Hurricane Gonzalo Hits Bermuda With 110mph Winds

Hurricane Gonzalo has rolled into Bermuda pulling up trees, cutting power to 70,000 people and damaging the island's main hospital.

Gonzalo approached Bermuda as a Category 3 storm then weakened to Category 2 before coming ashore with sustained winds of 110 mph (175 kph).

Residents on Bermuda's south shore feel the winds as Gonzalo approaches

Nearly all of the island's roads were impassable and cluttered with debris and fallen trees, police said.

The roof of Bermuda's hospital was damaged and there was also water damage in its new intensive care unit.

Video: Hurricane Gonzalo Batters Bermuda

Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, with a crew of some 180 sailors, is expected to arrive on Sunday to help with recovery efforts.

Gonzalo swept by the eastern Caribbean earlier this week, claiming one life in the Dutch territory of Saint Maarten.

It is the second big storm to hit Bermuda in several days after Tropical Storm Fay damaged homes and also knocked down trees and power lines.

"To be struck twice by two different cyclones is unusual, to say the least," said Max Mayfield, a former director of the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami.

Flooding was the main concern on Bermuda, which has one of the highest per-capita incomes in the world and is known for strict building codes that ensure homes can withstand sustained hurricane-force winds.

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1. Gallery: Hurricane Gonzalo's Path

   The latest predicted route of Hurricane Gonzalo sees it travel across the Atlantic towards the UK and Ireland. Pic: NOAA

2. Forecasters say a downgraded weather system could hit Ireland in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with this image showing their current margin of error. Pic: NOAA

3. Gonzalo could hit the British territory of Bermuda on Friday. Pic: NOAA

4. A NASA satellite image shows the hurricane as it departed the Caribbean

"Water damage, especially from the wave action, will take the biggest toll," Mayfield said, noting that seas had risen to between 30 and 40 feet (9 and 12 metres).

Bermuda Harbour radio operator Josh Powell told Sky News: "The closest point of approach was about 25 nautical miles, at about 8pm. That is when the generator tripped and we lost power.

"It was quite scary, being on top of the hill seeing the whole building move."

Mr Powell said it was still too early for evacuated residents to return to their homes.

"It is still gusting 60 knots and is about 100 miles to the east, but it is still quite dangerous for people to go outside," he said.

Video: Bermuda Braces For Hurricane

As the worst of the storm passed, Bermuda governor George Ferguson tweeted that no deaths or serious injuries had been reported so far.

Gonzalo is now heading towards Britain and is expected to bring travel disruption and dangerous driving conditions on Tuesday.

The Met Office said the remains of the hurricane were likely to bring winds of 60mph and heavy rain, particularly in Northern Ireland, northern England, north Wales, southern and eastern Scotland.

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Nepal Trekking Tragedy Death Toll Climbs To 39

The number of people killed in a devastating snowstorm in Nepal's Himalayas climbed to 39 on Saturday, in the worst trekking disaster ever to hit the mountainous country.

The Foreign Office has confirmed it has spoken to concerned British families who have not heard from their relatives, though it is not thought there are any Britons among the dead.

The body of a victim is moved from an ambulance to the morgue

An unofficial list of trekkers suggests more than a dozen Britons may have been in the area at the time of the storms, although some of them have since been confirmed as safe or rescued.  

More than 230 trekkers - most of them foreigners - have been rescued since Wednesday and search teams continue to scour the Annapurna range looking for more survivors, who may be sheltering in lodges and huts.

Officials believe some people may be stranded in waist-deep snow in remote locations where mobile phone signal is poor.

Two Israeli survivors hug each other

The skies were clear at the start of the week, said Gombu Sherpa, who was guiding a group of Germans near the popular trekking circuit. But that changed suddenly when the snow blew in.

"We could hardly see anyone, even within a couple of feet. The wind was blowing snow and visibility was almost zero," he said, adding many people lost their way in the storm, but that everyone in his group survived.

A friend of Lizi Hamer posted a message on Facebook to say she was safe

One of his assistants, who was behind the group when the storm hit, was missing for an entire night, lost in the blizzard.

"We found him the next morning wandering in the snow. It is a miracle that he is alive," he said. Two trekkers from Hong Kong and 12 Israelis survived by taking refuge in a small tea shop .

One of the Israelis, Yakov Megreli, said they tried to stay awake to stay warm. "We tried not to sleep. We tried not to get hypothermia. It was a very frightening and awful situation," he said.

Israeli survivors from the blizzard hug each other in Kathmandu

A British survivor has told how he escaped the disaster.

Paul Sheridan said walkers were left stumbling through "an abyss of nothing" as dense snow left them unable to get their bearings on the slopes of the mountain range in northern Nepal.

Some British trekkers remain unaccounted for despite the rescue effort

Mr Sheridan said that trekkers should have been prevented from going up the mountain, but were "herded to their deaths" by guides who he alleged were not carrying the correct emergency equipment.

Friends of Briton Lizi Hamer, who was originally unaccounted for, posted a message on Facebook announcing she had been found safe.

The 150-mile (240km) Annapurna circuit offers spectacular views of jagged peaks and Buddhist villages.

It takes almost three weeks to complete and is nicknamed the "apple pie" circuit because of the teahouses lining the route that offer cold beer and home baking.

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Tens Of Thousands Demonstrate Over Pay

Tens of thousands of workers are holding protests in London, Glasgow and Belfast to call for an increase in wages.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is organising the demonstrations under the banner Britain Needs A Pay Rise, following days of industrial action from nurses, midwives and civil servants.

Midwives went on strike for the first time in their history over the Government's decision not to pay a recommended 1% increase to all NHS staff.

Hospital radiographers and prison officers are due to hold strikes next week over the same dispute.

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Our message is that after the longest and deepest pay squeeze in recorded history, it's time to end the lock-out that has kept the vast majority from sharing in the economic recovery.

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1. Gallery: Protesters March In London Calling For Pay Rise

   Tens of thousands of workers have been taking part in protests to call for an end to austerity and to highlight the need for pay to increase

2. Public sector workers including teachers, nurses, civil servants and hospital cleaners marched alongside railway workers, postmen and employees from private firms

3. The main rally was in London but protests were also held in Glasgow and Belfast

4. The TUC organised the demonstrations under the banner Britain Needs A Pay Rise, following days of industrial action by public sector workers

5. The TUC says people are facing the biggest squeeze on their incomes since Victorian times, claiming average wages have fallen by £50 a week in real terms since 2007

6. The TUC said between 80,000 and 90,000 were on the march in London

"The average worker is £50 a week worse off than in 2007 and five million earn less than the living wage. Meanwhile, top directors now earn 175 times more than the average worker."

Lynn Burbidge, a healthcare assistant at a hospital in Kent, said she was joining the march "because the Government needs to listen to us".

She said every month she faces a decision of whether to "pay your bills or buy food" and constantly having to budget was "demeaning".

Video: Life On NHS Wages Is 'Demeaning'

"I've worked for the NHS for nearly 30 years and I'm still in the same position," she told Sky News.

"I'm 20% worse off now than what I was 10 years ago ... while the Government they've just accepted an 11% pay rise - I'm only after 1%."

One cleaner, called Nana, told Sky News how he struggles to provide for his family despite juggling three jobs and working a 12-hour day on minimum wage.

Video: TUC: Workers £50 A Week Worse Off

"My social life is very bad. Secondly, I have a lot of debt to pay. The TV licence is coming up and we haven't got enough money to pay it," he said.

"They wrote to me that the bailiffs will come to my house. I've no choice, (but to) pray for the nation to come to our aid, to increase our wages and then we can make our ends meet."

A Treasury spokesman said: "Under this Government we've seen the largest annual fall in unemployment, more people in work than ever before, and inequality lower than the average under the previous government, proving that the Government's long-term economic plan is working.

Video: Wages Fall As Economy Grows

"The only sustainable way to raise living standards is to keep working through the plan that is building a resilient economy and has enabled us to announce the first real-terms increase in the minimum wage since the great recession.

"We appreciate that the effects of the great recession are still being felt, which is why we have taken continued action to help hard-working people by cutting income tax, freezing fuel duty, helping local authorities to freeze council tax, cutting energy bills, providing free school meals, and reducing childcare costs."

Video: Family Needs £40,000 To Live In UK

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Sheffield Utd Denies Ched Evans Contract Report

Sheffield United has denied reports it has offered a contract to disgraced footballer Ched Evans.

The striker was released from prison on Friday after serving half of a five-year sentence for raping a 19-year-old in a hotel room in Rhyl, North Wales.

The club's co-chairmen, Kevin McCabe and Jim Phipps, said they had not yet made a decision about whether to re-employ Evans.

Judy Finnigan apologised for making controversial comments about Evans

"An article in The Sun today that Sheffield United has offered a contract to former player Ched Evans is false and damaging to the club," they said in a joint statement.

"We have made a statement on this matter previously and the lack of credibility and substance from this latest media report does not warrant any expansion from previous comments apart from noting that we are continuing to deliberate on any long-term decision about Ched Evans."

Video: Backlash Over Ched Evans Petition

It came after a petition to block Evans returning to Bramall Lane reached more than 151,000.

A statement posted on his website from his family and girlfriend Natasha Massey said he would "continue the fight to clear his name".

"Chedwyn Evans maintains his absolute innocence and his family, friends and many who know the true facts of the case believe that his conviction was a gross miscarriage of justice."

The Welsh international, 25, admitted having sex with the woman, who told the jury she had no memory of the incident.

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1. Gallery: Sports Stars Whose Careers Survived Criminal Convictions

   England defender Tony Adams was arrested in 1990 for crashing his car into a wall near his home whilst drunk. He served half his prison sentence and in 1999 received an MBE from Buckingham Palace.

2. American boxer Mike Tyson was convicted of raping an 18-year-old in the U.S in 1991. He was sentenced to six years in prison, but served three. He returned to the ring in 1998.

3. In 1998 ex-footballer Vinnie Jones was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage against a neighbour in 1997. He now lives in LA and works as an actor.

4. American figure skating champ Tonya Harding avoided jail for her involvement in an attack on fellow skater and rival Nancy Kerrigan in 1994. She's since followed a career in boxing.

5. Haitian-born Canadian boxer Adonis Stevenson's was released from prison in 2001 after serving four years in prison for managing prostitutes, assaults and making threats. His professional career began in 2006.

6. In 2007 Michael Vick served 21 months in prison, followed by two months in home confinement for his involvement in an illegal dog fighting ring. In 2009 he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

7. NBA star, Dennis Rodman has been in and out of trouble and has served 45 days of community service for allegedly hitting his wife. In 2010 it was reported he owed more than $300,000 in child support.

8. Craig Thomson of the Scottish Premier League pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent behaviour with two underage girls in 2011. He remains on the sex offenders register.

9. American basketball star, Lamar Odom was arrested in 2013 on drink driving charges and put on a three-year suspended sentence. He now plays for Spanish team Laboral Kutxa

10. Footballer striker Marlon King is serving an 18-month sentence for dangerous driving. He's had several convictions and served multiple jail sentences.

The prosecution said his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse.

Port Vale defender Clayton McDonald also admitted having sex with the woman, but was found not guilty of the same charge.

Earlier this week, TV presenter Judy Finnigan apologised after she said on the ITV show Loose Women that his crime was "not violent" and did not cause "bodily harm".

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Cruise Ship Stranded In Passenger Ebola Scare

By Sky News US Team

A passenger on a US cruise ship in the Caribbean has been quarantined because she may have handled ebola specimens.

The US State Department said the unidentified lab supervisor could have processed bodily fluids 19 days ago from the first patient diagnosed with ebola in the US. The disease's incubation period is up to 21 days.

The Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital worker did not have direct contact with now deceased Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan and was showing no symptoms of the disease, added the department.

Belize was reportedly keeping the cruise ship, Carnival Magic, offshore.

In a statement, the Central American nation said that "out of an abundance of caution, the Government of Belize decided not to facilitate a US request for assistance in evacuating the passenger" via a coastal airport.

Video: Kerry: Ebola War Could Last Decades

Carnival Cruise Lines, which operates the ship, said the passenger was deemed by US health officials to be "very low risk".

The employee left on a cruise from Galveston, Texas, last Sunday, before federal health officials updated requirements for active monitoring of anyone exposed to the virus.

The worker - who is isolated in a cabin with a travelling partner - has been self-monitoring with daily temperature checks since 6 October.

Video: Ebola Nurse Speaks From Hospital

But she has not reported a fever or illness, said the State Department.

President Barack Obama, whose administration is scrambling to contain the disease, on Friday picked a former White House official, Ron Klain, to be his ebola tsar.

Americans have been alarmed by two Dallas nurses who cared for Mr Duncan contracting the virus, which has killed some 4,500 people in West Africa.

Video: Nurse Describes Chaotic Scenes

It has now emerged that one of the nurses, Amber Vinson, may have shown symptoms as early as last Friday - three days before her diagnosis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expanding its investigation to include passengers on a Friday flight from Dallas to Cleveland that she was on.

The 29-year-old was visiting family in Ohio last weekend before she flew on Monday from Cleveland back to Dallas, where she was diagnosed.

Video: Testing Heathrow's Ebola Checks

She visited an Akron bridal shop to plan her wedding and the business has now temporarily shut its doors, according to reports. 

The other ebola-stricken nurse, Nina Pham, has been moved to a federal facility in Maryland, where officials said on Friday she was in a "fair" condition and resting comfortably.

Officials have released a video showing Miss Pham speaking to her doctor, sitting up in bed and wiping away tears as she tells colleagues: "I love you guys."

Video: Ebola Victims' Families Shunned

US officials are reviewing whether to issue a ban on travel from West Africa because of the ebola outbreak, as a congressional oversight panel called for such a measure.

President Obama said he does not have a "philosophical objection" to such restrictions.

Video: Why Is Ebola So Dangerous?

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Ebola: WHO Admits It Botched Outbreak

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has admitted that it botched attempts to halt the ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The UN health agency has blamed factors including incompetent staff and a lack of information, according to a draft internal document obtained by The Associated Press.

"Nearly everyone involved in the outbreak response failed to see some fairly plain writing on the wall," the document says.

WHO admits it was "particularly alarming" that the head of its Guinea office refused to help get visas for an expert ebola team.

The organisation concedes it should have realised that traditional containment methods would not work in a region with porous borders and broken health systems.

Video: Captain Ready For "Worthy" Mission

Another factor was "politically motivated appointments" to WHO country offices in Africa.

Sky News Health and Science Correspondent Thomas Moore believes "simple infection control" would have stopped the virus spreading.

Here he takes a look at the mistakes that have contributed to a crisis that has killed more than 4,400 people so far.

:: THE EPIDEMIC SMOULDERS

The epidemic started almost 10 months ago with the death in Guinea of a two-year-od boy called Emile.

For three months, the outbreak smouldered. Cases here and there, the virus spreading into neighbouring Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The cases were in rural areas, far from medical help; the deaths undiagnosed and unrecorded.

Video: Ebola: Busting The Myths

But then, suddenly, it flared up. The Health Ministry in Guinea reported a mysterious illness with a high fatality rate.

By the time ebola had been identified as the cause, there were 86 cases and 59 deaths in four districts of Guinea.

:: THE FIRST MISTAKE

By the end of March it had come to the attention of the World Health Organisation.

A team of ebola experts from the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control reached the area.

Within weeks, cases dwindled and the medics moved on.

It was assumed it was just another rural outbreak, easily contained, just as the previous dozen or more outbreaks had been in Central Africa.

Video: How China Screens At Airports

That was the first big mistake. The virus had already spread too far.

:: THE SECOND MISTAKE

Between the end of May and late July the virus reached the capitals of the three countries.

It was the first time that ebola cases had ever been reported in densely populated cities.

Eradication now became far more challenging - it would be impossible to quarantine an entire capital.

Even though there were still only just over 1,000 cases, the seeds had been sown for an exponential rise in numbers.

Still, there was no international response.

Video: No UK Checks For Nigerian Arrivals

:: THE THIRD MISTAKE

By now it was clear the health services in the three countries could not cope.

Years of civil war had left the countries on their knees.

Liberia had just 120 doctors to care for four million people.

There simply weren't enough doctors to quarantine infected patients and chase down their contacts.

But still it was only charities and missionary groups that were sending in medical teams and organising clinics.

:: THE FOURTH MISTAKE

Video: Testing Heathrow's Ebola Checks

All three countries were too slow to tackle risky cultural practices, the suspicion of health workers and the stigma of the disease.

Relatives washed the dead with their bare hands, putting themselves at risk.

Bodies were hidden by relatives for fear of being ostracised by the community.

And villagers chased away medical teams, believing they were spreading the virus.

Yet it was only in August that Sierra Leone's government began an awareness campaign to change attitudes.

:: THE FIFTH MISTAKE

It wasn't until September that world leaders really understood how serious the epidemic had become.

Video: How Ebola Attacks The Human Body

A cynic might say it was the repatriation of western health workers - and then the arrival of infected travellers - that was the game-changer.

The US has begun building 1,700 beds in Liberia, the UK is building 700 in Sierra Leone and France is co-ordinating efforts in Guinea.

But it's nowhere near enough. The WHO still has only a fraction of the resources it needs.

And, with every week of delay, the virus spreads further. Cases are doubling every month.

That means more beds, more medics and more money will be needed.

It's no wonder the WHO says the ebola epidemic has been a wake-up call for the world.

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What Will Happen When Ebola Hits The UK?

What would happen in the first 12 hours of a case reaching these shores?

If I for instance became ill with ebola-like symptoms the first thing I would do is phone NHS 111.

The operator would ask me a number of questions - the most important being whether I had been to West Africa, or been in contact with anyone who had ebola.

If I answered "Yes" I would be told to isolate myself in a room immediately and avoid contact with anyone; including my own family.

A local health protection team, or medics in a special ambulance with protective gear - known as Category Four - would then come and take blood and also if possible a urine sample.

Video: 'Ebola Will Reach UK'

For the next several hours or so it is a waiting game.

The samples would be triple packed in leak-proof receptacles, in accordance with World Health Organisation guidelines, and then they would be transported to Porton Down near Salisbury.

The laboratory there is where the UK does all its testing for ebola and the results should be ready in about seven hours.

At the moment scientists are carrying out between 10-15 tests every week. So far all have proved negative.

Video: Ebola: Busting The Myths

But if my test was positive I would automatically be transported to one of Britain's High Level Isolation units - these are in London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and Belfast.

If I refused treatment I would be forcibly isolated under the Public Health Act.

At the same time Public Health England would be informing the relevant people including the Health Secretary and the Prime Minister.

If it was the first case in the UK it's likely the Government would call what is known as a COBRA meeting at the cabinet office in Whitehall.

Video: No UK Checks On African Passengers

It is an emergency response committee and in this case it would be chaired by the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

Meanwhile, as my treatment started I would be asked questions about who I had had contact with whilst symptomatic.

Those people would then be contacted and monitored by a medical team. It is, experts say, not that easy to contract.

The ebola virus is not spread through ordinary social contact such as shaking hands or travelling on public transport.

Video: How Ebola Attacks The Human Body

Only people who have come into contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person are at risk. 

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Nigeria: Deal Agreed To Return Kidnapped Girls

Nigeria's presidency says it has agreed a ceasefire with militants Boko Haram which would see the return of 219 kidnapped girls.

The group kidnapped more than 200 girls at gunpoint from a school in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria, on April 14.

Some of the girls managed to escape from the group in the aftermath of their kidnap or during fighting among militants, but the vast majority were still missing.

Air Marshal Alex Badeh, chief of defence staff, said: "A ceasefire agreement has been concluded between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal Jihad (Boko Haram).

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau demanded the release of extremists

"I have accordingly directed the service chiefs to ensure immediate compliance with this development in the field."

The president's principal secretary Hassan Tukur told the AFP news agency that an agreement to end hostilities had been reached after talks with the Islamist group.

Video: The Devastation Left By Boko Haram

He said: "Boko Haram issued the ceasefire as a result of the discussions we have been having with them.

"That have agreed to release the Chibok girls."

The talks are thought to have taken place in neighbouring Chad, with the country's president Idriss Deby mediating negotiations.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford said authorities were "cautiously optimistic" the girls would be released.

She said: "Boko Haram have assured Nigerian authorities that the Chibok schoolgirls are well and safe.

Video: Police: 'We Cannot Stop Boko Haram'

"The gives everyone an indication that there is a very clear possibility that the girls could be freed as part of this deal.

"Nigerian authorities are going out of their way to say there is no deal, that there are no conditions attached to the ceasefire."

Mr Jonathan has faced strong criticism over a deteriorating security situation in Nigeria, with areas in the northeast Borno state inaccessible due to the threat from Boko Haram.

The group has demanded the release of detained extremists in exchange for the girls.

The development was announced on the day 107 Boko Haram militants and eight soldiers were killed in fighting in northern Cameroon, according to the country's defence ministry.

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Ebola: Mistakes In Fighting Deadly Virus

A man has been spotted helping a nurse in the US with ebola board a flight to a specialist unit - without wearing any protective equipment.

The air ambulance company official, who is carrying a clipboard, comes within feet of Amber Vinson, who is now being treated in isolation in Atlanta, Georgia.

He is seen handling items given to him by a person wearing protective clothing, but his employers Phoenix Air said he did not need to don a hazmat suit.

Ebola is contracted through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, and it is not airborne.

But this incident is the latest to raise questions about the US response to the outbreak, which has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa.

Video: Ebola Nurse Told She Could Fly

Other mistakes include:

:: Allowing Ms Vinson to travel on a commercial plane from Cleveland, Ohio, to Dallas, Texas, even though she was showing the early symptoms of ebola.

The nurse did tell officials she was running a temperature, and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is trying to track down 132 other passengers on that plane.

:: Another nurse who contracted ebola did so after an "unspecified breach of protocol". Nina Pham, 26, had been wearing full protective gear when she was treating Thomas Eric Duncan, who died after catching ebola in Liberia.

:: Healthcare workers have inadvertently violated protocols by wearing too many protective layers, according to CDC director Thomas Frieden.

:: Mr Duncan was sent home from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, despite telling medical staff he had come from the West African nation.

:: Workers were seen not wearing any protective clothing while they cleaned the outside of his Dallas apartment.

Video: Why Is The Ebola Virus So Deadly?

:: A nursing union has alleged a litany of errors in the treatment of Mr Duncan, claiming that he was kept in a non-isolated area of the emergency department for several hours and that nurses treating him were also taking care of other patients.

However, one notable success in the fight against ebola involves Nigeria and Senegal, two countries where the outbreak has been largely contained.

Nigeria had eight deaths but brought its outbreak under control by tracking 894 people who had been in contact with a man who brought the virus from Liberia, and visiting 18,500 more people to check for symptoms. Here are seven things Nigeria did right:

:: Training

Nigeria's Public Health Department sent dozens of doctors on an ebola training course. Hundreds of private clinics have been trained in identifying symptoms.

:: Communication

The first known case was a man exposed in Liberia, who despite medical advice travelled on a commercial aircraft from Monrovia to Togo, via Ghana, then changed aircraft and flew to Lagos. He died on 25 July.

Video: Speed of Ebola Spread Graph

Port Health Services conducted early contact tracing at the airport, and worked with airlines to ensure proper notification of the outbreak.

:: Early tracing

Suspected cases were isolated at ebola treatment facilities, initially in Lagos and subsequently in Port Harcourt. A contact tracing team, staffed by dedicated epidemiologists, was established to investigate all primary contacts and alert the case management team to anyone showing symptoms.

:: Response

Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health activated an Ebola Incident Management Centre (a precursor to the Emergency Operations Centre) on 23 July, to rapidly respond to the Ebola outbreak.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) credit this response with helping to contain the outbreak.

:: Mobile phones

Video: Hazmat Crews Board Plane In Boston

An emergency presidential decree enabled officials to access mobile phone records and empowered them to lean on law enforcement agencies where necessary to track down people at risk.

:: Awareness

Nigeria Health Watch set up EbolaFacts.com within 24 hours of the first confirmed case. The site received 600,000 hits and 850,000 Facebook views within a week.

:: Government support

President Goodluck Jonathan declared a national emergency, and approved a 1.9bn naira (£7.2m) fund to help fight the outbreak.

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UK Ebola Cases Expected In Next Three Months

The NHS should be prepared for cases of ebola in Britain "in the coming months", the Health Secretary has said, as questions are raised about the US' response to the outbreak.

Jeremy Hunt said: "I think we will see someone with ebola arriving in the UK, and the chief medical officer thinks it will be a handful of cases in the next three months.

"We have to be prepared, we have very strict procedures. We have to make sure everyone knows about the right procedures."

Mr Hunt was speaking to Sky News after it emerged a nurse with ebola, who was able to board a flight in the US despite suffering from a fever, did tell officials she was running a temperature.

Amber Vinson was able to travel from Cleveland, Ohio, to Dallas, Texas, on a commercial plane even though she was showing the early symptoms of the killer disease.

Video: Geldof "Dismayed" At Slow Reaction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now trying to track down 132 other passengers who were on the plane at the same time in case they too have been infected.

CDC director Dr Tom Frieden said Ms Vinson should not have been allowed to travel by plane, but added that "the level of risk to people around her would be extremely low".

However, the admission heaps further pressure on an organisation that has been criticised for the speed of its response to the ebola crisis, and raises questions about the readiness of the US to cope with the virus.

Video: Unprotected Man Helps Ebola Victim

A plane in Madrid has also been isolated and a passenger taken to hospital after reportedly suffering a fever and shivering.

Bob Geldof, meanwhile, has accused world powers of failing African countries, who do not have the finances or facilities to fight ebola.

He said the West's reaction to the outbreak has been "too little, too late".

Video: Ebola Nurse Told She Could Fly

It comes as British army medics are due to arrive in Sierra Leone to help in the fight against the virus, which has killed more than 4,400 people in West Africa.

A team of 91 British medics, including nurses, doctors and infectious disease consultants, will join 40 soldiers already in Sierra Leone to work at a UK-supported treatment centre, which has 12 out of 92 beds set aside for healthcare workers who risk infection while treating others.

France will start screening passengers for ebola at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport on Saturday, while screening is expected to start at Heathrow airport's Terminal Three.

Video: Why Is The Ebola Virus So Deadly?

Ms Vinson, who is one of two nurses in the US to have contracted ebola, has since been transferred to a specialist unit in Atlanta, Georgia, where she will be treated in isolation and monitored.

CDC spokesman David Daigle said Ms Vinson, 29, reported that her temperature was below 100.4 degrees (38C) and had no symptoms. Ebola sufferers are not contagious until they show symptoms.

As a result, the nurse was told she could travel on Frontier Airlines Flight 1143 and the plane's crew said Ms Vinson did not exhibit any symptoms during Monday's flight.

Video: Obama Warns Of Global Ebola Spread

Ms Vinson caught ebola after being one of several nurses to treat Thomas Eric Duncan, who came down with the virus and died after travelling to the US from Liberia.

The other infected nurse, 26-year-old Nina Pham, remains in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and is said to be in stable condition after receiving a plasma transfusion donated by ebola survivor Dr Kent Brantly.

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Pistorius' Sister In Tears Over Hitman

Oscar Pistorius' sister has left his sentencing hearing in tears after a self-confessed hitman was accused of mouthing obscenities at her.

Aimee Pistorius complained of feeling "very intimidated" by the presence of Mikey Schultz in the public gallery of the Pretoria court where the athlete is due to learn his fate, Sky's Alex Crawford reported.

She had to be led away "shaking and sobbing" as the court broke up for lunch.

"According to one member of the Pistorius family, Mikey Schultz mouthed some nasty obscenities to her. Aimee dissolved in absolute tears," Crawford said.

Schultz, who was seen leaving the court with other men, told Crawford outside that he had not threatened anyone.

Shaking his head, he said: "I walked into the courtroom, sat down and we came out for recess - that's all that's happened."

Video: Cousin Wants Justice For Reeva

The former boxer confessed to the killing of businessman Brett Kebble in 2005 but avoided prosecution as part of a deal to testify against the man accused of masterminding it.

Earlier in the hearing, Reeva Steenkamp's cousin made a clear appeal for Pistorius to be jailed, saying he "needs to pay for what he has done".

Kim Martin told the High Court in Pretoria "everybody has suffered" since the athlete shot dead his girlfriend on Valentine's Day 2013.

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1. Gallery: Pistorius Sentencing: Day Four

   Oscar Pistorius' sister seen in court before the lunch recess on day four of the sentencing hearing. She later left the court in tears

2. Aimee Pistorius complained of feeling "very intimidated" by the presence of Mikey Schultz in the public gallery of the Pretoria court, Sky's Alex Crawford reported. Schultz, pictured, said outside the court he had done nothing wrong

4. Pistorius is to be sentenced for culpable homicide over the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013

5. The court heard evidence from a cousin of Ms Steenkamp, who told the hearing Pistorius needed to "pay for what he's done"

6. Ms Steenkamp's parents, June and Barry, were in the court to hear evidence

7. Zacharia Modise, the acting national director for South Africa's prison service, insisted that the service was able to accommodate disabled prisoners, such as double amputee Pistorius if he got a custodial sentence

8. Pistorius would be kept in a prison hospital wing because of his disabilities, Mr Modise said

9. During the lunch recess, Pistorius was seen helping this German cameraman after he tripped up while filming the 27-year-old

She said: "I feel Mr Pistorius needs to pay for what he's done for taking Reeva's life, for what he's done to my uncle and to my aunt [Ms Steenkamp's parents], what he's done to the rest of my family but also what he's done to his family."

Pistorius makes her "very fearful" but Ms Steenkamp's family is not looking for revenge, Ms Martin added.

Pistorius, 27, could face a fine and a suspended jail sentence or up to 15 years in prison after he was found guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK.

Video: Prison Boss On Pistorius Disability

He was acquitted of murder last month after he said he had mistaken Ms Steenkamp, 29, for an intruder in his home.

Ms Martin, who was the first prosecution witness at the sentencing hearing, was completing her evidence after speaking on Wednesday about how the death of the model and law graduate affected her family.

Earlier, another witness, Zacharia Modise, the acting national director for South Africa's prison service, insisted that the service was able to accommodate disabled prisoners, such as double amputee Pistorius if he got a custodial sentence.

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1. Gallery: Reeva Steenkamp's Life In Pictures

   Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was born in Cape Town and grew up in Port Elizabeth. She went to a convent school and studied law. She was a keen horse rider until she broke her back.

2. She moved to Johannesburg from Cape Town to model for Avon cosmetics. In 2012, Reeva was voted number 45 in the South African FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll.

3. She featured as a celebrity contestant on BBC Lifestyle show Baking Made Easy in 2012.

4. The model was a keen Twitter user, and had more than 34,000 followers. She used the site to promote women's rights and empowerment.

5. Her former fashion editor, Barbara Robertson, described the model as being "sweet, and down-to-earth" with the "it factor". She compared her to an "early Kate Moss".

6. Reeva Steenkamp on the set of reality TV show Tropika Island of Treasure (Pic: Stimulii)

Asked by Pistorius' defence lawyer Barry Roux whether his client would be kept in the hospital section of prison, Mr Modise said that would be decided only after an assessment of his needs.

Pressed by Mr Roux, he indicated that the assessment would find that Pistorius' disability meant he should serve any jail sentence in a hospital wing rather than be kept with other inmates.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel has said anything but a prison sentence would be "shockingly inappropriate".

Video: Pistorius Helps Fallen Cameraman

Both sides have agreed there will be no further witnesses and the hearing is due to resume for a fifth day on Friday with closing arguments.

Judge Thokozile Masipa is not expected to be able to deliver a sentence by the end of the week, but the court is expected to sit again next Tuesday.

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Plane Isolated In Madrid Over Ebola Fears

An Air France plane has been isolated at an airport in Madrid after a passenger was reported to have a fever and shivers.

The situation is being treated as a suspected case of ebola, a health ministry official was quoted as saying.

There were 156 passengers on the flight from Paris, according to local officials and media reports.

The possible new ebola patient arrives at Carlos III Hospital in Madrid

Airports operator Aena and Air France said in separate statements that a passenger on Air France 1300 from Nigeria, via the French capital, had started shaking during the flight.

The passenger, who had travelled from Lagos, was taken by ambulance to the Carlos III hospital.

Video: Geldof "Dismayed" At Slow Reaction

Air France said the other passengers got off the plane, which will now be disinfected.

The return flight has been cancelled.

Danish authorities are testing a health worker from Doctors Without Borders for ebola, while a nurse in France is also being tested.

The European Union has said it will launch an "immediate" review of exit screening in African countries hit by ebola.

EU health chief Tonio Borg said the bloc, along with the World Health Organisation (WHO) will look into "conflicting reports" about whether the screening in Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea is good enough and will decide whether to strengthen controls. 

Video: Ebola: Busting The Myths

The death toll from the outbreak will rise to more than 4,500 this week, according to a top official from the WHO.

Dr Isabelle Nuttall, director of the organisation's global capacities, alert and response, said cases are doubling every four weeks.

The WHO will also send teams of experts to test ebola-preparedness measures at Ivory Coast and Mali's border with the countries affected by ebola.

Spain's government has stepped up its response to suspected ebola cases in the wake of a health scare when a nurse in Madrid became the first person outside Africa to become infected with the deadly virus.

Teresa Romero, was diagnosed with the virus last week and is still seriously ill but stable. She cared for two infected priests repatriated from West Africa who later died.

Video: Why Is The Ebola Virus So Deadly?

A person who had been in contact with Ms Romero and was being monitored remotely for signs of the disease would be hospitalised, after developing a fever, Spanish authorities said.

The person was one of 68 considered to have a low risk of catching ebola, and who have to check their temperature regularly from home.

Another 15 people, including Ms Romero's husband, are still under observation in Madrid's Carlos III hospital where she is also being treated, but have displayed no symptoms.

Meanwhile, the top public health official in the US is to be questioned by politicians amid mounting criticism of his agency's ebola response, including why it allowed a nurse with the virus to board a flight.

In the UK, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News the NHS should be prepared for cases of ebola "in the coming months".

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Bono Says Sorry For iTunes Album Giveaway

U2 frontman Bono has apologised to fans for invading their iTunes library, saying they "might have got carried away" with their album giveaway.

In a filmed Q&A session on Facebook, the band answered questions from their fans about their friendship and music. 

But it was to Harriet Madeline Jobson's question that Bono gave his revealing answer.

"Can you please never release an album on iTunes that automatically downloads to people's playlists ever again. It's really rude," she said.

Looking sheepish, the musician answered: "Oops, I'm sorry about that. Um, I had this beautiful idea ... might have got carried away with ourselves. Artists are prone to that kind of thing."

Apple tool to delete U2 album

Bono could have stopped there, but he continued with his mea culpa, which seemed to provide some amusement for his fellow band members.

"A drop of megalomania, touch of generosity, dash of self-promotion and a deep fear that these songs that we poured our lives into over the last few years won't be heard, there's a lot of noise out there.

"I guess we got a bit noisy ourselves to get through it."

The Irish rockers made their surprise announcement last month at an Apple unveiling event, but it was met with wide criticism.

More than half a billion people had Songs Of Innocence automatically downloaded to their iTunes libraries.

Bono with Apple chief executive Tim Cook

Twitter user @EricAmer wrote: "Waking up with the new U2 album on automatically installed on your iTunes is like waking up with a pimple in the morning. #nothanks"

On Monday Iggy Pop slammed the band for the move, saying they had stolen the listener's choice to buy or download music.

Apple created a special tool which allowed users to delete the album if they wished.

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Pistorius: Reeva Death 'End Of The World'

A courtroom has been reduced to tears after Reeva Steenkamp's cousin described the moment she learned the model had been shot dead by Oscar Pistorius.

Kim Martin, the first prosecution witness at the athlete's sentencing, said the death of her cousin was the "worst ever experience".

"It was for me, the end of the world," she said.

"It's ruined our whole family. It's ruined Auntie June and Uncle Barry... Reeva was everything to them."

Sky's Alex Crawford, at the High Court in Pretoria, described Ms Martin's face as "a picture of pain" as she laid bare the extent of the family's grief at the death of Ms Steenkamp.

June Steenkamp placed her hand on her husband Barry's shoulder, who also appeared to be crying, as Ms Martin recalled tales of their daughter's childhood.

Video: No Jail Term Would Be 'Too Light'

She also revealed how she and most members of the extended family were either still having trauma counselling and therapy, or were on medication.

Ms Martin said when she asked Ms Steenkamp's parents if it was okay she spoke in court, they gave her their blessing and said: "You must be Reeva's voice."

Crawford said: "She spat out the words through large sobs and tears. There were a large group of people in the courtroom who were crying too. A very harrowing, heartbroken testimony."

Earlier, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said anything but a prison sentence for Pistorius for killing his girlfriend would be "shockingly inappropriate".

He resumed his relentless cross examination of probation officer Annette Vergeer, a defence witness, who on Tuesday told the court Pistorius would be "broken as a person" if he was jailed.

Mr Nel said to place the runner under house arrest and sentence him to community work for three years as she had recommended would be "too light" a punishment.

Video: 'Blood Money' Paid to Steenkamps

The prosecutor also raised the prospect of a public backlash if the sentence for the double-amputee Olympian was not harsh enough, saying the court had to guard against people "taking the law into their own hands".

"Our courts and society value human life," he told Ms Vergeer, and asked her: "Don't you think society wants a heavy punishment?

"You're recommending house arrest... but the accused could be allowed to pursue his athletics, train, find a job and go to work and return to his house.

"That this accused be sentenced to three years correctional supervision, with 16 hours a month correctional duties is shockingly inappropriate. It cannot even be considered," Mr Nel said.

Pistorius, 27, was convicted last month for killing Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013.

The court heard on Tuesday that Pistorius paid 6,000 rand (£350) per month to the Steenkamps to help them with their rent and living expenses.

Video: Oscar Pistorius Witness Challenged

He also offered the family 375,000 rand (£21,305) as compensation which Mr Nel said the Steenkamps had rejected as "blood money" - and had decided to hand back the monthly payments.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux told the court the Steenkamps intended to pay back Pistorius "every cent", and also confirmed they would not be pursuing a civil claim against Pistorius for killing their daughter.

Pistorius could receive a fine and a suspended jail sentence or up to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK.

The sentencing hearing resumes on Thursday.

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Ebola Nurses Short Of Proper Gear, Union Says

Nurses treating an ebola patient in Dallas had to use medical tape to secure openings in their protective outfits, a nursing union has claimed, as a second hospital worker tested positive for the disease.

Thomas Eric Duncan, who died at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on 8 October, was also left in an open area of the emergency room for several hours before being put in isolation, Deborah Burger of National Nurses United said in a statement. 

Amber Vinson, a 29-year-old nurse from the hospital, was placed in isolation 90 minutes after reporting she had a fever on Tuesday.

She was the second person of the 77 who came into contact with Mr Duncan to have caught ebola.

It emerged on Tuesday that a day before she fell ill, Miss Vinson took a flight from Cleveland, Ohio, to Dallas-Fort Worth.

Video: We'll Beat Ebola 'Person By Person'

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was attempting to track down all 132 passengers aboard Frontier Airlines flight 1143.

The plane's crew said Miss Vinson did not exhibit any symptoms of ebola during the flight. The nurse developed a fever the following morning.

Infected ebola patients are not considered contagious until they have symptoms, according to health officials.

A "breach of protocol" was initially blamed after nurse Nina Pham, who is reported to be in stable condition, tested positive.

Miss Pham was wearing protective gear when she treated Mr Duncan and officials have yet to identify any lapse in procedures, although experts say the mask, shield, gloves and gown can be difficult to put on and remove safely.

The nurses' union statement said hospital workers interacted with Mr Duncan "with whatever protective equipment was available" while he produced "a lot of contagious fluids". 

It added that those who treated the Liberian were also caring for other patients in the hospital and were concerned their heads and necks were exposed.

Video: Obama Wants More Action On Ebola

"There was no advance preparedness on what to do with the patient, there was no protocol, there was no system," Ms Burger said.

She warned that even now, some hospital staff do not have the necessary equipment to deal with the disease.

"Hospital managers have assured nurses that proper equipment has been ordered but it has not arrived yet," she said.

The nurses at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital are not represented by Nurses United or any other union and it was not immediately clear if the nurses making the allegations were among those caring for Mr Duncan.

Officials are working to identify anybody who may have had contact with Miss Vinson and are continuing to monitor all of those who may have been exposed to either Mr Duncan or Miss Pham.

In a news conference, Dallas County judge Clay Jenkins said: "At the hospital we have a situation involving 77 people. Two of them have tested positive for ebola. We are preparing contingencies for more and that is a very real possibility.

"You can imagine the anxieties of those 77 families."

Video: Speed of Ebola Spread Graph

Dallas Fire and Rescue have begun decontaminating the apartment building where Miss Vinson reportedly lives alone.

The third case to be reported in the US was identified before world leaders were due to hold a video conference on how to tackle the disease that has killed more than 4,400 people, almost all of them in West Africa.

US President Barack Obama said he planned to pressure some countries into taking firmer action to slow the spread of the disease, which health experts have warned could infect 10,000 people a week within two months.

British, French, German and Italian leaders will be involved in the talks with Mr Obama.

Meanwhile, NBC's chief medical editor has apologised for a breaching voluntary quarantine that she and her team were placed in after cameraman Ashoka Mukpo caught ebola in Liberia.

Dr Nancy Snyderman and two members of her crew were reportedly seen collecting a takeaway order.

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10,000 New Ebola Cases Per Week By Xmas: WHO

There could be 10,000 new cases of ebola per week within two months, health officials have warned.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said 8,914 cases of ebola have now been reported in West Africa, including 4,447 deaths.

WHO assistant director general Bruce Aylward told a press conference in Geneva that the total was expected to top 9,000 by the end of this week.

He warned that the death rate from the current outbreak has now risen to 70%. It was previously estimated at about 50%. 

When asked how the situation would emerge over the next couple of months, he said: "It's impossible to look into a glass ball and say we're going to have this many or that many (cases) but we anticipate the number of cases occurring per week by that time to be somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 per week.

Video: Liberia Gripped By Ebola Virus Fear

"It could be higher, it could be lower, but somewhere in that ball park."   

But he said there were some positive indications that the rate of spread of the disease may be slowing in some of the areas where it first struck.

Some 95% of the cases are occurring in the same limited number of districts of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea which were affected a month ago, he said.

Dr Aylward said it was "too early to say" whether this meant that the epidemic was slowing down and that the feared exponential growth in cases may not materialise.

The plateau in reported infections may simply be due to limitations in the ability of authorities in the region to check and record cases, he said.

Dr Aylward said there were "positive" signs of a slowing down in the rate of new cases in the epicentre of the outbreak in northern Liberia and Guinea, probably due to behaviour changes among the local population.

But he warned: "This is ebola, this is a horrible, unforgiving disease - you've got to get to zero.

"What gets you down to a level of control may not be - and usually isn't - what gets you down to zero. With a bit of change in the behaviour of populations, with some burials happening safely, with a little bit more case management and a couple of new centres opening, you are going to slow this down very quickly.

"That's not going to stop ebola. To stop ebola, you've really got to have great contact tracing in place, same-day isolation.

"Those pieces are not systematically in place in these places."

Video: On Board The Ebola Hospital Ship

Dr Aylward said that it was "concerning" that the disease was continuing to expand geographically within all three countries, with escalating case numbers in their capital cities.

"In certain areas, we are seeing the disease coming down and it appears to be for the right reasons, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are going to get to zero," he said.

"Even more concerning is the geographical expansion and the disease in the capitals.

"Any sense that the great effort that's been kicked off over the last couple of months is already starting to see an impact would be really, really premature."

In other ebola developments:

:: Enhanced screening of passengers travelling to the UK began at Heathrow airport

:: A UN worker died while receiving treatment for the disease in Germany

:: An American nurse who contracted ebola while treating a dying patient received blood from a survivor of the virus

:: Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said he is to give $25m (£19.7m) to help fight the outbreak

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Nurse Arrested Over 'Killing Annoying Patients'

Italian police are investigating a nurse suspected of killing at least 38 of her patients because they or their relatives annoyed her.

Daniela Poggiali, 42, was initially charged with murder over the unexpected death of an elderly patient.

Rosa Calderoni had been admitted for a routine illness, but a post-mortem examination found high levels of potassium in her bloodstream.

But prosecutors believe Poggiali, from Lugo in northeastern Italy, killed more patients she found hard to treat or those with difficult relatives.

Police are reviewing 37 other deaths, with 10 of those described as "very suspicious".

A prosecutor on the case, Rossella Materia, claimed the suspect is a sadist "who draws pleasure in provoking the death of the patients in her care".

Since Poggiali's arrest, a colleague described her as a "cold person who was always eager to work".

Another co-worker has made further allegations about the nurse, claiming that she gave strong laxatives to patients as her shift ended to make work more difficult for the nurses taking over.

Pictures reportedly found on the nurse's mobile phone showed her posing next to a patient who had died minutes earlier. In one of the images, she reportedly had her thumbs up.

Poggiali denied wrongdoing when questioned by prosecutors - and maintained she was the victim of a conspiracy orchestrated by her enemies, according to the ANSA news agency.

Another prosecutor on the case, Alessandro Mancini, told Il Resto Del Carlino, an Italian newspaper, that there are "insurmountable difficulties" with their murder investigation as a lot of time has passed since some of the deaths.

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Ebola: UK Border Screening Measures Revealed

Details of how the government is trying to stop ebola reaching the UK have been revealed as enhanced screening measures have begun at Heathrow airport.

It comes as official figures showed the death toll from the disease has risen to 4,447 and the number of cases is expected to rise above 9,000 this week.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), which has called the latest outbreak the "most severe acute health emergency in modern times", also warned there could be up to 10,000 new cases of ebola per week within two months.  

In the UK, border checks are under way at Heathrow's Terminal 1 and are to be expanded to Gatwick airport and the Eurostar rail terminals by next week in an attempt to halt the spread of the disease to Britain.

While there are no longer any direct flights from the three West African countries to the UK, passengers who have boarded a flight in the affected region with travel booked to the UK will be automatically flagged up to officials at passport control.

Video: On Board The Ebola Hospital Ship

These travellers will be asked to have their temperature taken and to complete a questionnaire asking about their current health and recent travel history.

The passengers will be asked if they have come into contact with a person with ebola; if they have cared for anyone with a severe illness; if they have had any contact with dead bodies; and if they have visited any traditional healers or been admitted to hospital.

They will also be asked if they have any health problems such as headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, intense fatigue, bruising or unexplained bleeding.   

Video: Ebola: Infected Dallas Nurse Named

The screening measures, which are expected to cost £9m over six months, are voluntary and passengers can only be forced to undergo them if they are showing obvious symptoms of illness. In this case legal action can be taken.

Currently, there is one member of administration staff and two Public Health England (PHE) officials carrying out the screening at Heathrow Terminal 1. Other terminals at the airport are expected to begin screening by the end of this week.

The government expects up to two flights a day to be carrying passengers from the affected areas.  

Video: New UK Measures To Tackle Ebola

Dr Paul Cosford, director at PHE, said the numbers undergoing screening were likely to total a few hundred per month. He said they would be learning from their experiences at Heathrow over the coming days.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that it is "likely" that ebola will be seen in the UK with around 10 cases expected to be confirmed in the next three months.

He said the screening measures being put in place should ensure 89% of people travelling to the UK from the affected region on tickets booked directly to the UK are checked.

Video: Fear And Panic Over Ebola Calls

Anyone found to have ebola will be moved to the Royal Free Hospital in north London, the UK's specialist centre for treating the most dangerous infectious diseases.

But there have been concerns that the screening is not widespread enough and relies too much on self-reporting - while border officials will try to identify people who should be screened it will also be up to passengers to put themselves forward for checks.

Global health security expert Dr Devi Sridhar told Sky News that the airport screening was no more than "political theatre".

Video: Can UK Be Protected From Ebola?

"Experience has shown is does not really work at managing and stopping the virus," she said.

She called for investment in a global response, adding: "Piecemeal by piecemeal screening and closing borders is not going to contain it and it's not going to work."

Mr Hunt said screening at airports could be extended to Birmingham and Manchester if the threat level increases, but in the meantime people manning the NHS' non-emergency 111 phoneline will also be taught to look out for potential ebola.

Video: Ebola Crisis: On The Front Line

The measures come as British troops were loading up the RFA Argus, which will set sail for Sierra Leone later this week to help in efforts to contain the outbreak. Some 750 military personnel and the medical ship, which has a fully-equipped hospital including critical care and high-dependency units, are being sent to the region.

On Tuesday a UN aid worker died while being treated at a hospital in Germany after contracting ebola in Liberia.  

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Steenkamps Rejected Pistorius 'Blood Money'

Oscar Pistorius offered the family of Reeva Steenkamp 375,000 Rand as compensation for the death of his former girlfriend, a court has heard.

But the Steenkamp's reportedly rejected the payment which they called "blood money" and promised to hand back other payments Pistorius had given them.

Pistroius' probation officer Annette Vergeer revealed details of the payments on the second day of the athlete's sentencing hearing in Pretoria which was watched by his father Henke and Ms Steenkamp's mother June.

The athlete arrived without his usual phalanx of police and minders

Ms Vergeer said Pistorius had been paying 6000 Rand (£350) per month to the Steenkamps as a form of maintenance, or compensation, though the payments stopped a while ago.

Suggesting the athlete was genuinely remorseful for the killing, she told the court he sold one of his cars for 375,000 Rand (£21,274) and offered it to the Steenkamps as a lump sum.

Video: Prison Term would 'Break' Pistorius

Ms Vergeer said: "He sold his last asset, his motor vehicle and requested the amount be paid into the account of the Steenkamp's lawyers should they wish to accept the amount.

"I was informed they did not want the amount of money offered by the accused."

Cross examinaing Ms Vergeer, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said: "Did you know that the deceased's mother went so far as to say she does not want blood money?"

Ms Vergee replied: "You can place it on record now my lady, that the money was in fact rejected and no further legal action would be taken."

Reporting from Pretoria, Sky's Alex Crawford said: "These payments had not been known before. The Steenkamp's lawyer said this was because Pistorius' defence team asked for it to be kept secret."

When asked about the payments, the Steenkamp's lawyer Dup de Bruyn said: "I am not commenting because I'll get cross-examined about it. They are going to pay back every cent of it."

Ms Vergeer also said Pistorius was sorry and heartbroken at what had happened and that prison "would not assist him but break him".

Fanned herself while in the witness box, Ms Vergeer said Pistorius did not appear to be "such a danger to society" that a prison sentence was required.

However, prosecutor Gerrie Nel suggesting she gave evidence on issues she knew little about.

The athlete arrived at the North Gauteng High Court without his usual phalanx of police or minders, while in an unual move, Judge Thokozile Masipa appeared flanked by six armed guards.

Mikey Schultz, whom South Africa's media has described as a self-confessed 'hitman' was also in court watching proceedings.

Pistorius, 27, was cleared of murdering his former girlfriend but found guilty of culpable homicide - the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK.

The double-amputee Olympian could receive a fine and a suspended jail sentence or as many as 15 years in prison for the convictions.

The prosecution are pushing for him to serve a prison sentence for the killing, while his defence team submit he should serve no more than house arrest or community service. The hearing continues tomorrow.

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Brown Hits Out At Cameron Over Scotland Powers

Gordon Brown has told David Cameron his promise of more powers for Scotland "is not radical enough", as he warned the Prime Minister not to "play fast and loose on the constitution" in the wake of the referendum result.

The former Prime Minister is this week set to reveal more details of his plan for further powers for Scotland after the "No" campaign's triumph last month.

Speaking on Sky's Murnaghan programme, Mr Brown said the Conservatives were making a "mistake" by not going further in their offer, which should include issues like transport and the environment.

He said: "If we did that, I think we could get an agreement on very extensive powers, a powerhouse parliament, and I think we could move forward pretty quickly, accepting that we want to stay part of the United Kingdom."

However, plans to devolve 100% of control over income tax to Scotland don't "make sense", according to Mr Brown.

Video: Scotland Commitments To Be Honoured

He wants the Scottish Parliament to be responsible for raising 54% of its own revenue, quadrupling the figure from the £4bn it currently raises to £18bn in 2016.

Mr Brown also warned that Mr Cameron's pledge of "English votes for English laws" made after the "No" vote would also be a mistake.

While Mr Brown insisted he supports the devolution of power to English regions and cities, he cautioned against restricting the rights of Scottish MPs to vote on certain issues.

He said: "So we want to see more decentralisation, more powers to the Welsh assembly and we want to see devolution, if you like, all round the United Kingdom. But what does English votes for English laws mean in practice?

"It means simply this: restricting the rights of Scottish Members of Parliament to be first class citizens at Westminster.

Video: Salmond: Scot Voters Were 'Tricked'

"If the Conservatives pursue that then it's very difficult to see how you can have one United Kingdom and two classes of representation."

The interview came as William Hague, the Cabinet minister who is leading cross-party talks on the issue, told the Sunday Telegraph that Labour leader Ed Miliband should agree soon to only English MPs voting on English issues or vote against the plans. 

Mr Brown said the PM's remarks after the referendum were "unstatesman-like" and he should "regret what he did".

"You cannot promise Scotland something on a Tuesday then change the offer the day after the referendum on the Friday and I think the Conservatives have got to think again about playing fast and loose with the constitution," Mr Brown said.

Conservative MP John Redwood told Sky News he was "disappointed" Mr Brown had made "such a wayward and unfounded attack" on the PM.

Video: Brown: 'Time For Scotland To Unite'

"The Prime Minister will honour every pledge he made to Scotland and he will be right to do so," he said.

"He will collaborate with Labour and Liberal Democrat leaders who also made solemn promises to Scotland.

"None of us want to stand in the way of more devolution to Scotland, we keep our word. The Prime Minister also rightly said that England now needs justice."

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Ebola Crisis: Alex Crawford's Special Report

In a week when the World Health Organisation declared deaths from ebola have reached over 4,000, Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford gained exclusive access to a body recovery team in Liberia.

You can watch a special version of the highlights of the report, or watch the full documentary and read her full story.

Our Health Correspondent Thomas Moore looks in detail at this latest global health crisis in this Sky News special report.

:: Watch a special Sky News programme on the ebola crisis at 3.30pm today and 3.30pm on Sunday - available on skynews.com, Sky News for iPad and on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202 and Freeview 132.

Video: Liberia Gripped By Ebola Virus Fear

Video: Africa Ebola Crisis: Special Report

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British Troops Back In Iraq To Help Beat IS

The Ministry of Defence has said a "small specialist team" of UK soldiers are in Iraq and working near the front line of the fight between the Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish fighters.

Based near the Kurdish capital of Irbil in the north, they are training peshmerga forces in the use of heavy machine guns the UK supplied to them in September.

The Sunday Times reported that the soldiers were from the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment, which is based in Cyprus.

An MoD spokeswoman said: "The Government has previously made clear its intention to provide training to the peshmerga as part of the continued effort to assist in the fight against Isil (IS).

UK troops are training Kurdish peshmerga forces in the use of UK arms

"The Defence Secretary has approved the deployment of a small specialist team of non-combat Army trainers which is now in the Irbil area providing instruction on operating, employing and maintaining the heavy machine guns that were gifted by the UK last month."

British troops invaded Iraq in March 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

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1. Gallery: The Moment RAF Jet Attacks IS Truck

   The RAF carried out its first airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq on 1 October, 2014 (All pictures: MoD)

2. Tornados destroyed a heavy weapon position, which was attacking Kurdish forces, and an armed pick-up truck (pictured). The red circle shows the path of the missile fired at the vehicle

3. The strikes were the first since MPs voted to support aerial raids in Iraq last Friday

4. The targets were in the northwest of Iraq

5. The moment the truck, which had a mounted machine gun, was destroyed by a Brimstone missile

6. A plume of smoke rose above the area

7. The strike was successful, according to an initial assessment, said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon

8. The Tornados safely returned to their base at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus after the sortie

9. Six of the GR4 fighter jets are based on the island in the Mediterranean

10. The aircraft began their combat missions on Saturday

The last British combat troops from the war left in April 2009, with a small number staying on to train Iraqi forces until 2011.

RAF Tornado fighter jets have been involved in US-led bombing raids on IS fighters for the past two weeks.

But there is strong resistance among British politicians to any ground troop involvement in fighting against the Islamist group, which controls vast areas of Iraq and Syria.

Video: RAF Jets Attack Targets In Iraq

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Ebola: Texas Hospital Worker Tests Positive

By Sky News US Team

A hospital worker in Texas who treated a patient who died of ebola has tested positive for the disease.

The unnamed person, who had been wearing full protective gear, reported having a "low grade fever" on Friday and was then isolated, said officials.

If the preliminary diagnosis is confirmed, it would be the first known case of ebola being contracted or transmitted in the US.

The "heroic" worker, believed to be a female nurse, had been looking after Thomas Eric Duncan at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

Mr Duncan, 42, who had recently arrived from his native Liberia, died in an isolation ward at the hospital last Wednesday, 11 days after being admitted.

Video: No Official Word About Ebola Death

Officials were "very concerned" the worker had contracted the virus despite following safety protocols.

Dan Varga, the chief clinical officer for Texas Health Resources, said: "This individual was following full CDC precautions", noting the gear would have included a mask, gown, and gloves.

Officials are monitoring 18 health care workers, according to Dr Varga.

A top federal official said the latest diagnosis showed there was a clear breach of safety protocol and all those who treated Mr Duncan are now considered to be potentially exposed.

Video: US To Screen Travellers For Ebola

The hospital worker is believed to be the first person in the US to test positive for ebola who has not been to West Africa, where the outbreak has claimed more than 4,000 lives.

The care giver's condition was described as "stable" and they are going through a "great ordeal", officials said, adding the person was considered at "low risk" of contracting the disease.

Mr Duncan was originally sent home from hospital despite showing symptoms of ebola, and was only re-admitted when his condition deteriorated.

His case sparked panic about the possible spread of the virus in the US despite assurances from President Barack Obama the chances of that happening were "extraordinarily low".

Video: Ebola Drill Tests UK Readiness

The US has begun screening patients entering through John F Kennedy airport in New York.

It was the first of five airports to introduce the measures, brought in to give a layer of protection after the death of the first patient diagnosed with ebola on US soil.

The four other airports - Newark, Chicago's O'Hare, Washington Dulles and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International - are due to begin the checks next week.

Meanwhile, nurses and physician assistants in Liberia, one of the country's worst hit by the outbreak, have threatened to go on strike over "hazard pay".

Video: World Bank: Ebola Response Too Slow

George Williams, leader of the National Health Workers Association, said members were demanding $700 (£436) per month in hazard pay on top of their monthly salaries, which are generally around $200 or $300.

Monthly hazard pay is currently less than $500.

In Spain, an assistant nurse infected with ebola is showing signs of "slight improvement".

But Teresa Romero's prognosis remains serious and further complications could not be ruled out, according to the country's government.

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