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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41493014 | Catalonia will declare independence from Spain in a matter of days, the leader of the autonomous region has told the BBC.
In his first interview since a disputed vote on Sunday, Carles Puigdemont said his government would "act at the end of this week or the beginning of next".
Meanwhile, Spain's King Felipe VI said the vote's organisers had put themselves "outside the law".
He said the situation in Spain was "extremely serious", calling for unity.
Tensions between Spain and the north-eastern Catalonia region continue to mount, days after the vote was marred by violence involving national police.
The Spanish High Court said it had begun an investigation into key Catalan figures on Wednesday on suspicion of sedition - inciting rebellion against the state - including the head of Catalonia's regional police.
Josep Lluis Trapero, who leads the Mossos d'Esquadra force, is suspected of failing to control a demonstration during a police raid on Catalan government offices before the vote.
Could Catalonia make a success of independence?
What did Catalan leader say?
In his BBC interview, Carles Puigdemont said his government would "act at the end of this week or the beginning of next".
He also revealed there was currently no contact between the government in Madrid and his devolved administration.
When asked what he would do if the Spanish government were to intervene and take control of Catalonia's government, Mr Puigdemont said it would be "an error which changes everything".
Under Article 155 of the Spanish constitution, the government in Madrid is permitted to impose direct rule on an autonomous regions.
Groups in the Catalan parliament have agreed that parliament should meet in full assembly on Monday. Mr Puigdemont could use that occasion to make a unilateral declaration of independence.
He was due to make a statement at 21:00 (19:00GMT) on Wednesday.
The Spanish government has vowed to resist any declaration of independence, with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy saying the vote made a "mockery" of democracy.
Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau has called on both sides to talk. "Neither a declaration of independence nor article 155. More than ever we need dialogue and bridges," she tweeted.
The European parliament was due to debate the crisis on Wednesday afternoon.
Many Catalans have been angered by the European Commission's statement on Monday that events in Catalonia were an internal issue for Spain.
Why is king's intervention significant?
Media captionKing Felipe VI: "Catalan society is fractured"
In his televised address, King Felipe said the Catalan leaders who organised the referendum showed their "disrespect to the powers of the state".
"They have broken the democratic principles of the rule of law," he said.
But many Catalans were more concerned about what the king did not say, reports the BBC's Patrick Jackson, who watched the address in a bar in Barcelona city centre.
"There were no words about the scenes of police beating voters on Sunday, no urgent appeal for dialogue between the Spanish and Catalan governments, no acknowledgment of the real hunger here for independence or at least a proper, legal referendum, not even a word or two of Catalan," he says.
It was a missed opportunity to push the two sides towards dialogue, said one customer in the bar.
Q&A: Do Catalans really want independence?
What happened during Sunday's vote?
Nearly 900 people were hurt as police violently tried to enforce a Spanish court order suspending the vote, which the government had declared illegal.
Some police officers were seen firing rubber bullets, storming into polling stations and pulling women by their hair.
Thirty-three police officers were also injured, local medical officials said.
Shocked by what they had seen, hundreds of thousands of Catalans joined street protests on Tuesday. A general strike was also called in protest at "the grave violation of rights and freedoms" seen during the ballot.
What about the ballot results?
More than 2.2 million people voted on Sunday, according to the Catalan government. Officials put the vote in support of independence at nearly 90%, but official results have not yet been released.
There are several reports of gaping irregularities, partly attributed to a system which permitted voters to cast their ballots anywhere in a bid to get around the police measures to stop the vote. Spanish media carried reports of some Catalan areas counting far more votes than residents.
Catalan officials said the turnout was 42%, potentially weakening the position of Mr Puigdemont.
Catalan referendum: Who will move next in Spain's crisis? |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-30922932 | Health regulator Monitor is investigating a £100m contract between NHS commissioners and a hospital trust.
Commissioners named the Royal Devon and Exeter as the trust to provide care for the east of Devon in November.
The Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, which currently provides the area's services, complained about the decision, prompting the investigation.
The trust said the decision was "made at the wrong time and made in a potentially flawed way".
NHS Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) did not put the contract out to tender before naming the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust as its preferred provider of community services.
It is not known when the contract will be awarded but NEW Devon CCG said it would follow a "process of detailed due diligence and contract negotiation".
Monitor said it will review the decision-making process to ensure it was run in the best interests of patients, in accordance with the rules on procurement, choice and competition.
Catherine Davies, from Monitor, said: "We have taken this case on because it may provide valuable lessons for the rest of the NHS as it tries to come up with new models of care to meet the many challenges it faces."
One of the controversial aspects of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 was its emphasis on increasing competition in the health service, giving more private firms the chance to run NHS services.
NEW Devon's decision not to put community healthcare out to tender raised eyebrows. But the CCG said handing the eastern locality contract to the RD&E would offer much-needed "joined-up" care to the local population, and the interests of patients trump NHS competition rules.
However, others may complain that awarding contracts without an open process is not in the interests of a transparent and accountable NHS. Monitor's ruling will be closely watched.
Dr Alison Diamond, chief executive of Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "We are of the opinion that the CCG's decision is the wrong one for patients and the health system, made at the wrong time and made in a potentially flawed way."
Dr David Jenner, a GP from Cullompton and chairman for the eastern area of NEW Devon CCG, said: "We welcome Monitor's investigation into the contract award and remain confident that our decision is the right one."
Angela Pedder, chief executive of the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust said she hoped the investigation would be "completed without delay to minimise the impact on patients in the eastern locality of Devon". |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8428869.stm | Manchester United's Senegal striker Mame Biram Diouf will be available to make his debut in January after being granted a work permit.
The 22-year-old signed from Molde this year before returning to the Norwegian side on loan.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on the club's website that he has been impressed with Diouf and says he could make his debut in the New Year.
"He's been training with us and is looking very exciting," said Ferguson.
Diouf has scored 35 goals in 74 games for Molde, who are ex-United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's former club.
The forward has made one appearance for the senior Senegal national side, and is at United's disposal next month because his country did not qualify for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, he will not be available for the FA Cup tie against Leeds on 3 January. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4060151.stm | A sculpture crafted from some of the firearms handed in during the 2003 amnesty in London has been unveiled.
Lucy Wood's Map 272183, which relates to the Ordnance Survey reference for the London's 32 boroughs, was revealed at the Met's Gun Crime Conference.
Thursday's event was organised to discuss ways of reducing crime.
Deputy Met Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said after the conference in Hendon, north London, the community must play a part in combating gun crime.
Sir Ian, who is Deputy Commissioner until he takes over from Sir John Stevens at the end of January, said he was opposed to the total arming of the police.
"We have got to stop young men getting to 17 and seeing their only way to self-esteem is the possession of a gun," he said at a press conference.
"We have got to give them other avenues ... it is not for the police to do that, it is for the community to do that.
"Enforcement alone is not enough for this problem."
Home Secretary David Blunkett was also due to attend the conference at Hendon Police School.
Following the conference Ms Wood's sculpture was unveiled.
The artist had contacted the Met to ask for some of the 3,085 weapons handed in during the 2003 gun amnesty.
She said: "Guns contain a sense of fear and anxiety, yet give the holder a sense of superiority.
"However, once broken up into small pieces, they no longer serve any purpose." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7736706.stm | Security has been stepped up at homes of Japanese officials after two people linked to the health ministry were killed and a third was knifed.
A former vice-minister of health and his wife were found stabbed to death in Saitama, near Tokyo, on Tuesday.
Hours later, the wife of another former official was stabbed in the capital by a man disguised as a delivery worker.
Both officials had resigned for their part in a scandal involving the loss of millions of pension records.
In 2007, ministers admitted roughly 50 million people would have to check whether or not their pension records were accurate after official records were mislaid.
The scandal provoked widespread anger in Japan and, was partly responsible for the ruling party's defeat in elections last year, correspondents say.
Takehiko Yamaguchi, 66, and his 61-year-old wife, Michiko, were found dead at their home in Saitama, 40km (25 miles) north-west of the capital, police said.
Both had several stab wounds to their chests, police said.
Later on Tuesday, the 72-year-old wife of Kenji Yoshihara, another former vice-minister of health, was attacked at their Tokyo home.
Yasuko Yoshihara was stabbed several times in the chest when she opened the door to a man she thought was delivering a parcel, Japanese media reported, but her injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.
Mr Yoshihara was not at home at the time of the attack, reports said.
Kyodo news agency said police had stepped up security nationwide, amid fears of serial attacks against Japanese bureaucrats.
Both officials had been involved in developing Japan's much-criticised current basic pension system. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12688849 | Zara Phillips and rugby player Mike Tindall are to be married in Edinburgh on 30 July, Buckingham Palace has said.
The wedding will take place at the Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile.
The couple announced their engagement in December, just weeks after Prince William and Kate Middleton said they planned to marry on 29 April.
The Queen's oldest granddaughter, Miss Phillips, 29, and Mr Tindall, 32, met during England's Rugby World Cup-winning campaign in Australia in 2003.
Miss Phillips, who is not a working member of the royal family but is 12th in line to the throne, was educated at Gordonstoun boarding school in Morayshire.
She has achieved sporting success in her own right, winning individual gold in three-day eventing at the World Equestrian Games in Germany in 2006.
The title helped her become BBC Sports Personality of the Year later that year, following in the footsteps of her mother, Princess Anne, who won the award in 1971.
Miss Phillips has missed two Olympic Games after her horse, Toytown, suffered injuries, but is hoping to compete in the London 2012 Games.
Mr Tindall currently plays for and captains Gloucester, and remains in the England team - which he has also skippered during this year's Six Nations championship.
Iain Balshaw, who was also part of England's victorious World Cup squad, is reported to be Tindall's best man.
Palace sources say the wedding will be private, with costs covered by the families. Royal officials said the couple will hold their reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the Queen's official home in Scotland.
Canongate Kirk, which serves a Church of Scotland congregation, was completed in 1691.
It is the parish church of Edinburgh Castle and where the Queen worships when at residence at Holyroodhouse.
Rev Neil Gardner, minister of Canongate Kirk and domestic chaplain to the Queen in Scotland, welcomed the Buckingham Palace announcement.
In a statement, he said: "I am delighted that it has been announced that Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall are to be married in Canongate Kirk, the Kirk of Holyroodhouse, this summer.
"I look forward to working with them in the planning and preparation for their special day."
Meanwhile tourism body VisitScotland urged businesses to get creative and make the most of the wedding, such as creating menus with a royal flavour or introducing royal-themed romantic breaks.
Chairman Mike Cantlay said: "It's a great opportunity for tourism in this country and we would urge businesses to take advantage of this great occasion." |
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45351288 | Panasonic will move its European headquarters from the UK to Amsterdam in October as Brexit approaches.
The aim is to avoid potential tax issues linked to the UK's decision to leave the EU, said Panasonic Europe's chief executive Laurent Abadie.
In the run-up to March 2019, a number of multinational firms have said they plan to move jobs out of the UK.
Several Japanese financial companies have said they intend to move their main EU bases away from London.
Panasonic's decision was driven by a fear that Japan could start considering the UK a tax haven if it cuts corporate tax rates to attract business, Mr Abadie told the Nikkei Asian Review newspaper.
If Panasonic ends up paying less tax in the UK, that could render it liable for a bigger tax bill in Japan.
Mr Abadie told the Nikkei Asian Review that Panasonic had been considering the move for 15 months, because of Brexit-related concerns such as access to free flow of goods and people.
Panasonic Europe later issued a statement confirming that it was transferring its regional headquarters from Bracknell in the UK to Amsterdam from 1 October.
It said it was doing so for several reasons, including "improved efficiency and cost competitiveness".
It said "fewer than approximately 10" people would be affected out of a staff of 30.
"No Panasonic UK business operations will be affected by the EU headquarters move," the statement added.
In 2016, the UK government pledged to cut corporation tax to encourage businesses to continue investing in the UK after the Brexit referendum.
Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016, but with less than a year to go, the UK and the EU are struggling to reach consensus on the terms of the exit.
Japan is a major investor in the UK, where more than 800 Japanese companies employ more than 100,000 people.
However, financial firms including Nomura, Sumitomo Mitsui and Daiwa have already said they will no longer maintain their EU headquarters in London. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4630045.stm | BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | What data will ID cards store?
The government is revealing the design of a national identity card for the UK which it says it is pressing ahead with despite significant opposition and questions over its usefulness and costs. The card will hold a limited amount of information but will be backed up by further information held in databases. The Identity Cards Act 2006 includes a list of up to 49 items of information that could be recorded.
The address of every other place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere where person has a place of residence.
Particulars of every requirement by the secretary of state for the individual to surrender an ID card issued to him. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/drivers_and_teams/8546965.stm | Kubica enjoyed a fine 2010 campaign, finishing eighth.
"Robert Kubica had a very good season for Renault. From my point of view, you can now talk about him in the same group as Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
"Kubica came second at Melbourne and third in Monaco, but Suzuka stands out as his great qualifying performance.
"If I ran a grand prix team, the 25-year-old Pole would definitely be on my shortlist; he's a great driver with a very unusual and slightly loose but effective driving style.
"Kubica's consistent race pace and determination mean that his stock is higher than ever. He's doing a great job for Renault, who will struggle to keep him long term."
Name three attributes an F1 driver must have?
Hard to say. It depends on the day. Probably the busy schedule.
... it's a team sport with a lot of people involved and everything has to work together as well as possible.
... the late Seventies and early Eighties.
I don't like to speak about myself so it's better if you ask somebody else that question.
I enjoy bowling - I'm not very good though. I also play poker, but I'm not that good either.
Lately I've been listening to the Black-Eyed Peas. I don't know the names of the songs though.
I don't remember any embarrassing moment in my career so far.
I don't know. I don't care. Maybe me, maybe not.
Both of them were great drivers. I don't have a preference.
Spa has its own climate and its own history. It has a completely different characteristic than Monaco. Monaco is the only real street circuit in Formula 1. If I had to choose I would go for Monaco.
If I were not a racing driver at all, I would definitely work in motor sports. If I would not be an F1 driver, I would most probably drive GT cars.
There are many great sportsmen - in the past and in the present, but it is pretty hard to compare different sports.
I would like to do a long-distance rally stage in Finland with a World Rally Championship car.
I have never been to Finland but I would like to go there. I like quiet places where you are on your own. I think Finland offers places like this.
I like T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts.
It depends on the situation and on my mood but 90% of my time I listen to the radio.
Maybe (five-time world rally champion) Sebastien Loeb, maybe (poker player) Gus Hansen.
I am a big rally fan and Sebastien Loeb won so many titles. He is the one who could give me advice. I like Gus Hansen's way to play poker.
In F1 there are so many media so there is practically nothing about me you cannot find in the media. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-29563475 | US software maker Symantec is the latest tech company to announce that it will split its operations into two.
The Norton antivirus software maker said it would spin off operations into two publicly traded firms, one focused on security and the other on storage.
The move follows similar operational division by tech giants Hewlett-Packard (HP) and eBay.
Analysts said the break-up by struggling Symantec would make it more attractive for takeovers.
Potential buyers like Cisco and NetApp are likely to show interest in Symantec's California-based businesses, said Piper Jaffray analyst Andrew Nowinski.
Its earnings growth and share price, impacted by slow PC sales, has lagged behind other software makers and led Symantec to fire two chief executives since 2012.
The company's revenue fell 3% to $6.7bn (£4.1bn) in its recent fiscal year on a struggling storage business, while operating income fell almost 20%. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6622963.stm | The Scottish Parliament and council elections have become mired in controversy over "spoilt" papers and the operation of the electronic counting system. Here's our guide to the new system.
What was different about this election?
The papers in the Scottish Parliament election were changed to combine the polls for the regional list vote and the constituency vote into only one ballot paper.
As well as being presented on the one paper, the order of the questions was changed to put the regional vote first.
Polling for local authority wards also took place on 3 May under a new system of single transferable vote (STV) where voters were asked to rank candidates by order of preference using numbers.
This meant there were three different vote counting systems - list, constituency and STV.
Electronic counting was also introduced for the first time in a national Scottish election.
Why was the new system brought in?
The electronic systems were introduced to help speed up the process of counting STV votes for the local authority election, as well as assisting with the Holyrood count.
The move to STV was backed in June 2004 as part of the coalition deal struck between Labour and the Liberal Democrat executive.
However, the Arbuthnott Commission review of the Scottish voting system, published in January 2006, recommended that the Holyrood and council elections should not be held on the same day.
The Electoral Commission also wanted counting to be delayed until the day after voting.
The number of spoilt ballot papers returned could exceed 100,000, which some voters have blamed on confusion with the voting systems.
DRS Data & Research Services, which implemented the automated counting system, admitted it was experiencing problems with the "consolidation" of the votes.
This meant that the calculation of the results took longer than expected and in some cases the process was abandoned for counting to continue, or for a complete recount to take place, later on Friday.
Deputy Scottish Secretary David Cairns said in April: "People should have confidence to know that if things do go catastrophically wrong, we will still have the bits of paper and could do a manual recount if needed."
How does the automatic counting work?
The machines used in the counts scan the ballot papers as they are fed in.
In the case of the Scottish Parliament papers the first-past-the-post constituency votes are counted.
For the regional list the proportions of votes are registered.
On the STV vote the counting machines register the order of preference and then calculate the shifting of votes through the system to rank the preferences, a process which would take considerably longer if carried out by hand.
The machines check the number of ballot papers, count the clearly-marked votes and separate those which cannot be read.
The returning officer can then adjudicate on the unclear ballot papers via a computer screen which can be viewed by all interested parties.
Who is DRS and what is its track record?
DRS has conducted electronic voting for 10 years in countries including Norway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hong Kong and in the London Mayor and Assembly elections.
The company claims its e-counting technology is 100% accurate but it is only designed to count clear votes.
Sonya Anderson, head of elections for DRS, said: "The process is taking longer than anticipated in some of the centres and some returning officers have decided because of the long wait that the staff and the candidates are experiencing that they are going to ask staff and candidates to go home while we resolve the issue."
The electronic counting system was being run at a cost of £4.3m.
Counting resumes on Friday afternoon to complete the picture of voting across Scotland at the suspended counts in Aberdeen, Argyll and Bute, Eastwood, Edinburgh, Livingston and Linlithgow, Perth and Tayside North, Strathkelvin and Bearsden.
The Conservatives said the numbers of spoilt votes had dramatically increased as they had predicted and the SNP branded the postal vote problems, delayed counts and spoiled ballots a shambles.
The party's Angus Robertson said: "The Scotland Office, Scottish Executive and Electoral Commission have to answer for bringing Scotland's democratic process into disrepute."
DRS again defended its technology, saying the count had experienced a "temporary interruption" to one small aspect of the overall process.
A Scotland Office spokesman said: "The independent Electoral Commission will undertake a statutory review into the conduct of this election.
"Douglas Alexander, the Secretary of State for Scotland, has today spoken to Sir Neil McIntosh, the Scottish Commissioner on the Electoral Commission, and established that his review will cover the key issues of concern.
"Separately, the Scottish Executive has asked that the Electoral Commission's review should cover all aspects of the local council elections." |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35937635 | The US State Department has apologised for tweeting that Americans who are not considered attractive at home should not fall victim to scams overseas.
The travel department of the government agency was attempting to warn Americans not to get tricked into being robbed while travelling abroad.
@TravelGov, the Twitter account, apologised for its initial tweet after being subject to backlash and ridicule.
The tweet was part of a campaign called #springbreakingbadly.
"Not a '10' in the US? Then not a ten overseas. Beware of being lured into buying expensive drinks or worse-being robbed. #springbreakingbadly," a now-deleted tweet said.
Other tweets with the #springbreakingbadly hashtag warned Americans not to accept free trips abroad or to take packages overseas and to beware of having drinks spiked with drugs and robbery while abroad.
Twitter users did not hesitate to poke fun at the campaign.
The department apologised for its tweet about not being a "10", but wanted to make sure its 511,000 followers were aware of its programmes for American travellers abroad, such as travel alerts and warnings.
It said its "highest priority is to protect the lives and interests of US citizens overseas".
Gabe Saglie, the senior editor of Travelzoo, told the BBC that the negative publicity is a shame, because the message is relevant as people prepare to go on "spring break" trips.
It may seem commonplace, he said, but it is worth reminding people to be careful and extra aware of their surroundings.
"When you try to be extra effective on social media and nab people's attention, you can sometimes cross the line," he said.
"It's a reminder for travel companies and government agencies... you have to be aware of your audience before you send a message."
The message especially lost steam because beauty is interpreted differently in various parts of the world, he said. But it's not all bad.
"If nothing else, it probably did inform people that the State Department at the end of the day is a resource," said Mr Saglie. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18873944 | The Libor system, which sets inter-bank lending rates, is "structurally flawed", the chairman of the US central bank has said.
Ben Bernanke also told a Senate committee that it was not yet known whether any US banks were involved in the rigging of Libor.
He said he still did not have full confidence in the system.
That is because proposals made in 2008 to improve it were not adopted by the UK body which compiles it, he said.
The New York Reserve Bank, which regulates some major US banks, sent recommendations to the British Bankers' Association in 2008 and raised its concerns with the Bank of England.
This included the introduction of procedures to "eliminate the incentive to misreport" Libor, the daily rate that is the benchmark for millions of financial transactions which is calculated from the submissions by a group of banks.
The Libor scandal erupted last month when Barclays was fined a record amount for trying to rig the Libor rate by mis-reporting the amount it cost them to borrow, sometimes working with other banks.
Asked about US regulators' response to the manipulation of Libor rates, and whether anyone had "dropped the ball", Mr Bernanke said the Federal Reserve Bank of New York had taken the lead.
When told by a Barclays trader that he thought the bank was undereporting its borrowing costs the New York Fed had responded "very quickly", he said.
"Importantly, it informed all the relevant authorities in both the US and the UK," Mr Bernanke said.
However, when asked by one committee member whether he could reassure people in the US who had loans and mortgages linked to Libor that it was reliable, Mr Bernanke replied: "I cannot give them with any confidence as the BBA did not adopt [the recommendations]. "
Democratic senator Robert Menendez said the Libor scandal represented the "culture of greed and lying" in the banking world.
"This is a huge issue. [Libor] is more than a benchmark," Senator Menendez said, citing figures which indicated that in some areas of the US, the majority of sub-prime mortgages were linked to it.
Mr Bernanke said it was "a major problem for our financial system and... we need to address it."
It would require an international effort, he said.
The system could go "from what is essentially a reported rate to an observable rate, market rate… but Libor is very deeply ingrained in many contracts so it won't be easy," he said.
Mr Bernanke also called for action to address the massive tax rises and spending cuts looming in the US. If these were not changed, the US could fall into recession, he said.
At the end of 2012 tax cuts brought in by the George W Bush administration are due to expire and $1.2 trillion (£770bn) in automatic spending cuts will take effect.
Central bank chairman Ben Bernanke told US senators that the fiscal cliff, as it is known, needed to be tackled "sooner rather than later".
"The most effective way that the Congress could help to support the economy right now would be to work to address the nation's fiscal challenges in a way that takes into account both the need for long-run sustainability and the fragility of the recovery," he told the committee in his opening statement .
Mr Bernanke reiterated his concerns about the slow pace of the recovery and job creation and confirmed that the central bank's monetary policy-setting committee was "prepared to take further action as appropriate".
He also talked about the risk to the US economy of the eurozone debt crisis. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1255645.stm | "Both the Queen and Prince Edward are supporting her"
"This was an elaborate sting"
Buckingham Palace has hit back at reports that the Countess of Wessex insulted members of the Royal Family and senior politicians.
Two Sunday newspapers said the countess, currently touring the Gulf with her husband the Earl of Wessex, made the comments during a secretly taped conversation with a "bogus sheikh", namely News of the World undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood.
The paper did not publish the story but the Mail on Sunday and Sunday Mirror claimed she had referred to the Queen as the "old dear", Cherie Blair as "absolutely horrid, horrid, horrid" and criticised the prime minister's leadership style as "too presidential".
No official complaint has been made to the Press Complaints Commission by either the countess or Buckingham Palace, a commission spokesman said on Monday.
Both papers said she had written a letter of apology to Mr Blair, Mr Hague and the Prince of Wales about her alleged remarks.
Buckingham Palace said in a lengthy statement that "not one of the quotes" cited by the Mail on Sunday was accurate.
In a series of detailed rebuttals, the statement said it was untrue to claim the countess had "deeply upset the Queen" nor had she been disrespectful to the Queen or the Queen Mother.
The claim she said Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles would marry was also false, it said.
Suggestions that her marriage was imperilled, or that Prince Edward was "furious with her" were untrue, as were references to what Prince Charles might think about her marriage, the Palace statement said.
The remarks attributed to the countess about politicians were "selective, distorted and in several cases, flatly untrue".
The statement said: "A member of the Royal Family such as the Countess of Wessex who is trying to pursue her own career is obviously vulnerable to set-ups such as this.
"And all members of the Royal Family risk tittle-tattle, misinformations and - from time to time - wholesale inaccuracy.
"We suggest no serious journalist gives this story the time of day."
But Mail on Sunday editor Peter Wright said the story came from four different and "reliable" sources.
"There is a tape recording of Sophie's conversation with the fake Arab sheikh.
"If Buckingham Palace are so certain of their version of events, we suggest they publish the recording in full," he said.
The News of the World said it was "disappointed" by "outpourings of disinformation" from rival media jealous of an exclusive interview with the countess in which she spoke out to deny rumours about her husband's sexuality.
The countess told the newspaper: "I can tell you he's not gay...I never believed it."
She told the newspaper she would like to have children. "One of each would be nice."
She added: "I would explore all avenues and I certainly wouldn't rule out IVF."
The Earl and the Countess of Wessex flew to Qatar from Bahrain on Monday as part of a five-day trip to the Gulf to promote British trade. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-41655104/catalonia-candlelit-rally-for-jailed-separatist-leaders | Catalonia independence 'in matter of days' Jump to media player Catalonia will declare independence from Spain in a matter of days, the leader of the autonomous region has told the BBC.
Spanish police violently tackle voters Jump to media player Spanish police are filmed violently tackling voters as they try to prevent a banned vote in Catalonia, Spain.
Thousands of people poured into the heart of Barcelona for a candlelit protest against the imprisonment of two separatist leaders.
Jordi Sánchez and Jordi Cuixart were jailed by the Spanish High Court while they are under investigation for sedition.
The imprisonment of Mr Sánchez, who heads the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), a pro-independence organisation, and Mr Cuixart, leader of Omnium Cultural, had already sparked one protest on Tuesday. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43666134 | South Korea's former President Park Geun-hye has been sentenced to 24 years in jail after she was found guilty of abuse of power and coercion.
The verdict was broadcast live and represents the culmination of a scandal which rocked the country, fuelling rage against political and business elites.
Park, who was also fined 18bn won (£12m, $17m), faced a string of corruption charges.
The former leader was not in court on Friday for the verdict.
She has boycotted her trial hearings and has previously accused the courts of being biased against her. She has also denied all wrongdoing and has said she will appeal against her sentence.
Judge Kim Se-yoon said Park had shown "no sign of repentance" after causing "massive chaos" in the country.
"We cannot help but sternly hold her accountable," the judge said.
South Korea's presidential residence, the Blue House, issued a statement after the verdict calling it a "heartbreaking event for the nation".
"A history that is not remembered is bound to be repeated," it read.
The move by the authorities to allow Friday's verdict to be broadcast live was unprecedented, but they cited extraordinary public interest in the case.
What was she convicted of?
Park was found guilty of 16 out of 18 charges, most of which related to bribery and coercion.
The court ruled that she had colluded with her close friend, Choi Soon-sil, to pressure conglomerates such as electronics giant Samsung and retail chain Lotte to give millions of dollars to foundations run by Choi.
She was also convicted of forcing companies to sign lucrative deals with firms owned by Choi and donate gifts to Choi and her daughter.
In addition, Park was found guilty of leaking confidential presidential documents to Choi.
She has seven days to file an appeal.
What led to her downfall?
A friendship lies at the heart of the undoing of South Korea's first female president.
Park and Choi were childhood friends and Choi swiftly became the leader's most trusted confidante.
But their relationship latterly came under intense public scrutiny and the charge is that Choi had undue influence over a nation's affairs through her connection with Park.
Choi was eventually found guilty of corruption, and sentenced to 20 years in prison earlier this year.
After a prolonged series of hearings and months of street protests calling for her resignation, Park was finally removed from office in March 2017, making her the first democratically-elected president to be impeached.
She was arrested shortly afterwards, and has been in detention ever since.
Who else was caught up in this?
Some of the biggest South Korean companies and their leaders have been drawn into the scandal, as well as numerous figures from the entertainment world and government servants.
Samsung's de facto leader Lee Jae-yong, also known as Jay Y Lee, was singled out in particular after details emerged that he had given a horse to Choi's daughter Chung Yoo-ra, who is an equestrian.
He was sentenced to jail, but only served five months before he was freed, when an appeals court reduced and suspended his sentence.
Ms Chung has also faced scrutiny, and was extradited from Denmark to South Korea last year to face questioning.
Is this unusual in South Korea?
Park, the country's first female leader, was also the first democratically-elected president to be impeached.
But she is not the only former president to have been arrested for corruption.
Last month former leader Lee Myung-bak was charged with corruption over allegations he took bribes while in office.
Two others, Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, were convicted for treason and corruption in the 1990s.
In 2009, former president Roh Moo-hyun killed himself while he was under investigation for corruption.
What does the verdict mean for the country?
Park's sentencing has drawn a line under what has been one of the biggest corruption scandals to rock South Korea in recent years.
The scandal has created greater awareness and criticism of the longstanding close ties between the political elite and chaebols, or family-run conglomerates which dominate South Korea's economy.
It has also fuelled the rise of the liberal Moon Jae-in, Park's previous political opponent who eventually replaced her as president after campaigning on a platform of a clean government.
But South Koreans are divided on the verdict. Several hundred Park supporters gathered outside the court waving national flags during the ruling.
Some sat in tears after the conviction, with others started a protest march.
"The rule of law in this country is dead today," said one pro-Park demonstrator. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-35086033/obama-climate-agreement-a-tribute-to-american-leadership | Obama welcomes climate agreement Jump to media player President Obama has praised "American leadership" after a deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temperatures was reached in Paris.
COP21: Do you know your Aosis from your Alba? Jump to media player With agreement on a climate change deal still looking some way off, the BBC’s environment correspondent Matt McGrath explains how the conference is divided into many, often over-lapping, factions.
Cheers as climate change deal adopted Jump to media player The moment that a deal to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C by 2050 was agreed at the climate change summit in Paris.
Why do two degrees matter? Jump to media player BBC environment correspondent Matt McGrath assesses why a 2C increase in global average temperatures is seen as the gateway to dangerous warming.
A deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C has been agreed at the climate change summit in Paris after two weeks of negotiations.
US President Barack Obama, speaking from the White House after the agreement was reached, said: "Today the American people can be proud because this historic agreement is a tribute to American leadership. Over the past seven years, we've transformed the United States into the global leader in fighting climate change."
The pact is the first to commit all countries to cut carbon emissions.
The agreement is partly legally binding and partly voluntary.
Go to next video: COP21: Do you know your Aosis from your Alba? |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22340106 | Author F Scott Fitzgerald's handwritten records of his life and career have been made available to fans and scholars after being put online.
The Great Gatsby author kept records of his publications, income and key events in a ledger, which has been put online by the University of South Carolina.
They show he made $2,000 from The Great Gatsby when it was published in 1925.
But income from the book increased, with a payment of $16,666 for film rights made the following year.
The records have been made available to coincide with the latest big-screen version of the book - a film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Leonardo DiCaprio is released in May and is opening Cannes Film Festival.
Park Bucker, an associate English professor at the university, told the Associated Press news agency that the ledger "may be a unique artefact among American authors".
"This is going to be an amazing thing for students to pore over and dip into," he said. "He created his own database. We do it on computers now, but he did it for himself."
The ledger begins in 1919 and covers the period until 1938. He died in 1940.
The document is divided into five sections - a record of published fiction, money earned by writing, published miscellany (including movies), the earnings of wife Zelda and a year-by-year account of his life.
The autobiographical section begins with his birth in 1896. Of February 1900, he wrote, referring to himself: "He celebrated the new century by swallowing a penny and catching the measles. He got rid of both of them."
By his 20s, his yearly round-ups lamented how his life was "full of terrible failures and acute miseries" (in 1923). When he was 36, in 1932, it was "a strange year of work & drink. Increasingly unhappy".
"This is a record of everything Fitzgerald wrote, and what he did with it, in his own hand," said Elizabeth Sudduth, director of the Ernest F Hollings Library at the University of South Carolina.
"We know he didn't spell very well," she said. "And his arithmetic wasn't much better."
Why is The Great Gatsby back? |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/6769147.stm | Controversial plans for new sea defences at a Cornish holiday complex have been thrown out by the government.
A public inquiry was held into developer Ampersand's plans for an upgraded sea wall to protect the development at Carlyon Bay.
Opponents to the scheme said they were concerned about the impact the wall would have on the beach.
Ampersand said it was surprised by the decision to refuse permission to build a revised sea wall.
It said in a statement that it would consider the decision and make a further announcement in due course.
It said it was still committed to building the £200m resort, made up of more than 500 holiday apartments. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-27529905 | A ring belonging to an 18th Century Indian ruler has been sold at an auction in London amid criticism from heritage groups.
The jewelled golden ring was sold for £145,000 by Christie's auction house.
It belonged to Tipu Sultan, a Muslim king, and is notable because it was inscribed with the name of a Hindu God.
Tipu Sultan is best known for fighting against British rule in India. The ring is thought to have been taken from him by a British general as he lay dead.
The 41.2g ring was sold to an undisclosed bidder for almost 10 times its estimated price at the auction in central London, according to Christie's website.
It is inscribed with the name of the Hindu God Ram in raised Devanagri script. Some say this shows that the king was more sympathetic to Hindus than previously thought.
The ring was allegedly taken from the slain body of Tipu Sultan at the end of the 1799 Srirangappattinam battle he fought against the British East India Company's forces.
The auction listing noted that "it is surprising that a ring bearing the name of a Hindu god would have been worn by the great Muslim warrior".
"It is perhaps more likely that the ring was taken from Tipu Sultan's collection," the listing said.
Tipu Sultan was considered a progressive ruler, says Manivannan Thirumalai from the BBC's Tamil section.
Also known as the Tiger of Mysore, he ruled the state for 17 years after he succeeded his father, Hyder Ali.
Earlier this month Professor S. Settar from India's National Institute of Advanced Studies warned that the ring might be hidden from public view if it was sold to a private bidder.
He urged the Indian government to "make use of all available avenues, legal and diplomatic, to recover the ring".
If the ring could not be stopped from going to auction, he said, Indian philanthropists should be encouraged to purchase it on behalf of the nation. It is not known if the new owner of the ring is Indian.
Another group calling itself the Tipu Sultan United Front also urged Indian authorities to do all they could to prevent the ring from being sold.
The ring was previously listed for sale by Christie's in 2012 but was then withdrawn from sale.
#BBCtrending: Was India's Tipu Sultan a hero or a despot? |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35034289 | A US air strike killed a senior leader of the Islamic State (IS) group in Libya, the Pentagon has confirmed.
Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt Jeff Davis said Abu Nabil died after an F-15 jet targeted a compound in the eastern city of Derna on 13 November.
Iraqi national Nabil was also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi.
The Pentagon also said an air strike in Somalia on 2 December had killed a senior al-Shabab leader, Abdirahman Sandhere - also known as Ukash.
US officials said the 13 November strike against Nabil had been authorised before terrorist attacks in Paris that evening that IS claimed responsibility for.
"Nabil's death will degrade Isil's (IS) ability to meet the group's objectives in Libya, including recruiting new Isil members, establishing bases in Libya, and planning external attacks on the United States," the Pentagon said at the time.
US officials said that Nabil may have been the IS spokesman pictured in a February 2015 video showing the apparent murder of Coptic Christians in Libya.
Libya remains in chaos four years after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, and is being fought over by a number of groups, including IS.
It has launched high-profile attacks in the mostly lawless North African country, and gained a foothold in key towns and cities, including Sirte.
The strike on Nabil was the first against an IS leader in Libya, the Pentagon said. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11453874 | Two men have been jailed for their part in a dissident republican gun smuggling plot which was uncovered after an MI5 sting operation.
Paul McCaugherty, 43, of Beech Court in Lurgan who was found guilty of attempting to import weapons and explosives, was given 20 years.
During the trial, which concluded in June, the prosecution claimed that during a two-year security services operation between August 2004 and June 2006, McCaugherty, calling himself "Tim", handled money and negotiated deals in locations across Europe.
He believed the men he was meeting were able to procure weapons and explosives but were in fact agents.
Jailing McCaugherty at Belfast Crown Court on Friday, Mr Justice Hart said any attempt to purchase and import a large amount of weapons "must be regarded as exceptionally serious because of the potential for murder and destruction on a large scale".
McCaugherty, who once boasted it was his branch of the Real IRA which made up the Omagh bomb which claimed the lives of 29 people, including unborn twins, showed no emotion as he was sentenced.
He had proposed part paying for the arms shipment by the sale of a restaurant in Portugal which was supplied by Gregory.
Mr Justice Hart told Gregory, 42, that "money is the lifeblood of any terrorist organisation, and anyone who makes property available to a terrorist organisation helps that organisation further its objectives of murder and destruction, and the punishment must reflect this". |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-24121170/german-voters-want-minimum-wage-on-politics-agenda | Should Germany have a minimum wage? Jump to media player Germany does not have a national minimum wage. One in five of its workers are classified as working poor. Tanya Beckett finds out the views of German voters on this issue.
Merkel: A safe pair of hands? Jump to media player Angela Merkel will be up for re-election as Germans head to the polls in just over a week.
World Have Your Say: Germany's role Jump to media player Germany has a powerful voice in the world when it comes to economic issues but it has been relatively quiet on the conflict in Syria. When World Have Your Say gathered an audience in Berlin's German Historical Museum, some viewers around the world wanted to ask why.
From Lampedusa to Berlin Jump to media player For Dickson Mobosi, 34, the reality of Germany is mostly the cold earth beneath his sleeping bag, inside a tent overlooked by solidly built townhouses in Berlin.
Do Germans back eurozone bailouts? Jump to media player German voters give their views on Germany's role in resolving the eurozone's financial crisis, ahead of elections on 22 September.
Spanish expatriate in Cologne Jump to media player Helena Barcos, 26, is one of the lucky ones among a new generation from the EU's Mediterranean states heading to Germany in search of work.
Germany's economy may be the strongest and its unemployment levels the lowest in Europe, but one in five of its workers are classified as working poor.
Unlike many of its neighbours, Germany does not have a national minimum wage.
In the run up to the election, Chancellor Angela Merkel's opponents say this needs to change.
Tanya Beckett finds out why this issue is so important to German voters. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12066494 | The New Start treaty, signed by the US and Russian presidents, replaces the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start), first proposed by US President Ronald Reagan in 1982 and signed in 1991, as the USSR sped towards collapse.
How does New Start differ from Start?
It puts new, lower limits on the size of each country's nuclear arsenal, and updates the verification mechanism.
What are the new limits?
There are limits on warheads and on launchers, which must be implemented within seven years of the treaty's entry into force.
Warheads: Under the New Start treaty each side is allowed a maximum of 1,550 warheads. This is about 30% lower than the figure of 2,200 that each side was meant to reach by 2012 under the Start treaty (as revised in the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty).
Launchers: Each country is allowed, in total, no more than 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear arms. Another 100 are allowed if they are not operationally deployed - for example, missiles removed from a sub undergoing a long-term overhaul.
The new limit on delivery systems is less than half the ceiling of 1,600 specified in the original Start treaty.
How dramatic are these cuts?
Not as dramatic as they might appear. The rules for counting warheads contain a big loophole. While each warhead on a ballistic missile is counted as one warhead, a heavy bomber is counted as carrying "one warhead" even though it may carry (in the case of a US B-52) up to 20 of them.
According to the Arms Control Association, a pro-disarmament pressure group, the US could theoretically meet the new limits by cutting just 100 warheads, while Russia would only need to cut 190.
In addition, the agreed ceilings refer to deployed warheads, not to warheads in storage. A warhead could, in theory, be put into storage, and then redeployed when needed.
The cuts in launchers are also, in practice, not all that challenging. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists estimates that Russia currently has 566 - well under the permitted ceiling of 700. It estimates that the US has 798, necessitating a cut of about 12%.
So is President Obama failing to make real progress towards his goal of cutting nuclear arms?
Supporters of the deal say that while it does not make big cuts, it is a useful confidence-building measure, which could pave the way for further nuclear deals with Russia.
They say it also signals to the rest of the world that the US and Russia are not ignoring their commitment under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to progressively disarm.
How does the new verification regime differ from the old one?
The important difference, according to the Arms Control Association, is that each side will now be able to carry out on-site inspections to verify how many warheads a missile is carrying. Together with satellite imagery, this should give an accurate picture of the other country's nuclear strength. Some other forms of verification will cease.
Does the new treaty mention missile defence?
Yes, it says that both sides can engage in "limited" missile defence. Russia has warned that it will withdraw from the treaty if a future US missile defence shield weakens its nuclear deterrent.
Does the treaty need to be ratified by legislators?
The US Senate ratified it on 22 December, after much delay, so now all it needs is Russia's final approval. Russia's parliament, the Duma, is expected to ratify it - and the process may begin on 24 December.
What could be included in future arms control negotiations?
The US wants further cuts in strategic nuclear arms, but is also keen to negotiate a reduction in Russia's short-range nuclear missile arsenal.
Russia wants the US to remove its 200 nuclear bombs from Europe (based in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Turkey) and would like to restrict the US's ability to put conventional warheads on long-range missiles. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-politics-39232537/david-cameron-lip-read-his-words-on-manifesto | Lip read Cameron's words to Fallon Jump to media player Was David Cameron caught on camera criticising his successor's Budget?
White House distress signal Jump to media player Press Secretary Sean Spicer sends an unintentional message at the daily news conference.
Has Trump changed the media landscape? Jump to media player President Trump has repeatedly attacked the authenticity of a number of mainstream media outlets since he took office but what effect have his attacks had on journalists?
Was David Cameron caught on camera criticising his successor's Budget?
While you can't hear the former PM's words at a ceremony to unveil a war memorial in London on Thursday, some commentators have engaged in a bit of lip-reading to suggest he did just that.
This footage of Mr Cameron speaking to Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon had led to a flurry of speculation that he appears to say something along the lines of "breaking a manifesto promise" is "stupid". |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12415801 | Helmets should be included in ski hire packages to protect against head injuries, say researchers in the British Medical Journal.
University of Innsbruck sports scientists say research has shown ski helmets reduce head injuries by 35% in adults and 59% in children under 13.
Awareness of brain injuries from accidents could also increase helmet use, they argue.
But some instructors think they are unnecessary.
Austrian researchers from the Department of Sports Science at Innsbruck looked at a number of past studies in this area to inform their view.
They found that between nine and 19% of all skiing injuries reported by Austrian ski patrols and emergency departments are head injuries - and severe head injuries, including traumatic brain injury, are a leading cause of death in winter sports.
Another study found that adults and children, of all ages, wearing a helmet while skiing were significantly less likely than those without a helmet to have a head injury.
Thus the researchers concluded that, "wearing a ski helmet seems to make sense to prevent head injuries in all age groups".
Other studies found that 74% of head injuries occurred when skiers hit their head on the snow, 10% when they collided with other skiers and 13% when they collided with fixed objects.
This suggests that "protecting the head with a helmet must be beneficial", the researchers say.
Gerhard Ruedl and colleagues at Innsbruck also tackle the theory that helmets impair hearing and reduce a skier or snowboarder's field of vision, but are not convinced by the arguments.
There is another point of view that wearing a helmet could provide a false sense of security and encourage more risky behaviour on the slopes.
But since studies show that helmet use is higher in more skilled skiers, the researchers conclude that, "the use of a helmet is not necessarily associated with a higher level of risk-taking but primarily with a higher level of skill."
Ultimately, they call for better education about brain trauma injuries and for the wearing of helmets to be made routine.
Many countries and ski areas have decided to promote and encourage the use of helmets on the slopes.
In Austria, for example, it is obligatory for children under 16 to wear a helmet when skiing or snowboarding.
In the United States, where latest data shows that helmet use has risen to nearly 50%, some resorts have made helmets compulsory for their employees.
A number of high-profile skiing accidents have had an effect.
A mother of four children died on an Austrian ski run in 2009 when she collided with a German politician. The politician was wearing a ski helmet and survived. The woman, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered a fatal brain injury.
Actress Natasha Richardson died while skiing in Canada in 2009 after a fall on a beginner's ski run. She also sustained a severe head injury and was not wearing a helmet.
Betony Garner, spokesperson for the Ski Club of Great Britain, says that helmet use on the slopes has increased dramatically over the last few years.
"Our view is that children under the age of 13 should wear a protective helmet and adults should use their own discretion," she said.
Although many snowboarders wear helmets because it's seen as part of a snowboarder's attire and the design of helmets has become more streamlined, colourful and trendy in recent years, Ms Garner says helmets are still not for everyone.
"There are still a big group of people who won't wear a helmet - experienced skiers and some ski instructors, because they are not used to it and just don't think it's necessary."
Should ski helmets be compulsory? |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8661231.stm | The French parliament has voted to return the mummified heads of at least 15 Maori warriors to New Zealand.
The heads, taken by European explorers in the 18th and 19th centuries, are currently on display in several museums in France.
The decision ends years of debate and is part of a wider discussion in the US and Europe on the restitution of artefacts taken centuries earlier.
The Maoris believed the preservation of the heads kept their spirits alive.
But they became exotic collector items in Europe in the 19th Century, with museum officials saying some men may have been killed for their tattoos.
MPs in France almost unanimously backed the bill to return the tattooed heads, some still with bits of hair and teeth attached, back to their home country.
It is the first time that French legislation has allowed an entire division of museum artefacts to be returned.
Catherine Morin-Desailly, the MP who proposed the bill, said it showed France's commitment to human rights.
"There are some things which are above art and which should remain sacred," she told Associated Press.
New Zealand first requested their return in the 1980s but the issue became more prominent in France in 2007 after a city council voted for one head to be sent back.
The decision was later overturned by the French Ministry of Culture, which ruled such a decision could not be taken at local level.
Critics had voiced concerns it might set a new precedent, putting other collections at risk.
Pita Sharples, the New Zealand minister for Maori affairs, said the decision was a "matter of great significance".
"Maori believe that, through their ancestors' return to their original homeland, their dignity is restored, and they can be put to rest in a peace among their families," he said.
The heads will be sent to the Te Papa museum in the New Zealand capital, Wellington, and then returned to tribal groups to be buried. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4885134.stm | A statue of Nelson Mandela may soon find a home in Parliament Square.
The London mayor's plans to place the 9ft (2.7m) bronze statue in Trafalgar Square were blocked last year by Westminster City Council's objections.
But people from the council, the Nelson Mandela Statue Fund and the Greater London Authority have begun talks. about the Parliament Square option.
If all sides agree, Nelson Mandela may find himself near other great leaders like Sir Winston Churchill.
Other statues in the square include Lloyd George, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Disraeli and George Canning.
"There does seem to be some degree of optimism that some sort of agreement can be reached," a Westminster Council spokesman said.
"The clock would start ticking as soon as we have a planning application. With all this pre-planning hopefully it would be a matter of months before it would come through."
The £400,000 statue, featuring a bronze sculpture by Ian Walters, could be placed on its own on Parliament Square's west side near Westminster Abbey.
Canning Green is another possibility and would see the anti-apartheid leader and former South African President positioned between Abraham Lincoln and George Canning.
In December Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott upheld a public inquiry's decision to refuse permission for it to be placed on the north terrace of Trafalgar Square, which was London mayor Ken Livingstone's preferred option.
The council was backed by English Heritage and the National Gallery. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17062806 | Deep inside the verdant and sweltering vegetation of Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast, a specially trained army unit is waging a new kind of war against a new type of enemy.
Operation Green Gold is the inaugural mission of Nicaragua's newly formed Ecological Battalion.
It is Central America's first concerted effort to seek a military-backed solution to the threats of climate change.
The green guard, a unit of 580 environmental soldiers, recently won its first "battlefield victory" by netting 111,800 cubic feet (3,165 cubic metres) of illegal lumber felled by loggers.
The trees were chopped down in Cerro Wawashang, a nature reserve that is being plundered to supply the black market for construction materials.
The eco-battalion, working in conjunction with state prosecutors and forestry officials, discovered the lumber contraband hidden under netting and brush to avoid detection from the air.
The troops are now reportedly on the trail of the criminal organisation that was extracting the wood from the jungle on riverboats.
"There are unscrupulous people who are taking advantage of the economic limitations of the people in this region.
"And in the end, it's the outsiders who benefit while the local communities are left with the indiscriminate deforestation," says Col Nestor Lopez, the army's chief of civil operations.
In a country with 71 nature reserves and other large areas of thick, primary forest, Nicaragua's precious hardwoods are tempting booty for timber traffickers.
Since 1983, Nicaragua's forest cover has dropped from 63% to some 40%, according to government data.
Not all Nicaragua's deforestation is caused by the lumber mafia - farmers and cattle ranchers are also doing their fair share of careless chopping.
But whoever is responsible, at the current rate of clearance only 25% of the country is likely to remain forested by 2030.
Reserves such as Cerro Wawashang will be reduced to scrub brush and grass, according to the military's projections.
As the forest cover recedes, the Nicaraguan government says climate change and global warming are already affecting the economy and national development.
"Since 2006, we are losing $200m (£126m) a year in lost agro-production due to climate change," says Dr Paul Oquist, who is President Daniel Ortega's adviser for national development policies and representative to world climate change forums.
"That's 9% of what's been planted each year. So our development in Nicaragua is already being affected by climate change."
Dr Oquist says deforestation and rising annual temperatures in Nicaragua - up three degrees centigrade in the past 50 years, according to government figures - is already affecting rain cycles.
Coffee farmers are having to move further up the mountains in search of cooler and shadier growing conditions.
"Eventually, you run out of mountain and you run out of the coffee industry," Dr Oquist said.
And that would spell disaster for Nicaragua's economy.
So, he says, "Nicaragua is not waiting for the global community" to act on climate change.
Instead, the government is seeking its own national solutions to mitigate the effects of deforestation and global warming.
Part of that effort is the Ecological Battalion, deployed to protect natural resources as a matter of national security.
In addition to carrying guns, the green soldiers also carry shovels as part of a nationwide effort to plant 560,000 trees in the various national reserves that have been affected by deforestation.
The eco-warriors represent an interesting change in what small agricultural countries now consider as a threat to their national security.
Indeed, Article 750 of Nicaragua's Constitution reflects the important tie between conserving nature and conserving the peace.
"Any act or action that severely impacts the environment of the country will be a considered a threat to national security," the law reads.
The battalion's mission is also about ensuring future energy security.
Nicaragua is currently largely dependent on an oil-powered electricity but is attempting to move towards supplying more than 50% of its needs with hydropower.
"The Nicaraguan government is trying to change the matrix of its energy supply, and to do so we need to preserve and conserve our nature reserves and forests so we can have the water we need to run what will be Central America's largest hydroelectric plant, Tumarin," said Col Juan Ramon Morales.
"But if we don't have forests, we won't produce the rain we need to make this project sustainable. We can't have a hydroelectric plant in the desert."
The world is changing, he says, and the military must adapt to new and emerging threats.
The Ecological Battalion will work, he said, because it is in the army's nature to be green.
"We wear olive drab and camouflage," said Col Lopez. "Our colour is green by nature. Now we have to make it that by conscience, too." |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28556906 | Bank of England plans to force badly-performing bankers to pay back bonuses could hurt London as a financial centre, the banking industry has said.
The new rules could put UK banks at a disadvantage compared with banks elsewhere, an industry body said.
Bankers may have to give back bonuses up to seven years after being awarded them.
Even if share awards have been cashed and spent, bankers could be asked to pay the money back.
Many bankers receive a substantial chunk of their pay in the form of an annual bonus, which can be up to double their basic salary.
Under current rules, that bonus is usually deferred for a period of three to five years, during which time it can be clawed back if appropriate.
But misconduct such as rigging interest rates or reckless risk-taking can take longer to emerge, so under the new policy, bonuses may be clawed back up to seven years later.
The Bank also published new rules for senior managers in the industry.
The British Bankers' Association (BBA) said the pay rules would put the UK at a competitive disadvantage.
"We now have the toughest regime in banking pay of any global financial centre," said Anthony Browne from the BBA.
"Bankers are paid less here [in London] than in New York, Singapore or Hong Kong, and ultimately this could have an impact on the competitiveness of London as a financial centre and the jobs and tax paid here.
"We have the world's largest international banking sector and we do have to make sure that we can continue to employ banking talent from around the world."
Bankers who are found guilty of "causing a bank to fail" by taking a "reckless decision" can already be sent to jail, or given unlimited fines.
To be found guilty, senior managers have to be aware at the time that their actions might cause the bank or building society to collapse.
If convicted, they can face up to seven years in jail.
"Holding individuals to account is a key component of our job as regulators of banks," said Andrew Bailey, the Bank's deputy governor for prudential regulation.
"The combination of clearer individual responsibilities and enhanced risk management incentives will encourage individuals in banks to take greater responsibility for their actions," he said.
The move comes days after Lloyds Banking Group was fined £218m.
The company was condemned for "serious misconduct" over certain key interest rates set in London.
Antony Jenkins, chief executive of Barclays, was supportive of the Bank of England plans.
"I believe that banks have to regulate themselves and that's why culture is so important, so that banks do the right business in the right way," he said.
"I would say that in principle, I support the idea that where there is wrongdoing, there should be appropriate punishment.
"If that's criminal wrongdoing, it should be criminal, if it's recklessness, that should be punished also, so I'm not against the concept of clawback," he continued.
The Bank of England warned in March that bankers might have to return their bonuses up to six years after receiving them.
Speaking earlier in the year, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, told the BBC's Andrew Marr that bank bonuses should be deferred for a "very long time" to ensure bad practice was not rewarded.
The new rules on bonus payments will come in on 1 January 2015, in time for next year's round of bonus payments in the City.
Libor scandal: Can we ever trust bankers again? |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-12047414 | Gatwick Airport has reopened its runway after heavy snowfall grounded aircraft on Monday evening.
The West Sussex airport said there were 696 flights scheduled on Tuesday with about 100,000 passengers expected to travel.
It warned passengers to expect delays and said 53 flights had been cancelled by 2100 GMT.
A total of 150 staff worked through the night to clear snow and ice from the runway.
On Monday passengers were told to go home rather than wait inside the terminal buildings.
A spokeswoman said the airport's runway reopened at 0600 GMT and the first departure was a Monarch flight to Innsbruck which took off at 0606 GMT.
She added: "Passengers planning to travel through Gatwick today, and for the rest of this week, should check the flight status on their airline's website first and only make their way to the airport if their flight has been confirmed."
Elsewhere in the county, Southeastern trains and Southern Railway said some routes on Tuesday would be affected by the weather.
A spokeswoman for Southeastern said: "It's inevitable that many services will be disrupted with cancellations and delays on many routes.
"Also some of our trains will have fewer carriages than they usually do, as a result of damage caused by the snow and ice."
Southern Railway said there were some alterations to services to the Sussex coast.
Both rail operators were resuming a normal service on Tuesday and said a normal timetable would run on Wednesday.
Motorists have also been urged to take extra care on the roads while temperatures remain low. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-34698165 | A woman who crashed her car into a unlit field in the west of the island was "extremely lucky" to avoid serious injury, her rescuers have said.
The Suzuki driver was taken to hospital after her car left the road and rolled into a field narrowly avoiding several trees and a telegraph pole.
The crashed happened at around 21:00 GMT on the Kirk Michael to Peel Coast Road near Knocksharry Farm on Sunday.
Station Officer Colin Kirkham said it could have been a "different outcome."
He said: "Once the vehicle left the road it managed to miss a number of large trees as well as a telegraph pole before dropping six feet into the field.
"Had the vehicle hit any of these obstacles the outcome may have been so different".
He added: "It must have been a frightening experience as she was trapped in a vehicle which was leaking petrol, in a dark unlit field, in a location she was unsure of."
Firefighters freed the woman and she was taken to hospital by ambulance. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-12047194/julian-assange-tells-bbc-his-concerns-over-swedish-case | Assange defiant over extradition Jump to media player The Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, has told the BBC he fears he would be kept incommunicado if extradited to Sweden.
Assange vows to continue leaks Jump to media player The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange has been granted bail pending an extradition hearing in the New Year, in pursuit of allegations of sexual misconduct in Sweden.
The Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange, has told the BBC he is fighting a Swedish extradition warrant over accusations that he sexually assaulted two women because he believes he would be held incommunicado and his Swedish lawyer would be gagged.
In an interview for the Today programme at the mansion in East Anglia where he is now on bail, Mr Assange suggested that the two women involved in the case had gone to the police for advice rather than to make a complaint.
Pressed by John Humphreys over why he was resisting going to Sweden, Mr Assange argued that the restrictions he would face there would mean that no natural justice would occur. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12707276 | The US national intelligence director has predicted embattled Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi will defeat the rebels challenging his grip on power.
James Clapper told the US Senate that Col Gaddafi's superior military force would prevail over the long term.
And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US would not act in Libya without international authorisation.
Meanwhile, Libyan rebels are fleeing the port of Ras Lanuf after sustained attacks by Col Gaddafi's forces.
In Washington, Mr Clapper, who is the top intelligence adviser to US President Barack Obama, told the Senate he saw no evidence Col Gaddafi would step down from power and warned his military was stronger than had previously been described.
"Gaddafi is in this for the long haul," Mr Clapper said.
"I don't think he has any intention, despite some of the press speculation to the contrary, of leaving. From all evidence that we have... he appears to be hunkering down for the duration."
US President Barack Obama wants the US to have a new relationship with the world, and this is a critical test of his approach.
To some, his reluctance to order military action looks like hesitation and weakness. It always has and always will irritate those who want an unapologetically aggressive America storming ahead, out front, leading those who have the guts to follow.
That is not Mr Obama's way. In part, he was elected in reaction to the Iraq war and he's very serious about acting in concert with the international community. His style is very deliberative, very rigorous, rather academic.
In the White House there's a curious mixture of an emotional attachment to the cause of democracy-loving rebels and a hard headed pragmatism: Libya is not seen as a vital national interest, in the way that Egypt Bahrain and Yemen are, and they don't want to get tied down in one country when more important challenges may be around the next corner.
In response to calls from some senior US Senate figures to establish a no-fly zone, Mr Clapper said Col Gaddafi's air defences were "quite substantial" and included Russian surface-to-air missile installations.
He said the Libyan military - which has an airforce of dozens of fighter jets, helicopters and transport craft - had attacked rebels but that the pilots "can't shoot straight" and had not inflicted many casualties.
Also, Mr Clapper said one possible outcome could be the splitting of Libya into three autonomous states.
Later, Mr Obama's National Security Adviser Tom Donilon sought to temper Mr Clapper's remarks on Col Gaddafi's strength, suggesting his was a "static and one-dimensional analysis".
Mr Donilon told reporters the pressure of sanctions and the threat of the international community could overcome Col Gaddafi's military might.
Also on Thursday, the US revoked the diplomatic status of the Libyan envoys remaining in the embassy in Washington and suspended the embassy's operations.
Mrs Clinton said the US would meet representatives of the Libyan opposition, but emphasised the US would not undertake military action unilaterally.
"We're looking to see whether there is any willingness in the international community to provide any authorisation for further steps," she told a panel of the US House of Representatives.
"Absent international authorisation, the US acting alone would be stepping into a situation whose consequences are unforeseeable." |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16353744 | British singer Peter Frampton has sued the Universal Music Group for unpaid digital royalties, according to US reports.
Nashville newspaper The Tennessean said the star has filed legal papers at a Los Angeles federal court, accusing the record company of "breach of contract".
He argues that he should receive a higher royalty rate for digital downloads than for physical copies.
A lawyer for Universal Music Group could not be reached for comment.
In the past, record labels have argued that online sales should be treated the same as physical album sales.
But artists say that, because online music does not incur packaging and shipping costs that are usually paid for by the record company, they should be entitled to larger royalty percentages.
Frampton is seeking damages and has hired music lawyer Richard Busch, who has represented Eminem and The Knack's Bruce Gary in similar court cases.
"The issues in these cases go beyond simply breach of contract," Mr Busch told the Tennessean.
"The plaintiffs allege the wrongdoing here is a part of deliberate effort to deprive the parties of their royalties."
Mr Frampton, first signed with A&M Records, a division of Universal Music Group, in 1971.
He went on to record rock classics such as Show Me the Way and Baby, I Love Your Way.
His 1976 album Frampton Comes Alive! is still one of the best-selling live albums in the US.
The newspaper said the star signed a new contract in 1998, which stated that any "licensed" music would give the singer a 50% royalty.
But the lawsuit has claimed the company paid less than the agreed percentage and it "systematically and knowingly" breached its contract with Mr Frampton. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wear/8163969.stm | Floodwaters have carved out a huge trench across a 25-acre barley field in County Durham.
The trench - dubbed the Grand Canyon of Durham - measures 80ft at its widest point, is 14ft deep and several hundred metres in length.
It appeared at Houghall College, near Durham City, after the area was hit by torrential rain at the weekend.
When the waters receded staff found the trench, which is thought to be a forgotten branch of the River Wear.
Peter Whitfield, from the agricultural college, said: "We had just reseeded the field and put the barley in and it was in good condition.
"We are going to have to contact the Environment Agency and Defra to see exactly what we can do with the feature that has now been created.
"It looks like the Grand Canyon and it shows what mother nature can do."
The trench has proved an attraction for nearby residents and workers.
Experts from Durham University are now examining the scene to establish if any damage has been done to the River Wear by the tons of displaced material.
It is thought Durham monks diverted the River Wear in the 15th Century to avoid the city's cathedral and castle becoming waterlogged. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21289052 | Crowds of mourners have turned out in Phnom Penh for the start of funeral proceedings for King Norodom Sihanouk, who died in October.
A coffin carrying the embalmed body of the late monarch was paraded through the streets of the capital.
It was taken to a crematorium, where his funeral pyre will be lit by his wife and son, King Norodom Sihamoni, on Monday.
King Sihanouk died of a heart attack in Beijing at the age of 89.
His embalmed body has been lying in state at the royal palace for the last three months to allow people to pay their respects.
Crowds began lining the streets of Phnom Penh at dawn ahead of the parade.
King Sihanouk's gold casket was carried on a golden float, surrounded by officials wearing white, the colour of mourning.
After cremation, his ashes will be placed in an urn at the royal palace.
King Sihanouk remained an influential figure until death, despite abdicating in favour of his son in 2004.
He became king in 1941 while still a teenager, and led Cambodia to independence from France in 1953.
In later life he emerged as a peacemaker who helped bring stability back to his country, after an ill-fated choice to back the Khmer Rouge in its early years. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10370955 | Some 98% of climate scientists that publish research on the subject support the view that human activities are warming the planet, a study suggests.
It added there was little disagreement among the most experienced scientists.
But climate sceptics questioned the findings, saying that publication in scientific journals was not a fair test of expertise.
The study's authors said they found "immense" differences in both the expertise and scientific prominence of those who supported the "primary tenets" of latest assessments made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and those who were sceptical of the IPCC's findings.
In general, they added, the researchers who were convinced of the human impact on climate change had published twice as many papers as their sceptical counterparts, and were cited in other people's research two to three times more often.
Lead author William Anderegg, from Stanford University in California, US, said the findings suggested that not all experts were equal in what they claimed.
"The researchers who are convinced (by the IPCC's assessment reports) have a lot more experience in climate research and have published a lot more papers in the scientific literature and are generally well respected in their field," he said.
"And it also demonstrates the converse that those who are sceptical of the IPCC's claims, in general, know a lot less about the climate system."
Mr Anderegg and his colleagues drew from a list of 908 researchers who had contributed to research used by the IPCC and have signed statements broadly in support of the UN body's assessments.
On the sceptical side, they chose 475 scientists from a list of 11 major sceptical declarations and open letters.
The researchers said they felt the need to carry out the survey because of the growing public perception that scientific opinion was divided on the issue following recent scandals, such as "climategate" at the UK's University of East Anglia and the use of non-peer reviewed literature in the IPCC findings.
"We really felt that the state of the scientific debate was so far removed from the state of the public discourse and we felt that a good quantitative, rigorous comparison of this would put to rest the notion that the scientists 'disagree' about global warming," Mr Anderegg told BBC News.
Sceptical groups, however, argued that publication in scientific journals was not a fair test of expertise.
They said that those who choose which papers to publish favoured research that supported the IPCC's view, and suggested that the new study was tautologous.
Professor Hans von Storch, from the Meteorological Institute of the University of Hamburg, said: "You have to ask yourself - which are the the tenets of (the human induced climate change) outlined by the IPCC the '"convinced" groups of scientists agree with.
"There is a core of assertions, dealing with the effect of greenhouse gases on temperature and sea level, which enjoy general agreement," Professor von Storch told BBC News.
"While others, for instance, related to the Himalaya glaciers, the changing tropical storms and their damages or the fate of Greenland, are heavy contested.
"It's typical of this broad-brush study to make such wide ranging claims similar to the infamous 'the debate is over'."
Dr Sonja Boehmer-Christiansen, from the University of Hull, UK, added: "Who judges expertise and prominence? It looks to me that the authors belong to an IPCC supporting group that must count as believers and belong to the beneficiaries of the man-made warming scare." |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-41664387 | A boy found hanged in his bedroom had unclear intentions, a coroner has said.
Asad Khan, 11, a pupil at Bradford's Beckfoot Upper Heaton School, was found by his mother at the family home on Tile Street, on 28 September.
Delivering a narrative conclusion, coroner Martin Fleming said there was no evidence to back up his parents' claims he was being bullied.
Following the ruling, Asad's family criticised the "serious failure" of the inquest.
Their solicitor Ruth Bundey said in statement that the family would be taking matters further "by way of judicial complaint".
She added: "The family's loss of their son remains heartrendingly more acute due to the serious failure of this inquest to examine all the available and relevant background."
Asad's parents believe he was being bullied and had also raised concerns about a choking game at the school.
In a statement read the family, who were not in court during the inquest, said Asad's parents felt "as though throughout they have been put on trial rather than treated with any respect as bereaved parents".
It added that the family had been left "entirely disappointed with the whole proceedings and its outcome".
The family walked out of an pre-inquest hearing over concerns about what evidence would be heard.
In a statement read at an earlier hearing the family said that they had been concerned about the school - which was Asad's fifth choice - because they heard it was notorious for bullying.
The inquest was told that a police investigation did not find any evidence of bullying.
Mr Fleming said "we must disentangle rumour and speculation from facts".
He said: There were no notes, there was no self harm. Had Asad been bullied he had many opportunities to raise it at home, school or the mosque.
"There is nothing to suggest that the school overlooked bullying."
The coroner added: "Although it's more likely than not he put himself in this position, his intention remains unclear."
In a statement, Beckfoot Upper Heaton School described Asad as "quiet, polite, hard-working and enthusiastic".
"Our thoughts will always remain with Asad's family because their loss is immeasurable and enduring." |
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-22352281 | Turkmenistan's President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, has narrowly escaped serious injury after riding a horse to victory in a national racing event.
Soon after the president crossed the finish line his horse fell, throwing him in front of other galloping horses which only just missed him.
Officials who rushed to aid him were left with a public-relations nightmare.
The accident was a major embarrassment to aides more used to presenting their leader in the best possible light.
The president wields almost absolute power in the secretive Central Asian country, where dissent is not tolerated and free speech is non-existent.
State media regularly extol his leadership, cultivating the image of a man with many and varied talents.
He has at various times been shown winning a national car race, performing surgery, and playing his own composition on a guitar in front of a huge audience.
The president - a former dentist - has also written books on horses and medicine which are best sellers in Turkmenistan, an isolated desert nation with a poor human rights record but rich in natural gas reserves.
The riding event on Sunday was meant to celebrate the horsemanship of Turkmenistan's strongman ruler.
It marked the climax of a three-day annual holiday celebrating the national Akhal Teke horse breed, which is revered in Turkmenistan.
A BBC correspondent says that it only became clear just before the race that the president would be taking part.
The announcement - made in the Turkmen language only - was greeted with a huge cheer by a crowd several thousand strong which seemed genuinely to wish their leader well, our correspondent adds.
But just after President Berdimuhamedov crossed the finish-line, his horse fell directly in front of dozens of journalists invited to cover the event. He was flung forward, landing heavily on the ground as other horses sped by.
The course commentator was lost for words as the president lay still for several seconds before dozens of black-suited security guards rushed over to attend to him. An ambulance eventually took him away.
Our correspondent says that there was a shocked silence in the stadium for about 30 minutes and no public announcements were made. Some spectators began to cry in expectation of bad news.
Foreign reporters trying to confirm that it really was the president who had taken a fall were asked by their minders not to make telephone calls, record video footage or report what was happening.
After about 40 minutes the president reappeared in traditional Turkmen dress to a large round of applause. He calmly waved at the crowd, apparently unharmed, and the event resumed as if nothing had happened.
Journalists were then assembled by officials and asked politely to erase all pictures and footage taken of the incident, which was described as a "sporting accident" of no interest to people at home or abroad. But footage of the accident was nevertheless taken out of the stadium.
Mr Berdimuhamedov - who is known under the honorary title of Arkadag, Turkmen for "the protector" - has built an elaborate personality cult ever since assuming power in 2006 following the death of his predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov, who himself had a reputation for his eccentric leadership style.
The Dictator: Why do autocrats do strange things?
Has Turkmenistan changed at all? |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8507555.stm | Sri Lankan opposition parties have said they will mount a legal challenge to the detention of defeated presidential candidate Gen Sarath Fonseka.
Gen Fonseka was arrested on Monday, accused of working with anti-government forces and planning a coup and assassinations. He denies the charges.
His wife has visited him, but his supporters say they fear for his life.
Their move comes after President Mahinda Rajapaksa dissolved parliament, paving the way for early elections.
Mr Rajapaksa easily defeated Gen Fonseka in elections last month, but the general rejected the outcome.
In a joint statement, the opposition parties said they feared the general would be killed in detention.
"We have good reason to believe that the extra-judicial arrest of Gen Fonseka may be followed up with assassination while in custody," the statement said.
The opposition has also called for protests over the arrest.
"We will take this matter to courts, we will take it before the people and we will take it before the international community," said opposition legislator Rauf Hakeem.
Defence officials say he will probably face a military court, the BBC's Charles Haviland reports from the capital, Colombo.
But another senior government official, Rajiva Wijesinha, has said he hopes any evidence will be promptly clarified and that any case brought will be a civil one.
Meanwhile, Gen Fonseka's wife told the BBC she had been allowed to visit him at the navy headquarters in Colombo where he is being held.
Anoma Fonseka said he trusted no one there and had therefore not eaten or drunk anything until she had taken him a meal.
Parliamentary elections are expected to be held on 8 April. Mr Rajapaksa is hoping to capitalise on his comfortable victory in the presidential poll, correspondents say.
He fought the January election on the back of the military defeat of the Tamil Tigers last year. Gen Fonseka also took credit for ending the long civil war.
The two men fell out soon after the fighting ended and embarked on a bitter election campaign.
Hours before his arrest, the general said he was prepared to give evidence in an international court on any war crime charges brought against Sri Lankan leaders. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cornwall/4973496.stm | The National Trust has become the new owner of one of Cornwall's most beautiful headlands.
Carrick District Council passed ownership and care of St Agnes Head as well as nearby Trevellas Coombe to the conservation trust on Wednesday.
St Agnes Head is home to important wildlife and archaeology dating back to pre-historic times.
The trust will now undertake extensive restoration and improvement work at both sites.
The council said it made the decision to hand the land over to the Trust so it can benefit from "enhanced management and promotion, whilst enabling public access and enjoyment of the areas to continue".
Phil Dyke from the National Trust said: "We are most grateful to Carrick District Council and members of the St Agnes Parish Council and St Agnes Local Improvements Committee for making these two acquisitions possible.
"The coast around St Agnes is some of Cornwall's finest, containing a wealth of wildlife and historic features enjoyed by many thousands of people each year."
Trevellas Coombe is rich in industrial archaeology and provides access to a popular beach cove.
The trust's initial work will take two years to complete and will involve putting overhead cables underground to improve the view as well as restoration of the coastguard lookout. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-11997994 | The ashes of a soldier who died in Afghanistan have been sent up in a firework rocket as part of a display to mark the anniversary of his death.
Lance Corporal David Kirkness of Morley, Leeds, died when a device carried by a suicide bomber exploded in 2009.
The finale of the display was a rocket carrying some of the 24-year-old's ashes over the town.
His mother Maggie Kirkness said it was the send-off her son wanted.
Ms Kirkness, who has raised more than £7,500 for the charities Help for Heroes and Care for Casualties, said it was a chance to raise more funds and carry out her son's wishes.
The display started at 1815 GMT on Wednesday at Scatcherd Park in the town and when the final rocket was launched the Last Post was played followed by Reveille.
Ms Kirkness said: "David initially wrote a letter home saying if anything happened he wanted someone to skydive with his ashes.
"But then he sent another saying he wanted to be in a firework over Morley Town Hall."
Ms Kirkness said her son had a real sense of humour.
"While he was writing that request he would have been creased with laughter," she added.
"That's what he wanted, that's what we're doing and he'll be howling.
"It's not a goodbye, it's a celebration, because we wanted to celebrate 24 fantastic years.
"He was funny and so likeable, he was my rock really.
"I'm so proud of him, but I'm also going to be gutted." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7081214.stm | In a fourth-storey apartment block close to the centre of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, 30 young men and women are crouched in front of computers.
Some are working in what used to be one of the bedrooms, and the others are in the former sitting room.
They are the vanguard of an industry in Kenya that is waiting to take off.
They are employees of Preciss International, an out-sourcing company run by Mugure Mugo.
She set up the company five years ago with one colleague.
"I did the marketing and contract work, my one employee did the data processing," she says.
"I checked it in the evening and we sent it off the following day to the client."
Her office, by the way, is what used to be a guest bedroom in the apartment.
Since those early days the business has expanded and is about to grow bigger still with the backing of an investor.
Kenya has all the right ingredients for outsourcing work, except one: communication speeds.
"We are held back by the fact that all our data and calls go via satellite," Ms Mugo says.
"This is very expensive and is one of the big obstacles to growth."
Preciss International has a young, very well-educated workforce and have picked up a big multinational client along with a host of smaller ones.
In the bedroom, a "data clean-up" exercise is taking place, where Preciss employees are calling companies all over Africa, checking on names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
Next door in the sitting room, three people are working on subtitling American and British television programmes for the deaf.
"It's good business," says MS Mugure, "But it takes ages to download the programmes, and that adds to our costs."
The price of satellite bandwidth is prohibitively high in Kenya and other East African countries.
A megabyte of satellite-delivered bandwidth in Kenya costs around $7,500, whereas elsewhere in the world a megabyte costs no more than about $400.
This huge price difference has been a brake on many other businesses as well.
It has taken a long time, but at last slow connection speeds and expensive internet access are about to end in Kenya.
In the next few days, the Kenyan government will sign a deal with a French/US engineering company Alcatel-Lucent, to commission a fibre-optic cable from Fujaira in The United Arab Emirates along the sea floor of the Gulf of Oman, down the East African coast to the port town of Mombasa.
From Mombasa, the government plans to weave a network of fibre-optic cable throughout the country.
It will be welcomed with open arms in the Browse Internet Access cafe in the centre of Nairobi, where dozens of people are sitting in front of their flat-screens tapping away at the keyboards.
The internet speeds at the cafe are fast by Nairobi standards and reliable, but painfully slow compared to what should be available.
Sami Seram is a student. He comes to Browse because the computers at his university are even worse, but he finds doing his bio-chemistry online research very slow going.
I watched him, waiting while a relatively straightforward page of script was downloading.
"Look at this," he says. "It's so slow. It takes me a very long time to get hold of what I need, and it's very expensive."
Mr Seram reckons he spends about 500 Kenyan shillings a week on internet connections - that is about $7.50.
In a country where the average annual wage is less than $1,500, this amounts to a substantial outlay, particularly for a student.
Stephen Onyambu, the boss of Browse says with the cost of satellite bandwidth so high it is impossible to offer internet access any cheaper.
"We have had to cut our margins down and down," he says.
"But wait, once the fibre optic comes we will be charging just a few cents for internet time."
Work on laying the fibre-optic cable is due to start at the end of the year.
The ocean floor has been surveyed and now the huge pipe must be laid in an $82m operation.
Alcatel-Lucent have committed to finish the project in two years.
Bitange Ndemo, permanent secretary at the Kenyan Ministry of Communication and Information, says they won the contract on cost and speed of delivery.
He says neighbouring countries and territories like Ethiopia, southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo have already asked to be connected.
He is optimistic about what the fibre-optic cable will deliver to Kenyan business, but the real prize, he thinks, is to be found in rural Kenya. "For the youth here - this is going to be such a massive change," he says.
"Many villages in Kenya are being put on the electricity for the first time, and we will give these villages internet access as well.
"Suddenly, these young people in schools who knew only their immediate surroundings will have the whole world opened up to them."
It is an enticing prospect but, realistically, it will still be a long time before Kenya is all hooked up to the worldwide web. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6512945.stm | Australian Guantanamo detainee David Hicks will be sent home to serve nine months in prison after being sentenced by a military judge at the facility.
Hicks, 31, was sentenced to seven years in jail after pleading guilty to supporting terrorism, but all but nine months of the sentence was suspended.
The ex-kangaroo skinner has been in the prison for five years since his capture in Afghanistan as a Taleban fighter.
Australia's government has reacted coolly to news of his transfer.
Under a plea bargain deal with the prosecution, Hicks could only be sentenced to a maximum of seven years.
The plea deal also specifies that any term beyond nine months be suspended, the judge at the sentencing hearing on Friday evening revealed.
The US must now send Hicks to his home country within 60 days - by 29 May.
"We hope that it happens much quicker than that," said his defence lawyer, Col Michael Mori.
The Muslim convert appeared in court on Friday in a suit and with his hair, which earlier in the week reached down to his chest, cut short.
As part of the plea bargain, Hicks also withdrew claims he had been beaten by US forces after his capture in Afghanistan and that he had been sedated before learning of the charges against him.
US civil rights groups have accused Washington of trying to cover up abuses and Hicks' father in Australia continued to insist his son had been maltreated.
"We know for a fact that he was, and I'm going to push that issue," Terry Hicks told Australian radio.
"The bottom line of all this is that at least he's back home. He's out of that hell hole."
However, Australian Prime Minister John Howard accused some of trying to turn Hicks into a "hero".
"Whatever may be the rhetorical responses of some and particularly the government's critics, the facts speak for themselves," he said in Sydney.
"He pleaded guilty to knowingly assisting a terrorist organisation - namely, al-Qaeda."
The BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney says that while the conservative government is a supporter of the US military justice system, it has come under a great deal of pressure from Australians disturbed by Hicks' treatment.
As part of his plea deal, Hicks has agreed not to speak to the media for a year, not to receive any money for his story and not to sue the US government.
He is the first Guantanamo detainee convicted of any terrorist offence since they began arriving at the camp a little over five years ago.
The US is gradually putting other prisoners through the same process.
Hicks is also the first person convicted by a US war crimes court since World War II. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-47658211 | Progress on one of Northern Ireland's biggest road building projects has taken a step forward.
A Newry GAA club, whose pitch lies in the middle of the preferred route, has agreed to move to another site.
The Newry Southern Relief Road (NSRR) is a scheme valued at about £100m.
It aims to link the A1 Belfast-Dublin Road with the A2 Newry-Warrenpoint dual carriageway which is expected to improve access to Warrenpoint Port and Newry city centre.
The bulk of the funding for the project is to come from Newry, Mourne and Down Council's dividend for supporting the Belfast Region City Deal.
But between the two main roads are a number of significant hurdles.
These include Gerry Brown Park, which is the home ground of Newry Mitchel's GAA club; Newry Canal, which regularly attracts Tall Ships into the city centre, and a number of homeowners in the Fathom area who will have to sell their homes to allow the road through.
This week it was confirmed that the first of these hurdles has been removed after Newry Mitchels agreed to move to alternative council owned facilities at Derryleckagh - about three miles away.
That followed a letter from Down GAA's county board to the council which said that "John Mitchel GFC have a proud tradition and history in the Newry area and we would be very anxious that they were able to fulfil their home fixtures at one particular venue as opposed to being in a situation that changed from week to week".
The letter added: "There would be goodwill throughout the Down GAA family to ensure that Mitchels were facilitated if possible at Derryleckagh Playing Fields."
This arrangement will last until the end of March 2020. But SDLP Newry City councillor Michael Savage is hopeful it could become permanent.
"Obviously the Mitchels have been severely impacted by this as they will lose their pitch as a result of the southern relief road," he said.
"We've managed to secure another pitch for at least another 12 months and the view then would be working hard to get them a permanent, long-term home. It's one of the oldest clubs in this city."
But major challenges remain for the project.
It will see a small number of homeowners forced to sell their homes and that is something that councillor Michael Savage acknowledges will be a tougher proposition.
"The residents of the Fathom Line are the people I represent. I brought them together with Roads Service over the last number of months," he said.
"It's a historic area with ancient woodland. It's also been occupied by families for generations. There are 13 families of which nine are impacted.
"I've brought those families together with Roads Service to make sure their concerns are heard and their voices are listened to.
"The route has generally been agreed but where it impacts on their properties still has to be agreed."
The BBC called on one of these homeowners on Thursday. She didn't want to be interviewed but said she had come to terms with the reality that the road was going ahead.
But the strong maritime lobby in Newry still requires considerable reassurance.
Newry Ship Canal opened in 1769. The port of Newry may have moved to Warrenpoint in the 1970s, but Tall Ships and pleasure boats continue to travel up the canal to berth in the Albert Basin in the city centre.
As such, Peter Maxwell of the Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI) says that the final design of the road must include a section that opens to allow vessels through.
"Our association was formed in 1954 to stop the building of fixed bridges over the River Shannon and we were successful there," he said.
"Now here we are in Newry and they are proposing to put in a bridge that won't have an opening span over the canal. That means that nearly every single yacht in the Albert Basin would not be able to get there.
"(A fixed bridge) would need to be over 100ft high - that's 30 metres, but it's proposed it would only be around 30 feet. The problem is that the Tall Ships that visit Newry frequently need that clearance and the council stated in 2008 that any bridge must have a clearance of 35 metres."
It's understood that a structure with an opening span over the canal would cost around £25million more than one with a fixed bridge. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32606341 | Sleep is a normal, indeed essential part of our lives. But if you think about it, it is such an odd thing to do.
At the end of each day we become unconscious and paralysed. Sleep made our ancestors vulnerable to attack from wild animals. So the potential risks of this process, which is universal among mammals and many other groups, must offer some sort of evolutionary advantage.
Research in this area was slow to take off. But recently there has been a series of intriguing results that are giving researchers a new insight into why we sleep and what happens when we do it.
Scientists simply don't know for sure. In broad terms researchers believe it is to enable our bodies and especially our brains to recover. Recently researchers have been able to find out some of the detailed processes involved.
During the day brain cells build connections with other parts of the brain as a result of new experiences. During sleep it seems that important connections are strengthened and unimportant ones are pruned. Experiments with sleep-deprived rats have shown that this process of strengthening and pruning happens mostly while they sleep.
And sleep is also an opportunity for the brain to be cleared of waste.
A group led by Prof Maiken Nedergaard at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York discovered a network of microscopic fluid-filled channels in rats that clears waste chemicals from the brain. Prof Nedergaard told BBC News when her research was first published in 2013 that this process occurs mostly when the brain is shut off.
"You can think of it like having a house party. You can either entertain the guests or clean up the house, but you can't really do both at the same time."
What happens when I don't get enough sleep?
It seems that a lack of sleep alters the way in which the genes in the body's cells behave.
Researchers at Surrey University in Guildford have found that genes involved in inflammation seem to increase their activity. Dr Malcolm von Schantz, who is involved with the Surrey research, believes that the genes are responding to lack of sleep as if the body is under stress.
He speculates that in the distant past in times of stress our ancestors' bodies would prepare themselves for injury by activating these inflammation genes which would cushion the effects of attacks by wild animals or human enemies.
"It puts the body on alert for a wound but no wound happens," he told BBC News.
"This could easily help explain the links between sleep deprivation and negative health outcomes such as heart disease and stroke."
In modern times though preparing for an injury that never happens has no beneficial effect - in fact the consequent activation of the immune system might increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Why is it hard to think when I am tired?
The expression "half asleep" might be an accurate description of what is going on in the brain when you are feeling slow-witted.
Research suggests that parts of the human brain may well be asleep when it is sleep-deprived. Studies on whales and dolphins show that when asleep they continue to use half of their brain to swim and come up to the surface for air.
A study on human patients showed that something similar goes on in our brains. As they became more sleep-deprived, parts of their brain became inactive while they were still awake.
What's more the local sleep areas move around the brain. So although when we go to bed we think one moment we are awake and then there is an abrupt change to sleep - it may well be more of a continuous process.
What is the role of dreaming?
That's a question that psychiatrists, notably Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, have tried to answer but with limited success. More recently a team at the ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto in Japan has begun trying to answer some of these questions by building the beginnings of a dream-reading machine.
They asked volunteers to doze off in an MRI scanner and recorded their brain patterns. The volunteers were then woken up and asked to tell researchers what they were dreaming about.
The team then listed 20 separate categories of dream content from these accounts such as dwelling, street, male, female, building or computer screen. The researchers then compared the accounts with the pattern of activity in the area of the brain responsible for processing visual information - and to their amazement they found that there was a correlation. So much so that they could predict which of the 20 different categories they had listed the patient had dreamt of with 80% accuracy.
The device is a very rough tool but it may well be a first step to something that can see in more detail what happens in our dreams and so help researchers learn more about why we dream.
How is modern life affecting our sleep patterns?
Several studies show that the light bulb has led people shifting their day and getting less sleep. On average we go to bed and wake up two hours later than a generation ago.
The US Centres for Disease Control reported in 2008 that around a third of working adults in the US get less than six hours sleep a night, which is 10 times more than it was 50 years ago. In a later study it was also reported that nearly half of all the country's shift workers were getting less than six hours sleep.
And a study led by Prof Charles Czeisler of Harvard Medical School found that those who read electronic books before they went to bed took longer to get to sleep, had reduced levels of melatonin (the hormone that regulates the body's internal body clock) and were less alert in the morning.
Image caption The light bulb and the pressures of modern life have shifted our sleep patterns but at what cost?
At the time of publication he said: "In the past 50 years, there has been a decline in average sleep duration and quality.
"Since more people are choosing electronic devices for reading, communication and entertainment, particularly children and adolescents who already experience significant sleep loss, epidemiological research evaluating the long-term consequences of these devices on health and safety is urgently needed."
One in eight of us keep our mobile phones switched on in our bedroom at night, increasing the risk our sleep will be disturbed.
Foods such as bacon, cheese, nuts and red wine, can also keep us awake at night.
BBC iWonder - Which five things ruin a good night's sleep?
Many studies report that there is evidence that sleep loss is associated with obesity, diabetes, depression and lower life expectancy - while others, such as Prof James Horne, a sleep researcher at Loughborough University believes that such talk amounts to "scaremongering".
"Despite being 'statistically significant', the actual changes are probably too small to be of real clinical interest," he told BBC News. "Most healthy adults sleep fewer than that notional 'eight hours' and the same went for our grandparents.
"Our average sleep has fallen by less than 10 minutes over the last 50 years. Any obesity and its health consequences attributable to short sleep are only seen in those few people sleeping around five hours, where weight gain is small - around 1.5kg per year - which is more easily rectified by a better diet and 15 minutes of daily brisk walking, rather than by an hour or so of extra daily sleep."
A team from the universities of Surrey and Sao Paulo in Brazil have spent the past 10 years tracking the health of the inhabitants of Bapendi, a small town in Brazil where modern day lifestyles haven't yet taken hold.
Many of the inhabitants of this town get up and go to bed early. The investigators hope to find out soon whether the old adage "early to bed and early to rise" really does make us, if not "wealthy and wise", at least "healthy and wise". |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4726301.stm | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has announced the creation of a new post to help "accelerate the demise" of the Castro regime in Cuba.
Caleb McCarry, a veteran Republican Party activist, was appointed as the Cuba transition co-ordinator.
Ms Rice said for 50 years Fidel Castro had condemned Cubans to a "tragic fate of repression and poverty".
Mr Castro accuses the US of funding unrest and vowed that dissidents would never bring down his government.
The post was recommended in a 2004 report on Cuba by a commission headed by Ms Rice's predecessor Colin Powell.
The report outlines the steps the US is prepared to take to bring about regime change in Cuba, such as subverting Mr Castro's plans to hand over power to his younger brother.
Introducing Mr McCarry at the State Department in Washington, Ms Rice said the US was working with advocates of democratic change on the island.
"We are working to deny resources to the Castro regime to break its blockade on information and to broadcast the truth about its deplorable treatment of the Cuban people," she said.
She said the aim of the effort was to "accelerate the demise of Castro's tyranny" on the Caribbean island, which he has ruled since 1959.
Earlier this week, in a speech marking the anniversary of the Cuban revolution, Mr Castro accused the US of financing dissidents and false propaganda.
"No other revolutionary process has been able to count on as much consensus and overwhelming support as the Cuban revolution has," he told supporters in Havana. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-47777065 | Hundreds of people have had their dieting classes cancelled after Scottish Slimmers was put into liquidation by its owners.
Chief executive Amanda Boyle said the slimming club's network of classes had been suspended and members would not receive refunds.
She hopes to restart classes in future, following a social enterprise model.
The move affects 30 members of staff, including those in the Aberdeen headquarters, and class coaches.
However, members will be able to use the brand's online service, which is run by companies unaffected by the liquidation.
The slimming club was founded in 1980 and had built a network of 140 classes across Scotland, where slimmers would come together to discuss their diets.
In addition to this, it also has an online subscription service which can either be used to supplement dieters' efforts outside of classes, or support those following the diet from home. This online service will still be available to members.
It also has a range of branded food, which is also not affected by the liquidation.
Ms Boyle said she took over the business in February 2018 but it had become clear that the structure of the business was unsustainable.
She said: "This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make as I know how much the network of classes means to our members and how our community of members has valued the support of their class coaches in their healthy living and weight loss programmes.
"We have found ourselves unable to rely on previous reporting and company data."
She added: "Despite an encouraging start to 2019, it has become impossible to sustain a model where the costs of running the class network are twice the level of the annual revenue generated by these classes.
"I sincerely hope that creating a social enterprise which meets a genuine need in many communities can successfully provide a class network of support for those who want to adopt a healthier eating habits and lifestyle.
"This should mean that following a short period where there will be no classes, members will be able to once again access the support and encouragement they have had from Scottish Slimmers."
Debra Henry, 47, of Aberdeenshire, has attended their classes for about 20 years. She told the BBC Scotland news website that she loses "the same couple of stone every time" she rejoins.
On Monday, she purchased an annual pass for the online services for £29.99. She planned to rejoin classes on Tuesday, in a bid to slim down ahead of her holiday to Florida in October.
She said she "wouldn't have bothered" purchasing the online subscription if she had realised the classes were being shut down. She said the "fantastic" class leader helped her diet, and that she had better success with Scottish Slimmers than with other dieting groups.
Although she will still be able to use the online service, she says she does not find it helpful unless she can have the support of a class with it.
She thinks she is lucky she had not already purchased a pass for attending classes too, or she would be further out of pocket. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/3747054.stm | The RFL and Manchester United have reached a deal to stage rugby league's Grand Final at Old Trafford for the next four seasons.
The attendance has grown every season culminating in this year's sell out.
"The Grand Final has become one of British sport's major occasions and Old Trafford has been a key component," said RFL chief executive Richard Lewis.
"It's a unique event which an increasing number of supporters wish to be a part of."
He added: "The stadium enjoys a global reputation as a world class sporting venue and we believe that makes it an appropriate place to stage our Super League title decider.
Manchester United chief executive David Gill said: "It is always a pleasure to host the Grand Final."
"We are delighted that we will be welcoming the RFL for a further four years." |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21619842 | Media captionThe 39-tonne driverless wagon travelled through seven stations on the Northern Line before it stopped.
Three transport companies have been fined £300,000 after a runaway train came within 2,000ft (600m) of crashing into a packed tube train.
The Old Bailey heard how a maintenance wagon broke free from an empty passenger train which was towing it.
It hurtled at up to 30mph for four miles (6km) down the Northern Line, passing through seven stations.
London Underground (LU), Tube Lines Ltd and Schweerbau GMBH pleaded guilty to endangering passengers and staff.
They were each fined £100,000.
The court heard members of the public had been exposed to a substantial risk of danger.
The 39 tonne train was out of control for 16 minutes and passed through stations while passengers on the platform looked on at 06:30 BST on 13 August 2010.
The two maintenance workers on board managed to jump off at Highgate station.
Passengers on the train in front were instructed by their driver to move through the carriages to the front of the tube as it passed through stations as the runaway gained on them.
Prosecutor Jonathan Ashley-Norman, for the Office of Rail Regulation, said there could have been a "terrible tragedy" had it not been for the "prompt and skilful actions" of London Underground staff in the control room.
He said they managed to switch lines which slowed the runaway train so it came to rest as it reached an incline near Warren Street station in central London.
The court was told a coupler which had been attached to the broken-down track maintenance wagon broke, allowing it to detach from the train which was pulling it.
The Old Bailey heard that all three companies had made major improvements since the incident.
Keith Morton, QC, for the Tube companies, said: "London Underground is one of the safest railways in the world - if not the safest."
LU director Mike Strzelecki said it has since put in place tighter approvals and controls for the design and use of all engineering trains.
"LU staff's swift actions meant that this incident was drawn to a safe conclusion," he added.
Ian Prosser, Office of Rail Regulation safety director, said that in this case, the train companies through "inadequate management and planning" had failed to ensure the safe recovery of an engineering train.
"This is clearly unacceptable, and led to a potentially catastrophic incident on the Northern Line where the train careered out of control for over four miles.
"It was only the professionalism of control room staff taking decisive action which prevented a collision between trains, and averted a much more serious outcome."
Image caption LU staff took the decision to divert passenger trains to the City branch while directing the engineering train to the cleared Charing Cross branch. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8172738.stm | A legal bid by the Ministry of Defence to try to cut the compensation awarded to two injured servicemen has attracted widespread criticism.
Wounded troops' representatives and relatives said the MoD was "out of touch" and the court bid "unfortunate".
One soldier, shot in Iraq, received £46,000, and the other - injured in training - got £28,750. The payouts had been increased after complications.
But the MoD argues compensation should be for "original injuries" only.
The stance has attracted criticism amid mounting casualties in Afghanistan.
Two more soldiers were killed in Helmand province on Monday, bringing the total number of UK fatalities since operations began in Afghanistan in 2001 to 191.
They have been named as Warrant Officer Class 2 Sean Upton, 35, from Nottinghamshire, and Trooper Phillip Lawrence, 22, from Birkenhead.
Military officials have said the first phase of a major offensive - Operation Panther's Claw - had been completed in Helmand.
The Court of Appeal action involves Corporal Anthony Duncan and Royal Marine Matthew McWilliams.
Cpl Duncan was initially awarded £9,250 after being shot, while Marine McWilliams received £8,250 for fracturing his thigh on a training exercise, before they appealed to a tribunal for further compensation.
Both men argued they had suffered a number of subsequent health problems during their treatment and these should not be regarded as separate from their original injuries.
Three judges agreed with them and increased their compensation, but the MoD is now seeking to overturn that ruling.
BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the timing of the case could hardly be worse for the MoD, with more and more wounded soldiers returning from the front lines in Afghanistan.
She said the case was being watched closely as important legal principles were at stake for other wounded service personnel.
Diane Dernie, 51, mother of Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson who lost both legs and suffered severe brain damage in a blast in Helmand in 2006, said the appeal by the MoD showed how out of touch it was with public sentiment.
"It is very, very sad that on a day like today, when all the news is as bad as it is, and has been recently, that the MoD can still think to cut what are not overly generous payments," she told the BBC.
"It just beggars belief really and proves that yet again they don't understand how people feel about our troops," she added.
Lieutenant Colonel Jerome Church, of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This case is obviously appalling timing for the Ministry of Defence."
Simon Weston, who suffered horrific burns in the Falklands conflict, said many service personnel with the worst injuries "will never work again or will always have problems".
Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox said the case demonstrated that the government had "lost its political instincts and sense of direction".
Tory MP James Arbuthnot, chairman of the Commons defence committee, warned that the appeal "sends all the wrong messages" to would-be recruits.
The MoD claims it is trying "to clarify an earlier judgment about how the armed forces compensation scheme is administered, and to protect the key principle of the scheme: the most compensation for the most seriously injured".
The department is also currently reviewing its compensation scheme following a number of appeals from former service personnel.
The MoD points out it has doubled the maximum lump sum payment to £570,000 for the most severely injured soldiers, in addition to an index-linked monthly income for life.
Defence Minister Kevan Jones said the action was about trying to introduce "fairness" to the scheme.
He said the original ruling had put "an amputee along par with someone who had broken their leg, for example" and the Court of Appeal was "not reducing compensation but actually clarifying the rules".
Armed Forces Minister Bill Rammell said the government was "trying to protect that fundamental principle of the most compensation for the most seriously injured".
Eric Joyce, the Labour MP for Falkirk who served in the Army, said: "The government is obliged to test the principles to get absolute clarity on what appropriate levels of payment should be made."
One of the soldiers at the centre of the row, Cpl Duncan, is currently undertaking his first tour of duty since he was shot in his left leg in Iraq in 2005.
Speaking about his injury, Cpl Duncan said: "I thought I'd been rugby-tackled at first.
"I was looking around for someone to swing for, then realised I couldn't feel my leg.
"I saw the blood and thought I'd been involved in an explosion." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1465036.stm | Scientists in the southern Indian state of Kerala have begun examining an unusual phenomenon: coloured rainfall in some parts of the state.
Its southern and central districts have witnessed spells of coloured rain over the past week, prompting researchers to launch a formal investigation.
It all started with scarlet rain showers last Thursday on some villages in the southern districts of Kottayam and Idukki.
Soon, a similar phenomenon was reported from eight other districts of the state. These areas witnessed spells of green, yellow, brown and black rains.
Almost the entire state, except for two northern districts, have reported these unusual rains over the past week.
Scientists from the Trivandrum-based Centre for Earth Science Studies are now studying the rain waters collected by local people.
The institute's Director, M Baba, said the scientists would not be able to say anything until the analysis was completed. He said it might take up to three weeks to reach a conclusion.
Coloured rains have been reported from some other parts of the world in the past.
Experts said the most likely reason was the presence of dust in the atmosphere which colours the water.
They said yellow rain could be due to sand or the presence of pollen in the air. This was the reason given for coloured rains in Afghanistan a few years ago. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-39870833/documentary-explores-the-art-of-obituary-writing | Documentary looks at art of the obituary Jump to media player A new documentary, Obit, challenges the idea that there is something morbid about an obituary.
A new documentary called Obit challenges the idea that there is something morbid about an obituary.
The film presents the view that they can be uplifting and inspirational. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8068434.stm | At its height, General Motors (GM) was bigger than any other car company in world.
Founded when the US still had fewer than 10,000 cars in total, the carmaker was once the symbol of American prestige and its brands respected all over the world.
Yet GM has now suffered the world's biggest industrial bankruptcy.
GM as we know it began in 1908, though its founder William "Billy" Durant had already made his name selling horse-drawn carriages in Flint, Michigan and had acquired a controlling stake in the fledgling Buick Motor Company.
Though the carmaker started with Buick, within the year Mr Durant had put Cadillac, Pontiac precursor Oakland Motor Company and the Oldsmobile all under its umbrella.
The Oldsmobile, one of the most evocative brands, was actually quite new. The first one was made in 1897.
Cadillac was bought for $5.5m in 1909, a huge sum at that time that would equate to over $130m in today's money.
The company set about a rapid expansion, setting up foreign operations to sell its cars abroad and, critically, acquiring stakes in Germany's Opel and the UK's Vauxhall during the 1920s.
The company joined the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1925, where it has been ever since.
Mr Durant also set up what was to become another iconic US brand, Chevrolet.
And it was GM's decision to recognise the fledging United Auto Workers (UAW) union, which could end up taking a major stake in the carmaker during any bankruptcy proceedings, which set the pattern for industrial relations in the industry.
The move came after GM workers in Flint went on a sit-down strike in December 1936, at the height of industrial militancy during the Great Depression.
But the company really started to take off after World War II.
In the 1950s, when GM's chief executive Charles Wilson became Secretary of Defense, he famously said at his confirmation hearing when asked about any conflicts of interest that "what was good for the country was good for General Motors and vice versa".
GM was not only the biggest carmaker in the world, but the biggest company in the world. It had over 50% share of the US car market.
It was so large in this period, with more than 50% of the US domestic car market, that its only worry was that it might be broken up by the government on anti-trust grounds.
Its cars were a cultural phenomenon.
In the 1950s Cadillac introduced its legendary hardtop, the Coup de Ville, and the Corvette sports car followed soon after.
In 1964, Pontiac inspired a song called "Little GTO" - a track that reached number four in the American charts. Alongside the GTO, the company developed the Grand Prix and the Firebird during the 1960s, all of them muscle cars.
The cars all had their place in the world - Chevrolet was beneath a Pontiac, which was not as good as an Oldsmobile. And you had really made it when you could afford a Cadillac.
It had made its 100 millionth car in the US by 1967, and opened a flagship 50-storey building in New York the following year.
Burt Reynolds drove a black and gold Firebird in the hit film Smokey and the Bandit.
But trouble was brewing for GM.
In the 1970s, the oil crisis gave the first sign that the US car industry might be vulnerable to an invasion from smaller and more efficiently produced Japanese cars.
GM's attempts to change its own production process ran into trouble with its workforce, leading to a downward spiral in industrial relations.
Another infamous moment in GM history came with the introduction of the world's first mass-produced electric car, the EV1, in the mid-1990s. For various reasons, the car did not take off and GM ceased making them in 2003.
For a while, GM's fortunes were revived by the large, gas-guzzling Sports Utility Vehicles that once not only dominated the American automotive landscape, but also proved much more profitable than ordinary cars.
In 1999, GM acquired the gigantic Hummer brand.
But its downfall has been brutal.
When drivers started to switch to smaller, more fuel efficient cars, GM and the other US carmakers were slow to follow suit.
Japan's Toyota, a pioneer of smaller and more efficient cars, became the biggest carmaker in the world by annual sales in 2008.
Toyota also started selling its electric-hybrid Prius in 1997, a decade before GM sold theirs.
Heavy discounting aimed at maintaining the American public as customers led to sharp cuts in profits, which eventually losses. The company was last profitable in 2004.
It announced plans to cut almost 50,000 jobs and close up to 1,100 dealers.
The final humiliation came last December when GM, along with now-bankrupt rival Chrysler, was forced to go cap in hand to the US government for a bail-out to keep it going.
In February, GM received another $4bn of US government loans, taking its total bail-out to over $19bn.
Its lending unit, GMAC, which provides auto loans, has also been bailed out twice.
Now, GM is scrambling to save itself. Its former head, Rick Wagoner, was forced out by President Barack Obama and it is struggling to avoid bankruptcy.
It has dropped Oldsmobile, the iconic Pontiac brand was shuttered away earlier this year and it is trying to sell Hummer and Saab.
The carmaker is also in the process of flogging its other European operations, especially Opel and its UK brand Vauxhall.
Time seems to have almost run out for GM.
Whatever its success in rebuilding itself from here, it is unlikely GM will ever find itself in as lofty a position as it has had in the past.
Like other US car-makers, one of General Motors' major financial problems has been paying for pensions and healthcare plans, with retired employees now far outnumbering those still working for the company. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1935201.stm | BBC NEWS | Business | Q&A: How am I affected?
In the long-term, you are likely to be worse off.
There will be no immediate change, but the chancellor is increasing National Insurance (NI) contributions for employees, employers and the self-employed from April 2003.
This means that people who fall into these categories will find their NI contributions increased by one percentage point on earnings greater than �4,615 up to �30,940.
This is roughly the equivalent of a penny in the pound on income tax - an income tax hike through the backdoor.
It will cost those earning up to �30,940 an extra �263.25 a year.
The chancellor has also effectively "uncapped" the so-called upper earnings limit of �30,940.
Taxpayers whose NI payments were previously capped will now see 1% of their earnings above that level paid out in NI contributions.
Someone earning �50,000 a year will pay an extra �190.60 a year, on top of �263.25. In total, they will be �453.85 a year worse off.
Someone on �100,000 a year will pay an extra �953.85 a year.
They may also be affected by increases in employers' NI contributions - some employers might consider the impact during their next pay reviews.
If you are a smoker, you will be hit by another - now predictable - increase in duty.
The chancellor has levied an extra six pence on a packet of 20 cigarettes.
It is better news for drinkers. The chancellor has frozen duty on beer, spirits and wine.
In fact, if you are a cider drinker - duty has been cut by 2%. And, if you like to drink beer made by small breweries, you may benefit.
The chancellor is introducing duty relief for small breweries, with drinkers likely to see a cut of 14p off the price of a pint.
Alcopops drinkers will be less enthusiastic - prices will rise as the drinks will now be taxed at spirits rather than wine rates.
I've got children. Do I get any additional help?
Putting "families first" is one of the catchphrases the chancellor likes to wheel out at Budget time.
Child credit will be raised with earnings for the rest of parliament, which is widely believed to be better than the fad for linking benefits and credits with prices.
Families will receive up to �54.25 for the first child and �92.75 if they have two children.
Families with two children and which earn up to �35,000 will get up to �50 a week childcare help.
The new child tax credit which will be introduced in April 2003 will be payable to families with household incomes up to �58,000.
How much you get from these amounts will depend on your income. The chancellor wants to redistribute wealth to change UK society - and this means that the poor get more.
I want to buy a house. Will I be worse off?
There were no across-the-board changes in stamp duty, although the chancellor did announce an extension to benefits for purchasers in deprived areas.
However, he said he would crack down on tax avoidance measures which people were using to avoid paying stamp duty.
I'm a pensioner. Am I any better off?
There was one piece of good news for all pensioners.
The chancellor announced an above-inflation increase in age-related personal allowances.
An elderly taxpayer will be able to set the first �6,610 of their income against tax - and the first �6,740 for those aged 75 or more.
This means that some pensioners will pay less income tax.
I'm a motorist. Is there anything for me?
Good news, on the whole. Fuel duty has been frozen, and the chancellor has announced incentives for "green" drivers.
The chancellor announced cuts of �55 in the licence fee for the least polluting vans, cuts of �30 for the least polluting cars and cuts of up to �35 for motorcycles.
Cars that will qualify for the new reduced rate will include the most efficient versions of the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Astra and Peugeot 206. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7280707.stm | A new national fast-track laboratory is aiming to offer definitive explanations of sudden cardiac deaths in people under the age of 35 within a few weeks.
In the past some families have had to wait up to 18 months to find out why a young family member has died.
Coroners have been informed about the expert cardiac pathology laboratory at Royal Brompton Hospital, in London.
They are urged to refer complicated cases to the service, which is funded by charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.
Experts say the service could also save lives by identifying other family members with the same heart conditions.
The cash donated by the charity will enable consultant histopathologist Dr Mary Sheppard and her team to focus specifically on complex cases.
In the past, difficult cases have sometimes taken months to resolve because they have been processed by coroners already swamped with work and by non-dedicated specialists.
In some cases, deaths have been recorded as unascertained or incorrectly put down to something else.
Dr Sheppard hopes the service will provide some sort of closure for grieving families.
She said: "This is horribly traumatic for the families and a delay with diagnosis means more trauma for them.
"My staff can look at the heart very quickly and give a result in two weeks and a pathological report on the cause of death.
"They need to be aware of what the cause is and whether there is a family link, because some of these diseases can be genetic.
"The importance is getting a right diagnosis for family screening."
Alison Cox, chief executive and founder of Cardiac Risk in the Young, said the fast-track service was "long overdue".
"For years we have been frustrated by the time it takes for families to get answers about their tragedy, which happens without warning or explanation," she said.
"Coroners sometimes do not have the funds or know how to access a service where they can refer complex cases to an expert pathologist, meaning that many deaths are simply recorded as unascertained or, incorrectly, as an accident such as epilepsy, asthma or drowning.
"This is unacceptable for grieving families and leaves surviving relatives at risk of further tragedies as these are genetic conditions and other family members need to be screened. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24213830 | A UK team is developing its idea for a Mars "hopper" - a robot that can bound across the surface of the Red Planet.
At the moment, landing missions use wheels to move around, but their progress can be stymied by sand-traps, steep slopes and boulder fields.
A hopper would simply leap across these obstacles to the next safest, flat surface.
The research group is led from Leicester University and the Astrium space company.
They propose the use of a vehicle powered by a radioisotope thermal rocket engine.
It would work like this: carbon dioxide would be extracted from the Martian air, compressed and liquefied.
Pumped into a chamber and exposed to the intense heat from a radioactive source, the CO2 would then explosively expand through a nozzle.
Calculations suggest the thrust achieved could enable a one-tonne craft to leap a distance of up to 900m at a time.
"The advantage of this approach is that you have the ability to traverse more aggressive terrains but also that you have wider mobility - the possibility of traversing much greater distances than we have with even the very successful rovers," says Hugo Williams, from Leicester's Space Research Centre.
Imagine jumping into and out of craters and canyons, and taking samples from locations that are separated perhaps by many tens of kilometres.
The team first proposed its concept hopper three years ago. Since then, it has been working to refine its ideas.
In particular, the researchers have been putting detail into how the gas compression system would work and how one might go about building the legs.
The latter are a critical aspect of the whole design. Legs on current planetary landers tend to use crushable honeycomb material to dampen the impact at the moment of touchdown.
That's great if you have no intention of moving again, but a hopper would need a resettable landing gear so that it could make multiple landings.
The team has been looking at a system that employs few moving parts and none of the hydraulic fluids found typically in Earth vehicles.
"It's a magnetic system that many people might recall from science lessons at school," explains Mike Williams, a mission systems engineer at Astrium.
"When you drop a magnet down a copper tube, you expect it to fall under gravity but it falls very slowly because, as the magnet drops, it creates eddy currents that generate an opposing magnetic field.
"Our legs would use this approach - a very simple, elegant solution that produces a damping effect.
"Nothing is crushed, and there are no fluids, which means we would be very insensitive to the environment and cold temperatures."
The latest phase of research has been funded by the European Space Agency (Esa).
It has sketched out the architecture for a 1,000kg hopper with a leg span of about 4m. The main body would be about 2.5m across.
At this scale, you should be able to carry at least 20kg of science instrumentation.
The study has also thrown up areas that need a lot more work. For example, the system that collects and compresses the CO2 takes several weeks to produce a usable volume of propellant. To be truly practical, the production process needs to be shortened considerably.
"Although we have identified some limitations with various technologies, I think we've demonstrated such a mission is feasible," says Mike Williams.
"Often with these very early and novel concepts, you can show quite quickly that they are totally infeasible. That's certainly not the case here."
Whether we ever see a hopper sent to Mars is another matter.
To date, wheeled rovers and static landers have been doing a great job. And if we do decide to go with another form of locomotion, there are plenty of competing ideas out there, including planes, balloons and even "tumbleweed" devices that would be blown across the Martian landscape in the wind.
But it's the job of scientists and engineers to constantly look over the horizon. In that vein, you'll recall the space penetrator concept for landing on the Jovian moon Europa that I wrote about in July.
"Where the hopper study goes next is difficult to say," Hugo Williams tells me. "But it's important to remember that the reason we do this kind of research is not necessarily to define a single mission concept but to come up with technologies that can be spun out to many other types of space mission or indeed to applications here on Earth." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8538000/8538207.stm | What message do children pick up from all the sexualised images they see?
A report for the Home Office says children and young people are exposed to far more hyper-sexualised images than previous generations and it is affecting the way they behave.
Frank Furedi, Professor of Sociology at University of Kent, told the Today programme that the problem was not the media but that an adult agenda was being "recycled" through children.
"Adults have lost the capacity to draw the line between their own attitudes and those of children," he said.
Sue Berelowitz, Deputy Children's Commissioner for England, said both parents and the media needed to change their attitude towards children.
"The wrong messages are being given out," she said. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10965608 | Flashy sports cars are out, now no mid-life crisis is complete without a souped-up road bike. Why?
Every weekend, across the nation's rolling countryside, watch out for the Mamils: middle-aged men in lycra.
And ladies, if you have a man at home taking an unusual interest in how you shave your legs, you may have a Mamil in the making too.
Research conducted by the retail analyst Mintel suggests there has been a surge in the number of middle-aged men choosing to get on two wheels.
Given the number of men aged 35-44 who are buying fancy-pants road racing machines, is this a 21st Century mid-life crisis? Has the silence of skinny tyres and carbon fibre framesets replaced the thunderous noise of motorbikes?
Back in the day, when some men with a bit of disposable income reached a certain age, they did some strange things. The grind of the office and home life convinced some that the answer to an expanding midriff lay in a pair of designer jeans and a flashy but cheap Japanese sports car. Teenage daughters ran away screaming. Sons were deprived of the role models seen in adverts for shaving products.
Gents, our womenfolk were right all along. It wasn't a good look. And did it do anything for the beer belly?
But then came a confluence of coincidences that gave a man an option other than looking like a gigolo cruising Italy's glitzy Lake Como.
The past three years have seen the rise of the uber-techno, super-flashy, full-carbon fibre, bobby-dazzler road bike. The market for these bikes has expanded faster than a 45-year-old's waistline, partly thanks to the success of the British cycling stars at the Beijing Olympics. Marketing departments have produced smart advertising messages that encourage a bit of freedom, elite performance and memories of teenage derring-do.
And the result can be seen on Saturday and Sunday mornings as middle-aged blokes polish the rear derailleur, lower the mirrored shades and pedal into the hills. Every couple of weeks, you'll see a girth of Mamils gathering to race a "Sportive", a form of amateur competing that has taken the British cycling world by storm.
While the serious, younger riders are busy getting into the zone of elite competition, we're comparing the latest GPS route-finding cycle computer and pretending that we know how to stretch.
We hit the first hill and suddenly we're a puffing, panting, heaving mass of sweaty humanity that is well past its sell-by-date. Sounds humiliating? I've never had so much fun in my life - and there are also some unintended benefits of being the older rider.
First, there's the no-questions-asked fan club. My kids, on the promise of an ice cream, will cheer me over the top of any climb. They're still young enough to think I'm Superman - and you don't get that kind of pick-me-up on the golf course.
Even better is the Mamil's solution to saddle sores. A teenage shop assistant in a too-posh-to-pedal London shop tried to sell me some balm for £30. What's the point of that, I asked. I've got loads of unused nappy rash cream at home. He thought I was terminally uncool. I know better son, learn from your elders.
But no Mamil's life is complete without the spiritual journey to the mountains.
Robbie McIntosh is 45 and has spent much of the past year clad in lycra after being talked into cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats with a group of fellow Mamils.
Ten days of pain, rain and groin strain later, he decided he was ready for Mont Ventoux. This mountain, the Giant of Provence, is one of the toughest climbs in the world - 23km straight up. British cycling legend Tom Simpson died on its slopes in 1967. Last month, with terror in his belly, Robbie began turning the wheels.
"I wanted so much to say I'd climbed the Ventoux. It's an amazing mountain and a serious challenge.
"I was surprised at my nerves but I had a sense that if I could do this on a bike I could do anything and that was a feeling I wanted so much."
And make it he did. He wasn't as balletic as the local, young French riders - but he stood alongside them at the 1,910m summit and surveyed the world.
"Cycling has given me an opportunity to feel sporting achievement of the very highest level," says Robbie. "It doesn't matter that the pros ride up Mont Ventoux at twice the speed or more. I can scale the same sporting heights as the best cyclists on the planet. I can walk with giants."
So a man becomes fitter and happier. Where's the midlife crisis in that? Ah. The costs.
Ladies, look away now. Men who seriously cycle typically spend about £3,000 to live that dream. For a time, at least. That sum will cover the set-up and the first year, then about £1,000 a year, at least, on top of that.
The must-have bike of the summer is the Pinarello Dogma, the bike used by the British Team Sky in the Tour de France. Yours for about £7,000. Grown men stop and stare at this machine, like seven-year-old lads pressed against the toy shop window.
Thankfully, most Mamils don't have that kind of money to burn. But it hasn't stopped the rapid growth of a suburban money-laundering operation. It goes something like this. Man dribbles while looking at £100 bib shorts on cycling website - they're the kind that make you look like a wrestler. Partner says no, think about the starving children. Man continues to look at bib shorts and decides they will help conceal his 36-inch waist.
He calculates that three weeks of hard pedalling will help on the belly front - which is coincidentally the same time it takes to receive a secret new credit card to pay for the shorts. Job done. Platinum status achieved with the online cycling retailer. Discounts on more kit, all of which is sent directly to the office rather than home.
When you run the slide rule over all of this, flash road bikes definitely look like a midlife crisis.
There's a look to strive for, expensive kit and excuses for weekends away.
I and my band of hill-climbing brothers disagree. It's about becoming a happier and healthier person rather than sliding towards mediocre oblivion at the bottom of a pint glass.
But I conclude with a message from my own Mrs Mamil to other cycling widows. She's discovered a precise form of retaliation. If your portly husband buys another stupid fluorescent jersey, buy yourself another pair of shoes.
That way, at least one of you can look good. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-47638696 | Rescue workers are continuing the search for survivors of Cyclone Idai, which swept through Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe last week, destroying towns and villages in its path.
Hundreds of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands more have been affected by what the UN says could be "one of the worst weather-related disasters ever to hit the southern hemisphere".
Here's what we know so far about the impact of the cyclone.
The storm made landfall near the port city of Beira in Mozambique's Sofala province on 14 March, packing winds of up to 177 km/h (106 mph) and bringing torrential rain.
Floods of up to six metres (19ft) deep have caused "incredible devastation" over a huge area in Mozambique, the World Food Programme (WFP) has said, with homes, roads and bridges washed away.
The current flood zone is estimated to cover 3,000 sq km (1,200 sq miles).
Nearly two million people have been affected.
Aid staff who flew over the area have spoken of "inland oceans extending for miles and miles".
Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Madagascar all suffered high levels of rainfall.
But the worst of the flooding has been in Mozambique, with rivers flowing downstream from neighbouring countries. The area close to the River Buzi west of Beira has been particularly hard-hit.
The WFP believes 1.7 million people in the country will eventually need help as a result of the disaster.
Aid groups are now struggling to reach survivors trapped in remote areas where villages were submerged.
Thousands were "stranded on rooftops, in trees and other elevated areas", said Unicef spokesperson Christophe Boulierac.
It is feared the situation could get worse in both Mozambique and Zimbabwe, with heavy rain set to continue.
The storm first struck Beira - Mozambique's fourth-largest city and a port that sits on the mouth of the River Pungwe.
Its geography, with parts of it lying below sea level, makes it vulnerable to extreme weather.
The city bore the brunt of the storm, which caused flooding, knocked down buildings and engulfed roads. A large dam also burst, cutting off the last road into the city. The hospital has also been damaged.
The city continues to be completely inaccessible by road.
Beira airport, which was partially damaged by the storm and temporarily shut, has reopened and is operating as the relief operations hub.
Air force personnel from Mozambique and South Africa have also been drafted in to fly rescue missions and distribute aid while roads are out of action.
Aid workers in the area say they have only days of clean water left.
Poorer areas, made up of makeshift homes, in Beira and elsewhere have been particularly badly hit.
After the storm smashed into central Mozambique, it hit eastern Zimbabwe.
Dozens of people have been killed and 200,000 affected. Roads and bridges have collapsed and homes destroyed.
Chimanimani has suffered 90% damage, aid agencies say, with the Nyahode river bursting its banks and flooding large areas.
The eastern districts of Buhera, Bikita, Chikomba, Gutu, Mutasa and Mutare have also sustained damage and people have been forced from their homes.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared two days of national mourning.
Although Malawi was not struck directly, the cyclone caused heavy rainfall. The UN says more than 80,000 people have been displaced.
Idai was one of the worst tropical cyclones ever to hit Africa and the southern hemisphere.
It intensified, weakened and intensified again before hitting the Mozambique coast for a second time on 14 March.
By Lucy Rodgers, Gerry Fletcher and Mark Bryson. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/8026601.stm | Cumbria County Council, currently under no overall control, covers an area of 2,661 sq miles (6,892 sq km) but is one of England's least populated counties.
Its most important sectors are tourism and agriculture and the Lake District National Park, which attracts millions of visitors each year, is within Cumbria.
As well as being the home of British Nuclear Fuels, at Sellafield, Cumbria is home to Europe's largest quiche producer - Carlisle based Cavrays.
There are currently 39 Labour councillors, 32 Conservatives, 10 Liberal Democrats and three independents. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-47309906 | A female pedestrian is in hospital with serious injuries after being hit by a car in Inverness.
The incident, involving a black Mazda 6, happened at the Raigmore Interchange between the A9 and A96 at about 13:20 on Wednesday.
The 57-year-old woman was taken Raigmore Hospital with serious injuries. The Mazda occupants were uninjured.
The southbound slip road for the A9 is currently closed.
Traffic is being diverted via the Longman roundabout to access the southbound A9. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7782905.stm | The scoring system in Strictly Come Dancing is to be reviewed by the BBC after a tie affected the semi-final on Saturday evening.
Contestants Lisa Snowdon and Rachel Stevens and their partners were given top points by the show's judges.
But that meant Tom Chambers could not be saved from a dance-off to decide who left the series. All three qualified.
The voting has been carried forward to next weekend's final. "No vote has been disregarded," a BBC spokesman said.
The corporation has faced criticism from viewers following the incident, receiving almost 200 complaints by the end of the weekend.
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it had received a number of complaints "which we will assess against the broadcasting code."
The BBC's spokesman dismissed the suggestion the flaw in the scoring system should have been spotted sooner, but said it would be reviewed.
"They (the producers) are going to look at ways in which they can avoid this situation happening again, definitely," he said.
"Exactly what's going to happen is yet to be debated and agreed, but that process will begin soon."
However, while viewers were able to get refunds after broadcaster John Sergeant left the series last month, they will not be able to claim their money back this time.
"Viewers were asked to vote for their favourite dancer and they will all be going through," the spokesman said.
"Nobody's vote has been disregarded, in fact, quite the opposite."
The situation was not explained to viewers at the time, and the programme ended 10 minutes early, forcing BBC One to fill the gap with trailers.
When the series started in the autumn, with 16 celebrities paired with professional dancers, the original plan was to have three couples in the final.
But after broadcaster Sergeant quit the show following criticism from the judges, it was decided to continue voting one couple off each week until just two were left to compete in the final.
Now three couples will appear in next Saturday's final anyway.
The BBC's controller of entertainment production, Jon Beazley, called the situation "really unfortunate" but said: "There were exceptional circumstances at play.
Asked about viewers' complaints that producers should have anticipated the situation, he said: "They might be right.
"We have so many contingencies for a live programme of the complexity of Strictly Come Dancing, this was one extra set of circumstances we didn't have the contingencies in place for.
"Everything else, we could have legislated for. But that's the nature of the beast."
Earlier this year, the BBC was fined £400,000 by media watchdog Ofcom for misleading its audiences by "faking" phone-ins on TV and radio. A new code of practice was introduced after the furore.
Mr Beazley said the incident was "validation of the work that's been put into trust at the BBC".
Singer Stevens, dancing with Vincent Simone, and presenter Snowdon, partnered by Brendan Cole, had both been awarded 75 marks out of a possible 80 by the judges after their two dances, with Snowdon achieving a perfect score on her ballroom round.
That meant both couples were awarded three points to take into the audience vote, with Holby City star Chambers and partner Camilla Dallerup awarded just one.
In the audience vote, a further three would have been the most points Chambers and Dallerup could have won and a further one would have been the least either of the other couples could have got.
Therefore, whatever the outcome of the audience vote, Chambers and Dallerup would have been one of the two lowest-scoring couples and facing a dance-off for a place in the final against the other lowest scorers.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Monday, Arlene Phillips said she and her fellow judges had "no idea" there was a tie until Stevens and Snowdon's scores were announced.
"It's unfortunate the judges' scores combined to create the same amount," she said, explaining the judges enter their scores via keypads immediately after each dance's completion.
"It was a complete shock to us," she added, saying the judges "look at the leader board the same time as everyone else."
Phillips also stressed the judges will have no impact on which couple wins in next Saturday's final.
"We have no say next week - the public decide," she said. "Their votes will make a big difference." |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43372534 | Media captionUS tariffs: What do we need to know?
The EU's trade commissioner has said the bloc "will stand up to the bullies" over protectionism as tensions continue over US tariffs on imported steel and aluminium imposed by President Trump.
Cecilia Malmström was speaking at a conference in Brussels, following discussions at the weekend with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
Those talks are to resume this week.
Ms Malmström said protectionism was being "used as a weapon to threaten and intimidate us".
The EU says that its exports should be excluded from the measures.
Mr Trump's announcement of import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium has sparked fears of a trade war.
He signed the measures on Thursday last week in a ceremony at the White House attended by steel and aluminium workers.
In another development, Mr Trump tweeted on Monday that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross would be speaking to EU representatives about "eliminating the large tariffs and barriers they use against the USA".
"Not fair to our farmers and manufacturers," he said.
Without specifically mentioning the US, Ms Malmström said: "In some places, trade has been to blame for the pains of globalisation or they used it as a scapegoat or they think we can live behind walls and borders.
"Recently we have seen how it is used as a weapon to threaten and intimidate us. But we are not afraid, we will stand up to the bullies."
The EU has threatened retaliatory tariffs on US goods, including iconic products such as bourbon and blue jeans.
What links Trump, Lincoln and Ferris Bueller?
Canada and Mexico will be exempt from the tariffs initially, and Australia is optimistic that it too will gain exemption.
Mr Trump has linked this to a new security agreement between the US and Australia, which already have close military ties.
UK Steel says 7% of its steel exports go to the US, worth £360m.
There has been strong opposition to the tariffs from Mr Trump's fellow Republicans, who traditionally favour free trade.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that no one will win a "race to the bottom" and said the tariffs risked "hurting everyone".
Mr Trump says the measures will "protect the American worker" and fulfil a campaign promise.
Video What do we need to know?
Too late for US steel? |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7684754.stm | Emile Heskey's injury-time winner for Wigan left Tony Adams looking for his first point as Portsmouth boss.
Heskey's 100th Premier League goal from Lee Cattermole's pass settled an incredible game where Pompey hit the woodwork no less than five times.
Amr Zaki fired the Latics ahead from the penalty spot after Papa Bouba Diop fouled Titus Bramble.
Wigan's goal lived a charmed life before substitute Niko Kranjcar looked to have saved a point for Pompey.
Portsmouth had some early defending to do when Nadir Belhadj fouled Luis Antonio Valencia and after the home defence failed to deal with the initial free-kick Lee Cattermole's cross found Zaki whose header looped inches wide with David James floundering.
Wigan enjoyed a good spell of early pressure and Valencia's shot was parried by James and the England keeper recovered to snaffle the rebound as Zaki looked to pounce on any crumbs.
In dreadful conditions Pompey clawed their way back into the game, but it was 13 minutes before Glen Johnson put their first shot on target, curling a weak effort into keeper Chris Kirkland's arms from 18 yards.
Peter Crouch went even closer three minutes later when Kirkland could only watch as the England striker bounced a looping header onto the top of the crossbar, with Papa Bouba Diop hooking the loose ball wide.
Jermain Defoe's cute and clever movement saw him latch on to a loose ball in the inside-right channel but the angle proved too tight as the Pompey striker slammed his shot into the side-netting.
A goal glut did not look on the cards, with Pompey having scored only 10 Premier League goals and Wigan one more, and Portsmouth twice failed to capitalise on promising situations with Lassana Diarra and Defoe failing to hit the target from free-kicks.
The woodwork came to Wigan's rescue again as half-time approached. Bouba Diop met a corner with a powerful header but Wilson Palacios was on sentry duty on the line, heading the ball up on to his own crossbar.
At the other end James spilled a routine cross from Valencia but there was no Wigan player on hand to cash in.
On the stroke of half-time Wigan took the lead when Bouba Diop's mis-timed challenge on Bramble saw him concede his second penalty of the week, with Zaki making no mistake from the spot.
Pompey threw on Kranjcar at the start of the second half and he almost made an immediate impact, firing a free-kick through the Wigan wall, only to see Palacios hook the ball off the line.
Defoe then missed his kick in front of goal after Diop pulled the ball back and Crouch rose to glance a header inches wide as Pompey stepped up their search for an equaliser.
Portsmouth had an even better chance on the hour when referee Peter Walton ruled Kirkland handled a back pass eight yards out. With every Wigan player back on the goal-line the ball was rolled to Defoe whose shot was scraped off the line by a combination of Emmerson Boyce and Heskey.
In a rare Wigan raid, the ball fell invitingly to Zaki who had time to steady himself but instead blasted a first-time shot high into the stands.
Wigan's goal was living a charmed life, with Johnson crashing a header against the bar from a corner, and when another cross followed in quick succession Crouch rose to plant another header against the woodwork.
Portsmouth's pressure eventually took its toll and when Belhadj's cross dropped for Kranjcar, the Croat fired through his shot through a ruck of players.
Incredibly, Wigan came forward to steal all the points, with Heskey latching on to Cattermole's pass in the inside-right channel to slot home past James.
"I went berserk at the players and realised I shouldn't have done that because they had given me so much passion.
"I kicked a few bottles in there because it seems too much is happening to me in the early stage of my management career.
"But I know I've got a talented team and we will bounce back from this."
"We've had more luck today than in any of the previous four, but we could have won it before we did.
"When you get games like that it can give you heart attacks even if you've got an array of talent like Tony has.
"Yes, welcome to the wonderful world of management, he must be nuts but I'm sure he'll do well."
Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Belhadj (Pamarot 90), Diop (Utaka 73), Diarra, Davis, Armand Traore (Kranjcar 46), Crouch, Defoe.
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Kaboul, Hughes, Kanu.
Wigan: Kirkland, Melchiot, Bramble, Boyce, Figueroa, Valencia, Palacios, Cattermole, Koumas, Heskey, Zaki (Camara 89).
Subs Not Used: Pollitt, Taylor, Scharner, Kilbane, Brown, De Ridder.
Goals: Zaki 45 pen, Heskey 90.
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match on 90 minutes: Wigan's Zaki - 8.40 (on 90 minutes). |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-32913755 | Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday that he had reached an agreement with Russia's top oil producer Rosneft to invest $14bn (£9.2) in Venezuela's oil and gas sector.
Speaking after a meeting with Rosneft chief executive Igor Sechin, Mr Maduro said the money would allow Venezuela to double its oil production.
But he gave few details of the deal.
Venezuela is one of the biggest oil exporters worldwide and claims to have the world's largest crude reserves.
Rosneft said that the $14bn constituted its total investment in current and future projects in Venezuela.
In comments emailed to Reuters news agency, Rosneft said it had already invested $1.8bn in Venezuela from 2010 to 2014.
Venezuela, which is heavily dependent on oil money, has been hit hard by falling oil prices.
It is estimated that 96% of its export revenues come from oil.
Fresh investment in Venezuela's oil sector, which it is seeking to expand, would therefore be a boost to the president.
Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA wrote on Twitter (in Spanish) that it had agreed with Rosneft to "create companies together" to boost production of crude oil. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-15785502/nypd-some-arrests-were-pre-arranged | NYPD: Some arrests were pre-arranged Jump to media player Thousands of demonstrators have marched on New York's Brooklyn Bridge after a day of protests to mark two months since the beginning of the Occupy Wall street movement against economic inequality.
Judge upholds New York eviction Jump to media player A New York court has ruled that a pre-dawn police raid on the Occupy Wall Street camp at Zuccotti Park was legal.
New York police clearing protest Jump to media player Hundreds of police officers have cleared the Occupy Wall Street camp in New York's Zuccotti Park.
NYPD defends clearing of Occupy protest Jump to media player Deputy Commissioner of Public Information for the New York Police Department, Paul Browne, said the police acted ''even handedly'' in the face of resistance.
Thousands of demonstrators have marched on New York's Brooklyn Bridge after a day of protests to mark two months since the beginning of the Occupy Wall street movement against economic inequality.
At least 200 protesters were arrested, many of them as they tried to block traders from reaching the city's stock exchange.
Lines of police and barricades were ranged against the demonstrators, who were evicted from their encampment at Zuccotti Park on Tuesday.
Deputy Commissioner of Public Information for the New York Police Department, Paul Browne, said the officers were instructed to allow lawful protest, but arrest people who broke the law. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/3743499.stm | Organised gangs of fly-tippers are dumping huge amounts of rubbish in Kent and Sussex, a special investigation by BBC South East Today has found.
Undercover filming caught gangs dumping trucks full of waste in the countryside despite the threat of £20,000 fines.
Kent County Council has said it is stepping up measures to stop the gangs such as employing enforcement officers and warning of prosecution.
Landfill tax rises and house building have been blamed for increased dumping.
Reporter Jon Hunt secretly filmed a gang dumping rubbish.
He said: "A flat bed truck heavily loaded with household waste and builders rubble drove half a mile up a dirt track and we chased on foot.
"Three men tipped the whole load but as we approached we were spotted.
"They pretended they were loading up rather than dumping but we saw the truck coming in with the full load - they then drove off."
Marsh Street in Dartford is one of the worst areas for fly-tipping.
Colin Newmarch, from Dartford Borough Council, said: "There is a place for all this rubbish to go - either a landfill site or in relation to the smaller amounts of stuff it could go to a local tip."
Half a million pounds is being spent by the county council on education, publicity and enforcement officers.
Paulina Stockell, from the council said: "I think we have to got to show them with the campaign that there are risks involved and there is going to be retribution and they will be fined heavily, prosecuted and we have got to make those real." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2024971.stm | Monday night's Party At The Palace concert attracted a peak of 15.1 million viewers for BBC One - over two-thirds of all those watching TV that night.
The figure was reached at 2300 BST, towards the Golden Jubilee pop concert's conclusion, which saw a spectacular fireworks display light up the London skyline.
Unofficial overnight figures estimate an average of 12.3 million people watched across the four-and-a-quarter hours of the live broadcast from Buckingham Palace.
BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey hailed a "fantastic" night which celebrated the jubilee in a "unique and special way".
"It is pleasing that BBC One was able to bring the concert to millions of people across the UK who couldn't be there on the night," she added.
National Grid estimated 250,000 kettles were switched on after the show ended.
A spokesman said: "We recorded a surge of 550 megawatts. We would get a smiliar reading after the end of a soap shown during the week.
"But last night's reading was very unusual as it was late in the evening and you would expect most people to be in bed."
Former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne - one of the more surprising acts on the bill - said the show was the highlight of his career.
Osbourne, who has found himself a new lease of life thanks to MTV's hit fly-on-the-wall show The Osbournes, said he thought it was a joke when his wife and manager, Sharon, told him he had been invited to perform at the event.
"I hardly think of myself as royal material," he said.
"It seems strange to be on the strange with all these other people. I'm more surprised than anybody else that I'm here.
"My wife told me and I thought, 'You're pulling my leg.' Heavy metal at the Palace? I'm not sure whether the Queen is a fan, but obviously she must be."
Osbourne performed the Black Sabbath anthem Paraonid to the 12,000-strong crowd at the event.
Guitar hero Eric Clapton said it was an "honour" to play a tribute to his late friend George Harrison.
He recreated the guitar solo from the Beatles hit While My Guitar Gently Weeps accompanying Sir Paul McCartney.
The two men had fallen out when Harrison's wife Patti Boyd left him for Clapton, but they had made up a few years before Harrison's death in November 2001.
Sir Paul also appeared alongside his former Beach Boys rival Brian Wilson for the first time. The two men competed with each other during the late 1960s, with the Beatles' Revolver being a response to the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds.
Wilson teamed up with Sir Paul for All You Need Is Love and said: "This is the first time I have been on stage with Paul McCartney and believe me I'm nervous."
Kinks frontman Ray Davies said: "It's something more than a normal concert - it's for the audience, for the atmosphere.
"I justify my involvement because I've always been an people's writer and this is for the people."
The show also saw S Club 7 singer Paul Cattermole bow out of the pop group after four years.
The group will continue as S Club, while he will switch genres to work with rock band Skua.
He said: "I couldn't have asked for a better way to go out. When I realised I couldn't have planned it any better."
Other stars included Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Elton John, Tom Jones, Will Young and The Corrs. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7010539.stm | Despite the many benefits they bring, society's growing dependence on computers is taking its toll on the environment, says Steve Nunn. In this week's Green Room, he calls for a "strategic shift" in mindsets to curb IT's growing impacts.
For most people, using complex technology has become a part of daily life. Yet many people do not seem to understand the green issues that arise from the increase in computing power.
In a world where cutting energy costs and achieving efficiencies are important to both households and companies, this situation has certainly emerged as a priority in boardrooms.
Unsurprisingly, it is the energy consumed by companies and their "data centres" that is causing the bulk of the power consumption.
As IT managers today grapple with trying to deliver value, boost efficiency and reduce costs, they now have to consider their green footprint too.
Consequently, there is a continual quest to identify ways in which these goals can be achieved - a quest which is currently driving the trend towards consolidating, streamlining and simplifying data centres.
Of course, in today's business world, data centres have a crucial role to play. Properly run, they provide robust data back-up, as well as ensuring effective disaster recovery and operational resilience.
Simplifying these core functions is not easy, but it can be achieved in such a way that major energy savings are delivered simultaneously with the business benefits.
This is an exciting prospect. The concentration of computing hardware in companies' data centres is enormous and, outside of manufacturing plants, these centres account for the bulk of most companies' power consumption. They also generate vast amounts of heat.
Companies are well aware of their corporate and social responsibilities. Being seen to be green plays an essential part in their relationships with customers, suppliers and investors. Yet, so far, few have made the connection between IT efficiency and green compliance.
This needs to change. Green citizenship is a central tenet of companies' duty to behave responsibly. As they plan the consolidation of their data centres, IT managers should be actively selecting replacement technologies that will provide more muscle for less power.
These technologies are available but they are still under-exploited. According to a leading market analysis organisation, the IT departments of most large organisations spend around 5% of their total annual budgets on energy.
As computing power per square foot of office space increases, this percentage is set to double or even treble within the next five years.
By investing in "intelligent" power-saving technologies, companies could significantly cut back on this outlay, while doing their bit to save the planet.
As well as investing in this new technology, companies could also achieve significant cost savings by taking a more holistic view of the power supplies on which their businesses depend.
Instead of having engineers and facilities teams working apart from the IT department, closer integration between these functions would help to ensure that energy is not wasted as a result of poor cabling and poor IT cooling.
At the same time, these companies and the hardware vendors that supply them need to be planning ahead. Today's new equipment can soon become redundant, and there is a parallel need to ensure that, when it reaches the end of its lifecycle, it can be recycled as effectively as possible.
The arrival of intelligent and energy-efficient technology is a radical and timely development. Putting it to good use calls for a shift in the strategic mindset of IT departments.
If they can make this shift they will find that they not only meet the interests of shareholders today, but also of future generations for decades to come.
Do you agree with Steven Nunn? Are the environmental impacts of computers being overlooked? Are firms failing to incorporate the growing demand for energy into their green strategies? Or should we focus on green electricity supplies rather than worry about how it is consumed?
My company promotes working from home which would not be possible without all this tech. In doing so, I save having to drive 100ml round trip to work every day which not only makes me more productive (good for the company), but also reduces my CO2 foot print. If more companies allow this working practice, then they would also be promoting a greener image.
It would help if every time I buy a new desktop computer most of the increased processing power was not used up by Microsoft software. However the power used saves me receiving any paper from the bank, stockbroker and almost all bills. Most letter writing can be done by e-mail and 90% of my shopping can be accomplished without any travel on my part. Deliveries can be made in the most efficient way.
My company operates many data centres across the globe, and we are definately looking at ways to become more greener. As stated already in replies, virtualization is helping. For example we have a 1000m2 data centre in London that used to be full of kit, we now are taking up less than 40% of the space. There is a deffinate cost saving to the company which makes the bean counters happy.
Daniel James from Norwich may find that even if his local supermarket were not open 24 hours a day, the fridges would still be on to keep the food that he buys during the day time fresh and the lights would still be on so that the cleaners could see the dirt that he left during the day and the shelf stackers could see what they were doing. Perhaps a greener alternative to shopping would be to walk to your local corner shop without using any carbon fuel ?
Our company has just replaced all of its ageing CRT monitors with TFT flat panels. These provide a clearer, flicker-free display, free up valuable desk space, are easier to handle, and above all, only use a third of the power. Combined with the ability to write IT purchases off against taxable profit, the new kit should effectively pay for itself in 3 - 4 years.
"I can tell you this though, I get very angry when I walk into Tesco's at 3 a.m. and see 2 people buying Pasta Bakes and EVERY single light and Fridge is on to help them support their midnight snack decisions! Daniel James, Norwich UK" Daniel - what method other than fridges should Tesco use to keep their food cold at night? How should the night staff negotiate the aisles whilst re-stocking? These aren't potential energy saving solutions. Companies encouraging employees to turn off pc equipment when not in use is - how many of us work in offices where the printers & pc monitors are left on all night?
Computers are using less and less energy, you just have to look at the technology in new Laptops to see that power consumption is down and efficiency is up, Servers on Networks can now handle more data and so less servers are needed, again reducing the amount of power needed and increasing efficiency, you can decrease the amount of power being used even more by using remote desktops, you can even get 'green' PC's, the real problem is that although we are making computers more efficient and thus better for the enviroment there are just more computers and this unfortunately tends to outweigh the improvements being made to make computer systems greener!
It's true, energy consumption by computers is completely overlooked by nearly all companies. I work for a large multinational as a web editor. There simply isnt the time to worry about the 'background' energy use. It's all about the efficiency of the end product, the part the investors and stakeholders will see. I know I use my computer for nearly 8 and a half hours a day but I have to, my job as a web editor hardly uses pen and paper. Its a sad truth, my ability to write is suffering which can easily reflect our dependance on computers. This is the problem. Computer systems are now used so that information can be accessed and edited on a central copy, quite clearly this is a bigger priority to the Directors than the effect it is having on the environment. To try and make changes in this way could result in job loss if efficiency of business is lost.
Chris, Reading. Just because Steven doesn't mention the technologies doesn't mean they are not there. The new AMD Quad-Core gives double the processing power for the same energy outlay as their current dual core, so if I switch all my processing to the quad I have half the energy usage for the same processing power. Virtualisation technologies allow us to run several virtual servers from a single physical one, very easily lowering both hardware and energy needs. Blade servers and increased efficiency cooling and power technologies gives us further improvements. The biggest benefit of these technologies is they all work together, so if I were to change my 100 legacy servers for 10 AMD Quad-Core blade servers with virtualisation and up-to-date cooling and power management, I would probably get the same (or more) processing power for a fraction of the energy usage those 100 would have used.
I think to suggest the impact is just a sympton of capitalism and therefore unstoppable is blinkered. The simple fact is there are many ways in which the impact of business on the environment can be limited without stiffling the growth of the business. For any organisation to simple roll over and submit that if we want growth it will come at the expense of the environment is unacceptable. Business must seek to employ the services of environmentally aware or accredited IT consultants who pledge to deploy greener services. This will stimulate the green IT market and will see a shift in balance of power. Market forces and a little legislation and/or tax relief are the best way to divert the flow of the river.
I'm so sick of the pointless obsession with trying to use less electricity to 'Save the planet' as every man and his dog trys to jump on the political green bandwagon. Slight gains in efficiency here and there aren't going to make a noticeable difference to the carbon usage on a global scale. We should be investing massive amounts in coming up with sustainable green ways to generate electricity, not telling everyone to use their computers less!
I am not aware of any power saving devices that I can use in the work place. I can tell you this though, I get very angry when I walk into Tesco's at 3 a.m. and see 2 people buying Pasta Bakes and EVERY single light and Fridge is on to help them support their midnight snack decisions!
If Steven Walker can't bear living in a capitalist society, he could always try somewhere like North Korea; no chance of being able to run a profitable business there. Or of doing anything so outrageous as letting people buy more stuff. Everything is planned and everyone receives only what the system permits. And what is permitted, mostly, is destitution and starvation.
Virtualisation technology such as VMWare provides an effective way to consolidate server hardware and reduce power consumption and cooling requirements. Whilst this proven technology exists many companies are still reluctant to adopt it to run business critical production systems.
This is a valid article and many businesses are considering the impact on the environement they have. From a hosting and datacentre perspective, Rackspace is a leader in this area, with a new tree planted for every server sold and also their new datacentre will be powered from energy derived from renewable sources. While there is more work to be done, this is definitely a step in the right direction.
"Yet, so far, few have made the connection between IT efficiency and green compliance." Really? I would like to see your sources for that. Server space, power availability and cooling costs are driving data managers to move to low footprint, low power and therefore low-cooling hardware.
Although computers consume power, many functions provided by them reduce energy consumption in other areas. For example, we run 4 data centres with servers running 24/7. However, the results produced by these computers optimise factory and warehouse stocks and considerably reduce traffic pollution.
One of the simplest methods to save energy is to recycle some of the enormous amount of waste heat generated by the equipment, to heat office space and hot water. Since the cooling systems are already in place to transport the heat away from the equipment, it is a simple matter to install an extra heat pump to reclaim the energy.
Steve Nunn misses one very obvious way in which IT professionals can help combat global warming - by working from home more. I work in London as a software development consultant, and I am often dismayed at how most IT departments strongly discourage programmers and support staff from working from home. We are the ideal industry to lead by example, and we are failing in that respect. Shame on us!
Why does Steve Nunn feel the need to "call" for a strategic shift regarding data centre power, but cite precisely zero of the many technologies which already address the problem? Virtualisation is considered a saviour in this area by allowing many idle but power-hungry servers to be consolidated, while simultaneously opening up whole areas of flexibility for IT departments. 15 percent of new server shipments will undergo virtualization in 2010, up from 5 percent in 2005 according to IDC. Virtualisation is widely accepted as the future of data centre architecture, but this article fails to mention it. IT departments cite power restrictions as major barriers to expansion in data centres, as evidenced by numerous surveys this year and last, and chip companies in response (per their websites) are competing over "performance per watt" and combining as many CPUs as possible into single low-power chips. There are evidently economic incentives for all companies to go green, but this article ignores them. With so much stark evidence indicating that perhaps a strategic shift has already begun it's difficult to see much value in an article as vague as this. The article seems to be jumping on the "green" bandwagon of headline-grabbing titles rather than deliver any useful insight into an area already undergoing significant change. One cannot call for change without understanding the current situation.
The energy consumed by computers is only one facet to the unfolding environmental catastrophe. Lets not forget the mountain of e-waste spewed out by corporations in the quest for a profit!
Companies are already perfectly aware how much their computer systems cost to run. They've been paying the large electricity and cooling bills for decades. Yes when buying new kit the efficiency of the system is considered. MIPS per Watt is a figure which is looked closely at when choosing a platform. The problem is that demand for processing power is increasing far faster than the technologies are becoming efficient. Someone develops a chip which is 1000 MIPS per Watt instead of 500. Well, we fill the machine rooms with twice as many of the new CPUs. Power/Air Conditioning has been the limiting factor in date centres for years now, so this is not news.
Nice one Steve... But it would've helped if you had indicated what some of the technologies are. Primary such as predictive demand storage. Secondary like recycling the heat given off. Future primary such as low-consumption processors and peripherals. A bit off topic perhaps, but although you can't shut down a data centre when the staff go home, but it's amazing the number of companies that require employees NOT to turn off desktop PCs and monitors.
If power saving technologies are truly cost-effective then corporations will adopt them on their own initiative without the need for government carrots or sticks. It doesn't take a psychic to see what the author will tout next: calls for higher excise taxes on power and some kind of energey efficiency credit trading scheme. Neither will actually reduce power consumption but they will make it more expensive and the corporations will then pass those costs on to us, their customers.
What rubbish. While there are some technologies I am aware of which might reduce the energy spent on computing, this guy mentions nothing, no technology whatever. Anyone can wake up one day and state, this industry must use less power. What is his point with this article?
Big chip manufacturers have been reducing power consumtion in a big way during the last couple of years, namely with 65nm and lower fabrication processes which reduce peak wattage from sometimes over 125w, to 65w. This will continue to improve, and means every power supply can be smaller and more efficient causing a small dominoe effect if you will. The amount of cooling that comms/server room air-handling/conditioning units have to provide will reduce too, in many cases this alone could save thousands in electricity.
One of the first articles i've seen on the topic. I concur of course, and in recognition I shall be turning off all of my company's servers for a week to make the point. Whilst i go on holiday.
Chris from Reading is simplifying things when he says more computing power uses more electricity. We know that in our organisation that if we replaced our blade servers with more modern blades, we would have more powerful processors. We would also save 1 kilowatt (an electric bar fire) per chassis in electric consumption plus the additional cooling that would not be required. Despite these benefits, getting the capital to purchase the replacements can still be difficult.
So by which magical technological panacea can one save on emissions from a data center whilst coping with an increasing demand in processing power, driven by the consumers themselves? Let us take the case of the Northern Rock online failure, on one hand we see an article on the BBC site suggesting the company should have more resources on standby ready to kick in at a moments notice to pick up the demand, whilst on the other hand we have this article criticising an increase in computing power. Whilst companies are taking steps to reduce the number of servers in data centres by use of virtualization technologies , required redundancy will still entail a high power/cooling over head for the time being.
Last week the European Court confirmed a 497 million euro fine against Microsoft for abuse of monopoly. One of the ways in which they have abused their monopoly has been to create a climate in which people have a choice of either having to upgrade their computers more frequently than is necessary or being unable to exchange files with anybody else. In my view these newer, faster computers have all sorts of gimmicks that add very little to their usability, but add lots to Bill Gates' pocket and also cause caused umpteen otherwise serviceable computers to be loaded into landfill sites. Shame on George Bush for having dropped the United States case again Microsoft during the early years of his presidency.
Very good. Why hasn't Steve Nunn made reference to any of these super new technologies which are going to reduce the power consumption of data centres? Is it because he doesn't understand what they are and assumes there must be some magic bullet out there, or is it simply because such things don't exist? Extra computing power costs more in both energy and cooling requirements. While technology becomes more power efficient, there is nothing which will drastically reduce the power requirement of a data centre.
This article present rather confused motivations for implementing the recommended actions - on the one hand, a simple economic argument is presented: saving electricity saves money; but this straightforward point is then muddled and clouded by talk of "companies' duty to behave responsibly". If it saves money, (i) why aren't companies doing it already? and (ii) why confused matters with the eco-warrier bit?
The energy consumption of the computers is irrelevant; you run a business to make a profit, you use the profit to support more people; who in turn buy more stuff, and so in turn the business makes more money, and so it spirals upwards out of control. More, More More, and the only place that "more" can come from is ripping up the planet. We've had all the planet can cope with; we've run out of stuff and that's that. The whole problem is running the business to end up with more human activity than you started with. That is the real problem. Computer power is only a symptom - like blaming the drag of the rudder on the ship, when our real problem is the course set by the captain. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/5305622.stm | Two local councils are both supporting a plan to see them join forces as a unitary authority.
Preston City and South Ribble councils have agreed to the plan in principle and are both now carrying out work on the proposals.
The plan would see the end of the current system giving district councils some jurisdiction, and Lancashire County Council wider authority.
A financial assessment is to be carried out and the public asked their views.
A White Paper is currently being drawn up by Ruth Kelly MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and is expected to be published in October.
It is thought the document will look at whether to extend the number of unitary authorities in England.
In a joint statement, leader of Preston City Council, Councillor John Collins, Councillor Ken Hudson, Conservative group leader and Councillor Christine Abram, Liberal Democrat group leader, said that the areas needed to "be in charge of their own destiny".
"It's an area that's on the up and cannot afford to be held back," they said.
The new council would deliver services for a total of about 235,000 residents. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-30066579 | Media captionUS President Obama: "Choices are conflict or co-operation, oppression or liberty"
The US president says Asia's security must not be based on intimidation of small nations by big ones.
Barack Obama told students in Brisbane, Australia - where he is attending the G20 summit - that security in the region must depend on mutual alliances.
He said there was "no question" over his commitment to Asia-Pacific allies, referring to US efforts to strengthen strategic ties with the region.
The two-day G20 summit will focus on promoting economic growth.
World leaders are expected to expand on plans agreed by G20 finance ministers in February to boost global growth by 2% in five years.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also urged those attending to meet the challenges posed by Ebola, climate change and the conflict in Ukraine.
Meeting on the margins of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged his French counterpart Francois Hollande to join him to defuse tensions between the two countries over Ukraine.
France has withheld the delivery of two warships to the Russian navy over its actions in Ukraine.
The Russian president also discussed "rebuilding relations" with the UK after a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron, Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Before the summit began, Mr Cameron said Russia could face further sanctions unless it stopped "destabilising Ukraine".
But Mr Putin faced a frosty reception from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper over Russia's military assertiveness in Ukraine.
"I'll shake your hand, but I only have one thing to say to you: you need to get out of Ukraine," Mr Harper told the Russian leader.
Earlier President Obama said Russia's "aggression" towards Ukraine was a "threat to the world".
President Obama's criticism of China was not explicit but reading between the lines of his speech, there was plenty the government in Beijing might take exception to. He praised Asean's effort to reach a code of conduct with China that reinforces international law in the South China Sea.
Warning that territorial disputes could spiral into confrontation, he said America had an iron clad commitment to the sovereignty of its allies. There was praise for China too, notably for reaching a climate change deal earlier this week and also for lifting millions out of poverty.
The much anticipated "pivot to Asia" that many thought would be a key theme of Barack Obama's presidency has never fully materialised. US involvement in a persistently volatile Middle East put paid to that.
But the American leader has used this visit to Australia, as well as this week's Apec summit in China and Asean meeting in Burma, to remind people that he sees US engagement in Asia as key in the 21st Century.
President Obama did not mention China explicitly but he warned of the dangers posed by territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where Beijing's actions have raised concern among its neighbours.
He also said that all countries had to increase prosperity, warning that America could not "carry the global economy on its back".
Opening the summit, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he wanted to use the event to reassure people about the direction of the world's economy, with a "message of hope and optimism".
He said job creation, identifying tax cheats and strengthening the global economy would all be discussed.
His government had tried to keep climate change off the agenda, despite calls from campaigners.
More than 200 protesters buried their heads in the sands of Bondi Beach on Thursday in a demonstration over climate change inaction.
The Australian government is facing criticism over its climate policies. Since coming to power, Mr Abbott has axed a carbon tax and overseen a 70% fall in investment in renewable energy.
In other developments, G20 leaders released a statement in which they vowed to do all they could to "extinguish" the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
It said that members state were committed to do what was necessary "to ensure the international effort can extinguish the outbreak and address its medium-term economic and humanitarian costs".
The summit is taking place amid tight security, with some 6,000 police deployed. Twenty-seven different groups have been given permits to protest at designated areas.
The "Group of Twenty" represents two-thirds of the world's population, 85% of global GDP and over 75% of global trade.
It began in 1999 as an annual meeting for finance ministers and central bank governors following the Asian financial crisis, before evolving to also include a summit for countries' leaders in 2008, after the global financial crisis.
G20 meetings are aimed at deepening economic co-operation and strengthening the global economy.
It comprises 19 countries and the European Union.
At each meeting, the host country invites non-member guest countries to attend. For 2014, Australia has invited Spain, Mauritania, Myanmar, Senegal, New Zealand and Singapore. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7587623.stm | Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has refused to enter a plea to charges of war crimes at the United Nations tribunal in The Hague.
A tribunal judge entered a plea of not guilty to all charges on his behalf, in line with the rules of the court.
Mr Karadzic faces 11 counts, including genocide, relating to the 1990s Bosnian civil war.
He was arrested in the Serbian capital Belgrade in July after 13 years on the run, living under a false name.
Facing the tribunal for the second time since his arrest, and looking calm and composed, Mr Karadzic said it was a "court of Nato" which had as its aim his "liquidation".
"I've stopped using a false name so I think that all parties should do the same," he said.
The charges against Mr Karadzic include what is regarded as Europe's worst massacre since World War II - the killing of up to 8,000 men and youths in the enclave of Srebrenica.
There will be a further hearing on 17 September. No trial date has been set.
Judge Iain Bonomy entered the plea of not guilty after the defendant declined to hear all the charges against him individually.
"As to count one of the indictment," the judge had begun.
"You're charged with genocide... How do you plead, guilty or not guilty?"
"I will not plead, in line with my standpoint as regards this court," Mr Karadzic replied.
"I shall therefore enter a plea on your behalf of not guilty," the judge said.
"Is that the position you're going to take in relation to each of the other 10 charges on the indictment?"
"Absolutely, yes," Mr Karadzic confirmed.
As Judge Bonomy entered the not guilty pleas, the former Bosnian Serb leader asked: "May I hold you to your word?"
"Which word?" asked the judge.
"That I'm not guilty," replied Mr Karadzic.
"We shall see in due course, Mr Karadzic," the judge said.
Friday's hearing also saw some friction between the judge and prosecutor Alan Tieger over work on drafting a streamlined version of the indictment.
When Mr Tieger said he hoped to have a new charge sheet ready by the end of September, Judge Bonomy snapped: "I sincerely hope you are not serious about that date."
The indictment includes genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The alleged crimes include Mr Karadzic's involvement in an attempt to destroy in whole or in part the Bosnian Muslim (Bosniak) and Bosnian Croat ethnic groups.
That included the killings at Srebrenica and the shelling of Sarajevo, killing and terrorising the city's civilians.
The indictment says Mr Karadzic knew about the crimes that were being committed by Bosnian Serb forces, but failed to take action to prevent them.
Since his first appearance before the court 30 days ago, Mr Karadzic has filed several motions including one contesting the appointment of presiding Dutch judge Alphons Orie, who he claims is biased against him.
Mr Karadzic argues that the trial against him is illegal because under the terms of a deal made with former US peace envoy Richard Holbrooke, he was offered immunity from prosecution. The claims have been ridiculed by Mr Holbrooke. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7708963.stm | A £1m memorial for victims of the 7 July London bombings is to be erected in Hyde Park.
Westminster Council has approved the memorial made up of 52 stainless steel pillars, one for each victim, grouped in four clusters to mark the attacks.
It will stand on the east side of the central London park between Lovers Walk and Park Lane.
The sculpture will be in place by 7 July 2009, and visitors will be able to walk around the three-metre columns.
The casting process will ensure that each pillar is slightly different.
Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead, acted as an independent adviser for the memorial, designed by architects Carmody Groarke.
Councillor Michael Brahams, chairman of the Westminster's planning applications sub-committee, said the memorial would be a "fitting tribute".
"This is a bold and emotive sculpture which will ensure July 7 is never forgotten, and the cruel and needless loss of life, as demonstrated by each of the columns, is etched in the consciousness of future generations." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/4104408.stm | Uganda had endured 15 years of tyranny and civil war when Yoweri Museveni seized power in 1986.
Despite a long civil war in the north, President Museveni has restored order to most of the country and liberal economic policies have led to growth.
But earlier this year the United Kingdom cancelled some aid in protest at the changing political climate. Uganda also faces the challenge of Aids and malaria.
Next month a referendum will decide whether multiparty politics are introduced and critics fear the constitution will also be changed to allow a third presidential term.
What does the future hold for Uganda? What is your view on the political changes? Can there be peace in the north? What lessons does Uganda hold for the rest of Africa? Send us your views.
President Museveni answered your questions in a special edition of our global phone-in programme Talking Point.
Museveni is the man of the people, he lives an ordinary life of a Ugandan citizen. He fought for the people, restored order in Uganda and now the the International community should leave Ugandans to decide the political future of Uganda. Peace in Northern Uganda is within reach, its a matter of days.
Museveni has been a great leader who seems to be back tracking. The referendum and many other issues are just ways of him portraying Uganda as a democracy. How far will Museveni go in pleasing the western world to further his ambitions before Uganda ends up as another Zimbabwe?
I believe it is time for you to step down in order to allow fresh and innovative thinkers into the political debate. I don't have any doubt that you have brought stability and leadership to your country. However, I believe that Uganda is not lacking of intelligent and energetic political minds who are willing and eager to move their country forward. There should be a multi-party system in existence because it has been proven that diversity of opinions or political views are the true pillars of democracy. In essence, no one man's opinion is the ultimate. You should stand down and allow fresh minds into the political arena. Do not fall into the mindset of other African leaders who believe that they are their people's savoir and therefore only they have the right to rule. Give democracy a chance. Do not stand in the way of your nation's progress.
I once had the pleasure of representing Uganda at a "Model UN" conference, and I just wanted to say that although many people admire and benefit from your strong leadership, particularly on issues like Aids, would you please step down at the end of your second term, in order to show that democracy and peaceful transfers of power are both possible and encouraged after a legacy of civil war and tyranny.
We still need you Mr President, I must say you have done commendable work for Uganda and you should continue. I know given another term as a token of appreciation in recognition of your effort to bringing peace in a country that was rotting, but my only advice is that, this time round please try to bring in young cadres like us with clear vision for the country not fallen cadres who will later on turn around and blame your effort that you risked your life. I've just finished my MBA from London school of commerce and looking forward to coming to Uganda to preach the gospel of True leadership Bravo Museveni.
It is said by some people in Uganda, especially those leaning towards the "opposition" that the results of the referendum on various issues is well known and that therefore money should not be "wasted" on an exercise whose outcome is known. I disagree. The record needs to show how the citizens actually pronounce themselves on important matters. Recently it was well known that the voters in France and the Netherlands were going to vote no to the European constitution but that it did not stop the authorities there from going on with the exercise. Important changes to the way we are governed cannot be decided on the basis of the gut feeling of oppositionists or other "enlightened" observers, otherwise elections would be decided by opinion polls. So the referendum must go on.
It is time to go! Leave a legacy as someone who has the integrity to leave power. Watch over your country to make sure democracy has root. It is greediness, if you are trying to perpetuate yourself in power forever. Remember the day of judgement!
I wonder why the Great Lakes region chose Museveni to give lessons to war-torn Burundi. His country faces war, too. He has not found a solution. At least Burundi has a multiparty political system, Uganda does not because Museveni does not want one. Watch out, Mr President. Tomorrow you may receive lessons from those you were looking down upon yesterday as Burundi is now going through a reconciliation process and democratic change.
Mr President I have had all my education in the 20 years you have been in power. I grew up admiring you. In my secondary school, I saw another Mandela in the making. Why can't you now rest? You have showed the country what to do and we appreciate all the good things you have done.
Turn down their calls for you to stay on. We don't want you to go into exile like your predecessors. Believe you me; what happened to them can also happen to you.
Mr Museveni should be saluted for all he has done for the people of Uganda. Citizens have a voice and there is freedom of speech. So, I believe that the people will decide the best way forward through the referendum. Multiparty politics have caused a lot of suffering due to tribalism. I hope this time it will work out. My greatest worry is the transitional process. May God help Uganda.
I absolutely have no doubt on your profound style of governance. It's hard to imagine where Uganda would've been had it not been for you toppling the last regime. Democracy has its limits, considering where you picked the country from.
The future indeed looks rosy if President Museveni can be allowed to steer the country through the tunnel till we, Ugandans can see the light. It's been a long trek through mountains and valleys but I am optimistic that Mr Museveni will deliver as he has done for the past few years. Best of luck Mr President.
The future of Uganda depends on Uganda's legislature, judiciary and executive power. Firstly, the legislature must prudently vote what is good for the country. Secondly the courts have to diligently set laws that are fair to all Ugandans. Finally, the executive powers that are presidential must respect the constitution set up to steer the government. At the moment the president wants to change the constitution to stay in power for longer than two terms.
His goal is to be the first president of the East African Federation! Uganda now needs change at the helm as hopefully then the war in the north may come to an end. Uganda needs to learn from Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia. These countries are democratic and they are enjoying the advantages of democratic values.
Museveni has done a lot for Uganda and East Africa, but at times it is good to quit while things are not too bad, not forgetting Museveni has not been able to stop the civil war in the north of Uganda. We have an inherent problem in Africa where leaders don't want to give up power after being in there for a long time. Museveni can take a good leadership example from world renown South African former president Nelson Mandela. He gave up power honourably.
You should come back in 2006. We still want your leadership.
In order to register as a political organisation, the National Resistance Movement collected millions of signatures countrywide. These signatories were endorsing the opening up of political space. If we know that millions have endorsed your party and the other parties are in support of opening up, why waste tens of millions of dollars on a referendum? The outcome is already known and it is not a legal requirement.
There is no doubting the change brought to Uganda under Museveni's presidency, for which he should be congratulated. However, is it not time to see a new face in charge? After all Museveni has done he's risking his reputation to emulate that of former President Moi in Kenya in terms of hanging on longer than was in the country's interests. It wasn't until Moi retired that the extent of corruption under him was unveiled. I hope for Ugandans' sake they do not follow the same fate.
Mr President, I personally don't have any problem with your third term project and lifting term limits for the presidency. Some of your ministers have also said that term limits are outdated and that countries like UK don't have them. That is right. But UK is a democratic country. In UK, leaders don't steal elections. In UK, leaders don't use the army to terrorise opposition groups. And in UK, leaders don't bribe MPs to change laws.
I was four-years-old when Mr Museveni became president, I am 23 now and if Mr Museveni allows parliament to amend the constitution and God forbid he runs again, I will be 28 when the new term ends, probably married with children. My point is, African leaders never know when to quit and Museveni is no exception. What more, surely, can he do for Uganda that he hasn't been able to accomplish in the last 19 years?
The North has been a disaster, unemployment is ridiculously high, much needed aid is being retracted, and corruption is at a high, need I say more? Museveni's legacy will be preserved if he steps down when this current term ends. If he stays, am afraid Uganda's future is a blur, with tumultuous times ahead of our young, so called democracy.
President Museveni undoubtedly must be commended for the leadership he has provided for Uganda. The fruits of that leadership are there for all to see. But like a hen who has laid and incubated its eggs, he better not sit on them for too long lest he crushes and destroys what he worked and nurtured for so long.
President Museveni has indeed done some very good things for Uganda. The referendum is indeed a waste of taxpayers/donor money, that can be better be spent on health, education etc. It's high time the Movement government came up with an alternative presidential candidate and give Museveni an opportunity to retire peacefully having played his part in the development of Uganda.
Hello and welcome to a special edition of Talking Point. I'm Mike Wooldridge.
Uganda is facing a political watershed. Nineteen years after President Yoweri Museveni and his National Resistance Army swept to power, Ugandans are to vote in a referendum on whether to return the country to multi-party politics. The President backs the move. But at the same time there's been controversy over whether he should be able to run again after holding the reins of power for so long. We're in State House, Kampala, and Yoweri Museveni is our guest today on Talking Point. Welcome, Mr President.
Your calls in a moment but let me begin with this email we've received from Joshua Nanyumba in Toronto, Canada: Mr Museveni I am proud of the developments you have done for the nation so I would wish you to show other African leaders a good example by resigning at the end of your term so that the whole world can see the democracy you meant when you came to power with your famous speech "Ours is not a mere change of guard but a fundamental change".
And Amin Kiggundu from Kampala in another email puts the question rather more succinctly: Mr President I would like to know whether you will be standing for the presidency in 2006?
Well it does look as if it is becoming possible for you to stand again with parliament this week coming out in favour of ending the current two-term limit for the presidency - so will you stand again for a third term?
The question of who stands on behalf of the movement is decided by a delegates' conference. So that's where that issue will be decided. And in deciding who stands, the delegates take into account many considerations.
The debate which has been going on which has now been resolved is whether we should have a flexible constitution or a rigid one and I favour going for a flexible constitution on the question of time limits, that's all. But as to standards that will be decided by the delegates' conference.
Right, so it's down to the delegates' conference. Now if they do ask you to stand, what would you do?
We shall decide that when we get to the delegates' conference.
Have you made your mind up yet?
I don't make up my mind until the delegates' conference makes up its mind and then the candidates can respond to that.
But the important thing is that we have a flexible constitution on that issue rather than a rigid one. And when we studied the issue, the merits and the demerits, we were not convinced about the merits of time limits.
Let's bring in our first callers on the issue. Let's go first to Margaretta Wa Gacheru from Evanston, Illinois in the United States.
President Museveni, I was in Kenya from 1974 and was taught at the University of Nairobi by many Ugandan exiles and am a great admirer of you. I have witnessed the suffering of the Ugandan people and really appreciate what transpired in 1986 when you came to power. I know there have been many obstacles that you have confronted. In reading your book, What is Africa's Problem, you outlined a very large vision for your country and for Africa.
I'd like you to talk about what you feel is the biggest obstacle you have been faced with in realising your vision and how you have striven to overcome those obstacles. Could you do that for me?
I think the question we're addressing here is - you describe Mr Museveni as a man of vision; do you then want him to continue in power?
Myself, I think that Mr Museveni should continue. I think he has a vision that he needs to fulfil and if the people want him to do that, I think he's the best man for the job.
I wonder if he feels that he can do that. Is he capable of overcoming the obstacles that he's confronted with?
Well just before you answer that Mr President, let me also bring in Allan Ayella from Manhattan, Kentucky, in the United States. What do you think about this issue of whether Mr Museveni should be able to run again for the presidency next year?
I want to first of all thank Mr President for the wonderful and beautiful things that he has done for Uganda. I want to thank him for him for his leadership and all that he's done.
But I do not think that the President should run again for a lifetime presidency because in his own manifesto in the last election campaign he said that he wanted five more years to professionalize the army. So it looks like all pointers are pointing to the direction where he's trying to cling onto power which I do not think is really appropriate for him at this time.
I don't he should run again, to answer your question. I think he should show a difference - there should be a clear cut difference between him and the former leaders that we had because he's been really good and it would really tarnish his image to start manipulating the constitution and all that is going on right now.
Let me stop you there then and put both of those points to Mr President. One says you should stay, one says you should go essentially.
Well you see the real answer to Uganda is that we should give that sovereignty to the people of Uganda - to the electorate. There's no need for us to render our voices hoarse with that issue because the owners of the land, the electorate, they should be the ones to decide whether a leader should lead them or not. That is our conclusion - the conclusion of the movement, once we studied the American constitution in particular.
When they debated this issue in 1787, '88, '89, when they were writing their constitution, these issue came up. Should they have limited terms, or should they have unlimited terms? And at that time they said they should not have unlimited terms until later - until about 50 years ago when they changed it. But we benefited a lot from studying the arguments which were being put forward by those delegates in the American constitutional conference.
It's not a question that Mr Museveni is saying of what he wants - it's up to the people.
We had a referendum about five years ago; that was again on either we should have a multi-party system and a lot of irregularities that happened. But finally it came out clearly that the people wanted a movement even if there were manipulations of the referendum.
My question is that Museveni himself said he wanted five more years to professionalize the army. I shouldn't see why again there should see taxpayers' money being wasted to debate this issue when it was his lips that said this and I don't see why the referendum comes in at this time. It shouldn't even be a point of argument. If it was said we are switching over to multi-party after this five years or we're maintaining the movement that should be the question that should be addressed. Not him in particular that seems to be holding the light and pushing the candle towards the lifetime presidency which would be disaster for Uganda.
Allan Ayella thank you very much indeed. A disaster for Uganda, he's suggesting.
He's talking of the referendum¿.
And the spending of the money on it and so on.
Yes, but you see the problem is that we are talking to people who don't know much about our history. In Uganda we have, if you like, a dual system. The people who come to parliament come to parliament after passing an educational qualification. You cannot be a member of parliament unless you have finished advanced level education. That's when you stand for elections and then if you are elected, you become a member of parliament.
Now I think about half a million people have been through an advanced level of education in the last 50 or so years. That means there are 11 million or 12 million people who have not been through a level of education. Therefore, you come to a crucial issue like whether we should open up the political space for the parties, it is so important that we must ask, not only the elite, but also the population themselves. That's why the referendum is very important. There are many people among the 12 million voters who could not stand to be members of parliament. There is a sort of class barrier - educational barrier - in our electoral system. That's why the referendum is very, very important on these crucial issues.
The referendum of course, once again, just to remind people being on the whole idea of whether there should be a restoration of multi-party politics or not.
Let me bring in our next caller Bosco Ssendegeya from London. I gather that one of your concerns is that, Mr Museveni, if he does retire, if he does end his presidency next year when the current term expires, that that would be under foreign pressure - that's what you're worried about?
Yes, my worry is that there's increasing pressure from the international community, especially the donor countries, for you the President to step down, while at the same time there are very many people in Uganda, especially in the rural areas and women who want you to continue to be their leader. Given this opposing situation, can you tell us what or who you will follow?
So Mr President, are you doing this under foreign pressure? Are you even moving towards - now backing a move towards multi-party politics because of foreign pressure, is that right?
Not at all. There has been foreign pressure on so many things but we never listen to that foreign pressure unless our own thinking coincides with that foreign pressure.
In 1971, when Amin came to power, he was supported by western countries. One of the first countries that supported Amin was Britain. Edward Heath, within 10 days, extended support to Idi Amin. Other western countries supported Idi Amin.
We opposed Idi Amin, in spite of the stand of the western countries, until we got rid of him. Later on the western countries changed their position in 1972 when Amin expelled the Asians. Then when he fell foul of the western countries, the eastern countries supported him - the Arab countries supported him. We opposed Amin.
The history of our movement is that we follow the interests of our people; we don't follow what the outsiders say. We may take it into account, we may talk to them, but in the last analysis, we go with our people. That is the history of our movement.
Therefore there is no foreign influence that would have made us go to multipartyism for instance or to opening up the political space, if we also did not think that it was time to change.
But your dependence on foreign aid though does potentially make you quite dependent on influence, indeed even pressure, from donor governments from the international community, doesn't it?
Not in the last analysis. I want to tell you something about aid - all of you who are listening. It is now 48 years since Ghana got independence as the first black African country. Not a single African country has transitioned from third world to first world because of aid. They are all there for you to examine and many of them have received a lot of aid. Therefore aid by itself is not a factor of transformation. It can be used and if it is used properly to bring transformation.
So you're suggesting you'd be prepared to forego the aid to follow what you believe to be right?
Absolutely, absolutely. Aid is not such a crucial issue as far as we are concerned. It is welcome if it is available but it cannot decide our destiny.
Let's see what are next caller feels about that and indeed this whole potentially new political direction that Uganda is taking. Benon Muwong from Cape Town, South Africa. What's your comment about what is happening in Uganda at the moment?
I would like to commend you on a job well done and I hope to see you see stand in the next election. My question is about the media. I would like to know - first the media in Uganda is still very young, has a lot of potential. What policies will you put in place to ensure that the internal media reports accurately and in an unbiased manner to people especially on the issues that are potentially polarised into to the population?
Benon Muwong - one of his concerns is that there should be free but also fair reporting here. Presumably you would hardly disagree with that?
One of the things he's worried about is that the opposition might, as he puts it, intimidate the public by making unjustified accusations and so on.
Absolutely. Some of the papers are not very professional and they tend to publish alarmist news, alarmist information which is not researched.
But at the end of the day isn't freedom of the press an extremely important principle too?
It is important but you remember that in the case of Rwanda, the radio was misused to promote genocide. There was a radio which was inciting violence and I'm told - I was watching the film recently that the Americans thought of jamming it at some stage but somebody told them that it would interfere with the freedom of information and that radio went on and caused the death of 1 million people. So people will misuse the media - it can be the real enemy of freedom also.
Let's bring in another caller now from here in Kampala, Muwanga Kakooza. Your question to President Museveni.
Former president, Godfrey Binaisa, is quoted to have said that ''the chair is very sweet''. Having been in power for consequent years, do you agree with the former president Binaisa?
Maybe the chair was sweet for Mr Binaisa but for me the chair is not sweet to me at all and I have been in the chair of resistance for the last 33 years because I've been in the struggle - against Amin, against the systems we are fighting. So to me I look at it as a continuous struggle. This is a phase - when you have been in the government - it is just one phase like when we were fighting. Unless you served by struggle like against Amin for 8 years then continuing for another five - maybe the chair of resistance was sweet.
But it is a long time ago of course you left the chair of resistance in the bush and sat down in the chair here.
Muwanga Kakooza, are you suggesting by your question that Mr Museveni is perhaps finding the chair too sweet? Or do you think that he should be continuing in office after next year, if the public vote for him?
I wanted to get his position. I wanted to know whether what President Binaisa said, whether it applies to him - whether it is true that the chair is very sweet, that's why he doesn't want to leave?
I don't think of the chair as sweet or not sweet, I am here on assignment, just as I was in the resistance.
Well another enigmatic answer perhaps on what the future may hold.
We bring in our next caller now, also from Uganda, but from Gulu in northern Uganda. Your perspective, Moses from Gulu - and of course your part of the country is one where the government is still engaged in a conflict with the Lord's Resistance Army and has been indeed almost ever since our guest today, Yoweri Museveni, came to power. What do you want to ask the president?
As you said I come from an area that is terribly affected by war and I feel this is a challenge for the President because if he's been in power for 20 years and up to now there is no peace in the region, we feel he should give the matter to somebody else to try and see if the people here can get peace. Because for all these years surely we think somebody could have fresher ideas that can bring peace for the people in northern Uganda.
Let's put that to Mr Museveni. So that suggestion then that you should give up in this case because you failed to bring peace to the north.
First of all on the issue who leads Uganda. According to what we are saying now in the constitutional review process, either it should be up to the people of Uganda in regular elections. So if our friend from the north - if Moses is of the view, that because Museveni has been in power for a long time and he should therefore not be a leader in case he presented himself for fresh election, then he says so in a vote. And others also say what they think and then the sum total decides who should lead us. So we are going back to the same issue; who has got the power to decide.
However, coming to the reasons why, the conflict in the north has dragged on; it is because of the geo-political factors which many people know. The government of Sudan was backing that terrorism and we had to confront the government of the Sudan. It spilled over into Congo and we had to confront the regimes in the Congo and the geopolitical factors behind that conflict are well known and I'm sure even the people in the north know them.
We had no shortcut for those problems. Eventually the peace in the Sudan will have spin-offs in northern Uganda also.
Even if there are geopolitical factors, I do think many people find it surprising that somebody who managed the kind of campaign that you did in the bush - eventually of course to topple the government here - to remove the government in Kampala. A real expert in military strategy hasn't been able to conclude the war in a shorter time than this, even despite what you were just saying.
So the conflicts last long. The conflict in Northern Ireland, you remember is nearer home which it is not the same as even the conflict in northern Uganda because in Northern Ireland there was no real base for the IRA - the Republic of Ireland was not giving support to the IRA. Here you had a place - moreover a land border - not an island like Britain is, a land border where the neighbouring country was actively backing this terrorism and I'm not surprised myself that it lasted long because that was one of the factors. There are also other factors but that was one of them.
Let's just stay with the conflict in the north for a moment and bring in our next caller who I think also wants to make a point about it. Ogwang Wacha from Silver Spring in the United States. Your perspective on the political situation here particularly taking into account the conflict in the north.
Mr President you said that we do not have enough money and resources to stop the killing in northern Uganda. If that is true, then how come we have enough money and resources to go and fight in our neighbouring country? How come we have enough money and resources to bribe MPs to try and lift the term limit for you?
Well your question ranged quite widely. But let's [focus] particularly on that first part about the north - the issue of resources.
Well we have the resources but at one time we had the problem with our donor partners who were saying that we should not spend more than 1.9% of GDP on the army. That took a little bit of our time, until 2002 when we took a firm stand and insisted that we spend more on the army and we did it.
So it is not that we don't have the money - we had the money - of course we don't have all the money we need for all the things we need. But we had the money to spend on the army but at one time, our partners did not want us to spend it, although we wanted to spend it and until we insisted and now we have spent adequately, that's why the situation is under control.
Now our friend from Silver Springs talks about us fighting in other people's land. Yes, that fight in other people's land was part of the fight for the north. Because it was Sudan, which sponsored groups through the Congo to attack us from the west this time. It was called the Allied Democratic Front - ADF - so that's why we had to go into the Congo; it was part of the same struggle.
I just wanted Ogwang Wacha to come back on those particular points. What do you think of the President's explanation?
I still feel that as the President and as a citizen of Uganda, he should have done more - for 19 years he should have done more because the LRA have adopted over 20,000 children; they have displaced 1.4 million people in IDP camps.
The 1.5 million people who have been displaced - the majority of them were displaced actually in the last two years when the terrorists were under pressure from us they tried to go new regions. That's when the number swelled. Otherwise the number was always around 800,000. But anyway it was part of the regional conflict. It was not an independent factor and those 20,000 children who have been abducted, most of them have been released. In fact, now the children in captivity are very, very few - there are hardly any. The total number of people still with the terrorists could not be more than 400.
I want to bring in somebody who wants to remind you that he actually taught you at one point when you were a student in Dar es Salaam. Andrew Lyall from Dublin in Ireland. About the north perhaps but also as somebody who was one of the President's teachers. What do you feel about the general political developments taking place in the country?
I'm not sure I taught the President very much; that's more a reflection on me than on him I'm sure.
But we were members - the only two non-Tanzanian members, I think, of the TANU Youth League - that might bring back an occasion when we went to camp there in the bush near Bagamoyo.
I was going to ask about the question of elections but up to now - 'til last November I think - the President's view was or it was the case that there were non-party elections. The constitutional court ruled, I think, last November, that it would be unconstitutional to deny party politics, as it were. I just want to ask him what his view on that is. Does he support the idea of party politics and how could you prevent them becoming ethnically based which has often been the problem in Africa?
So is there a risk in this move, which you're now supporting and indeed have you come to it reluctantly because it was just a few years ago that you were pushing the continuation of the present movement as having great merits?
It is not because of pressure. After 18 years quite a number of changes happened in our society. A lot of young people have grown up who didn't know the sectarianism of the past and even the people who have lived under the sectarianism of the past have seen the advantages of non-sectarian behaviour. Therefore, sectarianism which had been planted here throughout the colonial period, is now on the wane, on the decline and that's why we have decided that we should open up the system because sectarianism is on the decline but also there are other weaknesses in our movement system. Our movement system helped us to get rid sectarianism. It however brought in some other inefficiencies; like for instance, lack of cohesive behaviour because people, MPs, were being elected on individual merit. Whenever they would came to parliament they would behave in an anarchic way. They wouldn't have a collective stand - if you like a party line - and that had also caused a lot of inefficiency.
So on one hand our original sickness, which was sectarianism, was on the decline and on the other hand some new problems were cropping up in the movement system itself. Therefore we decided it was time to open up.
Andrew Lyall, do you think the President is right perhaps there to suggest that the sectarianism - the risks of sectarian strife of old are now passed?
Well I think he's probably in a much better position to judge that. Yes, I think that's quite right that it was fermented in the past; particularly as the problem of landlord and tenant relations, for example, of Ugandan landlords with Ugandan tenants, and that type of thing. So I'm glad he thinks that's so.
I just would like to ask, it was reported, I think, on a BBC website in some quarters, that the President's support for multiparty elections was in some way dependent upon whether he is permitted to run for a third term. I wonder whether he would comment on that as to whether that's true or not?
Yes, there are some people who are saying that having two transitions at a go is risky. There is such an opinion that you cannot have a transition from movement to marked??organisation system - to a pluralist system - at the same time also have a change of leadership of the political management. There is such an opinion it is being said and it is all part of the discussion.
But the question there of course is, would you have been going down the multiparty road yourself and now encouraging that if you weren't sure that you would be able to stand again? I accept what you said at the beginning of the programme about that, but have you done this in the belief that you will be able to continue?
No, no, no, the two are not linked. But some of the people think that out of prudence it's better that way. But the move for opening up the political space was an independent factor.
This is a special edition of Talking Point from State House, Kampala with President Yoweri Museveni. Let me bring in on the line now, Rone from Oslo in Norway. The point that you would want to make to the President?
Since you came to power, you have operated a political system called the movement and now you say that it is time to change - to vote on the referendum on multiparty politics. How can you explain the definition of the two to the ordinary people in Africa and Uganda in particular?
My second question, Sir, has your government prepared all the necessary funds to conduct the referendum process? If no, who will finance this process?
The referendum will be financed by us and that's not a problem. But regarding the difference between the movement and the party system. The movement system is a multi ideological system. It is a system where you are able to accommodate different ideological lines under one political roof.
Parties ideally should be uni-ideological, like the parties which you are familiar with in Europe, like for instance, the Labour Party. The Labour Party was a party of labour - it was the party of the workers initially who had one interest - fighting for the interests of workers. Then you had a Communist Party. The Communist Party is a party of communists. The Conservative Party was a party of some high class people; maybe middle-class; maybe the aristocrats initially.
The movement therefore is always multi ideological. While the parties ideally should be uni-ideological. This is the difference which some people do not bother to understand.
We have of course the G8 summit coming up in just a few days time now. Let's turn to some of the issues that will be coming up at the G8 summit which will be very much dealing with Africa. We've had emails from Naeem Hassan in Lahore, Pakistan who asks: How would you utilize the aid coming from the G8?
That's assuming presumably that there is going to be substantially more aid. We have a email from Juliet in the UK who asks: With G8 around the corner and the Ugandan debt possibly wiped away altogether, what serious development should we be looking at?
In other words, how do you propose to use any further debt relief, debt cancellation you have?
And on this issue of debt, we have on the line, Nnamdi Francis from Enugu, Nigeria. Your question to the President?
My question is, what is the justification for the call by most African countries, like South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda and some other countries, who ask for debt relief. When they are in power, the corrupt leaders enriched themselves with the abundance of these countries, now they are calling for debt relief. What is the guarantee that when these debts are looked into by these European countries and been caught or whatever, what is the justification, what is the assurance that you will actually make use of this debt relief for the benefit of that country and for the benefit of other African countries?
I think there are quite a lot of people in the rest of the world aren't there who are concerned that if debts are to be relieved or cancelled that the money should be used properly and in particular that it shouldn't go, for example, on arms spending.
The money which is forgiven for debt, cannot go for arms. It would normally go for education, for infrastructure. But I did not get his question very well - he was talking about justification.
He's question was essentially about the use that is made of that money. Looking across Africa and the call there was from Nigeria. Do you share concerns about simply relieving debts, handing back the money, or indeed dishing out substantially more aid to Africa. Would you accept that there should be any sort of conditionality attached to that? The donor countries, for example, are now very often - and indeed I think we'll hear it at the G8 - expecting Africa to reform itself more politically to work much more actively to eradicate corruption to improve governance and so on. Is that kind of conditionality, if we can call it that, is that acceptable to you?
I would like to approach all these subjects differently. An asymmetrical approach to the issue of underdevelopment of Africa, is not correct. You must have a comprehensive approach. Some of Africa remains backward by a combination of two sets of factors. One set of factors is the exogenous factors - factors coming from outside Africa - like debt, like being shut out of the markets of the West, like interference in the internal affairs of Africa because that is also one of the exogenous factors that has caused problems.
Then there are indigenous factors, factors within Africa that also played a negative role in terms of development. For instance, interfering with the private property, lack of macro economic stability - yes, dictatorship and lack of democracy. These are all factors, some internal, some external, that caused the missing of the boat by Africa. Therefore, you cannot have one element and you think that that one would solve the problem - no - even if you forgive the debts.
Much of course is made of eradicating corruption isn't it. Indeed, we've had emails from Jenny Namuddu, from Kampala who says: Mr. Museveni, nobody doubts the good that has come to Uganda under your leadership. Why have you not sent a clear message about corruption?
An email from Nicholas Mutenga in London: Why after all these years has Uganda not been able to tackle its corruption problems?
So that's a perception that's out there.
That asymmetrical approach is very wrong because even if you handled corruption only - even if you put everybody in a convent and we are all not corrupt - but you do not produce wealth - you do not add value to raw materials - because one of the main factors of Africa's backwardness is actually donating Africa's wealth to the outside by exporting our precious coffee, we are donating money, we are donating jobs to Europe.
The United Kingdom earns more money from coffee now than Uganda does and indeed Uganda is one of the biggest producers of coffee in the world. Why? Because the value is added to the coffee in the UK rather than in Uganda.
Now unless you put everybody in a convent - and we they were not corrupt - but you did not resolve the structural distortions of, for instance, exporting raw materials, you can dance until midnight, you will not cause a development here.
Let' just bring Chris from Winchester, UK in on this as our next caller. This is an issue I think you're concerned about as well isn't it?
I am just a little bit concerned about the G8. In the next 10 days, highly indebted poor countries, under stress like Uganda, are said to receive 100% debt relief. Now our success post-debt relief is going to be down to good governance. Mr President, how do you expect our country, Uganda, to achieve success if your very government does not respect the constitution on sensitive issues like the time limit?
Secondly, do you have any mechanisms to ensure that the corruption which has plagued our country for the last 20 years and this has put us into the top five most corrupt nations, do you have any mechanisms to make sure that this will not occur again if you are given another term?
Uganda does not respect the constitution - that's madness. These are some of the lies which are being peddled and unfortunately being peddled by people who should be serious. What aspect of the constitution are we not respecting? We are talking of reviewing the constitution. We are talking of amending some aspects of the constitution. That does not show disrespect of the constitution. It shows [how] meticulous the constitution is - if there is a provision of the constitution, you abide by it until you amend it legally. If it is done legally - what's wrong? What is the issue? I cannot even follow the argument.
Christopher, are you convinced by that?
I am fine by that.
Although of course he was pressing again on the point of corruption, wasn't he?
The corruption - our movement has handled - in 1986 we had a multiplicity of problems. There was criminality by state agencies - killings - extra judicial killings - looting, smuggling - the black market - we had all those problems. All these matters have been resolved. Why is there no more black market? What happened to the black market?
Christopher, do you accept that - all those problems resolved?
No, no no. Some of those problems have been resolved. Then you have some which are still lingering - like embezzlement, like misuse of office, like bribery. And that one we are also tackling because the crucial thing here is what sort of soldiers are you relying on to solve a particular problem.
In order to stop the extra-judicial killings, we relied on the army to stop that - we created a new type of army. But in order to stop embezzlement, we need a different type of soldier - we need an accountant, we need an auditor, we need a prosecutor, we need a new set of people, which we are in the process of creating. And that's how we are getting all these successes. If there was so much corruption, how do we get a rate of growth of 6.3% every year for the last 18 years?
I think we must leave that one there. This is a special edition of Talking Point from State House in Kampala, with President Yoweri Museveni.
Let's turn to Zimbabwe, which is a very topical issue with the demolition of properties around Harare recently. We've had emails on this including this one from George Grams, Canada who says: Can the president please give us his view on the recent demolition of homes and business premises in Zimbabwe?
Peter Ross, London, UK who asks: Mr Museveni do you support President Mugabe bulldozing thousands of people's homes and businesses in Zimbabwe? As Uganda also had Idi Amin is there hope in Africa if Africans don't stand up for the many poor and dispossessed people?
Let me bring on the line Richard Price from the United Kingdom on this same issue.
First of all I'd just like to say thank you for speaking to me. It is a great privilege for me to talk to you as an African leader I've long admired.
My question does concern Zimbabwe and is rather like several of the questions that have just been read out. I think there are parallels to the Uganda you inherited in 1986 and the current situation in Zimbabwe. In '86 Uganda had petrol shortages, shortages of food stuffs, lack of law and order, etc. It was rather like Zimbabwe today - rather a basket case - which you successfully have turned around. I want to firstly ask you what your views are on President Mugabe himself and the current situation in Zimbabwe?
Secondly, given the parallels between the Uganda of the late '70s and early '80s and the current situation in Zimbabwe, whether you, as a respected African leader, would ever consider uniting the other leaders of Africa against this despotic madman, Mugabe?
I think Mr Museveni is having a little difficulty hearing you but the essence of the question there: shouldn't African leaders be speaking out more about what is happening in Zimbabwe and indeed you in particular?
Well Africans speaking out about African misbehaviour.
It is misbehaviour in Zimbabwe is it?
Generally speaking. There is a perception which is being peddled around that Africans are keeping quiet about other Africans misbehaving. This is not correct. We are the ones that got rid of Idi Amin by ourselves, no outside help was extended to us.
Richard Price was just making that point and therefore feeling there was all the more reason for you to speak out about the kind of thing that's been happening recently in Zimbabwe.
Just wait a minute. I want to illuminate for the audience, how many times Africans have stood up by themselves against their own kith and kin who gets out of line and the first example is Idi Amin. We, together with our Tanzanian brothers, and to some extent Dr Kaunda in Zambia, we stood up against Idi Amin until we got rid of him ourselves - no help from outside.
Sudan, you've been asking about the north. Part of the north has been our conflict with the Sudan. We alone stood up against the Sudan government - the genocide in Rwanda.
If I cut you short, because our time is a little short here but all of that may have happened - all of that action may have been taken but what about the specific issue of Zimbabwe today?
What about Continental organization, the African Union?
At one time the Commonwealth group - so some of us sat back and waited for that group to report because there were people who were nominated - the Prime Minister of Australia, I think General Obasanjo and some other people. So we sat back because I don't want to interfere in an issue which is not directly under my responsibility.
Because there are so many players in Zimbabwe - there is no structured way of handling anything. On the one hand you hear the British government firing off their opinions. So it becomes now a bilateral matter. If the British are saying that, Mugabe is saying that - what do I say - because I am not part of Mugabe's government, I am not part of the British government. They fire off opinions without consulting us.
The only structural involvement where I was involved was the Commonwealth and we nominated the Prime Minister of Australia, we nominated General Obasanjo and somebody else. These should be the ones to guide us.
Would you like to see action of some kind? Would you like to see things being said about it - whatever the way in which it is done? Is there a case for Africa speaking out?
I would like to see a structured approach to a problem - a structured serious - not propagandist approach to a problem. If should be a committee like that committee of the Commonwealth. If Uganda had been nominated on that committee we would then have been able to study the issue in detail and give opinions. But now this is just propaganda - just firing off impromptu opinions in the papers. This is not helpful at all and it's not serious.
Let's turn to an issue that is of great relevance to Uganda of course and that is HIV/Aids. An email from Bernard W, in Gulu in northern Uganda who says: What effect will the recent u-turn America and also US AID is taking regarding the promotion of condoms have on your quite successful campaign against HIV and Aids?
An email from Isaac Russell from Yuma, Arizona, USA who says: Mr Museveni, please stand up to the Bush administration in the following way. Demand that the abstinence first and foremost clauses be dropped as conditions for aid money with regard to fighting AIDS and redistribute all the condoms, which, I have read, were collected by the government.
Who brings up this idea of either condoms or abstinence? Our formula is, all are needed. The ones who can abstain, abstain. The ones who are married and can be faithful in the marriage, I encourage it. But the ones who cannot, I encourage you to use the condom.
Is this the case as much as it always was because certainly the impression has got about that there's been a move much more towards emphasising abstinence and indeed an impression that that is as a result of influence from the United States.
I can never support that because that's murder. Because if there is a prostitute who is already having risky behaviour, how can you discourage her from using the condom?
If you have got faith-based groups - groups which are religious based - surely they want this prostitute to remain Aids free until they can convert her to Christianity. So it is better she is alive rather than when they find that she's dead or sick.
So neither group should insist on extreme positions. The condom people should not say everybody must be condomised - because that's what they are saying - the whole world should be condomised; that all human behaviour should go through condoms - no, that's not correct. Let the ones who can abstain, abstain; let the ones who can be faithful in marriage, be so. This has always been our stand.
And condoms will still be available for use in the way they always have been?
There's no holding back on that?
No, but maybe there's a problem of distributing condoms in primary schools and maybe there was a problem there. That could have been the problem of very young children - sort of sensitizing them - waking them up - maybe this is what they are talking about - when the children are too young and you start giving them condoms, even when they are not aware of sexuality. Maybe that is what is being talked about which has been misunderstood.
Let's ask you very briefly, from all that you've experienced here on this issue, do you feel that the world still appreciates the scale of the threat of Aids - of the pandemic - to Africa?
Well, I don't know if the world - initially they didn't but for us here we took it very seriously. We shouted at the top of our voices to our own people and our people responded and they changed their behaviour and they are careful and the prevalence came down. But I don't know - of course not enough money is spent on research, that's true. Much more money could have been spent on research.
On that most vital of issues for this continent and undoubtedly one of the big issues at the G8 summit in the coming days as well, we must end. I'm afraid that's all we have time for.
My thanks to our guest, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and from State House in Kampala, that's all for now from me Mike Wooldridge and the Talking Point team. Goodbye. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8097896.stm | The Smiths, Electronic, Bryan Ferry, The The, Crowded House and Kirsty MacColl.
Just some of the many acts Johnny Marr has written songs with over the years.
The former Smiths guitarist is currently a full-time member of Wakefield band The Cribs and was given the classic song writer award at the Mojo awards.
So what's the secret to song-writing?
Don't give up, don't be put off. They are not all going to be great, no matter who you are - it's hard.
I love it. I've been lucky and had some ones that have been easy, and I've had some ones I've had to slog at. The secret is to know that there is no secret. There's no formula.
I'm a collaborator really. What I do is try to get inspired 100%, hope that happens. Then hopefully you are working with someone else who is equally inspired, and then out of that comes something which is 300% because the combination of the two is something special.
I had that with Kirsty MacColl a lot. I had it with The Smiths, with Morrissey - and I have it with The Cribs.
Where's an unusual place you've written a song we'd all know?
I've written a couple of songs on aeroplanes and I've written a song in a doctor's waiting room. It was the music for The Smith's track Stretch Out and Wait. Luckily for me, I've got a pretty good memory for chords and all of that.
The weirdest thing was when I started writing a Healers song as I went on holiday one time. I was in the airport checking in and I hadn't brought a guitar with me.
I had to remember the song for two weeks, while I was away on a really dreadful holiday, and every day I was just trying to remember this song. I kind of made life a misery for everybody I was with.
I had to wait until I got home. I got out the taxi, into the house, out came the guitar and I played it and it was absolutely awful.
I doubt it very much - unless he's interested in guesting with one of the bands I'm in.
What's the best song you've written?
The best song I've written is Get The Message by Electronic, with Bernard Sumner. It's great because I have no idea how it happened - I can remember starting with a bassline.
Ten minutes later the backing track was done, and then this person who I find interesting and unfathomable came in and wrote these words which were interesting and unfathomable with an amazing atmosphere. It seemed like it belonged to somebody else.
What was great about that song was that it didn't sound like The Smiths, and it didn't sound like New Order. That was why I thought we'd done something really unique.
There are also some songs I've just written with The Cribs. One's called City of Bugs - that is, right now, a song I think is equal to Get The Message.
You've worked with some unlikely people recently - Girls Aloud was unexpected.
Yeah it was, it wasn't really work to be honest. I don't mean that in any disparaging way - I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to.
I heard a track and a producer said: "What would you play on that?" I said: "The track needs this," and I played it. Then I heard another track and I said you need to put some harmonica on that and I liked it. Off we went - it was great.
Will you ever do live shows with Girls Aloud?
(Laughs) With Girls Aloud? I don't think there's any danger of that.
Will we ever see you on stage with Morrissey?
I doubt it very much. Unless he's interested in guesting with one of the bands I'm in. I don't think that's going to happen really for some reason.
Are you still in Modest Mouse as well as The Cribs?
Modest Mouse has taken a vague hiatus, because Isaac the main guy is doing some music for a film.
The thing with Modest Mouse is it's kind of a real bunch of super grown-ups. I can play with them any time I like. We live in the same town of Portland, Oregon and I probably will be popping up on a few of their records.
I'm in The Cribs though. The Cribs is the band I get in a van with, go to soundchecks with and live with at the moment.
As a Manchester City fan what is your reaction to Ronaldo going to Real Madrid for £80 million?
As a person I just can't get my head around £80m being spent on any person. I think it's obscene. I think it's a disgrace personally. I can't really be glib about that - £80m on a sportsman - is he really that important? I don't think so.
Some hospitals in India perhaps.
Johnny Marr was speaking to BBC 5 Live entertainment reporter Colin Paterson. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-41688827/trump-gives-puerto-rico-relief-effort-top-marks | Trump gives Puerto Rico effort top marks Jump to media player The president rates US relief work after two hurricanes swept through the island in September.
Trump: Puerto Rico not 'real catastrophe' Jump to media player The president tells the island that Hurricane Maria has thrown the US budget "a little out of whack".
Why Puerto Rico is suffering in silence Jump to media player People are hunting for phone signals so they can finally reassure friends and family they are safe.
Why Puerto Rico's devastation is so bad Jump to media player As Donald Trump says he will visit the US territory, here are four ways Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc.
Impact on Puerto Rico still unknown Jump to media player Hurricane Irma has passed north of Puerto Rico but the extent of its impact is still unknown.
In his meeting with Puerto Rico's governor, President Trump assessed the US government's relief work on the island - and gave it full marks. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47822839 | The US has revoked the entry visa for the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda.
The decision is thought to be the US response to Ms Bensouda's investigation into possible war crimes by American forces and their allies in Afghanistan.
The US secretary of state had warned the US might refuse or revoke visas to any ICC staff involved in such probes.
Ms Bensouda's office said the ICC prosecutor would continue to her duties "without fear or favour".
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "If you're responsible for the proposed ICC investigation of US personnel in connection with the situation in Afghanistan, you should not assume that you will still have or get a visa, or that you will be permitted to enter the United States.
"We're prepared to take additional steps, including economic sanctions if the ICC does not change its course," he added.
Why is the ICC controversial?
A 2016 report from the ICC said there was a reasonable basis to believe the US military had committed torture at secret detention sites in Afghanistan operated by the CIA, and that the Afghan government and the Taliban had committed war crimes.
The US, which has been critical of the ICC since it was established, is among dozens of nations not to have joined the court.
The court investigates and brings to justice people responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, intervening when national authorities cannot or will not prosecute.
However several countries, including China, India, and Russia, have refused to join.
Some African countries have called for withdrawal from the court over perceived unfair treatment of Africans. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45294162 | China will continue to hit back against the US if more tariffs are imposed, the country's finance minster has said.
In an interview with Reuters, Liu Kun said China would respond "resolutely" to the "unreasonable" US measures.
On Thursday, the US imposed a second wave of tariffs on Chinese goods worth $16bn (£12.4bn), and China immediately responded in kind.
Two days of trade talks in Washington between the two sides failed to make any major progress.
The US has threatened a third round of tariffs on an additional $200bn of Chinese goods, which could come as soon as next month. President Trump has also said he could slap tariffs on all $500bn of imports from the country.
In his interview with Reuters, Mr Liu said: "China doesn't wish to engage in a trade war, but we will resolutely respond to the unreasonable measures taken by the United States.
"If the United States persists with these measures, we will correspondingly take action to protect our interests."
He said that, so far, the impact of the trade row on the Chinese economy had not been significant, but added that government spending would be increased to support workers affected by the tariffs.
Mr Liu said China was responding to the US measures in a "precise way".
"Of course, the value of US imports of Chinese goods isn't the same as the value of Chinese imports of US goods. We'll take tariff measures in accordance to this situation."
He also said China was trying to ensure that companies operating in the country were not caught up in the crossfire.
"When we take measures, we try our hardest not to harm the interests of foreign businesses in China. That's why our tariff measures are targeted to avoid affecting them as much as we can."
President Trump has long been critical of China, and ordered an investigation into Chinese trade policies in August 2017.
His administration says its goal is to convince China to make its economy more open to foreign companies.
China has loosened some rules in recent months. It removed restrictions on foreign ownership for banks this week, putting into effect a promise from last year.
However, the White House has maintained that China's changes have not gone far enough.
Talks between the US and China concluded this week without a major breakthrough.
White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters said the two sides "exchanged views on how to achieve fairness, balance, and reciprocity in the economic relationship".
In a statement, China's Ministry of Commerce said the Chinese delegation had held "constructive and candid" talks on trade issues.
"Both sides will keep in contact about the future arrangement," it added.
By imposing tariffs on Chinese imports, President Trump hopes to make life easier for US companies, whose goods will become cheaper within the US by comparison.
The duties are part of his broader "America First" approach, which has also prompted the US to impose higher import duties on steel and aluminium, including from Mexico, Canada and the European Union. All of those countries have retaliated.
Many US companies and industry groups have testified to the US Trade Representative's Office that their businesses are being harmed.
Firms that rely on Chinese imports face higher costs, while exporters are worried that retaliation will make their products more expensive and reduce demand. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/coventry_warwickshire/8387759.stm | The firm that runs Coventry Airport is the subject of a winding-up petition by the Inland Revenue, the BBC has learnt.
A petition to wind up West Midlands Airport Limited was recently put before the High Court.
The airport, which lost its only passenger airline in 2008, has to respond to the petition at a hearing in the High Court, due on 9 December.
The airport said it was operating normally, but was aware of the petition and was "actively seeking a solution".
In a statement, it said it was not willing to make further comment while proceedings were taking place.
Coventry City Council, which owns the freehold to the airport, said they were "following the matter with interest and are awaiting the outcome of the High Court hearing in the next few days".
The airport lost passenger airline Thomsonfly in 2008 and a year earlier it saw plans for a new terminal rejected after a public inquiry.
The inquiry found there would be an adverse impact on noise in the area.
Since then, the airport has been operating as a cargo terminal and a base for executive jets and aviation-related businesses. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12940054 | Job creation and falling unemployment are always good news, never more so than when a country is still reeling from the effects of its worst economic crisis in 80 years.
So it seems churlish to quibble with the cheers that met the latest US jobs report.
But there's no doubt that for all the new signs of strength in the US job market, there is still a major unemployment problem in America, one that still blights the lives of millions and could yet prove to be the single biggest factor in US politics over the next two years.
If you look beneath the "strong" numbers that headline April's jobs reports you quickly find plenty of other, distinctly weaker numbers.
Like all developed economies the United States has arrived at its method of counting the people who aren't working over many years and via some controversial choices.
As a consequence the new and distinctly improved headline unemployment rate of 8.8% is in fact rather a narrow measure.
To be counted among the 8.8% you have to be out of work and have actively looked for a job in the past four weeks.
What that means is that many people who have simply given up looking for work in a jobs markets worse than even their grandparents can remember, are not actually being counted as "unemployed".
Don't worry, they are still captured in the government statistics, they just get labelled as weird things like "marginally attached" or "discouraged" workers.
So if you're "discouraged" as well as being out of work you don't get counted among the unemployed.
Your place in the survey is among the government's "alternative measures of labor underutilisation".
Such awful jargon is of course unemployment to anyone who experiences it, and to those of us who speak English not economese.
And if you take the widest such measure of "labor underutilisation", which basically counts everyone who doesn't have a full time job, and blames that on economic reasons (as opposed to being sick or in training) then, currently you get a rate of 15.7%.
What that means is that nearly one in six of the people in America who may want to work full time can't find a job.
Whatever the good news this month, it's still clearly an economy with a huge unemployment problem.
That's a major headache for President Barack Obama.
When he looks beneath the headline numbers of the jobs report, what he sees is a jobless rate that may be falling; it just is not falling quickly enough to secure his own future employment.
The president will be acutely aware of the fact that since Franklin Roosevelt was in the White House, the highest unemployment rate that a president has presided over and managed to get re-elected to a second term in office is 7.2%.
That was in 1984 when Ronald Reagan won a second term in the White House.
In other words, the "good news" in the latest job report, needs to be repeated each month for the next 18 months or President Obama could be out of a job.
No wonder the president reacted to the news on jobs by saying "more work needs to be done".
Then there's the matter of what kind of jobs are now being created. The monthly jobs report does not delve too deeply into this subject, but other organisations have.
In February, the National Employment Law Project (NELP) published research which showed that the new jobs appearing in America generally aren't as good as the ones that got lost.
NELP found that jobs in lower wage industries, such as retail and food preparation, made up 23% of the jobs that were lost in the recent recession.
However they made up 49% of the jobs that the economy has gained in the last year.
Similarly, only 14% of the new jobs in the US economy, as of February, were in the so-called "higher-wage" industries.
In other words, it appears what that while people may finally be returning to work, they have to work for less pay.
If it continues this trend will be profoundly worrying for economists and policy makers, and not just in the US.
Well-paid jobs are of course the basis of America's middle class.
That middle class, with all of its spending power has been the bedrock of the US economy for decades.
It has also been one of the great drivers of economic growth around the world.
After all, most countries whose wealth is built on exports are selling to the American middle class.
If the wealth of that class is eroded by a decline in the quality of its jobs, then eventually that spells hardship for people far beyond America's shores. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8029023.stm | In an email MacGregor described himself as a "proud racist"
A man has admitted he threatened to blow up Glasgow Central Mosque and execute a Muslim a day unless all Mosques in Scotland were closed.
Neil MacGregor, 36, who described himself as a "racist", made the threats after watching an internet video of a British hostage being beheaded in Iraq.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that he sent an email to Strathclyde Police and made a threatening phone call.
Sheriff Andrew Mackie deferred sentence until later this month.
At an earlier hearing MacGregor, originally from Derbyshire, admitted a racial breach of the peace.
He telephoned and emailed Strathclyde Police to make the threats from a flat in Glasgow, between 30 January and 15 February 2007.
The court heard that the email read: "I'm a proud racist and National Front member.
"We as an organisation have decided to deal with the current threat from Muslims in our own British way, like our proud ancestors.
"Our demands are very small. Close all mosques in Scotland.
"If our demands aren't met by next Friday, we'll kidnap one Muslim and execute him or her on the internet, just like they did to our Ken Bigley."
MacGregor then followed up the email with a call threatening to blow up Central Mosque.
Officers searched the mosque but did not find anything suspicious.
Muslim leaders have criticised the way MacGregor's case has been dealt with by the police and courts.
Osama Saeed of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation said: "We believe that if a young Muslim had similarly been radicalised into threatening violence after viewing videos from Iraq, he would have been dealt with completely differently by the police and prosecuting authorities.
"MacGregor can count himself lucky that his trial took place at the Sheriff Court rather than the High Court, where terrorism cases normally go, and the punishment is stiffer.
"This apparent discrepancy has to be explained."
MacGregor's defence lawyer Craig Dewar told the court: "He was emailed a video of a beheading from a friend and found it very upsetting.
"He then took the decision to behave in this way.
"He accepts that he was wrong to confuse this form of behaviour with that of the Islamic religion and is extremely sorry for what he has done."
He added: "He has been in contact with figures from the mosque to personally offer his apologies." |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40731164 | The government's £3bn clean air strategy does not go "far enough or fast enough", campaigners have said.
Moves including banning the sale of new diesel and petrol cars from 2040 and £255m for councils to tackle air pollution locally have been welcomed.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said the government was determined to deliver a "green revolution".
But environmental groups criticised the decision not to include a scrappage scheme or immediate clean air zones.
The plan to stop all sales of petrol and diesel cars by 2040 is part of the government's intention for almost every car and van on UK roads to be zero emission by 2050.
The government report includes the promise of £40m immediately to start local schemes rolling, which could include changing road layouts, retrofitting public transport or schemes to encourage people to leave their cars at home.
The funding pot will come from changes to tax on diesel vehicles and the reprioritising departmental budgets - the exact details will be announced later in the year.
If those measures do not cut emissions enough, charging zones for the most polluting vehicles could be the next step.
While air pollution has been mostly falling in the UK, in many cities, nitrogen oxides - which form part of the discharge from car exhausts - regularly breach safe levels.
Mr Grayling said the new plan showed the government was "determined to deliver a green revolution in transport and reduce pollution in our towns and cities".
But campaigners say these are the measures that need to be implemented now to tackle environmental and health problems, with air pollution linked to about 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK.
Professor Neena Modi, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Hea lth, said air pollution "is a public health emergency" and said it was "frankly inexcusable" that the plans still did not go far enough.
Green Party MP Caroline Lucas welcomed the 2040 announcement, but added: "We also need action that tackles this health emergency in the coming months and years.
"We should use this opportunity to revamp our towns and cities with investment in walking and cycling, and by ensuring that public transport is affordable and reliable."
Greenpeace UK's clean air campaigner Areeba Hamid said 2040 was "far too late" and called for the UK to "lead the world in clean transport revolution".
And ClientEarth - the law firm that took the government to court over pollution levels - said the plans were "underwhelming" and "lacking in urgency".
The shadow environment secretary, Labour's Sue Hayman, said the plan saw the government "shunting the problem on to local authorities" and accused it of having a "squeamish attitude" towards clean air zones.
"With nearly 40 million people living in areas with illegal levels of air pollution, action is needed now, not in 23 years' time," she added.
Liberal Democrat and former Energy Secretary Ed Davey criticised the lack of scrappage scheme as a "shameful betrayal" of diesel car drivers, and said it showed "the utter lack of ambition" of the plan.
And London Mayor Sadiq Khan said people in the capital were "suffering right now" because of air pollution and "can't afford to wait".
The AA also said significant investment would be needed to install charging points across the country for electric vehicles and warned the National Grid would come under pressure with a mass switch-on of recharging after the rush hour.
The government said a new bill would allow it to require the installation of charge points at motorway service areas and large fuel retailers.
Local Government Association environment spokesman Martin Tett welcomed the additional funding, but opposed holding off on a scrappage scheme, arguing "this immediate intervention could help increase the uptake of lower emission vehicles".
BBC environment analyst Roger Harrabin said councils were not happy to be taking the rap for the controversial policy when it was the government that had encouraged the sale of diesel vehicles in the first place.
"Today's government plan is not comprehensive - it doesn't address pollution from construction, farming and gas boilers," he added.
"And clean air campaigners say the government is using the 2040 electric cars announcement to distract from failings in its short-term pollution policy."
Ford's chief financial officer Bob Shanks told the BBC that he supported the ban and believed that Europe would be "ground zero" in leading a global trend to electric vehicles.
"We certainly see that trajectory being quite feasible, and is something that we support," he added. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/4431795.stm | Liverpool sealed an all-Premiership Champions League semi-final with Chelsea after a superb display.
Rafael Benitez's injury-ravaged side delivered a performance of discipline and resilience to protect their 2-1 lead from the first leg at Anfield.
Juventus created few opportunities apart from an early close-range effort from striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Fabio Cannavaro struck the post late on, while Milan Baros was off target with Liverpool's best chance.
It was a performance that guaranteed that there will be a Premiership team in the Champions League final in Istanbul in May.
The game was played to a backdrop of trouble as Juventus fans clashed with police, attacked Liverpool fans and threw missiles throughout the tie.
Liverpool, as expected, restored Jerzy Dudek in goal ahead of youngster Scott Carson, with Xabi Alonso back in midfield for the first time since January in place of injured captain Steven Gerrard.
And Liverpool's depleted side more than held their own in a first 45 minutes played in low-key fashion, with Juventus showing little urgency as they went in search of the goal that would take them through.
Liverpool's only worrying moment came after 10 minutes when Zambrotta's cross found Ibrahimovic unmarked only eight yards out, but he could not keep his effort down and Dudek was grateful to see it fly over the top.
Benitez's side showed great organisation, catching Juventus offside on numerous occasions, but the forward pairing of Baros and Luis Garcia got little joy from the Juventus rearguard.
Alonso and Carragher were superb and Cisse looks as though he has lost none of his pace. A great night all round!
Garcia escaped once, but Gianluigi Buffon was quickly out of his goal to beat the Spaniard in a race for the ball.
Juventus needed to put more pressure on Liverpool, and they made a change at half-time, replacing Ruben Olivera with Marcello Zalayeta.
Liverpool's first clear chance came after 49 minutes, when a brilliant ball from Alonso released Baros, but the Czech striker was wasteful when clean through and failed to even hit the target.
Benitez brought on Vladimir Smicer after 57 minutes to replace the ineffective Antonio Nunez.
Dudek had been superbly protected, and it was 63 minutes before he made his first save, a fine diving stop from Emerson's header after Mauro Camoranesi's free-kick.
Baros had been disappointing, and he was replaced with 15 minutes left by Djibril Cisse, who completed a remarkable recovery from the broken leg he sustained at Blackburn in October.
Juventus came close to breaking the deadlock when Cannavaro's header struck the post and rebounded to safety.
Juventus: Buffon, Thuram, Montero (Pessotto 83), Cannavaro, Camoranesi (Appiah 84), Emerson, Olivera (Zalayeta 46), Zambrotta, Nedved, Ibrahimovic, Del Piero.
Subs Not Used: Chimenti, Birindelli, Blasi, Masiello.
Booked: Montero, Ibrahimovic, Zambrotta, Emerson.
Liverpool: Dudek, Finnan, Hyypia, Carragher, Traore, Nunez (Smicer 58), Biscan, Alonso, Riise, Luis Garcia (Le Tallec 85), Baros (Cisse 75).
Subs Not Used: Carson, Warnock, Welsh, Potter. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/02/99/food_under_the_microscope/default.stm | BBC News Online presents a guide to one of the most complex and diverse issues of the day.
BBC News Online answers your questions about genetically-modified crops and foods.
It is difficult to think of another technology that has caused as much debate or concern as that of genetic engineering and its application to food - nuclear power apart.
A new test may make it easier to detect genetically-modified ingredients in processed foods.
Pollen from GM crops can travel very long distances - but there are ways to minimise the risks of its genes "leaking" into the wider environment.
Genetically-modified food is making big headlines, but most biotech firms still make a loss and the number of GM food products on the market is still small.
Environmental campaigners Greenpeace argue the pros and cons of GM food with biotech company AgrEvo.
GM crops might damage the environment - they could also provide the solutions to many of the problems we now face in the countryside.
Whilst the UK government is convinced of the benefits of GM foods, its political opponents are calling for tougher measures to control the new technology.
The Prince of Wales lays out his objections to a technology he says is "meddling with the building blocks of life".
The Web is alive with links on genetic engineering in general and the modification of food in particular. Here are just a few of the sites currently on offer. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25853546 | The US military is easing its uniform rules to allow religious wear including turbans, skullcaps, beards and tattoos, officials have said.
Muslim, Sikh, Jewish and Wiccan soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen can now request exemptions to strict military uniform and grooming policies.
Requests will be evaluated individually and can be denied if they hinder military readiness.
Previously, at least three Sikhs had won specific accommodation.
Service members' requests for a religious accommodation will be weighed on a case-by-case basis to ensure they do not impact "mission accomplishment, unit cohesion, and good order and discipline", Lt Cmdr Nate Christensen told the BBC.
And appeals to be allowed to wear beards or special apparel, for example, may be denied if they hinder the safe operation of weapons or military equipment, such as helmets or protective masks.
An accommodation will only apply to the service member's current assignment, requiring him or her to obtain new exemptions with every transfer, according to a copy the policy directive obtained by the BBC.
The new policy, in effect on Wednesday, will extend to all religions recognised by the US military across all branches.
The US military counts nearly 3,700 Muslims and 1,500 Wiccans among its ranks, according to statistics reported by NBC News, but it remains unclear how many will apply for dispensations.
"We don't know how many requests we will get," Lt Cmdr Christensen said. "No two requests are going to be the same."
Amardeep Singh, co-founder of the Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group, described the new Pentagon measure as "a step forward" but said it still represented uncertainty for Sikh Americans, whose religion requires men to wear turbans, beards and long hair.
"What is the incentive to enlist when there's such little clarity if you'll be accommodated," he asked.
"It's absolutely progress that the military is stating a commitment to protecting religious liberty... However, it's clear that we have a long way to go." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7120251.stm | Police in New Zealand have questioned a teenager believed to be the ringleader of an international cyber-crime group.
The group is alleged to have infiltrated more than one million computers and skimmed millions of dollars from people's bank accounts.
The teenager, who is 18, cannot be named for legal reasons but was known by an alias as "Akill".
He was detained as part of an FBI crackdown on hi-tech criminals who run botnets - networks of hijacked PCs.
After being questioned "Akill" was released without charge, but police say he is still being investigated.
Police allege that he was responsible for setting up a global network of hijacked PCs - known as a botnet.
The term describes the process of installing malicious software on PCs around the world to collect information such as login names, bank account details and credit card numbers.
The FBI estimates that 1.3 million computers were under the control of "Akill" and were used to embezzle millions of dollars.
"Akill" was still at school when his hacking allegedly began, and he is said to be very bright and very skilled.
The 18-year-old was detained in New Zealand's North Island city of Hamilton.
He could face charges which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The arrest comes as part of the FBI's Operation Bot Roast II - the second phase of its campaign to tackle those who set up and run botnets for criminal gain. The running total of money stolen by the botnets is $20m (£9.7m).
The botnets were used to commit a variety of crimes. Some were simply used to steal saleable personal data, others acted as relays for spam and phishing and some were used to flood other websites with data to knock them offline.
The first phase of the FBI campaign identified more than one million computers in the US that were part of botnets and produced several arrests.
The second phase has resulted in three new indictments of people that ran botnets; jail sentences for three others and guilty pleas from a further two botnet controllers.
To stay safe, the FBI urged PC users to install and maintain anti-virus software, employ a firewall, use strong passwords and not open unknown attachments on e-mail messages. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7807742.stm | Who will be next to take on the keys to the Tardis?
The name of the actor who will replace David Tennant in Doctor Who will be announced on Saturday.
Tennant said in October that he would stand down from the show after filming four special episodes in 2009.
His replacement - the 11th Doctor of the TV series - will be revealed in a Doctor Who Confidential programme on BBC One at 1735 on 3 January.
The casting decision has been a priority for the show's new creative team, led by executive producers Steven Moffat and Piers Wenger.
The BBC said that in Saturday's Doctor Who special "the actor playing the new Doctor will be giving his or her initial reaction" to becoming TV's most famous time traveller.
Wenger, head of drama at BBC Wales, said: "We believe the actor is going to bring something very special to the role and will make it absolutely their own.
"I just can't wait to tell everyone who it is - it has been a nail-biting Christmas trying to keep this under wraps!"
Shortly after Tennant's announcement, bookmakers were tipping several well-known names as the next actor (or actress) to step into the Tardis.
Murphy's Law and Cold Feet star James Nesbitt emerged as one of the favourites, along with Paterson Joseph, John Simm and David Morrissey - who appeared in the 2008 Christmas special.
Paterson Joseph, who recently starred in Survivors and appeared in two Doctor Who episodes in 2005, has said "any actor would love the challenge" of playing the Time Lord.
Bookmakers made him an early favourite - offering odds of 3-1 on him becoming the first black Doctor.
Comedian Jennifer Saunders, former Doctor Who assistant Billie Piper and film star Catherine Zeta Jones have also been mentioned in connection with the role.
The show's outgoing executive producer Russell T Davies said last month: "Whoever becomes the Doctor has got to take on a whole life. It's not just becoming a part of a TV show."
It would be nice to see an older wiser Dr arrive on the scene. Less cheeky chap and more brilliant eccentric professor.
In October, when Tennant was asked who he thought should replace him, he joked: "Well, I've always been a big supporter of Wee Jimmy Krankie!"
After a TV movie in 1996 - starring Paul McGann - the TV series returned in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston in the lead role. Tennant took over the role the same year. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44475192 | Macedonia's president is refusing to sign an historic deal agreed with Greece to change his country's name, saying it violates the constitution.
"My position is final and I will not yield to any pressure, blackmail or threats," Gjorge Ivanov declared.
On Tuesday, Macedonia and Greece agreed to end a 27-year row by renaming the ex-Yugoslav state "The Republic of North Macedonia".
The goal was to distinguish it from an identically-named Greek province.
That mattered to Athens, which argued that by using the name Macedonia, the country was implying it had a claim to the Greek region.
The full story: What's the name row about?
So, is this a U-turn by Macedonia?
No - it's down to a disagreement between the president and Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, who struck the deal with his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras.
The dissent comes from President Ivanov, who is strongly connected to the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party that was forced from power in 2017. He has the power to veto the deal - but not indefinitely.
The foreign ministers of Macedonia and Greece are expected to sign the accord this weekend. Macedonia's parliament will then vote on whether to approve it.
If it votes in favour, the president can refuse to sign it off - which would send it back to parliament for a second vote. If it passed again, Mr Ivanov would be obliged to approve the legislation.
Mr Zaev's government needs a two-thirds majority to get the deal through parliament. However, it can't secure that without the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, which won't support it.
The president is also refusing to be swayed by possible future membership of the EU and Nato.
Greece has historically blocked Macedonia's bid to join these blocs over the name row - a stance that should now end.
But Mr Ivanov says a shot at membership would not justify signing a "bad agreement".
President Gjorge Ivanov's opposition was always to be expected - and he has not disappointed. Reports suggest that he stormed out of a meeting with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev after just three minutes.
This is unsurprising, considering he was nominated to run for president by the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party which was forced from power last year.
Mr Zaev will not be losing any sleep over the president's outburst. He is fully aware that Mr Ivanov can only use his veto once - and has no power to block a referendum.
A bigger conundrum is how to win over the opposition. At least some VMRO-DPMNE MPs will be needed to gain a two-thirds majority in a parliamentary vote.
In Greece, Alexis Tsipras faces similar, also predictable, problems - especially as he lacks the support of the junior partner in his governing coalition.
What's the reaction in Greece?
Prime Minister Tsipras has also faced heavy criticism from political opponents.
Greece's main opposition party, New Democracy, has threatened to submit a motion of no-confidence in the government.
Its leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the deal "deeply problematic", and said most Greeks opposed it.
Critics have accused Mr Tsipras of surrendering part of Greece's cultural legacy, insisting that the title Macedonia belongs to Greek culture and heritage because it was the name of the ancient Hellenistic kingdom ruled by Alexander the Great.
Under the deal, Greece's northern neighbour can define its language and ethnicity as "Macedonian".
Conservative newspaper Eleftheros Typos branded the deal "the surrender of the Macedonian identity and language".
Mr Tsipras has firmly rejected that analysis. In a TV address on Tuesday, he said Greece was becoming "a leading power in the Balkans" and "a pillar of stability in a deeply wounded region".
What needs to happen for the name change to go through?
The aim is to get Macedonia's parliament to back an agreement before EU leaders meet for a summit on 28 June. Greece will then send a letter to the EU withdrawing its objection to accession talks, and a letter to Nato too.
That would be followed by a Macedonian referendum in September or October.
If voters there back the deal, their government would have to change the constitution, a key Greek demand.
The deal will finally have to be ratified by the Greek parliament - which looks unlikely to be straightforward. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8182093.stm | The Arctic Monkeys are to release a vinyl version of their new single Crying Lightning through Oxfam shops.
The 7" record, which will cost £2.99 with proceeds going to the charity, also comes with a download code for fans to get a free MP3 version.
It is the first time Oxfam shops have sold a new release single since Do They Know It's Christmas in 1984.
The limited edition single will be available through the charity's network of 700 shops from 17 August.
It also features a cover of the Nick Cave track Red Right Hand as a B-side.
Arctic Monkeys are also calling on fans to bring in any unwanted albums or singles to their local Oxfam shop when they pick up their copy of the single, to help Oxfam continue to raise funds.
Around 1.8 million CDs and records are donated by the public every year.
David McCullough, Oxfam's director of trading, said: "Oxfam shops have always been one of the best places on the high street to pick up a musical bargain or find a rare treasure, and this is a fantastic reason to pay your local shop a visit."
The charity sells around £6m worth of music each year through its shops which is enough to fund its projects in Indonesia for a year, buy 187,000 emergency shelters, or provide safe water for 8 million people.
Crying Lightning is the first single from the band's new album, Humbug, which is released on 24 August. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47649863 | Next's annual sales and profits at its High Street stores have continued their fall of recent years, while its online business continues to grow.
Sales in Next's stores fell nearly 8% last year to £1.95bn, while online sales rose by 14.7% to £1.92bn.
It said online was a "long-term threat" to its High Street business, but a "larger opportunity" for the group.
The retailer also said it could see "no evidence" that Brexit uncertainty was affecting consumer behaviour.
Overall, Next's group pre-tax profits for the year to January were in line with expectations at £722.9m, a fall of 0.4%.
Annual profits at its High Street stores fell by just over 20%, while online profits jumped by nearly 14%.
Total group sales, including the finance division, rose by 2.5% to £4.22bn.
Next said 53% of its sales were now online.
It said the growth of online sales "represents a long-term threat to our retail business but potentially, a much larger opportunity for the group as a whole".
Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said the difference between the fortunes of the stores and online was becoming "increasingly marked".
"The online business, which has long been the jewel in the crown, continues its growth apace with full-price sales increasing nearly 15% over the period.
"The fact that there is a slow transition to this channel... is of comfort, even though the additional costs of transferring in the form of warehouse picking and delivery, need to be carefully managed."
Chairman Lord Wolfson, a prominent supporter of Brexit, said the retailer could see "no evidence" that Brexit uncertainty was "affecting consumer behaviour in our sector".
"Our feeling is that there is a level of fatigue around the subject that leaves consumers numb to the daily swings in the political debate."
If the UK government's provisional tariff rates were introduced in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Lord Wolfson said Next had estimated there would be a net reduction in the tariffs it pays of about £12m-£15m, as tariffs on goods imported from outside the EU fell.
In the "medium term", Next's intention would be to pass on price cuts to customers. "In the context of £1.7bn of stock purchases, the savings would be relatively modest," he added.
"The continuing success of its online and catalogue offering means the retailer has a significant advantage over its competitors, and continued investment in its online offering will guarantee future success.
"However it is not all plain sailing for this iconic retailer, with it suffering from a double whammy of falling High Street sales combined with higher staff wages which will continue to impact its financial performance. As such High Street store closures are on the cards in the coming year."
Will we still want shops?
In its results statement, Next spelt out in some detail what it expects to happen to its store portfolio in the coming years.
It said its stores were still a "valuable financial asset and an increasingly important" part of its online business.
It pointed out it costs it less to deliver online orders to stores than to customers' homes and that more than half of online orders were delivered to stores, while more than 80% of returns were through stores.
However, in what might be seen as a warning to landlords it said that while retail costs were fixed in the short term, they were "likely to decline in the longer run".
"We are often asked 'how much less space will you need in the future?' It is the wrong question. We do not have too much space, we have too much rent, rates and service charge."
"The amount of retail space we trade in the future will depend on whether the cost of retail space adequately reflects the reality of retail trading conditions. Our guess is that there will be shops in fifteen years' time, but they will be fewer in number, possibly smaller and MUCH less expensive."
As an example, Next said last year it had negotiated a rent cut of 29% on the leases it renewed.
"We experienced a reduction of 25% on leases renewed in the previous year and we expect similar reductions in the year ahead." |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17602425 | The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected a request by the Palestinian Authority to recognise the court's jurisdiction.
The decision blocks a move to have the war crimes tribunal based at The Hague investigate the 2008-2009 Gaza war.
The prosecutor said it was up to "relevant bodies" at the UN or ICC member countries to determine whether Palestine qualified as a "state".
Only then could it sign the court's founding treaty, the Rome Statute.
An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said it welcomed Friday's decision, and noted that it did not recognise the ICC's jurisdiction.
In January 2009, the Palestinian Authority's justice ministerlodged a declaration with the ICC unilaterally recognising its jurisdictionfor "acts committed on the territory of Palestine since 1 July 2002".
The ICC's chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said then that it would take some time to decide whether the PA was legally entitled to do so.
On Tuesday, the Office of the Prosecutor announced it could not act on the Palestinian declaration because Article 12 of the Rome Statute established that only a "state" could confer jurisdiction on the court and deposit an instrument of accession with the UN secretary general.
"In instances where it is controversial or unclear whether an applicant constitutes a 'state', it is the practice of the secretary general to follow or seek the General Assembly's directives on the matter,"the office said.
"This is reflected in General Assembly resolutions, which provide indications of whether an applicant is a 'state'."
Although Palestine has been recognised as a state in bilateral relations by more than 130 governments and certain international organisations, including UN bodies, the current status granted by the General Assembly to the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is that of "observer", and not "non-member state".
Amnesty International said the decision by the ICC prosecutor meant Palestinian and Israeli victims of crimes allegedly committed during the Gaza war seemed likely to be denied justice.
"This dangerous decision opens the ICC to accusations of political bias and is inconsistent with the independence of the ICC. It also breaches the Rome Statute which clearly states that such matters should be considered by the institution's judges," said Marek Marczynski, head of the human rights group's International Justice campaign.
In September, the Palestinians submitted an application for admission to the UN as a member state, but the Security Council has not yet made a recommendation. The US has said it would veto any vote on the matter.
The Palestinians have long sought to establish an independent, sovereign state in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. However, two decades of on-and-off peace talks have failed.
Israel has said that UN admission would bring no change on the ground, and further remove the possibility for a lasting peace agreement. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-15391687/turner-prize-nominees-on-show-in-gateshead | Turner nominees on show Jump to media player Pieces by the four nominated Turner Prize artists have now been installed at the Baltic gallery in Gateshead. Curator Laurence Sillars takes the BBC's David Sillito for a tour.
Artist turns Tate into a cinema Jump to media player An 11-minute silent movie by Tacita Dean that celebrates the dying art of analogue film-making has been unveiled as the latest artwork to fill Tate Modern's Turbine Hall.
Talking art while waiting for a bus Jump to media player Emma Thomas, Head of Learning at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, has set up a series of pop-up cafes, to stimulate discussion about this year's Turner Prize.
A sculpture made of cellophane and vaseline, a video installation of the moon and paintings of a council estate are in an exhibition of artworks that are up for the Turner Prize.
Pieces by the four nominees - Karla Black, Martin Boyce, Hilary Lloyd and George Shaw - have now been installed at the Baltic gallery in Gateshead.
It is the first time the exhibition and ceremony have been held outside a Tate venue.
Curator Laurence Sillars took the BBC's David Sillito for a tour of the exhibition. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/473297.stm | Less than four months after visiting the Kashmir front and congratulating the head of the army General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif finds himself deposed by the same man.
But while the trigger for Pakistan's fourth military coup was undoubtedly the fallout from the Kashmir crisis, its roots can be found two years ago when the prime minister attempted to concentrate power around himself.
Mr Sharif came to power with a massive majority in February 1997.
Within months he amended the constitution to prevent the president from sacking an elected government and then turned his attention to the chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah.
The judge's dismissal came after he attempted to bring charges against the prime minister, who had failed to answer allegations of corruption.
Then in October 1998, possibly emboldened by his successes against the judiciary, Nawaz Sharif challenged the military establishment.
The army's then chief General Jehangir Karamat called for the military to have a greater role in policy through a joint security council with the government.
According to reports from the time, army chief and prime minister held a stormy meeting and, for the first time ever, it was the general who chose to quit.
Mr Sharif moved quickly and appointed Pervez Musharraf, promoted over the heads of two more senior military figures.
Regional analysts say that he chose Gen Musharraf not only to show his own grasp over the military but also to put in place a man he believed would be unable to build a powerbase because he did not belong to the dominant Punjabi-officer class in the Pakistani army.
While the military allowed these machinations to take place, the popularity of the Sharif government was plunging amid an economic slump - foreign debt totalling $32bn - and a law and order crisis.
General Hamid Gul: "The army acted in the national interest"
Opposition figures allege that such was the prime minister's unpopularity that members of his own parliamentary party now began to conspire with the military, especially as opposition grew to the direction of his peace moves with India, which began in March this year.
Hamid Gul, a retired general, accuses Mr Sharif of having presided over an administration which had failed to deliver the goods.
"Sharif turned out to be a great destroyer of national institutions," he told the BBC.
"Look at what he did to the judiciary.
"He stripped them of power, put a set of judges against the chief justice, did the same to the press.
"He gagged the parliament and finally he wanted to do the same to the army."
But the turning point was this year's Kashmir crisis, where the Pakistani military believed they could finally score a significant victory over India.
Within days of pledging his full support to the Kashmir campaign, viewed by the military as an operation of strategic brillliance, Mr Sharif, under pressure from Washington, made a dramatic U-turn and ordered a full withdrawal.
India's leaders celebrated what they saw as a victory while some of Sharif supporters accused senior Pakistani generals of reckless adventurism.
In an interview with the BBC, Gen Musharraf made clear that all the politicians had been "on board" when the offensive began. He was not going to be blamed.
Maleeha Lodhi of the News: "Sharif's popularity was at an all time low"
Shireen Mazari, a Pakistan defence expert, said that the military viewed the pullout as a humiliation.
"A lot of people in the military are unhappy about the fact that after many years, in fact for the first time probably, we had the Indians where we wanted them militarily in Kargil," she said.
"There is a feeling in the military that had there been proper input into this decision, then maybe the decision (of Sharif) to go to Washington might not have happened."
Mr Sharif was now faced with increasing tension in his own party, the military and among the people.
Critics like Gen Gul say that his attempt to consolidate power and oust Gen Musharraf was a "coup attempt against the army", the last desperate act of a man under siege.
"The chances of a civil war were very ominous," said Gen Gul.
"The army acted in the national interest and thaat is why the nation is rejoicing." Maleeha Lodhi, editor of the Pakistani newspaper, the News, said that the army's intervention came as it realised that Sharif's popularity had reached an all time low.
"Questions of legitimacy were being asked as the government had failed to deliver even the most fundamental of policies such as law and order," she said.
"I think this (coup) is not unlike military interventions in the past which have occurred when the civilian government has been ineffectual and inept." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8004466.stm | If Jacqui Smith was looking for a pick-me-up this morning, she should have avoided the newspapers.
The banner front-page headlines were written to make a minister's blood run cold. Her job was on the line, they said. She was under fire. She was responsible for another fine mess.
The reason for the deluge was the news the Conservative frontbencher Damian Green and the civil servant who leaked him documents, Christopher Galley, would not face charges.
Jacqui Smith did not write the letter that launched the police investigation and she was not told of Damian Green's arrest until after it had taken place.
But she was frustrated and angry about the leaks from her department, and as home secretary she could hardly avoid political pain when a police investigation into those leaks ended without even a day in court.
That pain comes after criticism about her expenses claims - Parliament's standards commissioner is investigating her second home allowances. She was forced to pay back money claimed for two adult movies. The sums involved in that case were tiny but the attention it attracted was huge.
All that makes her - in the words of another headline - beleaguered. One of her predecessors as home secretary - David Blunkett - said politicians like Ms Smith can suffer from a "snowball" effect, as bad news stories arrived one after another.
She is unlikely to slip from the headlines. The Metropolitan Police are yet to publish a report into the arrest of Damian Green and search of his offices. The Standards Commissioner will come to a conclusion about her expenses. And if there is one job that can bring fresh crises with little warning it is that of the home secretary.
Yet even the most hostile commentators do not expect her to step down. They speculate she might be moved in a summer reshuffle. This is not a minister who has committed such a gaffe she is expected to vanish in an exchange of resignation letters.
Forecasting the outcome of reshuffles is a dangerous game, particularly ones that might or might not occur in the future. But reports of political troubles have a nasty way of becoming self-fulfilling prophecies.
When Parliament returns she will face MPs to make a statement about the recent anti-terror arrests. She will do so knowing her performance is under intense scrutiny. |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4171894.stm | Pope Benedict XVI, the former German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, has completed his first foreign trip with an open air mass for more than 500,000 young Catholics.
At the very end of his journey he also made a frank analysis of the problems his one billion-strong Church is facing.
"Freedom is not simply about enjoying life, but rather about living by the measure of truth and goodness," he said.
The Pope made no specific reference to sexual morality. There was no finger wagging, yet he gave a clear restatement of Catholic religious principles.
In an unusually frank address to Germany's 80 Catholic Bishops delivered shortly before he left Cologne, he admitted that Christianity is on the decline in the country where the Protestant Reformation started.
"Many people abandon the Church, or if they remain they accept only a part of Catholic teaching," he said.
The Pope had previously told a vast congregation of young people in their late teens and early twenties - many of whom had bivouacked for 24 hours in the rain-drenched and mud-spattered mass venue (a former open cast coalmine) - not to practice "do-it-yourself" Catholicism.
He told them they could not select which of the Church's teachings to obey and which to reject.
A few hours later he told his Bishops that this contact in Cologne with young Catholics from many countries had stimulated and challenged him to think about the future of the Church and of society.
The was a "dramatic" shortage of future priests in his homeland, he declared.
Benedict's predecessor, John Paul II, invented World Youth Day two decades ago partly in order to stimulate the number of priestly vocations among young Catholics.
Pope Benedict admitted that what called "wrinkles and shadows" had obscured the splendour of the Catholic Church in an age when Christian belief was weakening and Catholic ethics and morals were in constant decline.
He lamented the state of religion in East Germany where he said the majority of the population are unbaptised and have no contact with the Church of Rome.
This was one of the major policy speeches of his four month old pontificate.
Pope Benedict has been in no rush so far to sketch out the personal imprint he wishes to make upon the institution which he now leads.
But his 12 speeches in Germany have now given a clear lead as to where his priorities lie.
The key passage in his address to the bishops was his affirmation that the church has to hold out promise for future generations of Catholics.
He said the Church must not pander to youth, but must remain young in spirit.
Catholic pastors must remember, however, that there must be no watering down of the Christian gospel and no false compromises.
As one German newspaper succinctly put it "The Pope is offering no discounts".
At the same time Pope Benedict reached out to Protestants, Jews and Muslims in separate meetings in Cologne.
He called for greater dialogue with all three religious denominations.
There must be no more wars of religion, he said.
And he courageously told Muslim leaders that they must educate their young believers to discourage them from supporting fundamentalist violence.
Pope Benedict is no populist.
He was never tempted for a moment to sing along with the young people who had travelled from every continent to see him, as Pope John Paul II used to do on similar occasions.
His approach to his new job, as befits his status as a distinguished theologian and former head of the Roman Catholic Church's highest disciplinary body, the Holy Office, is one of intellectual rigour and clarity of thought.
But on the evidence of his first visit to Germany as Pope, he is learning to unbend in front of vast crowds.
His kindly smile as he cruised along the Rhine on the prow deck of a chartered tourist boat was disarming.
Crowds of people lined the river banks water to get a better view of him, some them wading into the water to get a better view.
Some commentators likened the scene to seeing Saint Peter himself on the Lake of Galilee. |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33440568 | Alberto Camastra had never lived anywhere but Damascus. But as Syria's war closed in around his family, Alberto's long-dead grandfather - a man he had never met - offered a way out, writes Daniel Silas Adamson.
Towards the end of World War Two, a young woman from Czechoslovakia fell in love with an Italian soldier on the island of Sicily. Helen and Alfonso were married in Catania, Alfonso's hometown, and it was there that Helen conceived a child - one of the millions whose lives began in the chaos and displacement of war.
For reasons long since buried or forgotten, Helen left Sicily before the child was born. She travelled by ship to Syria, where she had a brother and where, in 1945, she gave birth to a baby boy. That boy never knew his father, never learned Italian, never set foot on Italian soil. But he was baptised with an Italian name - Giuseppe Camastra - and registered in Damascus as an Italian national.
And 70 years later, that thread of Italian ancestry provided a lifeline for Giuseppe's children and grandchildren.
In the spring of 2011, as the revolt against President Bashar Assad spread across Syria, Giuseppe's son, Alberto, received a call from the Italian embassy: "Do you want to get out?" he was asked.
Every Italian in Syria got that call. The Camastras were on the list because, decades after his own father had left Sicily in utero, Alberto was still the holder of an Italian passport.
For the other Italians in the country - tourists, diplomats, priests - accepting the embassy's offer meant going home. But for Alberto it meant becoming a refugee. He had a house in Damascus and job as a car salesman. His oldest daughter, Faten, was half way through a law degree, and he had three young children from another marriage.
"I was afraid. I am 45 years old. I know no Italian. Where will we live in Italy? What will happen to us? Maybe we end up in the street? For three years they called me, but I always said 'No'."
By the summer of 2014, though, the calculation had changed.
In Ramadan of that year, masked and armed men broke into the family home in a village north of Damascus. They arrived without warning in the middle of the night, searching the place room by room before vanishing as quickly as they had come.
Alberto never found out who they were or what they wanted, but he realised that his family was no longer safe. The shelling and gunfire were now all around, so close that the younger children were sleepless with fear. "My son was crying for three days. My wife was frightened. So I said, 'OK, I go.' Even if I end up in the street, it's better than this."
They were the last Italians to leave the country.
About a year later, I met Alberto at a street cafe in Catania.
In Syria he had sold what he could sell and taken his wife, his mother, and his children by taxi to Beirut. The family took a plane to Rome and from there, travelling against the stream of refugees making their way up towards Germany, headed south into Sicily.
Catania may have been his grandfather's hometown, but Alberto had no other connection to the place. In Syria he had been the breadwinner, the father of the family. Here, without an income or a word of the language, he struggled to find somewhere safe for the children to sleep. "If I am alone," he said, "I can sleep anywhere, even in the park. But with the children…"
For a few nights they stayed in a cheap hotel, and then in an unfurnished room without water or electricity. Finally, Alberto borrowed what he could from his wife's family in Syria and put down a year's rent on an apartment. Not long after that, he had a heart attack.
Alberto's instinct for hospitality, though, had survived the pressures of war and exile, and the next day he invited me to meet his family at their home on the western edge of the city.
Alberto's mother answered the door. Expecting to find an elderly Syrian refugee, I was surprised by Rena's bleached blonde hair and red heels. In 1967, when she was 16 years old, she had caught the eye of Giuseppe Camastra, the boy conceived in Sicily. He had followed Rena home through the Christian quarter of old Damascus and then sent his mother round to ask for the girl's hand. A year or so later Alberto was born, and 18 months after that Giuseppe died. Rena has been a widow since the age of 19.
Now 64 and surrounded by her grandchildren, Rena showed me round. The apartment was in a tired-looking 1960s block of flats, but the Camastras had painted the walls pink and polished the floor tiles to a high gleam. "It was old and dirty when we came here," she said, "but we made it nice because we are a nice family." On one wall hung a life-size oil painting of Rena, a few years younger and glowing like a Lebanese film star. One another hung a frame with black and white photos taken in Damascus 50 or 60 years ago.
Helen was there, the Czech girl whose Sicilian wartime romance had brought this branch of the Camastra family into existence. So were Rena's own parents, Vasili and Victoria, who had come to Syria from Greece and Lebanon and who had always felt part of the country's religious and ethnic mosaic. These people had known the Mediterranean world as a place of fluidity and movement, of mixed marriages and mixed faiths. "When I was young," Rena told me now, "there was not a big difference between Europe and Syria."
If Rena carries the family's memories, it is her granddaughter, Faten, who carries many of its hopes. In Damascus she had completed four years of a law degree. Already fluent in English and Arabic, she is soaking up Italian from the streets and hoping to start university again in Sicily. At the same time she is working as a nanny for an Italian family, bringing in the money that is soon due on the rent.
None of this was easy. But for Faten, becoming a refugee had opened up prospects that hadn't existed back home. Even before the war, Syria was no longer the open, optimistic place that her grandmother remembered. It becoming so conservative, she told me, so closed. "I didn't see my chance there. I didn't see that I was going to make something back there, because the mentality is like, 'You're a woman…' But here, yes, I feel hope. Because in Europe, you might get your chance."
How does it feel to be back in the city that her great-grandmother left all those years ago? "I feel grateful for this big circle that my family has travelled," she says. "I feel grateful that I can speak Arabic, that I can understand the music and poetry of the Arabic language. This whole long story, all these different countries, it made me a more complex person."
For Alberto's wife, Muna, there are complexities of a different kind. Her parents and siblings are still trapped in Syria, surrounded by fighting in a town that has run out of food. They are unable to leave their homes let alone flee the country. And if they could, without Italian passports, the journey to Europe would not mean taking the direct flight to Rome - it could mean sailing out into the Mediterranean on a dangerously overcrowded boat.
Muna is glad that her own children are here, scampering around in their bright pink apartment. But as she pours Arabic coffee into tiny porcelain cups, she looks worried. "Muna called her family in Syria yesterday," says Alberto. "They have nothing to eat." |
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-40775140 | In the first of several features on where Wales' parties stand two months on from the general election, BBC Wales political editor Nick Servini looks at Welsh Labour.
It should be a strangely relaxing holiday period for Labour without a summer leadership contest for the first time in three years.
When I mentioned that to the shadow chancellor John McDonnell on a recent visit to Pembrokeshire, he gently suggested that someone needed to have a word to remind Jeremy Corbyn.
The sense was that the Labour leader had no such intention of taking his foot off the gas in the wake of the general election result, even if many in his party probably felt like a long break.
Mr McDonnell was actually in the constituency of Preseli Pembrokeshire as part of a summer tour of marginals.
The fact that it is now even considered a marginal, after the former Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb clung on in what was considered a safe Tory seat with a majority of just 314 votes, tells you all you need to know about how the party surprised so many in June.
The overall result may not have put Mr Corbyn into Downing Street but it gave the party rocket boosters, although the celebrations were muted among many Labour MPs who, ironically, saw their majorities increase off the back of the popularity of a leader they had previously criticised.
In truth, there were Labour politicians and party members as surprised as anyone in the way the campaign turned out.
Be that as it may, Labour now feels emboldened in the way it approaches certain issues like austerity and the state of the public finances.
On paper at least, the same should apply to Brexit but there is a sense that, like the Conservatives, divisions are never far from breaking out.
The latest strategy from the party is to focus on the one thing they can all agree on - the need for tariff-free access to the single market.
John McDonnell said everything else is secondary. As a strategy, this has the benefit of potentially closing down the significance of any different nuances on the approach to Brexit among senior figures.
The downside is that it says so little that Labour loses impact and credibility whenever it wants to launch into a criticism of the UK government's approach to the negotiations.
There are some, including the former shadow Europe minister Wayne David, who believe the party should be using the summer to come up with a cohesive approach to EU withdrawal before the autumn conference.
In the meantime, the hope will be that splits among Conservative ranks outweigh any divisions within Labour.
First Minister Carwyn Jones has also looked to cash in on the unexpected strength of Labour and comparative weakness of the UK government since the June result.
He has been particularly prominent in his criticism of the way that EU powers covering devolved areas are due to be temporarily held at Westminster immediately after Brexit.
Mr Jones believes barriers to trade will hit the Welsh economy disproportionately, and he clearly feels the election result has given him a stronger mandate to push those views aggressively on a UK government that at times has looked at sixes and sevens.
In all of this, the performance of the Labour government in Cardiff in the delivery of public services has faced far less attention than would otherwise have been the case.
Waiting times still lag behind England in most areas but the performance appears to have broadly stabilised.
Much of the scrutiny has been on economic development with the decision not to support the Circuit of Wales racetrack in Blaenau Gwent.
There will now be pressure on Labour ministers to deliver alternative proposals with the possibility of creating other jobs in the Heads of the Valleys.
And there are some big decisions on the horizon as the public inquiry into the M4 relief road at Newport nears its end, and a decision is made on who operates the new Wales and borders franchise.
And as the recess gets under way, Welsh Labour will have time to reflect on its relationship with a man who help provide it with much improvement at the ballot box, and yet is a man who it has very much tried to keep at arms length: Jeremy Corbyn. |
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-south-asia-14896503/taliban-gun-attack-rocks-kabul | The Taliban says it is behind an ongoing bomb and gun attack targeting the US embassy and Nato headquarters in the Afghan capital Kabul.
Insurgents are believed to be holed up in a building in the area.
The BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Kabul said he had heard "multiple explosions" in the embassy district. |
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