RBS has done well but caution is needed

By Damian Reece, Head of Business Published: 6:00AM GMT twenty-six February 2010

Royal Bank Of Scotland Group

The stockmarket toasted the numbers with a diminutive dram, adding some-more than 6pc to the bank"s share price. But Hester"s right to be discreet since 2009 will go down in story as an additional burble year for the UK and we"ll be entrance down with a shrill cocktail in 2010.

That bubble, on purpose arrogant by supervision spending, quantitative easing and the central Bank rate at 0.5pc, gave Hester"s investment promissory note arm a once in a lifetime event to accelerate the organisation with an injection of cash, receiving RBS"s core stability operations to handling increase of �8.3bn, scarcely stand in 2008. Those numbers would give a 5p gain per share figure, that could simply indicate a share cost of 50p utilizing a price-earnings comparative measure of 10 contra last night"s close of 38p.

RBS fears �1bn loss from staff defections RBS arch Hester says "worst" is at the back of bank RBS investment arm done some-more income than all the rest of the bank New �10m compensate understanding for RBS trainer Stephen Hester pits unions opposite shareholders Hesters payday is satisfactory and is a fashion for alternative companies to follow Unions conflict �9.6m compensate understanding for RBS arch Stephen Hester

It was already at 50p and on top of for most of Aug by Oct last year, suggesting it"s right away in accord with value.

But the opening this year won"t be as great since the investment promissory note excavation of last year is cooling. That gathering two-thirds of the bank"s performance, whilst sell and blurb was the rest. For a solid state, Hester needs to retreat those ratios. But violence �8.3bn of handling increase will be a delayed routine as it will take substantial time for sell and blurb to reinstate investment banking, generally with a indolent economy.

But the change piece is in improved shape, with core tier-one equity at 11pc. However, this will come underneath aria and could see some-more similar to 8pc underneath the new Basel arrangements, nonetheless that should be sufficient of a aegis to equivocate carrying to lift nonetheless some-more equity from shareholders.

High street sees strongest sales growth for two years

By James Hall, Retail Editor Published: 6:30AM GMT twenty-six Feb 2010

Shoppers returned to the high travel in Feb Photo: PA

According to the ultimate Distributive Trades Survey, 23pc of retailers pronounced sales volumes in early Feb were reduce than one year ago whilst 46pc pronounced they were higher. The ensuing shift of 23pc is a noted alleviation on the reduction 8pc seen in Jan and is the strongest year-on-year enlarge in sales given May 2007. It additionally kick retailers" own expectations. Store groups thought that there would be small shift in sales volumes on a year ago.

Furthermore, the consult showed that a shift of 16pc of retailers design there will be serve expansion subsequent month, compared with last March.

UK sell sales get warn Easter progress in Apr Chinese economy grows at slowest gait given annals began A murky Yuletide awaits retailers, CBI warns Segro suggest provides light at the finish of the room for Brixton Retail sales climb as shopper buy wardrobe and boots

Howard Archer, arch UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, described the total as "a acquire antidote".

"Following a new array of worrying mercantile interpretation and surveys together with the headlines that commercial operation investment fell neatly in the fourth entertain of 2009, the Feb CBI distributive trades consult offers a little really acquire respite," he said.

Meanwhile Richard Lowe, head of sell and indiscriminate at Barclays, said: "February has defied expectations with a lapse to certain expansion in the sell sector. Businesses will be eager by this headlines after the New Year began with a reining in of consumer spending that commentators had seen as a probable pointer of a double-dip retrogression on the horizon."

However the great headlines was countered by the commentary of a second survey. Figures from the Retail Stress Indicator, a weekly consult by Begbies Traynor and The Daily Telegraph, showed that the series of UK shops confronting poignant or vicious monetary difficulties over the 3 months to Feb twelve was 6pc higher than last year. According to the survey, 12,653 retailers faced monetary issues over the 3 months to Feb 12, up 6pc from 11,899 last year.

Video: Business Bullet: Australia, Oil & Gold; Lloyds, Wm. Hill

Published: 8:06AM GMT twenty-six February 2010

Sauce: white rhônes are a worthy alternative to red

By Susy Atkins Published: 7:00AM GMT twenty-six February 2010

Marks & Spencer Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2008; Domaine Saint Gayan Sablet 2008, Cotes Du Rhone Villages; Caves Saint-Pierre Cotes-Du-Rhone 2008

Lest it be forgotten, usually a era or dual behind there was meagre believe of white booze in this country.

Keen buffs knew their classical European styles, of course, but for majority a potion of white was usually that not privately a chardonnay, riesling or sauvignon. Its great to think that majority people select some-more wisely today, knowing, at slightest roughly, what the key grapes ambience like.

The dark treasures of the Rhone Valley Best booze deals: twenty-eight Jan 2010 Wine: time to get cosy with a full-flavoured Rhone

And nonetheless there is still a bent towards the obvious. What about some-more surprising whites? Those from the Rhône Valley in France set upon me as intriguing, characterful and refreshingly different, nonetheless I frequency see them on supermarket shelves, or, indeed, in the booze racks of my friends. Red rhônes, yes, of course, but white? Some know their condrieu that splendidly rich, ripe, organic white from a little dilemma of the region, but condrieu is a really specific style, and positively not for "everyday drinking.

I think we should suffer some-more of the alternative white rhônes.

The marsanne and roussanne grapes mostly used can broach eccentric notes, pinkish and a particular spirit of ginger, that is utterly irresistible. Viognier in the brew adds a scented apricot quality. These are food-friendly wines, most appropriate suited with firm-fleshed white fish, uninformed tuna or trout, and generally when fish, seafood or lighter duck meals come with a tawny sauce, hazelnuts or almonds.

Where to buy them? There might be a couple of in the big stores, but eccentric merchants have the genuine gems. Yapp Brothers, in Mere, Wiltshire, is (among alternative things) a rhône dilettante and has a quite considerable range of whites. Put down that pinot grigio and give them a ring.

TRY THESE...

Marks & Spencer Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2008 (�8.99)

Appears fresh, and lightish at first, afterwards a nutty, buttery note rounds it out, prior to a lime-zesty finish. A decent key to white rhône

Domaine Saint Gayan Sablet 2008, Cotes Du Rhone Villages (Yapp Brothers, yapp.co.uk; �10.75)

This is a viognier-rich mix of grapes, so no warn to find a fresh, peachy, somewhat floral booze with a ripe, dull hardness

Caves Saint-Pierre Cotes-Du-Rhone 2008 (Tesco, �6.36)

Medium-bodied, developed but crisp, with a rather creamy, dull hardness and spirit of walnut at the end. Goes well with meaty, organisation white fish

TIPPLE TIP penetrate that pinkish

"Drink up or embankment any old ross prior to relocating quickly on to new, immature pinks for the spring. Buy usually 2008 or 2009 vintages and omit any comparison wines on the emporium shelves, or on grill booze lists. Ros shortly loses the incense and freshness, so the younger the improved

Buy Rhone highlights at Wine Shop

Police force becomes first in country to privatise 999 calls

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

Cleveland Police will outsource the call doing operation along with IT, scenes of crime and telecomms operations to one of dual French firms. One of the firms is in consortia with British security organisation Reliance.

It hopes that the 10-year stipulate with a in isolation organisation will assistance it to save as most as �30m and forestall cuts to front-line staff.

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The force insists that members of the open who call for assistance will notice no disproportion given all stream call handlers will keep their jobs.

Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Sean Price pronounced the open would "benefit" from assets and additionally the "modern methods" used by in isolation companies.

"The sire will still stop with me as arch constable," he said. "We would righteously be hold to comment by the public, politicians and media should things go wrong."

But unions fright that any in isolation association will not be under obligation if something goes wrong.

Ben Priestley, the inhabitant military officer for military staff at Unison that represents the 730 military staff who would be influenced by the switch pronounced the plan was "deeply concerning".

"I think this would come as a shock to most people who would cruise that privatising such a supportive use as 999 call doing an anathema," he said.

"Cleveland has a really high-performing carry out room and there is no justification that a in isolation association could do better.

"They explain they have a appropriation predicament that can usually be dealt with by these impassioned measures but there are copiousness of alternative forces in the same incident and they are not deliberation going down this really dangerous road."

He pronounced the in isolation organisation would not be under obligation if calls were not scrupulously handled.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission at benefaction deals with complaints about municipal military staff but a orator pronounced how it would understanding with a in isolation association was a "grey area".

"The IPCC has no office over in isolation companies so if a part of of the open does not get great use what are you going to do?" Mr Priestly said.

Peter Chapman, Unison"s informal organiser for the force area, that covers Middlesbrough and Hartlepool in the North East of England, pronounced there is still no petrify guarantees that staff numbers will not be cut.

"Staff sojourn really questionable about the assurances that there will be no redundancies," he said. "It would be really hard, even in the most appropriate mercantile climate, to give that declaration so to do it on the behind of a recession, I can"t see how it will work.

"At the finish of the day, it"s a in isolation association and they are going to wish to have profits."

Steve Matthews, the forces association chairman, pronounced progressing officers certitude would be similarly important.

"Officers need to know that the chairman at the finish of the air wave is veteran and will do the most appropriate for them," he said.

The editor of Police Review Chris Herbert pronounced a "nightmare scenario" would be if people in Cleveland were forced to attend to "lift music" as they are burgled.

"Dreary lift song and unfilled promises that each call is taken severely are the batch in traffic of call centres up and down the nation but they are doubtful to be of most assistance to someone in the center of a thievery or assault," he said.

Councillor Dave McLuckie, the Chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, pronounced that the incident was "not of the choosing" but encouraged by "extreme" bill cuts.

But he insisted that there will be a pledge of no mandatory redundancies set up in to the contract, along with a mangle proviso to safeguard that the association lives up to expectations.

"The people who will be picking up both the 999 calls and exploration calls in to Cleveland will verbalise to staff inside the military domicile in just the same way," he said.

Litter campaign becomes a work of art

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

Litter at the side of the A1, photographed by Richard Broom Photo: GEOFF ROBINSON

Richard Broom, 56, has outlayed hours photographing spawn along the UK"s main roads and posting them on a Blog in a bid to get Gordon Brown to neat up Britain.

But his inventive photographs, together with a damaged toilet and bottles of urine, have spin so renouned he is removing design requests from opposite the globe.

Lego fan builds Airbus A380 with 35,000 bricks Dentist-turned-light wall scrawl artist binds muster Drowning in plastic: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is twice the distance of France Scouts deliver recycling pinned token Keeping Britain careless Call to revitalise Saturday spawn collect to save trashed Britain

"It"s unequivocally bizarre that people wish to spin my photos of balderdash in to art," pronounced Mr Broom.

"I"ve had lots of requests from people in America for copies of my cinema to put on their walls.

"One of them was utterly penetrating on my print of a crumpled up coke can."

Richard"s spawn debate proposed when he was pushing along the A1 to London.

"I expostulate to London utterly mostly and one day I happened to notice the piles of balderdash along the highway and as I carried on I saw it was everywhere all along the verges," he said.

"When you are whizzing down the main road at 70 mph you don"t lend towards to notice it but if you stop and see you see what a state the roads are in.

"It"s a genuine annoyance for Britain and shows that people only don"t caring about the panorama any more."

Mr Broom, from Thurlby Moor, Lincolnshire, motionless to begin recording the balderdash on the UK"s verges by receiving pictures.

"One layby I came opposite was similar to a cesspit since it was so full of rubbish," he said.

"It was go through churning and even had bottles of urine flung out of windows by truck drivers.

"It is a vital issue, it is unsightly and it causes pollution."

He has right away created an open minute to Prime Minister Gordon Brown and posted it on his website for people to brazen to their MPs and councillors.

Timeline of social services failures: from Victoria Climbie to Baby P

Published: 8:00AM GMT twenty-six February 2010

The box has unpleasant echoes of the box of Victoria Climbi�, above, who was tortured to genocide by her good aunt and her beloved in 2000. Photo: PA

Victoria Climbie died February 2000

Eight-year-old lady starves to genocide after enlarged abuse at hands of guardians in London. Social workers, military and NHS had unsuccessful to lift alarm.

Baby P: Haringey Council boasts it will turn end of preference Baby P: More than 400 young kids have died given 2000 in cases where abuse or slight suspected Abused toddler visited 60 times by caring workers prior to his genocide Database to lane exposed young kids scrapped by Government Baby P death: timeline of pang

Outcome: Lord Laming inform advises finish renovate of kid insurance policies. Most of his 108 recommendations turn law in 2004 Children Act.

David Stocker died Aug 2001

Nine-year-old kid from Romford, Essex killed by overdose of salt fed him by mother, who is locked up for five years. Care workers had suspected she programmed to do him harm.

Outcome: Independent examination catalogues some-more than twenty-five failings by amicable services, military and Great Ormond Street hospital.

Trae-Bleu Layne died Oct 2006

Three-year-old lady from Reading dies after overdosing on mother"s methadone.

Outcome: Report finds no movement taken to remove kid from home notwithstanding made at home assault reports and warnings from neighbours. Reading legislature pledges to urge systems.

Baby P (Peter Connelly) died Aug 2007

Endures agonising genocide in home common by mother, her beloved and renter in Haringey, north London. The 17-month-old suffers 50 injuries together with damaged back, allegedly longed for by doctor.

Outcome: Head of children"s services at Haringey legislature and 4 colleagues sacked. Series of ban inquiries exhibit 60 longed for opportunities to save Baby P"s life. New inform by Lord Laming concludes his Climbie reforms not at large implemented.

Demi Leigh Mahon died Jul 2008

Two year-old lady knocked about to genocide by teenage babysitter in Manchester, after amicable services omit warnings about unreliability of drug-addict mother.

Outcome: Serious box examination finds concerns of kin and neighbours not followed up properly.

Charity Commission opens inquiry into bullying helpline

Published: 9:45PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

A mouthpiece for the organisation, that regulates charities in England and Wales, pronounced it had perceived 160 complaints about the helpline this week.

Christine Pratt, who founded the helpline, claimed on Sunday it had perceived calls from Downing Street staff.

Gordon Brown dismisses claims he indicted Blair of "ruining his life" Paul Boateng to leave Cape Town after bullying claims Charity Commission to inspect Gaza gift Tories direct review in to either Gordon Brown and Ed Balls pennyless electoral law Iceland promissory note exploration finds ghastly geysers runs low Stephen Jackley, tyro at the back of armed bank raids, claimed to be "modern day Robin Hood"

The commission"s mouthpiece said: ""Concerns have been lifted about the insurance of trusted report hold by the gift as a outcome of the operation of the charity"s trusted helpline for victims of bullying.

""The commission has a orthodox shortcoming to foster open certitude and certainty in charities, and is wakeful of the intensity stroke on alternative charities that run trusted helplines.""

The exploration will see at the helpline"s procedures around interpretation insurance and inspect how people were referred from the helpline to a commercial operation run by one of the trustees.

The helpline was at the moment dangling yesterday.

In a statement, the gift pronounced it was deliberation the destiny and voiced Mrs Pratt was "prepared to renounce if necessary".

All 4 of the charity"s patrons, together with Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, quiescent in criticism at what they saw as her crack of her avocation of confidentiality towards callers.

In a matter on the website, the National Bullying Helpline said: "Our congregation have quiescent at a time when we indispensable them most. It is a contrition that not one of them ever visited the gift offices to see how we work or encounter with the volunteers and trustees, notwithstanding request.

"Due to the incident at this time we are at the moment suspending the helpline. However, the website is still operational and contains practical, downloadable, papers for those who need it.

"Competitor anti bullying charities, people with an mattock to grub and a couple of others have forced the hand. We are intensely contemptible for any trouble this might means to those who need assistance right now. We apologize additionally to those who are detrimentally influenced by this incident - we embody all charities you do really great work opposite the UK."

The helpline steady the declaration that it was "not politically driven in any way" and pronounced the member would "be gratified to encounter with Gordon Brown, to whom we instruct no ill, if it would assistance to pill the situation".

The matter added: "We are now deliberation the destiny of the charity. Christine Pratt is rebuilt to renounce if necessary. However, this will obligate the appointment of a paid CEO that is a oppulance we have not been means to means in the past.

"We have really singular funds. Whatever happens, we will attempt to action in the really most appropriate interests of the gift and all those who humour from bullying and abuse of energy - adults and young kids - everywhere.

"It was never the goal to means harm or trouble to any one when we set up a helpline."

Winter Olympics 2010: Jacques Rogges pain over luge tragedy

By Jacquelin Magnay Published: 8:53PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Tragedy: lane staff comply impulse of overpower in honour of Nodar Kumaritashvili Photo: AP

The IOC boss pronounced that the general luge and bobsleigh federations had the authorised responsibilities for the track. "But we are implicitly responsible, he said, divulgence that the IOC would minister to a programmed luge lane in Kumaritashvilis home town.

He pronounced the genocide "will be piece of the Vancouver Games", only as the gangland slaying of Israeli athletes has turn synonymous with the Munich Olympics of 1972.

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The tragedy had expel a shade over the Games but he would have a apart attestation at the shutting rite "in general, a certain one.

Meanwhile, Rogge likely that the stadiums for the London Games would be full since of the citys vicinity to Europe. But he warned that the brew of spectators would not be as British as the internal open competence goal for since of European Union law.

"One of the manners imposed by the EU is for the free marketplace and the dissemination of goods. The stadiums will be full, but the brew of spectators might be opposite to what it would have been if LOCOG could have sole only in the internal market. But we have to live with that.

Video: Preview of classical composer/conductor John Adams at the Barbicanculture minute

Published: 7:36PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Woolas admits even his children have suffered from immigration

By Tom Whitehead, Home Affairs Editor Published: 6:09PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Mr Woolas, who has dual boys of propagandize age, supposed that the remarkable liquid of large numbers of people had had an outcome on communities after being confronted by an impoverished man on BBC"s Newsnight.

He went on to admit: "My own family, my children, have suffered from that and we recognize that point ..."

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Asked what he meant, he combined only: "Well, if you get, as the lady says, if you get a big liquid of people entrance in to an area, Slough Council, Peterborough Council, have lifted this point, that is the cost you pay."

He refused to enhance on his comments yesterday and it stays misleading either he equates to his young kids have suffered as a outcome of vigour on schools or communities in general.

He is the ultimate Labour apportion to accept immigration has impacted on towns and cities but

In December, Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, pronounced immigration had "cost" tools of Britain, impacting on jobs, salary and even family ties.

That came a week after Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, pronounced the Government had been unhandy over immigration, that had impacted on communities.

Chris Grayling, the shade Home Secretary, said: "There is no subject that immigration has put outrageous vigour on the open services. How can a Minister urge a process that he admits his own family has suffered from?"

Video: Piano prodigy Ethan Bortnick plays at Gammy museum

Published: 5:47PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Second British solder killed in Afghanistan in two days

Published: 1:03PM GMT twenty-five February 2010

The soldier, from A Company, 4th Battalion The Rifles, piece of the 3 Rifles Battle Group, died nearby Sangin, in Helmand Province. His family has been told.

The MoD pronounced he died as a outcome of ""small arms fire"".

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Lieutenant Colonel David Wakefield, orator for Task Force Helmand, said: "It is with low dolour I contingency surprise you that a infantryman from A Company 4 Rifles, portion as piece of the 3 Rifles Battle Group, was shot and killed this sunrise nearby Sangin in northern Helmand.

"He was on a feet patrol, piece of ongoing operations to strengthen the people of Sangin from insurgents, when his unit was dismissed on. His bravery and his unselfish joining will be sorely longed for by us, his comrades. We will recollect him."

Last night, an airman receiving piece in a car unit died as a outcome of injuries suffered in a explosion in an area north of Kandahar Airfield, in Kandahar province.

He was from 2 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment, piece of the Kandahar Airfield Defence Force, the MoD pronounced today. His family have additionally been told.

Lt Col Wakefield said: "He died you do his avocation and between his associate airmen. His scapegoat will not be forgotten."

The ultimate dual deaths take the series of British use crew killed in the dispute to 265.

The MoD pronounced 232 had been killed as a outcome of antagonistic action.

A serve 33 died possibly as a outcome of illness, non-combat injuries or accidents, nonetheless a little have nonetheless to be reserved an central means of death, a orator said.

Neither of the dual deaths voiced currently was related to Operation Moshtarak - the corner UK, US and Afghan attack on mutinous strongholds.

Wayne Bridge: England defender at World Cup 2010

By Sandy Macaskill Published: 12:45PM GMT twenty-five Feb 2010

Manchester City and England"s Wayne Bridge Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Full name: Wayne Michael BridgeBorn: Southampton, Hants. Aug 5, 1980

Position: DefenderHeight/weight: 1.78m/75 kgs Squad number: Club: Manchester CityCaps: 36Goals: 1World Cup appearances: 2 (2002); Squad piece of in 2006World Cup 2010 qualification: 3 appearances/0 goals

Wayne Bridge in cinema Chelsea captain John Terry splits with representative Aaron Lincoln Wimbledon 2009: tip 50 champions Carlos Tevez blames Sir Alex Ferguson for Manchester Uniteds Champions League disaster World Twenty20: England ready to be tested by the most appropriate Manchester City physical education instructor Mark Hughes signs Schalke 04s Nils Zander

The full-back ruled himself out of World Cup tab when he done himself taken for preference in the arise of the event that cost John Terry the England captaincy.

A attribute in between Bridge"s former partner, Vanessa Perroncel, and Terry had come to light. With Bridge observant his on all sides inside of the England patrol had turn "untenable and potentially divisive", he incited his behind on preference at a third World Cup. This, notwithstanding the mid-season ankle damage suffered by Capello"s initial preference left-back, Ashley Cole, and the England manager"s settled idea that Bridge would be piece of his plans.

This left-back was endorsed to Southampton by Micky Adams in 1996. After five years on the south seashore Bridge assimilated Chelsea in 2003.

His last coming for Southampton was in the 2003 FA Cup last a better to Arsenal.

Chelsea was not a good success. There was as well most foe from associate England general Ashley Cole for that, nonetheless he did measure in the 88th notation of Chelseas Champions League quarter-final opposite Arsenal in 2004, promulgation his side in to the semis.

The idea was after voted idea of the season. It wasnt enough, of course, and he was brought to Manchester City by Hughes in Jan this year, for a price thought to be around �14 million.

Funnily sufficient it was former City physical education instructor Eriksson who gave Bridge his initial full England top opposite Holland in Feb 2002.

Search for Wayne Bridge headlines on Telegraph.co.uk.

Europes economy staring at weak recovery

Published: 11:34AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

In the semi-annual set of forecasts for the eurozone, the Commission likely that the region"s sum made at home product will see expansion of 0.2pc in the first, second and third buliding of the year prior to the gait increases to 0.3pc in the last 3 months.

"With most of the pushing forces being still proxy in the EU and globally, the robustness of the liberation is nonetheless to be tested," the Commission said. Global indicators are "encouraging in the short term," but doubt "remains abundant," it added.

Europe at risk of double-dip retrogression Greek conflict on "Nazi" Germany puts rescue at risk Japan emerges from retrogression but investors sojourn distrustful Chinese production continues ceiling movement G20 contingency dedicate to free trade, Diageo arch says London convene fades after China disappoints

The forecasts come opposite an increasingly diligent backdrop for European Monetary Union, that is confronting the severest exam in the history. The euro has depressed 6pc so far opposite the dollar this year as fears about Greece"s capability to pay off the debts expel a shade over the total eurozone.

"The liberation is going to be characterised by unusually diseased consumer demand," James Nixon, co-chief European economist at Societe Generale, told Bloomberg. "We"re still seeking at certain expansion figures, but they won"t be really big."

Germany"s liberation suddenly stalled in the last 3 months of 2009 and the Commission is presaging an additional prosaic 3 months this quarter. According to the forecasts, Europe"s largest economy will afterwards enhance 0.3pc in the subsequent dual quarters.

Doctors dilemma as fit note replaces sick note

By Roland Gribben Published: 10:07AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

The fit note replaces the quarrelsome "sickie" or ill note and gives GPs an additional preference in determining either an particular can lapse to work.

Union leaders are additionally sounding warnings about a little of the implications.

The fit note replaces the quarrelsome "sickie" or ill note and gives GPs an additional preference in determining either an particular can lapse to work.

Doctors should contend what work staff can do instead of signing off sick: ministers Applications soar as hundreds follow each post UKs disastrous perspective pulls FTSE 100 down Central banks siphon billions in to markets to assist fortitude Fed arch Ben Bernanke says US could spin this year if monetary complement does not relapse Zimbabwe dollar degraded as unfamiliar banking authorised

At benefaction the ill note criticism is singular to "unfit for work" but from Apr 6 doctors will have a choice. The particular might be "unfit for work" or "may be fit for work".

Providing an additional preference equates to doctors will be means to suggest employers that the worker would be means to lapse to work if proxy arrangements such as marked down hours, changes to duties and responsibilities or relocating bureau can be supposing to take comment of the actuality that the particular is not entirely fit to resume a normal operative life.

The Government has consulted employers and the healing contention in attempting to tweak the manners to yield some-more flexibility.

The ill note has been a prolonged using headache for all parties. GPs have been indicted of being an "easy touch" in on condition that notes. Employers protest about problems combined by employees with prolonged spells of sickness-related absenteeism. Employees contend GPs are mostly unpleasant to highlight associated and alternative illnesses. The cost to the economy is huge. Absenteeism by illness is estimated to cost the economy �100bn a year and there is a little warn that the foresee of assets from the changes is so modest.

"The changes are not about perplexing to get people behind to work prior to they are ready but about stealing the hurdles to them returning," says superintendence records constructed for employers by the Work and Pensions department.

Doctors, by the British Medical Association, have since competent support. Their regard is that a miss of believe on the piece of the GP about an individual"s work sourroundings will have it formidable to take a perspective on either the worker "may be fit for work" and the BMA wants a little submit from occupational advisers concerned in the process.

The TUC has released superintendence to unions, indicating out that since most employers do not have sufficient occupational health recommendation to exercise recommendations from GPs, kinship member in the workplace will have a "key purpose in ancillary people where the alloy recomends an early lapse to work might be possible".

In cases where employees remonstrate with their GP, the TUC advises them to find a second perspective or speak to their kinship representative. If employers destroy to have changes to house a phased lapse to work the TUC says the worker should stay at home.

The TUC additionally suggests employees should find kinship recommendation if they find themselves in a incident where they determine with their GP about a lapse to work but do not think their employer has left far sufficient to cope with their limitations.

Attempts by employers to compare marked down duties with marked down compensate should be resisted, says the TUC. Employees should be in use underneath the same conditions they enjoyed prior to going on the ill list with modifications to assistance the passing from one to another behind to work.,

The TUC says that if employers see the changes as a "green light to force workers behind to work prior to they are well sufficient to return, in the prolonged run it will usually lead to increasing illness deficiency and nonessential conflict".

Soup from high street food chains contains more salt than an adults daily allowance

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

Popular domicile brands are mostly no healthier, with manufacturers still a prolonged approach from assembly salt rebate targets, Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) said.

The investigate found 99% of the soups contained some-more salt per apportionment than a parcel of crisps, a entertain unsuccessful to encounter the 2010 Food Standards Agency normal intentional targets and usually 6% could be marked down immature formed on the trade light labelling system.

Many family grill dishes enclose some-more than twice as most salt as a kid should have in a day Pub puddings are soaked in salt, investigate shows Sandwiches with salt calm homogeneous to 9 bags of crisps No some-more pies for open zone workers Supermarket salads can have some-more fat than Big Mac, watchdog finds

Cash surveyed 575 ready-to-eat soups from high travel bondage Eat, Caffe Nero and Pret a Manger as well as branded and own-label varieties from all the vital supermarkets.

Some Eat soups contained ""astoundingly high"" amounts of salt, with 10 products carrying some-more than the stream every day limit letter of reference of 6g.

Eat"s largest Bold Thai Green Chicken Curry contained 8.070g of salt per 32oz/907g portion, the same volume as scarcely 3 Big Macs with fries.

The same soup in the smallest distance contained 2.815g per 12oz/340g portion, scarcely half of the every day letter of reference and still some-more than a Big Mac and fries.

Caffe Nero"s customary distance organic carrot and coriander soup contained 3.6g of salt, some-more than three-and-a-half times that of the lowest takeaway soup - a Malaysian duck soup from Pret A Manger at 1.0g per portion.

New Covent Garden Scotch Broth contained the top volume of salt between the supermarket brands at 2.4g per 300g portion, the homogeneous of scarcely five packets of crisps. Tideford Organics Moroccan Vegetable contained the lowest volume at 0.44g per 300g portion.

The investigate found a 17% rebate in salt in ready-to-eat soup ranges given the last consult in 2007.

However vital brands were stability to loiter behind, with a sum of twenty-three supermarket products containing 2g or some-more salt per portion, eighteen of these from heading brands together with Heinz, New Covent Garden and Batchelors.

The supermarkets met 2010 targets in 93% of cases, whilst the branded products trailed with 66% assembly targets.

Cash mouthpiece Katharine Jenner said: ""People lend towards to think salt is usually in crisps, snacks and ready meals. But this consult shows outrageous amounts of salt can be dark in clearly full of health choices such as soup.

""While there are still soups being made with unequivocally high levels of dark salt it is tough for us to cut down the salt money coming in to less than 6g of salt a day from the stream normal of 8.6g a day.

""We urge manufacturers to revoke their salt calm immediately.""

Professor Graham MacGregor, of the Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and authority of Cash, said: ""The infancy of the food industry is solemnly receiving out the salt from food, together with these soups. We praise the swell so far, however they haven"t left far sufficient if we are to save the limit series of lives.

""This consult shows that a little companies are not co-operating. The open should protest these products so we don"t have to review to legislation.""

Unions deny split over BA crew payments

By Alistair Osborne Published: 6:15AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Comments 7 |

British Airways

The conduit has told Unite, the kinship representing 12,000 cabin crew, that it wants to reinstate the stream complement with a prosaic monthly payment.

Such a shift would give all organisation the same total stealing the stream hierarchy of allowances where "plum" trips capture higher one-off payments.

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The offer has exacerbated tensions in in in in in between organisation members, whose allegiances to opposite wings of Unite were remarkable last week in a High Court judgment, that referred to a "heated argument" in in in in in between the dual camps.

Under the stream stipend system, organisation embrace opposite payments in further to their simple income depending on the generation of the trip. Crew drifting the four-day round-trip from Heathrow to Tokyo get allowances of �935, whilst a six-day lapse to Shanghai pays �866 and five days to Hong Kong �798. By contrast, 3 days to Mumbai, Delhi and Cairo pays �100.

While all road house losses are paid for by BA, alternative costs together with dishes are lonesome by allowances. Main organisation drifting long-haul from Heathrow embrace an normal �16,287 allowances on tip of their �18,693 simple pay. Senior cabin services directors get �18,319 allowances on tip of their �38,006 pay.

Under BA"s due change, the monthly remuneration would not be track specific, though organisation would get a comparatively small apart dishes allowance.

The offer is well known to have irritated comparison crew, who fly some-more of the majority sought-after trips. They are additionally endangered at BA"s plans to occupy new organisation when the aviation marketplace improves on worse terms, desiring they will progressively get some-more of the work.

Tensions in in in in in between organisation members were remarkable last Friday by Sir Christopher Holland in his statute that BA did not mangle organisation contracts last Nov when it cut the series of moody attendants on long-haul trips from fifteen to 14.

The decider highlighted groups in in in in in between the British Airways Stewards and Stewardesses Association (Bassa), that was prior to piece of the Transport & General Workers Union (TGWU), and a breakaway organisation Cabin Crew 89, formerly piece of Amicus.

The TGWU and Amicus amalgamated to form Unite. "Ostensibly illustration is by this singular union," the decider said, prior to cautioning that "the old allegiances have hold sway, creation from time to time, mutual rivalry, feeling and mistrust".

He remarkable that, on Jun 15, whilst holding negotiations with BA, "Bassa had a exhilarated justification with Amicus and refused to co-operate".

The decider additionally forked to justification that in the autumn, when conciliation group Acas was brought in to support negotiations in in in in in between Unite and BA, "the Bassa and Amicus factions were alone represented and sat in apart rooms. Despite the efforts of Acas they could not be swayed to stick on forces for a assembly with BA".

A Unite orator denied there was a split, indicating to the clever charge for a set upon and the assembly currently at Kempton Park racecourse that will be attended by organisation from both wings of the union. "It"s not true," she said. "The assembly will show that. This is a corner dispute."

She combined that the stipend issue was "not the main stumbling block", observant Unite"s arch conflict was that a prosaic remuneration would "not be uprated in line with the cost of living".

Inter Milan v Chelsea: Champions League ref got penalty call wrong, says Salomon Kalou

Published: 7:53AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

Felled: Salomon Kalou was brought down by Walter Samuel Photo: ACTION IMAGES

Chelsea outplayed Inter via but still lost the last-16 first-leg tie 2-1 in a pulsating compare at the San Siro.

Inter had taken a third-minute lead by Diego Milito usually for Kalou to turn in the 51st minute.

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However, Esteban Cambiasso easy Inter"s lead 4 mins after to give Jose Mourinho"s side a slight corner going in to the lapse leg at Stamford Bridge on Mar 16.

It could have been so different, though, if Chelsea had been awarded a chastisement mins prior to the break.

Kalou appeared to be felled by Inter defender Walter Samuel but Spanish arbitrate Manuel Gonzalez refused Chelsea"s appeals for a spot-kick.

The central was surrounded by Chelsea players at the half-time alarm and Kalou is austere it was a transparent penalty.

"It was a chastisement but the arbitrate motionless it wasn"t so there is not a lot you can do about it," he said.

"I felt him hold my right leg but the arbitrate told me that I did not have carry out of the round any some-more when he overwhelmed me.

"But I was about to fire and if he overwhelmed me on the behind of the leg it should be a chastisement or he should have requisitioned me for diving."

Chelsea will still be wondering how they lost a compare in that they were far higher in all departments.

The English bar were increased after the diversion when it was detected that goalkeeper Petr Cech, stretchered off with what looked similar to a knee damage in the second-half, had in actuality shop-worn his calf.

And Kalou believes his afar idea could infer critical in the lapse leg in west London.

"It is a great feeling to have the afar goal," pronounced Kalou. "Now we have to work on that and try to measure at the Bridge and not concede.

"Jose knew we were going to conflict and keep the ball. But they scored at the right moments and that done the difference. We knew could carry out the diversion but we knew they could be dangerous on the mangle and that is what happened."

Former Chelsea physical education instructor Mourinho believes his side will transport to his former stomping belligerent full of confidence, but admits it will be an romantic return.

"We can go there with a bona fide aspiration to go through," pronounced Mourinho.

"At Stamford Bridge, I don"t design anything alternative than people to be blissful to have me behind as we worked so well together.

"This time I will go behind to a opposite sauce room, a opposite cave but I know routinely Mourinho is propitious at Stamford Bridge."

Ministers admit £280m strategy to halve shameful teenage pregnancy rates has failed

By Heidi Blake Published: 7:30AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

The North East had the top under-18 source rate at 49 per 1,000 girls elderly fifteen to seventeen Photo: PA

Tony Blair spoken in 1999 that the series of under-18s descending profound would be halved by this year, but total expelled yesterday show Britain still has the top teenage conceiving physically rate in Europe.

Around 40,000 underage girls became profound in 2008 a medium decrease from the 1998 figure of 46,000, that Mr Blair called shameful.

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Ministers were yesterday confronting questions over how the multi-million bruise ten-year plan had unsuccessful to broach critical results. Ed Balls, the schools secretary, certified that he was "worried" by the situation.

"It was a unequivocally desirous aim it was 50 per cent fall. I think it was right to set an desirous aim and it is going to be unequivocally tough to have that volume of fall," he said.

He claimed that measures to plunge into teenager pregnancies had been to a little extent successful, but added: "It is not enough. I"m still disturbed about it and there is a lot some-more to do."

The North East of England had the top teenage conceiving physically rate, with 49 conceptions for each 1,000 girls elderly fifteen to 17. The East had the lowest rate, with only 31.4 pregnancies per 1000.

The total describe to 2008, with this years report not due to be expelled until 2012.

Ministers yesterday launched a new "action plan" to plunge into the steadfastly high rates of teenage conceiving physically in the UK, that includes one-to-one passionate health and contraception consultations for 16-year-olds.

But critics pronounced the new measures were repeating the mistakes of the past. Norman Wells, senior manager of the Family Education Trust, that researches the means of family breakdown, said: "The government"s teenage conceiving physically plan has been a mess for immature people. With all the importance on sex preparation and handing out contraceptives to schoolchildren underneath the age of consent, it is giving them the immature light to examination sexually.

"The enlargement of trusted preventive services for immature people underneath the age of sixteen is creation it some-more formidable for girls to conflict the advances of their boyfriends and heading a little to turn intimately active when they competence not differently have finished so."

The Conservatives have additionally criticised the strategy, but became bogged down in a row over their total progressing this month when they claimed that 54 per cent of teenage girls fell profound prior to their 18th birthday in a little deprived areas. The scold series was 5.4 per cent.

Ed Balls was additionally indicted yesterday of permitting legislation written to force conviction schools to learn sex preparation to be watered down.

An legislative addition to the Children, Schools and Families Bill, upheld last night, will meant that eremite educators will be authorised to learn personal, social, health and mercantile lessons "in a approach that reflects the school"s eremite character".

Keith Porteous Wood, senior manager executive of the National Secular Society, said: "The Government have once some-more bent to vigour from the Catholic Church, betraying the young kids in conviction schools who have a right to design and offset sex education. This timidity will corrupt most lives."