Shift work link to increased risk of heart problems

Shift workers are slightly more at risk of having a heart attack or stroke than day workers, research suggests.

An analysis of studies involving more than 2m workers in the British Medical Journal said shift work can disrupt the body clock and have an adverse effect on lifestyle.

It has previously been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.

Limiting night shifts would help workers cope, experts said.

The team of researchers from Canada and Norway analysed 34 studies.

In total, there were 17,359 coronary events of some kind, including cardiac arrests, 6,598 heart attacks and 1,854 strokes caused by lack of blood to the brain.

These events were more common in shift workers than in other people.

The BMJ study calculated that shift work was linked to a 23% increased risk of heart attack, 24% increased risk of coronary event and 5% increased risk of stroke.

But they also said shift work was not linked to increased mortality rates from heart problems and that the relative risks associated with heart problems were "modest".,

The researchers took the socioeconomics status of the workers, their diet and general health into account in their findings.

No rest

Dan Hackam, associate professor at Western University, London, Ontario in Canada, said shift workers were more prone to sleeping and eating badly.

"Night shift workers are up all the time and they don't have a defined rest period. They are in a state of perpetual nervous system activation which is bad for things like obesity and cholesterol," he said.

The authors say that screening programmes could help identify and treat risk factors for shift workers, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

They add that shift workers could also be educated about what symptoms to look out for, which might indicate early heart problems.

Jane White, research and information services manager at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said there were complex issues surrounding shift work.

"It can result in disturbed appetite and digestion, reliance on sedatives and/or stimulants, as well as social and domestic problems.

"These can affect performance, increase the likelihood of errors and accidents at work, and even have a negative effect on health.

She said the effects of shift work needed to be well managed.

"Avoiding permanent night shifts, limiting shifts to a maximum of 12 hours and ensuring workers have a minimum of two full nights' sleep between day and night shifts are simple, practical solutions that can help people to cope with shift work."

Ellen Mason, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said the increased risk to an individual shift worker "was relatively small".

"But many Brits don't work nine to five and so these findings becomes much more significant.

"Whether you work nights, evenings or regular office hours, eating healthily, getting active and quitting smoking can make a big difference to your heart health."

Spoof newspaper executive tweeter accused of hacking

The man behind a Twitter account spoofing the chief executive of a newspaper group has been accused of hacking into an email account.

Northcliffe Media, owned by the Daily Mail, has taken legal action to make Twitter reveal the man's identity.

In court documents, the company accused "@UnSteveDorkland" of making staff "fear for their safety".

The account holder told the BBC he denied "all accusations of illegal conduct set out in this document".

Twitter has said it will comply with a court order and reveal the user's details on 1 August.

However, the BBC understands, the account holder will be challenging the decision with the help of a pro-bono lawyer, whose services are provided free of charge "for the public good", in the US. The account holder is also being advised by internet rights groups.

If the court order, which has been posted on the Guido Fawkes blog, is quashed, lengthy court proceedings could result.

'Hacking email'

Court documents filed at the beginning of the month accused the account holder of being "the creator and/or maintainer of at least three particular accounts", which impersonated - to varying degrees - Steve Auckland, Northcliffe's chief executive.

"At least some of the information made public on Twitter by the defendant was not known publicly," the court papers said.

"And on information and belief, the only way that such information could be obtained was by hacking into an email account at the plaintiff's [Northcliffe] business."

It also accused the account owner of posting information "apparently obtained from surveillance of plaintiff's employees", as well as engaging in other fraudulent and defamatory activity.

The account older told the BBC he denies all of the accusations outlined in the document.

'Abusive and obsessive'

Northcliffe's Mr Auckland said in a statement: "I can confirm we have taken action to ask Twitter for help in identifying the individual in order to protect our staff from harassment.

"We made no request for, nor had any input in, a decision to stop tweeting. Our first priority is a duty of care to all of our employees."

Northcliffe is yet to make public the specific tweets at the centre of their accusations, although one source at the company told the BBC they were concerned about "homophobic" remarks.

Speaking last week, the account holder denied making offensive comments on the social network.

"People can make their own judgement," he told the BBC.

"I've not taken anything down. It's all in the public domain, I've not touched them at all."

Madonna says boos at Paris gig were from 'a few thugs'

Madonna has said the angry reaction from a crowd at her recent 45-minute show in Paris was from "thugs who were not my fans".

"Playing the Olympia was a magical moment for me," she said in a statement on her website.

"Unfortunately at the end of the show, after I left the stage, a few thugs who were not my fans rushed the stage... pretending to be angry fans," she said.

Some fans on Twitter agreed with her but others said they had booed her.

One said: "I have been a fan for 20 years and I booed Madonna at the Olympia! 45 minutes for 275 euros. Shame on you."

Another tweeted: "Madonna has blamed 'rogues' attending her concert at the Olympia without understanding that her fans feel cheated."

'Very frustrated'

Media website The Examiner said "many fans did feel short-changed due to lack of communication on how the show would be shorter".

But it suggested that "the actual riots and the screaming were started by supporters of Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far right National Front in Paris. Apparently, they are still upset that Madonna compared Le Pen to a Nazi in her tour."

The 2,000 tickets sold out in minutes, with fans paying between £80-£200 and some reportedly changing hands for up to £1,000.

Speaking to the BBC's John Hand at the show on Thursday, Paris resident Allain Zambrana, 26, from Nicaragua, said he wanted to ask for his money back.

"I felt very frustrated because I camped out on the streets and then the show just ends like that."

Several people cried "refund" as they realised Madonna had left the stage for good.

Dutch fan Ellis Van Zoen, 22, agreed the show was "very short", but added: "I'm torn - I thought it was a fantastic show and it was special. I don't want to see fans yelling at her but I can understand why."

Other fans vented their frustration on a Facebook page owned by the star's publicist, Liz Rosenburg.

"Some people slept in the streets for 48 hours. So what happened with the concert?" asked Rudy Vanhover. "She was incredible but we were all shocked by the departure and the duration of the concert."

Others were more supportive. "It was an amazing experience to be part of this wonderful show," commented Christopher Houthaeve.

"I purchased the categorty 1 ticket and have absolutely no regrets."

'Wonderful experience'

Madonna said the "thugs" threw plastic bottles at the stage and that "the press reports have focused on this and not the joyous aspect of the evening".

"But nothing can take away or ruin this very special evening for me and my fans. When I looked out in the audience, everyone I saw had a smile on their face. I look forward to having this wonderful experience again."

At her concert in Vienna on Sunday, the singer told the crowd: "Those people were not my fans, they were not there to support me.

"But that's ok because wherever there is darkness, I'm going to bring you some light... we're not going to let them spoil our fun, are we?"

Olympics football: Michel Morganella expelled for racist tweet

Switzerland's Olympic football team has expelled defender Michel Morganella from the tournament for posting racist comments on Twitter.

An offensive message aimed at South Korean people was posted from his Twitter account after Switzerland lost 2-1 to the Koreans on Sunday.

The 23-year-old's Twitter account has since been deleted and he apologised.

He said he accepted the consequences of his actions: "I made a huge mistake after the disappointing result."

Morganella added: "I wish to apologise to the people in South Korea and their team, but also to the Swiss delegation and Swiss football in general."

Earlier this month, Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was expelled from her country's Olympic team over comments she posted on Twitter which were deemed racist.

She later apologised for the "unfortunate and tasteless joke".

Switzerland head coach Gian Gilli said Morganella, who plays his club football for Palermo in Italy, had let the team down.

"He discriminated, insulted and violated the dignity of the South Korean football team and people," he said.

Morganella has one senior cap for Switzerland and started both Olympic Group B games for his country, who have taken just one point from a possible six.

Switzerland round off their group campaign against Mexico at the Millennium Stadium on Tuesday.

Syria conflict: Army steps up attack on rebels in Aleppo

Syrian government forces have been continuing their assault with artillery, ground forces and helicopter gunships on rebel-held areas of the second city, Aleppo.

Officials said one area, Salah al-Din, had been recaptured, but rebels said the battle there was still going on.

UN observers have reported an upsurge in violence in the city, the new head of their mission Babacar Gaye said.

He added that he had personally seen heavy shelling in the city of Homs.

Lt-Gen Gaye also said he had witnessed serious damage from shelling and fighting in the nearby town of Rastan.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon later reported that Gen Gaye's convoy had been attacked by government tanks at the weekend.

In other developments:

• Greece is to quadruple the number of guards on its border with Turkey to pre-empt a possible influx of Syrian refugees, AP quotes Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias as saying
• The al-Jazeera media network says one of its journalists, Ankara-based correspondent Omar Khashram, has been wounded by shrapnel in Aleppo and evacuated to Turkey for treatment
• Syria's most senior diplomat in London, Charge d'Affaires Khaled al-Ayoubi, says he has left his post and is no longer willing to represent a regime that has "committed such violent and oppressive acts against its own people", a UK Foreign Office statement says

'Not one metre'

Government forces launched a ground assault on Aleppo on Saturday after a week of sporadic shelling and sorties by fighter jets.

With fighting into its third day, UN observers and witnesses reported fire from mortars, tanks and helicopter gunships.

Fighting has focused on the Salah al-Din neighbourhood in Aleppo's south-west, where the rebels had embedded themselves.

Syrian state television showed footage from the city and interviewed soldiers who said they had taken complete control of Salah al-Din late on Sunday.

On Monday, officials in Damascus again said they had "purged" the area.

But activists have denied that the quarter has been overrun by the army, saying rebels are still in control.

The head of the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo, Col Abdel Jabbar al-Oqaidi, told the AFP news agency the government "had not progressed one metre".

Heavy shelling and clashes have also been reported in the Sakhur quarter on the north-east side of the city centre, where another attack by government forces appeared to be under way.

And an AFP reporter said rebels had captured a checkpoint at Anadan, 5km (three miles) north-west of Aleppo, seizing government armoured vehicles.

Correspondents say that controlling the checkpoint would give the rebels a direct route between Aleppo and the Turkish border.

Meanwhile UN humanitarian chief Baroness Valerie Amos said that, according to Red Cross and Syrian Arab Red Crescent estimates, some 200,000 people had fled fighting in Aleppo.

She said others were trapped in the city and needed urgent help.

"I call on all parties to the fighting to ensure that they do not target civilians and that they allow humanitarian organisations safe access."

She said many people had fled their homes to take shelter in schools and other public buildings.

The BBC's Ian Pannell, in the Aleppo area, says residents are facing food shortages and power cuts.

He says the rebels are outgunned by the army, but they are fighting an effective guerrilla war in the streets.

Speaking of the attack on Gen Gaye's convoy, Ban Ki-moon said no-one had been injured, as personnel were protected by the vehicles' armour.

Mr Ban also said the UN was "still waiting" for the Syrian government to honour its commitment to end armed violence.

He expressed particular concern about the impact of shelling and heavy weapons such as helicopters in Aleppo.

He also called on the government to renounce any possibility of using weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons and to ensure that stockpiles were kept secure.

Last week Damascus said it would not use chemical weapons inside Syria, but did not rule out their use in the event of an attack by foreign powers.

'Try everything'

The fighting comes as the UN Security Council remains chronically divided over Syria, with Russia blocking attempts by Western nations to ramp up pressure on President Bashar al-Assad.

France is due to take over the presidency of the Security Council this week, and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has pledged to continue pushing the issue.

He called Mr Assad an "executioner" and said he would ask for a ministerial level meeting of Security Council members before the end of the week.

"We must try everything," he said on French radio, "even though Russia and China have blocked resolutions on three separate occasions."

Meanwhile Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said there could be room for compromise.

In an interview with The Times newspaper, he said the positions of Russia, the US and UK were not as different as is sometimes suggested.