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Queen Volunteered For Bond Olympics Sketch

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 23 Maret 2013 | 20.14

Danny Boyle, the mastermind behind London's Olympic opening ceremony, has revealed he did not actually ask the Queen to appear in his James Bond sketch - she volunteered.

TV viewers around the world were surprised to see the Queen appearing alongside Daniel Craig in the spoof sequence prior to her arrival in the Olympic Stadium last summer.

Boyle told ITV's Jonathan Ross Show he had originally envisaged a lookalike taking part in the skit.

Danny Boyle Boyle is an Oscar-winning director

The creative director of the London 2012 opening ceremony explained: "It was part of the protocol - you have to bring in the Head of State and sing the National Anthem - and we thought we'd (do) something different, so we wrote up this idea of the James Bond idea.

"And we sent it in to them, and we were asking really for permission for them to accept that it wouldn't embarrass them and we'd get a double, a good double, and we were thinking Helen Mirren.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrives during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Queen at the opening ceremony last year

"They came back and said 'we're delighted for you to do it, and Her Majesty would like to be in it herself' - and the surreal thing, 'she would like to play herself'."

The Oscar-winning director went on: "She said 'what do you want me to do?', and I told her and she said 'fine'.

"So we got in and we started doing it and then she said 'don't you think I should say something?' and I said 'yes, OK, what do you suggest?'.

"She said 'I'll do something' and we started shooting and she turned round and she said her lines beautifully."


20.14 | 0 komentar | Read More

Body Image: Four-Year-Olds 'Feeling Pressure'

Children as young as four are refusing to eat certain food for fear of being fat, a survey of teachers has found.

Pressure to live up to unrealistic body images leaves many youngsters with anxiety issues, low self-esteem and eating disorders, according to the poll by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL). 

An early years teacher in England told researches: "I work with 4-5 year-olds and some say things like 'I can't eat cheese, it will make me fat'."

And a teacher at a primary school said: "I am very worried to hear little girls as young as 10 talking about being skinny and dieting."

The survey, which questioned almost 700 primary and secondary teachers in February and March, also indicated that boys are under almost as much pressure as girls to have the "perfect" body.

It found 84% believe that there is pressure on girls to have or maintain a certain body image, with two thirds (66%) saying boys are facing the same issue.

And this pressure is increasing - almost two thirds (63%) of those surveyed said there is more pressure on young people to have a certain body image now than 10 years ago.

The school staff also expressed concerns that pupils who worry about their body image were trying to control their weight and appearance.

Sunbed Young girls are using sunbeds or spray tans

More than half (54%) of the teachers surveyed said that they knew of girls who had dieted due to concerns about their body image, with just under a third (30%) saying they knew of boys who had started excessive exercise regimes.

In addition, over a fifth (22%) said boys were using protein shakes and supplements to improve their physique.

Almost half (48%) suggested that girls had developed eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia due to pressure to live up to a certain body image.

A head of department at a secondary school in England said: "I've heard girls aged 15 say, without a hint of irony, 'I'm dieting but I need to keep my boobs so boys will like me."'

Almost half (46%) also said that girls are wearing clothes to disguise their body shape, while over half (51%) suggested that girls are choosing outfits that "flaunt" their bodies, and 29% claimed that girls are using sunbeds or spray tans.

ATL general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said: "Young people are under tremendous pressure to have or maintain often unrealistic body images portrayed in the media.

"ATL members report that this not only impacts on female pupils but increasingly leads to low self-esteem, lack of confidence and anxiety in male pupils too.

"With academic and other social pressures young people already have enough to deal with."


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Experts Defuse Bomb Found In Northern Ireland

A bomb discovered and defused in a car in Northern Ireland was destined for a police station, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has confirmed.

The device was found in County Fermanagh, not far from the luxury Lough Erne golf resort where this June's G-8 conference of world leaders will being held.

Sky's David Blevins said the device consisted of explosives packed into a beer keg rigged with timing devices.

PSNI district commander Pauline Shields said: "The people responsible for this have no regard for the lives of anyone in our community.

"It is fortunate that no-one was killed or seriously injured as a result of this reckless act.

"Although investigations are at an early stage it is our assessment at present that this vehicle was destined for Lisnaskea PSNI station."

Residents were told to leave their homes and Army technical officers carried out a clearance operation on the suspicious car and a viable device was made safe.

Ms Shields added: "Once again our community has been disrupted and the lives of residents put at risk by an element intent on causing  loss of life and disruption.

A week ago the Police Service of Northern Ireland discovered a mortar-type device aimed towards New Barnsley police station in north Belfast.

Also last week, three officers escaped injury when an explosive device detonated close to them as they patrolled a coastal path on the outskirts of Belfast.


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England Fan In A Coma After Italy Bar Fight

A 65-year-old man is in a coma in Italy after a brawl between England fans ahead of the World Cup qualifier against San Marino.

The victim was injured after he was punched in the face and hit his head against the pavement when he fell.

Police called to the scene have arrested another Briton, Matthew Mabey, 21, who is being held on suspicion of serious wounding.

The incident happened outside the Bounty pub in Bologna, where dozens of England fans had gathered ahead of the journey to nearby San Marino for the match, which England won 8-0.

Violence erupted between a group of seven fans who were drinking in the pub.

Paramedics were quickly on the scene and the victim - who reportedly tried to defend himself with a bar stool - was taken to Bologna's Maggiore Hospital for emergency surgery.

Doctors said he was put into an induced coma and described his condition as ''very serious".

A police spokeswoman in Bologna said: "We were called by staff at the pub and by passers by to a fight that had broken out between a group of England fans who had been drinking heavily.

England Training Session England players training ahead of the match in San Marino

"From what witnesses have told us a group of men surrounded the victim and as they attacked him he picked up a bar stool to defend himself but was then punched once in the face and fell to the ground hitting his head on the pavement.

"He suffered serious injuries and is now in hospital."

The spokesman said that a 48-year-old man also held in connection with the incident has been released.

An employee at the bar said: "They had been in the bar drinking all day, then all of a sudden all hell broke loose and there was shouting and fighting amongst themselves.

"The next minute one man was on the floor. He looked in a bad way and then the ambulance and police arrived."

A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We can confirm the arrest of a British national in Italy on 21 March. We are providing consular assistance."


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Weather: Snow And Rain Continues To Batter UK

Britain is continuing to endure extreme winter storms as snow, rain, high winds and freezing temperatures affect large swathes of the country.

The severe weather, which has already claimed the life of one woman, has been extending south, hitting areas around London and Kent, where there could be 2cm-5cm of snow on higher ground, forecasters said.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for the public to be aware as a slow-moving band of rain, sleet and snow makes its way across many central and northern parts, and the south and east.

There may be 5-10cm of snow at lower levels and further significant snow accumulations are likely on hills, with continued drifting and blizzard conditions in strong southeasterly winds. 

One of the worst affected areas seemed to be North Wales, where reader Alison Brooks said there was more than 18 inches (45cm) of snow outside the town of Wrexham.

Cefn Mawr, Wrexham area There is apparently 18 inches of snow near Wrexham (Pic: Alison Brooks)

Tens of thousands of homes in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Cumbria remain without power, while many roads are impassable and runways have been forced to close.

In Northern Ireland, 6ft snow drifts left emergency crews struggling to get through but electricity returned to 5,000 homes overnight.

But about 35,000 customers were still cut off and teams were out again from first light to continue with network repairs, Northern Ireland Electricity said.

Birmingham Airport earlier suspended all arrivals and departures due to heavy snowfall but later resumed flights and added some may be subject to delay or cancellation.

Leeds Bradford Airport said flights were not currently operating due to the adverse weather conditions. There was also disruption at East Midlands Airport.

The bad weather has also hit the sporting calendar, with racing at Doncaster and Newbury called off and some football league games in England and Scotland postponed.

Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Russia fell foul of the weather for the second time in 24 hours, with hostile conditions rendering Windsor Park unplayable.

Wentnor, Shropshire A snow plough is pictured toppled over in the bad weather

The Group F clash was initially due to take place on Friday night but heavy snow and plummeting temperatures in Belfast saw the fixture postponed after three inspections by Norwegian referee Tom Hagen and the FIFA delegation.

The AA has warned motorists that even short journeys may be difficult, and there could be a repeat of the scenes in southern England last week when hundreds of drivers were stranded in their cars overnight.

The South West, which was hit by heavy rain and floods on Friday, is expected to have a relatively dry day, with only one flood warning, meaning flooding is expected, in place.

Dozens of flood alerts, where flooding is possible, remain for that region as well as the South East, the Midlands and Anglia.

Sky weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "Southeast England, East Anglia, the Midlands, north Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland can expect snow today.

"High ground will be worst affected with some heavy snow at times with drifting in the strong winds and also blizzards.

"Low levels could see 5-10cm, two to four inches, of snowfall today although amounts will probably be lower across London."

She added: "Southwest England, south Wales and southern Ireland looks largely dry and relatively mild with some brighter spells.

House in Looe A woman died when this house in Looe collapsed

"A few showers may nudge into the extreme southwest later. Tonight will stay dry with a frost forming in places."

The rain was a particular problem on Friday in Cornwall, where a landslide, thought to have been triggered by torrential rain, smashed through a block of flats, partially collapsing the building.

Emergency crews found a woman's body after picking through debris at the Veronica flats in Looe on Friday night.

The body is believed to be that of Susan Norman, who was in her 60s and had been unaccounted for, according to the police.

Meanwhile, Electricity North West said about 1,500 properties in Cumbria remain without power but repair work was being held back by road closures, preventing access to some communities.

The company said it was considering using a helicopter to transport engineers to the areas to which power could not immediately be restored.

A complete blackout was reported for between 15 and 30 minutes across Belfast on Friday evening.


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Child Smokers: Thousands More Take Up Habit

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 22 Maret 2013 | 20.14

The number of children who have taken up smoking has risen by 50,000 in just one year - the equivalent of 567 a day.

About 207,000 children aged 11 to 15 started to smoke in 2011, a sharp rise from 157,000 in 2010, Cancer Research UK said.

Almost one in three (27%) of under-16s have tried smoking at least once, a study by the charity found.

It urged the Government to commit to having all cigarettes put in plain standardised packs.

Sarah Woolnough, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, said: "With such a large number of youngsters starting to smoke every year, urgent action is needed to tackle the devastation caused by tobacco.

"Replacing slick, brightly-coloured packs that appeal to children with standard packs displaying prominent health warnings is a vital part of efforts to protect health.

"Reducing the appeal of cigarettes with plain, standardised packs will give millions of children one less reason to start smoking."

Last April, the Government launched a consultation on plans to introduce mandatory standardised packaging for tobacco products.

Health campaigners have welcomed the proposal, although opponents claim it would lead to increased smuggling and job losses.

Information generated by the consultation, which closed in August, is still being analysed by health officials.

In December, Australia became the first country in the world to put all tobacco products in standardised packs.

Cigarette packets and other products are all sold in a standardised colour, with only the brand name and graphic warnings visible.


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Military Honours: Heroes Rewarded For Bravery

A medic who treated a British soldier on the battlefield while under fire from the Taliban is among 118 heroes to get a military bravery award.

Lance Corporal Abbie Martin, 20, said she was "petrified" as she treated the injured comrade in Afghanistan with bullets flying overhead - but "my training kicked in".

Last weekend it was revealed that Lance-Corporal James Ashworth became the first recipient of the Victoria Cross since 2006 after being awarded it posthumously.

Captain Michael Dobbin, 28, from the Grenadier Guards, who was on the same patrol as L Cpl Ashworth when he died, is to receive the Military Cross.

He personally led a 200m charge at insurgents in Nahr-e-Saraj last summer.

Captain Michael Dobbin Captain Michael Dobbin led a 200m charge at insurgents

L/Cpl Martin, 20, told Sky News how she was on her first tour of duty and leapt into action when she heard there was a "man down" on the battlefiield.

"At first I was hiding and then everyone was giving me fire support so I could get to the guy and treat him," she said.

"I was just thinking about the casualty - all the things I could do for him - my training just kicked in - as well as not getting shot."

She added: "It was the most petrifying experience of my life but I knew I had that job and I had to do it."

Several days later, despite a struggle to come to terms with the horror of her first patrol, she treated multiple casualties after a grenade blast, saving all the injured.

L/Cpl Martin receives the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service, which recognises meritorious service during, or in support of, operations.

The list also includes Lance Corporal Lawrence Kayser, who is awarded the Military Cross.

Lawrence Kayser Lance Corporal Lawrence Kayser fought with shrapnel in his arm

He saved colleagues from a "potentially disastrous situation" in Helmand in June 2012 when his platoon came upon the enemy while preparing an ambush.

When L/Cpl Kayser, from Woodton, Norfolk, and his platoon suddenly came under fire, the 27-year-old leapt from a ditch and charged Taliban fighters.

He shot one enemy in his path before being hit by shrapnel from a grenade, which wounded his arm, but fought on, driving insurgents out of the compound.

He said: "I am really humbled, my platoon is made up of the best members of the Battalion.

"It's not my medal, even though part of that incident I was alone, I wasn't truly alone."

Also honoured are Sergeant Roy Geddes, 43, from the RAF Regiment, and Corporal Kurt Lee, also from the RAF.

The pair battled insurgents when they attacked Camp Bastion in September last year, where Prince Harry was serving his tour of duty as an Apache gunner.

Roy Geddes Sergeant Roy Geddes 'breathed fire into the spirit of his men'

Sgt Geddes, from Elgin, Monmouthshire, receives the Military Cross after it is said he "breathed fire into the spirit of his men" when Camp Bastion was attacked.

He fought on despite being wounded in the knee after one of his vehicles was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

Sgt Geddes is only the second member of the RAF to receive the MC for action in Afghanistan.

He is recognised alongside Cpl Lee, 28, from Bury, Lancashire, who is Mentioned In Despatches for his own role in the battle.

Praising the recipients of the honours, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "In a changing world the bravery and commitment to duty of our servicemen and women remains unswerving.

"Whether fighting for our security on operations abroad or rescuing mountaineers and sailors within the British Isles, they deserve our gratitude and respect.

"I hope that the awards announced today go some way to underlining how much this country values the efforts and sacrifices of our Armed Forces."


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Immigration: Lib Dems Call For Security Bonds

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has called for a bail-like system of security bonds to tackle visa abuse.

The bonds would be paid as a cash guarantee from visa applicants coming from high-risk countries and would be repaid once the visitor leaves Britain.

In his first speech on immigration as Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Clegg unveiled the radical plans at the liberal think-tank, the Centre Forum.

He also scrapped controversial proposals for an immigrant "amnesty". The Liberal Democrat leader said plans to allow illegal immigrants to stay in the UK if they have been in the country for 10 years, which were seen as key to the party's manifesto in the run up to the 2010 general election, risked "undermining public confidence".

Taking a harder line on immigration, he pledged to "lay the foundations for an immigration system that embodies this nation's instincts and its values" as he attacked the previous Labour government for "grossly" mismanaging the issue.

Earlier this month, Labour leader Ed Miliband admitted his party failed on immigration.

Mr Miliband said his party was wrong to relax controls - a move that allowed hundreds of thousands of foreigners to move to the UK.

Mr Clegg said: "We are grappling with the difficult challenges in our immigration system.

Labour leader Ed Miliband Mr Miliband said Labour failed on immigration

"Brick by brick, we are rebuilding it. Day by day we are making sure, quite simply, that it works.

"All the British people ask is for a system they can have confidence in. We hear that, and we are delivering it."

The Deputy Prime Minister said that visa "overstayers" are one of the biggest challenges faced by the immigration system and the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

"The challenge isn't just stopping people coming into Britain illegally, it's about dealing with individuals who come over legitimately, but then become illegal once they're already here," he said.

To tackle this issue, Mr Clegg has asked the Home Office to run a pilot of so-called security bonds, which echoes an Australian system applied to family visas.

It is understood the cost of the bonds would vary but are likely to be in the region of four figures.

Mr Clegg added: "The bonds would need to be well targeted - so that they don't unfairly discriminate against particular groups.

"The amounts would need to be proportionate - we mustn't penalise legitimate visa applicants who will struggle to get hold of the money."

But UKIP, which came second to the Lib Dems in the recent Eastleigh by-election after focusing its campaign on tightening immigration controls, ridiculed Mr Clegg's plans.

Party leader Nigel Farage said: "Nick Clegg now joins the cavalcade of party politicians who have suddenly noticed a simple fact, that they are not trusted with our country's borders.

"Since the Eastleigh by-election they have thrown initiative after initiative at the headlines, but to no serious effect. The bottom line is, there is nothing that he, or they, can do about mass migration into this country while our borders are controlled by the European Union."

An immigration officer checking a passport at Terminal 1 at Heathrow Airport Mr Clegg says Labour left the immigration system in "disarray"

Labour was also sceptical, pointing to figures showing an increase in people absconding from Heathrow airport and decreases in the number of people stopped and the number of foreign criminals deported under Mr Clegg's watch as DPM.

Shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant told Sky News: "I think people probably get a bit sick of MPs and politicians making lots of grand speeches about immigration but not getting the basics right."

Mr Clegg also revealed plans to increase cash penalties for "unscrupulous" employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants because they are cheaper.

The maximum fine is £10,000 per illegal worker - Mr Clegg called for the penalty to "double" and has asked the Home Secretary to "look into the right amount".

And the Deputy Prime Minister hit out at the Labour party for leaving the immigration system in "disarray".

"The problem is that the system has not been well managed. It has been grossly mismanaged. I cannot stress enough just how chaotic it was."

The speech came as the Government toughens its stance on immigration with a range of new measures aimed at bringing down net migration to the tens of thousands.

UKBA officials will conduct interviews with more than 100,000 student visa applicants from "high-risk" countries outside the EU to crack down on bogus students.

And a "genuine entrepreneur" test has been introduced to tackle the rising number of foreign nationals attempting to enter Britain by fudging their bank accounts.

But in the wake of criticism from politicians and the higher education sector, some immigration rules were recently loosened in a bid to give additional flexibility to businesses and allow top international students to pursue careers in Britain.


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Woman And Child Killed By Train At Station

A woman and a young child have died after they were struck by a train in the morning rush hour.

British Transport Police were called to the incident at Riddlesdown rail station near Purley, south London, at around 8.20am.

Ambulance teams and Met Police officers also attended and the woman and child - believed to be a toddler - were declared dead at the scene.

The station was temporarily closed while the emergency services dealt with the incident and the police investigation was carrying on.

Electrical power to the line between Woldingham and South Croydon was turned off and it was anticipated the line would not open until at least 4pm today.

There was considerable disruption to services run by the Southern train company in the area, with buses running between some stations and extended journey times.

More follows..


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Olympic Stadium: West Ham Handed The Keys

West Ham have been handed the keys for the Olympic Stadium after a deal for the London 2012 venue was finally agreed.

The announcement ends a seven-year battle for the showpiece venue in Stratford between rival football clubs that often saw the process bogged down by legal challenges.

West Ham were named preferred bidders ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient, but negotiations with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) have been lengthy and complicated.

However, the LLDC announced this morning that a deal has now been signed off that sees the Barclays Premier League club become anchor tenants, paying £2m a year on a 99-year lease.

As expected, it was confirmed that the LLDC will receive a windfall payment should West Ham's owners sell on the back of the move within 10 years.

Olympic stadium in east London The stadium during London 2012

It is thought the deal was agreed after the government agreed to put in an extra £25m towards the cost of converting the venue for football, taking the Treasury's overall contribution to £60m.

West Ham are also understood to have upped their funding of the project from an initial offer of £5m to around £15m.

The rest of the cost of adapting the stadium - estimated at between £150m and £190m - will come from sources including the Mayor of London's budget, a £40m loan from Newham Council and a £20m loan from the LLDC.

As well as the £2m rent and a possible share of any future sale of West Ham, the taxpayer stands to claw back money from a share of naming rights and catering and hospitality revenue .

Boris Johnson Boris Johnson says the deal 'defies the gloomsters'

Plans for the revamped stadium were also unveiled, with the facelift due to be completed in time for the 2016-17 football season.

It will be transformed into a 54,000-seater venue with a new roof, corporate areas, toilets, concessions and retractable seating.

London Mayor Boris Johnson told reporters: "This is a truly momentous milestone for London's spectacular Olympic Stadium, ensuring its credible and sustainable future.

"Through this deal with West Ham United FC, we are defying the gloomsters who predicted this landmark would become a dusty relic."

Karren Brady Karen Brady: 'We'll pay our way'

West Ham vice chairman Karren Brady insisted that the club intends to "pay its way."

She told reporters: "We want to pay our way, we accept that we have to pay our way and myself and the two owners of West Ham have been very clear on that.

"We will put in a lump sum, we will pay a rent that will cover most of the running costs and then of course we're sharing naming rights and other revenues.

"We accept that the cost of making it that world class stadium is coming from the government but we hope that over 99 years we pay back not only that but an awful lot more than that."

David Gold and David Sullivan West Ham's David Sullivan and David Gold say the decision is "fantastic"

West Ham's owners David Sullivan and David Gold said the decision gives the club a platform "to compete on the pitch at the highest level".

But former sports minister Richard Caborn branded the deal "the biggest mistake of the London Olympics".

Mr Caborn said that he welcomed the fact that the future of the stadium was now settled but insisted there has been unnecessary cost to the public purse.

He said: "This is the biggest mistake of the Olympics and lessons should be learned from this. West Ham are basically getting a stadium costing more than £600m for just £15m and a small amount in annual rent.

"The mistake was made in 2006-7 when they [the Olympic Board] ruled football out of a retro-fit design as we has done successfully in Manchester with the Commonwealth Games stadium."

An application by Leyton Orient for a judicial review of the decision to award West Ham preferred bidder status is still outstanding, but it is not expected that it will affect the outcome.


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One Dead After Train Hits Car On Crossing

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 21 Maret 2013 | 20.14

One person has died after a train travelling from Devon to London hit a car on a level crossing in Somerset.

The crash happened on the half-barrier crossing near Athelney, which is on the line between Taunton and Castle Cary.

The car became trapped under the front of the train and British Transport Police (BTP) said the victim was declared dead at the scene.

There have been no reports of any passengers on the train being injured.

A lengthy line of rescue vehicles gathered in Stanmoor Road to help in the recovery phase, after the vehicle was pushed along the tracks for a significant distance.

A spokesman for British Transport Police (BTP) said: "Shortly before 6.30am, BTP was called to reports of a car having been struck by a train at Athelney automatic half-barrier level crossing.

"The train involved is the 0546 Exeter to London Paddington service. The train has not been derailed and there are no reports of any injuries to anyone on board.

According to the Somerset County Gazette, train passengers were on the disabled train for some five hours before being taken to Taunton.

Passenger Stuart Lambert, from Taunton, told the newspaper: "I felt a slight shudder, that was the first I knew and then we were told a car had skipped the level crossing.

"The train company were awesome. They looked after us really well."

The BTP spokesman added: "There was one person in the car who has been pronounced dead at the scene. An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances leading up to the incident."

Rail operator First Great Western said there was a limited bus replacement service operating between Taunton and Westbury.

The company tweeted: "Due to this disruption customers travelling between London Paddington and Exeter are advised to travel via Bristol Temple Meads."


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Girls Aloud Split Revealed In 'End' Tweet

Pop band Girls Aloud have seemingly announced they are splitting up following the last night of their 10-year celebration tour.

A tweet from the band's official account today said: "We have now come to the end of our incredible time together."

The message was sent shortly after the five singers came off stage in Liverpool, marking their last performance together as a group.

The Twitter end message on March 20 The full Twitter message sent by the band after the last show of the tour

The TV manufactured band reunited for the 12-date UK tour after spending three years on solo projects.

Another Twitter message said: "Dear Alouders, we just want to say from the bottom of our hearts Thank you!!

"This tour has been an amazing experience and the perfect chance to say thank you for being on this journey with us through a decade.

"It has far exceeded any of our dreams and we hope we are forever your inspiration and reminder that dreams really do glitter!!

"Your love and support will stay with us forever but we have now come to the end of our incredible time together. Love you lots."

The band had previously hinted at an imminent split after confessing they had no plans together after the end of the tour.

The members of pop group Girls Aloud in 2005 The band in 2005 before Cheryl Tweedy (2nd r) wed footballer Ashley Cole

At a press conference to announce the Ten Tour last year Cheryl Cole said "we haven't actually made any plans further than the tour" before adding that they would "wait and see how the fans react" before deciding what to do next.

Cole, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Sarah Harding were put together by the ITV show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and claimed their first number one with Sound Of The Underground.

Looking back on their decade together, Cole tweeted last night: "To the people that haven't been able to make it, for whatever reason, we feel your support regardless and have done for 10 yrs."

Coyle also tweeted before going on stage: "I have seen many of you at the tour work as hard as us! That is why I cried last night on stage & probably tonight again. Not sad, happy.

"Happy tears. I cannot thank you enough. I love seeing all your faces. Ok more tears. I love you all forever. Xxxxx NC."


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Coronation Street's Michael Le Vell In Court

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell will stand trial in September charged with 19 child sex offences.

The star, who plays car mechanic Kevin Webster in the ITV soap, made his first appearance at Manchester Crown Court today under his real name of Michael Turner.

The 48-year-old is charged with six counts of raping a child, six allegations of indecently assaulting a child and seven counts of sexual activity with a child.

The alleged offences relate to one complainant and all took place between 2001 and 2010.

During the preliminary hearing, which lasted about 10 minutes, Le Vell, wearing a dark pinstripe suit, white shirt and black tie, spoke only to confirm his name.

Six members of his family sat in the public gallery of the packed courtroom.

Michael Le Vell court case Le Vell arriving for the hearing, which took place in a packed court

Le Vell has not yet entered a plea but has stated publicly that he is innocent and will fight the allegations through the courts.

Prosecutor Eleanor Laws told Judge Michael Henshell that a plea hearing will take place on May 17 followed by a two to three-week trial starting on September 2.

Alisdair Williamson, defending, asked for an earlier trial date, saying: "Mr Turner has had this hanging over his head for 18 months."

But Judge Henshell said the September date should be fixed and granted the actor bail until the plea hearing, at the same court, in May.

Asked by the judge if he understood, Le Vell nodded and said "Thank you", before leaving the dock.


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Weather: Weekend Snow Warnings Across UK

Large swathes of the UK are facing a white weekend, as more wintry weather looks set to cause widespread disruption.

Snow is expected overnight in Northern Ireland, Wales, the Midlands, northern England and southern and western Scotland.

Commuters are being warned of Friday morning rush-hour chaos as strong gusts combine with the anticipated deluge to cause blizzard-like conditions.

And dozens of flood alerts have been issued by the Environment Agency for south-east England, while the Met Office put out several severe weather warnings for the weekend.

Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The rain across south-west England, southern Wales and the south of the Republic of Ireland will continue moving north-eastwards into tonight.

"As it does, it hits the cold air coming in from the east and so it will turn to snow, giving significant accumulations by the early hours of the morning.

"The areas most affected will be across Northern Ireland, central and northern parts of Wales, the Midlands, northern England and southern and western Scotland."

Ghaffar added that outbreaks of rain across south-western parts of the UK and Ireland brought the risk of flooding.

"Disruptions are likely during Friday morning's rush hour as the snow will continue to fall with strong to near gale force winds, causing blizzard conditions and drifting," she said.

"In fact, throughout the day on Friday outbreaks of sleet and snow will continue with windy conditions, although outbreaks of light and patchy rain are more likely for southern England and southern Wales.

"Additional accumulations are likely across the north Midlands, Lincolnshire, northern England and Scotland.

"It'll be windy and cold over the weekend with further outbreaks of snow, especially across northern England, Wales and the Midlands."


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Budget: George Osborne Defends Economic Plans

Budget: The Key Points You Need

Updated: 5:48pm UK, Wednesday 20 March 2013

George Osborne's Budget lasted 54 minutes and contained a raft of measures as well as data about the state of the economy. Here is a handy guide.

ECONOMY

:: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility predicts Britain will avoid a second quarter of negative growth and slipping into a triple-dip recession.

:: OBR forecasts put growth for this year at 0.6%, down a massive 50% on its previous forecast of 1.2%.

:: Growth forecasts for the coming years are now: 2014 - 1.8%, 2015 - 2.3%, 2016 - 2.7% and 2017 - 2.8%.

:: The deficit has been cut by a third from 11.2% of GDP in 2009/10 to 7.4% this year. It is forecast to drop to 2.2% by 2017/18.

:: Borrowing forecast to hit £114bn this year instead of £108bn, then £108bn in 2014, £97bn in 2014/15, then £87bn, £61bn and £42bn in the following years.

:: Proportion of national income spent by the state has fallen to 43.6%.

:: Public sector net debt is due to be 75.9% of GDP this year, then 79.2%, 82.6%, 85.1%, 85.6% in following years falling to 84.8% in 2017/18.

:: The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee keeps 2% inflation target but has its remit overhauled.

CUTS AND SPENDING

:: Whitehall departmental budgets cut by 1% after £11bn underspend this year.

:: Bigger savings of £11.5bn sought in the spending review for 2015/16, up from £10bn.

:: Public sector pay cap of 1% extended by a year in 2015/16. Military will receive full recommended increase and be exempt from changes to profession pay.

:: New limit on "annually managed expenditure", which includes welfare budget, debt interest and payments to the EU.

:: Deal on the European budget secured by David Cameron saved Britain £3.5bn.

:: Infrastructure plans given and annual £3bn boost from 2015/16 - a total of £15bn over the next decade.

:: Plans to take forward two major carbon capture and storage projects.

:: "Generous" new tax regime to promote early investment in shale gas and tax incentives for the manufacture of ultra low emission vehicles.

TAX AND WELFARE

:: Corporation tax cut another 1% to 20% in April 2015 and small company and main rates of corporation tax merged at 20p.

:: Corporation tax cut paid by rise in bank levy rate to 0.142% next year.

:: Help for employees with more generous shareholder status, Capital Gains Tax relief for sales of business to workers and doubling tax free loans for commuter season tickets to £10,000.

:: Large new package of measures targeting tax avoidance and evasion to bring in £3bn in unpaid taxes.

:: New Employment Allowance from April 2014 taking off first £2,000 from employer National Insurance bills. Means around 450,000 small businesses will pay no employer NI at all.

:: Rise in personal allowance brought forward to 2014, meaning no income tax will be paid on the first £10,000 of earnings.

:: Extension to the Capital Gains Tax holiday.

:: Tax-free child care vouchers worth £1,200 per child and increased support for families with children on universal credit.

HOUSING

:: New Help-to-Buy scheme for people struggling to build up a deposit to buy a house, worth £130bn in loans.

:: Includes £3.5bn for shared equity loans and Government interest-free loan worth 20% of the value of a new build house.

PENSIONS AND SOCIAL CARE

:: Flat rate pension of £144-a-week brought forward to 2016.

:: Cap on social care introduced in 2017 and set at £72,000. Threshold for means-testing of help raised from £23,000 to £118,000.

:: Help for Equitable Life Policy holders extended to those who bought with-profits annuities before 1992, with payments of £5,000 and extra £5,000 for those on lowest incomes.

FUEL AND BEER

:: Planned rise in fuel duty this autumn is cancelled.

:: Planned 3p rise in beer duty tax scrapped and replaced by a 1p cut on a pint of beer.

:: Beer duty escalator axed. Planned rises for other alcohol duties is retained. 


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Winchester Prison: Inspectors Slam Conditions

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 20 Maret 2013 | 20.14

Two severely disabled prisoners were locked up in a cell for nearly 24 hours a day and had not showered for months, an inspection has found.

The pair were jailed in the cell at HMP Winchester - designed for just one person - and relied on other prisoners to take them their meals, HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found.

Staff were unaware that the two older and disabled prisoners could not use the shower on their landing as it was not adapted accordingly.

The men had a small window in their cell that was painted over so they had to choose between keeping out the cold or shutting out the light, the report added.

Elsewhere, one third of the 680 prisoners told inspectors illegal drugs were "easily available", while one in 10 developed a drug habit within the jail walls.

The category B prison, partly built in the 19th century, has deteriorated sharply and is now of serious concern, Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said.

"Until shortly before the inspection, HMP Winchester was neglected and drifting," Mr Hardwick said.

"There had been pockets of good practice and, although many staff did their best, their efforts were often haphazard, inconsistent and badly coordinated."

In a damning report, the inspectorate said that more than half of prisoners had felt unsafe at some time, while there was insufficient action to tackle violence.

Mr Hardwick said a new governor was appointed shortly before the inspection.

He said: "The new leadership was aware of many of the problems and we saw early signs of a determined effort to tackle them.

"But the prison is just at the start of the process of putting things right again, and it will be a long, hard task to do so."

National Offender Management Service chief executive Michael Spurr said: "As the chief inspector acknowledges, the new governor has begun to tackle the deficiencies and I am confident that these will be properly addressed and rectified."


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Missing Children Policy 'Is Sex Abuse Risk'

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

A children's charity has accused police chiefs of putting vulnerable children at risk of sex abuse with a new definition of "missing persons".

Chief constables say a new two-tier definition will give better protection to children and vulnerable adults.

Full investigations will still be launched into "missing" cases, but specialist officers will record and monitor only those who regularly go "absent" and explore the reasons why.

From next month the new approach will be applied by all police forces to the 327,000 people reported missing each year, two-thirds of whom are children.

But David Tucker, of the NSPCC, said: "We are very concerned that the new definition of 'missing persons' will put vulnerable children at risk of being groomed and sexually exploited. The length of time a child goes missing is irrelevant because they can fall into the clutches of abusers very quickly.

"Children go missing for a variety of reasons; they may be bullied, abused or are generally unhappy. But whatever the reason, this problem must be taken seriously.

"We expect all professionals including the police to invest the right amount of time and take the necessary action to protect all children as soon as they go missing."

Until now all missing person calls were treated the same, with response officers called out to investigate until the person was located.

Police call handlers will now put calls into one of two categories: missing or absent.

The new definition of "missing" will be: "Not at the place they are expected to be, but the circumstances are out of character or the context suggests they may be subject of a crime or at risk of harm to themselves or others."

The definition of "absent" will be: "Not at a place where they are expected or required to be."

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) hopes the new policy will cut bureaucracy and stop officers from being seen as 'taxi drivers' sent to collect runaway children who regularly abscond.

Chief Constable Pat Geenty said: "The police are often the first agency to take a missing person report and our aim is to ensure we get the best possible response to those most at risk of harm.

"This means identifying these cases early so that policing resources go where they are most needed. We need to move beyond a one-size-fits-all response".

The new policy will be introduced nationally in April after being piloted in three police forces as part of the joint Home Office and Acpo Reducing Bureaucracy programme.


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David Bowie Show Is V&A's Fastest-Selling

The Victoria and Albert Museum's David Bowie exhibition has become its fastest-selling event and it hasn't even opened yet.

More than 300 objects have been brought together for the first time to celebrate the singer's 50-year career, including costumes, photographs, film, set designs, and hand-written lyrics.

Although Bowie was not directly involved in the exhibition, the museum was given unprecedented access to the David Bowie Archive.

It showcases seminal items such as the Ziggy Stardust bodysuits from 1972, music videos such as Boys Keep Swinging and set designs created for the Diamond Dogs tour in 1974.

Never-before-seen personal items such as story boards, Bowie's own sketches, musical scores and diary entries, as well as hand-written set lists and lyrics with be on public show for the first time.

The exhibition, which opens this weekend and runs until August 11, is already the V&A's fastest selling on pre-sale tickets alone.

A spokeswoman for the museum said: "We have sold over 47,000 tickets for the exhibition. It is the most pre-sale tickets that we have ever recorded for an exhibition."

Three years in the making, it has coincided with The Next Day, Bowie's first number one album since 1993's Black Tie White Noise, although this was not planned.

The exhibition features 60 stage costumes, including Kansai Yamamoto's designs for the Aladdin Sane tour of 1973 and a Union Jack coat designed by Bowie and Alexander McQueen for the 1997 Earthling Album cover.

In January, Bowie released the surprise single Where Are We Now? to coincide with his 66th birthday.

A critically acclaimed video was released for the second single, The Stars (Are Out Tonight), co-starring English actress Tilda Swinton.

His new album, The Next Day, went straight to number one on iTunes when it was released.


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David Hockney Aide Death Cause Unknown

A post-mortem has shown "no obvious natural causes" for the death of David Hockney's personal assistant, police have said.

Dominic Elliott died in hospital on Sunday morning after he was taken ill at the world-famous artist's house in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, on Saturday.

A Humberside Police spokesman said: "A post-mortem was carried out on the body of 23-year-old Dominic Elliott yesterday at Hull Royal Infirmary mortuary and it showed no obvious natural causes for his death.

"Further tests will now be carried out, the results of which will not be known for some weeks.

"Mr Elliott's family has been fully updated by Humberside Police."

David Hockney's house Mr Hockney's home in Bridlington, East Yorkshire

Officers are continuing to investigate how Mr Elliott became ill before he was taken to Scarborough Hospital by a friend.

Keen sportsman Mr Elliott worked as a personal assistant to the 75-year-old artist, setting up equipment and helping in his studio.

He was the subject of more than one Hockney portrait.

Humberside Police said earlier this week that the circumstances of his death were "not clear" but there was no sign of violence.

Hockney, who is not thought to be the friend who drove Mr Elliott to hospital, is said to be extremely upset by the death.

The Bradford-born painter is sometimes referred to as Britain's greatest living artist and is one of the most influential cultural figures of the last 50 years.

His famous works include A Bigger Splash and the portrait Mr And Mrs Clark And Percy.

As well as his detached house near the seafront in Bridlington, Hockney has homes in London and Los Angeles.

Mr Elliott was a well-known local sportsman and tributes have been paid to him by team-mates at Bridlington Rugby Club and Driffield Hockey Club.


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Police Search Land Over Missing Teenager

Police are searching land in South Staffordshire over the disappearance of teenager Natalie Putt 10 years ago.

Specialist teams are at private land off the Stourbridge Road in Wombourne after getting new information.

Natalie disappeared from her home in Thornleigh, Lower Gornal, in September 2003.

The young mother, who was aged 17 at the time of her disappearance, had given birth to a baby boy 11 weeks before.

Computer generated image of Natalie Putt A police compter-generated image of how Natalie might have looked in 2010

Natalie's child, Rhys, continues to be cared for by relatives.

Superintendent Andy Parsons, from Dudley Police, said: "The missing person's investigation into Natalie's disappearance has always remained open and a number of new lines of enquiry have been investigated over the past 10 years.

"This current search is based on new information received by our investigation team and Natalie's family have been informed of the latest developments.

"We continue to urge people with information relating to this investigation to contact us as soon as possible."

Anyone able to help the police inquiry should call Dudley Police by dialling 101

More follows...


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Energy Costs Push Inflation To 9-Month High

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 19 Maret 2013 | 20.14

Rising energy and petrol bills combined to push inflation to a nine-month high in February, tightening the household spending squeeze.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) at an annual rate of 2.8% in February, up 0.1% on the previous month and in line with economists' forecasts.

The ONS said the increase was also driven by higher video game and photographic equipment costs.

Higher energy bills saw housing costs rise 0.5% between January and February, while transport prices rose 1.2% due to a 4p-a-litre surge in the cost of petrol and 9% increase in air fares.

CPI continues to outstrip wage growth in the UK and the gap is expected to widen as experts predict inflation will top 3% by the summer.

The Treasury shrugged off the increase, insisting it was "in line with market expectations and down by almost a half from its peak of 5.2%."

But there are signs of even further inflationary pressure in the economy as the weaker pound leads to higher oil import costs.

Just last month, the Bank of England forecast that CPI inflation would remain above its 2% target into 2016, pushed up by higher energy and university tuition prices.

The latest inflation figures also cast doubt on the bank's ability to pump more money into the flat-lining economy through its quantitative easing programme.

We learn on Wednesday whether out-going governor, Sir Mervyn King, voted again to extend QE by a further £25bn when the minutes of this month's meeting of the monetary policy committee (MPC) are released.

In February, the MPC voted 6-3 against further stimulus.

Commenting on the rise in inflation, TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady called for action from the Chancellor George Osborne: "Workers are suffering a double whammy of rising prices and stagnating wages.

"Ministers once reassured us that the recovery would be on track by now. Instead the squeeze on people's pay is getting even tighter.

"A boost to living standards is urgently needed in tomorrow's Budget, particularly with yet more welfare cuts due to kick in next month."

:: The Retail Prices Index (RPI), which also includes housing costs, dropped to 3.2% in February from 3.3% in January as food inflation eased slightly.


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Weather: No Sign Of Spring Amid More Snow

Snow has covered the north of the UK overnight as persistently cold weather keeps an unusual grip on March.

Heavy snow - up to 10cm across lowlands and 25cm on higher ground - has fallen across Scotland, with temperatures hovering around a bitter three degrees.

The Met Office has issued amber alerts for many parts of Scotland, while gale force winds are also forecast.

Driving conditions have been made difficult and more than 100 schools have closed. Aberdeenshire and the Borders are among the worst hit areas.

Sky News Weather Presenter Isobel Lang warned people to prepare for disruption.

She said: "Heavy snow and strong winds will bring travel disruption today with the worst of the conditions likely to be across central and eastern Scotland, northeast England and Northern Ireland.

"Bitter east winds will blow the snow around causing drifting and blizzard conditions."

Snow in Scotland Several inches of snow have fallen in Scotland

The outlook for the rest of the UK also looks typically unseasonal.

Lang said: "Heavy showers in other parts of Britain could also bring hail, sleet or snow, especially later today and tonight."

Meanwhile, the whole country should be braced for further snow storms and cold wet weather throughout the week - and beyond.

"Tomorrow may start with some snow in the morning, perhaps disruptive in places, but it should turn drier during the day.

"Concerns increase again, though, later in the week as wet and windy weather, preceded by snow, moves in across the southwest and spreads north across the country.

"Although rainfall totals may be enough to cause some problems across the south and southwest, it is likely to be snow that is most disruptive, especially across central and northern parts," Lang said.

The latest snowy spell continues a cold month across the UK which has brought an unwelcome delay to springtime weather.

Forecasters said that while snow was not uncommon in March, the persistent dumpings and low temperatures were unusual.

It is too early to predict if it will be a white Easter or not, but Lang warned that the run-up looked "unsettled and unspring-like".


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Coronation St: Bill Roache Sorry Over Remarks

Coronation Street actor Bill Roache has said he is "very sorry for any offence caused" after he seemingly claimed victims of sexual abuse are being punished for their behaviour in "previous lives".

The star, who plays Ken Barlow in the long-running soap, made the original remarks in a television interview, during which he said famous men can be "caught in this trap" by young female fans who follow their movements.

Speaking to New Zealand's TVNZ, he said of the victims: "If you accept that you are pure love ... and therefore live that pure love, these things won't happen to you."

He was then pressed by reporter Garth Bray, who asked: "To some people that sounds perhaps like you're saying victims bring things on themselves. Is that what you're saying?"

The 80-year-old replied: "No, not quite, but then yes I am. Everything that happens to us is the result of what we have been in previous lives."

The comments echo those of Glenn Hoddle who was sacked as England's football manager in 1999 after he was quoted as appearing to suggest disabled people were paying for sins committed in previous lives.

pg world cup glenn hoddle Glenn Hoddle appeared to say disabled people were paying for previous sins

Roache has been asked by Sky News correspondent Becky Johnson: "You appear to have suggested some victims may be paying for things they did in a past life. Is that how you feel?"

The star replied: "No I would not go along and say things like that. I'm not saying that.

"In this situation where we can only talk about the law. I'm not going to talk about victims or life.

"Life is what we make it. We do come into life to learn from certain experiences and broadly some of the major experiences we have we have asked to go through. This is my understanding of life."

He added: "If you're going to pin me down and start saying 'all victims deserve what they're getting'. No I am not saying that at all."

His remarks to TVNZ were condemned by the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC), which said his comments were an insult to abuse victims.

Dr Jon Bird, from NAPAC, condemned Roache's "hippy-dippy" spiritualist beliefs, saying child sex abuse left people with horrific physical and mental scars.

He said of the remarks: "This is a real insult, it is horrible. I think a lot of people will be deeply offended by what he said. Abuse is a crime. The rape of a child is an appalling crime and the long term effects we hear about include suicide."

Michael Le Vell Michael Le Vell pictured arriving at court

Roache's co-star of 30 years, Michael Le Vell, has been suspended from the ITV soap after he was charged with 19 child sex offences.

Le Vell, whose real name is Michael Turner, appeared in court last month and was bailed until his next appearance in the dock at Manchester Crown Court. Le Vell has insisted he is innocent.

During his interview with TVNZ, Roache said: "Everyone's innocent until they're proven guilty."

He described paedophilia as "absolutely horrendous" but added: "There's a fringe here ... particularly pop stars who have these groupies, these girls, who are sexually active and sexually mature.

"They don't ask for their birth certificate and they don't know what age they may be. They're certainly not grooming them and exploiting them but they can be caught in this trap."

He added: "These people are instantly stigmatised. Some will be innocent and some will not, but until such time as (any offence) is proven, there should be anonymity for both.

"If someone has done something wrong, the law should take its course. But whether they're proven guilty or not, we should never be judgemental about anyone.

"We shouldn't go round condemning. We should be forgiving about everything."

Speaking to Sky News, Roache said: "I'm not blaming anybody for anything but things were different back in the 1970s. People were more tactile.

"I think it's probably unfair to judge too harshly today on things that were done 20 or 30 years ago.

"There should be a greater understanding that things were different in those days."

He added: "I'm not excusing inappropriate and insensitive behaviour to women. I think women are wonderful and they should be treated with respect."


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Michael Owen: Ex-England Star To Retire

Michael Owen Factfile

Updated: 12:13pm UK, Tuesday 19 March 2013

The key dates in the player's career.

1979: Born December 14, Chester.

1995: Beats the goalscoring record of Kevin Gallen and Nick Barmby for England Under-15s.

1996: Helps Liverpool win the FA Youth Cup in May. Signs professional terms with Liverpool on 17th birthday after previously joining them as a schoolboy.

1997: May 6 - Scores on his first-team debut against Wimbledon.

November 18 - Nets his first senior hat-trick against Grimsby in the League Cup.

1998: February 11 - Becomes youngest England international of the 20th century when he starts against Chile.

February 14 - Scores his first Premier League hat-trick against Sheffield Wednesday. Finishes season joint-top scorer in the Premier League with 18 goals.

May 31 - Named in England's World Cup squad of 22.

June 22 - Scores after coming on as substitute against Romania but England lose 2-1.

June 30 - Scores a sensational goal against Argentina before England bow out of France '98 on penalties.

December 13 - Named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, one day before his 19th birthday.

2001: May - Scores twice in the last seven minutes as Liverpool come back to beat Arsenal 2-1 in the FA Cup final at the Millennium Stadium.

September 1 - Scores hat-trick in 5-1 win over Germany in a World Cup qualifier in Munich.

September 26 - Signs new four-year deal with Liverpool.

December 17 - Named European Footballer of the Year.

2002: June - Scores goals against Denmark and Brazil during England's run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Japan.

2003: April 26 - Scores his 100th Premier League goal, the second of four in a 6-0 rout of West Brom.

June 11 - Captains England in the absence of David Beckham and nets twice in 2-1 Euro 2004 qualifying defeat of Slovakia.

2004: June - Scores one goal for England in Euro 2004, in the quarter-final defeat to Portugal.

August 12 - Sources close to Real Madrid reveal the Spanish club have agreed a deal to sign Owen.

2005: May 23 - Scores 16 goals in his debut season in Spain.

August 30 - Signs four-year deal with Newcastle, sealing £17m permanent transfer.

December 31 - Breaks metatarsal bone in defeat at Tottenham and is ruled out for "several months".

2006: June 20 - Regains fitness to take his place at the World Cup but injures his knee in first minute of group game against Sweden in Cologne. Ruled out for at least nine months.

2007: April 30 - Makes first competitive start in over 10 months, playing the full 90 minutes as Newcastle lose 1-0 to Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

2008: January 19 - Appointed Newcastle captain by new manager Kevin Keegan.

2009: May - Finishes the season with 10 goals as Newcastle are relegated from the Premier League on the final day.

June 22 - Confirms that he will not be renewing his contract with Newcastle.

July 3 - Reports link Owen with free transfer to Manchester United and he later signs a two-year contract with the champions after passing medical tests.

September 22 - Claims a dramatic winner in the sixth minute of injury time to seal a 4-3 win over Manchester City.

2010: March 5 - Ruled out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

2011: May - Makes enough league appearances to claim a title winner's medal but is an unused substitute in United's Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona at Wembley.

November 2 - Substituted early in Champions League group stage match against Otelul Galati and misses the rest of the season.

2012: May 17 - Reveals on Twitter that Manchester United would not be offering him a new deal after three years with the club.

September 4 - Now a free agent, signs for Stoke on a one-year contract.

September 15 - Makes Potters debut as an 89th-minute substitute against Manchester City.

2013: March 19 - Announces he will retire from professional football at the end of the season.


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Budget: Extra £2.5bn Boost For Spending

George Osborne has ordered government departments to slash their budgets by another £2.5bn to fund extra capital spending.

The Chancellor and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told ministers that they can afford to trim another 1% a year until 2015.

Mr Osborne said at Cabinet that it was possible because departments have under-spent their budgets this year by more than the average.

Chancellor George Osborne in Downing Street George Osborne in Downing Street

The extra cuts will not hit the departments protected by ring-fences - the NHS, international aid and schools. HMRC is also protected, as is the police budget for the first year.

There is no detail yet on how the extra cash will be spent, but it will help Mr Osborne satisfy critics that he is not doing enough to boost growth.

The announcement comes on the eve of his Budget, in which he is under intense pressure to inject some life into an economy teetering on the brink of a triple-dip recession.

The Ministry of Defence will be allowed to roll over unspent money to compensate for the cuts being demanded from the department.

But others including environment, energy, transport and justice will have to find the 1% annual savings to day-to-day resource budgets in full.

More follows...


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Alps Victim 'Really Popular Boy', Says School

Written By Unknown on Senin, 18 Maret 2013 | 22.27

A 12-year-old boy who along with his father died while hiking in the Alps has been described by his headteacher as a "really popular boy" who will be "really sadly missed".

Peter and Charlie Saunders were killed on a walking trip in the Chamonix valley in France after flying there for a short weekend adventure.

Mr Saunders tumbled to his death as he tried to search for his son who had fallen 300 metres, French police believe.

A statement issued on behalf of the family said: "Charlie was always full of life, had a really happy temperament and loved spending time with his father.

"Peter was fantastic at making things happen, resourceful, with a positive approach to life. They will both be sorely missed by friends and family alike.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the French rescue services for all their efforts."

Charlie had started at Royal Latin School in Buckingham in September. Headteacher David Hudson told Sky News: "Charlie was a really popular boy, enthusiastic and got involved in everything from day one.

"I think there's a real sense of shock in the school generally. We're all affected on a very human level. Lots of us are parents ourselves. But all of the children in the school matter hugely to us.

"I think it's going to be a very difficult day and few weeks for us. He had just started with us in September so it was early days for him in his school career.

"But already he'd been involved in a number of clubs. He was a great sportsman.  He got involved in badminton and athletics. He obviously loved his outdoor sports so he was already making a huge impact in the school and he will be really sadly missed."

Close view of hiking location The Saunders were said to be exploring a 'dangerous' mountain trail

Rescue services in Chamonix were called by 48-year-old Mr Saunders at 2pm local time on Saturday.

He apparently said his son had fallen into a crevasse near Mont Blanc and that they were lost.

Captain Patrice Ribes, a French police officer, told Sky News that emergency services tried to trace the mobile phone call and launched a rescue mission.

But the rescuers lost contact and had to begin their search with little information about the pair's location.

A helicopter eventually spotted their bodies on Sunday morning at an altitude of 1,600m.

Capt Ribes said: "We think the father tried to find his son after he called us and asked for rescue. We believe he fell as he tried to find his son. Their bodies were found together this morning at 7.40am."

The father and son had ventured into the Glacier des Bossons area of the Mont Blanc mountain range.

Capt Ribes said they had inadequate equipment and were exploring a "dangerous, deep, snowy" mountain trail.

The valley, which boasts five ski resorts, gets a lot of British tourists throughout the year, with many owning holiday homes in the area.

According to reports, at least 10 off-piste skiers and mountaineers had already been killed in the area this month.


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David Hockney: Artist's Assistant Dead

A studio assistant to the artist David Hockney has died in hospital after being taken from the painter's home in a serious condition.

Dominic Elliott, 23, had sat for the artist on more than one occasion at his studio in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

He died at Scarborough General Hospital on Sunday morning and police are now investigating the events surrounding his death.

David Hockney's house Curtains drawn at Hockney's house in Bridlington

Humberside Police said that they were contacted after the man had been taken to the hospital by a friend in a serious condition.

Police said: "The 23-year-old man was sadly pronounced dead at hospital and the police notified.

"The circumstances of the man's death are not clear and officers are currently undertaking inquiries to establish events leading to his death.

"There were no signs of violence and a post-mortem is due to take place tomorrow (Tuesday) which is hoped may provide further information."

Tributes have been paid to Mr Elliott by members of the rugby club where he played in the seaside town.

Bridlington Rugby Club chairman Gordon Morrice told the Bridlington Free Press: "Dominic was a valued member of our club, a good player with great potential.

"With his size and ability he could easily have established himself as a first team regular.

"He was a popular lad and had so many friends at the club."

The club said Mr Elliott, who only took up rugby a couple of years ago, was a second row forward who mainly played for the Mariners - the club's second team.

Hockney, 75, is one of the most famous British artists of his generation and was celebrated at the Royal Academy of Arts last year with an exhibition of his large scale landscapes, called A Bigger Picture.

The Bradford-born artist is famous for artworks such as A Bigger Splash, a vivid depiction of a Los Angeles swimming pool, and the portrait Mr And Mrs Clark And Percy.

In recent years he has been exploring the possibilities of using an iPad for his artworks.


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Snow Warning: New Cold Snap Brings More Misery

Another cold snap is on its way, with parts of the country facing more snow and freezing temperatures, forecasters say.

Scotland and the north of England are expected to see up to 20cm (eight inches) of snow build up from today into Wednesday morning, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 15C (5F) overnight.

The cold weather also meant more misery for road and rail travellers on Monday morning with serious disruption on a number of key commuter routes.

The Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning for today and tomorrow, urging those in the regions likely to be affected by snow to be aware.

The Grampians, eastern parts of the Southern Uplands, the Lake District and the Pennines are expected to be hit hard.

Spring weather March 18th A man takes a walk through the grounds of Bowes Castle in County Durham

Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia and parts of the South East may also wake to a covering of up to one inch of snow on Wednesday morning and overnight frost is expected throughout the country.

The frost has caused problems for some south-east England train companies were hit by a build-up of ice on the "third rail" from which trains get their power.

Services in Hampshire, Surrey and Kent were particularly affected, with a number of trains being delayed and cancelled.

On the main line in Kent, the third rail problem meant there were delays of up to 50 minutes to trains between Sevenoaks and Orpington, while trains were unable to run between Havant in Hampshire and Guildford in Surrey.

There were also problems on the Tube where late-running engineering work meant a closure of a large section of the Metropolitan line at the start of the rush hour.

Services did resume later, but with severe delays.

Meanwhile, flights in and out of Leeds-Bradford Airport were halted on Monday morning after about 3cm of snow fell. Passengers were asked to check with their airline or tour operator before heading to the airport.

The A66 across the Pennines between Bowes, County Durham, and Stainmore, Cumbria, was also closed because of heavy snow.

Met Office map Yellow: Be aware; Orange: Be Prepared (Met Office)

A Durham Police spokeswoman said: "There are currently tailbacks of traffic while this process is under way."

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said the wintry weather would continue even as the spring equinox takes place.

"Snow and strong, cold east winds will cause disruption across eastern Scotland later on Monday and into Tuesday," she said.

"Over 10cm to 20cm (4in to 8in) of snow is forecast, with the highest accumulations over hills. It will feel freezing cold.

"Snow is likely in other areas too, for example across the Cumbrian Fells and Pennines today, and perhaps across eastern England later on Tuesday too.

"Drier, clearer weather midweek will lead to some widespread sharp frosts with lows of minus five to minus 10 Celsius."

Lang said the current conditions are in marked contrast to those last year when high pressure brought a settled and sunny period to much of the UK.

She explained: "Temperatures popped up to 22.8C at St James' Park at the end of the month, and broke Scottish records for March when Aboyne in Aberdeenshire hit 23.6C on March 27."

The third rail difficulties also meant delays for passengers travelling between Reading and Wokingham in Berkshire and there were no services between Alton in Hampshire and Farnham in Surrey and delays between East Grinstead in West Sussex and Oxted in Surrey.

The problem also led to delays of up to 45 minutes for passengers travelling between Horsham and Three Bridges in West Sussex, while similar-length hold-ups were hitting services between Tonbridge in Kent and Redhill in Surrey.

To add to passengers' woes, over-running engineering works caused disruption at Norwich, with trains between Norwich and Cromer/Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft delayed.

London Midland, which has suffered staff problems over recent months, had to replace trains with buses between Nuneaton and Coventry due to a shortage of train crew.

London Midland, and Virgin Trains, also suffered delays between Northampton/Rugby and Milton Keynes Central due to a signalling problem.

Another signalling problem near Glasgow meant trains could not run between Paisley Canal and Glasgow Central, while passengers were warned of possible delays and cancellations to trains East Kilbride and Glasgow Central.


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Leveson: Parties Reach Deal But Row Over Clause

The three main political parties have reached a deal on how to regulate the press - but Labour and the Tories have become embroiled in a war of words over who has emerged on top from the fraught negotiations.

The details are expected to be revealed in the House of Commons later, but it appears a Royal Charter - rather than legislation passed by Parliament - will be used to create an independent regulator which will have more powers to deal with the press if it breaks the rules.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who will give an oral statement and apply for an emergency debate on the reforms, has been clear he is very uncomfortable with the idea of setting anything down in law because it could be seen as politicians meddling with the press.

However, it is understood a compromise has been reached to include three lines of statute - a clause in the legislation to ensure that any Royal Charter cannot be amended in the future without two-thirds majorities in both Houses of Parliament.

There will be no industry veto of who sits on the regulator, and judges will have the power to direct newspapers on apologies.

But the main point of contention - whether or not it should be underpinned by law - seems to be a matter of interpretation, and has triggered a dispute about the degree of statutory regulation.

The row centres on a clause being inserted into the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill in the Lords later.

It does not explicitly refer to the Royal Charter that will establish the new press arrangements - but Labour and the Liberal Democrats argue the effect would be the same.

David Cameron David Cameron insists all parties have accepted his blueprint

Labour leader Ed Miliband and Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg claim the deal is based on their plans for a Royal Charter underpinned by law, so that it cannot be watered down or changed.

But Mr Cameron, who was addressing Conservative MPs this afternoon ahead of the Commons showdown - disagrees.

He has denied the new press regulations will have "statutory underpinning", and insists the agreement on a Royal Charter, struck in the early hours of this morning, avoids the need for a law to control newspapers.

He said: "It's not statutory underpinning. What it is, is simply a clause that says politicians can't fiddle with this so it takes it further away from politicians, which is actually, I think, a sensible step.

"What we wanted to avoid and we have avoided is a press law. Nowhere will it say what this body is, what it does, what it can't do, what the press can and can't do. That, quite rightly, is being kept out of Parliament.

"So no statutory underpinning but a safeguard that says politicians can't in future fiddle with this arrangement."

He added: "What's happened is that everyone has accepted my argument for a Royal Charter. Why does that matter? Well I thought it was important to avoid a press law, a law that said the press can do this, the regulator's got to do that. That would be dangerous, that's not going to happen and that's what we secured and that's why this is a good deal."

But Mr Miliband said: "What we have agreed is essentially the Royal Charter that Nick Clegg and I published on Friday. It will be underpinned by statute ... because it stops ministers or the press meddling with it, watering it down in the future.

Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg claim they have got what they wanted

"It will be a regulator, a system of complaints where the regulator has teeth, can direct apologies ... and it is independent of the press.

"For too long we have had a system where the press have been marking their own homework. There has been a lot of tough negotiation in this process, but I genuinely believe this upholds the freedom of the press ... at the same time as protecting the victims.

"People who revealed MPs' expenses, people who revealed phone hacking have nothing to fear from what has been agreed."

The Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems are understood to have held talks for more than five hours.

Mr Cameron was not present but was represented by Oliver Letwin, who has been the key figure for the party in recent negotiations.

Mr Clegg told Sky News that in his opinion "everybody" was a winner. "We have secured the cherished principle of the freedom of the press, but also given innocent people reassurance that they won't be unjustifiably bullied or intimidated by powerful interests in the press without having proper recourse when that happens," he said.

Hacked Off, the group campaigning for victims of phone hacking, also welcomed the cross-party deal.

London bombing hero Paul Dadge told Sky News: "This isn't to stop stories in the newspapers in the future. This is to ensure that things that happened to me, the Dowler family, the McCanns, don't happen again in the future."

But Neil Wallis, former executive editor of the News Of The World, disagreed. "What these people want to do is to control what the public is told. And if you give the state legislation, what you have not got any longer is a free press." he said.

"You can't put those words in the same sentence - 'state regulation' and 'free press'. It simply stops."

Trevor Kavanagh, former political editor of The Sun, added: "Until we've examined the fine print we will have to hold our fire, but it's a little worrying when the three political parties get together and their final verdict is welcomed so enthusiastically by Hacked Off, which is definitely seeking to shackle and gag the free press."

Mr Cameron, who last week pulled out of talks about implementing Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations, previously warned that legislation would endanger press freedom.


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Hacking: 'Hundreds Of Victims' In New Plot

Police have found a new conspiracy to intercept voicemails with "potentially hundreds more victims" the Law Courts have been told.

The revelation came during the 14th case management conference relating to civil damages actions brought by scores of people from all walks of life over the phone hacking scandal.

At the beginning of proceedings, Hugh Tomlinson QC told the High Court that there had been "substantial developments" since the previous case management hearing.

He said a number of further arrests had been made "in what the Metropolitan Police Service have characterised in their public statement as a new conspiracy to intercept voice mail messages".

Shane Richie Shane Richie is among the new victims

He added that it involved "potentially hundreds of victims".

Mr Tomlinson, who represents claimants in the action, said it was "not known at the moment how many more claims may be issued".

Sky correspondent Rachel Younger, who was in court, said: "Only one of the new victims has been named - TV star Shane Richie - who has made his application to the court."

During the proceedings Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh accepted "very substantial" damages and a public apology over phone hacking. 

In October 2010 her private mobile telephone was stolen from her car in south west London.

David Sherborne, representing the MP for Mitcham and Morden, told Mr Justice Vos that in June last year police notified her they had "obtained evidence that The Sun newspaper had accessed her text messages from about October 2010 and therefore appeared to have accessed and/or acquired her mobile phone".

A QC told the court on behalf of the newspaper that it was accepted that her mobile phone "should not have been accessed and used and furthermore accept that there has been a serious misuse of her private information".

Mr Sherborne said the defendants, the publishers and/or owners of The Sun, had agreed to pay Ms McDonagh "very substantial damages" and her legal costs.

:: Retired boxer Chris Eubank told the court that he was looking forward to a "gargantuan battle" in the phone-hacking litigation.

The former world champion told Mr Justice Vos he was confident that evidence relating to his case would get in the public domain shortly and he looked forward to the "gargantuan battle" ahead of him.

"I know that Mrs Murdoch has a pretty good left hook so I am going to ask her to be gentle with me," he joked.

Despite interruptions by the judge - who said that his case was at a preliminary stage and it was not appropriate to try to negotiate in the face of the court - Eubank persisted in holding the floor, saying he was not accepting News Group Newspapers' "derisory offer" of £21,000 as they had taken everything away from him.

He said he was fighting on, alleging they had destroyed his marriage and he had been unable to care for his children.


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Uncovered: The Public Bodies Snooping On You

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 17 Maret 2013 | 20.14

The Department for Transport is among a range of public organisations that have paid private firms to spy on their behalf, while it has been claimed some 14 bodies, including 10 councils, may have commissioned potentially illegal surveillance.

The findings, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by civil liberties and privacy campaigners Big Brother Watch (BBW), showed that £3.9m has been spent by public bodies in the last two years on paying private investigators for surveillance work  - including snooping on their own staff.

A total of  29 organisations - 27 councils, one public authority and one government department, the DfT - paid private firms to undertake surveillance using powers under Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) in the years 2010/11 and 2011/12.

But some 14 organisations - 10 councils and four public authorities - paid private firms to undertake surveillance that was not covered by Ripa - meaning they commissioned potentially illegal activity.

Two public authorities and two councils paid other public bodies to spy on their behalf at a cost of £7,600, while four councils - Caerphilly, Dudley, Leicestershire and York - used private investigators to monitor their own staff.

BBW director Nick Pickles said: "This research has uncovered cases where it looks like the law has not been followed and it's essential they are urgently investigated.

"Unlike the US, British law isn't strong enough to stop evidence obtained by illegal surveillance being used in court and the punishments for people deliberately flouting the law are trivial.

Eric Pickles, Communities Secretary. Eric Pickles says councils which have flouted the law should face justice

"We need a proper licensing system for private investigators, reformed laws to stop unauthorised surveillance being used in court and most importantly to replace the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act with legislation that is fit for purpose."

City of York Council denied using private investigators and said it had used an external fraud team.

BBW has recommended urgent reform of Ripa to protect against unauthorised surveillance by third parties.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 should be strengthened to stop unauthorised surveillance by raising the bar about what evidence can be used in legal proceedings, BBW recommended.

The group also wants private investigator licensing to be strengthened and a duty to regulate contracted investigators to be introduced.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: "This Government has clamped down on the overuse and abuse of surveillance powers by town halls.

"Such powers can only be used for serious crimes, and require a magistrates' warrant. It is totally unacceptable if councils are trying to sidestep these important new checks and they should be held to account for acting outside the law."


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Budget: Osborne To Tackle Youth Jobs Crisis?

Osborne: 'More Tough Choices Ahead'

Updated: 12:14pm UK, Sunday 17 March 2013

Chancellor George Osborne is bringing forward the introduction of a new, simple state pensions system and a cap on the cost of social care.

Ahead of his Budget on Wednesday, Mr Osborne announced that the single-tier pension would be introduced in 2016 - a year earlier than previously planned.

The cap on social care costs, originally set for £75,000 and due for introduction in 2017, will now start in 2016 as well but at £72,000.

Mr Osborne said the changes would be a "huge boost" for people trying to save for their retirement.

The announcement came as he warned there are no "miracle cures" for the UK economy and raised the spectre of Britain following Cyprus if he changes tack.

The Chancellor is under mounting pressure to ditch his economic "Plan A" and to find some way of kickstarting growth.

A new opinion poll suggests most voters - including more than a quarter of Conservative supporters - think his policies are failing.

But Mr Osborne said the UK could end up facing an economic disaster like Cyprus if he does not stick to his austerity plans.

He dismissed calls for extra borrowing to cut taxes or finance a "spending spree" and warned changing now would be a "disaster".

The Chancellor said the crisis in Cyprus was an example of "what happens if you don't show the world you can pay your way".

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "That is why in Britain we have got to retain the confidence of world markets."

Mr Osborne acknowledged his austerity measures were "difficult" and the effort to rebalance and repair the economy was "painstaking work".

But he said that "unless we in Britain front up to our own problems ... then the difficult economic situation in Britain will get very much worse".

"There is no easy answer to Britain's problems, there is no miracle cure because if there was a miracle cure it would have been deployed," he said.

"It's just a lot of hard work of dealing with Britain's debts, helping businesses create jobs, helping families who want to work hard and get on."

Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Mr Osborne hinted he would also do more to help homebuyers, business start-ups and apprentices in his Budget on Wednesday.

Helping create jobs would mean "cutting tax rates and red tape, backing scientific advance, building new roads and broadband" and making the UK an attractive investment option, he said.

However he warned of "more tough choices" to be made on further slashing public spending from 2015 - with the scale of the squeeze to be unveiled in his statement.

"It won't be easy," he warned, amid rows between ministers over where the axe should fall.

His comments came as a report revealed families have cut back on spending by more than £3,000 a year since the start of the credit crunch.

Consumer watchdog Which? found the cut in discretionary spending's opening up a £136bn black hole in the economy over the last five years.

Former cabinet minister Liam Fox is leading Tory calls for a change of course on the economy, suggesting Corporation Tax be reduced to zero and far bigger cuts to public spending.

Other prominent backbench demands include cancelling a fuel duty rise due in the autumn and scrapping the beer duty escalator that automatically ups the price of a pint.

Mr Osborne is tipped to announce extra investment in housebuilding and road projects - called for by leading business groups - and help for people to buy homes.

But he will not abandon "Plan A" by increasing borrowing to fund it - a move being mooted within the coalition by Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said he would welcome extra borrowing to fund a cut in the basic rate of income tax to put more money into people's pockets.

But Mr Osborne hit back: "I think the British people know there are no easy answers in today's world. They aren't fooled by the miracle cures peddled by the same snake oil politicians who got us into this mess.

"Labour's answer to Britain's borrowing problems is to borrow even more - that simply doesn't make sense. If there were easy options and miracle cures then of course I would take them, but sadly there aren't."


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Police Arrest 60 Ahead Of Football Match

Police have arrested more than 60 people for alleged violent disorder in Nuneaton in the hours leading up to a football match against Lincoln City.

The disorder broke out in a number of pubs in the town centre ahead of the non-league fixture on Saturday.

Officers from Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Police, West Midlands Police and British Transport Police were deployed in the town shortly before 10.30am in response to reports of disorder at a number of licensed premises.

Police began arresting dozens of people on suspicion of violent disorder at The Granby pub from 3.20pm.

The suspects were transported by coach to Nuneaton police station and held in custody for questioning.

Chief Inspector Adrian Knight, who was in charge of the response, said officers from all police units involved were "successful in containing the disorder and protecting the safety and well-being of the general public".

"This operation was a true collaboration utilising resources from across the region.

"I am extremely grateful to our regional colleagues from West Mercia, West Midlands and British Transport Police for their support in this operation. It has been a particularly challenging day.

"Warwickshire Police is committed to protecting people from harm, whether they live in the county or are visiting, and we will not tolerate any behaviour which puts them at risk.

"Anyone intent on causing trouble in Warwickshire should be aware that we will deal with them robustly."

He added: "The fact that 62 people have been arrested is testament to our commitment to tackle violence and disorder within the county."

Nuneaton Town chief executive Ian Neale said the trouble was nothing to do with the football club or its supporters.

He said police went to The Granby pub to organise an escort to town for Nuneaton fans, but only three people said they were interested in going to the match.

"They were allowed to leave the pub to take a taxi to the ground, which is two miles away from where the arrests were made," said Mr Neale.

"The Boro is a family club and people who are looking for trouble are not welcome at our ground. Anyone found guilty of any offences today will be banned from the ground for life."

He added:  "The club works tremendously hard on community programmes to give young people locally aspiration and opportunities in a working class town and we see ourselves very much part of making positive things happen for the town."

Nuneaton went on to win the Blue Square Bet Premier League fixture 1-0.


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