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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6076212.stm	US space agency Nasa has launched two spacecraft that are expected to make the first 3D movies of the Sun. CMEs will typically throw a billion tonnes of matter into space The Stereo mission will study violent eruptions from our parent star known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The eruptions create huge clouds of energetic particles that can trigger magnetic storms, disrupting power grids and air and satellite communications. The mission is expected to help researchers forecast magnetic storms - the worst aspects of "space weather". "Coronal mass ejections are a main thrust of solar physics today," said Mike Kaiser, the Stereo project scientist at the US space agency's (Nasa) Goddard Space Flight Center. "With Stereo, we want to understand how CMEs get started and how they move through the Solar System." The mission comprises two spacecraft, lofted on a Delta-2 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The two near-identical satellites will orbit the Sun, but one of them will move slightly ahead of the other, to provide stereo vision. Technical hitches have delayed previous attempts at launching. Coronal mass ejections erupt when "loops" of solar material lifting off the Sun suddenly snap, hurling a high-temperature (hundreds of thousands of degrees) plasma into space. The plasma is formed of electrons and ions of hydrogen and helium. A CME will contain typically a billion tonnes of matter and move away from the Sun at about 400km/s. Much of the time, these outbursts are directed away from the Earth, but some inevitably come our way. When they do, the particles, and the magnetic fields they carry, can have highly undesirable effects. "When a big storm hits and the conditions are just right, you can get disturbances on power grids and on spacecraft - they are susceptible to high-energy electrons and protons hitting them," Dr Kaiser told BBC News. "These particles are hazardous to astronauts; and even airline companies that fly polar routes are concerned about this because CMEs can black out plane communications, and you can get increased radiation doses on the crew and passengers. "If we know when these storms are going to hit, we can take preventive action." At the moment, solar observatories, because they look at the Sun straight on, have great difficulty in determining the precise direction of a CME. By placing two spacecraft in orbit to look at the Sun-Earth system from two widely spaced locations, scientists will be able look at the storms from the side - to work out very rapidly if a cloud of plasma is going to hit our planet. "In solar physics, we make a remarkable leap in understanding either by producing new instruments that have better resolution, so you can probe deeper into the Sun or see structures you've never seen before; or by going to a different vantage point," said Stereo program scientist Dr Lika Guhathakurta. "This is where Stereo comes in; it is not that its instrumentation is a breakthrough in terms of resolution, but it will see the Sun in all its 3D glory for the first time - all the way from the surface of our star out to the Earth. It's going to be spectacular." The Stereo spacecraft each carry 16 instruments. These include telescopes, to image the Sun at different wavelengths, and technologies that will sample particles in CMEs. The UK has a significant role on the mission, having provided all the camera systems on board the spacecraft. It has also delivered a Heliospheric Imager (HI) for each platform. The spacecraft are identical apart from a few structural details This instrument will follow the progress through space of a bubble of plasma by tracing its reflected light. The engineering demands on the British team have been exacting. "The reflected light from these coronal mass ejections is extremely faint," explained Dr Chris Eyles of the University of Birmingham. "It is typically a [100 trillion] times fainter than the direct light from the Sun's disc, so we have to use a sophisticated system of baffles to reject that direct light. "Critical to the HI's operation has been cleanliness of assembly. If we get dust particles, fibres of even hairs on critical surfaces inside the instrument, they would scatter sunlight and destroy the performance of the instrument." The Stereo spacecraft will send their data straight to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), the agency which makes the space weather forecasts used worldwide by satellite and airline operators. The new information is expected to lengthen the advance warning forecasters are able to give - from the current few hours to a couple of days. With our ever increasing dependence on spacecraft in orbit - for communications and navigation - the Stereo mission comes not a moment too soon. Cleanliness is paramount in the instruments' preparation Earth's magnetic field gives the planet and its inhabitants a good measure of protection, but with space agencies seemingly intent on sending astronauts to the Moon and even to Mars in the next few decades, there is a pressing need for a fuller understanding of the Sun's activity. Moon or Mars bases will have to be carefully designed shelters, and astronauts will need very good advice before deciding to venture too far from such protection. August 1972 saw a solar storm that is legendary at Nasa. It occurred between two Apollo missions, with one crew just returned from the Moon and another preparing for launch. If an astronaut had been on the Moon at the time, they might have received a 400 rem (Roentgen Equivalent Man) radiation dose. Not only would this have caused radiation sickness, but without rapid medical treatment such a sudden dose could have been fatal. Dr Chris Davis from the UK's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory underlined the power of CMEs. "The energy in a CME is typically about 10-to-the-power-of-24 joules. That is the same as a bus hitting a wall at 25mph a billion, billion times. It's 100 times the energy stored in the world's nuclear arsenal," he said. The spacecraft launched on a trajectory that goes past the Moon The lunar swingby will position the spacecraft in widely spaced orbits One will lead the Earth in its orbit, the other will lag behind Over the course of their mission, the twins will continue to separate Their different views will be combined to make 3D movies of CMEs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/baseball/8476466.stm	The A's share their Coliseum home with the NFL's Oakland Raiders Oakland Athletics prospect Grant Desme has turned his back on professional baseball - to join the priesthood. The 23-year-old outfielder was the Most Valuable Player in last year's Arizona Fall League, where major league clubs send their top prospects each autumn. But Desme, a lifelong Catholic, plans to enter a seminary this summer. "I was doing well at baseball. But I really had to get down to the bottom of things - I love the game, but I aspire to higher things," he explained. "I wasn't at peace where I was at. I have no regrets." I felt that while baseball is a good thing, I thought it was selfish of me to be doing that when I really felt that God was calling me more Desme, who had looked set to receive an invitation to spring training with Oakland's major league players next month, had been considering the move for over a year, despite hitting 31 home runs and stealing 40 bases in the minor leagues in 2009. "Last year before the season started, I really had a strong feeling of a calling and a real strong desire to follow it. I just fought it," he explained. "As the year went on, God blessed me. I had a better year than I could have imagined, but that reconfirmed my desire. "I felt that while baseball is a good thing, I thought it was selfish of me to be doing that when I really felt that God was calling me more." He informed the A's management on Thursday evening, and now expects to begin "a 10-year process" towards becoming a priest while he studies at St Michael's Abbey in Orange County. Oakland general manager Billy Beane added: "We respect Grant's decision and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavours."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/disability_sport/9642579.stm	Ingram (second left) celebrates with his fellow medallists Sam Ingram won Britain's second gold medal at the visually impaired European Championships in Crawley. The 26-year-old Coventry judoka, who won bronze at the Beijing Paralympics and silver at last year's Worlds, triumphed in the under-90kg category. He beat France's Olivier Cugnon in a thrilling final for his first major international title. Ingram's win follows Brighton's Ben Quilter's victory in the under-60kg category on Friday. Quilter forced Russian opponent Artem Merkulov into submission in two-and-a-half minutes. The 30-year-old is also reigning world champion after winning gold at the World Championships last year. Ingram beat reigning Paralympic champion Oleg Kretsul of Russia in the semi-finals by ippon before his victory in the final. "I've been chasing top spot for a long time, it was ideal getting to fight the Russian Kretsul and Frenchman Cugnon," he said. "The team has managed to gel quickly, we've got a good mix of younger and older judoka and it's been a good weekend for us."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18001494	Proview's iPad trademark claim dismissed by US court Chinese firm Proview's case against Apple over a dispute involving rights to the "iPad" name has been dismissed by a court in the US. Proview had accused Apple of deceiving it into selling the rights by setting up a company, IP Application Development Ltd (IPADL) in the UK. It claimed that Apple said the trademark was "an abbreviation for the company name". Proview had sold its rights for $55,000 (£35,000) in 2009. The company had appealed to void the sale and to prevent Apple from using the iPad trademark. It was also seeking damages. However, a California court dismissed the case on 4 May. According to the Wall Street Journal, the decision had not been disclosed till now. Apple has maintained that it had bought the worldwide rights from Proview and has accused the Chinese firm of not honouring the terms of the agreement. Proview has also sued Apple over the same issue in a court in China's Guangdong province. Officials from the Chinese court are trying to bring the two sides together to settle the issue by out-of-court talks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20503377	Why Osborne went to Canada for his governor The Canadian economy and Canada's banks weathered the great financial storm of 2007-08 in better shape than pretty much every other major developed economy, with the possible exception of Australia. Which is why George Osborne was very keen to recruit the governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney, to succeed Sir Mervyn King in a rather bigger and more complex job, as governor of the Bank of England. Mr Osborne regarded Mr Carney as the central banking equivalent of Sir Alex Ferguson or Pep Guardiola. But Mr Carney isn't cheap - and will receive a pay package of £624,000. The chancellor first approached Mr Carney last February - and Mr Carney said no (as you can see from this BBC interview). But Mr Osborne was keen to get his preferred central governor, because Mr Carney was widely perceived to have all the bits: he is admired by monetary economists, regulators and - allegedly - his staff (or to put it another way, he is an unusual economist and central banker, in that he is seen as a half-decent manager). What's more, he brings with him the ability to seriously influence the future all-important global debate on making the banks safe, because he is the chair of the Financial Stability Board - the senior worldwide financial regulatory body. So Mr Osborne would not let go and went back to Mr Carney a couple of weeks ago, and this time he said yes. However, Mr Carney still had to get through the interviews: he had his a fortnight ago; and the UK now has its first ever foreign governor of the Bank of England (although Mr Carney has a British wife, British children and will apply for British citizenship). Some may feel a tiny bit sorry for the four other eminences on that short list (Paul Tucker, Lord Turner, Lord Burns and Sir John Vickers) - because they now look like the chancellor's insurance in case Mr Carney said no. As it happens, I did not think Mr Carney was in the frame because a well-placed Treasury source told me - in terms - that the unknown fifth person on the short list "was very unlikely to get the job" (see my blog of two weeks ago). Mr Osborne looked pleased as punch with having kept the appointment under wraps till parliament was informed at 3.30pm and - perhaps especially - with the enthusiastic support for the advent of Mr Carney given by Ed Balls, a shadow chancellor who rarely praises his oppo. So where does the controversy - if any - lie in the Carney pick? Well, it is yet another promotion for a Goldman Sachs alumnus (the two most important central banks in Europe, the ECB and the Bank of England, will be run by former Goldman managing directors). And on paper his pay at the Bank of England looks chunky. He will receive a package of £624,000, and will receive a yet-to-be-decided relocation and accommodation allowance (the court of the Bank of England will fix this emigration payment - and, for what it is worth, Barclays got a bit of stick for saying it would pay extra tax on behalf of Bob Diamond, when its former chief executive moved back to the UK). Now Mr Carney's package of £624,000 is more than double Sir Mervyn King's salary of £305,000. But the Treasury and the Bank of England both point out that Sir Mervyn is a fully paid-up member of a staggeringly generous Bank of England pension scheme. That scheme is now closed, so Mr Carney isn't allowed to join it. But if he were allowed to join it, according to the Treasury that would be roughly worth the £300,000 difference between his salary and Sir Mervyn's (so it really must be an amazing, gold-plated scheme). Also, the Treasury points out that Mr Carney will receive less than the £685,000 package of Martin Wheatley, who will run the UK's newly created Financial Conduct Authority, and less than Hector Sants was paid as chief executive of the Financial Services Authority. So there are other public servants paid more than Mr Carney. And to state the bloomin' obvious, only time will tell if Mr Carney will turn out to be value for money.Update: It is hard to think of another developed economy where a foreigner would be appointed to such an important and sensitive public service post. So the choice of the Canadian Mark Carney to be the next governor of the Bank of England marks the UK as unusually free from nationalist prejudices and hang-ups. And that is certainly how the chancellor sees the appointment. I have just interviewed George Osborne for the BBC and he says that his choice of Mr Carney is testament to the openness and tolerance of Britain, which he reveres. But doesn't it also show a dearth of home grown talent? Well, Mr Osborne insists the runners-up were all first rate. He would not confirm their names. But apart from the ones I have mentioned before, they also included the founding chairman of the Financial Services Authority, Sir Howard Davies. As for whether Mr Carney is worth his £624,000 a year, Mr Osborne did not grumble when I pointed out this is four times his own remuneration, and simply said - as you would perhaps expect - that it is the going rate for the job. So should we read into the arrival of Mr Carney that there really is a conspiracy for former Goldman Sachs partners to rule the world? Well, Mr Osborne sees it the other way round - saying that Mr Carney had made an important choice to leave behind the even more lavish rewards on offer at Goldman. So what is it about Mr Carney that persuaded Mr Osborne to pursue him all year, and not even to give up after Mr Carney initially turned down the job? Well it is that - unlike all the other serious candidates - Mr Carney has actually run a central bank, and a particularly successful one at that. Oh, and as a secondary consideration, Mr Osborne has got to know Mr Carney pretty well and likes him. But running a central bank like the Bank of England will be quite a step up from the Bank of Canada, for a number of reasons. First, the UK economy is in much more of a mess than Canada's Second, the British banking industry is in much more of a mess than Canada's. Third, the Bank of England is an institution in a state of some flux, having been criticised by some for failing to stem the great crisis of 2007-8, and about to be endowed with enormous new powers to temper the next financial crisis. Mr Carney has not signed up for the quiet life.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19091732	Chris Bartley: Delight at Olympic rower's silver medal The parents of rower Chris Bartley have described their delight after their son became Wales' first Olympic medallist at London 2012. Bartley, 28, from Wrexham, and the rest of the lightweight men's four won silver with Team GB, just missing out on gold to South Africa in a dramatic finish. His father Geoff said: "It's absolutely unbelievable and brilliant." Stroke man Bartley said he was proud but in pain after the race. He needed to be helped from his boat and then onto the medal podium and said: "The pain was quite extreme and I was physically sick a couple of times. I'm still not feeling tip-top but I'll be ok." Despite that, he described himself as really happy and proud of the team, and was pleased that his father had a Welsh flag at the event. First Minister Carwyn Jones led the praise, saying: "Congratulations to Chris Bartley on a truly gripping performance that has brought Wales our first medal of these Olympic Games. "Let's hope for more success to boost our medal tally." Sport Minister Huw Lewis added: "Many congratulations to Chris Bartley and his lightweight coxless four teammates for their Olympic silver medal, the first Welsh medal at these Games. "We still have many more medal chances to come and I hope this will start the ball rolling for Wales. Da iawn Chris." Sport Wales chair Laura McAllister was delighted for Bartley along with the crew of Rob Williams and brothers Richard and Peter Chambers. The Team GB crew were pipped in a thrilling race won by South Africa., with Denmark taking bronze. After the race, Bartley's father said: "We have been to so many heads of rivers in the middle of winter walking up and down muddy river banks and then you come to something like this and it's absolutely the icing on the cake. Superb." The rower's mother Sue said her son had given her the bouquet of flowers he received on the medal podium. Olympics coverage online She added: "When he first started rowing, because he's quite small he was asked by one of the coaches at the school, 'Would you like to be a cox?' "And he said, 'If I'm a cox I'm not doing it'. And now look at him." Bartley has been rowing for half his life, having taken up the sport as a schoolboy just over the English border from his home town at King's School in Chester. Stephen Levitt, a rowing coach at the school, said they were proud to have helped train Bartley and fellow Olympian Tom James, who won a gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He said they had inspired the pupils at the school. "You can see an increase of athletes coming through, which is brilliant," he said. "And it is a spur-on. Because you can see that they're not the biggest guys. You know, Chris is a lightweight, he's not big. "But if you're determined enough you can get the result you want."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-21695564	Could electric cars reduce China's smog? "Particulate Matter 2.5" is now, it seems, officially an enemy of the people. The harmful, tiny pieces of matter, up to 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5 for short), are too small to be seen by the naked eye, but big enough to make it into the outgoing Chinese premier's final speech to parliament this week. In his swansong after a decade in power, Wen Jiabao noted that the government had started releasing PM2.5 data and said more needed to be done to bring China's serious air quality problem under control. So with the issue of pollution so high on the agenda at the annual parliamentary session, some are wondering what possible solutions might be in the pipeline. One might very well be a renewed effort to kick-start the electric car industry. Some reports suggest that the generous subsidy scheme for battery-driven vehicles will be expanded from the present five cities to 20 more. But so far no country in the world has succeeded in making the dream of emission-free driving a reality. Despite the lofty ideal, the electric car has so far been a sputtering disappointment, accounting for only a fraction of 1% of global car sales. And the same is true in China. There is an existing target to put five million on the road by 2020 but the Chinese consumer is so far very much unconvinced.'Range anxiety' But BYD Auto Company in the southern city of Shenzhen is just one electric vehicle maker hoping that the time is now ripe for the government to step up its efforts. The company rose to global prominence in 2008 when venture capitalist Warren Buffett bought a 9.9% stake. He was betting that if anyone could make the technology work then China's central planners would be the ones to do it. They have certainly tried. In Shanghai, for example, the total amount of subsidy on offer, including an exemption from the city's expensive licence plate system, is worth up to $30,000 (£20,000). But that would still leave more than $40,000 to be paid before you could drive away in a BYD e6. Electric cars are not cheap and buyers have worries other than price. "I think that when you talk to a regular Joe about electric vehicles he is excited but when you ask Mr Joe to buy one, he's nervous," said Isbrand Ho from BYD's Auto Export Trade Division. "We call that 'range anxiety'. How far will my vehicle go?" The answer for an e6 is well in excess of 300 km (190 miles) on one charge. That is the sort of number that might just start looking attractive to less price-sensitive customers but China still doesn't have anything like enough charging stations to make the car a practical choice. Last year, BYD sold only 1,700 electric cars in China. Isbrand Ho tells me that at that volume the car is inherently expensive, due to the economy of scale. What they need, he says, is for production to get above a certain threshold, and then costs will come down.Taxi source? And there may yet be one way to do that. When it comes to deciding what kind of cars are on the road China has a number of advantages over some other governments. Firstly, the luxury of unchallenged, centralised decision-making power. They can easily just build more charging stations. And secondly, an awful lot of vehicles. In Shenzhen, BYD has found one willing customer; the public transport system. The company aims to triple its sales this year by selling 2,000 electric buses and 6,000 e6 cars to the city's partly state-owned taxi companies. If copied nationwide, then China's sales of battery cars might not look quite so weedy. For China, the costs of its decades-long economic rise are beginning to loom very large indeed. Public discontent over a range of grievances is mounting; income disparity, corruption and pollution are often cited as the main ones. The issues are complex and structural and there are no quick fixes, but the government needs to be seen to be doing something. More than one million new fuel-engine cars pour onto China's roads every month, and vehicle exhaust now accounts for up to a half of those PM2.5 particles. That is why they made it into Wen Jiabao's speech and why, as leaders meet for the annual parliament, some are expecting the Communist Party to make a renewed effort to give battery power a boost.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7709877.stm	The cause of the crash remains unknown, and Mr Calderon said his government would "carry out all necessary investigations to find out the causes of the tragedy". At a news conference, Communications Minister Luis Tellez appeared to rule out any signs of foul play. "So far, we have not detected any indications that suggest a hypothesis other than that it was an accident," he said. Mr Mourino had been in charge of security during the government's violent battle with Mexico's powerful drug cartels, and his death is a big blow, says BBC Americas analyst Warren Bull. About 3,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence since the start of the year, and the country's kidnapping rates are among the highest in the world. The interior ministry officials had been returning to Mexico City from an event in the city of San Luis Potosi when the plane went down. Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said the crash had killed all those on board. He added that more people might have died on the ground as a number of cars were destroyed when the plane crashed. "It's likely that we will find other bodies in the vehicles," Mr Ebrard told Mexican television. At least 40 people were admitted to hospital with injuries. "The explosion was enormous," an eyewitness told AFP news agency. "The flames reached higher than the buildings on La Reforma", the witness added, referring to the main street in the city's financial district. Police and ambulances attended the crash scene as firemen battled to bring the blaze under control. Correspondents say Mr Mourino had come under recent pressure over allegations he had acted improperly by signing government contracts on behalf of his family's car fuel business while in office. Mr Mourino had denied any wrongdoing. Mr Santiago, who had previously been in charge of pursuing extraditions against drug smugglers, had reportedly been the target of at least one planned assassination attempt. 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/2/hi/middle_east/2982730.stm	Like many other things in the region, water is in hot dispute between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The River Jordan (white line, top right) is a crucial water source in the region Under international law, Israel is committed to supplying drinking water to the Palestinians and not denying them. But Israel itself is a very arid area surrounded by desert. It rains only a few months a year - and for the past few years the region has been in the grip of drought. "We have a chronic water shortage, and it is getting worse year to year," Jacob Kaidar, the director of multilateral peace talks coordination and water issues in the Israeli foreign ministry, told BBC World Service's Politics Of Water programme. "Basically we have a drought almost every year, we have to cut our water supplies almost every year." The water that Israel receives comes mainly from the Jordan river system, the Sea of Galilee and two underground sources. The supply is shared between Israelis and Palestinians, but, as ever, is a source of great controversy. At the Third World Water Conference in Kyoto, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev outlined the history of water conflict around the world. He said there had been 21 armed disputes over water in recent history - and 18 of them involved Israel. "It's highly unfair," said Yehezkel Lein, a water expert for Israeli human rights group B'tselem, who help to solve water problems in Palestinian areas. "We are talking about mainly the mountain aquifer and the Jordan River system. Regarding the first one Israel exploits approximately 80% of the renewal water resources, and the Palestinians the remaining 20%. "Regarding the Jordan River system, the Palestinians do not have any access." Mr Lein added that the conflict in the region had dramatically exacerbated the problem. The Sea of Galilee can supply parts of Israel, but not the Palestinian areas "There is a clear linkage between the gap in water availability, and the occupation," he said. "Israel has taken advantage of its control of the West Bank in order to appropriate more water sources and to prevent Palestinians from developing new water sources that are under the land." Israel has controlled water supplies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip since it first occupied the areas in 1967. The 1993 Oslo Peace Accord stated that the Palestinians should have more water resources and greater control, although the Israelis disagree, insisting they supply 40 million cubic metres of water. Many Palestinians struggle, however, as they remain unconnected to any water infrastructure. One such place is Beit Furik, a village in the West Bank near the Palestinian town of Nablus. "The real problem is at the beginning of their hot summer - they will have used up their water and they will begin to suffer," explained Beit Furik's Mayor, Atef Atif Hanani. "We have about 12 tanks to collect water from Nablus, but during the Intifada the Israeli authorities have imposed checkpoints on the roads. "These checkpoints started to forbid these tanks from reaching Nablus, so sometimes they have to wait for about five or six hours - and some days they were forbidden." He added that even when the tanks were allowed through, sometimes Israeli soldiers would undo the valves and let the water back out. Israel's Water Minister Mr Kaidar said he was "not happy" about a lack of co-operation, acknowledging that turning water trucks away was "totally unacceptable." "Israel is committed to supplying drinking water to the Palestinians, and not to deny them," he added. But Jacob Dallal of the Israel army said that delays were unfortunate, but necessary to stop the militants. "This is the nature of this conflict when people are trying to smuggle things including suicide bombers through the West Bank and into Israel," he said. Oxfam says Israeli soldiers target Palestinian water tanks "We have to be very careful, but at no time lose sight of the importance of getting essential materials to people. "We do have to check because in the past, as has been the case with ambulances, people have taken advantage of vehicles that are supposed to be only for humanitarian purposes." Some statistics suggest that, in large part because of these constant arguments at checkpoints, the Palestinians use on average four times less water than the Israelis. The mother of one family in Beit Furik, Fuaz Hanani, told Politics Of Water that they were only able to wash every two weeks, such was the shortage of water. "I feel angry that Israeli settlers in Itmar drink clean water while my dear family drink water from a well which sometimes has dirty or polluted water," Mrs Hanani said. However, Jacob Kaidar insisted that, while he hoped co-operation between the two sides would be better in the future, Mrs Hanani should direct her anger towards her own people. He said Palestinians were stealing water from Israeli pipes and drilling illegal wells. "In Gaza we have some 2,000 illegal wells, in the West Bank the report is 250 or more," he said. According to Oxfam, an additional problem is that what little infrastructure the Palestinians do have is targeted by the Israelis. "We are helping very poor families to build new tanks on their roofs... unfortunately it's a really good target for Israeli soldiers to shoot at," Oxfam's Ton Berg stated. "We've just finished a really big water tank that would serve half a village in El Boursh and now the Israeli defence forces have announced that they will destroy it, because they need land that is officially Palestinian to build a wall. "So that whole village this summer will again be without clean drinking water." With the publication of the roadmap to peace, there had been hopes that political leaders would begin to look more closely at the water crisis in the region. But with the roadmap apparently in crisis, it seems the Palestinians may be thirsty for a good while longer.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/6995240.stm	By Andrew Benson BBC Sport at Spa-Francorchamps McLaren received a systematic flow of information from a spy within rivals Ferrari for nearly three months this year, the FIA has revealed. Alonso (left) and Pedro de la Rosa are mentioned in the FIA report Drivers Fernando Alonso and Pedro de la Rosa were aware of the information. It was the possession of this "highly sensitive" data that led the FIA to fine McLaren £49.2m and deduct their constructors' championship points. The information came to McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan from Ferrari chief mechanic Nigel Stepney. The data McLaren received over the three-month period concerned the Ferrari car's brakes, weight distribution, aerodynamic balance and tyre inflation. In a 16-page document, the FIA said e-mails showed that test driver De la Rosa and reigning world champion Alonso had been aware of the Ferrari data. All the information from Ferrari is very reliable Pedro de la Rosa in an e-mail to Fernando Alonso on 25 March "The emails show unequivocally that both Mr Alonso and Mr de la Rosa received confidential Ferrari information via Mike Coughlan. "Both drivers knew that this information was confidential Ferrari information and that both knew that the information was being received by Coughlan from Nigel Stepney," the report states. In what is being viewed as the most damning section of the report, the FIA has published an e-mail exchange between De la Rosa and Alonso. "All the information from Ferrari is very reliable," De la Rosa wrote to Alonso on 25 March in an exchange about the Ferrari's weight distribution. "It comes from Nigel Stepney, their former chief mechanic - I don't know what post he holds now. "He's the same person who told us in Australia that Kimi (Raikkonen) was stopping in lap 18. He's very friendly with Mike Coughlan, our chief designer and he told him that." These are the main points raised in the statement on the FIA website: Coughlan had more information than previously appreciated Information included sensitive technical information and sporting strategy De la Rosa requested and received secret Ferrari data The information was shared with Alonso Intention by McLaren personnel to use data in their own testing McLaren boss Ron Dennis revealed after the decision that he had tipped off the FIA about evidence that ultimately led to sucha huge fine. "Once I became aware that new evidence might exist, which I did on the morning of the Hungarian Grand Prix (5 August), I immediately phoned the FIA to keep them informed," he said. And asked if he thought the e-mails influenced the FIA judgement, Alonso told BBC Radio 5live: "I don't think so, not at all." The extent of the information Coughlan received about the Ferrari goes far beyond what was revealed at a first meeting of the FIA's world motorsport council in July. At that time, the FIA decided not to punish McLaren because there was no proof the information had been used "in such a way as to interfere with the running of the FIA F1 world championship". But the new evidence persuaded the world council to change its verdict at Thursday's meeting. De la Rosa revealed plans to test Ferrari's weight distribution in McLaren's simulator, plans that were later abandoned. It was revealed that Alonso agreed it was "very important" that McLaren tried out the gas Ferrari were using to inflate their car's tyres. It also emerged that De la Rosa had asked Coughlan for specific details of Ferrari's braking system, and that the designer revealed to the test driver "we are looking at something similar". The document appears to explode the view that this was only a case of two rogue employees using the information to find better jobs at other teams, and that the confidential information had not been circulated within McLaren, as the team contended at the first world council meeting. The world council said it had decided to inflict such a heavy punishment on McLaren because "there was an intention on the part of a number of McLaren personnel to use some of the Ferrari confidential information in its own testing". It added: "The evidence leads the WMSC to conclude that some degree of sporting advantage was obtained, though it may forever be impossible to quantify that advantage in concrete terms." Dennis insisted that his personal future with McLaren had "never been in doubt" and dismissed any thought that the size of the fine could threaten his team's future. "Firstly, we will effectively still have as an offset the revenue from the points earned to date," said Dennis. "That will effectively halve the size of the cheque we have to sign, if we ultimately accept this fine. "But, as you can see if you read our accounts, we turn over roughly US$450-500m a year, and we are debt-free, so obviously we are a very strong company with phenomenal growth." McLaren are still to decide whether they will appeal against the judgment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17743123	London 2012: Alfred Hitchcock silent films to be celebrated by BFI The British Film Institute has revealed details of its celebration of film-maker Alfred Hitchcock, which includes restorations of his silent movies. Champagne and Blackmail, which were directed by the British master of suspense during the late 1920s, will be shown with live musical accompaniment. A three-month long season will also see all 58 of his films - including Psycho, Vertigo and The Birds - screened. Actors Tippi Hedren and Bruce Dern will also take part in live events. Speaking at a launch in London on Tuesday, Heather Stewart, the BFI's creative director, said that the BFI had wanted to get out its "big guns", like other big cultural organisations, during Olympic year. "The idea of popular cinema somehow being capable of being great art at the same time as being entertaining is still a problem for some people," she said. "Shakespeare is on the national curriculum, Hitchcock is not." She said that in the same way that Picasso had changed the face of modern art, Hitchcock was also a game-changer. "After Psycho, in particular, film-making could never be the same again." An open-air screening of Blackmail, directed by the 30-year-old Hitchcock in 1929, will be staged in the forecourt of the British Museum on 6 July as part of the BFI's involvement in the London 2012 Festival celebrations. The film will feature a live score by award-winning composer, musician, writer and broadcaster Neil Brand, performed live by an ensemble of 18 musicians. A short clip of Blackmail was screened at The Genius of Hitchcock launch event, accompanied by the new score. Describing Hitchcock as an "incredibly seductive" film-maker, Brand said he had not tried to replicate the music of the silent era. "This is for an audience now." Hitchcock's 1927 boxing drama The Ring will be shown at the Hackney Empire, with jazz and hip hop artist Soweto Kinch providing live music and fellow Mercury prize nominee Nitin Sawhney will score The Lodger: A Tale Of The London Fog. After performing a live saxophone solo over a clip from The Ring, Kinch said: "The dance sequences in this film have travelled really well with time. There's a particular beat and a tempo that means I'll be able to twin the old with the new." Film critic and chairman of the London Film Critics' Circle Jason Solomons said of the Hitchcock retrospective: "What strikes me is the modernity of the project. We're seeing him now as a cool indie British film-maker." London 2012 - One extraordinary year He added: "Music is the first step to reframing how we see cinema. There are different strains of world music and it proves that his films belong to all of us." Both The Ring and Champagne will be screened live on The Space - a digital arts service which has been developed by Arts Council England in partnership with the BBC and BFI. Ruth Mackenzie, director of the London 2012 Festival, told the BBC: "Alfred Hitchcock is one of the great artists of the 20th Century and like all great artists he makes us look at the world differently - and he makes his art form transform itself after his input." The BFI on London's South Bank will also house an exhibition paying tribute to Hitchcock, who died aged 80 in 1980. Over his career, spanning six decades, the director was nominated for five Oscars - but won just one honorary statuette, in 1968.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17924653	Plants flower faster than climate change models predict Scientific models are failing to accurately predict the impact of global warming on plants, says a new report. Researchers found in long-term studies that some are flowering up to eight times faster than models anticipate. The authors say that poor study design and a lack of investment in experiments partly account for the difference. They suggest that spring flowering and leafing will continue to advance at the rate of 5 to 6 days per year for every degree celsius of warming. The results are published in the journal Nature. For more than 20 years, scientists have been carrying out experiments to mimic the impacts of rising temperatures on the first leafing and flowering of plant species around the world. End Quote This Rutishauser Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research The bottom line is that the impacts might be bigger than we have believed until now” Researchers had assumed that plants would respond in essentially the same way to experimental warming with lamps and open top chambers as they would to changes in temperatures in the real world. Very little has been done to test the assumption until this study lead by Dr Elizabeth Wolkovich, who is now at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. With her colleagues she studied the timing of the flowering and leafing of plants in observational studies and warming experiments spanning four continents and 1,634 plant species. According to Dr Wolkovich, the results were a surprise. "What we found is that the experiments don't line up with the long term data, and in fact they greatly underestimate how much plants change their leafing and flowering with warming," she said. "So for models based on experimental data, then we would expect that plants are leafing four times faster and flowering eight times faster in the long term historical record than what we're using in some of the models."'Consistent message' Observational data have been gathered by scientific bodies for many years. In the UK, the systematic recording of flowering times dates back to 1875, when the Royal Meteorological Society established a national network of observers. Since then, data has also been recorded by full-time biologists and part-time enthusiasts, and in recent years there have been mass-participation projects such as BBC Springwatch. This new research suggests that these observations of flowering and leafing carried out in many different parts of the world over the past thirty years are remarkably similar according to Dr Wolkovich. "In terms of long term observations, the records are very coherent and very consistent and they suggest for every degree celsius of warming we get we are going to get a five- to six-day change in how plants leaf and flower." She argues that the difficulties in mimicking the impacts of nature in an artificial setting are much greater than many scientists estimate. The team found that in some cases the use of warming chambers to artificially raise temperatures can sometimes have the opposite effect. "In the real world, we don't just see changes in temperature - we see changes in precipitation and cloud patterns and other factors - so certainly when you think about replicating changes in clouds, we are very, very far away from being able to do that. "I guess we will never get to perfectly match nature, but I am hopeful as scientists we can do much, much better, given funding resources." The team found that the greater investment in the design and monitoring of experiments, the more accurate the result. "We have a very consistent message from the long-term historical records about how plants are changing, but we need to think more critically about how we fund and invest in and really design experiments," said Dr Wolkovich. "We do need them in the future, they are the best way going forward to project how species are changing but right now what we're doing isn't working as well as I think it could." Other researchers were equally surprised by the results. Dr This Rutishauser is at the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern in Switzerland. He says that in light of this work scientists will have to rethink the impacts of global warming. "The bottom line is that the impacts might be bigger than we have believed until now. That's going to provoke a lot of work to probably revise modelling results for estimations of what's going to happen in the future for food production especially." Dr Wolkovich agrees that if the models are so significantly underestimating the real world observations, there could be also be impacts on water the world over. "If a whole plant community starts growing a week earlier than we expect according to these experiments, it's going to take up a lot more water over the growing season and if you add to that many years of the model projections, you are going to see big changes in the water supply." She appeals to people to get involved in citizen science projects and help gather data on flowering and leafing, especially in remote areas. The National Phenology Network in the US logged its millionth observation this week, and similar programmes are underway in the UK, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, and a pan-European database is under development. "We have very few monitoring networks. We need many, many people out there observing this because it is changing faster and across more habitats than we are currently measuring - we need more help!"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12576427	Libya: Anti-Gaddafi protesters 'under fire' in Tripoli Anti-government protesters in the Libyan capital Tripoli have come under heavy gunfire, reports say, as state TV showed pictures of embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi addressing supporters. There are reports of deaths and injuries in several locations, but no reliable information about casualties. Meanwhile, the head of the UN has warned of a growing crisis of refugees and food shortages. Ban Ki-moon said more than 1,000 people had died in the unrest so far. Protests in Tripoli resumed on Friday as those seeking the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi emerged from mosques following Friday prayers. A group of protesters in the Suq al-Jumaa area was confronted by a force of troops and militiamen who opened fire on them as they headed towards Green Square, witnesses said. Snipers on rooftops are also reported to have fired on the marchers. A witness in Suq al-Jumaa told the BBC that he and other protesters had walked into a military trap, and that the crowd had dispersed in the hail of fire. He said he did not know how many people were killed. At the scene Outside the airport there's a sad sight. Several thousand people queueing in the darkness and rain, trying to get flights out. Some people told me there were from Syria, others appear to be from the Indian sub-continent, the kind of migrant workers upon whom this economy has been depending. I was given a briefing by a man who said he was an engineer who's come back from Italy. The fact that he spoke to us suggests he has been given permission to do so, and he was essentially presenting the regime's positiion as a point of stabilty in a sea of chaos. The only place the "system" is operational is in the capital, he said. There's a fair amount of traffic on the streets. There were some reports of shooting near the airport but I saw no signs of that. In some sidestreets I saw some road blocks, but they didn't look like military people. Reports of anti-government protesters being fired on have also come from other areas of the capital including Fashloom, Janzour and Zawlyat al-Dahmani. "Many people are being killed right now in Tripoli, I just got a few phone calls from friends who witnessed people going out of mosques being shot at," one Tripoli resident told the BBC. "I am very scared to leave the house. I was planning to visit my parents, but they called me and told me not to go out because there's heavy security on the main roads, stopping cars for checks. "We haven't left the house for six days, apart from going out to buy bread. The city is completely closed." Outside Tripoli, reports say attempts by pro-Gaddafi forces to take back territory in the cities of Zawiya and Misrata have been repulsed. An elite brigade commanded by Col Gaddafi's son Khamis is believed to be dug in around the capital. Libyan state TV showed Colonel Gaddaffi speaking from the Tripoli's Green Square old city ramparts, urging the crowd to arm themselves and defend the nation and its oil against anti-government protesters who have taken control of large parts of the country. End Quote Col Muammar Gaddafi Libyan leader Life without dignity has no value, life without green flags has no value” "This is the people that brought Italy to its knees," he said, referring to the overthrow of Libya's colonial rulers. "I am amid the masses, and we shall fight, and we shall defeat them. "We shall destroy any aggression with popular will. With the armed people, when necessary we will open the weapons depots. So that all the Libyan people, all the Libyan tribes can be armed. Libya will become a red flame, a burning coal." As his supporters waved green flags, the symbol of Col Gaddafi's rule, he said: "Life without dignity has no value, life without green flags has no value. Sing, dance and prepare yourselves." Later, at a hastily organised news conference at the United Nations in New York, Libyan deputy ambassador Ibrahim Dabbashi described Col Gaddafi, who has been in power for 42 years, as a "madman" and warned that thousands would die in Tripoli because the Libyan leader would never flee and would fight to the end. He urged all Libyan diplomats across the world to renounce the regime and make it clear that they represented the people, not Col Gaddafi, and called on African states not to send soldiers or aid to his government.'Decisive action' Speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, the global body's secretary general urged the council to take "decisive action" on the Libya crisis, saying that "clear and egregious" violations of human rights had occurred. Mr Ban said 22,000 people had fled Libya via Tunisia, and a further 15,000 via Egypt. "Much larger numbers are trapped and unable to leave," he added. "There are widespread reports of refugees being harassed and threatened with guns and knives." He said it was important for neighbouring countries, including those Europe, to keep their borders open to those fleeing the violence. Mr Ban also said that there was a food crisis inside Libya that the UN World Food Programme expected to worsen. The WFP says Libya's food supply chain is at risk of collapse because imports have not been getting into the country and food distribution is hampered by violence. Diplomats at the UN Security Council say Britain and France have drawn up a draft resolution with a package of measures aimed at isolating Libya's political and military leaders. Elements could include targeted sanctions, an arms embargo, and a proposed referral of the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court. Earlier, an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council recommended suspending Libya from the body, and authorised an international investigation into the violence in the country with a view to prosecuting those responsible. White House spokesman Jay Carney said the Obama administration was acting "to put pressure on the regime" to cease the violence. "Colonel Gaddafi has lost the confidence of his people," he added.'Appalling and unacceptable' Evacuations of foreign nationals from Libya by sea continued on Friday, although rough weather hampered the operations. Help for UK nationals - The Foreign Office is advising against all but essential travel to Libya - UK nationals in Libya wishing to get on the charter flight are advised to call the following numbers: - 020 7008 0000 from the UK or 021 3403644/45 from within Libya A US-chartered ferry carrying Americans evacuated from Libya arrived in Malta on Friday evening. Britain has sent a second ship, the destroyer HMS York, to deploy to the sea area near Libya. The frigate HMS Cumberland has picked up more than 200 people and is taking them to Malta. India is sending warships to the region to evacuate its nationals. Hundreds of sub-Saharan Africans are said to be fleeing southern Libya into Niger. Many more are stranded in Libya, where they say they are being attacked by people accusing them of being mercenaries fighting for Col Gaddafi. Nato ambassadors are currently holding emergency talks in Brussels on the situation in Libya, but Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the Western military alliance has no intention of intervening. British Prime Minister David Cameron described the violence in Libya as "appalling and unacceptable", adding: "People working for this regime... should remember that international justice has a long reach and a long memory."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17180967	Iran elections to define balance of conservative power This week, more than 48 million Iranians will get to vote. But not all of them will choose to do so. Friday's parliamentary election is first national election in Iran since the disputed presidential poll of 2009, which provoked the most serious political crisis in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Supporters of the opposition Green Movement claimed that the election was stolen from their candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. The government sent security forces to put down the mass protests. No-one expects the 2012 parliamentary elections to trigger a repeat of the scenes of 2009.Turnout Human rights organisations report increasing numbers of arrests of activists in the lead-up to the parliamentary vote, while reformists have concluded that there is no point in contesting this election and asked their supporters to stay at home on election day. In 2009, the strength of the opposition was measured by the size of the street demonstrations. In 2012, it will be measured by the size of the election turnout. Unsurprisingly, the government is doing its best to encourage everyone to vote. "There is no doubt that the higher the turnout, the stronger [the] national security," said the Defence Minister, Ahmad Vahidi, in a recent interview with the Irna news agency. Ruling conservatives even make an appeal for patriotic support - the better the election in Iran, the more it will inspire the Arab Spring in the Middle East, they say. "Our presence in the election is a model for countries of the Islamic awakening movement and it is the biggest threat to America," said Mehdi Chamran, the head of Tehran's Islamic Council, via the Fars news agency.Power struggle In the absence of the reformists, Iran's ruling conservative movement has the election to itself. The poll represents a straightforward fight among conservatives. Their conflict is easy to summarise - president versus supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader since 1989, represents the first generation of Islamic rulers in Iran. He controls many of the country's levers of power and draws particular strength from a close alliance with the powerful Revolutionary Guards, which are tasked with defending the country's Islamic system and providing a counterweight to the regular armed forces. The President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, represents a second generation of Iranian politicians - those who served in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s. Mr Ahmadinejad and his supporters have support among the country's working class and they have sought to reduce the power of Iran's ruling clerics. The supreme leader and the president were forced to unite in 2009 to defeat the Green Movement. But since then, their alliance has come apart. The parliamentary election of 2012 marks the first formal chance to assess the strength of each man's support. IN FACTS AND FIGURES - Population 75m. Eligible voters 48m. Minimum voting age 18 years - Number of seats: 290 seats from 30 provinces. About 60 deputies represent the 10 largest cities - 207 Constituencies with 47,000 voting stations - First round 2 March, one quarter of vote is required to win, if not, vote goes to second round. Date unannounced - Number of candidates before vetting: 5,395, after vetting 3,444, ie 36% were disqualified - 8 women and 44 clerics elected to the 2008 parliament - Official turnout in 2008 61% In Iran, the supreme leader has a built-in advantage in any fight with the president. The constitution makes sure that any argument is pre-rigged in the Supreme Leader's favour. In effect, Ayatollah Khamenei gets to pick which candidates are allowed to run in any election. He does so via a body called the Guardian Council, whose 12 members are appointed by him directly or indirectly. "The Guardian Council has the responsibility of supervising the elections of the Assembly of Experts, the president of the republic, the Islamic Consultative Assembly [Parliament], and the direct recourse to popular opinion and referenda," says Article 99 of the constitution. In practical terms, this means that any candidate wishing to run for office has to be approved by the Guardian Council. The body has plenty of eyes and ears to help make its decisions. It has more than 384 supervisory offices across the country, operating on a budget of $25m. The Council makes sure that anyone wishing to upend the Islamic system entirely is unable to stand. It is also able to disqualify candidates considered threatening to the supreme leader. Official figures show that 5,395 candidates applied to run in the 2012 parliamentary election. The Guardian Council approved 3,444 of them. Reports suggest that it barred some candidates loyal to the president.Conservative rivalry Friday's election will be fought by a number of rival conservative groups. Supporters of President Ahmadinejad are standing in a number of lists - the Islamic Government Supporters Front, the Young Advisers of the President, the Justice and Compassion Front and the Unity and Justice Front. The United Principle-ist Front (UPF) is a powerful group which represents the Old Guard and which calls for unity on the basis of Islam and the supreme leader. The Steadfastness Front (Paydari) represents a group of former Ahmadinejad supporters who have turned against the president. The respective strength of these groups after the 2012 election will define the balance of power for what may be a much more important vote - the 2013 presidential election.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13318372	Osama Bin Laden: Legality of killing questioned After receiving news that a team of US Navy Seals had shot dead Osama Bin Laden at a compound in northern Pakistan, President Barack Obama announced that justice had been done. The demise of the man held responsible for mass atrocities, including the 11 September 2001 attacks, was welcomed around the world. But as the US narrative developed - and changed - after the raid, there were growing questions about whether it was legal to kill the al-Qaeda leader. At one level, these have focused on what happened during the operation at the building in Abbottabad in which Bin Laden was found. "The issue here is whether what was done was an act of legitimate self-defence," said Benjamin Ferencz, an international law specialist who served as a prosecutor during the Nuremburg trials and argued that it would have been better to capture Bin Laden and send him to court. "Killing a captive who poses no immediate threat is a crime under military law as well as all other law," he told the BBC World Service.'Appropriate action' US Attorney General Eric Holder has led the case for the defence of the operation, which he said was a "kill or capture mission" and "obviously lawful". End Quote Eric Holder US Attorney General It is lawful to target an enemy commander” "If there was the possibility of a feasible surrender, that would have occurred," he told the BBC, adding that the protection of the Navy Seals was a priority. "One does not know what Bin Laden had there," he said. "It's one o'clock, two o'clock in the morning or so, it's dark. This is a mass murderer who's sworn to continue his attacks against the United States and its allies. "When confronted with that person, in the absence of some clear indication that he was going to surrender, I think that they acted in an appropriate way." A clear picture of the exact circumstances in which Bin Laden was shot has not emerged, and may never do so. US officials have suggested that the al-Qaeda leader may have been reaching for a weapon, and that the Navy Seals were wary that people in the compound might have been wearing suicide belts. But they have also said Bin Laden was not carrying a weapon - after initially saying he was. And they have told US media that just one person in the compound shot at the special forces team, in what appears to have been a one-sided confrontation. Legal experts have therefore asked whether the US forces were instructed to kill, and whether Bin Laden was offered a chance to give himself in.Proportionate response? Like Mr Ferencz, British law professor Philippe Sands QC says it is impossible to make a definitive legal judgement without knowing precisely what happened. But he says the case for the raid's legality has been weakened. "The question to ask is: were the measures taken in the actual situation that pertained reasonable and proportionate, given the circumstances in which the [Navy Seals] found themselves?" he told the BBC. "The facts for Bin Laden don't appear to easily meet that standard." On a broader level, US officials have justified Bin Laden's killing as an act committed as part of an armed conflict with al-Qaeda. Mr Holder said Bin Laden's killing was "not an assassination" but rather "an act of national self-defence" against an al-Qaeda leader who had acknowledged his role in the 9/11 attacks. "You have to remember, it is lawful to target an enemy commander," he said. Some legal experts have backed up that position. "I don't think that this is an extrajudicial killing," Philip Bobbitt, a US specialist on constitutional law and international security, told the BBC's World Tonight programme. "I think this is part of an armed conflict authorised by the United Nations, authorised by both houses of Congress."'Setting precedents' The extent to which Bin Laden could have still been a key commander, given the restrictions on his movements and communications, has been queried, though the US has said he was "active in operational planning" from Abbottabad. End Quote Philippe Sands QC I think it's deeply troubling if we are indeed moving to a place where you can have a global assassination policy for those who are perceived to cause trouble” But the location of the raid has also raised questions. Bin Laden was killed in a normally quiet town, in a country with which - despite ongoing military operations including drone strikes near the border with Afghanistan - the US is not officially at war. And Pakistan was not given prior warning of the raid. "As a matter of international law, one country is not free to enter another country apparently without the authorisation of that country, and intervene, whether to kidnap or kill a national of a third state," Mr Sands said. He acknowledged that under what is known as the doctrine of necessity, where there is an "overriding threat to national security", such an act might not give rise to responsibility or liability. But he said the difficulty with that argument was that it comes against a background of a rise in extrajudicial killings, including through the use of drones, and that this was not a "lawful direction to be taking". The logical conclusion of any idea that Bin Laden could be killed as an enemy combatant was "that anyone associated with al-Qaeda in any country in the world can be taken out, can be executed," Mr Sands said. "I think it's deeply troubling if we are indeed moving to a place where you can have a global assassination policy for those who are perceived to cause trouble," he added. The UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns, and the special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Martin Scheinin, have raised a similar concern. "In certain exceptional cases, use of deadly force may be permissible as a measure of last resort... including in operations against terrorists," they said in statement. "However, the norm should be that terrorists be dealt with as criminals, through legal processes of arrest, trial and judicially decided punishment," they added. "Actions taken by states in combating terrorism, especially in high profile cases, set precedents for the way in which the right to life will be treated in future instances." Potentially, Bin Laden's killing could be challenged under international, Pakistani or US law, though for now there seems little prospect of any serious legal case being brought.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/3585473.stm	Panorama has made several films about the 100 days of the Rwandan genocide. Valentina - Panorama told her story in 1997 The programme's coverage of the terrible event, the aftermath and investigations into the causes of the slaughter won critical acclaim and won many awards across the world. Journey into Darkness - June 27, 1994 Panorama reporter Fergal Keane travelled deep into rebel and government held territory in Rwanda during the genocide. He traced the causes of the slaughter, spoke to victims and confronted the Sylvestre Gacumbitsi, a Rwandan mayor who had been accused of orchestrating the slaughter of thousands of Tutsis in a village church. The programme won the prestigious Royal Television Society's International Current Affairs Award. A culture of murder - August 22, 1994 A scene from Fergal Keane's 1994 film Journey into Darkness Steve Bradshaw investigated the plight of the one million Rwandan refugees who had fled the country because of the genocide and civil war. The Bloody Tricolour - August 20, 1995 This Panorama special investigated how the French government was deeply implicated in the Rwandan genocide. It revealed the true extent of French covert military assistance to the Rwandan government between 1990 and 1994. Valentina's Story - February 10, 1997 This film, made by current Panorama editor Mike Robinson and reported by Fergal Keane, focused on the story of Valentina - one of the Rwandan genocide survivors. Fergal first met Valentina, who had her hand hacked off as she fended off Hutu militiamen, while filming Journey into Darkness in 1994. The programme won a British Academy of Film and Television Award (Bafta) in the Current Affairs category as well as winning the International Current Affairs prize at the Royal Television Society Awards. When Good Men Do Nothing - December 7, 1998 Michael Barnett succesfully argued for the pulling out of UN troops in Rwanda Steve Bradshaw's programme investigated why the West stood by and did nothing as the Rwandan genocide unfolded. It looked into the petty rows within the UN which prevented peacekeepers from being sent to the African country much earlier. It won the One World International Documentary Award and the Amnesty International Annual Award. It was also nominated in the Current Affairs category at the Royal Telvision Socirty Awards. Triumph of Evil - January 26, 1998 Triumph of Evil was the American version of Panorama's When Good Men Do Nothing. It was recut using Panorama's interviews and footage. This programme won a Peabody award and a DuPont Columbia Award in the states. This US co-production, which was broadcast under the brand "Frontline" also won a prestigious Emmy award for investigative journalism.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15919131	Kylie Minogue inducted into Aria hall of fame Kylie Minogue and children's entertainers The Wiggles have been inducted into the Aria Awards hall of fame in Sydney, Australia. Minogue, 43, who was inducted by PM Julia Gillard, said she was "a very proud Australian". "Red Wiggle" Murray Cook said the band, who have sold 30 million albums and DVDs, were "just a bunch of pre-school teachers... playing music for kids". The awards are given by the Australian Recording Industry Association. "I'm always bragging about our country wherever I am in the world and tonight's award means so much to me," Minogue told the audience at the Allphones Arena. The singer, who has sold more than 68 million records, added: "I just want to let all of you know and everyone at home, that Australia I love you and I thank you very much." The Wiggles' Cook said he and his fellow members had been on "such a wonderful ride". "We've been playing for 20 years and this has been a great 20th year anniversary for us to get something like this." Cook previously told BBC News the band played "early 60s style... but with different lyrics". "In rock 'n' roll, the songs are mostly about love, but with children you can write about anything," he added. "A ride in the car, what you're going to eat - it's quite limitless so you try to think what's in their world, what interests them. Everything's exciting to a young child." Past hall of fame inductees include the Bee Gees, INXS, AC/DC, Rolf Harris and Mental As Anything. Among other winners on the night were rock band Boy & Bear, who picked up five awards including album of the year for their debut collection Moonfire.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-19869649	Colonel Riley Workman murder: Car 'near killing scene' A car belonging to the man accused of murdering a retired Army officer was spotted on the night he was shot dead, a court has been told. Christopher Docherty-Puncheon's Range Rover was seen close to the scene of the killing in Furneux Pelham, Hertfordshire, a jury was told. Mr Docherty-Puncheon, 33, denies murdering Lt Col Robert "Riley" Workman on 7 January 2004. He told St Albans Crown Court he was at home on the night of the killing. Driver Gary Chambers told the court how, shortly after the killing, he was in his car near the scene of the shooting when he saw a Range Rover and noticed part of the number plate spelt "SOHO".Shotgun blast The jury has heard that at the time of the murder, Mr Docherty-Puncheon was living in the nearby village of Stocking Pelham and drove a Range Rover with the number plate N50H0. The court heard that Lt Col Workman, an 83-year-old widower, answered a knock at the door of cottage shortly after 20:15 GMT on the evening he was killed by a shotgun blast. Mr Chambers, a self-employed gardener, told the court that at the time of the shooting he lived in Furneux Pelham. He said on the night of 7 January 2004, he had been at home helping to get his son ready for bed when he heard "the bang of a shotgun". Mr Chambers said he had later driven to visit his parents in Buntingford and on the way had bought petrol from a garage on the A10. He was able to produce a receipt which showed the transaction was timed at 21:31 GMT. He said shortly before, he had been driving from Furneux Pelham along a country lane when he had stopped to let another vehicle pass. "It wasn't coming particularly fast and the vehicle came into my view. It drove past slowly with dipped headlights," he said. Mr Chambers said as it got closer, he could identify the vehicle as a Range Rover P38, and its numberplate spelt out "SOHO". He said he had seen the vehicle before in Stocking Pelham and Furneux Pelham.'Hit-man claim' At the time of the murder the defendant was known as Christopher Nudds and was a 24-year-old pest controller living with his parents. He had worked for Lt Col Workman in the past, according to the prosecution, having visited just months before to deal with a wasps' nest. But while at Bedford Prison, where he was being held on remand nearly a year later for the murder of traveller Fred Moss, 21, Mr Docherty-Puncheon is alleged to have told an inmate he had shot Lt Col Workman. He claimed he was "a hit-man" who had been paid for the killing, the court heard. Mr Docherty-Puncheon is also alleged to have told the inmate he had had a sexual relationship with Lt Col Workman, but had had to shoot him because he was threatening to tell the police about Mr Moss being involved in drugs. The defendant was later convicted of murdering Mr Moss and is alleged to have told the other prisoner he had killed him because he knew too much about the shooting of Lt Col Workman. The prosecution alleges the killing were linked and that both men died at the hands of Mr Docherty-Puncheon.Telephone box Lorry driver John Wilson said in the early hours of 8 January 2004 he had been driving through the nearby village of Braughing when he noticed a four-wheel drive vehicle with its headlights on, parked near a phone box. Earlier the jury were told that at 04:49 that morning a 999 call was made from the telephone box at Braughing asking for an ambulance be sent to The Causeway in Furneux Pelham, where Lt Col Workman's cottage was. The caller did not reveal who he was and gave a name for Lt Col Workman's house that had not been used for many years. As a result, the ambulance crew could not locate the address and put the call down to a hoax. The trial continues.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-20640249	Corby double-fatal A43 crash suspect charged by police A man has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a crash in Northamptonshire left two men dead and two people critically injured. The crash involving a Mazda 5 car and a DAF truck happened on Tuesday night, on the A43 near Corby. A 22-year-old woman and a boy, two, remain in a serious condition in hospital. The two dead men were aged 21 and 28. The 42-year-old man appeared before magistrates in Northampton. He was also charged with causing death whilst disqualified and while uninsured. The truck driver was unharmed in the crash, police said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12567043	Russia plans $650bn defence spend up to 2020 Eight nuclear submarines, 600 jets and 1,000 helicopters feature in plans to renew Russia's military by 2020, priced at 19tn roubles (£400bn; $650bn). One hundred warships are also due to be bought in, including two helicopter carriers, in addition to two already being purchased from France. The submarines will carry the Bulava missile, despite recent test failures. Analysts say the ambitious programme only makes sense if the military upgrades its training and recruitment. A painful drive to streamline the armed forces is already under way, with up to 200,000 officers losing their jobs and nine out of every 10 army units disbanded, the Associated Press news agency notes. If the renewal is a success, it will leave Russia less reliant on the nuclear arsenal it inherited from the USSR. "Russia needs a professional non-commissioned officer corps to train specialists who can really put these arms to effective use," Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent military analyst, told AP. "This spending necessitates a whole new kind of military."Missile defence boost Last week, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin announced that spending on defence development would triple from 0.5% of GDP to 1.5% from next year. The defence spending was detailed in Moscow on Thursday by First Deputy Defence Minister Vladimir Popovkin. "The main task is the modernisation of our armed forces," he said. Much of the new spending will go on Russia's long under-funded navy. Apart from the submarines, 35 corvettes and 15 frigates will be ordered. Russia has already ordered two French-built Mistral helicopter carriers, allowing it to rapidly deploy hundreds of troops and dozens of armoured vehicles on foreign soil. Ten divisions equipped with the new S-500 anti-missile system are set to become the backbone of the country's missile defences. New aircraft will include Su-34 and Su-35 fighters, and Mi-26 transport and Mi-8 gunship helicopters, AP adds. Repeated failures of the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile caused embarrassment for Russia, though two successful tests were reportedly conducted last year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7600000/7600592.stm	During this US election cycle we are hearing a lot from the pundits and candidates about "heartland voters," and "white working class voters." By Joe Bageant Author of Deerhunting With Jesus What they are talking about are rednecks. But in their political correctness, media types cannot bring themselves to utter the word "redneck." So I'll say it for them: redneck-redneck-redneck-redneck. Like a Texas cowboy - delegates hang on every word The fact is that we American rednecks embrace the term in a sort of proud defiance. To us, the term redneck indicates a culture we were born in and enjoy. So I find it very interesting that politically correct people have taken it upon themselves to protect us from what has come to be one of our own warm and light hearted terms for one another. On the other hand, I can quite imagine their concern, given what's at stake in the upcoming election. We represent at least a third of all voters and no US president has ever been elected without our support. Consequently, rednecks have never had so many friends or so much attention as in 2008. Contrary to the stereotype, we are not all tobacco chewing, guffawing Southerners, but are scattered from coast to coast. Over 50% of us live in the "cultural south", which is to say places with white Southern Scots-Irish values - redneck values. They include western Pennsylvania, central Missouri and southern Illinois, upstate Michigan and Minnesota, eastern Connecticut, northern New Hampshire… So when you look at what pundits call the red state heartland, you are looking at the Republic of Redneckia. As to having our delicate beer-sodden feelings protected from the term redneck; well, I appreciate the effort, though I highly suspect that the best way to hide snobbishness is to pose as protector of any class of folks you cannot bear. Thus we are being protected by the very people who look down on us - educated urban progressives. And let's face it, there's plenty to look down on. By any tasteful standard, we ain't a pretty people. Uppity and slick? Not us... We come in one size: extra large. We are sometimes insolent and often quick to fight. We love competitive spectacle such as NASCAR and paintball, and believe gun ownership is the eleventh commandment. We fry things nobody ever considered friable - things like cupcakes, banana sandwiches and batter dipped artificial cheese…even pickles. And most of all we are defiant and suspicious of authority, and people who are "uppity" (sophisticated) and "slick" (people who use words with more than three syllables). Two should be enough for anybody. And that is one of the reasons that, mystifying as it is to the outside world, John McCain's choice of the moose-shooting Alaskan woman with the pregnant unmarried teen daughter appeals to many redneck and working class Americans. We all understand that there is a political class which dominates in America, and that Sarah Palin for damned sure is not one of them. And the more she is attacked by liberal Democratic elements (translation: elite highly-educated big city people) the more America's working mooks will come to her defence. Her daughter had a baby out of wedlock? Big deal. What family has not? She is a Christian fundamentalist who believes God spat on his beefy paws and made the world in seven days? So do at least 150 million other Americans. She snowmobiles and fishes and she is a looker to boot. She's a redneck. Guns, cars and fried food - and a defence of home The term redneck indicates a lifestyle and culture that can be found in every state in our union. The essentials of redneck culture were brought to America by what we call the Scots Irish, after first being shipped to the Ulster Plantation, where our, uh, remarkable cultural legacy can still be seen every 12 July in Ireland. Ultimately, the Scots Irish have had more of an effect on the American ethos than any other immigrant group. Here are a few you will recognize: - Belief that no law is above God's law, not even the US Constitution. - Hyper patriotism. A fighting defence of native land, home and heart, even when it is not actually threatened: ie, Iraq, Panama, Grenada, Somalia, Cuba, Nicaragua, Vietnam, Haiti and dozens more with righteous operations titles such as Enduring Freedom, Restore Hope, and Just Cause. - A love of guns and tremendous respect for the warrior ideal. Along with this comes a strong sense of fealty and loyalty. Fealty to wartime leaders, whether it be FDR or George Bush. - Self effacement, humility. We are usually the butt of our own jokes, in an effort not to appear aloof among one another. - Belief that most things outside our own community and nation are inferior and threatening, that the world is jealous of the American lifestyle. - Personal pride in equality. No man, however rich or powerful, is better than me. - Perseverance and belief in hard work. If a man or a family is poor, it is because they did not work hard enough. God rewards those who work hard enough. So does the American system. - The only free country in the world is the United States, and the only reason we ever go to war is to protect that freedom. All this has become so deeply instilled as to now be reflexive. It represents many of the worst traits in American culture and a few of the best. And that has every thinking person here in the US, except perhaps John McCain and Sarah Palin, worried.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16713092	Yahoo quarterly profits dip 5% amid growing competition Yahoo's profit fell in the last quarter of 2011 as it continued to struggle to maintain its market share amid growing competition. It has reported a profit of $296m (£189m) during the period, a 5% drop from a year earlier. The dip is the latest in a series of disappointing performances that saw its co-founder Jerry Yang resign last week. Three weeks ago, the company hired former PayPal president Scot Thompson as its new chief executive. Mr Thompson, who is Yahoo's fourth chief executive in five years, was appointed to in a bid to help turn around the company's fortunes. He has assured that he will move quickly to address Yahoo's problems. "There is no question we need to do better and we will," he said. Yahoo's earnings in the three months to the end of December 2011 matched analysts' estimates, but the company missed revenue targets. Total revenue fell 13% during the quarter, while net revenue was $1.17bn - $20m below analysts' projections. This is the 13th straight quarter that Yahoo's net revenue has fallen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-16932345	'Oldest living twins' aged 102 in Aberdeenshire Two 102-year-old sisters who live in Aberdeenshire have been recognised as the world's oldest living twins by the Guinness World Records. Edith Ritchie and Evelyn "Evie" Middleton were born in 1909 and reached their latest milestone in November last year. The twins, whose maiden name is Rennie, live together in Bonnyton House care home in Ellon. Neither of them has ever travelled outside of the UK. Although they were not identical, their mother would dress the girls in the same clothes. After leaving school the pair worked on farms before starting their own families. Evelyn married William Middleton and had four children, 12 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. Edith married Nathaniel Ritchie and had four children, nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. When asked her secret to a long life, Edith said: "Simple living, hard work and a good husband." Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday said: "Edith and Evelyn are a remarkable pair. "When they were born the likes of Mark Twain and Florence Nightingale were still alive and we had yet to conquer the South Pole. "They're not just the oldest in the UK, they hold the world title. They've clearly benefited from good genes and a solid lifelong friendship that only twins can truly understand."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10854985	Papua activist Filep Karma 'abused in prison' Papua's most well-known pro-independence leader, Filep Karma, is serving 15 years in jail for rebellion. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience. In a rare interview with a local radio station, obtained by the BBC, he claimed he had suffered physical and mental abuse while in jail. Filep Karma led hundreds of Papuan students in cries of "independence!" during a demonstration in the provincial capital in 2004. They then raised the banned Morning Star flag - the symbol of free Papua - in full view of military policemen. For this act of defiance he was jailed for 15 years for rebellion. Mr Karma says he was exercising his right to protest. "They terrorised us in a nation that is meant to be a democracy, a nation where freedom of speech is meant to be protected," he said.'Mental torture' Foreign journalists are restricted from reporting in Papua, and the International Committee of the Red Cross was ordered out of the province last year after it visited political prisoners. In this rare interview conducted by a local radio station without the permission of the authorities, Mr Karma claims to have been regularly abused in jail. End Quote Filep Karma I predict by 2020 our people will be completely extinct” "I have been punched, kicked, pulled. But what hurts more is the mental torture we are subjected to," he said. "An officer once told me, when you enter here you lose all your rights, including human rights. Your rights are only to breathe and eat. He even went as far as to say that your life is in my hands." A fellow political prisoner being held in the same jail, Ferdinard Package, says he lost sight in one eye after a beating from one of the prison guards. The head of the Papuan branch of the Ministry for Law and Human Rights, Nasarudin Bunsan, confirmed the beating took place. Mr Bunsan said they had a problem with guards who got drunk and then beat the prisoners. He said they were trying to stop the practice and three prison guards were currently facing police charges for abuse.'Rise up' The government recently pardoned and released one Papuan political prisoner. Karma has been made the same offer as long as he apologises to the state, something he says he will never do. "I predict by 2020 our people will be completely extinct," he said. "So our people must rise up. We must fight for independence or be destroyed." Papua is rich in natural resources and is the home of the world's largest gold mine, partly owned by the US company Freeport. Yet Papua remains one of the least developed provinces in Indonesia.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21639015	Gun parts made on 3D printer As the gun debate around assault weapons continues in the United States, one company has decided to combat possible legislation by designing a gun that can be made at home. The design uses 3D printers and is being made available online for free. Anti-gun advocates are worried about the future of gun ownership. Lucas de Jong reports.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8596606.stm	The ANC feels Julius Malema is being personally targeted South Africa's ruling African National Congress has expressed fury at a court decision to ban the singing of a song with the words "Shoot the Boer". It says a campaign by white activists to get the song banned is an attempt to "elevate apartheid agents as victims". It wants the Constitutional Court to overturn a ruling by a white judge that the words amount to hate speech. ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema recently sang the song, leading to claims that he was inciting violence. South African's Afrikaans-speakers are known as Boers, a word which also means farmer. ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe told a media conference that his party would take the matter to the Constitutional Court. "These songs cannot be regarded as hate speech or unconstitutional. Any judgment that describes them as such is impractical and unimplementable," he said. Mr Malema recently sang the song at a rally in Johannesburg, causing a row in a country where racism is still a challenge, 16 years after the end of white-minority rule. The mainly white Freedom Front Plus party and campaign group AfriForum want the courts to ban Mr Malema from ever singing the song and also want him prosecuted. AfriForum youth leader Ernst Roets says Mr Malema's actions were responsible for the recent murders of several white farmers in Gauteng province. "What we have here is an extreme form of hate speech - it should be prohibited according to South African law," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme. "It is simply immoral to try to justify a song like this, to say that it must be seen in context." The BBC's Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg says some white South Africans want the song banned out of fear that it may incite attacks against them, while black South Africans, particularly those who took part in the struggle against apartheid, argue it is an important part of the country's history.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6215170.stm	France's first international news channel has been launched into competition with BBC World and CNN. President Chirac has given his personal backing to the project France 24 was unveiled on the internet on Wednesday evening, and will launch on satellite and cable TV 24 hours later. The channel has the backing of French President Jacques Chirac, who despaired at the lack of an outlet for French views in the run up to war in Iraq. But some critics have complained it has insufficient funding to compete. The network has a budget of 86m euros (£58m) a year. That compares with 900m euros for CNN. France 24's 170 journalists will be spread across two parallel services in French and English. Later it will add Spanish and Arabic broadcasts. Some experts have said this will leave it stretched. It will be able to call on correspondents from private channel TF1 and state-owned France Televisions channels, which will jointly run France 24, but there have been concerns that it is not clear who will take priority. 'Through French eyes' The fanfare leading up to the launch included full-page advertisements in French newspapers Le Parisien and Le Figaro on Wednesday, alongside the channel's slogan: "All the news you're not supposed to know." The running order was said to include an interview with President Chirac. The president visited the station's newsroom ahead of the launch. France 24's journalists have signed a mission statement "to cover international news with a French perspective... and to carry the values of France throughout the world". But the channel insists it is independent and will not just follow the government line. "Our mission is to cover worldwide news with French eyes," said the channel's head, Alain de Pouzilhac.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19910955	'I've missed a year of school with ADHD' On the day 10-year-old Corey Francis was expelled from school, he was playing football with his friends in the playground. "I kicked the ball and it hit the teacher. It wasn't very hard, but the Head said I kicked it hard," he says. He has not been back to school at all in the year since. Instead he spends the day at home with his grandma, while his parents work, waiting for the day he can return to school. "It's very boring," he says. "I would rather be with my friends at school, working or playing football." Corey, from north London, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD, in common with around 5% of school age children, and he is also on the autistic spectrum. As a result, he gets angry very easily, he finds it hard to concentrate and he needs lots of structure and supervision - something his family said the school was not able to provide. His experience of life with ADHD is just one of many in the UK which suggests that the diagnosis and treatment of this child psychiatric disorder requires some work.Little voice A new report, based on interviews with more than 150 children in the UK and the US diagnosed with ADHD, tries to understand how children think and feel about having this disorder. Led by Dr Ilina Singh, reader in bioethics and society at King's College London, the ADHD Voices study gives children a voice in the debate over drug treatment with stimulants. Stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall have caused controversy in the past, with some people raising concerns that they can cause harm and turn children into robots or zombies. End Quote Prof Peter Hill Child psychiatrist Every treatment guideline says medication is going to be part of the package somewhere.” But the study finds that these stimulants, which are prescribed because they help to reduce hyperactivity and improve concentration, have a positive impact on their behaviour and their ability to make better decisions. "In areas of moral development we don't find evidence of harms," says Dr Singh. "These assumptions are hurting children more than the drugs. "Children talk about how good it was to have a moment to think when a bully taunts them, for example. This is what stimulants help them do." The team behind the study interviewed children between the ages of 9 and 14. Although not all children who were interviewed were on medication, it was unusual that a child had no experience of taking medication at some stage since diagnosis. "Those on medication were more able to feel they could exercise control. Even if they'd been on medication and weren't any more, they had learnt strategies to deal with their behaviour."'Spark' Prof Peter Hill, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, says it is not that controversial any more to say that medication works for children with ADHD. "Every treatment guideline says medication is going to be part of the package somewhere. It's an important part of the package, as well as having to teach families about ADHD." He explains that stimulants increase the amount of dopamine in the child's brain, which it is lacking, and restore the brain to normal function. "Some children feel they've lost a bit of spark, and no child likes taking medicines but in my experience they like what it does for them." End Quote Andrea Bilbow ADDISS Some teachers provoke children with ADHD and so do other children...” However, Dr Singh goes on to say that treatment should not just focus on drugs. "The message is that children want more treatment options. We don't have well-developed behavioural treatments in this country. Medication is not the only treatment we should be relying on." Meditation, cognitive behavioural therapy, flexible learning environments and physical exercise are all seen as important to try alongside medication. Another important finding from the interviews, Dr Singh says, is that children did not often understand their condition or feel they had any meaningful conversations with their doctors. Too often, they were weighed and measured and hurried out the door without being asked any questions. Dr Stephen Westgarth, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist in Northumberland and medical director of Child Psychiatry UK, says this is unacceptable. "We've got to see the child not the disorder - and not just focus on the medication. We are not responding properly to the child if we don't listen to them."Cultural divide The interview project has led Dr Singh to suggest there was one notable difference in the experiences of UK and US children with ADHD. A recent article in The New York Times described a growing trend among American doctors to prescribe stimulants to school children living in deprived areas, who were struggling to get good grades. Instead of being used to treat ADHD, stimulants are prescribed to fix a social problem and boost academic performance and life chances. "Stimulants may improve a child's ability to concentrate in a bad setting - but in the long term the real causes must be addressed," says Dr Singh She has not heard of this practice happening in the UK. In the UK, the focus was on making these children behave well whereas in the US the stress was on making them perform well academically. She says the UK children reported encountering bullying on a regular basis at school, perhaps because of the constant focus on managing their behaviour. Some children said they were bated by other children and encouraged to behave badly, just to get a reaction. "We don't have a good sense of how we manage these things [in the UK]. There is not as much support from teachers." Ten-year-old Corey wishes he'd had someone to talk to about his problems, someone at school who could supervise him and mentor him. He tried taking Ritalin, which gave him a vocal tic, then another drug which did not help much and recently he has just started on yet another drug to reduce his aggression. If he had received a correct diagnosis when his problems first started then perhaps he would not be sitting at home now. Andrea Bilbow, founder of ADDISS, the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service, agrees that there is a lack of understanding in schools. "Schools should have been trained to identify it and carry out proper behaviour interventions, but some teachers provoke the children with ADHD and so do other children. "It all comes down to attitude. Some schools are fantastic but others are awful." More than anything, Corey wants to get the right treatment, go back to school and be normal again. "I used to be the best football player in the school," he says.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-15593840	Grayrigg train crash: Faulty points caused woman's death Poorly-maintained points were to blame for causing the death of an elderly woman in the Grayrigg train crash in Cumbria, an inquest jury has found. Margaret Masson, 84, from Glasgow, died after the Virgin train derailed on the West Coast Main Line, in February 2007. The train went over a "degraded" set of points at 92 mph and careered down an embankment, leaving 88 people injured. Mrs Masson's daughter, Margaret Langley, said responsibility "lies at the door of Network Rail". David Lewis, an engineer with the company, broke down in tears on Monday when he told the Kendal hearing he had forgotten to inspect the points near where the crash happened. He said he was "under pressure" when he failed to check a section of the rail line five days before the derailment. He told the inquest he felt like a man "spinning plates on sticks". His colleague Paul Wills, an assistant track section manager, told the inquest that staff had to put up with "bully-boy" management. The 11 jurors had heard how a subsequent Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) inquiry ruled the "immediate cause" of the crash was that the train had gone over a "degraded and unsafe" set of points, known as Lambrigg 2B. One of three stretcher bars, which keep moving rails a set distance apart, was missing while the other two were fractured and bolts were missing. They also heard how Mr Lewis and his team were under-staffed, with workers not given the right tools or enough time to carry out checks. Mr Lewis, who has since left Network Rail, had already warned his bosses about the "shambles", the jury was told. Coroner Ian Smith said it was a "tragic irony" that the man who tried to flag up the problems was the man who missed the points-check days before the derailment. Bob Crow, general secretary of the rail workers union, the RMT, called for a public inquiry into the management and operations of Network Rail. He said: "Pressure for faster and more frequent trains led to unacceptable pressure on staff. "Network Rail, with the full knowledge of the ORR (Office of Rail Regulation), is still failing to provide adequate time and staff to complete proper patrols and maintenance.'Urgent inquiry' "There remain systemic problems which have failed to be addressed since this derailment. "We cannot wait for another derailment and another inquest to deal with these issues and now need an urgent public inquiry.'' Speaking after the hearing, Mrs Masson's son, George, 62, an engineer from Castlemilk, Glasgow, said he had initially blamed Mr Lewis, but now blamed his employer. He said: "In my eyes it is negligence on Network Rail's part, not him (Mr Lewis). "The one that tried to make changes lost his job, his pension, he was not listened to from above. "Before I knew anything about this I wanted to take his head off his shoulders. "Now I totally respect him. He's got my utmost respect for what he tried to do. It's been swept under the carpet." Network Rail managing director Robin Gisby said: "Network Rail has not hidden from its responsibilities, the company quickly accepted that it was a fault with the infrastructure that caused the accident. "We again apologise to Mrs Masson's family. "Since the derailment, Network Rail has worked closely with the authorities, conducted comprehensive and detailed investigations and made substantial changes to its maintenance regime." Coroner Ian Smith said that in the coming week he would be issuing a report under Rule 43 of the 1984 Coroners Rules to the appropriate authorities. One of the concerns raised would be the issue of track access for workers.'Adequate standards' A spokesman for the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) said: "We welcome the conclusion of the inquest. "ORR will now complete its investigation and will decide in accordance with prosecution protocol whether to bring criminal proceedings for health and safety offences." Referring to the RMT comments, it said it had carried out a series inspections since the derailment. "We have inspected to verify that Network Rail has adequate standards in place to maintain the track and that these standards are adequately implemented," it said. "Our inspection work found a number of deficiencies and we have served five enforcement notices to ensure compliance."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-12627680	Jaguar announces £2bn supply contracts for Evoque model Jaguar Land Rover has announced more than £2bn of supply contracts to more than 40 companies in the UK for its new Evoque model. About 1,500 new recruits are being taken on at the Halewood plant on Merseyside. The announcement was made by Business Secretary Vince Cable, who toured the factory on Wednesday. He also visited supplier International Automotive Components, one of the companies awarded a contract. Mr Cable said: "Jaguar Land Rover's news that it's awarding £2bn worth of contracts to businesses in the UK to supply components for the Evoque shows that the UK automotive supply chain is capable of winning major contracts and creating vital jobs in the UK." Jaguar Land Rover chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said: "Jaguar Land Rover is a key player within the UK economy. "We are the largest investor in automotive research and development and engineering in this country and as today's announcement shows, we generate billions of pounds of economic activity here every year."'Very welcome' He added: "Alongside the 1,500 new jobs created in Halewood to support the launch of the new Evoque, Jaguar Land Rover is investing in advanced research, design and technical innovation with key strategic partners which together with today's £2bn of contract announcements will mean the creation of thousands more skilled jobs in the UK automotive supply chain. "The billions being spent on Evoque is just the start, with 40 significant product actions coming over the next five years." The announcement was welcomed by the union Unite. Roger Maddison, national officer of Unite, said the new manufacturing jobs were "desperately needed". He said: "Tata, the parent company of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), are to be congratulated for their commitment to the UK. "The workforce also deserves much credit for the role they played in helping the company weather the recession." He said the government could not take credit for the investment, however, as it was secured under the last Labour government with a £2bn investment from the parent company Tata. He said: "Nobody will be fooled about where the credit for today goes. It goes to JLR for investing in the UK and to a dedicated workforce producing a quality product." More than 14,000 people applied for 1,500 new jobs at the Merseyside plant, with 8,000 of those in the first week of the posts being advertised. The company said that it had positive pre-orders for the Evoque, which will sell from upwards of £30,000.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19908396	Lance Armstrong lawyer says doping charges are 'a farce' Lance Armstrong's lawyer has labelled the United States Anti-Doping Agency report as a farce. The report called Armstrong a serial cheat who led "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen". Sean Breen said Usada's report was "one sided" and "not a reasoned decision". Armstrong has always denied doping.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17710347	China's economic growth slows more than predicted The Chinese economy, the world's 2nd largest, has expanded at its slowest pace in almost three years. Annual economic growth was 8.1% for the first quarter of the year, lower than most analysts had predicted. It has raised more questions about the ability of the Chinese leadership to keep the economy on track. The BBC's Hugh Pym reports.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4093753.stm	A California jury has recommended that a man convicted of murdering his wife and unborn son should be executed. Peterson said he was fishing when his wife disappeared Scott Peterson, 32, reported his wife Laci missing on Christmas Eve, 2002. She was eight months pregnant. Her headless and limbless body, and the decomposed remains of her foetus, were later found washed up on a San Francisco Bay beach in April 2003. The judge could still opt to give Peterson life in prison when he passes sentence on 25 February. In November, Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder for killing his wife and second-degree murder for the death of his unborn child, who was to be named Conner. The jury then deliberated for nearly 12 hours before reaching its recommendation. Peterson did not flinch when the decision was delivered. A crowd outside the court in Redwood City, near San Francisco, cheered when they heard the announcement. Judges in California rarely overturn death penalty recommendations. Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant when she disappeared But the state rarely carries them out. Only 10 people have been executed since capital punishment was brought back in 1978. About 650 convicts are on death row. Peterson, a former fertiliser salesman, said he had been out fishing when his wife disappeared. Prosecutors told the court he had strangled or smothered Laci, 27, and dumped her weighted body over the side of his fishing boat. "He wants to live the rich, successful, freewheeling bachelor life," Mr Distaso said. "He didn't want to be tied to this kid the rest of his life. He didn't want to be tied to Laci for the rest of his life." Mr Distaso argued that he killed his wife for money and to be with his mistress, Amber Frey. Defence lawyers argued that Mrs Peterson was abducted by strangers who murdered her. They said the prosecution's case was built on circumstantial evidence. The five-month trial attracted widespread media attention and fuelled the abortion issue because of the debate over whether Peterson could be charged for the murder of a technically unborn child.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7386422.stm	Coldplay's album includes tracks called Lovers In Japan and Strawberry Swing Coldplay's new single has been downloaded by two million people since it was put online last week. Violet Hill was made available for seven days as a free download on the band's website. The song is Coldplay's first single from new album Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. A spokesman for the band said demand was "staggering," adding Violet Hill would have outsold the whole of last week's top 40 singles four times over. Coldplay's website crashed when the song first went online last Tuesday because of huge demand. The band's fourth album is released on 12 June, with Violet Hill out now to buy. Their last album, X&Y, has sold 10 million copies since its release in 2005. The band are also playing three free concerts next month, including one at London's Brixton Academy on 16 June.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17293285	Bronze Age ring in Hampshire declared treasure A Bronze Age gold ring found in a Hampshire field has been declared as treasure by a coroner. The 3,000-year-old double ring was found by Winchester artist Alan Cracknell in February 2010 in a field at Headbourne Worthy. He was using a metal detector and thought the artefact was an old bottle top when he first picked it up. Following the ruling at Winchester Coroner's Court, ownership of the ring passes to the Crown.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-20682131	Shrewsbury tremors were 'probably man-made' A series of vibrations felt in the centre of Shrewsbury are not the result of an earth tremor, according to the British Geological Society (BGS). Gill Keates, from Shrewsbury Abbey, said the vibrations made water bottles on her table move, which was "a little weird". Kay Kelly from a solicitors firm in the town centre said the tremors were "noticeable" but not "violent". The British Geological Society said the cause was probably "man-made". David Galloway, a seismologist with the BGS, said the length of time the tremors went on would "rule out an earthquake". "I would say it is something man-made because of the duration," he said. A spokesman for Shropshire Council said it was not aware of any problems and it had not been contacted by any members of the public relating to any tremors.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19896465	Julia Gillard accuses Australia's opposition leader Tony Abbott of sexism Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's attack on the 'misogyny' of the leader of the opposition has gone viral. Video of the speech in the Australian parliament, which criticised the behaviour and history of Tony Abbott, has attracted hundreds of thousands of views, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The exchange came amid a scandal over the speaker of Australia's Parliament, Peter Slipper, who sent lurid text messages to a former member of staff. Gillard accused Abbott of hypocrisy when it came to criticising sexism. Clip courtesy ABC Australia
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20968210	Delhi gang rape suspects 'tortured to force confession' A lawyer for one of the five men charged with the abduction, rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi says suspects have been tortured and coerced into admitting the crime. Manohar Lal Sharma said his client Mukesh Singh was tortured for 10 days. Amid heavy security, all five appeared in court for a second time, before the case was adjourned until Monday. The court ruled the charge-sheet needed more scrutiny. No decision was taken on moving the case to a fast-track trial. The case has shocked India and prompted a debate about the treatment of women. If convicted, the five men charged face the death penalty. A sixth suspect, who is thought to be 17, will be tried separately in a youth court if it is confirmed he is a minor.Evidence 'manipulated' The accused arrived in court today under police guard, but proceedings were held behind closed doors. Despite appeals to magistrates, it was decided that all hearings would now take place in private, after chaotic scenes in the courtroom earlier this week. But outside Saket District court there was plenty of activity, as lawyers representing the accused spoke to journalists. Earlier this week the local bar association refused to provide legal representation - today, the five men have lawyers. One of them told reporters his client had been tortured into making a confession, an unexpected twist in a case which has already gripped India, before even making it to trial. Delhi police say they can't comment on active legal proceedings. The next hearing is set for January 14th, but a date for the case to reach the fast track court has yet to be set. On Thursday, defence lawyers were selected for the five suspects - but they have the right to change lawyers if they wish. They will enter their pleas once a formal trial begins. Manohar Lal Sharma, who was selected to represent Mukesh Singh, 22, had said his client was forced to confess and would plead not guilty. "He was coerced into admission," said Mr Sharma outside the court on Thursday morning before the hearing. "He's unable to speak now. "All these people have been tortured badly. It's under pressure that they have made statements in court," he added. "Evidence has been manipulated to calm the anger among people." Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat refused to comment on the allegations, citing legal restrictions. Sunil Gupta, a spokesman for Tihar Jail where the suspects are being held, told the BBC all the accused were being kept in different sections of the jail "and their safety is guaranteed". Earlier, Mr Sharma said he would also represent two other suspects - but they are now being represented by other lawyers. At least one other suspect, Pawan Gupta, plans to plead not guilty too, his lawyer confirmed. It is unclear how the other three suspects will plead. Prosecutors have said they have extensive forensic evidence.Chaotic scenes India's fast-track courts - Some 1,200 fast-track courts are operating in India as of March 2012 - In Delhi, six fast-track courts are to be set up for the trial of cases related to crimes against women, especially rape. Some other states such as Punjab and Maharashtra are also setting up fast-track courts for this purpose - In 2000, central government started a scheme for more than 1,700 fast-track courts to try to clear the backlog of cases clogging up the Indian judicial system, partly related to a shortage of judges - Funding is an issue because the central government said it could no longer fund them after March 2011, leaving future funding decisions to individual states. The magistrate has ordered that the preliminary hearings be held behind closed doors and has put restraints on media reporting. There were chaotic scenes in the Delhi court on Monday when the group appeared for the first time. Lawyers argued with each other over representation and the magistrate adjourned the hearing, moving it behind closed doors. Separately, the Delhi High Court has criticised the city's police over the gang rape incident on 16 December. The court said on Wednesday that only one police officer had been suspended in connection with the incident, and asked the police: "Why are you trying to save the errant policemen?" The victim, who cannot be named in India for legal reasons, and a male friend were attacked on a bus in south Delhi. She died two weeks later in a hospital in Singapore. Campaigners are calling for tougher rape laws and reforms to the police, who - critics say - often fail to file charges against those accused of attacks.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-14534703	Should Creole replace French in Haiti's schools? Creole is the mother tongue in Haiti, but children do most of their schooling in French. Two hundred years after Haiti became the world's first black-led republic, is the use of French holding the nation back? "The percentage of people who speak French fluently is about 5%, and 100% speak Creole," says Chris Low. End Quote Michel DeGraff Associate Professor of Linguistics at MIT It's like a toddler who is forced to start walking with a blindfold” "So it's really apartheid through language." Ms Low is co-founder of an experimental school, the Matenwa Community Learning Center, which has broken with tradition, and conducts all classes in Creole. Educating children in French may work for the small elite who are fully bilingual, she argues, but not for the masses. Most linguists would share her view - that education in vernacular languages is best - says Prof Arthur Spears, a linguist and anthropologist at City University in New York, and an expert on Creole. "That is what children arrive at school speaking, and it's obviously going to be better for them to learn in that language," he says. Michel DeGraff, a Haitian professor of linguistics based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, describes educating children in a foreign language as "a well-proven recipe for academic failure". He argues that French should be taught in Haiti as a second-language - after children have learnt basic literacy skills in Creole. "Learning to first read and write in a foreign language is somewhat like a toddler who is forced to start walking with a blindfold, and the blindfold is never taken off," he told the BBC World Service.Job prospects No matter which indicators you pick, Haiti has an appalling record on education. One recent report rated it as the third worst place in the world, after Somalia and Eritrea, to go to school. A brief history of Haitian Creole - It emerged towards the end of the 18th Century as slaves from Africa began mixing African languages with French - Lots of the vocabulary comes from French, but the grammar is quite different - Spelling was standardised in 1979 - A law called the Bernard Reform was introduced in the early 1980s, designed to boost Creole in schools - The 1987 constitution states that French and Creole are both official languages in Haiti It's estimated that about one-third of children never enrol at primary school, and only about one in 10 complete secondary school. Prof DeGraff is working with the Matenwa school to try to prove the case for mother tongue education, in studies with the children there, showing - for example - their progress in maths, when taught in Creole. But if the weight of expert opinion supports mother tongue schooling, not all Haitians agree. Interestingly, those most opposed tend to come from the poorest backgrounds, who speak little or no French, and see school as the best place to correct that. Twenty-five-year-old Daphnee Charles, who is among the 1% of Haitians who go to university, attributes her academic success to the Catholic primary school selected by her parents - who did not go to school themselves and speak no French at all. "You would have [extra] homework to do if the sisters caught you speaking Creole, even during playtime - they didn't want you to speak Creole," she says. But the tough policy worked for her, as she now speaks two languages to a high standard. "When you can speak two languages, you can have a better job. It can open many doors," she says. Theodule Jean-Baptiste, who is studying medicine, is also unconvinced. "Whether we want it or not, we are influenced by French because of the history of colonialism - this is not something we can get rid of quickly," he told the BBC World Service. "I don't think education should be only in Creole - Creole is not a scientific language."English and Spanish The belief is widely held in Haiti that Creole is somehow a primitive, inferior language - possibly because of its origins in the days of slavery. But linguists are at pains to counter this perception. Creole is "fully expressive", as well as being rich in imagery and wisdom says Prof DeGraff. "Most have accepted the ideology of elites which says that if you go to school it's in French - that Creole is not worthy of being used, and that Creole is not a complete language," adds Prof Spears. "Most parents accept that same ideology, just as in most societies, most of the masses accept the ideology of the ruling elite." More than 30 years ago, a law known as the Bernard Reform was introduced in Haiti, with the specific aim of boosting education in Creole - but critics say it has never been implemented. The Haitian Ministry of Education accepts that textbooks in Creole are in short supply, though it says Creole is already being used widely in classrooms, alongside French. But the question of Creole or French as the language of instruction appears to be of less concern to the Ministry than the very different question - how to give students a good grounding in English or Spanish. These are the languages, according to the Ministry of Education's Pierre-Michel Laguerre, that will really open up the world for Haitian children.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20253977	Brazil sees steady ties with US after Obama re-election Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was quick to react to the US election result. Almost before Barack Obama's victory was confirmed, she used a public event in Brasilia to send her warmest wishes to him and the US people. And she would, she said, be calling him later to offer her congratulations. But President Rousseff's reaction seems to stem less from the hope of great things to come in the US-Brazil relationship than relief at the continuity in the White House. In fact, even if Republican Mitt Romney had triumphed, analysts suggest relations between the two biggest countries in the Americas would have been little altered. Ties grew stronger during George W Bush's time in office and have matured under President Obama, although some tensions persist. "The US-Brazil relationship is strengthening increasingly, not only at a government level but also between companies, non-governmental organisations and with tourists going back and forth," says Geraldo Zahran from a Sao Paulo-based research group, the Political Observatory of the United States. President Obama enjoyed warm ties with Ms Rousseff's predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whom he once called "my man". Ms Rousseff, who took office in 2011, has not yet elicited such a personal response but she has established a good working relationship with her US counterpart.New world order Diplomatically, the two countries have focused on promoting dialogue in key areas such as energy, economy and environment. And in Washington last April the two leaders discussed further co-operation in areas such as defence, biofuels and science. What did not make it to the talks were sensitive topics such as trade and diplomatic disagreements that remain unresolved. Now the world's sixth largest economy, Brazil consistently calls for reforms in multilateral institutions that, in its view, still reflect "an old world". A top priority for Brazil is to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. On a visit in 2011, President Obama fell short of backing the bid, expressing "appreciation" for the aspiration. US agricultural subsidies are another sore issue, especially regarding the cotton industry. Brazil won a dispute in the World Trade Organization over US cotton subsidies and wants to see them removed completely. In 2009, the US lost its position as Brazil's biggest trading partner to China, but bilateral trade still runs to billions of dollars. From January to September this year, imports from Brazil amounted to $24bn, while exports to the US totalled nearly $21bn. One growth area is tourism, with nearly two million Brazilian visitors expected this year - the biggest national group after China. The process of obtaining a visa to visit the US has been simplified. The next step in the pipeline is an end to the reciprocal visa requirement. This could well stimulate more visits from Brazilians, who have become welcome tourists given their willingness to spend while abroad - some $1.6bn in New York alone in 2011.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15302663	Does India's budget tablet computer work? The Aakash tablet's pros and cons Size and weight Inferior touch screen Low battery life Memory card slot India's recently launched Aakash is the world's cheapest touch-screen tablet computer - with an off-the-shelf price of about $60. Should we all run out to buy one? In this tablet-crazy age, you'd think a $60 hand-held Android tablet might trigger midnight queues and riots. Or at least get tech columnists really excited. But India's super cheap tablet was launched to a less-than-rousing reception, thanks to a history of false starts and hype. When first announced, the Aakash prototype turned out to be not much more than an oversized memory box. Its ancestor, the functional hand-held Simputer, had flopped over and died. This tablet started its life as Sakshat, with a $35 subsidised price tag for students. In its shipping form, it's called Aakash, and it will cost 2,999 rupees ($62). I wasn't expecting much when I took it out of the box, but I was pleasantly surprised. This wasn't another shoddy prototype: it was a full production unit, packaged and shrink-wrapped and "properly" factory-made. I liked the almost-pocketable size and weight, which reminded me of Samsung's 7" Galaxy Tab, a very capable and underrated Android tablet that died before its prime. But there, the similarities with the Tab ended. The Aakash wouldn't start until charged for about five minutes. We're rather used to out-of-the-box power on; this device does not appear to hold charge for long even when switched off (it should have been factory-charged, for testing).Mixed feelings My first action on screen, the Android "unlock" swipe, showed up the rough edges of the display technology. To cut costs, the Aakash uses a resistive touch-screen, instead of the now common capacitive variety. Resistive touch uses a pressure-sensitive overlay, and is better suited to a stylus than a bare finger. The Aakash's touch sensitivity and speed are lower than what we're used to with today's touch-screens. (Resistive touch can be very precise, but is rarely so in the cheaper varieties.) Probably the biggest challenge for the Aakash would be to keep up with the times” It also uses lower specs than we're now used to with tablets and netbooks. There's 256 MB of memory and 2GB of storage (tablets start at 512MB and 16GB today), and a slow 366 MHz processor (a third of the 1GHz norm). There's built-in wi-fi in this basic Aakash tablet. Another version, which I could not get hold of, has GPRS data connectivity, with 3G planned later. What they've added on beyond the average tablet is two USB sockets. I have mixed feelings about this probably-unique feature in the tablet world. USB lets you use cheap "memory sticks", but having that stick jutting out of the top of a small tablet can make it unwieldy. And two of these slots? The micro-SD card slot is a good thing, and I miss that in my iPad (Apple doesn't believe in expandability). So what about the "made in India" part? The Aakash Ubislate is assembled in DataWind's Hyderabad factory. The plant has a capacity of about 2,000 units a month, to be "eventually" ramped up to 100,000 a month. As you'd expect in this global age, parts are sourced from all over the world. To try to "make" everything in any one country, whether India or the US, would be stupid. About a 10th of the components, by value, are locally sourced. And the overall design (including adding USB!), the integration and the testing are probably all Indian. None of this is trivial. If you're an Android user, the big thing you'll miss on the Aakash is the Android Market. That's where you'd usually go to for downloading or buying apps, as with Apple's App Store. Instead, there is GetJar, a relatively limited service mostly selling apps for phones. The tablet's low-end specs are probably a good reason to limit functionality and apps. But removing Android Market does mean no access to the hundreds of thousands of Android tablet apps out there. The other reason could be application focus: so that students using the Aakash stay with a limited set of apps, both to avoid distraction, and to avoid slowing things down to unusable levels. All this would be less relevant if there were great educational content ready. There isn't. Yes, delivering a tablet for $60 has taken hard work, extraordinary sourcing and some innovation. But this is just a part of the uphill road to a successful device that could change education in India. There are many more pieces needed to complete that picture. As the Simputer in India and so many iPad-wannabe tablets in the world have shown, it isn't about the hardware. Great hardware is a sine qua non, but what you really need are the apps and content ecosystem. While the courseware development happens, the world will move on, with even better tablets that leave the Aakash further behind. And while I like the 7" size for its portability, students will find it less friendly than a 10" display for educational apps. But yes, that would cost more. And the battery is rated for three hours; we got a bit over two. The Aakash warms up in use. That means precious battery power is going away as heat. So every school kid who uses it will probably need a charging socket in their desk. And that's not likely to happen soon. Leaving it to charge repeatedly in common areas is not practical, for a variety of reasons. Cheaper plastics and a flimsy screen cover don't bode well for heavy student use. Nor for serviceability: after removing the inside screws, I couldn't put them back because the plastic threads had slipped. Probably the biggest challenge for the Aakash will be to keep up with the times. That's what killed the Simputer - other than apps, by the time they tweak it and test it, portable computers will have jumped a generation. Which is why it makes little sense to spend this much time and effort in "made in India" development. So what other device could the Indian government have picked to subsidise? My bet would be either a cheap standard netbook, or an ultra-cheap, usable e-book reader that instantly access the vast amount of almost-ready content.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/431311.stm	Friday, August 27, 1999 Published at 05:52 GMT 06:52 UK Koresh and the Waco siege The Waco compound: Home of the Branch Davidians By BBC News Online's Kevin Anderson in Washington David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, thought he was an angel and an agent of God. The government thought he was a gun-hoarding criminal who physically and sexually abused the several children he fathered with his followers. And although he died with almost 80 of his followers in a fire during an FBI assault on their compound six years ago, ongoing questions about the raid have given the charismatic religious leader immortality in the press. The prophet king Koresh was born Vernon Wayne Howell in Houston Texas in 1959. He suffered from dyslexia and the taunts of his schoolmates, and by the ninth grade, he dropped out of school. Despite being a poor student, he was keenly interested in the Bible, and by the age of 12 had memorised large parts of it. After travelling to Hollywood in a failed attempt to become a rock star, he joined the Branch Davidians in 1981. Koresh became involved in a power struggle for leadership of the group. He left with a group of followers, but in 1987, he returned with seven of his disciples. They were armed with five .223 calibre semi-automatic assault rifles, two .22 calibre rifles, two 12-gauge shotguns and 400 rounds of ammunition. The leader of the group, George Roden, was wounded in the attack, and Koresh and the seven followers were tried on charges of attempted murder. The seven followers were acquitted, and in the case of Koresh, a mistrial was declared. By 1990, he had become the head of the Branch Davidians. The history of the Davidians The Branch Davidians descend from a schism in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Koresh's mother was a member of the church, and he was a member for a short time as well. The schism in the Seventh-Day Adventists began in the 1930s when Victor Houteff, a prominent Adventist in Los Angeles, wrote a book saying the church had become lax. Mr Houteff's Davidian Seventh-day Adventists began to fall apart after his death in 1955. His widow Florence took over the group, but when Christ did not return as she predicted on Easter Day of 1959, most of the followers left. A core group remained, a power struggle ensued, and a man named Ben Roden declared himself the leader of a new group, the Branch Davidians. Preparing for the end After Koresh took control of the group, he annulled the marriages of his followers, according to former members of the cult. He said that only he could be married. Several members left. The former followers told authorities that Koresh would beat the children until they were bruised and bleeding. Social workers investigated but could never confirm the charges. For the remaining followers, they prepared for the end of the world. Koresh said that the Apocalypse would begin when the American army attacked Mount Carmel, their compound outside of Waco. They buried a school bus to serve as a bunker and stockpiled food and ammunition. Chronology of a showdown The showdown between the government and the cult began on Sunday, 28 February, 1993, when agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms attempted to arrest Koresh on charges of illegal firearms and explosives charges. Four ATF agents were killed, another 16 were wounded and an undetermined number of Davidians were killed and wounded. Koresh later disclosed that he had been wounded. The FBI took control of the situation, and President Clinton endorsed a negotiated settlement. Negotiations began the next day, and 10 children were released. The FBI moved armoured vehicles to the compound's perimeter. The armoured vehicles and their movements would anger Koresh throughout the siege. The tape was broadcast on the Christian Broadcasting Network, but Koresh said that God had told him to wait. Negotiations continued over the next several days, but Koresh refused to surrender. He made rambling religious statements interspersed with threats of violence. The FBI became concerned that the Davidians would commit mass suicide. Over the next 51 days, negotiations went back and forth. On the same day, the FBI decided to cut off electricity to the compound until the stand off ended. On 9 April, Koresh sent a letter to the FBI saying that the "heavens are calling you to judgement." The FBI enlisted experts to analyse the letter. They concluded Koresh had no intention of leaving voluntarily. The FBI finalised plans to use tear gas against the Davidians and sought the approval of Janet Reno. After consulting army anti-terrorism experts, she approved the plan on 17 April. Ms Reno briefed President Clinton the next day, and he concurred but also expressed concerns about the children's safety. On Sunday 18 April, as armoured vehicles cleared cars from the front of the compound, the Davidians held children up in the windows of a tower on the compound and a sign saying: "Flames Await." On Monday 19 April, the FBI notified the Davidians of the imminent tear gas assault. The Davidians begin shooting shortly after the gas attack began shortly after 6 a.m. The gas attack continued for several hours, and the armoured vehicles begin smashing holes in the buildings. At noon, several fires started within the compound. Shortly thereafter, nine Davidians fled the compound. The FBI continues to maintain that members of the cult started the fires. Fire-fighting efforts began, but the wooden structures quickly became engulfed. Koresh and 76 followers, including more than 20 children, died.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18791922	Lords: Lib Dems warn of 'chain reaction' Tonight the Lib Dems are refusing to accept defeat and insisting that Lords reform is not dead. In an interview with me, Lib Dem MP David Laws made clear that the Tories would pay a heavy price for a failure to deliver. He told me that the failure of one party to honour the coalition agreement could result in a "chain reaction" and could jeopardise agreement on other areas of policy. He said: "My colleagues in the Lib Dem party will say, 'Look if the Conservatives are not keeping their promises to us why should we keep our promises to them.' So that's very dangerous." And he added: "If you start having parties pick and choosing what they're going to support and what they're not going to support from the coalition agreement, very rapidly you could run the risk of finding it difficult to agree and take forward policies in all of the other areas. "So it's in the interests not just for the coalition but the whole country that both coalition partners honour the pledges that they made in all sincerity to each other two years ago." "I can't speculate on the consequences of the Conservatives or the Lib Dems voting down a particular part of the coalition agreement but what I can say is it doesn't require much imagination to realise that you can set off a chain reaction... and that's why Nick Clegg and David Cameron are absolutely passionate about honouring the pledges they made to each other."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13442053	President: Alpha Conde Alpha Conde became president in 2010 after a lifelong battle against a series of despotic and military regimes which sent him into exile and prison. In December 2010 he was declared winner in Guinea's first democratic election since gaining independence from France in 1958. He took over from a military junta which seized power after the death of President Lansana Conte in 2008. However, the vote kindled ethnic tensions, as Mr Conde hails from the Malinke ethnic group, which makes up 35% of the population. The defeated, Cellou Dalein Diallo, is a member of the Peul ethnic group, to which 40% of Guineans belong. Mr Diallo has repeatedly accused the president of sidelining his constituents, including many Peul. In July 2011, armed men launched an attack on his residence in Conakry, partially destroying the building, but Mr Conde was unharmed. In the run-up to parliamentary elections scheduled for 27 December 2011, the opposition accused Mr Conde of attempting to rig the vote and of failing to consult it about the date. The president agreed to delay the vote and pledged to hold an "inclusive dialogue" with the opposition. Both allies and critics alike acknowledge his charisma and intelligence, but some also describe him as authoritarian and impulsive, someone who rarely listens to others and often acts alone. His supporters however consider him untainted, a "new man" who has never had the opportunity to "participate in the looting of the country." Mr Conde's political career began in the 1950s when, as head of the Federation of Black Students in Francophone Africa, he campaigned for independence from France, a drive that bore fruit in Guinea in 1958.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4396568.stm	Syria says a UN team examining former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's death can question two relatives of the Syrian president linked to the inquiry. Syria has been critical of the UN resolution and report Sami al-Khiyami, the ambassador to the UK, told the BBC the investigating team had not asked to interview the men before publishing its interim report. It had not put forward evidence giving grounds for questioning, he said. Meanwhile the head of the UN inquiry, Detlev Mehlis, has returned to Lebanon to continue his investigations. Mr Mehlis' interim report implicated Syrian and pro-Syria Lebanese officials and accused Damascus of misleading his investigating team. A UN resolution has threatened further action unless Syria co-operates fully. Demands for evidence Mr Khiyami said the two men, the president's brother Maher al-Assad - who heads the presidential guard - and brother-in-law Asif Shawkat, the military intelligence chief, would co-operate with the inquiry of their own accord. "[President Bashar al-Assad] doesn't even have to make them, they will go and see the commission," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He said the commission had asked to speak to, and spoken to, nine or 10 people, but never requested an interview with the two men. "In our eyes there was full co-operation. However, if the commission had said at that time that it had suspects we would have acted differently," he said. Both men were implicated in an early draft of the inquiry's report. The ambassador repeated Syrian demands for evidence that its officials had been involved in, or had known about Hariri's assassination. Syria has until 15 December to comply with the resolution sponsored by the US, France and the UK, which includes a call for Damascus to detain suspects identified by the inquiry. In response to the unanimous UN vote, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Sharaa earlier criticised Mr Mehlis for accusing his country without due process. He said no evidence had been put forward concerning alleged false and misleading statements from Syrian officials to investigators. "It is clear for any person who has followed this issue throughout that Syria's co-operation was complete. I repeat: complete." The killing of Hariri in a car bombing in Beirut in February led to widespread criticism of Syria, which was forced to withdraw its soldiers from Lebanon as a result. KEY UN FINDINGS Assassins had considerable resources and capabilities Evidence suggests both Syria and Lebanon were involved Crime was prepared over several months Hariri's movements and itineraries were monitored Highly unlikely Syrian or Lebanese intelligence were not aware of assassination plot Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. The UN launched its inquiry in the aftermath of the killing. Last week, Mr Mehlis said Syria had given misleading information and had not fully co-operated with his commission. At the weekend, Syria announced its own inquiry into the death of Hariri. Damascus said a special judicial committee would question both civilian and military personnel in the country. The committee would also co-operate with the UN investigation, the Syrian presidency said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3611873.stm	By Sandy Murray BBC News Online Scotland The discovery of oil in the North Sea transformed the economy of many of the communities surrounding it. Many recent discoveries, such as the Buzzard field, have been made by independent companies But production has peaked, and those who benefited most have now been faced with the challenge of making a new living for themselves. For the UK's oil industry, it has been transformed by the challenges of North Sea production. The long-term benefits will largely come from exploiting techniques developed in this harsh environment. Tony Wood, an economist with the Royal Bank of Scotland who specialises in the oil and gas sector, has watched the North Sea industry change over the years. "We're around half way through the life of it in volume terms," he said. "If we assume that North Sea production really got going in the late 70s or early 80s, what we're talking about is another 20 years of gradually declining production. "From the Scottish point of view, one of the real strengths of the industry has been the service and supply businesses that we've developed on the back of oil production. "The extent to which that is exporting its activity and developing international markets will help stem the impact of the North Sea's decline on the Scottish economy." But the North Sea industry has been a benefit for the economy of the whole of the UK. The UK Government will have to manage its decline in a global context. Mr Wood said: "From a UK economy point of view, there will be a fairly significant decline in the rate of Treasury receipts but also there will be an increasing strategic issue around security of supply and where we import oil and gas from." The businesses which support North Sea production range from local companies, some of which have become international players on the strength of the UK oil boom, to offshoots of giant multinational corporations. Tadg Slattery is Vice-President of KBR Production Services, part of the Halliburton group. He has described the coming changes in the industry as a chance to find new business. "It creates opportunity for us contractors," he said. "There is this whole 'decline atmosphere' about the place I suppose but when the big operators start to divert their resources to concentrate on bigger things - in Central Asia, or the Far East, or West Africa or deep water in the Gulf of Mexico - that means that they leave big openings for us here to come and do the things that we're really good at. "We can produce ideas for cost savings, for production optimisation, for squeezing more out of assets." Many of the companies operating in the North Sea believe that this process, of pumping every last drop of recoverable oil, will continue for many years. As the larger oil discoveries have given way to the exploitation of more modest fields, the major oil companies have started to move out, replaced by smaller independent businesses. One of the most significant finds of recent years was the Buzzard oil field, 60 miles (100km) off Aberdeen in the central North Sea. The major share in this field is owned by EnCana, a leading independent oil and gas company. Its UK managing director, Alan Booth, is also president of the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA). Mr Booth said: "Just as people have a midlife crisis, I think the North Sea is at that stage of its life as well. "When people refer to it as mature they often get the wrong connotation that mature means it's ready to die. "I think there's a general acceptance throughout the industry that we've probably only produced half of what's available to be produced from the North Sea." But while he agrees with other experts that the UK oil industry can look forward to many years of production, Mr Booth believes there will be a time when it has to be accepted that nothing remains worth taking from the sea bed. He said: "Everything in the North Sea will effectively be finished, because it is such a rigorous environment. "It's not that the oil will run out but that the ability to extract the oil economically will not be there. "Ultimately the price of oil will determine when we actually switch off facilities." Oil boom ends The coming period of change will have the greatest impact on the north east of Scotland. A quiet backwater in economic terms before the oil was discovered, this has become one of the most prosperous parts of the country. The chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Geoff Runcie, said: "The transition from the impact that we have at the moment, which is hugely positive, to a position where there is little impact - and that may be 30 or 50 years away - you need to plan the diversification of the economy at a very early stage. "I would say from a north east perspective we have a very robust and well-developed plan." At the Royal Bank of Scotland, economist Tony Wood said it is almost impossible to paint a picture of how the UK economy would have looked without commercial oil production, and just as hard to guess how it will look when the oil is gone. He said: "It's very hard to know what the world would have looked like if we didn't have it because the people employed in the industry would have done other things. "But clearly it's been important as an employer and as a tax generator for the UK Treasury."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-15407284	Death crash drugs driver Jessica Reynolds jailed A woman who crashed a car into a tree near Cambridge while on drugs, killing two passengers and leaving five children fatherless, has been jailed. Jessica Reynolds's car left the A1303 at Madingley, killing 25-year-old Kevin Wilkinson and Paul Barker, 40, in the early hours of 22 May 2010. Reynolds, 20, of West Road, Caldecote, admitted causing death by careless driving due to drugs. She was jailed for three years and four months at Cambridge Crown Court. Mr Wilkinson, of Paget Road, Trumpington, and Mr Barker, of Antelope Way, Cambridge, were both back seat passengers in Reynolds's Peugeot 206. They were leaving a party when they accepted a lift from Reynolds, then 19, an acquaintance. The court heard she took a bend on the country road at 70mph and the car careered off the carriageway. The car rolled and then struck a tree.'Responsibility not accepted' Police said Reynolds confirmed she had taken cocaine and mephedrone on the night of the crash, and tests showed she also had cannabis in her system. Speaking after the hearing, Sgt Lyndon Pickston said the case had been complex because it was impossible to know how much Reynolds had taken. "It was not helped by the fact that Jessica Reynolds has never provided a full account of the events on the night of the collision," he added. "During the investigation, she did not accept responsibility for the death of her friends. "Reynolds only pleaded guilty four days before the trial was due to start. "This case should serve as a warning to anyone who takes controlled drugs and then drives a motor vehicle. "Reynolds decided to take recreational drugs on a night out, but it ultimately cost the lives of two of her friends and now her freedom."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-20945623	Wiltshire PCC, Angus Macpherson appoints new Chief Constable A new Chief Constable has been appointed by Wiltshire's police and crime commissioner, Angus Macpherson. Patrick Geenty has been named by the Conservative commissioner to head up the operational side of the police force. Mr Geenty was already the acting Chief Constable since March 2012 but his role has now been made substantive. The new Chief Constable takes up a five-year contract with an estimated salary of £133,000 a year.'Effective and efficient' Mr Geenty said: "I will continue to lead the force, working alongside Mr Macpherson and other colleagues to continue to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the county and deliver his Police and Crime Plan, due to be published at the end of March. "We are working within a challenging financial climate. However, I am confident we will continue to provide an effective and efficient police service for the people of Wiltshire." Mr Geenty has worked in the police force for 30 years. His experience includes working in CID and is the current national police lead for missing people. Before joining the police he worked as a secondary school teacher. Mr Macpherson held the interviews on Monday, 7 January. He said: "Mr Geenty has been the temporary Chief Constable since March last year. "During that time, and throughout the recruitment process, he has shown a real commitment to leading the force effectively, working to ensure Wiltshire continues to be one of the safest counties in the country. "I look forward to continuing to work with him. He is an outstanding leader and I am very pleased that we will be working together to deliver my forthcoming Police and Crime Plan." Under the police reforms, the commissioner has the power to appoint and remove Chief Constables and is also responsible for controlling the police budget.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-19267912	Glasgow to host Scottish Olympic parade The official victory parade for Scotland's Olympians will be held in Glasgow on Friday 14 September, it has been confirmed. SportScotland said the event would be a "fitting and appropriate celebration" for all Scottish Olympians and Paralympians. Scottish athletes won a record 13 medals at the London Games. They included Sir Chris Hoy, who won two gold medals to become Britain's most successful Olympian. More details and the route of the parade will be announced nearer the time. Edinburgh's Lord Provost Donald Wilson said he was "disappointed" the parade would not be held in the Scottish capital. He said Edinburgh still planned to welcome home its own Olympians and Paralympians "to show them how proud we are of their achievements". The parade in Glasgow will be followed by a reception hosted by the first minister and city council. End Quote SportScotland spokesman I would imagine other local authorities may also want to celebrate athletes from their own areas in their own ways” British Olympic Association chairman Lord Moynihan is expected to attend alongside SportScotland chair Louise Martin. A spokesman for SportScotland, which will organise the parade alongside the city council, said: "There are some compelling reasons for it being in Glasgow. "It is bidding for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games and there is also a symbolic transfer of the London Games, post Paralympics, on to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games. "I would imagine other local authorities may also want to celebrate athletes from their own areas in their own ways and I understand that that is likely to happen across Scotland." Scotland's minister for sport, Shona Robison, said the parade would give the country the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the "remarkable achievements" of Scottish athletes who competed in the Olympics, as well as those who will be participating in the Paralympics later this month. She added: "Here in Scotland, we have played our part in these great Games, from hosting football matches at Hampden Park to the hundreds of volunteers that went to London to help out at Olympic Park. "As we celebrate these successes we must also look ahead to Glasgow 2014. London 2012 - One extraordinary year "I have great hopes and aspirations for Scotland's athletes in the Commonwealth Games and I hope people will take inspiration from these medal winners." Andy Hunt, chief executive of the British Olympic Association and Chef de Mission for Team GB, said: "Scottish athletes contributed 13 medals to Team GB and deserve to be celebrated in style. "No-one more so than Sir Chris Hoy, who became the most decorated British Olympian of all time by securing another two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games, surpassing Sir Steve Redgrave's total of five gold medals. "Every member of Team GB has inspired a new generation to take up sport and we hope that with Glasgow bidding for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, this will continue." The record-breaking medal haul by Scottish athletes in London included seven gold, four silver and two bronze medals. The seven golds equalled the best ever return for Scots, achieved 100 years ago at the Stockholm Games. However, the total of 13 medals comfortably surpassed the previous best of nine, which was achieved at London 1908, Stockholm 1912, and Sydney 2000.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19440464	Liberal Catholic Cardinal Carlo Martini dies Italian cardinal and progressive Catholic Carlo Maria Martini has died at the age of 85. An archbishop for the key archdiocese of Milan for over two decades, Martini was once tipped as a future pope. He passed away on Friday near the northern city, having suffered from Parkinson's disease for several years. Martini, a popular figure with liberal stances on many issues, commanded great respect from both Pope John Paul II and his successor Pope Benedict XVI. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi described Cardinal Martini as "a great evangeliser". The BBC's David Willey, in Rome, says that one of the characteristics that distinguished Martini was his dual identity both as a distinguished academic and as someone able to explain Catholic teaching in easily understandable terms to everyone. He was not afraid, our correspondent adds, to speak his mind on matters that the Vatican sometimes considered taboo, including the use of condoms to fight Aids and the role of women in the Church. In 2008, for example, he criticised the Church's prohibition of birth control, saying the stance had likely driven many faithful away, and publicly stated in 2006 that condoms could "in some situations, be a lesser evil".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6278311.stm	By Adam Blenford Key evidence in the trial of 29 Italian police officers charged over violence during the 2001 G8 summit in Genoa has vanished, police say. Police are accused of brutally mistreating Genoa protesters Two Molotov cocktails allegedly planted by police in a school used as a base by anti-globalisation protesters can no longer be found. The bombs are seen as crucial physical evidence against many of the defendants in the high-profile trial. The police are accused of brutality and perjury over a raid on the Diaz school. The petrol bombs - expected to be a key piece of evidence in the case - were due to be presented in court this week. Prosecutors now fear that the case could collapse, allowing many of the high-ranking defendants to walk free. Case at risk The apparent disappearance of important evidence sparked strong reactions within Italy. The presiding judge called for an immediate explanation. The Reform Communist party - part of Prime Minister Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition government - has asked for a parliamentary investigation. Mark Covell, a British journalist who suffered serious injuries in the Diaz raid, told the BBC News website the disappearance could endanger the whole trial. "They have spent 20 million euros (£13m) on this and if these Molotov cocktails aren't found it could all be for nothing," he said. "I'm a bit shocked and numb at the state of the Italian judiciary. "But we can't calculate the full impact of this yet. We will have to wait and see." One police officer, Francesco Borre, told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper that police routinely kept records of what they received and handed over. He said he believed the responsibility for keeping the Molotov cocktails rested with Genoa's police, known as the Digos - the same unit under investigation by the court. There were riots by violent protesters before the Diaz raid The secretary general of the Italian police union, Claudio Giardullo, held out hope that the trial could continue. "Because the Molotov cocktails were actually photographed before they disappeared, the material need to have the bottles has been lessened," he told the BBC. "It is up to the magistrate to decide whether the evidence is fundamental to the trial. "Police will hold an investigation about this - it is in their own interest," he added. The trial centres on a raid carried out on the night of 21 July 2001. Nearly 300 officers, most dressed in full riot gear, forced their way into the Diaz school, which was being used as a base by anti-globalisation protesters. Dozens of people were injured in the raid, as police also smashed windows and destroyed computers. The two Molotov cocktails found inside the school were originally cited as evidence that the protesters were planning violence. But reports soon emerged that the bombs were planted in the school by police themselves. Prime Minister Prodi has made the swift conclusion of the trial a priority, and has promised to investigate the conduct of the police.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6502331.stm	Members of Parliament have voted to give themselves £10,000 each a year to spend on things like websites to boost "public understanding" of Parliament. MPs can use the allowance for parliamentary work only The new allowance comes on top of the £20,000 office running costs allowance and £7,000 for pre-paid envelopes. The money cannot be spent on websites featuring party political "propaganda", with Jack Straw acknowledging some MPs might need to have a second site. One Labour MP predicted the sites would be used for "shameless self-promotion". Despite that warning from Tony Wright, MPs voted by a majority of 95 in favour of the government-backed motion. 'Health of democracy' Commons Leader Jack Straw told MPs: "The purpose of this allowance is to contribute to better public understanding of what this Parliament is about and what it does... "It's important for the health of our democracy for the public to know more about what we do." He added it was better "not to become a propaganda tool for the use of incumbents" and it was time to "make clear what the rules are". Previously, websites had been set up by MPs of all parties which were "not in accordance with the current rules" on how expenses can be spent. He said material on many of the sites was found to be party political in a way that would not have been allowed if the material had been on leaflets or posters. Mr Straw said websites funded by the extra £10,000 must not promote a party or politician, or raise funds, and must carry a message saying they are publicly paid for. They would also have to close down while Parliament is dissolved for an election, so as not to give incumbent MPs an advantage, he added. But Mr Wright, MP for Cannock Chase, said: "It's going to be an exercise in shameless self-promotion. It's going to tell people how wonderful we are and is paid for by our constituents." Shadow Commons leader Theresa May said: "We owe it to our constituents to spend their taxes wisely." She added: "I think there's a reason for changing the rules, but not for introducing a new allowance, which would enhance the position of incumbents." Liberal Democrat spokesman David Heath said: "We have to be extremely careful when we are seen by those outside to be awarding ourselves yet another allowance of substantial size, without a clear indication of how the money spent is to the advantage of our constituents rather than us." The existing allowance can be used for constituency news letters, press releases, petitions, contact cards and online surgeries. It cannot be used for fundraising, campaigning, business activities, encouraging people to join a political party, or for petitions or surveys associated with national or local elections. The £10,000 limit for the new allowance was set by the Members Estimate Committee after MPs agreed there should be money "to assist in the work of communication with the public on parliamentary business". The committee said MPs had been told they needed to do more to communicate with the public, and that "the traditional method of communicating by letter has shown no sign of abating". It estimated that the total annual cost of the communications allowance would be about £6m, while the pre-paid envelope allowance would be limited to £4m. Last year, House of Commons figures showed that MPs claimed almost £86.8m in expenses and allowances - an increase of nearly £6m on the previous year. The 2005/06 payments - about £131,000 per MP - come on top of a basic salary of about £60,000 and a pension.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10757263	What is Wikileaks? Whistle-blowing website Wikileaks has dominated the news, both because of its steady drip feed of secret documents, but also because of the dealings of its enigmatic front man Julian Assange. The recent release of thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables is just the latest in a long list of "leaks" published by the secretive site, which has established a reputation for publishing sensitive material from governments and other high-profile organisations. In October the site released almost 400,000 secret US military logs detailing its operations in Iraq. They followed hot on the heels of nearly 90,000 classified military records, which gave an insight into the military strategy in Afghanistan. And in April 2010, for example, Wikileaks posted a video on its website that shows a US Apache helicopter killing at least 12 people - including two Reuters journalists - during an attack in Baghdad in 2007. A US military analyst is currently awaiting trial, on charges of leaking the material along with the cables and military documents.Legal wrangles However, the site's recent prominence is part of a longer and controversial history that started in December 2006, when it first hit the net. Since that time it has split opinion. Game of cat-and-mouse - 28 Nov: First cables released - 29 Nov: US brands cable leaks an "attack on the international community" and says criminal investigation ongoing - 29 Nov: Former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin calls for Mr Assange to be "pursued with the same urgency we pursue al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders" - 3 Dec: Wikileaks forced to change web address after coming under cyber attack - 3 Dec: Sweden issues new European arrest warrant for Mr Assange over sex crime allegations but wording is wrong - 6 Dec: Sweden issues new warrant and passes it to police in UK - 7 Dec: Mr Assange is arrested in London after voluntarily walking into a police station For some it is lauded as the future of investigative journalism; it has been described as the world's first stateless news organisation. For others - particularly the governments and corporations whose secrets it exposes - it is a risk. In October 2009, it posted a list of names and addresses of people it claimed belonged to the British National Party (BNP). The BNP said the list was a "malicious forgery". And during the 2008 US elections, it published screenshots of the e-mail inbox, pictures and address book of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Other controversial documents hosted on the site include a copy of the Standard Operating Procedures for Camp Delta, a document that detailed restrictions placed on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Many of these were uploaded to the website, which allows anyone to submit documents anonymously. However, a team of reviewers - volunteers from the mainstream press, journalists and Wikileaks staff - decides what is published. "We use advanced cryptographic techniques and legal techniques to protect sources," Mr Assange told the BBC in February. The site says that it accepts "classified, censored or otherwise restricted material of political, diplomatic or ethical significance" but does not take "rumour, opinion or other kinds of first hand reporting or material that is already publicly available". "We specialise in allowing whistle-blowers and journalists who have been censored to get material out to the public," said Mr Assange. It is operated by an organisation known as the Sunshine Press and claims to be "funded by human rights campaigners, investigative journalists, technologists and the general public". Since Wikileaks first appeared on the net, it has faced various legal challenges to take it offline. Prior to the most recent leaks, it said it had fought off more than 100 legal challenges successfully. In 2008, for example, the Swiss bank Julius Baer won a court ruling to block the site after Wikileaks posted "several hundred" documents about its offshore activities. It was eventually overturned.Money matters But more recently, the site has faced new challenges. The private life of Mr Assange, its editor-in-chief, has been laid bare and it has lost key staff and supporters. End Quote Julian Assange "[To] keep our sources safe, we have had to spread assets, encrypt everything, and move telecommunications and people around the world to activate protective laws in different national jurisdictions” The site has also been targeted in a series of cyber attacks. Various firms - including web giant Amazon - have also terminated agreements to host the site and provide services to it. In addition, companies - including Mastercard, Visa and PayPal - have withdrawn the ability that allows people to donate to the site. Its Swiss bank account has also been closed. But it is not the first time that the site has faced financial problems. In February 2010 it suspended operations as it could not afford its own running costs. Donations from individuals and organisations saved the site. Only time will tell, if it can do it again with many sources of funding now cut off. Despite all of these setbacks, Wikileaks has largely remained defiantly online. It has moved its operations between various companies and countries. It has also encouraged volunteers to set up "mirrors" of the site - hosted on different servers around the world. "[To] keep our sources safe, we have had to spread assets, encrypt everything, and move telecommunications and people around the world to activate protective laws in different national jurisdictions," Mr Assange said earlier this year. Throughout its history, the site has been supported and hosted by the Swedish ISP PeRiQuito (PRQ), which became famous for hosting file-sharing website The Pirate Bay. "If it is legal in Sweden, we will host it, and will keep it up regardless of any pressure to take it down," the ISP's site says. The ISP continues to host its most recent - and most controversial - documents. The site also hosts documents in other jurisdictions, including France. Its experience of different laws around the world meant that it was drafted to help Icelandic MPs draw up plans for its Icelandic Modern Media Initiative (IMMI) earlier this year The plan calls on the country's government to adopt laws protecting journalists and their sources.Expansion plan Its involvement in the IMMI gave the site a new credibility. At the same time, it has grown and gained more notoriety. The site's rapid expansion - and the amount of material it has recently received - has meant that it has had to change its tactics. In the past, it was able to verify and publish documents itself. But for its most recent leaks it has adopted a new tactic - partnering with news organisations such as the Guardian, Der Spiegel and the New York Times - to help check and distribute the material. "We take care of the source and act as a neutral intermediary and then we also take care of the publication of the material whilst the journalist that has been communicated with takes care of the verification," Mr Assange said earlier this year. "It provides a natural… connection between a journalist and a source with us in the middle performing the function that we perform best."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21398150	Eastleigh by-election: Mike Thornton chosen as Lib Dem candidate The Liberal Democrats have chosen local councillor Mike Thornton as their candidate to stand in the forthcoming Eastleigh by-election. Mr Thornton was elected after a vote in the Hampshire constituency on Saturday. The by-election has been triggered by the resignation of Chris Huhne, the ex-Lib Dem MP who admitted perverting the course of justice on Tuesday. Mr Thornton will stand on 28 February against Tory Maria Hutchings - Labour and UKIP have yet to choose candidates. The only other known candidate so far is Dr Iain Maclennan, who will stand for the National Health Action Party. The Lib Dems held the seat in 2010 with a majority of 3,864 votes. Mr Thornton has been a parish and borough councillor since 2007 and has lived in the local area for 19 years. His selection was announced in an email to Lib Dem party members by the leader of Eastleigh Council, Keith House. In it, he said: "I've known Mike for more than five years. He's proved himself to be a hard working and effective local parish and borough councillor." On Thursday, the Conservatives revealed Mrs Hutchings - who came second to Mr Huhne in the 2010 general election - will represent the party.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18655742	Egypt President-elect Mohamed Mursi hails Tahrir crowds Egyptian President-elect Mohamed Mursi has praised crowds in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the focal point of protests that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak. Thousands had gathered to protest against decrees issued by Egypt's military rulers. Mr Mursi swore a symbolic oath before the crowd, telling them they were "the source of all authority". Jon Leyne reports.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14261921	Belgian ban on full veils comes into force A law has come into force in Belgium banning women from wearing the full Islamic veil in public. The country is the second European Union nation after France to enforce such a ban. Offenders face a fine of 137.5 euros (£121; $197) and up to seven days in jail. Two women who wear full veils launched an immediate court challenge, saying the law is discriminatory. France, home to Europe's biggest Muslim population, enforced its ban in April. Belgium's law bans any clothing that obscures the identity of the wearer in places like parks and on the street. It was passed almost unanimously by the lower house of parliament in April 2010. MPs voted with only two abstentions to back the legislation on the grounds of security, to allow police to identify people. Other MPs said that full face veils such as the burka or the niqab were a symbol of the oppression of women. But critics of the law say it could end up excluding women, leaving those who do wear the full veil trapped in their homes. And they say the measures are over the top - estimates suggest only a few dozen women wear this kind of veil in Belgium, out of a Muslim population of about half a million. "We consider the law a disproportionate intrusion into fundamental rights such as the freedom of religion and expression," Ines Wouters, the lawyer representing the two women challenging the ban, told the newspaper La Libre. She has taken their case to Belgium's constitutional court, where she will request a suspension of the law, AFP news agency reported.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6422091.stm	Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing says Japan should face up to history and take responsibility for its army's use of sex slaves during World War II. Mr Abe's comments have already drawn protests from South Korea He was speaking after Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe caused controversy last week by questioning whether women were "coerced" into sexual slavery. Mr Abe has said Japan will not go beyond a 1993 apology on the issue. Many historians say Japan compelled up to 200,000 women, mostly Chinese and Korean, to become sex slaves. But some Japanese scholars deny that force was used to round up the women, blaming private contractors for any abuses. US Congress debate Mr Li told a press conference in Beijing that the treatment of so-called comfort women "is one of the serious crimes committed by the Japanese militarists in World War II". "This is a historical fact," he stressed. "I believe the Japanese government should face up to this part of history, take responsibility, seriously view and properly handle this issue," he added. South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon has already described Mr Abe's remarks as "not helpful". The US House of Representatives is currently considering a non-binding resolution calling on Tokyo to "formally acknowledge, apologise and accept historical responsibility" for the treatment of the women. The draft text was debated last week, and three former comfort women gave evidence, describing the rape and torture they endured at the hands of the Japanese soldiers. Mr Abe last week appeared to side with revisionists when he said there was "no evidence to prove there was coercion". Li Zhaoxing: The treatment of comfort women was a serious crime He commented again on the issue on Monday, saying that while there was no evidence of coercion in the strict sense, there may be some evidence of independent brokers procuring women by force. But "it was not as though military police broke into peoples' homes and took them away like kidnappers," he said. He also indicated that Japan would not issue another apology on the issue, even if Washington asked for one. Mr Abe said he stood by a 1993 Japanese government apology, which acknowledged that the military set up and ran brothels for its troops during the war. Many former comfort women are still seeking compensation from the Japanese government for their experiences. Tokyo did set up a compensation fund in 1995, but it relies on private donations rather than government money. The issue of the comfort women could harm a recent rapprochement between Japan and its Asian neighbours, China and South Korea. Relations have been tense in recent years, in part because of disagreements over Japan's wartime past, but since taking office late last year Mr Abe has sought to improve ties.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7531413.stm	The massacre became the most notorious event in the 1992-95 war Seven Bosnian Serbs have been convicted of genocide and jailed over the massacre of Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) in Srebrenica in 1995. After a two-year trial, the Bosnian war crimes court in Sarajevo ruled that the men helped in the systematic murder of more than 1,000 Bosniaks in one day. In all, as many as 8,000 men and boys were killed in a week in Srebrenica. The ruling comes a week after the capture of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, also accused of genocide. Mr Karadzic is expected to be sent soon to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague to face charges over his involvement in the Srebrenica massacre. The trial in Sarajevo was the first to be held in Bosnia over crimes committed at Srebrenica, and the first for genocide. Previous such trials have been held at The Hague. Eleven men were originally charged with genocide in the case - all of whom were police officers or soldiers with the Bosnian Serb wartime authorities. Muslim enclave in Serb-held territory Declared UN "safe area" in April 1993 Bosnian Serb forces overrun the area in 1995 23,000 women and children deported Up to 8,000 Muslim men and boys killed Four were acquitted and the other seven were given sentences ranging from 38 to 42 years. "The defendants knew that by killing the Bosnian Muslim men, they participated in the permanent extermination of Bosnian Muslims from Srebrenica," said judge Hilmo Vucinic. "They consciously killed hundreds of Bosnian Muslims with the aim of permanently removing Bosnian Muslims from Srebrenica." The group of seven played a part in separating more than 1,000 Bosniak men from their families. The court said that the murdered men were among a group trying to escape from Srebrenica after it came under Bosnian Serb control. The men were told they would be taken to safety if they surrendered. Instead, they were taken by bus or on foot to the warehouse of an agricultural co-operative in the village of Kravica before being murdered in a single day. The convicted men either carried out executions themselves using firearms or hand grenades, or prevented people from escaping from the warehouse. Munira Subasic, who lost her husband and son in Srebrenica and who runs an association of survivors, said she was pleased with the verdict but that her pain "can never be healed". Milenko Trifunovic, Brano Dzinic, Aleksandar Radovanovic - sentenced to 42 years Milos Stupar, Slobodan Jakovljevic, Branislav Medan - sentenced to 40 years Petar Mitrovic - sentenced to 38 years "The mothers of these men still have their sons, their wives still have husbands, their children still have fathers and I am still looking for my son's bones," she told AFP news agency. The massacre was part of a week-long killing spree by Bosnian Serb forces, who overran the UN-protected Srebrenica enclave. Milos Stupar and Milenko Trifunovic were commanders of special police force units, Milovan Matic was a member of the Bosnian Serb army and the remaining men were special police force officers. All but two of the men were were born in Bosnia-Hercegovina - Dragisa Zivanovic was born in Serbia and Branislav Medan was born in Croatia. Six former Bosnian Serb officers have already been jailed by the international war crimes tribunal at The Hague over the Srebrenica atrocities, while further suspects are awaiting trial. A Serbian court has also jailed four former Serb paramilitaries for their role in the Srebrenica massacre.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8356840.stm	Mr Brown was accused of misspelling a dead soldier's name Prime Minister Gordon Brown has "the most enormous personal regard" for Sun newspaper owner Rupert Murdoch, Downing Street has said. The Tory-supporting paper has been highly critical of Mr Brown over the equipment to troops in Afghanistan and a letter he wrote to a bereaved mother. It has been reported that Mr Brown telephoned Mr Murdoch to complain but a spokesman did not confirm or deny this. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has called the Sun's reporting "crude". The newspaper is critical of the standard of equipment provided for troops in Afghanistan. It has also attacked Mr Brown over a letter of condolence he wrote to bereaved mother Jacqui Janes after her son Jamie was killed in Helmand, Afghanistan. It says he misspelt her surname as "James" and overwrote a mistake he made writing the name Jamie - rather than starting the letter again. The prime minister - who has poor eyesight - later apologised for "any unintended mistake". Asked whether Mr Brown had called Mr Murdoch to complain about the Sun's coverage, a spokesman said the prime minister had regular contact with the media mogul. But he refused to divulge the content of their conversations. On Wednesday Lord Mandelson accused the Sun of portraying the government as the "enemy" of UK troops in Afghanistan rather than the Taliban. The paper's criticism of the prime minister's letter to Mrs Janes amounted to "crude politicking" in favour of the Conservatives, he said. But the Sun said it was "immensely proud" of its coverage of Afghanistan. The newspaper, which had supported Labour since 1997, announced in September that it was switching allegiance to the Conservatives.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13437528	Elderly care costs could treble says OECD The cost of caring for the elderly could treble by 2050, according to a report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The body, which represents the most industrialised nations, estimates that 10% of people in OECD countries will be more than 80 years old by 2050. That is up from 4% in 2010 and less than 1% in 1950. The OECD report said member countries are spending 1.5% of GDP on long term care. It predicts spending as a share of economic output will double or even triple in the next forty years.Overhaul The report said countries must face up to the challenge of caring for ageing populations. It said a vision of long term care was needed and that "muddling through" was not an option. Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General, said: "With costs rising fast, countries must get better value for money from their spending on long-term care. "The piecemeal policies in place in many countries must be overhauled in order to boost productivity and support family carers who are the backbone of long-term care systems." However, the report warns against relying too heavily on family members. It says low pay and hard working conditions result in a high turnover of care workers and that many countries were struggling to meet demand. It says Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden had all increased retention by boosting pay and improving working conditions. The OECD also said there was likely to be an increased need for migrant workers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17378510	Libya detainees Gareth Montgomery-Johnson and Nick Davies-Jones may face charges A Welsh journalist and his colleague being held in Libya are waiting to learn their fate after they were handed over to the national government. Gareth Montgomery-Johnson, from Carmarthen, and Nicholas Davies-Jones were detained by militia last month. They were handed over to the interior ministry in Tripoli on Wednesday, which is considering charges. They had been working for the Iranian broadcaster Press TV, and were accused of entering the country illegally. Mr Montgomery-Johnson and Mr Davies-Jones were taken into detention by the Misrata Brigade militia in Tripoli on 22 February. Since then, Mr Montgomery-Johnson's family and human rights groups have lobbied for the men to be handed to the Libyan authorities. Earlier this week they appeared in a video in which they apologised for entering Libya without authorisation. In the video message, which Mr Davies-Jones said was recorded on 12 March, the journalists said they were being treated well. They appeared calm and in good health. The UK embassy in the Libyan capital said it was following developments closely, and providing full consular support. Mr Montgomery-Johnson's sister, Mel Gribble, said there was an "element of reassurance" knowing her brother and his friend were now being held by the "right authorities". She said: "We're relieved but he's not home yet. We were in the situation where it was the great unknown." The BBC's Middle East correspondent in Tripoli, Wyre Davies, said the men were in a much better situation, although the Libyan government has said it was looking at whether the men would face charges relating to entering the country illegally.'Released or deported' He said: "That's nothing new, many journalists, myself included over the months, have entered Libya without proper authorisation because there simply weren't the authorities here to give that authorisation. "However, if you do work in the country now, you are meant to have the authority of the new national transitional council administration. It does seem they didn't have that." He added: "I would be surprised if they were not released or deported in the next couple of days." A former British ambassador to Libya, Sir Richard Dalton, told Radio Wales the Iranian television network the men were working for, Press TV, was a "genuine television operation". He said: "One might worry about its editorial decisions and some of the slants it puts on the news but I think it's easy for the British government to make the case that, prima facie, these people were there for their declared purpose."'Deportation process' The Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Jonathan Edwards, praised Mr Montgomery-Johnson's family for keeping his plight in the headlines. He said the Libyan national authorities would "want to be seen to be taking the accusations of the militia quite seriously". But he added: "The key point here is that we are not talking about spying - which was far, far more serious - as we were a few weeks ago. We're talking about entering the country illegally. "They have already admitted that. I think there will be a deportation process and I'm hopeful that Gareth will be back in Wales very soon."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7439117.stm	A planned jump by the Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display Team had to be cancelled because of low cloud, but the team delivered a birthday card, signed by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, by Chinook helicopter. Following the fly-past, a two-seater single-engine Tutor aircraft performed an acrobatic display above Cranwell college's main building for the assembled guests, including his great-great-grandchildren Erik Carlson, two, and four-month-old Lila Rose Gray. Air Vice Marshal Peter Dye (retired) and Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns attended the event. Mr Allingham was also presented with a birthday card and cake by children from Cranwell Primary School. Members of Mr Allingham's family travelled from the US for the party When asked for the secret of long life, Mr Allingham said: "I don't think there's a particular reason. "The only thing I can say is all my life I have lived within my limitations, take life slowly, don't get any stress or strains. "The more birthdays I enjoy the longer I live." And he said: "The fly-past was a very nice gesture and I want to show my appreciation. "I really enjoyed it, I wasn't too tired which was a good thing actually." AVM Dye said: "Henry is a most modest man but I also think he is the most incredible of individuals. "He has a passion and a determination to tell people about his experiences and to bear witness to those who served like him in World War I." He said Mr Allingham recognised he was "incredibly lucky" to survive the experience, but was " determined to talk" about it and what it meant. Now partially deaf and almost blind, Mr Allingham, who was born in Clapton, London on 6 June 1896, lives at St Dunstan's home for blind ex-servicemen, in Ovingdean. His life has spanned six monarchs and has taken in 21 prime ministers. Mr Allingham grew up without a father after he died from tuberculosis in 1898. His mother died 17 years later. He went on to have two daughters with his wife Dorothy Cater, whom he married in 1919, and now has five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. His wife died 38 years ago, while his daughters both died in their 80s. Henry Allingham talks about reaching his 112th birthday Mr Allingham's grandson David Gray, 59, from northern Michigan, said his grandfather was nine months younger than the oldest person in the world, and the joint-second oldest person in the world. He said: "It's remarkable. Not only has he lived to this long but he has still got his mental faculties intact. "Our whole family are very proud of him." Mr Gray added it was "pretty special" the RAF put on "this kind of celebration", which got better and better each year. Mr Allingham was accompanied on the visit by close friend Dennis Goodwin, who is also founder of the First World War Veterans' Association. He said Mr Allingham's favourite tipple was a cup of tea with one sugar every morning. Mr Allingham is the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland in 1916 and also fought at the Somme and Ypres where he was bombed and shelled. He joined the Royal Air Force when it was formed from the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Army's Flying Corps in 1918. His many medals and honours include the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Legion D'Honneur - the highest military accolade awarded by France. He has joked that the secret to his longevity is "cigarettes, whisky and wild women". 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/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7100041.stm	Northern Ireland striker David Healy scored a spectacular winner against Denmark to become the record scorer in a European qualifying campaign. Chris Sorensen of Denmark tangles with Keith Gillespie He scored his 13th goal of the campaign with a brilliant chip 10 minutes from time at Windsor Park. In difficult conditions, the Danes had taken the lead in the 51st minute when Nicklas Bendtner poked in. Warren Feeney headed in an equaliser 10 minutes later to set the stage for Healy's stunning strike. Northern Ireland will go to Spain on Wednesday still with an outside chance of making the Euro 2008 finals. Even if they beat the Spaniards they would need Latvia to take all three points against Sweden. Whatever happens, the victory over Denmark was the perfect reward for another fine display by Northern Ireland. However, the match almost did not take place at all after a lengthy torrential downpour. It was not until five minutes before the kick-off that Dutch referee Pieter Vink finally decided the match could go ahead even though there was surface water in most areas of the pitch and it was still raining heavily. The conditions were farcical in the early stages with the ball often being held up in puddles of water. Denmark almost took the lead on 13 minutes but Dennis Rommedahl skied his back-post effort high and wide. David Healy then tested Thomas Sørensen but the goalkeeper pushed away his effort and then Jonny Evans headed narrowly wide following a corner. Keith Gillespie was then booked for a challenge on Chris Sorensen and he will miss the match against Spain. Denmark tok the lead in the 51st minute through Arsenal striker Bendtner. He beat seveal defenders to the ball to toe-poke in after a long throw from Leon Andreasen. But Northern Ireland found the perfect response 10 minutes later with Chris Brunt delivering from the left flank for Feeney to get in at the near post to head in the equaliser. Feeney almost got his fourth international goal just three minutes later only to see his dipping half-volley from 35 yards strike an upright. And Healy's record-breaking goal, when the Fulham forward chipped keeper Jesper Christiansen, saw him overtake Croatia's Davor Suker who scored 12 in the Euro 96 qualifying campaign. In the process the Fulham forward took his overall tally to 33 goals in 61 internationals. Denmark piled on the pressure at the end, hitting a post and then having a good penalty claim turned down for a hand ball by Sammy Clingan. But fortune smiled on Northern Ireland and they held on for only their second-ever victory over Denmark. Northern Ireland: Taylor, McAuley, Evans, Hughes, Craigan, Clingan, Gillespie, Davis, Brunt, Healy, Feeney. Subs: Mannus, Baird, Sproule, Capaldi, Hamilton, Robinson, Paterson. Denmark: Thomas Sorensen, Priske, Chris Sorensen, Martin Laursen, Kroldrup, Christian Poulsen, Andreasen, Kahlenberg, Rommedahl, Jorgensen, Bendtner. Subs: Andersen, Niclas Jensen, Ulrik Laursen, Wurtz, Simon Poulsen, Larsen, Dennis Sorensen. Referee: Pieter Vink (Holland)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16923295	Extended warranty concessions offered by retailers Dixons, Comet and Argos have pledged to improve the way extended warranties for electrical goods are sold, the Office for Fair Trading (OFT) has said. Measures include providing more information for shoppers and launching a price comparison website. But the consumer group Which? said that the proposals did not go far enough. The actions come after the OFT carried out a study into the sale of extended warranties for electrical goods, which is worth £1bn a year. The OFT is concerned that customers are not getting full value for money. Dan Moore, project director at the OFT, told the BBC: "The key issue for us is that when warranties are sold they represent good value for consumers and that consumers get the best value when they purchase those products. "There have been some important improvements in prices, however still some significant concerns remain. The market is still skewed towards the retailers too much and consumers still do not get full value for money when they purchase warranties."Optional The OFT has looked into extended warranties - which insure owners against the cost of repairing products such as televisions, washing machines and laptops - three times in a decade. Current warranty rules - Shops make it clear that buying an extended warranty is optional - Customers have 30 days to buy extra insurance cover - There is a 45-day cooling-off period if customers change their mind after buying a warranty Consumer groups have raised concerns that these warranties sometimes almost cost as much as the product itself. Many electrical goods have a 12-month guarantee anyway, and sometimes repairs are covered by household insurance. Under current rules, retailers have to make it clear that buying an extended warranty is optional and not compulsory. They must also explain that customers can have up to 30 days to buy the extra insurance cover and that there is a 45-day cooling off period so they can change their mind after buying the warranty.Mystery shoppers Under the new agreement, shoppers will be able to go to a price comparison website to shop around for their warranty, rather than feeling they have to buy it in a shop as they buy the product. Only a quarter of shoppers look around for their extended warranty, the OFT found. End Quote Richard Lloyd Which? executive director Providing more accessible information in-store will not, in itself, solve the problems with extended warranties” The stores have also agreed to carry out mystery shopping exercises to ensure that shoppers are being given accurate information by sales staff. The OFT raised concerns about a rolling monthly warranty, offered by Dixons. The retailer has agreed to make this pricing in annual terms clear. "As a result of the OFT's concerns, Dixons, Comet and Argos, the largest retail providers of extended warranties, have offered undertakings which the OFT will now consult on whether to accept instead of referring the market to the Competition Commission for a detailed investigation," the OFT said. The OFT said that it expected to reach a final decision on whether to accept all the stores' proposals later in the spring. However, Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: "Our research highlights that many of the warranties on offer today are worse value than ever before and ignore the fact that appliance reliability has improved significantly. "We want to see better products at reasonable prices and for people to feel clear about what they are buying. "Providing more accessible information in-store will not, in itself, solve the problems with extended warranties and we look forward to seeing the results of the consultation period over the next few months." The Financial Ombudsman Service said that it had received 684 new complaints about warranties between April and December, and was upholding about two-thirds of complaints in consumers' favour. In the last financial year it received 895 new warranty complaints, up from 863 the previous year, although most were about furniture. Issues included mis-selling, misleading wording of policies, or exclusions and limitations to policies.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17935200	Lufthansa to cut 3,500 jobs to reduce costs German airline Lufthansa is to cut 3,500 jobs as it seeks to cut its administrative costs by a quarter. The airline will cut those full-time jobs in administrative departments worldwide over the next few years. The news came as its loss narrowed to 379m euros ($498m; £308m) in the first quarter, from a loss of 507m euros in same period of 2011. Lufthansa blamed higher fees and taxes, even as quarterly revenues rose by 5.6% to a record 6.6bn euros. These included an air traffic tax imposed in Germany and Austria and the costs of carbon emissions trading in Germany. "Higher taxes, fees and charges put a massive strain on our quarterly result," said Christoph Franz, chairman of Lufthansa AG. "We cannot wait until politicians also recognise the damage that one-sided taxes and charges do to aviation and to Europe's reputation as a place to do business." Lufthansa said that fuel costs had risen by 304m euros in the past year. Last month, Lufthansa completed the sale of loss-making UK airline BMI to IAG, the company that owns British Airways and Iberia.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18968229	Australian death threat text scam under investigation Thousands of Australians have received a "death threat" text, demanding they pay 5,000 Australian dollars ($5,140, £3,311) or face being murdered. The scale of the scam has surprised the police authorities. At a press conference in Queensland, Det Supt Brian Hay said: "Do not respond. Delete it immediately and don't panic... because that's what they prey upon." The fraud is believed to be the work of an organised crime gang.Huge scale The message, which began to hit people's phones on Monday, reads: "Sum1 paid me to kill you. Get spared, 48hrs to pay $5000. If you inform the police or anybody, death is promised." It directs people to a Yahoo email account which police have now disabled. Mr Hay told reporters that enquiries were ongoing as to whether the criminals were based in Australia. Some people had already fallen for the scam, mainly those with little experience of text messaging, he revealed. He said that the scale of the scam was "unprecedented". "We've never see anything like this before - to have so many people contacted at the same time." "There is an extraordinary amount of Australian consumer data that they are exploiting," he added. He added that the scam was likely to be the work of organised criminals rather than an individual.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-21056053	Missing student Souvik Pal: Father stages Manchester march The father of a missing student has been joined by about 50 people on a march in Manchester to highlight his son's disappearance. Manchester Metropolitan University undergraduate Souvik Pal, 19, went missing from a New Year's Eve party at Trafford's Warehouse Project. Santanu Pal then met Home Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz. Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said police would "get to the bottom of what happened" to Souvik. Mr Pal met Mr Vaz, Labour MP for Leicester East, and Labour's Lucy Powell, Manchester Central MP, at the town hall following the march. He described the town hall meeting was "very positive". "Everybody here in Manchester are supporting me - the university, friends of Souvik, the Indian community, so hopefully we will be able to find Souvik quickly," he said.'Magnificent' response Mr Vaz, who was contacted by Mr Pal about his son's case, said the public response had been "magnificent". "I think the police are working extremely hard, there's 14 people on the team looking for him and we will continue to support them," he said. Sir Peter said the force was "committed" to finding Souvik. "The majority of police officers are parents themselves, and they too would want to know that the police were doing everything that they could." Police appealed for information on the whereabouts of the student at the Manchester United v Liverpool match on Sunday. The 19-year-old student worked part-time selling refreshments at Manchester United and was last seen less than a mile from the Old Trafford ground. He is described as 5ft 7in (1.7m) tall, of slim build and with an Indian accent. He has a scar on the right side of his forehead. When last seen, he was wearing a pale denim long-sleeved shirt with a collar, grey chino trousers and navy blue leather boots.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18685097	CAB: Ulster Bank customers on benefits may need DSD help The Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) has said Stormont may have to help Ulster Bank customers who are in receipt of benefits if the crisis continues. For the past two weeks, customers have been experiencing problems accessing their accounts, including wages and benefits, following a technical fault. Derek Alcorn from the CAB said the Department of Social Development (DSD) may have to step in if the problems persist into the July holiday period. He said it could cause "real hardship". Many customers have said they are very frustrated at the length of time it has taken the Ulster Bank to resolve the problems, which first emerged on 20 June. End Quote Stephen Cruise Ulster Bank head of retail banking We'll break the back of it by next week".” It was caused by a software update, and initially affected millions of customers within the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) group, which includes Ulster Bank and Nat West.'Unacceptable' The problems within the rest of the RBS Group have been resolved, but Ulster Bank is still working through a backlog of transactions. Mr Alcorn said: "I do think that if they run on into next week and we're then into holiday period that it may be that the DSD needs to consider contingency plans for getting money to people - whether it's the issuing of giros or some other contingency system - because if this runs on now into the fortnight of holidays it will cause people real hardship." However, Ulster Bank's head of retail banking, Stephen Cruise, said he did not understand the "full point" of Mr Alcorn's comments because the bank had "paid out millions of pounds in benefits over the past 16 days to individuals who have come in to our counters". Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster on Tuesday morning, Mr Cruise said that he could not give a definite time as to when the problems at his bank would be resolved but he added "we'll break the back of it by next week". He accepted that the situation was "absolutely unacceptable" and said that staff had been told by their customers that they did not want any more apologies - they just wanted the problem to be fixed.'Dependency' Mr Cruise was asked to explain why problems were persisting at Ulster Bank several days after it had had been resolved for customers at the rest of the RBS group. He explained that the backlog in transactions had to be dealt with "in sequential order" - an order which was determined by the timeline in which the businesses within the group had been acquired. "RBS was the original brand who acquired Nat West and we were part of Nat West," Mr Cruise said. He said staff had to work through RBS and Nat West transactions first, before dealing with the Ulster Bank backlog "because there is a dependency between RBS and Nat West, and then Nat West and Ulster". "So our backlog has got longer and that is the problem so we are working through a greater backlog to get the process fixed." Mr Cruise said staff at Ulster Bank counters "cannot see up-to-date balances either" but were "bending over backwards" to help customers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19295417	Pregnant women 'ignoring vitamin D advice' Too many pregnant women in Scotland are not following advice to take vitamin D supplements, a study has said. The University of Aberdeen report found insufficient vitamin D levels in women was a problem in the winter months, and even greater for those in poorer areas. Researchers recommended that more should be done to improve the uptake. The report said due to a lack of sunshine in Scotland, there was concern over the vitamin D status of the population in general. Pregnant and breastfeeding women in the UK are currently advised to take daily supplements of vitamin D to protect against deficiency, but whether this advice has been successful or not has never previously been studied in Scotland. The university's Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health suggested that promoting safe sun exposure and access to green areas during the summer months, including in the north of Scotland, would be a good strategy.Double disadvantage Vitamin D is incorporated in the body when skin is exposed to sunlight of a certain wavelength but in the UK, during winter months, UV-B radiation can be insufficient to properly support vitamin D synthesis in the body. End Quote Paul Haggarty University of Aberdeen We suggest safe sun exposure and getting out into green spaces ” Study leader Professor Paul Haggarty said: "We need to do more to encourage women to take vitamin D supplements during pregnancy, particularly women from more deprived backgrounds. "Realistically, however, if every woman in the study followed the advice perfectly about 8% would still be deficient in vitamin D. "Those women most likely to benefit from supplements are also those least likely to follow advice on diet and supplements, due to circumstances related to deprivation." He said: "They appear to be doubly disadvantaged in that they are also less likely to visit green spaces and may have limited opportunities to holiday in sunnier climates. "We suggest that, in addition to guidance on supplement use, encouraging safe sun exposure and getting out into green spaces in summer may help to improve vitamin D status in pregnancy, even in the north of Scotland." The research was carried out at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital. Out of 1,205 pregnant women the team found that 21% of mothers in Aberdeen reported taking any vitamin D supplements only 1% admitted taking the recommended amount.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18081983	Indonesia finds black box part of crashed Russia jet An Indonesian search team has found part of the black box of a Russian Sukhoi Superjet plane that crashed killing all 45 people on board. The plane vanished 50 minutes after taking off from Jakarta for a brief demonstration flight on 9 May. The voice recorder, which was badly burned and had lost its distinctive orange colour, was found about 100m from the tail of the plane. The flight data recorder remains missing, officials say. Earlier reports suggested that both parts were recovered. "The thing that we found is CVR or cockpit voice recorder," Daryatmo, the head of the National Search and Rescue Agency, said during a press conference. "I asked the controllers in the field and all rescuers, especially the rescue team from military and police to continue searching for FDR (flight data recorder)," said the official, who goes by one name. Tatang Kurniadi, who heads the National Transportation Safety Commission, said the data from the device that was found would be analysed in Indonesia with help from Russian experts. It will take between two to three weeks for any details to be revealed, says the BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Jakarta.Sales tour Eight Russian pilots and technicians, Indonesian airline representatives and journalists were among those said to be on board the plane. The plane took off from east Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma airport at 14:00 (07:00 GMT) on 9 May, on its second flight of the day. At 14:50, it was recorded as dropping from 10,000ft (3,000m) to 6,000ft near Salak, a peak measuring 7,200ft (2,200m). Villagers living in the area reported seeing a plane flying low into the mountain area. The crash came with Sukhoi officials on an Asia-wide tour to show off their aircraft to airline firms. The Superjet, a mid-range airliner that can carry up to 100 people, is military plane-maker Sukhoi's first commercial aviation plane. It was created by a joint venture, majority-owned by Sukhoi, with Italy's Finmeccanica and a number of other foreign and Russian firms also involved.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19671626	Last of Obama 'surge' troops leave Afghanistan The last of 33,000 extra US soldiers sent to Afghanistan by President Barack Obama more than three years ago have left the country, the Pentagon says. They were deployed with the aim of pushing back the Taliban and allowing Afghan government forces time to take over the security of their own country. Some 68,000 US service personnel remain as so-called insider attacks by Afghan soldiers and police increase. In the latest violence, a bomb killed five members of the same Afghan family. Two women, two girls under the age of eight and a man died after a roadside device exploded under their car in the Dehrawood district of Uruzgan province, Afghan officials said. Abdollah Hemat, spokesman for the governor of Uruzgan, told the Afghan Islamic Press news agency that the dead man was a civilian and not an employee of the government. No group said it had carried out the attack, but Mr Hemat blamed "the enemies of Afghanistan", a term used by Afghan officials to refer to Taliban insurgents. Roadside bomb attacks are frequently carried out by the Taliban fighting against Nato forces and the government of President Hamid Karzai.'Milestone' US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta announced the withdrawal in a statement, saying an important milestone had been reached. Afghan 'green-on-blue' attacks - 2007 - 2 attacks, 2 Isaf soldiers dead - 2008 - 2 attacks, 2 dead - 2009 - 6 attacks, 10 dead - 2010 - 6 attacks, 20 dead - 2011 - 21 attacks, 35 dead - 2012 (so far) - 36 attacks, 51 dead Source: International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) He insisted the surge had been a success, both in terms of driving back the Taliban and damaging its al-Qaeda allies. "The surge accomplished its objectives of reversing Taliban momentum on the battlefield, and dramatically increased the size and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces," Mr Panetta's statement said. "This growth has allowed us and our Isaf coalition partners to begin the process of transition to Afghan security lead, which will soon extend across every province and more than 75% of the Afghan population. "At the same time, we have struck enormous blows against al-Qaeda's leadership, consistent with our core goal of disrupting, dismantling and defeating al-Qaeda and denying it a safe-haven." Transition to Afghan security control was on track to be completed by the end of 2014, Mr Panetta added. US forces in Afghanistan peaked at about 101,000 last year with the number reduced incrementally in recent months. So far this year, 51 members of the coalition (Isaf) have been killed in so-called "green-on-blue" attacks by rogue members of the Afghan security forces, or people dressed in their uniforms. Mr Panetta has described such attacks as the "last gasp" of the Taliban but other US military leaders have asked about the impact they have on their troops. Gen Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, called such attacks a "very serious threat" to the campaign, adding: "Something has to change." On Tuesday, Nato announced it was restricting operations with Afghan troops. Only large operations will now be conducted jointly, with joint patrols evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Nato said these were "prudent, but temporary, measures to reduce our profile and vulnerability". Nato commanders have been frustrated that the Afghans have not done more to stem the rise in attacks, analysts say.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7455835.stm	Two children and their father found dead in a car in an isolated beauty spot died from carbon monoxide poisoning, police have confirmed. Brian Philcox, 52, is thought to have taken his children to the beauty spot in the Conwy Valley and gassed them. His body was found in a Land Rover with his son Owen, aged three and his daughter Amy, aged seven. Police said all three from Runcorn in Cheshire had died from poisoning due to inhaling car exhaust fumes. Officers were alerted at about 1500 BST on Sunday by a passer-by, who found the car off a hillside road near Llanrwst on Father's Day. Footage of forensic investigation into Conwy deaths It was parked on a road leading from the A470 between Tal-y-cafn and Maenan. Police said Mr Philcox had picked up Amy and Owen from an arranged access visit on Friday. Det Ch Insp Wayne Jones from North Wales Police said Mr Philcox and the children had been reported missing on Saturday night and police in Cheshire had been looking for them. He said there had been sighting of the three at Llangollen on Saturday. Mr Philcox, a karate expert, had told friends he planned the visit because the children were interested in trains. The post mortem examination at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd showed they all died of carbon monoxide poisoning and further toxicology test are still going on. A pipe had been placed from the exhaust of the Land Rover in through the back window said police. Det Ch Insp Jones said there were no other injuries on the children. He added: "It is a difficult case for all involved" and said the mother of the children was being looked after by family liaison officers. "Obviously, as the mother of the children who were killed, she is devastated, she has suffered this double loss. "She is being looked after by family liaison officers who are giving her comfort and support at this time, and she does have a good network of family and friends around her but obviously this is a tragic loss that she's suffered." Brian Philcox was a karate expert He added the police were still keen to hear from anyone who might have seen the three between Friday night and Sunday afternoon in order to establish a timeline of events in north Wales and Cheshire. The officer also confirmed a bomb disposal unit was called to check out the vehicle after Cheshire Police officers found a "hoax device" at Mr Philcox's home address in the Windmill Hill area of Cheshire. A section of the road remains cordoned off a while police examinations continue, the force said. They have also conducted house-to-house inquiries. The Land Rover has been taken from the scene to St Asaph and will be subject to further forensic examinations by experts. Tributes have been paid by neighbours of the children near their home in Runcorn. Nine-year-old Emma McGhee a friend of the young girl who died said: "She was always happy and I had lots of fun with her". 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/business-19432961	India's economic growth better than forecast India's economy grew faster than expected in the three months to the end of June, easing some fears about a sharp slowdown in Asia's third-largest economy. Growth was 5.5% in the April to June period from a year earlier. Most analysts had forecast a rate of 5.2%. That compares with a 5.3% annual growth rate in the previous quarter. However, there are concerns that a lack of reforms, slowing factory output and investment may hurt long-term growth. "Whilst an upside surprise at 5.5%, the pace of growth is undeniably below potential and validates the need for the government to address sluggishness in investment and external sector activity," said Radhika Rao an economist at Forecast Pte.Push for reforms End Quote Shakti Satapathy AK Capital A sustainable growth in the coming quarters would largely depend up on well defined policy reforms” India's economy has been been hurt by a variety of factors in recent months. Slowing global demand has affected the country's exports and dented industrial production. India's factory output fell 1.8% in June from a year earlier, the third fall in four months. At the same time, the government has been locked in a political battle with the opposition that has resulted in key reforms hitting a dead end. To make matters worse, a number of corruption scandals has not only dented India's image but also hurt investor confidence. Foreign direct investment in India fell by 78% in June, from a year earlier. Analysts said the government needed to take action to improve the investment climate in India if the country was to maintain a high rate of growth in the future. "A sustainable growth in the coming quarters would largely depend up on well defined policy reforms," said Shakti Satapathy of AK Capital in Mumbai.No policy easing? As India's economy has slowed in recent months, there have been calls for the central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), to cut interest rates in order to spur growth. The central bank lowered its main interest rate in April this year to 8% from 8.5%, the first cut in three years. However, despite calls for further cuts, it has kept the rates unchanged since then, in an attempt to keep consumer price growth in check. The rate of inflation has come down gradually in the past few months. Consumer prices in India rose by 6.87% in July from a year earlier. That was down from a rate of 7.25% in June and 7.55% in May. Howvere, analysts said that the better-than-expected growth data may see the central bank keep its policy unchanged for the time being. "I would think RBI would be reasonably happy with this number as it doesn't look as bad as they would have feared in July and most likely will keep rates unchanged next month," said A Prasanna, an economist with ICICI Securities Primary Dealership Limited.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18644084	New brain scanner helps paralysed people spell words A new brain scanner has been developed to help people who are completely paralysed speak by enabling them to spell words using their thoughts. It uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to help patients choose between 27 characters - the alphabet and a blank space. Each character produces a different pattern of blood flow in the brain, and the device interprets these patterns. The British Neurological Association called the research "exciting". The study appears in Current Biology journal of Cell Press. fMRI is normally used to track brain activity by measuring blood flow.Earlier research The new technology is based on earlier applications of the technique, which used free-letter spelling to allow people to answer the equivalent of multiple-choice questions with just a few possible answers. British neuroscientist Adrian Owen, for instance, used fMRI to help a man believed to have been in a vegetative state for five years to answer "yes" and "no" questions by interpreting his brain activity. But the new scanner uses the entire English alphabet and the blank space. End Quote Elaine Snell BNA [The device could be] a lifeline for patients with persistent vegetitative state” "This novel spelling device constitutes an alterative approach to motor-independent communication," Bettina Sorger of Maastricht University in The Netherlands, one of the researchers working on the current study, told the BBC. "The work of Adrian Owen and colleagues led me to wonder whether it might even become possible to use fMRI, mental tasks, and appropriate experimental designs to freely encode thoughts, letter-by-letter, and therewith enable back-and-forth communication in the absence of motor behavior." The team writes in the paper that because the noninvasive device requires "only little effort and pretraining, it is immediately operational and possesses high potential for clinical applications, both in terms of diagnostics and establishing short-term communication with nonresponsive and severely motor-impaired patients".Exciting results Elaine Snell of the British Neuroscience Association told the BBC that the technology could become "a lifeline" for patients in a persistent vegetative state, or suffering from other neurological disorders. "This means of communication will make a huge difference to the quality of their life and to that of their families. "This kind of technology can only get better, it's very exciting." Dr Guy Williams from the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre in Cambridge agreed. "The technique may need some adaptation to be widely applicable to patients who might have impaired awareness or ability to concentrate on the required task, but it is nonetheless an important demonstration of what these scans can in principle tell us about the functioning of an individual's brain," he told the BBC.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-21192574	Plan to stop sale of Sir Edward Heath's Salisbury home A new plan to keep the Wiltshire home of Sir Edward Heath open to the public has been put forward by the former prime minister's political assistant. In October, the foundation which owns Arundells in Salisbury reapplied to the Charity Commission to sell the property due to "disappointing" visitor numbers. Trustees had applied to sell it in 2010 but the commission blocked the sale. Friends of Arundells said Peter Batey's plan could turn "deficit to surplus in a relatively short period of time". The historic house in Cathedral Close, where Sir Edward lived for the last 20 years of his life, was left to the nation and opened to the public in 2008. Since then it has attracted more than 45,000 visitors but, despite these numbers, trustees of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation say it is not financially viable. At the end of October, after a reported loss of £97,000 in just eight months, the foundation announced it was applying to the Charity Commission again to put the house and its contents on the market.'Serious business plan' Now, Mr Batey, a China-based business consultant, has stepped in with an offer to cover the "operating deficit of Arundells" while a "serious business plan is prepared and a major fund-raising campaign launched". Mr Batey, who worked as the parliamentary private secretary to Sir Edward Heath in the 1980s, remained in close contact with him after working and travelling with him on international visits, according to the Friends of Arundells. Mr Batey said: "I am delighted that the trustees are now looking actively at my proposals. "With goodwill on all sides, I am confident that we will be able to turn around the finances of Arundells and put the property on a secure long-term footing. "Arundells is a remarkable place and it is important that it is not simply closed and sold off to some Russian oligarch." The trustees are now considering the business and fund-raising plan and are due to give their views to the Charity Commission "relatively soon", a commission spokeswoman said.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13484990	Turkey opposition politicians quit in sex video scandal Six senior politicans in Turkey's opposition Nationalist Action Party (MHP) have resigned amid a sex scandal, shortly before national elections. Turkish media say the six, including four vice-presidents, quit following threats to publish compromising videos. Four other senior MHP leaders resigned earlier this month after secretly filmed images were posted online. The scandal has fanned tensions ahead of the June poll in which the Islamist-rooted AKP is seeking a third term. Lawmaker Deniz Bolukbasi, one of the six MHP leaders who resigned on Saturday, said he had been the victim of a trap sponsored by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP. "I am resigning to spare my party the damage such allegations might cause," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.'Ugly plot' The MHP, a nationalist group, is Turkey's second-largest opposition party. The BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul says its performance matters a great deal, because Turkey has a high threshold for winning seats in parliament. If the MHP gets less than 10% support it will have no seats at all. This, our correspondent says, would give the AKP a chance to achieve a 66% majority, which would allow it to fulfil its pledge to rewrite the constitution without holding a referendum. An obscure group calling itself "Different Nationalists" has demanded that the entire MHP leadership step down, and earlier this month published the sex videos on the internet. "The dark forces behind this ugly political plot, both at home and abroad, will come to light as part of the ongoing investigation," Mr Bolukbasi told AFP news agency. Last year Deniz Baykal, the head of the main opposition party, the secularist Republican People's Party, resigned over a similar scandal after bedroom images of him and a female MP were posted on the internet. Prosecutors have failed so far to find out who filmed and posted that video.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3236654.stm	Al-Arabiya, the Dubai-based satellite TV channel banned from reporting from Iraq by the country's interim government, is consistently rated among the top pan-Arab stations by Middle East audiences, although it was only launched in February this year. By Peter Feuilherade The US-installed Governing Council banned the channel for what it called "incitement to murder" after it broadcast an audio tape on 16 November purportedly made by the deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Al-Arabiya satellite TV was set up as a rival to Al-Jazeera Al-Arabiya rejected the allegation that its broadcast incited murder, and insisted its news coverage was "objective and precise". Media watchdogs said the ban raised questions about the future of a free press in Iraq. Competing for Arab viewers Al-Arabiya was launched nine months ago with an investment of $300m by the Saudi-controlled pan-Arab satellite TV pioneer MBC, Lebanon's Hariri Group, and other investors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf states. It was set up as an all-news channel to compete directly with Qatar-based al-Jazeera TV. However, the shareholder composition is said to have altered since then, with unconfirmed reports that the Kuwaiti investment has been withdrawn. Its rival, al-Jazeera, has ruffled feathers among governments in the West by screening videotapes from al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden. And by giving a platform to exiled Middle East dissidents, al-Jazeera has upset Jordan, Kuwait, Algeria and the Palestinian Authority, among others. When al-Arabiya went on the air, it promised its audience objectivity and accuracy. Its bosses pledged: "We are not going to make problems for Arab countries... We'll stick with the truth, but there's no sensationalism." Coverage of Iraq angers US But under pressure to deliver scoops of its own, it was not long before al-Arabiya angered the US with the focus and tone of its coverage of the escalating violence in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. In August, US officials strongly criticised al-Arabiya for broadcasting pictures of masked men who threatened to kill members of the US-appointed governing council. US State Department spokesman Philip Reeker judged al-Arabiya's decision "to air the remarks of these masked terrorists to be irresponsible in the extreme". In September, the Governing Council restricted the operations of al-Arabiya and al-Jazeera in Iraq for two weeks, after the channels showed more footage of masked men calling for attacks against US-led forces in the country. The Governing Council's latest ban, announced on 24 November, came three days after US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld criticised al-Arabiya and al-Jazeera, saying they were openly hostile to American interests. But despite the misgivings of US officials, al-Arabiya has proved popular among Iraqis with access to satellite TV, now estimated at one-third of the population. A poll by the US State Department in seven Iraqi cities in October found that among Iraqis with satellite dishes, 37% named al-Arabiya as their preferred news source, followed by al-Jazeera (26%), with the US-run Iraqi Media Network (now renamed al-Iraqiyah TV) well behind with only 12%. 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/uk_news/england/6349501.stm	Manchester is thought to be England's second most important city ahead of Birmingham, a BBC survey has found. Some might say that Manchester shouts louder The poll revealed 48% of people thought Manchester was second behind London, compared to 40% choosing Birmingham. This is despite Manchester being far smaller than the Midlands city and reveals people consider other aspects when they think of the "second city". Factors such as Manchester's recent sporting success and influential music scene may play a part, it is thought. Architect Ian Simpson, who has helped shape the skyline of both cities, said: "What I think Manchester has at the moment, is that it just has a cool edge. I think most people know it's a bit cool to be here, to work here, and to be part of this." The survey of 1,000 people, commissioned by BBC Inside Out, also showed that in the 16-24 age group 58% said they believed Manchester to be more important and 38% said Birmingham was. The only age group where Birmingham came out top was in the 65 and over range where 48% considered Birmingham more important compared to 42% for Manchester. The estimated population for Manchester in 2005 was 441,000 while more than one million people live in the Midlands city. In sporting terms the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester raised the profile of this city while Manchester United have seen success on the domestic and European stage and are one of the richest football clubs in the world. Both city centres have seen recent regeneration projects Birmingham has also hosted more than 30 World and European championships in 20 sports over the past 15 years. But its largest football club, Aston Villa, has to go back 25 years for major success when it won the European Cup. While the title of "second city" is unofficial, business leaders admit it can be a useful tool to market a city, especially abroad. Sir Digby Jones, who was born in Birmingham, is a key mover in British industry and the former director general of the CBI. "Birmingham is naturally the second most important city in Britain after London because of where she is and how important she is as part of that crossroads," he said. Culturally, Manchester has produced influential bands such as Oasis, the Stone Roses, the Happy Mondays, and Joy Division over the past 20 years. Comparatively, Birmingham is known as the home of luminaries such as Jamelia, Black Sabbath and UB40. Jon Bounds, who runs a website promoting Birmingham, said: "I think we are lucky second city status is not decided on a Pop Idol-style voting contest. "Maybe we are not as proud as we ought to be. We ought to get out and promote ourselves a little bit more. "I think we have got to show some of the really great stuff that comes from Birmingham and get it out there a little bit more."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-20858488	Olympic gold-medallist Peter Wilson appointed MBE Olympic gold-medal winning marksman Peter Wilson is among those in Dorset to be recognised in the Queen's New Year's Honours list. Wilson, 26, from Glanvilles Wootton, won the London 2012 men's double trap final at the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich. He is one of 10 people in the county to be made an MBE. Simon Williams, head of 2012 Games operations at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, is also recognised.'Terrific honour' Wilson was unavailable for comment but his mother Fiona said he was "very happy". She added: "I am gobsmacked and thrilled - it is such a terrific honour." Foster carer Wendy Hopkins, 67, and her husband Phil, 73, from Bradford Abbas have been appointed MBE for services to children and families. The couple, who said they were "surprised and overwhelmed" by the honour, have fostered more than 100 children since 1971. Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole has been made an OBE, along with Lesley Walter, head teacher at Philip Green Memorial School, in Wimborne, for services to special educational needs.Gold postbox Others honoured in Dorset include Prof Sarah Cowley, from Bournemouth, who has been made a dame for services to health visiting and Gwen Yarker, curator at Dorset County Museum, who receives one of five British Empire Medals for the county. Born in Dorchester, Wilson learnt to shoot at Southern Counties Shooting Club. Before London 2012 he was trained by Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, a member of Dubai's ruling family and double trap gold medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The postbox in Sherborne, which is close to Glanvilles Wootton where Wilson now lives, was painted gold in August in honour of his Olympic achievement. His shooting triumph also featured on a Royal Mail stamp.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11888603	David Cameron rebuffs 'Thatcher's children' jibe David Cameron and Ed Miliband have traded barbs in the House of Commons over a revelation in US diplomatic cables obtained by website Wikileaks. Accusing the PM of being "out of touch", the Labour leader said it was no wonder Mr Cameron's "gang" described themselves as "children of Thatcher". The PM hit back: "I would rather be a child of Thatcher than a son of Brown". William Hague was quoted in a US cable saying he and other top Tories were "Thatcher's children". The April 2008 cable, by the US embassy's deputy mission chief Richard LeBaron says Mr Hague, then shadow foreign secretary, briefed him on the "near death" experience for the Conservatives of the election that never was a few months earlier - and reassured the Americans about the "special relationship". "Hague asserted that he, Cameron, and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne are all 'children of Thatcher' and staunch Atlanticists but acknowledged that the network of ties once binding the British public to America may not be as thick for all citizens of Britain," writes Mr LeBaron.'Fastest recoveries' During a noisy Prime Minister's questions, Mr Miliband attacked Mr Cameron over a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility, and called on him to admit "this the most sluggish recovery out of recession in Britain for the last 40 years". End Quote Ed Miliband Labour leader It sounds just like the 1980s: out of touch with people up and down the country” Mr Cameron replied that it was "one of the fastest recoveries in Europe" and said that if the country had followed Labour's policies "we would be discussing meltdown". He then seized on reports of unrest within Labour over Mr Miliband's leadership, saying: "You have been doing the job for the last three months and people are beginning to ask 'when are you going to start?'." Mr Miliband then referred to the Wikileaks revelation about Mr Hague, telling the PM: "It's no wonder that today we learn that the Foreign Secretary describes this gang as the children of Thatcher. "It sounds just like the 1980s: out of touch with people up and down the country. "Why don't you admit that you are complacent about the recovery, you are complacent about the people who will lose their jobs and it is they who will pay the price?" A laughing Mr Cameron dismissed the attack and claimed Mr Miliband was "not waving but drowning". "My mother is still with us so she will be able to testify that what you have claimed is not literally true," said Mr Cameron, 43. "But let me say this: I would rather be a child of Thatcher than a son of Brown." His jibe was greeted with loud cheers from the Conservative benches, forcing Speaker John Bercow to call for order. The cables, obtained by whistleblowing website Wikileaks, also include a string of revelations about Bank of England governor Mervyn King's concern about Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne's lack of experience ahead of May's general election.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7718580.stm	Beyonce's film credits include Dreamgirls and The Pink Panther Pop star Beyonce has said she wants to play Wonder Woman in a film of the comic book heroine. The singer has met DC Comics and film studio Warner Bros to express her interest in future superhero roles on the big screen. "I want to do a superhero movie and what would be better than Wonder Woman?" she told the Los Angeles Times. "And it would be a very bold choice. A black Wonder Woman would be a powerful thing. It's time for that, right?" Wonder Woman, played by Lynda Carter on TV in the 1970s, has never been made into a feature film. Beyonce was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in Dreamgirls two years ago, and has also had film parts in Austin Powers in Goldmember and The Pink Panther. She will soon be seen playing singer Etta James on the big screen in Cadillac Records, and has a major role in the thriller Obsessed. "After doing these roles that were so emotional I was thinking to myself: 'OK, I need to be a superhero,'" Beyonce said. "Although, when you think about the psychology of the heroes in the films these days, they are still a lot of work, of course, and emotional. But there's also an action element that I would enjoy."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8021870.stm	In some brief remarks, the Pope said the Church was sharing their pain, adding: "I would like to hug you affectionately one by one. "I encourage everyone, institutions and businesses, to see that this village and this region are reborn," he said, according to AFP news agency, against a backdrop of a tent camp housing survivors. "I have come in person to your splendid but devastated land, which is suffering times of great pain and vulnerability, to express my closeness to you in the most direct way possible." The Pope received an emotional response from the residents and rescue workers he met. One woman, Concetta De Angelis, marvelled at the pontiff visiting the hamlet. "A pope has never come here. This village isn't even on the map!" she told Associated Press news agency. Meanwhile, Germana D'Onofrio, a civil protection worker who cooks meals for the homeless, told AP: "I feed the body and the Pope feeds the spirit." The pontiff then set off for L'Aquila, the capital of the Abruzzo region, stopping on the way at the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio, one of the area's most famous churches which was badly damaged during the quake. Here, he suggested society must undertake some "serious soul-searching" to ensure that those behind the bad building practices thought to have exacerbated the impact of the earthquake took responsibility for their wrongdoing. Experts have suggested more buildings should have withstood the quake, and there are allegations that in some cases an incorrect mix of sand and concrete was used to build them. The Pope visited a student residence block where several young people lost their lives. It became a gathering point for distressed relatives during the search for survivors. The students knelt before the Pope and kissed his hand, some visibly emotional. One gave him a letter, the AP reported. He thanked rescue teams and medical staff for their response to the earthquake. Later, a crowd gathered to hear the Pope speak and lead a prayer. It was the Pope's first visit to the quake-affected area. L'Aquila camp three weeks on He sent out greetings to those "suffering from the earthquake" when he celebrated Easter Mass on St Peter's Square in the Vatican earlier this month. He also sent chocolate Easter eggs to victims of the earthquake. The authorities have said it could be weeks, if not months, before it is known which of the houses left standing are safe enough to be repaired and which will have to be demolished. 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/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_8270000/newsid_8272700/8272770.stm	It's out 19 October 2009. It's pop but with a dance beat and it will have you dancing around the room! This single has a really modern sound and shows that Cheryl is not only Fighting for this Love but also fighting to be recognised as a proper solo artist. Here's the chorus... "Anything that's worth having, sure enough worth fighting for, quitting's out of the question, when it gets tough gotta fight some more, we gotta fight, fight, fight, fight, fight for this love". This song is all about relationships and fighting to stay with the one you love. It's got an upbeat message that if you want something, you must work hard to hold on to it. Will you still be humming it next week? The chorus is catchy and it does get stuck in your head. But the rest of the single is pretty forgettable and it certainly isn't as memorable as Cheryl's Girls Aloud tunes. Will it make the charts? With her rise to fame in Girls Aloud and as a judge on the X Factor a lot of people will be eager to hear Cheryl's single, so it's bound to do well. We think it'll enter the Top 10, but it's probably not good enough to bag Cheryl her first number one as a solo artist. Fight for this Love definitely has something, but we're not sure it's the X Factor. "It's the best song I've heard so far." Helen, 10, London, England "I love this song! The video is really good too. I love the leopard print trousers Cheryl wears in the video!!" Lori, 11, Dundee, Scotland "I love this song!!! I hope it is number one next week!!" Elisha, 12, Bristol, England "I love Cheryl's song Fight For This Love. I think she is a great role model and she's doing well on the X Factor." Hannah, 11, South Lanarkshire, Scotland "I think the song is amazing, it's really catchy." Rebecca, 11, Liverpool, England "I like the chorus, it's really catchy. I am glad she has a solo career so all the focus is on her." Rebekah, 10, Rochdale, England "I'm sorry she may have the looks but she hasn't got the voice." Judy, 14, UK "This song is amazing. This should be number one in the charts." Mattie, 14, Manchester, England "She is a good singer, I like her song but she doesn't sound very good live. She sounds better on the music video." Molly Mae, 11, Gloucestershire, England "I love it a lot! She is better alone than with a group." Hermione, 10, Hereford, England "I like the new song, and my friends are crazy about Cheryl. I give it a 9 out of 10." Emily, 9, Harrogate, England "I absolutely love Fight for this Love!! The tune is very catchy and makes you sing and dance along. But I think that she has a small chance of success without the rest of Girls Aloud. Cheryl's voice isn't that strong so it may not do well in the charts. But it is definitely awesome to sing and dance to!!!" Maryam, 12, Derbyshire, England "Fight For This Love is a pop, but also a love, song. It really brings out what kind of person she is. The music video is really great and she wears loads of great outfits. You have got to hear this song." Mary, 10, Surrey, England "I think it is amazing and it will definitely get to number one. It is so cool and all my friends are dancing to it at school." Jessie, 12, Surrey, England "This song is amazing. It's very catchy and stays in your head all day. The video is great too!!" Star, 12, Leicester, England "I don't really like this song." Rebecca, 12, Manchester, England "I normally hate this type of music. I am more into indie music, but I like this song. It's catchy and I think it will definitely go to number one as Cheryl is everywhere right now and very popular." Jordan, 12, Antrim, Northern Ireland "I think Cheryl Cole's new song rocks! I love all the funky dance movies! She has a great voice!" Olivia, 10, Middlesex, England "It's a really good song. It's one of my favourites now, she is really good at singing." Emma, 11, Walsall, England "Cheryl Cole's voice is edgy, fun and this single isn't anything like her work with Girls Aloud. The song is top class but maybe not strong enough for her to pursue a solo career. It's a daring start and I can't wait for the album." Laurie, 14, Glasgow, Scotland "I adore Cheryl Cole. She is my fave celeb. Love all her songs. She is much better on her own. But some of the outfits she wears are horrific!" Megan, 11, Surrey, England "I love it. Every morning I listen to it on the radio, it's the best track ever." Aklema, 11, Halifax, England "I love this song and it is very catchy. It's good to see her taking a break from Girls Aloud and I'm sure her new album is going to be great!!" Jacob, 11, Coventry, England "I love this new song and have heard it a lot on the radio. It seems to be a big hit!" Lauren, 12, Lincolnshire, England "I think this song is boring. She's just going on and on and you expect there to be a big chorus and there isn't one really." Joe, 12, Somerset, England "I like Cheryl's new song, it's wicked, although I love her in a group." Freya, 10, Dorset, England "I think her song is great and I would definitely give it a thumbs up!" Stephanie, 10, Middlesex, England "So awful that words cannot describe. It sounds like a usual Cheryl Cole number." Daisy, 10, London, England "I love Cheryl. I think she has an amazing voice. All of her songs are a hit. She is also very pretty." Chloe, 14, Wales "I love this song and I love Cheryl Cole!!! The video is immense as well." Laura, 11, Lincolnshire, England "I love the single at the moment, although originally I found it a bit annoying. But to be honest I think Cheryl should just stick with Girls Aloud. I don't think she needs to have a solo career as well, and I don't think she can have a solo career and be in Girls Aloud! She's already a WAG, has her own clothing line, is an X Factor judge, and is in Girls Aloud, plus loads of other things. She doesn't need to do a solo career!" Charlotte, 13, Leeds, England "I really like it! But there is one thing. It's not the same as Girls Aloud, I think she should go back to the group. Brilliant one-off though!" Sadia, 11, Coventry, England "I think it is very good and it makes me dance around the living room! I think when she was in the band it didn't show how good she was at singing!" Leah, 12, Surrey, England "I LOVE Cheryl Cole's new song. You are an inspiration to everyone Cheryl. Keep on. You rock, I love you!" Mia, 10, England "Cheryl is amazing, she has done so well, and this song is amazing! Also she is so pretty, everyone loves her!" Lucy, 12, Kent, England "I think this is a really good debut single for Cheryl. I love the video showing her dancing looking more casual than we have seen her before, and can't wait for the album!" Jacqueline, 14, Wales "I think Cheryl Cole is WAY better with Girls Aloud than she is on her own, and she hasn't got a strong enough voice to be a solo artist!" Summer, 12, Herefordshire, England "I love Cheryl Cole and she had the right idea to sing solo." Lucy, 9, Oxfordshire, England "I like this song but I don't think it has much of a tune to it. She could have done MUCH better. 3/5." Tom, 11, Cardiff, Wales "I love her new song. I think it's great and she has a really good chance of winning the X Factor this year as well!" Mojan, 12, Manchester, England "This was quite a good single, although I think Cheryl should stick to Girls Aloud and the X Factor, as that is what she's best at!!" Tellte, 9, Scotland "I love this song. I listen to it 15 times a day in a row a NEVER get bored." Lauren, 9, Wolverhampton, England "I think her new song is terrible. I can write a better song than that and what is the meaning of the song anyway?" Kieran, 13, Wales "I think this song is really good and Cheryl is amazing but I love Girls Aloud and really don't want them to split up. I went to see their tour this year and it was amazing and to think that it could be their last one is horrible. Cheryl's song is really good but she should stay with Kimberly, Sarah, Nicola and Nadine!! Caitlin, 11, Wales "I think she should stay with Girls Aloud!!!" Eilidh, 9, Glasgow, Scotland "LOVED IT!!! Cheryl Cole is a good solo artist but she is also good in Girls Aloud. Thumbs up from me!" Rachel, 12, Northern Ireland "I love Cheryl Cole. She has got a brilliant voice and I think this should be number one in the charts. It looks weird, her being on her own, but I think it is a great song. I have been a Cheryl fan for all of my life. I wish I was Cheryl Cole." Charlie, 12, Suffolk, England "I think this song is amazing because I loved her in Girls Aloud so I love her new one. PS: I think she looks really great in the video." Carter, 11, Belfast, Northern Ireland "I cannot stop listening to your song. You are the best singer in the world. Once again you are the best!" Adz, 11, Warwickshire, England "I think Cheryl Cole's new song Fight For This Love is great. She sounds better when she's not with Girls Aloud." Lisa, 14, Scotland "I loved the song, I thought it was really catchy but I am loving the video. I think Cheryl did really well." Aisling, 12, Belfast, Northern Ireland "She's really pretty and has a good voice. But they've edited the video a lot. She's not the best singer in Girls Aloud. Cheryl is more famous and is more likable than the rest." Amy, 14, Stockport, England "This song is amazing. It's very catchy and stays in your head all day. The video is great too!!" Gabriella, 12, Lincolnshire, England "Her voice definitely rocks but I'm not sure about some of the lyrics though." Victoria, 11, Kent, England "I have been singing the song all week and can't get it out of my head. I definitely can't get enough of it. Amazing song!!" Sally, 14, Stoke, England "I have heard the song and to be honest it is pretty shocking. I thought she could do a lot better than that. It sounds like they have corrected her voice. I have heard them live and she sounded nothing like she does in this song. She is only getting this far because of her looks. She should stick with Girls Aloud and being an X Factor judge. That's what she's good at!" Emily, 14, Halifax, England "I am a huge fan of Cheryl and Girls Aloud and this is my favourite song. I think it will be my fave for a while." Georgia, 13, England "I don't think Cheryl Cole has a strong enough voice to be a solo artist. It's not original enough. I think she should stick to X Factor and Girls Aloud." Izzy, 11, Nottinghamshire, England "This song is fab, Cheryl Cole rocks whoop whoop!!" Elysia, 10, Nottinghamshire, England "I love the song and the video's cool too, you can't get bored of it!!!!" Louise, 12, London, England "This song is catchy and you will be singing it for a long time. It feels strange seeing Cheryl by herself and not with Girls Aloud. But it is still good." Daniel, 10, Harrogate, England "I have heard this song and I think it is brill. It will hit number one!" Rihanna, 13, County Durham, England "I think this song is really good and she should do more solo albums." Shammylla, 13, Birmingham, England "Cheryl's song is fab!!! I can already play the drums to it. The song is breathtaking, you are the best Cheryl." Adz, 11, Warwickshire, England "I like the video because it has lots of good dance moves. I like the trousers she had on!" Luca, 9, Scotland "I love it, she's better being a solo artist." Leo, 11, Chester, England "I love this song, it has some great moments. Although I think her voice has been re-mastered in parts. Otherwise a superb effort." Nic, 12, London, England "I think it was OK but it would sound totally the same if she sang it with Girls Aloud as she has so many backing singers." Millie, 10, Surrey, England "I really like this record, it is a good start to a hopefully very successful solo career." Emma, 9, Lincolnshire, England "I love Cheryl Cole's new single. She is in Girls Aloud, my favourite band, but now she's on her own she's well good." Charlie, 13, Nottingham, England "I prefer Cheryl in a band. It's not as good as everyone says it is." Gaby, 11, Warwickshire, England "It is a great song but it would have been better with her girls." Lois, 10, Derbyshire, England "It's the best. It's really catchy and the words are awesome." Adam, 10, Warwickshire, England "I don't think it's that great at all. The song is boring and she isn't really a good singer. The only reason it'll do well is because of her looks, not her talents." Maja, 14, Northern Ireland "I love this song. It is very catchy. With a good tune. However, to be honest, I don't think Cheryl is actually singing as she is not a very good singer and this voice is." Zara, 12, London, England "I just heard it today and it was quite good, when I first heard it I thought it was the Saturdays!" Alice, 12, Northampton, England "I really love this song! I certainly will be buying it and I'm sure it will do well. I love her as a person as well because she is so genuine. Well done Cheryl!" Hayley, 13, Scotland "I loved it. It's amazing and I love Cheryl Cole and I love Kimberly from Girls Aloud. I hope Girls Aloud will still sing." Yiorgos, 13, Edinburgh, Scotland "I think it's great that she's finally releasing her own single to see what it's like going solo." Hannah, 12, Somerset, England "I actually love this song! It's my favourite at the moment! I really love her leopard print trousers in the video! Whoop!" Emma, 13, Scotland "I like Cheryl but I think she should just stay with the band." Hannah, 11, Scotland "Fight For This Love is the BEST song ever!!!" Hari, 11, Cumbria, England "I love this song and I'm glad she's going solo for a bit, she may not have the strongest voice, but she's a good singer with great style and personality." Laura, 14, England "It's one of the best songs out this year and I do think Cheryl should stay in Girls Aloud but also still do more solo songs!" Nicola, 11, Scotland "She's AMAZING! And she's the best role model." Kiera, 8, Stockport, England "I absolutely love Cheryl's new song and I know her album will just be amazing." Vikki, 12, Leicester, England "This song is great! There is nothing like it! And people we've got to give her some credit because she can't do a lot with her voice. It's different to most singers in a good way. This is probably one of the best songs I have seen her ever sing." Ashley, 13, Leeds, England "I LOVE this song, it really shows Cheryl in her own light with everyone watching her because in Girls Aloud she is heard but I don't feel as if she is as much a part of the singing group. So I think this is a perfect chance for her to shine!!!" Emma, 13, Norfolk, England "Cheryl is way better with the rest of Girls Aloud. I don't understand why she would want to go solo. However I am totally in love with this song - but it's not as brilliant as the whole Girls Aloud team together!" Holly, 11, Northampton, England "It's ace, the best song we have raved to in a long time, well done Cheryl. Whoop whoop!" Sam and Meg, 12, Yorkshire, England "I don't think it's as good as everyone says it is, but it is definitely catchy. It's not the best song out right now and she isn't as good as when she was in Girls Aloud." Eve, 11, Belfast, N. Ireland "It's great and she sounds better as a solo artist." Emma, 13, Cheshire, England "I think this song is great and she will do a lot better on her own and not in Girls Aloud." Jess, 13, Leeds, England "This song is amazing! It's weird seeing my fave Girls Aloud singer singing without the rest of the group, but I think she is a good solo artist as well as a band singer. Can't wait until this song comes out so I can buy it for my ipod!" Holly, 12, Ayrshire, Scotland "I do like this song and I am listening to it right now. It has been stuck in my head since I saw the video on Saturday. I wouldn't say it's the best song of the year or anything but it is rather catchy." Cara, 12, Moray, Scotland "I think it's a really great song, but it totally freaks me out watching my fave singer sing without the rest of Girls Aloud behind her." Aoife, 10, Dublin, Ireland "It's good! I heard it on Friday and it's been stuck in my head since (even though I haven't listened to it since Sunday). We gotta fight fight fight for this love." Amy, 13, Bournemouth, England "This song is amazing." Amy, 12, Staffordshire, England "This song is amazing, I listen to it every day and night. Cheryl is a better singing on her own." Melissa, 14, Nottingham, England "I think that Cheryl's song is THE best that she's ever done! When my mum fell in love with it, I listened to it and then I fell in love with it!!" Riaana, 11, London, England "I absolutely love this song. I always sing it. I think Cheryl's really good on her own." Shannon, 13, Belfast, N. Ireland "I first heard this song on a music channel on TV. Ever since then I haven't been able to get it out of my head! I absolutely love it! Well done Cheryl, I'm loving your new song! Five stars from me! Now I can't wait for it to be released!" Charlotte, 11, Cambridgeshire, England "It's not the best, but you've got to give her some credit." Angel, 12, London, England "I think this song is the worst song I have ever heard, it is rubbish, the worst EVER." Hinna, 12, Surrey, England "This song is cool. I think it's great for Cheryl Cole to have a solo career, because Girls Aloud haven't been making any songs recently. Go Cheryl!!" Emily, 13, Derbyshire, England "I like it but when I first heard it I was like, that can't be Cheryl Cole. It has been so edited. I prefer Alexandra Burke's new song, Bad Boys." Ellie, 14, Greater London, England "Cool song. My cousin loves it and we both have it on our MP3." Sophia, 12, Birmingham, England "I heard this song on the radio and I think that it's OK but not as good as some of her songs with Girls Aloud. I don't think that it's going to get to number one in the charts." Charlotte, 12, London, England "I think the song's GREAT!! If you haven't heard it then you have to!" Emma, 9, Lanarkshire, Scotland "Cool video, cool voice! LOVE IT!! Great role model and looks great." Emma, 14, Bradford, England "This is the best song ever! People can really relate to this and while I am studying I listen to this!" Natalie, 13, Manchester, England "It was good! Her choreography was good, I'm not totally sure about her singing, but it was good!" Riordan, 12, Cambridgeshire, England "I admire Cheryl Cole! The song is definitely a grower. She looks fantastic and the chorus is amazing. It will be in the Top 10." Esther, 12, Essex, England "I love Cheryl's new song, it's brilliant! Cheryl is my idol and I love her. I can't wait for her album 'Three Words' to come out! Love you Cheryl." Natasha, 11, Hertfordshire, England "Yes, she is fantastic. She is my best singer out of the Universe. She is fandabydosy!" Sophie, 10, Lanarkshire, Scotland "It's cool, I really love listening to it." Zara, 14, London, England "I thought the song was OK. I liked the chorus most. Cheryl can go a long way as a solo singer but she is better with the rest of Girls Aloud." Hannah, 12, Plymouth, England "It's really good, the video is amazing." Julie, 9, Glasgow, Scotland "It is very catchy, I sing it now all the time. I hope she gets to the top of the charts." Chloe, 10, West Midlands, England "I heard this song a few days ago and love it. Although I doubt it'll be number one, it's still a really good song." Amy, 12, Northern Ireland "I think her song is quite good. But I think she is better singing with the other girls though." Tamara, 11, London, England "It doesn't sound like Cheryl's voice but it is definitely a catchy song and the video is OK." Zara, 13, Manchester, England "I love Fight For This Love so much." Lauren, 10, Doncaster, England "I think Cheryl Cole's single is quite unique compared to her usual songs with Girls Aloud. It's more in the dance category. It's great!" Lauren, 12, Essex, England "I really like it because it's different than anything else in the charts." Chloe, 11, Glasgow, Scotland "I love Cheryl's look in the video and also the song... I hope it does well in the charts." Sally-Ann, 11, Yorkshire, England "It is kind of cool, but I think Cheryl is better with Girls Aloud!" Joanna, 9, London, England "I love Cheryl, but the first time I heard it I wasn't so keen, but now I'm loving it. I hope it does really well as she seems to be working very hard." Ashlee, 14, Swindon, England "Yes, I think Cheryl Cole's new song is great and I can't wait until it is released. I will definitely get it." Alice, 12, Essex, England "I don't think Cheryl Cole is very good on her own. I think she's MUCH better as a Girls Aloud member!" Sonia, 11, Norwich, England "I liked the song but the video is strange!" Kate, 11, Northants, England "It's aaammmaaazzziinngg! I love it so much. It was in my head all day! The video is class. She is great and this is a number one song!" Ellie, 12, Plymouth, England
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16480712	Samsung's 'future-proof' voice-controlled television A "smart" internet-connected television that has the ability to have its hardware upgraded every year has been unveiled by Samsung. It has an expansion slot allowing new kit to be added to boost processing performance and introduce new features. The innovation may help reassure shoppers concerned about their screen becoming outdated. The move is aimed at helping the South Korean tech giant retain its lead as the world's best-selling TV maker. Samsung's president of consumer electronics, Boo-keun Yoon, unveiled the firm's flagship LED television at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas noting that his firm currently sells two televisions every second. In addition to its "smart evolution capability" Samsung has also added gesture, voice and face recognition features to the ES8000 model.Familiar faces A built-in camera allows users to browse the internet with a wave of their hand and to change channel by speaking in one of the more than 20 languages that the set can "understand". A facial recognition facility also allows the set to recognise users, pulling up the relevant selection of their favourite apps. End Quote James McQuivery Forrester It's been the year of connected TV ever since 2008” The device is the latest in a run of so-called Smart TVs launched by the firm since 2008. Samsung is on course to hit a milestone of 20 million global TV app downloads before the end of January, said its president of consumer electronics America Tim Baxter. New apps announced at the trade show included Rovio's Angry Birds video game. Samsung also announced its users would be given free access to a new Angry Birds on-demand animated television channel, marking the latest evolution of the hit title.Smart TV surge Connected televisions with built-in processors are tipped as one of the hottest trends at this year's CES. Event organiser, the US Consumer Electronics Association, has said it expects that about half of all shipped TVs would have internet capabilities in 2012. By contrast it said the figure was 12% of all units shipped in 2010. While Samsung pursues its own software solution, its rival LG has announced a television with built-in Google TV facilities for the US market. The firm's chief technology officer, Scott Ahn, only briefly mentioned the move at his firm's CES press conference saying that the step "will form the basis of a strong future working relationship" with the US search giant. LG also promised voice-recognition via a new remote control.Left unconnected But who is going to be the dominant force in smart TV - the Asian hardware manufacturers, or the search firm which has already made its mark on the smartphone industry?” Meanwhile, Sony continues to hedge its bets. Its new HX850 LED TV shares the same connected features as its predecessor including access to the Sony Entertainment Network and its Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited streaming services. However, the firm also unveiled two new devices powered by the revised Google TV - a media streamer and a Blu-ray player. Panasonic and Haier are among several other companies also showing off new connected TV facilities at CES. Although sales of internet capable TVs are on the rise, analysts said the trend can be explained by the fact that the facility is offered on most of the biggest and highest quality sets. "It's been the year of connected TV ever since 2008," said James McQuivery, television industry analyst at Forrester. "Every year you see these at CES. However, the manufacturers have struggled with the fact that around half of all people who buy connected TVs never put them on the internet. "So the challenge going forward is getting people to use the new functionality."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17626133	Tobacco display ban 'to curb young smokers' A ban on tobacco displays is coming into force in England - with ministers promising it will help curb the number of young people taking up smoking. Cigarettes and other products will have to be kept below the counter in large shops and supermarkets, while small outlets are exempt until 2015. Other parts of the UK are planning similar action to drive down smoking rates. Critics say the ban is discriminatory and will not discourage young smokers. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley told the BBC he hoped the ban would prevent people from taking up smoking and also help those trying to give up. End Quote Andrew Lansley Health Secretary I hope we can make a big difference” He said: "Firstly, it reduces the visibility of tobacco and smoking to young people. And, of course two-thirds of smokers started smoking before they were eighteen. "So, if we can, literally, arrive at a place where young people just don't think about smoking and they don't see tobacco and they don't see cigarettes - then I hope we can make a big difference." He said the government recognised the pressures on retailers to comply with the ban but added: "We want to arrive at a place where we no longer see smoking as a normal part of life. We're doing it by stages with constant active pressure."'Colourful displays' A fifth of adults smoke - a figure which has remained steady in recent years after decades of rapid falls. A plan to force manufacturers to put cigarettes into plain packets is also expected to be put out to consultation later this year. The display ban will apply to shops of more than 280 sq m (3,014 sq ft). End Quote Jo Butcher National Children's Bureau It's essential that we create a culture that promotes and protects public health and tobacco legislation is a significant factor in making this happen” Public health minister Anne Milton cited evidence from Ireland which suggested the measure could play an important role in discouraging young people in particular from smoking. "We cannot ignore the fact that young people are recruited into smoking by colourful, eye-catching, cigarette displays. "Most adult smokers started smoking as teenagers and we need to stop this trend." Jo Butcher, of the National Children's Bureau, agreed: "It's essential that we create a culture that promotes and protects public health and tobacco legislation is a significant factor in making this happen." Jean King, of charity Cancer Research UK, said the ban would help stop children who are attracted to brightly coloured tobacco packaging from taking up smoking but further action was still needed. "Of course we want to see the pack branding taken away as well. This is not a normal consumer product, it kills people. We want to protect the next generation of children," she said. However, the move has upset the tobacco industry. Moves by Scotland to introduce such a ban have been delayed by legal action taken by Imperial Tobacco. Meanwhile, a spokesman for British American Tobacco said: "We do not believe that hiding products under the counter or behind curtains or screens will discourage people, including the young, from taking up smoking. "There's no sound evidence to prove display bans are justified." He added if anything it could encourage the illicit trade of tobacco products.'Social lepers' Andrew Opie, from the British Retail Consortium, said it was wrong to believe the legislation would have a major effect on young people and it was supermarkets and other shops which were bearing the brunt of the costs needed to comply with the ban. He said the organisation had calculated that it cost more than £15m to ensure everything was sorted out before the ban came into place. He said: "Children are more likely to smoke when they're in a household where parents smoke and also they tend to get their cigarettes from either parents, or older peers, not directly from supermarkets. End Quote David Atherton Freedom to Choose The idea of the anti-smoker groups is to denormalise us and to turn us into social lepers” "It's certainly caused a lot of disruption to retailers as they didn't actually get that much notice to comply - and if you think that this is 6,000 shops in England, there are only so many shop-fitters that can do the work." David Atherton from the pro-smoking Freedom to Choose pressure group told BBC Radio 5 live he believed the state should not interfere with people's personal habits and added: "The idea of the anti-smoker groups is to denormalise us and to turn us into social lepers." The display ban was announced by the government last year as part of its tobacco control strategy. Although the legislation allowing it to happen was actually put in place by the Labour government before it lost power in 2010. A number of countries, including Canada, Ireland, Iceland and Finland, have already introduced similar bans. Prof David Hammond from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, said the ban led to a decline in smoking - especially among the young - in Canada. "The declines were greatest in the provinces where the ban had been implemented the longest. And that's consistent with the idea that when you remove something like marketing, it takes some time for the residual marketing to wear out."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15821138	'UK spaceman' Nicholas Patrick honoured Nasa astronaut Nicholas Patrick has accepted a British Interplanetary Society pin to mark his achievements. The silver lapel badge is being given to all UK-born spacefarers who get to orbit the Earth. Dr Patrick, who hails from Yorkshire but who is now a US citizen, has flown on two shuttle missions. His most recent trip was on the Endeavour orbiter in 2010, when he helped fit the huge cupola bay window to the underside of the space station. "It's a great honour and the British Interplanetary Society has been very kind to honour those of us who've been lucky enough to fly," he told BBC News. "I have to say a major factor in me becoming a British-born, US astronaut was a good slice of luck. I had the right interests of course, but I was also fortunate to be in the right place at the right time." The spaceman was born in Saltburn-by-the-Sea and completed much of his education in England (Harrow and Cambridge University) before moving to the US, where he did a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He later worked for Boeing, integrating new instrumentation into the manufacturer's then latest model - the 777. It was those skills that brought him to the attention of Nasa and he was accepted into the astronaut corps in 1998. Dr Patrick's first mission was as the robotic arm operator on STS-116 - a mission of the Discovery shuttle in 2006 to continue the construction of the International Space Station (ISS). Using the arm, the astronaut lifted the platform's fifth truss, or backbone, segment into place. His Endeavour (STA-130) exploits last year were arguably even more exciting, conducting three spacewalks on the exterior of the ISS. Dr Patrick still hopes to fly again, but opportunities are currently constrained following the retirement of the shuttle. Whereas the orbiter could carry seven people at a time into orbit, the Russian Soyuz capsules being used at the moment will only ferry three individuals per flight. The "world's highest-flying Yorkshireman" is busying his time instead assisting the programme to develop America's next-generation spaceship, which is called Orion. This conical capsule will take astronauts much deeper into space, beyond the station to destinations such as asteroids, the Moon and even Mars. "I am happy to see the shuttle's gone in one sense because what will replace it will give us much more interersting capabilities, but I'm also very sad to see it gone because it is the most beautiful spaceship that has ever been built," he said. The British Interplanetary Society has commissioned 10 silver pins, and Dr Patrick is the fourth person to receive one after Helen Sharman, Richard Garriott and Piers Sellers. The pins are awarded to both recognise the achievements of some extraordinary people, but also to promote human spaceflight in the UK. Successive British governments have not funded any astronaut activities, and so the only Britons to get into space so far have done so by becoming US citizens and joining the American space agency, or by getting on a private programme of some kind. Even Tim Peake, who was recently accepted into the European Space Agency's (Esa) astronaut corps, carries no direct British funding behind him. Human spaceflight is an optional programme for Esa member states, and so far the UK has declined to invest in it. The next recipient of the BIS pin is most likely to be Nasa's Michael Foale, one of the most experienced astronauts in history. Dr Foale, who was born in Louth, Lincolnshire, has logged over 374 days in orbit.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-20691235	Sam Shepard looks forward to City of Culture 2013 The Academy-award nominated actor and playwright Sam Shepard has spoken of his excitement at being involved in Londonderry's year as UK City of Culture. Mr Shepard, whose work has received international acclaim, will stage the world premiere of his working of 'Oedipus' in Derry's Guildhall next year. He is in the city this week for an actor's workshop. He is is looking forward to the play. "The material we are using is pertinent to the situation here. "It's not as though we are doing something just for culture, we are doing it for a reason. "The notion of 'place' is very strong here, this is where something happened. "We explore destiny, fate, murder, exploitation, origins. "The fact there is a wall round the city is part and parcel of what is going on in the play. "I don't think there is anybody who cannot see there are repercussions with what is happening here." Mr Shepard said it is very important to have art and culture in a society going through transformation. End Quote Sam Shepard Oscar nominated actor and playwright Something is happening here, you can feel it” "Putting this type of play here takes on a different significance than say if we are going to New York. "Where strife has been in the foreground it is bound to have repercussions, or is bound to have meaning." Sam Shepard is on his second visit to Derry and said he loves being involved at such close quarters. "I love being right in the middle of this place with the historical aspect of it. "I love the people here. "It's a funny sensation being in a place where you kind of have to tip toe around certain subjects, it's like being in East Germany or something. "But there is definitely a feeling that something is taking place here, something still is up for grabs. "It's not like any other place where things where things are just going on. "Something is happening here, you can feel it."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-17714360	John Swinney issues warning over tax relief cap plans The voluntary sector will be damaged by Chancellor George Osborne's plan to cap tax relief for charitable donations, Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney has claimed. In a letter to the chancellor, Mr Swinney warned the move could affect donations from philanthropists. From 2013, tax relief on donations is to be capped at £50,000 or 25% of a person's income, whichever is higher. The UK government has argued the cap is necessary to tackle tax avoidance. Mr Osborne, who announced the move in his Budget last month, said recently he was shocked by the scale of legal tax avoidance by multi-millionaires. How changes will work From April 2013 there will be a limit on the amount of income tax relief individuals can claim. At the moment there is no limit so it is possible to donate enough money to charity to effectively bring a tax bill down to zero. Although the donor does not personally profit from the arrangement, it means they are choosing where their money is spent - unlike normal taxpayers. The cap will be set at £50,000 in any one year, or at 25% of an individual's income - whichever is greater. That means an individual with an income of £4m could still give £1m to charity and get full tax relief for that £1m. However, if they want to donate more, they will have to donate from their taxed income. But Mr Swinney said he feared the cap would result in a substantial reduction in the amount of tax philanthropists could claim back. He told the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland programme: "This can create a perception that charitable giving is not welcome and that would be disastrous because there are hundreds and thousands of people right across our country that give to charities. "I don't think we should put any obstacles or barriers in their way or create an atmosphere that suggests charitable giving is not in some way welcome or desirable." In his letter to the chancellor, Mr Swinney wrote: "Whilst I fully support the need to ensure wealthy individuals do not avoid their tax obligations, I believe that, as they currently stand, your proposals will damage the third sector in Scotland (and indeed elsewhere) by reducing the number and level of charitable and philanthropic donations. "The current financial climate is already proving very difficult for Scottish charities and third sector organisations without a further reduction in what is an important source of funding." The finance secretary's concerns echo those raised by universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, and a range of charities across the UK, who have called for Mr Osborne to rethink his plans. Senior Liberal Democrat Sir Menzies Campbell told Sky News he had written to George Osborne about the impact on charities in his capacity as chancellor of the University of St Andrews.'Avoiding tax' He said: "The proposals the chancellor has made could easily hit the kind of targets we need to seek out ourselves in order to persuade people, such as former graduates, to make generous donations. "The government is obviously accepting it has got to go back and look at this again." The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations has estimated that voluntary grants and donations make up 10.7% of Scotland's voluntary sector income, equivalent to £470m in 2010. Its convener, Alison Elliot, told BBC Scotland: "We can talk about how much money might or might not be lost through this scheme, but what we do know is the message that's being given out is the idea that giving to charity is avoiding tax. "I know, from trying to persuade people, that it is often quite difficult to persuade them that gift aid is an ok thing to do. They already see that as cheating the taxman. "If the government is coming out and saying that giving to charity is part of avoiding paying taxes then it is going to have a knock on effect on people who are giving modest donations regularly to modest charities."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-16567315	Vietnam, a one-party Communist state, has one of south-east Asia's fastest-growing economies and has set its sights on becoming a developed nation by 2020. It became a unified country once more in 1975 when the armed forces of the Communist north seized the south. This followed three decades of bitter wars, in which the Communists fought first against the colonial power France, then against South Vietnam and its US backers. In its latter stages, the conflict held the attention of the world. The US joined the hostilities in order to stem the "domino effect" of successive countries falling to Communism. The war produced heavy casualties on both sides, atrocities against civilians, and the indiscriminate destruction and contamination of much of the landscape. At a glance - Politics: Vietnam is a one-party Communist state; it became unified in 1975 after three decades of war - Economy: It is becoming a major manufacturing centre; it is the second biggest supplier of clothes to the US - International: Long running territorial dispute with China over parts of South China Sea, rich in oil and fish Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring A visit to Vietnam by US President Bill Clinton in November 2000 was presented as the culmination of American efforts to normalise relations with the former enemy. Vietnam struggled to find its feet after unification and tried at first to organise the agricultural economy along strict collectivist lines. But elements of market forces and private enterprise were introduced from the late 1980s and a stock exchange opened in 2000. Foreign investment has grown and the US is Vietnam's main trading partner. In the cities, the consumer market is fuelled by the appetite of a young, middle class for electronic and luxury goods. After 12 years of negotiations the country joined the World Trade Organization in January 2007. But the disparity in wealth between urban and rural Vietnam is wide and some Communist Party leaders worry that too much economic liberalisation will weaken their power base. Vietnam has also struggled to restrain its trade and budget deficits. Its inflation rate reached double digits at the start of 2010 and approached 20% by the end of 2011, as food prices doubled, before falling back in 2012. Despite pursuing economic reform, the ruling Communist Party shows little willingness to give up its monopoly on political power. Vietnam actively suppresses political dissent and religious freedom. Rights groups have singled out Hanoi's treatment of ethnic minority hill tribe people, collectively known as Montagnards. The human rights advocacy group Amnesty International says in a 2011 report that ''more than a dozen activists were convicted in faulty trials simply because they had peacefully voiced criticism of government policies''. A new wave of subversion trial began in 2013.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17673997	Syria to end military operations on Thursday - state TV Syria will end military operations on Thursday, state TV has said, the day a ceasefire brokered by the UN-Arab League envoy to Syria is scheduled to come into effect. Envoy Kofi Annan said the Syrian authorities had told him they would "cease all military fighting throughout Syrian territory" by 06:00 (03:00 GMT). However, the rebels said they doubted the government side would stop. Violence continued on Wednesday, in Homs particularly. Activists said at least 11 people had been killed across the country. "After our armed forces completed successful operations in combating the criminal acts of the armed terrorist groups and enforced the state's rule over its territory, it has been decided to stop these operations from Thursday morning," state TV quoted a ministry official as saying. A huge amount of pressure has been mounted to bring about the agreement of all sides to the Annan truce. Above all, Russia must have exerted powerful influence behind the scenes to induce the change of tune by the Damascus regime. China and Iran, Syria's other two important international friends, have also strongly backed the Annan mission and may have helped bend President Assad's ear. Mr Annan's priority was to stop the carnage. If that can be achieved, and stabilised by the insertion of UN observers, huge challenges will remain - above all, working towards a functioning political settlement. Again, Russia is poised to play a crucial role. Much will depend on what vision it has for Syria's future - perhaps regime mutation rather than the regime change sought by the opposition and its western backers. The announcement made no mention of Mr Annan's ceasefire plan. A spokesman for the main rebel force, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), said the ceasefire was unlikely to take effect. "I don't believe our forces will stop shooting because the other side won't stop," Captain Ayham al-Kurdi said in a BBC interview on the Turkey-Syria border. "If the other side stopped, the Syrian people would march on the president's palace on the same day. This means the regime won't stop." The Syrian government failed to withdraw its troops and weaponry from population centres on Tuesday as agreed under the Annan plan. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday she was alarmed about the "ongoing violence" in Syria as the ceasefire deadline approaches. Meanwhile, the number of refugees sheltering in neighbouring Jordan has reached 95,000, a Jordanian government official has told the BBC. Jordan follows an unannounced policy of offering refuge to all Syrians entering the country, legally or illegally. Earlier this month, Turkey said it was accommodating 24,000 Syrian refugees. There are no figures available for Lebanon.'Unimaginable consequences' Mr Annan received a letter from the Syrian foreign ministry agreeing to cease fighting but reserving the right to respond "proportionately to any attacks carried out by armed terrorist groups against civilians, government forces or public and private property", his spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said. Earlier, speaking on a visit to Iran, Mr Annan told reporters he had received "further clarifications" from the government of President Bashar al-Assad on how it intended to suspend hostilities. "If everyone respects it, I think by six in the morning on Thursday we shall see improved conditions on the ground." But he said the government was still seeking assurances that opposition forces would also stop the fighting "so that we could see cessation of all the violence". Mr Annan was speaking after talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, during which he appealed for Tehran's support. He said the region "cannot afford another shock" and warned that any miscalculation or mistakes in Syria could have "unimaginable consequences". Iran has been a key ally of Damascus, but Mr Salehi said that "as long as the peace plan continues its approach, Iran will support it". China, which has blocked - with Russia - two UN Security Council resolutions condemning the crackdown on dissent, also called on the Syrian government to "respond" to Mr Annan's peace initiative and "fully implement the commitment of the ceasefire and withdrawal of troops". Russia said it was now up to the opposition to respond with its own ceasefire.Border shootings Under Mr Annan's six-point peace plan, sponsored by the UN and the Arab League, the Syrian military was to have completed its withdrawal from population centres and stopped the use of heavy weaponry by Tuesday, ahead of a full ceasefire coming into place on Thursday. After initial agreement, the plan foundered when Syria said it wanted written guarantees from the rebels that they would end all violence. Annan's six-point peace plan 1. Syrian-led political process to address the aspirations and concerns of the Syrian people 2. UN-supervised cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties to protect civilians 3. All parties to ensure provision of humanitarian assistance to all areas affected by the fighting, and implement a daily two-hour humanitarian pause 4. Authorities to intensify the pace and scale of release of arbitrarily detained persons 5. Authorities to ensure freedom of movement throughout the country for journalists 6. Authorities to respect freedom of association and the right to demonstrate peacefully The Free Syrian Army has said that while its fighters are "committed" to Mr Annan's ceasefire, they do not recognise the Assad government "and for that reason we will not give guarantees". The FSA has also warned that it will resume attacks on government forces if they do not fully comply with the Annan plan. Damascus also insisted that UN observers had to arrive in Syria for the ceasefire to begin, reversing - and effectively rejecting - Mr Annan's timeline. On Wednesday, activists reported that the Khalidya district of the central city of Homs was again being shelled by government forces. Troops backed by tanks also carried out a series of raids in the southern city of Deraa and several surrounding towns. Restrictions on reporting in Syria mean such reports are impossible to independently verify. The UN says more than 9,000 people have been killed in the uprising, which began more than a year ago. In February, the government put the death toll at 3,838 - 2,493 civilians and 1,345 security forces personnel.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21658863	Suicide bomb attack in Yemen's Abyan province kills 12 Twelve members of a pro-government militia group have been killed in a suicide car bomb attack in south Yemen. A member of the Popular Committees said their offices in the city of Lawdar, in Abyan province, were targeted. The force of the blast shook the city, witnesses said. The Popular Committees is made up of civilians who helped the government, backed by the United States, to drive out al-Qaeda-linked militants from the south last year. "A suicide car bomber from al-Qaeda managed to reach the office... and detonated the explosives at the gate," a member of the group was quoted by AFP as saying. Hospitals said they had received 12 bodies, while at least 15 people were reported to have been wounded. Al-Qaeda militants took advantage of a power vacuum during an uprising in 2011 that forced President Ali Abdullah Saleh from office to seize control of large swathes of southern Yemen, including Abyan province. But they were driven from their strongholds last year in an all-out offensive by the government, helped by the resistance committees as well as US drone attacks on militant targets.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4265128.stm	Hundreds of Ethiopian Jews have gone on hunger strike to protest against a delay in their relocation to Israel. More than 20,000 Jews live in Ethiopia Frustrated by an eight-year-long wait, the community has resolved not to eat until the planned move gets under way. The Falasha Mura, or Beta-Israel as they prefer to be called, are an ancient and isolated group living in the Ethiopian highlands. Although some were forcibly converted to Christianity, they trace their roots to the biblical King Solomon. Members of the Falasha Mura community - many wearing Jewish skullcaps - began the hunger strike in their camp in the capital, Addis Ababa, on Tuesday morning. They are protesting against their "long wait" to return to the Promised Land. Israeli officials say they will all be allowed to travel by the end of 2007. "Israel is our place. We have been displaced for 2,000 years," said Getenet Mengesha, one of the group's leaders. The protestors have been listening to lectures by their religious leaders aimed at giving them the heart to endure many days of hunger. "End our suffering and let us go home," read some of the slogans. The community believes that by going on hunger strike they will force the Israeli authorities to act fast. The Falasha Mura lamented their living conditions in a recent letter to the Israeli government. Many Jews were airlifted to Israel in 1991 "We have been suffering for the past eight years in Addis Ababa and Gondar. We are... facing grave starvation... and much hardship," the letter said. "They [Israeli officials] must respond. Our home is Israel," Mr Getenet said. The protestors are among the more than 20,000 Ethiopians of Jewish origin remaining in the country. In November 1984 Israel airlifted 6,300 Ethiopian Jews from refugee camps in Sudan in a move code-named Operation Moses. Another massive airlift - Operation Solomon - followed in 1991, bringing the number of Ethiopian Jews living today in Israel close to 80,000.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8350092.stm	The Day of the Skulls has its roots in ancient, pre-Inca rituals for death In Bolivia, the Day of the Skulls is a colourful collision of ancient ritual with Catholic belief. The BBC's Andres Schipani went to a central La Paz cemetery to find out more. Oscar Morales kneels down facing two crystal boxes, each containing two beret-wearing human skulls. "I pray to Saddam [Hussein] and Che [Guevara]," he says. "I have them with me, at my place in a shrine. I give them offerings and they give me their protection. They've never failed me, never, I am their most faithful devotee." Oscar Morales says he makes offerings to his skulls, seeking "protection" Surrounding him, thousands of people are walking around the huge graveyard, singing and playing popular music to their decorated skulls, praying to them, and making all kinds of offerings, from flower bouquets to sweets and bread. Monica, an Andean indigenous woman, is wearing a bowler hat and flouncy skirt. She sits by a grave next to Justo, her great-grandfather's skull. "He is so good and he takes such good care of my mother and me that he is an integral part of my family. I have a lot of faith in him," she says. This is Dia de los Natitas - a local religious rite that reaches its high point each year in early November - just a week after the Catholic All Saints Day. 'Ancient death rituals' The "natitas" - or "flat noses" in the local Aymara indigenous language - are human skulls that are revered by thousands of Catholic indigenous Bolivians who believe they protect them from evil, help them attain goals and even work miracles. Captain Victor is one of La Paz's most popular skulls The skulls - which are not necessarily from relatives or loved-ones - are sometimes exhumed and sometimes passed from hand to hand. They spend most of their time indoors but are paraded in the city's main public cemetery every year at this time. "The rite is now a blend of Catholic and indigenous beliefs, but has its roots in ancient rituals for the death practised by the country's Indian groups such as the pre-Inca Aymara and Quechua," says Dr Josef Estermann, an Andean theology expert. "These practices remain very much embedded in the everyday life of Bolivia's indigenous majority." All of the "natitas" have names - but they do not necessarily correspond to those of the people they originally belonged to. Captain Victor is one of La Paz's most popular objects of devotion. This cigarette-stained skull, supposedly of a former policeman, is revered as a deity by a faithful group of followers who believe he is an "integral part of their faith". Tradesmen, poor indigenous women, students, police officers and even members of parliament visit him year round to ask favours and shower him with flower petals, coca leaves and cigarettes. "Somebody gave me Victor 22 years ago with the condition not to let him go. How could I let him go if he is one the most precious parts of my life?" says Victor's owner, Virginia Laura, a diabetic mother of three, with tears in her eyes. "He helped me overcome the most difficult times of my disease, he protects my home, my family, everything that I value. I don't think I can live without him by my side," she says while kneeling down before a human skull sporting sunglasses and wearing an olive-green police officer's hat. 'Confused religious ideas' In order to honour the bones of their ancestors, some people like to throw parties after the celebrations at the cemetery. Such is the case of Victor's most loyal followers. Sofia Fernandez says she prays to God at the same time as she prays to Victor At a restaurant near the cemetery, packed with candles and banners, devotee Sofia Fernandez says: "I pray to the Lord at the same time I pray to Victor." Sofia has been an absolute fan of Victor for the past 20 years, and she says he has helped her with debt problems and even physically punished an "unfaithful" who "threatened" her. But the Roman Catholic Church does not feel comfortable with such a collision of beliefs. And they have been trying to convince devotees to let go. Earlier this month the Church called on the faithful to stop using human skulls at special mass celebrations. The Archbishop of La Paz, Edmundo Abastoflor, urged followers of the Andean rite to "let them rest in peace". Some inside the Church even link the practice to the occult. However, some priests believe they have no other choice than to let people pray Catholic prayers to their skulls, and even allow them to go to church with them. "I receive them and not as enemies of the Catholic faith," the cemetery's Roman Catholic priest, Father Jaime Fernandez, told the BBC after giving an informal blessing to thousands of skull-carrying devotees at the cemetery's chapel. "They don't have bad spirits or bad consciousnesses; they are not anti-religious; they are not enemies of the Catholic faith. Somehow I understand them, but I also understand they have very confused religious ideas." "Officially the Catholic Church does not recognise such a thing," Father Fernandez adds. "I've been here for 15 years. I know my brethren and I've tried to explain to them that what we have to celebrate is not death but resurrection and that they cannot use human skulls as intermediaries between them and God. "But, let's be honest, in the end, who am I to stop their uncontrollable faith?"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7024834.stm	Wallace and Gromit are to return in a half-hour television adventure - the first since 1995's A Close Shave. Aardman Animations has announced that the cheese-loving inventor and his loyal dog will star in Trouble At' Mill - to screen on BBC One in late 2008. Creator Nick Park said: "The story takes Wallace and Gromit in a direction we haven't seen before - both emotionally and technically." Shooting starts in January at Aardman studios in Bristol. Trouble At' Mill is a murder mystery that sees Wallace and Gromit running a bakery business - with their house converted into a granary with ovens and robotic kneading arms. It also introduces a new love interest for Wallace - bread enthusiast Piella Bakewell. The new film will reunite Nick Park with writer Bob Baker who co-wrote both The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave. It is the first outing for Wallace and Gromit since The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, which won the Oscar for best animated feature in 2006. Mr Park said he was looking forward to making a short film after the pressure of a Hollywood feature. "I love making films for the cinema but the production of Chicken Run and Curse of the Were-Rabbit were virtually back to back and each film took five years to complete," he said. "This one we're making for the BBC. It's going to be a seven or eight-month shoot. That's faster than we've ever done it before," he told the BBC News website. "It's nice to be out of that feature film pressure now. I don't feel like I'm making a film for a kid in some suburb of America - and being told they're not going to understand a joke, or a northern saying. "I'm making this for myself again and the people who love Wallace and Gromit." A video interview with Nick Park about Trouble At' Mill can be seen at www.wallaceandgromit.com.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8004022.stm	Drinkers were asked to assess photos of females The effect of "beer goggles" should not be used as an excuse for men getting a woman's age wrong, a study suggests. University of Leicester researchers showed 240 people, half of whom had been drinking, digitally-altered images of females meant to be 13, 17 or 20. The paper for the British Journal of Psychology said most overestimated ages no matter how much they had drunk. The researchers say it suggests men who have sex with under-age girls should not be able to use drink as a defence. But one expert said the paper did show young girls wearing make-up could mislead observers about age, even when they were stone cold sober. Men accused of having unlawful sex with a minor sometimes claim they were not aware that the girl was under-age. The idea of "beer goggles" was first identified by scientists in the early 1990s when it was dubbed "alcohol myopia". Dr Vincent Egan, the psychologist who led this latest research, said he had come across a number of cases where men had used this defence. He decided to investigate how people did respond to images of women at different ages. The study involved 120 sober men and women, and 120 who were drinking in pubs. All were aged between 18 and 70. Drinkers also had their blood alcohol levels measured - a third could be classed as drunk. Dr Egan and his team took a picture of a 17-year-old and digitally manipulated it to show how the girl would look aged 13 and 20. Some of the photos of the 17-year-olds were also treated to look as if they were wearing make-up. The researchers found no difference in age estimates between drinkers and non-drinkers - there was a consistent overestimation of the women's ages. Dr Egan said: "Even at considerable levels of drunkenness, males are not disproportionately impaired in estimating the age of made-up immature female faces. "The notion of 'beer goggles' is therefore irrelevant, and it might be there's a pre-existing bias rather than having any links to drink." The only strong effect the team found was people assessing made-up faces as older, but they said that was also consistent between drinkers and non-drinkers. He added: "There is a public perception that drinking alcohol affects how age is judged. "But people are always seeking excuses for the bad things that they do." He said the findings of this study might mean juries and courts challenged the argument used by some defence solicitors that alcohol can affect judgement in under-age sex cases. Tim Valentine, a professor of psychology at Goldsmith's University in London, said: "The results do not support the contention that alcohol consumed by the accused would lead him to judge the girl as appearing older. Therefore, the research does not support this defence. "However, the research does show that younger faces with make-up look older and that people generally overestimate the age of teenage girls. "Therefore the research provide some scientific support for the defence that the accused believed that the girl was older than she actual was. "Whether this is actually a defence is an issue for a lawyer, not a psychologist."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7534755.stm	The Street View cars have already been spotted in the UK Google's controversial Street View photo-mapping tool has been given the all clear by the UK's privacy watchdog. The system takes pictures of streets and adds them to online maps to let people see what locations look like. The project drew criticism from privacy campaigners worried it could breach data protection laws. But the Information Commissioner said it was "satisfied" that Google had put in place safeguards to avoid risking anyone's privacy or safety. In a statement the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said it had requested a further meeting with Google to talk about Street View prior to the service's launch. It said the safeguards Google was putting in place, such as blurring faces and registration plates, were sufficient to allay worries about privacy. The statement said: "Although it is possible that in certain limited circumstances an image may allow the identification of an individual, it is clear that Google are keen to capture images of streets and not individuals." The delay between the images being snapped and them appearing on the web meant it could not be used as a tracking tool UK rights group Privacy International raised worries about Street View which employs special vehicles to take panoramic snaps of busy streets in cities and towns. The digital images are then attached to Google's online map system so visitors can virtually travel up and down a route. The Street View tool was first launched in the US in May 2007 and gave views of five cities. Since then it has been expanded to many more as well as overseas cities. Although the Street View cars have been spotted in many places in the UK Google has yet to reveal when pictures will be added to maps of the country. A Google spokesperson said it "welcomed" the decision of the ICO. "We've always said we will not launch in UK until we are comfortable Street View complies with local law," they added, "and that we will use technology, like face-blurring, licence plate blurring and operational controls, such as image removal tools, so Street View remains useful and in keeping with local norms wherever it is available."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/7054249.stm	A woman who falsely accused her father of rape after undergoing a discredited form of therapy has received an out-of-court settlement. Katrina kept a diary of the false claims during treatment Katrina Fairlie, 37, launched a claim seeking damages from NHS Tayside. She claimed the "recovered memory" treatment triggered accusations which had ruined her and her family's lives. The health board said the settlement, reported to be £20,000, had been made on economic grounds and without admission of liability. Katrina was undergoing recovered memory therapy in a psychiatric hospital in Perth when she made a series of allegations of sexual abuse by her father, former SNP deputy leader Jim Fairlie. Duty of care She later said those claims were completely untrue and a police investigation found there was no evidence of abuse. Mr Fairlie had previously sued Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust, now part of NHS Tayside, for £250,000 in compensation. However, a judge dismissed the action after ruling that the trust did not owe a duty of care to Mr Fairlie as a relative of a patient. Ms Fairlie brought her own action against NHS Tayside and a hearing was scheduled in Edinburgh. A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: "We can confirm an out-of-court settlement was reached with Ms Fairlie without any admission of liability on the part of NHS Tayside or its predecessor authorities. "The decision had been made purely on economic grounds."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18772674	Botox prescriptions over phone or internet to be banned Doctors will be banned from prescribing anti-ageing drugs like Botox on the phone or internet if they have not seen their patients face to face, the BBC has learned. It comes after the BBC went undercover to investigate the operations of one of the UK's largest purchasers of the anti-wrinkle drug. Botox is a potentially dangerous medicine and can normally only be prescribed by a doctor. The General Medical Council (GMC) says new rules will be published later this week to stop doctors remotely prescribing injectable cosmetic medicines such as Botox. "There are good reasons why these are prescription-only medicines and we believe doctors should assess any patient in person before issuing a prescription of this kind," said Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC.Secretly recorded Nurses who have independent prescribing qualification are able to prescribe any drug, including Botox, without the involvement of a doctor. And nurses without this qualification are legally allowed to inject the drug under a doctor's supervision, but risk being struck off for doing this remotely, unless in an emergency. Dr Mark Harrison, the director of Harley Aesthetics, has built up a network of hundreds of nurses who phone him on his mobile, from wherever they are in the UK, to receive authorisation to inject patients immediately with Botox, and they pay Dr Harrison £30 for each conversation. After concerns were raised to the BBC, an undercover researcher secretly recorded one of Dr Harrison's training days and joined his team of nurses. Dr Harrison was secretly recorded explaining how prescriptions for Botox could be obtained in the names of friends and family and the stock of drugs could be used on walk-in patients.'Little bit naughty' If nurses were unable to reach him on his mobile at any time when they had a patient expecting immediate treatment, he encouraged them to inject their patients anyway and he would phone the patient later. "If you can't get a signal, what you might do is do the treatment and then you ring through with the details and the phone number and we guarantee we'll always ring the client after the event," Dr Harrison said in the secret recording. "That may be after the event, which is a little bit naughty," said Dr Harrison. Later, the BBC phoned him to see if this would really happen, claiming a new patient had already been injected. Dr Harrison left a message on the voicemail of the "patient" and later sent a prescription. However, senior doctors have said this amounts to a potential safety risk and would mean the nurse breaking the law by injecting Botox without a prescription. In a statement, Dr Harrison said he had performed more than 50,000 remote consultations since 2005, with no adverse affects on patient health. He said the use of prescriptions in one person's name for the treatment of others was "common, almost universal practice throughout the aesthetics industry" and had "no consequence for patient safety." End Quote Sally Taber Independent Healthcare Advisory Service This is wrong, it's breaking the law and it's not acceptable” He said that the practice of a doctor phoning a patient after an injection "would never be encouraged and would never be acceptable for a new patient". He added: "The decision to treat has been taken by the nurse and the doctor informed retrospectively." Dr Harrison went on: "I can confirm that I take my professional and moral obligations to both the patients who have treatments and the nurses who use the service extremely seriously." Sally Taber, director of the Independent Healthcare Advisory Service and the organisation Treatments You Can Trust, said: "This is wrong, it's breaking the law and it's not acceptable." Leading cosmetic surgeon and former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, Dr Nigel Mercer, said he was shocked by the BBC's findings. "This is a wake-up call. It's not an appropriate way for providing a medical service."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4673510.stm	By Steve Vickers BBC News, Harare Twin Zimbabwean brothers arrested for wearing loincloths have agreed to end their shocking campaign for traditional dress and wear shirts and shorts. The twins also shunned chairs and beds and sat and slept on the floor (Photo: The Zimbabwe Herald) Tafadzwanashe and Tapiwanashe Fichani were charged with indecent exposure after walking around in goatskin kilts, which left their buttocks exposed. They spent two weeks in prison, where their mental states were evaluated. The much-publicised case has reignited the debate over traditional versus western dress in Zimbabwe. The brothers were arrested while wearing the nhembe loincloths on their daily walk to a shopping centre near their home in an upmarket suburb of the capital, Harare. Since their release, their father has been shielding them from the media. But prior to their arrest, the 22-year-olds said that they had received a calling from God to give up their western clothing when they were living in the UK. They had spent two years studying there, but left after Tafadzwanashe was arrested on fraud allegations and deported. The brothers said that those who look down on them for their decision were "mentally colonised", as they were just going back to how things were before Europeans arrived in Africa. The twins also shunned chairs and beds and sat and slept only on the floor. They have reignited a debate about the place of traditional dress, but not many people in the capital are on their side. "What they did is very disgraceful, especially to the parents," one man said. "If human nature developed from apes, so there's development in life. So they should appreciate the development of clothes," he added. Another woman said she thought their move was "stupid". "I think we're advanced. We can't wear those things," she said. After their stay in prison, the public prosecutor says that it was concluded that they are not mentally disturbed. However, they were only allowed out on free bail after agreeing to wear everyday clothes. They left prison wearing shirts and shorts, seemingly having lost their battle, but having caught the attention of the nation. Is there anything wrong with exposing your buttocks in public, whether or not you are in traditional dress? Do you think people in Africa should return to more traditional attire, or are the alternatives more practical? Do you agree with the twins that those who wear Western clothes are "mentally colonised"? This debate is now closed. Thank you for your contributions. A selection of these views were broadcast on the BBC's Focus on Africa programme on Saturday 4 February. In as much as we want to maintain African culture, we do not the ones that are not good. We have moved ahead from the ape or stone age. We are moving ahead with other continents, not copying the West. Sighting people in this way is very disturbing. Please my brothers change your dressing mode. John Ene, Lagos Nigeria. I believe these two brothers did a great job. Africa has it own cultures, and there was no need to arrest them. They are practising their cultures. Do not be ashamed of your own cultures. Abe Magong, Sudan If men can be arrested on charges of indecent exposure for wearing loincloths that exposes their buttocks, how do we then justify the wearing of "tight-western clothes" by women that virtually exposes sensitive parts of womanhood likely to turn men on? Isn't that also an indecent exposure in itself? If women are free to wear what they please, why can't men do the same? larkai, Accra, Ghana Human development is a dynamic process. New developments world-wide are an improvement upon an old system. As Africans, we have also developed and improved upon our past. This is evident in the beautiful 'African dresses' we see around - the traditional attire. To go back to animal skins is not only cruel to the poor animals but 'counter development' in this 21st century. Kwasi Appeaing Addo, UK I think one should adopt an attitude of 'each to his own'. Really if these boys want to wear loincloth so be it. I will still be eating sadza tonight. There are a few programmes on the old goggle box showing people in modern Europe walking about naked. It's caused controversy without a doubt, but life goes on. Edson Mukundwi, Sheffield England I do not see anything wrong; these boys were just practising their African culture. We Africans must not be ashamed of our own culture. We must be proud of it since our great great grand parents used to wear animal skins. Charles T.J.S. Banda, Lilongwe, Malawi I do not think exposing ones buttocks is indecent exposure. If that were the case then all the supermodels should be arrested as they walk virtually naked in fashion shows that are televised all over the world. Culture should be respected too. This is pure madness. They should also stop eating western food and eat things harvested with stones. TK Dzimega, London, UK I see no reason for forcing these guys to wear western clothes. As a matter of fact people in the Zimbabwean village of Binga wear their traditional dress daily. Why don't the authorities make noise about these people? Again this shows how far people in Harare have succumbed to mental colonisation where they think anything African is inferior. Wilberforce Majaji, Zimbabwean in Michigan USA Recently in Virginia, a young man was acquitted of the charge of indecent exposure for baring his buttocks (or "mooning" as it is called here). The judge's reason for acquitting him was that if what he did was a crime then all the women who wear thongs (G-String) on the beach must be arrested. We Africans have become so mentally colonized that we frown on our own culture. These brothers must be commended not castigated. Kobina Markin, Maryland, USA Kwasi Appeaing Addo, your comment is interesting. I trust you are a vegetarian yourself. Don't mix animal rights with cultural rights. Those nhembe are made from skins from dead animals. It's a kind of economising since you use all parts of the already dead animal. What's wrong with eating the flesh and wearing the skin if that's you taste? It's not like fur where they kill just for the skin! Africans and anyone else with a past, be yourself, don't blindly imitate the values of others. Look at Sumo wrestlers - they are highly respected for keeping up their traditions and value. Sadza nema dora tinodya tichiguta. To each his own. Chido, Zimbabwean in Japan I'm really ashamed of this type of dressing in Africa. We are now in a civilised world and we are supposed to follow up the current attires and stop drawing back our future to nothing. The two brothers have tarnished the image of their country. Mr Paul Mowell, Anambra State Nigeria I think people of any country should wear clothes worn by their culture. Westerners should wear western clothes, Asians should wear Asian clothes and Africans should wear African clothes. I think Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe should show his anti-Western feelings by wearing a loincloth. Lead by example Mugs. Africans should not feel that wearing jackets and ties is a mark of subjection to Colonialism; I don't think Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian businessmen and women need revert to kimonos, cheong-sams, dhotis and sarongs to prove their freedom. Rather than regard the suit, the shirt and the shorts as 'Western' dress, people the world over wear 'universal' dress. They wear such clothing to demonstrate that they are modern and connected with the world economy. For a Zimbabwean to revert to wearing the loincloth of 100 years ago is as absurd as it would be for a contemporary Welshman to walk around wearing nothing but woad (blue paint), and then claim that this is the traditional dress he would have worn before Roman and Anglo-Saxon colonialism. Patrick Willis, London, UK The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.