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'Over one fifth' of drink-drug patients in their 40s
Over one fifth of people hospitalised because of problems caused by alcohol and drugs are in their 40s, new figures have revealed.
A little over half a million, 533,302, people were admitted to hospital with serious health problems because of their drink or drug consumption, experts Dr Foster said in their latest annual Hospital Guide.
Of those, 60,738 were aged 40 to 44 and another 60,083 were 45 to 49 – together, more than a fifth of the total. Some were admitted a number of times between 2010 and 2013.
According to Dr Foster's hospital admissions data, health problems stemming from substance abuse now cost the NHS £607m every year.
Keeping one patient in overnight owing to long-term alcohol abuse dwarfs the £22m spent annually on treating people after they have been binge drinking.
Protests in Thailand continue despite dissolution
Mass anti-government demonstrations are taking place in Bangkok despite the Prime Minister's announcement that she will dissolve the lower house of Parliament and call elections in an attempt to calm the country's deepening political crisis.
Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban and leader of the main Democrat opposition party Abhisit Vejjajiva, were among the demonstrators.
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Kim Jong-un's uncle removed over 'anti-state acts'
The powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been removed amid claims of corruption, drug use and a long list of other "anti-state" acts.
The purge apparently ends the career of Jang Song Thaek, the country's second most powerful official, and leaves Kim without the man long considered his mentor as he consolidated power after his father's death two years ago.
Jang Song Thaek's fall from grace, detailed in a lengthy dispatch by state media, is the latest and most significant in a series of reshuffles that Kim has conducted in an apparent effort to bolster his power.
Some analysts see the purge as a sign of Kim's growing confidence, but there has also been fear in Seoul that the removal of such an important part of the North's government could create dangerous instability or lead to a major miscalculation or attack on the South.
Rail services are 'unrecognisably better', says industry
Rail services are "unrecognisably better" compared to what they were at the dawn of the new millennium, a spokesman for the rail industry said.
Dismissing claims from a transport charity there is a "huge disparity" in regional railway services, the Rail Delivery Group said passenger satisfaction was "near record high".
– A spokesman for the Rail Delivery GroupWhile there is always room for improvement, rail passengers are travelling on services that are unrecognisably better when compared to 15 years ago.
Passenger satisfaction is at a near record high with 500 million more journeys each year being rated 'good' or 'satisfactory' according to the independent passenger watchdog.
The railway's success has been achieved through a combination of significant sustained public investment via Network Rail, and train operators focused on increasing passenger numbers.
'Devolve' decision making to locals to improve trains
More decision making powers should be given to local administrations if the "huge disparities" in the railway service are to end, a transport charity has said.
Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) chief executive Stephen Joseph believed local knowledge was the key to improving Britain's railways.
– CBT chief executive Stephen JosephThe research exposes the huge disparities in the quality of train services across the country.
Importantly, it suggests the answer is to give local administrations more control over their rail networks.
By devolving more decision making we can make full use of local knowledge and target investment where it will bring the biggest benefits.
MPs to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela in Commons
Political hostilities will be temporarily halted in the Commons as politicians gather to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela.
Question time has been suspended to allow MPs to honour the memory of the former South African president who died last week.
Speaker John Bercow will make the opening address, followed by words from David Cameron and other party leaders.
The Prime Minister will later fly to Johannesburg where he is among tens of thousands due at a stadium memorial service tomorrow.
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Helicopter crash victims to be laid to rest
Two funerals for victims of the Glasgow helicopter crash are due to take place today.
Mark O'Prey and Gary Arthur were enjoying a night out in Clutha bar when a police helicopter crashed through on Friday November 29. They were among nine people who died.
The service for Mr O'Prey, 44, is to be held in his home town of East Kilbride, while Mr Arthur, 48, will be remembered in Paisley.
'Huge' difference in quality of train services across UK
Passengers are being left out in the cold by unreliable train services because some parts of the country lack investment and fewer members of staff are on hand to help, a report has found.
Data collected by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) found passengers in London, the south east, north west England, the West Midlands and Scotland, enjoyed the best railway services.
However, Welsh passengers and those travelling in the north east and east of England expressed their misery with their local train services.
Services in Wales were less well-used and less accessible than in other regions, as well as suffering low passenger satisfaction levels.
And even though services in London are well-used and have benefited from major investment, passenger satisfaction "is hindered by concern about cost and overcrowding" the report says.
Thai PM: Dissolution comes after 'listening to all sides'
Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has dissolved the lower house of Parliament and called for elections in an attempt to calm the country's deepening political crisis.
Ms Yingluck's announcement came as thousands of anti-government protesters vowed to march through Bangkok in a "final showdown" against her government.
She said: "There will be new elections according to the democratic system", but did not set a date.
"After listening to opinions from all sides, I have decided to request a royal decree to dissolve parliament," Ms Yingluck said in a televised statement. "There will be new elections according to the democratic system."
Thai protests 'to continue' despite parliament dissolved
The leader of the Thai protest movement that has been battling to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said he would not end his demonstrations despite her dissolving of parliament.
"Today we will continue our march to Government House. We have not yet reached our goal. The dissolving of parliament is not our aim," Suthep Thaugsuban told Reuters.
He has repeatedly said he did not want a new election but wanted a vaguely defined, unelected "people's council" to run the country.
