian presidential aid Dr Doyin Okupe denied the security forces were under equipped saying: "It is not correct at all."

He said there had been significant improvements in the kit provided to the police and army over the last three years and added that "slowly but surely we are equipping" them.

Frustration with the government rose further on Friday when President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have cancelled a visit to the region.

Parents have criticised the government's handling of the abduction

It was reported that his security team had advised him against a visit to Chibok on the basis that it was too dangerous. 

However, on Saturday morning, Dr Okupe denied that Mr Jonathan had cancelled the visit and said it was a "misconception". The president would be visiting Chibok, he said.

Crawford said the families of the missing girls were "very upset and very angry" at the president's apparent last-minute decision to pull out. 

She said: "As one father of an abducted girl told me: 'If it's not safe enough for the president of Nigeria to come to Chibok, how on earth does he feel about us residents of Chibok living here?'."

The Nigerian president is seeking a regional strategy to tackle Boko Haram

And added the community was still upset that the president had not yet visited, after the April 14 kidnapping.

The president instead flew directly from the capital Abuja to Paris, where he is due to take part in a summit with the leaders of Nigeria's neighbouring states later today.

Representatives from Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin will all take part in the half-day meeting aimed at forging a joint strategy to overcome the militants. 

Ahead of the summit, one French diplomat said: "Boko Haram represents a risk to the stability of every state in the region, and the leaders of these countries have to be aware of that."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and US Secretary of State John Kerry are also scheduled to attend the meeting hosted by French President Francois Hollande.

Britain, the US and France are all taking part in the search for the missing schoolgirls.

Nothing was seen of the girls until last week when Boko Haram released a video appearing to show a group of about 100 of them who the group said had converted to Islam.

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau said the girls would not be released until detained militants of the group were freed from prison.

The Nigerian government has reportedly ruled out negotiations on a prisoner swap.

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India's Modi Poll Triumph Ushers In New Era

Thousands of jubilant supporters have lined the streets of Delhi to greet India's incoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his historic election win.

A victory parade has been held after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was swept to power in a landslide victory which will give the country its first majority government in 30 years.

Supporters danced, set off fireworks and handed out sweets in celebration as Mr Modi was showered with rose petals and crowds chanted his name.

Some 551 million people took part in the national election - more than the population of the US, the UK, Germany and Canada combined.

The outgoing prime minister, Manmohan Singh, has tendered his resignation

The resounding result saw the ousting of the Congress Party, led by the Ghandi family, which has long dominated Indian politics.

Outgoing prime minister Manmohan Singh tendered his resignation after 10 years in power.

Mr Modi, a Hindu Nationalist, is due to meet senior members of his party to discuss forming a new government.

He has pledged to take India forward "to fulfil the dreams of India's 1.2 billion people".

Speaking after his victory, which he proclaimed on Twitter, Mr Modi said: "There are no enemies in democracy, there is only opposition. I will take your love and convert it into progress before I return."

Mr Modi oversaw a modern campaign which utilised everything from holograms to WhatsApp.

He has been the top official in Gujarat state for a decade.

The 63-year-old is the son of a tea seller and played on his humble roots during the election campaign, with references to his mother riding a rickshaw to cast her ballot.

The 2014 elections pitted him against the 43-year-old Rahul Gandhi of the Congress Party.

Mr Ghandi's great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India. His grandmother Indira Gandhi and then his father Rajiv Gandhi also went on to lead the country.

Rahul's Italian-born mother Sonia Gandhi has been president of the Congress Party for the last 16 years.

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Last Two Bodies Recovered From Turkish Mine

The bodies of the lastl two miners killed in Turkey's worst industrial disaster have been recovered, bringing the final number of dead to 301.

The country's energy minister said the rescue operation at the mine would now be brought to a close as there were no further reports of missing people.

Families dispute the number of dead and have accused the Government of a cover-up to hide the true scale of the disaster.

Energy minister Taner Yildiz said there would be one final search through the mine at Soma, 300 miles south west of Istanbul, before the rescue effort was officially ended.

Vacant plots in a Soma cemetery

The tragedy has triggered a number of protests across the country over poor industry safety procedures with claims mining bosses are putting profit ahead of workers.

Turkey has one of the worst records for industrial accidents.

On Friday in Soma riot police used tear gas and water cannon on protesters as several thousands gathered amid intensifying anger with the Government.

Police use water cannon on protesters

There were further clashes in Istanbul and in the western city of Izmir, where scores of demonstrators were detained.

It follows footage which appeared to show Prime Minister Recep Erdogan slapping a man and his bodyguards then beating him during a visit to Soma.

Bosses at the mining company on Friday blamed a build-up of heat for causing the disaster, saying it caused a part of the mine to collapse which made a blaze spread rapidly under the surface.

Miners carry out the crime task of searching for their missing colleagues

Many claim the problem with the mining industry stems from Mr Erdogan's decision to privatise leases at the state-controlled mines.

They say businessmen, many with political connections, moved in determined to maximise profits at the expense of workers.

The Prime Minister's aide is seen to attack a demonstrator

The Government has said there had been 11 inspections at the mine in the past five years and denied there were loopholes in mining safety regulations.

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Surgeons Save Arm Severed In Pasta Machine

A 17-year-old restaurant worker whose arm was ripped off in a pasta machine has had his limb reattached in a complex series of operations.

Brett Bouchard was working in an Italian restaurant in Massena, St Lawrence County, New York, when the accident happened last month.

He was cleaning the machine when it was accidentally switched on, severing his right arm below the elbow.

The teenager quickly applied a tourniquet, recovered his forearm and was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital.

Doctors said normally with an accident that serious it would mean the loss of his arm for good, but they hope he will get feeling back in his fingers.

"It wasn't a sharp cut," said one of the surgeons, Dr Kyle Eberlin. "His arm had actually been sort of pulled off which makes it a more difficult injury to treat."

Brett hopes to leave hospital next week Pic: CBS Boston

Another surgeon on the team, Dr Curtis Cetrulo, said: "Because of his age he has a chance to re-grow his nerves very well, and have sensibility at the end of his replanted arm."

He added: "Our plan is to take a muscle from his groin that's sacrificeable and connect the nerve up so that when that muscle fires, he can move his arm."

Brett said: "I like to spend a lot of time outdoors and I'm very hopeful I can get back to all that stuff."

He is due to be released from hospital next week to start rehab before more surgery.

"It's given me a new outlook on life," he said. "It's making me appreciate things a lot more, and I never knew how much people cared."

His mother, Rebecca Martin, said: "He's not going to be a piano player, but he should have some function and feeling in that hand. And that's the goal."

Thousands of dollars have poured in to a web page set up to help his family with the medical costs.

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