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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28610112	Ebola crisis: Virus spreading too fast, says WHO - 1 August 2014 - From the section Africa The Ebola outbreak in West Africa is spreading faster than efforts to control it, World Health Organization (WHO) head Margaret Chan has said. She told a summit of regional leaders that failure to contain Ebola could be "catastrophic" in terms of lives lost. But she said the virus, which has claimed 728 lives in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since February, could be stopped if well managed. Ebola kills up to 90% of those infected. It spreads by contact with infected blood, bodily fluids, organs - or contaminated environments. Patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment. Initial flu-like symptoms can lead to external haemorrhaging from the eyes and gums, and internal bleeding that can lead to organ failure. A US relief agency is repatriating two of its American staff who have contracted the virus in Liberia. A flight carrying the first of the patients - Dr Kent Brantly - landed at and US Air Force base in Georgia at about 16:00 GMT. Hundreds of US Peace Corps volunteers have already been evacuated from the West African countries. Separately, US President Barack Obama announced that delegates from affected countries attending a US-Africa conference in Washington next week would be screened. "Folks who are coming from these countries that have even a marginal risk, or an infinitesimal risk of having been exposed in some fashion, we're making sure we're doing screening," he said. Analysis: David Shukman, BBC science editor Friday's summit should provide the kind of international co-operation needed to fight Ebola but the battle against the virus will be won or lost at the local level. An over-attentive family member, a careless moment while burying a victim, a slip-up by medical staff coping with stress and heat - a single small mistake in basic hygiene can allow the virus to slip from one human host to another. The basic techniques for stopping Ebola are well known. The problem is applying them. Since the virus was first identified in 1976, there have been dozens of outbreaks and all of them have been contained. Experts point to these successes as evidence that this latest threat can be overcome too. But working against them are suspicions among local people and the unavoidable fact that this is an extremely poor part of the world, much of it still reeling from conflict. Deploying the right equipment in properly trained hands is always going to be a struggle, one that is now extremely urgent. Ebola since 1976 Dr Chan met the leaders of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to launch a new $100m (£59m) Ebola response plan. The plan includes funding the deployment of hundreds more health care workers to affected countries. "This meeting must mark a turning point in the outbreak response," Dr Chan said at the summit in Guinea's capital, Conakry. "Cases are occurring in rural areas which are difficult to access, but also in densely populated capital cities." She said the outbreak was the deadliest and most widely spread, and had also demonstrated an ability to spread through air travel, unlike past outbreaks. Separately, the Liberian government declared Friday a holiday to allow a huge sanitisation and chlorination exercise in government ministries and places of public gathering. Information Minister Lewis Brown said "the intent is to let us come to the realisation that something is wrong and what is wrong is serious". Up to 30 Commonwealth Games athletes from Sierra Leone, meanwhile, are considering extending their stay in Glasgow amid fears over the Ebola virus. Ebola virus disease (EVD) - Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage - Fatality rate can reach 90% - Incubation period is two to 21 days - There is no vaccine or cure - Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery - Fruit bats are considered to be virus' natural host
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22178883	China media: Boston blast - 17 April 2013 - From the section China Media in China are shocked at the death of a Chinese student in the Boston marathon bombings and call on the US to end "double standards" on terrorism. Hong Kong's Phoenix Satellite TV and other media have identified by name a Chinese female graduate student from northeast Shenyang who was killed in Monday's marathon bombings in Boston. While expressing shock and grief, many internet users on Sina and other news portals are baffled at why the victim has remained unnamed, especially since many state media, including Xinhua, have released a photo and identity of the deceased online. China Central Television says that the deceased person's classmate, Zhou Danling, is now in "stable condition" in hospital after being injured in the blast. The overwhelming majority of Chinese security experts and state media are calling on the US to step up global counter-terrorism co-operation and stress that China is also a "victim of terrorism". Li Wei, director of the Institute of Security and Arms Control at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a state security ministry-linked think-tank, tells 21st Century Business Herald that the impact of the Boston bombings will be "no less than 9/11". He predicts that the US will be forced to "abandon its export of hard-line values" and seek multinational counter-terrorism co-operation within a United Nations framework in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. A bilingual Global Times editorial accuses the West of "double standards" in publically shielding groups and leaders deemed to be terrorists by China and Russia. "We are here to condemn the organisers of the Boston attack. We hope when similar attacks happen in China and Russia, the West will do the same," the editorial concludes. On Guandian Zhongguo, a state-run commentary website, commentator Feng Chuangzhi accuses the US of having "two faces and two policies" on counter-terrorism and never taking a stand against separatist violence in China's Xinjiang, which is home to many Muslim ethnic minorities. In other international news, the gay and lesbian community criticises China Central Television and other state media for not mentioning the wife of Iceland's openly gay prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir in reports of her visit to China, South China Morning Post reports. The latest Chinese defence white paper shows greater "military transparency" on the structure of the armed forces as well as the codenames of its missiles, according to state media. The paper indirectly accuses the US's pivot to Asia and military presence for heightening regional tensions. It also criticises Japan for "making trouble" over territorial disputes. Japanese media reported that three Chinese maritime surveillance vessels entered waters claimed by Japan on Tuesday, for the first time since 9 April. Peng Guangqian, a military expert in Beijing, calls the white paper's veiled criticism of US military expansion "polite". "US military alliances in the Asia-Pacific are the result of the Cold War, and Washington did not end them after the Cold War, but reinforced them. It is an obvious fact, and obviously aimed at China," he tells China Daily. In other military news, China Central Television and Xinhua report that the South China Sea Fleet patrolled near the disputed islands known as the Diaoyu in China and the Senkaku in Japan on Wednesday, on the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan in 1895. Taiwan is holding its first live-fire drill in five years as part of the annual Han Kuang military exercises on the outlying Pescadore Islands, Taiwan media report. The exercises will test the armed forces' defences against a simulated attack by the mainland. Back on the mainland, The Beijing News says China has reported a total of 77 people infected with the H7N9 bird flu, including 16 deaths. Dahe Daily says authorities are still investigating the sudden deaths of over 200 pigs and 80 dogs that may have been poisoned by toxic gas from a nearby plant on the outskirts of Henan's Luoyang. In Apple Daily, Zhao Yan, a former New York Times researcher who was once controversially jailed in Beijing, says he is proud of the newspaper winning a Pulitzer Prize for Shanghai bureau chief David Barboza's expose on the alleged fortune of Wen Jiabao's family. "Our position towards this issue is very clear. We believe the relevant report by the New York Times reporter has ulterior motives," a foreign ministry spokeswoman told a regular press briefing yesterday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20203758	A key week for the world economy - 5 November 2012 - From the section Business In the City they've dubbed it "the most important week of the rest of 2012". You can see why. If you were feeling dramatic, you could say that more than half of global GDP will be "in play", one way or another. America will - we hope - decide on who will be its president for the next four years; the Chinese will start the formal handover to its new leaders, and the central banks of the eurozone and the UK will decide whether they need to do more to support their fragile economies. Put it another way: the next few days will help determine the long-term economic direction of countries accounting for just over a quarter of global output. Those central bank meetings will also set short-term economic policy for countries that are responsible for another third. Oh yes, and the Greek parliament will also be voting (probably on Wednesday) on further budget cuts that will determine whether it can get the next 31bn-euro tranche of its European-IMF rescue package. With widespread defections, it looks like the government will pass these measures only with the tiniest of majorities, if at all. So, no pressure then. The only event that the markets and everyone else have been completely ignoring is the meeting to which we would usually be paying most attention: the gathering of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors in Mexico which concludes later today. There's a good reason for that lack of interest: the most important G20 finance minister, Tim Geithner, won't be there. Nor will the eurozone policy maker with most room to actually make policy - Mario Draghi. They won't be writing bland communiques on the future of the global economy this week: instead they and everyone else will be watching a good chunk of that future forming, right before our eyes.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7221679.stm	A video of Heath Ledger at a Hollywood party saying he used to smoke cannabis has been pulled from US TV "out of respect" for the late actor's family. Prescription drugs were nearby when Heath Ledger's body was found The Brokeback Mountain star is apparently heard saying he "used to smoke five joints a day for 20 years". TV shows Entertainment Tonight and The Insider released a statement saying the footage, thought to have been recorded in January 2006, would not be aired. The Australian actor died in New York in January at the age of 28. "Out of respect for Heath Ledger's family, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider have decided not to run the Heath Ledger video that has been circulating in the world media," the statement said. Ledger's publicist Mara Buxbaum circulated an e-mail around Hollywood calling the video "shameful exploitation of the lowest kind", according to the Reuters news agency. "There were a lot of people who were so appalled. They stood up for what was right," she said. Several prescription drugs were found by the actor's body when it was discovered at his Manhattan home last month. Results of the toxicology tests carried out by medical examiners, which will determine the cause of his death, are expected in the coming days. The star, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Brokeback Mountain, had a daughter with actress Michelle Williams. His body has been flown home to Australia for a private burial. A public memorial service has been planned in Los Angeles.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/womens_cricket/7947499.stm	England might have hoped for an even bigger total before losing both their openers within four deliveries as four wickets fell for 11 runs. But although no-one below the top three reached double figures, Claire Taylor - playing her 107th one-day international - farmed the strike successfully to smash six fours and two sixes, making 65 from 56 balls before being trapped lbw by Pamela Lavine in the final over. The Windies, who have won only one of their five games at the tournament, used nine bowlers as they tried to restrict England's scoring. Left-arm seamer Shanel Daley was the pick of the attack with 3-31, although she was unable to bat because of injury. The West Indies lost captain Merissa Aguilleira for a duck when she was run out by wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor in the fifth over. Wickets tumbled at regular intervals as England kept an iron grip on the game, with seamer Katherine Brunt conceding only seven runs from her six overs, while captain Charlotte Edwards sent down 10 overs of leg-spin for only 12 runs. As in the England innings, only three players reached double figures - and it was down to teenager Deandra Dottin (23), who hit a six, to give the score a modicum of respectability. We're definitely excited to have got this far - but it's not over yet England coach Mark Lane But it was Marsh who claimed three of the last four wickets to fall as Edwards' team marched on to Sunday's final. Edwards said: "We're now closer to our goal than we have ever been. "We've still only done half a job though and we need to keep focused to finish it off on Sunday. "I'm delighted for all the players - it has been years of hard work and I hope it will be memorable!" "We're definitely excited to have got this far - but it's not over yet," insisted coach Mark Lane. New Zealand are close to securing their place in the final "Credit must go to everyone who has put all the hard work in. There is still so much more to do though. "We've made the final but not won it. We still need a big performance on Sunday which no doubt we can produce." Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: "England's women have been the team to beat since the 2009 World Cup began - but they have out-scored and out-bowled all their rivals so far. "Charlotte Edwards and her team-mates deserve huge credit for reaching the final with this latest win against the West Indies - so maintaining their unblemished record. "Whoever they play in Sunday's final I know they will give another 100% performance to try and bring the Women's World Cup to England for the first time since 1993." In Tuesday's other game, New Zealand edged to a five-wicket win over India to leave themselves on target to reach the final. Having bowled India out for 207, the White Ferns reached their target with 14 balls to spare. Opener Kate Pulford top-scored with 71, while Suzie Bates saw her side home with 47 not out. New Zealand, who won the Cup in 2000, know that a win over Pakistan in their final Super Six game on Thursday will guarantee them a place in the final with England. But defeat for the Kiwis could let in Australia or India - if either manage to beat England or West Indies respectively. Australia kept their hopes alive on Monday by defeating Pakistan by 107 runs, despite resting captain Karen Rolton. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20620223	Coalition plans for mutuals 'have no legs' - 6 December 2012 - From the section UK Politics Coalition plans to deliver local services using more co-operatives have "no legs" without further Whitehall support, a group of MPs have warned. The Communities select committee said government departments needed to work together if mutuals were to "flourish". The coalition runs a £10m project to support those wanting to run public services through staff-led mutuals. But the MPs said they had found "far less change than might be expected" at the local level. In 2011, the Cabinet Office set up a programme to help expand the number of mutuals delivering services in the public sector such as adult and children's social care, social work and probation. 'Absence of rigour' The government thinks staff-led organisations can increase innovation, increase productivity and give better customer satisfaction. But the Communities and Local Government Committee found the Cabinet Office programme was "isolated" from similar work being carried out by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in local services. Failure to link this work "betrays an absence of rigour, enthusiasm and understanding that is essential if the mutual model for local service delivery is ever to take off," the MPs said. The committee concluded the government need to put more effort into providing advice and guidance to those wanting to set up a mutual. There should also be more coordinated leadership between the Cabinet Office, DCLG and the Local Government Association and banks need to be better educated on lending to mutuals and co-operatives. Clive Betts, chair of the cross-party committee, said: "The prevailing winds may favour mutual and co-operative approaches to delivering local services, but we found far less change that might be expected across local government. "This lack of progress was surprising given the benefits claimed for mutuals and co-operative structures which offer employees, and in many cases service users too, a say in how an organisation is run and how services are adapted to suit local needs leading to greater customer satisfaction, innovation, lower production costs, higher productivity, increased resilience and job creation. "The Cabinet Office programme to promote the use of employee-owned mutuals across the public sector remains isolated from work by the Department for Communities and Local Government, through its localism reforms, to stimulate opportunities for co-operatives and mutuals to take over local services." But a spokesman for the Cabinet Office argued that the DCLG and the Cabinet Office were "working together closely to support the creation of new employee-owned bodies - such as co-ops and mutuals - to run local services". The number of mutuals was "growing rapidly, increasing six-fold since 2010", he added. "There's real enthusiasm in local authorities: just last week representatives from 25 councils across the south east got together to discuss the benefits of mutuals with experts in the field." The spokesman concluded: "We will look closely at how the committee's recommendations can help us to take this agenda forward."
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-16853447	Nelson Mandela cookbook launched in South Africa - 2 February 2012 - From the section Africa Nelson Mandela's personal chef has launched a cookbook featuring some of the statesman's favourite meals. Xoliswa Ndoyiya's book includes more than 62 recipes for the simple traditional dishes that Mr Mandela most enjoys. She has cooked for the Mandela family for more than 20 years. The book, one of the few South African cookbooks to include traditional African recipes, will be available in the UK in the coming months. Speaking at the launch, Mr Mandela's great-grandson Luvuyo Mandela described Ms Ndoyiya, known as "Xoli", as the family's best kept secret. "UMam'Xoli was more than someone who prepared meals... she was a parent," he said. Ukutya Kwasekhaya [home cooking] - Tastes from Nelson Mandela's Kitchen, includes recipes for chicken soup, umqusho (maize and beans) and umsila wenkomo (oxtail stew). Ms Ndoyiya, 49, sees food as a way of strengthening bonds between families and also preserving special memories. "Tata [Nelson] Mandela has told me that every time I make umphokoqo [sour milk] for him, he remembers his mother cooking this dish for him with love," she writes in her book. Her husband was killed in the clashes between Mr Mandela's African National Congress (ANC) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in the early 1990s. Shortly after that, she was introduced to Mr Mandela who was looking for a chef at the time. She began working for him in 1992, two years before he became South Africa's first democratically elected president. The 93-year-old retired from public life in 2004. Today, he spends most of his time with his family in his home village of Qunu, in the Eastern Cape and Johannesburg.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-23549718	Schools to be given choice on Gaelic teaching - 2 August 2013 - From the section Highlands & Islands The Scottish government is pouring cold water on claims every primary school child in the country is to start learning Gaelic. Support agency Education Scotland is to produce materials for schools or councils which want to teach youngsters Gaelic as a second or third language. But the government is stressing schools and councils can chose whether or not to teach Gaelic in this way. It wants schools to start teaching a second language in P1 by 2020. Pilot projects are currently under way at a number of primary schools across the country, teaching children second or third languages. There is no prerequisite about which languages should be taught. Gaelic would continue to be one option, with decisions taken locally by schools and councils. A Scottish government spokesperson said it was "committed to ensuring that every pupil has the chance to learn two languages on top of their mother tongue in primary school. "Our ongoing promotion of the Gaelic language means it is a key part of this process."
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-28418979	Snakes discovered in Plashet Park in East Ham - 22 July 2014 - From the section London A pair of 8ft (2.4m) boa constrictors were found near a children's play area in a park in east London. A crowd of 40 people gathered around the snakes after they were spotted in Plashet Park, East Ham, on 13 July. Police officers used a litter picker and a brown bag to retrieve the snakes, which were taken to a local pet shop and identified as boa constrictors. The Met said no-one was injured. Boas are not venomous but kill their prey by suffocation. The snakes are now with the RSPCA and officers believe they may have been released as unwanted pets. Newham's Borough Commander Tony Nash said: "This is certainly the most bizarre call I can think of my officers dealing with during my time in Newham, but it just goes to highlight how the police must be prepared to deal with any event, often putting themselves in danger, to protect the public."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7697898.stm	The Murdochs were accused of sharing Race07 from Atari Games firms are accusing innocent people of file-sharing as they crack down on pirates, a Which? Computing investigation has claimed. The magazine was contacted by Gill and Ken Murdoch, from Scotland, who had been accused of sharing the game Race07 by makers Atari. The couple told Which they had never played a computer game in their lives. The case was dropped, but Which estimates that hundreds of others are in a similar situation. The illegal sharing of music, movies and games has become a huge headache for copyright owners. Some six million people are thought to illegally share files each year, and increasingly firms are getting tough on the pirates. They are monitoring peer-to-peer sharing networks, such as Gnutella, BitTorrent, and eDonkey, that allow games, music and video to be shared. Atari has appointed law firm Davenport Lyons to prosecute illegal file-sharers. It has been acting on behalf of several games firms and partner David Gore thinks there are likely to be many more. The lawyers in the Atari case turned to anti-piracy firm Logistep, which finds those people illegally sharing files via their IP address - the unique numbers which identify a particular computer. With this number, rights owners can apply for a court order which obliges internet service providers to hand over the account holder's details. In the case of the Murdochs, a letter was sent giving them the chance to pay £500 compensation or face a court case. Gill Murdoch and her husband, aged 54 and 66 respectively, told Which: "We do not have, and have never had, any computer game or sharing software. We did not even know what 'peer to peer' was until we received the letter." Some sites are undermining efforts to catch pirates The case has now been dropped by Atari, although the firm is yet to comment on the reasons why. According to Michael Coyle, an intellectual property solicitor with law firm Lawdit, more and more people are being wrongly identified as file-sharers. He is pursuing 70 cases of people who claim to be wrongly accused of piracy and has spoken to "hundreds" of others, he told the BBC. "Some of them are senior citizens who don't know what a game is, let alone the software that allows them to be shared," he said. Most commonly problems arise when a pirate steals someone else's network connection by "piggybacking" on their unsecured wireless network, he said. While prosecutors argue that users are legally required to secure their network, Mr Coyle dismisses this. "There is no section of the Copyright Act which makes you secure your network although it is commonsense to do so," he said. Mr and Mrs Murdoch do not have a wireless network so their address cannot have been hijacked in this way. It has not yet been established how their IP address came to be linked to file-sharing. Some question whether an IP address on its own can be used as evidence. "The IP address alone doesn't tell you anything. Piracy is only established beyond doubt if the hard-drive is examined," said Mr Coyle. Firms that facilitate file sharing, such as Pirate Bay, have been undermining efforts by anti-piracy investigators to track down file sharers. Pirate Bay makes no secret of the fact that it inserts the random IP addresses of users, some of who may not even know what file sharing is, to the list of people downloading files, leading investigators up a virtual garden path. Despite the problems, rights owners are successfully suing pirates. In a landmark case in August, games firm Topware Interactive won more than £16,000 following legal action against Londoner Isabella Barwinska who shared a copy of the game Dream Pinball 3D. It is widely expected that the music industry will follow the lead of the games firms and begin prosecutions next year. In the UK, claims are brought as civil actions using the Copyright, Design and Patents Act of 1988.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/259851.stm	Thursday, January 21, 1999 Published at 14:48 GMT Protesters ejected from Commons A new way to get your message across Protesters against UK arms sales to Indonesia found a novel way of distributing their campaign literature to politicians on Thursday: showering it onto their heads from the public gallery of the House of Commons. Two men threw leaflets and marked fake money into the Commons chamber as Tory MP Peter Luff was asking a question relating to the defence industry. The pair were quickly ejected by doorkeepers. They had started their unusual lobby of MPs by shouting: "The British defence industry is a disgrace. We want a debate. Arms embargo now!" As doorkeepers moved towards them, the men threw paper darts made out of press releases from the Campaign Against the Arms Trade and a bundle of photocopies of five pound notes marked with red ink, representing "blood money", into the chamber below. The papers continued fluttering down to the floor as Commons Leader Margaret Beckett rose to answer Mr Luff's question. Defence industry query Mr Luff had asked Mrs Beckett during questions on forthcoming parliamentary business to find time for an early debate on the defence industry, referring to British Aerospace's multi-million purchase of GEC's Marconi defence business. Continuing his comments despite the shouting from the gallery, the Tory MP said he was disappointed with Prime Minister Tony Blair's comments on Wednesday reflecting support for European defence restructuring. "It seems to suggest that he is going to give primacy to European rather than British interests in the restructuring of the defence industry. "Such a debate will enable this side of the House at least to express its deep concern about the implications of that approach." As the demonstration continued, Mrs Beckett replied she could not find time for such a debate, defended Mr Blair's comments and said she did not share Mr Luff's view. By the time she sat down, the floor of the chamber was littered with the phoney cash and literature deposited by the protesters. Their campaign calls on the government to implement an arms embargo against Indonesia over human rights abuses. It highlighted the confirmation recently uncovered by the comedian Mark Thomas from the Indonesian army that it was using UK equipment in pursuing the occupation of East Timor. Commons custody officer Sergeant Hugh Jones later said the two men - named by CAAT as Gideon Burrows and Martin Hogbin - were being detained at the House. The Serjeant at Arms, Peter Jennings, would investigate and the men could be transferred to Charing Cross Police Station if necessary. UK Politics Contents A-Z of Parliament
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5067174.stm	Families of some of the British troops serving in Iraq are launching a campaign to bring them home. Anti-war families say their soldiers did not sign up for an illegal war It is the first time such a call has been made by families of troops still on active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Members of the Military Families Against the War group are addressing an anti-war rally in London on Saturday. They plan to give their petition on withdrawing troops to Tony Blair. But other army families say they are proud of what the soldiers are doing. Based on lies The Stop The War Coalition, which is holding its annual conference, says a growing number of relatives of troops killed or injured in Iraq are backing their campaign. But the new group represents the families of serving soldiers. Linda King, whose son is serving in Iraq, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm very proud of what my son has signed up to do, although this is an illegal war." She claimed the war had been founded on a "body of lies". "It needs to be addressed and sorted and a scheduled timetable needs to be put in place for bringing these troops out of Iraq with dignity and honour," said Mrs King. She said her son was happy for her to do what she thought was right - and like other troops he wanted to return from Iraq. Pauline Hickey whose son Sergeant Christian Hickey, died in a bomb attack in Basra last year, said she could have accepted his death more easily if it had been a "legal war". "The armed forces are not able to say where they go - it's the government that sends them, but that's all the more reason that the reasons should be the right reasons," she said. Military chiefs were given explicit assurances by Attorney General Lord Goldsmith, the UK's law officer, that the war was lawful. Sammie Crane, chairman of the Army Families Federation, said the anti-war relatives were entitled to their opinions. But she argued: "Over the last two years what families have said to me is that they are proud of their soldier. "They are aware they are professionals, they are not volunteers. They value what their soldiers are doing." Tony Blair this week said British troops should remain in Iraq to ensure terrorism was defeated and to help the Iraqis build democracy and stability.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-23001147	Ballet dancer Jack Widdowson's attacker jailed for 13 years - 24 June 2013 - From the section Wales A man who attacked a ballet dancer, broke his neck and left him lying in the street has been jailed for 13 years. Jack Widdowson, 19, from Somerset, was assaulted by Mohammed Ali Mohamoed, 27, on a disused canal towpath in Cardiff. Mohamoed, of Splott, Cardiff, was found guilty at the city's crown court of causing grievous bodily harm with intent but cleared of attempted murder. Eight months later Mr Widdowson was able to dance again. His family called it a "miracle" recovery. Mr Widdowson, an apprentice dancer at the Bern Ballet Company in Switzerland, had performed two days before the attack on 5 November 2011. His mobile phone was stolen and he was left for dead on the outskirts of the city centre near East Tyndall Street at 00:45. He had been visiting his brother who was studying at Cardiff University. Mohamoed admitted stealing his phone at the trial at Cardiff Crown Court but claimed someone else must have hurt him. Prosecutor Michael Mather-Lees QC told Mohamoed: "You broke his neck, then you lied to police because you realised you had committed a dreadful offence." After the attack, it was feared Mr Widdowson would be paralysed. The dancer, who is due to perform at the Glastonbury Festival this weekend, told BBC Wales that ballet was his "passion" and the attack made him more determined than ever to succeed. His father Dr Julian Widdowson said his "incredible flexibility" may have saved his life and aided his "miracle" recovery. Mr Widdowson's rehabilitation treatments included hydrotherapy and physiotherapy sessions which he described as "long and difficult". Judge Justice Wyn Williams sentenced Mohamoed to 13 years and ordered he be deported after serving his sentence. The judge told him: "You left him lying in the street which was callous in the extreme. You are a dangerous offender." Mr Widdowson's parents, who have since set up a charity called the Dance Again Foundation, praised their son. They said: "Jack has made an amazing recovery from a horrific injury and we would like to thank the many people who have helped to achieve that. "He has been performing for some time now and has already performed publicly on a number of occasions. "We and he are just delighted that he has been able to resume his career as a dancer despite what happened to him." They said their son's injuries and the problems he suffered prompted them to set up the charity which helps other injured dancers access the right support and treatment. They said: "We can now put this behind us and we're looking forward to continuing to support Jack and all our children in their careers." After sentencing, Det Con Mike Owens, from South Wales Police, said: "Jack Widdowson had been enjoying a night out with family and friends when he was subjected to a shocking level of violence - the level which we rarely see in Cardiff. "Amazingly Jack, who is such a talented young man, has made a full recovery and we are delighted that he is back dancing again. "Today's decision will hopefully allow Jack and his family to finally put this incident behind them."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3142311.stm	Turkmenistan has devoted a day of festivities to celebrate the country's muskmelon, a close relative of the watermelon. Melons are revered in Turkmenistan The holiday was inspired by President Saparmurat Niyazov, who prefers to be known as Turkmenbashi, or leader of the Turkmens. "Do celebrate Muskmelon Day well, as a real holiday. Make sure that all associations and enterprises take part in it," the Turkmen television showed the leader telling state officials. The television report on Monday about the holiday waxed lyrical over the fruit. "This godsend has a glorious history that goes back centuries," it said, adding that its advantages were the product of Turkmenistan's "blazing sun, mild weather, productive land and tasty water, as well as peasants' kindness". The fruit, which the report said was praised as a "miracle" in the middle ages, has been honoured with a national holiday since 1994. "Since we became independent, our great leader, who has a great love of his nation and country, has brought the name of the tasty melons to the level of a national holiday," the TV said. The day's celebrations featured a large display of the fruit in all its varieties, as well as a series of dance and music events, in the country's capital, Ashgabat. Summing up the festivities, Turkmen TV said: "It made the love towards one's dear homeland, the great leader and kind nation grow even stronger." BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/school_report/9647420.stm	Tennis ace Laura Robson recently beat her friend and fellow British teen star Heather Watson This isn't the first time tennis ace Laura Robson has been on the shortlist for Young Sports Personality of the Year. She now competes regularly on the senior tennis tour and is youngest player in the women's top 200. Laura started to play tennis when she was six and began her junior career in May 2007. In 2008 she became the first British winner of the girls' singles at Wimbledon since 1984. Here are her answers to the questions posed by the School Reporters from Hamble College in Hampshire. And you can find out more about the other nine contenders for the Young Sports Personality of the Year prize Q: How do you balance the usual life of a teenager with being a high achiever in sport? A: I try to fit in as much fun stuff as possible when I'm training; lately I've been doing a few hip-hop and salsa dance classes. It's been great fun and my fitness trainer thinks it is good for me too. Q: If you could have an Olympic or Paralympic ticket for 2012, which event would it be for and why? A: The event would be the men's 4x100m freestyle relay in swimming. It's always my favourite race to watch on TV, there's usually a close finish and it's amazing how fast those guys can swim. Q: Who has been the most important person to get you where you are today? A: I would definitely say my mum. She's always been there for everything to do with my tennis and I'm 100% sure I wouldn't be in the position that I am without her. Q: What is your worst habit? A: My worst habit is that I spend far too much time on my phone. I'm addicted! Florence + The Machine are a favourite of Laura's Q: What music do you listen to when you train? A: I like listening to upbeat music when I'm training, it puts me in a good mood and gives me lots of energy! Florence + The Machine is my current favourite. Q: When did you first realise you wanted a career in your sport and why? A: I first realised when i was about seven or eight years old and I lost in a practice match to my brother. I couldn't handle the defeat so from then on I trained much more than him until I eventually beat him! Q: If you were not an athlete, what career would you like to pursue? A: If I wasn't a tennis player I would probably be a chef. I love cooking and baking and my mum is a really good cook so she's taught me a lot. Q: What has been the best - and the worst - moments of your sporting career so far? A: My personal best moment is still winning Junior Wimbledon. All my family and friends were in the crowd that day so it's going to be a tough moment to beat! I think the worst moments for me (and any other athlete) are injuries. It's really disappointing to not be able to play but injuries are something that come with what we do, so you have to deal with it the best you can. Q: What is your worst habit? A: I am embarrassed to say I bite my nails! Q: Who was your childhood idol and why? A: My childhood idol was Monica Seles. She was a fantastic player to watch and she overcame so much in her career.
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21471747	Horsemeat scandal: Noble animal at centre of Romanian life - 17 February 2013 - From the section Magazine Romania has been accused of supplying horsemeat sold as beef - although this has been vehemently denied by the country's government. Nick Thorpe learns about the country's relationship with horses and visits a slaughterhouse. Sometime after midnight, at the Tihuta Pass, high in the Carpathians, from Transylvania into Bukovina, the temperature touched -17C. Hallucinating from the cold, and the tiredness of a 19-hour drive, we imagined grey wolves watching us from among the pine trees, and brown bears grumbling through the ruins of a souvenir shop. A mock Dracula castle soared up out of a small village, blood-red in the snow, with a giant illuminated cross to match. Then a shooting star crossed the sky. If all three of us had not seen it, all at once, we might have dismissed it as another phantom of the Transylvanian night. We stopped to sleep for a few hours in Vatra Dornei, where the snow was shoulder-high and frozen so hard you could carve steps in it - then pressed on, always eastwards, into the winter sunrise. We saw the goat somewhere after that, white and bearded and beady-eyed as a Chinese sage, perched on the back of a low-slung cart pulled by two horses. A Romanian scapegoat, perhaps. This is a country where every household has an animal or two. Where milk is collected each morning in the mountains in churns by horse and cart, and where men gather at the Sunday horse markets, to buy or sell - or just for the joy of being among such marvellous, ancient creatures. The steam from the horses' nostrils heats village squares. Cigarettes look puny in the big, calloused hands of the peasants. Smoke streams from their nostrils, as though imitating the horses. Clover for the animals protrudes from beneath the blankets in every cart. Sometimes you see carts piled to heaven with hay, ambling down the road, with an urchin balanced on the very top, holding it all in place with the power of his or her gap-toothed grin. We were welcomed with open arms at the slaughterhouse in Botosani. I have no secrets, swore Mr Cazacuts, the owner - so we had to visit every part of his super-modern facility. There were moments of tenderness even for me, a vegetarian of 37 years. The moment the cow being led to the slaughter, stopped to be nuzzled by another through the bars - kissed on the nose I nearly said - in a motherly farewell. Up to 4,000 horses are slaughtered here a year, the director told us - all for export. Who is to say which animal is nobler than another as it enters the final stall? I watched the stun-gun fell beast after beast, watched them roll, watched them hauled to the roof, witnessed the knife to the throat and the gush of blood, the final spasms, the stripping of the skin, the entrails. The only bit I missed was the beheading, but not from cowardice. After several hours of this, learning the difference between a four-day-old horse and a cow carcass - the colour, smell, and muscle tone - the kind lady who showed us round, led us to a warm room where we could remove our hair nets and overalls and take comfort in a bowl of vegetable soup. This had been specially laid on for me, while the others ate steaming steaks only a few hours old, as it were, from the halls below. "We've never had anyone here who turned down meat before," said the cook. But she rose magnificently to the occasion. We relived every moment of the slaughterhouse in the TV edit room and censored out the pictures which would turn the stomachs of even the brashest British carnivores - then ingested the best remaining cuts into the belly of the British Broadcasting beast. Then we fled downtown through the eternal snows for a strictly vegetarian lasagne in a restaurant full of smoke and lean fellow reporters. What next for Romania after the British express their fears of both their ponies and potential plumbers? If the guilt of other labellers, further down the food chain gets them off the hook this time, people across the whole of Eastern Europe will have cause for celebration - if the Dutch or French or even Welshmen shoulder the blame. For too long the East has been seen as a nest of cruelty and corruption. But some cliches actually draw the visitors. On our way home through Transylvania, we stopped at the mock Dracula castle for a quick bite. The view from the ramparts was breathtaking, of the Radnai snow tops painted horse-fat-yellow in the wintry dusk. A bust of Bram Stoker, author of the Dracula legend, gazes after another horse and cart. After a big bowl of vegetable soup - the best yet - we resist the temptation of a Dracula dessert (fruit ice cream and jam in a pancake) and walk out through the Wolf Room into the dying day. How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 and some Thursdays at 11:00 BBC World Service: Short editions Monday-Friday - see World Service programme schedule.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3658334.stm	The recipes used by ancient Egyptians for mummifying animals were just as complicated as those they applied to dead people, new research shows. By Paul Rincon BBC News Online science staff It suggests Egyptians took just as much care when preparing pets for the next world as they did with their owners. Pets' organs were carefully removed and they underwent elaborate bandaging before treatment with a variety of chemicals including beeswax and bitumen The study by University of Bristol researchers appears in Nature. The Egyptians are known to have mummified a variety of animals, from cows and crocodiles to scorpions, snakes and even the occasional lion. "If it moved, they mummified it," co-author Richard Evershed of the University of Bristol told BBC News Online. The sheer numbers in which mummified animals have been found has led some researchers to surmise that they were prepared with little care or expense compared with their human counterparts. Consequently, the accepted view has been that the ancient Egyptian embalmers did a rush-job on animals, wrapping them in coarse linen and dunking them in a preservative resin. But organic chemists Professor Evershed, Katherine Clark and Stephen Buckley have now demonstrated this could not have been the case. The Bristol researchers analysed the mummified remains and wrappings of a cat, two hawks and an ibis bird to reveal the chemical composition of the substances used to mummify them. Their results showed very complex mixtures of chemicals were used as preservative "balms". "We found very similar combinations of material to those used to embalm human mummies we've looked at," Professor Evershed commented. These include a variety of fats and oils, beeswax, Pistacia resin, sugar gum, bitumen, conifer resin and possibly cedar resin. Beeswax, for example, was shown conclusively to be present by the detection of characteristic constituents such as n-alkanes, wax esters and hydroxy wax esters. One balm recorded by the classical writer Diodorus Siculus as having been used in mummification - cedar oil - could not be definitively identified. But there were tantalising clues that it might have been used on the specimens. "Because animals were important to them and they treated them with respect, you would expect to see that reflected in the embalming treatment. This might take the form of nice tidy - and even complicated - bandaging or a sophisticated embalming recipe," explained the Bristol professor of biogeochemistry. "I suspect the embalming treatment was driven partially by what worked. Particular substances inhibit bacterial activity, so for that reason - as well as the respect for pets - they would have used the same on animals as they did on humans." Four groups of animal mummy have been identified by researchers: those placed in tombs to be used as food in the afterlife by a dead person, those that were pets of a dead person, animals mummified as symbols of a cult and those given as votive offerings to the gods. EGYPTIAN ANIMAL MUMMIES Bird and reptile eggs The first three are found throughout Egyptian history. But the last is generally restricted to the Greco-Roman period (332BC - AD395). Researchers propose that, in some cases, animals were mummified before, not after, they died. The mummies studied by the researchers come from the latest mummy-making period, between 818BC and 343BC. "The next step for us may be to look at more animals and ask questions related to whether there were specific treatments for specific animals or whether there was any change in the practice through time or location," Professor Evershed explained. "Perhaps different embalmers had their own secret recipes. We just don't know." The researchers used combinations of techniques such as gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, thermal desorption, and pyrolysis to characterise the compounds in the wrappings and animal tissue.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/shropshire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8536000/8536611.stm	The lake at Pell Wall Hall was designed by William Gilpin Pell Wall Hall near Market Drayton has been sold and a full renovation programme has already begun. The hall was once the centre of a 2,000-acre estate with formal gardens designed by William Gilpin. Although the hall fell into disrepair, the gardens have remained almost as they were in the 1820s, when the house was built. They are now owned and cared for by landscape gardener John Udall, who bought them about 20 years ago. The pleasure grounds at Pell Wall Hall were created by the landscape gardener, William Sawrey Gilpin. He was the son of the renowned animal painter, Sawrey Gilpin. William Gilpin also became an artist and in 1806 he was a drawing master at Sandhurst Military College. When he left there in 1820 at the age of 60 he started a new career in garden design. Among his other commissions were Scotney Castle in Kent and Hawarden Castle in North Wales. It is perhaps fortunate that the gardens were sold separately from the hall, which has remained derelict since a fire in 1986. The house was the last domestic commission of acclaimed architect Sir John Soane The summer house in Pell Wall gardens is grade II listed The gardens cover about 12 acres of undulating ground. Walking up from the boundary with the grounds of Pell Wall Hall the summer house comes into view. It was built in 1866 and is Grade II listed. Further along the path is a grotto that was built by the Brothers of Christian Instruction and the boys of St Joseph's College which was based at Pell Wall Hall until 1962. There used to be a statue of Our Lady on the top and another, thought to be of St Bernadette, beside the altar. Mr Udall thinks they were removed when the school was closed. Mr Udall believes Gilpin used multiple levels a lot in his designs: "I think it was not so much formality. It was more of a natural and pleasing to the eye garden. "I do believe, obviously in those days there was less choice of plants. We come back to the basics of rhododendrons, azaleas and laurels." This sweet chestnut is thought to be older than Pell Wall Hall On the way to the lake there is a huge sweet chestnut. It is about 80' tall (24.38m) and Mr Udall believes it has been there longer than the hall. The lake itself lies in a hollow which Mr Udall compares to an amphitheatre. It has an island and two decked areas on the bank . When Mr Udall bought the gardens he was told the lake was a man-made pleasure pool, but he believes it was the source of the hoggin (sand, gravel and clay) used to surface the paths in the gardens. He thinks stone was excavated from the site and it was then filled with water. The top of the underground ice house at Pell Wall The path goes down towards the Italian Garden past the underground ice house. Accessed by a small hatch, it is about 19 feet long (5.79m), eight feet deep (2.44m) and 14 feet wide (4.27m). Mr Udall said he had no idea how the owners of the house accumulated enough ice to fill it: "They always said it was for gin and tonics rather than preserving food. They must have had a good time then." Landscape gardener, John Udall replanted the yew walk John Udall believes the ravine which joins the lake-end of the grounds to the Italian Garden is man made: "On the left hand side we found evidence of some steps cut in the rock... and we think they must have carried the rocks out up the steps." It must have been quite as task as the ravine is around 40 feet (12.19m) and the rocks would have to have been carried some way up the hillside. The Italian Garden was created after 1900 and work was abandoned when World War I broke out. John Udall and his son Angus are now restoring it. After seeing an old post card showing an avenue of trees leading down to the bottom of the garden, Mr Udall planted two rows of yews which are now growing well. Pell Wall Hall is clearly visible from the Italian Garden He believes the garden was originally just a grazing meadow: "I could never understand why there would be a cattle drinking trough by a yew tree... yews are very poisonous and cattle would not have been happy there. "We have since found out that what is now the Italian garden was a field which was connected to the others on either side of the gardens at Pell Wall." The final remnants of the Pell Wall estate's former glory are old iron hurdles which run to the edge of the River Tern at the bottom of the garden. They marked the edge of the old carriage drive which went over a bridge and then along the river bank to Walkmill. John Udall is very proud of the gardens and fully intends to continue to preserve and restore William Gilpin's original vision.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/744799.stm	\|low graphics version \| feedback \| help\| \|You are in: Talking Point\| Friday, 19 May, 2000, 12:03 GMT 13:03 UK Would you let your child use a mobile phone? Children account for around one in four of the UK's mobile phone users, but scientists are recommending that youngsters use them less. A government report into mobile phone safety says that, while there is no evidence that they harm health, children should be discouraged from making "non-essential" calls until further research is completed. The scientist behind the report has stated he won't be letting his grandchildren near them. Mobile phones seem to have become the latest craze with teenagers, so how will parents persuade their children to part with them? Tell us what you think. Are all those parents who think that their children need mobile phones to call them in an emergency aware that they spend most of their time calling their friends? I am a teacher, and the proliferation of mobile phones is a menace in the classroom. They may or may not be damaging to health, but they are certainly damaging children's education. I am 17 and most of my friends have mobile phones. They run up huge phone bills, one friend ran up £400 with his mother having to pay. Others use a pre-paid service. Either way it seems like a total waste of money since most of them don't use it to keep in touch with their parents but to phone each other. Let's get real. We will probably have to talk on the mobile phone for hours every day for decades before our health is affected. There is no child on the face of the earth who would speak on a mobile for hours every day in the week and every week in the year. These studies create scares and nothing else. My daughter has a mobile and she uses it to send messages to her friends, she very rarely speaks on it. But I know that in an emergency she can contact someone who can help her. I think that teenagers should be encouraged to use the text message service more, the phone companies could help by reducing the charges. Someone might argue that children are fast adapters, but they might be missing some of the real enjoyment of life while talking on the phone. Aren't mobiles becoming omnipresent "helpful devils"? It's all about how you'd help your child build a positive philosophy of handling that devil. Who are all these people that seem to need to phone their children up all the time? Don't you talk at home? To all those who let their children use mobile phones. I take it you will be more than happy to have a mobile phone mast sited near your house.... H Ong, UK How to make children aware of the potential risk they might face? Don't tell me if you carry a mobile phone, you will check every call to see if it is essential! Children just know it is a phone that can call the person they want - anytime, anywhere Yes, I will give them hand phones when most of their friends begin to have them. But prepaid, which they pay from their weekly allowance. That will teach them the value of a cell- phone and prevent excessive use. Otherwise the whole "issue" is a clear non-issue. Driving cars is definitely a risk to our health, and nobody stops driving for that. So even if it would be proven that there would be a theoretical health hazard, how many would care? Humanity has hundreds of more important things to debate than cellphones. Mike Fay, UK Children should be allowed to have a mobile phone if they want. They should also be made to pay their own phone bill and not be bailed out when it gets excessive. Kids have to be able to make mistakes, they won't learn anything otherwise. Yes, I let my teenagers use a mobile phone. But then again I am the mother who let them eat beef burgers so perhaps the harm is already done... Are the telecomm providers interested? Nope, they're doing just fine thanks - keep that money rolling in please! If parents are worried about their kids, and want to give them a mobile phone for emergency use then why not have a simple mobile that allows two numbers (for example) to be called. 999 and the child's home number. Allow incoming calls so that they can be reached but limit the amount of use they can have dialling out. Also restrict the call to a maximum of say 10 minutes in one go. Mike Hartley, England I think it is an illustration of how safe our lives have become when after research has been published people are worried about a "risk of a risk". I mean, this is ludicrous. I don't have a mobile phone, and if I had children, which I don't, I wouldn't buy them a mobile phone either. I recently saw a piece of graffiti under a railway bridge. It said "Nokia" How sad is that? Mobile phones? Worst invention of the 20th century after the Atom Bomb. There is a function on most phones called "fixed dial". This enables a "controller" - in this case a parent - to store the numbers that a phone can call, and no other numbers can be dialled. They say there is no evidence of danger from using mobile phones. We should all remember that absence of evidence is not the same thing as evidence of absence. All any parent can do with children is give them the benefit of experience and inform them of the risks and benefits; ultimately it is up to the child to decide for themselves - because they'll do it anyway! Stephen Sibbald, UK I'm a Brit living in Japan, the place where mobile phones have taken off more than anywhere else. It's rare here for a teen "not" to have a mobile phone; some have two or three. It doesn't seem to be causing many problems, aside from a slight annoyance as people are pretty inconsiderate as to where they use them, like in crowded trains or what have you. As an active, although slightly politer, mobile phone user myself all I can say is roll on generation three! Adam Humphreys, United States This overreaction to published "unfindings" about mobile phones is farcical. Life is about risks: educating kids to the point of paranoia about an obviously minor (no pun intended) health concern can only produce more people with an unsavoury disregard for civil liberties. Talk of legislation to restrict the use of mobiles smacks of the laughable nannyism that banned beef on the bone. Must all our actions be subject to an ultra-conservative veto? At least school children don't drive stupidly whilst engaged in unnecessary conversation on their mobile phones. On a lighter note, a year ago, my grandparents were as anti-mobile-phone-cos-we-grew-up-without-the-need-for-them as you could imagine, yet they now each have a handset to walk down the street with. If a child is using a mobile phone for such a length of time as to create a risk of physical danger, one must ask themselves, "what is a child doing on the phone for than long anyway?" If children are given mobile phones as a technological babysitter, there is a far greater developmental danger that physical danger. I think no matter how hard we try, kids will always have a natural interest in technology and in new fads. If some of their mates have a mobile, they will want one. Much like smoking, they don't care whether it may be harmful, they just want to fit in and all be the same! Children should be educated to take sensible precautions, including the use of mobile phones but I don't think this incomplete research will stop them phoning their friends, especially during free air time. We all know that if you tell kids not to do something because it can be bad for them, it only makes it seem more attractive and exciting. These findings stink from the rot of vested interests - if there's "no evidence", then why should kids cut down on usage? Obviously, the mobile phone companies have lobbied hard to try and make their product look safe, and will have made it clear to the government just how economically damaging it would be if findings showed they were harmful. I find it amazing that parents will happily carry on when there is clear evidence that scientists are not prepared to take the risk with radiation damage from mobile phones. I sincerely hope that we won't see those same parents suing the phone manufacturers in a few years time when they are so blatantly ignoring the risk at present. By the same token, if phone manufacturers are not prepared to issue health warnings to children in particular then perhaps they will deserve it. It's a simple choice - give them a phone for your own peace of mind in the event of an emergency and realise they will use it as much as they can and you will be unable to restrict it to what you may consider physically safe levels, or if you believe the reports, don't let them have one. Alison Lowe, UK This was a serious report, and was quite fair in it's conclusions...but why does the Media have to sensationalise it to the point of lunacy. I quote the BBC..."The scientist behind the report has stated that he won't be letting his grandchildren near them"...His grandchildren are 2 and 4 years old!!!! Has anyone wondered whether Prof Stewart may have been simply dodging the question by volunteering their ages? Come on BBC...How many 2 year olds use a mobile phone??? We spent a fortune on researching it, committed suicide as a major beef producer and condemned thousands of farm workers to near destitution on the basis of research that has never proved any link between BSE and new variant CJD and which, on initial results, seems not to have affected the population in any way. The mobile phones report says that there is no evidence that they cause any harm...why are we worried? Jim Corbett, UK Mobile phones sales to children are often made on the false impression that they are in greater danger now than before and that the phone can protect them. Conditioning kids in the false belief that they are in imminent danger from society is likely to be far more damaging than the extremely unlikely event of their being harmed due to lack of one. I can't believe that the British are going to stop their children doing something because there is "A risk of a risk" involved. This is ridiculous, there is no evidence the phones do any harm but because some nut says there is a "risk of a risk" people are panicking. I suspect that any harm done will be less than that which smoking, drinking and taking various impurely made drugs would do. Also, I would want to know that my child was able to phone for help in an emergency, or just for a lift home. I'd just encourage them not to talk too long or often by making them pay the bill! I can't believe that these parents are on tenterhooks from 3:30 until their children arrive home to be smothered in hugs and kisses that they have survived another day in the harsh cruel world. I am sure the children themselves would be heartily embarrassed at such behaviour as all of US would have been at the same age. Gary Wright, England Who pays the bills? Around town I see so many kids gossiping on their phones. There are many different tariffs available now, so if parents are buying mobiles for their kids, why are they not using appropriate packages such as the pre-pay ones. I use my phone infrequently, because I know how much it will cost me if I talk for hours on end during peak hours. But why do parents pay their kids' phone bills when all they use them for is to chat with their mates. Every time I see herds of school children yabbering away on their mobiles, I wonder to myself why the parents are not only pouring cash down the drains but frying their offspring's heads too. I think we are living in a time when paranoid scientists are examining everything we do. Yes I would let my children have a mobile, because it is the only way that I know that they are safe. The mobiles are doing the job that the idiotic police forces should be doing, not chase the motorist that is going around doing their own business. The scientist should be looking for a cure for cancer rather than terrifying people over the mobile. I see nothing wrong in children using mobile phones, provided it does not affect their health or studies in any manner. They don't get glued to the instrument for eternity and use it judiciously during emergencies like an accident on the highway, an unwanted visitor at home when the parents are away and the only child is perhaps having a bath or when strangers try to befriend kids while they are jogging in the park. However, I agree that children need to be made aware that their phone is only to be used for essential calls only, especially after this report that has been published. 11 May 00 \| Health Children warned off mobiles 28 Apr 00 \| Health Mobile phone fears 'unfounded' 05 Jan 00 \| UK Mobile phones: Child's play? 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http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9724000/9724305.stm	The East London council of Waltham Forest has suspended its policy of compulsory rehousing of residents outside London. Patricia Abbey, who was moved from London to Walsall, in the West Midlands, told the Today programme's Nicola Stanbridge that Walsall is "100% better" for her than when she was living in London. Despite the success of Patricia Abbey's move, Waltham Forest councillor Marie Pye defends the decision to suspend rehousing of residents outside London as the majority of people "turn the offer down". "We need to redouble our efforts to find accommodation for people who have strong links to east London", she told the Today programme. Get in touch with Today via or text us on 84844.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3609669.stm	Northern Ireland should link in with controversial proposals for variable university tuition fees, the Department of Employment and Learning has said. University fees are to be introduced in England in two years The consultation paper, revealed by the Northern Ireland Office minister Barry Gardiner on Thursday, does not include any other proposals for third level education in the province. The rules on university fees and student grants are made by the department. The plan would bring the maximum cost of a three-year degree from £3,500 to £9,000. However, the government is keen to point out that the fees are payable after a student graduates and is earning a salary higher than £15,000. The department insists this is a proposal for consultation and says it sees no alternative to tying in with England, assuming the new system is introduced in universities there in two years' time. It says that otherwise, Northern Ireland would end up subsidising English universities by paying for the many local students who opt to study there, while the two local universities would still be bound by the current lower tuition fees. Mr Gardiner, who became the new Minister for Employment and Learning following a cabinet re-shuffle last week, said universities and colleges providing higher education needed the extra investment which these proposals would bring. He said if they could not raise the extra funding, it would lead to downgrading of the provision in the province. Student leaders say they will be lobbying politicians and the public to prevent the proposals from being introduced in the province. A House of Commons vote last Wednesday narrowly approved plans to allow different universities in England to charge varying fees up to £3,000 a year for a range of degrees. Queen's University Belfast says the same system must be brought in for Northern Ireland, if local universities are not to suffer. They fear a shortfall in funding if Northern Ireland stays with the current system of lower fees paid while studying. Vice-chancellor of the University of Ulster, Professor Gerry McKenna, welcomed the "reversal in the decline of public investment" in higher education. However, he expressed deep concern that the proposals would lead to "a two-tier system based on affordability and not academic ability". "We feel that university students should contribute towards their education because of the many benefits of graduate status," he said. "However, we are deeply concerned that the proposals as they stand replicate the defects of the widely criticised higher education funding proposals for England." Sinn Fein assembly member Michael Ferguson said any plans to introduce top-up fees in the province would create a university marketplace and discourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds from taking up university opportunities. "Tuition fees should be abolished and the student loan should be replaced with a proper maintenance grant," he said. Ulster Unionist spokeman on employment and learning Esmond Birnie, said the education funding system needed to be changed. "We need to design a system of funding here in Northern Ireland which allows all with ability to study at university whilst also recognising that there are other high priority demand on limited public expenditure," he said. SDLP deputy leader Alasdair McDonnell said he was angry at the minister's decision. "Anyone who seriously suggests that charging people even more money to go to university will encourage more people to go is out of their mind," he said. "The threat of debt is the biggest single obstacle to university entrance in the north." Alliance councillor Naomi Long said her party would continue to oppose the proposals. "Alliance is committed to a higher education system which, at the point of access, is based on academic ability, not ability to pay," she said. "We believe that top-up fees will create a two-tier education system with the best courses and top universities able to charge a premium." In January, all the Northern Ireland MPs who take their seats in the House of Commons Chamber voted against the government's proposals on university top up fees.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4651245.stm	Doctor Who stars Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper are in the running for best actor and actress honours at this year's National Television Awards. Piper and Eccleston starred in the first Doctor Who series for 16 years Both actors feature in a long list that will be whittled down by a public vote ahead of the ceremony in October. Other contenders include Emmerdale's Patsy Kensit, EastEnders' Shane Richie and Footballers' Wives star Zoe Lucker. Pundits such as Sir Alan Sugar and Simon Cowell will have their own award this year - best expert on TV. Eccleston, who took the lead role in the first Doctor Who series for 16 years, will compete against EastEnders actor Shane Richie and Coronation Street's Bradley Walsh among others. Piper - who played the Doctor's sidekick Rose - will compete against Zoe Lucker from Footballers' Wives, Patsy Kensit from Emmerdale, EastEnders star Jessie Wallace and Coronation Street's Kate Ford in the battle for best actress. Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Home And Away are in the running for the most popular soap award. And in the reality TV category, past nominees Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here face competition from The Apprentice. Vernon Kay and his wife Tess Daly will compete against one another in the most popular entertainment presenter category, alongside Jonathan Ross, Ant and Dec, Davina McCall, Kelly Brook and others. Last year's National TV Awards were dominated by Coronation Street, which took three prizes - with none for rival soap EastEnders.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/4983952.stm	Council tenants in St Andrews and East Fife have had the right to buy their homes suspended to combat the town's spiralling property price problem. Fife properties are soaring on the back of Edinburgh's property boom The Scottish Executive has agreed to Fife Council's request for a five-year veto to ease pressure on the market. It affects the 560 tenants who have been renting their homes in the area either on or after 30 September 2002. Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said the council presented a "convincing case" for the suspension. It helps councils to continue to offer homes for affordable rent to people on low incomes in areas where the right to buy could otherwise lead to serious shortages. Addressing a conference on Affordable Housing in Edinburgh, Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said: "Housing pressures vary across Scotland and it is up to individual councils to consider whether it is appropriate to apply. COUNCIL HOUSING AREAS AFFECTED "Fife Council presented a convincing case in support of its application, with compelling evidence of substantial pressures on affordable housing in the designated areas. "The executive recognises that affordable housing is a key factor in sustaining communities and that is why we have provided record funding of more than £400m over the last year to fund new affordable homes across Scotland. "This designation does not signal any change in our Right to Buy policy." He added: "Fife is the fifth council to have successfully applied and a sixth application - from Dumfries and Galloway - is currently being considered. "This shows that local authorities are looking carefully at affordable housing in their own areas and deciding that the pressured area option can help them. "The executive recognises that there are strong views about right to buy, but we will consider whether there is a case for further changes only when we have seen the evidence that will be collected on the effect of the policy and reported to parliament this autumn." Alan Davidson, Fife Council head of housing, said: "The announcement is good news for St Andrews and the East Neuk and we are pleased when Mr Chisholm made the announcement and acknowledged the strength of Fife Council's application for this aid. "Our next step will be to continue to work towards extending pressured area status to Dunfermline, Inverkeithing and the west Fife villages where we feel there is just as strong a need for this help." Since 1997 about one in six council houses across Fife have been sold under the right to buy. But in St Andrews and the East Neuk the proportion was higher, at one in four and one in five, the council said. Housing spokesman Alex Sawers said: "Today's announcement shows Fife Council is on track with its promise to help provide affordable housing across the Kingdom. "But it is only a start and we will continue to lobby for all five areas to be granted this status." Shelter Scotland said it "strongly supported" the move. Head of campaigns James Jopling said: "There is no doubt that the right to buy has been popular - but this has been at the expense of both the most disadvantaged in society, and increasingly the ability of local authorities to meet housing need. "An increasing number of Scottish local authorities recognise that the right to buy is one of the main causes of a shortage of affordable housing."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7310544.stm	Zimbabwe's main opposition party has accused the government of printing millions of surplus ballot papers for the presidential and legislative polls. The opposition say Mr Mugabe is driving the economy into the ground The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says leaked documents show nine million papers have been ordered for the country's 5.9 million voters. But, the head of the electoral commission rejected suggestions that the extra papers might be misused. Judge George Chiwese told the BBC that the vote would be free and fair. President Robert Mugabe has accused the MDC of treasonous links with Britain. OPPOSITION POLL CONCERNS Surplus ballot papers printed Presidential votes counted centrally Tens of thousands of "ghost voters" Police allowed inside polling stations More polling stations in rural areas State media bias Food aid only given to Zanu-PF supporters Chiefs used to campaign for Zanu-PF Speaking ahead of the 29 March election, he said the opposition would never take power as long as he was alive. The MDC's secretary general Tendai Biti said the claims of excess ballot papers were based on leaked documents from the government's security printers. The MDC also says 600,000 postal ballots have been ordered for a few thousand police, soldiers and civil servants. While ballots are reported to have been ordered for police and military personnel and civil servants living away from home, about four million Zimbabweans living abroad are not permitted to vote by post. Mr Biti said 84-year-old Mr Mugabe, who is seeking a sixth term in office, faced a no-win situation. Bigger crowds are being seen at opposition rallies "The credibility gap will be so huge," he said. "If he steals the election he will get a temporary reprieve but that will guarantee him a dishonourable if not bloody exit." He added that the president would probably be forced out of office in the weeks following the elections by the deepening economic crisis and the shortage of basic public services. Mr Mugabe has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980. He is being challenged in presidential polls by former finance minister Simba Makoni, who is running as an independent, and the MDC's Morgan Tsvangirai. Analysts say the election poses the biggest threat to his rule since he took office. If Mr Mugabe fails to secure 50% of the vote there will be a second round. Mr Tsvangirai told an estimated 30,000 in Harare on Sunday that he expected Mr Mugabe to "engage in every trick in the book" to win the polls. HAVE YOUR SAY It's a country without hope with a dictator who will stop at nothing to remain in power. Barry Verona, Ex pat - now Canada One music group sang to applause: "Saddam has gone, Bob is next." Mr Mugabe told some 10,000 supporters in Harare on Saturday he remained confident of victory. "Tsvangirai will never, never rule this country," Mugabe said. "Those who want to vote for him can do so but those votes will be wasted votes."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6279785.stm	Moderate Muslim preachers are leaving the Netherlands and being replaced by more extreme clerics, senior Dutch Muslim officials have warned. Issues including the wearing of the burqa have sparked fierce debate Nasr Joemann of the Netherlands' Muslim Contact Group (CMO) said imams felt discriminated against and were leaving for France and Spain. Of 450 Dutch mosques, 180 had no imam, leaving a vacuum that uncertified clerics were filling, he told BBC News. The Dutch government said it had planned a meeting on the matter. The CMO will be among the organisations present at the talks on 31 January with Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk. The justice and immigration department said it would not comment on the matter until then. There are about one million Muslims in the Netherlands - about 6% of the population. Tensions have risen in recent years, since the popularity of anti-immigration politician Pim Fortuyn and the murder of film-maker Theo Van Gogh by a Muslim extremist. The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Dutch Imams, Mohamed Ousalah, has accused the government of doing little to remedy the situation. "The situation is critical. In Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht dozens of imams have left," he told the Dutch newspaper de Telegraaf. He said imams were becoming disillusioned and leaving because since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US, they were increasingly being linked to terrorism and facing discrimination. Mr Joemann explained that while the Netherlands' Turkish community could recruit imams from Turkey, because of agreements between the Dutch and Turkish governments, there were much tighter restrictions on Moroccan imams. "The mosques are forced to appoint people who are sometimes not qualified," he said. "They are not always Moroccan or Turkish - sometimes they are from Somalia, Syria or Jordan - and they have a different concept of Islam." Some, he said, followed the Wahhabi doctrine - a strictly conservative form of Islam previously absent from the Netherlands. "They are creating problems and propagating new views in the mosques. Young people are quite open to this teaching. This is creating tension and clashes in the community," he said. While the government had helped set up a scheme to train Dutch-born Muslims to be imams, it would be some years before the graduates could be posted to mosques, he said. In the meantime he urged the government to relax restrictions on imams coming from Morocco, but said the government "has not responded positively yet".
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bradford-west-yorkshire-12640042	Bradford school admissions system could be 'updated' The school admissions system in Bradford could be updated due to an increasing population in the district, the council has said. Bradford Metropolitan District Council will consider increasing the number of places at some schools in the city. The council said new proposals were needed due to an increasing population and reduced funding for buildings. It will consider the recommendations later this month, and introduce them in 2012 if approved. The recommendations also include increasing the number of preferences parents can make when applying for school places from three to five and doubling the intake at St Stephen's Church of England Primary school from 30 to 60 pupils. Councillor Ralph Berry said: "I believe that the recommendations that we are taking forward will make admissions fairer and easier for the majority of parents."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-38032123	CCTV plea after Worthing homeless man set on fire Detectives investigating an attack on a homeless man who was set on fire and robbed have released a CCTV image of three people they want to trace. The 51-year-old man, who was asleep in Worthing's Royal Arcade shopping centre, woke up to find flames around his head and face on 6 November. He suffered minor injuries to his cheek, eyelids and head and was treated by an ambulance at the scene. Sussex Police said he also had his rucksack stolen. Police said they wanted to speak to the three people seen on CCTV as part of their ongoing investigation. A 38-year-old man was arrested and bailed after the attack.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/4175912.stm	FOURTH TEST - MATCH SUMMARY (Trent Bridge, Day 1, close): England 229-4 v Australia A shower late on the first day at Trent Bridge has brought play to an end for the day with England 229-4 in the fourth Ashes Test against Australia. Shortly before the rain Australia captain Ricky Ponting made an unlikely breakthrough for his team, removing Michael Vaughan for 58. Earlier Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss had put on 105 for the first wicket before Strauss fell for 35. Shaun Tait then dismissed Trescothick (65) and Ian Bell in quick succession. LATEST ACTION (all times BST) 1806: With Warne brought back to bowl to Flintoff and Pietersen there is plenty of potential for fireworks out there, but the over passes quietly. At the end of the over the umpires gather and as the rain starts to fall the players go off. 1801: Tait is drilled through the covers for four by Flintoff, who otherwise plays the over very watchfully. Play could go on until 1900 BST but dark clouds are starting to gather. 1754: Ponting is bowling a mixed bag and barely escapes being called for a wide with one that drifts very wide. Pietersen works a single through mid-wicket before a watchful Flintoff is rapped on the pads by a ball which was passing over the top of leg. 1750: Another loose stroke, this time by Pietersen, but the ball drops inches in front of Ponting's hands as he dives forward at gully. Far more convincing is the straight drive for four which follows and takes Pietersen to 29 not out. 1747: Flintoff has to adjust quickly to keep out a ball from Ponting which cuts into him off the pitch. The next one is wide and tempts him into a flashy drive and he is fortunate to pick up four off a low edge. WICKET: England 213-4 (Vaughan 58) 1744: Ponting can hardly believe his eyes, or his luck, as an innocuous short of a length delivery tempts Vaughan into an unnecessary shot outside off stump and keeper Gilchrist takes a thin edge. 1741: A moment of hilarity as Lee stops a square cut from Vaughan in a seated position after losing his footing just inside the rope. He is called into action again from a similar stroke and this time presents a textbook stop, knee to the ground. 1739: With the game drifting back towards England, Australia bring back Tait in the hope he can produce another breakthrough. On the Ashes log, Tim Hopkins advises: "Vaughan and Pietersen should concentrate on getting us through the rest of the day so we can launch an attack with Freddie in the morning." 1732: England have the foundation for a big total, but a couple of wickets before the close could tip the game back towards Australia. The Barmy Army are obviously happy with the situation as they begin a sing-song. 1719: Vaughan reaches his fifty off 77 balls as he puts a poorly directed ball from Lee away to the mid-wicket boundary. 1717: Kasprowicz fumbles the ball over the boundary at long leg, gifting Vaughan four and taking England's total past 200. 1714: Confusion reigns between the two England batsmen but Pietersen survives as Hayden's throw misses the stumps at the bowler's end. 1712: A surprise move by Ponting as he brings himself on to bowl. Can he add to his collection of four wickets from 91 Tests? Umpire Bucknor shows leniency from the first delivery but signals the second as a wide. 1710: Gilchrist flings himself to his left to try and reach a leg glance by Vaughan off Lee, but it is all in vain as the ball runs away to fine leg for four. Vaughan adds a quick single to bring up the 50 partnership. 1705: Four more are added to the total as Pietersen picks his favourite spot at mid-wicket off Kasprowicz. 1702: Lee bowls wide of off stump and Vaughan flashes the ball to the boundary with a textbook cover drive, carrying him to 39 not out. 1700: Pietersen advances to 19 with three runs down to third man from a thick edge - Hayden slides to prevent the boundary. 1654: An excellent delivery from Kasprowicz just misses the edge of Pietersen's bat as he defends on the back foot. 1650: Vaughan does well to squeeze out a rapid yorker from Lee with the toe end of his bat. 1648: Lee attempts a bouncer but his line is wrong and Vaughan upper-cuts over the slip cordon for four. 1647: Pietersen offers no stroke to an in-swinger from Kasprowicz but umpire Bucknor turns down a confident appeal. 1643 DROP: The umpires confer about the weather with a persistent drizzle still in the air. Vaughan (30) forces Kasprowicz away in the air to gully where Hayden fails to hang onto the catch despite getting two hands to the ball. 1638: Ponting makes a change, recalling Lee into the attack in place of Tait, whose two wickets have put a new spring in the step of his team-mates. 1636 DROP: Kasprowicz floors a caught and bowled chance offered by Pietersen (14) as he mis-times an attempted stroke through the leg-side. 1629: There is rain in the air as Tait begins another over. Pietersen's strength through the leg-side is evident again as he clips the ball away for two more. 1626: Kasprowicz produces an excellent delivery which cuts back through a huge gap between Pietersen's bat and pad but clears the off bail. 1623: Tait strains for extra pace and Pietersen whips the ball magnificently between mid-wicket and mid-on for four to progress to 11 not out. 1616: England's total passes 150 as Pietersen, playing on his former home ground, drives Tait through mid-off for four. 1614: Pietersen opens his account by pushing the ball into a gap in the cover field and picking up two runs. WICKET: England 146-3 (Bell 3) 1611: Australia's gamble pays off again as Tait strikes a second blow with Bell edging a catch to keeper Gilchrist, who makes no mistakes diving to his right - his 300th Test dismissal. 1603: Tait angles the ball towards leg-stump and Bell turns it away securely for a single. The bowler does not learn his lesson and Vaughan puts a similar delivery away to the boundary. 1559: Bell is under way immediately with two runs down to long leg. WICKET: England 137-2 (Trescothick 65) 1556: Tait claims his first Test wicket with a beautiful in-swinger which beats a static Trescothick all ends up, hitting middle and off. 1553: The players are back out in the middle at last and Tait has the ball in his hand. Vaughan glances the first ball down to fine leg and takes two. On the Ashes log, Tom Carroll e-mails to say: "It's a distinct possibility that the last two Tests could both end up being draws due to the weather. Great scheduling from the ECB could result in Aussies retaining the Ashes!" 1528: So much for optimism, the umpires reach the pavilion steps only for the rain to start once again. Another about-face by the groundstaff who move to put the covers back on. 1455: The covers are coming off and play will resume at 1530 as long as there is no more rain. The players will take tea from 1510 to 1530. On the Ashes log, Ben Smyth writes: "The pitch looks so flat at Trent Bridge that it seems England require as much time as possible to get 20 Australian wickets. With a 130 deficit already, the Aussies will be quicker to the dressing room than a badger to his den every time there's a hint of drizzle in the Nottingham air." 1422: The rain returns, forcing the players to leave the ground. 1415: Vaughan attempts a flamboyant drive at a ball well wide of off stump and is fortunate as it just misses the edge. 1414: The rookie Tait starts up at the other end, hoping to exploit a breeze blowing across the ground from leg to off. 1410: Australia hand the ball to Kasprowicz as they look to put the brakes on England's excellent start. Only one slip is in place as Ponting starts off on the defensive. The second delivery is yet another no-ball. 1408: After an hour-long rain delay, umpires Dar and Bucknor walk out to resume the match. LUNCH: England 129-1 Trescothick 62 Vaughan 14 On the Ashes log, Sunny from the USA writes: "Sorry to say Aussie fans, but this is a one man attack. If Warne cannot produce his magic, the Aussies could well be staring at being 600 behind by lunch tomorrow." 1233: Vaughan ends the session by gliding Lee square off the back foot to the point boundary. 1231: Lee over-pitches and Vaughan strokes it elegantly past the diving fielder at mid-off for four to reach double figures. 1229: Warne hurls the ball back towards after fielding off his own bowling, forcing the batsman to fend it away with his bat. 1223: A frustrated Lee bangs in a short one - another no-ball - which Trescothick hooks away for four. 1222: Derisive cheers from England supporters as Lee bowls Trescothick (55) off the inside edge, only to have his celebrations cut short by umpire Dar's no-ball call. 1220: Vaughan plays out a maiden from Warne - England are keen to avoid losing another wicket with only a few minutes to go before lunch. 1211: Warne's first ball to Vaughan is short of a length and the England skipper puts it away for four. 1210: Vic Marks, Test Match Special "Warne has conjured a wicket out of nowhere. It's a freakish dismissal but Australia will take it because they were just starting to wobble." WICKET: England 105-1 (Strauss 35) 1207: Strauss tries to sweep a ball from outside the off-stump, but under-edges onto his boot and the ball rebounds in Hayden's hands at slip. The third umpire confirms his dismissal. 1206: The start of another Warne over is marked by Strauss driving through the covers for four to move onto 35 not out. 1203: The umpires must be getting tired with all the no-ball signals and Aleem Dar's arm is extended again as Lee sends down a wide half volley which Trescothick thumps away to the rope as England reach 101-0. 1200: Tait's initial spell comes to an end with figures of 5-0-26-0 as Lee returns to the attack. Trescothick pushes into the leg-side for two to bring up a 77-ball half century. 1158: England pile on the pressure as Trescothick hammers Warne straight for the first six of the match. 1156: Australia are in urgent need of a breakthrough, but Trescothick drives Warne straight and adds three runs to move into the 40s. 1151: Another no-ball but Tait manages to tuck Trescothick up and strikes him a painful blow on the upper arm. 1148: Warne finds spin in his opening over, but it comes off the surface slowly and keeps a bit low. 1147: Nothing is happening for the seamers, so Ponting is forced to turn to Warne. Test cricket's most prolific wicket-taker could have a lot of hard work to do in this game. 1146: Clarke shows no sign of a back problem as he sprawls full length at deep point to cut off a boundary as Strauss thumps away a wide ball from Tait. 1141: Kasprowicz finds the inside edge of Trescothick's bat but it's a second successive no-ball, and the 12th so far of the morning from Australia. 1139: A poor over continues as Trescothick cracks Kasprowicz away through the off-side for four, taking him on to 33. 1138: The tuck away through square leg continues to prove a profitable stroke for England, with Strauss adding two off Kasprowicz. The next ball is fuller in length and punched away through mid-on for three. 1133: The pitch sucks the energy out of a short ball from Tait which Strauss pulls away square for four to move onto 20. He follows it with a classic cover drive but is denied four more by an athletic Langer. 1126: Kasprowicz decides to try his luck from round the wicket. The total passes 50 as Trescothick drives uppishly though the covers for four to move onto 29 not out. 1122: Tait's line is too wide of off stump and Trescothick cuts for four. The next ball is over-pitched and the Somerset left-hander drives square for another boundary. 1115: There is a hint of in-swing as Tait sends down a full length delivery to Strauss. The next one is short and Strauss takes two even though his pull shot is mis-timed. 1113: With Lee ineffective in his opening burst, Tait is handed the ball for the first time in a Test match. 1112: Trescothick is lucky as an under-edge just misses the stumps and rolls away for four to fine leg. England 35-0 after 10 overs. 1109: Trescothick turns Kasprowicz away to long leg and comes back for two. A similar stroke from Strauss bring him a single to mid-wicket. 1108: Lee digs in a 90mph short ball but it barely rises above waist height as Strauss takes evasive action, an indication of the lack of venom in the pitch. 1101: Trescothick plays Kasprowicz away through wide mid-on for three bringing Strauss back onto strike and he produces a perfectly timed pull for four from a no-ball. 1059: Lee attempts a slower delivery but is off line again and Strauss glances to fine leg for four. 1055: Tait makes his first contribution as Strauss pulls a short ball from Kasprowicz, preventing any runs with a diving stop at mid-wicket. 1053: Australia are doing their bit to boost England's total with both Lee and Kasprowicz guilty of no-balls in the early overs. 1049: The first boundary of the game as Trescothick turns Lee effortlessly away through square leg. 1044: Kasprowicz surprises Strauss with a ball which climbs higher than expected and cramps him up for room. 1040: Trescothick fences unconvincingly at a ball from Lee, which flies past the edge. Despite that, the pitch does not seem to have the pace and carry which Australia would have been hoping to see. 1038: Lee strays onto leg stump and Strauss tucks the ball away square with some comfort to pick up three runs. 1036: Trescothick is squared up by a superb delivery from Kasprowicz but the ball runs safely along the ground into the slip cordon. 1034: Kasprowicz opens up from the Pavilion end with the responsibility of filling the gap left by the injured McGrath. A thick outside edge past gully gives Strauss the first run of the game. 1032: Trescothick contemplates a quick single but wisely changes his mind as Clarke gathers the ball. 1030: Lee charges in for the first ball of the game but it flies harmlessly wide of off stump and Trescothick offers no stroke. 1008: Ponting puts on a brave face over the absence of injured Glenn McGrath. He predicts great things from newcomer Shaun Tait, saying: "He's got pace and aggression - he's a wicket-taker and everything he's done on this tour has been of a high standard." 1007: "It looks a decent wicket. We'll try to get some runs on the board and put Australia under pressure that way. The team were outstanding at Edgbaston and Old Trafford and must be the same here," says Vaughan. 1005: The captains make their way out to the middle for the toss. Ricky Ponting calls incorrectly and Michael Vaughan decides that England will bat first. On the TMS messageboard, Dropped in the Deep writes: "Let's hope the Trent Bridge Test is as exciting as the last two and that the dramatic cricket we have seen so far in the series continues."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/mobile/uk_news/england/london/8681663.stm	A £3.5m permanent monument to the World War II heroes of RAF Bomber Command is to be built in central London. Westminster Council gave permission for the open style pavilion at the Piccadilly entrance to Green Park. The memorial, which should be built by 2012, will commemorate the 55,573 crew of Bomber Command, with an average age of 22, who were killed in World War II. Its role was to attack Germany's airbases, troops, shipping and industries connected to the war effort. During the war the command ensured the damage caused to London's squares, streets and parks from German bombs was not as extensive as it could have been. Councillor Alastair Moss, chairman of Westminster City Council's planning applications sub committee, said: "This new landmark for London is a fitting tribute to the heroes of Bomber Command who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. "It is a sign of this country's gratitude to these exceptional people who were brave enough to fight for us and it will stand as an iconic London monument marking how good came to triumph over evil for many generations to come." The roof of the 8.5m-tall pavilion, made from Portland Stone, will be open to the sky and the open entrance will be made from melted down aluminium sections of a Halifax bomber shot down during the war and in which all seven of the crew were killed. It will also house a sculpture of the seven aircrew by the sculptor Philip Jackson. The memorial will contain inscriptions, carvings, and a dedication. There will also be inscriptions from Winston Churchill, who said in a speech to Parliament in 1940: "The gratitude of every home in our island ... and indeed throughout the world except in the abodes of the guilty goes out to the British airmen who undaunted by odds, un-weakened by their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of world war by their prowess and their devotion." The monument had been promoted by the Bomber Command Association with assistance from the Royal Air Force and the Heritage Foundation. The concept behind the memorial, its size, design and location in a Grade II listed park, has attracted some objections from groups including the Westminster Society, the Knightsbridge Association and the London Parks and Gardens Trust.
https://www.bbc.com/news/10149267	A heroin addict who robbed a disabled 73-year-old woman in Galashiels has been jailed for nine months. Leon Hitchings, 32, of Newtown St Boswells, followed the pensioner as she left a shop near the sheltered housing complex where she lived as he was desperate for money to buy drugs. He then knocked her to the ground and snatched her handbag and stole £60. Before jailing Hitchings, Sheriff Kevin Drummond described it as a "tragic case". Hitchings had previously admitted committing the offence in April this year. Selkirk Sheriff Court was told that he had sold the entire contents of his home to pay for drugs. He previously owned two homes, had a family and a good job before the heroin addiction took over. The sheriff said: "You were an able and competent man from a good background but then you get yourself in the hold of this terrible addiction. "It is that which has brought you here today selling all your goods, shoplifting and eventually driven to rob an old lady in the street." However, he added: "The first responsibility of the court is the protection of the public and in particular vulnerable members of the community."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-50472906	Spotify, Apple and Amazon Music have revived the fortunes of the music industry, but fans aren't getting enough choice, a new report claims. It says streaming services are too similar, offering the same collection of songs with little price variation. Appealing to older music fans and offering "super-premium" features could double the value of the market, from £829m this year to £1.6bn in 2023. The findings came in a report for the Entertainment Retailers Association. "There's a major prize at stake," said Pedro Sanches, of consultancy firm OC&C, who conducted the study. The current "all-you-can-eat" streaming model had "enjoyed enormous success, in part because of its simplicity," he said, "but further innovation will drive more growth". The report identified several new avenues, including premium subscriptions that offer access to exclusive content and merchandise; and expanding popular family and student plans to other demographics. Subscription streaming services have become increasingly important to the music industry, at a time when CD sales and downloads are in sharp decline. A total of 91 billion songs were played on Spotify, Apple Music and their competitors last year - the equivalent of 1,300 songs per person in the UK - and streaming now accounts for nearly two thirds (63.6%) of all music consumption in the UK. The ERA's research was commissioned amid concerns that the surge in subscriptions could stagnate. "Streaming has been the biggest news in the industry for the last 10 years," the organisation's CEO, Kim Bayley, told the BBC. "The younger generation are very firmly in the streaming environment, and saturation point is approaching for under-25s, so we wanted to see where future growth will come from". The report found that, left to its own devices, the UK streaming market would continue to expand by 5-7% every year, reaching £1.1bn in 2023. But finding ways to tempt non-subscribers could result in a £500m boost, generating revenues of £1.6bn. "It's fair to say even we were surprised just how positive the results were," Bayley said. "There's lots of potential." Lessons could also be learned from other entertainment providers, she added. "Think about the way Sky [television] bundles things together - with different tiers for sport and movies and entertainment. That's the sort of thing you could do with music - create more channels, break it up a bit, and pay for the bits you want." The need for a more diverse music streaming experience was recently highlighted by Warner Music CEO Mark Cooper. "The streaming offerings in music have not been as consumer-friendly as they could have been," he said in New York last week. "Right now, there's a 50 million-track universe and it's either free or $10 [per month], plus or minus. "My view is that if [streaming services were] organised to allow people to choose by genre, or by number of tracks per day, hi-res sound, global [or] local, whatever it is, the music industry and the tech companies would have been ahead [of where they are now] by way of revenue optimisation." The ERA's research was released on the same day it was revealed that the UK Music industry had contributed £5.2bn to the UK economy in 2018. The success of stars like Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa helped exports soar to £2.7bn; while the live music sector made £1.1bn - up 10% from £991 million in 2017, despite Glastonbury taking a fallow year. However, trade body UK Music warned that the new talent was being threatened by cuts to musical education and the continued closure of small music venues. It added that, despite the huge financial rewards for A-list stars like Calvin Harris and Adele, the average musician earned £23,059 - well below the national average of £29,832. Brexit also poses a danger to the industry, and touring musicians in particular, warned UK Music CEO Michael Dugher. "We urgently need to ensure that the impact of Brexit doesn't put in jeopardy the free movement of talent, just at a time when we should be looking outwards and backing the best of British talent right across the world."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4359874.stm	If you want to get the most out of your fitness regime think carefully about the type of music you listen to while exercising, a UK study suggests. Joggers could try Michael Jackson's "Don't stop til you get enough" Dr Costas Karageorghis, of Brunel University, found listening to the right songs before and during training boosts performance by up to 20%. He recommends fast tempo music for high intensity exercise and slower tracks to help with the warm up and cool down. The speed of the music is the key, whether it be classical, rock or pop. Music to sweat to Dr Karageorghis says individuals need to create their own play list according to their personal music preferences and the intensity of activity in which they are engaged. The Godfather of Soul is good for cyclists Just before sport, loud, up-beat music can be used as a stimulant or slow, soft music can be used to calm pre-performance nerves. For example, James Cracknell, who rowed to glory and into the record books at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, said that listening to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' album "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" was an integral part of his pre-race preparation. The Olympic super-heavyweight champion Audley Harrison listens to Japanese classical music before a fight to calm his nerves, said Dr Karageorghis. As exercise begins, the music tempo can be synchronised to work rates to help regulate movement and prolong performance. During this phase music can also help to narrow attention and divert your mind from sensations of fatigue. The right tempo Dr Karageorghis said: "It's no secret that music inspires superior performance. "The sound of 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' reverberating around a rugby stadium is an example of how music can provide great inspiration and instil pride in the players. SELECTING THE RIGHT MUSIC Very fast tempo for highest intensity exercise eg) very hard running Rock: The Heat Is On - Glenn Frey Pop: Reach - S Club 7 Soul/R 'n' B: Everybody Needs Somebody to Love - The Blues Brothers Classical: William Tell Overture - Rossini Fast tempo for high exercise intensity eg) working hard on an exercise bike Rock: Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf Pop: Movin' Too Fast - Artful Dodger & Romina Johnson Soul/R 'n' B:I Feel Good - James Brown Classical:Troika - Prokofiev Medium tempo for medium intensity exercise eg) a gentle run or leisurely swim Rock: Keep on Running - The Spencer Davis Group Pop: Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson Soul/R 'n' B: I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor Classical: Radetzky March - Johann Strauss Slow tempo for low intensity exercise eg) weight lifting or speedwalking Rock: The Best - Tina Turner Pop: Lifted - Lighthouse Family Soul/R 'n' B:Back to Life - Soul II Soul Classical: Spring, from The Four Seasons - Vivaldi "However, our recent research shows that there's no definitive play list for today's gym-goers or tomorrow's sporting heroes. "Songs are particular to an individual - they are not prescriptive. So it's up to the individual to select songs that drive them and inspire them." He said the athletes he trains had seen an 18% improvement in adherence to exercise regimes with the help of the right music. He believes gyms and health clubs should offer a wide choice of music to suit their clients' needs. For example, those on running machines should listen to music with a very fast tempo, whilst those who are weight training would benefit from medium tempo music coupled with inspirational lyrics. "Rather than blasting out the same music loudly in all areas of the gym, it would be better to turn the volume down so those on the treadmills and bicycles can tune into personal music selections, while those in weight training rooms can hear the uplifting beat of the background music," he said. John Brewer, director of the Lucozade Sports Science Academy, said: "This confirms what we have suspected and known anecdotally for years. "Music does have an impact on physical performance. "If you go into the dressing room of any premiership league football club on a Saturday afternoon you will certainly see the players in there listening to music to psyche them up and get them ready for the performance."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7123236.stm	A businessman has insisted Labour's chief fundraiser knew of his plans to give the party money using proxy donors and had said it was "a good idea". Mr Abrahams' comments contradict the recollection of Jon Mendelsohn In the Independent on Sunday, property developer David Abrahams repeats his claim that Jon Mendelsohn knew in April how he planned to make his donations. Mr Mendelsohn said the allegations were "fictional" and that he only learned of the practice in September. Gordon Brown has vowed to co-operate with a police probe into the affair. The prime minister has also pledged to press ahead with an urgent review of party funding rules. He told party supporters "immediate change" was needed in the party. The prime minister told a meeting of Labour's ruling national executive committee that recent events showed it was "time to act". He has previously said the donations were "completely unacceptable" and would be re-paid. Mr Brown appeared alongside deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman, who was drawn into the donations row when it emerged she had accepted a £5,000 donation from one of Mr Abrahams's proxies. Ms Harman - who insists she acted in good faith - admitted it had been a "very painful week for the party". In his article, Mr Abrahams describes being placed next to Mr Mendelsohn at a London dinner in April this year, which he believed at the time was "just a little more than coincidence". Mr Abrahams said he understood at the time that Mr Mendelsohn was hoping to become Labour's chief party fundraiser. "He did not solicit funds from me at the dinner," Mr Abrahams continues. "However, I told him that I regularly donated to the party and I described how it was done through intermediaries for the purposes of anonymity - to which he replied, 'That sounds like a good idea'." Mr Abrahams has donated more than £630,000 to the Labour Party since 2003 - but donated under the names of third parties. By law, anyone donating more than £5,000 must be identified and relevant details about them disclosed. In a separate statement, David Abrahams urges Mr Mendelsohn to "stop damaging himself and the party's credibility". "I will not stand by and allow my name to be put in the frame by spin doctors," he continues. "The police must be allowed to conduct this enquiry free from the interference of politicians. "For my part, I refute any wrongdoing and I am confident of my legal ground." Mr Mendelsohn said in a statement he would co-operate fully with the police investigation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7781180.stm	By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News website, Poznan The EU package was not as strong as developing countries would have liked "Two cities, 189 countries, one dream." It could be the tagline for some talent contest - and I suppose that in some ways, it is. After a hectic simultaneous two-day spell of climate talks in Brussels and Poznan, the issue is whether the talent in question is for finding a way to curb greenhouse gas emissions, or for finding a way to pretend convincingly that you are doing so. Certainly, politicians at the European Council's talks in Brussels on the EU energy and climate package, and delegates to the annual UN climate conference in Poznan, were taking a pretty close look at what each other was up to. By adopting a strong package of measures to reduce its own emissions, the EU could signal to everyone in Poznan that difficult and perhaps expensive decisions could be taken in a time of financial strife. Meanwhile, in the other direction flowed global messages to the EU leadership. A particularly important message concerned what developing countries were looking for in the EU package; if they were not inspired by what they saw, the chances of them engaging positively with the Poznan process would markedly diminish. So what has it all meant, those two intensive days, now that the dignitaries have flown away and the plates have been cleared and the convention centre cloakroom staff have been allowed to go home? The EU package, certainly, did not emerge as strong as developing countries would have liked; though it is too early to tell whether they will concentrate on the headline figure of a 20% reduction in emissions, or whether they take into account the concessions made to industry that were necessary in order to reach consensus. Documents agreed in Poznan fell short of pledging the cuts the IPCC suggests Even if they look only at the headline number, there must be some doubt as to whether they consider 20% to fall under the definition of "leadership". The context is that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has suggested that on the basis of the science, developed nations ought to be looking for cuts of 25-40% by 2020 - and the EU pledge is below that. If there is a global deal, the EU will up its pledge to 30%. But it hasn't been planning for that; the measures agreed in Brussels only deal with 20%. This was clearly a matter of some sensitivity. In Poznan, EU chiefs gave a news conference at lunchtime on Friday and another in the evening. At the first, after they had talked a lot about 20%, I asked them why the 30% figure had disappeared from the dialogue and why they were not planning how to reach it. In the evening session, environment commissioner Stavros Dimas and French ecology minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet talked a lot about 30%. They recognise, I am sure, that that is in the range of what developing countries are looking for; 20% is not. So the carrot is there for the developing world; make a deal, and we will lop an extra 10% off our emissions - that's the idea. If the EU in Poznan was asking people to listen to its message from Brussels - and it was - there is less evidence that Brussels was listening to Poznan. Developing countries, especially those with long, low coastlines or where freshwater is already scalded from the landscape by extreme heat, are looking for much more than a pledge of emissions cuts. DEVELOPMENTS IN POZNAN Work plans agreed for both "tracks" Discussions enter "full negotiating mode" Management of UN Adaptation Fund agreed Funds can now be disbursed Programme agreed to improve roll-out of low-carbon technologies Parameters established of agreement on reducing deforestation "Recognition" that science indicates need for emissions to peak and begin to decline within 10-15 years They also want money and technology - to help them develop along sustainable lines, and especially to help them prepare for the potential impact of climate change. They consider it their right, on the basis that the West has caused the problem. Whatever you think of the intrinsic merit of this argument - and however much you think it is a card played with increasing skill by the talented orators of Asia and South America - the fact is that Western governments have to understand it at a visceral level and deal with it if they are to reach a global agreement, which all parties to the UN convention say they want to achieve when they convene in a year's time in Copenhagen. Another aspect of the EU decision is what it means for other developed nations. The US and Japan will both be setting "mid-term" - about 2020 - targets soon; and if the EU selects an option below what IPCC science suggests, why should they go any higher? And the smaller the collective ambition displayed across the developed world, the less chance there is of developing countries accepting any kind of emission reduction en bloc at Copenhagen, or of settling for small piles of adaptation money. If you want to pare it down to the basics, there are probably three questions to ask about the last two days: will carbon emissions be curbed, will countries vulnerable to potential impacts of climate change be any better protected, and have the chances of reaching a deal in Copenhagen deal increased or decreased? I'll award a maximum of one point for each question in each city. After Poznan, eyes are turning to Copenhagen The Brussels agreement gains half a point on the first question, but there are no points from Poznan, where the documents agreed fell short of pledging the kind of cuts that the IPCC says are necessary - though they might come next year. The second question gains a quarter point from each; some revenue for climate adaptation will be accrued by auctioning pollution permits in the EU, and the Poznan deal will allow money in the UN Adaptation Fund to be disbursed. The third… well, it depends on your point of view. While the New York Times concludes that the world is now "on the track to a new global climate treaty with a renewed sense of purpose and momentum", Xinhua reports that "hopes are fading for a comprehensive deal to fight climate change in Copenhagen next year". Different sources, different perspectives, different analyses. So one point for that, perhaps - making two out of six in total. It is hard to escape the conclusion that as Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo warned on Thursday, something - could it be the financial crisis? - is taking leaders' eyes off climate change. At the same Brussels meeting, EU leaders unveiled a package worth 200bn euros (£180bn) to ease the financial crisis. At the Poznan meeting, developed nations, with the EU to the fore, blocked proposals that could have unleashed billions of euros to help some of the world's poorest countries launch climate adaptation projects. Two cities? Sure. One vision? Hmm…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4123628.stm	Ex-minister Tony Banks is taking on a new name to go with his new life as a member of the House of Lords. Tony Banks: A different name for a "safe house" Instead of becoming conventional Lord Banks, the ex-minister is to take the title of Lord Stratford of Stratford in the London Borough of Newham. "I have gone to a safe house, as they say, so I might as well have a different name," he told BBC News. He still expects to continue largely to be called Tony Banks but Lord Stratford would be his "nom de politics". As an MP, Mr Banks' office was based in Stratford, east London, for 20 years and he also lives in the area. The House of Lords authorities said his new title was allowed provided there were no other Lord Stratfords. He discovered there had never been a Lord Stratford. The new peer said some people had suggested it would have been easier to take the title of Lord Banks. But he wanted to mark his change in role. "I do feel I am starting a new life," he said. "It is a new adventure, it's something different." Mr Banks received his "letters patent" confirming his new title on Thursday but does not take his seat in the Lords until 4 July. He is among 27 new peers of different parties. The new batch will make Labour the largest party in the Lords for the first time, with six more peers than the Conservatives. Charles Mosley, editor-in-chief of Debrett's, said it used be to the norm for people to take their title after a place name. But after life peerages were introduced in 1958 most new peers used their surnames for their titles, perhaps mostly because of a lack of imagination. Mr Mosley suggested changes in names were gradually increasing again. Former Commons Speaker George Thomas had become Viscount Tonypandy; ex-Cabinet minister Humphrey Atkins had been made Lord Colnbrook; and ex-Conservative MP Anthony Royle had become Lord Fanshawe of Richmond. The mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales said he was delighted about the new title of Lord Stratford. "It both recognises the tremendous contribution he has made to the borough as well as reflecting Stratford's growing aspirations in terms of regeneration and Olympic hopes," he said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-26271694	Isle of Man 'toilet tax' approved by politicians - 20 February 2014 - From the section Isle Of Man / Ellan Vannin The so-called Isle of Man "toilet tax" has been approved, despite a 6,000 signature petition opposing the £50 charge. Manx politicians voted 24-9 in favour of its introduction following nearly two hours of debate in Tynwald on Wednesday. Chris Thomas MHK, who voted against the move, said it was "wrong and unfair". From 1 April, all Isle of Man households on mains sewerage will have to pay the annual £50 fee. The Isle of Man Water and Sewerage Authority also said the charge would rise to £100 next year. It claims the levy is needed following a "reduction in its revenue grant". Chairman John Houghton MHK said there was "no alternative" to the charge. Spokeswoman for the petition, Amy Burns, said: "If half the population had signed the petition, it would have gone through anyway. "It seems the public's voice doesn't matter." The Isle of Man's Chief Minister Allan Bell said "cuts have to be made". A petition containing 6,314 signatures - 11% of the electorate - was presented to politicians ahead of the announcement of the Isle of Man budget on Tuesday.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3514787.stm	Cases of 'Tube rage' may rise on London Underground (LU) unless air quality improves, a report says. The report says people may stop using the Tube Experts say a drop in oxygen levels combined with overcrowding can lead to feelings of anxiety and aggression. Entitled 'A Breath of Fresh Air Underground', the report by transport specialists Fereday Pollard, calls for immediate improvements to ventilation. But LU has dismissed the report saying it was based on "old research and supposition". Metronet, which looks after maintenance on parts of the network, has commissioned an engineering consultancy to oversee refurbishment of 150 stations in the next eight years. But the report said upgrades did not include plans for improvement to ventilation and comfort below ground. Ben Fereday, of Fereday Pollard, said: "Not building for better ventilation now is a mistake as clean air in public spaces is becoming an increasingly important issue in society - just look at the moves to ban smoking in public places." Mike Fisher, director of the British Association of Anger Management, said: "A reduction in the level of oxygen in an enclosed space leads to increasing feelings of panic. "If on top of this you have the physical distress and discomfort of overcrowding, an individual can experience reactions such as anxiety, aggression, impatience and feelings of sickness." But a spokesman for LU said the company was examining ways of improving ventilation. He added: "This report is based on old research and supposition. "An independent report by the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh in September 2003 concluded that it is very unlikely that tunnel dust on the Underground has any serious adverse affect on the health of Tube passengers and The Fereday Pollard report adds that the Tube carries three million passengers a day, accounting for 37.5% of all journeys across London's transport network.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17886181	Parents 'not being told' of religious education opt-out - 30 April 2012 - From the section Scotland Schools may be failing on obligations to make parents aware of a right to withdraw their children from religious lessons, a study has suggested. Schools have had to alert parents that children can opt out of religious classes and assemblies since 2005. But only 20% of parents asked by YouGov on behalf of the Humanist Society of Scotland said they had picked up this information from schools. The society has sought assurances the issue is not being downplayed. It is also concerned by reports that children who are taken out of religious lessons may be asked to simply sit and read, rather than given an activity to do. The study found 39% of parents surveyed were not aware of the right to withdraw children from religions observance (RO) and religious and moral education (RME) and only 20% had originally been made aware of the right by their school. The survey also found that although 18% of parents did not want religion in school, the majority would like their children to develop knowledge and understanding of a range of beliefs. The report concluded: "Parents are not being made adequately aware of their right to withdraw. "The frequency and style of RME and RO in schools is not being communicated to a significant proportion of parents." YouGov surveyed 1,000 Scottish parents of children aged five to 16 to find out if they were aware of their rights.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/8541085.stm	Djokovic struggled initially on Sunday before retaking control Novak Djokovic beat Mikhail Youzhny 7-5 5-7 6-3 to win the weather-hit Dubai Open and successfully defend an ATP title for the first time. The match had been held over from Saturday because of heavy rain with Djokovic cruising at 7-5 2-0. When they returned on Sunday he was broken twice as he lost the second set. A break each saw the third set level at 3-3 and after Youzhny spurned a break point to go 4-3 up, Djokovic claimed the decisive break in the next game. In addition to it being the first time in his career that Djokovic, the world number two, has successfully defended a title on the ATP tour, it is also his first title of the year. Today was another good example of how much I believe in myself and how much I fight till the end "It means the whole world to me to defend this title," he said. "Of course there are always people who are saying he can't do it, he can't do it. "But I'm playing for myself, and this is another success in my career that I wasn't able to make in the last two years. But now, finally, I did it, and it's a big relief. "Today was another good example of how much I believe in myself and how much I fight till the end." When they returned to the court Youzhny first of all broke back to level at 4-4 in the second set and then, helped by two Djokovic double faults, he put himself into position to serve for the set. A frustrated Djokovic was warned for racquet abuse at the changeover but his display of temper appeared to help him refocus as he broke back in the following game to level at 5-5. However, the Djokovic serve once again failed to function and he was broken to love on the back of three unforced errors. This time Youzhny, who beat Djokovic in the Rotterdam semi-finals two weeks ago, made no mistake, holding his own serve to love to make it one set all. Djokovic regained the initiative at the start of the deciding set, breaking Youzhny's serve with a big forehand down the line in the second game as he moved into a 3-0 lead. But once again the Russian dug deep, breaking break back two games later to level at 3-3. Youzhny had a break point to go 4-3 up, but blasted wide with a cross-court forehand when Djokovic looked to be out of the rally. The Russian paid the price in the following game when two unforced errors gave Djokovic two break points. He duly converted the second, when Youzhny hit a forehand long after an energy-sapping rally, before comfortably serving out to take the title. In the United States, Latvia's Ernests Gulbis defeated second seed Ivo Karlovic 6-2 6-3 to win his first ATP title at the Delray Beach International. "Everything I do now is first time for my country," said Gulbis. "It's good for tennis in Latvia. They see that a guy from Latvia also can make it and win an ATP World Tour event."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8807763.stm	British Grand Prix: F1 aims for South Africa and Russia Ecclestone wants to take F1 to Russia and South Africa South Africa and Russia could soon be among the countries staging Formula 1 grands prix, according to the sport's commercial kingpin Bernie Ecclestone. The 79-year-old Ecclestone told BBC Radio 5 live's Sportsweek's programme he hopes a circuit will be completed in Cape Town 'in about three years' time'. "The only question mark is Russia, where we should be and we are not," said Ecclestone. He also branded the Olympics as "second class" in comparison to the World Cup. Pursuing a relentless expansion programme in recent years, Ecclestone has concentrated primarily on countries where tobacco advertising is not banned. Singapore, China, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi have been added to the calendar of races, while India is scheduled to stage its first grand prix in 2011, with the United States expected to return to the calendar in 2012. However, Ecclestone has long been keen to take to the sport to Russia, which is bidding to stage the 2018 World Cup, with the Russian city of Sochi also hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics. Two years ago Ecclestone met the governor of St Petersburg to discuss the possible building of a new circuit on the outskirts of the city after a previous initiative aimed at staging a race in Moscow came to nothing. And asked whether the World Cup had persuaded him that F1 should be looking to have a presence in Africa, Ecclestone said: "You're absolutely right, it is another continent where we should be. "It would be nice to have covered the world, but Russia is more important right now. Africa is limited for all the people who are involved in F1 for business, whereas Russia is wide open. "But we will see. We have been talking to the people in South Africa for quite a long time off and on. The chances are OK. It's a case of getting the right venue always. "We've been talking to the people in Cape Town. There are one or two places that could happen and are coming on quite strong. "We're talking about building a circuit. It's probably about three years away. That's what I would like to see. I would hope so. I've been hoping that for five years. "Hopefully what the World Cup has done for Africa, people will think it will be good for F1 to be there." If Russia and South Africa are of interest to Ecclestone, the F1 supremo remains distinctly unimpressed by the Olympic Games. "The Olympics has become a little bit second-class now compared to the World Cup. The interest in the World Cup compared to the Olympics is extraordinary. Commercially I would much prefer to be involved in the World Cup than the Olympics." This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20586092	Turner Prize won by video artist Elizabeth Price 3 December 2012 Last updated at 20:55 GMT Video artist Elizabeth Price has won the Turner Prize, one of the art world's most prestigious and controversial awards. Yorkshire-born Price uses archival images, text and music to create works exploring the human relationship to objects and consumer culture. She secured the £25,000 prize for her video installation, The Woolworths Choir of 1979, 2012. Actor Jude law presented the artist with the award at Tate Britain in London. Turner Prize 2012, courtesy of Channel 4
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3630860.stm	Police in Istanbul have clashed with Turkish right-wing demonstrators protesting against what they describe as concessions to Orthodox Christians. Protesters burned an effigy of the patriarch Turkish media said the police used tear gas and batons to disperse hundreds of protesters marching towards the offices of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Earlier on Sunday, the crowd burned his effigy and threw stones at police. Some nationalists have been angered by the government's decision to allow the reopening of an Orthodox seminary. The Istanbul seminary, closed by the Turkish authorities in 1971, trained generations of church leaders, including Bartholomew. The BBC's James Ingham says reforms allowing more rights to Orthodox Christians are promoted by a government keen to show it is committed to a secular society as its possible membership of the European Union is being considered. The EU's commissioner for enlargement, Guenter Verheugen, is beginning a four-day visit to Turkey, to assess whether the country is ready to start entry talks. The EU has said it is keen to see wider religious freedom ahead of membership talks. Christians are a minority in Turkey, but Istanbul remains the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch - who is considered to be the spiritual leader of all Orthodox Christians. But Nationalist leader Yuksel Kaleci said in a statement that Turkey "is making concession after concession to foreigners and especially to the Patriarchate". The Patriarchate condemned the "violence" by demonstrators on Sunday. In a statement, it said the protests were the result of "the provocations of people intent on blocking Turkey's EU path".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/fa_carling_premiership/457692.stm	Saturday, September 25, 1999 Published at 17:45 GMT 18:45 UK Taibi's Old Trafford nightmare Sheringham scored but United's defending was poor Manchester United 3-3 Southampton A dreadful goalkeeper error from United's Massimo Taibi helped Saints take a point from Old Trafford. The visitors had taken a first half lead before Teddy Sheringham and Dwight Yorke ensured that United went into the break ahead. They were cruising in second half when Taibi's horrendous blunder allowed Southampton back into the match. Le Tissier scuffed a 25-yard shot and had turned away in disgust when Taibi allowed the ball to wriggle through his arms, under his body and then trickle over the line. The mistake will intensify the battle for Number One spot between Taibi and goal-keeping rival Mark Bosnich, who was watching from the bench. Taibi could have suffered even more recriminations had he not stuck out a boot to deny Southampton substitute James Beattie a sensational last-minute winner. Southampton had lost their last 10 league games at Old Trafford and could hardly have expected to hit three at the Manchester fortress. But Marian Pahars gave them an early lead when he nutmegged Jaap Stam before slotting the ball home past Taibi, who this time was not at fault. The goal rocked Old Trafford but United did not falter and Teddy Sheringham scored a deserved equaliser on 34 minutes when he tucked home a David Beckham cross from the right. Three minutes later Sheringham helped put his side ahead. Saints keeper Paul Jones saved his header but the England striker collected the loose ball and crossed from the left for Yorke to nod home from two yards. United were completely in control, Sheringham and Solskjaer coming close to extending the lead, when Taibi dropped his clanger to make it 2-2 Dwight Yorke appeared to have made the error irrelevant when he fired home right-footed from 12 yards out to restore United's lead. But the Saints snatched a point when half-time substitute Le Tissier hit Pahars' low cross first-time past Taibi. There were still 16 minutes to go and United poured forward in search of the winner - Yorke coming close with an overhead kick and Paul Scholes blasting over the bar. But for once there was to be no last-gasp winner from United and they stay just two points ahead of Premiership chasers Leeds and Arsenal.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-20597808	HMRC to appeal against ruling in Rangers 'Big Tax Case' - 4 December 2012 - From the section Glasgow & West Scotland HM Revenue and Customs has said it will seek permission to appeal against a tax tribunal ruling in favour of Rangers' use of Employee Benefit Trusts. The club, which is now in liquidation, used the scheme from 2001 to 2010 to make £47.65m in payments to players and staff in the form of tax-free loans. HMRC had challenged the payments, arguing that they were illegal. Rangers disputed the bill and a First Tier Tax Tribunal (FTT) ruled the scheme did not breach tax law. In a majority decision, the tribunal said the payments - of about £49m - were loans, not earnings, and so were not liable for income tax. The old Rangers was under the control of Sir David Murray when it began using EBTs. He sold the club for £1 to Scottish businessman Craig Whyte in 2011, while the tax liability was in dispute. The FTT, before three judges, concluded in January, one month before the old Rangers, now under the control of Mr Whyte, was forced into administration by HMRC over non-payment of tax totalling about £14m. HMRC subsequently rejected proposals for a creditors agreement that would have allowed the old club to continue. Administrators Duff and Phelps then negotiated a sale of assets to a consortium led by Charles Green for £5.5m.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6376257.stm	A pregnancy hormone may help repair the damage to nerves caused by multiple sclerosis, Canadian research suggests. Protective myelin is stripped away by MS The Journal of Neuroscience study, by the University of Calgary, may explain why MS tends to go into remission while women are pregnant. Working on mice, the researchers found the hormone - prolactin - encourages production of myelin, the fatty substance that protects nerve cells. Myelin is degraded by MS, damaging nerves' ability to transmit messages. The latest finding raises hopes of new treatments for MS, and other neurological disorders, which potentially reverse, rather than stabilise symptoms. The researchers showed that prolactin was directly responsible for the formation of new myelin in the brains and spinal cords of pregnant mice. When mice with MS-like nerve damage were injected with the hormone, their myelin was also repaired. Immune system attack MS is caused by the body's immune system attacking the myelin surrounding nerves. This leads to progressive loss of sensation and movement. Lead researcher Dr Samuel Weiss said: "It is thought that during pregnancy, women's immune systems no longer destroyed the myelin. "However, no previous study has tested whether pregnancy actually results in the production of new myelin, which may lead to improvement of symptoms." The researchers said more work was needed, but they are hopeful human trials can take place within the next several years. Dr Fred Gage, of the Salk Institute, said: "Agents promoting remyelination will be beneficial not only for typical demyelinating diseases like MS, but also for many other neurological disorders, such as spinal-cord injuries and stroke." The researchers found pregnant mice had twice as many myelin-producing cells (oligodendrocytes) as virgin mice, and continued to generate new ones during pregnancy. They chemically destroyed myelin around nerve cells, and found the pregnant mice had twice as much new myelin as the virgin mice two weeks later. Introducing prolactin in virgin mice mimicked the effects of pregnancy on myelin production and repair in the animals. John Habkirk, of the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre, said: "This research looks to be giving scientific credence to something that people affected by MS have been able to identify for a long time. "Women nearly always have a much easier time with their MS during pregnancy and at last some research is starting to show precisely why." MS Trust chief executive Chris Jones said: "It is already well documented that sex hormones such as oestrogen can influence the development and course of MS. "The suggestion that this can also have a role in replacing myelin is encouraging, but we will have to wait and see if the studies in mice with the experimental equivalent of MS will translate into a successful treatment for people with MS." MS Society head of research Dr Lee Dunster agreed that the study raised the possibility that prolactin could potentially be used to treat MS.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-26630536	New brewery plans approved for St Fillians hotel site - 18 March 2014 - From the section Tayside and Central Scotland Proposals for a brewery, hotel and visitor centre in Perthshire have received planning approval from the National Park Authority. Arran Brewery's Loch Earn development is planned for the site of the former Drummond Hotel in St Fillans. The firms intends to have the hotel part of the development open for the start of the Commonwealth Games. Arran Brewery also confirmed that it plans to open another distillery at the former Rosebank site in Falkirk. The Loch Earn development will contain three bars, three restaurants and a coffee shop, as well as a 32 bedroom hotel and banqueting hall. Lager and cider will be made at a brewery and visitor centre located on the site of the former hotel's outbuildings. The site, which is now part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, originally dates back to 1807, when it was known as the Star Inn. Arran Brewery's managing director Gerald Michaluk said: "The park authority has been fantastic and very professional in handling this development and the project will now move ahead at a very rapid pace." The project is being part-financed by VisitScotland and Bank of Scotland to promote tourism before major events such as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4969290.stm	Bolivia's President Evo Morales has defended his decision to place the country's natural gas industry under full state control. The Bolivian state is putting its mark on seized energy assets He said energy companies were not going to be expelled or expropriated - but added that contracts with foreign energy companies would be completely renegotiated. The decision has been greeted with dismay by Brazil's Petrobras and Spain's Repsol-YPF, the biggest foreign investors in the Bolivian energy sector, who have seen their installations seized by Bolivian troops. What does the decision mean for foreign energy firms in Bolivia? Mr Morales was elected in December last year on a campaign pledge to increase the state's share of the proceeds from Bolivia's lucrative natural gas industry, with the aim of benefiting the country's impoverished indigenous majority. Until his May Day decree nationalising the energy sector, it was unclear how he planned to do this. Now it appears that foreign energy firms will have a much-reduced role in Bolivia. They will be reduced to mere operators of the gas fields, while state-run Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) will own all the gas produced. The details will not be finalised until foreign companies have agreed new contracts with YPFB, which they must do within six months. However, Bolivian Vice-President Alvaro Garcia has explained that under the decree, the government's share of revenue from gas production will go up from $460m last year to $780m by 2007. The government has already laid down that from now on, the two largest gas fields - San Alberto and San Antonio - must hand over 82% of production revenues to the state, rather than the 50% they do now. The head of YPFB, Jorge Alvarado, has justified this decision by arguing that even on those terms, foreign firms will still be making a profit of 20 to 25%. How have the companies reacted? The president of Brazil's state-owned Petrobras, Jose Sergio Gabrielli, disagrees with Mr Alvarado's arithmetic. Mr Gabrielli has said that the new conditions make gas operations "practically impossible" in Bolivia, although he has given no indication that Petrobras is contemplating pulling out of Bolivia. Petrobras is the foreign company with the biggest stake in Bolivia's energy sector, having invested more than $1bn in the country. The Spanish government is also concerned by the nationalisation and is sending a delegation to La Paz to discuss the consequences of the move. Britain's BP has interests in Bolivia, as does BG Group, the former exploration and production arm of British Gas. However, both firms have played down the risk, saying Bolivia represents only a small part of their business. Where does Bolivian gas go? About two thirds of the gas exported by Bolivia ends up in Brazil - a factor which explains the depth of Petrobras's concern. About 75% of the natural gas used in Brazil's biggest city, Sao Paulo, comes from Bolivia, while some states in wealthy southern Brazil are 100% dependent on Bolivian gas. Brazil is now self-sufficient in oil and recently discovered big offshore gas reserves, but will be unable to extract them until 2009 at the earliest. That puts Mr Gabrielli under pressure in the short term not to jeopardise continuity of Bolivian gas supplies. However, landlocked Bolivia has few other potential customers for its gas reserves - the second-largest in Latin America - because of a long-standing border dispute with Chile that leaves it with no access to the Pacific Ocean. What happens next? Brazil and Spain probably have too much at stake to withdraw from Bolivia, although other companies will doubtless be deterred from investing in a country with such a volatile political climate. But Mr Morales has now embarked on a path of populism and economic nationalism that is unlikely to stop with state control of the gas fields. In fact, the Bolivian president has already said the gas fields are "just the beginning, because tomorrow it will be the mines, the forest resources and the land". Protesters calling for greater state control of the country's natural resources have already forced two previous presidents to resign - Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada in 2003 and Carlos Mesa in 2005. Now the demonstrators have got what they wanted. But with international investors in retreat, Bolivia may find that it lacks the money and expertise to manage its own resources.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4084377.stm	Companies have been urged to make sure their staff do not injure themselves at office Christmas parties by dancing on desks or photocopying themselves. RoSPA says it is safer to hold office Christmas parties in a hotel or bar Managers have even been advised not to put up any mistletoe in case it encourages sexual harassment. The warnings come from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the TUC, which have published a Christmas party checklist. A separate report has said that festive hangovers could cost UK firms £65m. Research for Norwich Union Healthcare estimated that up to £65m worth of working hours will be lost due to staff taking time off to recover from their Christmas party excesses. Roger Bibbings, an occupational heath adviser at RoSPA, insisted the organisation was not being a scrooge, and instead called on firms to hold their festive parties in a hotel or bar. "We are not being party poopers," he said. "Some sensible safety precautions will allow people to have a great office celebration without having to call in the emergency services." The call to prevent staff from photocopying parts of their body is because of the risk of glass in painful places if the machine breaks, RoSPA said. Dancing on office tables should be prevented because they are not as strong as those in a pub or bar, it added. "There won't be much Christmas cheer in your workplace if your winter wonderland turns out to be a danger zone," said Frances O'Grady, TUC deputy general secretary. "Some simple precautions can make sure your party goes off with a bang, instead of a crash." But Nick Goulding, chief executive of private business lobby group the Forum of Private Business, said: "The purpose of Christmas parties is to encourage team spirit, encourage relationships and so on. "If you tie them down with pettifogging regulations, you really undermine the whole thing you are trying to achieve. It is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut." Mr Goulding said most people relied on commonsense to enjoy themselves and the move towards a "rule-based society" should not be accepted. He warned that fears of potential court cases or charges of sexual harassment ruined the festive spirit. Limit the drinks Tim Woodward, an employment law lawyer at the firm of Bevan Brittan, has represented a number of clients involved in fights at Christmas parties. He urges companies to try to limit the amount of alcohol employees can consume. "Most, if not all, incidents at Christmas parties, quite unsurprisingly, are caused by excess drinking," he said. "And it certainly is a real problem." "What staff have to remember is that although most Christmas parties take place outside of work hours and away from the premises, technically it remains a work activity and people can still be sacked because of their behaviour." Mr Woodward added: "A lot of this is common sense, but a company needs to try and moderate things. "You do not want to rein in people to such an extent that it is not worth having a party, but I would certainly advise against a firm providing unlimited alcohol. "If there is endless free booze provided and a member of staff gets involved in a fight, he could use this in his defence at any tribunal."
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-26784088	Broadchurch wins Broadcasting Press Guild hat-trick Hit ITV detective series Broadchurch has won three awards, including best drama series, at the Broadcasting Press Guild (BPG) awards in London. Olivia Colman was named best actress for her role as detective Ellie Miller, while creator Chris Chibnall won the BPG writer award. 12 Years a Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor won best actor for his role in BBC Two drama Dancing on the Edge. Jamie Dornan won the breakthrough award for his role in BBC's The Fall. Dornan will next be seen playing the lead role of Christian Grey in the much-anticipated film Fifty Shades of Grey, based on the best-selling book by EL James. The annual awards, now in their 40th year, are voted for by journalists who specialise in TV, radio and the media. BBC Two picked up a third award for best single drama - for The Wipers Times, written by Ian Hislop and starring Michael Palin alongside Ben Chaplin and Julian Rhind-Tutt. BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing - now entering its 10th year - was named best entertainment programme. The award was collected by Sir Bruce Forsyth at a ceremony at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Channel 4 won all three awards for factual television. Syria: Across the Lines was voted best single documentary, Educating Yorkshire won the award for best documentary series and the BPG award for best factual entertainment went to Gogglebox. Sky Television won best multichannel programme for its drama series The Tunnel, based on the Scandinavian hit The Bridge. The broadcaster also won the innovation award, "for 25 years of constant innovation that has changed the face of broadcasting". LBC's Nick Ferrari, who earlier this week chaired the Europe debate between Nigel Farage and Nick Clegg, was voted radio broadcaster of the year. Radio 4's Tweet of the Day, which explores the calls of British birds, was voted radio programme of the year. As previously announced, Pride and Prejudice screenwriter Andrew Davies was awarded the Harvey Lee award for his outstanding contribution to broadcasting. The 77-year-old dramatist has been behind enduring hits such as House of Cards and Bleak House, and - more recently - Mr Selfridge. John Humphrys was the last recipient of the award, named in honour of the former Daily Telegraph media correspondent and Broadcasting Press Guild chairman, who died in 1991.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-40102332	Healthy Harold: Nostalgia helps save Australia's drug-fighting giraffe For many Australians, an anti-drug message delivered by a puppet - or sometimes animatronic - giraffe remains a key memory from their childhoods. Healthy Harold has, for 37 years, rolled up outside schools in his iconic van to deliver responsible messages to children aged between five and 13 about drugs, alcohol and healthy living. So when it emerged on Tuesday that Harold's programme, Life Education Australia, would no longer receive government funding, Australians erupted in nostalgia-fuelled ire. The government had opted not to renew a request for A$500,000 (£290,000; $370,000) in annual funding, explained Life Education Australia chief executive David Ballhausen. Mr Ballhausen lamented that an estimated 750,000 young people would be deprived of the programme in the next year alone. He said Harold had become particularly useful in educating school communities about the dangers of crystal methamphetamine, also known as ice, a drug which has had a devastating impact in Australia. The backlash grew throughout the day, with the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, also commenting. "Of all the things to cut, why would you cut an iconic program that teaches kids how to be healthy? Mindless," he tweeted. In the face of such public anger, it took less than half a day for the government to reverse track and announce it would fund the programme after all. "We support #HealthyHarold & will work with Life Education Australia to ensure the funding & the program continues," tweeted Education Minister Simon Birmingham. In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Ballhausen confirmed the government funding would continue. "Thank you for the extraordinary support we received last night," he said. "It was critical in helping generate this positive response from the Australian Government." Although the saga came to a swift resolution, discussion of Harold did not, and more people reminisced on social media.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3678841.stm	The son of an 82-year-old woman who died after being mugged in her street said he has been "cut to pieces". Ursula Craddock died nearly three weeks after being attacked Ursula Caddock, also known as Joan, was knocked to the ground by a man as she walked along Halstead Road, Wanstead, east London on the morning of 8 April. Police began a murder hunt after she died in hospital on Tuesday. Her son David from Suffolk said: "It's my mum this time but next time it could be somebody else's". The attacker is described as black and 5ft 9ins tall. Mr Caddock, who is in his fifties, said his mother had been mugged just yards from the house where she lived with her son Derek. "He mugged her for the bag and then came back for a bus pass." Paying tribute to the great grandmother, he said: "She walked with a walking stick but she certainly wasn't frail. "She was in reasonably good health for somebody that age. She wouldn't give up. She was a very nice person." After the attack in April, the pensioner was taken to London's Whipps Cross Hospital suffering a fractured leg and shoulder. She remained there until her death. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a post-mortem examination showed Mrs Caddock died from acute peritonitis caused by her injuries.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39000471	Business revolt grows over 'outrageous and unfair' rate change Some of the UK's biggest employers' groups have united in condemning the government's "outrageous" changes to business rates in England. They are most vexed about a clause they say could prevent firms appealing against rate rises, even if firms can prove they are wrong. Thirteen of them, including the British Retail Consortium and CBI, have written a letter calling for it to be dropped. But a government spokesman said the "claims are simply false". And Treasury Minister, David Gauke, told the BBC three in four businesses would not see an increase in their bill. Other signatories to the letter include the Federation of Small Businesses, Revo, the Association of Convenience Stores, the British Chambers of Commerce and the British Property Federation. The next business rates revaluation comes into effect on 1 April - the first for seven years - but the lobby groups said that tens of thousands of firms still face uncertainty over bills. Earlier this week, pubs and restaurants called for Chancellor Philip Hammond to dilute the impact of the business rate rises in his March Budget. What is the rates row about? Business rates are in effect the commercial version of council tax, and are paid on the rental value of the space that businesses occupy. The amount depends of the size of the property and what it's used for. The last time properties were valued, in 2010, almost half of businesses appealed against how much they were due to pay. The government wants to cut down on the number of these appeals. The trade groups say the government wants the right to dismiss appeals against incorrect valuations that are deemed to be within the bounds of "reasonable professional judgement", or margin of error. This allowable margin of error has not been disclosed, but experts say it could be as much as 15%. Rates in Scotland are also being reassessed. The Scottish Assessors' Association, which sets the rateable value, has been carrying out a revaluation of properties, the first since 2010. It is supposed to do this every five years but the 2015 revaluation was delayed by the Scottish government. Both will come into effect on April 1. Neil Whitham runs a fish and chip shop in St Ives and will be paying about £4,000 more per year under the new system. He says: "We will be passing on some of the costs to our customers unfortunately. Life is never easy if you wish to be successful but I don't believe [the rates system] is fair. "I believe the losers are supplementing the winners - those who have had rate reductions. "I would look to have a fairer system. Our rent has increased 25% over five years - we can stomach that - but in the same period rates up 62% just seems totally unfair...with other business taken out of the system altogether. "[If your property is worth] up to £12,000 in rateable value - you pay no rates. From £12,000 to £15,000 there's a taper system, and as soon as you hit £15,000 you're on a full 100% rates. "They're creating a tiered system on the High Street. "You and a neighbour may have similar shops, with maybe 25% difference in square footage and one is paying full rates, £15,000 or more. so that equates to about £7,500 per year, the slightly smaller shop is paying nothing at all." John Webber, head of ratings at property company Colliers International, said the problem was that the "margin for error" allowed by the government was simply too wide. He told the BBC: "Every rateable value is an opinion, so there will be a boundary of judgement there. The problem you're going to have is if you have a property with a rateable value of £100,000 and you think it should be £90,000, then that 10% tolerance is arguably still within the bounds of reasonable professional judgement. "Therefore, the list will not be altered and as the rating list lasts for five years potentially you will be paying, over a five year period, at least 10% more than you should do," Mr Webber adds. Helen Dickinson, director-general of the British Retail Consortium, told the BBC that the tax was "no longer fit for purpose in the 21st Century". She says that although technically, under new government rules, business owners will be able to appeal against a higher valuation, a clause states that even if rates are found to be unfair they can still stand if they lie within the bounds of "reasonable professional judgement". This somewhat vague wording is, she says, "what everyone is upset about". Jerry Schurder, head of business rates at property consultancy Gerald Eve and a supporter of the protest, said: "The government's outrageous proposals... would force hard-pressed businesses to cough up an extra £1.9bn to pay for the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) mistakes. "The way that trade bodies from a wide spectrum of industries have been motivated to unite against this clause shows the strength of feeling against what is a punitive and deeply unfair proposal," Mr Schurder said. But the government issued a strong rejection of the claims. A spokesman said: "These claims are simply false. We are not preventing anyone from appealing their bills, or setting any margin of error for appeals being heard. "We're reforming the appeals process to make it easier for businesses to check, challenge and appeal their bills, while at the same time generous business rate reliefs mean thousands more businesses are seeing a reduction." He added that, once the changes come in to effect, 600,000 businesses will pay not rates at all.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-41224245	Petra Diamonds shares drop as Tanzania continues sector crackdown Petra Diamonds shares have fallen 7% after it said a parcel of its diamonds mined in Tanzania had been blocked from export by the country's government. Several of its employees are being questioned by the country's authorities, although Petra says it has not formally been told the reasons why. Petra has also suspended operations at one of its mines in Tanzania. The country's government has passed new laws raising mining taxes and forcing companies to renegotiate contracts. Petra's operations in the country are 25%-owned by Tanzania's government. The diamonds were on their way to Antwerp in Belgium, one of the most important cities in the global diamond trade. Tanzania says the value of the shipment, from the Williamson mine, was $29.5m (£22.4m), and that Petra had under-declared its value. The government said at the weekend it planned to nationalise the diamonds. Petra says it is not responsible for the provisional valuation of diamond parcels from Williamson before they are exported. It says this is carried out by the government's diamonds and gemstones valuation agency. The company has suspended operations at the mine, for "health and safety and security reasons". Petra said it conducted all operations related to the Williamson mine in a "transparent manner". In a statement, the company said: "Petra confirms that a parcel of diamonds (71,654.45 carats) from the Williamson mine in Tanzania has been blocked from export to Petra's marketing office in Antwerp and certain key personnel from Williamson are currently being questioned by the authorities. "However the grounds upon which these actions have been taken have not been formally made known to the Company as yet." It added it would provide an update "in due course". Last week, the Tanzanian President, John Magufuli, ordered a review of a Petra contract. Gold miner Acacia has also fallen foul of the Tanzanian authorities. Earlier in the summer, it was hit with a tax bill for $190bn after government-appointed committees said it was operating illegally and had understated its gold exports. Last week, Acacia said it was scaling back operations in Tanzania. Mining accounts for about 4% of the south-east African country's economy.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-44329426	Drivers ignoring lights at Aviemore level crossing Drivers have been ignoring warning signals at a level crossing on a railway used by steam trains. Police Scotland said there had been eight incidents at the crossing on Dalfaber Drive in Aviemore since March this year. The stretch of track involved is used by the Strathspey Steam Railway. Sgt Craig Johnstone, of Aviemore community policing team, said there had been a "marked increase" in drivers failing to stop at the lights. He said: "We are taking robust action against the drivers who are responsible for these extremely dangerous actions. "Not only are these drivers putting their own lives at risk but also the safety of the passengers on board the train."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-13726851	Cleaner removes 'face of Jesus' from Wiltshire church An "image of Jesus" seen in dripped wax by worshippers at a church in Wiltshire has been removed by a cleaner. The face was first spotted by a church warden at the parish church of Ogbourne St George at Easter. The image, described as a a man with a long beard, was formed by candle wax dripping from the church's pulpit. Created over a four-month period, the wax image was apparently removed by a diligent cleaner last week, although nobody has owned up. Nicky Irwin was the church warden who first spotted it. "I was sitting in church just before Easter a little bit bored by a sermon when I saw it," she said. "I thought, 'Oh my goodness that looks so much like a face' and I thought 'that could be Jesus'." The image could only be seen from a certain angle. "You had to be in the right seat," said Mrs Irwin. "From the side it just looked like dripped wax. It was only when you looked at it face-on that you could see it." Although many within the small congregation saw a face some were unwilling to "sign up to more than that", she said. Despite going through the church's cleaning rotas, no-one has admitted to scraping away the wax image. "I felt really disappointed actually and I wished I'd done more about preserving it," admitted Mrs Irwin. "The Church of England is not very good at this sort of thing and if I'd done something sooner it could have been a bit of a money spinner."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16346952	Spain royal family reveals finances Spain's royal family have published their finances for the first time. King Juan Carlos is paid 292,752 euros (£243,560) annually by the state, the royal accounts reveal. The king pays 40% tax on his income. He gets 140,519 euros as salary and the rest is for expenses. Crown Prince Felipe gets 146,376 euros. Queen Sofia and the three princesses get 375,000 euros between them. The total budget for the royal family was 8.4m euros in 2011. The Spanish royal household has a staff of about 500, and just over 4m euros out of the 8.4m total was spent on them. The Spanish news website ABC said the family did not disclose how much was spent on clothes, hair styling or other personal items. The release of royal budget figures on Wednesday was in the spirit of transparency and modern times, the palace said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6299055.stm	A solicitor has been ordered to do 180 hours community service after asking a prostitute to arrange sex for him with a mother and an underage girl. Ian Donnelly admitted possessing indecent images of girls Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how Ian Donnelly had sneaked away from his office for the encounter, but the vice girl called police and he was arrested. Officers later found child pornography on Donnelly's home computer. Donnelly, 43, who had admitted a number of charges, was also put on the sex offenders' register for three years. The personal injury solicitor, who worked for Lloyd Green in the city's Cadogan Square, was also placed on probation for three years and ordered to take part in counselling. The court heard how the incident came just weeks after Donnelly, who is married, sent a letter to an ex-lover asking for a bag of her underwear. Donnelly, from Stonelaw Road, Rutherglen, initially appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court last summer where he admitted two breach of the peace charges and possessing indecent images. However, sentencing was repeatedly delayed due to unavailability of reports. As Sheriff Alistair Noble decided not to jail him, the civil lawyer will not be automatically struck off. The court heard that Donnelly had initially met the prostitute in Glasgow city centre on 1 November, 2005, after spending the day in hospital caring for his sick father. He made "a request" that alarmed her enough to later call police. However, the woman still arranged to meet him again the next day. She contacted police once more to tell them Donnelly was on his way to her flat. Fiona Holligan, prosecuting, said that when he arrived he immediately asked if she was "able to get a threesome". "The woman claimed arrangements were in hand," Ms Holligan said. "Donnelly said he hoped it would be a young mum in her 20s and that the child had to be under 11." Police later found Donnelly's DNA in the flat. He was detained at work, but initially denied the allegations. After searching his home, officers discovered 320 indecent images of girls aged between seven and 15 on his computer. They also found several X-rated stories involving youngsters. Ian Duguid QC, defending, said Donnelly had been "living a fantasy" and could not fully explain why he acted in such a way. "He appreciates his wrongdoing and realises the impact it had on his victims," Mr Duguid said. Mr Duguid said Donnelly had lost his job, but he did not know how the Law Society of Scotland would respond. Donnelly would have been automatically struck off had he been jailed for two years or more.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8039921.stm	The restriction is frustrating for Sikh officers, says Kashmira Singh Mann. Sikh police want bulletproof turbans to be developed so they can serve as firearms officers and deal with public order, a newly-formed body says. The British Sikh Police Association says Sikh officers cannot currently do such jobs, as their religion prohibits removing turbans to wear helmets. But the organisation's chairman says he now intends to push for more research on suitable ballistic turban material. The Home Office said each force needed to ensure religions were accommodated. The British Sikh Police Association, set up last month to give Sikh officers across the UK an "officially recognised voice", said it wanted its members to play a full role in the police. Sgt Kashmira Singh Mann, chairman of the association, told the BBC News website bulletproof turbans would allow such officers to abide by religious traditions as well as participate in all areas of the police service. "We are looking at the issue because it stops Sikh officers serving in all roles," said the Thames Valley Police officer who is based in Slough, Berkshire. "It is a frustration for them - we see our colleagues putting their lives on the line and we want to serve alongside them." He said research had already begun to find a ballistic material for turbans, but that it would need to be passed by the Home Office before it could be used. "We have put some feelers out and talks are on the agenda," he added. The new association aims to support Sikh members of the service - said to number some 2,000 - and help forces to develop strategies to recruit, retain and progress Sikh officers and staff. The Metropolitan Police Service and West Midlands Police have the largest number of Sikh staff. West Midlands Police last year denied spending £100,000 on trying to adapt safety helmets to fit over turbans. However, it said it had been working to solve the headgear issue, which it described as "problematic". On the issue of bulletproof turbans, a Home Office spokeswoman said the government wanted a police service that "reflected the diverse communities it served". "The more closely the police service reflects the people it serves, the more effectively it can protect and support that community," she said. "It is down to individual forces to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the religion of individual officers," she added.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12604858	Hollywood star Jane Russell dies at 89 Former Hollywood actress and sex symbol Jane Russell has died at the age of 89. The brunette was discovered by eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, who cast her in his 1943 Western The Outlaw. Some of her most memorable films include the The Paleface (1948) with Bob Hope, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) with Marilyn Monroe. She died on Monday at her home in California of a respiratory-related illness, her daughter-in-law confirmed. End Quote Lou Slocum, Vista, US She said the most common question asked of her was who was the best kisser in Hollywood - her response? 'Bob Hope - those blubbery lips - oh my God!'” "She always said I'm going to die in the saddle, I'm not going to sit at home and become an old woman. And that's exactly what she did, she died in the saddle," Etta Waterfield said, recounting that Russell had remained active in her local community until illness intervened in recent weeks. Russell was a pin-up girl in the 1940s and 1950s, but her film career had faded by the 1960s. "Why did I quit movies? Because I was getting too old! You couldn't go on acting in those years if you were an actress over 30," she said in an interview in 1999. In 1971, she featured in the Broadway musical Company. Later, she appeared in TV commercials promoting brassieres, including the 18-hour bra for Playtex. Russell married three times and adopted three children. After experiencing problems during the adoption process, she founded the World Adoption International Agency, which has helped organise the adoptions in the US of tens of thousands of children from overseas.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-19380647	Tourist sexually assaulted by bag snatcher in Sheffield A Japanese tourist, 18, was subjected to a serious sexual assault after her attacker snatched her handbag. The victim was assaulted in a wooded area after chasing him from Hammond Street in Netherthorpe, Sheffield, where he had taken her handbag. South Yorkshire Police said the man, described as black and aged in his 20s, carried out the attack at about 19:30 BST on Friday. The victim was left "extremely traumatised", said a police spokesman. Her attacker was of medium build, about 6ft (1.8m) tall, and with short, dark hair. He was wearing a royal blue hooded jacket and dark trousers or jeans. Anyone with information about the assault is being asked to contact police.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7542404.stm	A baby dying from kidney failure was saved when her doctor designed and built her a dialysis machine from scratch in his garage. Millie Kelly was too small for conventional NHS machines, so Dr Malcolm Coulthard and a colleague constructed a scaled-down version. Two years later, her mother Rebecca says she is "fit as a fiddle". She, and Dr Coulthard, from Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, now want the machine to be available to others. I just can't thank him enough for saving my baby's life The job of the kidneys is to 'clean' the blood, and if they fail, a dialysis machine can do this job instead. Millie was born with a condition called gastroschisis, in which her bowels developed outside her body. During an operation to correct the problem, her kidneys started to fail, and her birthweight, at just over 6lb, meant existing NHS dialysis machines, even those designed for children, were too large to be used. Rebecca was warned that Millie was unlikely to survive. However, Dr Coulthard, together with senior children's kidney nurse Jean Crosier, devised a smaller version, then built it away from the hospital. Millie was connected to the machine over a seven day period, allowing her own kidneys to recover. Rebecca, from Middlesbrough, said: "It was a green metal box with a few paint marks on it with quite a few wires coming out of it into my daughter - it didn't look like a normal NHS one. Dr Coulthard designed the machine "But it was the only hope for her - even when she got hooked up to the dialysis machine, they said that every hour was a bonus. "She's fine now, a normal two-year-old - I just can't thank him enough for saving my baby's life." She said that there was an opportunity for other babies to benefit from similar machines. The machine is still in use, helping babies in similar circumstances to Millie, but Dr Coulthard told the Newcastle Journal newspaper that an official version was needed. "This machine is only being used on the tiniest, earliest babies where there is nothing else that can be done. "But if we had a machine that we could use much more freely, then we would be able to deal with many more babies and have a much greater chance of saving lives." This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/dorset/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8941000/8941050.stm	By Zoe Kleinman Reporter, BBC Dorset The film's narrator is veteran actor Michael Medwin OBE Dorset-born Jack the Ripper suspect Montague John Druitt has been brought back to life in a new drama by local film makers. Mr Druitt was living in London in 1888 at the time of the murders and had been working as a teacher. His mother was declared insane and placed in an asylum just before the Ripper began his killing spree. Mr Druitt killed himself shortly after the death of Jack the Ripper's final victim Mary Kelly. He was later named by Sir Melville Macnaghten, Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Constable at the time, as one of just three suspects. Historians and enthusiasts have been divided ever since over whether Mr Druitt really was the infamous serial killer. As the accusation was made after his death, Mr Druitt himself was never aware that he was under suspicion. "He's a favourite suspect for many," said Jack the Ripper expert Donald Rumbelow. "We know he was a teacher and a lawyer and according to Macnaghten his own family believed him to be the Ripper. But there's no evidence - he's only a suspect because of what Macnaghten said." Members of the Wimborne Video Club spent three years making the independent movie "Montague Jack", filmed entirely in Wimborne and Poole and shot using HD cameras. Mr Druitt's grave in Wimborne cemetery also features in the film. The drama concentrates on Mr Druitt's lifelong friendship with his cousin Emily, who eventually went to the police about him. Director and script writer Ray Joyce told the BBC that he first heard about Mr Druitt by chance in 2007 after watching a local pageant in which he featured. Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of London from July to November 1888. "I've lived here my whole life and I had never heard the story," he said. "Like everybody, when someone says Jack the Ripper your ears prick up." Despite his extensive research Mr Joyce is still undecided about whether Montague Druitt actually was the killer. "The more I looked, the more I found it could well have been him but also that he couldn't possibly have done it," he said. Donald Rumbelow has written two books about Jack the Ripper and says the truth may be revealed one day. "There's more and more evidence coming out... but we would need a mammoth shift in new research material to actually get us somewhere," he said. "But if (Montague Druitt) came back he could win a fortune in libel - there's no evidence that it was him." The film "Montague Jack" will be shown at Corfe Mullen village hall on Friday 22 October. The Wimborne Video Club also hope to release it on DVD.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-23306253	Ken Clarke: Leaving European Union would be error - 15 July 2013 - From the section UK Politics Leaving the European Union would be a "historical error", a manifesto backed by Conservative cabinet minister Ken Clarke warns. The document, also supported by Labour's Lord Mandelson and Lib Dem Danny Alexander, urges the UK to use its "clout" to improve the EU. It states that the organisation has to become "leaner and meaner". David Cameron has promised an in-out EU referendum by the end of 2017 if the Tories win the next general election. The prime minister says this would follow a thorough renegotiation of the UK's relationship with Brussels. Opponents of remaining in the 28-member EU say the institution has undermined sovereignty and is evolving so as to minimise UK influence over it. Mr Clarke, the minister without portfolio, is the Conservative Party's most prominent Europhile. Mr Clarke, along with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander and former Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, have launched a manifesto called Better off in a Better Europe - backed by the British Influence group of which they are all members. It warns against threatening "unilateral repatriation of powers", but argues that the EU must be "rebooted for the 21st Century". The document says further treaty change within the EU is "inevitable", and that control should be returned to member states in some areas. Mr Clarke said: "David Cameron has already shown what can be achieved in Europe through strong, determined leadership. "This document brings out the huge further rewards the British can reap by remaining doggedly engaged in Europe, and determined to help set the agenda. "We earn our living in a globalised economy and a world in which nations are interdependent in tackling global and regional problems. "We can help to promote our own interests best by reinforcing our role as a leading nation in the EU." Mr Alexander said the EU was "one of the central pillars of British prosperity and security", underpinning more than three million UK jobs.. And Lord Mandelson said: "If Britain quit the EU, amongst the losers would be businesses foregoing trade and investment opportunities, their employees whose jobs and workplace rights would be at risk, the police and security agencies who would sacrifice vital collaboration and the British people who would lose the freedom to travel, live and work as they wish across Europe. "In return we would get the dubious satisfaction of standing alone in the world." Mr Clarke was one of only five Conservative MPs who did not vote earlier this month in favour of Tory James Wharton's private member's bill calling for an EU referendum.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/6971741.stm	Jeremy Wariner produced a peerless run to claim a second straight 400m title at the World Championships in Japan. Wariner has not lost a championship race since 2004 The American clocked a personal best of 43.45 seconds to lead home team-mates LaShawn Merritt and Angelo Taylor. There were also glorious victories for Allyson Felix, as she won the 200m title, and China's Liu Xiang, who won his first world 110m hurdles title. Britain's male 4x100m relay squad reached Saturday's final but Michael Rimmer failed to make the 800m final. The British quartet of Christian Malcolm, Craig Pickering, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis were second fastest in their heat in 38.33, behind Brazil - but that time was only good enough for them to qualify fifth fastest overall. Jamaica, led home by Asafa Powell, set a world-leading time of 38.02, while the Americans, even without double sprint champion Tyson Gay, looked dangerous as they set a season's best mark of 38.10. Devonish said: "It was very comfortable, we didn't do anything stupid and now we can just try and take care of business in the final." But Malcolm added: "We are pretty confident, but it's not going to be easy." Jeremy Wariner went into the 400m as an almost unstoppable force but he was toe-to-toe with Merritt off the final bend, before pulling away to run the last 100m clear. The 23-year-old Texan edged closer to his mentor Michael Johnson's world record of 43.18 but could not quite find the final kick in Japan, though he did become the only other athlete apart from Johnson to win back-to-back world crowns. "Next year it is to defend my Olympic title," Wariner said, "The world record, it will come when it should come." American Allyson Felix made the defence of her 200m title look incredibly easy as she pulled clear of the field to win gold by over half a second in 21.81. Felix, the youngest athlete to claim a sprint world title as a 19-year-old in Helsinki two years ago, matched Jamaican Marlene Ottey in winning back-to-back world championship 200m golds. Xiang is now China's first male world champion on the track Jamaica's Veronica Campbell, who had been chasing the sprint double in Osaka, took silver while Sri Lanka's 31-year-old Susanthika Jayasinghe finished strongly to snatch bronze. "I've been waiting for so long to run under 22 seconds. It has not been an easy road, but finally I managed it," said Felix. Liu Xiang set himself up nicely for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he will undoubtedly be the pin-up of the Games, by winning his first world title with a dominant hurdling display. The 24-year-old Olympic champion surged clear of American duo Terrence Trammell and David Payne with three barriers to go to win in 12.95. Payne's bronze came even though he only arrived in Osaka on Tuesday as a late replacement in the US team. Defending decathlon champion Bryan Clay pulled out of the championships after sustaining an injury in his third event. The American, who had been in second place after strong performances in the 100m and long jump, pulled his right quadricep muscle during the high jump, his manager Paul Doyle confirmed. As soon as I hit the front I was running scared and these guys can smell that on you Jamaican Maurice Smith leads at the half-way stage with 4525 points, ahead of Dmitry Karpov of Kazakhstan (4439) and Czech Olympic champion Roman Sebrle (4434). Britons Abby Westley and Lisa Dobriskey failed to make it through to the women's 1500m final. Dobriskey finished 10th in her heat after being forced to run the last 600m without her shoe, which had came off during a tangle on the second lap. Michael Rimmer's gamble failed to pay off as the 800m runner missed out on a place in Sunday's final. The Liverpool athlete found himself out on his own, and held at 10m lead at the bell, but the 21-year-old was reeled in by the pack as he faded down the home straight. "I wanted to go out super quick and it turned out that I was in the lead," said Rimmer. "As soon as I hit the front I was running scared and these guys can smell that on you. "I had half an eye behind me and you can't do that. I should have concentrated on my own race and I've learned a lot." Mark Lewis-Francis (right) anchors Britain into the final Barbara Spotakova of the Czech Republic won the women's javelin title after launching 67.07m with Christina Obergfoll of Germany claiming her second consecutive world silver. Cuba's Yargelis Savigne claimed the women's triple jump title with 15.28 metres on her first attempt, depriving Russian Tatyana Lebedeva of an unprecedented long jump and triple jump double. Olga Kaniskina led home a Russian one-two in the women's 20k walk. Compatriot Tatyana Shemyakina won silver ahead of Spain's Maria Vasco. Britain's Johanna Jackson finished 25th overall, nine-and-a-half minutes behind the winner.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10473517	Lapdancing appeal by Oxford church fails - 1 July 2010 - From the section Oxford A church has lost its appeal to stop lapdancing at a club in Oxford. The Lodge Gentlemans Club, in Pennyfarthing Place, was given a licence to allow lapdancing last December, and opened two months later. Reverend Vaughan Roberts of St Ebbe's Church launched an appeal against the ruling because of concerns over public safety. A judge at Oxford Magistrates' Court threw out the appeal, saying there was no evidence of a safety risk. The church said 800 people had signed a petition ahead of the hearing on Wednesday. Mr Roberts said the granting of the licence was "inappropriate" because of its proximity to the church, and that such clubs made women feel vulnerable. He added: "We are obviously disappointed about the decision because it doesn't fit with the council's intention to regenerate this area of the city and doesn't take into account that women should be able to feel as safe as possible when they are out at night. "It also doesn't seem to fit with the views of many Oxford residents and visitors who were so keen to express their support for the appeal when they became aware that the club was opening." One of the owners, Alistair Thompson, said they tried to avoid conflict with neighbours. He said: "We don't advertise what the building is, and what is going on inside. "Unless someone had read about it in the newspaper, most people from the church would not know what was going on inside that building."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20697971	NHS facing 'tough savings challenge' - 13 December 2012 - From the section Health The NHS in England has been warned it must raise its game if it is to hit the ambitious savings targets it has been set and maintain services to patients. The health service has been asked to find efficiencies of up to £20bn by 2015 to cope with rising demands. The National Audit Office found it had made a good start, achieving virtually all its forecast £5.9bn in 2011-12. But the report warned the push would get harder, as the easiest savings had been made first. Over half of last year's saving came from nationally imposed policies, such as a pay freeze for staff, rather than through trusts becoming more productive. And the watchdog said there was limited evidence being put forward that all the savings, which equate to about a 4% of the budget each year, being reported had actually been made. The report also noted that while performance in terms of waiting times and infection rates was being maintained, there were signs patients were being affected by the cuts, despite ministers promising front-line care would not be compromised. As part of the study, the NAO surveyed primary care trust clusters which manage local services. Over half of them reported tighter restrictions were being placed on who could access services. This included steps such as restricting treatment given to smokers and overweight patients or making patients wait longer for operations, such as cataract surgery. The report also highlighted the fact that while overall the health service had finished the year in surplus, a total of 31 trusts still posted a deficit, suggesting there were pockets of the NHS that were finding it very difficult to stay sustainable. The NAO said the NHS - with the help of the government - needed to think much more about service transformation, such as moving care out of hospitals and into the community where it was much more efficient to run. NAO head Amyas Morse said the NHS had made a "good start". But he added: "To build on these savings and keep pace with the growing demand for healthcare, it will need to change the way health services are provided and to do so more quickly." Prof John Appleby, chief economist at the King's Fund think tank, said: "Efficiencies will become harder to deliver, as one-off savings such as cuts in management costs start to slow. "Major reconfigurations of services are needed to improve the quality of care and increase financial sustainability, yet the decision-making process remains complex and is often undermined by resistance to change." Health Minister Lord Howe said: "The NHS is doing well to meet its efficiency savings. "However, if it is to meet the needs of an ageing population, it needs to seriously look at how it can improve how care is being provided, particularly to older patients and those with long-term conditions." But shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said the government's health reforms were undermining the savings drive. "Difficult decisions are needed, but the trouble is we still have a situation where the NHS is drifting and no-one is in charge to make them. "Old organisations are on the way out and new ones are yet to start - all the time the NHS is losing precious time in the battle to get ahead of the efficiency challenge."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7020420.stm	Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has claimed victory in elections for a new constituent assembly. Mr Correa said the vote would be complex but democratic Official results from the vote are yet to come, but exit polls show Mr Correa's party heading for a strong majority in the new assembly. The president hopes the 130-member body will dissolve the national Congress, which he says is corrupt and inept, and increase the power of poor people. But critics say the reforms will focus more power in the president's hands. Mr Correa's political opponents accuse him of wanting to turn the South American country into a socialist state. The 44-year-old president's Alianza Pais party hopes to win more than two-thirds of the vote necessary to implement the changes he has promised. Mr Correa, a former economy minister who took office in January, said he had won a strong mandate. "We accept this triumph with great humility and total responsibility," he said. "We know we cannot fail." The impoverished Andean nation has thrown out three previous presidents in the last 10 years, and successive governments have been roundly criticised. Opposition candidate Gilmar Gutierrez, brother of the ousted President Lucio Gutierrez, said his party would wait for the official results. But the BBC's South America correspondent Daniel Schweimler says more than 3,200 candidates and a complex voting system has left many voters undecided or simply confused. Among the candidates are several former beauty queens, a long-haired monk who walks the streets urging voters to take from the rich and a masked crime fighter known as The Punisher who says his face is covered because he is allergic to corruption. There are evangelical Christians and Marxists, offering an array of measures, including a return of the death penalty and nationalising the country's oil industry.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-23312611	Greenpeace protests inside French nuclear plant - 15 July 2013 - From the section Europe French police have arrested at least 29 Greenpeace environmental activists who broke into a nuclear plant. Greenpeace said the activists reached the walls of the reactors in the Tricastin plant in southern France. However the interior ministry said the protesters, in several groups, did not reach the most secure areas. The activists projected huge anti-nuclear slogans onto the outside walls. Most of France's electricity comes from nuclear power. Tricastin is in the town of Pierrelatte, some 200km (120 miles) north of Marseille. One slogan projected onto the walls read: "Tricastin: nuclear accident". Another, next to a picture of President Francois Hollande, said: "President of a disaster?" Police said French activists were accompanied by Italians, Romanians and Spaniards. Some chained themselves to parts of the building, making the police operation to detain them difficult. Jean-Vincent Place, a prominent Green politician and French senator, told Europe 1 radio the Greenpeace action "shows that getting inside one of these extremely dangerous plants is a bit like passing through a sieve". "With this action, Greenpeace is asking Francois Hollande to close the Tricastin plant, which is among the five most dangerous in France," Yannick Rousselet of Greenpeace said in a statement. "If being physically able to touch the reactors is not being in a sensitive place, I don't know what is. "People with bad intentions could have posed a threat to the reactor's safety." France's nuclear security authority said it began an emergency meeting at 07:15 (05:15 GMT) on Monday. It said the infiltration had not posed any risk to the plant's safety. But French interior ministry officials, quoted by the TF1 news website, said there would be a review of security at French nuclear plants.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-26059689	Cameron and Villiers 'fudged Haass response' - Adams - 5 February 2014 - From the section Northern Ireland Gerry Adams has accused David Cameron and Theresa Villiers of "fudging" their response to former US diplomat Richard Haass' proposals on parades, flags and the past. The Sinn Féin president told the Irish parliament the dispute over the union flag in Belfast and violence linked to parades had "placed a significant strain" on the political institutions. Mr Adams accused unionists of "failing their constituents and ignoring the desire of the vast majority of citizens who want to see agreement". Negotiations chaired by Dr Haass and Prof Meghan O'Sullivan broke up on 31 December without reaching consensus on their final blueprint, but Northern Ireland's five executive parties are continuing to hold talks about the issues. Irish deputy prime minister Eamon Gilmore said agreement on parades, flags and the past would "inspire a new sense of security and confidence across communities in Northern Ireland". Mr Gilmore, who is minister for foreign affairs, said his government would provide full support as the Stormont parties complete their work on these issues. He reiterated Dublin's backing for a revival of the Civic Forum, a new Bill of Rights and an Irish language Act. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the majority of people believed the Northern Ireland Assembly was achieving little, and said successive surveys suggested a "growing detachment and disillusionment". "The refusal of the two governments to participate directly in the process, and their refusal to play any role in challenging the dysfunction of the executive, gave the Haass process little hope of reaching a comprehensive conclusion," he said. Mr Martin said he welcomed that the Stormont parties were still holding talks, but argued that "the time has long since come where the governments should assert their legitimate roles in the process and seek a significantly increased involvement".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/h/heart_of_midlothian/6388289.stm	The Scottish Football Association has joined the Scottish Premier League in looking into Vladimir Romanov's latest veiled attack on referees. Romanov's quotes are currently being investigated by the SPL Comments by Hearts' owner will be considered by the SFA's general purposes committee on Tuesday. Romanov insisted that he was misquoted and had not alleged corruption. "To discuss whether referees take money or not is the same as discussing a woman who gives herself with no love," he said in his latest statement. "Isn't it better to concentrate on the standard of their work instead of looking for reasons for their poor performance? "A woman cheats herself and nature if she gives herself without love. "If a referee officiates a game based on his personal love, he commits a cynical crime, especially when the public has trusted him. Now it has become obvious to me why you, the Monkeys, were trying to ruin Hearts "I respect those referees who take money from two stupid teams and then honestly officiates a game. They do not harm football in any way. "Though it is bad, still everybody is equal for them." The SPL has simply "noted" the latest comments but will decide its next move once given a response to its request for clarification of previous comments printed in Russia. Comments in a Russian magazine attributed to Romanov had made allegations about buying-off referees that led Celtic and Rangers to consider legal action. It also led the SPL to launch an investigation into whether Romanov had broken league rules. "Today, I will express my opinion in English about refereeing in order that your Mowgli will not make you tell lies," Romanov said in his latest statement released on Hearts' website on Thursday. And he further hit out at the media, saying: "Now it has become obvious to me why you, the Monkeys, were trying to ruin Hearts - not only in the Championship but in European competitions as well. "I think it was not without your help that the 'frozen' referee from Russia was selected to officiate our match and that in the games against the Greek side we got three red cards." An SPL spokesman said: "In relation to last Thursday's comments, the SPL have requested further information from Hearts and, with regards to that statement, we'll decide whether there has been a breach of SPL rules. "We have noted the latest quotes on the Hearts website. "We'll wait to hear back from Hearts and the SPL board will take it from there."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3678725.stm	A new internet virus spreading rapidly around the world may already have infected millions of computers. Installing a Microsoft security patch prevents infection Sasser, unlike a virus which travels through e-mails and attachments, spreads directly from the internet. It attacks recent versions of Microsoft's Windows causing the computer to shut down. The worm exploits a security flaw, but this can be prevented with a Microsoft patch. It typically shuts down the computer then automatically re-boots it and repeats this process several times, but is not thought to cause lasting damage. Alfred Huger, senior director of engineering at Symantec, based in California, said the worm "breaks into your computer and then attempts to break into others". Affects Windows 2000 Windows Server 2003 Microsoft patch prevents infection "It chooses its victims randomly," he added. Mr Huger said someone had started the virus deliberately. "Of that much we're sure." Mikko Hyppoenen, an anti-virus expert at Finnish internet security company F-Secure, said: "It was probably some hobbyist, a teenager who has the skills and wants to show off. "We don't know how big this is going to be - but we expect things to get much worse when people bring their laptops in to the office after the weekend," he added. Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Oxfordshire-base software security company Sophos, said home users were especially vulnerable. "They are often not running the latest anti-virus protection, haven't downloaded the latest security patches from Microsoft, and may not be running a personal firewall," he added.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3006175.stm	Rosie Kane makes her protest The Scottish Socialists started the new parliamentary session with protests during the swearing in of Scotland's newly-elected MSPs at Holyrood. All 129 members of the parliament were required to give an oath of allegiance to the Queen before being able to start work. Scottish Socialist party leader Tommy Sheridan made a short statement before taking the oath. He said: "I and my party colleagues were elected on a clear and honest commitment to an independent Socialist Scotland, a Socialist republic, a Scotland of citizens not a Scotland of subjects. "We will continue to fight for such a Scotland." I (Member's Name), do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Her Heirs and Successors, according to Law. So help me God. Colin Fox, one of Mr Sheridan's five party colleagues in the parliament, sang Robert Burns' egalitarian "A Man's A Man for A' That" as his protest before being moved to the end of the queue by Presiding Officer Sir David Steel. He sang for nearly a minute while Sir David told him: "I'm sorry, there's no singing in parliament. Order... "I'm sorry, if you are not prepared to take the oath, you have to wait until the end of the queue." Despite his microphone being turned off, Mr Fox persisted with the song then returned to his seat after Sir David had called the next MSP for the second time. Fellow socialist MSP Rosie Kane, who said last week her party would bring "craziness" to the parliament, had written "My oath is to the people" on the palm of her hand, which she held up as she took the affirmation. Robin Harper: "People are sovereign" Robin Harper gave the formal affirmation but also declared: "On behalf of the Scottish Green Party I wish to affirm that our priority will be to serve the people of Scotland who are sovereign in this land." John Swinney took the oath but said first: "On behalf of my colleagues can I confirm the prime loyalty of the Scottish National Party is to the people of Scotland, in the constitutional tradition of the sovereignty of the people." The appointment of Sir David's successor was the first item of business after the swearing-in ceremony. Scottish National Party veteran George Reid was elected unopposed as the only name on the secret ballot for the post. I (Member's Name), do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Her Heirs and Successors, according to Law. He was one of Sir David's deputies in the last parliament. Even with only one nomination there had to be a vote as the appointment had to win the support of a majority of those voting, with at least 25% of MSPs taking part in the poll. Mr Reid took the chair after receiving 113 votes, with seven against and nine abstentions. The presiding officer has to give up voting rights and act as an non-partisan chair, business manager and international ambassador for Holyrood. Meanwhile, coalition talks between Labour and the Liberal Democrats are set to continue into the evening, with transport moving to the top of the agenda. Negotiators said "good progress" was made during the first day of talks on Tuesday.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-20639495	Dundee's velodrome re-opened following refurbishment - 7 December 2012 - From the section Tayside and Central Scotland Dundee's outdoor velodrome has been officially re-opened following a £320,000 refurbishment. The Caird Park facility, which was built in the 1950s, has seen its 400m track completely resurfaced. As well as upgrading of the track, the Dundee City Council has installed improved floodlights and fencing. The work was carried out after criticism of the poor state of the velodrome, which had fallen into disrepair. The new track has been officially unveiled by the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona Robison MSP. She said: "The new and improved Caird Park Velodrome will provide an excellent facility for all up and coming cyclists. "Track cycling was, without doubt, one of the highlights of this year's Olympics and I'm pleased to see this excellent resource in promoting physical activity and leave a lasting legacy that can be enjoyed for years to come." City Council Environment Convener Councillor Craig Melville said: "This work has transformed the velodrome and I am delighted that local cycling has received such a significant boost. "Cycling is a popular sport in Dundee, with enthusiastic participants encouraged by clubs and coaches. "We are also grateful to sportscotland for their funding assistance in this major project. I would also like to thank the Discovery Junior Cycling club for all their help." Councillor Melville added: "The city council is investing in sporting facilities across Dundee, so that people can take part in a range of activities and stay fit and healthy. "I am pleased that this facility will help to enhance Scotland's growing reputation for cycling excellence in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games." Sportscotland contributed a grant of over £121,000 to assist the council's investment in the facilities. Ian McGregor, sportscotland Partnership Manager for Dundee, said: "At a time when cycling has never been more popular, we are delighted to invest £121,111 in the development of Caird Park to ensure this venue with a long history has an equally long-term future. "At sportscotland we are committed to developing and supporting a world-class sporting system at all levels, and the redevelopment at Caird Park will not only pave the way for talented cyclists to hone their craft, but as a Community Sport Hub, will play an important role in providing opportunities for the local community to become involved in sport as part of a healthy, active lifestyle."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8650234.stm	First round leaderboard: -7 B van Pelt (US) -6 K Perry (US) -5 C Villegas (Col) Selected others:-2 Phil Mickelson (US) +1 Lee Westwood (Eng) +2 Tiger Woods (US) Woods was perplexed by his wayward form in Charlotte Tiger Woods endured a disappointing start to the Quail Hollow Championship with four bogeys and a double bogey in a two-over-par opening round of 74. The world number one trailed leader Bo van Pelt by nine strokes in Charlotte with a third American Kenny Perry one stroke adrift on six under. Colombia's Camilo Villegas ended two adrift, while Masters champion Phil Mickelson opened with a round of 70. Augusta runner-up Lee Westwood of England could only manage a 73. Scotland's Martin Laird, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, Irishman Padraig Harrington and England's Ross Fisher all carded level-par rounds of 72. After coming fourth in the Masters following a self-imposed 144-day absence from tournament golf, Woods took a further two-and-a-half week break before returning in North Carolina. He received a rousing welcome at Quail Hollow, starting on the 10th with a birdie, only to drop five shots in nine holes after struggling off the tee. A drive into the left rough on the 12th hole led to his first bogey, and he had to battle to save par from near a holly tree on the 15th. I hit a bunch of balls left, I hit a bunch of balls right... I'm not going to the range today. To hell with it On the par-three 17th, his first tee shot flew into the water, and although his second stuck to the green he could not make a 30-footer and came away with a double bogey. The problems continued on the par-four 18th when his drive ended up in a creek along the left side. He came up short of the green after taking a penalty stroke, then chipped to three feet for a bogey. After another dropped shot at the first, a birdie two at the second was the catalyst for a recovery which saw him haul himself back to one over, but a closing bogey left him with work to do to make the cut on Friday. Woods admitted afterwards that he was perplexed by his poor play. "It was a terrible day. I just didn't have it today," he said. "I was dropping balls out of hazards and finding balls in trees. I was struggling so bad, I didn't know which way I was going to go, whether I was going left or right. "I hit a bunch of balls left, I hit a bunch of balls right, hit a few down the middle, and that was about it." Evidently angered by his poor play, he opted against attempting to put right his errors. "I'm not going to the range today. To hell with it," he added. Woods insisted beforehand he would be able to withstand any abuse coming his way - a likelier proposition than at the tightly controlled Augusta National. But the response from the packed galleries who followed him on a cool morning was almost entirely positive. When he birdied his first hole, the crowd erupted and one fan yelled out "It's good to have you back, Tiger!" Woods nodded by way of acknowledgement, but his golf gave them scant opportunity to show their appreciation from then on. A winner of 14 majors, Woods stepped away from golf last November after a series of damaging revelations about his private life. Despite struggling with inconsistencies, he had an encouraging result at Augusta in the first major of the season. Woods's next confirmed engagement is the Players Championship, at Sawgrass in Florida, from 6 May. Mickelson withdrew from Wednesday's pro-am complaining of dehydration and was put on an intravenous drip but recovered in time to make it to the first tee. The last two times I've fainted and woken up in a pool of vomit, I've won After five birdies and a single bogey he was four under after 15 but dropped two shots at the final two holes. "I may have run out of a little bit of energy there towards the end, but I hit some good shots and was able to shoot a decent round," he said. He pointed out that the last time he was sick, in Miami last year, he won the WGC-CA Championship. "The last two times I've fainted and woken up in a pool of vomit, I've won," he said. Van Pelt, who claimed his first PGA Tour win at the Milwaukee Championship last year, had gone through 10 different putters this season before finally giving the one he won with last July another go. "I was temporarily insane for about eight weeks," said Van Pelt after his excellent 65. "I was changing putters all the time and trying new stuff and finally went back to an old putter I had used for about four-and-a-half years that I won with last year. "I guess I've got a lot of good feelings with that putter so it was just good to have it back in my hands." England's Greg Owen ended two over and countryman Brian Davis was four over.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4758217.stm	Two couples with a long family history of breast cancer hope to be the first to screen embryos to prevent their future children developing the disease. Unaffected embryo can be implanted into the mother's womb What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis? Preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, was first introduced in 1990 as an experimental procedure. It involves removing a cell from an embryo at the eight-cell stage of development, when it is around three-days old, and testing it for genetic disorders so that an unaffected embryo can be implanted into the mother's womb. What were the rules on PGD? PGD has traditionally been used to check for genes which will guarantee the resulting child will develop a condition - such as cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease. The HFEA has also allowed PGD can be used to check for an inherited form of bowel cancer called familial adenomatous polyposis and retinoblastoma - a very rare form of eye cancer. It also gave the go-ahead for the technique to be used so that embryos could be selected purely because they are a tissue match for a sick sibling. Last May, the watchdog ruled it acceptable for doctors to screen embryos for genes such as the breast cancer gene BRCA1, which raise the risk of disease by 60-80%. Having these genes does not mean someone will definitely develop the conditions - it only means a person will be susceptible to them. And, unlike the conditions for which PGD is now used, people would not be affected until they were in their 30s or 40s. The HFEA says any applications to do testing will be assessed on a "case by case" basis. What are the concerns about PGD? There are concerns that medicine is moving away from treating diseases and focusing on eliminating the carrier. Some argue that it might be possible to cure these genetic diseases in the future. The extension to screening for "susceptibility" genes has also caused concern from disability campaigners, who fear pre-natal selection.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4220451.stm	A study of the United States at war in the past 50 years has picked up one of the main awards at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in Utah, in the US. British director Sean McAllister (r) won a world documentary prize Why We Fight scooped the grand jury prize for documentaries at the world's leading independent film festival. British director Sean McAllister's The Liberace of Baghdad - about a pianist in war-torn Iraq - won a special prize in the world documentary category. Both Why We Fight and The Liberace of Baghdad were made for the BBC. Why We Fight is due to be screened on BBC Four in March. The Sundance festival was founded by actor Robert Redford in 1981. This year's festival - which ended on Sunday after a 11-day run - has been dominated by the themes of war and politics. In the new world cinema drama category, the Angolan film The Hero triumphed to win the grand jury prize. The film - an Angolan/French/Portuguese production - tells the story of a veteran of the country's civil war who returns home to face a new battle of survival. Twelve films competing in the new world cinema documentary category focused on countries and people under siege. Robert Redford founded the Festival over 20 years ago Finnish film The Three Rooms of Melancholia looks at the war in Chechnya and Shake Hands With The Devil: The Journey of Romeo Dallaire tells the story of a UN mission to Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. But it was Dutch documentary Shape of the Moon - a study of an extended family in Indonesia - which took the top prize. Meanwhile, French-Israeli production Wall, which looks at Israel's controversial security wall separating it from the Palestinian territories, picked up a world cinema special jury prize for documentaries. In the main drama category, Forty Shades of Blue was named winner of the grand jury prize. The film tells the tale of a forbidden tug-of-love between a father, his Russian immigrant girlfriend and his son. During its 24-year history, the Sundance Film Festival has showcased successes such as Reservoir Dogs, The Blair Witch Project and The Full Monty. Last year's festival provided a platform for hits such as Open Water, Napoleon Dynamite, Garden State and Super-Size Me. The festival is held in the mountain resort of Park City, east of Salt Lake City, which sees its population rise from 7,500 to 45,000 during the festival.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leeds/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8548000/8548133.stm	The finale to Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado Leeds Gilbert & Sullivan Society are bringing a touch of the orient to the city with the The Mikado. The society, which celebrated its centenary in 2009, will be performing one of the most popular of the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. Although set in Japan, The Mikado is actually a satire on British politics and institutions. The setting allowed plotwriter W.S. Gilbert more freedom by disguising the protagonists as Japanese. To anyone who has seen Mike Leigh's film, Topsy Turvy, the plot of The Mikado will be very familiar. Nanki-Poo, the son of the Mikado, disguised as a musician, loves Yum-Yum, and she loves him. However she's engaged to Ko-Ko, Titipu's Lord High Executioner, who actually hasn't executed anyone ever. The Mikado, who likes an execution, has noticed this and descends on Titipu, bringing with him battleaxe Katisha, who believes herself engaged to Nanki-Poo. Can Nanki-Poo live without Yum-Yum? Will Ko-Ko really have to execute someone? And what will Katisha do when she finds Nanki-Poo? The tangled web is charmingly resolved with Gilbert's witty lyrics and some of Sullivan's most sparkling music, including 'Three Little Maids', 'The Sun Whose Rays', 'The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring' and 'Tit Willow'. Leeds Gilbert & Sullivan Society has always been a real family affair, and this year is no exception. Playing Katisha, and revelling in the part of a real battleaxe, is Janet Johnston. Battling against her, in the part of Yum-Yum's best friend Pitti-Sing, is Janet's daughter, Rebecca Stirk and stage managing the whole production is son Matthew Stirk. Janet, from Thorner, says: "I'm really enjoying playing the old dragon Katisha, especially playing opposite Becky. And having Matt in the wings stage-managing the whole production makes me really proud of them both." The Mikado runs from Saturday 6 March until Saturday 13 March 2010 at The Carriageworks, Millennium Square.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2931246.stm	The virus believed to cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) may have come to Earth from outer space, according to scientists writing in a leading British medical journal. By Richard Black BBC science correspondent In a letter to The Lancet, the scientists, led by Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe of Britain's Cardiff University, say the Sars coronavirus is so unlike other viruses that an extra-terrestrial origin is logical. However, a number of Sars experts believe the theory itself seems to have come from another planet. The theory has been met with ridicule and disbelief by some The idea that Sars comes from the stars relates to a theory called panspermia. This says that life itself evolved somewhere out in the cosmos, and is carried from one planet to another on comets. Professor Wickramasinghe, who is a leading panspermia enthusiast, says the Sars coronavirus is so unusual that it could not have arisen on Earth. "The particular genetic sequences of this Sars virus appears to be dramatically different from all the other known coronaviruses; and that has suggested an independent evolution of that virus to be required." In other words, the virus evolved somewhere else, perhaps on another planet, before coming to Earth. Professor Wickramasinghe admits there is no hard evidence for his theory; and researchers who have been working on Sars reacted with a mixture of disbelief and ridicule. There is nothing strange about the Sars coronavirus, they said; it certainly evolved from other known viruses. One leading expert said Professor Wickramasinghe's letter "must be a joke"; another said it was simply ridiculous. And a spokesman for the World Health Organization re-assured me that they had no plans to send Sars inspection teams into outer space just yet.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-21124640	Hostage Alan Wright describes his Algeria escape 21 January 2013 Last updated at 12:27 GMT At least 48 hostages are now thought to have died in a four-day siege at an Algerian gas plant, as reports say that 25 bodies found at the complex on Sunday were all those of captives. Britons who escaped are being reunited with their families. Alan Wright, who hid when the attack started, has described to BBC News how he broke free.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6468217.stm	Razorlight, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Smashing Pumpkins are to headline this summer's Reading and Leeds festivals. Razorlight recently topped the charts with their single America Rock bands Ash, The View, The Gossip and the Nine Inch Nails are among the other acts appearing at the twin events from 24-26 August. Veteran bands the Chili Peppers and Smashing Pumpkins are not due to appear at any other UK summer music festivals. In 2006, Razorlight claimed their first number one single and album. Also among the 150 acts at the festivals will be The Arcade Fire and Mercury Prize nominees Bloc Party and Maximo Park. All tickets for last year's three-day event sold out, with an estimated 80,000 music fans at each site. Brit Award winners the Arctic Monkeys played the main stage in 2006 after playing a smaller stage in 2005. The headline acts at last year's event were Pearl Jam and Muse, who went on to collect the Brit Award for best live act last month.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4085951.stm	After a series of defeats Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has regained mastery over his ruling Likud Party. Jewish settlers are opposed to a plan to pull out of Gaza On Thursday night its central committee voted by more than two to one to approve coalition talks with the main opposition Labour Party. This may signal at least a pause in the crises that have rocked Israel's government for the past six months. It will also help Mr Sharon implement his controversial disengagement plan to withdraw unilaterally Jewish soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank. The Likud vote reversed a party ban on bringing Labour into government, issued in August. The veto was part of a revolt against Mr Sharon's disengagement policy, within both the central committee and Likud's parliamentary faction. Many in the party oppose giving up any of the land Israel occupied in the 1967 Mid East war, especially if they get nothing in return. Knowing that Labour supports the Gaza withdrawal, they were not happy about inviting it to share power. They are still not happy, but the government is much weaker now. It controls only one third of parliament after losing three coalition partners in disputes over disengagement and the budget. With his government struggling to survive, Mr Sharon told Likud the choice was between Labour and early elections. Israel will pull out all its 8,000 settlers from 21 fortified enclaves in Gaza Israel will maintain control of Gaza's borders, coastline and airspace Four isolated West Bank settlements also to be evacuated Likud chose Labour, on condition that the prime minister also invites in two ultra orthodox parties to temper Labour's left wing influence. The prime minister has moved immediately to begin coalition talks. If they are concluded as rapidly as pundits predict, Israel could have a relatively stable government until after the Gaza withdrawal next summer. Labour is divided about whether to jump ship then or support the government until its mandate ends in November 2006. A national unity government in Israel will increase western and Arab hopes about the chances of reviving the peace process, already high after the death of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, whom Israel and the US labelled an "obstacle to peace". Certainly Labour also hopes that disengagement in Gaza can become a plank on which to build a process leading to a comprehensive peace deal. So far, however, Ariel Sharon maintains that his plan is a unilateral move which he would at most co-ordinate with a new Palestinian leadership. There are fears violence may be used to stop Ariel Sharon's plans Any return to substantive political negotiations, he says, depends on whether the Palestinian Authority is willing and able to disarm the militias and stop attacks against Israelis. As for his internal opponents (Likud rebels and their allies who want to maintain Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza), they will probably still continue to press for early elections as a way of delaying disengagement. They may also try to derail a crucial cabinet vote scheduled for March on when to begin the actual evacuation of settlements. Still, the anti-disengagement right has suffered a blow. And if it believes there is no way to defeat Mr Sharon politically, there are fears that some of its members may turn to extra-parliamentary opposition, such as civil disobedience, or, in the worst case scenario, violence. In the past security and political officials have expressed concern that radical opponents of disengagement might use weapons to try and stop evacuation, or even attempt to assassinate the prime minister. In 1995 former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was gunned down by a right-wing Jewish student after he had agreed to withdraw Israeli troops from Palestinian towns in the West Bank.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7312617.stm	A third teenager has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old. Nicholas Clarke was shot in the head The 15-year-old boy, and a man aged 26, have been held in connection with the killing of Nicholas Clarke. He was shot in the head in Brixton, south London on 14 March and died in hospital the following day. The 15-year-old was arrested on Tuesday and remains in custody. Two other youths, aged 16 and 17, arrested on Friday have been released on bail. The 26-year-old man was arrested in Essex on Monday and has also been released on bail.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3888131.stm	Portugal's president has appointed Pedro Santana Lopes to be the country's next prime minister. Critics see Santana Lopes as a political lightweight He replaces Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, who resigned to take up an offer to head the European Commission. Mr Santana Lopes, the mayor of Lisbon, was elected leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party this month. President Jorge Sampaio rejected calls for an early general election, opting to ask the Social Democrats to form a new government. He said continuity was in Portugal's best interests at a time when the country was still struggling to pull out of recession. EU leaders picked Mr Durao Barroso - who was halfway through his term - to be the next European Commission president at a special summit in Brussels last month. "I have been appointed as prime minister and now I will begin the necessary talks to form a new government," Mr Santana Lopes, 48, told reporters after a meeting with President Sampaio lasting about 40 minutes. In a political career spanning more than two decades, the new prime minister designate has had little experience of government at national level, having held only a number of minor offices. Before becoming Lisbon mayor, his most senior post was as secretary of state for culture between 1991 and 1994.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-30532027	McCann 'Twitter troll' Brenda Leyland inquest to hear from Sky News The inquest into the death of a woman accused of "trolling" the McCanns will hear evidence from two Sky journalists. Brenda Leyland, from Leicestershire, was found dead in a hotel days after she was confronted over tweets about the family of Madeleine McCann. A pre-inquest review was told it will hear evidence from a toxicology expert, police and the Sky News journalists. The coroner said no criminal action was planned against any witnesses and adjourned the hearing until March. Mrs Leyland, from Burton Overy, was confronted in October by Martin Brunt from Sky News over her use of Twitter. He questioned her about hate-filled messages about the McCanns on the social networking site. The 63-year-old was found dead in a hotel several days later. Mr Brunt, the crime correspondent, and Sky's head of newsgathering Jonathan Levy will both give evidence at her inquest. Leicester Coroner Catherine Mason said: "I understand from my officers that, of all the witnesses who I have said that I will call to give oral evidence, there is nobody to which there is any foreseeability of any criminal action being taken." Sky News's legal team attended the short hearing in Leicester, which was adjourned for the full inquest on 20 March. The inquest will also hear written evidence from one of Mrs Leyland's sons and a pathologist. Madeleine went missing while the Leicestershire family were on holiday in Portugal in 2007.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7210605.stm	Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice as stylish Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League and put an end to Manchester City's unbeaten home record. Eduardo rounded off a stunning move for Arsenal's second Adebayor set Arsenal on their way, sweeping the ball in from close range. And Eduardo's acrobatic turn and volley made it 2-0 from Adebayor's clever header after another glorious move. City replied when Vedran Corluka dispossessed Gael Clichy and found Gelson Fernandes but Adebayor sealed the win from six yards late on. Sven-Goran Eriksson's side had only won one of their last seven Premier League fixtures, and with their confidence looking fragile the last thing they needed was to concede early against an Arsenal team who have lost just once in the league all season. But that's exactly what happened as the visitors went ahead on nine minutes following a regulation free-flowing move. Some neat first-time passing saw the Gunners work the ball out wide to the marauding Bacary Sagna whose superb first touch allowed him to outpace and out-muscle Michael Ball and get to the byline. Adebayor met the cross and his shot crept in despite the best efforts of the sprawling Micah Richards and Joe Hart. And another sumptuous move from the Gunners soon made it 2-0. Eduardo, Adebayor and Abou Diaby combined to set Clichy free on the left and his deep cross found Adebayor who picked out Eduardo. The Croatian controlled the ball brilliantly on his chest and, with his back to goal, volleyed over his shoulder and past Hart. City had a strong claim for offside but the visitors thoroughly deserved their lead. However, just as Arsenal looked certain to run away with the match, some sloppy defending gifted City a way back. Clichy tried to let the ball run out of play and was robbed in possession by Corluka and his pull-back was neatly side-footed home by Fernandes. The goal breathed life into the Eastlands crowd but Hart made a fine save from Adebayor's header after another surging Sagna run and skipper William Gallas fired narrowly wide following a corner. City could have gone ahead in the opening five minutes when a fantastic chipped pass from Elano almost set Stephen Ireland through on goal. Adebayor is outstanding at the moment and we need him in this form And Martin Petrov fired wide from the edge of the box in the closing seconds of the first period. But apart from that, Arsenal were in complete control of the opening 45 minutes and although City improved after the break, they rarely looked like getting back on level terms. Arsenal continued to create chances and had several opportunities to make the game safe. Cesc Fabregas twice went close from long range, Mathieu Flamini had a shot blocked and Adebayor was denied when Richards and Richard Dunne closed him out as he raced through on goal. At the other end Jens Lehmann - deputising for the injured Manuel Almunia - sprinted from his area to prevent City substitute Darius Vassell getting a clean run on goal and Elano's follow-up shot sailed over the bar. But Arsenal sealed the win with two minutes to go when a swift counter-attack saw Alexander Hleb and Fabregas find Adebayor and the striker stroked home his 18th league goal of the season. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: "We had a good start and went 2-0 up but we then lost concentration and eased up and were punished when they made it 2-1. "The game opened up in the last 10 minutes when City went for a second goal but until then they kept good discipline. "When the team plays well Adebayor scores and he is outstanding at the moment and we need him in this form. "We have good confidence within the side because we know how we want to play." Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson: "I am disappointed because we allowed them to go 2-0 up and in the first 20 minutes we gave them too much respect. "Maybe we were a bit nervous but early on we did not compete and there was only one team in the match. "Once they were two goals up they could take it a bit easy and play on the counter-attack. "We have to learn quickly and wake up and do better because we desperately want to play in Europe next season." Man City: Hart, Corluka, Dunne, Richards, Ball, Ireland (Mpenza 83), Hamann (Geovanni 75), Gelson, Petrov, Elano, Sturridge (Vassell 55). Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Jihai. Booked: Petrov, Elano. Goals: Gelson 28. Arsenal: Lehmann, Sagna, Gallas, Senderos, Clichy, Hleb (Justin Hoyte 89), Fabregas, Flamini, Diaby, Adebayor, Eduardo. Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Bendtner, Traore, Walcott. Goals: Adebayor 9, Eduardo 26, Adebayor 88. Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands). BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Arsenal's Eduardo 8.11 (on 90 minutes). Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6113836.stm	Cannabis worth more than £2.5m has been destroyed by police in a series of raids across England and Wales. A factory of 200 plants can turn over £30,000 profit in three months Fifteen forces taking part in Operation Keymer arrested 133 people, including one wanted for murder. Officers also seized £160,000 in cash and assets including four houses, five cars and antiques in the same swoop. The two-week effort was aimed at closing cannabis factories and disrupting criminal gangs who are running them. The Association of Police Officers (Acpo) said 28,000 cannabis plants and 54 kilograms of prepared cannabis were destroyed as a result of the initiative, which ran from 25 September to 5 October. Acpo spokesman Allan Gibson said the operation had been "a hard-nosed and highly successful policing operation focused on organised criminals making millions of pounds from producing illegal and harmful skunk. "Many of the criminals we have targeted are linked to other forms of crime and violence, in one case officers found evidence that millions of pounds had been transferred out of the UK. "The operation has also closed down a large number of potential death traps presenting fire risks to the lives of innocent members of the public." A loaded firearm was also recovered in the operation which focused on the production of 'skunk' - a potentially dangerous form of cannabis. The drug, which contains far higher quantities of the chemical Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) than 'herbal' or 'resin', makes users more vulnerable to negative side-effects. Skunk contains 12% THC but resin and herbal has a 3-4% THC content. Police calculate that a small factory of 200 cannabis plants can yield over £30,000 profit in three months.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-36110279	Jury hears parents call 999 after Ellie Butler's 'fatal fall' Jurors in the murder trial of a father accused of battering his six-year-old daughter to death have been played the 999 call made by her parents. Ellie Butler's mother, Jennie Gray, is heard to shout: "It's my daughter, she's not breathing." A paramedic said Ellie was "cold and blue" when she arrived at the south-west London home in October 2013. Her father Ben denies murder. Ms Gray admits perverting the course of justice by hiding or destroying evidence. Both have denied a charge of child cruelty relating to a shoulder injury suffered by Ellie. The pair, from Westover Close, Sutton, can both be heard on the phone during the 15-minute 999 call. The call was made two hours after Ellie Butler suffered her injuries, the Old Bailey had been told. Mr Butler comes on the phone and is heard swearing as he confirms the couple's home address for the ambulance, saying Ellie has "fallen down". The child's mother broke down as the call was played in court. First responder Sarah Hardy told the court she found Ellie in her pyjamas, lying on the floor of her bedroom, as her mother carried out CPR. The medic said Ellie was "very cold and blue" and had no heartbeat. When asked what had happened, she said Mr Butler told her "I don't know. I thought she was in her bedroom sleeping." Ms Hardy told jurors she could not understand how Ellie had died until she noticed a "boggy mass" on the back of her head. She said: "I realised the cause of death was a traumatic cardiac arrest. I had concerns as to how this had happened and called police." A post-mortem examination revealed Ellie Butler had suffered skull fractures from at least two severe impacts. A neighbour of the couple, Elaine Winson, described seeing a blank expression on Mr Butler's face as Ellie was taken to an ambulance. "The mother was severely distressed and holding on to the trolley," she said. "He had no expression on his face. There was nothing." Another neighbour Marion Cook saw Ms Gray a few days later, and said she "broke down in tears" and said Ellie "fell off her bed and hit her head on a radiator." The prosecution said doctors ruled out an accidental fall, and put her fatal injuries down to Mr Butler either beating the girl over the head with a heavy object or throwing her against the floor or wall. The case continues.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35918234	Ancient fossil was 'nearly a spider' Scientists say a 305 million-year-old fossil is the closest relative to "true spiders" ever discovered - but is not itself a spider. Easily pre-dating the dinosaurs, the 1.5cm creature lived alongside the oldest known ancestors of modern spiders but its lineage is now extinct. The specimen was dug up decades ago in France but never identified, because its front half was encased in rock. Now, researchers have made a detailed reconstruction using CT scans. Their findings are reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. "This fossil is the most closely related thing we have to a spider that isn't a spider," said first author Russell Garwood from the University of Manchester. Legs and jaws Now christened Idmonarachne brasieri, the arachnid was among "a box full of fossils" that Dr Garwood's co-author Paul Selden, from the University of Kansas in the US, had borrowed from the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris in the 1980s. It originally came from a rich region of fossil-bearing deposits near Montceau les-Mines, in eastern France. "By CT scanning it, you can actually extract the full front half of the animal from the rock, to try and better understand its anatomy," Dr Garwood told BBC News. First of all, as well as the animal's eight spidery limbs, he and his colleagues spotted some imposing jaws. These confirmed that it was a new species and not one of the more distant cousins of spiders known from the same period. It also lacked the tail-like appendage of the older, similarly long-extinct arachnid family that included Attercopus, living some 80 million years earlier. Those earlier critters could produce silk, probably to line their burrows or make a trail to follow home, but did not have the spinnerets that allow spiders to weave webs. As such, Dr Garwood explained, the new arrival I. brasieri fills a gap - having spider-like legs and jaws but still lacking spinnerets. "Our creature probably split off the spider line after [Attercopus], but before true spiders appeared," he said. "The earliest known spider is actually from the same fossil deposit - and it definitely has spinnerets. So what we're actually looking at is an extinct lineage that split off the spider line some time before 305 million years ago, and those two have evolved in parallel." To confirm that the extinct critter definitely lacked spinnerets, the team switched from a regular laboratory CT scanner to using the high-powered X-rays of the Diamond synchrotron in Oxfordshire. "We had to consider the fact they could have fallen out, and just left a hole in the abdomen," Dr Garwood said. "You need a quite high-resolution scan to be able to spot that distortion." With all the evidence in place, the team was able to name their discovery. They chose to commemorate a colleague: Martin Brasier, an Oxford palaeobiologist who died recently in a car accident. "He was a very supportive academic," said Dr Garwood. Follow Jonathan on Twitter
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42388311	Police in Toronto have confirmed that their homicide unit has taken over the investigation into the death of a Canadian billionaire and his wife. Police are treating the deaths of Barry Sherman, 75, and his wife Honey, whose bodies were found in their Toronto home on Friday, as "suspicious". An autopsy revealed both died from ligature neck compression, or strangulation with material. Reports the case was being investigated as a murder-suicide angered the family. A brief police statement on Sunday evening only confirmed the autopsy results, and stated that Toronto Police Service Homicide had taken the lead in the suspicious death investigation. Canadian media had earlier cited police sources for the murder-suicide theory, but a family statement said no-one close to the couple believed this. "Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community totally inconsistent with the rumours regrettably circulated in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths," it read. "We are shocked and think it's irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true." The couple's bodies were discovered by their estate agent, who had been trying to sell the property. There was no sign of forced entry. A Toronto police source told Canadian media that the bodies were found near the house's basement pool. Earlier police had said they were not looking for any suspects in the case. Several Canadian newspapers say they were told investigators were working on the assumption that Mr Sherman had killed his wife before killing himself. Tributes have meanwhile been pouring in for the pair, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeting "condolences to their family & friends, and to everyone touched by their vision & spirit". A service for the couple is planned for Thursday morning. Who were the couple? One of Canada's richest men, Mr Sherman was the founder and chairman of pharmaceutical giant Apotex, which sells generic medicines around the world. On Sunday the firm's website paid tribute to Mr Sherman. A gifted student, Mr Sherman entered the trade through his uncle's Empire Laboratories, working for him while still at university before buying the company when his uncle died. He went on to sell Empire, creating Apotex, the company that made him a billionaire and which now employs more than 10,000 people. But he became embroiled in a family dispute, with his uncle's children seeking a stake in Apotex, arguing they had been cheated. A judge threw out their claim earlier this year. He also faced an investigation as to whether he had improperly held a fundraiser for Justin Trudeau before he became prime minister. Mrs Sherman was a board member for several hospitals, charities and Jewish organisations. The couple had four children and have given millions to charity.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11999633	Viewpoint: Small steps offer no respite from climate effects In a viewpoint article, Professor Kevin Anderson, the director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, evaluates the outcome of the UN climate summit in Cancun and argues that success at next year's negotiations will not compensate for "failure" at previous talks. When are we going to find the courage to move away from the astrology and towards the science of climate change? The astrology tells us that Cancun represents a platform for future and more substantive agreements after which low-carbon technologies will save the day. The science tells us climate change is an issue of emissions accumulating in the atmosphere and consequently every time we fail to agree meaningful reductions we lock our future into higher temperatures. In other words, next year's negotiations cannot compensate for this and previous years' failures. As the delegates returned home from Cancun: one thing was certain; the emissions arising from the event would remain in the atmosphere and irrevocably warm the climate for the coming century. This is where climate change is so different from many of the other problems we have faced and dealt with.Timeframe of change Climate change impacts have a timeframe of decades to centuries. By contrast, to avoid what are commonly considered dangerous levels of such impacts, emissions need to begin reducing rapidly now. In the meantime, every molecule of carbon dioxide emitted simply adds to all those emitted over the past century, inexorably increasing the level of warming and consequently the scope and scale of the impacts. This should be a challenging and increasingly uncomfortable message for all concerned. Instead, climate negotiations continue to be informed by the astrological view, where - through either ignorance or a desire to save face - it is assumed the problem will be the same next year as this. The science, however, tells a very different story. Next year, the problem will have become worse - as it has done each and every day that we have failed to reduce emissions since the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. The difficulty with the science is that it lays bare the inadequacy of our favoured response to climate change. Despite increasing mutterings about behaviour and consumption, the only "solutions" we're really prepared to countenance are low-carbon technologies that confer win-win economic benefits and demand nothing more of us than a substitution of high-carbon technologies by low-carbon alternatives.'Stick to the numbers' Whilst this fits well with the astrological take on climate change, where meeting future targets is what matters, it is at odds with the science of emissions building up in the atmosphere. However many virtues we bestow on low carbon technologies, they cannot replace the high carbon incumbents at a sufficient rate to make anything other than a dent in the rate of reductions we require. Consequently, whilst such technologies are a prerequisite of a transition to a low carbon future, they are wholly inadequate for the pressing issues of rising emissions we face today. The upbeat utterances on which we are told international diplomacy and negotiations depend have so far failed to trigger any meaningful action to reduce emissions. After 18 years it is perhaps time to ditch any and all astrology and turn directly to the numbers and the science to inform policy. There is currently nothing substantive to suggest we are heading for anything other than a 4C rise in temperature, possibly as early as the 2060s. Yet over a pint of ale or sharing a coffee it is hard to find any scientist seriously engaged in climate change who considers a 4C rise within this century as anything other than catastrophic for both human society and ecosystems. Moreover, ask those same scientists if 4C is likely to be as high as it could get prior to the temperature beginning to fall, and many will shake their heads pointing to a range of discontinuities (tipping points) that may see us witness temperatures increasing well beyond 4C. Against such a backdrop, is it therefore not time for those of us who work in climate change to refrain from finessing our analysis, and instead be as blunt and direct publicly as we are prepared to be privately? Until such time, policymakers will remain ill-equipped to embrace the science and escape the astrology; and next year's negotiations in Durban and those the following year in Rio will be doomed to failure before they even start.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16945466	Alzheimer's brain plaques 'rapidly cleared' in mice Destructive plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients have been rapidly cleared by researchers testing a cancer drug on mice. The US study, published in the journal Science, reported the plaques were broken down at "unprecedented" speed. Tests also showed an improvement in some brain function. Specialists said the results were promising, but warned that successful drugs in mice often failed to work in people. The exact cause of Alzheimer's remains unknown, but one of the leading theories involves the formation of clumps of a protein called beta-amyloid. These damage and kill brain cells, eventually resulting in memory problems and the inability to think clearly. Clearing protein plaques is a major focus of Alzheimer's research and drugs are already being tested in human clinical trials. In the body, the role of removing beta-amyloid falls to apolipoprotein E - or ApoE. However, people have different versions of the protein. Having the ApoE4 genetic variant is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the disease.Helping hand Scientists at the Case Western Reserve University in Ohio were investigating ways of boosting levels of ApoE, which in theory should reduce levels of beta-amyloid. They tested bexarotene, which has been approved for use to treat cancers in the skin, on mice with an illness similar to Alzheimer's. After one dose in young mice, the levels of beta-amyloid in the brain were "rapidly lowered" within six hours and a 25% reduction was sustained for 70 hours. In older mice with established amyloid plaques, seven days of treatment halved the number of plaques in the brain. The study said there were improvements in brain function after treatment, in nest building, maze performance and remembering electrical shocks. Researchers Paige Cramer said: "This is an unprecedented finding. Previously, the best existing treatment for Alzheimer's disease in mice required several months to reduce plaque in the brain."In people? The research is at a very early stage, and drugs often do not make the leap from animal experiment to human treatment. Fellow researcher Prof Gary Landreth said the study was "particularly exciting and rewarding" and held the "potential promise of a therapy for Alzheimer's disease". However, he stressed that the drug had been tested in only three "mouse models" which simulate the early stages of the disease and are not Alzheimer's. - Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia - Symptoms include loss of memory, mood changes, and problems with communication and reasoning - No one single factor has been identified as a cause for Alzheimer's disease - a combination of factors, including age, genes, environment, lifestyle and general health are implicated - Source: Alzheimer's Society He warned people not to "try this at home", as the drug had not been proven to work in Alzheimer's patients and there was no indication of what any dose should be. "We need to be clear, the drug works quite well in mouse models of the disease. Our next objective is to ascertain if it acts similarly in humans," he said. His group is preparing to start trials in a small group of people to see if there is a similar effect in humans. The disease is likely to become more common as people live longer. The Alzheimer's Society predicts the number of people with dementia will reach a million by 2021 in the UK alone. End Quote Dr Simon Ridley Alzheimer's Research UK There are a number of drugs in development that aim to clear amyloid from the brain, and the jury is still out on whether this approach will be successful as a treatment for Alzheimer's” Its research manager, Dr Anne Corbett, said: "This exciting study could be the beginning of a journey towards a potential new way to treat Alzheimer's disease. "However, this is very early days. People with Alzheimer's should not rush to get this drug, as we need much more research to establish if it has benefits for humans." Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said the findings were "promising" but any effect was still unproven in people. "There are a number of drugs in development that aim to clear amyloid from the brain, and the jury is still out on whether this approach will be successful as a treatment for Alzheimer's." David Allsop, professor of neuroscience at Lancaster University, said: "I would say that the results should be treated with cautious optimism. "It looks promising in the mouse model but in recent years, these types of experiments in mice have not translated well into humans."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11501625	Japanese have fewest digital friends on social networks Malaysians have the most friends on their social networks, while Japanese users have the fewest. This is one of the findings of a large-scale research project, looking at online behaviour around the globe. It also found that digital sources are overtaking TV, radio and newspapers as the media channel of choice for 61% of the online population around the world. The study, conducted by research firm TNS, interviewed 50,000 consumers in 46 countries for the study. In Malaysia the average number of friends is 233, closely followed by 231 in Brazil and 217 in Norway. This contrasts to an average of just 29 friends in Japan, and 68 in China. The results could suggest "a culture that embraces fewer but closer friendships," thinks TNS's chief development officer Matthew Froggatt. As well as having the most friends, Malaysians are also the heaviest users of social networking sites, spending an average of nine hours per week on them. It is followed by Russia, where people spend an average 8.1 hours per week online and Turkey where 7.7 hours a week are spent on social networks. The study found that consumers are now spending more time on social networking sites than using e-mail. This is fuelled in part by the rise in mobile net access. In the US, a third of online consumers expect to be accessing social networks via their mobile phones over the next 12 months, compared to a quarter via a PC. In Sweden, over half said they would access social networks via mobile and just a quarter cited the traditional PC. The importance of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter is being explored in a separate study at the University of East London. Researchers are using three British cities - London, Birmingham and Carlisle, to study whether social networks could help save lives in the event of a national crisis. "We are working on the premise that, as technological advances continue, the traditional mediums of television and radio may become usurped in their potency in terms of delivering important messages to society at large," said Professor John Preston, who is leading the project. The TNS study, which the researchers hope will become an annual project, also found that countries newer to the digital world are embracing online activities at a faster rate to those in more mature markets. In China four out of five users have written their own blog, compared to only 32% in the US. "In rapid growth markets...users are embracing these new channels in much more active ways. The digital world is transforming how they live, develop and interact," said Mr Froggatt.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3746977.stm	The cost of running the NHS in Scotland has risen steeply since devolved government began. The Tories say patient needs have been neglected Scottish Executive figures showed the bill for management and administration had increased by 30%. The Conservatives and the Scottish National Party accused ministers of neglecting patient care while increasing red tape. But the Scottish Executive said running costs had fallen as a proportion of the total health spending budget. The official figures, published on Tuesday, revealed that running costs for all Scottish NHS boards had risen from £279.84m to £364.31m during the first term of the Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition government. Tory health spokesman David Davidson said: "There has been a rise of 30% in admin costs between April 1999 and April 2003 - but a 40,000 fall in the number of treatments, a rise in the total waiting list of 20,000 and the median waiting time up by a full week - more evidence of how we have been let down by Labour and the Lib Dems. "These latest figures, issued in the week that the latest waiting list and waiting times statistics are to be published, show that this government is driving up costs, but driving down patient care. "All that extra money - £85m per year more - spent on paper clips instead of patient care, squandered on sticky tape instead of sticking Mr Davidson said the rise in annual administration costs was enough to employ an extra 3,500 nurses or 1,500 doctors. But the executive insisted that spending on administration had fallen as a proportion of the total rising investment in the NHS, while clinical staff numbers had risen by more than management and clerical staff in the past five years. Administrative and managerial costs were 6.75% of total NHS spending in 1995-6, and this proportion had fallen to 6.10% by 1998-99, and dropped further since then to 5.4% in 2002-3, a spokesman said. He added: "Administrative and clerical staff are essential to the smooth running of clinical services and include clinic receptionists and medical secretaries. "They provide vital support for front line clinical staff freeing them up to use their skills in treating patients." But the Scottish National Party accused ministers of tying the NHS up in more red tape. The party's Shona Robison claimed administration costs were "getting out of control", just when hospitals were "crying out" for more doctors and nurses to cut waiting times for treatment. She said: "While I recognise that there are crucial administration positions, such as the role of medical secretaries, these figures show that government spending on administration has grown to ridiculous levels. "The main problem is that there are too many senior managers and despite NHS trusts being abolished, the executive has refused to scale down the number of "The executive must think long and hard about their priorities in the NHS, because it's clear that at this time they are more concerned with lengthening the paper chase instead of improving patient care."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7669286.stm	BBC World Service Depression can pose a threat to crew safety and mission operations A virtual space station is being developed that will aim to help astronauts stave off depression and manage inter-personal conflict while they are off-planet. When completed the software will be used by Nasa during training and on missions to the space station and perhaps further afield. The therapeutic program has been jointly created by former astronaut Dr Jay Buckey, who is also professor of space medicine and physiology at Dartmouth Medical School and Dr Jim Cartreine - a clinical psychologist at Harvard Medical School. In 1998 Dr Buckey flew on Space Shuttle Columbia during which he took part in the "Neurolab" mission which looked at the effect space travel had on the human brain. For the 16 days the team were in orbit the team got along well together, said Dr Buckey. "We had a great crew and worked together well and that's the kind of experience that you want everyone to have," he said. "Of course, I've seen and heard stories of when things don't go that way and it can be absolutely devastating," he told BBC World Service's Digital Planet programme. It is perhaps no surprise that astronauts face immense psychological pressure while in space because of the dangers involved and the tough choices they have to make while in orbit. This can leave astronauts prone to depression and give rise to interpersonal conflicts with other crew members. As space flights get longer, said Dr Buckey, the more likely that issues would arise. Longer space missions can have an impact on mental health "The astronauts and cosmonauts who fly in space, tend to be extremely healthy people, both physically and mentally," said Dr Cartreine. "If a problem does come up in space, there are not a lot of resources up there to deal with it," he added. Although astronauts do have audio and video access to psychologists when flying, the counselling is only available when communication links are working. Historically astronauts have also been reluctant to reveal psychological problems for fear of being grounded. To give astronauts more places to turn to the interactive program will help crew members cope with depression and resolve conflicts with their colleagues. Left untreated these conflicts could pose a substantial threat to crew safety and mission operations during long-duration spaceflights. Every scenario that astronauts can play through in the virtual environment are based on the real-life experience of 29 current and veteran astronauts. The program was tested on researchers spending time on Antarctic expeditions which are comparable to space flight in that they involve long periods away from home, isolation and a need to work in teams. The developers are currently looking to recruit subjects to test the latest version. "We sat down and thought multimedia may be a great way to look at some of the psychological problems of space flight," said Dr Buckey. "The virtual space station combines animation, audio and video and the program currently fits on an 8GB hard drive, so astronauts can easily carry it with them on a mission," he added. One interactive scenario that tackles conflict teams up an astronaut with a fictional flight engineer called "Chuck". In the virtual scenario, "Chuck" has made a mistake and asks the astronaut to not inform ground control about the problem. Anyone playing the scenario has to choose from a variety of responses which either resolve the conflict or make it worse. The two available options involve defying "Chuck" or telling ground control about his mistake. "People who get to be astronauts are usually really good at working with other people and working in teams," said Mr Buckey. "It's a demanding environment and it's inevitable that we are going to have some sort of conflict," he added.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18191962	Investment charges: Will they become clearer? People who want to invest in unit trusts and investment trusts will soon have better information to help them make decisions. By the start of July, unit trusts will have to give investors a figure encapsulating the "ongoing charges" of being an investor. This will replace a previous, similar calculation, known as the total expense ratio (TER). Investment trusts are going to adopt the same method a bit earlier, so their costs can be easily compared with unit trusts. The changes are welcomed by Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management. "Most members of the public would never have heard of total expense ratios, and only here could you have a total expense ratio that did not include total expenses and was not a ratio," he says. "I can pick up a tin of baked beans and know what it costs; in our world I can pick up a tin of financial baked beans, and I may not know the whole cost, possibly until the following year."Key information The requirement for funds to display the ongoing charges (OC) to investors comes from regulations laid down by the European Commission. End Quote Mark Sherwin IMA It sets out the key information about what the fund will invest in, its risk profile, how you go about buying and selling, and of course the charges and the performance record” These rules require funds to show the charges, alongside lots of other prescribed information, on a new two-sided sheet of paper for investors, called the Key Investor Information Document (KIID). This will replace the normal fact sheet that investors currently see, though the KIID will, at first, be obligatory only for most types of unit trusts. In the coming years similar documents may become standard for all other types of personal financial investment. Mark Sherwin, of the Investment Management Association (IMA), the trade body for unit trusts, says the new document is a step towards greater transparency. "The new document is limited to two sides of paper, it must be provided to all investors before they buy a fund," he says. "It sets out the key information about what the fund will invest in, its risk profile, how you go about buying and selling, and of course the charges and the performance record. "It will become compulsory for all unit trusts that can be sold across European borders," he adds.Meaningful or not? The new figure for ongoing charges will in most cases be very similar to the current TER figure. It will include the cost of investment management and administration, plus other costs of running the fund, such as fees for custodians (organisations that hold the assets safely for the investment mangers), regulators and auditors. Unit trusts and investment trusts - Unit trusts and investment trusts are pooled funds and are two of the main routes by which individuals invest money in shares and bonds - Together they invest billions of pounds in investment markets around the world - Including the huge holdings of professional investment firms, unit trusts and other similar "open ended" funds hold more than £600bn worth of investments - Investment trusts, which are companies that buy shares in other companies, hold less - But their assets are still worth more than £94bn, on behalf of an estimated quarter of a million private investors and professional investors The OC will not include stamp duty, which is payable when buying shares in investment trusts, nor any performance or success fees that some managers charge if their investment strategy is successful. But these other costs will be displayed as well, alongside the OC, on the new KIID documents. So, is the OC a meaningful figure for investors? Ian Sayers, of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), the trade body for investment trusts, believes it will be. "I prefer ongoing charges because the focus is on the costs you are likely to bear in the future. TERs did not actually have every single expense, so potentially it was slightly misleading," he says. "The OC figure is saying these are the charges you are likely to be paying, on an ongoing basis, to give you an idea of the costs you are going to incur for the future," he adds. This information, shown up-front, should be an improvement for investors, because even today there are some funds which do not display a TER figure prominently. In some cases you have to dig deep into their annual report to find it, rather than seeing it at first glance on the front of the investors' factsheet. Why it matters It is a moot point as to whether or not personal investors pay any attention to the TER and what it means, and will pay any attention to the new OC figure in the future. End Quote Ben Yearsley Hargreaves Lansdown They are important and eat into your investment return” They certainly should. But Ben Yearsley, of Hargreaves Lansdown, a fund "supermarket" which specialises in selling investments like unit trusts, says there is little evidence that costs weigh much on the minds of prospective investors. "You do get people questioning the TER, especially if it is higher than the annual management charge [of the investment managers], but you don't get that many," he says. "We get 2,000 phone calls a day from clients, but do we get calls on fund charges? Not very often. "But they are important and eat into your investment return," he adds. That is probably the key issue. In years gone by, stock market investors might have expected annual investment returns of 10% or more, boosted by higher inflation and higher genuine economic growth. But returns in general have recently been much lower and are expected to stay this way. This means that previously acceptable levels of charges, say, 1% to 3% a year, will, unless they come down, swallow up a higher proportion of the investment returns than was once the case. "This is one of the most important issues that our industry has got at the moment," says Mr Urquhart Stewart. "If we are in a world with slower, less enthusiastic returns, the charges will act like rocks sticking out through water, and will rip out the hull of your investment ship. "You need to know precisely what that cost is going to be, and our industry has been dreadful at this."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4558844.stm	Libya's supreme court has overturned death sentences on six foreign health workers who had been convicted of infecting Libyan children with HIV. Relatives of the children want the death penalty upheld It has also ordered a retrial of the five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor in a lower court. The six were sentenced to death in May 2004 for infecting 426 children with the HIV virus in the city of Benghazi. They have always maintained their innocence. Bulgaria, the US and EU welcomed the decision. "The unfair death sentences were reversed.... We hope that the swiftness and the effectiveness demonstrated by the Libyan court in the past days will help to solve the case as soon as possible," Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov said. US state department spokesman Justin Higgins described the decision as positive. "We believe a way should be found to allow the medics to return to Bulgaria and Palestine," he said, the Reuters news agency reported. Emma Udwin, the European Commission's external relations spokeswoman, expressed the hope that the move would "lead to a rapid and fair settlement to all concerned". The medics, who have spent almost seven years in prison, say they were made scapegoats for poor hospital hygiene. The BBC's Bethany Bell in the Egyptian capital Cairo says the decision to order a retrial appears to be an attempt to end the stand-off between Libya and the West. Supporters of the medics are angry that they are still in jail The six were condemned to face death by firing squad after they were found guilty of knowingly infecting the children with the HIV virus. About 50 of the children have since died. The supreme court ordered the retrial after hearing an appeal by the health workers, who said their confessions were extracted under torture. The medics also presented the testimony of Western medical experts, who said the outbreak started before they arrived and was probably caused by unhygienic practices. Parents and relatives of the infected children stood outside the supreme court, protesting against the decision and calling for the death penalty to be carried out. The verdict comes at a time when negotiations on financial compensation have been taking place between the families of the infected children, a Bulgarian NGO and the EU. On Friday, Bulgaria and Libya agreed to set up a fund for the families of the 426 HIV-infected children.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18394017	Is this UK's most gentrified street? House prices in desirable areas of British cities have rocketed, changing some inner-city communities beyond recognition through the process of "super-gentrification". Across some areas of the UK, streets that once housed poor people are now beyond the means of all but the well-off. The path to gentrification is clear when modern streets are compared with maps created by the Victorian social researcher Charles Booth a century ago. It's particularly obvious in Portland Road in London's Notting Hill. There are the multi-million pound houses, three-stories high, without so much as a curtain out of place. There's a beauty spa, a wine bar and a gallery selling artworks that cost tens of thousands of pounds. It's hard to believe it used to be one of the worst slums in London. Find out more The Secret History of Our Streets is on BBC Two, Wednesday 27 June at 21:00 BST. Read Joseph Bullman's blog on making the programme Back in 1968, when Tim and Penny Hicks bought the dilapidated 157 Portland Road for £11,750, the latter's mother was shocked that they had chosen to move their family from up-market Chelsea into an area more known for rag and bone men than bankers. Forty-four years later, their house is now worth more than £2m. "I should think we were the second or third of the settlers," Penny Hicks says. "At the local primary school, one of the teachers when we were being shown around, said to me, 'You do appreciate Mrs Hicks, this is not working class. This is criminal class.'" The houses on Portland Road were built in the 1850s on waste land between the downmarket Norland estate, home to the squalid piggeries and potteries, and the fancy new Ladbroke Estate, which became Notting Hill. Maps created by Booth in 1899 show how two-thirds of the residents of Portland Road were classified as poor. By the time Booth's map was updated in 1929, the residents towards the northern end of Portland Road had moved into a different category: "Degraded and semi-criminal". Houses slipped into multiple occupation and became run down, with shared toilets and no bathrooms.Continue reading the main story The Hicks' future home at 157 Portland Road was one of those. It was where George Andrews lived with his family. There were eight of them in two rooms, paying a rent equivalent to 65p per week. "Portland Road was a slum as far as other people were concerned. As far as we were concerned, it's where we lived," Andrews says. "When you look back, we lived in a shack. We lived terrible. "They [the landlords] weren't getting two pounds a week rent from the house, so they did no repairs, they did nothing. My dad was offered that house for £300 - my dad had never seen £300 in his life." The abolition of rent control in 1957 was meant to encourage investment in property. But it led to ruthless landlords - like the infamous Peter Rachman - trying to cash in on the now lucrative housing market by bullying tenants into leaving. It triggered the gentrification of Portland Road and was the beginning of the end of the street's working class community. "As well as all these various rent acts and housing acts that impacted gentrification, it was also the fact that a new group of people, a new middle class emerged in society in the 1950s, who didn't want to live in the suburbs," says Loretta Lees, a professor at Kings College London, and gentrification expert. "The suburbs were boring, they were bland, they were full of suburban families with two children. People wanted to live close to work, they wanted to live close to cultural facilities, like theatre, museums and art galleries." The Hicks family still live on Portland Road, but many of the other original gentrifiers sold their houses to a new generation of exceptionally rich buyers. It's a "super-gentrification", that has been fuelled by city bonuses and wealthy foreigner investors, says Lees. Instead of the traditional view that the wealthy take flight from cities, Lees says the reverse seems to be happening in London, with the rich living in the centre of the city and the poor being displaced. Portland Road offers a prime example of how gentrification changes the make-up of an area. These super-gentrifiers, she adds, are different to the pioneer gentrifiers, like the Hicks family who sent their children to the local primary school and engaged with the existing community. "Many of the early gentrifiers believed very strongly in comprehensive schools. They believed that their children should be mixing with poorer children and that their aspirations etc would rub off on those children, but also that their children would learn from these other children," she says. - Local authorities required to provide social housing since 1919 - Prime Minister David Lloyd George spoke of "homes fit for heroes" - Nearly a million houses were built after being destroyed by German bombers during WWII - Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government introduced the right-to-buy scheme in the 1980s "And now the whole discourse has changed as gentrification has become more hegemonic." The one part of Portland Road that was never truly gentrified is the northern end, where social housing replaced run-down tenement buildings that had housed brewery workers. Built in the 1930s, Winterbourne House and Nottingwood House are just a few hundred yards from properties worth millions of pounds. Flats cost an average of £340,000, compared with the average price for a house at the southern end of Portland Road of £3.5m. A deprivation map produced by Kensington & Chelsea Borough Council in 2007 showed that while some of the top earners in the country live in the southern and central parts of Portland Road, some of the lowest 5% live at the north end. Like other super-gentrified areas, middle income buyers - who can't afford houses worth millions of pounds and aren't eligible for social housing - might struggle to move into the area. When Andrews went back to visit the street where he was raised, there wasn't much left to remind him of how Portland Road used to be. The sweet shop had gone, the dairies had gone. Even the Portland Arms pub had been turned into a beauty spa. The Hicks' gutted his old home at 157 Portland Road and turned it into a house worth millions. Although he's nostalgic, he has no doubt that leaving Notting Hill changed his and many of his neighbours' lives for the better. "You moved out of one of those dumps and got a council flat - you've got a bathroom, you've got hot water, you've got central heating. Can you imagine that? After living in a dump like that? They couldn't wait to move, some of them. "Not because they didn't like the area and the people. It's just that they were bettering themselves. They were coming up a step."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/5294950.stm	Wales' Nicole Cooke crashed out of the Holland Ladies Tour on Tuesday as rain continued to dog the six-day event. Nicole Cooke escaped with cuts and bruises from her crash As the race dipped briefly into Belgium for the second stage, Cooke suffered cuts and bruises as a heavy fall saw her bike and helmet smashed. Cooke will stay in Holland for the next round of the World Cup on Sunday, the Lowland Rotterdam Tour. T-Mobile's Ina-Yoko Teutenberg won Tuesday's stage on a tough undulating circuit in Asse, close to Brussels. But first-day winner Regina Schleicher retained the overall lead after the Nurnberger Cycling rider came in fifth. On Monday's opening stage Cooke had negotiated the tricky conditions, which also saw several crashes. But the 23-year-old from Wick was given no chance on Tuesday when a crash in front of her left Cooke no time to avoid the resulting pile of bodies and bikes. Cooke entered the tour event in good form, having stretched her overall World Cup lead with third place in Saturday's Grand Prix de Plouay. If other results go her way in the Lowland Rotterdam Tour, then Cooke could be crowned World Cup champion in the penultimate round of the 12-race series. The Holland Ladies Tour concludes on Saturday in Heerlen with a 110.4km stage.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-18097819	Poor literacy standards tackled in schools by Welsh government plan - 17 May 2012 - From the section Wales A five-year plan aimed at raising poor literacy standards in Welsh schools has been published. The National Literacy Programme sets out what the Welsh government will do to improve results and change the way literacy is thought about in schools. The ambition is for Wales to be among the top 20 nations in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) by 2015. Wales lags behind England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in Pisa's league. The National Literacy Programme (NLP) will set national standards for teachers and pupils to work towards, to ensure a consistent approach to reading and writing across Wales. The National Reading Tests for five to 14-year-olds, due to be introduced in May 2013, will contribute to that. The document claims many teachers do not see themselves as teachers of literacy, and as a result, will "need upskilling". There will be more training available for current and newly qualified staff and best practice will be shared. The banding system in secondary schools will also identify where extra support is needed and pupils who are falling behind will be offered more targeted help. Education Minister Leighton Andrews told BBC Wales: "I want to ensure that we get literacy and numeracy right in primary school because if we get it right, then it will have major advantages in teaching in secondary school, not just in the ability to learn, but also it will have an impact on attention, behaviour and attendance." He said improving levels of literacy and numeracy is a "key commitment" for the government. "Nothing is more important than ensuring all of our young people have the skills they need to read, write and communicate," he added. "There are many excellent examples of teaching and learning in literacy across Wales. "What we must do is ensure that all learners benefit from excellent teaching of literacy and develop the skills that are so vital to their future success. "The National Literacy Programme will introduce greater consistency and clarity into the way we track pupils' progress while also providing the support, challenge and accountability needed in our schools." The plan comes days after schools' inspectorate Estyn warned that many schools in Wales are failing to plan well enough on how to develop basic skills among 11-to-14 year olds It also said that 40% of pupils cannot read as well as they should as they start secondary school and some never catch up. Owen Hathway, NUT Cymru policy officer, told BBC Wales the plan was a "positive step forward". He said that "as noted in the recent Estyn report, past literacy and numeracy guidance has been too broad and ineffective". "Teachers will welcome the general principle of having a new framework which will hopefully offer clearer and easier guidance," he said. "As with any new initiatives we will have to monitor its implementation to ensure that it is something worthwhile to the profession. "There are some concerns around the additional workload teachers will face as a result of the framework, especially in relation to the standard literacy and numeracy testing. "The last thing we would want to see is another process put in place which restricts teachers from being able to spend quality time teaching students." Mr Andrews attempted to reassure teachers, adding: "I have signed off on additional support in case there are any issues of workload." Sherry Saunders, head teacher at Lliswerry Primary School in Newport, said she welcomed the programme. She said: "The assessment framework that's coming in is very useful but it's a tool that will say this is where our children should be, and like all schools, if you have that, like the national curriculum, then you're all working to the same purpose, so it is vital for that to come in." Angela Burns AM, shadow minister for education, said the programme would need "robust and thorough monitoring to ensure that young people are not leaving school unable to read and write." "While we welcome the latest initiative from Welsh Labour ministers to address shortcomings in literacy standards, to succeed, this strategy needs to win the confidence of teachers, parents and school governors," she added. Plaid Cymru's education spokesperson, Simon Thomas AM, said the new strategy cannot be allowed to fail. "Our children deserve more than poor test results and failing schools, and I hope that the minister can assure us that this strategy will deliver this," he said. "Plaid Cymru knows that a focus on developing core skills is vital to a child's education, and we have called for schools to be allowed to develop a better balance between teaching the curriculum and developing skills. I hope this strategy will adopt this approach."
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-18734753	What's the etiquette with electronic cigarettes? - 6 July 2012 - From the section Magazine An e-cigarette led to confusion on the M6. But what are the rules of smoking fake fags? A misunderstanding over an electronic cigarette caused a major terrorist alert on the M6 Toll motorway yesterday. The incident showed what a novelty e-cigarettes are to many people and how easily confusion can develop. But the "fake cigarette" also raises questions of etiquette. Even before the smoking ban, a restaurant-goer lighting up would annoy fellow diners. Since the ban, such behaviour would cause consternation among customers and lead the owner to fear legal action. Smoking an e-cigarette, however, is legal in public places. Although it contains nicotine, there is no burning and only odourless steam is produced. The health advantages of e-cigarettes over tobacco smoking have attracted celebrities including Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Moss. However, some airlines have decided to ban them. There is a fear that they might unsettle passengers or cause people to think that smoking real cigarettes is allowed. Ryan Air allows e-cigarettes but also sells its alternative - a cotton bud soaked in nicotine. It shows that perception, not only health, is a factor. For smoking is generally frowned upon these days. So is it socially acceptable to take a battery assisted puff on a train or in a public library? And what about in the office or at a dinner party? Damien Scott, commercial director of Skycig, a UK brand that claims to have 70,000 customers advises people to use their discretion. "They're not covered by the smoking ban. But use your discretion in public places. In enclosed spaces you should ask permission first so that you're not exhaling vapour everywhere." Cultural commentator Peter York says there's an amusing defiance about electronic smokers. "It's quite a good joke - although obviously not on motorway buses." But York senses that trying to puff on one at a smart restaurant might alarm fellow diners and create a scene. "If you're going to do it you should arm yourself with the legal rubric so that you can say, for example, 'under section 16 of the bill' - or whatever it is - 'I'm completely legal'." Simon Clark, director of smoking lobby group Forest, says e-cigarettes are perfectly appropriate for restaurants. "I cannot see why you shouldn't. They're giving off a bit of water vapour but it's nothing to concern anyone." But body language expert Judi James says people should tread carefully. Even someone putting an unlit cigarette in their mouth can upset people nowadays, she says. Anyone wanting to smoke an e-cigarette at work should inform colleagues first what they're doing. In a restaurant it's more complicated. Short of getting up and announcing to the assembled diners that it's a "fake fag", it may be necessary to go outside. "These days the baddies are the ones smoking the fags. So I almost feel these fake cigarettes have got to be smoked in a smoking area." Sunday Times columnist Rod Liddle, who smokes conventional cigarettes, has little time for e-cigarettes. "They're effete and cowardly." The ban on flights is absurd but then people should either give up or show some willpower if they need them so much, he argues. "They're a demonstration of craven addiction." So if he hosted a dinner party and someone asked to smoke an e-cigarette what would he do? "It is inconceivable that anyone I'd invite would own an electronic cigarette. But if they did I would sit close and blow smoke at them." Others are more tolerant. "It's a bit of fun, it's a novelty," says Peter York. "If it weans people off real cigarettes, then that's a good thing."