Labour loses quarrel to separate teenage pregnancies

Aimee Horswill gave birth to Ella-Mai, now six months, just weeks before she sat her GCSEs

Labour"s ;teenage pregnancy strategy is falling hopelessly short of its aim to cut rates of conception by half.

Figures show that there were more pregnancies among girls under 18 in England in 2008 than there were in 2001.

Pregnancy rates among girls under 16 have been virtually unchanged in six years.

Childrens Secretary Ed Balls admitted yesterday that the Governments 1999 target of halving under-18 pregnancy rates by 2010 is out of reach.

In fact, at the current pace of progress, it would take another 25 years to get close to it.

In a new ;refreshed Teenage Pregancy Strategy yesterday, ministers put much of the blame for their failure on parents and promised more intensive efforts to spread contraception and sex education.

The most controversial new idea is the use of condom vending machines in colleges and schools. Ministers suggested parents needed to talk to their children about sex and relationships.

Yesterdays figures cover 2008 and show that 40.4 in every 1,000 girls between 15 and 17 became pregnant, a drop of 13.3 per cent on the 1998 rate of 46.6.

This is short even of Labours initial target, which was to reduce the rate by 15 per cent by 2004.

There were 38,750 pregnancies in England in the age group, the fewest in seven years but more than in 2001.

One face behind the statistics of those years is Aimee Horswill, who gave birth to Ella-Mai just weeks before she sat her GCSEs in 2006.

She was 15 and living on a council estate in South-East London when she became pregnant, claiming the Pill had failed.

But she and the babys father Triac Rydquist, who was 19 at the time, are still together and have moved to Derbyshire so Ella-Mai can grow up in the countryside.

Aimee said of her daughter: ;She has changed me completely. I cant imagine myself without her. I dont know how I would act Id probably be out tonight, being stupid, getting drunk.

More...Quarter of mothers are single parents after being enticed by benefits "lifestyle choice"We"ll impose 2bn maternity pay burden on you, say MEPsPROFESSOR BRENDA ALMOND: We"ll never end our teenage pregnancy epidemic until we admit what"s REALLY causing it

The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, set down by Tony Blair in 2001, was supposed to halve under-18 pregnancy rates in England between 1998 and 2010.

But, despite the spending of 246million, it is nowhere near the target. The plan announced yesterday, Teenage Pregnancy Strategy: Beyond 2010, says ;promotion of condoms remains central to the overall effort.

It adds: ;A number of 2001. activities to improve condom use are being undertaken, including the piloting of vending machines in places which are accessible to target groups.

Such places may include schools, the document makes clear. Other plans include ;one-to-one consultations for girls and boys aged 15 and 16 in selected areas.

In these, counsellors will ;increase awareness and use of effective contraception among those who are, or are about to become, sexually active.

Unilever stops shopping palm oil from Indonesian planter

Niluksi Koswanage KUALA LUMPUR Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:54am EST Related News New Indonesia palm contract has hard row to hoeMon, Feb 22 2010Factbox: Many misses and one hit in palm futures contractsMon, Feb 22 2010 < 1 / 3 >

Bafta Awards 2010: The night we gave Oscar a doctrine in conform

It was wet. It was freezing. But my goodness, the dresses on the rather moist red carpet have given the Oscars a lot to live up to.

First, though, the inevitable nit picking. There was a lot of gloomy, funereal, ageing and drearily safe black, which was a shame when we all needed cheering up.

Kristin Scott Thomas looked severely beautiful in a black, beaded gown by Louis Vuitton, while Olivia Williams"s black jersey Catherine Walker was a tad too clingy.

Scroll down to watch a MailOnline video report

Enlarge

Long and dark: (L-R) Actresses Kate Winslet in a Stella McCartney gown and Tiffany diamonds, Meredith Ostrom and Joely Richardson in Catherine Walker

Trudie Styler"s tight black bodyconbandage dress only made her look pale and tired, while Erin O"Connor"sblack lace Louis Vuitton was ageing. More...The inside scoop: Read Baz"s blog from the BaftasBaftas 2010: My Prince Charming! Even Vanessa Redgrave bends her knee to WilliamBaftas 2010: Avatar loses out as James Cameron is scooped by his ex-wife Kathryn BigelowPAUL CONNOLLY: The BAFTAs show the Oscars how it should be done

We were crying out on such a greyand stormy night for an injection of colour, when at last along cameAudrey Tautou, breathtakingly pretty in sugary pink Lanvin.

Black and white: (L-R) Up In The Air star Vera Farmiga in Marchesa, Kristin Scott Thomas in Louis Vuitton and Olivia Williams in Catherine Walker

WICKED WHISPERS

St Trinian"s actress Tamsin Egerton"s zip broke moments before the red carpet, forcing her to switch outfits

There were the common big occasionmistakes: Red gowns on the red carpet (Anne Marie Duff, showing off herbump in scarlet Alberta Ferretti), too many women who resembled overdecorated Christmas trees (stand up Mrs Jonathan Ross, Jane Goldman, inleaf green satin with clashing red hair), too much make-up (KimberleyWalsh, you are not a drag queen).

There were far too many awful warmday coats over gowns and a great deal too many young stars, such asTwilight"s Kristen Stewart, in nude beaded Chanel, and Vera Farmiga, infar too weddingy Marchesa, who were lambs dressed as mutton: Hopelesslyold before their time.

Andbaby came too: Pregnant director Sam Taylor-Wood, with fianc� AaronJohnson, wore Alexander McQueen, while expectant actress Anne-MarieDuff wore Alberta Ferretti

Only one young star, Saoirse Ronan,luminous as Susie Salmon in The Lovely Bones, got it right: Deliciouslyfresh and simple in strapless Burberry Prorsum.

Too many women, too,chose difficult, clumpy shoes, which meant the procession along the redcarpet was cumbersome, with many clinging to the crash barriers.

All white: (L-R) Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright in silk Prada, Twilight leading lady Kristen Stewart in Chanel and Lovely Bones actress Saoirse Ronan, in Burberry

WICKED WHISPERS

Many stars admitted to wearing fur in the freezing conditions, including Kristin Scott Thomas in a mink shrug

But on the whole it was a fabulousnight for British fashion - even though the timing of the ceremony,in the middle of London Fashion Week, meant so many movers and shakerswere forced to miss shows by Vivienne Westwood, Aquascutum and JulienMacdonald.

Quite a few actresses, includingJaime Winstone, had chosen gowns by the late Alexander McQueen, whileBafta nominated director Sam Taylor Wood (with handsome toy boy in tow)chose one of his simple black lace gowns because: "There really was nodesigner to match him."

She added: "I managed to get into this, which was great....I just wish it wasn"t so cold."

Prettyand pale: Actresses Claire Danes in Burberry and Tiffany diamonds,Jaime Winstone in Alexander McQueen and Jodie Whittaker in vintage Giorgio Armani

Kate Winslet patriotically choseStella McCartney instead of her usual Yves Saint Laurent, JoelyRichardson was statuesque in a navy satin column by Catherine Walker,while that black bodycon worn by Trudie Styler was by none other thanVictoria Beckham.

Romola Garai wore a strapless floralhour glass cocktail by London designer Erdem (Sarah Brown"s favourite,and showing at Fashion Week on Monday).

Summer bright: Audrey Tautou in Lanvin, Anna Kendrick in Pucci and Romola Garai in Erdem

WICKED WHISPERS

The Bafta guests drank 1,500 bottles of Tattinger champagne, 1,750 of wine and 3,100 of beer

Cilla Black, yet another star tochoose black, made me laugh when she said, "What label am I wearing? Ihave no idea. I just put on something warm!"

But the last word goes to Tom Ford,newly bearded designer turned film director. How does the world of filmcompare with the world of fashion? "Um, it"s brainier."

And the biggest entourage and screamof the night? It belonged to Prince William. And we didn"t even carewhat label he was wearing.

Different looks: Trudie Styler in Victoria Beckham, Carey Mulligan in Vionnet and Jane Goldman in green satin

Mistakes: Kimberley Walsh looked too fussy in her Jenny Packham dress; Rebecca Hall in black Gianfranco Ferr� and Lynn Collins blends into the red carpet

UPDATE 1-Greece says borrowing needs lonesome until mid-March

Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:22am EST Related News Greece says borrowing needs covered until mid-MarchSun, Feb 21 2010UPDATE 2-High borrowing costs for Greece threaten others-PMFri, Feb 19 2010SCENARIOS-The Greek crisis and the future of the euro zoneThu, Feb 18 2010Greece says not seeking EU taxpayers" moneyThu, Feb 18 2010Greece says not seeking EU taxpayers" moneyWed, Feb 17 2010

(Adds quotes)

Currencies&&&&Bonds

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Greece"s borrowing needs arecovered until mid-March and Athens so far is meeting goals setout in an austerity plan, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreousaid in an interview with BBC television broadcast on Sunday.

Market concerns about Greece"s debt pile have hit the euroin recent weeks.

"At this point we don"t have a need for borrowing, ourborrowing needs are covered until mid-March," he said inresponse to a question on whether there would be any new Greekbond issuance next week.

Papandreou said that despite street demonstrations againstausterity measures his government has taken to tackle the debtcrisis, he believed there was broad support in Greek society forpainful economic reforms.

"Even though there are austerity measures and they do hurt,we have the support right now for the austerity measures whichis around 50 to 60 percent of the population, and the governmentalso has that support," Papandreou said.

"What we"re seeing here, and I haven"t seen this exceptduring the Olympic Games in 2004, is a real sense of unity bythe Greek people of wanting to make a change," he said, blamingthe previous administration for Greece"s debt woes.

Papandreou said European Union partners should continue tooffer political support to Athens as it battles to get itspublic finances back onto a sustainable path.

"Let us together with the EU authorities, the Commission andthe European Central Bank, let"s sit down, let"s look at how ourprogress is doing, how we"re doing in the stability and growthplan that we have tabled," he said.

"We"re on target, beyond target on Jan statistics so we"redoing well. If we do need extra measures, we will take extrameasures in order to reduce our deficit this year by 4 percent.We"re ready to do so if necessary."

Papandreou said that while Greece was not asking forfinancial support from EU partners, it did need strong politicalbacking as it battled to restore its credibility with financialmarkets.

This was particularly important for Greece to be able toborrow at lower interest rates than it was currently facing, hesaid.

"We need the help so that we can borrow at the same rate asother countries, not at high rates which undermine our abilityto make the changes we need to make," he said. (Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Karen Foster)

Currencies Bonds

Hearts 2 Hamilton 0: Saint Davids Day at Tynecastle Park as Obua and Templeton secure win for Jim Jefferies side

Jim Jefferies revealed he was poised to replace David Obua before the forward put Hearts on their way to a 2-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Hamilton today.

Obua opened the scoring in the final half-hour of another hard-fought affair between the two sides, the first since December"s so-called "Battle of New Douglas Park".

The goal was the Ugandan"s first for almost six months and manager Jefferies was less than impressed by his second-half display before he nodded home Ryan Stevenson"s inviting cross.

On target: David Obua celebrates his first goal for Hearts for almost six months

"I didn"t think big Obua started the second half as well as I wanted so I was very close to subbing him," said Jefferies after masterminding Hearts" second straight win.

"Ryan Stevenson"s made a great run and shown great composure because a lot of people would have played the ball in.

"But he took a touch, waited for the support and David just met it sweetly."

King of Hearts! Manager Jim Jefferies

Substitute David Templeton was then gifted his first Hearts goal following a horrendous blunder from Brian Easton to settle a match that was as tight as Jefferies had anticipated.

"It was all about the result today," he said. "The surface is bobbly and bumpy and it was never going to be a classic."

Hamilton"s only real chance arrived shortly before Obua scored, with Flavio Paixao forcing a great stop by Marian Kello after a quick breakaway. Otherwise, the visitors were set up to frustrate.

Jefferies said: "They"re dogged, they sit in, they flood the middle of the park, especially when you get the ball.

"They won recently up at Tannadice, so that"s what I told the players they were going to face today.

"It was all about the first goal today and I think the turning point was when Marian had a great save at 0-0 and we go straight up the park and score."

The result cemented Hearts" hold on sixth place after Aberdeen were beaten by Falkirk.

Jefferies, who lost Suso Santana to a thigh knock early in the second half, singled out much-maligned defender Dawid Kucharski for special praise.

Back of the net! David Templeton celebrates his first goal for Hearts

He also applauded a 10-minute cameo from Laryea Kingston, who took to the field to a mixture of cheers and jeers.

"He had a lively 10 minutes, he had a couple of pops at goal," said Jefferies, who promised the Ghana midfielder a fresh start after succeeding Csaba Laszlo as manager.

"Hopefully we can see that he"s going to give his lot for us."

Kingston"s commitment to Hearts has been called into question in the past but Jefferies hopes to help him win over his critics: "I"ll be kicking his backside in training to make sure he does that."

More...Steven Pressley confident of SPL survival after taking charge at FalkirkDriver"s Scotland dream in tatters: Hearts winger cannot play for country

Yemen binds separatists in south U.N. urges assist

Mohamed Sudam SANAA Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:42pm EST Related News Yemen rebels hand over two Saudi soldiersThu, Feb 18 2010Yemen rebels start handover of Saudi soldiers: reportThu, Feb 18 2010Shi"ite rebels kill Yemen officer, official saysTue, Feb 16 2010Yemen Shi"ite rebels hand over Saudi soldierMon, Feb 15 2010Yemen says near deal to end war with Shi"ite rebelsThu, Feb 11 2010

SANAA (Reuters) - Government forces have arrested 16 people on suspicion of separatist activity in southern Yemen, security sources said on Saturday.

World

Yemen, the poorest Arab country, is battling secessionists in the south, a Shi"ite insurgency in the north and a resurgent al Qaeda, whose local arm claimed responsibility for a failed December 25 bomb attempt on a U.S. plane approaching Detroit.

Those arrested were accused of taking part in unauthorized protests and jeopardizing security and unity in the Arabian Peninsula country, the sources said.

Some group members were carrying anti-government leaflets and banners, and others had attacked security forces with stones, they said. Further details were not immediately available about the arrests, which took place in three provinces late on Friday.

People in the south, home to most of Yemen"s oil facilities, have long complained that northerners have abused a 1990 agreement which united the long-divided country to seize their resources and discriminate against them.

Separately, the United Nations Development Programme called for urgent aid for the 250,000 people displaced by the conflict in the north, which has flared on and off since 2004.

The northern rebels and the government agreed last week to a truce to end the war, but previous ceasefires have not held.

UNDP administrator Helen Clark expressed hope in a statement that "the international community would react positively to the ceasefire by providing urgently needed resources in response to the humanitarian needs caused by the conflict and to allow early recovery from the conflict to begin."

International donors met in London last month to discuss how to help Yemen tackle al Qaeda after Yemeni-based militants said they were behind the failed Christmas Day plane bombing.

Pledging broad support for Yemen, they also pressed for an end to the conflict in the north to make it easier for billions of dollars of previously promised foreign aid to be disbursed.

Gulf Arab and other donors plan to meet again in Riyadh on February 27-28 to discuss aid and reforms with the Sanaa government.

Of Yemen"s population of 23 million, more than 40 percent live on less than $2 a day.

In the south, two policemen were wounded in an attack by gunmen in the town of Dalea on Saturday, residents said.

On Friday, security sources said separatists killed the director of a police criminal investigations unit in an ambush on his vehicle in southern Yemen. Another person died and three were injured in the shooting.

(Additional reporting by Mohammed Mushashef in Aden; writing by Tamara Walid and Firouz Sedarat; editing by Mark Trevelyan)

World

Bad headlines for jot down lottery leader

JOHANNESBURG Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:29pm EST Related News Deaf South African lottery millionaire flees supplicantsMon, Feb 15 2010

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A deaf South African cleaner besieged by begging relatives after a newspaper reported he had scooped a 91 million rand ($12 million) lottery jackpot was not the winner, the draw"s organizers said on Tuesday.

Oddly Enough

National Lottery spokeswoman Thembi Tulwana said the real winner of Friday"s PowerBall draw was an unnamed 43-year-old woman, and not 52-year-old Stanley Philander, a Cape Town hardware store cleaner reported to have carried off the record rollover prize.

Tulwana said Philander had bought -- after the draw -- a lottery ticket with the same numbers as the winning ticket, but could not explain how the mix-up had escalated into the family being moved to a secret location for their own protection.

"We are as confused as everybody else. It did not come from the National Lottery at all," Tulwana said. "Those numbers have nothing to do with the previous draw."

The Star newspaper said Philander, his wife of 12 years, Diana, who is also deaf, and their two children had been moved from their home in a poor Cape Town neighborhood to an undisclosed location after talk of their purported win spread.

Philander"s sister-in-law said the family was besieged by relatives asking for a share of the winnings, and implied National Lottery officials were involved in their disappearance -- something Tulwana denied.

"We don"t even know where he was. All we know is that one newspaper did indicate that they have him in a safe place," she said.

Even though apartheid officially ended 16 years ago, millions of black South Africans still live a grim existence in squalid tin-shack townships lacking electricity or running water.

South Africa"s lottery launched in October last year, and produced four multi-millionaires in its first month. Friday"s record prize money was the result of 22 previous "roll-over" draws.

(Reporting by Shapi Shacinda, editing by Paul Casciato)

Oddly Enough

Canadian Solar shares slip on low domain perspective

BANGALORE Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:48am EST Related News Canadian Solar falls after cutting outlookFri, Feb 19 2010A new wire twist on silicon solar cellsSun, Feb 14 2010A new wire twist on silicon solar cellsSun, Feb 14 2010Chinese solar to gain on subsidy cuts in EuropeFri, Feb 12 2010JA Solar Q4 beats, gives sunny forecast; shares riseThu, Feb 11 2010

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Chinese solar-cell maker Canadian Solar Inc cut its fourth-quarter gross margin view citing faulty equipment and a dip in prices, sending its shares down as much as 17 percent.

Asian Markets

The company said margins were hurt by higher processing costs and lower yields, and due to defective production equipment at its new ingot and wafer plant. It was in the process of correcting these issues with the equipment vendor.

Canadian Solar now expects fourth-quarter gross margins in the mid-teens, compared with its prior view of high-teens, on a percentage basis.

"If this production issue is not resolved soon, CSIQ may have to buy third-party wafers/cells to fill module orders, which would eat into gross margins," Oppenheimer analyst Gary Hsueh said in a note to clients. "Our 2010 estimates remain unchanged for now."

The analyst, however, said this appeared to be an isolated incident, and maintained his "outperform" rating, citing the company"s "compelling" earnings power.

The clearing and revaluing of aged solar cell inventory, partly caused by a dip in module average selling prices (ASP) in December last also hurt margins, Canadian Solar said.

This comes just a day after the lowest-cost photovoltaic solar manufacturer, First Solar Inc reported a dip in profit margins.

Canadian Solar, however, joined a growing list of Chinese solar companies to have signaled a pick-up in demand, and said it expects quarterly shipments to come in above prior estimates of about 128 megawatt (MW) to 138 MW.

Demand for solar power products has rebounded after a difficult 2009, when the global credit crisis dried up financing for new projects and panel prices plummeted.

Chinese players such as Canadian Solar, JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd, Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd and Trina Solar Ltd have seized on this rise in demand, turning their low-cost structures into sales, and several plan to boost production capacity in 2010.

Canadian Solar shares fell 17 percent to $20.61, before recouping some losses to trade down 14 percent at $21.20 in midday trade Friday. They were among the top percentage losers on Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Adveith Nair in Bangalore; Editing by Aradhana Aravindan, Savio D"Souza, Ratul Ray Chaudhuri)

Asian Markets

UPDATE 1-IMF restores Zimbabwes choosing by casting votes rights after 7 years

Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:48pm EST Related News IMF restores Zimbabwe"s voting rights after 7 yearsFri, Feb 19 2010IMF help with Greece may be unavoidableWed, Feb 10 2010REFILE-Cautious optimism on Zimbabwe request-IMF directorWed, Feb 3 2010IMF working on plans for "green fund"Sat, Jan 30 2010Zimbabwe"s PM asks investors, donors to returnThu, Jan 28 2010

(Adds quotes, background)

Currencies&&&&Bonds

WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - International Monetary Fundmember countries on Friday restored Zimbabwe"s voting rightsafter a seven-year suspension but said it could not have accessto IMF funds until it had paid off $1.3 billion in arrears.

While the move is more symbolic, it is also a step by theinternational community to recognize progress so far byZimbabwe"s new unity government to mend the economy andnormalize relations with donors.

"The board decided today to restore Zimbabwe"s voting andrelated rights, and its eligibility to use resources from theIMF"s General Resources Account, following a request fromZimbabwe"s Finance Minister Tendai Biti," the IMF said in astatement.

But the IMF said Zimbabwe would not be able to tap IMFfunds until it had fully settled its arrears to officialcreditors including the IMF, World Bank and African Developmentbank.

"Access to IMF lending resources is also subject to IMFpolicies on the use of such resources, including a track recordof sound policies and the resolution of arrears to officialcreditors, which would require donor support," the Fund added.

The IMF suspended Zimbabwe"s voting rights in 2003 overpolicy differences with the previous government of PresidentRobert Mugabe. Western donors withdraw crucial funding forZimbabwe and blamed Mugabe"s land reform policies andmismanagement for the collapse in the once prosperous economy.

Since then, Mugabe has formed a unity government withformer opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is now primeminister. The IMF has said there are signs that the economy isstarting to recover due to improved policies.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Currencies Bonds

Carlo Ancelotti sets aim for Chelsea to win Premier League Chelsea

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Carlo Ancelotti has set Chelsea a target of 86 points to win the Barclays Premier League.

The West London club sit in third place with 65 points, but victory over Portsmouth at Fratton Park tomorrow would leave them only a point behind leaders Manchester United with seven games remaining. Chelsea then face Aston Villa at home and United at Old Trafford.

"I like statistics and I think that, in the past, with 86 points every team has won the title," the Chelsea manager said. "We need to get 86 points to win.

"We have less opportunity to win after last week because we lost two points at Blackburn, but we have a chance to win the title and we will do everything we can to do so."

Related LinksTime for Ancelotti to get tough with ChelseaCole boosts England with training return Cole future uncertain as Chelsea talks stall

After their disappointing 1-1 draw with Blackburn on Sunday, Ancelotti believes his side can return to winning ways against Portsmouth. "We are disappointed about the last matches," he said. "We are out of the Champions League and lost our position at the top of the table, but everyone has kept putting in the right behaviour.

"We had possibilities to win more and we didn"t, so we are disappointed, but we put more intensity into our jobs. We have to have more discipline on the pitch. We have to stay more focused on our defensive positions.

"When we don"t win, we are disappointed, but we have a possibility to come back and win tomorrow and with a victory, put this moment behind us."

On his own future at Stamford Bridge, the former AC Milan manager expects to keep his job even if Chelsea do not win any silverware this season. "My future is definitely at Chelsea next season," Ancelotti said. "I can confirm that. I have two more years of my contract [to run]."

Ancelotti believes Joe Cole will be a part of his plans next season, even though contract talks between the midfielder and the club have stalled. Cole"s deal expires in the summer and he would be free to join another club.

"There is a time to speak about his contract," Ancelotti said. "I have passed this to the club. I gave my technical opinion about this player, and nothing else. Joe is showing a pleasure to stay and play for this club. He"s doing a very good job, he"s very professional and he has a very good relationship with his other team-mates.

"He wants to play and he"s doing everything he can in training to show me his quality. Sometimes he"s played and sometimes he"s stayed out, but that"s what happens at the big teams."

Madoff sons claim: Were victims too

Emily Ford & , : {}

The sons of Bernard Madoff, who has been locked up for 150 years for handling a $65 billion Ponzi scheme, explain that they are victims of their father"s crimes, according to justice writings filed in a legal box opposite the fraudsters relatives.

Mark Madoff and Andrew Madoff pronounced that by going to the authorities shortly after their father told them that he had been using a rascal intrigue for decades, they prevented $170 million (111.5 million) in customers" income from being lost, according to justice writings seen by The Wall Street Journal.

The brothers say that they knew zero of the rascal as they usually worked in the bona fide trade arm of Madoff"s commercial operation in New York and that the preference to spin their father in to the authorities proves their innocence.

A counsel for Peter Madoff, Mr Madoff"s brother, described the box as a "sensationalistic" try to apply to the family members in Mr Madoff"s crimes and "create guilt by association".

Related LinksFormer Madoff help charged with rascal Bernard Madoffs UK arm is wound upBernard Madoff changed to jail"s healing wing

Irving Picard, the keeper allocated by the courts to redeem income for the defrauded victims, has filed a $198.7 million legal box opposite the dual sons, together with Mr Madoff"s hermit Peter and his niece Shana, accusing the family of "unjust enrichment".

"Their explanation of their father"s crimes led to the fall of the essential and concededly bona fide market-making and trade businesses that they had outlayed their veteran lives building," The Wall Street Journal reported Martin Flumenbaum, the brothers" lawyer, as saying.

"For this, between most alternative reasons, they arrange between the countless victims of their father"s distressing crimes."

The Madoff sons pronounced that the keeper is foul perplexing to scratch behind salaries and bonuses that were legitimately earned.

They point out that the exclusive trade and market-making commercial operation they ran was sole for $25 million when Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities (BMIS) was liquidated.

Last month, Daniel Bonaventre, Madoff"s former executive of operations, was charged with assisting the charlatan lift out his fraud. Mr Bonaventre was arrested on counts of bonds fraud, formulating fake books and attorney play annals and creation fake filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Mr Bonaventre, who worked at BMIS from 1968 until Madoffs detain in Dec 2008 oversaw BMISs inner accounting documents, bank accounts and clearing of trades.

In Dec last year, Madoff, 71 was changed to the low-security healing wing of the North Carolina jail where he is portion his sentence. The Bureau of Prisons denied reports progressing this year that Mr Madoff had been diagnosed with cancer.

hair wig

Mallard that lost face finds dentists creosote fits the bill

Staff Reporter & , : {}

A steep called Bill that had the bill chewed off has been since a new one finished out of creosote used by dentists for fillings. Vets operated on the mallard after a part of of the open handed it in with majority of the bill missing.

Tim Wingfield, of the Deane Veterinary Centre in Taunton, Somerset, achieved the transplant. Bill couldnt eat before, so the procession allows him to feed again, he said.

A fisherman told me that a big dart could have finished it whilst the steep was stuff oneself at the corner of the water.

We finished a template of the reduce and top beak. We afterwards churned up a sort of fastening creosote and made it in the indication of a bill around a little handle and implanted, or pushed, it on to the stump. We used tissue glue to down payment it in place and dental creosote similar to they have make use of of for fillings.

The sort of creosote we used is similar to what they have make use of of for cattle feet. It gets really prohibited so you cant put it true on to the steep or it will prepare the beak.

It took multiform attempts to have the right made beak. I think I eventually got the right figure after 6 attempts and even afterwards I had to reshape it for him.

Bill is right away recuperating and if the bill repairs hold he will be released.

hair wig

eBay golf bar conman Gary Bellchambers locked up for 4 years

Adam Fresco, Crime Correspondent & , : {}

The head of a tellurian crime network that hoodwinked eBay business in to shopping feign branded golf clubs was locked up yesterday.

Gary Bellchambers, 46, oversaw a network offered golfing accessories, wardrobe and passes for an airline loll on a scale that, it is believed, has never been seen before, Snaresbrook Crown Court was told. Over 4 years the squad was obliged for the sale and placement of hundreds of thousands, may be millions of pounds value of tawdry products both in the UK and abroad, utilizing the auction website. Investigators found that scarcely all the tip brands together with TaylorMade, Odyssey and Callaway were copied in the singular largest counterfeiting swindling nonetheless unclosed on eBay.

The phoney clubs were constructed in Shenzen, China, and Bellchamberss bank statements suggested that he had done a money withdrawal from an ATM in the southern Chinese city.

Adam Davis, for the prosecution, pronounced that the swindling was of a indeed tellurian nature. Conspirators are thought to have been formed in Thailand, Australia, Germany, Singapore, the US, Hong Kong, China and products have been distributed from, or to, all those countries and more, he said. Conspirators were found in Wales, the Republic of Ireland, Aberdeen, Dorset and Birmingham.

Related LinksGolf bar fraud "cost eBay business millions"Identity squad found guilty of eBay fraud

Bellchambers was locked up for 4 years and 3 months; Keith Thomas, 49, his UK-based book-keeper, for sixteen months; and Roy Cottee, 66, a pensioner, for twelve months. Other members of the squad were since dangling sentences.

Judge Jacqueline Beech said: This was a rarely worldly and essential operation. When a golfer purchases a bar temperament a code name or trademark, they are profitable for years of investigate and growth and for a golf bar that represents the slicing corner of sports apparatus technology. The expectancy is that the clubs will assistance them urge their diversion and positively not have it worse.

Bellchambers outlayed time in Thailand, and between expats was seen as a successful general businessman, owning houses there, a piece share in a yacht, a grill in Australia and shares in most companies.

At home in Rainham, Essex, he lived in an ex-council residence and gathering an old Ford Escort, to equivocate the courtesy of the authorities. They were alerted when a lady complained to trade standards officers after perplexing to get a reinstate on dual golf clubs and carrying her letters ignored.

Cottees wife, Kay, 46, Bellchamberss sister Sharon Williams, 49, Helen Wilson, 29, a childminder, and Chris Moughton, 56, unemployed, were all since dangling sentences for their purposes in the conspiracy.

Williams, Wilson and the Cottees were all convicted of impasse after an 11-week trial. Bellchambers, Thomas and Moughton all confessed their guilt.

Expressing compensation that the squad had got what they deserved, Bill Adams, Havering councils principal trade standards officer, said: Ive been an questioner for 35 years and never listened of such a large counterfeiting operation.A mouthpiece pronounced that eBay were gratified with the sentences; the squad used a network of criminals to open and say eBay accounts utilizing fake documentation, bank, credit label and hit details.

hair wig

Qi Baishi is usually only at the back of Picasso in art sales ranking

Ben Hoyle, Arts Correspondent & , : {}

Qi Baishi is not a name that majority Western aficionados of art can recognise, let alone pronounce.

This son of Chinese peasants, who perceived no grave inventive training, has only turn the third bestselling artist in the universe at auction. Figures out subsequent month from the art marketplace interpretation organization Art Price will show that Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol raked in some-more than $220 million (143 million) in sales in between them in 2009, streamer the rankings as they do roughly each year.

The coming of Qi rught away next them, with some-more than $70 million in sales, says majority about the becoming different figure of the general art marketplace and Chinas mercantile boom. Qi (1863-1957) owes his place on the list to his work being original, distinguished and right away recognizable and to his being prolific, ensuring a solid supply of pieces to the market.

In China, he is a domicile name, majority appropriate well known for his contemplative late cinema of mice, birds and quite shrimps.

Related LinksQi Who?Anti-heroic in advance has iconic statusVisitor tears $130 million Picasso

The Art Price total are gathered from 6,000 auction houses around the creation but prior to last year the top coming by a non-Western artist was completed by Zhang Xiaogang, a � la mode Chinese artist who reached 22nd place in 2007.

In 2009 the normal auction powerhouses of New York and London suffered their misfortune year in a era at the same time as the Chinese art market, and Qi in particular, had a surge in worth fuelled by internal new money. The array of dollar billionaires in China reached 130 last year and the nation is right away the third majority critical art marketplace in the universe after London and New York.

Qi is the healthy beneficiary. Patti Wong, president of Sothebys Asia, pronounced that twenty years ago Qi was majority sought after by US buyers who had worked in China, but that was no longer the case. They can no longer compete. Qi facilities in each critical Chinese collection.

His work has grown in worth over the past dual decades but last year he sole 73 per cent some-more functions than in 2008, almost helped by a sale in Nov in that a array of his drawings entitled Flowers and Insects sole for a jot down homogeneous to 8.1 million.

The jot down concurred cost for one of his functions was set at Sothebys in Hong Kong in 2007 when his Peaches and Fire Crackers (1952) sole for about 850,000, nonetheless Chinese auction houses have claimed majority higher figures.

Shelagh Vainker, curator of Chinese art at the Ashmolean, in Oxford, that has the largest pick up of 20th-century Chinese paintings in Britain, pronounced that Qi had a extended following formed on the present visible interest of cinema that are mostly embellished in a light, somewhat fortifying way.

Not that he is a lightweight. The cinema prerogative deeper contemplation, Ms Vainker said. The brushwork is really great and I know a little intensely well-educated people in China who would courtesy him as the No 1 Chinese artist of the 20th century.

Picasso called Qi the biggest oriental house painter and pronounced that he did not brave revisit China for fright of assembly him.

Qi was innate in Hunan province, executive China, and as a kid he desired to duplicate from a important Qing Dynasty portrayal manual, The Mustard Seed Garden. At fourteen he became an neophyte woodcarver, and he went on to master poetry, calligraphy, portrayal and the normal art of sign carving.

In center age he trafficked at large by China, and it was after he changed to Beijing in the 1920s that his grown up character emerged.

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Cyberwar spoken as China hunts for the Wests comprehension secrets

Michael Evans, Giles Whittell & , : {}

Urgent warnings have been circulated via Nato and the European Union for tip comprehension element to be stable from a new surge in cyberwar attacks imagining in China.

The attacks have additionally strike supervision and troops institutions in the United States, where analysts pronounced that the West had no in effect reply and that EU systems were generally exposed since majority cyber security efforts were left to piece of states.

Nato tactful sources told The Times: Everyone has been done wakeful that the Chinese have turn really active with cyber-attacks and were right away removing unchanging warnings from the bureau for inner security. The sources pronounced that the series of attacks had increasing significantly over the past twelve months, with China in in between the majority active players.

In the US, an central inform expelled on Friday pronounced the series of attacks on Congress and alternative supervision agencies had risen exponentially in the past year to an estimated 1.6 billion each month.

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The Chinese cyber-penetration of key offices in both Nato and the EU has led to restrictions in the normal upsurge of comprehension since there are concerns that tip comprehension reports competence be vulnerable.

Sources at the Office for Cyber Security at the Cabinet Office in London, set up last year, pronounced there were dual forms of attack: those focusing on disrupting computer systems and others involving fishing trips for supportive information. A special group has been set up at GCHQ, the supervision communications domicile in Gloucestershire, to opposite the flourishing cyber-threat inspiring comprehension material. The group becomes operational this month.

British and American cyber defences are in in between the majority worldly in the world, but the EU is less competent, James Lewis, of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said. The porousness of the European institutions creates them a great aim for penetration. They are of seductiveness to the Chinese on issues from arms sales and chief non-proliferation to Tibet and energy.

The miss of slight intelligencesharing in in between the US and the EU additionally contributes to the disadvantage of European systems, an additional researcher said. Because of Britains intelligence-sharing attribute with America the systems have to be up to their standards in a approach that a little of the European systems dont, he explained.

Jonathan Evans, Director-General of MI5, warned in 2007 that multiform states were actively concerned in large-scale cyber-attacks. Although he did not mention that states were involved, security officials have indicated that China right away poses the gravest threat. Beijing has denied creation such attacks.

Robert Mueller, FBI Director, has warned that, in further to the risk of unfamiliar states creation cyber-attacks, al-Qaeda could in the destiny poise a identical threat. In a debate to a security discussion last week, Mr Mueller pronounced militant groups had used the internet to partisan members and to plan attacks, but added: Terrorists have shown a transparent seductiveness in posterior hacking skills and they will possibly sight their own recruits or sinecure outsiders with an eye towards mixing earthy attacks with cyber-attacks.

He pronounced that a cyber-attack could have the same stroke as a well-placed bomb. Mr Mueller additionally indicted nation-state hackers of looking out US technology, intelligence, egghead skill and even troops weapons and strategies.To assistance to quarrel the flourishing threat, the Office of Cyber Security, set up last year as piece of the Governments inhabitant security strategy, liaises with Americas supposed cyber czar, Howard Schmidt, who was allocated by President Obama to strengthen supportive supervision computers.

British officials pronounced that everybody in supportive jobs had been warned to be generally discreet about disseminating comprehension and alternative personal information. Whether British comprehension is concerned in retaliatory attacks is never confirmed. However, officials pronounced that there was a poignant disproportion in in between being piece of an report fight and indulging in assertive attacks to interrupt an additional countrys computer systems.

Dr Lewis pronounced that conjunction the US nor any of the Western allies had shaped an in effect reply to the Chinese threat, that has the origins in a large progress to Chinese record systematic by Deng Xiaoping, the late Chinese leader, in 1986. The Wests own cyber offensives have so far been destined mostly at terrorists rather than republic states, giving China probably free rein to dig Western systems with the own world-class hackers and increasingly renouned Chinese-made components. You roughly have to admire them, Dr Lewis said. They have been really unchanging in their goals.

Alistair Darling clashes with City over resting proceed to Budget

Suzy Jagger, Politics and Business Correspondent & , : {}

Alistair Darling is at loggerheads with commercial operation leaders since of his viewed resting proceed to the last Budget prior to the election.

The Treasury has affianced to separate Britains 178 billion necessity by 2014, but the CBI pronounced that the Chancellor had unsuccessful to yield enough item about a convincing amends schedule.

Mr Darling insisted yesterday that he would not be pushed in to accelerating the rate and scale of his plans when he delivers the Budget, entrance on Mar 24.

The Institute of Directors additionally called for evident spending cuts to revoke the deficit, but the Chancellor pronounced that to go serve and faster in jeopardy to repairs the amicable fabric and the economy.

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The Budget will not embody minute allocations for Whitehall departments for the years ahead, though Mr Darling pronounced that the Government longed for to strengthen health and education.

Richard Lambert, the Director-General of the CBI, told The Times that commercial operation and collateral markets longed for a shorter time support and some-more item about how Labour would revoke Britains borrowing. We need justification of how we get there, he said. The plans are as well leisurely.

Miles Templeman, Director-General of the Institute of Directors, said: We are assured that we need quick movement to plunge in to the Budget deficit. This equates to creation poignant spending cuts in 2010. The evidence that early cuts would imperil the liberation is mistaken. We hold that reduce spending is approaching to trigger a array of certain developments that will support growth.

The separate in between the commercial operation chiefs and the Chancellor represents a progress for George Osborne who has prolonged argued that necessity rebate should begin this year.

Paying off Britains overdraft and the cost-cutting measures compulsory to account the move have turn a key issue in the entrance ubiquitous election, entrance to be hold on May 6.

Last month the Shadow Chancellor said: A convincing plan is not unequivocally convincing unless youre rebuilt to have a begin on it this year. Yesterday Mr Osborne said: This is a really poignant impulse in the choosing debate. The voices of British commercial operation are right away observant what we Conservatives have been saying: progressing movement on the necessity is a key to securing the recovery.

There is an rising accord that Gordon Browns mercantile proceed is simply not credible. By melancholy the credit rating and higher seductiveness rates, it is melancholy jobs and prosperity.

The City and corporate Britain are increasingly shaken after argent fell to a ten-month low last week, among fears that Britain could lose the Triple A credit rating. The 3 main rating agencies Fitch, Standard Poors and Moodys have in outcome betrothed to hold off any preference until after the election. But they have warned that but a possibly and minute plan they would hillside the rating, forcing up the cost of borrowing.That would meant the Government would have to find some-more income to use the inhabitant debt. A climb in seductiveness rates would additionally affect homeowners with non-static debt deals.

Mr Darling denied that the tumble in the bruise was triggered by a check ten days ago that lifted the probability of a hung Parliament. He said: If you see at what is function in the markets at the moment, they are febrile. Its not surprising. The world, us included, is entrance by one of the deepest downturns weve seen. Everybody knows that we need to get the borrowing down.

We will do it. Make no disbelief about it, we are positively committed to you do that since the piece and parcel of creation certain that we can get a secure future.

Mr Darlings perspective was upheld by the British Chambers of Commerce, that argued that serious spending cuts carried a high risk of pulling the economy behind in to a recession.

Jack Straw pledges exploration in to Jon Venables supervision

Richard Ford, Home Correspondent , : {}

Jack Straw signalled a vital exploration in to the organisation of Jon Venables last night as he deserted pleas to divulge since the kid torpedo was at the back of in custody.

The Justice Secretary finished a matter to MPs but refused to yield some-more report about the reasons at the back of the stop of one of James Bulgers killers, notwithstanding drawn out claims that Venables is confronting probable hearing over purported receive of kid porn.

Mr Straw shielded the need for privacy hours after Denise Fergus, the mom of James Bulger, called for some-more sum about the stop to be finished public. She additionally called for trial staff obliged for supervising Venables to be sacked.

Mrs Fergus pronounced that whoevers been safeguarding and seeking after Venables in the 9 years of his recover should be dismissed.

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Despite her pleas to be since some-more report about the stop last month, Mr Straw insisted in a Commons matter that he could not give some-more sum in the interests of justice. But he told MPs that there would be an exploration in to the organisation of Venables, 27, if he is charged with an additional offence.

Serious serve corruption reviews are not routinely finished public, but in this box the Ministry of Justice would face outrageous parliamentary and open vigour to tell the findings.

Mr Straw disclosed to MPs that sum of the purported crack of looseness conditions were detected usually after officials in his dialect were told that Venables new temperament had been compromised.

He said: Subsequently, report came to light that Venables might have committed a critical crack of his looseness conditions. He was removed to control the same day.

In an annoying slip, Mr Straw referred to Mrs Fergus as Mrs Ferguson. A Ministry of Justice orator pronounced after that this had been an hapless trip of the tongue that Mr Straw deeply regretted.

Venables was elderly 10 when he and Robert Thompson abducted and killed James Bulger, 2, on Merseyside in 1993. They were expelled with new identities after portion only underneath eight years in custody.

In his Commons matter Mr Straw pronounced that he had since active thought to releasing some-more report but resolved that it would not currently be in the interests of justice.

Mr Straw pronounced full sum of the allegations had not been supposing since the military and the Director of Public Prosecutions have suggested that a beforehand avowal of report could criticise the firmness of the rapist probity process, together with any intensity prosecution.

Ministers are concerned that zero is finished to criticise a formidable review in to Venables purported offence.

Mr Straw pronounced he had seen no allegations opposite Venables that he had killed or exceedingly harmed anyone. He wholly accepted the disappointment of Mrs Fergus and the ubiquitous open at not being since some-more report about the recall, he said.

Mrs Fergus told ITVs This Morning that she had a right to know about the allegations opposite Venables. She said: I am ill of them shutting doors in my face. The Venables recall, she said, had left her really emotional.

She added: My head has been all over the place. I have had excited nights and I am not eating again I have had to lift my kids out of school.

If Venables stands trial, he will do so underneath his new identity.

Last night it was claimed that his new temperament would have to be suggested if he were convicted of possessing kid abuse images and placed on the sex offenders register.

Experts pronounced that competent monitoring of offenders on the register would not be probable if those with entrance to it did not have full sum of prior rapist behaviour.

If Venables was attempted and convicted underneath his new identity, the sum placed on the register would be exceedingly singular and would not embody report about the passionate assault that was used by Venables and Thompson when they killed James.

There is ascent disappointment in the rapist probity complement about the privacy surrounding the Venables case, generally at a time when Sarahs Law written to give the open some-more entrance to report about sex offenders is being introduced opposite the country.

One military source said: It is wholly probable that the officers and the force who picked him up do not know who they arrested. If he is found guilty afterwards there are critical questions about how the sex offenders register would work stability the anonymity sequence would be unsustainable since professionals will have to know who he is.

Budget 2010: "There"s no inducement to save with the mild rates on accounts"

By Kara Gammell and Emma Wall 258PM GMT twenty-four March 2010

Donna Reed takes value of her equity Isa stipend Photo Rii Schroer

For helper practitioner, Ms Reed, the bad earnings offering on Isas still transcend any good in a small commission enlarge in the allowance.

She now puts her income in an equity particular assets comment (Isa) to follow improved performance.

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Mrs Reed, who lives in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, pronounced "My father Andrew and I chose to put a little of the assets in the Schroder UK Mid 250 account after we sought recommendation from a monetary adviser."

Mrs Reed, 50, pronounced she welcomed the enlarge in the tax-free starting point this year from 3,600 to 5,100.

She pronounced "There unequivocally doesn"t appear to majority inducement to save these days with the mild rates on assets accounts these days. So, you have to have the majority of your options."

Great bird catches the gopher in the beak

114PM GMT twenty-four March 2010

Previous of Images Next Great bird catches a gopher, California Photo Steve Shinn / Rex Features Photo Steve Shinn / Rex Features

Photographer Steve Shinn held the impulse fitness ran out for one bad gopher.

The US wildlife fan was gnawing good egrets in California when he beheld the extraordinary sport skills of the white birds.

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Steve says "The gopher track involves the bird really slowly, roughly looks similar to delayed motion, unctuous up on a impending grab.

"They don"t spike their chase at the common mounds but bravery them from underneath the aspect of composed grass.

"As I sat examination I beheld weed blades move and afterwards mysteriously and silently vanish down in to the belligerent - it was a gopher.

"The bird, in secrecy mode, done it"s proceed over and done a couple of observations and calculations prior to stabbing it"s check in to the ground. The skewered gopher was extracted and lunch was served.

"Since they miss any strong radio detector or sonar rigging I wondered what kind of visionary powers egrets had to acknowledge and name their targets. A couple of of them let me proceed close sufficient to comply their trick."

We goal the bad critter wasn"t the now-retired former puppet star of BBC children"s TV Gordon the Gopher!

Nick Matthew and Alison Waters set for stand in hurdles at Commonwealth Games

155PM GMT twenty-four March 2010

Doublign up Nick Matthew and Alison Waters will be guinning for bullion in Delhi

The Doubles will see teams from England, Scotland, Wales, Australia, Malaysia & India will be backing up to quarrel for their places in the Commonwealth Games patrol brazen of October"s Games.

Playing in a doubles organisation is patently unequivocally opposite to personification piece for one person what are the hurdles that you face and on the flip side, what do you suffer about it?

Walker leads English quintet In pics World squish debate Barker seeking for home amenities Matthew desirous by Ennis David and Ashour lift Kuala Lumpur titles Matthew closes universe No 1 opening

AW A unequivocally great bargain of your doubles partner and their skills is the key to a successful partnership. There are opposite pressures when personification doubles in some-more aged to singles, as majority importantly you don"t wish to let your partner down and have to stay unequivocally focused via the total match. As a result, doubles can be unequivocally mentally challenging.

NM My doubles practice so far have been unequivocally severe as I have found it tough to conform from the stroke of singles and the actuality that I see the round a lot less when personification to one side a partner. On the flip side, I have enjoyed precision and think that we are on the right lane to do well in both the International Doubles and the Commonwealth Games in October.

How endless has your doubles precision been so far this year?

AW We have had a couple of doubles squads so far with a concentration on the Commonwealth Games, that has set us in great stead for the stirring International Doubles. Training appearance in Jan and we will be stepping it up again right afar that tournaments are commencement to still down again.

Do you cite personification in a same sex doubles organisation or churned sex?

AW From a womanlike perspective, churned doubles can be harder as the masculine player will in all concentration on attack the round to the womanlike player that can feel relentless at times.

NM Playing churned doubles is a sincerely new plea for me and one that I am seeking brazen to. In conditions of preference, mens doubles really has some-more of a earthy challenge, but churned has a bit some-more variety.

Is it ever a plea to fool around with players that you would customarily be pitted opposite in alternative tournaments?

NM We have a close organisation in the England camp, with a lot of us flourishing up together and travelling year on year while on debate so competing with and opposite each alternative has simply turn the norm. Its regularly engaging to see how each player conform when personification doubles though as you dont have to be a shining singles player to excel.

Would you suggest precision in doubles to pledge players? If so, why, what are the benefits?

NM I really would since it has all the benefits of singles but being utterly as fatiguing on the body. Doubles can additionally be utterly great fun from a tactical viewpoint and it creates you cruise each shot in as most abyss as possible.

With the Commonwealth Games on the horizon, how will your opening at the International Doubles Championships great your credentials for October? How will the precision talk about from your common regime?

AW This foe will be great as it will show us where the levels are compared with the alternative teams and give us the eventuality to mangle down in to parts and take afar critical report about teams who we competence fool around again at the Commonwealth Games after in the year.

Following the Doubles, what sort of precision system of administration do you have in place?

AW We have squads via the summer in sequence to set up up to the games and this will be critical to the preparation, as patently the some-more you fool around with your partner the improved down payment and bargain of each others diversion you will have to take on.

NM I privately will have a mangle in April, following by five weeks precision for the last vital deteriorate in Cairo. Then I will have an additional mangle for dual to 3 weeks prior to an additional 7 weeks of precision all will be geared towards peaking for the Commonwealth Games.

What does participating in the Commonwealth Games meant to you?

NM Melbourne was my initial Commonwealth Games and stays the prominence of my career so far. I saw how most it meant when Peter Nicol won his dual golds and it is something that has lived with me. I will be entered in to the singles, mens doubles and churned doubles events and Peters mythological wins will assistance to enthuse me to hopefully win my own bullion or dual this time around.

AW I Played in Melbourne at the Commonwealth Games 4 years ago and it was such an implausible experience. Nothing can kick it and it would be the apex of any squish players career to win a bullion award at the Commonwealth Games. This is the Olympics!

The International Doubles Tournament is utterly free to attend for spectators. For some-more report about the eventuality or squish and racketball, revisit England Squash & Racketball

Staffordshire hoard: alternative treasures saved by the National Heritage Memorial Fund News

Finds from the Staffordshire hoard, one of the acquisitions saved for the republic by the National Heritage Memorial Fund Photograph: Handout

The Staffordshire Hoard, an Anglo-Saxon pick up of bullion equipment found by an pledge steel detector last year, was saved for the republic yesterday with a accede to from the National Heritage Memorial Fund value �1,285,000.

The National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), set up thirty years ago, has so far saved over 1,200 equipment for the British public. Major acquisitions, that change from artefacts to vehicles, paintings to buildings and even landscapes, embody the Flying Scotsman, the Brecon Beacons, the Mappa Mundi and fight producer Siegfried Sassoon"s archive.

Earlier this month the supervision concluded to say the NHMF"s �10m annual grant, that had been underneath threat.

At the Datablog we"ve gathered a list of grants awarded by the NHMF over the past couple of years. Applicants together with the British Library, The National Gallery and English Heritage have perceived appropriation trimming from �4,750 for the Mary Hamilton repository to �10,000,000 for Titian"s Diana and Actaeon. The NHMF have additionally supposing a list of the vital acquisitions given the account began in 1980.

Check out the list next or download the full spreadsheet, and see what you can do with the data.

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• DATA: Acquisitions by the National Heritage Memorial Fund

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Data outline National Heritage Memorial Fund new acquisitions

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Applicant Acquisition or squeeze Grant (�)

Source: National Heritage Memorial Fund

National Portrait Gallery Portrait of John Donne, c. 1595 750000 British Library Coleridge Family repository 250000 Tate Gallery Francis Hayman mural of Samuel Richardson 1689-1761 with second family 500000 Victoria & Albert Museum Ewer and Basin done by Elie Pacot, Lille, 1711-12 400000 Lakeland Arts Trust Lake Windermere steamboat 465596 Penzance Town Council Painting "On Paul Hill" by Stanhope Forbes 236000 Museum of London Cotehele Annunciation Panels 100000 British Museum Market Rasen long knife knob 70000 Scottish National Portrait Gallery Portrait of Elizabeth Gunning, Duchess of Hamilton 200000 Newark & Sherwood Museums Service Newark Torc 285000 Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland Aerofilms pick up 50000 Ashmolean Museum Boar"s head tureen 75000 Tate Gallery Acquisition and open arrangement of "The Blue Rigi" by JMW Turner 1950000 National Archives of Scotland Dalhousie repository 800000 The John Rylands University Library Mary Hamilton repository 4750 British Museum Canterbury astrolabe plot 30000 English Heritage A View of Chiswick House by Rysbrack 100000 Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society Neolithic mount mattock 14000 British Library Harold Pinter"s playscripts 214000 Leeds Museums and Galleries Four torcheres done by Pascall 60000 The Art Fund Dumfries House 7000000 Ashmolean Museum Wilshere pick up of early Christian and Jewish antiquities 100000 Devon County Council The Sidmouth writings 1618000 Lambeth Palace Library Mary, Queen of Scots, execution aver 17485 Victoria & Albert Museum Scandal by Charles Jagger 45000 Royal Armouries 17th-century sporting gun 57500 Lancashire County Museum Service Rawlinson bookcase 92000 National Galleries of Scotland and Tate Gallery Anthony d"Offay pick up 7000000 National Army Museum Portrait of General Wolfe 80000 British Museum Canterbury astrolabe plot 125000 British Library Dering Roll 100000 Charles Dickens Museum Charles Dickens"s essay table 75000 Tate Rubens"s blueprint for the Banqueting House roof 2221239 University of Glasgow/Glasgow Museums/Glasgow School of Art Stoddard-Templeton repository 171905 National Portrait Gallery / Harris Museum & Art Gallery Portrait of Sir Richard Arkwright 131420 Victoria & Albert Museum James II accession crater 80000 National Portrait Gallery Portrait of Lady Dacre and Son 377500 Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum Bust of Charles Townley 178000 National Gallery / National Galleries of Scotland Titian"s Diana and Actaeon 10000000 British Library Macclesfield Alphabet Book 250000 Imperial War Museum Duxford Wing Commander George Unwin pick up 39844

UN admits smirch in inform on beef and meridian change

By Alastair Jamieson 716AM GMT twenty-four March 2010

Dr Frank Mitloehner pronounced the UN some-more aged in between beef tillage and ride emissions was "lopsided" Photo STEPHEN LOCK

A 2006 study, Livestocks Long Shadow, claimed beef prolongation was obliged for eighteen per cent of hothouse gas emissions some-more than transport.

Its conclusions were heralded by campaigners propelling consumers to eat less beef to save the planet. Among those job for a rebate in tellurian beef expenditure is Sir Paul McCartney.

Obesity hazard to people and world Paul McCartneys Meat Free Monday mission Cow burps are creation a flourishing grant to tellurian warming Government confidant eat less beef to plunge into meridian shift Bunge is a great approach to ambience the food cost rises

However, one of the authors of the inform has certified an American scientist has identified a smirch in the some-more aged with the stroke of ride emissions.

Dr Frank Mitloehner, from the University of California at Davis (UCD), pronounced beef and divert prolongation generates less hothouse gas than majority environmentalists explain and that the emissions total were distributed otherwise to the ride figures, ensuing in an "apples-and-oranges outcome that indeed confused the issue".

The beef figure had been reached by adding all greenhouse-gas emissions compared with beef production, together with fertilizer production, land clearance, methane emissions and car make use of on farms, since the ride figure had usually enclosed the blazing of hoary fuels.

Pierre Gerber, a process military officer with the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization, told the BBC he supposed Dr Mitloehner"s criticism.

"I contingency contend overtly that he has a point we factored in all for beef emissions, and we didn"t do the same thing with transport," he said.

"But on the rest of the report, I don"t think it was unequivocally challenged."

He pronounced a some-more extensive research of emissions from food prolongation was being constructed and should be accessible by the finish of the year.

Dr Mitloehner told a assembly of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco that producing less beef and divert would usually outcome in "more craving in bad countries" and that efforts should be focused on "smarter farming, not less farming".

Earlier this year, the UN"s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change apologised after poorly claiming the Himalayan glaciers could disband inside of twenty-five years.

Michael Page sheds increase but says banks are behind on recruitment trail

Alex Spence & , : {}

Banks are employing twice as majority staff in London as they were at this time last year, one of the Citys heading recruitment firms pronounced yesterday, in the ultimate pointer that the monetary zone is rising from the downturn.

Steve Ingham, arch comparison manager of Michael Page, the veteran services recruiter, pronounced that mandates from banks have increasing significantly in the past couple of months as institutions that cut payrolls exceedingly in the arise of the monetary predicament proceed to reconstruct their London operations.

Mr Ingham combined that recruitment was picking up opposite the sector, from comparison promissory note and trade jobs to back-office roles, and is right away behind to rounded off dual thirds of the employing levels that existed prior to the predicament began.

He discharged reports that the banks that have perceived taxpayer funding, such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds, were confronting an mass departure of their tip employees to competitors that were not bailed out. His comments came as Michael Page voiced an 85 per cent tumble in full-year pre-tax increase to twenty-one million, from 140 million in 2008.

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Revenue for the twelve months to Dec 31 slumped by twenty-six per cent to 717 million. Demand for permanent staff placements was quite really bad hit, with fees dropping by 42 per cent to 260 million.

Headcount fell by roughly 1,400 jobs last year to 3,549.

Michael Page pronounced that 2009 had been the majority severe year in the 33-year history, nonetheless the commercial operation began picking up in the last 3 months. Mr Ingham pronounced that the association approaching expansion in multiform markets this year, quite in Latin America and Asia.

After months of investigate I met Vipoh and got a pass in to squad culture

Adam Patterson & , : {}

After a series of murders in 2008, squad issues were high on the headlines bulletin but I knew that there was some-more to these immature people than decorated in the media. I proposed to lift out my own research.

I eventually got a mangle when I was introduced to a little guys at a free song college of music in Brixton. I was regularly an alien but they indispensable visuals to go with their songs and I got a travel pass of sorts in sell for photos.

After a month of this, however, I had usually a pick up of clichs from LA-style squad culture. There were moments of law but they were scarce. I had proposed a plan but I couldnt have the passing from one to another from travel to home, I was not being invited to declare the cognisance I desired.

Showing any pointer of fright and or disadvantage is not an choice on the street, so I indispensable to confront someone looking a opposite road. I got my mangle when I met Vipoh in Sep 2008. At nineteen he indispensable shift differently he was going to jail or the grave. He used me as an forgive to equivocate old friends, and for 6 months we were together majority days.

I never felt genuine fear. The scariest impulse was when I went to a Brixton estate one night to sketch twin squad members. Within mins we were thrown opposite a wall by clandestine military with dogs, who thought I was offered arms or drugs. The communication in between military and girl was an eye opener a little days we would be stopped and searched on mixed occasions and it positively never seemed as pointless as legislation suggests.

I done the plan collaborative, asking people to write captions in my photobook for an discernment in to their lives. But but Vipoh, my photographs simply would not have worked. He is right away releasing his second brew fasten and you do a detailed march at Photofusion in Brixton, where in Sep we will benefaction a twin muster showcasing his life.

He opted for shift and during that duration we became friends.I dont take credit for this.I am only blissful I was means to tab along.

Gordon Brown blames generals for Snatch Land Rover fiasco

Philippe Naughton & , : {}

Gordon Brown has in a huff deserted accusations that he underfunded UK forces in Iraq, deflecting the censure for the Army"s have make make use of of of of exposed Snatch Land Rovers on to the generals who were obliged for grouping the vehicles.

Testifying prior to the Chilcot inquiry, Mr Brown pronounced that each singular ask for apparatus had been authorized and the Treasury had "immediately" committed 90 million for the squeeze of new armoured vehicles after it became strong that the Land Rovers did not strengthen opposite roadside bombs.

Having obviously motionless that dispute can be the most appropriate form of defence, he went on to lay the censure for apparatus shortages on the generals who should have likely the operational needs of their troops.

"I have to highlight it is not for me to have the infantry decisions on the belligerent about the have make make use of of of of sold vehicles," Mr Brown told the panel. "What I can, however, contend is that at each point we were asked to yield income and the resources for new apparatus or for mending equipment, we done that income available."

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Mr Brown has been indicted by both late generals and the kin of servicemen killed in Iraq of carrying carnivorous the Armed Forces of appropriation both prior to and after the advance of Iraq in Mar 2003.

Among those criticising the Prime Minister and former Chancellor was General Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank, former arch of the Defence Staff, who told The Times yesterday that the miss of appropriation had "undoubtedly cost the lives of soldiers".

During today"s testimony, Mr Brown was asked to reply to the concerns of bereaved kin hurt by the have make make use of of of of the exposed Land Rovers.

He replied: "I think if you see at the subject of output in Iraq you have to begin with this one elemental truth: that each order done to us by infantry commanders was answered; no ask was ever incited down.

"And I would supplement to that, so prolonged as I have been Prime Minister, I have regularly asked the infantry at the point at that they are endeavour any new operation, can they assure me that they have the apparatus that they need for the charge that they are undertaking. And at each point the answer to the subject is, for the operation we are undertaking, we have the apparatus and we have the resources that are necessary."

He went on: "I dont hold that any budding apportion would send the infantry in to dispute but the declaration from the infantry that they had the apparatus required for the operations.

"And I do not hold that there was any ask that was done for apparatus during the march of these events in Iraq that was incited down."

The Prime Minister was asked about the preference to reinstate Snatch Land Rovers with some-more heavily-armoured vehicles, together with the Mastiff and the Bulldog, and he pronounced that the 90 million deputy programme was concluded rught away and the vehicles paid for inside of months.

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Greece set to make known some-more purgation measures

Philip Pangalos in Athens & , : {}

Greece is set to make known one some-more purgation measures in sequence to get the smashed economy behind on lane and to inspire general markets that the nation will not default on the debt.

Olli Rehn, the European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner, who was in Athens currently for high-level meetings, called for one some-more measures to safeguard that Greece meets the mercantile targets.

Mr Rehn pronounced after assembly George Papaconstantinou, the Greek Finance Minister, that the mercantile and constructional measures in the Greek Stability Programme were being implemented but that one some-more measures were needed. "I wish to inspire the Greek authorities to cruise and make known one some-more measures in the entrance days," he said. "I"m certain that together we shall overcome these challenging mercantile and mercantile challenges.

Greece has summarized plans to cut the bill necessity from 12.7 per cent of sum made at home product at the finish of last year that is some-more than 4 times the extent for eurozone members to 8.7 per cent underneath a European Union-endorsed mercantile plan. In the Stability and Growth Programme, that was authorized by Brussels in February, Greece additionally affianced to take the bill necessity subsequent the 3 per cent extent authorised for eurozone members by 2012.

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Austerity measures already voiced embody frozen open zone compensate and hiring, raising taxes and becoming different Greeces bum grant system, with Greeks approaching to work longer and embrace reduce pensions. Andreas Loverdos, the Labour MInister, pronounced last week that the normal early retirement age would probably climb by dual years to 63, with legislation approaching in council subsequent month. Plans have additionally been voiced to crack down on taxation semblance and avoidance.

Mr Rehn"s Athens revisit comes after press reports referred to that German banks might benefit Greece by shopping some-more Greek supervision bonds. There have been opposing reports over new days suggesting that German and French banks might experience in a bailout plan for Greece, pronounced to be value up to €30 billion. However, the German Chancellor denied any such plan. Angela Merkel told ARD, the German radio station, at the week end that Greece "has to do the avocation and sort out the own problems. Germany and France are dual of the countries with the greatest bearing to Greek supervision bonds.

"We have a stipulate that manners out the probability of bailing out alternative nations," Mrs Merkel said. The Greek Prime Minister is due to revisit the German Chancellor in Berlin on Friday, in what could be a key assembly to confirm what, if any, Europe-wide benefit Greece receives. George Papandreou is additionally due to go to Washington subsequent week for a assembly with President Obama.

It is at large approaching that some-more purgation measures will be voiced after this week, together with a serve 2 per cent enlarge in the VAT rate, one some-more taxes on alcohol, tobacco and fuel, a taxation on oppulance goods, together with cars, and serve cuts in open zone pay. There has additionally been conjecture that Greeks, who embrace fourteen monthly income payments, might have to give one up of these, at slightest temporarily.

Last week officials from the European Union, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund came to the Greek collateral to check on the swell of mercantile converging measures due to be taken by a Mar sixteen deadline.

After assembly with Mr Rehn, George Papaconstantinou, the Greek Finance Minister, said: The Greek Government will do whatever it needs, together with one some-more measures, to encounter mercantile targets and cut the necessity by 4 commission points in 2010.

Prime Minister George Papandreou hinted that the 14th monthly income might have to be cut. He said: We will not let Greece trip serve and penetrate completely.

"Today we ask Greek men and women to enroll in the usual means to save the nation and the strenuous infancy of the adults are peaceful to do it notwithstanding the cost and notwithstanding the weight ... Everybody says yes."

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