Northern doctors prescribe more antidepressants, study reveals

Patients in areas such as Blackpool are prescribed 1) up to to more such so three times as many antidepressants

as those in parts of London.

Doctors are prescribing antidepressants 2) close distant far near beyond more heavily in northern regions of England than in much of the rest of the country, which shows a remarkable north-south divide.

The highest rates of prescribing are in Blackpool, Salford, and Cleveland. Prescriptions in those primary care trusts, per 100,000 population, ranged 3) to up over from in 133,829 to 120,137 last year. The figures are more than three times higher than the prescription rate in the least medicated PCT, Kensington and Chelsea.

Depression rates are known to be higher in deprived areas, where people struggle 4) to because due with for unemployment and poverty. Many of the northern towns also have high levels of chronic illnesses, such as heart 5) arrest attack ill cardiac disease , where depression is also an issue.

While the startling variations in prescription rates reflect a complex mixture of circumstances, two major 6) underhand laying lying underling underlying issues emerged: the availability of talking therapies and the readiness of doctors to offer them to their patients instead of pills.

Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence say talking therapies should be tried for mild to moderate depression. If these do not work, or the patient is seriously depressed, then antidepressants can be prescribed.

Since 2007 the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) 7) was funded has been funded has been funding was being funding funded training of extra therapists to tackle depression, with the extra aim of getting people back into work.

"In the past prescribing has been the first treatment option; we should now see counselling as the first option. There is 8) still never at all all since some work to be done in changing the culture so that counselling options are considered before prescribing to patients who present with common mental health problems."

Paul Burstow, care services minister, said: "We are committed to improving the mental health and well-being of the nation.That is why we are boosting funding for talking therapies 9) beyond by up at of £400m over the next four years, directly benefiting 3.2 million people." He added that the use of pills 10) moreover furthermore more or less rather than all because therapy was complex. "There are many factors that affect the number of antidepressant prescriptions dispensed in one particular area and no one factor can be looked at in isolation."

Japan earthquake: Tokyo flights cancelled

Tokyo’s two main airports, Narita and Haneda, are closed to flights following the 8.9- magnitude earthquake that hit Japan this morning. The earthquake 11) triggered fired flared set exploded a tsunami with 10m-high waves that has hit the north-eastern coast of Japan, and a tsunami warning has been issued to cover most of the Pacific.

Many airlines have suspended their 12) landings take-offs operations calls treatments to Japanese destinations, and UK airlines have cancelled flights to Tokyo. British Airways said: "It is likely that flights to Japan will be affected in the coming days. If your flight is cancelled, you will be offered alternative dates or a 13) recipe receipt refund recall recollection .

Tour operator Inside Japan has 70 clients currently on group tours or travelling independently on its self-guided routes in Japan. The majority are not in Tokyo but are further west, in Kyoto or the 14) surrounding around circular roundabout round regions, where there is very little damage.

Inside Japan director Alastair Donnelly said: "We are advising them to follow developments on the news in Japan, which is the best source of information. We know, for example, that there are currently no train services 15) skipping hoping riding jumping running into Tokyo. We will be keeping in touch with clients as events 16) decline decrease unflod untwine disentangle and ensuring that everyone is safe. There will doubtless be smaller aftershocks, as is common after an earthquake."

Inside Japan has 600 clients booked to travel to Japan over the next four weeks. "It’s difficult to know, in the immediate 17) afterwards afterstate aftermath afterglow aftershave of the earthquake, if they should move their travel plans to a later date or not," Donnelly said. "We will be monitoring the situation 18) over by around through under the next few days and will discuss our thoughts individually with each client affected.

A tsunami warning has been 19) issued placed called up advised called off to cover most of the Pacific, including Hawaii, South America and the 20) entire all of total sum totality west coast of the US and Canada. Tsunami alerts were extended to the following countries among others: Russia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru.

Key victory for Gaddafi as rebels flee army onslaught

MUAMMAR GADDAFI scored two major triumphs yesterday as opposition fighters abandoned the important oil port of Ras Lanuf in the east of the country, and his troops 21) have swept swooped swelled swept swollen through Zawiyah, the only town west of Tripoli still in rebel hands before Wednesday night.

Out-gunned civilian irregulars and defecting army units, who had defiantly held Ras Lanuf against a vastly better-equipped enemy, 22) flood flooded flee fled flew as the ever-intensifying onslaught against them reached a violent crescendo.

Meanwhile, the government was finally confident enough of its long drawn-out victory in Zawiyah to take journalists to the town yesterday morning.

The pockmarks of heavy calibre rounds were visible in the suburbs. Over the past six days the town has been relentlessly bombarded by scores of tanks. Residents 23) pretend claimed pretended reclaimed defamed troops were taking away those suspected of having taken part in the fighting.

In Ras Lanuf the collapse in the rebels’ morale was evident. Fighters frenziedly 24) leapt over leaped heaved heaved over jumped each other to find places in pick-up vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft guns that roared eastwards to Benghazi. Tempers were 25) fried frightened frayed fired frizzled and fights erupted as the rebels turned their anger on each other.

As loyalist tanks advanced 26) through around over near behind the desert, residential areas of Ras Lanuf came under attack for the first time. A rocket landed close to the town’s hospital, sending staff 27) scurrying spreading spewing spitting spoiling outside in panic.

But moments later, the hospital was evacuated, with staff and patients squeezing into vehicles, leaving just one doctor 28) up down behind out in . A rocket landed at a nearby mosque among praying fighters, partially decapitating one of them.

Commanders tried desperately to marshal their men for a last stand, while an imam in a pickup barked instructions through a loudhailer.

The men around him 29) slightly just barely only nearly reacted. Military officers had brought a veneer of coordination to the disorderly ranks and 30) rushed have rushed had rushed might rush could rush a number of T-34 tanks to the front yesterday morning. But it was too late for Ras Lanuf.

The smart way to get the inside track

Picture yourself on a walkabout in an unfamiliar city. You are looking for food, Italian preferably or perhaps French. Your pocket map can’t help but your smart phone can. 31) almost barely whilst within hardly a few seconds it identifies where you are, suggests eateries, gives you the opinions of previous customers and then relays directions to get you there.

32) too good at all too true to be good true to be too good too good to be true only good to be true ? Not according to researchers participating in a pan-European research effort to deliver this kind of on-the-go data called "Geocrowd".

This four-year, €6 33) million of million of millions millions a million project hopes to open up the "next generation" of internet-based data access.

"Geocomputation is 34) someway however anyway anything anytime to do with storing, managing, accessing and displaying of spatial data, data that has coordinates attached to them, we are experts in handling that kind of data." one researcher explains.

The idea is that a user receives information about where they are but also about what there is around them.

It is emphasised that it is a two-way street in this new world. "You are 35) two both both a both of both the both a contributor and a receiver of the information. You are providing the information when you are at a given location."another researcher explains.

He 36) looks like likens highlights underlines shades the goal to gathering, filtering and 37) interpreting translating dilating diagnosing drawing the millions of "vapour trails" left behind by those using the internet to tweet, send pictures or text a message.

It represents a blend of data with your position on the planet identified by a GPS 38) address signature post autograph point and the supplementary information delivered - or sent by you - as needed.

If those close to your geographic location are texting, tweeting or Googling about flu symptoms for example, this could indicate a 39) slug worm bug sloe grub is moving through an area.

If you visit a city with little time to spare but want to see a few sights, Geocrowd could get you quickly to the nearest attractions, with your selection informed by comments from others.

Geospatial information is already out there over Googlemaps, Wikiwalk and other applications. "The next step is real time, 40) using user usurp useless use generated, three dimensional data that brings inanimate buildings and objects alive," Prof Fothcringham says.

Air France crash wreckage found

Wreckage and bodies from a 2009 Air France crash have been located in the Atlantic Ocean, the French government confirmed today.

Air France flight 447, an Airbus 330-203 plane, plunged into the ocean en route from Rio to Paris on May 31st, 2009, killing all 228 passengers and crew 41) abroad airborne in board on board over board . A long search has 42) just now hardly nearby so far barely failed to find flight recorders that could give clues to the cause of the incident.

The 43) last late latest later least search, the fourth since the crash, is being 44) carried up carried over carried out carried around carried through using a salvage vessel equipped with unmanned submarines. An initial underwater search had also found parts of wreckage and bodies.

France’s BEA accident investigation authority said yesterday it 45) founded would have found has found had found has founded a large part of the plane’s wreckage including the engine and parts of the fuselage, and environment minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet said today there were human remains inside.

Transport minister Thierry Mariani said victims’ families would be informed of the findings at a meeting at the end of the week and no 46) latest length later future further details would be made public before then.

The discovery of the chunks of the Air France wreckage in a vast search radius of 47) few some any none more 10,000 sq km, 48) rose up has risen up has raised risen rose hopes that the aircraft’s flight recorders, or black boxes, might now be found.

The aircraft vanished after 49) striking touching feeling smacking hitting stormy weather over the Atlantic a few hours into the flight. Speculation about what caused the crash has focused on the possible 50) icing up icing out icing around icing in icing of the aircraft’s speed sensors, which seemed to give inconsistent readings before communication was lost.

Mortgages and fuel costs drive inflation to highest rate in three years

The cost of living which has been driven by soaring mortgage and fuel costs, is now rising at the fastest rate in three years, new figures reveal.

The latest Consumer Price Index from the Central Statistics Office shows prices increased by 0.9% in March alone and are 3% higher than the same month last year.

This is the exact reverse of 51) this hour that time those times thoses hours this time last year when the cost of living was still falling by more than 3% a year. Families have been hit with savage increases in mortgage repayments, fuel and health costs at a time when incomes are already being squeezed by unemployment, wage 52) grips salaries gripes cuts pay and higher taxes.

53) cash and carry cash-strapped cash card cash desk cash flow consumers are coping with the highest inflation rate since October 2008, and that’s before banks pass on yesterday’s 0.25% ECB interest rate hike that will add another €45 a month to the cost of a €300,000 mortgage.

Mortgage interest repayments have soared by nearly 30% as a result of hikes for variable-rate customers, while home heating oil is a massive 40% 54) as expensive as as expensive than more expensive than more expensive expensive as a year ago and petrol prices are up almost 17%. Food and 55) brewery booze beverage binge buffet prices have seen a relatively modest increase of 1.6% in the last year.

Some products such as 56) soft harmless slick smooth healthy drinks and mineral water, cocoa, flour and butter have seen double-digit increases.

Alcohol is 1.7% cheaper than a year ago, 57) during since when while then the cost of clothes and shoes rose by 4% as new season stock came into the shops. However, they are still more than 2% cheaper than a year ago. Rising prices are putting unsustainable pressure on 58) houses households housework housebound housemasters .

"With ongoing rises in oil and food prices, inflation is now taking a strong hold in Ireland. In that context, today’s interest rate rise by the ECB is very unwelcome," economic adviser Paul Sweeney said.

He also said that rising inflation would 59) squash mash swallow gobble eat into consumers’ disposable income, weakening domestic demand. Housing charity Respond said more than 80,000 families were already in difficulties with their mortgages and even more would go into 60) mistakes errors faults arrears paybacks because of the latest interest rate increase.

EU plans to link emissions trading scheme with California

Europe’s commissioner for climate action on Tuesday confirmed for the first time plans to link the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) with California’s carbon market which opens next year.

Connie Hedegaard met with California’s governor, Jerry Brown, who 61) directs seats rests chairs dresses the Californian Air Resources Board, to discuss how future co-operation might work to join the world’s largest and second largest carbon markets.

She said: "We told Governor Brown that we would 62) very much very many so many so much such many like to co-operate with them so that 63) no matter how not matter no matter when whenever doesn't matter how California constructs their scheme, it is linkable to the way we do things in Europe. It doesn’t have to be identical, just compatible."

The EU ETS was designed to link with other emissions trading schemes at a time when hopes of a federal cap and trade scheme in the US were still 64) on the table on the chair on the cupboard in the sink in the cupboard . The EU ETS is now looking at more regional schemes, but officials in Brussels have expressed concerns over incompatibility between systems.

But the European scheme 65) had been fraught have had to frighten has fraught were being fraught has been fraught with problems including over-allocation of allowances resulting in windfall profits for energy corporations and allegedly 66) frayed fuzzy frizzy frazzled fraudulent "missing trader" transactions worth €5bn. The scheme has also been subjected to cyber attacks.

But the commissioner said schemes in other countries 67) has learnt should learn will have learning learnt would have learnt from the EU’s example.

"After six years, we have some good experiences to share and ideas of the 68) coalmines pifalls chutes graves minefields that exist. Europe has taken the burden of constructing a system that works. It makes sense for other nations not to start from 69) itch scratch scrape twitch tweet but to look at what were our good experiences in the EU and our not so good experiences. So they will not have to repeat the same thing."

She also suggested that it was essential to make California’s carbon market a success if there 70) was will have been had been has been were going any chance of a national US scheme in future: "If the biggest American state and 8th largest economy joins the growing crop of emissions trading schemes, it could break the ice in this field in the United States."

First Man in Space: A 50-Year-Old Feat Remembered

It was the Soviet Union’s own giant leap for 71) humans kindred next to kin mankind kinship , one that would 72) spin spring spur sprung sprawl a humiliated America to race for the moon. It happened 50 years ago when an air force pilot named Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space.

In this July 15, 1961 picture, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, stands in an open car outside the Russian embassy in London and waves to the crowd as he departs for home. It was the Soviet Union’s own giant leap for mankind one that would spur a humiliated America to race for the moon. It happened on Tuesday, April 12,1961 when the air force pilot became the first human in space.

The 27-year-old cosmonaut’s mission lasted just 108 minutes and was fraught with drama: a break in data transmission, 73) ditches witches stitches glitches switches involving antennas, a retrorocket and the separation of modules. And there was an overarching question that science had yet to answer: What would weightlessness do to a human being?

"There were all kinds of wild fears that a man could lose his mind in zero gravity, lose his ability to make rational decisions," recalls Oleg Ivanovsky, who 74) overcame oversaw overshadowed overrode overruled the construction and launch of the Vostok spacecraft that carried Gagarin.

The flight was 75) to be being been going went fully automatic, but what if weightlessness caused Gagarin to go mad and override the programmed controls? The engineers’ solution was to add a three-digit security code that the cosmonaut would have to enter to gain command of the spacecraft.

It 76) showed spoke proved demonstrated went unnecessary. The flight went off safely, and the handsome Russian with the big smile became a poster boy for the communist world, still a national idol 43 years after his death.

Korolyov was eager to cement the Soviet edge in space after the October 1957 launch of Sputnik, the world’s first manmade satellite, and he wanted to move to human spaceflight and score another victory in the race against the Americans.

But after a series of 77) broken botched brittle bruised broken down experimental flights throughout 1960 and a launch pad explosion that killed 126 people, 78) security safely safe secure safety was an overriding priority, Ivanovsky says.

The flight was limited to a single orbit because of the questions about weightlessness, and Gagarin was supposed 79) parachuting to parachute parachute have parachuted had parachute out of the capsule on return because a soft-landing system was not ready yet.

James Oberg, a NASA veteran and currently a space consultant who has studied the Soviet space program extensively, says Korolyov and his men did all they 80) wanted would would have willed could to make the flight safe.