Portsmouth owner Balram Chainrai first in line for £17m repayment as secured creditor

By Paul Kelso Published: 8:58PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Under close and key: Portsmouth owners Balram Chainrai is initial in amends reserve if bar goes in to administration department department department department department Photo: PA

Chainrai gave notice this week that he dictated to take Portsmouth in to administration department department department department department on Friday, and officials from accountants UHY Hacker Young have already taken carry out of the club, operative out of Fratton Park and liaising without delay with the Premier League.

Officially Portsmouth sojourn in talks with a series of intensity investors but there is no llikelihood of a deal, and Chainrai is approaching to fly behind to Hong Kong on Thursday night, withdrawal the administrators to rigourously proceed addressing Portsmouth"s creditors on Friday.

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They are approaching to find that notwithstanding being the man in assign when the income ran out, Chainrai has structured his tenure in sequence to equivocate receiving a poignant monetary hit.

Chainrai is in a on all sides of strength since he is a "secured creditor", after lending income to the bar charged opposite their assets, together with Fratton Park and destiny revenues.

According to penury law, creditors of unsuccessful businesses have to be paid in a despotic order, with cumulative creditors close to the head of the reserve if and when resources are realised to compensate debt.

Chainrai has dual charges over Portsmouth, the initial cumulative on Oct 6 opposite the ground, and a second assign opposite "the total of [Porstmouth"s] endeavour and all the skill and assets" concluded on January 7.

This second assign significantly strengthens his hand, and he has serve stable his on all sides by transferring the freehold of the belligerent in to a privately-controlled company.

He is thought to have concluded to write off a little of his debt in sell for the ground, that will be leased behind to the bar for an annual let of about �1million, but it is misleading how much.

The last accounts valued the track at �11million, but the internal legislature has argued that the belligerent has singular genuine worth as it can usually be redeveloped if the bar is found an pick home. Given that condition, Chainrai might have written-off usually a assuage sum.

The stroke of Chainrai"s cumulative on all sides is that he could be paid the bulk of the �20million the bar are due to embrace in promote income and parachute payments from the Premier League in between right away and subsequent August.

That would leave the director carrying to sell players to prove alternative creditors, and if Chainrai retains carry out of the belligerent the club"s appeal, as an investment to new owners, would be particularly limited.

Attempts to sell Portsmouth as a going regard this week have foundered as intensity investors detected the border of the club"s indebtedness.

Interest from a South African-based consortium cooled when they detected that the club"s merchandising income has already been protected to a third celebration for 3 years, slicing off a consequential source of revenue. It is accepted to be one of most examples of destiny income being sole to encounter stream debts.

Chainrai"s impasse with Portsmouth began in Oct last year when he concluded to loan �17million to Ali Al Faraj, enabling the absentee Saudi Arabian to take carry out of the club.

He concluded the loan only dual weeks after he successfully sued Arcadi Gaydamak, father of Sacha Gaydamak, for the same volume in the Israeli courts.

Chainrai"s couple to Gaydamak Snr is one of most extraordinary elements of Portsmouth"s new history. Chainrai"s orator pronounced he concluded to loan the income to the bar after being approached by the representative Pini Zahavi, who was seeking for investors on the club"s behalf.

The club"s most appropriate possibility of a quick fortitude to the predicament is if one of the meddlesome parties decides to buy them out of administration department department department department department in the subsequent dual or 3 weeks.

Aston Villa 3 Crystal Palace 1: match report

By David McVay at Villa Park Published: 7:15AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Previous of Images Next Net gain: Gabby Agbonlahor"s header had put Villa a idea up at half time Photo: REUTERS Master blaster: John Carew was fouled twice by Matt Lawrence and scored twice from the resluting penalties to send Villa in to the last eight Photo: ACTION IMAGES

The last time Martin O"Neill was concerned in an FA Cup entertain final, Torvill and Dean had swept all prior to them at the Winter Olympics and the Miners" Strike was in the infancy. It was that prolonged ago.

As Notts County captain in Mar 1984, O"Neill was degraded by Everton but carrying accomplished his personification days at Meadow Lane, he had never reached the sixth turn theatre of the important old foe as a physical education instructor until this attainment over Crystal Palace at Villa Park.

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But Reading in the subsequent turn can wait, for the Irishman"s cups indeed do runneth over as his colourful group head to Wembley on Sunday to fool around Manchester United in the League Cup final, a most some-more informed sourroundings for O"Neill who won the prize 4 times as a Nottingham Forest player underneath Brian Clough and as physical education instructor of Leicester City.

Two late penalties by John Carew ensured Aston Villa avoided the distrurbance of additional time and reflected the inconsistency in between the dual teams in this fifth turn replay, a tie that could be Neil Warnock"s penultimate one in assign of Palace before, as at large speculated, he departs to stick on QPR.

Whatever Warnock"s week finish has in store, it cannot obscure Villa"s day out in the collateral and O"Neill lavished praised on his players for focusing on the stream charge in palm last night.

"I"m gay for them but not one of them shirked anything tonight," pronounced O"Neill. "Everyone of them was up for this crater tie and not meditative about Sunday. I"m honestly gratified for them." Villa"s relentless call of attacks was eventually rewarded when a slight set square at last translated strenuous supremacy in to goals. Julian Speroni had been in excellent form but he could not repudiate Gabriel Agbonlahor when, from Ashley"s Young corner, he nudged a elementary header over the line. The dilemma flog was a argumentative preference with James Milner removing the last touch; it was a doubtful late dilemma that authorised Villa to equalize and secure this replay at Selhurst Park, moving the predicted Warnock snub though his incandescence was some-more pale on this occasion.

"I could see it from the half approach line," he said, whilst unwell to endorse either the Championship diversion at Doncaster would be his last for Palace, who softened significantly after half time. They were rewarded when Darren Ambrose leveled from a chastisement awarded after Stephen Warnock"s awkward plea upended Alan Lee. The standing quo did not last long, however. Twice in the last ten mins the untimely Matthew Lawrence sent Carew acrobatics to the belligerent inside the 18-yard box, the initial a wanton plea from at the back of when counsel competence have been a improved option. The big Norwegian converted that one with coolness and steady the attainment dual mins from the finish in a heavy mark of deja vu for Palace.

FA Cup quarter-final draw

Chelsea v Stoke CityFulham v Tottenham HotspurReading v Aston VillaPortsmouth v Birmingham City

George Osborne: cut debt now or face economic disaster

By Andrew Porter, Political Editor Published: 8:00PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Link to this video

In a sheer notice the shade chancellor pronounced that unless cuts were done imminently to open spending budgets the financial markets will lose certainty in Britain, with inauspicious consequences.

Interest rates would soar and spending cuts would in conclusion have to go even deeper to say even a smallest turn of confidence.

Osborne leaves no room for disbelief on Tory cost cuts plan Tory spending cuts risk argent crisis, claims UBS Britain faces misfortune retrogression in critical memory, Cabinet apportion Tessa Jowell admits Three ways to revoke UKs �22bn debt Falling taxation revenues are about to fill up the bill necessity George Osborne unequivocally needs to show he can take a hold on spending

The puncture cuts that would be indispensable would be "swingeing and savage," if general certainty was lost. Mr Osborne said.

In a critical debate to a City assembly Mr Osborne said: "In the infancy impassioned cases, countries that lose the certainty of markets effectively lose their sovereignty."

The disproportion in between the Tories and Labour over how fast to cut the jot down �178 billion necessity will form the key piece of the choosing battleground.

Mr Osborne and David Cameron right away hold that the infancy of the City and economists behind their plan to looks to have poignant assets this year if they win the election.

Mr Osborne, giving the Mais mercantile harangue - a singular call in for a shade chancellor - pronounced it would "undermine credibility" to try and disagree that cuts are not indispensable and he warned that a nation in debt was one that was not free.

He said: "This is since credit is so vital."

He added: "Over the summer we will work prosaic out to control the minute departmental Spending Review for the years after 2011 that the stream supervision has simply refused to lift out, and tell that formula of that examination in the autumn.

"The usually probable reason since the Treasury has not already constructed a Spending Review is that the Government do not wish to spell out the formidable decisions that even their own spending plans imply.

"We will not demur to take the formidable decisions to get Britain working. We will take targeted stairs to revoke a little budgets in-year... in sequence to set up credit and have a begin on shortening the deficit."

Earlier this week Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, indicated that the Government could not set out spending plans until after since of the capricious mercantile climate.

But Conservative plans were called in to subject by a heading City economist who warned that has warned that slicing the necessity rught away could hint a full-blown argent predicament and a ratings downgrade.

George Magnus, the rarely reputable comparison mercantile confidant to investment bank UBS, pronounced that a beforehand move would incite a "savage" greeting in banking markets, with the bruise descending to as low as $1.05 opposite the dollar, and over relation with the euro.

It came as a new check showed that some-more London firms are right away presaging a double-dip recession. Forty 7 per cent pronounced they approaching a lapse to retrogression in a consult by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and pollsters ComRes, compared to twenty-nine per cent who approaching a lapse to postulated mercantile growth.

Mr Osborne has set out eight benchmarks that he says a destiny Tory supervision will reside by in sequence to say the nations mercantile fortitude and revive the bill to balance.

Mr Osborne used dual critical domestic total of the 1980s to allege his case.

He pronounced that for the initial time in complicated British domestic history, inhabitant income per chairman will have depressed over a full Parliament.

Tory investigate shows that the UK right away produces �281 less per chairman in genuine conditions than at the last election. The usually alternative time outlay chairman has depressed over a council was during the ephemeral 1974 Labour parliament, Mr Osborne said.

He afterwards borrowed a word from Ronald Reagan and debuted a new Tory choosing aphorism when he asked: "Are you improved off than you were five years ago?"

Mr Osborne additionally drew on the Mais harangue since in 1984 by Nigel Lawson, Margaret Thatchers chancellor.

In an bid to remonstrate the markets that he was wakeful of the dangers of acceleration he pronounced a Tory supervision would not "inflate" out of the stream crisis, he claimed.

He said: "Nigel Lawson argued that financial process should be the main apparatus of short tenure macroeconomic government whilst mercantile process should be set for the middle term. Over time that became the consensus, and it was after categorically permitted by the Labour Government.

"The financial process horizon grown too, from the embracing a cause of acceleration targeting by the Conservatives in 1992 to the extenuation of autonomy to the Bank of England five years later. Nigels strange discernment stays current today."

Last night Liam Byrne, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: "George Osborne had the possibility to come purify about his spending plans - and he bottled it. The usually thing he done transparent in the Mais harangue was that he"s still ready to put mercantile liberation at risk.

"He wants to begin slicing await to economy right away at the responsibility of jobs and open services. This is in annoy of the warnings yesterday from the general experts that to do so as well shortly could put the liberation at risk."

Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat book spokesman, added: "George Osbornes ultimate mercantile explanation shows only how out his abyss he is when it comes to the critical mercantile issues. Slashing spending right away could pull the economy behind in to retrogression and inflict serve constructional repairs on the UK that will have it harder to means the credit rating.

"He is at contingency with his personality on when cuts should come and fails to conclude that what the markets are seeking for is a convincing plan to revoke the deficit, not a eagerness to condense in any case of mercantile conditions."

George Osborne keeps on course to tackle the deficit

Published: 7:54PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Comments nineteen |

The past integrate of months have seen the inversion of the normal laws of politics. This Government has been at the circle during the biggest mercantile fall given the Depression, nonetheless it is the Tories who are on the defensive. This is partly due to Labour"s ardour for disastrous campaigning (if usually it were as in effect at governing), but additionally owes most to the capricious tinge of the Conservative message. Having blown prohibited and cold on the need for quick in truth swingeing movement to cut the deficit, the Opposition has left itself exposed to Labour accusations that the policies bluster to thrust the nation in to an age of austerity. The slip in Tory check ratings, even whilst the mercantile headlines stays grim, suggests that the Labour plan is profitable off.

George Osborne, who is the Tories" ubiquitous choosing co-ordinator as well as shade chancellor, contingency shoulder most of the shortcoming for permitting the Government to seize the beginning in this way. In last night"s Mais harangue he had a golden event to solid the boat by clarifying the strategy. The sweetmeat of his charge was highlighted by a City notice hours prior to he spoke that a Tory supervision that cuts as well far, as well fast could trigger a double-dip retrogression and a full-blown argent crisis. So no pressure, then.

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In the event, Mr Osborne rubbed the pursuit with worthy aplomb. He refused to be knocked off march by Labour"s scaremongering and validated the executive summary that rebellious the necessity has to be the comprehensive priority of an incoming government. The Parliament right away sketch to a close will be the initial given the fight during that inhabitant income per chairman has declined. The reason? The fall of an mercantile indication built on unsustainable in isolation and open debt.

There was no play on words in his message. Sorting out this disaster cannot be put off until subsequent year. It is not a trade-off in between expansion currently and profitable off debt tomorrow: there will be no expansion unless the debt is tackled. Mr Osborne argued that obligatory movement to revoke the necessity together with cuts this year in supervision programmes is necessary to instil commercial operation and consumer confidence; to encourage the monetary markets that this is a convincing liberation plan; and to safeguard that spending cuts are scrupulously planned, not be scared measures.

Mr Osborne is right to hang to his guns on the deficit. If usually he could show identical arrogance in creation the dignified box for reduce taxes. The Tories have set out the right citation of transport on taxation but need to arrangement larger distinctness of purpose. Their fearfulness could cost them dear.

George Osborne: cut debt now or face economic disaster

By Andrew Porter, Political Editor Published: 8:00PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Link to this video

In a sheer notice the shade chancellor pronounced that unless cuts were done imminently to open spending budgets the financial markets will lose certainty in Britain, with inauspicious consequences.

Interest rates would soar and spending cuts would in conclusion have to go even deeper to say even a smallest turn of confidence.

Osborne leaves no room for disbelief on Tory cost cuts plan Tory spending cuts risk argent crisis, claims UBS Britain faces misfortune retrogression in critical memory, Cabinet apportion Tessa Jowell admits Three ways to revoke UKs �22bn debt Falling taxation revenues are about to fill up the bill necessity George Osborne unequivocally needs to show he can take a hold on spending

The puncture cuts that would be indispensable would be "swingeing and savage," if general certainty was lost. Mr Osborne said.

In a critical debate to a City assembly Mr Osborne said: "In the infancy impassioned cases, countries that lose the certainty of markets effectively lose their sovereignty."

The disproportion in between the Tories and Labour over how fast to cut the jot down �178 billion necessity will form the key piece of the choosing battleground.

Mr Osborne and David Cameron right away hold that the infancy of the City and economists behind their plan to looks to have poignant assets this year if they win the election.

Mr Osborne, giving the Mais mercantile harangue - a singular call in for a shade chancellor - pronounced it would "undermine credibility" to try and disagree that cuts are not indispensable and he warned that a nation in debt was one that was not free.

He said: "This is since credit is so vital."

He added: "Over the summer we will work prosaic out to control the minute departmental Spending Review for the years after 2011 that the stream supervision has simply refused to lift out, and tell that formula of that examination in the autumn.

"The usually probable reason since the Treasury has not already constructed a Spending Review is that the Government do not wish to spell out the formidable decisions that even their own spending plans imply.

"We will not demur to take the formidable decisions to get Britain working. We will take targeted stairs to revoke a little budgets in-year... in sequence to set up credit and have a begin on shortening the deficit."

Earlier this week Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, indicated that the Government could not set out spending plans until after since of the capricious mercantile climate.

But Conservative plans were called in to subject by a heading City economist who warned that has warned that slicing the necessity rught away could hint a full-blown argent predicament and a ratings downgrade.

George Magnus, the rarely reputable comparison mercantile confidant to investment bank UBS, pronounced that a beforehand move would incite a "savage" greeting in banking markets, with the bruise descending to as low as $1.05 opposite the dollar, and over relation with the euro.

It came as a new check showed that some-more London firms are right away presaging a double-dip recession. Forty 7 per cent pronounced they approaching a lapse to retrogression in a consult by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and pollsters ComRes, compared to twenty-nine per cent who approaching a lapse to postulated mercantile growth.

Mr Osborne has set out eight benchmarks that he says a destiny Tory supervision will reside by in sequence to say the nations mercantile fortitude and revive the bill to balance.

Mr Osborne used dual critical domestic total of the 1980s to allege his case.

He pronounced that for the initial time in complicated British domestic history, inhabitant income per chairman will have depressed over a full Parliament.

Tory investigate shows that the UK right away produces �281 less per chairman in genuine conditions than at the last election. The usually alternative time outlay chairman has depressed over a council was during the ephemeral 1974 Labour parliament, Mr Osborne said.

He afterwards borrowed a word from Ronald Reagan and debuted a new Tory choosing aphorism when he asked: "Are you improved off than you were five years ago?"

Mr Osborne additionally drew on the Mais harangue since in 1984 by Nigel Lawson, Margaret Thatchers chancellor.

In an bid to remonstrate the markets that he was wakeful of the dangers of acceleration he pronounced a Tory supervision would not "inflate" out of the stream crisis, he claimed.

He said: "Nigel Lawson argued that financial process should be the main apparatus of short tenure macroeconomic government whilst mercantile process should be set for the middle term. Over time that became the consensus, and it was after categorically permitted by the Labour Government.

"The financial process horizon grown too, from the embracing a cause of acceleration targeting by the Conservatives in 1992 to the extenuation of autonomy to the Bank of England five years later. Nigels strange discernment stays current today."

Last night Liam Byrne, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: "George Osborne had the possibility to come purify about his spending plans - and he bottled it. The usually thing he done transparent in the Mais harangue was that he"s still ready to put mercantile liberation at risk.

"He wants to begin slicing await to economy right away at the responsibility of jobs and open services. This is in annoy of the warnings yesterday from the general experts that to do so as well shortly could put the liberation at risk."

Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat book spokesman, added: "George Osbornes ultimate mercantile explanation shows only how out his abyss he is when it comes to the critical mercantile issues. Slashing spending right away could pull the economy behind in to retrogression and inflict serve constructional repairs on the UK that will have it harder to means the credit rating.

"He is at contingency with his personality on when cuts should come and fails to conclude that what the markets are seeking for is a convincing plan to revoke the deficit, not a eagerness to condense in any case of mercantile conditions."

Rod Carr the chief executive of the Royal Yachting Association retires

By Kate Laven Published: 7:02PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Rod Carr had an desirous prophesy for British sailing when the Royal Yachting Association initial allocated him manager for the Los Angeles Games in 1984 but it took the most appropriate piece of fifteen years to esteem open the value chest.

Between 1900 and 1996, Britain won 34 sailing medals, often china and bronze. In the last 3 Games starting with Sydney 2000, the group have netted sixteen medals together with 9 golds. No alternative nation has been means to compare them over the past 10 years and usually entertainment has warranted Britain some-more bullion medals.

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Raw bent was never an issue and Carrs untiring electioneer to renovate the clubby RYA in to an fit and eloquent organization meant the sailors were shortly means to acknowledge a transparent pathway.

The big complaint was funding, though by the time John Major rolled out the National Lottery in 1997, Carr was fast on the case, essay and presenting RYAs proposals to the authorities for a world-class opening programme.

Overnight, his annual bill increasing from �750,000 to �3 million.

"We allocated the resources on the basement of expected success not on what was satisfactory and put the responsibility on the sailors to take tenure of their campaigns," he says.

Sydney 2000, where Ben Ainslie, Shirley Robertson and Iain Percy all won gold, valid the prominence of his career whilst the brush with supervision non-stop up new lines of change enabling him to strengthen the interests of RYA vessel owners, an additional source of honour for the 60 year-old.

"Anybody who has met Rod will be incredibly tender by him - hes one of those people that you dont dont think about not only since of his distance and shape," pronounced Eddie Warden Owen, former Americas Cup skipper who is right away arch senior manager of the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

"A great statesman and adjudicator who has been really great for British Olympic sailing and for the RYA. He has finished a outrageous sense around the world."

Carr has finished sufficient in his twenty-eight years with RYA to pledge longevity in Britains sailing success and expects to stay concerned with the Olympics until 2012, though he stays sly about any specific role. After that he says, he will trip anchor and go sailing.

Mervyn Jones

Published: 6:41PM GMT twenty-four Feb 2010

Comments 2 |

Photo: UPPA

Jones met Foot in 1955, when he was taken on by Tribune as a reporter. He became one of Foot"s closest friends and admirers. When, in the late 1980s, he detected that Foot had motionless not to write his memoirs, he asked if he competence write his biography. Foot concluded and gave him entrance to unpublished letters and documents.

Jones"s erotically appealing and facilely entertaining 700-page investigate was an sexual comment of a inexhaustible and sexual man. But a little critics felt that a some-more just memoirist would have asked harder questions about aspects of Foot"s career such as, for example, his early organisation with Beaverbrook and his after peremptory purpose in council underneath the premiership of James Callaghan.

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Nor were majority assured by Jones"s speculation that the pleasant guy who, in 1983, led the Labour Party to the misfortune electoral better given 1918 would go down in story as "the man who saved the Labour Party".

One of 4 children, Mervyn Jones was innate nearby Regent"s Park, London, on Feb twenty-seven 1922 in to what he described as a prolonged "line of loners". His Welsh-born father, Ernest Jones, was a psychoanalyst, as well as Sigmund Freud"s arch director and majority eager missionary. Ernest additionally founded the American and British Psychoanalytic Societies and launched the International Journal of Psycho-Analysis. Mervyn"s mother, Kitty Jokl, was a Viennese Jew who had been at propagandize with Freud"s daughter, Anna.

Mervyn was sent to Abbotsholme School in Derbyshire, an investiture regarded as on-going by the standards of 1889, when it was founded, but less so when Jones arrived in the 1930s. His healthy rebelliousness found an opening in domestic radicalism. He assimilated the Young Communist League elderly sixteen and was diminished from school, evidently for being afar from the college building after lights out, a couple of weeks prior to he was due to leave.

Jones incited down the suggest of a place at Oxford. Instead, as quarrel loomed, he crossed the Atlantic and enrolled at New York University. There he subscribed to the Communist Party line that the dispute in Europe was an "imperialist war" and assimilated in tyro antithesis to Roosevelt"s measures to assistance Britain.

But after Hitler invaded the Soviet Union he motionless to lapse home to fool around his part, and by the commencement of 1944 had been commissioned as a second-lieutenant in the 59th Anti-Tank Regiment.

By his own acknowledgment he did not have a quite stately war. Sent to France progressing than he should have been on D+2 (through a little executive error), he outlayed 10 days bivouacked in a margin prior to being sent home again. Later, in Holland, he was restrained and done a restrained of quarrel by the Germans but carrying dismissed a shot in anger.

Jones remained a romantic comrade after the war, campaigning for the celebration in the 1945 election. But as the Cold War collected pace, he became artificial by the anti-American tinge and direct for unquestioning faithfulness to the (Soviet) celebration line.

Though he one after another to write freelance reviews for the Daily Worker, he had quiescent his celebration membership by 1951 and in 1955 stood as Labour claimant for the protected Tory chair of Chichester.

By this time he had launched a career as a novelist. No Time to Be Young (1952), the "autobiography" of an Anglo-French lady flourishing up in in between the wars, perceived enlivening reviews from CP Snow, John Betjeman and VS Pritchett, and he one after another to consequence a rather unsafe vital as a novella bard in to the 1980s.

His selected theme, formed on his own life, was an hearing of the conflicts in in between the ideals and practice of radically-minded folk who live by useful universe events.

Strangers (1974), the novel by that Jones himself pronounced he would similar to to be judged, concerns a peacemaker whose warding off to quarrel in the Second World War alienates him from his family and whose after preference to do great functions in Africa leaves his mother in London struggling to cope with a residence full of gift cases her father has left behind.

In 1955, after being vetoed by the security services for a pursuit with the Central Office of Information, Jones assimilated the staff of Tribune, where he reported on all from celebration conferences to stone and hurl and became partner editor underneath Michael Foot, assisting him to write Guilty Men (1957), Foot"s polemic about the Suez crisis.

He additionally contributed articles to the New Reasoner, the anti-Soviet Leftist biography founded by EP Thompson, and wrote short stories for Homes and Gardens.

When Jones initial began operative for Tribune, Aneurin Bevan would spin up to the weekly lunches. But the paper and Bevan split association after his "naked in to the discussion chamber" debate at the 1957 Labour Party conference. For the subsequent five years Jones was at the forefront of the paper"s debate to dedicate Labour to a non-nuclear counterclaim policy, receiving piece in the Aldermaston marches and vocalization at CND rallies.

Jones left Tribune in 1960 to go freelance and to work as a part-time press military officer for CND, though he one after another to work for the paper as a play critic. From 1966 to 1968 he was partner editor on the New Statesman underneath Paul Johnson.

Of Jones"s novels, John and Mary (1966) a story of a tour from infrequent sex to love was blending in to a movie by John Mortimer; and Holding On (1973) a comment of an East End family from the spin of the century was blending in to a radio serial.

His non-fiction functions enclosed Big Two (1962), a analogous investigate of America and Russia that was criticised for treating McCarthyism and Stalinism as if they were conflicting sides of the same coin; Two Ears of Corn (1965), about the work of Oxfam; an edited gathering of tributes to the former New Statesman editor Kingsley Martin (1969); and biographies of Megan Lloyd George (1991) and George Meredith (1999).

"When I was immature I was sure that the universe would be Socialist by 1950 at the latest," Jones wrote in his journal Chances (1987). "Now it"s 1987, I am no longer immature and I"m left wondering what went wrong." He had sufficient discernment to admit that the complaint was that the in advance Left had "failed to take comment of the executive place that the worth of personal leisure binds in complicated minds".

Mervyn Jones married, in 1948, Jeanne Urquhart. She died in 1990, and he is survived by their son and dual daughters.

British Airways strike union gives Labour almost £1m

By James Kirkup, Political Correspondent Published: 5:44PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Unite, the countrys greatest union, done donations value roughly �880,000 in the last 3 months of 2009.

In a opinion called by Unite, BA organisation this week voted to strike. They could throw the transport plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers" in to disharmony as early as subsequent week

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Unite has since Labour some-more than �10 million in new years, and the Conservatives have called the change over the Government "frightening".

Eric Pickles, the Conservative chairman, said: "As millions face air transport misery, we right away find that the kinship at the back of it is bankrolling the Labour Party."

The Unite concession was suggested in Electoral Commission total that showed the Tories lifted some-more than twice as most as Labour in the last entertain of 2009.

The Conservatives had donations value �10,481,949, the commission said. Labour got �4,962,886, and the Lib Dems perceived �1,055,717.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville, a former minister, and Sir Nigel Doughty, a sidestep account millionaire, each done �1 million donations to Labour. Sir Ronald Cohen, a landowner close to Gordon Brown, gave �250,000.

Among the vital Tory donations were �738,000 from David Rowland, a landowner and �500,000 from Stanley Fink, the celebration treasurer.

The commission criticised the Tories for blank the stating deadline for most of their donations.

Peter Wardle, the commission arch executive, said: "We are intensely unhappy with the really high number, and value, of late reported donations, generally from the Conservative Party.

"We have had a quite high turn of late-reported donations this entertain from the Conservative Party head office."

The Tories pronounced the delays were caused by "computer problems".

Six Nations 2010: Ireland appeal Jerry Flannery ban

Bystaff and agencies Published: 4:27PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Plea bargain: Ireland are anticipating to revoke Jerry Flannery"s six-week anathema on interest Photo: PA

The Irish stay are anticipating to have the length of the anathema marked down by an eccentric RBS Six Nations appeals committee, that will be convened subsequent week.

A cranky interest has been lodged by the Six Nations disciplinary officer, enabling the cabinet to enlarge the length of Flannery"s cessation if deemed appropriate.

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Flannery pleaded guilty at the strange conference hold in Dublin last Wednesday.

The Munster harlot certified he had deserved a red label for scything down Palisson in the 33-10 better in Paris on February 13, with the France behind subsequently limping out of the diversion with a passed leg.

The disciplinary row found Flannery had been forward but not counsel in his actions and motionless the corruption was mid-range in the severity.

Flannery"s defence and the distress he showed for Palisson"s damage swayed the row to rein the cessation behind from a intensity eight weeks.

However, it still finished his Six Nations and Ireland hold it should be marked down since the action was, in the difference of head manager Declan Kidney, "awkward rather than deliberate".

Rory Best of Ulster has taken over the hooking duties for Ireland in Flannery"s absence, and will begin Saturday"s assembly with England at Twickenham.

Meanwhile, France have rigourously asked Wales to close the roof tiles of the Millennium Stadium for Friday night"s game, a preference that will greatfully both Wales and spectators since the odds of sleet in the region.

The French are coping with an additional late injury, close Pascal Pape being forced to dump out after deleterious his ankle in training. Promising Clermont close Julien Pierre comes in whilst Sebastien Chabal, right away personification for Racing Metro 92, is changed onto the bench. Wing Julien Malzieu has already transposed Benjamin Fall, an additional damage plant in precision this week

Ospreys, meanwhile, are again underneath review by ERC, this time over the box of scrum-half Ricky Januarie who played in 4 Heineken Cup pool diversion whilst on proxy stipulate with Osprey that was meant to run for a mimimum of 3 months.

The South African reutrned home after only dual months but Ospreys are assured that no regulations have been broken.

Chopin Week: the sonatas

By Ivan Hewett Published: 3:37PM GMT twenty-four Feb 2010

Chopin wrote usually 3 sonatas, and usually the latter dual are continually played. But what miraculous pieces they are. Composers of Chopins epoch were in all intimidated by the sonata form, since Beethovens 32 seemed unfit to live up to. In any case, sonatas were out of fashion. The low-pitched denunciation was changing, relocating afar from the close togetherness of the sonata towards looser, some-more lifelike account forms.

Chopins song in all epitomises the new trend, nonetheless his sonatas on the face of it see conventional. Like majority of Beethovens they have 4 movements, with dual fast movements framing a contemplative delayed transformation and a vigourous scherzo. But do they unequivocally go together in a sonata-like way? Schumann didnt think so. He described the second sonata (the one with the important Funeral March) as "four of Chopins majority uncontrolled children".

Chopin Week: the Preludes Chopin Week: the Ballades Chopin Week: the Mazurkas Other TV Highlights: Monday sixteen Mar Other TV highlights: week end 22/23 Feb Wallace and Gromit: one man and his dog

What Schumann didnt notice was that underneath the vigourous surface, the family resemblances in between the melodies are unequivocally strong. But theyre vaporous by the musics nervous form. Its a story were being told, and stories are regularly dire on, in motion in to bizarre areas of feeling. In this new sort of sonata, simply restoring the standing quo wouldnt do, so the "return" demanded by the form has to be hugely dense and re-ordered. After such a Byronic narrative, what issue could there be, solely a windstorm float to oblivion? Which is just what the culmination gives us, in one notation flat. Two recordings that hold the tragedy unflaggingly by to the last club are the classical one by Emil Gilels and a some-more new recording from Nelson Freire.

The third sonata is less blatantly strange, but, for my money, some-more wonderful. It has the majority high delayed movement, that starts similar to an aria from a Bellini show but grows in to something over Bellinis imagining. The culmination is similar to a series that is cursed to drastic failure. Claudio Arraus version is some-more reflective, Ingrid Fliters some-more in the moment, but both are tremendous.

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ITV presenter quits after withdrawing discrimination allegations

Published: 1:46PM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Aziz was Britain"s initial Asian inhabitant headlines presenter Photo: SWNS

The headlines host has additionally cold and apologised for a array of allegations she done opposite ITV colleagues.

Aziz was reported to have done claims of race, sex and age taste that were due to be listened at a stirring industrial tribunal.

Ant and Dec: because we took a compensate cut ITVs Lisa Aziz dangling over allegations she fiddled losses explain Axed BBC newsreader Moira Stuart to recount C4 documentary on ageism How theinvestigation unprotected the MPs losses liaison day by day Holly Willoughby to reinstate Fern Britton on the This Morning lounge Louise Minchin in the box chair for This Morning lounge

She was dangling from her on all sides as presenter of ITV West headlines programme West Country Tonight last Jul after allegations over her expenses, that she denied.

Her depart after 4 years at ITV West was voiced in a make a difference this afternoon, that pronounced Aziz ""has motionless to leave the association for personal reasons"".

She said: ""I have enjoyed my time with ITV, but over the last couple of months I realize I done critical and deleterious allegations opposite my Bristol colleagues and ITV managers.

""The allegations were done while I was really indignant and unwell. I right away repel all the allegations and instruct to go on to rise my career.

""I leave ITV meaningful that my time at ITV has been amongst the majority fulfilling of my career in radio and I have the top courtesy for the peculiarity of broadcasting constructed there.""

Aziz, Britain"s initial Asian inhabitant headlines presenter, assimilated ITV in 2006 after 10 years at Sky.

A orator for ITV said: ""Lisa has done a poignant grant to the team. We have right away resolved all of the superb issues and we instruct Lisa success in the future.""

It is accepted that a assembly was called at the ITV West newsroom this sunrise at that an reparation from the presenter was review out.

It is believed the minute explained to colleagues she was withdrawing her allegations and apologised to both ITV and the particular ITV managers about whom she had done claims.

Her minute pronounced she would be creation no serve criticism about the matter.

ITV formerly pronounced it had investigated Aziz"s claims and they were ""baseless"".

The judiciary explain has been forsaken as a outcome of the allegations being withdrawn.

Hockey World Cup 2010: England squad

By Emily Benammar Published: 12:58PM GMT twenty-four Feb 2010

Previous of Images Next Silver lining: England accomplished a 21-year prize wait for by winning the European Championships in Germany last Aug Photo: REUTERS Eyes on the prize: Jason Lee is assured his patrol can come behind award winners Photo: ENGLAND HOCKEY

England squad:

Goalkeepers: Nick Brothers, James Fair Defenders: Richard Mantell, Richard Smith, Ben Hawes, Alastair Wilson, Adam Dixon Midfielders: Rob Moore, Iain Mackay, Richard Alexander, Ashley Jackson, Glenn Kirkham Forwards: Jonty Clarke, Alastair Brogdon, Nick Catlin, Simon Mantell, James Tindall, Barry Middleton (capt)

Hockey World Cup squads England to margin fresh counterclaim opposite Germany England hockey in predicament as men lapse from vehement contest in Malaysia Loughborough tyro Richard Smith set for England berth opposite Australia Bowdon Hightown better Slough to win hockeys National Indoor Championship Dwain Chambers in line for Great Britain stop

With his patrol now ranked sixth in the world, manager Lee is assured that notwithstanding their difficult pull in Pool B, they have what it takes to reach at slightest the last 4 in India.

Having valid themselves able of violence the most appropriate hockey sides in Europe last summer finale a 21-year precious metal drought, all eyes will be on England"s opening tie opposite Australia whom Lee has identified as the contest favourites.

"We are really able of reaching the semi-finals," he pronounced prior to the patrol flew out to a pre-tournament stay in Doha. "We are the European champions.

"We were regularly outsiders in vital tournaments [but] the win in European Championship has since certainty and we can do well at the World Cup.

"Australia are favourites to win and England havent knocked about them for some-more than twenty years. But they have been well known to throw it afar when it comes to the big games. Maybe we can have certain they do. And I contend this as a pessimist; there are others out there who hold we can means an dissapoint and we can."

Essential to England"s debate is stream FIH Young Player of the Year, Ashley Jackson who partners patrol captain Barry Middleton upfront to emanate a lethal attack.

Middleton shares Lee"s expectations of a semi-final berth.

"The target is to reach the semi-finals," he said. "We fool around aggressive hockey. The Aussies are difficult to beat, but they can be beaten."

Matt Daly was a late withdrawal from the patrol carrying ripped his injure leg tendon five days prior to the tournament"s start. His deficiency non-stop the approach for Surbiton group partner James Tindall and Reading"s Simon Mantell, who were competing for the last place in Lee"s patrol after recuperating from feet injuries.

England have been comparatively successful at the 9 World Cups in that they have participated. Their most appropriate outcome was in 1986 when they accomplished second on home ground. They have come ninth once, seventh twice and sixth 4 times. Beating Pakistan in the fifth place play-ff in 2006 was their most appropriate outcome to date.

England fixtures: all times GMT

Sunday twenty-eight Feb 2010 - Australia - 13:05Tuesday 2 Mar 2010 - South Africa - 11:05Thursday 4 Mar 2010 - Pakistan - 13:05Saturday 6 Mar 2010 - India - 15:05Monday 8 Mar 2010 - Spain - 11:05Thursday eleven Mar 2010 - Possible sequence compare or almost finalFriday twelve Mar 2010 - Possible sequence matchSaturday thirteen Mar 2010 - Possible Bronze or Gold award match

You can watch all of England"s games live here on telegraph.co.uk , with highlights. To watch all the matches from the Hockey World Cup and full highlights, go to the central website - follow this couple .

Winter sun holidays: Deals of the day

By Francisca Kellett Published: 11:01AM GMT seventeen Mar 2010

Charter your own yacht and try the Bermuda seashore Photo: CORBIS

Prices are per person, formed on dual people pity and embody all pre-payable taxes, unless differently stated.

Half-board in Majorca

More legal legal holiday deals and discounts Deals of the day: city breaks Deals of the day: skiing Deals of the day: UK holidays Deals of the day: cruises Deals of the day: UK holidays

A seven-night mangle in Cala d"Or in Majorca costs �314 per chairman with Airtours (0844 871 6636; www.airtours.co.uk), staying at the three-star Cala Gran Hotel. The cost includes a lapse moody from Gatwick and half-board accommodation, vacating Apr 10.

Free car sinecure in Corsica

VFB Holidays (01452 716 841; www.vfbholidays.co.uk) is charity free organisation B car sinecure (a saving of around �200) on a weeks stay at a preference of the Corsican villas. Villa Paghjadi, that sleeps four, is a stone-built lodge with a in isolation pool nearby Patrimonio, and costs �218 per chairman or �870 per skill for a week in May, together with car hire. Flights not included, but these can be organised on request. Valid until Mar 31.

Volcanoes and islands

Walks Worldwide (0845 301 4737; www.walksworldwide.com) has a new self-guided eight-day transport around Sicily, using from Apr to June. The track includes Mount Etna and the islands of Vulcano and Stromboli, and costs from �645 per person, together with 7 nights" b & b accommodation, all transport, track guide and maps. Flights not included, but these can be organised on request.

All-inclusive Tunisia

Holidays with Style (0844 412 5970, www.thomascookstyle.com) has a seven-night mangle in Tunisia from �504 per person, staying at the four-star Sentido Phenicia Hotel in Hammamet on an comprehensive basis. Flights from Manchester are included, and the cost is formed on departures on Mar 28.

Charter a yacht in Bermuda

Miramar Sailing (020 3287 1068; www.miramarsailing.com) has launched "Just the Two of You" cruises in Bermuda. A seven-night yacht licence on a private, skippered 40ft-yacht costs �1,230 per person, formed on Apr 3 departures. The cost includes place to live on the in isolation yacht, majority meals, but not flights (these can be organised on request).

Five-star Tenerife

Lastminute.com is charity 7 nights in the five-star Bahiar Principe Costa Adeje Hotel, in Playa Paraiso nearby to Costa Adeje, for �529 per person. The hotel, done up of 7 buildings with 480 rooms, has 4 restaurants, 3 bars and dual pools. The cost includes a lapse moody from Gatwick and 7 nights on an comprehensive basis.

New road house in Antigua

Destinology (0800 634 2866; www.destinology.co.uk) is charity 7 nights at Sugar Ridge in Antigua from �919 per person, a saving of twenty per cent. The cost includes a lapse moody with Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick and 7 nights place to live on a b & b basis.Valid for transport in between May 1 and Jun 30. Set on a hillside, the 60-room road house non-stop in Dec 2009, and has dual restaurants, a bar, an Aveda Concept spa, gym, pilates/yoga college of music and 3 swimming pools.

Self-catering in Croatia

A self-catering unit with Hidden Croatia, (0844 477 9999; www.hiddencroatia.com) costs from �299 per person, formed on 4 sharing. The three-star Lina Apartments on the Croatian island of Korcula have strand terraces or balconies and a common pool, a dive centre and restaurant. The cost includes a lapse moody and transfers.

Maldives Spring

Trailfinders (0845 050 5871; www.trailfinders.com) is charity 7 nights for the cost of 6 at Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort in the Maldives. The cost is from �1,115 per chairman (a saving of �132 per couple). Available for comparison departures in May, the cost includes a lapse moody from Heathrow with SriLankan Airlines, place to live on a half-board basis, seaplane transfers, taxes and surcharges.

Cruise holidays: deals of the day UK holidays: deals of the day Skiing holidays: deals of the day City mangle holidays: deals of the day

Only a showdown can save BA from ruin

Published: 7:33AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Comments 53 |

British Airways

I love holidays; and I suffer formulation them rounded off as majority as receiving them. Its a provide to pore over maps and trawl the internet for flights, generally in the inlet of winter. And last month, when I was engagement an Easter outing to Africa, I had an experience that contingency be sincerely typical.

I found that a series of airlines charity flights at rounded off identical prices. I had been warned off Ethiopian Airlines and, given one of the planes crashed in Beirut a couple of weeks later, Im utterly blissful I took the advice. It afterwards came down to a preference in in between Kenya Airways, "the Pride of Africa", and British Airways. I didnt wish to have to be concerned about probable industrial action, so Kenya Airways it was. Sure enough, this week BA cabin organisation voted to strike, presumably at Easter.

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Its bizarre Ive never had a bad experience on a BA flight, but Ive beheld that majority of us right afar blubber about BA in the same approach that we regularly have about the weather, or that Londoners have about the Tube: the a common hardship.

Willie Walsh, BAs boss, likes to point out that there hasnt been a day lost to set upon movement given he took over five years ago. That competence be true, but for me, and for majority others, it is not the point: the the stress that there competence be. I outlayed multiform weeks last summer wondering either there would be industrial movement in August, when my daughter was due to fly to the US to revisit her cousins; and for multiform days in Dec I listened to a co-worker be concerned about either his Yuletide plans would be scuppered by an additional in jeopardy strike, that in the finish was shut off by the courts.

For the consumer, this kind of thing is stressful, it is a rubbish of time, and it booty one of the majority appropriate things about a holiday: the expectation. So whatever the outcome of the diversion of duck being played in in between government and the unions, distressing repairs is being finished to BAs reputation.

The complaint is that the tough to see a approach out of this mess. BA needs to cut costs. Despite new signs of recovery, the airline is still creation losses. It pays the staff some-more than majority rivals, is rarely unionised and industrial family are poor. The design is identical at alternative inhabitant carriers: in Germany, Lufthansas pilots have usually dangling a strike, but some-more movement is likely.

Yet BAs problems are additionally structural. Its long-haul routes are profitable, interjection to the commercial operation customers, so an viewable resolution would be to sale the short-haul European business, that has lost out to low-cost carriers. But it cant do that, since those unprofitable flights feed the remunerative long-haul routes, around transfers at Heathrow.

The expansion of easyJet and the similar to is a pointer of the fast shift in the airline industry, to that BA has been incompetent to conform fast enough. There are a couple of spots of great news: BAs fondness with American Airlines has been provisionally authorized by the US Department of Transport, and it is posterior plans to combine with Iberia, the Spanish carrier. But the common cost assets that outcome from such converging together with pursuit waste wouldnt come with the BA-Iberia understanding since in sequence to keep their slots at Heathrow and alternative airports, their operations will go on to be run separately.

This competence be a waste in conditions of slicing costs, but BAs Heathrow heart is additionally the strongest defence. Yes, BA is losing money, and companies cant go on you do that indefinitely, quite when they have inspired grant supports to feed. But there is additionally a certain side. According to Citigroup research: "BA has between the highest-quality gain streams and one of the strongest shift sheets for a European airline… driven by the clever place at undiluted Heathrow and rounded off five years of cost and shift piece restructuring."

This absolved on all sides at Heathrow gives BA substantial poke in the long-haul business, and enough marketplace energy that even the majority discontented passengers competence go on to book with it. On a small routes London to Seattle, for e.g. it is the usually airline that offers approach flights. I reckon that is since those who blubber about it mostly receptive to recommendation as quiescent to their predestine as when they plead the continue since so majority have common the experience.

The big subject is either government and unions can navigate by the stream difficulties or either the company, and the passengers, face years of bullheaded work disputes. BA is still negotiating with a fractured organisation of unions and there is small pointer that the dual sides have learnt to work together. The impulse competence have come for a last confrontation, if government feels it can face down the unions. As we inform in todays Business section, this is what Michael OLeary of Ryanair thinks that BA should do, but wouldnt (though if Mr OLeary is charity free recommendation to a competitor, I think Mr Walsh, a associate Irishman, will take it with a splash of salt).

A long, hostile set upon would positively be devastating; but the stream settlement of visit threats of intrusion equates to that patron faithfulness is solemnly removal away. Experience at alternative struggling companies with bullheaded work problems, such as General Motors, suggests an all-or-nothing showdown can be preferable to a slow, unpleasant death.

Companies cant afford to drill for North Sea oil and gas

By Rowena Mason Published: 6:45AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

A consult of 70 active companies by industry physique Oil & Gas UK shows that there are some-more projects underneath care than at this time last year.

However, difficulties raising financial and the actuality that the easiest and thus cheapest pot to remove have already been exploited equates to fewer projects are essentially being developed. This will lead to a tumble in the UK"s done at home oil prolongation and enlarge the need for imports.

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There are 11bn barrels of oil and gas in existent projects, up 15pc from the prior year sufficient to encounter half the UK"s direct in 2020.

However, companies will need to lift �60bn of collateral outlay to remove this oil.

Oil companies are formulation to remove usually 5.25bn barrels from authorized projects, up from a aim of 6bn barrels at this time last year.

Mike Tholen, the industry group"s economics executive and writer of the report, pronounced certainty had improved, but the investment meridian was still not good.

"The enlarge in the series of new UK oil and gas developments underneath care is, on the one hand, encouraging. It confirms the idea that the province, whilst mature, has decades still to flourish.

"This is a high record industry and companies have grown and go on to muster the majority appropriate and majority modernized record to clear the UK"s oil and gas resources.

"However, even that is not proof enough, with pictures by the prolongation decrease and descending investment seen over new years. Things are done no simpler by the tumble in indiscriminate gas prices."

UK prolongation fell by 6pc, in line with usually disappearing outlay over the last couple of years. Companies extracted 2.48m barrels of oil and gas a day, that reflects the 20pc dump in collateral outlay given 2006. It is expected that outlay could ease serve to 2.35m barrels of oil homogeneous per day this year.

However, Oil & Gas UK believes investment could collect up subsequent year, potentially rising on top of �5bn from �4.7bn. The sum series of wells drilled has forsaken by roughly a entertain to 130, whilst the series of scrutiny and estimation training projects fell by 40pc to 65 wells.

Industry run groups have been job for larger taxation breaks from the Government to inspire some-more growth of small fields.

Winter Olympics 2010: Nicola Minichiellos bobsleigh dreams fading fast

Ian Chadband, Chief Sports Correspondent in Whistler Published: 8:48AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Going for gold: Nicola Minichiello and brakewoman Gillian Cooke curretly lay 10th with dual runs superfluous Photo: PA

Minichiello and brakewoman Gillian Cooke, who had hoped to set upon bullion on the same lane that saw Williams overcome in the structure of the body at the weekend, were lying 10th at the half-way position, a alpine 1.38sec at the at the back of of the Canadian leaders and roughly a second at the at the back of of the bronze award on all sides with dual runs remaining.

While Williams, Britains usually medallist of the Winter Olympics cheered from the side of the lane as the sleet came down at the Whistler Sliding Centre, Minichiello was incompetent to furnish anywhere nearby the sort of drives that saw her set upon bullion at the universe championships last year.

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The former heptathlete attempted to adopt a dauntless face afterwards, declaring:

"We are still sharpened for the bullion medal. That"s what we"re going for and that"s what we"ve regularly left for. On marks similar to this anything"s probable and we"ll move it at the back of tomorrow."

Yet, realistically, the mental condition appears over after a inapplicable designation on the initial hook in each run cost Minichiello dear. "Overall I"m pushing majority of the lane unequivocally well but I"m usually creation a inapplicable designation on dilemma one and it"s murdering the speed."

Indeed, maybe still rusty after the new operations to scold an eyesight ailment following a pre-Christmas scare, Minichiello usually usually managed to finish forward of teammates Paula Walker and Kelly Thomas, who lay 0.19sec at the at the back of of in 11th place.

The second-string span constructed a equitable effort, generally so shortly after pang a pile-up in precision on the controversial, super-swift Whistler track.

Walker said: "For me the pile-up was finished and dusted flattering most true away. We went true up and had an additional run down the track. It usually acted as a sign that a bobsleigh lane can punch you on the backside."

Canadian span Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse lead the foe usually 0.13sec forward of Erin Pac and Elana Meyers of the USA, with Germanys Cathleen Martini and Romy Logsch a serve 0.27sec adrift.

Learner driver who killed boyfriend in crash spared jail

Published: 7:30AM GMT twenty-four February 2010

Anna Marie Hibben, 18, had unsuccessful her exam 3 times but was pushing her partner Gary Pitchford"s china Peugeot 106 whilst he was in the newcomer seat.

Hibben, who was not insured, was pushing but the headlights on when she lost carry out on a remote highway and strike a tree at Langenhoe, nearby Colchester, Essex, usually after 11pm last May.

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The 17-year-old child had to be cut free by firefighters and died in sanatorium from mixed injuries.

Hibben regularly insisted she was not pushing prior to investigators found her sandal underneath the car"s stop pedal and consultant debate justification supposing "conclusive support" that she was.

Hibben, who wept in court, pronounced she had no mental recall of the collision but after supposed she was the driver, the probity heard.

The Leeds University tyro certified causing genocide by drifting pushing and pushing but word and was since a nine-month dangling prison sentence.

Gary"s mother, Diane Hibben, of Colchester, believed her son"s genocide was a "hugely unfortunate accident", Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Ryan Amos, who knew Hibben by school, was pushing in the conflicting citation and was forced to stop neatly and go off the highway in a unfortunate try to equivocate the Peugoet.

Kwame Inyundo, prosecuting, pronounced the dual cars clipped each alternative with the Peugeot outstanding in to a tree.

Mr Amos helped Hibben from the car but Gary, who was in the front, was left trapped and had to be cut free by firefighters.

The teenager, who longed for to turn a firefighter, was flown to Addenbrooke"s Hospital, Cambridge, but died on May twenty with his up in arms family by his bedside.

Mr Inyundo pronounced Gary"s singular pushing experience meant he should not have been supervising his partner of usually 4 weeks.

He pronounced Hibben, who was you do in between 57mph and 63mph according to consultant evidence, lost carry out as she took a bend, causing it to spin.

Days after Hibben told Gary"s brother, Wayne, she had been pushing but could not recollect what had happened.

She told cops she could usually recollect the night prior to the pile-up and afterwards waking up in hospital.

Catherine Bradshaw, defending, said: "This is an intensely unhappy unfolding for all of those endangered and obviously she is intensely repentant in propinquity to this matter.

"She wishes she could put herself in Gary"s place, that is something she wishes she could do - to go behind in time."

Miss Bradshaw pronounced Hibben, of West Mersea, Essex, would live with the tragedy forever.

Judge Christopher Ball, QC, pronounced it was "impossible" to do probity in such a case, dogmatic immature people "don~t realize how dangerous cars are".

Judge Ball said: "They are full of self-confidence, but they do not have the experience that comes with majority and time and again have the sort of inapplicable designation that you done that night.

"You were pushing that car late at night, you were an fresh driver, not indispensably a great driver, still learning, maybe thought you were improved than you were."

Hibben was condemned to 9 months at a immature offenders" institution, dangling on each count, to run concurrently.

She will be electronically tagged and placed underneath residence curfew for 3 months from 9pm to 6am.

Judge Ball additionally criminialized her from pushing for 3 years and systematic her to take an lengthened exam to recover her licence.

Record chronic liver disease rates in Scotland

By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor Published: 4:14PM GMT twenty-three February 2010

A sum of 9,072 people with were treated with colour with colour with colour with colour in sanatorium in 2008 for the condition and it led to 1,059 deaths that year, scarcely all of that were associated to extreme drinking.

More central census data showed an normal of 115 patients left sanatorium each day last year after being treated with colour with colour with colour with colour for ethanol misuse.

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SNP ministers blamed the jump in liver disease, that bucked a descending direction in majority European countries, on the augmenting affordability of ethanol over the past 3 decades.

They wish to deliver a smallest cost for alcohol, raising the cost of poor lager, cider and own-brand spirits, but this looks set to be degraded by the antithesis parties.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish health minister, said: "Alcohol is right away around 70 per cent some-more affordable than it was in 1980 and, over the same period, expenditure and alcohol-related mistreat have spiralled. These factors are not unrelated.

"By joining cost to product strength, smallest pricing will put an finish to the sale of high-strength ethanol for less than the cost of bottled water.

"This will assistance to residence the towering cost to Scotland, both in mercantile conditions and in conditions of lost or blighted lives."

The figures, published by the Scottish Public Health Observatory, show there were small shift in the genocide rate from ongoing liver disease (CLD) in in in in between 1982 and 1992.

However, in the subsequent decade, to 2003, the genocide rate scarcely trebled for Scots men to 29.14 per 100,000 and some-more than doubled for women to 13.33 per 100,000.

The mankind rate for men has depressed somewhat over the last five years, but for women it has one after another to rise.

However, 85 per cent of deaths from CLD were related to ethanol in 2007 compared to usually 37 per cent in 1979.

Death rates are top in in in in between those elderly in in in in between 55 and 69, but there has been an roughly fivefold enlarge given the 1980s in the figure for those elderly in in in in between thirty and 39.

Similarly, 3 times as most Scots elderly in in in in between 40 and 50 are failing from CLD compared to 3 decades ago.

Between 1989 and 2008, there was a fourfold enlarge in CLD sanatorium liberate rates in men and threefold climb in in in in between women.

More total showed there were 41,922 drink-related cases treated with colour with colour with colour with colour in Scottish hospitals in 2008-09, down from the prior year but 9 per cent some-more than in 2004-05.

The enlarge influenced roughly each age organisation and enclosed 270 people elderly underneath 15. A serve 2,145 cases concerned those elderly twenty to 24, up by some-more than a third compared to 2004-05.

There were 13,694 cases of Scots being treated with colour with colour with colour with colour for damaging make use of of alcohol, 8,385 for strident intoxication, 4,762 for ethanol coherence and 6,761 for alcoholic liver disease.

Dr Brian Keighley, authority of the BMA in Scotland, said: "Today"s total show a intolerable climb in the genocide fee caused by a celebration enlightenment that is out of control.

"Scotland is awash with ethanol and the consequences are crippling the health service."

Kings Head, Oxfordshire: Hotel Guru

By Fiona Duncan Published: 12:40PM GMT twenty-three February 2010

Previous of Images Next The King"s Head is set on an unspoilt encampment immature with swings for the young kids and a�stream for the ducks The bedrooms are artfully flashy with junk-shop finds, embellished furniture, the peculiar family heirloom, books and pictures, flattering fabrics and rugs So majority old inns have the impression ripped out of them when they are revamped, but not this one

It"s easy to see what tempted Nicola and Archie Orr-Ewing (known to all as Nic and Arch) afar from London and in to the wilds of the Labrador-and-Range Rover-infested Cotswolds. Casting around for a mental condition beer hall to run, they found the King"s Head, set on an unspoilt encampment immature with swings for the children, a tide for the ducks and a comic old beer hall pointer moving in the breeze. "It was the initial place we saw, all pinkish and frilly inside. We only knew we could have something of it."

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They majority positively have. Nicola"s bedrooms 6 on top of the low-slung beer hall and 6 opposite a flattering yard are only the sort I love: elementary and unpretentious, nonetheless artfully flashy with junk-shop finds, embellished furniture, the peculiar family heirloom, books and pictures, flattering fabrics, rugs, Lloyd Loom chairs and comforting throws on excellent, white-linen beds. Bathrooms are indispensably small, but attractive.

We had a integrate of teenager gripes. The televisions in the beer hall bedrooms could do with upgrading, the tea trays are meagre, and where, oh where is a radio? Even a ask to steal one by my crony Lui, raging to attend to The Archers, could not be met. At slightest keep a integrate of spares: there contingency be some-more Radio 4 freaks similar to us out there, generally in these parts.

The King"s Head wasn"t for sale when the Orr-Ewings initial saw it, but the owners sole it anyway. "Over to you now," they said, as they left the club for the last time. "Don"t worry," pronounced the old boy, a encampment ancient and King"s Head unchanging for 40 years, who was propping up the bar, "I"ll still be here."

As in so majority of these former internal watering holes, the customers of the King"s Head is right away here predominantly for the restaurant-quality food from cook Charlie Loader. Though majority of them see as if they"ve come true from the pages of Debrett"s, Archie has finished what he can to keep the pub"s firmness alive, using a cricket group whose members contingency possibly splash or work in the pub. There"s additionally darts and a unchanging ask night.

So majority old inns have the impression ripped out of them when they are revamped, but not this one. The warren of bedrooms encircling the executive club are all cosy, with home-grown hyacinths scenting the air. (Why don"t some-more hoteliers realize that simple, uninformed flowering plants are sorcery ingredients?) Every in. of space is since over to dining because, at weekends especially, as majority tables as probable are required.

That leaves a complaint for the augmenting numbers of people who are branch to cheap places similar to the King"s Head as alternatives to nation residence hotels: where to wave absolutely nearby a glow with a splash and a newspaper? Nicola took the point and tells me that a dilemma room will shortly turn a "sitting room where you can eat". I see brazen to saying it and the peculiar radio: afterwards the King"s Head will be perfect.

The Green, Bledington (01608 658365; kingsheadinn.net). Doubles from �80 per night, together with breakfast. Access probable for guest with disabilities

How it rates (out of five)

ROOMS TTTT

Pub bedrooms have some-more character; all are charmingly flashy

SERVICE TTTTT

A accessible acquire from Arch and Nic; local, happy staff

CHARACTER TTTT

Revamped pubs mostly miss character; this one has plenty, if as well majority tables

FOOD & DRINK TTTT

First-class beer hall food; Archie"s uncle"s locally reared beef is a speciality

VALUE FOR MONEY TTTTT

Quibbles aside; decent

National Grid settles multi-million pound US price-fixing case

By James Quinn, US Business Editor Published: 7:30PM GMT twenty-three February 2010

The FTSE 100 appetite hulk has concluded to solve allegations that it attempted to expostulate up physical phenomenon prices in New York City by a formidable derivative agreement. Full sum of the supposed "negotiated response" were filed with the US District Court in New Yorks southern district, but the agreement contingency right away be authorized by a district judge.

Court writings show National Grid entered in to the DoJ allotment but "adjudication of any issue or face or law" so not revelation the strange allegations done opposite it. The agreement will equivocate a extensive and potentially annoying hearing for the association in the US, that stays a concentration for expansion and in that it is the second-largest physical phenomenon utility.

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The DoJ allegations, according to publicly accessible justice documents, centred on KeySpan, the Brooklyn-based appetite association National Grid paid for for $11.8bn in 2007.

Prior to that acquisition, in Jan 2006, the justice papers show that KeySpan sealed a genius barter stipulate with a multiplication of Morgan Stanley that gave the association a monetary seductiveness in the genius sales of Astoria, the largest competitor, the role of that was to allegedly secrete "substantial output" from the citys appetite grid.

The outcome of the formidable derivative agreement was to discharge KeySpans "incentive to sell the physical phenomenon genius at reduce prices", thus allegedly artificially pulling up prices to consumers. At the time KeySpan was the largest seller of physical phenomenon genius in New York City. The barter stipulate was in place from Jan 2006 until Mar 2008.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission however ruled in Mar 2008 that KeySpans wake up "did not consecrate a rascal or fake practice," and pronounced that the association did not cooperate with Astoria or with Morgan Stanley to "impair, hinder or defeat" the New York appetite market.

A National Grid orator said: "Throughout the investigation, we have co-operated entirely with the DoJ. We have given sole the Ravenswood generating plant and do not own any businessman era that participates in the New York City genius market. As a result, we hold this decisive fortitude is in the companys most appropriate interests."