MPs: Curb the defame and remoteness laws melancholy Press leisure

Damages: Max Mosley

MPs will today demand a crackdown on "chilling" libel and privacy laws, warning that freedom of speech is under fire from the courts.

In a hard-hitting report, the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee expresses "deep concern" that the freedom of the Press to expose wrongdoing and report on Parliament has been eroded by privacy clauses in the Human Rights Act.

However, it also says the self-regulation of the newspaper industry through the Press Complaints Commission does not always work.

The committee particularly criticises the PCC for failing to hold a proper investigation over "false and damaging" newspaper coverage of the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

"In any other industry suffering such a collective breakdown ... any regulator worth its salt would have instigated an inquiry," the report says, adding that newspaper industry is "in denial about the scale and gravity of what went wrong".

In their far-reaching report the MPs:

Express concern about the use of "super-injunctions" - often by celebrities such as footballer John Terry - which even ban the reporting of the fact that they exist;Call for urgent changes to the huge fees libel lawyers charge;Demand action to stop foreign litigants coming to the UK to launch libel cases in Britain"s more amenable courts;Criticise the Press Complaints Commission as "lacking credibility" and say it should be able to fine papers and ban them from publishing for a day; Say papers must put allegations to those they are writing about in advance of publication.

The MPs also take aim at the way Britain has the friendliest courts for those who want to sue for libel and say action is required to " correct the balance which has tipped too far in favour of the plaintiff".

The committee brands it "a humiliation" for the British legal system that U.S. states have been forced to pass their own legislation "to protect freedom of speech from what are seen as unreasonable incursions by our courts".

At a press conference to discuss the report, Labour committee member Paul Farrelly warned: "Certain judges are operating a one-man libel industry."

The committee reserves some of its strongest criticism for the way oil company Trafigura tried to use a super-injunction to prevent the reporting of Commons debate on its dumping of toxic waste.

The MPs demand a new law to make clear that the Press can report what they like from Parliament, calling it a "cornerstone of a democracy".

The report concludes: "We strongly urge that a way is found to limit the use of super-injunctions as far as is possible and to make clear that they are not intended to fetter the fundamental rights of the Press to report the proceedings of Parliament."

The report follows a two-year investigation. At its centre was the way the Human Rights Act has been used by celebrities such as Formula One boss Max Mosley to seek damages over stories or block publication with injunctions.

The report dismisses widespread criticism of judges like Lord Justice Eady for using the Human Rights Act to usher in privacy laws via the back door.

But the MPs say the safeguards put in place by Parliament have not worked.

They call on the Ministry of Justice to set up an urgent investigation into the operation of Section 12 of the Human Rights Act, meant to balance freedom of expression with the right to privacy.

The MPs demand "urgent" new measures to curb the huge payouts to libel lawyers which have deterred newspapers from investigative journalism likely to upset the rich and powerful.

The committee also calls for tougher regulation of the media, saying the PCC is "widely viewed as lacking credibility and authority".

It says the body should initiate inquiries before a complaint is received and the PCC code should be rewritten "to include a requirement that journalists should normally notify the subject of their articles prior to publication - unless there is a strong public interest not to".

It is already common practice, although not universal, for newspapers to offer the right of reply to people they plan to write about.

PCC director Stephen Abell said last night: "The role of maintaining Press standards is vitally important, and the Commission will consider, in light of this report, how it can most appropriately improve."

Verdict due in Google insult box in Italy

MILAN Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:09pm EST

MILAN (Reuters) - Verdicts were expected on Wednesday on Google executives charged over a bullying video posted on the company"s Italian website, in a case that could set a precedent for Internet content responsibility.

Technology&&&&Media

The ruling comes as Italy"s government seeks to impose restrictions on hate pages on social networks and as YouTube, owned by Google, is locked in a legal battle with Mediaset, controlled by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Italy"s largest private broadcaster wants 500 million euros ($680 million) in damages from YouTube for copyright infringement.

In the current trial Milan public prosecutors accused three current managers and one former Google executive of defamation and failure to exercise control over personal data.

The case stems from an incident in 2006 when students at an Italian school filmed and then uploaded a clip to Google Video showing them bullying a schoolmate with Down"s syndrome.

The complaint was brought by an Italian advocacy group for people with Down"s syndrome, Vivi Down, and the boy"s father.

Down"s syndrome is the most common genetic cause of mental retardation, occurring in about 1 out of 700 live births.

The video, showing four male high school students in Turin humiliating the youth, was filmed from a mobile phone and posted on the site in September 2006.

Google says it removed the video immediately after being notified and then cooperated with Italian authorities to help identify the bullies and bring them to justice.

It says that, as hosting platforms that do not create content, Google Video, YouTube and Facebook "are not responsible for the content that others upload onto these sites."

The prosecutors accuse Google of negligence arguing the video remained online for two months even though some web users had already posted comments asking for it to be taken down.

They want sentences ranging from six months to a year, saying the need to safeguard fundamental rights takes priority over business, and that what is at issue is not freedom of expression on the Internet but the responsibility of companies.

Google has compared the case to prosecuting the postal system for hate letters sent by mail and warns that a conviction would be a setback for development of the Web in Italy.

The defendants are Google senior vice-president and chief legal officer David Drummond, former Google Italy board member George De Los Reyes, senior product marketing manager Arvind Desikan and global privacy counsel Peter Fleischer.

Censoring of web sites has become a hot issue in Italy in recent months, following a spate of hate sites against officials including Berlusconi.

The government briefly studied plans to black out Internet hate sites after fan pages emerged praising an attack on the premier, but the idea was dropped after executives from Facebook, Google and Microsoft agreed to a shared code of conduct rather than legislation.

In a case separate from the Google trial, an Italian Facebook group proposing that children with Down"s syndrome be used for target practice was shut down on Monday. Italy"s equality minister threatened the "thousands of idiots" involved with legal action.

(Writing by Daniel Flynn and Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Matthew Jones)

Technology Media

Gunmen kill eight family members in Iraq decapitate a little

BAGHDAD Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:33am EST Related News Anti-Saddam purge both woos and worries Iraq votersMon, Feb 15 2010Iraqi PM Maliki weakened ahead of national voteMon, Feb 15 2010Iraq election officials confirm Sunni candidate banSat, Feb 13 2010Iraq panel reinstates election ban amid Shi"ite ireSun, Feb 7 2010Car bombs kill 40 in Iraq, tensions simmerFri, Feb 5 2010

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Gunmen shot dead eight members of a family and cut the heads off some of the bodies on Monday in a mainly Sunni area outside Iraq"s capital, security officials said, weeks before a national election.

World

Some fear violence may escalate as Iraq gears up for the March 7 parliamentary ballot that al Qaeda"s arm in Iraq -- notorious for gruesome beheadings and massive, coordinated suicide blasts -- has threatened to derail.

"Unknown gunmen killed eight members of the same family with silencers, and cut the heads off some of the bodies," the office of Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim al-Moussawi said in a statement.

The attack took place at about 7am local time (0400 GMT) in the al-Wahda neighborhood of the Madaen district outside Baghdad, the office said. It said later that it had arrested those responsible for the attack. No further details were given.

Police in Madaen also confirmed the attack.

Beheadings are a trademark of Sunni Islamist insurgent groups such as al Qaeda.

Violence has fallen sharply in Iraq in the last two years, but bombs and shootings are still common. The national ballot next month is seen as a critical test for Iraq as it tries to leave behind years of war and sectarian conflict.

(Reporting by Suadad al-Salhy; Writing by Mohammed Abbas and Jack Kimball; Editing by Louise Ireland)

World

Sinn Fein personality Gerry Adams to be paid �10000 for Channel 4 programme on forgivenesss

Gerry Adams is to be paid 10,000 for making a programme about God and forgiveness to be shown on Channel 4

Gerry Adams is to be paid 10,000 by Channel 4 for his controversial programme on Christian forgiveness.

The Sinn Fein leader has already pocketed 5,000 from the makers of the programme, which has provoked condemnation from victims of Irish republican violence.

A payment of a further 5,000 for Mr Adams" work presenting the show is to follow.

The fees for the Channel 4 programme run to more than the compensation paid to victims of violence during Northern Ireland"s troubles.

The programme, part of a series called The Bible: a History, is broadcast tonight.

It filmed Mr Adams on a "personal journey to discover the real Jesus" and examining Christian teachings on "love, forgiveness and repentance".

Channel 4 said Mr Adams was being paid the fee because of "standard practice" and because in it "he faces tough questions about forgiveness and repentance".

Mr Adams has always denied being a member of the IRA, which killed nearly 2,000 people over nearly three decades of violence during the Troubles.

However, independent authors have said he was commander of the Belfast Brigade the Provisional IRA and held other senior posts in it during the bloodletting of the 1970s.

As he built his political career, Mr Adams was claiming state benefits from the British taxpayer, describing himself as an unemployed barman.

Ralph Lee, head of "specialist factual" at Channel 4, said: "It is standard practice to pay presenters and a similar fee was paid to each of the other presenters in The Bible series.

"Gerry Adams spent a considerable amount of time working on this film in which he faces tough questions about forgiveness and repentance and discusses these issues with victims of the conflict in Northern Ireland."

Mr Adams claimed during the programme that, along with others, he "helped bring peace to Ireland".

Lorraine Wilson, 15, who died in the Omagh bombing. Her father is furious Gerry Adams is being paid to make the programme

While refusing to accept guilt for bloodshed during the Troubles, he said: "Bad things have been done to me. I have to forgive those who did them."

He added: "Sometimes I was in tune with Jesus" message and sometimes not. I am not a pacifist and I don"t believe that non-violent protest would have got justice in Ireland, but I do know that after decades of war, we all have plenty to forgive and be forgiven for."

Among victims of violence in Northern Ireland is Godrey Wilson, whose 15-year-old daughter Lorraine was among 29 people killed by the Omagh car bomb in 1998. The bomb was planted by a dissident republican group, the Real IRA.

Mr Wilson told the Sunday Telegraph: "As a bereaved father whose daughter was doing charity work when she was killed, I fail to understand how her life can be worth only 7,500 while Gerry Adams is given 10,000."

Bristol City 2 West Brom 1: No boing for the Baggies as graduation follow hits strike in the highway

Chris Iwelumo"s 100th career goal stunned West Bromwich and left their manager Roberto Di Matteo worrying whether his squad can cope with the demands of a promotion run-in.

The Scottish striker, on loan from Albion"s rivals Wolves, had been waiting 10 months to reach the landmark after a season ruined by two broken metatarsals.

But his tap-in from two yards, after Lee Johnson"s curling corner wasn"t cleared, could be even more significant for Di Matteo"s hopes of winning promotion in his first season in charge.

On target: Striker Chris Iwelumo equalised for Bristol City in the second-half

Cruising after Graham Dorrans" first-half goal, Albion looked certainties for the win which would have lifted them back into the automatic promotion places.

But after the break Dorrans, who had been running the show, all but disappeared as Iwelumo"s 55th- minute strike, followed by a Johnson tap-in just three minutes later, turned the game on its head.

Albion should have been on level terms after 65 minutes when Roman Bednar crossed for Andwele Slory, who fluffed his finish from around six yards.

Winning feeling: Bristol City manager Gary Johnson saw his side claim all three points for the first time in seven games

Di Matteo"s players have no time to rest before an FA Cup replaywith Reading on Wednesday and he admitted: "With the amount of games weare playing, there is some tiredness creeping in.

"It"s nota surprise to me because I know the demands which are put on players inthis division but it is very tough when you have the number of playersmissing that we have. Both physical and mental tiredness become aproblem when you play so many games, they go together.

French PM raises human rights concerns with Syria

Khaled Yacoub Oweis DAMASCUS Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:32pm EST Related News New Iran measures needed if no progress: French PMSat, Feb 20 2010Syria"s Assad holds security talks with U.S. officialWed, Feb 17 2010Syria"s Assad holds security talks with U.S. officialWed, Feb 17 2010Israel pushing Middle East to war: Syria"s AssadWed, Feb 3 2010Syria says U.S. picks ambassador to DamascusWed, Feb 3 2010 < 1 / 2 >

Foot-long surgical apparatus left in womans stomach

IVANCICE, Czech Republic Wed Feb 17, 2010 11:39am EST Related Video

IVANCICE, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Czech medical staff are being disciplined after a foot-long surgical instrument was found in the abdomen of a woman who was operated on five months ago.

Oddly Enough

The patient, 66-year-old Zdenka Kopeckova, repeatedly complained of severe abdominal pain following a gynaecological operation at a hospital in the southeastern town of Ivancice.

"I said that nobody helps me and I cannot live like this till the end of my life. I"ll get pills, have a glass of an alcohol and hang myself," she said after the spatula-like instrument was discovered a week ago and successfully removed.

Kopeckova is seeking compensation over the error, claiming staff initially tried to cover up the mistake by saying there was nothing they could do but recommend pain killers.

"I told the head surgeon that if I had no pain I would not be complaining. I"m not a hypochondriac," she said, adding she had requested an x-ray but was told this would needlessly expose her to radiation.

Jaromir Hrubes, Ivancice hospital director, said strict operation procedures should have been followed by medical staff and an unnamed hospital official told Reuters Television that those concerned would be disciplined.

"The medical procedures at Ivancice seem perfect at the first sight, there is documentation and list of instruments used, but the person who did the evaluation did not report the missing object," said Hrubes.

(Reporting by Reuters Television, Editing by Miral Fahmy)

Oddly Enough

Dubai: Youll find Nell McAndrew at the finish of the palm

I"m very lucky as I"ve been to Dubai many times in the past ten years and each time the place overwhelms me.

And with every visit I find that the skyline has changed yet again - a new crop of buildings has shot up. If, like me, you return every couple of years, you find that you have a new city to visit.

I enjoy the fact that Dubai is so full of over-the-top, wonderful buildings created on an epic scale. In many ways it is the absolute ultimate in extravagant holidays - a desert metropolis where you can enjoy big city treats (shopping, great restaurants, lots of interesting things to see and do and, er, shopping).

Beach babe: Nell McAndrew is lured to Dubai by the ever abundant sun and sand

But the real pleasure for me is that this is somewhere you can go and completely relax. I don"t think people appreciate just what fantastic service you get at hotels in Dubai. Nothing is too much trouble, all the time staff are keen to go the extra mile.

Dubai is an excellent sun-and-sand destination. In high summer there is probably a bit too much sun, but in winter it is still hot, only very pleasantly so.

More...Find out where other celebrities go on their holidaysWant to read more stories about Dubai? Then click hereAffordable Dubai: How to holiday like a millionaire without breaking the bank

Dubai is a very special place for me and my husband Paul because we were married here at Le Royal Meridien six years ago. We can"t help coming back. We know all of the staff and they know us, it"s really sweet.

Actually, we first came here by accident. Ten years ago Paul and I had a holiday in Tenerife and stayed at a hotel that was awful - so bad, in fact, that we cut short our holiday and came home thoroughly fed up.

A friend then suggested that if we wanted to stay somewhere really nice we should go to Dubai and check out Le Royal Meridien. We took the advice, headed to Dubai and immediately fell in love with the hotel and the city.

We"ve been coming back ever since and when we got married there was only one place we wanted for the ceremony - Le Royal Meridien.

I Do-Bai: Nell and Paul Hardcastle married in 2004 at Le Meridien Royal, with its stunning beach and gardens and access to clear blue water and golden sands

Even though it was a fairly low-key affair - we had a simple wedding with just 14 guests - the hotel couldn"t do enough to make it a special occasion for us. They were so organised about the whole thing - much more than I was.

For our most recent holiday we came for two weeks. The second part would be at Le Royal Meridien, but first we stayed at the Atlantis, which has been open for just over a year, and sets the standard for other new hotels to match.

It is at the very end of Palm Island - built in the shape of a palm tree where the likes of the Beckhams own houses.

Atlantis has taken holidays in Dubai to a new level because it is the first purpose-built holiday area - they call it "an integrated entertainment resort" - offering attractions such as Aquaventure, which has fresh and salt-water pools and lagoon exhibits, thrilling water slides (much too thrilling for me), an open-air marine habitat, a seemingly endless stretch of beach, luxury boutiques, lots of restaurants and an excellent spa and fitness club.

And I knew there would be plenty to keep our three-year old son Devon happy, such as the Lost Chambers with its fantastic aquarium and the wonderful dolphin centre.

Glamour: Nell and Paul have not stopped coming back to Dubai after falling for the city"s dual charms of being a place to relax and have fun

But while he loved the dolphins - who can resist their charms? - I have a sneaking feeling he was more taken by the new Dubai Metro.

He has become obsessed by trains and was happy to watch the coming and going of the train from our bedroom window (an outing on it was a particular highlight).

We started off our holiday rather down in the dumps. Both Devon and I had a nasty bug and were feeling poorly as we arrived. Our mood wasn"t improved by disembarking from the aircraft in the middle of a terrific downpour.

The weather quickly improved though, and so did our spirits. I was particularly uplifted by an amazing massage I had from the wondrous Janita in the Atlantis spa. After she had finished I felt as if I"d been run over by a steamroller. That"s exactly the sort of massage I like - the gentle-hands approach is definitely not for me.

But one effect of us feeling off-colour was that we didn"t really get the chance to indulge ourselves in the extraordinary range of restaurants available in the Atlantis - especially Nobu and Locatelli"s.

However, the food available from room service, especially breakfast, was outstanding. The Atlantis was really just what we needed.

We watched the TV news pictures of a snowbound Britain before venturing out to the pool to enjoy the delights of some fine winter sunshine.

It doesn"t get much better than this, we told each other. Well, apart from the inimitable Le Royal Meridien where we headed next.

The hotel has a fabulous location on the famous Jumeirah beach where guests enjoy their own private sandy strip. There are lovely landscaped gardens, a beautiful Roman spa, no fewer than 14 restaurants and bars, three outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, and squash courts --not to mention superb views across the Arabian Gulf.

On previous visits we"d spent time exploring the city but this time our main aim was to take things easy. Paul, who is a developer, did venture out to take a look at some properties as we know a lot of people who have houses and apartments here, but Devon and I were happy to stay in and around the hotel.

Something fishy: Nell and son Devon make friends at the dolphin centre although it is not clear who is more pleased

As soon as I felt better, I fished my trainers out and did some running. I"m due to compete in the London Marathon this year as an "ambassador" for Cancer Research UK, so I take part in a lot of events such as the Great North Run with the aim of encouraging other people to participate.

I"ve run a number of half-marathons and I"m sure I could manage a marathon in under three hours if I kept to the training schedule.

So in Dubai it was great to do some long runs. I calculated that running up the beach to the Sheraton, there and back twice, was the necessary distance. I loved running on the beach in bare feet. After the winter we"ve had it was fantastic to be out under the blue sky, in the sun.

If we hadn"t gone to Dubai, my other choice would have been Center Parcs. We had one of our best holidays last year at the Center Parcs in Elveden Forest, Suffolk.

It would have been the perfect place for a Christmas holiday, the setting in the trees is very magical, full of atmosphere. It was great for Devon because no cars are allowed in the village, which means that it is very safe for children.

Perfect setting: The Atlantis is at the end of the Palm - the view is one seen from space which shows its true size

The Isle of Wight is also on our wish list for 2010. We had a fabulous holiday there last summer and it"s a really gorgeous island.

We stayed in the lovely Steephill Cove, just a cluster of cottages and beach huts without a slot machine or burger bar to be seen: it"s just the way that seaside holidays used to be.

When I was a child, summer holidays used to be trips to Scarborough, Filey and Bridlington - later on my Mum and Dad saved up and took us to Newquay. So going to the Isle of Wight provided a real sense of nostalgia. We loved it there and can"t wait to go back.

One of the great pleasures of a UK holiday is that there is no flying involved, no airport hassles: you simply load up the car and a few hours later you"re at your holiday destination.

We will also probably go to Majorca - we love staying at the Linda Hotel in Bendinat, which is a real favourite of ours. We certainly enjoy our holidays. Towards the end of our second week in Dubai, we were watching the TV news and saw how much worse the weather was getting in the UK with all the snow.

We were worried that if we flew back on our scheduled date we might end up getting stuck at the airport. So we decided to extend our stay and wait for the weather to improve.

It was bliss enjoying the Dubai sun knowing that we were missing the snow at home.

Now that is a real holiday.

Travel facts

Travelmood (0800 8407 802, www.travelmood.com) offers a range of holidays to Dubai.

A five-night break at Atlantis, The Palm costs from 1,049. Five nights at Le Royal Meridien costs from 999. Both include B&B, return flights with Emirates from Heathrow, and transfers.

Brazil shares drop investors concentration on US acceleration

Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:56pm EST Related News RPT-Brazil stocks edge higher, track U.S. sharesThu, Feb 18 2010Brazil stocks edge higher, track U.S. sharesThu, Feb 18 2010Brazil stocks jump as recent drop seen overdoneWed, Feb 17 2010Brazilian stocks slide on Greece, Vale resultsThu, Feb 11 2010Brazil stocks rise on Greece hopes; real near flatWed, Feb 10 2010 Stocks & &

(Updates to close)

Stocks&&&&Currencies&&&&Bonds

SAO PAULO, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Brazilian stocks edged loweron Friday while the currency gained ground against the U.S.dollar in a mixed reading of a decision by the U.S. FederalReserve to reverse some of its monetary stimulus measures.

Local equities fell after the Fed late on Thursdayannounced an increase in the emergency lending rate it chargesbanks. But the downside was limited after tame U.S. inflationdata helped appease some fears that this was the beginning of abroader tightening cycle in the United Sates. For more see[ID:nN19117929].

The benchmark Bovespa stock index .BVSP dipped 0.35percent to 67,597.43, bucking two sessions of gains asinvestors sought to cut positions in oil company Petrobras andmining giant Vale.

"What the Fed signaled yesterday was that in fact it won"ttighten monetary policy but move very slowly towards thenormalization of the rate," said Roberto Padovani, seniorBrazil economist with WestLB in Sao Paulo, adding that U.S.rates at the moment did not reflect the level of economicactivity.

Brazil"s currency, the real (BRBY), also strengthenedagainst the dollar, even as the latter climbed across the boardafter the Fed move. The real rose 0.9 percent to 1.805 reaisper dollar -- its strongest since late January.

The currency gained for a third day, boosted by almost $3billion in local sales of dollar holdings by nonresidentinvestors, according to data by BMFBovespa, which operates theleading stock, commodities and derivatives exchange in thecountry.

Petrobras shares (PETR4.SA) fell 0.98 percent to 34.35reais even as oil CLc1 firmed, while Vale (VALE5.SA), theworld"s biggest iron ore producer, shed 0.22 percent to 45.10reais.

Some steelmakers also fell. CSN (CSNA3.SA), the nation"ssecond-biggest maker of flat steel, shed 0.7 percent to 59.17reais. The company is involved in a bidding war for Portuguesecement maker Cimpor with two other Brazilian companies.

A plan to extend the deadline of a tender offer for Cimporthrough Feb. 22 and a possible counterbid to win at least 33percent of the Portuguese company could "weigh on its shares,"Itau Securities analyst Marcos Assumpcao said of CSN.

Yields on Brazilian interest rate futures contracts<0#DIJ:> were broadly higher after inflation readings for thenation"s broadest price index came at the high end ofexpectations and the Fed move led some investors to seek apremium on borrowing costs.

The yield on the Jan 2011 contract DIJF1, the most widelytraded in Sao Paulo, climbed 0.1 percentage point to 10.28percent. (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Ana Nicolaci daCosta; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Stocks Currencies Bonds

Churches give up sacrament forum over non-believer articles of faith

Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent & , : {}

The Governments main advisory group on religion has collapsed in acrimony after church groups walked out in a row between atheists and believers.

The Church of England condemned the group as not fit for purpose and complained that each meeting degenerated into an impasse between secularists and the religious. Secularists hit back, accusing Christians of triumphalism and bullying. Muslims had already stopped attending the group, whose remaining few members are meeting tomorrow to decide whether it is worth carrying on at all.

Hindus, Bahais and secularists are still represented but the Church of England, Salvation Army, Methodist Church and Roman Catholic Church have all left, jeopardising its future.

Peter Vlachos, the National Secular Society delegate, said he was appalled and accused the church groups of abusing the forum.

Related LinksPope to release letter on Irish abuseVatican investigating 14 sex abuse cases in SpainEven atheists can thank Heaven for the tolerance of the Anglican Church

He said: Rather than supporting and championing equality and human rights, the Churches have tried to use the consultative process to try to gain further exemptions from equalities legislation. They wanted the freedom to discriminate and they didnt get it so now theyve walked away.

He claimed that correspondence sent to the society showed that the churches had hoped to turn the religion and belief consultation into an interfaith forum where the non-religious would be excluded.

The collapse of the Equality Commissions Religion and Belief Consultative Group comes as traditionalist Christians today petitioned the Equalities Minister Harriet Harman to intervene in the Equality Bill which tonight completed its passage through the Lords and now returns to the Commons. The traditionalists want to prevent a change in the law that will allow civil partnership ceremonies to take place in religious buildings.

Although the change is permissive which means no cleric could be prosecuted for refusing to carry out a gay marriage, bishops and other clergy fear that any who refuse could risk prosecution under European human rights legislation.

The Pope recently intervened in the debate over equality legislation in Britain. Benedict XVI is expected to use his visit to Britain in September to preach moral virtue.

Leaders across the churches continue to defend the right of Christians and other religions to discriminate against women, gays and others according to their religious beliefs.

The Religion and Belief Consultative Group was set up in 2004 as a reference group for the religion and belief representatives on the Steering Group for the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Although the group advised the Equality and Human Rights Commission, it received no government funding and all attendance was voluntary.

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Dole reserve shrinks as does series of people in practice (contains video)

Emily Ford & , : {}

The series of people claiming benefits in Feb fell at the sharpest rate given Nov 1997, only after Labour came to power, sum indicated today.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the series of Britons claiming jobseeker"s stipend fell by 32,300 in Feb to 1.59 million, in contrariety to analysts" predictions of an 8,000 rise.

The sum series of impoverished additionally fell, down 33,000 to 2.45 million in between Nov and January, receiving the stagnation rate to 7.8 per cent, a dump of 0.1 on the prior quarter.

The sum will yield a progress for Labour, entrance one week prior to the Budget and less than dual months prior to a ubiquitous choosing contingency be called.

Related LinksNo university places for 50,000 with great gradesCOMMENT: No bubbly yetUnemployment census interpretation

Sterling strike a three-week high opposite the dollar after the interpretation was released. The bruise rose by some-more than a cent to $1.5355. It additionally rose opposite a basket of vital currencies, rock climbing to 77.9 on a trade-weighted basis, up from 77.2.

However, the warn dump in stagnation was dark by sum display that the series of people in practice fell by 54,000. The practice rate is right away at a 13-year low, indicating that augmenting numbers of people are withdrawing from the work market.

Furthermore, the series of people of operative age counted as "inactive" is at a jot down high, rising by 149,000 over the entertain to reach 8.16 million.

Howard Archer, arch UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, a forecasting group, pronounced today: "We hold that it is beforehand to receptive to advice the all-clear on the jobs front. In fact, we think the work marketplace might well be rather haphazard in the nearby tenure at least, with a little months of stagnation gains and a little of losses.

"There stays the risk that unless the economy gains poignant movement in the nearby term, a poignant series of firms might well confirm that they unequivocally cannot hold on to a little of their workers any longer. In addition, poignant pursuit cuts in the open zone could well begin after this year as piece of the efforts to rein in supervision expenditure."

The warn tumble in stagnation follows a inform from the Bank of England this week, notice that the UK should prop itself for an additional surge in stagnation as the frail economy starts to recover.

The Bank believes that the coherence of the work market, that has meant that the retrogression has taken a most not as big fee on jobs than in prior downturns, could reach violation point if consumer direct stays sluggish.

It argues that any annulment in the patience shown by creditors and the taxation authorities during the retrogression could additionally force businesses to strew some-more staff.

If ... the liberation in direct is some-more indolent than businesses expect, or some-more businesses are forced in to liquidation, afterwards there is a risk that practice could tumble further, Renato Faccini and Christopher Hackworth wrote in a paper in the Banks ultimate Quarterly Bulletin, that is published today.

The ONS sum additionally showed that normal weekly gain rose somewhat in the 3 months to January. Average weekly gain for the entertain grew at an annual rate of 0.9 per cent, up from 0.7 per cent for the 3 months to Dec 2009.

hair wig

Comets thespian genocide dive in to the sun

& , : {}

A space telescope has held a hulk comet"s unusual last hours as it done a dive of genocide in to the sun.

The immeasurable missile, with a head the distance of the Isle of Wight and a tail most millions of miles long, appeared in cinema being taken by a NASA heavenly body on Friday (12th).

The orbiting SoHo observatory, that ceaselessly monitors the sun, available the singular and formerly unspotted shining comet swooping in from the reduce left of the pictures.

It grew ever brighter as it directed without delay at the home star, shown as a white ring in the images. It was rught away vaporised by the sun"s absolute chief furnace.

Related LinksSpace Shuttle Endeavour lands in darknessMultimediaMust-see charcterised picture of comet

Experts hold the outrageous comet was only a bit of a immeasurable supercomet that pennyless up at slightest 2,000 years ago. The ensuing debris, right away orbiting in the solar complement as not as big comets, is called the Kreutz family after a 19th century German astronomer who complicated them.

Astronomers contend that most most not as big Kreutz fragments, as well small to be seen, feed on grass past the object each day and disintegrate.

This week NASA suggested that their new Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer space telescope - WISE - could acknowledge a low brownish-red dwarf messenger star to the object that might be promulgation comets towards us from a immeasurable fountainhead of the icy objects called the Oort Cloud at the corner of the solar system.

Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, pronounced today: "A comet identical to this will be identical to no some-more than an irritating fleabite for the sun. But if it something of a identical distance strike the Earth it could explosion a void the distance of a city and means country-wide devastation. So it is rather shocking that they only arrive out of nowhere and are so unpredictable!"

hair wig

Analysis: Lord Ashcroft passed equine has prolonged approach to run

Philip Webster & , : {}

The early pre-spun headlines prior to today"s inform from the Electoral Commission settled baldly that Lord Ashcroft and the Conservative celebration had been privileged of breaching electoral law in propinquity to donations from a association related to the peer.

The snap reports were correct in so far as they went but they were far from revelation the total story.

And nobody in the Tory high authority today, most of whom are mad with the difficulty the donor has landed them in, believes that the commission"s inform is the finish of the tale. They are well wakeful that the Sunday newspapers are operative on their takes of the affair.

The commission did not try to censor the disappointment that the Conservatives refused to concede their officers to be interviewed in the march of the inquiry. Further it suggested that it had asked to encounter comparison officials to safeguard that they were transparent about the responsibilities for complying with the law. The commission, that knows that it has to sojourn approach on top of celebration politics, exasperatedly done the point that the requests to Lord Ashcroft for report were shut off with suggestions that it was his process to fall short commercial operation support unless he was legally compulsory to keep it.

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Neither avowal fits well with David Cameron"s calls for clarity in all things. The commission"s end that it had found "no evidence" that the donations from the association breached the law was frequency a resounding verdict.

One suspects, however, that there are some-more dire worries for the leadership. William Hague and Mr Cameron know right away that the subsequent big talk they give can usually be dominated by questions about because they had not asked questions of Lord Ashcroft to safeguard he had complied with his pledges.

The involvement by Lord Turnbull, former head of the Civil Service, in that he indicted Mr Hague of unwell to safeguard Lord Ashcroft celebrated his commitments, was harmful and cannot be shrugged off. Now we sense that Mr Cameron has well known for the past month. There will be viewable questions on because he and Mr Hague remained wordless about the event until Lord Ashcroft came clean.

Whether the Public Administration Committee manages to do the instruct to get Lord Ashcroft in front of it looks doubtful. It has the energy to send for "persons and papers" but the chances of the counterpart being accessible on the one day set in reserve for the review see slim and Conservative MPs have already discharged it as a domestic move.

But this does not nonetheless see similar to an issue that Labour and, some-more importantly, the newspapers are rebuilt to let go.

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Norris turns to European Court to quarrel US extradition

Alex Spence and Robert Lindsay & , : {}

An bum British former office worker plans to interest to Europes top probity after losing the ultimate turn of a long-running quarrel opposite extradition to the United States, where he is longed for for division justice.

Lawyers for Ian Norris, the former arch senior manager of Morgan Crucible, the industrial materials group, will ask the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to take his box in the subsequent couple of days, after the Supreme Court deserted his ultimate interest yesterday.

A defence to the European probity will be Mr Norriss last possibility of avoiding extradition after a six-year authorised battle.

Mr Norris, 67, was indicted by American authorities of participating in an bootleg conglomeration to supply the prices of CO components in the 1990s. The US unsuccessful in the initial try to extradite him, after the House of Lords prior to it was transposed by the Supreme Court ruled that he could not face hearing in an additional nation for an corruption that was not a crime in Britain when it was purported to have been committed. Price-fixing was not a specific rapist corruption in the UK until 2003.

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However, the law lords left the doorway open to the US to find Mr Norriss extradition underneath a delegate assign of deterrent of justice, for allegedly destroying evidence. A district decider found that the deterrent assign was of such sobriety that Mr Norris should be sent to the US. That preference was corroborated by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary at that time, in Sep 2008.

Mr Norris appealed to the Supreme Court on human rights grounds. The Supreme Court, sitting with a singular full row of 9 judges, unanimously discharged the appeal.

Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, boss of the Supreme Court, pronounced that usually the gravest division with Mr Norriss family hold up would clear the probity inserted to retard extradition. This is not such a case, Lord Phillips said.

Mr Norris and his wife, Sheila, 65, have been together for 50 years and are both in bad health. Mr Norris had prostate cancer diagnosed in 2000 and, nonetheless it is in remission, depends on his mother to caring for him. Lawyers pronounced that Mr Norriss chances of overturning the preference in Europe were slim.

• The bankers well known as the NatWest Three were expelled early from prisons in the UK inside of the past couple of months, The Times understands. David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby were eliminated to Britain in Nov 2008 after they were locked up in the United States on Enron-related rascal charges. The men became a means clèbre after they were extradited to the US in 2006. They struck a understanding with prosecutors underneath that they concluded to beg guilty if they could offer the residue of their 37-month judgment in Britain. The 3 are right away free theme to sure conditions, as is usual with prisoners expelled early. They declined to comment. (Alex Spence)

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Google starts the social-networking conflict with launch of Google Buzz

Murad Ahmed, Technology Reporter, and Mike Harvey in San Francisco & , : {}

Googles new amicable networking have make use of of went online yesterday, as experts warned that it faced an ascending onslaught in the conflict with Facebook and Twitter over where people go to check up on their friends.

Google Buzz allows users to share personal updates, photos and videos. Anyone sealed up to the companys e-mail service, Gmail, will automatically be means to have make use of of the service, definition that the network already contains hundreds of millions of people.

However, analysts pronounced that whilst it was a confidant try to excavate in to the universe of amicable networking, the poke organisation competence never catch up with some-more dynamic websites. Google is the majority web page in the universe and wants to keep the on all sides as the initial pier of call for people in their tour around the internet. However, people are increasingly spending some-more time on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Google believes that that it can have inroads in to this universe by Buzz, that it says will cut by as well majority report now on amicable networking sites by utilizing Googles poke record and algorithms to show people updates that are majority suitable to them.

We will have entrance to those things youre meddlesome in, those posts you read, Sergey Brin, Googles co-founder, said. We think well be means to have those things utilitarian to you.

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Facebook was discreet in the reply to Buzz, but pragmatic that attaching it to Googles e-mail complement was a mistake. The one after another expansion of the amicable web will be dynamic by people and personal relationships, Facebook said. The people you e-mail and discuss with the majority competence not be your closest friends or the people that you wish to share and bond with. Facebook additionally tackled Google on the own territory yesterday by announcing that it was updating the messaging service, an area in that Google is seen as some-more dominant.

Google Buzz comes after a series of catastrophic attempts to benefit a foothold in amicable networking. A have make use of of called Orkut and a Twitter-like have make use of of called Jaiku have both unsuccessful to benefit numbers.

Buzz allows users automatically to followbthe people they continually e-mail and discuss with. Users can post updates, together with YouTube videos, photos and links to alternative websites. If the user chooses to have this report open they will crop up on Googles poke engine, creation posts simpler to find. Social updates that competence be of seductiveness to members, such as invitations to parties, will be automatically posted to their Gmail inbox.

Google additionally launched a Buzz mobile application. The app can have make use of of the geo-location underline of majority worldly smartphones, enabling the device to know where a user is and to show them updates from people who are nearby by.

Last week Facebook distinguished the sixth birthday by announcing that it had some-more than 400 million users. Gmail is the the third majority renouned internet e-mail have make use of of in the world, with 176.5 million users, according to comScore, the marketplace investigate company.

Kraft underneath review over Cadbury bureau oath (contains video)

Robert Lindsay & , : {}

The City Takeover Panel is questioning possibly Kraft Foods misled Cadbury investors over a guarantee to keep the British confectioners Somerdale bureau open prior to shutting the plant down with the loss of up to 500 jobs.

The Panel is examining a guarantee regularly done by Kraft during the sour 11.5 billion takeover conflict that it would keep the Somerdale bureau in Keynsham, nearby Bristol, after Cadbury had earmarked the site for closure.

Kraft pronounced on Nov 9 last year: "Kraft Foods believes it will be in a on all sides to go on to work the Somerdale facility, that is now programmed to be closed, and deposit in Bournville, thereby preserving UK production jobs."

After the understanding was completed, Kraft pronounced that the bureau would close by 2011.

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The Panel"s exploration appears to branch from accusations by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative Party claimant for the subdivision that includes Somerdale. He wrote to the Panel on Feb 15, saying that by becoming different the mind over the bureau Kraft had damaged manners requiring bidders to "prepare statements with the top grade of caring and accuracy" and not to have statements that "while not factually false competence be misleading".

Mr Rees-Mogg told The Times today: "The speed with that Kraft done the preference [to close the factory] equates to that possibly they were drifting in sketch up their suggest papers or they on purpose misled people. It"s really astray on people who initial thought their jobs were going to be lost, afterwards were told they competence be saved, usually to find they were losing them after all."

The Panel is means to issue in isolation or, some-more rarely, open reprimands to people or companies or their advisers if it believes that they have breached the formula on mergers and takeovers.

One of the majority new sanctions was handed down to NM Rothschild in 2007 over the purpose advising BT in the takeover of PlusNet.

If the Panel decides that Kraft was concerned in a counsel deception, the make a difference could be upheld to the Financial Services Authority, the City watchdog.

Kraft"s takeover advisers were Lazards, the investment bank, and Clifford Chance, the law firm.

Kraft"s preference to close the Somerdale bureau drew critique from unions and Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, who indicted Krafts authority and arch comparison manager Irene Rosenfeld of unwell to surprise him in allege about plans to close the plant.

Kraft management team will be called to give justification in front of a parliamentary cabinet this month. MPs are set to subject comparison officials from Kraft about the takeover of Cadbury and the remarks over Somerdale.

The Takeover Panel refused to comment.

Sir Andrew Cubie takes assign of special needs propagandize in Perthshire

Lindsay McIntosh & , : {}

Sir Andrew Cubie, the counsel whose work has heavily shabby Scottish preparation policy, has been allocated authority of a Perthshire propagandize for young kids with special needs.

Sir Andrew, whose inform in 2000 on fee fees led to the up-front levy being abolished, pronounced that he was positively gay to be receiving the helm at the New School, Butterstone.

He described the school, that takes pupils who have struggled in mainstream education, as innovative and inspiring.

Far from being an discretionary additional to mainstream education, I hold that schools similar to this are an positively critical piece of it and indispensable some-more than ever right away as we proceed to assimilate improved the range of problems faced by young kids with guidance difficulties, he said. These might embody young kids on the autistic spectrum, or who are dyspraxic or dyslexic.

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Sir Andrew, a prior authority of governors of George Watsons College in Edinburgh, pronounced that he hoped to widespread the word about the achievements of the propagandize and to inspire councils to make use of their facilities.

I wish to convince even some-more authorities that this is a key apparatus for the future, interrelated to their own tutorial programmes, and one they should spin to as a equates to of assisting to supply their needy young kids for the hurdles of hold up and work, he said.

The New School was set up sixteen years ago and takes young kids elderly twelve to 18. The pupils some-more than 90 per cent of whom embrace appropriation from internal authorities to attend might have been bullied in their prior propagandize or struggled to keep up with the work. They are taught in small classes by experienced teachers and have left on to serve preparation or returned to mainstream schools with increasing confidence.

John Lewis raises staff reward with 140m pot

Alex Spence & , : {}

Staff of the John Lewis Partnership are approaching to share a 140 million reward pot this week as the tradesman reveals clever full-year formula increased by the Waitrose supermarkets.

About 70,000 employees are sloping to embrace bonuses worth fourteen per cent of salary, up from thirteen per cent last year. The approaching reward is homogeneous to eight weeks compensate and will range from 1,500 for part-time emporium staff to some-more than 100,000 for Charlie Mayfield, the partnerships senior manager chairman.

The employee-owned retailer, that controls the John Lewis dialect store bondage as well as Waitrose supermarkets, is approaching on Thursday to acknowledgement a climb in full-year pre-tax increase to 315 million, up from 280 million the prior year, analysts said.

Waitrose is sloping to be the groups most appropriate performer, with handling increase set to climb by a entertain to 268 million, according to Nick Bubb, an researcher for Arden Partners. This is notwithstanding predictions that recession-hit shoppers would dried the upmarket grocer for cheaper rivals. John Lewis dialect stores are foresee to inform handling increase of 168 million, up from 144 million in 2008. The John Lewis Partnership declined to criticism yesterday.

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The turn of the staff reward will not be finalised until the groups house meets on Wednesday. All staff at the supermarkets and dialect stores will find out at 9.30am on Thursday and the figure will crop up in their compensate trip for subsequent month.

The approaching payment, nonetheless up on last years bonus, will still be a little proceed next the twenty per cent perceived in 2007 prior to the credit break underlining managements discreet proceed to stream trade conditions.

The John Lewis Partnership, that was set up in 1928 when the son of the businesss owner began pity increase with employees, is seen as a bellwether of the high street. It stood out as a success story between recession-weary retailers in last years second half as the sales rose among mercantile gloom.

Waitrose has been mending the marketplace share, aided by clever take-up of the new worth range, that has been credited with mending business perceptions of the prices.

Alberto Aquilani stays piece of Rafael Benitezs plans at Anfield Liverpool

Tony Barrett & , : {}

Rafael Benítez has since Alberto Aquilani his full subsidy notwithstanding the midfield players onslaught to spike down a unchanging starting place in the Liverpool side.

Aquilanis initial year in English football has been blighted by damage to such an border that, roughly eight months after a seventeen million move from Roma, his representative is peaceful to concur that it could be subsequent deteriorate prior to Liverpool see the majority appropriate of the Italy international.

Benítez maintains that he has not lost conviction in Aquilani and insists that the 25-year-old understands the situation, in that Liverpools poke for rise form and their unfortunate need to secure a top-four place meant that the group cannot equates to to lift a player who is confronting a personal query for improvement.

The Liverpool managers plan equates to that Aqulani is again expected to be denied a begin in tonights Barclays Premier League compare afar to Wigan Athletic.

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When you have been harmed for a while, the not easy for a player, Benítez said. Then, when you are accessible and the group isnt you do well, it creates it even some-more difficult. You have to confirm if you can equates to to give him dual or 3 games when you know hes may be not at the turn he could be, so you could finish up losing a little of them.

Alberto isnt stupid, he knows the priority right afar has to be the group and whats majority appropriate for that.

All he can do is keep precision and have certain he is ready when we need him. But the majority critical thing we have to think of is the team, not one player. Benítez was criticised for not bringing Aquilani off the substitutes dais during a forbidding goalless pull afar to Wolverhampton Wanderers in January.

Having billed him as a player who can have a disproportion in the last third on his arrival, there was a grade of warn that he had not been afforded a cameo on a night when Liverpool desperately indispensable a little creativity.

The Liverpool physical education instructor insists that his preference had zero to do with an icy representation at Molineux the personification aspect at the DW Stadium will not be an issue tonight, carrying been relaid not long ago and has indicated that his hostility to give Aquilani some-more personification time is innate usually of a enterprise to strengthen him after a seven-month spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

When I didnt fool around him at Wolves, it wasnt to do with the state of their pitch, it was since of the kind of diversion and since others were available, that meant we could conduct in a opposite way, Benítez said.

So either I fool around him at Wigan or not isnt a preference that will be dynamic by the representation condition.

We have had a review about things and he knows the situation.

Alberto is a really great professional, who was a big name in Italy and wants to show his peculiarity here.

The difficulty his customer is in has stirred the players agent, Franco Zavaglia, to indicate that usually with time will Aquilani show his best.

Alberto done a preference of a lifetime when he assimilated Liverpool, Zavaglia said. He is excellent at Liverpool and subsequent year will be the majority critical for him.

For the time being, the odds is that Aquilanis impasse with the Merseyside bar will go on to be as an spasmodic used substitute.

Wigan Athletic (possible; 4-5-1): C Kirkland M Melchiot, T Bramble, S Caldwell, M Figueroa V Moses, M Diam, J McCarthy, H Thomas, C NZogbia H Rodallega.

Liverpool (possible; 4-2-3-1): J M Reina G Johnson, J Carragher, D Agger, E Insúa Lucas Leiva, J Mascherano R Babel, S Gerrard, Y Benayoun F Torres.

Referee: A Marriner.

Television: Live on ESPN from 7pm (kick-off 8pm).

Portsmouth dump Aruna Dindane from patrol to face Chelsea to equivocate �4m bill

By Steve Wilson 227PM GMT twenty-four March 2010

Out of movement Aruna Dindane will not fool around for Portsmouth again due to a proviso in his loan understanding at fratton fool around belligerent Photo REUTERS

Dindane has scored 7 times in twenty matches for Portsmouth during their uneasy season, together with a hat-trick opposite Wigan last autumn, but did not underline in the match-day patrol for Saturdays 3-2 improved of Hull City.

The brazen has likewise been left out of Portsmouths patrol to face Chelsea tonight and will not be deliberate for any destiny games.

Portsmouth since immature light to sell players Portsmouth v Chelsea compare preview Portsmouth players save belligerent staff jobs Chainrai drops Portsmouth remuneration explain Portsmouth fined by Premier League Premier League list

The proviso in Dindanes loan understanding stipulates that should he fool around a directed towards series of games for Portsmouth the bar would have to have his move permanent and compensate a 4m send fee.

"Arena didnt fool around since there is a proviso in the contract," pronounced Grant.

"I dont know how most games it is, but if he plays one some-more game, we have to compensate around 4m to his team.

"At the moment, Portsmouth cannot compensate even 4 [pounds]."

With Dindane carefree of a World Cup place with Ivory Coast this summer, Grant was carefree that he would be expelled from Portsmouth to get matches underneath his leather belt in between right away and the summer.

"The deteriorate is accomplished from the aim point of view, so for him, I think it will be improved to fool around for his club. If they will not let him do it, I will be really surprised," pronounced Grant.

"His representative is perplexing to understanding with the bar and their club. But I think we have to do whats great for the child right away rather than the team.

"This is only one some-more thing to understanding with. I similar to problems on the representation and traffic with them in the team, but I dont similar to this kind of thing."

Murder exploration launched after Yorkshire post bureau owners found passed UK headlines

Diane Garbutt, who was found passed after an armed spoliation at her emporium in Yorkshire. Photograph: North Yorkshire police/PA

The owners of a farming post bureau has been found passed with serious head injuries after an armed spoliation at her shop, military pronounced today.

Shortly prior to the physique of Diane Garbutt was detected in the the upper story prosaic of the post bureau and encampment store in Melsonby, circuitously Richmond, Yorkshire, a pirate had confronted her husband, Robin, and told him: "We"ve got your wife". He demanded cash.

North Yorkshire military pronounced 40-year-old Garbutt died from serious head injuries. The force, that has launched a attempted murder investigation, pronounced she had not been shot.

Detective Superintendent Lewis Raw told reporters it was probable that the situation was continuous to an additional armed spoliation at the same post bureau roughly only a year ago.

Garbutt"s father non-stop the emporium piece of the commercial operation at around 4.30am yesterday as usual, withdrawal her upstairs, Raw said.

When he non-stop the post bureau conflicting at 8.30am, a man wearing a black facade over his face and carrying a gun came in to the emporium from the the upper story prosaic and confronted him.

"The man in jeopardy Mr Garbutt, saying: "We"ve got your wife,"" Raw said. He combined that the pirate had transient with "a poignant volume of money" in a black holdall.

Police are delectable for any one who was in Melsonby in between 4am and 9am yesterday to get in hold if they saw anything suspicious.

"This is a intolerable crime, that has left Mr Garbutt up in arms and the residents of Melsonby really repelled and saddened," Raw said.

People vital and operative around the post bureau pronounced they did not notice anything surprising until an ambulance, followed by armed military officers, arrived.

The store is at the heart of the small village, a integrate of miles north of Richmond.

Last March, dual men, one armed with what appeared to be a handgun, in jeopardy staff and transient with stamps and a large volume of cash.

People in the encampment pronounced the Garbutts deliberate withdrawal the encampment after the raid and had put the commercial operation up for sale prior to not long ago determining to stay.

A circuitously resident, who did not wish to be named, pronounced he thought the integrate changed to the encampment from the York area around 7 years ago.

Linda Ling, who functions part-time in the emporium and lives in a circuitously lodge said: "A poetic couple, only really devoted, that"s all I can say. I feel really contemptible for Robin, I don"t know how he"ll go on but her."

She additionally pronounced she had not seen or listened anything to vigilance a disturbance, adding: "I non-stop my fate around 8.15am and saw the kids watchful for the bus, went to have my bed and afterwards saw the ambulance."

Bill Nixon, who owns Nixon"s Garage, conflicting the post office, said: "I had a executive entrance to see me. I told him to play ground his outpost opposite the road.

"Then I had an additional customer, and inside of a integrate of mins I listened the ambulance come. I thought: "That"s strange." Then all ruin pennyless loose."

Flowers were left outward the stone-built post office, that was cordoned off with military tape.

Easter in the Tamar Valley: The undiluted mangle

By Paul Clements 1058AM GMT twenty-four Mar 2010

Previous of Images Next The thespian segment surrounding the Tamar, with the low gorges and copper mining features, was directed towards an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1995 The really old Pannier Market in Tavistock has great dilettante cheese, cakes and preserves

Why go?

Google map Tamar Valley More UK legal holiday ideas UK holidays deals of the day - Mar 15, 2010 Hiking on Lundy Island New London museums Lashings of fun in the New Forest

For a spur-of-the-moment Easter family break, one that"s packaged with sufficient out-of-the-ordinary outside activities to zap the kids" energies and concede frazzled mums and dads to waylay a small still time during the longest week end of the year. According to a Cornish yarn, the Devil did not dauntless head opposite the stream Tamar, that all but chops Devon off from the beside county, for fright of culmination up as a stuffing in a pastie. Now, how"s that for a Easter conversation-starter in the car?

West of Dartmoor and using south to Plymouth, the Tamar outlines a healthy point during the strenuous debate down to Cornwall at that to set down for the night. The thespian surrounding area, with the low gorges and copper mining facilities such as engine houses and H2O wheels, was directed towards an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1995. Strange, then, that the Tamar Valley is all but ignored in guidebooks, warranting hardly a footnote in Lonely Planet"s Devon, Cornwall and Southwest England. This at slightest guarantees the monumental open view is unspoilt.

Travel by…

… if not car, afterwards sight so prolonged as the network isn"t on strike. First Great Western (08457 000 125; firstgreatwestern.co.uk ) operates regular, approach services from London Paddington and Reading to Plymouth, where the scenic Tamar Valley Line pootles ascending to Gunnislake. The 40-minute float gives an windy general outlook of the hollow as the two-carriage sight wends around ridges, by prettified, time-locked stations, and over the fantastic Calstock viaduct.

Prosaic but practical, Air Southwest (0870 241 8202; www.airsouthwest.com) flies to Plymouth from London Gatwick and multiform alternative informal airports, from 98 return.

Stay at…

Hotel Endsleigh (Milton Abbot, Tavistock, PL19 0PQ; 01822 870000; www.hotelendsleigh.com), a Grade I-listed fishing board built for Georgina, Duchess of Bedford, that is right away a house pet plan of interior engineer Olga Polizzi. In her care, the 16-room skill retains the dry Regency chintz but with combined country-house cosiness. Room 8 has handpainted wallpaper depicting bucolic scenes of peacocks and butterflies. There are rows of Wellington boots for exploring the hotel"s 108 acres, and teenage girls will be fascinated by the Shell House, a regretful unsteadiness lined with pleasant shells. Staff will additionally prepare for lessons in kestrelling, clay-pigeon sharpened and horse-riding. Doubles from 200.

Get even closer to inlet on Old Solomon"s Farm (Latchley, Gunnislake, PL18 9AX, 01822 833242; www.oldsolomonsfarm.co.uk), a operative 15th-century farmhouse with sheep, geese and a accessible Border collie in motion the 50 acres. Couples can graze in the converted Apple Loft, that has the own yard garden. From 32 per chairman per night.

Spend the morning…

Flying by the air at Treesurfers (0845 459 4632; www.treesurfers.co.uk), a family-run aerial attack march in Gulworthy that"s set among treetops teetering on the hollow precipice. Show your dauntless side on the mettle-testing march of wire bridges, zip wires and overhanging obstacles. The culmination freefalling from a 40ft tree platform, trustworthy usually to a breakwire is not one to be taken lightly, nor the adrenalin flog simply forgotten. All-day passes, 30.

For thrills on terra firma, try mountain-biking downhill at up to 40mph around Gawton Mine. Newly minted white-knuckle trails pass by unenlightened woodland as piece of a mining birthright refuge project. Day passes, 5, accessible from Dartmoor Cycles in Tavistock (01822 618178; www.woodlandriders.com)

Have lunch at…

The Horn of Plenty (01822 832528; www.thehornofplenty.co.uk), a nation road house grill whose potion walls suggest fantastic hollow views down to the Tamar. The menu, by acclaimed internal cook Peter Gorton, is uninformed and regional; salmon is a speciality, held from the stream nearby. Three courses, 26.50.

Spend the afternoon…

Revisiting scenes from English story at Cotehele House in Saltash (01579 351 346; www.nationaltrust.org.uk), one of the best-preserved Tudor homes in Britain. If your house aren"t simply taken with Gothic furniture, tapestries and armour, pack them off on a boat debate from Cotehele Quay (01822 833409; canoetamar.co.uk); twenty-two per person.

Shop for…

Lovely internal produce. The really old Pannier Market in Tavistock (Tuesday-Saturday; 01822 611003; www.tavistockpanniermarket.co.uk) has great dilettante cheese, cakes and preserves, and batch up on stoneground flour from the operative watermill at Cotehele. Pick up surprising plants at the Garden House nearby Yelverton (01822 854769; www.thegardenhouse.org.uk), a desirable hothouse built around the hull of a Gothic vicarage.

Dine out at…

Hotel Endsleigh (see above), whose slab walls safeguard no interruptions from mobile phones whilst guest take a break in panelled dining bedrooms lined with family crests. The use is formally reverential, the menu tasty and anniversary (leg of lamb, braised pig cheek), and most appropriate discriminating off with an tricky gummy toffee pudding. Ask for the window list unaware the croquet lawn. Three courses, 40.

Worth the event is Gidleigh Park in Chagford (01647 432367; www.gidleigh.com), where senior manager cook Michael Caines has defended dual Michelin stars for a decade with his innovative, complicated European menu that uses the excellent internal ingredients. Highlights of the 95-a-head à la grant embody Cornish duckling with smoked bacon and cabbage, and Devonshire ros veal with extended beans and morels.

Spend the subsequent day…

Tiring them out for the debate home. Only the really dauntless will cruise wild-swimming at this time of year, but Lydford Gorge is as great for a fresh walks as a dip, with multiform tranquil pools dotted along a three-mile oakland trail.

In season, penetrating anglers should take full value of the Tamar, that is deliberate the most appropriate salmon and sea fish stream in England. For plunge into hire, permits and internal information, try Tavistock Trout Fishery (01822 615441; www.tavistocktroutfishery.co.uk)

At all costs avoid…

The traffic-choked A38.

Further information…

Visit www.tamarvalley.org.uk and www.tamarvalleytourism.co.uk

Battle on as Forth Ports rejects suggest by Peel

Robert Lea, Industrial Editor & , : {}

A conflict for carry out of a little of Britains majority critical ports erupted last night after it emerged that Forth Ports, the owners of Tilbury and Grangemouth, had deserted a 612 million takeover suggest from the opposition Peel Group.

Peel, the trade sovereignty of John Whitaker, pennyless cover after the batch marketplace sealed yesterday. Mr Whitaker pronounced that notwithstanding five weeks of attempted negotiations, Forth was refusing to plead a takeover at a twenty per cent reward to Forths shares.

Peel owns Mersey Docks and Harbour and the Port of Liverpool, the Manchester Ship Canal, Clydeport and the Medway ports in Kent. It has a 3.5 per cent interest in Forth and is teaming on the takeover with Arcus Infrastructure Partners, the old Babcock & Brown business, that controls 23.5 per cent of Forth. They are in a consortium, Northstream, with RREEF, the infrastructure arm of Deutsche Bank Asset Management, that binds 0.5 per cent of Forth.

In a matter to the London Stock Exchange, Northstream, pronounced that it had done an proceed at 12.85 a share on Jan twenty-eight and left behind to Forths house on Feb eleven at 13.40, a twenty-eight per cent reward to the shares cost then. It pronounced it approached Forth on Monday, observant it was rebuilt to lift the suggest prior to Forth issues full-year formula on Mar twenty-two but usually if since entrance to Forths books. Forth pronounced it was rebuilt to speak to consortium members usually as particular shareholders.

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Respect Jakey Z. I wish to go Zulu too

Giles Coren & , : {}

I have been utterly confounded by the tittering this week about Jacob Zumas polygamy. Its not droll at all. Have a little magnetism for the bad guy. It cant be easy carrying 3 mothers-in-law. Badaboom! Take my wives ... Pleeeeeease!

No, but seriously. When Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa he had usually one wife, and she incited out to be a sum crazy. When they separate up he was in bits. Im certain Jakey Z took one see at that and motionless to widespread his exposure; concede for the probability that a little of the choices in his passionate portfolio would work out less well than others.

Nor is it usually the wives. Its all the young kids by women who arent his wives. Including this new child hes had with the daughter of one of his close domestic allies.

Which is as if Gordon Brown had usually had a child with Tony Blairs daughter, Kathryn. I brave contend Sarah would have something flattering fruity to post on Mumsnet about that. On second thoughts, it wouldnt be the same at all. The Zuma inform said, close domestic ally.

The reason for all the fnarr-fnarrs is utterly simple: everybody thinks that carrying mixed wives is sick, primitive, false and immoral, and sets the man who indulges in it no higher than the animals. But they are fearful to contend so in Zumas box given he is the black African personality of a nation for whose unfair and ruthless past we feel we have prejudiced responsibility. So they (we) usually have smutty, end-of-the-pier jokes, hee-haw and pull stupid cartoons.

And nonetheless if Radovan Karadzic, say, had 3 wives, it would be nonetheless an additional countenance of his depravity, and the press would be all over him for it. But colonial shame and the fright of looming extremist creates it unfit for Englishmen to contend publicly what they think about a Zulu who keeps a harem.

I contend a fright of looming extremist but the probably additionally a fright of essentially being racist, that bizarre self-hating depression of the complicated white European, that spook that lurks on his shoulder murmur Oh, God, might be I am a extremist each time he forms a disastrous visualisation about any one to whom he isnt essentially related. I swear to God, I instruct there were some-more white trade wardens around, so I could discuss it you what I unequivocally think of them.

And it doesnt assistance to criticism that one is not a racist, given whilst the word Jacob Zuma has the passionate ethics of a goat is a small matter of opinion, despite a sincerely ornamented one, the word Im not racist, but Jacob Zuma has the ethics of a goat is disgusting. (The majority engaging thing to say, of course, would be I am a racist, but as it happens I apply oneself the Zulu males right to a polygynous lifestyle.) Its all word-mincing, and Ill have no piece in it. Ill contend usually what I think, and cling to the consequences. And what I think is that carrying lots of wives is a BRILLIANT idea. It is the resolution to all mans problems. And is positively the majority complicated approach to lift on.

We in the grown universe have been by matrimony and come out the alternative side. More British adults are singular than not, I review somewhere this week; roughly half of all young kids are right away recognised out of wedlock; monetary regulations positively penalize the one-man-one-woman system; and each probable kind of polite partnership is speedy usually to try to get a teeny-weeny bit of fealty going in society.

For Heavens sake, the usually amicable organisation between that matrimony is on the enlarge is happy people. The old complement is bunk. Its all up for grabs.

Look at footballers: matrimony to them equates to zero but a Hello! understanding and the possibility to wear an additional unequivocally horrible same-colour shirt-tie-jacket combo and buy a little some-more jewellery. Then they fornicate with whoever they want. Like beasts! (We can happily say, given majority of the culprits are white).

Look at John Terry one mother is not sufficient for him, but as the law prevents him from surrounding himself with mixed wives he simply surrounds himself with husbands instead, and afterwards bodges their women at will. He creates Jacob Zuma see similar to a henpecked suburban house-husband. And that Vanessa Perroncel is pronounced to have had 3 husbands in the Chelsea group alone. It usually happens that nothing of them was hers. I contend throw the law in the air, have Vanessa go Zulu and force her to wed them all see how she likes that.

There are 3 people in this marriage, pronounced Diana, Princess of Wales, pulling a big drenched face about it and implying all sorts of disastrous judgments about the own destiny kings polyamorous inclinations (Zuma, examination on telly, contingency have thought 3 a flattering handicapped opening bid).

Speaking as a man who has reached the age of 40 but marrying any women (or men) at all, but who is to be legally firm to his initial mother in April, I right away realize that the reason I left it this prolonged was precisely given I was approaching to have usually one wife, and simply could not have up my mind that one to cling to with. If I had been authorised to have 3 or four, I am certain I would have got tied together years ago.

The elementary law is that no singular lady can presumably do all the things a man needs from a mother all the time. It is unequivocally accessible to have a mother who can drive, for example, so she can packet you to and from amicable events whilst you get blotto.

But the thing is, shes afterwards going to have a bit of a vapid time herself, articulate to all your dull pals stone-cold sober, and bombard proceed whinging you to leave, and might even proceed to think you are incredibly vapid and sickening when drunk.

So what you need is . . . ANOTHER wife, who has come along in the behind of the car and is free to get off her skull as well. After a couple of eyeglasses of booze bombard shortly be carrying the time of her life, shouting at all your jokes and being unequivocally beholden you brought her along (while the alternative wives had to stay home and clean).

The downside with this old sensuous of a mother is that by the time you get home, bombard be comatose in the behind of the car, snoring similar to a hog, usually when youre in the mood for love. So what you need is . . . ANOTHER mother to strip you and take you to bed and kindly prize open your . . . Then in the morning, whilst you distortion in, the solemn mother cooks a fry-up for you and the right away unequivocally hung-over mother has to go to work and consequence income to keep you in the character to that you are accustomed.

Meanwhile, you crack out mother No 4, whos a sum slob and usually wants to lay around with you in her sauce robe all day, smoking joints and examination skill shows on TV.

Ive usually been downstairs to put this idea to my fiance, whose reply was: Its not a bad plan. If you had an additional mother already I could put her to work formulation this bloody wedding.

Shes got the cling to of it already.

Nursery criticised after toddler dies in wendy house

730AM GMT twenty-four March 2010

Rhiya Malin died after apropos trapped in a wendy residence whilst in attendance hothouse propagandize

Rhiya Malin, two, left from steer for up to twenty-five mins but any of the carers seeing her absence, a decider said.

Lord Justice Toulson, sitting with Mr Justice Griffith Williams, pronounced he was not in the slightest astounded that the relatives were "devastated and shocked".

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He combined "It reflects really bad on the organization that supposed the caring of their child."

But the judges deserted a bid by the parents, Jay and Shatl Malin, of Chigwell, Essex, to plea a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) preference not to take to court those obliged for the caring of their daughter on charges of sum loosening manslaughter.

The judges pronounced the CPS was right to interpretation that, notwithstanding any shortcomings, there was no approach to infer that the genocide was caused by sum negligence.

The lady died whilst personification in the residence during a 25-minute sunrise mangle in the grassed area at Eton Manor Day Nursery in Roding Lane, Chigwell, on Nov 7, 2007.

At the finish of break-time the young kids were called behind in, but Rhiya did not come.

She was found trapped by the neck in the space in between the side wall of the film society and the peak roof.

A autopsy hearing found that genocide resulted from cardiac detain caused by application of the neck.

Lawyers for the family strongly criticised the actuality that carers had been utilizing mobile phones whilst supervising thirteen young kids in the garden.

But the CPS deserted accusations that make use of of the phones could have led to a successful charge for sum negligence.

The High Court refused Mr and Mrs Malin accede to find legal examination of the CPS decision.

Prashant Popat QC, looming for the parents, pronounced the CPS"s conclusions were "seriously insufficient and flawed".

The QC argued "No in accord with prosecutor could have reached the end reached by the CPS in this case."

He pronounced the preference appeared to have been shabby by the idea that Rhiya"s genocide "resulted from a weird accident".

Sterling tumbles among flourishing fears of hung Parliament

Rebecca O"Connor and Robert Lindsay & , : {}

Sterling plummeted to a nine-month low opposite the dollar currently and could decrease further, analysts warned, as fears mounted that the ubiquitous choosing could outcome in a hung parliament.

Sterling fell 2 per cent to $1.4943 at one point, the lowest given early May. It additionally plunged opposite the euro, to €1.0991, the lowest given the finish of November.

Investors" regard was fuelled by week finish perspective polls indicating that a hung council looked some-more likely. They fright that the miss of a transparent infancy in the House of Commons could lead to domestic deadlock over a resolution to the country"s ballooning debt problems.

Sterling is in difficulty and we think it will tumble serve in the entrance weeks, analysts at Barclays Capital said.

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Investors were additionally unsettled by a tumble in the series of home loans postulated in January, that triggered fears that a liberation in the housing marketplace is waning.

Figures from the Bank of England showed that the series of debt approvals for residence purchase, seen as an critical indicator of housing marketplace health, fell by seventeen per cent in Jan to a nine-month low, strike by bad continue and the finish of the stamp avocation holiday.

The sum increasing conjecture that residence prices could tumble again this year and serve influenced worries about the health of the economy.

The dump in the series of home loans, from 58,223 to 48,198, takes them well next the 70,000-to-80,000 turn of approvals that Global Insight, the economics investigate group, believes is unchanging with fast residence prices. Economists had not been awaiting such as high fall, with 50,000 the normal forecast.

Although the volume lent to homeowners rose from �1.2 billion to �1.5 billion in between Dec and January, the sum series of mortgages approved, together with remortgaging, fell by 14.9 per cent, from 111,453 to 94,845 over the month.

Hetal Mehta, comparison mercantile confidant to the Ernst Young ITEM Club, said: "The decrease in approvals for the second month in a row adds to indeterminate justification from residence cost surveys that the new mini residence cost bang might be using out of steam."

Adrian Coles, director-general of the Building Societies Association, said: Although it is not probable to review lending sum in Jan to prior periods, it is clear that wake up was resigned and this has been felt by all lenders.

"Low wake up in the month was approaching following the surge of buyers aiming to kick the finish of the stamp avocation service in December. The inauspicious continue conditions experienced at the begin of the year have serve suppressed marketplace activity.

It is thought that hundreds of buyers brought brazen their purchases at the finish of last year prior to the lowest starting point for 1 per cent stamp avocation fell from �175,000 to �125,000.

Meanwhile, housebuilders reported that visits to sites were down during the snowiest weeks of the month, that they pronounced had forced homebuyers to check purchases.

Mortgage brokers were confident that softened loan criteria from banks would assistance February"s sum to show an increase. Brian Murphy, the head of lending at the Mortgage Advice Bureau, said: "The debt marketplace picked up neatly in February, driven by a wider range of new products entrance on to the market.

"Product accessibility is up by around thirty per cent given the commencement of the year and lenders are starting to contest at higher LTVs [loan to value].

"Lenders are still really regressive in their criteria but altogether the sourroundings for borrowers is most softened on 6 months ago."